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College GameDay headed to Minnesota for first time ever

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It may have taken a couple more weeks than that area of that country would’ve preferred, but the “Comin’ to Your City” show is headed to the Twin Cities.

Minnesota beat Northwestern Saturday to improve to 7-1 in Big Ten play.  Wisconsin beat Purdue Saturday to improve to 6-2 in Big Ten play.  Next Saturday, Minnesota will play host to Wisconsin, with the winner of that game claiming the Big Ten West title and a spot opposite B1G East winner Ohio State in the conference championship game.

Given the stakes involved, it was confirmed Saturday night that, for the first time ever, ESPN‘s College GameDay show will be setting up shop in Minneapolis for the crucial Badgers-Gophers matchup.

Not only will this be the first time that Minnesota has ever hosted a College GameDay, it’ll be the first time the football program has ever made an appearance on the pregame show.

For Wisconsin, this will be the Badgers’ 18th appearance and first since Oct. 13 of last year.

Syracuse brings in Chip West as CBs coach

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For its next assistant coach, Syracuse football turned to an individual with relatively-recent experience in the ACC.

In a press release Thursday, Syracuse football announced the hiring of Chip West as Dino Babers‘ cornerbacks coach. West replaces Kim McCloud, whose contract wasn’t renewed last month.

“Chip is a seasoned coach and a talented recruiter,” the Syracuse football head coach said in a statement. “Our players will benefit from Chip’s experience. I’m excited to welcome Chip and his family to Syracuse.”

From 2010-15, West was the cornerbacks coach at Virginia. Twice during that stretch, West was named as the Recruiter of the Year in the ACC by 247Sports.com. Rivals.com bestowed that title on him once as well.

Last season, West served in the same capacity at Marshall. That was his only year at the Conference USA school.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Syracuse staff,” West said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to come to a place with such great tradition, both in football and academics. Coach Babers has been successful at every level and has assembled an experienced staff that I’m excited to work with.”

In addition to those already mentioned, West has served on staffs as an on-field assistant at:

  • Charlotte, 2018 (co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks)
  • Howard, 2017 (co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks)
  • Old Dominion, 2007-09 (defensive backs/assistant head coach)
  • James Madison, 2004-06 (defensive backs)
  • Fordham, 2003 (defensive backs)
  • Colgate, 1999-2002 (wide receivers)

West began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at West Virginia in 1997-98.

Syracuse football is also expected to introduce Tony White as defensive coordinator at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Nebraska’s new OC will make $200k less than its former one

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Suffice to say, Nebraska football doesn’t pay nearly as well as their counterparts at Clemson.

Earlier Thursday, it was confirmed that, at $1.6 million this season, Clemson’s Tony Elliott will be tied with Alabama’s Steve Sarkisian as the highest-paid offensive coordinator in college football. The new deal, though, will likely make Elliott the solo highest-paid as early next year.

Not long after, Nebraska football announced that it had finalized the contract for new offensive coordinator Matt Lubick. The coordinator’s two-year deal calls for Lubick to make $1 million… over the entire length of the contract. That works out to (pulls out calculator, pounds keys in an intellectually-hard manner) $500,000 annually.

That’s $200,000 less than his predecessor, Troy Walters, made during his final season with Nebraska football. That coordinator and the program “mutually agreed to part ways” last month.

Lubick’s salary would’ve been tied for 31st in the Big Ten and 153rd nationally this past season, according to the USA Today coaches salary database. Walters was 18th and 69th, respectively.

In addition to his coordinating duties, Lubick will also serve as the Cornhuskers’ wide receivers coach.

The 48-year-old Lubick was hired by Nebraska football the same day the program parted ways with Walters. In 2016, he was the sole offensive coordinator at Oregon. The next two seasons, he was the co-coordinator at Washington.

The school also announced that the following returning on-field coaches received one-year contract extensions:

  • Sean Beckton (tight ends)
  • Erik Chinander (defensive coordinator)
  • Barrett Ruud (inside linebackers)
  • Tony Tuioti (defensive line)
  • Mario Verduzco (quarterbacks)

Those assistants are now signed through Dec. 31, 2021.

South Carolina confirms signing of five-star DT Jordan Burch

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When it comes to one South Carolina football commit, our long national nightmare is over.  Or regional one.  Or whatever.

But first, the backstory.

On the first day of the Early Signing Period in December, Jordan Burch verbally committed to playing for the South Carolina football team.  Between then and National Signing Day, however, LSU heavily pursued the five-star recruit.  In late January, Burch and his mother took an unofficial visit to LSU.

South Carolina football, though, got the final in-person look as Burch took an official visit to the Gamecocks this past weekend.  That apparently sealed the deal for the Gamecocks as, Wednesday afternoon, Burch announced that he was sticking to his verbal commitment and signing with South Carolina.

South Carolina football head coach Will Muschamp was even in attendance.  That, however, was because his son, 2020 quarterback Jackson Muschamp, is a high school teammate of Burch’s. The younger Muschamp had confirmed Tuesday that he would be headed to Georgia as a preferred walk-on, and was at the ceremony to formally announce his destination.

The Burch situation, though, wasn’t exactly black and white.  At all.

As of our last posting on this subject Wednesday night, the official South Carolina football Twitter account had not yet announced Burch’s signing.  At a signing day press conference, though, Muschamp, who couldn’t publicly speak on Burch, reminded the media that his program still has a scholarship available and that “we’re going to be fine.”

That proved prescient as, Thursday night, South Carolina confirmed that Burch is signed, sealed and delivered.  For now, at least.

Even with all of the histrionics, this is a significant development for the Gamecocks.

The five-star 2020 recruit was the No. 1 player regardless of position in the state of South Carolina.  He’s also the No. 2 defensive tackle in the country.  On 247Sports.com‘s composite, he’s the No. 8 prospect overall in this year’s class.

Burch is the Gamecocks’ highest-rated signee since Jadeveon Clowney in 2011.

Sean Snyder reportedly leaving K-State for a job at USC

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For the first time in more than a quarter-century, the Snyder surname won’t be a part of the Kansas State football family this season.  Well, aside from the stadium’s name, that is.

Citing multiple sources, the Manhattan Mercury is reporting that Sean Snyder will be leaving K-State team and taking a job at USC.  Specifically, he’s expected to become the Trojans’ special teams coordinator.

Snyder would replace John Baxter, who was fired from his post in late December.

The 50-year old Snyder has spent nearly 30 years with the Kansas State football program.  From 1990-92, he was a punter for the Wildcats.  Then, from 1994-2010, he was the director of football operations for his alma mater.  In 2011, he was named as the special teams coordinator while also holding the title of associate head coach.  He held those dual roles through the 2018 season.

In 2019, he served as a senior special teams analyst.

Prior to the USC reports, it was thought Snyder could take a job at one-time rival Nebraska.

Snyder is, of course, the son of legendary Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder.  In two separate stints with the Wildcats, the elder Snyder won a record 215 games.  At the age of 79, Snyder stepped down as coach after 27 seasons.

After his first retirement, the football stadium at Kansas State was named in honor of him and his family — Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium.

The 2020 season will mark the first time someone from the Snyder family hasn’t been involved in Kansas State football since 1988.