Tag: CBS Sports

Former Nebraska Head Coach Scott Frost ready to return to coaching

The former head coach was 16-31 in just over four seasons as head coach.

Scott Frost is talking about returning to the sidelines. The former Nebraska head coach spoke with Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports about his future and said he can’t wait to get back into the game he loves.

“For the first time in my life, I don’t know what’s next. I’m dying to get back in.”

Frost came to Nebraska in 2018 in what was seen as a homecoming for the former National Champion. The Wood River, Nebraska native was expected to return the Huskers to form after successfully rebuilding Central Florida.

That did not come to pass, as Frost would go 16-31 and was fired just three games into his fifth season in Lincoln. The former Husker said he always knew he was on a path to be a head coach.

“My whole life I was a little league player and a high school player and then a college player and then an NFL player and then a [graduate assistant], and then a position coach, then a coordinator and then a head coach. It was on a trajectory, and I knew what was next.”

The piece doesn’t see Frost speculate or comment on why he fell short of expectations at Nebraska. His former head coach, Tom Osborne, has said the fourth-quarter woes were never solved.

“For whatever reason, they couldn’t hang in the fourth quarter and lost a lot of games.”

Frost also says he doesn’t necessarily need a head coaching position to step back onto the sidelines.

“I know this. There’s some good coaches out there. I’m a good coach. I belong doing it. I just don’t know for sure where that’s going to be right now. If the right head coach job comes along, I’d take it. If the right coordinator job comes, I’d take it.”

Frost will likely return to coaching at some point, but where and in what role remains to be determined.

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From Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, Verne Lundquist explains his favorite Masters calls ahead of his final trip to Augusta National

Lundquist will call his 40th and final Masters this year for CBS.

Verne Lundquist has a plan next Tuesday night to hang around Augusta National Golf Club to say a proper goodbye to both Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the longtime CBS announcer prepares to call his final Masters in 2024.

“Those two guys have had a terrific impact on my professional career,” Lundquist said on a call with the media ahead of the first men’s major championship of the year. “And I’m in deep gratitude to them both.”

Uncle Verne has been a signature voice at the Masters and will make his 40th and final trip down Magnolia Lane next week. The Masters is an event steeped in history, and Lundquist has covered nearly half of the tournaments. For a man who has seen so much action and drama among the Georgia pines, two of his calls come to mind as his favorites, and they’re Nos. 1a and 1b on his all-time list: Nicklaus’ putt in 1986 and Woods’ chip in 2005.

“I lean towards ’86, probably more so because of the fact that Jack is six months older than me, and I tend to remind him every chance I get,” he said with his signature laugh. “Jack hadn’t won in two years at that time and there are many stories about his championship run on Sunday.”

“(Jim Nantz) had a great call. First Augusta, 1986, he was working at 16 and I think the story is, when Jack hit his tee shot at 16, (his son and caddie) said, ‘Be good’ and Jack without looking up said, ‘It is,’ and the ball almost went in the hole. Jim said, ‘The bear has come out of hibernation.’”

Nicklaus was tied for the lead on the 17th tee after Seve Ballesteros found the water on No. 15. His drive went near the green on No. 7 and he then hit a pitching wedge about 12 feet above the hole. Enter Lundquist.

“I can remember thinking to myself as he walked up, ‘Keep it simple and get your butt out of the way.’ And I managed to do that,” Lundquist remembered of the famous putt. “I boldly predicted ‘Maybe’ when it was not that far from the hole, and then I reacted with what I said, ‘Yes sir!’ with slightly more emphasis than that. I think because I know Jack so much better than I know Tiger, I lean toward the Jack call.”

It will be an emotional week for the entire CBS crew as both Lundquist and CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus will be working their final Masters.

“He’s just the voice,” Nantz said of his good friend and colleague. “His calls are truly legendary. … Augusta’s a place that I feel like kind of comes to life every April. It’s not just because it’s a gathering of the greatest players in the world and there’s a golf competition, but it’s a week where history, where voices, they come back. We hear them again. We still kind of feel and have front of mind the legends of yesteryear. The Gene Sarazens, they make an earthly visit every year in April. Byron (Nelson), Ben (Hogan), Sam (Snead), of course Arnold (Palmer), there’s one week a year where they come back in our lives, back on our planet.

“What I’m saying here is Verne’s always going to always have a home in Augusta. He’s going to be a part of Augusta forever. Those calls that he’s made, they’re going to be played back 50, 100, 200 years from now,” Nantz continued. “He’s gonna have a home there, a permanent residence. I’m just really appreciative. I don’t know quite exactly how I’m going to say my goodbyes, but I’ll figure it out.”

When Lundquist and McManus discussed “the proper time to exit stage left,” the pair agreed that 40 Masters had a nice sound to it. He knows the emotions will hit when he arrives on site the Sunday before tournament week, but he’s going to relish every moment of every day at the course.

“I’ll be emotional and there’s a spot on my left thigh that I’ll be pinching to make sure I don’t shed a tear on the air, but it’s been a great run,” Lundquist said of his time calling the Masters. “Hey, I’m 83 years old and I’ve been blessed to have a sensational professional life and a wonderful personal life. I wasn’t the first to say this, but thanks for the memories.”

CBS Sports evaluates Michigan football 2024 quarterback battle

The battle will probably take a few twists and turns before the season arrives. #GoBlue

Everything will look anew in Ann Arbor in 2024 following the big national championship win this past season.

Many of the star players from last year are gone, and it’s an entirely new coaching staff, led by former offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore. Only one on-field coaching staff member is in the same position as he was a year ago (wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy). Otherwise, there are a lot of new faces as well as familiar faces in new roles.

While Kirk Campbell was elevated from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator, he’ll still oversee the passers. But he has to find a new man to lead the maize and blue under center as J.J. McCarthy is NFL-bound. There are plenty of options to choose from, but no obvious choice as to who will be the starter next year.

CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson took a look at the situation at quarterback in Ann Arbor and diagnosed the room and how he thinks the competition may go.

Contenders: Jayden Denegal, Alex Orji, Jadyn Davis, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren

The first spring practices of the post-Jim Harbaugh era includes a spotlight on first-year coach Sherrone Moore and his plans to handle the quarterback position. Having already imprinted his “SMASH” motto as his theme, it’s a good bet that Michigan will once again be a team that’s built around dominance at the line of scrimmage rather than a finesse game which requires more from the quarterback. But, that does not lessen the importance of the position because J.J. McCarthy’s excellence in doing exactly what Michigan needed him to do is how the Wolverines rolled off the last two Big Ten titles and won the national championship in 2023. Our expectation is that Denegal, a 6-4, pro-style quarterback out of California represents one stylistic option for Moore and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell. Orji, meanwhile, has already proven his dual-threat ability in six games of action, mostly as a specialized threat in the ground game. Orji logged rushing attempts in both College Football Playoff wins against Alabama and Washington, so clearly the coaching staff trusts him on the biggest stages. We have yet to see him operate as a downfield passer with any regularity, however. Look for this competition to drag through spring, into fall and possibly even into the season.

Orji, to us, feels like the favorite, but seventh-year man and former four-star Jack Tuttle shouldn’t be underestimated, either. While his tenure at Indiana didn’t exactly inspire, his role as a backup last year for Michigan certainly showed that he can lead the offense.

Regardless, there’s plenty of time to get the QB room situated. Currently, the signal callers are battling it out during spring ball, but there’s still all of summer as well as fall camp to decide the position.

Fans will get a chance to see the quarterbacks in action on April 20 when Michigan football hosts the annual spring game at The Big House at noon EDT.

CBS Sports says this is the biggest question for Michigan football in 2024

We agree, with one caveat. #GoBlue

Most of the time when a team wins the national championship, regardless of changes to the program in the offseason, the reigning champs tend to get a lot of publicity. However, with Michigan football, that hasn’t appeared to be the case.

In large part that’s due to what’s happened around college football, just as much as it is the state of the Wolverines. Michigan lost head coach Jim Harbaugh and the entire defensive coaching staff. Multiple key players, such as J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum, are gone to the NFL. There are numerous questions about Sherrone Moore’s version of the maize and blue, and we will not really get answers until the season arrives.

CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli asked the biggest questions for each of the 18 Big Ten teams. For the Wolverines, the question is: Will the winning continue or is time to rebuild a decimated team?

Is this a reload or rebuild situation? That’s not a question often asked of the defending champions, but it’s fitting for the Wolverines. Jim Harbaugh is gone, and he’s taken a good portion of last year’s coaching staff with him. Moore takes over, and he picked up valuable game-day coaching experience due to Harbaugh’s suspensions last season. The Wolverines have lost their offensive line, top receiver and leading rusher. The defense returns some key pieces but also loses plenty. Oh, and they have to replace the QB (J.J. McCarthy) whom Jim Harbaugh refers to as the greatest in program history.

The QB situation, for example, is big because there truly is no obvious answer. Jack Tuttle is the veteran, but the sixth-year player doesn’t have much playing experience. Alex Orji saw playing time last year but has thrown only one pass in anger in two seasons. The other options are Jayden Denegal and Jadyn Davis. It’s unlikely that Davis, an incoming freshman, will win the job, but it’s not impossible.

It’s also possible Moore will probe the post-spring practice transfer portal for an option if he isn’t overly thrilled with what he sees from his current roster. There are way too many questions surrounding Michigan this spring to anticipate having any answers by the end of camp.

Quarterback is almost certainly the biggest question on this team — with wide receiver being second. It’s no surprise that Michigan thrived for the first time since Chad Henne with J.J. McCarthy being the quarterback. He was the first QB since Henne who had pro-style intangibles as well as tangible talent. However, there is still abundant talent on this team.

The offensive line, tight ends and running backs should be stellar on offense. The entirety of the defense, front to back, is loaded and has an NFL mind in Wink Martindale overseeing the attack on that side of the ball. There is much to like, but this team will likely go only as far as the quarterback can lead it.

CBS Sports ranks Texas No. 8 among teams most likely to make CFP

CBS Sports gives Texas a good shot to reach the College Football Playoff again next season.

It’s no surprise Texas is a College Football Playoff contender after reaching the four-team playoff a season ago. Where they stand with national college football writers could come as a surprise.

CBS Sports’ Will Backus ranked the 16 teams most likely to make the 12-team playoff in 2024. He ranked Texas No. 8 on his list with the following explanation.

“Quarterback Quinn Ewers is back to lead an offense that will look almost entirely different. Texas has to replace its leading rusher and over 80% of its receiving production. In-house talent will step up at running back, while coach Steve Sarkisian hit the transfer portal hard to net three expected starting receivers (Isaiah Bond, Silas Bolden and Matthew Golden) and a potential starting tight end (Amari Niblack). The defense has some holes to fill as well, particularly along the line of scrimmage, but Sarkisian has recruited so well and Texas is carrying a lot of momentum into the SEC.”

Backus’ rankings from No. 1 to No. 10 go as follows: Georgia, Ohio State, Utah, Clemson, Liberty, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Ole Miss and Penn State.

The ranking appears to be based more off each program’s path to the playoff more than which squad is the best team. Even so, Backus’ inclusion of Liberty in the Top 5 seems to indicate he views them as head and shoulders above the Group of Five field.

Texas’ standing in the playoff race will likely see several changes over the course of the upcoming season. They should start the year with a great chance to make it for a second consecutive season.

CBS Sports ranks Anthony Richardson among QBs from 5 draft classes

Anthony Richardson was a top-five pick in the 2023 draft, but how does he compare to other quarterbacks drafted over the past five years.

The quarterback position is usually the most talked about during any draft cycle, and with Caleb Williams dominating the headlines ahead of the 2024 draft, CBS Sports is ranking the five most recent QB classes — including this year’s group.

Florida fans only care about the two Gators quarterbacks drafted over the past five years — Anthony Richardson and Kyle Trask — so we’ll cut to the chase. Richardson is ranked No. 13 by writer Chris Trapasso and Trask didn’t make the list as a depth player in Tampa.

Richardson might have more talent than his ranking on this list suggests, but Trapasso notes that he’s hurt by playing in just three games before getting injured as a rookie.

“Richardson probably gets an artificial boost because he hasn’t played, and sometimes not playing is better than playing for the reputation of NFL quarterbacks,” Trapasso wrote. “But this was my QB1 in the 2023 draft, ever-so-slightly ahead of C.J. Stroud. We saw Richardson for 2.5 games, and, after his season-ending shoulder injury, his head coach Shane Steichen nearly got a Gardner Minshew-led Colts club to the playoffs.”

There is plenty of optimism surrounding Richardson, but a weak receiver corps makes for a tough comeback from injury. Trapasso suggests addressing that concern in the draft, but the Colts could go in a different direction.

QBs drafted better than Richardson

Joe Burrow (Bengals), Jordan Love (Packers) and C.J. Stroud (Texans) make for a strong top three, but there’s a surprise in North Carolina’s Drake Maye at No. 4. Caleb Williams will go first overall in this upcoming draft, but Maye might have more talent. Trapasso seems to think so. Rounding out the top five is Justin Herbert of the Chargers.

The rest of the list can be found here.

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Florida football’s biggest question this spring, per CBS Sports

Who is holding the Gators’ reins on offense? That is CBS Sports’ most pressing question for Florida this spring.

The spring practice season is in full swing as Billy Napier and his Florida football program begin their preseason journey toward the 2024 campaign, which begins on Aug. 31 at home against the Miami Hurricanes.

Of course, there is still the Orange and Blue game in mid-April and a full summer’s worth of training ahead. Plus, there are still a myriad of questions that need to be answered during the spring season.

CBS Sports’ Will Backus recently took a look at all 16 Southeastern Conference schools, providing what he thinks is the must-answer question for the Gators during the spring practice schedule.

Who’s calling the shots on offense?

“Florida coach Billy Napier was adamant in February that he wants to retain his offensive play-calling responsibilities,” Backus begins. “However, he also shifted his offensive staff this offseason with the clear implication that some duties would change.

“The Gators promoted tight ends coach Russ Callaway to co-offensive coordinator,” he continues. “He has a background as a play-caller at Samford, and early indications are he will have a hand in shaping Florida’s passing game. Rob Sale is back as offensive coordinator, though that’s mostly a nominal title and he has a more direct hand in the offensive line’s development.

“Maybe Florida integrates a system where Napier has a final say on the actual play, but he leans more on assistants for input during the game. Whatever it may look like, spring is the perfect time to iron that structure out ahead of what will be a crucial season for Napier,” Backus concludes.

Orange and Blue game

Florida’s annual Orange and Blue game will be played inside of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, April 13. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET and the action will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.

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Where Jayden Daniels goes as CBS Sports projects QB trade in top five in latest mock draft

Could trades in the top five affect Jayden Daniels’ landing spot?

As we approach the 2024 NFL draft, the stakes for the quarterback position seem clear.

The top three teams in the draft all need signal-callers, but there are no guarantees all three of those teams stay in place. In the latest NFL mock draft from CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli, he projects the Vikings trading up to take a passer.

It’s not [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], however, as he’s already off the board by the third pick. Fornelli has Washington staying in place at No. 2 to draft its quarterback of the future in Daniels.

Here’s Fornelli’s breakdown of Daniels’ fit with the Commanders and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

I’m confident Caleb Williams will go first, but as for the second QB off the board, it’s anybody’s guess. Opinions vary across the league on who the best QB is in this class after Williams. In this mock, the Commanders are lured by the tantalizing playmaking and potential of Jayden Daniels.

Fornelli projects [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] going a few picks later to the Giants at No. 6.

I don’t know how Giants fans would feel seeing this flurry of action in front of them, but when the dust settles, they still have excellent options available to fill multiple needs. For me, the value of adding Malik Nabers to an offense with a serious devoid of playmakers is too much to pass up.

Meanwhile, he has [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] falling to the New England Patriots, who trade back from No. 3 to No. 23 in this mock.

Moving down from the third spot nets the Patriots a new left tackle in Olu Fashanu and a deep threat in the passing game who could evolve into much more in LSU’s Brian Thomas. In this scenario, it’s possible the Pats would take a quarterback with their second-round pick.

Things could get wild with trades in the first round, but it seems the general draft range for the three LSU stars is set.

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CBS Sports gives its pick for Florida-Colorado in NCAA Tournament

Ahead of the action, CBS Sports published its picks for the day’s games, including the Gators-Buffaloes affair in Indianapolis.

The Florida Gators are getting set for their NCAA Tournament first-round matchup with the Colorado Buffaloes on Friday afternoon in what should be a fierce battle between two talented teams.

Ahead of the action, CBS Sports published its picks for the day’s games, including the Gators-Buffaloes affair in Indianapolis covered by Kyle Boone. Here is what he had to offer.

“A team from the First Four has made the second round of the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four years, and the Buffaloes seem best-equipped to keep that trend rolling,” Boone notes. “They scooted past a really talented Boise State team in the First Four on Wednesday with one of their best defensive outings of the season and have a number of weapons inside and out to keep Florida on alert.”

As a result, he is taking the Buffaloes by two points over the Gators.

“I like the Buffs by a smidge here, so I’ll take the free points.”

The Gators take on the Buffaloes in the first round on Friday, March 22, at 4:30 p.m. ET inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be broadcast on TBS.

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CBS Sports ranks Florida among top-25 NCAA Tournament teams

Now that we know what the 2024 March Madness brackets looks like, CBS Sports has re-ranked all 68 teams invovled in the tournament.

The NCAA Tournament field is set and the Florida Gators are the No. 7 seed in the South Region, but how does the Orange and Blue stack up against the rest of the competition?

The fine folks at CBS Sports asked that question for all 68 teams after taking a gander at the bracket, and the result is another re-rank featuring this year’s NCAA Tournament field.

Basic math says that Florida should fall in the 25-28 range as a No. 7 seed, but the Gators check in at No. 23 on this list. That might not surprise many after the Gators claimed the same spot in the most recent USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, but there are extenuating circumstances to consider.

“The Gators have been one of the hotter teams of the past month, but they’re also entering the tournament down a big man,” the excerpt reads. “Micah Handlogten suffered a broken leg in the SEC title game, which lowers UF’s ceiling, of course.

“Todd Golden’s bunch can get buckets in a variety of ways and through a lot of guys, but to me, it’s Walter Clayton Jr. who will dictate this team’s chances at making the second weekend. The never-satisfied guard has a tough competitive streak. His addition this season altered Florida’s trajectory.”

The loss of Micah Handlogten isn’t great, but the Gators do have SEC All-Freshman forward Alex Condon to step into his role. Fellow freshman Thomas Haugh will step up as a bigger piece in the rotation, too, but there’s no reason to expect Florida to lack a competitive drive without Handlogten.

The full re-rank can be found here.

Florida begins tournament play against either Boise State or Colorado on Friday, March 22 at 4:30 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast on TBS.

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