As we continue to count down to the beginning of football season, we were teased today, getting a look at the new College Football Playoff trophy. With expectations high, the Sooners look to be a favorite to take home the first CFP trophy.
The Sooners, also have many players from this potential title contender, on multiple award watch lists, including Trevor Knight, Eric Striker, Zach Sanchez, and, even Blake Bell, to name a few. Oklahoma also announced another premiere, tradition filled match up today, announcing a home and home with Michigan in 2025 and 2026.
In this roundtable discussion, the guys at Stormin’ in Norman tackle the hot stories circulating around college football right now.
The College Football Playoff unveiled its new trophy. Yay or nay?
Joe Buettner, Editor (@joebuet): Yay. I love how they incorporated the CFP logo, and how the actual trophy can be taken apart. I think it could’ve been a lot worse, though, it somewhat resembles an expensive tube of lipstick. Regardless, hats off to the creative team that brought this to life.
Christopher Long, Columnist (@the_real_clong): Nay. While the idea of making the trophy kind of, sort of, look like the Vince Lombardi Trophy is novel, it also looks like that they tried to make it look like a Grammy. I guess it will grow on me. It will grow on me even more if Bob Stoops becomes the first coach to not only win all 4 BCS games, and a National Title, but also first to win the CFP National Title. Whoever’s idea it was to make the trophy look like a Grammy, shame on you! Thankfully, the crystal ball is still awarded after the game.
Nathan Harkins, Staff Writer (@NathanHarkins15): I was a big fan of the crystal football, so part of me wants them to just stick with that as the trophy. I understand that since there is a new postseason system, it is probably a good idea to have a new trophy. I would rate it a 5 out of 10. It’s just average. It looks like it fits well in a hand, but I don’t see much else worth talking about.
Diego Galaviz, Staff Writer (@DiegoG20): Yay. But I still like the crystal better. Though with a new era, a new trophy is appropriate. The new one does look generic, but you have to consider the Super Bowl trophy. That’s just a long base with a football, and it’s become iconic. Sooner of later, this new one will also be viewed as a classic. Give it time. I am glad the crystal ball will still be rewarded, though.
Oklahoma has scheduled a home-and-home series with Michigan. Which out-of-conference game in the next 11 years are you most excited about?
Buettner: I’m most excited for Ohio State, to be honest. Oklahoma will get the chance in 2016 to knock off Ohio State in its first year with the renovated stadium, and that has a lovely ring to it, doesn’t it? Also, Oklahoma’s 2017 trip to Columbus will be its first since 1977 when Uwe von Schamann nailed a 41 yard field goal with six seconds left on the game clock to help Oklahoma beat Ohio State, 29-28. The build up will be great.
Long: Tennessee has some luster to it, given the tradition of both programs, even though the Vols are down right now. The game I am excited most about right now though is Ohio State in 2016. Oklahoma and Ohio State are two of the most prestigious programs in college football. And of course, you cannot help but be excited about Oklahoma-Army. Anytime the Sooners play an armed forces academy, it is just awesome.
Harkins: Ohio State. For one, it’s happening sooner than the rest (outside of Tennessee). It’s awesome that OU is scheduling some of these marquee matchups, but 2025 is a long way away. Who knows how good Michigan will be by then, or how good OU will be. So it is hard for me to get too pumped about a potential matchup in a decade. Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes will most likely be a very good team in two years, and hopefully the Sooners will be too. Both programs are two of College Football’s best, and its not every year you get to see matchups like these.
Galaviz: Definitely has to be against Ohio State. Especially if both Bob Stoops and Urban Meyer are at their respective schools, which they most likely will be. The two schools are powerhouses in college football, and those matchups are always fun to watch.
Speaking of the future. If Stoops isn’t the coach in 2025 for the Michigan game, let’s make some way-too-early speculations of who might be coaching the Sooners 11 years from now?
Buettner: This is a tough one, but if Joe Castiglione is still around, it should be a good hire. If this was a discussion next year and Stoops retired, I could see Jay Norvell inheriting the team He’s a great recruiter, and he’s developed some great talent at wide receiver. I would love to see how that translates at head coach. Though, he’ll be just as old as Stoops in 2025, so I would assume some hot shot coordinator from the SEC or something gets the call.
Long: Gosh this is a tough question. Carey Murdock, posted on his twitter today that he was taking bets on Baker Mayfield being the head coach of Oklahoma in 2025. Eleven years is quite a ways away. I am going to use a cop out answer and say: I don’t care who it is, if they are winning, that’s fine with me.
Harkins: Since I don’t have a great feel for the up-and-coming coordinators in the world right now, I will say Josh Heupel. I expect OU will go hire the best name they can get to come to Norman once Stoops leaves. I have no idea who that will be by 2020ish though. So I would guess that Stoops grooms the guy who won him his first (and hopefully not last) national championship to take over when he retires.
Galaviz: Realistically, I think Oklahoma will go after a big name coach. It won’t be anyone from right now cause they will be too old as well. So I don’t know who it could be but it will be a big-name coach. How cool would it be to see Adrian Peterson or Sam Bradford leading the team, though?
Blake Bell and Taylor McNamara were both named to the John Mackey Award Watch List, despite having a combined one reception in 2013. What’s the justification here or is there?
Buettner: I love both guys, but Oklahoma got a huge benefit of the doubt pick here. Maybe there’s a lack of talent at tight end this season that I don’t see, but both guys seem far from potential Mackey Award winners at this point. Don’t get me wrong, either could be really great this season, but I feel Bell and McNamara have A LOT to prove in 2014.
Long: Umm, no. I say that because, Oklahoma has not utilized tight ends in their offense a whole lot in recent years. This year though, I do see that changing with the multiple tight ends on the roster, and Bell’s move to TE. I do believe Coach Heupel will utilize the position more with success. But, enough for an Oklahoma tight end to win the Mackey award. I don’t see it happening.
Harkins: First off, I put nearly no stock in preseason watch lists. I understand it gives people names to look out for, but they don’t really matter. In spite of that, I think it is a little ridiculous that the Oklahoma Sooners had two tight ends on the list. It’s 2014 right? When is the last time OU used a TE? Sure there have been rare moments of tight end success, but Jermaine Gresham was the last guy to make contributions worthy of awards. Word is that the staff wants to utilize the position more this year, but there is no way either of these guys emerges as the best tight end in college football.
Galaviz: I honestly have no idea. Maybe they really believe the Sooners offense will be dominant. Which I would have to agree.
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