2020-21 College Football Thread

[shoothoops]

Bryan Harsin from Boise St. is the new Auburn Head Coach.

So, Auburn fires a former Arkansas State Head Coach. Then they pass on hiring a different former Arkansas State Head Coach. Ultimately, they hire yet a different former Arkansas State Head Coach. Somewhere a former assistant Arkansas State Head Coach to both the new and recently dismissed Head Coach, and current fellow SEC Head Coach, nods.

Interesting story from Alabama Media Group. Influential boosters wanted Gus Malzahn fired and Kevin Steele promoted to Head Coach. The boosters even secured enough Board of Trustee support. They got the first part w/Malzahn, but not the 2nd.

New AD Allen Greene wanted a national search that included Steele. Auburn President Jay Gogue sided with Greene. They had an 8 person search committee, used Parker Executive Search, which Vandy used, and had 20-25 candidates.

When word got out of the Boosters support of Steele, there was a massive fan backlash against it. It was very unpopular. Auburn admin was bombarded with calls, emails, texts opposing Steele for Head Coach.

Bill Clark and Billy Napier were two of the other serious candidates. There were conflicting reports whether the new coach would be asked to keep some assistants, such as Steele. Clark opposed that.

Bryan Harsin is Allen Greene's hire with Jay Gogue support. Some of the boosters have vowed to run Greene out of town, as they didn't get their way.

Auburn is having an afternoon Press Conference on Christmas Eve.

[The Big East]

Sorry but college football games were not very well attended back in this time you are labeling the “glory days.”  Attendance peaked in about 2014 or so and has been declining since. But it was way more than in the 70s or 80s.

I am referring to games like a Wisconsin Minnesota end of the season game, back then both teams sucked , yet Camp Randall was always near capacity. Same with mediocre teams like Michigan State, the loyalist's would pack Spartan Stadium for those November games against Iowa, or even to see a lousy Wisconsin team with Rufus The Road Runner Ferguson etc. Wisconsin wasn't on tv much and the only way to see a talent like that was to go to the game.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Interesting story from Alabama Media Group. Influential boosters wanted Gus Malzahn fired and Kevin Steele promoted to Head Coach. The boosters even secured enough Board of Trustee support. They got the first part w/Malzahn, but not the 2nd.

New AD Allen Greene wanted a national search that included Steele. Auburn President Jay Gogue sided with Greene. They had an 8 person search committee, used Parker Executive Search, which Vandy used, and had 20-25 candidates.

When word got out of the Boosters support of Steele, there was a massive fan backlash against it. It was very unpopular. Auburn admin was bombarded with calls, emails, texts opposing Steele for Head Coach.

Bill Clark and Billy Napier were two of the other serious candidates. There were conflicting reports whether the new coach would be asked to keep some assistants, such as Steele. Clark opposed that.

Bryan Harsin is Allen Greene's hire with Jay Gogue support. Some of the boosters have vowed to run Greene out of town, as they didn't get their way.

Auburn is having an afternoon Press Conference on Christmas Eve.

Auburn has had a disfunctional relationship with its boosters for years, partly because they have tended to hire ADs from the inside.  Greene came to Auburn with no ties to the school but a strong reputation from his work at Buffalo, and if this costs him his job, he will land another one at another P5 school. 

Hiring Steele after he waged a underground campaign against his boss with support from the Trustees is not an act that should ever be rewarded.

[shoothoops]

Auburn has had a disfunctional relationship with its boosters for years, partly because they have tended to hire ADs from the inside.  Greene came to Auburn with no ties to the school but a strong reputation from his work at Buffalo, and if this costs him his job, he will land another one at another P5 school. 

Hiring Steele after he waged a underground campaign against his boss with support from the Trustees is not an act that should ever be rewarded.

Using a search firm to hire Greene to Auburn (Parker again) helped begin the being open to outsiders after several decades of mostly being not open to outsiders.

Greene worked with Danny White at Ole Miss and Buffalo. They both went to Notre Dame. White was hired using Parker as well. And he has some experience with coaches who were or are successful elsewhere and bringing them to a different part of the country. Greene quietly observed, dismissed half a dozen staffers. And he has remained mostly behind the scenes in this process. But he is making final decisions with Gogue support.

It's certainly something that the President of the school has to send out emails to fans letting them know some boosters are doing a smear campaign.

[JWags85]

Auburn continues to be a mess. Hiring Steele would have been bad on two fronts. Both from perpetuating the cycle of hiring coordinators of deposed coaches as well as well as rewarding mutiny as Fluffy pointed out.

So they make the right call and go outside...only to hire someone with no ties to the area or the SEC.  a guy who took over for a legendary program creator and did...fine as a caretaker. Nobody is looking at Harsin’s tenure at BSU with a “wow”. He didn’t win any outright championships after his first season.

Meanwhile, the candidates mention here otherwise seem like such natural fits. Billy Napier is a hot name and certainly has the bonafides with time at Clemson and Bama along with a strong stretch at ULL.  And then Bill Clark.  Sadly he’s not sexy enough for Auburn boosters I’d imagine, but talk about a perfect fit. Wildly successful and connected Alabama HS coach for 20 years and then what he’s done at UAB is nothing short of incredible. Coach when they disbanded the program, headed it up bringing it back and has won 3 straight conference titles in the just 4 years after resurrection. Wow

[shoothoops]

Searches can be smooth and straight forward. They can be contentious. They can take twists and turns.

Billy Napier has now been in the mix at Auburn, South Carolina, Mississippi St. and Baylor.

Hugh Freeze another former Arkansas St. (As was Malzahn) coach was never really considered at Auburn. Harsin is another former Arkansas St. coach. Mizzou's Eli Drinkwitz worked with both there. Drinkwitz is another example of how things behind the scenes can be different than what people know and can be different at different places. Mizzou AD Jim Sterk wanted Blake Anderson. Mizzou's Board said no. They preferred Drinkwitz. Board won out.

Auburn's board slowly came around to Auburn boosters to remove Malzahn. But they sided with Gogue and Greene for more of a National Search. Steele was considered until word got out and the backlash was fierce. Napier and Clark discussions fell through. Both would have been popular, especially Clark. He is very popular. Harsin was part of the search firm mix with Greene. He was certainly unhappy seeking a change. He's a good coach.

Some searches go more smoothly. Vandy wanted Clark Lea from the start and vice versa. Lea tried to get the job when Mason was hired. Candice Lee was on board early as was Tim Corbin. And they finally have a Chancellor that understands the value of Athletics at an academic school. Corbin and Lea first became close after Lea's Vandy undergrad days and his dad was a team physician with the Nashville Sounds. Jamey Chadwell, Will Healy, a few others were considered, but it waa always going to be Clark Lea. He wants to build something long term there. Healy probably had the most non-Lea support. John Ingram, Vandy's biggest booster said there will be a first couple of months 2021, new facilities announcement for the first time in forever there. It will be significant. Lea will get input on the project.

Arizona made a President hire. And so on.

[Billy Hoyle]

I am referring to games like a Wisconsin Minnesota end of the season game, back then both teams sucked , yet Camp Randall was always near capacity. Same with mediocre teams like Michigan State, the loyalist's would pack Spartan Stadium for those November games against Iowa, or even to see a lousy Wisconsin team with Rufus The Road Runner Ferguson etc. Wisconsin wasn't on tv much and the only way to see a talent like that was to go to the game.

I went to many MSU games in the 80's and 90's in November and there were plenty of good seats available. I remember my friends and I freezing our asses off watching Northwestern beat MSU with 30K others in Spartan Stadium in 1991 (MSU did not sell out one home game that season). A few years later we went to the Wisconsin game where the listed attendance is 46K. The only games that sold out regularly were ND and Michigan.

Rivalry games always draw big crowds (look at the way our attendance during the Deane years spiked for Madison and ND then returned to smaller numbers for UAB and SLU). 

[GooooMarquette]

I am referring to games like a Wisconsin Minnesota end of the season game, back then both teams sucked , yet Camp Randall was always near capacity. Same with mediocre teams like Michigan State, the loyalist's would pack Spartan Stadium for those November games against Iowa, or even to see a lousy Wisconsin team with Rufus The Road Runner Ferguson etc. Wisconsin wasn't on tv much and the only way to see a talent like that was to go to the game.

Wisconsin - Minnesota has only been an end-of-season game a handful of times in the past 30 or so years. And if you really go back to when both teams sucked (late 80s), the stadium was pretty empty. UW football only became a truly hot ticket after Barry arrived. Otherwise, attendance was highly dependent on performance.

I had the great misfortune to live in Madison through the Don Morton era, and visiting teams usually had more fans than Bucky in a half-empty stadium.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Wisconsin - Minnesota has only been an end-of-season game a handful of times in the past 30 or so years. And if you really go back to when both teams sucked (late 80s), the stadium was pretty empty. UW football only became a truly hot ticket after Barry arrived. Otherwise, attendance was highly dependent on performance.

I had the great misfortune to live in Madison through the Don Morton era, and visiting teams usually had more fans than Bucky in a half-empty stadium.

I grew up in the 70s and 80s in Madison. It wasn’t sold out but it usually brought in a decent crowd. The Badgers rarely filled out the entire upper deck.

[The Big East]

I went to many MSU games in the 80's and 90's in November and there were plenty of good seats available. I remember my friends and I freezing our asses off watching Northwestern beat MSU with 30K others in Spartan Stadium in 1991 (MSU did not sell out one home game that season). A few years later we went to the Wisconsin game where the listed attendance is 46K. The only games that sold out regularly were ND and Michigan.

Rivalry games always draw big crowds (look at the way our attendance during the Deane years spiked for Madison and ND then returned to smaller numbers for UAB and SLU).

Billy yes the Era you are referring to saw lower attendance at MSU. I am referring to an earlier era in the late 60s and 70s in what I am calling the Golden era of the sport . MSU still sucked as a team but people showed up because they didn't have alternatives to watching the games on TV. So those late season crappy games against Iowa for example would have attendance in the 60s. Earlier in the season games on a nice October afternoon against lousy teams like Illinois would draw close to 70k.

[MU82]

Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2019, opted out of this almost-kinda-sorta season. He is expected to be a top-5 pick anyway.

Smart kid.

[JWags85]

Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2019, opted out of this almost-kinda-sorta season. He is expected to be a top-5 pick anyway.

Smart kid.

Was there new news with him? He didn’t play all season.  He’s basically been a future Bengal once Burrow got hurt

[MU82]

Was there new news with him? He didn’t play all season.  He’s basically been a future Bengal once Burrow got hurt

No, I just happened to read about him as a possible Panthers target in the draft.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell, a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2019, opted out of this almost-kinda-sorta season. He is expected to be a top-5 pick anyway.

Smart kid.

Not sure that makes one smart or not. 

[MU82]

Not sure that makes one smart or not. 

IMHO the fact that he didn't get injured or worse playing football for free, thereby protecting the bazillions of dollars he will make as a pro, suggests he absolutely did the right thing for himself. Had Trevor Lawrence done the same, I would have said he was smart, too. That Lawrence played and enjoyed it means he also did what was right for himself. I'm a big fan of empowering the athletes.

[GooooMarquette]

Utah RB dead at 19 from what appears to be a gunshot wound. So sad.

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/531717-pac-12-offensive-freshman-of-the-year-dies-at-19

University of Utah freshman running back Ty Jordan, who this week was named Pac-12’s offensive newcomer of the year, has died, the school’s team announced Saturday. He was 19.

While authorities have not yet officially announced a cause of death, the Denton Police Department in Jordan’s home state of Texas told ESPN that they responded to a shooting call late Friday evening, where they discovered a gunshot victim had been shot one time.

[wadesworld]

Utah RB dead at 19 from what appears to be a gunshot wound. So sad.

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/531717-pac-12-offensive-freshman-of-the-year-dies-at-19

University of Utah freshman running back Ty Jordan, who this week was named Pac-12’s offensive newcomer of the year, has died, the school’s team announced Saturday. He was 19.

While authorities have not yet officially announced a cause of death, the Denton Police Department in Jordan’s home state of Texas told ESPN that they responded to a shooting call late Friday evening, where they discovered a gunshot victim had been shot one time.

He accidentally discharged the gun himself.

[MU82]

Just saw a commercial on ESPN promoting the upcoming playoffs. Showed numerous images of Lawrence, Fields, Smith, Book, etc., making exciting plays.

Perfect example of using NILs of college athletes, with the athletes getting no compensation.

[MU82]

Ridiculously stupid coaching by Hugh Freeze at the end of regulation in the Whatever Something Exhibition Bowl.

Announcers trying to blame the players ... but just take an effen knee, kick the chip-shot FG, and win the game.

[GooooMarquette]

Ridiculously stupid coaching by Hugh Freeze at the end of regulation in the Whatever Something Exhibition Bowl.

Announcers trying to blame the players ... but just take an effen knee, kick the chip-shot FG, and win the game.

The fumble play was one of the craziest plays I’ve ever seen. Runner trying to stop, defenders trying to pull him into the end zone, tight end trying to push him in....

[JWags85]

Kind of a weird game for a variety of reasons.

Liberty as a university is abhorrent and Hugh Freeze is a scumbag, but they play very fun football to watch and it’s been remarkable how far they have come in such a short time.

Coastal is a legit Boise style G5 program in the making, that literally didn’t exist 20 years ago and wasn’t legit until 10 years ago when a damn financial CEO became their coach and revitalized the program. They’ve only been FBS for 3 seasons....but they have a dirty defense that has popped up in every big game I’ve watched without fail.

Regardless, Freeze’s strategy at the end was moronic but they were the better team all game.

[MU82]

Kind of a weird game for a variety of reasons.

Liberty as a university is abhorrent and Hugh Freeze is a scumbag, but they play very fun football to watch and it’s been remarkable how far they have come in such a short time.

Coastal is a legit Boise style G5 program in the making, that literally didn’t exist 20 years ago and wasn’t legit until 10 years ago when a damn financial CEO became their coach and revitalized the program. They’ve only been FBS for 3 seasons....but they have a dirty defense that has popped up in every big game I’ve watched without fail.

Regardless, Freeze’s strategy at the end was moronic but they were the better team all game.

The fumble play was one of the craziest plays I’ve ever seen. Runner trying to stop, defenders trying to pull him into the end zone, tight end trying to push him in....

I don’t watch bowl games but I did happen to see the end. Just take a knee and win. Stoopid.

[MU82]

Dabo Swinney makes a compelling argument for why he voted Ohio State so low. Some might not agree with it, but he was consistent, and he didn't hem and haw when explaining his rationale. He also said OSU was good enough to beat Clemson on 1/1/21.

FWIW, I'm not a huge believer in the impact of "bulletin-board material" once teams get to this point in a season. The best team usually wins, and  the team that plays best almost always wins. If you aren't motivated to win a playoff game against anybody, let alone a great program like Clemson, then no bulletin-board material is gonna help you.

Dabo Swinney knew that his decision to rank Ohio State outside of the top 10 in his final USA Today coaches poll would make national news and draw some criticism.

But Swinney said Monday that he stands by his ranking of the Buckeyes and that it was nothing personal against Ohio State.

His Clemson team is set to face OSU in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year’s Day.

“I just don’t think it’s right that three teams have to play 13 games to be the champion and one team has to play eight,” Swinney said Monday during his press conference previewing the Sugar Bowl. “If people have a problem with that, I don’t really care. It’s my poll.”

Coaches’ final ballots are revealed each year after conference championship games are played. Swinney ranked the 6-0 Buckeyes No. 11 in his poll. It was the first topic he was asked about during his Zoom press conference on Monday, with a reporter who covers the Buckeyes saying Swinney’s ranking of OSU “has not gone unnoticed up here.”

Swinney said there was no gamesmanship or ulterior motive with his poll.

“You don’t think I know that’s going to be public? But to me, right is right. It’s not always easy to do the right thing,” Swinney said.

He mentioned Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Florida and Cincinnati as teams that “got punished because they played more games.”

“I didn’t rank anybody who didn’t play nine games or more in the top 10. And then after that I said, ‘OK, anybody who played at all, that’s how I’ll rank that group.’ That’s why they were 11th,” Swinney said. “You can change the name. ... If Southern Cal had been 6-0, I wouldn’t have had them in there. So no disrespect.”

Swinney said a couple of years back that he carefully fills out his ballot each week. He confirmed on Monday that he still does that.

“Every year I take it seriously, but especially this year,” he said.

While Swinney has Ohio State ranked outside the top 10, he made it clear that his ranking doesn’t mean he believes the Buckeyes can’t beat Clemson.

“There’s no question Ohio State is good enough to beat us,” he said. “They’re good enough to beat anybody out of these four. They’re good enough to be the national champion. That’s not a question at all.”

Swinney also made it clear he doesn’t believe the Buckeyes should be in the top four.

“These games matter. ... Guys can get injured, you can get beat,” Swinney said. “To just say, ‘Oh, well they would’ve won.’ I don’t think that’s right.”

[GooooMarquette]

Looks like the rodents got kinda excited after winning the Condiment Bowl...

https://mobile.twitter.com/bleacherreport/status/1344403576999858176?s=10

😂

[jesmu84]

Looks like the rodents got kinda excited after winning the Condiment Bowl...

https://mobile.twitter.com/bleacherreport/status/1344403576999858176?s=10

😂

To be fair, they knocked off perennial powerhouse Wake Forest