Question: What direction do you see college football heading in the next 10 years?

Tide&True

All-American
Sep 24, 2004
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I think it’s good from time to time to reflect on where college football was, where it is today and where it is heading in the future. There are some of you on this board that lived during the Coach Bryant years. You remember black and white TV and only three networks to choose from. Players on your favorite team where homegrown or lived only a state away. Fast forward to today...there is sports on 24/7 in high definition so there’s no need to wait till next Saturday’s game anymore. Now players are like free agents and come from almost anywhere...even other countries. High profile coaches are instant millionaires and lead programs like the CEO of a company.

As you can see...we’ve come a long way baby! Given the vast change we’ve already seen...what changes can we expect in the next decade?


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B1GTide

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Apr 13, 2012
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I try not to worry about things out of my control. I also expect that I will still be watching this sport until I find myself looking up at the grass.
 

oldtimetider

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Nov 16, 2008
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Interesting question...I sometimes wonder if high school and college sports in general (and especially football) are moving past their heyday. All things have their time in history. I remember my dad talking about how big a deal boxing was back in his day. (He was born in '28 so his day was a few years back..) Nascar was a thing for a while but seems to be a lot of empty seats these days. TV tries to hide it but it's hard to miss.
There's so many more options today for kids ....most of which involves a screen. It wasn't too long ago that, in most communities, high school sports was all there was....and the players were really looked at as local heroes. Lord, my mind goes back to some wooden bleachers in Thomaston, Alabama that were just large enough to seat most of the town...but if Linden or Sweetwater came rolling in there weren't enough seats in the county to hold em all. (Lord those west Alabama boys were tough...and serious about winning) It mattered.
It still matters I suppose...but I don't think it matters as much now. So easy to retreat back to the screen...or the hundreds of other distractions available now...
Apologies for the tangent here...probably wasn't what the IP was asking...
 

Tide&True

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Sep 24, 2004
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Interesting question...I sometimes wonder if high school and college sports in general (and especially football) are moving past their heyday. All things have their time in history. I remember my dad talking about how big a deal boxing was back in his day. (He was born in '28 so his day was a few years back..) Nascar was a thing for a while but seems to be a lot of empty seats these days. TV tries to hide it but it's hard to miss.
There's so many more options today for kids ....most of which involves a screen. It wasn't too long ago that, in most communities, high school sports was all there was....and the players were really looked at as local heroes. Lord, my mind goes back to some wooden bleachers in Thomaston, Alabama that were just large enough to seat most of the town...but if Linden or Sweetwater came rolling in there weren't enough seats in the county to hold em all. (Lord those west Alabama boys were tough...and serious about winning) It mattered.
It still matters I suppose...but I don't think it matters as much now. So easy to retreat back to the screen...or the hundreds of other distractions available now...
Apologies for the tangent here...probably wasn't what the IP was asking...
I get what you are saying my friend. No need to apologize.


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GrayTide

Hall of Fame
Nov 15, 2005
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I could write a treatise on where I think it is headed, but for now I will just say I am not enthused at the direction of college football.
 

Tide&True

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Sep 24, 2004
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I could write a treatise on where I think it is headed, but for now I will just say I am not enthused at the direction of college football.
After I wrote my question I thought to myself, “I hope I get a response from people like GrayTide.” I’d love to see what your “treatise” would say GrayTide.


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h2o

1st Team
Dec 31, 2006
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Good question as I am wondering the same thing too. 10 years ago I would get up at the crack of dawn on Saturdays and sit in front of the TV and watch college football until midnight. Nowadays the games I watch are the games Bama is playing in. I have lost interest in other teams & programs.
 

PA Tide Fan

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Dec 11, 2014
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Based upon what I see now I'm concerned we may be another step closer to flag football in 10 years. With all the rule changes now in place to supposedly protect players I imagine we will see more rule changes with greater restrictions on tackling and blocking in the future. Much of the targeting that takes place is by accident and is not deliberate but players will eventually become "gun shy" about making tackles or blocking guys for fear of getting thrown out of games and being labeled as "dirty" players. Could set up an environment for even greater scoring than we see now if that's what one wants to see.
 

Valley View

3rd Team
Nov 7, 2016
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Williamson County, TN
I love it, I wish the season was 30-40 games. I see things getting worse; payment of players, loss of scholarships for top 10 teams to achieve parity, expanded playoff so losers feel included, more players not playing in bowls, college football turned into NFL lite. I hope not but that's what it looks like.
 

uafanataum

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Oct 18, 2014
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I wonder at what offense will look like in 10 years. As teams adopted the HUNH opposing teams changed defenses to limit it. Now the HUNH is nowhere near as effective as it was a few years ago. What could be the new horizon? I think what Oklahoma is doing ( on offense only) will be the way of the future.
 

Tide&True

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Sep 24, 2004
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I love it, I wish the season was 30-40 games. I see things getting worse; payment of players, loss of scholarships for top 10 teams to achieve parity, expanded playoff so losers feel included, more players not playing in bowls, college football turned into NFL lite. I hope not but that's what it looks like.
I feel you are right...college football is just a semi-pro league now. Payment of players is coming I’m sure. Amateur athletics is dying.


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Tide&True

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I wonder at what offense will look like in 10 years. As teams adopted the HUNH opposing teams changed defenses to limit it. Now the HUNH is nowhere near as effective as it was a few years ago. What could be the new horizon? I think what Oklahoma is doing ( on offense only) will be the way of the future.
That philosophy (all offense) is what happened in the NBA.


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deliveryman35

Hall of Fame
Jul 26, 2003
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Honestly—one that most of will not like. The ncaa has already legislated against good defense. I think that same governing body will continue to chip away at the sport in the name of “safety” and “fairness” and we will continue to move more toward an “arena football”- style collegiate sport.
 
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ROTYDE

All-American
Nov 10, 2003
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Muscle Shoals got the Swampers
Pay for play, Video refs with a panel to judge penalties. No kickoffs each team gets the ball on the 35 after electronic coin toss. No tackling each team will have to push a button located on each side of the shoulder pads. There will be 10 6 minute periods of play with a 2min break between. For the 4th period of play fans will be able to call plays for there team via text messaging system to the university. Text your play and if it qualifies it is used. So all in all I will say the future is looking bright.
 

bamaga

Hall of Fame
Apr 29, 2002
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I guess I will answer on the field and how it is played. I think more scoring and better offense is where that is heading! I don’t see 100-95 games, but I Believe we will see more 65- 59 type games . Unfortunately. Not all games, but more BIG12 style games! Rules changes, evolving offenses, evolving athletes at every level of football. The NFL is now saturated with kids that have grown up from peewee all the way to the NFL with wide open offensive systems. And it shows . As a result scoring is up and so are ratings! CFB is benefitting from all the camps and 7on7s resulting in college ready athletes and that is showing in results. I see rules designed for player safety making it easier for offenses, and coaches taking advantage . All that adds to more scoring! I have no idea how we will watch football in 10 years, so I have no idea what direction that is heading ? Will ESPN be around in 2029? We will probably watch with some technology or application that has yet to be invented!!
 

uafanataum

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That philosophy (all offense) is what happened in the NBA.


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That is not what Oklahoma does on offense. They are probably the best team at game planning an offense to exploit defenses weaknesses. Their weakness is defense. If a team could have Oklahoma's offense and Alabama's defense they would do more than threepeat.
 

CajunCrimson

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That is not what Oklahoma does on offense. They are probably the best team at game planning an offense to exploit defenses weaknesses. Their weakness is defense. If a team could have Oklahoma's offense and Alabama's defense they would do more than threepeat.
OU losses 2x and they are the future. Bama loses once in the CG and the dynasty is over ;)
 

CajunCrimson

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I do think officiating P5 games will move to the booth eventually. All you need are 11 cameras. Program cameras to watch for penalties. Throw digital flags on the field. Then human review within 30 secs.
 

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