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  • Former Ohio State QB coach Corey Dennis hired as analyst for Mississippi football

    Former Ohio State QB coach Corey Dennis hired as analyst for Mississippi football

    Corey Dennis’ next college football job will not be at Utah.

    The former Ohio State quarterbacks coach has been hired as a Mississippi football analyst. Dennis had been previously hired as an analyst under coach Kyle Whittingham at Utah.

    Dennis’ name was listed on the Ole Miss football staff’s directory Friday. The program later confirmed it was the former Ohio State quarterbacks coach.

    Dec 29, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis talks to his father in law, Urban Meyer, prior to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against the Missouri Tigers at AT&T Stadium.

    Ohio State did not retain Dennis after four seasons as the Buckeyes’ quarterbacks coach when coach Ryan Day initially hired Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In the release announcing O’Brien’s hire, Day said Dennis was expected to remain with the program in some capacity.

    Three weeks after his hire, O’Brien left to become the head coach at Boston College. O’Brien was replaced by former Oregon and UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

    The 31-year-old son-in-law of former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, Dennis, who joined the program as an intern in 2015, replaced Mike Yurcich as quarterbacks coach in 2020 and worked with quarterbacks such as Justin Fields, C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord.

    Dennis was also instrumental in the recruitments of quarterbacks such as 2024 five-star Air Noland and 2025 four-star Tavien St. Clair.

    Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts

    This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Corey Dennis, former OSU quarterbacks coach, hired at Ole Miss

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  • Cowboys 2024 offseason plan: Five things Dallas must do to improve the team for Jerry Jones’ ‘all-in’ push

    Cowboys 2024 offseason plan: Five things Dallas must do to improve the team for Jerry Jones’ ‘all-in’ push

    The 2024 NFL season will be different for the Dallas Cowboys. 

    There’s a cliche among Cowboys nation that each year is “their year” to make a Super Bowl run, but the mindset from the top has changed. Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones used to say he thinks “longer term” and is “real hesitant to bet it all for a year” when it came to his Cowboys team-building approach. 

    Jones’ methodology has now changed after a third 12-win season in a row ended without at least reaching the NFC title game, making the 2021-23 Cowboys the first team ever to do so. 

    “I would anticipate, with looking ahead at our key contracts that we’d like to address, we will be all-in,” Jones said at this year’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. “I would anticipate we will be all-in at the end of this year. We will push the hell out of it. It will be going all-in on different people than you’ve done in the past. We will be going all-in. We’ve seen some things out of some of the players that we want to be all-in on. Yes, I would say that you will see us this coming year not build for the future.”  

    Jones called the second-seeded Cowboys’ 48-32 wild-card round loss to the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers “the most painful [in his 35 years owning the team]” because of the “great expectation and hope” for his 2023 Dallas squad. Jones made it clear to his team that “he doesn’t have too many years left in this business” and wants another Super Bowl ring “badly” when Dallas met for its 2023 exit meeting and locker room clean-out.     

    So what should Dallas do to erase the memory of how flat they played this past postseason? Here are five steps the Cowboys could take to truly be “all-in” and in position to make a massive push for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans next season.

    1. Re-sign stars to long-term contract extensions now; restructure other key contracts

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  • New Chargers OC Greg Roman wants to run the ball to help Justin Herbert

    New Chargers OC Greg Roman wants to run the ball to help Justin Herbert

    Greg Roman, the new offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers, has a vision for improving Justin Herbert. Coincidentally, it is exactly what Roman has done at his last three NFL stops.

    Speaking with reporters two weeks after he was hired by new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, Roman outlined an offense that runs the ball more, to theoretically help Herbert get better looks as a passer.

    From ESPN:

    “Can you imagine Justin Herbert with a great running game?” Roman said. “… We don’t know, but I can imagine what it might look like. So that’s kind of the vision.”

    The Chargers hired Roman a season after he parted ways with the Baltimore Ravens, where he spent four years calling plays for the most rush-heavy offense in the NFL. Over those seasons, the Ravens ranked first, first, second and first in rush rate on first down. They fell to sixth last season with new coordinator Todd Monken.

    Roman has also served as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers, which were similarly — but not as severely — run-heavy with dual-threat quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Colin Kaepernick. One of those offenses reached the Super Bowl in 2013, which was Roman’s first season as an offensive coordinator.

    Despite some past success, Roman was a frequent target for fan criticism in Baltimore. He helped guide Lamar Jackson to his first MVP trophy, yes, but the subsequent seasons featured an offense that failed to develop into a consistently elite unit. Jackson having two seasons ended by an injury didn’t help either.

    Justin Herbert might see some play-calling changes under Greg Roman. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

    Obviously, Jackson and Mahomes are not the same quarterback. Roman still described his vision as a motion-heavy offense similar to his previous stints while promising the “diverse” passing game that never materialized there.

    He even hinted at some designed runs for Herbert, via ESPN:

    “It’s going to be a little different,” Roman said. “I think…

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  • SEC commissioner Greg Sankey lobbying for earlier signing day, recruiting dead period through December

    SEC commissioner Greg Sankey lobbying for earlier signing day, recruiting dead period through December

    USATSI

    The SEC is pushing for major changes to the early signing period in college athletics, including making the entire month of December a recruiting dead period and moving early national signing day up two weeks closer to the start of the month, league commissioner Greg Sankey told Yahoo Sports. According to Sankey, the league’s coaches have already approved the proposed changes. 

    “Putting signing day in the middle of December with playoff games no longer works,” Sankey said. “Move it to early December, the Wednesday before championship games.”

    December tends to be crunch time for college coaches. This year, the transfer portal opened on Dec. 4 and the early signing period commenced just over two weeks later on Dec. 20. So, at the same time coaches are trying to keep their roster together and evaluate potential areas of need through the portal, they’re also closing up the high school recruiting ranks and tying up any loose ends on the trail. 

    On top of all that, coaching changes frequently happen throughout December as assistants and even head coaches will look to make a move once the regular season ends. For most teams that won at least six games, there’s also bowl prep to worry about. 

    The 2024 season also marks the first year of an expanded 12-team playoff. First-round games will be played the weekend of Dec. 20, which falls right in the same window as the current early signing period format. All of that culminates in creating a grind that has started to wear on coaches. 

    “The hardest thing is there’s no time off,” Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Cumbie recently…

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  • Dolphins legend Dan Marino lists his greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time; one surprising name makes the cut

    Dolphins legend Dan Marino lists his greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time; one surprising name makes the cut

    NFL legend Dan Marino recently offered his own list of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Marino, a regular on any list that includes the best to ever play at his position, didn’t include himself though added a name that might come as a surprise.   

    Marino was specifically asked to name his Quarterback Mount Rushmore, but the former Miami Dolphins signal-caller offered five names instead of the customary four. 

    “To me, [Joe] Montana and [John] Elway, Jim Kelly — those guys, all those guys,” Marino told Sports Illustrated before Super Bowl LVIII. “Patrick Mahomes, he’s going to be considered one of the best ever, too. You got Tom Brady, you got a lot of guys. So, there’s a lot to pick from there.”

    Brady and Montana being part of Marino’s list shouldn’t surprise anyone. The two are largely considered to be among the best quarterbacks in NFL history, largely because of their success in Super Bowls. Brady has three more Super Bowl wins (seven) and twice as many Super Bowl starts (10) than any other quarterback. Montana was 4-0 in Super Bowls and was the first player to win Super Bowl MVP three times. 

    Elway and Mahomes also shouldn’t be surprises. Elway’s five Super Bowl starts is second only to Brady. He lost his first three Super Bowls with inferior teams before ending his career with back-to-back titles with the Broncos. Elway was a versatile quarterback who made plays with his arm as well as with his legs. He also had a knack for engineering game-winning drives. 

    Marino called Mahomes “a really special player” during a one-on-one interview with CBS Sports prior to the Super Bowl. Mahomes showed that again against the 49ers while joining Montana and Brady as the only players to win three Super Bowl MVP trophies. Mahomes also became one of just five starting quarterbacks with at least three Super Bowl wins. 

    “He’s an amazing athlete, first of all,” Marino said when asked to…

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  • Unresolved position groups to watch for Arkansas football this spring

    Unresolved position groups to watch for Arkansas football this spring

    FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas football is gearing up for an exciting stretch of spring football.

    There will be a competition to determine the starting quarterback, and the Razorbacks will welcome a handful of new coaches, including the return of Bobby Petrino. The pressure is on head coach Sam Pittman to show meaningful improvements in 2024 after a disappointing 4-8 campaign last fall.

    Outside of quarterback, there are still three position groups left unresolved after Arkansas’ work in the transfer portal and on the high school recruiting front.

    Here’s a look at those three spots, and potential candidates to take a step forward this spring.

    Sep 23, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Dan Jackson (17) and linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. (18) celebrate against the UAB Blazers in the second half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

    Linebacker

    This position represents the most obvious hole on the roster. The Razorbacks lost Chris Paul Jr., Jaheim Thomas, Mani Powell and Jordan Crook to the transfer portal this offseason. Paul and Thomas combined for 164 tackles in 2023.

    The linebackers currently on the Arkansas roster have combined for 41 tackles in their collegiate careers, but there is promise among the group.

    More: Arkansas football lands commitment from state’s top 2025 recruit Carius Curne

    More: Why Arkansas football’s 2024 recruiting class emulates struggles of 2023 season

    Sophomores Brad Spence, Alex Sanford and Carson Dean were all three-star prospects in the 2023 recruiting rankings, and coaches raved about that trio in fall camp. Only Spence logged significant snaps during the season.

    Xavian Sorey Jr. transferred in from Georgia and was a consensus five-star prospect coming out of high school in 2021. The Hogs also loaded up at the position in this year’s class, with…

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  • Mike Tannenbaum suggests Bears trade Tyrique Stevenson for Stefon Diggs

    Mike Tannenbaum suggests Bears trade Tyrique Stevenson for Stefon Diggs

    Mike Tannenbaum suggests Bears trade Tyrique Stevenson for Stefon Diggs originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

    A significant faction of the Bears’ offseason to-do list is finding a solid second option to catch footballs opposite of DJ Moore.

    On ESPN’s “Get Up!” former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum suggested the Bears trade one of their top rookies, Tyrique Stevenson, for Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs.

    Stevenson, 23, played 16 games his rookie season, recording four interceptions, 16 passes defended, two forced fumbles and 86 combined tackles. He was one of the Bears’ most reliable cornerbacks to pair with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon.

    His eye for coverage and his ferocity for tackling stood out, the latter sometimes to a fault with penalties. Still, he has a bright future on the Bears’ defense.

    Diggs, 30, just completed his sixth-straight 1,000-yard season with the Bills. Need I sell you Diggs? He’s one of the league’s best receivers and route-runners. With Moore, the duo would inarguably be one of the best in the league.

    But between Tre’Davious White and Rasul Douglas, how badly do the Bills need a cornerback? And would they really be willing to part with Diggs? The Bills traded a 2020 first-round pick (No. 22 overall), a 2020 fifth-round pick, a 2020 sixth-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Vikings to acquire him.

    It would be a difficult trade to turn down for the Bears. But it’s extremely unlikely at this juncture, and likely far away on the Bears’ laundry list of to-do items this offseason.

    Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

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  • College Football Playoff bracket: Early predictions under 5+7 model as 12-team format begins in 2024 season

    College Football Playoff bracket: Early predictions under 5+7 model as 12-team format begins in 2024 season

    The College Football Playoff Board of Managers unanimously approved a change to the 5+7 model as the expanded 12-team field debuts in the 2024 season, awarding automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions with seven at-large bids filling out the field. It was a change necessitated by the implosion of the Pac-12 as a championship-producing conference, as 10 of those members now reside in the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. 

    Finalizing the format provides the opportunity to take part in an exercise that’s all too familiar around this time of year because of the NCAA Tournament. While CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm and other March Madness Bracketologists are crunching the numbers for a 68-team field on the basketball court, we thought it would be fun to fill out a way-too-early projected bracket for the 12-team College Football Playoff field come December. 

    Going through this process requires a few points of clarification in the wake of implementation of the 5+7 model.

    The four highest-ranked conference champions will get the top four seeds (in order) in the bracket and receive a first-round bye. Those teams may be ranked behind other at-large teams in the final selection committee rankings; but if a team is, for example, the third-highest ranked conference champion, it will jump straight to No. 3. After that, the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion is not guaranteed anything other than a spot in the field. If the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion is ranked behind the seven at-large selections, it will be the No. 12 seed. Higher seeds in the first round host playoff games, either at their home stadium or another location of their designation. After the first round, the six games that make up the quarterfinals and semifinals will…..

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