When Tennessee junior running back Arian Foster decided earlier this month to return for his senior season rather than skip out early for the NFL, the Vols got a huge boost. Foster has the chance to become Tennessee's all-time leading rusher during his fourth year in Knoxville since his 1,193 yards in 2007 leave him just 685 yards shy of the UT career mark. Friday handed the Vols some less-than-great news, however, as the school announced that Foster has undergone knee surgery to repair an unspecified injury.

Continue reading "Tennessee: Foster Is Back, Hopefully" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed can't catch a break. After an injury-plagued season allowed the senior to see time in only six of the team's 13 games, it looks like the Senior Bowl has been no nicer to him . Sweed aggravated an existing injury to his left wrist during one-on-one drills early in the week and as a result, has spent much of his senior week experience sitting and watching. Not exactly what this fifth-year senior, former all-conference selection had in mind.

Continue reading "Senior Bowl Busted" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was common knowledge late in the summer that Tennessee quarterback Eric Ainge suffered a broken finger on his throwing hand just days before his team's season opener. What was not so commonly known was that the senior quarterback also played half the season with an injured throwing shoulder. Why didn't you hear about it? Because Ainge and the Tennessee coaching staff didn't want you to know.

Continue reading "Tennessee: Ainge Talks" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the Music City Bowl inching ever closer (kickoff is Dec. 31 at 4 pm ET), Kentucky is enjoying the music as its injury reports are becoming more and more optimistic. This week, head coach Rich Brooks reported that sophomore cornerback Paul Warford was able to practice by week's end and is now expected to play in Monday's game against a Florida State team badly depleted by suspensions. Warford had missed practices the previous week with a shoulder injury after finishing the season with 36 tackles and two interceptions.

Continue reading "Kentucky: Music (City) To Their Ears" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the awards circuit behind them and the national championship game looming just ahead, LSU finally returns to practice this week, happy to have had some time off to get its long list of injured players a little bit healthier. Head coach Les Miles is proud that his team has been able to win all season despite the alarming number of starting players unavailable due to injury, but with Ohio State returning some of its injured contributors to the field after weeks of rest, the Tigers would far prefer to play their final game in a state of good health, and they seem to be in good shape to do so.

Continue reading "LSU: Back In The Habit" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Much to the Gator Nation's sigh of relief, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow had the cast removed from his broken right hand on Friday and - to no one's surprise - practiced without any problems. Remember, the Heisman Trophy winner did not have much trouble with his hand before it was placed in the cast. He sustained the non-displaced fracture during the team's Nov. 24 win over Florida State and played the majority of the game with his hand broken before seeking medical attention. The cast also did not get in the sophomore's way when he hoisted the signature Trophy after his name was called in New York last weekend. But still, getting the cast off is certainly a relief, especially coming so far ahead of the Jan. 1 kickoff of the Capital One Bowl.

Continue reading "Florida: Cast Off" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Championship Saturday, two teams had to play without their starting quarterbacks, but that did not seem to matter much to either one. LSU starting QB Matt Flynn sat out the entire SEC Championship game with a sore shoulder, but sophomore Ryan Perrilloux stepped up when he stepped into the starting role. Over in Morgantown, West Virginia QB Pat White left the Backyard Brawl in the scoreless second quarter with a disloacted thumb on his non-throwing hand . Reports were that the stud signal-caller could not so much as move the thumb, and until that status changed, on the sideline he would stay.

Continue reading "No QB, No Problem?" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 09:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last weekend, LSU's triple-overtime loss to Arkansas did more than knock the Tigers out of the national championship race - it may have knocked Matt Flynn out of this weekend's SEC Championship game. Flynn suffered an injury to his right shoulder during last week's loss and head coach Les Miles informed the media on Friday that Flynn's ability to play would be a game-time decision. For a team down in the dumps after two overtime losses, including one at home on senior day, led by a coach who may be leaving at the end of the season, who insists on rationalizing away their losses by saying the team never lost in regulation, this is perhaps the worst piece of news LSU could receive on the eve of what has become their biggest game of the season.

Continue reading "LSU: Without A Flynn" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Turns out college football's Superman is human, and he's got a broken right hand to prove it. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will be in a cast for at least two weeks after breaking his non-throwing hand during Saturday's I'm-gonna-win-me-the-Heisman performance against Florida State. After doing some preliminary sideline tests, team doctors told the sophomore he could stay in the game, but X-rays later showed the injury was far more severe than originally thought.

Continue reading "Florida: Superman Is Human" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It was a painful day for LSU and all of the former No. 1 team's fans. The Tigers put on a poor showing in their final regular season game, giving up a triple-overtime 50-48 decision to Darren McFadden -- err, Arkansas. It seemed that every time LSU ran a play in this one, a different player was hobbling around trying to get off the field. I counted at least six Tigers hurt over the course of this contest, to varying degrees, but that is certainly on the conservative side of the injury count.

Continue reading "LSU: Beat Up And Beat Down" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As if having Superman on the team weren't enough, Florida just got another hero back. Wide receiver Percy Harvin worked out on Sunday for the first time in two weeks and head coach Urban Meyer expects Harvin, the team's second-leading receiver, to be back on the field for Saturday's game against Florida State. If Harvin starts, that will mark the first time in more than two months that the defending national champions have had all of their pass catchers healthy in the same game.

Continue reading "Florida: There's More" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been a rough couple of weeks for No. 22 Kentucky. A triple-overtime win over LSU put the Wildcats on top of the world, but back-to-back losses to Florida and Mississippi State - the latter of which head coach Rich Brooks described as an "all-systems failure" - slammed the team back down to earth. After last week's win over Vanderbilt, the Wildcats still have a lot to prove about just who they are as a team, and this wekeend's test at Georgia will go a long way towards revealing their true character. Luckily for Kentucky, running back Rafael LIttle should be ready to play by Saturday, which means the Wildcats can play their game against the No. 8 Bulldogs.

Continue reading "Kentucky: A Little Luck" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 06:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just when things were starting to look up for Florida's three-loss season, the Gators were primed to take another hit on Saturday, but all turned out for the best. No. 17 Florida had no trouble putting away South Carolina, 51-31, despite the fact that star receiver Percy Harvin stayed home sick. Harvin had a sinus infection that kept him in Gainesville while the rest of the team made the trip to Columbia to take on the Gamecocks.

Continue reading "Florida: Harvin MIA" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 12:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow needs both shoulders to play his best. Yes, he's got a powerful left throwing arm, but just as powerful is his head-down, hit-you-in-the-mouth running style that has not been quite the same since he suffered a bruise to that non-throwing shoulder three weeks ago. He was not himself in the team's loss to Georgia, and it became apparent how much the Gators need a healthy right shoulder on their QB. It looks like Vanderbilt was nice to Tebow, however, as the sophomore told head coach Urban Meyer that he is within striking distance of feeling 100 percent because he did not take a single hit against Vandy last Saturday. Except that Meyer isn't sure he believes his starting QB.

Continue reading "Florida: Wishful Thinking" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 09:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As beaten and banged up as Florida's defense is, Thursday offered some good news to the Gator faithful. Even with his broken thumb, safety Major Wright will play this Saturday against Vanderbilt, and offensive lineman Mike Pouncey may be offering some help to the flailing defense by getting into the rotation at defensive tackle.

Continue reading "Florida: A Fighting Chance" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saturday's Saban vs. Miles - err, Alabama vs. LSU - game is a big one, but one of the biggest players is not letting us know whether or not he'll be taking part in the action. LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey sprained his right knee against Auburn two weeks ago, and although he's been forthright about how the injury occurred - on an illegal chop-block - he has not been so forthcoming about his status for Saturday. All we know is that Dorsey has been practicing in a brace and, according to head coach Les Miles, if the game were scheduled for last week, Dorsey would not have been able to play.

Continue reading "LSU: Dorsey In The Dark" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Florida's 2006 national championship team was known for its defense. The 2007 incarnation, not so much. Florida's defenders are young and inexperienced, and Saturday's loss to Georgia exposed them as such. The loss also banged them up even further, peppering the Gators with injuries and robbing them of at least two key contributors.

Continue reading "Florida: Defensive Pains" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 06:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, sort of. Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox won his game, leading the Tigers to a 17-3 win over Ole Miss while Tebow's Gators went down to Gerogia, but Cox will follow Tebow's lead later this week when he sits out of prctices with a bruised non-throwing shoulder.

Continue reading "Auburn: Cox Pulls A Tebow" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While the uncertainty Florida is feeling around the shoulder health of its star quarterback is mostly over-cautious, Georgia has some legitimate uncertainty to handle before the Bulldogs take the field against the Gators on Saturday. Head coach Mark Richt may have to start freshman tailback Caleb King, stripping him of his redshirt, to compensate for the loss of senior tailback Thomas Brown. Except that Richt is not yet sure of Brown's status, and would rather keep King redshirted than play him now. Brown injured his collarbone three weeks ago against Ole Miss and may be out until the Nov. 10 matchup with Auburn, if not longer.

Continue reading "Florida vs. Georgia: Who Knows?" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Quarterback Brandon Cox was one of several Auburn players to miss practice time this week with an illness. Head coach Tommy Tuberville described Cox's ailment as "a stomach virus," but said that a 24-hour flu has been circulating its way around the team, affecting various players. Cox said he will be fine to play on Saturday, but the day flu was not the only ailment plaguing the Tigers.

Continue reading "Auburn: Teamsick" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Without a doubt, Kentucky has a few offensive superstars that combine to give the Wildcats the nation's eighth-ranked scoring offense, responsible for scoring an average of 42 points and racking up 467 yards per game. What is doubtful, going into Saturday's game against Mississippi State, is how many of those superstars will play. The Wildcats have had several playmakers limited in practice this week due to various ailments, and that could spell trouble for two-loss Kentucky.

Continue reading "Kentucky: Stalled Offense" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Gators are flying high after last week's win over Kentucky, but with SEC showdowns on the horizon against Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina, they cannot afford a moment's lapse. Or, as the case may be, a moment's pain. Quarterback Tim Tebow is dealing with a shoulder contusion, free safety Major Wright has a broken finger that may sit him for a few games, wide receiver Riley Cooper also has a broken finger, offensive lineman Carlton Medder has a heel injury, and cornerback Markihe Anderson and wide receiver Bubba Caldwell are still not 100 percent. If last week was Bubba at 90, the Gators have plenty to look forward to, but the other host of injuries is cause for some concern.

Continue reading "Florida: Hurting In The Clutch" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 09:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saturday night's spectacular win over Kentucky lifted Florida in the rankings, but may have come at an immeasurable cost. Florida's Superman quarterback Tim Tebow bruised his right shoulder in the second half of that 45-37 win over Kentucky. Although he was able to play through the pain in his non-throwing arm, just because head coach Urban Meyer says that he is going to limit the number of times Tebow carries the ball does not mean that he actually wants to. Or has a game plan that will allow him to.

Continue reading "Florida: Intermission At The Tebow Show" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 06:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LSU is in an early 7-0 hole against conference foe Auburn, and the Tigers are suddenly scrambling on defense, as star defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey has left the field with a hamstring injury. He was grabbing at his left thigh through the first series of the game, during which Auburn methodically marched downfield to score a quick first touchdown, and hobbled to the sideline where trainers attempted to stretch him out. After putting in a few minutes on the exercise bike, Dorsey was sent to the locker room to have the injury taken care of, which is hopefully more of a cramp than a pull.

Continue reading "LSU: Dorsey On His Way Out?" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Head coach Rich Brooks just announced that junior tailback Tony Dixon is done for the day in Lexington, where Kentucky is trailing Florida in the third quarter. Dixon has an ankle injury but we do not know how severe it is - only that the X-ray was negative and that Dixon will sit out the rest of the game. With fellow tailback Rafael Little already out of this one with a deep thigh bruise, this does not bode well for Kentucky, given the way Florida's offense has regained its well-oiled-machine momentum.

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cornerback Markihe Anderson has gone from regular contributor to sideline supporter this season, as groin and knee problems have kept him off the field for two months and out of all but two games for the Gators. But the sophomore's role on the team should be changing again on Saturday, as it looks like Anderson will be ready to step onto the field against Kentucky.

Continue reading "Florida: Anderson Ready, At Last" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A pair of big cats have a lot riding on Saturday's coveted SEC matchup between the Tigers of LSU and the Tigers of Auburn, but while Auburn is pleased to report that its previously maligned players are back and contributing in practices this week, LSU is keeping mum on the status of wide receiver Early Doucet, who rose from the injured for one play last week, only to return to obscurity this week.

Continue reading "Auburn Vs. LSU: The Maligned and The Mystery" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kentucky won probably the biggest game ever played in its home stadium last Saturday, outlasting the nation's then-No. 1 team in a classic SEC battle. But early this week, while the Wildcat players may have been on cloud nine, their bodies were somewhere in the underworld. The triple-overtime win over LSU was a long, hard, gritty four hours of football, and the players are still feeling the effects of such a tough fight. But with No. 14 Florida on tap this week, Kentucky can hardly afford a letdown, and with their injury rundown, keeping morale up has suddenly become an essential part of the weekly routine.

Continue reading "Kentucky: The Pain Of Victory" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Georgia running back Kregg Lumpkin is no stranger to injury, but this one has to hurt more than all the rest. After missing some time earlier in the season with a broken thumb, the senior sustained a game-ending knee injury on Saturday, an injury serious enough to likely hand Lumpkin a cruelly painful end to his collegiate career.

Continue reading "Georgia: Lumpkin Out Of Luck" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As Auburn continues its quest to reclaim some respect after a woeful start to the season, this week is a big one for the Tigers. No. 22 Auburn is traveling to Arkansas for a must-win SEC matchup, but the Tigers' bus will be missing as many as five starters due to varying degrees of injury. Linebacker Merrill Johnson, safety Aairon Savage and center Jason Bosley all missed practice on Tuesday, and linebacker Tray Blackmon and defensive end Quentin Groves were only at 50 percent, according to head coach Tommy Tuberville.

Continue reading "Auburn: Floundering Five" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kentucky already has its hands full as the nation's No. 1 team is coming to town on Saturday for perhaps the biggest game ever played in Lexington. But things will be a whole lot tougher for the Wildcats if tailback Rafael Little is not back up to speed by Saturday, and as of right now, he looks rather questionable with a nagging thigh bruise. With a thinning arsenal of tailbacks to battle the conference's top rush defense, Kentucky's confidence has got to be waffling, which is not a good feeling to have when LSU is stepping up to the line.

Continue reading "Kentucky: Little Too Late?" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Georgia was rocked by Tennessee 35-14 on Saturday, but the bigger loss came after the fact, when the Bulldogs reported that senior running back Thomas Brown could miss more than a month of playing time with a broken collarbone. The 5-foot-8, 200-pound senior might have suffered the injury against Tennessee, or it might have been a week earlier, as head coach Mark RIcht said that Brown may very well have broken the bone a week ago, playing against Mississippi. As Georgia's second-leading rusher, Brown has started all six games for the Bulldogs, earning 413 yards on 76 carries with six touchdowns. He also has two receiving touchdowns on the year.

Continue reading "Georgia: One More Big Loss" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saturday's probably-should-have-been-bigger SEC matchup between No. 1 LSU and No. 9 Florida should still be the game of the week, even with two key players missing the showdown due to injury. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on where your loyalties lie), the two injuries should balance out, as LSU wide receiver Early Doucet will have to sit out this one, but so will one of the Gators who would have been assigned to cover him, cornerback Markihe Anderson.

Continue reading "Florida-LSU: Balance Out" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The newly-demoted No. 9 Gators are already in the midst of answering a host of questions after Saturday's loss to unranked Auburn, but the coaches suddenly have some internal questions to answer, as well. Offensive tackle Phil Trautwein and running back Chris Rainey are officially out for the rest of the season, but receiver Andre "Bubba" Caldwell numbed some of the the team's pain, since he should be back up to speed for Saturday's game at No. 1 LSU. And they will certainly need him.

Continue reading "Florida: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Auburn pulled off a huge upset win (again) over Florida on Saturday, but the Tigers' celebrations were cruelly cut short by injury news. Defensive end Quentin Groves, who was on every defensive award's preseason watch list coming into his senior year, disloacted three toes in his right foot during the victory and running back Tristan Davis brook a bone in his foot, taking both players out until further notice.

Continue reading "Auburn: Ecstacy Erased By Agony" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Auburn has been missing starting linebacker Tray Blackmon for the last three weeks, but with their biggest game of the young season scheduled for Saturday, when the Tigers travel to Gainesville to face No. 4 Florida, Auburn will have Blackmon back in the mix. The timing could not be better for the 6-foot, 223-pound linebacker, who had his first career game a year ago against the Gators. In that contest, he recovered a fumble and had a 22-yard return on the play, an effective SEC welcome for the then-freshman. Although he may not start this week, having him available to play will be a big boost for the Tigers, especially with fellow linebacker Merrill Johnson staying home to nurse a hurt shoulder.

Continue reading "Auburn: Back In Blackmon" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Florida standout receiver Percy Harvin has been limited in practice for two days now, but that does not mean he will be limited on Saturday when Auburn comes to town. Harvin injured his hip in last week's 30-24 win at Ole Miss and has not fully recovered, but should play anyway, which is good news for Florida -- in addition to having the best game of his career last week (11 catches for 121 yards), the 5-foot-11, 187-pound sophomore leads the Gators in receiving (21 catches for 336 yards and 3 TDs) and ranks third on the team in rushing (20 carries for 155 yards and 1 TD).

Continue reading "Florida: Harvin Not All There" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Steve Spurrier was eager to announce on Monday that the Gamecocks would switch quarterbacks before next Saturday's game. He did not anticipate having to switch linebackers, as well. Senior Jasper Brinkley will miss the rest of the season after spraining his right knee against No. 2 LSU on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 262-pound middle linebacker has not yet chosen a date for his surgery.

Continue reading "South Carolina: Another Big Change" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 06:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LSU will be at a two-man disadvantage when the Tigers take on South Carolina this weekend. After injuring a knee in Wednesday's practice, starting defensive tackle Charles Alexander is gone for the season, leaving the No. 2 Tigers in a somber mood before they take on the 12th-ranked Gamecocks. LSU will have quarterback Matt Flynn back in action, but wide receiver Early Doucet is unlikely to play. Head coach Les Miles has been intentionally vague about the severity of Doucet's injury, but Alexander is definitely gone, while South Carolina will have cornerback Brandon Isaac back in action come Saturday.

Continue reading "LSU Minus 2 For South Carolina" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LSU quarterback Matt Flynn may still be recovering from a high ankle sprain, but the pain of watching his team play from the sideline is decidedly worse. The sprain, which Flynn suffered Sept. 8 against Virginia Tech, kept him out of all of last week's game against Middle Tennessee, but the senior expects to be back in his starting role on Saturday when No. 2 LSU welcomes No. 12 South Carolina to Tiger Stadium. And that's a good thing, even if Flynn is not 100%.

Continue reading "LSU: Flynn Is In" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 01:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Playing in the nation's toughest conference means taking some big hits, even when you win, and after this week, no one knows that better than Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi State. Each team put up a big win over the weekend, but took a big hit in personnel in the process - florida lost linebacker Jeremy Finch, South Carolina is missing tight end Weslye Saunders and Mississippi State is down quarterback Michael Henig.

Continue reading "SEC: Sore Winners" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LSU wide receiver Early Doucet missed Saturday's 44-0 thrashing of Middle Tennessee, and head coach Les Miles said Monday that he expects Doucet to miss a bunch more. The "pretty significant injury," about which Miles did not elaborate, could keep the senior out for multiple games, which sounds off groans among the LSU faithful -- Doucet finished last season second on the team with 59 catches for 772 yards and eight scores. Miles would not comment on radio reports that the injury hampering the team's most experienced receiver is a groin pull -- all we know is that it's "pretty significant."

Continue reading "LSU: Later Doucet" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Florida is rolling over Tennessee, but offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey and cornerback Markihe Anderson are missing out on the fun after leaving the game in the first quarter. Pouncey, a true freshman, strained his achilles tendon and is out for the remainder of the game. Anderson, who was playing with a sprained MCL, will have an MRI on his right knee after reaggrivating the injury in the first quarter. He is still in the locker room as the third quarter ticks away. The Gators do not seem to be struggling without the two injured players as they continue to put together superior play on both sides of the ball, mostly led by the fearless offense of quaterback Tim Tebow.

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Gators are still in the first quarter of their battle with Tennessee, but the roster has already been depleted. Freshman offensive lineman Marukice Pouncey left the field with help in the first quarter to receive an X-ray on his ankle. Cornerback Markihe Anderson, playing with a sprained MCL, was also hurt in the first quarter. He reaggrivated the existing MCL injury and also left the field in the first quarter. Urban Meyer said before the game that Anderson would not take the first rep, but would certainly see extensive playing time. Obviously that time will be cut short, as Anderson is stuck in the locker room.

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Kentucky and Louisville's rivalry extends so far outside the lines, it has infiltrated the injury report. When the Wildcats take on the Cardinals on Saturday, Steve Kragthorpe and Co. should be as familiar with the injuries plaguing Kentucky's lineup as the players themselves, but Rich Brooks' staff won't know what to expect until certain Cardinals remain on the bench at Commonwealth Stadium. And both coaches are well aware of the consequences of their choice to fill in or force out.

Continue reading "The Virtue Of Silence" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Auburn suffered a blow last week when the Tigers dropped a home contest to South Florida, and now it looks like more was bruised than just the team's ego. Five different players are hampered by injuries that may keep them from starting on Saturday when the Tigers take on conference foe Mississippi State, and now is not a time Auburn can afford to have another letdown.

Continue reading "Auburn: Break Out The Tiger Balm" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Florida wide receiver Andre Caldwell's sprained ligament is serious enough to keep him out of Saturday's SEC opener against Tennessee, but plenty of other Gators will take on the Vols, despite a variety of lingering ailments.

Continue reading "Florida: Playing Through Pain" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fifth-year senior Matt Flynn has clearly earned his spot under center at No. 2 LSU, having led the tigers to two convincing wins that have some pollsters rethinking their USC = Unbeatable mentality. Unfortunately, Flynn has missed several days of practice this week, which means he may not find himself under center for Saturday's game. The Tigers are taking on Middle Tennessee State, which is a far cry from Virginia Tech, but they'd like to have their go-to guy healthy either way. And as of now, healthy is one thing Flynn is not.

Continue reading "LSU: Quarterback Questions" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

According to Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer, cornerback Antonio Gaines has sustained a "significant injury" that will keep him out of Saturday's game against No. 5 Florida. Fulmer has not released specifics about the injury, which Gaines sustained during the Vols' 39-19 win over Southern Mississippi on Saturday. With Gaines hurting, freshman safety Eric Berry moved to corner and Jarod Parrish came into the safety spot. The Gators are also missing some personnel, as receiver Andre Caldwell is definitely out with a sprained MCL and running back Brandon James is questionable with a sprained ankle.

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When No. 5 Florida takes on No. 22 Tennessee next week, the Gators may be down two game-breakers - receiver Andre Caldwell and running back Brandon James were both casualties of Florida's 59-31 win over Troy in Week 2. But they're not the only ones hurting in Gainesville.

Continue reading "Florida: Down Two For 22" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

South Carolina is is going to need all the help they can get when they head to Athens to take on No. 11 Georgia this afternoon, but the Gamecocks have quite a few players who will not be offering their services when 5:45 rolls around. Among the list of those who are out: Offensive guard Kevin Young (ankle), linebacker Yvan Banang (knee) running back Bobby Wallace (collarbone) and quarterback Chris Smelley (shoulder). Linebacker Melvin Ingram is probable, but strong safety Emanuel Cook and linebacker Cody Wells are both questionable. On the Georgia side, only running back Kregg Lumpkin is out, still nursing that broken thumb.

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 04:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After waxing optimistic on Wednesday, Florida head coach Urban Meyer had some backpedaling to do on Thursday. He watched cornerback Markihe Anderson practice earlier in the week and saw enough healing in the sophomore's sprained knee to announce that he would start Saturday's game against Troy, but has since changed his mind. Anderson will not start Saturday's game and may not play at all.

Continue reading "Florida: Anderson Downgraded" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kentucky is in the midst of an injury derby. Three players are coming back while four players are ducking out as this weekend's matchup with Kent State inches closer, and the race is on to see whether the Wildcats can find some healthy bodies to fill the secondary. Linebacker Braxton Kelley and defensive tackles Ventrell Jenkins and Myron Pryor are coming back from injuries that limited their participation in preseason camp, while another defensive tackle and three key members of the Wildcats' secondary are really hurting.

Continue reading "Kentucky: The Injury Derby" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The SEC may be the nation's toughest conference, but it's running the risk of becoming the nation's most depleted conference, as well. The injury reports keep mounting from the Southeast and this week was no exception, as Ole Miss and Florida both had bad news to report: Rebels receiver Dexter McCluster should keep his close relationship with the sidelines and Florida's secondary couldn't really afford another hit, but cornerback Markus Manson certainly didn't intend to be carted off the field after Tuesday's practice.

Continue reading "Mid-Week SEC Woes" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 06:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Clemson came away with the win on Monday night when Son beat Dad to take the Bowden Bowl 2007 title, but the Tigers' celebration was cut short by injury. Two starters, right guard Thomas Austin and defensive tackle Rashaad Jackson, were injured in the first half of the game and did not return - and Clemson hasn't said anything about the likelihood of their playing in this week's contest.

Continue reading "Clemson: Win One, Lose Some" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There was plenty of bad news released on the injury front following week one's games, but coaches at Auburn, Arizona State and Kansas State are all breathing sighs of relief as they find out that their players will be ready to go this Saturday. Each team had a player get roughed up in their season opener, but Auburn linebacker Tray Blackmon, Arizona State running back Keegan Herring and Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman should all take the field with little damage for week two.

Continue reading "False Alarms" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 08:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Georgia's coaching staff had some backfield decisions to make going into their season opener against Oklahoma State, but after the 35-14 win, some of those decisions have been made for them. The three tailbacks were vying for time and the starting spot have been reduced to two, as senior Kregg Lumpkin is out indefinitely with a broken thumb on his right hand.

Continue reading "Georgia: Back Down to Two" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Watching Eric Ainge's super-accurate passing on Saturday afternoon, you might have forgotten that the quarterback broke the pinkie finger on his throwing hand earlier in the week. It might have appeared that Ainge had forgotten about it too, as the senior completed a career-high 32 of his 47 pass attempts for 271 yards, three TDs and no interceptions, but Tennessee has bigger worries on its hands - starting defensive end Xavier Mitchell silenced Memorial Stadium near the end of the game. The senior laid completely immobile on the turf for nearly mive minutes before slowly waving one hand as he was carried off the field on a stretcher.

Continue reading "Tennessee: Bigger Scares To Attend To" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 02:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Phil Trautwein, a senior captain who started every game for the Gators in 2006, has another stress fracture in his foot, which is nothing new for the experienced offensive lineman. What is new is the possibility that this one may take him out of the entire season. He's definitely out for this wekeend's opener against Western Kentucky and despite coach Urban Meyer's reassurances that the defending national champions have plenty of depth at O line, they have got to be feeling a certain sense of dread with one of the team's top leaders a big fat question mark for the entire 2007 season.

Continue reading "Florida: Oh Captain, No Captain" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge broke the pinkie finger on his throwing hand this week, but that won't keep him from starting on Saturday at Cal. This is the first time the senior has broken a finger playing football, but if you're going to break one, the pinkie is a good one to choose - it probably has the least impact on a player's throwing motion, as it is usually tucked into the palm while the thumb, pointer and middle fingers grip the ball. The problem is that the pinkie is vital to the handoff process, and that's exactly how Ainge injured it on Monday, taking snaps from the center during practice.

Continue reading "Tennessee: Little Finger Is No Big Deal" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arkansas receiver Marcus Monk hasn't slept much recently. The Razorbacks' leading receiver already knew that he'd be out for the season opener against Troy this Saturday, but things have gone from bad to worse. After the pain in his knee wouldn't go away on Monday night and he couldn't straighten his leg early Tuesday morning, the school's all-time leader in TD receptions underwent his second arthroscopic surgery in the last 30 days on his right knee, which sets him back at least another game - he'll most likely watch the Alabama matchup from the sideline.

Continue reading "Arkansas: Monk Under the Knife, Again" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The sibling rivalry between Tennesse senior Brad Cottam and sophomore Jeff Cottam has just increased exponentially. The brothers are both listed at the tight end position and after Tuesday night, the younger Cottam has a chance to show up his older brother. Brad will miss most of the season after injuring his left wrist in a team scrimmage earlier this week, sidelining him at least until late October. In his absence, Jeff should see a lot more playing time.

Continue reading "Tennessee: Heating the Sibling Rivalry" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

While programs across the country are using every possible preseason minute to give players at all levels of the depth chart sufficient opportunities to prove themselves, Mississippi State head coach Sylvester Croom is taking a slightly different tact. After Saturday's scrimmage, the team will not put on full pads again until their season opener on Aug. 30 against LSU. Why? So that the team's injured players can still come to practice.

Continue reading "Mississippi State: Turning Down the Intensity" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Losing a starter unquestionably derails any team's strategic planning for the short term at least (and long term at most), but losing a backup can be just as devastating. After a weekend of scrimmages around the nation, Auburn and Michigan are both feeling the effects of losing backups, and that's about as fun as a root canal.

Continue reading "Bruised Backups" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This week's most popular injury was a common one - tearing the knee's anterior cruciate ligament - and it claimed the season of more than a few players. Pittsburgh wide receiver Derek Kinder is the most recent victim of the epidemic, tearing his ACL on Saturday, but he joins a long list of players whose seasons will be spent on the bench after making a cut in a routine drill.

Continue reading "ACL Madness" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The growing number of concussions sustained by football players is a hot topic everywhere these days, but in Minnesota, the facts are alarming to the point of action, reports the Pioneer Press. For the 2007 season, the University of Minneosta is one of nine NCAA teams that is providing its players with helmets designed to detect concussions. Sensors in the Riddell Sports helmets monitor and record impacts the player takes to the head during practices and games, eliminating the growing trend of players remaining in the huddle with head injuries.

Continue reading "Minnesota: Detecting Concussions through the Helmet" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 03:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

LSU offensive tackle Mark Snyder is hurt, again. Snyder sustained a significant knee injury during Monday's morning practice, bringing back painful memories of 2004, when Snyder tore his ACL during his junior year of high school. Head coach Les Miles is not sure the extent of the injury, but said that it might be another tear, which would really put a rip in the Tigers' offensive line plans.

Continue reading "LSU: Losing the Line" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 05:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Practices began across the country this past weekend, and most players were pumped to be back in pads. The less fortunate were stalking the sidelines, still hampered by lingering injuries or cursing themselves for developing new ones. Here's quick rundown on who got 2007 off on the wrong foot.

Continue reading "Slow out of the Gate" »

Posted by Carolyn Braff at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)