Video: This program knows how to have fun and grind
Good spring football video here from Salve Regina (D-III - RI) showcasing how a Division III school grinds during the spring portion of the off season, while still finding ways to keep work outs fresh and fun.
It looks like these guys understand how to have fun and get after it.
New commissioner, new roster and a new logo for the Sun Belt
After changing over half its roster and hiring a new commissioner, the Sun Belt has decided it's time for a new logo. Beginning July 1, the conference will have new logos and a new motto - "Together We Rise" - which were unveiled Sunday.
“Like many conferences, the Sun Belt is undergoing change,” commissioner Karl Benson. “We saw this as an opportunity to embrace this change. We are taking a new direction, one that is modern and progressive in its approach. Our conference can be as good as we want it to be and we will all ‘rise together’ in the upcoming years. Our new brand is a perfect reflection of that mindset.”
The current logo, a literal take on the conference's name, will retire at the end of next month after more than 15 years in use. The new logo (which could double as an office supply company's logo if you ask us) features a color representation of each Sun Belt member school.
Here is the secondary logo:
As a reminder, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Middle Tennessee and North Texas have departed for Conference USA and Western Kentucky will follow in 2014. Georgia State and Texas State will join the league this fall, with Appalachian State, Idaho, Georgia Southern and New Mexico State on the way a year from now.
The Scoop on What You Missed This Week
How is it possible that the season feels further away now than it did in February?
The Starting Five: Our five best stories of the week.
- In 2011, Sul Ross State ranked 132nd in Division III in total offense. A year later they had the best offense in the entire NCAA. What changed? Their quarterback graduated, then he became their offensive coordinator. Meet 23-year-old Scotty Walden, the next Kliff Kingsbury.
- Last weekend, Prince Harry visited the Air Force football facility and was greeted by exactly zero Falcons players. Why? The NCAA, the same group claiming to be a champion of the student-athlete, wouldn't let them. Add another track to the NCAA's greatest hits album.
- The most underpaid coach in college football probably isn't who you think it is.
- If you're a head coach, you should be on Twitter. This is why.
- There isn't a head coach in the country who would do more to raise money for his program than Ron English, although we'd like to see Bill Snyder try this.
The Film Room: Each week we come across a ton of great videos from across all levels of football. Here's a taste of the best videos we posted this week.
- Take an all-access look at Vanderbilt's spring game.
- Mic'd up: Texas defensive backs coach Duane Akina, Wisconsin running backs coach Thomas Hammock and Indiana strength coach Mark Hill.
- It's that time of year: how the Oregon State strength staff sets up its summer schedule.
- Oregon put all its extra Nike gear on sale. Here's how it happened.
- If you've got half an hour to kill, Notre Dame's 2012 season highlights are outstanding.
The best of the rest: Here's everything you need to know outside of coaching news that happened in the world of college football this week.
- Rutgers and Maryland fans rejoice, the Big Ten has released its 2014 schedule.
- After 13 years as the Warriors, Hawaii's football team is going back to its original nickname - the Rainbow Warriors.
- This high school program wants your help choosing its next helmet design.
- Memphis is also putting its new (Cincinnati Bengals-inspired) uniforms up to a vote.
- Boise State is slightly tweaking the smurf turf.
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B1G ADs tackle how to put fickle fans back in seats
Deserved or not, the Big Ten isn't a conference known for its skill in changing directions. Whether it's a defensive player or just how the league conducts its business, Big Ten football is viewed unit that is perfectly happy to remain stuck in its ways and has no interest in changing, thank you very much.
No one is more aware of that than the conference's own athletic directors. While the group can't do anything to change what's happening on the field, they can fight another demon that has recently started plaguing the league - getting modern fan bases to actually attend games.
Dealing with student bodies that won't attend games if something as simple yet vexing as rainy weather shutting down text-message capabilities and equipping antiquated stadiums for wireless and video capabilities are common demons shared across the conference. In a league with seven stadiums of greater than 70,000, Big Ten athletic directors devoted time at their recent league meetings to fight this enemy together.
"Part of that is to make the league be perceived in reality what it is, and that's a little bit more hip, a little bit more cool," Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told ESPN.com. "I have three kids that are age 14, 18 and 20, and they're a great resource for me to bounce ideas off from a Michigan State perspective. But I think we need to take that as a league a little bit as well.
It's not your grandfather's conference any more. There's so much greatness and so much tradition that needs to be continued and talked about, but also try to add a little unique freshness that's unique to young kids."
The anecdote above about students no-showing games because they can't text wasn't hyperbole, either. As Hollis said, "One of our biggest no-show rates in football was the Iowa game," Hollis said. "And I'd go out and walk the streets and start talking to kids, 'Why didn't you go?' And they said, 'We couldn't text because it was raining.' They couldn't have their phones out. That kind of hit me pretty hard."
So, how do you ask a fan to give up a Satuday on the couch in front of the flat screen to buy a ticket and take in the game live? Better video screens, reliable Wi-Fi, more accessible concession stands, better restrooms. More night games wouldn't hurt, but if you have to play a noon kickoff, Brady Hoke's idea of free donuts for students is a good start.
On top of that, offer fans an experience they can't get at home. Like a four-hour football extravaganza with 70,000 of their closest friends.
"More highlights, more scores, more fun, coloring outside the lines a little bit," Indiana athletic director Fred Glass said. "We'll play to our strengths -- the band, the cheerleaders, the pageantry of college football, flags and color, engagement of students -- and spent a lot of time really trying to enhance that. That's not only a great thing for our fan experience, it translates into the cool factor for recruits who come in."
Bill O'Brien: 'I'm not the unity coach...'
When Bill O'Brien was tabbed take over the Penn State program, he took over a athletic department that had fallen on rough times in the wake of the Sandusky scandal. Many fans and people across the country looked at O'Brien to unify Penn State country once again.
While some repairs have definitely been made, and O'Brien has put his own stamp on the program in just 17 months at the helm, he has made it clear during this years off season tour of speaking engagements that he's not the "unity coach" for the University.
“I’m not the unity coach. I’m not the coach of unity,” O’Brien told the crowd Wednesday according to StateCollege.com. “I’m the football coach. It is my job to do the best job I can for the football program as long as I am the head coach here. I’m not the unity coach.”
He then expanded on what he believes are priorities for head coaches in his eyes beyond the wins and losses and everything else that the general public attributes to a head coach.
“I think it’s important part of being a football coach is to sell tickets, raise money and give people a positive feeling about what you’re trying to do,. I think I have a responsibility to support the other teams because the football team is a big deal here.”
Notice that "unity" was a word that had no place in that description.
“I just want to do the best job I can for the players we coach, for the university I work for and for the history and the tradition of the program.” he added.
While he admits that he still has a lot to learn as the head man in charge, O'Brien continues to illustrate that he's got an excellent handle on what is expected of him and his staff in Happy Valley. That, coupled with his constant self evaluation and willingness to learn and adapt, is going to make football fun to watch for years to come out in State College.
Memphis is putting its new uniforms up to a vote
Memphis is moving to a new conference - the Big East, or, actually the American Athletic Conference - and, naturally, that means its time for a new uniform. The folks inside the Tigers' athletic department have apparently decided now its the time to break out its Cincinnati Bengals imitation.
Though the Tigers' old look was nothing special, we're going to need to see these in action before we approve. But, if you believe the Alumni Association's website, the new duds won't be unveiled until Memphis takes the field for the season opener against Duke on Sept. 7. In today's camera phone-saturated world, we'll see how that goes.
Here are the choices Memphis gave its alumni. Which one, if any, do you prefer?
Video: Construction update at Baylor Stadium
While Baylor coaches are busy building a team to play at the Bears' new home, another team is hard at work preparing that new home for the Bears. After this the 63rd and final season of Baylor football at Floyd Casey Stadium, the Bears will move back on campus to the brand-spanking-new Baylor Stadium in time for the 2014 season.
If you've ever wanted to see inside the process of how a modern stadium gets built, here's your chance to step inside the construction of the Jewel on the Brazos.
Boise State is changing their midfield logo
For years the Boise State logo has featured the Bronco head along with the words Boise State directly underneath it.
However, with the recent success they've had (especially on the gridiron), the Bronco head is now more than enough for people to look at and recognize as Boise State's. With that in mind, Boise State is changing their midfield logo from the old logo, to the slightly different new primary logo for the athletic department.
One of the minor changes (you may or may not notice) is the teeth have been changed from white to orange on the new logo. Other than that, nothing huge to note.
The new logo can be seen below, along with what everyone has been used to seeing at midfield the past few years.
