Even though the nation is reeling as live sports have ceased to exist with the NCAA, MLB, NBA, NHL and other sports either canceling or suspending their sports. Still, even though no sports are being played, it does not mean that there is not news around some of these leagues.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the news from a sport that isn’t even in season currently but is still being affected by the pandemic, NCAA football.
NCAA Puts Dead Period In Place
To help avoid some of the concerns with the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA has put in a dead period starting last Friday and in effect until the middle of April. This dead period means no in-person recruiting and campus visits.
College football was currently in a “quiet period,” which allows communication between recruits and the coaching staff before full evaluations get going later in April. Coaches and recruits can still talk via the phone and messaging; however, in-person recruiting at this point is off-limits.
Oklahoma RB Enters Transfer Portal
A major name is entering the transfer portal, as Oklahoma’s running back Trey Sermon has announced his intent to enter as a senior graduate (meaning he would be eligible to play right away for his new team).
After going from a lead back in 2018 to a backup role in 2019, Sermon is looking for an opportunity for a fresh start.
In 2018, Sermon had a monster year. He had 164 carries for 947 yards and 13 touchdowns. That season, he also added 12 receptions for another 181 yards. In 2019, though, he saw his role diminish.
After suffering an injury, he quickly became a backup to Kennedy Brooks and Rhamondre Stevenson. In 2019 he had just 54 carries for 385 yards and four touchdowns. He also had eight receptions for 71 yards and another score.
Now, entering as a graduate transfer, Sermon will look to find a home at a school that will give him the opportunity to start as a senior and put the finishing touches on what has been a solid college career.
Colorado Finds New Head Coach
After losing Mel Tucker to Michigan State, the Colorado Buffaloes have found their new head coach. Karl Dorrell, who has served as a head coach before with UCLA and most recently was a wide receivers coach in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, will be coming to Boulder to take over the program.
While at UCLA, back in the early 2000s, Dorrell went an impressive 35-27 over the stretch of five seasons. Given that almost half of those came in his final two seasons, he has shown the ability to win and get the job done. Colorado, who went just 5-7 last year, will hope that he can bring that success to them.
For Dorrell, this is a bit of a homecoming too. In the ’90s, Dorrell served as both a wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator with the Buffaloes in two different stints. While a lot has changed since then, he is still hoping that his return to Boulder can help propel the team as they move forward.
Colorado Suspends New Player
Speaking of Colorado and Dorrell, they also made headlines this week as they announced the suspension of transfer Antonio Alfano. Alfano, a former five-star defensive lineman recruit for Alabama, has had a bit of a tough road as of late.
After having a rough year with Alabama, Alfano decided to enter the transfer portal and ended up in Colorado (at the time under Mel Tucker). Alfano struggled in Alabama with disciplinary problems stemming from skipping classes and even practices.
While Colorado did not specifically say what the suspension was for, it is sad to see that the troubled past of Alfano still seems to be plaguing him even in his new home.
Northwestern Gets New Quarterback
After finishing dead last in passing last year in the Big Ten, it appears that Northwestern is trying to address that problem through the transfer portal. This week it was announced that former Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey is transferring to Northwestern as a graduate transfer.
Last season, in 11 games with Indiana, Ramsey was 204 for 300 for 2,454 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions in a quarterback platoon with Michael Penix, Jr.
While there are some quarterbacks already on Northwestern’s roster that Ramsey will have to compete with, this could be his job to lose for Pat Fitzgerald’s group. Last season, Northwestern averaged just 117 yards per game, and Fitzgerald and Ramsey will hope to improve that next season.
Oregon To Get Quite The Jumbotron
Who says that college football stadiums can’t have nice things? That is said tongue in cheek knowing the lavish accommodations that major Division I colleges receive for their football programs, but Oregon is taking it up another notch.
It appears they are putting some money into a new video board. It is upwards of $12 million for a 186 by 66-foot video board and a new sound system for the East end of their stadium. While this was funded by private donors, it seems like an excessive luxury for one of the nation’s top programs.
Still, as the Ducks will now play host to the largest video board in the country, they are hoping that their play can live up to the hype. If it can, the video board will be able to show the replays.
