Lyons out as West Virginia AD amid struggles
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Pete ThamelESPN
West Virginia has agreed to separate with athletic director Shane Lyons, who has been at the school since 2015.
A combination of budget issues and the school’s struggling football program led to a change in direction. The school has not decided on coach Neal Brown’s future, sources told ESPN.
Lyons’ departure highlights Brown’s uncertain status as he is 21-24 in four seasons and one loss from clinching the program’s third losing record in his four years.
Brown toppled Oklahoma to snap WVU’s nine-game losing streak to the Sooners, but at 4-6 the Mountaineers remain a long shot to reach a bowl game.
The school announced that Lyons has been replaced on an interim basis by Rob Alsop, its vice president for strategic initiatives. The placement of someone from university president Gordon Gee’s executive staff indicates how distinctly the school wants to change directions.
The school said Gee plans to hire a new athletic director soon. The hire is expected to come quickly if the school does make a change at football coach. It has become a common trend in recent years to expedite a search and pair the new AD with a new coach they help choose.
Brown’s buyout if dismissed after the regular season — expected to be nearly $17 million — looms over the departure of Lyons. Although there is offset language in the contract that could lessen that amount for WVU, there has been aggressive second-guessing of the school giving Brown an extension in April 2021, when he had a record of 11-11. That pushed his deal through 2026 and guaranteed a large portion of the contract.
If WVU moves on from Brown in this cycle, it will be a significant financial strain on the athletic department. One of the criticisms of Lyons is that he wasn’t creative and aggressive enough in finding new revenue streams, so someone with a strong business background might be coveted in the search for WVU’s athletic director.
Lyons is a well-respected administrator who came to West Virginia from Alabama, where he had served as deputy athletic director from 2011 to 2015. Lyons’ career includes multiple prestigious appointments, as he has chaired the Big 12 athletic directors group and served on the NCAA Division I Council and its football oversight committee. He’s also a part of the NCAA transformation committee.
Alsop, the interim AD, comes from a political background. He earned undergraduate and law school degrees from West Virginia. He has worked in various roles for Earl Ray Tomblin and Joe Manchin in their previous terms as state governor.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is not expected to play against Mississippi State on Saturday, per sources, as the Longhorns staff is expected to sit him out in order for him to be fully healthy for the game against Oklahoma on Oct. 12.
A final decision on Ewers is expected later Saturday, per sources, but the decision is trending toward allowing him to use Texas’ week off following the Mississippi State game to get healthy. Ewers has been considered week-to-week since injuring his oblique against UTSA on Sept. 14.
Ewers finished the week at nearly 70%, as he practiced Tuesday, was limited Wednesday and ended up limited in practice Thursday to allow him to fully heal. Per sources, the Texas coaching staff wanted to give Ewers the extra rest to ensure he’d return at full strength.
The decision means that Texas will against start backup quarterback Arch Manning, who will make his first career start in an SEC game. Manning made his first start against Louisiana Monroe, completing 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards. He had two touchdown passes and two interceptions.
Ewers’ oblique injury came in the wake of him displaying one of the season’s best performances at Michigan in Week 2, as he threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout Texas win in Ann Arbor.
Mississippi State enters the game on a three-game losing streak, which includes back-to-back blowout home losses to Toledo and Florida. The Bulldogs are trending toward finishing at the bottom of the SEC, as they have one of the country’s worst defenses. They are No. 111 nationally in total defense and No. 107 in scoring defense.
Mississippi State will also be without its starting quarterback, as starter Blake Shapen is out for the year after suffering a shoulder injury against Florida. Michael Van Buren, a true freshman, will make his first career start for the Bulldogs.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams is a “true game-time decision” for the No. 2 Bulldogs at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night, according to ESPN sources.
Williams has missed the previous two games with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, which he suffered against Clemson in the opener. He’ll be evaluated in pregame warmups and a decision will be made on his status.
Williams has been limited in practice this week, and it’s expected that if he does play it’ll be at less than 100 percent. He’s also unlikely to play a heavy snap count if he does play, as he’s working his way back.
Williams is a marauding defensive end who is the best player in Georgia’s front seven and is a high-end NFL prospect. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked No. 4 overall player for the 2025 NFL draft.
Williams started the season hot before injuring his ankle against Clemson, as he had two tackles for loss and three quarterback pressures in that game.
They will be an onus on Georgia’s defensive line, especially on the ends, to help slow Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in Tuscaloosa.
Georgia’s defensive line will benefit from the return of senior Warren Brinson, who is listed as probable after missing the past two games. Sophomore defensive lineman Jordan Hall is questionable for the SEC showdown.
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Utah quarterback Cam Rising, who has been snakebit by injuries the past two years, is again expected to be a game-time decision against Arizona on Saturday night, sources told ESPN.
Rising has missed No. 10 Utah’s past two games after an injury to his throwing hand that he suffered against Baylor on Sept. 7. He missed all of last season after an ACL tear in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season.
Rising’s status will undergo the same evaluation process with the Utah staff as before the Oklahoma State game last week. He’ll throw the ball pregame, and his ability to deliver spin and velocity on the ball will determine whether he’ll play, per sources.
As Rising has struggled to recover and get back on the field, one factor that could weigh into the decision is the chance to get him back fully healthy in two weeks. Utah has a bye before they play at Arizona State on Oct. 11.
Rising has practiced this week but remained limited as the staff has attempted to rest his finger.
Freshman Isaac Wilson has started the past two weeks, leading the Utes to victories over Utah State in Logan and in Stillwater against the Cowboys.
Wilson has shown both moments of promise and interspersed those with moments that have illuminated his youth. He threw for 207 yards on 17-of-29 passing against Oklahoma State. He also threw two interceptions. He threw for three touchdowns and 239 yards against Utah State.
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