Former Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe commented on the situation involving his old employer, and Mike MacIntyre was rightfully honored for his efforts
We’re inching closer and closer to the college football bowl season getting underway this Saturday, but we’re seeing more and more that all the talk is not surrounding those games. No, we’re still embroiled in the Wakeyleaks scandal full throttle as it plays out in different areas.
So, let’s get to some of the top headlines in college football on this Thursday, Dec. 15.
Jim Grobe talks about Wakeyleaks and oh god why did someone let him do that
Whenever a scandal breaks in college football –or any sport, for that matter– there are just some people who should not be allowed to speak on it. While some have all the tools to rationally talk about what’s going on, others just need to sit back and hit us with the ol’, “No comment.”
Former Wake Forest and current Baylor interim head coach Jim Grobe was asked about the situation surrounding his former employer on Wednesday, and he had this to offer up about the man at the center of the scandal, Tommy Elrod.
I’m sorry, but did … did Grobe just say that Elrod “loves Wake Forest?” Grobe painted the picture of a man here who would do anything for the university that he loves so dearly, and that apparently includes screwing them Lord knows how many times by distributing information to opponents.
Sure, that all just makes a ton of sense. I’ll buy it. While I’m on a roll here, you wanna come tell me that water isn’t wet also? I’ll take the bait on that for sure.
Plain and simple, all joking aside, what happened at Wake Forest was a downright atrocity and many people need to feel mighty ashamed of themselves for their role in this, and Elrod is sitting atop that mountain above all others. No matter how slighted he felt over losing his coaching job when Grobe was out, if he loved the university so dearly, he wouldn’t have been as vindictive and malicious as he was here.
Back in July, Grobe made headlines by saying that there was no culture of bad behavior at Baylor University. Now there’s the comments on Elrod. I don’t know, maybe no more talking for Grobe anymore.
Ole Miss turns to the FCS level for help
This past week the Ole Miss Rebels made a significant change on their staff, parting ways with offensive coordinator Dan Werner. On Wednesday, we found out who the replacement is, and head coach Hugh Freeze is turning to the FCS ranks for some help on the offensive side of the ball.
FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman broke the news on Thursday that Sam Houston State offensive coordinator Phil Longo will be heading to Oxford to take the task on. From the Mike Leach coaching tree, Longo runs the vaunted Air Raid attack, however, he does so with a little more versatility as his teams have been known to rush the ball with efficiency in addition to torching secondaries with the pass.
Ole Miss needs help in a few areas on the offensive side of the ball, but without a doubt they need to get better at running the ball, as they finished 97th in the nation this past season at 147.4 yards per game.
The Rebels have been trying to break through that SEC West glass ceiling for the past few seasons now, and they’re hoping the man who led the most prolific offense in the FCS can help get them over that hump.
Mike MacIntyre is your AP Coach of the Year, as well he should be
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Mike MacIntyre has been racking up the awards this year, and he can add another prestigious one to the trophy case. On Thursday, MacIntyre was named the AP Coach of the Year, and just like all the other awards he’s collected, he was the most deserving.
Watching what MacIntyre did with this Colorado team this past season was incredible to take in. He had those of us past the age of 30 reminiscing about the early 90s as he led the team to a 10-3 (8-1) overall record and a Pac-12 South title. His first three seasons in Boulder after coming over from San Jose State were none too promising. From 2013-15, he went 4-8, 2-10 and 4-8 respectively. This season, however, he put it all together with an experienced team, earning the program a trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game.
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Suffering some losses from this team, it’ll be interesting to see how MacIntyre keeps the momentum of this program rolling along in the future. Also, he just recently lost talented defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt to the Oregon Ducks, so he has a slight issue there with that hole.
But for what he did with this Colorado program in 2016, Mike MacIntyre deserves all of the awards that are being tossed at him.
RIP, Craig Sager
We sadly have to end today’s Blitz on a terrible note. Thursday, Turner Sports announced the passing of undoubtedly one of the all-time broadcasting greats. Famed TNT announcer Craig Sager passed away on Wednesday at the age of 65 following complications with the Leukemia he was courageously battling.
While Sager was known mostly for the work that the did with the NBA, he did have a hand in college football as well –among other sports– throughout his career. From 2002-06 when TBS was carrying Big 12 and then Pac-10 college football games, Sager served as sideline reporter for those outings on Saturdays.
Without question, the world lost not just one of the greatest broadcasters that this world has ever seen, but one of the greatest people as well. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who has a sour word to say about the man, and in reality, you probably can’t find anyone who will when it comes down to it. He was one of the kindest humans to ever grace this earth, and we are all better people just for being afforded the pleasure to watch him do what he did regularly on our television screens.
With that, all there is left to say is: #SagerStrong
Final Thoughts
- Jim Grobe should never be allowed to talk about anything, ever again. That might be exaggerating … but is it, really?
- The FCS hire by Ole Miss certainly has people talking, but we’ve been talking about the Rebs the last few years with little results. Bottom line now is will hiring Longo get them to the top of the SEC West?
- Again, MacIntyre deserves the trophies this season, but it truly is intriguing to me whether or not he can keep it up in Boulder.
- One last time, just because: #SagerStrong
Any thoughts on the college football news from today, feel free to sound off in the comments below.