College Football

Ray Small, an infamous name to Ohio State fans, sat in a chair being recorded on a cell-phone video and apologized repeatedly to everyone, especially those involved with Buckeyes football. It's hard to imagine Ohio State fans will just forgive and forget Small being a big part of a scandal that led to Jim Tressel resigning and a bowl ban for the Buckeyes in 2012, but the video obviously showed Small is regretful for what he has done. Small, a Buckeyes receiver from 2006-09, admitted in 2011 to The Lantern student newspaper that he sold memorabilia including Big Ten championship rings, and identified a car dealership as giving Buckeyes players special deals. That story intensified a growing scandal in which other players had been suspended for selling memorabilia to a local tattoo parlor. Tressel would resign a week later. As a result of NCAA sanctions from that scandal, a 12-0 Ohio State team was ineligible to play for a conference title or in a bowl game last season. And Small is sorry for all of it. In a rambling two-part video posted to YouTube (h/t to Eleven Warriors for pointing it out), Small sits in an office chair and continually apologizes. At one point he apologizes to his peers, his elders and young people, which should cover everyone. He talks about his upbringing, saying his father sold drugs, his mother worked three jobs and he was raised by his sister so he had no discipline in his life, and how he didn't understand how to conduct himself as a college athlete. In 2012, Small was arrested and charged with drug possession, accused of having more than 200 oxycodone pills. He repeatedly directs his message to kids, saying he wants them to learn from his mistakes. "This is coming from the heart, honestly," Small said. "I’m just really appreciative and blessed the fact that I can catch on to this situation in my life, because it’s not going too well. The decisions that I made – I've never been a good decision maker, I haven’t, and I probably have a couple people that can vouch for that – and with that said, I want to give out my condolences and my heart to a lot of people, like my former teammates. My former teammates were like the world to me, and I treated them like nothing. To Buckeye Nation, I sorely apologize to the Buckeye Nation, because I’m a Buckeye for life, regardless of how people like it. I kind of got 'X’ed out from being a Buckeye, and that kind of hurt my heart." Small also apologized to Tressel and then-Ohio State receivers coach Darrell Hazell, who is now the head coach at Purdue. "I am truly sorry for my actions," Small said. "My life did a complete 360 on me, and I just want to talk to Coach Hazell. That was like my favorite guy because he always kept it strictly real with me. I want to apologize to Coach Tressel because he told me, he tried, he gave me many chances and many chances. I’m here today to speak up on my behalf and say I’m a man and I understand the things I have done wrong." Small, who said in the video that he has three kids of his own, said his trial on the drug possession charge will be in July. He said he is writing a book, which could be fascinating. The story he tells over about 19 minutes in the videos is of a young man from a troubled background, who failed the seventh grade because he barely went to school, but overcame it to get a scholarship to Ohio State. Then he didn't handle that opportunity well, burned bridges at Ohio State, got arrested and seems to realize that he needs to turn his life around, saying, "I was the guy that didn’t get it." He repeatedly talks about hoping kids learn from his mistakes, and perhaps he can have a future speaking to youth groups. Although it's hard to imagine Buckeyes fans embracing him again, he says in the video it isn't too late for him to change his direction in life. "At the end of the day it’s about what do you do, and what have you learned," Small said. "You can’t keep doing the same things over and over, speaking as far as mistakes

Houston running back Charles Sims, arguably the team’s best offensive weapon, announced Thursday he was departing Houston, leaving his football future up in the air. “It is with regret and deep humbling, that I am ending my playing career at the University of Houston," Sims said in a statement. "I have a lot of great memories that I will carry with me forever. I want to thank the University of Houston for allowing the opportunity to be a part of its football program. "I don't know what my next step will be. I have one more year of eligibility, therefore I may look to play one more year of college football or I may enter the NFL Supplemental Draft later this year." In January, Sims said he would return for his senior season, but after receiving his degree this spring, Sims started having second thoughts. Since he has graduated, Sims could transfer to another school and be eligible to play immediately. Sims struggled with injuries last season, but was the Cougars’ leading receiver with 851 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averaged six yards per carry. There’s no doubt Houston isn’t the team it was under former coach Kevin Sumlin. It was 5-7 in 2012 and lost to Texas State to start the season. That’s a far cry from the 13-1 record in Sumlin’s final year before moving to Texas A&M. Even if you’re not familiar with Sims’ work on the field, you might remember that he was the subject of an April Fools’ prank coach Tony Levine played on Houston fans just a few months into his tenure. Levine issued a press release and did an in-house interview announcing Sims' move from offense to cornerback and that Houston was going to play a new 3-1-7 (three defensive linemen, one linebacker and seven defensive backs) scheme. At the time, Levine hadn’t coached a game and earned a lot of flak for moving an All-Conference USA rusher to defense. Unfortunately for Houston fans, this is not another hoax and the Cougars will be losing one of its best players making Levine's second season another challenging one. - - - Want to join the conversation? Hit us up on Twitter @YahooDrSaturday and be sure to "Like" Dr. Saturday on Facebook for football conversations and stuff you won't see on the blog.

Will McGloin make the Raiders' roster? -chicken cosmoA year ago the notion of Matt McGloin making an active NFL roster seemed beyond ridiculous. Even after a spectacular senior season, it still seems hard to believe since McGloin doesn't have the size and arm strength that NFL teams desire. If you examine the roster, it may be best not to doubt McGloin this time around. The Raiders recently acquired Matt Flynn, last year's free agent QB of the moment who didn't even start a game after being beat out by Russell Wilson. They used a fourth-round pick on Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson, who has reportedly been stellar so far in mini-camp. Those two are all but guaranteed a roster spot, leaving the third-string battle between McGloin and our good friend Terelle Pryor. If Pryor is moved to another position, as many believe he eventually will, McGloin may just inherit that third spot on the roster if he continues to impress Oakland's coaching staff. Even if Pryor wins out and remains at QB, McGloin could be a likely candidate for the practice squad to give the Raiders a year to develop him as a legitimate NFL quarterback. What's scarier, an angry JoePa or an angry BO'B? -Success With Honor AlwaysThis may be the greatest question question in the short history of the BSD Mailbag, and it's a tough one. I never had the pleasure of meeting JoePa, but have been in the same room and corresponded with Bill O'Brien. Let me tell you, that man just exudes intensity. Even when he's calmly chatting about football and discussing games that are still several months away, you get the feeling that at any moment he's going to stand up, rip his shirt off and throw a trident directly at your soul. I would hate to be anywhere in his proximity on a bad day. With that being said, an angry JoePa is still more frightening than about anything I can imagine. If you don't agree, go back and watch the end of the 2002 Iowa game when he chased the refs into the locker room. He had a look in his eyes that I've never quite seen before, and I'm pretty sure smoke came out of his ears at one point. Those refs barely made it safely into the locker room, and probably stayed locked inside for about two weeks before they felt safe enough to come outside. Do you believe the man you love is overfeeding you and making you fat in order to control you? -WorldBFatI thought it was due to all of the stuffed-crust pizzas, KFC and Krispie Kreme, but now that I think of it, it probably is "the man" trying to control me. Thank you WorldBFat for empowering me to take control. You're the next Tony Robbins. Or Tony Shaloub. Or one of my 17 Uncle Tonys. If a tree falls and no one is around to hear it, does Ohio State still suck? -PSUbaltimoreOf course. Always and forever. How is Gilliam doing, injury-wise and with his conversion from tight end to tackle? -NittanySeaLionGilliam was overshadowed by Kyle Carter, Jesse James and Matt Lehman last season as they played a larger role in the passing game. But Gilliam was a key part of the offense and really excelled as an extra lineman, for all intents and purposes. He has spent the offseason bulking up and is now hovering around 300 pounds. Gilliam may not be a starter this fall, but will see plenty of playing time and will be depended on as a leader. Gilliam has unfortunately had to battle a few injuries during his time at Penn State, but has always been known as a very high-character student-athlete. Can I give you my phone number? -ReadingRamblerSure, but I will also need your social security and credit card numbers, along with your date of birth. Where do you draw the line between tasteful and tasteless nudity, and how does that relate to Casual Fridays at the office? -MainLionIf you got it, flaunt it. It's always better than being an amorphous blob of khaki. Have you ever seen a grown man naked? Full_DerpYes. I almost always look down in the shower. Follow @BSDtweet on TwitterAnd join us on FacebookAll BSD community members should review

Well, looky here – Kevin Scarbinsky and Andy Staples follow in Matt Hayes’ footsteps and come out in favor of Les Miles’ campaign to end the SEC’s permanent cross-division rivalries.  It’s a veritable media groundswell.  It’s kind of funny watching the same institution that’s routinely mocked Miles for some of his less than brilliant game management at times find wisdom in the man’s judgment now.  (If Chris Huston is the next to chime in favorably, I quit.) The funny thing about all this is that Miles has said embarrassing stuff about scheduling for years.  But now he’s being taken seriously.  I don’t get it. Scarbinsky’s piece is easy to dismiss.  It’s more of a giant “boy, do Auburn and Tennessee really suck these days” wankfest than anything else.  Staples takes a more thoughtful approach, although in the end, it doesn’t get him to a different destination. The SEC has tossed tradition before, and sometimes with happy consequences. Florida and Tennessee played quite irregularly before the divisional split. From 1992-2006, theirs was the league’s most exciting rivalry. South Carolina and Georgia, who played some fun games when South Carolina was an independent, have become excellent border-state rivals. Besides, the Iron Bowl, the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and the Egg Bowl remain untouchable thanks to divisional alignments. So the league can still cling to some traditions while also ushering in a bright — and lucrative — future with a scheduling philosophy that gives teams a more even road to the SEC and national titles. If you’re Mike Slive, “bright” and “lucrative” are redundant terms. I know Andy’s a Florida guy so ignoring pre-1990 SEC history is wired into his DNA, but that Florida-Tennessee reference is too brief.  In the old days before divisions, conference teams never played round robin schedules, so yes, some matchups were infrequent.  But others were forged over a long period to become part and parcel of the SEC’s identity.  And even though the ’92 expansion was a money grab at its heart, Roy Kramer was smart enough to know that it was important to preserve the legacy of games like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia because they helped define the conference even as it changed. The essence of Miles’ complaint is a pernicious attitude that winning the SEC should be viewed as little more than a means to an end and that the only goal of scheduling should be as a useful tool to help the powerhouse schools find their way into the national postseason picture.  Now he’s a coach, so I get where he’s coming from.  But as a fan and as someone who appreciates the history behind the Oldest Rivalry in the South, that doesn’t mean I have to like it. And Staples is kidding himself with his “cling to some traditions” silver lining.  Because if there’s one thing we know, it’s that we all know what the SEC will do with its scheduling in the end – carefully weigh all of its options and choose the one that makes the most money, history be damned.  As I’ve said before, that’s the only tradition the SEC believes in these days. Filed under: Media Punditry/Foibles, SEC Football

What can you say about a guy who managed to parlay the greatest loss in college football history into a deal that’s still paying him more money from Notre Dame than Brian Kelly received from the school after taking the team to the national title game? Well, all I can say is that’s it’s a long way down from touting yourself as Mr. Decided Schematic Advantage to picking up flotsam and jetsam from the MAC. Sadly, however things play out at Kansas, there’s likely another sucker waiting to take a shot with Weis. Filed under: Charlie Weis Is A Big Fat...

You gotta love the semantics of recruiting.  An offer by a school isn’t binding.  A verbal commitment by a kid isn’t binding.  So I’m not exactly sure what is gained by this wrinkle: Alabama’s scholarship offers at some positions, most notably quarterback, are non-committable and pending an evaluation at summer camp, reported al.com’s Mike Herndon. Alabama has non-committable “offers” out to two Georgia high school quarterbacks, Gainesville’s Deshaun Watson (committed to Clemson) and Pierce County’s Tyler Harris. “It is our philosophy at certain positions that we really like to learn a lot about players and one of the best ways to learn about a player is when they come and visit you, because you’re limited in terms of the contact you can have with them off-campus,” Saban told the website. So a high schooler gets an “offer”, but it’s an offer he can’t accept when it’s made.  That’s not an offer; it’s an invitation to come visit. It’s common for colleges make non-committable scholarship “offers” to rising seniors that are pending an evaluation at summer camp – especially at the quarterback position. It’s just rare for a college coach, especially Saban, to publicly admit it because then it may cause confusion for other kids at other positions offered by the same college on whether or not they have a “true” or committable offer. Jeez, ‘ya think? But let’s not forget the real problem with recruiting is high school seniors who can’t make up their minds. Filed under: Recruiting

As deferential as Tony Barnhart can be on many issues, he’s always been credibly consistent with his criticism of the flaws in the Coaches Poll.  (If you’re a longtime reader here, no doubt you’ll remember an old Barnhart column on the subject served as the inspiration for the Mumme Poll.) So it’s no surprise that he bats down David Cutcliffe’s suggestion that the coaches continue to have a say in the composition of the postseason field.  Nor is it a surprise that he mines the last Coaches Poll for another blatant example of a conflict of interest. Remember that at the end of last season Northern Illinois (12-1), the MAC champ, needed to finish No. 16 or better in the final BCS Standings to earn an at-large spot, probably in the Orange Bowl. If Northern Illinois finished No. 17, then it was all but certain that No. 11 Oklahoma (10-2) would get that Orange Bowl bid as an at-large team. So every single vote counted. An analysis of the final vote in the Coaches poll (the only one that is made public) by Steve Berkowitz of USA Today, revealed that four Big 12 coaches (Oklahoma is a member of the Big 12), including Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, either voted the Sooners No. 6 or Northern Illinois No. 24. Stoops did both. Maybe I need to rename the MP. Of course Barnhart can’t resist pulling a punch or two.  After reciting the usual trinity of why the Coaches Poll as it’s now configured is problematic – bias, conflicts of interest and lack of time to research the field thoroughly – plus a bonus pot shot at Junior, he thinks there should still be a place in the room for Big Game Bob’s, um, perspective. The coaches will continue to do their poll. I like the idea of not releasing the first poll until mid-October. But that poll, and no other human polls, will be in the room with the selection committee. I’ve already suggested putting Grant Teaff, the executive director of the AFCA, on the selection committee to represent the coaches. Teaff would get input from his coaches and meet with his board of directors before the selection process and then serve as their voice in the room. I’m not really sure what that accomplishes.  If there’s a poll, warts and all, the committee would be able to see it without the need for Teaff’s presence.  All that’s likely to occur with him being in the room is that the coaches lobby Teaff and Teaff in turn lobbies the committee.  Is there any reason to think that, behind closed doors, he would serve as an effective filter of the bias and conflicts that corrupt the poll?  Given that Teaff has long fought making the Coaches Poll more transparent, I’m skeptical. If the coaches want to make a credible pitch to be included in the discussion, they need to clean their poll up first. Filed under: BCS/Playoffs, Media Punditry/Foibles, Mumme Poll

Redshirt Freshman Austin Johnson came to PSU a versatile 3-star offensive line prospect with only a handful of other BCS offers. He's since switched to the defensive line, as what LJ Sr wants, LJ Sr gets. Johnson's on the short list to see significant playing time at the nose tackle position this fall, one of a few youngsters vying to fill the void that rookie Seattle Seahawk DT Jordan Hill has left. He had a good spring and great spring game, notching two sacks. Hailing from New Jersey, Johnson also played basketball in high school, leading his team to a state title. He hails from the same high school as former Nittany Lion and current Raider Jack Crawford. Follow @BSDtweet on TwitterAnd join us on FacebookAll BSD community members should review our current Posting & Commenting Policies before creating any posts or commenting.

This is the last full regional profile. We'll start picking up the pace after this one, so that your eyes don't bleed. Let's get it done. #1 Jenn Brown, SO, Economics vs. #16 I'm Going Derp It all started harmlessly. Asked about that year's State Patty's Day, Jenn Brown was cheerful, and simply trying to share some insights when she spoke to The Daily Collegian's Chris Bickel on March 1st, 2010. Frankly, Jenn didn't even provide the best quote from that season's State Patty's Day - shared by 06Lion in this fanshot, which no one read. Nevertheless, Jenn Brown's morally casual attitude immediately earned her a legion of followers on BSD, sight unseen. Different BSDers thought they discovered her Twitter account, and her Spacebook page. Three years later, alumna Jenn Brown - the real one, not the sideline reporter - remains like the fabled mountain yeti: sought by hundreds of dudes living in their parents' basements, still elusive, still without photographic evidence. Can Jenn Brown walk right past 16-seed I'm Going Derp in the HUB, wearing the same clothes she wore out last night? Of course. This won't even be a contest. #8 Ham Sandwich vs. #9 Your [blank] Sounds Hot You might think Ham Sandwich began with a talk about quarterbacks, or the offensive line. To be the best of my search capabilities, that doesn't appear to be the case. Ham Sandwich first made the 2-deep as the reserve tight end, behind Kevin Haplea, and ahead of Garry Gilliam, Andrew Szczerba, Nate Cadogan, and - that's right - true freshman Kyle Carter, last year's Big Ten Offensive Freshman of the Year. (True freshmen were (mostly) ineligible at PSU, until 2012). And as freakishly talented as Ham Sandwich is, it will get a serious game out of 9-seed Your [blank] Sounds Hot. A quick search reveals 861 comments on BSD containing the exact words "sounds hot". That's eight hundred, sixty-one - nearly an entire Sandusky Trial Open Thread of nothing but 'your girlfriend/wife/sister/cousin/mother sounds hot' comments. I'm not clicking 'next' 90 times to find the first one, but I can tell you that the last one was posted just a few days ago, by No.21 in this thread - and it's still going green. That, my friends, is a deep, deep squad. #5 SOA vs. #12 Hullstache Stephen Obeng-Agyapong is rarely amused. As a freshman from out of state, SOA was unfamiliar with Lift for Life, and at one point, had raised $0 - until RUTS discovered him, and BSD adopted him, pushing SOA past his goal in about 20 hours (note to WeAre! editors: use frown photo to increase donations). SOA grew into a folk legend at BSD, though he wouldn't see the field for another two years (obligatory: SOA finds your lack of faith disturbing). In the interim, psuwxman (and Adam Shell) got SOA to crack a smile. Hullstache. Hullstache. Hullstache. #4 Poz / Mauti vs. #13 BBDS Defense The Poz / Mauti debate isn't about who supports the run better, or who has better pass drops. It's hunkability. And though Mauti's passion stirred the emotions of a few BSDivas (and Dudes), Poz's catalog of shirtless photos probably carries the day. But has an official winner ever been crowned? How did the Bend-But-Don't-Suck Defense land only a 13-seed? The selection committee works in strange ways. Maybe they noticed the drop in BBDS mentions. Maybe they saw the change in commentor tenor about BBDS pre-2009 Rose Bowl, and post-2009 Rose Bowl. No one can say for certain. But this much is clear - BBDS won't be getting many female votes in its opening round match, and that's something it will have to overcome if it wants to survive and advance. #3 HOSS's vs. #14 Recruiting Starz FACT: HOSS's is great food, if you like eating from a dumpster, or if your crack habit leaves you with only $4.57 for meals. We've debated the (lack of ) merits of this hog slop often. Like here. And here. And here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. But the original debate? Tha

Former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis made more from the school in the 2011 season than Brian Kelly, the man who actually coached the Irish that season.