By Franz Beard
A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:
ELAM TO THE NFL; TORRENCE AND JOHNSON ENROLLED AT UF?
Although he waited until the last day before drop/add at the University of Florida to declare his intentions, corner Kaiir Elam has announced he is off to the National Football League. There had been some faint speculation that Elam might choose to play another year at UF to be coached by new cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond, the man who made LSU known as DBU, but he chose to move on, which isn’t really a surprise.
Elam’s draft stock may have dipped a little bit after an inconsistent 2021, but ESPN NFL Draft experts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay still have him as their No. 5 corner. McShay ranks Elam as his No. 25 player overall. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Elam going 20th in the draft to the Los Angeles Chargers while Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports has Elam at No. 14 to the Baltimore Ravens. He will have a chance to solidify his status as a first rounder with an outstanding combine and pro day.
In announcing he’s off for the NFL, Elam posted a social media video in which he said, “I will forever be a Gator. I will forever be grateful for all the fans and all the real people who stuck with us through the ups and downs. Being able to come back to The Swamp is something I’ll cherish the rest of my life. Being a Gator is something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
Elam finishes his Florida career with six interceptions and 26 passes defended.
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Although nothing has been announced yet, apparently a pair of players who helped Billy Napier and Louisiana go 13-1 and win the Sun Belt Conference championship are enrolled at the University of Florida. Both have email addresses listed in the Florida student directory. Offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence (6-5, 338, two years eligibility remaining) and running back Montrell Johnson (5-11, 215, three years eligibility remaining) would mark the third and fourth transfers since Napier became Florida’s head coach and the third from Louisiana. Quarterback Jack Miller III (6-4, 210, four years eligibility remaining) transferred in from Ohio State and offensive lineman Kamryn Waite (6-8, 358, four years eligibility remaining) were the first two. The final day to enroll for the spring semester is Friday.
GEORGIA WINS THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The 14,984-day wait is over for the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia won the national championship Monday night, exorcising 41 years of demons and knocking the monkey that has been riding on Kirby Smart’s back ever since 2017 when Alabama won the national championship game in overtime.
For all the credit that will be given to Georgia’s defense, which showed up, unlike they did against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game back on December 4, the Bulldogs don’t win this one, 33-18, if Stetson Bennett IV doesn’t play the game of his life. You don’t have to be a Georgia fan to admire the former walk-on, who has endured far too much criticism from fans who spent the year begging for JT Daniels. Bennett got Georgia enough points to win the SEC title game, but the defense didn’t show. That didn’t stop Georgia fans and critics everywhere from blaming the loss on the QB.
Well, guess who has the last laugh now?
Bennett completed 17-26 passes for 224 yards and two second half touchdowns to lead the way. Granted, Georgia’s defense did play great football, particularly in the red zone where they denied Alabama first half touchdowns that could have made a huge difference, but Bennett has to be the hero of this one. Consider also that Bennett was never supposed to be THE guy at Georgia. He walked on, left for junior college, then came back even though he knew he would be buried on the quarterback depth chart. In 2020, he was supposed to back up Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman and former 4-star recruit D’wan Mathis, both of whom were bigger, stronger, faster and had better arms. Additionally, Daniels, a former 5-star recruit transferred in from Southern Cal in August. Newman quit before the 2020 season began amid reports that he was being outplayed in scrimmages by Bennett. Mathis started the first game in 2021 but transferred to Temple (he’s transferred again). In 2021, Daniels started two of the first three games, but once Bennett started taking the snaps, Daniels could only sit and watch.
This was Georgia’s first national championship since the Bulldogs beat Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl to cap Herschel Walker’s brilliant freshman season. It was also the first win over Nick Saban since he became the Alabama head coach in 2007 after losing seven in a row including three in championship games (2017 national championship, 2018 SEC championship, 2021 SEC Championship).
Alabama had to play the last 42 minutes of the game without Jameson Williams, who injured his knee at the Georgia 35 in the second quarter after catching a 40-yard pass from Bryce Young. No Williams and no John Metchie III (out since the SEC Championship Game) had a serious impact on the Alabama offense, but no excuses. You play with the guys you’ve got and the players Georgia had were better than the ones Alabama played with.
So, hats off to Georgia, which just won the Southeastern Conference’s 12th national championship in football since 2006. Although Alabama has been the dominant program in all of college football since Saban took over, the SEC has had five different programs win the national championship since Florida started the domination in 2006. Alabama has won six national championships, Florida two, LSU two, Auburn one and now Georgia one.
SEC FOOTBALL
Arkansas: Linebacker Grant Morgan, who went from walk-on to All-American, is off to the NFL. Morgan finished with 312 tackles in his career including back-to-back 100+ seasons in 2020-21.
Auburn: Redshirt freshman defensive back Eric Reed Jr., a former 4-star recruit, is transferring out.
Kentucky: Citing the desire to be the first person in his family to earn a college degree, running back Chris Rodriguez will be back in 2022. After a season in which he gained 1,379 yards and scored nine touchdowns, Rodriguez has run for 2,739 yards and 26 touchdowns in his UK career. He’s within striking distance of the all-time UK rushing record of 3,835 held by Sonny Collins … Former Ohio State D-lineman and 4-star recruit Darrion Henry-Young is transferring to UK. He has four years of eligibility.
LSU: Wide receiver Alex Adams is the fourth wide receiver to transfer out, joining Koy Moore, Deion Smith and Trey Palmer.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs, whose placekickers managed only 14-25 on field goals in 2021, have a commitment from 5-star juco transfer Gabriel Plascencia. Plascencia also punts.
Missouri: Former 4-star corner Dreydon Norwood, who didn’t see any action at Texas A&M in 2021, is transferring to Mizzou. Norwood has four seasons of eligibility remaining.
Ole Miss: Isheem Young, who was the Big 12’s co-freshman of the year in 2020, has chosen Ole Miss as his transfer destination over Southern Cal and Texas A&M. Young, who had 106 tackles and three interceptions in two years playing safety for the Cyclones, has three seasons of remaining eligibility.
South Carolina: Wide receiver Antwain Wells, who caught 83 passes for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns for D1AA powerhouse James Madison in 2021, is transferring to South Carolina. Also transferring in is former Central Michigan safety Devonni Reed, who chose South Carolina over Texas, Wisconsin, Mississippi State and others. Reed had 287 tackles in his CMU career.
SEC BASKETBALLTuesday’s games: South Carolina (10-4, 1-1 SEC) at No. 18 Tennessee (10-4, 1-2 SEC); No. 16 Kentucky (12-3, 2-1 SEC) at Vanderbilt (9-5, 1-1 SEC); Ole Miss (9-5, 1-1 SEC) at Texas A&M (13-2, 2-0 SEC); No. 9 Auburn (14-1, 3-0 SEC) at No. 15 Alabama (11-4, 2-1 SEC)
Wednesday’s games: No. 21 LSU (14-1, 2-1 SEC) at FLORIDA (9-5, 0-2 SEC); Georgia (5-10, 0-2 SEC) at Mississippi State (10-4, 1-1 SEC); Missouri (7-7, 1-1 SEC) at Arkansas (10-5, 0-3 SEC)
The Associated Press top 25: 1. Baylor 15-0; 2. Gonzaga 12-2; 3. UCLA 10-1; 4. Auburn 14-1; 5. Southern Cal 13-0; 6. Arizona 12-1; 7. Purdue 13-2; 8. Duke 12-2; 9. Kansas 12-2; 10. Michigan State 13-2; 11. Houston 14-2; 12. LSU 14-1; 13. Wisconsin 13-2; 14. Villanova 11-4; 15. Iowa State 13-2; 16. Ohio State 10-3; 17. Xavier 12-2; 18. Kentucky 12-3; 19. Texas Tech 11-3; 20. Seton Hall; 21. Texas 12-3; 22. Tennessee 10-4; 23. Providence 14-2; 24. Alabama 11-4; 25. Illinois 11-3
The Coaches top 25: 1. Baylor 15-0; 2. Gonzaga 12-2; 3. UCLA 10-1; 4. Auburn 14-1; 5. Purdue 13-2; 6. Arizona 12-1; 7. Southern Cal 13-0; 8. Duke 12-2; 9. Michigan State 13-2; 10. Kansas 12-2; 11. Houston 14-2; 12. LSU 14-1; 13. Wisconsin 13-2; 14. Villanova 11-4; 15. Ohio State 10-3; 16. Iowa State 13-2; 17. Kentucky 12-3; 18. Seton Hall 11-3; 19. Texas Tech 11-3; 20. Providence 14-2; 21. Xavier 12-2; 22. Texas 12-3; 24. Illinois 11-3; 25. Alabama 11-4
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Don’t like the current four-team playoff format? You might want to get used to it because after three days of meetings in Indianapolis, the conference commissioners who make up the College Football Playoff Management Committee adjourned without getting anywhere near an agreement to expand. Had there been an agreement on the number of teams and format for an expanded playoff, there might have been either an eight- or 12-team playoff beginning with 2024. The current four-team format with all games broadcast on ESPN is under contract until 2025.
The proposal that was brought forward last summer called for a 12-team playoff with the six highest ranked conference champions getting an automatic bid with six at-large teams. Since Notre Dame does not play a conference championship game, the Irish would not be allowed a first round bye or a top six seed in that format. Once Texas and Oklahoma announced they are departing the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference, the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 united to more or less roadblock expansion.
One sticking point was the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 wanted guarantees that all five power conference champs would get an automatic bid. That slapped the face of the Group of Five, which was in favor of the original proposal. In 2020, for example, the Pac-12 champion wouldn’t have made the playoff. In 2021, all five power conference champs would have made it.
This move really doesn’t hurt the SEC at all. Commissioner Greg Sankey has stated on more than one occasion that the SEC is perfectly fine with the four-team format and why not? The SEC commanded two of the four slots in this year’s playoff, the second time that’s happened. The SEC has a new contract with ESPN kicking in following the 2023 season that will assure every school in the league has an additional $17 million a year coming in. When Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC – which could be as soon as 2023 – each SEC school may be on the receiving end of another $9-17 million per year, which means a yearly payout of $72-80 million. If it’s $80 million it may be almost as much as the Pac-12, ACC and Big 12 combined.
So, get used to four teams unless the geniuses who run the Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12 figure out that their “alliance” is only going to cost each school in their leagues the millions that a 12-team playoff would bring.
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