This past weekend was ugly for college football. Back in the day, you expected there to be fights before, during and after a game, if The U was involved. That was their mojo. There was no attempt to keep it in check, and their coaches seemingly encouraged it, at least through their silence. They were an embarrassment, and the rest of the college football world called them out for the thugs they gladly acknowledged they were. But, they also had the talent to laugh about it and flip off the world.
Saturday looked like the Canes of old were in stadiums across the country. For some reason, planting your flag on the opponents logo, has become a thing, even though you can't "plant" a flag in astro-turf. And each time it happened, major fights broke out. UNC/NC State, Florida/FSU, Arizona State/Arizona, Michigan/Ohio State. It's not just rivalry games, as Texas did the flag plant thing at Michigan earlier. It's also not just flag planting, with fights breaking out in other games, including the Iron Bowl.
The brawl after the Michigan/OSU game became so intense, police had to use pepper spray to break up some of the fights. While the fight between AU/Bama players didn't really escalate to more than grabbing, pushing and shoving, what I witnessed after it was broken up is what's disturbing.
Even though this happened before with Bama players, I'm not singling them out because of the rivalry. However, after the dust up, #8 DaVonta Smith, was seen acting like garbage, pushing his own coaches and players when they tried to calm him down, basically putting on a big show. He got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, along with Malachai Moore on that play. And wasn't it Moore who kicked the ball at the end of the Tennessee game, and refused to come out of the game when the coaches ran somebody in for him? Dare I say it, that this wouldn't have happened under Saybinz?
What I'm seeing is zero control. This is only my guess, but I have a strong sense that this is just an extension of the effects that NIL and the portal are having on the game. If I'm making just as much, or more than some of my coaches, why the hell should I have to listen to you? And if you think I should have consequences for my actions, I'll just pack my shit and head down the road to Florida, or Ole Miss, or Oklahoma.
If coaches can no longer instill in their players, the good sense to handle themselves with at least a little class, you know, not do something you know good and well will cause a brawl to break out...it's only going to get uglier.
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