A Jersey Guy: CFB calm before the storm
Traditionally, late April and early May is the time of year when college football can catch its breath.
Spring football is over, summer camp is still several weeks away and even the workaholic coaches such as Alabama's Nick Saban retreat to their non football outposts.
But these are different times.
COVID, while under control, is still an issue, NIL issues remain unsolved and the transfer portal continues to be an issue no one seems able to control.
In addition, a log jam over an expanded playoff system and conference realignment issues also can not be resolved.
If nothing else, it sets up for another intriguing college football seasons with totally new story lines with familiar faces in different places.
Pick a conference and you can find intriguing new story lines, ready for production.
ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the key questions, coming off last season, was what was wrong with Clemson?
Excuse me.
The Tigers finished the season with a 10-3 record.
They hit a speed bump lost three games, instead of their normal diet of unbeaten, one and two losses and CFP status.
There will be a battle at QB, but Coach Dabo Swinney's roster is loaded with Top 10 talent.
The more intriguing question in the ACC is how far back can Miami come with Mario Crisobal running the program.
SEC
The SEC is again top heavy with newly minted national champion Georgia and Alabama still Top 5 worthy, while Texas A&M and LSU, with new coach Brian Kelly, are Top 10 caliber.
Add a new coach (Billy Napier) at Florida and a high profile QB transfer (Spencer Rattler) at South Carolina and you have your normal SEC feeding frenzy.
Big Ten
Michigan is the new kid at the top of the Big Ten mountain and Jim Harbaugh ended speculation about his return to the NFL by re-confirming his commitment to his alma mater.
But Ohio State looks like its ready to make another title run and Nebraska remains the most intriguing "can we turn it around'' story i college football.
Big 12
Texas and Oklahoma return as lame duck members, while schools such as Cincinnati, UCF, Houston and BYU are ready to start playing, but clogged up because of administrative stubbornness.
Pac 12
USC and former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley's move West is the story line of the year in college football. Can the Trojans become national contenders in one season?
Yes, they can.
Independents, Group of 5
Notre Dame has a new totally untested head coach in Marcus Freeman, who gets to open the season at Ohio State.
Cincinnati must rebuild and continue its lame duck status in the American Athletic Conference.
***
Here's a simple solution to putting some sense in the transfer portal, which has created free agency for the players, but created chaos on schools depth charges.
Put in a two sentence rule, which must be enforced, until challenged.
Each incoming freshman player can transfer ONE time in his college career without penalty. A second transfer will require sitting out a season.
Want to speed up the expansion plans?
Another minor rule change in the protocols. Instead of a unanimous vote required for expansion, change it to 2/3 majority.