What's Next For Big 12?

The Big 12 managed to stay together after losing Colorado and Nebraska and some saber rattling from Texas and Texas A&M.

Now what?? With the conference apparently on firm footing again, it's time for the Big 12 to go after some other schools and actually get back to 12 teams. So Colorado and Nebraska are gone. I say good riddance! Nebraska realized it was never going to get a leg up on Oklahoma or Texas and Colorado was a stepchild in the Big 12, so both ran away to try their luck elsewhere.

Now the Big 12 needs to beef up by going after LSU and Arkansas. Why would both join the big 12? Money of course. But wait, doesn't the SEC offer a bigger payout to league members? By all reports they do, but if the Big 12 comes up with some new TV money and allows teams to go after their own TV contracts, there is more money to be had.

Arkansas has become nothing more than a whipping post since leaving the Southwest Conference and has to long for the days of past conference rivalries with the Longhorns and Aggies, although the Hogs were smart enough to nail down a non-conference schedule with the Aggies at Jerry World for the next nine years. Meanwhile, LSU would be better served by yearly tussles with the neighboring state of Texas. Yes, LSU has a couple decent rivalries with Alabama and Florida, but geographically their fan base is much closer to College Station and Austin. The biggest benefit for both of these schools would be that it puts them in a better position to recruit Texas.

The next thing to do is to jettison Iowa State and round up TCU. The Horned Frogs are showing they are perennial top ten material in football and have advanced to the College World Series in baseball. Iowa State.......maybe the Pac 10 has a place for you. TCU......there's a place for you in the Big 12; but you need to add 15-20,000 seats to your stadium and make sure it's packed on Saturday's.

On any given Saturday I would pay to see Oklahoma/LSU, Texas/Arkansas, TCU vs. Texas A&M and Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma State. Kansas State, Kansas, Missouri and Baylor would round out one of the nation's top, if not the top conference in college football.

We can all dream can't we?

Woman Hired as Varsity HS Football Head Coach

Natalie Randolph was named as the head coach of the boys' varsity high school football team at Coolidge High School in Northwest Washington D.C. on Friday, and is believed to be the only female head coach in the United States. Coolidge High tabbed the 29-year-old former wide receiver for the D.C. Divas of the women's professional football league as head coach after she served a two-year stint as an assistant at Woodson High School.

The main concern seems to be that the other head coaches are afraid of being the first team to lose to a team coached by a female.

Read the story here.

Win Super Bowl Tickets and Other Prizes

The Fort Worth Star Telegram is asking readers to vote for the greatest moments in North Texas High School Football in the last 100 years. By participating you'll have the opportunity to win Super Bowl tickets and other prizes. You can print and mail your votes here or vote online here.

National Signing Day Show to be Streamed

Fox Sports Southwest will be streaming their national signing day show here at 6 PM central time.

Not many surprises on signing day, with the notable exception of Dallas Skyline all-state linebacker Corey Nelson, who switched his commitment to Oklahoma after originally stating he was bound for Texas A&M.

Realignment & Signing Day

The 2010-11 realignment didn't seem to produce many surprises this year. Mostly it seemed to be a time of returning to the past, including, but not limited to the return of Abilene to the "Little SWC" out west and Longview rejoining class 5A.

Longview will be welcomed back to 5A with one of the toughest non-district schedules in the state as they travel to Allen and Lufkin, before hosting Abilene.

One of the best matchups forthcoming in 2010 will be a tilt between defending class 4A champs Lake Travis and Aledo at a location to be determined. It will be a home and home series the next two years.

Also, former class 2A schools, Aubrey and Pilot Point, who had outstanding 2009 seasons (Pilot Point garnered a state title), will move up to class 3A and join each other in district 9-3A.

On the heels of realignment comes national signing day tomorrow, with the Texas Longhorns scheduled to sign one of the most highly touted classes in school history. The late commitment of Plano West DE Jackson Jeffcoat put the cherry on an outstanding group that features a strong core of wide receivers and the second leading rusher in Texas high school football history in Cayuga's Traylon Shead.

And don't look now, but the Texas A&M Aggies have lined up a class considered top ten material by most analysts. The men in maroon appear to be on the rise.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl, played in San Antonio, will be televised on NBC at noon today. The state's top recruit, DE Jackson Jeffcoat from Plano West, will not play today due to a sprained ankle.

As usual, some recruits will announce their college intentions, but don't expect a commitment announcement from Jeffcoat, who stated he is still in the process of deliberation.