Jon Joseph

I want to see Oregon and the Pac-10 members step up. File a suit against the Pac-2 in California with the likelihood of a decision in favor of the plaintiffs. The conflicting decisions would then go to the Ninth Circuit federal court. IMO, another move would be before the NY6 Bowl games, Oregon and UW file a restraining order to prevent the NY6 Bowl payouts from being paid to the Pac-2. Maybe settlement discussions are ongoing but for goodness sake do something! Say something! Don't just hand these 2 a 2024 scheduling payday while taking it in the shorts. Meanwhile, I'm in the process of canceling with Canzano and getting a refund.

For what? Can anyone other than the director of programming at ESPN and the ESPN financial guy who cashes the checks, keep track of bowl sponsors? For example, Wasabi is not a Japanese food condiment, it instead flies around in the web ether, doing what I do not know. What's the Over/Under on folks knowing what a ReliaQuest is and what it does? I look at the teams playing and not the entity writing the checks. But I did want to poke fun at charred bread.

Thanks, DM. At Oklahoma, Gabriel thrived in an RPO structured offense, Bo was a very good runner when he needed to be but Gabriel is far more slippier and elusive. He does not have the same arm strength but Dillion is not that much of a step down from Caleb Williams in his ability to extend and make plays. Protecting Bo in 2023 was the way to go. But IMO, limiting Gabriel to a dink-and-dunk passing game with a few Bird Bombs thrown in, in 2024 will be a B1G mistake. For what a mobile QB can do in the B1G, tune into the Rose Bowl and watch Bama's Milroe vs. the Michigan D. The Wolverines saw no QBs in the B1G this season like Milroe. I expect Milroe will be the difference in this game and I also believe that Bama +1 to +1.5, will win SU by 10 or more points. Remember Dennis Dixon at Michigan? That Michigan team got off to a terrible start losing to APP St in a famous CFB upset and then getting pasted by the Ducks but that Michigan team went on to defeat Heisman winner Tim Tebow and Florida in its bowl game. Dixon ran circles around Michigan. The Michigan D handled Tebow's straight at the defense runs. Also, look at the difference in Ohio State's O this season with the immobile McCord at QB instead of running threats Fields and CJ Stroud. I think limiting Gabriel's ability to run will be a mistake. And I agree with David's excellent point about the UW D teeing off against the Oregon O, especially in the conference champ game, with Bo not being a run threat. I was very disappointed to see the Ducks come out in the champ game with no variation in the game plan. The UW DBs locked down the short passing game, took early control of the game, and Oregon could not finish the comeback win. Moore can play 4 games in 2024 without losing his red shirt. If Moore does not RS in 2024 and plays very well in 2025, he will likely be off to the NFL. But get the young man ready. He has all of the physical tools. He struggled last season except on deep passes, 20 yards or more downfield where he completed close to 90% of his throws when on his back or under the gun playing behind a leaky UCLA OL. He will be surrounded by better coaching and talent in Eugene. 2024 is a time to strike in the B1G. Michigan, even if it is the defending champ is losing the core that made UM so successful the last 2 seasons in particular. Ohio State will be breaking in a new QB and will lose a lot of skill position talent. Penn State is not on the regular season schedule. Ditto USC. And UW trips to Autzen without Penix and with a lot of skill players gone. IMO, do not rein in DG. Coach up Moore and have him ready to go. The Ducks winning the B1G in the first season in the conference would be one heck of a statement. The kind of statement that might allow Oregon to close the Buckeyes recruiting lead. Thanks again, David.

Great Game. Great Post. But I believe it was The Burnt Toast Bowl, or something like that, and not the Bahamas Bowl.

Early Signing Day primer: Examining B1G storylines ahead of the Early Signing Period SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Early Signing Day 2023 is just about here with the full results bound to have an impact on the new-look Big Ten and the 2024 season.

I see it coalescing to 32 to 40 teams willing to pay the price to be in the big time including playing the players and/or via revenue sharing. I see the same happening for men's CBB. There will be a commissioner who negotiates with a players' union to give stability to the rosters. There will likely be a salary cap with no limit on individual NIL deals. I also think we will see a high school draft with coaches' salaries reined in, and contact allowed between players and coaches year-round but there will also be bargained for restrictions on practice. The Super League members will share money with the conference they are in and remain in their conference for non-revenue sports. There will be a format that will allow T9 to be satisfied. Not much different than Chip Kelly's idea but fewer teams with more media bargaining power. Perhaps, all Super League games will be streamed on a Super League Network that will resemble the NFL Network. The playoff will be based upon on-field results and not the subjective decision-making of a few folks behind closed doors. I think this happens after the next media deals are negotiated but before these deals expire, a Super League will be agreed to.

Nebraska flipped QB Raiola from Georgia and moved to 20 from 29. 7 B1G teams are now in the Top 25 and Ohio State has a better chance to finish No. 1 ahead of UGA.

And he wouldn't have to recruit. Good idea. Too many teams. CFB Super League does not need 64 teams if it wants every game to be super. And this is what it should want if the media deal is a package deal and cuts across conference lines.

Thanks, Mike. Great take. The so-called Playoff has been flawed from the beginning. A 4-team invitational as determined by 13 humans is not a 'PLAYOFF.' And 4 spots for 5 P5 champs would have engendered the type of outrage we have seen this season if the Pac-12 played 8 and not 9 conference games and a 1-loss Pac-12 champion was more often in contention. ESPN makes money off of the interim PO Ct. rankings before the final reveal. But this simply opens up the process and the committee to additional criticism. If there was a single ranking, Bama after defeating UGA would be 4. and not moving from 8 to 4. If Bama's in, B12 champ Texas is in without moving up from out of the top 4. Also, if the committee would adopt and use a standard measure of SOS, much of the heat would be off. After the conference champ games, champions Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Bama all had SOS superior to FSU. The committee's #1 assignment is to place the Best 4 Teams in the PO field and not the 4 teams with the best records. If records were all that mattered then the 2024 PO field would be Michigan, Washington, FSU, and Liberty. It's hard to argue that the committee muffed the top 4, especially after Bama beat UGA. Rose Bowl - The Bluest of Blue Bloods - Michigan with the most wins in CFB history and Bama with the 2nd most wins is hard to top. Add the spice of P2 B1G member Michigan vs. P2 SEC member Bama. Sugar Bowl. UW went 13-0 in one of if not the deepest P5 conferences in 2024. And UW led CFB in passing offense. 12-1 Texas lost 1 game by 3 points to a top 25 team. This is another very attractive B1G vs. SEC matchup. FSU has a beef but its best win came against No. 13 LSU. All of the 2024 Final 4 teams had better wins. There is a reason why professional sports playoffs are determined by order of finish in a given season and not by a committee. Next season, teams that miss because B12 champ Arizona would be seeded 4 with a 1st round bye and Liberty would take the 12 spot, what would be Oklahoma's slot at 10-2 including a win over Texas. 'What team did 10-2 Penn State, 10-2 Missouri, and 10-2 Ole Miss beat to get in and not us!' will ring from Norman. And, 'How can a team, Liberty, that is 133 in SOS and did not play a P5 opponent qualify for the Playoff!' So long as the selection process is subjective and secret, there will be outrage. Even in the NFL there is beefing when a division winner with fewer wins than several other teams makes the post-season. But, do you want to turn it over to computers? The 2001 Ducks say, 'HECK NO!' Thanks again.

What's wrong with Shreveport in December? I think Joey Harrington has a condo there.

With Riley after K State transfer QB Will Howard, Nelson's transfer came as no surprise to SC. If he had the goods to be The Guy, Riley would have told him so and he would not be leaving Troy. 3rd string QB, Moss, will be starting the bowl game vs. Louisville.

Early signing day like Christmas, is coming soon. Players will officially commit (at least for one year) to the program of their choice on Wednesday, December 20. The B1G money is there for the B1G schools to compete with the other Power 2 CFB conference, the SEC. B1G revenues exceed, slightly, SEC revenues. But in on-field results and CFB recruiting results, the B1G trails the SEC and when you trail in recruiting, it is no surprise that you also trail in CFB trophies. Below are the latest ESPN Top-50 recruiting rankings, posted 2 days before signing day. B1G - 14 of the 18 B1G member schools are in the Top 50. 2 teams ranked in the Top 10 - 2. Ohio State and 4. OREGON. 4 more B1G teams are ranked in the Top 25 for 6 total. 11. Penn State, 16. Michigan, 18. USC, and 23. Nebraska. (If the Huskers flip QB Raiola from UGA they will move up.) Other B1G-ranked teams: 28. Wisconsin; 30. Purdue; 34. Iowa; 36. Rutgers; 37. Minnesota; 40. Maryland; 43. Washington; and 47. Illinois. Not ranked - Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern, and UCLA (Shameful!) 14 of 18 teams ranked is pretty darn good except when looking at Dixie. The SEC Conference has 16 of 16 teams ranked in the Top 50. 6 - 1. Georgia, 3. Bama, 6. Florida, 7. Texas. 8. Oklahoma, and 10. Auburn ranked in the Top 10. 5x more than the B1G. 12 SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25 - the above Top 10 plus 13. TENN, 14. LSU, 17. SO. CAR., 19. Ole Miss, 20. A+M, and 22. Kentucky. Twice as many as the B1G. Also ranked - 26. Arkansas, 31. Miss State, 33. Missouri, and 45. Vanderbilt (Vandy ranked but not UCLA!) The SEC does sit in recruiting happy hunting ground helped by bringing in Texas but bringing in the 2 LA schools should, in theory, help the B1G close the gap. But the B1G being ahead in revenue does not matter unless B1G programs from the top administrators down have the same desire as SEC poobahs to succeed in CFB and CBB. A commitment that SEC Powers-That-Be made decades ago. Do the scholars in the B1G have the desire to get down in the dirt and wrestle with the SEC? If not, the B1G money will spend, but don't bother to use some of the dough to build Bigger trophy cases. Meanwhile, OREGON is already flexing its P2 recruiting muscles. The only B1G team with a superior roster ranking in 2024 is Ohio State, paying a visit to Autzen on 10/12/24. Extinguish The Flames!

Holy Toledo! Rockets QB Finn has transferred to Baylor, a team on OR's future schedules unless Rob drops the Bears for 2 games in Pullman.

AMEN! What a crock of spit and I so stated in my comment to this way-off-base take by Canzano. Please don't try and tell me that the Pac-2 was screwed. The two teams have been sucking off better Pacific conference teams for decades and the marketplace has spoken. You, Sirs, are big-time unworthy. Thieves using a loophole is all that these 2 are. Seth Pecksniff is the Dickensian character who best exemplifies these money-grubbing unctuous thieves. But you have to be educated to relate to this reference that is flying over thieving heads in Corvallis and Pullman. And Mullens dropped a P4 home game to play OSU on the road? Rob, you are right up there with Dicken's Dumb Dora. Sorry, but I am in a Scrooge-like spirit.

You play the best guy on your roster at their given position. So long as the Ducks put a winning QB on the field I don't care if the player comes in as a transfer, a recruit, or off the bus as a walk-on. You must put the best players on the field no matter where they come from if you are going to be among the Playoff Delightful Dozen. No one is taking away LSU's title because Joe Burrow transferred in. Picking the portal properly today is a roster must. Ty is one of many highly touted guys to not make the transition from HS to big-time CFB. I appreciate the fine article but I am certain that the Oregon coaches did all they could to develop Ty. QB is the most important position in football at any level and the hardest position to recruit to. Dilly did a great job with Nix when he was a true frosh at Auburn, Nix was the SEC frosh player of the year and defeated Oregon in his first game. Stein did the same with homegrown talent at UTSA. We're fighting for wins and not QB recruiting clicks. How can you bring in a better QB than the guy who transferred from UCF to Oklahoma and was the B12 top QB in 2023, beating out another great transfer, Quinn Ewers who transferred in from Ohio State? You adapt or you disappear.

Expanded Playoff = Far better PO access goosed by going to the Power 2 B1G. But to win, you will need both talent and depth. Something that DL is assiduously working at. To win the PO in 2024, the Ducks must be the B1G champ or one of the 6/7 at-large teams. 13 regular season games. With no first-round bye as the conference champ, the Ducks would play 16 games to reach the tile game where it would play its 17th game. The Ducks in 2024 have nine (9) games scheduled against 2023 bowl teams. With a B1G champ game and a 1st round bye in 2024, Oregon would still play 17 games, 13 games no doubt vs. 2023 bowl teams. Whew! That's a big ask for any team, B1G or not.

Is Clemson safety Mukuba still in play?

You only need 1 team to fall in love with you and I think he will only improve his stock at the Combine. How many NFL teams have a need at WR? I don't know but this will also have an impact on where Troy goes. Thanks, Alex.

Too late to fix STUPID! Now, the Pac-10 needs to file suit in California or Federal Court.

Great take. But no one revolutionized CFB O like Chip and no one stepped into a quality group of assistant coaches as did the Chipper. The man's record since his Oregon days is not all that great. .500 at UCLA in the LA recruiting market is not good. He didn't make it in the NFL, once he became the HC and GM and he isn't making it in CFB where one has to recruit 24/7 and not simply pick the portal. He was perfect for CFB and Oregon at the time, cashed in, but once the shine wore off of the HUNH offense he became an average coach. As much as Chip deserves credit for lifting Oregon, Nick Aliotti also deserves credit. No coach shut down the Heisman winning $cam Newton more than did Nick.

Log, my friend, I get it. But nothing makes for a better fan experience than winning games. To do that today you have to be a terrific recruiter and a terrific portal picker. Managing an NFL roster today pales in comparison to managing a big-time CFB roster. For the most part, 3* QBs who step up from G5 and lower-level P4 programs will make their bones in the lesser programs and get paid when they move up. Like moving up from baseball AAA to the Bigs. Do I like this? No. But this is the big-time CFB world in which we live.

In today's CFB, HS QBs are warming up in the 'minor leagues' to get paid in the big league. If you can bring in a P4 all-conference QB then HS recruits are passe. Bo came to Eugene with an Oregon pelt in hand but with mixed results at Auburn. Under Dilly, during his frosh season, he played great but did not up his game before playing under Dilly and then Stein in Eugene. Oregon with Division Street, has the money and Oregon has the OC chops to bring in a quality, experienced QB every year. With a season of coaching at Oregon I think that Moore will be terrific.

Sans the Pirate his stats dropped a bit but he still threw for a ton of yards at lower SEC-level Mississippi State. This is a very good pick-up by DeBoer and shows that UW is willing to open the NIL wallet. I think that Gabriel if healthy will match or exceed Bo's total O put up in 2023 before the bowl game. If, Stein allows him to use his wheels. Oregon is swapping a great QB for an all-P4 QB. And Dillon will have 4 'warm-up' games before Ohio State visits Autzen.

Sorry, Norman. But when you live in Norman? Have to expect people with talent to bail.

Bringing in Gabriel and Moore? WOW! The young man was mismanaged by Chip last season. UCLA did have a terrific D (UCLA DC has 'transferred' to USC) but in 2023 the Bruins had an O devoid of quality receivers and an average-at-best OL. .............................................................................................................................................................. OT - The Volleyball Championship game will be played Monday night in Tampa. Hats off to Oregon for making the Elie 8. It will be B1G Nebraska vs. 'SEC' Texas.