Making Tuesday Fun Since 2006!

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Southern Revival

The latest name in new-age vagabond offensive gurus in the mold of Gus Malzahn: Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.  Malzahn had his books.  Franklin has a website.

ESPN's Mark Schlabach has more: 

The spread offense has provided Franklin a second chance, too. When Franklin resigned as Kentucky's offensive coordinator after the 2000 season, he was accused of supplying the NCAA with information that led to coach Hal Mumme resigning and the Wildcats being placed on probation. Franklin even wrote a book about his experience and sued Kentucky and Mumme.

"I was told by people that I would be done in coaching forever if I wrote that book," Franklin said. "The way I looked at it, I'd be done if I didn't write the book. The innuendo and rumors were purposely placed out there to make me look like a rat. Most people believed it to be fact. I felt writing the book was the best thing to do. I don't regret it."

Franklin paid dearly for his actions. After leaving Kentucky, he was out of work for three years. He was hired as general manager and coach of an indoor football team in Lexington, Ky., in 2003, but left after only one season. At the time, Franklin's consulting business was struggling to get off the ground. He lost his home and cars and filed for bankruptcy.

Finally, Troy coach Larry Blakeney hired Franklin as offensive coordinator before the 2006 season. Franklin helped Troy win its first Sunbelt Conference title and bowl game in his first season. Tuberville came calling after Franklin's second season at Troy.

"It's been a very humbling experience," Franklin said.

Profiles in Scourge

Rick Neuheisel's doing his best impression of USC at the moment, right down to hyping the excitement of practice (we're talking about practice!).  I don't have a clue how that experiment's going to work out, but he's certainly got people curious and Bruin fans excited.

He is the anti-Dorrell. Neuheisel is telling his old teammate as much when he talks with reporters. Karl Dorrell was a great guy and a decent coach but he lacked what Slick Rick has and L.A. demands.

When they played together, Neuheisel contends the quiet receiver barely spoke to him until Dorrell was a sophomore, even though their lockers were separated only by that of quarterback David Norrie.

"My senior year he came up and said, 'Hey, I need to get five catches in this game,' Neuheisel said. "I said, 'Karl, this is a breakthrough.'"

Dorrell got his five catches in the 1983 USC game and then said, "I need five more."

"Look it up," Neuheisel said, "Rose Bowl, 1984."

Five catches, two for touchdowns.

See the entire Dennis Dodd profile here.

We Hardly Knew Ya

The Orlando Sentinel's Mike Bianchi comes not to praise the All America Football League (AAFL) but to bury it:

Warning: When somebody from a start-up minor league sports franchise approaches and tries to get you to invest money or buy season tickets, run away like they're trying to sell you a downtown condo.

You see, these people are hopeless dreamers. They think their brilliant idea will work where all others have failed. The AAFL, for instance, thought it would capitalize on the popularity of college football and tie professional teams to big-time college programs.

Miscellaneous

Washington quarterback Jake Locker will be playing some baseball (Bruce Feldman/ESPN) . . . The I-Formation returns after a several month absence (Ivan Maisel/ESPN) . . . Brett Favre's football miracles started at Southern Miss (Pat Forde/ESPN) . . . Spring questions (Stewart Mandel/Sports Illustrated) . . . Spring nuggets (Dennis Dodd/CBS Sports) . . . 10 scariest college football players (Olin Buchanan/Rivals.com) . . . Mountains of previews at Rivals.com . . . Duke coach David Cutcliffe is working with a bunch of overweight, out-of-shape kids (Tom Dienhart/The Sporting News) . . . Poor man's draft picks (Matt Hayes/The Sporting News) . . . Pete Carroll is calling other coaches lazy (Matt Hayes/The Sporting News) . . . Former Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell stumps for Tommy Tuberville and his version of discipline (Paul Finebaum/Mobile Press-Register) . . . 

Announcements

ESPN College GameDay is headed to Florida for the Gators' Orange and Blue Game on April 12

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