Welcome to Glass Slipper! That Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur handshake made me smile; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

**NOTICE: Glass Slipper will arrive on Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday this week.

Here are my 10 biggest takeaways from the College Football Playoff semifinals.

1. Standing ovation.

Kewan Lacy wraps up his true sophomore campaign with 1,567 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. Here’s the full list of individuals that have ever logged those totals in their first or second year of college.

• James Conner, Pittsburgh (2014)

• Jarvion Franklin, Western Michigan (2014)

• Devin Singletary, Florida Atlantic (2017)

• Travis Etienne, Clemson (2018)

• Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss (2025)

Take a bow, young man. The Rebels will have a legitimate Heisman contender on the roster next season, whether Trinidad Chambliss is back or not.

2. Show your work.

Will Howard was a sixth-round pick. Carson Beck has a chance to be selected on Day 2. Explain it to me like I just watched Over the Hedge in the theater.

Let’s compare them as prospects, side by side. Howard is a 6-foot-4 transfer, and was 23 on draft night. Beck is a 6-foot-4 transfer, and will be 23 on draft night. We’re all square so far, correct? Howard improved every season, carried zero character-related red flags, and moved up in competition. Beck peaked in 2023, has thrown both teammates and coaches under the bus, and moved down in competition. Howard is more athletic, while Beck possesses slightly superior arm talent. Howard won a ring as a starter. Beck - for the time being, at least - has not.

Some front office is going to talk itself into using extremely valuable draft capital on Carson. I’d strongly advise against that.

3. Florist.

Though I was never a massive fan of Pete Golding’s coordinator work, I have to give him credit for these past several weeks. He had zero experience leading a program, yet stepped into an emotionally-charged landscape and handled Lane Kiffin’s mess flawlessly. Portal inhabitants have certainly taken notice.

Golding answers media questions exactly how you’d think a Nick Saban disciple would, and I love that he immediately established himself as a players’ coach when those kids desperately needed one. I have doubts that Pete will still be in charge a decade from now, but the decision to promote him was made with short-term stability in mind. He’s checking that box emphatically.

4. Watch the tape.

Every coach in America should be sending clips of Mark Fletcher Jr. to their guys this offseason. There’s nothing overtly special about his on-field skill set or physical traits; he picks up yardage on heart and hunger. Blasting through arm tackles, finishing runs with anger. 58 carries for 395 yards in the playoff. I can name 15 Power Four backs who could take a star leap if they competed with a similar attitude.

5. A Fernando Mendoza comparison.

Sam Bradford. I can’t shake the resemblance. NFL-only people will interpret this as disrespect, while college football folks view it as a massive compliment. Bradford was unbelievable at Oklahoma. Injuries - as well as general dysfunction in St. Louis - were largely to blame for his lack of professional success. Let’s hope Fernando has better luck at the next level.

6. Decisions.

Dante Moore and Kenyon Sadiq should declare. I’d urge every single other Duck with eligibility remaining to stick around.

Oregon’s championship-caliber core happened to lay an egg at the worst possible time. I personally don’t spot any other team that is clearly set up for dominance next fall. Run it back like 2024 Ohio State, and chase that hardware again.

7. Kinship.

Curt Cignetti’s little brother Frank is the current offensive coordinator at IUP. He’s never been a head coach. Don’t you think it’s worth taking a flyer on that dude? Like, why not find out if the magic touch runs in the family?

Let’s take the UTEP Miners, for instance. You haven’t won a bowl game since 1967. Scotty Walden is 5-19 through two years. What exactly do you have to lose? If Biff Poggi was able to hold an FBS job while wearing a cutoff T-shirt, I’d say that the younger Cignetti is well overdue for an opportunity.

8. Slide.

As much as it hurts, I must bump Dan Lanning down a level on the tier list. He’s awesome, and I still firmly believe that Eugene is getting that first national title soon. The finishes to these last two campaigns have been nothing short of embarrassing, though. Down 34-0 in Pasadena, then 42-7 in Atlanta? I need more than that, Dan.

9. No-show.

Look, Oregon is really far away from Georgia. I get it. I’ve seen a map of the United States. But this is just flat-out inexcusable.

Credit to Hoosiers fans for making their squad feel loved in a foreign atmosphere. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime season, and they’re acting like it.

10. Time to peek ahead.

Miami and Indiana. Either the ‘Canes return to glory after almost a quarter-century of agony, or Curt Cignetti completes the greatest two-year turnaround of all time. Miami is in its own stadium. Fernando Mendoza is in his hometown. History will be made on January 19th.

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“Hold Me Now” by Thompson Twins. Enjoy.