From quarterback play at Syracuse to offensive line action at Pitt, from young stars at Oregon to a receiver search at Utah, from Nebraska offensive plans to Indiana pass protection, Kings of the North takes you around Northern spring football on this episode. Then it's the fourth region of our Most Important Person in Northern Football bracket. This time, Bill Landis has 16 seeds for Defensive Players in The North, and he and Doug Lesmerises have to pick a winner. Finally, it's Whatcha Watching, Eating and Thinking. Thanks for joining Kings of the North.

Penn State coach James Franklin is entering Year 12 leading the Nittany Lions, with his best chance at a national title yet. But there haven't been many modern coaches who won their first national title in Year 12. Is Franklin ready to lead a natty run this season? Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis discuss that. They also open the show with their latest region for their Most Important Person in Northern College Football bracket -- and it's coaches. Franklin is in there, but what other Northern coaches -- head coaches and assistants -- will most define this season? They run through 16 options. Finally, it's a look at several issues around college football from the legal problems of a former Michigan assistant, the continuing arrests of Georgia players, and the departure of the Maryland athletic director. Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • Most important northern coach region (09:00) • Can James Franklin win a title after being at Penn State for over a decade? (01:06:30) • News around the north (01:40:48)

Where will your college football coach be in five years? Only 11 of our 28 Northern coaches were in their current jobs five years ago, so on this Kings of the North, Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis look to 2030 and guess who the head coaches will be then. Will your coach be around? If not, who might be a replacement? Then it's the second region in our bracket of Most Important People in Northern College Football in 2025. Last show we did quarterbacks. This show, it's all the other offensive players, from running backs to offensive linemen to receivers. Who are our 16 seeds? Who will win the region? And to finish, it's Whatcha Watching, Eating and Thinking. Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • News around the north (03:40) • The 5-year coach test - will each coach still be at their northern school in 2030? (12:30) • Non-QB offensive player region for most important northern player (01:02:00) • Whatcha watching, eating, thinking (1:35:40)

Which college football quarterbacks will have the greatest impact on the North in the 2025 season? On this Kings of the North, Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis unveil their first bracket of the spring, and it's the 16 Northern quarterbacks with the chance to affect this season the most. With the help of the audience, they'll produce a bracket winner. But first, it's a look at which teams are having spring football games and which aren't. Are that many teams really doing away with them? What about an interesting suggestion from Colorado head coach Deion Sanders? How would Bill and Doug save spring football? Finally, it's a look at which Northern football powers are doing it best on the basketball court? And why is the South kicking the North's butt there? Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • What to do with spring games? (09:20) • Should teams play against each other (10:30) • Spring game solutions (35:30) • Most important quarterback for 2025 season bracket (46:10) • Football-basketball power balance (1:33:00)

It's a college football recruiting reset for the Class of 2026, from a Clemson invasion to Oregon's national reach, from Northern victories in the South to Kansas wins in its homestate, from Maryland five-stars to quarterback commits at Penn State, Michigan State, Notre Dame and more. Join Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis for a spin through Northern recruiting on this Kings of the North. Then, all win totals are now set for the 2025 season, which gives Doug and Bill time to fully dive into all Northern squads, including the glut of teams with an over-under of 7.5 wins: BYU, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Nebraska, Utah and Washington. Plus Whatcha Watching, Eating and Thinking, where Doug brings a visual aid. Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • Class of 2026 recruiting trends (03:30) • Maryland looking for two 5-star prospects (14:00) • Clemson invading the north (24:00) • Early QB commits (28:24) • North-south recruiting trends (34:30) • Kansas locking down its home state (37:25) • Oregon recruiting around the country (40:00) • Breaking down every northern team and their win total (50:10) • Whatcha watching, eating, thinking (1:24:45)

It's college football trades on Kings of the North, as the rosters of teams like Michigan, Pitt, Kansas State, Iowa, Texas, Ohio State, Clemson, Penn State and Oregon are examined and some tweaks found ... if only college football allowed trades. It's a version of transfer portal movement where teams on both sides get something. But Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis had more trouble with the trades this season than they did a year ago, and they think they know why. Plus, Eddie George was introduced as the new head coach at Bowling Green on Monday morning. The guys examine what the former Ohio State Heisman Trophy winner might do for the Falcons and the MAC. Will a MAC team ever make the College Football Playoff? Will the best coaches in that league move on the way so many did in the past, from Brian Kelly to Dino Babers? What's the state of the MAC and what can George do about it? Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • Bowling Green hires Eddie George (01:15) • What can Eddie George do for the MAC? (09:00) • Will the MAC ever make the college football playoff? (39:30) • College football trades (50:00)

The 2025 College Football Playoff is less than 10 month away, so how could Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis not have playoff picks on the board yet? They are fixing that on this episode of Kings of the North, putting their first 12-team brackets on record. How many North teams? How many South? How many locks? Who are the off-the-radar contenders like Indiana and Arizona State turned out to be last year? They also review their five different playoff projections through the course of 2024 to help you figure out how much you should trust them. And there's a discussion of the new College Football Playoff committee members, and Whatcha Watching, Eating and Thinking. Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • Six new members of CFP selection committee (03:30) • Look back at Doug and Bill predictions for 2024 CFP before spring football last year (22:00) • Doug and Bill top 4 seeds for 2025 CFP (53:40) • Doug and Bill first CFP bracket for 2025 (1:05:45) • Whatcha watching, eating, thinking (1:19:45)

Spring football has started at West Virginia, BYU and Kansas, with other Northern schools starting this week. On Kings of the North, that means a dive into 10 potential breakout players to watch this spring. Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis chose players from Oregon, Nebraska, Maryland, Kansas State, Penn State, Ohio State and Syracuse, among other schools. Should you trust their spring breakout picks? A year ago, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith were two of the players they discussed. Plus a look at some Northern players who stood out at the NFL Combine, including a couple of Iowa State Cyclones. Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • ACC agreement update (06:45) • First 5 players to watch during spring football (14:00) • NFL Combine notes (36:05) • Recapping our 2024 players to watch during spring football (55:40) • Final 5 players to watch during spring football (01:04:00)

Which Northern college football teams are bringing back the most and the least from last season? On this Kings of the North, Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis look at the teams returning a lot (Illinois, Rutgers, Michigan, Cincinnati) and a little (Syracuse, Oregon, West Virginia). Plus more talk of changes to the College Football Playoff seeding, some NFL Combine updates, and Whatcha Watching, Eating and Thinking. Thanks for joining Kings of the North. Chapters: • Northern news (01:30) • 2025 returning production - who has the most returning production? (21:30) • Who has the least returning production for 2025? (53:40) • Whatcha watching, eating, thinking (1:05:25)

College football changes on moments, from wins and losses to coaching swaps, from transfers to conference realignment decisions. On this Kings of the North, Doug Lesmerises and Bill Landis decide to Change One Thing with recent Northern college football history, from Texas joining the Big Ten to Brian Kelly staying at Notre Dame to Michael Penix staying at Indiana to big wins for Kansas State, West Virginia, Michigan and others with title implications. Thanks for joining Kings of the North for this quick version of some alternate histories. Chapters: Change one thing - • The Pac-12 stays alive (05:00) • Nick Saban stays at Michigan State in 1999 (14:10) • BYU beats Arizona State in 2024 (22:20) • Oregon or Kansas State make the 2012 title game (28:00) • 2024 is still a 4-team college football playoff (36:40) • Texas joins the big ten in 2010 (43:55) • Iowa hires Bob Stoops instead of Kirk Ferentz (50:55) • Michigan beats Ohio State in 2016 (59:20) • Justin Fields attends Penn State (1:06:41) • West Virginia beats Pitt in 2007 (1:11:00) • Michael Penix stays at Indiana (1:18:15) • Ohio State makes the 2017 CFP over Alabama • Wisconsin beats Ohio State in 2017 big ten title game (1:22:50) • Brian Kelly stays at Notre Dame (1:31:25) • Ohio State beats Georgia in 2022 CFP semifinal (1:36:25)