2010 College Football Thread

[GhostMachine]

It's being reported that USC football is getting a two-year postseason ban, reduction of scholarships and they will forfeit victories from 2004. Good luck Lane Kiffin.

Also, a four year probation.

And yes, as a Tennessee Vols fan IN Tennessee (In Knoxville, where Kiffin pulled his shit, to be exact), I couldn't be happier.

[Meacon Keaton]

I got a text from my friend saying Reggie Bush could lose his Heisman. Any truth to that or is he just being a fool?

[naiwf]

I got a text from my friend saying Reggie Bush could lose his Heisman. Any truth to that or is he just being a fool?

Yes, he could lose it because he was in violation of the rules for the Heisman. Most people that I've heard talk about it doubt that he will be stripped though.

[GhostMachine]

Well, I said in my previous post that USC was getting a 4-year probation, but now I'm hearing it may be through 2018!

And if I heard right, the total # of scholarships they're losing is one more than the # of players in their current recruiting class.

I'm wondering if this will be used as excuse so that Kiffin doesn't end up coaching high school or Pee Wee Football, which is where he should end up next, and another college will be dumb enough to take the risk and hire him when USC fires him.

*edit* Sad thing is, USC won't lose the 2004 AP National Championship, which is tainted, anyway. (Auburn deserved to be in the game more than Oklahoma) And Bush should lose the Heisman, but won't.

Due to things like this, I think its time they figure out some way to punish former players who do things like this. Its not fair they more or less get off scott free. I remember when Alabama had to foreit an entire season, except their bowl game (doesn't make sense they got to keep that win), because Antonio Langham had played while ineligible. (And as a Tide hating Vols fan, I enjoyed that happening)

Should be some sort of repercussions where schools can either sue their former players and get a chunk of their NFL salary to make up for part of the loss, even if its nowhere near what the school lost, or void their college credits/strip them of their degrees.

Edited June 10, 2010 by GhostMachine

[Meacon Keaton]

My Irish may actually be able to beat USC sometime in the next decade if that is true!

Won't get my hopes up until it actually happens, though.

[DMN in the House]

Well, you finally have an actual college head coach, so anything is possible.

USC is still stacked... for now, but Kiffin is, at best, the SIXTH best head coach in the Pac 10 (Neuheisel, Riley, Kelly, Harbaugh and Tedford), and probably behind Sarkisian, Erickson, and Stoops as well. Wulff at Wazzu isn't bad, either, but he's stuck in a shithole.

Basically, USC could be fucked, especially if UCLA takes full advantage of this. The rest of the conference was already gaining on them, anyway.

[Blaze09]

*edit* Sad thing is, USC won't lose the 2004 AP National Championship, which is tainted, anyway. (Auburn deserved to be in the game more than Oklahoma) And Bush should lose the Heisman, but won't.

And it was already tainted how?

Oklahoma started the season #2 and they did what they were asked to. Just because they were blown out the water in the Orange Bowl (which I think would have happened to Auburn as well, people seem to forget USC was stacked that year even without Reggie) doesn't erase what they did before that game.

[Lint]

Well Tuberville calling for a revote for the '04 Championship

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5273313

[MyKILLv2.0]

Ugh. Fuck Tuberville. Seriously. I would even understand if the AP/BCS wanted to strip USC of the National Championship from that season. But Auburn/Tuberville by NO MEANS should be trying to lobby for a backdoor championship......though I guess that will be the only way they ever win an Football Championship in the modern era.

[naiwf]

The NCAA just mentioned that any Juniors & Seniors at USC can transfer without having to sit out. I wonder if any of them will take advantage of that ruling.

[Meacon Keaton]

I'd probably stay it out if I were a senior, but if I were a junior and knew that no matter how good we were, wouldn't be going to the National Championship or even a bowl for the next two years? I'd be gone.

[Trey]

Between the no bowls for the next two years and the guy who recruited you having bailed this off-season, I wouldn't blame any player for transferring.

[Vendetta]

Nebraska joins Big 10.

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/22505294?tag=breakingNewsContent;breakingNewsHolder

Boise State to Mountain West

[livid]

I'd probably stay it out if I were a senior, but if I were a junior and knew that no matter how good we were, wouldn't be going to the National Championship or even a bowl for the next two years? I'd be gone.

That would imply that the end game for most USC players isn't the NFL. I would understand it if a non-starter wanted to transfer because they might finally be able to get some playing time and improve their draft stock (and potentially go to a bowl/win a championship) but if you're starting at USC as a Junior, chances are you're going to get drafted and transferring out might jeopardize that.

[Trey]

If you're starting as a junior and want to transfer to a different program surely there would be enough interest that a big program would pick them up? And with the way things go these days I don't think it matters the size of the school really, if you're talented enough for the NFL they'll find you.

[Meacon Keaton]

With them waving the rule of them having to sit out a year, that means they can go to another big Division 1 school and not lose an eligibility, though. It's not like they have to go to Delaware or Northern Iowa, and risk not being found by NFL scout.

[livid]

My point was more about the program and coaching staff that USC has. Their offense is pro-style, their defense is widely used across the NFL and they have a laundry list of alumni that played or played in the NFL at a high level. If you're starting at USC as a Junior and your ultimate goal is to play in the NFL, what other program offers you the same situations?

That's not say that there aren't programs that are similar but you're risking a lot by switching because you wouldn't be guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup (especially if you're transferring to another big program since they would already have big talent at your spot anyways) nor would you be guaranteed to have the same level of coaching.

Basically, why would you leave a system that's already setup perfectly for you to have the best chance at playing in the NFL if that's your goal? And I would imagine that a majority of USC's players' goals are ultimately to play in the NFL.

[MyKILLv2.0]

I agree with Livid. There may be one or two who leave (someone like their back up QB Mitch Mustian comes to mind who is a senior), but really why would you leave a program like USC at this stage of your career? Does it suck that they won't get a chance to play for a National Title? Sure, but I seriously doubt that will drive a lot of players away who as Livid pointed out, are within a year or two of going pro anyways. If anything, what I think this ruling does is open the flood gates for juniors and third year sophomores to turn pro at the end of this season. 2010 won't be as bad for the Trojans as people think, I would imagine. It's 2011 that will be ROUGH for the men of Troy.

[Meacon Keaton]

I understand what you guys are saying, and I completely agree. USC's program is tailor-made for future NFL stars. I'm still of the old-school (I'll be HTTK for a week ) mindset that players want to go to bowl games and win National Championships. If I were at junior at USC, I'd transfer. If I'm good enough to be in the NFL, I'll get noticed. But I'd transfer to a Texas, or Florida, or LSU, for a shot at a title.

[Commander Sheepard]

HTTK asked me to post this in this thread for him:

"it isn't the same coaching staff at USC anymore ...."

So there you go