Tag: Auburn

Gus Malzahn to continue calling plays in Outback Bowl

Gus Malzahn said that he will continue play-calling duties on Jan. 1 when the Tigers meet up with the Golden Gophers Malzahn will be calling the plays while Chad Morris assist him Morris was hired by the Tigers as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Tuesday Malzahn will be entering his eighth season as the head man of the Tigers and is extremely happy to have Morris on staff

Gus Malzahn said that he will continue play-calling duties on Jan. 1 when the Tigers meet up with the Golden Gophers Malzahn will be calling the plays while Chad Morris assist him Morris was hired by the Tigers as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Tuesday Malzahn will be entering his eighth season as the head man of the Tigers and is extremely happy to have Morris on staff

College Football Playoff Expansion: Would you Want It?

What does nobody have a logical complaint about this year though yet is still complained about regularly?
The College Football Playoff and how it needs expanded.

It’s that time of year that there are no major college football games to react to for a couple weeks aside from Army/Navy so in the tradition of the internet we’re left with a lot of venting of frustrations.

Some people are mad their coach is still around (Looking at you, USC…).

Some people are mad about the inferior bowl game their team got selected to (what’s up Fighting Irish fans?).

And others are mad about recruits flipping commitments and instead choosing a rival (Hey, Auburn!).

What does nobody have a logical complaint about this year though yet is still complained about regularly?

The College Football Playoff and how it needs expanded.

Each time I look on Twitter (I swear if it wasn’t for work I’d drop it and Facebook faster than Braden Lenzy could run past a Navy defender) it’s as if another “New and Improved” playoff format is being proposed.

Ross does great work and I have no doubt these talks have been had. I only have one question about it though:

Why?

This year’s playoff was perfect. Do we really need to see a two-loss Oregon team get added for winning the Pac-12? Does Baylor deserve in because they lost close twice to Oklahoma? Should LSU have to beat Alabama or Georgia a second time to prove they’re title worthy?

The answer to all of these is an emphatic “NO!”.

The ideas to include even more – 12 or 16 squads?

Ridiculous.

Who in their right might mind wants to see three-loss Auburn, Wisconsin, Michigan or Notre Dame get a shot?

They’re all in the top 16.

I like the idea of the regular season mattering in a big way. Rewarding good but great teams for good but not great play takes away the importance.

LSU versus Alabama was great a month ago but you know why? Because it was essentially an elimination game for the CFP.

I get the lack of excitement over heading to the Camping World Bowl but would you rather see an undeserving Notre Dame team get a playoff chance and get smoked by LSU?

I don’t see the point of that.

Because they come close to earning it and LSU shouldn’t have to beat yet another top 25 team and risk another week of injuries since its football after-all, to try to win a title.

Expansion to six teams could make sense in my eyes because it protects against the extremely unlikely chance that all five Power Five Conference champs end a season unbeaten yet one gets left out.

Beyond that is simply rewarding good, not great and I couldn’t be more against it.

Amway Coaches Poll: Notre Dame Holds Still

Stack resumes and you can easily make the case that Notre Dame is worthy of a top-10, perhaps top-seven spot.

The final regular season Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA Today is out and if it offers any hint of how the College Playoff Committee will see things, they’ll fall exactly in line with what we thought they’d be last night.

Here is the latest Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA Today:

1. LSU

2. Ohio State

3. Clemson

4. Oklahoma

5. Georgia

6. Oregon

7. Florida

8. Baylor

9. Alabama

10. Utah

11. Wisconsin

12. Penn State

13. Auburn

14. Notre Dame

15. Memphis

16. Minnesota

17. Michigan

18. Boise State

19. Iowa

20. Appalachian State

21. Navy

22. Cincinnati

23. USC

24. Air Force

25. Virginia

Stack resumes and you can easily make the case that Notre Dame is worthy of a top-10, perhaps top-seven spot.

However you could also make a case (not saying it’d be correct) that they could be a few slots lower as well.

College Football Playoff: Instant Reaction to New Rankings

how in the world can you justify Penn State being eight spots higher?

The answer is that you can’t.

The College Football Playoff rankings came out Tuesday night with a couple of shocks but nothing major in terms of the top-four or where Notre Dame will likely end up because of where they wind up in these latest rankings.

If you haven’t seen the rankings yet, here they are:

Three fast thoughts on them:

Great news for the Big XII:

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Reigning ALL-USA POY Sharife Cooper finding new motivation in final season

Auburn signee Sharife Cooper is finding new motivation to dominate again this season after winning ALL-USA Player of the Year last season.

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Sharife Cooper is in this weird space where on one hand, as the reigning ALL-USA Player of the Year and No. 2 overall player in USA Today Sports’ Chosen 25, he feels the bull’s-eye growing daily; yet on the other hand he hears the whispers that McEachern High School (Powder Springs, Georgia) is vulnerable this year with Cooper as the only returning starter from last year’s 32-0 state championship team.

“It can make you think crazy if you let it,” said Cooper, a point guard who is signed to Auburn. “I don’t. I just use it as motivation both ways; if people are sleeping on us that makes me want to go all out even more, and if people want to be first to knock off the champs I can’t let that happen, so I have to go all out. Either way, I’m going all out.”

RELATED: USA Super 25 Boys Basketball Rankings Week 1

That PSA was deafening last weekend at the Thanksgiving Shootout.

Cooper averaged 48 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds a game; that included a 44-point, 10-rebound, six-assist performance against No. 12 Mayfair (Lakewood, California), which featured five-star guards Josh Christopher, who is ranked No. 16 in the Chosen 25, and Dior Johnson.

The Indians, who check in at No. 6 in USA Today’s Super 25, won 87-79 and sit at 6-0 for the season.

For the season, Cooper is averaging 34 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists a game. That’s up from last season when Cooper averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 assists and six rebounds a game.

RELATED: Preseason ALL-USA Basketball Teams

“Every time we step on the court, one way or the other people want us to fail,” Cooper said. “That’s the bottom line. It’s a different energy when it’s you and your guys against everyone else. It’s different, but I like it.”

Another difference is Cooper’s role as a scorer; sounds wild for a guy who averaged 28 points a game last season, but Cooper said he’s taking on the challenge of elevating his scoring this season.

“Last year I had guys that would take that load, but this year it’s something I have to do more of for my team,” Cooper said. “I’ve always prided myself in being the guy who would do whatever it takes for my team to win because winning is all that matters to me. Scoring comes naturally to me so it’s just a matter of staying aggressive. I still don’t force things, and I’m a natural playmaker so I’m always gonna make my teammates better and make the right basketball play. It’s a new year and a new challenge, and I’m ready for it.”

Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY

Who Alabama fans need to pull for in Week 14

The Alabama Crimson Tide is looking for some help to position itself for a sixth-consecutive College Football Playoff berth. For fans wondering who to pull for in Week 14, we have got you covered. Below is a collective list of who you need to pull …

The Alabama Crimson Tide is looking for some help to position itself for a sixth-consecutive College Football Playoff berth. For fans wondering who to pull for in Week 14, we have got you covered.

Below is a collective list of who you need to pull for on Saturday.

No. 13 Michigan at No. 1 Ohio State

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET / Channel: FOX

If Ohio State and Minnesota both lose this week, it would set up for a possible scenario where the winner of the Big Ten championship could get left out of the College Football Playoff. Granted, that would only play out if Wisconsin beat Ohio State in that game.

Pull for: Michigan

No. 3 Clemson at South Carolina

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET / Channel: ESPN

Even with a lose to South Carolina, Clemson would still, more than likely, be a one-loss ACC champion. But that loss would be an ugly one, and without any sort of notable wins on the resume, that outcome could cost the Tigers a chance at the College Football Playoff.

Pull for: South Carolina

No. 5 Alabama at No. 15 Auburn

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / Channel: CBS

This game should be pretty obvious, if you’re an Alabama fan. Not only does the Crimson Tide need to win, it would be helpful if they won big.

Pull for: Alabama 

No. 12 Wisconsin at No. 10 Minnesota

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / Channel: ABC

If Wisconsin could beat Minnesota, it would hand the Golden Gophers their second loss of the season while also sending a two-loss Badgers team to the Big Ten Championship Game. If Wisconsin could turn around and beat the Ohio State in that game, it could mean the Big Ten gets left out.

Pull for: Wisconsin

No. 9 Baylor at Kansas

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET / Channel: ESPN

If Kansas could somehow luck up and beat Baylor (good luck), it would hand the Bears their second loss of the season. That means that a win over Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game would keep the conference out of the College Football Playoff altogether.

Pull for: Kansas

Texas A&M at No. 1 LSU

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET / Channel: ESPN

As hard as this is for Alabama fans, it would be best if LSU continued to win out. Having your only loss be to a No. 1 or No. 2 Tigers team will continue to be an arguing point for those pulling to get the Crimson Tide in.

Pull for: LSU

Colorado at No. 6 Utah

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / Channel: ABC

It’s hard to see a scenario where Utah lost to Colorado, but it would certainly help Alabama’s cause of getting in the Playoff. At this point, the Utes are the Crimson Tide’s biggest threat for that No. 4 spot, so this would be a welcomed sight for fans.

Pull for: Colorado

No. 7 Oklahoma at No. 21 Oklahoma State 

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET / Channel: FOX

If Oklahoma State could beat Oklahoma on Saturday, it would be the Sooners’ second loss of the season. Even with a win over Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game, it would not be enough to get in over Alabama.

Pull for: Oklahoma State

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