2025 College Football Thread

[Pakuni]

You can't have a transfer portal open up a few weeks into the second semester. It just wouldn't work for the student athlete.

<Not sure if serious meme>

[The Sultan]

I am. You need student athletes to enroll in classes. And at most places those classes start in mid to late January. They can't enroll weeks into the semester.

[The Sultan]

Pat Fitzgerald returns to coaching at Michigan State.

[Pakuni]

I am. You need student athletes to enroll in classes. And at most places those classes start in mid to late January. They can't enroll weeks into the semester.

If only the NCAA had the authority to do something about this.

The student athletes need to enroll in classes by mid to late January only because the NCAA requires it. The NCAA  - which is, after all, just the schools - could create an exception allowing late enrollment with makeup work either during the semester or summer. We're talking about a relative handful of students and the only thing preventing it is the NCAA itself.

[BM1090]

I guess. Florida is just a really bad loss though.

For sure. Need to win that game. But if they schedule Western Michigan instead of OSU. They're 10-2 with 2 top ten wins and another top 15 win.

Why schedule a team like OSU if it's going to knock you out if you lose? Vandy is ranked in front of them despite a H2H loss and zero top 15 wins because they chose not to play a top 10 team out of conference.

It is what it is, but that part of the system is broken when scheduling games we all want to watch can penalize you that severely.

[WhiteTrash]

Pat Fitzgerald returns to coaching at Michigan State.

Didn't even know MSU was needing a new HC. I suppose Pat's, "turn a blind eye" philosophy fits well in EL.

[The Sultan]

If only the NCAA had the authority to do something about this.

The student athletes need to enroll in classes by mid to late January only because the NCAA requires it. The NCAA  - which is, after all, just the schools - could create an exception allowing late enrollment with makeup work either during the semester or summer. We're talking about a relative handful of students and the only thing preventing it is the NCAA itself.

The schools require it. Regardless, changing the window wouldn't change anything. Recruiting starts long before the window opens.

[The Sultan]

Didn't even know MSU was needing a new HC. I suppose Pat's, "turn a blind eye" philosophy fits well in EL.

It will be interesting to see if this works. He wasn't great toward the end of his career at NW.

[CreightonWarrior]

The schools require it. Regardless, changing the window wouldn't change anything. Recruiting starts long before the window opens.

that's the irony about ripping on Lane for quitting. Half these kids already have a foot out the door. Only difference is they haven't told their current team yet so they're still playing.

[Pakuni]

The schools require it. Regardless, changing the window wouldn't change anything. Recruiting starts long before the window opens.

If only athletic departments held any influence at the schools, maybe things would change.

[WhiteTrash]

It will be interesting to see if this works. He wasn't great toward the end of his career at NW.

Good point. I'd guess MSU doesn't have a lot of great options, as the luster has come off that program itself.

[The Sultan]

If only athletic departments held any influence at the schools, maybe things would change.

So you think athletic departments should change the requirements for registration to impact just a "relative handful" of students? Just to solve a timing problem with the hiring of football coaches?

Yeah, that's not happening.

[WhiteTrash]

If only athletic departments held any influence at the schools, maybe things would change.

The overwhelming perception is that the school presidents have mismanaged the NCAA for decades, so I think the president truly don't care that much at the majority of schools.

[The Sultan]

The overwhelming perception is that the school presidents have mismanaged the NCAA for decades, so I think the president truly don't care that much at the majority of schools.

Absolutely.

[Pakuni]

Dominoes falling fast.

Florida hires Jon Sumrall from Tulane.
Auburn hires Alex Golesh from USF.
Ole Miss promotes DC Pete Golding to permanent HC.

[Pakuni]

So you think athletic departments should change the requirements for registration to impact just a "relative handful" of students? Just to solve a timing problem with the hiring of football coaches?

Yeah, that's not happening.

I don't care whether they do it or not. But the primary reason a coach like Kiffin (or the guys at Memphis, Tulane, North Texas, etc.) would leave their teams with games to play is because of the recruiting and portal timeline. And if the athletic departments/college administrations perceive that as a problem - and maybe they don't or they don't care - it's well within their authority to solve it. I don't think allowing exceptions (not changing requirements for the entire school) for 12-15 kids - on campuses of 30,000+ students - is nearly as difficult as you're implying. Schools already make exceptions for athletes as it is. This would be just another.

[MU82]

Pat Fitzgerald returns to coaching at Michigan State.

Director of Hazing.

[Shaka Shart]

Didn't even know MSU was needing a new HC. I suppose Pat's, "turn a blind eye" philosophy fits well in EL.

Izzo knew

[MUBurrow]

Pat Fitzgerald returns to coaching at Michigan State.

I'll be interested to see the terms of Fitzgerald's deal.  I see that MSU owes Jonathan Smith $33M.  Depending on where the buyout lands, Fitzgerald's baggage might make him less expensive than some of the others MSU could have competed to hire this cycle.

[Billy Hoyle]

Good point. I'd guess MSU doesn't have a lot of great options, as the luster has come off that program itself.

MSU will pay Smith for three years not to coach after paying him for two years to be their coach.

Oh yeah, the school is laying off staff, cutting majors and funding (my sister had her MSW program defunded a year in)

[WhiteTrash]

MSU will pay Smith for three years not to coach after paying him for two years to be their coach.

Oh yeah, the school is laying off staff, cutting majors and funding (my sister had her MSW program defunded a year in)

Yes, Michigan State has made its priorities known many years, scandals, arrests, law suits, penalties, convictions, buy outs and settlements ago. 

[MU82]

There always seems to be another coaching offer for white retreads. Even those who went 14-31 over their last four seasons, including 9-25 in the conference, and were forced to leave in disgrace.

[WhiteTrash]

There always seems to be another coaching offer for white retreads. Even those who went 14-31 over their last four seasons, including 9-25 in the conference, and were forced to leave in disgrace.

Check out an MSU fan board. They are very excited ...............
............ for the guy who will replace Pat.
  "If we fired a guy for going 1-8 in conference play only to hire a guy who went 1-8 his last two years in conference play..."

[JWags85]

There always seems to be another coaching offer for white retreads. Even those who went 14-31 over their last four seasons, including 9-25 in the conference, and were forced to leave in disgrace.

Convenient to go the last 4 years instead of a normal 5 cause that cuts out a year they went 8-1 in the B10 and Fitz won COY.

And yes his last 2 years were really bad but he won national COY in the 2020 going 7-2 (6-1).

The hazing situation, regardless of his legal absolution, is an understandable black cloud to the hiring.  But chalking him up as another "white retread" because of those last 2 years (when any other 3-4 year snapshot of his time at NW captures really good results for the job) is an absurd underselling of the coaching he did at one of the most unwinnable jobs in the country historically.

And of course MSU fans are mad.  They are delusional about their place in the B10/CFB world and have been since Saban left.  They weren't happy when Dantonio was hired either.