College football's 20 most important people for 2020: Nos. 16-20
There are plenty of important people in the college football ecosystem. We picked out who we believe to be the top 20. Here is a look at numbers 16-20 as we count down to No. 1 in our new 20 for 2020 series this week.
20. Paul Finebaum - ESPN
What makes Finebaum so interesting is that he’s highly-opinionated but also highly curious, so he asks interesting questions and he leads thoughtful debate across his platforms. Large swaths of the country might not be fully in-tune with Finebaum, but if you live or follow college football in the Southeast, then he’s probably a voice you hear every day.
He called Dabo Swinney the “most annoying winner in all of sports.” He was critical of Urban Meyer’s handling of the Zach Smith domestic abuse situation at Ohio State, receiving scorn from Meyer’s wife, Shelley, on social media. According to reports, To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee listened to Finebaum’s radio show every day.
And Finebaum is a huge piece of ESPN’s future plans around college football coverage. Love him or hate him, agree or disagree, Finebaum leads a lot of the discussion centering around the sport - with a particular love affair with SEC football. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
Farrell’s take: Finebaum is considered a fan boy of Alabama, a shill for the SEC and a troll, but people listen to what he says. His trolling of Jim Harbaugh, Swinney and others has always been interesting and he is a polarizing personality that is much needed in college football. His bias is clear, but when he says something controversial, the college football world responds.
19. Kirk Herbstreit - ESPN
We all know Herbstreit from ESPN College GameDay and his work in the booth on Saturdays alongside Chris Fowler. Some call him the face of college football. But Herbstreit also sparked controversy recently when he was asked a question about the return of football following the coronavirus pandemic and he said, “I’ll be shocked if we have NFL football this fall, if we have college football. I’ll be surprised if that happens.”
Those were sobering words from Herbstreit, especially as a nation looks to return to normalcy, and to watching sports. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said, “Kirk does not know what he’s talking about,” saying Herbstreit is not a scientist and that Herbstreit should let the scientists make those determinations. At least one other coach and a slew of fans came out as critical to Herbstreit’s comments.
It’s evident now more than ever that not only might Herbstreit be the face of college football, he might be its leading voice, too.
Farrell’s take: I am a big fan of Herbstreit and I think he does an amazing job. Back in my brief time at ESPN, he was always nice to me, down to earth and interesting in recruiting. And he’s made himself the biggest name in college football media.
When he says something about doubting we will have a college football season, it makes waves in all of sports. The bottom line is when Herbie speaks, people listen and despite being a bit thin-skinned at times, he does a great job interacting with fans as well. When you think of college football, it used to be Fowler, but now it’s Herbstreit.
18. Mike Bohn - USC athletic director
Mike Bohn was hired to replace Lynn Swann and resurrect the USC football program more than anything else. His first decision, to keep Clay Helton, was met with frustration from USC fans and alum alike.
USC is still the bell cow of the Pac-12 and in the best geographical spot to make a playoff run with the amount of talent in California. Will Bohn pull the trigger if Helton struggles again this year with what looks like a talented roster?
Farrell’s take: Bohn needs to make a big move here if he gets rid of Helton. And by big I mean a name like Urban Meyer, since the last few hires have lacked luster for fans and alumni and on the recruiting trail. Bohn will be under pressure weekly from the media and will be expected to make a splash. Or he can just hope Helton has a big year to make him look smart.
17. Spencer Rattler - Oklahoma quarterback
Oklahoma quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield were transfers who won the Heisman Trophy and then became back-to-back No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks. Last season, Jalen Hurts transferred from Alabama to Oklahoma and not only led the Sooners back to the College Football Playoff but also threw for 3,851 yards with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in one season.
And now Rattler, the former five-star quarterback from Phoenix (Ariz.) Pinnacle is expected to be the starter for Oklahoma this season. Tanner Mordecai and others will compete for the job but this is expected to be Rattler’s time. Could there be a more perfect fit for coach Lincoln Riley’s offense as the former five-star has a terrific arm plus he’s athletic and can run for yards as well. Rattler will be surrounded by a maturing wide receiver group filled with five-stars as well.
Oklahoma has won double-digit games every year except once since 2010 but has not won a national title in 20 years. Can Rattler lead them to the promised land?
Farrell’s take: Rattler isn’t a true freshman, but he might as well be. But based on the success Mayfield, Murray and Hurts have had under Riley you have to expect big things from Rattler. He will be in the Heisman discussion early in his career and will push Oklahoma towards the playoff. Quarterbacks rule the world and Rattler is the next great one at OU.
16. Bryce Young - Alabama quarterback
He has not played in one college football game. He has not even gone through a spring practice at Alabama because of the coronavirus pandemic stopping sports in their tracks. But Young is back in Los Angeles working out with Pittsburgh Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, Arizona Cardinals receiver Kevin White and throwing against Los Angeles Charges defensive backs Derwin James and Desmond King.
The former five-star quarterback from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei is in the running with Mac Jones, Taulia Tagovailoa, Paul Tyson and others, but Young will be right in the thick of the competition heading into the fall. Coach Nick Saban is definitely not hesitant to start freshmen quarterbacks - Hurts put up huge numbers as a freshman and Tua Tagovailoa brought Alabama back to win the national title as a freshman - but starting Young in his first year would be a huge step.
It would also be important since Alabama opens its season against USC, the childhood dream school for Young where he had been committed for months before ending up with the Crimson Tide.
Farrell’s take: A freshman quarterback on this list? A guy who hasn’t taken a snap? Yep. When a five-star quarterback heads across the country to play for the best coach in college football history to compete for multiple national titles, it’s a big deal. Blake Barnett lost his job quickly to Hurts and Hurts lost his job to Tua Tagovailoa on a national stage. And while I like Jones, Young isn’t coming to Tuscaloosa to sit and he will be an impact player immediately and eventually a Heisman winner.