Breaks and mistakes

The Birmingham News has a nice feature today on JSU linebacker LeMarcus Rowell. Rowell transferred to JSU in 2004, after a run-in with the law at Auburn. Rowell made an instant impact with the Gamecocks on their way to a second straight OVC title, but another mistake - dropping a class and losing his eligibility - saw him sit the 2005 season out. Now, he's back.

"I've been taking school like something I have to do right now," (Rowell) said. "If I want to continue to play this game, I have to go to class and get my books. That's the main reason I wasn't out there. I had gotten kind of lost focusing more on the football and forgotten I was a student athlete. Now, I'm focusing more on `student' and `athlete' second."

And speaking of mistakes, here's a bit of bad news: Former Samford defensive back Cortland Finnegan, now a rookie with the Tennessee Titans after going in the seventh round as the OVC's only NFL draft pick, was arrested Friday night in Nashville on a DUI charge, according to WTVF NewsChannel5.