5 Things That Got Our Attention Over the Weekend

There's good news on the medical front, bad news regarding the transfer portal, and a lot of indications that the landscape of college athletics is about to change dramatically,

We saw the scores, still can't get over some of the results, and will forever wonder what some of the teams in the National Football League are thinking. 

But that's kind of become the norm around here. it's kind of gotten to the point that we're wondering if there's essentially a permanent full moon due to all the weirdness in the world. 

At least we can help you keep up with some of it, especially in regards to things that may directly, or indirectly, impact University of Alabama athletics. 

For example, news broke last week that Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who at one point was considered the odds-on favorite to be the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, wasn't going to get the job. 

The odd thing was no one had much of an explanation as to why until Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was getting serious consideration from general manager Trent Baalke, although he might be in that position for much longer. 

"O'Brien was given strong support from Baalke, leading to him eventually interviewing for the position, but sources said that meeting quickly went south with Tony Khan, son of owner Shad Khan and a high-ranking official with the team, expressing strong reservations about O'Brien's past history of toxicity during the process."

By toxicity, we assume he means the way things eventually went south with the Houston Texans after O'Brien added the title of general manager in addition to head coach in 2020. He led the team to the playoff during four of the previous five seasons. 

Meanwhile, former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who is the offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, was the first candidate interviewed for the head coaching job with the New York Giants. He's already interviewed with the Miami Dolphins (which would reunite him with Tua Tagovailoa) and the Chicago Bears.  

Here are five other things that got our attention over the weekend: 

1] Possible Concussion Research Breakthrough

Alabama Athletics

According to the Toronto Star, a London group can analyze important biomarkers in the blood and determine whether or not someone has suffered a concussion in a matter of about 20 minutes.

"The emerging technology in question, developed by Dr. Doug Fraser, one of the founders of London-based Neurolytixs, takes a few drops of blood from the prick of a finger and, once the sample has been applied to a filter-paper cartridge and transported to a lab, compares it against a baseline blood sample taken before the season. By analyzing important biomarkers in the blood — key molecules whose concentrations have been observed by Neurolytixs to reliably change after an individual suffers brain trauma — it can be determined whether or not someone has suffered a concussion in a matter of about 20 minutes." 

The test has shown up to 96 percent accuracy in preliminary research, is currently being tailored to adolescents aged 13-17 and will soon begin clinical trials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

2] What's in a Title?

Alabama Athletics

Now that former Nick Saban assistant coach Billy Napier is the head coach at Florida, the Gators' support staff has a very different look to it. 

Napier had close to 40 analysts at Louisiana, but is going way past that at Florida, where he was given both $7.5 million annually for his 10 assistant coaches plus another $5 million pool to build a support staff that includes analysts.

What's really turning heads, though are some of the new titles, including: 

Gamechanger Coordinator

Director of Recruiting Innovation

Director of Player Engagement and NIL

Director of College Personnel

Director of Advanced Scouting and Self Scout

Director of Speed Improvement and Skill Development

Transfer Portal Issues

Alabama Athletics

The Athletic surveyed 17 basketball coaches on their experiences and opinions of the transfer portal, and the results were pretty predictable: Claims of rampant tampering, back-channel deals and a ton of problems.

Said one: “We signed three high school players early this year, and two of my three assistants were like, we have to stop recruiting high school kids right now. They were just frantic that we have to save scholarships for the portal. I mean, it was almost comical. I’m going to sign high school players early that are good enough, but I’m not going to take any chances. I think you go hard for the high school kids in the summer and the fall, the ones that can help you, that can play for you. Especially on guards and wings, I ain’t taking no chances. Bigs maybe, because they’re different. But I think that’s a mistake. You can recruit your way right out of your job. You need guys that can help you.’’

On when the portal may calm down: “I think it’s gonna be interesting five years from now. I’ll be about done coaching. You’ll go do some research on that and say, OK, first two years of the transfer portal, how many guys went in the portal and didn’t even get a scholarship? Because the supply far outweighs the demand. It’s gonna be interesting. And then study it and say, OK, who transferred and did better? Who played better? Who put up better numbers than where they were at? Or what did they translate into? Did they get drafted? Like, how many guys are gonna go in the portal and get drafted? They listen to what they want to hear. I think it’s gonna be even minimal. Minimal.”

4] Momentum Growing for Transfer Portal Windows

College Football Playoff

247Sports surveyed a number of football coaches on what changes need to be made to the transfer portal after 1,800-plus FBS players entered the portal this cycle. 

One idea that appears to be gaining momentum is having windows for the portal. AFCA Executive Director Berry has proposed for the portal to be open after the regular season and after spring practice. Another scheduling element that could alter the portal would be the elimination of the early signing period.

Said one: "Everybody is tampering. We all do it. At this point it’s like going 65 mph in a 55. What are you going to do with it? But there need to be parameters. NFL free agency starts and ends on certain dates, and we need to do that with the portal. That's No. 1. They have to protect the kids from themselves and make it fair for our rosters because it’s impossible the way it is set up today." 

From another: ​​"There shouldn’t be changes to the portal. "I think signing day should be moved to February permanently. The early signing period hurts high school kids with the portal because from December to February schools are prioritizing transfer portal kids over high school kids. The threshold to go (FBS) out of high school is getting more and more difficult."

5] Restructuring is at hand

NCAA

Consider this our suggested reading recommendation from Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger on how the restructuring of Division I sports is on the cusp of becoming reality. 

"At this week’s 2022 NCAA convention in Indianapolis, just blocks away from the NCAA’s own headquarters, college leaders are poised to take the first step in the process of transforming how college athletics governs itself. A new, streamlined constitution—one that grants authority to each division to create its own policy—is expected to be approved Thursday in a vote of Division I, II and III members.

Tweet That Got Our Attention 

Whoever say Julio not one of the most dominate receivers in NFL history just simply is not a football person. Period. https://t.co/VygRwzNJAx

— Mark Ingram II (@markingramII) January 21, 2022