“(Money) did not have anything to do with it.”

Mike Bobo takes Butts-Mehre off the hook.

“At the same time, I felt like I was at the point in my career that I might have a chance at some opportunities and I wanted to explore those opportunities this year. When Colorado State came open, I had followed it a little bit because of (Jim) McElwain. He was an SEC guy and it intrigued me. So I said I was interested and it kind of went from there. The interest was there and it and just took off. It was the right fit at the right time and that’s what I felt in my heart.”

Good for him.  And note that later in the interview, he still refers to Georgia as “we”.  He’ll always be a Georgia guy.

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A conference with a network? Or a network of conference sports programming?

Jim Delany reportedly thinks the next Big Ten Network broadcast deal is going to make major bank for his member schools.

Jim Delaney added Jim Harbaugh to #B1G… Have heard from reputable source he thinks new TV deal will be $50m per school avg- not kidding

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) December 29, 2014

If that’s the case, I really don’t think he gives a damn if people like me criticize him bringing schools like Rutgers into the conference.

Don’t think his peers won’t take note, either.

It’s not exactly counting the number of angels who can dance on the head of a pin, but…

Admittedly, this is a tough philosophical matter to ponder.

Lane Kiffin said he and Nick Saban have wondered how it was possible Kiffin was "higher on the most hated" coaches list.

— Jeremy Birmingham (@Birm) December 29, 2014

I’m amused they could take time out of their busy days to discuss it, though.

Some Belk Bowl good news

No doubt things have been a little chaotic as tomorrow approaches, but at least we learn from Coach Richt that the Dawgs are relatively healthy going in.

Georgia coach Mark Richt said the Bulldogs are close to being as healthy as they have been all season. Fullback Taylor Maxey and defensive back Lucas Redd were able to practice this weekend after being sidelined with minor injuries. Tailback A.J. Turman (foot) returned to practice briefly on Friday but couldn’t finish the workout and was unable to return on Saturday.

Except for that Gurley fella, of course.

“No one is more glued to his or her mobile phone than the sports fan who lives and breathes for every play.”

Read this, and tell me every big money retailer in America wouldn’t be salivating over the prospect of marketing a 16-team college football playoff bracket.

I keep saying it, but the postseason isn’t about the fans and it isn’t about settling things on the field.  It’s about our wallets.  Just ask Larry Culpepper.

“I don’t know if anybody is ever happy unless you win every game and win a championship.”

In this day and age of fairly instant gratification, this is a noteworthy set of facts:

In Mark Richt’s 14 seasons at Georgia, 12 other SEC teams have made more than four dozen coaching changes. Listed below are the 50 men who have coached at least one SEC game during Richt’s tenure. Special attention is given to Gary Pinkel, who has coached at Missouri for 14 seasons (three in the SEC) and Florida’s Jim McElwain, who was recently hired to lead the Gators.

Florida: Steve Spurrier (1990-2001), Ron Zook (2002-04), Charlie Strong (2004), Urban Meyer (2005-10), Will Muschamp (2011-14), D.J. Durkin (2014) Jim McElwain (2015) (7)

Texas A&M: R.C. Slocum (1989-2002), Dennis Franchione (2003-07), Gary Darnell (2007), Mike Sherman (2008-11), Tim DeRuyter (2011), Kevin Sumlin (2012-present) (6)

Arkansas: Houston Nutt (1998-2007), Reggie Herring (2007), Bobby Petrino (2008-11), John L. Smith (2012), Brent Bielema (2013-present) (5)

Tennessee: Phillip Fulmer (1992-2008), Lane Kiffin (2009), Derek Dooley (2010-12), Jim Chaney (2012), Butch Jones (2013-present) (5)

Vanderbilt: Woody Widenhofer (1997-2001), Bobby Johnson (2002-2009), Robbie Caldwell (2010), James Franklin (2011-13), Derek Mason (2014-present) (5)

Alabama: Dennis Franchione (2001-02), Mike Price (2003), Mike Shula (2003-06), Joe Kines (2006), Nick Saban (2007-present) (4)

Ole Miss: David Cutcliffe (1998-2004), Ed Orgeron (2005-07), Houston Nutt (2008-11), Hugh Freeze (2012-present) (4)

Kentucky: Guy Morriss (2001-02), Rich Brooks (2003-09), Joker Phillips (2010-12), Mark Stoops (2013-present) (4)

Auburn: Tommy Tuberville (1998-2007), Gene Chizik (2008-12), Gus Malzahn (2013- present) (3)

Mississippi State: Jackie Sherrill (1991-2003), Sylvester Croom (2004-08), Dan Mullen (2009-present) (3)

Missouri: Gary Pinkel (2001-present) (1)

LSU: Nick Saban (2000-04), Les Miles (2005-present) (2)

South Carolina: Lou Holtz (1999-2004), Steve Spurrier (2005-present) (2)

Talk about your ups and downs.  And one in particular.

When it comes to installing a revolving door in the head coach’s office, however, the SEC’s grand-prize winner is Florida, which with the recent hire of Jim McElwain brings the number of men who have been the Gators’ head coach — including two interims to cover for coaches fired in-season — to seven.

It’s true that since 2001 Florida has won two national championships and had Urban Meyer on the sidelines for six years, but as a whole, the other eight seasons clearly have not been pretty.

And Jeremy Foley is considered to be one of the more astute ADs in the business (not to mention McGarity’s mentor).

Peaks and valleys ain’t the Georgia Way.  Which isn’t to say it couldn’t happen.  But a couple of things about that list are pretty clear.  One, even at powerhouse programs, long-term coaching stability is more a myth than a reality.  Two, constant turnover gets expensive after a while.  You may be ready for that kind of approach to running a football program, but that’s not the relevant perspective here.  Is B-M ready for it?

“He’s got an edge about him.”

Man, the 2015 preseason happy talk isn’t even waiting for 2014 to finish.  Feel the Jacob Park love.

“He’s been able to drop back and sight it up and throw some beautiful balls all season long,” UGA coach Mark Richt said.

True freshman quarterback Jacob Park is finishing up this first season – a redshirt season — with Georgia’s football team. Park has been with the scout team the whole way, becoming valuable as a rare player fast enough to mimic more mobile opposing quarterbacks and capable enough as a passer to mimic the pocket passers too.

It’s this versatility that makes Park an emerging option moving forward in a Georgia quarterback room that will now be without long-time offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who was responsible for bringing each member of the unit to Athens.

“You guys are going to see what he’s about,” cornerback Damian Swann said of Park. “The kid has got a bright future, athletic, strong arm, can make every throw. … He’s given us the look week-in and week-out, whether it’s Nick Marshall or Georgia Tech’s quarterback, because he can run and throw. We could count on him to do his job every week.”

A guy who can make every throw and pull off a Nick Marshall impersonation in practice?  Who needs Mike Bobo?

Seriously, next spring is going to host an interesting battle at quarterback, one reason being that Park and Ramsey will have a new position coach guiding them… and perhaps a slightly revamped offensive scheme to learn.

Today, in back patting

Southern Cal won fewer games this season than in 2014, didn’t win the conference title game – hell, didn’t even win its division.

Still, Steve Sarkisian surveys all that he sees, and pronounces himself satisfied.

USC went 10-4 last year, and after Saturday’s game, Sarkisian was asked if winning nine games qualified as a successful season.

“It was a total success,” Sarkisian told reporters. “We won nine games, we were Holiday Bowl Champions.”

It’s all in how you set the bar, peeps.

It’s hard to make a home run hire.

Spencer Hall has a point here.

Michigan got the coach they wanted with an interim AD and a school president who knows nothing about college sports.

— SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) December 28, 2014

True.  But only to an extent.  To overcome those shortcomings, Michigan had to shell out almost $50 million to bring back a Michigan man.

The question is, do you think Georgia has the resources, either financially or administratively (not to mention the will), to pull off a similar coup if Richt were no longer here?