COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: USC
PICK SIX
In Lincoln Riley’s transition season here he went 11-1 in the regular season and led Utah by 14 in the Pac-12 title game. A win there would have brought USC to its first-ever Playoff appearance. Riley’s promise of “The Mecca of College Football” was coming to fruition in just his first season. But then, the defense collapsed and allowed 44 points after that lead and they were blown out instead. The idea last offseason was to pump the defensive roster with blue-chippers and proven Power 5 players via the transfer portal, to fix the defense and to get revenge in Vegas. The players may have changed, but the defensive coaching, overly complex playbook, and poor fundamentals all stayed the same. In fact, the defense got worse, turning USC into the anti-Iowa: elite on one side of the ball, but nationally bad on the other. Maybe to some, USC’s shootout style is more exciting than Iowa’s caveman ball, but the results in the win/loss column marked 2023 as a failure. USC started 6-0 behind the reigning Heisman winner and his 50+ points/game offense. Their margins of victory got tighter, holding on by a score against Colorado, and needing two-point attempt stops in both the Arizona and Cal wins. Then the levee broke. 48-20 in South Bend, a 34-32 loss to Utah’s third-string quarterback and a safety playing running back, 88 points allowed to Washington and Oregon, and then one final knockout punch from crosstown rival UCLA. In Riley’s words: “Very, very disappointing, there’s no other way to put it.” Their window of opportunity with a generational quarterback has closed. Caleb Williams became the school’s eighth Heisman winner and was selected first overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. While they must reload at quarterback and the offensive skill positions, that has never been an issue for Riley. The bigger problem remains on defense. His approach this offseason was to pump in new defensive coaches instead of just the transfer player infusion.
OFFENSE: Williams leaves as a Trojan legend, and he’ll soon have his #13 jersey displayed in the Coliseum endzone. In just two seasons here, he amassed 8,170 passing yards, 72 passing touchdowns, 518 rushing yards, and 21 rushing touchdowns. He was one-of-a-kind at extending pass plays with Houdini acts to escape pressure and sack attempts, and then could place the ball perfectly anywhere on the field. He led the #2 offense in Power 5 per my opponent-adjusted metrics, right there with LSU’s Heisman-led offense, and the Pac-12 title units from Washington and Oregon. This was despite poor pass protection from his offensive line. They finished #77 in my pass protection Sack Rate, allowing a sack on 7% of pass attempts. Consider that percentage was with one of the best scramblers the sport has ever seen. It would have been double, and at the bottom of the national leaderboards, with a normal pocket passer. Offensive line pass protection, as well as the quarterback transition, are the two biggest questions heading into fall camp and the 2024 season. There will certainly be a statistical drop-off with the loss of Williams, but given Riley’s track record, don’t expect a collapse. Five-star Malachi Nelson transferred to Boise State, leaving behind Miller Moss as the only remaining arm for the bowl game. He proceeded to toss six touchdowns against #15 Louisville to win the Holiday Bowl, which not only calmed the uncertainty for 2024 but also led to a tub of eggnog getting poured on Riley’s head in the celebration. To provide depth and add to the competition, the staff signed Jayden Maiava, the Mountain West Freshman of the Year who led UNLV to a surprise conference title appearance. Moss is still projected to win the starting job, but Maiava’s athleticism can be featured in some quarterback run packages in short-yardage, goal-line, or as a change of pace. USC’s top two rushers and top two receivers all head to the pros. MarShawn Lloyd and Austin Jones shared carries and both guys started six games. Third-back Darwin Barlow is also gone, but the staff landed a Power 5 starter in Woody Marks (Mississippi State). In three years in Mike Leach’s Air Raid, Marks hasn’t gotten the workload of most multi-year starters –he’s caught 214 balls. Quinten Joyner was the #4 running back in the 2023 class and will push for carries as a redshirt freshman. Brenden Rice earned All-Pac 12 honors, Tahj Washington led the team with 1,062 receiving yards, but both stars are gone to the NFL. The cupboard is far from bare, even with Mario Williams and Dorian Singer transferring out. USC has the #1 wide receiver and the #1 tight end in the entire 2023 recruiting class in Zachariah Branch and Duce Robinson. Branch already earned All-America honors in the return game, and will be the featured wideout this year, while the 6’6 Robinson switched from tight end to receiver and placed third on the team with 351 yards. That’s an elite one-two punch.
Riley likes to play five or six receivers, and rounding out the stable is a trio of additional blue-chippers in four-stars Ja’Kobi Lane, Kyron Hudson, and Top50 Makai Lemon. Tight end Lake McRee earned a league honorable mention but his knee rehab may impact his 2024 season. Another position, and another round of top prospects: Walter Matthews and Walker Lyons are both Top150 signees. Two offensive line starters depart from a line that excelled in OL Run Push (#8) but again struggled in pass protection. Center Justin Dedich and right tackle Jarrett Kingston are gone, but their top lineman Jonah Monheim returns and has the positional flexibility to take over at center. Guards Emmanuel
Pregnon and Mason Murphy are back, and Top150 prospect Elijah Paige is projected to take the left tackle spot.
DEFENSE: Pick your stat — they were among the nation’s worst. They allowed young quarterbacks like Cal’s Fernando Mendoza and Arizona’s first-time starter Noah Fifita to score at will. They had no answer for a safety playing running back for Utah – or their third-string “pig farmer” quarterback.
Riley fired defensive coordinator Alex Grinch after the 52-point meltdown against Washington. His playbook was too complex, effectively neutralizing their raw talent advantages, the schemes were bad, and the fundamentals suffered. Riley looked across town and picked UCLA’s D’Anton Lynn with hopes he could lead a similar turnaround here. Lynn took UCLA from 92nd in scoring, 117th in Negative Play Rate, and 97th in QB Rating to 14th, 5th, and 19th while in total they ranked 8th of 70 Power 5 teams in my opponent-adjusted formula. Along with Lynn, Riley packed the staff with experienced defensive minds like former Houston coordinator Doug Belk and North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz. A simplified playbook, along with a fresh set of eyes, should help unlock their blue-chip talent. They continued to add transfers, too. As many as four new Power 5 transfers could end up starting on the 2024 defense. Bear Alexander is back at defensive tackle, and he’s joined by Nate Clifton who posted 7.5 tackles for loss at Vanderbilt. End Solomon Byrd departs, but Jamil Muhammad returns and a pair of Top50 prospects Kameryn Fountain and Braylan Shelby push for the other spot. Eric Gentry is joined by first-team All-Pac 12 Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (Oregon State) as the inside backers, while Mason Cobb needs to clean up his 25% missed tackle rate. It’s a complete rebuild in the secondary as four starters are gone: corners Christian Roland-Wallace and Domani Jackson along with safeties Max Williams and All-American Calen Bullock. Holiday Bowl MVP Jaylin Smith returns, DeCarlos Nicholson (Mississippi State) is an SEC starter, Greedy Vance has Power 5 experience (Florida State) and Lynn brought in two of his UCLA stars in Kamari Ramsey and John Humphrey. Ramsey was the highest-rated transfer of USC’s entire class, and for even more proven production they added Pac-12 honorable mention Akili Arnold (Oregon State).
OUTLOOK: Yes, they lost a Heisman winner but Lincoln Riley has never had a problem fielding a top offense. The staff moves on defense are the real storyline: can the new trio of experienced defensive minds unlock the raw blue-chip talent? I think they were great hires, and with another round of proven defensive transfers, I am buying USC as an upper-half Big Ten team despite the conference transition.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: NEBRASKA
PICK SIX
A program in the Midwest that holds the longest bowl drought in Power 5? That description used to belong to Kansas – it is now a title held by five-time national champion, blueblood Nebraska. Matt Rhule took over with a promise of returning physicality and toughness to Nebraska. His defense impressed right away, but overall as a program, they continued the same crippling woes that cost them during the Scott Frost and Mike Riley eras. – Turnovers: Nebraska was dead last in America with 31 turnovers and their minus-17 margin was the worst in Power 5. This continued their trend as the worst turnover program over the past 20 years (and any time interval since). Five final drives to tie or win ended in turnovers and losses. – Close losses: Nebraska lost five games by one score, boosting their total to an insane 30 one-score losses in six years. Three times they lost by a 1310 final score. – Wasted opportunities: those close margins could have flipped to wins if not for the 2nd worst red zone scoring percentage and 3rd worst field goal kicking percentage. After a perfect October, a 5-3 start, and a tie atop the Big Ten West Division, self-inflicted wounds by the offense dealt them a 0-4 November. Rhule’s transition seasons tend to be rough but lay the foundation for big success in the second and third years. Nebraska hopes they follow the same pattern as his Temple and Baylor program rebuilds, and so far his second year in Lincoln is off to an excellent start. The defense was elite and was the best Blackshirt unit since the Ndamukong Suh and Prince Amukamara defenses. Rhule’s ability to retain ace coordinator Tony White – even with White’s alma mater UCLA hiring – was a major victory for 2024 and beyond. Then, Nebraska shocked the recruiting world by flipping the #1 overall quarterback Dylan Raiola from dynasty-tier Georgia. This is the type of program-changer that can spark a domino effect of future commitments, transfer additions, and on-field success. The five-star is a direct boost to Nebraska’s worst position group of 2023, a quarterback room that wasted so many winnable games.
OFFENSE: Raiola is a Husker legacy – his dad Dominic won the Rimington Award here as the nation’s top center – so as he neared the gates during the spring game Tunnel Walk, familiar music blaring, he admits he “fought back tears.” His highly anticipated debut even exceeded expectations. In front of 60,000+ fans, Raiola passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns with a 73% completion rate. Yes, it is just a spring game, but he showed off the full arsenal of passes – the long ball, a corner-endzone touch pass, and quick shots – at a program that was severely handcuffed in the passing game last year. Jeff Sims started the first two games but turned the ball over six times, twice on fumbled snaps.
Heinrich Haarberg started the next eight, and while he was a strong runner and led all five wins, the passing attack suffered. Nebraska ranked in the bottom ten nationally in all passing categories by completing just 52% of passes and throwing more picks (16) than touchdowns (10). They were only placed above the triple-option service academies and Iowa. Raiola is an instant upgrade and potential program-changer. Rhule added another Elite 11 quarterback in Daniel Kaelin and Haarberg has made gains in his passing game. Essentially the entire offense returns and they get back several skill players who missed the bulk of 2023 with injuries. In the third game, RB1 and RB2 were both knocked out for the season, but Gabe Ervin and speedy Rahmir Johnson are projected back for fall camp. In their absence, Emmett Johnson led with 411
yards and the staff signed four-star transfer Dante Dowdell (Oregon). Near-five-star Malachi Coleman of Lincoln East enters his second season and Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda is back after a season-ending injury in the opener. The staff signed two impact transfers that were projected as
starters right away. Isaiah Neyor (Texas) and Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest) are both veteran Power 5 guys who bring big 6’4 frames to the outsides. Banks was Nebraska’s top-rated transfer this cycle. Jacory Barney and Jaylen Lloyd are the speedsters to take the top off of defenses and maximize Raiola’s long ball. Lloyd is a track star and surged for a long touchdown in the spring game. Thomas Fidone was the #1 rated tight end prospect of the 2021 recruiting class but suffered through consecutive ACL tears his first two years. Finally, we saw a healthy Fidone and he did not disappoint. He led the team with four touchdowns and the 6’6 250-pounder showed the ability to turn short passes into long gains with his 4.5 speed. In any given year, the national average for pass protection is two sacks allowed per game. Once known for its nationally-dominant Pipeline, Nebraska hasn’t beaten that two-sack average since 2016. This offensive line is their best bet yet for a revival as it is packed with star power and a ton of veteran game experience. The starting five have all played at least four years of college football, four starters are back and they are joined by Florida’s starting guard Micah Mazzccua. Center Ben Scott and right tackle Bryce Benhart are the headliners, Teddy Prochazka is projected at left tackle, and Turner Corcoran can still play up to his five-star billing.
DEFENSE The Blackshirts were back. Finally, Nebraska looked like their historically tough defenses of the past. White’s 3-3-5 defense swarmed all over the field, was physical in the trenches, and they improved on their tackling. In my opponent-adjusted Game Grader, Nebraska’s defense ranked 18th of 70 Power 5 teams – 7th in rushing defense – for the best defensive season here since the Bo Pelini “Peso” defenses of 2009 and
2010. Rhule retained White, and together they welcomed back eight starters to an already strong unit. It starts in the trenches with one of the league’s best defensive tackle duos in Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher aka the Polar Bear. They dominated the line of scrimmage last year and were a key reason for Nebraska holding nine opponents under 100 yards rushing. On the year they allowed just 3.0 yards/carry (sixth nationally) and ranked fourth in limiting explosive rushing. They limited explosive passing too, and joined Iowa as the only two defenses to place in the Top 10 of both categories. Sack leader Jimari Butler is back to round out an elite defensive line, and the so-called JACK edge spot
will be a fall camp battle between veteran MJ Sherman and former Top200 Princewill Umanmielen who flashed as a true freshman with 4.5 tackles-for-loss. The one thin area is at linebacker where they lose both starters – Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich – who were multi-year stars for the program. White rotates the backers more than other positions, and the next duo up Javin Wright and John Bullock matched them in tackles last year. Wright and Bullock bring additional speed to the inside backer spots as they are both converted safeties. Stefon Thompson is a former Syracuse backer who played for White there and brings knowledge of the scheme. Omar Brown and Quinton Newsome depart from the secondary but their defensive leader Isaac Gifford is back to contend for all-league honors. DeShon Singleton shined in September, Marques Buford was a November star, and while they only got partial seasons due to injuries both will be impact players again in 2024. Tommi Hill had four interceptions and returns at corner. This defense confuses opposing quarterbacks and they posted Top 15 marks in yards/attempt and the all-encompassing opponent QB Rating. This will be another strong unit this fall.
OUTLOOK: Rhule’s rebuilding projects see major gains in the second and third seasons. He is at it again, as a top-ten defense returns seven starters, the offensive line is veteran, and the receivers and tight ends bring both size and top-end speed. The Blackshirts are tough once again. And it appears they finally fixed their quarterback problem. If five-star Raiola plays to his potential, this team is poised to start 7-0 before the schedule heats up in late October.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: WISCONSIN
PICK SIX
Ever since I launched Pick Six Previews in 2012 – and the two decades before that – Wisconsin was the most consistent program to forecast. You knew exactly what you were getting: a dominant offensive line, a rushing attack that controlled the ball and clock, and an aggressive defense. You knew to expect a 1,000-yard back, a Top 20 scoring defense, nine or ten wins, and every few years a run at the league title. For the first time in a generation, they made a “change” and hired an offensive coordinator whose success came from a scheme opposite to the Wisconsin way. Defensive guru Luke Fickell was hired after leading Cincinnati to undefeated regular seasons and earning the first-ever non-AQ bid to the Playoff. He hired Phil Longo to install his up-tempo, modern, spread offense in a place known for the opposite. Longo and his offensive scheme attracted a haul of transfer receivers and one of the sport’s most experienced quarterbacks. Wisconsin was picked as the consensus Big Ten West champs according to league media and the preseason magazines. But like the slow-moving West division, the Fickell/Longo transition was also slower than expected. Injuries didn’t help. Quarterback Tanner Mordecai broke his hand, star running back Braelon Allen missed several games, and another back Chez Mellusi was lost for the season in September. For an offense known for gaudy stats and lighting up the scoreboard, Wisconsin only averaged 23 points per game (93rd nationally) and no receiver posted a single 100-yard game all regular season. After inexplicable losses to Indiana and Northwestern – a two-week span that Fickell called the most challenging of his entire coaching career – Wisconsin entered late November with a 5-5 record, far from their usual spot atop the West Division. In total, it was another season well below the established standard in Madison. My opponent-adjusted Game Grader placed them 38th in Power 5, two spots down from 2022’s 36th, which are their two worst seasons since I began tracking in 2009. Every new head coach is granted a transition year, but 2024 is an even more important inflection point for Fickell’s program. While they do get a second-year bonus and another round of transfers, they now lose their Big Ten West route to Indianapolis and have to compete with four new West Coast powers.
OFFENSE Iowa threw more touchdown passes in the regular season than Mordecai. That stat would have been laughed at last preseason, even with the knowledge of him missing three games due to injury recovery. Longo’s offense wasn’t an overnight install, and maybe we shouldn’t have realistically expected that. The style certainly started shifting, but the output wasn’t on par with his previous stat explosions at North Carolina, Ole Miss, and Sam Houston State. Wisconsin was the 8th most run-heavy offense in Power 5 back in 2022 and last year swung to the 18th most pass-heavy play calling. Mordecai departs and the staff landed another experienced starter in Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke. Longo noted that he’s seen Van Dyke have success against his UNC team, as well as defenses all across the ACC. Van Dyke earned ACC Rookie of the Year in 2021 but has been hot and cold since. He opened 2023 as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks but then struggled enough to be benched at times during Miami’s poor 2-5 stretch. Wisconsin has an experienced backup in Braedyn Locke who started games during Mordecai’s injury, threw five touchdowns, and just one interception, but completed just 50% of his passes. The Braelon Allen era is over, and Wisconsin says goodbye to the latest in an impressive lineage of running backs. He leaves Madison in ninth place on the school’s rushing leaderboard with 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns over three seasons and earned all-league honors in all three. Chez Mellusi was knocked out in the Purdue win and the offense lost an explosive element without him. Although Allen is gone, Mellusi is back healthy as the feature back. The staff added Oklahoma’s Tawee Walker for depth and as a hedge against Mellusi’s injury history. The offensive MVP last year was receiver Will Pauling who was one of the many transfer additions to the room last offseason. Pauling posted 74 receptions – four off of Jared Abbrederis’ school record – and returns this fall with all-league potential. Bryson Green is also back after placing second in most receiving categories, while third and fourth receivers Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell have transferred out. The room is packed with former Power 5 transfers — CJ Williams (USC), Tyrell Henry (Michigan State), Joseph Griffin (Boston College) — but the spring breakout star was four-star Trech Kekahuna. The true freshman was surprised with a big bowl performance and has been surging up the depth chart since. Wisconsin went 24 straight years with an All-Big Ten offensive lineman (1998-2021) but hasn’t had any the past two years. Star power may be lacking, but they were solid as a unit as one of 13 Power 5 offensive lines to place in the Top 40 of both my OL Run Push and Pass Protection Sack Rate stats. Three starters are back, and Jake Renfro is essentially a fourth but missed the whole 2023 regular season with an injury. The left side is stout with tackle Jack Nelson and guard Joe Brunner.
DEFENSE: The goal was to keep what worked under former coordinator Jim Leonhard, especially his run defense, and pair it with Fickell’s elite pass defense. While the defense did place in the Top 25 of several raw stats, when you adjust for opponent and pace, they fall below average. Nine of their previous ten defenses placed in the Top 25 of my opponent-adjusted metric, but the 2023 unit fell to 31st of 70 Power 5. Shockingly, only one Badger defender was placed on the All-Big Ten team after years of packing the postseason accolades. Hunter Wohler was the clear MVP after leading the team in tackles and making plays all over the field. His 120 tackles also led all Power 5 defensive backs, and he should again receive all-league honors. Ricardo Hallman was also a bright spot, and his Pick Six against Rutgers was one of the plays of the year. The defense has missed lineman Keeanu Benton and outside backer Nick Herbig in both run stuffing and pass rush. James Thompson was a bright spot at the end and is the only returning starter in the trenches after Rodas Johnson was poached by Texas A&M. Curt Neal is the projected starter at nose tackle after working into the rotation for 20 snaps/game down the stretch. On the outside, Darryl Peterson returns for a third year as a starter, and the staff added Syracuse starter Leon Lowery and FCS All-America John Pius (William & Mary). Inside backer saw a transfer swap, as starter Jordan Turner went to Michigan State, but the staff pulled in one of their former Cincinnati starters Jaheim Thomas who led Arkansas in tackles last year. Jake Chaney is also a returning starter in the middle, so while there were plenty of moving parts, the backers reloaded well. Often lining up in the box as a versatile backer-safety hybrid, Wohler will again be the star of the defense. Hallman locks down one side after placing second nationally with seven interceptions. Kamo’i Latu returns at safety and is a heavy hitter but went through some tackling struggles last year. With Jason Maitre opted out of the bowl, Austin Brown took over at the nickel spot and is projected to keep it in 2024.
OUTLOOK: Wisconsin’s high amount of returning production on defense means they will return to their spot in the defensive Top 25. They also benefit from a second-year coach bonus on offense, and another round of transfers in the passing game, and Longo’s offense should make some gains. Normally this would have placed Wisconsin in a three-way race for the Big Ten West, but the new division-less super conference pushes them down to eighth. They draw four of the league’s top six teams while Iowa only faces two.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW-BIG 10: WASHINGTON
PICK SIX
An undefeated season, the final Pac-12 title, a national championship appearance, a coaching change, a conference change, and a full roster overhaul… two pages isn’t nearly enough space to cover Washington’s whirlwind year. It started after the 2022 season when Washington fended off Alabama to retain their ace offensive coordinator and one-by-one the whole roster decided to return to Montlake. They started fast, dropping 713 yards on Michigan State, and posted four straight 40+ point games for the first time since 1944. The undefeated run was packed with memorable moments and late-game drama: a last-minute touchdown to beat Oregon, the 89-yard Pick Six to beat Arizona State, a 256-yard rushing day to beat USC, a 2nd half shutout of Utah, a walk-off field goal to win the Apple Cup, a rematch win in Vegas, and a goal-line stand to win the conference’s first Playoff game in a decade. Washington ran into a machine in the national title game, an undefeated Michigan team that would send 13 players to the NFL Draft. Though they were overpowered by Michigan’s run game, the 2023 Washington team goes down as a banner season for the program and adds proof that they can contend on the national stage in the modern era. Two days later, legendary coach Nick Saban retired from Alabama. Two days after that, Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer – despite UW’s attempt to retain him with a doubled salary offer – left to take the Alabama job. Two days later, Washington hired Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch. Fisch was fresh off of a program rebuild himself, taking a winless Arizona program to five wins, and then to ten wins and their best season since 1998. Fisch is a rare example of a Power 5 head coach who never actually played football, but his unorthodox career path hasn’t held him back from climbing up the coaching ladder. 13 years at the NFL level, seven years as a Power 5 assistant, and finally the three-year build at Arizona. The situation in Washington is far from inheriting a winless team, but it has the sense of a rebuilding project based on the high number of starters lost to the NFL and the transfer portal.
OFFENSE: DeBoer and coordinator Ryan Grubb built an absolute force. Their offensive line won the Joe Moore Award, their quarterback placed second in the Heisman, all three receivers were drafted in the first 100 picks, and they hit deep balls at a historic pace. Within a week after the national title game, it was completely wiped away. All eleven starters are gone. It’s a complete rebuild here for Fisch and his coordinator Brennan Carroll – son of USC and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. He and Carroll built a dynamic offense at Arizona that placed in the Top 10 of national passing stats in both 2022 and 2023. Both years they also placed in the Top 10 of my opponent-adjusted offensive metrics. Before that, Fisch also built a Top 10 passing attack at UCLA, and even his pro offenses finished atop the NFL passing leaderboards. He did that with four different quarterbacks, proving he can consistently craft an effective and explosive offense. Michael Penix departs after leading the nation in passing with a video-game stat line: 4,903 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 40 passes of 30+ yards. They stretched the field vertically and Penix’s long ball was perfect all season. He finished as the Heisman runner-up and left Montlake as a legend. 74 Taking over the controls is the most experienced quarterback in America. Will Rogers transferred from Mississippi State where he spent several seasons in Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, completed over 1,000 passes, and finished as the SEC’s #2 passer of all-time. He is sharp in the short-range game but doesn’t have as pure a deep ball as Penix – most don’t. The rest of the quarterback depth transferred out, so it is just Rogers and Arizona’s Demond Williams whom Fisch convinced to join him. Rogers is the pocket passer while Williams is the athlete with a similar skillset to Fisch’s successful Arizona quarterbacks Jayden de Laura and Noah Fifita. Dillon Johnson rushed for 1,195 yards – 256 as the hero against USC – but left early for the pros. Fisch brought his own starting running back Jonah Coleman from Arizona who also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in scrimmage yards last year. After spring ball he stole another one in 2024 Arizona commit Jordan Washington who was a four-star and rated as a Top 20 transfer back. UW also gets back their 2022 starter Cameron Davis who was sidelined all of 2023. That’s a strong duo to rely on while they sort out the rest of the offense. All five starting offensive linemen had eligibility remaining to return for 2024, but none of them are back. Two went pro, two went to Ole Miss, one followed DeBoer to Alabama, and even two key reserves left for other Power 5 programs. The next wave of linemen features two four-star prospects – tackle Elishah Jackett and center Landen Hatchett – and they added San Diego State starter Drew Azzopardi. Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan all went pro. That’s a combined 206 catches, 3,358 yards, and 27 touchdowns gone. #4 receiver Germie Bernard went to Alabama, and both tight ends Jack Westover and Devin Culp left for the pros. They landed a Pac-12 starter in Jeremiah Hunter (Cal), Giles Jackson is experienced in the slot, and 6’4 Denzel Boston emerged from spring ball as the clear-cut #1 target. They flipped safety Vincent Holmes over to receiver, and have a four-star Rashid Williams entering his second season.
DEFENSE: Carroll isn’t the only coaching legend’s son on staff, as Fisch shocked everyone by hiring Steve Belichick – six-time Super Bowl Bill’s son — to run his defense. This will be Steve’s first time coordinating a defense, and the first time coaching at the college level. Belichick has spent the last 12 years on the Patriots staff with the last eight as a position coach. In the same dry, matter-of-fact tone as his dad, he simply answered “We’ll find out” about what his college defensive scheme will look like. On his first time recruiting: “Face Timing high-school kids has been new, that was different.” They have another rebuilding project on this side of the ball with just two starters returning. Five of their top six defensive linemen departed after several years of production and star power: Bralen Trice, Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Tuli Letuligasenoa, Ulumoo Ale, and Faatui Tuitele. Nose tackle Jacob Bandes returns and Sebastian Valdez (Montana State) transferred in. On the edges, Voi Tunuufi returns, and the staff added Top100 transfer Jayden Wayne (Miami) as well as two of their Arizona guys Russell Davis and starter Isaiah Ward. Finally, a returning starter. Alphonzo Tuputala is back at linebacker, but longtime stars Edefuan Ulofoshio and Ralen Goforth leave two vacancies. Carson Bruener and Drew Fowler are the next men up. Elijah Jackson returns at corner and was the star of the Playoff win over Texas. Fisch stole Arizona’s All-Pac 12 corner Ephesians Prysock to form a strong duo on the outsides. Belichick has a track record of playing elite man-to-man coverage on the outsides which would be a luxury to translate to the college level. In total, four defensive back starters are gone: Dominique Hampton (NFL), Jabbar Muhammad (Oregon), Asa Turner (Florida), and Mishael Powell (Miami). The projected new starting safeties Kamren Fabiculanan and Tristan Dunn both have four-star pedigrees, and Makell Esteen is pushing them.
OUTLOOK: Washington closed out the Pac-12 in style with an undefeated conference title, but just two of those 22 starters return for 2024. Such a massive roster overhaul – and a coaching transition – signal a step back and this reminds me of the national runner-up TCU team before them. As a welcome gift to the Big Ten, they were dealt the toughest schedule draw as the only team to face five of the league’s top six. Bowl season is in play, but a conference title run looks out of reach.
TYLER VAN DYKE WINS STARTING QB JOB AT WISCONSIN AFTER TRANSFERRING FROM MIAMI
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Tyler Van Dyke was named Wisconsin’s starting quarterback on Wednesday.
Van Dyke, a Miami transfer, had been competing with Braedyn Locke, who started three games last season in place of the injured Tanner Mordecai. Offensive coordinator Phil Longo announced after Wisconsin’s morning practice that Van Dyke had won the job.
Wisconsin opens its season by hosting Western Michigan on Aug. 30, a Friday night game. The Badgers, who went 7-6 last year in their first season under Luke Fickell, are outside the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2016.
Van Dyke was the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year in 2021 but struggled with injuries and inconsistency during his next two seasons at Miami. He lost his starting spot to Emory Williams before regaining it once Williams suffered a season-ending arm injury.
He completed 63.7% of his passes for 7,469 yards with 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in three years with the Hurricanes. Last season, he completed 65.8% of his attempts for 2,703 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Longo complimented Locke’s progress on Wednesday and said the gap between Wisconsin’s top two quarterbacks was narrower than last year, when Mordecai was the clear No. 1.
“As Fick says, we kind of see it as a 1-A and a 1-B type of situation right now as opposed to a 1 and a 2,” Longo said. “That’s how well Braedyn has done here in camp. But as of right now, Tyler Van Dyke is our starter.”
DEFENSIVE END DARRIS SMITH TO MISS SEASON FOR NO. 11 MISSOURI AFTER HURTING HIS KNEE IN PRACTICE
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Defensive end Darris Smith will miss the season for No. 11 Missouri after hurting his knee in practice, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz said Wednesday.
Smith transferred to Missouri from Southeastern Conference rival Georgia, where he appeared in 16 games over his first two seasons. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound pass rusher was competing for a starting job with Michigan State transfer Zion Young.
“We are devastated by the injury to Darris,” Drinkwitz said. “He was having an outstanding camp and was poised to have a great year. We will support Darris in his recovery and look forward to him returning stronger than before.”
The Tigers return Johnny Walker Jr. at one defensive end spot, but they are trying to replace all-SEC pass rusher Darius Robinson on the opposite side of the line. Joe Moore III and Georgia Tech transfer Eddie Kelly also are in the mix for playing time.
Smith did not redshirt while at Georgia, so he still will have two years of eligibility remaining.
LIONS COACH DAN CAMPBELL SAYS LEG INJURY TO JAHMYR GIBBS IS GOING TO BE ‘FINE’
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, dressed in shorts, watched training camp from the sideline on Wednesday after he left practice earlier in the week with a leg injury.
As a rookie last season, Gibbs rushed for 945 yards with 10 touchdowns along with 316 receiving yards and a score. After he was sidelined with a soft tissue injury in the spring, he had been healthy during training camp. The team called it a leg injury with ESPN reporting that it’s a hamstring.
Coach Dan Campbell does not seem concerned about the injury status of Gibbs or rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold (upper body) and Ennis Rakestraw (ankle), who also were injured on Monday.
“I think we’re going to be fine here, I think we’ll be good,” Campbell said in a radio interview on Wednesday, without offering specifics on the injuries.
Arnold, a first-round draft pick, has impressed in camp and has lined up mostly with the starters during drills. On Wednesday, he worked apart from the team running on a grassy hill near the practice field.
Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn could not say if he’ll be ready for the season opener on Sept. 8 against the Los Angeles Rams.
“We’ve seen enough, but he’s not where he needs to be. He needs a lot of improvement to do,” Glenn said. “Once he gets back from his injury he has to get out there and grind and continue to work.”
Backup quarterback Hendon Hooker, who suffered a concussion in Thursday’s preseason loss at the Giants, was back at practice on Wednesday. Campbell said there’s a “good chance” he’ll be able to play the preseason game on Saturday at Kansas City.
“It’s frustrating because I want to play so bad after a year sitting out. Not being able to go was the worst part about it, other than that I felt really good and wasn’t too scared,” Hendon said on Wednesday.
Hookier and Nate Sudfeld are competing for the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Jared Goff.
CAM WARD IS THE ACC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR. WITHOUT THROWING A PASS YET, HE’S MIAMI’S LEADER
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Practice was over. The Miami Hurricanes gathered at midfield to hear a few words from coach Mario Cristobal, who summed up his thoughts about the workout and talked about what would happen next.
Everyone the started going their separate ways. Except the offense.
Cam Ward had a few words for that group. They were not happy words. There were things about the workout that the new Miami quarterback — and Atlantic Coast Conference preseason player of the year — didn’t like, things he didn’t find acceptable, things he didn’t think were at the standard the 19th-ranked Hurricanes are setting for themselves. So, he let his teammates know. They all nodded. They knew he was right.
Cristobal, watching from a few yards away, was loving what he saw and heard. Ward — a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate who transferred in from Washington State after flirting with the NFL this past spring — is 0 for 0 as a Miami quarterback, with zero yards and zero touchdowns. Hasn’t played a game as a Hurricane yet. But it’s already his team.
“He does that by being himself and through work and by being a good person,” Cristobal said. “Those things keep showing up as being undefeated, right? He puts in the time, he’s super knowledgeable, has a super-high IQ. He’s a complete alpha. When he’s wrong, he takes it right on the chin like he should. And when someone else is not living up to the standard or upholding the standard, he’s going to get all over them. He’s going to teach, but he’s also going to be very demanding.”
Ward’s numbers are exceptional. He threw for 311 yards per game last season and in his four college seasons — two at FCS member Incarnate Word, the next two at Washington State — he’s piled up 13,876 yards and 119 touchdowns. The only quarterback in college football entering this season, at any level, with more career yards is Oregon transfer Dillon Gabriel, who has 14,865.
And if the Hurricanes are going to make a run this season, Ward will be among the biggest reasons why.
“I have a relationship with a lot of guys on the team, pretty much everybody on the team,” Ward said. “I feel I can talk to them a certain way, the right way. I know how to get to guys. I know how I can translate stuff to guys. And when you have bad days, you have to get on guys more than you do when you have good days.
“I don’t hold myself to a higher standard than other people,” he added. “I know where I came from. I know what I had to do to get to this position. I don’t ever want to go back to that. So, that’s why I care so much about this and about my guys.”
That “where I came from” line is his fuel, his oxygen, his motivation.
West Columbia, Texas, population some 3,700, loves football. Ward was a star there, though nobody who looks at numbers would know that. He threw for 1,070 yards as a junior. He had 12 passing attempts per game as a senior. Columbia High, you see, was a running team. Ward’s arm may have been blessed with power and accuracy, but the game plan wasn’t built around that. He wasn’t a five-star recruit. Or a four-star, either. Or even a one-star.
Zero stars. Barely a prospect, the experts thought. The experts were wrong.
“I don’t get too high or low, even on the football field,” Ward said. “At the end of the day the only thing that is going to take care of myself and my family is making plays on the football field. Everybody’s opinion of myself doesn’t really matter to me and my family. At this point, this time in my life, I’m more focused on trying to win football games with the team around me.”
Here’s how different he is: Some guys come to Miami for the lifestyle, the sun and sand, the glitz.
Ward came to fish. Really.
His ideal day includes some combination of working out, studying film, chilling at home with his dog, fishing for mahi, taking his offensive line out to dinner. If people say they’ve got a good fishing spot or a good restaurant for him to try, he’ll talk for as long as they want. Ask him about the Heisman race, and he doesn’t have much to say. That’s not his priority.
“The biggest thing for me is there was still food left on the table for me,” Ward said. “I accomplished a lot of things at the FCS level. I haven’t accomplished things I know I’m capable of at the (FBS) level. I feel like NFL isn’t going anywhere. God put me in this position to be a Miami Hurricane. I think it’s been the best of both worlds.”
And Cristobal couldn’t be happier with how it’s all starting. The Hurricanes have a chance to be good in 2024, and they have someone who — in a short time — has assumed the leadership role.
“You cannot have an impact on the entire building the way he has unless you are the way he is. Genuine. Real. Tough,” Cristobal said. “And he plays quarterback like a linebacker. That’s the bottom line.”
BRETT GABBERT’S RETURN FROM INJURED LEG MAKES DEFENDING MAC CHAMPION REDHAWKS PRESEASON FAVORITE
Brett Gabbert helped put Miami (Ohio) in position to win the 2023 Mid-American Conference crown.
He spent the last five conference games watching his teammates fulfill that goal.
Now, the almost completely healed 24-year-old quarterback begins his fourth and presumably final season as Miami’s starter hoping to do it all again.
“It’s never easy to get injured, have surgery and be out because you always want to be out there,” Gabbert said. “It was just a tough time. I thought I was having a good year, but I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason, so I was just really glad that my team was able to finish the job.”
Since 2001, only two MAC teams, Central Michigan in 2006-07 and Northern Illinois in 2011-12, have won consecutive titles.
Miami is a prohibitive favorite to match that feat. It has the longest tenured head coach in school history, Chuck Martin; the 2023 conference defensive player of the year, Matt Salopek; and Gabbert, a third-team all-conference selection despite suffering the season-ending injury to his right leg.
Toledo, the 2022 MAC champion, was the only other school to earn a first-place vote in the coaches’ preseason poll.
Even with so many familiar names and faces back from both teams, plenty has changed. The MAC, like the Big Ten, scrapped its division format and will now put the top two teams in college football’s most stable league in the Dec. 7 title game in Detroit.
And this time, the winner actually could qualify for the expanded 12-team playoff.
“It’s a motivating factor for all of us,” Toledo coach Jason Candle said. “You’ve got to work hard preparing this year’s team, and we’re working hard to do that right now.”
Central questions
Central Michigan starts its sixth season under coach Jim McElwain facing questions about its coaching staff. FootballScoop.com reported two weeks ago that the shakeup includes the departure of quarterbacks coach Jake Kostner, who spent four years as a Michigan assistant while working with Connor Stalions, the Wolverines’ alleged sign stealer.
McElwain has not announced any changes but said he saw a photo of Stalions on Central Michigan’s sideline during the 2023 season-opener at Michigan State and wanted the school to determine how Stalions got his sideline pass. The Chippewas went 9-15 overall and 6-10 in league play over the past two seasons.
State of Michigan
Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton and Martin are both in their 11th seasons and are the league’s coaching deans. Creighton has won virtually everything — except a MAC title — and will try to change that with former Rutgers and Buffalo quarterback Cole Snyder.
“We had three new quarterbacks come in in January and Cole was a known commodity,” Creighton said. “Knowing who he is as a player, as a leader, we thought it would be an awesome fit.”
Western Michigan hopes to rebound from a 4-8 mark in coach Lance Taylor’s first season. Taylor has 16 starters back. Quarterback Hayden Wolff made four starts last season after leaving Old Dominion and will be working with his seventh offensive coordinator.
Around O-H-I-O
The RedHawks and Rockets have plenty of in-state competition to make the Dec. 7 title game.
Bowling Green will rely on the backfield tandem of NFL prospect Terion Stewart and Connor Bazelak as well as a defense that shared the FBS lead with 38 takeaways in 2023.
Ohio will try to end its 56-year title drought with new quarterback Parker Navarr, and Kent State hopes third-year receiver Crishon McCray leads the Golden Flashes to their second MAC crown — and first since 1972. And Akron will lean heavily on new quarterback Ben Finley, who has played at North Carolina State and California and whose brother, Ryan, played in the NFL. The Zips were 2-10 last season.
Re-Pete
The league’s only new coach, Pete Lembo, is a familiar face to MAC fans.
Buffalo hired the former South Carolina assistant in January, giving Lembo his first head coaching job since going 35-22 in five seasons with Ball State. Since leaving Muncie, Indiana, for Maryland, Lembo has ditched his trademark glasses.
Buffalo hosts Ball State on Nov. 12.
Games to watch
The championship finalists could come down to these games: Oct. 5, Miami at Toledo; Oct 19, Ohio at Miami; Oct. 26, Bowling Green at Toledo; Nov. 20, Ohio at Toledo; and Nov. 29, Miami at Bowling Green.
NFL NEWS
CHIEFS RT JAWAAN TAYLOR (SHOULDER) LEAVES PRACTICE ON CART
Kansas City Chiefs stalwart right tackle Jawaan Taylor left Wednesday’s practice on a cart with a shoulder injury, however ESPN reported the team is “not overly concerned.”
It’s unclear how Taylor was injured or how much time he’ll miss. Lucas Niang took over for Taylor for the remainder of the practice.
Taylor, 26, started every game for the Chiefs in 2023 en route to a Super Bowl victory. The Chiefs signed him to a four-year, $80 million contract in free agency in March 2023.
Taylor has started all 83 games he’s played in since being selected in the second round of the 2019 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In fact, Taylor has yet to miss a game in his pro career.
–Field Level Media
RAVENS TE MARK ANDREWS UNINJURED AFTER CAR ACCIDENT
Baltimore Ravens All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews did not “sustain any apparent injuries” after an early morning car accident on his way to the team’s training facility on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Ravens said Andrews was evaluated by their medical staff and “later joined the team for morning meetings.”
Andrews, 28, was scheduled for a non-practice day Wednesday and “is expected to return to practice in the coming days,” the team said.
“I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and well wishes,” Andrews said in a statement. “This is a great reminder about the importance of wearing seatbelts and remaining alert while driving a car.”
No other details were given about the accident.
Andrews is a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Ravens, who selected him in the third round of the 2018 draft.
He has 381 catches for 4,857 yards and 40 touchdowns in 87 career games (42 starts). He missed the last six games in 2023 after suffering an ankle injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 16. Andrews was hurt on a hip-drop tackle, which has since been banned by the NFL. Andrews was able to return for the AFC Championship Game in January.
Andrews was named an All-Pro in 2021.
–Field Level Media
QB ANDY DALTON (QUAD) BACK AT PRACTICE WITH PANTHERS
Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton returned to practice Wednesday with the Carolina Panthers.
Dalton, expected to serve as the backup to second-year quarterback Bryce Young, suffered a quad injury two weeks ago. Undrafted rookie Jack Plummer, who spent his final college season at Louisville in 2023, moved to No. 2 on the depth chart in Dalton’s absence.
The 36-year-old Dalton was a second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he spent nine seasons there, earning three Pro Bowl selections. Since then, he spent single seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints before signing a two-year, $10 million deal with the Panthers in March 2023.
In 163 career starts, Dalton has an 83-78-2 record. He has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 38,511 yards and 246 touchdowns to go with 144 interceptions.
–Field Level Media
REPORT: BROWNS LB JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH LANDS EXTENSION
The Cleveland Browns are signing linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah to a three-year extension worth $39 million, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
The deal includes $25 million guaranteed for the fourth-year player coming off his first selection to the Pro Bowl in 2023.
Owusu-Koramoah, 24, was a second-round pick from Notre Dame in 2021 and had been scheduled to earn a $1.5 million base salary in 2024 in the final season of his rookie deal.
He established career highs in tackles (101), sacks (3.5) and interceptions (two) while starting 13 of his 16 games in 2023. He has 247 tackles, five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and five forced fumbles in 41 games (33 starts).
“I think with Jeremiah, really from his rookie year, he’s always made the high-end plays,” general manager Andrew Berry said last month. “He has like matrix-type athleticism where he just has rare movement skills and he can play behind the line of scrimmage. He’s fast.”
–Field Level Media
REPORT: BUCS OWNERS TURN DOWN OFFER OF MORE THAN $6.05 BILLION
Tom Brady may no longer play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the superstar quarterback’s retirement a year ago apparently isn’t hurting the team’s value.
At least in the eyes of one interested — and wealthy — party.
According to a report by Sportico on Wednesday, the Glazer family — owners of the team — turned down an offer of more than $6.05 billion to purchase the club. The report did not say when the offer was made, only that the proposal was made “recently.”
Citing someone familiar with the details of the offer, Sportico added that the bidder was viewed as a “qualified buyer,” meaning they could afford to make the purchase.
The price would have not only been the highest ever paid for an NFL team but a world record for purchasing control of a sports franchise, per Sportico.
Though the Bucs did not respond to requests for comment made by Sportico, the Glazers’ willingness to part with at least partial control of sports franchises is no secret. Earlier this year the family sold a 25 percent stake in Manchester United of the Premier League for a reported $1.6 billion. According to Forbes, Man U is the second-most valuable soccer club in the world at $6.55 billion. Spanish La Liga team Real Madrid is first at $6.6 billion.
In its most recent valuations last August, Forbes valued the Bucs at $4.2 billion, which is 24th among the 32 NFL teams.
The Glazers bought the Buccaneers in 1995 for $192 million.
–Field Level Media
BRONCOS’ SEAN PAYTON: ‘LOT OF POSITIVES’ FROM ALL THREE QBS
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said some of the decisions regarding his starters are “easy” and have already been made, but the quarterback battle will continue for at least another week.
Veteran Jarrett Stidham started the preseason opener at Indianapolis, but his two possessions were thwarted by a turnover and a penalty. First-round pick Bo Nix then entered the game and impressed while completing 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.
Nix is slated to start against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, two days after the teams take part in a joint practice. Both will be critical tests in the eyes of Payton, who was impressed by Nix’s debut.
“His decision making was good (against the Colts),” Payton said. “I felt he was comfortable in the pocket. I thought his locations were good. The No. 1 thing to do at quarterback is lead your team and we scored.
“There’s two plays where I think he can set his feet. He’s kind of backing up a little and we can clean that up, but I liked the production with his group while he was in there. Ultimately, that’s their job.”
It appears to be a two-man race, although Payton also complimented Zach Wilson, who completed 10 of 13 passes for 117 yards in mop-up duty.
“The whole group as a whole — and I’m talking the three of them — we didn’t have any sacks. There were a lot of positives,” Payton said.
While Nix will start on Sunday, the Packers are expected to rest most of their starters. That makes the practice Friday equally as important in the evaluation process.
“Last week, ‘Stiddy’ took the week’s worth of (No.) 1’s and then into the game. (We are) kind of following that same process that we’ve done all the way up until now,” Payton said about this week’s plan for the quarterbacks. “All three of these guys are going to get a ton of work this week and a lot of work against Green Bay.
“At times, we may be with a certain group against a different group at Green Bay. We can’t control that and I don’t think (Packers coach) Matt (LeFleur) or I are really concerned with that. I don’t think there’s a big change.”
Payton talked at length on Wednesday about Wilson’s poise and experience that were on display against the Colts, but he also knows the burning question from fans and the media is whether Nix will open the season as the starter.
“The focus on Bo, understandably so, is when you draft a quarterback in the first round — every one of us recognizes the significance of getting that position settled and having (someone at) that position who we feel like we can win with,” Payton said. “When that is unsettled, it’s tough on your team.
“It’s a good group to work with and I know the offensive coaches feel that way. I feel that way. I like where we’re at right now and that’s encouraging for our team. Because when that’s unsettled and maybe not as far along, then there’s a lot of things you can do well and yet the team sees there’s a ceiling maybe on what you can do.”
After the game Sunday, the Broncos will close their preseason schedule at home against the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 25. Denver opens its regular season at Seattle on Sept. 8.
–Field Level Media
REPORTS: PATRIOTS TRADING LB MATTHEW JUDON TO FALCONS
The New England Patriots are trading linebacker Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round draft pick, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday night.
NFL Network reported that the pick will be for the 2025 draft.
Judon was entering the final season of a four-year, $54.5 million contract that was to pay him $6.5 million in base salary, and he was seeking a new deal with New England. He was spotted having an animated conversation with Patriots first-year coach Jerod Mayo during a practice session last month, one that Judon did not participate in.
Of the 14 training camp practices New England has had this offseason, Judon had kept himself out of two.
A bicep tear limited Judon to just four games (two starts) last season. He still managed to record four sacks along with 13 tackles.
The 31-year-old Judon has played eight NFL seasons with the Baltimore Ravens (2016-20) and Patriots (2021-23), amassing 66.5 sacks, 369 tackles, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 114 games (82 starts).
Judon is a four-time Pro Bowl selection.
–Field Level Media
RAMS QB MATTHEW STAFFORD (HAMSTRING) EXITS PRACTICE
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford exited practice on Wednesday because of hamstring tightness.
Stafford participated in the first half of Wednesday’s joint practice session with the Dallas Cowboys in Thousand Oaks, Calif., but he sat out most of the second half.
The Rams already were not expected to play Stafford, 36, in the four preseason games before the regular-season opener Sept. 8 at the Detroit Lions.
Stafford led the Rams to the Super Bowl LVI title at the end of the 2021 campaign.
He missed 10 total games the past two seasons with injuries but threw for 3,965 yards and 24 touchdown passes in 15 games last year and was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
Also on Wednesday, the Rams signed veteran defensive lineman Carlos Watkins, filling a roster spot opened after kicker Tanner Brown was waived.
Watkins, 30, had one sack and seven tackles in two games in 2023 for the Arizona Cardinals before sustaining a season-ending biceps injury.
The Houston Texans selected Watkins in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson. He played three seasons for the Texans and two for the Cowboys (2021-22) before joining the Cardinals.
Watkins has 139 tackles, six sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 71 games (37 starts).
–Field Level Media
VIKINGS WR JORDAN ADDISON CARTED OFF PRACTICE FIELD
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was carted off the field with an apparent leg injury during Wednesday’s joint practice session with the host Cleveland Browns.
Addison sustained his injury while leaping for a contested pass. The severity of the injury was not immediately known.
Addison, 22, made the NFL All-Rookie team in 2023 after hauling in 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games (14 starts). He was selected by the Vikings with the 23rd overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Southern California.
–Field Level Media