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College Football Archives: June 2014 Through July 2014

July 31: Safety Josh Turner has been re-instated to the Texas Longhorns program, following a meeting with first-year Texas head coach Charlie Strong. Turner is a leading candidate to start at free safety this season. As police continue to investigate Oklahoma freshman Joe Mixon’s alleged assault case, he has been suspended from the team. Lobos offensive lineman Jamal Price has been suspended by New Mexico coach Bob Davie after being arrested for forcing his way into his girlfriend’s apartment. After having shoulder surgery in February, Stanford returner-extraordinaire Ty Montgomery is still recovering, but plans to be in action in time for the season-opener.

July 30: The NCAA settled a class-action lawsuit by setting aside a $70M fund that will be used to diagnose neurological problems with former college players who participated in contact sports. The money will not, however, be used to pay players for damages they may have sustained while playing NCAA sports. Five-star recruit and current Oklahoma freshman running back Joe Mixon met with police to discuss a possible assault that took place last week. Mixon allegedly struck a woman, breaking four bones in her face. Mixon’s attorney says that Mixon defended himself against “a very intoxicated and troubled young woman.” Earlier this year, Oklahoma State was penalized for inadequate academic scores by losing practice time. They were just a nick under the allowed score, but it was discovered there was an error in compiling the scores and they do in fact reach the minimum score required and now all sanctions have been lifted and the Cowboys will be able to practice their normal allotment of hours.

July 29: Former Utah offensive lineman and current Jacksonville Jaguars guard Zane Beadles donated 750K to his former alma mater. Beadles signed a $30M deal this offseason. Arizona suffered a hit in the recruiting area, as top commit Shea Patterson is now possibly looking to stay closer to home and play at LSU. Patterson is the top-ranked QB in the class of 2016. Braxton Miller is recovering nicely from shoulder surgery and is throwing the ball ahead of schedule. Miller is 8 pounds heavier than last season, despite a drop in body fat from 10% to 7%.

July 28: Utah quarterback Travis Wilson, the leading choice to assume starting duties for the Utes this upcoming season, was cited for unlawful alcohol consumption by a minor. The 20-year old was reportedly at a Tim McGraw concert at the time. Last week, the marijuana case with Auburn QB Nick Marshall was closed after Marshall paid a fine of $1000. As of yet, head coach Gus Malzahn has yet to decide on a punishment for Marshall. With new Texas coach Charlie Strong dismissing a handful of players in recent days, reports are that the cause may be a random drug test that was recently given to players. Just this past week, 6 players have either been suspended or dismissed from the Longhorns program.

July 27: Former Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour was named the new AD at Penn State, replacing David Joyner, who stepped down from the position last month. Barbour was given a 5-year contract and said she “intends to bring a student-first approach to the job.” Five-star freshman running back, Oklahoma freshman Joe Mixon, is under investigation for punching a woman in the face at a cafe in Norman, Oklahoma. The woman incurred four broken bones on her face. We’ll see how this pans out and affects Mixon, who was expected to make an impact this season for the Sooners. The 7th Georgia player has been arrested this offseason. The latest is redshirt freshman linebacker Davin Bellamy, who was charged with DUI and speeding.

July 26: New Texas head coach Charlie Strong is showing he means business as it pertains to off-the-field transgressions. On Thursday, two players suspected of sexual assault were suspended. Friday, it was learned that 4 more players were dismissed from the program following various infractions. The players include Josh Turner, Jalen Overstreet, Chevoski Collins, and Joe Bergeron. TCU defensive end Devonte Fields surrendered to police after a warrant was put out for him after he allegedly punched his ex-girlfriend and threatened her with a gun.

July 25: Former Baylor receiver Robbie Rhodes, one of the best-ranked players of the class of 2013 will transfer to Bowling Green University. Rhodes was dismissed from the Bears in June following a marijuana arrest. He will need to sit out the 2014 season, before returning in 2015 with 3 remaining years of eligibility. Stemming from a brawl following the Super Bowl, quarterback Cyler Miles will sit out the opener against Hawaii. Miles is suspected to replace departed Keith Price as the Huskies’ starting quarterback this season. A pair of Texas wide receivers have been suspended after getting arrested for suspected felony sexual assault in an ugly case that threatens to derail both young men. The suspects, Kendall Sanders and Montrel Meander could be facing stiff prison sentences if the allegations are proven to be correct. Meander did not play after redshirting last season, while Sanders started 7 games for the Longhorns in 2013.

July 24: Georgia has decided to dismiss nose tackle Jonathan Taylor following a second arrest this offseason, this time for suspected domestic violence. He is being charged with felony aggravated assault following an incident on campus. Earlier in the year, he was one of 4 players arrested for theft following a check-cashing issue that received a fair amount of publicity. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops took exception at recent Nick Saban remarks, when the Alabama coach referred to the Sugar Bowl as a consolation game. Stoops responded “They didn’t look like it was a consolation game on that first drive when they scored a touchdown and everyone thought they were going to rout us.” Stoops was referring to last year’s Sugar Bowl, where they beat Alabama 45-31. Stoops added “So that means I’ve got a built-in excuse the next time we don’t play for a national championship?”

July 23: Former Illinois player Shawn Afryl, who transferred to Winona State, passed away while working out with teammates. The 22-year old had just enrolled and was looking forward to this new chapter in his football life at the time of his tragic passing. All accounts were that the young man was a stellar teammate. TCU got some bad news that DE Devonte Fields, one of their top players, is under investigation for striking his ex-girlfriend and threatening her with a gun. As a result, TCU has suspended Fields. The alleged assailant was visibly bruised upon police arrival. It looks like Oklahoma has appealed in an effort to allow transfer Dorial Beckham-Green to play at some time in 2014. If not granted, he will not be eligible to play until the 2015 season.

July 22: Media days kicked off for the Big 12 Conference and commissioner Bob Bowlsby wasn’t short on opinions. Bowlsby said that current NCAA enforcement is “broken” and that “cheating pays” in college football. He also bemoaned the finances of the game, saying that coaches’ and athletic directors’ salaries keep rising, while revenue drops. Nate Craig, a top-ranked wide receiver who will be a high school junior this upcoming school year, has committed to Auburn. By all looks, Craig will be a top-flight receiver.

July 21: ACC media days had a bit more flair than normal, with Jameis Winston always commanding a lot of attention. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner answered questions, saying he knows he has to live up to the hype and if he’s even an inch below that standard, it’ll be chaos. Winston added that he’s learned from his mistakes, which include an offseason crab-leg theft incident. Reports surfaced last week that Texas offered or were willing to offer alabama head coach Nick Saban a package of over $100M to come to Texas. Saban has since said that he never had conversations with Texas about becoming their new coach and was not offered anything.

July 20: Wisconsin’s Dareian Watkins has left the program after a reported case of homesickness. His former coach is saying it was a poor decision made by a young 18-year old who made a bad mistake and cost himself a chance to play Big Ten football. The four-star recruit left once and coaches gave him a second chance. He returned, but then left to his hometown just a few days later, leading to his dismissal from the team. While many are assuming Nick Saban will name Jacob Coker the Crimson Tide starting quarterback, Saban insists there will be a competition for the position. Blake Sims is considered the best other candidate, though it is still suspected by most close to the situation that it will eventually be Coker under center.

July 19: Rob Bolden, the former Penn State QB who later transferred to LSU, will now transfer to Eastern Michigan. Bolden did not see any playing time with LSU and will be immediately eligible to play at EMU, being that he already graduated. Baylor landed a prized recruit in five-star tackle Patrick Hudson. The prospect had originally committed to Texas A&M, but it looked like Baylor coach Art Briles’ connections helped here, being that he is a friend and former roommate of Hudson’ high school coach. The NFL Draft will not be in New York in 2015, as Roger Goodell has indicated next year’s draft will either be in Los Angeles or Chicago.

July 18: Alabama running back Kenyan Drake has officially been suspended from the team. This follows an incident where he was arrested for obstructing justice after refusing orders to not go to his car, which was in a taped-off crime scene at the time. Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said that Drake is not off the team, however, nor is suspended JUCO transfer Jarran Reed, who was arrested for DUI in the offseason. After being suspended in February following a disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct rap, Ole Miss LB Denzel Nkemdiche has returned to the team and will rejoin practices, though he is still suspended for the season opener against Boise State.

July 17: In somewhat surprising news, Texas Tech cornerback Nigel Bethel has been reinstated by the university after authorities declined to press charges on him. He had been dismissed from the school after punching a woman basketball player. The fact that he didn’t initiate the altercation and a good track record before the incident contributed to the decision, though Bethel II will be suspended for the first three games this season. Ejuan Price, a probable starter for Pittsburgh at defensive end, has torn a pectoral muscle and will undergo surgery, which will keep him sidelined for the entire 2014 season. QB David Sills, who made headlines when he committed to USC as a 7th grader, has flip-flopped and is now committing to West Virginia, presumably as a response to Ricky Town committing to the Trojans, meaning he would likely struggle to get playing time.

July 16: Former Texas Tech corner Nigel Bethel II will not be charged in an incident where he allegedly struck women’s basketball star Amber Battle. A day after the incident, Bethel II was released from the program and it’s unclear if this development will change that. Battle did admit to initiating the physical altercation and Bethel’s attorney is making the case that his client has never run afoul of the law and is a good kid who deserves a second chance. At SEC media days, South Carolina coach Steve Spurier, who has taken some pokes at Nick Saban over the years, was gracious in his appraisal of his rival coach, saying Saban’s recent recruiting prowess “has got to make him the greatest recruiter in college football history.” Sophomore West Virginia running back Wendell Smallwood was arrested on a warrant out of Delaware for witness tampering. Police accuse Smallwood of trying to get a witness to switch a story that said a friend of his was involved in a fatal shooting in 2012.

July 15: Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said that starting quarterback Nick Marshall will suffer the consequences for getting a $1000 ticket for marijuana possession. Marshall was kept out of SEC media days on Monday and there will likely be further sanctions. After being arrested for stealing a motor scooter, Jesus Wilson has been suspended by Florida State. NCAA president Mark Emmert received $1.7M in salary in 2012-2013, while chief operating officer Jim Isch received a salary in excess of $1M, while the NCAA turned a reported $32M in profits during that period.

July 14: Recent community college transfer and current member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, defensive lineman Jarran Reed, was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. It was assumed Reed would compete for playing time and no punishment has yet been given, though this certainly doesn’t aid his transition to a big program. Ezra Robinson, a cornerback for Michigan State, has received a release from his scholarship. He played on special teams last season as a redshirt freshman.

July 13: With some wind in their sails following an 8-5 season and an exciting playing-style, the Texas Tech Red Raiders have sold out season tickets for the first time in the history of the school. It seems a lot of people just assume Florida State quarterback and defending Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston will leave the Seminoles to pursue NFL riches at the end of the 2014 season. But Winston said a degree is very important to him and that the point of attending college is to graduate. This certainly comes as good news to Florida State, though one never knows what will happen when millions of dollars are in the balance.

July 12: The Mackey Award, an annual honor given to the nation’s top tight end, released a 40-man watch list. Among the more interesting names found was former Oklahoma quarterback Blake Bell, who is making the switch to tight end this offseason after losing the quarterback job to Trevor Knight. With players a few weeks from camp, this is always a period of the year that is heavy on the arrests, with players squeezing in their fun before embarking on a grueling football season. The latest to fall prey was Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall. Pulled over for a tint violation, a small amount of marijuana was found under Marshall’s passenger sun visor. Auburn has yet to comment on the situation. Last season, Marshall led Auburn to an unlikely SEC championship and a slot in the national title game.

July 11: The supplemental draft came up snake-eyes, as no players were selected. Only 4 players were eligible and they all now become free agents. Those players include Traylon Shead, Lakendrick Ross, Darius Lipford, and Chase Clayton. All players are expected to be invited to an NFL training camp, where they will try to latch on with a team. Arrests continue to pile up, with Florida State receiver Jesus Wilson arrested for vehicular grand theft. He played sparingly in 2013, catching just three passes.

July 10: Today will be the NFL’s supplemental draft. Some interesting names that have been confirmed as potential selections, including a pretty good running back in SMU’s Traylon Shead, as well as Lobos receiver Chase Clayton and Tar Heels’ linebacker Darius Lipford. NCAA president Mark Emmert, obviously feeling the heat from the push for players to get something more for the millions they create, said athletes should receive scholarships for life and that they should be provided for more to cover the full scope of costs associated with attending college. But he reaffirmed his stance that amateurism should be preserved, something that wouldn’t be the case if college athletes were directly paid for their services.

July 9: Despite making some USC fans upset with the way he left, Pete Carroll will be inducted into the USC Trojans Hall of Fame. Though his exit and subsequent NCAA sanctions soiled his legacy to some extent, it was still on Carroll’s watch that the Trojans elevated into a national power once again. The Trojans got some bad news this week, with Kenny Bigelow finished for the season after tearing his ACL in non-contact drills. Bigelow was expected to compete for a starting job, but will need to wait until 2015. Miami linebackers JaWand Blue and Alexander Figueroa were arrested for sexual assault charges involving a minor. Both have been dismissed from the university and the football program.

July 8: The Tennessee Volunteers lost freshman Charles Mosley indefinitely after the defensive lineman broke his tibia in a car accident on Sunday while traveling with his family. The 6’5” 360-pound Mosley is hopeful of being released from the hospital by the end of the week. Boise State has settled a lawsuit with the American Athletic Conference, paying $2.3 million to the conference. Boise State agreed to join the then-Big East, before pulling out of the deal in 2012.

July 7: Alabama running back Kenyon Drake was arrested for obstructing government operations early Saturday morning. Police say Drake crossed into a crime scene where a shooting had taken place to get into his car, which was inside the taped area. Drake had good production as TJ Yeldon’s back-up last season. Following an incident outside a bar, Ohio State defensive end Tracy Sprinkle was arrested for possession of drugs, paraphernalia, rioting, and failure to disperse. Urban Meyer, currently on vacation, indefinitely suspended Sprinkle and this could threaten to derail Sprinkle’s college career.

July 6: Former Missouri wide receiver Dorial Beckham-Green, the troubled young mega-talent who was dismissed from the Missouri program after a series of off-the=field incidents, has been added to the Oklahoma roster. DBG is now looking for options that could allow him to play in 2014, otherwise, he will have to sit out the season and wait for 2015. We’ll see if this young man can cash in on a big second chance, as any more issues would likely end his college career. Texas Tech women’s hoops player Amber Battle has been suspended for a month after admitting to initiating first contact with Nigel Bethel in a fight that led to Bethel’s dismissal. The fight took place during a pick-up basketball game.

July 3: Ohio State secured a pair of 5-star recruits with the commitments of linebacker Justin Hilliard and defensive end Jashon Cornell. Texas A&M offensive lineman Ishmael Wilson will transfer to Baylor. The former 4-star recruit will have to sit out 2014 before being eligible to play in 2015. Washington senior defensive end Josh Shirley, who is from southern California, wants to play his last season closer to home, meaning he will leave the Huskies program. Maryland hopes to have received a big boost to the D-line, as former high school standout and current top heavyweight wrestler Spencer Myers has decided to join the football team. One of the best wrestlers in the nation, Myers hopes his old instincts kick back in, as he was an all-state football player in high school.

July 2: After being sanctioned by the NCAA for academic violations in 2012, the NCAA has reopened its investigation, with the possibility of more academic improprieties being afoot at the university. There is no timetable on a ruling, but North Carolina is looking to avoid another bowl ban and additional sanctions. Jameis Winston, last season’s Heisman’s Trophy winner, took out an insurance policy worth $10 million that is split between a permanent disability policy and a loss-of-value policy. It is estimated that such a policy costs about $60000 per year to have.

July 1: In a disturbing story from Texas Tech, football player Nigel Bethel II faces an aggravated assault charge after hitting the leading scorer for the Red Raiders women’s basketball team, Amber Battle. The defensive back is accused in a police report of using hands, fists, feet, etc. He was suspended from the football team on Sunday and is being allowed to finish his summer session. The incident took place at the university recreation center. Oregon wide receiver Devon Allen, who doubles as a track athlete, won the U.S. track title at 110-meter hurdles.

June 30: In horrible news, former Auburn tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen was killed in a car crash early Sunday morning. Lutzenkirchen was the passenger in a car that overturned in the early morning hours in Georgia where the driver was also killed, with two other passengers hurt. Lutzenkirchen was only 23 years old. He scored some big touchdowns in his career and is the all-time Auburn leader in touchdowns for a tight end. In perhaps his biggest catch, he caught the winning touchdown in 2010 to beat Alabama.

June 29: For those following news from around the country, you may have heard a story about a young boy being kept in a basement for two years. It turns out the father in question is former Georgia Tech linebacker Recardo Wimbush, a former team captain. The parents claim the 13-year old was as disciplinary problem and a threat to their other children. Yesterday marked the 2 month point from opening Thursday in week one of the college football season, which is on August 28 and features a large slate of games.

June 28: Georgia head coach Mark Richt said he wouldn’t be surprised if star running back Todd Gurley leaves after his upcoming junior season. Slowed by injuries last season, Gurley looks to have a huge season to perhaps position himself well for the 2015 draft. Still, there has been no definitive word on it. Cornerback Jonothon Mincy of the defending SEC champion Auburn Tigers was arrested after a car he was riding in was pulled over. Marijuana was found on Mincy’s shirt with a bag of the substance next to him.

June 27: Longtime Washington coach Jim Lambright was arrested following a domestic skirmish involving him and his grand-daughter. Lambright was reportedly fed up with her attitude, saying he just wanted to get her out of the house. Lambright’s wife say the former Huskies’ leader is suffering from dementia. Lambright was on the Washington coaching staff for 30 years, including a 6-year run as head coach in the 90’s. One of the more-respected announcers in college football will be moving from CBS to Fox, as Tim Brando will now cover college football and basketball for Fox Sports.

June 26: The Oklahoma Board of Regents agrees to give head coach Bob Stoops a raise, in addition to clearing the way for a stadium renovation. Stoops will now make $5 million a season. Stoops will make nearly $40 million if he stays with the team through 2020. Baylor was looking for big things from sophomore receiver Robbie Rhodes, but the player has reportedly been dismissed from the team for undisclosed reasons. Another player looking ahead to a good year, Penn State linebacker Ben Kline, went down with a torn Achilles and will be out for a lengthy period of time.

June 25: Last season, Utah starting QB Travis Wilson suffered a concussion. When further tests revealed a previous injury to an intracranial artery, his season was over. He has worked his way back and after a CT scan showed stability to that artery, the young Wilson was cleared to play football without limitations. Wilson will presumably start for the Utes this season. West Virginia has named Clint Trickett starting quarterback for the 2014 season. He started 7 games last season after transferring from Florida State. The Mountaineers open the season on August 30 against Alabama at the Georgia Dome.

June 24: Baylor coach Art Briles, who recently released a book, wasn’t a popular hire for many Baylor fans and boosters. In the book, Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said he received death threats by those who were unhappy with the hiring. McCaw was being urged to hire alum Mike Singletary, but it turns out he was right, as Briles turned Baylor from a Big 12 afterthought to a conference frontrunner. In Oakland, the court case to determine if players should be compensated for certain profits they help generate continues. Following NCAA president Mark Emmert’s testimony, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany also painted a gloomy image if athletes were to be paid, saying the Rose Bowl and his conference would cease to exist.

June 23: Miami running back Duke Johnson is apparently fully recovered from a broken right tibia he fractured in a November game with Florida State. Now a junior, Miami will be relying heavily on the bruising back, who reportedly added a lot of muscle during the offseason. Dorial Green-Beckham, the talented former Missouri wide receiver who was dismissed after a slew of disciplinary issues, may be getting some interest from the Oklahoma Sooners. Some thought “DGB” would play for a FCS school to avoid sitting out the season, but that hasn’t come about yet. Either way, there aren’t many more second chances left for the mega-talented pass-catcher.

June 22:The Florida Gators will lose another tight end with the transfer of formerly highly-recruited Colin Thompson, who will leave school after a pair of injury-plagued seasons. No word on what school he will now attend, but the Gators have now lost a pair of tight ends, after Kent Taylor also transferred earlier in the year. They’re not crying though, after securing a tight end transfer of their own in Jake McGee from Virginia. Heading into the 2014 season, with opening-week a little over two months from now, the Heisman favorite is Jameis Winston, who is favored to become the first repeat winner of the award since Archie Griffin repeated in 1975. the second choice on the board is Marcus Mariota of Oregon.

June 21: The SEC added another key player to what is turning out to be a dominant recruiting season. This time, it’s Texas A&M that bolstered an already-strong recruiting class, as they secured the commitment of the nation’s 9th-ranked receiver--5-star recruit DaMarkus Lodge. The Aggies have been able to boost their recruiting results in the past few seasons, as their profile has been elevated in the talent-laden SEC. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has been given a contract extension of two years, meaning his deal will run to the summer of 2019. With the Grambling football program having fallen off considerably in recent years, punctuated by players walking out and the team missing a game last season as a result, there is talk about finding another team to play Southern in the Bayou Classic.

June 20: The father of Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston says he plans on his son staying at Florida State for two more years, despite many observers thinking this would be his final season as a Seminole. How much sway his father has in the situation remains to be seen, but Florida State certainly hopes his father’s words hold true. The big NCAA trial is underway in Oakland and on Thursday, NCAA president Mark Emmert said “any effort to pay players would destroy a framework that has been in place for more than a century and cause many schools to either abandon sports or refuse to play other schools that do pay.”

June 19: Top tight end recruit Hunter Atkinson, who was scheduled to begin his college career with the Georgia Bulldogs this fall, has decided to not pursue a football career, instead choosing to focus on a different unspecified career. As if Alabama needed another coup in the recruiting process, reports are that they have secured the commitment of Blake Barnett, a dual-threat prospect out of Corona, California. Barnett is a player who will be looking to make some major inroads as a member of the Crimson Tide starting in 2015. Speaking for the first time since a fire nearly took his life, San Jose State linebacker Jared Leaf said he hopes to return to the gridiron. Leaf was hospitalized for 40 days after barely escaping a blaze in his apartment.

June 18: In a bizarre and troubling story that at least ended up OK, Oklahoma State wide receiver Cameron Hunter was pulled into a car Monday, before being stabbed and robbed. The suspects dumped him off at a different location, but reports are that Hunter is home recovering and should be fine. Hunter is a walk-on. Penn State athletic director Dave Joyner will step down from his post effective August 1. Joyner was brought in amidst difficult circumstances in the wake of the Penn State sex scandal. After nobly trying to steward his alma mater through that period, Joyner will hand over the reigns as Penn State’s next phase begins.

June 17: Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly indefinitely suspended WR Will Mahone following an incident on Saturday. Mahone is facing three felony charges after allegedly assaulting a police officer. He is also accused of intimidating a public official and vandalism. Michigan starting offensive lineman Graham Glasgow pleaded guilty to driving a car while impaired. He will not be sentenced until July 14, but coach Brady Hoke suspended him for part of spring practice and the opening game of the season against Appalachian State.

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June 16: This past weekend, it was reported that quarterback Jake Heaps, the former 5-star high school recruit, has decided to transfer from Kansas after falling behind Montell Cozart on the depth chart. Heaps will now go to a third school, after starting at BYU, and that school will be one that could really use an experienced quarterback--the Miami Hurricanes. With Stephen Morris no longer in the fold, the job was likely to go to backup Ryan Williams, but he is recovering from a knee injury. Heaps will compete for the starting job. Speaking of players leaving school, Notre Dame had 4 players recently leave the school, including Richy Anderson, Jonathan Warner, Austin Whipple, and Anthony Alosi. Of the four, only Anderson saw any real playing time, catching 13 passes in his freshman season.

June 15: Georgia safety Tray Matthews, who was booted off the Georgia program for his involvement in the check-cashing scandal, has been given a full scholarship by Auburn. Having not graduated, he will need to sit out 2014, but will eligible to play in 2015, after some safeties high on the depth-chart graduate. Three players have left the Kansas program, headed by former top high school quarterback recruit Jake Heaps. Since he is graduating in a month, Heaps would be able to play next season if he transferred to another school. In addition, wide receiver Andrew Turzilli and running back Darrian Miller are also on their way out.

June 14: After leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to three straight 9-4 seasons, coach Mark Hudspeth has been rewarded with a 6-year contract extension by Louisiana-Lafayette. Hudspeth will earn a salary of nearly a million dollars annually plus incentives. With BYU saying they’d like to join the Big 12 conference, Kansas State and West Virginia athletic directors have said there have been no talks of expansion, nor will there be. After clerical problems delayed summer fund checks, some Hawaii football players had to resort to sleeping in the locker room, as they were unable to transition from dorms to off-campus living for the summer because of a clerical error.

June 13: Quarterback Hayden Rettig will be transferring from LSU to Rutgers. Having not graduated or facing any hardship, Rettig will have to sit out the 2014 season before he is eligible to play. The younger brother of former BC quarterback Chase Rettig will still have 3 years of eligibility. Joker Phillips, the wide receiver coach at Florida, has resigned amidst allegations of recruiting improprieties. A photo surfaced of Phillips at a restaurant with a recruit during a mandatory dead period in the recruiting process. The new receivers coach will be former Gators QB Chris Leak.

June 12: LSU has been hit by the offseason arrest bug, following the arrest of safety Jalen Mills--one of the top defensive backs in the SEC. Mills was arrested and is being held after an alleged assault on a woman at his apartment. Police say Mills struck a woman in her mouth, causing her to briefly to lose consciousness in early May. Mills has been suspended indefinitely. If unable to play, the Tigers lose a major piece of manpower. Indiana quarterback Tre Roberson will be transferring to another school, despite being in competition for the starting job. Roberson was the first freshman to ever start for the Hoosiers at QB in 2011. A season-ending injury set him back in 2012, but he secured a medical hardship waiver and still has two more years of eligibility.

June 11: Responding to some critics who gave former USC coach Pete Carroll flack about leaving USC to face sanctions upon his exit, the current Seattle Seahawks coach had a lot to say. Carroll said the sanctions were five years after the fact, something no one could have anticipated and that he was sure they had done everything right as a program. He also points out that there was no sign of the program having issues with the NCAA until he had already signed to become the new Seattle coach. USC had a 2-year bowl ban, lost 30 scholarships, and had to forfeit their 2004 national title as a result of the NCAA finding Reggie Bush had received money from sports marketers.

June 10: The NCAA has settled with EA sports in a case stemming from the likenesses of college players being used in college video games. The amount of the settlement is $20 million and it is still unclear on how that money will be divided. The group of plaintiffs was led by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller. Ironically, on the same day, a case begins led by former UCLA hoops player Ed O’Bannon against the NCAA, which challenges the way big money college sports is handled, namely how no proceeds make their way down to the players.

June 9: USC running back Ty Isaac is transferring from USC to the University of Michigan, with the reason cited being that he wants to be closer to home, while his mother is dealing with a health issue. The former 5-star recruit ran for 236 yards and two scores last season for the Trojans. He is hoping his circumstances will give way to a waiver that will make it so he doesn’t have to sit out a season. Otherwise, Isaac will not play for the Wolverines until 2015. After endless legal wrangling, the trial to determine if college athletes should be compensated for their likenesses being used on TV, video games, and other merchandise will begin Monday. The star witness is former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon. Time will tell, but this could become a milestone case in a time where they seems to be an upsurge of sentiment in favor of college athletes receiving more than a scholarship for the millions upon millions of dollars they create.

June 8: One of Northwestern’s top recruits from two years ago, running back Malin Jones, is transferring. He’s not sure what school he will go to and will likely need to sit out a year before playing. Jones only had three carries last season. Legendary Arkansas former coach and athletic director Frank Broyles, who still comes to work everyday at the campus, will step down at the end of the month. The 89-year old has spent 56 years at the University in various roles. He was the Razorbacks head coach for 19 years, which includes the 1964 National Championship--the only one ever won by Arkansas.

June 7: With over $291M in revenue for the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014, the ACC broke their previous record by over $50M, with a renegotiated TV deal being cited as the main cause. The profits get split up among all the teams in the conference, with each school getting over $20M. Auburn has released the details of the contracts their coaches received. Football coach Gus Malzahn has a 6-year deal worth over $26M and his assistants were given raises totaling nearly a million dollars. Malzahn’s deal got a lot sweeter after leading the Tigers to an unlikely run to the national championship game last season.

June 6: Several months ago, it was reported that there were some Georgia players accused of improprieties when they cashed checks improperly from the Georgia athletic department. The amount is a total in the neighborhood of $70. It turns out two of the players will not face suspensions from the team, with James DeLoach and Jonathan Taylor facing “internal discipline.” Meanwhile, of the two other players involved, one has transferred and the other, Tray Matthews, was dismissed from the team. It’s unclear if Matthews, a safety who started 6 games in his freshman campaign in 2013, was dismissed for this case. Monte Harrison, who will play wide receiver for the Nebraska football team, was picked with the 50th selection in the MLB draft by the Brewers. He will also play baseball at the university, ironically for a coach who was also a two-sport star for the Cornhuskers--Darin Erstad.

June 5: Texas A&M players DT Isaiah Golden and LB Darian Claiborne were dismissed from the team following an incident where police allege the players held up at gunpoint and pistol whipped a man during a marijuana transaction. Both face felony charges. This is bad news for Texas A&M, as both players were starters thought to be key to the Aggies’ defense. For reasons that appear murky, UConn running back Lyle McCombs is no longer a member of the football team. The senior has led the Huskies in rushing for the past three seasons. There have been several off-the-field incidents with McCombs dating back to 2011.

June 4: Details are beginning to emerge on the contract extension Alabama coach Nick Saban signed. With a $6.5M annual salary and a 400K bonus added upon each completed year, the contract that runs through 2022 will be worth a total of $55.2M. Saban has won 4 national championships in his esteemed coaching career. Reports indicate the LSU quarterback Hayden Rettig will transfer from the school, with Boston College being a possible landing spot for the former 4-star recruit. LSU also got some bad news regarding the class of 2015, when backyard product and 4-star defensive tackle T.D. Moton opted to commit to Alabama.

June 3: Baylor head coach Art Briles said he expects QB Bryce Petty to have an even better season in 2014 than he did in 2013. With Petty throwing for over 4000 yards with 32 touchdowns and only 3 picks, improving will not be easy. If Briles’ prophecy is realized. Petty would figure to be a Heisman Trophy frontrunner. Michigan State commit and highly-talented high school quarterback Jayru Campbell has been sentenced to 60 days in jail after slamming a security guard to the ground on the campus of Cass Tech.

June 2: The SEC made a tremendous amount of revenue last season and figures to make even more this season with the SEC Network launching. The conference made over $309M from bowl games, football and hoops TV contracts, as well as tournament and champion game revenue. The money was divided among all SEC teams evenly, with each school receiving in excess of $20M. A source indicated that former Texas head coach Mack Brown will be an in-studio analyst for ESPN beginning this upcoming season. The 62-year old Brown resigned following the 2013 season with a lifetime coaching record of 244-122-1, including 158 wins with Texas.

June 1: At league meetings for the American Athletic Conference, two six-team divisions have been finalized and will be placed into affect in 2015. This season, it will be an 11-team conference. The divisions will be split into the west and east, with Houston, Memphis, Navy, SMU, Tulane, and Tulsa in the west division. The east division will consist of Cincinnati, UConn, UCF, East Carolina, South Florida, and Temple. Damore’ea Stringfellow, a talented receiver for Washington will transfer to Nebraska. Stringfellow ran into some off-the-field trouble this season, taking part in a well-publicized post-Super Bowl brawl and felt a fresh start might work. Having not graduated yet, Stringfellow will have to sit out the 2014 season.

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