The Weekender: Armando Bacot Sends a Mixed Message, Oklahoma Softball Three-Peats and Big Noon Kickoff Might Be Changing

By 11W Staff on June 11, 2023 at 2:35 pm
Armando Bacot
Bob Donnan - USA TODAY Sports
18 Comments

Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.

High Drama in Chapel Hill

Armando Bacot spent his Tuesday afternoon making some new friends, as he teamed up with Frosted Flakes to donate $10,000 to a local middle school. The money will help provide sports equipment to the students.

The good vibes, however, weren’t enough to stop the 23-year-old center from firing off a petty tweet. The post has since been deleted, but Bacot simply wrote, “Running from the grind.” The dig was undoubtedly aimed at elite high school prospect Simeon Wilcher, who had just asked North Carolina for a release from his letter of intent.

Wilcher later implied via an Instagram Story that he saw a logjam in the Tar Heels’ backcourt, and was looking for a more prominent role. It’s understandable that Bacot is annoyed with the decision; he came incredibly close to bringing home a championship in 2022, and desperately wants to cap his collegiate career with a ring.

But Bacot is the same guy that has made an annual tradition of turning down the pros to remain at North Carolina. He knows it will be an uphill battle to crack an NBA rotation due to the limitations in his game, so he keeps putting it off. One could quite easily make the argument that Bacot himself is running from the grind.

At the charity event, Bacot’s message to the children of Brogden Middle School was to place more value on having fun with sports than winning. Publicly criticizing the work ethic of a teenager because they want to play basketball somewhere else doesn’t exactly align with that attitude.

Oklahoma Softball Builds on Dynastic Run

The Oklahoma softball team put the finishing touches on one of the most dominant seasons in the history of collegiate athletics on Thursday. The Sooners claimed their third consecutive national title with a 3-1 victory over Florida State, and ended the campaign riding a ridiculous 53-game win streak.

Oklahoma’s only loss of the year was to Baylor way back in February. Things went differently when the two squads met again a couple months later; the Sooners coasted to a sweep and didn’t allow a single run.

For a long time, the balance of power in college softball was shifted towards the West Coast. UCLA and Arizona alone combined to win 20 of the first 29 championships (including the Bruins’ vacated title in 1995). But control of the sport now clearly resides in Norman.

It’s difficult to overstate just how stacked this Oklahoma team was. To give a little bit of context, Sooners captain Grace Lyons is a year removed from having a .401 batting average and being voted a first-team All-American. She hit the go-ahead home run in the closeout win over the Seminoles, and is also arguably the best defender in the country. Lyons batted eighth in Oklahoma’s order, and awards lists didn't consider her a top-five player on her own squad.

Much of the Sooners’ core is expected to be back for another season. At this point, it would be stunning if Patty Gasso’s program doesn’t emerge with the crown again in 2024.

A Change Seems Inevitable for Big Noon Kickoff

FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff crew is likely going to look different in the fall, with reports swirling that Reggie Bush is on his way out.

Bush has had contract disputes with the network that trace back to 2022. That round of negotiations ultimately concluded with the two sides agreeing on a one-year deal. But kicking the can down the road only works for so long, and it appears that the former USC star is headed elsewhere this time around.

According to reports, the frontrunner to replace Bush at the table is Mark Ingram, a fellow Heisman-winning running back. Ironically, this wouldn’t be the first time Ingram was selected to take over for Bush; the New Orleans Saints drafted Ingram in 2011, and sent Bush to the Dolphins a few months later.

A career in television always seemed like a logical next step for Ingram once his playing days were done. He is an extremely charismatic and entertaining guy, and his fun-loving personality could provide another dimension to the Big Noon Kickoff team.

It’s unclear where Bush might go from here. ESPN’s College GameDay, of course, is the other prominent pre-game show, but that set seems to be at its capacity after the addition of Pat McAfee last season. If Bush wishes to stay within the realm of college football, perhaps the likeliest outcome is that he winds up working as a studio analyst.

ICYMI

Ohio State's Greatest Turtle-Themed Rivalry Trophy Has Been Saved Via Clever Scheduling

The Illibuck turtle is an awesome college football rivalry prize, but it hasn’t been at stake consistently in recent years. With the Big Ten’s new scheduling process, that’s about to change.

Two For Flinching

Last year’s Ohio State football team entered its bye week scorching hot, and came out on the other side without an identity. It’s on the coaching staff to ensure that the Buckeyes don’t sputter again in 2023.

Gene Smith Confident Ohio State Can Make NCAA Tournament, Be "In The Hunt" For Big Ten Championship in 2023-24

Gene Smith gave Chris Holtmann a vote of confidence after a disappointing campaign. With a replenished and talented roster, major improvements are expected next season.

What's Next

  • 83 Days Until: Ohio State at Indiana, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
  • 104 Days Until: Ohio State at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
  • 132 Days Until: Ohio State vs. Penn State, TBD
  • 167 Days Until: Ohio State at Michigan, Noon (FOX)
18 Comments

Across The Field: Indiana Beat Writer Zach Osterman Says This Might Be the Hoosiers’ Most Important Regular Season Game Ever and QB Kurtis Rourke Has Played Well Under Pressure

Kurtis Rourke

Lightning Round: Ryan Day Confirms Seth McLaughlin Tore His Achilles, Says Carson Hinzman Will Play Center and Austin Siereveld Will Play Left Guard

Ryan Day
View 18 Comments