Navy’s No. 21 ranking heading into its regular-season finale is thanks in part to a revamped defense – which none other than Bill Belichick helped make happen, according to a detailed story from USA Today.
The team hosts Army (5-7) Saturday and the Midshipmen are in the Top 25 heading into the rivalry game for the first time since 2015.
A more aggressive, deceptive and creative scheme has Navy allowing 84 fewer yards per game and 9.4 fewer points per game than the team allowed opponents ahead of facing Army (9-2, 7-1 AAC) last season.
The change all began when head coach Ken Niumatalolo gave the Patriots head coach a call last winter.
Belichick is a Navy supporter who the college coach developed a comfortable relationship with.
Niumatalolo told USA Today that he felt like an artist talking to Picasso, furiously taking down notes on information as Belichick gave it over the phone, never feeling as if it’d be appropriate to ask the legend to slow down or repeat anything.
A new defensive coordinator and 11 games later .. it seems like the talk proved effective.
Niumatalolo told USA Today, “Never in my wildest dreams would I think we’d have gotten to where we’re at.”
Minnesota’s Casey O’Brien won the Disney Spirit Award for being the most inspirational person in college football this season.
Minnesota sophomore holder Casey O’Brien played for the first time in college earlier this season during the Golden Gophers’ demolition of Rutgers in one of the most emotional moments of the college football season.
He beat cancer four times since he was 13 years old, according to the Star Tribune in Minnesota, and had more than a dozen surgeries, including three on his lungs and a knee replacement. Doctors told him there was no chance he’d play football again.
O’Brien — who had osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, but has been cancer-free for nearly two years — accepted the Disney Spirit Award at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
“Those doctors had never met me before, and they didn’t know how much I love football,” O’Brien told ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi after winning the award, which is given to the most inspirational member of a program.
“Wake up. Kick ass. Repeat.”
Four-time cancer survivor Casey O’Brien shared some inspiring words after winning the Disney Spirit Award. pic.twitter.com/coNiaysn6C
When asked what impact he hopes he had on Minnesota’s team this year, O’Brien said:
“I would just say the perspective that football is just a game, and there are a lot more important things than football. And to be able to be healthy and to be able to enjoy moments like I have had with people you love, like your teammates and your family and your coaches, that’s more important.”
Minnesota plays Auburn in the Outback Bowl on January 1 for a chance to finish the season with an 11-2 record.
Joe Burrow vs. Jalen Hurts vs. Justin Fields vs. Chase Young.
Welcome to Before The Snap, For The Win’s college football show where we’ll break down the sport’s trending storylines, examine each week’s biggest matchups and track the College Football Playoff and Heisman Trophy races.
Well, after months of speculation, we finally have our 2019 Heisman Trophy finalists: LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts and a pair of Ohio State players in quarterback Justin Fields and defensive end Chase Young. They all play for teams in the College Football Playoff this year as well.
All four finalists are invited to the Heisman ceremony in New York on Saturday, when one of them will be named the most outstanding player this season in college football. There are 927 total eligible voters: 870 media members, 56 past Heisman winners and one fan vote.
His best stat this season, by far, is his nation-leading 77.9 completion percentage, and that number actually increases slightly to 78.6 percent against top-25 teams, which is outrageous. He’s also second in the country with 4,715 passing yards, and he’s thrown 48 touchdowns compared with just six interceptions. He’s a huge favorite to win the Heisman, and the only conceivable reason why he might not is because his rushing stats don’t compare with the other two QBs (289 yards, three TDs).
But Burrow is a huge reason why the Tigers’ offense has been unstoppable this season and is averaging 554.3 yards per game (No. 1 nationally). Since his first season with LSU in 2018 after transferring from Ohio State, he’s dramatically improved in several areas. Not only is his completion percentage up more than 20 points from last season, but he’s also thrown 32 more touchdowns this year. He has up to two more games to pad his stats and increase his chance of being the No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick.
After transferring from Alabama, Hurts has flourished in Oklahoma’s system, showing off his arm as while continuing his dominance on the ground. His 71.8 completion percentage ranks fourth in the country, and he’s sixth with 3,634 passing yards with 32 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions.
But unsurprisingly, his rushing stats are just as impressive, as he’s been the Sooners’ leader on the ground all season. He has 1,255 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, which rank him 20th and seventh, respectively, among running backs. (The only quarterback with better rushing stats is Navy’s Malcolm Perry in a very run-heavy offense.) However, his occasional struggles holding onto the ball could keep Hurts from being Oklahoma’s third straight Heisman winner.
Another transfer quarterback, Fields left Georgia to join the Buckeyes and first-year coach Ryan Day, and because of that, there were some early questions about how they could handle the changes. Just fine is the answer there. Fields has a 67.5 completion percentage (No. 16 nationally) and has thrown for 2,953 yards (No. 26). He also has 40 touchdowns compared with just one (1!) interception, and he’s thrown at least two touchdown passes in every game this season. On five occasions, he threw four.
He’s also a mobile quarterback, but not quite like Hurts. He had 471 rushing yards so far and 10 rushing touchdowns. His stats would probably be more impressive if Ohio State didn’t have a powerhouse running back in J.K. Dobbins, who had an outside shot at being the Buckeyes’ third Heisman finalist. It’s a double-edged sword because while they combined to have one of the best offenses in the country, sharing snaps hurt their individual stats.
Young is an absolute monster who should terrify any quarterback on the same field as him. He leads the nation with 16.5 sacks for 117 yards while adding 44 total tackles, 31 of them solo. He probably could have hit at least 20 sacks, had the NCAA not suspended him for two games (Maryland and Rutgers), and it’s not clear whether Heisman voters will hold not playing a full season against him.
Also possibly hindering his campaign to be the first defensive player to win the Heisman since 1997 and only second overall is the fact that he recorded no sacks against Michigan in Ohio State’s regular-season finale or against Wisconsin in the Buckeyes’ Big Ten championship game. (However, the Badgers were triple-teaming him.) The odds were already stacked against him because the award has almost always gone to an offensive player — and a quarterback in the last couple decades — so a stronger finish likely would have helped.
Lane Kiffin also weighed in on Urban Meyer’s future.
After three seasons with Florida Atlantic, Lane Kiffin is back in the SEC after recently taking the Ole Miss head coach job. As a guest on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, Kiffin said he didn’t miss coaching in the SEC every day, but he did when he saw big matchups or the conference title game.
Leaving FAU, he said, was about regularly facing the best players and coaches in the country, and he’ll have a chance to do that now in the SEC West, which includes LSU, Auburn and his former team, Alabama. Without going into details, he said he had other options, but Ole Miss was the right fit.
“I was at Alabama for three years, and we lost two regular-season games and both were to Ole Miss,” Kiffin told Dan Patrick. “So I got to see what the place looked like when it was rolling. So it’s not like going to a place that you’ve gotta do something that’s never been done before.”
Nick Saban hadn’t reached out by that point, Kiffin said, but he received a message through someone that the Alabama coach is happy for him and said it was well-deserved. And now the two will go up against each other annually, first with Ole Miss hosting the Crimson Tide in October 2020.
“I think a long time. I do. I mean, what else are you going to do? … He does golf, but he’s miserable. And I mean that in a way — it’s why he’s so good. He is singularly focused on the University of Alabama and football at Alabama, every minute of every day — even if he’s golfing, even if he’s on a boat. He’s got his recruiting calls to make every night, whether it’s Christmas or whatever it is. It doesn’t matter. Every day is the same, and that’s why he’s so good. So I don’t know how he could retire.
“I think my dad’s like that. My dad’s turning 80 this year and still coaching for us, walking around the field, meeting players, helping young coaches. So there are certain people like that I call, like, prisoners. They can’t go in the real world, like Shawshank Redemption. When Brooks [Hatlen] goes in the real world, he can’t do it. He’s like, ‘Wait, I need to be in prison.’ You know? So they come back.”
Kiffin also weighed in on whether or not former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer will return to coaching after walking away at the end of the 2018 season. The latest rumors about Meyer is that Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are interested in him replacing Jason Garrett, who is still the 6-7 team’s coach.
“I do,” Kiffin said when Patrick asked if he thinks Meyer will coach again. He continued:
“And that’s not from anything Urban has said to me so I don’t want some rumor mill [starting]. … Maybe [in the NFL]? He seems more of a college fit just because of his ability to recruit, but maybe if he wants to have a little than in college because college is yearlong. The NFL nowadays, coaches work half a year because of the NFLPA and the agreements [they’ve made]. You know, a lot of these staffs are one week on, one week off in the offseason, which they don’t have in college.”
Here’s Kiffin’s full interview on The Dan Patrick Show:
Who is the highest paid coach in college football?
College athletics is a multibillion dollar industry with huge amounts of money falling into the pockets of just about everyone involved — except the players actually participating.
Coaches’ salaries continue to climb, the base amounts are approaching eight figures and the bonus opportunities now written into contracts seem endless. Through the 2019 conference championship weekend, head coaches at FBS public schools have earned nearly $9.5 million in bonuses so far, according to USA TODAY Sports.
For example, LSU coach Ed Orgeron has already earned $1.05 million in bonuses on top of his $4 million annual salary. By beating Georgia in the SEC championship game, he earned $425,000 in bonuses: $200,000 for the Tigers winning the conference championship and another $225,000 for the team making it to the College Football Playoff.
And there’s even more money on the table if he continues winning. He’ll receive $150,000 for winning a playoff semifinal game — LSU plays Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl — and could get $500,000 with a national championship.
Also, because so many coaches are employed by public universities, the highest paid public employee in 39 states is either a college football or basketball coach, according to ESPN.
While most of the college football world takes a break until bowl season officially starts — or until next season for the unlucky teams — one of the biggest rivalry games in the sport is the only matchup of Week 16.
The 120th Army-Navy game kicks off Saturday at 3 p.m. ET (CBS) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and these teams are usually impeccably dressed with their alternate uniforms specific to the occasion. And this year is no different.
Navy is currently a 10.5-point favorite over the Black Knights, who are playing for their fourth straight win over the Midshipmen. But in a rivalry game like this, nothing is a sure thing.
So ahead of the week’s only game, let’s compare the two teams’ always incredible alternate uniforms.
Army’s uniforms for 2019 Navy game
This year, Army is honoring the 1st Cavalry Division and the development of air mobility with the first large-scale use of helicopters during the Vietnam War. The game uniforms feature mostly white jerseys with “First Team” and “Army” written on each shoulder and dark green pants with a faded “United States” written down the side.
The color of the helmets matches the pants and has two yellow crossed sabers on them. More about the helmets via Army and Nike’s firstteam.football site:
In 1851, the Army approved the pair of crossed sabers as the new insignia representing U.S. Army Dragoons. They would be worn on the new style caps and become an iconic symbol of the 1st Cavalry Division.
The Midshipmen will wear throwback Under Armour uniforms that celebrate the team’s early 1960s history, specifically honoring Heisman Trophy winners Joe Bellino and Roger Staubach. The jerseys are blue with two gold stripes on the shoulders, resembling the team’s uniforms of the ’60s, and the helmet is a dark gold with an anchor on it.
A burnished coat of bronze paint wraps each helmet and lays beneath Navy’s iconic anchor logo that serves as a call to the Naval Academy’s roots at sea, while the two Heisman winner’s uniform numbers are front and center.
College football bowl season is upon us with eligible teams closing out their seasons in hopefully warmer and sunnier locations than their respective campuses.
With bowl games on their schedules, coaches get bonuses, and players get gift packages, which don’t make up for the fact that they’re unpaid while putting their bodies on the line every week as everyone else in the sport gets a paycheck. And the NCAA limits the total value of each package at $550 per participant.
But free stuff is free stuff, and even if players don’t love the items in their gift packages, maybe a difficult-to-buy-for friend or family member will during the holiday season.
Sports Business Journal recently shared its annual comprehensive list of bowl game gifts, so we ranked the top 10 — and highlighted the worst one. Some bowl games declined to provide a list of their gift packages, including the Goodyear Cotton Bowl and the national championship game.
Also, as the Sports Business Journal noted, gift suites are private events where players select gifts up to a certain value determined by each bowl but that still don’t exceed the $550 limit. So we excluded bowls where the primary element is a gift suite because we don’t really know what’s included, even if it’s probably a great option.
Best 2019 bowl game gift packages
10. Quick Lane Bowl: Pitt vs. Eastern Michigan
When: Thursday, December 26, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: Ford Field, Detroit Gift: We wish we knew how much the Best Buy gift card is worth, but for players eyeing a new phone, computer or a mini fridge, a gift card could help with the price. Other items in this gift package include JBL E55BT over-ear wireless headphones by Harman, a Sticker Genius life-sized PhotoSlap decal for each participant of his likeness (because who hasn’t always wanted that?), a hoodie, a T-shirt, a pom hat, a backpack and tag, a football and a mini helmet.
9. Outback Bowl: Minnesota vs. Auburn
(PRNewsFoto/Outback Steakhouse)
When: Wednesday, January 1, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida Gift: Obviously, this package comes with an Outback Steakhouse gift card, which is hopefully for an amount large enough for a hungry football player and at least one other person to enjoy a sizable meal. But this package also includes a $125 Amazon gift card, a Fossil watch, a Jostens ring and a hat of some sort.
8. TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Indiana vs. Tennessee
When: Thursday, January 2, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, Florida Gift: The highlights of this package are the noise-canceling headphones and a Bluetooth speaker in a personalized box. Players will also get fitted Maui Jim sunglasses, a Fossil watch, a backpack, and the History of The Bowls: Celebrating the Good of The Game book.
7. AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Navy vs. Kansas State
When: Tuesday, December 31, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis Gift: If hunting, fishing, camping or similar outdoor activities are your thing, this is a great gift package. If not, hopefully you have a friend or family member who would enjoy a something that could be purchased on a Bass Pro Shops shopping trip. Bummer if not, but there’s still a Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth speaker II, a Caravelle by Bulova watch and a football, along with Nike athletic shoes, sport sandals, backpack and sunglasses in this package.
6. Redbox Bowl: Cal vs. Illinois
(Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Nintendo)
When: Monday, December 30, 4 p.m. ET, FOX Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California Gift: The Nintendo Switch Lite is pretty cool, and even if it’s not your thing, it would make a nice gift for a close friend or family member. This package also comes with a Nixon watch, Turtle Beach gaming headphones, Goodr sunglasses and a Herschel Supply Co. backpack, which is a really nice backpack.
5. Valero Alamo Bowl: Utah vs. Texas
When: Tuesday, December 31, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: Alamodome, San Antonio Gift: Between the Apple AirPods Pro, which are about $250, and the $115 Amazon gift card, this is a solid package. It also comes with a Michael Kors watch, a helmet and a team panoramic photo if you’re sentimental.
4. Cheez-It Bowl: Air Force vs. Washington State
When: Friday, December 27, 10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: Chase Field, Phoenix Gift: The big winner here is the GoPro Hero 7 that comes with accessories and a carrying case because these are awesome cameras that players could have so much fun with. Other gifts include a Fossil watch, Oakley sunglasses, an Ogio Shuttle Pack backpack, the History of The Bowls: Celebrating the Good of The Game book, an Ice Shaker insulated bottle and a Branded Bills cap and travel case. But that GoPro…
3. PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State
(Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
When: Saturday, December 28, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona Gift: Leading the way in this College Football Playoff game is a PlayStation PS4 gift package, and it seems reasonable to assume it comes with a PS4 and more. Players will also get a Fossil watch, an Ogio Shuttle Pack backpack, the History of The Bowls: Celebrating the Good of The Game book and an Ice Shaker insulated bottle.
2. Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Oklahoma vs. LSU
When: Saturday, December 28, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Gift: This package comes with a $390 Vanilla Visa gift card, which is basically $390 cash and presumably the largest amount this College Football Playoff bowl game could give away when combined with the value of the other items: a Fossil watch and a football.
1. VRBO Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs. Alabama
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
When: Wednesday, January 1, 1 p.m. ET, ABC Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida Gift: A $400 Best Buy gift card, which players can do a lot with. That much money at Best Buy is enough for a TV, a drone or a ton of video games, or it could help cut the price of a laptop or appliance. This package also comes with a watch and a Herschel backpack with luggage tag. Note: The Camping World Bowl between Notre Dame and Iowa State has the same gift.
Worst 2019 bowl game gift package
FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl: Liberty vs. Georgia Southern
When: Saturday, December 21, 2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN Where: Orlando City Stadium, Orlando, Florida Gift: Does anyone really want a Bluetooth backpack? Well, players in this game are getting one, along with a watch of some sort, warm-up jacket and pants (because players don’t have enough of those), a Sportek long sleeve T-shirt, a mid-fit structured hat and Pebble Beach slides.
