College Football Is In A Really Bad Spot

[ShotgunDawg]

The best teams are unwatchable.

Bama is up 45-14 at half time in their biggest game of the year.

Clemson cruises easily today

Ohio State wins 52-12 without their head coach & 3 starting OL.

This is a problem folks. You can look the other way, talk about all the money the sport is making, yada yada yada, but this is a real problem. The top end of the sport is unwatchable.

The Egg Bowl, A&M vs Auburn, LSU vs Arkansas, MSU vs another mid level teams, the sport is great, but at the top end. The level where the championship & the history of the sport is written, the games absolutely suck.

Here are Alabama's CBS games this season:

52-24 vs A&M who may make the playoffs
41-24 over UGA
48-17 over TN
42-13 over Auburn
45-14 over LSU AT THE HALF.

The CBS SEC package is a big pile of steaming shit. It's an unwatchable product & will fall in the public's popularity if something isn't done. It cannot continue like this.

[Patrick Tibbons]

How many times are you going to start this same thread? I think I?ve read a version of this post by you 25 different times.

[ShotgunDawg]

How many times are you going to start this same thread? I think I?ve read a version of this post by you 25 different times.

I'll keep going until it's changed. It must be continually pointed out

[Liverpooldawg]

How many times are you going to start this same thread? I think I?ve read a version of this post by you 25 different times.
Exactly, it's a good product, and it makes a hell of a lot of money. The fact that Shotgun doesn't like it doesn't mean much at all.

[ShotgunDawg]

Exactly, it's a good product, and it makes a hell of a lot of money. The fact that Shotgun doesn't like it doesn't mean much at all.

- It's not a good product at the championship level of the sport. The mid-tier is good. Too many people get caught up in the pageantry and stadiums rather than the actual games.

- It does make a lot of money but that doesn't mean it will always make a lot of money or mean that it can't make significantly more money with adjustments.

- Completely agree with the last part, but I do what I can

[runwildjerious]

I agree with you. But the BYU/Coastal game was so much fun. I know BYU isn?t a bad program but they are new to the top tier rankings for many and Coastal is a fun story. The sport needs new blood. A reduction of scholarships would do wonders.

[ShotgunDawg]

I agree with you. But the BYU/Coastal game was so much fun. I know BYU isn?t a bad program but they are new to the top tier rankings for many and Coastal is a fun story. The sport needs new blood. A reduction of scholarships would do wonders.

The mid-tier is fantastic. College football is the best sport in the world when similar level teams are playing. Unfortunately, the sport has a disconnected aristocracy that destroys the ability for anyone else to compete for anything of substance.

[runwildjerious]

The mid-tier is fantastic. College football is the best sport in the world when similar level teams are playing. Unfortunately, the sport has a disconnected aristocracy that destroys the ability for anyone else to compete for anything of substance.

I agree. Reducing the scholarships would be a good start though. Right now, teams like Bama and Clemson have 5 stars as third team players that might now play a lot until their senior year. I also think coaching salaries should be capped. It would cause less movement.

[HoopsDawg]

There are some really good games, but overall it's a bad product. Awful product. I guess the school Presidents or AD are the only ones that can change it. Or maybe the TV executives.

I heard Colin Cowherd complaining about it last week. So it's starting to catch on nationally.

[HoopsDawg]

I agree. Reducing the scholarships would be a good start though. Right now, teams like Bama and Clemson have 5 stars as third team players that might now play a lot until their senior year. I also think coaching salaries should be capped. It would cause less movement.

Yep, we played a game with 49 scholarship players and were competitive against UGA. So 70 would definitely be doable. The other key is there has to be a hard cap of 20 signees per year. No exceptions.

[DownwardDawg]

Exactly, it's a good product, and it makes a hell of a lot of money. The fact that Shotgun doesn't like it doesn't mean much at all.

It's a terrible product these days.

[ShotgunDawg]

There are some really good games, but overall it's a bad product. Awful product. I guess the school Presidents or AD are the only ones that can change it. Or maybe the TV executives.

I heard Colin Cowherd complaining about it last week. So it's starting to catch on nationally.

It's becoming painfully obvious. Maybe someday someone will give ED credit for starting the discussion long before anyone else

[HoopsDawg]

If I was commish of CFB:

1. reduce scholarships from 85 to 70.
2. Hard cap of 20 signees per year
3. Eliminate redshirting. Grant athletes 5 years of eligibilty
4. One "free" transfer allowed per athlete but there needs to be a transfer period that starts after spring ball and end July 31st.
5. Athletes can transfer a 2nd time but must sit out a year if they do.
6. There needs to be a standard number of on-field and off-field assistants.
7. 11 Regular season games opening the door for a 16 team playoff.

Pretty easy fixes and makes the season much more interesting for many more teams and fans.

[ShotgunDawg]

Yep, we played a game with 49 scholarship players and were competitive against UGA. So 70 would definitely be doable. The other key is there has to be a hard cap of 20 signees per year. No exceptions.

70 would work because the game's infrastructure has changed. Here are some points:

- With 7 on 7, better coaching at the HS level, & modern strength training, FR have never been more ready to play from day 1.
- Football has become less of an impact sport. With all the passing, more speed on the field, & more penalties for targeting & other illegal hits, there are less injuries than their used to be.

[ShotgunDawg]

If I was commish of CFB:

1. reduce scholarships from 85 to 70.
2. Hard cap of 20 signees per year
3. Eliminate redshirting. Grant athletes 5 years of eligibilty
4. One "free" transfer allowed per athlete but there needs to be a transfer period that starts after spring ball and end July 31st.
5. Athletes can transfer a 2nd time but must sit out a year if they do.
6. There needs to be a standard number of on-field and off-field assistants.
7. 11 Regular season games opening the door for a 16 team playoff.

Pretty easy fixes and makes the season much more interesting for many more teams and fans.

Game... Set... Match.

Great rules that would fix the sport. Great job

[ShotgunDawg]

CBS has televised exactly ZERO Bama games this year that have gone into the 4th quarter close.

It's like watching golf. Quiet & with no energy.

The time slot that is supposed to televise the best matchups in college football doesn't have any games that go competitively into the 4th quarter

[messageboardsuperhero]

If I was commish of CFB:

1. reduce scholarships from 85 to 70.
2. Hard cap of 20 signees per year
3. Eliminate redshirting. Grant athletes 5 years of eligibilty
4. One "free" transfer allowed per athlete but there needs to be a transfer period that starts after spring ball and end July 31st.
5. Athletes can transfer a 2nd time but must sit out a year if they do.
6. There needs to be a standard number of on-field and off-field assistants.
7. 11 Regular season games opening the door for a 16 team playoff.

Pretty easy fixes and makes the season much more interesting for many more teams and fans.

Love all of this. It would make CFB so much better from top to bottom- at least at the P5 level.

When the P5 inevitably does break away for football, I?d love to see changes like these. Along with bowl games for a certain number of teams that miss out on the playoff.

[Commercecomet24]

If I was commish of CFB:

1. reduce scholarships from 85 to 70.
2. Hard cap of 20 signees per year
3. Eliminate redshirting. Grant athletes 5 years of eligibilty
4. One "free" transfer allowed per athlete but there needs to be a transfer period that starts after spring ball and end July 31st.
5. Athletes can transfer a 2nd time but must sit out a year if they do.
6. There needs to be a standard number of on-field and off-field assistants.
7. 11 Regular season games opening the door for a 16 team playoff.

Pretty easy fixes and makes the season much more interesting for many more teams and fans.

Bravo, sir! This is excellent! The blue bloods will never go for it but it's brilliant!

[CaptainObvious]

It's a terrible product these days.

Agreed. There is a strong chance that the perceived best conference will have 8 of it?s 14 teams with losing records this year due to the all conference game schedule. We will never see a 10 conference game schedule again.

[Dawgcap]

I didn?t read through it all because I?ve seen it before. So please tell me what happens to all these players who now lose opportunities at a college scholarship because you think it?s unfair. Tell me. Let?s take opportunities away because you aren?t happy

[Dawgcap]

I agree there are issues but to cut scholarships opens has major issues

[ShotgunDawg]

I agree there are issues but to cut scholarships opens has major issues

There isn't a single issue because all scholarships would be allocated to different sports or to the university. Not one less kid would receive a scholarship.

Perhaps you should read it again because no one is vouching for lowering the number of athletic scholarships

[Dawgcap]

85 to 70 says different. You are reducing football to make you somehow feel like you are leveling the playing field. The money sports are losing players so you can spread to other sports. You can say you are spreading them but you are reducing opportunities to athletes in one sport ( football) because you don?t like the outcomes now

[Dawgcap]

Just a question for honest conversation. How is this reduction not going to have a profound effect to those that play football.

[ShotgunDawg]

Just a question for honest conversation. How is this reduction not going to have a profound effect to those that play football.

So football players are more important than baseball, soccer, & tennis players?

Not following your logic

[Dawgcap]

Not following your logic. These programs still have their athletes. So you are saying eliminate 900 college football athletes in just Power 5 Conferences to give to tennis, baseball etc. Even though these programs are totally funded by football.
By the way have you thought about the trickle down to each level of college. Eventually you have run many young people out of a sport way too early

[ShotgunDawg]

Not following your logic. These programs still have their athletes. So you are saying eliminate 900 college football athletes in just Power 5 Conferences to give to tennis, baseball etc. Even though these programs are totally funded by football.
By the way have you thought about the trickle down to each level of college. Eventually you have run many young people out of a sport way too early

The only people that would be run out of the sport are the absolute worst football players in the country. Guys that would be playing D3 football. Those are the only ones losing here & those programs don't make any money.

So yeah, to make college football significantly more competitive & to protect the future of the sport & finances of the sport due to producing a better product, I'm perfectly willing to tell the absolute worst college football players in America that they can't play college football. And to top it all off, I may be able to still give those ex players a scholarship with the ones that are saved through this.

[HoopsDawg]

Not following your logic. These programs still have their athletes. So you are saying eliminate 900 college football athletes in just Power 5 Conferences to give to tennis, baseball etc. Even though these programs are totally funded by football.
By the way have you thought about the trickle down to each level of college. Eventually you have run many young people out of a sport way too early

Playing college football is not a right. Take those extra 15 scholarships and give them to 15 low income households with the best grades as academic scholarships if that makes you feel better.

There are some athletic departments and sports programs that are really struggling right now. Take my word for it or watch 60 minutes tomorrow night.

[Dawgcap]

Playing college football is not a right. Take those extra 15 scholarships and give them to 15 low income households with the best grades if that makes you feel better.

There are some athletic departments and sports programs that are really struggling right now. Take my word for it or watch 60 minutes tomorrow night.

Funny thing is I totally agree with what he has said but to say do this without looking at the effects is sad to be honest. You can?t just say drop 15 without looking at the problems that trickle down. I appreciate the response to this. You gave a specific solution to a response. I like that. The problem I have is how do you make that happen. Great idea by the way.
See I?m still waiting on the long term effects of this extra year to many athletes. At some point someone pays the price and I think it may be bad for many.
Anyway much love y?all. I agree we have issues with the rich getting richer in sports but unfortunately they didn?t get rich being dumb. The rules change they will also because at the end of the day they kinda are the rule.

[HoopsDawg]

Funny thing is I totally agree with what he has said but to say do this without looking at the effects is sad to be honest. You can?t just say drop 15 without looking at the problems that trickle down. I appreciate the response to this. You gave a specific solution to a response. I like that. The problem I have is how do you make that happen. Great idea by the way.
See I?m still waiting on the long term effects of this extra year to many athletes. At some point someone pays the price and I think it may be bad for many.
Anyway much love y?all. I agree we have issues with the rich getting richer in sports but unfortunately they didn?t get rich being dumb. The rules change they will also because at the end of the day they kinda are the rule.

The best programs are still going to be the best. But in basketball and baseball, if you do things the right way, you have a chance. In college football, that's not the case.

[Dawgcap]

The best programs are still going to be the best. But in basketball and baseball, if you do things the right way, you have a chance. In college football, that's not the case.
The reason being that these sports are able to be coached in a couple different ways. One and done or a older core group. You do understand that. Maybe college football needs the one and done.

[Todd4State]

One thing that will "fix" this is Saban retiring in a few years. I expect Alabama to be what they were in between the Bear and Saban once that happens.

[SPMT]

Is it really that different than any other era?

Miami, Nebraska, Florida, USC, et al. have had similar runs.

LSU won last year in dominating fashion.

These cycles seem to naturally change.

[msu15]

Is it really that different than any other era?

Miami, Nebraska, Florida, USC, et al. have had similar runs.

LSU won last year in dominating fashion.

These cycles seem to naturally change.
They same 4 didn't dominate it like the top 4 programs have in the playoff era

[Cowbell]

This is the most ironic game to start this thread about. A defending National champ and a blue blood just lost by 38. A game they won last year. LOL

[MetEdDawg]

I didn?t read through it all because I?ve seen it before. So please tell me what happens to all these players who now lose opportunities at a college scholarship because you think it?s unfair. Tell me. Let?s take opportunities away because you aren?t happy

It filters through. A lot of these kids getting last minute very low tier D1 offers would now play D2 ball or FCS ball. And some of these kids playing D2 and FCS ball will now drop to D3. So you aren't really taking opportunities away from the top kids. You end up taking away opportunities from the lower tier kids.

And I'll stand on my soap box and say this. Yes I know D3 really does a good job at teaching guys the game and sportsmanship. But as a former teacher and current administrator, I think we have too many kids sacrificing their high school and college time playing to end up play at the lowest levels of college football. They get pulled out of classes constantly, practice until 8-9 o clock at night, wake up at 5 in the morning to practice at 6, but they barely graduate high school or learn the skills/knowledge they need to be successful after they are done because they are tired and solely focused on football.

So instead of going to the University of the Cumberlands to play football and quit in 2 years, they could pay their way, go to a Troy, Jacksonville State, or local community college, and chase a more realistic dream and focus their time more on what they will do for their real job.

And I'm speaking 100% from experience. I have taught a number of kids that should have given it up before they did. But the system keeps them in. Meanwhile, they struggle in high school and ultimately college, but folks say, well they never would have gotten that opportunity without football. But with high school head coaches making in some cases triple what classroom teacher are making, every available resource is going to go there.

I think we absolutely need a scholarship reduction in college football and there's why. Rant over.

[SPMT]

So football players are more important than baseball, soccer, & tennis players?

Not following your logic

Yes

[DeltaChicagoDog]

It filters through. A lot of these kids getting last minute very low tier D1 offers would now play D2 ball or FCS ball. And some of these kids playing D2 and FCS ball will now drop to D3. So you aren't really taking opportunities away from the top kids. You end up taking away opportunities from the lower tier kids.

And I'll stand on my soap box and say this. Yes I know D3 really does a good job at teaching guys the game and sportsmanship. But as a former teacher and current administrator, I think we have too many kids sacrificing their high school and college time playing to end up play at the lowest levels of college football. They get pulled out of classes constantly, practice until 8-9 o clock at night, wake up at 5 in the morning to practice at 6, but they barely graduate high school or learn the skills/knowledge they need to be successful after they are done because they are tired and solely focused on football.

So instead of going to the University of the Cumberlands to play football and quit in 2 years, they could pay their way, go to a Troy, Jacksonville State, or local community college, and chase a more realistic dream and focus their time more on what they will do for their real job.

And I'm speaking 100% from experience. I have taught a number of kids that should have given it up before they did. But the system keeps them in. Meanwhile, they struggle in high school and ultimately college, but folks say, well they never would have gotten that opportunity without football. But with high school head coaches making in some cases triple what classroom teacher are making, every available resource is going to go there.

I think we absolutely need a scholarship reduction in college football and there's why. Rant over.

Excellent post.

[R2Dawg]

The best teams are unwatchable.

Bama is up 45-14 at half time in their biggest game of the year.

Clemson cruises easily today

Ohio State wins 52-12 without their head coach & 3 starting OL.

This is a problem folks. You can look the other way, talk about all the money the sport is making, yada yada yada, but this is a real problem. The top end of the sport is unwatchable.

The Egg Bowl, A&M vs Auburn, LSU vs Arkansas, MSU vs another mid level teams, the sport is great, but at the top end. The level where the championship & the history of the sport is written, the games absolutely suck.

Here are Alabama's CBS games this season:

52-24 vs A&M who may make the playoffs
41-24 over UGA
48-17 over TN
42-13 over Auburn
45-14 over LSU AT THE HALF.

The CBS SEC package is a big pile of steaming shit. It's an unwatchable product & will fall in the public's popularity if something isn't done. It cannot continue like this.

I agree but it ain't gonna change. As long as the bandwagon Bama fans hang on, it will continue.

With the financial strains on Universities now is the perfect time to cut football schollies to 55-60. We can play with 45, we proved it.

[R2Dawg]

It filters through. A lot of these kids getting last minute very low tier D1 offers would now play D2 ball or FCS ball. And some of these kids playing D2 and FCS ball will now drop to D3. So you aren't really taking opportunities away from the top kids. You end up taking away opportunities from the lower tier kids.

And I'll stand on my soap box and say this. Yes I know D3 really does a good job at teaching guys the game and sportsmanship. But as a former teacher and current administrator, I think we have too many kids sacrificing their high school and college time playing to end up play at the lowest levels of college football. They get pulled out of classes constantly, practice until 8-9 o clock at night, wake up at 5 in the morning to practice at 6, but they barely graduate high school or learn the skills/knowledge they need to be successful after they are done because they are tired and solely focused on football.

So instead of going to the University of the Cumberlands to play football and quit in 2 years, they could pay their way, go to a Troy, Jacksonville State, or local community college, and chase a more realistic dream and focus their time more on what they will do for their real job.

And I'm speaking 100% from experience. I have taught a number of kids that should have given it up before they did. But the system keeps them in. Meanwhile, they struggle in high school and ultimately college, but folks say, well they never would have gotten that opportunity without football. But with high school head coaches making in some cases triple what classroom teacher are making, every available resource is going to go there.

I think we absolutely need a scholarship reduction in college football and there's why. Rant over.

Good post and I agree. But the high schools, parents, everyone has supported this ridiculous philosophy. Sports is everything. Academics don't even matter.

Parents spend their retirements on sending their kids to every camp, improvement clinic, etc. while they are failing school. This is one reason why our culture and society is falling apart. The Roman empire fell when it became so obsessed with sports and entertainment. The other key piece is the moral fabric has also eroded.

[R2Dawg]

The best programs are still going to be the best. But in basketball and baseball, if you do things the right way, you have a chance. In college football, that's not the case.

That is true. You have to earn it in basketball and baseball. Football has gotten better with playoff - Bama would probably have 2 more NC without playoff system.

[R2Dawg]

85 to 70 says different. You are reducing football to make you somehow feel like you are leveling the playing field. The money sports are losing players so you can spread to other sports. You can say you are spreading them but you are reducing opportunities to athletes in one sport ( football) because you don?t like the outcomes now

Opportunities? The bottom 40 players don't do anything with football long term.

So by not having 30-40 baseball schollies you are taking away opportunities from them? Everyone can't and shouldn't get an athletic scholarship. Everyone shouldn't go to college either but everyone seems to think so.

Those players could do it the old fashioned way - pay your way. I could have played college ball at a lower level but decided my education and future was worth more in long run vs sitting on bench or playing for some small school with some wasted major.

Life has choices and consequences.

[msstate7]

That is true. You have to earn it in basketball and baseball. Football has gotten better with playoff - Bama would probably have 2 more NC without playoff system.

Part of the reason you have a better shot in basketball though is the randomness of 1 game in a tourney. Basketball in 1 game doesn't yield the better team winning anywhere close to the same % as football. Basketball and baseball need series to yield the better team. Football equivalent imo would be like playing 1 quarter. Another reason basketball has more parity is the 1 and done.

[coastratdog]

How about term limits for coaches***

[ShotgunDawg]

Good post and I agree. But the high schools, parents, everyone has supported this ridiculous philosophy. Sports is everything. Academics don't even matter.

Parents spend their retirements on sending their kids to every camp, improvement clinic, etc. while they are failing school. This is one reason why our culture and society is falling apart. The Roman empire fell when it became so obsessed with sports and entertainment. The other key piece is the moral fabric has also eroded.


Part of the reason you have a better shot in basketball though is the randomness of 1 game in a tourney. Basketball in 1 game doesn't yield the better team winning anywhere close to the same % as football. Basketball and baseball need series to yield the better team. Football equivalent imo would be like playing 1 quarter. Another reason basketball has more parity is the 1 and done.

Agree on the nature of the game, but the NFL has figured it out, so
there are ways to improve the situation.

Not sure I agree with the 1 and done.

The 1 and done is two fold. Yes, Duke and KY are usually young, which helps everyone else, but due to their players leaving every year, they hoard all the best recruit due to being able to offer starting positions.

If Ky returned its point guard, for example, the #1 HS point guard wouldn't go to KY and the talent would be more distributed.

[MedDawg]

Big part of the problem--the commissioners of the SEC, ACC, and BiG10 are happy with Bama, Clemson, and Ohio State making the playoff every year, even if it hurts the rest of their conferences. That's a lot of influence on the NCAA.

[msstate7]

Agree on the nature of the game, but the NFL has figured it out, so
there are ways to improve the situation.

Not sure I agree with the 1 and done.

The 1 and done is two fold. Yes, Duke and KY are usually young, which helps everyone else, but due to their players leaving every year, they hoard all the best recruit due to being able to offer starting positions.

If Ky returned its point guard, for example, the #1 HS point guard wouldn't go to KY and the talent would be more distributed.

Well the nfl has a draft and a salary cap. You'll never get to force athletes to particular schools.

[ShotgunDawg]

Well the nfl has a draft and a salary cap. You'll never get to force athletes to particular schools.

Totally agree and that’s why we can only improve the situation rather than solving it

[Maroonthirteen]

The college football product is better than it's ever been.

Teams executing the forward pass better than ever. High scoring games. TV ratings are still
Good. Revenue is growing each year.

Last year LSU was a great story. Coastal, Indiana and Cincy have been good stories this year. aTm has a chance of getting in the playoffs for the first time this year.

The SECCG featuring two explosive offensive teams in Alabama v Florida, will be one of the best matchups in the history of the SEC championship game. The tv rating will be extremely high.

[ShotgunDawg]

The college football product is better than it's ever been.

Teams executing the forward pass better than ever. High scoring games. TV ratings are still
Good. Revenue is growing each year.

Last year LSU was a great story. Coastal, Indiana and Cincy have been good stories this year. aTm has a chance of getting in the playoffs for the first time this year.

The SECCG featuring two explosive offensive teams in Alabama v Florida, will be one of the best matchups in the history of the SEC championship game. The tv rating will be extremely high.

Not as good as it could be

[Percho]

How many times are you going to start this same thread? I think I?ve read a version of this post by you 25 different times.

Do you disagree. Why do you care how many times he starts a post.

[Percho]

I didn?t read through it all because I?ve seen it before. So please tell me what happens to all these players who now lose opportunities at a college scholarship because you think it?s unfair. Tell me. Let?s take opportunities away because you aren?t happy

They better hit the books harder in High School.

[Percho]

Not following your logic. These programs still have their athletes. So you are saying eliminate 900 college football athletes in just Power 5 Conferences to give to tennis, baseball etc. Even though these programs are totally funded by football.
By the way have you thought about the trickle down to each level of college. Eventually you have run many young people out of a sport way too early

What happened to those 900 the last time the cut and went to 85?

[RocketDawg]

I agree. Reducing the scholarships would be a good start though. Right now, teams like Bama and Clemson have 5 stars as third team players that might now play a lot until their senior year. I also think coaching salaries should be capped. It would cause less movement.

Can't argue with that. Maybe head coaching salaries should be capped to not exceed the University President's salary. That's the way it was with the Bear and seemed to work well. And no reason to have 85 scholarships - only 22 can be on the field at one time. With injuries and breathers, 60 should be enough. Then bring the ticket prices down where an average family can afford them.

[Extendedcab]

I didn?t read through it all because I?ve seen it before. So please tell me what happens to all these players who now lose opportunities at a college scholarship because you think it?s unfair. Tell me. Let?s take opportunities away because you aren?t happy


Opportunities? How about work your way through school like I and many more like me did! I had summer jobs, I co-oped, I worked during Christmas break, basically anytime I could. Or there are student loans for those that can take advantage of it (it is not for everyone). You make it sound like if someone does not get a scholarship, they are screwed and can not go to college.

[RocketDawg]

Opportunities? How about work your way through school like I and many more like me did! I had summer jobs, I co-oped, I worked during Christmas break, basically anytime I could. Or there are student loans for those that can take advantage of it (it is not for everyone). You make it sound like if someone does not get a scholarship, they are screwed and can not go to college.

Exactly.