College Football 2022

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, Iuz the Evil said:

I don’t think he’ll end up there. Even entertaining that is a symptom of desperation, not a real fit for their coaching staff. 

 

If they choose to blow an extra $7M rather than wait 3 weeks, firing everyone else on the staff would be nothing.

That said, I suspect Meyer would laugh in their faces.  He's not gonna touch a near-hopeless situation like that, if he wants to go back to coaching at all.

 

And I can't see

a)  Meyer in particular taking the job during this season, with no time to get his systems (and people) in place

b)  Nebraska waiting that long.  Granted, that arguably supports cutting the deal with Meyer, so they can announce the change even if the current staff's left as a lame duck for the rest of the season.  What wouldn't shock me is if they try to poach a coordinator.

 

To be sure, *finding* someone worth hiring before Thanksgiving is...pretty darn tricky.

[Iuz the Evil]

1 hour ago, unclevlad said:

 

If they choose to blow an extra $7M rather than wait 3 weeks, firing everyone else on the staff would be nothing.

That said, I suspect Meyer would laugh in their faces.  He's not gonna touch a near-hopeless situation like that, if he wants to go back to coaching at all.

 

And I can't see

a)  Meyer in particular taking the job during this season, with no time to get his systems (and people) in place

b)  Nebraska waiting that long.  Granted, that arguably supports cutting the deal with Meyer, so they can announce the change even if the current staff's left as a lame duck for the rest of the season.  What wouldn't shock me is if they try to poach a coordinator.

 

To be sure, *finding* someone worth hiring before Thanksgiving is...pretty darn tricky.

I would keep an eye on Kansas in terms of a hot hire. Liepold is killing it, they could do a lot worse.

 

https://m.kusports.com/news/2022/sep/17/matt-tait-dont-look-now-kansas-football-offense-wh/

[Pariah]

At pretty much any other time in history, moving from Kansas to Nebraska would be a clear step up.

 

Right now? I'm not sure.

 

Yeah, Nebraska is a B1G job, even if they are the Rutgers of the west. But the chance to make Kansas a competitor in the Big XII? That's not something that happens every day. And with Oklahoma and Texas leaving the conference, it's going to be easier to stay competitive in the Big 12 than to become competitive in the Big Ten.

[Iuz the Evil]

 

Kansas head coach contract $16.5M for 6 years (averaging $2.75M per year). Nebraska paid Frost $5M per year. They may go higher in the current climate.

[unclevlad]

I'd consider the Kansas job better, despite the facts that Kansas is a BASKETBALL!!! school...they're arguably one of the handful of pinnacle programs in men's hoops...and their *HORRIBLE* record.  In the last 12 years, they're 23-118 overall.  First:  get to be remotely competitive and the school and fans will likely give you a chance.  Nebraska?  Not sure if they're still locked into the national championship or bust mentality, but at least they expect a decent national ranking, I think.  Second:  while I don't think either school has a great core recruiting base...I don't exactly think of either one as a hotbed of high school football...Kansas is in a conference where it does fit.  Even losing Texas and Oklahoma won't hurt that too much.

[Iuz the Evil]

They’ll need to double their pay at least if their coach is pursued by football schools, including Nebraska. It’s a job, double pay is a thing. 
 

 

Pretty much sums it up. What’s the buy out?

[unclevlad]

Herm Edwards has been fired after a bad start and, I suspect more importantly, the NCAA sniffing around for recruiting and COVID policy violations.  Plus, from ESPN:

 

Quote

Edwards finishes his tenure at Arizona State (1-2) at 26-20 with one bowl win in five years. His time there will be remembered much more for the antics and issues off the field, as the NCAA investigation led to five full-time coaches leaving the staff, including both coordinators. The roster soon atrophied, as the program's best quarterback, running back, defensive lineman and linebacker and its top two wide receivers transferred out in the past year.

 

Yeah, that has to come back to the boss.

 

Karl Dorell might be next.  His "best" year was the Covid season.  First real season was last year...4-8 and 5th in the weak Pac 12 South.  This year has been a shambles.  Article in the Denver Post mentions that Colorado's intentionally scheduled the way they did, to get additional TV exposure.  (In part because the Pac 12 Network has been a total failure.  Which suggests that possibly Colorado has been considering leaving, because matchups are made well in advance.  But, not necessarily, as they might split the TV revenue for a non-conference game only with the other team.)  Great line from the story:

 

Quote

If this keeps up, the Buffs are going to replace Kansas and Rutgers as America’s Power 5 homecoming opponent of choice. 

 

Ouch.  But when the combined score of your first 3 games is 128-30 against you.....  The terrible start with all 3 games available on the big networks in popular time spots, with the very real threat of a disastrous conference season to come next, damages the school's brand at a terrible time.

[Pariah]

Would you subscribe to Amazon to watch Rutgers-Nebraska, Houston-Texas Tech, or Washington State-Arizona?

 

Conference realignment: Amazon interest may affect Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 composition as talks continue

[Iuz the Evil]

13 hours ago, Pariah said:

Would you subscribe to Amazon to watch Rutgers-Nebraska, Houston-Texas Tech, or Washington State-Arizona?

 

Conference realignment: Amazon interest may affect Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 composition as talks continue

Nope, but I’d maybe watch a game from time to time on my existing subscription.

[Pariah]

Colorado State is a 3½-point dog at home against FCS Sacramento State. 

 

I mean, they get Utah State and Hawaii at home next month and end the season with a home game against New Mexico, but if the Rams are gonna win a game at all this year, it feels like this needs to be the week. 

[unclevlad]

Hey, gotta root for Sac State.  I mean, the Aggies need to earn the #1 spot.  Let's keep that competition going!  (I mean...who's worse?  Sac St or Hawai'i?  Especially Hawai'i on the road.  

 

If NMSU goes winless, methinks it won't be a contest.  That'll include losses to 4 teams in the Bottom 25 this week...at 17, 14, 13, and 4.  

 

I am honestly beginning to hope that the conference realignments force a complete schism, where the SEC and Big $0 forge a playoff-level group with its own rules.  For the rest...no illusion of even TRYING to keep up with the Big Money.  Tighter scholarship limits, perhaps...altho FCS isn't actually much different from FBS.  But eliminate the illusion.  Also split football from all other sports for conference purposes.

 

One thing that might work, given that, is a promotion/relegation approach.  Not like that would ever happen....

 

 

[unclevlad]

Wow.  Middle Tennessee St vs. Miami.  Miami's defense has been GOUGED.  Been loosely following the score line.  It's 38-24 MTSU, but the bigger story is that MTSU has a total of 8 first downs...and over 400 yards of offense.  OK, 9 now.  Receptions of 69, 71, 89, and 98 yards for 3 TDs.  After MTSU made it 38-17, Miami took the kickoff back to stay in it...but MTSU goes 75 yards in close to 6 minutes for another score.  That likely slams the door...3 TD lead, it's now under 9 minutes to go.

 

 

EDIT:  and luscious result #2.  Texas Tech 37, Texas 34 in OT.  Texas' time in the top 25 is quite short, and all is right with the universe again.

[Iuz the Evil]

 

That Texas-TTech game…

 

[Pariah]

Seeing Middle Tennessee's victory against Miami makes me feel a little better about the whipping the Blue Raiders put on Colorado State a couple of weeks ago.

 

Oh, wait, CSU just lost by 31 to a Big Sky team? Never mind.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Oh, Gators... 

 

[Iuz the Evil]

I will NOT miss playing Kansas State. They are our purple kryptonite and have been for years. 
 

That 2003 Big XII Championship game, ugh. Tonight feels like a KState versus OU game.

[Pariah]

Little known fact: the football uniforms for Kansas State were patterned after those of the Dallas Cowboys.

 

Which kind of makes sense, because that K-State running back (#22) is doing a pretty good impression of Emmitt Smith right now.

[unclevlad]

20 minutes ago, Iuz the Evil said:

I will NOT miss playing Kansas State. They are our purple kryptonite and have been for years. 
 

That 2003 Big XII Championship game, ugh. Tonight feels like a KState versus OU game.

 

Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
Purple rain, purple rain
I only wanted to see you
Underneath the purple rain

 

 

Wait.  The world is ending.

Or Hawai'i is gonna fight it out with CSU for #1.

NMSU 35-10 at halftime....and not only that, but all 5 TDs are on drives of 60+ yards.  4 plays once, 7 once, 8 for the other 3.  Aggies are gashing them in the run game...27 carries for 268 in the first half.

Pariah:  recognize.  Sac St is #6 in FCS.  It's not quite as ugly as it looks at first glance.  That said, losing by 31 at home, to a team you should at *least* compete with...and along with the rest of the start, that's a great way for a coach to get tossed to the curb.  And...yeah...unless something changes, I expect Hawai'i to take the bottom spot, but CSU will likely be right there with em, then Colorado.

[Pariah]

Sac State is #6 in FCS ... and 3rd in the Big Sky. Last I looked, there are six Big Sky teams in the FCS Top 25: Montana, Montana State (last year's runner-up), Sac State, Weber State, and Eastern Washington — all ranked 15 or higher. So yeah, Sac State is a good team. 

 

Nevertheless, no team in the Mountain West should lose to a Big Sky team by four touchdowns. And yet it's happened twice in two weeks.

[unclevlad]

True enough.  Meanwhile, down the road a bit, NMSU went 8 runs for 60 yards and a TD to open the 2nd half, and it's been cruise control since.  45-20, under 7 minutes left.  

 

Over to the west...95 degrees at kickoff in Tempe.  And I thought our summers were long...

 

 

 

......and that low whistling sound is the air leaking out of the Big 12's CFP balloon..........

 

 

[Pariah]

Pac-12 in danger of eventual collapse as Big Ten considers further expansion, Big 12 interest looms

 

tl;dr version:

* Oregon, Washington, Cal, and Stanford to the B1G

* Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado to the Big XII

* Oregon State and Washington State to the Mountain West

 

The first line item is the biggie. Losing any or all of those schools could lead to mass hysteria as the other schools begin looking for safe landing spots. But if the remaining 10 schools somehow manage to stick together, the PAC will survive in some form. They may even look at expansion - San Diego State is the school most often mentioned, along with maybe one other from the MWC. SMU has also been mentioned, strangely enough.

[Pariah]

Hmm, let's look at this weeks games of interest in Pariahland:

 

Utah State at BYU: This is ESPN's bit Thursday night feature this week. Which is unfortunate, because rivalry implications aside, this isn't likely to be much of a game. Utah State lost to FCS Weber State by four touchdowns. BYU, by any measurement, should be a better team that Weber, injuries notwithstanding. The Cougars are favored by 24. If they play well, they should cover that easily. But BYU seems to underperform badly in one game every season. Last year it was at home against Boise State. Will tonight be this year's big disappointment? I don't think so ... but I've been wrong before.

 

Navy at Air Force: Yes, they were upset by Wyoming, but Air Force is a good team. Very good. Navy, sadly, is not. Go Falcons!

 

Oregon State at Utah: The Beavers nearly took down U$C last week, but I don't expect to see a repeat performance this week. Oh, and it's Homecoming week up on the Hill. Utah wins.

 

Colorado State vs. BYE: It'll be tough, but I expect CSU to come out of this weekend without a loss.

 

Colorado at Arizona: Can't say the same for Colorado, though. With a loss against the Wildcats (who are favored by 17½), CU could take over the #1 spot in the CBS Sports Bottom 25.

 

 

[unclevlad]

My apologies to Mr. P.  CSU's dismal performance earned it the #1 ranking in both CBS and ESPN lists.  Colorado and Hawai'i flip-flop, but I'd also buy that Colorado gets the #2 spot in the ESPN listing so the Colorado schools get 1-2.

 

NMSU fell to #8.  And Saturday?  They've got #2 FIU.

That's #2 in CBS' bottom 25....

 

Post-paycheck games, the NMSU schedule is beginning to resemble whipped cream, it's so soft...

[unclevlad]

Not sure we mentioned this.  Firing #3...Georgia Tech fires their HC and AD on Monday.  Apparently not a surprise.

The manner in which they did so, OTOH, is.  According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, both were escorted directly out of their offices, to their cars, and off the campus, and required to turn in their phones.

 

That is an exceptionally hostile termination.  I remember a similar action, once;  one of the other programmers was fired.  He was in a different part of the project;  the project leader simply told them to take the afternoon off, to avoid issues.  He just came by my office and suggested I close the door for a while...and keep it closed.  Yeah, the other guy was escorted out by security.  But that was necessary...to surprise him, to get his computer shut off so he couldn't wreak havoc.  AND, all the programmers had security clearances, so there's that aspect.  

 

But what damage could an AD and HC do, in that regard, that makes you frog-march them out?

 

https://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/georgia-techs-geoff-collins-todd-stansbury-escorted-to-their-cars-after-firings/JYPRR6TMIFCWPEFHQRYMSQ7MII/

 

Oh, and yeah...no suprise.  Tech's won 3 games each year under that coach, got *smoked* by 2 good teams, and then lost to a "flawed" Central Florida.

[Pariah]

Georgia Tech had a pretty decent amount of success for a lot of years running the triple option. And they produced their fair share of NFL players, including the late Demaryius Thomas.

 

On the other side of the equation, Kansas is now in the unexpected position of having to try to retain both their head coach and their coordinators from better offers. How often does that happen?

 

I remember back in the old days when Colorado State was actually good, at one point University of Miami was looking at Sonny Lubick as their next head coach. surprisingly, he said "Thanks, but no thanks" and ended his career in Fort Collins.