Week 11 takeaways: Jimbo Fisher’s QB problem, Kalen DeBoer’s milestone, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Heisman case
Week 11 brought bigger news off the field than on it, as Texas A&M fired coach Jimbo Fisher on Sunday despite having to pay a $76 million buyout. And of course, the Michigan sign-stealing saga reached a head with the suspension of coach Jim Harbaugh before the Wolverines’ game with Penn State.
On the field, a pair of unbeaten teams — Georgia and Washington — posted impressive wins, while two more players tried to force their way into the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Our college football reporters look at the fallout from all the action in this week’s takeaways.
Jimbo Fisher, Florida State follow QBs in opposite directions
It’s not exactly breaking news to suggest a team is only as good as its quarterback, but Week 11 reinforced just how essential having a genuine star at the position actually is.
Where would LSU be this season without Jayden Daniels‘ heroics?
How many big throws has Michael Penix Jr. made in leading Washington into playoff contention?
Is there a more significant development this season than Jalen Milroe‘s transition from liability to foundation for Alabama?
But if you want to understand the true significance of elite QB play — and the often fickle nature of the position — look no further than Florida State and its former head coach.
The Seminoles are 10-0, carried back from the brink of the abyss by a quarterback no one believed in. Jordan Travis has done it all for FSU over the past three years, and his emergence has almost perfectly mirrored Florida State’s return to glory.
Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher was fired by Texas A&M on the heels of a 6-4 start after his last, best hope at the QB position, Conner Weigman, went down with a season-ending injury in Week 3.
In Week 11, Travis fueled Florida State’s 27-20 win over rival Miami for his third straight victory over the Hurricanes.
In Week 11, Fisher was forced to start Jaylen Henderson against Mississippi State. It was Fisher’s fifth different starting QB in the past three seasons.
There was a time, not all that long ago, when Fisher was considered the preeminent quarterback whisperer in college football. He turned JaMarcus Russell, Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel and Jameis Winston into first-round NFL draft picks. Then, suddenly, the magic was gone. Fisher saw one QB recruit after another run into off-field issues, transfer, flame out or never emerge. He left FSU with a black hole at the position — one worsened by Willie Taggart’s inability to even sign a high school quarterback for two years — and headed to Texas A&M expecting to find greener pastures.
Instead, Fisher’s best years at A&M came with the QB he inherited, Kellen Mond, and none of his recruits — Zach Calzada, Haynes King, James Foster, Eli Stowers — amounted to much of anything.
Fisher’s fate was effectively sealed because he could never find a quarterback.
Meanwhile, Florida State’s salvation came from a castoff from Louisville, a guy Taggart didn’t think could play the position. Travis nearly quit football altogether in 2021, only to be salvaged by Mike Norvell, Kenny Dillingham and McKenzie Milton, who all saw something he didn’t even see in himself.
Fisher’s run of bad luck, bad evaluation and bad development ended with his termination.
Florida State’s good luck, bold vision and long-term investment might end with a playoff berth.
It’s amazing what the right QB can do to change the fates of powerful coaches and blue-blood programs. — David Hale
Georgia is never the hunted, always the hunter
Kirby Smart has done an incredible job of building Georgia’s program through recruiting, development of players and creating the kind of competition on the practice field that leads to quality depth few teams can match.
But after two straight national championships — really, after one, for that matter — most teams and players get complacent. It’s human nature to enjoy success by basking in it rather than using it to drive you harder.
But the more the Bulldogs win, the hungrier they become.
With their winning streak at 27 straight games, they can tie the SEC record on Saturday with a triumph at Tennessee. When Alabama won 28 in a row under the legendary Bear Bryant from 1978 to 1980, and certainly as the years have gone by, a lot of people thought that record that might never be broken. After all, it has stood for more than 40 years. Alabama also won 28 in a row on the field from 1991 to 1993, but it later had to forfeit eight wins and a tie in 1993 because of NCAA sanctions.
Making the Bulldogs’ run even more impressive is that they’ve lost a ton of talent to the NFL over the past two years yet just keep steamrollering along. They’ve had a staggering 24 players selected in the draft during the past two years, but the loss of such elite personnel hasn’t translated on the field.
Seeing tight end Brock Bowers return in a 52-17 rout of Ole Miss was especially revealing. Smart said a lot of people had advised Bowers to sit out the rest of the season, get even healthier and enter the NFL draft. Bowers is one of the top pro prospects in college football, and he returned to action just 26 days after having surgery on his ankle.
Smart said Bowers was even more hell-bent on returning the more people told him he should sit out the rest of the campaign, to “prove them wrong.”
It’s the same with this Georgia team. It’s never enough, and real or perceived, the Dawgs are always trying to prove people wrong. — Chris Low
Washington coach Kalen DeBoer hits 100-win milestone
Kalen DeBoer has only entered the national consciousness in, really, the past year and a half. In his brief time in Seattle, the Huskies have gone 21-2, and they currently own the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 17 games. This comes on the heels of an impressive two-year stint as the coach at Fresno State (12-6), the first season of which was soured by the pandemic.
Not a bad start to a coaching career, right?
Well, actually, DeBoer has been winning games — a lot of games — as a head coach dating back to when Reggie Bush and Vince Young were still in school. His five-year run as the coach at NAIA Sioux Falls from 2005 to 2009 was one of the most dominant stretches in the sport’s history. The Cougars went 67-3 in the span with four national titles.
Saturday’s win against Utah, the two-time defending Pac-12 champion, was DeBoer’s 100th as a head coach. The 10 years he spent climbing the coaching ladder seem absurdly long in hindsight, but there is no question now that he is one of the best coaches in the sport and, at 49, is positioned to become one of the faces of college coaching.
“He’s just a guy that everybody attracts to and everybody trusts because of the person he is,” Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said. “He’s the same guy every day, and he leads us very well. He continues to make sure that he puts the person over the player. He always makes sure that as a person, we’re good — we’re good in our daily lives and everybody has lives outside of football.”
That kind of perspective can feel rare in college football. When asked how winning game No. 100 compares with No. 1, DeBoer said he appreciates it more and more.
“I think realizing that the moment that these guys are in right now is what’s special to me, and that getting these wins and the experiences that they’re going to have, the memories that they’re going to have that last forever — the stories they’re going to be able to tell,” DeBoer said. “Hopefully, we’re far from being where this all ends, but I think I have appreciation for that and try to give them a dose of that every once in a while. But we’re trying to keep the pedal down to where we can realize the real goals that we have for this season.”
It doesn’t get easier. Washington will travel to No. 10 Oregon State on Saturday before ending the season with the Apple Cup against Washington State in Seattle. Then a likely rematch with Oregon awaits in the Pac-12 title game, where a College Football Playoff spot could be on the line. — Kyle Bonagura
Michigan remains undeterred by drama, distractions
The opinions about Michigan and the severity of the alleged sign-stealing operation led by former staff member Connor Stalions are both strong and wide-ranging. Did the Big Ten overstep its authority and set a problematic precedent? Did commissioner Tony Petitti go far enough with his discipline for coach Jim Harbaugh? How much should the sign stealing take away from Michigan’s remarkable turnaround since the end of the 2020 season? These questions and others have sparked vastly different and entrenched positions.
But some things aren’t really up for debate, including the ability of Michigan’s players to set aside the drama and distractions that have overwhelmed the program, even long before anyone outside of Schembechler Hall knew the name Connor Stalions. I wrote about this in August, after visiting on campus with Michigan players as well as university president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel. We discussed Harbaugh’s NFL flirtations, co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss’ mysterious firing, the brief return and departure of Shemy Schembechler and other things that could have sidetracked Michigan but didn’t.
None of those incidents had more potential to impact Michigan on the field than what began Friday afternoon, when the Big Ten suspended Harbaugh while the team was en route to play at Penn State. When the Wolverines arrived at Beaver Stadium without Harbaugh, they didn’t know whether he would be allowed to be on the sideline. Sources with the team described the players as “locked in” and “pissed,” but how would they perform? The Wolverines responded with a clinical takedown of Penn State, leaning on their defense and run game without completing a pass for the final 36-plus minutes (and only attempting one, a play nullified by a PSU penalty).
They didn’t dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did last year against Penn State, but after back-to-back Wolverines touchdown drives in the season quarter, it never felt like the Nittany Lions would come back and win. Michigan did not commit a turnover and was penalized just twice through the first three quarters. The game’s notable coaching errors came from the Penn State sideline, not the one acting head coach Sherrone Moore patrolled.
“We’ve been going through a lot lately,” Michigan running back Blake Corum said, “but it’s only brought us closer together. I love my brothers. It was a good job today.”
Michigan should learn Friday whether Harbaugh will miss its final two regular-season games (versus Maryland and Ohio State) or return to the sideline on Saturday. But whatever happens off the field, the Wolverines likely won’t be fazed by it. Could they lose a game? Sure. But don’t expect it to be because they aren’t focused. — Adam Rittenberg
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Marvin Harrison Jr. strikes again with his 2nd TD
Marvin Harrison Jr. scores another touchdown for Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes a 14-0 lead over Michigan State.
There’s little doubt Marvin Harrison Jr. will be in New York on Dec. 9, the night the 2023 Heisman Trophy will be handed out. But the Ohio State wide receiver is making a compelling case that he should be the first Buckeye to win the award since Troy Smith in 2006 and break the program’s tie with Notre Dame for the most Heisman winners (seven).
For the second straight year, Harrison went off against Michigan State. A season after catching seven passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns at Spartan Stadium, Harrison was even better Saturday night at Ohio Stadium, registering seven catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns plus a 19-yard scoring run for good measure as the Buckeyes rolled 38-3. In the process, Harrison tied David Boston’s program record for the most 100-yard receiving games at 13.
Harrison enters the final two weeks of the regular season, when Ohio State plays Minnesota and at Michigan, with 59 receptions for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is the first wideout in program history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons after catching 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Harrison is getting revved up at precisely the right time and will give Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and any other contender a good run at the trophy as he looks to become the second wide receiver in four years — following Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in 2020 — to lay claim to the world’s most famous bronze stiff-arm. — Blake Baumgartner
Give the former walk-on some love
The Heisman Trophy favorites — Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Penix, Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels — are certainly worthy of attention, but how about some love for Missouri running back Cody Schrader?
The former walk-on from Division II Truman State leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the FBS with 112.4 rushing yards per game. He has accumulated 1,124 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
In Saturday’s 36-7 rout of No. 13 Tennessee, Schrader ran for 205 yards with one touchdown and caught five passes for 116 yards. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, he is the first SEC player in the past 25 years with at least 150 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in the same game. He also is the first Missouri player to total more than 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in the same contest.
“Absolutely,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said when asked by reporters if Schrader should be among the contenders for the Heisman. “If you’re talking about the best player in college football who’s done more for his football team than anybody else. He’s the leading rusher in the SEC. When’s the last time the leading rusher in the SEC on a top-10 team wasn’t considered for the Heisman?
“The guy shows up in the biggest games on the biggest stages.”
Schrader, a 5-foot-9 senior from St. Louis, is already a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the best player in the FBS who started his career as a walk-on. At Truman State, a public university in Kirksville, Missouri, with an enrollment of about 4,000 students, Schrader led Division II with 2,074 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns in 2021. He ran for 745 yards with nine scores at Missouri last season.
Tennessee’s defense wasn’t the only one Schrader has victimized this season. He had 112 yards with a touchdown in a 30-21 loss at Georgia on Nov. 4 and 159 yards with two scores in a 34-12 victory over South Carolina on Oct. 21.
But none of his previous performances was more impressive than the one against Tennessee.
“What an incredible day that little Superman had for us,” Drinkwitz said. “I had to. I can’t call him the Smurf anymore. He’s risen to a new level.” — Mark Schlabach
Many college football programs are wrapping up spring practices this weekend, which traditionally has included an intrasquad game, giving fans and players a sneak peek at what is to come on the field in the fall with a game-day atmosphere.
This year, for a variety of reasons, many programs are skipping the scrimmage for a different kind of spring showcase, including skills contests, fanfests and meet-and-greets. Among the teams taking this route as they close their spring sessions this weekend are Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Purdue and defending national champion Ohio State.
But several schools will be hosting spring games, including Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Miami and Georgia Tech. Here’s a look at those teams and what to watch for this weekend.
All times Eastern.
Game time: Friday, 6 p.m.
2024 record: 9-4
Spring storyline: Just how good can this offense be? In his first year, Jeff Brohm made the most of veteran QB Jack Plummer. Last season, Tyler Shough developed into one of the most productive QBs in the country. Now Brohm turns to USC transfer Miller Moss, perhaps the most talented QB he has had at Louisville, and the Cards will surround Moss with a host of ubertalented skill players, including Caullin Lacy and Isaac Brown. Brohm’s offenses are always explosive, but this Cardinals squad has a chance to be one of the most terrifying units in America.
Position of intrigue: The secondary is littered with transfers — no shocker at Louisville — including the two corner positions, where Jabari Mack (Jacksonville State), Rodney Johnson (Southern) and Justin Agu (Louisiana) will be in the mix for playing time. There’s a big void in the secondary, after Louisville said goodbye to a host of veterans, including Quincy Riley. How this new unit jells will be crucial for a Louisville D that was far too susceptible to the big play in 2024.
Player to watch: Here’s a fun scenario: Isaac Brown was among the most prolific freshmen in the country last season, racking up 1,527 all-purpose yards. And yet, it’s another rising sophomore — Duke Watson — who might be the more explosive player. Watson got just 67 carries last season but averaged nearly 9 yards per rush and scored seven times. His role will grow alongside Brown in 2025, giving Louisville arguably the best one-two punch at tailback of any squad since last season’s Ohio State national champs. — David Hale
Game time: Saturday, noon (ACC Network)
2024 record: 5-7
Spring storyline: Virginia hit the transfer portal hard to boost its roster, signing 16 players in hopes of putting the Cavaliers in position to make a bowl game for the first time since 2021. While the program has made some strides since Tony Elliott was hired in 2022, he also knows the team must show significant progress this year. His players have already spoken confidently about putting Virginia in a spot where it can compete for championships. We will get our first glimpse at the possibility this spring.
Position of intrigue: Virginia lost quarterbacks Anthony Colandrea (portal) and Tony Muskett (final season) and went into the portal to find their replacements. The headliner is Chandler Morris, now at his fourth school after spending last season at North Texas. Virginia also signed Daniel Kaelin from Nebraska as the potential quarterback of the future with four years of eligibility remaining. Look for Morris to take the reins giving his experience.
Player to watch: Linebacker Fisher Camac, a transfer from UNLV, has the ability to make the types of plays that set the tone on defense. Last season, he had 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups, 3 QB hurries and a forced fumble. — Andrea Adelson
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 8-5
Spring storyline: Embattled Gators coach Billy Napier completely flipped the narrative on his future at Florida by guiding his team to four straight victories to finish with an 8-5 record in 2024. That winning streak included upsets of then-No. 22 LSU and then-No. 9 Ole Miss. Much of the optimism is because of quarterback DJ Lagway, who was 6-1 as the starter as a freshman, and a veteran offensive line. Lagway threw for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has been limited throughout spring practice because of shoulder and lower-body injuries and won’t play Saturday. Florida will play another brutal schedule in 2025 with road games at LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss and a neutral-site contest against Georgia.
Position of intrigue: Finding Lagway dependable targets on the perimeter will be a focus this spring. Top receivers Elijhah Badger and Chimere Dike departed for the NFL, and Eugene Wilson III is coming back from season-ending hip surgery. Receivers Vernell Brown III, Dallas Wilson and Naeshaun Montgomery were three of Florida’s highest-ranked signees, and J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA) was one of the top pass catchers in the portal.
Players to watch: Florida’s strength coach called linebacker Aaron Chiles an “alien” before his freshman season because of his exceptional work in the weight room. With Shemar James leaving for the NFL draft, Chiles and Myles Graham will have a chance to make an impact on defense this season. Graham had 30 tackles and one sack in 2024; Chiles had 23 tackles with one sack. — Mark Schlabach
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 11-3
Spring storyline: Much of Georgia’s attention this spring will be focused on its offense, which struggled to catch the ball and run it when it mattered in 2024. The Bulldogs went 11-3, won an SEC championship and reached the CFP last season. But Georgia’s offensive production slipped mightily — it scored 31.5 points per game (after averaging 40.1 in 2023) and ranked next to last in the SEC with 124.4 rushing yards. Georgia will be breaking in four new starting offensive linemen and a new quarterback. Newcomers will also be counted on to improve an inconsistent receiver corps.
Position of intrigue: Georgia’s offensive line was expected to be one of the best units in the FBS in 2024, but it struggled to create holes in the running game and protect the quarterback. Four starters are gone, including center Jared Wilson and All-America guard Tate Ratledge. Earnest Greene III and Monroe Freeling have a lot of experience at tackle, and Micah Morris has been a mainstay at guard. Drew Bobo and Daniel Calhoun are the favorites to take over at center and right guard, respectively. Freeling missed spring practice after undergoing shoulder surgery; Calhoun was sidelined for much of it because of a foot injury.
Player to watch: No position on the team was criticized more in 2024 than Georgia’s receivers. The Bulldogs led Power 4 conference teams in dropped passes, and top receivers Arian Smith and Dominic Lovett left for the NFL. Georgia brought in two high-profile transfers, Zachariah Branch (USC) and Noah Thomas (Texas A&M), and Talyn Taylor and C.J. Wiley are two highly regarded freshman receivers. Branch had 1,863 all-purpose yards during his two seasons with the Trojans, including two kicks returned for touchdowns in 2023. He caught 78 passes for 823 yards and three scores. — Schlabach
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m. (ACCNX)
2024 record: 7-6
Spring storyline: Georgia Tech ended last season with a good bit of buzz, and the Yellow Jackets return one of the most productive QBs in the ACC in Haynes King. Will all of that add up to a breakthrough season? There’s a lot to like on this team, but the story of coach Brent Key’s first few years in Atlanta has been the Jackets’ ability to play their best in big games then stub their toes against teams they should beat. Key is a ferocious competitor, and this spring seems like it should be a turning point when he pushes Tech from surprising upstart to a real contender.
Position of intrigue: The wide receiver room will look a lot different this spring. Three of the five wideouts with at least 100 receiving yards last season are gone, including star Eric Singleton, who exited via the portal for Auburn. Malik Rutherford is back, and he’ll be joined by a pair of FIU transfers in Eric Rivers and Dean Patterson, who combined for 112 catches and 19 touchdowns last year, as well as freshman Jamari Bruce.
Player to watch: Key is a former offensive lineman, and he believes championship teams are built in the trenches. Enter Josh Petty, a five-star recruit and arguably the most talented O-lineman the Jackets have landed in decades (and their first five-star signee since Calvin Johnson). Petty will need to work his way into the starting five, which already features talented veterans in Joe Fusile and Keylan Rutledge, but that doesn’t mean all eyes won’t be on the talented freshman to see just how much bang Georgia Tech is getting for its buck. — Hale
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 7-6
Spring storyline: Pitt got off to an unexpected 7-0 start last season, only to finish on an equally unexpected six-game losing streak. After winning 20 games between 2021 and 2022, Pitt has struggled to find the same winning consistency the past two seasons. The hope is that the return of quarterback Eli Holstein and all-everything back Desmond Reid, plus a healthier offensive line, in Year 2 under offensive coordinator Kade Bell will allow the Panthers to find the rhythm and consistency to win.
Position of intrigue: Pitt struggled on the offensive line last season for a variety of reasons, including injuries that hindered the overall cohesion of the group. The Panthers put an emphasis on this position group in the portal, particularly offensive tackle, signing transfers Jeff Persi (Michigan) and Kendall Stanley (Charlotte). Stanley played 706 offensive snaps, all at right tackle, this past season, while the 6-foot-8, 310-pound Persi brings an imposing presence — though he has spent the majority of his career as a backup.
Player to watch: Pitt does a terrific job developing defensive backs, and safety Cruce Brookins could be next in line. With All-ACC safety Donovan McMillon gone to the NFL, Brookins has drawn praise for his striking ability and ball skills (two interceptions in reserve duty last season, including one against West Virginia). — Adelson
Game time: Saturday, 1 p.m.
2024 record: 7-6
Spring storyline: There’s a reason the coaches voted Clark Lea SEC Coach of the Year last season. He led the Commodores to their best season in more than a decade, took them to their first bowl game since 2018 and beat No. 1 Alabama for the first time since 1984, all this coming off a 2-10 season in 2023. The challenge now is building off such a solid season, creating more depth on the roster and continuing to develop players, which has been Lea’s strength. Some of the best news is that most of the key players are back, and there should be good carryover with Lea calling defensive plays for the second straight year.
Position of intrigue: With Diego Pavia back at quarterback, he’ll also have his favorite receiving target back. Eli Stowers, an All-SEC selection at tight end a year ago and the Commodores’ top receiver, bypassed the NFL draft to return for another season in Nashville. Stowers will need some pass-catching help on the outside from receivers. It’s a big opportunity for Junior Sherrill to have a breakthrough season, while Trent Hudson reunites with Pavia after spending last season at Mississippi State. Hudson and Pavia played together at New Mexico State in 2023, and Hudson had 10 touchdowns.
Player to watch: Who else but Pavia, who sparked Vanderbilt’s revival last season and electrified the SEC with his fearless play at quarterback. He gets another shot at SEC defenses after passing for 2,293 yards and rushing for 801 yards last season. Pavia, who’s seemingly never out of a play, accounted for 28 touchdowns (20 passing and eight rushing). — Chris Low
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m.
2024 record: 11-3
Spring storyline: The Vols have knocked down several barriers under Josh Heupel. They’ve beaten Alabama twice and Florida twice in the past three seasons and made their first playoff appearance a year ago. The defense was the backbone of Tennessee’s run to the playoff, and several key pieces from that unit are gone and need to be replaced. Keeping defensive coordinator Tim Banks was a priority for Heupel. One of the big challenges for the Vols in Year 5 under Heupel will be playing better on the road, particularly in night games in hostile environments.
Position of intrigue: The young talent in Tennessee’s secondary is promising, and keeping safety Boo Carter from transferring was important. Carter may also play some offense in 2025. But at cornerback, it could be dicey. Jermod McCoy had an All-SEC season in 2024 after transferring from Oregon State. He tore his ACL in January, though, and is working toward getting back in time for the start of the season. Reports surfaced that the Vols’ other starting cornerback, Rickey Gibson III, was planning to enter the transfer portal, but he has changed his mind. His return would help the Vols’ situation in the secondary.
Player to watch: Nico Iamaleava has been the most closely watched player at Tennessee since his first season in 2023 when he arrived with a reported $8 million NIL deal. Now in his third season on campus and second as starting quarterback, Iamaleava would seem poised to have a breakout year. He was solid a year ago in leading the Vols to the playoff. He needs to provide more firepower in the downfield passing game if they’re going to get back to the playoff in 2025. — Low
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m.
2024 record: 10-3
Spring storyline: Fran Brown surprised and impressed in Year 1, leading Syracuse to its first 10-win season since 2018, including a regular-season finale victory over Miami that kept the Hurricanes out of the ACC title game. But this will be a very different team on offense this spring with Kyle McCord, LeQuint Allen and Oronde Gadsden all gone to the NFL draft. Indeed, the biggest questions this spring surround how the Orange are going to replace all that production.
Position of intrigue: Replacing McCord is at the top of the list. Syracuse signed transfer Rickie Collins from LSU and Brown said earlier this week he has emerged as the starter to begin the season. The Orange also return backup Michael Johnson Jr. and redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams, and signed two freshman quarterbacks in Luke Carney and Rich Belin. Though the room is missing the veteran presence McCord brought last season, offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon said he is pleased with the depth he has among his QBs.
Player to watch: Syracuse was not nearly as aggressive in the transfer portal as it was a year ago, but landing defensive lineman Chris Thomas Jr. from Marshall should help shore up a run defense that was inconsistent for most of last season. — Adelson
Game time: Saturday, 3 p.m.
2024 record: 6-7
Spring storyline: Last season was supposed to be a breakout year for Virginia Tech. Instead, the Hokies struggled to a 6-7 record, lost 24 players to the transfer portal and saw some of their best players move on to the NFL draft. Though the Hokies bring back veteran quarterback Kyron Drones, there will a lot of changes, not only from a personnel perspective but among its coaching staff, with new offensive (Philip Montgomery) and defensive coordinators (Sam Siefkes).
Position of intrigue: The Hokies have holes to fill across the board, given the roster turnover. But let’s stick with offense and look at the running back room, where leading rusher Bhayshul Tuten is off to the NFL and backup Malachi Thomas transferred. Virginia Tech signed three transfer backs: Terion Stewart (Bowling Green), Braydon Bennett (Coastal Carolina) and Marcellous Hawkins (Central Missouri State) to fill the void.
Player to watch: Wide receiver Donavon Greene, a Wake Forest transfer, brings much needed experience and a veteran presence to the young, unproven Virginia Tech receiver group. Greene has been limited by injuries over the past few seasons, so staying healthy is imperative. — Adelson
Game time: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
2024 record: 10-3
Spring storyline: Can the defense get turned around? Miami parted ways with Lance Guidry after the D let the Canes down in 2024, and new coordinator Corey Hetherman is taking over with sights set on a far more dominant unit. Getting star defensive lineman Rueben Bain healthy will be a big first step, but figuring out a game plan for a beleaguered secondary will be even more significant.
Position of intrigue: Did we mention the secondary? Yes, breakout freshman OJ Frederique Jr. returns, but most of the rest of the DB room gets a fresh start with transfers Ethan O’Connor (Washington State), Charles Brantley (Michigan State), Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State) and Xavier Lucas (Wisconsin) arriving with ample hype, alongside blue-chip freshman Bryce Fitzgerald, among others. Miami’s DBs were a mess down the stretch last season — in part due to talent, in part due to injuries — so this spring is about breaking in the new faces and developing some depth at key spots.
Player to watch: New quarterback Carson Beck, transferring in from Georgia, would be the natural choice, but he is rehabbing from an elbow injury and hasn’t thrown this spring. Instead, we’ll look to Bain, who as a true freshman in 2023 was a force of nature on Miami’s D-line, racking up 7.5 sacks, 12.5 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles. Injuries set him back from the outset in 2024, however, and his production regressed significantly. Bain had just 5.5 TFL last season and missed four games entirely. Bain appears healthy this spring, however, and if he can return to form this fall, he could be a key piece in revitalizing the Canes’ defense. — Hale
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Eli Lederman
Four-star edge rusher Rodney Dunham, ESPN’s No. 6 defensive end in the 2026 cycle, announced his commitment to Notre Dame on Thursday, landing with the Fighting Irish as the top-ranked prospect in coach Marcus Freeman’s incoming recruiting class.
A 6-foot-4, 220-pound recruit from Charlotte, North Carolina, Dunham is the No. 57 overall prospect in the 2026 ESPN 300. He picked Notre Dame over South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Duke following visits to all five schools in 2025. Dunham joins offensive tackle Tyler Merrill (No. 67 overall) and outside linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. (No. 146) as the Fighting Irish’s third top-150 commit and the program’s sixth ESPN pledge in the cycle.
Alongside two local programs (Duke and South Carolina) and a pair of nearby SEC powers (Georgia and Tennessee), Notre Dame stood as a regional outlier among Dunham’s finalists before surging in the late stages of his recruitment this spring.
Dunham told ESPN that his late March visit to see the Fighting Irish marked his first time on an airplane. That trip reinforced the school’s football tradition and academic prestige and strengthened Dunham’s connection with Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington. It also offered Dunham a valuable window into Freeman, the program’s fourth-year coach, through a chance encounter Dunham said ultimately helped seal his decision to commit.
“I was talking to one of the members of the staff there — someone who was serving food — and he was telling me how great of a leader [Freeman] is and how he presents himself in front of the players. That’s the type of guy you want to lead you growing up as a young adult and entering manhood. It’s not just all about football.”
Dunham projects as a high-upside, developmental prospect at the next level with speed off the line of scrimmage and standout pass-rush technique. He recorded 94 tackles (26 for loss) and 12 sacks across his sophomore and junior season at Myers Park High School in Charlotte.
An imposing pitcher with a fastball clearing 90 miles per hour, Dunham no longer plans to play baseball in college after initially considering a two-sport track earlier in his recruitment.
The defending national runner-up Fighting Irish closed the country’s 15th-ranked class in the 2025 cycle. If Dunham lands on campus in 2026, he’ll arrive to Notre Dame as the program’s highest-rated defensive signee since outside linebacker Jaylen Sneed, ESPN’s No. 48 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle.
Dunham’s pledge arrived less than a week after the Fighting Irish secured the commitment of four-star defensive end Ebenezer Ewetabe (No. 229 overall). With Davis — son of three-time NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Thomas Davis Sr. — also in the fold, Notre Dame has the early makings of a standout front-seven class in the 2026 cycle. Three-star cornerback Chaston Smith rounds out the program’s collection of four defenders committed so far in the class.
Dunham joins five-star Maryland pledge Zion Elee (No. 2 overall) and Texas A&M commit Jordan Carter (No. 59) among the earliest elite defensive ends to come off the board in 2026.
Five-star edge rusher JaReylan McCoy, a former LSU pledge, is set for a return to Florida this weekend, while fifth-ranked defensive end Nolan Wilson also remains on the Gators’ radar. Ohio State and Texas are two of the latest programs to host five-star reclass Richard Wesley, who will also take trips to Texas A&M and Tennessee over the next week. Five-star defensive end Jake Kreul visited Oklahoma on Thursday.
All told, seven of ESPN’s top 10 defensive ends in the 2026 class remain uncommitted this spring.
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