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World's top 25 players under age 25

It's no easy task assembling a global player ranking, and the following rank of the world's top 25 players under age 25 proved as much.

To land on our top 25 we enlisted the expertise of FC Insiders Alejandro Moreno, Tor-Kristian Karlsen and Adrian Melville. Each was given an initial list of 60-plus players and, beyond assessing the list, was asked to further research the candidate pool for any outliers while putting together their ranks. The parameters: a player had to be 24 years or younger as of Feb. 18, 2015, with ranks to be determined by current level of play and upside.

Our final rank represents the game's global talent reach and draw of Europe's top leagues. In total, 12 countries are represented, with Belgium, Brazil and France leading the way with four players apiece. Every player on the list is employed by a club in one of Europe's top five leagues, with the Premier League (10) and La Liga (six) boasting the most. Midfielders were well-represented -- though some of the 13 players categorized as such play hybrid roles -- followed by forwards (seven).

Here's our panel's aggregate rank of the world's top 25 players under age 25, followed by player-by-player analysis. We'll update the ranks throughout the year, so keep an eye out for who rises and drops. And let us know your thoughts by getting involved in the discussion via Twitter at #FC25Under25.


1. Neymar | Age: 23 | Position: Forward/Winger | Club: Barcelona | Country: Brazil

Alejandro Moreno: Neymar has matured from a YouTube sensation with flicks and tricks who lacked substance to a player who shouldered the responsibility of carrying the hopes of a nation at the 2014 World Cup. While still holding onto the flashy flicks and tricks, Neymar has found a balance between entertainment value and productivity, between his personal enjoyment and team-oriented effectiveness. The Brazilian's pace on the dribble, his ability to stop and go in tight spaces, and his ever-improving finishing make Neymar a dominant player in the final third. With 17 La Liga goals and 24 in all competitions so far in the 2014-15 season -- and still only 23 years old (he turned 23 two weeks ago) -- Neymar is the world's best under-25 player and soon may well be considered the best in the world at any age.

2. Paul Pogba | 21 | Midfielder | Juventus | France

Tor-Kristian Karlsen: The Italian champions pulled off one of the transfer deals of the decade when they signed the out-of-contract Manchester United midfielder in the summer of 2012. Since then the Frenchman has stepped up from being a prospect to possibly the best central midfielder in world football. He's powerful, technically brilliant, tactically smart, industrious and scores plenty of goals. As a result, it's no surprise that clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City seem prepared to pay fees in the $100 million range for this complete midfielder who will just keep on improving.

3. Eden Hazard | 24 | Midfielder | Chelsea | Belgium

Adrian Melville: Hazard excels in the attack with his vision and decision-making on the ball, and leads the 2014-15 Premier League in chances created. The midfielder's 10-plus percent increase in both attacking-half touches and take-ons per 90 minutes this season illustrates how important he is to Chelsea's attack, and he likely to be the focal point of the team for the next five years.

4. James Rodriguez | 23 | Midfielder | Real Madrid | Colombia

Moreno: James "Don't Call Me James" Rodriguez was relatively unknown to the average soccer fan before the 2014 World Cup, and then things went crazy. The Colombian got on the World Cup stage and made it his own. Considered by many the player of the tournament, James showed an ability to impact the game that quite frankly not even Colombia expected. His quality of passing, intelligent movement and next-level finishing while on the biggest stage bought James a very expensive ticket to play with one of the "Big Boys" in Real Madrid. James must now prove that the World Cup wasn't the apex of his career over a few magical weeks, but instead make the jump from a talented young player to being among the very best in the world.

5. David de Gea | 24 | Goalkeeper | Manchester United | Spain

Karlsen: Viewed by some as a liability upon joining Manchester United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 -- and criticised for his alleged "lack of personality" -- more than 100 games later the Spaniard is not only proving inspirational between the posts but also absolutely fundamental to the club's quest to rejoin the Champions League. Behind Manchester United's shaky defence, De Gea has made some miraculous saves in the Premier League this season, not least toward the end of tight matches to rescue vital points. An athletic goalkeeper, he's agile, quick as a cat and remarkably strong at saving with his feet. Talks over an extension to his current contract at Old Trafford are being complicated somewhat by interest from Real Madrid, which speaks to his rising star.

6. Thibaut Courtois | 22 | Goalkeeper | Chelsea| Belgium

Melville: Courtois is great at using his long frame to cut down shooting angles, and his saves in the recent Champions League draw at Paris Saint-Germain was evidence of his elite athleticism and shot-stopping ability. Moreover, he ranks fourth in the Premier League with eight clean sheets despite facing 14 percent more shot attempts from inside the penalty area than he did with Atletico Madrid in 2013-14. The goalkeeper also shows superb judgment when challenging crosses, and is poised to be among the world's best -- if not the best -- goalkeeper for years to come.

 

[Skooby]

7. Kevin De Bruyne | 23 | Midfielder | Wolfsburg | Belgium

Moreno: What an explosion of heavy-hitting performances De Bruyne has put together over the last few months. He had an outstanding summer with Belgium at the World Cup and carried that momentum to the Bundesliga season with Wolfsburg playing mostly withdrawn from the striker with the freedom to come into the middle and pick up passes or run in behind utilizing his pace and endeavor. De Bruyne has added finishing efficiency while destroying teams on the counterattack -- just ask Bayern Munich's Dante and Jerome Boateng from a few weeks back. The 23-year-old De Bruyne may be seventh on this list but he is trending upward.

8. Mario Gotze | 22 | Midfielder | Bayern Munich | Germany

Karlsen: Supremely talented, tactically flexible and intelligent, the Bayern youngster is in many ways the symbol of the modern German attacking midfielder. From breaking through at Borussia Dortmund as a playmaker, Gotze has since been utilised on either wing or even as a "false 9" by national team boss Joachim Low. At 22 years old, Gotze has enjoyed remarkable progress through the German national teams -- from starting out at under-15 level to scoring the winning goal against Argentina in the World Cup final last summer. It's clear he's destined to stay one of the top players in European football over the next decade.

9. Raheem Sterling 20 | Midfielder | Liverpool | England

Melville: Sterling's vision and dribbling ability in the attacking half have made him versatile enough to fill central midfield, wide midfield and target striker roles in 2014-15. Despite this taxing role, Sterling has already matched his five assists from last season and is turning the ball over 25 percent less often than in 2013-14, suggesting that he is making better decisions on the ball and maturing as Liverpool's best attacking player.

10. Alexandre Lacazette | 23 | Forward | Lyon | France

Moreno: Lacazette worked his way up through the French youth national team system, has featured a handful of times for the French senior squad but it wasn't until his outburst of talent and goals this Ligue 1 season that scouts and teams around Europe began wondering the true height of his ceiling. The numbers are ridiculous: He's tallied a league-leading 21 goals in 22 games, seven goals above the next-highest scorer. Lacazette has been dominant; his change of pace, agility and low center of gravity make him very difficult to defend. While he would not have been on this list last season, he continues to work his way up.

11. Oscar | 23 | Midfielder | Chelsea | Brazil

Karlsen: First seen by European scouts as an attacking midfielder for the Brazilian youth national sides around 2010, Oscar has turned into a disciplined, dependable and intelligent member of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea squad. Though ever so classy, the Brazilian hasn't turned out to be quite as spectacular a player as his talent could have allowed him to be, but the Portuguese head coach relies heavily on Oscar to provide industry -- to the point that he tends to run out of steam toward the end of the matches -- alongside the more eye-catching Eden Hazard. The Brazilian is hugely respected at Chelsea for his professionalism and sporting style of play, and is likely to stay a key player at the London side for years to come.

12. Isco | 22 | Midfielder | Real Madrid | Spain

Karlsen: The Valencia product made his first proper claim to fame during Malaga's impressive 2012-13 season, in which his flair and playmaking abilities were vital components in the Manuel Pellegrini side that reached the Champions League quarterfinals. Though still somewhere off a guaranteed starting slot in Real Madrid's star-studded first XI, the attacking midfielder/second striker -- who cost Real Madrid 30 million euros in 2013 -- is progressively gaining the confidence and personality required to perform consistently at the highest level. In terms of pure talent and ingenuity, Isco is one of the most gifted players of his generation.

13. Antoine Griezmann | 23 | Forward | Atletico Madrid | France

Moreno: As Diego Costa left for Chelsea, there was lukewarm excitement at Atletico Madrid over the arrival of Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic. After all, Griezmann had some success at Real Sociedad, but this was Atletico Madrid, the defending La Liga Champions. Could he make the jump? He has clearly answered as he has made a smooth transition into Diego Simeone's starting XI. Griezmann's speed and willingness to run into the flanks creates one-on-one situations against center-backs forced to defend out in wider positions. Griezmann will always benefit from the presence of a physical strike partner who allows him space to run freely rather attracting contact himself; otherwise, Griezmann tends to become more of a winger as he naturally drifts away from the physicality of playing with his back to goal. Look for Griezmann to continue to score goals for Atletico.

14. Koke | 23 | Midfielder | Atletico Madrid | Spain

Melville: Koke is one of the most precise passers in La Liga, as all eight of the left midfielder's assists this season have come from accurate crosses into the penalty area. Despite not being a strong dribbling threat, Koke has also increased his touches and passes per 90 minutes in the attacking half this season. Further, his patience on the ball allows Atletico to control the pace of most games, and his ability to combine with teammates in the attacking half makes the entire attacking group more dynamic.

15. Harry Kane | 21 | Forward | Tottenham Hotspur | England

Karlsen: Just six weeks into the new year and the Spurs forward has already found the net against Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool -- a great satisfaction for a player who spent a great part of 2014 trying to prove his doubters wrong. Often ridiculed for his unorthodox style of play -- depending more on effort, enthusiasm, intensity and opportunism rather than silky skills -- Kane is a healthy reminder that perseverance never goes out of fashion. Time will tell just how far the England U21 striker can go -- barring injuries, a call-up to the senior national side is imminent -- but on the evidence of his rapid development over the past year, all the signs point to Kane becoming a regular double-digit scorer in the Premier League.

16. Raphael Varane | 21 | Defender | Real Madrid | France

Karlsen: A 10 million-euro signing from Lens in 2011, the Frenchman is on the verge of establishing himself among the absolute top centre-backs in world football. Until now his Real Madrid career has been compromised by injuries, but after securing a regular spot for his country last year the next challenge is to fight off Pepe as the preferred partner to Sergio Ramos in Carlos Ancelotti's back four. In addition to being a remarkable athlete -- comprising an impressive jumping ability and blistering pace -- Varane also displays excellent ability on the ball. He has all the requirements to become the No. 1 French defender of the decade. No wonder every top club in Europe, if given the opportunity, would snap up the 21-year-old at almost any price.

17. Christian Eriksen | 23 | Midfielder | Tottenham | Denmark

Melville: Eriksen, who turned 23 on Feb. 14, is a more assertive attacking player this season, as he ranks fifth in the Prem in shot attempts and his nine goals have already surpassed his seven from the 2013-14 campaign. The central midfielder is also aggressive about attacking quickly and pushing the ball into the attacking third, and will continue to be the central piece that manager Mauricio Pochettino builds his attack around.

18. Philippe Coutinho | 22 | Midfielder | Liverpool | Brazil

Moreno: With a new contract in place, Philippe Coutinho is expected to be the source of creativity in the final third for Liverpool, and his partnership with Raheem Sterling will be the core in attack for the foreseeable future. Coutinho has shown flashes that he can be a special player but has lacked the consistency and continuity of performances to blindly trust him as a top player. Perhaps maturity will account for consistency in upcoming seasons; if so, Liverpool fans will enjoy his link-up play, ability with and without the ball, and, likely, weekly involvement in manufacturing goals.

19. Romelu Lukaku | 21 | Forward | Everton | Belgium

Melville: Lukaku has recorded 23 percent of Everton's goals this season, and the physical striker has improved as an attacking target who can successfully hold off defenders and distribute the ball to his midfielders. The striker has regressed slightly in his ability to create chances for others, but is averaging more shots on target inside the penalty area than he did last season and has been aggressive running at opposing defenders since the new year. Look for the big Belgian to remain a mainstay at the front of manager Roberto Martinez's attacking lineup -- or perhaps a bigger club's, if he can regain his form from last season -- for years to come.

20. Son Heung-Min | 22 | Midfielder/Forward | Leverkusen | South Korea

Melville: Son is a consistent Bundesliga scorer, and he is also maturing into a player who can drop deeper into the Leverkusen midfield to collect the ball and distribute to the team's forwards. The left-sided player is creating 38 percent more chances per 90 minutes than he did in the 2013-14 Bundesliga, and the attacking midfielder's three goals in the team's recent loss to Wolfsburg highlights his technical ability around the penalty area. He should keep Leverkusen in European competition for years to come.

21. Marquinhos | 20 | Defender | Paris Saint-Germain | Brazil

Moreno: Is it crazy to think that at just 20 years old, Marquinhos could potentially be the best center-back currently at PSG? The incredibly expensive pairing of David Luiz and Thiago Silva are anything but consistent, whereas Marquinhos does not look at all intimidated by the big stage. Of course he lacks experience, but watching his maturity playing against the always-difficult Diego Costa in recent Champions League action goes a long way in explaining why his future looks very bright. Marquinhos is quick on the turn, reads the game fairly well and can be very good on the air; however, strength can be an issue when matching up against physically superior players who can turn him using their bodies. When exposed, more often than not, it is due to lack of strength and positioning rather than speed and quickness.

22. Marco Verratti | 22 | Midfielder | Paris Saint-Germain | Italy

Melville: Verratti is the first option for PSG once the team gains possession, and the central midfielder is equally proficient in his defensive and attacking duties. The Italian midfielder leads PSG with four assists, ranks second on the team with 36 tackles and will continue to be one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Ligue 1 for years to come.

23. Andre Schurrle | 24 | Forward | Wolfsburg | Germany

Karlsen: After a promising start to his Premier League career, the German international failed to kick on after an excellent showing as an impact player at last summer's World Cup finals. Considering that the versatile forward -- who prefers playing wide cutting in from the left -- saw his first part of the season compromised by illness, it's hard to understand why Chelsea let the energetic 24-year-old leave last month. When on form, there are few players in European football who can match Schurrle's pace, directness and strong running -- especially when coming off the bench. Nevertheless, Chelsea made a 10 million-euro profit on the player they signed from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013. Having waved goodbye to the Premier League, Schurrle once again sets his sights on becoming the top scorer of the Bundesliga and leading Wolfsburg back to the Champions League.

24. David Alaba | 22 | Defender/Midfielder | Bayern Munich | Austria

Moreno: It's hard to figure out what his position is under Pep Guardiola. Regardless, when healthy, he is a first-choice starter at Bayern Munich. Such a feat should be impressive enough, but Alaba is often overlooked because he is not an attacking player on a team that carries most of the possession with names like Xabi Alonso, Arjen Robben, Thomas Mueller and Franck Ribery. His best position is at left back and yet he plays everywhere but left back; sometimes he is a left-sided player on a back three, other times he is playing in the midfield both inside and out wide in a winger position. But it doesn't matter where he plays; Alaba is a consistent, high-level performer who is good enough on the ball to play in the middle, quick enough in short spaces and over distance to play out wide and confident enough to play on a back three often against physically more imposing players. No wonder Guardiola loves him.

25. Aaron Ramsey | 24 | Midfielder | Arsenal | Wales

Karlsen: The Welshman belongs to a rare breed of central midfielders who combine the typical British qualities of tackling and eagerness to get the ball with technical ability and an advanced understanding of the game more commonly associated with continental European players. Regrettably, recurring injuries -- including a horror tackle committed by Stoke's Ryan Shawcross in 2010 that saw him ruled out for nearly a year -- have stood in the way of his genuine potential ever being fully demonstrated. As much as Ramsey remains very much a key player for Arsenal, at 24 he is dependent on a consistent run of form and fitness to finally break into the category of a genuine world-class player.

 

[satam55]

@Skooby or @Dominique Wilkins Can 1 of y'all post this article?:

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-...son-tide-lead-list-college-football-best-jobs

 

[Skooby]

@Skooby or @Dominique Wilkins Can 1 of y'all post this article?:

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-...son-tide-lead-list-college-football-best-jobs

College football's top 24 jobs

We've reached the final day of our project ranking each of the 65 college football jobs at the Power 5 level.

The central question to file away: If every Power 5 job came open tomorrow, which would be the most desirable? On the other side, which would be least appealing? (And everything in between.)

So who's it going to be? Which program will be deemed our No. 1 gig? Alabama? Texas? USC? Another school?

Though every coach weighs things differently -- that's why it's such a subjective, hot-button topic for debate -- the criteria are roughly the same.

The list includes factors such as location, administrative stability, support from those bosses, facilities, recruiting base, path to conference titles/playoff, sense of tradition, fervor of fan base, too much fervor from a fan base, etc.

We hope and believe we have provided an intelligent and accurate overview of the jobs in college football, from worst to best. We've also received feedback from various coaches and industry sources to help shape these rankings.

Tier 4: The Not-quites


Established brands in their respective leagues -- but is there a certain ceiling that will stop these programs from reaching the top shelf?

24. Wisconsin
Just a couple of months ago, this job might have been a tick or two higher. But Gary Andersen bolting for Oregon State -- the No. 50 program on this list -- shined a light on potential administrative woes in Madison. Andersen complained that assistants were not being paid market value and that an unnecessary admission standard was hampering his ability to get in even marginal academic risks. "We have no speed," Andersen told me in late November. "Our fastest players are walk-ons -- and Melvin Gordon. Thank God for Melvin Gordon." His successor, Paul Chryst, was at Wisconsin previously as an assistant, so he surely understands the pluses and minuses of being the Badgers' head man. He's not entering as blindly as Andersen, coming from Utah State, had. Could the situation be better? Probably. Is it as dire as Andersen made it seem? No, probably not. Look at the teams Wisconsin is being asked to compete against in the Big Ten West. Do Iowa or Nebraska have an inherent competitive advantage, really? Even last season, despite all the "adversity," Wisconsin still won the division. (Thank God for Melvin Gordon?)



The program has a solid reputation nationally, built up for years thanks in large part to the work of former coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez. There were some questions about whether Alvarez's larger-than-life presence was part of the reason for Andersen's departure, but Andersen told me point-blank in November that Alvarez had been a good boss. Camp Randall Stadium is one of the better home environments in the Big Ten. Now nearly 100 years old, it has held up well; a $100 million project completed in 2005 has helped keep it modern. The coaches' and players' facilities have seen some upgrades in recent years. Last but not least: Madison is one of the better college towns in the country, so long as it's warm. If the administration proves to be a bit more flexible, understanding that it needs to keep with the times in college football, this could easily move back toward being a top-15 job.

23. Miami (Fla.)
A number of coaches, especially those in the ACC, are down on Miami. "It's a s---- job," one coach said. Well, all right then. One thing that particularly sticks out to rival coaches is a lack of atmosphere for Miami's home games. Unless the opponent is Florida State, it's a ghost town. It makes sense, of course. The Hurricanes are playing 30-60 minutes from campus, depending on traffic, and in a part of town that has little else going on. What do you expect? "The Orange Bowl was awesome," a coach told me last fall. "How they didn't do something on that site, I'll never know. They're hurting now." Upgrades are on the way for Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/Dolphins/Land Shark/Sun Life Stadium -- but will that really bring in new or existing Miami fans? It's something the school is going to have to address if it's serious about growing the football program and not merely leaning on the past.



But that past does mean something. The history of "the U" is something that resonates, but more with adults than recruits. Having survived the NCAA's recent investigation, Miami now must do some soul-searching if it truly intends to reinvent itself. On the bright side, there is so much talent within a 100-mile radius of campus. Coach Al Golden has signed as many as any ACC Coastal program, and yet he hasn't done a whole lot with it. Miami is not completely broken, but it's in desperate need of repairs.

22. Arkansas
Coach Bret Bielema brought along strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert from Wisconsin. It required $300,000. He recently received a raise to get to $330,000, which is in the same neighborhood as Alabama's strength coach (and more than some NFL strength and conditioning coaches, I'm told). As much as that is a statement about Herbert's importance, it also speaks to Arkansas' commitment to competing with the SEC West's big boys. Financially and energetically, the school is going to do what it takes. Reynolds Razorback Stadium has seen a number of gradual improvements in the past decade, and Arkansas completed a shiny, new 80,000-square foot facility in 2013. Bobby Petrino (2008-2011) had the Razorbacks close to Alabama and LSU in the division, but they hadn't taken the final steps as far as developing a potent defense. After some initial growing pains, Bielema's addition of defensive coordinator Robb Smith might be the linchpin in terms of ultimately closing the gap. (His salary just went from $500,000 to $750,000, by the way.) Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas are an unsung part of the country, great for raising a family for a coach. It's relatively isolated, but big industry (Wal-Mart and Tyson Foods, most notably) has brought enough population and culture that it's an area that has transformed in the past two decades. Recruits see that vitalization, too. The state has a fair share of SEC-level prospects, but the Hogs need to recruit well in Memphis and Texas -- especially Dallas -- to reach maximum potential.

21. Nebraska

This is the best job in the Big Ten West, and yet (spoiler alert) it's behind three programs from the league's other division. That speaks to the gap between the East and West, but it also suggests that there are questions about Nebraska's viability. Like Miami, time has not been kind to a program that ruled college football not all that long ago. Geographical realities have set in for a program that has to recruit nationally to remain relevant. Bo Pelini was fired in November 2014 for his fiery personality as much as his win-loss record, but what happens if a nice guy -- hi, Mike Riley -- doesn't win more than Pelini did? Does he stay? What's the standard now at Nebraska? It isn't immediately clear, and it's why this job is not nearly as appealing as it would have been a little more than a decade ago.



Good side: The division is easily winnable. Then again, just because you win the Big Ten West doesn't mean you're among the sport's elite. It doesn't somehow guarantee that Nebraska (or Iowa or Wisconsin) will be automatically be a playoff player. The fan base is strong. The facilities are excellent. The pockets, especially for recruiting, are as deep as anywhere in the league. This was a huge step up for Riley, make no mistake there.

20. Michigan State
Spartans fans understandably didn't like the idea that their team's window of high-end success might be closing (or is closed), now that Urban Meyer-led Ohio State is title-ready and Michigan has hired Jim Harbaugh to kick-start that beleaguered-but-promising program. Even if Michigan State winds up being the third-best team in the division, it's not as if it should close its doors. It has the potential to be a perennial top-15 team that can, every few years, compete for a Rose Bowl and/or playoff berth. If the job were open tomorrow, the new coach would be wise to follow Mark Dantonio's lead on a recruiting and development model. The Spartans do well in-state, but Michigan and Ohio State do, too, and there are only so many Michiganders to go around. So the Michigan State staff has to get into Texas, Arizona and other parts of the country, and then it has to be solid developers of the raw materials.



The school's facilities are above average, but do not have a particular "wow" factor. An aging Spartan Stadium has seen updates in recent years, including a $24.5 million project to redo the north end zone, which was finished prior to last season. In reality, Dantonio's track record of putting players in the NFL has been a bigger selling point to recruits than the facilities. If the job were open, could a successor do that as well as Dantonio and his staff have? That's up for debate. This is a reminder that Nick Saban's conference record at Michigan State was 23-16-1.

19. South Carolina
Coach Steve Spurrier will rightly be praised for taking this historically mediocre program to heights it had never experienced, but do not forget former AD Eric Hyman in the discussion. After Hyman took over, he and his department provided order and a vision -- helping get the school's finances in order and its facility plans back on track -- just as Spurrier and his staff were capitalizing on several solid years of in-state recruiting. When Hyman left for Texas A&M and baseball coach Ray Tanner shifted into the AD's chair, it was a far better situation that he inherited. The challenge now is to continue to grow -- and the coaching choice after Spurrier will be a huge, huge part of that challenge. It will be a defining moment for Tanner, and that defining moment is drawing nearer.



That new coach will arrive to see a completely revitalized area around Williams-Brice Stadium, a profound upgrade over the dusty industrial area that preceded what is now a blossoming fan experience. Also, a new indoor facility and practice fields are on the way as a part of the periphery development plan. Spurrier and Hyman made repairs and realized some of the program's potential. Can Tanner and the next coach take additional steps? That goes back to the consistency of in-state talent as much as anything. Atlanta and Florida have been good to the Gamecocks, but they were at their best when the state's high schools were producing their next stars.

 

[Skooby]

Tier 3: The Comebacks


Traditional powers that are working to resurface, or get over a hump.

17. (tie) Penn State
However far this job plummeted amid the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal and fallout, it's now on the way back up. But it has been a long road, both in terms of public perception and roster construction (resulting from the NCAA-mandated scholarship reductions). Bill O'Brien's work as coach to guide Penn State through the darkest hours was commendable, and James Franklin's enthusiasm has and will go a long way in continuing to shift and build momentum. So if the job were open tomorrow, the footing would be much firmer than a year ago -- and certainly than it was a year before that. "There were only a handful of guys who would have gone there [just after the scandal]," a Power 5 coordinator said, pointing out that the job went to an NFL assistant instead of someone from the college level. "Now, who wouldn't want it? The worst is behind them, you'd have to think, right?"



The state has always been strong for recruiting, and Joe Paterno made Penn State a national name. The program still resonates with high school coaches and players across the country; it was never irreconcilably damaged. And Franklin's attitude definitely helps to assuage whatever ill feelings it does encounter. The upgrades to Beaver Stadium, now about a decade old, still make it one of the country's finer venues. Fan support never waned throughout the recent trials. The Lasch football building is due for upgrades, and the school has looked into the possibility of updating it in the near future. State College is seemingly tucked away from the rest of the state, but it's a relatively short ride to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and even New York. It's also one of the top college towns in the country. Penn State is moving back toward being a top-15 job. It's again a destination job. In reality, the depth of the Big Ten East might be the thing that holds it back the most.

17. (tie) UCLA
A visit to the website for UCLA's soon-to-be-built football facility is immediately interrupted by a pop-up video featuring coach Jim Mora. He opens it by talking about collective commitment. "It's players, it's coaches, it's administrators, it's the fan base ... all pursuing the highest reward in college football, and that's a national championship," Mora says. "It's important that the nation see UCLA is determined to be a national player, every year." He then says the Wasserman Football Center, a $50 million project set to break ground this fall, is the key to relevance and prominence. On a meta level, he's right. Coaches have long wondered just how committed UCLA's administration has been to football success. While it has ostensibly improved in recent years, this sort of venture -- a beautiful, sparkly football headquarters to rival that of others in the Pac-12 -- is precisely a sign that UCLA is in fact serious about its football.



Like Miami, UCLA also has to deal with the fact that its stadium is 30-60 minutes from campus. Unlike Miami, UCLA plays at the Rose Bowl, what legitimately might be the most breathtaking sporting venue in America. If you've ever been to the UCLA campus, you know that an on-campus stadium -- or even a structure nearer to it -- will never, ever be an option because of the cost of land and how the campus is pinned in by neighborhoods and hills. Note, however, that those neighborhoods and hills are very, very nice. The Bruins are in a far more tony part of L.A. than their rivals. There's a lot to offer, and Mora's recent recruiting prowess backs that up. UCLA has added a full class of ESPN 300 prospects -- 25 of them -- in the past three years. With a new level of commitment, as is being demonstrated, UCLA could make a strong top-10 push in the coming years.

16. Clemson
There is no way around the fact that Clemson has underachieved in the past 10 to 20 years, especially in the time that Florida State wobbled. It failed to take full advantage of the Bobby Bowden transition years, and now the Seminoles are again rolling. But make no mistake that coaches would line up to take this job if it were open, because the support and resources are there to be competitive at the highest level.

Put it this way: Clemson has an SEC mentality and SEC facilities -- but it plays an ACC schedule. And in the ACC, there's FSU, a gap to Clemson at No. 2 -- and then a gap to the rest of the league. Going back to the conversation about South Carolina leaning hard on in-state talent for high-end success, it is not as necessary for Clemson. The Tigers have had a better presence in Florida for years, and they fare well in Atlanta, too. Dabo Swinney and former coach Tommy Bowden have worn their faith on their sleeves. They've sold recruits on Clemson being an extension of their own family. The school has also shown that it has deep pockets for assistant coaches' salaries. The fact that it shelled out $1 million-plus to hire and keep former offensive coordinator Chad Morris was eye-opening to coaches.



The city is a quaint, clean college town with nearby mountains and lakes, boosts for both leisure and scenery. Fan support is fervent. The tailgate scene rivals any in the SEC, or anywhere in the country. Memorial Stadium was beginning to show its age, but the WestZone project about a decade ago was a fountain of youth. Additional phases are in the works to continue upgrading that end of the stadium. The school also completed an indoor facility in 2012. As far as a total setup for success, there isn't a whole lot more a coach could ask for than what Clemson currently has.

15. Tennessee
After a putrid, embarrassing decade, characterized by instability from the president's office on down, Tennessee appears to again be moving in the right direction. The school is on its sixth president since 1999, but at least Joe DiPietro has been in office for four years (and counting). To a lesser extent, the athletic director and football coaching positions had become a turnstile. After another rocky transition for Rocky Top, AD Dave Hart and coach Butch Jones seem to finally have everything steadied. Jones was not Hart's first choice, but he has exceeded expectation as a program- and morale-builder. His consistent air of positivity was absolutely what the moribund program needed. Related: The on-field product is trending upward. Jones and his staff just completed their second consecutive top-five recruiting class, no small feat for a program that cannot rely on in-state talent.



So a coach walking in the door tomorrow would be greeted with a lot sunnier forecast than what met Jones. Additionally, the school's facilities are literally unrecognizable from a decade ago. A much-needed revamp of dilapidated Neyland Stadium kick-started a push that has since included an overhaul of the team's practice and training facilities, offices and meeting rooms. Peyton Manning's lounge, which houses memorabilia and overlooks the practice fields, just might be the coolest hangout in college football. A new residence hall geared for athletes is on the way, as well. Everything is again set up for success. Can Tennessee again climb toward the top 10? And if it reaches that point, can it stay? Or is it just too difficult for a program that has to recruit nationally?

 

[Skooby]

Tier 2: The Next-Best
Not quite elite, but not far from it. In many cases, programs that could creep toward -- or inside -- the top five in the future.

14. Michigan
There are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between the past decade for Michigan and the previous entry, Tennessee. They both ousted successful veteran coaches -- national-championship-winning coaches -- only to wander in the wilderness for years and contemplate how true the grass-is-greener adage really is. As we said, Tennessee is in the midst of a renaissance led by Jones. Michigan is only beginning its resurgence phase, but the hire of Jim Harbaugh provided a sizable spark. NFL types never really thought Harbaugh would spurn pro ball and return to his alma mater. And yet here he is, wearing a goofy grin and a block "M" ballcap. Harbaugh hasn't even coached a game at the Big House yet, and it can be said with some certainty that the NFL is the biggest threat to Michigan's long-term success. If he gets the itch to again chase an elusive Super Bowl ring, the Wolverines could be left in the lurch. But let's say he does leave in two, three, four years. How much can he do in the interim to prop up the injured brand? How much better will the job be?

All that can be done at this point is speculate, but he has momentum. He has been a successful coach wherever he has been. There's arguably unprecedented administrative support, as evidenced by how aggressively and intently Michigan pursued Harbaugh. The academic side will always have a football aversion, but it does not appear prohibitive in any way to success. Construction will continue to elevate Michigan's facilities, which were lavishly praised just last week by Jameis Winston after the Heisman winner worked out there. Winston also said he wishes he could have played for Harbaugh. Imagining the new coach gets a few Winston-level talents along the way, Harbaugh will assuredly leave Michigan in a far better place than he found it.

13. Auburn
When you think about it, Auburn partly has Alabama to thank for its recent success, including the 2010 national title. With Nick Saban's program taking off, Auburn had to become aggressive to close an ever-widening gap. (There are some Ohio State-Michigan parallels there.) Saban forced Auburn to get better, or get left behind. The rivalry is again competitive, including in the recruiting world. The Tide signed a ridiculous 18 ESPN 300 prospects in the 2015 class; Auburn signed 12, including the nation's No. 1 overall recruit, Tampa-based DE Byron Cowart. The addition of Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator played a decided role in the Tigers' strong signing-day close.

Auburn's level of commitment was illustrated when it hired Muschamp in December, making him the highest-paid coordinator in the country. The facilities, in total, are among the best in the SEC. Jordan-Hare Stadium has aged relatively well, but Auburn is reportedly exploring the idea of adding more club-level seating and updating the locker room. The football building up the street still has a fresh feel to it, and the adjacent indoor facility was completed in 2013. As evidenced by the 2010 hardware and the 2013 run to the BCS title game, Auburn is well equipped to compete for championships -- even with Saban still in the picture. A coach would jump at this job if it opened tomorrow.

11. (tie) Oregon
Oregon has not hired a head coach from outside the program since Rich Brooks in 1977, so if the job were open tomorrow the Ducks would likely just promote again. But if that weren't an option, there would be a line of coaches from campus to I-5. Brooks and Mike Bellotti elevated Oregon to contender status, and Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich have continued the program's ascent. Coaches have long viewed Autzen Stadium as one of the tougher places in the country to play. A $90 million renovation in 2002, on Bellotti's watch, elevated the venue to be the best in the Pac-12.

In 2013, the school finished a $68 million complex that is second to none in college football. From the weight room to the coaches' offices to a full-service barber shop, they didn't miss a thing. The coaches and administrators deserve a lot of credit for their work, but Nike money has driven the program higher and higher. No one else has that sort of a sponsor. The Ducks have never been elite-level recruiters, but they've found fits for their system. That's primarily been speed, and on both sides of the ball. The recent staffs have been tremendous in identifying and signing freakish athletes who develop into sound players. A new coach would be silly to change that philosophy.

With Nike's involvement, Oregon has remained on the cutting edge of equipment and uniforms. More than anything, it's the brand's synonymous association with the Ducks that have the program tracking toward the top 10. Despite its momentum, why isn't Oregon higher? Some skepticism still remains because it's the most recent program to make a leap toward being elite. Really, it needs a national title to shed that scrutiny and establish its staying power. Until then, it's just hanging out on the second shelf.

11. (tie) Texas A&M

Coaches acknowledge that a good job got better when A&M moved to the SEC. "To have an SEC school in Texas," one said, "that's huge." You've likely noticed that construction projects have been thematic throughout this exercise -- but you have not seen one to the extent of Texas A&M's two-year, $450 million makeover of Kyle Field. The Home of the 12th Man needed a remodel; it's getting a rebirth. The team's facility, connected to the south end of the stadium, is also in the process of being redone. In fact, the coaches are currently displaced from their offices while they're getting a much-needed face lift. When the extensive project was announced, coach Kevin Sumlin was quick to say that $125 million of the funds needed was privately raised in a single week. So there is eagerness and commitment from A&M's administration and its benefactors. That was also evident last year when Sumlin, amid overtures from USC and the NFL, had his salary bumped to $5 million a year.



A coach walking in the door tomorrow would endure the remainder of the construction project, but it will mostly be complete by the start of this fall. And when it's done, it's going to move Kyle Field toward the very best venues in the sport. It already had fire and energy, but it will soon have visual appeal, as well. College Station is kind of stuck out in the middle of nowhere, but it's growing rapidly and it's still only an hour or two from Austin and Houston. Generally, location isn't something that is preventing recruits from going to A&M. And the Aggies are doing well in that area, having signed 31 ESPN 300 prospects in the past three classes. You can win with that kind of talent, even in the SEC West.

10. Notre Dame

One panelist had Notre Dame rated sixth while three voters had the Irish just outside the top 10. But we all agreed that one of the sport's more storied brands still had a spot among the elite. Coaches do, too, for the most part. One did wonder whether the academic standard could make it a more complicated job than others in the top tier. But most coaches figured the strong, time-tested name would offset any admissions concerns. The Irish have as much of a national image as any program. "They can still recruit with anyone," one Power 5 coach said. Notre Dame is also working to keep up from a facilities standpoint. Nearly on A&M's level, historic Notre Dame Stadium is in the middle of a $400 million renovation. The project, called Campus Crossroads, also involves adhering academic buildings to the stadium's periphery. Think there's a message being sent there? The stadium remodel speaks to renewed commitment to football, but the administration is making sure the public knows classroom work is still a daily priority. This is a great, career-making sort of job -- but those close to coach Brian Kelly took note how worn down he seemed by the end of last season. There's a lot that goes into keeping Notre Dame running at a high level. Most coaches would agree it's well worth it.

9. Oklahoma
Some Sooners fans are getting impatient with longtime coach Bob Stoops, but that's because he spoiled them by winning a national in his second season. At this point, however, it's been five years since OU's last outright Big 12 title. The winners since then: Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Baylor and TCU. No Oklahoma, no Texas. Stoops has continued to win 10 or 11 games a season, but perhaps new blood would hit "reset" on the program's stalled momentum. And if a new coach took over tomorrow, he'd find a talent- and resource-rich environment, a program primed to again win big. Despite underachieving seasons in 2011 and 2014, Oklahoma is far from broken. The in-state crop is decent, but recruiting in Texas is and always will be the barometer for the program's success. If it dips, so do the Sooners. But coaches see no discernible reason why Oklahoma wouldn't remain consistently strong in Texas. OU's stadium and facilities are above average, certainly among the best in the Big 12, but the school isn't standing pat while everyone else in the region upgrades. The board last summer approved a $350 million to $400 million plan that includes enhancing the football complex and closing in the stadium's south end zone. The John Blake dark ages aren't returning anytime soon, but someone could do more at Oklahoma than Stoops is presently. Even Stoops' friends have hinted that that's true.

8. Georgia
With Atlanta recruiting talent at your disposal, some wonder why coach Mark Richt can't turn Georgia into a juggernaut, why a perennial contender isn't a regular champion. Is Richt underachieving -- or, maybe, is his employer failing him in certain areas? The more intently you listen, the more coaches have questions about administrative support at UGA. First, it was the preemptive suspension of former Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley. At least one coach wondered why Gurley wasn't allowed to continue playing during the NCAA's investigation, as others have been when accused of similar offenses -- or for worse things than taking money for autographs. Then it was Georgia's inability to give longtime offensive coordinator Mike Bobo a raise to keep him from leaving for Colorado State. The latter, those close to the program said, really chapped Richt. The tension escalated so much that some familiar with the situation wondered if the bowl would be the last game for either Richt or AD Greg McGarity.



As it turned out, the clobbering of Louisville led to a lot of good mojo. In the days following the win, McGarity announced raises and extensions for Richt and others. Crisis averted. But if Georgia had lost, what would have happened? It all makes you consider that it might not be as simple for a UGA coach as: "Hey, why don't you just go get a bunch of studs from Atlanta and win some titles?" College football is an increasingly complicated business with a lot of political moving parts. All that said, Georgia is still one heck of a job. Athens is the top-notch college town. Sanford Stadium is a terrific venue, and the school's practice and training facilities have seen upgrades. The Bulldogs are even finally getting an indoor facility, it seems. Finding a location had long been an issue, but school officials -- again intentionally showing more commitment -- are working through it.

7. Florida State
Two or three coaches thought we had FSU way too low. One thought it deserved to be in the top three, if not No. 1. He thought it was well on the way to replacing Alabama as the dynasty du jour in the sport. "With the way you can recruit there, it's the best job in the country," he said. To his point, the Seminoles have had 36 ESPN 300 recruits in the past three classes -- and 26 of them were Floridians. With Florida struggling, FSU has again become the "it" school in the state. So what held it back from a higher ranking in our poll? It was likely the sense from coaches that its facilities and assistants' pay appeared to be lagging. That's an evolving perception, however. There's a $250 million plan on the books to update Doak Campbell Stadium between now and 2018. That includes the outdated-looking offices and training areas in the south end zone of the stadium. Also, an indoor facility adjacent to Doak Campbell was completed in 2013. Another reason FSU isn't in our top five? Tallahassee, while it's the state's capital city, is bland and average. It is at least relatively close to the Panama City and Destin beaches. Florida State has been trending up for the past three or four years. It's back to where it was at Bobby Bowden's high point, more than one coach has said.

 

[Skooby]

6. LSU
Some coaches argued that LSU should be higher, definitely in the top 5. The biggest reason? A lack of competition for in-state prospects in a talent-rich state. Other schools are recruiting them, sure, but very few beat LSU on home-state recruits. "It's a miracle if a Louisiana kid leaves Louisiana," a coach said, laughing. "If they do, they better not count on going back home anytime soon." The sense of family and loyalty is deeply entrenched in the state and at LSU. Coach Les Miles is someone who doubles down on that idea. There are passionate fan bases -- and then there's LSU. No one beats a bayou tailgate, and the party just continues inside Tiger Stadium. And then afterward, too. LSU spent $80 million on a recent expansion of the stadium's south end zone, a project that includes a number of new luxury boxes. Another round of upgrades, including to the west side suites and press box, is about a decade old. The team's practice fields and football facilities -- just across a main road from Tiger Stadium -- are adequate, but they do not merit a "wow." With great food and friendly people, just visiting Baton Rouge is a blast. So there's a lot of appeal for both recruits and coaches. New Orleans is an hour away, too.



Tier 1: The Best
With just about every resource on hand and every opportunity to succeed, these are literally dream jobs for coaches.

5. Florida
Probably the most appealing part of the Florida job: The bar is currently set unbelievably low. It's basically where it was when Urban Meyer took over, when the program quickly bounced back and won a pair of national titles. (No pressure, Jim McElwain.) So what happened to Will Muschamp? As one AD said after Muschamp was fired, Florida just isn't the kind of place you learn to be a head coach. Meyer had previous experience. So does McElwain. He should be fine. UF isn't perfect, coaches sometimes point out. McElwain had a checklist when he arrived. One of the first items was finally getting an indoor facility erected, and the school announced in January that a $15 million structure was on the way. It should be ready by the fall. The coaches' offices need work, too. There's a surprising lack of windows and light for the Sunshine State's flagship school. The Swamp used to be the SEC's most daunting atmosphere, along with LSU's Death Valley. A coach's enthusiasm could quickly bring back the vigor that has been missing since Meyer's penultimate season. We'll see whether McElwain can do that part of the job. Conditions are right for Florida to again rebound and take its rightful place in the SEC. It's really difficult to fail with that much talent in the backyard.

4. Ohio State
When Meyer landed at Ohio State, there was a collective "uh oh" emanating from the rest of the Big Ten and college football's powers. It was a match that seemed as if it would quickly yield results, and it has. If not for NCAA restrictions, including a postseason ban, the Buckeyes might have been in title position sooner. Then again, the run-in with the NCAA is what prompted the coaching change and led to Meyer's hire. The Woody Hayes Athletic Center was ahead of its time in 1987, and regular updates have kept it among the country's best facilities. Similar upgrades along the way continue to make the Horseshoe one of college football's most iconic places to watch a game. To no one's surprise, Meyer and his staff are leveraging OSU's positives to recruit at an absurd rate -- especially compared to the rest of the league. The Buckeyes have signed 40 ESPN 300 recruits in the past three classes while the other six programs in the Big Ten East have added a total of 62. The talent gap in the league is as wide as it has ever been. Beyond the focus on the three quarterbacks, Ohio State has as much returning in 2015 as anyone in college football. It didn't lose a single underclassman to the draft. Meyer would be a tough act to follow, but with those players and those resources, it'd be worth a shot.

3. USC
Our panel was torn a bit on the Trojans, with the five votes ranging from Nos. 1 to 6. The divisive part, with both our panelists and the coaches we talked with, was Los Angeles. You're either enamored by it or you can't stand it. It's polarizing that way. And USC isn't tucked away in Orange County; it's 10 minutes south of downtown, right in the middle of everything. For assistant coaches, it's easy to understand qualms with the cost of living and potentially long commutes. Head coaches, though, usually wind up building or buying places in one of the nice beach communities. (Vince Vaughn bought Lane Kiffin's old house in Manhattan Beach, after all.) The clear upside of L.A. is the ability to sell sun, sea and celebrity. Where else can you go where Will Ferrell might be hanging out at practice? The $75 million McKay Center brought USC sports into this millennium. The locker room and training areas were huge upgrades from the previous facility. The Coliseum now needs some freshening up. AD Pat Haden has said the school will figure out how to use $70 million in the next decade to update the historic venue. With the NCAA matters now behind the Trojans, roster limitation is no longer hanging over anyone's heads. Leveraging momentum, USC added a baker's dozen of ESPN 300 recruits in the 2015 class. If Steve Sarkisian cannot win big in the next couple of seasons with all the talent on campus, it really will be someone else's job.

2. Alabama
Nick Saban brought Alabama football to where Tide fans thought it should be. But that creates a danger if you're the one tasked with following Saban. As someone in that media market said this week, Saban himself is learning how difficult it is to maintain the bar that he set. Impossible expectations is one of the only things keeping Bama from the top spot in our rankings. But that concept is a college football "first-world problem," isn't it? That the previous coach was too successful? You'd much rather that be the case than a revolving door because no one could win. Tuscaloosa is a classic college town situated 45 minutes from Birmingham. The facilities, many of them recently updated, are truly first-class. Bryant-Denny Stadium's north end zone was enclosed just before Saban arrived, and the south end zone followed a couple of years into his tenure. Now the school is just doing cutesy things like adding a Starbucks. That's when you know your stadium is up to code among the country's elite. Coaches say the renovations to the football building named for late AD Mal Moore -- another person who deserves ample credit for re-establishing the program -- are simply stunning, second only to maybe Oregon. The weight room is a particular marvel, they all say. Alabama is a relatively strong recruiting state, but Saban has again established the program's name well beyond its borders. Flash an Alabama business card these days, and you can get in whichever door you'd like. The Tide is the biggest brand in the game right now. It's the Yankees or the Patriots of college football. Staying there? That's the rub. A coach would be silly not to take the Bama job, but the standard is so, so high.

1. Texas
Ah, we've arrived at our destination. If every Power 5 job suddenly opened tomorrow ... Texas would be the most desirable choice. Even its conference and regional rivals didn't argue much with those results. "I mean, what more could you want?" one Big 12 coach said. Austin is a vibrant, diverse and growing city that is receiving international acclaim; it's a destination for coaches and recruits alike (if only for Franklin Barbeque brisket). The facilities aren't brand-new, but they're still among the best in the country. Even so, you're not going to catch the school's brass sitting on its hands -- not with A&M's headline-grabbing stadium project and the acclaim for new venues at Baylor and TCU. Texas let everyone know last summer that it had earmarked $750 million for athletic facilities spending for the next five to 10 years. That includes updates to the football building and some parts of DKR Stadium. The administration is proud enough -- and has deep enough pockets -- to make sure the football program has everything it could possibly need, and more.



As for recruiting, Texas high school football is as close to a minor league feeder as there is for college football. Skill players are especially plentiful -- and quarterbacks, too, though that hasn't been Texas' strong suit in recent years. The Longhorns have a gigantic fan base but it has never been known as particularly exuberant once inside DKR. The "wine-and-cheese" metaphor for North Carolina basketball also works for Texas football, one coach suggested. It's a fairly accurate portrayal, though a counterpoint is that some of that is coach-driven; someone could come in and immediately enthuse the Exes. The only discernible downside of the gig is a sometimes turbulent political climate at the university -- where the AD and president, in addition to the head football coach, have been run off in the past year. A powerful or successful enough coach, however, can avoid the political potholes. There's pressure involved, sure, but the job also entails myriad perks. The Forty Acres is college football nirvana, all the live long day.

 

[954UAlreadyknow]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/stor...id=InsiderTwitter_Elhassan_cavscomingtogether

@Skooby

 

[Dominique Wilkins]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/stor...id=InsiderTwitter_Elhassan_cavscomingtogether

@Skooby

The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will do battle Thursday night, giving us a possible NBA Finals preview. With the exception of a couple of hiccups, the Warriors have played near-flawless basketball from the jump, posting a 44-10 record and outscoring opponents by a league-leading 12 points per 100 possessions by virtue of being the best defense and second-best offense in the league.

By contrast, Cleveland's season has been anything but smooth sailing, with issues arising almost immediately, as they struggled to assimilate Kevin Love, and were seemingly not on thesame page with coach David Blatt.

However, the midseason trades that brought inTimofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumperthave provided the necessary shot in the arm, along with LeBron James' midseason rejuvenation after an eight-game hiatus, boosting the Cavs to a 17-3 mark in their last 20 games.

During that stretch, the Cavs have led the NBA in net rating, outscoring opponents by 11 points per 100 possessions (one point better than the Warriors' mark during that same stretch).

Looking back at a piece I wrote earlier in the season about five fixes for the Cavs, it's interesting to see how many of them were accomplished by the trades. Truth be told, I underestimated just how impactful the chemistry issues in Cleveland were, as the infusion of fresh blood brought about the necessary buy-in to the offensive principles (watching the Cavs now is like night and day from earlier this season, as the ball whips around a lot more and stagnates a lot less) and defensive schemes (much more communication and effort).

Give credit to Blatt for normalizing a rotation that was all over the map earlier this season, and bringing down the minutes of his main guys. (Kyrie Irving, James and Love averaged 38, 37.5 and 36 minutes per game, respectively, prior to James' return to the lineup on Jan. 13; they're now down to 36, 34 and 32 minutes per game, respectively.) He's also gotten more involvement for Love in recent weeks, despite a drop in usage from 22.4 percent to 20.8 since Jan. 13.

Christian Petersen/Getty ImageThe Cavs are buying into what David Blatt's selling.
There has been more of an effort to get Love touches at the elbow, and he's moving around within the offense a lot more, as opposed to the bland spacing of the floor usually reserved for players with much less ability.

While James still has momentary lapses in media savvy, most notably the notorious "fit in" tweet controversy, the image projected by the team has been largely uniform and positive.

Of course, it's always easy to be positive when the team is winning.

News and notes

• Chris Bosh's medical condition and the injury to Derrick Rose were two somber notes in the post-trade-deadline aftermath that served as a reminder to players around the league that the window of opportunity to compete in this league might look wide open, but it can shut in a hurry (in Bosh's case, the stakes were life-threatening, as we saw from the passing of former Blazers forward Jerome Kersey).

Rose

Bosh
However, from a basketball perspective, losing Bosh and Rose constitute the elimination of two major threats in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. With the addition of Goran Dragic, theMiami Heat were poised to be a dangerous first-round matchup for one of the top seeds (probably the Nos. 2 or 3 seeds).

Meanwhile, Chicago has been one of the favorites to emerge from the East this season, and has pretty much remained steady between the Nos. 2 and 4 seeds. In other words, life just got incredibly easier for a couple of teams at the top of the East.

• Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle got into it with Rajon Rondo on the sideline over play calling, leading to Rondo's benching for the remainder of the game. Afterward, they allegedly had another argument in the locker room, leading to Rondo's suspension for Wednesday night's game in Atlanta.

More from ESPN.com

Amin Elhassan offers his first big board of top 30 free agents in 2015. Story

While tension between players and coaches can occasionally erupt in public view, the incident itself is not as damning as the casual fan might assume (ESPN's Ethan Strauss wrote about the public curse-outs between Warriors coach Steve Kerr andDraymond Green).

However, it is indicative of the rising tension between Carlisle and Rondo, which originates from a predictable source: the incongruence of Rondo's style (predicated on the ball being in his hands and him creating shots for teammates) vs. the Mavs' offense (the ball moves and doesn't stick and the "system" creates shots). I'm not saying one way is better than the other, but I am saying they are very different and hard to mesh, something I talked about on "SportsCenter" when the deal was consummated.

Rondo was undoubtedly a defensive upgrade, but offensively the fit isn't there, and as an unrestricted free agent, he poses a flight risk. The Mavs are now faced with the Catch-22 of choosing between keeping a player who isn't a match for them, or having given up a first-round pick for a rental.

• Speaking of Carlisle, he was predictably testy in the postgame presser after the incident, so we decided to have a little fun at his expense with a #HateHard with Amin episode.

• Tweet of the week goes to the guy who tweeted me his top five players in the NBA: James Harden, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis ... and in a three-way tie for fifth:Jeff Teague, DeMar DeRozan (!) and Pau Gasol. Stay in school, kids.

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/stor...ton-nfl?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Dominique Wilkins]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/stor...ton-nfl?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

There is a logical place to begin when projecting what kind of jump to expect from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after they emerged from the 2014 season with two victories and the first pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Teams finishing 2-14 over the decade from 2004 to 2013 averaged 6.1 victories the following season. Many things generally must go wrong for a team to win just twice in a season. The percentages are against it happening to the same team two years in a row.

The Buccaneers will almost certainly improve, in other words, but by how much? The past three teams to pick first overall went from 2-14 the previous season to 9-7 or better in the next. Is it plausible for the Buccaneers to make that kind of improvement? In taking a closer look, I see four reasons Tampa Bay should be on the radar as a team that could make that kind of jump.









1. There is precedent for significant offensive improvement with a quarterback drafted first overall.


The past three teams to pick first overall made significant improvements, even though two of them -- Kansas City with Eric Fisher and Houston with Jadeveon Clowney -- got little from their rookie first-round selections. The feeling coming out of the combine is that Tampa Bay will select Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston first overall and that he'll need to be a big part of any formula for success.

While teams habitually overdraft quarterbacks and there is debate over Winston's viability as a No. 1 overall choice, most evaluators I've spoken with place him well above the Blaine Gabberts, Jake Lockers and Christian Ponders of previous first rounds. They do worry about his maturity, which could undercut improvement in a worst-case scenario.

If selected first, Winston would join Andrew Luck (2012), Cam Newton (2011) and Sam Bradford (2010) as quarterbacks drafted first overall in the past six years. The three others started 16 games as rookies. Their teams ranked first (Carolina), 22nd (Indianapolis) and 39th (St. Louis) out of 256 teams since 2007 in largest year-over-year gains in offensive efficiency, as measured by ESPN's metric for expected points added (EPA explained here).

The EPA metric dates to 2006 and measures on a per-play basis how offenses and defenses fare compared to league averages in similar situations. For example, when Seattle had second-and-goal from the 1 late in the Super Bowl, the situation carried a 5.2-point expectation for scoring. Malcolm Butler's interception for New England dropped that expectation to 0.2, a massive five-point swing. Adding these changes for every team on every play provides an accurate read on performance adjusted for situations.

The 2007 Patriots offense added 15.3 EPA per game, the best figure since 2006. The 2006Oakland Raiders ranked last at minus-14.3. Carolina improved by 20.8 EPA per game to plus-7.4 with Newton, only to finish 6-10 largely because its defense made the 16th-largest year-over-year decline. Indy and St. Louis also made significant gains in offensive EPA. Those three teams improved from 2-14 to 8-8 on average. The Buccaneers will be looking to follow that precedent after ranking 29th in offensive EPA for the 2014 season.









2. Dirk Koetter's addition represents the greatest coordinator upgrade in the league this season.

That is easy to say after the Buccaneers went through last season without an offensive coordinator, losing Jeff Tedford for health reasons right before the season. Quarterback Josh McCown and the remaining coaches had to scramble. There wasn't much Lovie Smith could do to intercede as a head coach with his roots on the defensive side of the ball. It was a nightmare situation. Many things must go wrong for a team to finish 2-14, and this was one of them for Tampa Bay.









3. The schedule could be much more favorable for the Buccaneers this season.

Tampa Bay and its NFC South brethren draw the NFC East and AFC South in the scheduling rotation for the 2015 season. Sometimes, an easy-looking schedule winds up playing tougher than anticipated. That could happen here, but the Buccaneers' upcoming opponents combined for a .426 winning percentage in 2014, giving Tampa Bay the NFL's fourth-easiest schedule on paper. The home-road splits against AFC South opponents fell unfavorably, with the easier games at home (Jacksonville, Tennessee) and the tougher ones on the road (Houston, Indianapolis). The Buccaneers do get Washington on the road, and their division could be up for grabs.









4. Lovie Smith's track record has to count for something.

Smith finished 14th last summer when I asked 30 league insiders to rate all 32 head coaches. A former GM said this about him at the time: "He never panics, never says it's do or die if he loses two games. Every day, he is the same guy. People get used to that. He's won a lot of games."

Tampa Bay must upgrade its offensive line. It must upgrade its pass rush for Smith's defensive scheme to work.

"Their D will be OK. Lovie will make sure that happens," a coach from another team said.

This coach initially thought the Buccaneers would have "no chance in hell" at making the type of improvement Houston made last season. He noted that the Texans had been a playoff team that fell off when its coach got sick and its quarterback unraveled. That made 2013 more of a one-year dip in the Texans' performance, whereas the Buccaneers have tied with Oakland for the third-worst record in the NFL over the past five seasons. They could have a more protracted hill to climb. But when the coach was reminded of all the things that went wrong for Tampa last season -- specifically, losing the offensive coordinator -- his stance softened.

"They might be able to make that jump because they do have two wide receivers, the running back is decent and there is some talent on defense with [Gerald] McCoy and [Lavonte] David," the coach said.









Closing thoughts

Winston is the No. 1 variable in this equation, and a volatile one. A veteran offensive coach who studied both Winston and Marcus Mariota said he could see why Winston would be the choice.

"Winston scares the hell out of me [off the field], but he is better than the other guy [on the field]," this coach said.

This coach and others think Winston needs less space than Mariota needs to feel comfortable within the pocket and that he is more natural moving within the pocket, in part because taking off for a long run isn't an option for him. Coaches also see in Winston a quarterback who has shown much greater ability to vary the way he throws the ball to beat specific coverages.

"I just love how Winston feels stuff," one of the coaches said. "[Mariota] is very similar to Colin Kaepernick but probably has a little better arm because Kaep is so low with his release all the time. [Mariota] has more arm angles but always throws it flat. Winston will throw it perfectly with enough arc and zip to get it up and down before the safety arrives. He has a real natural feel. He is the guy who can pick up any ball and play any sport and beat you."

Whether Winston can do that as a rookie behind a shaky offensive line while staying out of trouble will go a long way toward determining the Buccaneers' trajectory in 2015. But some pieces are in place for a Tampa Bay turnaround.











Notes






[+] Enlarge
Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY SportsThe Vikings have a track record of moving on from big-name players.


• Vikings and Peterson's agent: An ugly confrontation at the combine between Adrian Peterson's agent and Minnesota's front office further clouded the running back's already murky future with the team. A few issues are at play here. The Vikings have shown a long history of moving on dispassionately from key players, such as Randy Moss and Percy Harvin. Peterson could be next, and that realization could be very frustrating and disillusioning for a player accustomed to being valued at every turn.

The agent in question, Ben Dogra, has in recent months gone through a messy breakup with his former agency. That was presumably a stressful and agitating situation. The Vikings executive he quarreled with, Rob Brzezinski, has in the past rubbed some the wrong way with tactics such as the ones Minnesota employed in negotiating the Steve Hutchinson poison-pill contract. There is obviously ill will between the Vikings and Peterson already over how the team has handled his off-field troubles.

Whether the agent acted appropriately or not, he has now proven in a very public way that he will literally fight for his client. This could actually help him with Peterson and other players. Whether the Vikings move on from Peterson remains undetermined, but in terms of on-field production and standing within the locker room, Peterson would appear to be a safer bet than Moss or Harvin were previously.

The less this becomes a matter between Dogra and Brzezinski, the more it can become one between Peterson and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer. The degree to which that shift takes place could say a lot about whether Peterson returns to the team as a key part of the offense.

• Staking out Los Angeles: The St. Louis Rams and San Diego Chargers are the teams I think have the greatest shot at winding up in Los Angeles. The Chargers can make a geographic argument for having a stake in Southern California. The Rams have an owner in Stan Kroenke who comes off as the poker player everyone fears the moment he sits down at the table. As one executive put it, the Raiders are clearly the team most likely to mess up the opportunity.

• The Titans' decision at No. 2: The column colleague Field Yates wrote about Tennessee holding the key to the draft touched on the idea that if Winston goes to Tampa Bay as expected, Tennessee could steer clear of Mariota because coach Ken Whisenhunt prefers traditional pocket passers. I understand the thinking, but can teams without good quarterbacks afford to pass on good quarterbacks simply because those good quarterbacks do not make comfortable fits for the coaching staff's preferred offense?

It's obviously premature to criticize the Titans for a decision they have not made and might not make (and might not even have to make, if Mariota goes No. 1 to Tampa Bay), but their thinking regarding Mariota ultimately will be of great interest. Quality quarterbacks are scarce enough that when they do become available, shouldn't teams make the necessary adjustments to harness their skills? It is a question worth further discussion no matter how the Titans proceed.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

@Skooby

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/stor...-ndamukong-suh-other-big-name-free-agents-nfl

 

[Dominique Wilkins]

@Skooby

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/stor...-ndamukong-suh-other-big-name-free-agents-nfl

With the franchise tag deadline now past, there is a lot more clarity about the current NFL free-agent class. The 2015 crop looks particularly strong at running back (and will be even stronger if Adrian Peterson is released) and with edge pass-rushers. It lacks talent at quarterback and in the secondary. But that doesn't mean there aren't premier free agents out there, and plenty of teams interested in them.

For a look at how ESPN analyst Bill Polian grades the top free agents in this class, click here. What I've done here is take five of the biggest names available on the open market and identify the three best team fits for each, including Ndamukong Suh and Randall Cobb.

Suh




DT Ndamukong Suh

Landing spots: Oakland, Cleveland, Indianapolis

In order to land Suh, a team is going to need to spend a lot of money. The Raiders, Browns and Colts all could use a player on defense to build around on the interior -- and a major upgrade on that side of the ball, no less. Suh fits any scheme and can be used in a variety of ways.


He's an every-down player, and although it has gotten him into trouble in the past, he brings an aggression like few others in the NFL. We know the Colts and Browns aren't afraid to make big splashes with signings or draft picks, and the Colts, being a contender, could be a very attractive landing spot for Suh.





The Jaguars, Jets and Titans also have a ton of money to spend, but Suh has stated that he wants to go to a bigger market than Jacksonville; defensive line is the least of the Jets' roster concerns; and Tennessee could select USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams with the second pick of the draft.





Rarely does a player of Suh's value actually hit the open market and avoid the franchise tag. Any team in the league that can make Suh's new contract work under its cap should be in the market for him.

McCourty




S Devin McCourty

Landing spots: Jacksonville, New England, Jets

Jacksonville, with tons of cap space, should be salivating at the fact that McCourty is hitting the open market. The Jaguars are in the midst of transforming their defense in the mold of what has been so remarkably successful in Seattle. While they have some promising defensive backs, their secondary is very young and they currently lack the most important ingredient of mimicking "The Legion of Boom" -- the Earl Thomas role at free safety. While McCourty might not be quite the presence Thomas is in center field or in the run game, I believe he's the second-best safety in football and extremely versatile.

McCourty entered the league as a first-round cornerback and still has some cornerback-like man coverage skills. Coach Bill Belichick used McCourty's versatility extremely well, and it would be surprising if the Patriots, who curiously used their franchise tag on kicker Stephen Gostkowski instead of McCourty, will let their 27-year-old star leave without a fight.

The Jets would surely love to swipe a key component away from their divisional rivals. New coach Todd Bowles implemented a ton of dime defense as Arizona's defensive coordinator last season, often with four safeties on the field. Currently, the Jets don't have close to the type of quality at the position that Bowles had with the Cardinals, and McCourty also could act as a mentor and outstanding complement to last year's first-round pick, Calvin Pryor, who struggled as a rookie and is more of an in-the-box safety than McCourty.

Cobb




WR Randall Cobb

Landing spots: Oakland, Cleveland, Green Bay

With Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas franchised, Cobb should be the most sought-after wide receiver on the market. At only 24 years old, Cobb already has a fine NFL résumé and is a highly versatile player. His detractors will say his production mostly comes from an ideal environment and optimal quarterback situation in Green Bay -- and there could be some truth to that -- but there is no argument that he would be a massive upgrade for teams like the Raiders and Browns, both of which are devoid of wide receiver talent heading into free agency. The Chiefs are another team that desperately needs a player like Cobb, but they are not listed here because of their current financial quandary.

Cobb may never score 12 touchdowns in a season again outside of Green Bay, but he would be a huge addition to the teams listed above. The Packers would love to keep him, but have prepared for this day by using three draft picks last year on wide receivers, including second-rounder Davante Adams, who came on in the postseason. Cobb is an exceptional complementary piece in any offense, but not a true No. 1 wideout. His addition alone will not cure an ailing passing game. Jeremy Maclin or Torrey Smith may end up being a consolation prize for Oakland or Cleveland.

Murray




RB DeMarco Murray

Landing spots: San Diego, Tennessee, Indianapolis

After the massive workload Murray had in the 2014 regular season and playoffs, he carries a huge "buyer beware" tag for me. We also know that the running back market can be very tepid, and it won't help his case that this upcoming draft class is loaded at the running back position. But you can't take away what Murray did in 2014, and he would be an upgrade for many teams around the league.

The Chargers' first priority should be to rebuild their offensive line, and some of that should come through the draft, but the trio of Donald Brown, Danny Woodhead and Branden Oliver simply isn't enough in the backfield. The Titans made Bishop Sankey the first running back off the board in last year's draft, but adding Murray would make Sankey a high-functioning second back and ease Zach Mettenberger's transition to the NFL game. Mettenberger is the type of pocket quarterback who needs a strong running game.

There probably isn't a team in the NFL that is as weak at running back as the Colts currently, and with their salary-cap situation, they are in a position to spend. Going to Indianapolis could be attractive to Murray, and the Colts' front office has been known to be aggressive at this position.

Thomas




TE Julius Thomas

Landing spots: Jacksonville, Atlanta, Cleveland

Like I do with Murray, I have some concerns about Thomas, and he might never match his Broncos production in a new home. But there are quite a few teams that have a lot of money to spend that are in need of a difference-maker at tight end. Jacksonville and Atlanta have their quarterbacks in place and are strong enough at the wide receiver position, but someone like Thomas would be a welcome addition in the middle of the field and in the red zone, especially for a very young quarterback like Blake Bortles (Marcedes Lewis is likely to be released).





With the Falcons, his production might not drop nearly as much as it would with other teams, and his targets could actually increase in the Atlanta offense. On paper, the Browns' passing-game components are currently the worst in football.

Thomas still has some rawness to his game in his route-running ability and has durability concerns. He isn't much of a blocker, though this is an area he has worked to improve. Oakland also could be in the mix for Thomas, as well as Seattle and Buffalo.

 

[FreedS[ohh]lave]

http://m.espn.go.com/ncb/story?stor...d=InsiderTwitter_Goodman_Mudiayplayervsplayer


http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?stor...d=InsiderTwitter_Fraschilla_Mudiayfilmsession

 

[Dr. Narcisse]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draf...aft?ex_cid=Insider_share_12414599_Sharon_Katz