College football super seniors could change fortunes in 2021

[Harry]

As major college football returns to normal in 2021, one of the lingering effects of the pandemic season will be the return of hundreds of extra, older players who choose to stick around for another year. With spring practice approaching, more than 1,000 scholarship players are expected to take advantage of the NCAA’s eligibility mulligan, according to an Associated Press review of rosters provided by 129 schools.

The number of these super seniors on each team is subject to change and likely to go down as players continue to assess the value of an playing extra year of college football, but their presence is likely to have a major impact on the 2021 season.

ESPN’s SP+ power rankings use returning production (everything from yards and points scored to tackles and interceptions) to project how teams will do in the coming season. Bill Connelly, who created SP+, said there will be more returning production across college football in 2021 than in any year since he started tracking it in 2014.

Connelly said on The AP Top 25 College Football Podcast the typical national average for returning production among FBS teams is about 62% per team. As rosters continue to come together, with transfers still finding homes for next season, the national average for returning production has already topped 70% per team.

“Everybody’s like eight to 10 (percentage points) higher because they’re returning more seniors, because all the seniors got a chance at an extra year of eligibility,” Connelly said.

CONFERENCE USA

• Charlotte – 8.
• Florida Atlantic – 18. Notable: CB Zyon Gilbert.
• Florida International – 14.
• Louisiana Tech – 10.
• Marshall – 15. Notable: all-C-USA TE Xavier Gaines.
• Middle Tennessee State – 12. Notable: S Reed Blankenship, 309 career tackles.
• North Texas – 6.
• Old Dominion – 8.
• Rice – 5.
• Southern Mississippi – 15.
• UAB – 12. Notable: All-C-USA LB Kris Moll.
• UTEP – n/a.

Total: 123.

read more:  https://www.denverpost.com/2021/02/28/college-football-super-seniors/

[UNT18Grad]

Interesting that Dion Novil was not chosen as one of their "notable" returners as a 2 time all conference player.

[meangreen11]

1 hour ago, UNT18Grad said:

Interesting that Dion Novil was not chosen as one of their "notable" returners as a 2 time all conference player.

Maybe they thought he went pro?  Good point though huge oversight.