2021-22 College Football thread

[JWags85]

This situation at Miami is WILD.

They have an offer out to Mario Cristobal.  If he declines...they will just keep Manny Diaz.  Oh yea, they also don't have an AD.  They'll just sort that out after the coaching search.

GOOD GRIEF

[Heisenberg]

Rich Eisen reacting to the Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley moves ...

Kelly jumped from a team that had a realistic chance of being in the playoffs this year.
Riley bolted on a team that was eligible for a January 1 bowl.

So, never again complain when players skip a bowl to prepare for the draft like the criticism Christian McCafferty suffered a few years ago.

Never again complain when players transfer.

It is a business and they are making business decisions because this is professional sports.

Is he wrong?

[Uncle Rico]

Rich Eisen reacting to the Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley moves ...

Kelly jumped from a team that had a realistic chance of being in the playoffs this year.
Riley bolted on a team that was eligible for a January 1 bowl.

So, never again complain when players skip a bowl to prepare for the draft like the criticism Christian McCafferty suffered a few years ago.

Never again complain when players transfer.

It is a business and they are making business decisions because this is professional sports.

Is he wrong?

No

[JWags85]

I can't fathom people getting bent out of shape for a player skipping a non-CFO bowl or non-NYD bowl game

As for coaches, I think some could handle it better, especially with their players/teams, but otherwise I don't begrudge anyone going out there and getting paid

[MUBurrow]

Wake Forest's coach said that the NCAA needs to look at its rules after Pitt's QB scored on a long run that included faking a slide last night. I'm right there with him.  I would actually go as far as to call a fake slide a dirty play.  You can't let players use rules created solely to protect them against the defense.

[MU82]

I can't fathom people getting bent out of shape for a player skipping a non-CFO bowl or non-NYD bowl game

As for coaches, I think some could handle it better, especially with their players/teams, but otherwise I don't begrudge anyone going out there and getting paid

You might not be able to fathom it, but McCaffrey, Fournette and others took a lot of heat for it.

I don't begrudge the coaches for getting paid, either. What I don't like is when they do what Holtz and Barnett did -- meet with their players, look 'em right in their eyes, and tell them they're not going anywhere ... only to leave a day or two later. That's sleazy.

I'm not sure if any of this year's guys did that.

Just one nit: Why would it matter if it was a NYD bowl? It's A-OK for a Michigan State player to protect his future earnings and skip the Peach Bowl but not for an Ohio State player to protect his future earnings and skip the Rose Bowl? I don't get that, Wags. They're both glorified exhibition games.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Wake Forest's coach said that the NCAA needs to look at its rules after Pitt's QB scored on a long run that included faking a slide last night. I'm right there with him.  I would actually go as far as to call a fake slide a dirty play.  You can't let players use rules created solely to protect them against the defense.

It was an amazing run. Yet, the defense did slow down when the Pitt quarterback was starting to make the slide motion.

[MUBurrow]

It was an amazing run. Yet, the defense did slow down when the Pitt quarterback was starting to make the slide motion.

Definitely a heck of a run.  And even coach said after that there wasn't a rule on the book so there shouldn't have been a flag, so he was a good sport about it.  But yeah, the defense clearly pulled up some when he went into a sliding position.  You just can't have defensive players wondering if a QB is about to go into a real slide or a fake slide.

[JWags85]

Just one nit: Why would it matter if it was a NYD bowl? It's A-OK for a Michigan State player to protect his future earnings and skip the Peach Bowl but not for an Ohio State player to protect his future earnings and skip the Rose Bowl? I don't get that, Wags. They're both glorified exhibition games.

I couldn't care less.  But there is still some prestige to some of those NYD bowls, Rose/Orange/Fiesta/etc... Not like McCaffrey skipping the Sun Bowl. 

Maybe not OSU, but I know there is an insane amount of excitement and pride for B10 schools winning a Rose Bowl, so I could see why fans might get a bit upset.  But its the player's future so the point is moot.

Wake Forest's coach said that the NCAA needs to look at its rules after Pitt's QB scored on a long run that included faking a slide last night. I'm right there with him.  I would actually go as far as to call a fake slide a dirty play.  You can't let players use rules created solely to protect them against the defense.

"Dirty"?  Come on.  Its definitely kind of a cheap grey area that should be changed, but as of now its a legal play that doesn't hurt or endanger anyone.

[Lennys Tap]

Rich Eisen reacting to the Brian Kelly and Lincoln Riley moves ...

Kelly jumped from a team that had a realistic chance of being in the playoffs this year.
Riley bolted on a team that was eligible for a January 1 bowl.

So, never again complain when players skip a bowl to prepare for the draft like the criticism Christian McCafferty suffered a few years ago.

Never again complain when players transfer.

It is a business and they are making business decisions because this is professional sports.

Is he wrong?

Nope.

Why limit this to bowl games? Once a player's position in the draft is pretty well established why not just quit the team? There was no reason for Trevor Lawrence to play the last year he was at Clemson. Probably lots of guys every year who should play it safe and quit early, midway or late in their final year.

Dwayne Wade enhanced his status by playing in the NCAA tournament but Zion Williamson could (should?) have played it safe and left Duke in January of his freshman year.

[MUBurrow]

"Dirty"?  Come on.  Its definitely kind of a cheap grey area that should be changed, but as of now its a legal play that doesn't hurt or endanger anyone.

No debate that its not a legal play right now, but that's because no one imagined a player would look that gift horse in the mouth.  If his buttcheek hits the ground there and someone takes his head off, we'd no have problem debating whether or not that was dirty.  So I think the reverse is dirty too.  Its a play that succeeds only because of how it has been ingrained in defensive players to protect his safety. 

[JWags85]

No debate that its not a legal play right now, but that's because no one imagined a player would look that gift horse in the mouth.  If his buttcheek hits the ground there and someone takes his head off, we'd no have problem debating whether or not that was dirty.  So I think the reverse is dirty too.  Its a play that succeeds only because of how it has been ingrained in defensive players to protect his safety.

Agree to disagree on what constitutes "dirty".  FWIW, I don't view every hit on a QB sliding as dirty.   Some are just bang bang plays with momentum and late slides.

[MU82]

Why limit this to bowl games? Once a player's position in the draft is pretty well established why not just quit the team? There was no reason for Trevor Lawrence to play the last year he was at Clemson. Probably lots of guys every year who should play it safe and quit early, midway or late in their final year.

Dwayne Wade enhanced his status by playing in the NCAA tournament but Zion Williamson could (should?) have played it safe and left Duke in January of his freshman year.

As soon as coaches stop leaving their bowl-bound teams, I'll care that athletes try to protect their future millions by refusing to play in exhibition games.

That Zion stayed to play is great. Had he left to not risk injury, that would have been great, too. That McCaffrey left Stanford was great. Had he stayed to play in the Sun Bowl, that would have been great, too. I'd have thought nothing less of Lawrence if he decided to skip his final season; that he returned was great, too. Personal choice, and all that.

Actually, plenty of athletes have decided to shorten or skip seasons to prepare for the pros. Just a couple years ago, Wiseman bolted on Memphis.

The Weedeater Bowl is not the NCAA basketball tournament, and you know it. Even the Rose Bowl is not the NCAA basketball tournament; it counts for nothing except "pride." Lots of coaches would quit a Rose Bowl-bound team in a second if they could make more money going somewhere else. Hell, Brian Kelly just quit a Fiesta Bowl team (and possibly, at the time, a national-championship team) to line his pockets. How outraged are you about that, Lenny?

[The Sultan]

Nope.

Why limit this to bowl games? Once a player's position in the draft is pretty well established why not just quit the team? There was no reason for Trevor Lawrence to play the last year he was at Clemson. Probably lots of guys every year who should play it safe and quit early, midway or late in their final year.

It's probably smart for a lot of these players to forgo a year to prepare for the draft.

Ja'Marr Chase opted out of last year, was the #5 overall pick and is having a fantastic rookie year.  Penei Sewell did the same, was the #7 overall pick, and has started all year for the Lions.

Clearly the marketplace doesn't care when it comes to these high level talents.  I'm certain that Trevor Lawrence would have still been the #1 overall pick had he chose that route.

[The Sultan]

Looks like Cristobal is heading to Miami.

I have no idea where Oregon goes with their search. The last two guys have high-tailed it back to Florida as soon as they got offers.  If Bryan Harsin would have stuck it out at Boise (and got vaccinated), he probably would have been on the short list.  But there doesn't seem to be many great options for them in the region.  Maybe Blake Anderson at Utah State...but he's a southern guy who's only been at USU one year.  Does Chris Petersen want to get back into coaching?

[MUBurrow]

Looks like Cristobal is heading to Miami.

I have no idea where Oregon goes with their search. The last two guys have high-tailed it back to Florida as soon as they got offers.  If Bryan Harsin would have stuck it out at Boise (and got vaccinated), he probably would have been on the short list.  But there doesn't seem to be many great options for them in the region.  Maybe Blake Anderson at Utah State...but he's a southern guy who's only been at USU one year.  Does Chris Petersen want to get back into coaching?

Is that a good enough job to dislodge Fickell?  Getting passed up for ND has to sting, and its hard to foresee any of the top 40 national jobs the midwest has to offer coming open anytime soon.  Culturally, the pacific northwest would be an easier move to swallow than SEC or southern ACC jobs, money is no factor, and Phil Knight has made the Oregon job a "cool" job for a young guy.

[Uncle Rico]

Looks like Cristobal is heading to Miami.

I have no idea where Oregon goes with their search. The last two guys have high-tailed it back to Florida as soon as they got offers.  If Bryan Harsin would have stuck it out at Boise (and got vaccinated), he probably would have been on the short list.  But there doesn't seem to be many great options for them in the region.  Maybe Blake Anderson at Utah State...but he's a southern guy who's only been at USU one year.  Does Chris Petersen want to get back into coaching?

I'd think they'd be leery of hiring another guy from the south since Taggart and Cristobal bolted. 

Given the money available, it's an attractive job but USC seems poised to remember it's USC. 

[CreightonWarrior]

Scott Frost could've been an option if his teams haven't been complete train wrecks very year.

[JWags85]

Looks like Cristobal is heading to Miami.

I have no idea where Oregon goes with their search. The last two guys have high-tailed it back to Florida as soon as they got offers.  If Bryan Harsin would have stuck it out at Boise (and got vaccinated), he probably would have been on the short list.  But there doesn't seem to be many great options for them in the region.  Maybe Blake Anderson at Utah State...but he's a southern guy who's only been at USU one year.  Does Chris Petersen want to get back into coaching?

Taggart, regardless of later results, was a head scratcher hire.  He never made sense in the Pac12.

Cristobal was a bit different cause that felt like an extension of what they thought they had with Taggert.  Not a full outside hire.

As for Oregon, Brett Brennan could have been interesting but SJSU took a step back this year.  Maybe Jay Norvell at Nevada?

Is that a good enough job to dislodge Fickell?  Getting passed up for ND has to sting, and its hard to foresee any of the top 40 national jobs the midwest has to offer coming open anytime soon.  Culturally, the pacific northwest would be an easier move to swallow than SEC or southern ACC jobs, money is no factor, and Phil Knight has made the Oregon job a "cool" job for a young guy.

No chance IMO. Fickell, and especially his wife, are super Midwest people.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay at Cincy until a B10 job of note opens (or Day leaves OSU for the NFL)

[Mr. Nielsen]

Nevada's Jay Norvell is staying in the MWC, but leaving for Colorado State.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I just read through the college bowl schedule.  Half of the bowls seem to be filled with 6-6 teams.
Talk about "who cares"?

[Mr. Nielsen]

I just read through the college bowl schedule.  Half of the bowls seem to be filled with 6-6 teams.
Talk about "who cares"?

That will happen with 42 bowls games. Back in my day I remember when 19 bowl games was alot.

[Billy Hoyle]

That will happen with 42 bowls games. Back in my day I remember when 19 bowl games was alot.

a bowl game was added just so they could get the 83rd bowl eligible team into a game and then 6-7 Hawaii was put in as their opponent. Ridiculous.

https://saturdaytradition.com/big-ten-football/hawaii-bowl-matchup-set-after-ncaa-adds-extra-bowl-game/

[Billy Hoyle]

Nope.

Why limit this to bowl games? Once a player's position in the draft is pretty well established why not just quit the team? There was no reason for Trevor Lawrence to play the last year he was at Clemson. Probably lots of guys every year who should play it safe and quit early, midway or late in their final year.

Dwayne Wade enhanced his status by playing in the NCAA tournament but Zion Williamson could (should?) have played it safe and left Duke in January of his freshman year.

in hoops, every game means something, especially the conference tourney and Big Dance. All but four bowl games are glorified exhibition games.

Looks like Cristobal is heading to Miami.

I have no idea where Oregon goes with their search. The last two guys have high-tailed it back to Florida as soon as they got offers.  If Bryan Harsin would have stuck it out at Boise (and got vaccinated), he probably would have been on the short list.  But there doesn't seem to be many great options for them in the region.  Maybe Blake Anderson at Utah State...but he's a southern guy who's only been at USU one year.  Does Chris Petersen want to get back into coaching?

The hot name right now is Chip Kelly. Seriously. His buyout drops to $0 soon. Bad idea, IMO. The game has changed but Chip hasn't.  Justin Wilcox is a UO grad and it's definitely a better job than Cal will ever be. Matt Campbell beat the Ducks in last year's Fiesta Bowl and has obviously maxed out at ISU. His dream jobs, ND and Michigan, aren't coming open anytime soon.

Uncle Phil offered 10 years $85 million to Cristobal before pulling the offer on Saturday. The money is there and having toured the facilities, they're absolutely ridiculous.

[The Sultan]

a bowl game was added just so they could get the 83rd bowl eligible team into a game and then 6-7 Hawaii was put in as their opponent. Ridiculous.

https://saturdaytradition.com/big-ten-football/hawaii-bowl-matchup-set-after-ncaa-adds-extra-bowl-game/

You guys are making the misguided assumption that bowls are meaningful accomplishments versus something done simply to allow networks (mostly ESPN) to fill its programming for a two week period.