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2019 CFB Season Catch All Thread

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Article on 2019 ESPN College GameDay sites, predicts Aggy vs Clemson hosting College GameDay instead of LSU vs Texas. 

http://footballscoop.com/news/will-college-gameday-visit-week-2019-season/

Where will College GameDay visit each week of the 2019 season?

By Zach Barnett -

Are you ready to hear a confession? I haven’t sat and watched a full episode of College GameDay in years. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not because the product has suffered, and I’m not on a moral hunger strike against any of Kirk Herbstreit’s hot takes. Lee Corso’s headgear selection is still appointment television in my household.  It’s just that my son started playing football himself on Saturday mornings last fall, and when your job requires you to be on the couch each week until the early hours of Sunday morning (rough life, right?), well, you’ve got to get your sunshine when you can get it.

Don’t get me wrong, though. Just because I’m no longer a weekly viewer doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate what the show means. ESPN holds more power over college football than any other entity. In fact, it’s hard to imagine any entity holding more sway over any sport than ESPN has over college football. And GameDay is an essential piece of that empire. It’s ESPN’s way of knighting a program, each and every week. It’s a mark of validation, the network’s way of acknowledging, “Yes, you matter. For this week, you matter above all else.” Just look at what happened when the busses finally rolled into Pullman, Wash., last year.

So, with all that said, here’s the 2019 installment of GameDay guesses.

Aug. 24: Miami vs. Florida (at Orlando) — This one has already been announced as the official kickoff event of college football’s 150th anniversary.

Aug. 31: Auburn vs. Oregon (at Dallas) — This pick became significantly easier when Miami-Florida moved up a weekend. ESPN split its opening weekend loyalties last year; GameDay went to South Bend for Michigan-Notre Dame, while ABC’s Saturday Night Football crew was in Orlando for Alabama-Louisville. This year, Michigan and Notre Dame don’t meet until late October, and Alabama plays Duke in Atlanta. Ipso facto, the whole bunch will be in the Metroplex all day.

Sept. 7: Texas A&M at Clemson — There are two big games this week: A&M-Clemson and LSU at Texas. Since Texas is a Big 12 school, there’s a good chance FOX swoops this game up, while ESPN is guaranteed to have A&M-Clemson on its air. Tie goes to the guaranteed broadcast rights.

Sept. 14: Pitt at Penn State — If that seems like a weak choice (no offense, Pitt or Penn State fans), that’s because this is a weak week. Our other options here were Florida at Kentucky or Oklahoma at UCLA.

Sept. 21: Notre Dame at Georgia — Notre Dame’s first and only trip between the hedges. One team made the Playoff last season, the other came within a whisker. Put this one in ink.

Sept. 28: Ohio State at Nebraska — Big Red opens with South Alabama, at Colorado, home against Northern Illinois and at Illinois. GameDay hasn’t been to Lincoln since 2007, when Nebraska was still in the Big 12. In Year 2 of Scott Frost, and with Nebraska likely 4-0 and in the back end of the Top 25, this feels like a good time to return.

Oct. 5: Auburn at Florida — Hey, did you know Auburn and Florida used to play every year? Yeah, that was back when they were in the same conference. Auburn hasn’t been to the Swamp since 2007, and probably won’t return until midway through the 2030s. In 2019, the spoke in this wheel may be Auburn’s early schedule, which calls for games against Oregon and Texas A&M away from the Plains before this trip to Gainesville.

Oct. 12: Texas vs. Oklahoma — Prepare for another battle in the cold war between Texas and A&M. While UT heads to Dallas, A&M hosts Alabama. If either of these teams falter, there’s USC at Notre Dame, Florida at LSU, and Florida State at Clemson — all of whom would be happy to host Rece, Coach, Kirk & Co. But Lincoln Riley vs. Tom Herman is shaping up to equal or even surpass Bob Stoops vs. Mack Brown, so we’ll bank on them.

Oct. 19: Oregon at Washington — These two Pacific Northwest powers hate each other, but they’ve never really been at the peak of their respective powers at the same time. That changed last year, when No. 17 Oregon outlasted No. 7 Washington in overtime. Here’s betting Jacob Eason and Justin Herbert can continue the trend.

Oct. 26: Notre Dame at Michigan — Notre Dame and Michigan first meet in 1887, and have played 41 times since, the bulk of those meetings coming in 1978 and beyond. The last time the Irish and Wolverines played this late on the calendar? Nov. 14, 1942.

Nov. 2: Georgia vs. Florida (at Jacksonville) — Like Texas-OU and Oregon-Washington, Florida-Georgia is a rivalry on the upswing thanks to a smart coaching hire. The argument against this pick is that, in my hypothetical timeline, Florida has already appeared twice, and we skipped over their visit to LSU a few weeks back. This could be a 2- or 3-loss team by this point. (By the way, being the smart hypothetical TV programmer I am, I checked to see if Rutgers was home on this Saturday, given that college football’s 150th birthday falls on Nov. 6 and the sport was literally born on the Rutgers campus, but the Scarlet Knights are at Illinois on Nov. 2 and off on Nov. 9. How does this happen?)

Nov. 9: LSU at Alabama — GameDay has skipped exactly one Tide-Tiger Tussle since 2011, and in a year where both schools will enter in the Top 5, this feels like a safe bet.

Nov. 16: Yale at Princeton — As mentioned above, the game’s 150th birthday is 10 days prior. In the semi-annual Off The Beaten Path week, why not return (close to) the game’s birthplace, to the site of the sport’s second-oldest rivalry, to celebrate the sport itself?

Nov. 23: Penn State at Ohio State — The latest regular season meeting between these two Midwestern powers ever. The last three games have been decided by five points — total — with the winner going to Indianapolis as Big Ten East champion. Is this the time when James Franklin takes back control of the division, and thus the conference, does Ryan Day continue to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps?

Nov. 30: Ohio State at Michigan — The New 10-Year War never materialized, partly because Urban Meyer left after Year 4, but mostly because Jim Harbaugh never beat him in any of those four. Michigan gets Notre Dame and Michigan State at home, it returns quarterback Shea Patterson, who will run a new offense that is better suited to his talents. Michigan should be good enough to win the right to host GameDay. It should be good enough to win this game. If not…

Dec. 5: Georgia vs. Alabama (at Atlanta) — By this point we’ve invariably switched from predicting ESPN’s thinking to predicting how the actual season is going to play out, and Kirby Smart vs. Nick Saban in a de facto CFP quarterfinal feels like a safe prediction as long as the two are doing their thing.

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LTtxfan

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On the GameDay predictions above, I don't think ESPN would schedule ohio state 3 times in the regular season.  Also I expect to see at least one ACC regular season matchup on GameDay so ESPN can publicize their new ACC Network. 

Wouldn't be surprised if Smiling Mack Brown 😁somehow persuaded College GameDay to visit UNC.

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LTtxfan

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16 minutes ago, mdleast said:

I’m excited we actually have a quality “week zero” game for the first time since...no, for the first time ever?

Guess you're talking about Gators vs Canes??  Got to believe gators gonna win right??  🐊🐊🐊

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Analysis: Which new college football coaches might succeed?

AP.   1:34 a.m. CDT May 7, 2019

Success for a college football coach is best determined over an extended period of time.

Impatient Florida State fans might not want to hear that these days. Willie Taggart will enter Season 2 as Seminoles coach trying to rebound from maybe the worst debut of any of last season's first-year FBS coaches. Florida State (5-7) missed a bowl game for the first time since 1981.  Same goes for Chip Kelly at UCLA (3-9). Kelly's first season was even worse than Taggart's. The nature of the fanbases and program expectations mean Kelly is likely to be extended more patience in rebuilding than Taggart. The last recruiting cycle, however, suggests the forecast for UCLA's resurgence under Kelly might have been overly optimistic.

Last year's Most Likely to Succeed ranking for newly hired head coaches in FBS had Kelly No. 1 and Taggart No. 2. So, yeah, now is a good time to remind you the Most Likely to Succeed list is a long-term projection based how the coach fits, program expectations and resources, and the coach's ability to meet expectations and maximize resources.  Two years ago, Jeff Brohm of Purdue and P.J. Fleck of Minnesota were Nos. 1 and 2 on the first Most Likely to Succeed list, a ranking maybe most notable for the fact that No. 6 among the 21 coaches has already been fired. Mike Sanford went 9-16, including 3-9 last year, as Brohm's replacement at Western Kentucky. Meanwhile, Jeff Tedford, who was No. 20, is 22-6 at Fresno State.

Welp.

Undeterred, the 2019 Most Likely to Succeed list, ranking the new hires in FBS on the likelihood the coach's tenure will ultimately be viewed as a success:

1. Dana Holgorsen, Houston

Holgorsen ducked out on a West Virginia rebuild and returned to the state of Texas, where he had success early in his career as an assistant. Looks like a shrewd move. Based on funding, facilities, recruiting territory and conference competition, it should be easier to win big with the Cougars than with the Mountaineers. That's no knock on Holgo. He proved to be a quality coach at WVU going 61-41 overall and 38-32 in the Big 12. Hard to imagine this not working out well for everyone involved.

2. Hugh Freeze, Liberty

Liberty is a newcomer to FBS, but the school has poured millions into its football program and now has landed a coach with a tarnished reputation but a 19-21 Southeastern Conference record at Ole Miss. Success under Freeze seems likely. It could also be fleeting. Don't expect him to hang around long if he wins.

3. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech

Year 1 for the Yellow Jackets as Collins converts the roster from triple-option football is likely to be ugly. But look at the big picture: Georgia Tech's backyard has never been more fertile in terms of recruiting. Players are plentiful and coming from increasingly well-resourced high schools. Collins, a native of the area and twice on staff at Tech, has the potential to be a dynamic recruiter. Considering the state of ACC Coastal competition, Georgia Tech could be primed to shift the balance of power.

4. Neal Brown, West Virginia

This is another long play. Anything better than bowl-eligibility in 2019 will be a raging success for the rebuilding Mountaineers. Brown was potentially the biggest score of the last carousel, a young coach who seems to understand the broad vision it takes to run a successful program. The ceiling for West Virginia, the eastern outlier in the Big 12, might not be much higher than what Holgorsen hit. This ranking is a bet Brown can break through it eventually.

5. Scott Satterfield, Louisville

Jilted by hometown hero, Jeff Brohm, Louisville's plan B has big-time potential. Satterfield brings the App State way to the ACC, which was good for 51-24 in six seasons. The initial rebuild for Satterfield is even more daunting than what Collins and Brown face. Bobby Petrino left a smoldering pile of rubble behind, but fundamentals of the program are solid and so is Satterfield.

6. Manny Diaz, Miami

The more time passes since Miami's glory days, the more it seems as if the Hurricanes will never be able to recreate them. But that shouldn't be the benchmark for success under the 45-year-old Diaz, a first-time head coach and Miami native. The Hurricanes have won the ACC Coastal once in 15 years. That's absurd. If Diaz can simply make that a regular occurrence, he will be a success.

7. Will Healy, Charlotte

At 34 years old, Healy is a high-upside coach who already has an impressive turnaround on his record at FCS Murray State. Charlotte is a young FBS program, playing in a Conference USA that is flush with opportunity for upward mobility. Nice combination.

8. Chris Klieman, Kansas State

Fit, fit, fit. Some K-State fans were unhappy the Wildcats "settled" for an FCS coach, but Klieman's recent North Dakota State teams were probably better than what Hall of Famer Bill Snyder was rolling out in his last few seasons. The North Dakota State model should fit nicely in Manhattan.

9. Mack Brown, North Carolina

Brown coached the Tar Heels from 1988-97 and led them to four seasons of at least nine victories, including three in double digits. North Carolina has surpassed nine wins in a season once since Brown left for Texas. What North Carolina needs most is stability. It doesn't seem like too much to ask of Brown.

10. Ryan Day, Ohio State

The last five Ohio State football coaches include four Hall of Famers and Urban Meyer, who was the most successful of them all. Good luck keeping the folks in Columbus satisfied, Ryan.

11. Eliah Drinkwitz, Appalachian State

Appalachian State is a rock of a program, solid to the core. But the school went outside the family for the 36-year-old former offensive coordinator. Drinkwitz has a reputation for being brainy. Smart enough not to screw up a good thing?

12. Chip Lindsey, Troy

Another good looking fit. The Alabama native and former Auburn offensive coordinator takes over a program coming off three straight double-digit win seasons under Neal Brown. A word of caution though for Lindsey (and Drinkwitz): Fortunes can turn quickly at this level of FBS. See: Western Kentucky under Mike Sanford.

13. Mike Houston, East Carolina

Houston was 80-25 in eight seasons in Division II and FCS, including a national title at James Madison. East Carolina is a program with a proud history that has lost its way. As with most AAC programs, the faster Houston turns things around the sooner he becomes a Power Five job candidate.

14. Matt Wells, Texas Tech

The Red Raiders brought in Wells to coach the whole team, not just the offense, after six seasons of Kliff Kingsbury struggling to do just that. If success is defined as better than Kingsbury, that seems like an attainable goal for Wells. If Red Raiders fans expect to replicate Mike Leach's success in Lubbock, they're probably setting themselves up to be disappointed.

15. Rod Carey, Temple

After Manny Diaz bailed on Temple in January, the administration decided it needed an experienced coach whose style matched the Owls. Enter Carey, whose rugged Northern Illinois teams finished at least tied for first in the MAC West in four of six seasons. Seems like a safe hire. Maybe too safe?

16. Jake Spavital, Texas State

If nothing else, the 34-year-old Next Gen Air Raid guru should make Texas State fun and interesting.

17. Tom Arth, Akron

The 37-year-old Ohio native's roots go back to Division III power John Carroll. It's a hire that harkens to Buffalo bringing in Lance Leipold. That worked out great, but Arth has far less experience than Leipold did.

18. Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina

Joe Moglia's hand-picked successor takes on a program that is still trying to find its footing in FBS. His previous head coaching experience (60-35 in DII and FCS) suggests upside.

19. Mel Tucker, Colorado

Colorado has had one winning football season since 2005. Tucker, the former Georgia defensive coordinator and Alabama assistant, will try to bring Nick Saban's Process to the Pac-12. Is Colorado ready to make the commitment necessary to execute the plan?

20. Les Miles, Kansas

The bar could not be much lower in Lawrence. Miles, the 65-year-old former LSU coach, just needs to make the Jayhawks competent. Yet, still, skepticism abounds.

21. Mike Locksley, Maryland

Locksley has deep ties to the area, which should help in both recruiting and unifying a program and community left fractured by the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair during DJ Durkin's tenure as head coach. Locksley also has on his resume an embarrassingly bad three-year stint as New Mexico coach. Boom or bust hire.

22. Thomas Hammock, Northern Illinois

The former NIU running back is a first-time head coach with NFL experience. He steps into a program that has been a model of consistency — no easy feat in the MAC — for about a decade. Tough spot to learn on the job.

23. Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky

Helton was Brohm's quarterback coach and offensive coordinator when the Hilltoppers were killing it 2014 and '15. Not a bad idea going back to that tree.

24. Walt Bell, UMass

The 34-year-old Bell takes over maybe the toughest FBS job in the country. Just getting UMass to a bowl game could merit a statue.

25. Scot Loeffler, Bowling Green

Loeffler brings Midwest roots and eight seasons as an offensive coordinator to BG. Of course, none of those offenses were particularly impressive.

26. Gary Andersen, Utah State

Certain factions at Utah State pushed for Andersen's return after Matt Wells left. He knows the challenges of the program and has had success in Logan, but he did little to distinguish himself after leaving.

27. Jim McElwain, Central Michigan

It's not easy for MAC schools to land experienced head coaches on the cheap, but Florida paid $7.5 million when it let go of McElwain after 2017 so here we are. Question: If McElwain was consistently unsatisfied with support and resources at Florida how does this end well?

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They just released the latest APR numbers today(below is the Power 5 football numbers). I compiled this using the NCAA listings and RES but r/cfb did not let it be posted. I am posting just the cut/paste from that attempted post, so if it looks ugly, sue me. Already spent over an hour compiling that data from the NCAA site and making tables there, not going to bother trying to re-write it here. If someone else wants to compile the data for the G5 or lower divisions, the raw data can be found here. Below is the data by conference.

ACC

Team          | Score
--------------|-----
Clemson        | 992
Duke | 992
BC | 989
Wake Forest | 989
Louisville | 984
Pitt | 984
Georgia Tech | 980
NC State | 970
Miami | 970
Virginia | 969
Syracuse | 968
UNC | 964
VT | 953
FSU                | 936


B1G

Team | Score
----|-----
Northwestern        | 996
Ohio State | 987
Illinois | 982
Michigan | 982
Penn State | 979
Wisconsin | 979
Minnesota | 978
Nebraska | 977
Iowa | 973
Indiana | 972
Rutgers | 971
Maryland | 965
Purdue | 956
Michigan State | 948

B12

Team | Score
----|-----
Kansas State        | 985
Oklahoma State | 982
Iowa State | 978
Baylor | 976
Texas | 972
Oklahoma | 966
TCU | 966
Kansas | 959
WVU | 953
Texas Tech | 944

Pac12

Team | Score
----|-----
Washington      | 991
Utah | 989
Stanford | 986
Arizona State | 980
Cal | 979
USC | 972
Oregon State | 971
Oregon | 968
Colorado | 965
Washington State  | 960
Arizona | 952
UCLA | 948

SEC

Team | Score
----|-----
Vanderbilt      | 991
Alabama | 984
Arkansas | 982
Auburn | 982
Mississippi | 978
Mississippi State  | 976
Florida | 975
Missouri | 972
Tennessee | 970
Kentucky | 969
South Carolina | 967
Texas A&M | 967
Georgia | 963
LSU | 951


 

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Georgia Tech program will be interesting to watch transitioning away from their old flexbone offense

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/26706900/waffle-house-morpheus-awakening-georgia-tech

Waffle House, Morpheus and the awakening of Georgia Tech

Geoff Collins is ready to revitalize Georgia Tech football. 

ATLANTA -- Twenty years ago, the idea began to take root in Geoff Collins' mind.  He'd look around at the city of Atlanta, the campus of Georgia Tech and the recruiting territory within its grasp, and imagine the possibilities. Unfazed by the reality of being a 28-year-old former Division I-AA linebacker-turned-grad assistant, he would work under coach George O'Leary by day, study for a secondary degree in psychology at night and dream of what he would do if eventually he were the one in charge.  He grew up a determined sort in nearby Conyers, unafraid to think outside the box. He even had the gall to tell others his plans. Brent Key, an offensive lineman at the time, remembers those conversations well. He was struck by the fact that even though Collins didn't go to Tech as a student or play for the football team, he felt like one of them.

There was no if about it when Collins spoke. He didn't want just any program. He had his sights on this exact one.  "When I'm the head coach at Georgia Tech ..." Collins would say before starting in on one idea or another.  Many of the details of those conversations have been lost over time. Truth be told, Collins has so many ideas about so many things that remembering them all is next to impossible. But the sentiment he expressed back then was clear: whatever he was planning, it was big.

It was a dream he'd carry with him as he dotted the college football map -- first with stops as an assistant at Western Carolina, UCF and FIU, and then later as a defensive coordinator at Mississippi State and Florida. There was even a formative year spent off the field as Nick Saban's director of player personnel during the beginning of the Alabama dynasty in 2007.  When he was 45 years old, Temple made Collins a head coach for the first time. He went 15-10 in two seasons before Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury called offering the chance to return to Atlanta and replace Paul Johnson, who was stepping down after 11 seasons.  Others might have seen a middling ACC program with cumbersome academic standards, or a Frankenstein roster built entirely for the purposes of running the antiquated triple-option, or how powerhouses like Clemson, Georgia and Alabama were a bit too close for comfort. But Collins only saw the possibilities. Located in what is essentially the capital of college football, surrounded by a talent base that rivals any in the country, why couldn't it become the Georgia Tech of his dreams?

"I've always had a clear vision of what this place can be and should be," he said.  And what is that?Hold onto your seats, folks.  "To be the elite of college football.". There were two primary things Collins focused on when he spoke to Stansbury about the job. The first was culture.  Now if you've read pretty much any story about a coaching change before, your eyes probably are glazing over because you know culture is arguably the most overused word in the coaching lexicon. It can mean everything or nothing at all.

Collins told Stansbury, "We have to make sure it's high energy, it's engaging, it's fun, it's exciting, it's hard-working." And at 6:20 a.m. on a Thursday last month, that was on full display when a staff meeting began with cake, candles and the singing of "Happy Birthday" to one of the players.  At one point, when the birthday boy left and coaches got down to business, Collins lectured everyone on positivity. He told them he didn't want them cussing out players during practice for simple mistakes. He didn't want them hung up on roster deficiencies, either. As long as the effort was there, he urged his assistants to build players up rather than tear them down.

"I've been around some legendary coaches in the game," Collins said. "But I'm an avid reader and I'm constantly trying to find better ways to do things, and being free of thought enough to embrace that this is the generation we're coaching right now, how can we help them within the structure of our program? A lot of that has to do with, I don't want them to fear failure. A lot of that comes back to them knowing we care about them.". Later, in the five or so minutes before position meetings begin, 2 Chainz blared over the loudspeakers. Collins, the inventor of the Swag Chalice, bobbed his head to the beat as he went around the room, hugging the necks of more than a few players.  "I think we're in the epicenter of college football. It radiates from here in Atlanta. Here in our footprint are some of the best programs in the country, and that's fine because we have so much to sell here."Geoff Collins

During the full team meeting, there was a one-man dance-off featuring a student volunteer that had the entire room doubling over in laughter. Collins awarded slick arm sleeves for the top performers from the previous day's practice and turned giddy when he asked players about the new socks they just got in from Adidas. The more they win, the more swag they'll get, he promised.  By the time practice began, there was no shortage of excitement. There was a DJ on the sideline, players autographed the "Get the Ball" board after each turnover, and a "Game of Thrones"-style gold crown made the rounds.

Some of it might appear superficial, but there's a method to the madness. At one point during practice, Collins came to the sideline grinning from ear to ear.  "We ran 45 plays in one 11-minute period!" he said. "That's fast!". Just like that, he was gone.  "That's the culture we want," said the team's general manager, Patrick Suddes. "The DJ at practice, the fun workouts we do, they're busting their ass. But you have all the coaches dressed as 'Game of Thrones' characters" -- as well as leprechauns on St. Patrick's Day and bunnies on Easter -- "We're doing crazy stuff and you don't think about it, but they're getting better and stronger and having fun."

Tight end Tyler Davis transferred from UConn, where he got to face Temple in the American Athletic Conference. Because of that, he knows going against a Collins-coached team is not some hourslong dance party.  "Hard-nosed," is how Davis described it. "You knew they'd knock you in the mouth.". Funny thing about the tight ends at Georgia Tech: There were none last year. Same for slot receivers.  Instead, there were 13 scholarship running backs, which is twice the number you'd expect. What's more, there are smaller offensive and interior defensive linemen than your typical Power 5 school.  "We can't flip it all at once," he said, "but these are the players we love and care for and need to put in a position to be successful."

If you were creating a bingo board for Collins, the phrase "position flexibility" would be a featured block. At practice, there were running backs playing linebacker and corners playing receiver. Two days earlier, there was a receiver at outside linebacker and a nose guard at fullback.  Utilizing the free-agency stream otherwise known as the transfer portal, he and Collins were able to add an experienced tight end (Davis from UConn) and offensive lineman (Jared Southers from Vanderbilt). There might be more to come this summer.  But they're playing the long game, too. Collins keeps two copies of the book "Recruit or Die" in the building -- one in his office for himself, and another in the staff meeting room to remind his assistants what the lifeblood of the program is. The subtitle of the book feels especially applicable to Georgia Tech: "How Any Business Can Beat the Big Guys in the War for Young Talent".

Unlike in years past where the school recruited to a specific scheme, all aisles are open now. During an off day from practice, Suddes helped orchestrate what they call the "404 Takeover" during which each assistant on staff visited eight schools within the perimeter of Atlanta in a 24-hour period.  "You have coaches saying they haven't seen a Tech coach in 11 years," Suddes said. "They were recruiting different guys, but you have kids coming on campus who say they haven't been here before. It's been like they forgot Georgia Tech was in Atlanta.". For too long the state has served as a feeder system to everyone but the Yellow Jackets. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence -- a former five-star prospect from Cartersville, Georgia -- practically had to drive through Atlanta to reach stardom at Clemson. The same can be said for safety Xavier McKinney and his path from Roswell, Georgia, to the starting lineup at Alabama.

In fact, there's an argument to be made that Georgia is moving up the list of the country's top talent producers. California, which was long held as the superior state, had 33 ESPN 300 prospects in the 2019 class, compared to Georgia's 35. The upcoming 2020 class offers more of the same: Georgia 31, California 23.  Because of that untapped potential, Collins doesn't hesitate to say, "The sky's the limit for this program.  I think we're in the epicenter of college football," he said. "It radiates from here in Atlanta. Here in our footprint are some of the best programs in the country, and that's fine because we have so much to sell here. The city, a lot of places that are in our five-hour radius can't sell a city like Atlanta. The education, not everyone can sell.  "We welcome that challenge. We want to be in that conversation where when that recruit lists his top-five or top-10 -- the guys we're going to be recruiting, those guys should be listing those great programs, and we should be in the mix."

The second thing Collins sold Stansbury on was brand. Whereas culture can sometimes feel intangible in college football, brands are more obvious. Alabama is strictly business, for instance, while Clemson borders on folksy.  Under Collins, Georgia Tech appears to want to be the coolest program in the sport. Their social media feeds are a constant stream of clever hashtags and graphics. They've even started a podcast and a web video series called "Waffle House Wednesday."

 

Not many coaches have their lead graphic designer in on staff meetings, but fewer -- if any -- spend the kind of time Collins does working directly with the man everyone calls Morpheus. (Why Morpheus? Because, according to Suddes, "When you go into his office, he's tied into the Matrix." His real name, for the record, is Santino Stancato, and his title is brand manager.). Morpheus and Collins are peas in a pod. During one staff meeting, the two showed off a business card concept they came up with that was essentially a fully dressed out football player with the jersey number left empty.

Carry a Sharpie, Collins told his assistants. Because when they handed these cards out, he wanted them to fill in the jersey with each recruit's number in order to add a more personal touch.

"I equate it to the movie 'A Beautiful Mind' with Russell Crowe where there's all this stuff on the wall and everybody doesn't know what it means," Suddes said. He later added: "The stuff those two put out -- #404TheCulture, #404Takeover, the business cards -- everything he does, he's two steps ahead of other coaches. They catch up and he comes up with the next idea."

When you've been off the radar as long as Georgia Tech has and your plans are as grand as Collins has for this place, you have to find a way to garner attention. Collins said he's thinking about how to create buzz -- or, better yet, brand awareness -- "24 hours a day.". It's all grounded in his own experience, though. He's drawing from some of the most successful coaches, using Saban's recruiting structure, Dan Mullen's practice methods, and the way O'Leary went about offseason studies and research.

But everything ultimately has the Geoff Collins touch. For it to work, the brand and the coach must be inseparable.  "I've been blessed to have all of these things to pull from, but then using my personality and who I am at my core, to filter all of those things and be genuine," he said. "Because the second I run out there and I'm trying to be Nick Saban, who is an amazing coach, it's going to be disingenuous. And with this generation of athlete and this generation you're recruiting, the second you're fake, the second you're phony, you've lost. You got to keep it real. That matters."

Time will tell whether this new version of Georgia Tech football resonates, whether the brand Collins is building has any substance, whether there's any chance of overcoming the behemoth that is Clemson in the ACC. The only certainty is that his plan has ambitions beyond what the program has been in the past and what convention says it should look like in the future.

In early April, Antonneous Clayton, the former No. 10 overall recruit in the Class of 2016, raised eyebrows when he committed to transferring to Tech from Florida. The most recent ESPN class rankings have the Yellow Jackets at No. 19 -- a far cry from 61st, 53rd and 42nd finishes of the past three classes.  It's a start. Recruiting victories have to turn into actual victories for this to get off the ground. The good news is that while there's a lot of work to do, there's a coach who has had a lot of time to think about how he'd like to do it.

"When I was here before, we were on College GameDay, we were a top-10 program, Bobby Dodd was filled, every game had implications in the league, every game had implications nationally," he said. "That's how I know this place, and that's how I want this place to be. And I know it can be because I've lived it and I've breathed it.

"We're going to go forward under those parameters."

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LTtxfan

LTtxfan 48928

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Whole new section on 2019 CFB Season..... 150 Year Anniversary of CFB

------------------------------------------------------------

"100 days to college football: Everything you need to know"

In just 100 days, Florida and Miami will kick off the 150th season of college football (Aug. 24, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

It will be a season defined by the quarterbacks, especially those with whom we're already on a first-name basis: Tua and Trevor. And though the Alabama and Clemson signal-callers will get the most attention, there's also Oregon's Justin Herbert,  Georgia's Jake Fromm and plenty more.

To get you ready for another season of college football, here's everything you might have missed this spring and everything you'll need to know in the fall: early Heisman contenders, top games to watch, a look ahead to top 2020 recruits and much more.

Jump to a section:
Top games | Early Heisman Watch | Top plays of 2018
New faces in new places | Stats and gambling notes | Uncommitted recruits

 

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/26737110/100-days-college-football-everything-need-know

 

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/26755391/mcgee-schlabach-talkin-tua-trevor-transfers

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closetojumping

closetojumping 62131

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7 minutes ago, Dolemite said:

I hope Diaz gets Miami going because ACC needs some competition within the conference.

I hope the Miami program is burned to ashes and then the land in which the program existed is smothered in salt so that nothing living can ever emerge there again. 

What the fuck is wrong with some of you people? 

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Sock Drawer

Sock Drawer 214

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2 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I hope the Miami program is burned to ashes and then the land in which the program existed is smothered in salt so that nothing living can ever emerge there again. 

What the fuck is wrong with some of you people? 

THIS!

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LTtxfan

LTtxfan 48928

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Projecting the 2019 strength of schedule for every Big 12 team

by Tom Fornelli

Scheduling matters more than ever before in the College Football Playoff era. As we've seen in the history of the CFP, it's one of the most significant factors in deciding who gets a shot to play for a national title and who does not. It's not just whether you win your conference but who you play along the way. It's also proven that it's not just about who you have beaten, but who you lost to during the season.  We've already seen numerous examples of teams missing out on the playoff not just because of who they lost to, but which teams they never gave themselves a chance to beat.

So it only makes sense that we try to get an idea of which teams will play the more demanding schedules before the season even begins, and that's precisely what we've done. Now, it isn't a perfect process, but it's one I think gives us a good idea of what to expect. I'll explain.

Methodology: Essentially, what I do is look at which teams each program is playing, and how strong those teams have performed in my ranking system in past years. The history of a program is a better indicator of its future success than just about anything, though I did make a change this season.  In previous years I ranked programs based on how they fared the last five seasons. This year I've changed it to the last three seasons. Yes, the sample size is smaller, but what I noticed is that it's typically the same teams performing well over the last three as it was the previous five, but by changing it to three, it shows a bit more accuracy for the upcoming season. For example, playing UCF last season wasn't worth as much as it probably should have been when considering UCF's previous five seasons. Now, considering only the last three, UCF is much stronger. On the flip side, there's a program like Oregon, which is the No. 27 team overall over the previous five seasons but is only No. 47 in the last three. Considering the Ducks haven't finished any of the previous three seasons ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, that No. 47 ranking better reflects their overall strength at present than the previous five seasons ranking.

Finally, I consider other factors like where the game is played, as well as when it's played. For example, if you're playing Boston College on the road and it's your fifth game in five weeks, that's more difficult than if you were playing Boston College on the road following a bye. The same can be said if your opponent is coming off a bye while you've played a month straight. There's also the issue of playing on a short week.  I then crunch all the numbers, and in the end, I get something that gives us all a good idea of which teams are most likely to face the most difficult schedules in 2019.

And, without further ado, here are your 2019 Big 12 strength of schedule rankings.

 

BIG 12 STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE RANKINGS

1) TEXAS

The Longhorns 2019 schedule would not have ranked higher than second in any other Power Five conference, but it finishes atop my Big 12 projections. With the Big 12 playing a true round-robin conference schedule, the teams are typically separated in these rankings by their nonconference schedules, and where and when they play their conference games. Texas finishes at No. 1 thanks in large part to a noncon game against LSU, while also having to hit the road for games against West Virginia, TCU and Iowa State this year.

2)  WEST VIRGINIA

The Mountaineers aren't playing LSU like Texas is, but they do have two nonconference games against Power Five opponents in Missouri and NC State. They'll also be hitting the road for Oklahoma and TCU, but Texas, Iowa State and Oklahoma State all come to Morgantown.

3). KANSAS

Kansas usually fares well in these projections for a simple reason. As I mentioned, the Big 12 plays a round-robin conference schedule. That means every Big 12 team plays Kansas, except Kansas. And considering Kansas has gone 6-30 the last three seasons, not having it on your schedule helps your SOS projection. The Jayhawks' toughest noncon game will be on the road against Boston College, but their other two games outside the Big 12 are Indiana State and Coastal Carolina.

4). IOWA ST.

Iowa State's noncon schedule is highlighted by a date against rival Iowa in Ames. Other than that, it's Northern Iowa and UL-Monroe, which doesn't do much for your SOS. Still, the Cyclones finish in the top five thanks in part to a stretch of seven games in seven weeks, as well as Oklahoma and Texas in consecutive weeks in November. Iowa State's also one of the Big 12 teams that will be playing five of its Big 12 games on the road this year.

5). KANSAS ST.

Kansas State will open Chris Klieman's first season with Nicholls and Bowling Green, so it should be 2-0 before it heads to Starkville to take on Mississippi State. The Wildcats also get five Big 12 games at home, including contests against TCU, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Iowa State. The toughest road game will likely be at Texas on Nov. 9th.

6) TEXAS TECH

Texas Tech has a road game against Arizona in Week 3, but a noncon of Arizona, Montana State and UTEP isn't going to impress a lot of people. The difficulty level kicks up a notch when Big 12 play opens with Oklahoma on the road followed by Oklahoma State, at Baylor and Iowa State in consecutive weeks. Then, after a road trip to Kansas and a bye, the Raiders get West Virginia, TCU, Kansas State and Texas down the stretch.

7). OKLAHOMA

Depending on how things work out, a nonconference slate that includes both Houston and UCLA could look a lot more impressive at the end of the season. At the moment, however, it's nothing exceptional. The Sooners benefit from getting Texas at a neutral site per usual, as well as home games against West Virginia, Iowa State and TCU. The regular season finale against Oklahoma State looks to be the toughest road test on the docket.

8). TCU

Playing Arkansas Pine Bluff and SMU doesn't do much for the noncon's strength, but that road trip to Purdue on Sept. 14 probably looks more difficult now than when it was scheduled. Still, compared to its Big 12 compatriots, TCU's projected SOS isn't great, though the Horned Frogs do have to hit the road for both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. Also, the team's last bye comes on Oct. 12, meaning the Frogs will play seven games without a break to finish the regular season.

9) BAYLOR

Baylor's noncon is yawn-worthy. The Bears will play Stephen F. Austin, UTSA and at Rice. As easy as that is, though, things get rough late in the season. The Bears will host West Virginia on Halloween night and follow that up with a game at TCU and back home for both Oklahoma and Texas in consecutive weeks. That stretch likely decides how successful a season it is in Waco.

10). OKLAHOMA ST.

Baylor's noncon schedule is easier than what Oklahoma State will get, as the Cowboys will play at Oregon State and at Tulsa with McNeese sandwiched between. Still, that stretch at the end of Baylor's schedule just nudged it ahead of the Cowboys here, as Oklahoma State's toughest games are spread out a bit, and their bye weeks are well-placed.

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Doc Sam Beckett

Doc Sam Beckett 5781

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247 released an article on college football's 10 biggest wildcard teams in 2019

Wisconsin 

Syracuse 

Washington State

Iowa State 

South Carolina 

Nebraska 

Mississippi State 

Notre Dame 

Miami 

Virginia Tech 

 

Wisconsin freshman QB Graham Mertz looked insanely good in the all star game he played in last year. Wisconsin has a great offense to ease him in, if he wins the job. VT is returning a ton of production. Iowa State should be a tough out, and I have no idea how Matt Campbell didn't land a big job last offseason. I wonder how Moorhead does without his stud DL and Nick Fitzgerald. South Carolina isn't a wild card, it would take a miracle for them to finish better than 7-5.

I would have added Washington (lost a lot of production) and Purdue, because Brohm is putting out a fun product. 

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LTtxfan

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1 hour ago, Doc Sam Beckett said:

Wisc, Syracuse, Wash St,Iowa St, SCarolina,  Neb, MissSt, ND, Miami, Va Tech. Wisconsin freshman QB Graham Mertz looked insanely good in the all star game he played in last year. VT is returning a ton of production. Iowa State should be a tough out, and I have no idea how Matt Campbell didn't land a big job last offseason. I wonder how Moorhead does without his stud DL and Nick Fitzgerald. South Carolina isn't a wild card, it would take a miracle for them to finish better than 7-5.I would have added Washington (lost a lot of production) and Purdue, because Brohm is putting out a fun product. 

Penn State QB transfer Tommy Stevens going to Miss State helps Moorhead since he has coached the kid.

https://247sports.com/Player/Tommy-Stevens-35502/

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/26768701/qb-stevens-transferring-mississippi-state

Agree that S.Carolina is going to struggle due to tough, tough schedule.... and at best 7-5

Regular Season
DATE OPPONENT TIME TV TICKETS
Sat, 8/31
vsUNCUNC *
TBD    
Sat, 9/7
vsCHSOCHSO
TBD    
Sat, 9/14
vsALAALA
TBD    
Sat, 9/21
@MIZMIZ
TBD    
Sat, 9/28
vsUKUK
TBD    
Sat, 10/12
@UGAUGA
TBD    
Sat, 10/19
vsFLAFLA
TBD    
Sat, 10/26
@TENNTENN
TBD    
Sat, 11/2
vsVANVAN
TBD    
Sat, 11/9
vsAPPAPP
TBD    
Sat, 11/16
@TA&MTA&M
TBD    
Sat, 11/30
vsCLEMCLEM
TBD    
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retsevlys

retsevlys 408

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Thanks.  It's been a rough week in Auburn.  I won't CR this thread about that but this really hurts.  Jim Fyffe died in May 2003 when I was in college. Rod was the baseball announcer and took over the rest of the sports.

The intersection where the accident happened is two miles from my house.

He has a daughter at AU and a son in high school.  I can't imagine what they're going through.

The driver of the other vehicle in the accident was 16. As I understand, this person is okay.   I can only hope that they will be okay mentally as well.

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LTtxfan

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Not Football related but:    Damn.... Drive Safely Y'all.

 

Wisconsin Assistant Howard Moore's Wife, Daughter Killed in Car Accident

By CHARLOTTE CARROLL 

May 25, 2019

Wisconsin asst basketball coach Howard Moore's wife Jennifer and daughter Jaidyn were killed in a wrong-way crash in Michigan early Saturday morning, the school announced Sunday.

Moore and his son, Jerell, both suffered injuries, but are expected to recover following the crash.   According to Michigan State Police, the crash occurred around 2 a.m. Saturday after a wrong-way driver on M-14 near Ford Road struck a vehicle head-on. 

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LTtxfan

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WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING THE BIGGEST DUDE IN CFB   

Minnesota offensive lineman Daniel Faalele is still learning football, but at 6'9" and 400 pounds, this Australian import is ready to dominate the Big Ten and soon the NFL.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2836827-what-its-like-being-the-biggest-dude-in-cfb

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