Blabber News

Tennessee

It appears that new Volunteers’ head coach Lane Kiffin has opened mouth, inserted foot. Kiffin was reprimanded by the Southeastern Conference and issued an apology Thursday after he falsely accused Florida coach Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation.

Earlier in the day, Kiffin told fans at a breakfast celebrating the Volunteers' recruiting class that Meyer violated rules by phoning Nu'Keese Richardson while the wide receiver prospect was on an official visit at Tennessee.

"I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him," Kiffin said, according to a WVLT-TV report.

NCAA and Southeastern Conference officials said it is not against recruiting rules to contact a recruit while they are on an official visit to another school.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley delivered a quick and harsh response to Kiffin's statement and called for him to apologize.

Florida’s Urban Meyer could be giving Volunteers’ coach Lane Kiffin the stink eye

"It is obvious that coach Kiffin doesn't know that there is not a rule precluding phone contact with a prospect during an official visit on another campus during a contact period," Foley said in a statement. "His allegations are inappropriate, out of line and, most importantly, totally false. It is completely unfair to Urban Meyer, our coaching staff, our football program and our institution," he said.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive then reprimanded Kiffin for publicly criticizing Meyer, which is against the league's code of ethics. That led to Kiffin apologizing.

Looks like Lane Kiffin is already making new friends in the SEC.

Texas-San Antonio

Former Miami coach Larry Coker has applied to lead the new Texas-San Antonio football program in what would be his first head coaching job since the Hurricanes fired him in 2006.

Coker, who led Miami to the BCS championship in 2001 and is currently an ESPN college football analyst, told the San Antonio Express-News he spoke to UTSA over the phone about the job last month.

Coker said athletic director Lynn Hickey did not indicate if or when he might be interviewed. School officials have said they hope to have a head coach in place by March 1, and UTSA hopes to make its college football debut in 2011.

I guess Coker is looking for a fresh start somewhere.

Maryland

Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen eventually will be replaced by assistant head coach/offensive coordinator James Franklin.

No timeline for the succession was announced by the university Friday. The school scheduled a news conference later Friday with Franklin, Friedgen and Athletic Director Deborah Yow.

Terps’ Head Coach Ralph Friedgen