In Episode 3 of the Pac-12 Apostles Podcast, they deal with George Wrighster’s tweet about Colson Yankoff that sent Washington Huskies fans into a tailspin. They rank the best Pac-12 stadiums and tell everyone what is going on with recruits leaving Pac-12 states for other conferences.
Colson Yankoff is a former QB for Washington who transferred to UCLA. Huskies coach Chris Petersen refused to grant a waiver allowing Yankoff to appeal to the NCAA for immediate eligibility at UCLA. Both Ralph and George hate the hypocrisy in the NCAA system. The NCAA claims the players are student-athletes who need to be protected but regularly treats them like employees. It is ridiculous that coaches can move as they please from school to school, but the players have restrictions. (0:00-11:59)
Good morning to everyone except the University of Washington football program. Blocking Colson Yankoff’s transfer to UCLA is so weak.
He was buried on the depth chart and UW doesn’t play UCLA for two years. Why do millionaire coaches do this to players?
— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) August 7, 2019
Recruiting matters in college football. The teams with the most talent have the best chance to win the CFB Playoff and National Championship. There are 64 recruits in the 2020 class with either 4-5 stars who live in Pac-12 states or neighboring states. With the exception of the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies, the conference is falling behind in the recruiting rankings for the class of 2020. The early signing period is not until December, but the USC Trojans are ranked between 60th and 68th depending on which recruiting site you like. (12:00- 23:41)
The greatest Pac-12 podcat in all the land also ranks the best Pac-12 stadiums from #12 to #1. Will the historic sites get the top spots, or will the stadiums with the biggest home-field advantage prevail? (23:42-End)
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The PAC-12 may not be viewed as the powerhouse that the SEC is, but make no mistake, each year plenty of high-quality talent is selected in the NFL draft out of PAC-12 schools.
It’s too early to tell, but players like Andre Dillard (WSU), Byron Murphy (UW) Marquise Blair (Utah) and Kaleb McGary (UW) all have a chance to make an immediate impact in the NFL after getting drafted last season.
The 2019 college football season is nearly upon us, and once again the PAC-12 has numerous candidates who might hear their name called early on draft day next season.
10 players out of the PAC-12 who have a realistic chance of getting selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Justin Herbert, Quarterback, Oregon
Herbert is not only a near-lock to go in the first round next season – barring an injury – he has a great chance to go No. 1 overall. It was definitely a surprise when the star quarterback elected to return to college for his senior season, coming off a junior year where he threw for 3,151 yards with an excellent 29-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, leading the Ducks to a 9-4 record.
Herbert said he felt he had unfinished business with the Ducks, and he’ll return as an immediate candidate for the Heisman trophy, alongside Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Herbert has been praised for his ball placement, knowledge of the game and his sneaky mobility, although durability concerns and a tendency to stare down receivers could hurt him at the professional level.
Expect Herbert to be the first PAC-12 player selected next year, and possibly the first player overall.
Laviska Shenault, Receiver, Colorado
Laviska Shenault is not only one of the best names in the PAC-12 (more on that later) but he has a real chance to be a top-10 pick in the 2020 NFL draft, particularly if he can build off an incredible junior season.
At Colorado, Shenault hauled in 86 receptions for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns, while also carrying the ball 17 times for 115 yards and five more touchdowns.
Shenault is listed at six-foot-two and 215 pounds, and most scouts think he’ll time out around a 4.40, which gives him an extraordinary blend of size and speed.
He’s still a bit raw as a receiver, but his versatility, size, speed, and instincts make it easy to see him as a future star – and one that should get drafted early in 2020.
Walker Little, Tackle, Stanford
Stanford tackle Walker Little is anything but – standing at six-foot-seven and weighing 317 pounds. He was co-freshman offensive player of the year in the PAC-12 two years ago and was an absolute beast at clearing rushing lanes for Bryce Love of the Cardinal.
Little is already projected as a mid-first round pick, and if he can stay healthy (he’s battled injuries in the past) there’s little reason to assume he won’t find himself as an NFL starter as soon as 2020.
Calvin Throckmorton, Tackle, Oregon
On nearly any other list, Laviska Shenault would be the best name. However, it’s pretty darn hard to beat Oregon tackle Calvin Throckmorton, a name that sounds like it belongs in the Harry Potter universe.
Throckmorton is listed as a tackle, although he has experience as a guard as well – and many analysts believe that is where he will end up in the NFL.
His explosiveness is nearly unparalleled, and his ability to pull and locate blockers makes him an attractive piece to run-heavy NFL squads. He does struggle out in open space however and might be a liability as a pass-blocker.
Throckmorton will have to mitigate some of those concerns if he wants to end up in the first round, but his size, explosiveness, and high football IQ make him a tantalizing prospect entering his fifth season at UO.
Trey Adams, Tackle, Washington
Trey Adams is an absolute unit, standing at six-foot-seven and weighing over 300 pounds. Despite that he has shown good body control as a pass-protector, making him a potential left tackle in the NFL and capable protector of the blindside.
Durability is a big concern here, as the UW star has missed big chunks in each of the last two seasons. He’ll need to be healthy and productive next season if he wants to find himself getting selected in the first round, but he does have the talent to go that high.
Jaylon Johnson, Cornerback, Utah
Jaylon Johnson enters his third season at Utah coming off a sophomore campaign that saw him snag four interceptions, along with 31 solo tackles and two sacks.
Johnson has the near-perfect size for an NFL corner, standing six-foot and weighing 190 pounds. He’s physical and aggressive at the point of contact, making him a great asset against bigger, more physical NFL receivers.
He’s raw, and has some issues in quick throws. But Johnson has the tools and build to be a high-quality defensive back in the NFL. He could find himself getting picked in the first-round of the NFL Draft if he has a strong junior campaign.
Jacob Eason, Quarterback, Washington
The range of outcomes that are possible for new Huskies quarterback Jacob Eason is nearly infinite.
The transfer from Georgia sat out last year but is expected to start for Chris Peterson and company next season. Eason wasn’t bad the one season he started at Georgia, completing 55.1% of his passes for 2,430 yards with a nice 16-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
But after losing his job to Jake Fromm, Eason will have to prove himself in the Pacific Northwest. If he can harness his absolute cannon of an arm, he could easily find himself getting selected by a QB needy team in the first round.
Troy Dye, Linebacker, Oregon
Dye has started for the Ducks over the past three seasons, posting remarkably consistent numbers throughout his career. His 182 solo tackles are already 22nd all-time in the PAC-12, and his 125 assisted tackles rank 16th.
Dye possesses excellent range and instincts as a linebacker, and his size and style of play should mesh well with the current NFL style.
He does have some issues in run protection, often relying on seeing the ball-carrier and chasing them rather than anticipating, but those are things he can learn at the pro level. It would take a step forward from Dye for him to jump into the first round, but as it stands he has a great chance to be a high-quality NFL starter for a long time.
K.J. Costello, Quarterback, Stanford
Scouts, coaches and general managers love their tall quarterbacks. It’s why Paxton Lynch was an NFL Draft first-rounder and Russell Wilson fell into the third – even though Lynch is now fighting for a job backing up Wilson in Seattle.
K.J. Costello stands six-foot-five and weighs a lean 215 pounds, and his size and absolute rocket arm make him an appealing potential first-round target next season.
He led the Cardinal to a 9-4 record by throwing for 3,540 yards with a nice 29-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a solid 65.1% completion percentage.
Costello’s IQ in the pocket is excellent, and he has complete trust in his receivers – often making challenging throws and seeing openings before anyone else can.
He’s a bit limited mobility wise – as most six-foot-five quarterbacks are – but another strong season could vault Costello into the first-round conversation, particularly if multiple quarterback-needy teams emerge. He may end up being a Pac-12 NFL Draft first-rounder.
Christian Rector, EDGE, USC
EDGE defenders were all the rage in the NFL Draft first-round last year, and while the PAC-12 doesn’t have a huge laundry list of elite, draft-eligible pass-rushers in 2019, one who could sneak his way into first-round consideration with a strong campaign is USC’s Christan Rector.
Entering his fifth year with the Trojans, Rector will need to show consistency if he wants to get attention at the top of the NFL Draft. An imposing six-foot-four and 270 pounds, Rector can absolutely wreak havoc off the edge – but too often he disappears for entire games.
His hand placement and use of length have been strengths of his in the past, but he often gets too upright and struggles to fill gaps in the run-game – both traits that he’ll need to improve on in his final season down in Southern California.
George Wrighster and Ralph Amsden return for the second installment of UnafraidShow.com’s Pac-12 Apostles Podcast. In this episode, the guys discuss the critical nature of the 2019 season for the Pac-12 conference, as well as the responsibility of the fans to help keep the conference from becoming irrelevant before the tv deal is up in 2024. The conference is falling financially behind the other power 5 conferences. So, winning a national championship or two before 2024 is paramount to the future of the Pac-12.
One of the biggest potential changes for the upcoming season in the Pac-12 is the proposed 9 am kickoff times for a small selection of games meant to air on Fox. George and Ralph discuss the pros and cons of early kickoffs and debate whether or not there will ultimately benefit from the change (14:00-31:38).
Pac-12 Apostles Podcast North and South Predictions
George and Ralph revealed their preseason predictions for where the Pac-12 North teams will finish. Oregon, Washington, and Stanford have been the class of the Pac-12 for the last decade. But, both of the apostles believe Cal is a well-coached team on the rise. (31:39-1:01:11).,
The media picked Utah to win the conference at Pac-12 Media Day. However, neither George or Ralph picked them to win the south division. The apostles’ predictions for the Pac-12 South teams caused a big disagreement. They could not be further apart on the predictions for the UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, and Arizona QB Khalil Tate. (1:01:12-End).
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Recently, Larry Scott said it was “painful” that the Pac-12 once again missed College Football Playoffs. It’s a regular lament because it seems like the Pac-12 is always left out. Every college football fan, athlete or staffer knows that the Pac-12 is the odd one out. Washington and Oregon are the only teams from the Pac-12 to make it. Just 2 out of 24. Not good for the Pac-12.
So, the idea of expanding the college playoffs or bringing more parity to the selection process sounds perfect. First off, College Football Playoffs are a huge success. It was a long time coming and fans of all programs and divisions love it. With a four-team playoff, rather than selecting just two teams, college football moved to greater competition. From that, it was easier to conclude with the rightful champion.
Now, in its sixth year of success playoffs, the FBS needs to evolve further. For the sake of fans, collegiate programs and football itself.
First off, the easiest way to increase the likelihood of crowning the just champion is to increase the sample size. Honestly, the NFL has 32 teams and still lets 12 into the playoffs. On the other hand, the FBS has 130 football programs (64 from Power-Five conferences) and only selects four. From such an abundant source of talent and diversity, the current four-team playoffs is restrictive.
Considering how slow and/or unwilling college football is to change, it’s best to keep an expansion small. Adjusting College Football Playoffs from four teams to six or eight is ideal. With six teams, the first and second-ranked teams are afforded a bye. Essentially, With eight teams, playoffs would be similar to the NCAA basketball tournament seeding. But, drastically smaller.
With each set up, there would be three rounds of College Football Playoffs. This would work best for multiple reasons. First, as said above, expanding to more teams gives college football a clearer, less controversial champion. Additionally, it would add to revenue. As everyone knows, the NCAA loves money (even though it only pays college athletes more than a 550 dollar gift for bowl participation). So, instead of just three playoff games, there would be five to seven. Fundamentally doubling the amount of big-time matches and viewers.
Does Larry Scott support expansion?
Yes. But also no.
“I completely get that it would really release the pressure of being the one that’s been on the outside looking in the most in the first six years to say that automatically we’ve got our champion [in],” Scott said Thursday. “But we also have agreements through 2026 [the championship game] that I think will be very challenging for us to all agree how we’re going to amend and change.”
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.
However, he’s wrong in his idea. For two major reasons. First and foremost, expanding the playoffs automatically helps the Pac-12. It lowers the risk of a Pac-12 snub. Because the Pac-12 has little leverage in the situation, he can’t ask for more. Additionally, he’s misguided because mandating that each Power-Five conference champion gets in lowers college football parity. What if the overall competition of the ACC or Big Ten was significantly lower than Pac-12, SEC or Big 12? That hurts the playoff picture.
Granted, an eight-team playoff model like Ross Dellenger depicted would be extremely exciting. Five auto-bids, two at-large and one group of five sounds excellent. Nonetheless, greater freedom in selection creates a chance for greater competition.
Larry Scott refuses to give up the Rose Bowl
Also, of note, Larry Scott and the Pac-12 would be protective of the Rose Bowl. Yes, history is on his side. The Rose Bowl and the Pac-12 have over a century of history together. Nonetheless, Scott needs to be willing to change, to adapt and to give in order to gain. Yes, the Rose Bowl means a great deal for Pac-12 fans. It’s a monumental bowl game. With that being said, the audience would grow substantially if the Rose Bowl had greater competition. If the FBS combined the Rose Bowl, college football’s oldest bowl game, with playoffs each year, ratings and excitement would follow.
Yes, Scott and the Pac-12 have every right to be protective of the Rose Bowl. It’s ours. However, in order to increase the chance of a Pac-12 champion, the Pac-12 must be willing to sacrifice it’s most historic safety blanket. Keep in mind, there could also be a happy medium. If a Pac-12 team gets into the playoffs, they could get automatic entry into the Rose Bowl game. And if they missed the six or eight team playoff selection, they would sacrifice the Rose Bowl. It’s a risk, but one the Pac-12 needs to take.
Poll question: Larry Scott said he could be in favor of an 8 team playoff – but the Rose Bowl is "important" to Pac-12 fanbases so they have to protect that asset.
So … What would be more important to you as a Pac-12 fan?
Each Power-Five team has to play at least ten Power-Five opponents
Excluding conference championship games, only Clemson and Oklahoma played nine, regular season, Power-Five opponents. Ohio State chose to play Florida Atlantic, Cincinnati, and the Miami Redhawks. Likewise, LSU scheduled Georgia Southern, Northwestern State, and Utah State. If they played one more Power-Five team, it’s completely possible they would have an additional loss.
In order to make College Football Playoffs, each team selected needs to have at least ten (excluding conference championships) games against Power-Five opponents. If 2018 Notre Dame can do it, any program should be able to.
Reports came out Wednesday evening that the Oregon Ducks would be parting ways with their defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt. Yet, no official statement has been made by the university or Jim Leavitt. He did remove “Oregon LB coach/defensive coordinator” from his Twitter profile. And Bruce Feldman tweeted that Oregon and Jim Leavitt have reached a financial settlement. The biggest questions are why have Leavitt and head coach Mario Cristobal struggled to co-exist, and will he be fired, resign, or will they make up? There had been grumblings of discord within the coaching staff for the quite some time. Apparently, those frustrations have come to a head.
BREAKING: According to multiple sources, Defensive Coordinator Jim Leavitt is moving on from Oregon. Oregon is expected to promote its new DC from within the program. https://t.co/A77MZsP0QN
There are four possibilities in this situation: Oregon fires Leavitt and pays out the rest of his contract, Leavitt resigns, Oregon fires Leavitt for cause, or athletic director Rob Mullens and the rest of the decision makers get the coaches to work out their differences.
It seems unlikely that the Ducks would want to fire Leavitt who is under contract through January 31, 2022, at $1.7 million per year. Technically, that could be done, but that would be a high price to pay to get Leavitt to go away. It also seems extremely unlikely that Leavitt just quits without having another job lined up. He would forfeit the remaining money he is guaranteed. I don’t know one person who would leave that kind of money on the table. If Leavitt did something for Oregon to fire him for cause, we would have heard about it before now. So, that leaves Leavitt and Cristobal kissing and making up as a viable option.
What will the fallout be if Leavitt leaves? Will players enter the transfer portal? Who will be the next defensive coordinator?
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The Washington Huskies are looking to win their first Rose Bowl since 2001. Even though Washington is a 6.5 point underdog against Ohio State, there is a lot on the line for the Huskies and the future of the Pac-12. The conference finished the 2017 bowl season 1-7. So, it is crucial the conference’s best teams win “big games” for the Pac-12 to get serious consideration for the College Football Playoff. The conference is already off to a good start with Oregon, Stanford, and Washington State and all winning. If Washington can add a Rose Bowl victory over Ohio State to that list would go a long way to restoring the Pac-12’s imagine nationally. The Huskies would finish with a top 10 ranking.
Ohio State is talented and should be extremely motivated. The Buckeyes feel slighted by the CFB Playoff committee, and Urban Meyer is coaching his last game. Most people don’t believe the Huskies have a shot. However, there is a recipe for beating the Buckeyes. Washington is talented and physical enough to do the job.
1. Run the Football Effectively
Running the ball effectively is by far the most important key to Washington winning the football game. The strongest part of the Huskies offense this year has been their running game. When they have a 100-yard rusher, they are 5-0 this season. The Huskies have only scored over 28 points four times this season. So it is crucial Washington controls the clock and limit the number of Ohio State offensive possessions. When the Huskies can run the ball effectively with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed, they win. In their losses against Auburn, Oregon, and Cal their running game struggled. The running game opens up their play-action passing game and gives Browning easy reads.
2. Stop the Run
The Huskies defense has been great against the run all season. They only allowed 3.5 yards per carry this season. Ohio State has struggled this season when their running game has been slowed. They only had a 100-yard rusher in five of their 13 games. That type of production along with turnovers led to close games against Nebraska, Maryland, Minnesota, and Penn State. The Buckeyes started to incorporate more quarterback runs toward the end of the season which seemed to open up the lanes for the running backs. So Washington has to account for Haskins in the run game.
3. Browning Be Special
I’m not sure if anyone has been harder on a four-year starter that has broken nearly every Washington passing record than me. Good thing he blocks out the “crowd noise.” Browning has to show up with his best in his final collegiate game. He cannot just be the game manager that we have seen this season. He will have to make some magic happen with his legs as we saw against Utah, UCLA, and Colorado. But, more importantly, he will have to make some big-time throws against one of the most athletic secondaries in the nation. If Browning can finish with a 275-yard game with three total touchdowns, the Huskies will be in business. The Ohio State defense is ranked 67th in the country in scoring defense, so it’s definitely possible.
4. Stop the Screen Game
The one part of Washington’s game that shouldn’t be of concern to Huskies fans is their defense. They are 12th in the nation in total defense and 5th in scoring defense. After the Huskies get some stops, they have to be on alert for screens. When Ohio State’s offense gets stuck or needs a big play, they often look to their screen game. Time and time again this season their wide receivers Parris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon caught screens that broke the game open. Then the Buckeyes try screens to the backs, the nations third-leading tackler Ben Burr-Kirven needs to be ready.
5. Explosive Plays
This key to the game applies for Washington on both sides of the ball. The Huskies defense is one of the nations’ best at limiting explosive plays (30+ yards). However, their offense is one of the worst at generating explosive plays in the passing game. In contrast, the Buckeyes are one of the top teams at generating explosive plays. The defense that does the best job of minimizing explosive plays will win.
While social media tends to rule the athletic landscape, for Jake Browning, it’s just another distraction.
When going into the Rose Bowl, or any major bowl game for that matter, reporters always try and get into the headspace of the athletes. And rightfully so. This is an era of “seen or be seen.” Often times, athletes take to social media to make sure that even when the lights are off, they’re still under the spotlight. But for Washington quarterback Jake Browning, an area discussed at media day was his social media habits, and how they affected his preparation.
All sports figures receive criticism and praise, but something that’s always worth discussing–whether good or bad–is how athletes handle themselves when adversity hits. This is often what separates good coaching from great coaching, and it occurs sooner than people realize.
For Jake Browning, this “culture” occurred in high school.
When asked how Browning learned to dismiss criticism or praise, he said, “It’s something that my high school coach kind of made me do. So it was kind of a habit I already had.” Browning continues, “I think you have to limit the avenues people can reach you. If you’re all over social media and promoting yourself and all that, when you don’t do well, people will be all over you.”
Browning also touched upon the issue that everyone presents when athletes are criticized, “You can say it doesn’t affect you, and you’d be lying, because I’m a pretty reasonable person and people say some unreasonable stuff, and then you want to rip into this guy… that’s some random person you don’t even know. [It] takes energy away from getting ready for the next game.”
Jake Browning says he doesn’t have Twitter. “I think it’s the worst one.” Dovetailing back to his comment on limiting people’s ability to reach you on social media, conditioning yourself to eliminate that level of noise is a virtue few players lack in an era where self-marketing is the only is the only static way athletes can capitalize off their talents when their playing days are over, or when they go to the NFL.
A significant part of player conditioning is in the mental state, and that’s often overlooked. ” I think a lot of average people look at me [and ask], ‘What’s make this guy so special?'” Said Browning. “It’s hard work. I’ve prided myself on doing things that other people aren’t willing to do preparation-wise.”
As for as what Browning has done to prepare beyond what others are doing, he said, “There’s nothing special. Just watching more film and preparing harder, getting the sleep and hydration and all that stuff.” Browning continued by mentioning that taking care of his body is a huge priority, but that his routine isn’t particularly “special,” it’s just more how he spends his time that affects how he feels for practices.
Publicity can certainly influence how a player feels, and Browning mentioned in the Rose Bowl press conference that he feels as though he is a better quarterback than he was a few years ago because it’s just the natural progression. He contributes several things to his improvement, however. “I do a better job not forcing the issue on certain things. Letting a play die. Taking a sack. For me, I’ll kind of scramble around sometimes, and on the pass, I’ll kind of take some bad sacks just trying to make too much happen. Sometimes you’ve got to cut your losses and take the four-yard sack instead of the 15-yard sack.”
For the senior quarterback, those are lessons you learn with time, but without the distractions of social media, it’s allowed Browning an opportunity to focus on his progression in a way that allows him to realize his mistakes without others pointing them out first. It’s, perhaps, a level of accountability that’s become lost on a generation that has grown used to seeing in real-time, praises and criticisms that often filter moods and feelings.
The Pac-12 is called the “Conference of Champions” because it boasts the most national championships in all of college athletics. That statement is true. Yes, it’s nice and fun to win track, volleyball, softball, baseball, and golf championships. But the reality is that college football is king and the Pac-12 conference hasn’t won a national championship since USC in 2004. If the leadership stays on the current course, only God knows when it will happen again. I will examine the problems the conference faces and the steps it needs to take to remedy them. I promise not to even mention the officiating and replay drama.
1. Admit There is a Problem/Speak Up
The first step to recovery is admitting there is a problem. It seems that everyone outside of Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott realizes the Pac-12 is at the beginning stages of a free fall behind the other four power 5 conferences. Public perception, revenue-sharing payout projections, television contracts, officiating, and conference play schedules are all bad.
The Big Ten and Big XII commissioners have been outspoken when they believe their teams have been slighted by the CFB Playoff committee. They are 100% right to do so because the reality is that there is a tremendous imbalance in the schedules which affects rankings. The ACC and SEC play eight conference games while the Pac-12, Big Ten and Big XII all play nine. In contrast, when Pac-12 teams get slighted the conference just takes it in stride and makes no waves. Here was commissioner Larry Scott’s statement about Washington State being left out of the New Years’ Six Bowls:
“Washington State University had a fantastic season, a very strong record, and captured the attention of the nation with their thrilling style of play and remarkable competitiveness in every game. While we are disappointed that they were not selected for a New Year’s Six bowl, we made the case for Washington State to the selection committee through the established communications protocols, and we were aligned in our approach with Washington State in this regard. At the same time, we know that the selection committee has difficult decisions to make, and we respect the committee and its members.”
Does this sound like the statement of anyone who is willing to demand change? Or does this seem like the statement of someone who just takes what they can get? My mom always said the squeaky wheel gets the oil. The Pac-12 is not making enough noise or disruption to cause change. The Big Ten has been left out of the CFB Playoff for three straight years. Their commissioner Jim Delany sees the bias and is now demanding an 8-team playoff. Guess which commissioner is more likely to get something done to help his conference?
2. Fix Pac-12 Network and TV Contracts
The problems with the Pac-12 network are accessibility and revenue generation. Pac-12 fans cannot watch if they have DirectTV or have streaming service providers like Hulu TV or YouTube TV. In the era of cord-cutters, that is a total disaster. The conference doesn’t even have an app on Apple TV or Amazon Fire Stick. To make matters worse, their contract with Uverse was not renewed. If the Pac-12 cannot be seen by most college football fans, the perception of the conference suffers.
The Pac-12 loves to boast that it is the only conference that wholly owns its own network. Fox owns 49% of the Big Ten Network. The SEC and ACC Network are entirely owned by ESPN. Who cares if the Pac-12 owns the entire network if it is not generating the revenue the other conferences do? More revenue means more resources for coaches and recruiting. Better players and coaches lead to more success which comes full circle to more money.
When payments are made for this year, the Pac-12 will be last amongst the Power-5 conferences in distributions to their member schools. Over the next five years, the conference will fall even further behind and won’t even reach $38 million in payouts per school until 2023.
By comparison, the Big Ten is expected to provide payouts to schools this year that exceed $51 million. The SEC is currently at $42 million, and the Big 12 is at $38. Even the Atlantic Coast Conference is expected to pass $40 million after previously ranking last. Each of those conferences future projection increases are larger than the Pac-12.
The Pac-12 has to find a way to generate significantly more revenue in a hurry. The schools and Pac-12 leadership need to do away with the arrogant attitude that the conference can achieve success equal to the Big Ten and SEC on a “lean” budget. Success in football drives the revenue for all conferences. Can the Pac-12 have the success necessary on the football field to warrant a network shelling out big cash to air their games?
Jon Wilner does a great job detailing more about the Pac-12 finances.
3. Poorly Designed Schedules Hurt the Pac-12
Pac-12 football schedules are set with a three-step process. The individual teams set their own non-conference schedules. Those are then sent to a company that builds the conference schedules around those. The athletic directors then view and approve the schedules.
The Pac-12 is already playing at a disadvantage to the SEC and ACC by playing nine conference games. I detail how the amount of conference games dramatically affects rankings here. The conference does not do itself any favors by creating competitive disadvantages during conference play. The SEC schedules its teams for success. Their biggest rivalry games are almost always preceded by a bye week or FCS opponent. The LSU-Alabama, Auburn-Alabama, and Florida-Georgia games are prime examples. And they would never have one team coming off a bye playing a team on a Friday night or in the conference championship. The conference’s most important rivalry games are typically played toward the end of the season for the committee to talk about. The Pac-12 literally does the complete opposite of this.
Oregon-Washington, USC-UCLA, USC-Stanford, and any other combination of those games should be highlighted by the conference. Instead, most of these games are at the beginning of the season in 2019 and will be forgotten by the time the committee decides the top four. Stanford plays three of its most critical Pac-12 games against USC, Oregon, and Washington in the first six weeks of the season without a bye. Washington and Oregon are projected to be some of the best teams in the Pac-12 but have similar situations. How on earth does this make sense?
Imagine if the conference scheduled those games towards the end of the season when those teams are 7-0 or 6-1 like the SEC does. You would have “epic matchups of college football heavyweights.” And the loser would fall minimally in the rankings. The Pac-12 has to be more strategic with scheduling because it drastically impacts perception, rankings, and ability to make the playoff.
USC, UCLA, and Stanford typically put together schedules of 11 Power-5 games which no other teams from any other conference would attempt, especially the SEC. This year Stanford plays ZERO FCS opponents and plays 11 Power-5 teams plus UCF. I applaud these schedules and believe every team in college football should follow suit. However, they do need to include strategically plans bye weeks.
4. Game Times
East Coast Bias is real, but the Pac-12 exacerbates the problem with atrocious start times. “Pac-12 After Dark” is always a trending topic on fall Saturday nights, but it’s a thing that nobody on the east coast or midwest sees. These 10p ET kickoffs mean east coast college football fans would be on their 13th hour of games when they end at 1-2a ET. It is unreasonable to expect that fans and media east of the Mississippi will watch. It does a complete disservice to some of the best teams and players in the nation.
Christian McCaffrey didn’t win the Heisman trophy in 2015 because of “Pac-12 After Dark”. Seven of his games started after 10p ET that season. He had one of the most incredible seasons when broke Barry Sanders single-season NCAA all-purpose yardage record (3250), but didn’t get the hardware.
When rankings and postseason accolades are affected, clearly a change has to be made.
5. Make it Matter More to Fans
Pac-12 fans as a whole are just not engaged and invested at the same level as SEC, Big Ten, and Big 12 fans. As a Pac-12 fan, it is frustrating and sad to admit that. The schools have to find a way to ignite the rabid nature of fans. It is time to do away with the casual kind of fandom. There is no reason that USC and UCLA games are quiet as a church mouse until something good happens. Fans have to live and die with the games. That is the only way to get respect from the rest of the nation.
The Pac-12 has some of the best football in all of college football, but until these things are fixed, it will continue to be underappreciated.
It is abundantly clear that many schools do not make good decisions when it comes to deciding whether to retain or fire their head coaches. So I am here to help. I have come up with a simple, absolutely genius, and foolproof Coaching Test to determine whether or not your head coach needs to be fired.
Thanks to social media, fans, and boosters that scream about wanting their coaches fired are now heard. More often than not get their wish granted. As of November 29th, there have been 12 FBS head coaching jobs that have come open. None of these coaching changes were unexpected, but sometimes coaches are fired prematurely. Often, coaches are on an extremely short leash and are expected to win now despite the dysfunction they inherited. Fans and boosters want Clay Helton, and Gus Malzahn fired at USC and Auburn. But should they be gone as well?
2019 Coaching Changes
With some coaches having large buyouts, there are obvious financial ramifications to firing a head coach. In addition to financial ramifications of firing the coach, there is often a lot of uncertainty when you don’t know who the next head coach is going to be. Many fan bases that have called for their coaches to be fired are learning a hard lesson. You may get your wish with your coach being fired, but your new coach may be from the “scratch and dent bin.” There are good coaches in the scratch and dent bin, but they aren’t perfect and have some unsuccessful times in their history. But you got what you wanted, a new coach. Take Kliff Kingsbury for example. After Texas Tech fired him, his phone started ringing off the hook with job opportunities. Tell me if you think Kingsbury should have been fired after you take the test.
Unafraid Show Coaching Test
Every head coach needs to be reevaluated every season. It does not matter whether the coach went undefeated and won the championship or went defeated and zero games. You only need to answer two questions two know whether your coach needs to be fired or not.
Number one:
Is there a coach that is guaranteed to take your job that is better than your current coach? Example: James Franklin is the head coach at Penn State. He seems to be doing a good job, but anyone clearly would fire him if Dabo Swinney or Nick Saban would replace him. Often coaches are fired, and the schools have no clue who will replace him.
I believe that is part of the reason USC did not fire Clay Helton. How many established, and winning head coaches would be willing to leave a successful program to go to USC. Coaches are more often valuing the stability at a top 11-25 job rather than jumping at the chance to coach a top 10 team.
Number Two:
Is there still hope? Can your current coach go into the living rooms of 17-21-year-old kids and sell them and their parents on the fact that the future of your program is brighter than the past? Can you make them buy in, believe, and go all in with you?
If you can’t answer both of these questions in the affirmative, then you need a head coaching change. The Unafraid Coaching Test is a simple and foolproof test. If Athletic Directors and administrators answered these two simple questions every season, they wouldn’t consistently mess up their programs. This method of determining whether to keep or fire your coach is an easy explanation to the boosters and other influential people around your program. It will keep the waters from being muddied by people with personal agendas and faulty reasoning. When Athletic Directors and administrations listen to the mob of angry fans, they mess up their programs by firing a coach too prematurely, or they rely on their gut/pride and keep the coach too long.
The angry mob of fans and boosters change their minds like the wind; their opinions cannot be trusted in the short term. Think about this. Last year Florida State fans couldn’t wait to get Jimbo Fisher out and Willie Taggart in. Now, they would happily take Jimbo back. Texas fans were unsure about Tom Herman’s prospects as head coach. Now the Longhorns fanbase is smiling.
Here are a couple of common questions I got when I explained this on #UnafraidShow:
What if the coach is winning, but he can’t recruit?
If your coach can’t recruit, then he can’t win long term. If he can’t win, there will be a loss of hope. When the loss of hope happens, fire your coach. Don’t fire a winning coach!
What if the coach recruits well, constantly goes 8-5 or 9-4, and can never get you “over the hump”?
This is clearly referring to Kevin Sumlin at Texas A &M last year. TAMU was able to get Jimbo Fisher who has won a national championship. So, firing Sumlin was a good move. If they had missed on Jimbo, the Aggies would have ROYALLY screwed up. A coach who recruits well and consistently stays in those win totals is really close to breaking through. If you miss on the big fish, you will wish for him back two years from now.
Next time you get into a discussion about whether or not the coach of your favorite team needs to be fired refer to the Unafraid Coaching Test.
Former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury could be headed to Los Angeles as the USC Trojans’ offensive coordinator, but other teams could also be in the mix.
When former Texas Tech head football coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired following the Red Raiders’ loss against Baylor to close the season, it was pretty much guaranteed he would not be returning to Lubbock as its head coach in 2019. The following day, in a somber tone, Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt made the official announcement, and shortly thereafter, rumors of Kliff Kingsbury sightings in Los Angeles started to emerge. What’s more interesting is that despite the up and down news cycle in the past five days, there have been no other rumored sightings of Kingsbury elsewhere.
A USC Annenberg Associate Professor of Professional Practices, Jeff Fellenzer dropped this bomb on Twitter earlier today:
From one of my @USCAnnenberg student-athletes: “Can confirm that Kliff Kingsbury is on campus today. He came through the weight room with Clay Helton while I was working out early this morning.”
This source has been wrong in the past, and in any event, we should always take caution when news breaks, especially if it’s not a primary source or corroborated by secondary outlets. Moreover, While the NFL season is still ongoing, according to many sources, Kingsbury has “firm offers” from several NFL teams, and NFL analysts such as Ian Rappoport have cautioned against any conclusive moves involving USC and Kingsbury.
In a Tweet by Bruce Feldman, Kingsbury’s agent said this in response to the news, “Pump the brakes on the Kliff Kingsbury to USC talk. His agent Erik Burkhardt just told me. ‘It’s premature to say that any decision (by Kliff) has been made.'” This could mean a number of things. It could very well mean that the in-principle deal outlets are reporting as factual are not true, or parties are still negotiating. It could also be a method agents employ when they want to drum up more leverage, considering Kingsbury will take a pay cut by going from making just north of $3 million a year at Texas Tech, to somewhere in the ballpark of $1.5 million. When former USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin was signed to an extension this past February, the details of his contract weren’t disclosed, but considering USC just wiped most of its staff, I’m sure Kingsbury and Burkhardt are being very meticulous about this.
Regardless of if or when terms are met, it’s important for USC to find its next coaching staff, especially with early National Signing Day on December 19.
We’ll be sure to update this as more information becomes available.
