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In Iowa’s farm country, small towns rally around a native son in football’s biggest game
ODEBOLT, Iowa (AP) — In the farm town where Cooper DeJean drew up football plays in elementary school and taught classmates to run them at recess, residents plan a huge party to watch the town’s native son in the Super Bowl.
The Philadelphia Eagles defensive back has lifted spirits in Odebolt, Iowa, a town of 920 people once known as the Popcorn Capital of the World.
Residents say he’s also inspired children in the four towns that make up the local school district in this remote region of Western Iowa, where he played quarterback in stadiums carved out of cornfields.
“People want to root for him because of how he carries himself,” said Larry Allen, who was DeJean’s high school football coach.
“Cooper is so unassuming, and he doesn’t talk about himself, he doesn’t showcase himself. He’s a very humble young man, and he did most of his talking on the field of play.”
On Sunday fans will gather in the Odebolt Community Building for a Super Bowl watch party they’re calling the “Cooper Bowl.” Many plan to wear special Eagles green T-shirts printed up for the occasion that feature DeJean’s No. 33. It’s also a birthday party for DeJean, who turns 22 on Super Bowl Sunday.
“The whole town is just ecstatic,” said Cory Duff, who owns The Bolt Drive-In, a local restaurant.
“I would say it has brought a renewed energy back to the community,” he said. “It has definitely uplifted everybody around here.”
Duff said he’s a die-hard Denver Broncos fan “and I even bought his jersey.”
“Everybody around here has their own team, but whenever the Eagles are playing, everyone’s watching,” Duff said.
DeJean’s father, Jason, said he was touched by a video that school employees made featuring dozens of children and teachers wishing his son the best in the Super Bowl.
“They all got on the playground and spelled out ‘Cooper,’” Jason DeJean said. The nearly 5-minute video is infused with cuteness, with one scene showing elementary school students making hand motions to imitate birds as they sing the team’s fight song, “Fly Eagles Fly.”
Ever since DeJean began flying around the football field at the University of Iowa, “the support around this community has been just crazy,” Jason DeJean said. “Now you see Eagle jerseys and 33 and all that stuff. It’s great to see, and you couldn’t ask for any more support than what this community gives.”
After winning back-to-back state football championships in his final two years of high school, DeJean went on to a stellar career at the University of Iowa where he was named an All-American. In the 2024 NFL draft, the Eagles selected him in the second round.
Only a handful of athletes from the small towns of the Western Valley Activities Conference go on to compete in any sport at a major university, making DeJean’s path from Odebolt to the Iowa Hawkeyes and now the Philadelphia Eagles one of the most improbable ever taken in this part of Western Iowa.
“It’s not very often a kid from a town of less than 1,000 people gets to go to the Super Bowl,” Duff said.
DeJean’s intense work ethic is a common thread that ties him to legendary athletes from other parts of the state such as former Iowa Hawkeye and WNBA star Caitlin Clark, from West Des Moines, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, from Burlington, who played in high school in Cedar Rapids.
DeJean’s path to the Super Bowl has cast a spotlight on Odebolt, but it was the dirt he played on that helped put the town and its surrounding farmland on the map.
A two-lane highway winds down from the Loess Hills on Iowa’s western edge, past giant wind turbines and fields of corn and soybeans to get to Odebolt.
A 20-mile (32-kilometer) stretch of the road, Iowa Highway 175, connects the towns that send students to DeJean’s old high school: Battle Creek, Ida Grove, Odebolt and blink-and-you-miss-it Arthur, population 222.
In this wide-open area, farm animals outnumber people by a wide margin. The county that includes Odebolt is home to about 46,000 cattle — more than four times the human population of 9,800, according to numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The rich, black soil surrounding Odebolt was seen as ideal for growing popcorn and led Chicago’s Cracker Jack Co. to choose it to supply the popcorn for its Cracker Jack snacks.
Cracker Jack Co. Executive Vice President E.R. Shields praised Odebolt’s early pioneers, who created the town from wilderness. And their descendants were “shining examples of strength, fortitude and foresight that has made your community ‘The Popcorn Center of the World,’” he wrote in 1938 in the Odebolt Chronicle.
Residents who know DeJean say they see that same strength and fortitude in him. They speak highly of his work ethic in sports, but also his personality traits in life.
“The kid is insanely humble, and he’s not going to forget where he comes from,” Duff said.
In Iowa’s farm country, small towns rally around a native son in football’s biggest gameIn the heart of Iowa’s farm country, where the fields stretch for miles and the sense of community runs deep, there is a buzz in the air. The reason? One of their own is about to take center stage in football’s biggest game.
Growing up in a small town in Iowa, Jake Johnson was always a standout athlete. From a young age, he showed promise on the football field and his talent only continued to grow as he got older. Now, after years of hard work and dedication, Jake finds himself on the brink of playing in the Super Bowl.
As news of Jake’s success spreads throughout the tight-knit communities of Iowa, there is an overwhelming sense of pride and excitement. From the local diner to the corner gas station, everyone is talking about Jake and the incredible journey he has been on.
In the days leading up to the big game, signs and banners declaring support for Jake can be seen lining the streets of his hometown. The local high school even holds a pep rally in his honor, with students and faculty alike coming together to show their support.
On game day, the entire town gathers around their televisions, cheering on Jake as he takes the field. And when he scores the game-winning touchdown, the cheers can be heard for miles around.
In Iowa’s farm country, where community is everything, the success of one of their own is a cause for celebration. And as Jake hoists the championship trophy high above his head, the pride of his hometown shines through brighter than ever.
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Iowa farm country, small towns, native son, football, biggest game, community support, high school sports, hometown pride, underdog story, local hero, small town football, Iowa pride, rural America, championship game, heartwarming story
#Iowas #farm #country #small #towns #rally #native #son #footballs #biggest #gameWho is football’s worst transfer ever? From Neymar and Antony to Coutinho and Hazard
Neymar has left Saudi Arabia. Antony has flown the coop — at least temporarily — from Old Trafford. Neither deal will be looked back upon particularly fondly.
While the prices were sky-high for both players, it was the performances, or lack of them, that defined their spells at Al Hilal and Manchester United respectively. Neymar struggled with injury during his two-year spell with Al Hilal, making just three league appearances. Antony scored just five goals in 62 Premier League games for Manchester United.
But can either of them be considered football’s worst-ever transfer? Or are there others that stand out as being significantly worse? Neymar and Antony aside, The Athletic’s experts have gone back into football history and picked the standout mistakes below.
Alexis Sanchez, Man Utd
There will have to be a dramatic change in fortunes for Antony to avoid the ignominy of Manchester United’s worst-ever signing, but until the Brazil international is sold, or his contract expires in June 2027, he has time to leave this accolade with Alexis Sanchez.
A swap deal with Arsenal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan meant Sanchez could technically be considered a “free signing”, but five goals in 45 United appearances made for a meagre return.
Sanchez was on around £350,000 per week before bonuses (Getty Images)But it was his wages — thought to be £350,000 per week before bonuses — that tip this deal into the “worst ever” category. Sanchez’s remuneration unsettled United’s wage structure, starting a domino effect of players asking for similar salaries. Such negotiations led to Ander Herrera leaving the club in the summer of 2019 and a huge pay rise for David de Gea, a contract that would later become an issue under Erik ten Hag. It would also have a knock-on effect for contracts handed out to Casemiro and, later on, Marcus Rashford.
Some poor signings only last for the player’s stay at the club. Sanchez’s impact continues to be felt years after he has left.
Carl Anka
Philippe Coutinho, Barcelona
As the token oldie on this panel, I really wanted to pick something from the 1980s, or perhaps from a mad period in the late 1970s, but the sad truth is that the past decade is when football’s transfer market has gone truly insane.
Chelsea and Manchester United alone have numerous contenders for the worst, but I’m inclined to look at that late-2010s period when Barcelona completely lost the plot: Philippe Coutinho for €135million, Ousmane Dembele for €135m and then Antoine Griezmann for €120m. Excellent players, all three — and all had their moments and all won trophies — but the signings were driven by indulgence and excess. The impact on Barcelona’s finances was disastrous and could have been even worse.
The worst deal of the three? I’m going to say Coutinho, who ended up joining Bayern Munich on loan and scoring twice in a humiliating 8-2 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final in 2020. What a perfect summary of the super-club excesses of the modern era.
Oliver Kay
Ali Dia, Southampton
“Am I enjoying this? Do you enjoy a kick in the bollocks?” Graeme Souness, then Southampton’s manager, responded in 1996 after being asked about his thoughts on Ali Dia’s Premier League debut.
Dia purportedly claimed he was a cousin of George Weah, the legendary Milan forward, who, allegedly, put in a good word at Southampton. “When someone like that gives you a recommendation, you tend to sit up and take notice,” added Souness.
Dia was woeful and his team-mates had wondered whether he was a competition winner after watching him train for the first time. The saving grace for Southampton is that he arrived as a trialist, saving them a transfer fee, and only had to endure his 53 minutes against Leeds United, which saw him miss a glaring opportunity.
What remains of Dia’s time on the south coast are stories of unpaid hotel bills, fanciful tales told to his team-mates, and proof that anyone can play in the Premier League if they know the right people.
GO DEEPER
‘It was easy to see that this guy had never been close to top level football’ – just how bad was Ali Dia?
Dan Sheldon
Lazar Markovic, Liverpool
Liverpool believed they had signed one of the most exciting youngsters in European football in the summer of 2014.
Winger Lazar Markovic completed a £20million move to Anfield after helping Benfica win a domestic treble in Portugal.
“I can become one of the best players in the Premier League,” he told reporters. “Perhaps I am so confident because in every season I have played I have finished as a champion.”
Markovic was very confident when he joined Liverpool (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Avram Grant, who had managed the Serbia international at Partizan Belgrade, added to the hype as he compared him to Lionel Messi, with the former Chelsea boss declaring: “He’s young, he’ll mature, and then nobody will be able to stop him.”
The reality was very different and Markovic’s name sits alongside El Hadji Diouf, Alberto Aquilani, Andy Carroll and Mario Balotelli when the debate rages over Liverpool’s worst transfer flop.
Markovic’s career on Merseyside included just 34 appearances, three goals, one assist, one red card, four loan spells and a period of training with the under-23s at the academy after being banished from the senior squad.
He never got to grips with the physicality of English football and moaned about the weather on Merseyside. In January 2019, he was granted a free transfer and joined Fulham on a short-term deal. Now 30, he’s playing for FC Baniyas in the UAE Pro League.
James Pearce
Jean-Kevin Augustin, Leeds
Leeds United paid up to £40m for Jean-Kevin Augustin to play 51 minutes for them in 2020. The then 22-year-old was initially signed on loan from RB Leipzig in 2019-20 but with an obligation to buy him for €21m if Leeds won promotion to the Premier League.
Owner Andrea Radrizzani had also agreed to pay Augustin £93,000 per week for five years if Leeds reached the top flight. Augustin had lost his way at Leipzig but was considered one of France’s brightest prospects as a teenager. Director of football Victor Orta hoped Marcelo Bielsa could awaken that form for the Frenchman.
Augustin was unfit and overweight by Bielsa’s austere standards when he arrived and only managed three substitute appearances before he pulled a hamstring and Covid-19 halted the campaign. He tried to mount a comeback for the restart in June 2020, but Bielsa had washed his hands of him.
Leeds tried to argue their delayed promotion, in July 2020, absolved them of the obligation agreed with Leipzig because it was not secured before June 30, as written in the contract. FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in Leipzig’s favour. United eventually settled a £15.5million fee with the German outfit. Augustin launched his own case against Leeds after that ruling.
FIFA found Leeds were in breach of the contract they originally agreed with Augustin and ordered the club to pay him £24.5m in compensation. An appeal against this decision was eventually dropped by Leeds. It’s unclear if Augustin settled for a lower amount, but Leeds ended the saga with tens of millions spent on a striker they barely got one half of football from.
Beren Cross
Danny Drinkwater, Chelsea
There are so many chapters to this transfer disaster that you could write a book. In theory, Chelsea’s signing of Drinkwater in the summer of 2017 made sense. It gave them the chance to reunite him with N’Golo Kante as the midfield pair who helped win the title with Leicester City in 2015-16.
But the transfer was doomed from the start. Chelsea’s prolonged negotiation over the fee ensured it was not completed until deadline day. It meant the England international missed out on Antonio Conte’s demanding pre-season training drills and, within 10 days of working with the Italian, he suffered a calf injury.
Drinkwater went on to make just 22 appearances that season (12 starts). A 30-minute cameo off the bench in the Community Shield defeat to Manchester City in 2018 turned out to be his last appearance for the club, but he remained on their books for another four years.
Maurizio Sarri left Drinkwater out for the rest of the 2018-19 campaign. He still made headlines. Unfortunately, it was due to being arrested for drink driving after crashing his car.
Loans to Burnley and Aston Villa were more known for him being injured in a fight outside a nightclub, as reported by the BBC, and headbutting his team-mate, Spanish midfielder Jota, in a training session respectively.
Two more loans at Kasimpasa and Reading followed before his Chelsea contract, where he was paid around £100,000 a week, expired in 2022.
Simon Johnson
Per Kroldrup, Everton
Have you heard the one about the Premier League defender who couldn’t head the ball?
Kroldrup arrived at Everton in the summer of 2005 with a lofty reputation; a stylish, ball-playing Danish international centre-back who cost a cool £5million. Yet it quickly became apparent to manager David Moyes and his players that they had signed a dud.
There was one considerable problem: Kroldrup was useless in the air.
“On his very first day, the gaffer took him to one side and started doing heading practice with him, like you would with a seven-year-old,” former team-mate Leon Osman wrote in his book, Ossie: My Autobiography. “It was a case of holding the ball, saying: ‘Are you ready? One, two, three – jump’.
Kroldrup in action for Everton (Clive Mason/Getty Images)“He had obviously realised that heading wasn’t Per’s strong point. £5million for a centre-half who can’t head the ball..!”
Kroldrup’s only appearance for Everton came in a 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Boxing Day. A month later, he was sold to Fiorentina.
Moyes didn’t get many signings wrong in his first stint at Goodison, but this was certainly one.
Patrick Boyland
Eden Hazard, Real Madrid
A record signing from the Premier League being unveiled in front of tens of thousands of supporters at the Bernabeu — the Cristiano Ronaldo parallels were clear when Eden Hazard joined Real Madrid from Chelsea for an initial €100million ($104m; £84m at current exchange rates) in 2019.
But Hazard did not come close to emulating Madrid’s all-time top goalscorer. The Belgian spent four injury-plagued years in the Spanish capital, managing 76 appearances and scoring seven goals. He was never the same after an innocuous challenge from Belgium team-mate Thomas Meunier in a November 2019 Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain, which led to a series of problems with his right ankle.
Turning up to his first pre-season overweight and having a relaxed attitude to physical preparation did not help Hazard’s image, but it was that ankle injury and the issues that followed that deprived Madrid fans of seeing the barnstorming winger who had torn through opposition defences for fun at Chelsea.
“Real is special,” Hazard told France Football last year. “Afterwards, whether it corresponds to me, I don’t think so. It’s not me. It’s a bit of a show-off club and I’m not really like that… But it was my dream. I couldn’t end my career without going there.”
Hazard terminated his Madrid deal by mutual consent in the summer of 2023, despite having a year left on his contract, and announced his retirement at 32 later that year, writing on Instagram: “You must listen to yourself and say stop at the right time”. It was a sad end to what should have been the crowning moment of Hazard’s career.
Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero
Xisco or Ignacio Gonzalez, Newcastle United
Worst can be measured in different ways. It could be a waste of money or a squandering of talent or, as was the case at Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United in September 2008, a decision that rippled out and led to disastrous consequences far beyond the impact or otherwise of any signing.
Kevin Keegan, a bona fide legend at St James’ Park, was in his second stint as Newcastle’s manager when Dennis Wise, an executive director, told him that the club were bringing in two new players, Ignacio Gonzalez on loan from Valencia and Xisco from Valencia for £5.7million.
There were a couple of problems with this. Nobody from Newcastle had seen Gonzalez play. Wise told Keegan to look him up on YouTube and later admitted it was “a favour for two agents”. Xisco was another player Keegan (as related in his autobiography) “had never heard of”.
His position “untenable”, Keegan resigned, Newcastle supporters were incandescent, turmoil became engrained and at the end of the most toxic and chaotic season in the club’s modern history, relegation followed. Keegan later won a case for constructive dismissal, in which the club’s evidence was described as “profoundly unsatisfactory”.
George Caulkin
(Top photos: Getty Images)
Football transfers can be a hit or miss, with some players flourishing at their new clubs while others failing to live up to expectations. From big-name signings to promising talents, there have been plenty of transfers that have left fans scratching their heads in disbelief.One of the most controversial transfers in recent memory is Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for a world-record fee of €222 million. While Neymar has had some impressive performances for PSG, injuries and off-field controversies have overshadowed his time at the club.
Another high-profile transfer that didn’t quite pan out as expected is Philippe Coutinho’s move from Liverpool to Barcelona for a whopping €160 million. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, Coutinho struggled to adapt to Barcelona’s style of play and was eventually loaned out to Bayern Munich.
Antony’s move from Sao Paulo to Ajax for €15.75 million raised eyebrows, as the young Brazilian winger failed to make much of an impact at the Dutch club and was eventually sold to RB Leipzig.
Eden Hazard’s transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid for €100 million was supposed to be a match made in heaven, but injuries have plagued the Belgian forward’s time in Spain, leading many to question whether the move was worth the hefty price tag.
While these transfers may not have lived up to expectations, only time will tell which player will ultimately be crowned as football’s worst transfer ever. Who do you think deserves that title? Let us know in the comments below.
Tags:
- football transfers
- worst transfer in football
- Neymar transfer
- Antony transfer
- Coutinho transfer
- Hazard transfer
- football transfer flops
- worst football signings
- biggest transfer mistakes
- football transfer disasters
#footballs #worst #transfer #Neymar #Antony #Coutinho #Hazard
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Syracuse, N.Y. — One of the greatest football coaches in the history of the sport will make his JMA Dome debut on Halloween.
New North Carolina coach Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowls as the head coach of the New England Patriots, will bring the Tar Heels during his first season coaching at the college level. The game will be played on Friday night, one of two Friday games on the SU schedule.
The ACC released the dates for all 12 of Syracuse’s games next season, a schedule that is expected to be one of the toughest in the history of Syracuse football.
Syracuse’s 2025 schedule includes four games against teams that went to the playoffs this season and five games against teams that are in every reputable version of early Top 25 projections.
Syracuse faces a number of strong quarterbacks including Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, All-ACC Third Team quarterback Kevin Jennings of SMU, pricey transfer portal addition Carson Beck of Miami and Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King.
With non-conference games against both Notre Dame and Tennessee, the schedule looks like it will be in the conversation for the toughest that the Orange has ever played.
In addition to North Carolina, Syracuse’s other Friday game is on Sept. 12 against Colgate.
Here’s the full schedule with kickoff times to be determined at a later date.
Week 1 (August 30): vs. Tennessee in Atlanta
Week 2 (Sept. 6): vs. UConn
Week 3 (Sept. 12): vs. Colgate
Week 4 (Sept. 20): at Clemson
Week 5 (Sept. 27): vs. Duke
Week 6 (Oct. 4): at Southern Methodist
Week 7 (Oct. 11): Open
Week 8 (Oct. 18): vs. Pittsburgh
Week 9 (Oct. 25): at Georgia Tech
Week 10 (Oct. 31): vs. North Carolina
Week 11 (Nov. 8): at Miami
Week 12 (Nov. 15): Open
Week 13 (Nov. 22): at Notre Dame
Week 14 (Nov. 29): vs. Boston College
Contact Chris Carlson anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-382-7932
Syracuse football’s 2025 schedule released: When will Bill Belichick come to the dome next season?Excitement is building for Syracuse football fans as the 2025 schedule has been released, and one of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind is when will legendary coach Bill Belichick bring his team to the dome next season.
After a highly anticipated matchup in 2023, where Belichick’s team narrowly defeated the Orange in a thrilling game, fans are eagerly awaiting a rematch in the upcoming season.
While the exact date of the game has not been confirmed yet, rumors are swirling that Belichick and his team could be making their return to the dome in late October.
Stay tuned for more updates and mark your calendars, as Syracuse football looks to take on one of the greatest coaches in NFL history once again in 2025.
Tags:
Syracuse football, 2025 schedule, Bill Belichick, Syracuse dome, Syracuse football schedule, Syracuse football news
#Syracuse #footballs #schedule #released #Bill #Belichick #dome #seasonDate set for Notre Dame football’s season opener on Labor Day weekend
Date set for Notre Dame football’s season opener on Labor Day weekend
Notre Dame football’s first opponent of the 2025 season, Miami, has been known for months. But on Thursday a date for the season opener at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., was finally announced by the ACC.
Notre Dame and Miami will play Sunday, Aug. 31 with a kickoff at 7:30 p.m. EST that will be televised on ABC.
Notre Dame’s final win of the 2024 season, a 27-24 victory over Penn State in the College Football Playoff semifinal hosted by the Orange Bowl, came at Hard Rock Stadium. The Irish will attempt to start their 2025 season with a victory on the road after doing so at Texas A&M last season.
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The last meeting between Notre Dame and Miami didn’t end well for the Irish. The Hurricanes dominated in a 41-8 victory at Hard Rock Stadium in 2017. Notre Dame owns a 18-8-1 record against Miami with the first meeting occurring in 1955, a 14-0 road win for the Irish.
Miami is coming of a 10-3 season in head coach Mario Cristobal‘s third season leading the program. He’s compiled a 22-16 record leading the Hurricanes with five wins in 2022 and seven wins in 2023 before a big improvement last season.
Miami added former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck from the transfer portal this offseason. Rivals currently ranks Beck, who threw for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 64.7% of his pass attempts (290-448), as the No. 1 transfer portal prospect in the 2025 cycle. Beck injured his elbow in the SEC Championship Game, which prevented him from playing in Georgia’s 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in the CFP quarterfinal hosted by the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
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Notre Dame still has only 11 announced games for the 2025 season. The dates for matchups with NC State, Syracuse, Boston College and Pittsburgh should be announced Monday night during the ACC’s schedule release on ESPN2 (for the first hour) and ACC Network (for the full two hours) at 9 p.m. EST.
NOTRE DAME’S 2025 SCHEDULE
8/31 at Miami (Fla.) – Sunday
9/13 vs. Texas A&M
9/20 vs. Purdue
9/27 at Arkansas
10/4 vs. Boise State
10/18 vs. USC
11/8 vs. Navy
TBA vs. NC State
TBA vs. Syracuse
TBA at Boston College
TBA at Pitt
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Get ready Fighting Irish fans, the date has been set for Notre Dame football’s season opener on Labor Day weekend! Mark your calendars for September 5th, as the Irish will take on their first opponent of the season in what is sure to be an exciting game. Whether you’ll be cheering on the team from the stands or from the comfort of your own home, don’t miss out on the action as Notre Dame kicks off another thrilling season of college football. Stay tuned for more updates and information as the season approaches. Go Irish! #NotreDameFootball #SeasonOpener #LaborDayWeekend
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- Labor Day weekend football
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- College football season opener
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Why Wrexham vs Birmingham symbolises English football’s new financial landscape
Any Birmingham City supporters of a certain vintage fortunate enough to get a ticket to this week’s sold-out clash at Wrexham will notice a few striking similarities with their last visit a little over 30 years ago.
Both the main stand they will be perched in and the ‘Tech End’ stand to their right have barely changed since that October 1, 1994, meeting. Nor has the Anglo-Welsh rivalry lessened over the intervening years, ensuring there should once again be a satisfying bite to Thursday’s match.
Throw in how, just as they were back in the mid-1990s, Birmingham head to north Wales determined to bounce back from relegation to the third tier at the first attempt and there could almost be a sense of deja vu for those from England’s Second City.
Except, if any fixture is to embody the changing landscape of British football these past few years, then this is surely it. The Hollywood derby, a phrase coined ahead of the first meeting at St Andrew’s in September, sees one club owned by two high-profile actors face another whose board boasts an all-time NFL great.
This is part of a wider trend that saw 2025 kick off with no less than 23 of the 72 EFL clubs in North American hands, almost a third.
As if to underline this increasing globalisation of a competition now into its 137th year, Thursday’s match will be broadcast live on both sides of the Atlantic as part of CBS’ new four-year deal to show games in the Championship, League One and League Two. Cosm’s immersive entertainment centres in Los Angeles and Dallas will also be screening Wrexham vs Birmingham live.
Quite the contrast from that last meeting in 1994, when only 6,002 were in attendance as the two teams played out a 1-1 draw that caused barely a ripple among the wider UK sporting public.
A good number of those tuning in will no doubt be star-spotting, especially after David Beckham joined Birmingham part-owner Tom Brady in the stands alongside Wrexham counterpart Rob McElhenney as the hosts ran out 3-1 winners in the autumn.
Other A-listers seen at Wrexham, the only EFL club to have had every league game shown live on TV in the United States this term, include Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria on the opening day and Channing Tatum just before Christmas.
This glamour and glitz may not be for everyone, but together with the Emmy award-winning documentary Welcome to Wrexham, these celebrity endorsements have helped the club owned by Ryan Reynolds and McElhenney successfully negotiate what has been surely the Football League’s most seismic change since Birmingham were last in north Wales.
Brady and Beckham attended the reverse fixture in Birmingham back in September (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Financial fair play (FFP) was brought in around a decade ago by the EFL to prevent clubs from getting themselves into trouble. It works by limiting either losses or expenditures to ensure no one spends beyond their means.
Since winning promotion from the National League in 2023, Wrexham have been subject to salary cost management protocols (SMCP). In League Two last season, this meant being able to spend 55 per cent of turnover on player-related expenditure, plus any cash injections from owners in the form of equity.
Now in League One, that proportion has risen slightly to 60 per cent. Thanks to the transformative effect of the documentary, specifically the lucrative sponsorship deals struck off the back of it, Wrexham’s annual income will be slightly north of £20million when the next set of accounts for 2023-24 are published in the spring.
This explains how the club can continue to offer very competitive salaries to prospective signings, even in a division where their average home league attendance of 12,869 — itself the highest in Wrexham’s history by almost 1,200 — is dwarfed by the likes of Birmingham, Huddersfield Town, Bolton Wanderers and even Charlton Athletic. Barnsley and Reading also post very similar crowds to Phil Parkinson’s men.
Birmingham are this season subject to those same SMCP rules for the first time, albeit as a newly relegated club they can spend 75 per cent of turnover on player expenditure. Plus, of course, the contributions via equity from ambitious owners Knighthead, which are understood to have helped fund League One’s largest spending spree in history last summer, as Jay Stansfield, Alfie May and Tomoki Iwata all joined.
Clearly, City, top of the table with games in hand on all their rivals, don’t plan to hang around in this division. With such a high-quality squad, there’s a strong suspicion they could even follow Ipswich Town’s example by jumping from the third tier to the Premier League via back-to-back promotions.
(Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)Providing the bookmakers are right and Birmingham are destined to go up this season, their financial landscape will change once again via a return to the profit and sustainability rules (PSR) employed in the Championship.
Here, clubs can lose up to £39m over a rolling three-year period before being hit with any punishment, which can include possible points deductions.
Gauging exactly what such a switch might mean for Birmingham — or even Wrexham, should Parkinson steer his team to a third successive promotion come May — isn’t easy due to how, by their very nature, club accounts are way out of date by the time published at Companies House.
Wrexham’s last set of figures for the financial year to June 30, 2023, (effectively the National League title-winning campaign) didn’t go public until March 28 last year.
Much had changed in the interim, most pertinently those lucrative sponsorship deals with the likes of United Airlines having formally kicked in. This rendered the £10.4m turnover posted in 2022-23 as obsolete in terms of working out what might be their spending levels now back in the EFL.
Likewise, Birmingham’s balance sheet today is likely to be very different to their most recently published accounts, not least because the club was only taken over after the end of that financial year to June 2023.
This means none of the extensive off-field work that has gone into reviving the club — including lucrative commercial deals such as Delta and a partnership with global sports and entertainment company Oak View Group (OVG) Europe that began a year ago — are reflected in the most recent balance sheet available to the public, which shows revenue at just shy of £20m and an annual loss of £25.3m.
Considering last summer’s significant transfer outlay was believed to be £20m-25m, the value of those commercial agreements will certainly become apparent down the line if — or, more likely, when — PSR kicks back in following promotion.
As for Wrexham, they also hope to be subject to those same Championship rules before long. This week saw the New York-based Allyn family step up their involvement after last October becoming minority shareholders in the club.
Kaleen Allyn joins the board as executive director at a time when things look encouraging on the financial front.
The first full two seasons of the Reynolds/McElhenney era brought combined losses of £8m, including a club record deficit of £5.1m during the 2022-23 season as the Hollywood pair successfully attempted to turbo-charge a revival.
Wrexham broke their transfer record to sign Mo Faal last August (Richard Sellers/PA Images via Getty Images)With turnover at The Racecourse having more than doubled since those last available accounts, albeit with a second round of promotion bonuses also having to be paid, the smart money is on the next set for 2023-24 revealing, at worst, a small loss.
This season has brought a similar level of husbandry, even allowing for what will be an increased wage bill on the back of making nine permanent signings, including Arsenal goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo as a free agent.
Wrexham have broken their record transfer fee twice since August when signing Ollie Rathbone from Rotherham United for £375,000 and then spending another £500,000 on striker Mo Faal from West Bromwich Albion.
But these are modest outlays compared to some of their promotion rivals, including Huddersfield, who already this month have spent around £3.5m combined on striker Joe Taylor from Luton Town and Dion Charles from Bolton Wanderers, while even Wycombe Wanderers have broken their transfer record twice in January, a spree that includes spending £850,000 on Danish midfielder Magnus Westergaard.
Hence, should Parkinson achieve the remarkable by leading Wrexham to a third successive promotion in May, there’s surely going to be scope to push on again considering how much headroom the club should have in terms of PSR.
It’s been a transformative few years for the club and that looks set to continue, whatever the result on Thursday.
(Top photo: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
In recent years, the landscape of English football has undergone a significant shift, with clubs facing increasing financial pressures and challenges. The recent match between Wrexham and Birmingham City is a prime example of how these changes are impacting clubs at all levels of the English football pyramid.Wrexham, a club that once competed in the English Football League, now finds itself in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. Despite their lower league status, Wrexham has managed to attract significant investment from Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, who have ambitious plans to take the club back to the top of English football.
On the other hand, Birmingham City, a club with a rich history and tradition in the Football League, has struggled in recent years due to financial mismanagement and overspending. The club currently finds itself in the lower reaches of the Championship, the second tier of English football, and is facing a potential relegation battle this season.
The match between Wrexham and Birmingham symbolizes the changing financial landscape of English football, with smaller clubs like Wrexham able to attract significant investment and compete with larger, more established clubs like Birmingham. The influx of foreign investment, as seen in the case of Wrexham, has become increasingly common in English football, as owners look to capitalize on the global appeal of the sport.
However, the financial pressures facing clubs like Birmingham highlight the challenges that many clubs are facing in the current economic climate. With rising player wages, transfer fees, and operating costs, clubs are having to find innovative ways to generate revenue and stay competitive.
Overall, the match between Wrexham and Birmingham serves as a microcosm of the new financial landscape of English football, where smaller clubs are able to challenge the status quo and compete with larger clubs, while also highlighting the financial challenges that many clubs are facing in the modern game.
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#Wrexham #Birmingham #symbolises #English #footballs #financial #landscapeManchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and the threat to football’s state-owned superpowers
Inside the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, there was a television camera trained on the Paris Saint-Germain delegation, waiting for a reaction.
They didn’t disappoint. Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi looked like he had seen a ghost. So did sporting director Luis Campos, sitting alongside him.
Al-Khelaifi had been among the most enthusiastic advocates of the new Champions League format: more match-ups between the biggest clubs, more competition, more excitement, he promised. But judging by his startled look during the first-ever league-phase draw last August, being pitted against Manchester City, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and others in their eight matches was not what he had in mind.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Sporting Director Luis Campos react to Les Parisiens drawing Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Atlético de Madrid in the Champions Leaguepic.twitter.com/BQxNcTzwTR
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 29, 2024
He put a brave face on it afterwards, repeatedly telling reporters how “amazing” this season’s competition was going to be and how, though he felt PSG had the “toughest draw” of all 36 participating clubs, he was excited by the challenge ahead.
Five months later, PSG are languishing in 26th place in the Champions League standings, facing a battle even to scrape into next month’s play-off round to see who fills out the last 16 after winning just two of their first six matches. Al-Khelaifi’s initial look of horror has begun to look justified.
But PSG are not alone in that respect. The past two European champions, Real Madrid and Manchester City, are 22nd and 24th respectively. And while Madrid are firmly expected to progress, with games against Red Bull Salzburg and Brest to finish the league phase, PSG’s meeting with City at the Parc des Princes tonight is laced with the kind of jeopardy that is all too rare at this stage of the Champions League.
Such heavyweight contests have been a welcome feature of this season’s competition, with no seeding system during the league phase. But to this point they have felt relatively relaxed — glamorous, high-profile occasions with relatively little risk, just the way the big clubs’ owners like it.
This will be the seventh meeting between PSG and City since they were acquired by, respectively, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates, in 2011 and 2008. The rewards were far greater when they met in the Champions League’s quarter-finals in 2016 and its semi-finals four years ago, with City winning both ties. This time the rewards are far outweighed by the potential consequences of defeat.
Title holders PSG are nine points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and unbeaten in their 18 matches in France’s top flight this season, but their Qatari owners have never been remotely satisfied by domestic success. In sporting terms, their PSG project is judged almost entirely on what they do in the Champions League, a competition Al-Khelaifi first talked about needing to win by 2016, then by 2018… It is a target which, for all the encouraging steps made in the past 18 months under latest head coach Luis Enrique, has rarely felt more distant than it does right now.
City training in Manchester yesterday (Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images)PSG’s chief revenue officer Marc Armstrong told the BBC last season that, contrary to some of Al-Khelaifi’s statements in the past, the Champions League was “not an obsession” for them. “Would we love to win it? Yes,” he said, but he added, “You don’t have to win the Champions League to be a successful club.”
Of course not. And City finally did so in 2023 by following a clear football vision rather than an unhealthy “Champions League or bust” obsession. But for PSG, trusting the process has proved almost impossible. Ligue 1 supremacy has been taken for granted (which is not to say it has always been achieved), so marginal defeats on the European stage have often felt cataclysmic.
There is, though, a misconception in imagining that the legitimacy of the entire Qatari project at PSG (and likewise the Abu Dhabi project at City) hinges on Champions League success. It doesn’t. PSG and City are trophy assets, whose acquisitions can be seen to reflect the wider diplomatic, economic and strategic relationships between France and Qatar, and the UK and UAE. In that respect, PSG and City have already fulfilled their purpose.
GO DEEPER
Manchester City and Abu Dhabi: Triumphant passion project or geopolitical powerplay?
The last time the two clubs met in the Champions League, in its 2021-22 group phase, diplomatic relations between the two Gulf nations had only recently been restored after the Qatar diplomatic crisis. Links have improved considerably since then, with increased cooperation over economic matters as well as over the Israel-Gaza conflict.
A statement from the Qatari government earlier this week detailed conversations between Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, its prime minister, and UAE minister of foreign affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Sheikh Mansour’s younger brother) discussing “the latest developments in Gaza and occupied Palestine territories, particularly in light of the ceasefire agreement and the exchange of detainees and prisoners”.
As much as PSG and City have become flagships for Qatar and Abu Dhabi respectively, they are also just small parts of a far bigger picture as the Gulf region’s global influence — and Europe’s financial dependence on it — continues to grow.
Paris Saint-Germain training in Paris yesterday ahead of tonight’s match (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)The rivalry between PSG and City is genuine, though.
While the two clubs had a common grievance with UEFA, European football’s governing body, over the implementation and enforcement of financial fair play (FFP) regulations, Al-Khelaifi has sat on UEFA’s executive committee since 2019 and been chairman of the European Club Association (ECA) since April 2021, capitalising on his opposition that spring to the failed European Super League project, to which City and five other Premier League clubs had signed up. City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano was elected to the ECA board in 2023, having missed out two years earlier.
GO DEEPER
Tension, suspicion and plotting – what happened after the collapse of the Super League
On the pitch, it is a different matter. The tables have turned since 2016, when, the day before the first leg of that quarter-final at Paris’ Parc des Princes, PSG’s then head coach Laurent Blanc suggested, “Maybe in Europe, they (City) are a bit behind us.” It looked that way for a time, but that 3-2 aggregate defeat spelt the end for Blanc that summer.
PSG reached the Champions League final in 2020 and semi-finals the following year and again last season, but after the departure of so many big-name stars from the squad, most notably Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the talk is of a new project under Campos and Luis Enrique, one that is more long-term in its focus. PSG have been successful, but the type of continuity City have enjoyed under manager Pep Guardiola for the past nine years — the past few months’ turbulence notwithstanding — has so far been elusive.
At the pre-match news conference on Tuesday, PSG forward Ousmane Dembele called this the most important game since his €50million (£42.3m/$52.1m at the current exchange rate) transfer from Barcelona in summer 2023. “We know we have to stay alive,” he said — aware that, even if they beat City, they might still have to get a result away at Germany’s Stuttgart next Wednesday to secure a place in those two-leg February play-offs.
“This is a very peculiar match because of the format of the competition,” Luis Enrique said. “It (would have been) hard to imagine that Manchester City and PSG would have (only) this many points after six games.”
It would — and it remains to be seen whether all of that illustrates the strength of the format, the randomness of the fixtures or simply the localised difficulties both clubs have had this season.
Whatever the answer, tonight’s showdown in Paris — “a final”, Guardiola is calling it — is the kind of occasion the Champions League needs.
It cannot be just about big clubs and big teams playing each other more often. There has to be something at stake, something riding on it, a sense of excitement and drama. It still requires such elite teams to underperform significantly, but so far in this competition PSG and City have done that, which is why, rather than a dead rubber, the Parc des Princes will be staging a dogfight.
GO DEEPER
Vanity project: How money made Paris Saint-Germain blind to their city’s talent
(Top photos: Al-Khelaifi, left, and Sheikh Mansour; Getty Images)
In recent years, football has seen the rise of state-owned superpowers such as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, who have transformed themselves into global footballing giants with the backing of wealthy owners. These clubs have been able to outspend their rivals and assemble star-studded squads that have dominated their domestic leagues and competed for major European honours.Manchester City, owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group, and Paris Saint-Germain, owned by Qatar Sports Investments, have both benefitted from huge investment in player transfers, state-of-the-art facilities, and cutting-edge technology. This has allowed them to attract some of the world’s best players and coaches, and establish themselves as forces to be reckoned with on the global stage.
However, the rise of these state-owned superpowers has also raised concerns about the impact of their financial muscle on the competitive balance of football. Critics argue that the dominance of clubs like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain threatens to create a two-tier system in which only a handful of clubs have a realistic chance of winning major honours.
Furthermore, there are ethical concerns about the human rights records of the countries that own these clubs, with both the UAE and Qatar facing criticism for their treatment of migrant workers and restrictions on freedom of speech. This has led to calls for greater scrutiny of the ownership structures of football clubs and for more transparency in the way they are run.
As the influence of state-owned superpowers continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how football’s governing bodies respond to the challenges they pose. Will they impose stricter financial regulations to level the playing field, or will they allow these clubs to continue to operate with impunity? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain – the rise of Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, and other state-owned superpowers is reshaping the landscape of football in ways that could have far-reaching consequences for the sport.
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#Manchester #City #Paris #SaintGermain #threat #footballs #stateowned #superpowersOhio State, Notre Dame play for college football’s championship : NPR
The game-clinching play of Ohio State’s semifinal against Texas, in which defensive end Jack Sawyer recovered a fumble and returned it more than 80 yards for a touchdown.
Alex Slitz/Getty Images
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Alex Slitz/Getty Images
In a previous era of college football, the two teams in Monday night’s championship game — Ohio State and Notre Dame — wouldn’t have been in the playoffs at all.
For most of the history of the top level of college football, a team had to go undefeated in the regular season, or else get very lucky, in order to contend for a title. A single bad regular season loss often would doom those chances.
But college football is changing, every year. A new 12-team playoff format has opened the door for a new kind of champion.
Both Ohio State and Notre Dame have been strong all season long. But each team dropped a confounding loss in the regular season: the Buckeyes in a rivalry game against a mediocre Michigan team, and Notre Dame in a stunning September upset by Northern Illinois.
Under the old system, those L’s might have doomed both teams’ title hopes. Instead, they’re poised to face off on the sport’s biggest stage to claim the first-ever championship in the expanded playoff era.
Here’s what else to know about the matchup:
Both teams are among college football’s most successful programs of all time
In college football, it doesn’t get much more iconic than Notre Dame or Ohio State. These two programs are both among the top-five winningest teams of all time: Ohio State is second in total wins, and Notre Dame is tied for fourth.
Ohio State has had more success recently, including titles in 2002 and 2014. During the 10 years that the playoff included four teams, Ohio State qualified half the time, while Notre Dame made it twice. Notre Dame last won a championship in 1988.
“Every season you go into the season wanting to be national champions. Obviously Ohio State has achieved that goal in more recent years than we have, but those are the expectations, to be at the mountaintop,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said Sunday.
Another notable thing in college football’s modern era: Both teams are from the Midwest. College football has come to be dominated by teams from the South, which have won all but two of the last 19 title games.
Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman is already the first Black or Asian American head coach to ever lead his team to the national championship game, win or lose.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
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Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
With a Notre Dame win, head coach Marcus Freeman would make history
No matter the game’s outcome, this playoff run has already made the 39-year-old head coach a star.
In the history of college football, no Black or Asian American head coach has ever steered his team to a national title. Freeman, whose father is Black and mother is South Korean, is already the first to coach in the title game — a Notre Dame victory would make him the first to win.
When it comes to the achievement of Black head coaches, college football lags far behind the NFL, and even further behind college basketball and the NBA — even though roughly half of players in the top level of the sport are Black. Today, 16 of 134 head coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision are Black, a number that has barely budged in a decade.
In the run-up to Monday’s game, Freeman has deflected questions about the milestone, attributing his success to the team as a whole. But his players, including running back Jeremiyah Love, say it’s meaningful to them.
“It’s inspiring. Coach Free sets an example for people that look like us, just lets them know that you can get to the big stage,” Love said this weekend. “I love to see it. Black boys, Black men having success. Shoot, if we win this game, he’s going to be a legend.”
Ohio State’s star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith says he “can’t wait to put on a show”
The jewel of Ohio State’s $20 million roster is the 19-year-old budding superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, a 6-foot-3 true freshman who has lived up to the hype that surrounded his recruitment out of high school.
Smith has racked up 1,227 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns this season. His biggest game yet came when Ohio State smoked the then-undefeated Oregon Ducks in the quarterfinal. Smith caught 187 yards on seven receptions, two of them for touchdowns. And he did almost all of it in a dominating first half.
Then, in the semifinal against Texas, the Longhorns’ defense held Smith to just one reception for three yards. But the Buckeyes won anyway, in part because the focus on Smith freed up his teammates.
That was “frustrating,” Smith said Saturday. “You watch the film. They doubled, tripled me,” he said.
“But just being a decoy out there helped us win the game,” he said. “If I’ve got to be a decoy this game, as well, all I want to do is win, so if that’s what it takes, that’s what I’ll do.”
Smith’s big-play capability has been key to Ohio State’s success this season. Some NFL analysts say he might be picked first overall in this year’s upcoming NFL draft, were he eligible — but players must play in college for at least three years, so Smith has a chance to dominate college football for a while longer.
“Just to be able to play in the National Championship as a freshman is something that I dreamed of as a kid,” he said. “I’m here now and can’t wait to put on a show Monday.”
The game may come down to which team makes the most explosive plays — or mistakes
Ohio State has the better offense and is favored by more than a touchdown. Notre Dame is the big defensive team — but will it be enough?
Ohio State’s 28-14 semifinal win over Texas may look lopsided from the final score. But two of Ohio State’s touchdowns came on long plays — a short screen pass that turned into a 75-yard touchdown just before halftime, and the game-clinching 83-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the final minutes of the game.
Texas hung around because its defense otherwise neutralized Ohio State’s ability to make explosive plays. Ultimately, the Texas offense couldn’t convert when it mattered.
Notre Dame is more of a grind-it-out team. The Irish focus on the run game, dominating the line of scrimmage and limiting costly turnovers. They lead the nation in takeaways, averaging more than nine points per game off their opponents’ turnovers. That’s of concern to Ohio State, who were undefeated when the Buckeyes had fewer than two turnovers — but only 2-2 when turning the ball over twice or more.
For the Fighting Irish, quarterback Riley Leonard’s legs have been a difference-maker all season long. But in the semifinal against Penn State, it was his arm that came through in the game’s biggest moments — including a 54-yard touchdown to tie the game late, then a key first down completion with 17 seconds remaining that put them in easy field goal range for the game’s final score. Can he come through for the Irish again?
Monday night’s game in Atlanta kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN and streamed on Fubo.
Ohio State and Notre Dame are set to face off in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, marking a historic matchup between two powerhouse programs. The Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish have both had impressive seasons, earning their spots in the championship game with dominant performances throughout the playoffs.This highly anticipated showdown is sure to be a thrilling affair, with both teams boasting talented rosters and determined coaching staffs. Ohio State, led by head coach Ryan Day, will look to capture their second national championship in three years, while Notre Dame, under the guidance of head coach Brian Kelly, aims to secure their first title since 1988.
The game is set to take place at a neutral site, providing a level playing field for both teams to showcase their skills and compete for college football’s most prestigious prize. Fans can expect a hard-fought battle between two of the best teams in the country, as Ohio State and Notre Dame vie for supremacy on the gridiron.
Tune in to NPR for coverage of this epic championship showdown, and witness the drama and excitement as Ohio State and Notre Dame go head-to-head for college football glory.
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#Ohio #State #Notre #Dame #play #college #footballs #championship #NPRNotre Dame football’s unsung hero is developing crucial skill to become unstoppable
Notre Dame football’s narrative has always been that they are skill positions away from being National Championship contenders. Well, the Irish are now just one win away from rewriting history and etching their names in the history books.
Irish wide outs are showing national media that they are the real deal and can get space and make 50/50 catches. Players like Beaux Collins and Jordan Faison have stepped up all season long and especially in the playoffs. However, the Irish sophomore wide receiver just had a career day in the CFP semifinals.
Notre Dame football’s unsung hero crucial skill makes him unstoppable
The blue and gold defeated the Nittany Lions 27-24 in a second half shoot out. Riley Leonard threw for 223 yards and may have found his new favorite wide receiver in Jaden Greathouse.
Entering Thursday night, Greathouse had just three catches for 14 yards, and he left Miami with career day where he hauled in seven catches for 105 yards. The sophomore wide receiver out of Austin, Texas had multiple game saving catches and showed Irish faithful they have a receiver who has the skill to make jump ball catches on either key third downs or in the red zone.
Greathouse seven catches and 105 yards is a new career high, and he found the ball when the Irish needed him to when it mattered most. Notre Dame trailed 10 early and went on to score 17 unanswered because of no.1. it was 3rd and long and Riley Leonard threw a 50/50 ball to 6-1 wide receiver, and he leaped up and made a contested catch than extended the drive. Irish would eventually score just five plays later and take their first lead 17-10.
Greathouse would then have the best drive of any wide receiver this year, where he caught three passes for 71 yards, including the massive 54 yard game tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Greathouse has gone viral for breaking two Penn State defender ankles and getting wide open to secure the touchdown with just four minutes left in the game.
His production didn’t stop there. His final catch came on a 3rd-and-3 at the Penn State 35 yard line, and he secured a weak spot in Penn State defense and was able to pick up 10 more yards and secure a spot in Mitch Jeter field goal range. Jeter three-of-seven catches came on third down and all extended the drives and moved the change for Notre Dame.
Notre Dame wide outs are all having similar seasons, however throughout the playoffs it seems someone different steps up big every game. Round one against Indiana it was Jordan Faison who had a career day. He secured seven catches for 89 yards. If Faison, Greathouse and Evans can work together and get open against Ohio State, this skill position could cause issues for the Buckeyes.
Greathouse career day will be remembered for a long time, and he etched his name in the Notre Dame football history books. The chemistry between Riley Leonard and Greathouse was tremendous all game and hopefully he can do similar number in the National Championship. His skill to track the ball and make 50/50 catches is a skill Irish fans have wanted for a long time and could be unstoppable with Leonard and this rushing attack.
In the world of college football, Notre Dame is known for producing top-tier talent and consistently fielding competitive teams. However, amidst the spotlight on star players and flashy performances, there is one player who often goes unnoticed but is quietly developing a crucial skill that could make him unstoppable on the field.That player is none other than Notre Dame’s unsung hero, a hard-working and dedicated athlete who has been putting in the work behind the scenes to improve his game. While his name may not be splashed across headlines or trending on social media, his impact on the team is undeniable.
What sets this player apart is his relentless pursuit of excellence and his commitment to constantly improving. He understands that success is not given, but earned through hard work and perseverance. And one skill he has been honing that could take his game to the next level is his ability to read and react to the game.
By studying film, analyzing opponents’ tendencies, and understanding the intricacies of the game, this player is developing a football IQ that sets him apart from his peers. His awareness on the field, coupled with his physical abilities, makes him a force to be reckoned with.
As he continues to refine this skill, there is no doubt that Notre Dame’s unsung hero will become a key player in the team’s success. And with his dedication and determination, he has the potential to become an unstoppable force on the football field.
So, while the spotlight may not always be on him, make no mistake – Notre Dame’s unsung hero is quietly working towards greatness, and his development of this crucial skill could be the key to unlocking his full potential and leading the team to victory.
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#Notre #Dame #footballs #unsung #hero #developing #crucial #skill #unstoppableWhat Ohio State football’s Jim Knowles said about rumors connecting him to Oklahoma
ATLANTA — Ohio State football’s Jim Knowles was asked Saturday about rumors linking him to Oklahoma’s search for a defensive coordinator.
As OSU prepares to face Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Monday, Knowles’ answer reflected a coordinator honed in on the task at hand.
“Notre Dame, that’s all I’m focused on,” Knowles said at Media Day. “You are right, these things happen, I guess, when you have success. And players are making plays, and my job is to put them in the best position. But, everybody, these things come up when you do well.”
The Sooners are searching for a new defensive coordinator following Zac Alley’s departure for West Virginia after one season at Oklahoma.
OU is led by coach Brent Venables, a former defensive coordinator at Clemson who is entering his fourth season at the helm.
Knowles is a native of Philadelphia. His coaching journey includes a stint as Oklahoma State’s defensive coordinator (2018-21).
Ohio State football’s new defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, has finally addressed the rumors connecting him to the head coaching vacancy at Oklahoma. In a recent press conference, Knowles made it clear that he is fully committed to his role with the Buckeyes and has no intentions of leaving.Knowles stated, “I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this incredible program at Ohio State. I have no interest in any other coaching positions at this time. My focus is solely on helping this team succeed and reaching our goals here in Columbus.”
Despite the speculation surrounding his potential departure, Knowles’ words reassure Ohio State fans that he is dedicated to the program and ready to make a significant impact on the team’s defense. With his proven track record of success, Buckeye Nation can rest assured that they have a top-notch defensive coordinator leading their team to victory.
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#Ohio #State #footballs #Jim #Knowles #rumors #connecting #Oklahoma
