As the off season progresses we will have to do two things. One, keep an eye on FSU, because it seems every week they are making headlines for all the wrong and right reasons. Two, Northwestern and their unionization is not going away as quietly as the NCAA would hope for. While all that is going on, we still have some positive things going on this off season.
1) When you are the champs, every move you make will be in the headlines. It seems FSU is all over the news these past few weeks. First they had the positive news about their new locker room. Now, they are making headlines for a player getting into a motorcycle accident — for the second time. You think he would have learned. Here is a clip from the first time:
Then the Jameis Winston rape case is not going away either. It seems now the Feds are going to get involved and look into things … that’s what happens during the off season — people have time to focus on everything else outside of football.
Last, but not least, it seems the Seminoles are going to release a new logo and it was leaked through Wal-Mart! After the logo was released, the fans have spoken, and it is not good. Let’s just say fans are not speaking highly of the new logo. It kind of looks like an old Elvis with war paint! If I was FSU, I would take all the publicity I could get right now. It will work wonders on the recruiting trail.
2) When Penn State hired James Franklin away from Vanderbilt, people were skeptical. I was all on board with his hiring and it now seems to be paying off. Great article about the passion and fire Franklin is bringing back to Happy Valley. He was able to turn Vanderbilt into a winning program … and is working his magic once again at Penn State.
He is recruiting all over the place and making Penn State the “it” destination again despite all the sanctions being for two more years. I think Texas will even look back and wish that he was their go-to guy! A lot of schools looking to make a hiring splash will look back and wish they got Franklin. I am not saying Franklin will lead Penn State to a 12-0 season right off the bat, but he will bring them back to the glory days soon enough. If you can win at Vanderbilt, then you can win anywhere. Enjoy some Penn State highlights while we move along during this off season:
3) So now the College Football Committee has come up with a “recusal” policy. Basically, they want no members of the committee involved when discussing a school they have ties to. If you ask me, it’s probably just a conspiracy for the SEC to handle all the negotiations for the playoffs and make the playoffs SEC dominated. Just kidding, but that is how the college football world probably would look at it.
I do think it is good for a rule such as this to be made, just like the “selection committee” for the March Madness tournament has. You don’t need some committee member in there trying to persuade the others to vote for their school out of personal interest and get them in the playoffs. Just let the most deserving teams be in.
On a side note about the playoffs, I heard they are thinking the PAC-12 could get two teams in this year. Most likely referring to Oregon and Stanford. If that talks is true, then Larry Scott would be very happy — along with Oregon fans — this year. My “predictions” for the first four playoff teams this year: FSU, Oregon, Alabama, and Oklahoma. All teams are more than capable of running the table this year in their conference. So excited to see it all happen this year.
4) We are getting to that point in the off season now where most of the headlines will be about the unionization at Northwestern. This process is going to change the whole landscape of college football. I just hope the NCAA can come to an agreement to put this matter to bed, and let us continue to enjoy the greatest sport on earth!
5) We have some upcoming spring games to look forward to — including Oregon’s Tribute to the Troops on Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m.
NATIONAL NEWS:
1. College football mailbag
2. Oklahoma’s Bell is out
3. Northwestern coach says NO
4. Spring notes
5. Texas A&M upgrading … again
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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.