A few things I enjoy about every NFL season is seeing teams go worst to first, from pretenders to contenders, and, of course, breakout performances like the quarterback leap. I recently logged every quarterback leap since 2000 to find the most common factors linking them together as we look ahead to project breakout stars in 2024. You can find everything …

NAPLES, Fla. — Inside the beachside Ritz-Carlton resort along Florida’s southwestern coast, leaders of college athletics met in a second-floor conference room to discuss particulars about the industry’s future. Those in the room were limited to five men: NCAA president Charlie Baker and commissioners from the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten. Not in the room: the other 28 …

The NFL isn’t exclusively a young man’s game. The 2024 season, after all, could be defined by some of the league’s most seasoned talent: Think Aaron Rodgers, who’s trying to revive the New York Jets (again) while going on 41 years old. And yet, when push comes to shove, many of the game’s top contenders are driven by relative newcomers, …

The Rivals Five-Star, the marquee football event of the offseason, takes place this week with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars playing host. With 104 of the best prospects in the country scheduled to compete, there are major rankings implications riding on their performances. Yesterday we highlighted some of the biggest rankings for the offensive side of the ball. Today we put …

There won’t be any statues built for the Mike Vrabel/Ryan Tannehill/Derrick Henry era Tennessee Titans. There won’t be any reunions either. But they had a pretty good run. Until, suddenly, everything turned sour. Vrabel had four winning seasons in Tennessee to start his head coaching career. The Titans advanced to the AFC championship game at the end of the 2019 …

NORMAN — Brent Venables, then a young defensive coordinator, recruited Curtis Lofton from Kingfisher High School to OU. Venables helped Lofton develop into an All-American linebacker, a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a second-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Lofton was a standout on Venables’ defense, but the two didn’t always get along. “Coach Venables wasn’t my …

Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and NFL writer Frank Schwab discuss how Will Levis will perform in the 2024 NFL season and whether or not he has the talent to be the franchise quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. Hear the full conversation on the “Zero Blitz” podcast – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. View more Video …

Wisconsin football class of 2025 cornerback target Charles Bell announced his commitment to Iowa on Monday. Bell became the latest Wisconsin class of 2025 target to commit elsewhere in June, joining several three-star recruits like DL Abu Tarawallie, WR Vernon Allen III, iOL N’Kye Wynn and RB Bo Jackson. Like other 2025 prospects, the 6-foot-1, 170-pound corner recently included Wisconsin …

If Caleb Downs takes snaps at both safety and running back in 2024, he would not be the first Ohio State player to play both offense and defense. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Downs has the “capability” and “athleticism” to play both positions, and has taken occasional reps at running back during individual drills in March and April’s spring …

OXFORD ― Ole Miss football has fattened up against the ACC since Lane Kiffin’s arrival five season ago. The same can be said for the coach’s bank account. The Rebels are 3-0 against the ACC under Kiffin, claiming one win in each of the past three campaigns. Each of those victories has earned Kiffin an additional $100,000 in bonus compensation, …

Former Ohio State quarterback and current Westerville North football coach Stanley Jackson witnessed the transformation firsthand. He saw Jake Cook, a 2025 offensive lineman, develop into a player Jackson feels is worthy of OSU’s attention. And that’s exactly what he told the Buckeyes. “I said, ‘Listen, he’s the top-rated lineman in the state of Ohio,’ ” Jackson said. “‘If we …

Taylor Swift’s music wields the power to lay bare a listener’s soul. To true Swifties, Taylor isn’t just singing. Her lyrics resonate. Even Ole Miss’ 49-year-old football coach sees a bit of himself in those lyrics. Consider Lane Kiffin a Swiftie. He appreciates her music, and although he didn’t embrace Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” with as much …

For Michigan football , it was perhaps the best 72-hour stretch thus far for Sherrone Moore in his stint as head coach. On May 16 — a few weeks after the Wolverines had wrapped up spring practice — defensive coordinator Wink Martindale called a team meeting, in which he told his group the defense would be actively looking to add …

CLEMSON — Clemson football is projected to win 8.5 games in 2024, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Tigers rank second out of 17 ACC teams in projected win totals, trailing only Florida State, after finishing with a 9-4 record last year. Clemson’s strength of schedule ranks 26th in the country with the Tigers facing Georgia and South Carolina in non-conference …

A state champion and one of the Bayside Conference’s top football players has announced that he will be playing college football in the ACC when he finishes his high school career. Davin Chandler, who is listed as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2025 on 247sports, committed to the University of Virginia on Sunday. The First Team All-Bayside Conference …