Author: nfltalk

Oklahoma’s addition of Cal transfer running back Jaydn Ott dramatically shifts power dynamics of the position in the SEC. The Sooners were looking for serious playmakers to help revamp an anemic offense, and Ott could quickly prove to be a game-changer.

The running back position was quietly lackluster last season in the SEC. Only three backs cleared 1,000 yards, and Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson was the only one to rank in the top 20 nationally in yards rushing per game. Complicating matters, five of the top six rushers from last season are now gone. 

That said, there’s a formidable crop of young talent ready to ascend to stardom in the conference. LSU’s Caden Durham, Georgia’s Nate Frazier and Florida’s Jadan Baugh are rising stars. A few other players will soon return from injury and add some depth. Still though, are any good enough to unseat Ott? 

As a note, we’re listing only one running back per school. Texas running backs Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter both have serious cases to rank in the top five, but things will get a little weird if we’re digging down depth charts before touching on every team. 

Here’s how we rank SEC running backs after Oklahoma’s addition of Ott. 

1. Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma

Ott suffered through injuries all of last season. When he’s healthy, though, Ott is one of the nation’s most explosive players. As a sophomore in 2023, he exploded for 1,315 yards and 12 touchdowns at California to lead a surprising run to a bowl game. Ott will slot into Oklahoma’s lineup and give them the…

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LSU football was busy in the first round of transfer portal action, but Tigers head coach Brian Kelly expects roster movement to remain calm in the spring.

“I like our roster right now,” Brian Kelly said, “It wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t have anybody in the portal on either side, either leaving our program or adding.”

Kelly said he would be happy to take this roster into May.

“I like what we’ve done with this roster. I like the development of it. Not all of that is in my control, obviously. But I can tell you we’re not like actively saying, we got to have this, we got to have that,” Kelly said.

Kelly said LSU is always looking for ways to help the team, but the situation is different than it was in January.

In the winter, LSU saw 16 transfers leave and 19 arrive. Per 247Sports, LSU’s transfer portal class ranks No. 2 in the country. Among LSU’s top-ranked additions were former Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton and former Kentucky wide receiver Barion Brown.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker recently said LSU made an effort to add experienced players when looking in the portal. The Tigers lacked returning contributors with 300+ snaps and wanted to fill that gap. With the hole filled, LSU can sit put for now.

Kelly’s optimistic that LSU won’t lose anyone either. That bodes well for LSU’s chances of building depth.

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Spring football continues to feel different around college football — and I remember writing that this time last year — but, boy, this has really been different. We’ve got high-profile standoffs between star quarterbacks and their SEC programs, we’ve got the near-total elimination of spring football games as we knew them, we’ve got teams rushing to spend crazy amounts of money now before an expected House v. NCAA settlement goes into effect, and we’ve even got Bill Belichick wearing Carolina blue.

Some things can’t be messed with, though. Taking stock of the top players in the game is a rite of passage every spring. You’ll notice on this list that a lot of things have changed in the sport. A fleet of household-name quarterbacks and more are gone — not one player in the top 10 of my year-end rankings is back. 

Colorado’s dynamic two-some is, too (a year ago, I had eventual Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter No. 1 on this list). You’ll even see two (and counting) players who have are entering the transfer portal this week, including former Tennessee arm Nico Iamaleava, who now is sorting through his destinations. 

There are no true freshmen on this spring list, but there will be when we do things midseason. There are a staggering three true sophomores in my top 10, including the No. 1 player in all of college football. Let’s get started. 

1. Jeremiah Smith | WR | Ohio State

I’m expecting a bigger, faster, stronger version of the best true freshman receiver of our lifetime. Smith is a matchup nightmare who…

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With the news that Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter’s numbers have been retired, we thought it was a great time to look at every Colorado player whose jersey has been retired.

Only four numbers have been retired in CU’s 135-year football history before Sanders and Hunter. Some numbers, like 11, 24, and 67, were retired but reentered into circulation years later. No. 19 will still be “unwearable” for 14 more seasons, meaning that retiring two more numbers did not drastically reduce the available numbers.

Without further ado, here are Colorado football’s six retired numbers, with the addition of No. 2 and No. 12.

No. 24 – Byron White

Quarterback and halfback Byron White wore No. 24 from 1936-37 for the Buffs. White was an All-American running back for Colorado in 1937 and led the Buffaloes to an undefeated season that year. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. White’s jersey was retired on November 3, 1938, near the end of the following season, by being placed in a special university trophy case.

No. 67 – Joe Romig

Romig was an offensive guard for the Buffaloes during the 1959-61 seasons. During his senior year, he was captain of the 1961 team. Romig’s 67 jersey was retired at halftime of the spring game on May 11, 1963.

No. 11 – Bobby Anderson

Anderson played running back for Colorado from 1967 to 1969. He was a dual-threat running back and quarterback when he led the Buffs in rushing and passing. After his senior season, he was a consensus first-team All-American. Anderson’s 11 jersey was retired at halftime of the spring game on May 9, 1970.

No. 19 – Rashaan Salaam

Salaam wore jersey No. 19 from 1993-94 during one of the best individual seasons in college football history. En route to the 1994 Heisman, Salaam rushed for a school-record 2,055 yards and became only the fourth college running back to run for…

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