In the spring and summer Saturdays feel like Wednesdays and Thursdays and, truly, any other day of the week. Well, except for the whole go to work thing.

Then September hits.

Now Saturdays have meaning again.

It is time to plan your day accordingly. Lawn mowing, family affairs, and other household chores must be planned for between the hours of 8:00 AM and noon. From noon until your eyelids collapse —usually between midnight and 2:30 AM— college football takes over your world. And despite the NIL, portal, money grubbing issues with the current state of the game, it is a glorious way to spend a Saturday.

I mean, I could probably be coerced into a round of golf, or if my kid has an event at college I need to attend I would carve out some time. Otherwise, I spend autumn —yes, I know it isn’t autumn yet— Saturdays locked in on college football.

A new roadblock was put in front of some fans at 7:00 PM Monday night. DirecTV chose to block all ESPN and Disney owned ABC channels so the two billion dollar companies can play a high stakes game of chicken, as always, screwing over the customer.

As a USC fan, my heart nearly stopped until I found out my ABC channel wasn’t Disney owned. Cue another mass exodus from DirecTV in 3…2…1. I am not sure they really want to run a successful business anymore.

So aside from the occasional unforeseen roadblock, my Saturdays are now booked. As good fortune would have it, I don’t really have a social life so this works nicely into my schedule.

Week one is in the books. What did I discover while glued to my couch?

Twelve Two Cent Takes from week 1

  • This Texas A&M team looks a lot like the last couple Texas A&M teams, just with a fatter coach. That quarterback doesn’t look like someone who can win SEC games.

 

 

  • Notre Dame, once again, has a quarterback I liked at his old school and hate after just one game with the Irish. I still need to see more of the Irish. Unfortunately they play a mishmash independent schedule and won’t go through the grind of a conference schedule. I think they are good, but I am not sure they are playoff good.

 

 

  • I am on record as being a huge Cam Ward fan. He was excellent at Washington State with average players around him. Now at Miami, Ward has other excellent players around him. Ward is creative and a difference maker. His playmaking skills will raise Miami’s offense to a new level. I feel even better now than I did a week ago about my Miami winning the ACC pick. If Mario Cristobal could just stay out of the way.

 

 

  • Has Billy Napier been fired at Florida yet? Napier will not survive the season.

 

 

  • Georgia is on a different level. Just insanely talented and so well coached. I still think they lose along the way with a schedule from Hell. If any team can navigate that schedule, it is the Bulldogs.

 

 

  • Clemson is who I thought they were. Cade Klubnick is an average quarterback on a team that just doesn’t have enough talent. The Tigers will win plenty of games, but I don’t see them beating the tougher teams on their schedule. Dabo Swinney better start adapting to the new landscape of college football or he will get left behind waiting for divine intervention.

 

 

  • Coaching matters part 1: Penn State looked really good, particularly on offense. A year ago Drew Allar looked like he was on the verge of being a bust. The receiving corp was tepid at best. Saturday, with new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki at the helm, Allar looked fantastic and they seemed to find a number one receiver in Harrison Wallace III. The schedule is gentle until an October trip out west to USC. Penn State looked like the real deal in week one.

 

 

  • Coaching matters part 2: USC tackled people, stayed in their gaps, and came up with several big stops on Sunday night in Vegas against LSU. All of those things were nonexistent under former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Enter D’Anton Lynn and a defensive staff full of top notch coaches. Suddenly, it looks like USC will play, at the very least, respectable defense. Add to that the play of new quarterback Miller Moss, and you see why I thought USC had a chance at the playoffs this season. Lincoln Riley still has game management issues, but give him credit for accepting change was needed.

 

 

  • Is it possible Brian Kelly is overrated? Three years in a row LSU has lost their opener. His quarterback played well, but the team lacked discipline, which is a direct reflection on the coach. Here is Kyrie Lacy’s penalty, and then he brags to his boys on the bench about doing it. Not a great look for Kelly.

 

 

  • One of the cool things about the USC/LSU game was the quarterback battle. Two guys that decided not to hit the transfer portal when they found themselves stuck behind great quarterbacks. Both always wanted to play for their respective schools. Both were patient. Both kept working hard. Both played well Sunday night. Even after Caleb Williams announced he was turning pro, Moss was overlooked. It took a head turning performance in the Holiday Bowl last year to give Lincoln Riley the confidence to turn the keys to the offense over to Moss. I just know it was refreshing to see guys realize their dreams after showing patience and sticking with their dream school rather than transferring.

 

 

  • College Gameday has always been the leader in pregame college football shows. I love the addition of Nick Saban. Saban has a wealth of knowledge to impart to fans, and he has a dry sense of humor that is very endearing. Why is Desmond Howard still on the show? He is awful. I must admit I am getting a bit of Herbstreit fatigue. Thursday night NFL games, college games, and Gameday. Now we have to see his damn dog 20 times a broadcast. Look, everyone loves their dog. That doesn’t mean I want to see constant updates of them. Finally, I love that Lee Corso, at age 89, still is part of the show. Cmon, man, how can you not get a kick out of this kind of stuff?

 

 

  • Florida State lost again on Monday night, this time at home to Bill O’Brien and Boston College. Remember a couple years ago when head coach Mike Norvell was on the hot seat? Someone get the lighter fluid. Thinking DJ Uiagalelei would be a good replacement for Jordan Travis may be Norvell’s final nail in his coffin.

 

 

It was a good, but not great, start to the 2024 college football season. There needs to be more games like USC/LSU, Georgia/Clemson, and Miami/Florida. Texas travels to Michigan this week. Unfortunately, because of expanded conferences, we will probably see fewer of these great intersectional games. These are games that make the sport great. Who gets excited for Tennessee vs Chattanooga, Alabama vs Western Kentucky, or Oregon vs Idaho? Obviously, not Oregon. But also, not college football fans.

Regardless of all the change in landscape, good and mostly bad, it was great to have our old friend back again. Fight songs, cheerleaders, colors, pageantry, and Gus Johnson getting excited. Saturdays have meaning again. My butt imprint will be permanently visible on my couch for the next several months. If you need me for something on a Saturday check back in January. Oh, wait. College basketball. Better make it April.

College football is back, autumn is in the air, USC had a big win. All is right with the world.

Two Cent Takes

College Football

~I like the addition of a two minute timeout. It gives teams more options and creates an extra layer of strategy in a close game.

~Now defenses have to be careful with how they shift at the line. It is a rules emphasis to call the defense for disconcerting signals. Beautiful. Just what we needed, referees making more judgement calls.

~After watching the Connor Stallions documentary on Netflix, there is no doubt in my mind that Michigan was doing shady business. To make matters worse, Stallions turned it into a game, often appearing in noted Michigan fan Dave Portnoy’s videos and essentially always being in the background at Michigan games. And the beauty of rivalries is that it may have been Ohio State that turned the Wolverines in. Now Stallion’s lawyer wants that investigated. I am sure the NCAA will straighten all of this out.

Golf

~We just witnessed one of the most dominant seasons on the PGA Tour. Scottie Scheffler won 7 times this year, including the Tour Championship. He won a major plus a gold medal at the Olympics. Check out his earnings for the year.

 

 

That is insane. It is absolutely on par with some of Tiger Woods’ great years. Time will tell if he can have the same longevity, but a guy with Jack Nicklaus’ demeanor and Tiger’s dominance should not be doubted. Plus, there are far more good players than when Tiger dominated. It just shouldn’t be that easy to win like Scheffler has. He even got a bad cop fired this year. He can do it all.

MLB

~I keep hearing people fret about the Phillies. I don’t get it. They have the second best record in baseball and I refuse to believe a team with leaders like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber won’t increase their interest level this month. It doesn’t mean they won’t lose in the playoffs, but it won’t be because they are disinterested.

~Yankees/Orioles for the AL East is going to be fun. An honest to goodness pennant race between two good teams.

~Ben Cherington and Derek Shelton took over the Pirates in 2020. That Covid year they were on pace for 110 losses. They lost 101 and 100 in 2021 and 2022. Last season they improved to 86 losses and seemed to slowly be heading in the right direction. This year they are on pace for 87 losses, with the possibility of losing 90. That is not a rebuild. That is an embarrassment. According to reports it sounds like Shelton is in trouble —Finally! Why not Cherington? How can you bring this disastrous GM back? Oh, that’s right… Bob Nutting.

~One guy the Pirates should bring back is Andrew McCutchen. Cutch hit a game winning homer last night. He has quietly hit 18 home runs at age 37. His last two years have been more than acceptable.

NFL

~The season begins on Thursday night with a potential AFC Championship preview when Baltimore visits defending champs Kansas City. Even though I generally hate Thursday night games, beginning the season on a Thursday night is a good idea. All eyes on your product. Just don’t play all those other Thursday night games. They aren’t fair to the players.

~Playing a game in Brazil Friday night is idiotic. This fascination with growing the game worldwide is baffling, if for no other reason than the game is already popular worldwide. Just look at Super Bowl TV ratings.

The Weekly Shiny Penny

If Kyron Hudson had the best catch of the year for USC in Sunday night’s game, then this is unquestionably the best interception of the year. And you can stop taking nominees. This. Is. It.

 

 

A Penny For My Final Thought…

The Pittsburgh Steelers kickoff the 2024 season on Sunday in Atlanta.

What should we expect from the black and gold this year?

Will they be varsity level?

Maybe.

Will they defend every blade of grass?

Probably.

Will they find a way to put five pounds in a three pound bag?

No. And they won’t give 110% either.

Most importantly, will the standard be the standard?

Those goalposts seem to move in Pittsburgh from year to year. Therefore, who knows?

Lets move from Tomlinisms to the schedule.

One word. Brutal.

The Steelers play 8 games before their bye week. That is the easy part of the schedule —@Falcons, @Broncos, Chargers, @Colts, Cowboys, @Raiders, Jets, Giants. If they want to be playoff contenders they need to go a minimum of 6-2. Less than that and I think this season could go south in a hurry.

4-5 in the second half would be an accomplishment. The NFL, always kind to the Steelers, gave them these final 9 games: @Commanders, Ravens, @Browns, @Bengals, Browns, @Eagles, @Ravens, Chiefs, Bengals. 4-5 seems like the best you could expect with that ridiculous stretch.

So 6-2 and 4-5 would put them at 10-7 and a possibility of making the playoffs.

Should you have hope?

Sure, why not. Almost every NFL team finds at least a glimmer of hope in early September.

The defense should be good, with the possibility of being very good.

That side of the ball always starts with TJ Watt. Watt is a star. He is more than a star. He is a game wrecker. On the other side Alex Highsmith has been solid and I think we will see a lot of Nate Herbig this year. Herbig flashes every time he steps on the field. 

Along the line, Cam Heyward is old but still has some gas in the tank. He will be playing with a chip on his shoulder because the Steelers didn’t give him a contract extension. Heyward has only won a single playoff game since arriving in Pittsburgh. Larry Ogunjobi played well a year ago, and Keanu Benton has shown promise. The line should be solid.

The middle of the field could become a strength. New addition Patrick Queen is a significant upgrade to join Elandon Roberts. Look for a lot of rookie Payton Wilson, who gives the Steelers better depth at linebacker than they have enjoyed in some time. Behind them is the other star on this defense, Minkah Fitzpatrick. Deshon Elliott signed a two year deal with Pittsburgh and will join Fitzpatrick at safety. Elliott was solid in Miami last season.

A position of concern for the defense is at cornerback. Well, one side will be good. Joey Porter proved to be a lockdown cornerback as a rookie. He takes the best receiver of the opponent and renders them less significant. On the other side is Donte Jackson. Jackson was adequate in Carolina last year. The depth at this position is concerning as well.

All in all, that should be a pretty darn good defense that limits opponents scoring.

The big question is whether the offense will help the defense enough to win more than they lose.

The elephant in the room is at quarterback. The Steelers ridded themselves of draft error Kenny Pickett, but only brought in past his prime Russell Wilson and underperforming Justin Fields. Neither is very good. Wilson should be more steady, while Fields has more upside. Wilson gets the start and was also named a team captain. Wilson’s best years are 3, 4, 5 years ago in Seattle. He wasn’t as bad as I remember last year, finishing with a 98 rating. If Wilson doesn’t get off to a good start, Fields is ready. He makes plays. The problem is some of the plays he makes are for the other team.

New coordinator Arthur Smith has a history of leaning on the run game, then mixing in play action passes. Good news. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren make a fairly productive one-two punch out of the backfield. Another plus is the addition of Cordarelle Patterson. That is a burst of speed that could be interesting, including on special teams.

Who catches passes? Obviously George Pickens is a stud, but it helps to have a number two receiver that takes some coverage off your main target. This is my one beef with GM Omar Khan. He traded Dionte Johnson, who admittedly did run the wrong direction too often, and replaced him with Van Jefferson. No offense to Jefferson, but that ain’t it. Technically, I guess Calvin Austin is the number two. That ain’t it either. Wide receiver could be a real problem.

The good news is the Steelers have three really interesting tight ends. Pat Friermuth is the traditional tight end, Connor Heyward is the H-back type guy, and Darnell Washington is the blocking first tight end. These guys will have to make up for the lack of production likely to come from the receiver position.

The Steelers have drafted a tackle in the first round two years straight, yet Dan Moore continues to start. Either he has incriminating pictures of Mike Tomlin or the new guys were overvalued. Broderick Jones was last year’s pick and looked good as a rookie. He looked awful in preseason. Hopefully last year’s guy shows up Sunday. Troy Fautanu is this year’s pick. He also struggled in preseason. He did not crack the starting lineup. Rookie Zach Frazier takes over at center, and with some luck will be the next great Steelers center.

It is an offense first league, and the Steelers will continue to try and win with a defense first mentality. That is due in part to the Steelers being stuck in the mud of 1975. The more obvious reason for this is the fact that they have not found a legitimate replacement for Ben Roethlisberger. It took a long time for the Steelers to get from Bradshaw to Ben, and they are in that cycle again.

The Steelers have Mr. Automatic kicking field goals in Chris Boswell. They smartly brought in a punter with a great track record in Cameron Johnston. Special teams will be an important facet of the game for a team like the Steelers, who want to grind out close games.

Somewhere along the line, Art Rooney II became complacent. His dad and grandad would be disgusted. The Steelers are suppose to chase Lombardi Trophies, not winning records. Mike Tomlin hasn’t had a losing season, but he also hasn’t won a playoff game in 7 years. That is the longest stretch for this organization in the past 55 years. It is unacceptable, but apparently not to Art II.

Unless this defense is otherworldly or Russell Wilson has a rebirth, it is hard to see the Steelers winning more than 10 games. Considering that schedule, 9 wins seems more likely. Another year of TJ Watt’s prime will slip away wistfully into the night. Most likely the Steelers will continue the search for a quality quarterback. Finishing 9-8 every year doesn’t help that cause.

This season has all the makings of a Mike Tomlin special. He will hold the team together, motivate, and win just enough to be slightly above .500. Apparently that is the new standard. That should have Steelers fans living in their fears.

Just my two cents…