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First look at 2022 coaching carousel After nearly being run off in February, Auburn coach Bryan Harsin enters year two of his tenure as Tigers coach clearly on the hot seat. At Nebraska, Scott Frost is getting one more chance to turn around the Cornhuskers. Bruce Feldman from Fox and The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to take a look at the coaching carousel for the upcoming college football season. Who joins Harsin and Frost in precarious position to start the season? Which coaches are on the rise? And could Urban Meyer get back in the game after a failed stint in the NFL?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

What ‘21 flops will bounce back in ‘22? Fourteen teams started the 2021 ranked and finished unranked, among them Texas A&M, Florida, Miami, LSU, USC, Iowa State and Wisconsin. Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports and the Cover Three Podcast joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about last year’s flops and their prospects for a bounce-back season in 2022. A bunch of last year’s most high-profile disappointments have new coaches. In the short-term, is Mario Cristobal at Miami or Billy Napier at Florida better positioned for success? Can Wisconsin get back to being its reliable self? And then there’s Texas. The Longhorns should be better than 5-7, but are they still taking baby steps in Austin?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

Over on the Irish; Under on the Aggies The sportsbooks have set their win totals for the 2023 college football season, and ESPN’s Chris Fallica, better known as Bear, joins AP’s Ralph Russo to identify some over and under plays. Bear is not scared away from the big numbers attached to the teams that will be favored to win the national title. He’s also optimistic for Marcus Freeman’s first season as Notre Dame game. He is less optimistic about a couple of teams that might be ranked in the preseason top-10. Texas A&M has generated a lot of buzz this offseason, but can the Aggies win more than eight games? Oklahoma is always the favorite in the Big 12, but getting to 10 wins could be tough in the first season under coach Brent Venables.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

Marshall Faulk interview and QB Dads Marshall Faulk helped put San Diego State football on the map with one of the most remarkable college careers of the last 50 years. Faulk joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about his journey from New Orleans to San Diego State to NFL stardom, plus an important step his beloved Aztecs are taking this season with the opening of a new stadium. Then Teddy Greenstein joins the show to talk about his new book, “Quarterback Dads.”   Quarterback Dads: https://quarterbackdads.com/media Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

SEC scheduling and Athlon’s Top 25   The Southeastern Conference gets together in Destin, Florida, this week and considers what its future scheduling model should be. The conference is likely heading toward scrapping divisions, but how should it go about balancing traditional rivals with competitiveness? Braden Gall of Athlon Sports joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk SEC scheduling, and whether any Power Five conference might find value in keeping its divisional structure. Plus, Athlon released its preseason Top 25? There are plenty of highly ranked teams, starting with Clemson and Texas A&M, that don’t engender a ton of confidence and no much difference between No. 4 and No. 20.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

SEC NIL spat and Interview with Shane Beamer In the aftermath of the very public verbal sparring between Alabama’s Nick Saban and Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher last week, the question is: What is the difference between NIL done the right way and a potential NCAA violation? David Ubben from The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss the exercise in hair-splitting that many in college sports are trying to do as they get accustomed to a world in which players can be paid for being good at football. Plus, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer joins the show to talk about readjusting expectations after strong debut season, Spencer Rattler’s second chance and having a Hall of Fame coach in the family.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

The end of divisions – in college football.   Divisions have been more of a problem than a solution for the Atlantic Coast Conference for years. The ACC is now primed to finally dump its divisions for a new schedule model, and other conferences are likely to follow. Andrea Adelson from ESPN and the ACC Network joins AP’s Ralph Russo to dig into the future of ACC scheduling, how the conference could benefit from breaking free from divisions and just how tough it is to come up with yearly rivalries that please everybody. Plus, how important is this season for Gus Malzahn and UCF as they prepare to join the Big 12 and is it make-or-break for Mike Norvell at Florida State?   Andrea’s permanent ACC rivalry games: https://twitter.com/aadelsonESPN/status/1526312578644942856Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

NCAA’s NIL reset   The NCAA is trying to bring some order to NIL and provide some relief to coaches in managing a roster. Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated joins AP’s Ralph Russo to dig into some of the latest off-the-field issues in college football. What exactly is the NCAA’s new guidance to members regarding how athletes can access name, image and likeness deals? We’ve taken to calling it the NCAA’s crackdown on collectives, but is that even possible at this point? What’s the difference between good and bad collective dealings – at least in the eyes of those in college sports.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

The Jordan Addison saga As college football coaches and administrators ponder and fret over things like NIL and the transfer portal, one of the best receivers in the nation dropped a spring bombshell on the sport. Pitt All-American Jordan Addison jumped into the transfer portal with speculation swirling about him landing at USC. Nicole Auerbach from The Athletic joins AP’s Ralph Russo from conference meetings being held in Scottsdale, Arizona. In a typical year, spring meetings are a chance for coaches to voice their concerns about this inconvenience or that. This season the angst is ramped up. And the surprising news about Addison was another example of how the college sports world is changing.Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

Who’s No. 1? Previewing the NFL Draft.   This week’s NFL Draft is a rare one in which the No. 1 pick is a bit of a mystery. It looks like it will be a pass rusher, but which one? Aidan Hutchinson from Michigan or Travon Walker from Georgia? Eric Edholm from Yahoo Sports joins AP’s Ralph Russo to preview a draft that lacks star quarterbacks but is loaded with guys who sack quarterbacks and protect them. How does Eric rank the top edge rushers in the class? Over/under 5 ½ wide receivers in the first round? And when does the run on QBs happen?   Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com. Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

The (near) future of college football on TV     Over the next four years three Power Five conferences will sign new media rights deals that will alter the landscape of college football on television. The Big Ten is first up and what networks it decides to partner with, outside of Fox which is already a done deal, will help determine the market for the Pac-12 and Big 12 to follow. Andy Staples of the Athletic joins AP’s Ralph D Russo to program college football on television for the coming years. Will the Big Ten replace the SEC on CBS or will NBC land a Big Ten game to pair up with Notre Dame? Why the Pac-12 and CBS could be a good marriage. Could the Big 12’s future be dominating Friday night? And what impact will the streaming services have on all of this?   Ralph’s story on Nick Saban’s preferred plan for NIL: https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-business-dabo-swinney-alabama-crimson-tide-8164758f34f295680c1668545549596e   Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

What’s next for the Big 12?   To understand where the Big 12 goes from here as it looks for a new commissioner to replace the retiring Bob Bowlsby, you need to understand where the conference has been. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about Bowlsby’s legacy, the Big 12’s unique and challenging dynamics and what the conference could be looking for in its next commissioner. Plus, how Purdue is the latest Big Ten West school to invest in stability. And, in what has become a new segment on the show, What’s up with …? This week, what’s up with Cal?     Ralph’s story on Brian Kelly’s choice to leave Notre Dame for LSU: https://apnews.com/article/college-football-sports-brian-kelly-baton-rouge-louisiana-state-tigers-football-fff500a827e4674dbbed61b1f2c216ba   Rhiannon Walker on Dwayne Haskins: https://twitter.com/InstantRHIplay/status/1513880776403787796Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

UF coach Billy Napier and how the Sunshine State powers rise again. Florida coach Billy Napier is trying to turn around the Gators with an army of football staffers and a blueprint developed coaching in the Sun Belt and for Nick Saban at Alabama. Napier joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about what it will take to make Florida a challenger to Georgia and Alabama in the SEC – both through recruiting and the transfer portal. Then Steven Godfrey, co-host of the Split Zone Duo Podcast, joins the show to talk about the state of the Florida’s Big 3 and if it is possible for the Florida, Florida State and Miami to all be excellent at the same time? Plus, what is the Sun Belt’s ceiling and why has West Virginia failed to launch under coach Neal Brown?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

QB battles and who are college football’s Blue Bloods.   College football fans should expect a post-spring practice wave of players heading into the transfer portal as teams get a better idea of who fits where. Especially, at the quarterback position. The Athletics’ portal king, Max Olson, joins AP’s Ralph Russo to update who is on the move and what we type of movement we might expect after spring ball concludes. Max and Ralph talk about some of the most interesting quarterback competitions of the spring. Many involve transfers, like at Texas, LSU and Oregon. Some like Clemson and Michigan have incumbents likely to be challenged by younger players with big-time recruiting pedigree. Also, in honor of the all-blue blood final four in men’s college basketball, who are the blue bloods in college football?Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

Urban Meyer was fired after 13 games as an NFL coach, going 2-11. Why was Meyer, who won 85% of his games as a college coach, so disastrously bad in the NFL? And can he still be a good college coach? Would he even want to be a college coach again? What schools might give him an opportunity? Paul Myerberg of USA Today joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about the things that made Meyer so great in college and why they didn’t work in the NFL. Plus, could NIL be a way to create a little more parity at the very top of college football? And why college basketball’s flaws actually help March Madness be so exciting.     Email the show: APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

Who are the best 25 coaches in college football right now? Stewart Mandel from The Athletic and Bruce Feldman from Fox Sports join AP’s Ralph Russo to discuss their rankings and help Ralph work out his list. The top two are still easy calls. Stew and Bruce have a clear consensus on No. 3, though Ralph is not so sure. Jim Harbaugh is up. James Franklin is down. Bruce takes more of a long view with his list. Stew is more focused on what have they done lately. Who made the cut?   Bruce’s list: https://theathletic.com/3165800/2022/03/08/bruce-feldman-ranks-the-top-25-college-football-head-coaches/   Stewart’s list: https://theathletic.com/3165768/2022/03/08/stewart-mandel-ranks-the-top-25-college-football-head-coaches/   Ralph’s list   Nick Saban, Alabama Dabo Swinney, Clemson Brian Kelly, LSU Kirby Smart, Georgia Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M Lincoln Riley, USC Kyle Whittingham, Utah Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Ryan Day, Ohio State Mack Brown, North Carolina James Franklin, Penn State Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Luke Fickell, Cincinnati Kirk Ferentz, Iowa Matt Campbell, Iowa State Mike Stoops, Kentucky Dave Clawson, Wake Forest Mike Leach, Mississippi State Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern Billy Napier, Florida Chip Kelly, UCLA Lance Leipold, Kansas Mario Cristobal, Miami Paul Chryst, Wisconsin Jeff Monken, Army Email the show at APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

After more than a decade as a well-regarded assistant coach, Brent Pry became the new head coach at Virginia Tech. Pry joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about why he believes he is the right fit to bring Beamer-era success back to Blacksburg. Then Dusty Dvoracek from SiriusXM Radio and ESPN joins Russo to talk about the latest tweaks to targeting, how to stop defenses from faking injuries and Jayden Daniels’ transfer from Arizona State to LSU.Email the show at APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

At 36-years old, Marcus has made a meteoric rise in coaching to become the head coach at Notre Dame. Freeman joins AP’s Ralph Russo to talk about the whirlwind couple of days during which he went from defensive coordinator to the man leading the Irish back in December. How is he preparing for maybe college football’s toughest job? Then Ari Wasserman of The Athletic joins to the show to talk about the implosion of College Football Playoff expansion talks. Ari wrote about why four is enough in a sport where they are so few elite title contenders. Ralph believes the imbalance at the top of the sport is exactly why the playoff should expand.Email the show at APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the brains behind the SP+ rating system, joins AP’s Ralph Russo to dig into his first projections for the 2022 season, and see how they compare with the way-too-early preseason rankings. In a comparison of humans and numbers, a trend is spotted. Several of 2021’s surprise teams are expected to regress in 2022, according to SP+. Meanwhile, Bill’s advanced metrics are expecting a bounce back from a few blue bloods that struggled in 2021. Bill also explains how he is adjusting to a new era of roster turnover related to transfers.Email the show at APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far

Just when it looked as if the coaching carousel was about to stop spinning, Auburn has stepped up to the wheel. The Tigers are considering making a move on Bryan Harsin after just one season. Brandon Marcello, the national college football writer for 247 Sports, returns to the show to break down the latest drama on The Plains. Marcello is a former Auburn beat writer and is very familiar with the dynamics of a football program that seems to have chaos in its DNA.Then Dane Brugler, NFL draft analysis for The Athletic, joins AP’s Ralph Russo to review last week’s Senior Bowl. Who were the movers and shakers, risers and fallers from the week in Mobile, Alabama.Email the show at APTop25mailbag@gmail.com Regions Bank ad starting 8/16/21 no end date given thus far