First Down Kentucky: Two New Rule Changes?
Even though the offseason officially ends Saturday at noon when Georgia Tech takes on Florida State in Ireland, the rule-makers in the sport of college football have absolutely no chill. The sport is changing on all fronts. There are new conferences, new postseason formats, and so many new rules. A pretty big one may change as soon as next season.
On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed a report by Ross Dellenger that the NCAA Division I Council is considering eliminating the spring transfer portal window. Instead of allowing players to transfer in April following spring practice, they’ll be limited to transfer in one window from Dec. 9-Jan. 7.
Eliminating the spring transfer portal window is a way to stabilize rosters for longer periods of time. This will limit players’ opportunities to make moves (which might end up in a lawsuit the NCAA inevitably loses). I think almost every Power Four coach would be for this move, which is why it will likely get passed over the next few weeks.
There is one big thing standing in the way. The House settlement is expected to cut football rosters from approximately 125 to 105 next July. What happens to the players who are cut if they can’t hop into the portal? It’s a question the NCAA Division I Council must answer before ratifying a new rule to try to curb the rabid transferring across college football.
SEC Football Injury Reports are still on the Table
We were told the SEC planned to adopt official injury reports for the 2024 college football season. Eight days away from the start of the season, there still has not been any official news. According to Brandon Marcello, there’s no need to fret just yet.
“We continue to advance the student-athlete availability reporting policy, but it has not been finalized,” an SEC spokesperson tells Marcello. “The policy has been updated and is subject to further review. We will announce a final decision when it is complete.”
The new injury report policy will only be in effect for SEC games, which is why it does not need to be finalized by week one. If it’s going to be in place this fall, it’s gotta be ready for week two when South Carolina travels to Lexington to play Kentucky.
Tyreese Fearbry has me Fired Up for Kentucky Football
Kentucky needs some extra juice in the pass rush and Tyreese Fearbry appears to be the man for the job. The former Top 200 prospect has the athletic tools to bend the edge and get after the quarterback. He also might just have what it takes in between the ears to put the fear of God in opposing quarterbacks.
“I know every day when I come to practice that I bring a different kind of tenacity and that energy to the practice. We’re going to need that this whole season,” he told Adam Luckett on Thursday.
“I’m a tone-setter. I’ve been a tone-setter since high school and that’s been the thing for us. We can’t start slow. We gotta start out with high energy, come out with our hair on fire.”
Gosh, I can’t wait to watch some Kentucky football. EIGHT. MORE. DAYS.
Ahmari Huggins-Bruce Returns to Louisville
It sounds like one wide receiver couldn’t bear to lose to Kentucky so early in the season. That’s the only logical explanation behind Ahmari Huggins-Bruce‘s decision to leave South Carolina and return to Louisville.
Huggins-Bruce was a pass-catcher with modest production over three seasons at UofL. He had 2.1 receptions per game and 10 total touchdowns. He’s a fine player but was getting squeezed out by transfers like Caullin Lacy. In January AHB sought out greener pastures in South Carolina, and despite the dreadful company in Columbia, he couldn’t find any playing time on Shane Beamer’s squad. Meanwhile, Lacy broke his collarbone and the Cards are in desperate need of reinforcements.
In a strange twist of fate, Huggins-Bruce is reportedly returning to Louisville. How it’s legal is beyond me, but that should not be the lesson learned from this late transaction. It’s pretty clear Jeff Brohm is desperate for somebody, anybody to make plays in that offense, so much so that he’s willing to bring back a guy the team valued very little a year ago.
Reverse Rat Poison?
Nick Saban is always thinking two steps ahead, even outside of the coaching ranks. Today admitted he was trying to fire up his former team at SEC Media Days. Keep your head on a swivel when you see him on ESPN this fall.
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