Report: Big Ten's Delany Will Remain Through 2018
He is without question one of the most powerful men--and most controversial men--in all of college sports.
And apparently, he's not going anywhere anytime soon.
According to a report from ESPN.com this week, Big Ten commissioner and college football powerbroker Jim Delany has a contract that will keep him in his post through at least 2018. That contract was apparently signed in 2011, but never announced by the league (which is a bit odd, no?).
Though he's not exactly beloved in all corners of college football nation, it's hardly a surprise that the Big Ten would want to keep Delany in office for as long as possible. Under his leadership, the Big Ten has grown into a financial powerhouse, even as its fortunes have dipped on the football field. Delany has been a major player in all of the league's expansion moves, and also was the key driving force behind the creation of the hugely profitably Big Ten Network, which has dumped millions into the league's coffers despite it somewhat, well, niche programming.
In other words, Delany somehow and some way finds ways to make Big Ten universities richer. Hence, the reason for his job security.
Now, if only he could somehow and some way help a Big Ten team finally win a football national title. I mean, he'd have a job for life.
Image courtesy of the Big Ten
More 2013 Team Previews: Texas, Oklahoma, Northwestern & More
The calendar is about to change from May to June. Which means that, yes, summer is just about upon us.
And so, too, is the 2013 college football season.
The nation's college football programs will be gathering for preseason camp before you know it, and so we here at About.com continue our work of previewing the top teams (as we see them) for the season to come.
You can check out our Preseason Top 25 here, and our latest capsule team previews below. Enjoy, everyone.
2013 Northwestern Wildcats Preview
2013 Louisville Cardinals Preview
2013 Nebraska Cornhuskers Preview
2013 Boise State Broncos Preview
Photo: Getty Images
Arkansas, Texas Tech Renew Series—and the Playoff Era is the Reason Why
In these days when history and tradition seems to matter so little to the folks who run college football, it's always nice to see a bit of that history and tradition find its way back into the game.
And so I was more than happy to see that Texas Tech and Arkansas, once league rivals in the old Southwest Conference, had signed a deal to play a home-and-home series in 2014 and 2015. The teams will meet on Sept. 13, 2014 at Texas Tech and on Sept. 19, 2015 in Fayetteville.
The Red Raiders and Razorbacks last played in 1991. Both schools acknowledged that the dawn of the "playoff era"--one in which strength of schedule will play a greater role than ever before in determining who wins the national title--played a role in the decision to restart the series.
"Texas Tech and Arkansas had many memorable games while conference foes in the Southwest Conference, so this should be very exciting for the fans," Arkansas athletic director Kirby Hocutt said in a statement. "We feel like we will be placing ourselves in great position as we kickoff the College Football Playoff era in 2014, with a non-conference opponent the caliber of Arkansas and a challenging Big 12 schedule."
Added Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long: "With the Texas Tech series, we are renewing a Southwest Conference rivalry and strengthening our non-conference schedule while gaining valuable exposure in Texas. With the landscape of the college football postseason changing, it is imperative that we schedule competitive non-conference matchups that will benefit our program."
Photo: Getty Images
With Golson Out, Notre Dame's Kelly Must Find a New Way Forward
Notre Dame was going to have enough trouble in their quest to return to the national title game with Everett Golson.
Now, they're going to have to try to accomplish that task without him (and, hey, good luck with that, Irish).
The news that Golson will be suspended for the 2013 season because of "poor academic judgment" has left coach Brian Kelly "disappointed" in his star quarterback, who was to be counted on to lead a rebuilt Irish offense this year.
Speaking to ESPN.com, Kelly said that after 30 years of coaching, he knows that sometimes players screw up; he added that, when that occurs, "you want your players to be accountable." He said he was proud of Golson for accepting responsibility for his actions.
"You can't be surprised when you're working with 18- to 21-year-olds," Kelly told ESPN.com's Matt Fortuna. "I'm not surprised when my 16-year-old knucklehead son comes home and does crazy things. But when there's a family and we hope to support him, and in this instance with Everett, I'm very proud of the way he handled himself."
With Golson out, the Irish will have to hope that one his backups--most likely Tommy Rees, who has started 18 games in his career--can help pick up the slack. But it goes without saying that this loss is a crushing one for Notre Dame, who will now need to catch a few breaks (perhaps, more than a few) to come even close to replicating the dream season they had in 2013.
Fact is, Golson was going to be Kelly's go-to guy on offense. But now he's gone, and with him, gone too are Notre Dame's already slim title chances.
Photo: Getty Images
A New Bowl Game for Detroit?
At a time when college football bowl games seem more endangered than ever before--because, hey, we're going to have a playoff now--the Detroit Lions are moving ahead with a plan to create a new bowl game, anyway.
According to a report from ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy on Tuesday, the Lions are hoping to line up a deal with the Big Ten that would see a team from that league play in an annual bowl game at Ford Field starting in 2014. The game would replace the existing Little Ceaser's Bowl.
Interestingly, it appears that the Lions would also like the game to feature a representative from the ACC, and not from the much more local Mid-American Conference, which has long had an association with Detroit-based bowl games.
McMurphy noted in his report that it wasn't clear where this new bowl would stand in the Big Ten/ACC pecking order, but it's probably safe to say that this one will be designated for your lower-tier bowl qualifiers.
I mean, I've got no problem with Detroit. But it's not exactly Pasadena.
Photo: Getty Images
Hoke: Notre Dame 'Chickening Out' of Michigan Series
The Big Ten is a shadow of its former self. Weaker than it once was. Less talented than it once was. Less important than it once was.
But all is not lost for the Big Ten, because at the very least, the Big Ten still has a few college football blueblood programs, and it still has a handful of outstanding coaches.
One of those coaches is Michigan's Brady Hoke, and this week, Hoke proved why he's precisely the kind of outspoken, competitive guy the Big Ten needs these days.
Speaking to fans at the West Michigan Sports Commission luncheon on Monday, Hoke made clear just how unhappy he is about Notre Dame's (completely misguided) decision to back out of their longtime series with the Wolverines. In fact, Hoke went so far as to say that the Irish were "chickening out" of the series (which they are, by the way).
Said Hoke: "We have unbelievable rivalry games at Michigan. ... The Notre Dame [series], that rivalry, which they're chickening out of ... They're still going to play Michigan State, they'll play Purdue; they don't want to play Michigan."
Indeed, Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon in September told the media that the decision to end the series was "not ours." The last game of the annual rivalry clash is scheduled for the 2014 season.
"We value our annual rivalry with Notre Dame," Brandon said, "but [we] will have to see what the future holds for any continuation of the series."
Photo: Getty Images
2013 Season Preview Capsules: Oregon, South Carolina, Georgia, Clemson & More
College football's spring season has come and gone.
Those silly spring games have been played. Workouts have wrapped up. Coaches have had enough time to figure out where they're strong, where they're weak, and where they'll need to spend most of their time when camp opens this summer.
In the meantime, well, there's nothing. Nothing to watch. Nothing to do.
Except speculate, of course.
And here at About.com college football, we excel at speculation. So that's what we do here today, as we bring you eight new team previews for the 2013 season. Enjoy, everyone.
South Carolina Gamecocks Preview
Florida State Seminoles Preview
Photo: Getty Images
QB Bench to Transfer Out of Penn State
The quarterback competition at Penn State was one of the biggest storylines in Happy Valley this spring.
But that story has taken a very sudden, very unexpected turn.
Just days after playing in the Nittany Lions' spring game, sophomore quarterback Steven Bench, projected as a potential starter for the team this fall, has announced his intention to transfer. The announcement puts junior college transfer Tyler Ferguson squarely in the driver's seat to win the job this fall, though he'll have to battle incoming freshman standout Christian Hackenberg.
Bench's transfer comes on the heels of a meeting with coach Bill O'Brien, who apparently informed Bench that he had not won the battle with Ferguson. In fact, Bench may have been told that he wouldn't be in the running to win it at all.
"I have been meeting with all the players this week with my evaluation of where they are at related to football and academics and to discuss what they need to work on this summer," O'Brien said in a statement released today. "After meeting with Steven, he informed me he wants to play elsewhere. We want what is best for Steven. I want to thank him for his contributions to the program. We wish Steven the best in the future and will assist him anyway we can."
Bench had tweeted earlier in the day, "What did I do to deserve this?" He later tweeted that he intended to transfer to a program that would allow him to reach his "full potential."
Something tells me O'Brien isn't exactly heartbroken by this development.
Photo: Getty Images
Carolina's Clowney Could Sit Out Rest of Spring Practice
The best player in college football may be wrapping up his spring workouts earlier than expected.
South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who racked up 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in 2012, has been battling neck and back pain and may sit out the remainder of the Gamecocks' spring session, according to defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward.
And Ward, it seems, is not concerned in the least.
"Whether he goes another snap [during spring workouts], I don't care," Ward said.
Which makes complete sense, of course. After all, Clowney has already established himself as the premier defensive player in the land, and it's not like he needs the spring to prove himself to his coaching staff. Beyond that, the kid will basically be playing his entire junior season with an eye toward next year's NFL draft. The fewer opportunities to get injured, the better.
Photo: Getty Images
Florida Cancels Spring Game, Will Refund Tickets
Pragmatism. In coaching, it's a good thing. And often, a necessary thing.
Just ask Florida coach Will Muschamp, who this week made the unpopular decision of canceling the Gators' spring game--because, quite frankly, he thought the event was a risk to his team, if not an outright waste of time.
Because of some key injuries and, perhaps more importantly, his belief that his team needed more "real" practice time, Muschamp said Florida would scrap the traditional "scrimmage" format and instead host an open practice at the Swamp this Saturday.
Speaking to reporters about the decision this week, Muschamp said he wanted to hold a regular practice in order to get his top players more useful reps.
"It's about getting your best players going against your best players," he said. "I see some of these spring games [and] these guys put their first group against the rest of them. You don't get any better doing that stuff."
Fans who are crazy enough to attend the workout will see such thrilling spectacles as, well, position drills and kicking practice. But there will also be some full 11 vs. 11 work and Muschamp has said he will address the Gators faithful as well.
As for those fans who bought tickets for what they thought was going to be a full scrimmage? Well, they'll get their money back. And admission to the practice is free.
Photo: Getty Images