AUSTIN – While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:
I know. Very unlikely. But Texas linebacker Rasheem Biles is Heisman-quality. He is the best linebacker in college football and, since edge rusher Colin Simmons went down with his high ankle sprain three games ago and played only sparingly in the win over Missouri, has been Steve Sarkisian’s best player. Defensive players should belong in the Heisman conversation. I once voted for Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson, who was the most recent defensive winner in 1997. Biles is that good. He is everywhere on the field. He leads his team in five different categories, including – are you ready for this? – passes broken up with six. He’s what Sarkisian calls “a three-level player,” who can tackle, can rush the quarterback and can drop into coverage. Maybe he’d be a four-level player if Sarkisian would let him carry the ball or catch a pass. Did you see him drop into the end zone to break up a Missouri pass last Saturday? … When I asked him Monday if he thought he should be a Heisman candidate, Biles said, “I feel like I got to go get some more turnovers maybe and run up my touchdowns. Probably get me a pick-six or two, and then I’ll probably start talking about that a little more. I definitely think defensive players should be considered.” He’s right. … With the ankle surgery for Miami’s Malachi Toney and the loss of an experienced quarterback for Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, the Heisman race has opened up. I still think Smith is the best football player in the game, but C.J. Carr, Darian Mensah and Drew Mestemaker deserve serious consideration too. … Biles also had the quote of last Saturday’s press conference when someone asked him about questions of Texas being soft. “I ain’t soft,” he said. No one dared disagree.
Eternally youthful Arch Manning kidded himself about his lame attempt to grow a beard. He said of his barely visible scruff on his chin disguised as a goatee, “Yeah, this is a long ways in the making,” he said. “This is about since after the Florida game. I probably shouldn’t admit that.” Asked his thoughts about Manning’s new look, center Connor Robertson said the team won’t allow him to shave it since Texas has won three straight games since the quarterback has gone razor-less. And when might Manning catch up to the full-bearded lineman? Robertson said it’d take Arch “the rest of his life” to follow suit. … Manning was asked about dealing with all the extracurricular attention before Saturday’s game with LSU since he grew up and played high school ball in fairly nearby New Orleans. “I think he might give you a politically correct answer, but I don’t think he gives a crap, I’ll be honest with you,” Sarkisian said. “I just think Arch is immersed in this team and being a really good player. The legacy stuff is a byproduct of doing what he gets to do. I just don’t think that he gives that much time, energy, effort, thought (to it).” As for Arch, he said, “I really don’t have any (LSU) legacy,” said Manning, who did admit he needs to grab a bunch of tickets. “I have no family that went to LSU. I’m from New Orleans, which is an hour from Baton Rouge. There’s no connection, really. It’s not about me at all this week.” Uh, sure, go with that, Arch. … I really felt that Manning’s performance against Missouri was one of the all-time best of his career. He completed 28 of 38, just the fifth time he has completed 25 or more passes, and more importantly didn’t have a turnover for just the second time this season. In his last three games, he’s been on target on 62 of 88 throws for 729 yards and seven touchdowns with two interceptions. Asked if it was his best game of the season, he said, “I’ll leave that to y’all.”
Does Steve Sarkisian feel the current committee values marquee nonconference games more than before? Yes he does. “It feels like that,” the Texas head coach said Monday. “Obviously, we played Ohio State when it was the No. 1 team in the country and with a healthy quarterback, and we found a way to win. So sometimes having a really tough schedule can be to your benefit. I don’t want college football to be, hey, just wait ’til November, December, January and then September and October games look like exhibition games.” … I’d love to get a show of hands by those who think other teams will be looking for the AD’s phone number at Ohio State or Georgia to see if they can get either on their schedule. I have serious doubts. If anyone should boost its schedule in the future, it’s Notre Dame, which will make the 24-team field every year unless it rehires the second coming of Gerry Faust. Its strength of schedule, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, is a lowly 54th with just two ranked opponents in BYU and Miami. I checked out future Irish schedules. They do have the still-on-the-books home and home with Texas, starting in South Bend in 2028. They also have Miami and Arkansas that year, have Alabama, Texas and Florida State in 2029, play USC, Alabama and Clemson in 2030, face USC and Miami in 2031 and Michigan in 2033. But they had a two-game set with Florida canceled by the Gators and also have the usual assortment of Stanford, Navy, Duke and Michigan State many years.
Should the CFP selection committee members make their weekly and final ballots public? Maybe not weekly although that would be appreciated. But, yes, their final ballots should be transparent even though it would expose them to public scrutiny and incineration without question (just as it does for all of us who vote every Sunday on our Associated Press Top 25 ballots, but not the invisible coaches on their votes). … Would that be prohibitive? Such a move certainly would convince many or even most athletic directors and former coaches and one media member who serve on the committee not to volunteer their services. But is such a decision needed to make the entire process more transparent because after all this is a billion-dollar business. This ain’t Pop Warner football. I’d like to see it happen. Nobody makes anybody get on social media. Sure, they would hardly be immune from criticism, but it would be the ethical thing to do. To make it even more public, give them “I Voted” stickers they can wear out on the streets every day. Kind of a scarlet letter, if you will. It would be fascinating to see just who might still be willing to do this duty. … I still contend put two bookies on the committee. And Nick Saban. … I made my reservations about the 24-team CFP field very clear. I’d like to see them go to at least two guaranteed spots for Group of 6 conference champions if the sport really wants to be more inclusive. … Eli Drinkwitz was one of several coaches who heard the news about the expanded field and wondered out loud if conference affiliations will become obsolete. And that’s just one more potentially negative if unintended consequence from the 24-team bracket. “Times are changing, so you’ve got to adjust with the times,” the Missouri coach said Tuesday. “But my question is why are we associated with conferences anymore if we’re not playing for a conference championship? If the point now is just to be playing into a sea of 24, are we just doing it for scheduling affiliation? If we’re just doing it for scheduling affiliation, is there a reason to be flying all the way across the country to play games from a national perspective?” What he isn’t seeing is that if conferences were disbanded, that’d probably also kill a lot of historic rivalries. And that’s why this earth-moving decision will open Pandora’s box and unleash all sorts of negative repercussions. But these schools in the SEC and Big Ten in particular sure don’t want to forfeit those outlandish checks from their leagues for media rights. That’s why these leagues should have cooled their jets and stuck with a 12-team field for more than three years. What’s the rush? Welcome to chaos, folks.
Or half-year. From firing line to on fire. Here’s a vote for Shane Beamer for SEC Coach of the Year. From the hot seat to the No. 1 seat. The South Carolina coach rescued his job and reputation by winning four straight games to put the Gamecocks in the running for the CFP. Yes, UCLA’s Bob Chesney and Kentucky’s Will Stein are still the frontrunners. And Wake Forest’s Jake Dickert is coming on strong. … So Philip Rivers is presumed to be the new head coach at North Carolina State without having coached a down of college football. Yes, it’s a gamble, but in this world, maybe not so much. He’s smart, savvy and personable, and his NFL legacy should play well in living rooms, especially those of quarterbacks. His success will likely revolve around his coaching staff hires almost as much or more than his third-down decisions. A bad staff can doom a head coach.
I think Jeremiah Smith might consider sitting out the rest of the season now that Ohio State’s season looks doomed, but I pray he does not. His chances of winning the Heisman likely will keep him on the field. … I think Texas A&M should go after Bryce Underwood in the transfer portal since the benched Michigan quarterback definitely needs a change of scenery. Because I believe many in the 12th Man have checked out on Marcel Reed, Mike Elko should probably look hard for a new quarterback in the portal. He might find the next Fernando Mendoza. Did wonders for Indiana last year, and Miami this year and last year. … I think Reed ought to transfer to Kansas State and reconnect with his former offensive coordinator, Collin Klein. … I think before they landed an ex in Kirk Cousins, I wonder if the Vikings called the Giants and asked about the availability of, um, J.J. McCarthy? And say “King’s X.” … I think I loved Tennessee’s black-and-orange uniforms the Volunteers wore in their beatdown of Kentucky. They were striking. I know Texas would probably never ever go there, but they did look cool. … I think first-year Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham wishes he had never left Utah for one last ride with a blueblood that currently looks like a have-not after losing to, um, Michigan State? … I think Wolverines fans will think about showing cause and begging Jim Harbaugh to come back to Ann Arbor. … I think Georgia is a clear No. 1. Most consistent team in America, the loss to Auburn notwithstanding. … I think Georgia and Alabama are by far the frontrunners for the SEC championship game, and it wouldn’t hurt Texas’ CFP chances a bit if the Longhorns don’t get to Atlanta. In fact, it’d probably help because they wouldn’t get beaten up in the extra game. … I still think officiating has been terrible overall in college football this season. Right, Missouri? Right, Mario Cristobal? … I think Noah Fifita will be a very good NFL quarterback. Reminds me of a Russell Wilson. … I think the bloom is off Pete Golding as a head coach. … I believe Trinidad Chambliss may be the best quarterback in college football, but Ole Miss is a long shot to make the CFP now.
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We offer our heartfelt sympathy for Geoff Ketchum, the founder and owner of the popular website Orangebloods whose beloved wife Heather died in her sleep last week at the way too young age of 44. This is so unspeakably sad and tragic, and we offer our tender prayers for Geoff and his family and trust she is in heaven with her Father. Our sincerest condolences, friend.
While wondering whatever happened to Michigan cheat Connor Stalions.
Been watching HBO Max’s “War,” an unvarnished tale of bitter divorce celebrity-style starring Sienna Miller and Dominic West. Could have called it “Law and Disorder.” If you like nasty split-ups and legal espionage, this series is for you. It drops a new episode every Thursday. Gave it 6½ ducks.
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Oklahoma will fire Brent Venables and go hard after SMU’s Rhett Lashlee.
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This article originally published at A Longhorn for the Heisman? It’s not the bearded Arch Manning but LB Rasheem Biles | Bohls’ 9 things.
