Football is a naturally fast game. Grown men hurtle full speed at each other, colliding with each other and crashing to the ground with the force of a car crash. Passes fly 40 yards for a touchdown in the blink of an eye, the celebrations starting before you even start cheering. In recent years, the game has continued to speed up, with up-tempo, no-huddle offenses becoming the popular new trend in college football. Teams like Oregon, Auburn, and Baylor have used this high-tempo scheme to wear down the opposing defense and put up massive amount of points. For some of the more old-school coaches such as Nick Saban, this faster style of play is not a great fit for the college game. It only makes sense that Saban would be one of the largest supporters of a proposed rule change that would limit the ability for an offense to run at a high-tempo.
Come on guys! Slow it down a bit
This new rule, rightly nicknamed "the Saban Rule" would force an offense to wait until 10 seconds have run off the play clock before snapping the ball. Under the current rules, teams are allowed to snap the ball as soon as the players become set. With the proposed new rule, the defense could would be able to substitute players more easily, taking away the advantage that the offense had by playing quickly. The main argument for this proposed rule change is that it would improve player safety. Saban and other argue that this up-tempo style of play increases the risk of fatigue-related injuries for the defensive players who can't get off of the field in time. The proposed rule will be presented to the Playing Rules Oversight panel on March 6th, so until then, both sides of the argument will be voicing their opinions. The debate as already become heated, as both sides have gone public on their opinions of the opposing arguments and supporters.
It only makes sense that this rule has been nicknamed "the Saban Rule" as he has been pushing for limits to no-huddle offenses for years. It is a well known fact that Saban prefers the old-school "grind it out on the ground" style of offense, one that is slow and methodical. He claims that it is for player safety, but many say these claims are baseless. Many more believe that his motivations for passing this new rule is to help his defense, which has consistently struggled against no-huddle offenses. While the Alabama offense will consistently win them games, their defense has been known for its let downs. If Saban was able to slow down the game, he would give the edge back to his defense, making Alabama a seemingly unbeatable team.
One of the best things about college football is how even the most heavily favored team can be beaten by the underdog on any given Saturday. The high-tempo offense gives a smaller team the ability to play the role of David in taking down Goliath. It would be a great shame to limit the speed of the game. I say let the boys play, even if it is a bit too fast for Saban.
What does it mean to be strong? Does it mean that you are the best athlete, in peak physical condition? Does it mean that you are mentally tough, able to overcome any roadblock with ease? Does it mean that you are a leader, willing to take things head on and help others succeed with you? Does it mean that you are morally strong, always standing up for what he or she believes is just and right? There are only a select few people who embody multiple meanings of strength and this week, the world was introduced to one such person. Late last Sunday, a college football player named Michael Sam came out about his sexuality on national television. This act in itself takes strength, but the fact that Sam could potentially be first current NFL player to be openly gay shows us just how strong of a man he really is.
One of Sam's interviews with the New York Times
This is not the first time that Sam has been in the national spotlight for his football career. Last season at the University of Missouri, Sam was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the SEC for his outstanding play that lead the Tigers to a 12-2 season and a Cotton Bowl Victory. It was at the beginning of that fantastic season that Sam decided to come out to his coaches and teammates. According to Sam, his teammates rallied around and supported him, making him feel like he was truly part of a family. This news, coupled with his stellar college career, has made him a potential target for a number of NFL teams in the upcoming draft. Slated to go somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft, Sam would be able to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL and should make an impact no matter where he goes.
However, as is the case with most stories that break on ESPN, there is a good deal of controversy surrounding Sam's future in the NFL. While the NFL as a whole has backed Sam's decision to come out, there are a number of players who say that they would not be comfortable with having an openly gay teammate. Some argue that the "locker room mentality" that many of the current NFL players have would have to be drastically changed should Sam step become a member of the team, making some players uneasy. Adding fuel to the fire are recent reports about Sam's family life, which is strained to say the least. While he is not the first openly gay athlete in sports, as both NBA free agent Jason Collins and MLS player Robbie Rogers have come out as gay in the past year, it is potentially the first time that a current NFL player has come out. The media spotlight will not only be on Sam, but the team that drafts him as well, with some fearing that it could serve as a distraction.
The NFL has and always will be a sport dominated by male bravado and strength. In this league, only the strongest survive and prosper. For the longest time, being an openly gay man in the locker room would have been seen as weakness. This is no longer the case. From now on, Michael Sam is the strongest man in any locker room. He is physically, mentally, and morally strong, a true leader willing to put the team first. There has already been an outpouring of support for Sam and there are a great number of people who want to see him succeed. Not only will he be a great player, but he will be a fantastic role model, seen as a game changer on and off the field. The road to change is full of adversity and scrutiny. Michael Sam must now travel this path, as strong as ever.
Not the last time we will see Michael Sam's name on the football field
I'm going to be honest here: the off season for college football is an incredibly boring one. Following the Championship Game, there is usually a few days of excitement, with coaches being fired and hired, players transferring schools, and announcements of going pro. Problem is, once you hit the middle part of January, all that news and excitement begins to die down. The focus shifts away from the results of the last season to the preparation for next year. However, there is one day in the cold, dreary month of February where the teams come out from hibernation and put college football back onto the front page of the news. Every first Wednesday of February, thousands of young men and women sign National Letters of Intents to play sports at the collegiate level. For college football, this means an 11 hour televised event of all the major college announcements from the top recruits.
Oh look, 4 more weeks without football
Due to a favorable class schedule and desire to sit aimlessly on my couch for hours on end, I decided to spend my day watching kids decide where the are going to spend the next few years of their lives (read: becoming jealous of the fact that they have accomplished more in their life in 17 or 18 years than I have in 21). So, here are my winners and losers of National Signing Day:
Winners:
1) Alabama
Say what you want about Nick Saban, the man knows how to recruit. For the third year in a row, Alabama has had the top recruiting class in college football, bringing 27 stellar athletes into the program. Of those 27, 19 are in ESPN 300 rankings, which ranks the 300 best high school football players in the current graduating class. What really sets this recruiting class apart is the fact that Alabama was able to strengthen areas that had been weaker last season (read: the secondary and the offensive line). Recruits such as Cameron Robinson and Da'Shawn Hand will make immediate impacts for this Crimson Tide team that ended the 2013 campaign on a sour note. To make things even sweeter, Saban was able to steal a top recruit from a rival (see "Losers" below) Roll Tide!
Some say the Devil wears Crimson
2) USC
Shout out to my professor, Dr. Usher, on this one. This was one of the bigger surprises of signing day, as the Trojans were able to secure 19 recruits on Signing Day, putting them in 14th place in terms of their recruiting class. Hands down the biggest splash of the day came when highly touted Cornerback Adoree' Jackson decided to forgo Alabama and rival UCLA and decided to attend USC next fall. In one of the more bizarre announcements I have ever seen, Jackson surprised the nation and decided join new coach Steve Sarkisian in rebuilding a proud USC program. Other big signings include Damien Mama, the #4 Offensive Guard in the nation, who will help add girth and strength to the line. Even with the scholarship restrictions, USC looks poised to rebuild and reclaim its spot as a dominant program in college football.
Losers:
1) Auburn
While rival Alabama had a field day on Signing Day, Auburn looked as if it never got an invitation. As a whole, the Auburn recruiting class is a solid one, ranked number 8 in the nation. However, the big story of the day was Rashaan Evans' decision to attend rival Alabama. Evans lives in the town of Auburn, Alabama and was widely believed to stay local for the next four years of college. Instead, he jumped ship and left a lot of Auburn fans with a sour taste in their mouths. To make matters worse, it was discovered that prior to Evans' announcement, Auburn had placed him on their athletics page as the poster child of their recruiting class. To make matters even worse, one of their 4-Star recruits was arrested over the weekend for marijuana possession with the intent to sell. Not the best PR for the team. In the end, the 2014 Signing Day will remembered more for what Auburn lost over what they gained.
I would put this down as a social media blunder
2) Oregon
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Over the past few seasons, the Oregon Ducks have been at the peak of college football standings, constantly winning and bringing explosive young talent to Eugene, Oregon. This year however, the Ducks didn't make quite the slash that they were hoping for (see what I did there?). The Ducks came in at 27th place in terms of their recruiting class, with only 2 recruits in the ESPN 300 rankings. With USC making big splash moves, I worry about Oregon's ability to compete at a higher level in the coming seasons.
Conference which had the best day: SEC
7 of the Top 10 recruiting classes are teams within the SEC. Look forward to continued dominance by the SEC.
Conference which had the worst day: Big 12
For a conference that is looking to rebuild, the Big 12 did not do a great job of recruiting top talent this year. No teams in the top 10 recruiting classes and no big name players were signed with Big 12 teams. Sorry Coach Strong, looks like your rebuilding may start next year.
With Signing Day over, we can now all go back to our quiet off season, quietly waiting until spring practice begins. Damn you Punxsutawney Phil.
Let's face it, college football and academics have never seemed to really see eye to eye. Bring up a player's GPA and you will generally get more eye rolls than applause. It is a large generalization and one the is unfair, but it has unfortunately became part of the public's perception of the football player, seeing him as a dumb jock who has an aversion to attending class or doing homework. The media plays the stereotype up as well, with shows such as Blue Mountain State, which is described as "Animal House meets college football" (to be fair, it is a totally accurate description and is hands down one of my favorite shows of all time). With this unflattering image firmly ingrained into the media and public's mind, how can college football promote itself as leaders on the field and in the classroom?
Seriously, I love this show
Earlier this week, Norte Dame took a major step towards creating a happy marriage of football and school with the announcement that it would building a $400 million expansion to its football stadium. What makes this expansion different and interesting is that the expansion includes building 3 academic buildings into the existing stadium. Yes, you heard me right, no need to pinch yourself. Academia and college football will be sharing the same space in one of the most iconic stadiums in the country. These buildings will house classrooms, a career center, a dinning hall, and a new digital media center among other things. Since space is limited at the university, the stadium was determined to be the best location. In return, the new buildings will bring stadium capacity up to 84,000 and will be used as a fan hospitality area during the games. Construction on the new buildings is set to begin within the next two years and should be completed in a little less than three years after that.
Now students can go directly to their classes after the game
Overall, I think that this is not only a great PR move for the university but also is a great decision. Not only does this show Norte Dame's commitment to academics, but it also connects it to its storied football program. Whenever games will be shown on television, the viewers will also see the new classrooms and space devoted to improving student life. Its also a victory for the football program with the additional seating and hospitality center. Best of all, it also the stadium to be used by students and faculty year-round rather than exclusively during home games. Plus, it actually looks better than I imagined. Imagine the views from some of the classrooms on the upper floors (and the students who will be caught staring at said view). I hope this trend catches on at other schools and that football and academics can finally work together. Or, at the very least, they can learn to play well together.
Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna take off. I have a Super Bowl to watch.
This past week, I was asked to answer a simple question in my Social Media course at GW. The question: what is social media? Among some of the answers offered by myself and my classmates, one posted by Michelle Edelman stood out in particular. "Social media gives voice to everyone with access to the internet. This allows us to gain exposure to an abundance of information but also gives those, with not such great things to say, a voice as well." It is the last part of that answer that has stuck with me. We all have that friend who posts things online that should never see the light of day, things that would make any parent or potential future employer squirm in their chairs. Thankfully, these messages are usually limited to the few amount of followers or friends they have online. However, there are a select few who are graced with not only a large online audience, but a lack of a filter as well. Prime example of this group: college football players.
Don't post that photo from Friday night!
Now, I am not saying that all college football players are dangerous on social media. I am currently friends with a number of college athletes via Facebook and Twitter and have never seen a truly cringe worthy post. However, when it comes to social media gaffs, it seems that a few rotten apples (in this case, young men who are oblivious to how their words and actions will affect others) have spoiled social media for the group as a whole. Even worse, when these gems catch the eye of a reader, 11 times out a 10, the post will end up making its way into a sports news report in front of a national audience.
Here is a recent example: Jayru Campbell is a 4-star recruit who had recently received a scholarship to play at Michigan State next year. Michigan State is coming off one of its best seasons in school history, going 13-1 and winning the Rose Bowl. With that success comes intense media focus on the team, including its new recruits. So, when a video of Jayru throwing a school security officer to the floor surfaced earlier this week, the video quickly went viral and made its way onto national newswires. For all we know, this could have been sparked by a set of freak circumstances and we may not be able to see all sides of the story. Maybe Jayru is not completely at fault for the incident. Regardless, in the eyes of the viewers, Jayru comes off as a unstable, emotional young man, one who may not be able to handle all of the pressures of being a starting quarterback and leader of a prominent football program. Comments across the Internet call for Michigan State to revoke Jayru's scholarship. Just goes to show you how quickly one post online, even if you are not the one who posted, can ruin a life.
Unfortunately, Jayru is not the only one who has generated a bad image for himself via social media. As I have mentioned in previous posts, Johnny Manziel has made himself "the bad boy of college football" with his off field antics. Photos of Manziel at a Texas fraternity party or drinking at the bar with his mom have been mercilessly dissected on national news programs including ESPN. While this may look like harmless college fun to some, others have taken note of Manziel's actions. There are some executives in the NFL that have some reservations about adding Manziel to their team this year due in large part to his off field issues. Regardless of his talent, Manziel can't outrun, out pass, or out perform his negative social media image.
So what can we do to help these young men clean up their social media lives? Do we limit their social media use, potentially banning it altogether? While that has been done by other teams, it does seem a little bit Orwellian. One remedy is the growing trend of introducing a "Process" into the lifestyle of the team, one that holds the players accountable for their actions with a zero-tolerance party. It seems that new Texas coach Charlie Strong has begun to install his own version of the Process into the Texas football community. Included in this new vision for the Longhorns includes a list of rules and expectations for all of the players. Included are rules forcing the players to live in athletic dorms, stricter requirements on class participation, and a stronger policy against drugs and alcohol. All of this comes with a zero-tolerance policy. The goal of this program is to not only bring the focus of the team back on playing and winning football games, but to also make the players more well rounded individuals. I can only imagine that as part of this new code of conduct, the social media presence of each player is a keystone issue that needs to be addressed. I am excited to see how well this program functions, both on and offline. I believe that Coach Strong has the ability to bring a well rounded and winning football team to Texas, one that makes noise on the field, but remains silent off the field.
Like I said, not all college football players have this problem with social media. Unfortunately, it is the vocal minority that becomes the face of the majority. So, regardless of whether you are an athlete or just a spectator like myself, be mindful of what you post. And please, don't post those pictures of me taking down the school security officer. I can't afford to let the NFL scouts see that.
Sorry for the long delay between posts, real life has gotten in the way of me posting my offseason football thoughts here. Even though it was only Syllabus Week, aka: the spring break of the classes, I have been swamped with both classwork and work for my new internship. Here I was thinking that second semester of senior year was supposed to be easy....
Well, enough about my life struggles, lets move back onto the field for college football news. I guess I chose the right week to take some time away from here, as there was very little news to report this week. In fact, the only real story in the world of college football left me with more questions than answers. The first question:
1) Who the hell is James Franklin?
A face to a name
After the departure of Bill O'Brien, Penn State tapped Franklin to lead a team that is still attempting to rebuild itself in the post-Paterno era. While O'Brien did lead the team to a 15-9 record over his two year span, there are still a good of amount of rebuilding to be done. This is where James Franklin steps in. After stints at Vanderbilt and Maryland, Franklin steps in to lead a Nittany Lions team that is eager to leave the past behind. The only thing is: no one outside of the SEC really knew Franklin's name prior to his nomination, myself included. This lead me to my second question:
2) How is he qualified to lead this Nittany Lions team?
It is interesting to see such a high profile program hire such a seemingly under the radar coach. They must have had a good reason to look his way. After a quick trip to ESPN, I found two good reasons for Franklin's hire. First, he is a proven winner. In his 3 seasons with Vanderbilt, his teams went a combined 24-15. What makes that stat line even more impressive is that these wins came in the powerhouse that is the SEC. An 11-13 conference record sounds less than fabulous, but when you have to play teams like Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and South Carolina every single year, it makes sense that your win percentage may be a bit low. This year, Franklin inherits a team that was 2nd and 3rd in the Big 10 over the past two years respectively, meaning that he now has a chance. In addition to his ability to win, Franklin is a world-class recruiter. As an assistant coach at Maryland, Franklin was given control of the recruiting process for the entire team. He had the ability to get recruits away from the bigger schools in the SEC and bring them to Vandy during his tenure. His strength in getting young men to buy into his style and the program will be of immense value to Penn State, as the program will still be missing some scholarships as part of the NCAA punishments two years ago. Each recruit becomes that much more valuable and Franklin will have his work cut out for him. With two questions down, the only question I have left in regards to this story is:
3) Is Franklin the right fit?
This one is tricky. While Franklin can win and recruits well, he is not without his fair share of controversy. During his time at Vanderbilt, there were some off field legal issues regarding his players, including to five players being charged with rape last year. While they were dismissed from the team and Franklin was never connected, he was the head coach at the time and has a responsibility to the program to bring in the right kind of people to represent the program and to hold them to a certain standard. This is incredibly important at a school like Penn State, where the program still lives in the shadows of controversy. If Franklin can't control his players, his tenure will be short.
Overall, I don't see Franklin as the future of Penn State. I feel that he will only last three seasons, with at least one major controversy taking place in his time there.
Thanks again for the read. I promise to be better about posting in a more timely manner (aka not a week after the story was first announced). Special shoutout to my new readers from my #SMPASocial class at GWU. Go Colonials!
Welcome to the first edition of Rebecca Black Day, a tradition I am "borrowing" from my previous internship with D.C. United. Nothing makes you feel more alive than listening to a wonderful rendition of her timeless classic when you first wake up on the last day of the work week (read: I just flew in on a red-eye flight from SF and am rather delirious at the moment). To start it off, we are going to go with the original, in all of its glory!
Hmm, why did I suddenly just lose a few readers?
Now that we are ready to either a) get down on Friday or b) find a remedy for the ringing in your ears, it's time to move onto the news coming out of college football this week. Three major stories broke in the days following the end of the BCS (and SEC domination) Era. Our first story takes us down to the heart of Texas, in College Station where....
1) Johnny Manziel announced that he would enter the NFL Draft
In a move that was shocking to absolutely no one, Johnny Football declared that he was done with the whole "college thing" at Texas A&M and was taking his talents down to South Beach the Radio City Music Hall for April's draft. This move comes as no surprise given his off season tensions with the city and the fact that he is consistently ranked as the #2 Quarterback in the draft and slated to go in the Top 10 picks. Guess that means his side market autograph days are truly over now that he will be swimming in money.
What he will be doing as he walks up to the podium
So, what does this mean for college football? Well besides his almost infinite off field antics, Manziel leaves behind a legacy as one of the most entertaining players to watch on the field. Over 7,800 passing yards, 93 combined touchdowns, and and average Adjusted QBR of 88.4. Oh and just a few important awards like the Heisman. His plays will run as highlights on SportsCenter for years. Congrats on your decision, Johnny. The NFL just got an upgrade. I feel for the young Quarterback who has to fill his shoes next year (although he looks like he will fit right in). Speaking off filling shoes in Texas, the new coach of the University of Texas is....
2) Charlie Strong
The search for Mack Brown's replacement is over! And Charlie Strong is just the man to turn the program around. Although "turn around" is a bit of exaggeration. Last year, the Longhorns went 8-5, including an Alamo Bowl lose to a high powered and vastly superior Oregon team. However, for the Longhorns and their fans, its is BCS or bust (well, for next year its College Football Playoffs or bust). In addition, they are losing the recruiting battle in the state of Texas to A&M and TCU, a battle that the University of Texas has always dominated. This is where Charlie Strong come in.
Already in good form with the hand signal
Strong has a proven track record of taking programs from .500 to winning conferences in a short span. When he took over the reigns at Louisville in 2010, he took a team that had been 4-8 in the previous year to 7-6 and a bowl victory. He went out and actively recruited players to come build his program into a national contender at a school known more for its basketball program. With the help of a couple key signings (looking at you Teddy Bridgewater), Strong was able to build up his initial success with an 11-2 and Sugar Bowl winning 2012 season and a 12-1 record this past season. In his four years at Louisville, Strong was 37-15, with a winning record in each season. Even more impressive was the fact that during his tenure, there was an absence of off field issues with his players (the exact opposite Manziel). With his ability to win early, recruit well, and hold his players to a higher standard, Strong is the perfect fit for a young Texas team looking to reclaim the glory days of 2005. Speaking of glory days, the AD of Louisville was probably feeling a bit blue and nostalgic following Strong's departure, so he decided to bring in....
3) Bobby Petrino
You may be asking yourself, "Wait, Bobby Petrino is still coaching college football?" Trust me, this was the first thought that popped into my head when Louisville announced that Petrino would be returning to coach the team. Most people these days seem to forget that Petrino coached the Louisville team from 2003-2006, where he went 41-9 during his first tenure, giving him the best winning percentage of any coaching in Louisville football history. Similar to Strong, he led his team to both and 11 and 12 win season as well as an Orange Bowl victory before heading to the NFL to coach the Falcons. Unfortunately, Petrino is known more for his final days at Arkansas, where he was involved in a horrific motorcycle accident which revealed is extramarital affair with a female staffer. This discovery led the university to fire Petrino, who then went on to coach a forgettable season at Western Kentucky University, going 8-4 and missing out on a bowl game bid.
Hopefully people will remember this Petrino when he begins coaching
So, where does this leave Louisville after they brought Petrino back as their coach? All bad PR aside, they bring back a coach who has not only had a great deal of success, both at Louisville and elsewhere, but a man who has been humbled by his mistakes. Yes, there will be some initial recruiting backlash, as prospects will begin to move away from the program. However, that issue will remedy itself after Petrino leads the Cardinals to another set of successful seasons. For know, Louisville and Petrino must focus their efforts on a young squad who lost Teddy Bridgewater to the draft, a daunting task on its own.
That wraps it up for the major college football news of this week. I'll be taking the weekend off to enjoy my first week back in D.C. (read: sleep the entire weekend as my internal clock is so messed up, I don't even know what year it is). I'll be back on Monday with any breaking news and remember: Don't Rebecca Blackout too hard this weekend.
