Gator Clause

Five games we DIDN'T expect to shape the SEC...No.5, Bama at Arkansas

100 days until Hawaii...

GAINESVILLE -- College football columnist Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offered readers five games this fall he believes will shape the SEC championship. Here's the link CLICK ME.

It's a pretty predictable list. It shouldn't be, of course. Last season was one of the most UNPREDICTABLE college football seasons in history. Need I remind anyone that Mississippi State beat both Auburn and Alabama, Florida clobbered Tennessee but the Vols still played in Atlanta and -- most unusual of all -- LSU lost two games and still won a national championship.

The unpredictibility will surely carry over into this season. Georgia lost to South Carolina last season but is now expected by most everyone to win the SEC and play for a national title. With that in mind, Gator Clause presents FIVE GAMES YOU DIDN'T SEE COMING THAT WILL SHAPE THE SEC title game...We'll look at one match-up per day for the next five days...And remember, folks, 100 days until college football season!

5. Alabama at Arkansas
When: Sept. 20
Last season: Alabama 7-4, Independence Bowl win against Colorado (30-24); Arkansas 8-5, Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri 38-7
Why this game matters: The first SEC game for both teams, this match-up is all about momentum. Second-year Alabama coach Nick Saban won't just be looking to improve on his first season, he's looking to win the West. Alabama begins the season as the West's dark horse and a win against Arkansas in Fayetteville will send Crimson Tide fans into a frenzy. Arkansas lost a lot (Darren McFadden and Felix Jones) last season but don't expect a major down year from the Hogs. First-year coach Bobby Petrino would like nothing more than to beat Saban in his SEC debut. Arkansas will be ready.

-jo-

NCAA 09 overall ratings: Florida, Miami, FSU, UGA, LSU and Tenn.; Tebow leads all with 99

HERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL ARGUE ABOUT ...

GAINESVILLE -- For those video game nuts out there, here's a sneak peek at some individual player ratings for NCAA '09. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has an overall rating of 99. Percy Harvin has a speed rating of 98.

Some random thoughts: Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram isn't rated among the Gators' best...LSU defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois appears to be underrated...Florida linebacker Dustin Doe is overrated...What, no Drew Weatherford?...A punter is Tennessee's second highest rated player...Georgia's video-game likeness looks pretty stinking good.

-jo-

FLORIDA

Tim Tebow, junior, quarterback 99

Percy Harvin, junior, wide receiver 96

Brandon Spikes, junior, middle linebacker 95

Dustin Doe, junior, outside linebacker 93

Phil Trautwein, redshirt senior, offensive tackle 92

Jim Tartt, senior, offensive guard 91

Maurkice Pouncey, sophomore, offensive guard 91

MIAMI

Eric Moncur, senior, defensive end, 93 (Miami)

Randy Phillips, senior, cornerback, 92 (Belle Glade)

Lavon Ponder, senior, safety, 91 (Miami)

Colin McCarthy, junior, outside linebacker, 91

Jason Fox, junior, offensive tackle, 90

Graig Cooper, sophomore, running back, 88

Darryl Sharpton, junior, linebacker, 88 (Coral Gables)

FLORIDA STATE

Myron Rolle, sophomore, rover (strong safety), 97

Derek Nicholson, junior, middle linebacker, 94

Everette Brown, redshirt sophomore, defensive end, 94

Antone Smith, junior, running back, 92 (Pahokee)

Marcus Ball, sophomore, outside linebacker, 92

Preston Parker, sophomore, wide receiver, 92 (Delray Beach)

Patrick Robinson, sophomore, cornerback, 91 (Miami) 

GEORGIA

Knowshon Moreno, sophomore, running 96

Dannell Ellerbe, senior, middle linebacker 95

Asher Allen, junior, cornerback 95

Jeff Owens, senior, defensive tackle 95 (Plantation)

Trinton Sturdivant, sophomore, offensive tackle 93

Matthew Stafford, junior, quarterback 93

Prince Miller, junior, cornerback 92

LOUISIANA STATE

Herman Johnson, redshirt senior, offensive guard, 96

Tyson Jackson, senior, defensive end, 93

Darry Beckwith, senior, middle linebacker, 95

Curtis Taylor, senior, free safety, 94

Ciron Black, junior, left tackle, 94

Al Woods, junior, defensive tackle, 93

Kirston Pittman, senior, defensive end 93

TENNESSEE

Demonte Bolden, senior, defensive tackle, 94

Britton Colquitt, senior, punter, 94

Robert Ayers, senior, defensive end, 94

Eric Berry, sophomore, defensive back, 94

Rico McCoy, junior, outside linebacker, 91

Lucas Taylor, senior, wide receiver, 91
Josh McNeil, junior, center, 89

Hornsby's career likely done at Florida

LINK TO THE STORY: UF football player charged in credit card fraud

GAINESVILLE -- Nice knowing you, Jamar Hornsby. Well, not really.

Hornsby was accused on Friday of using the BP gas card of Ashley Slonina, a UF student who died in a motorcycle accident in October 2007 along with Florida walk-on quarterback Michael Guilford. If true, that's pretty much one of the most disgusting things I've ever written. My fingertips feel dirty just typing it.

Imagine the Slonina family. Imagine receiving that credit card statement every month for the last six months. Tragic.

What's most bizarre about all this is that Slonina was the girlfriend of Florida cornerback Joe Haden. How did Hornsby get Slonina's credit card? According to Slonina's father, Hornsby took the card from Ashley Slonina's apartment while helping the family remove her personal belongings one day after the accident.

Hornsby emerged from spring football as a back-up safety to Major Wright. Florida coach Urban Meyer praised Hornsby this spring for showing signs of his potential. So much for that. There's no way Meyer can save Hornsby now.

Florida has lost two safeties in as many weeks. Back-up Jerimy Finch was recently granted permission to transfer.

-jo-

Hoops gains a player; Football loses one

A FEW NOTES...

GAINESVILLE -- The Gators' basketball team will likely fill the loss of center Marreese Speights with a transfer from Georgetown. Vernon Macklin (6-9, 230 pounds) visited Gainesville last weekend and is apparently ready to enroll. Macklin, who averaged 3.4 ppg and 2.1 rpg last season for the Hoyas, will have to sit out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. Macklin played with Speights at the prep-school level (Hargrave Military in Chatham, Va.), so he's got to be pretty smart.

In football news, reserve linebacker Jerimy Finch (the guy who broke his leg in the fourth quarter against Tennessee last season) is reportedly transferring out. Finch, who Urban Meyer said was struggling academically, was buried on the linebacker depth chart at UF but will likely play safety elsewhere...perhaps Indiana.

-jo-

Top 10 things dumber than LSU's Perrilloux

FOR A STORY ON RYAN PERRILLOUX, CLICK HERE

Not many organic compounds -- never mind life forms -- on this planet (and presumably any other) are dumber than Ryan Perrilloux. There are a few, though. Let's make a list.

10. Rev. Jeremiah Wright: While we disagree with everything this moron says, we will fight to the death for his right to say it ... or something like that.

9. The enabler? Les Miles isn't to blame, right? I mean, this guy gave Perrilloux every chance to prove my stupid-people theory wrong. My stupid-people theory: Given time, stupid people will all wear Velcro. Nothing says institutionalized quite like Velcro.

8. LSU frat boys: A special kind of dumb, folks. I have stories and factual evidence to prove this.

7. dehydrated macaroni

6. Roger Clemens (King of the Pridesters)

5. People who support Roger Clemens

4. Another brilliant American footballer with a French surname: Maurice Clarett. This is where Clarett lives. CLICK HERE FOR CLARETT'S HOME. This is where Perrilloux will be living soon. CLICK HERE FOR PERRILLOUX'S FUTURE RESIDENCE.

3. Charles Deas: Fruit-fly dumb.

2. The BCS people.

1. Me for actually wasting my time on a Perrilloux blog post.

A SIDE NOTE TO THIS BLOG POST: Why does the LSU athletic website have the Perrilloux press release plastered all over its front page? CLICK HERE FOR A PEEK.  Does anyone find this odd other than me? We recruited Perrilloux. We failed. Now we're going to boast about kicking him off the team.

-jo-

Gators' rookie-camp roundup: Leak asking God for help

AROUND NFL ROOKIE CAMPS...

In Kansas City, former Florida Gators quarterback Chris Leak is asking God to help him make the Chiefs' 70-man summer roster. Leak, who went undrafted in 2007, was cut by the Bears last year before getting involved with the AAFL, the has-beens league that never happened. Said Leak: "I'll leave it in the Lord's hands." It's probably time Leak accepted his fate and became a quarterbacks coach for Illinois.

In Tampa, safety Kyle Jackson (pictured) is trying to make the Bucs' 80-man team. Jackson was benched his senior season at Florida in favor of a true freshman. No word yet if the Bucs are fitting Jackson with a special helmet. In Nashville, Florida's other former (car-boosting) safety, Tony Joiner, is serving as a tackling dummy for football players who actually have a shot at making an NFL roster.

One of Gator Clause's favorite former Gators, offensive lineman Carlton "Package Store" Medder is trying out for the Arizona Cardinals. Medder used to make me laugh out loud when he would show up for Monday press conferences wearing -- no lie -- a discount card for a Gainesville liquor store around his neck. Medder should fit right in with Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinhart. Or maybe not. That would be one crowded hot tub.

Former Florida offensive lineman Drew Miller is in Jacksonville with defensive end Derrick Harvey. Miller actually has a pretty good shot of making the Jags' practice squad, where he would presumably go up against Harvey every day in practice.

In Cincinnati, former UF receiver Andre Caldwell is being praised daily for not being Chad Johnson or Chris Henry.

-jo-