We have signing day a week away, Notre Dame is changing everything about how they will be perceived and we finally are getting some answers about the playoff committee. The off season is almost upon us, but we will still have some interesting highlights to keep us entertained. I feel ESPN is getting better about helping feed our college football addiction when there is not anything going on.
1) I briefly put a link and thought about Notre Dame signing a new deal with Under Armour last week. I don’t now if people — Notre Dame fans in particular — understand the ramifications of this deal. Switching their uniforms is just one small step of Notre Dame breaking away from their traditional ways and getting up to speed in the college football world.
They said they would never join a conference and now they are pretty much in the ACC. They rarely have ever switched their uniforms, but with Under Armour calling the shots, we can expect different uniform combinations to come out on a weekly basis. Under Armour was already using Maryland to show off their new uniforms and styles. Now with a “big fish” on the line, Under Armour will go all out using the “prestige” of Notre Dame to show their brand off.
This could rub a lot of the old timers the wrong way, but this will help Notre Dame continue toward being relevant again in the college football world. I am imagining a uniform that is clover-camouflaged. Here is an old commercial of how ADIDAS showed off uniform changes. Expect Under Armour to add more bling to their uniform rollout.
2) We have our first general outline of the College Football Playoff and how they will be selecting the teams. My favorite part of this article is this:
*A committee member can be removed by CFP management “in the unlikely scenario where a committee member is unable to meet the obligations that come with serving on the committee.”*
So, basically, this paves way for “The SEC Conspiracy.” They will manipulate anyone who is not making sure the “FINAL FOUR” has at least two SEC teams in it, removing them from the committee. What that part means is, if you do not pick enough SEC teams in the playoffs, then you will be removed.
Just a joke, but I am sure if someone is ever removed the fans, they will cry foul! I hope they continue to release all the details of the committee and make sure the fans are able to see how everything is playing out. Who knows, maybe the fans will get to have a partial vote in it!
3) National Signing Day is a little over a week away and there are still a few of the Top 100 recruits who have not decided yet. This week will probably be the most exciting and stressful week in their lives as top coaches and schools will do (almost) ANYTHING to get them to commit to their school. A good read about how things can get for a recruit would be “THE SYSTEM.”
Behind the scenes recruiting is just ruthless. We all enjoy seeing a top player put on the hat of our favorite college team but none of us will ever truly know what it takes for that moment to happen. I hope more books are written about the “recruiting wars” that go on with prospects.
On a side note, if you look, 38 out of the top 100 recruits are going to SEC schools and I am sure a few of the undecided recruits will also be heading to the SEC. That just shows the relentless effort the SEC puts into recruiting over other conferences. I just think it’s because the SEC pays better! Going to be exciting to see the next generation of players take pen to paper on National Signing Day.
After signing day we will not have much left to hold on to. I think I will start playing my college football video games or watching replays of great games on ESPN. You all do what you have to do to make it to kickoff for 2014! I will do my best to keep you informed of the important events that are going on during this off season, minus all the police reports we will probably be seeing! Until then here are a few football highlights to hold you over:
NATIONAL NEWS:
1. FSU QB to Alabama
2. Wisconsin going all in
3. B1G changing title game?
4. Player shot in South Carolina
5. ACC schedule release and thoughts
Related Articles:
Jeff Hostetler may not have won a Super Bowl with the Giants ( though his uncle of the same name did). He has been an obsessed college football fan living in Florida ever since the Gators beat FSU in the Sugar Bowl to earn the UF’s first national championship.
Ever since Jeff has immersed himself in everything possible related to college football. He enjoys watching, writing, playing, and otherwise obsessing over all things football. A graduate of the University of Florida, he brings a perspective to FishDuck free of our extreme green & yellow homerism glasses to look at the current landscape of collegiate athletics.