50 CFB Questions ahead of 2024 Season (Part III)

At the time of this publishing (July 24) there is only ONE month left until the brand-new CFB season. Time to break down some burning questions I have about the top 50 teams (according to cbssports.com)

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a four-part series. 
Part One can be found here: https://themessagepitch.com/2024/07/24/50-cfb-questions-ahead-of-2024-season-part-i/
Part Two can be found here: https://themessagepitch.com/2024/07/27/50-cfb-questions-ahead-of-2024-season-part-ii/

29. West Virginia: Has Neal Brown done enough?

WVU went 9-4 last year after a few mediocre seasons under Neal Brown. While Neal Brown is a fantastic coach, many have looked at his WVU hiring as a fish-out-of-water scenario. If WVU has less success this year, will Neal Brown still be in Morgantown? Especially with a guy like Dan Mullen available?

30. Troy: Gerad’s Game?

The hiring of Gerard Parker as head coach seemed like a very left-field move. Parker had been demoted at WVU before moving to Notre Dame–where he was the OC for one season before going to Troy. Troy has had success with these hires before so we will wait and see. The Big question here is simple, “will it work?”

31. Memphis: Last G5 hurrah?

Memphis is, shockingly, still a member of the American conference. With all of the constant conference realignment moves, the Tigers have stood pat. Could this be a strategic move to earn the auto-bid to the CFP? Is it a matter of when not if in regards to a Memphis conference move?

32. Utah: You, You, Utes oughta know (how this goes)

Utah always knows how to take the next step. Once they realized the Mountain West Conference wasn’t giving them the best chance to contend, they moved to the PAC-12. Now that the PAC is gone, they have moved to the Big 12. With the counterculture playstyle (for Big 12 standards) of tough defense and physical offense, will Utah be the conference champ in 2024? 

33. USC: Trojan Horse?

USC is stereotypical Lincoln Riley football. All offense, no defense, and to quote Jordan “Buffalo” Waldrep: “softer than a bag of milk.” Reports have come out that Lincoln Riley has already tried to cancel the LSU opener three times now. With no Caleb Williams, and a new, tougher conference, things could get ugly in SoCal fast. If this team fails to make a bowl game, or go better than 7-5, does Lincoln Riley stick around or look to jump again?

34. Duke: Can Diaz duplicate Elko’s success?

With Mike Elko leaving for College Station and Riley Leonard leaving for South Bend, can Manny Diaz and Malik Murphy keep the Blue Devils competitive as more than a basketball school?

35. North Carolina: Maye-jor Transition

Who will be the new man under center in 2024? Will transfer Max Johnson be the guy or will one of the younger QB’s step up?

36. UCLA: Fostering change?

Chip Kelly avoided being fired just to take the OC job at OSU. UCLA has a new coach in Dan Foster and a new conference. Will they be able to tread water or get lost in the shuffle?

37. Maryland: Terrapinning down the QB spot?

For the first time in what feels like 12 years, Taulia Tagovailova isn’t behind center for the ‘Terps. The Maryland staff has been quiet on who will be the starter. Will it be Billy Edwards or MJ Morris the transfer?

38. Iowa State: Campbell Chaos?

Matt Campbell has revolutionized the program at ISU. He has also been a name to watch with higher profile jobs and NFL jobs coming open over the last few years. Will this be the year he finally leaves the Cyclones for a “bigger job?”

39. Kentucky: Bush Push to New Heights?

Can new OC Bush Hamden push this offense down the field? Will the success he had at Boise translate to the Bluegrass state?

That’s all for now. Catch the final edition, Part IV: Questions 40 – 50, later this week.