There is now a college version of Tecmo Super Bowl for NES

By Kevin McGuireFeb 3, 2015, 11:12 AM EST
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For the second straight year there will be no NCAA Football video game released by EA Sports, but there may be something to fill the void for retro gamers. A college version of Tecmo Bowl is available to play on your old Nintendo Entertainment System. Because all you really need is a controller with four directions and two buttons.

Tecmo Super Bowl has been given a facelift by some dedicated fans of the game to give it a college flavor for Tecmo Super Bowl College. A total of 32 teams take the field with a variety of plays mimicking today’s offensive play calling (think wildcat, options and screen passes galore). Fans of the old Tecmo Bowl franchise will have to shell out $49.99, which I believe is the price I once paid for Super Mario Brothers 3 when it was initially released, but for some the ability to play a true Tecmo Bowl game with 32 college teams may be worth every penny.

What teams are included?

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ACC: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech

Big 12: Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas

Big Ten: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin

Pac-12: Arizoan State, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC

SEC: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas A&M

Independent: Notre Dame

Helmet sticker to Reddit.

North Carolina now has commitments from eight four-star 2021 recruits, holds fourth-ranked class in the country

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By John TaylorMar 8, 2020, 7:47 PM EDT
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When it comes to the recruiting trail, North Carolina football under Mack Brown is absolutely obliterating it.

Late this past week, four-star 2021 prospect Drake Maye, the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the country, committed to North Carolina football. Maye had been committed to Alabama since July of last year.

A day later, wide receiver Kobe Paysour announced that he too is committed to playing for North Carolina football. The North Carolina high schooler is rated as the No. 18 player in the state regardless of position.

Then, on Sunday, four-star offensive tackle Eli Sutton tweeted that he has given his verbal to UNC as well.  Sutton is rated as the No. 4 player in the state of Tennessee at any position.

With Sutton’s and Paysour’s verbals, North Carolina football now has commitments from nine 2021 recruits. Of those nine, eight of them are four-star prospects. That’s tied with Clemson and Florida for the most in this cycle.

For the 2020 cycle, Brown landed nine four-star recruits. That gives him 17 (and counting) in two seasons as the North Carolina football head coach. In the four cycles prior to Brown’s return to Chapel Hill, the program had signed 17 four-star recruits. Combined.

Currently, the Tar Heels can claim the fourth-ranked class in the country. Ohio State (No. 1), Florida (No. 2) and Clemson (No. 3) are the only schools ahead of UNC at the moment.

This century, North Carolina football has never had a Top-Five recruiting class. Their highest-ranked class in that span was 10th in 2007, the first year under Butch Davis. The Tar Heels have had five other classes that were Top 20 — 2020 (19th), 2018 (20th), 2011 (18th), 2009 (12th) and 2003 (18th).

Brown, of course, is no stranger to highly-rated recruiting classes. His last 14 years as the head coach at Texas, the Longhorns finished in the Top 10 on 10 different occasions. Included among that was the top-ranked class in 2002. Brown also pulled in the No. 2 classes in 2010 and 2012.

All told, Brown had five Top-Five classes during his time in Austin.

Florida State QB Wyatt Rector moves to tight end

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By Zach BarnettMar 8, 2020, 5:19 PM EDT
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A year and change ago, Wyatt Rector was a Western Michigan quarterback. Today, he’s a Florida State tight end.

Rector transferred to Tallahassee last spring after not playing in his one season at WMU, then worked on the Seminoles’ scout team while serving his year-in-residence, as required by NCAA rules for all undergraduate transfers.

There, Rector flashed his athleticism, and the Seminoles’ new coaching staff is putting that athleticism to good use. Per Noles247:

Doing some research, Norvell talked with receivers coach Ron Dugans, who spoke highly about Rector’s athleticism and overall skill set as a scout-team quarterback the previous season. Rector, who came to FSU as a walk-on in 2019, was named FSU’s Offensive Scout Team MVP in his first year on campus. He not only played QB, but lined up at tight end to help block Marvin Wilson and at running back to legitimately give the defense a good look while acting as Boston College’s bruising AJ Dillon.

The former 3-star recruit out of Leesburg, Fla., figures to immediately work in the depth chart, with only junior Camren McDonald (six catches in 2019) and Carter Boatwright (none) ahead of him.

“(Rector’s) a super detailed guy. Everything that you tell him to do, he’s going to do it and try to do at a high level,” Florida State tight ends coach Chris Thomsen told Noles247. “How that’ll translate to the field, we don’t know because he’s not played the position. But in terms of work ethic, he’s already brought a ton to the team just because you can’t help but look at him, he just inspires you with his work ethic. He inspires us as coaches, all of the guys have.”

Both of Georgia Tech’s returning kickers leave team

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By Zach BarnettMar 8, 2020, 3:39 PM EDT
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Georgia Tech opened spring practice this week, and the kicking competition is as wide open as the goal posts beyond both end zones.

Returning kicker Brenton King is on track to graduate this summer and has decided to go ahead and go pro in something other than sports, as head coach Geoff Collins told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Meanwhile, backup Wesley Wells has also decided to leave the team.

Truth be told, this could be addition by subtraction for the Yellow Jackets. While King and Wells converted 23 of 24 extra points, they hit just three of eight field goals on the season.

Georgia Tech finished 130th of 130 in field goal percentage, and their three made kicks bested only Maryland’s two.

The pair’s departure leaves sophomore Cliff Gandis as the only place kicker left on the roster. The Greer, S.C., native has yet to kick in a college game, but he was named the South Carolina Specialist of the Year by the South Carolina Football Coaches Association as a senior at Christ Church Episcopal School in 2017.

Georgia Southern names Mississippi State deputy its new AD

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By Zach BarnettMar 8, 2020, 1:44 PM EDT
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Georgia Southern has announced Jared Benko as its new athletics director, effective immediately.

“This was a highly sought-after position attracting over 100 candidates from across the nation,” said Georgia Southern president Kyle Marrero. “The expressed enthusiasm for and reputation of Georgia Southern validated the success we have had, and the potential in our future. Jared stood out in everyone’s mind. The committee and I are confident he is the right person to capitalize on our momentum and lead Eagle Nation to even greater heights.”

Benko arrives from Mississippi State, where he served as the Bulldogs’ deputy AD and chief financial officer.

A Watkinsville, Ga., native, Benko holds two degrees from Georgia, rising to become the Bulldogs’ assistant AD for business operations. He left in 2011 to handle business operations at Arkansas, then became the assistant AD for finance at Auburn from 2015-16.

Benko replaces Tom Kleinlein, who left to become the deputy AD at Ole Miss.

“I am humbled and honored to serve the Georgia Southern University family,” Benko said. “The passion and pride of Eagle Nation is unmatched, and I am excited and deeply committed to bringing a hard-working and innovative culture to our coaches, staff and student-athletes. Thank you to President Marrero and the search committee for entrusting me with this critical leadership position. Georgia Southern’s best days are ahead and my family and I look forward to joining the Statesboro community.”

Benko will be publicly introduced on Monday.