Things that should make you go hmmmm on a Sunday morning

Jake Slaughter (66) was second team All-America CBS Sports and first team AP All-SEC (Gator Bait Photo by Chris Spears)

As the Gators begin their earnest preparations for Friday’s Gasparilla Bowl game (3:30 p.m., ESPN2) against Tulane, here are a few things that make you go hmmmm.

SEC coaches selected long snapper Rocco Underwood second team All-SEC. The American Football Coaches Association named Underwood second team All-America. Saturday night Underwood was announced as the winner of the Mannelly Award, given yearly to the No. 1 long snapper in the nation.

The SEC coaches didn’t think center Jake Slaughter belonged on either the first, second or third team. The Associated Press named Slaughter the first team center. CBS Sports named Slaughter second team All-American.

Starting right guard Damieon George Jr., who put his name in the NCAA transfer portal on Friday, withdrew his name on Saturday. What changed and why?

Co-defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong is leaving Florida for the defensive coordinator position at Houston. At $1,201,000 Armstrong was Florida’s highest paid assistant coach, making more than $200,000 more than O-line coach Rob Sale and $450,000 more than co-coordinator Ron Roberts. Wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales makes only $501,000 and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke makes $451,000, both of whom coach far more productive units than Armstrong ever did. The previous DC at Houston made only $750,000. Did Armstrong voluntarily take a huge cut in pay or was he nudged out the door?

There are whispers that as soon as the bowl game is completed, Billy Napier will be making other changes in his coaching staff. There are rumors that both Sale and Roberts won’t be returning. Is it a matter of money with them since Florida’s assistant coaches rank 10th in pay in the SEC at $6,565,000? The assistant coach money pool at FSU is $1.8 million more than UF.

SEC top ten assistant coach salary pools: 1. Georgia 10.332 million; 2. Alabama $9.475 million; 3. LSU $9.3 million; 4. Texas $9.1 million; 5. Ole Miss $8.225 million; 6. Kentucky $7.565 million; 7. Texas A&M $7.2 million; 8. Tennessee $7.135 million; 9. Oklahoma $7.114 million; 10. Missouri $6.98 million; 11. FLORIDA $6.565 million; 12. Auburn $6.475 million; 13. South Carolina $6.35 million; 14. Arkansas $6.19 million; 15. Mississippi State $5.26 million.

SEC FOOTBALL: PORTAL DEPARTURES/ARRIVALS

Alabama: LB Keanu Koht (RJR) to Vanderbilt; CB Jahlil Hurley (FR); WR Kobe Prentice (JR); DL Jehiem Oatis (JR); WR Kendrick Law (JR); OT Miles McVay (FR); WR Caleb Odom (FR); OT Naquil Betrand RFR); DL Hunter Osborne (FR); TE Danny Lewis Jr. (SO); QB Dylan Lonergan (RFR); LB Braylon Chatman (SO); RB Justice Haynes (SO); CB Devonta Smith (RJR)

Arkansas: WR Jaedon Wilson (RJR) to UCLA; QB Malachi Singleton (FR); TE Tyrus Washington (SO); TE Var’keyes Gumms (JR); OG Patrick Kutas (JR) to Ole Miss; TE Luke Hasz (SO) to Ole Miss; S Nico Davillier (JR); WR Kamron Bibby (SO); LB Kaden Henley (SO); LB Alex Sanford (SO); WR Davion Dozier (RFR); S Dallas Young (FR); P Sam Dubwig (FR); RB Emmanuel Crawford (FR); LS Eli Stein; S Tevis Metcalf (SO); CB TJ Metcalf (FR); LB Carson Dean (FR); RB Isaiah Sategna (RSO); OG Joshua Braun (RSR); DL Ty’kieast Crawford (SR); EDGE Brad Spence (SO); OG Addison Nichols (RSO); OT Jac’Qawn McCray (FR) from Oregon; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) to Ole Miss

Auburn: DL Gage Keys (RJR); TE Grant Hidalgo (RJR); QB Holden Geriner (RSO); OG EJ Harris (SO); P Gabe Russo (FR); WR Camden Brown (JR); TE Micah Riley (SO) to Texas A&M; EDGE T.J. Lindsey (FR); S Caleb Wooden (JR); QB Hank Brown (RFR) to Iowa; CB Antonio Kite (SO); WR Horatio Fields (RJR) from Wake Forest; QB Maalik Murphy (RSO) from Texas; LB Phoenix Jackson (RJR) from Fresno State; LB Laquan Robinson (JR); QB Jackson Arnold (SO) from Oklahoma; RB Durrell Robinson (SO) from UConn; P Hudson Haak (SO) from Oklahoma State; QB Walker White (FR)

FLORIDA: DE Justus Boone (RJR); OL Mike Williams (RFR); EDGE Quincy Ivory (RJR); EDGE Bryce Capers (SO); WR Andy Jean (RFR); CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO) to LSU; DL Kelby Collins (SO); OG Christian Williams (RSO); TE Arlis Boardingham (RSO); LB Deuce Spurlock (RSO); QB Parker Leise; EDGE Jack Pyburn (RSO); TE Gavin Hill (RFR); P Tommy Doman (SR) from Michigan

Georgia: CB Julian Humphrey (SO); WR Nitro Tuggle (FR); David Daniel-Sisavanh; WR Michael Jackson III (SR); DL Jamaal Jarrett (SO); EDGE Samuel M’Pemba (SO); LB Troy Bowles (SO); CB Justyn Rhett (RFR); S Jake Pope (RSO)

Kentucky: DL Keeshawn Silver (RJR); LS Walker Himebauch (SO); CB Avery Stuart (FR); WR Dane Key (JR); LB Jayvant Brown (SO); EDGE Tommy Ziesmer (FR); TE Khamari Anderson (SO); TE Tanner Lemaster (FR); OT Courtland Ford (SR); WR Barion Brown (JR) to LSU; WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (SO); OT Ben Cristman (RJR); EDGE Noah Matthews (SO); EDGE Tyreese Fearby (RSO); QB Gavin Wimsatt (RJR); S Jarard Mosely (JR); RB Chip Trayanum (RSR); EDGE Caleb Redd (FR); WR Brandon White (RSO); EDGE Sam Greene (RFR) from Southern California; LB Landyn Watson (from Marshall

LSU: WR London Ibieta (SO); QB Rickie Collins (RFR); WR CJ Daniels (RJR); S Kylin Jackson (FR); WR Shelton Sampson JR (FR); LB Xavier Atkins (FR); CB JK Johnson (JR); PK Nathan Dibert (JR); S Jordan Allen (RSO); CB Jalailin Johnson (RJR); TE Ka’Morreun Pimpton (SO); CB Bernard Causey (FR); DL Jay’viar Suggs (RSR); S Sage Ryan (RJR); DE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) to Ole Miss; TE Bauer Sharp (JR) from Oklahoma; CB Ja’Keem Jackson (SO) from Florida; WR Barion Brown (JR) from Kentucky; S Jordan Allen (JR) to Houston; EDGE Jimari Butler (RJR) from Nebraska

Mississippi State: QB Chris Parson (RFR); WR Creed Whittemore (SO); WR JJ Harrell (FR); CB Jayven Williams (SO) from Kennesaw State; EDGE Ty Cooper (JR); LB John Lewis (RJR); OT Makylan Pounders (JR) to Louisville; LB Tabias Hinton (FR); WR Antonio Harmon (JR); LB Marcus Ross (JR); WR Mario Craver (FR); CB Raydarious Jones (SR); CB Khamauri Rogers (SO); CB Brice Pollock (SO) to Texas Tech; DL Gabe Moore (FR); LB Jarvae Gilmore (RSO); DL Eric Taylor (SR); Christopher Keys (RSR); QB Michael Van Buren Jr.; EDGE Redd Hibbler (SR) from North Carolina State; S Jahron Manning (JR) from Old Dominion; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) to Missouri; EDGE Nevaeh Sanders (RJR) from Northern Illinois; WR Brenen Thompson (JR) from Oklahoma; WR Jaron Glover (RSO) from Michigan State

Missouri: LB Brayshawn Littlejon (FR); P Will Safris (FR); WR Mekhi Miller (JR); PK Brody Boehm (FR); P Orion Phillips (SO); S Phillip Roche (SO); IOL Jack McGarry (RSO); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR) to South Carolina; CB Kevin Coleman (JR) from Mississippi State; EDGE Williams Nwaneri (FR) to Nebraska; QB Aidan Glover (FR)

Oklahoma: WR Jaquaize Pettaway (SO); QB Jackson Arnold (SO) to Auburn; RB Kalib Hicks (FR); WR Nic Anderson (SO); RB Emeka Megwa (JR); TE Bauer Sharp (JR) to LSU; CB Makari Vickers (SO); RB Chapman McKown (FR); CB Kani Walker (RJR); OG Geirean Hatchett (SR) to Washington; CB Jayden Rowe (SO) to Kansas State; OT Kenny Wermy (RFR); IOL Joshua Bates  (RFR); WR JJ Hester (RSR); WR Jalil Farooq (SR); S Makari Vickers (SO); WR Andrel Anthony (SR); TE Josh Fanuiel (RSO); LB Phil Picciotti (RFR); QB Brendan Zurbrugg (FR); WR Brenen Thompson (JR) to Mississippi State; S Dasan McCullough (JR)

Ole Miss: S Key Lawrence (RSR); QB Walker Howard (RSO) to Louisiana; OT Cam East (RSO); OT Mana Taimani (RSR); OT Jack Mills (SR); LB Rodney Groce Jr. (SR); OT PJ Wilkins (RFR) from Charlotte; EDGE Da’Shawn Womack (SO) from LSU; OG Patrick Kutas (JR) from Arkansas; CB Jaylon Braxton (SO) from Arkansas; TE Luke Haasz (SO) from Arkansas; EDGE Princewill Umanmielen (SO) from Nebraska 

South Carolina: LB Bangally Kamara (RSR) to Kansas; LB Mohamed Kaba (RSR); WR Tyshawn Russell (SO); TE Connor Cox (SO); TE Nick Elksnis (RJR); WR CJ Adams (RFR); QB Robby Ashford (RJR); DL Jamaal Whyce (RSO); DL Elijah Davis (SR); EDGE Jaylen Brown (FR) from Missouri; IOL Nick Sharpe (from Wake Forest

Tennessee: OG Vysen Lang (FR); RB Khalifa Keith (SO); WR Kaleb Webb (SO) to Wake Forest; CB Jordan Matthews (RFR); LB Jalen Smith (RFR); WR Chas Nimrod (SO); QB Ryan Damron (FR); WR Nathan Leacock (FR); TE Luke Shouse (RSR)

Texas: WR Johntay Cook II (SO); DL Jaray Bledsoe (RSO); DL Aaron Bryant (SO); LB Derion Gullette (FR); EDGE Tausill Akana (FR); DL Tiaoalii Savea (SR); CB Jay’vion Cole (JR); P Jack Bouwmeester (RJR) from Utah; Edge Justice Finkley (JR); DL Cole Brevard (RSR) from Purdue

Texas A&M: DL Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy (SO); QB Conner Weigman (RSO) to Houston; WR Cyrus Allen (JR); TE Jaden Platt (FR); QB Jaylen Henderson (JR); OT Aki Ogunbiyi (JR);OT Hunter Erb (SO); CB Kevin Longstreet Jr. (FR); EDGE Malick Sylia (JR); LB Martrell Harris Jr. (JR); WR Micah Tease (SO); OG TJ Shanahan (FR); P Keegan Andrews (JR); LB Chantz Johnson (SO); OG Cam Dewberry (JR); EDGE Josh Celiscar (RSR); QB Jacob Zeno (RSR) from UAB; WR Jake Bostick (RSO); CB Donovan Saunders (; EDGE Enai White (JR); WR Jacob Bostick (RSO); DL Samu Taumanupepe (RFR) to Baylor

Vanderbilt: LB Jeffrey Ugochukwu (JR); QB Nate Johnson (JR); EDGE BJ Diakate (JR); LB Steve Sannieniola (JR); DL Devin Lee (SR); OT Gunnar Hansen (SR); CB Alan Wright (SR); EDGE Darren Agu (JR); TE Tyler Fortenberry; PK Will Faris (SR); WR Ezra McAllister; CB Alvin Williamson Jr. (FR); EDGE Evan Hermann (SO); EDGE Callahan Blair (FR); LB Keanu Koht (RJR) from Alabama

“WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY: THEY IS US” -- POGO

The late, great Walt Kelly, whose biting political commentary came in the form of the comic strip Pogo penned those words back in the 1950s. They could have been written about college football 2024, especially now that all hell has broken loose in the form of the NCAA transfer portal.

As of late Saturday night, On3.com reported that 1,681 players were in the portal with a grand total of 91 committed to a new school and 12 who went in but changed their minds. If that doesn’t boggle your mind, consider the fact we’re just getting started. By the time January 1 arrives, you can almost bet the farm that the number of players in the portal will have doubled. A good many, perhaps even a majority, will find a new place to play football next year, but sadly quite a few will end up college football’s version of homeless. Some will have been kicked to the curb by their most recent head coach and others will have made the tragic mistake of highly overrating their own value.

There are voices screaming in the wilderness for common sense to prevail, but unfortunately the people in charge are at the NCAA where their bloated bureaucracy led by Charlie Baker and common sense are like two ships passing in the night. About 1,500 miles apart.

Common sense was already telling us this current model of inefficiency is unsustainable before the weekend. That’s when the NCAA was kicked in the butt until its many bureaucratic noses bled profusely by Marshall University. In case you missed it, last weekend Marshall University won its 10th game, capturing the Sun Belt Conference championship by bitch slapping Louisiana all over Cajun Field to the tune of 31-3. Sunday, Marshall found out it’s scheduled to play Army in the Independence Bowl, which is still lovingly nicknamed “The Weedwacker” even though its sponsorship agreement with weedwacker manufacturer Poulan ended years ago.

The celebration for a great season didn’t last long because also on Sunday, HBC Charles Huff left Marshall for the blank canvas that is Southern Miss, which went 1-11 in 2024, 0-8 in the Sun Belt. Huff and Marshall beat Southern Miss, 37-3, in their regular season encounter. Huff left because he couldn’t come to terms with Marshall for a contract.

Coach gone after championship week in December, no big deal, right? Maybe true in the days prior to free agency, which is what the portal is, but in the subsequent days since Huff bolted some 36 Marshall players have entered the transfer portal, leaving Marshall with only 29 scholarship players.  

Marshall withdrew from the bowl, leaving Army, which went 11-2, without an opponent. Hastily, the Weedwacker folks invoked an NCAA rule that allows 5-win teams to play in a bowl if they meet certain criteria. Louisiana Tech, which beat one team that posted a winning record, will be Army’s opponent.

Army deserves better. Shame on the NCAA which has yet to come up with a common sense solution for the portal, NIL, players opting out of bowl games and at midseason, and coaches leaving for new jobs, jilting their teams prior to bowl games.

At some point -- it can’t come too quickly -- the geniuses in charge of the conferences and athletic departments in Division I need to figure out once and for all that the NCAA is less useful than a fart in an overcrowded elevator. Ditch the NCAA and come up with common sense solutions that can navigate college football out of the mess the NCAA has given us.