sutomcat
No recent Cali or Iggy awards; Mr Irrelevant
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Welcome to Robert Burns Day!
Burns suppers celebrate the life and writings of Scottish poet Robert Burns. Also known by other names, including Burns Night, Burns suppers are usually held on the anniversary of Burns' birth, but may be on other days. They are celebrated all around the world. The first supper was held on the fifth anniversary of Burns' death, on July 21, 1801. It was organized by his friends and held at Burns Cottage. The longest-lasting Burns Club, started in Greenock in 1801, held their first Burns Supper on January 29, 1802, on the date they thought was Burns' birthday. But when records found in the parish town of Ayr the following year showed his birthday was actually January 25th, the suppers were changed to that date, and have been held on it since.
The Scottish Parliament welcomes the yearly celebration of Robert Burns. They consider him to be one of the world's great poets, believe that his work has influenced thinkers across the world, and acknowledge that his first published collection—Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, or the Kilmarnock Edition—helped popularize and champion the Scottish language. They believe "that the celebration of Burns Night is an opportunity to raise awareness of the cultural significance of Scots and its status as one of the indigenous languages of Scotland" and "in the importance of the writing down of the Scots language to ensure its continuation through written documentation, as well as oral tradition."
SU News
cuse.com Dwight Freeney sacks quarterback Michael Vick
The spin cycle (waer.org; Simone)
The story of Dwight Freeney’s time in a Syracuse uniform is an illustrious one. The Connecticut native tallied 34 sacks in four years at SU, including a single-season program record 17.5 in his senior season of 2001 and 13 in just seven games as a junior in 2000. Now, he is the 10th
The signature moment of Freeney’s college career was in 2000 against Virginia Tech. The Hokies almost won the national title the year prior, and had Michael Vick at quarterback, the most electrifying player in college football at the time, according to CBS Sports’ Damon Amendolara, who called that game for WAER.
Amendolara recalls the anticipation leading up to that game, both because of Vick’s presence and the fact that SU and VT were heated rivals in the Big East at the time. What ensued was a battle between two players perhaps unlike anything ever seen before.
A quarterback and a pass rusher went toe-to-toe. Vick vs. Freeney. The Syracuse defender racked up two sacks early, which is when Amendolara says he and his broadcast partner Andrew Catalon began to realize something special was happening.
Freeney ended that game with 4.5 sacks of Vick, a feat Amendolara describes as among the most impressive he’s ever seen from a defender at the collegiate level. However, Virginia Tech actually won that game, 22-14. Despite the final score, Freeney’s legacy in the 315 was set after that performance.
The edge rusher broke the mold of what a traditional defensive end looked like. Freeney was 6-foot-1 250 pounds at SU, in a time when the average player at his position, as Freeney describes, was closer to 6-foot-5 280 pounds.
His game wasn’t built around power, like most of his contemporaries, instead he relied on speed off the edge to get around tackles and the leverage he had by nature of being shorter than the linemen he went against.
Then, there was the signature spin move. Freeney learned it playing basketball. He would use a drop step inside the lane trying to get to the basket in high school. He was often called for traveling when he tried it, but, as the man himself put it, “there’s no traveling in football.”
Freeney broke out the move in practice, and it worked. He stuck with it into games and would set up tackles for it by going to their outside consistently, then spinning back to the inside when the game dictated that he needed to get to the quarterback on that play.
Freeney was a special player who revolutionized his position, and got rewarded for it by being selected to the College Football Hall of Fame, an honor Amendolara says Freeney deserves because, “on his best day, he was unblockable,” against Michael Vick on an October Saturday in the Dome.
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https://www.thestate.com/sports/col...ecruiting/phil-kornblut/article271570717.html (thestate.com; Kornblut)
Wide receiver BJ Gibson of Rochelle, Georgia visited South Carolina over the weekend for their junior day as a commitment to Tennessee for baseball. But Monday night, Gibson (6-0, 170) announced he had decommitted from the Vols baseball program and once again was considering all of his options for both sports.
The Gamecocks definitely are one of his strong options right now largely due to the bond he’s developed with receivers coach Justin Stepp.
“I really like Coach Stepp. We’ve built a relationship over the last few months,” Gibson said, “a personal relationship and around football. I like his personality. He’s a cool guy. He said he liked my explosiveness, speed and the ability to make plays.”
Gibson has a long offer sheet that also includes Auburn, LSU, Maryland, Georgia, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, LSU, Iowa State, Syracuse and Kentucky. He’s not to the point where he’s ready to identify leaders, but USC stands a good chance of being on that short list.
“I like South Carolina. I think South Carolina is a good school academic-wise and sports-wise,” Gibson said. “I think they are on the uprise as being a top program in the country. I would consider them as a high-end school and I could see myself playing there, but I haven’t decided on top schools.”
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2024 RB Chris Wheatley-Humphrey calls Syracuse offer 'an accomplishment' - The Juice Online (the juice; Cheng)
One of the most highly coveted 2024 Florida running backs is Chris Wheatley-Humphrey from 2024 Dillard (Fla.) High.
He already has offers from Maryland, Georgia Tech, Liberty, UCF, Louisville and Florida State, among others, in hand. Wheatley-Humphrey also picked up an offer from Syracuse earlier in the week.
“It felt great great getting an offer from Syracuse,” Wheatley-Humphrey said. “It was an accomplishment.”
He’s had plenty of those in the past year. Playing for South Broward (Fla.) High this past season, he rushed for 1,166 yards and added nine total touchdowns.
The 6-foot, 185-pound prospect has also appeared as a defensive back, but he’s being recruited primarily on offense.
“My style of play is like a wear and tear,” Wheatley-Humphrey said. “Throughout the game, I find ways to attack the defense to wear them down. Then, when I see them over-pursue, I break.”
Wheatley-Humphrey said he doesn’t have any early favorites so far, though UCF “is talking to me the most,” at the moment, he said.
“What I’m looking for in a college is that I want to be myself and won’t have to change.”
In that way, Syracuse seemed to fit what he’s looking for.
“Syracuse is a good school, man,” Wheatley-Humphrey said. “It’s not bad at all. I like their running game. I see they like to have fast and quick backs and I fit that mold.”
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Ugh.
Dale Ostrander joined the CNY Central team as a multimedia journalist in January of 2023.
Dale is a native of Parish, NY in Oswego County. He received his bachelor's degree from Penn State in 2022. He would like to say from April to November his heart is blue and white for Penn State, but from November to April it is all orange for Syracuse basketball. He still is very passionate about Syracuse football as well!
Before coming to work at CNY Central he worked as a multimedia journalist in Binghamton for WICZ (FOX affiliate) in the Summer of 2022.
Dale’s love of broadcast journalism started at the age of 16 when he attended a summer program at Penn State and has pursued his goals ever since.
Growing up Dale would spend his Sundays watching NASCAR with his family. Fun fact he is named after Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Also, on Sundays, he will watch his favorite NFL team the Miami Dolphins with his mother who got him started on the dreaded path of being a Dolphins fan.
ACC News
(youtube; video; ACC DN)
The ACC will house some of the nation's finest players next season that will be sure to rack up conference accolades and national honors. There is no bigger conference honor than the ACC Player of The Year. Florida State has a fantastic duo of quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive lineman Jared Verse. Clemson's Will Shipley will surely be a contender chewing up yards in Death Valley. Who else made our "Way too early" list? Check out the rest of these dynamic playmakers right here!
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/duke/article271593897.html (newsobserver.com; Wiseman)
For the fifth time in his relatively young coaching career, Tyler Santucci is coming to work for Mike Elko. This time, he’ll have more responsibility than ever.
Duke hired the 34-year-old Santucci as its new defensive coordinator on Tuesday, reuniting Santucci and Elko after they had previously worked together at Wake Forest, Notre Dame, and twice at Texas A&M.
“I am excited to welcome Tyler, his wife Arielle, and their daughter Liana into our Duke football family,” said Elko, entering his second season as Duke’s head football coach. “I’ve known Tyler for quite a while and I’m confident he’ll be a great fit for us here in Durham. His work ethic, leadership, passion and understanding of the sport made him an easy choice for this opportunity. I am eager to see our defense reach new heights under his direction.”
Santucci, linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M last season, replaces Robb Smith, who left Duke’s staff for personal reasons to be with family in Minnesota.
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https://www.bcheights.com/2023/01/24/josh-deberry-enters-tranfer-portal-boston-college-football/ (bcheights.com; Ott)
After four years in a Boston College football uniform, senior defensive back Josh DeBerry announced on Twitter on Monday that he will enter the transfer portal with one year of eligibility.
DeBerry played in 11 games in the 2022 season, extending his streak of appearing in 10-plus games a year to three straight seasons. He served as a leader of BC’s defense, earning All-ACC honorable mention honors after the 2022 season, All-ACC Second Team honors in 2021, and All-ACC honorable mention honors in 2020.
With his transfer announcement, DeBerry joins a group of seven other Eagles in the portal, including two other defensive backs, CJ Burton and Jason Maitre, and quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
Last season, DeBerry played a crucial role in BC’s secondary, recording 39 solo tackles and 50 total tackles. He recovered a fumble against Maine and contributed to BC’s first-half push against Clemson with a first-quarter interception that put BC inside the Tigers’ 25-yard line.
In his career with BC, DeBerry totaled four interceptions, three forced fumbles, and 158 total tackles. In his departing message to BC, DeBerry thanked his freshman year head coach Steve Addazio, who was responsible for recruiting the defensive back in 2018. DeBerry started two games as a freshman, totaling 11 tackles and two pass break-ups.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/01/bgb-greatest-nfl-player-by-school.html (RX; HM)
BGB: Greatest NFL Player by School
First I'm gonna show you Big Game Boomer's NFL all-timers list......now, I'll let you know which ones I agree with BGB on, and which ones need to be "corrected" (ACC-related only, of course):
| Team | BGB's picks | My picks |
| Boston College | Doug Flutie | Luke Kuechly |
| Flutie was a great college QB, but never did much in the NFL; Kuechly was a 7-time all-Pro LB. | ||
| Clemson | Brian Dawkins | agreed |
| The Tigers put out lots of great DLs, but Dawkins is HoF. | ||
| Duke | Sonny Jurgensen | agreed |
| Kinda sad no Blue Devil has ecclipsed him in all these years. | ||
| Florida State | Deion Sanders | agreed |
| Plenty of Noles to choose from, but "Prime Time" is the best. | ||
| Georgia Tech | Calvin Johnson | agreed |
| It has to be "Megatron", right? | ||
| Louisville | Jonny Unitas | Mark Clayton |
| All due respect to Johnny U, but Clayton had more Pro Bowls. | ||
| Miami | Ed Reed | Ray Lewis |
| While you can't go wrong with "Honey Badger", Lewis had 3 more Pro Bowls, twice as many Defensive Player of the Years, and twice as many Super Bowl wins. | ||
| North Carolina | Lawrence Taylor | agreed |
| I mean, who else are you going to pick for the Heels? | ||
| NC State | Phillip Rivers | Torry Holt |
| You can also make an argument for Roman Gabriel. | ||
| Notre Dame | Joe Montana | agreed |
| I almost went with Alan Page; there are a lot of good choices, to be honest. | ||
| Pitt | Dan Marino | agreed |
| An argument can be made for Larry Fitzgerald, Ricky Jackson, Tony Dorsett, and many others. | ||
| Syracuse | Jim Brown | agreed |
| Marvin Harrison is worth a look, but how can you not go with "the incomparable" Jim Brown? | ||
| Virginia | Ronde Barber | Herman Moore |
| Yeah, I know Barber had more Pro Bowls; this is just a judgment call. | ||
| Virginia Tech | Michael Vick | Bruce Smith |
| Vick was a great college QB, but come on - Smith was an 11-time Pro Bowler! |
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https://www.cardiachill.com/2023/1/24/23570288/brody-graysen-riffe-pittsburgh-panthers-recruiting (cariachill.com; Parra)
The Pittsburgh Panthers 2023 recruiting class was already locked up back in December but it looks like they will be adding two more to the group. Twin brothers Brody and Graysen Riffe will be joining the Panthers as preferred walk-ons.
The twins are both listed at 6’8 and are both 300 pounds plus. After extending an offer two weeks ago to walk on, the Twins were present over the weekend to check out the facilities and attend the game against Florida State. Pitt was able to beat instate rival Penn State for the prospects as the Nittany Lions also offered the talented tackles.
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https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2023/01/national-title-games-1985-2023.html (RX; HM)
National Title Games, 1985-2023
Here are the TV ratings for all college football national championship games from January 1986 to January 2023:
| SEASON | DATE | BOWL | GAME | NET | RATING | Vwrs(M) | |
| 2022-23 | Mon, 1/9/23 | CFP | UGA | TCU | ESPN | 8.7 | 17.223 |
| 2021-22 | Mon, 1/10/22 | CFP | UGA | Ala | ESPN | 12.1 | 22.563 |
| 2020-21 | Mon, 1/11/21 | CFP | Ala | OSU | ESPN | 10.3 | 18.653 |
| 2019-20 | Mon, 1/13/20 | CFP | LSU | Clem | ESPN | 14.3 | 25.588 |
| 2018-19 | Mon, 1/7/19 | CFP | Clem | Ala | ESPN | 13.8 | 25.28 |
| 2017-18 | Mon, 1/8/18 | CFP | Ala | UGA | ESPN | 15.6 | 28.443 |
| 2016-17 | Mon, 1/9/17 | CFP | Clem | Ala | ESPN | 14.2 | 25.266 |
| 2015-16 | Mon, 1/11/16 | CFP | Ala | Clem | ESPN | 15.0 | 26.182 |
| 2014-15 | Mon, 1/12/15 | CFP | OSU | Ore | ESPN | 18.6 | 34.148 |
| SEASON | DATE | BOWL | GAME | NET | RATING | Vwrs(M) | |
| 2013-14 | Mon., 1/6/14 | BCS | FSU | Aub | ESPN | 14.8 | 26.205 |
| 2012-13 | Mon., 1/7/13 | BCS | Ala | ND | ESPN | 15.1 | 26.38 |
| 2011-12 | Mon., 1/9/12 | BCS | Ala | LSU | ESPN | 14.0 | 24.214 |
| 2010-11 | Mon., 1/10/11 | BCS | Aub | Ore | ESPN | 15.3 | 27.316 |
| 2009-10 | Thu., 1/7/10 | BCS | Ala | Tex | ABC | 17.2 | 30.776 |
| 2008-09 | Thu., 1/8/10 | BCS | Fla | OU | FOX | 15.8 | 26.767 |
| 2009-10 | Thu., 1/7/10 | BCS | ALA 37 | TEX 21 | ABC | 17.2 | 30.776 |
| 2008-09 | Thu., 1/8/09 | BCS | UF 24 | OK 14 | FOX | 15.8 | 26.767 |
| 2007-08 | Tue., 1/7/08 | BCS | LSU 38 | OSU 24 | FOX | 14.4 | 23.069 |
| 2006-07 | Mon., 1/8/07 | BCS | UF 41 | OSU 14 | FOX | 17.4 | 28.795 |
| SEASON | DATE | BOWL | GAME | NET | RATING | Vwrs(M) | |
| 2005-06 | Wed., 1/4/06 | Rose | TEX 41 | USC 38 | ABC | 21.7 | 35.630 |
| 2004-05 | Tue., 1/4/05 | Orange | USC 55 | OK 19 | ABC | 13.7 | 21.419 |
| 2003-04 | Sun., 1/4/04 | Sugar | LSU 21 | OK 14 | ABC | 14.8 | 23.937 |
| Thu., 1/1/04 | Rose | USC 28 | MICH 14 | ABC | 14.3 | 23.871 | |
| 2002-03 | Fri., 1/3/03 | Fiesta | OSU 31 | MIA 24 | ABC | 17.2 | 29.104 |
| 2001-02 | Thu., 1/3/02 | Rose | MIA 37 | NEB 14 | ABC | 13.8 | 21.559 |
| 2000-01 | Wed., 1/3/01 | Orange | OK 13 | FSU 2 | ABC | 17.8 | 27.240 |
| 1999-00 | Tue., 1/4/00 | Sugar | FSU 46 | VT 29 | ABC | 17.5 | 26.962 |
| 1998-99 | Mon., 1/4/99 | Fiesta | TEN 23 | FSU 16 | ABC | 17.2 | 26.112 |
| SEASON | DATE | BOWL | GAME | NET | RATING | Vwrs(M) | |
| 1997-98 | Fri., 1/2/98 | Orange | NEB 42 | TEN 17 | CBS | 13.3 | n/a |
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https://theclemsoninsider.com/2023/...-in-college-football-to-accomplish-this-feat/ (theclemsoninsider.com; Staff)
Of all the players in college football, only Will Shipley put up these kinds of numbers in 2022.
Clemson sports information director Ross Taylor took to Twitter this week with an impressive nugget regarding the Tigers’ star running back.
As Taylor noted, Shipley was the lone player in the nation to post at least 1,150 rushing yards, at least 200 receiving yards and at least 300 kickoff return yards this past season.
Taylor also pointed out that Shipley joined Clemson’s own C.J. Spiller (2009) as the only ACC players since 2000 to accomplish the feat while also joining an outstanding list of players such as Darren Sproles (2004), Reggie Bush (2005), Christian McCaffrey (2015 and 2016), Joe Mixon (2016) and Saquon Barkley (2017) as the only Power Five players to hit those figures in every category in the last 20 seasons.
That speaks to the dynamic versatility possessed by Shipley, who in 2022 became the first player in ACC history to earn first-team all-conference honors at three different positions, collecting first-team honors in the running back, all-purpose and specialist categories.
A finalist for the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the nation’s most versatile player, Shipley finished his sophomore campaign with 210 carries for 1,182 yards and 15 touchdowns, 38 receptions for 242 yards, and 324 yards on 14 kickoff returns.
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https://247sports.com/LongFormArtic...ires-thus-far-for-2023-203578847/#203578847_5 (247sports.com; Marsdale)
The college football head coaching carousel was hot, but movement also flowed in the assistant ranks. Alabama needs to fill both coordinator roles following the departure of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to the New England Patriots and defensive coordinator Pete Golding to Ole Miss. Clemson’s hiring of ex-TCU offensive coordinator and 2022 Broyles Award winner Garrett Riley was among the biggest moves in the carousel.
“I am super excited to welcome Garrett and Lindsay Riley and their two precious sons to the Clemson Family,” head coach Dabo Swinney said. “Garrett has an incredible track record. His body of work — including this past season when his ninth-ranked scoring offense helped TCU transform from a five-win team into a 13-win national championship game finalist in their coaching staff’s first season — speaks for itself.”
Riley’s departure from TCU created a domino effect, and his replacement at TCU makes the list of the 10-best assistant coaching hires thus far in the offseason.
Here are 10 of the best moves in the assistant ranks thus far in the coaching carousel:
BRIAN WARD, ARIZONA STATE DC (WASHINGTON STATE DC)
Washington State gave up just 22.4 points per game, third-best in the Pac-12. Heading into the Apple Cup, the Cougars yielded just 19.8 points per game which led the conference. This was a big hire for first-year Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham, who is an offensive-minded head coach. While Ward's defense was torched in the Apple Cup, Washington State also let up 30 points in a loss to USC, but held the Trojans to 369 total yards of offense. It was good for Dillingham to acquire a defensive coordinator with Pac-12 experience.KENDAL BRILES, TCU OC (ARKANSAS OC)
Arkansas finished with the fifth-best offense in the SEC, averaging 471.2 total yards per game — the most for an Arkansas team in 12 years. That ranking was anchored by the second-best rushing offense in the league, as the Razorbacks averaged a whopping 236.5 rushing yards per contest. Their 32.5 points per game also ranked in the upper half of the SEC, which is Arkansas’ best showing in that department in seven years. Sonny Dykes had a big challenge replacing Riley, and he arguably hit a home run.RYAN CLANTON, IOWA STATE OL (NORTHERN IOWA OC AND OFFENSIVE LINE)
Clanton started at UNI in 2018 to serve as the offensive line coach. In 2022, he added offensive coordinator to his coaching duties. Clanton became a finalist for the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year award, as a clear example of his budding success. Clanton is known to balance that strong line of connecting with players, while also bringing the intensity necessary to have a lot of success in the trenches. Recently, Clanton coached first round draft pick Trevor Penning, who was drafted by the New Orleans Saints.CHARLES KELLY, COLORADO DC (ALABAMA SAFETIES)
Kelly coached NFL Draft picks Deionte Thompson and Xavier McKinney at Alabama, and had a trio of solid 2022 safeties at Alabama in Jordan Battle, Brian Branch and Malachi Moore, all who figure to be 2023 NFL Draft picks. Kelly is also the No. 1 recruiter in 247Sports' assistant coach rankings for the 2023 cycle. He was the primary recruiter of the Tide’s third highest-rated commit for the 2023 cycle, five-star safety Caleb Downs, and was the primary recruiter for All-American outside linebacker Will Anderson in 2020. Kelly looks to continue his magic in Boulder working under head coach Deion Sanders, also taking on a bigger role on the sideline.WILL STEIN, OREGON OC (UTSA CO-OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR)
Dan Lanning had to replace his offensive coordinator in Dillingham after just one season, but he made a solid choice. The 33-year-old was at UTSA since 2019, moving from passing game coordinator to co-OC. The last two seasons at UTSA placed them inside the top 15 in the FBS in points per game. The Roadrunners finished ninth in total offense this season, averaging 486.1 yards per game. Frank Harris, UTSA's quarterback last season, threw for over 3,800 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Roadrunners had two receivers finish with over 900 yards receiving and two running backs with over 675 yards on the ground.EJ BARTHEL, NEBRASKA RUNNING BACKS (UCONN RUNNING BACKS)
Barthel, a former Rutgers and UMass player, spent two seasons with Matt Rhule and the Carolina Panthers before moving on to UConn, where he joined the staff of Jim Mora Jr. Despite the loss of star running back Nathan Carter early in the season, Barthel's unit shined. Two running backs in Victor Rosa and Devontae Houston each went for over 550 yards and averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry.PHIL LONGO, WISCONSIN OC (NORTH CAROLINA OC)
UNC head coach Mack Brown hired Longo during his 2019 return to Chapel Hill. He spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and three seasons in the same role at Sam Houston State previously. Over the past four seasons, Longo captained some of the most prolific offenses in UNC history while developing quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye into bona fide NFL prospects. Luke Fickell hit this hire out of the park.GARRETT RILEY, CLEMSON OC (TCU OC)
Riley is 2022 Broyles Award winner after TCU completed a magical season that ended in the with a loss in College Football Playoff National Championship game to Georgia. Riley is the younger brother of USC head coach Lincoln Riley. Clemson fired former offensive coordinator Brandon Streeter, and Swinney went outside of his comfort zone to replace him. Riley is exiting his first season TCU's staff after following Dykes to Fort Worth from SMU in December 2021. Riley transformed TCU's offense into one of the most productive units in the country in 2022, headlined by quarterback and Heisman runner-up Max Duggan.PATRICK SURTAIN, FLORIDA STATE DEFENSIVE BACKS (MIAMI DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE ASSISTANT)
Surtain joins the Seminoles after spending the 2022 NFL season as a defensive assistant with the Miami Dolphins. He fills an on-field coaching role vacated by the departure of former secondary coach Marcus Woodson to Arkansas. Prior to his time with the Dolphins as an assistant coach, Surtain spent nine years (2013-21) coaching at Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage High School. He first worked for the Patriots as an assistant coach in 2013. He became head coach in 2016. In his six seasons (2016-21) as head coach at American Heritage, the Patriots won three state championships (2016, 2017 and 2020). He was the 2020 High School Football America National Coach of the Year. He is the father of Denver Broncos and former Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II.ROBERT ANAE, NC STATE OC (SYRACUSE OC)
Anae, who has more than three decades of college coaching experience and 16 years as an FBS offensive coordinator, just finished his first season at directing the Syracuse's offense. Prior to injury hits, the Orange got off to a 6-0 start behind a strong start from Garrett Shrader, who had a career year under Anae. Before he joined Syracuse's staff, he was the offensive coordinator at Virginia for six seasons. In 2021, the Cavaliers ranked third in FBS in total offense. Virginia was one of five FBS programs to average over 500 yards of total offense (515.8) that season. The Cavaliers' 396.2 passing yards per game in 2021 was second in FBS. The 2021 total yardage and passing yardage totals were both program records. New NC State quarterback Brennan Armstrong thrived under Anae at UVA and struggled in his lone season without him....
https://247sports.com/LongFormArtic...st-replace-Bill-OBrien-203561574/#203561574_7 (247sports.com; Crawford)
Alabama is in search of an offensive coordinator after Bill O'Brien left Tuesday for the opening with the New England Patriots. O'Brien was on an expiring contract with the, and now Alabama has a wealth of potential candidates to manage the post-Bryce Young era in Tuscaloosa.
For Nick Saban, this means he replaces both coordinators after Pete Golding left for Ole Miss.
The clubhouse leader appears to be Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, whose name floated as soon as it appeared O'Brien was on his way out. He has SEC experience previously on Lane Kiffin's staff at Ole Miss and would bring innovation to Alabama's offensive looks.
Here are a few potential options for Alabama's offensive coordinator search, including a couple reported names.
JEFF LEBBY, OKLAHOMA OC
Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby could be a target for Alabama, according to Pete Thamel. During an interview last week with Paul Finebaum, Thamel floated Lebby's name as one to watch at Alabama.“I would think that Nick Saban saw the fits that Tennessee and Josh Heupel gave him this year,” Thamel said, “and offensively, I think they’ll probably trend a little bit and maybe overcorrect a little bit more that way as they go. Now, I’m not saying they’re gonna turn into the Baylor offense from the mid-2000s. But one name I’ve heard is (Jeff Lebby), the Oklahoma offensive coordinator. He’s obviously had success in the SEC West footprint (in 2020-21 at Ole Miss).
“He’s obviously learned from Lane Kiffin and branched out to Oklahoma last year — to some mixed results in a rebuilding year. But I do think that if the option schematically is to go faster or slower, my expectation is Alabama’s gonna end up going faster.”
Lebby, 39, was a key hire for first-year Oklahoma coach Brent Venables and left a stint with Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss for the Big 12 last offseason. His time with the Rebels were Lebby's only two years of SEC experience after the former Oklahoma player's career began as a student assistant in Norman during the 2002 season.
KLIFF KINGSBURY, FORMER NFL COACH
When a coordinator position at Alabama opens up, you immediately look at high-profile names who are available and Kingsbury is one of them. He was fired by the Arizona Cardinals earlier this month and is reportedly off the grid in Thailand after pushing football to the back burner, at least temporarily. Cardinals concluded the 2022 season with a 4-13 record and Kingsbury took the blame. He signed an extension through the 2027 season just 10 months ago and concludes his four-year Cardinals tenure with a 28-37-1 record. He previously called plays at Houston and Texas A&M before becoming the head coach at Texas Tech in 2013 through the 2018 season. His work with Patrick Mahomes is notable.CASEY WOODS, SMU OC
Woods' reputation is key here — the guy knows how to score points and do so in bunches. Look at what Woods has done at SMU under coach Rhett Lashlee in terms of production and, his multi-year starting quarterback, Tanner Mordecai, just bolted for Wisconsin. If presented with an opportunity like this at Alabama, no chance he'd say no, right? Woods replaced former SMU play-caller Garrett Riley in the same role in December 2021. Riley went to TCU and helped the Horned Frogs reach the playoff, before leaving this month for Clemson. Woods' previous experience includes two years at Missouri, three seasons at UAB and multiple years at Auburn.JOE BRADY, NFL ASSISTANT
The quarterbacks coach of the Buffalo Bills, Joe Brady is a familiar name in SEC circles after helping LSU to a 15-0 record in 2019 during Joe Burrow's Heisman campaign. He was the quarterbacks coach and co-OC of the Tigers at the time and left after the national championship game for a brief, failed stint with the Carolina Panthers on Matt Rhule's staff. Would Brady be willing to return to the SEC? He reportedly has an interview request with the New York Jets this week for that franchise's open OC vacancy. If Alabama wants him, Saban would need to move quickly.MATT PATRICIA, NFL ASSISTANT
Could the Patriots and Crimson Tide essentially swap assistant coaches? There are multiple reports that New England's offensive line coach could be on his way out of town, which gives Alabama an opportunity to swoop in and land him if Saban wants to go in the direction of another former NFL head coach to call his offense. Patricia was the head coach of the Detroit Lions for three seasons prior to landing with Belichick and the Patriots in 2021. His only time at the college level came as a graduate assistant at Syracuse in the early 2000s before his leap to the NFL....
https://247sports.com/LongFormArtic...-most-impactful-transfers-for-2023-203578188/ (247sports.com; Crawford)
The Big Ten will look a lot different during the 2023 season thanks to a massive influx of transfers — including several high-end quarterbacks — to close out the 2023 portal cycle's first window. Several players who signed with Big Ten programs ranked among the highest-rated on the market per 247Sports and many step into instant-impact roles.
One of only two leagues to ever place two teams in the College Football Playoff the same year, the Big Ten saw three teams finish inside the top 10 last fall and have at least that number on the short list of national title contenders in 2023. First-year coaches Luke Fickell, Matt Rhule and Ryan Walters, at Wisconsin, Nebraska and Purdue, respectively, went portaling for quarterbacks, many of which are mentioned here.
The transfer portal saw a record number of entries for 2023, and many of those players remain unsigned. The portal provides an opportunity for immediate relief at positions with depth concerns or talent depletion, but for the elites, they're able to pick and choose top-end players they want and be selective.
The portal opens again for a two-week window in May after spring practice is complete, but for now, let's determine who could make up the Big Ten's 25 most impactful transfers in the 2023 recruiting cycle.
25. Billy Kemp, WR, Nebraska
24. Ademola Faleye, TE, Michigan State
23. Corey Collier, CB, Nebraska
22. Tyrese Chambers, WR, Maryland
21. Drake Nugent, IOL, Michigan
First-year Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said upon accepting the job with the Huskers that his primary recruiting focus on Year 1 would be flipping this program's roster ahead of 2023 and with a top-20 transfer class per 247Sports with a dozen additions, he has done it. Not only will Nebraska have a fierce quarterback competition on its hands during the spring, but there are new players in the secondary and at the skill spots that will give Rhule a bigger sample size before finishing his depth chart.
20. Malik McClain, WR, Penn State
19. Myles Hinton, OT, Michigan
18. Storm Duck, CB, Penn State
17. C.J. Williams, WR, Wisconsin
16. Avantae Williams, S, Maryland
James Franklin and Penn State went with the small, but efficient, approach to the portal this cycle with four additions, including two play-making wide receivers. At cornerback, the Nittany Lions signed Duck, one of several veterans at the back end for the Tar Heels who decided to leave school for a different opportunity. Duck was a priority for Penn State, as was McClain on the outside.
15. Arik Gilbert, TE, Nebraska
14. Jeff Sims, QB, Nebraska
13. Elijah Spencer, WR, Minnesota
12. Ja'Quan Sheppard, WR, Maryland
11. AJ Barner, TE, Michigan
If Gilbert can stay on the field and avoid distractions, he's a top-five talent in the Big Ten this season from the portal. He's a former five-star who showed out as a freshman at LSU before landing at Georgia and playing behind future NFL first-rounders Darnell Washington and Brock Bowers in a crowded tight end room. He's a high-profile signee for the Huskers, along with former Georgia Tech starting quarterback Jeff Sims. Those two will make the Huskers look a lot different under Rhule's tutelage in 2023.
10. JA'HAD CARTER, S, OHIO STATE
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https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/hi...f-commits-to-pittsburgh-football/69834230007/ (ydr.com; Allibone)
Juelz Goff said he doesn't normally get nervous when speaking with college coaches, but he admitted this experience was surreal.
The Central York junior running back visited the University of Pittsburgh last weekend and watched a Panthers basketball game with head football coach Pat Narduzzi. They talked about football, life, school and ate chicken wings at halftime.
"This wasn't was my first time talking to a coach, but I was honestly in shock," Goff said. "We were just having casual conversations and he wanted to see how i felt about Pitt. It was a great moment."
While Goff didn't plan to commit to the school when he arrived for his visit, he said he realized throughout the weekend that it "was the right fit." He announced his verbal commitment to Pittsburgh on Saturday. He won't be able to officially sign with the program until December of his senior year.
Goff also received offers from Old Dominion, Boston College, Duke, Rutgers and James Madison since last offseason. He also got interest from Syracuse and Penn State. But Pittsburgh was the top football program to offer him a scholarship.
The Panthers are coming off a 9-4 season and have been a top 25 program the past two years. They won the ACC in 2021. There were 18 former Pitt players on active rosters in the NFL this season.
Other
A photo provided by Delta Sonic to the Clay Planning Board shows a design similar to one it is planning for a car wash and detailing center proposed for a site at 3805-3809 Route 31.
https://www.syracuse.com/business/2...oposed-for-busy-onondaga-county-corridor.html (PS; $; Moriarty)
Delta Sonic has proposed building a large car wash, gas station and convenience store featuring a new “greenhouse” design in the fast-growing Route 31 retail corridor in Clay.
The Buffalo-based company has asked the town to rezone 10.3 acres of land along Route 31 to allow it to build what would be its fourth location in Onondaga County.
The site sits along the north side of Route 31 in front of the Cor shopping plaza that contains Kohl’s, Target, Home Depot and Price Chopper. It would be a little to the west of Panera Bread built directly across the road from the Five Guys and Texas Roadhouse restaurants.
The Delta Sonic at 3809 Route 31 would be the fourth and largest one in Onondaga County, and one of the largest of the company’s 32 locations in New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
The development would consist of three sections -- a gas station and convenience store, an automatic car wash and a building for indoor self-service vacuuming or the option of auto detailing provided by employees.
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