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Is America falling back in love with the Army-Navy Game? TV rating rises again

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By Kevin McGuireDec 12, 2016, 10:48 AM EDT

Whatever the reason may be, the Army-Navy Game may be seeing new life as a football product. Saturday’s contest between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen scored the highest TV rating for an Army-Navy Game in 22 years, according to a press release from CBS, who airs the annual rivalry game.

This year’s Army-Navy Game drew an overnight rating of 5.6, which is the sixth-highest overnight rating for a college football game this season (right behind Clemson-Louisville and ahead of Ohio State-Wisconsin, both primetime games). The rating was up 10 percent over last year’s Army-Navy Game, which was the highest TV rating for the game since 1996.

So what was the draw to this year’s game? It being the final college football game called by Verne Lundquist on CBS surely played a sentimental role for some, as Lundquist signed off for the last time after years in the booth. It also helped that this was Army’s best season in some time and many figured it would be Army’s best chance to defeat their rivals from Annapolis in quite some time. Obviously, that was true as Army snapped a 14-game losing streak to the Midshipmen and celebrated with their fans on the field afterward.

The more telling trend for the game is the decision made to place the game on its own day after conference championship weekend. Yes, it may present a headache for the bowl process, but the game is rich with history, tradition and pageantry that deserves its own national spotlight without being overshadowed by conference championship games later in the day. Navy’s move to the American Athletic Conference has not impeded that tradition, and the conference stands to benefit from that exposure as well (especially if Navy wins).

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Michigan DL Rashan Gary is nearly as quick as the Wolverines’ fastest DB’s

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By Bryan FischerMar 16, 2017, 7:45 PM EDT

Defensive end Rashan Gary was widely considered to be the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2016 and his off-the-charts athleticism was a big reason why.

While he didn’t have a huge stat line in his freshman season at Michigan (27 tackles, five TFL, one sack), Gary is expected to play a big role in the Wolverine’s defensive front in the coming years and it appears he might be the heir apparent to Jabril Peppers as a jack-of-all-trades type of player.

Case in point? Michigan released the team’s testing numbers from their “Spring Combine” on Thursday and let’s just say that Gary put up a few eye-popping numbers.

Take a second to compare those numbers in the secondary and the ones under the defensive backs.

Safe to say that Gary is a little bit of an athletic freak given how close he comes to some of the team’s fastest defensive backs. Of course, the flip side of that is those same players aren’t that much faster than a defensive lineman.

Either way, Gary should be on just about everybody’s ‘breakout’ list heading into 2017 with those numbers.

Baylor DB remains suspended, Matt Rhule addresses staff dismissals

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By Bryan FischerMar 16, 2017, 7:05 PM EDT

Baylor begins spring practice on Saturday and as much as there is optimism around the program with new head coach Matt Rhule taking over, there’s still plenty of issues from the past that are still weighing on the team.

Rhule met with the media for the first time since a string of recent incidents and, among other things, confirmed that defensive back Travon Blanchard remains suspended from the team after he was reportedly involved in a domestic violence case.

That wasn’t the only bit of negative news that the Bears’ new head coach addressed, as he was later asked about a string of staff dismissals since arriving in Waco. The latest came last week when it surfaced that associate director of football operations DeMarko Butler was fired.

“When something comes up personally and it’s not up to our standards, we take corrective action. I feel responsible for people’s professional conduct and I feel people are responsible for their personal conduct,” Rhule said. “If we find something that’s not right, then I have to deal with it and take action and push it on to the authorities. While I don’t want situations like these to happen, the processes here at Baylor are correct. Things are being done with integrity, honesty and accountability.”

Given the sheer amount of news that is coming out of Baylor, seemingly each week, it’s probably safe to say that Rhule will need to get used to answering such queries going forward.

Former Texas QB David Ash cleared to play again, will participate at Longhorns’ Pro Day

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By Bryan FischerMar 16, 2017, 6:08 PM EDT

Three years is an eternity in college football but it’s apparently not too long for one quarterback.

Texas announced on Thursday that former starting signal-caller David Ash was cleared to play football again by doctors and will take part in the Longhorns’ Pro Day at the end of March.

Ash looked like he was going to be the future at the position after playing well early in his career but had to deal with a history of concussions that forced him out of the game. After complaining of symptoms following UT’s 2014 opener, he announced that he was retiring from the sport as a junior and didn’t play another snap for the burnt orange.

Apparently Ash felt the itch to play again because it certainly sounds as though he will be attempting a comeback by trying to make an NFL roster.

Perhaps most interesting is that a school spokesperson told ESPN that Ash will also be punting at Texas’ Pro Day in an attempt to latch on at that level on special teams.

Michigan WR Grant Perry waives preliminary hearing, remains suspended

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By John TaylorMar 16, 2017, 2:16 PM EDT

One Michigan player’s off-field odyssey will continue to keep him away from his football team.

Grant Perry, mlive.com has reported, has waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will stand trial on multiple counts, including one felony.  The wide receiver has been accused of groping the groin and buttocks of a female Michigan State student outside of an East Lansing bar in mid-October.

Formally, Perry has been charged with two counts of sexual assault, and one each of a minor in possession of alcohol and resisting an officer.  The latter charge is the felony, the others are misdemeanors.

Thus far, a trial date has not been set.  Perry’s attorneys are seeking a course that would ultimately end in probation for their client as a first-time youthful offender.

The defense has asked for the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. The act allows a judge to place a defendant between age 17 and 24 on probation without a conviction. If the defendant successfully completes the terms of their probation they avoid having the charges on their criminal record. Reynolds said Perry could still be granted HYTA status at the circuit court level, which he plans to seek.

Shortly after the incident last year, Perry was suspended for two games.  In mid-December, and after serving the initial suspension, the 19-year-old sophomore was indefinitely suspended by the football program after charges were formally filed.  Perry did not travel with his Wolverine teammates to their bowl game.

The suspension will remain in effect until at least the case winds its way through the legal system.

Last season, Perry had 13 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown.  His 14.1 yards per catch were third on the team for players with 10-plus receptions.  Over his career, the rising junior has 311 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 27 catches.