NCAA Football, 2014-2015

[alfred russel]

Strong has been keeping his promise the Heard and his HS coaches about giving him a redshirt year (on top of how dumb it would have been to burn it anyway).  There are also two more QBs coming in with Strong talking about wanting to get another one. 

So:  There's a bench.

Two or three true freshman and a redshirt freshman? If we are talking opening day, has a true freshman QB ever been a good option in the first part of a season? It seems Heard or bust.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Two or three true freshman and a redshirt freshman? If we are talking opening day, has a true freshman QB ever been a good option in the first part of a season? It seems Heard or bust.

Unless he brings in a Juco (he's got three coming in already, so he has no problems with that) or Swoopes turns into Peyton Manning over the offseason, that's what it seems like.  The two Fr. are Zach Gentry and Matt Merrick.  I would prefer they got redshirt years as well, no matter how Heard does.

E: The Juco dudes are probably there to replace some of the guys that he cut for being dumbasses.  Two OL and a DL.  Probably wouldn't be too bad to have another QB who has played beyond high school as well, if only for some depth. 

E2:  Valmy, do you know if Espinosa got  Medical redshirt?  Pretty sure he was eligible for one. 

[CountDeMoney]

Oh, Les, Les, Les.  That fake FG attempt cost you.  Your attempt at trickeration fails you.



"LSU loses the game, and that is a tragedy.  But LSU loses the game because Les Miles had no code.  LSU loses the game because Les Miles had no honor, and God was watching."

[grumbler]

Away from the bowl games, on Harbaugh Day comes some amusing advice from a 49ers beat reporter: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article5187357.html

The money quotes:

Congratulations on the purchase of your new Harbaugh! It has been carefully constructed in the Upper Midwest and California for optimum football performance. You are guaranteed to have many memorable moments with your Harbaugh, but it is important to note that it is not designed for use beyond four years.

Here are some tips and guidelines to operating your Harbaugh:

   Your Harbaugh does not function like other head coaches. An innocuous query about the weather, for instance, could trigger a florid quote from Admiral William Halsey. And yet a routine question about a running back's knee injury may cause your Harbaugh to wince, pause and grimace as if a malodorous scent has wafted into the room.... This is normal.

   Your Harbaugh will not alter his attire in a 1,460-day span. This is normal.

   Your Harbaugh will guard his practices like North Korea guards its missile program. He will tell you he's concerned you will inadvertently leak information that will fall into enemy hands. He will say this with a straight face and will tell you that he mines other teams' media reports for that type of information. There will be no evidence, however, that he does this or that it has been helpful. You will conclude he is being overly paranoid. This is normal.

   Your Harbaugh may arrive one day with a chipped tooth, a bent finger or a gash across his forehead. This is normal.

   Your Harbaugh has been programmed for combat and within six months will pick a fight with the biggest, baddest bully on the block. Urban Meyer, you have been warned.

   Your Harbaugh often will double-down on words for emphasis: "A-plus, plus," "erroneous, erroneous," "wonderful, wonderful." This is not a glitch. Do not bring your Harbaugh in for repair. This is normal.

  You will enjoy your Harbaugh, especially at first. Then you will want to kick your Harbaugh in the shins. In the end, you will realize that your Harbaugh is perhaps the most unique operating system ever created and that you have been lucky to have had a chance to experience it. Some assembly required. Ages 18 and up.

[sbr]

 

I am still a bit surprised Harbaugh didn't stay in the NFL, but he is a much better fit in college in my opinion.

He technically has a boss in the AD, but as long as the big money boosters are on his side the head football coach runs the athletic department.  Remeber Gordon Gee being happy Tressel didn't fire him in the middle of the tattoo scandal.

The players can't really revolt in college either.  The coach has all of the power in that relationship, but the players only have to deal with him for 4-5 years tops.  Huge difference between from the NFL where the coach has to deal with grown men, with a much closer power relationship and that could be around and annoyed by the coach for many, many years.

[grumbler]

I am still a bit surprised Harbaugh didn't stay in the NFL, but he is a much better fit in college in my opinion.

He technically has a boss in the AD, but as long as the big money boosters are on his side the head football coach runs the athletic department.  Remeber Gordon Gee being happy Tressel didn't fire him in the middle of the tattoo scandal.

The players can't really revolt in college either.  The coach has all of the power in that relationship, but the players only have to deal with him for 4-5 years tops.  Huge difference between from the NFL where the coach has to deal with grown men, with a much closer power relationship and that could be around and annoyed by the coach for many, many years.

well, as Harbaugh said, this was always his dream job.  And, right now, he wants a stable home to live in for years, after being a nomad for so long.  His coming back to Ann Arbor doesn't surprise me at all.  Remember, he grew up there, and didn't just attend school there.  I grew up there, too, and I can tell you that there hasn't been a week that has gone by in my life that I didn't dream of getting a job there and moving back.  It's a great town.

And, as you say, college is a better match for Jim's overall skills and personality.  I thought he had a great answer to the question about pro v. college coaching:

Given your fiery personality, the way you approach the game, do you feel like you're going to be able to connect better in the college game than in the professional ranks? How do you feel your personality translates to the college game...again?

"I feel like it's the only personality I have. The other ones were all taken! So I got that one.

[CountDeMoney]

This is a good move for Michigan, and for Harbaugh.  And what's good for Michigan is good for the Big 10 and college football.

It will be fun to watch him beat up on Ohio State for a long while.

[katmai]

4 years is long while?

[CountDeMoney]

I can wait.  Nothing better to do.

[sbr]

Michigan may beat Ohio State but I don't think anyone is going to beat up on an Urban Meyer team for am extended time.

[alfred russel]

Michigan may beat Ohio State but I don't think anyone is going to beat up on an Urban Meyer team for am extended time.

Well yeah. If someone starts beating him, he will quit.

[Scipio]

Sweet Jesus, this Ole Miss team is terrible. WTF happened?

[Eddie Teach]

You're getting the Ole Miss that played Arkansas instead of the one that played Alabama.

[derspiess]

I believe TCU is making a statement of some sort.

[alfred russel]

The statement I'm taking away is the invincible SEC West is going to be 1-2 in bowl games.

Overrated?