Guess who’s not coming to spring practice?

Over the past few seasons, this may be the most predictable event in SEC football:

South Carolina quarterbacks Stephen Garcia and Andrew Clifford have been suspended for the first portion of spring practice, a source confirmed this afternoon.

Neither Garcia, a fifth-year senior who has been the starter the past 2 ½ seasons, nor Clifford, a redshirt sophomore, are at this afternoon’s initial practice for the Gamecocks.

The suspension, a source said, is related to an incident during the team’s bowl week in Atlanta. Garcia and Clifford broke team rules, but were allowed to stay in Atlanta.

Evidently those crazy sounding rumors had some legs.

I was told the infractions did NOT happen night before bowl game, but earlier in the week. Involved alcohol, females in hotel room.

— Travis Haney (@TravHaneyESPN) March 15, 2011

As for what this means in the fall, who knows?  It’s not like Garcia hasn’t recovered from worse before.  And I’m sure South Carolina fans will be quick to assure us that it won’t affect the ‘Cocks’ inevitable return to Atlanta in 2011.

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UPDATE: This is how a dumbass thinks.

At the risk of ruining @edsbs' day, I've been told Stephen Garcia has cut his hair in attempts of restoring/reinventing his image.

— Travis Haney (@TravHaneyESPN) March 16, 2011

I think Taneyhill needs to mentor Garcia.

Genius on board

I doubt this will be the last time we hear Charlie Weis wax sarcastic in Gainesville this year.

In five years as Notre Dame’s head coach, Charlie Weis regularly lost recruiting battles to Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators. He was halfway joking when he said Monday that was the reason Meyer won two national titles in Gainesville and Weis was fired in South Bend, Ind.

One of the players Weis could not pry from Florida was current starting quarterback John Brantley, then a senior at Trinity Catholic High School in Ocala. Now that they are on the same team, Weis, Florida’s offensive coordinator, is comfortable taking a “Jersey swipe” at his new protégé.

“Yeah, you came to run the spread – that made a lot of sense,” Weis told him sarcastically. “That was a great decision on your part.”

He’s so lovable. And you can tell he’s working on a warm relationship with his head coach.

… He has three Super Bowl rings from his time as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator, and now must submit to a rookie head coach who is 15 years younger than him.

“I want to hire the best in the business,” Muschamp said. “I don’t want a bunch of guys that are going to agree with everything I say, because … I don’t have all the answers, especially on the offensive side of the ball. You hire somebody that’s got high expertise on that side of the football and that’s what we did.”

Weis said, “This is Will Muschamp’s team,” and referred to him as “the boss.” He also believes he can impart some of the lessons he learned as a first-time head coach at Notre Dame.

Helpful, too.

I suspect I’m really going to enjoy watching the Gators this season.

Tressel to Ohio State fans: “we’re” in this together.

This is some apology.

“But I can tell you this,” he said. “I consider all of you a part of the Buckeye Nation. I sincerely apologize for what we’ve been through. I apologize for the fact I wasn’t able to find the ones to partner with to handle our difficult and complex situation.

“I also apologize because I’m going to have some sanctions. But the mission doesn’t change. That’s the pledge I have to you. The mission I’ve always had is we make sure we help young people change their lives.”

Where’s the “I’m sorry for screwing the program over by lying through my teeth to the NCAA”?  Or, how about “It was wrong looking those kids in the eye knowing that I wasn’t being honest about what I knew then”?

I guess it’s all okay since he’s on a mission.  It’s the same mission he’s had all along – to win as many games in a season as he can.

Auburn, I got ‘yer “all in” right here.

This post is so straightforward about it that I have to admit to a certain perverse admiration for the author.  (h/t EDSBS)