Morning Six Pack: November 29, 2012

Thirsty Thursday brings another six college football stories from around the country.

Tracking all the coaching changes around the country

Tommy Tuberville’s sitting by the phone and Jimmy Sexton’s got that particular sparkle in his eye. 

Jenkins latest in Cody's shadows: Defensive lineman anchors middle of Georgia's defense

Georgia defensive end Garrison Smith was asked what he thought about the impending matchup between Alabama All-America center Barrett Jones and teammate John Jenkins. 'I guess that'll be like 'Clash of the Titans,' Smith said. “It’s going to be good old-fashioned football. People are going to be excited to see it. That’s what we play the game for.”

Auburn football coaching search: A deeper look at possible candidates

Rumors and speculation continue to swirl as Auburn's football coaching search begins its fourth day following Sunday's firing of Gene Chizik.

Greeson: Is Gruden the right solution for the Vols?

The questions about Jon Gruden and the University of Tennessee have consumed the state.

Time Runs Out, but Not the Money in Coaches’ Firings

University administrators appear willing to pay coaches of struggling college football teams huge sums of money to go away and make room for new hires.

Quotable:

During Saturday night’s Notre Dame-USC game, ABC announcer Brent Musburger uttered a sentence that summed up the stance of much of the old guard. Forget Manziel’s freshman and SEC record 4,600 yards of total offense, Musburger, who is also a voter, said there are those "who will not under any circumstances, vote for a freshman."

But the question is, will they vote for a strictly defensive player? No one has ever won without playing some offense – which Te’o hasn’t – or finished among the top two vote-getters since Pitt defensive end Hugh Green in 1980. If older voters aren’t willing to change their tune for the most dynamic offensive player of the year, regardless of his age, will they be willing to do so for a linebacker?
Which brings us to Kansas State’s redshirt senior quarterback and the importance of playing on that final weekend before votes are due.

A year ago with his biggest challengers, Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson, watching from home in the final weekend of the regular season, Robert Griffin III took advantage. He carved up Texas and parlayed it into his school’s first Heisman.

The impact of leaving voters with a dominating performance has been evident, with each of the last four winners all in action during championship weekend and it certainly aided Griffin.

Over the first two weeks of voting, it was Luck that led, while Richardson was a clear second and RG3 was well behind. But over those final days, Griffin gained over 35 percent of the vote and wound up winning by 280 points over Luck.

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