2020-21 College Football Thread

[JWags85]

But despite this, it hasn't seemed to work out very often.  Why is that?

I've said this before, but I don't think the pull of UT is as strong as you claim.  I think a lot of the prospects don't necessarily have a loyalty to UT.  Texas is huge, with a lot of immigrants from other states, and a large number of four year institutions in state for one to have loyalty to.  And Dallas is as close to Norman, OK as it is to Austin.

Second, their conference situation isn't great.  They drove off two of the more marquee members of the conference, including their in-state rival to the SEC.  Outside of their game against Oklahoma, and possible OSU, who do you play?  As TAMU said, A&M has Alabama, Auburn and LSU every year, and occasional games against Florida, Georgia, etc.  And I would like to see the numbers, but it is quite possible that A&M will bring in more revenue with the new SEC TV contract than UT does. 

If I were UT I would approach the Big Ten about membership.  That would be a gold mine for them (and the rest of the B10 members) more than the B12 + Longhorn Network would be.  Try to keep Oklahoma on the schedule.  Try to bring back A&M.

Why hasn’t it worked lately? Cause CFB has changed and being a historic, well resourced program doesn’t guarantee success.  Their last 2 coaches (Strong and Herman) put up glossy records and numbers at good programs in mediocre conferences and struggled under the spotlights when they got to the big leagues. I think recent lack of success has been more about coaching, not program conditions .

As for the draw of UT, more than a decade since their last legit title run, their last 3 classes have all been top 10, and 2 were top 3/5.  Even Charlie Strong had multiple top 10 classes.  Talent attraction isn’t an issue.  I think it’s really been completely coaching.

Just wasn’t cutting it and the 28-7 loss yesterday had to be the last straw.

Illinois is a good college in a good conference and should expect more than an occasional win against also-rans. Something needed to happen and the something was NOT the Love train.

Based on what though?  Their two best seasons of the last 20 years was the Rose Bowl in 2007 where they got blown off the map and were only a 9-3 team before that and the 2001 team that won a REALLY mediocre B10 that year. Both years, the team wasn’t even top 10. They’ve finished in the top 25 3 times in 30 years and not for the last 15ish.

It’s a great school with success in various sports, but they have no football history to speak of. You need to go back to the 60s to find anything to latch on to for prestige. And now they are the CLEAR #2 program in their state.

Leipold would be a slam dunk if they could get him.

Monken would give a lot of pause cause I don’t see the Triple Option working in a P5 conference, especially the B10.

[shoothoops]

Why hasn’t it worked lately? Cause CFB has changed and being a historic, well resourced program doesn’t guarantee success.  Their last 2 coaches (Strong and Herman) put up glossy records and numbers at good programs in mediocre conferences and struggled under the spotlights when they got to the big leagues. I think recent lack of success has been more about coaching, not program conditions .

As for the draw of UT, more than a decade since their last legit title run, their last 3 classes have all been top 10, and 2 were top 3/5.  Even Charlie Strong had multiple top 10 classes.  Talent attraction isn’t an issue.  I think it’s really been completely coaching.

Based on what though?  Their two best seasons of the last 20 years was the Rose Bowl in 2007 where they got blown off the map and were only a 9-3 team before that and the 2001 team that won a REALLY mediocre B10 that year. Both years, the team wasn’t even top 10. They’ve finished in the top 25 3 times in 30 years and not for the last 15ish.

It’s a great school with success in various sports, but they have no football history to speak of. You need to go back to the 60s to find anything to latch on to for prestige. And now they are the CLEAR #2 program in their state.

Leipold would be a slam dunk if they could get him.

Monken would give a lot of pause cause I don’t see the Triple Option working in a P5 conference, especially the B10.

For what it's worth, Jeff Monken has repeatedly said he would change and adapt his offense to suit his personnel at other schools. See Power 5 Schools. He also said this again when Vandy interviewed him for their current opening. This was also discussed when Boo Corrigan almost became Vandy's AD a few years ago.

[dgies9156]

Here’s the challenge Collège Football has. Once upon a time, it was about rivalries and about fellowship among nearby schools. Notre Dame and Michigan, for example, got together for some football, allowing the alumni of the two schools to come together, talk some trash, drink and have some bratwurst in the parking lot before going inside.

Same for Texas A&M/Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma or Texas, etc.

Now, it’s about programming and national visibility. And, when Texas makes its decision about where it wants to go, if anywhere, it’s about the Texas brand and little else. Go to the SEC IF Texas will benefit by better recruiting and stronger financials. It’s a bonus that they’ll hope to regularly play Alabama.

The fact that the A&M rivalry would be restored would be tangential to the decision. Sure, Texas would sell that in its decision, but it’s at best a tertiary factor to dollars and recruiting.

If Texas were to join the Big 10, it would be about enhancing the BIG brand. One would hope if they did, the school would bring along Oklahoma State and Oklahoma and maybe even Iowa State. The four of them would be a nice get for the BIG because of their historical rivalries and the chance to see new rivalries emerge.

But even that is far secondary to the Texas and BIG brand.

What’s interesting to conjecture is what happens to a couple of historically interesting Big 8/12 whatever programs. Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, the Oklahomas and West Virginia all would need a home. Absent abandoning football (which Kansas should do) and joining the BEast, the best these guys could hope for is the AAC. I would imagine Iowa State could fit in the BIG nicely (if Iowa didn’t scream) but the rest of them bring relatively little dollar wise.

[Uncle Rico]

Lance Leipold at Illinois would be the one guy that could make Badger fans a little uneasy.  That said, they’ll probably hire Doug Marrone

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

There is zero chance that the Big Ten adds either Iowa State or Oklahoma State if they ever added Texas. Neither bring anything for the Big Ten that it doesn’t already have.

[Billy Hoyle]

There is zero chance that the Big Ten adds either Iowa State or Oklahoma State if they ever added Texas. Neither bring anything for the Big Ten that it doesn’t already have.

If Texas joins the Big Ten then the conference will target UNC or Georgia Tech. it’s all about TV markets. Both fit the academic profile too.

[shoothoops]

Gus Malzahn has been fired at Auburn.

[DegenerateDish]

Gus Malzahn future endeavored.

[dgies9156]

Gus Malzahn has been fired at Auburn.

That’s been coming for a long time. Auburn thinks it should be competing for a Natty every year. That ain’t gonna happen in a state called Alabama

[DegenerateDish]

Malzahn’s buyout is $21.45 M, lol.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Malzahn will be able to choose among a number of jobs this year or next.

[dgies9156]

If I’m Gus, I’m thinking about my coaching days being over. A nice home on the water in Florida, a pretty wife and a reliable dog! What more does one need!

Gus would be a great get for Illinois.

[Billy Hoyle]

Gus would be a great get for Illinois.

Why bother with that headache? Take a southern job at a Group of 5 or lower program, collect money, compete for conference titles and live like a kind.

[jesmu84]

SEC boosters don't care about a pandemic or economic depression

[shoothoops]

Gus Malzahn has been fired at Auburn.

Cristobal, Freeze, Napier, Elliott, Venables, are a few of the early names.

[dgies9156]

Why bother with that headache? Take a southern job at a Group of 5 or lower program, collect money, compete for conference titles and live like a kind.

Ego.

Gus could do what dozens haven%u2019t %u2014 make Illinois a powerhouse. If he can do it in Auburn, Alabama, Champaign, IL is a snap.

Again, if I were Gus I would take my $21.5 million buyout and go enjoy myself. Do a Jimmy Johnson or an Urban Meyer and comment on college football. Yak it up with Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and the gang.... and spend the rest of the week putzing.

Thats not the make-up of a college football coach!

[MUBurrow]

Cristobal, Freeze, Napier, Elliott, Venables, are a few of the early names.

I'd rather have Mulzahn than all of those guys except maaaayybe Cristobal. 

At this point, honestly, good for Mulzahn. He has a $21M buyout with 50% of it due within the next 30 days (HFS). He's been on the hot seat there for what feels like forever, and its always seemed completely unfounded. Not unreasonable to think he chills out for a bit, waits for Tennessee to open up and runs it back. Also wouldn't be surprised to see him land at Oklahoma State. Gundy's latest contract cut his buyout in half, and I think T. Boone is sick of him.

[wadesworld]

Is the CFP already set?  I mean, Bama is in no matter what.  Unless OSU loses the B1G title game by 59 (see what I did there?) or Clemson gets blown out by Notre Dame, is a 1 loss TAMU that didn't play in its conference title game jumping any of these teams with a loss?

[wadesworld]

Also, if I have a daughter who one day shows an interest in football, is it okay for me to point to Sarah Fuller as an inspiration for her now that she's scored some points and didn't just have a ''gimmick squib kick that anyone on the team could've done and that took no preparation for?"  Or do I have to wait for someone to make more than a simple extra point?

[JWags85]

Ego.

Gus could do what dozens haven%u2019t %u2014 make Illinois a powerhouse. If he can do it in Auburn, Alabama, Champaign, IL is a snap.

Again, if I were Gus I would take my $21.5 million buyout and go enjoy myself. Do a Jimmy Johnson or an Urban Meyer and comment on college football. Yak it up with Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and the gang.... and spend the rest of the week putzing.

Thats not the make-up of a college football coach!

FWIW, Gus isn’t the typical CFB coach. He didn’t become a college coach at any level until age 40. His story is one of the most amazing to me. In 7 seasons, he went from HS football coach to the HC at a top 15 college job 2 seasons removed from a national championship.  He parlayed a very impressive HS coaching record and an incredible class of seniors into the Arkansas OC gig and was off and running.

So I guess my point is he’s not the insane college grinder who has been doing it for 25 years from a position coach at a school out of college. He didn’t even major CFB after leaving Arkansas in college. He may be ok cruising for a bit

[DegenerateDish]

I'd rather have Mulzahn than all of those guys except maaaayybe Cristobal. 

At this point, honestly, good for Mulzahn. He has a $21M buyout with 50% of it due within the next 30 days (HFS). He's been on the hot seat there for what feels like forever, and its always seemed completely unfounded. Not unreasonable to think he chills out for a bit, waits for Tennessee to open up and runs it back. Also wouldn't be surprised to see him land at Oklahoma State. Gundy's latest contract cut his buyout in half, and I think T. Boone is sick of him.

T. Boone pull a Lazarus?

[MU82]

Also, if I have a daughter who one day shows an interest in football, is it okay for me to point to Sarah Fuller as an inspiration for her now that she's scored some points and didn't just have a ''gimmick squib kick that anyone on the team could've done and that took no preparation for?"  Or do I have to wait for someone to make more than a simple extra point?

You need permission from at least 9 Scoopers, silly!

[MUBurrow]

T. Boone pull a Lazarus?

LOL.  Man I'm stupid.  I've always just equated him with OK St. sports more than like, identifying whether he's actually among the living.

Although the point holds inasmuch as it seems like the OK St. powers that be (living and dead) are tired of Gundy's schtick.

[Uncle Rico]

Auburn and Hugh Freeze are a match made in heaven

[JWags85]

LOL.  Man I'm stupid.  I've always just equated him with OK St. sports more than like, identifying whether he's actually among the living.

Although the point holds inasmuch as it seems like the OK St. powers that be (living and dead) are tired of Gundy's schtick.

T Boone dying probably has something to do with it. When he was alive, he was the end all be all with OK St sports. If he liked Gundy, which he did, then nobody was going to move him.

I will say this...if people are tired of Gundy’s personality or outspoken persona, fair enough. But if it’s purely a football decision, it’s probably quite stupid. People don’t realize how TERRIBLE OK St football is historically. Gundy has the only outright Big 12 (or Big 8) title in program history.  They hadn’t sniffed top 10 rankings or major bowls since the early/mid 80s when they had Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. Hell, Les Miles didn’t even have top 25 squads there before he left for LSU.  Gundy is far from perfect, but what he’s done there football wise is pretty remarkable in the grand scheme of things. It’s far more likely they fall back into near irrelevance than take the next step if they move on from him. Even with money, I don’t know who is going to clamor for a job that is MAYBE 5th at best in the B12