Category: College Football

USATSI

Nick Saban has hired Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees to fill the same role at Alabama, according 247Sports. Rees met with Saban in Tuscaloosa on Thursday during an OC search that has featured a few prominent names. 

Rees will take over as the new play-caller for the Crimson Tide after Bill O’Brien left the program this offseason for the same job with the New England Patriots, though O’Brien was not expected to be retained either way. Rees is Saban’s fifth offensive coordinator since Lane Kiffin left to be the FAU coach prior to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.

At age 30, Rees is Saban’s youngest coordinator since Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator at LSU in 2002. Rees was Notre Dame’s quarterbacks coach 2017-19 under former coach Brian Kelly and added the offensive coordinator role in 2020. A Notre Dame quarterback from 2010-13, he has never held a full-time assistant coaching role at another program but was an offensive staffer for the San Diego Chargers in 2016. 

The Fighting Irish offense thrived under Rees prior to a 2022 season that was hampered by a Week 2 injury to starting quarterback Tyler Buchner. In the other two years under Rees, the Irish averaged at least 6 yards per play. This past year, Rees oversaw an offensive shift from Buchner to Drew Pyne at quarterback while focusing on a ground-based approach. 

The news that Rees has been hired by Saban comes after after Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb reportedly turned down the job to…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Texas Tech vs Baylor prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch. Saturday, February 4

Texas Tech vs Baylor How To Watch

Date: Saturday, February 4
Game Time: 1:00 ET
Venue: Ferrell Center, Waco, TX
How To Watch: CBS
Record: Texas Tech (12-10), Baylor (16-6)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+

AP Poll, All-Time College Basketball Rankings 
Coaches Poll, All-Time College Basketball Rankings
College Football All-Time Rankings Coaches Poll | AP Poll
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Texas Tech vs Baylor Game Preview

Why Texas Tech Will Win

Texas Tech pulled that out of nowhere.

It was favored against Iowa State, but it was getting rocked at home at what seemed like an easy Cyclone win, and then …

Texas Tech clawed back, forced overtime, and was able to pull it off in overtime after coming up with a victory over a punchless LSU.

It lost to Baylor the first time 81-74, but it shot well, hit from three, and did everything right but …

Why Baylor Will Win

Texas Tech didn’t force enough turnovers against Baylor. Actually, it almost didn’t force any – the Bears only turned it over three times.

Baylor has too many ways to score. It’s great from three, it’s decent enough on fast breaks, and it generates enough offensive rebounds to clean up the mistakes.

Texas Tech isn’t good enough on the boards, it’s not strong on the free throw line, and …

What’s Going To Happen

Baylor won’t collapse like Iowa State did.

Texas Tech will be plucky and hang around for about 30 minutes, but the Bears will start to pull away in the second half. They’ll hit the free throws, find an energy burst for a run of a few key points, and then it’ll start to get away at the end.

Texas Tech vs Baylor Prediction, Line

Baylor 73, Texas Tech 61
Line: COMING, o/u: COMING
ATS Confidence out of 5: COMING
Must See Ranking:…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Alabama coach Nick Saban has reached out to former Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt regarding the Crimson Tide’s vacant defensive coordinator position, sources tell CBS Sports. It is believed no offer has been made at this time, and Alabama would not speak on Pruitt’s candidacy when contacted for comment.

Sources indicate Pruitt would face long odds to getting hired by the Tide as the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation. He was fired at Tennessee two years ago as the NCAA levied allegations of 18 Level I violations on the Volunteers. Level I violations are most serious on the NCAA’s scale of infractions.

There has been widespread speculation that Pruitt would be involved in Saban’s search to replace Pete Golding, who left for the same position at Ole Miss earlier this month. Golding was not expected to be retained by Alabama.

Pruitt’s candidacy is questionable as it is unknown whether he would be allowed to accept the job if offered. 

SEC Bylaw 19.8.1.2 requires any SEC school that “considers hiring an individual … who has participated in activity that resulted, or may result, in a Level I, Level II, Level III or major infraction” to have its president or chancellor “consult directly with the Commissioner prior to offering employment to the individual.”

While that language does not directly disqualify Pruitt, Alabama would need to consult with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey before making the hire.

“We have a specific bylaw that defines there has to be a consultation,” Sankey told reporters earlier this month. “It’s not an approval process. Our campuses — despite whatever mythology may exist — make their own personnel decisions. But we provide, for any hiring decision, here’s the background from a compliance standpoint.”

…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Florida earned another commitment from the class of 2024 on Saturday as four-star Largo (Florida) linebacker Adarius Hayes pledged his services to the university.

Hayes was in town for Florida’s final Junior Day of the January recruiting period and announced his decision before leaving the Swamp. He was also in town last weekend to check in with the program, according to Swamp247. Hayes told Gators Online that he always planned on being a Gator and came into Saturday’s visit knowing that he’d be joining the class.

“It was the plan the whole time. I’m blessed to be a Gator. Go Gators,” Hayes said. “I’ll be a MIKE only. They said I’ll just be a middle linebacker and come off the edge more on third down. Basically, I would be like Amari Burney/Ventrell Miller.”

Hayes shadowed linebackers Shemar James and Derek Wingo on this trip and the duo did their best to reel him in. He got a glimpse of the role he’ll be playing on Florida’s defense and locked in with the Gators over Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and others.

This is the second blue-chip linebacker Florida has reeled in from the 2024 class. Myles Graham, who is ranked No. 30 overall on the 247Sports composite and No. 36 on the On3 consensus, picked Florida in August and seems locked in as a legacy commit.

Hayes is the No. 61 overall recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite. He’s also No. 7 among edge rushers in the class and No. 12 among prep players from the Sunshine State. On3 is even more bullish on him, ranking Hayes at No. 55 overall on the consensus rankings and No. 33 on the site’s independent list.

Florida now has four players under commitment in the class. In addition to Hayes and Graham, UF has five-star quarterback DJ Lagway and four-star running back Chauncey Bowens on board as well. The…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Last year was my first year attending the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Pasadena, California, and I said I would always return for this game, as the level of talent was tremendous. That was also the case this year, as both rosters were stacked with excellent pro prospects from across the country. 

What was also cool about last year was that former Tennessee Titans and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher was coaching one of the teams. And then, later on that same week, he ended up getting the head coaching job for the upstart/restart USFL’s Michigan Panthers. 

He returned this year to coach the American Team, and I was able to catch up with him after practice to ask about seeing his former player and current Tennessee State coach Eddie George coaching against him on the other side, his thoughts on the USFL’s first season, and what we can expect from his Michigan Panthers in 2023.

Before getting into the standouts from both teams throughout the practice week, here’s all of the game information for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

How to watch 

Date: Saturday, Jan. 28 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena, California)
TV: NFL Network | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)  

American Team

QB Lindsey Scott Jr.: 5-10 215, Incarnate Word

The 2022 Walter Payton Award winner (best offensive player in FCS) had an impressive showing throwing the football all week in Pasadena. What really stood out was the decisiveness and accuracy shown over the middle of the field. Scott has a complete mastery of the passing game, as well as the type of throws necessary on any given play.

I was able to catch up with him post-practice to get his thoughts on the week.

WR Malik Heath: 6-2 216, Ole Miss

Heath played like a man amongst boys all week at…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

When Brent Venables and his staff pulled off the flip-flip of Peyton Bowen, it helped the Sooners secure their highest-rated recruiting class in the modern era. Beyond everything that transpired during the early signing period, Oklahoma earned a signature of a difference maker.

Peyton Bowen is one of the best players in the class and the No. 2 safety in the nation. It’s that talent that has ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg believing Bowen is a freshman to watch in 2023.

The Peyton Bowen drama was one of the biggest stories around signing day, but we now know he will be an Oklahoma Sooner. Bowen, ESPN’s No. 2 safety and No. 14 overall player in the 2023 class, should be an immediate factor on a defense looking for production and playmakers in the back end. His adjustment to Brent Venables’ defense will be interesting, but Bowen is the type of elite-level recruit that OU needs. He will make the trip to Norman with his former high school teammate in Texas, quarterback Jackson Arnold, who is set to play behind Dillon Gabriel but also could see the field. Arnold is ESPN’s top dual-threat quarterback and No. 8 overall player in the class. – Rittenberg, ESPN

The Oklahoma Sooners were 119th in passing yards allowed in 2022 at 273.5 per game. They didn’t fair much better in run defense, allowing 187.5 yards per game on the ground. The Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff has a mandate to make significant changes on the defensive side of the ball. That could lead to opportunities for Bowen to have a role for Oklahoma in year one.

The Sooners return Billy Bowman and Key Lawrence. Robert Spears-Jennings should see a jump in playing time in his second year in Norman and Oklahoma added Texas Tech transfer Reggie Pearson. The Sooners also brought in fellow 2023 signees Daeh McCullough and Makari Vickers, who could factor into the…

..

[ad_2]

Read More

Getty Images

Miami coach Mario Cristobal announced Friday that offensive coordinator Josh Gattis has been relieved of his duties. Gattis, who also served as the team’s wide receivers coach, only spent one year on Cristobal’s coaching staff. 

Gattis’ offense was a massive disappointment in 2022 — Cristobal’s first leading the ‘Canes. They averaged just 367.4 yards per game and 5.34 yards per play, ranking ninth in the ACC in both categories. They finished 10th in the conference in scoring at just 23.6 points per game, and scored 16 points or less in four of their last five games.

It was a shocking result considering Gattis was one of Cristobal’s biggest hires during his first year with the program. Gattis won the 2021 Broyles Award given to the nation’s top assistant coach after helping Michigan win the Big Ten title and earn a berth in the College Football Playoff. That offense racked up 443.1 yards per game, 6.39 yards per play and 40.4 points per game.

Gattis was at Michigan from 2019-21, and led a turnaround of a Michigan offense that was essentially a middle-of-the-road offense within the Big Ten prior to his arrival. In 2018, he served as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach under Nick Saban at Alabama. That offense finished second in the nation in yards per play (7.76) behind only Oklahoma (8.6).

..

[ad_2]

Read More

The college all-star circuit kicks into high gear next week with the East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas followed by the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

We’ll take a quick look at the players that will be taking part in both events, going through by positions. We’ll start here with the five quarterbacks heading to Las Vegas for the Shrine Bowl.

Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Tanner Morgan will go down as one of the best quarterbacks in Minnesota school history. He’s the all-time leader in wins (33), pass efficiency rating (151.0) and completion percentage (62.2) and is second all-time in games started (47), completions (661), attempts (1,063), passing touchdowns (65), passing yards (9,454) and total offensive yards (9,459). Morgan is likely a day three quarterback due to issues with consistency

Aidan O’Connell, Purdue

Aidan O’Connell helped lead the charge in Purdue that culminated in the school’s first appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game. O’Connell has back-to-back seasons with over 3,400 passing yards and is a career 67% passer. He and Drew Brees are the only Purdue quarterbacks to have multiple 500-yard passing games in the same season.

Tim DeMorat, Fordham

Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

Tim DeMorat is already making his rounds in the all-star circuit, having already played in the Hula Bowl. Now he’ll head to Vegas to continue making a name for himself at the Shrine Bowl.

DeMorat is a three-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and four-time First-Team All-Patriot League selection. He threw for 4,561 yards, 53 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in 2022 for the Rams. He leaves college as the career leader in the Patriot League in touchdowns responsible for (137) and touchdown passes (120). He is second all-time with 13,131 passing yards.

Dorian…

..

[ad_2]

Read More