College football beat

[DKW 86 7,440]

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/birmingha....xml&coll=2

College football beat

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

AUBURN

Hamstring better, Irons ready to go:

AUBURN - Auburn defensive back Jonathan Wilhite can't wait to see the real David Irons causing havoc on the practice field again.

Irons, an All-SEC cornerback, figures to be closer to full speed today after coming back from a hamstring injury from practice Sunday.

"The David that we know wasn't there," Wilhite said. "When he gets back in the rhythm, he's going to be back."

Irons still jumped the trainers' recovery timetable with his weekend return.

Wilhite and Irons found some recovery time during Monday's off day. Irons is looking for bounce in his step. Wilhite is nursing a sore wrist, which was taped tight Sunday.

"I don't think it's going to affect me," Wilhite said.

Wide receiver Rod Smith received a lot of praise from his coaches over the weekend, but the walk-on was no match for a senior starting linebacker in a showdown over who was going to wear No. 21 this season.

Karibi Dede is still No. 21. Smith is No. 80.

The two had been sharing the number this fall, but Smith reluctantly gave way to Dede.

"People keep asking me if I'm Karibi and I keep asking him if he's Rod," Smith said during the good-natured controversy over the weekend.

Smith had little choice but to give up the number, but at least he's used to it.

"I've had like five different numbers since I've been here. I really want to stay in No. 21, but out of respect to him I will change," he said.

Defensive lineman Byron Isom also changed his number, from 58 to 57.

Auburn moves to game-week mode today with a morning practice. The Tigers will then practice Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning and Friday afternoon, just as they will during the season.

Charles Goldberg --

ALABAMA

Kines stresses the basics:

TUSCALOOSA - After reviewing Saturday's scrimmage, Alabama defensive coordinator Joe Kines seemed pleased with where his defense is at the end of two-a-days.

"The first unit I'm not worried about," Kines said. "What we have to find is who wants to play from there back (behind the starters). Someone's got to rise up, and this is the week we really see who wants to do that."

For Kines, it all comes back to the basics.

"Every play ends one of two ways," Kines said. "Either with a tackle, or that guy (referee) holding both arms up (signaling touchdown).

"And tackling is as fundamental as it gets. So we spend this time, every year, working on fundamentals. Because if you don't have your foundation in place when the season starts, you'll be going back to work on it sooner or later. It's like an old car - you can fix it up right from the start, or you're going to be spending a lot of weekends working on it instead of driving it."

Having had a chance to review video from Saturday's scrimmage as well as Monday morning's practice, head coach Mike Shula said quarterback John Parker Wilson is continuing to make progress.

"John Parker looked really good throwing the ball," Shula said. "He moves around in the pocket well, and I hope he keeps doing that."

Wilson was particularly effective in the red zone drill, hitting 3 of 6 passes with a touchdown to Keith Brown and maybe one more to receiver Will Oakley, who caught a fade route in the back of the end zone that defensive backs coach Chris Ball - admittedly a biased observer - ruled out of bounds.

Tailback Jimmy Johns was back at practice after the head injury that had him miss the last few outings.

Other injuries during the morning workout included center Antoine Caldwell (right ankle) and defensive tackle Dominic Lee (hip).

Offensive guards B.J. Stabler and Marlon Davis were held out of contact work Monday.

Running back Glen Coffee (knee), kicker Jamie Christensen (groin), lineman David Ross (knee), and defensive back Justin Woodall (ankle) were all on the injured list as well.

Ray Melick --

UAB

Blazers trade jerseys, line up by numbers:

Even a roster was no help in identifying the UAB football players during the final two-a-day session of fall camp Monday. The players celebrated the conclusion of double days by switching jerseys during practice.

"It's just something they wanted to do to have some fun," said UAB head coach Watson Brown. "I had a little fun with it in the end."

Brown called for the players to line up by jersey numbers of the first teams to run the final play of the morning practice. That had starting running back Dan Burks wearing Cornelius Rogers' No. 70 jersey, with Burks at left tackle. The backfield consisted of wide receiver Norris Drinkard at quarterback and tailbacks Rogers and fellow offensive tackle Julius Wilson.

Rogers got the ball on a play and gained about five yards before fumbling the ball.

"It was short yardage," Brown said, smiling when asked why Rogers got the ball on the play. "If it would have been first-and-10, we would have loosened it up and given it to Julius."

Practice takes a different tone beginning today with the start of the fall semester. The team will settle into its regular season routine of afternoon practices.

Defensive end Larry McSwain was suited up for Monday morning's practice but didn't take part in drills. Brown said McSwain was just taking a rest and is physically fine.

The Blazers' All-Access radio and television shows begin this week. The hour-long radio show, featuring Brown, begins at 6 p.m. at Full Moon Barbecue on Valley Avenue and the television show debuts Sunday at 11:30 p.m. on ABC 33/40. Cory Provus, who is in his first year as the Blazers' play-by-play announcer, hosts both shows.

SAMFORD

Bulldogs plan to be ready by opener:

Samford head coach Bill Gray, whose team opens the season Aug. 31 against Miles College, says his Bulldogs are making good progress.

"We feel like we are on schedule," Gray said after Monday's practice. "We are not ready to play tonight, but we will be ready on the 31st. There are still some things we need to polish up on."

The Bulldogs practiced Monday morning at Seibert Stadium, then worked out at night in full pads inside the gym and later outside on the practice field.

"We've been bouncing inside and out," Gray said. "Obviously, in the gym is not where we want to be, but with the surface we have now in the stadium, we are able to get out after a good shower and still get some quality work in."

ALSO

Tereshinski gets his chance at Georgia: Joe Tereshinski never gave up on starting at quarterback for his favorite team. Not when he was filling in as a snapper. Not when he was called on to block for the punter. Not even when Georgia kept bringing in highly rated prep quarterbacks.

Tereshinski's persistence paid off when the No. 15 Bulldogs, who'll go into the season as the defending Southeastern Conference champion, named him to start the Sept. 2 opener against Western Kentucky.

Coach Mark Richt made the decision after letting four quarterbacks battle it out during spring practice and through the first two weeks of preseason workouts.

Another Florida lineman misses practice: Florida's offensive line has become coach Urban Meyer's biggest concern.

Left tackle Phil Trautwein missed practice Monday because of a sore left foot, the latest in a string of injury problems for the team's most inexperienced position.

McFadden has pin removed from toe: Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, who had the pin removed from his left big toe Monday, remains doubtful for the Sept. 2 season opener against No. 6 Southern California.

McFadden had surgery late last month on the toe, which he apparently dislocated in a fight outside a Little Rock nightclub.

Spurrier awards five Gamecock walk-ons: South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said Monday that five walk-on players, including likely starting offensive guard Thomas Coleman, received scholarships for this season.

Along with Coleman, the others are offensive lineman Seth Edwards, deep snapper Scott Morgan, quarterback Brett Nichols and linebacker Greg Wright.