A View from Big Ben: The new College Football world

[London Vol]

It feels as if I am standing on a hill at The Somme in France in 1916. As dawn arrives the fog from the chaos the day before starts to lift. i then start to see what the landscape looks like and it is a very different landscape from the day before. Well the fog is lifting on the College Football world and we are starting to evaluate what it really looks like going forward. Here are a few of my takes:

The Transfer Portal
Before anybody moralizes, just remember just about everybody agreed that the players should be paid for their participation in a multi Billion $ industry. Now you must also remember that a large number of players have come from an impoverished background and this may be their only chance to make serious money, money they could only dream of, so why would they not transfer to the highest bidder (even for an average player, over multiple years the figures could be in 6 digits) so please keep that in mind when it hurts that a player you like chooses Virginia Tech or Memphis over Tennessee.

Signing HS players and training them up for a couple of years before playing time
This has been a successful technique that the Alabama and Georgia's of this world have used for many years, especially the Big Uglies (sometimes even for 3 years before being unleashed on an unsuspecting world). Well forget that, the Mike Matthews model is clear for all to see, whether he is strong or experienced enough David Sanders will play most if not all of the season otherwise the queue will be around the corner of agents and teams with lucrative offers to prise him away.

JUCO
Another area that the result has yet to be felt is the Pavia ruling, that years in JUCO does not count in the 4 or 5 years eligibility in College Power Football. If I was young enough and Ugly enough (My wife readily agreed to the second point) I would go the JUCO route first, spend 3 years in the S&C and film rooms then I would go to Power 5 football school and get paid for 4 or 5 years (again even for a good 3 * player I would earn in the region of 6 figures).

Only Orange And White
As players will now come and go with the frequency of planes at LaGuardia Airport I remember that I actually support the shirt not the occupant in it. I really liked Cedric Tillman, yet can you tell me how many yards he got at Cleveland this season? thought not, OK lets make it easier, how many TDs did he get? you get my point. This should finally debunk the myth that recruits join Tennessee because of the cool Black and Smoky Gray kits. HOGWASH it is just a trick for you to buy more merchandise. So the tradition that must be protected is the iconic Orange and White uniforms or any combination of the two colors. I was proud to see so much Orange at Ohio State, if the fans were in Smoky Gray tops who would have known. I don`t see Alabama in Purple & Green or Georgia in Sky Blue with Brown stripes. GO BIG ORANGE

I look forward to your comments.

GO VOLS

 

[sami]

Agree 1000% on the uniforms. Iconic programs don't need gimmicks, and to me this is an iconic program.

 

[savannahfan]

L D - Hear is the situation we as find ourselves in. College/amateur sports as we know it are over. COLLEGE SPORTS ARE NOW A TRUE BUSINESS. Be it uniforms, adds on same or fields or before long seats (like high schools, around scoreboards fences, everywhere). Expect before long to see schools requiring contracts with players to protect themselves. Then along with agents, you will now have lawyers. More money leeched away from the players. You see where I am going with this. Not a pretty picture for the future.

 

[imw8n4u]

It feels as if I am standing on a hill at The Somme in France in 1916. As dawn arrives the fog from the chaos the day before starts to lift. i then start to see what the landscape looks like and it is a very different landscape from the day before. Well the fog is lifting on the College Football world and we are starting to evaluate what it really looks like going forward. Here are a few of my takes:

The Transfer Portal
Before anybody moralizes, just remember just about everybody agreed that the players should be paid for their participation in a multi Billion $ industry. Now you must also remember that a large number of players have come from an impoverished background and this may be their only chance to make serious money, money they could only dream of, so why would they not transfer to the highest bidder (even for an average player, over multiple years the figures could be in 6 digits) so please keep that in mind when it hurts that a player you like chooses Virginia Tech or Memphis over Tennessee.

Signing HS players and training them up for a couple of years before playing time
This has been a successful technique that the Alabama and Georgia's of this world have used for many years, especially the Big Uglies (sometimes even for 3 years before being unleashed on an unsuspecting world). Well forget that, the Mike Matthews model is clear for all to see, whether he is strong or experienced enough David Sanders will play most if not all of the season otherwise the queue will be around the corner of agents and teams with lucrative offers to prise him away.

JUCO
Another area that the result has yet to be felt is the Pavia ruling, that years in JUCO does not count in the 4 or 5 years eligibility in College Power Football. If I was young enough and Ugly enough (My wife readily agreed to the second point) I would go the JUCO route first, spend 3 years in the S&C and film rooms then I would go to Power 5 football school and get paid for 4 or 5 years (again even for a good 3 * player I would earn in the region of 6 figures).

Only Orange And White
As players will now come and go with the frequency of planes at LaGuardia Airport I remember that I actually support the shirt not the occupant in it. I really liked Cedric Tillman, yet can you tell me how many yards he got at Cleveland this season? thought not, OK lets make it easier, how many TDs did he get? you get my point. This should finally debunk the myth that recruits join Tennessee because of the cool Black and Smoky Gray kits. HOGWASH it is just a trick for you to buy more merchandise. So the tradition must be protected is the iconic Orange and White uniforms or any combination of there two colors. I was proud to see so much Orange at Ohio State, if the fans were in Smoky Gray tops who would have known. I don`t see Alabama in Purple & Green or Georgia in Sky Blue with Brown stripes. GO BIG ORANGE

I look forward to your comments.

GO VOLS

FYI in dark mode we can't even see most of what you wrote.

 

[vik]

. . . it is just a trick for you to buy more merchandise.

The whole 12-team College Football Playoff is a gimmick, IMHO. There will never be 12 teams that are capable of winning it all. It's just a big TV money grab built off of giving false hope to 6-8 fanbases whose teams have no chance of winning it all.

 

[MemphisVolFan1978]

The whole 12-team College Football Playoff is a gimmick, IMHO. There will never be 12 teams that are capable of winning it all. It's just a big TV money grab built off of giving false hope to 6-8 fanbases whose teams have no chance of winning it all.

And they’re already talking about expanding it further.

 

[chas]

in my thoughts they need to limite the amount of players that cam go into the transfer portal in a given year. because now some teams can be wiped out with so mant transfering.

 

[njvols]

Great post. Agree on all. Gotta continue to adapt to changes, as much as none of us really like them. That being said, the better we adapt, the more I'm "OK" with the changing landscape of CFB. I think we have a ton of things going in our favor...Danny White, CJH, culture in locker room, fan support, amenities, above average NIL, upwards momentum (regardless of OSU outcome), etc. Don't think we can undervalue the impact of Danny White guidance.

Also, besides NIL $, I think one of the biggest factors in retaining talent is top level assistant coaches. I'd guess players want to play for coaches like Rodney Garner who are known developers of talent to get the ultimate payday in NFL. Not sure we are maximizing this opportunity.

 

[Volfan1000]

It feels as if I am standing on a hill at The Somme in France in 1916. As dawn arrives the fog from the chaos the day before starts to lift. i then start to see what the landscape looks like and it is a very different landscape from the day before. Well the fog is lifting on the College Football world and we are starting to evaluate what it really looks like going forward. Here are a few of my takes:

The Transfer Portal
Before anybody moralizes, just remember just about everybody agreed that the players should be paid for their participation in a multi Billion $ industry. Now you must also remember that a large number of players have come from an impoverished background and this may be their only chance to make serious money, money they could only dream of, so why would they not transfer to the highest bidder (even for an average player, over multiple years the figures could be in 6 digits) so please keep that in mind when it hurts that a player you like chooses Virginia Tech or Memphis over Tennessee.

Signing HS players and training them up for a couple of years before playing time
This has been a successful technique that the Alabama and Georgia's of this world have used for many years, especially the Big Uglies (sometimes even for 3 years before being unleashed on an unsuspecting world). Well forget that, the Mike Matthews model is clear for all to see, whether he is strong or experienced enough David Sanders will play most if not all of the season otherwise the queue will be around the corner of agents and teams with lucrative offers to prise him away.

JUCO
Another area that the result has yet to be felt is the Pavia ruling, that years in JUCO does not count in the 4 or 5 years eligibility in College Power Football. If I was young enough and Ugly enough (My wife readily agreed to the second point) I would go the JUCO route first, spend 3 years in the S&C and film rooms then I would go to Power 5 football school and get paid for 4 or 5 years (again even for a good 3 * player I would earn in the region of 6 figures).

Only Orange And White
As players will now come and go with the frequency of planes at LaGuardia Airport I remember that I actually support the shirt not the occupant in it. I really liked Cedric Tillman, yet can you tell me how many yards he got at Cleveland this season? thought not, OK lets make it easier, how many TDs did he get? you get my point. This should finally debunk the myth that recruits join Tennessee because of the cool Black and Smoky Gray kits. HOGWASH it is just a trick for you to buy more merchandise. So the tradition that must be protected is the iconic Orange and White uniforms or any combination of the two colors. I was proud to see so much Orange at Ohio State, if the fans were in Smoky Gray tops who would have known. I don`t see Alabama in Purple & Green or Georgia in Sky Blue with Brown stripes. GO BIG ORANGE

I look forward to your comments.

GO VOLS

I believe that if athletes are given just a 1 time transfer option during their careers, that will limit some of the portal jumping that is happening and this is an excellent thread.

 

[Voltopia]

Only Orange And White
As players will now come and go with the frequency of planes at LaGuardia Airport I remember that I actually support the shirt not the occupant in it.

Yeah but I just can't understand or relate to that. I completely disagree that people are only cheering for the jerseys themselves, and not the occupants.

They don't just put numbers on Neyland's Ring of Honor - they put names. And Tennessee celebrates the players, the young men and women who became legendary by suiting up for Tennessee for their college careers. Cafego and Pickens and Manning and Clausen and Stephens and on and on and on. These aren't just numbers. Any sport, they're not just numbers.

My favorite example of this isn't even from football - but basketball, with our very own Chris Lofton. A lightly-heralded three star recruit who we cheered for four years, watched grow out of the shadow of Buzz Peterson's firing into one of the most respected shooters in college basketball history. We, the fans, went along for that journey, inasmuch as spectating fans can ride along with their team. We rooted for every upset, cheered for every accolade, prayed when his illness was revealed, and celebrated when he was declared recovered. He wasn't just a number, he was a person, and a Volunteer. His story was part of Tennessee's story. And Tennessee was part of his story, too.

Now in today's lansdcape, maybe cheering for numbers is all major college sports have been reduced to. If so, then that's what television money and greed have reduced it to. And both the schools and the people in power, in all fairness, helped them do it. They've happily offered it all up, in exchange for money, or popularity, or whatever else it is they wanted to trade it for. It may very well be that in such a world, cheering for numbers is all fans of major programs can hope to do now.

But it is a shallow and transactional support at best. The legacy and the passion of college sports was built with people. Not numbers. And while I understand people who say "I'm just cheering for the color," I just can't relate to it. Even if that's how it is now.

 

[General Jack]

Only invest as much energy into any given player as you’re willing to lose going forward.

 

[TennEddie]

I always enjoy your posts.
It is a very different game since I began following UT 60 years ago.
And different not necessarily is a good way.
I fully agree with what you said regarding the uniforms.
That is at least one “ tradition “ that should never change.

 

[swampfoxfan]

It feels as if I am standing on a hill at The Somme in France in 1916. As dawn arrives the fog from the chaos the day before starts to lift. i then start to see what the landscape looks like and it is a very different landscape from the day before. Well the fog is lifting on the College Football world and we are starting to evaluate what it really looks like going forward. Here are a few of my takes:

The Transfer Portal
Before anybody moralizes, just remember just about everybody agreed that the players should be paid for their participation in a multi Billion $ industry. Now you must also remember that a large number of players have come from an impoverished background and this may be their only chance to make serious money, money they could only dream of, so why would they not transfer to the highest bidder (even for an average player, over multiple years the figures could be in 6 digits) so please keep that in mind when it hurts that a player you like chooses Virginia Tech or Memphis over Tennessee.

Signing HS players and training them up for a couple of years before playing time
This has been a successful technique that the Alabama and Georgia's of this world have used for many years, especially the Big Uglies (sometimes even for 3 years before being unleashed on an unsuspecting world). Well forget that, the Mike Matthews model is clear for all to see, whether he is strong or experienced enough David Sanders will play most if not all of the season otherwise the queue will be around the corner of agents and teams with lucrative offers to prise him away.

JUCO
Another area that the result has yet to be felt is the Pavia ruling, that years in JUCO does not count in the 4 or 5 years eligibility in College Power Football. If I was young enough and Ugly enough (My wife readily agreed to the second point) I would go the JUCO route first, spend 3 years in the S&C and film rooms then I would go to Power 5 football school and get paid for 4 or 5 years (again even for a good 3 * player I would earn in the region of 6 figures).

Only Orange And White
As players will now come and go with the frequency of planes at LaGuardia Airport I remember that I actually support the shirt not the occupant in it. I really liked Cedric Tillman, yet can you tell me how many yards he got at Cleveland this season? thought not, OK lets make it easier, how many TDs did he get? you get my point. This should finally debunk the myth that recruits join Tennessee because of the cool Black and Smoky Gray kits. HOGWASH it is just a trick for you to buy more merchandise. So the tradition that must be protected is the iconic Orange and White uniforms or any combination of the two colors. I was proud to see so much Orange at Ohio State, if the fans were in Smoky Gray tops who would have known. I don`t see Alabama in Purple & Green or Georgia in Sky Blue with Brown stripes. GO BIG ORANGE

I look forward to your comments.

GO VOLS

Your point on JUCO Is eye opening, and true.

 

[CAVPUT]

The whole 12-team College Football Playoff is a gimmick, IMHO. There will never be 12 teams that are capable of winning it all. It's just a big TV money grab built off of giving false hope to 6-8 fanbases whose teams have no chance of winning it all.

Even worse is learning all the new bowl names. Don't know 'em anymore.

 

[feathersax]

London Vol nails it again. I'm quickly becoming a pessimist about college football, my cynicism at all-time high. I'll always cheer for Tennessee, but transfer portal, N.I.L., conference expansion, pay-for-play, etc are destroying the sport. I'm on the brink of giving up. Happy New Year, mate.

 

[London Vol]

London Vol nails it again. I'm quickly becoming a pessimist about college football, my cynicism at all-time high. I'll always cheer for Tennessee, but transfer portal, N.I.L., conference expansion, pay-for-play, etc are destroying the sport. I'm on the brink of giving up. Happy New Year, mate.

Happy New Year to you my friend. I fully understand your position but don`t lose faith your contributions are one of the reasons why I love coming here.

Players are like people on this planet, Just custodians. things will work out its just gonna need some bright minds to structure things better with rules.

I always enjoy your posts.
It is a very different game since I began following UT 60 years ago.
And different not necessarily is a good way.
I fully agree with what you said regarding the uniforms.
That is at least one “ tradition “ that should never change.

Respect to you Sir

Your point on JUCO Is eye opening, and true.

Thank you

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

L D - Hear is the situation we as find ourselves in. College/amateur sports as we know it are over. COLLEGE SPORTS ARE NOW A TRUE BUSINESS. Be it uniforms, adds on same or fields or before long seats (like high schools, around scoreboards fences, everywhere). Expect before long to see schools requiring contracts with players to protect themselves. Then along with agents, you will now have lawyers. More money leeched away from the players. You see where I am going with this. Not a pretty picture for the future.

Saw an interview where Saban believes individual player / school contracts is the answer to some of the confusion and wild wild west of today's portal world. I also believe this idea is worth exploring and could put some limits on transferring, etc. There would probably be legal challenges but to my knowledge there is no law against 2 parties signing a contract with mutually agreed to terms.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

I believe that if athletes are given just a 1 time transfer option during their careers, that will limit some of the portal jumping that is happening and this is an excellent thread.

That is a federal law violation.

 

[S.C. OrangeMan]

in my thoughts they need to limite the amount of players that cam go into the transfer portal in a given year. because now some teams can be wiped out with so mant transfering.

That is illegal under federal law.

 

[VolFanNC09]

To me the transfer portal should only be open in spring from Feb-May. Opening up in December makes no sense. It forces kids to declare before bowl games. I don’t care about kids transferring, but at least have it done after the football season really ends and before the next season begins.

 

[Delmar]

That is a federal law violation.

What’s the over/under on how many times this will have to be said before people understand it? Hard to believe how many people can’t comprehend it.

 

[savannahfan]

Saw an interview where Saban believes individual player / school contracts is the answer to some of the confusion and wild wild west of today's portal world. I also believe this idea is worth exploring and could put some limits on transferring, etc. There would probably be legal challenges but to my knowledge there is no law against 2 parties signing a contract with mutually agreed to terms.

HEL_!! There will always be legal challenges to everything!! Too many lawyers and in this case sports promoters!!

 

[volfan102455]

It feels as if I am standing on a hill at The Somme in France in 1916. As dawn arrives the fog from the chaos the day before starts to lift. i then start to see what the landscape looks like and it is a very different landscape from the day before. Well the fog is lifting on the College Football world and we are starting to evaluate what it really looks like going forward. Here are a few of my takes:

The Transfer Portal
Before anybody moralizes, just remember just about everybody agreed that the players should be paid for their participation in a multi Billion $ industry. Now you must also remember that a large number of players have come from an impoverished background and this may be their only chance to make serious money, money they could only dream of, so why would they not transfer to the highest bidder (even for an average player, over multiple years the figures could be in 6 digits) so please keep that in mind when it hurts that a player you like chooses Virginia Tech or Memphis over Tennessee.

Players who receive a scholarship and even those that don't have always received benefits for their time at a school. Those benefits if utilized properly can become more life changing than any quick money they can make for 4 years. Most will follow that up with jobs that pay considerably less or find themselves back home working jobs they could have secured with a high school education because there is a very low chance that a player secures a degree when they change schools every year. Some will use it to their advantage, some will make the NFL, but for most it is just quick money for "things" for "show" which will stop once they stop playing. They agent will no longer be interested because there no longer anything of value to sell to anyone.

There is a problem in general in the US where folks believe easy money can change someone's life forever. That is why a lot of folks that win the lottery are broke in a few years even when they win what should be enough money to set them for life.

I have no problem with someone who decides they made a mistake looking elsewhere. But if one really has a longer-term vision of what they want to be post any education they complete, that second decision should be more than about the money or it too will be a bad one.

Right now all that is put out there is the feel-good stories about the transfer portal making it seem like the "thing to do for more money". At some point the reality around the other side will be told about those players, who don't find a new home or take a step back from what they did have to something less.

 

[volfan102455]

Fixing the transfer portal is going to take the schools getting tougher in terms of how they deal with those that enter the portal. If they want this to stop, they need to completely cut ties with the players when the player enters the portal and do not under any circumstance take them back especially for what is perceived as more NIL. Show them to the door like any employer would do to an employee that quits.

It is sad that would be needed because there is probably some of these players that really need to find a place that fits them better - but the entire process is being abused by the chase for money.

 

[strkr]

I believe that if athletes are given just a 1 time transfer option during their careers, that will limit some of the portal jumping that is happening and this is an excellent thread.

That would help with the portal crap.