This, on the other hand, is a big deal.

The redshirt rule’s been changed.

College athletes competing in Division I football can participate in up to four games in a season without using a season of competition, the Division I Council decided this week at its meeting in Indianapolis.

Division I student-athletes have five years to compete in up to four seasons of competition. The new exception allows football players to preserve a season of competition if, for example, injuries or other factors result in them competing in a small number of games.

The NCAA claims this benefits both coaches and student-athletes and for once, I think that’s right.  That’s probably used up the quota for the rest of the decade, but, hey, at least it’s something.

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Much ado about transfers

The NCAA’s new transfer rule is a change Nick Saban has time for.

The Division I Council adopted a proposal this week that creates a new “notification-of-transfer” model. This new system allows a student to inform his or her current school of a desire to transfer, then requires that school to enter the student’s name into a national transfer database within two business days. Once the student-athlete’s name is in the database, other coaches are free to contact that individual.

“The membership showed today that it supports this significant change in transfer rules,” said Justin Sell, chair of the Division I Transfer Working Group and athletics director at South Dakota State. “I’m proud of the effort the Transfer Working Group put forth to make this happen for student-athletes, coaches and schools.”

The previous transfer rule, which required student-athletes to get permission from their current school to contact another school before they can receive a scholarship after transfer, was intended to discourage coaches from recruiting student-athletes from other Division I schools. The rule change ends the controversial practice in which some coaches or administrators would prevent students from having contact with specific schools. Conferences, however, still can make rules that are more restrictive than the national rule.  [Emphasis added.]

There’s some mealy-mouthed stuff that follows in the release promising that the NCAA’s work is not done, but in the end, all this boils down to is what I posted the other day.

“Declaring a victory is silly,” said Tim Nevius, a New York-based attorney who used to work at the NCAA. “We used to deny people the ability to contact another school and get financial aid. But, by the way, we still prevent them from playing.”

Game changing it ain’t.

And then I had to spoil it all…

You know, I actually had some hope that Jason Butt’s article asking each of Georgia’s three remaining gubernatorial candidates about their position on legalized sports betting in this state might offer some intelligent policy discussion on a matter of interest.

Instead, I’m treated to this deep thought:

“I do not support sports betting in Georgia,” Kemp said in a statement. “As a Georgia grad and diehard Dawg fan, losing the national championship was painful enough. Would have been even worse if I had money on the game!”

This has been your regular reminder that we get the politicians we deserve.

Today, in ringing endorsements

Hoo, boy.

The Cowboys have a new WRs coach, and Cole Beasley says it's "the first time we’re actually being taught how to run routes."

hmm wonder who his WRs coach was before now

oh it was Derek Dooley https://t.co/xnEmrO5YWZ

— SB Nation CFB (@SBNationCFB) June 12, 2018

SOD does bring a solid shower hygiene game with him, though.  So there’s that.

Cream of the crop

It seems the SEC’s sports information directors aren’t overly impressed by Georgia’s top end talent this season.  The Georgia players voted to their first-team All-SEC offense and defense?

One:  Rodrigo Blankenship.

Two:  Deandre Baker.

Of course, picking Lamont Gaillard as a second-team offensive tackle may explain some of that.  It’s tough to excel out of position.

SEC non-conference scheduling: it just means less.

Welp, this is harsh.

SEC football has it figured out. The SEC has produced a consistent scheduling philosophy that guarantees every team in the league three virtually automatic victories a year.

The SEC scheduling model is locked in:

* Four non-conference games;

* One game against a fellow Power-5 Conference opponent (Arkansas notably abstains this season from challenging itself even once). To the SEC’s credit, that one game is usually a doozy, against the likes of Clemson or Florida State or Notre Dame, and if it’s not a name-brand power, it’s usually a really good team, like West Virginia or Kansas State;

* One game against a Division I-AA opponent;

* Two games against mid-majors who are no threat to win. Boise State and Houston need not apply. Memphis and Arkansas State pass for the best mid-majors on SEC schedules.

In 2018, every SEC team except Arkansas follows that exact model…

It’s all controlled scheduling, and it bolsters college football’s best conference.

That’s not a point of pride, Hogs.

14. Arkansas: Eastern Illinois, at Colorado State, North Texas, Tulsa. The Razorbacks are up to their old tricks. No fellow power-conference opponent.

Not that we should be throwing any rocks their way.

13. Georgia: Austin Peay, Middle Tennessee, Massachusetts, Georgia Tech. Not much here. At least Georgia plays Auburn and LSU from the SEC West.

Number three, with a bullet

Kirby Smart earns a significant rise in Athlon’s 2018 rankings of SEC head coaches, from twelfth in 2017 to third, behind only Saban (duh) and Fisher.

Agree?  Disagree?

Grounded offense

As I posted the other day, one reason Georgia ran the ball more last season than it did in 2016 was because Chaney and Smart were trying to give their true freshman quarterback time to develop without feeling the pressure of carrying the offense on his shoulders.

Another reason is Georgia was friggin’ good running the ball.

Rushing Offense

During the 2016 season, Georgia had 191.2 rushing yards per game, good for No. 50 overall in the country and ninth in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2017 season, Georgia had 258.4 rushing yards per game, good for ninth overall in the country and first in the Southeastern Conference.

Yards Per Carry

During the 2016 season, Georgia averaged 4.66 yards per carry, good for 54th overall in the country and ninth in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2017 season, Georgia averaged 5.79 yards per carry, good for seventh overall in the country and first in the Southeastern Conference.

Definitely a case of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

And when you can combine a stellar ground game with an efficient passing attack, that usually leads to good things, like scoring when you’re supposed to.

Red Zone Offense

During the 2016 season, Georgia scored on 84.4 percent of its red zone opportunities, good for 64th overall in the country and seventh in the Southeastern Conference. In the 2017 season, Georgia scored on 96.4 percent of its red zone opportunities, good for fourth overall in the country and second in the Southeastern Conference.

Yeah, I’ll take that.

“Well, I plan on spending $40 million.”

It’s always heartwarming to see the focus schools and conferences bring to their primary mission: academics their revenue streams.

No time like the present

I find it interesting that of the 24 players in the 2018 signing class whom Jake Rowe projects their freshman year expectations, only six are seen as obvious redshirt candidates, and two of those because of injuries.  (Surprisingly, that does not include Zamir White.)

If he’s right, over time this class has the potential to be one for the ages as far as Georgia football goes.