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100 thoughts on college football

Monday marks the final day of the 2017 college football season, even though we're really into 2018 and the championship trophy handed to Nick Saban or Kirby Smart will read "2018".

To commemorate the season that just was, here are 100 thoughts, questions and lasting memories from the 2017 season. Some of these will be explicitly about Kentucky, others will be related to the Wildcats directly or indirectly, and some observations will be unrelated altogether.

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UK Athletics
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100. Yes, it's possible for Kentucky's fan base to be divided after seven wins and the Music City Bowl. I probably wouldn't have guessed it was possible, but this year proves it certainly is.

99. Mark Stoops is now one of the elder statesmen in the SEC. It's tough to believe but Stoops has been in his current position longer than almost any other current coach in the SEC. He's going into his sixth year at Kentucky and in the year 2018 that's impressive longevity.

98. Baylor's epic collapse was deserved. Baylor rose from the ashes under Art Briles to become one of the most surprising programs in college football, but after a rash of horrible off-field issues and cover ups, the Bears deserved every one of their 11 losses in 2017. There are good people still in that program but in terms of the institution it's tough to feel bad for their tumble in college football's pecking order.

97. Kentucky behind the nation in pace of play. That's not a bad thing. It's just a thing. Perhaps the most defining statistic related to Kentucky's 2017 was adjusted tempo. They ranked 117th in the country in that category. Again, that's neither bad nor good. It's just telling. Kentucky does not hurry up in the Mark Stoops era. They muck it up, try to push you around and the goal is to gain advantages for its defense while draining clock.

96. There shouldn't have been any talk about a quarterback change. Before the season plenty of people in the pundit class including yours truly wondered whether Drew Barker might win the job from Stephen Johnson over the course of the year. In hindsight that seems silly and a slight to Johnson. Whatever you think of him as a quarterback, and he had his limitations like anyone else, he was clearly Kentucky's best option behind center.

95. The end of the Barker era. Any Barker era, if it existed, was really short lived. It was temporarily in existence at the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, so for a span of about nine months it was real. But it's gone. It ended with Barker's decision to transfer. He was the face of the early Stoops era in terms of recruiting and possibilities but he and Kentucky now move on.

94. Take what coaches say in camp with a grain of salt. That's not to say they don't know what they're talking about. They know better than anyone else. But sometimes you just don't know. Clevan Thomas was talked about in a way that made it seem like he would have a major impact on Kentucky's offense in his first year and his impact was less than that. Naasir Watkins was mentioned as someone who might have to play and he kept his redshirt. The coaches did tip us off on some other guys, but in the offseason, not even the coaches know how things will play out.

93. How former UK quarterback targets fared. Jarrett Stidham led Auburn to an SEC West title, Elijah Sindelar passed for 18 touchdowns and 7 picks for a Purdue team that defeated Arizona in the Foster Farms Bowl and Austin Kendall was behind Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma. Those misses from the Class of 2015 did turn out to be quality players elsewhere.

92. Mississippi State was a really good team. If they played in any division other than the SEC West, and if Nick Fitzgerald stayed healthy the whole year, they could have done some really big things. They're the kind of team that just beats the crap out of you. That Kentucky blowout loss in Starkville isn't nearly as bad as you probably think. It wasn't good, either. But they could do that to a lot of teams on a good day.

91. David Cutcliffe is still doing one of the best coaching jobs in modern college football history. Duke wasn't Kansas before Cutcliffe but they were terrible and a long way from being relevant in any respect. They're coming off another bowl win, something unthinkable before Cutcliffe, and they are consistently a tough team to beat. They should be good in 2018, too.

UK Athletics
UK Athletics

90. Arizona State's unconventional, highly questionable Herm Edwards experiment. The Sun Devils are bringing in a coach who plans to do things ... differently. You won't find many people who believe it's going to work out well.

89. Shoutout to Army on a great season. The Black Knights went through a long dark period on the field but they've defeated Navy two years in a row and won their bowl game against Rashad Penny and San Diego State. Good for Army.

88. An All-SEC national championship game is not bad for college football. Fans across the country will complain, but Alabama and Georgia earned their spots in Atlanta and those in in the Midwest, Northeast and West will watch the sport next year again.

87. Is Lane Kiffin actually becoming likable? Maybe for some. Definitely not for others. But he's the best Twitter follow in the world of coach Twitter and it's not close. He's rebranding himself as an edgier Mike Leach minus the accomplishments, although he did a great job at FAU.

86. The Music City Bowl was proof that playing Georgia Tech is a miserable experience. It helps that Kentucky played better in this year's bowl game than the last one in Jacksonville. But it's also got to be more enjoyable for coaches, players and fans to play a team that doesn't run an offense built for practice on an aircraft carrier.

85. Darius West made it through an entire season healthy. It had to kill a competitive football player to consistently sit on the sidelines unable to help his team. And it has to feel really good for him to know he made it through an entire season.

84. Yes, Benny Snell is as good as the SEC's other top backs. Kerryon Johnson ultimately won the SEC's rushing title with the postseason included but Snell was the regular season leader. Still, some wonder whether Snell's really at that level. The answer is yes. He absolutely is.

83. Kansas is an embarrassment to college football. That's all that really needs to be said about that.

82. Mark Richt did a great job in 2017. It's impossible to deny the way he turned around a Miami program that has wallowed in mediocrity since the wheels came off after Larry Coker's first years. He brought some excitement back to "The U" (with the chain gang) and has an outstanding first recruiting class headlined by a player Kentucky fans would rather forget at quarterback.

81. But Mark Richt is still, you know, Mark Richt. Miami looked like a world beater and world champ some weeks. But at the end of the season they turned in an inexplicable stinker against Pittsburgh and then tapered off on their home field against Wisconsin. Richt's gonna Richt, y'all.

80. The PJ Fleck era is off to a rocky start. His "row the boat" philosophy might work out in the long run but the wheels came off for the Golden Gophers in Year 1.

79. Kentucky fans should find more joy in defeating Tennessee. Because Tennessee was a dumpster fire and fans were upset about the Florida game it seemed like the Wildcats' win over Tennessee wasn't as widely celebrated as it might have otherwise been. That's understandable but Kentucky fans should cherish every win over the Volunteers. Sincerely, History.

78. Tennessee fans should be ashamed of the Greg Schiano episode. They hung a man out to dry and ridiculed him for a spotty accusation, effectively ruining or tarnishing his career and making him toxic on a serious level. They got their way, but many of their fans clearly took the low road. The end doesn't justify the means. Or it shouldn't.

77. But don't sleep on Jeremy Pruitt. If Tennessee had hired Pruitt as their top choice, I have a feeling people would have judged the hire much differently. He has good experience and Tennessee is always going to get players.

76. Iowa State was one of the best stories of 2017. The Cyclones probably weren't on your radar often on Saturdays but they knocked off TCU and Oklahoma...and they were a really nice team.

75. Cole Cubelic's NC State playoff prediction in hindsight. Everyone knew NC State had talent coming into this season. Bradley Chubb, that defensive line as a whole, Jaylen Samuel, Nyheim Hines...But that pick was a reach. Cubelic's an extremely smart guy and NC State's display of talent and competitiveness against the best teams on their schedule mostly validated the darkhorse prediction on some level, but this sport's playoff will be dominated by the programs with insane depth that NC State does not have.

74. The right guy won the Heisman Trophy. All due respect to Lamar Jackson, but Baker Mayfield was the best player in college football.

73. Lincoln Riley, one-time UK offensive coordinator target, fared well in Year One. He's one of college football's youngest faces and it's tough to say he didn't do a great job this year. It helps to inherit Baker Mayfield and that offensive line, but the Sooners were a well-managed, well coached team in 2017, with the exception of that horrible kickoff and some defensive breakdowns in the second half against UGA.

72. Jim Harbaugh has been a disappointment so far. Most coaches who win big at blue bloods win really, really big in their first two or three years. Year two is often a big title year. Michigan is three years in and they haven't won quite at that level. They did lose a lot of starters after last season but so far Harbaugh has been a lot of sound and fury signifying very little.

71. But don't write Michigan off in 2018. With a lot of returning starters and Shea Patterson at quarterback the Wolverines should be legitimate national title contenders.

Mike Leach (WSUCougars.com)
Mike Leach (WSUCougars.com)

70. Big name programs won the early offseason. Chip Kelly to UCLA, Jimbo Fisher to A&M, Willie Taggart to Florida State, Scott Frost to Nebraska, Dan Mullen to Florida...the list goes on. Programs that should win big got their coaches, with the exception of Tennessee.

69. Mark Dantonio orchestrated one of college football's best turnarounds. That 2016 debacle looks like a distant memory after Michigan State throttled Washington State, beat Michigan and knocked off Penn State to rebound in a resounding way in 2017.

68. Nebraska fans should be ecstatic. Cornhusker fans have listened to pundits say they can't be an elite program anymore. Scott Frost will test that theory after leading UCF to a perfect 13-0 season. He's the favored son and a hometown hero. Nebraska fans should be thrilled they got their guy. If he can't restore their glory, who can?

67. Finish strong on the field, you'll finish strong in recruiting. Don't, it's hard. Last year Kentucky beat Lamar Jackson in the regular season finale and promptly closed with commitments from a near-record number of Floridians in December. This year they were blown out by Georgia and Louisville to end the season and it was much tougher to close on guys in December. Go figure.

66. The early signing period wasn't great or horrible. It just was. It worked. Coaches worked harder than they normally do in December during bowl prep. But has it really been a game changer for programs like Alabama at the top or aspiring in the middle like Kentucky? It would be tough to say that. This sport moves incrementally.

65. Colorado's defense took a step back in D.J. Eliot's first year as expected. The Buffaloes went from allowing 21 per game to 28 in Eliot's first year. But don't be too quick to blame the maligned former Wildcat defensive coordinator. Those Buffs lost a ton of starters. The real test will be in 2018.

64. Mike Leach is the perfect fit at Washington State. Some Kentucky fans were terrified Leach was going to take the Tennessee job, but he's really got it made in Pullman. He's implemented his system, its working and he has permanent job security. Also, from Leach listing the stadiums he's been in that are louder than Autzen before taking on the Ducks to video of him blowing on his coffee to cool it down in a press appearance with Mark Dantonio, he really is a national treasure.

63. Chip Kelly has a wide open path to Pac-12 South dominance. All due respect to Clay Helton, who has been underrated and solid since taking over the USC head coaching position, the only thing that will derail UCLA from the best years in its modern history would be if Kelly wants to get back to the NFL quickly. He knows how to do this.

62. Sam Darnold was, almost simultaneously, brilliant and terrible. USC's quarterback is a scout's dream on nine out of ten checkboxes but he was a turnover machine. He makes throws almost no one else can, but can he stop giving the ball to the other team? He's a perplexing player.

61. Oregon, once the model of stability in college football, is a rollercoaster job now. Mike Bellotti, Chip Kelly, Mark Helfrich. Assistants staying on staff through coaching changes. All that's gone with Taggart abruptly leaving Eugene. It was going to be tough to keep a Florida guy out there. Will Phil Knight's money be enough to bring the Ducks back this time? This sets them back.

Scott Frost (UCFKnights.com)
Scott Frost (UCFKnights.com)

60. Florida State's Willie Taggart move makes sense, but it'll be tough to win big there. With Dan Mullen, Mark Richt and Dabo Swinney as Taggart's main rivals, following a coach who won a national championship, it will be tough to keep favor with fans in Tallahassee, even if they are energized by the hire.

59. TCU and UCF were the best teams in Texas and Florida. Can you really argue that wasn't the case? And it's amazing.

58. South Carolina over Michigan was my surprise of the bowl season. I was more confident of Michigan over South Carolina than any of my other bowl picks. Michigan's offense was obviously a mess, but they seemed set up to completely stifle the Gamecocks. Tip your cap to Will Muschamp, but hold off on the "SEC" chants this year.

57. Iowa 55, Ohio State 24 was the surprise of the college football season. When the Buckeyes just handed the ball off, they were great. When they fell in love with the quarterback run they weren't. But none of that explains what happened in Iowa that night. It was mind-boggling and defies reason.

56. Wisconsin remains the envy of all aspiring programs with hurdles to clear. What Kentucky fan hasn't looked at Wisconsin's model of consistency and wondered, as Mark Stoops might, "Why not us?" How they do it year in, year out is a wonder to behold.

55. Danny Davis would have been a gamechanger for Kentucky. The 2017 recruit almost went to Kentucky and what a difference he would have made. He's a big-time player and could have been Kentucky's go-to guy for three or four years. Tough miss.

54. Urban Meyer is not Nick Saban 2.0. That might not be fair because a lot of people don't compare the two. But as the two guys who have dominated college football's national championships over the last decade, it bears mentioning that Nick Saban is just flat out better. He wouldn't lose to Iowa 55-24 and he's been more consistently great. Meyer has been consistently very good.

53. The Big Ten was college football's best conference top to bottom. Last year it was the ACC. This year the SEC's giants were better than the top teams in other leagues. But for my money, the Big Ten was the best conference top to bottom even without a playoff team. Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State were very good. Michigan, Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern and Michigan State were good teams, too. The middle of the Big Ten was better than the middle of the SEC and the top wasn't bad either.

52. Take a moment to appreciate Austin MacGinnis. Never mind, you've probably appreciated the greatest kicker in Kentucky history for a lot longer than that. He was, once again, one of Kentucky's MVP's. Normally that's a slight to the team. Not in his case.

51. When looking at recruits/players, consider who has their act together. That's tough to gauge from the outside looking in, but talent isn't everything. Javonte Richardson proved that. That might seem harsh, but realizing football and athletic potential is about a lot more than just having it. Who loves the game? Who puts in the work?

Lynn Bowden (UK Athletics)
Lynn Bowden (UK Athletics)

50. Lamar Jackson is the best college football player in the Commonwealth's history. No shade directed at Tim Couch, here, but it's an obvious choice. Jackson leaves Louisville as a Heisman winner and finalist the next year. His numbers? Ridiculous. His legacy? Large.

49. But how should Louisville fans really feel about team accomplishments during the era of their program's best player? These were not Louisville's or Bobby Petrino's best teams. Jackson can't be faulted for the defense this year. But big picture, this looks like a big missed opportunity. Even if Jackson gave the program a ton.

48. Kentucky did well to finish 1-2 against Lamar Jackson. All things considered, if you're Kentucky and finish 1-2 over three years against the best player in your archrival's history, that's not too bad.

47. Clemson is officially college football royalty. They don't have Michigan's win total or Alabama's trophy case but so long as Dabo Swinney is at Clemson, they're legitimate college football royalty. In fact they still have a strong case for being the second best program in the country currently. It was far from just Deshaun Watson and 20-something other starters. A legitimate Alabama-like foundation is there and Clemson will be a huge contender for the national championship next season.

46. Jeff Brohm is a rising star in the coaching profession. This isn't exactly a secret anymore and Brohm was highly respected at WKU, but for the first time in what seems like ages Purdue has real momentum as a program. Credit Brohm, who turned down Tennessee to stay in West Lafayette ... for now.

45. Recruiting rankings can be helpful but look beyond the ranking. Quinton Bohanna was only a three-star recruit, and a low three-star at that. But based on what I saw from him in person and on tape it was obvious he was a potential star in the making. Analysts do a good job but there are too many guys to evaluate for everything to be on point.

44. You have to have a ton of talent to get to the playoff. In a sobering reminder that college football is the most top-heavy, tradition-favoring sport in the known universe, this year's playoff proves, again, that unless you have a ridiculous amount of talent you're probably not going to sniff the playoff, even in your most Cinderella of Cinderella seasons.

43. Patience pays off for Lynn Bowden. Bowden was clearly upset at his slow start and lack of touches early in Kentucky's season but his patience paid off. He was one of Kentucky's leading receivers and finished the year with more than 1,000 all-purpose yards, making the SEC's All-Freshman team.

42. Josh Paschal ... Kentucky should recruit more guys like that. Easier said than done, but it's no small wonder that Mark Stoops is ecstatic about his future. Paschal played a ton as a true freshman in the SEC and not solely because of the Cats' need. He's the kind of guy you've got to have more of to climb the SEC ladder.

41. Boom Williams was better than most people realized. We knew he was a stud and one of the most explosive backs in UK history. But his absence was felt this year when the Williams-Snell combo gave way to just the thunder without the lightning.

UK Athletics
UK Athletics

40. It's tough to fault Jeff Badet's decision to transfer to Oklahoma. Even at the time it made sense on some levels. Oklahoma is an explosive offense, Badet stood to be a big target for Mayfield while playing in the national eye.

39. But did it really work out for Badet? He seems happy with his choice and Badet did get to play in the College Football Playoff. But he didn't match his production from his junior season at Kentucky. Had he returned he would have been Stephen Johnson's clear cut No. 1 target.

38. Nick Haynes' regression was easy to forecast. When you lose as much weight as Kentucky's senior offensive guard lost, you're just not going to be able to play at a high level in the SEC. It's unfortunate because Haynes was a leader and it clearly took a toll on him.

37. We all underestimated the losses of Jon Toth and Cole Mosier. Toth was a four-year starter, meaning no one else had experience playing center at the college level. Mosier wasn't spectacular but he was also very experienced and consistent. In hindsight it shouldn't be surprising that the line struggled.

36. Drake Jackson saved the offensive line. He's not the only player who stepped up and improved his game but he stabilized the center position and that's when Snell's production really took off.

35. The playoff committee got it right. Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma were no brainers. Alabama was not a strong fourth choice based on recent years because of their lack of marquee wins, but Ohio State made its own grave with two losses and that loss to Iowa.

34. UCF makes a good case for an 8-team playoff. I don't think the Knights would win an 8-team playoff, but it's a bad look when a team goes 13-0 and beats Auburn in a bowl game, when Auburn defeated the two teams in the national championship, and said team doesn't even have a chance to play for a championship.

33. Beware early proclamations. Early in the season it looked like Benny Snell had regressed and Kentucky's run defense was one of the most improved statistical categories in the country. Now at the end of the season, Snell is once again a beast and the run defense is a major concern. Small samples aren't worth putting much stock into.

32. Let's pay more attention to the walk ons. It's only natural that when we talk about recruiting and the roster we talk about scholarship players almost exclusively. But think about players like Cole Mosier, Charles Walker, Charles Moushey and others. Don't sleep on the walk ons. Chances are most teams have one, two or a few who will make huge contributions.

31. Dean Hood did an outstanding job with Kentucky's special teams unit. It's been a long time since Kentucky's special teams unit was really special but this year the Cats' "third unit" was one of the best in the country.

Matt Panton (AP Photo)
Matt Panton (AP Photo)

30. But how will the unit fare breaking in so many new faces in 2018? Austin MacGinnis, Matt Panton and Charles Walker had more to do with Kentucky's special teams resurgence than any other players. They're all gone in 2018.

29. Matt Panton shows there's real value to be had on the grad transfer market. A year ago there were huge questions about Kentucky's punting position. A Columbia transfer completely changed the outlook there. Moral of the story: Let's see who else the Cats might bring in who could dramatically alter the outlook for next year. We're hearing there are possibilities.

28. The rest of Mark Stoops' tenure will be defined by two things. Simply enough, how the next quarterback competition shakes out (and how that quarterback succeeds) and whether the Cats can get the defensive line to the level the offensive line has reached.

27. Kentucky's schedule wasn't as bad or as tough as some on both sides thought. It was clearly one of the easier schedules in recent Kentucky memory if we're being fair about it. There was only one great team on the schedule. But the schedule was not as bad as some seem to think. Very few college football teams face a true murderer's row. Look at Alabama's schedule this year. Look at Wisconsin's.

26. Jury is out on Joe Moorhead. The Penn State offensive coordinator turned Mississippi State coach certainly has the offensive chops to continue MSU's success at racking up points and yards. But beyond the X's and O's, he's a Northeast guy and leading a Power Five program is new to him.

25. Kentucky came out of the UF and Mississippi State coaching shakeups better than they were before. I've said for some time Mullen to UF would be a blessing in disguise for Kentucky football unless all you care about is beating the Gators. Florida will always be tough to beat, as Jim McElwain, Will Muschamp and Ron Zook proved. Mississippi State will be hard pressed to continue its success post-Mullen

24. Has UK's window for beating Florida closed? With Dan Mullen going to Florida, and considering Mullen's record against Kentucky, does that mean the streak will be extended indefinitely? It's far too early to say for sure but many people feel that way and it's tough to fault them for feeling that way.

23. Dan Mullen was the perfect choice for Florida. Given the Gators' quarterback woes in recent years and Mullen's proven track record of developing players behind center, he was the obvious choice. Plus he's been successful in Gainesville before.

22. How quickly will Dan Mullen straighten out Florida? Most people believe he's going to succeed. Some way too early Top 25 rankings for 2018 have the Gators near the bottom of the poll. Is that too optimistic?

21. Georgia's recruiting is downright scary. Kirby Smart is recruiting like Nick Saban and that's a fairly terrifying proposition for the rest of the SEC. The Bulldogs loaded up with a five-star quarterback, two five-star running backs and elite talent across the board in one of the most impressive classes in recent memory.

Jake Fromm (GeorgiaDogs.com)
Jake Fromm (GeorgiaDogs.com)

20. Jake Fromm will torment the rest of the SEC East for the next few years. He's now Georgia's starter above and ahead of Jake Eason and as only a true freshman he's poised beyond his years. UGA will have roster turnover but he will be a constant who makes the Dawgs tough to beat.

19. The SEC East is on the way up. How much will the East improve? That's up for debate. Vanderbilt looks bad. South Carolina's improving. It's too early to tell on Kentucky next year. Missouri, too, because of a looming quarterback decision. Tennessee could go in either direction. But with Georgia and Florida apparently set to be very good, the East will at least be top heavy and that's better than what it's been.

18. Kentucky's win over Missouri was better than it seemed at the time. It looked like Kentucky might run away with it at one point. Then the second half happened. Missouri's offense exploded. But, turns out, that second half is just when Missouri figured it all out. Kentucky beat, for all practical purposes, the Missouri of the second half of the season when they were actually quite good. Viewed in that light one could make the case it was Kentucky's second best win of the season after South Carolina.

17. Neal Brown and Troy's win over LSU looked better over time. Early in the season when "lil' ol' Troy" defeated LSU in Baton Rouge it looked like an App State over Michigan kind of upset. It's not that level of upset, but it was a really great win because LSU won nine games and nearly 10, but for letting Notre Dame steal one in the bowl game.

16. Kentucky fans should still be paying attention to Brown. In an ideal world for Kentucky football fans, Mark Stoops would succeed and stick around as long as he wants. Still, Neal Brown is someone who could well have an opportunity to be the head coach at Kentucky one day, even if it's a long time from now. Troy finished the year 11-2 and is now 21-5 over the past two seasons.

15. LSU is paying Dave Aranda $1.7 million a year. It's amazing we've gotten to the point where a coordinator is making $1.7 million. Side note: You'd think LSU would find an offensive coordinator worth paying $1.7 million. Aranda's a truly great defensive coordinator but that kind of money is ridiculous.

14. I'm not sure about giving all that money to Jimbo Fisher. Nobody can fault Texas A&M for giving Jimbo Fisher that job in Aggieland. He's won a national title. But Fisher has been trending downward since Jameis Winston left. $75 million is a whole lot of money and too much for Fisher in my mind. Then again, A&M's got plenty of money. I just think it's going to be close to impossible for Fisher to meet expectations that come with that kind of money. You pay someone $75 million, you should be buying a couple of national championships.

13. Fisher's job will be made more complicated by Texas' rise under Tom Herman. No, Texas actually hasn't risen under Tom Herman yet. But they did improve in some respects and their recruiting is trending in the right direction in-state without question.

12. But Auburn made a good decision giving Gus Malzahn a huge raise. Malzahn was linked to the Arkansas job which would have been curious after he defeated Alabama. Some have wondered about the length and amount of money contained in Malzahn's contract, but when you care about football as much as Auburn and you have the misfortune of being involved in that Iron Bowl with Alabama during their greatest run ever, take the guy who's been to two SEC championship games and was coordinator for a national championship team.

11. The circumstances of Malzahn's season were downright ridiculous. Imagine this. People were seriously talking about running Malzahn off "if he doesn't/didn't beat Alabama." He beats Alabama and becomes one of the richest, most secure coaches in the country. One game shouldn't determine that much. It should have been clear earlier that he was the right guy for the job.

Will Muschamp (GamecocksOnline.com)
Will Muschamp (GamecocksOnline.com)

10. Vanderbilt is a train wreck. It looked like Derek Mason might actually be doing a decent job succeeding James Franklin, where everyone expected the Commodores to eventually regress to their historic mean. Turns out, the floor really is falling out in Nashville and the Commodores will probably be moving on before too long.

9. Will Muschamp did an outstanding coaching job in 2017. South Carolina lost Deebo Samuel. This wasn't supposed to be an especially strong year for Gamecock football. But it looks like Muschamp is maturing as a coach after a 9-win season punctuated by a surprising win over Michigan in the Outback Bowl.

8. But I still wouldn't want to be in Muschamp's shoes. Winning nine games is going to get it done at South Carolina, especially when that's two or three wins more than most expected. But so long as you're getting beat up by Dabo Swinney at your archrival, your position will be precarious long-term.

7. If Muschamp did a great job, as he did, give Mark Stoops a little credit. Stoops has owned Muschamp and South Carolina in recent years and the Wildcats' best win and performance of the season was that 23-13 victory on the road in Columbia in September.

6. What will Missouri quarterback Drew Lock do? If he returns, Missouri could make serious noise in the SEC East in Barry Odom's third year. If not, it could be a rebuilding year in Columbia.

5. Regardless of Lock's decision, Odom put himself under the microscope by hiring Derek Dooley as his offensive coordinator. The former Tennessee head coach will be in a new position as play caller. This is someone Odom is obviously comfortable with, because he had to know it would invite extra scrutiny.

4. Derrick Ansley is a really good defensive coordinator hire for Colorado State. Mike Bobo has been 7-6 in each of his first three seasons at Colorado State but he made a really good choice in naming Derrick Ansley his new defensive coordinator. Ansley was someone who could have been a big addition to Mark Stoops' staff.

3. Expect some staff turnover at Kentucky before too long. Usually once you get past the firings and hirings in the immediate aftermath of the regular season you're talking about the next round coming after the February signing period. It's too early to speculate on details, but it would be a surprise if Kentucky isn't replacing one or two assistant coaches in addition to Mark Stoops' decision on how to fill that 10th position.

2. Damien Harris should be a source of pride for the state of Kentucky. Many people were upset when he picked Alabama over Kentucky, although anyone should be able to understand someone picking Alabama. But he's conducted himself with class in Tuscaloosa and has been a fantastic player. He also recently stood up for Benny Snell following that controversial ejection in the Music City Bowl.

1. Alabama's dynasty is different than most other dynasties. It will end, yes. All dynasties end, just as all empires and nations fall. But Alabama's will last until Nick Saban retires. There's no guarantee of a title every year, two or three years, but he'll be in the playoff almost every single season because of his commitment to preparation and overwhelming talent.

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