Freshman ineligibility a radical tonic for what ails college sports

Another case of a conference or school that is lamenting the state of college athletics when they were on the fore front off the current state of college athletics.

Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.


Freshman ineligibility a radical tonic for what ails college sports


"The NCAA made freshmen eligible for varsity sports in 1972. More than four decades later, only the romantic and/or delusional believe a return to those more restrained, less moneyed times is possible.
Sure, Wilt Chamberlain, Lew Alcindor and others of their era were relegated to freshman teams. But that was before ESPN, the Internet and social media nationalized major college football and basketball, turning them into multi-billion dollar industries.
Would many (most?) incoming athletes, especially those in football and men's basketball, benefit from a first year absent varsity competition's demands? The Big Ten made a compelling case this month with a 12-page position paper titled "Education First, Athletics Second: The Time for a National Discussion is Upon Us."

 

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany is a champion pot-stirrer, and the discussion he proposes is beyond worthy. As the conference's paper reminds, football and men's basketball rank last among all sports in the NCAA's two academic metrics, graduation success rate and academic progress rate, and the temptation to compromise standards in those sports is fueled by the financial stakes.

 

"Of the 37 major infractions cases involving academic fraud over the past 20 years, all but five (i.e., 32 of the 37) involve either football, men's basketball, or both," the paper says. "Of the 20 academic investigations currently being conducted by the NCAA enforcement staff, 14 involve either football, men's basketball, or both. To put into context, although football and men's basketball account for fewer than 19 percent of all participants in Division I, over 80 percent of academic infractions cases, past or pending, involve these two sports."
The collective academic shortcomings of football and basketball athletes are best discussed at length in a sociology thesis exploring economics, race, secondary public education and a culture that rewards its entertainers with excessive money and status. But the basic fact is, football and basketball players are far less-prepared than their counterparts in other sports, let alone the student population at large, for college's academic rigors.
Back in the Dark Ages, the NCAA used to print annual Graduation Rates reports of 600-plus pages. And for many of those years, until 1998, the data included average standardized test scores and high school core grade-point averages for incoming athletes, broken down by sport.

 

Football and men's basketball always lagged behind, often by wide margins. The 1998 report, for example, charted more than 27,000 scholarship athletes who entered Football Bowl Subdivision schools from 1994-97, and the average GPAs were 2.84 for basketball, 2.85 football and 3.29 all others. The average SAT scores were 936 basketball, 948 football, 1,035 others.
None of the ACC's 15 current schools countered that trend. Closer to home, neither did Football Championship Subdivision William and Mary.
Virginia: The average high school GPAs for football and basketball were 2.78 and 2.94, respectively. All other athletes combined for 3.35. The SAT scores were more jarring with basketball 936, football 958 and other athletes 1,163.
Virginia Tech: Football and basketball GPAs were 2.71 and 2.98, with all other sports at 3.22. The SAT average was 853 basketball, 881 football and 1,014 other athletes.
William and Mary: GPAs were 3.16 basketball, 3.26 football and 3.50 others. SAT scores were 1,088 basketball, 1,099 football and 1,155 others.
The NCAA no longer collects such data, but does anyone believe those disparities have narrowed or vanished? Didn't think so.
William and Mary, Virginia and Virginia Tech graduated an admirable percentage of those athletes, a trend that continues today. And there's the rub.
Personal accountability coupled with administrative support can convert many marginal students into graduates, even honors graduates. Also, many who do not earn degrees can benefit from the social, cultural and intellectual experiences of campus.
Still, change is needed, and pending.
Starting in 2016-17, recruits must attain a 2.3 core high school GPA, up from 2.0, to be eligible as freshmen. Those who fall shy — there's also a sliding scale of corresponding standardized test scores — can receive an academic redshirt year while retaining four years of eligibility.
How much, if any, the enhanced admissions requirement affects academic performance won't be known for years, which I believe is enough to table Delany's suggestion of a football and men's basketball "year in residence," his and the Big Ten's synonym for freshman ineligibility.
To be sure, Delany isn't the most credible agent for temperance, since he and the Big Ten contributed heavily to the present situation, with their money and land grabs. A lecture on over-eating doesn't play well coming from someone who's made multiple trips through the buffet line.
But while awaiting the academic numbers, there is another Delany point to address: The seasons for football and basketball have mushroomed.
"To illustrate perfectly," the Big Ten paper says, "UCLA won the NCAA (basketball) championship in 1972-73, finishing 30-0; if Kentucky had gone undefeated this year, they [sic] would have finished 40-0."
Trim football to 11 regular-season games from 12. Cut basketball to 26 games and eliminate the loophole by which a three- or four-round tournament counts only as one game. There's a start toward shifting the emphasis back toward education.
Alas, given television's need for inventory and schools' reliance on television money, shorter seasons are as likely as freshman ineligibility. But in a time of academic scandal, the status quo could be untenable, a concession to those who proclaim major college athletics is a sham.
Increase academic progress demands once athletes are enrolled? Further penalize programs and schools when athletes underperform in class?
Let the discussion begin.
As the Big Ten paper states: "If we cannot defend — through an examination of actions and results as opposed to words — that education is the paramount factor in our decision-making process (rivaled only by the health and safety of our student-athletes), then the enterprise stands as a house of cards."

Random ACC network rumors...

Fun to read and record.....I don't think the ACC is going to get a 'real' network or cash with it, but interesting to read rumors....

Shhhh! Yes the ACCN Continues to Move Forward


"ACCN is going to happen....not if but when and what

As indicated on Jan 21, 201
The Conference Presidents are discussing approval as this is written--moving forward is no longer the issue.
1. ESPN/Raycom working this together with the ACC
2. Monies from Maryland leaving may be used...at least the Conference $$$
3. Fox negotiations are moving forward...to get subleases from Raycom back
4. The leadership of the ACC Digital Network (Raycom) is turning out to be a big component of the plan

--------------
SO Where does this stand now...

Cable unbundling is a factor-- it is not the primary concern. All along the ACC has chosen ESPN because it has the capability to execute and distribute a number of cable, online, streaming and digital means to reach all psychographics of likely viewers. Point is, the delivery system may not be "just" cable...but a combination of numerous offerings...it is these that are being put together as the ACCN is being ready for launch--it will be ALL at ONCE--presume ACCN to be the most diverified college network of all...and yes RAYCOM will be included...but there is more:

ESPN, ACC, and Raycom are not negotiating in public...among themselves and/or other partners.
HOWEVER, IT IS MOVING TO THE CLOSING STAGE...

Also, keep in mind Notre Dame, NBC etc and potential expansion. The potential change in CCG and divisions is important so don't down play; don't believe the ACC proffered it as just to help the Big 12. There are a number of moving parts--and those parts are about to bring in some not typical partners and associates...
1. Notre Dame and NBC...heating up and does make a strange bedfellow for ESPN...
2. SECN...talks have been ongoing...could be a bigger surprise than #1.
3. Projected time frame remains mid to late 2016-signed and sealed."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


"ACC Network is 2-3 years away, I'm told, and there's not a lot of support for it, even from ESPN.

It lacks the selling points of similar networks and there's huge concern there will be little carriage from cable distributors.

In other words, the network may start but your local cable company might not carry it. "


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"ESPN is in deep discussions internally over the network.

It'll likely happen, but it's not the slam dunk for reasons I stated earlier.

And that's no BS.

Thanks, Maxwell. "

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"My guy is at Raycom here in charlotte, & as I posted a year ago, he was adamant the ACCN was a done deal- the holdup at that time, being Swofford's lack of urgency.
I think the ACCN happens in the next 2 years- & I also believe it will EXCEED expectations.
Having moved here 5 years ago from NYC, I can state unequivocally that the ACCN is a big regional "deal" here. Folks are rabid about "their" conference vis-a-vis the SEC, B1G, and the non-factor that is the Big Xll.
The ACCN will succeed, & I can't wait till it happens! JMHO "

Reddit Fanbase data for College Basketball & College Football

FSU football season ticket sales steady after record 2014 year

FSU football season ticket sales steady after record 2014 year

"The ticket office sold its allotted amount of 45,000 season tickets for the first time ever for the 2014 season, with many first-time buyers trying to get a final glimpse of quarterback Jameis Winston and one of the best teams in FSU history.
While Chatman doesn't believe FSU will sell out every game next season, FSU is currently close to reaching 40,000 season tickets sold thanks to ticket holders renewing from 2014, which puts the Seminoles' ticket sales above every other year in the last five years (last season is the exception).
FSU is also in the process of finalizing how many total seats will be available inside Doak Campbell Stadium because of the start of renovations expected to be completed by 2016. Last season, the stadium had 82,300 seats, and FSU sold out six of its seven home games with the exception of the season opener against The Citadel."

"Still, the FSU ticket office is working toward getting fans to stay or jump on board because of the benefits of having season tickets.
FSU already has plans to face Southeastern Conference teams like Ole Miss in 2016 and is in talks with Alabama for a game in 2017.
Those games will be played at neutral sites, but season ticket holders with priority points have a better chance at getting those tickets along with seats at road games and future bowl games."


"FSU 2015 football schedule
Sept. 5 vs. Texas State
Sept. 12 vs. USF, 11:30 a.m.
Sept. 18: at Boston College (Friday)
Sept. 26: BYE
Oct. 3: at Wake Forest
Oct. 10 vs. Miami
Oct. 17 vs. Louisville
Oct. 24: at Georgia Tech
Oct. 31 vs. Syracuse (Parents' weekend)
Nov. 7: at Clemson
Nov. 14 vs. N.C. State (Homecoming)
Nov. 21 vs. Tennessee-Chattanooga (Tentative Senior Day)
Nov. 28: at Florida
*Game times/TV schedules to be announced.
*All home games, in bold, will be played inside Doak Campbell Stadium."

Next step in expansion: ACC Global

Of all the stupid things we have seen from Swofford and the ACC....this is the stupidest.

Other conferences must just laugh....


Next step in expansion: ACC Global

"If you thought expansion by college conferences was finished, at least for a while, think again. Of course you were also probably thinking that leagues expand by adding schools or maybe, if you follow the jargon, by spawning new media platforms. But it’s really all about markets.
From college to the pros, leagues increasingly are looking beyond the borders of the United States to extend their reach and corral more attention and customers.
American pro leagues have outposts in Canada. Since 2007 the NFL has played games annually in London. The NBA has scheduled an exhibition contest in Africa on Aug. 1 with teams led by Duke product Luol Deng and Wake Forest’s Chris Paul. There’s serious talk Major League Baseball might soon place a franchise in Mexico City.
At the college level the Pac-12 launched a “Globalization Initiative” in 2011 to extend its presence into Asia. Last summer a Pac-12 all-star men’s basketball team visited China. This past season “Pac-12 Global” live-streamed 27 men’s basketball games in the world’s most populous nation. Come November, the University of Washington will face a nonconference foe, the University of Texas, in regular-season action in Shanghai as part of the West Coast league’s overseas market penetration.

Related

Now here comes the ACC, stepping into the picture just as a largely unexploited new market beckons literally at its feet.
At next month’s ACC spring meetings, commissioner John Swofford says the conference will continue conversations among its “very interested” university presidents and athletic directors about “ACC Global,” a vehicle for “marketing and branding our institutions through some athletic competition.” Swofford expects to announce league athletic events overseas in “the reasonably near future” – a football game in Europe to start a season is a likely candidate for early action.

Crossing the Atlantic

Meanwhile, even as the ACC tiptoes toward crossing the ocean whose name it bears, American foreign policy has changed dramatically in regard to Cuba, a Pennsylvania-sized island nation of 11 million people just 90 miles south of Key West, Fla.
In 1960, a year after Fidel Castro and a band of guerillas overthrew dictator Juan Batista and seized control both of the country and American properties, the U.S. imposed a trade embargo on Cuba’s communist government. That commercial blanket remained in place until earlier this year, when President Obama began taking steps to normalize relations between the two countries, marked by a lessening of travel and trade restrictions.

Cuba was never totally isolated, receiving visitors from around the world and participating in the Olympics, the World Baseball Classic, and other international athletic competition. Track and field, basketball, boxing, and volleyball are popular in the country, but baseball is the sport of choice. “It’s a huge deal, and the games are broadcast on television and everybody watches,” says Luci Fernandes, an East Carolina University cultural and visual anthropologist.
Over the years the occasional American college team played in Cuba’s national capital, which once boasted an International League franchise, the Havana Sugarcanes. Back in 1999 the Baltimore Orioles and the state-supported Cuban National Team split a home-and-home baseball series. The Orioles reportedly are contemplating a preseason exhibition game next year in Cuba.
USA Baseball hasn’t waited – since 2012 the Cuban National Team has played five games each year against the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, a collection of freshmen and sophomores that included N.C. State’s Carlos Rodon. Early this July the teams will renew their series in Cary, Charlotte and Durham.
“I think it’s a great way for our countries to connect initially through sports, and through art and music and those types of things that are politically neutral, for the most part,” Fernandes offers. “I think there’s an enormous interest with players in Cuba to connect with players in the U.S.” Last season 19 Cuban-born players connected by appearing in the major leagues. Five were All-Stars – Cincinnati’s Aroldis Chapman, the L.A. Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, Detroit outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, and the White Sox’s Jose Abreu and Alexei Ramirez.
The NBA also leapt to make its presence felt in Cuba, hosting a clinic in Havana this past weekend. But to judge by the comments of Paul Seiler, executive director of USA Baseball, any sport faces an uphill battle winning the allegiance of Cubans compared with baseball. “The sport of baseball, let alone the Cuban National Team, it seems as though everyone in Cuba knows everything about baseball,” Seiler says. “It really is incredible, the passion, the knowledge, the respect that they have for the sport.”

Baseball acts as bridge

How the ACC can fit into the still-murky Cuban picture has yet to be discussed in depth, although Swofford says the topic will be raised as the league fleshes out its international plans.
Presumably if the Pac-12 can make inroads in a communist nation across the Pacific Ocean, the ACC can find a way to project a presence in neighboring Cuba, where a strong U.S. influence is vividly demonstrated by the classic American cars that dot its streets. When and if foreign capitalism makes inroads in the country’s tightly regulated economy, just think of all the ACC games to be broadcast, the school paraphernalia to be sold, the booster junkets to be taken.
ECU’s Fernandes, an annual visitor to Cuba for the past 15 years, expects a continued slow transition toward openness similar to the process in China.
Others, especially in South Florida, see no meaningful change now or on the horizon, and insist upon reparations for property and lives taken a half-century ago. “The whole game is unilateral concessions by the U.S.,” insists Jaime Suchlicki, a history professor and director of the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies. A 1960 refugee from Cuba, he considers the country on a par with Iran, Russia and Venezuela as an enemy of the U.S. Fernandes and Louis A. Pérez, Jr., a UNC history professor with a Caribbean focus, discount such talk as a faded vestige of Cold War attitudes. Perez in fact proposes an exhibition appearance in Cuba by the Tar Heel basketball team. But the sport most likely to provide an early bridge is baseball, a connection sure to benefit the University of Miami and by extension the ACC.
The Miami area, with a majority Hispanic population including more than one million Cuban-Americans, is regarded as a gateway to Latin America. Interest there in any kind of sports connection with Cuba would be strong.
“There’s no easier place for a kid to come from Cuba or South America or Central America or the (Caribbean) islands than Miami,” says Hurricanes baseball coach Jim Morris, known for dipping into the rich pool of Latin talent.
Morris already has contemplated the major eligibility and adjustment issues Cuban youngsters would face if recruited to play for U.S. colleges. Asked how the ACC can tap into Cuba’s passion for baseball, he speaks immediately of teaching prospects to speak English so they can take the SATs. He sees Cuban teens attending junior college first to get settled, then moving to four-year schools. “The process may take a few years for them to get academically acclimated to the system,” Morris says. Then again, no one promised this next phase of expansion would be easy."

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article19581069.html#storylink=cpy"

College Football Playoff Revenue – Finance Schminance (repost)

College Football Playoff Revenue – Finance Schminance

"As I stated yesterday, there are some problems facing the Big 12 after being shut out of the playoffs.  However, these are not gigantic, unfixable, seismic changes that many have wrote about.  The end of the world is not near and to prove that I figured I’d start my examination of the Big 12 with an analysis of how the Playoffs will payout this year. 
If they are robbed, how difficult of position do they actually reside?
It turns out, not very difficult at all.
But first, let’s reexamine how the playoffs work and pay out all the cash ESPN is throwing at them. In short there are five ways conferences are paid for playoff games:
1 – Being in the FBS.  Not overly difficult to achieve on a yearly basis.  They own the structure and by doing so all of the conferences share in the benefits.   The sharing is not equal, however.  The Power Five conferences take in about 72% of the total revenue of about $470 million a year, on average.  That gives the Power Five conferences around $50M per year each to share with their members, regardless of conference size.  This is per their reports, if it is actually paid out by conference size we will find that out this year.
2 – Playoff games.   Each team participating in a playoff spot (Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, and Ohio State this year) earn $6 million each for their conference.  There is no additional revenue for moving on or winning the championship game.
3 – Tie in bowls.  The Power Five schools each have a tie in to a bowl they basically own a stake in.  The Pac 12 and Big Ten have the Rose, the Big 12 and SEC have the Sugar, and the ACC owns the Orange and invites a representative from the SEC, Big Ten or Notre Dame. The Rose and Sugar pay out $40 million per conference on average annually and the Orange pays out $27.5M.
4 – Non-Playoff bowl.   There are four bowls yearly that are not a part of the playoff structure each year as the playoffs rotate through the games.   If a game is neither a playoff nor a tie in, then it is basically a non-playoff bowl.   These payout $4M per team participating.
5 – Academics.   There is an academic portion of the revenues that is based on graduation rates.  It is not conference specific as each school either earns it or it does not.  It amounts to a couple hundred grand per school per year.  Since it bypasses the conferences, I will not be factoring it in to the equations.
Additionally these numbers are averages.   The contract is for twelve years so the average is only matching to payouts in years five or six.  Before and after those years the contract will be higher or lower depending on the terms of the agreement and whatever year in the contract you’re factoring.  Generally it is between three and four percent.  Power Five Playoff standard payouts will not be $50M this year, for instance.

2014 Projections

So with all of that preface done, how did this year work out.  Per the announcement yesterday we know that we have the following:
Playoff Games: Alabama (SEC), Oregon (Pac12), Florida State (ACC), and Ohio State (B1G)
Tie-in Bowl – Orange: Mississippi State (SEC) and Georgia Tech (ACC)
Non-Playoff Bowl: Baylor (B12), TCU (B12), Michigan State (B1G), Arizona (Pac12), Ole Miss (SEC), and Boise State (MWC)
I also had to make some assumptions to start the project.   First, on an even year contract you don’t have a precise middle, since it falls between two years.  Due to that I placed the reported averages in year five.  This could inflate the back end, but we can always adjust after this year.  Additionally I had to create an inflation rate without seeing the contract, so I used 3.5% to stay conservative.  If it is less the teams will be paid more up front and less at the end, if it is more they will be paid less up front and more at the end.   However, it will be the same total at the end.
With all that said, here is how the current year should play out:

Note: This does not take into account a reported bonus the SEC receives this year only as a reward for their championship run.  They have never said how much nor where it is coming from, so we’ll just need to wait and see.  Nor do the rough team averages factor in any travel or distribution specifics for each conference.
As you can see, even with missing the playoffs the Big 12 isn’t doing too badly for itself.  First, it put 20% of the conference in the New Year’s Six.  Outside the SEC, no other conference pulled that off.  It also may have been difficult to pull it off with a conference championship game.   Had TCU and Baylor had to face each other one of them would have had two losses.   It is possible they would have dropped one out, or it is possible they stayed, the only thing we know is both are possible with an extra loss.
From a financial stand point the numbers tell another tale, the Big 12 isn’t going to starve any time soon.   In a year when the ACC played in the Orange and the SEC had three teams in, including the Orange, the Big 12 will pay its members within 10% of both. 
Compared to the other two conferences, who also did not play in a Tie-In Bowl, the Big 12 comes out around 14% higher than the Pac 12 and over 25% higher than the Big Ten’s playoff payout.  It probably goes without saying that the difference is because the Big 12 is as successful with ten teams as the others are with more.
This is basically how the commissioners wanted it to work.  The conference not represented within the playoff games is not disadvantaged financially.  Even if the Big Ten and Big 12 had the same amount of teams, the difference for having the second team in the playoff for the Big Ten would only amount to $180,000 per team this year. 
Not exactly an amount worth blowing up your system over.
As mentioned, only having one Tie-In Bowl this year with the Orange does make it look like the rest are not paid well, but they are.  If we had the same result next year, e.g. same conference representation in the playoff rankings, here is a mock analysis of what the payouts would be in 2015:
 
Quite a difference a year makes.  The most noticeable difference is the rise and fall of the ACC’s fortunes.  With the Sugar and Rose sidelined the ACC ran neck and neck with the SEC, their revenue peaked.   The Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pac 12 and SEC have a significantly higher upper end once those bowls come online.  These numbers also show the increase in one year at 3.5%, which means this will continue to grow until the end of the contract. 
In 2025 that growth will advance to the point where a similar Big 12 representation to this year would net just shy of $120 million.

Takeaways

A lot will be discussed over the next month to years in regards to how the Big 12 can put a champion into the mix, including today when the Big 12 Athletic Directors met to begin discussions.   However, one thing that is not an issue is revenue.
Even without being in the playoff mix, the Big 12 takes home more revenue per team than the other Power Five conferences in years when the Sugar Bowl is hosting the Big 12 and SEC.  The issue isn’t really revenue then, it is exposure.  While any of the New Year’s Six Bowls are going to be high exposure, the four teams at the top will be talked about ad nauseum for a month and playing in them is the only way to play a 15^th game and win championships. 
Additionally, any discussions revolving around expansion to have a conference championship game will need to take into effect the potential loss in revenue that the Big 12 will undergo.  Assuming they’ll get a third team in just because they expand is a stretch, considering only one conference out of four this year pulled that off. 
The per team revenue the Big 12 is expected to make next year on the playoffs alone is nearly as much as Iowa State made from all of its media revenue prior to realignment.  If you believe that the world is about to end for the Big 12 and that a return to 2010 is eminent, you may want to relax for a bit.  There is a lot more money at stake now. 
A lot more."

Since 1990, no team has dominated the draft like Florida State

Football Perspective ‏@fbgchase 1h1 hour ago

Since 1990, no team has dominated the draft like Florida State http://www.footballperspective.com/colleges-the-nfl-draft-and-heat-maps-since-1990/ …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clemson University gets approval for second athletic department aircraft

Clemson is not playing around.  Impressed with their effort.

Clemson University gets approval for second athletic department aircraft


"Lawmakers on Wednesday approved plans by Clemson University to buy a second aircraft for the school’s athletic department using booster club and athletic revenues.

Clemson wants to buy a Citation CJ2+ turbofan jet, which seats eight passengers.
 Graham Neff, associate director of athletics for Clemson, told budget officials in a letter earlier this month that the school currently uses a 1998 King Air turbo prop plane for athletic use. The university sold a 1977 aircraft in 2011.
“The increasing high demand for this aircraft and the unpredictability of usage has created an environment where the athletic department and the university would benefit from purchasing an additional aircraft,” Neff wrote. “Specifically, sudden flight changes and the unpredictable nature of coaches’ recruiting schedules support the need for additional university-owned aircraft.”
Clemson wants a 2006 or newer model of the jet, which officials say is easily available on the market.
The cost of that type of jet ranged from $3.4 million to $5.9 million in a market study done by the university.
The purchase would remove the need for expensive private charter flights now used by coaches, Neff said.
“This additional aircraft would allow the department to be more cost-efficient for longer haul trips,” he wrote.
IPTAY, Clemson’s booster club, has committed to spend up to $4.5 million for the jet, Neff said. The school can ask IPTAY for more money if the price runs over $4.5 million, he said, and if the money is not available, the funds will be provided through athletic revenues.
The request was approved Wednesday by the Legislature’s Joint Bond Review Committee after some senators asked whether the purchase would impact students’ fees.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman said he thinks the purchase of the jet is “wise,” but asked if the use of any athletic revenues means students would pay more in athletic fees. A Clemson representative said no fees would be increased because of the jet.
The athletic department will pay all operations and maintenance costs as it now does for the King Air, Neff said.
The estimated annual costs for pilots’ salaries, insurance and overhead total $330,289, while direct costs such as fuel, maintenance and engine overhaul are estimated at $379,126, according to the university.
Neff said the jet “flies at speeds significantly faster” than the King Air, has comparatively low operating costs and a “reputation for reliability within the aviation industry.”
The university will use an aircraft broker to find a suitable jet based on age, price and hours flown, among other factors, Neff said.
Clemson coaches also have used state aircraft for trips but lawmakers last year banned using the planes for recruiting.
The Joint Bond Review Panel also approved $1.5 million for design work on a $62 million, 157,000-square-foot football operations facility that will be paid for with private athletic gifts. The construction costs will be paid for with athletic revenue bonds, officials said.
The panel also approved $1.1 million for pre-design on a project to upgrade Clemson’s electrical system on campus, a $75 million overhaul.
More than 70 percent of the infrastructure on campus is more than 50 years old, officials say, and there have been numerous power outages caused by the aging electrical system.
The improvements are to be paid for out of a maintenance fund."

ACC spin to being last...

College Football Playoff brings more millions to ACC


"The Atlantic Coast Conference — and by extension, its members — will see a nice revenue bump, thanks to the College Football Playoff.
Specifically, the ACC will see its bowl revenue increase 56 percent to $57.2 million. It was a blockbuster year for all of college football, as the inaugural four-team playoff helped generate $506 million for the 10 Football Bowl Subdivision conferences mostly due to a $470 million-a-year television contract with ESPN.
In general, a line graph of the ACC’s total revenue in the past few years looks like the veritable hockey stick, increasing 39 percent — or $65 million — from 2011 to 2013, the most recent year with publicly available financial reports. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, the ACC generated $232 million, of which more than half came from its 15-year, $3.6 billion television deal with ESPN.
A further breakdown from fiscal 2013:

• Television: $147 million
• Football Bowl Games: $38 million
• NCAA Basketball Tournament: $18 million
• NCAA grants-in-aid-fund: $9 million
• ACC Basketball Tournament: $5 million
• Other: $15 million

As has long been its tradition, the ACC will distribute the revenue evenly to member institutions. Despite its big haul, though, the ACC wasn’t tops for net payments.
Here’s a breakdown by conference of $404.8 million paid out by the College Football Playoff after expenses. The tally also does not include a $2.3 million line item for other distributions:

1. Southeastern Conference: $71.4 million
2. Pac-12 Conference: $68.9 million
3. Big 12 Conference: $67.4 million
4. Big Ten Conference: $61.3 million
5. Atlantic Coast Conference: $57.2 million
6. Mountain West Conference: $20.7 million
7. Conference USA: $15.2 million
8. American Athletic Conference: $14.1 million
9. Mid-American Conference: $12 million
10. Sun Belt Conference: $11.5 million
11. Independents: $2.8 million"

Factoid of the Day

Noled Out ‏@Noled_Out 17h17 hours ago

#ACC titles since adding a championship game:

#FSU 4

#Hokies 3

#Wake 1

#GaTech 1

#Clemson 1

#Canes 0

#Noles

 

2:32 PM - 22 Apr 2015 · Details

Taylor's SPARQ score is even better than you think

Not intended at as a jab Mark......VA has major talent.

Taylor's SPARQ score is even better than you think

"Over the weekend Florida State five-star cornerback commitment Levonta Taylor recorded a SPARQ score of 140.17 at the Washington D.C Nike Regional Qualifier. The 2015 Nike camp tour is seven stops in and Taylor’s score is currently tops in the nation. "


"His score got us thinking -- Where does Taylor rank among the other “freaks” FSU has recruited?
How Levonta Taylor stacks up:
Josh Sweat 148.17
Levonta Taylor 140.16
Trey Marshall 139.62
Ryan Green 127.71
Jalen Ramsey 126.75
Derwin James 124.35
George Campbell 122.7
Jacques Patrick 118.44
Matthew Thomas 114.36
Ermon Lane 110.88
Dalvin Cook 110.64
Travis Rudolph 107.01
Former ‘Nole SPARQ scores:
PJ Williams 112.4 
Rashad Greene 109.8 
=============================
With all the talk of "Florida speed", who would have thought a couple Virginia boys would hold down the top spot?! "

Directors Cup Standings

Directors Cup Standings


"From the April 16th update (spring sports still upcoming, which is what most of the southern schools excel in):

CONFERENCE AVERAGE
1. Big Ten - 32.4 (438.52)
2. Pac 12 - 40.8 (445.67)
3. SEC - 42.5 (348.48)
4. ACC - 46.9 (378.17)
5. Big 12 - 51.0 (309.75)

Big East - 106.1 (165.40)
MWC - 129.0 (112.83)
AAC - 141.6 (94.23)
MAC - 153.2 (72.02)
CUSA - 174.5 (53.75)
Sun Belt - 199.1 (32.77)

CONFERENCE MEDIAN
1. Pac 12 - 25.0 (422.00)
2. Big Ten - 27.0 (414.75)
3. ACC - 33.0 (392.00)
4. SEC - 40.0 (348.75)
5. Big 12 - 41.0 (341.75)

Big East - 118.5 (97.50)
AAC - 120.0 (96.00)
MWC - 121.0 (96.25)
MAC - 151.0 (67.00)
CUSA - 179.0 (47.50)
Sun Belt - 203.0 (30.50)

BIG 12
7. Texas - 614.00
32. Oklahoma State - 396.75
38. Baylor - 350.00
39. Iowa State - 346.00
40. Oklahoma - 345.00
42. West Virginia - 338.50
59. TCU - 241.25
66. Texas Tech - 202.00
92. Kansas State - 136.00
95. Kansas - 128.00

ACC
2. North Carolina - 823.50
8. Notre Dame - 601.50
9. Florida State - 597.50
10. Virginia - 571.00
19. Duke - 450.50
20. Louisville - 449.50
26. NC State - 420.00
33. Virginia Tech - 392.00
41. Syracuse - 344.50
57. Miami - 248.00
58. Clemson - 244.50
63. Boston College - 217.00
84. Pittsburgh - 145.00
105. Georgia Tech - 118.00
169. Wake Forest - 50.00

BIG TEN
3. Penn State - 820.00
4. Wisconsin - 745.50
6. Ohio State - 654.00
11. Minnesota - 547.50
17. Michigan State - 498.00
18. Nebraska - 466.75
20. Michigan - 449.50
34. Iowa - 380.00
44. Maryland - 333.50
46. Indiana - 321.50
49. Illinois - 301.50
61. Northwestern - 236.50
68. Purdue - 198.00
72. Rutgers - 187.00

PAC 12
1. Stanford - 1026.50
5. UCLA - 663.00
12. Oregon - 541.00
16. Southern Cal - 499.00
23. California - 427.00
23. Washington - 427.00
27. Colorado - 417.00
31. Arizona State - 399.50
35. Arizona - 377.00
48. Utah - 305.00
60. Oregon State - 241.00
208. Washington State - 25.00

SEC
13. Florida - 533.00
14. Arkansas - 518.00
15. Kentucky - 504.00
22. Texas A&M - 427.25
25. Georgia - 425.25
28. Missouri - 408.75
37. Alabama - 360.00
43. Tennessee - 337.50
47. Auburn - 310.50
49. LSU - 301.50
54. South Carolina - 258.00
67. Mississippi State - 199.00
70. Mississippi - 190.00
111. Vanderbilt - 106.00

AAC
56. Connecticut - 250.00
81. Tulsa - 156.50
101. SMU - 123.00
107. Central Florida - 114.00
109. Cincinnati - 110.00
120. South Florida - 96.00
186. Memphis - 49.00
189. Houston - 45.00
197. East Carolina - 38.00
204. Temple - 30.00
208. Tulane - 25.00"

FSU trustees express concern about ACC's status

FSU trustees express concern about ACC's status


"After Wilcox made his regularly scheduled presentation and opened the floor for questions during the board's March meeting, Trustees Joe Gruters and Edward Burr both hit him with suggestions or comments that called into question the ACC's status among college football's Power Five conferences.
First, Gruters complained about the way the College Football Playoff committee seemed to dismiss FSU's conference victories last season and said he has serious doubts about ACC teams earning playoff bids in the future. "I think the perceived bias of the ACC in general, [with] Florida State falling to No. 4 in the rankings and still being undefeated and being [No.] 3 at the end of the season … a one-loss ACC team or two-loss ACC team is going to have a hard time breaking that top four," Gruters said. "I think the top ACC team over the next four or five years, we're going to be in that [No.] 5 to 8 category. And we're going to be on the outside looking in."


"A few minutes later, after the discussion turned to finances, Burr raised a topic that he described as the "800-pound gorilla" in the room - conference television networks and the money they can generate for member institutions.
"All of the Big Five is going to have one except for us if we don't get something moving soon," Burr said. "And that's a major revenue source."The Big Ten and Pac-12 both had cable channels up and running when the ACC signed its Grant of Rights, and the SEC Network went live last summer. That leaves the ACC and Big 12 as the only Power Five conferences without one … and the millions of dollars they can generate for each school each year.The ACC never projected it would have a cable channel in place by now - the earliest goals mentioned by conference athletic directors and presidents have been 2016 or 2017 - but Burr said he would like to see signs of tangible progress. He reminded the other trustees that the channel's viability was one of the reasons FSU agreed to the Grant of Rights. Before that agreement was approved, Swofford traveled to Tallahassee and met individually with each trustee to offer them assurances about the conference's future. There was "a big commitment from the conference to this university a few years ago on that issue. I'm sure no one's forgotten," Burr said. "

Q&A with ACC Commissioner John Swofford

Needless to say, FSU fan base is very nervous about the lack of support from our own conference commish....the old saying "with friends like these......"

Plus the endless almost decade long 'study' of the conference network is not encouraging to say the least.  Pre GOR, Swofford told FSU's BOT..."this is happening"....not it is very non committal.  Basically he swindled FSU's subpar BOT.


Q&A with ACC Commissioner John Swofford



"Q: A couple of familiar topics came up at a recent FSU Board of Trustees meeting, and I wanted to get your thoughts on them. One of the trustees, Joe Gruters, expressed concern about what happened last year during the College Football Playoff selection process. Like a lot of fans down here, he was bothered by the way FSU fell to No. 4 at one point despite being undefeated, and the fact that there was even debate about whether the Seminoles would make it in to the Playoff, even though they were the defending national champions. The major concern he expressed was that narrow wins in the ACC don't seem to be valued as highly as narrow wins in other conferences, so he could see a scenario where an undefeated or one-loss ACC champion gets left out in favor of a team from another conference with the same record. With that as the backdrop, he was encouraging FSU's administration to urge the ACC to push for an eight-team playoff so that the conference doesn't get left out. My question would be now that you have seen a full cycle play out, are you concerned about that at all? And would that be a reason for the ACC to advocate for a larger playoff field?


A: Well, I think every year is going to probably be unique. After one year of a playoff, it's hard to get a sense of trends. I think another factor that probably came into play was that [FSU's non-conference opponents] Oklahoma State, Notre Dame and Florida all ended up having less-than-stellar years. And while that looked like an excellent non-conference schedule, and it was on paper, it didn't help as much at the end because of the fact that those three teams fell off some. We finished the year collectively as a league extremely well, with the 4-0 against the SEC on the last Saturday of the regular season. And then after the selections, we had Clemson's win over Oklahoma and Georgia Tech's Orange Bowl win over Mississippi State. And during the course of the season, Boston College beating Southern Cal certainly was a significant win, and Virginia Tech beating Ohio State. So there were some really good things on top of the previous year for our league that I think trend extremely well for the ACC -- and any perceptions that might be there in terms of internal quality. And the number of bowl teams we had would add to that as well.


Also, one thing you have with a selection committee is that they look at games and have an eyeball test. So I think we're going to find that each year is a little different. Certainly, if you were the Big 12 this past year, they would have liked to have had more teams in the playoff. But I don't think there's any significant support for expanding the playoff at this point in time, particularly at the presidential level. The feedback that we are getting is that the vast majority of individuals that make these decisions are completely supportive of the four teams at this point in time. And I would expect that to hold true through this 12-year contract in all probability. That remains to be seen, but there does not seem to be much momentum at all for expanding from four to eight.


Q: Another topic that was raised by a different FSU Trustee, Edward Burr, was related to the conference's progress with a cable television network. He mentioned that the conference discussed the likelihood of a cable channel happening when FSU agreed to sign the long-term Grant of Rights agreement two years ago. I know you've said recently that those discussions with ESPN aren't going to be held publicly, but do you understand why there is some anxiety there? They worry that schools in other conferences are getting additional revenue while FSU is not, and they can't take comfort in any progress that might be happening because the conference isn't sharing much information.


A: I think we understand the curiosity about it, and the desire to move as quickly as possible. Obviously, all of us involved with it want to move as quickly as possible to whatever is next. But as was indicated when we did the Grant of Rights, we put ourselves in excellent position for whatever the next step is with our television agreements. We've got an excellent partner in ESPN, and our discussions continue in that vein. We indicated at the time that this was a multiple-year process, and … whenever we take that step, it needs to be a positive step right out of the chute. And it needs to be done the right way. There have been several channel startups that have been very difficult at first, and we don't want to go backwards to go forward.


We want to come out of the chute ahead of the game from day one, if indeed we take that particular step. Those discussions are pretty much where we expected them to be when we started at this given point in time. So I understand the curiosity and the interest. The whole process is a very high priority for us, but until there's something definitive and substantive to say, it really doesn't help the process to publicly discuss it in any particular intervals, other than to say those discussions continue and are in line with where we expected them to be at this point in time. "

FSU basketball recruit note...

FSU Men's Basketball ‏@FSU_MBasketball 4h4 hours ago

Quite the statement following the @JordanClassic on the #Noles chances this season

FSU Quarterly Update

Interesting update.

Love the new research building, the new Earth Science building as well.

Great to see the old dorms getting torn down and new ones replacing them...huge improvement.

UGLY entry way at civic center (picture at bottom)....come on FSU, don't do this.




FSU Quarterly Update


"FSU just posted their most recent Quarterly (although they seem to happen more tri-annually) construction update:

https://www.facilities.fsu.edu/depts/de ... eeting.pdf

Of note:
-There is a rendering of the EOAS dept building for the corner of Woodward and Tennessee that should make for a nice gateway building.
-It lists Kellum hall as scheduled for demolition (now if they could just add Smith Rogers and McCollum) in addition to dorman and deviney in preparation for phase II of the dorm replacement.
-Also a part of the dorm replacement will be a new dining corridor (possibly called "the stable"? According to a rendering)
-What appears to be a mock up of the IRCB building for the SW campus
-A new building for the marine lab located, I think, at alligator point
-Keen plaza redevelopment (construction underway), a new plaza between Thagard and Bellamy that features a small amphitheater, a new plaza and walkways connecting the circus with the heart of campus, another between Dirac library and the Bio building, and another for the music building.
-Alumni Village looks to be almost completely demolished (no listed plans for future land use however)
-Renderings for remodeling of athlete support space for basketball and football
-A design for new signage outside the Civic Center which looks great, but it looks like they have chosen the less attractive design (IMHO) for a new proposed entry way. Just looks dated already to me.
-There are also nice amounts of construction photos and more detailed schematics posted.

All in all its 62 slides but some interesting info in there
I would love to post some of the images but there are a lot
Also according to this update:

https://www.facilities.fsu.edu/depts/de ... tsList.pdf

 some things to look forward to are a union redevelopment in multiple phases, and a new FSU/FAMU engineering building."

Always worth reposting....

FSU factoid of the day

FSU beat UF this year in football, basketball (on a basket UF scored for FSU...ha ha), and basetball (on a walkoff HR in the 12th) this year.

Rare accomplishment for both FSU and UF against their rival.



Ira Schoffel ‏@IraSchoffel 16s17 seconds ago

Sorry. Had it right. Posting again. Since '78, FSU has won the Big 3 three times ('14-15, 79-80, 78-79). UF did twice. ('82-83, '84-85).

Ranking the ACC's Football Coaching Jobs in 2015

Ranking the ACC's Football Coaching Jobs in 2015

"Is it easier to win at Florida State or Clemson? How about North Carolina or Miami?

Which program provides the most support? Which program has access to the best players? Which program has proven it can succeed at a high level over time? Which program has the most pressure to win?

These are all the questions head coaches must ask themselves when deciding to accept a job or not.

So Athlon Sports asked some respected ACC minds one question: Where would you want to coach if the slates (rosters, sanctions, etc.) were wiped clean and all 14 jobs were available?

The Voting Panel:

Wes Durham, FOX Sports/ACC Network
Mark Packer, SiriusXM College Sports Nation
Tony Barnhart, AJC/SEC Network
Chris Low, ESPN.com
Bob Ferrante, TheOsceola.com
Ralph Russo, AP
Bud Elliott, TomahawkNation.com
Joe Lanza, TheKeyPlay.com
Paul Myerberg, USA Today
Mark Ennis, ESPN 680-Louisville
David Glenn, The David Glenn Show
David Hood, Tigernet.com
Jerry DiPaola, Pitt Trib Review
Nate Mink, Syracuse.com
Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports
Braden Gall, Athlon Sports/SiriusXM

The Results:

Voting: A first-place vote was worth one point and a last-place vote was worth 14 points. The points are a great indicator of what tier your program is in within the conference.

Rk	Job	Votes (1st)
1.		17 (15)
Ever since joining the ACC, Florida State has been the league's most dominant program. The Noles have a great recruiting base, rich history of elite success, a powerful national brand and one of the better gameday atmospheres in the league. The facilities are getting better and the only drawback is slight financial instability in the athletic department. There are very few cons in Tallahassee and it's why FSU got 15 of the possible 16 first-place votes.
2.		37
The more you study Clemson the more you wonder how it went 20 years without a conference crown. Death Valley is the best place to play (or live) in the ACC and the support from both administration and fans is second-to-none in the league. It's also centrally located between the fertile recruiting grounds of Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina. The Tigers got 14 of the possible 16 second-place votes.
3.		66
Frank Beamer has slowly but surely elevated this program from regional afterthought to ACC powerhouse by way of the Big East. The facilities are great and Lane Stadium is a sight to behold on Saturdays. The campus is gorgeous but isolated and Virginia is stocked with talent but is over-recruited by both the ACC and SEC. The Hokies were ranked third, fourth or fifth by all but one voter. It's not an elite job but it's stable and safe.
4.		70 (1)
Miami is an interesting case study in pros and cons. On the positive side, the Hurricanes offer as much upside as any program in the nation, winning national titles in three different decades and have the easiest access to elite prospects of any program in the nation. But fan and administrative support is inferior to any nationally elite programs and the home-field advantage is non-existent. This is why The U was the only other team to get a first-place vote — and was voted ninth twice.
5.		78
One of the quicker risers in college football (due in large part to the accomplishments of Tom Jurich) checks in as a top-five ACC job after just one season. Facilities continue to surge upwards towards big-time college football but are not on an elite level quite yet. The same could be said about the recruiting base — it's solid, but Louisville must look outside the region to build a roster. There is a lot to like about the Cardinals' post but it still has some work to do to be a nationally revered gig.
6.		94
Now that Clemson has reestablished itself as an ACC power, the mantle of underachiever falls to Chapel Hill. As far as location, recruiting base, stadium, facilities and brand power, UNC is on par with most conference foes. However, the fans can be fickle (and obsessed with the round ball) and there is little track record of high-level success. This is a program that should be winning 8-9 games every season with the many advantages it boasts. Yet, it hasn't won an ACC crown since 1980. This job has more to offer than, say, Louisville, but hasn't been able to prove it on the field.
7.		115
There are certain obstacles one must clear to win at Tech. First, the city of Atlanta is a poor sports town and produces less talent than one might assume in a market dominated by its SEC brethren from Athens. Academic standards can also hinder success. But this program has consistently been competitive despite some more interesting hires.
8.		129
Boasting the most underrated gameday atmosphere in the ACC, NC State is one of the better second-tier programs in the league. The recruiting base is rich and the facilities are among the league's best. But this program seems mired in the middle of the league, last winning a title in 1979 and posting just six winning seasons in ACC play since 1990. The Wolfpack were voted as high as sixth (three times) and as low as 11th.
9.		139
Since Florida State joined, no program has watched its stock slip more than Virginia. The once-proud program has a fertile recruiting base to cull, a gorgeous campus and stadium with passionate fans. But this program has struggled to deliver, as it's won just two ACC titles in its 57-year league history. The strict academic standards likely have kept this program from vaulting into regionally elite status.
10.		153
The last of the quality jobs in the ACC, Pitt offers some unique points to this discussion. The Panthers play in a posh building in a football-crazy town but will always be second fiddle to the Black and Gold. The Keystone State was once extremely productive when it comes to football talent but has seen population trends shift South, West and East. It is the lone rust-belt program geographically, so while there are unique advantages there are also unique disadvantages as well. Moving up to the ACC is a big positive but the glory days of Dan Marino, Hugh Green and Tony Dorsett are long gone.
11.		178
Don't let the job David Cutcliffe has done fool you, winning at Duke is nearly impossible. At best, it's the third-best job in the state in an area that is focused on hoops and has academic restraints. The fan support and overall interest just isn't there — from fans or boosters. How else could a team win a division title and only average 26,000 fans?
12.		184
There are many hurdles to clear to win at BC. There isn't enough talent in the Northeast to keep BC competitive with the Florida State's of the world and luring players North from down South is easier said than done. Facilities and fan support aren't among the league's best either. However, there is something to be said about the consistency this program has experienced in the past — which is why three voters had the Eagles at ninth.
13.		198
Just 15 years ago, this ranking would be absurd. This once-proud program was a national power with elite facilities, fan support and brand recognition. Yet, as population trends continue to move away from the Northeast and Cuse's once state-of-the-art stadium becomes more outdated, winning has gotten more difficult. And the fans aren't coming out like they used too. It's impossible to recruit to upstate New York and the move to the ACC hasn't opened up a Southern pipeline like anticipated. Finally, Syracuse administration clearly are more committed to basketball.
14.		220
There just is nothing that sets Wake Forest apart from anyone else in the ACC. It's not the top program in the state — it's third at best. It's not the best academic school in the ACC. The facilities are solid but uninspiring. Fan support is extremely questionable on most Saturdays. Winston-Salem is a nice play to live, but otherwise there is little upside here. The Demon Deacons have posted three winning seasons in a row only once (2006-08) since the early 1950s and have won just one ACC title since 1970.

- See more at: http://athlonsports.com/college-football/ranking-accs-football-coaching-jobs-2015-expert-poll#sthash.PfLstGJl.dpuf

FSU and the NFL draft

Florida State's Jimbo Fisher has built an NFL pipeline in Tallahassee

Florida State's Jimbo Fisher has built an NFL pipeline in Tallahassee

"Jimbo Fisher looked out on the Dunlap Athletic Training Facility, surveying both what he had created -- and lost.
The circus that was the Jameis Winston-fueled pro day was packing up. Twenty-nine other Seminoles had a chance to preen before scouts. Like a high-end auction, if you didn't come away with what you wanted there were plenty of other items to choose from.
That's the beauty of Fisher's first five seasons. The pipeline is being restocked before it's emptied.
"We're not done with these young men until they go through their pro days," Florida State's coach said late last month. "[We're] never done with them. They're part of our family.
"If we have 10 drafted, we tie the record. If we have 11, we break the record for three-year period. To me that's a culmination of what we're trying to do."
Record? What record? It's not just the games or recruiting or spring practice or the fall at Fisher's FSU, it's also the draft now. The NFL's annual meat market summit that starts later this month will likely elevate the program to a new level.
This well-researched report suggests FSU's coach is on the brink of a talent-rich milestone.
Fisher has had 18 total players drafted over the past two seasons. With 11 more this year -- not an outrageous projection -- the Noles would beat out Miami (2002-04) and USC (2008-10) for most draftees in a three-year period (29). The Canes and Trojans had 28.
Why do we not think of Florida State today, the way we did Miami and USC then? It may that this dynasty is just getting started. Have we forgotten the Noles are one game removed from a 29-game winning streak?
Have we forgotten that Fisher is just getting started? The College Football Playoff semifinalist that lost Winston, its top receiver (Rashad Greene) and No. 2 rusher (Karlos Williams) also has a veteran defense returning infused with a top-five recruiting class.
In those five seasons Fisher has won one national championship, three ACC titles and 58 total games. The only comparison to be made is to the guy he replaced. Bobby Bowden was 44-14 in his first five seasons at FSU with a Tangerine Bowl win (as well as two Orange Bowl losses).
"They've capitalized and expanded upon the success," said Rob Rang, CBSSports.com draft expert. "Not many say that after following a legend. FSU deserves some credit how they built and kept it going on lot of the same principles."
There's an old saying in coaching: Never be the guy to follow the guy. Almost 4 ½ years after Bowden exited with a 13-point win over West Virginia in the Gator Bowl, Fisher is the man. Less a Nick Saban protégé, more a distinct flavor.
Fisher recently admitted NFL teams have reached out to gauge his interest. Never say never, he said diplomatically, but how could Fisher be any happier?
His team plays in a conference it can dominate, looking more like an SEC than ACC power. His program is one of the most pro-friendly in existence. It caters to recruits' most basic desires, winning championships and getting players to the NFL, quickly. As the projected No. 1 pick, Winston has less than two seasons' experience as a starter.
It doesn't matter in the minds of most here. He's ready. At least on the field.
"I never saw that stuff, whether it was immaturity I don't know," said longtime Fisher associate, Trevor Moawad, Winston's mental conditioning coach. "My interaction was on the field, the night before games, between the lines. We try to edutain - half educate, half entertainment."
The program is back. This is not exactly news but watching it happen reminds us of the degree of difficulty.
Less than a year removed from NCAA probation, USC played a game last year with 44 scholarship players. Penn State is still digging out from Sandusky hell. Oklahoma and Texas have taken dips. All FSU did was transition from the second-winningest all-time coach - we can argue about vacated wins later -- to someone who is establishing his own legacy.
The current record for FSU draftees in a three-year span is 22. It took Bowden 30 years to get to that point (2004-2006). Fisher matched that number in his fifth season.
"[Our players] go to the NFL with a system that still wins games," he said.
This year's 11 potential FSU draft picks have yet to be judged. Miami's three-year run included 15 first-rounders. USC had seven. Those were legendary teams. Miami had a 34-game winning streak stopped in 2002. Pete Carroll's last three USC teams produced two Rose Bowls and almost 30 draftees.
FSU has four combined first-rounders the last two years, five total under Fisher. This year we're talking up to five first-round picks, including Jameis. That includes defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. who appears to be killing it.
If the biggest raps on Fisher have been his vigorous defense of the misbehaving Winston and [lack of] victory margin last season, bring it on.
"You talk about Kentucky basketball and the ability to win the close ones," Moawad said. "but nobody viewed that positively as it related to FSU which I thought was fascinating. It was like it was a negative."
That was evident when the College Football Playoff Selection Committee dropped the nation's only undefeated team to No. 4 late in the season.
As for those draft classes they are best judged like wine, cheese and Justin Bieber's career. It's wise to let things age a bit. For now, Florida State is back on top. The brand is renewed.
If Jameis never wins a championship as a pro - or something worse -- he and his coach will have participated in an reawakening.
The circus has just started."

ESPN Ranks Jimbo Fisher #1 coach under 50

"Roughly half the 127 FBS coaches -- 47.2 percent -- are under the age of 50. Among the Power 5 conferences, 43.1 percent (28 of 65 coaches) are in their 30s and 40s.
Who are the best young coaches? In their final appearance in the best-under-50 list, the two coaches whose teams played for the BCS title two years ago have had the most success before their 50th birthdays.
FSU’s Jimbo Fisher and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, who will both hit 5-0 in October, lead the conversation of the top coaches under 50.


1. Jimbo Fisher, FSU (49)

Fisher has his national title. He’s the best example of a coach-in-waiting situation that worked out well -- or as well as it can. In fact, the way Fisher handled -- and worked through -- the awkwardness surrounding Bobby Bowden’s final chapter is one of the finer points on his resume, right up there with the crystal football. How many people would have been able to survive that, let alone excel in the aftermath of the turmoil? Fisher did so nimbly. His recent assistant hires have also been outstanding, and that’s the mark of a good head coach.

4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson (45)
Chad Morris, the new SMU coach who was Clemson’s OC, said he learned a great deal from Swinney, in terms of how to make good, smart decisions as a head coach. “He does all the little things really, really well,” Morris said. It’s all pretty incredible, considering Swinney was thrust into the role as the interim after Tommy Bowden was fired. He had never even been a coordinator to that point and was only a few years removed from a real estate gig. Swinney, though, proved to be a natural in terms of management and consistent messaging and marketing. In today’s college football, those things are as important as they’ve ever been, and they're why Swinney (61-26) has been steady."

Top coaching records-wins per year over last 5 years

Ariya Massoudi ‏@AriyaMassoudi 2m2 minutes ago

Top 5 (minimum 5 years):

1. Fisher (FSU)-11.60

2. Petersen (Wash.)-11.11
3. Meyer (OSU)-10.85

4. Stoops (OU)-10.50

5. Richt (UGA)-9.71

At Least 15 Athletics Programs to Offer More Than $4,000 in Extra Aid to Athletes

This won't end up well for anyone.

The ACC will likely just get outbid for athletes, with the revenue gap becoming more of an issue.


At Least 15 Athletics Programs to Offer More Than $4,000 in Extra Aid to Athletes

1. Tennessee: $5,666 SEC
2. Auburn: $5,586 SEC
3. Louisville: $5,202 ACC
4. Mississippi State: $5,126 SEC
5. Texas Tech: $5,100 Big XII
6. Penn State: $4,788 B1G
7. TCU: $4,700 Big XII
8. Oklahoma: $4,614 Big XII
9. Oklahoma State: $4,560 Big XII
10. Ole Miss: $4,500 SEC
11. Wisconsin: $4,316 B1G
12. Texas: $4,310 Big XII
13. South Carolina: $4,151 SEC
14. Kansas State: $4,112 Big XII
15. Arkansas: $4,002 SEC

"The University of Tennessee and four other major-college athletics departments are set to offer players an additional $5,000 or more in scholarship assistance starting this fall, according to a Chronicle analysis of financial-aid allowances at the 65 wealthiest NCAA institutions. Ten other athletics programs have plans to distribute at least $4,000 more in aid.
The money, part of a new spending allowance approved in January by the five biggest conferences, allows Division I colleges to cover the full cost of players’ scholarships. Previously, colleges could cover only the cost of a basic scholarship — tuition, fees, room and board, and books.
The change was designed to direct more money to players as television money has expanded. But disparities in what programs can offer has put new pressure on college budgets and altered the dynamics of recruiting.
Spending power among the five biggest conferences — the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten, Big 12, Pacific-12, and Southeastern — varies greatly.
Three of the top four programs are from the Southeastern Conference: Tennessee ($5,666), Auburn University ($5,586), and Mississippi State ($5,126). A total of seven SEC programs are among the top 20, according to the analysis, which included a review of institutions’ financial-aid websites and cost-of-attendance figures that the colleges report to the federal government.
The University of Louisville, from the Atlantic Coast Conference, has the third-highest number ($5,202).
The Big 12 Conference also has seven programs in the top 20, led by Texas Tech ($5,100), Texas Christian University ($4,700), and the University of Oklahoma ($4,614).
Beginning in August, Tennessee can start providing players with about $630 more a month than it does now, according to its cost-of-attendance figures. The extra money is designed to help cover athletes’ out-of-pocket expenses, including travel and cellphone bills. (The numbers are based on a nine-month academic calendar. Players who stay for summer school could receive three more months of payments.)
Not everyone has as much to give. Three private colleges have the lowest cost-of-attendance numbers among the 65: Boston College ($1,400), the University of Southern California ($1,580), and Syracuse University ($1,632).

Boston College voted against the cost-of-attendance measure at this year’s NCAA convention. It was the lone dissenter, citing concerns about recruiting advantages that certain institutions would gain as a result of the change. The college did not immediately respond to a Chronicle inquiry about whether it would offer the additional aid to players.
Elite private institutions sometimes underestimate students’ personal expenses in their published cost of attendance as a way of limiting the sticker shock that can accompany their tuition bills.
Last week, before the final rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, in Indianapolis, athletics officials from several programs told The Chronicle that they have had conversations with campus admissions and financial-aid officials about raising their institutions' cost-of-attendance figures.
Having a higher number means they would have more money to offer players, which can be crucial in recruiting. Some recruits have already mentioned cost-of-attendance differences as being a factor in their decisions.
Colleges are given great latitude in calculating the numbers. But at least one athletics official said that it would be difficult to persuade the admissions office to increase the university’s cost-of-attendance allowance, even if it would benefit the athletics department.
"If we’re talking about a few-hundred athletes versus 5,000 or 10,000 incoming students, who do you think is going to win that battle?" said the official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions. "The admissions department is going to put their number up there because they’re marketing the school."