The End of the Road

After 30 years in journalism, and 10 years of writing the Bilo College Football Report, the inevitable end of the line has come. As of today, I am ending the Bilo College Football Report and the Bilo Sports Report, effective immediately.

It's been an interesting ride, but the writing has been on the wall regarding this decision for some time, and several factors have gone into this hard thought out decision. The facts are as they are, as stagnating readership, a stagnating subscription rate, and a glut of other information available to readers has caused me to simply come to this understanding that with so many other venues available, I am working in a much too crowded field, and for a writer such as me, with virtually no larger platform support, I no longer have the energy, resources, or desire to compete for the public attention.

For those that are subscribers to the PRS Premium content, I will continue to honor that subscription by releasing the newsletter on a weekly basis during the football season, through the Super Bowl of 2020. Once the Super Bowl concludes, the PRS Premium newsletter will be shutting down as well. I will also still be on twitter, @BiloRatedSports, for an undetermined period of time, but quite frankly, I am not sure how much longer I can stand it.

I would like to thank those that have supported me through this venture, with none being more important than my Wife, Dina, who has always encouraged me to follow this path, always. Her unending support, work, and love has carried this project much longer than it probably ever would have gone in any other setting. She is the brightest star in this universe, and I could not have done the work I have done without her.

I'd like to thank Clay Baker and Ed Graney at ESPN radio in Las Vegas for their support and for enduring my blunt, no nonsense nature towards sports on their show weekly, and would also like to thank Mitch Moss of VSIN and Mike Pritchard for bringing me to the airwaves at ESPN radio several years ago. Thanks also to Jake Wimberly of ESPN radio in Jackson, Mississippi, for reaching out to me out of the thin air to bring me to his audience as well.

Thanks also to my friend of more than 35 years, Keith Harding, for the work and ideas that he has contributed to this project over the last decade. While the project ends, our friendship will continue for many years to come.

The landscape in sports journalism is changing rapidly, and largely not in a good way. The narcissism that has been unleashed into this work by younger generations of writers has been a sign to me that the business has changed in distasteful ways. No longer are we reporting on what is real, we are largely reporting on opinion, and an ever increasing sense of "I'm right and your wrong", and "Nothing that has ever happened before matters". I would advise writers that this is the wrong path. You are not the story. The events and the people that we write about are. Once you have forgotten that simple fact, you have ruined the story. Also, don't worry about social media. Much of it is garbage. If you write for what the social media mobs want, you have also already lost your path, and your decency.

I have always believed in what I have done with this project. It was a great time. I have always reported the truth, and the facts as I have had them. I have broken many large stories, and I have always given you the facts of those stories, not made up fantasy works, like many others tend to do. I have been supported, but have often been bashed for simply trying to do what I love to do in the best way I knew how. I have been accused of being some hack writing in my mom's basement (joke's on you, assholes, I am not a kid, and my parents never had a basement), and I have been invited onto radio shows to entrap me by people who simply did not like what I had to say (I reversed the trap on ESPN Radio in Omaha, and railroaded them into walking into their own trap).

One thing remains constant in this project, and that is that, despite selling some subscriptions for the premium content over the last 2 years, I have never profited by one penny in this endeavor. Any money earned, and let me tell you that it was not much in any regard, covered some costs, but over ten years, I largely operated in the red. I still managed to pump out over 2000 total articles, all while having a full time day job that is not related to journalism in any conceivable way, with a Wife and a family as well. I have given you, the reader, all that I have to give on this project, and I have run out of steam.

In the last few months, I have been approached by a few different entities about joining their "projects". Of course, none of those projects "panned out" as were discussed. As my dear departed Father-In-Law Jack used to say, "there are liars and there are buyers" and boy have I met with some liars. To those people, I say this...do what I am doing, and stick to your day jobs. I am not leaving this endeavor for another sports related project. Just so we are clear.

So, in the end, this is it. I am signing off for the final time. Short of a miracle of some sort, this is the last post I will be making. A decade is long enough, and the time has come to get the hell out of here. I do wish the ending were different, but I can look in the mirror and know I gave it all I could and then some, and that, as they say, has to be enough.

Peace out,
Scott Bilo

2019 Projected Win Totals: ACC

2019 Spring football camps are upon us in many parts of the country, despite the 2018 season ending just under 2 months ago. With that in mind, I will provide you with my projected win totals for each team in the ACC from top to bottom, with Clemson, of course, still being a clear cut favorite in what is otherwise a fairly muddled league. Here are our projections, in alphabetical order:

Boston College
2018 Wins: 7

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
9/7 Richmond...Projected Win
9/13 Kansas...Projected Win
9/21 at Rutgers...Projected Win
9/28 Wake Forest...Projected Win
10/5 at Louisville...Projected Win
10/19 NC State..Projected Loss
10/26 at Clemson...Projected Loss
11/2 at Syracuse...Projected Loss
11/9 Florida State...Projected Loss
11/23 at Notre Dame...Projected Loss
11/30 at Pittsburgh...Projected Loss

Projected Win Total: 5
Comments: Boston College could very well trend as they did in 2018, as they streaked early and flamed out late. The final 6 games are fairly tough, with 4 of the 6 games coming on the road. Winning just one of those games I have projected as a loss gets them back to a bowl, but where will that win come?

Clemson
2018 Wins: 15

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/29 Georgia Tech...Projected Win
9/7 Texas A&M...Projected Win
9/14 at Syracuse...Projected Win
9/21 Charlotte...Projected Win
9/28 at North Carolina...Projected Win
10/12 Florida State...Projected Win
10/19 at Louisville...Projected Win
10/26 Boston College...Projected Win
11/2 Wofford...Projected Win
11/9 at NC State...Projected Win
11/16 Wake Forest...Projected Win
11/30 at South Carolina...Projected Win

Projected Win Total: 12
Comments: The non con portion of the schedule is fairly easy, with only Texas A&M there to provide a threat, much as they did last fall. I still see the Tigers getting away from the Aggies with another win. Clemson is also normally susceptible to a trap in conference play, but looking at how the ACC stacks up, I currently fail to see where that trap exists for them in 2019.

Duke
2018 Wins: 8

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 Alabama @ Atlanta...Projected Loss
9/7 North Carolina A&T...Projected Win
9/14 at Middle Tennessee...Projected Win
9/27 at Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
10/5 Pittsburgh...Projected Loss
10/12 Georgia Tech...Projected Win
10/19 at Virginia...Projected Loss
10/26 at North Carolina...Projected Win
11/9 Notre Dame...Projected Loss
11/16 Syracuse...Projected Loss
11/23 at Wake Forest...Projected Loss
11/30 Miami...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 4
Comments: I can see a bit of a rebuilding year for Duke coming up, especially at the QB position, which is huge for the Blue Devils. Games against Middle Tennessee and even North Carolina A&T are tougher than they look as well, although I project wins there. Games against Pitt, Virginia, Syracuse, and Wake Forest are all games that are winnable, even of the Devils may not be favored at this time. There is opportunity for a win swing, but Duke will have to win some games that they aren't supposed to for that to occur.

Florida State
2018 Wins: 5

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 Boise State @Jacksonville...Projected Win
9/7 ULM...Projected Win
9/14 at Virginia...Projected Win
9/21 Louisville...Projected Win
9/28 NC State...Projected Win
10/12 at Clemson...Projected Loss
10/19 at Wake Forest...Projected Loss
10/26 Syracuse...Projected Win
11/2 Miami...Projected Win
11/9 at Boston College...Projected Win
11/16 Alabama State...Projected Win
11/30 at Florida...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 9
Comments: I have absolutely no reason to not expect serious improvement in year two under Willie Taggart and his staff, and Taggart's resume shows that he has always shown strong improvements over time at every stop he has made, with exception of Oregon, where he spent just one season. The non con schedule is cream puff city, with a slightly rebuilding Boise State as the lone exception, and of course, the Florida game. Boise State should still come as a solid win for the Seminoles. The conference schedule is loaded with winnable games, but the Wake Forest game reads as a trap on the road. This should be a much better season for FSU.

Georgia Tech
2018 Wins: 7

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/29 at Clemson...Projected Loss
9/7 USF...Projected Win
9/14 Citadel...Projected Win
9/28 at Temple...Projected Win
10/5 North Carolina...Projected Win
10/12 at Duke...Projected Loss
10/19 at Miami...Projected Loss
11/2 Pittsburgh...Projected Loss
11/9 at Virginia...Projected Loss
11/16 Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
11/21 NC State...Projected Loss
11/30 Georgia...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 4
Comments: Georgia Tech is rebuilding and re-branding under Geoff Collins, who was at Temple last season. The triple option is being scrapped, but expect elements of it to still exist as the program changes over personnel over the next couple of seasons to reflect the new system. The Yellow Jackets could pick up a couple of additional wins in toss up games against Duke and Pitt, but a trip up loss in non con action against USF could prove to be problematic later. Temple is projected as a win, but could swing easily to a loss as well.

Louisville
2018 Wins: 2

2019 Schedule With Projections
9/2 Notre Dame...Projected Loss
9/7 Eastern Kentucky...Projected Win
9/14 Western Kentucky...Projected Win
9/21 at Florida State...Projected Loss
10/5 Boston College...Projected Loss
10/12 at Wake Forest...Projected Loss
10/19 Clemson...Projected Loss
10/26 Virginia...Projected Loss
11/9 at Miami...Projected Loss
11/16 at NC State...Projected Loss
11/23 Syracuse...Projected Loss
11/30 at Kentucky...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 2
Comments: Don't expect much from year one of the Scott Satterfield era at Louisville. The roster must be completely refurbished, and it will take time to get all of the damage of Bobby Petrino part two undone. We should be looking for minute improvements throughout the season, and development as well, but otherwise, this could be a lost year when it comes to winning.

Miami
2018 Wins: 7

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 Florida @ Orlando...Projected Loss
9/7 at North Carolina...Projected Win
9/14 Bethune-Cookman...Projected Win
9/21 Central Michigan...Projected Win
10/5 Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
10/11 Virginia...Projected Win
10/19 Georgia Tech...Projected Win
10/26 at Pittsburgh...Projected Win
11/2 at Florida State..,Projected Loss
11/9 Louisville...Projected Win
11/23 at FIU...Projected Win
11/30 at Duke...Projected Win

Projected Wins: 9
Comments: Miami could be a very uneven team in 2019, as Manny Diaz takes over after the surprising resignation of Mark Richt after just 2 seasons. The first month sets up nicely for a hot start, but then comes swing games against Virginia Tech, Virginia, and Pitt in October. A strong finish is in order, with few trap games in November. Still, projected wins against Virginia, Pitt, and Duke could all be games that could go sideways. A lot of this will also depend on Tate Martell winning the QB job, and performing well, as Miami has been struggling mightily at the position in recent years.

NC State
2018 Wins: 9

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 East Carolina...Projected Win
9/7 Western Carolina...Projected Win
9/14 at West Virginia...Projected Win
9/21 Ball State...Projected Win
9/28 at Florida State...Projected Loss
10/10 Syracuse...Projected Win
10/19 at Boston College...Projected Win
11/2 at Wake Forest...Projected Loss
11/9 Clemson...Projected Loss
11/16 Louisville...Projected Win
11/21 at Georgia Tech...Projected Win
11/30 North Carolina...Projected Win

Projected Wins: 9
Comments: The Pack is another team that looks like they may be looking at a step back, but the schedule affords opportunities to win regardless of that fact. A very easy non con slate provides only a challenge at a rebuilding West Virginia team, and that could be the only non con trap available to challenge this team. Conference play is loaded with winnable games, but wins against Syracuse and Boston College could come with more difficulty, and can be categorized as swing games to watch.

North Carolina
2018 Wins: 2

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 South Carolina @ Charlotte...Projected Loss
9/7 Miami,,,Projected Loss
9/12 at Wake Forest...Projected Loss
9/21 Appalachian State...Projected Loss
9/28 Clemson...Projected Loss
10/5 at Georgia Tech...Projected Loss
10/19 at Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
10/26 Duke...Projected Loss
11/2 Virginia...Projected Loss
11/14 at Pittsburgh...Projected Loss
11/23 Mercer...Projected Win
11/30 11/30 at NC State...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 1
Comments: It's going to be a long first season for Mack Brown in his return to UNC. The FCS game against Mercer is the only game I can project as a sure win. There could be opportunities against Duke and Virginia, and the Pitt game could possible be a swing game as well, but they will be in uphill battles in all three of those contests.

Pittsburgh
2018 Wins: 7

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 Virginia...Projected Win
9/7 Ohio...Projected Win
9/14 at Penn State...Projected Loss
9/21 UCF...Projected Loss
9/28 Delaware...Projected Win
10/5 at Duke...Projected Win
10/18 at Syracuse...Projected Loss
10/26 Miami...Projected Loss
11/2 at Georgia Tech...Projected Win
11/14 North Carolina...Projected Win
11/23 at Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
11/30 Boston College...Projected Win

Projected Wins: 7
Comments: The Panthers are an interesting team for 2019, as even though I have them projected for 7 wins, they could easily win 9 or 10. Penn State is not a guaranteed loss, even on the road, and the UCF game is actually a swing game, based n play without McKenzie Milton at QB. The Syracuse game is also a swing contest, as is Miami. Things could go anywhere from 7 to 10 wins, or the roof could cave in and the Panthers could fail to meet expectations all around. It should be a wild ride with the Panthers in 2019.

Syracuse
2018 Wins: 10

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 at Liberty...Projected Win
9/7 at Maryland...Projected Win
9/14 Clemson...Projected Loss
9/21 Western Michigan...Projected Win
9/28 Holy Cross...Projected Win
10/10 at NC State...Projected Loss
10/18 Pittsburgh...Projected Win
10/26 at Florida State...Projected Loss
11/2 Boston College...Projected Win
11/16 at Duke...Projected Win
11/23 at Louisville...Projected Win
11/30 Wake Forest...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 8
Comments: Syracuse exceeded all expectations last season by winning 10 games (including a bowl win over West Virginia). It's not unreasonable to have high expectations once again, but there is also the school of thought that the Orange could slip back a bit without Eric Dungy at QB this season. The NC State game is a swing game as a projected loss, as is the game against Pitt as a win. Boston College could be a swing as well, as could be Duke in Durham. Wake Forest, in the season finale, also projects as a swing game that could go either way.

Virginia
2018 Wins: 8

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 at Pittsburgh...Projected Loss
9/6 William & Mary...Projected Win
9/14 Florida State...Projected Loss
9/21 Old Dominion...Projected Win
9/28 at Notre Dame...Projected Loss
10/11 at Miami...Projected Loss
10/19 Duke...Projected Win
10/26 at Louisville...Projected Win
11/2 at North Carolina...Projected Win
11/9 Georgia Tech...Projected Win
11/23 Liberty...Projected Win
11/29 Virginia Tech...Projected Loss

Projected Wins: 7
Comments: Of the games I have projected as losses, games against Pitt and Miami project as swing games that can go either way, which could increase the win total with some luck to 9. Projected wins that are swing games come against Duke, Georgia Tech, and what should be an upset minded Liberty team. We are looking at a range of anywhere from 5 to 9 wins for the Cavaliers in 2019.

Virginia Tech
2018 Wins: 6

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/31 Boston College...Projected Win
9/7 Old Dominion...Projected Win
9/14 Furman...Projected Win
9/27 Duke...Projected Win
10/5 at Miami...Projected Win
10/12 Rhode Island...Projected Win
10/19 North Carolina...Projected Win
11/2 at Notre Dame...Projected Loss
11/9 Wake Forest...Projected Win
11/16 at Georgia Tech...Projected Win
11/23 Pittsburgh...Projected Win
11/29 at Virginia...Projected Win

Projected Wins: 11
Comments: This is a very high total for the Hokies, especially coming off of a tough 2018 season, but the Hokies could be a huge story this season in the ACC, and the schedule is incredibly forgiving, especially early. The conference schedule is built for success, as is a very easy non con schedule. Swing games are coming against Boston College, Duke, Miami, and Wake Forest, however, so we are looking at a wide range of wins, from 7 to 11. Still, I expect a huge bounce back from Virginia Tech in 2019.

Wake Forest
2018 Wins: 7

2019 Schedule With Projections
8/30 Utah State...Projected Loss
9/7 at Rice...Projected Win
9/12 North Carolina...Projected Win
9/21 Elon...Projected Win
9/28 at Boston College...Projected Loss
10/12 Louisville...Projected Win
10/19 Florida State...Projected Loss
11/2 NC State...Projected Win
11/9 at Virginia Tech...Projected Loss
11/16 at Clemson...Projected Loss
11/23 Duke...Projected Win
11/30 at Syracuse...Projected Win

Projected Wins: 7
Comments: Wake Forest is usually an uneven team that you tend to avoid at all costs at the sportsbook. The win when the should lose, and lose when they should win. Swing games should come against Utah State, Boston College, NC State, Duke, and Syracuse. I project a current range of anywhere between 4 and 8 wins.

Grading the College Football Coaching Hires

For what was supposed to be a slow coaching carousel season, we ended up with 23 total coaching changes out of 130 FBS programs to end 2018, and strangely enough, we ended up with exactly the same number of changes on the FCS level as well. Here is our look at the changes, and how each school did during the process of filling their openings:

Akron 
Out: Terry Bowden
In: Tom Arth
Arth is just 37 years old, and his playing career ended in just 2008, as a QB in the Arena Football League. He ended up at John Carroll as an assistant in 2010, and took over there as head coach in 2013, and stayed there until 2016, when he elevated from the D3 school to take over at FCS level Chattanooga after a 40-8 run. Things did not get off to a rolling start at Chattanooga, as he went 3-8 in year one, and then finished 6-5 in year two before being offered the job at Akron. He has a solid base of knowledge and contacts at the D3 level, but he has never coached, even as an assistant, at the FBS level before. This was a risky hire that could blow up, or it could pay long term dividends. I am not all that confident.
Grade: C

Appalachian State
Out: Scott Satterfield (Louisville)
In: Eli Drinkwitz
Drinkwitz is a career offensive assistant who will be getting his first opportunity as a head coach. He has a solid body of work, which includes being OC at NC State the last 3 seasons. He worked at Boise State, Auburn, and Arkansas State prior to joining the Pack as OC. He has a reputation as being a first rate QB guy who runs an offense that may open things up a bit at App State moving forward. Satterfield continued an era of big time success in Boone, and Drinkwitz is set up to succeed nicely moving forward.
Grade: B+

Bowling Green
Out: Mike Jinks
In: Scot Loeffler
Loeffler has been kicking around as an assistant since 1996, and finally gets his first crack at being head coach with the Falcons. This job is going to be a huge undertaking, as the program has disintegrated since Dino Babers left for Syracuse. Jinks was a mistake hire, one made sight unseen, and it could take years for the program to get back on track again. Loeffler comes most recently from Boston College, where he rebuilt a stagnant offense to get BC into the conversation for an ACC divisional title in 2018. He had been at BC since 2016 as OC, and came from Virginia Tech, where he spent from 2013-2015 as OC/QB coach. He has previous experience at Auburn, Temple, Florida, Michigan, and Central Michigan, and spent one season as QB coach with the Detroit Lions in 2008. He will need time and patience to get the job done, and so grading the hire is tough to do based on what he is walking into.
Grade: B

Central Michigan
Out: John Bonamego
In: Jim McElwain
Florida was a terrible fit for McElwain, and things fell apart there fairly quickly. He has an overall coaching record of 44-28, with stops at both Florida and Colorado State as a head coach. He significantly improved the Colorado State program over 3 years, as he started at 4-8 in year one, moved to 8 wins in year 2, and finished with 10 wins in year 3. He was in Fort Collins from 2012-14. He then left for the Gators, where he regressed each season, finishing with 10 wins in year one, 9 wins in year 2, and he was fired midway through year 3 with just a 3-4 record. He spent the 2018 season as WR coach at Michigan before landing on his feet at CMU, where Bonagemo finished with the worst season in Chippewa history with just one win in 2018. McElwain can coach, and this spot may just be perfect for him. It's not as bad a rebuilding task as Bowling Green or Kent State are, as success has come to CMU in recent years. The truth is, however, that if this does not work out, McElwain is done as a head coach. Take that to the bank.
Grade: B-

Charlotte
Out: Brad Lambert
In: Will Healy
Brad Lambert was the only coach that Charlotte has ever had, and while he did an admirable job getting this program started, it was obvious that he had done all he could to this point, and it was time for new blood and new eyes to guide the program to the next phase.
Healy comes in with a highly thought of reputation for doing the impossible...winning at Austin Peay. APSU was one of the worst programs in all of FCS football before his arrival, and he managed an 8 win season there in 2017. The program slowed in 2018, and that was a little bit concerning. What I have yet to see is if Healy is truly a youthful super hero head coach, or simply a flash in the pan that does not have staying power. We shall see shortly. He is just 33 years old, and has an overall record of 13-21. He slid from 8 wins in 2017 to 5 in 2018.
Grade: C+

Coastal Carolina
Out: Joe Moglia
In: Jamey Chadwell
Moglia stepped down in January, but it wasn't much of a surprise for a coach that has had some serious health issues over the last couple of seasons. Chadwell was the most sensible choice for the job, and was part of an apparent succession plan anyway, so he gets the job. He was responsible for building up a doormat program at Charleston Southern, and did so to a large degree, but there were some questionable measures taken to get there along the way. If he can keep his nose clean, and keep from cutting corners a second time, this may just work out in the end. Still, there are questions.
Grade: C

Colorado
Out: Mike McIntyre
In: Mel Tucker
Tucker was largely thought of as one of the best defensive minds in college football the last several years, but this will be his first shot as a head coach on the college level, after spending 5 games as an interim head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011, when he went 2-3. Tucker has been the DC at Georgia since 2016, and was the DB coach at Alabama prior, for one season in 2015. He worked at Ohio State as DB coach and Co-DC from 2001-04, and also had college stops at LSU, Miami (OH), and Michigan State. He spent 9 years in the NFL (2005-14), with stops in Cleveland, Jacksonville, and Chicago. A lot of people are high on this hire, but I am reserved on it, as I felt there were better candidates available with a better grip on the region. This is not one of the better jobs in the PAC-12, and Tucker could be set up to struggle.
Grade: C+

East Carolina
Out: Scottie Montgomery
In: Mike Houston
I gave the hiring of Montgomery, when it was made, an F. ECU was finally forced to rectify that mistake, and move on from Montgomery after a miserable run that would have had the Pirates as the worst team in AAC football, if U Conn didn't find a way to actually be worse.
Houston has been a winner at every stop on his career path. This will be his 4th stop as a head coach since 2011, where he has built winners along the way. He started at D2 Lenoir-Rhyne in 2011, finishing 29-8 overall, and 19-2 in conference play. He took the Bears to the 2013 national title game, and the Bears finished runner-up. He then moved on to the Citadel in 2014, and after a 5-7 first season coaching the perennial doormat Bulldogs, he turned the program into an 9 game winner in 2015, and took the team to the playoffs for the first time in modern memory, where they lost in the second round. He took over at James Madison in 2016 and won the FCS national championship in his first season with the Dukes, breaking the North Dakota State stranglehold on the title. He won 14 games in year one, and then won another 14 in year 2, as the Duke lost in the national title game that season. In 2018, JMU won 9 games, and lost in the second round of the playoffs. He finished 14-11 at The Citadel, and 37-6 at JMU. While at JMU, he finished 22-2 in Colonial Athletic Association play. His total record is 80-25 as a head coach. He has one other college stop as an assistant, working one season at Brevard (2006) as DC. He was the head coach at TC Roberson High School from 2001-05, and had served as DC there from 1996-2000. He was also the DC at Forbush High School from 1994-95.
Houston is purely a winner who knows how to get programs on track and keeps them there. His presence should be a breath of fresh air at ECU moving forward.
Grade: A+

Georgia Tech
Out: Paul Johnson
In: Geoff Collins
Collins has been in the coaching game since 1994, and has been all over the college football landscape since then. He comes from Temple, where he overachieved in some eyes, especially in 2018, when Temple overcame a slow start to win 8 games on the season, while making a run at the AAC East title that eventually fell just short. He finished 15-10 in his only stint as a college head coach, but at Temple, that is a celebrated number.
He had served as DC at Florida in 2015-16, and also served at Mississippi State in the same capacity from 2011-14. He also has stops at FIU, UCF, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Western Carolina, Albright, and Fordham, and served on the staff at Franklin High School for one season in 1995.
Collins is ready for this job, and will be transitioning the offense away from Johnson's triple option attack, so patience will be a required thing as he starts to change the face of the program to a more modern look. Still, this was a solid hire for a coach that knows how to get things done with less than his competition at times, and he has experience working in this program.
Grade: B+

Houston
Out: Major Applewhite
In: Dana Holgorsen
This was not a shocking move given the expectations that were laid out for Applewhite when he took the job. The simple fact was that Applewhite was not up to the task or the expectations, and alienated his best player in Ed Oliver during a tumultuous season. All of that was followed up by a bowl game disaster, where Houston gave up 70 points to Army in one of the worst bowl routs in college football history. For a guy who spent a better part of the last decade by getting a ton of hype that he had never really earned, Applewhite really disappointed.
Holgorsen's hire was an ambitious move, followed by a messy and poorly handled firing of Applewhite. Holgorsen had long been rumored to be losing his love of the West Virginia job, and was tied in a battle for an extension that he was never going to win. He never lived up to all of his hype in Morgantown, and the administration was not keen to give him a bloated contract that they would likely end up regretting later. In short, they allowed him to walk away.
For Houston, they get a re-energized Holgorsen that returns to his roots in the Southwest. He will get a massive payday for making the move, and will get a Power 5 assistant salary pool in a G5 league. With UCF likely to slow down and reload a bit, the door is open for Houston to take off under him, and become a power in their own right, which may very well be very good for the overall game in general, as another emerging G5 power is absolutely needed. In short, Houston completely upgraded themselves with this move.
Grade: A

Kansas
Out: David Beaty
In: Les Miles
Talk about upgrading...Beaty was another hire that got my dreaded F grade when he was brought on in Lawrence, and that proved to be correct, as the program continued to sink  under his watch. Kansas had made a series of such blundering hires since Mark Mangino was sent packing over a decade ago, and the program has suffered under the strain of bad management. Jeff Long was brought in as AD to fix the program by any means possible, and he fired a loud shot early on by moving on from the unheralded Beaty to sign Miles, which on paper, is a massive upgrade.
Miles is a national title winning coach who knows how to get the recruits on board. His biggest knock is his refusal to upgrade the offense to a more modern approach while at LSU. Nick Saban also emerged at Alabama, which forced LSU to a second stage situation in the SEC under his watch, and that hurt him there as well. Here is the thing...Miles will not have the pressure of chasing ridiculous national titles at Kansas. All he has to do is win regularly enough to get the Jayhawks out of the Big 12 basement and into solid bowl games, which is not too much to ask. If he can do that, he becomes a God in Lawrence.
Grade: A+

Kansas State
Out: Bill Snyder
In: Chris Klieman
This hire just made sense on every level. Klieman is 71-13 at North Dakota State, and 16-1 in the postseason, and his system is so close in nature to what Kansas State looks like, it's ridiculous to think anything other than he is simply changing color schemes. Klieman is the absolute perfect choice to take over for Snyder at Kansas State, and should bring in a period of harmonious change to the program, especially after the ego fueled drama as to how Snyder was handling his process the last 2 years.
Klieman is a winner, and winners win wherever they go. Kansas State should emerge from this change as a better, more focused program, and I would certainly be worried if I were the other Big 12 schools moving forward.
Grade: A+

Liberty
Out: Turner Gill
In: Hugh Freeze
This move had an element of tragedy, as Gill was forced to walk away to care for his Wife who has fallen ill. Gill was not really ready to retire, and had actually exceeded expectations a great deal in the first year of FBS membership for the Flames.
What the Freeze hire is religious lip service. He spouts all the crap one would expect him to based on his transgressions over the last few years, and while being fired unceremoniously for well publicized reasons at Ole Miss. He is simply a very risky hire at a very vulnerable time, and this move was made by an administration that proved that they just don't get it. Funny how even at a religious institution, souls can be sold for the convenience and the promise of glory.
Grade: D

Louisville
Out: Bobby Petrino
In: Scott Satterfield
Sattefield comes off a very successful run at Appalachian State, while Petrino 2.0 was a big disappointment. Even when he had Lamar Jackson, a once in a generation college player, he simply never could meet expectations or get over the hump at Louisville, and with a total collapse in the midst of a chaotic year for the Louisville athletic department, the administration decided on a full revenue sport reset button hit, and fired Petrino despite a large buyout. It was a gutsy move that should pay dividends moving forward, even if it takes more time than some would like.
The football program is on the skids, and this is, make no mistake, a rebuilding project that begins now. Satterfield has the personality to get it done, and the smarts, and he could have the project working at an accelerated pace soon. This was, in short, a rock solid hire.
Grade: A

Maryland
Out: DJ Durkin
In: Mike Locksley
Locksley has largely rebuilt his reputation at Alabama on the backs of great talent, but his record as a head coach, on and off the field, has been nothing short of awful. He is 3-31 overall as a head coach in one stint at New Mexico, and that stint was shrouded in drama with accusations aplenty regarding harassment claims. Maryland moved on from DJ Durkin in the wake of a player death scandal, and if they really wanted to move on and upward, this was likely the last hire they should have made. They also failed to land any of the top rated transfer talent in the market, namely Jalen Hurts and Tate Martell, which should also dampen expectations overall. Josh Jackson of Virginia Tech is coming, but he is hardly a proven commodity at this point, and has an injury history as well to be concerned about.
Grade: F

Miami
Out: Mark Richt
In: Manny Diaz
Diaz has a history in Miami that runs deeply, but he has just accepted the Temple job, and then bailed on them within days when this job opened up. Hardly what one could call classy.
Richt took this job after departing Georgia with the thought that the program was not very far away from being a top national power once again, but he could not have been farther from the truth. Miami is no better with his departure as they were with his arrival, and the career of Diaz, who has moved around extensively over the last decade, is a mixed bag. Going home again is not always the right answer, and Diaz could very well work, but as for now, he seems in over his head here, and the hire seemed to be pre-determined, and extensively knee jerked.
Grade: C-

North Carolina
Out: Larry Fedora
In: Mack Brown
Speaking of never going home again, Brown returns from retirement to take back over a program that he had once built into a power. The main issue is that Brown built that program quite some time ago, and nobody on his roster is old enough to remember when he did it. This has all the trappings of expectations gone wrong, much like when John Robinson once returned to USC for a second time. Brown's last years at Texas were frought with a coach who had lost his grip, and had lost his toouch, and seemed to lack the energy to carry on. I can't see that enough time has gone by to energize his engine, and like at Miami, this seemed like such a knee jerk hire.
Grade: D

Northern Illinois
Out: Rod Carey
In: Thomas Hammock
Hammock comes over from a stint as RB coach with the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL to take over from Rod Carey, who, no matter his successes, always seemed to be embattled with a fickle fan base at NIU. Hammock's RBs with the Ravens were hardly what I would call a stellar group, and he is a first time head coach, who has never been a full time coordinator. He has also hired a who's who list of who the hell is that type assistants, so this move has some issues. Stay tuned, but it looks like a reach hire early.
Grade: D

Ohio State
Out: Urban Meyer
In: Ryan Day
Day was the interim coach last season when Meyer was suspended, and did a stellar job, but if anyone thinks that he actually coached that team during that time, and Urban Meyer did not completely script the game plans for him, then you are simply foolish. Day has still got to prove himself as the undisputed head coach of the Buckeyes now, and there is no curtain to hide behind if things don't work out immediately. BY all impressions, this was a solid hire, and there were plenty of other teams interested in hiring him if he did not get the head job in Columbus, including NFL teams. His reputation as a stellar, young offensive mind is universally accepted in the business, and it should all be on display at a place where slipping backwards is not afforded.
Grade: A

Temple
Out: Geoff Collins, Manny Diaz
In: Rod Carey
The coaching carousel seemed a bit of a circus for the Owls, but I believe that the job ultimately ended up in solid hands with Carey, who escapes his harsh treatment by demanding people at Northern Illinois. Remember that Carey did the unthinkable at NIU, by getting the Huskies into a BCS era Orange Bowl appearance, where they pushed Florida State. The money earned by that appearance was used by Carey and the athletic department staff to seriously upgrade football facilities at NIU, something they had not envisioned being able to do prior. Carey can coach, and Temple probably got a better option the second time around in the hiring process. Carey also brought seven of his assistants with him from the Huskies.
Grade: A

Texas State
Out: Everett Withers
In: Jake Spavital
It has long been assumed that Spavital would end up as a head coach somewhere, and he gets his first shot at one of the toughest jobs in the nation at Texas State. The Bobcats were never a serious FCS (1-AA) threat, and have been even less of one as an FBS program, and there seems to have been a lack of coaches with the vision to change that narrative. Spavital is, by their credit, the biggest name they have hired in some time, and now he has to prove that he can get it done at a program that has never known sustained success in the modern era. One note of interest is that Spavital hired known offensive guru Bob Stitt to run the offense, and this is a very good thing.
Grade: B+

Texas Tech
Out: Kliff Kingsbury
In: Matt Wells
Kingsbury never got it going at Texas Tech despite having plenty of time to do so. Wells was a hot target a few years ago, but then saw his star diminish somewhat with a downturn at Utah State. Wells bounced back in 2018 as Utah State made a solid run in Mountain West play, and Wells didn't stick around to watch his popularity diminish once again, which was quite smart. He brought a majority of his USU staff along with him (9 assistants), so there should be some operational efficiency in order. He won't have to win Big 12 titles every year to succeed, he just has to make a run and go bowling, and that should be within reach.
Grade: B

Troy
Out: Neal Brown
In: Chip Lindsey
Neal Brown is a rock solid football coach who took Troy from a program that was sinking in indifference to a program that was fully restored to previous glory. Brown, however, does not define Troy football, and he moved on to a power job, as had been long rumored. Chip Lindsey now has his shot to put his stamp on a program that has long had terrific coaches, and his reputation is that of a guy who will make it happen. Brown was fantastic, and Lindsey should pick up the ball and carry it to the next successful chapter. Troy should be in very good shape moving forward.
Grade: B+

U Mass
Out: Mark Whipple
In: Walt Bell
Whipple is one of those guys who we talk about in the warning tale of never going home again. His second stint with the Minutemen was simply not remotely up to par, but, in his defense, the program was a member of the FCS ranks when he was there before, and the competition was more of a level field than when he returned to an FBS program that has annually been at the bottom of those ranks. Bell comes from Florida State, where he was the OC of an offense that stumbled at times last fall. This will also be his 7th school in less than a decade, which shows a lack of staying power and consistency as he rose up the ranks. His name has not been one on the lips of people in the industry that talk about rising stars, so this should be interesting. The one question is, however, who else were they going to get?
Grade: D-

Utah State
Out: Matt Wells
In: Gary Anderson
Anderson is yet another coach going back to where it all began, a second time hitting the home well as it were. This time, it could actually work. Anderson simply never should have left this job for Wisconsin, and then Oregon State, as he did. When he took over in Logan, the Aggies were an abominable mess, and he built the program up in a short time by committing to 4 year players instead of taking the lazy route of JC transfers that other struggling and middling programs often do. He built a sustainable pipeline at Utah State, and handed that off to Matt Wells, who has now handed it back. In short order, bringing Anderson back was the only move that really made sense here.
Grade: A

West Virginia
Out: Dana Holgorsen
In: Neal Brown
Holgo had basically worn himself out at West Virginia, and largely failed to grab the golden ring when it was available for him to do so by not winning any Big 12 titles, and largely falling short of expectations. He moves on to Houston, where he has a better shot a rebranding himself moving forward. There was not a lack of any success, however, but the program enters what appears as somewhat of a rebuilding process with the departure of Will Grier at QB. Without him in the bowl against Syracuse, the Mountaineers looked largely pedestrian in a loss. Brown will get things running in the right direction in short order, and while there may be a bit of a step back in 2019, WVU is in good hands moving forward.
Grade: A

College Football Quarterbacks to Watch: AAC 2019

The American Athletic Conference QB position will have some dynamic shifts and changes as we head into 2019, with McKenzie Milton, the undoubted star of the league, likely set to miss the season with his severe leg injury from 2018 still in play. Ben Hicks, who would be starting for SMU, has also moved on as a transfer to Arkansas. With that in mind, here are the QBs in the conference that you should be looking for to make a splash in the AAC for 2019:

D'Eriq King, Houston
King broke through as a big time star, even if he was marred by a poor coaching job by Major Applewhite and his staff last fall that ended with the firing of the entire staff. With Dana Holgorsen leaving West Virginia to take over at Houston in 2019, that can only serve as good news for King, who may very well be a dark horse for QB of the year nationally in the new system. King passed for 2983 yards and 36 scores last season, and with just 6 INTs on the season, he finished with a striking 6:1 TD to INT ratio. He also shined when it came to accuracy, showing improvements in that area by completing 63.5% of his passes. He averaged 271.1 yards per game through the air, and added a dynamic 674 yards rushing and 14 more scores, while averaging 6.71 yards per carry. If you are looking for a breakout star that should be getting more national attention, this is your candidate for that role.

Shane Buechele, SMU
Taking over for Ben Hicks will be Buechele, who fell out of favor at Texas the moment Tom Herman landed in Austin. He was never going to beat out Sam Ehlinger for the job again, so he moved on and found a landing spot in Dallas with the Mustangs and coach Sonny Dykes, as Ben Hicks moved on to Arkansas. Buechele should flourish in Dykes' offense. He was solid, but unspectacular, as a freshman for Charlie Strong at Texas, as he passed for 246.5 yards per game, with 21 TDs to 11 picks, while completing 60.4% of his passes. He was limited by injury as a sophomore in 2017, playing just 9 games. He passed for just 156 yards per game that season, but completed 64.3 % of his passes, which was still a nearly 7% bonus above what Ehlinger did that season. He repeated his accuracy increase last fall to 68.2% in 2018, but played in just 2 games. With his accuracy levels being what they are, he should be a hero in the SMU offensive system.

Brady White, Memphis
White may not be as effective as Riley Ferguson was, but he was completely dependable in 2018 as a first year starter, and should show signs of development as a senior in Mike Norvell's system in 2019. He passed for 3296 yards and 26 TDs to just 9 INTs on the year, and completed 62.8% of his passes. He averaged 235 yards passing per game, while the Tigers adjusted to a more balanced attack, with more emphasis on the run game. Some talent has moved on from that run game, so he may need to take on an increased work load this fall, which should be fun to watch.

Desmond Ritter, Cincinnati
There has been no secret that the QB position at Cincinnati has been a rotating door of slop for some time now. There is also no doubt that with the installation of Ritter at QB last fall, the Bearcats shocked everyone and made a legitimate run at an AAC title under Luke Fickell as head coach. It would seem that the dark times have moved for the Bearcats. Ridder passed for 2445 yards with 20 TDs to just 5 INTs, and rushed for 572 yards and 3 more scores, all as a freshman.

Holton Ahlers, East Carolina
Ahlers makes this list based on his 4:1 TD to INT ratio last season, but he has a long road to travel. Still, he showed some flashes that he can get the job done, but first, he must improve upon his dismal accuracy, as he completed just 48.8% of his passes as a freshman. Still, there is plenty to mold for a new coaching staff under Mike Houston, who replaces Scottie Montgomery, who was an abject failure as head coach of the once proud Pirates. If ECU is to get back on track as being a power in this league, it all starts at the QB position, and while he is the likely starter, there is no guarantee until the new staff has evaluated the position in camps.

Darriel Mack, Jr., UCF
With Milton out this season with his injury, it all falls on Mack, a talented, yet streaky performer, who will have to carry a large load with plenty of expectations. Mack had some streaks that were just hard to watch in the AAC title game and in the bowl game against LSU, but still showed enough promise that he should be considered the starter from day one. He will be one of the biggest position question marks heading into 2019 in the AAC, but if it all works out, he could become a rising star.

State of College Football: Ohio State Buckeyes 2019

Ohio State Buckeyes 2019 Look Ahead

Final 2018 PRS Ranking: #3

Ohio State was on their annual cruise to the national playoff and Big 10 title when they ran into a buzz saw at Purdue, and as annual as their title chase has been, so has been the one inexplicable loss to a team that the Buckeyes should have thoroughly dominated. That one loss sent the Buckeyes packing to 5th in the playoff rankings, one spot out of the shot at the national title shot. Of course, the backup prize of a trip to the Rose Bowl is never a bad thing, but it is when you don't necessarily want to be there. The Buckeyes showed up, and dominated Washington early, before taking their foot off the pedal to let the Huskies sneak back up on them, making what should have been a blowout into what became a narrow win instead. Dwayne Haskins was a superb find at QB, but he is now gone, as is backup Tate Martell, who will take his abilities to a QB void in Miami. Will celebrated transfer Josh Fields be allowed to play immediately, or will he be forced to sit out a year under standard transfer rules (he should have to)? That may dictate the 2019 Buckeyes season that also will not see Urban Meyer patrolling the sidelines, migraines or not. One way or the other, Ryan Day will have quite a bit of work to do to follow up this act. \

Quarterbacks
With both Haskins, who had an all-time great season at Ohio State, and Martell gone, the real watch will be on any ruling on Josh Fields and his transfer from Georgia. If Fields is ruled ineligible until 2020, next season could be messy at the QB position. Chris Chugunov, Daniel Vanatsky, Matthew Baldwin, and Kory Curtis all return, but they do not have a snap of experience among themselves, and while talented to a degree, this group should make people shudder to think that any one of them would have the keys handed over. There is also not one QB in the dedicated 2019 class committed as of yet, which makes this situation more problematic.

Running Backs
When JK Dobbins emerged as a freshman in 2017, Mike Weber started to slowly take a back seat to the talented youngster, and while his numbers were good, they were not as spectacular as one would have liked to have seen. Weber has now moved on early for the NFL, and now it is Dobbins who is the primary back, with Weber's absence leaving a tremendous hole at the RB2 spot. Dobbins slipped backwards a bit as a sophomore, rushing for 1053 yards and 10 scores, but he averaged just 4.58 yards per carry, which is a slight bit pedestrian in today's explosive spread game. He cannot afford another slip in numbers if the Buckeyes are to end up without Fields at QB, and probably just as much if they have him. Master Teague is the next most experienced back coming to spring camp, and he carried just 17 times. Marcus Crowley is the only solid commit that the Buckeyes are looking at, and he rated as a 3 star.

Receivers
This is another potential area of concern, as the Buckeyes lose 3 of their top 4 receivers. Paris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, and Johnnie Dixon have all moved on. KJ Hill is the most experienced receiver returning, and he posted a line of 68-865-6, and averaged 12.72 yards per catch. Binjimin Victor and Austin Mack are expected to step up, and combined for 47 receptions, but they also combined for just 5 scores on the year. The Buckeyes need to find a replacement for a big play, downfield threat for their offense in 2019. Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams should likely get a shot to impress as incoming freshmen, and 6 players who were freshmen in 2018 will get a solid look in spring camp as well.
Luke Farrell, Rashod Berry, and Jeremy Ruckert all caught passes at TE, and all of them are projected to return.

Offensive Line
Michael Jordan, who started at C in the Rose Bowl, will leave early for the NFL as an OT. LG Michael Pridgeon and RT Isaiah Prince, also will be departing as seniors. Thayer Munford is projected to return at LT, and RG Wyatt Davis, who will be a junior, also will return. Gavin Cupp, a junior next season projects as the possible starter at LG, while Josh Myers, a RS sophomore in 2019, will project to start at C. Nicholas Petit-Frere, a true sophomore, projects to step in at RT. Of course, all will get some competition for those spots in spring and fall camp. Look for Harry Miller, a 5 star C from Georgia, to get into the mix at C, and Ryan Jacoby, a 4 star from Mentor, Ohio, to get into the mix at the open OT spot. Doug Nester, a 4 star from Huntington, WV should get into the mix at OG in camp as well. 11 others who were not on the two deep will be in the mix in camp as well.

Defensive Line
Dre'Mont Jones has moved on early from his DT spot to the NFL, but there is plenty of talent returning up front for the Buckeyes in 2019. Chase Young and Jonathon Cooper should both be back at the DE spots, and Young led the team in TFLs in 2018 with 14.5. Tyreke Smith and Tyler Friday both should be back to back up Young, while Jashon Cornell is also back as the primary reserve behind Cooper, giving the Buckeyes one of the deepest sets of DEs in the nation. With Jones gone, Haskell Garrett and Taron Vincent should continue their competition into the season at DT, but both will play plenty in a rotation. Robert Landers and Davon Hamilton are both projected to return at NT, and will rotate with each other in the middle of the line. This unit should be one of the best in the nation in 2019 across the board.
The Buckeyes recruited solidly as well, with a pair of new DEs coming in, as well as one DT coming in the class as well. Look for Zach Hamilton to be the star of this class on the line at DE.

Linebackers
The Buckeyes should be rock solid here as well, as all three starters are projected to return in 2019 in Malik Harrison, Tuf Broland, and Pete Werner. This group combined for 25 TFLs on the season, and also combined for 207 tackles as a unit. Keandre Jones returns to back up Harrison, and Baron Browning and Justin Hilliard both return to back up Borland in the middle. The only question entering spring ball will be who will back up Werner? Dante Booker has moved on. Dallas Gant, a sophomore who recorded 6 total tackles, may get first crack, but incoming freshman Cade Stover may have some action there as well.

Secondary
Again, there is plenty of good news to go around, as every starter or player who was competing for time, is expected to return. Kendall Sheffield and Damon Arnette, Jr. are both back at CB, as is Jeffrey Okudah, who was competing with Arnette to start in the Rose Bowl. Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson, who were battling to back up Sheffield, are also both projected to return to the Buckeyes at the CB spot.
Brendon White is back at FS, and Wade could see time here as well. Jordan fuller will be back at SS, with Amir Riep, Jahsen Wint, and Marcus Hooker all back to battle out for back up time there. The Buckeyes also have a pair of incoming freshmen at the Safety spot who could vie for rotational playing time in 2019, or could see a RS for action in 2020.

Special Teams
Sean Nuernberger is gone at PK, but Blake Haubeil, who battled with him all season, is back after hitting 10/13 FGs last fall. With the job in his hands, expect increased production out of Haubeil in 2019.
Drue Chrisman was rock solid at Punter last season, averaging over 43 yards per punt, and will return to handle the job next fall as well.
KJ Hill and CJ Saunders will both battle in camp again for the PR job, as both had a crack at it in 2018, but neither overwhelmed. Sevyn Banks, a sophomore in 2019, could sneak in and steal the job with a good run in spring or fall ball. Demario McCall could get a look here as well.
McCall will be back to return kicks, but his partner is gone in Dixon. Saunders or Hall could fill in the void.

2019 Projection
The Buckeyes will absolutely be set up to have one of the best defenses in the nation last season after several lapses occurred in 2018. Alex Grinch has moved on to Oklahoma as DC, so there will be some changes with the new staff to be seen, and some adjustments to be made. The talent will be there, and there will be no excuses this time if things don't go as planned, like during the Purdue and Maryland games, as well as some other spots.
Offensively, the Buckeyes have some big questions to answer at QB, WR, and along the line. This may be the major issue next fall if the Buckeyes fall short of winning the Big 10 title. With a new coach in Ryan Day, and the questions on the offensive side of the football, this is the big chance for Michigan, Penn State, and Maybe Michigan State, to finally get some shots in and take the East title away.

State of College Football: Alabama Crimson Tide 2019

Alabama Crimson Tide 2019 Look Ahead

Final 2018 PRS Ranking: #2

Alabama coasted in 2018, but how much of it had to do with a soft schedule that never really challenged a talented bunch with a coaching staff that was about to completely come apart in and after the national championship game? The truth is that this team was not challenged until the final month, and almost lost to a very good Georgia team in the SEC title game before getting it together and coming back to win late. The Tide also failed to cover in an impressive spread in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma, as they allowed the Sooners to hang around late, while never truly being in jeopardy of losing. Then came the championship disaster against Clemson, where the Tide's inefficient defense crumbled for the final 3 quarters of an absolute onslaught, where the staff was outplayed and out coached from the starting whistle. There will be major shakeups in the staff, especially on the offensive side of the football, and while Clemson has maintained stability, Alabama is starting to show signs of breakage, with a does of staff instability and mayhem.

Quarterbacks
Tua Tagavailoa will be back, but the fallback option of Jalen Hurts will not be there when Tua gets banged up, or when the Tide has a huge lead at the end of 3 quarters, which was a usual thing this fall. Tagavailoa had a stellar season, when he passed for 3966 yards with 43 scores and 6 INTs. There was a lot of blow back when he failed to lure in the Heisman, but the reality is that Kyler Murray added a whole dimension as a runner, with similar passing numbers, that Tua did not generate. It really was not that big a deal, or at least not as it was made out to be. That did not remove the fact that Tua was simply terrific all season long, and Tide fans can rejoice the fact that he returns, hopefully healthy, in 2019, for one more year of duty before likely heading off early to the NFL. Jalen Hurts will be transferring, so the backup situation is not as clear, and will have to be ironed out in spring and fall camps. Mac Jones likely gets first dibs on the job, but he was not exactly overwhelmingly terrific in his rare chances in 2018 as a freshman. There will be a likely competition for the backup role upcoming.

Running Backs
The herd will be thinned out a bit in 2019, as the top 2 rushers on the 2 deep will not be back in Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs. Fear not, however, as the Tide is fairly deep in talent at this spot, with Najee Harris (783 yards, 6.69 yards per carry) and Brian Robinson (272 yards) both returning. Jerome Ford is also back as a sophomore and will be looking for more work next fall. Look for incoming freshmen Keilen Robinson and Trey Sanders (5 star) to have some say in the rotation as well.

Receivers
The Tide will be fairly loaded at the receiver spots next fall, as all of the major components are slated to return, led by the phenomenal Jerry Jeudy, who posted a line of 68-1315-14, and averaged 19.34 yards per catch. Jaylen Waddle was severely underrated as a freshman, and posted a line of 45-848-7, and averaged 18.84 yards per catch as a freshman. Henry Ruggs and DeVonta Smith will both be juniors, and burned up the field to a tune of 88 combined catches with 17 more combined scores. Tyrell Shavers and Cahdarius Townsend will be looking to crack the rotation as well next fall, as both will be RS sophomores.
TE Irv Smith is leaving early for the NFL, which will sting a bit, as he caught 44 passes this season. Hale Hentges, who caught an important pass in the title game, will also be moving on. Miller Forrestall and Major Tennison will both be juniors next fall, and seem to fit as the next men up. Incoming 4 star freshman Jahleel Billingsley will likely be in the competition as well.

Offensive Line
Three starters will need to be replaced now that Jonah Williams (LT) has announced his intent to leave early for the NFL. Lester Cotton (LG) and Ross Pierschbacher (C) were both seniors in 2018. RG Alex Leatherwood and RT Jedrick Wills will both be juniors next fall, and are expected to maintain their starting jobs. Scott Lashley and Chris Owens return from the 3 deep at LT, while Emil Ekiyor looks to be the next man up at LG, and will be a sophomore next fall. Owens and Ekiyor are both in the mix at C as well. The Tide needs to find new backup help at RG, while Richie Petitbon should be back as a RS senior to back up at RT.
Three freshmen are coming in at the OT spot, while two new guards were signed as well.

Defensive Line
The Tide will likely be back running their 3-4 set again next fall, which means that they have to replace 2/3 of their starting lineup after Quinnen Williams declared for the draft, and Isaiah Buggs graduated. That's 33 TFLs in production gone from the 2018 team alone. LaBryan Ray looks to take over for Buggs, and recorded 6 TFLs as a reserve in 2018. Phidarian Mathis, a RS sophomore in 2019, may very well replace Williams at NT, but he is not on the same level thus far. Some good news did come at DE this winter, as Raekwon Davis announced that he would return for his final season.
Finding some depth along the line will be a major task in 2019, as several backups will move into starting roles, and that leaves a void of experience on the bench.
There is young talent coming in at DE, as seven ends were signed to bring some depth to the unit. The group now just needs some experience.

Linebacker
The Tide loses Christian Miller and his promary backup in the title game in James Mosley at SAM, and that will take some work to plug the hole. Eyabi Anoma was the 3rd man on the depth chart, and is first man up for the job. He totaled just 9 tackles in 2018.
Mack Wilson is back to start at MIKE, and totaled 71 tackles on the season. Joshua McMillon and Markail Benton are back as the primary backups in the middle, and they combined for 28 tackles on the season. The middle of the defense should be more than set.
Dylan Moses returns as the starter at WILL, and he led the team with 86 tackles on the season. His primary reserve also returns in Ale Kaho, who wrapped 2018 with 11 tackles off the bench.
Anfernee Jennings totaled 50 tackles on the season, and is projected to return to his starting job at JACK. James Mosley was listed as his primary backup, but Cameron Latu, who will be a sophomore, returns to get in more work in the rotation at this spot next fall. He played in just 2 games during the 2018 season, and will need some reps to get experience in camp.
Two new signees will be in camp at the inside spots as well.

Secondary
The secondary had some moments in 2018, but could stand some improvement, as was shown in the title game loss. Saivion Smith and Patrick Surtain II are both back at the CB spots, and depth is solid with the returns of Josh Jobe and Nigel Knott. This group was talented, but mostly young in 2018, and should improve with age next fall. Four signees should add some depth to the pool as well.
Xavier McKinney will be a junior next fall, and returns as the starting SS, while Deionte Thompson is back at FS as a RS senior, or is thus far projected to return. Shyheim Carter is also projected back for his senior season both as the backup at SS and as the Nickel at the STAR position. Jared Mayden and Keaton Anderson are also projected back as key backups at the Safety spots as seniors next fall.
Two new safeties are expected in camp as freshmen as well, giving the Tide one of the deepest secondaries in the nation in 2019.

Special Teams
Joseph Bulovas is back at PK after hitting 14/18 FG attempts as a freshman. He is expected to show some improvement next fall. His return did not stop the staff from recruiting another kicker in Will Reichard, a 3 star recruit from Hoover.
The Tide struggled at Punter this fall, with neither Mike Bernier nor Skyler DeLong averaging near 40 yards per punt. Bernier is gone, and DeLong returns. The staff did not address this situation in the recruiting class.
Jacobs was the primary KR man, and will need replacing. Robinson, Ruggs, and Najee Harris will vie for the role in spring and fall camps.
Waddle likely handles PR duty again next fall after averaging a whopping 14.56 yards per return with one score.

Non Conference Schedule
Criticism should continue on this front, as Alabama takes on another platter of cupcakes out of conference once again. Duke, New Mexico State, Southern Miss, and a late season tilt with FCS member Western Carolina lines the easy road schedule once again, and once again, Alabama will not be playing a true road game out of conference. Cupcakes, cupcakes, and more cupcakes.

2019 Projection
Despite large scale staff turnover, and some questions here and there on both lines, the Tide really should not be challenged much once again, especially due to their overall very weak schedule. As much as I hate to say it, with this very inadequate championship system we are forced to deal with, it would not be surprising to see Alabama right back in the title game against Clemson once again in 2019.

State of College Football: Clemson Tigers 2019

Clemson Tigers 2019 Look Ahead

Final 2018 PRS Ranking: #1

With a second national title under his belt, Dabo Swinney is starting to show he has what it takes to run Nick Saban and Alabama. Swinney and his staff, especially DC Brent Venables, completely out coached Saban and Alabama in the national title game, which Clemson won in a rout. With the talent coming back, especially on offense, Clemson should be in this spot easily for the next two years.

Quarterback
The Tigers are set in stone over the next two seasons, if Trevor Lawrence can stay healthy. The smartest thing that Swinney and company did all season was to hand the starting job to Lawrence over Kelly Bryant, who transferred to Missouri. Lawrence added a dimension that Bryant simply did not have at QB, and because of the presence of the freshman, the Tigers won the national title. I will stick my neck out on the line to say that if that move did not happen, Clemson does not win the national title, and may not have made the playoffs. This position is now set until the completion of the 2021 season, barring good health. Lawrence passed for 3280 yards, 30 TDs, and just 4 INTs, all while completing a rock solid 65.2% of his passes.

Running Back
Travis Etienne was one of the brightest spots in college football at the RB position in 2018, and rushed for 1658 yards and 24 scores on the season. He balanced out the passing game in measurable ways, and will be back as a junior in 2019, again, solidifying another key spot for the Tigers. He averaged a whopping 8.13 yards per carry on the season, and will be mentioned in pre-season Heisman talks to some degree, as will Lawrence, next season.
Depth is rock solid as well at the position, as Lyn-J Dixon, Tavien Feaster, and Darien Reacher are all slated to return as well.

Wide Receiver
There is more good news here as well, as 5 of the top 6 receivers are all slated to return next fall, including freshman phenom Justyn Ross, who posted a line of 46-1000-9, all while averaging 21.74 yards per catch. He had a huge coming out party in the championship game for a national audience, and will be considered as one of the top wideouts in the game in 2019. Tee Higgins, who posted 59-936-12, also returns, and should give Lawrence the foundation for one of the top receiving corps in the nation to throw to. Amari Rodgers, Derion Kendrick, Diondre Overton, and TJ Chase all are slated to return as well.

Tight End
The Tigers do not figure much into this position, but Braden Galloway will return if needed as a reliever as well, and will be a sophomore next fall. He led all Tiger TEs with 52 yards receiving.

Offensive Line
Three starters from the national championship game will be slated to return in LG John Simpson, RG Gage Cervenka, and RT Tremayne Anchrum. New starters will need to be found at LT and C, but Jackson Carman, a sophomore next fall, should be able to step into the LT role, while Cervenka may slide over to C. If that is the case, look for Sean Pollard to get first nod at the RG spot in spring and fall camps. Other than the LT and C spot, every other player on the 3 deep will be slated to return in spring camp, barring transfers or other issues. This unit is deep and solid.

Defensive Line
The Tigers may have some rebuilding work to do up front, as Clelin Farrell, Christian Wilkins, and Austin Bryant are all expected to be departing. Expect the front 4 to be young next fall, with Justin Foster, who will be a junior next season, being the senior member of the returning group. Nyles Pinckney will also be a junior at DT, while Jordan Williams and Xavier Thomas will both be sophomores.

Linebacker
MLB Tre Lamar has already declared for the draft from this group, and the position could be a void headed into spring camp. Expect some answers to develop there in a few months. Kendall Joseph also will likely need replacing. Isaiah Simmons, the SLB/NB, led the team in tackles as a sophomore, and should be back for one more season. There should be some open competition at MLB and WLB in camps.

Secondary
We are waiting word on juniors AJ Terrell and Trayvon Mullen at CB to see whether or not they will be returning next fall, as both are draft eligible. If they return, the Tigers will have a deep CB unit, which should be one of the best in the country next season. The backups will be young, but talented in sophomores to be Mario Goodrich, Kyler McMichael, and LeAnthony Williams.
There are similar early questions at Safety, as both players are also draft eligible in K'Von Wallace and Tanner Muse. Muse is more of a LB in the defensive scheme, but is a play maker without special cover skills. Nolan Turner and Denzel Johnson were both primary reserves in the national title game, and are both expected to return in 2019.

Special Teams
Greg Huegel is gone at PK, and was not special in 2018. BT Potter, a freshman in 2018, is next in line to replace him in spring camp. Will Spiers had his moments at Punter, but averaged under 40 yards per punt on the season, and will be back in 2019.
Amari Rodgers will be back on PR duty, while Derion Kendrick will return as the primary KR man.

2019 Non Conference Schedule
After opening the season in ACC play against Georgia Tech on 8/29, Clemson will take on Texas A&M at home, and then follows with highly winnable games against Charlotte and Wofford. They will finish the regular season, as always, against South Carolina on 11/30.

2019 Prediction
Barring issues replacing losses on the defensive side, which are considerable, Clemson should be in very good shape to once again run the table in 2019, especially based on their amazing talent returning on the offensive side of the football. Clemson may very well have the most potentially explosive offense in the nation returning next fall. Lawrence and Etienne could both be Heisman contenders next season for the Tigers. The coaching staff looks to remain intact, and their incoming recruiting class is ranked 6th on average nationally, with 2 five stars coming in from a class of 27 total commits. Look for another title run from the Tigers next fall.