Forgot to post here on the board, but home and home canceled

All signs point to the fact that Cincinnati will add 2023 Breeon Ishmail (Princeton HS) to their 2023 recruiting class tomorrow. Ishmail has reported offers to UC, UK, WVU, MSU and several other P5 schools. He wil be the last commit in the 2023 class.

Apparently, the two sides have agreed to a settlement. No other details available:
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Since there's not a lot of media coverage of Kennesaw State, we reached out to the student newspaper, The Sentinel, for this week's Q&A. Still some really good stuff on the Owls:

Following my INsider last weekend on Stover. Full story:
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New additions on the concourse
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This month's concept is a service based business that is an in-demand niche’.

-Ability to own semi absentee with 12-15 hours weekly commitment
-Truly recession resistant model / focused on service and repairs instead of new construction
-Limited national competition / most competitors are small local businesses
-Strong national partnerships / zero supply chain issues
-High, constant demand services / 9 billion dollar industry
-Fast to ramp/break even/profitability
-Low monthly overhead / owners work from home / manage your business from a laptop-cell phone
-Strong internal support / Virtual technician training program, multiple peer groups, coaches with industry success

Thanks for playing everyone!

It's been exactly one year since UC accepted its Big 12 invite. Commissioner Brett Yormark is on campus visiting today and taking part in a number of meetings:
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Our friend Ryan Wright, Rivals.com's southeast analyst, stopped by Duclona's high school this week. Really no change with the Bearcats. He's all set to sign in December:

I post this because it's been three years since UC wasn't ranked. One blowout win this week could get the Bearcats back in:
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Full video from today's weekly press conference:

Going through UC's position by position grades. A few surprinsing low marks, but overall, not a ton of high ones.

Highlights and game recap from today's loss:

Released this morning through multiple outlets. Evan Prater should also see time.

We all kinda had an idea this was coming. This afternoon, the College Football Playoff confirmed that the playoff will expand from four to 12 teams. Here's the full release from the CFP:

1. The 12 teams will be the six conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee (no minimum ranking requirement), plus the six highest-ranked teams not included among the six highest-ranked conference champions.
2. The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee whose size, composition, and method of selection will remain substantially unchanged. The Management Committee will modify the selection protocol as required by the change to the playoff structure.
3. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and each will receive a first-round bye.
4. The other eight teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
5. The model allows for first-round games to be played on either the second or third weekend in December in a way that best accommodates the format and the participating teams, with at least 12 days between the conference championship games and the first-round games. The Management Committee would make the final determination of the calendar.
6. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four quarterfinal games and two Playoff Semifinal games would be played in bowls on a rotating basis.
7. The national championship game will continue to be played at a neutral site.
8. Subject to reaching agreement with bowls, the four highest-ranked conference champions will be assigned to quarterfinals bowls on selection day in ranking order, and in consideration of current contract bowl relationships if those bowls are selected for the rotation. For example, if the Pac-12 champion were ranked #1, the Big Ten champion were ranked #3, and the Rose Bowl were a quarterfinal site, the Pac-12 champion would be assigned to the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten champion would be assigned elsewhere.
9. With the four highest-ranked champions assigned to quarterfinal games in bowls, the opponent from first-round game winners will be assigned by the selection committee based on the bracket.
10. The higher seeds would receive preferential placement in the Playoff Semifinal games.
11. First-round games will not have title or presenting sponsors and existing venue signage will remain in place. The CFP will control the video boards.

We caught up with our friend Mason Choate from HawgBeat.com, Rivals.com's site covering Arkansas, to get a breakdown of the Razorbacks:

UC reached out here yesterday, but it seems like Lightfoot has slid down UC's board a bit. We'll see if that changes this fall. Still worth keeping an eye on.

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Guys, I caught up with one of UC's top defense targets in 2024 and one of the first calls the other night in the midnight pounce, four-star linebacker Garrett Stover, from just outside of Columbus. He's up to 18 offers now with some big ones involved, including Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Penn State.
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Stover told me he's been in steady contact with UC, especially since this spring when he got a lot of in-person visits from different coaches. He told me, "I really think that’s a place I can see myself playing." And he said he's really gotten a lot of conversations in with defensive coordinator Mike Tressel, his primary recruiter and assistant coach Kerry Coombs. Stover didn't share a lot of specifics, but said he loves how he'd fit in on the Bearcats' defense and how the coaches told him he could have a hybrid role. I'm guessing he's talking about the 'dollar' position the staff has, which is in between linebacker and safety, who can blitz, be in the middle of the field or drop back a bit in coverage as the personnel dictates. Stover told me he feels like he's known Tressel for "nine years," which was an interesting comment, just that he feels so comfortable around him. And with Coombs, their relationship goes back to when Coombs was on staff with the Buckeyes, so they've talked a lot.

So, you guessed it, I do think Ohio State is the slight favorite here, but not sure where Stover is on the Buckeyes' board. If they make a serious run at him, he's definitely a big lean. Stover mentioned a lot of coaches there, including Ryan Day, who he's comfortable with. The other one to really watch is Notre Dame. Those two are the only ones he has definite plans to visit. He'll be at Ohio State this weekend for the game Saturday night and at Notre Dame in November for its game against Clemson.

Cincinnati was the first school he mentioned wanting to visit that he doesn't have a set date for. He said he also wants to get to games at Michigan State, Northwestern and Penn State. So there's some time still, here. Even if other offers come in, it's hard to see that top group of Ohio State, Notre Dame and UC changing. No timetable on a decision and doesn't seem to be in a rush right now. But I'd imagine some type of top list or cutdown this fall.

Full story coming.

Our Sam Kwiatkowski joined our friends at HawgBeat.com to talk about the game this weekend:

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Hey guys, got in one more INsider on a 2024 offer before tonight, when coaches are allowed to contact 2024 recruits at midnight. That's when we'll really see who's interested in who.
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Lightfoot is another Chicago product, which UC has hit that area hard in recent years. It makes sense. Chicago is a huge area and the two big football programs in-state, Illinois and Northwestern, aren't very good and don't have massive fan bases. Lightfoot has 24 scholarship offers also including Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, Notre Dame and USC.

With UC, it sounds like earlier this summer and even spring, Lightfoot was pretty big on the Bearcats. He told me offensive coordinator Gino Guidugli made a few visits to his school during the open contact period and they developed a good rapport. But in Lightfoot's mind, that's "died down." He told me he hasn't been in nearly as much contact with UC and it sounds like he feels like the Bearcats are no longer interested. That could be the case, but we'll see if they reach out tonight. So often, it's not what a program thinks, it's what the perception of recruits, their coaches, etc. are. I wouldn't write this one off right now. But again, we'll see who the staff reaches out to tonight.

Right now, I think Michigan State is the slight leader. Lightfoot was at the Spartans' barbecue on July 30 and Michigan's the next day. He didn't say a ton on either, but the way he talked about Michigan State, I think that's the leader.

As with the rest of the 2024 class, it's a wait and see for tonight and tomorrow. Some kids won't answer the phone at midnight, but will call tomorrow. Still, if a coach reaches out, that's the sign that the interest is legit and those offers are legit.

Full story on Lightfoot coming.

Courtesy of HawgBeat, our Arkansas affiliate:

Quincy Burroughs' little brother:
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Fickell still being mum on who will start at QB: