College Football Playoff TV ratings, Bob Shoop & more in Monday's links

The TV ratings for the College Football Playoff games set new standards.

Please tell me you aren?t surprised. This playoff was long overdue for one of America?s most popular sports. So, knowing the TV numbers are off the charts ? how long before this playoff is pushed beyond four teams? Imagine the money TV execs would pay for, say, a six- or eight-team playoff?

***

Oh-oh: Looks like Penn State defensive coordinator Bob Shoop is being considered for the same post at LSU. This would be a big loss if he bolts.

***

Urban Meyer was pretty adamant about it after the Sugar Bowl win: The NCAA needs to find a way to help pay for the parents to attend the title game. How serious is this? Ohio State is going to initiate NCAA legislation which would push for the cause.

"Are we going to get their families to Dallas?" Meyer said. "We should. That should happen immediately, that there should be an immediate committee meeting somewhere.

"Let's get them to Dallas and watch their sons play in college football history. And I hope you all write that. That's more important than anything else being said today."

***

What was the big takeaway for Rutgers from its Big Ten debut? Size matters, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com.

RU needs more big bodies along both lines. Check this info from Duggan: In five non-conference games, Rutgers averaged 223.8 yards rushing and 0.6 sacks allowed. In eight Big Ten games, Rutgers averaged 124.4 yards rushing and 2.0 sacks allowed.

The splits were as dramatic on the other side of the ball. In five nonconference games, Rutgers held opponents to 161.4 yards rushing per game and averaged 3.4 sacks per game. In eight Big Ten games, Rutgers allowed 244.1 yards rushing per game and averaged 2.0 sacks per game.

***

But the Scarlet Knights? depth at running back is encouraging.

***

After Iowa?s TaxSlayer Bowl rout at the hands of a young Tennessee team, the Hawkeyes? future at quarterback is murky.

Who will it be in 2015: Jake Rudock? C.J. Beathard?

?We?ll go back and look at it and go from there,? Kirk Ferentz said.

This will be one of the most scrutinized positions in the Big Ten this spring.

***

Tough loss for Minnesota in the Citrus Bowl. Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks Jerry Kill took a too conservative approach-and the Gophers paid for it.

To wit, Scoggins notes: Knowing his team would receive the second-half kickoff, Kill was content to run out the clock. Rather than try to get points, Kill chose to milk the clock out of concern that his quarterback, Mitch Leidner, might throw an interception and possibly create a deeper hole for his team.

That decision sort of crystallized a collective performance by the Gophers that left a sour taste after a week of fun, sun and historical significance.

They didn?t give themselves a chance to win.

***

Speaking of the Gophers, they suffered another big loss when TE Maxx Williams announced he will turn pro.

He was one of the few weapons on a Minnesota offense that lacked playmakers. How will he be replaced?

***

Indiana saw star RB Tevin Coleman turn pro early. But it landed his replacement in UAB transfer Jordan Howard, who ran for 1,500 yards last year and will be immediately eligible after the Blazers dropped their program. This is a big pick-up for IU.

***

Attitude ? grit ? toughness ? they all are qualities lacking in the Michigan hoops team. Unless they are cultivated ASAP, this could be a tough season in Ann Arbor.

No one saw the Wolverines struggling this much coming off a trip to the national title game in 2013 and Elite Eight trip in 2014.

And if you want to leave a comment on this post, use the box below. All comments need to be approved by a moderator.