The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is the FASTEST combine in history.
Every single position group, except the QB’s. ran the fastest 40 times ever.
For the final day, MY favorite group took to the field, the offensive linemen. The hogmollies, baby. The guys that really make things work.
Coming in, we all knew that this was a deep class of prospects, and that played during the on the field drills.
There could be as many as 6 or even 7 offensive linemen taken in the 1st round in the NFL Draft this April.
Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano, Olaivavega Ioane, Caleb Lomu, Kadyn Proctor, and Monroe Freeling, are sure fire locks to go Round 1.
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My biggest winner was Logan Jones, the center from the Iowa Hawkeyes. He not only ran the fastest 40 of all the offensive lineman (4.90), but he also looked so smooth, with quick feet, during the on the field portion of the day.
Personally, I’d love for my Cleveland Browns to snatch him up at #70, IF he’s still available at that spot.
This is a nice OC class. Jones, Connor Lew (Auburn), and Jake Slaughter (Florida), could all go inside the Top 100.
My biggest loser of the day was Dametrious Crownover from Texas A&M. He has impressive size for an offensive lineman, but he struggled badly during the on the field portion. He couldn’t keep his balance, slow feet, looked very uncomfortable pulling, it was a bad day.
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The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night, April 23rd, at 8:00 PM (EST) and goes through Saturday, April 25th, on ESPN and NFL Network.
Day 3 of the NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books. The theme of S-P-E-E-D speed, continued!!! Absolutely nobody thought that this particular draft class, would be breaking all-time speed records.
The first group of Day 3 was the Running Backs. As anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE me some running backs. I’m a run-first guy.
Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love only solidified his position as the #1 RB in this class. We all knew that he was fast, and he ran a 4.36 in the 40, with a 1.55 10 yd split. He showed his smooth footwork and ability to get skinny, during the on the field portion of the drills.
His teammate Jadarian Price ran a 4.49 in the 40, with a slower than expected 1.61 10 yard split. His footwork isn’t as smooth as Love in the running drills, but he did EXCELLENT catching the ball during the on the field portion of the drills.
My biggest winner was Alabama RB Jam Miller. He ran a 4.42 in the 40, with a 1.53 10 yard split. He was smooth with his footwork , kept his balancing cutting, and did a good job catching balls.
Penn State RB Kaytron Allen did EXACTLY what I’ve been telling everyone he would during the on the field portion of the drills. Smooth footwork, quick feet, can catch the ball. I’ve always thought he was better than his Nittany Lions counterpart Nicholas Singleton.
My biggest loser was Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson. He ran a 4.56 in the 40. He looked like a board, his feet looked sluggish, his reaction to the bags, on cut drills were slow.
Outside of Love, there isn’t a first rounder here, but there is very quality depth, and varied abilities in this class.
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QB Group 1 ran the 40, and the news was Arkansas QB Taylen Green ran a 4.36 in the 40. Georgia Tech QB Haynes King ran a 4.46 in the 40.
When it came to throwing, the biggest winner overall was Penn State QB Drew Allar. He had the best deep ball, by far. He was accurate with his ball placement on almost every drill.
Georgia Tech QB Haynes King did quite well. He was great on all the underneath throws, but his lack of arm strength showed on the deep balls.
The biggest loser for on the field drills, was EASILY Teylan Green. He completely airmailed throws on all the outroutes, both short and deep. His ball placement was high and low on slant routes. He has great arm strength though.
Next up, was WR Group #1. Oklahoma Deion Burks (4.30), Cincinnati Jeff Caldwell (4.31), Georgia Zachariah Branch (4.35), Oregon Malik Benson (4.37), Tennessee Chris Brazzell (4.37), and Texas Tech Caleb Douglas (4.39), all ran under 4.40 in the 40.
The big winner was Zachariah Branch. He was so smooth and really crisp on his breaks. Just snapping them off. He caught everything, including some horrible throws by QB Fagnano and Green. It was so fun to watch him today. He made himself some money and climbed many draft boards.
Biggest loser was WR Malachi Fields from Notre Dame. He ran a slow 4.61 in the 40, with a 1.63 10-yard split. He couldn’t keep his feet and hips under control on his breaks, and had 3 drops on The Gauntlet Drill. The film is better than his performance Saturday afternoon, but it did cost him some spots.
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Only 2 players from QB Group 2 ran the 40. North Dakota State’s Cole Payton (4.56) and Baylor Sawyer Robertson (4.65).
When it came to the on the field drills, Alabama’s Ty Simpson was the winner of the group. Good accuracy on the out breaking routes. He had great ball placement and timing on the medium and deep routes.
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik was a close 2nd place though.
The loser of the group was the aforementioned Cole Payton. His best 2 passes didn’t come until the 2nd to last drill, on deep balls. It was a terrible night for him, after the 40-yard dash.
WR Group 2 saw the fastest 40-yard dash of the weekend. Brenen Thompson from Mississippi State ran a 4.26, with a 1.54 10-yard split. North Dakota State’s Bryce Lance ran a 4.34 in the 40, with a 1.49 10-yard split, and Ole Miss’s De’Zhaun Stribling ran a 4.36, with a 1.53 10-yard split.
When it came to the on the field drills, the winner was actually 2 this time. Makai Lemon from USC and Colbie Young from Georgia. Both of them were catching absolutely everything thrown their way. With some of the bad balls, both of them showed great body control and the ability to adjust mid-air to catch the bad throws.
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Day 2 of the NFL Scouting Combine is in the books. The speed from the first day, kept going here in Day 2.
This is officially, the fastest overall class, in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine.
It started with DBs Group 1, which was CB (cornerbacks).
The big news was that San Diego State Aztec CB Chris Johnson answered the biggest question about himself, his speed. He ran a 4.40 in the 40. We knew that he’d do well in the on the field drills and he did.
Tennessee Volunteers CB Colton Hood ran a 4.44, and the one of the biggest surprises for me, and quite a few people that I talked to, was Ohio State CB Davison Igbinosun running a 4.45. His tape does not reflect that type of speed, so that was a big boost for him. Both Hood and Igbinosun did very well during the on the field drills as well.
The biggest overall surprise to me and others, was Georgia CB Daylen Everette. He’s 6’3″ and not only ran a 4.38 in the 40, but he was quite fluid flipping his hips, changing directions and did well on the Gauntlet Drill.
Biggest loser was CB Julian Neal from Arkansas. He looked absolutely terrible in all the drills. Could he move to safety? Sure. It was a bad day for him.
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DB Group 2 was the safeties, and HOLY HOLY MOLY!!! It was the fastest safety class in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine.
It started with Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr running a 4.27 and a 4.28 in the 40. 3 other safeties, Robert Spears-Jennings, Treydan Stukes, and Dillon Thieneman ran under 4.40 seconds in the 40.
By far, Styles Jr had the best day, as he not only ran fast, but he also dominated the on the field drills. He kept his feet under him, he was able to keep his balance on breaks, and he was catching everything his way. There’s no way, he should be a late Day 3 pick. I think he might have worked himself into Day 2 (rounds 2 and 3).
Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren MIGHT have solidified himself as a first-round pick. Previously mentioned Dillon Thieneman from Oregon absolutely solidified his position in the second round.
Unfortunately, one of my favorite “sleeper picks” Bishop Fitzgerald was the biggest loser of the night. He ran much slower than anyone thought 4.55 in the 40. He looked stiff and couldn’t keep his balance when he had to cut on his back foot. Hopefully, he’ll do better at his pro day.
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The final Group of the day, saw the tight ends open it up for the offensive players.
What did they do??? Then went out and ran the fastest collective group in NFL Scouting Combine history. See a theme here folks.
Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq set a new NFL Combine record for TEs, running a 4.39 in the 40. He also did very well in the measurables and testing.
Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers ran a 4.51 in the 40, and he set a new NFL Combine record as well. His was in the vertical jump, jumping a whooping 45.50″ inches.
To me, the biggest winner was Wyoming TE John Michael-Gyllenborg. He ran a solid 4.60 in the 40, and looked so smooth and fluid in the on the field drills.
The biggest loser was Tennessee Volunteer TE Miles Kitselman. He ran a 4.90 in the 40, looked very rigid, and absolutely couldn’t even move Fred the Sled on the blocking drill. It was a bad day for him.
My surprise was TE Bauer Sharp from LSU. Ran a nice 4.63 in the 40. Was the best in the blocking drill, and caught everything that went his way.
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Day 3 of the NFL Scouting Combine starts at 1:00 PM (EST) on NFL Network, with Quarterbacks, Running Backs, and Wide Receivers, testing and taking the field.
Day 1 of the NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and I must say, that it provided more overall depth of talent than I thought it would.
The day started out with the defensive tackles taking the field for on the field drills.
For teams like the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, and teams that run the 3-4 defense, they were loving it. This DT class is a strong, run stopping, nose tackle class. There’s nobody that’s going to get inside pressure.
My two biggest winners were Lee Hunter from Texas Tech, who absolutely solidified his position as DT1; and the surprise guy Zane Durant from Penn State, who came in and just crushed the drills.
My biggest loser was Kaden McDonald from Ohio State. He looked sluggish, stiff, and his footwork was sloppy, causing him to lose his balance, causing slips and falls.
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Group 2 was the Edge Rushers, and they showed that there was some quality depth this year.
David Bailey from Texas Tech, and TJ Parker showed everyone why they are not just MY #1 and #2 ranked Edge players, but a lot scouts and pundits as well.
Dani Dennis-Sutton from Penn State showed that the down year this past season, was not a reflection of his true talent. He did quite well, and is my #3 Edge.
The two players that shocked me the most were, Mason Reiger from Wisconsin and Max Llewellyn from Iowa. They crushed the on the field drills. Whether it was the Wave Drill or the 4-Bag Agility, they looked smooth, and their footwork was great. They really helped their draft stock bigtime.
The biggest loser to everyone but me, was LT Overton from Alabama. He’s not a pass rusher. He ran slow, his footwork was sloppy, his couldn’t keep his hips, knees, and feet in tandem, it was bad. LOT of my fellow Browns fans were mocking him at #24. I’ve told them and even a family member, that I’m not touching him in the first round.
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The day finished with Group 3, the Linebackers.
HOLY CALCUTTA WHAT A CROP IT IS THIS YEAR!!!
Starting with the two standout Ohio State Buckeyes, Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. Both ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash. Then turned around and made the on the field drills look like a walk in the park, barely breaking a sweat and completely dominating.
I felt bad for Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodrigeuz, who a GREAT day, but was overshadowed simply by being next after Reese. He’s a turnover machine and so smooth.
Kyle Louis from Pitt had a great day on the field as well. Ran a solid 4.53 and looked so smooth and fluid during the drills.
My biggest loser was Jack Kelly from BYU, and that’s simply just nitpicking because he wasn’t all that bad. He ran slower than I thought he would. He was stiffer than he looked in games, and kept losing his balance during the early drills, like the Wave and 4-Bag.
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Day 2 of the NFL Scouting Combine continues tomorrow afternoon, starting at 3:00 PM (EST) on NFL Network.
The University of Michigan has fired their football head coach Sherrone Moore, for cause, last night.
The university says, “the cause” is for having an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member”.
Moore, who is 39, was initially detained by law enforcement in Saline, Michigan on Wednesday night.
He was then turned over to law enforcement in Pittsfield County, Michigan “for potential charges”.
He is currently being held under protective custody at the Washtenaw County Jail.
Those potential charges are assault and could possibly be as serious as kidnapping.
After being fired from his position as head coach, Moore got into an argument with his wife and threatened to commit suicide. He left, then proceeded to break into the home of the assistant that he had an affair with.
He then held a knife to his own throat, and threatened to kill both himself and the staffer.
He then left her home, and was apprehended at a church, after his wife provided law enforcement his phone location.
It has been confirmed by two sources to me, that Moore was known to be “leery, creepy, and invade the personal space of female staffers and students at team facilities”.
Those same two sources also said that he had been “warned multiple times” by fellow football staff members, as well as staff members from other university sports teams.
Biff Poggi has been named Interim Head Coach for the Wolverines, in their upcoming against the Texas Longhorns, in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on December 31st, at 3:00 PM (EST) on ABC.
– by Sean McKenzie
Pictures courtesy of….wallpapercave, on3, and mynews13.
Conference Championship Weekend is over and done with.
Congratulations to Indiana (B10), Georgia (SEC), Duke (ACC, yes you read that right), Texas Tech (B12), Tulane (AAC), James Madison (Sun Belt), Kennesaw State (C-USA), Boise State (MWC), and Western Michigan (MAC), for winning their conference titles.
It’s the main goal of these teams when they start the season, and through hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck, they all achieved it.
On Sunday, the College Football Playoff Committee released their official bracket.
There is a LOT WRONG with it as well.
First of all, I’m happy that the Dukes and Green Wave won their conferences, but in no way, shape, or form, should they BOTH be in the CFP. Personally, I don’t think ANY of the “G5 schools” deserved to be in the playoffs this season. However, if one team did deserve it, it was James Madison, not Tulane.
It’s especially hard on JMU as they have to fly all the way across the country (2,806 miles) and play the Oregon Ducks, at Autzen Stadium.
It’s a bit easier for Tulane, as they only have a 346-mile bus ride up I-55 to play the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford.
The fact that Notre Dame was left out of the playoffs is a disgrace. They started the season 0-2 with both those loses to CFP teams Miami and Texas A&M, being by a combined 4 points.
They’ve won 10 straight games, and outside of Indiana, is probably playing the best football of any team in the country.
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Unlike a lot of my fellow sports writers, I’m 100% OK with Alabama making the CFP.
I understand they lost to a horrible Florida State team, but that was in Week 1. Their two other losses were to CFP Oklahoma by 2 points, and they did lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game by 21, but remember, they beat the Bulldogs in the regular season matchup. Ranked wins over Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee, is a fine resume, and deserving of a spot.
I wouldn’t have put them at #9 though. That’s too high for a 3 loss team. #11 or #12 would’ve been better.
Looking at the bracket, there’s some nice campus matchups. The Alabama-Oklahoma rematch is going to be another great game. Remember, that game was in Tuscaloosa and the Sooners went in to get a close 23-21 victory. You KNOW that Boomer Sooner crowd is going to be rocking in Norman for that game.
The aforementioned Tulane-Ole Miss game is a game to keep an eye on. The Rebels are in the middle of a coaching change, and they’re having a lot of movement with the staff. The fact of the matter is that we do not know how new head coach Pete Golding is going to do, with his first ever game being a playoff game.
Meanwhile, with Tulane promoting Will Hall to be the head coach, they’re in a much better spot. Hall has been the man in charge before (Southern Miss) and worked at Tulane (19-20) before returning. He understands the culture and has the big game coaching experience.
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I’m not saying the Green Wave is going to shock the world and beat the Rebels, I’m just saying………………it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
I’ll make my College Football Playoff Predictions, as well as ALL the Bowl Game predictions in a later article.
Finally, after duking it out all regular season, teams have arrived here at Championship Saturday.
Conference Championships mean a lot to the fans, the players, and the teams.
It’s not all about NIL for the players, and bonuses for the coaches, it’s also about pride.
Saying We are the champions of the Big Ten, or SEC, or Big 12, or ACC, means a lot.
It shows that you went through the gauntlet of meaningful games, and rivalry games, to be called champions. Every player and team aspires to reach that goal, but you are the only ones to do it.
So, here we go.
ACC Championship Game – Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. Duke Blue Devils (7-5) vs #17 Virginia Cavaliers (10-2) Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on ABC.
These 2 teams just met on November 15th, and the Cavaliers laid a 34-17 butt whopping on the Blue Devils.
NO, the game was not as close as the score indicated.
Unfortunately, the Cavaliers have suffered a few injuries since that game, and the Blue Devils have gotten a few players back from injury in the secondary since.
Like most games, this one will come down to the trenches and quarterback. Chandler Morris for UVA and Darian Mensah for Duke.
Personally, I love that these 2 teams, (which historically struggle in football), playing for the conference title is great. It shows one of the very few good things that NIL has done, which is parity.
Prediction – I think it’s going to be a repeat, but closer. I’m taking the Cavaliers to win 28-24.
Big Ten Championship Game – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN. #2 Indiana Hoosiers (12-0) vs #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0). Game starts at 8:00 PM (EST) on FOX.
This game could very well end up being for the Heisman Trophy, as both quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Julian Sayin are the front runners.
Indiana MUST control the clock and keep the Buckeyes offense off the field, if they want to win this game. They rank 9th in the country in rushing, averaging 229.8 YPG and must use it to their advantage. The revamped offensive line has only allowed 15 sacks all season too. That will allow the play action passing game to open up and let Mendoza show off his arm and accuracy.
Ohio State MUST get pressure on Mendoza, as he’s first in the conference getting rid of the football (2.5 seconds). Make him hold onto the football and be uncomfortable. That will allow the Buckeye playmakers on defense like Downs, Reese, Styles, to do what they do best. They have the advantage at all the skill positions, so just play within themselves.
Prediction – Indiana hasn’t played a defense like this all season long. I think they’ll hang around for a little while, before Ohio State takes over. Give me the Buckeyes to win 35-17.
Big 12 Championship Game – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX. #11 BYU Cougars (11-1) vs #4 Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1). Game starts at Noon (EST) on FOX.
Like in the ACC Championship Game, these 2 teams have already met. Texas Tech won 29-7 on November 8th.
BYU likes to play “ugly football”. They run the ball and play sound defense. The offensive line must get movement this time, and allow HB LJ Martin to eat. He leads the conference with 1,229 yards and has 11 TDs. That’ll allow their freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier to be comfortable. IF they can find a way to keep it close, they’ll have a chance. Otherwise, it’ll be a rinse and repeat.
Texas Tech simply has to continue to play top notch defense and allow quarterback Behren Morton to get into a rhythm early. In the first meeting, they had a 13-0 lead at the half. It should’ve been 28-0, but they couldn’t convert in the redzone. Linebackers David Bailey and Jacob Rodriguez are the leaders of this team. They just need to keep the other 9 players calm and focused. This is the team’s first ever Big 12 conference championship game.
Prediction – This game was U-G-L-Y the first time around, and I don’t think it’ll be better. Texas Tech is clearly the better team. Give me the Red Raiders to win 28-13.
SEC Championship Game – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA. #3 Georgia Bulldogs (11-1) vs #9 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2) Game starts at 4:00 PM (EST) on ABC.
Like 2 of the previous games here, these teams have met already this season, with the Crimson Tide winning 24-21.
The Bulldogs haven’t forgotten that loss either.
The Georgia defense HAS to play better than it did in the first game. They allowed Alabama to dominate them on the ground. Stopping the run and getting pressure will make it much easier for their offense (who struggled last week). Quarterback Gunnar Stockton only threw for 70 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT last week against Georgia Tech. He CAN NOT repeat that performance. HC Kirby Smart must get him into rhythm very early.
For Alabama, with starting running back Jam Miller questionable for the game, and backup Kevin Riley is out with a broken jaw; they’ll need quarterback Ty Simpson to be absolutely on point. They have the advantage at WR with Williams and Bernard, so use that with quick passes and crossing routes. The defense allowed 227 yards rushing in the first meeting (mostly in the 2nd half), they must not allow that to happen again.
Prediction – History has shown us, that it’s hard to beat the same team twice in a season. Alabama jumped out early, but Georgia fought back when they first met this season. I think it’ll be a very close game. This is so hard to predict. Simpson is the better QB, but Smart is the better coach. I’ll go out on a limb and take the Crimson Tide to win 28-24.
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In other Conference Championship Games, on Friday Night, give me….
#25 James Madison over Troy in the Sun Belt Championship Game. Jacksonville State over Kennesaw State in the C-USA Championship Game. #24 North Texas over #20 Tulane in the AAC Championship Game. Boise State over UNLV in the Mountain West Championship Game.
In the other Saturday game, I’m taking Western Michigan to spank Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship game.
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, clutchpoints, MSN, and FOX4News.
This 2025-26 college football season has not only been completely wonky on the field, but also, off the field.
So many head coaches were fired during the season, that it was hard to keep track of who was coming and going.
The upheaval of not just the program and players on the teams, but also the families of those assistant coaches.
This “win now mentality” at programs and with the donors, is actually hurting the programs, not helping.
These schools like to complain that they’re “operating at a loss”, then they go and fire a head coach, that has a $33 million dollar buyout clause (Michigan State with Jonathan Smith).
They wonder why a significant number of fans have no loyalty or sympathy anymore, THAT’S WHY!!!
All that aside, I’m going to tell you which hires were good. Which hires were bad. Which coaches out there, deserve a chance at being a head coach.
LSU has hired Lane Kiffin away from fellow SEC rival Ole Miss. I see a lot of media pundits giving this an A to A+ grade. I DON’T SEE IT.
While I don’t think this move is as bad as the Brian Kelly hire (which I despised from the nanosecond it was announced), for what LSU wants to do, it isn’t all that much better either.
Kiffin has a career record of 13-25 against Top 25 teams.
He’s going to give the Tigers much more credibility in the south with recruits again, and the offense will be better.
This is a simple B hire.
Virginia Tech went out and hired former Penn State head coach James Franklin.
The Hokies have been mostly irrelevant since Frank Beamer retired.
This is an A hire.
Franklin is a program builder. He did it at Vanderbilt, which had been a joke for basically a half century, and turned them into a consistent winner and to bowl eligibility. He took over a Penn State program that was dead in the water after the sex abuse scandal and took them to the College Football National Championship Semi-Finals, just last season.
He knows the Eastern Midwest and Mid-Atlantic recruiting scene very well. We’ve already seen recruits that decommitted from Penn State, follow and announce their intentions to play for the Hokies next season.
I’m not saying he’s going to bring a Natty to Blacksburg, but Virginia Tech will be an ACC power player as early as next season, and beyond.
GREAT MOVE by VT.
UCLA has hired Bob Chesney away from James Madison, to be their next head coach.
From all accounts, and from JMU fans that I’ve spoken to, he’s a good guy.
Chesney is known for being a “turnaround artist”. He turned around programs such as Salve Regina (D3), Assumption University (D2), and Holy Cross (FCS), before going 20-5 at JMU.
He has a long history of coaching at programs that have rigourous academic standards.
The biggest problem is that he has 0 recruiting ties to the west coast, and doesn’t have the name recognition, that will keep players. The Bruins don’t have the cache to recruit nationwide, so keeping California kids’ home is paramount to their success.
I’m rooting for the guy, and hope he brings glory back to the gold and blue, but right now, this is a D hire.
If you’ve been following me on Twitter/X (JoeAmerican6771); I’ve been SCREAMING this guy’s name.
Bryant Haines.
He’s the current defensive coordinator for the Indiana Hoosiers and had the same role at James Madison. He followed Curt Cignetti from the Dukes to the Hoosiers.
Yes, he’s an assistant coach.
Yes, he doesn’t have head coaching experience.
He’s had staggering success at JMU and Indiana, where he turned poor defenses into top ranked defenses.
I STRONGLY believe that the aforementioned James Madison, should bring him back home, and make him their new head coach.
They’ve seen him succeed not just on the field, but off the field in recruiting the Carolinas’ and VA/DC area. Which is vital to a program like JMU, because they don’t have a nationwide network.
I think whichever team gets him, is going to get a gem.
The worst hire so far of this cycle, is the Stanford Cardinal hiring Tavita Pritchard as their next head coach.
Yes, I understand that he played QB there.
Yes, I understand that like Chesney above, he gets the difficulty of an academic power.
The truth, and fact of the matter is that he was never going to get a head coaching gig other than Stanford. This was Cardinal GM Andrew Luck keeping this cheap and in house.
To me, this is a F.
Head coach Kalani Sitake will remain at BYU, after agreeing to a long-term extension on Tuesday.
He had very heavy interest from the Penn State to make him their next head coach.
Since taking over as the head coach of the Cougars in 2016, he has an 83-44 overall record at BYU.
He has previous coaching stops at Oregon State, Utah, Southern Utah, and Eastern Arizona.
All these stops in the Mountain and Western time zones, has allowed him to build a very solid recruiting base and pipeline.
This is a solid A move by BYU.
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Question – With Penn State getting rebuffed, who do you think the Nittany Lions will end up hiring as their next head coach?
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats and information courtesy of…..NCAA and ESPN.
I could go on and on and on, about each and every game.
Quite simply, I don’t have the time and energy.
I’m still recovering from my mini-stroke, and my heart monitor keeps wanting to fall off.
So, I’m going to give you my predictions on these biggest games of the week.
It all begins and ends with the Greatest Rivalry in College Sports.
“The Game” is Satruday at Noon on Fox.
The #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes are traveling to take on #15 Michigan Wolverines.
The forecast is calling for cold temperatures, snow on the ground, and the wind to be a blowing.
It’s Big Ten Football.
Will the weather impact the Buckeyes passing game? It’s certainly shaping up to favor the Wolverines, as they have the superior running game. Can the Buckeyes defense continue to dominate?
Prediction – Ohio State beats TTUN for the first time since 2019. I’m taking the Buckeyes 28-21.
“The Iron Bowl”. Game starts at 7:30 PM on ABC.
The #10 Alabama Crimson Tide travel to take on the unranked Auburn Tigers.
He’s the kicker for this game. Tigers freshman QB Duece Knight had 6 total touchdowns in his start against Mercer. His dual threat ability gives them hope.
If Alabama wins, they clinch a spot in the SEC Conference Championship Game. If they lose, it’ll take some help. They have no room for error.
Prediction – The Tigers will keep in close in the first half, before the Crimson Tide pull away for the 35-21 win.
How great is it to see this game as a ranked matchup!?!?!?
The #14 Vanderbilt Commodores travel to Knoxville to take on #19 Tennessee Volunteers.
QB Diego Pavia has the chance to put a stamp on his chance to be a Heisman Finalist with a win for the first time since 2018. Let’s be honest, Pavia IS Commodore football. They go as he goes.
A Volunteer win completely eliminates Vandy from the College Football Playoffs. Can the Tennessee defense step up and help the offense out?
Prediction – It’s been a fun ride for Vandy these last two seasons, but that Tennessee offense is gonna dunk on the Commodores. Volunteers win big 42-21.
“The Lonestar Showdown” is a Friday Night game, at 7:30 PM on ABC.
The Aggies last won in Austin, way back in 2015. They have a real chance to do it this year. They’re a complete team. Head coach Mike Elko has come in and done what “big name” coaches like Jimbo Fisher failed to do.
If Arch Manning plays well, then the Longhorns have a shot. Their run game has been a colossal disappointment this season. Their defense has played great, and they’ll need to do it again on Friday Night.
Prediction – Part of me wants to say this will be close, but I’m really feeling like the Aggies gonna smack the Longhorns around. Give me Texas A&M to win 49-24.
For the best coffee and lattes in ALL of Van Wert County, stop into The Rebel Bean. Check out their Facebook page for hours and special drink menu.
– by Sean McKenzie
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, USAToday, and ESPN.
As the college football season works its way towards the end of the regular season, the games are becoming more meaningful.
Conference standings, college football playoff spots, and of course, RIVALRIES.
Week 12 is a great slate of games, and it was hard to choose only 3.
So, without ado, HERE are the 3 games you should watch.
1) #9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2) at #22 Pittsburgh Panthers (7-2). Game starts at 12:00 PM (Noon) (EST) on ABC.
Who thought at the beginning of the season, that Pitt would be in 1st place in the ACC? The Panthers have a chance to make a real statement. A win here, will put them in the CFB Playoff, and completely eliminate Notre Dame.
We all know about HBs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price bring to the table, but it’s Fighting Irish QB CJ Carr, that has this team rolling. He’s thrown for 2,275 yards with 19 TDs to only 4 INTs. The Notre Dame defense has 25 team sacks, and the pressure they get has forced a whooping 16 INTs for this defense.
When Pitt starting QB Eli Holstein went down for the season, fans thought they were done. Instead, freshman QB Mason Heintschel has come in and has won 6 straight games. He’s thrown for 1,547 yards, with 12 TDs and 5 INTs. This is your typical Pitt defense. Fundamentally sound, and hard-nosed. They don’t “wow” you with stats, just wear you down over the course of the game.
Prediction – As much as I love seeing upsets, I can’t see it happening here. Give me the Fighting Irish, to pull away in the 2nd half for a 35-17 win.
2) #10 Texas Longhorns (7-2) at #5 Georgia Bulldogs (8-1). Game starts at 7:30 PM (EST) on ABC.
I’d like to say that if Texas loses, they’re eliminated from the CFB playoffs, but we all know the SEC bias is ridiculous. It’d be their 3rd loss, as they already have losses to #1 Ohio State and unranked dumpster fire Florida.
Longhorns QB Arch Manning has thrown for 2,123 yards, with 18 TDs and 6 INTs. They have no running game to speak of. It’s been their defense that have been winning these games. 34 team sacks, 9 INTs, 11 forced fumbles, and 6 fumble recoveries.
Bulldogs QB Gunner Stockton has thrown for 2,040 yards, with 15 TDs to only 2 INTs. He’s also added 321 yards and 7 TDs on the ground. While the defense hasn’t been up to “Georgia standard” this season, they’re fast, fly to the football, and don’t miss tackles.
Prediction – I trust Kirby Smart more than Steve Sarkisian. Give me the Bulldogs to win at home 24-21.
3) North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-4) at #15 Miami Hurricanes (7-2). Game starts at 3:30 PM (EST) on ESPN.
The Wolfpack are coming off a massive upset over (then #8) Georgia Tech last week. They also have a win over #20 Virginia earlier this season. The Hurricanes started the season strong but have 2 loses (Louisville and SMU) in the last 4 games. If they lose again, they’re done.
NC State sophomore QB CJ Bailey has thrown for 2,411 yards, with 19 TDs and 7 INTs. HB Hollywood Smothers is averaging 6.9 yards per carry. He has 825 yards, with 6 TDs. Their defense is hit and miss. With this team, it’s simply a matter of which one shows up. The good (GT and VA) or the bad (ND, Pitt, Duke).
For Miami, it’s simple. QB Carson Beck has to play better than he has. He’s thrown for 2,194 yards, with 15 TDs, but he’s thrown 9 INTs. The defense has played well. 24 sacks, 9 INTs, 8 forced fumbles, and 7 fumble recoveries.
Prediction – The Wolfpack are coming off a high. There’s typically a letdown after an upset win. I see that happening here. Give me the Hurricanes to get the much need victory 28-17.
– by Sean McKenzie
Stats courtesy of…..NCAA.
Pictures courtesy of…..wallpapercave, ESPN, and onlineathens.
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