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College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Upon Further National Review Week 10: Final Bedlam, Red Rhule, Maryland Misery, and More

For Week 10, we preview the final Bedlam, Matt Rhule’s resilience, Maryland’s misery, Kirby Smart’s player development and more…

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By Rock Westfall 

For Week 10, it’s Final Bedlam, Nebraska’s Rhule of Resilience, Maryland’s misery, Kirby is truly Smart, Virginia Tech’s resurgence, Rubber Band Man coaches, and a Zen Been at Baylor.

Pistols Firing at OU and Brent Vulnerables For Final Bedlam

Despite Oklahoma’s dominance of Oklahoma State in the Bedlam series, it remains one of the most intense rivalries in college football. Sadly, because of Oklahoma’s 2024 move to the SEC, Saturday’s matchup is the last, at least for the immediate future.

There is nothing more that Oklahoma State (6-2, 4-1) and its fans would love than to finish off Oklahoma’s drive to the college football playoff and ruin its season. And the Cowboys have a legitimate shot on their home field. Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1) has dominated the series with 17 wins in the last 20 matchups. But the current momentum belongs to the Pokes.

Following a 2-2 start, OSU head coach Mike Gundy’s Cowboys have four straight wins. Running back Ollie Gordon II has burst onto the national scene with 1087 yards rushing, 7.7 yards per carry, and ten TDs. Gordon is emerging as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Senior QB Alan Bowman won a three-man battle to become the starter and, while not spectacular, is steady.

Oklahoma is coming off two sloppy performances. They were nearly upset at home by a terrible UCF team in a 31-29 win and lost at Kansas last week 38-33. The shine is off OU’s 34-30 Red River Shootout win over Texas. And the heat is on head coach Brent Venables.

Venables’ team showed up late and unprepared against UCF and KU. The Sooners rank 63rd for total defense despite Venables’ reputation as a defensive mastermind. Losing to Kansas is a five-alarm fire in Norman, OK. And a loss in the final Bedlam would significantly turn up the heat on Venables.

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Resiliency the Rhule for Rising Big Red

The Nebraska Cornhuskers can gain bowl eligibility with one more win. More importantly, they can win the Big Ten West.

Indeed, the impossible dream could come true in Matt Rhule’s first season as head coach. The Big Red (5-3, 3-2) is succeeding despite ranking 115th for scoring offense and 133rd for turnovers. Also, Nebraska has been decimated with injuries. Only three of the 11 Week 1 offensive starters remain in the lineup. Yet they continue to win.

Nebraska is overcoming these mounting challenges with the nation’s 13th-ranked defense, opportunistic kicking teams, and an unrivaled mental toughness that Rhule has implemented. The Big Red thrives in the face of adversity, where it previously folded like a house of cards under it. The Blackshirt defense talks of living to make stops after Nebraska turnovers.

Former head coach Scott Frost had a soft, whiny program of perpetual alibis. The Huskers would fold under distress and had kicking teams that were a major liability. Rhule’s transformation of the program is one of the most remarkable coaching jobs in the country.

With Iowa’s offense imploding, Wisconsin struggling with a transition under new head coach Luke Fickell, and mediocre Minnesota leading the Big Ten West, Nebraska is in the mix.

This week, Nebraska has a winnable game at Michigan State (2-6, 0-5). Spartan Stadium will see plenty of red in its grandstands. There is no place like Nebraska, even in East Lansing, MI.

Mike Locktease and Maryland Drop a Cat Terp 

Since Mike Locksley took over as Maryland’s head coach in 2019, the Terrapins have gotten strong reviews for recruiting. The DMV area is fertile, and Locksley mines it hard and well. Yet those classes are not producing success.

The Terrapins (5-3, 2-3) have a soft program that feasts on non-conference crab cakes, only to go into a shell when Big Ten play starts. Locksley has never produced a winning season in the Big Ten. And his tenure is becoming an annoying tease. Maryland fans are tired of wins on signing day, followed by flops on the field.

Last week’s 33-27 loss at Northwestern as 14.5-point favorites is among the worst of Locksley’s tenure. Saturday’s home date with Penn State (7-1, 4-1) will not likely offer a respite.

Cats Climb to Bowl Contention

In what was supposed to be a lost season, the Northwestern Wildcats (4-4, 2-3) need two more wins to attain bowl eligibility. Rookie head coach David Braun arrived last offseason as then-head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s defensive coordinator. He may end up as the permanent HC.

Braun was elevated to interim head coach when Fitzgerald was fired concerning a hazing scandal that broke over the summer. Braun is leading the Wildcats through what was seen as an impossible situation to being on the cusp of a bowl game. A strong finish could get the interim tag removed.

This week, Northwestern hosts punchless Iowa (6-2, 3-2) at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Then it’s on to injury-wallowing Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2), home against putrid Purdue (2-6, 1-4), and the season finale at impotent Illinois (3-5, 1-4). All those games are winnable.

A Smart Recruiter Who Can Actually Coach 

The aforementioned Mike Locksley, Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M), Lincoln Riley (USC), and James Franklin (Penn State) are all great recruiters who never seem to fully develop their loaded rosters. A coach that does get everything out of what he has is Georgia’s Kirby Smart.

Last week was a shining example of Smart’s genius. Georgia (8-0, 5-0) was said to have been in trouble without injured All-World tight end Brock Bowers (ankle, late Nov). But in its highest-profile game of the year, the Bulldogs routed arch-rival Florida 43-20 after jumping to a 36-7 lead.

The blowout was UGA’s best performance of the season. Georgia outgained Florida 486-339. Carson Beck threw for 315 yards and two TDs. And his new favorite receiver, Ladd McConkey, caught six passes for 135 yards and a TD.

Sophomore tight end Oscar Delp, a 4-star out of West Forsyth High School in Cumming, GA, is quickly getting up to speed in place of Bowers with 15 catches, 191 yards, and two TDs on the season.

Anyone thinking Georgia would meekly go away after winning two nattys with a shot at a historically epic three-peat should have their head examined. Kirby Smart has a fully stocked cupboard and knows how to gourmet cook with it.

Can Brent Pry Open a Bowl Bid?

As absurd as it sounds, second-year Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry was said to be in hot water after a 1-3 start. The Real Men of Genius on social media believe Rome was built in an hour. And they are getting exposed as the baboons that they are.

The Hokies are coming off a 38-10 decimation of Syracuse last Thursday night. All of a sudden, Pry has Virginia Tech (4-4, 3-1) in position for a bowl game and a shot at the ACC championship game.

Pry is James Franklin’s former defensive coordinator at Penn State. Now, he has quickly built the nation’s 22nd-ranked stop unit. Meanwhile, sophomore QB Kyron Drones is emerging with a 130.4 QBR, 7/1 TD/INT ratio, and 480 yards rushing.

Virginia Tech has a tough test this week at Jeff Brohm’s Louisville Cardinals (7-1, 4-1). 

Rubber Band Man Coaches

Rich Rodriguez of Jacksonville State, Jerry Kill of New Mexico State, and Clay Helton of Georgia Southern are experiencing career renaissances in 2023.

Rich Rod took on the challenge of leading the Gamecocks out of FCS into FBS competition. Jax State (7-2, 5-1) is challenging for the Conference USA championship.

The Gamecocks would be bowl-eligible if not for a typically brainless and archaic NCAA rule regarding new FBS programs. Perhaps with some help from other teams and luck, they can still fill one of the holiday slots. Apparently, it’s too much to ask the NCAA Conclave of Clods to realize an FBS program should be bowl-eligible once it’s an FBS program.

Kill took over the Aggies in 2022 and took them to just their second bowl game since 1960. New Mexico State (6-3, 4-1) is bowl-eligible this year and fighting with Jacksonville State and Liberty for CUSA supremacy. Jerry Kill has had to overcome epilepsy and the gravity of a historic coaching graveyard. It is one of college football’s great success stories.

Like Rich Rodriguez at Michigan, Clay Helton never had the support of USC fans during his tenure, which mercifully ended in 2021. Helton is quickly recovering at Georgia Southern (6-2, 4-1). Last year, Helton took the Eagles to the Camellia Bowl. This year, Georgia Southern is already bowl-eligible and trails only James Madison in the Sun Belt Conference East Division. Meanwhile, the USC Trojans still have Feet of Clay without Helton.

Aranda Becoming a Zen Been

Baylor (3-5, 2-3) head coach Dave Aranda has suffered a stunning career freefall after leading the Bears to the 2021 Big 12 championship. At that time, Aranda was celebrated as a cool, Zen-like figure perfectly suited for today’s easily offended and hyper-sensitive players. Early last year, programs such as Nebraska were drooling for Aranda.

Baylor was ranked 9th nationally early in 2022 before an alarming fall to a final record of 6-7. This year, the Bears have been bad from the start. Most disturbing is that the former Wisconsin and LSU defensive coordinator has a stop unit ranked 96th overall, 121st against the rush, 104th for points allowed, and 96th for turnovers forced. Meanwhile, Baylor’s 100th-ranked scoring offense offers no relief.

Dave Aranda has gone from the hottest stock on the coaching carousel market to a man who could soon face the firing squad if Baylor fans have their way. 

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