Pac-12 Notes

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Pac-12 Notes

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July 24th

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Just for Laughs: Coloradoan speculates on CSU joining the Big 12

From The Coloradoan … In 2016, the Big 12 went through a lengthy expansion recruitment process, talking to many different schools and creating a shortlist.

CSU was one of the trendy picks to join the league until the conference ultimately decided to remain put at 10 teams.

The Rams made the cut to the final group. As did Cincinnati before the conference decided against expanding. CSU was above Nevada, Boise State, UNLV and New Mexico, who all got cut out early.

At the time CSU, was on an upward trajectory. A beautiful new stadium was set to open soon, and the football program looked to be in a solid position.

Now? The Rams are off the national radar. USA Today lists Houston, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, Boise State, San Diego State, BYU and even Nebraska as options.

Yahoo suggests an attempt to lure Colorado back and bring Utah and/or the Arizona flagship schools. It then lists Cincinnati, UCF, South Florida, BYU and Boise State as top potential G5 teams. Sports Illustrated and ESPN have similar lists.

You get the idea. None even mention CSU as a longshot candidate.

Now, that doesn’t mean CSU couldn’t end up in a better spot than they are now. Conference realignment is a wild world.

Many of the things that attracted the Big 12 in 2016 are still true. CSU is a strong academic university with a big alumni footprint in the Big 12 area. The Rams may not own the Denver TV market, but they’re in it and would grow into a bigger influence as a member of a power conference.

Of course, that leaves football.

Since the 2016 effort, the Rams have careened into national irrelevance. CSU hasn’t made a bowl since 2017 and is 8-20 over the last three seasons. CSU was picked this week to finish fourth out of six in 2021 within its own Mountain West division.

That beautiful new stadium that helped the 2016 pitch? Well, it is beautiful, but CSU badly needs 2021 to be a bounce-back season on the field and in the stands.

… Continue reading story here …

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Leftover Big 12 members “shell-shocked” – would consider “Big 20″merger with Pac-12

From The Athletic … Texas and Oklahoma will send letters to the Big 12 on Monday informing the league that they do not intend to renew its grant-of-rights agreement upon expiration in 2025, multiple sources told The Athletic.

Such a move is the next necessary step in clearing a path for the two schools to leave the conference and join the SEC, starting a massive ripple effect throughout college athletics. 247Sports first reported the news Friday.

Meanwhile, the remaining eight members of the Big 12 are making contingency plans and assessing what their value would be to other conferences, sources said. Those schools pledged during a call Thursday evening that they would try to stay together, but they are planning for an alternate future in the meantime.

“I’m shellshocked,” a Big 12 athletic director told The Athletic on Friday morning, relaying what has been a mind-blowing 48 hours chock full of confusion, angst and a chilling feeling of betrayal.

Reaching out to the Pac-12 about a potential 20-school merger was discussed during Thursday’s Big 12 leadership call. Such a move seems to be a more favorable alternative for the Big 12 than bringing in new members, which might involve raiding the American Athletic Conference, to lift its membership back into double digits.

“Bringing in a Cincinnati and UCF doesn’t bring any eyeballs,” the AD said.

A second league AD said, “There is no combination of Group of 5 members we can add that will garner our same TV deal, but it’s all on the table right now,” then added, “I don’t think (Texas) A&M has been very successful in blocking this.”

Texas and Oklahoma’s flirtation with the SEC appears to have been months in the making. Though the story leaked Wednesday, just before Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher took the microphone at SEC media days, sources indicated that the process began long before that.

… Continue reading story here …

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USA Today: Winners and Losers from potential move by Texas and Oklahoma

From USA Today … A lightning bolt struck Wednesday in the middle of SEC media days with the report that Oklahoma and Texas have expressed interest in joining college football’s most successful conference.

It’s been almost 10 years since the SEC expanded to 14 teams with the additions of Texas A&M and Missouri — both castoffs from the Big 12. Grabbing the Sooners and Longhorns would be its last salvo against the league. Both schools are traditional powers that have shaped the history of the sport, and their move would dramatically alter the landscape of college athletics.

The fallout to the leagues and schools would be immense if the change happens. And there would be impact across the country.

A look at the potential winners and losers of the possible move.

Winners

The SEC

You’re the biggest conference in college football. You make the most money. You’ve won 11 of the past 15 national championships. So why would you add two teams to your league and split that revenue an additional two ways?

The answer is easy: Because they are Oklahoma and Texas. Simply put, they’re effectively the two biggest free agents when the next wave of conference realignment comes. You either bring them in or watch as they join a rival league, possibly the Big Ten.

There’s also plenty of value in both schools that can further add revenue when television contract negotiations come up again. The Sooners have a history as impressive as any school in the country. They’ve won seven national championships, produced seven Heisman Trophy winners and made the College Football Playoff four of the past six seasons. Texas hasn’t been as successful on the field as its rival, but it would bring the flagship school from one of the best recruiting areas. What was previously opened up by the addition of Texas A&M would become SEC-exclusive territory.

College football fans

It just means more, meaning more games between elite college football programs. The SEC expansion to 16 teams would almost certainly lead to an expansion from the current slate of eight league games. Whether nine or 10, there would be better offerings each week.

One of those contests would see the return of the annual showdown between Texas and Texas A&M that was a staple of Thanksgiving weekend before it ended in 2011. There’s also the possibility of yearly games for the Longhorns and Oklahoma against LSU, Alabama or Auburn and cross-division games with Florida and Georgia.

Losers 

The Big 12

There’s really no way to sugarcoat what the loss of Oklahoma and Texas would mean to the conference. It would lose its two biggest brands and revenue generators and there’s no replacements to fill the void. Instead of arguably being the third-best conference behind the SEC and Big Ten, the league would become clearly the worst of the Power Five, regardless of how it sorts out the replacements.

Among the conference schools, the biggest impact would be felt by Oklahoma State. Continuing the Bedlam Series against the Sooners seems remote, meaning the Cowboys would lose the rivalry game that is a focal point of their season. TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech would have a similar diminished outlook with the Longhorns no longer an opponent.

Texas

Why are the Longhorns on this list if they’re making this move? Yes, going to the SEC is a no-brainer but the costs for Texas would be significant.

The Longhorns operate as the big dog in the Big 12 and try to use their financial might and prestige to push around the rest of the league. That’s given them outsized influence over the league office and members. That would go away with the move. Texas would be just another big school in the SEC and it would have to operate with great political adeptness to influence league matters. That would start with the issue of the Longhorn Network deal which gives the school approximately $15 million per year. How that would fit into a league that has its own network — unlike the Big 12 — and splits revenues would surely be a debate.

There’s also the question about how well the football program is prepared for the major step up in competition. Texas hasn’t won the Big 12 since 2009. It hasn’t come close to making the playoff while playing in a league with significantly less talent. It’s on its third coach since Mack Brown left and recruiting has suffered with Texas A&M’s ascension. This is not a program that has been patient or operates with a modest view of its place in the college football hierarchy. What happens when the losses pile up and they’re behind the other programs in the league with little chance of catching up?

American Athletic Conference

The league has been at the front of the playoff expansion debate with Central Florida and Cincinnati missing out even after having unbeaten seasons. But after that success and the expectation of the field being expanded soon, the American could see its top schools picked off and headed for greener pastures.

There are not many places for the conference to turn if that comes to pass. Possibly adding schools from Conference USA or the MAC seems unlikely to change its fortunes.

… Read full story here …

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CU and Nebraska: Part of the “National Athletic Conference, West Division”?

From MSN.com … With Texas and Oklahoma looking to shake up the college football world we take a look at what Notre Dame’s role should be …

Texas and Oklahoma shook up the college football world this week when it was leaked they were looking to get out of the Big 12 and join the SEC. Even if the Longhorns and Sooners don’t get into the SEC it’s clear they are set on leaving the Big 12.

This is yet another swing at putting together a super conference, something presidents looking for bigger pay days have wanted for some time. The reality is money and greed will always eventually win the day in college athletics, and super conferences are likely going to happen, whether it be now or down the road.

In our latest show we discuss the Texas/Oklahoma/SEC situation and what this would mean for Notre Dame and the rest of the college football world.

The podcast above is our discussion on those topics, and below is the Q&A session that followed. Much of the Q&A was also about this very topic, so we are including it here.

In the show we talked about whether or not Notre Dame should respond to this move by staying independent, joining the ACC or taking more of a leadership role and forming their own conference. It made for a very interesting and fun conversation.

National Athletic Conference … West Division … 

Texas … Oklahoma … Nebraska … Colorado … USC … UCLA … Kansas … Utah …

… Continue reading story here …

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Washington State and Cal lose starters for the season

… Washington State loses leading receiver to torn ACL … 

From CougFan.com … Washington State starting slot receiver and fan favorite Renard Bell has torn his ACL and is out for the season. Bell, a 5-8, 162-pound graduate student from Los Angeles, made the announcement on Twitter Friday afternoon.

Bell, who manned the Y receiver position for WSU, was named Pac-12 honorable mention last season. He led the Cougars with 33 catches, producing 337 hashes and two TDs.  His 84.2 receiving yards per game was fourth in the Pac-12.

The Cougs will also miss his wide smile and presence on the practice field of someone who constantly radiates energy and positivity.

Bell has started 29 games over his WSU career, playing in 43.  After a redshirt season in 2016, he has amassed 147 receptions for 1,656 yards with 16 TDs.

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… Cal’s starting center medically retires …

From CalBears.com … Michael Saffell announced Friday that he has medically retired from football due to injury via a letter and video addressed to the Cal football family.

“Being a football student-athlete at Cal has been more than I could have dreamed of,” Saffell said. “I’ve had so many opportunities to excel on the field, as well as in the classroom and the community. There are many people to thank including my Cal football teammates, coaches and staff, as well as the University’s professors, our fans and so many more. This was a difficult decision but the right one for me. Although I will miss competing and the camaraderie with my teammates, I will always be a part of the Cal family and knowing that helps ease the disappointment that my football playing career has come to an end. I’m excited for my next challenge.”

– Played in 28 games with 23 starts over four seasons from 2017-20 including 15 of 17 Cal contests at center over the past two campaigns as a 2019 junior and 2020 senior following his first eight starts at right guard including the first six as a 2018 sophomore before suffering a season-ending lower-body injury and two as a 2017 freshman
– Selected as the Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior, while he was also named second-team (Pro Football Focus), third-team (SportsPac-12) and honorable mention (Pac-12 Coaches) All-Pac-12 after starting all four games and serving as a team season captain.

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Texas 247 site: Longhorns and Sooners to inform Big 12 on Monday that they are leaving the conference

From Chip Brown (remember him from the last realignment merry-go-round?) at Horns247.com … Texas and Oklahoma, the founding members of the Big 12, are leaving the league – and barring any unforeseen developments, will join the Southeastern Conference, a high-level source close to the situation told Horns247.

Texas and OU officials plan to inform the Big 12 on Monday that they won’t renew when the league’s grant of rights expire in 2025, a step that clears the path for the SEC to formally consider adding Texas and OU.

Again, barring unforeseen circumstances, an SEC vote on adding Texas and Oklahoma “could move quickly,” the source told Horns247.

“In this changing landscape of college athletics, this is what’s best (for Texas and Oklahoma),” the source said.

Horns247 reported previously that Texas and Oklahoma are prepared to wait until the current grant of rights agreement expires in 2025 before moving on from the Big 12.

To leave earlier, Texas and OU would be contractually bound to pay the Big 12 two years’ worth of revenue distribution (roughly $80 million each based on 2019’s $37.7 million payout per school) as a “buyout fee” and face millions more in penalties – although such situations in the past have been settled in court to allow both sides to move on.

Even the anticipation of Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the SEC has set off a seismic reaction that will reshape college athletics for years to come. Whether it results in more schools jumping conferences or Power Five members finally breaking away from the NCAA in football to form their own governing body remains to be seen.

Texas and Oklahoma were the founding members of the Big 12 back in the mid-1990s, when the Big Eight (OU, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Iowa State) and four schools from the Southwest Conference (Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor) came together under the leadership of then-Texas and OU athletic directors DeLoss Dodds and Donnie Duncan.

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Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff: “We’d be foolish not to listen if schools call us”

From ESPN … As the rest of the power brokers in college athletics monitor the unfolding story of Oklahoma and Texas inching closer to possible membership in the SEC, new Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff told ESPN on Friday that his conference isn’t actively seeking new members but is open to discussions with potential candidates.

“I consider the Pac-12 an exclusive club with a high barrier to entry,” Kliavkoff said. “We love the schools and teams we have today. We’re not actively seeking to poach any teams from any conference, but we’d be foolish not to listen if schools call us.”

A Big 12 source told ESPN on Friday that Texas and Oklahoma have not yet officially informed their conference of any intent to leave, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. For the SEC to formally extend an invitation, the Longhorns and Sooners must first tell the Big 12 they want to leave.

If and when it becomes official, it’s unclear if any of the remaining schools would be attractive options to the Pac-12. The university presidents and chancellors have the ultimate authority regarding conference membership, and they would give strong consideration to another program’s academic standards and reputation. That could limit the league’s ability to expand, if that’s the direction it decides to go.

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July 23rd

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Pac-12 commissioner: Conference to consider reinstating forfeit rules if teams can’t compete

From ESPN … The Pac-12 will consider having its teams forfeit games if they can’t play this fall because of COVID-19, new Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff told ESPN on Thursday, but the conference won’t make an official decision until August.

“I will tell you that I’m leaning towards going back to the pre-COVID rules that had a team that was not able to field enough players to forfeit the game,” Kliavkoff said. “Part of that is around the financial implications and who bears that. We read with interest the notes from Commissioner [Roger] Goodell to the NFL teams that they’re going to treat it as a forfeit and financially penalize the team that is unable to play. I don’t know if we end up there or not, but that’s where we’re leaning. We’re not going to make any decisions without input from the ADs and football coaches.”

Goodell sent a memo to the league this week threatening forfeits and the loss of game checks if an outbreak among unvaccinated players causes a disruption in the regular-season schedule. Earlier this week, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said his conference is considering forfeits as part of an effort to encourage vaccinations.

Kliavkoff said he’ll meet with Pac-12 athletic directors on Monday at the conference media days, and he also wants to speak with the medical directors on each campus before they make a decision together.

… Continue reading story here …

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July 22nd 

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If Texas and Oklahoma bolt, will the Big 12 try to “lure Colorado back”?

From Yahoo Sports … What’s next for the Big 12?

The league is beginning to discuss contingencies Thursday, as it’s obvious that this would be a devastating blow.

Expect the Big 12 to be aggressive in adding schools. It’ll knock on doors at Arizona and Arizona State. Perhaps it’ll try and lure Colorado back and pry Utah. The Pac-12 is weak now, but the core of USC, Oregon, UCLA and Washington are all more attractive to be aligned with than any of the Big 12 schools.

From there, the Big 12 will decide how big it wants to get. It has to decide whether to add two, four or six schools. Four seems like the most reasonable number, with Cincinnati, UCF, USF, BYU and Boise State the most likely candidates from outside the state of Texas. The potential addition of Houston and SMU becomes complicated, as Baylor, TCU and Texas Tech wouldn’t have much interest in more in-state competition.

Remember, it’s streaming subscriptions, not cable boxes, that matter most. BYU would appear to have the best option for that, with its national following. But BYU is always complicated, which prevented the Big 12 from adding it in 2016 when the Cougars’ complicated LGBTQ history became a factor.

UCF and USF have great markets, but would the Big 12 want two Florida footholds? Cincinnati is a preseason Top 10 team that has been working hard behind the scenes to build for this moment. It also brings a big market and fertile recruiting area.

This is all sub-optimal for the American Athletic Conference, as it’ll be a familiar trickle-down. In a similar food chain fallout that followed the ACC cannibalizing the Big East a decade ago, the Big 12 will go after the most attractive AAC candidates. The AAC will do its best to hold on to its top programs but a reconstructed Big 12 without Texas and Oklahoma should offer a more attractive financial landing spot than the current AAC.

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is one of the most respected leaders in the space. But it’d be a surprise if Bowlsby, 69, is around for more than a few years. One thing that could help the Big 12 recalibrate is that the Pac-12, ACC and Big Ten wouldn’t have much interest in any of the remaining schools. Oklahoma State isn’t a cultural fit anywhere, Kansas football is an abomination thanks to Les Miles and Jeff Long, and TCU is in an attractive market but lacks national cache. Baylor is hurt by its market.

… Continue reading story here …

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Washington State coach Nick Rolovich unvaccinated; will do Pac-12 Media Day remotely

From ESPN … Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich said Wednesday that he has chosen not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and that he will join Pac-12 media day in Los Angeles remotely Tuesday.

“As the Pac-12 Conference has required that all in-person participants at next week’s Pac-12 Football Media Day be fully vaccinated, I will participate remotely and look forward to talking about our football team and the incredible young men in our program,” Rolovich said in a statement.

“I have elected not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for reasons which will remain private. While I have made my own decision, I respect that every individual — including our coaches, staff and student-athletes — can make his or her own decision regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. I will not comment further on my decision.”

Washington State athletic director Pat Chun said in a statement that he and Rolovich “have had multiple conversations regarding his decision not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.”

“While WSU has a vaccination mandate, there are policies and procedures for employees to follow who are not vaccinated. As a department, we will continue to educate our student-athletes, staff and coaches on the benefits of vaccinations and do all that we can to protect the health and safety of those in our charge,” Chun said.

University president Kirk Schulz said in a subsequent statement that the school “expects all students, faculty, staff and volunteers to be fully vaccinated before the start of the fall semester.” He also said the school “respects the right of individuals to decide whether to get vaccinated.”

… Continue reading story here …

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July 21st

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Ready for this? Texas and Oklahoma reportedly have reached out to SEC about forming a 16-team super-conference

From CBS Sports … With College Football Playoff expansion on the horizon and the sport as a whole undergoing radical change, another round of conference realignment may be on the horizon. Texas and Oklahoma have reportedly “reached out” to the SEC about joining the league should the two Big 12 powerhouses choose to leave their home conference, according to Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle.

Citing “a high-ranking college official with knowledge of the situation,” the Chronicle reports that the SEC could announce the additions of the Longhorns and Sooners “within a couple of weeks.”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey would not address the report while in attendance at 2021 SEC Media Days on Wednesday.

“No comment on that speculation,” he told CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd. Sankey later added: “We are only worried about the 2021 season. Somebody dropped a report from unnamed people.”

Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork made it clear to gathered media Wednesday that he wants the Aggies to be the only team from the Lone Star State in the conference. Texas A&M and Missouri were the two teams that left the Big 12 for the SEC in the last round of conference realignment nearly a decade ago.

“I haven’t read the article, but if you’re asking me to kind of comment on college athletics, it’s changing,” Bjork told Dodd. “So what does that look like? I don’t know. … We want to be the only SEC program in the state of Texas. There’s a reason Texas A&M left the Big 12: to stand alone to have our own identity.”

There was talk at that time about Texas and Oklahoma potentially leaving the Big 12 for either the Pac-12 or SEC but nothing came of those discussions as both ultimately remained with the league they have been members of since 1996. Oklahoma was already part of the Big Eight when it transitioned into the Big 12 in 1996 by adding Texas as one of four programs from the defunct Southwest Conference.

… Continue reading story here …

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Jarek Broussard and Alex Fontenot both named to Doak Walker Award Watch List

Press release from cubuffs.com … Sophomore Jarek Broussard and junior Alex Fontenot were two of 80 players named to the watch list for the 2021 Doak Walker Award, presented to the nation’s top running back, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced Wednesday.

Broussard had an outstanding season last year that saw him named the Mayo Clinic National Comeback Player of the Year, the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, unanimous first-team All-Pac-12 while also picking up various mentions on some All-America teams.  He led the Pac-12 and was third nationally in rushing at 149.2 yards per game, rushing for 895 yards in the Buffs six games counting the Alamo Bowl.  Through the regular season, he was averaging 162.6 yards per game, second most in the nation and the top mark in the Power 5.

Fontenot injured himself prior to the start of the 2020 season after leading the Buffs in rushing in 2019 with 185 rushes for 874 yards and five touchdowns.  He was named the team’s Most Improved Offensive Player and likely would’ve had a 1,000-yard season if not for an injury that forced him to miss one game and parts of a couple others.  Fontenot was also on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award prior to the COVID-shortened 2020 season before his injury.

The two are close to each other on CU’s career rushing list.  Fontenot is 60th with 917 career yards and Broussard 63rd with 813 yards, as CU doesn’t count bowl games in its record book.

The award began in 1990 and Rashaan Salaam was the winner in 1994.  Chris Brown (semifinalist in 2002) and Phillip Lindsay (semifinalist in 2017) also made it beyond the watch list phase.

The Doak Walker Award dates back to 1900 and is presented annually to the nation’s best college running back.

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July 20th

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Still think NIL won’t kill parity? Alabama QB (who hasn’t had a start yet) approaching $1 million in NIL deals

… Great for swimmers and gymnasts … Death to any chance the have-nots (and CU is one) of competing on a level playing field …

From FootballScoop.com .. Name, image and likeness has been dominating talk around college football for the past year, and deservedly so as it has completely changed the landscape of college football and tipped the scales of power to the players who are now able to make money by harnessing the power of their personal brand.

Today, while talking with thousands of Texas high school coaches in attendance at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention, Nick Saban delivered a dominant nugget of a recruiting pitch to coaches in attendance with elite quarterback prospects.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, who is just a sophomore, spent last season as backup to Mac Jones and watched as the Alabama vaulted itself into the conversation as one of the best offenses in college football history. He went 13-22 for 156 yards and a touchdown in the limited action he saw as a freshman.

However that hasn’t stopped the former five-star prospect and the nation’s top dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school from being on the verge of becoming one of the NIL-era’s first millionaire’s.

Take it from Saban.

“Our QB has already approached ungodly numbers…and he hasn’t even played yet. If I told you what it is … it’s almost 7-figures,” Saban shared.

Alabama didn’t need any help with strong recruiting pitches, but man, if that’s not the strongest recruiting pitch to a room full of high school coaches, I don’t know what is.

Something tells me that was exactly Saban’s plan.

… Continue reading story here …

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SEC Commissioner pushing vaccines: If teams can’t compete, games will be forfeited instead of rescheduled

From FootballScoop.com … Flanked by a bandage-logo that read “THE SEC BACKS THE VAX,” Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey on Monday drove home the likelihood that teams unable to compete in games this fall season – specifically football – face forfeits rather than rescheduling opportunities.

“You hope not to have disruption but hope is not a plan is the great cliché,” Sankey told reporters inside the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama. “We still have roster minimums that exist just like last year. What I’ve identified for consideration among our membership is that we remove those roster minimums and you’re expected to play as scheduled. That means your team needs to be healthy to compete, and if not, that game won’t be rescheduled.”

Sankey then dropped the F-bomb – forfeiture – if a team presumably is ruled unable to compete because of COVID-19 issues.

“To dispose of the game, the ‘forfeit’ word comes up at this point,” Sankey said. “That’s not a policy, and what you see are the bookends now for decision-making. We’ve not built the kind of time we did last year, particularly at the end of the season, to accommodate disruption. And unless we’re going to do that, our teams are going to have to be fully prepared to play their season as scheduled, which is why embedded in my remarks is the vaccination motivation.”

… Continue reading story here …

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July 19th

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College Football News predicts the AP Top 25 – Four Pac-12 teams make the list

From College Football News … Before getting started, note that below is NOT the actual 2021 Preseason AP Poll – it’s our prediction and projection of what it might be.

The AP college football rankings are still a very big deal, even in the College Football Playoff era.

Throughout the year the AP rankings are a great indication of how the rest of college football – at least the media types – views what’s happening. They’re a terrific measuring stick, especially before the College Football Playoff rankings come out.

The AP Poll and Coaches Pool both had the same preseason top four rankings last year – Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia – and they both had Notre Dame No. 10 and Texas A&M 13. The only difference in the top 14 was 5/6 with the AP putting Oklahoma 5 and LSU 6, and the Coaches going the other way around.

In other words, the AP and Coaches are both about the same. This year, though, after a crazy 2020 with a whole lot of new teams in the mix, expect more changes and differences than ever.

Again, this is just a prediction and not the real preseason AP top 25 poll, so don’t get mad or too happy – we’re making the best educational guess possible on a projection. Once the 2021 preseason AP top 25 poll is released, we’ll break it all down and do a deep dive analysis.

25. Miami Hurricanes (22)

24. Oklahoma State Cowboys (20)

23. Liberty Flames (17)

22. Michigan Wolverines (NR)

21. Arizona State Sun Devils (NR)

20. Iowa Hawkeyes (16)

19. Washington Huskies (NR)

18. Indiana Hoosiers (12)

17. Penn State Nittany Lions (NR)

16. Texas Longhorns (19)

15. USC Trojans (21)

14. Wisconsin Badgers (NR)

13. LSU Tigers (NR)

12. Florida Gators (13)

11. Oregon Ducks (NR)

10. North Carolina Tar Heels (18)

9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5)

8. Cincinnati Bearcats (8)

7. Iowa State Cyclones (9)

6. Texas A&M Aggies (4)

5. Ohio State Buckeyes (2)

4. Georgia Bulldogs (7)

3. Clemson Tigers (3)

2. Oklahoma Sooners (6)

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (1)

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July 18th

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Two Texas A&M players to earn $10K each – for an interview

From TexAgs.com … TexAgs is hosting an NIL event sponsored by GreenPrint Real Estate Group and featuring Texas A&M running back Isaiah Spiller and safety Demani Richardson.

Spiller and Richardson will earn $10,000 each as part of the deal sponsored by GreenPrint for exclusive feature interviews on TexAgs.com ahead of next week’s SEC Media Days. The agreement is contracted under the new NIL regulations allowing college athletes to benefit from their name, image, and likeness.

“Our goal is and always has been to bring Aggies the very best in coverage of Texas A&M athletics,” said TexAgs Co-owner and Executive Editor Billy Liucci. “For us, that means continuing to find innovative new ways to cover Aggie sports. We’re excited about the ways the NIL changes will allow us to feature Texas A&M athletes, continue to push into new areas of content creation for our subscribers, and expand our work with sponsors.”

GreenPrint owners Geoff Myers and Randy Hightower explained their interest in the event: “As Aggie business owners, we embrace any opportunity to support local student athletes and the Aggie community as a whole. With the collegiate athletic landscape rapidly changing, GreenPrint is thrilled to partner with TexAgs and these two young men in this exciting new endeavor.”

GreenPrint Real Estate Group specializes in buyer and seller representation, listing, and marketing of residential and investment properties in the Brazos Valley. As a boutique firm, GreenPrint tailors each buying or selling process individually to meet the unique objectives of each client.

TexAgs is an independent media company covering Texas A&M and college athletics, reaching more than 650,000 monthly viewers. TexAgs is not affiliated with Texas A&M University.

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July 17th

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2nd-Year Coaches Facing “Defining Seasons” (Tucker included; Dorrell not on the list)

From CBS Sports … The second year of a head coaching stint in college football can be one of the most interesting points in a program’s trajectory. Every offseason we take stock of coaches in this position because historically it has proven to be a pivot point. Some coaches, like Urban Meyer at Florida or Nick Saban at both LSU and Alabama, were in championship contention in Year Two.

Other coaches have struggled in ways that, depending on how things went in Year One, foreshadow a coaching change in the near future. Year Two got particularly interesting in 2019 when multiple Power Five coaches were fired after just their second season, including dismissals for Willie Taggart at Florida State and Chad Morris at Arkansas before the season had even concluded.

But while patience seems to be getting shorter than ever, the 2020 coaching class entering its second year bring an adjusted set of expectations due to the pandemic’s impact on college football. Some coaches arrive to a program that is a rebuilding effort and we hear the phrase “Year Zero” as a signal to fans that it will take longer than usual to reach the expected levels of success. Well pretty much every coach hired in the 2019-20 cycle started at Year Zero with no (or limited) spring practice and strict protocols through the summer and fall that required much of the coaching to be done virtually.

Considering these obstacles it’s hard to imagine putting any Year Two coach on the hot seat, but the success or lack thereof in 2021 will remain impactful in how these coaches are judged in the eyes of fans, and more importantly their bosses. The evaluation process was likely kinder at the end of 2020 but won’t be in 2021, so considering what happened last year and the outlook for the fall we’ve broken down the profiles of eight coaches with the most on the line in Year Two during the 2021 season.

Jimmy Lake, Washington

2021 CBS Sports Coach Ranking: No. 51 (+5)

It’s really an issue of scarcity with Washington. Everything seems pivotal because we have so much less evidence to work with when comparing this very good program against other very good programs in preseason predictions and rankings. The Huskies only played four games, but won the Pac-12 North Division, then had to back out of the conference title game because of COVID-19 protocols. That put Oregon, a team that Washington didn’t face, into the conference title game and the Ducks went on to hand USC its first and only loss of the season. So while we carry over some of the expectations that come with Lake’s involvement with Washington football, it’s still very early in the “Jimmy Lake era.” Leading this team into The Big House for a date with Michigan in Week 2 will be about as revealing as anything we saw from the team on the field in 2020.

Nick Rolovich, Washington State

2021 CBS Sports Coach Ranking: No. 58 (-8)

Like Apple Cup rival Washington, the Cougars only played four games in 2020 leaving us with very little to take away when judging Rolovich’s first year. You look across the Pac-12 North Division and the conversation cuts two ways in terms of what we want to see from Washington State in 2021. There is an understanding, or at least an assumption, that Oregon and Washington are on a different tier, so no one’s looking for Rolovich to have this group contending for titles in the fall. On the other hand, the Cougars are not definitively ahead of Stanford, Cal or even Oregon State. This is a big season for Rolovich because there are going to be three or four toss-up games that will determine whether the Cougars are in a bowl game or finish near the bottom of the conference standings.

Mel Tucker, Michigan State

2021 CBS Sports Coach Ranking: No. 57 (-2)

Hired in mid-February just weeks before the world came to a halt because of a global pandemic, Tucker, more than anyone on this list, enters his second season with expectations that treat 2020 like a true Year Zero. The program wasn’t in terrible shape like other Year Zero situations, but the timing — not only losing spring practice and the summer but the cancellation and sudden restart for Big Ten football — left the Spartans way behind its peers in terms of building to a final product. Beating Michigan and handing Northwestern its only regular-season loss brought enough positivity to avoid any panic following Year One, as Tucker looks to take the next step and improve from a last-place finish in the division standings.

Oddsmakers say this isn’t a bowl team with its 4.5 win total, but there are enough toss-ups on the schedule for the Spartans to reach 6-6. Exceeding those win total-based expectations would be a sign that Tucker has settled in and has Michigan State on a path back to where it wants to be near the top, not the bottom, of the Big Ten East.

… Continue reading story here …

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NIL and boosters: “There is a lot of gray area with all of this”

From mlive.com … Yoke Gaming, a company that allows fans to pay to play video games, remotely, against athletes, touted that it had more than 10,000 college athletes sign up on the first day NIL doors opened, July 1.

Among them were several Michigan football players. The fine print on all those deals wasn’t exactly athlete-friendly, with multiple industry experts noting Yoke’s “worldwide, perpetual, transferable, sublicenseable, royalty-free and irrevocable right” to use pretty much anything an athlete did while gaming through Yoke.

“These are real contracts,” Gersten said. “They should have a lawyer look at them.”

She noted that if one of the brands she represents wants to work with, say, actor Matthew McConaughey, she has to go through his agent, his manager, his lawyer, and his publicist. A college athlete may not have the means or the need for such a large team. “But they should all have some representation, whether it’s a parent or a friend acting as a manager.”

Jake Teplitzky is the founder of a management group that is providing such services to college athletes. As an undergrad at the University of Miami, he befriended many athletes and saw how they were taken advantage of. His goal is to do right by his clients, which includes not risking their NCAA eligibility.

“There is a lot of gray area with all of this,” he said, echoing the thoughts of several others interviewed for this story.

Teplitzky recently heard about a lawyer who wanted a University of Miami football player to wear a t-shirt bearing his law firm’s name twice a month. The lawyer was a devoted Miami football fan. Teplitzky said he advised the player to stay away.

He cited Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler signing with Steinberg Sports as a potential issue given that Steinberg also represents NFL players.

… Continue reading story here …

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July 16th

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CU’s relationship with NIKE enters 27th year

From CUBuffs.com … In terms of significant events in University of Colorado Athletics history, next Oct. 9 will mark the 26th anniversary of one of the more consequential moments in Buffaloes annals.

But no Buff scored a touchdown, made a basket or won a race that day. As a matter of fact, not a single CU team was in competition on Oct. 9, 1995.

It is, however, the day that then-CU Athletic Director Bill Marolt announced the first Colorado-NIKE contract, a deal that at the time put CU in elite national company and has since proven to be a steady, beneficial relationship for all parties involved.

The original agreement was the third-largest in the country for any program with NIKE. It provided equipment and apparel for 15 of 17 CU’s varsity sports (all but skiing), along with an annual cash corporate sponsorship.

Now, CU is in its fourth contract with NIKE, with the last deal a 10-year agreement that runs through the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year. Along with apparel, equipment and cash sponsorship, the contract also provides performance bonuses for CU coaches, royalties for merchandise sold nationwide, and a summer internship every year for a CU undergrad.

But while the official apparel and sponsorship agreement is now entering its 27th year, the relationship between Colorado and the sportswear giant stretches back nearly four decades. Colorado’s football team began sporting NIKE gear in 1983, men’s basketball joined the swoosh fold in 1990 and the volleyball program followed suit two years later.

… Continue reading story here …

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July 15th

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NCAA President: Time is now to consider de-regulating collegiate sports

From ESPN … NCAA President Mark Emmert said Thursday the time is right to consider a decentralized and deregulated version of college sports, shifting power to conferences and campuses and reconsidering how schools are aligned.

Emmert said the recent Supreme Court ruling against the NCAA along with the lifting of restrictions on athletes monetizing their fame should be a catalyst to “rethink” what college sports has been about.

In a 30-minute interview with a small group of reporters, Emmert stressed he was not putting forth a mandate or even a recommendation. But he laid out a vision for the future of college sports that puts fewer limitations on athletes and de-emphasizes the role of a national governing body like the NCAA, which was founded 115 years ago and oversees more than 450,000 athletes.

“When you have an environment like that it just forces us to think more about what constraints should be put in place ever on college athletes. And it should be the bare minimum,” Emmert said.

Emmert said the NCAA’s more than 1,100 member schools should consider a less homogenous approach to the way sports are governed and rethink the current three division structure, which includes 355 Division I colleges. The NCAA’s rules and regulations have long been criticized and court challenges have been mounting in recent years.

“We need to be ready to say, ‘Yeah, you know, for field hockey, field hockey is different than football. Wrestling is different than lacrosse,’ and not get so hung up on having everything be the same,” said Emmert, who was president of the University of Washington before taking the NCAA job in 2010.

… Continue reading story here …

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Big 12 media days: Coaches come out in favor of 12-team playoff

From KSL Sports …  The Big 12 Conference would certainly benefit from an expanded College Football Playoff and likely never be left out again.

Under the proposed 12-team format that would still be at least a couple of seasons away, six-time defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma would have been in the playoff again last season. Iowa State, which had a league-best 8-1 record in the regular season before losing its first championship game in any conference, would have become the first Big 12 team other than the Sooners to make it.

Neither the Sooners or Cyclones — picked to finish 1-2 again this season — made it under the current four-team playoff that began seven seasons ago, when Big 12 co-champions TCU and Baylor were left out after the final CFP rankings.

“I think the expansion that’s been proposed is a great start. I commend the committee that put it together because you’ve got to put yourself out there. You’ve got to start somewhere,” Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said Wednesday at Big 12 Media Days.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said he hadn’t really reflected on the possibilities, or what could have been, but expressed the desire for a balanced approach.

“I’m a guy that played Division III football, and there is a playoff, and I think that part of it you certainly love. Obviously you love the bowl games and what that stands for. So that balance, I think, is what we’re trying to find,” Campbell said. “And I certainly think the more teams that are competing for that playoff come November and December, the more universities and student bodies are engaged in the entirety of the finish of the season.

… Continue reading story here …

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July 14th

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Will any Pac-12 team hit the Top 25 in recruiting other than Oregon and USC?

From the San Jose Mercury News … We’re approximately five months from the start of the 2021-22 early signing window, and midsummer trends could very well vanish by late fall.

But the Hotline couldn’t help noticing the Pac-12’s position nationally in the 247Sports recruiting rankings, where Oregon has moved to No. 8, thanks to a load of four-star prospects, and USC is slotted No. 23, thanks to two five-star recruits.

No other Pac-12 team is in the top 30 nationally, and only one other team, UCLA, is in the top 40.

All the way down in the mid-40s, we find Cal and Arizona.

In the 50th slot, there’s Washington — one recruiting cycle after the Huskies finished No. 36. (CU is at No. 53 at 247 Sports; No. 49 at Rivals).

There’s a good reason for the generally low rankings: Because of COVID restrictions imposed by state and local health authorities, Pac-12 programs are behind their Power Five peers in foundational matter like official visits, scholarship offers and verbal commitments.

But even if we assume the pace of commitments increases, with an accompanying rise in the 247Sports rankings, a central question will remain unresolved:

Is any other Pac-12 program capable of compiling a top-25 class?

It’s a legitimate issue, and potential cause for concern. Oregon and USC were the conference’s only representatives in the top 25 during the 2021 recruiting cycle.

The Pac-12 needs elite teams, obviously, to have a presence in the playoff chase. But it also needs quality depth, and the transfer portal alone won’t suffice.

Yes, sure. We’re curious where the Ducks and Trojans land in the final recruiting rankings (in February). But we’re much more interested in whether a third or fourth team breaks into the top tier nationally.

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Nebraska alumni news: Trev Alberts hired as AD; Frank Solich retires

From CBS Sports … Nebraska is turning to Trev Alberts, a former Cornhuskers football star, to be the university’s next athletic director after he served in the same position at Nebraska-Omaha for the past 12 years. Alberts will succeed the retired Bill Moos, who served in the position for nearly four years.

Alberts played as a linebacker at Nebraska in the early 1990s, winning the Butkus Award as a senior in 1993 during a golden age of Cornhuskers football under former coach Tom Osborne. In total, Alberts finished his college career with 248 tackles, including 29.5 sacks and the program compiled a 38-9 record during his career.

He was selected fifth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts but played just three seasons in the NFL before retiring after dealing with injuries. Alberts entered sports broadcasting and worked as an analyst for various networks before accepting the AD job at Omaha in 2009. Omaha is part of the University of Nebraska system, and Alberts shepherded the school to a spot in the Division I ranks, although that process included the disbanding of Omaha’s football program in 2011.

Alberts’ top task at his alma mater will be navigating a downturn in the football program’s fortune. Former Nebraska star quarterback and ex-UCF coach Scott Frost is just 12-20 as he enters his fourth season leading the program and the Cornhuskers have not reached 10 wins since the 2012 season. Moos hired by Frost and men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg, who has also struggled for traction in two seasons on the job.

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From CBS Sports … Longtime Ohio coach Frank Solich is stepping down after 16 seasons with the Bobcats program to focus on his health, the university announced on Wednesday. Solich, 76, the oldest active FBS coach, will move into an athletic department advisor role under athletic director Julie Cromer.

The Bobcats won’t be looking far for his replacement as associate head coach and offensive coordinator Tim Albin has been elevated to the top job after agreeing to a four-year contract with Ohio.

“After fifty-five years in coaching, including 16 at Ohio University, it is time for me to step away to focus on a cardiovascular health issue,” said Solich. “I’ve appreciated the support of Bobcat fans over the years, and I know they will continue to support Coach Albin. After working directly with Tim for 21 consecutive years, including six at the University of Nebraska, it’s clear to me he is prepared to continue our work and move the program forward. I am happy for Tim and his family.”

A former player at Nebraska from 1963-65, Solich became the coach of the Cornhuskers from 1998-2003 as the successor to the legendary Tom Osborne. Solich went 58-19 in six seasons with three 10-win campaigns and a Big 12 championship in 1999. However, he was under immense pressure to repeat the success the Huskers experienced under Osborne and was fired before the conclusion of the 2003 season.

Solich became the coach at Ohio in 2005 and won the first of his four MAC East titles in 2006. Ohio enjoyed 12-straight non-losing seasons beginning in 2009, including 11 winning seasons and a 10-win campaign in 2011. The Bobcats appeared in 10 bowl games over the past 12 years under Solich, who was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 2016.

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July 13th

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CBS Coaches’ Hot Seat Ranking: Three Pac-12 South coaches on the warmest seats

From CBS Sports … It was yet another offseason of significant turnover in college football, this one despite some expectation that the COVID-19 pandemic would lead programs to clutch their purses. Seventeen programs — 13% of the FBS — changed coaches, which means there’s a large swath entering honeymoon year with their new schools. Couple that with a number of programs who saw limited action last season, and there will be plenty of fresh faces giving it a full go for the first time.

As such, the 2021 Hot Seat Rankings should be noted for their coolness with 74 coaches — nearly 57% of the FBS — rated 0 or 1, meaning they are either “virtually untouchable” or “safe and secure”.

The Hot Seat has long been an accurate predictor in terms of job security. Over the last six years, 20 of the 38 coaches rated 4 or worse (53%) eventually lost their jobs with a number of repeat candidates atop this season’s list.

Entering the 2021 season, there are only nine coaches on the proverbial hot seat (rating of 4 or higher). However, you can be sure there will be far more than nine coaching changes as that damn coaching carousel is always spinning.

In addition to the full set of rankings below, we have detailed the nine coaches sitting on the hottest seats ahead of the 2021 campaign, though there is also a group “Notable 3s” to keep an eye on throughout the season.

Leading that short list is UCLA’s Chip Kelly, who jumped off the hot seat entering Year Four but only holds a 10-21 record through three seasons while costing the Bruins a pretty penny contractually. Dana Holgorsen was seen a coup for Houston, but he enters Year Three with a 7-13 record. David Cutcliffe is a made man at Duke, but would a third straight season under .500 for the first time in a decade be too much to excuse? Purdue was pleased to see Jeff Brohm go .500 through his first two seasons, but a 6-12 record since is concerning. Then there’s Dino Babers, who shocked the world with a 10-3 campaign for Syracuse in 2018 and surprised just as many with a 1-10 effort in 2020.

Below you can see where all 130 FBS coaches stand before the season begins. Check out the ratings key first and see where every coach in college football ranks with kickoff scheduled in less than two months.

… Scott Frost, Nebraska … 5 … We never thought it would come to this. Entering his fourth season, the native son/champion/Husker is 12-20. There’s disarray in a program that once bled consistency. Its best player, Wan’Dale Robinson, transferred. Nebraska under Frost has one top-20 recruiting class. Is the average recruit aware of the once-glorious brand? Then there’s the embarrassing Oklahoma fiasco where Frost attempted to back out of the game months before kickoff. So much was expected, which makes this rating difficult. Frost has the makings of a solid coach. We saw it at UCF. Something isn’t clicking. In three seasons, Nebraska has seen Northwestern, Indiana and Minnesota (arguably) pass it by. There is inconsistency at QB. Worst of all, Bill Moos, the AD who hired Frost, is gone. That’s never good for a losing coach. It’s bowl game or bust … to start. 2020 rating: 5

… Herm Edwards, Arizona State … 4 … An NCAA investigation changed everything. There’s a damning dossier detailing an alleged improper recruiting scheme during COVID-19. Prospects were allegedly brought in during the COVID-19 dead period despite massive health risks. Even if Edwards had no idea, the NCAA could penalize ASU via the coaches’ responsibility bylaw. All of it will hang over this season even as ASU is favored by some to win the Pac-12 South. Edwards has proved himself as a college coach, but the investigation adds a stain. He’s innocent until proven guilty, but for now, this scandal reaches beyond the coach’s office. Bring a big shovel. It’s going to be hard digging out of this one. 2020 rating: 1

… Clay Helton, USC … 4 … USC’s coach should pay rent here. He’s continually on the hot seat yet continually employed. The long-persecuted Helton has a better career winning percentage than Harbaugh, Luke Fickell, Steve Sarkisian, Bret Bielema and Kirk Ferentz. But for some USC fans, Helton just seems to win enough to save his job with 2020 no exception. The Trojans started a truncated season 5-0 with three tight wins. The Pac-12 title game was Helton’s third in six seasons despite it being a narrow loss to Oregon. Helton rebounded with a top-10 recruiting class in 2021, landing the No. 1 player in DE Korey Foreman. If anything, Helton is more secure. Still, the critics won’t stop screaming until the penalty issue is solved (no better than 113th) and USC competes for the College Football Playoff. This may be a Pac-12 problem, not a USC problem. 2020 rating: 5

From the Pac-12 … 

• 4—Herm Edwards … Arizona State
• 4—Clay Helton … USC
• 3—Chip Kelly … UCLA
• 2—Jedd Fisch … Arizona
• 2—Justin Wilcox … California
• 1—Nick Rolovich … Washington State
• 1—Jimmy Lake … Washington
• 1—Jonathan Smith … Oregon State
• 1—Karl Dorrell … Colorado
• 0—Mario Cristobal … Oregon
• 0—David Shaw … Stanford
• 0—Kyle Whittingham … Utah

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• 4 = Improve now
• 3 = Pressure is on
• 2 = Good for now
• 1 = Safe
• 0 = Untouchable

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Athlon Pac-12 Bowl Projections: CU doesn’t make the cut

From Athlon Sports … The 2021-22 bowl schedule features 43 overall games, and Athlon Sports is here with complete projections and predictions for all of the matchups. While the season doesn’t get underway until late August, it’s never too early to take a peek at what the bowl games could look at the conclusion of the year.

The postseason officially begins on Dec. 17 with two matchups and continues until Jan. 10 with the national championship in Indianapolis. Semifinals for the College Football Playoff take place on Dec. 31 this year, with the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl hosting matchups.

A few dates and tie-ins are unsettled for bowl games as of mid-July. However, nearly all of the information regarding the 2021-22 bowl schedule has been released. Projections will be updated as needed this offseason. How will the postseason matchups look by December? Below are Athlon Sports’ predictions for every bowl and playoff game in 2021-22:

From the Pac-12 … (bowls listed chronologically; it’s also worth noting that there is some question as to whether the RedBox Bowl will take place this year) …

LA Bowl (Dec. 18)

Tie-In: Mountain West vs. Pac-12

Projection: Boise State vs. UCLA

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Holiday Bowl (Dec. 28)

Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12

Projection: Florida State vs. Washington

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Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29)

Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Pac-12

Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Arizona State*

* Arizona State projection pending NCAA investigation.

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Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 30)

Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Projection: Indiana vs. USC

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Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)

Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12

Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Utah

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Redbox Bowl (TBD)

Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Projection: Northwestern vs. California

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Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)

Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Projection: Wisconsin vs. Oregon

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July 12th

… Foe Pause … 

Pro Football Focus: Only one Pac-12 quarterback in the Top 25 nationally

From Pro Football Focus … As is also the case for the NFL, the quarterback is far and away the most important player on the field in college football. If a team lacks a viable signal-caller, a spot in the College Football Playoff or a shot at a conference championship is out of the question. And a team certainly needs a top-tier passer to take home the ultimate honor of being named national champions.

This, of course, begs the question: Which programs are in the best and worst shape at the quarterback position as we look forward to the 2021 college football season?

With the help of PFF College’s advanced database, we can proceed to answer that question. Taking into account each projected starter’s play-by-play grading profile and several other data points, in addition to film and scheme review, here are PFF’s annual college quarterback rankings for all 130 FBS programs. And along with ranking each situation from one to 130, the quarterbacks are grouped into tiers to provide further context on where each school stands entering the fall.

Note that not every team has a starter named at this point in time. For those programs, the situation as a whole was taken into account. These rankings do not account for NFL potential.

… Tier Two – High Ceiling Quarterbacks … 

• No. 10 – Kedon Slovis … USC … Slovis is skating on thin ice here but just holds on to the No. 10 spot. He shattered expectations as a true freshman in 2019, earning an 80.8 passing grade and displaying precise accuracy. Still, Slovis often looked like a first-year player and made one or two head-scratching forced throws per game. He also struggled to hold onto the ball in collapsing pockets.Instead of taking that next step forward, he was the same player in 2020. He earned an 80.1 passing grade across six starts, which featured 13 turnover-worthy plays but top-notch accuracy underneath.Slovis isn’t in the elite tier yet, but he has the skill set to make the jump in 2021.

… Tier Three – The Good, Not Great … 

• No. 28 – Dylan Morris … Washington … Morris is a pretty limited passer and won’t provide much in the deep passing game, but he takes exceptional care of the ball elsewhere and doesn’t make many mistakes.In four starts in 2020, he earned an 81.9 passing grade, posted a minimal 1.6% turnover-worthy play rate and led the Huskies to the fourth-most efficient passing offense in the Pac-12. He was automatic from a clean pocket and when not trying to do anything special downfield. Most teams would love to have such a safe passer.
• No. 31 – Jayden De Laura … Washington State … Jayden de Laura may not even end up the starter for the Cougars, but he’s undoubtedly the best passer on the roster despite playing in only four games during his coronavirus-shortened freshman season last year. He produced a 78.4 passing grade and was sharp when letting the ball go in a timely fashion. On passes thrown 2.5 seconds or less from the snap, de Laura ranked fourth in the FBS in passing grade (91.0). His performance dipped when he held onto the ball inside the pocket, so that’s something to monitor moving forward. Still, de Laura is a promising quarterback talent.

… Tier Four – The Average … 

• No. 59 – Chase Garbers … Cal
• No. 71 – Charlie Brewer … Utah
• No. 72 – Jayden Daniels … Arizona State
• No. 74 – Tristan Gebbia/Sam Noryer … Oregon State

… Tier Five – Needs to Improve/More Reps … The quarterbacks in this group likely aren’t leading explosive offenses in 2021. There is some long-term hope for teams with fresh new starters — such as Arkansas, Texas A&M, Stanford and maybe Oregon — but short-term confidence remains low for these quarterback situations. Similar to the tier above, they aren’t going to be responsible for their teams having immense success without help from elite supporting casts on both sides of the ball.

• No. 79 – Anthony Brown/Ty Thompson … Oregon
• No. 87 – Dorian Thompson-Robinson – UCLA
• No. 90 – Brendon Lewis/JT Shrout – Colorado
• No. 99 – Tanner McKee/Jack West – Stanford

… Tier Six – Needs Significant Improvement … 

• No. 111 – Jordan McCloud/Gunner Cruz/Will Plummer – Arizona

… Read full story here …

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July 11th

… Foe Pause … 

Les Miles and Kansas accused of paying player to keep quiet about player disputes

… The same Les Miles which Buff fans were upset about losing out on when Mike MacIntyre was fired … 

From the CBS Sports … The family of former Kansas football player Caperton Humphrey is considering legal action against former Kansas football coach Les Miles, former athletic director Jeff Long and the KU athletic department following a 2019 dispute between Humphrey and a group of teammates that led to his separation from the program, according to the Kansas City Star.

Miles declined to meet with Humphrey, a junior fullback, and his father as they sought a resolution, according to the Star, and he suggested to the players involved that they settle their differences on the practice field. Long, meanwhile, is scarcely mentioned in the report other than to note that he was not represented in a signed agreement that led to Humphrey’s separation from the program. Miles, Long and that Reed and other representatives from Kansas declined to comment to the Star.

Humphrey suspected the group of KU teammates of loosening the lug nuts on one of his tires after they’d been in an argument, but there was no evidence and no arrest was made. The Humphreys also relayed information to KU’s compliance director David Reed that some of the players in question were selling marijuana.

Those instances, among other things such as altercations at practice, led to a confrontation involving several players in Humphrey’s apartment during which police were called. Although no police report was created, Reed, a family friend of the Humphreys, said the KU athletic department would help resolve the simmering tension, the Star reported.

Humphrey and his family agreed to an arrangement reportedly signed by Reed that called for Humphrey to leave campus and complete his studies online at his home in West Virginia. The arrangement, which the Humphreys signed, covered tuition, along with monthly stipend checks and moving expenses — around $50,000 in benefits. In exchange, the signed document stated the Humphrey family would not publicly disparage Kansas or its employees, the Star reported.

“Les Miles and Jeff Long swept this under the rug and tried to buy our silence,” Humphrey’s father, Jamie Humphrey, told the Star. “This is how they operated while representing Kansas.”

… Continue reading story here …

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