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“COLLEGE FOOTBALL HOT SPOTS”
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PENN STATE..Really have doubts that James Franklin is in trouble as Nittany Lions head coach, though his team disappearing down the elevator shaft of the AP-ratings in two weeks time is shocking. The Lions are (5-21) in Franklin’s career vs Top 10-teams…and (1-18) vs Big 10-teams ranked in the Top 10. Cannot ignore that. His coordinators may pay the price.
COLORADO..Deion Sanders has issues on field, and again off field-with his health. Life after his QB-son Shedeur and his Heisman Trophy star Travis Hunter has been rocky. They are (2-4) this year, and (0-3) in the Big 12. Not moving the ball well. Cannot stop anyone from moving the ball either. And now his health is troubling again. Emergency surgery to solve recurring blood clot problems in his legs, where he has had toes amputated already for blood clot damages while at Jackson State. All this in addition to his summer long surgeries for bladder cancer. He says he is not stepping aside though many football friends think he should.
NORTH CAROLINA..So how has life gone for the NFL’s 33rd team, as Bill Belichick described he would build when he took the Tar Heels job. Now reports that Chapel Hill-Bill is coming apart at the seams, raging on his transfer laden roster; feuding with the media; demanding the school not put anything related to New England Patriots QB-Drake Maye, a UNC star, on their websites. Oh he also banned all Pats scouts from being on campus. Guess that’s what an (0-3) record against Power 5-schools will do. His team has been outscored (120-33). And his honey Jordan Hudson has stopped tweeting after posting ‘we have arrived’ after wins over Charlotte and Richmond. What followed were terrible beatings at home, where fans are booing and stopped showing up.
TEXAS…Cannot find them in the AP-top 25 rankings. End result of losing so many skill players in the draft, and way too much hype about young QB-Arch Manning. They will be back. Steve Sarkisian did not lose his ability to coach overnight. Just way too young a roster at the skill positions.
UCLA…That was a shocker of a win over Penn State, but it was just one victory and there are still lots of games to be played, and the program is in need of a credibility hire of a new head coach plus coordinators. And solving what appears to be a long standing feud with Bruins alumni players-who feel rebuffed by Chip Kelly and Deshaun Foster. Anybody know Pat Fitzgerald’s phone number, the ex-Northwestern head coach problem solver.
OREGON STATE…It all seems to be slipping away from Trent Bray; the roster is thin. Getting Duke transfer QB-Malik Murphy solved the passing problems, but nothing else. Wonder how much longer this can go on. Mike Riley and Dennis Erickson saved the Beavers twice decades ago. They may need new leadership in Corvallis shortly.
WISCONSIN…Hard to believe Luke Fickell has lost his way at Camp Randall Stadium, but he keeps losing QBs and that makes it so hard to compete. He is on his 3rd starter in 6-weeks after Maryland transfer Billy Evans went down with an injury, and San Diego State transfer Danny O’Neill became a turnover machine. They are not happy in Madison.
FLORIDA..Billy Napier may be the next two go. The drop off in the quality of great players the Gators used to get is alarming and so is the up and down QB play. Where have you gone Tim Tebow?
Oklahoma State (Mike Gundy)..Arkansas (Sam Pittman)..UCLA (Deshaun Foster)..Virginia Tech (Brent Puy) have already been tossed. More could be coming shortly.
Halfway point of the college season is coming. Lots of upsets of top ten teams. Lots of upset alumnis and fan bases. The coaching hot seat is getting hotter.
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