Tag: College Fooball

Where Billy Napier sits in USA TODAY’s rankings of SEC coaches

How does Florida football head coach Billy Napier stack up against other SEC coaches in USA TODAY’s rankings?

Billy Napier is entering his third season with the Florida football program and some could argue that this could be a make-it-or-break-it year for the Gators head coach.

With an 11-14 record during his head coaching career in Gainesville, Napier needs to have a winning season in hopes of keeping his job safe — but it certainly doesn’t help to have the toughest schedule in the country. And unfortunately, that’s what comes with the reality of today’s SEC.

USA TODAY Sports writer Blake Toppmeyer ranked Napier towards the bottom of the list of SEC head coaches entering the 2024 season at No. 14. It will be interesting to see if the Florida head coach can shock the country and somehow make it a competitive season for the Gators.

What USA TODAY says about Napier

“Napier finally dropped his lukewarm approach to the transfer portal this offseason, and he assembled his best roster to date. Too little, too late? Even [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag] questioned the program’s direction. That’s tough to live down,” Toppmeyer wrote.

Toppmeyer went on to mention how time has essentially run out for Napier and this is the year to prove he can turn things around. But again, the schedule doesn’t particularly help him and his team out.

“If Napier had the benefit of a longer runway, he might eventually generate momentum, but Florida isn’t known for patience, and the schedule is brutal.”

Top 10 SEC coaches

Toppmeyer has Kirby Smart (Georgia Bulldogs) at the top of the list followed by Brian Kelly (LSU Tigers), Steve Sarkisian (Texas Longhorns), Kalen DeBoer (Alabama Crimson Tide) and Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss Rebels), rounding out the top five.

Josh Heupel (Tennessee Volunteers) came in at sixth followed by Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri Tigers), Mark Stoops (Kentucky Wildcats), Hugh Freeze (Auburn Tigers) and Mike Elko (Texas A&M).

Florida’s season opener for 2024

The Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes square off on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida to open their schedule for the 2024 season. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Washington athletic director Troy Dannen details efforts to keep Kalen DeBoer

Washington’s athletic director speaks on how the team attempted to hold onto head coach DeBoer prior to his leave for Alabama.

Less than a week after losing to Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship, Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer accepted the job to replace Nick Saban at Alabama. Before accepting the job, it appears Washington made valiant efforts to keep him in Seattle.

According to Mike Vorel, Washington offered DeBoer a “Big Ten package” that would have made him one of college football’s top-10 highest-paid coaches. In an event where Washington’s athletic director Troy Dannen was speaking, he detailed his efforts to hold onto DeBoer.

“We put numbers in front of him that were, quite frankly, unprecedented for this university… We put a Big Ten package in front of Kalen [DeBoer], not a Pac-12 package,” said Dannen. It appears that Washington believed early on that they had found their long-term coach, as Washington’s AD added that contract negotiations had begun in October, only ten days after his arrival.

Vorel continues that a second contract offer was given to DeBoer on Jan. 11, the day before he left to replace Nick Saban. Vorel states that this contract started at $9 million in 2024, increasing by $100,000 each year until 2030.

Unfortunately for Washington, DeBoer chose to take the job in Tuscaloosa. While his contract details with Alabama have not yet been released to the public, you have to assume that it was an offer he could not resist.

Kalen DeBoer speaks with Finebaum on transition to Alabama

Alabama’s new coach spoke with Paul Finebaum on arriving in Tuscaloosa and his excitement for the future.

Alabama’s new head coach Kalen DeBoer went on the Paul Finebaum Show to discuss leaving Washington and becoming the successor to Nick Saban. In the 2023 season, DeBoer led the Huskies to a 14-1 season, where they lost to Michigan in the College Football Playoff National Championship 34-13.

In the interview, DeBoer spoke about the city of Tuscaloosa and his first impressions. “Football at Alabama, it brings people together,” he said, discussing his arrival at Alabama and the warm welcome he and his family received.

DeBoer has been adamant about his appreciation for Nick Saban, granting him an “open-door policy.” Coach stated that taking the Alabama job was a “great opportunity for us to build on the foundation that [Saban] has left.” The new coach went on to say that Nick is always welcome, and DeBoer will be open to any tips and pointers that Saban has for him.

While fans will not know if DeBoer was the right hire until the 2024 season kicks off, there should be comfort found in his determination to continue the program down the path the great coach paved.

Caleb Williams and Kliff Kingsbury to Chicago? Kingsbury set to interview with the Bears

USC’s coach and quarterback duo could be reunited in Chicago, as Bears are set to interview Kliff Kingsbury for offensive coordinator.

Adam Schefter announced on Friday that USC senior offensive analyst and quarterbacks coach, Kliff Kingsbury, will be interviewing for the offensive coordinator position of the Chicago Bears.

Kingsbury was hired by the Trojans in 2023, where the team went 8-5, and beat Louisville in the Holiday Bowl.

However, USC’s Holiday Bowl win is likely not the reason that the Bears are interested in him. In his one season with the Trojans, Kingsbury was the quarterbacks coach of NFL prospect Caleb Williams.

Williams won the 2023 Heisman Award and is expected to be the first quarterback taken in the NFL Draft this year. Many believe he will go first overall with the pick belonging to the Bears.

The most interesting aspect of the entire situation is the ramifications that it could have on the Bears’ current quarterback, Justin Fields. The Bears have not openly discussed whether they will stick with Fields or draft a new quarterback in April.

Adding Kingsbury to the staff might point to the Bears planning a quick reunion of the Trojans duo.

Washington cornerback Jabbar Muhammad predicted to land at Texas

Washington Cornerback Jabbar Muhammad narrows transfer decision to three schools.

Jabbar Muhammad, the highly touted cornerback from Washington, has announced that he has reportedly narrowed his transfer destinations to three schools. This announcement comes only five days after Huskies’ head coach Kalen DeBoer, announced that he accepted the Alabama head coaching position.

According to Tony Tsoukalas of TideIllustrated (subscription required), Muhammad is close to making a decision. All signs seem to point to the Longhorns.

The Huskies’ starting cornerback is coming off a career year, where he had 46 total tackles, two sacks, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery. On top of all of that, he allowed only two touchdowns on nearly 600 snaps this season. Personal statistics aside, Muhammad was a large part of the Huskies’ defensive unit that got them to the College Football Playoff National Championship against Michigan.

The senior from DeSoto, TX will have one year of eligibility left, and fans should anticipate that he will make an immediate impact on whichever team he decides.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh interviews for Falcons opening

Atlanta Falcons announced that the organization interviewed Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for the team’s head coaching vacancy.

Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh is fresh off of his first National Championship with the Wolverines, but he does not appear to be taking the time to celebrate it.

On Jan. 16, the Atlanta Falcons announced that the organization completed an interview with Harbaugh amongst other potential candidates for their head coaching vacancy. This comes only eight days after Michigan defeated Washington 34-13 in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Harbaugh has been with the Wolverines since 2015, leading them to an overall record of 86-25 in his tenure. Many believed that Harbaugh would be a Wolverine until he retired, but the recent interview begs the question of whether Jim is ready to return to the NFL. Before accepting the Michigan job, Harbaugh was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, where he was bested by his brother John in the 2013 Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Wolverines are still riding high off their first National Championship since 1997, but losing their beloved coach could put a damper on the celebrations. As noted, Michigan might not have to worry, for the Falcons have interviewed multiple potential candidates. However, the void that the loss of Harbaugh would create would not go unnoticed in Ann Arbor.

Takeaways from every 2023 college football conference championship game: Alabama shakes up entire CFP field with SEC upset

The CFP picture seemed clear entering the weekend, but Alabama’s upset over Georgia threw everything into a loop.

Conference title weekend is in the books, and the four-team College Football Playoff field is set. However, the selection committee’s decision did not come without a great deal of controversy.

We entered the weekend with a seemingly clear playoff picture, but Alabama threw everything for a loop by upsetting No. 1 Georgia in the SEC championship, ending the Bulldogs’ record 29-game win streak and knocking them out of the CFP field in the process.

With Texas demolishing Oklahoma State in the Big 12, there was one final spot available. Rather than give it to Florida State, which began the weekend in the top four and beat Louisville 16-6 in the ACC championship to move to 13-0, the Crimson Tide jumped FSU based on the strength of the Georgia win.

That snub has been the talk of college football to start this week, but with everyone turning their attention forward to what should be an electric set of semifinals, let’s first look back to reflect on the chaos we witnessed this weekend.

Here are the takeaways from each conference championship game.

College Football Week 13 Winners and Losers: Ryan Day’s 3-year nightmare, playoff stakes clear heading into championship Saturday

Three years of pain compounded for the Buckeyes on Saturday.

It takes quite a bit of arrogance to simply dub your rivalry “The Game,” but it’s truly staggering just how often the Thanksgiving weekend matchup between Michigan and Ohio State provides us with a classic football game that has massive implications on the national picture.

This year’s iteration was no different as a battle between unbeaten squads and top-three teams came down to the wire. It wasn’t the Wolverines blowout we’ve seen the past two seasons, but even Jim Harbaugh-less, they held on at home in a tight game to capture the Big Ten East crown and likely secure a College Football Playoff spot.

That was by far the most consequential result of Rivalry Week as the top group of teams mostly held on for wins, though some were a bit close for comfort.

As we turn our attention to a championship weekend with clear CFP stakes, here are the winners and losers from the final week of the regular season.

Everything Gators LB Teradja Mitchell said after FSU loss

Here’s what Teradja Mitchell had to say about the final game of the 2023 campaign for the Gators.

The Florida State Seminoles were too much for the Florida Gators in Week 13 of the college football season, sending the Orange and Blue to its third-straight losing season with a 24-15 win in the Swamp. The loss ends Billy Napier and Co.’s 2023 campaign with a 5-7 record and no hopes for a bowl game.

Conversely, the win cemented FSU’s perfect 12-0 regular-season record, and while it was an ugly victory, Noles fans hope it will be enough to put their beloved Garnet and Gold in the College Football Playoffs. However, there is still the ACC Championship Game awaiting them next weekend as well.

Following the final loss, linebacker [autotag]Teradja Mitchell[/autotag] spoke with the media about the game, the season and what he sees ahead. While the results were not what the Gator Nation had hoped for, perhaps it was something for the program to build on.

Take a look below at an abridged question and answer with Mitchell from Saturday night’s media scrum.

College Football Week 10 Winners and Losers: Folks, Alabama may be doing it again

Reports of Alabama’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

With three weeks remaining in the regular season, we have a clear picture in practically every conference race.

We saw Florida State punch its ticket to the ACC Championship Game for the first time since 2014 with a win over Pittsburgh, and several other teams essentially clinched spots in conference title games.

In the SEC, Alabama and Georgia took control of their respective divisions with wins over LSU and Missouri, while we seem to be heading toward a Texas-Oklahoma State Big 12 title game as the Longhorns survived in overtime against Kansas State while the Cowboys sprung the upset over Oklahoma in the final regularly scheduled Bedlam matchup.

However, there are some crucial matchups yet to come in the Pac-12 and Big Ten, so there may be more chaos to come in the November College Football Playoff race.

For now, here are the winners and losers from Week 10.