Tag: Paul Myerberg

USA TODAY grades HC Mike Elko’s first season with Texas A&M

Texas A&M HC Mike Elko’s first season in College Station was more successful than most first-year SEC head coaches

Texas A&M’s 2024 season ended with an underwhelming loss to rival Texas as head coach Mike Elko’s inaugural season finished with an 8-4 record and 5-3 finish in SEC play.

On paper, 8-4 isn’t impressive, especially to an Aggie fan base hoping for much more, given the University’s resources and the hope that Elko is vastly different from the Jimbo Fisher coaching era. However, Elko and his staff dealt with in-season adversity, including losing star running back Le’Veon Moss.

After finishing 1-3, including 0-3 in SEC play to finish the season, the quarterback carousel involving Marcel Reed and Conner Weigman came to a close after Reed took over in the final four matchups.

So far this offseason, Weigman has transferred to Houston, while Reed will battle with former Baylor/UAB quarterback Jacob Zeno, who committed to the Aggies from the transfer portal.

While the Aggies need to add as many starting/depth pieces from the portal as possible, Elko deserves trust after last offseason’s impressive haul. So, what letter grade does Mike Elko deserve in his first season in Aggieland? On Thursday, USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg released his grades for every first-year college football coach, and for the most part, he was very generous.

Given all the reasons for the November collapse the Aggies endured, Myerberg was impressed with Elko’s ability to bring back a healthy culture to the program amid Jimbo Fisher’s “wreckage” and gave Elko an A-:

“Elko’s debut lost some steam down the stretch with losses to Auburn and Texas. But to take over the message wreckage of the Jimbo Fisher era and have the Aggies in the mix for the SEC championship game in the season finale makes this an outstanding start.”

A lot of work must be done, but Myerberg is correct in stating that Elko has the Aggies on the right track heading into 2025.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Huskers get recognition in USA TODAY’s College Football Playoff Bracketology

Nebraska football continues to get national respect.

Nebraska football is getting recognition in USA TODAY’s College Football Playoff Bracketology Rankings, published Tuesday morning. They are listed as one of the Four Teams to Watch.

The Huskers currently sit at No. 22 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and have a highly anticipated matchup with Illinois on Friday. The team has started 3-0 and is riding high off the play of freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola.

Nebraska’s defense has also been strong. The Huskers currently rank fifth in the Big Ten with 255.3 yards allowed per game. They also have a stingy run defense, allowing only 70.3 yards per contest. They ranked third in the Big Ten with 6.7 points allowed per game.

All in all, these are ingredients for a winning formula. USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg gave his rationale for the Huskers.

Unbeaten Nebraska also owns a schedule that could push the No. 22 Cornhuskers higher and higher in the US LBM Coaches Poll before going to Ohio State on Oct. 26. The next four games against Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers and Indiana are all winnable, setting up a potentially huge showdown with the Buckeyes.

It will be interesting to see how Nebraska fares against Illinois this Friday night. The program is looking for their first ranked win over an opponent since Oregon in 2016.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

Where is Rutgers football in the USA TODAY college football re-rank?

USA TODAY ranks the top college football teams in the nation in their spring re-rank.

There is some respect from Rutgers football, who are middle of the pack in the Big Ten in the latest update of the NCAA re-rank from USA TODAY Sports.

At No. 47, Rutgers football is in a solid spot within the Big Ten and the Power Five as a whole.

Following the end of the regular season, USA TODAY ranked Rutgers as No. 63 in their rankings. The ranking was before Rutgers played in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Following their bowl win over Miami, Rutgers moved up to No. 55 in the final rankings from USA TODAY.

Interestingly, Virginia Tech is No. 20 on Paul Myerberg‘s ranking, underscoring the importance of that game for Rutgers’ football’s bowl hopes this year.

Georgia is the top-ranked team in the rankings followed by Ohio State. Texas is third and Oregon is fourth.

The lowest ranked Big Ten programs are No. 95 Purdue and No. 100 Indiana.

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There is reason for optimism that Rutgers can take the next step this season. The Scarlet Knights return their core from a top-20 defense that should be among the best in the nation this fall.

In addition, the offensive line is experienced and the offense returns Kyle Monangai, the top rusher in the Big Ten last season.

 

Is Texas A&M a legit candidate to make the 2023 College Football Playoff?

The Aggies are loaded with talent and experience at nearly every postion for 2023, but are they poised to crash the CFB Playoff for the first time in program history?

While many of you will see the title of this article and immediately write off whatever I have to say on the matter, let me be clear; The 2023 Texas A&M football roster at its current state isn’t perfect by any means, but by the time the season rolls around in early September, prepare for one of the best and most exciting seasons in head coach Jimbo Fisher’s history with the program.

Now, let’s get down to it. While I probably sound like I’m pumping you with sunshine and rainbows after what was purely an exhibition during the Maroon and White Spring game last Saturday, this team displayed toughness and grit on defense, and most of all, consistency and explosive moments on offense after their horrific showing during the 5-7 2022 season.

Well, this all leads to predicting just how far the Aggies can go in the postseason if everything indeed clicks under new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, whose January hire will continue to be a main focal point for the program going forward.

This week, USA TODAY writer Paul Myerberg authored a piece centered around the potential teams that can emulate the 2022 TCU Horned Frogs’ success last season, reaching the College Football Playoff, including an appearance in the championship game for the first time in program history. Myerberg’s list included Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, North Carolina, and yes, Texas A&M. Echoing similar fact-based reasoning regarding the Aggies’ path to a potential epic rebound this season, Myerberg clearly believes the Fisher/Petrino combination is just what the doctor ordered.

The Aggies went from preseason contenders to the bottom of the SEC West in one of the biggest flops in recent FBS history. What’s changed? Maybe new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino will improve an offense that ranked 101st nationally in scoring but has a promising young quarterback in Conner Weigman. Several loaded recruiting classes might come together to form one of the most talented depth charts in the country. With some transfer help in the secondary, a more experienced defense could do a better job getting to the quarterback and forcing turnovers after ranking near the bottom of the SEC in sacks and interceptions. As a member of the SEC, the Aggies could lose twice during the regular season and still make the playoff by reaching and winning the conference championship game

One of the key details he included is the immediate impact the 2023 signing class could make on both sides of the ball, especially five-star running back Reuben Owens, and four-star tackle Chase Bisontis, both vying for starting positions after their impressive performances this spring. Again, we are still in the early portion of the offseason, and with more transfer portal additions slowly coming to fruition, the future is very bright for the Maroon and White.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty

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Notre Dame’s recruiting class named among 10 best following second signing day

How long until the Blue-Gold Game again?

There used to be a time not all that long ago when early February meant it was the one and only national signing day in college football.  That time is gone and likely won’t ever return as this period now sits as the much less sexy second signing period.

That came on Wednesday and simply didn’t carry any of the excitement nationally that early signing period did.  With the transfer portal only growing in recent years, this signing period has only taken more of a back seat.

However, it is the official second signing period and when you go and combine all of Notre Dame’s most recent signees, both recruits and transfers, you see it’s pretty stellar.  Just how good is it?

Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports calls it one of the ten best overall hauls nationally.  Here’s what he specifically said about the Irish

Biggest recruit: OL Charles Jagusah

Impact transfer: QB Sam Hartman (Wake Forest)

Any discussion of Notre Dame’s crop of new arrivals has to begin with Hartman, who joins the Irish after several terrific years at Wake Forest and dramatically boosts this team’s chances of reaching the College Football Playoff. The Irish added two more impact transfers in wide receiver Kaleb Smith (Virginia Tech) and linebacker Javontae Jean-Baptiste (Ohio State). Jean-Baptiste played 250 snaps for the Buckeyes last season and could have a big year with extended playing time. The traditional signing class lacks a five-star standout but hits the mark across the board, with special emphasis on receiver and the secondary. Running back Jeremiyah Love has potential but could struggle to find a big role in 2023 given Notre Dame’s current backfield depth. 

The additions at wide receiver can’t be understated.  It’s bittersweet in a way because had Keon Keeley and Peyton Bowen stuck around you’re looking at something really special.  However, with Hartman’s addition and the overall depth of this class it’s a nice starting spot for Marcus Freeman’s first full recruiting cycle.

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Tigers tumble in USA TODAY’s latest College Football Re-Rank 1-131

The Tigers are in uncharted territory this season following their loss to Notre Dame on the road Saturday in South Bend.

As if Saturday’s heartbreaking loss at Notre Dame wasn’t enough, Clemson is continuing to suffer the consequences of its shortcomings in USA TODAY’s latest edition of its College Football Re-Rank 1-131, which was released on Monday.

In the latest poll following Week 10, the Tigers fell five spots to No. 11. For the first time this season, Clemson now is an outsider looking into the top 10 with its playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

USA TODAY sports writer Paul Myerberg’s top 5 saw a big shakeup despite Georgia remaining in the top spot.

Following a tough loss to Georgia, Tennessee fell three to No. 5 in the rankings while TCU (4), Ohio State (3) and Michigan (2) all moved up one spot each.

Despite falling outside the top 10, the Tigers remain the highest ranked ACC team with North Carolina (14) closely following suit as the lone ACC pair present in the top 25.

After a tough last regular season road loss in South Bend, the Tigers return home to Memorial Stadium for a three game home stretch at Death Valley. Clemson plays host to Louisville on Saturday, November 12, for Military Appreciation Day with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.

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Super-conferences will ruin college football as we know it

This all sucks so badly.

For years now, word has been brewing that college football supremacy will be challenged for only by a select few. A major step in that direction has been taken with the reported defection of USC and UCLA from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. That appears to only be the beginning as other Pac-12 schools could follow suit. USA TODAY’S Paul Myerberg believes this all eventually will lead to the Big Ten and SEC becoming two super-conferences at the expense of the remaining Power Five conferences.

All I can say is this absolutely sucks. Never mind what this might mean for Notre Dame. What about college football as a whole? Geographical regions and rivalries suddenly mean far less than who can make the most money out of having ESPN, Fox and whatever other network or streaming service pay for showing the games to audiences.

What happened to the thrill of preparing to beat an opponent only a few hundred miles away? Are we really going to see Rutgers travel to Los Angeles for a game that kicks off at 9 a.m. local time? This is an absolutely ridiculous thought, and one that inexplicably is about to become reality. Say goodbye to team buses for most conference games and hello to being jet lagged during those games on a regular basis.

Yes, I know this is all about money, and I know players are allowed to make it through NIL deals now. But this is where we have to bring up the cliche of money being the root of all evil. In this case, it’s destroying everything that has made college football beautiful for over a century. The future of the sport appears to be a professional league disguised as college football, and that’s not what it’s supposed to be about.

You might remember the major backlash when the European Super League was announced a year ago. Pretty much everyone who loved soccer demonstrated such an outrage over it that the league ultimately ended before it even began. Where’s the anger over this? It’s probably too late, but if fans don’t put up the slightest fuss, this will become our new reality:

If this has to be our new reality, there needs to be a complete realignment of the levels of college football. The idea that all Football Bowl Subdivision teams are under the same umbrella has been laughable at best and an outright lie at worst for some time now. When this all comes to pass, any remaining Power Five programs need to compete for their own championship, as do all Group of Five programs. No one from that latter group ever is going to make the College Football Playoff anyway, so why keep stringing them along?

This latest proposal means that the sport future generations watch will not be the one we, our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents watched. Only the most prominent college football programs will be allowed to compete for the mountaintop, and every other school can forget about ever ascending to that level. Very few of the best players in the country are going to Group of Five schools now, and this will ensure that none of them will go there because they want a chance to go all the way, and they want the most exposure possible.

If none of this bothers you even a little bit, I don’t know how you possibly can enjoy watching the rich get richer. It’s not like college football has a whole lot of integrity these days, and this will annihilate whatever is left of it. We are at a tipping point, and history will remember it as such. That is, if history hasn’t been bought and paid for by another power entity that will ruin that, too.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Where is Clemson in this national outlet’s ACC spring football power rankings?

Despite not winning the ACC last season for the first time since 2014, Clemson sits atop this national outlet’s ACC spring football power rankings. USA Today recently released its spring power rankings for the ACC and has the Tigers at No. 1 coming …

Despite not winning the ACC last season for the first time since 2014, Clemson sits atop this national outlet’s ACC spring football power rankings.

USA Today recently released its spring power rankings for the ACC and has the Tigers at No. 1 coming off their 10-3 campaign in 2021.

As USA Today’s Paul Myerberg writes, Clemson is still the team to beat in the ACC even though there is uncertainty surrounding its starting quarterback position and the fact the Tigers lost both coordinators to head coaching jobs.

Here’s what Myerberg had to say about Clemson and its quarterback situation in ranking the Tigers atop his ACC spring football power rankings:

It was only a year ago that DJ Uiagalelei was listed among the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy. Heading out of the spring and into the summer, it’s not even certain the junior will remain the Tigers’ starter. After throwing just nine touchdowns and averaging a paltry six yards per attempt in 2021, Uiagalelei will be tested by incoming freshman Cade Klubnik, a five-star recruit. 

Three ACC teams from the Tar Heel State — NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest — comprise the 2-4 spots in Myerberg’s ACC spring power rankings, respectively, with defending ACC Champion Pittsburgh coming in at No. 5.

Rounding out the top 10, in order from Nos. 6-10, are Miami, Florida State, Virginia, Louisville and Syracuse.

You can read Myerberg’s full ACC spring football power rankings here: LINK.

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help.  #SaveNicks

USA TODAY gives Oregon a below-average grade for the 2021 football season

Although the Ducks finished the season with 10 wins, losing three of four to end the season warranted a C+ grade, according to USA TODAY.

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The college football season is officially over and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning was able to bring home the trophy as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Now it’s report card time.

USA TODAY college football writer Paul Myerberg put together a report card for every team in the country.

There were some interesting results where the Pac-12 was concerned. Starting off with Oregon, Myerberg gave the Ducks a C+ even though they wound up with 10 wins. Oregon was once a playoff contender, but losing three of their last four dramatically lowered the Ducks’ overall grade.

As expected, the highest-graded team in the conference was Utah with an A-. Despite a 7-6 record and a no-show in the Jimmy Kimmel Bowl, Oregon State was handed a B grade. Perhaps the Beavers overachieved to the point where a B was warranted.

Oregon fans will have to scroll down the story to find Washington, where Myerberg gave the Huskies a well-deserved F. A loss to FCS Montana at home, will set you back and then the head coach melted down before and after the Oregon game, so an F was a sure thing for the Dawgs.

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Michigan State football finishes in top 10 of USA TODAY ‘Re-Rank 1-130’ poll

See where Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY has Michigan State in his final batch of rankings

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Michigan State has ended the season as one of the top 10 teams in all of college football, according to Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY.

Myerberg released his batch 1-130 rankings of the season on Tuesday, with the Spartans landing at No. 8 on the list. Michigan State was the third-highest Big Ten team, behind only Michigan (No. 4) and Ohio State (No. 7).

The Spartans ended the 2021 season with an 11-2 record and a Peach Bowl victory over Pitt. Michigan State also finished the season ranked in the top 10 of both the AP and Coaches poll.

Click here to see the complete rankings from Myerberg.

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