“As far as catching the ball and athletic, yeah, that’s Trey.”

Well, I wasn’t expecting to hear this about a grad transfer Kirby Smart wooed and won:

Former Florida State defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett saw plenty of McKitty in practices to know what the Bulldogs are getting.

“Trey is the modern day tight end,” Barnett told DawgNation on Wednesday. “The modern day tight is a guy that is not necessary a great run blocker — he’s a position blocker — but he can run, and he can really catch.”

…

“When we recruited McKitty at Miami, we thought he was a great player,” Richt said on Monday in New Orleans. “He’s very agile. He’s a lot like (First-team All-ACC) Brevin Jordan who is at Miami now and is one of the better tight ends in the ACC.

“McKitty has got good ball skills, and he’s probably a better receiver than a blocker. But he’s a willing blocker, and he’s definitely a guy who can play.”

Either you believe that the Georgia staff can remake this kid into Mr. Manball in a matter of a few months, or else they really are thinking of making some changes to the offense.

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What a Year of the Quarterback doesn’t look like

From David Wunderlich:

Kyle Trask is the top returning quarterback in the conference, though he may get some competition for preseason first team All-SEC from Wake Forest grad transfer Jamie Newman at Georgia and Mac Jones at Alabama.

By passer rating, that’s right.  Trask’s 156.09, Newman’s 145.36 and Jones’ 186.84 are the SEC’s top three returners (yeah, we’re stretching the definition to include Newman, but you get the point).  The truly bizarre thing about them is that none have started a season’s worth of games yet (Newman missed the FSU game).

The top returning starter who has is Jarrett Guarantano.  I suspect we’ll find out that David should have included Kellen Mond on his list there, but I’m not sure that’s saying much.

“This NCAA price-fixing is counter to America’s economic principles of free enterprise.”

I wonder how Mark Emmert’s blood pressure is doing.

NCAA executives met with the Justice Department’s antitrust chief in November to discuss the association’s plan to change its rules that prevent student-athletes from profiting on their names, according to people familiar with the matter.

Several officials, including the NCAA’s chief lawyer, Donald Remy, met with Makan Delrahim to explain the organization’s views on the issue and its thinking on changes it is considering, said the people, who declined to be named because the conversation was deemed confidential. Delrahim, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, meanwhile, told the NCAA that the antitrust division is following the issue, the people added.

The meeting highlights the mounting political pressure the NCAA is facing to change a system that critics have argued is unfair or even akin to price fixing, putting it in potential violation of federal antitrust laws.

“Following the issue”?  What does that mean?

At Notre Dame, Delrahim called amateurism a “laudable goal,” but said it in of itself “does not grant antitrust immunity, and rules designed to promote amateurism need to be carefully tailored so they don’t unreasonably limit competition.”

Oh.

“If we score, we may win. If they never score, we’ll never lose.”

Say what you will, this is an impressive achievement.

Take a walk down memory lane, from Todd Grantham to now:

• 2013:  29.0 ppg (79th)
• 2014:  20.7 ppg (16th)
• 2015:  16.9 ppg (7th)
• 2016:  24.0 ppg (35th)
• 2017:  16.4 ppg (6th)
• 2018:  19.2 ppg (14th)
• 2019:  12.6 ppg (1st)

Yeah, one of those years is really unlike the others.  But Dan Mullen thinks that guy is the best DC in college football.

Your 1.15.20 Playpen

No way in hell I’m touching this with a ten-foot pole, but since somebody asked, feel free to provide your screaming hot take in the comments about this topic.  (Ed. note:  The management is in no way responsible for the expected shit show over this.)

Try not to be too obnoxious, okay?

Don’t say it’s over.

If you’ve still got hopes for Stetson Bennett’s chances to take over at quarterback this season, you have the opportunity to put your money where your mouth is.

Current odds at @DKSportsbook to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy… #UGA quarterback Stetson Bennett 14th-best odds at +3300. Teammate Zamir White at +5000. pic.twitter.com/Ey77E0Q0ul

— Patrick Garbin (@patrickgarbin) January 14, 2020

Cashing out

Holy crap, talk about your meteoric rise…

It would be inaccurate to say Brady is now in an unprecedented situation. Other young hotshot assistants in college and in the NFL also rocketed to stardom in rapid fashion. For instance, Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley became the youngest head coach in the FBS when he took over for Bob Stoops at age 33. Also in 2017, Sean McVay became the youngest head coach in the modern era of NFL football, accepting the position with the Los Angeles Rams just 11 days shy of his 31st birthday.

But Brady is suddenly one of the hottest names in coaching despite his lack of virtually any on-field coaching experience. Before joining the LSU staff, he spent two years as an offensive analyst with the Saints, two years as a graduate assistant under Joe Moorhead at Penn State and two years coaching linebackers at his alma mater, William & Mary. That’s it.

Apparently, that’s enough.

Joe Brady agreed to become the offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers less than 24 hours after helping LSU win the national title.

A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the 30-year-old Brady, after one year as LSU’s passing coordinator, will return to the NFL and become the league’s youngest active offensive coordinator.

No doubt he’s in line for a substantial raise.  That, plus not having to kiss some teenager’s ass on the recruiting trail?  He’d be crazy not to grab that.  Too bad if you’re an LSU fan, though.

What a country, eh?

TFW you’ve really changed the culture

Yeah, this is not a good look:

Penn State coach James Franklin has been named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday by a former player, according to the filings obtained by PennLive.com. Safety Isaiah Humphries alleges in his U.S. Middle District Court complaint that he was subjected to violent and “overtly sexual” hazing during his time at Penn State. The university and defensive lineman Damion Barber are also named as defendants in the case. Additionally, linebackers Micah Parsons and Jesse Luketa, as well as defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, are named in the suit as ringleaders for the abuse.

The suit is seeking unspecified damages. Penn State has not yet officially commented on the case.

According to the complaint, Humphries was subjected to intense hazing during his lone year with the Nittany Lions. The hazing allegedly took place in several areas on campus, including the Lasch Building. Humphries claims the alleged bullies would wrestle victims to the ground and shove their genitals in their faces. Other threats allegedly included assailants saying, “I am going to Sandusky you,” referencing disgraced former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

I’m waiting for the inevitable “boys will be boys” defense.  Nice program you got there, Penn State.

There are no words.

This is where a coaching hire winds up when you don’t use a search firm.

Well, this is, um, something: Chad Plein, a sports anchor for KY3/KSPR, is reporting that Bobby Petrino will become the new head coach at FCS Missouri State. The football scoop site is saying it's gonna be Art Briles who gets announced tomorrow as the new head coach.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 15, 2020

There ain’t enough popcorn in the world for this one.

*************************************************************************

UPDATE:

Any other time a school would have hired Bobby Petrino, the reaction would be, "I can't believe a school would hire that sleazebag."

But when it's over Art Briles it's like, "Well, at least it's not Art Briles!!!" https://t.co/y4PGsLY6vo

— Jim Weber (@JimMWeber) January 15, 2020