College Football

OU’s Board of Regents approved new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle’s contract during its Thursday meeting. Arbuckle was hired on Dec. 2 to replace Seth Littrell, who was fired midseason. He spent the past two seasons as Washington State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach and is considered one of the top young offensive minds in the country. Arbuckle, 29, was raised …

Jan. 30—VERMILLION — Following Travis Johansen’s promotion to head coach for South Dakota football, the program announced that former Northwestern College (Iowa) defensive coordinator Billy Kirch would take over the same position in Vermillion. Kirch joins Johansen’s staff after spending the last 10 seasons in Orange City, nine as defensive coordinator. In 2022, Footballscoop.com named him the NAIA Coordinator of …

OU football is still searching for its next defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Sooners athletic director Joe Castiglione said Thursday following the university’s Board of Regents meeting that the process is “going well.” “I think it’s very close,” Castiglione said. Oklahoma missed out on hiring former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who agreed to a deal to become Penn …

PERRY TWP. — Perry High School announced Thursday that Massillon assistant Spencer Leno will be the Panthers’ new varsity football head coach, pending board approval. Leno would replace Zach Slates, who was not brought back after going 16-28 over four seasons as head coach. “After an extensive search and careful consideration, we are thrilled to welcome Spencer Leno as our …

Nov 19, 2022; Berkeley, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Elijah Higgins (6) celebrates with head coach David Shaw after scoring a touchdown against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at FTX Field at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports The Lions have added former Stanford head coach David Shaw as their new pass game …

Add another name to the Houston Texans’ offensive coordinator search. According to KPRC2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, the Texans plan on interviewing Washington Commanders assistant head coach and pass-game coordinator Brian Johnson for the position on Friday. Johnson, who previously served as the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator in 2023, would be the sixth person to interview for the position since the …

SOUTH BEND — The recent conclusion of a grueling 16-game season for Notre Dame football quarterback Riley Leonard couldn’t keep him from suiting up for Senior Bowl practices this week in Mobile, Ala. A resident of nearby Fairhope, Leonard joined Irish teammates and fellow NFL Draft hopefuls Jack Kiser and RJ Oben in American team preparations for Saturday’s 2:30 ET …

The New York Jets will have an upper hand at assessing former Louisville wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks prior to the 2025 NFL Draft. Jets wide receivers coach Junior Taylor is on the coaching staff and Brooks is playing for the East team during the East-West Shrine Bowl, which is set to kick off at 8 p.m. today at AT&T Stadium …

For every college football offseason, preseason hype for nearly every blue-blood program is warranted. Still, regarding Texas A&M, the Aggies are seemingly always on the cusp of breaking through amid too many late-season lapses that have kept the program in average territory for the last decade-plus. As he begins his second season, Coach Mike Elko has taken key steps this …

Arch Manning’s famous bloodlines, and his connection to them amid an ascent to Texas’ starting quarterback for the 2025 season, have made him one of college football’s true draws. But it’s also created what the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2023 describes as “undeserved attention” based on his production so far.  Manning had his pick of destinations …

On Thursday afternoon, Vernon Northside announced Derek Schlieve as the school’s next athletic director and head football coach. Schlieve takes over for Galen Smart after spending the 2024 season in the same role at Sanford-Fritch. The hire was confirmed to the Amarillo Globe-News later that day. “We are excited for the new challenge,” Schlieve told the Globe-News. Before his time …

The 11 programs that tasted the College Football Playoff but came up short in 2024 are already yearning for a return trip. For some — such as Oregon and Georgia — merely getting to the CFP won’t be enough to satisfy championship-thirsty fan bases. Both the Ducks and the Bulldogs met quick exits in the quarterfinals after they earned first-round …

Zech Fort is one of the top safeties in the 2026 class and has lofty ambitions to not only play big-time college football but in the NFL as well. So when it came down to decision day, Georgia emerged as the team for the four-star safety from Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy because of how the Bulldogs play football and especially …

The Ohio State Buckeyes are fresh off winning the program’s ninth national championship and have already turned their attention to defending their title in 2025. In the days following the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff Championship Game triumph, highly regarded defensive coordinator Jim Knowles jumped from Ohio State to Penn State for the same job, but with a record-breaking salary. The …

Wisconsin football top class of 2026 target Tyler Merrill committed to Notre Dame on Thursday. The four-star offensive lineman chose the Fighting Irish over other finalists Wisconsin, Penn State, Alabama and Clemson. He joins a Notre Dame class of 2026 that currently ranks No. 5 in the nation at this early stage in the cycle, with just seven players committed. Related: Former …