Tuberville has support of trustee

Auburn has lost three consecutive games for the first time since 2001 and fallen to 4-4 after being ranked No. 9 in The Associated Press poll in early September.

That free fall has led to speculation regarding the job security of Coach Tommy Tuberville, despite his 84-37 record in his 10 th season with the Tigers, including six consecutive victories over Alabama.

Birmingham News columnist Kevin Scrabinsky reported that two Auburn boosters shared information about a private campaign to raise money to buy out Tuberville’s contract.

Tuberville does have support from Paul Spina, who is president of Auburn’s board of trustees.

“Some people like to build things, and others like to tear things down,” Spina told the News. “I’m a builder. So is Tommy. His body of work over 10 years is more important than three or four ballgames.”

Spina traveled to Morgantown, W. Va., last Thursday night as a show of support for Tuberville and watched West Virginia beat the Tigers 34-17.

“I think Tommy made a couple of staff mistakes, and I’m going to fight for him to have the opportunity to correct those mistakes,” Spina told the News. “Tommy deserves that opportunity, and I’ll fight for him to have that opportunity to remain the head football coach at Auburn University.

“ I think Tommy is good for Auburn. Given the opportunity, I think he can continue to be good for Auburn.”

Tuberville fired offensive coordinator Tony Franklin after the team started 4-2. He’ll likely have to make other staff changes to keep his job.

Beating Alabama for a seventh year in a row probably wouldn’t hurt Tuberville, either. Extension for Johnson

South Carolina defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson has gotten a contract extension after eight games on the job.

The executive committee of South Carolina’s board of trustees approved a one-year contract extension for Johnson through the 2011 season with an annual salary of $ 350, 000.

Johnson was Mississippi State’s coordinator the previous four seasons, then was at Arkansas for two weeks last winter before going to South Carolina.

The Gamecocks rank first in the SEC and sixth nationally in total defense (allowing an average of 256. 1 yards per game ).

“What our defense has done this year compared to the prior three years has been sensational,” South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier said. “I think we’ve got the best defensive coordinator in the country.”

Gamble pays off Georgia sophomore linebacker Darryl Gamble, who is in the starting lineup for injured Dannell Ellerbe, earned SEC and national defensive player of the week honors after returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 52-38 victory at LSU. Gamble got the Bulldogs off to a fast start by jumping a slant route, intercepting Jarrett Lee’s pass on LSU’s first offensive play and returning it 40 yards for a touchdown. “We went over that play a lot,” Gamble said. “We watched it a lot on film. LSU came up in that slant formation, and I read it. I was ready and I came up big.” Gamble then sealed the victory by intercepting another Lee pass and returning it 43 yards for a touchdown to put Georgia ahead 52-31 with 2: 27 left. “I don’t get nervous anymore going into these games,” said Gamble, who has four starts. “I feel like a veteran who’s got a good confidence level. “ Somebody had to make a play early, and I figured, ‘Why not me ?’”

Still waiting For the third time in four seasons, Vanderbilt is one victory shy of being bowleligible. The Commodores hope 2008 turns out better for them, but it’s starting to feel like 2005 — when they started 4-0 and finished 5-6 — or 2007 — when they started 3-1 and finished 5-7.

Vanderbilt was the feelgood story nationally with its 5-0 start, including victories over South Carolina, Ole Miss and Auburn. But since then, it has lost three in a row to Mississippi State, Georgia and Duke.

It figures there must be some doubts creeping into the players’ minds as they strive to be Vanderbilt’s first bowl team since 1982.

“Everybody is human around here, so you do have some doubts,” Commodores Coach Bobby Johnson said. “But I still think we’re very confident that we can do some great things with this season.

“ We’re not tanking it, if that’s what everybody is worried about.”

Vanderbilt has an open date to prepare for its next game, at Florida on Nov. 8, and Johnson said practices have been good.

“[The players are ] very attentive, and they want to learn and they want to get better,” Johnson said. “As long as you’ve got them in that mode, I don’t think we have to worry about doubts. “ We’ve got some hard games coming up, and it will be tough duty. But we’re going to work at it very hard.” After playing the Gators, Vanderbilt finishes against Kentucky, Tennessee and Wake Forest.

Sweet victories For the first time in Phillip Fulmer’s 17 seasons as Tennessee’s coach, Alabama has beaten the Volunteers two years in a row. “Whenever we can beat these guys, it’s awesome,” Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson said. “We know what kind of a game it is, and how big a deal it is for everybody. We’re really thrilled.” Wilson has played a big role in the back-to-back victories over the Vols, combining for 551 passing yards as Alabama won 41-17 and 29-9. No Cody, no problem

Alabama had a dominating defensive performance in its 29-9 victory at Tennessee despite massive nose tackle Terrance Cody missing the game because of a sprained knee.

Cody will miss Saturday’s game against Arkansas State, but may be back for the Tide’s game at LSU on Nov. 8. Fulmer not giving up

Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer went on the defensive during his Tuesday news conference.

“I’m not a dog that barks and then runs into the house,” Fulmer said. “I’m going to do my job on a daily basis and do it the right way.

“ There’s only so many hours and so many things you can fix. I can lay my head on my pillow at night and know that I’ve done it right.”

But a lot of things have gone wrong this season for Tennessee, which is 3-5 and 1-4 in the SEC.

“In the short term here, it’s not nearly where anybody wants it to be, starting with me,” Fulmer said of the overall program. “I’m just going to go to work and do the very best I can for the Tennessee people and the Tennessee family and the administration and whoever.”

Fulmer has a 150-50 record at Tennessee, including 13-0 in 1998 when the Vols won the national title.

Tennessee also has played in the SEC Championship Game five times, including last season when eventual national champion LSU beat the Vols 21-14. “My charge is to run a clean program, and I’ve done that,” Fulmer said. “It’s to teach young men about life and leadership and academics, and I think we’ve done a really good job of that. “ And then, to win a lot more games than we lose. We’ve done that.” Fulmer said he’s getting support from Tennessee’s administration and major boosters as well as former players, but he realizes this season’s struggles have upset a lot of fans. “We’re in the age of instant gratification and what have you done lately. I understand that,” Fulmer said. “Hopefully, we can give everyone good encouragement about winning [the remaining games ] and what we’re going to do in the future, with how we play.”

Cobb at QB Kentucky freshman Randall Cobb, who caught two touchdown passes in the final 4: 15 from Mike Hartline in the Wildcats’ 21-20 victory over Arkansas two weeks ago, is replacing Hartline as the team’s starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Mississippi State.

Cobb has played a few snaps at quarterback during the season, but Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks decided to make him the starter in the wake of Florida’s 63-5 victory over the Wildcats.

With season-ending knee injuries to receiver Dicky Lyons and running back Derrick Locke, Cobb is the team’s best playmaker on offense and by playing quarterback he’ll be touching the ball on every snap. “When Randall is inserted we seem to at least seem to be able to move the ball, and I think he gives the defense a little more problem with his feet and ability to improvise,” Brooks said. “We just think Randall can give us a little spark and a little more diversity in what we’re able to do on offense.” Cobb will be first true freshman to start a game at quarterback for Kentucky since Tim Couch in 1996.

Two-minute drill Florida junior quarterback Tim Tebow has 36 rushing touchdowns to tie Emmitt Smith’s school career record. Smith, who left Florida for the NFL after his junior season, set the record in 31 games. Tebow tied it in 34 games. Georgia’s 52 points at LSU last week were the most scored by a visiting team since Florida won 58-3 at Tiger Stadium in 1993. Florida blocked two Kentucky punts and a field-goal attempt. The Gators have 23 blocked kicks in Urban Meyer’s four seasons as coach, including five this season.

Information for this report was contributed by SEC beat writers. GAME OF THE WEEK NO. 8 FLORIDA VS. NO. 6 GEORGIA

2: 30 P. M. SATURDAY, CBS The winner of this game, being played in Jacksonville, Fla., will be in control of the SEC East race and stay in the national title hunt. A matchup of marquee quarterbacks featuring Florida’s Tim Tebow, who could enhance his chances of winning a second consecutive Heisman Trophy with a top performance, and Georgia’s Matthew Stafford.

BY THE NUMBERS 22 Florida’s winning streak vs. Kentucky 1988-1989 Last time Georgia beat Florida in back-to-back seasons. 323 LSU career record points by place-kicker Colt David. OVERHEARD “It might have been worse.” Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks, asked if the Wildcats’ 63-5 loss at Florida looked as bad on film as it did live “I don’t know where our running game has gone.” Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer, whose Vols are averaging 113. 5 rushing yards a game to rank 100 th

nationally