Jon Joseph

And of course, if a highly ranked SEC team loses to another highly ranked SEC team it drops the losing team 1 or 2 spots. Compare with a loss by a ranked Pac-12 team to another ranked Pac-12 team. That is, when there is an opportunity to so compare.

I want to give credit to the poet who wrote, 'The Emperor of Ice Cream,' Wallace Stevens. And I also add,. 'Et tu Brute?' 62-60 speaks for itself. I do not care how well he recruits, it does not translate to the field. I'll take Manny Diaz record in his seasons as the Miami HC vs Mario's record in the same time period, straight up.

And at least two seats in coach class?

Good call on May 1 but this may vary depending on a given school's semester and enrollment system? Schools on a different semester system could allow for admission after spring practice but prior to kick off? And this season there is an expansion to go to 92 scholarships depending on the number of guys who transferred out. I believe that if you are within this 92, playing time will not be limited even if a player signs after May1 and before the 2023 season kicks off if a player is properly enrolled? But I bow to your take if you have a better handle on this situation. It seems that we are in a day of, 'rules, we don't need no stinking rules.' One thing I do know with certainty no matter the sport you can enter the portal whenever you so desire. Of course, when you do so enter the portal your scholarship can be taken away. The CFB coaches among others want a limited time period when players can declare for the portal and I understand their position. I think a limited time frame will come about once the NCAA Transition Committee has made its recommendations and same are approved. I think this entire subject would be a great one David, for you to tackle in one of your excellent and well researched articles.

It's open at any time for all sports (the five restricted losing time sports are no longer restricted) subject to available scholarships. I think you will see a lot more guys head to the portal after spring practice.

Not sure what's being offered: the tickets or the prospective spouse? I've been blessed to have been to a bunch of Super Bowls but the spouse? Can you post a photo?

I get it, I do. But as a conference the Pac-12 must lift its recruiting or it will be left further in the CFB dust. Arizona having the #3 ranked recruiting class in the conference is not good. UCLA tripped on its Chip again. ASU is not even a player in the G5.

1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Georgia 4. Clemson (previously ranked eight) 5. Utah (4) 6. A+M (Mandel is not drinking the College Station Kool Aid as much as other pollsters) 7. Notre Dame (5) 8. Michigan State (10 - Lots of love for Jarek Broussard) 9. Michigan 10. NC State (14) 11. Baylor (12) 12. Ole Miss ( NR - Dart and Trigg from SC help Lane's cause) 13. Pitt (11) 14, Tennessee (13 - should be on probation and facing serious sanctions for pay-for-play program) 15. Oklahoma State (14 - Derek Mason is the Cowboys new DC) 16. Arkansas ((17) 17. OREGON (16 - notes big hits to the RB room; likes the JJ steal from UGA) 18. Wake Forest (15) 19. Kentucky (210 20. USC (NR - Kudos for transfer pick ups) 21. Minnesota (18) 22. Cincinnati (20) 23. Houston (23 - looks like no G5 team is Stewart's Playoff) 24, Wisconsin (19) 25. LSU (NR) Just Missed - BYU, Iowa, Oklahoma, K St, So Car. IMO, Overrated - 5 SEC W teams in the top 25? Don't these teams have to play one another? A+M 6? A new starting QB and a bunch of newbies do not IMO = No. 6. 7. Notre Dame. A new QB, a new coach who gave up a big lead in the bowl game and opening at Ohio State. 8. Michigan State. I don't see that much improvement in the roster and MI ST plays at Michigan. I do see Sparty winning in Seattle OOC. 10. NC State - Huh? 14 Tennessee - I don't believe TN is the 2nd best team in the SEC E. Florida, Missouri, Kentucky and South Carolina will be tough games for a Vols team that also has Bama on the schedule. IMO Underrated - 5. Utah - if the Utes win the opener in Gainesville against a NR, new HC, Gators team. The B12 - I think 11. Baylor, 15. OK ST and NR Oklahoma, K ST and Iowa State are all underrated. 13. PITT - I don't think Slovis is as skilled as was Pickett. 17. OREGON - At UGA is a witch, BYU will not be easy, but the Pac-12 conference is still down and the Ducks get UCLA and Utah at home and miss SC. I do not think that Nix is being given enough props? I think opponents will see a far more resilient and ready to play ball team in 2022 than they faced under Mario. MIA - Miami and Florida State. (Will Mario be the next Slick?) Note that 6 of the top 10 teams play 8 conference games and Notre Dame does not play a 13th champ game. But it's an even path to the CFB playoff, right? Remember - The Portal is still wide open for business. A team can have 92 players on scholarship this season depending on the numbers that transferred out.

I heard Mario talk the talk. I sure hope Lanning walks the walk?

QB - Incomplete? IMO the class has to be valued as a whole including transfers. I don't think bringing in a 3 year starter from the SEC, a guy with a win over Bama = Incomplete. But I agree with Charles, I do not believe the 25th ranked team in the country per 247, deserves an A-. I give Lanning et al an A for effort but No. 25 for a team with playoff ambitions is IMO, a C+ or B-. A fun exercise this, but until any 'newbie' gets on the field and proves it, it is all just fun conjecture. All those 5 star guys A+M just signed. I wager at least one third of the guys will not pan out and finish their CFB playing years at A+M. At Oregon, some 2/3 star 'afterthought' will become a solid player.

I hope you are right regarding Mullens? Was he the one who pulled the trigger on the Lanning hire; or, was it an 86 year old patriarch? (BTW: I'd love to know where Rob and Schill stood when it came to conference expansion?) I don't like Rob's CFB future scheduling. H+H with TX Tech and Baylor, when WAZZU has a H+H with Wisconsin, UW with MI ST and Utah a H+H with Florida among other big time conference matchups. (I am opposed to a 1 off game 'at' UGA. I would have no problem playing UGA in Athens and then in Eugene. Or playing any top drawer program that is willing to play the Ducks H+H.) Make no mistake, I agree totally with CalBear95's post and your support Charles of same and I hope you are right in congratulating Rob Mullens; that I am giving Rob too little credit. But recall, Rob gave Mario an extension and pay increase after Mario went 4-3 and was then destroyed by Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl. And Rob was more than ready to give Mario another extension and pay raise before Mario split to Miami. Unlike many of us I don't believe that Rob saw the brand withering and dying. Rob put his hat in the ring for the UGA and A+M AD openings, and will likely do so again if a big job in the B1G or the SEC opens up. Regardless, I agree with you Charles, CalBear95 and many others that it is great to have 'Danno' and friends on board.

With friends like these? Mario, all the 'seeing folk' know that you have no clothes. You are 'The Emperor of Ice Cream,' delivering sweet promises that soon melt away. So happy you went MIA.

Pay-for-play is and has been endemic in the SEC for decades. Ole Miss under Hugh Freeze ran a P-F-P program. At Tennessee they were passing money to recruits in McDonald's bags. Compared to what USC got for 1 player receiving extra benefits, Ole Miss got jack and such will be the case with Tennessee. NIL arrives and A+M signs the No. 1 ranked recruiting class of all time and this is a coincidence? Sorry. I was born at night but it wasn't last night. But what schools are being NCAA examined for NIL violation; BYU, Oregon and a number of others west of the Mississippi River. Me thinks JImbo dost protest too much? Up to me, I'd pass on the so-called playoff post 2025 and beg the B1G to come along and collectively take back the Rose Bowl. Maybe bring in the ACC if the ACC is still a viable conference. Maybe the B12? NIL has certainly balanced out recruiting, right? A+M, Bama, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU, all at the top. The number of top recruits from the Pac-12 footprint who stayed in the west is miniscule. I can see the Ducks and SC bringing in top recruiting classes, in the top 15 and perhaps better, but the rest of the conference? Come 2023, Duck 1972, I think we will see close to exactly what we have seen in 2022. A top 7 to 10 that remains mostly the same with a bit of scuffling underneath.

This is why A+M that just signed 4 4/5* DL guys IMO makes no sense as a landing spot? All the other schools on the list have older, more experienced, highly rated DL guys already waiting in line to play. But it's tough to beat out the home state SEC school for any recruit. Great job flipping James, but James is from Tennessee.

I expect this will come down to Kirby vs Dan? Based on the schools listed I think as a 'senior' in HS, he would have the best shot to start or at least play immediately at Oregon and not have to red shirt. That's the best pitch, I expect, to throw at this young man. I can't imagine he would skip his senior year of HS without planning to go pro after 3 years in college? As to premier engineering schools, I do not believe there is one on his list? And I don't think he will matriculate at Georgia Tech.

I believe it is 247 Sports that has such a ranking? Jon Wilner reported last week that the combined recruit/portal ranking would have SC's class, after signing Caleb Williams, at No. 9 in the nation. Do you know if Oregon has any more scholarships open for guys from the portal? Can go to 92 this year if guys have portaled out. Lots of guys in the portal and after spring ball you can bet there will be a lot more.

Great post, thank you. Shows the quality over the quantity.

What a difference it made in last week's champ game when the Rams lined up 4 and sometimes 5, quality DL guys, face to face with the 49ers OL. The normally robust 49ers run game was shut down. This is what Dan Lanning did from time to time at UGA. He probably has the same idea at Oregon and he will work hard to get his kind of DL guys. You couple 80 plays a game O with smash mouth D and watch out Pac-12.

I guess the cat wanted a Coke? (LOL, Come On Man! funny.) Great example of where the portal can be your friend. David Marsh article was spot on, recruiting still trumps portal-picking but the portal if nothing else is a great way to build depth. Georgia has substituted a lot of quality guys on the DL since Smart's arrival in Athens. Dan Lanning followed his mentor. You assemble a quality group of DL guys in the Pac-12 and you are well ahead of the game.

Michigan State 'portaled in' over 30 players last season. One, an obscure RB from Wake Forest, won the Doak Walker award.

Fantastic. For certain, I do not want to arm wrestle with this young man.

It certainly did not hurt MI ST or Baylor last season. I think it all depends on the leadership qualities of the person at the top?

I don't see how he escapes the web of cheating. I'm surprised that it took so long for Pierce to resign. However, the ASU AD was Herm's agent for many, many years. Perhaps, the AD does not survive the scandal? Herm has done OK out of the portal. He had to do so because the 2022 class is ranked in the 100s, behind many the G5 school.

Thanks for the great post. If 'they' don't get rid of it as 'they' should, I'm more interested in early signing day than late signing day.

Franckly, that would be frightening! DUCK!