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1. Sometimes college football is its own worst enemy.
Last week, the sport's commissioners and presidents essentially agreed to disagree, tabling the 12-team playoff format until 2026, at the earliest.
From ESPN.com's Heather Dinich:
That the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick were unable to agree to the specifics of a 12-team format was not surprising, considering that's exactly what has happened during their past nine in-person meetings. (That includes three straight days of meetings before the national championship game in January.) Nothing changed Wednesday afternoon, when they had a critical videoconference to determine whether it was worth continuing to try to push forward in spite of their differences.
"Positions really had not changed, and we had time to think about it," American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco told ESPN on Friday. "It wasn't a lengthy call, but we talked it over, and if positions hadn't changed, it was going to be a tough sell."
On Thursday, the 11 school presidents and chancellors who have the authority to change the playoff approved a recommendation from the 10 FBS commissioners and Swarbrick to remain at four teams for the remainder of the 12-year contract, which runs through the 2025 season. Because there are still two years remaining on the current deal, the vote to make any changes had to be unanimous. CFP executive director Bill Hancock joined this week's discussions from Beijing, China, where he is a volunteer for the Winter Olympics.
Most people involved in the CFP expansion discussions who spoke to ESPN have described the process and its outcome as frustrating and disappointing -- a 180-degree turn from when the original proposal was made public on June 10. The 12-team format was initially applauded by many fans, coaches, media members and others who follow the sport and have long clamored for a more expansive CFP system.
"There are 1,000 football players roughly from eight teams that could have been part of a national championship, and I think they all would hunger for that opportunity," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey told ESPN, "yet they won't be."
It shouldn't be surprising to anyone. This has been going on for years now. And let's be clear; feelings got hurt in 2020. Then this past summer, when the SEC essentially poached Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, enemies were made. Now, despite a 12-team playoff being the best format for college football, two many egos are in the way. The ACC is whining. The Big Ten is worried about automatic qualifiers. The Pac-12 is honoring its alliance with those leagues.
Mississippi State president Mark Keenum, the chair of the CFP's board of managers and the lone public voice of the school presidents, told ESPN they are all willing to continue working toward expanding the playoff -- but it's on the commissioners to resolve their issues.
"The immediacy of the pressure of trying to get something done has been relieved, but nonetheless, we don't want to procrastinate," Keenum told ESPN. "There's unanimity among the presidents on this."
Keenum said they need to come to a decision in the next 24 to 30 months, and he acknowledged much will continue to change within that span. Oklahoma and Texas have said they would join the SEC starting with the 2025-26 academic year. The Big Ten's media rights deal expires in 2023, the Pac-12 follows in 2024 and the Big 12's deal with Fox and ESPN expires in 2025. Keenum said that ongoing and/or upcoming media rights deals for those leagues will be a "huge" part of future playoff discussions.
"The media rights that are being negotiated by the respective conferences, that's going to be a big factor going forward," Keenum said. "I don't see the additions of Texas and Oklahoma having that big of an impact on the format issue -- I just don't see that -- but I know the negotiations coming up, they'll have an impact."
2. The irony is rich.
First, here's the release from the NCAA:
Last week, the Division I Board of Directors charged the Division I Council with reviewing how name, image and likeness (NIL) policies have impacted student-athletes, including school choice, transfer opportunities, academics and mental health. The board met virtually Friday.
Thank goodness they met virtually. Just think how many people would've been hurt had they met in person.
Anyway, they met. Back to the release:
"We are concerned that some activity in the name, image and likeness space may not only be violating NCAA recruiting rules, particularly those prohibiting booster involvement, but also may be impacting the student-athlete experience negatively in some ways," said board chair Jere Morehead, president at the University of Georgia. "We want to preserve the positive aspects of the new policy while reviewing whether anything can be done to mitigate the negative ones."
The involvement of schools in arranging for deals also was a concern, as well as how to best ensure adequate representation for student-athletes as they negotiate contract terms. The board welcomed congressional action toward a national, reasonable NIL standard that supports college athletes.
Council chair Shane Lyons indicated that the group agreed that the current name, image and likeness climate should be reviewed.
"We look forward to conducting this review and hope to be able to provide the membership with additional clarity," said Lyons, athletics director at West Virginia. "Any recommendations we provide will help members as they support their student-athletes moving forward."
The board acknowledged that national office enforcement staff have continued to investigate violations of NCAA rules, especially pay-for-play and recruiting inducements.
"We expect that all members and their representatives are abiding by current NCAA rules regarding recruiting and pay-for-play, which are in place to support student-athletes," NCAA President Mark Emmert said. "We encourage school compliance staff to continue their diligence, and NCAA enforcement has and will continue to undertake investigations and actions against potential rules violations."
The board asked for a preliminary report by April, with a final report with recommendations for possible action due in June.
The NCAA literally spent years ignoring NIL. Then, when it became obvious it was going to happen, the NCAA did next to nothing to pave the way for NIL to become part of college athletics in a way that could possibly be advantageous for everyone. So now that it's in place and somewhat of a unsettled frontier, the NCAA wants to step in.
Just remember I told you this: The NCAA is going to declare war on NIL at some point. They're going to investigate and find a program who has skirted the rules around NIL and hammer it.
NIL is just changing the power structure. What most want -- Congressional involvement -- seems unlikely. So last week's release was essentially the NCAA whining. It will be interesting to see what happens when the NCAA tries to take action.
3. Ole Miss played one of its best games of the season Saturday in Athens, beating Georgia, 85-67.
The Rebels did it without guards Jarkel Joiner and Matthew Murrell, both of whom were out with the flu. Center Nysier Brooks and forward Luis Rodriguez played sick. Former Georgia guard Tye Fagan, who has been battling a knee injury for weeks, played his best game in an Ole Miss uniform.
Look, it was Georgia, and the Bulldogs are a mess. They're now 6-21 overall and 1-13 in the SEC. A trip to Auburn waits on Wednesday. A trip to Kentucky is still on the docket. No one is betting on a Cinderella finish in Oxford.
I do, however, think games like Saturday ramp down some of the rhetoric regarding postseason change. My opinion is Kermit Davis is going to get more time. I do think this will be a critical offseason. Davis has to have success in the transfer portal, both in terms of acquisition and retention. The environment at The Pavilion -- quiet, if we're being kind -- is likely a concern for Ole Miss' decision-makers.
But Saturday was a good day. Davis' team had every reason to roll over and quit Saturday. It didn't. Instead, it played very hard, and there is something to say for that.
4. It's time for my weekly ranking of the SEC men's basketball programs, with NET ratings in parentheses.
1. Kentucky (3) -- The Wildcats looked a little more mortal this past week and have a fascinating week upcoming.
2. Auburn (9) -- Auburn's guard play in the final minutes of losses at Arkansas and at Florida should concern Tiger fans.
3. Arkansas (23) -- The Hogs are a one-point loss at Alabama away from an 11-game SEC win streak.
4. Tennessee (11) -- The Vols struggled to know down shots at Bud Walton but their defense is going to give them a chance to go far in March.
5. Alabama (22) -- Every metric is great for 'Bama, sans one -- The Tide is just 7-7 in the league.
6. LSU (16) -- A home loss to South Carolina could come back to haunt the Tigers.
7. Florida (47) -- A home win over Auburn could be a season-saver (and maybe a job-saver) for the Gators.
8. *Mississippi State (46) -- For the Bulldogs, the calculus is simple. Just win.
9. Texas A&M (71) -- The Aggies are 5-9 in the SEC, so the postseason is out. However, they're good enough to spoil a season in the final three weeks.
10. Vanderbilt (77) -- The Commodores are 6-8 in the league, so, like Texas A&M, they're left to play the role of spoiler down the stretch. And they're good enough to do that well.
11. South Carolina (93) -- Wins over Ole Miss and LSU this past week might change the Frank Martin narrative in Columbia -- at least a little bit.
12. Ole Miss (106) -- Credit to the Rebels for putting up a pair of fights over the past week.
13. Missouri (147) -- Cuonzo Martin won't survive March. I mean, he will, but not as the Tigers' coach.
14. Georgia (210) -- Dear Lord.
* -- Mississippi State faces Missouri in Columbia Sunday night.
5. We're at the point in the season where every game can impact the postseason in some way. Here are some games in the SEC this week worth keeping an eye on:
Tuesday:
Arkansas at Florida -- The Gators can really improve their NCAA chances with a win over the Razorbacks, who can, conversely, keep moving up in the seedings with a Quad 1 win in Gainesville.
Wednesday:
LSU at Kentucky -- Will Wade's team really needs a sexy win to eliminate some doubts weird losses have created. A win in Lexington would be just that.
Saturday:
Auburn at Tennessee -- Auburn's guards will have their hands full in Knoxville. Dear Tigers, get the damn ball to Jabari Smith.
Kentucky at Arkansas -- The Razorbacks have been incredible at home. A win over the Wildcats would put the Hogs in position to get a 3/4 seed in March.
6. Spring football is still a month away and there figure to be tons of interesting storylines to follow when it begins March 22.
One I'm watching is the coaching staff, one that still has a vacancy here in late February.
Special teams coach Jeremy Springer left for the Los Angeles Rams, five days after taking the job at Ole Miss.
As of this writing, I don't know what direction Lane Kiffin will take now. There were rumors Saturday Kiffin could promote newly-hired analyst Seth Doege or senior personnel analyst Micheal Spurlock. However, nothing even remotely official was done as of this writing, and it's possible, certainly, Kiffin could go outside the Manning Center to replace Springer.
Regardless, there are a lot of new faces on the coaching staff as spring nears. There's a new strength coach in Nick Savage, a new offensive coordinator in Charlie Weis Jr., a new running backs coach, a renovated defensive staff, including, presumably, a new play-caller on that side of the ball.
How that shakes out will be every bit as important as who plays quarterback or who catches passes this fall. Spring will be dedicated, I suspect, to installation and familiarization, though that will have to be repeated again in August.
Ole Miss is going to be a very talented team in 2022. Building chemistry -- and yes, that absolutely includes the coaching staff -- could be the difference between being very good and having a special season. It will be something to follow as the spring commences and Ole Miss builds toward the April 23 Grove Bowl.
7. The other thing to watch this spring will be recruiting, both in terms of 2023 and 2024 high school prospects who come to Oxford to check things out and transfer portal targets who make the trip before possibly enrolling in late May/early June.
As of this writing, I expect Ole Miss to add six or seven more players in the transfer portal in time for the offseason training program.
Mississippi State transfer portal wide receiver Malik Heath has already claimed one spot. I anticipate LSU transfer portal wide receiver Deion Smith will claim another.
Ole Miss is in hot pursuit of two TCU transfer portal defenders -- linebacker Khari Coleman and defensive end Ochaun Mathis. The Rebels were also in contact last week with USC transfer portal kicker Parker Lewis and Western Kentucky transfer portal offensive tackle Cole Spencer, among others.
My guess is the Rebels would like to add two wide receivers, another offensive lineman, a defensive lineman, a linebacker and a cornerback in the portal. Depending on what happens with Caden Costa's appeal, the Rebels might have no choice but to add a kicker from the portal as well.
There's no reason at this point to think the Rebels won't get what they want out of the portal. Kiffin and Co. have proven to be quite adept in recruiting older players. Deciding what they want and what they simply must have, however, could have major ramifications on the team the Rebels field in September.
8. Juwan Howard must be suspended.
And that's at a minimum.
Howard threw an open-handed slap/punch at a Wisconsin assistant coach during an argument with Badgers coach Greg Gard on Sunday during the postgame handshake after the Wolverines' 77-63 loss in Madison.
Wisconsin was up 15 when the Badgers took a timeout with 15 seconds left.
After the game, Howard pointed a finger at Gard. Later on, Howard appeared to take a swing toward Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft, and players from each side got involved in the skirmish.
“Apparently, he didn’t like that I called a timeout to reset the 10-second call," Gard said. “We only had four seconds to get the ball over halfcourt. I had all my backups in the game, and I didn’t want to put them in that position of only scambling with four seconds, so I took a timeout. It got us a new 10 seconds and helped them get organized to get the ball in.
"He didn’t like that when he came through the handshake line, so I’ll leave it at that. I’ll let the tape tell the rest.”
Howard and Gard were separated by a number of players and coaches, but then Howard got back into the scrum, leading to punches thrown by multiple players.
Howard said he felt he needed to protect himself, because Gard touched him unnecessarily in the handshake line after he had gotten upset.
His explanation isn't believable. Michigan and the Big Ten should come down hard. I'll follow this story with interest. Howard is a bit of a media favorite and some of the national reporters who cover the sport will likely feel a bit conflicted evaluating what happened, why it happened and what should come from it.
9. It’s time to eat. Here’s our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 123 — Southern Corn Casserole.
Ok, bringing back up Arnold’s Country Kitchen. It had to be…four years ago…but I still dream of their corn casserole. Might as well get a version that hits the same way. So you need to try this as soon as possible for this to be a regular side at your dinner table.
Tidbit #1: So we are going to use Ritz crackers as the base of the casserole to give you a crunch throughout. Smash the Ritz crackers and then pour the melted butter on top. Mix and place in your casserole dish as the first layer.
Tidbit #2: If you need a little bit of vinegar taste to cut the cream cheese, that is why we are using pimento peppers. You can add more spice by adding in diced jalapeños…be careful though.
Tidbit #3: You can make the casserole the day before and then bake the day of. Easy peasy.
Things you will need:
4 People
Preparation time - 20 Minutes
Cook time - 25 Minutes
Glass of Chardonnay
Utensils needed:
Worksurface and chef’s knife
Measuring cups
Saucepan
Stove and oven
Whisk
Potato masher
Casserole dish 13 x 9
Microwave
Microwave safe
Ingredients needed:
2 Cans whole kernel corn
2 Onions, chopped
2 Pimento peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 Cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Sleeve Ritz crackers
8 Ounces cream cheese
1 cup milk
2 Eggs
Salt and pepper
Mise en Plac
Step 1: Begin by sautéing your onions with olive oil over medium heat until light brown. About 9 minutes.
Step 1.2: Go and crush your cracker while in the sleeve and then add to the bowl with the melted butter. Mix and then place in your casserole dish.
Step 1.3: Drain 1 can of the corn and mash. Add the other corn to a mixing bowl along with the pimento peppers, garlic, and cheddar cheese. Salt, pepper, and mix. Set to the side.
Step 2: Add the cream cheese to the pan with the onions. Whisk until thoroughly combined and then add in the milk, eggs, and sugar. Whisk.
Final
Step 3: Now put everything in the sauté pan into the mixing bowl. Use a spatula to properly mix and then place it into your casserole dish. You will cook at 350°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss basketball, baseball, recruiting and -- if the last few weeks are any precedent -- football coaching transitions on RebelGrove.com this week. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:
Why USC quarterback Caleb Williams is a natural fit in Hollywood - Sports Illustrated
Zion Williamson named in new book on college basketball FBI scandal - Sports Illustrated
Excerpt: Inside the unraveling of Coach K and Bobby Knight's complicated relationship
Will Buccaneers', Rams' Super Bowl successes entice other teams to go all in?
Exclusive: Donovan Mitchell on relationship with Rudy Gobert; his future in Utah
Rock or 'ruck'? Thunder rising star Josh Giddey, a QB at heart, chose hoops over Australian football
Oram: Anthony Davis, empathy and the cumulative weight of disappointment – The Athletic
After retiring from MLB, Torii Hunter could have idled. Instead, he dove into entrepreneurship
Former Angels employee Eric Kay convicted in Tyler Skaggs' death: 'A tragedy all the way around'
The quiet life and the sad death of the 'Miracle on Ice' team's Mark Pavelich
Wandermania, Ryne Sandberg and more: A running diary of the Topps 2022 Series One Premiere Party
Michele Tafoya to chair Minnesota GOP campaign following Super Bowl exit
Man booted from Allegiant flight for ‘Let’s go Brandon’ mask
How the CDC Abandoned Science - Tablet Magazine
Covid data will not be published over concerns it's misrepresented by anti-vaxxers | Glasgow Times
GOP tensions boil over Trump's fundraising tactics - Axios
'It was like an asteroid hit': How a baseball writer reinvented himself after his world fell apart
Christie Brinkley Celebrates 50 Years Of Total-Body #Goals On IG
