Tag: NCAA football

Tommy Bowden says Nick Saban, Charles Barkley should be college sports ‘co-commissioners’

The former Tigers coach said that Saban and Sir Charles could get things ‘squared away’ in college sports.

Like most retired coaches, Tommy Bowden isn’t short on opinions when he talks about the current landscape of college sports.

The former Clemson coach, who led the Tigers from 1999-2008, last week appeared on a podcast with veteran Birmingham-based sportscaster Doug Bell. When asked about the state of college sports, Bowden offered a suggestion for who could “fix” the college game.

“One quick solution, I think, you’ve got to have co-commissioners that’ll get this thing squared away in one year. Let Nick Saban and Charles Barkley be co-commissioners,” Bowden said. “They both bring perspective, unique angles to college football, and that’s what’s needed (with) the professional aspect and NIL. So let Charles Barkley and Nick Saban be co-commissioners, and they’ll have it cleared up in two years.”

Bowden said that Barkley in particular brought a “common sense approach.” “He’d bring a unique perspective, no doubt. And he’d have some colorful comments,” Bowden quipped.

Bowden, whose father Bobby won two national championships at Florida State and built the Seminoles into a national powerhouse with their own unique brand and swagger in the 90s and early 2000s, recently made news for saying that Clemson fans shouldn’t be too critical of Tigers coach Dabo Swinney.

Swinney replaced Bowden midway through the 2008 season after a 3-3 start. Bowden, who turned 70 on July 10, hasn’t set foot on a sideline since then and was asked if he missed coaching.

“I really don’t. I coached 32 years so I was very fortunate,” Bowden said. “Born in Birmingham, heaven would be to coach at Alabama or to coach at Auburn. You usually pick one of the two. I got to coach at both of them and had great experiences at both of them. I was a head coach (at Clemson and Tulane), had some success, and had always had in the back of my mind my mid-50s to get out and do TV for eight or nine years.

“I might have stayed in (coaching) a few more years if that athletic director (Terry Don Phillips) hadn’t come and made the decision for me at six in the morning,” Bowden added with a chuckle.

The full interview with Bowden can be seen below.

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NCAA votes to revise another rule in college football

More change in the college football landscape

Things are about to get more crowded on the sidelines of college football games, in a good way. On Tuesday, the NCAA’s Division I Council voted to remove limits to coaching staff members and support personnel that can be on the field during practices and games.

For OSU, that means that more than 25 assistants or support personnel could be on the field. It’s probably unlikely that the program moves to allow everyone, but there is at least the possibility now that anyone tied to the staff can now be on the field if it makes sense.

The rule will become effective immediately so look for fall practices to have more hands on deck when the Buckeyes report to begin putting things together for this fall.

While these limits are being removed for games and practices, the limit of having only 11 coaches travel when it comes to making trips to recruit players at the FBS level.

Day has recently said that he’d be in favor of expanding the amount of coaches on the field if approved, but not for the reason you think. It had more to do with the opportunity of coachcs to develop.

“We’ve thought about it. We’ve had conversations about it,” said Day. “I think that one of the things that you have to consider is all the guys who want to come up in this profession and the opportunity that they can have in this profession, we want to make sure that we’re not limiting those folks. But at the same time, we’re in the process of recruiting people to our team as opposed to drafting. So it is different than the NFL, and there’s a lot of things to consider, especially with some of the IAWP (individual associated with a prospect) rules that come with recruiting a prospect.”

Consider this another change in a bouquet of changes we’ve seen with the collegiate football model over the last few years. Are you keeping track?

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New Uniforms for Notre Dame Football in 2024?

What do you think about them if this is true?

One of the biggest off the field stories this college football off-season has been the return of the EA Sports’ NCAA Football video game.

The game is set to return for the first time in a decade with a launch date of July 19.  On Friday, EA Sports released the official trailer for the game and a very short moment in it has Notre Dame fans buzzing.

Sure, the graphics are beyond ridiculous and their attention to detail appears to be nothing short of insane.  However, it’s a small tweak to Notre Dame’s home uniform that fans noticed and gained much attention.

If you take a close look, you’ll notice an Under Armour logo at the neck and the interlocking ND on the shoulder is gold instead of white like it has been since it returned to the uniform in 2010.  Check out former Notre Dame tight end [autotag]Brock Wright[/autotag] in 2020 below for reference.

(Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Will those be the home uniforms the Irish wear in 2024, will they be some kind of alternate with the 100th anniversary of the “Four Horsemen” game taking place at Yankee Stadium against Army this November?

Time will tell but certainly something to keep an eye on.

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EA Sports College Football 25 teases fans, gamers with new trailer

EA Sports College Football 25 released a new teaser for its college football video game Friday. Clemson made a couple of brief appearances.

The hype and anticipation among college football fans for EA Sports College Football 25 is already high enough.

On Friday, EA Sports teased fans and gamers alike with a new video posted to the game’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

The video is just under five minutes long and features ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit discussing several of the game’s features, including a “Wear & Tear” system that measures injuries, their seriousness, and how they impact players’ performances during games. Herbstreit’s commentary will be featured in the game, as will his ESPN/ABC broadcast partner Chris Fowler.

Clemson makes a couple of brief appearances in the new video. The Tigers received an initial 95 overall rating as a team and a 98 rating for its defense.

Starting around the 0:29 mark, the Tigers can be seen playing Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium. That segues into Herbstreit narrating how “Wear & Tear” will work and the risk/reward for keeping injured players in a game. The clip uses Tigers running back Phil Mafah as an example.

Cade Klubnik is also featured at the 2:13 mark of the video with a list of the quarterback’s attributes, which include a “slightly increased ability to hold defenders using play action on 1st down or less than 3 (yards) to gain.”

We’re not sure why EA chose to release its new teaser in portrait mode instead of the more common landscape mode, but in any event, it features more clips of what fans can expect when the game is released this summer.

The scheduled release date for EA Sports College Football 25 is Friday, July 19. A full video of Friday’s new trailer can be seen below.

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NCAA reaches deal with power conferences to pay players directly

A landmark legal settlement could change the way college sports operate forever.

We’re just a couple of years into the NIL era, but it seems the college football landscape is about to see another major change.

On Thursday, the NCAA and Power Five conferences reached a settlement on three active anti-trust cases that would pave the way to allow schools to pay players directly. The proposed settlement would create a $2.8 billion damages pool for current and former athletes, to be paid over 10 years.

According to a report from USA TODAY Sports, the agreement is expected to create a capped total for how much players could be paid that would create at least a $20 million annual budget impact for programs that hit the cap.

Players would also still be permitted to earn NIL benefits under the framework of the deal.

There’s a lot still to be determined, and we don’t exactly know what this is going to look like in practice. But it’s clear that college sports as we’ve known them for decades are about to change significantly.

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Clemson quarterbacks make NCAA Football video game covers in revisionist history

A look at which two former Clemson Tigers quarterbacks made the list of NCAA Football video game covers from ESPN.

With the announcement Thursday that the much-anticipated debut of EA Sports College Football 25 has an official release date of Friday, July 19, fans and gamers alike now know which dates to make up an excuse to miss work and spend a long weekend playing the first college football video game that will be released since 2013.

Eleven years is a long time between editions of a video game series, and fans missed the opportunity to play with a lot of college football stars in that time.

Which athletes would have made the cover of NCAA Football (the game’s previous moniker) each year had the series continued uninterruptedly from 2014-2023? ESPN’s David Hale pondered this question and came up with a litany of players he would have chosen as the face of each edition.

Notably, two former Clemson Tigers quarterbacks made the cover of NCAA Football in ESPN’s bit of revisionist history.

It should go without saying that one of them is Trevor Lawrence. As a true freshman in 2018, Lawrence led the Tigers to their second title in three years with a 44-16 rout of Alabama in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Lawrence’s throttling of Alabama’s defense that January night in 2019 capped an undefeated season for coach Dabo Swinney’s team. Clemson became the first-ever college football team to finish 15-0 en route to a national championship in the four-team playoff.

That was more than enough to make Lawrence the face of an imaginary NCAA Football 20. Lawrence beat out teammate Travis Etienne, Purdue receiver Rondale Moore, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, LSU defensive back Greedy Williams, and Alabama stars Tua Tagovailoa and receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Per Hale:

“Lawrence and Etienne made for a worthy tandem, both fresh off a national title with two years left at Clemson. Moore was a revelation as a freshman, electric as a receiver and a return man. Young was the second coming of (Joey) Bosa, a force of nature at the line of scrimmage who racked up 9.5 sacks and 14.5 TFL, presaging an even bigger season in 2019. Tagovailoa and Jeudy had just been dismissed by Clemson in the title game, but there was still ample hype surrounding Alabama.”

The other Clemson quarterback that made ESPN’s list is something of a surprise in that it isn’t Deshaun Watson.

Despite Watson leading the Tigers to their first national championship in 25 years in January 2017, he missed the nod for the cover of NCAA Football 17, which Hale awarded to former Stanford star Christian McCaffrey.

Instead, former Clemson signal-caller turned Oregon State quarterback turned current Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei garnered cover honors as the face of NCAA Football 22.

While it might seem like something of an odd decision, Hale adds context to his choice.

“There’s not a clear front-runner among the contenders, but Uiagalelei was probably the biggest name at the time. He’d started two games in relief of Lawrence in 2020 and looked terrific in both. He was a former five-star recruit. He had a big personality, big arm and already had inked some very big endorsement deals. It’s almost hard to imagine now — knowing how it all turned out — but on the heels of Tajh Boyd, Watson and Lawrence excelling at Clemson, Uiagalelei seemed about as close to a surefire star as possible. But hey, maybe in 2023 at Florida State, he’ll actually become one.”

Hale also envisioned a scenario in which Clemson’s famed 2018 defensive line of Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Austin Bryant, and Clelin Ferrell made the cover of NCAA Football 19. He ultimately awarded that honor to Tagovailoa, who led Alabama to back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on his way to becoming a star quarterback for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

RELATED: Clemson offensive stars we’d love to see in EA Sports’ College Football

Reggie Bush is finally getting his Heisman Trophy back and fans are so thrilled

Reggie Bush earned that trophy and college football fans are happy he he will have it back.

Former USC Trojans running back Reggie Bush will soon reunite with the Heisman Trophy that is deservedly his own.

Over a decade ago, in 2010, Bush forfeited the trophy that he earned in 2005 due to receiving “improper benefits” while at USC. But now after spending far too long away from the award he worked so hard to receive, the Heisman Trust informed Bush that he will receive it back on Wednesday.

The Heisman Trust cited “enormous changes” in college football that went into the decision, per ESPN. This is something fans have wanted for years, but especially after new NIL policies became rampant in the NCAA.

RELATED: Reggie Bush shared a wild story about how his Heisman Trophy scandal cost him being the No. 1 pick

Bush was excited when he heard the news (via ESPN):

“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family. I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”

He wasn’t the only one thrilled about the decision from the Heisman Trust, though.

Fans were so happy for Reggie Bush

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Helmet communication, 2-minute warning coming to college football

The NCAA approved a proposal that will allow for on-field helmet communication during games as well as the inclusion of a 2-minute warning.

College football is a constantly evolving environment. NIL, the transfer portal, and conference realignment have been at the forefront of the conversation for the last several years. On the field, the game is changing too.

On Friday, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the use of helmet communication and tablets on the sideline. Additionally, starting in 2024, there will be a two-minute warning added to the end of each half.

The addition of helmet communication comes after a trial run during bowl season that seemed to go off without a hitch.

According to The Athletic’s Chris Vannini, one player on the field can use the helmet technology. The player will be identified with a green dot on the helmet, the same designation used by the NFL.

Teams will have until the 15-second mark on the play clock or the snap of the ball to use helmet communication, whichever comes first. For a team like Oklahoma that wants to go fast, this may not impact them much. But there will be critical downs that Seth Littrell and Jackson Arnold will take more time. Though teams use an elaborate display of hand signals and billboards to relay the play or any adjustments, this new communication model will allow the offensive coordinator to speak directly to the quarterback. Defensively, Zac Alley will have a voice in Danny Stutsman’s ear, which should only benefit the Sooners defense.

Last year, the NCAA made a change that kept the clock running in the final two minutes of each half. The two-minute warning rule at the end of each half provides a little more gamesmanship at the end of games, allowing defensive teams to use their timeouts in an attempt to get the ball back.

College football as we knew it is long gone. Coming are Saturdays that feel more like Sundays as networks and conferences work to get games played in tighter television windows.

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Everything Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s spring game

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was thrilled by his team’s performance in Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium. Take a look at everything Swinney said afterwards.

Saturday marked the 16th spring game since Dabo Swinney took over as Clemson head coach in 2008.

The Orange team defeated the White, 27-12. in front of an estimated 47,000 fans at Clemson Memorial Stadium.

Swinney had a lot to say afterwards, including his thoughts on the Tigers’ quarterback play, the thrill he got heading into the stadium ahead of the game, and his thoughts on individual performances in the spring scrimmage.

“God was showing off today. How about that beautiful day? I really appreciate our fans — it’s not like this everywhere. I think sometimes people can forget that. This place is special. To see our fans show up, driving in this morning, people were out there tailgating and enjoying the day. All of those people at Tiger Walk for the unveiling of the captains, those guys going in concrete today, that was a really cool thing,” Swinney said as part of his opening statement to the media after Saturday’s spring game.

Here’s everything Swinney said to reporters after the game.

Observations from Clemson’s offense in 2024 spring game

Here are some observations on the offense from Clemson’s 2024 spring game.

Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially in the books. The Orange team defeated the White team, 27-12, in Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers had plenty of highlights on both offense and defense. Let’s look at the offense.

Wesco shows off

Bryant Wesco looked every bit the part of a five-star recruit in Saturday’s spring game. Wesco, ranked the sixth-best receiver in the nation by 247Sports for the class of 2024, made three catches for 26 yards.

Wesco, playing for the Orange team, caught a short pass over the middle and picked up 15 yards for a first down on his first catch of the afternoon.

Two plays later, Wesco did one even better by hauling in an over-the-shoulder, 9-yard touchdown grab from quarterback Trent Pearman. Wesco made the catch in tight coverage on a fade route for the Orange team’s first score of the game and a 7-3 lead with 1:31 to play in the first quarter.

Quarterback play

Speaking of Pearman, he was his own storyline in Saturday’s spring game. The sophomore from nearby D.W. Daniel High School in Clemson finished the afternoon an impressive 10-for-13 with 113 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Pearman engineered the scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown catch by capping a five-play, 57-yard drive.

One of the most impressive plays of the day was when Pearman took off for a 49-yard touchdown run on a read-option play with 3:45 to play in the first half.

Later in the game, Pearman made a nice throw intended for receiver Jackson Crosby in the corner of the end zone. It took a terrific defensive play from cornerback Noah Dixon to break up the pass with 3:07 to play.

Cade Klubnik got off to a poor start but rebounded for a decent showing at Saturday’s game. Klubnik finished his day 13-of-26 for 158 yards.

He was intercepted by cornerback Tavoy Feagin in the first quarter when receiver Adam Randall ran the wrong route. Feagin returned the interception 45 yards to set up the game’s first score, a 29-yard Nolan Hauser field goal for the White team.

Klubnik was fortunate to only throw the one pick. He uncorked a pass into double coverage later in the first quarter, but a dropped interception bailed Klubnik out on the ill-advised throw.

There were some highlights for Klubnik, though. He converted on a 3rd-and-12 midway through the second quarter when he found Antonio Williams on a short route to his right. That led to an impressive 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 7:10 off the clock and put Klubnik’s team ahead 21-6 with 5:42 left in the first half.

On Klubnik’s next drive, tight end Olsen Patt-Henry dropped what would have been a first down for the Orange team.

Later on in the game, Randall hauled in a perfect 55-yard strike from Klubnik on the final play of the third quarter.

Christopher Vizzina, who started at quarterback for the White team, was a pedestrian 14-of-25 for 108 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest mistake early on came when Jamal Anderson intercepted an attempted screen pass and returned it 25 yards for a pick six.

Later in the first half, Vizzina was picked off again by Anderson, but the play was negated by an offsides penalty.

Vizzina’s second official interception came with time winding down in the third quarter. On that play, Vizzina made a throw to the wrong side of a wheel route that led to an interception from Jahiem Lawson at the Orange team’s 2-yard line.

It wasn’t just Wesco who stood out at receiver

Clemson had a few standout performances from its receivers in Saturday’s scrimmage. Josh Sapp had three catches for 60 yards. The sophomore from Greenville made a sensational play when he leapt well into the air to haul in a 39-yard pass from Vizzina over two defenders in the third quarter.

Randall had 85 receiving yards through the air on four catches, including his 55-yard grab to end the third quarter. Randall also made a terrific catch as part of the first-quarter scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown.

Williams, sidelined for much of last season due to injuries, made a nice return to the field in the spring game. He caught five of seven targets for 62 yards, including a 19-yard reception.