KSR Today: The College Football Offseason is Unnecessary Madness

kentucky football helmet stock photo — (Dr. Michael Huang | KSR)

There’s a time and place for offseason drama. It provides entertainment, trash-talking fodder among fans and, most importantly, hope for downtrodden programs. In some instances, like the NBA, the offseason theatrics are better than the actual product on the field. For college football, it’s the opposite and it does not have to be the case.

The college football offseason contains three huge program-building events. The powers that be have decided to cram them all into three weeks.

Dec. 2: Contact Period for Recruiting Begins
Dec. 5: Transfer Portal Opens
Dec. 21: Early Signing Period

College football programs have 19 days to sign a class, maintain their active roster through the transfer portal and prepare for a bowl game, all while the coaching carousel spins. It’s spinning faster and faster that ever before, all in order to make sure the program does not get left behind when high school prospects sign on the dotted line. The shortened college football offseason is also eliminating the importance of bowl games. Instead of entertaining exhibitions, interim coaches are looking over programs with light rosters.

All for what?

This is all unnecessary. We could enjoy the theatrics and drama by eliminating this condensed offseason. The Early Signing Period was not intended to usurp National Signing Day, but that’s what happened. It’s time to eliminate the December signing period and move it back to the first Wednesday in February. Let the transfer portal truly have its own window before coaches and fans turn their undivided attention to where programs are built, by signing excellent high school players.

Moving back signing day would not completely fix the mess we’ve tried to ingest over the last three days, but it would certainly help decompress the eventful college football offseason.

Transfer Portal Entries, Names of Note

Only one domino fell for the Wildcats on Tuesday. Michael Drennen entered his name into the transfer portal after the former four-star did not appear in a game this fall. He’s the tenth Kentucky football player (ninth on scholarship) to hop into the portal this offseason.

Meanwhile, we’re learning about more potential persons of interest from other schools. Savion Washington is another OT from the MAC that could fortify the Big Blue Wall. The Wildcats are also actively pursuing Erick All, a productive Michigan tight end from Cincinnati. Even though he’s overcoming an injury, this former four-star prospect could provide some much-needed experience in Kentucky’s youthful tight end room.

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Playing the Offensive Coordinator Waiting Game

All has gone quiet on the offensive coordinator front. We learned a new name yesterday, but Liam Coen is the only one anyone cares about. The sooner it happens, the better, but it’s best to just wait until Friday. Right now he’s busy getting Baker Mayfield ready for Thursday Night Football. If we reach the weekend and there isn’t any news, then it might be time for Mark Stoops to get serious about some other candidates.

Still think Coen is the most likely result

If it doesn’t happen, it is because of complications in NFL season/contract

If it doesn’t happen, three very good contenders, 2 of which I know (and UK fans know as well) and would be very happy with
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 6, 2022

I think 2 of the top 3 contenders for the OC job if Coen situation doesn’t work out played college Football within a couple of hours of Lexington
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) December 6, 2022

Honors for Current Kentucky Football Players

The beginning of the offseason is also awards season around college football and Kentucky football players are getting in the mix. The good news — it’s mostly the young guys. Keidron Smith got Second Team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches, but the rest have all gone to freshmen.

Deone Walker — Second Team All-SEC (AP), Freshman AA (On3, College Football News)
Barion Brown — First Team Freshman AA (On3), Third Team Freshman (CFN)
Dane Key — Freshman All-American Honorable Mention (CFN)
Jordan Lovett — Freshman All-American Honorable Mention (CFN)
Jordan Dingle — Freshman All-American Honorable Mention (CFN)

Decision Day for Kentucky Football Target

Brandyn Hillman is preparing to announce his commitment this afternoon at 1 pm EST. The 4-star athlete — a high school QB that could play DB in college — will choose between Kentucky, North Carolina, Notre Dame, USC, and Virginia Tech. Brad White was able to get Hillman in for an official visit earlier this fall, but Notre Dame is the favorite in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).

Rick Pitino Takes Down Travis Ford

The Madisonville point guard remains a padawan. Travis Ford took his St. Louis team to New Rochelle and Iona put it on the Billikens. Rick Pitino’s Gaels won 84-62 over the Atlantic-10 team to improve to 5-2 this season. Turns out, Rick Pitino still know how to coach some basketball. We need him to get out of Iona. Pitino is too entertaining to be stuck in the MAAC.