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Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville faced the recent controversy over his program's alleged academic scandal as reported recently by the New York Times.

"Let's complete the investigation before we make any rash judgments," Tuberville said. "If we're doing something wrong, please tell me and we'll change it.

We're going to do things right ... this thing that happened the last few weeks, I feel bad about it."

A New York Times reporter in the SEC Media Days audience asked Tuberville why so many of his players were taught one-on-one by one Auburn professor. It was alleged that professor, Thomas Petee, gave credits to football players taking his direct-reading program, despite the fact they did little or no work.

"We've graduated 98 players in the last three years, and 15 of them went through the sociology department," Tuberville. "We don't choose their degrees for them.

"When I recruit players, I tell their parents I'm their father for the next four or five years. My first obligation is to make sure they grow from young men to adults, to make right decisions on and off the field.

The academic part is very important, and it has become a tougher job than ever, because of all the academic requirements the NCAA has put on athletes in the last couple of years.

"Our academic-support people said we've basically tripled our budget since 2000 for all of our athletes.

"We want to give our athletes every chance to succeed academically. If there's a problem academically, everybody has got to share the blame. If it comes to a problem with football players, I'll take that blame."

Strangest question

LSU coach Les Miles was asked if he still has nightmares about Auburn running back Kenny Irons, who ran for 218 yards and one TD last year against LSU. His response: "We watched him run against us with success last year, and we're taking that under advisement."

Mr. Stylin' and Profilin'

Auburn receiver Courtney Taylor said he's a competitive guy. "I like to win at everything, I hate to lose and I blame my father for making me that way," Taylor said.

Taylor blew away his competition on Friday as the best dressed SEC player in the house, wearing an all-black ensemble with a long black coat that had no collar. He also didn't wear a tie and still was the essence of cool.