College Football

Spring football has traditionally been about growth and progression, but with the transfer portal opening once again soon, depth charts are more important than ever. The Alabama football 2024 Golden Flake A-Day Game will be held on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium and Kalen DeBoer will get his first taste of the limelight after taking over the Alabama Crimson Tide in …

Florida football will look to make strides and carry some momentum into the 2024 season in its annual Orange and Blue Game on Saturday at The Swamp. The Florida Gators return 13 starters, including quarterback Graham Mertz and running back Montrel Johnson Jr., who will suit up for the Blue team. Key returning defensive starter and former preseason All-SEC cornerback …

It is officially spring game season, and the first major slate kicks off this weekend with showcases around the nation. Saturday is a big day for the SEC, in particular, with eight of its now 16 teams hitting the field to bring their spring practice sessions to an end.  That includes Alabama, which underwent a coaching transition for the first …

Apr. 11—By Jim Naveau jnaveau@limanohio.com Ten things to watch in Ohio State’s spring football game Saturday in Ohio Stadium: 1. The competition to become the starting quarterback. Anytime there is not a returning starter at quarterback it usually becomes the big story in the spring game. The spring game never decides the starter and it probably won’t this year, either. …

CORAL GABLES — Who says the Miami Hurricanes don’t have an on-campus stadium? Miami is hosting its annual spring football game on Saturday, but instead of a spring jamboree at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale or a home game at Hard Rock Stadium, the Hurricanes will play the game in front of a small crowd at Cobb Stadium, the UM …

Apr. 12—Penn State might as well put up a Help Wanted sign for wide receivers. Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports reported Friday that KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been away from the team this week, the final week of spring football practice, and that he’s strongly considering entering the transfer portal. Lambert-Smith led the Nittany Lions last season with 53 receptions for …

Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo, the state’s No. 1 football recruit in the 2025 class, announced his commitment Friday night to play for the Gophers and coach P.J. Fleck. The 6-2, 225-pound Karmo is ranked as a four-star prospect. He had scholarship offers from more than a dozen major conference programs, including finalists Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Nebraska, Southern California …

The finalists have been jostling in pursuit of Husan Longstreet, the nation’s top uncommitted quarterback, in the weeks leading up to the fast-approaching finish line. As the dynamic prospect from Corona (Calif.) Centennial prepares to reveal a college choice Sunday, perhaps it’s appropriate that the crowded battle has dwindled to a quartet of contenders. “Four is my favorite number,” Longstreet said. “It’s the age …

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas football will start the 2024 season a little sooner than anticipated. The SEC and the Razorbacks announced Friday that the team’s in-state matchup vs. UAPB at War Memorial Stadium is set for Thursday, August 29. The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPNU. It will be the first opportunity for …

ORLANDO — Armed with a new starting quarterback, a revamped roster and a pair of new coordinators, UCF offered a first look Friday ahead of its second Big 12 football season. UCF held its second annual Knights-versus-‘Nauts spring exhibition at FBC Mortgage Stadium, a two-quarter intrasquad scrimmage followed by a short skills competition. The Knights were the lone Big 12 …

The Gophers football program has routinely missed out on the top in-state recruit, but the opposite has happened twice now. Robbinsdale Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo, the top-rated local prospect for the 2025 class, committed to Minnesota on Friday. Esko, Minn., safety Koi Perich first bucked the string of exits when he signed with Minnesota in last year’s class, turning down …

Punter Jesse Mirco said he was looking for a fresh start when he transferred from Ohio State to Vanderbilt after the 2023 football season. In an interview with the “Any Given Sunday Australia” podcast, Mirco, an Australia native, detailed his reasoning for leaving Columbus, a decision, he said, that revolved around him having the best opportunity to play at the …

OXFORD — Ole Miss football defensive lineman Joshua Harris announced plans to enter the transfer portal on social media on Friday. Harris played one season for the Rebels after arriving from NC State. The 6-foot-4, 325-pound native of Roxboro, North Carolina, saw 137 snaps on defense for the Rebels last season and picked up 13 tackles. He also contributed heavily …

Gold teeth and curly hair. That’s what earned Malakai Murphy the nickname “Hollywood.” “That’s just what people call me,” Murphy said with a laugh. “It started with the older coaches and all the old football players, that’s what they called me: Hollywood. “They see me with the golds, the curly hair, I have all the hair out and stuff, so …

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football running back Trent Howland plans on re-entering the transfer portal this spring. The spring window for football opens on April 16. The Hoosiers have three practices left during camp with a closed scrimmage on Saturday and their exhibition at Memorial Stadium on Thursday night. Howland entered the portal after former coach Tom Allen’s departure and verbally committed …