So Michigan suspended Harbaugh for 3 games? That's less than the "negotiated" penalty. Oh well I guess the moral of the story is don't cooperate with the NCAA. Lie to them and schedule all of your non-conference games at the beginning of the season. Hell, the NCAA may never get around to getting to this case at all.
I don't really get this situation. Mich/Harbaugh had agreed to the 4 games, which were all puff games that they should be able to sleep walk through. But it was the NCAA that said whoa..lets back this truck up and review things. Why they did that i have no idea of course. So I guess Mich by going ahead and suspending him for 3 games is rolling the dice that the whole thing will be mitigated by there actions. I think Tenn did something similar and by the time the NCAA got around to finishing up it didn't add much more on to it, at least that's the way I remember it.
Random thoughts on the 2023 season. Will the new coaches at Wisconsin and Nebraska have great first years. Matt Rhule is an experienced coach who has turned around several programs, Temple and Baylor. So he knows what it takes to build a program and he did those without the benefit of NIL and the Portal. What I wonder about Wisconsin is the radical change in offensive philosophy that Fickell is bring with him in Air Raid guru Phil Longo. Barry Alvarez built that program with the power running game and each successive successful Whisky coach had that as their offense. Now it's all gone, and they are going to throw the ball all over he field. Will it work? What if they struggle a bit early, will Wisconsin fans stay with him and say it'll take time or will they throw him under the bus pretty early. Is this Michigans best team since when? They have a great OL, 2 really good RB's and a returning QB who played very well once he took the job last year. Unlike Wisconsin I don't beleive that Harbaugh is going to change anything. Has he flipped the script on the Buckeyes? Before the beatdown in Ann Arbor in 2021 I'll be Michigan fans had to be wondering if they'd ever beat Ohio State again, the Buckeyes were out recruiting them and seemed to be on cruise control in the games, more talent all over the field. But now after two big wins, has the worm turned and we'll see Ryan Day morph into John Cooper? Time will tell. The Michigan schedule sets up for them to face the Buckeyes 11-0. QB's for 2023. Caleb Williams is being described as the College version of Patrick Mahomes, just forward the Heisman Trophy to L.A. First 2 time winner since Archie Griffin. But there are a lot of good QB stories, both Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr resurrected their career's with their transfers last year. They both elected to return rather than go to the NFL, I have a suspicion that they both have really good NIL deals for 2023 that helped convince them to come back for another year. Sam Hartman had a great career at Wake Forrest but he's now at ND, higher profile and an offense that theoretically will help him get NFL notice. It's tough to be the Heisman front runner, Bryce Young was the returning winner and the front runner. He was great, but the team was not as great as he needed them to be. That could happen to Caleb Willaims. I just hope he leaves South Bend in Mid October a little humbled by the beating the Irish put on him! Don't forget that a former #1 5 star QB, has to redeem himself and Texas in Austin. Quinn Ewers left HS early for the NIL$$$, might not have been a wise decision, he was just average last year at Texas. He's reportedly a changed man, lost weight, worked out diligently in the weight room took leadership seriously, got rid of the stupid mullet and beard and doesn't seem to care that Arch Manning makes more NIL than he does. It's do ore die year for Ewers. What about the teams who are the Alpha dogs in roster talent at Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State but will be breaking in new QB's? Some body said you can win the Natty if your QB plays for the Death Star. Otherwise he'd better be Luke freakin' Skywalker if they aren't play for the Death Star. Jake Coker played for the Death Star in 2015, anybody but kp even remember him? How about the 2 QB's who played and won 2 Natty's for LSU 2003 for Saban and I think 2007 for Miles, anybody remember who those guys are? What about A&M, with Jimbo bringing in Bobby Petrino and having been there for more than 5 years he can't fall back on I need time to get "my guys" He's recruited a ton of talent to College Station. How will A&M fans feel about a 9-3 or worse record if that's how the season turns out? He's got a strong contract and it won't be easy to walk away from him. Huge year for Jimbo. Marcus Freeman, if there is a more likeable guy in college football I don't know who that is, OK I'm sure that there are a number of really likable guys who are coaching. But he's very high profile, his first year was ok except he lost to freakin' Marshall and Stanford (who was epically bad last year). He works hard and all, but he's got 3 tough games in Ohio State, USC and Clemson and he has to be competitive in them all and hopefully win maybe 2 but certainly 1 of them or fans will start to like him less. He absolutely can't lose to a team he should beat. The last year of Texas and OU in the B12, I know the $$$ is the key, but I like the expansion of the B12 and I think both OU and Texas would fit great in the new Big 12. But again it's all about the money. I don't think we'll fit as well in the SEC, and it's not because we won't dominate it, I just think that culture wise we are a B12 program. More expansion, what's going to happen to the Pac4, will FSU be able to find something with their lawyers to allow them to bolt from the ACC? If so where will they go? I saw an article that said if FSU breaks the legal entanglements of the ACC, that the Irish are out the door as well to the Big 10. i was looking forward to the 12 team playoff this year but then I found out it doesn't start this eyar...bummer! I'd like to hear other members randon musings about the upcoming season that kicks off this weekend!
Classic Saban on the QB's... "They all got to play," Saban responded. "They all took snaps. They all completed some passes. They all made some throws that weren't as good as they should have been. And they all got sacked. That's what I saw."
They're never leaving that locker room!! Practice? Nah coach it's chill in here, I'll check you later!
What does the visitor’s locker room look like? Players hanging their clothes on nails? Only two toilets without doors? One roll of single ply toilet paper sitting in the floor?
Sounds like we're in the same QB spot as Bama. Two kids going head to head down to the wire with neither separating enough for Day to name a starter. We've been spoiled, had a helluva good run of QBs since Day came to C'bus. Much angst amongst the Buckeye faithful. I'm ambivalent, whichever one he chooses will do fine just getting the ball to the playmakers. We've got a wealth of talent at the skill positions. Deep and talented out wide with Marv and Egbuka returning with of talented depth in the backfield after last years injury filled season. We finished the season -v- UGA with a true FR and a converted LB getting all the carries in the CFP. Success on offense will be based more on the quality of the OL - after losing 3 NFL draft picks, 1 a 1st rounder - than which QB gets the call. I'm optimistic that this may be the year we finally field a defense capable of winning a championship. Return virtually all of our key elements in this Knowles Year 2. More quality depth up front and on the back end and the scheme should be better understood and not as prone to the massive break-downs that cost us the M game and CFP. That's my story and I'm sticking to it anyway.....optimistic they can make a run. M on the road, those pesky Irish on the road in game 4, Fickell's Badgers on the road and PSU at home will be the difference makers.
Good analysis as usual BuckeyeT, personally I would prefer to have the starting QB in place prior to game one. However if the defense has really improved and the offensive line is ready, we should have an interesting approach in the first three games. Like you Notre Dame in South Bend may prove to be a ligitime challenge. Looking forward to another football season!
I feel pretty good that two of my Ohio State friends think our game will be a "difference maker" and a "legitimate challenge". Unfortunately, I don't share their optimism, but it shows that maybe we've earned a scintilla of respect from one of the game's giants.
I'm fairly sure that we're gonna be strong enough to make a run at the CFP. I'm equally sure that the Irish in South Bend will be a dog fight. Haven't seen a legit line but expect a close one
Didn't think this would happen, and not sure what the ACC gets out of it to tell you the truth. But in an even stranger turn of events they are bringing in CAL?Stanford/SMU as partial members. Football, and Mens and Womens Basketball. I don't get why they wanted SMU. In what is now reportedly a done deal, the ACC will add three new teams in the latest seismic conference realignment. According to the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Michael Silver, the Cal Bears, Stanford Cardinal and SMU Mustangs are finalizing deals to join the ACC in football and men’s and women’s basketball.
Rumor has it SMU alums ponied up the money to cover the AD shortfalls that would come with being a partial member if they managed to get into the P5. I guess the Dallas market was attractive to the ACC, although SMU is an afterthought here in sports.
I see that LSU lost a big time DL for their game vs FSU. Nothing specific was stated beyond he received improper benefits. But in today's NIL world how is that even possible? Kids can take money and merchandise, services, free meals, etc ...what could he have taken that wasn't in one of those categories?