NCAA College Football - General Discussion

SoxJox

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Apparently, Franklin [and Meyer] was a bit more vocal about the changes on lifting text messaging limits.

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer on Monday called a different NCAA decision from last Friday, the one that now allows coaches to have unlimited text messaging with recruits, "the most ignorant thing I've ever heard." Franklin wasn't quite as blunt, but he made clear that he isn't a fan of it, either.

"I thought the model that we had before, with being able to direct message guys on Twitter, was better," Franklin told hosts Greg McElroy and Taylor Zarzour, adding that the one benefit is that coaches will have a better means of contacting prospects who may be coming to visit and are lost. Previously, they could only direct message that recruit on social media, but now they could text directions.
 
Dec 21, 2015
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Has it been a few days since Harbaugh spoke some truth in a funny way? The wait is over:

(all quotes are 100% pure freebased Harbaugh)

"The incompetence of the NCAA has reared its ugly head yet again."

...the ruling was "knee-jerk ... like somebody was shaving in the morning, cut themselves when they were shaving and said, 'Let's just ban satellite camps.'

"I mean, what's it based on? A survey? There wasn't a lot of discussion or study. What are the facts? What are the perils and merits of making that decision? It just seemed lacking in that regard."

"During the NCAA basketball tournament we discuss the term 'student-athlete' ad nauseam in promoting our governing institution and our member institutions. Then, when we have an opportunity to truly promote the 'student-athlete' with a concept shared by educators and football men from all backgrounds, our leadership goes into hiding. I suggest we drop the term 'student-athlete' for consistency."

Isn't this the purported mission of college sports—to give young people a chance?

"It seems to be outrage by the SEC and ACC," Harbaugh says. "They power-brokered that out ... the image that comes to my mind is guys in a back room smoking cigars, doing what they perceive is best for them. It certainly isn't the best thing for the youngsters. It's not the best thing for the student-athletes."

Harbaugh saw Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze say, "I'm away from my family enough, and I just did not want to go," and it did not sit well with him.

Says Harbaugh: "You've got a guy sitting in a big house, making $5 million a year, saying he does not want to sacrifice his time. That is not a kindred spirit to me. What most of these coaches are saying is they don't want to work harder."

Former UNLV men's basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian once cracked that the NCAA was so mad at Kentucky, it gave Cleveland State two more years of probation. We now have a modern corollary: The NCAA is so mad at Jim Harbaugh, it punished Kent State and a bunch of kids from Detroit.
I'm no Michigan fan, but Harbaugh is fucking spot on. He's brought an NFL mentality of continually looking for an edge and being willing to bust ass for it, to a sleepy, insular market that previously regarded him as a bit player (at Stanford). And then he rubbed their noses in it a little. So they complain about him "coming into our state and stealing our kids". Yes, "our kids", as if they are property, bound for the plantation.

It's as if DEC's Ken Olson woke up one morning and someone showed him a picture of the IBM PC running MS-DOS. The entire worldview of smug college coaches got shaken just a tiny bit, and they collectively shat their pants over it.
 

SoxJox

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A bit of old news now, but here are the newest NCAA football rule changes for 2016.
  • Instant replay and review of targeting fouls:
    • Expanded the authority of the instant replay official, requiring them to review all aspects of targeting fouls.
    • Instant replay official will be able to stop the game and create a targeting foul in situations where an egregious action has occurred.
    • In a small number of cases, the committee believed players were incorrectly disqualified from games. The elements of targeting that replay officials will watch for include launching and forcible contact to the head, among other factors.
  • Electronic devices allowed for use by coaches in the press box and locker room during the game.
    • However, that equipment will still be prohibited on the sideline, in the team area or on the field.
  • Ineligible receivers downfield discussed at length.
    • Committee decided to instruct officials to stringently enforce the 3-yard limit and adjust officiating mechanics to better officiate those plays.
  • Additional adjustments for enhanced safety:
    • Rules dealing with low blocks adjusted to prohibit a player who leaves the tackle box from blocking below the waist toward the initial position of the ball.
    • Rules pertaining to a defenseless player will include a ball carrier who has clearly given himself up by sliding feet first.
    • Deliberate tripping of the ball carrier (with the leg) approved as a foul.
 

WayBackVazquez

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Makes perfect sense. Because it's not like the Pac 12 could have changed its internal rule.

He's a liar and/or a buffoon.
 
Dec 21, 2015
1,410
"You guys voted against both proposals, basically unanimously. So when it looked like they would pass, I voted for the one I thought less bad. Voting against both to carry out your wishes seemed like the dumber idea, because you guys don't know what you want, I know what's good for you."

Flip him and the Sun Belt and the proposals are defeated. What an asshole.
 

sachmoney

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Jun 14, 2008
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Tim Thomas' Bunker
I mean, really, this vote should have gone 11-4 in the other direction. It should have been the only the ACC and SEC for the ban. The Big XII has a couple schools that should be for the ban (Texas, TCU, Baylor), but most of the other schools should be in favor of keeping them. The small conferences should be in favor of keeping them too. It's more opportunities to evaluate talent and a way for underpaid assistants to make some extra money. I don't know what the MWC was doing or whether they were complicit with the Pac-12 voting for the ban too. We haven't really heard much from them, as far as I know.

Even if there was a gentlemen's agreement that they'd table this, there was a good deal of f-ing up and funny business involved. A lot of people are not happy and surprised by this ruling/vote.
 

sachmoney

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Jun 14, 2008
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Tim Thomas' Bunker
As RedOctober posted in the Michigan thread, the ban was rescinded. While many will say this is a victory for Jim Harbaugh over the SEC, it really is huge for all of the smaller schools. I don't imagine that the push to regulate satellite camps will not continue. For now, I'm satisfied.
 

SoxJox

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I know some around these parts don't like polls, but here are the results of a CBS Sports poll that attempts to rank the top coaches in the Power 5 conferences.

We treated it just like we would treat a top 25 poll with six voters turning in separate ballots of all 65 coaches (we included Brian Kelly of Notre Dame). Those votes were compiled into one final poll. Our six voters were Matthew Coca, Dennis Dodd, Robby Kalland, Chip Patterson, Jon Solomon, and of course myself, Tom Fornelli.
There were no set parameters for how we would rank the coaches. We simply ranked which ones we felt were the best in the business based on what we think makes a coach good or great.
Coaches 65-26

65. David Beaty, Kansas (Last year: 66): Beaty is ranked last for the second season in a row. Last year, it was because he was new; this year, it's because he has an entire season under his belt but is still looking for his first win.
64. Chris Ash, Rutgers (Not ranked): Ash hasn't coached a game yet, but he's taken over a program where it's been historically difficult to win and is now in one of the toughest divisions in college football.
63. Darrell Hazell, Purdue (64): If not for the impending retirement of Purdue's athletic director and the fact there were so many coaching vacancies last season, Hazell probably still wouldn't be around to be ranked.
62. Barry Odom, Missouri (NR): No pressure, Barry. You're just taking over the Mizzou program after the most successful coach in its history.
61. Tracy Claeys, Minnesota (NR): Claeys begins his first full season in 2016, but he did coach six games last season (and others when Jerry Kill was ill).
60. D.J. Durkin, Maryland (NR): We know Durkin can build a solid defense and put together tremendous special teams units, but can he run an entire program?
59. Dave Clawson, Wake Forest (53): We all thought Dave Clawson was a smart hire when Wake Forest nabbed him from Bowling Green, but a 6-18 record through two seasons hasn't been enough to improve his standing here.
58. Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (61): MacIntyre has been at Colorado for three seasons now, but he only has two Pac-12 wins.
57. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt (65): Vandy only improved by one win in Mason's second season, but it picked up two more conference wins and looked like a more formidable opponent.
56. Mark Stoops, Kentucky (58): UK took a nice step forward in Stoops' second season, improving from two to five wins, but it remained at five wins last season. Can Stoops get this team to the next level?
55. Matt Campbell, Iowa State (NR): Campbell went 35-15, is young, and could have a bright future. He also has one of the toughest jobs in the Power Five at Iowa State.
54. Steve Addazio, Boston College (47): After winning seven games in each of his first two seasons at Boston College, the Eagles took a big step back last year. Addazio's ranking reflects that.
53. Sonny Dykes, California (55): Cal has improved in each of the last two seasons, but even with the No. 1 pick in this year's NFL Draft at quarterback, the Bears couldn't get more than eight wins.
52. Gary Andersen, Oregon State (38): Andersen drops 14 spots after leaving Wisconsin to take on a tough task in Corvallis. Pure speculation on my part, but had he remained at Wisconsin, he might be creeping up on the top 25 right now.
51. Clay Helton, USC (NR): Helton only went 5-4 overall with the Trojans last season, but he was 5-1 in Pac-12 play. If that continues, he'll climb quickly.
50. Dave Doeren, NC State (42): The Wolfpack have been to two consecutive bowl games, but they're still only 6-18 in conference play under Doeren.
49. Lovie Smith, Illinois (NR): The most shocking hire of the offseason starts his college career at a nice spot. It remains to be seen how Lovie will do on the college level, and he takes over a program that can only have success in short bursts, but his NFL background boosts his reputation a bit.
48. Kevin Wilson, Indiana (62): Wilson led Indiana to its first bowl game in his five seasons there, and even if he only finished 6-7, doing so at Indiana and winning two Big Ten games in a very tough division gave his "street cred" a significant increase.
47. Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech (54): Kingsbury bounced back from a rough second year in Lubbock to get back to a bowl game, but it's hard to believe he'll be able to climb much higher without improving that defense.
46. Kirby Smart, Georgia (NR): It's clear that when it comes to some of our voters, being Nick Saban's right-hand man at Alabama is enough to land Smart a pretty high position in these rankings for a guy who hasn't actually coached a game yet.
45. Dino Babers, Syracuse (NR): Babers has won at Eastern Illinois, and he's won at Bowling Green. He just hasn't stayed at a school for longer than two seasons, but the idea of his offense playing in a domed stadium has plenty of us thinking big things for the Syracuse offense.
44. Will Muschamp, South Carolina (NR): BOOM is back. Muschamp went 28-21 at Florida and that was a much "easier" job than the one he's inheriting from Steve Spurrier.
43. Mike Riley, Nebraska (48): Riley's first season at Nebraska was a rough adjustment for all involved, and it'll be interesting to see how things go in Year No. 2.
42. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia (43): Holgo had his best season at West Virginia record-wise but still posted a losing record in Big 12 play. The 2016 season could be a boom or bust campaign for him and the Mountaineers.
41. James Franklin, Penn State (33): It's easy to explain Franklin's fall in the rankings. When you're going 9-4 at Vanderbilt, that's really impressive, but when you're only posting 7-6 seasons at Penn State, that changes things. Franklin's hoping his Lions take a big step forward in Year Three.
40. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt (63): Narduzzi was ranked low last year because he was a new coach, but we all held him in high esteem. Now after an 8-5 start, with a 6-2 record in the ACC, he jumps up 23 spots in the rankings.
39. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin (51): The man Narduzzi replaced at Pitt posted a 10-win season in his first year at the alma mater, but finished in second place behind Iowa in the Big Ten West. He still remains at a program most expect to win the division each year, however, and as long as Chryst keeps that history up, he'll keep climbing our rankings.
38. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech (NR): Fuente has no Power Five experience, but it's hard to argue against what he was able to accomplish at Memphis. He's replacing a legend at VT, but he just might be what that program needs to wake it from a recent slumber.
37. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech (27): Tech went from an 11-win season and an Orange Bowl victory in 2014 to a 3-9 record in 2015, which affects Johnson's ranking quite a bit. That said, the man still has a career resume strong enough to keep him from plummeting too far.
36. Todd Graham, Arizona State (29): Arizona State entered 2015 with very high expectations after consecutive 10-win seasons and then fell flat on its face. Graham's ranking takes a hit because of it, but it's still clear we think he can get things back on track.
35. Larry Fedora, North Carolina (44): The Tar Heels took a major step forward last year, finishing 11-3 and helping Fedora climb nine spots. Fedora's ranking on all six our of ballots had variance, which tells me more than a few of us want to see if he can do it again. If he does? Well, he might crack the top 25 next year.
34. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (46): After consecutive five-win seasons, Northwestern won 10 games last year for the second time in Fitzgerald's 10-year tenure. Which team will we see in 2016?
33. Butch Jones, Tennessee (37): The Vols have improved by two wins in each of Jones' last two seasons despite some devastating losses, and if that winning trend continues in 2016, we're going to see Jones in the top 25. Again, if that trend continues.
32. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M (26): The Aggies have seemingly stagnated in recent years as Sumlin burst on the scene with 11 wins in his first season; however, that dropped to nine the next year and eight each of the last two.
31. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State (35): We clearly respect Mullen, but I can't help but feel there's a sense of, "OK, let's see what you do without Dak Prescott" in our collective votes. If the Bulldogs post another nine or 10-win season in 2016, Mullen could (and should) fly up these rankings.
30. Mike Leach, Washington State (39): There was a lot of skepticism about whether Leach could succeed at Washington State coming into last season, and Leach responded with his best season on The Palouse.
29. Jim Mora, UCLA (34): Mora is coming off his worst season at UCLA, yet climbs five spots in the rankings. Personally, I feel this is a bit too high for him, but most of my colleagues seem to hold him in higher esteem than I do right now.
28. Charlie Strong, Texas (25): Texas' record did not improve in 2015, but the team just seemed to be more competent, and it looks to be headed in the right direction. That wasn't enough to keep Strong in the top 25, but it was enough to stop him from falling too far.
27. Jim McElwain, Florida (49): It may have been McElwain's first season at Florida, but including his time at Colorado State, he's now won 28 games the last three seasons after going 10-4 in Gainesville and leading the Gators to their first SEC East title since 2009.
26. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia (28): Mendenhall was very successful at BYU, and he had that success in a much more difficult situation than most coaches deal with. Now he's at a Power Five school, located in a state with some very good football talent. We're very interested to see what Mendenhall can do with the Cavaliers.
 
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SoxJox

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Coaches 25-1

25. Charlie Strong, Texas: Strong waited a long time to get his first head coaching shot, and once he took over at Louisville, he didn't waste time building the Cardinals into a power. Now he's tasked with doing the same at Texas, and if he succeeds there, he'll climb these rankings even further.
24. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State: Gundy doesn't get a lot of recognition for what he has accomplished, but the closer you look at the job he has done at Oklahoma State, the more impressed you are. This is a program with five 10-win seasons in its entire history, and Gundy has three of them.
23. Rich Rodriguez, Arizona: Had things gone better at Michigan, Rodriguez would be ranked a lot higher. Still, the job he did at West Virginia and what he's doing right now at Arizona are enough to warrant finishing this high. We can only wonder if he'll try his hand at another "blue blood" should the chance come along.
22. Dabo Swinney, Clemson: It took Dabo four years to get it done but in 2011 he led Clemson to its first ACC title in 20 years. He has also won 42 games the past four years with the Tigers, and if he can get over the Florida State hump, he'll climb even higher.
21. Gary Pinkel, Missouri: This is as much a testament to Pinkel's longevity as it is what he has accomplished. He built Missouri into a legitimate contender in the Big 12, and he then responded to the popular opinion that Missouri would be sacrificed to the SEC gods by winning 23 games the past two years with two SEC East division titles. So, you know, there's a reason he has been around so long.
20. David Shaw, Stanford: Shaw hit the ground running after taking over for Jim Harbaugh, winning 34 games, two Pac-12 titles and a Rose Bowl in his first three seasons with the Cardinal. Things went backward in 2014, though, and how things go from here on out will be Shaw's real legacy with the Cardinal.
19. Bobby Petrino, Louisville: Say what you want about Petrino -- and a lot of people have said a lot of things about him -- you can't deny the fact that he has won wherever he has been as a college coach. Whether at Louisville, Arkansas, his one season at Western Kentucky, now at Louisville again, he has a formula for success that just works.
18. Bret Bielema, Arkansas: His personality might rub some people the wrong way, but you can't deny what Bielema has done as a coach. He won three straight Big Ten titles before leaving for Arkansas, and after a rough start in 2013, the Hogs were a lot better than that 7-6 mark in 2014 might have you believe.
17. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech: Beamer hasn't won an ACC title since 2010, nor has he won more than eight games in any of the past three years, but that doesn't erase what was a sparkling record before that. The only reason you know or care about Virginia Tech football is Beamer. His seven conference titles (three Big East, four ACC) and six BCS bowl appearance speak for themselves.
16. Bill Snyder, Kansas State: College football's lovable grandfather, Snyder is also one of the best coaches in the country. He took a Kansas State program that was nonexistent to anybody outside the state of Kansas and created a respectable power. He has only won two Big 12 titles, but he has also won at least 10 games in eight of the 16 seasons the Wildcats have been in the Big 12 (he has nine 10-win seasons in 23 years at K-State).
15. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State: Dantonio came up under Jim Tressel, and he has just about built Michigan State into one of Tressel's Ohio State teams. It took a while to get Sparty rolling, but Dantonio has won two Big Ten titles, a Rose Bowl and 53 games in the past five seasons. He has also beaten up on Michigan in the process.
14. Mark Helfrich, Oregon: Helfrich has only been at the helm for two years at Oregon, but in that time he has won 24 games and played for a national title. The question going forward will be how his Ducks teams perform without Marcus Mariota, and when they are filled with players he has recruited, not the remains of the Chip Kelly era.
13. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame: If ranking coaches who turn the purplest on the sidelines, Kelly would be a clear winner. As a coach, though, he has still done pretty well for himself. Kelly's Irish team played for a national title in 2012, which still holds weight, but the problem is that his win total has decreased the last two seasons.
12. Chris Petersen, Washington: Petersen is no doubt rated this highly thanks to everything he accomplished at Boise State. If we did these rankings two years ago, he would definitely be in the top 10; however, after a couple of eight-win seasons, his Q rating has taken a bit of a hit.
11. Art Briles, Baylor: Briles loves the state of Texas, and a lot of people in Texas love Briles. And for good reason. He has won 89 games in his 12 seasons at Houston and Baylor, and that includes 40 wins in the past four seasons with Baylor. I mean, the man had Baylor -- Baylor! -- in the College Football Playoff conversation last year. Think about that.
10. Gus Malzahn, Auburn: The 2014 season was the first in Malzahn's career as a head coach that didn't end in a conference title. Even so, he's still a rock star with Auburn fans, and there aren't many college football fans in the country who wouldn't enjoy having Malzahn run their offense. He's both fun and successful so far, and that's a nice combination.
9. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan: There are a lot of factors that got Harbaugh this high. There's what he accomplished in the NFL that no doubt plays a role, but mostly what he did at Stanford as well as what Stanford turned into even after he left. Harbaugh was the one who built that foundation, and if he does the same thing at Michigan his name will be mentioned with Bo Schembechler's, and not just because he played quarterback for him.
8. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State: I can already hear Florida State fans complaining about Fisher being this low. And they have a legitimate gripe! Fisher was tasked with rebuilding a Florida State program that had stagnated under Bobby Bowden and within five seasons he has won at least 10 games four times, three ACC titles and a national championship. That's one hell of a start, no?
7. Mark Richt, Georgia: When it comes to Richt, people spend too much time focusing on what he hasn't done rather than what he has. The man has coached 184 games with the Bulldogs and he has won 136 (74 percent) of them. He has won two SEC titles (the only two Georgia has won in the past 32 years) and six SEC East crowns. The only thing he has been guilty of has been coaching in a conference that has been the home of some of the best coaches and teams in the country the past 20 years.
6. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina: The Head Ball Coach has accomplished plenty in his time as a college football coach -- his run at Florida was extremely impressive and included a national title in 1996 -- and he deserves to be ranked in the top 10. I would be lying to you, though, if I didn't say that his personality definitely bumped him up a few spots. He's just fun.
5. Gary Patterson, TCU: From the Conference USA to the Mountain West and now the Big 12, it doesn't matter where Patterson coaches the Horned Frogs, he has made a habit of winning games. He has nine seasons of double-digit wins in 14 years, and after a minor adjustment period to Big 12 life, the Frogs went 12-1 last season and nearly qualified for the College Football Playoff. There's a reason Patterson is the highest-ranked coach on this list without a national title to his name. Gary Patterson has gone 132-45 at TCU.
4. Les Miles, LSU: Do I think Miles is a bit overrated here? Yes, yes I do. If he wasn't the cartoon character that is Les Miles, he would no doubt drop a notch or two, but you know what? He has still been an excellent coach throughout his career. He helped reverse Oklahoma State's fortunes before taking over at LSU, and since going to Baton Rouge, he has won 78 percent of his games. One of those games was a BCS title game in 2007 (one of the 22 percent he lost was a BCS title game in 2011). The Mad Hatter has been both mad and successful. Les Miles won a national title at LSU in 2007, and played for another in 2011.
3. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: Stoops has been so good at Oklahoma that it feels like he's sometimes a victim of his own success. In 16 seasons with the Sooners, he has only failed to win at least 10 games four times, and Oklahoma fans act like the sky is falling when it happens. But at the end of the day, this is a coach who has won a national title as well as eight Big 12 titles in 16 years. He's 168-44 overall and 104-28 in conference play! What's not to love here? Bob Stoops has won eight conference titles in 16 years at Oklahoma.
2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State: Meyer may have only finished in second place in these rankings, but he was incredibly close to taking the top spot. Simply put, there's only one coach you would even consider hiring over Meyer if you had your pick of the litter, and it's not exactly a clear choice. He's 142-26 in his career as a head coach, including three national titles at two different schools. And he's only 50 years old. The odds are better that he'll finish with at least four national titles than the odds of him finishing with only three. The only thing that can stop Urban is Urban. Only one active coach has more national titles to his name than Urban Meyer.
1. Nick Saban, Alabama: It says a lot about what Saban has done at Alabama that when the Tide go two years without winning a national title you start to wonder if Saban's losing "it." Putting aside the fact that Saban has won four national championships and five SEC titles as a coach, though, there's another fact about Saban that blows my mind. Think about how powerful the SEC has been since the dawn of the BCS era. Now realize that in his 13 seasons as an SEC coach, he's lost only 23 SEC games. That's right, in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the country, Saban has managed to win 77 percent of the time. Hell, at Alabama he's only lost 11 SEC games in eight seasons. Has your head exploded yet?! Nick Saban's record at LSU and Alabama speaks for itself, but the four titles help, too.
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
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Jul 15, 2005
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Power Five college football coach rankings: The Top 25
By Tom Fornelli | Staff Writer
April 2, 2015 10:23 am ET
 

tims4wins

PN23's replacement
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Perhaps you should have linked and listed the correct article / list

65. David Beaty, Kansas (Last year: 66): Beaty is ranked last for the second season in a row. Last year, it was because he was new; this year, it's because he has an entire season under his belt but is still looking for his first win.

64. Chris Ash, Rutgers (Not ranked): Ash hasn't coached a game yet, but he's taken over a program where it's been historically difficult to win and is now in one of the toughest divisions in college football.

63. Darrell Hazell, Purdue (64): If not for the impending retirement of Purdue's athletic director and the fact there were so many coaching vacancies last season, Hazell probably still wouldn't be around to be ranked.

62. Barry Odom, Missouri (NR): No pressure, Barry. You're just taking over the Mizzou program after the most successful coach in its history.

61. Tracy Claeys, Minnesota (NR): Claeys begins his first full season in 2016, but he did coach six games last season (and others when Jerry Kill was ill).

60. D.J. Durkin, Maryland (NR): We know Durkin can build a solid defense and put together tremendous special teams units, but can he run an entire program?

59. Dave Clawson, Wake Forest (53): We all thought Dave Clawson was a smart hire when Wake Forest nabbed him from Bowling Green, but a 6-18 record through two seasons hasn't been enough to improve his standing here.

58. Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (61): MacIntyre has been at Colorado for three seasons now, but he only has two Pac-12 wins.

57. Derek Mason, Vanderbilt (65): Vandy only improved by one win in Mason's second season, but it picked up two more conference wins and looked like a more formidable opponent.

56. Mark Stoops, Kentucky (58): UK took a nice step forward in Stoops' second season, improving from two to five wins, but it remained at five wins last season. Can Stoops get this team to the next level?

55. Matt Campbell, Iowa State (NR): Campbell went 35-15, is young, and could have a bright future. He also has one of the toughest jobs in the Power Five at Iowa State.

54. Steve Addazio, Boston College (47): After winning seven games in each of his first two seasons at Boston College, the Eagles took a big step back last year. Addazio's ranking reflects that.

53. Sonny Dykes, California (55): Cal has improved in each of the last two seasons, but even with the No. 1 pick in this year's NFL Draft at quarterback, the Bears couldn't get more than eight wins.

52. Gary Andersen, Oregon State (38): Andersen drops 14 spots after leaving Wisconsin to take on a tough task in Corvallis. Pure speculation on my part, but had he remained at Wisconsin, he might be creeping up on the top 25 right now.

51. Clay Helton, USC (NR): Helton only went 5-4 overall with the Trojans last season, but he was 5-1 in Pac-12 play. If that continues, he'll climb quickly.

50. Dave Doeren, NC State (42): The Wolfpack have been to two consecutive bowl games, but they're still only 6-18 in conference play under Doeren.

49. Lovie Smith, Illinois (NR): The most shocking hire of the offseason starts his college career at a nice spot. It remains to be seen how Lovie will do on the college level, and he takes over a program that can only have success in short bursts, but his NFL background boosts his reputation a bit.

48. Kevin Wilson, Indiana (62): Wilson led Indiana to its first bowl game in his five seasons there, and even if he only finished 6-7, doing so at Indiana and winning two Big Ten games in a very tough division gave his "street cred" a significant increase.

47. Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech (54): Kingsbury bounced back from a rough second year in Lubbock to get back to a bowl game, but it's hard to believe he'll be able to climb much higher without improving that defense.

46. Kirby Smart, Georgia (NR): It's clear that when it comes to some of our voters, being Nick Saban's right-hand man at Alabama is enough to land Smart a pretty high position in these rankings for a guy who hasn't actually coached a game yet.

45. Dino Babers, Syracuse (NR): Babers has won at Eastern Illinois, and he's won at Bowling Green. He just hasn't stayed at a school for longer than two seasons, but the idea of his offense playing in a domed stadium has plenty of us thinking big things for the Syracuse offense.

44. Will Muschamp, South Carolina (NR): BOOM is back. Muschamp went 28-21 at Florida and that was a much "easier" job than the one he's inheriting from Steve Spurrier.

43. Mike Riley, Nebraska (48): Riley's first season at Nebraska was a rough adjustment for all involved, and it'll be interesting to see how things go in Year No. 2.

42. Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia (43): Holgo had his best season at West Virginia record-wise but still posted a losing record in Big 12 play. The 2016 season could be a boom or bust campaign for him and the Mountaineers.

41. James Franklin, Penn State (33): It's easy to explain Franklin's fall in the rankings. When you're going 9-4 at Vanderbilt, that's really impressive, but when you're only posting 7-6 seasons at Penn State, that changes things. Franklin's hoping his Lions take a big step forward in Year Three.

40. Pat Narduzzi, Pitt (63): Narduzzi was ranked low last year because he was a new coach, but we all held him in high esteem. Now after an 8-5 start, with a 6-2 record in the ACC, he jumps up 23 spots in the rankings.

39. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin (51): The man Narduzzi replaced at Pitt posted a 10-win season in his first year at the alma mater, but finished in second place behind Iowa in the Big Ten West. He still remains at a program most expect to win the division each year, however, and as long as Chryst keeps that history up, he'll keep climbing our rankings.

38. Justin Fuente, Virginia Tech (NR): Fuente has no Power Five experience, but it's hard to argue against what he was able to accomplish at Memphis. He's replacing a legend at VT, but he just might be what that program needs to wake it from a recent slumber.

37. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech (27): Tech went from an 11-win season and an Orange Bowl victory in 2014 to a 3-9 record in 2015, which affects Johnson's ranking quite a bit. That said, the man still has a career resume strong enough to keep him from plummeting too far.

36. Todd Graham, Arizona State (29): Arizona State entered 2015 with very high expectations after consecutive 10-win seasons and then fell flat on its face. Graham's ranking takes a hit because of it, but it's still clear we think he can get things back on track.

35. Larry Fedora, North Carolina (44): The Tar Heels took a major step forward last year, finishing 11-3 and helping Fedora climb nine spots. Fedora's ranking on all six our of ballots had variance, which tells me more than a few of us want to see if he can do it again. If he does? Well, he might crack the top 25 next year.

34. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern (46): After consecutive five-win seasons, Northwestern won 10 games last year for the second time in Fitzgerald's 10-year tenure. Which team will we see in 2016?

33. Butch Jones, Tennessee (37): The Vols have improved by two wins in each of Jones' last two seasons despite some devastating losses, and if that winning trend continues in 2016, we're going to see Jones in the top 25. Again, if that trend continues.

32. Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M (26): The Aggies have seemingly stagnated in recent years as Sumlin burst on the scene with 11 wins in his first season; however, that dropped to nine the next year and eight each of the last two.

31. Dan Mullen, Mississippi State (35): We clearly respect Mullen, but I can't help but feel there's a sense of, "OK, let's see what you do without Dak Prescott" in our collective votes. If the Bulldogs post another nine or 10-win season in 2016, Mullen could (and should) fly up these rankings.

30. Mike Leach, Washington State (39): There was a lot of skepticism about whether Leach could succeed at Washington State coming into last season, and Leach responded with his best season on The Palouse.

29. Jim Mora, UCLA (34): Mora is coming off his worst season at UCLA, yet climbs five spots in the rankings. Personally, I feel this is a bit too high for him, but most of my colleagues seem to hold him in higher esteem than I do right now.

28. Charlie Strong, Texas (25): Texas' record did not improve in 2015, but the team just seemed to be more competent, and it looks to be headed in the right direction. That wasn't enough to keep Strong in the top 25, but it was enough to stop him from falling too far.

27. Jim McElwain, Florida (49): It may have been McElwain's first season at Florida, but including his time at Colorado State, he's now won 28 games the last three seasons after going 10-4 in Gainesville and leading the Gators to their first SEC East title since 2009.

26. Bronco Mendenhall, Virginia (28): Mendenhall was very successful at BYU, and he had that success in a much more difficult situation than most coaches deal with. Now he's at a Power Five school, located in a state with some very good football talent. We're very interested to see what Mendenhall can do with the Cavaliers.

25. Bobby Petrino, Louisville (Last year: 19): We open the top 25 with Petrino, who fell six spots from last year's ranking after an 8-5 season. I can't help but point out, however, that Louisville was a much stronger team at the end of the season than it was the beginning, and if that improvement carries to 2016, Petrino will climb a few spots next year.

24. Rich Rodriguez, Arizona (23): Arizona took a step back, but it didn't have a large impact on how we feel about RichRod. If the Wildcats don't improve in 2016, though, odds are he'll fall out of the top 25.

23. Kyle Whittingham, Utah (30): Whittingham had built Utah into a power in the Mountain West, but the transition to the Pac-12 was proving difficult. Now, after a 10-3 record last season, the Utes have won 19 games the last two years, which is enough to vault Whittingham into the top 25.

22. Bret Bielema, Arkansas (18): While Bielema's personality isn't for everybody, it's hard to argue with what he's done as a coach at Wisconsin and now at Arkansas. Not only did the Hogs have their best season under Bielema, winning eight games, but after winning only two conference games in Bielema's first two SEC seasons, the Razorbacks won five last year. That's a major step forward in a very difficult division.

21. Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss (31): Freeze has won a lot of games at Ole Miss, but the 2016 season could be make-or-break for his reputation. A lot of the big-time recruits Freeze first brought to Oxford heard their names called at the NFL Draft last week. Now we learn if Freeze can maintain the momentum he's built, or if the Rebels will take a step back without that stellar recruiting class. Oh, and the NCAA might play a role in that outcome, too.

20. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State (24): Oklahoma State was one of the most pleasant surprises in the Big 12 last season as the Cowboys won 10 games and earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl. While that game didn't go very well, it still marked the end of the fourth 10-win season Gundy has had in the last six seasons.

19. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (36): Ferentz had been quite successful for some time at Iowa, but before the 2015 season, things had been pretty average for five straight years as the Hawkeyes averaged 6.8 wins and only managed to finish higher than fourth in the division once. Well, a 12-2 season and a Rose Bowl berth go a long way to restoring some of your reputation.

18. Mark Richt, Miami (7): Richt takes a big step back in the rankings, falling 11 spots. This is no doubt a result of a third-straight season of failing to live up to high expectations at Georgia, especially in a season in which the SEC East was so very winnable. Now Richt has moved on to Miami where we'll see if a fresh start is enough to get him back into the top 10.

17. Bill Snyder, Kansas State (16): Snyder and his Wildcats had a down season compared to what we're used to seeing, but given the strength of Snyder's overall resume and just how hard of a job Kansas State is to win at consistently, there was no way we could knock him down further than one spot.

16. Mark Helfrich, Oregon (14): After winning 24 games in his first two seasons at Oregon, Helfrich found life without Marcus Mariota a bit more difficult. It didn't hurt his ranking too badly, but if Oregon finishes with eight or nine wins again this season, Helfrich won't plummet but will likely be closer to falling out of the top 25 than climbing to the top 10.

15. David Cutcliffe, Duke (32): Cutcliffe has won 27 games the last three seasons at Duke. Let me repeat that with some added emphasis: David Cutcliffe has won 27 games the last three seasons at Duke. So even if the Blue Devils took a small step back, the fact they were able to win at least eight games for the third straight season at Duke only boosts Cutcliffe's stock.

14. Chris Petersen, Washington (12): Petersen was definitely considered a top-10 coach while at Boise State, but he's gone only 15-12 in two seasons at Washington. That's definitely hurt his stock, though Washington was a young team in 2015 and it handled itself rather well considering its lack of experience. If Petersen is still the coach we thought he was while at Boise State, the Huskies could be poised to make a big step in 2016, which would no doubt boost Petersen back to the top 10.

13. Gus Malzahn, Auburn (10): Malzahn falls out of the top 10 and only drops three spots, but he's on the precipice of falling much further. Things started out magnificently when Auburn won 12 games and played for a national title in his first season, but the Tigers have won only 15 games the last two years, and they severely underperformed compared to their expectations in 2015. Another down season will see Malzahn's stock plummet ... and possibly seeking new employment.

12. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame (13): Notre Dame is coming off its best season since 2012, when it last played for a national title. The Irish went 10-3 as Brian Kelly proved that he wasn't just a one-hit wonder in South Bend; he can continue building a storied program. Can he do it again, though? That's the question that's keeping him out of the top 10.

11. Art Briles, Baylor (11): While I can't speak for all six of us, in my mind, the only thing that is keeping Briles out of the top 10 is the lack of postseason success. His teams have torn it up in the regular season but fallen short in both the Fiesta and Cotton Bowls. Still, if you look at how Briles basically re-invented his offense last year after his team was ravaged by injuries, it's clear that he is one of the best coaches in the country. He just needs to knock off some big schools from outside the Big 12 in major games before he finally makes that final leap.

10. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan (9): If these rankings were based on the amount of attention the coaches receive, Harbaugh would be No. 1 by miles. Being No. 10 isn't that bad, though. He showed up in Ann Arbor and took a Michigan program that had struggled in previous seasons and posted 10 wins right out the gate. Simply put, Michigan looked like Michigan again last year, and it's been a long time since we could say that. Without Harbaugh, we wouldn't be.

9. David Shaw, Stanford (20): Then there's the man who replaced Harbaugh at Stanford. Shaw was ranked No. 20 last year because, after winning 34 games his first three seasons, Stanford fell to 8-5 in 2014 and the doubts began to creep in. Was Shaw living off what Harbaugh had built before him, and was that foundation crumbling? Not according to the 2015 results, he wasn't! The Cardinal went 12-2 last year, won the Pac-12 and then destroyed Iowa in the Rose Bowl, and the result is David Shaw is now one of the 10 best coaches in the country.

8. Dabo Swinney, Clemson (22): Dabo brought his own guts and brought out the best of his players last season, leading Clemson all the way to the national title game against Alabama. He was probably undervalued in these rankings last year and now we're correcting our mistake with the man who has now won 56 games in the last five seasons.

7. Les Miles, LSU (4): Miles was almost fired after last season, and depending on whom you want to believe, the only reason he wasn't was that the school couldn't afford to do it. While the last two years have not been up to the standards Miles has helped set at LSU, he's still ranked this high because he does still have that national championship and two SEC titles under his belt.

6. Jimbo Fisher, Florida State (8): It says an awful lot about Fisher that a 10-3 season at Florida State last season counts as a "down" year. Yes, the Noles took a small step back last season, but they were also replacing a lot of key players and were a young team. This is a team that's mostly back intact in 2016 and is poised to compete for another ACC title and playoff berth. That's what Fisher has built in Tallahassee, and that's why he's creeping up on the top 5.

5. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State (15): I'm sorry, Mark, but you can no longer claim we are disrespecting you with our rankings. We probably were last year, we'll admit it. No. 15 was a bit too low. That's our bad. Posting your fifth season with at least 11 wins in the last six years, and winning your third Big Ten title in that span, was finally enough for us to see the light.

4. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma (3): We received a lot of grief last year when we had Stoops at No. 3 because the Sooners were coming off an 8-5 season. In the minds of many, one bad year was enough to erase eight conference titles and a national title. The Sooners then responded by getting Stoops his ninth conference title and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Now I'm sure we'll people will tell us we're idiots to rank Stoops this high because Oklahoma lost to Clemson in the Orange Bowl. And that's fine. We're more than OK with you being wrong about Stoops.

3. Gary Patterson, TCU (5): The first two years in the Big 12 were rough for Patterson and the Horned Frogs, but things are back in order the last two seasons. TCU has gone 23-3 the last two years, winning a Peach Bowl and putting together a comeback for the ages against Oregon in the Alamo Bowl. What's most impressive to me about last year, however, was how TCU nearly beat Oklahoma in Norman at the end of the season without Trevone Boykin or Josh Doctson. In my mind, that just helped prove that Patterson is one of the best coaches in the country, and he's done so at a school that isn't exactly considered a power player.

2. Urban Meyer, Ohio State (2): Last year was a disaster for Meyer at Ohio State. By disaster, we mean Ohio State lost a regular season conference game. It was the first time it ever happened under Meyer in Columbus. Still, even after that disappointment, arguing against what Meyer has built with the Buckeyes is a fool's errand. Just look at how many players the Buckeyes had selected in last week's NFL Draft and realize that, despite losing all that talent, the Buckeyes will head into 2016 as the favorite to win the Big Ten and a definite contender for Meyer's fourth national title.

1. Nick Saban, Alabama (1): Listen, Saban was No. 1 last year ... and then he went out and won his fifth national title. He was our unanimous choice as No. 1 (Meyer was a unanimous No. 2 as well) because, honestly, who else are we going to put here? He's been at Alabama the last nine seasons, and the only time he failed to win at least 10 games was in his very first season. Alabama has become the most dominant college football program in the country because of Nick Saban, and until he decides to hang it up, it's going to be hard to pass him in these rankings.
 

SoxJox

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Ah, now I see the error. I was 1/2 correct. The first article (65-26) listed only 65-26 and is dated May 3, 2016. There was no embedded link in that article pointing to 25-1, so I googled, thought I had found it, and it turns out you are correct that the listing for 25-1 is from 2015. THAT's how Charlie Strong wound up in both lists and Spurrier returned for one more go 'round.

Mea culpa. Attention to detail. Can I get half credit for enthusiasm?
 
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The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
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Not sure where this fits and probably not worth a thread but the tea leaves are pointing to an ACC network being announced by ESPN sooner rather than later. Like the next 8 weeks or so. It will be a dedicated channel like the SEC network.

Less clear is ND to the ACC in football. But it's being discussed and is "much closer than many imagine"...
 

Dan Murfman

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Sounds more later than sooner.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-blog/dp-teel-time-swofford-meetings-post.html

“We think we’re in a really good position for the long-term,” Swofford told Fischel. “We’ve just got to make the right decisions and time things appropriately.”

“I don’t know that there will be public clarity,” Swofford said of this week. “I think we will move further down the trail of where we’re headed, without question. … We’re really just not going to have a whole lot more to say until we reach a point of saying something definitive. It takes some patience with that, but we’ll get to a good place, I’m confident.”
 

SoxJox

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Dec 22, 2003
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Rock > SoxJox < Hard Place
NYT reports 6 Football-Related Concussion lawsuits filed.

Among the named defendants in the filings are Penn State and Vanderbilt and three major football-playing conferences: the Big Ten, the Southeastern Conference and the Pacific-12.

Auburn, Georgia, Oregon and Utah are the other universities targeted, though only their conferences are named defendants, along with the N.C.A.A., because of liability complications at some public institutions.

The N.C.A.A. was first sued over concussions in 2011. After a number of similar cases were brought, they were consolidated. In 2014, the N.C.A.A. and the plaintiffs’ lawyers announced that they had reached a settlement. Judge John Z. Lee of United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois approved most of the terms, but declined to give the N.C.A.A. full immunity from future class-action lawsuits. His proposal specifically allowed athletes from one university to still sue as a class. The N.C.A.A. has yet to sign off on the new terms, but now faces another round of concussion litigation.
 

BigSoxFan

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Not sure where this fits and probably not worth a thread but the tea leaves are pointing to an ACC network being announced by ESPN sooner rather than later. Like the next 8 weeks or so. It will be a dedicated channel like the SEC network.

Less clear is ND to the ACC in football. But it's being discussed and is "much closer than many imagine"...
Sadly, the network won't be available in the state of Connecticut.
 

twibnotes

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I know it's early in his Michigan tenure, but I suspect a year from now it will be evident that Harbaugh deserves a higher ranking than #9. If these coaches were free agents, is there any doubt that he is a top 3 pick?
 

Kremlin Watcher

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Looks like Ken Starr has been fired as Baylor president because of the football sexual assault scandal. Seems like they may have dropped the hammer earlier than originally intended, and can't be a coincidence that it comes on the heels of a fluff piece on Ken in the NYT today.
Or not.

The baptists aren't very good at managing rape and murder in their sports programs. Maybe Starr should face impeachment charges.
 

Infield Infidel

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Jul 15, 2005
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NCAA may partner with NFL to sponsor satellite camps
The NCAA is considering banning satellite football camps and replacing them next spring with camps it would sponsor at NFL training centers and high schools.
If the NCAA doesn't ban the current camps, documents indicate it is likely to set a 10-day window for coaches to attend camps. The current window is 30 days.
Other potential rules changes:
* High school football players who are rising seniors might be able to sign binding letters of intent after July 31. This would eliminate the early February signing day. If this rule takes effect, there is a proposed provision allowing players who have signed with a school to be released without penalty if the head coach leaves.
* The NCAA is studying whether to allow schools to pay for players to visit their campus during the summer before their senior year. Currently, prospects can't take official visits until after the football season begins.
* FBS schools may be allowed to hire another coach who would mentor players and help them adjust socially and academically. Currently, schools are allowed to have nine coaches. That might increase to 10, although FBS schools likely would lose a graduate assistant.
* The practice of enrolling high school players in January, before their scheduled high school graduations, might be banned or limited. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has questioned the practice of enrolling players early.
* Schools might be held responsible for all players they sign, not just those who qualify academically. College football programs don't lose a scholarship or get penalized under NCAA academic ratings when a high school player they've signed fails to qualify academically. Forcing schools to count all signees against their scholarship limit of 85 would discourage them from signing players they know are unlikely to qualify. That would give those athletes an earlier chance to sign with a Division II school.
Of the "other potential changes", the only one I completely dislike would be banning midyear enrollments. Many players (and non-players, too) take summer classes or extra classes in order to graduate in December, I don't see what's wrong with enrolling in January and getting a jump on college. Of course Bowlsby thinks it's a good idea.
 
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Kremlin Watcher

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Retiring Pat Haden linked to potentially problematic payments from a USC-linked foundation.

The George Henry Mayr Foundation, established in 1949, has no office of its own, no full-time staff and no website. Its founder and namesake wanted it to be a thrifty operation that gave as much scholarship money as possible to California educational institutions.

Under Haden's leadership as board chairman, however, the $25-million foundation became a lucrative source of income for him and two of his family members -- even as its scholarship spending plunged to a three-decade low and the size of its endowment stagnated, a Times investigation has found.

Haden, his daughter and sister-in-law together collected about $2.4 million from the foundation for part-time roles involving as little as one hour of work per week, according to the foundation’s federal tax returns for 1999 to 2014, the most recent year available.

Half of that, about $1.2 million, went to Haden. His annual board fees have been as high as $84,000; the foundation paid him $72,725 in 2014.

During Haden’s tenure on the board, donations directed to USC, where he has been athletic director for nearly six years, far outpaced the amounts given to any other school, a Times analysis of the tax records shows.
College football is really doing its best to make me not want to watch it. (I know that this Haden story is about more than football, but it's Pat Haden and USC so, you know, football.)
 

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
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Not sure where this fits and probably not worth a thread but the tea leaves are pointing to an ACC network being announced by ESPN sooner rather than later. Like the next 8 weeks or so. It will be a dedicated channel like the SEC network.
Sounds more later than sooner.
Mark July 1 on your calendar.
Oops. Guess I was a couple weeks off on the announcement.

Thursday, Swofford ran a verbal victory lap to celebrate an agreement between the ACC and ESPN on a digital network that will launch next month and a cable channel that will launch in 2019. That deal will extend the grant of rights that binds ACC schools together until the end of the 2035–36 school year. The deal marked the end of three years of negotiations between the ACC and ESPN, but it really was the culmination of a 13-year odyssey for the Ninja Commish.
 

Infield Infidel

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Oral history of the Big 8-SWC merger http://www.campusrush.com/big-12-conference-oral-history-swc-merger-1974972078.html

Sibley: We had a brief conversation, and it ended with Junell saying, "Cut loose the dogs of war." At the time, Bob Bullock was the lieutenant governor, and he was a Baylor Law graduate. The speaker of the house was from Texas Tech, and [Junell] was from Texas Tech. And then the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee was a Texas Tech person, John Montford. And then there I was, representing Waco and a Baylor graduate.

Sibley: The interesting part of this is that if this had happened two years earlier, the lieutenant governor would have been a University of Houston person and the speaker of the house would have been a TCU person. It really was an interesting confluence of events.

Castiglione: It was our impression that the four institutions from the Southwest Conference would be Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Houston.