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College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Kansas, OK State, WVU, USC, Rutgers, Arizona, K-State, and VA Tech Ignite 2024 Hope & Resurgence

The Big 12 got a much-needed boost, while Virginia Tech, Rutgers & USC seized momentum.

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Nov 19
Nov 19

By Rock Westfall 

The Big 12 got a much-needed boost, while Virginia Tech, Rutgers & USC seized momentum.  

Bowl Winners Change the Narrative At the Most Opportune Time 

The Big 12 performed poorly in the early signing period, lost its two best teams to the SEC and was looking at second-rate status for 2024. However Kansas, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Arizona, and Kansas State scored impressive bowl game wins to spark legitimate hope for the future. Rutgers may have finally turned the corner after a Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami. USC showed life could be better without Caleb Williams and Alex Grinch. And Virginia Tech gave the ACC a desperately needed good football story to build on. All of these teams head into a critical 2024 offseason with happy fans, good karma, and significant momentum.  Negative narratives have been changed.  Ahead is an offseason with plenty of newfound momentum.  

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The Life of Riley Takes a Turn Upward 

This space brought up the controversial theory that USC could be better without Heisman Trophy QB Caleb Williams. Well, USC scored a 42-28 win over Louisville in the Holiday Bowl with Williams on the sideline. Miller Moss threw a Holiday Bowl-record six TD passes with 372 yards. And despite several opt-outs, the USC defense was surprisingly improved against a quality Louisville offense. Moss begins the 2024 offseason as the favorite in what will be a competitive fight for the permanent starting job. Most importantly, Troy killed the incessant Ned Negative narrative that was consuming the program.  

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Rutgers Takes Legitimate Winning Season Home for the Holidays 

Coach Greg Schiano has one of the toughest jobs and an often thankless task at Rutgers. But a 31-24 win over Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl made it all worth it. Rutgers finished 7-6 on the season with a name-brand noggin in its bowl game.

While there remains a long road ahead, Rutgers’ culture of toughness and tenacity is taking hold. Miami lost because of its lack of discipline and fortitude. Rutgers had a vast advantage in coaching, and it showed. 

After improving from 59th to 39th in recruiting this season, Schiano has seized momentum. As a result, there is more optimism for Rutgers since Schiano’s second coming in 2020.  The worst is over on the banks of the Old Raritan.  Now comes the next step of building a legitimate Big Ten winner.  

Sunflower Sage Leipold Continues Miracles at Kansas 

Speaking of momentum, Kansas seized it with a 49-36 Guaranteed Rate Bowl win over UNLV. KU won its first bowl since 2008 as the Sunflower Sage Lance Leipold keeps putting up “first since” accomplishments. 

What goes forgotten is that Leipold put together a 9-4 season primarily using a backup QB. Jason Bean threw for 449 yards and six TDs against the Rebels. Bean leaves Lawrence a hero and a player who could have transferred out several times but instead chose to stick it out after losing his starting gig.

Injured starting QB Jalon Daniels will return in 2024, as will the most impressive two-deep roster since KU’s 2007 Orange Bowl championship team. Kansas will be a favorite to win the Big 12. Do you believe in miracles? 

Pistols Firing for Okie State Offseason

Yet another team that needed a narrative change was the Oklahoma State Cowboys. After getting run off the field in a 49-21 Big 12 championship game loss to Texas, Oklahoma State beat Texas A&M 31-23 in the Texas Bowl. Alan Bowman threw for 402 yards and two TDs.

It was an impressive bounce-back and showed the resiliency of coach Mike Gundy’s program. The Pokes will be a favorite in the Big 12 next year.   Bowman has applied for an NCAA waiver to gain an extra year. Everyone wants the QB back in Orange and Black. Assuming he returns, the Pokes will be a formidable 2024 threat.  

When the Cowboys fell to 2-2 after a 33-7 home loss to South Alabama, the media buried them.  But coach Mike Gundy used the bye week to radically change his offense to one that was run-oriented.  The result was a 10-4 campaign that included a win over Oklahoma in the final Bedlam.  Never count out a Gundy-coached team, especially when they are written off for dead.  Never.  

West Virginia and Neal Brown Complete Renaissance Season

The West Virginia Mountaineers completed an inspiring 9-4 season with a dominant 30-10 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Coach Neal Brown went from one of the hottest seats in the land to a secure position with a program that has momentum for 2024.

Brown won over a lot of skeptics and critics with his steady hand this year. The Mounties won five of their final six games. Most importantly, West Virginia finished as one of the most impressive teams in the Big 12. The dismantling of North Carolina gives Mountie fans an offseason to savor.  Brown took WVU out of mediocrity.  Does a Big 12 title run beckon for 2024?   There is a hunger and faith for more in Morgantown.  Stock Up!

Kansas State Will Keep Klieman Upward with Avery Johnson

This month, Kansas State had one of the worst months in the coach Chris Klieman era. Offensive coordinator, favorite son, and 2012 Heisman finalist Collin Klein took the bag at Texas A&M, walking out on the school he quarterbacked to a 2012 Big 12 championship. Also, Kansas State slipped from 37th to 43rd in recruiting. And KSU’s 2023 starting QB Will Howard transferred out, leaving the program in the hands of freshman sensation Avery Johnson.

Johnson lit up the stage Thursday in a 28-19 K-State win over NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Johnson passed for 178 yards and two TDs while rushing for 71 yards and another score. Sophomore RB DJ Giddens added 151 yards rushing and a TD.

If anyone thinks that Kansas State and Klieman are going away, think again. Few programs can match K-State in culture, toughness, resourcefulness, and pride. And the Pop-Tarts Bowl win has reignited good vibes for a critical offseason.  

Desert Swarm Bags Name Brand Win 

And then there is coach Jedd Fisch and the remarkable Arizona Wildcats. Arizona scored a 38-24 win over SEC-bound Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl. Trailing 24-13 late in the 3rd quarter, Arizona rallied to score the final 25 points of the game. The Wildcats forced six turnovers and flashed one of the emerging superstar QBs in the game, freshman Noah Fifita. Fifita lit up Oklahoma for 354 yards and two TDs to cap off a remarkable rookie campaign.

Arizona heads to the Big 12 next year with momentum and the impressive scalp of arrogant Big 12 deserter Oklahoma. Offseason momentum, expectations, and energy are on full blast at Tucson.

Brent Prys Open Hokies to New High 

Virginia Tech fans thought the retirement of program Godfather Frank Beamer would modernize the Hokies for the future. Instead, Beamer’s departure has been followed by a lost decade. 

But second-year head coach Brent Pry led the Hokies to a strong finish that culminated with a 41-20 win over Tulane in the Military Bowl. The Hokies won five of their final seven games to change a stagnant program narrative and usher in high expectations for 2024 in what is a weak and winnable ACC.

Pry was under fire earlier this season, as insane as that sounds.  But he has re-installed program pride and turned a big corner with a bowl victory over a Tulane team that was the class of the American Athletic Conference for the past two years. 

Virginia Tech’s 26th-ranked defense is a sign that Pry, a former Penn State defensive coordinator, has rebuilt program toughness and its old winning formula.

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