Prime, Purdy, Playoffs: A few thoughts after weekend filled with football and rain
The Cardinals were off. Arizona State and other local colleges finished their seasons at least a week prior. But that doesn’t mean this past weekend wasn’t entertaining for Valley football fans.
As an added bonus, we got rain. The normal kind that fell straight, steady and just hard enough to justify putting off yard work and hanging holiday lights.
Here’s a strand of highlights and observations:
Coach Prime joins the Pac 12
Speaking of bright lights, Deion Sanders is now officially the head coach at Colorado, instantly becoming the most interesting hire of the year.
It’s an odd fit. Coach Prime has no connections to Colorado, other than having played against the Broncos in his Hall of Fame career. But he did turn around the program at Jackson State, compiling a 27-5 record and winning consecutive SWAC championships.
Jody Oehler, host of The Drive on Fox Sports 910, asked an interesting question Monday morning: Would you rather have Kenny Dillingham as ASU’s coach or Sanders?
If I’m an ASU fan, I’ll take Dillingham. I’m dubious about the chances of Sanders working out in the long run at Colorado.
In his first meeting with Colorado players, he encouraged them to enter the transfer portal, promising that he was bringing luggage, meaning his own transfer players, to Boulder. Trailing Sanders was a camera crew, and the video quickly was posted on social media, just as many of Sanders’ speeches to players at Jackson State were.
“I want you to get ready to start seeing cameras because we film documentaries,” Sanders said in his introductory press conference. “As a matter of fact, our documentary drops, what’s the date? December 15, and this is gonna be part of it. We have a documentary so the kids, they want exposure. They want to be on television, they want the lights and the action. But they gotta understand the same thing that causes you to shine, will show your blemishes as well, so we’re gonna give them that.”
Sanders introduced his son, Shedeur, as the starting quarterback, adding that the coach’s kid would have to earn the position. We know how that usually works, but Shedeur does have the resume. He threw 36 touchdowns this season and had just six passes intercepted.
Sanders’ introductory press conference also was full of religion, including numerous references by Sanders to his faith in God.
About the only thing Sanders has in common with Dillingham is that both used their first press conferences to ask folks to get behind their programs and donate to organizations that facilitate NIL deals for players.
For now, there’s a fascinating show in Boulder. But I wonder how long it will be before people tire of the act? Or if they ever will? Or if it is an act?
But it’s interesting. There’s no doubting that.
Getting college football playoffs right
Over the course of seasons that last four months and contain 12 or 13 games, college football usually sorts itself out, despite all the hand-wringing and last-minute lobbying about playoff positioning.
Members of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee didn’t overthink their jobs last weekend and came up with the obvious final four: Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State. FOX gave Alabama coach and lobbyist Nick Saban some free airtime over the weekend, but he might as well have been on mute given the Tide’s two losses.
Georgia and Michigan are the best teams in the country, but I wouldn’t be surprised if TCU upsets the Wolverines in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Vrbo, by the way, is pronounced “ver-boh.” It used to go by the spelled-out version of the acronym, but the company found that “ver-boh”was easier to remember and easier to say in other languages. So it was officially changes three years or so ago.
Purdy takes center stage
Brock Purdy isn’t so irrelevant anymore.
Purdy, who played at Gilbert Perry and Iowa State, was the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft, earning him Mr. Irrelevant status. And now he’s the 49ers’ starting quarterback.
On Sunday, Purdy replaced Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a broken foot and is out for the season. Purdy completed 25 of 37 passes for two touchdowns and was intercepted once in a 33-17 victory over the Dolphins.
In practices, Purdy mostly has guided the 49ers scout team against its first-team defense. That apparently has helped his development.
"He’s played against the best defense in the league for the past 13 weeks,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner told NBC Sports Bay Area. “He’ll be fine."
Fine enough for the 49ers to win a Super Bowl? Probably not. But the 49ers will remain a contender in the NFC.
Back in the Pack
In beating the Bears Sunday, the Packers passed Chicago in the all-time NFL standings. Green Bay has 787 wins in 102 seasons, one more than the Bears, who are in their 103rd season.
The Bears and Cardinals are the only founding members of the NFL still in existence. (Green Bay came on board in 1921, the NFL’s second year.)
When it comes to victories, the Cardinals will never be able to make up much ground. They have 581 of them in their history, 8th all time. They are first in losses, however, with 785.
The Packers, Bears, Giants, Steelers, Washington, Eagles and Rams have more wins than the Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: From Coach Prime to Mr. Irrelevant, it was a relevant football weekend
