Southeastern RUMORS & NEWS

12 Up "There are no sports taking place these days -- unless you're a fan of the Belarusian Premier League -- but Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are facing mounting criticism for one of their recent actions regardless. During a conference call on Thursday, head..." April 03

Bleacher Report "The reigning national champion LSU Tigers are reloading for the 2020 campaign, as former North Dakota State linebacker Jabril Cox announced his transfer on Thursday. Cox is a two-time FCS All-American across three seasons at NDSU. ESPN's Alex Scarborough pointed out that..." April 03

Total Pro Sports "The coronavirus continues to show that is does not care how old or young you are, how much money you have, or how insanely famous you might be, it will affect anybody at anytime. According to The Advocate, former LSU QB Jamie Howard has not only tested positive for COVID-19, his..." April 03

Saturday Down South "Mississippi State appears to be losing some depth on the team’s defensive line. That’s due to the fact rising sophomore Fabien Lovett has announced that he has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Lovett appeared in 11 games last season for the Bulldogs during his..." April 03

ESPN "Nick Saban said he's the only football coach in the office on the University of Alabama campus as all sports remain shut down due to the coronavirus. "The whole world turned upside down so it's a little bit different for everybody," he said during a teleconference..." April 02

TMZ "Ed Orgeron is calling things off with his wife, Kelly ... the LSU head coach filed for divorce a little more than a month after he led the Tigers to a National Championship. The 58-year-old filed the court docs in Louisiana back on Feb. 26, according to The..." April 02

12 News "No stranger to controversy or bad press, new Mississippi State Bulldogs football coach Mike Leach found himself in hot water on Wednesday when he sent out an offensive tweet related to life amid the coronavirus pandemic. The tasteless tweet depicted a woman knitting a noose,..." April 02

247 Sports "Whether it was at Washington State or now Mississippi State, 2021 quarterback and 247Sports four-star quarterback Sawyer Robertson has been a long-time priority for head coach Mike Leach. On Tuesday the Coronado (Texas) High School standout joined Leach's Class of 2021 at..." April 01

College Football Talk "If there is a 2020 season, a new addition to Kirby Smart‘s Georgia football staff will have an additional title. As expected. In mid-January, Georgia football confirmed reports that Todd Monken would be taking over as Smart’s offensive coordinator...." March 31

247 Sports "Three assistant coaches from Georgia's 2019 staff will get a raise going into the 2020 season, including a substantial one for its defensive coordinator. After his first year at the helm of Georgia's defense, Dan Lanning will now be paid $1.25 million annually,..." March 31

CBS Sports "The NCAA Division I Council voted Monday to permit an additional season of competition and eligibility to all spring-sport athletes who were unable to complete the 2019-20 athletic year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision does not apply to athletes in winter sports like basketball..." March 30

The Score "theScore's Mike Alessandrini and Dan Wilkins break down the top running back prospects in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft as part of a position-by-position series. QB | RB Running backs 1. Clyde Edwards-Helaire School: LSUMarch 29

Larry Brown Sports "The “Tiger King” documentary on Netflix has been all the rage over the past week, with people buzzing about it all over social media. Someone even made a funny mashup video of a Missouri Tigers football hype video and the “I Saw a Tiger” music video by Joe Exotic. In..." March 29

Sportsnaut "The state of Louisiana is quickly becoming one of the hardest-hit regions as the COVID-19 pandemic quickly spreads throughout the United States. It’s impacting the sports world in a big way, too. It was just announced that former NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert lost his father..." March 28

Larry Brown Sports "Many people are making huge adjustments in their life due to the new government rules and suggestions during the coronavirus pandemic. Some can adjust easier than others. For Nick Saban, that adjustment has been difficult. A hard worker who rarely stops recruiting and coaching, Saban..." March 27

ABC News "Some University of Tennessee students, growing a little bored with online courses during the coronavirus outbreak and campus-wide shutdown, received a nice jolt Thursday morning from one of UT's most famous alums. Peyton Manning "crashed" his former professor's..." March 27

Saturday Down South "Texas A&M has found a very creative way to develop relationships with recruits following the NCAA’s decision to temporarily shut down college football recruiting following the coronavirus outbreak. While no in-person visits are permitted at this time, there’s no rule..." March 26

12 Up "There's nothing more toxic than digital trash talk between the country's largest and most obnoxious college football fanbases, but this takes on a whole new form of stupid. The Patriot-News, a regional newspaper in central Pennsylvania, published an article Monday..." March 26

Bleacher Report "Alabama head football coach Nick Saban offered some social distancing advice Tuesday for Crimson Tide fans to follow during the coronavirus pandemic.  "Please wash your hands often," he said in a video released on the football team's Twitter account...." March 25

For The Win "Birmingham, the largest city in Alabama, unanimously passed a shelter-in-place order at Tuesday’s city council meeting, which was the responsible move to make amid the coronavirus pandemic. And while Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin actually recommended the ordinance..." March 24

College Football Talk "The 2019 season was a failure by Alabama’s standards. The Crimson Tide did not reach the College Football Playoff for the first time since the system’s 2014 inception, and they were relegated to a non-New Year’s Six bowl game for the first time since the 2010 season...." March 24

The Score "Returning production is never the be-all, end-all in college football, but it's still important. Good players at the peak of their athletic careers typically only get better, giving an edge to programs that can reload on an annual basis. The betting markets obviously take this..." March 24

Tomahawk Nation "Florida State makes it official: Running back Jashaun Corbin will be eligible for the 2020 season: “We are grateful to the NCAA for this decision and to Texas A&M for supporting this process,” head coach Mike Norvell said. “We’re excited for Jashaun..." March 24

USA Today "Former Vanderbilt football coach Robert "Woody" Widenhofer has died. He was 77 and living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Ryan "Woody" Widenhofer, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, said that his father suffered a minor stroke earlier this month. While still in..." March 23

College Football Talk "Football at Florida is on hiatus for the moment. Well, on the field at least. Off the field? Business is still moving forward. According to the Gainesville Sun, the school is in the process of negotiating a new contract with head coach Dan..." March 21

12 Up "The nation's No. 2 running back has trimmed his massive offers list down, and to no surprise the Georgia Bulldogs remain in the hunt. Yup, for 5-star speedster TreVeyon Henderson, he's high on all things UGA. With fellow powerhouses still in contention to land his..." March 19

CBS Sports "These are difficult times. The coronavirus outbreak has forced millions of Americans to the confines of their homes, social distancing is the new norm and the stock market is suffering. Normally during times of trial, we can at least lean on sports as a form of escapism, but basically..." March 18

12 Up "The coronavirus pandemic has brought a halt to most of the professional sports world, with the lone exception being the NFL. Given that we're in March, this is usually the time where college football teams get started on their preparations for the upcoming season. However,..." March 17

12 Up "The Georgia Bulldogs' 2021 recruiting cycle isn't off to the greatest of starts, as Kirby Smart and Co. are ranked No. 17 in the country per 247sports. The Dawgs have only three commits at this juncture, and only one 5-star commit. As college football goes into a..." March 16

Larry Brown Sports "The state of Louisiana has enlisted LSU coach Ed Orgeron to record a public service announcement about the coronavirus pandemic. Coach O is a very popular figure in Louisiana after leading the Tigers to a national title. " March 14

College Football Talk "Georgia has postponed spring practice for at least the end of the month. One reason why? There may be no coaches around to run it. According to UGASports.com, the Bulldogs staff have received a memo from the university detailing a new policy as it relates to..." March 14

USA Today "The hardest part of Bryce Young's transition to the Southeastern Conference has been the weather, as the winter clouds and overcast skies of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, have replaced the near-constant sunshine of his hometown of Pasadena, California. "It was just weird going..." March 10

National Post "Well-traveled linebacker Christian Bell will finish his collegiate career at Illinois in 2020. Originally a member of Alabama’s 2016 recruiting class, Bell transferred to Wisconsin and played three seasons with the Badgers before making another move. “Thank you..." March 10

KBTX "Texas A&M Football added 30-year coaching veteran and National Championship coach, Tommie Robinson, to its staff, announced Monday by head coach Jimbo Fisher. Robinson joins the Aggies after three seasons at LSU culminating in the 2019 National Championship. "Tommie has..." March 10

ESPN "A week before spring practice opens in Gainesville, Florida, Kyle Trask made it clear what the Gators are shooting for this season. Florida's soon-to-be redshirt senior quarterback, who didn't begin last season as the starter, greeted the media Monday at a pre-spring..." March 10

Alabama "Antonio Alfano was suspended by Alabama and entered the transfer portal before he ever played a game for the Crimson Tide. Now the former five-star recruit, who transferred to Colorado last November, has been suspended from his new team. On Monday, new..." March 09

USA Today " Tennessee football player Brandon Davis suffered a gunshot wound in his leg in an incident under investigation by Knoxville police. He was transported to UT Medical Center and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. A Knoxville police..." March 09

12 Up "Mack Brown and the UNC football program continue to make the argument that Chapel Hill is a football town. We kid, of course. After a surprisingly successful first season under Brown and freshman quarterback Sam Howell, North Carolina is making up some serious ground in..." March 07

12 Up "Tuscaloosa devotees were dealt some shocking news this week when it was confirmed that veteran Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran would be abandoning his 12-year post to join forces with Kirby Smart and Georgia. That news became much more stunning after it was revealed..." March 06

247 Sports "LSU signed 22 prospects following February's National Signing Day, and with the NCAA's limit per class set at 25 signees, the Tigers have three spots left available to fill this offseason. LSU head coach Ed Orgeron has said repeatedly that he plans to explore the NCAA Transfer..." March 06

12 Up "The No. 7 jersey at LSU has traditionally been handed down to the best player on any given Tigers team, and the budding star that will don it for the 2020 season has been chosen. Head coach Ed Orgeron confirmed that wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase will switch from the No. 1 he wore..." March 05

247 Sports "Four-star cornerback Latrell McCutchin has de-committed from Alabama. The Austin (Texas) LBJ product announced his decision following a visit to Oklahoma. McCutchin was the Tide's first pledge in the cycle, hopping on board back in June. At the time he chose UA over..." March 02

12 Up "Mark Stoops has constructed something exciting at the University of Kentucky, injecting life into a football program so long overshadowed wall-to-wall by its basketball counterpart. But even as he guides the Wildcats into 2020, he still doesn't quite have the clout to recruit his..." March 02

CBS Sports "One of the biggest stories from the assistant coaching carousel in the SEC came late in the calendar when Georgia announced the addition of former Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran as the Bulldogs' new special teams coordinator. It is unknown whether..." March 01

SI "Things are looking even better for Oklahoma State to land LSU wide receiver transfer Dee Anderson. Anderson took to Twitter Thursday morning and posted a GIF of Pistol Pete waving an Oklahoma State flag in front of the video board in Boone Pickens Stadium. While that isn’t..." February 29

TMZ "WORST CRIMINALS EVER??? Two LSU frat bros and a female companion were arrested this week after cops say they broke into Tiger Stadium and whipped a suped-up golf cart all over the football field, causing a ton of damage! And, the worst part ... they probably would've..." February 29

The Score "Now that Colorado has landed former Miami Dolphins receivers coach Karl Dorrell, college football's hiring-and-firing season has concluded (we think). Placing grades on new head coaches can be a futile task. Two years ago, Scott Frost (Nebraska) and Chip Kelly (UCLA) were..." February 29

Saturday Down South "Nick Saban has added to his army of support staff coaches as former Michigan State standout defender Max Bullough has joined the Alabama coaching staff. Bullough worked on Cincinnati’s coaching staff last year.  During his time at Michigan State, Bullough played for Mark..." February 27

247 Sports "Alabama cornerback Scooby Carter is back in the transfer portal. After initially withdrawing his name from it Jan. 16, Carter has re-entered the NCAA transfer portal, BamaOnLine has learned. Matt Zenitz of AL.com was first to report the move.  Prior to the..." February 27

Atlanta Journal-Constitution "Georgia senior defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt was arrested Tuesday by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of criminal trespass/damage to property/family violence. The Athens-Clarke County jail booking report indicated the charges are of the misdemeanor variety...." February 27

College Football Talk "Kirby Smart‘s poaching of one of Nick Saban‘s longtime Alabama Crimson Tide lieutenants is officially official. Earlier Monday, reports surfaced that had Scott Cochran leaving as Alabama’s strength & conditioning coach for an on-field job at..." February 25

Sportsnaut "The 2020 recruiting class is in the books, and it’s clear there are a handful of freshmen who have both the talent and skillset to make an immediate impact. We’re highlighting five freshmen in particular who are set up for instant success. These young men will burst onto..." February 25

TMZ "Remember when Odell Beckham was handing out wads of cash to LSU players after winning the national championship?? Turns out, that act of kindness just helped a good cause ... because Justin Jefferson says he donated the moolah to his local church!! Of..." February 25

ESPN "LSU is promoting Kevin Faulk to running backs coach, a source told ESPN on Tuesday. Faulk, an All-America running back for LSU who played 13 seasons for the New England Patriots, has been serving as the Tigers' director of player development since..." February 25

KNWA "Arkansas will meet Louisiana Tech on the football field in 2024. The Razorbacks and Bulldogs are set to square off inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Nov. 23, 2024. The game will be the first between the two schools since 2016 when the Hogs beat Louisiana Tech 21-20 to..." February 25

USA Today "Arkansas Razorbacks football recruit Catrell Wallace has been arrested on second-degree sexual assault and tampering charges, according to the Benton (Arkansas) Police Department.  Wallace, 18, turned himself in to police Monday at the Saline County jail. According to the..." February 25

USA Today "Joe Burrow did the unthinkable for the LSU Tigers at quarterback — in more than just one way. Between guiding his team to an undefeated season capped off with a national championship win, shattering NCAA and program records, taking home the Heisman Trophy and becoming the..." February 24

CBS Sports "One of the most famous strength and conditioning coaches in the country is on the move, and he's now moving onto the field. Georgia announced Monday that Scott Cochran, who has been in charge of Alabama's strength and conditioning program since coach Nick Saban took over the..." February 24

TMZ "John Ross' NFL combine record is in serious trouble this week ... 'cause Alabama star receiver Henry Ruggs WILL run a 4.20 40-yard dash in Indy -- so says his Tide teammate. "Somewhere around that range," Alabama cornerback Trevon..." February 23

Knoxville News Sentinel "Butch Jones has earned a new job title at Alabama. He is now the special assistant to the head coach, according to the Alabama athletics department's staff directory.  The former Tennessee coach spent the previous two seasons as an offensive..." February 21

12 Up "Apparently, Alabama's assistant special teams coach last year was a "kicking whisperer." You wouldn't have known that watching the Tide continue to shank field goals. Somehow, Bill Belichick has identified Houston as his ideal replacement for Joe Judge, now the..." February 21

Rivals "THE COMMITMENT: Longtime Florida commit Marc Britt announced his intentions to sign with Ole Miss on Thursday night, signifying a change of heart for the four-star athlete and some good news for Lane Kiffin’s program. Below, Rivals.com has a look at what the news means for..." February 21

Saturday Down South "Mizzou may be losing some depth at the receiver position as rising junior Kam Scott has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. During his two seasons on the field for the Tigers, Scott registered 25 catches with 542 yards receiving and two touchdowns. The Lone Star State..." February 21

247 Sports "The Colorado coaching search enters its second week since Mel Tucker left the Buffs for an opening at Michigan State. With another interview complete in the search process, CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd reports that Steve Sarkisian “could be the front-runner..." February 20

ESPN "Steve Sarkisian has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Colorado head-coaching job and instead plans to remain at Alabama as offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN. Sarkisian, the former USC and Washington head coach, had emerged as Colorado's top..." February 20

The Sports Daily "LSU product Joe Burrow is one of the most polished and accurate quarterbacks to have ever come out of college football, and he also has a charismatic personality as well — complete with a great sense of humor. " February 20

Saturday Down South "We all know Nick Saban’s reputation as a head coach but the leader of the Alabama football program also has an outstanding track record of helping assistants rise to become head coaches around college football. In recent years, Saban has expanded his expertise to another area —..." February 18

NFL.com "It's likely Joe Burrow will hear his name called early at the 2020 NFL Draft. It's even more likely he'll hear it called if he ever visits the Baton Rouge Zoo. " February 18

The Spun "While there’s no doubt that Clemson will be adding plenty of talent to its defensive line for next season, the coaching staff will also have to replace Xavier Kelly. The former four-star recruit has finally announced where he’ll continue his college career. Coming out of..." February 18

College Football Talk "The good news is that the rivalry between Clemson and Georgia will resume earlier than previously anticipated.  The not-so-good news?  It’ll be played off-campus. Monday, both Clemson and Georgia announced that the two football programs will kick off the 2021 season..." February 18

TMZ "Mark Richt said to hell with a steak dinner at a 5-star restaurant for his birthday ... the ex-Georgia and Miami coach is going with "hot dog delight" for his big day. And, it looks horrific. Of course, the 60-year-old broke down the unique dish during Miami..." February 18

12 Up "As Nick Saban has a tendency to do, he might be poaching another former high profile coach in need of a redemption tour for his staff. Saban welcomed Charlie Strong to Tuscaloosa on Thursday, and the two reportedly discussed some sort of off-field analyst role. The..." February 15

Sportsnaut "The state of Louisiana is still celebrating the record-breaking 2019 season of former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. If you needed any evidence to support that claim, we present “Burreaux,” a baby giraffe at the Baton Rouge Zoo who was named after the future..." February 15

Black Sports Online "No foul play is suspected which means they are looking at this as more of a suicide. Very sad story. A body found in a lake in Lee County this week was officially identified as a former Mississippi State football player, the Coroner’s Office said Wednesday. " February 14

12 Up "Eyabi Anoma was one of the most coveted players in his class coming out of high school in 2018. However, since leaving high school, the path to the NFL has been anything but smooth for the extremely talented linebacker. After playing one season for Alabama, Anoma was..." February 13

College Football Talk "Courtesy of Florida State and LSU, we have some rather meaty scheduling in which to sink our collective offseason teeth.  Unfortunately, it’s bereft of on-campus meat. Very early Tuesday afternoon, and after it had been rumored as a possibility a year and a half..." February 11

Sportsnaut "The Georgia Bulldogs are one of the nation’s best college football programs, but the quarterback position is a big question mark heading into the 2020 season. The skinny: Jake Fromm left school early to declare for the 2020 NFL Draft, and the Bulldogs may struggle..." February 11

Larry Brown Sports "The LSU Tigers have reportedly made their move to fill a vital position on their coaching staff. According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, longtime NFL offensive coordinator Scott Linehan will join LSU as the new passing game coordinator, replacing Joe Brady. " February 10

247 Sports "Two South Carolina Gamecocks assistant coaches are on the move. TheBigSpur's Tony Morrell is reporting that Thomas Brown is off to the NFL, where he'll coach former Georgia running back Todd Gurley, who now plays for the Los Angeles Rams. Defensive line..." February 09

College Football Talk "You can chalk up yet another win for LSU football. This one, though, won’t help them much moving forward. In mid-January, LSU football won the 2019 national championship. A week later, LSU football “won” the early-entry phase of the offseason as an FBS-high..." February 08

MSN.com "The Northwood High School (Shreveport, La.) receiver, rated as a 3-star recruit by 247Sports Composite, announced Wednesday in front of cameras he'd be playing football at Ole Miss. He even broke down in tears while doing interviews with the media, according to the Shreveport..." February 07

College Football Talk "Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has added a few more pieces to his new football program in Oxford. Among the newest additions is former Michigan staff member Devin Bush Sr., who will be the new recruiting director for the Rebels. A team of analysts have also been made official,..." February 07

Saturday Down South "National Signing Day for the class of 2020 has come and gone, but Arkansas picked up another commitment from a player who can contribute this fall. AJ Reed, a departing Duke kicker who will join the Razorbacks as a graduate announcement, announced his pledge to the Hogs on..." February 07

USA Today "New Mississippi State head football coach Mike Leach has deleted a series of messages he posted on Twitter in which he asked critical questions about Mitt Romney, the lone Republican senator to vote against President Trump in his impeachment trial Wednesday. Leach, a Trump..." February 07

Tampa Bay Times "The Florida Gators have added another Power Five opponent to their future schedules, announcing a home-and-home series with Cal. UF will host Cal on Sept. 19, 2026 and travel to Berkeley on Sept. 4, 2027. The Gators have played only twice before and not since 1980, when UF..." February 07

Larry Brown Sports "Phil Fulmer knows the state of the Tennessee Volunteers’ football program was not strong prior to Jeremy Pruitt taking over. Tennessee had an event at Sycamore Farm in Franklin, Tenn. for a recruiting class celebration on Thursday, according to 247’s Wes Rucker.  " February 07

247 Sports "Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall quarterback Malik Hornsby has committed to Arkansas. Hornsby, 6-3, 180, is a four-star recruit who chose the Razorbacks over Baylor, Texas A&M and Purdue, but the one-time North Carolina commit’s offer list also included..." February 06

Bleacher Report "Texas A&M bolstered their future defensive front Wednesday when defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson joined their 2020 recruiting class. Jackson announced the decision at a press conference, choosing the Aggies over Alabama, LSU and Auburn.  Jackson checks in at..." February 06

Sportsnaut "Mike Leach, fresh off his big-money deal with Mississippi State, already has a huge love affair with the food in the state of Mississippi, which he says is a “dominant deal’ during recruiting. Speaking with ESPN, Leach said that food in other states where coaches have..." February 06

College Football Talk "For the Auburn football team, its biggest news of National Signing Day has nothing to do with an incoming player.  Rather, it’s an outgoing one.  Potentially. First reported by Matt Zenitz of al.com, JaTarvious Whitlow has taken the..." February 06

CBS Sports "The early signing period and National Signing Day have passed for the 2020 recruiting cycle, and yet, highly-touted prospect Jordan Burch remains committed to South Carolina but unsigned. Burch, the eighth-ranked player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, appeared to reaffirm his..." February 06

College Football Talk "When it comes to one South Carolina football commit, our long national nightmare is over.  Or regional one.  Or whatever. But first, the backstory. On the first day of the Early Signing Period in December, Jordan Burch verbally committed to..." February 06

CBS Sports "Alfred Collins put a coveted bow on the 2020 Texas football recruiting class on Wednesday when the four-star defensive end chose the Longhorns over Oklahomaand Alabama, among others. During a ceremony inside the gymnasium at Cedar Creek High School in Bastrop,..." February 05

TMZ "Joe Burrow is looking to follow LeBron James' lead when he starts making that NFL money ... telling TMZ Sports he's gonna hire a personal chef to keep him in shape!! Of course, the Lakers superstar reportedly spends a whopping $1.5 million a year to..." February 04

247 Sports "Oklahoma linebacker Levi Draper has committed to transfer to Arkansas. Draper, a redshirt-sophomore who will graduate in May, announced his decision at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday. He made an unofficial visit to Fayetteville last Saturday. "I want to..." February 04

College Football Talk "The writing was written on the wall in red and black Sharpie when Todd Monken was announced as offensive coordinator, but James Coley has found a new gig. The former Georgia offensive coordinator has been hired as Texas A&M’s new tight ends..." February 04

CBS Sports "Steve Spurrier told South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner that he was ready to "call the press conference" and retire at the end of the 2014 season instead of returning for a disappointing 2015 that would include the Hall of Fame ball coach stepping away  midway..." February 04

12 Up "High school football players are making life-changing decisions this week as they choose their new schools. A familiar name in Muschamp has just flipped from Colorado State to Georgia. Jackson Muschamp, son of South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp, is headed..." February 04

USA Today "Georgia athletics brought in nearly $31 million in operating surplus for the fiscal year that ended at the end of June, a robust total nationally but a decrease of $12.02 million from the previous year. Part of the decrease was caused by a major increase in spending on college football..." February 04

News Channel 5 "Vanderbilt Athletic Director Malcolm Turner is stepping down from his position with the university, Vanderbilt announced on Tuesday. Turner will be succeeded by Candice Storey Lee. In a statement released by the university, Turner said he's making the decision to pursue new..." February 04