Busy offseason ahead for the Vikings

by Maddie SchmidtLeave a Comment on Busy offseason ahead for the Vikings
Busy offseason ahead for the Vikings

The Vikings rushed for a total of 21 yards and quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked six times in a game that marked the ending of Minnesota’s season. For Vikings fans, this game was a complete disappointment.

Minnesota’s Misery Against the 49ers

The Vikings were dominated by the San Francisco 49ers’ defense in the NFC divisional playoff round.

The 49ers pulled away in the third quarter. About four minutes into the second half, kicker Robbie Gould kicked a 35 yard field goal. Later, running back Tevin Coleman accounted for another San Francisco touchdown. Coleman rushed 22 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s game.

The 49ers tacked on another field goal early in the fourth quarter to finish the game with a score of 27-10. With the Vikings loss, the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 2013.

In his post-game presser, Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer explained that it is difficult to comment on an entire season, but he did say he is proud of the team.

What’s Next?

Offensive Coordinator Opening

Minnesota is on the hunt for a new offensive play caller. It was announced Monday that Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski was hired as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Stefanski was the Vikings longest tenured coach and just 37-years-old. Whoever Minnesota hires will become the team’s fifth offensive coordinator in the past five years.

Quarterback Questions

cousins.jpgKirk Cousins is approaching the final season of his three year contract with the Vikings. In 2019, Cousins accounted for 26 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing about 69 percent of his passes.

Cousins’ said a contract extension has not been his focus.

Although he did state, “I certainly love it here. I love being a Viking.”

If Minnesota doesn’t decide to extend Cousins’ contract, then they’ll need to find a replacement quite soon. The NFL draft is a little over three months away. Will the Vikings be looking for a quarterback?
One thing’s for sure – the Vikings have a busy offseason ahead of them.

 

Story can also be found at wruf.com for ESPN Gainesville.

Rhule ready to represent the Panthers

by Maddie SchmidtLeave a Comment on Rhule ready to represent the Panthers
Rhule ready to represent the Panthers

Former Baylor head football coach Matt Rhule is ready to represent the Carolina Panthers’ football organization. On Tuesday, the Panthers reached a seven-year agreement with Rhule that is worth $60 million.

Rhule’s Past

Rhule took over Baylor University’s football team in 2016. In 2017, Baylor went 1-11. It was disappointing, to say the least for Baylor fans. In 2017, the Baylor Bears improved to 7-6.

This past season Rhule and the Bears finished the regular season 11-1. Then,they fell to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship and Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Prior to Baylor, Rhule was head coach at Temple University. He led the team to two 10 win seasons in his four years with the Owls.  He also led Temple to its first conference championship since 1967.

Rhule has one season of NFL coaching experience. He served as an assistant with the New York Giants under Tom Coughlin.

Inheriting an NFL team

Matt Rhule makes history becoming the first head coach Carolina has hired straight from the world of college football.

Rhule addressed the Panther Nation with gratitude. He’s ready to take over the program.

“I thank you so much for entrusting me with your prized football franchise. And I can promise you this, I’ll work each day with everything I have.”

Jan 3, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) reacts after scoring in the third quarter. The Panthers defeated the Buccaneers 31-10 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Rhule is inheriting a Carolina team that finished the 2019 season on an eight game losing streak. He’s also getting a team with potential questions surrounding quarterback Cam Newton.

Newton, 30, is entering the final year of his contract with the Panthers. Newton missed all but two games this past season due to a foot injury. There’s certainly lots of debate on whether the Panthers will keep the 2015 NFL MVP or make a trade.

Rhule became the first head coach hired under owner David Tepper and the franchise’s fifth head coach.

 

Story can also be found at wruf.com for ESPN Gainesville. 

Ole Miss Head Coaching Hunt

by Maddie SchmidtLeave a Comment on Ole Miss Head Coaching Hunt
Ole Miss Head Coaching Hunt

The Ole Miss Rebels finished their season 4-8 after a loss to in-state rival Mississippi State on Thanksgiving. On Sunday, news broke that head coach Matt Luke was fired after spending three seasons with the Rebels achieving a 15-21 overall record.

Luke’s Tenure at Ole Miss

Luke, former assistant coach at Ole Miss, was named interim head coach back in 2017 after Hugh Freeze’s firing. The Rebels went 6-6 in his interim year and decided to retain Luke. In his time at Mississippi, the team never finished better than sixth in the SEC West and did not have any bowl game appearances. According to Ole Miss athletic director, Keith Carter, it was time for a program change.

With Luke’s firing, there are now three head coaching vacancies in the SEC. Both Arkansas and Missouri are also searching for a new head football coach. Ole Miss is moving fast; the search is underway in Oxford.

“We want energy, passion and a track record for success,” said Carter.

Potential Candidates

Some possible candidates to replace Luke are:

  • Mike Norvell– Norvell has led a winning program at Memphis for the past four years. Currently, Memphis is 11-1, and the team is preparing to face Cincinnati in the AAC title game on Saturday. With a win, the Memphis Tigers would be AAC champions for the fourth consecutive year and would likely make it into a New Year’s Six bowl game. Because of Norvell’s offensive background and proximity to Ole Miss, it would not be surprising if Mississippi goes after him. It is only a matter of time before Norvell makes the jump to a Power 5 school.
  • Lane Kiffin– Kiffin, FAU head coach, has experience in the SEC and on championship staffs. In his three seasons at FAU, Kiffin has led the program to two Conference USA East Division titles.
  • Billy Napier– Head coach of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Billy Napier has guided the team to a 10-2 season and a berth in the Sun Belt Conference championship game. Napier has a strong offensive background having served as an assistant on Alabama, Clemson and Arizona State’s staffs.
  • Mike Leach– Leach, Washington State head coach, has gone 55-46 in eight seasons with the program. Prior to Washington State, Leach was the Texas Tech head coach for 10 seasons. He led the Red Raiders to winning records in all 10 seasons. Reports say that Arkansas has already met with Leach to discuss their vacancy.

 

Story can also be found via ESPN Gainesville at wruf.com. 

Bye Week Check-In with Coach Mullen

by Maddie SchmidtLeave a Comment on Bye Week Check-In with Coach Mullen
Bye Week Check-In with Coach Mullen

The Florida football team entered their bye week coming off a win against the Missouri Tigers. They’ll face in-state rival Florida State for their final game of the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 30.

Facing an Interim Head Coach

Florida State fired Willie Taggart, former head football coach, on Sunday, Nov. 3. This was following a 27-10 loss to Miami the previous day. Defensive line coach Odell Haggins took over as interim head coach. This is not Haggins’ first time serving as interim head coach for the Seminoles. He took over coaching duties after Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M.

Since Haggins became interim head coach, the Seminoles are 2-0 with wins against Boston College and Alabama State. Like the Gators, FSU has a bye before their matchup.

According to Florida head coach Dan Mullen, facing an interim head coach can come with some challenges. Coaching power allows for some personality to be thrown in the game.

Florida vs. Florida State kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. next Saturday in the Swamp.

Nick Sproles

Yesterday news broke that Florida third-string, walk-on quarterback Nick Sproles has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Mullen confirmed this yesterday in his midweek teleconference. Sproles comes with high praise from the Florida program and will likely get some interest from smaller schools.

Sproles will remain with the Florida football program for the rest of the season and will graduate in the spring.

“He’s why they put the transfer portal in. He really would like the opportunity to go play next season, said Mullen.”

Players Leaving Early for the NFL

Mullen addressed the topic of players forgoing their senior seasons and leaving for the NFL. The bye week has given Florida’s coaching staff some time to sit down and talk with players about their futures.

About eight Gators are thinking about leaving early for the NFL and two to three could be serious about it, according to Mullen.

Story can also be found via ESPN Gainesville at wruf.com. 

Some of the Best in the Business

by Maddie Schmidt1 Comment on Some of the Best in the Business

A couple weeks back I chatted with some of the greatest reporters in the world of sports broadcasting!

– Huge shoutout to these rockstars for their time and advice –

Lee Corso
2012 – made mock sports reporting videos and sent to ESPN, Lee Corso called me, the last time College Gameday was @UF 2019 – chasing my dreams @UF, College Gameday back @UF — I finally met the man who made me believe that my dream is completely achievable.–

 

Maria Taylor
College Gameday Host Maria Taylor
Sara Walsh
Fox Sports Reporter Sara Walsh
Tom Rinaldi
ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi

Star Cornerback Traded to the Rams

by Maddie SchmidtLeave a Comment on Star Cornerback Traded to the Rams

NFL teams have until Oct. 29 to complete trade deals. Yesterday, the Los Angeles Rams concluded three. One of which was for star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traded Ramsey in exchange for first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, along with a fourth-round pick in 2021.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, “everybody wins” with this trade.

Jaguars

Jacksonville owner Shad Kahn did not want to lose Ramsey, but the Tennessee native repeatedly made it clear he did not want to be a part of the Jaguars’ organization. The former Florida State cornerback had previously requested a trade deal.

Now that Ramsey is headed West, the Jaguars can focus on their future. Despite dropping their last two games against the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints, the Jaguars have shown they can compete. Both of those losses were by just a touchdown.

Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew has also proven he has potential. With this deal and the draft picks that the Jaguars now have, it is likely they will be able to build a foundation for success.

Jalen Ramsey

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Rams

Los Angeles rebuilt their cornerback depth chart all on Tuesday. Along with the Ramsey trade, Aqib Talib was put on injury reserve and former All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters was traded to the Baltimore Ravens.

Ramsey Career Stats

  • 218 tackles
  • two forced fumbles
  • ten interceptions
  • 46 pass deflections
  • a touchdown

There is no doubt that the Rams just added a great amount of talent to their roster.

Ramsey will enter the final year of his rookie contract next season. That means he will be seeking a much larger paycheck in the near future. According to Spotrac, Ramsey’s market value is $16.8 million annually.

If a contract of that value goes through, then Ramsey would become the NFL’s highest-paid cornerback. That would be a lot of money for Los Angeles to fork over. Recently, they made huge deals with quarterback Jared Goff, defensive tackle Aaron Donald and running back Todd Gurley.

 

Story can also be found at wruf.com for ESPN Gainesville.

LSU’s Explosive Offense Gets Bye Week

by Maddie SchmidtLeave a Comment on LSU’s Explosive Offense Gets Bye Week
LSU’s Explosive Offense Gets Bye Week

The LSU Tigers are currently undefeated and sitting at No. 4 in the AP Poll. They are coming off an explosive offensive performance against Vanderbilt and are now enjoying a bye week.

Joe Burrow and the Offense

The Tigers beat the Commodores 66-38 this past weekend. All eyes were on senior quarterback Joe Burrow. He threw for 398 yards and six touchdowns. Burrow is now tied with Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama’s quarterback, for second-most touchdown passes this season. In 2018, LSU threw 17 touchdowns total. It is safe to say they have stepped up their passing game. The Tigers are known for their elite defensive play, but not this year. Currently, LSU is the nation’s highest-scoring team. They have scored a total of 231 points in four games.
Burrow has caught the attention of many. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season following Saturday’s win.

LSU’s top scoring receiver went down Saturday against Vanderbilt. Sophomore wide receiver Terrace Marshall suffered a broken right foot. He is expected to be out for up to a month after undergoing surgery Sunday morning. Marshall currently has six touchdown receptions this season and is tied for second most at the FBS level.

On Deck for the Tigers

LSU’s next game is against the Utah State Aggies (2-1). According to head coach Ed Orgeron, the Tigers aren’t overlooking the Aggies or junior quarterback Jordan Love. Despite Utah State’s week one loss to Wake Forest, Love threw for over 400 yards in the game. He’s a proven quarterback.
Utah State and LSU will meet on Oct. 5 at 12 p.m. on the SEC Network. After that, they’ll face the No. 9 Gators, travel to Starkville to take on Mississippi State and then will host the No. 7 Auburn Tigers in week nine.

 

Story can also be found at wruf.com for ESPN Gainesville.