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2023-24 Coaching Carousel (Fitzgerald out, DC Braun interim at Northwestern)

Feels like a combination of horrible timing and the changing landscape of college football conspired to force UCLA to make a less than ideal choice.

I wonder if things might have been a little different had UCLA stayed in the P12. Let USC go off to the B1G. Have the P12 add one more team (SDSU, maybe?) and signed a new TV deal that while not at the level of B1G, would have been pretty solid just the same. All the “what-ifs” that could have transpired. I tend to think UCLA is having some serious buyers remorse over their decision to leave the conference. Both they and the conference would have been better off had they stayed. USC be damned.

OTOH, the chaos makes for entertaining viewing.
 
Big Jim said:
Ped State brings in talent at basically an equivalent level as UO based on ratings. I'll believe UO is Tier 1 in the B10 when they actually earn it on the field of play.
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Over the past two cycles Oregon has brought in 53 four star recruits vs. Penn State's 37. The thing that separates the two the most is QB play. I just don't see it with Allar. Gabriel is not as good as Nix but he's proven he is way better than Allar.
 
The Alabaster Yak said:
Yep. My B1G tiers as the programs stand going forward (not just a 2024 outlook)...

Tier 1
- Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon

Tier 2
- Penn State, USC

Tier 3
- Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State, Washington, Minnesota, Nebraska

Tier 4
- UCLA, Illinois, Northwestern, Maryland, Purdue, Indiana, Rutgers

I think you could potentially combine Tier 3 and 4, but just kind of feels like Wis, Iowa and MSU are better programs
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I can see that, but I doubt USC will fall into Tier 2 next season.

I think USC's fortunes will either rise or fall with Lincoln Riley. Like UCLA, they have huge expectations, but Riley is only 8-7 over his last 15 games, thus on the hottest seat. Their bowl win over Louisville was huge, but if they lost that game, SC would have lost their last 6 of 7 with a 1 point win over Cal, plus very close escapes against CU and AZ. They played UU's close in the end, but were really pushed around with UU playing 3rd string QB, however they got great comeback losing on a FG. Yet, they were totally really outclassed by ND, UW, ORE, and UCLA. Lost their last 3 at home. The teams that were physical sort of had their way.

Next year, they have no Caleb Williams and basically all their O production is gone: WR: best guys onto NFL, Singer, Mario Williams, Jackson all transferred. RB: Lloyd is NFL bound, RB2 graduated, RB3&4 transferred. They added Mississippi State RB1 GR-T, who has awesome career numbers but suffered a miserable 2023. He was pro-prospect but completely dropped off the NFL radar, thus a 5th year. He only had 573 yards last year, 1/2 of them over the 1st 3 games getting hurt in game 3. He battled ankle/hamstring injuries, split carries, missed 3 games, and was totally ineffective in last 2 to close the season. Health is a serious??. TE--their starter sustained major ACL in bowl; b/u transferred, and best prospects are True-Frosh. Oline has a 2-3 returners, it might be better but I do think Moss is not nearly as mobile as Williams. The offense could surprise--Duece Robinson could be great, Branch is like Dylan Edwards and could surprise. Overall, the offense will have to do it with a bunch of young and untested players.

Then, a complete defense rebuild. The D was horrible last year, but Lynn and the new AC's may be able to do some things here, as they have more upper-classman. Much will depend on how the new D-install goes. I think they added well in the portal with 6 guys, 3-4 will probably start. It will be a new defensive backfield which although talented could have growing pains, same at LB. However, they lost 8 D guys: 5 4*'s as transfers, 2 were probably starters, 3 other significant contributors. Foreman was a RS last year, and probably would have been in 2 deep but for a position change. 6 of the 8 were highly rated Blue Chips out of HS. Also, they did lose a number of starters to graduation. They may have 9 new starters out there.

A few things about Lincoln Riley. In 2022, his hit rate in the transfer portal was exceptional. #1 Class and the guys he got played, played well and were most all P-65, many Blue-Bloods. He signed a touted but small HS class, yet already about 1/2 have departed. In 2023, the hit rate on transfers dropped substantially, yet still rated #3. Bear Alexander, Pregron (OL WY), and Marshawn Lloyd were great, but the others not so much--lower in depth chart and we are now seeing double-transferees out. His 2023 HS class was much larger #8, but some of his biggest additions already portaled. This cycle, we saw many more portal departues than additions with less guys coming in and many from teams in chaos. The HS class is much larger but #17. Overall, he has gone: #6, #7, and #20; so he is dropping.

Barring a bunch of Spring attrition and transfers, USC will be a very young team--32 FR, 17 SO. They lost 21 in TP, gained 9 who will play. They need to hit homeruns on their transfer class + improve on it in the Spring, but only 3 schollies left... The upcoming schedule does them no favors: they open with LSU in Vegas, game 3 @ Mich, then Wisco and Penn State wk 6, and @ Maryland (8-5, crushed Auburn in bowl game) . . . and they end with ND. No OR on the schedule will help them. @UW and @UCLA should be wins, but maybe not easy ones. I could see them having the same depth problems CU had, and get beat up in weeks 1 & 3-5. A bad season and Lincoln Riley could go the way of Chip Kelly.
 
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The Alabaster Yak said:
Yep. My B1G tiers as the programs stand going forward (not just a 2024 outlook)...

Tier 1
- Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon

Tier 2
- Penn State, USC

Tier 3
- Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State, Washington, Minnesota, Nebraska

Tier 4
- UCLA, Illinois, Northwestern, Maryland, Purdue, Indiana, Rutgers

I think you could potentially combine Tier 3 and 4, but just kind of feels like Wis, Iowa and MSU are better programs
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Pretty accurate.

I would slide Penn State up to tier 1, they are going to spend until they buy a championship. I would drop USC into tier 3. They should have been the class of the PAC yet every year faded to the middle, that will continue.

I would drop Nebraska down to tier 4. Another program that thinks it's great but isn't and won't be. Maryland might slide up a tier. Historically bad program that is getting serious about winning. MSU is going to be "bad" for the next couple years at least but will spend it's way to respectability. Won't ever be a top program like they think they are but will have enough good years to keep their fans interested.
 
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MtnBuff said:
Pretty accurate.

I would slide Penn State up to tier 1, they are going to spend until they buy a championship. I would drop USC into tier 3. They should have been the class of the PAC yet every year faded to the middle, that will continue.

I would drop Nebraska down to tier 4. Another program that thinks it's great but isn't and won't be. Maryland might slide up a tier. Historically bad program that is getting serious about winning. MSU is going to be "bad" for the next couple years at least but will spend it's way to respectability. Won't ever be a top program like they think they are but will have enough good years to keep their fans interested.
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Penn State isn't capable of buying a championship. They aren't going to out recruit Ohio State or Oregon and Franklin is 1-9 vs Ohio State and 3-7 vs Michigan. Penn State is not on either of their levels on the field and is well behind Oregon from a talent perspective (and also spending).

Oregon under Lanning is recruiting at a different level than Penn State. Top 5 classes are significantly better than 14-15 range. That's why I believe Oregon is right there with Ohio State and Michigan; because they are the only program in the conference with the talent to stack up.

We'll see about Michigan without Harbaugh. Sherrone Moore is everybody's darling, but Harbaugh is a top 5 coach in the entire sport and it took him like 5 years to get Michigan back to a tier 1 program. You don't lose that guy and just keep rolling like they were. Also, their recruiting, including transfers, has been more Penn State level (20th, 12th, 18th the past three classes) than Ohio State or Oregon. A lot of unknowns for Michigan moving forward, IMO.

I don't even know what to think about USC right now. It feels like Riley is entirely uninterested in winning at a high level there. Who's their QB next year? Miller Moss? The 20th ranked overall recruiting class this cycle? UCLA's ex-DC is the guy who's going to fix that defense? I guess? How will that offense translate to the B1G? Probably the program with the most questions going into next season in that conference.
 
The Alabaster Yak said:
Penn State isn't capable of buying a championship. They aren't going to out recruit Ohio State or Oregon and Franklin is 1-9 vs Ohio State and 3-7 vs Michigan. Penn State is not on either of their levels on the field and is well behind Oregon from a talent perspective (and also spending).

Oregon under Lanning is recruiting at a different level than Penn State. Top 5 classes are significantly better than 14-15 range. That's why I believe Oregon is right there with Ohio State and Michigan; because they are the only program in the conference with the talent to stack up.

We'll see about Michigan without Harbaugh. Sherrone Moore is everybody's darling, but Harbaugh is a top 5 coach in the entire sport and it took him like 5 years to get Michigan back to a tier 1 program. You don't lose that guy and just keep rolling like they were. Also, their recruiting, including transfers, has been more Penn State level (20th, 12th, 18th the past three classes) than Ohio State or Oregon. A lot of unknowns for Michigan moving forward, IMO.

I don't even know what to think about USC right now. It feels like Riley is entirely uninterested in winning at a high level there. Who's their QB next year? Miller Moss? The 20th ranked overall recruiting class this cycle? UCLA's ex-DC is the guy who's going to fix that defense? I guess? How will that offense translate to the B1G? Probably the program with the most questions going into next season in that conference.
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As long as they have Uncle Phil's money coming in Oregon is going to be able to recruit with anyone. That is why I left them in the tier 1.

Penn State is more than capable of buying championships. They have their share of very wealthy boosters who can and do open up the checkbook. If Franklin doesn't get it done they will pay for somebody who does, something that wouldn't surprise me to see happen in the near future.

Michigan as well has zero questions about money. Their only question is does the administration want to emphasize their academic reputation or make the compromises they made for Harbaugh to allow him to beat tOSU and go to the playoff. No specific knowledge but it wouldn't shock me to see Michigan tighten up a little bit, especially now that they have won one and if they get some negative publicity from the football program. Resources will never be a question.

Riley had everything he would ever want at OU and couldn't finish the job. He had a roster full of 4*/5* talent and still couldn't put together a defense that could stop anybody. Some news for him, his teams aren't going to be able to score 50 on every opponent in the B1G, they will against the bottom end but against the top end schools they are going to have to figure out how to stop somebody, they haven't so far at USC just like they didn't at Norman.
 
MtnBuff said:
Pretty accurate.

I would slide Penn State up to tier 1, they are going to spend until they buy a championship. I would drop USC into tier 3. They should have been the class of the PAC yet every year faded to the middle, that will continue.

I would drop Nebraska down to tier 4. Another program that thinks it's great but isn't and won't be. Maryland might slide up a tier. Historically bad program that is getting serious about winning. MSU is going to be "bad" for the next couple years at least but will spend it's way to respectability. Won't ever be a top program like they think they are but will have enough good years to keep their fans interested.
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McElroy made a good point on his podcast today about PSU-they're the biggest winner of the Big 10 going away from divisions. They miss Michigan and they get Ohio State at home. They go to Wisconsin and USC, but if I have to make those two trips in the same year, 2024 is the year I'd probably want to do it.

I guess I don't understand why Nub fans don't like talking about how they have the longest bowl drought in power four football.
 
patebuff said:
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Season 7 Oops GIF by Workaholics
 
Back in around 1999 or 2000, I called on some rural grocery chain in Southern California. IT Director said they didn’t have an email system and probably never would. The CEO didn’t believe in it.

I was very confident at that point that their appetite for any new technology was somewhere around zero.
 
Highlander said:
Back in around 1999 or 2000, I called on some rural grocery chain in Southern California. IT Director said they didn’t have an email system and probably never would. The CEO didn’t believe in it.

I was very confident at that point that their appetite for any new technology was somewhere around zero.
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Interesting given In N Out doesn't have an official app. With a simple menu and a line that is moving as fast as it can, it might not be needed.

Hobby Lobby is a retail chain that is a little behind the times. When I bought a Pac-Man hat from there, I took out my iPhone to use Apple Pay and the cashier says they don't have that so I had to get my actual credit card out to complete the transaction. Hobby Lobby's appetite for technology isn't there but I think that is kind of misguided on their behalf especially when the parking lots are filled up and people are all over the place.
 
PAC MAN said:
Interesting given In N Out doesn't have an official app. With a simple menu and a line that is moving as fast as it can, it might not be needed.

Hobby Lobby is a retail chain that is a little behind the times. When I bought a Pac-Man hat from there, I took out my iPhone to use Apple Pay and the cashier says they don't have that so I had to get my actual credit card out to complete the transaction. Hobby Lobby's appetite for technology isn't there but I think that is kind of misguided on their behalf especially when the parking lots are filled up and people are all over the place.
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Omg did you die! No Apple Pay! God forbid!
 
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