The Official 2024 College Football Offseason Discussion Thread

[Doom]

This is somewhat worth reading for your Georgia Bulldogs @Blaze:

Troy Bowles, No. 26 football prospect in ESPN 300, commits to Georgia​

ESPN

Linebacker Troy Bowles, the No. 26 prospect in the ESPN 300, committed to Georgia football Saturday.

Ranked the No. 2 linebacker in his class by ESPN, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Bowles is a son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles.

Troy Bowles recorded 110 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and 2 interceptions as a junior last year for Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida.

Ohio State and Oklahoma were the other two schools still under his consideration.

The Bulldogs' 2023 class is ranked sixth by ESPN and features 12 ESPN 300 commits, which leads the SEC.

 

[Hidden Blaze]

No. 2 Linebacker

 

[Doom]

@Blaze @Swerve

Kirby Smart's now surpassed his former boss Nick Saban, as the highest paid coach in college football history.

Georgia Bulldogs, Kirby Smart agree to new 10-year, $112.5 million contract, making him highest-paid coach in college football, sources​

ESPN

After guiding Georgia football to its first national championship in 41 years, coach Kirby Smart has agreed to a new 10-year contract that will pay him a record $112.5 million through the 2031 season.

Sources told ESPN that the $112.5 million total would be the most ever paid to a college football coach. Smart's average salary of $11.25 million would also be tops among coaches. The university announced the long-anticipated contract extension Thursday. Smart will make $10.25 million this season, with his salary rising to $12.25 million by 2031.

"This is home for us, our roots run deep here," Smart said in a statement. "My commitment to this university and our football program is unwavering. I'm thankful to president Jere Morehead and [athletic director] Josh Brooks for their continued support of Georgia football. It's an honor being the head football coach at the University of Georgia, and while I'm certainly proud of what we've been able to accomplish, I'm confident the best is yet to come!"

LSU lured Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame with a 10-year, $95 million contract that will pay him $9 million this season. Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher agreed to a four-year extension in August that will pay him $90 million over the next 10 years, and Clemson's Dabo Swinney agreed to a 10-year, $93 million deal in April 2019. Alabama's Nick Saban signed an extension in August that will pay him an average of $10.6 million through 2028.

Michigan State also gave Mel Tucker a 10-year, $95 million contract extension in November.

Smart, 46, agreed to a seven-year, $49 million extension in May 2018 that almost doubled his compensation from his original contract.

"Coach Smart's impact on the University of Georgia extends far past his significant accolades as our head football coach," Brooks said in a statement. "He and his wife [Mary Beth] are Bulldogs through and through, and it is evident that Athens and UGA mean as much to him as he means to us. I am excited for our football program's continued success under his direction. The future of Georgia football remains bright with Coach Smart as its steadfast leader."

A former Georgia defensive back, Smart has guided his teams to a 66-15 record in six seasons. His teams have reached the CFP twice and have played in five straight CFP or New Year's Six bowl games. During his tenure, Georgia has won four SEC East titles and one SEC championship, in 2017.

 

[Doom]

NCAA: 18 violations, almost $60K in illegal benefits by Tennessee football under former coach Jeremy Pruitt​

ESPN

The NCAA has charged Tennessee's football program with 18 Level I alleged rules violations, the most severe under its rules, for impermissible recruiting benefits totaling about $60,000 that were paid to prospects and players under former coach Jeremy Pruitt.

Among other allegations, Pruitt is accused of providing about $9,000 to the mothers of two prospects. His wife, Casey, is accused of making 25 cash payments totaling about $12,500 to help a prospect's mother make her car payment.

Tennessee, which fired Pruitt in January 2021 after its internal investigation into the allegations, is not charged with lack of institutional control because of its cooperation with NCAA investigators and its integrity in handling the misconduct, the NCAA said in a notice of allegations that was sent to the university on Friday.

"In every step of this process, we took quick and decisive actions that exemplified the longstanding values of the NCAA reiterated in the membership's new constitution," Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman said in a statement. "The university hired outside counsel to fully investigate allegations about the football program, acted promptly to terminate the employment of football coaches and staff members, and shared our conclusions with the NCAA enforcement staff."

The NCAA did charge the Volunteers with failure to "adequately monitor its football program's arrangement of unofficial visits and to ensure compliance with NCAA recruiting legislation."

The NCAA charged Pruitt with failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance and failure to monitor his staff. Pruitt is also charged with violating NCAA principles of ethical conduct when "he knowingly arranged, offered and provided prospective and enrolled student-athletes and their family members or individuals associated with prospective student-athletes with improper inducements and extra benefits in the form of impermissible entertainment and cash payments to numerous individuals, the notice said.

"Pruitt did not demonstrate that he monitored his staff or promoted an atmosphere of compliance within the football program when at least a dozen of his staff members were involved in more than 200 individual violations of NCAA legislation over a two-year time period as detailed in Allegation Nos. 1 through 9," the notice of allegations said. "As evidenced by the number of staff members involved and the nature of the violations, J. Pruitt failed to demonstrate that compliance was a shared responsibility or establish clear expectations that all coaches and staff members comply with NCAA rules and failed to establish a program that includes immediate reporting of actual and potential issues to the compliance staff."

The NCAA accused Pruitt and his staff of hosting six recruits and their families during a yearlong dead period, in which programs weren't allowed to have on-campus recruiting activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NCAA said the Volunteers hosted the prospects on unofficial visits on nine weekends between July 2020 and November 2020, in which prospects were given free lodging, meals, transportation and other benefits that totaled $12,000.

Among the benefits allegedly provided to prospects were nail-salon treatments and a trip on the Tennessee River on a student-athlete's boat.

The NCAA said Casey Pruitt, the coach's wife, and/or Niedermeyer also provided $3,200 for someone to pay a security deposit and initial rent payment to relocate to Knoxville, Tennessee. The person's name was redacted in the notice of allegations sent to ESPN by the university.

"Receipt of our Notice of Allegations was an expected, requisite step in this process-a process our university initiated proactively through decisive and transparent actions," Tennessee athletics director Danny White said in a statement. "This moves us one step closer to a final resolution. Until we get to that point, I am unable to discuss the case in any detail. As a university, we understand the need to take responsibility for what occurred, but we remain committed to protecting our current and future student-athletes."

Despite the large number of Level I violations, the NCAA enforcement staff chose not to charge the university with lack of institutional control and even commended the Volunteers for their cooperation during the investigation.

"The actions taken by the institution during the investigation should be the standard for any institutional inquiries into potential violations," the notice of allegations said. "Throughout the investigation the institution exhibited exemplary cooperation in multiple ways. Once the institution's chancellor was alerted to allegations of potential violations within the football program, the institution took swift action to investigate the allegations and substantiated various violations.

Pruitt was 16-19 overall at Tennessee and 10-16 against SEC opponents. The Vols were 2-11 against AP-ranked opponents under Pruitt, who was in his first stint as a head coach. Pruitt worked as a senior defensive analyst for the New York Giants in 2021.

Yikes!

 

[Swerve]

NCAA: 18 violations, almost $60K in illegal benefits by Tennessee football under former coach Jeremy Pruitt​

Yikes!

How is it even possible to not win big while cheating that much?!

 

[Doom]

Prized safety Caleb Downs becomes 11th ESPN 300 football prospect to commit to Alabama Crimson Tide​

ESPN

Prized safety Caleb Downs committed to Alabama on Wednesday.

The 6-foot, 190-pound Downs, from Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia, is No. 16 in the 2023 ESPN 300 and becomes the 11th ESPN 300 football prospect for the Crimson Tide.

He chose Alabama over Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame and North Carolina.

Downs, ESPN's top-ranked safety in the 2023 cycle, is the second-highest-ranked recruit for coach Nick Saban and Alabama, following quarterback Eli Holstein (No. 13).

Downs' decision comes on the heels of Jahlil Hurley and Tony Mitchell -- both top-three cornerbacks in the class -- committing to the Crimson Tide in February and June, respectively.

Alabama's 2023 class recently jumped within the top 10 of ESPN's class rankings (No. 9).

Downs recorded 77 tackles and intercepted five passes for Mill Creek as a junior in 2021.

Awesome pick by by Bama for 2023! This guy's gonna be something special in the future. Believe that!

 

[Swerve]

That guy is a Beast!

 

[Doom]

What in the fuck?! Is this turns out to be true, then Flores' coaching career is over.

Prominent Southern California youth coach Chris Flores arrested on charges of sexual assault of minor​

ESPN

Chris Flores, a prominent Southern California youth coach, was arrested Thursday in Bakersfield on multiple counts of sexual assault of a minor.

A warrant for Flores' arrest had been issued by the Santa Ana Police Department and was executed with the assistance of Bakersfield police, according to Santa Ana police Sgt. Maria Lopez.


Flores, 37, had been under investigation since Aug. 5, when police became aware of allegations against him. Flores, also known as "Coach Frogg," is well-known in the region for his association with several high-profile current and former college and NFL football players.

The allegations surfaced on social media this week, stemming from an audio recording of two parties in which an adult male voice -- identified by police as Flores -- prods a girl to go see a movie with him. When she declines his request to FaceTime, the man says, "We talked about this, dude. You gotta stop with the nos."

The man goes on to ask the girl whether she "deleted everything," which Santa Ana police said its detectives interpreted as Flores asking her to delete messages between them.

According to police, the 14-year-old girl said Flores "sexually assaulted her multiple times through the year in 2021." A second girl, 15, made similar allegations to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, according to Santa Ana police.

Flores was booked at Orange County Jail, and his bail was set at $500,000.

"Santa Ana Police Department Detectives believe there may be additional victims that Flores preyed upon as a coach with access to many children and teenagers," the department said in a statement.

Flores' attorney, Edward Welbourn, told ESPN that he could not confirm it was Flores on the recording and denied the allegations were true.

"Chris has been a coach, really a teacher and a mentor to kids in the community for many years and all of these allegations that have come out are very shocking to him," Welbourn said Wednesday. "He absolutely denies any sort of inappropriate relationship or contact with any current or former athlete or student he's trained. All he's tried to do is help kids and move them on in their lives and their careers."

The denial Wednesday came just hours after Flores' business partner, former NFL cornerback Jason David, posted a video on Instagram in which he said the training facility they co-founded had severed ties with Flores and that he will support the Santa Ana Police Department in its investigation.

"Never in a million years would I ever imagine releasing a public statement to address sexual misconduct allegations that involves Mr. Flores and our innocent little girls," David said. "I'm sick to my stomach. I'm disgusted. I'm outraged." He added that he had empathy for families involved and encouraged people involved to speak up, adding: "We will stand with you."

Flores and David founded Rising STARS in 2017, according to a document designed to provide information about the organization to potential financial donors. STARS Prep Academy, an offshoot of Rising STARS, has described itself as a co-op that provides elite sports performance training for middle school athletes.

STARS Prep Academy has a relationship with Santiago Charter Middle School in Orange County that allows students to attend school in the morning and train in their specific sport in the afternoon, according to an administrative official for the charter school. STARS and Santiago have a facilities-sharing agreement that allows kids in the STARS program to train on a portion of the Santiago campus. There were roughly 100 students, both male and female, in the program's last academic year, according to multiple sources.

In the Rising STARS informational document, Kansas City Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, New York Giants cornerback Adoree' Jackson, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei are among the athletes listed as being part of "Our Stars Family."

On his public Facebook page, Flores often shares pictures of himself with prominent college football players and coaches and top recruits.

Flores' involvement with high school and college athletes extends beyond his role as a trainer. In 2020, Levels Sports Group LLC was registered to Flores' home address with his wife, Kristen, as the sole employee. In an updated filing with the state of California in November 2021, Levels Sports Group added a second manager, Justin Giangrande, who has identified himself as a co-founder of Levels Sports Group.

In a text message exchange with ESPN, Giangrande deferred questions about Flores' involvement in the company to an external spokesperson working on his personal behalf.

"Mr. Flores is not, and never has been a legal partner of Levels," the spokesperson, Tiffani Joy Murchison, told ESPN. "Of course, when folks are in similar industries and there are synergies, they do work together. And so he has been affiliated, they have worked together, but he has never been a legal partner."

The statement contradicts a post from the Levels Sports Group Instagram account, which referred to Chris Flores as "our Co-Founder."

Murchison was unable to provide any details about Kristen Flores' professional responsibility with Levels, other than she is a "partner." After speaking with ESPN, Murchison issued a statement on behalf of Levels that said the company had severed ties with both Floreses. It's unclear what grounds the company had to sever ties with its founder in light of her husband's arrest, and the company was unwilling to provide additional context.

"[Chris Flores] was widely viewed as an opportunist, who leveraged his relationships with athletes to make under-the-table deals with agents, financial advisers and likely college coaches," one source in the name, image and likeness (NIL) industry told ESPN. "He had arranged deals with numerous entities in the past and most recently was widely known as the main recruiter for Levels."

In June, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick joined Levels Sports Group as a partner and head of athlete development, he announced on Twitter.

This isn't the first time Flores has faced charges related to sexual assault. In 2009, Flores was charged with raping and sodomizing a 21-year-old woman in Pasadena. His bail was set at $1.1 million.

According to court documents obtained by ESPN, Flores was charged with three counts: unlawfully kidnapping and carrying away the woman to allegedly commit rape/sodomy; sodomy by anesthesia or controlled substance; and rape by use of drugs. Flores, who at the time coached football at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, was found not guilty on all three charges after a 17-day trial in July of 2010.

The defense had argued that after a night of heavy drinking for her 21st birthday, the woman was intoxicated and was found outside several houses away from her home with Flores kneeling beside her. The woman said Flores had sexual intercourse with her while she was incapacitated. The prosecution argued Flores should have realized she was unable to provide consent or resist.

"They just believed whatever he said," the woman, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the situation, told ESPN in a phone call. "The whole narrative through the trial was that nothing happened. ... It was just gross. I just felt alone and like they made me out to be crazy."

The woman said she had "zero connection" to people in the current case. But she added: "I knew this day was coming, but this is even worse than I thought."

ESPN's Pete Thamel contributed to this story.

 

[Doom]

This sucks for OMB's team, to hear about their top wide receiver out for the season.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish lose starting WR Avery Davis for season to torn ACL, name Tyler Buchner starting QB​

ESPN

Notre Dame starting receiver Avery Davis has a torn ACL in his right knee and is out for the season, the school announced Saturday.

The Fighting Irish also announced Saturday that sophomore quarterback Tyler Buchner will start the opener against Ohio State on Sept. 3.

Davis' injury happened during practice Friday. The senior and team captain, who was penciled in to start at slot receiver, had previously injured the ACL in his left knee last November, forcing him to miss the final month of the season.

Davis still finished third on the team in yards receiving with 386 on 27 catches.

Losing Davis depletes the Irish wide receiver group further, especially in terms of experienced players. Without Davis, only two returning wide receivers have caught more than 20 passes in a season: Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles. Lenzy is the only one with starting experience.

Nobody on the depth chart behind Davis has extensive game experience.

Buchner played in 10 games last season, mostly as a backup, and threw for 298 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions last season. He also ran for 336 yards and three scores.

Buchner, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound sophomore from San Diego, had been the favorite to land the starting job. He competed with third-year sophomore Drew Pyne throughout spring practice and the early part of preseason camp.

ESPN rated Buchner as the No. 8 pocket passer and No. 41 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class.

"It was time," coach Marcus Freeman told reporters Saturday. "It was time to give the offense clarity on who was the starting quarterback."

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said Pyne, an ESPN 300 recruit in 2020, also could be called upon when needed. Rees told ESPN this spring that Buchner, while more reserved than Pyne, has grown into a stronger leadership role.

"Tyler's a little bit more of that quiet killer, a little bit unassuming, but when a competitive situation turns on, there's a different gear," Rees told ESPN. "Part of his growth is to be the guy who can lead, but his style is a little bit different. Tyler's confidence is through the roof, [but] you don't get that unless you really spend some time with him."

Rees said decision-making ultimately would shape the decision on the starter, but also noted that Buchner brings different elements to the offense with his mobility.

"It's something I've really focused on, putting the ball in the right spot and taking care of the football," Buchner told ESPN this spring, "but also, when things break down, having the ability to try and go make a play and make something out of nothing, is something that really separates me."

Information from ESPN's Adam Rittenberg and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Heck, Bama's wide receiver JoJo Earle's gonna be out for 6-8 weeks with a fractured foot. Though there's a good chance that he'll be ready before the Texas A&M game on October 8th.

 

[Swerve]

I wish Avery Davis a full recovery.

 

[Doom]

The AP Top 25 is out:

First-place votes in parentheses.

Team	Record
1. Alabama (54)	13-2
2. Ohio St. (6)	11-2
3. Georgia (3)	14-1
4. Clemson	10-3
5. Notre Dame	11-2
6. Texas A&M	8-4
7. Utah	10-4
8. Michigan	12-2
9. Oklahoma	11-2
10. Baylor	12-2
11. Oregon	10-4
12. Oklahoma St.	12-2
13. NC State	9-3
14. Southern Cal	4-8
15. Michigan St.	11-2
16. Miami	7-5
17. Pittsburgh	11-3
18. Wisconsin	9-4
19. Arkansas	9-4
20. Kentucky	10-3
21. Ole Miss	10-3
23. Cincinnati	13-1
24. Houston	12-2
25. BYU	10-3

 

[Doom]

Miami to host 2026 College Football Playoff national championship game; Atlanta selected for 2025, source says​

ESPN

The 2026 College Football Playoff national championship game will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the same site as the 2021 national title game, the CFP announced on Monday.

The CFP is also expected to announce Atlanta as its host city for 2025, a source told ESPN on Monday. Mercedes-Benz Stadium also hosted the 2018 national championship game.

The CFP already has determined the location of the 2025 national title game, but did not release it, saying in a statement that "an announcement on that site will be made in the near future." The CFP's management committee, which is comprised of the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, selected the sites.

"We are delighted to be returning to Miami," CFP executive director Bill Hancock said in a statement. "South Florida was a great host for the 2021 national championship game despite the event having to be scaled back because of COVID-19, and we look forward to returning in 2026 with a full complement of events and activities during national championship weekend. The first-class stadium, convention center, hotels and supportive people in South Florida made the decision to return quite easy.

"The CFP National Championship has become one of the most popular sporting events in the United States in a short period of time, and we look forward to a terrific celebration in Miami in 2026."

The 2023 national title game will be held Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, followed by NRG Stadium in Houston on Jan. 8, 2024. The CFP's management committee has not yet determined a format or sites beyond the existing 12-year contract, which expires following the 2025 season.

 

[Daddy Deville]

Yeah shame to lose WR this early. I don't expect ND to win College Championship this year but I think we can finish in top 10.

 

[Swerve]

That is great for Atlanta!

 

[Daddy Deville]

FIU's Knox, brother of Bills TE, dies at age 22

Florida International football player Luke Knox, the younger brother of Bills tight end Dawson Knox, has died at age 22. No cause of death was immediately provided.

www.google.com

rip hate to see kids die so young