Category: College Football

The Arkansas Athletic Department announced on Thursday that the football program would begin its spring practices on March 9. The team will have fifteen practices over a month and a half which will include a week off for spring break. The spring will include a few scrimmages setting up the spring game April 17 in Fayetteville.

In the midst of Arkansas’ eight game conference winning streak, it had to postpone two games against its Texas A&M rivals. The first was set for February 6 in Fayetteville and the second on February 20 in College Station. Both were postponed due to COVID-19 concerns in the Aggie program. The time and television network are to be determined. Arkansas, coming off a huge win over 6.Alabama on Wednesday night, will host LSU on Saturday before heading to Columbia to battle South Carolina on Tuesday and then heading back to Fayetteville to battle Texas A&M. Here is the TV schedule to finish the regular season:
2/27 LSU (1 PM CT, ESPN2)

3/2 at.South Carolina (5:30 PM CT, SECN)

3/6 Texas A&M (TBD, TBD)

The Diamond Hogs used a hit from Jordan Battles in the tenth inning to get a walk-off win over Southeastern Missouri State on Thursday evening. It was the first of a four game series that will end on Sunday.

The Central Florida football program announced on Monday that Gus Malzahn would be the school’s next head coach. Malzahn was previously the offensive coordinator at Arkansas, Tulsa, and Auburn before becoming Arkansas State’s head coach for a season. Then he returned to the plains and was hired as Auburn’s head man. Central Florida went 13-0 in 2017-18 led by head coach Scott Frost who then went on to be the head coach at his alma mater, Nebraska. Then, Frost’s offensive coordinator Josh Heupel was named the new head coach. Heupel led the knights to three more successful seasons before being named the new Tennessee head coach at the end of January, succeeding Jeremy Pruitt.

Oregon QB Tyler Shough, who started the entire unprecedented regular season for the ducks in 2020-2021, has entered transfer portal as a grad transfer according to ESPN and multiple other sources. Shough was replaced by the team’s backup Anthony Brown for long stretches in the team’s 34-17 loss in the 2021 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. Shough completed 63.5% of his passes, 13 passing TDs, and six interceptions during the November through January season.

2022 five-star QB Maalik Murphy, ranked number 30 overall in the 2022 247Sports composite, committed to Texas on February 13. Murphy, the 6’5 signal caller, from Junipero Serra High School in Garden, California gives new Texas head coach an elite talent and leader. Murphy commits to Texas in the wake of fellow five-star QB Quinn Ewer’s decommitment from the Longhorns back in October. The Texas native (Southlake Carroll HS), and no. 1 player in the composite then committed to Ohio State less than a month after his decommitment from Texas.

Hey everyone, welcome to my “2021 SEC Late CFB Signing Day Review”. A reminder that I am using 247Sports for all of my recruiting posts going forward and if you want to check out my 2021 College Football National Signing Day Review, there it is.

2021 Final SEC College Football Class Rankings

*All rankings from 247Sports*

Players:

*Number before the player is their national ranking*

*Number in parentheses is their position ranking*

Teams:

*First number is their conference class ranking*

*Number in parentheses is their national class rankings*

*The players listed are the top five players in each class signed*

1.(1) Alabama

2.JC Latham, (#1OT), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

5.Tommy Brockermeyer, (#2OT), Fort Worth,TX All Saints Episcopal

17.Ga’Quincy McKinstry, (#1CB), Pinson,AL Pinson Valley

26.Jacorey Brooks, (#2WR), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

44.Agiye Hall, (#5WR), Valrico,FL Bloomingdale

2.(3) Georgia

7.Amarius Mims, (#3OT), Cochran,GA Bleckley County

16.Brock Vandagriff, (#2QB-DT), Bogart,GA Prince Avenue Christian

25.Xavian Sorey, (#1OLB), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

34.Smael Mondon, (#3OLB), Dallas,GA Paulding County

66.Micah Morris, (#9OT), Kingsland,GA Camden County

3.(4) LSU

19.Maason Smith, (#2DT), Houma,LA Terrebonne

64.Derrick Davis Jr., (#4S), Monroeville,PA Gateway

69.Deion Smith, (#9WR), Jackson,MS Jackson Academy

83.Garrett Nussmeier, (#9QB-PRO), Flower Mound,TX Marcus

90.Garrett Dellinger, (#12OT), Clarkston,MI Clarkston

4.(7) Texas A&M
38.Tunmise Adeleye, (#5SDE), Katy,TX Tompkins

112.Shadrach Banks, (#18WR), Houston,TX North Shore

132.Marcus Burris, (#10SDE), Texarkana,TX Pleasant Grove

168.Eli Stowers, (#7QB-DT), Denton,TX Guyer

203.Elijah Jeudy, (#7WDE), Philadelphia,PA Northeast

5.(13) Florida

28.Jason Marshall, (#2CB), Miami,FL Miami Palmetto

106.Corey Collier, (#6SF), Miami,FL Miami Palmetto

148.Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, (#12QB-PRO), Cartersville,GA Cartersville

202.Donovan McMillion, (#12S), Canonsburg,PA Peters Township

286.Daejon Reynolds, (#44WR), Loganville,GA Grayson

6.(16) Tennessee

138.Aaron Willis, (#8ILB), Colonial Heights,VA Life Christian Academy

154.Kaidon Salter, (#6QB-DT), Cedar Hill,TX Cedar Hill

358.Walker Merrill, (#58WR), Brentwood,TN Brentwood

3.Tiyon Evans, (#1RB), Hutchinson,KS Hutchinson CC

411.William Parker, (#34OT), Nashville,TN Pearl-Cohn

7.(18) Ole Miss

191.Luke Altmyer, (#13QB-PRO), Starkville,MS Starkville

218.Hudson Wolfe, (#8TE), Savannah,TN Hardin County

259.Tysheem Johnson, (#16S), Philadelphia,PA Neumann Goretti

312.Dink Jackson, (#20S), Melbourne,FL Eau Gallie

336.Markevious Brown, (#28CB), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

8.(24) Arkansas

163.Ketron Jackson, (#26WR), Royse City,TX Royse City

185.AJ Green, (#7RB), Tulsa,OK Union

285.Raheim Sanders, (#14ATH), Rockledge,FL Rockledge

399.Terry Wells, (#32OT), Wynne,AR Wynne

493.Javion Hunt, (#27RB), Oklahoma City,OK Carl Albert

Many of you won’t find joy reading beyond this point in the SEC Class Rankings so if you want to check the national class rankings out click here.

Hey everyone, here is my “2021 College Football National Signing Day Review”. As this is an Arkansas and SEC focused blog I’m going to make another post at some point covering Arkansas and the SEC’s national signing day as well. By the way, I am going to start using 247Sports for all of my recruiting posts going forward.

Top headlines:

Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide pulled together the greatest class ever in the 247Sports era by getting a class worth 327.91 points (27 signees) overall headlined by flipping previous LSU commit JoJo Earle (WR) and landing five-star offensive lineman JC Latham and Tommy Brockermeyer.

If it wasn’t for Alabama, the team in the news would be the squad the Tide played in the national championship on January 11. Ohio State (who landed a class worth 309.49 points with 21 signees) signed five-star running back TreVeyon Henderson on Wednesday after previously landing five-star defensive end Jack Sawyer, the top player out of the Buckeye State.

Head Coach Clay Helton and USC pulled together the second best class in the Pac-12 by landing the nation’s top defensive end Korey Foreman. Helton also landed many other southern California area prospects, something that he had not previously done as much during his tenure in Los Angeles.

The SEC reigned supreme as Alabama landed yet another top class, Georgia came in at no. 3, LSU at no. 4, Texas A&M at no. 7 as well as five other teams within the top 25.

2021 Final College Football Class Rankings (top ten)

*All rankings from 247Sports*

*Number before the player is their national ranking*

*Number in parentheses is their position ranking*

1.Alabama

2.JC Latham, (#1OT), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

5.Tommy Brockermeyer, (#2OT), Fort Worth,TX All Saints Episcopal

17.Ga’Quincy McKinstry, (#1CB), Pinson,AL Pinson Valley

26.Jacorey Brooks, (#2WR), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

44.Agiye Hall, (#5WR), Valrico,FL Bloomingdale

2.Ohio State

4.Jack Sawyer, (#3SDE), Pickerington,OH North Pickerington

9.Emeka Egbuka, (#1WR), Steilacoom,WA Steilacoom

18.Donovan Jackson, (#1OG), Bellaire,TX Episcopal

22.TreVeyon Henderson, (#1RB), Hopewell,VA Hopewell

27.Kyle McCord, (#3QB-PRO), Philadelphia,PA St. Joseph’s

3.Georgia

7.Amarius Mims, (#3OT), Cochran,GA Bleckley County

16.Brock Vandagriff, (#2QB-DT), Bogart,GA Prince Avenue Christian

25.Xavian Sorey, (#1OLB), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

34.Smael Mondon, (#3OLB), Dallas,GA Paulding County

66.Micah Morris, (#9OT), Kingsland,GA Camden County

4.LSU

19.Maason Smith, (#2DT), Houma,LA Terrebonne

64.Derrick Davis Jr., (#4S), Monroeville,PA Gateway

69.Deion Smith, (#9WR), Jackson,MS Jackson Academy

83.Garrett Nussmeier, (#9QB-PRO), Flower Mound,TX Marcus

90.Garrett Dellinger, (#12OT), Clarkston,MI Clarkston

5.Clemson

31.Will Shipley, (#1APB), Matthews,NC Weddington

36.Jeremiah Trotter Jr., (#2ILB), Philadelphia,PA St. Joseph’s

60.Jake Briningstool, (#1TE), Brentwood,TN Ravenwood

85.Beaux Collins, (#12WR), Bellflower,CA St. John Bosco

94.Payton Page, (#8DT), Greensboro,NC Dudley

6.Oregon

35.Kingsley Suamataia, (#6OT), Orem,UT Orem

39.Ty Thompson, (#4QB-PRO), Gilbert,AZ Mesquite

40.Troy Franklin, (#3WR), Menlo Park,CA Menlo-Atherton

56.Dont’e Thornton, (#7WR), Baltimore,MD Mount Saint Joseph

84.Bram Walden, (#10OT), Scottsdale,AZ Saguaro

7.Texas A&M

38.Tunmise Adeleye, (#5SDE), Katy,TX Tompkins

112.Shadrach Banks, (#18WR), Houston,TX North Shore

132.Marcus Burris, (#10SDE), Texarkana,TX Pleasant Grove

168.Eli Stowers, (#7QB-DT), Denton,TX Guyer

203.Elijah Jeudy, (#7WDE), Philadelphia,PA Northeast

8.USC

1.Korey Foreman, (#1SDE), Corona,CA Centennial

48.Raesjon Davis, (#4OLB), Santa Ana,CA Mater Dei

68.Jaxson Dart, (#7QB-PRO), Draper,UT Corner Canyon

75.Miller Moss, (#8QB-PRO), Mission Hills,CA Bishop Alemany

9.Notre Dame

54.Blake Fisher, (#8OT), Avon,IN Avon

59.Rocco Spindler, (#3OG), Clarkston,MI Clarkston

70.Tyler Buchner, (#3QB-DT), La Mesa,CA Helix

115.Lorenzo Styles Jr., (#20WR), Pickerington,OH Pickerington Central

117.Gabriel Rubio, (#9DT), St. Peter’s,MO Lutheran of St. Charles County

10.Michigan

24.JJ McCarthy, (#2QB-PRO), Bradenton,FL IMG Academy

41.Donovan Edwards, (#3RB), Bloomfield,MI West Bloomfield

61.Xavier Worthy, (#8WR), Fresno,CA Central East

87.Giovanni El-Hadi, (#11OT), Sterling Heights,MI Adlai Stevenson

89.Junior Colson, (#5OLB), Brentwood,TN (Ravenwood)

For the first time ever, Arkansas and Arkansas State will meet on the football field. The game is set for September 6, 2025 and is to be played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, AR. The program moves games versus Missouri in Little Rock to Fayetteville in 2021 (this upcoming season) and 2023, and will replace them with games versus UAPB in 2021 (this upcoming season) and 2024, West Carolina in 2023, and Arkansas State in 2025. In 2020, Arkansas also eliminated spring football games in 2022 and 2024 in Little Rock, and thus will play every spring game on campus going forward.

Yes, you read the title right, NCAA Football video games made by EA Sports will return. For the first time since July of 2013, when EA Sports published the then final installment of NCAA Football, titled “NCAA Football 14”, the series will return but under a new name. The new installments will be called “EA Sports College Football”, which according to an ESPN FAQ article, EA Sports vice president and general manager Daryl Holt said “There’s a lot of things happening and there’s a lot of things happening in sports. EA Sports College Football gives us a name and a brand to kind of work around for some things that might evolve as well as what we’re focusing on really out of the gate, which is really the FBS Division I school and the road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Championship. So EA Sports College Football, we just felt, is the right name for the product for not only now but also as we move forward.” The article also mentioned that there will be no game this year according to Holt, but to look at EA Sports announcement as a commitment for the game to return. Furthermore, no name, image, likeness law needs to be changed with the NCAA for the first edition “EA Sports College Football” to continue. Finally, I want to shout out @bring.back.ncaa, @cfbrevamped on Instagram as well as Flemlo Raps on YouTube who have all pushed for the return of my favorite video game ever.

Arkansas Razorbacks QB Feliepe Franks went 9-16 for 122 yards and a touchdown and led the National Team to a win over the American Team on Saturday January 30 in Birmingham, Alabama at the 2021 Senior Bowl. Franks had a good not great final season and strengthened his draft stock without a doubt yesterday. It should be interesting to see where Franks lands come the end of April.

Arkansas men’s basketball caught a tough loss at Henry Iba Arena yesterday to end Coach Eric Musselman’s first three game winning streak as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Potential number one pick in the 2021 NBA Draft Cade Cunningham’s step back inside twenty seconds broke a 77-77 tie, and led Oklahoma State to a 81-77 win over the hogs. But it was Kalib Boone’s efficient play inside that beat the hogs. Arkansas fell to 13-5 but has a 5-4 conference record after defeating Ole Miss last Wednesday ahead of home games against Mississippi State and Texas A&M.

College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 3.Ohio State
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Jan. 11, 8 PM ET, ESPN/ESPN App

Ohio State played their in their first complete performance of the season on New Year’s Day against Clemson. While, Alabama did not look so dominant against Notre Dame, they have in most of their games this season. In much of the media’s opinion Alabama has a top five QB, the best RB, and the best WR in the country. Thus, Alabama’s offense is and has looked like the best offense in the country. Ohio State QB Justin Fields might have a rib energy but he will have to tough it out in my opinion if Ohio State is even going to have a chance at winning. Ohio State receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson have to be as good as how they played versus Clemson because to beat Alabama, historically you’ve have a have a great vertical offense. Also, Ohio State’s front seven has to be as good as it was Saturday night, to rattle Alabama’s offense just a little bit. Projected Score: Alabama 49, Ohio State 38

It took almost thirty years for another receiver to be named a winner of college football’s most prestigious player award. After an incredible season, Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith won the 2020-2021 Heisman Trophy over fellow finalists Mac Jones (Alabama QB), Kyle Trask (Florida QB), and Trevor Lawrence (Clemson QB). Smith took off for 105 catches, almost 1,700 receiving yards, and 20 receiving touchdowns after fellow star receiver Jaylen Waddle was sidelined with an injury. After winning the AP College Football Player of the Year Award, Smith became the first wide receiver to win the award since former Michigan wide receiver Desmond Howard won it in 1991, who now works for ESPN.

After Texas AD Chris Del Conte discussed the future of the football program with other presidents at the university, the University of Texas announced on Saturday morning the firing of head football coach Tom Herman. During four seasons Herman went 32-18 and will be replaced by Alabama Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian. Sarkisian has led one of the best offenses in the country at Alabama, and should bring in that mindset as he heads to Austin.

Rules
1.Every Power Five Conference champion is seeded one to five based on the order they are ranked in the final CFP rankings (which were made on Sunday 12/20/2020).

2.The two highest ranked teams in the final CFP rankings (which were made on Sunday 12/20/2020) that are in the Power 5 and were not conference champions this season are seeded based on the order of the final CFP rankings.

3.The highest ranked Group of 5 conference champion in the final CFP rankings (which were made on Sunday 12/20/2020).

4.In the quarterfinals, the higher seed hosts.

5.In the semifinals, the two higher seeds in each game pick between the two New Year’s Six Bowl games designated for the CFP in 2020-2021 season to play in.

1.Alabama (11-0)

2.Clemson (10-1)

3.Ohio State (6-0)

4.Oklahoma (8-2)

5.Oregon (4-2)

6.Notre Dame (10-1)

7.Texas A&M (9-1)

8.Cincinnati (9-0)

Quarterfinals

Game 1:8.Cincinnati at. 1.Alabama

Game 2:7.Texas A&M at. 2.Clemson

Game 3:6.Notre Dame at. 3.Ohio State

Game 4:5.Oregon at. 4.Oklahoma

Semifinals (Assuming higher seed wins)

Game 5: 4.Oklahoma vs. 1.Alabama (Rose Bowl, Arlington,TX (being played there due to COVID-19)

Game 6: 3.Ohio State vs. 2.Clemson (Sugar Bowl, New Orleans,LA)

National Championship (Assuming higher seed wins)

2.Clemson vs. 1.Alabama (CFP National Championship, Miami Gardens,FL)

Auburn announced Tuesday night that Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin would be its next head football coach. Harsin replaces Gus Malzahn, who coached on the plains for eight seasons. In seven seasons at Boise State, Harsin went 69-19 and won three Mountain West titles. Louisiana head coach Bill Napier and Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables both turned down the Auburn job after being offered it in the past few weeks.

Despite the ongoing coronavirus, we got through another great college football regular season and, get this, conference championship weekend. So, here is who I think should be in at noon ET today.

1.Alabama (11-0)

Alabama played a pretty complete game last night in Atlanta in the SEC Championship against Florida, further cementing their spot at number one in the country. Alabama has three guys (THREE GUYS) who are elite and should have a chance at the Heisman Trophy in a few weeks-QB Mac Jones, RB Najee Harris, and the presumable favorite (by much of the media) to be the first receiver to win the award since Desmond Howard, DeVonta Smith. Alabama will happily take their spot in familiar New Orleans, Louisiana.

2.Clemson (10-1)
Let’s be honest. Had Clemson got QB Trevor Lawrence back for its game against highly ranked Notre Dame on November 7, the Clemson Tigers would’ve beaten Notre Dame and likely kept their top ranking all season. Many had their doubts about Dabo Swinney’s ball club entering the season. The offense lost top receiver Tee Higgins to the NFL Draft and fellow top receiver Justyn Ross to injury. But, playmakers at receiver like veteran Amari Rogers stepped up. Clemson’s young defense had questions. But, former five-star recruit Bryan Bresee stepped up, among others. Alabama and Clemson are the clear top two teams, but I know there will be mixed opinions at 3 and 4.

3.Ohio State (6-0)
I know what everyone is going to say. “Ohio State played half a season.” “Ohio State only beat a pedestrian Northwestern team by 12”. “Ohio State’s best win is versus Indiana.” “Ohio State will be the freshest mentally and physically because they’ve only played half a season.” All of these concerns make sense. But when the committee looks at it (and me, too) Ohio State is the Big Ten champion. That can’t go unnoticed. While Ohio State is not playing their best football right now, I believe that a few weeks of practice will get QB Justin Fields and his receivers back in sync. Yesterday, we saw Ohio State RB Master Teague carve up an awesome Northwestern defense. So, at this point, I think Ohio State will be okay, and should easily make it in the playoff.

4.Texas A&M (9-1)

Yes, I have Texas A&M in over Notre Dame. Clemson easily beat Notre Dame in Charlotte yesterday, which means that Clemson probably would’ve handled Notre Dame the same way back in South Bend on November 7. Texas A&M handled all of their SEC competition except for getting clobbered against Alabama by 28 points. Either way, the strongest conference in college football needs to get two teams in the playoff.