June Won't Go (to UCLA) / Sugar Bowl

Ferd Lewis talks to June Jones about the UCLA rumors.

University of Hawai'i football coach June Jones branded as "an absolute lie" a report in the Los Angeles Daily News that he has let UCLA know he is interested in the Bruins' vacant head coaching position.

The newspaper reported Friday that its sources said Jones "is a candidate of interest for Bruins athletic director Dan Guerrero."

Jones said yesterday: "That's an absolute lie. That's all I've got to say."

Whew.

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Carter Strickland of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes about Georgia getting ready for UH.

"People that have played them say their receivers are as good as any you'll see in the country, and the quarterback," said Georgia coach Mark Richt. "They said the quarterback-receiver situation there, you won't go to any school in America and find a better bunch. We've talked to a couple who have played them, and they're like, 'You can count on that.' "

You also can count on Georgia's defensive coaches beating that drum for the next three-plus weeks. In fact, it has already started.

"There is a lot of talk they are trying to compare him to [Florida's Tim] Tebow," said cornerback Bryan Evans. "Anytime you play a person that they compare to Tebow the defense needs to come and bring their A game."

The rub is that the defense will have to bring its b, c, d even z packages. Hawaii uses as many as five receivers on one play. So say goodbye to strongside linebacker Akeem Dent and hello to five maybe even six defensive backs.

Georgia can and has gone nine deep in the secondary.

"I would think we are going to rotate [to stay fresh]," Richt said. "I am thankful this year we have really rotated our defensive personnel. We have kept people pretty fresh."