|
|
Post by agpennypacker on Apr 17, 2020 13:52:45 GMT -5
If we have a season, there will be some familiar white hats missing.
ACC: Tra Blake (NFL)
Big Ten: Dan Capron (Retired)
Big XII: Cooper Castleberry (Retired), Mike Defee (NFL Front Office), Eddy Shelton (Retired)
SEC: John McDaid (SEC Officiating Coordinator)
I can't recall a year in which we've see the departure of so many high-quality refs.
It always surprised me that Defee didn't make it on the field in the NFL after being in the development program. But good for him getting to the front office.
Another name familiar to readers of this college football board, Land Clark, is the NFL's newest white hat (replacing Defee's former boss, Walt Anderson).
|
|
|
|
Post by russ on Apr 17, 2020 15:39:10 GMT -5
My guesses on these retirees replacements:
ACC: Larry Saunders (Was a CJ the last 3 seasons and worked the NY6 last year. Beofre that he was an FCS Referee and worked some non conference games as an ACC Referee)
Big Ten: Greg Sujack (Has worked a Bowl Game in 4 straight seasons which is pretty unheard of in mid major conferences)
Big 12: Kevin Hassell and Mike Vandervelde (Big 12 usually promotes up from the MWC and I don't think anything changes here)
SEC: Jason McArthur or Chris Snead (This one was the toughest, there are really 4 legitimate conadiates all of whom were CJ's last year and have been Referee's in smaller conferences. Went with these two because they've been in the SEC longer but can't decide which one it will be)
|
|
|
|
Post by Penn State fan on Apr 17, 2020 17:19:28 GMT -5
My guesses on these retirees replacements: ACC: Larry Saunders (Was a CJ the last 3 seasons and worked the NY6 last year. Beofre that he was an FCS Referee and worked some non conference games as an ACC Referee) Big Ten: Greg Sujack (Has worked a Bowl Game in 4 straight seasons which is pretty unheard of in mid major conferences) Big 12: Kevin Hassell and Mike Vandervelde (Big 12 usually promotes up from the MWC and I don't think anything changes here) SEC: Jason McArthur or Chris Snead (This one was the toughest, there are really 4 legitimate conadiates all of whom were CJ's last year and have been Referee's in smaller conferences. Went with these two because they've been in the SEC longer but can't decide which one it will be) I like Grantis Bell for Referee. Top BJ in the SEC. Brad Van Vark was a BJ before he became a referee as well. |
|
|
|
Post by agpennypacker on Apr 17, 2020 18:47:34 GMT -5
I have to think Kevin Hassell is a lock for the Big 12. I really like Mike VanderVelde, and he could very well get the other open spot. But Steve Baron is also a possibility. And perhaps Lo van Pham.
The AAC’s Michael Roche and Adam Savoie are two really strong white hats. If they don’t get an ACC assignment, I would not be surprised to see another Power 5 conference try to scoop them up. Does anyone agree?
Greg Sujack is a strong ref in the MAC. But don’t discount Bill Carollo’s respect for Amanda Sauer-Cook.
|
|
|
|
Post by mike on Apr 17, 2020 20:56:00 GMT -5
My guesses on these retirees replacements: ACC: Larry Saunders (Was a CJ the last 3 seasons and worked the NY6 last year. Beofre that he was an FCS Referee and worked some non conference games as an ACC Referee) Big Ten: Greg Sujack (Has worked a Bowl Game in 4 straight seasons which is pretty unheard of in mid major conferences) Big 12: Kevin Hassell and Mike Vandervelde (Big 12 usually promotes up from the MWC and I don't think anything changes here) SEC: Jason McArthur or Chris Snead (This one was the toughest, there are really 4 legitimate conadiates all of whom were CJ's last year and have been Referee's in smaller conferences. Went with these two because they've been in the SEC longer but can't decide which one it will be) I agree completely. McArthur I think has reffed some early season non conference games as an SEC Referee, but Snead has been the better CJ by far. Like another person posted, don’t discount Amanda Sauer-Cook although I thought she looked overmatched at R when she has gotten shots. |
|
|
|
Post by fblrush on Apr 19, 2020 21:28:17 GMT -5
I have to think Kevin Hassell is a lock for the Big 12. I really like Mike VanderVelde, and he could very well get the other open spot. But Steve Baron is also a possibility. And perhaps Lo van Pham. The AAC’s Michael Roche and Adam Savoie are two really strong white hats. If they don’t get an ACC assignment, I would not be surprised to see another Power 5 conference try to scoop them up. Does anyone agree? Greg Sujack is a strong ref in the MAC. But don’t discount Bill Carollo’s respect for Amanda Sauer-Cook. Big 10 opening presumable was filled by a Big 12 R. |
|
|
|
Post by FredFan7 on Apr 19, 2020 22:50:16 GMT -5
I have to think Kevin Hassell is a lock for the Big 12. I really like Mike VanderVelde, and he could very well get the other open spot. But Steve Baron is also a possibility. And perhaps Lo van Pham. The AAC’s Michael Roche and Adam Savoie are two really strong white hats. If they don’t get an ACC assignment, I would not be surprised to see another Power 5 conference try to scoop them up. Does anyone agree? Greg Sujack is a strong ref in the MAC. But don’t discount Bill Carollo’s respect for Amanda Sauer-Cook. Big 10 opening presumable was filled by a Big 12 R. If I'm Sujack or even Sauer-Cook, I'd be mad if Carollo poached a white hat from Big 12 land. Paint drying is more compelling than Sujack's mic work, but he has worked non-conference, early-season Big 10 games (usually against MAC teams), and his bowl record is impressive. Sauer-Cook needs a few more seasons of MAC work before she gets a full-time bite at the Big 10 apple. Now, all that said, if the Big 10 wants to poach, poach Savoie. |
|
|
|
Post by jc on Apr 20, 2020 17:14:48 GMT -5
Now with DeFee and Castleberry retired...the best R's in Big 12 are Cruse and Smith. I would be suprised if they would let them go...likely for me Alvarez, Van Vark or Campbell if true are the poached R's
|
|
|
|
Post by FredFan7 on Apr 20, 2020 19:44:04 GMT -5
Any CJ's in the Big 10 worthy of the white hat?
|
|
|
|
Post by russ on Apr 20, 2020 22:19:34 GMT -5
Any CJ's in the Big 10 worthy of the white hat? I could potentially see Greg Blum as a Big Ten Referee as well. A former MAC Referee who worked a Bow, Game pretty much every season in the MAC and has worked a Bowl Game each of the last two seasons in the Big Ten. He has also worked some non conference Big Ten games as a Referee. The best CJ's in the Big Ten are Bryan Banks and Brent Durbin but I doubt either of them will be the next Referee, neither has gotten any non conference looks. |
|
|
|
Post by refusa on Apr 21, 2020 8:47:18 GMT -5
Now with DeFee and Castleberry retired...the best R's in Big 12 are Cruse and Smith. I would be suprised if they would let them go...likely for me Alvarez, Van Vark or Campbell if true are the poached R's CFB officials are independent contractors on 1-year deals. Obviously there are political and loyalty factors to consider, but there is nothing a conference can do to prevent an official from changing to a different conference as long as the new conference has an opening and is willing to offer a contract. |
|
|
|
Post by mike on Apr 21, 2020 14:44:08 GMT -5
Now with DeFee and Castleberry retired...the best R's in Big 12 are Cruse and Smith. I would be suprised if they would let them go...likely for me Alvarez, Van Vark or Campbell if true are the poached R's CFB officials are independent contractors on 1-year deals. Obviously there are political and loyalty factors to consider, but there is nothing a conference can do to prevent an official from changing to a different conference as long as the new conference has an opening and is willing to offer a contract. Generally top officials from conferences don't move unless it is from a conference that does not get BCS games to one that does. Only so many trips to Boise, Idaho when you are the top at your position in the conference before you have had enough. Someone like Alvarez makes sense because, even though he is likely to get consistent Bowl Games, he is beind enough in the pecking order that it might make more sense to accept a B1G offer that provides a better shot at high profile game. Other times an official will move around because it is clear that they have fallen out of favor with someone. That can usually be seen in lesser quality assignments, being assigned crews with officials that are, at best, marginal bowl regulars. Finally, sometimes officials change conferences because they have had to move for a job and it is not convenient to work in their prior conference. I believe one of the reasons Amanda Sauer-Cook left C-USA was because she had since moved to Pennsylvania and MAC/B1G offered a more convenient schedule. It also helped that Gerry Austin put in a good word with Bill Carollo and her initial MAC R knew she had the C-USA experience and had gotten a good review from people he knew who worked with her so he was happy to have her versus some official where this was his/her first FBS assignment. |
|
|
|
Post by russ on Apr 21, 2020 16:14:15 GMT -5
I think we found our answer as to who the new Big Ten Referee is. Reggie Smith's Linkedin has him as a Big Ten Referee starting in 2020. First of all a great get for the Big Ten. Reggie has consistently been one of the top Referees in the Big 12. This also makes a ton of sense for Reggie geographically seeing as he is from Pittsburgh. Besides West Virginia no other Big 12 stadiums are even close to him.
Tough offseason for Greg Burks and the Big 12 losing Defee, Smith and Castleberry not to mention three Officials to the NFL. Brandon Cruse is the star now and he will be the face working all of the important Big 12 games. He already worked some of those but expect him to have a Defee like schedule. Also a good opportunity for Scott Campbell and David Alvarez to take that next step. Both have been off to pretty good starts in their Big 12 Referee careers but they will be looked upon even more.
With three new Referees in the Big 12 if I am Greg Burks I would try to get someone from the Pac-12. While Strimling and Coyte would probably be wishful thinking I could see them trying to get someone like Kevin Mar. He lives in Nebraska which is obviously much closer to Big Ten territory and originally came from the Big 12 as a LJ before moving to the MWC as a Referee. He could be a realsitic option for them. ALthough if I am being honest I only find him to be an OK Referee, probably one of the weaker ones in the Pac-12.
As I said before I see Hassell and Vandervelde as obvious choices for the next Big 12 Referee. Other options if you can't get anybody from another major conferences are Louisiana native Adam Savoie form the AAC (Good Referee and geographically makes a lot of sense), Marvel July (current Big 12 CJ and was a MWC Referee before that), Steve Baron (probably the third ranked MWC Referee behind Hassell and Vandervelde alsoe formerly a Big 12 CJ). It will be very intersting tos ee what the Big 12 does.
|
|
|
|
Post by Penn State fan on Apr 22, 2020 15:35:21 GMT -5
I think we found our answer as to who the new Big Ten Referee is. Reggie Smith's Linkedin has him as a Big Ten Referee starting in 2020. First of all a great get for the Big Ten. Reggie has consistently been one of the top Referees in the Big 12. This also makes a ton of sense for Reggie geographically seeing as he is from Pittsburgh. Besides West Virginia no other Big 12 stadiums are even close to him. Tough offseason for Greg Burks and the Big 12 losing Defee, Smith and Castleberry not to mention three Officials to the NFL. Brandon Cruse is the star now and he will be the face working all of the important Big 12 games. He already worked some of those but expect him to have a Defee like schedule. Also a good opportunity for Scott Campbell and David Alvarez to take that next step. Both have been off to pretty good starts in their Big 12 Referee careers but they will be looked upon even more. With three new Referees in the Big 12 if I am Greg Burks I would try to get someone from the Pac-12. While Strimling and Coyte would probably be wishful thinking I could see them trying to get someone like Kevin Mar. He lives in Nebraska which is obviously much closer to Big Ten territory and originally came from the Big 12 as a LJ before moving to the MWC as a Referee. He could be a realsitic option for them. ALthough if I am being honest I only find him to be an OK Referee, probably one of the weaker ones in the Pac-12. As I said before I see Hassell and Vandervelde as obvious choices for the next Big 12 Referee. Other options if you can't get anybody from another major conferences are Louisiana native Adam Savoie form the AAC (Good Referee and geographically makes a lot of sense), Marvel July (current Big 12 CJ and was a MWC Referee before that), Steve Baron (probably the third ranked MWC Referee behind Hassell and Vandervelde alsoe formerly a Big 12 CJ). It will be very intersting tos ee what the Big 12 does. No question Cruse is now the top referee in the Big 12. Stunning move, as usually referees don’t move from power 5 conference to power 5 conference. Though it is surprising that Reggie Smith was in the Big 12 instead of the Big 10 or ACC in the first place. I’m from the western PA area, and if I were to become a referee, I wouldn’t even think about the Big 12 , PAC-12, or SEC. In terms of the Big 12, I would try and get either Coyte or Mothershed from the PAC-12. The problem we are seeing is that younger generations are not going into officiating. That’s all there is to it. |
|
|
|
Post by russ on Apr 22, 2020 16:43:12 GMT -5
When you are trying to move up in the Officiating world you will go where you are offered. MWC and Big 12 probably offered him FBS work before the Big Ten/MAC or ACC or Big East stepped in.
|
|
