Category: College Football

Washington sets spring game official visit with top 5 offensive lineman

The Washington Huskies are bringing one of the best offensive linemen on the West Coast in for an official visit during their spring game.

The Washington Huskies have set an official visit with one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects, four-star Douglas Utu from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ranked as the nation’s No. 98 prospect and No. 4 interior offensive line prospect, Utu holds 24 offers from some of the nation’s best programs and appears to be very high on Washington.

Even though he holds offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State among others, he has only scheduled an official visit with coach Jedd Fisch and the Huskies.

He will replace three-star Peter Langi on the visit, who appears to have canceled his trip to watch Washington’s spring game and should reschedule for a later date.

Offensive line coach Brennan Carroll has done a very good job building relationships with some of the nation’s top prospects since he arrived in Seattle and will have a chance to secure commitments from two of his top targets over the weekend.

Utu will be joined by four-star offensive lineman Champ Taulealea as the coaching staff attempts to reel in a top-notch offensive line class that already holds three-star Jake Flores and is looking for three or four more bodies.

Deion Sanders wasting time bullying kids on the internet is exactly why everyone is bailing on his Colorado experiment

Nobody likes a bully, Deion. Especially not one as old as you.

Deion Sanders had time today. That’s what he told us, at least, when he logged onto Twitter and decided that it was time to clap back at the haters, as they say.

He used some of that time to clap back at someone talking trash about Shedeur Sanders, who decided to dismiss a former teammate, Xavier Smith, who transferred to Austin Peay State University after playing at Colorado. Smith critiqued the way Sanders coached. Shedeur didn’t like that so he ruthlessly dismissed Smith’s stint with the team.

That caused someone to trash-talk Shedeur in Deion’s tweets. Deion didn’t like that, so he defended his son.

I get that—I think we all do. That’s understandable. And if Sanders’ free tweet time had stopped there, I probably wouldn’t be writing this. Unfortunately, as he told us before, he had some more time today.

Coach Prime decided to use that next bit of time to stoop as low as he could to embarrass Jaheim Ward — one of Smith’s new teammates at Austin Peay — who only seemed to be defending his guy against vitriol from players at Colorado.

He quote-tweeted one of his players tweeting out a picture of Ward’s stats saying “Lawd Jesus.” Make no mistake about it, folks: This is essentially Deion Sanders — the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes — calling this kid trash.

Sanders took on the challenge of running Colorado by presenting himself as a leader of men. He brought his guys there to change the program’s culture and turn it into a powerhouse moving forward. Everyone seemed to want to be a part of that. Colorado signed 72 scholarship players to its active roster last season.

Today? A whopping 61 percent of those players are no longer on the roster, according to CBS Sports. It’s been one of the most fascinating stories of the college football offseason so far.

For so long, we were curious about why players were dipping out. Colorado seemed to have all the juice when Sanders started there. The program embodied cool in college football. All the celebrities were showing up at the team’s games. What changed?

Today, things are a bit clearer. Do you see those tweets? That’s why everyone is leaving.

You’d think the coach would be more concerned with figuring out how to improve a 4-8 football team in the middle of a massive roster turnover after so many players bailed on him. He’s talking pretty greasy for a guy who coached a loser last year. And the job is only getting harder, big dog. Colorado is in the Big 12 now.

Instead, he’s spending the oh-so-precious time he told us he had today bragging about how his son will be a top-five NFL draft pick despite playing for his losing college football team and diving into tifts between players who are less than half his age and have nothing to do with his actual job.

Sanders confirmed every criticism Xavier Smith, Cormani McClain and so many others have levied against him recently. He does lack compassion, as we can see above. He does play favorites — just ask Shedeur, Shilo Sanders and Travis Hunter. And, now, we know he’s a bully who is willing to flex whatever he has against whoever, wherever, wherever.

This is who Deion Sanders is, man. It’s kind of sad because it’s clear so many of the players who opted into his shenanigans also believed in him so deeply. Just read Smith’s words about the final interaction between the two of them, via The Athletic:

“We sat on the sofa, and he’s talking to us, but he’s not even looking at us,” Smith said. “I’m looking Coach Kelly dead in his eyes. (Sanders) said he felt like I should hit the portal. He didn’t want me to waste a year thinking I could earn a spot. … I was actually getting mad, like tears coming to my eyes. Because, bro, you never even tried to get to know me.”

You can just feel the disappointment in that. And you feel so bad for him because of it. Well, at least a compassionate person would.

Coach Prime? Eh. Shedeur is going top five anyway. What does he care?

CBS Sports identifies WR Bryant Wesco being a ‘spark plug for Clemson’s passing attack’ as a spring football overreaction

Is the Bryant Wesco hype an overreaction? We don’t believe so, but CBS Sports does.

The Clemson football program landed a huge name in their 2024 class at a position of need; five-star freshman wide receiver Bryant Wesco. 

The hype around Wesco has been tremendous and for good reason. Wesco is talented and has a recruiting grade that makes you want to believe he’ll be a massive impact player for Clemson not only in the future, but this upcoming season as a freshman. It goes beyond just that, however, as he was a top performer in Clemson’s spring game. 

Over the last few seasons, the Clemson offense has had a lack of playmakers at wide receiver. There was a lot of talent in the wide receiver room, but for various reasons, the unit just hasn’t been able to put things together since the departure of Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins. With the Tigers’ struggles at the position, the hype around five-star wide receiver Bryant Wesco built dramatically as fans are desperate to see another star at wide receiver for the Tigers. In the spring game, Wesco lived up to the hype and looked like that star, scoring a beautiful 9-yard touchdown. 

Even with the impressive start to his Clemson career, CBS Sports Chip Patterson doesn’t see that impact being made during his freshman season. According to Patterson’s latest article on ACC overreactions from spring football, Clemson’s is that Wesco will be a spark plug for Clemson’s passing attack. 

Bryant Wesco will be a spark plug for Clemson’s passing attack: In 10 seasons of Clemson football from 2011-2020, the Tigers had a 1,000-yard receiver in all but two seasons (2015, 2017). It was a truly remarkable run that included future pros Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Williams and Tee Higgins among others. But in the last three years (2021-23), no Clemson receiver has finished with more than 604 yards in a season and none from those teams have been selected in the NFL Draft. The tide seems to be turning, however, and one reason to believe that was the spring performance of early enrollee freshman Bryant Wesco. The blue-chip projections for Wesco are already playing out on the field as both coaches and teammates have been offering offering positive reviews all spring, and he even showed out with a diving over-the-shoulder touchdown grab in the spring game. Wesco specifically might not be the top candidate to be a 1,000-yard receiver for Clemson in 2024 — Antonio Williams, Tyler Brown, Troy Stellato have an experience edge for playing time — but his tools and talent are reminiscent of the days when Clemson had future NFL Draft picks at the position rolling in year-after-year.

I get what Patterson is saying here. There are other mouths to feed in this Clemson offense, and there’s a strong chance that Wesco won’t be that 1,000-yard guy right away… but does that mean Wesco can’t be a spark plug for the Tigers’ offense? Absolutely not. 

The more talent you have on your offense, the better. We’ve seen glimpses of what Wesco is capable of, and I was impressed. You don’t need to be a team’s number-one guy to make a difference. 

Antonio Williams? Excellent. Tyler Brown? Excellent. Are either a true alpha wide receive No. 1? No. That’s not a knock on them; they simply don’t fit that mold. Do you know who does fit that mold? Bryant Wesco. 

Wesco’s skill set will be game-changing for this Clemson offense, which leads me to disagree with Patterson’s take. 

ESPN labels linebacker Sammy Brown as Clemson’s ‘most important newcomer’

Freshman linebacker Sammy Brown is Clemson’s most important newcomer.

The Clemson football program got a star in their 2024 class in linebacker Sammy Brown, and Tigers’ fans are thrilled to see what he can do in a Clemson uniform. 

We got a glimpse of what he’s capable of in the Tigers’ Orange and White spring game, with Brown recording a sack on his first snap. It was awesome to see, and the young linebacker kept the momentum going, putting together a phenomenal spring game performance. 

According to ESPN ($$$), Brown is Clemson’s most important newcomer for the 2024-25 season.

Why: Dabo Swinney was already raving about Brown this spring. The linebacker wasted no time learning the defense and applying his immense skills. The five-star prospect racked up over 150 tackles as a high school senior and added more than 2,000 yards on offense. Further highlighting his athleticism and versatility, Brown was a state champion wrestler and ran the 100 meters in under 11 seconds, which is impressive for a 230-pound player. His speed translates to the field, where he has measured at over 21 mph in games.

What to expect: Brown can step in at middle linebacker and replace Jeremiah Trotter Jr.’s production. He’s already mastered the weight room and physical aspects of football as a true freshman. Brown needs to continue progressing this summer, learning the nuances of middle linebacker, namely aligning the defense pre-snap. While Clemson does return some experience, Brown appears a perfect fit for the Mike linebacker position in defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin’s scheme. He’s as strong a candidate for ACC Rookie of the Year honors as any prospect in this class.

Expectations are high for Brown and it’s clear why. The five-star recruit was 247Sports No. 2 linebacker and No. 14 overall player in the 2024 class as one of the top recruits in the country.

Clemson not only needed depth at linebacker, but a difference-maker. They got that difference maker in Brown.

Houston preparing to cross the NFL with ‘Luv Ya Blue’ uniforms

The battle lines have been drawn in the UH vs NFL fight.

The Houston Cougars are preparing to go against the NFL’s cease-and-desist letter in regards to the “Luv Ya Blue” uniforms. The league originally sent the notice to the University of Houston in October for trademark infringement.

The jerseys shown below were worn in the 2023 season opener against the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners. According to the report published by the Houston Chronicle, the Cougars plan on defying the cease-and-desist orders from the NFL. “We’re doing it,” Houston athletic director Chris Pezman said. “We’ve reviewed everything and come to the conclusion that we are going to proceed.”

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
USA TODAY Sports

Given that the color of the uniforms is part of the city’s flag, they might have some ground to stand on as part of the history of Houston. But you shouldn’t get too comfortable when possibly having to fight the NFL, especially in court.

We will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they are made available.

Former 5-star Clemson running back re-enters the transfer portal

Former Tiger Demarkcus Bowman is back in the transfer portal.

A former Clemson running back is once again back in the transfer portal for the third time in his career. 

Running back Demarkcus Bowman has re-entered the portal, ending his time at UCF. During his collegiate career so far, Bowman has been with UCF (2022-23), Florida (2021), and Clemson (2020). The young running back has failed to find a home in college football and will once again look for a new place to take his talents. 

A former five-star recruit in the 2020 class, Bowman was ranked as the No. 3 running back and the No. 20 overall player by 247Sports composite rankings. Bowman had nine carries for 32 yards during his career with the Tigers.

It’s been a tough road for Bowman, who has failed to live up to the five-star label.

Four-Star receiver enters transfer portal

Four-Star receiver enters transfer portal #GoBucks

Another Ohio State football player has entered the transfer portal and it is yet another young buck in Kyion Grayes. The former four-star wide receiver comes from the state of Arizona and we see often times in this scenario, Grayes is likely to move to a spot closer to home.

It makes sense that he would want to seek opportunity elsewhere as he has spent two seasons on the bench, which includes his redshirt. The receiving depth is insane and Grayes was likely not going to see the field for a third season.

It needs to be noted that this past season, Grayes suffered an injury that did not allow him to keep for playing time. Wherever he ends up, we wish him good luck!

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Nic Anderson among Pro Football Network’s top wideouts for 2025 NFL draft

Nic Anderson is receiving early love for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Oklahoma did not have a single skill player drafted in this year’s NFL draft, but Pro Football Network expects that to change for 2025.

We’re not even a week removed from the end of the 2024 NFL draft, but Pro Football Network is already at work crafting its way-too-early rankings for each position for next year’s draft.

After this year’s historic and talent-laden wide receiver group, next year may look underwhelming overall, but there’s still plenty of talent to be had next April. Fortunately, the Sooners have a player that is already considered one of the best at his position a year ahead of the 2025 NFL draft. Nic Anderson.

Redshirt sophomore receiver Nic Anderson checks in at No. 5 in Pro Football Network’s WR rankings. Anderson will be draft-eligible after this season, and the pass catcher is a rising star in college football.

Last season Anderson reeled in 38 catches for 798 yards and ten touchdowns. He was a touchdown-scoring machine and a big play threat every time he took the field.

His excellent speed, long strides, and ability to make things happen after the catch make him an enticing prospect. Size-wise, he stands 6-foot-4 and clocks in at 210 pounds.

Anderskn will likely need to showcase improved route running and an enhanced focus on reeling in routine catches. Still, it’s impossible not to see the tools and why draft analysts may be salivating at what Anderson can become over the next year.

Jackson Arnold will play a pivotal role in how Anderson looks to scouts this upcoming year. The sophomore quarterback is set to enter his first season as the starting quarterback. It will be interesting to see what rapport Arnold builds with Anderson as the season kicks off. Early in 2023, the two seemed to work well together, connecting on a number of deep balls, including this touchdown against Tulsa. They also hooked up for a highlight reel touchdown in Arnold’s first start during the Valero Alamo Bowl.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on X @thatmanbryant.

Ohio State linebacker Nigel Glover enters the transfer portal

Nigel Glover enters the transfer portal #GoBucks

It did not take very long for Nigel Glover to enter his name back into the transfer portal after only spending one year on the Ohio State roster. This will be the second time that Glover has entered his name in the portal as he was originally committed to play for the Northwestern Wildcats before their off-season issues arose, which resulted in a few players — including Glover — entering their name in.

This transfer is a bit of a surprise as Glover enrolled later at Ohio State than  many of his classmates and even took a redshirt for the Buckeyes last season. This transfer all stings a bit more than most, because Glover is a home state kid from Dayton, Ohio.

The former four-star linebacker didn’t give Ohio State much of a chance, but regardless we wish him good luck at his next stop.

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Miami edge rusher Jayden Wayne returns to Washington

Once the top recruit in the state of Washington, edge rusher Jayden Wayne is coming home.

Coach Jedd Fisch and the Washington Huskies have convinced a local product, edge rusher Jayden Wayne, to return home. Wayne played his freshman season with the Miami Hurricanes after committing to coach Mario Cristobal but opted to enter the transfer portal and took an official visit to Seattle over the weekend before announcing his commitment on Tuesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Wayne was once the top recruit in the state of Washington when he played at Lincoln High School in Tacoma. Before his senior season, he transferred to the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Oozing with potential, Wayne has all the athletic traits of a future starter and has the opportunity to turn into a difference-maker under the guise of defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi. The sophomore tallied 13 tackles and 1/2 sack in 8 games during his freshman season and now will join a crowded room of edge rushers that could see him take a backseat in 2024 as the coaching staff prepares him for the future.

With Zach Durfee, Isaiah Ward, Lance Holtzclaw, and others ahead of him at the position, the coaching staff might attempt to take advantage of the 2024 season as a redshirt year while continues to develop.