Bishop Media Sports Network
Excessive Force?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Dade Police and their conduct was “overly aggressive and violent” during a traffic stop with wide receiver Tyreek Hill on Sunday.
The Miami Dolphins’ statement Monday followed the release of body-camera footage of Hill being forced out of his vehicle and on the ground by police officers. Police stopped Hill minutes away from Hard Rock Stadium.
Hill was en route to the Dolphins’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars when police pulled him over and ticketed Hill for a traffic violation.
Following the stop, police approached Hill’s car and after a brief interaction, Hill rolled his window up. The police told Hill to keep his window down, and after he did not fully roll it back down, one of the four Miami-Dade police officers opened his car door and pulled him out of the vehicle by the back of his neck. One officer put Hill face-down on the street to handcuff him.
During the detainment, Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell and tight end Jonny Smith drove by and pulled over to the side of the road. Campbell was detained and cited for disobeying a direct order. He saw Hill in handcuffs and said it was “excessive force.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said in a news conference Monday afternoon that he was “very happy a guy in a situation like that didn’t feel alone.”
“It’s what you hope your team is comprised of,” McDaniel said about Campbell and Smith’s attempt to help Hill. “I’m very proud that they see each other as teammates and hold that in regard the way they do.”
The Dolphins expressed support for their players in their statement Monday while also calling on the MDPD to take action.
Following Hill’s detainment, Miami-Dade Police Department director Stephanie Daniels said in separate statements Sunday that she had requested a review of the incident and that one of the officers involved had been placed on administrative duties amid an investigation.
Following the release of the bodycam footage Monday, Daniels said the police department “is committed to conducting a thorough, objective investigation into this matter, and we will continue to update the public on the outcome of that process.”
Monday, the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, a union for police officers, said it “(stands) with the actions of our officers” involved in the incident:
“We have worked hard across all communities to bridge the gap between what people believe law enforcement should and can do,” the association said in a statement. “While we wait for the investigation to run its course, based on what we know, we stand with the actions of our officers but look forward to further open communication moving forward.”
McDaniel, who spoke Monday before the public release of the bodycam footage, said of Hill’s detainment: “It’s been hard for me not to find myself more upset the more I think about it.Trying to put myself in that emotion or that situation that they described emotionally and then knowing more than that. The thing that f— me up, honestly, to be quite frank, is knowing that I don’t know what that feels like.”
Jason Bishop Show September 12 2024
Bright Spots
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In a thrilling Week 1 showdown, the Miami Dolphins secured a dramatic 20-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, thanks to a clutch 52-yard field goal by Jason Sanders as time expired.
The win, which marked Miami’s fourth consecutive season-opening triumph, was propelled by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who threw for 336 yards and a touchdown.
Tagovailoa also orchestrated a late-game, eight-play drive to set up Sanders’ game-winning field goal, showcasing his poise under pressure.
Tyreek Hill emerged as one of the game’s key players, despite chaotic hours before kickoff that included being briefly detained by the Miami-Dade Police Department as a result of a driving incident.
He finished the day with seven catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. Hill was a consistent playmaker throughout, moving the chains three times and forcing four missed tackles. His ability to gain big yards after the catch was pivotal, as he hauled in two catches of 15 yards or more, while averaging an impressive 3.58 yards per route run. Hill’s efforts were also reflected in the passer rating of 123.3 when Tagovailoa targeted him.
Despite the loss, the Jacksonville Jaguars left the game with some bright spots, particularly from young players and new additions.
Second-year running back Tank Bigsby had a standout performance, showcasing his explosiveness and decisiveness. Bigsby forced four missed tackles, more than any other Jaguars rusher, and hinted at a potential one-two punch with Travis Etienne in the backfield.
Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. also made an immediate impact in his NFL debut. The Jags rookie and first-round draft pick, who was covered by Dolphins star cornerback Jalen Ramsey for much of the game, demonstrated why he’s drawing so much attention.
Thomas caught four passes for 47 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown that gave the Jaguars a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. His ability to draw a 40-yard pass interference penalty earlier in the game helped set up Jacksonville’s first score.
On the defensive side, linebacker Devin Lloyd was another Jaguar whose stock rose after Week 1. Lloyd displayed improved decision-making and played a critical role in stopping Miami’s run game.
Meanwhile, Darnell Savage, in his first start at nickel for Jacksonville, put together a solid performance, allowing just four receiving yards on five targets while forcing two incompletions.
However, not everything went smoothly for the Jaguars. Travis Etienne, the team’s top running back, had a tough outing, particularly with a costly third-quarter fumble that significantly shifted momentum.
Although Etienne has been a major contributor to Jacksonville’s offense, Bigsby’s emergence may lead to a more shared workload in the future.
Defensive struggles also plagued the Jaguars, with Antonio Johnson missing three tackles in his first start of the season.
On the offensive line, the team’s top pass blocker from last year, Anton Harrison, gave up four pressures and showed some rust after an injury-limited preseason.
Ultimately, the Jaguars’ inability to capitalize on a 17-7 lead and their lack of offensive rhythm in the second half contributed to the loss.
After producing 162 yards and 17 points in the first half, Jacksonville failed to score after halftime and managed just six second-half first downs.
QB Trevor Lawrence, in his first regular season game since signing a five year, $275M contract extension, acknowledged the missed opportunities, citing the need for more consistent execution, particularly in critical moments.
In the end, the Dolphins’ defense stood tall in the second half and was too much for Jacksonville to overcome.
Camden County Wildcats Coach’s Show w Travis Roland September 10 2024
McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers Coach’s Show w Bradley Warren September 10 2024
Florida State Semi-Noles
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2024 football season is underway and some teams have left us with more questions.
Florida State is one of those programs. I think we have to start with head coach Mike Norvell to see what the problem is with this program.
Norvell coached at Memphis from 2016-19 and his record was 38-15. He led the Tigers to a 12-1 record in his final season, which is why he was hired at FSU.
In his first two seasons, the Seminoles were 3-6 and 5-7. Things turned around in 2022 and they went 10-3. Last season they won their first thirteen games, which included the ACC Championship. They were snubbed from the College Football Playoff.
This is where problems with Florida State’s culture started to show. Over a dozen starters left the team after the ACC championship.
The #5 Seminoles playing the #6 Georgia Bulldogs sounded like a great Orange Bowl matchup on paper. UGA was also disappointed to not play in the CFP but their players chose to play in this bowl game.
We know what happened next, Georgia beat FSU 63-3.
“Well, the game mattered because we’re playing a game,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart, whose team set a couple of Orange Bowl records, including for point differential (60) and total yardage (673).
“As long as winning matters, we’re going to compete like hell at Georgia, it doesn’t matter what it is.”
That is an interesting statement by Smart; it seems like a jab at FSU because it is. Georgia has a winning culture so their players still played in the Orange Bowl, unlike Florida State.
Coming into the 2024 season the expectations were high at Florida State. They had the #4 transfer portal recruiting class in 2024. The class was headlined by former five-star QB DJ Uiagalelei. Uiagalelei played at Clemson and Oregon State.
Last season at Oregon State, he passed for 2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, 7 interceptions and he completed 57% of his passes. He has not lived up to his recruiting ranking and he hoped to reach his potential in Tallahassee.
They had five players transfer in from Alabama: linebacker Shawn Murphy, running back Roydell Williams, corner Earl Little II, offensive lineman Terrence Ferguson and receiver Malik Benson.
The other notable transfers are edge rusher Marvin Jones Jr. (Georgia), wide receiver Jalen Brown (LSU), defensive lineman Sione Lolohea (Oregon State) and defensive lineman Tomiwa Durojaiye (West Virginia).
As you know, FSU lost their first two games to Georgia Tech and Boston College.
Both of those teams were unranked. This is Norvell’s third 0-2 start in his five seasons at Florida State.
They are coming off a bye week and will play Memphis this week. The question we have to wonder is, will this team implode or will they drastically improve the rest of the season?
I don’t think it’s possible to get much better. This should be Norvell’s last season at FSU if they lose any more games.
Frederica Academy Knights Coach’s Show w Brandon Derrick September 4 2024
Drain The Swamp?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Billy Napier’s third season at Florida didn’t start well. We’ll wait to see whether he finishes it or not.
It would take the second-biggest buyout of a coach in college football history ($26 million) but Florida’s administration has to ask themselves hard questions after in-state rival Miami thumped them on Saturday in front of 90,000 fans in The Swamp.
Florida hasn’t been patient in the past. Since Urban Meyer resigned at the end of the 2010 season, the Gators have cycled through Will Muschamp (28-21 from 2011-14), Jim McElwain (22-12 from 2015-17) and Napier’s predecessor-Dan Mullen, without blinking.
It’s hard to tell where the Gators have improved since athletic director Scott Stricklin pulled the plug on Mullen with one game to go in 2021. Mullen went 34-15 in his four total seasons coaching the Gators, including 11-2 in 2019. Stricklin told Paul Finebaum this week that he expects Napier to “be at Florida for a long time.”
That could mean several seasons or just one.
The University of Florida has an interim president in charge. Once a new president is hired (which could be a long way off), Stricklin and Napier will very likely be looking for work.
Here’s what we know: The Gators haven’t gotten any better since Napier was hired. They’ve actually gotten worse on defense. Florida is giving up more points than they did under Dan Mullen. Looking back, defense was why Dan Mullen was fired in the first place.
How about the offense? It’s more conservative than Mullen’s, and it also doesn’t score nearly as much. Is there any reason for the program to keep him?
Napier is 11-15 in Gainesville. He has lost six games in a row. Florida has endured three consecutive losing seasons for the first time since the 1940s. On Saturday, it was obvious that the coach developed Miami into a better team in the same time frame that Billy Napier had with the Florida Gators.
“Miami outplayed us. They outcoached us,” Napier said. His team was out-gained 268 yards by the 19th-ranked Hurricanes.
Is it fair to point out that Napier has plenty more resources than his predecessors?
Mullen fought for a new $85 million standalone football facility, and it opened doors when Napier took over. Florida’s support staff under Napier grew by 17 staff members to 62 in total and the assistant coach salary pool has doubled compared to 2021. Not to mention Florida’s NIL efforts have been buttoned up.
So why haven’t the Gators improved? Maybe it’s the way Napier has tried to rebuild his roster over time.
Maybe Napier is a poor game day coach and his offense is lethargic and predictable.
Billie didn’t help himself on Monday, with this quote:
“I think we’ve got to become a more consistent team and we have to execute better. If we can focus on those things and not necessarily what some guy in the basement is saying in rural central Florida on social media, then we got a chance to get better, right? I think that’s the key.”
The Gators play Samford next week before facing Texas A&M.
Odds are pretty good quarterback DJ Lagway will be starting for Graham Mertz next week. He left Saturday’s loss with a concussion.
Lagway could be a special player for the Gators, but the Gators’ issues run much deeper than who is playing quarterback.
I don’t think Napier will change who he is, and he shouldn’t. Off the field he’s thoughtful and intelligent and stoic. He intends to address the media with quotes they want to hear.
I believe Napier has lost support from the masses and Florida fans are turning on him.
Who do you think will be the new president, AD and coach for the 2025 season?
Mixed Bag
By: Michael Spiers
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Week 1 of the 2024 SEC season was a mixed bag for one of the nation’s most dominant conferences.
While many SEC teams took care of business in nonconference matchups, the conference struggled in high-profile games against ranked opponents. The SEC went 1-3 against ranked teams, raising questions about its early-season strength and readiness for top competition.
The standout victory of the weekend was Georgia’s 34-3 dismantling of No. 14 Clemson.
The No. 1 Bulldogs looked every bit the part of a national championship contender, dominating both sides of the ball, once they settled in.
Georgia’s running back depth stood out, rushing for 169 yards against Clemson’s NFL-talent-loaded defensive front.
Freshman RB Nate Frazier emerged as a future star, leading the backfield with 84 yards and a touchdown.
Despite the impressive win, Georgia’s offense had a slow start, punting on three of its first five drives, struggling to convert scoring opportunities.
Clemson couldn’t keep up with Georgia’s depth in the second half, but the sluggish first half could be an issue against stronger offensive teams later in the season.
Elsewhere in the conference, however, the results were less encouraging.
Florida suffered a 41-17 blowout loss to No. 19 Miami.
The Gators struggled offensively, with quarterback Graham Mertz leaving due to injury. Freshman DJ Lagway showed flashes of promise, but the offensive line’s struggles, giving up three sacks and allowing constant pressure, were a significant problem. Florida’s defeat leaves the team searching for answers.
Texas A&M also fell short, losing 23-13 to No. 7 Notre Dame.
While the Aggie defense did well to limit Notre Dame’s quarterback, Riley Leonard, to just 158 passing yards, the offense faltered.
Quarterback Conner Weigman struggled with decision-making, throwing two costly interceptions. Texas A&M had opportunities to make a statement in head coach Mike Elko’s debut, but missed chances and mistakes cost them the game.
LSU continued its recent trend of struggles in season openers, losing 27-20 to No. 23 USC in Las Vegas.
The Tigers, despite being favored, failed to capitalize on key moments and displayed a lack of discipline. Costly penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct foul and a targeting penalty, contributed to LSU’s defeat.
The Tigers also struggled with tackling, allowing USC’s running backs to break free for extra yards on multiple occasions.
LSU’s wide receiver depth remains a strength, but the team’s defensive and disciplinary issues need to be addressed quickly.
On the positive side, most of the SEC teams dominated their nonconference matchups, though many of these victories came against inferior competition.
Alabama cruised to a 63-0 victory over Western Kentucky, with new head coach Kalen DeBoer’s aggressive defense making a strong debut.
Arkansas posted a 70-0 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with Utah transfer Ja’Quinden Jackson leading the Razorbacks’ rejuvenated ground game.
Auburn’s offense also shined in a 73-3 win over Alabama A&M, showcasing an explosive new-look passing attack led by freshmen receivers.
Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Missouri all secured comfortable wins, with Tennessee defeating Chattanooga 69-3, Mississippi State routing Eastern Kentucky 56-3, and Missouri shutting out Murray State 51-0.
SEC newcomers Oklahoma and Texas also started their seasons with dominant wins. Oklahoma dismantled Temple 51-3, while Texas blanked Colorado State 52-0.
There were some close calls in the conference, though. South Carolina narrowly escaped with a 23-19 win over Old Dominion, thanks to timely defensive plays from edge rushers Kyle Kennard and Dylan Stewart.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, earned a hard-fought 34-27 overtime victory against Virginia Tech, with quarterback Diego Pavia providing a much-needed spark for the Commodores.
Kentucky’s 31-0 victory over Southern Miss was notable for being one of the shortest games in recent history, as it was called off with 9:56 left in the third quarter due to weather.
Quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who transferred from UGA, impressed in his first significant action, completing 12 of 18 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns, despite the shortened game.
As the SEC moves forward into Week 2, teams will look to build on their successes and correct the issues that emerged in the opening week.
For some, like Georgia and Alabama, the season is off to a strong start. But for others, particularly those who lost marquee matchups, there is work to be done to meet the high expectations of the SEC.
Camden County Wildcats Coach’s Show w Travis Roland September 3 2024
