DURKIN PROMOTED: Florida coach Will Muschamp promoted D.J. Durkin to fill the Gators’ defensive coordinator position after Dan Quinn went to the Seattle Seahawks. Durkin was the Gators’ linebackers coach and special-teams coordinator the past three seasons and was initially hired at Florida under Urban Meyer. What is somewhat concerning is Durkin will be the Gators’ fourth different defensive coordinator in the past five years. Wisely, Muschamp promoted Durkin because he didn’t want to lose any steam in recruiting.
GATORS PLAYER ARRESTED: Per the Gainesville Sun, Florida offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly stealing a motor scooter. He was booked into the Alachua County Jail shortly after noon and charged with third-degree grand theft of a motor vehicle and driving with a suspended license. Dunker was a four-star recruit out of Boynton Beach High School. The 6-foot-4, 301-pound Dunker redshirted in 2012 and was expected to compete for the starting job at left guard. Dunker is the 12th Gators player to be arrested or cited by police since January 2011. In fairness, Dunker is the first to be arrested in several months.
BRISSETT LANDS: Former Florida quarterback Jacoby Brissett has decided to transfer to NC State, the school announced on Thursday. Brissett, who will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out next season, played in 13 games and started three over the past two seasons at Florida. Brissett has started spring semester classes at NC State and will participate in spring practices with the Wolfpack.
REBEL YELL: One of the best players in the nation, Crete (Ill.) Monee High School receiver Laquon Treadwell verbally committed to Ole Miss over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound Treadwell is rated as the top player in the state of Illinois by Rivals.com and 24/7Sports.com. Rivals.com rates him as the No. 1 receiver in the country and the 24/7Sports.com as the No. 3. Rivals.com also has Treadwell rated as the No. 10 player at any position in the Class of 2013. What a job that coach Hugh Freeze has done for the Rebels. Ole Miss also has a good shot at signing Loganville, Ga., defensive end Robert Nkemdiche the No. 1 consensus player in the nation. His brother, Denzel, is perhaps the best player on the Rebels defense.
INTEREST IN GRANTHAM: According to several reports out of Philadelphia, Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is a candidate for the same job with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly is the new Eagles head coach. Grantham came to Georgia in 2010 after 11 seasons at the NFL, including three seasons as the defensive coordinator for Cleveland. Georgia is losing as many as nine starters on defense.
MALCOME TRANSFERRING: Per AJC.com, Georgia redshirt sophomore tailback Ken Malcome has told the Bulldog coaches he will be transferring to another school. Malcome carried the ball 57 times this season for 274 yards (4.8 avg.) and two touchdowns. He started the 2012 opener and played in 10 games this past season. Malcome finishes his career at Georgia with 446 yards rushing and two scores to go along with two catches for 23 yards in two seasons. Here is wishing him well, but Georgia’s rushing attack is centered on Keith Marshall and Todd Gurley.
BURNETTE OUT FOR SPRING: Georgia offensive guard Chris Burnette will miss spring practice after undergoing surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder according to onlineathens.com. Burnette, a rising senior, has started for the last two years at right guard. Burnette should be ready to go for the start of the 2013 season. The Bulldogs return all five starters in their offensive line next season along with starting tight end Arthur Lynch.
SANDERS DECLARES: South Carolina receiver Ace Sanders declared for the NFL this week after leading the team with 45 receptions in 2012 and finishing second behind Bruce Ellington with 531 receiving yards. He also finished second on the team in both categories in 2011 behind current Chicago Bear Alshon Jeffery. Sanders led the team with nine receiving touchdowns this year and two return touchdowns. He’s loss is also a big blow to South Carolina’s special teams.
SMITH LANDS A JOB: Former Arkansas coach John L. Smith has landed at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo. The program went 0-10 last season and is 6-25 in the past three seasons. Hopefully he told his new team to “smile” during his first meeting as he did the media in one of his Monday press conferences during his very forgettable time in Fayetteville.
THOMAS RETURNS: Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas confirmed Tuesday that he plans to return to Blacksburg this fall after the Hokies finished 7-6. In 2011, his first season as a starter, Thomas broke the school record for total offense, picked up a second-team All-ACC nod and led Virginia Tech to a BCS bowl. Thomas was considered a potential first-round pick before his junior season, but this season he struggled to complete only 51.3 percent of his passes for 2,976 yards with 18 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Besides Thomas, cornerback Antone Exum and defensive end James Gayle each decided to return to Virginia Tech. Coach Frank Beamer also hired former Auburn offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler for the same job. Loeffler had very average- to- poor performances at Florida and Auburn. The Tigers were ranked No. 115 nationally last season in total offense.
MORE EXPANSION NEWS: Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told reporters on Wednesday that his conference could be “proactive” in expansion this time around. ACC officials have to be concerned because Clemson and Florida State have been mentioned as possibilities to come to the Big 12, currently at 10 teams. As of last month, a prevalent rumor had the Big Ten targeting Georgia Tech and Virginia. Expansion will be among the issues discussed at the next conference meetings Jan. 28-29 in Dallas. CBSSports.com also reported that a 12-team Big 12 that played a conference championship game would get only $700,000-$1 million more per school per year.