Rebel Roundup: Accolades and a Huge (get it?) Loss

by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on Jan 13, 2009 9:18 AM EST Comment 15 comments

Three Rebels selected to play in the Under Armour Senior Bowl - Michael Oher, Peria Jerry, and Ashlee Palmer have been selected to play in the Senior Bowl which will air on the NFL Network on Saturday, January 24. In all, 22 players representing the SEC will be a part of the bowl. I'm not really sure how the whole thing lines up (North vs. South?), but if Oher gets the golden opportunity to "accidentally" not block Jerry and/or Palmer when they come on the blitz against John Parker Wilson or Graham Harrell I'd be incredibly amused. As you may recall, the last Rebel to be selected for the Senior Bowl was Patrick Willis, whose Senior Bowl highlights can be seen here.

Marshay Green named to ESPN.com's All-Bowl Team - Citing his Pick-six and shoulda-been-a-touchdown punt return, ESPN's Mark Schlabach has selected Marshay Green as one of the bowl season's best cornerbacks. We at the Cup have said it before, and we'll say it again: Green and Dexter McCluster are, pound-for-pound, the toughest "lil bastids" in the SEC.

Tracy Rocker to be named DL coach at Auburn - I'm certain that this isn't new news to most of you, but Tracy Rocker is heading to his alma mater to coach. I personally can't blame the guy. He obviously still has strong feelings for Auburn and they're offering to him an incredible amount of money for a position coach (rumored to be upwards of $400,000). For him, the decision was an easy one to make. Best of luck to you, Coach Rocker.... unless it's against the Rebs.

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Would I give $500 to have the best Defense in the country next year...yes. Do I imagine there are 400 alumni out there that think the same way I do...yes. It is stupid to get money-whipped...because then Ole Miss looks like a spring-board for coaches as opposed to a final destination. Every time we get someone of talent, they get offered more money and leave. It's stupid. When was the last time you were fired up about the Defense Line? Landsharks...I've seen more Cotton Bowl F-Book pictures with the fins up than I can count, it’s fantastic to have everyone excited about that aspect of the team. It's $200k...who gives a shit? Set the precedent that we're a number 1 school...for our recruits, our coaches, our alumni…we’re not a 1 or 2 year stop before going big. The ante is higher in the big-stakes room in Tunica...but so is the pay-out. Pay them, then hold them accountable. Also, what jackass is writing our contracts? Breakup fees, make-good agreements, non-competes...how hard is it to draft a contract with penalties in it. If we're getting used as a spring-board we better put a stop to it, put a little bit more money out there and then lock these guys down with a serious contract.

by Cal Wells on Jan 13, 2009 11:23 AM EST reply actions

I agree that our contracts could have a few more teeth put in them, but I disagree with everything else here, Cal.

First off, just on principal: To hell with paying a position coach $400K. That's when you know things are spiraling out of control. Auburn wouldn't have done it either, had their administration not bungled the biggest hire they made, and subsequently needed to quell the growing lynch mob of disgruntled fans.

Secondly, do you think this line would've been less dominant without Rocker? I think the evidence suggests otherwise. The only one who played significantly better under Rocker than under Orgeron was Lockett - and he was a freshman under O. The whole Landshark phenomenon would've happened with or without Rocker.

Debate Orgeron's merits where you will, and I'm certainly no Orgeron apologist, but the "Fins Up" shit had much more to do with his recruiting than it did with Rocker's coaching. Peria Jerry would've made anybody look like a defensive mastermind.

Thirdly, again: $400,000. For a defensive line coach. Pete Boone gets blamed for a lot of things, but don't blame him for not having a money tree.

by Beck on Jan 13, 2009 11:40 AM EST reply actions

Why let Auburn by their way out of it though? If I'm running a company, and I see a competitor take a misstep that could prove near-fatal, do you think I'm going to let him buy off my performing assets at a slight premium to market? No. I'm going to cut my prices and drive his ass out of business...even if I lose a little bit of money in the process. Literally bleed them dry, punish Auburn for their stupidity. "Money is no object"_Bobby Lowder...let's see if that's the case with Colonial Bank sucking down TARP funds, put him test. Engage in anti-competitive practices...there's no Anti-trust suits brought in the realm of NCAA football. Read some Sun Tzu. The Athletic program had to have made a ton of money this year, if they didn't they should be fired. Assuming they did, why should the coaching staff benefit? Even if it is dumb luck.

by Cal Wells on Jan 13, 2009 11:57 AM EST reply actions

why pay Rocker, the line coach, more than Nix, the D Coordinator? Also, with the economy the way it is, I think it's just best to let the man go to his first love and find someone with Ole Miss ties

by Buttholenski on Jan 13, 2009 12:17 PM EST reply actions

@Cal Wells: Actually, I heard that there may be an antitrust suit coming towards the NCAA (or at least the BCS). http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=ap-bcs-utahlawsuit&prov=ap&type=lgns

Captcha: whamy
hehe

by Goose on Jan 13, 2009 12:25 PM EST reply actions

even if we would have offered rocker 400k (which i think is ridiculous), he prob would have gone back to his alma mater... it would have taken more than that to keep him..

by Anonymous on Jan 13, 2009 12:32 PM EST reply actions

@ Cal:

"I agree that our contracts need more teeth in them."
- paraprhasing myself. That said:

Do you think Tracy Rocker is worth upwards of $400,000? Honestly? To our program, that has a comparatively small bankroll? Will Rocker call the plays at Auburn? What is Chizik's track record in regards to winning football games? Do you think Rocker is going to single handedly change that?

Would you cut off your nose to spite your face? Have you ever read Moneyball? Honest questions, all.

by Beck on Jan 13, 2009 12:33 PM EST reply actions

Also, if memory serves, Nutt negotiated raises for all the staff members during his extension proceedings. Obviously this was about one man's personal sojourn (i always wanted to use that word). if the guy was bringing in crazy recruits, i might see raising the man, but since he's only got credit for one, who's not leaving us anyway, i say let him go. if Cal was AD, we'd have Michael White as a basketball coach right now and Tracy Rocker would be a .5 millionaire and all the other staff members would be standing at the door with their hands out and their bags packed

by Buttholenski on Jan 13, 2009 12:43 PM EST reply actions

"if Cal was AD, we'd have Michael White as a basketball coach right now and Tracy Rocker would be a .5 millionaire and all the other staff members would be standing at the door with their hands out and their bags packed"

Knowing Cal personally, if he were AD, I think we'd have enough money to pay them.
I'd vote for him for AD just for the hand he would have in the ABA basketball team that would buy out the South Lamar Skating Rink.

by Greg Heidel on Jan 13, 2009 2:07 PM EST reply actions

There are plenty of good D-line coaches out there. Rocker is a good coach. But, let's not act like invented Peria Jerry and the landsharks. The talent was already there. Our D-line will be fine next year with or without Rocker.

On to the whole money thing....Auburn looks (and is) stupid and desperate for paying a position coach 400k. That's ridiculous. It would've been stupid for us to try to match such an offer and Nutt knows that.

Good luck to Rocker and to hell with Auburn.

by ssmund on Jan 13, 2009 2:15 PM EST reply actions

Have fun with Gene Chizik.

by La Loché on Jan 13, 2009 4:01 PM EST reply actions

We can always hire someone that can teach technique and fundamentals. He is not coming up with the defensive scheme. He is just teaching the players how to beat the person in front of them. I am sure he is a good coach but there are lots of coaches that can "teach" Lockett,Tillman,Jerry, and Hardy to get sacks. I will say that we need to replace him with Ole Miss ties that is going to recruit well in the state of Mississippi.

by z wicker on Jan 13, 2009 9:58 PM EST reply actions

Senator Wicker?

by the drake on Jan 14, 2009 10:03 PM EST reply actions

@ the drake:

You're gay.

by Ivory Tower on Jan 15, 2009 10:58 AM EST reply actions

You guys should be excited that Auburn is so willing and able to throw their money away.

Rocker is a good coach, but I seriously doubt Auburn's administration had to offer that much money to get the man's services.

Rocker may do well with Gene Chizik, since he's supposed to be a defensive guru type of HC anyhow, but the most important aspect of Auburn's new coaching hires of late, was the signing of Gus Malzhan at the OC position.

I could be wrong, but if I read it right somewhere, I believe he'll aquire the same salary Rocker will.
If that number's correct, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me to pay a position coach the same amount of money your paying a coach with the tital of coordinater in it.

by GonzoHog on Jan 17, 2009 9:19 AM EST reply actions