The Weekender: Demotions Are the New Promotions

Head Coaches are Leaving the C-Suite and Returning to Cubicles

Just two days into spring practice at Georgia State (wow, they start early down there?) the Panthers are in need of a new head coach. That's because Shawn Elliott abruptly resigned his post and is joining Shane Beamer's staff at South Carolina, where he will coach tight ends and coordinate the running game.

Georgia State postponed its spring football practices, as well as its spring game.

Elliott had been the head coach in Atlanta for seven seasons, five of which ended in bowl games. He returns to Columbia to essentially take the same rung in the coaching staff that he had 14 seasons ago under Steve Spurrier, when we coached the offensive line and coordinated the running game for the Gamecocks in 2010.

GSU went 41-44 under Elliott, including a 27-30 mark in Sun Belt play and an impressive 4-1 performance in bowl games. He's the latest FBS head coach to leave for a coordinator position on a larger stage, a startling trend mostly rooted in the advantage larger and brighter stages deliver for upward career mobility and visibility.

Jeff Hafley (pictured above) left Boston College to run the Green Bay Packers' defense, Buffalo HC Maurice Linguist is now Alabama's cornerbacks coach, South Alabama's Kane Womack completed the IU reunion in Tuscaloosa, now reporting to former fellow coordinator Kalen DeBoer as the Tide's new DC -

...and oh yeah, Chip Kelly left UCLA to run Ryan Day's playbook in Columbus. Did we say this trend was mostly rooted in upward career mobility? Yes, it is. Mostly.

Could Paramount+ and NBCUniversal’s Peacock join forces?

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that talks between Comcast - which owns NBCUniversal - and Paramount Global had taken place, perhaps in a move to combine and create a more attractive product to better compete in the streaming wars.

Most of us are familiar with NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service by way of the B1G media agreement arranged by former B1G commissioner Kevin Warren which has sequestered several Ohio State games from conventional live sports distribution services and onto a platform most fans don't appear to subscribe to or want.

The intention - forgive the assumption - was to force fans into subscribing to see their team, something that hasn't happened since the formation of B1G Network in 2006, which required no action for many or a simple adjustment to the existing cable subscription. This isn't progress, it's a heist on consumers.

You know it's beyond pale because politicians are using it for posturing to rile up the electorate even more. We hated skyrocketing cable costs so much we allowed The System to create something even worse and more expensive. Great job, everyone.

Can you even name all of the streaming options? Here are the top 10. Choose your fighter:

You know what would be a neat idea? Combine these streams together, like bundle them into a comprehensive package where you could just pay one convenient bill. Tie them together. Like with a rope, or a cable. Hey, you could even call it that.

This is out of control. Time to consolidate! Here's to the 'Mount and 'Cock coming together.

Is Caitlin Clark "great?" Jay Williams isn't sure

The sport's all-time leading scorer and soon-to-be four-time 1st Team All America shooting guard is good at basketball. No debate there; don't need to hear bOtH SidEs to this one.

But is Caitlin Clark great? Let's check in with Jay Williams:

Shes probably the most prolific scorer the game of basketball has ever seen. I am unwilling to say that she is great yet.@RealJayWilliams on Caitlin Clark pic.twitter.com/M68YaA48sP

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) February 17, 2024

Williams declines to say Clark is great because she hasn't been part of a national championship team. Context is important here; Williams played at Duke and won a title in 2001 with a team that had six NBA draft picks on it, including him.

Restated: Duke always had at least one NBA Draft pick sitting on the bench that season. Does that making winning basketball championships easier? Reasonable minds can disagree.

So far this century, nine programs have won all of the women's NCAA basketball titles. Only in football is the talent pool this consolidated. Most programs are out of it when the season starts.

The University of Iowa has 26 national championships to its credit. Twenty-five of them from wrestling, one from men's gymnastics in 1969 and one from field hockey in 1986. It's not an athletic department known for racking up first downs passing yards offensive touchdowns national titles.

Clark has been doing this at a school where this is unthinkable. It's barely possible anywhere.

By Williams' definition, Shaq wasn't a great college basketball player. Neither were Charles Barkley or David Robinson. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James never won a single college basketball game in their entire careers - it really makes you think, for sure.

Anyway, Clark is great. Try not to overthink the obvious. The world has enough hot takes.

ICYMI

Ryan Day and Chip Kelly Have Been a Huge Part of Each Other's Lives for a Long Time

Ohio State's head coach was once Ohio State's offensive coordinator's college quarterback. They were peers at New Hampshire (TE coach and OC, respectively) and Day reported to Kelly with the Eagles and 49ers. Now they're back on the same org chart again.

Eleven Warriors' 11 Coaches to Replace Chris Holtmann

Andy Anders runs through the list. No, Bill Belichick isn't on it. Too old!

Avery Henry Motivated to Inspire Others after Cancer Battle Ended his Football Career

 “So it hurts (not being able to play football anymore), but it's opened another door. And with this door open, I’m not going to leave it open. I'm going to do great things with that.”

What’s Next

Women’s Basketball: @ Penn State, Thursday at 6 p.m. (BTN)

Men’s Basketball: vs. Purdue, Sunday at 1 p.m. (CBS); @ Minnesota, Thursday at 8 p.m. (BTN)

55 Days: Ohio State’s spring game

195 Days: Ohio State’s season-opener vs. Akron

286 Days: The Game