I'm still trying to decide what to do with this Stanford/Kansas St game. Stanford -18.5 seems a little steep to me. There are a few things going against each team. KSU does return all of their QB's and some good skill players from last year. But none of them were productive. KSU returns just 12 starters. But shouldn't be hurting much on defense. And they were good at stopping the run last year, which is Stanford's strength (40th in the country LY). Stanford returns only 11 starters, but is a very defensive minded team. With KSU losing most of their OL I expect points to be at a premium. Which makes this big 18.5 spread favor the dog a little more. The only problem is despite Bill Snyder being so good ATS in conference play, he is only 11-17 ATS in non-conference play since his coaching return in 2009. Probably a game that's best left alone. But if the line keeps creeping up I might be looking harder at the dog...
How about them Maryland Terrapins? After a sorry 2015 where they won only three games,
the Terps have a chance to win four in their first four games. Howard, FIU, UCF and Purdue
are all winnable. With a couple of other surprise wins, Maryland could double their win output
from a year ago.
Go Terps!
the Terps have a chance to win four in their first four games. Howard, FIU, UCF and Purdue
are all winnable. With a couple of other surprise wins, Maryland could double their win output
from a year ago.
Go Terps!
One of the craziest contracts in coaching has finally come to an end.
USA Today reports Charlie Weis was paid $2.05 million by Notre Dame in 2014 as part of the buyout from his 10-year contract signed in 2005. Weis was dismissed after 2009. That’s more than any other athletic department employee was paid by the school in 2014.
Weis has earned more than $10 million in just Notre Dame buyout since 2010, but those payments ended in December 2015.
----
Weis and Will Muschamp can write a book on how to dupe college football programs out of millions of dollars for being a failure.
USA Today reports Charlie Weis was paid $2.05 million by Notre Dame in 2014 as part of the buyout from his 10-year contract signed in 2005. Weis was dismissed after 2009. That’s more than any other athletic department employee was paid by the school in 2014.
Weis has earned more than $10 million in just Notre Dame buyout since 2010, but those payments ended in December 2015.
----
Weis and Will Muschamp can write a book on how to dupe college football programs out of millions of dollars for being a failure.
LOUISIANA TECH - Moving on from quarterback Jeff Driskel a Florida transfer and running back
Ken Dixon will be difficult. Driskel passed for 4,033 yards and 27 TDs while Dixon ran for over
a 1,000 yard and scored 19 touchdowns last year. They're two of 14 starters lost, so expect a
rebuilding year after back-to-back nine win seasons. Much work to do for coach Skip Holtz.
Ken Dixon will be difficult. Driskel passed for 4,033 yards and 27 TDs while Dixon ran for over
a 1,000 yard and scored 19 touchdowns last year. They're two of 14 starters lost, so expect a
rebuilding year after back-to-back nine win seasons. Much work to do for coach Skip Holtz.
even funnier is he still makes more than brian kelly
The university gave Weis a payment of $2,054,744 for the reporting period of July 2014 through June 2015. Weis has received $16,912,123 since he was fired in November 2009. Notre Dame is scheduled for "additional annual payments" through December 2015, so one more payment means Weis' buyout money from the school will total $18,966,867.
Kelly received $1,624,730 for the 2014 reporting period and received $1,187,272 from Notre Dame in the previous reporting period.
OREGON STATE - Gary Anderson's first year featured a massive overhaul with a youth
movement in many key places, including quarterback. The Beavers will undoubtedly
improve after a very messy 2-10 season, but Anderson still needs to settle on a quarter-
back and find a running back. It's an uphill battle in the tough Pac 12 North.
Sidenote: Oregon State is 1-12 against the spread in game two of the season.
movement in many key places, including quarterback. The Beavers will undoubtedly
improve after a very messy 2-10 season, but Anderson still needs to settle on a quarter-
back and find a running back. It's an uphill battle in the tough Pac 12 North.
Sidenote: Oregon State is 1-12 against the spread in game two of the season.
The Big Ten and Pac-12 both had revenues of more than $435 million for 2014-15, per USA Today.
The Big Ten brought in $448.8 million, up $110 million from the year before. Conference payouts to the 11 longest-standing members were about $32 million each, as Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers don’t get full payouts yet.
The Pac-12 brought in $439 million, up $65 million. Conference payouts were about $25 million each. For reference, the SEC payouts were a least $31 million per school. If you want to know why realignment is still happening, it pays to be in a P5 school.
Pac-12 commish Larry Scott earned more than $4 million in 2014, the highest-paid commissioner in college sports.
The Big Ten brought in $448.8 million, up $110 million from the year before. Conference payouts to the 11 longest-standing members were about $32 million each, as Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers don’t get full payouts yet.
The Pac-12 brought in $439 million, up $65 million. Conference payouts were about $25 million each. For reference, the SEC payouts were a least $31 million per school. If you want to know why realignment is still happening, it pays to be in a P5 school.
Pac-12 commish Larry Scott earned more than $4 million in 2014, the highest-paid commissioner in college sports.
DUKE - David Cutcliffe will be entering his ninth season at Duke and has done a nice
job of turning the football program around. He is 27-13 over the past three seasons
and has been a money winner since becoming head man at Duke. Cutcliffe is 52-36-5
against the spread during his eight years in Durham. Over the past three years Duke
has gone 25-13 ATS.
job of turning the football program around. He is 27-13 over the past three seasons
and has been a money winner since becoming head man at Duke. Cutcliffe is 52-36-5
against the spread during his eight years in Durham. Over the past three years Duke
has gone 25-13 ATS.
NORTH CAROLINA STATE - The Wolfpack had a weak 7-6 record last season beating
zero bowl teams, and they fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada and lose quarter-
back Jacoby Brissett the transfer from Florida. With a new quarterback and a tougher
schedule that features Notre Dame rotating on...don't expect to much from North
Carolina State this year.
zero bowl teams, and they fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada and lose quarter-
back Jacoby Brissett the transfer from Florida. With a new quarterback and a tougher
schedule that features Notre Dame rotating on...don't expect to much from North
Carolina State this year.
OLD DOMINION - The Monarchs are a solid 11-13 in two FBS seasons, and getting
nearly every starter back in 2016 should result in the program's first ever bowl
appearance. Old Dominion reminds me a lot of last year's Temple team that won
10 games and covered the spread 9 times. The public will have little/no expectations
for this team. I do............................
nearly every starter back in 2016 should result in the program's first ever bowl
appearance. Old Dominion reminds me a lot of last year's Temple team that won
10 games and covered the spread 9 times. The public will have little/no expectations
for this team. I do............................
CHAD MORRIS - SMU COACH
Morris was a highly successful high school coach in Texas before being hired by Tulsa to succeed
Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator when he left for Auburn. Morris was a high school coach in
Texas for 16 years, compiling a record of 169-38, including a 32-0 mark with consecutive state
titles in his last two seasons. The bulk of that success came on the offensive side of the ball. Early
in Morris' career he installed a version of Gus Malzahn's spread offense. Morris and his Ponies
struggled during his first season at SMU and it will be an uphill climb to turn around the unstabled
program he inherited. Long term success...I don't know but I like Morris and hope he does well.
Moving from Clemson and his $1.3 million salary took some guts for a program like SMU. The
man doesn't lack for confidence...that's for sure.
Morris was a highly successful high school coach in Texas before being hired by Tulsa to succeed
Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator when he left for Auburn. Morris was a high school coach in
Texas for 16 years, compiling a record of 169-38, including a 32-0 mark with consecutive state
titles in his last two seasons. The bulk of that success came on the offensive side of the ball. Early
in Morris' career he installed a version of Gus Malzahn's spread offense. Morris and his Ponies
struggled during his first season at SMU and it will be an uphill climb to turn around the unstabled
program he inherited. Long term success...I don't know but I like Morris and hope he does well.
Moving from Clemson and his $1.3 million salary took some guts for a program like SMU. The
man doesn't lack for confidence...that's for sure.
BUFFALO - Lance Leipold was 109-6 in eight seasons at Division III Wisconsin-
Whitewater, so going 5-7 his first season at Buffalo must have been a jolt.
Improved line play on both sides of the ball should have the Bulls in the hunt
for a bowl game in 2016.
2016 Schedule
Albany, @Nevada, Army, @Boston College, Kent State, Ball State,
@N. Illinois, Akron, @Ohio, Miami Oh, @Western Michigan, Bowling Green
Whitewater, so going 5-7 his first season at Buffalo must have been a jolt.
Improved line play on both sides of the ball should have the Bulls in the hunt
for a bowl game in 2016.
2016 Schedule
Albany, @Nevada, Army, @Boston College, Kent State, Ball State,
@N. Illinois, Akron, @Ohio, Miami Oh, @Western Michigan, Bowling Green
KANSAS - David Beaty took over a brutal job and promptly went 0-12. The Jayhawks
will be better in 2016 and are unlikely to go winless, especially given that they open
against Rhode Island, a one-win FCS team. But they play five Big 12 road games and
still have far too much ground to make up in the conference. Last season Beaty had
only 8 starters back, this year he has 13...a little more experience.
Sidenote: Playing as a favorite after a straight up win, the Jayhawks are an impressive
17-8 against the spread.
will be better in 2016 and are unlikely to go winless, especially given that they open
against Rhode Island, a one-win FCS team. But they play five Big 12 road games and
still have far too much ground to make up in the conference. Last season Beaty had
only 8 starters back, this year he has 13...a little more experience.
Sidenote: Playing as a favorite after a straight up win, the Jayhawks are an impressive
17-8 against the spread.
