Couple ideas to solve the Bowl opt out “problem”

[Fab5Coug]

May be out of the box thinking, maybe not even be doable.

One, cancel the Senior Bowl. I think I read most of our guys are playing in that. Bag it. Your Bowl game is your senior bowl. That’s your last shot to get played on film.

Second, pay the players for the game. WSU got ~$2.25M for playing in the game? Take out travel expenses and divvy it out to every player who travels. May change some minds if a $10K bonus is on the line. Would also make late season games more meaningful. More wins means better Bowl means more $$$.

Don’t know how you’d do that. Have every player sign an NIL with the sponsor? Coaches get bowl bonuses, let’s do the same for the players.

Eliminate the early signing period. This has encouraged players to transfer earlier. Get rid of it and kids will hold off and transfer after their bowls.

So, there you have it. My poorly thought out solutions. Now tell me all the reasons these are infeasible.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

May be out of the box thinking, maybe not even be doable.

One, cancel the Senior Bowl. I think I read most of our guys are playing in that. Bag it. Your Bowl game is your senior bowl. That’s your last shot to get played on film.

Second, pay the players for the game. WSU got ~$2.25M for playing in the game? Take out travel expenses and divvy it out to every player who travels. May change some minds if a $10K bonus is on the line. Would also make late season games more meaningful. More wins means better Bowl means more $$$.

Don’t know how you’d do that. Have every player sign an NIL with the sponsor? Coaches get bowl bonuses, let’s do the same for the players.

Eliminate the early signing period. This has encouraged players to transfer earlier. Get rid of it and kids will hold off and transfer after their bowls.

So, there you have it. My poorly thought out solutions. Now tell me all the reasons these are infeasible.

I like it. I was thinking about the need to give some financial incentive as well. They get, what, $500 worth of swag now? That is not nearly enough incentive.

Agree that early signing period needs to go now.

 

[CougEd]

May be out of the box thinking, maybe not even be doable.

One, cancel the Senior Bowl. I think I read most of our guys are playing in that. Bag it. Your Bowl game is your senior bowl. That’s your last shot to get played on film.

Second, pay the players for the game. WSU got ~$2.25M for playing in the game? Take out travel expenses and divvy it out to every player who travels. May change some minds if a $10K bonus is on the line. Would also make late season games more meaningful. More wins means better Bowl means more $$$.

Don’t know how you’d do that. Have every player sign an NIL with the sponsor? Coaches get bowl bonuses, let’s do the same for the players.

Eliminate the early signing period. This has encouraged players to transfer earlier. Get rid of it and kids will hold off and transfer after their bowls.

So, there you have it. My poorly thought out solutions. Now tell me all the reasons these are infeasible.

Early signing period helps WSU more than Abe Lucas not sitting out.

What you do do is change the early signing period to January 3rd. But that puts a strain on the high school kid that wants early admittance.

 

[Fab5Coug]

Early signing period helps WSU more than Abe Lucas not sitting out.

What you do do is change the early signing period to January 3rd. But that puts a strain on the high school kid that wants early admittance.

Don't really care what benefits WSU specifically. Talking about what's in the best interest of the sport.

 

[dgibbons]

May be out of the box thinking, maybe not even be doable.

One, cancel the Senior Bowl. I think I read most of our guys are playing in that. Bag it. Your Bowl game is your senior bowl. That’s your last shot to get played on film.

Second, pay the players for the game. WSU got ~$2.25M for playing in the game? Take out travel expenses and divvy it out to every player who travels. May change some minds if a $10K bonus is on the line. Would also make late season games more meaningful. More wins means better Bowl means more $$$.

Don’t know how you’d do that. Have every player sign an NIL with the sponsor? Coaches get bowl bonuses, let’s do the same for the players.

Eliminate the early signing period. This has encouraged players to transfer earlier. Get rid of it and kids will hold off and transfer after their bowls.

So, there you have it. My poorly thought out solutions. Now tell me all the reasons these are infeasible.

Payout at the end of their career. No play, no pay.

 

[spongeandshoot]

I am guessing bowls are going to see fan participation much like the Sun Bowl. I am guessing once it hurts the pocket book, adjustments will be made.

 

[Observer11]

Payout at the end of their career. No play, no pay.

Like real life?

Blasphemy!!!!

 

[dgibbons]

Like real life?

Blasphemy!!!!

Cutting edge, I know.

 

[CougEd]

Don't really care what benefits WSU specifically. Talking about what's in the best interest of the sport.

Well the genie is out . Only way it gets fixed isn’t by ending the early signing date but rather having the nfl get involved and start a true minor league system .

 

[roses04]

The NFL is behind the Senior Bowl, and since they already have college football as their free farm system the Senior Bowl won't be eliminated. Paying players that have declared for the draft, for playing in the bowl games, and/or buying them insurance policies in the event of injury are two things that might make a difference.

 

[wazzucougs96]

expand the playoff to 24 teams like FCS does. For the rest of the bowl games, no one really cares if guys sit out so let them carry on as they see fit.

 

[BiggsCoug]

expand the playoff to 24 teams like FCS does. For the rest of the bowl games, no one really cares if guys sit out so let them carry on as they see fit.

There are 64 Power 5 teams, plus Notre Dame. At 24 teams you’re talking almost half the P5 programs in the playoffs. If you wanna grow it to include all BCS teams, ok.

I don’t have an issue with a big tournament. But make the number so you had to win some games.

Or, say to hell with it all and let everyone in. See what the tv $$$ is then. If college football is gonna whore for the money, go all in and squeeze it for every nickel.

 

[Fab5Coug]

expand the playoff to 24 teams like FCS does. For the rest of the bowl games, no one really cares if guys sit out so let them carry on as they see fit.

I've never been a big fan of the big playoff idea. Like, how many games does Alabama or Georgia need to win to prove they're the best teams in the country? They already waxed Michigan and Cinci. Do they really need to beat 4 loss A&M or Arkansas as well?

 

[wazzucougs96]

There are 64 Power 5 teams, plus Notre Dame. At 24 teams you’re talking almost half the P5 programs in the playoffs. If you wanna grow it to include all BCS teams, ok.

I don’t have an issue with a big tournament. But make the number so you had to win some games.

Or, say to hell with it all and let everyone in. See what the tv $$$ is then. If college football is gonna whore for the money, go all in and squeeze it for every nickel.

Every FBS conference should get their champion in.

 

[wazzucougs96]

I've never been a big fan of the big playoff idea. Like, how many games does Alabama or Georgia need to win to prove they're the best teams in the country? They already waxed Michigan and Cinci. Do they really need to beat 4 loss A&M or Arkansas as well?

The bigger playoff will spread the access and that will disperse the talent that is currently concentrated at 4 schools. Over time, new programs will emerge or reemerge and the field of teams who can win the tournament will grow. Just like it has in basketball.

 

[Coug90]

Companies are throwing retention bonuses out like candy right now. Even for flipping burgers and stocking shelves. Retention bonus for guys who play a certain number of snaps.

 

[COCoug]

I agree that a large play-off would keep players in the games, but I don't see it reaching the level of excitement as March Madness. I think we would see a lot of really lopsided blow-outs, just like we see now with a 4 game play-off.

I think we need to build the bowl game into the expectations of the season. All it takes now is a winning record, and every team enters the season expecting a winning record, so the expectation that player are going to play in a bowl would just be part of that. Honestly, if you have lost your nerve over fear of injury and can't continue the season, why play in the game that qualifies you for a bowl and then opt out of the bowl? Why play at all? The NFL is 1000x more intense with regards to speed and physical play, with 50% more games. If you are too fragile to play against Central Michigan, do you really think you can compete against players who could have beaten Central Michigan in the 10th grade?

 

[BiggsCoug]

To generate huge dollars like the basketball tournament there can’t be so much inequity. The NFL gets the tv $ it does because it’s formula creates good tv. Drama, excitement, suspense. Games come down to the wire… holding viewers longer to their tvs.

Salary cap, roster limit, worst drafts first. The NFL has constraints in place to keep teams from gobbling up all the talent.

College football has no salary cap, has a limit on scholarships but no roster limit and even BYU has all their walk ons tuition paid with NIL and the best teams take all the best talent every year.

Until those things are remedied it will come done to a small handful of teams in the playoff every year.

The starting QB at Oklahoma just entered the portal. Where is he going to go that is that much better???

 

[COCoug]

The starting QB at Oklahoma just entered the portal. Where is he going to go that is that much better???

I am curious how often players enter the portal with a deal in place with a destination school, versus a true "free agent" type of proposal. I agree it would be insane to leave Oklahoma as the starting QB unless you had a very specific program and coaching staff and near guarantee to start.

 

[BiggsCoug]

I am curious how often players enter the portal with a deal in place with a destination school, versus a true "free agent" type of proposal. I agree it would be insane to leave Oklahoma as the starting QB unless you had a very specific program and coaching staff and near guarantee to start.

Oh I think he was “encouraged” into the portal.

Wasnt long ago I got shit for saying the NIL would change football….

This kid would be a multi year starter at QB for a blue blood school… Why is he leaving????

 

[Fab5Coug]

To generate huge dollars like the basketball tournament there can’t be so much inequity. The NFL gets the tv $ it does because it’s formula creates good tv. Drama, excitement, suspense. Games come down to the wire… holding viewers longer to their tvs.

Salary cap, roster limit, worst drafts first. The NFL has constraints in place to keep teams from gobbling up all the talent.

College football has no salary cap, has a limit on scholarships but no roster limit and even BYU has all their walk ons tuition paid with NIL and the best teams take all the best talent every year.

Until those things are remedied it will come done to a small handful of teams in the playoff every year.

The starting QB at Oklahoma just entered the portal. Where is he going to go that is that much better???

Look at Georgia's schedule this year. As just a casual football fan, how many of their games would you continue watching into the second half? Clemson. The SEC Title Game vs Alabama maybe? They've played 14 games and 2 of them were competitive.

I don't know, I guess fans just don't care anymore, as long as the ends justify the means. I just wonder if, at some point, fans just lose interest in consistent blowout football.

 

[chipdouglas]

Look at Georgia's schedule this year. As just a casual football fan, how many of their games would you continue watching into the second half? Clemson. The SEC Title Game vs Alabama maybe? They've played 14 games and 2 of them were competitive.

I don't know, I guess fans just don't care anymore, as long as the ends justify the means. I just wonder if, at some point, fans just lose interest in consistent blowout football.

#3 Clemson, #8 Arkansas, #18 Auburn, #11 Kentucky, #3 Alabama, #2 Michigan, #1 Alabama

C'mon man.

WSU played zero ranked teams other than Oregon, who dropped 3 of their last 4. You can caveat the above rankings, but if UGA played a boring schedule this year, most of the P12 was JuCo. Ditto ACC and all non-P5.

 

[roses04]

WSU played Utah, BYU, and Oregon, all teams that were ranked in the last poll before the bowl games.

 

[COCoug]

Oh I think he was “encouraged” into the portal.

OK, here is a dumb question. Is it still possible to engineer an "old fashion" transfer, like back in the day? Basically where a player simply announces they are transferring to another school. Or does everything have to go through the portal, even if the player knows where they are going?

 

[Fab5Coug]

#3 Clemson, #8 Arkansas, #18 Auburn, #11 Kentucky, #3 Alabama, #2 Michigan, #1 Alabama

C'mon man.

WSU played zero ranked teams other than Oregon, who dropped 3 of their last 4. You can caveat the above rankings, but if UGA played a boring schedule this year, most of the P12 was JuCo. Ditto ACC and all non-P5.

My point was that largely those games were not close.

 

[BiggsCoug]

OK, here is a dumb question. Is it still possible to engineer an "old fashion" transfer, like back in the day? Basically where a player simply announces they are transferring to another school. Or does everything have to go through the portal, even if the player knows where they are going?

No idea. I don’t think it is far fetched to just enroll where you wanna go and bypass the portal altogether. But it is the NCAA.

 

[etowncoug]

I agree that a large play-off would keep players in the games, but I don't see it reaching the level of excitement as March Madness. I think we would see a lot of really lopsided blow-outs, just like we see now with a 4 game play-off.

A 64 team playoff would be a complete toss up. With one week prep against opponents you aren't familiar with, there are plenty of opportunities to slip up for blue blood schools. It would also be good for degenerate gamblers to try to predict the outcome of these games.