ESPN.com presents College Football Nation http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation 60 en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:18:46 webmaster@espn.go.com http://assets.espn.go.com/i/espn/teamlogos/lrg/trans/espn_dotcom_black.gif 110 110 Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right. We're in the process of projecting the Big Ten's statistical leaders for the 2013 season. We've already covered our choices for the league's top rusher, top passer and top receiver. We don't want to forget the defense in this exercise, however.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79560/take-two-big-tens-sack-leader-in-13 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:00:28 EDT 79560 Jim Delany offered a simple explanation as to why his 2011 contract extension was never announced or reported until Adam wrote about it last week. "Nobody had ever asked," Delany told ESPN.com Well, OK. Now we know that the Big Ten commissioner is under contract through June 30, 2018. Which raises the question: Will that be the end of his highly successful, hugely impactful term as league boss? The 65-year-old Delany, not surprisingly, doesn't know the answer to that question right now.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79545/new-challenges-invigorate-jim-delany Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:00:30 EDT 79545 After 10 seasons as a linebacker in the NFL, Earl Holmes retired in 2005, content with a life away from big-time football. Two short years later -- in 2007 -- his alma mater, Florida A&M, came calling. More specifically, Rattlers coach Joe Taylor. “When I retired -- my home is in Orlando -- I started coaching high school football in Lake Mary," Holmes said. "One day Coach Taylor called and asked if I was interested in coaching for my alma mater.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79537/famus-holmes-takes-over-at-alma-mater Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:30:27 EDT 79537 Jordan Hall watched most of Ohio State's 12-0 season from the sideline with mixed emotions. "It was tough to watch and miss," Hall told ESPN.com. "I played in two and a half games or something. I was happy for my team, but I just wanted to be out there so bad." The running back figured to be out there a lot for Ohio State after the team completed spring practice last April. New head coach Urban Meyer singled out Hall as one of few bright spots for an offense he called a "clown show.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79544/buckeyes-jordan-hall-gets-back-to-business Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:15:19 EDT 79544 When Stanford coach David Shaw went looking for an offensive coordinator, he didn't look far, promoting Mike Bloomgren a couple of weeks after Pep Hamilton left for that role with the Indianapolis Colts. No other candidates were interviewed. Bloomgren, who was previously the Cardinal's offensive-line coach and run-game coordinator, took some time this week to chat with the Pac-12 blog about his expectations for this season (realistic or otherwise), the competition at running back and how his time in the NFL translates to the college game.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79536/qa-stanfords-mike-bloomgren Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:00:23 EDT 79536 CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Miami athletic director Blake James has spoken repeatedly about giving his programs the resources they need to succeed. Progress is being made in that area on the football side. Work continues on the Schwartz Center for Athletic Excellence, with phase I already completed. Miami already has a brand new locker room done, along with a players' lounge complete with couches and flat-screen televisions. Its new academic center for student-athletes is also up and running on the second and third floors.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79484/miami-making-progress-in-facility-upgrades Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:00:33 EDT 79484 Go ahead, Dave Doeren, join the women’s golf team for a day. Dare you. How about the women’s volleyball team? Bass fishing? Rifling? Double-dog dare ya. Careful: If you “Dare Coach D,” he just might do it. This summer, NC State has started a clever, fun series called “Dare Coach D,” in which first-year football coach Dave Doeren has been dared by other players and coaches on campus to participate in one of their sports for a day.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79529/dare-dave-doeren Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:30:48 EDT 79529 Wisconsin's secondary, which was already a position facing some depth concerns this season, has suffered its second departure by a safety in about a week. Last week, redshirt freshman Reggie Mitchell -- who had practiced as the team's starting free safety this spring -- was granted his release for an expected transfer to Pittsburgh. Now there is word that Donnell Vercher, a junior college transfer whom the Badgers signed in February to help shore up the safety spot, isn't coming to Madison after all.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79532/badgers-secondary-depth-takes-another-hit Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:45:06 EDT 79532 Broaden your focus for a moment, past the nitty-gritty details of the schedules and two-deeps and likely storylines for the 2013 college football season, and ask yourself this: Which programs are most likely to be successful, not just this year but over the next three? That's exactly what we asked our panel of experts, and below we offer you the fruits of their labor: A top-25 ranking of the teams most likely to compete for and win championships over the next three seasons.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79517/live-chat-future-power-rankings Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:28 EDT 79517 Texas junior long snapper Nate Boyer has been honored as the Big 12's Sportsperson of the Year. Boyer, who was placed on scholarship last August as a sophomore, was a member of the Green Berets Special Forces before coming to Texas to play football. He also won the Disney Spirit award last year as college football's most inspirational story. The 31-year-old earned a Bronze Star for his duty, which began as a response to the Sept. 11 attacks and included work in the Darfur region of the Sudan, as well as providing assistance to autistic children.]]> http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/79514/texas-boyer-earns-sportsperson-honor Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:30:43 EDT 79514