Latest news with #CollegeFootballPlayoff
USA Today
an hour ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Marlon Humphrey continues his social media assault of Ravens rivals
Marlon Humphrey continues his social media assault of Ravens rivals Marlon Humphrey is no stranger to throwing jabs online, and with OTAs underway, he's throwing the gloves on again. Old-school NFL aficionados who'd rather see beefs settled on the field may not have understood Marlon Humphrey had he played in another era. They certainly would have respected his game, though. The Baltimore Ravens star was part of a College Football Playoff National Championship-winning team in 2015. His first eight years at football's highest level produced quite an enviable resume. Humphrey is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro. He has also mastered the art of psychological warfare. No one throws a verbal jab quite like the talented and sometimes brash Ravens cornerback. Few do a better job of dismantling an opponent before kickoff. Many have fallen victim to a Marlon Humphrey tirade. Recently, he set his sights on the Cincinnati Bengals organization. Marlon Humphrey stirs the pot with a Bengals troll on social media. What a time to be alive. The Cleveland Browns still have no idea what they are doing. The Pittsburgh Steelers are self-destructing, and they don't have a quarterback. The Bengals are suddenly 'the Bungles again. Cincy isn't just doing its best to damage its relationship with its best defensive player beyond repair. They also have yet to sign their first-round draft choice, Shemar Stewart, as he is holding out and sitting out of offseason workouts because of a contract dispute. Stewart's issue isn't money. It's a disagreement over language that Cincinnati attempted to wedge into the deal. It appears the Bengals would like to have the option of voiding guaranteed money if he ever defaults on his contract. The issue lies in that language not being in Ja'Marr Chase's deal or Amarius Mims'. Stewart's representation wants consistency. The Bengals want control. As you might have imagined, Humphrey noticed... When Baltimore announced the signing of rookie Malaki Starks, Marlon captioned that photo by stating, 'Contract wasn't signed but still practicing (hand clap emoji)'. Though that may not seem like much, most caught what he was stating. Starks came to work and trusted that business would take care of itself. Stewart continues to sit because he is unappreciative of how he is being handled. The Ravens' longest-tenured star noticed and pointed it out publicly. That primetime game featuring Baltimore and Cincinnati keeps getting more interesting, doesn't it? Joe Burrow is sick of playing night games at M&T Bank Stadium. Humphrey never gets sick of finding new ways to play mind games with his opponents. The AFC North is going to be a warzone again, and football aficionados everywhere wouldn't have it any other way.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Steelers Rookie Jack Sawyer Already Drawing Rave Reviews
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Pittsburgh Steelers put together a very interesting draft. While they didn't take a quarterback as early as expected, waiting until the sixth round to bring in Will Howard, they made other big-time moves before that selection. One of the more intriguing additions was former Ohio State standout pass rusher Jack Sawyer. Sawyer, who was one of the heroes of the College Football Playoff for the Buckeyes, will now look to help T.J. Watt with pressure off of the edge. So far, he is making a major impression on the Steelers and his new teammates. Jack Sawyer #33 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates during the second quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Playoff First Round Game at Ohio Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Jack Sawyer #33 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates during the second quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers in the Playoff First Round Game at Ohio Stadium on December 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Photo byWith OTA's underway, Sawyer has been given a chance to show his new teammates what he can bring to the team. He has already started making them take notice of his ability. Read more: Peyton Manning Doesn't Hold Back About Aaron Rodgers Amid Steelers Rumors Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh's veteran linebacker, spoke out with major praise for Sawyer. He likes what he's seeing from the rookie defender. "He's gonna be a dog for us," Highsmith said. "He's got his right head on his shoulders and he works hard. Like I said, he's got the right mindset. It's been cool being able to interact with him and help him out. I came in as a rookie, and T.J. [Watt] and Bud [Dupree] helped me out a lot, as well. That's one thing I want to be able to pour into the new guys that are coming in." Two things can be taken from that quote. Number one, Sawyer could provide an instant impact for the Steelers. Secondly, Highsmith has become a major leader for the defense and will be very helpful for young players. Of course, the rumors surrounding Pittsburgh on the offensive side of the football have not died down. Aaron Rodgers still has yet to sign a contract and the quarterback situation is a complete question mark. Read more: Steelers Given Shocking Suggestion at QB and It's Not Aaron Rodgers Even with Rodgers onboard, the Steelers would need a great defense to compete in the AFC. They seem to have put that defense together well. During his college career at Ohio State, Sawyer played in four seasons and 54 total games. He racked up 144 total tackles to go along with 23 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two defensive touchdowns, one interception, and 11 defended passes. There is no question that Sawyer has the talent to become a special player at the NFL level. Already, he's starting to show that potential and his teammates are clearly taking notice. For more Pittsburgh Steelers and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What Kirby Smart believes is the biggest problem with college football
What Kirby Smart believes is the biggest problem with college football Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart named what he believes to be the biggest issue with college football. Smart could've chosen the House vs. NCAA Lawsuit, roster issues or the College Football Playoff, but instead, he decided to discuss the transfer portal. "The biggest decision that has to be made in college football right now, by far to me, is when is the portal window and is there one or two," Smart said at the annual SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida. Currently, there are two transfer portal windows, one at the end of the regular season and another after spring training. The first transfer portal window affected Georgia significantly. The Bulldogs lost 15 players in the first transfer portal window, including quarterback Carson Beck, linebacker Damon Wilson and cornerback Julian Humphrey. Humphrey decided to transfer before Georgia played Texas in the SEC championship game, something that confused Kirby Smart. Smart believes there should be only one transfer portal window in January after the national championship, and he believes that several schools are on his side about this issue. "There is an outcry. There are different schools that feel like it should not fall during the playing season. I would love that. I would love to be able to play the season without it," Smart claimed.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
SEC Network analyst thinks Oklahoma has the best defensive line in the SEC
SEC Network analyst thinks Oklahoma has the best defensive line in the SEC The Oklahoma Sooners have undergone a total turnaround at one key position group under head coach Brent Venables. OU's defensive line was undersized and not physical enough for the Big 12, much less the SEC when Venables was hired to replace the departed Lincoln Riley in December of 2021. The former defensive coordinator at Oklahoma (1999-2011) and Clemson (2012-2021) had built some of the greatest defenses in college football before getting his first head coaching job. When he left Norman, the Sooners were talented, physical and beefy in the trenches on defense. He built his Clemson defenses in the exact same fashion. The Tigers won national championships in 2016 and 2018 and played in two more title games in 2015 and 2019. There were also two other seasons where Clemson made the College Football Playoff, but got knocked out in the semifinals (2017 and 2020). A lot of the success was largely on the back of Venables' defenses. Meanwhile, the Sooners also had a successful era, but it was primarily due to their offensive firepower. OU made four CFPs in five years but never made it to the championship game because they couldn't stop their opposition from scoring. Under defensive coordinators Mike Stoops and Alex Grinch, Oklahoma got smaller, less physical, and less talented players on the defensive side of the ball. That was evident on the defensive line most of all. When Venables arrived in Norman, he hired Todd Bates to coach the defensive tackles and Miguel Chavis to coach the defensive ends. Over time, and through recruiting and the transfer portal, that trio has built the Oklahoma defensive line into a force again. Cole Cubelic, a college football analyst for the SEC Network, ranked the top five defensive lines in the SEC on his podcast, "Cube Show." He placed the Sooners atop his list, a remarkable transformation for a unit that used to get pushed around by the likes of Kansas State and Iowa State. "The easiest team for this list to select was number one, and it's Oklahoma. And folks, it ain't even close," Cubelic said. "I'm just going to be honest with you. This was not a debate with Texas, this was not a debate with Georgia, this was not a debate with Florida in my head. Oklahoma, by far, has the best defensive line in the SEC, and it is by a landslide. I mean, they literally have a 40-yard head start on everybody else." That's a powerful statement from Cubelic, but Oklahoma has the depth to back it up. At defensive tackle, Bates has a solid four-man group of Jayden Jackson, Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton, and David Stone to work with. It's a talented group that has experience and potential. Each player brings something a little different to the table. At the defensive end spots, the Sooners aren't quite that deep, but Chavis has R Mason Thomas returning after a breakout season a year ago. Opposite him, the tandem of Marvin Jones Jr. and Adepoju Adebawore will be looking for breakout years of their own off the edge. Cubelic also thinks Oklahoma likes what they have in Danny Okoye, who was a four-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. Cubelic also believes that with Venables taking control of the defensive play-calling in 2025, the Sooners will assume even more of his attacking, aggressive mentality. The best defenses Venables has had were able to dictate what the opposing offense could and couldn't do, not the other way around. There were plenty of moments a season ago where the Sooners owned the game defensively up front, most notably in the win over Alabama. Cubelic seems to believe the SEC could be in for more performances like that one from Oklahoma, as Year 4 with Venables, Bates, and Chavis could yield even bigger results. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
USA Today
5 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
College sports leaders have no good reasons to expand CFP, March Madness
College sports leaders have no good reasons to expand CFP, March Madness SEC and Big Ten leaders, plus many others, are waging war against problems that don't really exist; struggling for the sake of struggle. Show Caption Hide Caption How coaches salaries and the NIL bill affects college football Dan Wolken breaks down the annual college football coaches compensation package to discuss salaries and how the NIL bill affects them. Sports Pulse The more we've heard this week from the leaders of college athletics about their urgent need to expand the College Football Playoff and the NCAA men's basketball tournament, the less clear it becomes why they're expanding in the first place. It would be one thing if there was an obvious business case why it's necessary for March Madness to go from 68 to 72 or 74 teams, as NCAA president Charlie Baker suggested could be imminent Thursday in comments at the Big 12's spring meetings. The same goes for the CFP, whose format was a major talking point every day at the SEC's meetings, with a looming decision about whether to expand from 12 to 16. But after months of debate on both fronts, what's become clear is that expansion is going to happen for no reason other than a vapid sense of inertia sprung from the bruised egos of sports executives – who subconsciously understand their own fundamental weakness and ineffectiveness are to blame for the spiral of chaos that college sports can't seem to escape. At least when they push a button to expand a postseason, it feels like they're doing something. That's an explanation. It's not a reason. When the NFL expanded its playoffs from 12 to 14 in 2020, changing its format for the first time in three decades, the obvious factor was an influx of money: Hundreds of millions of dollars, in fact, half of which gets split with players. When the NBA shook up its postseason and created the play-in tournament, the primary motivation was to keep more teams competitive late in the season and discourage tanking. Those are sensible reasons everyone can understand. But neither Baker nor one of the prominent conference commissioners like the SEC's Greg Sankey or the Big Ten's Tony Petitti have been able to articulate a clear and concise mission statement for what expansion of either tournament is supposed to accomplish. They just want to do it. Here's how thin the rationale is regarding March Madness: Speaking with reporters in Orlando, Baker cited the committee snubbing Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Indiana State in 2024 despite a 32-7 record, suggesting an expansion would get the NCAA tournament closer to including the "best" 68 teams. Of course, the NCAA tournament has always worked this way. Excellent mid-major teams that lose in their conference tournament often don't get in. And as the track record of the tournament clearly shows, the vast majority of bids in an expanded field would go to power conference teams with questionable records. The push to expand March Madness precedes Baker's tenure, which began in March 2023. In fact, you can trace the momentum back to March of 2022 when Texas A&M was left out despite a late-season surge to the championship game of the SEC tournament, converting Sankey into a public proponent of expansion. But the idea that tournament spots are being filled by automatic qualifiers from mid-major conferences with less chance to do damage in the tournament than Texas A&M's 2022 team, for instance, isn't new. It's part of the deal, and there's no real demand to move the cut line other than from those who are inconvenienced by it. In fact, one of the big obstacles to March Madness expansion – and the reason it didn't happen years ago – is that there's not a huge pot of television money out there for a few more games between mediocre basketball teams on Tuesday and Wednesday of tournament week. Not only is expansion unlikely to boost profits in a significant way, it's an open question whether the NCAA can expand the tournament without diluting the shares of its revenue distribution model, which are worth about $2 million per team per round. A similar dynamic is at play in the CFP debate. 12-team CFP worked; trashing it makes no sense There were clear incentives for the conference commissioners when they first floated expanding the football tournament from four to 12 teams back in 2021. Not only had TV ratings leveled off, perhaps due to many of the same programs populating the field year after year, but going to 12 would both guarantee access for all the power conference champions and set the table for a $1.3 billion per year contract with ABC/ESPN beginning in 2026 – nearly triple the original 12-year deal that established the CFP. But that's where things get murky. Even before the first 12-team playoff last year, conference commissioners were *already* batting around a 14-team model for 2026. That has now morphed into a likely 16-team bracket. The financial terms of the TV deal, however, will not change in a significant way, whether they land at 12, 14 or 16. So why do it? Not because it's a great business proposition – in fact, there's a legitimate concern about playoff oversaturation and potential second-order effects – but because the more you expand access, the more access everyone wants. That's what we have seen over the last week, especially from the SEC meetings as Sankey and others in the league launched a breathtaking, shameless propaganda effort attempting to rewrite recent history. Getting a mere three teams into last year's 12-team playoff while the Big Ten won its second straight title seems to have done a psychological number on those folks. Rather than admit the truth – the SEC didn't have an amazing year in 2024 and the playing field nationally has been leveled to some extent by NIL and the transfer portal – they are arguing to shape the next CFP format based on a level of conference strength that certainly existed in the past but hasn't in the NIL/transfer portal era. One prominent athletics director, Florida's Scott Stricklin, questioned whether the football bracket should be chosen by committee. Another unnamed administrator went so far as to muse that the SEC and Big Ten should think about just holding their own playoff, according to Yahoo! Sports. If you take a step back and look at what's happening from a 30,000-foot view, it smacks of famed political scientist Francis Fukuyama's 'The End of History,' where he writes about how the triumph of Western liberalism and consumerism has unwittingly created this kind of regressive condition that shows up in so many facets of life and culture. 'If men cannot struggle on behalf of a just cause because that just cause was victorious in an earlier generation,' he wrote, 'then they will struggle against the just cause. They will struggle for the sake of struggle. They will struggle, in other words, out of a certain boredom: for they cannot imagine living in a world without struggle.' That kind of feels like what's going on here. Aside from a small adjustment in how it was seeded, nothing about the 12-team playoff seemed problematic. If anything, it was widely praised for delivering what the original expansion proponents wanted: Geographic diversity, representation for the four power conferences and the Group of Five, first-round playoff games in college venues and a lot of interesting games from the quarterfinals on. In other words, it worked. And there is no obvious reason – financial or otherwise – to have chucked it in the trash already while the four power conferences launch a war amongst themselves about how much access gets allocated to each conference, and by whom. The angst is especially confusing from the SEC, which just got a record 14 bids to the men's basketball tournament (including national champion Florida), has eight of the 16 national seeds for the baseball tournament and five of the eight teams in the Women's College World Series. They're doing just fine, and there is a long track record of being justly rewarded when their teams perform at the highest level. There's little doubt that will happen again in football regardless of which playoff system gets implemented. It just didn't happen last year because the SEC, for once, did not deserve it. But the Big Ten and the SEC are, as Fukuyama wrote, struggling for the sake of struggle. The more power they have amassed by reshaping the landscape through realignment, the more they claim the system is broken. Some believe their end game is a separation from the NCAA, creating a world where they don't have to share a business partnership with conferences and schools they believe aren't bringing as much value to the table. The reality, though, is that any such move would draw a level of scrutiny – legal and political – they are not currently prepared to handle, not to mention the arduous work of building out the infrastructure for all kinds of unglamorous stuff the NCAA already provides. So instead, they wage war against problems that don't really exist, reach for solutions that create actual problems and then fail to solve the problems right in front of their face. The push to expand the NCAA tournament and the CFP are merely symptoms of an affluenza swallowing the highest levels of college sports. Knowing they've failed miserably to execute on the important issues they truly need to solve to ensure the long-term health of their business, the likes of Sankey and Petitti and many others have elevated tedium to a crisis. So a crisis is what they shall have.
