“The coaches really want to see us succeed, and they’re always available for us,” said junior outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins, who had Grantham as a position coach the past two years. “They’re just going the extra mile compared to last year. … The coaches and the players we got now, we never really held each other accountable before; we’d let some people slide. If somebody’s acting up, not doing something right, we get onto them. On and off the field, you’ve got guys looking out for each other and always holding everybody accountable.”
I’m glad they’re buying in to what the new coaches are selling, but, still, what do you figure the over/under on the number of posts I’ve written at GTP on the subject of accountability is?
(Texas A&M quarterback Kenny) Hill, who will be a sophomore this season and is competing for the starting quarterback job, was arrested just before 3 a.m. on a public intoxication charge, according to the Bryan-College Station Eagle.
Texas A&M athletic department spokesman Alan Cannon confirmed that Hill is “suspended indefinitely from all athletic activities per athletics department policy.”
According to the Eagle, which obtained the police reports, Hill was arrested at Chimy’s, a College Station restaurant and bar, after being found passed out in front of the establishment. He later posted bail and was released.
Whether or not Hill will be suspended for any playing time in the fall remains to be seen. For now, Hill will be kept out of all athletic activities according to Texas A&M policy…
So, he’ll miss a little spring ball, but his role in the fall will be determined by how much his coach needs him on the field, as opposed to some sort of Michael Adams’ mandate. Level playing field? We don’t need no stinkin’ level playing field.
I doubt we’ll ever see his like at Auburn, in other words.
“When they made that correction, I was like this was a couple of months too late,” outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. “The fact they didn’t think of that when they first put the rule out, I feel like that’s their apology and that’s a weak apology to us with that rule.”
They did think of it, Jordan. They just thought the officials’ fee fees were more important than fair treatment on the field was. As far as a weak apology goes, better late than never.
My only caveat would be to wait and see how the officials react to the change. I suspect we’re about to see a lot more plays with multiple penalties called.
Georgia senior receiver Chris Conley is a student representative to the NCAA, so he’s well-educated on the issue. Given his position, Conley has tried to provide more of an informational role to his teammates, explaining the situation and possible ramifications.
“There’s a lot of misunderstanding from people,” Conley said. “It’s not just a money issue. And I think that’s what the people on the outside think: ‘Aw athletes are just trying to get paid, they need to calm down with this. It’s an issue that applies to so many other things with student athletes: Time constraints, health, concussions, a bunch of stuff.”
Player injuries are another matter that a union could help.
“I know they do a great job of it here (at Georgia), but there’s no mandate for it across the board with institutions, and how they deal with injuries, when players leave, and ailments that they have,” Conley said. “That’s a big issue that’s on the table. Quite frankly student-athletes want to know that they’re going to be taken care of after they’ve committed so much to a university. They think a university or the NCAA should look after their interests.”
Conley emphasized that he doesn’t know if a union is the right mechanism to fight for student-athletes’ rights. But he called it a “step forward.”
All the players that have spoken out about this – Conley, Ramik Wilson, Jordan Jenkins and Amarlo Herrera are quoted in the article – I’m curious about something. Those of you who are vehemently opposed to what Seth refers to as “student-athlete rights”, will this sort of talk color your perception of these players? Will you find it harder to root for them because you know the stance they’ve taken?
This shouldn’t be taken as mockery. I’ve read a number of comments that players getting paid means the end of fans’ love of the game. Isn’t this kind of a midway point to that?
All of you who have yearned for a little more Tuscaloosa in your Athens should get a major woody out of some of Gentry Estes’ comments (start at about the 3:25 mark on the clip) on what Pruitt seems to have brought with him to this spring practice.
The players claim to notice something different, too.
“Coach Pruitt has kind of brought a new attitude to this defense and that kind of mirrors and reflects how the offense (plays),” Mason said after Friday’s practice. “When one side of the ball is kind of dead, it’s kind of hard for the other side of the ball to feed off that. But when the defense is energetic and flying around it kind of motivates us to be energetic. It creates a lot of energy.
“So guys are kind of flying around to the ball. That’s not really something you saw last year. A lot more effort on both sides of the ball. We’re just trying to practice and preach the intensity of flying to the ball.”
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