Hive Killer
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Tech athletics have seen better days.
During the 1990’s through early 2000’s they were good in both football and Men’s basketball. They were accustomed to playing in the post season almost every year.
Fast forward to now and both are in trouble. The Yellow Jackets have not played in the NCAA Tournament since 2010. Tech is currently 10 – 12 and 12th in the ACC. There are 15 teams in the conference.
The most recent game was an 80 – 72 loss to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are only 4 – 6 in conference play but they swept Georgia Tech this season.
“You can’t leave points off the board because (the Irish) will make you pay because of their offensive skill set,” coach Josh Pastner said after calling Notre Dame perhaps the best offensive team in the ACC.
“We did a great job with 20 offensive boards, a good job in the red zone (paint, 44-18). The bottom line is they hit some tough 2’s and they made nine 3’s. We didn’t make enough 3’s (4 for 18). Not having Mike Devoe hurts us because it takes away a shooter.”
The first person we have to look at is Josh Pastner. He’s been the head coach in Atlanta since 2016. The best record he had was 21 – 16 in his first season. Since then they have had losing records and won less than 15 games each season.
Based solely on the product on the court he is not right for the job. He also has additional personal issues that have negatively affected the program.
The NCAA announced that they have banned Tech from the 2019-20 postseason, put the school on four years probation, placed recruiting restrictions on the staff, forced the program to vacate wins, and fined the ACC institution an undetermined amount of money.
The question is what did he do to cause this? He brought his friend Ron Bell around the team and he committed major violations. This was reported in November 2017 when jilted former friend Bell shared this with the media.
According to the school, Tadric Jackson accepted benefits totaling less than $525 while Josh Okogie accepted benefits totaling less than $750.
Bell turned over documents to CBS Sports that show he spent $233.40 on a plane ticket for Okogie, sent him three pairs of shoes totaling around $444 and ordered him two shirts totaling $56.
Bell also provided CBS Sports with documents that show he spent $233.40 on a plane ticket for Jackson, sent him two pairs of shoes totaling around $271 and ordered him New York Knicks apparel worth $80.
Those documents add up to around the estimates Georgia Tech self-reported, and any incongruities could be chalked up to estimation differences, which are allowable by NCAA rules.
What I do not understand is why Pastner has not been fired yet. He is not getting results on the court and he has baggage. It looks like a safe bet that they will not be able to qualify for the NCAA Tournament even if they were eligible.
They need to part ways from him after the season and hire the right coach. They can get back to being a contending team in the ACC with the right leadership.
Super NFC South
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL gets a lot of credit for its parity from year to year and there are multiple examples over the years proving that to be true.
When it comes to the Super Bowl, because of the Patriots stranglehold on the AFC, most of the parity has come from the NFC.
There has been a different team representing the conference in each of the past six seasons, many of which were not considered to be Super Bowl contenders to begin the season.
As we look towards next season, could one of the NFC South teams be that team to surprise everyone with a Super Bowl run?
The obvious answer would be the New Orleans Saints, which takes them out of this particular conversation since they wouldn’t be a surprise.
Out of the three remaining divisional teams, I don’t think there’s much doubt the Panthers are the longest of long shots next year.
They have a new coach with a new philosophy, they lost their best defensive player (Luke Kuechly) to retirement and decided not to bring back their most reliable offensive player (Greg Olsen).
And then there’s the question of whether Cam will ready, if he’ll be back in Charlotte at all. Trust me, Kenny Maybe had a better chance of making it to the second round of “Dancing With the Stars” than the Panthers do of making it to the Super Bowl.
Next up, to me at least, are the Falcons. I realize most people probably believe in the Falcons more than the Buccaneers, but I’m just not there.
Atlanta has been on the decline for the last three seasons; they haven’t been able to quite put things together on either side of the ball since their Super Bowl run, and frankly, I don’t trust Dan Quinn.
I stated earlier this season, the worst thing that could happen to Atlanta was to finish the season strong, giving management a reason to keep Quinn around, and I’m sticking to it.
On the flip side, the talent is there to make a run, especially on the offensive side of the ball, which is why I give them a better chance than Carolina. On paper they look like best team out of the three to give New Orleans a run for the division title, but I’m not quite sold on it happening.
So, yes, between the Panthers, Falcons, and Buccaneers, I would pick Tampa to be the surprise team next year. I don’t know if it’s the viral infection I’ve been battling combined with the Police Academy marathon I binged today (thanks Netflix), but for some reason I’m going with the Buccaneers.
Truth be told, I’m not really sure why I should even feel this way, except that after five years I’m still foolish enough to think James Winston can surely get his stuff together for at least one full season.
I mean, the 5,100 yard and 33 touchdowns is so appealing, as long as you completely ignore the 30 interceptions that went along with it. Surely Bruce Arians can do something with that, right?
Of course, these things were being said about the 49ers last year, and the Rams the year before that, and the Eagles before that, which is why every team begins each season with a renewed sense of hope.
Maybe we’ll be able to add an NFC South team to that list; except for the Panthers. Seriously, it’s going to be a long year.
Numbers Don’t Lie
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I was listening recently and don’t ask me why I was tuned in to a regional radio show that suggested that the ACC was the best football conference in the country due to Clemson’s recent success on the gridiron.
These types of things interest me because I know the SEC is the king in football, so I looked up the stats to confirm what I already know. Here goes:
P5 Conference Bowl Records (All-Time)
SEC: 261-195-9 (.571)
ACC: 132-140-2 (.485)
BIG 12: 84-88-0 (.488)
B1G: 143-163-1 (.467)
PAC 12: 149-136-5 (.522)
The PAC 12 is the only other “Power 5” conference with a winning bowl record.
SEC All-Time vs. Other Conferences (current conferences)
SEC vs:
ACC: 319-171-10 (.648)
AAC: 19-8-0 (.704)
B1G: 96-65-2 (.595)
BIG 12: 98-79-6 (.552)
CUSA: 158-28 (.849)
MAC: 98-14 (.875)
Mountain West: 25-11 (.694)
PAC 12: 74-43-5 (.627)
Sun Belt: 154-11 (.933) –
Random tidbits:
SEC TEAMS VS. ACC
W L T Win % PFPG PAPG
Alabama 26 5 0 83.9 28.3 13.3
Arkansas 0 2 0 0.0 17.0 27.5
Auburn 34 12 0 73.9 26.5 16.6
Florida 33 26 2 55.7 24.3 19.6
Georgia 77 27 5 72.9 25.4 17.1
Kentucky 15 15 1 50.0 19.5 18.5
LSU 24 2 0 92.3 28.5 10.8
Mississippi 1 4 0 20.0 18.0 31.4
Mississippi St 6 7 0 46.2 24.5 28.2
South Carolina 18 23 0 43.9 20.7 24.4
Tennessee 36 15 1 70.2 24.7 15.8
Texas A&M 2 4 0 33.3 35.5 32.5
Vanderbilt 31 25 0 55.4 21.4 21.3
Clemson is by far the best football program in the ACC currently, but their all-time record against the SEC is 56-99-5, and 6-9 in bowl games.
CLEMSON VS. SEC TEAMS
W L T Win % PFPG PAPG
Alabama 2 11 0 15.4 13.2 31.5
Auburn 9 17 1 35.2 16.3 22.6
Florida 2 2 1 50.0 14.8 22.2
Georgia 9 28 2 25.6 12.8 22.8
Kentucky 5 6 0 45.5 13.7 13.0
LSU 1 3 0 25.0 14.3 20.8
Mississippi 0 1 0 0.0 0.0 13.0
Mississippi St 1 1 1 50.0 11.7 10.3
South Carolina 18 10 0 64.3 28.0 21.2
Tennessee 1 4 0 20.0 17.6 22.0
Texas A&M 2 0 0 100.0 26.0 18.0
Vanderbilt 1 1 0 50.0 16.0 14.5
Note: Clemson is 18-42-4 all-time against Georgia but for this story only games against SEC are counted.
SEC was formed in 1933. Florida State is the only ACC team with a winning record against the SEC.
FSU has a losing all-time record against SEC teams, but a winning record against the SEC since they joined the ACC in the 1990’s.
SEC Bowl Records vs. P5 Opponents
The SEC is 47-29 (.618) against the ACC in bowl games.
The SEC is 57-32 (.640) against the B1G in bowl games.
The SEC is 46-36-1 (.560) against the BIG 12 in bowl games.
The SEC is 9-7-1 (.559) against the PAC 12 in bowl games.
Clemson does have a winning record against the SEC over the last decade thanks to their current ownership of South Carolina.
There you have it folks, proof in numbers that the SEC is the most dominant football conference in the country.
I respect the ACC as a football conference, but FSU, Miami and Virginia Tech need give the Tigers some help at the top.
LSU is the current king of College Football and flat out owns the ACC.
Clemson is probably the best overall program right now, but the SEC is the most powerful conference because the numbers don’t lie.
I Will Take My Talents To…
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the Early Signing Period in the rearview mirror and bowl season over, the last big day for college football before spring practice is National Signing Day.
With many of the top recruits from the 2020 class already signed, who is left for the top programs to pick up on Wednesday, February 5th?
Five Star Running Back Zack Evans is the number 1 running back in the class of 2020.
By far the wildest recruitment of the 2020 cycle. Evans signed a LOI (Letter of Intent) with the Georgia Bulldogs back in December, got cold feet, and asked to be released from his LOI.
Georgia obliged and now Evans is back on the market as an extremely talented athlete with some off the field issues.
This recruitment still seems very cloudy through, as Evans has left a lot of coaches guessing. This is shaping up to be a Tennessee, Ole Miss and Georgia battle. Alabama, Florida and LSU have rescinded their offers over the past few weeks. My Pick: Georgia
Four Star Safety Avantae Williams backed off his early commitment to the Oregon Ducks back in December.
Williams is the 9th ranked safety in the 2020 class.
He is a hard-hitting safety that can cover a lot of ground. Williams’ recruitment is a battle between Miami, Florida and Georgia. My Pick: Florida
Four Star Offensive Lineman Sedrick Van Pran has been committed to Georgia since August.
Van Pran has taken official visits to Alabama and is scheduled to be at Florida this weekend.
With the departure of former Offensive Line coach San Pittman, Van Pran seems to have opened up his recruitment. It would be shocking if Van Pran is not a Bulldog come National Signing Day. My Pick: Georgia
Four Star Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs has been committed to Georgia Tech since May.
After a very strong senior season, Gibbs has received offers from Ohio State, LSU, Georgia and Florida.
While Florida and Ohio State have put on the full court press, Gibbs will stay firm to his commitment. My Pick: Georgia Tech
Four Star Athlete Damarcus Beckwood has hopes of playing college football and basketball.
The 6-foot-4, 220 pounder is a versatile weapon on offense playing both wide receiver and tight end in high school. This is a battle between Tennessee and Florida. My Pick: Florida
February 5th marks the final day of the 2020 recruiting cycle. National Signing Day will still be important as there are a couple highly touted 2020 high school prospects that remain uncommitted.
And there will always be the few flipped prospects that make headlines on National Signing Day.
Since Dan Mullen’s time at Florida, the Gators have used the transfer portal to pluck talented players. The Gators have landed four star Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes in Mullen’s first year at Florida.
Last season, the Gators landed five-star defensive end, Brenton Cox.
This season is much different, the Gators signed a pair of five stars in running back Lorenzo Lingard and wide receiver Justin Shorter. Both players have applied for waivers with the NCAA.
Kirby Smart used the portal to add quarterback Jamie Newman. Newman has one season of eligibility and should be the front runner for QB1 for the Bulldogs.
Can Newman do what Joe Burrow did for LSU?
Young Hawks Learning To Fly
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Hawks are a young team. They are led by second year point guard Trae Young. Young was selected as a starter in the upcoming All-Star Game.
So far, he’s one of the few bright spots on the team. They are currently 12 – 35 and tied with Cleveland for last place in the East. They have the second worst record in the league behind Golden State.
The team got a rare win Sunday against Southeast division foe Washington, 152-133. Despite the W the league was in a very somber mood.
NBA legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash Sunday morning. There were nine people involved in the crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Young was mentored by Bryant and he knew Gianna, nicknamed Gigi. He was her favorite player.
She came to two Hawks games this season and met with Young. Their relationship began when Kobe Bryant asked Young, who trained him, and hired Alex Bazzell, to work with Gigi as well.
Young started the game wearing a # 8 jersey and taking an eight second violation.
Young had 45 points and 14 assists to lead the Hawks to victory.
“One of the last conversations we had, he was just telling me how much he’s seen my game progress and he’s just been happy for me,” Young said between pauses. “He said how proud he was of me and how he wants me to continue to be a role model for kids growing up and for Gigi and all the kids looking up to me to inspire these kids and continue to play my heart out.”
Atlanta had lost three of four going in to that game. They scored the most points in a game this season. Several other players stepped up and had big games. De’Andre Hunter finished with 25 points, Kevin Huerter had 18 and John Collins scored 16.
Bradley Beal scored 40 points for the Wizards, who dropped to 15 – 30.
“Trae, he’s a problem,” Washington coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s a handful. He’s an All-Star for all the right reasons. He’s a hard guy to guard. He was making his shots and getting guys involved.”
I was initially outspoken about wanting the Hawks to keep Luka Doncic instead of trading him to Dallas on draft night.
I was wrong about him because he has proven to be a great pick thus far. He has averaged 30 points per game, 9 assists per game and 5 rebounds.
Journeyman Jabari Parker has been a pleasant surprise. He has averaged 15 ppg and 6 rpg. The other power forward John Collins is averaging 19 ppg and 10 rpg.
The player they are counting on to be great is rookie small forward Cam Reddish. He was drafted tenth overall out of Duke. So far, he is only averaging 9 ppg. He has to develop into a star player, which is what we expect from players drafted that high.
The season could be a blessing down the road. This is a young team experiencing growing pains and learning how to play together. The best-case scenario is to continue at this pace and have one of the worst records in the league.
I hope that they can draft a player in the top five. If they can add a game changing player to pair with Young, they can become an instant playoff contender.
The Georgia QB Room
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I’ve always viewed Georgia’s football program as one that recruits elite talent on both the defensive side of the ball and at running back, while intermittently signing those types of players at the quarterback position.
I’m not trying to debate whether my observation is accurate, as much as my opinion has changed since Kirby Smart arrived.
I certainly don’t claim to be a Georgia Bulldog historian, but I doubt the program has had a run on quarterbacks as impressive as Smart’s since he arrived in Athens- Eason, Fromm, Fields, Newman, and now Vandagriff.
It seems fairly obvious that he is bringing in the best possible players he can recruit, even if he’s “recruiting over” someone, and letting the best win out.
Personally, if I were a Bulldogs fan, I would love the approach he’s taking, but it doesn’t come without pitfalls; mainly, as in the case with Eason and Fields, transfers.
Transfers are something college coaches have always dealt with, especially in basketball, and those numbers have started to increase significantly every year in football.
Even with restrictions on when a football player can declare for the NFL, recruits still arrive on campus with the mindset of how they can best position themselves to take that next step. I don’t blame them at all, but waiting a year behind someone to get your chance just doesn’t happen anymore.
As frustrating as transfers can be, the issue down the road is at what point do the numbers of transfers your program has, particularly at a high-profile position like quarterback, start to prevent recruits from actually signing to begin with?
It’s not a problem that typically rears its head until a situation arises where there is a need to rely on depth. When you have a significant amount of high-level talent you were planning on using for that depth exit your program, it creates a larger gap between your first-string players and second string. This is typically where the trouble seeps in.
Take this past year for example, had Fromm went down with an injury was there really a viable backup, especially when you consider both Eason and Fields would’ve been on the roster, had they not transferred?
Georgia seems to have avoided an issue for this upcoming season, as long as Newman plays well. But, if he doesn’t and Carson Beck steps in and has the type of freshman season Fromm did, Georgia could be looking at a similar situation with Beck/Vandagriff that they had with Fromm/Fields.
I know a lot of this is hypothetical, but trust me, as a Duke basketball fan, who has seen a number of players transfer over the years, the lack of depth is where this way of recruiting catches up to you.
Again, I’m not saying I’d do anything different if I was Smart. In fact, I always find it funny that fanbases will bash other coaches for bringing in higher ranked recruits, as if they’re not supposed to sign the best talent they possibly can.
But, as Georgia continues to bring in not only 5-star recruits, but quarterbacks ranked number one in their class, fans will need to get used to seeing their quarterbacks in the transfer portal- they may not even get the recruits in the first place.
Of course, 99% of the other programs in college football would gladly switch places with you in an instant, so there are definitely bigger problems you could be having.
Hot-lanta’s Hot Corner
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Braves’ acquisition of outfielder Marcell Ozuna to fill the role of cleanup hitter behind Freddie Freeman doesn’t mean that the Braves won’t make a move to upgrade their options at third base but it does make it a lot less likely.
After Josh Donaldson was more or less forced to leave Atlanta by Alex Anthopoulos’s unwillingness to sacrifice one or two bad years for two or three good ones, the rumor mill began to swirl about potential replacements for the erstwhile Bringer of Rain.
One of the more popular and exciting rumors was that the Braves would make a trade for the Colorado Rockies’ Nolan Arenado or for the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant to hit fourth and man the hot corner.
Bryant’s future is still up in the air as he waits to find out whether or not he’s eligible to hit free agency at the end of this season or the next; The Rockies have said that Arenado would be in a Colorado uniform at the start of the season (and boy did he not like that announcement).
Those factors, coupled with the signing of Ozuna to a one-year deal, means that Atlanta is probably going to enter Spring Training and then the regular season with what they have at third base: namely, Austin Riley and Johan Camargo.
Is that good enough? For the large chunk of Braves Country that thought Nolan Arenado might be coming to Atlanta, Riley and Camargo are certainly let downs but they may not necessarily be that come game time.
Yes, Camargo really made himself questionable last season, but he was also shuffled around the diamond and lineup. He was forced to be a utilityman after going into the previous offseason under the impression that he’d start at third base in 2019.
Inconsistent at bats make a big difference to Major League ballplayers and, evidenced by the tear he went on in Gwinnett after he was demoted, he’s still got the ability if those ABs come more frequently.
Camargo had an insane OPS of 1.221 during his short stay in Triple A (only 58 at bats, but still) and we never got a real chance to see if that hot streak would stick around when he was promoted back to the bigs.
In short, the evidence suggests that with regular at bats, even if it’s just as part of a platoon, Camargo can bounce back.
Riley, of course, burst onto the scene upon his arrival from Triple A, blasting 16 homeruns in less than 200 at bats before the All-Star Break, after which his production tanked.
While that kind of Jekyll-and-Hyde act meant that the Braves couldn’t rely on him to bat cleanup going into this upcoming season, the kid is only 22 years old and isn’t anywhere near developing as a complete player just yet.
He also will finally get the chance to play his natural position with more regularity, and comfort is a real factor in production for plenty of ballplayers.
Perhaps the best thing about having these two are the primary options for third base is that they don’t need to produce at an elite level to be a big part of a winning team. With an offense that includes Freeman, Ozuna, Ronald Acuna, Jr., and Ozzie Albies, Riley and/or Camargo don’t need to feel the pressure of shouldering a large part of the team’s production.
They simply need to be good enough and if one of them should take off and play at an All-Star level, then they’ve simply exceeded both their own expectations and their necessity on the roster.
So no, neither Riley nor Camargo are Arenado or Bryant or Donaldson but they also don’t need to be.
The Coaching Ranks
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Our greatest game is now in the off season.
You already see early 2020 predictions being made for the college football season.
The SEC has a few new head coaches who are ready to make their mark on the conference. Here are my head coach rankings heading into the 2020 season:
Nick Saban: The Alabama HC is the gold standard that all college football coaches are measured by.
The Tide just finished an 11-2 season with a win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl and you would think the Alabama football program is on life support if you listen to the experts around the country. Saban will be back in 2020 and the SEC West will feel the full wrath of Saban.
Ed Orgeron: Coach O can do just about anything he wants in the State of Louisiana right now after leading LSU to a Natty. It’s hard not to love the man and the kids really play hard for him. LSU is a blue blood again in college football because of Coach O. Go Tigahs!
Kirby Smart: Yeah Kirby seems to be the butt of jokes because UGA hasn’t won a national title since 1980, but the butt of those jokes should go towards Ray Goff, Jim Donnan, and Mark Richt correct?
Kirby is 44-12 at UGA in four years, and coming off three straight 11-1 regular seasons. Kirby retooled his offensive staff after the Sugar Bowl and Florida is already the trendy pick in the East, so Kirby can use that as a motivational tool this offseason.
Jimbo Fisher: The Aggie HC is starting to drop down this list after getting the big $75 million contract from A&M. It is time for Aggie fans to see a good ROI on their investment in 2020.
Dan Mullen: Back to Back top 10 finishes in Gainesville is what the Gator nation expects out of Big Game Dan. The Gators now are dealing with high expectations for the first time in a few years so let’s see how they respond to it. My guess is they will be just fine.
Gus Malzahn: Who does less with more than Gus? It is time for Auburn to get back in the playoff hunt in the SEC. Too much talent at Auburn to have another 9-4 type season.
Mark Stoops: While you have been napping Stoops has built Kentucky into a respectable football program. The Cats have as many as 19 starters coming back in 2020.
Sleep on Kentucky at your own risk.
Mike Leach: Joe Moorhead, we hardly knew you.
The Pirate has won at Texas Tech and Washington State. The Air Raid is coming to the SEC and Leach will have you busting a gut like you are at a Kevin Hart concert.
Leach will win SEC Media Days this summer and field a good football team to go along with it.
Jeremy Pruitt: Pruitt is hardcore and has Tennessee on the rebound.
Look out moving forward for the Vols. Those of you that have forgotten about Vol football don’t worry they will be back soon, and you will hear Rocky Top 736 times during a 60-minute football game.
Will Muschamp: Good coach coaching in a tough environment, while Dabo is rolling at Clemson.
Georgia found out the hard way in 2019 and missed the college football playoff because of the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Lane Kiffin: Great offensive mind, but last time he was in the SEC as a HC he left Tennessee in a total mess. I think he moves up this list but starts here in 2020.
Derek Mason: Vandy is a tough place to build a resume. Mason’s teams play really hard, but are out-talented most weeks in the SEC.
Eli Drinkwitz: Yes, he looks like a CPA and did great things in Boone, NC, but we will see if that can carry over to Columbia, Missouri.
Sam Pittman: Arkansas is a raging dumpster fire that has some good tradition. We shall see if the Pit Boss can turn things around in NW Arkansas.
Hurry up SEC Media Days so I can tune into Mike Leach.
College Football Free Agency
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NCAA launched the transfer portal two years ago, and suddenly the transfer portal has made a major impact in the 2019 season. It’s paid off handsomely for three of the four teams in the College Football Playoffs.
Justin Fields (Ohio State), Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma) and Heisman Trophy winner and National Championship MVP Joe Burrow were all transfer quarterbacks. Many fans criticized these players decisions and made excuses for them leaving.
The most important offer a coach or program can make a player is an immediate chance to play.
Just look at Gardner Minshew after transferring from East Carolina, he was supposed to be a graduate assistant at Alabama before Coach Mike Leach offered him an opportunity to play at Washington State.
Not all transfers were as successful as Fields, Hurt or Burrow: just ask Tate Martell and Brandon Wimbush.
Has college football turned into a high stakes game of musical chairs?
So, who’s the next Joe Burrow or Garder Minshew?
Jamie Newman is a 6 foot 4, 230 pound quarterback who completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 2,869 yards and 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Newman made his decision to transfer to the University of Georgia. He provides the Bulldogs with a dual threat element after running for 574 yards and 6 touchdowns in 12 games in 2019.
Newman should have a chance to start next season. The Bulldogs currently have Stetson Bennett, D’Wan Mathis and 2020 signee Carson Beck to compete with Newman.
D’Eriq King is a 5 foot 11, 195 pound dual threat quarterback, who completed 52.7 percent of his passes for 663 yards and 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in four games with Houston in 2019.
King made his decision to transfer to the University of Miami as a graduate transfer, he is eligible to play in the 2020 season. King immediately becomes the favorite to start for the Hurricanes in new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s offense.
The Hurricanes have a very crowded quarterback room. Last season, starter Jarren Williams was a redshirt sophomore, N’Kosi Perry, a redshirt junior, Tate Martell, redshirt junior (transfer last season from Ohio State), Peyton Matocha is a redshirt freshman and Tyler Van Dyke is a true freshman in the 2020 class.
Feleipe Franks is a 6 foot 6 quarterback, who completed 76.1 percent of his passes for 698 yards and 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in 2 and a half game in 2019.
Franks, who enrolled immediately and is going through spring drills with the Razorbacks.
Franks has had an inconsistent career at the University of Florida. I’m unsure if he will find stability in his new transfer.
Arkansas was one of the worst Power Five teams in all of football last season. Arkansas has a long way to go before they’ll be competitive, but adding Franks is certainly a step in the right direction.
Under new offensive coordinator Kendall Briles, Franks, KJ Jefferson, Jack Lindsey and John Stephen Jones will compete for the starting job.
Here is a list of other transfer quarterbacks to keep your eyes on: Jake Bentley (Utah), Phil Jurkovec (Boston College), Joey Gatewood (Kentucky), Chase Brice, KJ Costello and some others.
The exciting part of the college football offseason the past two seasons has been the movement among quarterbacks in the transfer portal: College Football’s new free agency.
The Big Game
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The matchup for Super Bowl LIV is set, San Francisco versus Kansas City. The 49ers are the top seed in the NFC and the Chiefs are No. 2 in the AFC.
The teams are polar opposites. San Fran (15-3) has an elite defense, ranked second in total defense. They only give up 19 points per game and 282 yards. They have a great front four and can generate pressure with them. They ranked fifth in sacks with 48.
They also rank second in rushing offense. They average 31 rushing plays and 144 yards per game. The only team that had more yards was Baltimore.
This is old school football we used to see in the 80’s and 90’s. The surprising thing is that the Niners don’t have a bell cow running back.
They have a true committee with Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert.
Each of them has at least 530 yards during the season. Mostert was the star of the NFC Championship game against Green Bay, rushing for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“I did have a lot of doubters and naysayers,” said Mostert, who has been cut seven times in his career. “Now I get to actually tell them, ‘Look where I’m at now. I never gave up on my dreams.”
Kyle Shanahan is in his third season as head coach in San Francisco. He was the offensive coordinator for Atlanta prior to this and he coached them in Super Bowl LI.
The Falcons had a decisive 28 – 3 lead late in the third quarter but lost. Shanahan was criticized for being too aggressive and not trying to run the ball more to control the clock.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo only had 8 pass attempts in the NFC Championship. He’s the one obvious weak link on the team.
San Francisco is playing in their seventh Super Bowl. They are trying to tie Pittsburgh and New England for the most Super Bowl wins for a franchise with six.
On the flip side Patrick Mahomes is the catalyst for the Kansas City offense. He was the league MVP last season. He missed two games in 2019 and still finished 10th in passing yards. Garoppolo was 12th.
In the AFC Championship, Mahomes threw for 294 yards, 3 TD’s and 0 interceptions. He also ran for 53 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs (14-4) have not been to a Super Bowl since 1970.
KC has great skill players and a lot of speed. Travis Kelce might be the best tight end in the league. Tyreek Hill is a top ten receiver and the fastest player in the NFL.
The Chiefs do not have a running game. They were 23rd in rushing and average 98 ypg. KC also has an average defense, ranked 17th in total defense. They give up 350 ypg.
Andy Reid has the most wins without a Super Bowl victory. He’s looking to change that in Miami.
I think this will be a very close game. I think the 49ers can get pressure on Mahomes without blitzing. They have a good secondary, so they can slow down the explosive Chiefs offense.
Kansas City’s defense has to stop San Francisco from running and force Jimmy G to beat them.
I give the slight edge to the 49ers.
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