2012 NCAA College Football Thread (FBS and FCS)

[BroadwayBomber55]

2011 was another magical season in college football.

What does 2012 have in store?

New year, new season, new college football thread.

From National Signing Day and Recruiting in February to the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, bring on the posts.

[BroadwayBomber55]

Independent no longer: Navy to join Big East in 2015 via source
http://espn.go.com/college-football/...15-source-says

[Panamaniac42]

I'm used to Rutgers firing their coaches, not having them poached by an NFL team. Tough day considering we were on the brink of a top 20 class and he was poised to lock up Darius Hamilton and Devin Fuller.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/re...rrives-meeting

Greg Schiano was supposed to be at Don Bosco Preparatory School promptly at 8 a.m. Thursday morning to recruit some key prospects.

That never happened.

As scheduled, five Rutgers assistant coaches showed up at the Ramsey, N.J., school, which showcases several highly rated prospects each year. The coaches were focused on securing current commitment Leonte Carroo, a three-star receiver, and Darius Hamilton, a four-star defensive end who is primarily considering the Scarlet Knights and Florida.

"The coaches were kind of shocked," Don Bosco coach Greg Toal said. "They said 'Coach Schiano, he's never late for anything.' "

At first, the coaches thought Schiano might have gotten caught up in another meeting, despite the importance of the Don Bosco appointment.

"They didn't think it was any big deal," Toal said of their initial response. "They didn't know that he was in negotiations or anything like that."

Then, when reports began to surface that Schiano had accepted the head coaching job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Rutgers assistants were caught unaware.

"No one knows where this is going right now," Toal said. "I'm sure it caught a lot of people off guard."

With six days before national signing day, Rutgers suddenly finds itself in an incredible time crush to secure its 2012 class.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

I'm used to Rutgers firing their coaches, not having them poached by an NFL team. Tough day considering we were on the brink of a top 20 class and he was poised to lock up Darius Hamilton and Devin Fuller.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/re...rrives-meeting

The timing sucks. Still, it's pretty wild that he's going to the NFL

[Panamaniac42]

The timing sucks. Still, it's pretty wild that he's going to the NFL

Actually most of my shock is coming from the fact that an NFL team wanted him as a HC. Good program builder, mediocre game coach. Preaching family values and chopping wood is only going to get you so far with the pros.

[Yankee Fan in Boston]

Actually most of my shock is coming from the fact that an NFL team wanted him as a HC. Good program builder, mediocre game coach. Preaching family values and chopping wood is only going to get you so far with the pros.

Oh, I agree -- that's what I meant was pretty wild. I love what he's done at Rutgers, but I didn't see his next step as an NFL head coach

[Tal Hawkins]

2011 was another magical season in college football.

What does 2012 have in store?

New year, new season, new college football thread.

From National Signing Day and Recruiting in February to the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, bring on the posts.

Living in Big XII country, I'm most interested in seeing how the changes to the conference shake out. WVU and TCU, to me, are better programs than Mizzou and A&M. TCU is now a much stronger program than when they used to play in the SWC with their old rivals, but I question if they can sustain that progress having to play a tougher schedule year after year...going against Texas, OU, Oklahoma State, Baylor, KSU could wear on them...might be a while before they win a conference title. On the other hand, I think WVU can come in right away (assuming their legal troubles are worked out for 2012) and compete for the title. I'm a homer, so I think that if Texas can iron out their QB troubles they'll have a shot at 10 wins and the title.

I'm also intrigued to see what happens in the SEC. I loathe that conference but it's hard to not pick either Bama or LSU to compete for the national title again next year. I want someone, anyone, from another conference to dethrone them. Who's it gonna be, though. USC? I don't know but it's gonna be another great season.

As for recruiting, I want to see where Dorial Green-Beckham ends up. That kid has potential to come in and make a team immediately better, he is about as college-ready at WR as I've ever seen.

[Soriambi]

As for recruiting, I want to see where Dorial Green-Beckham ends up. That kid has potential to come in and make a team immediately better, he is about as college-ready at WR as I've ever seen.

Yeah, he's a crazy prospect. All signs seem to be pointing to Arkansas, though.

[Soriambi]

Oh, I agree -- that's what I meant was pretty wild. I love what he's done at Rutgers, but I didn't see his next step as an NFL head coach

Yeah, I think he was a really weird hire for an NFL team. He's done a very solid job at Rutgers turning them from a laughingstock into a respectable team, but it's not like he's been this unbelievably successful college head coach, which is usually the type that the NFL teams go for (Saban, Spurrier, etc.) It's pretty unprofessional of him not to give his assistants a heads up, too, if not the kids he was recruiting. That seems unacceptable.

[Jax Teller]

Yeah, he's a crazy prospect. All signs seem to be pointing to Arkansas, though.

After seeing Kiel & Ricardo Louis' back & forth commitments, I don't get excited about a recruit until it's official.

Still waiting to see if my Noles are going to get Darby. That's been another fiasco.

[Jax Teller]

Yuri Wright ended up committing to Colorado.

[Soriambi]

After seeing Kiel & Ricardo Louis' back & forth commitments, I don't get excited about a recruit until it's official.

Still waiting to see if my Noles are going to get Darby. That's been another fiasco.

Tell me about it. It seems like ND is totally out of that one, so you don't need to worry about them. Word is that he won't even meet with Kelly any more, though who knows why? Noles seem to be the favorites to land him, but Auburn and Clemson are still in it.

As for Green-Beckham, I definitely wouldn't be comfortable if I was an Arkansas fan, but they seem to be the team to beat. Missouri's in it, though, and Oklahoma and Texas are still dark horses. He's announcing on signing day, so we'll know then.

[Soriambi]

Scout #2 overall prospect Arik Armstead chose Oregon today. He'll play one of the lines (probably DE), and will also be playing basketball. Rivals isn't quite as high on him but still has him as the #61 overall prospect and #6 DE. He was previously a USC commit for well over a year, but USC wouldn't clear his older brother (who was at USC) medically to play, so he opened up recruiting. Word was that Notre Dame was his top choice at one point, but when they wouldn't clear the brother to play either, that went out the window. I assume Oregon cleared the brother, though I don't know that for sure.

[CanoForPresident]

Scout #2 overall prospect Arik Armstead chose Oregon today. He'll play one of the lines (probably DE), and will also be playing basketball. Rivals isn't quite as high on him but still has him as the #61 overall prospect and #6 DE. He was previously a USC commit for well over a year, but USC wouldn't clear his older brother (who was at USC) medically to play, so he opened up recruiting. Word was that Notre Dame was his top choice at one point, but when they wouldn't clear the brother to play either, that went out the window. I assume Oregon cleared the brother, though I don't know that for sure.

I don't think Armond would be allowed to transfer within the conference.

You got all the major details correct though. He'd be a top 5 recruit overall (maybe as high as #2, only because DBG is a monster) if he was an OT. I won't be the least bit shocked when Kelly shifts him over to the OL sometime next year.

[Soriambi]

I don't think Armond would be allowed to transfer within the conference.

Would the fact that USC isn't medically clearing him to play change his transfer situation at all? I know the basic transfer rules, but I'm not sure about exceptions for things like that, if there are any. You'd think he could have found some big out of conference school willing to clear Armond in order to land Arik unless Armond just completely clearly is unclearable, in which case you wonder why the Armsteads are so adamant on that point with his safety on the line. I'd imagine his condition can't be great if USC wouldn't clear him (I don't think too highly of Kiffin's ethics in that kind of situation, not to mention Ed O.) Of course, it's possible that they put some pressure on and he was bad enough that the doctors just wouldn't clear it no matter how much pressure there was.

I'm just not sure I see why he'd say no to USC and Notre Dame because they wouldn't clear his brother and then choose a school where he's not going to be able to play with his brother anyway.

[Soriambi]

Scout #3 prospect (#4 Rivals), safety Shaquille Thompson, a former Cal verbal, is now on board with Washington.

[CanoForPresident]

Would the fact that USC isn't medically clearing him to play change his transfer situation at all? I know the basic transfer rules, but I'm not sure about exceptions for things like that, if there are any. You'd think he could have found some big out of conference school willing to clear Armond in order to land Arik unless Armond just completely clearly is unclearable, in which case you wonder why the Armsteads are so adamant on that point with his safety on the line. I'd imagine his condition can't be great if USC wouldn't clear him (I don't think too highly of Kiffin's ethics in that kind of situation, not to mention Ed O.) Of course, it's possible that they put some pressure on and he was bad enough that the doctors just wouldn't clear it no matter how much pressure there was.

I'm just not sure I see why he'd say no to USC and Notre Dame because they wouldn't clear his brother and then choose a school where he's not going to be able to play with his brother anyway.

I don't think so.

He's free to transfer anywhere outside of the conference & ND. I don't think "I want to play with my brother" is a strong enough reason for the NCAA to waive that rule, as much as they've screwed us over the last 2 years.

He said no to USC because pops was bitter and no to ND because I don't think he was ever really interested in leaving the west coast. I have a theory that Gus Armstead used Arik's "interest" in ND as a way to put pressure on the SC administration to clear Armond. JMO though, I've heard nothing that actually suggests that was the case.

[Jax Teller]

Scout #3 prospect (#4 Rivals), safety Shaquille Thompson, a former Cal verbal, is now on board with Washington.

That dude was a flip flopper as well. First USC then Cal now Washington.

Next we'll see him trying out for a basketball team in Europe.

[CanoForPresident]

That dude was a flip flopper as well. First USC then Cal now Washington.

Next we'll see him trying out for a basketball team in Europe.

We never had Thompson.

We was committed to Cal, then re opened his recruitment, committed to Cal again during the Army game and most recently flipped to Washington.

Kid is a hell of a talent but hes also a total ass clown.

[Jax Teller]

He wasn't the guy that tweeted about going to USC, saw backlash for it & then de-committed?

/edit
Nevermind. I read it wrong from the beginning. USC was on his list of possibilities then cut them after a Twitter backlash.

[CanoForPresident]

He said that USC was his "leader" on twitter (repeated this to several reporters as well) and then "dropped" them from consideration because SC fans were calling him out on his BS.

Like I said, hes an ass clown.

[Jax Teller]

Looks like Darius Hamilton has chosen Rutgers

[Panamaniac42]

Looks like Darius Hamilton has chosen Rutgers

Tim Pernetti (AD) and the coaching staff have done a great job holding the existing class together after Schiano's departure and now Hamilton's commitment is just a whole bunch of gravy on top.

[Soriambi]

It seems like Missouri is emerging as the frontrunner for DGB.

[Soriambi]

The big news today is DGB to Mizzou.

Some other big commits so far:

5 star CB Tracy Howard to Miami, even though he still had them ruled out three days ago. A visit there evidently swayed him from 100% Florida to Miami.

5 star DT Eddie Goldman chooses FSU over Florida and Miami.

5 star athlete (potential LB) Josh Harvey-Clemons chooses Georgia over Florida and FSU.

5 star JUCO WR Cordarrelle Patterson to Tennessee.