Another Shake Up
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Now that it’s been almost a month since the conclusion of the first ever 12-team college football playoff format, leaders of the two most powerful conferences are set to meet today in New Orleans, and those meetings could have a major effect on the product we watch over the next few years.
College football’s playoff system is about to get another shake-up, with serious talks of expanding to 14 or even 16 teams as early as 2026.
The Big Ten and SEC are leading the charge, pushing for automatic bids for their teams, and it looks like they’re going to get their way.
The most likely format would guarantee four spots each for the SEC and Big Ten, two each for the ACC and Big 12, and one for the highest-ranked Group of Five team. Notre Dame would also get a guaranteed spot—if it finishes in the top 14.
That means if the playoff stops at 14 teams, there might not be any extra at-large spots some years.
In this setup, the top two teams would get byes in a 14-team field, but if they go to 16 teams, nobody gets a bye—just straight into the action.
The selection committee would also take a backseat, with rankings deciding the seeds instead of a room full of administrators debating which 8-4 team is “better.”
One big change could be how conferences handle their schedules. The SEC has been debating whether to move to a nine-game conference schedule for years, and with automatic bids locked in, they might finally do it. The Big Ten already plays nine, and the ACC and Big 12 might follow.
There’s also talk of a scheduling agreement between the SEC and Big Ten, setting up big non-conference matchups like Georgia-Michigan, Texas-Ohio State, or LSU-Oregon every year. That would be great for fans, TV ratings, and—of course—revenue.
With automatic bids taking center stage, conference championship games could change or even lose some importance.
The SEC and Big Ten are looking at new ways to determine their four teams, like play-in games where, say, the third-best team plays the sixth best, and the fourth-best plays the fifth best, with the winners grabbing the last two playoff spots.
Meanwhile, the ACC and Big 12 aren’t thrilled about the SEC and Big Ten grabbing the biggest share of auto-bids.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips says the playoff should be “a true championship, not an invitational,” but let’s be real—the CFP has always been more of an invite system than a true playoff.
It is also important to consider the fact that ESPN is shelling out $1.3 billion a year for CFP broadcast rights starting in 2026, so they have a big say in all of this.
There are concerns that a playoff dominated by the SEC and Big Ten could push fans from other conferences away.
If the field expands to 14, there will be two extra first-round games in December, competing with the NFL.
A 16-team format would add four extra games, which could mean renegotiating TV deals to bring in even more money.
This playoff expansion is just part of a bigger power shift in college sports. The SEC and Big Ten have already secured more control over the CFP’s format and money, and they’re looking to take that influence even further.
Beyond football, these conferences—and others—are pushing for more control over things like the NCAA basketball tournament, which could also expand.
Everything is being driven by TV deals, revenue sharing with athletes, and the battle for financial dominance in college athletics.
Decisions are expected soon, but one thing’s for sure—change is coming. Whether the playoff grows to 14 or 16 teams, the SEC and Big Ten are making sure their teams are taken care of.
Conference championships might look different, scheduling could get a shake-up, and TV money will continue to drive the sport’s future.
At the end of the day, this is all about two things: more playoff spots for the biggest conferences and more money for everyone involved. Buckle up—college football’s postseason is about to get a whole new look.
Pay Day
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Ryan Day at Ohio State and Bill Belichick at North Carolina shook up the rankings of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
Day’s raise and extension came on the heels of Ohio State’s first national championship in a decade.
UNC pays Belichick double what Mack Brown made last year, putting him among the likes of Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian in annual salary.
Eight head coaches earn $10 million or more in annual salary, compared to a decade ago when Alabama’s Nick Saban led the nation with $7.1 million in 2014.
The SEC leads all conferences with five coaches in the top 10, while UNC’s push for big-time football with Belichick added a third ACC coach to the list, helping the conference pass the Big Ten for second place. No Big 12 coaches made the top 10.
Big paychecks don’t always equal success. Three of the ten highest-paid head coaches led their teams to .500 or worse in the 2024 regular season, and many fell short of program expectations.
- MARK STOOPS, KENTUCKY
Total Pay: $9,013,600
Record at Program: 77-73 (12 years)
Stoops, one of the SEC’s longest-tenured coaches, signed an extension in November 2022 that was record-setting for the University of Kentucky football and is set to pay him handsomely through the 2031 season.
He led the Wildcats to two of their 10-win seasons in program history but hasn’t hit double-digit win totals since 2021 and suffered his worst finish since 2013 this fall, stumbling to a 4-8 overall record and 1-7 mark in SEC play.
- BRIAN KELLY, LSU
Total Pay: $9,975,000
Record at Program: 29-11 (Three years)
LSU lured Kelly away from Notre Dame in 2021 with a lucrative offer soaring past $100 million over the life of the contract.
He led the Tigers to a pair of 10-win seasons to start his career in Baton Rouge but faces questions in 2024 after suffering his worst record in three seasons at 9-4.
He also lost top-ranked 2024 prospect Bryce Underwood in a flip to Michigan during the early signing period.
T-6. KALEN DEBOER, ALABAMA
Total Pay: $10,000,000
Record at Program: 9-4 (One year)
DeBoer signed an eight-year contract with Alabama. It runs through Dec. 31, 2031, with a starting annual salary of $10 million in the first year and yearly increases up to $11.75 million in the final year.
It more than doubled his reported salary at Washington last season ($4.3 million).
Alabama suffered its first three-loss regular season since 2010 in DeBoer’s first year at the helm and missed the College Football Playoff.
T-6. MIKE NORVELL, FLORIDA STATE
Total Pay: $10,000,000
Record at Program: 33-27 (Five years)
Norvell cashed in on his unbeaten season in 2023 with an eight-year deal worth more than $10 million per season in January, when he became one of the rumored candidates for the Alabama vacancy.
Florida State didn’t get its money’s worth in 2024. The Seminoles had their worst regular season since 1974, finishing 2-10.
Outside of Florida State’s 13-1 campaign in 2023, the Seminoles are 20-26 under Norvell with just one bowl appearance.
T-6. BILL BELICHICK, NORTH CAROLINA
Total Pay: $10,000,000
Record at Program: N/A
Inside Carolina reported that Bill Belichick agreed to a five-year contract that will pay him $10 million annually, with three years and $30 million guaranteed.
It’s double the $5 million annual salary his predecessor Mack Brown made in annual salary.
The Tar Heel brass agreed to increase the staffing budget, supply Belichick with a full general manager staff and make a significant investment in its NIL budget.
He’s one of the top three highest-paid coaches in the ACC without coaching a single down of college ball.
UNC’s early returns have been good. Belichick has helped UNC in both the transfer portal and high school recruiting class for 2025, up to 43rd from 78th when Mack Brown left.
- LINCOLN RILEY, USC
Total Pay: $10,043,418
Record at Program: 26-14 (Three years)
USC paid 4.5 million to Oklahoma for Riley’s buyout, then proceeded to give him the largest contract in coaching at the time (2022).
He finished one win from the College Football Playoff in his first season with the Trojans, making the program’s instant return on investment substantial.
However, he’s 15-13 in his last 27 games after finishing the 2024 season at 7-6.
- STEVE SARKISIAN, TEXAS
Total Pay: $10,600,000
Record at Program: 38-17 (Four years)
Fresh off leading Texas to its first College Football Playoff berth in 2023, the Longhorns awarded Sarkisian with a four-year extension that saw his salary jump from $5.8 million to $10+ million.
Sarkisian can earn an extra $1.85 million annually in performance incentives, including $1.25 million for winning the national championship.
Sarkisian also gets two dealer cars and the use of a private jet, among other perks. He’s been worth every penny for Texas, leading the program to a seamless transition to the SEC and a College Football Playoff berth for the second season in a row.
- DABO SWINNEY, CLEMSON
Total Pay: $11,132,775
Record at Program: 180-47 (17 years)
Swinney agreed to a 10-year contract extension in September 2022 that keeps him at Clemson through the 2031 season.
He posted 12 double-digit win seasons during his tenure at Clemson and has won two national championships in four trips to the College Football Playoff.
However, the on-field play fell short of expectations in recent years. Clemson suffered three-loss seasons in 2021 and 2022 and a 9-4 campaign in 2023.
The Tigers did manage to secure their first College Football Playoff berth since 2020 with a win over SMU in this year’s ACC Championship Game.
- RYAN DAY, OHIO STATE
Total Pay: $12,500,000
Record at Program: 70-10 (Seven years)
Ohio State inked Day to a new contract on Feb. 6, just two weeks after he led the Buckeyes to their first national championship since 2014.
The deal is valued at $12.5 million in total annual compensation, with a base salary of $2 million per year and keeps Day in Columbus through the 2021 season.
Day ranked inside the top five in annual salary before the extension but is now one of three active coaches with a national championship on his résumé and it’s reflecting on the paycheck.
- KIRBY SMART, GEORGIA
Total Pay: $13,282,580
Record at Program: 105-19 (Nine years)
Smart passed Swinney as the highest-paid head coach in college football after signing a two-year extension in May.
Smart’s new deal runs through December 2033 and bumped his annual salary to $13 million per year, an increase of $1.75 million, with bonuses up to $1.55 million.
His 2024 salary marks the highest single-season payday for a public university head coach, beating Nick Saban’s $11.1 million figure in 2023 and 2017.
Smart’s record speaks for itself. He’s the best coach in college football today and his Dawgs won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Southern Needs
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2025 NFL Draft starts April 24, 2025. I looked at the AFC South and examined the potential first round picks. Now let’s take a look at the NFC South.
Carolina (5-12): The Panthers hold the 8th pick in the draft. They drafted quarterback Bryce Young with the top pick in the 2023 draft.
They had the ninth overall pick but they traded D.J. Moore and several other draft picks to Chicago to move up. One of the picks they traded was the 2024 first round pick, which turned out to be the first pick overall.
C.J. Stroud was drafted second in that draft and he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl in 2023.
Thus far Young has looked like a bust. He played poorly and got benched last season. He got back in the starting lineup Week 8 and he played much better. The biggest team needs are edge, defensive tackle, wide receiver and center.
I can see the Panthers drafting WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) or edge James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee). I think the biggest focus should be on defense but they have a chance to add a weapon to help Young.
McMillan had 84 receptions, 1,319 yards and 8 touchdowns last season. He was a Consensus All-American and First-team All-Big 12.
Pearce had 23 solo tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery in 2024. He’s a two-time First-team All-SEC selection (2023, 2024).
New Orleans (5-12): The Saints hold the 9th pick. They recently hired Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as head coach. They started the season with two wins before going on a seven-game losing streak.
The biggest needs are edge, WR, TE, CB and DT. They also need to strengthen the offensive line.
If Carolina does not draft James Pearce Jr. the Saints will. If he is not available I can see them drafting OT Armand Membou (Mizzou). He’s had 30 starts in three seasons and played in 36 games total. He was Second-team All-SEC in 2024.
Atlanta (8-9): The Falcons have the 15th pick. The team hired head coach Raheem Morris and signed QB Kirk Cousins. They expected to be a playoff team in 2024 and that did not happen.
Cousins was benched toward the end of the season for rookie Michael Penix.
The positions of need are edge, S, CB, C and WR. It seems like every year we talk about the Falcons not being able to rush the passer.
I think they will take edge Mike Green (Marshall) or edge/LB Jalon Walker (Georgia). Green had 38 solo tackles, 23 TFL, 17 sacks, 3 FF and 1 FR last year.
Tampa Bay (10-7): The Buccaneers have the 19 pick. They had a pretty good season, losing to Washington 23-20 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
The biggest needs are WR, OG, LB, CB and OT. Receiver Chris Godwin suffered a season-ending ankle injury in October and he might depart in free agency. 2025 is the final year of Mike Evans’ contract.
I think they will draft CB Jahdae Barron (Texas). He won the Jim Thorpe Award (2024), Consensus All-American (2024) and First-team All-SEC (2024). Last season he had 46 solo tackles, 5 interceptions, 11 passes defended, 3 TFL and 1 sack.
The New Chief?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida State men’s basketball head coach Leonard Hamilton made the announcement earlier in the month that his long career at FSU will officially conclude with the end of the 2024-25 season.
FSU is now in search of the program’s eighth head basketball coach after the head of their dynasty resigns.
While I don’t consider the below a hot board, I do believe several of these names mentioned could be near the top of the list as the hiring process begins:
The first name played for Hamilton and helped the program win an ACC Championship in 2012, former guard Luke Loucks.
Loucks is currently an assistant with the Sacramento Kings. Loucks has worked in the NBA for several years also having stints with the Suns and Warriors doing a variety of jobs as he has worked his way up the ranks. He was a part of multiple NBA Championship squads as a coach with the Warriors.
He has worked on the international basketball scene as well, most recently with Nigeria.
He played internationally in Germany, Belgium, Cypress, and Latvia, as well as spending some time in the NBA Developmental League.
He is a Florida native and has a good understanding of the current environment surrounding the program.
The second name is a former Seminole and member of the FSU Hall of Fame, Sam Cassell. Cassell was drafted 24th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft out of FSU. He played for eight different teams during his 15-year career. He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game and All-NBA Team once, both in the 2003–04 season.
The former NBA point guard, who is originally from Baltimore, is currently an assistant coach for the Celtics. He has also had extended coaching stints with the Wizards Clippers and 76ers.
Cassell has won NBA Championships as a player, multiple times, and as an assistant coach.
Both former players have been around FSU in recent years and have connected with current Athletics.
Third on my list, a huge piece of FSU’s best years under Hamilton, former assistant coach Dennis Gates.
While Alan Huss is only in his second season as the head coach of High Point, he could be a very intriguing option. He led the Panthers to a regular season conference title and the championship game of the CBI during his first year.
In year two, he’s got his team in second place in the Big South. While he can improve as a coach on the defensive end, Huss’ squad currently ranks No. 27 in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom after rating among the top 40 last season.
No, he’s not recruited to the ACC before, but Huss was known as an ace recruiter during his time as an assistant at Creighton. Additionally, he knows the landscape of the loaded prep academies as well as any coach out there after helping to build La Lumiere (Ind.) into a national power.
There are definitely more candidates than I’ve listed above. Hamilton constructed five straight, NCAA Tournament teams from 2016-21.
In my opinion, he is the best basketball coach in FSU history, leaving big shoes to fill for his successor.
Play Ball
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s college baseball’s Opening Day! With the beginning of the season looming, let’s dive into what this season could look like for a couple clubs across the state of Georgia.
Georgia Tech: This season will be the 130th season of baseball for the Jackets and 32nd year under head coach Danny Hall.
Last season saw the white and gold finish with a 33-25 record thanks to rattling off four straight series wins in ACC play in the month of April and winning five of the last seven series in the regular season.
The 2024 campaign ended in the finals of the Athens Regional as a 10-inning loss at the hands of the in-state rival Georgia kept the Jackets from advancing to a Super Regional and continues the drought that hasn’t seen the Jackets advance past a regional since 2006.
The 2025 season will see many fresh faces to the Flats with 31 newcomers into the program this season. Inside that list of newcomers includes the nation’s #2 ranked freshman class by Perfect Game with 21 freshmen coming into the program.
In addition, there will also be a good nucleus of returners for GT led by Drew Burress who took the college baseball world by storm last season.
Burress in his rookie season last year set the Freshman record for homeruns at Georgia Tech with 25 long balls in route to hitting .381 and driving in 67 RBI while collecting ACC Freshman of the Year and named a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist.
Obviously, there are huge expectations for Burress coming into 2025 being named the D1 Baseball pre-season ACC Player of the Year, but other names add to the list of returners to watch.
Tate McKee also showed flashes as a freshman last year on the mound and is expected to be the Opening Day starter for the Jackets on the bump to build off the 4-5 record in 18 appearances (8 starts) last season.
Again, I may be biased (calling GT Baseball games on radio every day), but this Jackets club has the potential to be special.
Drew Burress said it perfectly in the pre-season media availability when he said, “This team has a lot more talent than last year, so the celling is so much higher, but at this point the floor is much lower because we haven’t hit the field.” A lot to prove, but also a lot to be excited about in Midtown Atlanta.
Georgia: Year one for the Bulldogs under new Head Coach Wes Johnson proved to be successful with hosting a Super Regional at Foley Field after winning the Athens Regional.
The off-season has been about construction. In the literal sense, Foley Field has undergone a $45 million renovation upgrade process with incredible additions to one of the country’s best atmospheres to begin with. In the figurative side, Wes Johnson has gone to work “constructing” a much deeper club for the Dawgs in 2025.
Even with the departures of Charlie Condon and Corey Collins in the middle of the lineup, many across the country believe that UGA will be deeper and more balanced up and down the lineup than last year with both returners and some portal acquisitions.
Two of the three outfielders expected to trot out of the dugout this weekend for the Dawgs come from the transfer portal with former Duke Blue Devil Devin Obee and Kentucky transfer Nolan McCarthy expected to play left and center, respectively.
Pair those two immediate impact players with some returners of Tre Phelps, Kolby Branch and Slate Alford, and Wes Johnson has a much deeper starting 9. While the Dawgs finished 2024 with an impressive 43-17 record, the pre-season #9 team in the nation has one thought on the mind…Omaha.
It’s a wonderful time of year. In addition to high level basketball, baseball season is here as MLB Pitchers and Catchers reported earlier this week, and this weekend, the bats will ping, the smell of hotdogs and popcorn will roll through college baseball cathedrals, and it’s time to play ball.
Big-Easy Hire
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The coaching carousel following the 2024 NFL season has finally quit spinning. The last head coaching vacancy was officially filled as my hometown New Orleans Saints get their man.
Kellen Moore, fresh off a Super Bowl win as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coordinator, is stepping into a new role as head coach of the New Orleans Saints. \
The team announced the big move Tuesday, just two days after Moore helped the Eagles take down the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX. Quarterback Jalen Hurts walked away with the game’s MVP honors, and it didn’t take long for Moore to be at the center of coaching headlines.
Saints’ owner Gayle Benson said hiring Moore was all about finding the right person to bring back the winning culture the franchise and its fans expect. “It became clear that Kellen is the guy to do that,” she said. Benson also gave props to Darren Rizzi for stepping up as interim coach after Dennis Allen was fired midseason.
Moore, 36, decided to chase the head coaching opportunity after just one season in Philadelphia, where the offense was a force to be reckoned with. The Eagles averaged 27.2 points per game during the regular season and cranked that up to 36.3 in the playoffs, tops in the league. Even Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni tried to convince Moore to stay, joking after the Super Bowl win, “Let’s run this back, Kellen.”
But Moore was ready for a fresh challenge, and he’s got one in New Orleans. One of his biggest tasks will be fixing the Saints’ defense, which gave up 379.9 yards per game last season—one of the worst marks in the league.
Word is Moore might bring in former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, who was recently an assistant with the 49ers, as his defensive coordinator. The two worked together when Moore was the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 2023.
The Saints were the last NFL team to lock down a new head coach, as league rules kept them from finalizing Moore’s hire until after the Super Bowl.
They were patient, though, even flying to Philly for an interview with Moore after the NFC Championship Game.
Other candidates included New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, and Rizzi, who had filled in as interim coach.
Moore marks a shift from the Saints’ recent approach. He’s the first head coach hired from outside the organization since Sean Payton left after the 2021 season.
Unlike his predecessor Dennis Allen, who was a defensive-minded coach with more experience, Moore brings a younger, offensive-focused vibe that’s a bit reminiscent of when Payton first joined the team.
Moore’s path to coaching started after he retired as a player in 2017.
A standout quarterback at Boise State, he played in the NFL with the Lions and Cowboys before making the jump to coaching.
He was the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach in 2017 and later their offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. After a year with the Chargers, he moved on to the Eagles this past season.
Known for his offensive creativity, Moore’s play-calling has kept his teams competitive since 2019.
His offenses rank fifth in the NFL in points per game (26.4) and yards per game (376.5), with quarterbacks posting a 62.1 Total QBR, also fifth in the league during that span.
Saints fans are hoping Moore can bring that same firepower to New Orleans and get the team back on track. With his offensive know-how and a fresh perspective, there’s plenty of reason for excitement as he takes the reins.
Gentleman, Start Your Engines
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Super Bowl is the pinnacle of a long successful season for NFL teams.
In NASCAR, they have the Daytona 500. It’s the first race of the season and also the most prestigious event on the circuit.
The stars of the Cup Series are all set to be in Daytona on February 16 to run in the crown jewel of stock car to open the regular season, including defending Cup champion Joey Logano.
Several stars will be running to earn their first Daytona 500 victory, including Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports, will attempt to make its’ Cup Series debut in next month’s season-opening Daytona 500, the team announced Wednesday.
JRM is partnering with country singer and songwriter Chris Stapleton to enter a car for driver Justin Allgaier, with Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey brand sponsoring the effort.
Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 winner (2004, 2014), has publicly spoken many times about how he’d like to see JRM expand into Cup on a full-time basis, though he’s emphasized that any move would have to make financial sense for the company.
Thus far, such a move has proven cost-prohibitive at a time when charters — the NASCAR equivalent of a franchise in other sports — are valued at $20 million plus.
Owning one of 36 charters guarantees a team certain revenue streams not otherwise available, making operating as a full-time “open” not cost-effective over the long term.
Helio Castroneves, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and one of the more popular drivers of his generation, will make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500, Trackhouse Racing announced Monday. Castroneves will drive a car fielded by Trackhouse Racing.
The majority of Castroneves’ 20-year plus career has been spent in IndyCar, winning 31 races and being runner-up to the championship four times. His most notable accomplishment is being part of an exclusive group who’ve won the Indianapolis 500 a record four times, with only A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr. as the other members.
Should Castroneves win the Daytona 500, he would join Foyt and Mario Andretti as the only drivers to win both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500.
When two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso failed to qualify for the 2019 Indianapolis 500, it sent a message to the world: This IndyCar stuff isn’t easy.
To just award a 41st starting spot in a field that has been capped at 40 cars for the last decade — just because the driver is famous to international fans — doesn’t align with the true spirit of competition.
Oh, and former NASCAR champions Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr.? They’ll show up at Daytona to qualify into the 500 with no guarantee they’ll make the field, just like any other driver.
Except the more famous ones, that is. Castroneves has no such concerns and going forward, any other celebrity who fits NASCAR’s definition won’t have to worry, either. This is as much of a marketing event as it is a sporting event, and big names draw big crowds.
Some of the other storylines in the field center around NASCAR’s biggest stars and all-time great drivers who have a stake in both the Daytona 500 and NASCAR history at hand.
Denny Hamlin is looking to become only the third driver in history to win this race more than three times, and a fourth victory would tie him for second all-time with Cale Yarborough.
Seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, who is becoming the first driver to ever make a Cup start after being named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
He can also move out of a tie with Yarborough for sixth in NASCAR’s all-time wins list if he earns his third Daytona 500 win; the 84th of his Cup career overall.
Either accomplishment for Hamlin and Johnson would be a fitting tribute to Yarborough, one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers ever, who passed away this offseason at the age of 84.
Another driver with something at stake is Joey Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500 champion and this year’s polesitter. Should Logano earn his second Daytona 500 win, he would become the first driver to win the 500 from the pole since Dale Jarrett in 2000.
Buckle up NASCAR fans, this Daytona 500 will be a new and exciting event to kick off the Cup Series.
Pro Bowl Sting
By: Colin Lacy
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL world flocked to Orlando last weekend to watch the game’s best in the 2025 Pro Bowl Games. The “game’s best” applies in a couple of different scenarios.
The obvious is that of Jared Goff, Fred Warner and Bijan Robinson, some of the best in the NFL, but also applies to the names Jaci Kitchings and Jadyn Williams.
Jaci and Jadyn are two seniors that wrapped up their careers at Southeast Bulloch with the school’s fourth consecutive state championship back in December but represented the NFC squad in the first NFL Girls Flag All-Star Game.
The inaugural event put on by the NFL saw thirty high school girls from all over the country (even two from Alaska) which included the two SEB Yellow Jackets competing in a flag football All-Star game to kick off the festivities on Sunday at the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games.
The NFL rolled out the red carpet for the Girls Flag Football All-Star Game participants including Kitchings and Williams.
The two Jacket players were flown down to Orlando on Friday before the Sunday afternoon game and not only got gear for the event, but the opportunity to take in some of the local attractions in Orlando and events with the NFL Pro Bowl players.
“They have had the best experience,” said SEB Head Flag Football Coach Marci Cochran. “What a great event by the NFL and I’m super excited they both got to participate.”
Jaci and Jadyn found out that they were named to the thirty-girl roster just before the semifinals of the GHSA state tournament and were ecstatic to get the news but had unfinished business to take care of.
They would find themselves in familiar ground on the stage in Atlanta after an overtime thriller having won their fourth consecutive state championship and capping off an 82-1 record in their SEB careers.
Southeast Bulloch Flag Football burst on the scene in 2021 when the program began (when Kitchings and Williams were freshmen) and have won the state championship each of the first four years of the program’s existence and winning 82 out of 83 games played in program history. The lone loss in program history came this year against the private school sector in Calvary Day out of Savannah.
I got to catch up with SEB Head Coach Marci Cochran as she watched Jadyn and Jaci play in the All-Star game in Orlando and looking back on the last four years she said “After starting four years ago and lost our first game this year which was devastating but in the long run it helped us win another state title. Four in a row which is more than any other team in the state of Georgia. We’re super excited about the growth of our program and adding a middle school program last year which helped us too.”
Coach Cochran has seen every snap that both Jadyn and Jaci have taken in their flag football careers and have become not only trendsetters on the national level at the Pro Bowl Games but also helped set the fantastic foundation of the SEB program.
“They’re the first seniors that have completed all four years, so they’re very special to us and we hate to be losing them,” Cochran said holding back tears. “Jaci has grown so much. Her development and dedication are awesome. Jadyn was always a really good player, but to watch her learn the game and understand the game is fun and to watch both of them grow from freshmen to seniors is really impressive.”
The NFL has made a concerted effort from the NFL League Office all the way down to the different teams investing in the sport of flag football at all levels, but especially at the high school level.
“For the sport as a whole, the Falcons itself sponsor a team in Alabama and there’s a couple other states that they’re starting to dive into to be able to start flag football there,” said Cochran. “Just the money and support they give for all these schools to be able to provide a flag football program without it having to come out of their own pocket is huge. It’s expensive to start a new sport, so their involvement in flag football has been awesome.”
While Kitchings and Williams will get to do it one more time as SEB heads to Canton, Ohio for the National Flag Football High School Tournament, the experience at the NFL Pro Bowl Games really put a nice bow on a historic career for these two and would have been hard to believe a couple years ago said Coach Cochran.
“To see them get to play down here (in Orlando) and see this opportunity. To be in this stadium, to have the game broadcasted on ESPN even with the Goodyear Blimp. Who would have ever thought that four years ago? So, it’s really special to be down here with them.”
Leaving The Tribe
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Florida State men’s basketball coach Leonard Hamilton is resigning after the Seminoles’ season, ending one of the winningest tenures in ACC history.
Hamilton’s 434 wins over 22+ seasons are the most in program history and the fifth ever in ACC records.
The only four ahead of Hamilton: Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, North Carolina’s Dean Smith and Roy Williams and Maryland’s Gary Williams.
Hamilton, 76, took over the Seminoles in March 2002 after stints as the head coach at Miami, Oklahoma State and the Washington Wizards.
His Florida State career includes a dozen 20-win seasons, eight NCAA Tournament appearances and three ACC coach of the year awards.
He peaked late in his tenure. His 2018 team went to the Elite Eight. The next season, Hamilton led the Seminoles to a school-record 29 games and the Sweet 16 — only the second time ever that Florida State had back-to-back Tournament runs that deep.
Hamilton’s 2020 team was even better; they won the ACC’s regular season title and, at 26-5, was expected to be a national championship contender before March Madness was canceled due to COVID-19.
The program has slipped since 2020. The Seminoles are 56-62 since the start of the 2021-22 season.
On Saturday, Florida State blew an 8-point lead in the final minute to lose 77-76 at Boston College. It was the Eagles’ second conference victory and dropped Florida State to 13-9 overall (4-7 ACC).
University president Richard McCullough called Hamilton “one of the most respected and beloved ambassadors of FSU.”
Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said, “Coach Hamilton’s personal character and integrity, and his leadership, set a tremendous standard for all of FSU Athletics Few people have been as important in building the positive reputation of Seminole Athletics. FSU’s stature as one of the leading brands in college sports has been possible, in part, to his leadership of our men’s basketball program. He steadily developed a culture of excellence that reflects his personal values: commitment to academic success, competitive success, community service, leadership, and ongoing personal excellence. The success of the men who have been part of our basketball program is proof of that legacy.”
In late December, six former players sued Hamilton in Leon County circuit court, saying he failed to fulfill $250,000 in promised name, image and likeness money per player. Hamilton has not yet filed a response in court.
With Hamilton’s pending resignation, the ACC’s old guard is officially gone.
Add Hamilton — the oldest active coach in men’s college basketball — to the storied list of coaches who have retired from the ACC since the end of the 2020-21 season: Roy Williams, Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Mike Brey, Tony Bennett, and Jim Larrañaga. That doesn’t even include Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, who was fired by Louisville a month before the start of the 2017-18 season.
Hamilton’s departure means that the longest-tenured coach in the league is now Clemson’s Brad Brownell, who is midway through his 15th season with the Tigers. Is Hamilton’s retirement the nail in the coffin for how College Basketball used to be? Is this the dawn of a new era?
While Hamilton never reached the Final Four in 37 seasons as a head coach, he did take the Seminoles to only their third Elite Eight in program history, while also establishing Tallahassee as a legitimate professional breeding ground.
From 2016 to 2021, Hamilton had six players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, including top-10 selections Jonathan Isaac (No. 6 in 2017), Patrick Williams (No. 4 in 2020), and Scottie Barnes (No. 4 in 2021).
This announcement leaves a lot of questions that will hopefully be answered soon.
Super Dawgs
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I spend a lot of my time talking with folks that love all levels of football just as much as I do.
For the casual southern sports fan, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of general excitement for this year’s version of Super Sunday.
When the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX this Sunday, February 9th in New Orleans, they’ll be chasing NFL history — a chance to pull off a three-peat and claim their third straight Lombardi Trophy.
Seven teams have gone back-to-back, but no one’s ever pulled off the elusive triple crown. Despite the historic implications, some fans are admittedly feeling a little “Chiefs fatigue.” After all, when the same team keeps winning, it can be tough to stay excited—just ask those who lived through the Patriots or Warriors dynasties.
Even Patrick Mahomes’ magic and the past season’s wild crossover with Taylor Swift’s fanbase haven’t kept everyone hooked.
But here’s a reason for southern sports fans, especially those of us here in Georgia, to get hyped for this Super Bowl: The Eagles’ defense is basically Bulldogs 2.0.
Over the past two drafts, Philadelphia loaded up on Georgia talent to build a defensive powerhouse.
It started in 2022 when the Eagles snagged defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean, two key pieces from Georgia’s dominant national title-winning squad.
Then in 2023, they went back to Athens for defensive tackle Jalen Carter, linebacker Nolan Smith, and cornerback Kelee Ringo.
Just last month, they added safety Lewis Cine from the Bills’ practice squad. That’s six Bulldogs on one NFL roster. Talk about a Dawg Pound.
And it’s not just for show — these guys are making an impact.
Carter has been a beast on the line with 4.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and a Pro Bowl nod.
Smith broke out in his second year with 6.5 sacks.
Even Ringo, who hasn’t seen as much action on defense, made a name for himself on special teams and earned a Pro Bowl alternate spot.
While Dean is sidelined with an injury, the rest of the Georgia crew is holding down the fort for a defense that allowed the fewest yards per game and the second-fewest points this season.
This isn’t just about talent; it’s about chemistry. These guys have been through the battles together, winning back-to-back college championships under head coach Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann. That built-in trust is paying off in the NFL.
Schumann even joked that until the Eagles field an entire defense of Bulldogs, other players will have to contribute too — but you get the sense he wouldn’t mind seeing it.
Now the question is whether this Georgia-fueled defense can shut down Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Travis Kelce on the biggest stage. If they do, it might be time for Philly to send some honorary Super Bowl rings back to Athens.
And for even more local flavor, don’t forget that one of the starting cornerbacks for the Philadelphia Eagles is former Brunswick High School standout, Darius Slay.
So, if you’re not feeling the Chiefs storyline this year, the Eagles defense is a pretty compelling reason to tune in.
It’s got Georgia fingerprints all over it and could end up being a championship-winning unit at the next level.
And hey, if that happens, the Bulldogs’ legacy will officially stretch from college football glory to NFL dominance.
Not too shabby for a bunch of Dawgs.
