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NFF Forum begins dialogue — For two days, some of the the media, coaches, presidents, athletic top coaches in — Ohio directors, bowl and award representatives, June 2008 State's , Kansas' Mark sports information directors and other col- Mangino, Washington's Tyrone Willing- lege football officials. The health of the Vol. 46, No. 2 ham and TCU's — joined game is a concern to all those associated athletic directors Kevin Anderson of Army with it as well as how the media inter- and Kevin White of Notre Dame along with reacts with those they cover. Inside this issue Florida State president Dr. T.K. Wetherell The off-season is a time to assess and commissioner Dan where the sport is going, how others view Beebe to discuss college football topics. the recent changes that have occurred in President’s Column Approximately 30 journalists and col- college football and what it all means. The lege football officials from schools, bowls, NFF and its sponsors provided the forum Page 2 conferences, award groups and associa- at DFW International Airport in a conven- tions were also in attendance. ient in-and-out spot at the Grand Hyatt. The FWAA believes the 2008 Football The FWAA salutes those who have Forum, the first to be conducted in the helped put this event together and be- sport in many years, will be the spring- lieves it will be a staple of the college foot- Football Forum Picture Page board to a series of discussions among ball scene. Page 3

All-America team checklist

Pages 4-5

Nagurski Award watch list

Page 6

Outland Trophy watch list

Page 7 Page 2 THE FIFTH DOWN

President Ron Higgins Memphis Commercial Ap- peal President’s column

First Vice President So there I sat, the a 45-minute meeting with SEC coaches, George Schroeder first media voice indicated both sides have a lot of work to Eugene Register-Guard ever invited into do.

Second Vice President the exclusive From our perspective, we see Tim Griffin room full of mil- coaches as the most paranoid form of ESPN.com lionaires known as human life on our planet. They are afraid the Southeastern to let anyone around them talk, other Chip Brown Conference foot- than themselves. They believe that be- The Dallas Morning News ball coaches, and cause of the Internet, blogs and chat Bob Clark I wondered for a rooms, anything said by them or anyone Eugene Register-Guard moment, “How did around them will be used against them. Buddy Davis I get here?” The coaches said they aren’t able to Ruston Daily Leader Bob Holt The answer: I distinguish between legitimate media Arkansas Democrat-Gazette RON opened my big (beat writers who cover the team every Steve Irvine mouth and day and attempt to report responsibly, Birmingham News HIGGINS wouldn’t go professionally and ethically) and fly-by- away. night fan-based websites that seem to Salt Lake Tribune Thanks to Charles Bloom of the SEC, pop up weekly. Matt Markey who’s also the current president of Co- As coach said, Toledo Blade SIDA, we were able to present a media “If we knew who we were letting in the Brett McMurphy policy to SEC football coaches at the scrimmage, we’d let them watch.” Tampa Tribune Robbi Pickeral league meetings in Destin, Fla., in late Also, the concern of most coaches is Raleigh News & Observer May. live reporting from scrimmages. This is a Carter Strickland The coaches, naturally, hated the point I agree with. Imagine yourself as a Atlanta Journal-Constitution policy and shot it down, but the policy parent of a player and you get a call from Lenn Robbins went to the SEC athletic directors. They a friend who’s reading a live Internet re- New York Post tabled it until their August meeting. The port from a scrimmage that your son has Tom Kensler best part about being in the meeting just torn up his knee, or even worse re- Denver Post wasn’t the fact we were trying to push a ceived a neck injury that looked severe. Phil Steele modest policy. It basically called for all That’s something that shouldn’t be Phil Steele Magazine Maureen Fulton league schools to conduct open scrim- reported until after the scrimmage and Toledo Blade mages if they also allowed other guests the school’s trainer or has Joseph Duarte to watch and for all league schools to had a chance to talk to the parent. Houston Chronicle allow the media to talk to freshmen. The FWAA needs to work with sports Malcolm Moran The second point became moot when information directors about self-policing Knight Foundation Bloom discovered there’s already an the zeal of some reporters who step over Antonya English SEC by-law requiring all schools in all the bounds of journalist ethics. St. Petersburg Times sports to make all student-athletes and By the same token, SIDs should not Paul Strelow coaches available after competition. cower to their coaches and try to bully The State (S.C.) Kyle Hightower What I took away from the meeting, media on every point. Since I took over Orlando Sentinel as well as the Football Forum conducted as FWAA president, I received several Bob Asmussen by the National Football Foundation disturbing reports from writers in which Champaign News-Gazette (thank you Steve Hatchell!), was that SIDs have threatened to pull credentials media and coaches are finally getting for what the SIDs believed were viola- Ex-Officio chances to talk about the problems con- tions of school media policy. Charles Bloom fronting both sides in the deteriorating The worst offender of this is a major relationship between the parties. school in the Midwest. The latest com- Joe Hornstein The honest exchanges at the Football plaint is that the school threatened to pull University of Central Florida Mike Finn Forum, with coaches Jim Tressel of Ohio a credential because the writer contacted Atlantic Coast Conference State, of Washington, a player who had been on scholarship, of Kansas and Gary Pat- but is no longer enrolled because of per- terson of TCU, as well as what I heard in (Continued on page 8) Page 3 THE FIFTH DOWN NFF/FWAA Football Forum

Steve Hatchell, president and CEO of the National Football Foundation and Panelists at the National Football Foundation’s Football Fo- College Hall of Fame, pro- rum in Dallas were, front row, left to right: TCU coach Gary posed the idea of the Fo- Patterson, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, Washington coach rum to the FWAA. Tyrone Willingham; back row, left to right: Kansas coach Mark Mangino, Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White, Florida State president Dr. T.K. Wetherell, Army athletic director Kevin Anderson .

Joe Schad of ESPN.com, former FWAA president Den- nis Dodd of CBSSports.com and George Schroeder of the Eugene Register-Guard interview Florida State president Dr. T.K. Wetherell during a break at the Foot- ball Forum. Page 4 ALL-AMERICA Jeremy Perry, Oregon St Anthony Parker, , Florida Jim Tartt, Florida , Missouri Sergio Render, , Oklahoma Greg Isdaner, West Virginia Pat White, West Virginia Anthony Gaskins, Navy Colt McCoy, Ryan Schmidt, USF Hunter Cantwell, Louisville Ray Feinga, BYU , Georgia Josh McNeal, Tennessee Rudy Carpenter, Arizona St. Cedric Dockery, Texas Todd Boeckman, Ohio St. , USC Chase Holbrook, New Mexico St. Alex Boone, Ohio St. , Kansas , Mississippi Kellen Lewis, Maclin Tebow Crabtree Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma Max Hall, BYU Missouri Sean Sester, Purdue , Rice Florida Texas Tech Sam Young, Notre Dame Matt Grothe, South Florida Andre Smith, Alabama Brian Johnson, Utah Donald Brown, Connecticut Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech Willie Tuitama, Arizona Nic Grigsby, Arizona Rodriques Smith, Auburn Dallas Reynolds, BYU , Washington Luke Luppincot, Nevada , SMU , Virginia Kevin Riley, California Josh Adams, Wake Forest , LSU , Rutgers Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech , West Virginia , USC TIGHT ENDS Jeremiah Johnson, Oregon Anthony Davis, Rutgers , Fresno St. Darius Hill, Ball St. DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma Garry Williams, Kentucky Pat White, West Virginia Anthony Hill, North Carolina St. , Mississippi St. , Oregon St. Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic Andrew Mooney, Ohio Terry Grant, Alabama Xavier Fulton, Dan LeFevour, Central Mich. , Missouri Brad Lester, Auburn , Arizona , Ball St. Ryan Purvis, Andre Dixon, Connecticut , Mississippi Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, , Florida , Oregon Navy Kory Sperry, Colorado St. Robert Brewster, Ball St Riley Skinner, Wake Forest WIDE RECEIVERS , Oregon , Louisville , Purdue Eric Decker, Minnesota Cody Slate, Marshall Matt Mandich, Arkansas St Juice Williams, Illinois Stephen Williams, Toledo , BYU Gerald Cadogan, Penn St , Texas Tech , Rutgers ,

Cullen Harper, Clemson , Florida Shawn Nelson, Southern Miss Justin Willis, SMU Mike Williams, Syracuse , Oklahoma DEFENSIVE Kenny McKinley, South Carolina , Oklahoma St. , Missouri Richard Dickson, LSU LINEMEN RUNNING BACKS , Illinois D.J. Williams, Arkansas Dirayl Briggs, Bowling Green P.J. Hill, Wisconsin , Oregon St. , Penn St. D’Anthony Smith, Louisiana Tech , St. Dante Love, Ball St. , Arizona Andre Neblett, Temple James Davis, Clemson Mike Thomas, Arizona Mitch King, Iowa , Purdue , Florida St. CENTERS George Hypolite, Colorado Ian Johnson, Boise St. Chris Williams, New Mexico St. Terrill Byrd, Cincinnati , Arkansas , Georgia , Rutgers Terrance Taylor, Michigan , Louisville Arian Foster, Tennessee Jeremy Childs, Boise St. , USC , California Shun White, Navy Marcus Barnett, Cincinnati DeMarcus Granger, Oklahoma , Alabama LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh , Washington St. , Boston College , Oregon Keegan Herring, Arizona St. , USC Vince Oghobaase, Duke Josh McNeil, Tennessee Harvey Unga, BYU Mike Jones, Arizona St. Geno Atkins, Georgia AQ Shipley, Penn St. Emanuel Moody, Florida Jaison Williams, Oregon , Georgia Ryan McDonald, Illinois Rodney Ferguson, New Mexico , Rice , Ole Miss Alex Fletcher, Stanford Eugene Jarvis, Kent St. Jamarko Simmons, Western John Gill, Northwestern Juan Garcia, Washington Justin Anderson, Northern Illinois Mich. Matt Kroul, Iowa John Estes, Hawaii Eric Kettani, Navy Brian Robiskie, Ohio St. Arthur Jones, Syracuse Dominic Green, Nevada LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh Marko Mitchell, Nevada Ricky Jean-Francois, LSU Brett Helms, LSU , Ohio St. Brennan Marion, Tulsa Sen’Derrick Marks, Auburn , TCU Damion Fletcher, Southern Miss Greg Carr, Florida St. , Missouri

C.J. Spiller, Clemson , Texas Tech Brigham Harwell, UCLA Javarris James, Miami, Fla. Aaron Kelly, Clemson OFFENSIVE Dorell Scott, Clemson , Buffalo Dexton Fields, Kansas LINEMEN Gus Mustakas, Pittsburgh , Texas A&M , North Carolina Ted Bentler, Army Herman Johnson, LSU , West Virginia Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland John Fletcher, Wyoming , Oklahoma Joe McKnight, USC Jeff Moturi, UTEP , Georgia Tech Chris Kemme, Akron Cedric Peerman, Virginia Jessie Hester, South Florida Jeremy Jarmon, Kentucky Steve Rehring, Ohio St , Syracuse Juaquin Iglesias, Oklahoma , Florida St Andrew Hartline, Central Mich. Kahlil Bell, USC Deon Murphy, Kansas St. Ian Campbell, Kansas St. Louis Vasquez, Texas Tech Marlon Lucky, Nebraska , LSU Antonio Coleman, Auburn , Wisconsin Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati Carlton Mitchell, South Florida Dexter Davis, Arizona St. Gus Parrish, Kent St. Delone Carter, Syracuse Mike Wallace, Ole Miss Jermaine Cunningham, Florida Page 5 CHECKLIST Auston English, Oklahoma Bryan Williams, Akron , Northern Illinois , Central Michigan Maurice Evans, Penn St. Andre Jones, Akron Greg Hardy, Mississippi , Ohio St. , LSU Marcus Herford, Kansas Phillip Hunt, Houston , Central Florida Jan Jorgensen, BYU Al Jefferson, Fresno St. , Oregon Jeremiah Johnson, Oregon , South Florida , BYU Vance Walker, Georgia Tech Kyle Williams, Arizona St. , Texas , Florida Matt Shaughnessy, Wisconsin Darius Marshall, Marshall , South Carolina Sakoda Lincoln Max Suter, Syracuse Albert McClellan, Marshall Mickens Derrick Williams, Penn St. Greg Middleton, Indiana Cincinnati Utah Tennessee Jeremy Maclin, Missouri , North Carolina Noel Devine, West Virginia Quan Cosby, Texas , LSU Kyle Wilson, Boise St. , Tennessee Jacoby Ford, Clemson Reggie Carter, UCLA DeAndre Wright, New Mexico Chris Keagle, Louisiana Tech Kordell Young, Rutgers Jamar Chaney, Miss St William Moore, Missouri , Florida St. C.J. Spiller, Clemson Maurice Crum, Notre Dame DJ Moore, Vanderbilt Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech Perrish Cox, Oklahoma St. Aaron Curry, Wake Forest , South Caro- Justin Kucek, Minnesota AJ Wallace, Penn St. , USC lina A.J. Trapasso, Ohio St. Deon Murphy, Kansas St. Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern Mich. , Arizona St. Justin Brantly, Texas A&M DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma Solomin Elimimian, Hawaii , Mississippi St. Ryan Shoemaker, Auburn , LSU , Georgia , Florida St. Thomas Morstead, SMU Javier Arenas, Alabama , Cal , South Carolina Jessie Henderson, SMU Marcus Freeman, Ohio St. KICKERS Clinton Snyder, Stanford Austin Starr, Indiana RETURNERS , Florida Alex Steigerwald, Toledo Arrelious Benn, Illinois Brian Toal, Boston College Ryan Bailey, Texas David Gilreath, Wisconsin Jason Phillips, TCU Brooks Rossman, Kansas St. Marcus Thipgen, Indiana , Missouri Jeff Wolfert, Missouri Dante Love, Ball St. Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic , LSU , Ohio St. Sam Swank, Wake Forest , USC Jason Bondzio, Arizona Tyrone McKenzie, South Florida Tony Ciaravino, Connecticut FWAA ALL-AMERICA COMMITTEE Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh Ryan Perkins, Washington Gerald McRath, Southern Miss Swayze Waters, UAB ►Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (SEC West, Joe Mortensen, Kansas Dan Kelly, Hawaii Sun Belt) [email protected] Clayton Mullins, Miami (Ohio) Obi Egekeze, Maryland Dave Philistin, Maryland Daniel Lincoln, Tennessee ►Maureen Fulton, Toledo Blade (MAC) Clint Sintim, Virginia , USC [email protected] Eric Norwood, South Carolina Delbert Alvarado, South Florida ►Phil Steele, Phil Steele Magazine (WAC, National) Connor Lee, Pittsburgh [email protected] Alex Tejada, Arkansas DEFENSIVE BACKS ►Tom Kensler, Denver Post (Big 12 North, MWC) Antonio Baker, Louisiana Tech Patrick Shadle, Syracuse , Tennessee Leigh Tiffin, Alabama [email protected] Joe Burnett, UCF Wes Byrum, Auburn ►Lenn Robbins, New York Post (Big East) , Oregon Pat McAfee, West Virginia [email protected] , Utah , Toledo ►Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle (Big 12 South) , South Carolina Ryan Harrison, Air Force , Illinois Jose Martinez, UTEP [email protected] Wil Dunbar,UAB Thomas Weber, Arizona St. ►Kyle Hightower, Orlando Sentinel (Conference USA) Nic Harris, Oklahoma Kai Forbath, UCLA [email protected]

Victor Harris, Virginia Tech ►George Schroeder, Eugene Register-Guard (Pac- Kevin Ellison, USC PUNTERS 10) [email protected] Londen Fryar, Western Michigan Jeremy Boone, Penn St. , Rutgers Ryan Donahue, Iowa ►Paul Strelow, The State (ACC) , Clemson Chris Miller, Ball St. [email protected] Malcom Jenkins, Ohio St. Louie Sakoda, Utah ►Antonya English, St. Petersburg Times (SEC East) , Alabama , Cincinnati [email protected] Trevard Lindley, Kentucky Keenyn Crier, Arizona , USC Aaron Perez, UCLA ►Bob Asmussen, Champaign News-Gazette (Big , Cincinnati Josh Syria, Oregon Ten) [email protected] , Wake Forest Sam Swank, Wake Forest ►Dennis Dodd, CBSSports.com (Independents) Stephen Hodge, TCU Zach Johnson, Eastern Mich. [email protected] David Bruton, Notre Dame Delbert Alvarado, South Florida Page 6 THE FIFTH DOWN Bronko Nagurski watch list announced

The Football Writers Association selected from the FWAA’s 1967 All- of America has announced the America team. Watch List for the 2008 Bronko The is Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded awarded in memory of the legen- to the best defensive player in col- dary Nagurski, a former All-America lege football and is sponsored by lineman at Minnesota in 1927-29 the Charlotte Club. and a star for professional football’s Included on the list is Ohio State Bears in the 1930s. senior James Laurinaitis, The 2007 Nagurski Trophy win- the 2006 Nagurski Trophy winner ner, LSU defensive Glenn and a 2007 finalist, and South Flor- Laurinaitis Selvie Dorsey, was selected No. 5 overall ida’s junior George Ohio St. So. Florida by the in the Selvie, another 2007 finalist. 2008 NFL Draft. The two other The FWAA All-America Commit- in Charlotte. 2007 Nagurski finalists also fared tee selects the Bronko Nagurski The FWAA also picks a Bronko well in the NFL Draft: Virginia end winner from the association’s 11- Nagurski Defensive Player of the went No. 2 overall to the man All-America defensive team in Week beginning with games on St. Louis Rams and Kansas defen- November. The Charlotte Touch- Aug. 30 and through the middle of sive back Aquib Taleb was the No. down Club will hold the 2008 ban- November. And a Bronko Nagurski 20 overall selection by the Tampa quet on Dec. 7 at the Westin Hotel Legends Award winner will also be Bay Bucs.

NAGURSKI WATCH LIST Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia John Gill, DT, Northwestern Joe Mortensen, LB, Kansas Antonio Baker, DB, Louisiana Tech DeMarcus Granger, DT, Oklahoma Clayton Mullins, LB, Miami (Ohio) Darry Beckwith, MLB, LSU Courtney Greene, S, Rutgers Captain Munnerlyn, DB, South Carolina Ted Bentler,DL, Army Michael Hamlin, DB, Clemson Andre Neblett, DT, Temple Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee Greg Hardy, DE, Mississippi Troy Nolan, DB, Arizona St. Dirayl Briggs, DE, Bowling Green Nic Harris, DB, Oklahoma Eric Norwood, DE, South Carolina Everette Brown,DL, Florida St. Victor Harris, DB, Virginia Tech Vince Oghobaase, DT, Duke David Bruton, FS Notre Dame Stephen Hodge, S, TCU Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas Joe Burnett, DB, UCF Daniel Holtzclaw, LB, E. Michigan Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia Terrill Byrd, DT, Cincinnati Phillip Hunt, DE, Houston Derek Pegues, DB, Mississippi St. Ian Campbell, DE, Kansas St. George Hypolite, DT, Colorado Dave Philistin, LB, Maryland Reggie Carter, LB UCLA Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU Jason Phillips, LB, TCU Jamar Chaney, LB Mississippi St. Malcom Jenkins, DB, Ohio St. Nick Reed, DE, Oregon Patrick Chung, DB, Oregon Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss Myron Rolle, DB, Florida St. Barry Church, S, Toledo Rashad Johnson, DB, Alabama George Selvie, DE, South Florida Antonio Coleman, DE Auburn Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin Emanuel Cook, SS, South Carolina Jan Jorgensen, DL, BYU Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia Maurice Crum, LB, Notre Dame Frantz Joseph, LB, Florida Atlantic Alphonso Smith, DB, Wake Forest Jermaine Cunningham, DL, Florida Mitch King, DT, Iowa D'Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio St. Clinton Snyder, LB, Stanford Brian Cushing, LB, USC Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida Dexter Davis, DE, Arizona St. Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn Terrance Taylor, DT, Michigan Vontae Davis, DB, Illinois Rey Maualuga, LB, USC Brian Toal, LB, Boston College Wil Dunbar, FS, UAB Taylor Mays, S, USC Vance Walker, DT, Georgia Tech Solomin Elimimian, LB, Hawaii Albert McClellan, DE, Marshall Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri Dannell Ellerbe, LB, Georgia Tyrone McKenzie, LB, South Florida Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State Kevin Ellison, DB, USC Scott McKillop, LB, Pittsburgh DeAndre Wright, DB, New Mexico Auston English, DE, Oklahoma Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Miss Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati Maurice Evans, DE, Penn St. Greg Middleton, DE, Indiana *Players may be added or deleted during Zack Follett, LB, California Fili Moala, DT, USC the season. Marcus Freeman, LB, Ohio St. William Moore, S, Missouri Londen Fryar, DB, Western Mich. DJ Moore, CB, Vanderbilt Page 7 THE FIFTH DOWN Luigs and Stanchek top pre-season list of candidates for 2008

The Football Writers Association was compiled by FWAA All-America of America has released its 2008 committee member Phil Steele. Outland Trophy Watch List, which Watch List members can be added includes two linemen from its 2007 or deleted during or before the sea- All-America Team — Arkansas cen- son. The FWAA’s All-America Com- ter Jonathan Luigs and West Vir- mittee, with input from the entire ginia offensive tackle Ryan membership, will select the three Stanchek. finalists in late November and then Only centers, tackles and the winner. guards are eligible for the Outland The Outland Trophy is named Trophy, which has been awarded to Luigs Stanchek after the late John Outland, a line- the best interior lineman in college Arkansas W. Virginia man at Pennsylvania at the turn of football annually since 1946. the century. It is the third oldest The winner will be announced award in major college football be- on Dec. 11 on the ESPN College is on Jan. 15 in Omaha, Neb. hind the and the Football Awards Show from Or- Last season’s honoree was sen- Maxwell Award. lando, Fla. Three finalists will ap- ior , pear on the show. The presentation who played for the national cham- banquet, which is sponsored by the pion LSU Tigers. Greater Omaha Sports Committee, The Outland Trophy Watch List

OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST

C Jonathan Luigs, Arkansas T Michael Oher, Mississippi DT Fili Moala, USC C Eric Wood, Louisville T Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma DT DeMarcus Granger, Oklahoma C Alex Mack, California T Sean Sester, Purdue DT Ron Brace, Boston College C Antoine Caldwell, Alabama T Sam Young, Notre Dame DT Vince Oghobaase, Duke C Max Unger, Oregon T Andre Smith, Alabama DT Geno Atkins, Georgia C Josh McNeil, Tennessee T Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech DT Jeff Owens, Georgia C AQ Shipley, Penn State T Dallas Reynolds, BYU DT Peria Jerry, Ole Miss C Ryan McDonald, Illinois T Eugene Monroe, Virginia DT John Gill, Northwestern C Alex Fletcher, Stanford T Ciron Black, LSU DT Matt Kroul, Iowa C Dominic Green, Nevada T Chris Kemme, Akron DT Arthur Jones, Syracuse C Juan Garcia, Washington T Andrew Hartline, Central Michigan DT Ricky Jean-Francois, LSU C John Estes, Hawaii T Gus Parrish, Kent State DT Sen¹Derrick Marks, Auburn C Brett Helms, LSU T Ryan Stanchek, West Virginia DT Ziggy Hood, Missouri G Herman Johnson, LSU T Anthony Davis, Rutgers DT Brigham Harwell, UCLA G Duke Robinson, Oklahoma T Garry Williams, Kentucky DT D’Anthony Smith, Louisiana Tech G Steve Rehring, Ohio St T Andy Levitre, Oregon State DT Andre Neblett, Temple G Louis Vasquez, Texas Tech T Xavier Fulton, Illinois DT Vance Walker, Georgia Tech G Kraig Urbik, Wisconsin T Eben Britton, Arizona DT Dorell Scott, Clemson G Jeremy Perry, Oregon St T John Jerry, Mississippi DT Gus Mustakas, Pittsburgh G Anthony Parker, Tennessee T Fenuki Tupou, Oregon DT Ted Bentler, Army G Jim Tartt, Florida T Robert Brewster, Ball St DT John Fletcher, Wyoming G Sergio Render, Virginia Tech T George Bussey, Louisville DT Vance Walker, Georgia Tech G Greg Isdaner, West Virginia T Matt Mandich, Arkansas St G Ryan Schmidt, USF T Gerald Cadogan, Penn St Players can be added or deleted during or G Ray Feinga, BYU DT Mitch King, Iowa before the season. G Cedric Dockery, Texas DT George Hypolite, Colorado G Jeff Byers, USC DT Terrill Byrd, Cincinnati T Alex Boone, Ohio State DT Terrance Taylor, Michigan Page 8 THE FIFTH DOWN President’s column (continued)

(Continued from page 2) need to hear how the coaches see it. sonal reasons. The player is enrolled at a college in Indi- Nobody said our fight for better access was going to anapolis. be easy. This is just the beginning. We can’t accept “you The SID office considered the contact by a reporter to can’t” for an answer. We must reply “why not?” We have be a violation of the school’s policy that all interviews to keep pushing to find a middle ground. with school’s student-athletes must be cleared by the Because if we don’t, all of our stories will read like SID office. This certainly is an area that needs much press releases. more discussion by the FWAA, the school and any me- On a positive note, I’ve talked to many SIDs trying to dia organization covering the school. follow the FWAA’s 25 recommended elements that Another school in the East allowed its football coach should be in a press guide. We’re still going to have to hold an on-the-record luncheon with certain beat writ- schools that publish a media guide that is basically a ers to the exclusion of others. By some it was viewed as recruiting guide. punishment for questions the excluded writers had But believe me, we have made our point about press asked in a news conference. guides. There are more SIDS on our side than you think. Back to the SEC. Whether it approves the media pol- They value the way they serve us. icy or not -- and I suspect it won’t unless there is a modi- I’ll be Tampa in early July for the CoSIDA convention, fication -- we have to keep pressing the fight. talking to as many SIDs as possible. Neither side bene- Coaches, whether most of them care or not, need to fits without a consistent line of communication. hear the problems we face trying to do our jobs. We also

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