1. War Damn Eagle! – Devan Barrett’s time at Auburn is about to get even better. Now that the offensive star is about to become a defensive one, maybe the young man from Tampa Catholic can drive home the mantra that you should never be closed off to making a position switch. It may be the one that blesses you with everything you’ve ever wanted and deserved. Read this article from 247’s Brandon Marcello –>https://247sports.com/college/auburn/Article/Auburn-Tigers-junior-Devan-Barrett-believes-its-his-time-to-shine-at-cornerback-after-moving-from-running-back-130580419/
2. Data Time: There will not be a pop quiz on this Powerpoint presentation from the NCAA’s research department, but one that is pretty neat to look at. The Men’s vs. Women’s breakdowns regarding how many athletes have gone abroad will interest you–and perhaps get you to thinking that they may have provided even more talking points *against* their cause for going to school instead of being able to choose a profession immediately out of high school. You decide for yourself—>https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/research/pro_beyond/RES_IntlProDestinationsXBB.pdf?linkId=100000005618381
3. The (Small School) Struggle Is Real: Interesting article in the Detroit Free Press regarding the struggle that small schools across America face when it comes to keeping up with the Joneses–aka the NCAA–and their rules. This article tells the story of Saginaw Valley State, and should be used as a cautionary tale, as well as used as a template for hundreds of other departments struggling to meet the demands. https://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2019/03/27/ncaa-rules-violations-small-universities-compliance/3275405002/
4. LOADED: While the vast majority of the 2019 fall football schedules have yet to be published, some schools–like Trinity Christian’s from Tuesday–have been sent out for everyone to see. While there are some local schools that have published theirs, of which will we gladly pass along in this column, we would like to highlight one school that is already going to have many eyes on them this season, and that’s Venice. The Indians will play their usual foes Lakeland in the spring, and then Plant in the fall classics respectively, then start the season at home 8/23 vs. IMG’s main squad. They then head on the road to St. Petersburg (8/30) and then Vero Beach on the 6th of September. Weeks 4 and 5 see Clearwater Academy International and Sarasota Riverview come to town, before the Indians open up district play with Sarasota on week six on the road. They will then come back and face nationally-ranked Saint Frances out of Maryland week seven on the 4th of October, before heading back on the road to face Lakewood Ranch in their second district game on October 11th. Their last two games of the season are home facing the Tigers from Cocoa on the 18th, and then district finale versus Manatee on the 25th before a bye week the 11th and final week of the regular season. Nicely done!

5. Activity level crazy high: Jon’Tavius Anderson, Wesley Chapel , 2021, CB