Auburn DT enters draft; Brantley returns to Gators

Associated Press

Nick Fairley, Auburn’s other big-name star, also is heading to the NFL after winning the Lombardi Award and helping Cam Newton lead the Tigers to a national title.

The potential No. 1 overall pick announced his decision Friday at his old high school, saying he didn’t make up his mind until that morning after long talks with his coaches and his parents and a solitary drive around his hometown. The deciding factor?

“I was thinking, ‘What more could I accomplish my senior year?”’ Fairley said.

His decision means Auburn’s two most dominant stars won’t be back next season. Newton, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, said Thursday night he was entering the draft.

The two junior college transfers led the Tigers to a 14-0 season and their first national title since 1957.

Fairley was the defensive MVP in the BCS title game against Oregon when he had a sack, three tackles for losses and forced a fumble.

The 6-foot-5, 298-pound All-American defensive tackle also led the Southeastern Conference with 24 tackles for a loss and had a school-record 11.5 sacks.

Fairley played two seasons at Auburn after transferring from junior college, where he redshirted in 2007

FLORIDA

Once Florida hired offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to run a pro-style offense, John Brantley’s decision became clear.

Brantley, mostly ineffective in Florida’s spread system, chose Friday to stay in Gainesville and finish his college career with the Gators.

Brantley considered transferring after coach Urban Meyer stepped down last month, wanting to see if he might find a better fit elsewhere.

But his father, John Brantley III, said his son has “been a Gator his whole life and no reason to change now.”

So Brantley will get a fresh start under Weis, whose resume includes productive, pro-style offenses at Notre Dame.

Weis also won three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots and helped the Kansas City Chiefs make the playoffs this season.

HOUSTON

The NCAA has granted a sixth year of eligibility to Houston quarterback Case Keenum, who missed the final nine games of the 2010 season with a torn knee ligament.

Keenum was nearing several NCAA career records when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while attempting a tackle in a 31-13 loss at UCLA on Sept. 18.

That came a week after a mild concussion in a win over UTEP.

The school announced in mid-October that it would ask the NCAA to grant Keenum another year. Houston lost six of nine games after Keenum went out and finished 5-7.