The Scoop on What You Missed This Week

While you were busy watching the NFL Draft, we were compiling everything you need to know from this week.

The Starting Five: Our five best stories of the week.

- Playing music at practice has become all the rage this spring and one of the most high-profile believers in music, Kevin Sumlin, explained why he likes to practice to a soundtrack.

- As more and more teams try to go as fast as possible on offense, one study offered this reminder: it's about execution, not scheme.

- NFL teams are using some creative ideas to reward season ticket holders. Should your school steal any of these ideas?

- Any young offensive coordinator needs to step inside the film room with Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman.

- Step behind the curtain to peek inside Jim McElwain's program at Colorado State. 

The Film Room: A sampling of the best videos we posted this week.

- I don't know how a defensive back couldn't want to know more about Stanford after watching this video.

- Oklahoma State does a good job letting recruits know what a game day in Stillwater is like.

- Mic'd up: Illinois offensive coordinator Bill Cubit, N.C. State defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen and Washington offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau.

- Great hype video from Miami: The Hurricanes Are Coming.

The Best in Non-Coaching News: We major in coaching news at FootballScoop, but we also keep you up to date on anything else you need to know about inside the world of college football.

- Everything you need to know about the College Football Playoff.

- New uniforms at Miami, Minnesota and Jacksonville.

- Is this the first helmet design of its kind in college football?

- The ACC could be playing football games in Europe in the not too distant future.

- Boise State and Oklahoma State will play a home-and-home series in 2018 and 2021. 

- The Mountain West has announced its CBS College Sports TV schedule.

- The ACC isn't breaking up any time soon.

ACC could be playing football games in Europe soon

With his conference's spot in the College Football Playoff secure, Notre Dame and Louisville coming into the fold, the league's future secure through a Grant of Rights and talks of a TV network in the not-too-distant future, ACC commissioner John Swofford needs another whopper of an idea to reel in. According to Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, he may have it. As Dodds reports, the ACC is mulling the idea of playing football and basketball games in Europe. 

“We need to think big,” Swofford said. “One of the things we brought up to our schools last week was we may play football, we may play basketball in Europe. Across the pond, so to speak.”

The NFL has played regular-season games in London on an annual basis since 2007, and will play two games there this fall, and Notre Dame and Navy opened the 2012 season in Dublin, Ireland. The Fighting Irish returned to play the following Saturday, a 20-17 win over Purdue in South Bend, while Navy took the next week off.

“The NFL is going to London, as is the NBA with some regularity,” the commissioner said. “The Olympics are so successful over there. Basketball is an international sport. Football is not, but there is a growing interest in it in Great Britain.

“When you look at this collection of schools and markets, all our institutions are international in one degree or another.”

Personally, we're in favor of any idea that nets us a photo of Dabo Swinney standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

Jim Mora offers to pick up students tab for bus ride to the spring game

The cost for students to hop on a bus from campus to the Rose Bowl for UCLA's "Spring Showcase" runs about $7. That is, until Jim Mora stepped in and offered to pay for the fare for students who decided to make the trip.

Classy move coach Mora.

Except it never came to that. Yesterday afternoon, athletic department officials decided to step in an pick up the tab.

"I greatly appreciate Coach Mora's enthusiasm for the students, like we all have great enthusiasm for students," Associate Athletic Director Mark Harlan, who oversees marketing, said in the LA Times.

"His offer is great, but the department will certainly pay for the buses on Saturday. Upon further review, it was the right thing to do."

Good move by the University, who is hoping to get 50,000 fans out for the event. If they hit that number, they'll rank right after Kentucky, and just before Texas at 7th amongst teams that have played their spring game. Yes, you read that correctly. For what it's worth, Kentucky had more people in attendance at their spring game (50,831) than Texas did (46,000).

If you haven't seen all the unique activities UCLA is planning for the Showcase, take a look here.

Oregon has new unis for their Spring game

Pretty cool

From Oregon's release:

The University of Oregon will take the field on Saturday for their annual Spring Football Game, once again wearing uniforms that honor the men and women who serve our country.

For the past four years, Nike and the University of Oregon have partnered to create a custom designed uniform worn for the team’s final Spring scrimmage. This year, both the home and away uniforms have unique stories including new nameplates, insignias and patches that tell stories of support and honor. Following the scrimmage, Oregon football players will present their specially-made jerseys to approximately 100 uniformed men and women representing all branches of the military.

Nike’s co-founder and University of Oregon Coach Bill Bowerman’s time in the 10th Mountain Division of the US Army provided inspiration for the white away football uniform design. Bowerman’s division wore an all-white uniform and was trained for mountain terrain and arctic conditions.

The olive home uniform design was inspired by legendary Oregonian Art Miller’s lifetime of military service in the 41st Division of the US Army. Miller played linebacker for the Ducks as a freshman in 1939 before joining the National Guard and being called to active service. Miller served the country for a little more than 29 years and eventually retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was honored in a pregame ceremony along with other former Oregon football players who served in the military prior to the Ducks’ Sept. 18, 2010 game vs. Portland State.

The new “titanium carbon” finish on the home uniform helmet features a unique fade from yellow to anthracite in order to elevate the iconic Duck wing pattern on each side.

Mic'd up at NC State with DL coach Ryan Nielsen

Good mic'd up session here with NC State defensive line coach / recruiting coordinator Ryan Nielsen.

Dave Doeren's staff at NC State is full of young energy and enthusiasm, and Nielsen is a great example of that.

Miami releases 2013 hype video: 'The Hurricanes are coming'

For those of you that have lost count, just over 124 days remain until college football kicks off again.

For a daily dose of quality football highlights, this Miami hype video anticipating the start of the 2013 season should do the trick.

UCLA's Spring Showcase hype video is sweet

Since UCLA is approaching their spring game a little differently than a lot of schools, as they've opted to name it the "Spring Showcase" instead of dubbing it a "spring game". Once you take a look at all that they have planned, the name change makes some sense.

The showcase will have a Fan Zone open to kids, and include activities such as live music, food trucks, and even a station to get your UCLA temporary tattoo. Then, following the event, fans will get on the field access to the players for autographs and then get treated to a fireworks show.

Here's the video that the Bruins have released to hype up the event.

New uniforms for the Minnesota Vikings

While you may remember getting a peek at these new threads a few days ago when these photos leaked, last night was the official unveiling of the Vikings new uniforms.

While no major changes took place, Nike describes the new look as merging "ancient Viking culture with respected football heritage". Plenty more pictures can be seen here.

Do you like the subtle new look?