Sunday the Southeastern Conference accepted Texas A&M effective July 1, 2012.
Wednesday, the league’s coaches offered their opinions on the addition.
“We’re excited about Texas A&M joining our conference,” said Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino. “It will certainly help our exposure and our recruiting in the state of Texas.”
Coincidentally, Petrino’s Hogs travel to Arlington, Tx., to take on the Aggies on Saturday, A&M’s last crack at an SEC team before joining the league.
“When they came with the idea about playing A&M in Dallas, we were really excited,” Petrino said. “It gives our players a chance to go home, and it gives us a better opportunity to get kids to come to our school.”
Many of the Eastern Division coaches put minimal stock in the recruiting advantages that bringing a Texas school into the league would provide. Tennessee coach Derek Dooley sees the move as an advantageous one for the Aggies more so than for the schools already in the conference.
“I think it can help you, and it can hurt you a little bit too,” Dooley said. “If a player did want to play in the SEC, it gave our schools an advantage over the local schools. Now a local school is in that league.”
SEC commisionor Mike Slive said Sunday that the conference is prepared to play with 13 teams which could create a mountain of scheduling problems.
“It’s going to have to,” said Alabama coach Nick Saban when asked if the Aggies presence would present scheduling problems. “Unless you play 13 games, somebody’s going to have to come off the schedule.
“We play Michigan next year in Dallas, and did that for a reason. We’re not really looking for another opportunity to go back to Texas and play. I’m just hopeful that the rivalries that we’ve had and the things that have been important in our league are things that we can maintain.”
Teacher meets pupil in battle of undefeateds
Florida coach Will Muschamp doesn’t know what a padawan is, but he knows he’s got a challenge on his hands this weekend.
The first year head coach spent five season’s on Alabama coach Nick Saban’s staff, four at LSU and one with the Miami Dolphins. This Saturday, Saban’s Crimson Tide travels to Gainesville for a primetime CBS matchup.
On Wednesday, Saban recalled his first encounter with Muschamp.
Sometimes, you meet someone, and you get a really good feel for them,” Saban said. “You could tell he was hard-working and had a special intensity about him.”
Since fleeing Saban’s wings, Muschamp has made successful stops as a defensive coordinator at Auburn and Texas before landing the Florida head coaching gig.
“That first impression held true, and I think it’s pretty obvious from the career he’s had and the success he’s had as a head coach so far,” Saban said.
When asked about the relationship he and Saban share, Muschamp seemingly channeled his inner-Saban saying, “My mindset is to do at great job for the University of Florida on Saturday”.
Bumps and Bruises
Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette is still questionable for the Razorbacks tilt with the Aggies on Saturday. On the other side of the defensive front, Tenarius Wright’s broken arm will hold him out for 4-6 weeks.
Vanderbilt coach James Franklin confirmed Wednesday that linebacker Tristen Strong will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, the second of his career.
Alabama running back, Dee Hart, is “doing well” in his rehabilitation from ACL surgery in July.
"Dee Hart is doing extremely well on his rehab,” Saban said. “He actually is running and doing things, but he's still probably a good month away from being able to do all the things he needs to do to be able to come back and play football.
"It would be a real long shot if that guy could come back and contribute at all this year."
