SEC Football Roster Management 2014-15 Edition

[jbcarol]

David Cloninger @DCTheState  ·  3 hours ago
USC announces four football departures -- TE Drew Owens, WR Caleb Hines, DE Michael Washington, OL Stephen Petty. Latter three were walk-ons

[jbcarol]

Dustin Dopirak @TennesseeBeat  ·  7 hours ago
Butch Jones confirms that Jaylen Miller and DeAndre Payne have left the program and will transfer.

[jbcarol]

Edgar Thompson @osgators  ·  Dec 31
DJ Durkin said Andre Debose didn't make trip to Birmingham Bowl based on a mutual decision. Darious Cummings not here, violated team rules.

Andre Debose's rollercoaster #Gators career ends with one game remaining in his final season: http://bit.ly/1xh8eoT

Underachieved, but does lead SEC in punt returning. RT @packsmack: .@osgators Roller coasters have highs, too. Was more like a train wreck.

[jbcarol]

Edgar Thompson @osgators  ·  Dec 31
DJ Durkin said Andre Debose didn't make trip to Birmingham Bowl based on a mutual decision. Darious Cummings not here, violated team rules.

Andre Debose's rollercoaster #Gators career ends with one game remaining in his final season: http://bit.ly/1xh8eoT

Underachieved, but does lead SEC in punt returning. RT @packsmack: .@osgators Roller coasters have highs, too. Was more like a train wreck.

His former teammate Antonio Morrison suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury in the game DeBose chose to bypass.

[jbcarol]

Ole Siss clearing more cap space.

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/ole-miss-football/ole-miss-dodson-kamara-transfer-2015/

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  6 hours ago
Gerald Willis III dismissed, transferring from Florida, according to report | http://AL.com  http://ow.ly/GTPvA

Florida defensive lineman Gerald Willis III is transferring from Florida, and it might not have been his choice.

The Gainesville Sun's Zach Abolverdi reported Tuesday that Willis had been dismissed from the team and was hoping to transfer to Texas A&M.

[jbcarol]

Josh Kendall @JoshatTheState  ·  Jan 8
DL Deon Green is transferring from South Carolina. He will not be the last.

[jbcarol]

Dillon Bates @dillonbates  ·  14 hours ago

Blessed to be awarded a medical redshirt today. Thank you to Mr.Hart, @UTCoachJones and the training staff for helping me along the way!

[Hog Fan from Camden]

nm

[jbcarol]

Dillon Bates, Josh Smith granted medical redshirt

According to the Tennessee roster, which has been updated with next season's classes, sophomore wide receiver Josh Smith will also be granted a medical redshirt.

Bates appeared in four games this past season and made six tackles before suffering a torn labrum in the Sept. 27 game at Georgia that kept him out for the rest of the season.

Smith appeared in three games before suffering what the team called a high ankle sprain against Oklahoma on Sept. 13.

By rule, the NCAA allows a player to apply for a medical redshirt, formally known as a medical hardship waiver, if he participates in 30 percent or less of the team's scheduled games and suffers the injury before the halfway point of the season. The NCAA also rounds up, so it views four football games as the maximum a player can play in a 12-game schedule and still receive a medical redshirt.

Bates, a backup weakside linebacker, came to Tennessee as a four-star recruit from Ponte Vedra (Fla.) High School, where he was a first-team all-state pick as a senior. He is the son of Bill Bates, the former Tennessee star safety who played 15 seasons in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys.

[jbcarol]

Hugh Kellenberger @HKellenbergerCL  ·  1 hour ago

I'Tavius Mathers is the second back to transfer from Ole Miss and go home this offseason. http://www.clarionledger.com/story/olemisssports/2015/01/15/ole-miss-itavius

[jbcarol]

Ross Dellenger @DellengerAdv  ·  34 minutes ago

Les Miles is "uncertain" if FB Melvin Jones will be with the team this spring. He didn't travel to bowl bc of academics. #LSU

[jbcarol]

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2015/01/running_back_altee_tenpenny_tw.html

... reserve tight end Malcolm Faciane would not return.

Faciane, a little-used tight end, caught four passes for a total of 16 yards - two in each of the past two seasons - for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama has not confirmed either departure.

[jbcarol]

Ross Dellenger @DellengerAdv  ·  2 hours ago
#LSU CB Rashard Robinson & FB Melvin Jones no longer part of football team. They're not enrolled in school. Story - http://bit.ly/1BQWefK

Robinson, Jones considered academic casualties. Jones could join McNeese St. #LSU has plenty options to replace both

[DeltaBoy]

If I was at UCA ASU or Texas State I would be hustling these kids hard.

[jbcarol]

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/97172/sec-morning-links-106

Florida tight end Jake McGee tweeted Tuesday that the NCAA granted him a sixth season of eligibility after he broke his leg in the first game of the Gators' 2014 season. Georgia offensive lineman Kolton Houston received similar news about a month ago, less than two years removed from a years-long eligibility case that prevented him from playing during his first three seasons on campus.

[jbcarol]

Joel A. Erickson @JoelAEricksonAU  ·  19 hours ago

Father's battle with cancer prompted Khari Harding to leave Auburn for Tulsa http://s.al.com/iHdldlM

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  1 hour ago
Auburn receiver transfers to junior college http://ow.ly/HT3kx

Auburn receiver Dominic Walker has left the program and transferred to a junior college. Walker posted on Instagram that he left for Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Miss.

[jbcarol]

Former four-star recruit will transfer from Tennessee to Maryland

After a year in Knoxville, Tennessee, cornerback D'Andre Payne decided he wanted to play closer to home.

D'Andre Payne @realdpayne

Will be attending the University of Maryland!
8:38 PM - 23 Jan 2015

[jbcarol]

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  15 hours ago

Two more Gamecocks leaving football team http://scne.ws/8Ghrv5

South Carolina's roster makeover continued Tuesday with the departure of two more players – this time on the offensive side of the ball.

Junior wide receivers K.J. Brent and Kane Whitehurst each decided to leave the team.

The early departures of Brent, Whitehurst and Shaq Roland (who left the team prior to the Independence Bowl) mean the Gamecocks will have no more than two wide receivers who caught a pass in 2014 on the 2015 roster. Leading receiver Pharoh Cooper, 69 catches, will be joined by Shamier Jeffery, who had two catches last year.

Defenders Kaiwan Lewis, Mason Harris and Deon Green had previously announced their decision to transfer.

2014 DEPARTURES

... Seniors – Rory Anderson, Damiere Byrd, A.J. Cann, Ryland Culbertson Jordan Diaz, Patrick Fish, Cody Gibson, Sharrod Golightly, Tyler Hull, Nick Jones, Kadetrix Marcus, Connor McLaurin, Sidney Rhodes, Corey Robinson, J.T. Surratt, Dylan Thompson, Brison Williams

... Mike Davis – going pro

... Shaq Roland – left team before bowl game

... Austin Hails, Coleman Harley, Matthew Harvey – juniors who are leaving

... Grant Davitte, Stephen Petty, Jonas Price, Kyle Morini, Gerald Turner, Garrett Shank, Na'Ty Rodgers, Caleb Hines, Drew Owens, Michael Washington – left team in-season

... Deon Green, Zack Cimaglia, Kaiwan Lewis, Mason Harris, Andrew Bunch, Kane Whitehurst, K.J. Brent – left team postseason

[jbcarol]

Redshirt junior tight end Drew Owens confirmed Wednesday what South Carolina announced in December: He won't be back with the Gamecocks in 2015.

Owens was set to participate Nov. 22 in senior day, according to USC, but he did not show up.

There was a twitter message style unofficial APB for Owens' whereabouts and safety at the time.

[jbcarol]

John Talty @JTalty  ·  2 hours ago

DL Dee Liner tweets that he's leaving Alabama https://twitter.com/Liner_25/statu

Dee Liner ✈ ‏@Liner_25

Officially been released from the UofA!! Wanna thank them for everything they have done for me and the opportunity they gave me! 💯🙌

[NoNC4Tubs]

John Talty @JTalty  ·  2 hours ago

DL Dee Liner tweets that he's leaving Alabama https://twitter.com/Liner_25/statu

Dee Liner ✈ ‏@Liner_25

Officially been released from the UofA!! Wanna thank them for everything they have done for me and the opportunity they gave me!

He will wind up at the barn........

[DeltaBoy]

The ones I feel sad for are those who have to quit for Medical or family reasons.

[jbcarol]

Dustin Dopirak @TennesseeBeat  ·  20 hours ago

Riyahd Jones posted on his Twitter account that he's transferring. He had participated in Senior Day festivities this year.


Vol Sr. DB

[jbcarol]

Patrick Brown @patrickbrownTFP  ·  35 minutes ago

Butch says Ryan Jenkins and Vic Wharton have asked to 'explore other options.' Michael Sawyers has been dismissed for violating team rules.

[jbcarol]

Ryan Jenkins @RyanJenkinsTV  ·  5 hours ago

I have made the decision to transfer from Tennessee after spring. I'm appreciative of my time at UT and all of the life lessons learned.

[jbcarol]

One day after Tennessee football coach Butch Jones said two of his wide receivers were looking into leaving the Volunteers, one of the two made up his mind.

Rising sophomore wideout Ryan Jenkins confirmed on his Twitter account Thursday that he will transfer from Tennessee.

The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Jenkins, the son of former Tennessee defensive back Lee Jenkins, played in all 13 games for the Vols in 2014 and finished with one catch, a 6-yard reception against Missouri in November. His role on offense increased when Tennessee lost multiple receivers to injuries toward the end of the season, and he also played on special teams.

Jenkins redshirted in 2013 due to lingering knee issues that kept him from practicing.

At a Wednesday news conference, Jones confirmed recent speculation that Jenkins and rising sophomore Vic Wharton, the first commitment and a key piece in Tennessee's 2014 class, were looking into transferring.

"They've asked to explore other options, so we have granted them the opportunity to explore other options," he said. "We'll see how that goes."

Though other incoming freshmen such as Vincent Perry or Jocquez Bruce could play in the slot, Tennessee signed just one receiver Wednesday. That was Preston Williams, a 6-4 highly rated prospect who's coming off a significant knee injury.

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  48 minutes ago

Jake Ganus finds life after UAB at Georgia http://es.pn/1AaXavo

"We took a good look at the [UAB} film, but Jake stood out," coach Mark Richt said. "He's a guy that we thought could come in and help us. Obviously Jake doesn't have a lot of eligibility left, but he's got a lot of maturity about him, and we really believe he's going to come in and give us some good pop."

Ganus hasn't played SEC ball, but he has dipped his toe in it. This past season, he recorded a season-high 11 tackles at Arkansas, which is a game he think helped him land so much attention from bigger schools.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  1 hour ago

LB Jordan Mastrogiovanni, WR Kyrion Parker, both Class of '13, no longer part of mix for Texas A&M: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/02/texas-am-loses-lb-mastrogiovanni-wr-parker/ ...

Linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni will not return for his junior season, and instead focus on earning his degree, according to multiple recruiting-based websites, further depleting one of the program's most shallow slots. And sophomore receiver Kyrion Parker has opted to transfer, in bowing out of competition at A&M's strongest position.

[jbcarol]

Aubrey Bloom @aubreyrbloom  ·  1 hour ago

Man, this time a year ago Jordan Mastrogiovanni was going to have a breakout year. Things change in a hurry.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  Feb 10

Texas A&M confirms LB Mastrogiovanni, WR Parker exits from program; also, no spring game for 2nd straight year: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/02/texas-am-loses-lb-mastrogiovanni-wr-parker ...

[jbcarol]

Tyren Jones suspended indefinitely

"If Tyren Jones does what he's supposed to, maybe he'll be back sometime soon," Saban said Oct. 28.

Altee Tenpenny, who was a member of the 2013 along with Jones, transferred in January. Alabama returns leading rusher Derrick Henry (172 carries, 990 yards) and Kenyan Drake, a rising senior who was injured a month into the 2014 season. The Tide also adds former five-star recruit Bo Scarbrough who enrolled in January.

Jones, a Marietta, Ga., product, was a four-star prospect and U.S. Army All-American before arriving at Alabama. He redshirted his freshman year before seeing reserve action in 2014.

[jbcarol]

The father of former Auburn cornerback Kalvaraz Bessent said the somewhat surprising decision for his son to leave the program was a "mutual decision."

Bessent's departure after one year as a member of the Auburn football team was announced Tuesday evening...

Auburn was at 86 scholarship players — one over the NCAA-mandated limit — prior to Bessent's departure, though the Tigers had several months to get below that 85-scholarship limit before the start of the 2015 season.

[jbcarol]

Chris Low @ClowESPN  ·  9 minutes ago

For sure. Spurrier not playing. RT @JoshatTheState Most are being encouraged. @ballinstatus_19: @JoshatTheState why are so many transferring

One thing Spurrier emphasized when we talked last month was that he was going to be a lot more hands-on about everything.

[jbcarol]

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  Feb 18

Defensive lineman Blake McClain 10th USC player to transfer http://scne.ws/8cqtcN 

[jbcarol]

Dustin Dopirak @TennesseeBeat  · 

Don't know if I pointed this out before, but since I've been asked, Wharton declined to explain the reasons for his transfer.

Just spoke to Vic Wharton. He confirmed the report that he's transferring and said that he's already taken an official visit to California.

[jbcarol]

LSU released its 2015 football roster ahead of spring practice, which begins March 7.

Here are some noted changes to it (at link)

Notable players missing from the roster:

    DL Mickey Johnson – expected to transfer
    PK Chris Sciambra – he'll focus on baseball this spring

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports @aldotcomSports  ·  16 hours ago

Auburn linebacker Anthony Swain, punter Jimmy Hutchinson leave team http://ow.ly/JTowE

Auburn linebacker Anthony Swain and punter Jimmy Hutchinson have left the football program, according to multiple reports.

"I'm going to update our spring roster next Tuesday, so I'm going to wait until then and I'll give you all the updates -- not just with him, but with other people, too," Malzahn said.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  6 minutes ago
Kevin Sumlin said DL Justin Manning is taking a leave of absence for personal reasons and should rejoin program in summer.

Sumlin declined to say whether Justin Manning is enrolled at A&M right now.

[jbcarol]

GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  10 hours ago
There's only one position on USC's official spring depth chart with an "or" beside it, and it's not QB. http://www.gogamecocks.com/2015/03/12/688810/south-carolina-releases-official.html ...

Highlight of posting a PRE-SPRING depth chart: People asking why Lorenzo Nunez and Dante Sawyer aren't listed.

Connor Mitch is #1 QB.

[jbcarol]

ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  22 hours ago
Ex-Ole Miss DB Alford opens up about leaving Rebels for MLB chance http://es.pn/1GNp303

Playing in his first big league camp, Anthony Alford is a little anxious. He's facing major league pitchers for the first time. He's playing catch with Jose Bautista, Jose Reyes and other stars he's seen on TV. But more than anything, he knows this is his chance -- his only chance.

Alford, an outfielder in the Toronto Blue Jays system, got into his first spring training game last week as a pinch runner. He used the speed that has intrigued scouts since his high school days to easily score from second on a base hit to left field.

Meanwhile, 700 miles away in Oxford, Mississippi, the Ole Miss football team was taking the field for the first time since the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl...

[jbcarol]

 GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  2h 2 hours ago

ICYMI: Health concerns end Devin Washington's football career. http://www.gogamecocks.com/2015/03/31/696539/health-concerns-end-devin-washingtons.html ...

Sophomore defensive end Devin Washington will accept a medical hardship and give up football, a source told The State on Tuesday.

Washington, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound native of Orlando, Fla., also confirmed his decision via Twitter. He sat out the entire 2013 season due to a severe concussion and was slowed by a hamstring injury last year.

[jbcarol]

Bo Mattingly @SportsTalkwBo  ·  17m 17 minutes ago
Bielema notes Anthony Brown has been removed from the team for the remainder of the spring.

[jbcarol]

Florida OT Rod Johnson's injury may be career-ending

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that right tackle Rod Johnson would be out indefinitely with a stinger-type injury. There were also indications that a previous issue in his shoulder could compound the situation.

UF is expected to get the final diagnosis on Monday, although Jim McElwain allowed that "it doesn't look great" as the injury could end the lineman's playing career.

"

• ne thing I'll tell you about any player, I will never, ever put him out there in harm's way," the first-year head coach said following Saturday's spring game. "And we've got a medical staff that looks at everything. We send the things all over the country to specialists and I'll have more on that probably Monday.
  
  "Life's too short, man. Ain't gonna do it, ain't gonna do it to a young guy."
  
  Because of all of the injuries, the Gators exited the spring with just six healthy scholarship linemen...

[jbcarol]

Florida OT Rod Johnson's injury may be career-ending

Tuesday afternoon, Florida announced that the playing career of offensive lineman Rod Johnson has come to an end.  The announcement came one day after Johnson met with doctors to get a final diagnosis on what was initially described as a stinger-type injury.

According to the school, Johnson has been diagnosed with congenital cervical stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spine. A week ago today, Johnson was ruled out indefinitely because of the issue.

[jbcarol]

 Patrick Brown @patrickbrownTFP  ·  7h 7 hours ago

Coleman Thomas has officially been reinstated to the Tennessee football team, per a Tennessee official.

Patrick Brown @patrickbrownTFP  ·  8h 8 hours ago

Theft charges dropped against Coleman Thomas. Release from attorney says Thomas was 'unaware' the Xbox/controllers he sold were stolen.

[jbcarol]

 ESPN SEC @ESPN_SEC  ·  20h 20 hours ago

A&M receiver LaQuvionte Gonzalez to transfer http://es.pn/1Hrgas4

A&M's large 2013 receiver recruiting haul is down to two members.

Gonzalez, who was an ESPN 300 prospect coming out of Cedar Hill (Texas) High School, was one of six receiver recruits in Texas A&M's 2013 recruiting class. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound Gonzalez was classified as an athlete in his recruiting class but was a receiver from the day he stepped on the A&M campus. He joins Sebastian LaRue, Kyrion Parker and Ja'Quay Williams (now known as Ja'Quay Savage) as players from the class who have transferred elsewhere.

Gonzalez played all 13 games in his true freshman season, starting once, but didn't see the field extensively in 2014, playing eight games and catching five passes for 77 yards and one touchdown.

[jbcarol]

 CollegeFootballTalk @CFTalk  ·  Apr 20

Florida transfer Gerald Willis seeking 'run-off' waiver for immediate eligibility at Miam #collegefootballi http://wp.me/p14QTT-1tdU

[jbcarol]

 Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  20h 20 hours ago

Defensive back Joe Turner is not with the Auburn football program. Will Muschamp defers to Gus Malzahn to address situation.