From the Eagle’s Nest

 

The Offense has its Leader

Late yesterday evening Gus Malzahn confirmed what many have speculated, Sean White will be the quarterback when Auburn welcomes #2 Clemson to Jordan-Hare next weekend. I, for one, am not surprised by this decision and I believe many in the fan base aren’t surprised either. When healthy last season, White showed outstanding poise and passing ability. Injuries limited his playing time toward the middle and end of the season, but I think he showed enough grit and playmaking ability last year to warrant everyone’s support.

Auburn’s young receivers look to have their work cut out for them as having White under center will definitely open up Malzahn’s options in the passing game. I think this Auburn team will have no problem moving the ball on the ground which leads me to also believe that White can have significant success throwing the football this year. At this point, it’s going to come down to execution of a brilliant game plan in order to knock off Clemson under the lights in week one. A task I think this coaching staff is fully capable of.

RIP Hugh Freeze?

Every year around this time I start reading some truly strange things on message boards and around various college football news sites. I never thought I’d read about a head coach staging his own funeral for his players. I read things like this and it makes me wonder if my head is broken because the words I’m feeding it just do not seem to make any kind of sense.

I don’t know what Hugh Freeze was thinking and with an NCAA investigation looming larger every day in Oxford, I’m starting to wonder if this whole charade is not some weird, self-fulfilling prophecy. I’ve tried to think of a more narcissistic move – and I can’t – short of purposely stranding yourself in space and forcing loved ones to communicate with you via Skype so you can see how much they miss until you’re able to be brought back down to Earth. Kudos for creativity, but I feel like this could be a signal of the beginning of the end for Freeze at Ole Miss.

Clemson’s “Best” is the New Standard

Clemson recently unveiled its plans for a new athletic facility for its student-athletes and no pennies are being pinched. The new complex will reportedly have laser tag, mini golf, and an indoor slide – and though it hasn’t been confirmed, I know Dabo pushed to have the slide added.

The new facility is truly a sign of the times for collegiate athletics, however. College football alone has grown into multi-billion dollar industry and it is nice to see a chunk of that money being spent toward the individuals responsible for said revenue. Opponents of facilities like Clemson’s will probably warn of an over-commercialization of collegiate sports – and it’s a warning that will arrive about two decades too late.  

Where there’s money to be made in America, there’s going to be extravagant spending. These new athletic complexes were inevitable and it won’t be long before schools begin competing heavily with one another to woo teenagers with lazy rivers, haunted houses, and all kinds of other whacky fun-house attractions they can do for free on campus any time they please. I can’t wait to see the height requirements for the rides over in Tuscaloosa.

Cal vs Hawaii in the Upside Down Bowl

College football gets started properly this year all the way on the other side of the world. Cal will face Hawaii this weekend in Sydney, Australia at ANZ Stadium with kickoff slated for 10:00 PM EST tonight. I’m a big fan of having a game like this promote the great sport of college football in an international venue. For years, the countries outside of America have only had soccer fans to lead the fanatical segment of sports fans. Now it’s time for college football’s own brand of crazy fandom introduce itself to the rest of the globe.

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