Awards Week, Transfer Portal and CFP Expansion Edition: All Things CW
The All Things CW notes column by Christopher Walsh appeared in five parts this week, one each day. This is the combined version for the weekend ...
It's a shame that Will Anderson Jr.'s numbers weren't a little better this season because the Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker might have had an excellent chance to steal the Heisman Trophy.
Last year, of course, he finished fifth in the voting, and a lot of people were pretty upset that he didn't get to make the trip to New York as a finalist.
Anderson led the nation in tackles for loss with 34.5, and also had 17.5 sacks. The edge rusher was also in on 102 total tackles.
Opponents obviously weren't going to let that happen again, and built a good part of their game plans around nullifying Anderson's effectiveness.
This season, the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year leads the SEC, but is only 10th nationally with 17 tackles for loss. He also tops the conference in sacks, yet is only tied for seventh in the nation with 10.
Anderson's been credited with 51 tackles, and probably isn't going to play in the Sugar Bowl since has has a chance to be the first-overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Otherwise, the stars had aligned almost perfectly for a defensive player to receive serious consideration for the Heisman. There wasn't a running back or wide receiver who clearly separated themselves from the field like the way Derrick Henry (2015) or Devonta Smith (2020) did, so it's almost certainly going to a quarterback.
Last year's winner, Bryce Young, was probably the most impressive, but didn't post the same numbers and suffered a shoulder injury. He was 230-for-359 for 3,007 yards, 27 touchdowns thrown and five interceptions. His passer rating of 156.46 is 18th in the nation.
There are flaws with the other top candidates as well:
C.J Stroud of Ohio State will head into the College Football Playoff with the best passer rating, 176.24. He was the preseason favorite, but for the second straight season was on the losing end during his biggest game of the year.
Herndon Hooker of Tennessee should be getting more Heisman attention, but missed the end of the season with a knee injury. He had 27 touchdown passes compared to two interceptions, which is why he'll probably finish with the nation's best passer rating at 175.51, making him this year's passing king.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett has very quietly led the Bulldogs through an undefeated season despite the reigning champions being in the spotlight. He's thrown for 3,425 yards, completed 68 percent of his passes and scored 27 total touchdowns, but his passer rating is just 23rd.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 4,075 yards, scored 47 total touchdowns (37 passing compared to four interceptions) and completed 66 percent of his throws. His passer rating is fifth, but voters will have a hard time forgetting the pounding the Trojans took in the Pac-12 Championship Game, or that they didn't play the toughest of schedules.
Speaking of gutsy performances, TCU quarterback Max Duggan won over a lot of people in the Big 12 Championship Game. For the year he threw for 3,321 yards, scored 36 total touchdowns and completed 65 percent of his passes. His passer rating is ninth as he had 30 passing touchdowns compared to four interceptions. The problem is his team lost to Kansas State, and doesn't really have a signature win.
Oddsmakers have Williams as the favorite, over Duggan and Bennett.
Here are three other things to take note of from the hodgepodge weekend:
1) Nick Saban Criticism Unwarranted
It was absurd that some people got upset with Nick Saban trying to promote his team for the College Football Playoff over the weekend.
What kind of message would he have been sending if he hadn't?
The committee heard him, though:
"Yeah, we were in the room watching a game, I believe it was at halftime of one of the games on FOX where Coach Saban was on the Big Ten when he was on, and again, he's advocating for his program, he's advocating for the young men in his program just as other coaches are, and those are the relationships they care about, so I think it was perfectly understandable that that's occurring," committee chairman Boo Corrigan said. "But our job, the 13 of us, is to make sure we're focused in on the games and football judgment and make sure that we get that right."
So what, every other coach gets to make a pitch except Saban? That's ridiculous. So was the way that one network was clearly trying to promote teams in leagues it's under contract with for the playoff (and it's not the one that has the SEC).
2) Alabama Basketball a Solid Top-10 Team
The Crimson Tide basketball team is No. 8 in a ranking that matters a whole lot more than the AP top 25.
The first NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings of the season were released Monday, the evaluation tool that replaced the RPI prior to the 2018-19 season. The NET includes more components than just winning percentage: game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses.
The initial top 10: 1. Houston; 2. UConn; 3. Purdue; 4. Tennessee; 5. Mississippi St.; 6. Maryland; 7. Sam Houston; 8. Alabama; 9. Virginia; 10. Indiana.
Some other notable rankings: 21. Auburn; 25. Arkansas, 34. Missouri; 42. Kentucky. Upcoming opponent Gonzaga is No. 29.
Of course, Alabama has a game at Houston on Saturday.
The biggest surprise on that list has to be Mississippi State, as first-year coach Chris Jans has the Bulldogs undefeated thanks to its strong defensive play.
MSU beat Marquette and Utah during the recent Fort Myers Tip-Off. If the Bulldogs can get a win at Minnesota on Sunday, they could still be undefeated when they open SEC play at home against Alabama on Dec. 28.
3) Bowl Game Craziness
There are 41 Bowl Games before the College Football Playoff title game, and so far the largest spread is 11 points, the game on Dec. 16. UAB is favored by 16 points over Miami of Ohio in the Bahamas Bowl.
Only three games have double-digit points spreads. The TCU vs. Michigan semifinal just missed at 9.5.
In case you missed it, here's how the brackets would have looked if the 12-team playoff was already in place (more on this later ...):
The Grass Isn't Always Greener Through the Transfer Portal
There's success, and then there's success.
In this case we're talking about Drew Sanders and Tommy Brown.
Players coming and going has become part of everyday life in college football, especially with NIL and liberal transfer portal rules that have made switching teams almost as easy as free agency at the professional level.
Add on the covid years, which made the evaluation process tougher on coaches, and a lot of players are on the move.
Last year, Alabama had approximately 20 departures — scholarship and walk-ons — for other schools in time for the 2022 season.
Some had a lot of success.
Some didn't, which has become normal.
Some never made it out of the transfer portal and never played football again.
Some are considering their options again after a coaching change was made.
Saban has told reporters a few times that he's had players call after they got to their new school, begging to come back.
"My dad used to say the grass is always greener on the top of the septic tank. It always looks better someplace else," Saban said. "So you think, instead of facing your fear and overcoming adversity and making yourself better through competition, you go someplace else thinking it'll be better there. Until you face your fear, you're always going to have some of those issues and problems."
For many players, though, it was just a matter of playing time, like Sanders.
Statistically, he led last year's departures with an outstanding season at Arkansas.
He was named All-SEC and a Butkus Award finalist. had a team-leading 103 total tackles with a team-high 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. He was second in sacks in the SEC behind Anderson while tying for first in forced fumbles (third) and was third in total tackles (103) in the regular season.
On Tuesday, Sanders announced that he's opting out of the Liberty Bowl, where Arkansas will face Kansas, and entering the 2023 NFL Draft.
But not even Sanders could touch the success Brown had at Colorado.
As a graduate student, he started at right guard and graded out the best among the offensive linemen. However, the Buffaloes went 1-11.
He had even more success as an underwear model.
Here's a look at how the other transfers fared this season:
Javon Baker, WR, UCF: Made 54 receptions for 747 yards and five touchdowns. He topped 100 receiving yards twice, including 138 against SMU.
Jahleel Billingsley, TE, Texas: Played in four games, made three receptions for 38 yards this season. Is reportedly no longer on the team.
Jackson Bratton, LB, UAB: Played in 12 games as a reserve, made 29 tackles, with one pass broken up and two hurries.
Caden Clark, TE, Akron: The redshirt freshman played in three games, but didn't have a reception.
Agiye Hall, WR, Texas: After getting arrested for criminal mischief, the sophomore has done the equivalent of a redshirt season, we think. He played in three games and had one reception for 7 yards.
Stone Hollenbach, QB, Western Michigan: The sophomore appeared in one game against San Jose State. He completed 4 for 5 passes, the longest being for 7 yards, and the incompletion was intercepted.
Brylan Lanier, DB, Indiana: The redshirt freshman appeared in 11 games, and was credited with 11 tackles. Made his first career sack against Maryland.
Shane Lee, LB, USC: As a senior he started at weakside linebacker. He led the Trojans with 75 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks, and made two interceptions.
Kyle Mann, DL, Alabama A&M: The sophomore did not play in a game this season.
King Mwikuta, LB, Arkansas State: Put name back in transfer portal prior to start of 2022 season.
Pierce Quick, OL, Georgia Tech: Started eight games at left guard as a redshirt sophomore.
Dayne Shor, OT, UConn: In May, he posted on social media about his struggles with mental health issues, but included: "I know that football has ultimately saved my life as it gave me the motivation, determination and power to keep going." The redshirt freshman played in two games this season.
Paul Tyson, QB, Arizona State: Didn't play in any games this season and has re-entered the transfer portal.
Camar Wheaton, RB, SMU: Played in nine games as redshirt freshman, for 285 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He was third in team rushing, but topped 100 rushing yards with 112 on 14 carries against South Florida.
Kaine Williams, S, Nebraska: The redshirt freshman did not play in a game this season.
Stephon Wynn, DL, Nebraska: The junior played in every game and was credited with a career-high 22 tackles, including nine against Georgia Southern. The reserve also broke up a pass, had a hurry and a fumble recovery.
Alabama's Wide Receiver Room Needs to Close the Revolving Door
You may remember Thaiu Jones-Bell.
He's one of those wide receivers who checked a lot of the boxes as a prospect out of South Florida. Bell is 6-0, 190 pounds, posted good numbers at Miami Carol City High School. He had a breakout season as a junior, was selected to play in the Under Armour All-America Game, and was rated as one of the best players in the state for the recruiting Class of 2020.
The various rating services all listed him as a solid four-star prospect, which usually translates to having a ton of potential, but just isn't quite there yet.
Jones-Bell has been with the Crimson Tide for three years now. He's played in 12 career games and has four receptions for 19 yards, the longest being for an 8-yard gain.
What makes him stand out on the roster right now is that he's the dean of the wide receivers room. He's been with the Crimson Tide longer than anyone else as the position group has completely turned over since he arrived. Everyone else has gone.
It's remarkable in that Alabama has been able to make a claim as being WRU lately, with six first-round selections over the last three drafts, including a rare Heisman Trophy winner at wide receiver.
It's also a position group that Alabama has been trying to bolster in terms of overall numbers. The Crimson Tide has wanted to be at least three-deep, three-wide on the depth chart, but the numbers haven't cooperated.
Consider the following:
Departed Last Year
- Javon Baker, Class of 2020 (transferred to Kentucky, changed mind and went to UCF)
- Slade Bolden, 2018 (declared for NFL draft, wasn't selected)
- Agiye Hall, 2021 (transferred to Texas)
- John Metchie III, 2019 (declared for NFL draft, first-round pick)
- Jameson Williams, 2019 (declared for NFL draft, first-round pick)
- Xavier Williams, 2018 (transferred to Utah State, never played for the Aggies and is back in the transfer portal )
Have Entered the Transfer Portal This Week
- Christian Leary, Class 2021, No. 47 SIAA
- JoJo Earle, 2021 No. 75
- Traeshon Holden, 2020
There's no doubt that Saban saw a lot of this coming. He signed five top-rated wide receivers in the last recruiting class, and all but Aaron Anderson (who played in just one game due to an injury) contributed as a true freshman.
Kobe Prentice finished fourth in team receptions with 30. Isaiah Bond played in all 12 games and earned a spot in the rotation. Kendrick Law is already a fan favorite, especially with his ability to lay heavy downfield blocks. Shazz Preston got his feet wet, playing in four games.
Saban also added two veteran wide receivers out of the transfer portal last year: Jermaine Burton and Tyler Harrell (who spent nearly all season dealing with an injury). The hope was that they would help sort of bridge the gap between Metchie and Williams and those coming up the depth chart.
But the group still struggled. Separation was often an issue and then quarterback Young suffered a shoulder injury, impacting everyone's development. Ja'Corey Brooks took another step as a sophomore while leading the team in receiving yards and touchdown catches, yet he seemed to be the exception.
The player with the most receptions ended up being a running back. Not only had that never happened before at Alabama under Saban, but it appears to have been a program first during the modern age of the game.
Even if Jahmyr Gibbs was to return for another year, one has to believe that won't happen again, especially since Saban has already indicated that the Crimson Tide offense will again be more run-pass-option based, and high-tempo.
The last time the Crimson Tide's leading wide receiver had less than Brooks' 623 yards was 2009, when Alabama was executing a very pro-running back offense, and Mark Ingram II won the Heisman Trophy (the receiver was pretty good, though, Julio Jones with 596 yards).
Since 2006, Alabama had at least one receiver top 1,000 receiving 10 times. Two of the previous three years, 2019 and 2021, it had two players reach the milestone, and 2020 was a near-miss during the abbreviated covid season (Metchie had 916).
Alabama has four wide receiver commitments in the signing class of 2023, but closing and locking the revolving door at the position has to be a priority once the dust settles with this upcoming offseason's changes. It's nothing against Jones-Bell, but you can't have your dean of receivers be someone with just four career catches.
Why Alabama's Recent Recruiting Classes Can't be Considered Busts
The news always seems to catch fans by surprise, even though everyone knows it's coming every year.
The second the season outcome is resolved, players start announcing their intentions. Some decide to stay while their suddenly-former teammates make their departures known. Pretty soon we'll have players declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft in the mix as well, although that's already occurring at many other schools.
The knee-jerk reaction in Tuscaloosa when Alabama doesn't win the national championship is to try and figure out who or what to blame. What went wrong? The coaches bear the initial brunt of it, but the players get it too. Some of it is warranted, but often it's not.
With that it mind, this week's announcements of players leaving including two-year starter Javion Cohen on the offensive line, was starling to many.
Most of the time when a player leaves it's because he believes there's a better opportunity elsewhere, and nowadays one has to wonder if NIL is somehow is involved. It's hard to argue against more playing time elsewhere, even if it many be at the cost of development, or being part of a winning/high-profile program.
Sometimes it works out. A lot of times it doesn't.
Either way, recruiting remains at the heart of a program, and has kept Alabama in the title hunt every year under Saban. The coach has adjusted his process before, and one has to wonder what changes he might soon make.
With that in mind, we're going to look specifically the Class of 2021. Why that one? Because after two seasons the players have a good understanding for where they fit in on the roster and their potential to move up the depth chart.
It's also a telling class because it was signed during the coronavirus pandemic, and coaches were limited in their access while making evaluations. It made an already difficult process almost impossible.
Alabama added 27 players in the Class of 2021. The following players have already left (heights and weight are from when they signed):
- Tommy Brockermeyer OL 6-6 290 Fort Worth, Texas/All Saints Episcopal
- Kadarius Calloway DB 6-0 210 Philadelphia, Miss./Philadelphia: East Mississippi Community College
- JoJo Earle WR 5-9 170 Aledo, Texas/Aledo
- Agiye Hall WR 6-3 190 Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale: Transferred to Texas
- Khyree Jackson DB 6-3 197 Clinton, Md./Wise/East Mississippi C.C.
- Christian Leary WR 5-10 190 Orlando, Fla./Edgewater
- Camar Wheaton RB 5-11 190 Galand, Texas/Lakeview Centennial: Transferred to SMU.
- Kaine Williams DB 6-2 195 Marrero, La./John Ehret: Transferred to Nebraska
Brockermeyer and Wheaton stand out because they were widely hailed as being 5-star prospects, which was supposed to mean can't miss talents. They're the kind of players coaches aim to build the class and team around.
That's assuming the talent evaluators had it right. That's a subject for another day.
Here's the rest of the class:
- Terrion Arnold DB 6-0 180 Tallahassee, Fla./John Paul II Catholic
- Anquin Barnes DL 6-5 299 Montgomery, Ala./Robert E. Lee
- Kendrick Blackshire LB 6-2 245 Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville
- James Brockermeyer OL 6-3 280 Fort Worth, Texas/All Saints Episcopal
- Ja'Corey Brooks WR 6-3 185 Miami, Fla./IMG Academy
- Terrence 'TJ' Ferguson Jr. OL 6-4 300 Fort Valley, Ga./Peach County
- Monkell Goodwine DL 6-4 275 Upper Marlboro, Md./Rock Creek Christian Academy
- Ian Jackson LB 6-2 225 Prattville, Ala./Prattville
- Tim Keenan III DL 6-2 335 Birmingham, Ala./Ramsay
- Keanu Koht LB 6-4 215 Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach
- JC Latham OL 6-6 305 Oak Creek, Wis./IMG Academy
- Deontae Lawson LB 6-3 225 Mobile, Ala./Mobile Christian
- Ga'Quincy 'Kool-Aid' McKinstry DB 6-1 180 Pinson, Ala./Pinson Valley
- Jalen Milroe QB 6-3 206 Katy, Texas/Tompkins
- Robbie Ouzts TE 6-4 240 Rock Hill, S.C./Rock Hill
- Damon Payne DL 6-4 297 Belleville, Mich./Belleville
- Jaden Roberts OL 6-5 340 Houston, Texas/North Shore
- Devonta Smith DB 6-0 185 Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle
- Dallas Turner LB 6-4 245 Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
Brooks, Latham, McKinstry, Payne and Turner were all labeled 5-star talents as well, and have contributed, if not become starters. Arnold got a lot of playing time this season. Lawson could be the next to break out star. Milroe is poised to compete for the starting job at quarterback.
The general rule is that a player often has his greatest development his third year in a program, and that's this group. Maybe they're be great. Maybe they won't. But when we're through with all the departures, players and coaches, this group will be Saban's starting point in putting together next year's Crimson Tide and figuring out what additions through the transfer portal could help.
A signing class losing half of its players along the way, or more, is actually pretty normal.
The bigger question is how much is recruiting being diminished by the transfer portal?
A Plea For a Small Change in the 12-Team Playoff
It was January 7, 2013, and I remember the date because I was in the press box at Hard Rock Stadium trying to figure out what the latest name was for the facility, getting ready to see Alabama face Notre Dame in the BCS Championship Game. The College Football Playoff was at hand, and even though the first game in the new format hadn't been played yet, the prevailing belief among most was that expansion was only a matter of time.
Which was why I was surprised to find myself in a casual conversation with none other than Bill Hancock, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, although back then he had a different title too.
I don't remember how we got on the subject of hockey, but I used it to make a point, one that still feel pretty strongly about when it comes to postseason play in collegiate athletics. For years the NCAA hockey tournament has a 16-team field, with four regions, and it always drives me nuts to see rematches when they can be easily avoided.
Teams in the same leagues usually play a weekend series during the season, then often meet in the conference tournament. The idea of then having to go though the same team again in the NCAA tournament has always struck me the wrong way even if it might save a little travel money.
With that in mind, here are some thoughts on the 12-team football playoff that will begin in 2024, after seeing what the brackets would look like this year.
1) Please minimize rematches
Maybe it's just me, but it seems like some of the excitement would be lost with fans when they realize "Hey, we're in!" and then find out their team is playing a team they see every year.
My suggestion is this. Copy the hockey tournament with four regions. Instead of pure rankings slot the teams per seedings and give the committee the flexibility to slide teams within their seeding (all the No. 2 seeds, No. 3 seeds, etc). Then have a rule that no two teams from the same conference can go into the same region unless absolutely necessary.
Sorry, but I don't want a first-round rematch between Ohio State and Penn State, or even possibly Georgia-Tennessee in the second round. I've already seen those games this season.
2) Conference Championship will become extremely important
I've always been in the camp that the league title games are basically just a money grab, but now they'll be crucial for playoff seeding. This year, Clemson and Utah, teams that didn't have a prayer of making the four-team field, would have a bye in a 12-team bracket. That's huge.
3) The fifth-seeded team has an unfair advantage
Think about it. The top-ranked team that didn't win a conference championship gets to play the worst team in the tournament (at home nonetheless), and if it wins will play the fourth-best conference champion.
It's almost like being rewarded for messing up. It's also the best seeding possible for independent programs, i.e. Notre Dame.
4) How are fans going to afford this?
We all know that answer to that one.
5) How long before we go to a 16-team playoff?
Start the clock now, but the guess here is the wait won't be long.
Thought to leave you with: What happens when one of the home games gets played in a snow storm? Granted, it would get huge ratings, but wouldn't be very fair to the players.
Bonus: Predicting How a 12-team Playoff Would Go This Season
To the surprise of nobody the College Football Playoff is going to a 12-team tournament beginning in 2024, but for this year we have the four-team field with Georgia against Ohio State, and TCU vs. Michigan.
The great thing about the change being two years away is we get to play the "What if" game and speculate on what might happen if we had the 12-team brackets this year.
The first-round games would be at home:
- Tennessee at Kansas State
- Tulane at TCU
- USC at Alabama
- Penn State at Ohio State
Even without quarterback Hendon Hooker, Tennessee manages to win. TCU struggles and wins a close game against Tulane, which has pretty much been the Horned Frogs' modus operandi this season. Alabama's defense is the difference against the Trojans. I want to pick Penn State, but the Buckeyes won the initial meeting in Happy Valley, 44-31. This time it'll be a little closer.
Second round
The highest-seeded teams are given a list of the four sites and get to choose where the game will be played. What stinks in this case is Utah could be sitting there with the fourth option, the Cotton Bowl, basically giving home-field advantage to TCU.
- Georgia vs. Tennessee at Sugar Bowl
- TCU vs. Utah at Cotton Bowl
- Alabama vs. Michigan in the Rose Bowl
- Ohio State vs. Clemson in the Orange Bowl
Georgia beats Tennessee for the second time this season. Utah pulls off the "upset" in Arlington. Alabama takes care of Michigan in the Rose Bowl as the Crimson Tide matches up well against the Wolverines. Ohio State dispatches Clemson in the South Florida rain.
Semifinals
Again, the top seed picks the location, this time from the two remaining New Year's Six bowl sites.
- Georgia vs. Utah at the Peach Bowl.
- Alabama vs. Ohio State at the Fiesta Bowl.
Georgia wins a blowout and gets a nice sendoff from the Atlanta fans. The back-to-back long trips do in the Crimson Tide as Ohio State wins on a late turnover.
Championship
The game is still in Los Angeles, which means its back-to-back long trips for Ohio State.
The Bulldogs win in a blowout as the extra game takes a toll on the Buckeyes.
In this scenario, the road to the title is actually easier for Georgia than the four-team field.
Most years that might be Alabama.
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