Category: Student Work

By Zach Wagner | @zachwager22 Sports Capital Journalism Program With under three hours to go until the start of the College Football Playoff National Championship, the Sports Capital Journalism Program sent graduate student Zach Wagner out to the parking lot with the hope of finding a good tailgate or two. He found one for each …

By Frank Gogola & Zach Wagner | @FrankGogola & @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Sports Capital Journalism Program students Frank Gogola and Zach Wagner have spent the last several days covering the Clemson and Alabama beats, respectively. Now, the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T is at hand and a champion — either …

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By Zach Wagner | @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.– Brad Wright, Board Co-Chairman of the Arizona Organizing Committee, discussed topics ranging from the preparation for the second College Football Playoff National Championship, the role the Phoenix area plays as a host for large-scale events, and the anticipated economic impact. The game between No. …

By Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program PHOENIX – Ryan Norton, a fifth-year senior offensive lineman for the Clemson Tigers, has seen it more times than he can count. A pass play is called. The team lines up in shotgun. The ball is snapped. Norton and the other offensive linemen engage their blocks. They’re …

By Zach Wagner | @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Alabama coach Nick Saban said that the January 18 deadline for college football underclassmen to declare for the National Football League draft should be adjusted to accommodate participants in the expanded four-team College Football Playoff. “I wish they would move the declare date …

By Frank Gogola | @FrankGogola Sports Capital Journalism Program SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz remembered the phone call like it was yesterday. Ferentz called Grambling State’s athletic department on the night of April 23, 1993. He was the Cleveland Browns offensive line coach at the time and was hoping someone, anyone would …

Sixty minutes isn’t a long time. It’s a mere hour. That’s how long – short? – each team’s media session was during Saturday’s Media Day leading up to the College Football Playoff National Championship. That’s 3,600 seconds for Clemson. And 3,600 seconds for Alabama. Sounds like a long time. It isn’t. There are so many …

For years, I’ve heard the old adage that to be truly great at sports, having a high level of self confidence was key. After today’s Media Day at the College Football Playoff National Championship, I believe the same thing to be true about being a successful sports journalist. With an event of this importance, the …

By Zach Wagner | @zachwagner22  Sports Capital Journalism Program PHOENIX — When Derrick Henry’s Alabama teammates attempt to describe what makes him so special, their responses often mention that his actions speak louder than his words. The confidence displayed during Henry’s Heisman Trophy season comes from the strong inner belief he has in himself and …