Summer is underway, and each passing day gets us closer and closer to the start of the college football season. June has prospective recruits visiting college campuses, July will have The Big Ten Media Days, and then August will have stories and news trickling out from teams about their respective depth charts are shaping up for the 2025 season.

While every team within The Big Ten has its share of non-conference opponents throughout the season, with most games falling in the first weeks of the season, the conference match-ups will start to materialize before the end of September. While not serving as elimination games, getting off to a good start within the conference can only help in the race for one of the coveted College Football Playoff berths.

September 20th: Michigan at Nebraska (3:30pm ET kickoff, CBS); Illinois at Indiana (Kickoff and network TBA)

Nebraska won the first two games versus Michigan as B1G opponents back in 2012 (Nebraska 23, Michigan 9) and 2013 (Nebraska 17, Michigan 13), but the Wolverines have been on the winning side of the ledger the last four times the teams have played, with Michigan decisively beating Nebraska 45-7 in Lincoln in 2023. For a program that earned its first bowl game visit since the 2016 season, this could be a barometer game for Matt Rhule and his coaching staff in seeing how far the Cornhuskers have come, and possibly how much further they may need to go to ascend to the level of the perceived conference elite.

Last season, the Indiana Hoosiers were the surprise team of The Big Ten, under their first year of coaching by Curt Cignetti. While Illinois had a tremendous 10-3 season under Bret Bielema in 2024, this game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington could provide some clues as to how much either team will factor into the conference championship race.

September 27th: Ohio State at Washington/USC at Illinois (Kickoffs and networks TBA); Oregon at Penn State (7:30pm ET kickoff, NBC/Peacock)

Both Ohio State and Washington will begin their Big Ten conference schedules in this contest at Husky Stadium. This will be their first meeting as conference opponents, as Ohio State last visited Husky Stadium in 2007 (Ohio State 33, Washington 14) when Washington was still a member of The Pac-12. As Jedd Fisch begins his second year at the helm for Washington, this game against the defending national champions will be scrutinized to see how the program is developing. Ohio State will begin conference play in their first road trip of the 2025 season.

USC will be making their first trip to Champaign as a member of The Big Ten, as the Trojans easily handled Illinois 55-3 as a Pac-12 member back in 1996. USC will have already played at Purdue (September 13th, 3:30pm ET CBS/Paramount) and Michigan State (September 20th). It will be interesting to see how Illinois plays after the aforementioned game at Indiana on September 20th.

The most anticipated game of The Big Ten season in September is the night game featuring Oregon at Penn State. A rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship Game, the Penn State faithful are understandably excited about a “White Out” contest against one of the premier Big Ten teams, and it will be interesting to see how Oregon handles what promises to be a raucous environment when the game kicks off. This will be the first time Oregon has played at State College since October 3, 1964, when the Ducks defeated the Nittany Lions, 22-14.

The post September May Be Pivotal Within The Big Ten appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, former Nebraska and Washington running back/wide receiver Will Nixon will join Syracuse before the 2024 season. Nixon has almost 30 games under his belt across four seasons in college football.

The Waco, Texas, native will have the opportunity to play for his father Jeff Nixon, who was named next offensive coordinator of the Orange in January and has built over 27 years of coaching experience across both college football and the NFL.

READ: NCAA, Power 5 announce settlement agreement, plan to pay student-athletes

Will Nixon ran for 201 rushing yards last season and scored a touchdown in his second year with the Huskies. While Washington advanced to its first College Football Playoff National Championship appearance, Will Nixon played an important role as the team’s second-leading rusher.

The 5-foot-11, 202-pound running back also is a threat in the backfield having averaged more than six yards per carry and catch in 2023. Will Nixon posted career highs in many categories, though in the receiving game he caught 84 yards along with 13 receptions.

Will Nixon was sidelined the first year of his college career at Nebraska after suffering a torn ACL in summer 2020.

READ: College Football Playoff, TNT Sports reach 5-year sublicensing agreement; TNT Sports to begin broadcasting 2 first-round games in 2024

The rising fifth-year is also accomplished in the classroom. Will Nixon earned a spot on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team and won Washington’s 101 Club Academic Award in the postseason.

Will Nixon was a three-star recruit according to Rivals playing at Midway High School in Texas. He earned district MVP after totaling 2,087 yards from scrimmage and 29 touchdowns as a senior.

Syracuse is heading a new direction with former Georgia secondary coach Fran Brown as head coach and incoming quarterback transfer Kyle McCord from Ohio State. Will Nixon will join the Orange and junior running back LeQuint Allen, who led Syracuse with 1,118 rushing yards and nine touchdowns last season.

The post Report: Former Nebraska, Washington RB Will Nixon transferring to Syracuse appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Set to launch worldwide on July 19, a full reveal of the modes and features of EA Sports College Football 25 was announced on Friday.

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes will be available in College Football 25, according to a release. Those two modes will allow players “to construct their own powerhouse program as a created coach or vie for the Heisman as a player” in what the video game introduces as CampusIQ, which will be “a suite of features that brings to life the true depth of college football through wide open, fast-paced gameplay across all 134 FBS schools in all areas of the game.”

READ: ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery introduce Venu Sports streaming service

Over 10,000 players have opted into College Football 25, it was announced in March. Any student-athlete who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used will receive $600 and a copy of the video game.

College Football 25 will also offer “the all-new Road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Ultimate Team” that will “bring fresh online experiences and ways to play.”

“EA SPORTS College Football is BACK! We’ve felt the passion and anticipation of college football fans every step of the way since we first announced this game, and we’re ecstatic to finally be able to show everyone what we’ve been building,” EA Sports SVP and Group GM Daryl Holt stated in a release. “College Football 25 is built with authenticity at its core, inspired by experiences our fans have loved from our games, and fully evolved to reflect modern college football – all of which will immerse them in the sights, sounds, and true-to-life gameplay of the sport they love.”

READ: Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

EA Sports unveiled the cover of College Football 25 on Thursday, showcasing Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter. They will star on the covers of the Standard and Deluxe editions.

“Donovan, Quinn and Travis are extraordinary talents who impressed and entertained millions of college football fans on the field last season and are poised to do so again this year,” Holt stated in a release. “We’re proud to be able to incorporate thousands of current athletes in College Football 25, and featuring this trio of playmakers and their iconic college programs on the cover is a perfect fit as we usher in a new era for EA SPORTS and college football. I can’t wait for the world to learn more about the game tomorrow.”

ESPN broadcasters such as Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will “call marquee matchups,” along with other broadcast teams such as Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack will comprise the virtual booth and “take the mic for all other games.”

Among the gameplay features include Homefield Advantage, which will allow players to “through distractions like screen shaking, missing pre-play icons, and moving play art.” Additional features consist of Pre-Snap Recognition and the Wear & Tear System, which means virtual player stamina is affected by more play so it will be important to “manage your players’ health, limit fatigue, assess risk of injury, and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions to ensure your players are at their best when it counts the most.”

The traditions within college football that make it one of a kind will be immersed in College Football 25. Along with team mascots and fight songs, the video game will include “unique team run-outs, rivalry rituals, synchronized crowd-chants, loudness meters as well as real game-day audio.”

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes are also offered in the video game alongside Road to the College Football Playoff, where players will “experience a new way to play competitively across consoles” and “earn rank by upsetting the toughest opponents and securing the votes you need to progress and level up divisions,” as well as College Football Ultimate Team.

College Football Ultimate Team will allow players to “build your dream team of college football stars and legends” in Solo Challenges or H2H seasons, and they can test their skill across consoles “in more competitive formats like College Football Ultimate Team Champs and Champs Gauntlet.”

EA Sports College Football 25 is available for pre-order now. According to Matt Brown of Extra Points, the video game will not be available for PC at launch. EA Sports is also offering an MVP bundle on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S that will include deluxe editions of College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 “with 3-day early access and unlocks a multitude of benefits across both titles.”

The post EA Sports College Football 25 features, gameplay shared in full reveal appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Second-year head coach David Braun and Northwestern will host Ohio State on Nov. 16 and Illinois on Nov. 30 at the home of the Chicago Cubs. The Wildcats are rebuilding Ryan Field across the next two seasons after a historic $480 million gift from the Ryan family, the largest in Northwestern history, and will remain playing home games in the Chicago metropolitan area in 2024.

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

The Wildcats will open the season with three-straight home games against defending Mid-American Conference champion Miami (OH), Duke and Eastern Illinois, and those games will be played inside the Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility.

While the Big Ten Conference expands welcoming Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington — all from the Pac-12 Conference — and goes divisionless in 2024, Northwestern will play a nine-game conference schedule including bouts against last season’s College Football Playoff National Championship participants on the road against the defending Pac-12 champion Huskies on Sept. 21 and reigning national title winner and Big Ten champion Michigan on Nov. 23.

Kickoff times and television networks along with additional game information will be announced by the Big Ten office at a later date, according to a release.

READ: Joe Alt cherishes Notre Dame career, hopes to put ‘best foot forward’ with Los Angeles after No. 5 overall NFL Draft selection

Braun and the Wildcats are building on an 8-5 season in 2023 which ended with a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Braun earned Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading Northwestern on a seven-win turnaround, the largest by any Football Bowl Subdivision team in college football.

Former Mississippi State and Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright announced his commitment to transfer and join Braun and the Wildcats last week. Wright is expected to command the starting quarterback competition, and he has over 2,500 passing yards and 20 touchdowns at the college level.

Here is Northwestern’s full 2024 schedule.

Week 1 (Aug. 31) — Miami (OH) at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 2 (Sept. 7) — Duke at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 3 (Sept.14) — Eastern Illinois at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 4 (Sept. 21) — Northwestern at Washington (Husky Stadium)

Week 5 (Sept. 28) — BYE

Week 6 (Oct. 5) — Indiana at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 7 (Oct. 12) — Northwestern at Maryland (SECU Stadium)

Week 8 (Oct. 19) — Wisconsin at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 9 (Oct. 26) — Northwestern at Iowa (Kinnick Stadium)

Week 10 (Nov. 2) — Northwestern at Purdue (Ross-Ade Stadium)

Week 11 (Nov. 9) — BYE

Week 12 (Nov. 16) — Ohio State at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)

Week 13 (Nov. 23) — Northwestern at Michigan (Michigan Stadium)

Week 14 (Nov. 30) — Illinois at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)

The post Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Mike Riley, who was the head coach at Oregon State from 1997-98 and 2003-14 and Nebraska from 2015-17, will now be part of the 13-member selection committee. Riley will replace Washington athletics director Pat Chun who was named to his new position in March and recently stepped down, according to a release.

READ: Georgia approves new contract for Kirby Smart; Smart becomes college football’s highest paid coach

“We are pleased to have Mike join the committee,” Executive Director of the CFP Bill Hancock stated in a release. “He has significant experience as a player and coach, and he loves college football. He will bring a unique perspective to the committee. Plus, he is a delightful human being.”

READ: MAC Offensive Player of the Year Peny Boone to transfer to UCF

READ: Jayden Daniels realizes draft dream after No. 2 overall selection by Washington Commanders

Riley has more than 48 years of college and professional coaching experience, and he’s been head coach in five different professional leagues including the NFL, Canadian Football League, World League of American Football, Alliance of American Football and the United States Football League.

Riley spent time as an assistant coach at USC before landing his first head coaching gig at Oregon State. Following three years as head coach of the San Diego Chargers, he returned to Oregon State where he collected school records of 93 career wins in 14 total seasons as head coach.

Riley most recently was head coach of the New Jersey Generals in the USFL from 2022-23.

Riley is an Alabama alum where he played defensive back. He was part of the Crimson Tide’s 1973 national championship team under head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.

The post Former Oregon State, Nebraska coach Mike Riley appointed to CFP Selection Committee appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Over 700,000 fans attended the draft this week in Detroit according to The Associated Press via NFL.com, a record-breaking number topping the previous best set in Nashville in 2019.

READ: No. 1 pick Caleb Williams says he wants to be part of ‘a big portion’ of winning with Chicago Bears after NFL Draft

READ: Malik Nabers showcases ‘dog mentality’ at LSU’s Pro Day

Like the previous two, offensive players began the third day of the NFL Draft with Texas tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders going No. 101 overall to the Carolina Panthers and Troy Franklin reuniting with Oregon quarterback Bo Nix at No. 102 overall to the Denver Broncos.

Spencer Rattler, Jordan Travis become first QBs taken since Round 1

More than 100 picks went between the six taken in the first round on Thursday, which already set a record for most quarterbacks taken in the opening round of the draft.

Former South Carolina and Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler broke the streak in round four when he went No. 150 overall to the New Orleans Saints. 

Rattler leaves South Carolina as the all-time leader in completion percentage with 67.5% completion.

READ: ‘Adversity teaches a man a lot about himself’: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. pens letter to NFL GMs in Players Tribune

Former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis was chosen No. 171 overall in the fifth round by the New York Jets. He later would be paired with wide receiver teammate Johnny Wilson when the Jets picked him in the sixth round.

Travis finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season despite suffering a season-ending broken leg in the second-to-last regular season game.

Alabama’s Jaylen Key is Mr. Irrelevant

Every year, the final pick of the draft is regarded as “Mr. Irrelevant.” It’s so widely recognized as a special selection that “Irrelevant Week” is an annual celebration that honors that last player picked in the draft recognized by the NFL, according to MrIrrelevant.org.

Alabama defensive back Jaylen Key is this draft’s “Mr. Irrelevant” as he was chosen No. 257 overall in the seventh round by the New York Jets.

READ: 5 takeaways from the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine

Key played last season with the Crimson Tide after spending the previous four years with Alabama at Birmingham. He started 12 games at Alabama and made 60 tackles, one pass break-up and an interception.

Key earned an honorable mention nod in 2022 with the All-Conference USA team. He had three interceptions for the Blazers that season, tying for the team lead.

2024 NFL Draft results

Here are the full results from rounds four through seven of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Fourth round

No. 101: Carolina Panthers: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders — Texas

No. 102: Denver Broncos via trade with Seattle Seahawks (from Washington): WR Troy Franklin — Oregon

No. 103: New England Patriots: OG Layden Robinson — Texas A&M

No. 104: Arizona Cardinals: SAF Dadrion Taylor-Demerson — Texas Tech

No. 105: Los Angeles Chargers: DT Justin Eboigbe — Alabama

No. 106: Tennessee Titans: LB Cedric Gray — North Carolina

No. 107: New York Giants: TE Theo Johnson — Penn State

No. 108: Minnesota Vikings: CB Khyree Jackson — Oregon

No. 109: Atlanta Falcons: DT Brandon Dorlus — Oregon

No. 110: New England Patriots via trade with Los Angeles Chargers (from Chicago): WR Javon Baker — UCF

No. 111: Green Bay Packers via trade with New York Jets: SAF Evan Williams — Oregon

No. 112: Las Vegas Raiders: CB Decamerion Richardson — Mississippi State

No. 113: Baltimore Ravens (from Denver through N.Y. Jets): WR Devontez Walker — North Carolina

No. 114: Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Javon Foster — Missouri

No. 115: Cincinnati Bengals: TE Erick All — Iowa

No. 116: Jacksonville Jaguars (from New Orleans): DT Jordan Jefferson — LSU

No. 117: Indianapolis Colts: OC Tanor Bortolini — Wisconsin

No. 118: Seattle Seahawks: LB Tyrice Knight — UTEP

No. 119: Pittsburgh Steelers: OG Mason McCormick — South Dakota State

No. 120: Miami Dolphins via trade with Philadelphia Eagles (from L.A. Rams through Pittsburgh): RB Jaylen Wright — Tennessee

No. 121: Seattle Seahawks via trade with Denver Broncos (from Miami): TE AJ Barner — Michigan

No. 122: Chicago Bears (from Philadelphia): P Tory Taylor — Iowa

No. 123: Houston Texans (from Cleveland): TE Cade Stover — Ohio State

No. 124: San Francisco 49ers (from Dallas): SAF Malik Mustapha — Wake Forest

No. 125: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Bucky Irving — Oregon

No. 126: Detroit Lions via trade with Green Bay Packers: OT Giovanni Manu — University of British Columbia

No. 127: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with Houston Texans: RB Will Shipley — Clemson

No. 128: Buffalo Bills: RB Ray Davis — Kentucky

No. 129: San Francisco 49ers via trade with Minnesota Vikings (from Detroit): RB Isaac Guerendo — Louisville

No. 130: Baltimore Ravens: CB T.J. Tampa — Iowa State

No. 131: Kansas City Chiefs: TE Jared Wiley — TCU

No. 132: Detroit Lions via trade with San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection): RB Sione Vaki — Utah

No. 133: Kansas City Chiefs via trade with Buffalo Bills (Compensatory Selection): DB Jaden Hicks — Washington State

No. 134: New York Jets (from Baltimore; Compensatory Selection): RB Braelon Allen — Wisconsin

No. 135: San Francisco 49ers: WR Jacob Cowing — Arizona

Fifth round

No. 136: Seattle Seahawks via trade with Denver Broncos (from Carolina through Cleveland): CB Nehemiah Pritchett — Auburn

No. 137: Los Angeles Chargers via trade with New England Patriots: CB Tarheeb Still — Maryland

No. 138: Arizona Cardinals: EDGE Xavier Thomas — Clemson

No. 139: Washington Commanders: LB Jordan Magee — Temple

No. 140: Los Angeles Chargers: CB Cam Hart — Notre Dame

No. 141: Buffalo Bills via trade with Carolina Panthers (from N.Y. Giants): OC Sedrick Van Pran-Granger — Georgia

No. 142: Indianapolis Colts via trade with Carolina Panthers (from Tennessee): WR Anthony Gould — Oregon State

No. 143: Atlanta Falcons: LB JD Bertrand — Notre Dame

No. 144: Chicago Bears via trade with Buffalo Bills (from Chicago): EDGE Austin Booker — Kansas

No. 145: Denver Broncos (from N.Y. Jets): CB Kris Abrams-Draine —Missouri

No. 146: Tennessee Titans (from Minnesota through Philadelphia):CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. — Louisville

No. 147: Denver Broncos: RB Audric Estime — Notre Dame

No. 148: Las Vegas Raiders: LB Tommy Eichenberg — Ohio State

No. 149: Cincinnati Bengals: CB Josh Newton — TCU

No. 150: New Orleans Saints: QB Spencer Rattler — South Carolina

No. 151: Indianapolis Colts: SAF Jaylon Carlies — Missouri

No. 152: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with Washington Commanders (from Seattle): WR Ainias Smith — Texas A&M

No. 153: Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Deantre Prince — Mississippi

No. 154: Los Angeles Rams: EDGE Brennan Jackson — Washington State

No. 155: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with Los Angeles Rams (from Pittsburgh): LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. — Clemson

No. 156: Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia through Arizona): WR Jamari Thrash — Louisville

No. 157: Carolina Panthers via trade with Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland): CB Chau Smith-Wade — Washington State

No. 158: Miami Dolphins: EDGE Mohamed Kamara — Colorado State

No. 159: Kansas City Chiefs (from Dallas): OL Hunter Nourzad — Penn State

No. 160: Buffalo Bills (from Green Bay): LB Edefuan Ulofoshio — Washington

No. 161: Washington Commanders via trade with Philadelphia Eagles (from Tampa Bay): SAF Dominique Hampton — Washington

No. 162: Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): OT Christian Jones — Texas

No. 163: Green Bay Packers via trade with Buffalo Bills: OC Jacob Monk — Duke

No. 164: Indianapolis Colts via trade with Detroit Lions: SAF Jaylin Simpson — Auburn

No. 165: Baltimore Ravens: RB Rasheen Ali — Marshall

No. 166: New York Giants (from San Francisco through Carolina): RB Tyron Tracy Jr. — Purdue

No. 167: Jacksonville Jaguars via trade with Minnesota Vikings (from Kansas City): RB Keilan Robinson — Texas

No. 168: Buffalo Bills via trade with New Orleans Saints (Compensatory Selection): EDGE Javon Solomon — Troy

No. 169: Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Selection): SAF Kitan Oladapo — Oregon State

No. 170: New Orleans Saints (Compensatory Selection): WR Bub Means — Pittsburgh

No. 171: New York Jets via trade with Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Selection): QB Jordan Travis — Florida State

No. 172: Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Selection): OG Trevor Keegan — Michigan

No. 173: New York Jets via trade with Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Selection): RB Isaiah Davis — South Dakota State

No. 174: Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection): CB Caelen Carson — Wake Forest

No. 175: New Orleans Saints (Compensatory Selection): LB Jaylan Ford — Texas

No. 176: New York Jets via trade with San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection): CB Qwan’tez Stiggers — Canadian Football League

Sixth round

No. 177: Minnesota Vikings (from Carolina through Jacksonville): OT Walter Rouse — Oklahoma

No. 178: Pittsburgh Steelers (from Arizona through Carolina): DT Logan Lee — Iowa

No. 179: Seattle Seahawks (from Washington): OG Sataoa Laumea — Utah

No. 180: New England Patriots: CB Marcellas Dial — South Carolina

No. 181: Los Angeles Chargers: RB Kimani Vidal — Troy

No. 182: Tennessee Titans (reacquired through Philadelphia): WR Jha’Quan Jackson — Tulane

No. 183: New York Giants: LB Darius Muasau — UCLA

No. 184: Miami Dolphins (from Chicago): WR Malik Washington — Virginia

No. 185: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with New York Jets: WR Johnny Wilson — Florida State

No. 186: Atlanta Falcons via trade with Arizona Cardinals (from Minnesota): RB Jase McClellan — Alabama

No. 187: Atlanta Falcons: WR Casey Washington — Illinois

No. 188: Houston Texans (from Las Vegas through New England and Minnesota): LB Jamal Hill — Oregon

No. 189: Detroit Lions via trade with Houston Texans (from Denver through L.A. Rams and Buffalo): DT Mekhi Wingo — LSU

No. 190: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with New Orleans Saints: OC Dylan McMahon — NC State

No. 191: Arizona Cardinals via trade with Indianapolis Colts: WR Tejhaun Palmer — UAB

No. 192: Seattle Seahawks: CB DJ James — Auburn

No. 193: New England Patriots (from Jacksonville): QB Joe Milton III — Tennessee

No. 194: Cincinnati Bengals: TE Tanner McLachlan — Arizona

No. 195: Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Ryan Watts — Texas

No. 196: Los Angeles Rams: DT Tyler Davis — Clemson

No. 197: Atlanta Falcons (from Cleveland): DT Zion Logue — Georgia

No. 198: Miami Dolphins: SAF Patrick McMorris — California

No. 199: New Orleans Saints (from Philadelphia): DT Khristian Boyd — Northern Iowa

No. 200: Carolina Panthers via trade with Buffalo Bills (from Dallas through Houston): DT Jaden Crumedy — Mississippi State

No. 201: Indianapolis Colts via trade with Detroit Lions (from Tampa Bay): CB Micah Abraham — Marshall

No. 202: Green Bay Packers: OT Travis Glover — Georgia State

No. 203: Minnesota Vikings via trade with New York Jets (from Houston through Cleveland, Denver): K Will Reichard — Alabama

No. 204: Buffalo Bills: OT Tylan Grable — UCF

No. 205: Houston Texans via trade Detroit Lions: RB Jawhar Jordan — Louisville

No. 206: Cleveland Browns (from Baltimore): LB Nathaniel Watson — Mississippi State

No. 207: Seattle Seahawks via trade withDenver Broncos (from San Francisco): OT Michael Jerrell — Findlay

No. 208: Las Vegas Raiders (from Kansas City): RB Dylan Laube — New Hampshire

No. 209: Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection): K Joshua Karty — Stanford

No. 210: Detroit Lions via trade with Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Selection): OG Christian Mahogany — Boston College

No. 211: Kansas City Chiefs via trade with San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection): DB Kamal Hadden — Tennessee

No. 212: Jacksonville Jaguars (Compensatory Selection): K Cam Little — Arkansas

No. 213: Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection): WR Jordan Whittington — Texas

No. 214: Cincinnati Bengals (Compensatory Selection): EDGE Cedric Johnson — Mississippi

No. 215: San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Selection): OG Jarrett Kingston — USC

No. 216: Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Selection): WR Ryan Flournoy — Southeast Missouri State

No. 217: Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection): OC Beaux Limmer — Arkansas

No. 218: Baltimore Ravens (from N.Y. Jets; Compensatory Selection): QB Devin Leary — Kentucky

No. 219: Buffalo Bills via trade with Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Selection): CB Daequan Hardy — Penn State

No. 220: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Compensatory Selection): OG Elijah Kelin — UTEP

Seventh round

No. 221: Buffalo Bills via trade with Kansas City Chiefs (from Carolina through Tennessee): OT Travis Clayton

No. 222: Washington Commanders: EDGE Javontae Jean-Baptiste — Notre Dame

No. 223: Las Vegas Raiders (from New England): SAF Trey Taylor — Air Force

No. 224: Cincinnati Bengals (from Arizona through Houston): SAF Daijahn Anthony — Mississippi

No. 225: Los Angeles Chargers: Brenden Rice — USC

No. 226: Arizona Cardinals (from N.Y. Giants): DB Jaden Davis

No. 227: Cleveland Browns (from Tennessee): CB Myles Harden — South Dakota

No. 228: Baltimore Ravens (from N.Y. Jets): OC Nick Samac — Michigan State

No. 229: Las Vegas Raiders (from Minnesota): CB MJ Devonshire — Pittsburgh

No. 230: Minnesota Vikings (from Atlanta through Cleveland and Arizona): OC Michael Jurgens — Wake Forest

No. 231: New England Patriots (from Chicago): TE Jaheim Bell — Florida State

No. 232: Minnesota Vikings (from Denver through San Francisco and Houston): DT Levi Drake Rodriguez — Texas A&M-Commerce

No. 233: Dallas Cowboys (from Las Vegas): OT Nathan Thomas — Louisiana-Lafayette

No. 234: Indianapolis Colts: DT Jonah Laulu — Oklahoma

No. 235: Denver Broncos via trade with Seattle Seahawks: WR Devaughn Vele — Utah

No. 236: Jacksonville Jaguars: DE Myles Cole — Texas Tech

No. 237: Cincinnati Bengals: OC Matt Lee — Miami

No. 238: Houston Texans (from New Orleans): EDGE Solomon Byrd — USC

No. 239: New Orleans Saints (from L.A. Rams through Denver):OT Josiah Ezirim — Eastern Kentucky

No. 240: Carolina Panthers (from Pittsburgh): LB Michael Barrett — Michigan

No. 241: Miami Dolphins: WR Tahj Washington — USC

No. 242: Tennessee Titans (from Philadelphia): SAF James Williams — Miami

No. 243: Cleveland Browns: DT Jowon Briggs — Cincinnati

No. 244: Dallas Cowboys: DT Justin Rogers — Auburn

No. 245: Green Bay Packers: QB Michael Pratt — Tulane

No. 246: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Devin Culp — Washington

No. 247: Houston Texans: DT Marcus Harris — Auburn

No. 248: Kansas City Chiefs via trade with Buffalo Bills: OL C.J. Hanson — Holy Cross

No. 249: Houston Texans via trade with Detroit Lions: OG LaDarius Henderson — Michigan

No. 250: Baltimore Ravens: SAF Sanoussi Kane — Purdue

No. 251: San Francisco 49ers: LB Tatum Bethune — Florida State

No. 252: Tennessee Titans (from Kansas City): EDGE Jaylen Harrell — Michigan

No. 253: Los Angeles Chargers (Compensatory Selection): WR Cornelius Johnson — Michigan

No. 254: Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Selection): OG KT Leveston — Kansas State

No. 255: Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Selection): CB Kalen King — Penn State

No. 256 Denver Broncos (from N.Y. Jets; Compensatory Selection): OC Nick Gargiulo — South Carolina

No. 257: New York Jets (Compensatory Selection): DB Jaylen Key — Alabama

The post Round 3 Recap: 2024 NFL Draft appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The 2024 NFL Draft continued Friday with the second and third rounds picking through No. 100 overall. It began with wide receivers Keon Coleman of Florida State and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey going back to back at Nos. 33-34 to the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively, and ended with Rice’s Luke McCaffrey being picked by the Washington Commanders. No quarterbacks were selected after six went in the first round on Thursday.

READ: No. 1 pick Caleb Williams says he wants to be part of ‘a big portion’ of winning with Chicago Bears after NFL Draft

More than 150,000 fans attended the draft on Thursday, and all 32 picks are listed in First Round Live Reaction: 2024 NFL Draft.

Michigan men go back-to-back in second round; Jim Harbaugh takes Los Angeles’ first Wolverine in third

Defending national champion Michigan sent an NFL Scouting Combine-record 18 participants to Indianapolis earlier this offseason.

Michigan saw six players drafted in the second and third rounds, bringing its total to seven so far this draft after quarterback J.J. McCarthy went No. 10 overall to the Minnesota Vikings.

READ: ‘Adversity teaches a man a lot about himself’: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. pens letter to NFL GMs in Players Tribune

Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins was the second Wolverine picked in the draft when he went No. 49 overall to the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round. He began back-to-back selections of former Michigan players as cornerback Mike Sainristil went next at No. 50 overall.

New Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh drafted his first former Wolverine when he chose linebacker Junior Colson in the third round at No. 69 overall.

The crosstown rival Los Angeles Rams selected former Michigan running back Blake Corum at No. 83 overall in the third round. He started a string of three-straight Wolverines drafted when wide receiver Roman Wilson went No. 84 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers and guard Zak Zinter was picked No. 85 overall by the Cleveland Browns.

Harbaugh broke out in song among Chargers personnel during the draft in a video posted on X.

Kirby Smart shouts out drafted Bulldogs

Georgia continued its streak of at least six Bulldogs picked in every draft since 2018.

READ: Florida State’s Braden Fiske motivated by ‘huge impact’ leading up to NFL Draft

Four more of head coach Kirby Smart’s former players heard their names called in Detroit: McConkey and defensive backs Kamari Lassiter, Javon Bullard and Tykee Smith.

Smart shouted each of the four Bulldog draftees on Friday, as he did Thursday for former tight end Brock Bowers and tackle Amarius Mims.

About McConkey, Smart posted: “Congrats @laddmcconkey02 !! So excited to watch you be a part of the @chargers. You’re such a great young man & I’m thankful for your time in Athens. You meant so much to this team, school & community. Always grateful for your impact on this program. GO DAWGS !!”

Of Lassiter, Smart posted: “Another Dawg off the board @kamari_lassiter!! You were such a good player, teammate and leader for this program, and I am so thankful for your impact. The @houstontexans are going to get a great player for their defense. I know you’ll represent us the right way and you’ll be very successful.  Enjoy this moment! GO DAWGS!!”

Of Bullard, Smart posted: “Bull to Green Bay!! @cravejaaye I know you’ve worked really hard for this & so happy you were able to reach your goals and more. You have a bright future & I’m proud of you. The @packers are getting a great player and an even better person. I hope you can come back to Athens sometime this fall. GO DAWGS !!”

Of Smith, Smart posted: “Let’s go @TykSmith!! Can’t wait to see what you do in Tampa Bay. You’re such a great player, leader and person and I am so happy for you that your dreams are becoming a reality. Soak in this moment with your family! Thanks for all you’ve done & GO DAWGS!!”

READ: Jayden Daniels says he’ll ‘be ready’ for NFL after LSU Pro Day

2024 NFL Draft results

Here are the full results from rounds two and three of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Second round

No. 33: Buffalo Bills via trade with Carolina Panthers: WR Keon Coleman — Florida State

No. 34: Los Angeles Chargers via trade with New England Patriots: WR Ladd McConkey — Georgia

No. 35: Atlanta Falcons via trade with Arizona Cardinals: DT Ruke Orhorhoro — Clemson

No. 36: Washington Commanders: DT Jer’Zhan Newton — Illinois

No. 37: New England Patriots via trade with Los Angeles Chargers: WR Ja’Lynn Polk — Washington

No. 38: Tennessee Titans: DT T’Vondre Sweat — Texas

No. 39: Los Angeles Rams via trade with Carolina Panthers (from N.Y. Giants): DT Braden Fiske — Florida State

No. 40: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with Washington Commanders (from Chicago): CB Cooper DeJean — Iowa

No. 41: New Orleans Saints via trade with Green Bay Packers (from N.Y. Jets): CB Kool-Aid McKinstry — Alabama

No. 42: Houston Texans (from Minnesota): CB Kamari Lassiter — Georgia

No. 43: Arizona Cardinals via trade with Atlanta Falcons: CB Max Melton — Rutgers

No. 44: Las Vegas Raiders: OC Jackson Powers-Johnson — Oregon

No. 45: Green Bay Packers via trade with New Orleans Saints (from Denver): LB Edgerrin Cooper — Texas A&M

No. 46: Carolina Panthers via trade with Indianapolis Colts: RB Jonathon Brooks — Texas

No. 47: New York Giants (from Seattle): SAF Tyler Nubin — Minnesota

No. 48: Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Maason Smith — LSU

No. 49: Cincinnati Bengals: DT Kris Jenkins — Michigan

No. 50: Washington Commanders via trade with Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans): CB Mike Sainristil — Michigan

No. 51: Pittsburgh Steelers: OC Zach Frazier — West Virginia

No. 52: Indianapolis Colts via trade with Los Angeles Rams: WR Adonai Mitchell — Texas

No. 53: Washington Commanders via trade with Philadelphia Eagles: TE Ben Sinnott — Kansas State

No. 54: Cleveland Browns: DT Michael Hall Jr. — Ohio State

No. 55: Miami Dolphins: OT Patrick Paul — Houston

No. 56: Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Marshawn Kneeland — Western Michigan

No. 57: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Chris Braswell — Alabama

No. 58: Green Bay Packers: SAF Javon Bullard — Georgia

No. 59: Houston Texans: OT Blake Fisher — Notre Dame

No. 60: Buffalo Bills: SAF Cole Bishop — Utah

No. 61: Detroit Lions: CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. — Missouri

No. 62: Baltimore Ravens: OT Roger Rosengarten — Washington

No. 63: Kansas City Chiefs via trade with San Francisco 49ers: OT Kingsley Suamataia — BYU

No. 64: San Francisco 49ers via trade with Kansas City Chiefs: CB Renardo Green — Florida State

Third round

No. 65: New York Jets via trade with Carolina Panthers: WR Malachi Corley — Western Kentucky

No. 66: Arizona Cardinals: RB Trey Benson — Florida State

No. 67: Washington Commanders: OG Brandon Coleman — TCU

No. 68: New England Patriots: OT Caedan Wallace — Penn State

No. 69: Los Angeles Chargers: LB Junior Colson — Michigan

No. 70: New York Giants: CB Andru Phillips — Kentucky

No. 71: Arizona Cardinals (from Tennessee): OG Isaiah Adams — Illinois

No. 72: Carolina Panthers via trade with New York Jets: LB Trevin Wallace — Kentucky

No. 73: Dallas Cowboys via trade with Detroit Lions (from Minnesota): OG Cooper Beebe — Kansas State

No. 74: Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Bralen Trice — Washington

No. 75: Chicago Bears: OT Kiran Amegadjie — Yale

No. 76: Denver Broncos: EDGE Jonah Elliss — Utah

No. 77: Las Vegas Raiders: OT Delmar Glaze — Maryland

No. 78: Houston Texans via trade with Washington Commanders (from Seattle): SAF Calen Bullock — USC

No. 79: Atlanta Falcons (from Jacksonville): OT Matt Goncalves — Pittsburgh

No. 80: Cincinnati Bengals: WR Jermaine Burton — Alabama

No. 81: Seattle Seahawks (from New Orleans through Denver): OG Christian Haynes — UConn

No. 82: Arizona Cardinals via trade with Indianapolis Colts: TE Tip Reiman — Illinois

No. 83: Los Angeles Rams: RB Blake Corum — Michigan

No. 84: Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Roman Wilson — Michigan

No. 85: Cleveland Browns: OG Zak Zinter — Michigan

No. 86: San Francisco 49ers via trade with Houston Texans (from Philadelphia): OG Dominick Puni — Kansas

No. 87: Dallas Cowboys: LB Marist Liufau — Notre Dame

No. 88: Green Bay Packers: RB MarShawn Lloyd — USC

No. 89: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: SAF Tykee Smith — Georgia

No. 90: Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): CB Elijah Jones — Boston College

No. 91: Green Bay Packers (from Buffalo): LB Ty’Ron Hopper — Missouri

No. 92: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Detroit): WR Jalen McMillan — Washington

No. 93: Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Adisa Isaac — Penn State

No. 94: Philadelphia Eagles via trade with San Francisco 49ers: EDGE Jalyx Hunt — Houston Christian University

No. 95: Buffalo Bills via trade with Kansas City Chiefs: DT DeWayne Carter — Duke

No. 96: Jacksonville Jaguars (Compensatory Selection): CB Jarrian Jones — Florida State

No. 97: Cincinnati Bengals (Compensatory Selection): DT McKinnley Jackson — Texas A&M

No. 98: Pittsburgh Steelers (from Philadelphia; Compensatory Selection): LB Payton Wilson — NC State

No. 99: Los Angeles Rams (Special Compensatory Selection): SAF Kamren Kinchens — Miami

No. 100: Washington Commanders (from San Francisco; Special Compensatory Selection): WR Luke McCaffrey — Rice

The post Notes and Reaction: Rounds 2-3 of 2024 NFL Draft appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The first round of this year’s draft begins tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN and NFL Network, and 32 players will hear their names called in Detroit where thousands of fans are expected to attend.

READ: ‘Adversity teaches a man a lot about himself’: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. pens letter to NFL GMs in Players Tribune

READ: Florida State’s Braden Fiske motivated by ‘huge impact’ leading up to NFL Draft

Check out five takeaways from the 2024 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis where 321 players were invited to take part in workouts and measurements in front of NFL personnel.

The Chicago Bears will select first, and many reports have indicated USC quarterback and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams will be taken with the No. 1 overall selection.

Alabama’s Terrion Arnold drafted by Detroit Lions: “I’m going to help them win a Super Bowl”

Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold, who was a First Team All-American last season, was picked No. 23 by the Detroit Lions, who traded up with the Dallas Cowboys.

Arnold tied atop the Southeastern Conference with 17 passes defended and five interceptions. The Tallahassee, Florida, native had 63 tackles to finish fifth on the Crimson Tide in 2023.

UCLA’s Laiatu Latu is first defensive player picked; record 14 offensive players taken to start draft

A record-breaking 14 offensive players were taken to start the draft. The previous record was seven in 2021.

UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu became the first player on defense to be drafted when he was chosen No. 15 by the Indianapolis Colts.

Latu won the 2023 Lombardi Trophy given to the top offensive lineman/tight end or defensive lineman/linebacker in college football. He led the NCAA with an average of 1.8 tackles for loss per game and fourth with 1.08 sacks per game. Latu had 13 sacks last season, most by a Bruin since Anthony Barr in 2012.

Five quarterbacks picked in top 10 for first time in NFL history

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy went No. 10 overall to the Minnesota Vikings, who traded up one spot with the New York Jets according to multiple reports.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, this year marks the first time in NFL history that five quarterbacks were picked in the top-10 selections of the draft.

And according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, it’s the first time since 1983 that the first round has featured six quarterbacks taken by teams.

Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. goes No. 8 to Atlanta; Daniels and Nabers make history

Four quarterbacks were selected among the top-eight picks.

Washington gunslinger Michael Penix Jr. heard his name called at No. 8 by the Atlanta Falcons, who signed former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract this offseason.

Penix led college football with 4,903 passing yards and finished second in the Heisman voting.

According to the SEC Network, Daniels and Nabers are the first quarterback-wide receiver duo to be selected in the top-10 picks of the NFL Draft.

Jim Harbaugh takes Notre Dame’s Joe Alt with first pick with Los Angeles Chargers

Amid plenty of rumors about trading back, former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 pick.

Alt was a captain at Notre Dame and consensus All-American in 2023. He departs the Fighting Irish with over two dozen starts in his career.

Quarterbacks go Nos. 1-2-3

The last time quarterbacks were chosen with the first three picks of the draft was 2021.

Williams, LSU‘s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina‘s Drake Maye were picked Nos. 1, 2 and 3 to begin the 2024 NFL Draft.

On stage, Harrison said he aims to “work as hard as I can to be the best player I can be” in the NFL. Cardinals quarterback Kyle Murray posted on X “LET’S ROCK!”

Heisman Trophy winners go No. 1-2

The Chicago Bears chose Williams at No. 1 overall and the Washington Commanders took Daniels, who won the Heisman in 2023, with the second pick of the first round.

Daniels said on stage at the draft after he was selected that he was “pretty confident” the Commanders would pick him at No. 2, and he said “Washington is going to get everything out of me.”

Marvin Harrison Jr. will soon realize his childhood dream

The 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner and Ohio State wide receiver capped a decorated college career last fall, and now Marvin Harrison Jr. is ready to make a name for himself.

He’s grown up as the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr. After catching 2,613 yards and 31 touchdowns across three seasons with the Buckeyes, Marvin Harrison Jr. will likely follow in his father’s footsteps as a first round NFL Draft pick.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is the only two-time All-American receiver in Ohio State history.

More than 150K fans are in Detroit

The crowd in Detroit is full of blue, and many in attendance are wearing jerseys from teams like the hometown Lions or rival Minnesota Vikings including some who are donning their college swag.

Maye is attending the draft. He’s reportedly expected to be among the first several gunslingers selected, perhaps as early as No. 3 to New England.

TRANSFER PORTAL: Read the latest regarding the transfer portal.

Follow here for real-time results and reaction from around the football community.

2024 NFL Draft results

1: Chicago Bears (from Carolina): QB Caleb Williams — USC

2: Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels — LSU

3: New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye — North Carolina

4: Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. — Ohio State

5: Los Angeles Chargers: OT Joe Alt — Notre Dame

6: New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers — LSU

7: Tennessee Titans: OT JC Latham — Alabama

8: Atlanta Falcons: QB Michael Penix Jr. — Washington

9: Chicago Bears: WR Rome Odunze — Washington

10: Minnesota Vikings via trade with New York Jets: QB J.J. McCarthy — Michigan

11: New York Jets via trade with Minnesota Vikings: OT Olu Fashanu — Penn State

12: Denver Broncos: QB Bo Nix — Oregon

13: Las Vegas Raiders: TE Brock Bowers — Georgia

14: New Orleans Saints: OT Taliese Fuaga — Oregon State

15: Indianapolis Colts: DE Laiatu Latu — UCLA

16: Seattle Seahawks: DL Byron Murphy II — Texas

17: Minnesota Vikings via trade with Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Dallas Turner — Alabama

18: Cincinnati Bengals: OT Amarius Mims — Georgia

19: Los Angeles Rams: DE Jared Verse — Florida State

20: Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Troy Fautanu — Washington

21: Miami Dolphins: EDGE Chop Robinson — Penn State

22: Philadelphia Eagles: CB Quinyon Mitchell — Toledo

23: Jacksonville Jaguars via trade with Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston): WR Brian Thomas Jr. — LSU

24: Detroit Lions via trade with Dallas Cowboys: CB Terrion Arnold — Alabama

25: Green Bay Packers: OT Jordan Morgan — Arizona

26: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C Graham Barton — Duke

27: Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): EDGE Darius Robinson — Missouri

28: Kansas City Chiefs via trade with Buffalo Bills: WR Xavier Worthy — Texas

29: Dallas Cowboys via trade with Detroit Lions: OT Tyler Guyton — Oklahoma

30: Baltimore Ravens: CB Nate Wiggins — Clemson

31: San Francisco 49ers: WR Ricky Pearsall — Florida

32: Carolina Panthers via trade with Buffalo Bills via trade with Kansas City Chiefs: WR Xavier Legette — South Carolina

The post First Round Live Reaction: 2024 NFL Draft appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The 2024 NFL Draft will begin Thursday at 8 p.m., and the former Washington quarterback is among plenty of quarterback hopefuls who will hear their name called. Penix is coming off a season during which he finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, led the Huskies to the Pac-12 Conference Championship after a perfect regular season and advanced all the way to the national championship in the program’s second College Football Playoff appearance.

READ: Michael Penix Jr. set out to ‘write my own narrative’ at Washington Pro Day

Penix wrote a letter to NFL general managers that published Monday in The Players’ Tribune. He addresses immediately the question about his four season-ending injuries in four seasons including two ACL tears, and later in the letter he states he’d “be more worried if I had never been injured.”

Penix emphasized an important lesson he’s learned in the pre-draft process in that “there’s more to it than the All-22” football film.

READ: Penix displays ‘the heart’ and ‘the guts’ during No. 7 Washington’s 36-33 win over No. 8 Oregon

The Dade City, Florida, native recalled playing tackle football on concrete in 95-degree heat growing up, stating, “You find out quick if you’re built for this game or not.”

Penix’s college career began at Indiana in 2018, somewhere he didn’t expect to go as he stated “Two weeks before signing day I was told by the team I was committed to for two years that I no longer had a scholarship.” After one torn ACL Penix helped the Hoosiers rise to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top-25 poll in 2020, though he retore his ACL in the second-to-last game of the regular season that year.

Penix shouted out in his letter former Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, who was his head coach at Washington and later took the Alabama opening after Nick Saban’s retirement. Penix credited DeBoer for seeing “something in me that the rest of the college football world didn’t,” and he stated they “left our imprint” on Washington.

“Today I look at Coach Kalen DeBoer, Ryan Grubb and Nick Sheridan,” Penix stated. “The ones that had to make the same decision that you’ll be faced with on draft day. They put their belief in me, and I did everything I could to pay it back to them. I look at the guys on the team that I talked into staying at Washington, who trusted that I was going to elevate them. Now seeing Troy Fautanu, Roger Rosengarten, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jack Westover, Rome Odunze, Devin Culp, Jalen McMillan, and Dillon Johnson all on the cusp of realizing their dream…. That is what brings me joy. As a QB, my job is to be an elevator. I need to uplift all those around me so that they too can be at their best. So just know if you put that same belief in me, history shows I hold up my end of the bargain.”

READ: Steve Sarkisian says Longhorns had to ‘recreate ourselves this spring’ after Orange-White Game

According to Daniel Jeremiah’s top 150 prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class on NFL.com, Penix is ranked No. 35 among the class of players.

In 2023, Penix led college football with 4,903 passing yards, nearly 400 more than the next closest passer. He threw for a career-high 36 touchdowns and averaged almost 327 passing yards per game.

Penix collected the 2023 Maxwell Award and made many All-America second teams after last season. In his career, Penix passed for more than 13,500 yards and 95 touchdowns in over 45 games. He has three-plus seasons of starting experience under his belt.

In a quarterback class containing two Heisman winners and several conference champions, Penix will have competition for a top draft spot. But Penix’s story is unique, and he’s stood tall through it all.

One team will select Penix in the draft later this week, and the experienced, veteran quarterback will begin his professional career seeking to make a similar impact he’s made throughout his football career — beat adversity.

The post ‘Adversity teaches a man a lot about himself’: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. pens letter to NFL GMs in Players Tribune appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Texas is coming off its first appearance in the College Football Playoff, and head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns are working to return to the postseason amid their move to the Southeastern Conference.

Sarkisian and the Longhorns held their annual Orange-White Game on Saturday, splitting the team into an intrasquad scrimmage and seeing Team Orange win 35-34 over Team White. Between their 37-31 defeat to Washington in the Sugar Bowl, managing roster construction and building during spring practice, Sarkisian said the Longhorns have looked for their identity for the 2024 season.

READ: Former Trojans WR Mike Williams joins USC as Director of Player Development

“Between a lot of these mid-year high school kids and the transfers that showed up in the program, we had to kind of recreate ourselves this spring,” Sarkisian said. “And I thought that the buy-in was there. I would say this, like, our practices were really competitive. And they were hard. And they were tough, and they were physical. But yet, they really were working with one another to try to get better, and to me that that sets us up for June. As you guys know, in June and July, we do a ton of culture work and that’s when we really start on that stuff. But man, I feel like we’ve almost got a head start on that because of the way they competed in spring.”

READ: NCAA penalizes Arizona State for ‘impermissible in-person recruiting contacts’

Texas took in several transfers since the offseason began, including Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond. He impressed with 98 receiving yards across three catches, including a 75-yard touchdown thrown by redshirt freshman quarterback Arch Manning. Bond, entering his junior year, caught 888 yards and five touchdowns with the Crimson Tide, and he figures to be a weapon for Longhorns starting quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Ewers played two series, and senior defensive lineman Alfred Collins returned a tipped pass 32 yards for a touchdown when Ewers was in the game. Texas’ returning third-year starting quarterback said gaining chemistry with new receivers was among his top priorities this spring.

“Some of the goals were obviously just needed to get to know those guys — a bunch of new faces in that room — and be able to connect on the field and even off the field,” Ewers said. “But I think as a whole that whole room did a great job of coming in this entire spring and really trying to put their head down whether that’d be learning the offense for some of these guys or continue to work on their routes for the guys that do know the offense and just come out each day. And again, just put their head down and go to work, so proud of those guys for that.”

Wide receivers senior Thatcher Milton had a 50-yard receiving touchdown, sophomore DeAndre Moore Jr. had 93 receiving yards and a touchdown, and freshman Ryan Wingo scored on a 56-yard touchdown.

READ: NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approves ‘optional technology rules’ for 2024 season

Manning shined in the spring game. By halftime he’d gone 11-for-13 with 190 passing yards and two touchdowns eventually finishing with 335 yards and three scores.

“The biggest thing I saw from Arch was something that we kind of really harped on with him about a week and a half ago about just dialing into playing the play, keeping your eyes up, and I think I talked about this last week: when he gets himself in trouble at times at quarterback is when he relies on his athleticism, which he has a ton of and he can do, and there’s times today I blew the whistle on him,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t know if he was really happy with me that I blew it, but he’s noncontact. But when he keeps his eyes up and steps up in the pocket, and he can deliver those balls down the field the way we’d like to play. And so it was good to see and was good to see some of the guys around him play with him the way that they did.”

The Longhorns will begin summer workouts until the start of fall camp in August. They’re looking forward to opening the season against Colorado State at home on Aug. 31.

Texas will have an interesting schedule its first year in the Southeastern Conference. Sarkisian and the Longhorns will host Florida, Georgia and Kentucky, and they’ll travel to Michigan, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

READ: Arizona State QB Jaden Rashada announces transfer

The summer yields vital results when players focus on continuing their progress from the spring. Sarkisian said he’ll hold exit meetings with each player who’ll also meet with their position coaches. Sarkisian listed the defensive line and secondary among the areas he hopes the Longhorns can address this summer — as well as getting Texas back to the Playoff.

“What excited me today is that playmakers made plays, and that’s something that you try to recruit to, and how do playmakers make plays? You got to be effective at the line of scrimmage, right?” Sarkisian said. “I think that that we’ve got a lot of talent. We’ve got — there’s a lot of playmakers. We play a physical brand of football. But more importantly, I like the kind of energy of this team. They’re in it together, and they want to be really good. And when you as a coach, when you have a team that’s motivated to shoot towards a goal like you are, that’s what makes it exciting to come in every day and to tap into them and go to work.”

The post Steve Sarkisian says Longhorns had to ‘recreate ourselves this spring’ after Orange-White Game appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Alabama held its spring game on Saturday, ushering in the Kalen DeBoer era and presenting more than a dozen awards afterward.

For as much that can be taken from any spring game, the White team offense beat the Crimson team defense 34-28. More than 72,000 fans were in attendance.

READ: UNLV’s Barry Odom agrees to extended contract through 2028

DeBoer said it was a “great day, fun day just altogether” as the spring capped off with the exhibition. He said former head coach Nick Saban had a chance to get in front of the team which DeBoer said “was pretty cool.”

“Scrimmage-wise, shoot, if it was a half, right, it had been a tale of two halves,” DeBoer said. “But that’s why you keep playing. So many things that we’re going to get to learn from, from this scrimmage depending on what side of the ball you’re on.”

READ: Report: Hines Ward to become WR coach at Arizona State

Alabama’s offense produced 508 yards and eclipsed 200 on the ground and through the air.

Starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, who returned for a fourth season, went 3-for-9 with 100 passing yards. He had the longest play of the day on a 52-yard pass to Washington transfer Germie Bernard.

DeBoer didn’t dive too deep into Milroe’s individual performance, rather, emphasizing the progression of all Crimson Tide quarterbacks this spring. He did say he noticed quarterback play continues to “take that next step” and “have that progression.”

“I thought the protection, especially the first half to three quarters, the protection was as good as we’ve had,” DeBoer said. “Now, some of that’s attributed to, early on, just kind of being a little bit more maybe vanilla defensively, things like that. But the offense stayed ahead of the chains, stayed in positions where they could be dual threat, run-pass options, take your shots when they were there.”

READ: Report: Boston College WR Joseph Griffin Jr. enters transfer portal

Redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson led the quarterbacks with 102 yards on 7-of-12 completion. Redshirt freshmen Dylan Lonergan went 8-for-12 with 67 yards and Austin Mack also had a 66% completion for 33 pass yards.

Bernard led the receivers with 122 yards on three catches. He’ll be an interesting factor into the Alabama offense next fall after recording 419 receiving yards and four total touchdowns in 2023.

On the ground, junior Jam Miller carried the ball eight times for 83 yards scoring two touchdowns and breaking off a 48-yard run. Richard Young, who was rated among the top running backs in the class of 2023, had 29 rushing yards on seven carries including a touchdown.

READ: O.J. Simpson passes away

Defensively, freshman linebacker Justin Okoronkwo had 11 tackles, five solo, and a tackle for loss. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Jeremiah Alexander had seven tackles and freshman defensive back Red Morgan had two quarterback pressures.

Miller received the Dixie Howell Memorial Award as the game’s most valuable player. Morgan, Okoronkwo and freshmen defensive lineman Isaia Faga and linebacker Jayshawn Ross earned the Derrick Thomas Community Service Award, and 10 players received the Bart Starr Most Improved Player Award including Simpson.

DeBoer said the Walk of Champions and “seeing that and feeling the energy and the excitement” from some of his first Alabama traditions in person “was a lot of fun.” The Crimson Tide will now enter the summer months of the offseason, among the important dates being the transfer portal opening Tuesday through April 30 and the first game of 2024 on Aug. 31 against Western Kentucky.

“I thought the guys, as hard as they were playing, I mean, there was times where when they were out there just looking out for each other too,” DeBoer said. “I don’t care if it was offense to offense, defense to defense, but most importantly offense and defense playing the game the way it was supposed to be played. And the energy wanting to go out there and make the plays but also not putting the team at risk just to go out then make that one potential play that could put someone at risk. But the energy, the excitement kind of leading up to the spring game was something I think kind of hit me today.”

The post Kalen DeBoer says Crimson Tide learned ‘so many things’ from Alabama A-Day Game appeared first on Saturday Glory.

After one of the most successful seasons in Huskies program history, Michael Penix Jr. is preparing for one of the biggest moments of his football career.

Penix is less than a month away from the NFL Draft, something he’s worked toward as he developed into a Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback. The Tampa, Florida, native led college football with 4,903 passing yards last season.

READ: Reports: Judge denies Florida State’s dismissal request of ACC lawsuit

Washington held its Pro Day on March 28, and Penix participated on the field in drills displaying his athleticism and conditioning. He said in an interview with ESPN that he felt healthy, and he accomplished some things he set out to achieve.

“I feel like (I) possibly answered a lot of questions,” Penix said. “I felt good being able to run, to be able to jump. Obviously, I wanted to do that, to show that I’m willing to compete. And I want to write my own story, write my own narrative. And I feel like I did that today, and I’m super blessed.”

According to Ben Glassmire of Huskies Wire, Penix ran a 4.46-second time in the 40-yard dash. 

On the skills challenging his mobility and athleticism, Penix leapt 36 1/2 inches on the vertical jump, according to Field Yates of ESPN.

Penix said in his meetings with NFL teams he’s told them they can expect a professional work ethic he carried with him both at Washington and Indiana, where he began his college career from 2018-21.

“They’re going to get a guy that’s going to help lift the team up, help elevate everybody around them,” Penix said. “That’s what I feel like I’ve been able to do at two different places, and I’ve been super blessed to be able to have great players around me to help up my game and continue to allow me to become better day in and day out. So I’m just super blessed, and they’re going to get a winner.”

READ: Joe Judge joins Ole Miss coaching staff

Penix’s southpaw style will bring intrigue to the 2024 NFL Draft class, which boasts two Heisman Trophy winners at quarterback in last year’s winner Jayden Daniels of LSU and 2022 recipient USC’s Caleb Williams.

For teams looking for a pro-style quarterback with a cannon arm, they can find one in Penix. He said he’s more than an athletically talented gunslinger with a knack of picking things up quickly on the gridiron.

“I don’t know where they think my football smarts is, but I just hope that they – I just want to show them that I can do it all as far as learning the playbook,” Penix said. “I know I get questions about, ‘You haven’t been under the center a lot. How do you feel about that?’ Just show that I’m comfortable doing that, comfortable calling plays in the huddle, stuff like that, so just showing those type of things that I possibly couldn’t show within the last couple seasons.”

The post Michael Penix Jr. set out to ‘write my own narrative’ at Washington Pro Day appeared first on Saturday Glory.