Spring Ball has started for four Pac-12 teams, Arizona State, Arizona, Stanford, and Cal. Which teams can make the biggest strides to win their division in 2020? Was Arizona defensive coach Demetrice Martin’s move to Colorado a lateral move? What does that say about the state of both programs?
In light of USC AD Mike Bohn’s comments about all possibilities being open for USC becoming an independent, we ask, which Pac-12 teams could survive as an independent?
Larry Scott’s new media rights plan is idiocy. His plan is to wait until the NFL’s rights are divided to see where the Pac-12 conference should go.
The Pac-12 basketball tournament and NCAA tournament are upcoming and may be played with no fans.
We answer your email sent to us at immad@unafraidshow.com.
The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the conference. Join us by becoming a Pac-12 Apostle. Subscribe and share the podcast.
Please leave a review of our podcast on iTunes if you can! We record a podcast once a week during the off-season for football and then from the months of August to January we record two podcasts per week. Our podcasts are always heavy on Pac-12 football but we make it a point to also try and cover the other notable Men’s and Women’s Pac-12 sports. We cover recruiting and any other major storyline in the Pac-12 universe.
Who are the Pac-12 Apostles?
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and long-time NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, and analyst, he is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014. Through years of playing college football, covering bowl games, coaching changes, and scandals, he has a great pulse for the conference and national perspective.
Ralph Amsden is a Wyoming-born sportswriter and podcaster who spends his days tweeting through the misadventures that come with shuttling four kids around the Arizona desert. Ralph is the publisher of Rivals’ ArizonaVarsity.com, the founder of ArizonaSportsCast.com, and was previously the managing editor of the Arizona State Rivals affiliate, DevilsDigest.com. He is also a professional hater of all things pineapple. Whether you’re talking food, movies, music, parenting, politics, sports, television, religion, or zoological factoids, Ralph has questions for you. He might be sub-.500 in spousal disputes and schoolyard fights, but he’s always UNAFRAID to square up.
The Colorado Buffaloes’ 2020 coaching search has ended. Karl Dorrell will be the new head coach of the Buffs. Dorrell signed a five-year, $18 million contract to be CU’s coach.
Dorrell has roots in the Pac-12. He played wide receiver at UCLA from 1983-86 and was UCLA’s head coach from 2003-07. He has had two previous coaching stints at Colorado, from 1991-92 and 1995-98, while CU was a member of the Big Eight and Big 12 Conferences. Between 1995-98, Dorrell was the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator. They went 33-14 in that span and won three bowl games, most notably the Cotton Bowl to end the 1995 season.
Dorrell’s Contract and Assistant Coaching Pool Exceeds Amount Mel Tucker Had
Dorrell’s contract will include a $3.8 million pool for him to hire his assistant coaches, an increase from the $3.155 Mel Tucker had for his assistants.
“My salary pool is tremendous,” Dorrell said Monday at his introductory press conference. “I am very flattered to work with (the $3.8 million) pool.”
Having every extra dollar will help Dorrell. The Pac-12 distributes $33 million to its schools for media rights. This figure is $11 million less than the SEC and $22 million less than the Big Ten. On the national scale, it looks like Dorrell may have an uphill battle on recruiting. The financial difference between the Pac-12 and other conferences creates an imperfect scenario for Dorrell.
“There’s no perfect scenario where you are going to have every resource you need to get the job done,” Dorrell said.
The Pac-12 has athletic programs that struggle financially, and it is due to the lack of support for the institutions themselves. Colorado is stepping in the right direction by providing Karl Dorrell with more resources. However, the Pac-12 as a whole still has a lot of ground to cover to match the resources available to the other Power 5 conferences in college football.
Dorrell Gets Paid, In “For the Long Haul” As Head Coach of Colorado Buffaloes
Dorrell, Lake & Rolovich vs 2019 annual Pac-12 salaries
$4.6M—Shaw, Stan $4.0M—Whittingham, UT $3.6M—Dorrell, CU $3.5M—Kelly, UCLA $3.2M—Helton, SC $3.0M—Lake, UW $3.0M—Rolovich, WSU $2.9M—Wilcox, Cal $2.6M—Cristobal, UO $2.4M—Edwards, ASU $2.0M—Sumlin, UA $1.9M—Smith, OSU https://t.co/fZelzVmSVI
Karl Dorrell’s contract exceeds the likes of Chip Kelly and Mario Cristobal. Dorrell said the coaching the Buffaloes is a “dream job” and that “what (the Buffaloes) do on Saturdays will be a sight to be seen.”
Dorrell stated in his press conference that he was “in for the long haul”, which fans will rally around because of the way Mel Tucker left the program. Because of his Colorado ties, Dorrell wants to see the program become relevant again. He stated that he has a responsibility to “bring the (Colorado football) program to greatness”.
Karl Dorrell Hiring Has Positive Reaction From Colorado Football Greats
The UCLA Bruins made a bowl game in every season (2003-2007) Karl Dorrell was their head coach. Dorrell compiled a 35-27 record at UCLA. The Buffaloes got an experienced head coach, but 2020 will be the first season in 13 years where Dorrell is the head coach of a football team. With the increased pool to hire assistant coaches, Dorrell will have to utilize his resources effectively. He received praise from many Colorado football greats, including Broncos legends Ed McCaffrey and Mike Shanahan. Legendary Buffaloes receiver Michael Westbrook also weighed in on the Dorrell hiring:
Fans Should Feel Positive About Colorado Making a Good, Not Splashy Hire
There has been a generally positive reaction from fans, even though there are always those detractors out there. While Dorrell was not the splashiest hire, he has a track record of winning games as a college football head coach. However, UCLA fans desired more from his tenure. He was able to get his team to bowl games every season, which Colorado would gladly take. The Buffaloes have only one bowl appearance in the past 12 seasons. Fans want to see a winning football team in Boulder, and Dorrell will have a great opportunity to produce.
Fans may have wanted a bigger name, such as Steve Sarkisian, Bret Bielema, or Jim McElwain. However, grand success did not happen for them at USC, Arkansas, and Florida, respectively. Some fans were on the Darrin Chiaverini hype train, but hiring Chev seemed like it would have been too easy to do. With Dorrell, the Buffaloes got a commitment, which is exactly what the Buffaloes need at this point. Dorrell has been successful in both the college and professional game but has learned from the hardships he has had in his coaching career thus far. The Buffaloes wanted to make a good hire, not a splashy hire. They hired Karl Dorrell, who is committed to making the Buffaloes better for the long haul.
The night of Tuesday, February 11, 2020, was supposed to be a typical Tuesday night. The Colorado Buffaloes football team thought their coach, Mel Tucker, was committed to the program. However, in a blink of an eye, Tucker was off to East Lansing, Michigan, to take over as the new head football coach of the Michigan State Spartans.
Mel
Tucker stated his commitment over the weekend to the CU football program. He
was one of the first names to be rumored in Michigan State’s coaching search.
Mark Dantonio resigned on February 4. For the next week, the Buffaloes thought
they were keeping their coach. However, the Michigan State athletic department
then offered Mel Tucker a contract that would have been hard for anyone to
refuse.
A
double salary and more football resources were simply too much to pass up.
Tucker started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State
under Nick Saban. Michigan State has been in the news because of the Larry Nassar
scandal among other controversies surrounding the university. Money talks.
Did The Pac-12 Financial Crisis Play a Part in Mel Tucker’s Exit?
Colorado Buffaloes Fans Have Right to Be Mad About Mel Tucker Leaving
Colorado
fans have every right to feel cheated by Tucker. He reaffirmed his commitment
to the Buffaloes’ program on numerous occasions in the week leading up to his
hiring at MSU. He was spotted at a CU Buff Club donor event with a big smile on
his face. The CU Buff Club has deleted that tweet, however. Tucker had a huge
smile on his face in the picture.
Do not let that smile be deceiving, however. Leaving CU was very hard for Tucker, as he said in his statement when he accepted the Michigan State job. Fans still have every right to be hurt, disappointed, and frustrated because he had given them hope. There were many analogies made on social media for the abrupt way that Tucker left the Buffaloes the night of February 11. Fans and media were both distraught over Tucker leaving.
Recruits Show Commitment to Colorado Buffaloes In Wake of Mel Tucker Leaving
This shock will stick with Colorado Buffaloes fans for a long time, as it should. However, there were many within the recruiting class that affirmed their commitment to the Buffaloes for the upcoming season.
For the outsiders,i did not sign to Colorado for Coach Tuck,I did it for me and my future,to put myself in the best position,of course the ppl are gonna have irrelevant things to say,but don’t speak on a situation you don’t know.I wish Coach Tuck and his family the best,GodsPlan
However, the players from the incoming recruiting class could be released from their national letters of intent. The players cannot just leave though. The school has to release the players from their letters of intent. The Buffaloes will probably grant requests due to the circumstances surrounding potential requests. It will be interesting to see which Buffaloes’ recruits stay and which may transfer.
“No Transfer Portals in the Real World”
Back
in 2019, after safety Aaron Maddox and tight end Darrion Jones entered the
transfer portal and left the CU football program, Tucker made his most
hypocritical claim during his time with the Buffs.
“There
are no transfer portals in the real world,” he said.
Yet, the NCAA is concerned about player transfers and “poaching.” Tucker was under a multi-year contract, and at Colorado for just one year. So, tortious interference with contract is okay, but player transfers are not. Amazing. https://t.co/PGCMmzxhtu
This comment Tucker made completely legitimizes the harsh comments that have been tossed his way in the days following his decision to bolt for East Lansing. He transferred jobs, albeit to a job that was giving him significantly more resources. He bolted something he had committed to for the next five years. While coaches may take better jobs after a few years with a program, Tucker was able to get one after one losing season with the Buffaloes.
Where Do the Colorado Buffaloes Look For Their Next Head Coach?
Rick George, the Buffaloes athletic director, has stated he wants the next head coach to “share his commitment” to the Colorado Buffaloes. With a shared commitment, the common goal of getting CU football back to national relevance could become a reality. One coach that has shown that unwavering commitment is interim head coach Darrin Chiaverini. However, Chiaverini showed his struggles as offensive coordinator when Mike MacIntyre was the head coach in Boulder.
Other
coaches the Buffaloes will look to consider for the job include Kansas City
Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. However, it is tough to see
Bieniemy leave a situation where he has Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback.
There are outside-the-box candidates, such as Jim Leavitt, the Buffaloes’ defensive coordinator during their 10-4 season in 2016, who might get consideration. Could the Buffaloes go as far as interviewing former CSU head coach Jim McElwain? The Buffaloes have not contacted him yet, and the CSU connection may stray the Buffaloes away from potentially hiring him.
The University of Colorado and the Value of Football
When Mel Tucker got his five-year contract with the Buffaloes, it was not unanimously approved by university regents. It is also likely that the next coach’s contract will also not be unanimously approved. While the concerns for football are real, it is a major revenue generator for universities.
Because of these concerns, the question of if Colorado Buffaloes football can become a powerhouse like they were in the 1990s, is a real one. Getting back to that standing is a long, arduous process that a new coach will have to take on. The next coach will have to show an unwavering commitment to the football program. Mel Tucker got Buffaloes fans enthusiastic about the program, and the next coach will have to carry that enthusiasm into the 2020 season and beyond.
USC’s Poor National Signing Day Highlights it’s Pac-12 Football Recruiting
Last Wednesday, National Signing Day came and left. While there wasn’t much Pac-12 football activity, Colorado kept its guy. That is to say, Ashaad Clayton signed with Colorado.
Certainly, the four-star running back out of New Orleans is a great addition. With that signing, Colorado made a big move. It showed its school is doing the work.
So many Pac-12 football programs brought it this offseason. Utah and Arizona State made huge strides. Meanwhile, USC fell. Firstly, USC boasts (if that word can be used) just 13 three-five star recruits for 2020.
Two four-star recruits
11 three-star recruits
In short, their 2020 recruiting is dismal.
When compared to Pac-12 football programs, USC’s 2020 class ranks 10th. Just above Washington State and Arizona. Overall, USC’s distressing 2020 class is outside of the top-50 in college football. Their 55th-ranked class is completely pitiful. Especially considering their 2019 feats:
8 wins, 5 losses
32.5 points per game
Holiday Bowl berth
Breakout true-freshman Kedon Slovis
This was a huge alarm for the Trojans. But thankfully, USC stole Donte Williams away from Oregon.
Unfortunately, cornerbacks coach Donte Williams’ move to USC was not because of football. As seen from his Tweet, it’s a move to his “father’s aging/failing health”. Family first. Respect.
Though is move to USC is family-driven, Williams is still a gift for their program. Prior to this news, USC recruiting was in free-fall. They were 10th in the Pac-12. Barely ahead of Washington State. That’s not acceptable for their program. So, they need to treat Williams as best as they can. During his short time with Oregon, he’s ranked:
5th-best recruiter in Pac-12 in 2019 class
62nd-best in nation
Best recruiter in Pac-12 in 2020 class
7th-best in nation
Understanding that, this move is incredible for USC. They needed him bad. With his recruiting, he’ll become instrumental in their success. Certainly, Williams will be missed in Oregon. But for USC, he’s their savior.
Somehow, Utah leads the way in combine invites for Pac-12 football programs. As a result, their school gained instant respect. Their school-record nine combine invites is great for their program’s recruiting. But, it’s a tough task to replace.
“It is not hard to figure out why we were formidable on defense this past year and why we had statistically one of the best defenses we have ever had at Utah,” said head coach Kyle Whittingham. “It is going to be a big challenge replacing those guys.”
Apart from a lackluster finish, Utah played well in 2019. As a result, they nearly made the College Football Playoffs. Or, at least they were in the discussion. These nine combine invites were a large part of their winning. In other words, it’s a big loss to the program.
Nevertheless, Utah is upping their recruiting game by leading the Pac-12 in combine invites.
Colorado’s Mel Tucker Calms Anxious Fans
Michigan State football coaching search: Luke Fickell, Mel Tucker set to interview https://t.co/K292wXUNUV
Last Tuesday, Mark Dantonio retired after 13 seasons as Michigan State’s head coach. It was reported that Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell and Colorado’s Mel Tucker were those interviewing.
Although it was Tucker’s first season ever as a head coach, no program wants to lose their H.C. Furthermore, no program wants to lose their coach after the coaching carousel already hired the most qualified candidates. Consequently, it’s not the best time to hire.
But, Tucker made sure to raise the spirits of the Colorado program, its players and its fans.
Reportedly, the Arizona State Sundevils are reportedly close to signing Robert Rodriguez as defensive line coach. Because of Jamar Cain’s departure, Rodriguez is a big hire.
Rodriguez just completed his fifth year with the Vikings. During that time, he worked closely with Vikings defensive line coach Andre Patterson. They utilized aggressive schemes for playmakers Daniel Hunter and Everson Griffen. As a result of his NFL experience, Rodriguez is a sound hire. Above all, Rodriguez will be paid to bring defensive pressure.
Unfortunately, Cain left behind more than defensive coaching. Jamar Cain is considered one of the best recruiting coaches. Losing him hurt. But, Rodriguez coached for UTEP from 2008 to 2014. So, at least he does understand how collegiate coaching and recruiting works. Both as a player and a coach.
Postseason play is what makes sports great, especially in the NCAA. However, in college sports playing in the postseason is not a given. The assumed reasons for teams not being eligible for the postseason are not winning or that program broke an NCAA bylaw. NCAA sanctions have cost teams from being eligible for the postseason. However, a program could be ineligible for the postseason if they are not performing up to academic standards. Because of this, the Academic Progress Rate initiative was started by the NCAA.
APR Holds Universities Accountable for Academic Success
The Academic Progress Rate was an initiative that was adopted by the NCAA in 2004. The initiative holds universities to a standard of ensuring academic success for their students. The NCAA’s official site says the initiative “holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term”.
The APR measures student-athletes’ academic progress by three factors:
The student-athlete is receiving financial aid that is athletically related.
By how long the student-athlete stays in school.
What type of grades student-athletes receive.
The APR score is related to specific programs (football, basketball, etc.) within a university’s athletic department. The minimum multi-year score needed for a team to be postseason-eligible is 930. There have been programs who have struggled to obtain this score. A good APR score is 980, with the highest obtainable score being 1,000.
APR’s Requirement for Athlete Retention is an Issue In College Football and Basketball
One of the factors that contributes to a program’s APR score being lower is that there are players that leave school early to go pro, especially in football and basketball. In basketball, a school truly cannot form a “one-and-done” team, in the case of college basketball, because of this rule. The rule impacts how coaches, such as John Calipari and Mike Krzyzewski, recruit. Both Calipari and Krzyzewski are known for recruiting the top high school players, who go pro after one year.
To a lesser degree, the APR initiative also impacts the scores for football teams. Players can leave after they have been in school for three years to play in the NFL. The NCAA may need to amend the initiative, as the cases of players leaving school early in college basketball and football is becoming more common.
UCLA Men’s Basketball Team Able to Become Eligible for 2021 Postseason
On January 22, 2020, it was reported that the UCLA Bruins men’s college basketball team would be eligible for the 2021 postseason. They barely squeaked by the minimum APR score required to be eligible. Being eligible for the postseason is a big deal for first-year coach Mick Cronin. UCLA has been on the downswing as of late, so getting to the postseason is important in the early stages of Cronin’s tenure.
The Bruins currently have a 12-10 (5-4 Pac-12) record this season. They most likely have to win the Pac-12 conference tournament to be considered a threat for the NCAA Tournament. They also are dealing with the transfer of star recruit Shareef O’Neal. The Bruins signed Daishen Nix, a five-star Point Guard and number 20 in the ESPN 300, for next season.
Florida State Football Had Similar Issue in 2019
If Norvell is the HC for FSU, I would like to see him operate as a HC, not as a HC/OC. We saw Jimbo play HC/OC, and other parts of the program suffered, such as academic progress rate. Let your coordinators run their shop. Also, keep at least Briles, Leavitt & Odell.
The Florida State Seminoles football program had a multi-year APR score of 936 in 2019. It was the worst score out of all of the football Power 5 schools. Jimbo Fisher left the program as Willie Taggart took over. This coaching change led to a lot of player turnover within the program. Player turnover hurts a program’s overall APR score.
Willie Taggart was fired by Florida State this past November, and the program hired Mike Norvell. There may be more player turnover because of the new hire, which stresses the importance of Norvell building a culture of accountability at Florida State. The Seminoles cannot afford to have low APR scores. Consequently, the prospect of not being eligible for the postseason may be a real possibility for the program.
The Future of APR
There are multiple factors that go into how the APR is calculated. That has made programs take the threat of not being eligible for the postseason seriously. It will be interesting to see if there are adjustments made to the APR model based on the number of players that choose to leave for professional leagues, most notably the NFL and NBA. There are numerous ways a player views their education, and if athletes start receiving more financial benefits from the NCAA, could there be changes to the APR model? For now, the model has proven effective, as programs have taken it seriously enough to be above the benchmark of 930.
With just one day away from National Signing Day, the Oregon Ducks remain at the top of Pac-12 football. Their 2020 class is highlighted by three five-star recruits:
Justin Flowe, ILB
Noah Sewell, ILB
Dontae Manning, CB
With a 247 Composite score of 256.52, Oregon’s recruiting also ranks 12th in the nation. The Ducks are riding high in their ability to gain quality commits. Oregon is a force and consistently competes. Their staff does an excellent job at scouting, recruiting and developing players.
Not too far behind, Washington’s nine four-star recruits raise them to near-Oregon status. Although they don’t have the five-star recruits the Ducks have, they certainly bolstered their team with an impressive amount of talent.
USC Needs to Make Moves
But, we already know that Washington and Oregon are currently the programs to beat in recruiting power. The big surprise is USC. After ranking 3rd in Pac-12 football and 20th in the nation, they fell hard in 2020. Currently, USC ranks 10th in the Pac-12 Conference and 52nd nationally. If they want to build a team around Sophomore Kedon Slovis, they need to gain 2020 commits.
Stanford Adds Four Games to their BYU Football Series
In the 2020’s, Stanford faces off against BYU six times. Surprisingly, they only have five games against Utah in the same decade. Yes, Utah is in-conference. However, this BYU series is extremely important to Stanford and the Pac-12.
With regard to the Pac-12 football conference, BYU adds a lot of value. Because they are an independent school, programs like Stanford can fill in gaps in the late season with a solid competitor. In the past 15 years, BYU has 13 winning seasons and only one losing season. Additionally, they ranked in the AP-25 polls 8 times, twice in the top-10. It’s a solid football program.
Because Pac-12 football routinely earns little respect from other conferences, regular matchups (and wins) against BYU will help this. Our conference desperately needs appreciation.
Stanford Graduate K.J. Costello Transfers Joins Mike Leach at Mississippi State
Even though Mike Leach departed the Pac-12, he managed to bring grad-transfer, K.J. Costello, with him. In three seasons and 29 games, Costello compiled:
6,151 Passing Yards
49 Touchdowns
18 Interceptions
143.8 Quarterback Rating
62.6-Percent Completion Percentage
It’s a known quantity that Mike Leach’s Air Raid Offense is extremely quarterback friendly. Nabbing a veteran quarterback like Costello is an excellent transfer for Mississippi State’s depth.
Arizona State’s Defensive Line Coach Jamar Cain Departs for Oklahoma
Losing Jamar Cain is a big one for Arizona State. Cain, in just one season with Arizona State, improved them drastically. Most notably, Cain’s recruiting lifted the program higher. He is responsible for recruiting Daniyel Ngata, Elijhah Badger, and Omarr Norman-Lott.
Because of his abilities, he was considered the fifth-best recruiter in the Pac-12. Thankfully for ASU, they at least got one year out of him. But, Arizona State is going to miss him. Great signing for Oklahoma. Big loss for the Sun Devils.
Every year, college football fans travel, host parties and call in sick just to watch the New Year’s Six bowl games. The Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. Each representing a part of college football’s bowl history. But, none hold a candle to the Rose Bowl’s importance and stature among collegiate sports.
The Rose Bowl was the First
From This is B1G:
A little history to get everyone ready for Rose Bowl. This is a photo from first game in 1902. Michigan crushed Stanford 49-0. Game was so one-sided, there wasn't another RB until 1916.
120 years ago, college football had it’s very first post-season game, the “Tournament of the Roses”. Stanford vs Michigan. It was a historic mark on college football. Yet, it still was a premature birth of the bowl-era. Because Michigan thoroughly defeated Stanford 49-0, the next football game wasn’t until 1916 when Washington State beat Brown 14-0. However, from 1916 on, the East-West bowl game has been a staple of college football enthusiasm and greatness.
Transcontinental radio broadcast of a sporting event (1927)
Local telecast of a college football game (1948)
National telecast of a college football game (1952)
Coast-to-coast color telecast of a college football game (1962)
College Football Playoff Semifinal (2015)
Because of its rich history, it’s is the grandfather of all bowl games.
The Pageantry of the Rose Bowl
https://youtu.be/tnKB-AWS91o
Honestly, is there any other event that’s done it like the Tournament of Roses? For over 100 years, they’ve given football fans everything.
It all starts at 8:00am on New Year’s Day with the Rose Parade. Five and a half miles of marching bands, equestrian units, a royal court and delicately-decorated floats. Filling winter’s gloom with flowers and beauty.
“The Rose Parade’s elaborate floats have come a long way since the Tournament’s early days, and the Rose Parade has stayed true to its floral beginnings. Every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark. The most delicate flowers, including roses, are placed in individual vials of water, which are set into the float one by one.”
Obviously, California is the perfect setting for the unimaginable. While countless states deal with winter’s worst each year, Pasadena sits in the 60’s and 70’s. No puffy coats, handwarmers or extra layers are needed for the Golden State. Even more, the backdrop of snow-capped mountains sets it all off. Is there nothing the Rose Bowl can’t offer?
Instead of shivering and trudging through snow, the Rose Parade and the proceeding bowl game breed jealousy from other states. Sunshine, flowers and football on January 1st is pure majesty.
Sponsors Come Second, Not First
Just look at the different bowl games.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
Capitol One Orange Bowl
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual
Do you see the difference? It’s not the Northwestern Mutual Rose Bowl Game. No. Instead, it’s the Rose Bowl Game, presented by Northwestern Mutual. That small difference makes a huge impact. While every other bowl game is led by their sponsors, this one is different. They used their stature to retain their naming rights.
Because of this decision to prioritize the Rose Bowl’s identity, the fame only grew. Even the newest college football fans know the Rose Bowl.
It’s the first of many, the most decorated and its name is the most known. The Rose Bowl is, and will always be, the king of bowl games.
How Can the Pac-12 Leverage the Rose Bowl for Expanding College Football?
A Power 5 AD in New York this week said a specific 8-team playoff model is circulating around the CFB world that would incorporate bowls, including a bowl-sponsored national championship game.
Because of Larry Scott’s failures and the Pac-12’s lack of participation in the College Football Playoffs, something needs to be done. While expanding playoffs is a great idea, Larry Scott still refuses to give up the Rose Bowl.
While the Pac-12 has every right to retain the Rose Bowl, it’s pageantry and history, the Pac-12 is also hurting. It’s the joke of other conferences. For good reason, too. In the College Football Playoff era, just 24 of the 24 participating teams were from the Pac-12. It’s not a good look.
But, if Larry Scott and the Pac-12 conference can leverage the Rose Bowl for playoff expansion, the Pac-12 will rise again. If done correctly, the Pac-12 wouldn’t even be sacrificing the Rose Bowl. Here’s how it can be done.
Offer up the Rose Bowl for College Football Playoffs with an eight-team expansion
If a Pac-12 team makes it into the playoffs, the Pac-12 decides which round (excluding the championship game) the Rose Bowl plays. If a Pac-12 team is in that round, they play.
Because most fans and conferences want each conference to have at least one participant in the eight-team expansion, the Pac-12 would always have rights to the Rose Bowl. If they wanted to risk a larger viewing audience, they could bank on a Pac-12 team advancing in the playoffs. But, if they wanted to play it safe, Larry Scott and the conference could schedule the Rose Bowl in the first round of each college football playoffs.
Either way, they get to offer up the most historic bowl in college football history for playoffs each year. The Pac-12 needs expansion and the Tournament of Roses is the way in.
Kobe Bryant had a profound impact on current and former Pac-12 players and teams. He inspired players like Demar Derozan, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden to play basketball. He and his daughter Gianna had a special relationship with Sabrina Ionescu and the Oregon Basketball team . Kobe gave us the “Mamba Mentality” which is bigger than sports.
UCLA has serious financial issues. They missed balancing the budget by over $18 million in 2019. Can they fix the problem and is USC headed for the same fate?
There are more coaching changes happening that affect Pac-12 football teams.
The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the conference. Join us by becoming a Pac-12 Apostle. Subscribe and share the podcast.
Please leave a review of our podcast on iTunes if you can! We record a podcast once a week during the off-season for football and then from the months of August to January we record two podcasts per week. Our podcasts are always heavy on Pac-12 football but we make it a point to also try and cover the other notable Men’s and Women’s Pac-12 sports. We cover recruiting and any other major storyline in the Pac-12 universe.
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and long-time NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, and analyst, who is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014. Through years of playing college football, covering bowl games, coaching changes, and scandals, he has a great pulse for the conference and national perspective.
Ralph Amsden is a Wyoming-born sportswriter and podcaster who spends his days tweeting through the misadventures that come with shuttling four kids around the Arizona desert. Ralph is the publisher of Rivals’ ArizonaVarsity.com, the founder of ArizonaSportsCast.com, and was previously the managing editor of the Arizona State Rivals affiliate, DevilsDigest.com. He is also a professional hater of all things pineapple. Whether you’re talking food, movies, music, parenting, politics, sports, television, religion, or zoological factoids, Ralph has questions for you. He might be sub-.500 in spousal disputes and schoolyard fights, but he’s always UNAFRAID to square up.
First off, before any other news is commented on, first look at Eric Bean’s 2020 Senior Bowl Review. In it, he goes into great detail on each Pac-12 football player and how they performed. Spoiler alert: they shined!
Multiple Pac-12 Football Programs Vie for Clay Millen
Wanted to thank Oregon State for coming out to watch me throw today, and after a great conversation with @Coach_Lindgren I’m extremely honored to have received an offer from Oregon State University!! #GoBeavspic.twitter.com/JxiVRFJfy0
Because of this promising junior season, the 6-foot-3 quarterback out of Snoqualmie earned 4-star ranks in recruiting.
To Pac-12 football fans, the name Millen might sound familiar. That’s because his older brother Cale Millen plays as a backup quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. Additionally, his father Hugh Millen played for the Washington Huskies and in the NFL for eight years. Because of his size, family ties and breakout junior season, Clay Millen got noticed.
With another year to strut his stuff for Mount Si, Millen is certain to earn more than just Pac-12 football interest. However, we desperately want him to stay in the Pac-12.
Gerald Alexander Leaves Cal, Golden Bears Sign Marcel Yates
#Cal Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander is the new Defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins.
He’s instrumental in making the Cal secondary one of the best in college football. Excellent hire. Young, up and coming coach regarded as a “great defensive mind”.
Losing Gerald Alexander is a huge loss for the Cal Golden Bears. In three seasons as Cal’s defensive backs coach, he was pivotal in their defensive success. Alexander’s defensive backs rose to elite with his excellent coaching and leadership. Per calbears.com, Cal’s 2018 defense was top-ten in the nation in:
Interceptions
Defensive touchdowns
Turnovers gained
Passing yards allowed.
Among those stats, Alexander’s defensive backs accounted for:
17 of 21 interceptions
3 of 5 defensive touchdowns
3 of 7 fumbles recovered
Thankfully, Cal hired Marcel Yates (recently fired Arizona Wildcats defensive coordinator) as defensive backs coach. Somehow, they talked Marcel Yates to be okay with a defensive assistance coach position. Now, the Bears have four coaches with defensive coordinator experience. Justin Wilcox, Tim DeRuyter, Peter Sirmon and Marcel Yates have a combined 41 years of D.C. experience. Well done Cal.
Recall that last week we mentioned that USC eyed Todd Orlando as their 2020 defensive coordinator. Well, now they made it official. However, Trojans need to temper expectations. Orlando is still a very speculative add. His 2019 Longhorns ranked 54th in Football Outsider’s DFEI rankings, almost matching USC’s 57th ranking. His middling 2019 defense got him fired from Texas, but his experience still got him hired for USC.
With 15 years as defensive coordinator, Orlando is known as an aggressive coach with positive influences. Hopefully, 2019 was just a blip on his career and due to the Longhorns defensive injuries. If that’s the case, USC did exceptionally well.
Keep in mind, the Trojans somehow kept Graham Harrell at Offensive Coordinator. With Kedon Slovis and Graham Harrell at the offensive helm, USC football will certainly put up points. Because of this, Orlando’s defense can afford to be risky and aggressive. It could be the perfect fit for a USC team on the rise. Be ready for a surge up the ranks as USC. Pac-12 football’s 2020 champion could very well be USC.
UCLA Athletics Rack up an 18.9-Million Dollar Deficit
#UCLA had been on solid financial footing for decades. No longer. The Bruins are bleeding cash and in need of a massive campus bailout:https://t.co/dN5JN6zCH3
As if UCLA wasn’t already at a low point in Pac-12 football, now they’re running a nearly 20-million dollar deficit. Yikes. Although they generated 108.4-million dollars in revenue, the UCLA Athletics Department ran up 127.3-million dollars in expenses. Because of this, the deficit was covered by an interest-bearing loan from central campus.
For the budget nerds out there, we’d highly recommend you read this work by Jon Wilner of Mercury News. In it, he breaks down the Bruins debt in detail, along with any solutions. The biggest solution seems to be clear for most. UCLA needs to win games.
The recruiting dead period is over, and so is your wait for another edition of the Pac-12 Apostles podcast! In this episode, George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden get into “early offers,” discussing the pros and cons of recruiting kids at a younger and younger age.
Washington State hired Hawaii’s Nick Rolovich, while Oregon and USC made important coordinator hires? George and Ralph evaluate the hires and debate whether UCLA was smart to give its newest position coach responsibilities on both sides of the ball.
The Pac-12 released next year’s football schedule- which teams have the most attractive games, and the hardest road? George and Ralph break down some of their favorite out of conference matchups as well.
And if you thought the Pac-12 Apostles Podcast was only a football show, you were dead wrong. George and Ralph discuss the state of the conference’s basketball teams on both the men’s and women’s side of things, including showing some praise for Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu.
The Pac-12 Apostles is a podcast for fans who love the Pac-12 conference. George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden are committed to the honest and fair conversation about the conference. Join us by becoming a Pac-12 Apostle. Subscribe and share the podcast.
Please leave a review of our podcast on iTunes if you can! We record a podcast once a week during the off-season for football and then from the months of August to January we record two podcasts per week. Our podcasts are always heavy on Pac-12 football but we make it a point to also try and cover the other notable Men’s and Women’s Pac-12 sports. We cover recruiting and any other major storyline in the Pac-12 universe.
George Wrighster is a former Pac-12 and long-time NFL tight end. As a television/radio host, opinionist, and analyst, who is UNAFRAID to speak the truth. Contrary to industry norms he uses, facts, stats, and common sense to win an argument. He has covered college football, basketball, NFL, NBA, MLB since 2014. Through years of playing college football, covering bowl games, coaching changes, and scandals, he has a great pulse for the conference and national perspective.
Ralph Amsden is a Wyoming-born sportswriter and podcaster who spends his days tweeting through the misadventures that come with shuttling four kids around the Arizona desert. Ralph is the publisher of Rivals’ ArizonaVarsity.com, the founder of ArizonaSportsCast.com, and was previously the managing editor of the Arizona State Rivals affiliate, DevilsDigest.com. He is also a professional hater of all things pineapple. Whether you’re talking food, movies, music, parenting, politics, sports, television, religion, or zoological factoids, Ralph has questions for you. He might be sub-.500 in spousal disputes and schoolyard fights, but he’s always UNAFRAID to square up.
