Last week, Dan Wolken and George Schroeder of USA Today wrote a story on how breaking away from the NCAA may be the next version of college football realignment, after the ACC's grant of rights deal essentially ended the most recent realignment bonanza.

While that may be an easy answer to solve issues like paying college football players, it may not be the best business decision for the big-name programs in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). 

The tax-exempt status that the NCAA enjoys is a major benefit to its institutions, which are able to keep the majority of their skyrocketing revenue, according to Forbes.com.

That creates a bit of an issue. 

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A possible move to a nine-game conference schedule has been the subject of intense speculation ever since the SEC expanded to add Missouri and Texas A&M prior to the 2012 season. The SEC settled on an eight-game schedule for 2012 and 2013. But beyond that, it's anybody's guess.

ESPN.com reported on Monday that a nine-game schedule will be one of the major talking points when SEC officials meet in Destin, Fla., later this month.

But it may not be entirely up to the SEC.

"I think TV will certainly have something to say about that also,'' said Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel on the SEC coaches' teleconference last week. "The commissioner will do what's best for the league, and we will support that."

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While Johnny Manziel was tearing up the scene last season with his highlight-reel runs and video game statistics, another SEC quarterback was quietly going about his business leading a dynasty.

Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron didn't make the trip to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist, didn't light up the stat sheet on a consistent basis and hasn't become the celebrity that Manziel has evolved into.

All he did was win. DJ Kahled would be proud.

McCarron has the arm to sling the ball all over the field, but to his credit, he's scaled back that gun-slinger mentality in favor of the more conservative approach that Alabama has consistently used to wear down opponents. 

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When it comes to posturing in college football, there are different levels of threats. 

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany suggested that his conference could de-emphasize athletics and drop down to Division III if the Ed O'Bannon case versus the NCAA doesn't go in the NCAA's favor.

Ridiculous? Yes. 

SEC commissioner Mike Slive, however, made a more believable threat Monday.

While speaking to the Associated Press Sports Editors in Birmingham, Slive suggested that the SEC could move towards a divisional split if full cost of attendance isn't included in athletic scholarships, according to AL.com.

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From a college football perspective, the 2013 NFL draft was less about the landing spots of former SEC stars and more about the continued dominance of the nation's top college football conference.

A mind-boggling 63 players from SEC schools heard their names called, shattering the previous record of 56. It was the seventh straight season the SEC had the most players drafted.

The showing was so impressive that either SEC division would have led all conferences in players drafted [in 2013], with the SEC East sending 32 players to the draft and the SEC West tying the ACC with 31,  according to AL.com.

But does that correlate to recruiting?

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The outlook for LSU's 2013 season took a bit of a turn over the weekend after star running back Jeremy Hill was arrested in Baton Rouge, La., and charged with simple battery.

According to the Baton Rouge newspaper The Advocate, Hill was arrested and charged with misdemeanor simple battery after a fight broke out at Reggie's Bar that left one victim unconscious. The Shreveport (La.) Times reports that Hill punched another man from behind in the side of the head and that Hill is "easily recognizable" in video of the incident. He was released on $500 bail.

Hill was suspended indefinitely on Monday by LSU head coach Les Miles, and his future with the program is very much in doubt.

Before the latest incident, he pleaded guilty to carnal knowledge of a juvenile in January 2012 and received a six-month suspended sentence and two years probation. Since he could be in violation of his probation if found guilty, that very much puts his future with the Tigers in doubt.

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Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel has been the subject of an inordinate amount of attention this offseason, and it doesn't look like that's going to change in the near future.

After meeting Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron at the Super Bowl, the 20-year-old superstar is drawing McCarron into his web of superstar shenanigans.

According to USA Today's For The Win blog, Manziel and McCarron are planning a vacation to Key West or Cancun later this month.

"Football is our life," McCarron said, "so when we get away, we try to get away and not really bring that in. He’s got all the trash talk on me because he won, so there ain’t much I can talk about.”

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The Tim Tebow era in New York has come to an expected close.

The former Florida quarterback was released by the Jets on Monday morning, according to a release from the organization. The move leaves the professional future of the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner in doubt, as most NFL teams either have their quarterback positions solidified or have a corps of signal-callers already under contract.

So, what happened? Why has Tebow failed as a quarterback at the professional level after leaving Florida as one of the most decorated quarterbacks of the modern era?

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