Category: College Football

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s flirtations with the NFL are a staple of college football’s offseason news cycle. Now that the athletic calendar turns to the 2024 season following Michigan’s 34-13 win against Washington in Monday’s College Football Playoff National Championship, those talks are sure to heat up once again. 

In fact, they’ve already started. Multiple teams have been making calls over the past few weeks to gather information about Harbaugh, according to NFL.com, who has updated potential staff lists while conducting evaluations of different openings.

It’s no surprise that professional teams would covet Harbaugh’s services. He has steadily built Michigan back into a powerhouse program with a 40-3 record over the past three years. The Wolverines haven’t lost a regular-season game since 2021, powering their way to three straight Big Ten titles while qualifying for each of the past three College Football Playoffs. 

He’s already a proven winner at the NFL level, too, setting himself apart from other college football coaches that might want to test the professional waters and even most NFL assistants that could get a look. As coach of the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-14, Harbaugh compiled a 44-19 record with two NFC West titles and an appearance in Super Bowl 47. 

But after leading Michigan to the top of the mountain for the first time since the BCS era began, would Harbaugh actually leave now? Here’s a breakdown of the key factors at play in a pending decision. 

Contract extension on the table

Michigan is already working hard to retain Harbaugh’s services. The university has reportedly presented Harbaugh with a contract extension that would make him the highest-paid coach in the sport, promising a $125 million salary spread…

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Kalen DeBoer was a high school football player in Milbank, South Dakota when he received his first recruiting letter. It has accompanied him on each of his seven coaching stops, including to Seattle about two years ago when he took over as head coach at the University of Washington.

“This letter … sits behind my desk in a drawer usually that I check often and just think about why I do what I do,” DeBoer, 49, said earlier this year.

On Monday, he will lead the Washington Huskies against Michigan Wolverines in the national championship game – not unlike the author of the recruiting letter once led DeBoer.

The man was Bob Young, former football coach at the University of Sioux Falls, the Baptist-affiliated NAIA school in eastern South Dakota.  It’s where DeBoer became an All-America wide receiver, a fast-rising coach and a protégé of Young, who shared his love for football, his deep spiritual faith and, as reflected in the handwritten recruiting letter, attention to detail.

“It’s just perfectly handwritten,” DeBoer said. “There’s no blemishes.”

DeBoer’s remarks about the letter were part of his taped comments played in June at a Celebration of Life for Young, who died almost a year ago. After Washington beat Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game last month, he received a congratulatory text from Young’s son, Steve.

Replied DeBoer, “We learned from the best.”

Washington coach Kalen DeBoer visits with running back Cameron Davis (22) during warm ups before a game in 2022 against Oregon at Autzen Stadium.

Difficult times for DeBoer’s family

In her mind’s eye, DeBoer’s mother said, she sees little Kalen mowing the vacant farmland near where they lived. He did it so there was a place to play football with his two younger siblings and cousins.

It’s a warm memory from a difficult time, said Phylis Waterfall.

She…

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The 2023 college football season has just one game remaining on the schedule. And how about this, but this game to decide the national champion just so happens to feature the top two teams in the country. On Monday night in Houston, Texas, No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington will clash in the College Football Playoff National Championship as both programs look for their first national title of the BCS/CFP era. 

This is a game of conflicting styles between two teams that will be conference foes come 2024. Michigan has enjoyed one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory by bullying opponents with a power run game and suffocating defense. While Washington boasts a solid run game of its own, the bread and butter of the Huskies’ attack is in the passing game. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was a Heisman Trophy finalist after posting incredible numbers throwing to the deepest receiving corps in the country.

Who will emerge from this battle in Houston as national champions? I wish I knew the answer because I could make a lot of money if I did! Alas, I don’t, but I’m more than happy to offer my best guesses about what will play out on Monday night.

CFP National Championship keys: How Michigan wins | How Washington wins

National Championship: (1) Michigan vs. (2) Washington

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The general narrative surrounding these teams will be that Washington is the better offensive team and Michigan the better defensive team. It’s an accurate assessment but one that’s a bit too generic. Yes, Washington averaged 37.6 points per game, but Michigan averaged 36.0. The vast difference comes in the yardage total, where the Huskies posted 473.6 yards per game to Michigan’s 378.4, but that’s due more to approach than philosophy.

From an efficiency…

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The Georgia Bulldogs have seen a lot of activity in the transfer portal this offseason. Georgia has seen over 20 total players enter into the transfer portal.

Additionally, Georgia has been more aggressive than normal in the portal. The Bulldogs have targeted the wide receiver position in the transfer portal since the SEC championship. The Bulldogs have added commitments from three transfer wide receivers, which helps offset the five Georgia receivers (includes one walk-on) that have entered the transfer portal.

Interestingly, Purdue has been a popular transfer destination for Georgia players. Four Georgia Bulldogs, including most recently wide receiver C.J. Smith, have transferred to Purdue.

The Boilermakers have the No. 10 incoming transfer class in the nation and are looking to build off a rough 4-8 season. Purdue offers an abundance of playing time against top level competition in the Big Ten.

Who are the four Georgia players to transfer to Purdue?

Cornerback Nyland Green

Former Georgia cornerback Nyland Green is ranked as one of the top cornerbacks in the transfer portal, per 247Sports.

Wide receiver C.J. Smith

Explosive Georgia wide receiver C.J. Smith is one of the best Georgia players to enter the transfer portal this cycle. Purdue should have a significant boost from adding four Georgia Bulldogs this season.

Wide receiver De’Nylon Morrissette

Georgia wide receiver De’Nylon Morrissette, a former four-star recruit in the class of 2022, has committed to the Purdue Boilermakers. Morrissette played high school football for North Cobb in Kennesaw, Georgia. He played in three games for the Bulldogs in 2023.

Edge C.J. Madden

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia edge rusher C.J. Madden is committed to Purdue too. Madden is ranked as a three-star transfer recruit and the No. 344 transfer in the country, per 247Sports.

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LSU is hiring Missouri’s Blake Baker as its next defensive coordinator, the school announced on Friday. Baker spent the past two seasons at Missouri where he helped orchestrate a significant turnaround for the Tigers defense. Under his watch, Missouri finished 11-2 and knocked off Ohio State 14-3 in the Cotton Bowl to close out the season. It was Ohio State’s lowest point total since a shutout College Football Playoff loss to Clemson in 2016. 

LSU is expected to make Baker the highest-paid assistant in the country, with an annual salary exceeding $2.2 million, Yahoo Sports reports. 

Missouri ranked No. 4 in the SEC in scoring defense (20.8 PPG) and No. 5 in the conference in total defense (336.1) in 2023. The Tigers were also No 4 nationally in forced fumbles (17) and No. 11 in the country in sacks (39).

“Blake brings a wealth of experience and success as a defensive coordinator throughout his career, including the last two years in the SEC at Missouri,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said in a statement released by the school. “His ability to develop and motivate his players while putting together highly successful defenses sets him apart in his field. I am excited to welcome Blake and his family back to Baton Rouge.”

It’s a bit of a homecoming for Baker, who served as the linebackers coach at LSU during the 2021 season and also. His career has also included stops at Miami and Louisiana Tech.

Baker will be tasked with turning around what was one of the most disappointing units in college football in 2023. The Tigers dismissed a majority of its defensive…

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The 2024 college football recruiting cycle still has some loose ends to tie up, but otherwise, the class has ostensibly taken form. With all of that all but wrapped up, Billy Napier and Co. can begin looking forward to 2025.

Among the many that Florida football has a keen eye on is four-star quarterback Antwann Hill out of Robins (Georgia) Houston County. The 6-foot-5-inch, 215-pound passer will be in Gainesville for the program’s junior day event on Jan. 13, according to Swamp247.

The coveted play-caller has visited the Swamp in the past, including a stop to see the Gators upset the Tennessee Volunteers in mid-September.

“They had an electric atmosphere out there. That’s one thing about Florida fans, they’re always going to bring the energy,” Hill noted following the game.

“A performance like this means the program is just headed back in the right direction with a big win over the Vols. They came out had a great game plan and executed it at a very high level.”

While it is still fairly early in the young student-athlete’s recruitment, there has not been a shortage of suitors. Hill is also eyeing visits with the LSU Tigers as well as the Louisville Cardinals.

“He’s wide open right now,” his father Antwann Sr. said. “Anyone has a shot. We haven’t ruled anybody out.”

The elder Hill also mentioned the Colorado Buffaloes, Memphis Tigers, Auburn Tigers and Florida State Seminoles.

Hill is ranked No. 66 overall and No. 5 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 76 and 6, respectively.

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Story originally appeared on Gators Wire

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Oklahoma defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof will not return in 2024, coach Brent Venables announced in a release. The Sooners are expected to hire Jacksonville State defensive coordinator Zac Alley, who just finished his first season with the Gamecocks, as Roof’s replacement, 247Sports reports.

Roof spent the past two seasons as the Sooners’ DC, arriving as part of Venables’ first staff ahead of the 2022 campaign, after previously working alongside Venables as a defensive assistant at Clemson in 2021. The decision to move forward without Roof, a longtime defensive assistant of more than 30 years, was “mutually agreed,” according to the statement. 

“I have the utmost respect and appreciation for Ted,” Venables said in a statement. “I told him Wednesday I made a decision to go in a new direction at defensive coordinator and offered him an opportunity to remain on our staff in a different role. He explained that he has a deep desire to keep coaching and will look to do that at a different school. Ted is an incredibly knowledgeable coach and teacher, and his players love playing for him. Our program is thankful for his extreme dedication the last two seasons and for helping make us better.”

Oklahoma ranked No. 78 nationally in total defense at 389.4 yards allowed per game in 2023. While that was an improvement from 2022, when which the Sooners ranked No. 121 nationally at a whopping 461.0 yards allowed per game, it still ranked sixth out of 14 teams in the Big 12 as Oklahoma went a third consecutive season without a Big 12 championship. 

The Sooners began the year 7-0 before losing three games in the back half of the season, culminating in a 38-24 Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona in which the Sooners were outscored 17-0 in…

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Five-star offensive tackle recruit Lamar Brown has named his top eight schools. Brown, a member of the class of 2026, plays high school football for University Lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

247Sports ranks Brown as the No. 5 player in the class of 2026, the No. 2 offensive tackle, and the No. 2 player in Louisiana. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound offensive tackle is still filling in his frame.

Lamar Brown’s top schools are Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Miami, Florida State, Ole Miss, FAMU, and Tennessee. The elite class of 2026 recruit announced his top schools via Hayes Fawcett of On3.

Lamar Brown is currently a sophomore in high school. Brown plays both offensive line and defensive line for his high school.

MaxPreps named Lamar Brown as a sophomore All-American. The elite offensive tackle visited Alabama for the LSU game in 2023.

Story originally appeared on UGA Wire

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