As we wrap up the month in July and move into August, that means fall camp is around the corner.  Defense wins the championships and the two guys charged with that responsibility at the FBS level in our state, joined the show.

• Ellis Johnson has had two successful seasons at USC that have seen him double his salary in the same amount of time.  He joined us to talk about what he has been doing and what he sees in his ‘10 defense.

USC Associate Head Coach in charge of the Defense, Ellis Johnson

ellis johnson 7-30

• The Braves Report with Mike Morgan once again was very informative as Mike confirmed the game would be played in Cincinatti. 

Mike Morgan and The Braves Report

braves report 7-30

• Kevin Steele weas courted in the off-season to take over the same duty at his alma mater, Tennessee, but decided to remain at Clemson.  He has a strong defensive corps returning and talked about it.

Clemson Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele

kevin steele

• Recruiting had a lot of information tonight.  Keep up right here.

Friday night’s Recruiting Report

rec

• South Carolina backup QB Zac Brindise was formally released from his scholarship this week, and visited Western Carolina Wednesday.  The Cullowhee, N.C. school may be his transfer destination, and an announcement is expected soon.  Brindise becomes the third QB to leave the team this off-season, joining Reid McCollum and Aramis Hillary.  QB coach G.A. Mangus said Brindise wants to play now, but was slotted to be the third string quarterback for USC this season.

• Reserve defensive tackle Ronald Byrd is also thinking about transferring from USC.  D-line coach Brad Lawing said that Byrd is fighting for his roster spot.   Byrd may seek to play elsewhere where more playing time is available.  Byrd is a red-shirt freshman from LaGrange, Georgia, and is recovering from a knee injury suffered in 2009.

• Former Citadel QB Bart Blanchard is transferring to Towson University, and will be eligible to play football this fall.  Blanchard has one year of eligibility remaining, and provided he passes his physical and gets a waiver signed by the NCAA, he will not have to sit out a season.  The former cadet will enroll at Towson University as a graduate student.  He has found that he still has the fire to play, even though he informed Citadel head coach Kevin Higgins of his intent to stop playing football several months ago.

• Charleston Southern University announced the hiring of former Auburn QB Patrick Nix Wednesday.  He will join the staff of head football coach Jay Mills.  Nix is hired to coach the wide receivers, which returns all-conference Gerald Stevenson and Kwame Krakue.  Nix will also be the passing game coordinator and recruiting coordinator.  Nix spent two seasons as offensive coordinator for the University of Miami from 2007-08, and held the same job at Georgia Tech from 2004-06.  He graduated from Auburn in 1995, and during his sophomore year led the Tigers to a perfect 11-0 record.

• The football game between Furman and Western Carolina on November 6 will be televised by Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast.  The game is scheduled for 12:30 pm eastern, and will be played at Paladin stadium.  Furman now has at least three televised games this season, with their September 18 matchup with USC being a pay-per-view event, and their October 16 game at Samford being broadcast by SportSouth.

A hump day edition of SportsTalk rolls on with Fisher DeBerry stopping by the studio to talk about his Coaches for Charity event tomorrow night.  We had some Braves talk with Mike Morgan and another edition of “In the Pits“.  Recruiting and John Fox wrapped up the night.

• The Braves are losing ground to the Phillies who are now just 3 1/2 games behind Atlanta.  Mike Morgan says to expect a tight race in tonight’s Braves Report.

Mike Morgan of The Braves Network

Braves Report 7-28

• Fisher DeBerry stopped by the studio and talked about his event, his career, and the offense that gave so many defensive coordinators nightmares.

Former Air Force Fisher DeBerry

fisher Deberry

• Marcos Ambrose will leave the no. 47 team next year and Bobby Labonte will replace him next season. Crew chief, Frank Kerr, talked about the changes to his team in tonight’s edition of “In the Pits”. 

No. 47 Car Crew Chief Frank Kerr

frank kerr 7-28

• Jim Fox spoke with the media today as the Panthers opened up training camp at Wofford College.

Carolina Panther Head Coach John Fox

JohnFox7-28

• Recruiting never sleeps nor does the Korn.

Wednesday night’s Recruiting Report

 rec 7-28

SportsTalk rolls on as we close in on the football season.  Kyle Parker speaks about his return.  Recruiting makes an appearance and the Braves take on Washington in D.C.

• Burt Trembley, the executive director of The Fisher DeBerry Foundaton, stopped by tonight to talk about the Coaches for Charity event coming up in the Capital City.

Burt Trembley Executive Director of The Fisher DeBerry Foundation

Trembley 7-27

• Kyle Parker spoke publicly today for the first time since telling Dabo Swinney he would return to play football this fall.

Clemson QB Kyle Parker

kyle parker 7-27

Kyle Parker 7-27 #2

• Today, the Gamecock baseball team, Ray Tanner, and all of the public schools that made it to regional and super-regional play, were honored on Capitol Hill by U.S. Congressman John Spratt of York County.

U.S. Congressman John Spratt

John Spratt honoring Gameocks on Capitol Hill

• Recruiting rolls on.

Tuesday night’s Recruiting Report

REC 7-27

SportsTalk begins another week as the ACC Football Kickoff began today.  The Korn was up in Greensboro covering the event.  The Braves are off tonight but Mike Morgan was still with us.  Recruiting also made an appearance.

• The Braves lost two-of-three over the weekend to the Marlins with both losses coming in extra innings.  Mike Morgan talked about what could have been for Atlanta in tonight’s Braves Report.

Mike Morgan

braves report 7-26

• Phil got a chance to sit down for a one-on-one with Dabo Swinney and talked to him about Kyle Parker and the upcoming season.

Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney with Phil Kornblut

dabo 7-26

• The ACC Football Kickoff was in Greensboro today and all 12 coaches spoke.  Here is some of the audio played on tonight’s show.

North Carolina Head Coach Butch Davis

butch_davis

Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer

frank_beamer

FSU Head Coach Jimbo Fisher

jimbo fischer

Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson

paul johnson

• The Brickyard 400 was yesterday in front of thousands of no-shows. Jamie McMurray became just the third driver to win the Brickyard 400 and Daytona 500 in the same year.  The other two are Dale Jarrett and Jimmie Johnson.  Jake Harris was with us tonight filling in for Chris Browning.

Darlington Director of Public Relations Jake Harris

jake harris nas recap 7-26

• Jamie McMurray won the Brickyard 400 and etched his name into the record books.  Here are some of his comments following his win.

Weekend Winner Jamie McMurray

jamie mcmurray for show 7-26

• Recruiting tonight includes yet another commitment for the Gamecocks.

Monday night’s Recruiting Report

rec 7-26

Another week in the books here at SportsTalk as we wrap up SEC Media Days.  The Braves head to Miami…for a game and not a party…to take on Florida.  Recruiting has two more commitments for USC.

• Derek Dooley spoke today about his new job as the head man for the Vols program and he could not escape any questions about his mom.

Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley

dooley_for_show_

• Yesterday, Patrick Dimarco, USC’s starting FB and TE, spoke with the media to talk about off-season workouts and how important Stephen Garcia is to the team.

USC TE/FB Patrick Dimarco

pat_dimarco_7-22

• Gene Chizik is going into his second season at the helm on The Plains.  He talked about needing to be more consistent on offense and improving on defense in order to compete for a league title.

Auburn Head Coach Gene Chizik

Gene_Chizik_for_show

• Tahj Boyd had to wait like the rest of us to see if Kyle Parker would return for another season of football.  Now that  he knows he will likelyplay in the back-up role but says he will try to push Park for the starting signal caller position.

Clemson QB Tahj Boyd

Boyd 7-23

• Recruiting includes two more commitments for USC.

Friday night’s Recruiting Report

rec

• Frank Kerr joined us from Indianapolis where he is getting his team ready for Sunday’s Brickyard 500.

Frank Kerr Crew Chief of the no. 47 car driven by Marcos Ambrose

kerr

Another busy show with the Korn in Hoover, AL.  We’ve got Steve  Spurrier, Pageland and Vanderbilt interim head coach Robbie Caldwell, and some USC players.  Recruiting and the Braves report also on tonight’s show.

• A more confident Head Ball Coach was on the podium at the SEC Media Days  today.  He spoke positively of his team and says he is hearing good things about Stephen Garcia.

USC Head Coach Steve Spurrier

Part Isteve spurrier 7-22 part 1

Part IIsteve spurrier 7-22 part 2

• The Braves won 8-0 today to take another series at home.  Keith Allen sat in for Mike Morgan in tonight’s Braves Report and did a fine job.

Keith Allen

keith allen 7-22 (braves report)

• Interim head coach at Vandy, Robbie Caldwell, had everyone in stitches talking about growing up in Pageland, SC.

Vanderbilt Interim Head Coach Robbie Caldwell

robbie_caldwell_comedy_hour

• Cliff Matthews was in Hoover to talk about the upcoming season and his expectations.

USC Senior DL Cliff Matthews

cliff_matthews_7-22

• Mark Richt talked about his upcoming season.  He says it is never easy when you play in the SEC.

Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt

Mark_Richt

• Bobby Petrino feels really about the team he is fielding this season.  He says he has a lot of talented ball players.

Arkansas Head Coach Bobby Petrino

bobby pertino 7-22

• Recruiting rolls on from Hoover, AL.

Thursday night’s Recruiting Report

rec

The SEC Media Days got under way and we are there.  The Korn brings you everything you need to know from Hoover, AL.  The Braves continue to stretch their lead over the Mets and sport the best record on the senior circuit.

The Braves take game one against the Padres and take over the best record in the N.L.  Several players have come off the disabled list of late and are contributing.  Mike Morgan talks about it in tonight’s Braves Report.

Mike Morgan of The Braves Network

mike morgan 7-21

• Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram talked to the media today at the SEC Media Days.  Hear what he had to say right here.

Alabama RB Mark Ingram

Mark_Ingram

• First year head coach, Joker Phillips, spoke on Day One of SEC Media Days and we bring it to you now.

Kentcuky Head Coach Joker Phillips

joker phillips 7-21

• The Nick-tator spoke today and was harsh on sports agents calling them pimps.  Hear everything below.

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban

nick saban 7-21

• Urban Meyer also went today down in Hoover and fielded questions from the media.

Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer

urban meyer 7-21

• Recruiting continues through the dog days of summer.

Wednesday night’s Recruiting Report

rec 7-21

The madness that is SEC Media Days begins today in Hoover, Alabama.  Today’s schedule leads off with Nick Saban and defending SEC and National Champion Alabama taking the podium.  That will happen at 1:00 this afternoon. 

Of course the Crimson Tide are the latest to be implicated in the NCAA investigation into football players ties to a sports agent.  We will see how the “Nicktator” responds to questions about star defensive lineman Marcel Dareus and his alleged ties to what must have been a killer party that was thrown in Miami earlier this summer. 

 It is the same shindig USC tight end Weslye Saunders allegedly attended in South Beach.

Representatives from Mississippi State, Florida and Kentucky will also meet with the media today in Hoover.

Steve Spurrier and his Gamecocks will take their turn at the podium Thursday morning. Arkansas, Georgia, and Vanderbilt will also be featured in tomorrow’s group.

Friday Auburn, Tennessee, LSU and Ole Miss will make the rounds.

Phil Kornblut has set up shop in Hoover for the rest of the week and we will have complete coverage of anything and everything that goes on at the never dull SEC Media Days. 

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at SportsTalkSC

Dabo Swinney hosted his annual golf outing today and Phil Kornblut was there.  Dabo took some time to hang out with us and contemplate the Kyle Parker situation.  The Braves also return to action and recruiting is always active. 

• Dabo Swinney spent some time with the guys today on the show and talked some Clemson football.

Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney

dabo swinney 7-20

• The Braves enjoyed last night off and host N.L. West leading San Diego tonight at The Ted.  Mike Morgan talks about this match up in tonight’s Braves Report.

Mike Morgan

braves report 7-20

• Billy Napier also joined Phil from the upstate and talked about his offense, with or without Parker, for the upcoming season.

Clemson Offensive Coordinator Billy Napier

billy napier

•  J.L. Mann standout hoop star Damien Leonard narrowed his list to three today naming USC, Oklahoma State, and Arizona as his finalists.  His A.A.U. coach Willis Holliday joined the program to talk to Phil about Leonard.

Willis Holliday

hhh

• Recruiting rolls on even with the Korn on the road.

Tuesday night’s Recruiting Report

recruiting 7-20