NCAA Football 2021

[ImLawBoy]

"Natty" is all over social media. I can't hear the word without thinking of Natural Light "beer".

I think (although I certainly may be wrong) that "tuddy" originated with Penn State fans. It's usage is much more limited.

[Skinypupy]

I hear "natty" all the time. It never gets any less cringe.

"Tuddies" is a new one to me...and I hope I never hear it again.

[Pyperkub]

"Natty" is all over social media. I can't hear the word without thinking of Natural Light "beer".

I think (although I certainly may be wrong) that "tuddy" originated with Penn State fans. It's usage is much more limited.

It's all over the ESPN CFB shows too (Natty). Never heard Tuddy/Tuddles tho.

[Pyperkub]

First of all, can we please retire calling national championships "Nattys"? God, I hate that term. It's almost as bad as calling touchdowns "Tuddies".

Fortunately I have never heard either term and hopefully never will.

Yes, I have never, ever heard either terms. Had never read them until your post. I think you may secretly be working for them!

re: "easy pitch and catch" it has become a staple of former jocks providing color commentary on football for years now. Sometimes I miss the erudition (and bombast) of the premier non-jock color commentator - Howahd Cosell.

Some of the jocks are decent, but most of them are in a bit over their head and fall back on useless aphorisms like this. TBH, it's not an easy job commentating contemporaneously without having a bunch of these canned sayings in your pocket, but that is what separates the good ones from the seatwarmers.

[Scuzz]

"Natty" is all over social media. I can't hear the word without thinking of Natural Light "beer".

I think (although I certainly may be wrong) that "tuddy" originated with Penn State fans. It's usage is much more limited.

It's all over the ESPN CFB shows too (Natty). Never heard Tuddy/Tuddles tho.

Yea, that is a new one to me.

[Skinypupy]

I don't follow recruiting very closely, but thought this was interesting. The #2 overall recruit in this class, a 5* CB, just flipped his commit from Florida State to…Jackson State (Deion Sanders’ FCS program). First time that a 5* has ever gone to an FCS school.

A SIGNING DAY STUNNER!

Top-ranked CB Travis Hunter, ESPN's No. 2 overall player in the class of 2022, has announced on Instagram he will decommit from Florida State and sign with Jackson State and head coach Deion Sanders.

[Scuzz]

You do have to wonder how that might effect his potential future draft status?

[dfs]

You do have to wonder how that might effect his potential future draft status?

Pretty sure the NIL money that he got for signing is gonna make up for any compensation he might lose due to draft status. The denied rumor was that it was a $1.5m deal.

Remember with NIL money a player can stay a year collecting NIL money and then transfer to a school that's got an open route to the CFB playoffs. Things have changed.

[msduncan]

You do have to wonder how that might effect his potential future draft status?

Pretty sure the NIL money that he got for signing is gonna make up for any compensation he might lose due to draft status. The denied rumor was that it was a $1.5m deal.

Remember with NIL money a player can stay a year collecting NIL money and then transfer to a school that's got an open route to the CFB playoffs. Things have changed.

Not necessarily true. If he went to a place that could develop that talent and get the exposure he needs to be first round.... we are talking 10s of millions in guaranteed money. If he slips from the first round at JSU (likely) we could be talking about him missing out on 10 to 15 million dollars. The NIL contract is rumored to be between 1 to 2 million.

[Lassr]

I have to wonder if the coaching by Prime will outweigh playing against top competition and players. If he stays at JSU he's going to have to have an absolute stellar shutdown college career I think to make up for not facing the top players. I think the NIL dollars lit up his eyes and affected his decision now. We'll see if it pays off in a few years. I suspect he'll use the portal for his final year in college.

I'm not happy with the direction of college football, might as well at this point just call it a professional minor league. It was already headed that way but with the portal and NIL it happened faster than I thought possible.

[Skinypupy]

You do have to wonder how that might effect his potential future draft status?

Pretty sure the NIL money that he got for signing is gonna make up for any compensation he might lose due to draft status. The denied rumor was that it was a $1.5m deal.

Remember with NIL money a player can stay a year collecting NIL money and then transfer to a school that's got an open route to the CFB playoffs. Things have changed.

Not necessarily true. If he went to a place that could develop that talent and get the exposure he needs to be first round.... we are talking 10s of millions in guaranteed money. If he slips from the first round at JSU (likely) we could be talking about him missing out on 10 to 15 million dollars. The NIL contract is rumored to be between 1 to 2 million.

There's also the risk/reward factor of taking a guaranteed $1.2 MM now vs. hoping you avoid injury and do actually end up being one of the best in the country for 3 years before going pro and getting $10-15MM.

I don't know his family's situation, but grabbing the $$ while still keeping the opportunity open to go pro in the future could be a very enticing option.

And I agree with Lassr that I kinda hate this is the direction things are going. This unique outlier aside, the rich will simply continue to get richer. Most schools won't have the donor power to pay all their offensive linemen $150K/year like Texas just did.

[Carpet_pissr]

Gotta love East Coast bias.

Says the guy with "NC- that's Northern California" in his sig.

[Carpet_pissr]

I'm not happy with the direction of college football, might as well at this point just call it a professional minor league. It was already headed that way but with the portal and NIL it happened faster than I thought possible.

It's already been a professional minor league for years, IMO - they just finally agreed to let players be compensated (directly and legally).

[Pyperkub]

You do have to wonder how that might effect his potential future draft status?

Pretty sure the NIL money that he got for signing is gonna make up for any compensation he might lose due to draft status. The denied rumor was that it was a $1.5m deal.

Remember with NIL money a player can stay a year collecting NIL money and then transfer to a school that's got an open route to the CFB playoffs. Things have changed.

Not necessarily true. If he went to a place that could develop that talent and get the exposure he needs to be first round.... we are talking 10s of millions in guaranteed money. If he slips from the first round at JSU (likely) we could be talking about him missing out on 10 to 15 million dollars. The NIL contract is rumored to be between 1 to 2 million.

If the greatest CB in the history of the NFL (who also played some WR and on special teams) can't develop his talent, and more importantly, get him the visibility, I'm not sure anyone could, especially the mess at Florida St.

The greatest WR in the history of the NFL went to Mississippi Valley St, after all.

Additionally, multiple FCS (D-II) players have gone top 5 in the past few years. Admittedly they have been QB gambles, but this kid will have plenty of eyes on him and if he's talented enough (and CB is one of those areas where talent is fantastic at making up for technique errors (until it isn't, of course).

[Skinypupy]

I love bowl season. No "marquee matchups", but a bunch of fun games today.

Congrats to Fresno (yay Scuzz!) and Utah State.

Oh, and UAB.

[Scuzz]

I will be rooting for Utah in the Rose Bowl.

[Skinypupy]

Bo Nix to Oregon.



I don't know if this really makes them any better than they are now. From what I've seen, he seems to be in the same mold as their current QB, Anthony Brown. Good runner, but a very inaccurate passer. Maybe you SEC fans will have a better sense of what he brings.

[Lassr]

I don't know if this really makes them any better than they are now. From what I've seen, he seems to be in the same mold as their current QB, Anthony Brown. Good runner, but a very inaccurate passer. Maybe you SEC fans will have a better sense of what he brings.

You summed it up best, good runner, great athletic ability to escape pressure, but passing has always been inaccurate. His best season at Auburn was under the OC that is at Oregon now so maybe he's hoping that will help him. He's Johnny Manziel without the arm.

[Scuzz]

Not much of an upgrade if it is even that.

[ImLawBoy]

Well, COVID seems to be running through the Georgia program at this point, with multiple players and staff testing positive. My understanding of SEC protocol is that if you are vaccinated you don't need to test unless you are symptomatic, and at least one of the players (backup QB) was vaccinated and symptomatic. I'm hoping they weather this and are ready by the Orange Bowl so that both teams are at or near full strength.

Based on something I saw from a Michigan player yesterday, the team is 100% vaccinated and has a team event today for everyone to get boosted. Fingers crossed that they can stay relatively COVID free, but I don't know how realistic that is for any teams at this point.

[Pyperkub]

Well, COVID seems to be running through the Georgia program at this point, with multiple players and staff testing positive. My understanding of SEC protocol is that if you are vaccinated you don't need to test unless you are symptomatic, and at least one of the players (backup QB) was vaccinated and symptomatic. I'm hoping they weather this and are ready by the Orange Bowl so that both teams are at or near full strength.

Based on something I saw from a Michigan player yesterday, the team is 100% vaccinated and has a team event today for everyone to get boosted. Fingers crossed that they can stay relatively COVID free, but I don't know how realistic that is for any teams at this point.

And, of course, with the game on 12/31, they will just be getting symptomatic/contagious from any infections over Christmas...

[ImLawBoy]

Spoiler:

Ross Dellenger
@RossDellenger
Because of a COVID outbreak, Texas A&M is unable to play in the Gator Bowl, sources tell
@SINow
. Aggies don’t have enough available players.

Gator is searching for a replacement bowl team, sources say, but the only way that's possible is if another bowl is impacted.
12:02 PM · Dec 22, 2021·TweetDeck

[Skinypupy]

TAMU just dropped out of the Gator Bowl due to COVID concerns

I’m freaking out that Cali is going to nix fans at the Rose Bowl.

[ImLawBoy]

BAM!

[ImLawBoy]

Word on the street (OK, on the internet) is that 5-7 Rutgers may be taking Texas A&M's place in the Gator Bowl. Huh.

Supposedly Shad Khan (owner of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars and University of Illinois alum) had been pushing for the 5-7 Illini to get in, but Rutgers gets first choice due to APR (academic standing of football players) or something like that.

[LawBeefaroni]

Well, COVID seems to be running through the Georgia program at this point, with multiple players and staff testing positive. My understanding of SEC protocol is that if you are vaccinated you don't need to test unless you are symptomatic, and at least one of the players (backup QB) was vaccinated and symptomatic. I'm hoping they weather this and are ready by the Orange Bowl so that both teams are at or near full strength.

Based on something I saw from a Michigan player yesterday, the team is 100% vaccinated and has a team event today for everyone to get boosted. Fingers crossed that they can stay relatively COVID free, but I don't know how realistic that is for any teams at this point.

And, of course, with the game on 12/31, they will just be getting symptomatic/contagious from any infections over Christmas...

Breakthrough cases are everywhere. When you only test the symptomatic, the implied guidance is to hide your symptoms.

[Pyperkub]

Well, COVID seems to be running through the Georgia program at this point, with multiple players and staff testing positive. My understanding of SEC protocol is that if you are vaccinated you don't need to test unless you are symptomatic, and at least one of the players (backup QB) was vaccinated and symptomatic. I'm hoping they weather this and are ready by the Orange Bowl so that both teams are at or near full strength.

Based on something I saw from a Michigan player yesterday, the team is 100% vaccinated and has a team event today for everyone to get boosted. Fingers crossed that they can stay relatively COVID free, but I don't know how realistic that is for any teams at this point.

And, of course, with the game on 12/31, they will just be getting symptomatic/contagious from any infections over Christmas...

Breakthrough cases are everywhere. When you only test the symptomatic, the implied guidance is to hide your symptoms.

That's not how it will work. Everyone must test negative :

https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news ... olicy.aspx

[Isgrimnur]

CNN

The Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland, featuring Boston College and East Carolina University, will not be played Monday, officials said. Neither will the inaugural Fenway Bowl in Boston between the University of Virginia and Southern Methodist University, which had been set for Wednesday.

The Sun Bowl featuring the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington State Cougars became the third college football bowl game to be called off Sunday. The game was set to be played Friday in El Paso, Texas.
...
The Hawaii Bowl scheduled for Christmas Eve was canceled, as the University of Hawaii withdrew because of Covid-19 issues. Hawaii was scheduled to face the University of Memphis.

On Wednesday, Texas A&M University announced that it would not be able to participate in the Gator Bowl against Wake Forest University on New Year's Eve. Rutgers University will replace Texas A&M in the game.

[Pyperkub]

Miami pulled out of the Sun Bowl too.

[Skinypupy]

If they’re gonna cancel the Rose Bowl, I just hope they do it before I spend 10 hours driving to California.

[msduncan]

Nick Saban held his presser after arriving in Miami.

Bill O'Brien and our OL coach are expected to join the team later this week (having tested positive before Christmas).

No players are in Covid-protocol at this time.


Edit: There was an article just before Christmas imploring Cincy and Georgia to enact Covid protocols like Alabama and Michigan so that the playoffs could proceed without cancellations. This implies that Georgia and Cincy didn't have the same comprehensive plans in place like UA and Mich. Hopefully those teams remain healthy -- I know that UGA had a small outbreak last week.

[Scuzz]

If they’re gonna cancel the Rose Bowl, I just hope they do it before I spend 10 hours driving to California.

With the weather report we are seeing I don’t envy you that drive.

[Pyperkub]

Ohio St. Players skipping the Rose Bowl. I pity them.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... l-vs-utah/

[Scuzz]

Ohio St. Players skipping the Rose Bowl. I pity them.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-footb ... l-vs-utah/

I hate to see it but that is pretty common now.

[dfs]

Ohio St. Players skipping the Rose Bowl. I pity them.

The general opinion in Columbus is that going to the Rose Bowl represents failure for the program and these kids are doing the right thing protecting their draft stock.

FWIW I expect tOSU to come out flat and get pushed around the field. Hope I'm wrong and it's a good game, but I wouldn't count on it.

[Skinypupy]

FWIW I expect tOSU to come out flat and get pushed around the field. Hope I'm wrong and it's a good game, but I wouldn't count on it.

I think this game will depend entirely on tOSU’s mental state. They obviously have the talent advantage over Utah, even though this is probably Utah’s most talented team ever. We just can’t replace 5 star guys with…other 5 star guys.

If tOSU decides they don’t really care, then I think Utah will roll. This is arguably the biggest game in Utah football history, after all. If they come out angry and fired up after the Michigan loss, then Utah’s likely in trouble.

I vote for the former, obviously.

[Skinypupy]

Holiday Bowl just cancelled a few hours before game time. Oof.

[Pyperkub]

Holiday Bowl just cancelled a few hours before game time. Oof.

Sucks. We're actually in San Diego and were just trying to figure out how we were going to get to the game. So much for that.

[Skinypupy]

That sucks man, I’m sorry.

Maybe NC State should hang out in So Cal for a couple days…just in case.

[Pyperkub]

I think I dropped more f-bombs yesterday afternoon than I have all year.

I'm better today.