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Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio has landed a new job, but he is venturing into somewhat unfamiliar territory.
Del Rio has been hired by the Wisconsin football team as a senior advisor to head coach Luke Fickell, Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reports. The plan is for Del Rio to assist with personnel on both sides of the ball and be someone Fickell can “bounce ideas off of.”
SOURCE: Longtime NFL coach Jack Del Rio is joining Wisconsin as Senior Advisor to the Head Coach. He will assist both sides of the ball, personnel and be there for Luke Fickell to bounce ideas off of. The 61-yr-old was the head coach w/ the Raiders & Jaguars and been a DC for the…
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 29, 2024
Del Rio, 61, was fired as defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders midway through last season. He had been with the team since 2020 when he was hired by Ron Rivera.
Del Rio was the head coach of the then-Oakland Raiders for three seasons from 2015 to 2017 before landing in Washington. He took some time off between his stints with the Raiders and Commanders.
Though he was linked to a prominent college head-coaching job years ago, Del Rio’s coaching experience is all with the NFL. He was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2003 to 2011 and has worked as a defensive assistant for several other teams since he retired from playing linebacker in the 1990s.
Fickell is entering his second season as the head coach at Wisconsin. He led the Badgers to a 7-6 record and a bowl-game appearance last year.
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The Big 12 is a Power 4 conference in name only
When it comes to the Power 4 conferences in major college football, there is one conference that isn't like the others. No, it's not the SEC or the Big Ten. It's the Big 12, and the difference between that league and the rest is the ability to win at the highest level of college football. The Big Ten has won the last two college football national championships. Before that, the SEC won four in a row. Since the inception of the College Football Playoff, the SEC has won six national championships, followed by the Big Ten with three and the ACC with two. The Big 12 has zero. The league hasn't had a team reach the national championship game, and based on current trends, it's not likely to anytime soon. To put it bluntly, there isn't a single national title contender in the entire conference, unless something crazy happens. Bud Elliott of CBS Sports released the "Blue-Chip Ratio," a list of teams that Elliott says "can actually win the national championship." In what Elliott calls the "modern" era of college football, no team has ever won a national championship with a blue-chip ratio (percentage of four and five-star recruits on a roster) below 50 percent. Michigan won with a 54 percent blue-chip ratio in 2023. Clemson was at 52 percent in 2016. Last season, Ohio State's number was 90 percent. The number can vary. Having an elite quarterback is essential. So are culture and development. But no program has won a national championship in this era without more than 50 percent of the roster being made up of blue-chip recruits. According to Elliott, transfers don't move the needle. High school recruiting is the name of the game, and on that front, the Big 12 just can't compete. 18 teams were rated by Elliott, citing the 247 Sports composite ranking, as having the minimum talent required to win the national championship this season. Not a single one resides in the Big 12. Here's a quote from Elliott that explains perfectly how college football's Power 4 is actually a Power 3. "The Big 12 is nowhere close. I thought this was interesting, considering the recent playoff model floated where the Big 12 and ACC are given two auto-bids each. Texas Tech could get there in three or four cycles if it continues to spend like crazy. The Big 12 likes to argue that it is the deepest league, but it has zero national title contenders." That's what happens when you put together a league without a single elite program. Kansas State, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona State are nice programs, but they aren't blue-bloods. This is the collection of teams left at the altar that weren't big enough brands for the other three, and it's painfully obvious. There is a lot of talk about how the Big Ten and SEC are head-and-shoulders above the rest of college football. But there should be more conversation about how the Big 12 is a Power 4 conference in college football in name only.
Green Bay Packers: Brett Favre’s Emotional Tribute to Sterling Sharpe After Hall of Fame News
Three decades after he played his last game in the NFL, former Green Bay Packers star wide receiver Sterling Sharpe finally got his bronze bust in Canton. Sharpe’s career may have been cut short by a neck injury, but he’ll always be remembered as one of the best wide receivers in the game, and that’s further cemented by his official status as a Pro Football Hall of Famer. People can also just ask former Packers quarterback and another Pro Football Hall of Famer in Brett Favre, about how good Sharpe really was. Sharpe had a significant role in helping Favre establish a legendary NFL career. Brett Favre pays homage to former Green Bay Packers WR Sterling Sharpe Favre, who is now 55 years old, recently hopped on social media to send classy messages to two former teammates who have been inducted this year to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Sharpe and Jared Allen, who played against and with the signal-caller. “Sterling, you were the ultimate competitor,” Favre wrote in a post on X. “I was just a young quarterback when we played together in Green Bay, and you made my job easier from day one. You ran every route with precision, caught everything thrown your way, and brought an intensity that raised the entire locker room. If not for that neck injury, there’s no telling how many records you would’ve shattered. Long overdue, but so well deserved.” From the 1992 season to the 1994 campaign, Favre and Sharpe worked together for a total of 42 touchdowns. With Sharpe retiring early, he was not able to play during the best years of Favre’s NFL career. After the 1994 season, Favre won three consecutive Most Valuable Player awards. Sharpe played seven seasons in the NFL, all with the Packers, and was a Pro Bowler in each but two of those years. He finished his pro career with 8,134 receiving yards and 65 touchdowns on 595 receptions and 1,015 targets through 112 games.
Surprising Marlins earn MLB first in sweep of Yankees
The Miami Marlins achieved a franchise first on Sunday. In doing so, they carved out an interesting place in MLB history. With a 7-3 victory over the Yankees, the Marlins swept New York for the first time in a series of three or more games. In doing so, the Marlins became the only team to have a winning record, including the postseason, against the Yankees. The Yankees now have a 22-21 record against the Marlins in the regular season. However, the Marlins won the 2003 World Series against the Yankees in six games, giving the Fish a 25-24 record all-time. The Marlins' victory on Sunday meant more than a unique place in baseball history. That victory evened the Marlins' record at 55-55, the first time they have been at .500 or better since April 15 (8-8). The Marlins are 30-14 in their last 44 games, tying the 2003 championship team for the best stretch (last done from June 18-Aug. 9) in franchise history. The Marlins defied expectations at the trade deadline, holding on to pitchers Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. Their only trade involved sending outfielder Jesus Sanchez to Houston, acquiring pitcher Ryan Gusto and a pair of prospects. Expectations were that the Marlins were simply waiting for the offseason to trade those pitchers, as there may be a larger market. Instead, the generally inexperienced Marlins roster is growing and improving by the day. They have clawed back from a 24-40 start to the season to pull themselves into the NL wild-card conversation. Although a lot would need to go right for the Marlins to reach the playoffs this season, they could be a dangerous team over the rest of the season and beyond. The Yankees found that out the hard way.
Aaron Boone Had Three Words After Yankees’ Third Straight Loss
The New York Yankees entered Sunday’s finale against the Miami Marlins with increased pressure to deliver. Entering the game down 2-0 in the series, the Yankees hoped to get back to winning ways. However, the team suffered another disappointing defeat on the road, losing 7-3 to Miami. The latest loss compounds New York’s recent struggles. New York is now 25-32 since May 29, including costly series sweeps to the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and now a weekend sweep in Miami. While they’ve managed a 13-10 mark at home during this time, the team’s inability to perform on the road continues to threaten their postseason chances. Aaron Boone’s Comments Amid Yankee’s Embarrassing Form Following Sunday’s loss, Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed the team’s poor outing. He had a three-word message that summarizes where his team is at following a third straight loss. “Gut check time,” Boone said, describing the urgency to turn things around at a crucial point of the season. Boone, whose job status has come under increasing fan scrutiny, acknowledged the team’s prolonged slump and admitted the Yankees have to take responsibility. Despite notable trade deadline additions—including David Bednar, Camilo Doval, and Jake Bird—the team’s bullpen issues and inconsistent offense have not improved. Boone has been adamant about the need for greater focus and resilience down the stretch. But with New York slipping further behind in the American League East, questions are being asked about whether his voice still resonates in the clubhouse. With the latest loss, the Yankees have now been swept in three of their last seven road series and hold an MLB-worst 5-17 record on the road since June 13. Before that stretch, they were the best road team in baseball at 21-13. Marlins Make History Against the Yankees The Yankees’ latest loss also meant franchise history for the Marlins, who have now completed their first-ever three-game sweep of New York. Kyle Stowers delivered the big blow with a three-run homer, while Edward Cabrera dominated on the mound with six shutout innings and seven strikeouts. With the win, the Marlins hold steady at the third spot of the NL East, improving their record to 55-55 as they continue to fight for a playoff spot. Miami have also now won eight of their last 10 games and appear to be picking up at the right time. As for New York, they continue to trail the Blue Jays and Red Sox in the AL East, and will now turn their attention to a critical road series against the Texas Rangers. The Yankees will hope they can return to winning ways quickly, with the AL East top spot now starting to slip away.
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