Tag: NCAA football

Reggie Bush is finally getting his Heisman Trophy back and fans are so thrilled

Reggie Bush earned that trophy and college football fans are happy he he will have it back.

Former USC Trojans running back Reggie Bush will soon reunite with the Heisman Trophy that is deservedly his own.

Over a decade ago, in 2010, Bush forfeited the trophy that he earned in 2005 due to receiving “improper benefits” while at USC. But now after spending far too long away from the award he worked so hard to receive, the Heisman Trust informed Bush that he will receive it back on Wednesday.

The Heisman Trust cited “enormous changes” in college football that went into the decision, per ESPN. This is something fans have wanted for years, but especially after new NIL policies became rampant in the NCAA.

RELATED: Reggie Bush shared a wild story about how his Heisman Trophy scandal cost him being the No. 1 pick

Bush was excited when he heard the news (via ESPN):

“Personally, I’m thrilled to reunite with my fellow Heisman winners and be a part of the storied legacy of the Heisman Trophy, and I’m honored to return to the Heisman family. I also look forward to working together with the Heisman Trust to advance the values and mission of the organization.”

He wasn’t the only one thrilled about the decision from the Heisman Trust, though.

Fans were so happy for Reggie Bush

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Helmet communication, 2-minute warning coming to college football

The NCAA approved a proposal that will allow for on-field helmet communication during games as well as the inclusion of a 2-minute warning.

College football is a constantly evolving environment. NIL, the transfer portal, and conference realignment have been at the forefront of the conversation for the last several years. On the field, the game is changing too.

On Friday, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the use of helmet communication and tablets on the sideline. Additionally, starting in 2024, there will be a two-minute warning added to the end of each half.

The addition of helmet communication comes after a trial run during bowl season that seemed to go off without a hitch.

According to The Athletic’s Chris Vannini, one player on the field can use the helmet technology. The player will be identified with a green dot on the helmet, the same designation used by the NFL.

Teams will have until the 15-second mark on the play clock or the snap of the ball to use helmet communication, whichever comes first. For a team like Oklahoma that wants to go fast, this may not impact them much. But there will be critical downs that Seth Littrell and Jackson Arnold will take more time. Though teams use an elaborate display of hand signals and billboards to relay the play or any adjustments, this new communication model will allow the offensive coordinator to speak directly to the quarterback. Defensively, Zac Alley will have a voice in Danny Stutsman’s ear, which should only benefit the Sooners defense.

Last year, the NCAA made a change that kept the clock running in the final two minutes of each half. The two-minute warning rule at the end of each half provides a little more gamesmanship at the end of games, allowing defensive teams to use their timeouts in an attempt to get the ball back.

College football as we knew it is long gone. Coming are Saturdays that feel more like Sundays as networks and conferences work to get games played in tighter television windows.

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 John on X @john9williams.

Everything Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s spring game

Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney was thrilled by his team’s performance in Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium. Take a look at everything Swinney said afterwards.

Saturday marked the 16th spring game since Dabo Swinney took over as Clemson head coach in 2008.

The Orange team defeated the White, 27-12. in front of an estimated 47,000 fans at Clemson Memorial Stadium.

Swinney had a lot to say afterwards, including his thoughts on the Tigers’ quarterback play, the thrill he got heading into the stadium ahead of the game, and his thoughts on individual performances in the spring scrimmage.

“God was showing off today. How about that beautiful day? I really appreciate our fans — it’s not like this everywhere. I think sometimes people can forget that. This place is special. To see our fans show up, driving in this morning, people were out there tailgating and enjoying the day. All of those people at Tiger Walk for the unveiling of the captains, those guys going in concrete today, that was a really cool thing,” Swinney said as part of his opening statement to the media after Saturday’s spring game.

Here’s everything Swinney said to reporters after the game.

Observations from Clemson’s offense in 2024 spring game

Here are some observations on the offense from Clemson’s 2024 spring game.

Clemson’s 2024 spring game is officially in the books. The Orange team defeated the White team, 27-12, in Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers had plenty of highlights on both offense and defense. Let’s look at the offense.

Wesco shows off

Bryant Wesco looked every bit the part of a five-star recruit in Saturday’s spring game. Wesco, ranked the sixth-best receiver in the nation by 247Sports for the class of 2024, made three catches for 26 yards.

Wesco, playing for the Orange team, caught a short pass over the middle and picked up 15 yards for a first down on his first catch of the afternoon.

Two plays later, Wesco did one even better by hauling in an over-the-shoulder, 9-yard touchdown grab from quarterback Trent Pearman. Wesco made the catch in tight coverage on a fade route for the Orange team’s first score of the game and a 7-3 lead with 1:31 to play in the first quarter.

Quarterback play

Speaking of Pearman, he was his own storyline in Saturday’s spring game. The sophomore from nearby D.W. Daniel High School in Clemson finished the afternoon an impressive 10-for-13 with 113 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Pearman engineered the scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown catch by capping a five-play, 57-yard drive.

One of the most impressive plays of the day was when Pearman took off for a 49-yard touchdown run on a read-option play with 3:45 to play in the first half.

Later in the game, Pearman made a nice throw intended for receiver Jackson Crosby in the corner of the end zone. It took a terrific defensive play from cornerback Noah Dixon to break up the pass with 3:07 to play.

Cade Klubnik got off to a poor start but rebounded for a decent showing at Saturday’s game. Klubnik finished his day 13-of-26 for 158 yards.

He was intercepted by cornerback Tavoy Feagin in the first quarter when receiver Adam Randall ran the wrong route. Feagin returned the interception 45 yards to set up the game’s first score, a 29-yard Nolan Hauser field goal for the White team.

Klubnik was fortunate to only throw the one pick. He uncorked a pass into double coverage later in the first quarter, but a dropped interception bailed Klubnik out on the ill-advised throw.

There were some highlights for Klubnik, though. He converted on a 3rd-and-12 midway through the second quarter when he found Antonio Williams on a short route to his right. That led to an impressive 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 7:10 off the clock and put Klubnik’s team ahead 21-6 with 5:42 left in the first half.

On Klubnik’s next drive, tight end Olsen Patt-Henry dropped what would have been a first down for the Orange team.

Later on in the game, Randall hauled in a perfect 55-yard strike from Klubnik on the final play of the third quarter.

Christopher Vizzina, who started at quarterback for the White team, was a pedestrian 14-of-25 for 108 yards and two touchdowns. His biggest mistake early on came when Jamal Anderson intercepted an attempted screen pass and returned it 25 yards for a pick six.

Later in the first half, Vizzina was picked off again by Anderson, but the play was negated by an offsides penalty.

Vizzina’s second official interception came with time winding down in the third quarter. On that play, Vizzina made a throw to the wrong side of a wheel route that led to an interception from Jahiem Lawson at the Orange team’s 2-yard line.

It wasn’t just Wesco who stood out at receiver

Clemson had a few standout performances from its receivers in Saturday’s scrimmage. Josh Sapp had three catches for 60 yards. The sophomore from Greenville made a sensational play when he leapt well into the air to haul in a 39-yard pass from Vizzina over two defenders in the third quarter.

Randall had 85 receiving yards through the air on four catches, including his 55-yard grab to end the third quarter. Randall also made a terrific catch as part of the first-quarter scoring drive that ended with Wesco’s touchdown.

Williams, sidelined for much of last season due to injuries, made a nice return to the field in the spring game. He caught five of seven targets for 62 yards, including a 19-yard reception.

Everything Dabo Swinney said ahead of Clemson’s spring game

Clemson Football: Everything Clemson Tigers coach Dabo Swinney said ahead of Saturday’s spring game.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t want his team to pick up where it left off last season.

The Tigers won their last five games of 2023 to salvage a 9-4 campaign after a disappointing 4-4 start. The new season, which officially begins with the team’s annual spring game Saturday, represents a blank slate and a chance for Clemson to erase the sting of last year’s disappointments.

Swinney spoke to reporters Wednesday ahead of the Tigers’ ‘Orange vs. White’ game, scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) and ESPN+.

“This is the only opportunity we have. There’s no preseason for us. There’s no exhibition games, there’s no jamborees, there’s no scrimmages against other teams. This is the only true opportunity that we have to create a game feel,” Swinney said during his opening statement.

“For a lot of these mid-year (players), this is a big moment because the next time they actually play, the scoreboard’s going to be lit up,” Swinney added. “So this is a great opportunity to hopefully try to create that game opportunity for some of these guys. And then we’ve got some guys who are getting some more opportunity as your team changes every year and you start over.

“So it’s going to be a great day. I think it’s going to be maybe 60 or something, a little cool early and beautiful sunshine. So hopefully we’ll have a great crowd. We’ve got a lot of recruits coming, a lot of families, so let’s pack that thing and make it a great day. I think it’ll be a very competitive day.”

Here’s everything Swinney said ahead of Saturday’s spring game.

Cade Klubnik is this analyst’s biggest question mark for Clemson football

Clemson Tigers football: Cade Klubnik is the Tigers’ biggest question mark in spring practice and entering the 2024 season, according to this college football analyst.

After a 4-4 start last season, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik faced more than his share of doubts from fans and pundits alike.

A five-game winning streak that included a thrilling fourth-quarter comeback and 38-35 win against Kentucky in the Gator Bowl to close the season isn’t enough to quell all of Klubnik’s critics, either.

In fact, CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson lists Klubnik as the Tigers’ biggest question mark in spring practice and heading into the 2024 season.

Asking if Klubnik can up his performance from a season ago, Patterson writes:

“Clemson’s coaching staff is challenging Klubnik, the former five-star prospect who enters his junior season with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a Tiger, and looking for him to improve in several ways in order to unlock the offense’s full potential. They want Klubnik to get stronger and have more pocket awareness (he took 28 sacks in 2023) as well as get a better feel for situational football after some of his more disappointing moments came in key spots of close losses.”

Patterson notes that the burden doesn’t fall squarely on Klubnik’s throwing shoulder and highlights coach Dabo Swinney’s program’s need to develop solid receivers.

To that end, incoming freshman and five-star recruit Bryant Wesco has been on many lists of players turning heads in spring practice this year.

Per Patterson:

“This is not a one-man scenario, though; Clemson needs pass catchers and a solid offensive line to help Klubnik in those efforts. Given his blue-chip pedigree, it’s fair to look for a big step forward from the Tigers quarterback in his second full season as a starter.”

Klubnik finished his sophomore season with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He completed 64 percent of his passes and threw for 2,844 yards in 13 games.

College football ‘Super League’ proposed, per report

According to reports from the Athletic, a college football ‘Super League’ has been proposed.

In the ever-changing world of sports, crazy things happen. Another crazy change could be coming to college football if a group of people find a way to make it happen. 

According to reports from The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand and Stewart Mandel ($$$), a group of several college presidents and some of sports’ top executives have proposed what is being dubbed as a ‘Super League.’ If this group succeeds, college football will never be the same. Here’s what I took from Marchand and Mandel’s writing about the situation. 

The proposed “Super League” in college football aims to reshape the sport’s governance and structure. This comprehensive plan involves replacing traditional conference affiliations with a tiered system featuring promotion and relegation, inspired by models seen in European football leagues. The proposal suggests direct player compensation, addressing ongoing concerns surrounding athlete compensation and rights. While facing skepticism from established powers within collegiate athletics, proponents argue that it represents a necessary step forward to ensure the sport’s sustainability.

At the heart of the “Super League” concept is a simplified playoff format that eliminates subjective selection committees, favoring a more straightforward performance-based qualification process. This proposed change seemingly aims to bolster competitiveness and increase television revenue, drawing inspiration from successful models found in professional sports leagues mentioned earlier. Despite encountering resistance and logistical hurdles, proponents stress the urgency of their agenda, citing mounting legal pressures and the need to adapt to evolving norms within the sports landscape.

After breaking things down, it is truly crazy how far college football has come in less than a decade. When changes happen, it tends to induce more change down the line, but down the line, it has become a much more rapid thing in recent memory when considering college football. 

The Atheltic’s duo makes it clear that there is resistance here, and not much ground has been made, but this it’s definitely something of note. Some have been vocal about this being the direction college football is going. To their credit, this further affirms that it could be (pat yourself on the back; you know who you are). The key here is could. 

Like many things in our lives, the future is uncertain, and that is incredibly clear with a sport like college football. Does the sport ‘need to be saved’? No. College football may be, in a way, a mess right now, but drastic changes by no means guarantee positive change. 

One thing I can promise you is that college football will continue to be, well, wild.  

Clemson’s Bryant Wesco on list of players turning heads in spring practice

Clemson Tigers Football: The hype continues to build for freshman receiver Bryant Wesco.

The hype continues to build for Clemson’s Bryant Wesco.

The 6’2″, 170-pound receiver, a five-star recruit out of Midlothian (Texas) High School, chose Clemson over LSU, Tennessee, USC and others in 2023.

247Sports ranked Wesco as the sixth-best receiver nationally in the class of 2024, as well as the fifth-best player from the Lone Star State.

Noting that Wesco chose to play with another Texas native in quarterback Cade Klubnik when he committed to Clemson, B/R Sports listed Wesco on its list of 10 college football players that were turning heads in spring practice.

Per B/R’s story:

“Simply put: The Tigers haven’t had many talented weapons at wideout like him in the past couple of seasons, so he could team with Antonio Williams to give them a major threat on the outside who can stretch the field and make huge plays downfield.

“Transforming the offense to one that instills fear in folks is why Riley was brought onboard, and coach Dabo Swinney certainly won’t outfit his roster with portal talent, so incoming youngsters like Wesco have to.”

Clemson offensive coordinator Garrett Riley recently told The Clemson Insider that he likes what he’s seen from Wesco so far in spring camp.

“Bryant’s done a nice job,” Riley told TCI. “Anytime as a freshman, the whole thing is just, can you handle mentally? And then just the grind, the speed of the game, transitioning at his position at receiver and once you transition to the college speed. He’s been able to mentally handle things, and I think he’s a guy that’s transitioned really well with the speed of the game.”

Wesco caught 109 passes for 1,903 yards and 29 touchdowns during his prep career.

Notre Dame Must Fix This Issue To Contend In ’24

Where Notre Dame needs to clear things up in 2024 to be playing in the CFP…

Notre Dame is certainly trending in the right direction as we’ve turned the calendar to 2024. Marcus Freeman is finding his footing as the head man, the assisting staff instills confidence on both sides of the ball, and the roster has a nice blend of veterans and young talent. The Irish fully intends to make a real run in the inaugural 12-team expanded CFP.

With this framework in mind, I start to think hard about what hurdles there may be for Notre Dame as they try and truly make some noise next season. One of these challenges is how the Irish performed in true road contests in 23′. Not well. Slow starts. Sluggish play. Not able to match the emotion of the home squad. This trend led directly to two losses and almost a third, ruining the high-end prospects of the season.

Let’s examine the evidence of this issue and what may be causing it.

CFB analyst believes there could be way more post-spring portal action

Josh Pate can see more post-spring transfer portal shakeup than we’ve seen in early portal action.

The transfer portal has been active this offseason. It could see even more change once spring football is over according to one college football analyst.

247Sports’ Josh Pate shared the following on his Late Kick podcast of what could happen in the portal over the next couple months.

“The post-spring transfer portal cycle coming up may actually be wilder than the December window. There are no rules.”

Pate continued on what the lack of regulation means for the rest of the offseason.

“The impact is going to be enormous. A lot of you are nervous. Frankly, you should be nervous because there are no players who are safe right now.”

What does it mean for Texas? Like every other college football team, the Longhorns will likely have to continue to recruit their own players. Why? Because college football teams tamper. They do so because they can with little to no repercussions.

The above has become the new normal for Texas, and they’ve done a good job fending off teams trying to lure away their top players. Unfortunately, it could mean the Longhorns lose quality depth this offseason. After all, backups can play more and see better NIL opportunities elsewhere.

Despite the difficulties Texas will face in maintaining its roster, its challenges are shared with every other team in college football. The Longhorns will simply need to be one of the best at retaining their players to enter the season with an advantage.