By Wayne Hester

Verne Lundquist will be four days shy of 53 years in broadcasting on Sept. 3 when CBS televises the UCLA at Texas A&M game.

“Verne is a legend in this business,” said his partner Gary Danielson. “I am thankful to have had the opportunity to sit next to him calling SEC games.”

CBS has had the highest ratings for college football for the past 10 years, and Lundquist plans to make his last year all about the game.

“Verne has never wanted to be the story of any broadcast,” said CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. “He has always wanted the game, the players and the coaches to be the story.”

Lundquist, Danielson, McManus and studio host Rick Neuheisel were on a conference call with the media Thursday as CBS approaches its 16th year of covering the SEC.

Lundquist remembered the year 2000, when coach Mike Dubose’s Alabama team finished 3-8.

“We’re light years removed from that Alabama team,” Lundquist said.

“When they got Nick Saban, the world changed.”

McManus let the media in on a change coming to CBS broadcasts this season. He said viewers should be prepared for graphics having a “slick new modern look.”

And Garth Brooks “is going to customize a song for us,” McManus added.

Danielson was asked about Lundquist, and he answered with high praise.

“I think he has been as important to the SEC as Bear Bryant,” Danielson said.

“Verne always finds the goodness in the game with the players and coaches he interviews.”

Other takeaways from the conference call:

• Lundquist on preparing for a game: “You can’t shortcut it. If you do, you’ll be found out.”

• Danielson: “I’ve had what I consider four, five, six dear friends in my life. People come up in the booth and hug Verne and call him their dear friend – hundreds of them.”

• Verne on his successor, Brad Nessler: “I’ve known Brad for more than 30 years and have always admired his work ethic and his on-air presence. He shares the same passion for college football that I do.”

• Neuheisel’s four picks for the College Football Playoff: Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Clemson.

I blame Paul Finebaum.

The ESPN and SEC Network personality stated on Tuesday that a source told him there was “a chance” that Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller could transfer to Alabama, and that’s how these things get started.

With Alabama’s quarterback situation in the hands of Jake Coker, David Cornwell and friends, adding a veteran presence like Miller could be advantageous for the team in a time of offensive transition.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked about the rumors during his first Crimson Caravan stop in Huntsville. He said he knew “nothing about any such rumors,” but his answers were cryptically vague and open-ended.

“If there was somebody out there that I thought could help our team, we have a spot or two available that we could probably —- but it would have to be the right person, in the right place that could make a contribution,” Saban said. “That would be something that would have to be good for that person, and it would have to be good for us.”

So, he’s probably not actively recruiting Miller, but there are spots open. But he’s not allowed to talk about it.

In response to Finebaum’s statement, Bleacher Report’s Marc Torrence reported that a source told him there was “no chance” Miller left the Buckeyes, which was something the source would “bet [his] life savings” on.

“It’s not happening,” the source told Bleacher Report. “Braxton is not leaving OSU.”

On Wednesday, veteran freelance journalist Ray Glier reported that Miller had visited Alabama three times and had a source tell him that he expects Miller to play for Alabama.

One part of that tweet is verifiably correct: Miller did visit Alabama, but not to look at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Dr. James Andrews operated on Miller’s shoulder in Birmingham, and the OSU quarterback returned multiple times to rehab, according to Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer.

And finally on Thursday, Bleacher Report’s Barrett Sallee reported from a source that Miller to Alabama “is not happening.”

After all of these reports, whether Miller comes to Alabama or not will sort itself out. What is immediately relevant is whether Alabama needs him and how well he would do in Tuscaloosa.

Miller missed all of last season due to injury, and did not participate in spring practice in Columbus. He won’t be able to fully throw and get back into the swing of football until late this summer. He is also one-third of the quarterbacking monster at Ohio State, with the job looking like it will go to national title-winner Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett over Miller.

Miller would be a graduate student transfer, so he would be able to step in and play right away if he won the job. But he would leave a situation with two other viable candidates for Alabama, who could potentially start any of the five quarterbacks on its roster. Miller has also been rumored to be looking at Florida State and Oregon.

Coker tried the transfer market last season with only a bench spot behind Blake Sims to show for it. No matter how highly touted a player is, he still has to master the offense. He also has the possibly even greater challenge of inspiring enough confidence from the team to warrant starting him over another player who has been in the system longer.

“I just know Coach Saban wants to find the best guy for the job,” Alabama fullback Jalston Fowler said, per 247 Sports. “It doesn’t matter if Braxton comes down here or not, he’s going to have to work for that position because those guys compete every day and that’s what Coach Saban wants.”

Like a coaching search or a recruiting decision, this story won’t be concluded until Miller is in pads and wearing a jersey in September. Until then, it will remain a storm of sources. The problem is identifying who to believe.