Ohio State Spring practice is here. For the first time in 10 years, the Buckeyes get to kick off a season as defending champions. Ryan Day decided to shorten Spring practice due to the length of the 2024 season. Finally, the Buckeyes are back in action. With a fresh “National Champions 2024” banner up in the WHAC, the Buckeyes get their 2025 started.

Ohio State Spring Practice Kicks Off Title Defense

A Real Quarterback Battle

There are plenty of questions surrounding the Buckeyes. All eyes will be on the quarterback battle. Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz, and Tavien St. Clair are fighting to succeed Will Howard. Day said that all three quarterbacks will have an equal opportunity to win the job. Day said in his presser earlier this week that there was no official pecking order among the trio.

Through two practices, it seems he was being truthful. Kienholz has been the number-one quarterback through the rotations though Sayin has had plenty of reps with the first-team receivers. As the Buckeyes have been working with the new offensive coordinator (for real this time), all three quarterbacks have been working out with receivers running routes on air.

All three have had misses and successes, as to be expected in the first week of Spring. However, when the the Buckeyes have three receivers run the route concept on air and the three quarterbacks throw to the different players, Sayin has begun to stand out. His release is quicker and more decisive than Kienholz and St. Clair.

A slight concern from last year regarding Sayin was his arm strength after skipping a few passes in the Spring Game and in early-season relief. It seems those concerns can be put to bed. Already, the sophomore has a zip to his passes that takes the eyes off the other two quarterbacks. Time will tell, but it appears that it’s Sayin’s battle is to lose. However, knowing Day, he’s not going to name a starter until August.

Offensive Line Shake Up

A weakness that turned into a strength despite adversity, the offensive line is going to look a bit different this year. This Spring, Day and new offensive line coach Tyler Bowen has been making the most of the shortened practice period by making sure all linemen are cross-trained.

Last season, Austin Siereveld came in and played both guard positions due to injuries to Donovan Jackson and Josh Simmons. He played quite admirably and looks to be one of the leaders in the clubhouse this year. However, he’s been getting some work in at left tackle instead of his usual guard position.

Notable absences from the first practice were the two book-end transfers, Ethan Onianwa and Phillip Daniels. The idea is that Onianwa, “Big E” as Day called him, will be the go-to left tackle for the Buckeyes while Phillips is the favorite to anchor the right side. The pair were in town and suited up for practice on Wednesday, but played with the second-team rotation.

There is a logjam. The most likely line from left to right should be Onianwa, Siereveld, Carson Hinzman, Luke Montgomery, and Daniels. Tegra Tshabola got plenty of playing time last year and will likely factor into the discussion as well.

The Buckeyes love to play “the five best” on the offensive line, so there could certainly be a shakeup if Tshabola or someone like Ian Moore steps up.

Leadership Change

How does a team replace well over a dozen starters including the entire captain lineup? Well, Day and staff have identified leaders in each position group and have been working with each on how to move forward.

Perhaps the most striking bit of leadership to this point has been their attitude toward all of the new national championship decor. It’s easy to look up and see the brand-new banners and all of the shiny trophies and feel like the mission was accomplished. Fighting complacency is a new thing for Day and it was something his predecessor preached about following the 2014 title. If we remember, that 2015 team was loaded with top-end NFL talent but never looked like a team that was poised to repeat as champions.

Day remarked that he is focused on reinforcing the Buckeyes’ culture. That culture, he believes, is vindicated due to winning the title a year ago and he’s “never happy” at the end of the first Spring practice. He is “more relaxed” but is hungry for more after getting a taste.

His leaders have the same mentality. The new crop of leaders on the team actually told Day that they wanted to remove some of the national championship stuff around the facility. They believe “this year’s team didn’t win that championship, last year’s team did.” Needless to say, it doesn’t look like the Buckeyes are resting on their laurels. The team is hungry to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke. Plus, there isn’t a single member of this team that has beaten Michigan.

The goals remain the same. Ohio State Spring practice is just the first step in the 2025 season.

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Texas Tech Spring football is already underway in 2025. Much like the rest of college football, the Spring calendar is morphing. Coaches are trying to figure out what works best for their program. Plenty of teams have canceled Spring games. For head coach Joey McGuire, he has spread the practices out over two months. The first practice occurred on March 10th with the Spring game not being played until April 19th. That spreadout calendar was in place before the unexpectedly early start to Spring Break. This was thanks to green flames exploding through manhole covers on campus (fortunately, no one was injured). But there are some key storylines to pay attention to over the next two months in Lubbock.

Offensive Backfield Situation

The biggest replacement the Red Raiders are making for the 2025 season is the loss of career-rushing leader Tahj Brooks. The competition for RB1 will be fierce. None of the potential candidates to replace Brooks starts with a leg-up on the competition. Some of the names in the mix will be J’Koby Williams, transfer from USC Quinten Joyner, Cameron Dickey, and Cam’Ron Valdez. Does competition among four players produce a clear number one? Or does this group transform the rushing attack into a committee approach?

The other position with plenty of eyes on it for Texas Tech Spring football is the health of quarterback Behren Morton. His shoulder issues have lingered now for two full seasons. In 2023, he played the final nine games with a grade-3 sprain to the AC joint. He was shut down six practices into Spring practice last year. No surgery was recommended after consultation with the team medical staff and two orthopedic surgeons. Morton did start every game in 2024. However, he had surgery on the same shoulder at the end of the regular season. Morton said his shoulder wasn’t an issue last season and the surgery was elective. He will spend all of Spring ball rehabbing the injury. Morton’s health is paramount in 2025 if Texas Tech wants to make the jump to Big 12 contender. Expect Will Hammond to take the QB1 reps in practice this Spring.

Trench Play On Both Sides Of The Ball

Texas Tech Spring football has begun with a different national spotlight on this program. Thanks to securing one of the best transfer portal classes in the nation, some extra eyes on this team normally would be paying attention elsewhere. The most notable additions to this team came in the way of big guys on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Offensively, this team is returning six veteran starters. Expect plenty of competition for those starters to hold those spots as this team brought in tackle Howard Sampson from North Carolina, tackle Will Jados from Miami (Ohio), and tackle Hunter Zambrano from Illinois State.

Defensively, the transfers brought will be the key players in improving a porous Red Raider defense. Lee Hunter (UCF) was a second-team All-Big 12 member in 2024. Skyler Gill-Howard (Northern Illinois) was a third-team All-MAC selection last year, Anthony Holmes Jr. (Houston) is another in-conference transfer after starting all 12 games for Houston in 2024, and three-time transfer Romello Height is most recently coming from Georgia Tech where he started 12 games for the Yellow Jackets last season. All of these highly productive players are poised to help raise the floor of the defense.

Texas Tech Spring Football Debut Of New Coordinators

At the end of the 2024 season, McGuire faced his biggest challenge yet as the head man for the Red Raiders. He had to replace both his offensive and defensive coordinators as Zach Kittley took the head coaching job at FAU and Tim DeRuyter was fired for having one of the worst defenses in football. McGuire brought in Mack Leftwich from Texas State to take over the offense while the Red Raiders swooped in fellow Big 12 coordinator Shiel Wood from Houston.

Leftwich was hired following two seasons at Texas State where he developed some of the country’s best offenses. The Bobcats led the Sun Belt Conference and ranked in the top 15 nationally for total offense and scoring during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. His number one job will be getting chemistry developed upfront and installing his system.

Meanwhile, Wood, who is now at his eight new schools in the last nine seasons, has the biggest challenge between the two coordinators. But his reputation alone has many fired up for an improving defense. Houston had a top-50-ranked defense in 2024 when the offense was abysmal. Replacing a defense that ranked around 130th in all major categories with a top-50 defense (assuming no drop-off by the offense) is good for anywhere between a two or three-game win improvement. It certainly would have made the difference in Texas Tech playing for a Big 12 title last season.

Main Photo: Katie Perkins/For Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jalen Milroe certainly had his moments while serving as the starting quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. 2023, his first year as the starter, was a magical run. It looked to continue in 2024, but after the matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs, he did not look like the same guy.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer has big plans for the offense moving forward. With the ongoing quarterback battle between Austin Mack, Ty Simpson, and Keelon Russell, any of the three will prove a change of pace from Milroe. All three are more pocket passers than runners. While the contrast in styles will be drastic, it could prove to be a boon for the offensive production.

New Quarterback in 2025 Opens up Offense for Alabama Crimson Tide

DeBoer’s Thoughts

DeBoer spoke with reporters on Tuesday with practice resuming. One question the coach was asked was how he expected to make up the production lost by quarterback scrambles.

Who will be Alabama’s starting QB when the 2025 season kicks off?

Ty Simpson, Austin Mack & true freshman Keelon Russell compete for the job during the Tide’s spring practice. #RollTide

@UA_Athletics pic.twitter.com/cHYReWH7BN

— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) March 18, 2025

“You kind of think, ‘Well, the runs Jalen had just translate over to running backs.’ But I think a lot of it was the style of offense, too,” DeBoer said. “To me, those runs go to the running backs, but they also might be a few more pass attempts that you have that the play-action games gets opened up by more handoffs to the tailback. I see a lot of that kind of developing right now with the play-action game because there are more carries that the running backs have. The system is the same. The concepts are the same. It’s just what direction you call more plays when it comes to the style of runs, which are definitely tailback-oriented right now, for sure, than what we saw a year ago.”

It is easy to see the plan. Whichever quarterback takes the snaps will be handing the ball off more than we have seen in years past. As usual, the Crimson Tide has a stout running back room. With Jamarion Miller seemingly leading the way, the unit can wreak havoc on opposing defenses. Once the ground game gets established, the defense will begin to cheat up to the line of scrimmage. At that point, the top will come off with the quarterback throwing a play-action pass.

Bama RB Jamarion Miller 5'10 218 shows some quick footwork to navigate tight spaces. He's averaging 8 ypc on limited touches. A player to watch going forward pic.twitter.com/ivjJltDXyU

— EJHolt_NFLDraft (@EJunkie215) October 9, 2024

Quarterback Room Built for This

Any of the three currently in battle for the starting role would do fine as the de facto field general. Russell is an expected superstar, but he is still just a freshman. He could need more time to get acclimated to this level before we see his full potential. Simpson and Mack are veterans of this level of play. Neither has been a starter to this point, but they are farther along in their development.

A field general role could be the way to go. Let the running backs carry the load, then catch the defense sleeping with a deep ball to Ryan Williams. The system has worked in the past. Guys like AJ McCarron, Greg McElroy, and Jake Coker looked like studs in the role. Mac Jones made people believe he could be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Until one of the quarterbacks shows otherwise, this is the safest path with the highest chance for success. Let Russell develop and acclimate to the college level. Limit the chances of Simpson or Mack turning the ball over. Give formerly 17-year-old superstar Williams more deep opportunities.

It is a tried and true method that has worked for decades. The old ways work, and we could see more of them in 2025.

Main Image:  Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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There are a lot of questions to be answered as Wake Forest opens Spring camp. One of them is not who the focal point of the offense is going to be. Running back Demond Claiborne says he is ready to carry the load for the Demon Deacons.

Demond Claiborne Says He Is Ready To Carry the Load

Claiborne met with the media after the first day of camp on Tuesday. He talked about the significant change to previous years, with an entirely new coaching staff and an unprecedented number of transfers on the roster. “I love the old coaching staff, Coach [Dave] Clawson and those guys, but it’s different and this was a change that was well needed,” he said. He called the new staff, “Very high energy,” and added that the staff was, “Just wanting us to be excited for what’s next.”

With the installation of a new offense by new head coach Jake Dickert, it has been made clear to all who will listen, that Claiborne is the starting point for much of it. In our interview with Dickert a couple of weeks ago he told us that his schemes rely upon a running back who can run downhill like Claiborne.

The senior said, “It feels great,” when asked his thoughts on his new coach making him one of the centerpieces of the offense. “We know we’re going to run the ball. But they also instill in the team that we’ve got to do this together. He always says we’re going to run the ball to open up the pass. To put that out there as a team, it makes it a lot easier to go out there and play ball.”

The Decision to Stay

It wasn’t always a given that Claiborne was coming back to Wake. Toward the end of the season, the substantiated rumors were that he was going to look elsewhere. Before Clawson stepped down it seemed as though Claiborne could settle in for another year at Wake. And then the coaching change came.

Dickert said at his introductory press conference that he was going to meet with Claiborne later that day. That sealed the deal on Claiborne’s plans. “Our whole conversation was solely about how can he help me as a man,” Claiborne said Tuesday. “For us to be having that conversation really showed me who he was as a man and was really why I chose to stay here.” He added, “Having that relationship with my coach from the first day we met was something that made it easier for me to continue to want to be involved around here and stay a Demon Deacon.”

First Day Impressions

It is always ill-advised to make too much, good or bad, out of the first week of camp. There is a quarterback competition to be played out. There were flashes of very good mixed in with parts of head-scratching performances from every quarterback there Tuesday. The same was true for a significantly re-manufactured wide receiver room and the defensive backs.

One thing that was not in question was Claiborne’s first-day performance. Dickert grinned when asked about his running back’s day-one performance. “Here’s what I’ve learned about Demond,” Dickert said. “He’s the ultimate competitor. Even in walkthroughs, this is like, ‘Feed me.’ He said even the offensive line coach, Jared Kaster, commented on what a difference it was going to make to have a running back with a diverse skill set.

Linebacker Quincy Bryant knows Claiborne’s game having gone through years of practice against him. “He’s looking good. He’s looking just as fast as he always is. I’m just trying to keep up with him.”

The wheel route pass that Claiborne caught out of the backfield and took the remaining 80 yards proved Bryant’s point. Claiborne said he was confident it was a sign of things to come.

There will be another day of the work being inside, installing sets and schemes. After that, most of the remaining 13 practices in Spring will move outdoors with more new looks certain to come.

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There is usually a level of excitement surrounding things that are new. So it was easy to anticipate the noise that came from the first day of Wake Forest Spring camp Tuesday. The vibe led to a message repeated by coach and players alike that to a degree, everyone is a freshman again, as Wake Forest opens Spring camp.

The New Era Begins

Wake Forest Opens Spring Camp.

The first practice of camp moved inside to the McCreary Field House. It had little to do with the 38-degree temperatures outside according to new head coach Jake Dickert. It was about the “Functionality of the quickness of transition,” Dickert told the media after practice. He called the first couple of days of camp an “install” process. Nearly half of the roster is new to Wake. It is an entirely new coaching staff. There is a lot of work to do when it comes to cohesion on the field. The team even had a walk-through practice Monday. Dickert wanted the players to have an idea of what the first day was going to look like.

There was a discernible uptick in the decibel level of practice as well. With the usual coaches yelling throughout the workouts, players audibly excited, and music pumped in throughout the two hours, it had Dickert’s stamp on it. “That’s how we practice,” he said. “There will be periods where it will be deafening loud in here when we get in red zone or we get into third down. I like to practice in a fashion that replicates games.” He said that includes how long they spend on any given drill. He is looking to keep up a constant movement and pace.

Blending New and Old

Linebacker Quincy Bryant said of the mix of veteran Deacs , transfers from around the country, and a bevy of new high school signees, “It feels like we’re all freshmen again.” He described a big energy difference as, “Guys flying around all day.”

Bryant said that with the biggest mix of transfer talent Wake Forest football has ever had and the new players, there is some give-and-take among them. As a redshirt senior, he said he knows he is being looked at as a leader, particularly by guys new to Wake Forest.

He said the Wake veterans are relying on the players who transferred from Washington State with the new coach as Dickert translators. The on-field verbiage from Dickert and his staff is different than what was used by Dave Clawson for the previous 11 years. “Those guys are huge helps,” Bryant said of the WAZZU transfers helping everyone acclimate to the new head coach.

Making the Transition

“I like to say we’re all new,” Dickert said when asking about melding in the transfers with the Wake Forest returnees and the new high school signees. He said his biggest message over the last two days leading up to the start of camp was, “If you are still in the mode of like, ‘What I did last year,’ or ‘Where I was last year,’ you are so far behind being here right now in this moment.” He added that it is about creating an identity, which he said must happen on the field.

Defensive back Nick Anderson said while there has to be a coming together of the old and the new, at the end of the day, the end result can only be one way. “Not having it old versus new. This is the new Demon Deacons. We’re all in this together.”

The senior is on what he called, “I don’t know what, defense number three or four for me.” That means learning the new verbiage yet again. “They made some changes to their language. They made some changes to our language. Flashcards is the key,” he said with a laugh. “Get your flash cards going and, in a week, or so you’ll figure it out.”

The Quarterback Battle

Naturally, all eyes are on the quarterback battle. The position embodies the Wake Forest team right now. There are veterans who came in from other schools mixed with some Wake returnees looking for their chance. With seven quarterbacks on the Spring roster, it is work enough to make sure everyone gets the snaps needed at each drill for the coaches to have some thoughts going forward.

“I don’t like to do too much evaluation until we even get to practice six,” Dickert said. “I’m looking for a command. I’m looking for a guy that when he makes a mistake isn’t hanging his head. And how he’s making sure the team is responding to him.” He said with only 11 offensive linemen in camp they have to limit the full team reps in order to keep everyone healthy.

Main Image: Tony Siracusa

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The transfer portal is causing many college football programs to change how they handle the traditional Spring scrimmages. The reluctance to put some of their best talent on display before the end of the portal window has caused many to cancel their end-of-camp scrimmages. Florida State is taking the secrecy to a whole new level. On Monday the program announced that the media will not be allowed at Spring camp.

Changes in Tallahassee

Spring camp starts for the Seminoles on Wednesday. The school announced on Monday afternoon that for the most part, it would be closed to the media. This comes after years of the program having an open media policy during camp, both under current head coach Mike Norvell and under Jimbo Fisher prior to that. Norvell has enjoyed the reputation of being one of the more transparent coaches.

Norvell was scheduled to hold his annual press conference that comes prior to Spring camp. Just before meeting with the media, the school released a statement from Norvell. Within the statement, Norvell said, “In my first five seasons here, we provided unmatched access to members of the media to observe practices during the spring, preseason camp, and game weeks.”

The statement went on to say, “I appreciate and respect the media’s role in telling the stories of the people in our program and keeping our fans informed. In a day and age where so many people have access to our players, I want to create an atmosphere free of outside perspectives during our time of preparation and development.” He said he was doing what he felt was best for the program.

The program has 30 new players on the roster, and several new coaches on the staff, including new coordinators.

In the past, Norvell even kept some practices open to the media during the season with guidelines as to what could and could not be revealed to the public. Now there will be one scrimmage open and the TV stations will be allowed to shoot B-roll for their coverage.

Spring Games on the Chopping Blocks

The ongoing trend throughout the college football landscape is for schools to cancel their actual Spring scrimmage. Many are worried about other schools finding potential targets for inducing them to go into the transfer portal and make themselves available. Nebraska, Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State, USC, Texas, Missouri, North Carolina State, and Wake Forest are among the programs that have either canceled their Spring scrimmage or replaced it with a fan fest type of event.

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Sometimes, a conversation with friends can spark a thought or idea. The banter among our Last Word on College Football writers is rich. We have strong conference allegiances and stronger opinions. One of our conversations this week centered on scheduling and how to improve it among the conferences. Since this article carries the banner for the SEC, we thought we would take our shot at the idea. Over the next two weeks, we will put on our conference commissioner hat and look at how to reshape the SEC games for our 16 teams. The first installment to the 2025 SEC schedule adjustment will include adding a ninth conference game for each team and creating an ACC vs. SEC challenge.

SEC Tailgate Talk: 2025 SEC Schedule Adjustments

Why the ninth game?

Eight or nine is the modern-day “to be or not to be” question for the SEC. The SEC does not play nine conference games, (neither does the ACC). We’ve heard the arguments. The SEC is a gauntlet; the schedule is a meat grinder. It will wear you down and spit you out. Nick Saban was a fan; he even argued during the COVID season of 2021 that the league should stay at 10 conference games. Teams in the middle or bottom tier of the league have fought the addition of another conference game. They would rather play the likes of Akron or Old Dominion than travel to Missouri or Florida.

Times change, and the conversations are evolving. Greg Sankey told Paul Finebaum that expansion could be coming but would not come easy. “I’m one who said I really think we ought to be trying to move towards a nine-game conference schedule,” Sankey said. “I think that can be positive for a lot of reasons. You watch the interest around conference games. But not if that causes us to lose opportunities.”

Sankey speaks of the loss of opportunities related to bids to the College Football Playoff. Finebaum and the rest of the SEC were hot after Alabama, Ole Miss, and South Carolina were left on the outside looking in after last season. The Playoff is likely expanding and may come with automatic bids. These assurances make an additional ninth game more palatable.

2025 SEC Schedule Adjustments: Additional SEC Conference Game

So, what math did we use to add another conference game to our 2025 SEC Schedule adjustments? This is an easy fix and could add some fluidity to schedule releases. We kept intact the two-year home and away agreements for 2024 and 2025. Then, we used the 2024 conference standings to match up the highest-seeded teams against one another. The only criterion is the teams could not already be playing. That is why No. 1 Texas would play No. 3 Tennessee instead of No.2 Georgia. The Longhorns are scheduled to travel Between the Hedges to face the Bullgods on November 15.

Take a look at the eight additional games listed below. Most of these games involve bad blood between the two schools—see Ole Miss vs. Alabama or South Carolina vs. Florida. We also have an old Southwest Conference clash between Arkansas and Oklahoma. Whether Texas vs. Tennessee is in Austin or Knoxville, that television number is almost guaranteed to exceed 10 million. It seems so easy, so why won’t we just make the switch?

• Texas vs. Tennessee
• Georgia vs.Missouri
• Ole Miss vs. Alabama
• LSU vs. Auburn
• South Carolina vs. Florida
• Texas A&M vs. Vanderbilt
• Arkansas vs. Oklahoma
• Kentucky vs. Mississippi State

Why Pick the ACC to Challenge?

The SEC and ACC already have a longstanding history. Georgia, South Carolina, and Kentucky already have traditional rivalries against their in-state ACC opponents. We liked the idea of adding another P4 game against the SEC teams. When selecting the conference though, we went with media rights over what may have made the most sense, initially.

Sure, everyone wants to see an SEC vs. B1G challenge. These are the two biggest and strongest conferences in college football. The challenge is that these two conferences have competing media rights deals. The SEC just inked a new deal with ESPN that paid big dividends with plenty of eyeballs in 2024. The B1G’s primary deal is with Fox, and its rights are shared with NBC and CBS. Mixing media rights adds another layer neither this writer nor the conference probably wants to get into. So, we made what made the most sense. The SEC would partner with the ACC since they both hold ESPN media deals. The B1G and Big 12 could get together since both have media deals with Fox.

SEC vs. ACC Challenge

The SEC vs. ACC challenge could add some spice to the 2025 SEC schedule readjustment. We did not touch the existing rivalries. Instead, we focused on placing teams together based on their standings. The results provide some intriguing matchups. Texas and SMU battle for bragging rights in the Lone Star state. Georgia and Clemson can continue their rivalry, hopefully not in Atlanta but in Athens or at the foot of Howard’s Rock.

Looking at the matchups, you could reason that the SEC would likely be favored in 12-13. But these are why the games are played. They not only add another opportunity to brag and a measuring contest at the water cooler but also provide another quality data point that would make the need for AQs for either conference irrelevant. Let the arguments be settled on the field.

• Texas vs. SMU
• Georgia vs. Clemson
• Tennessee vs. Miami (Fl.)
• Missouri vs. Syracuse
• Ole Miss vs. Louisville
• Alabama vs. Georgia Tech
• LSU vs. Duke
• South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech
• Texas A&M vs. Boston College
• Florida vs. NC State
• Arkansas vs. Pittsburgh
• Vanderbilt vs. Virginia
• Oklahoma vs. UNC
• Auburn vs. California
• Kentucky vs. Wake Forest 
• Mississippi State vs. Stanford

Flordia State gets left out of the mix (Shame), but that kinda sums up its 2024 season. Tune in next week, as we add another conference challenge and also pick what non-conference game each team can keep.

Main Image: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

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What could Nebraska’s offense look like in 2025? The Huskers have a lot of young talent that they have to develop. In addition, the program also brings back returning production. Who could make an immediate impact? Let’s take a look.

Key Players: Nebraska’s Offense

 Dylan Raiola

It’s obvious that Raiola will be Nebraska’s starting quarterback. As a freshman, he was able to lead the Huskers to a 7-6 record and a bowl victory over Boston College. In addition to this, he was the Cornhusker’s most accurate quarterback. Raiola was able to complete 67% of his passes while throwing for 2,819 passing yards. This allowed him to make program history as a freshman. We should see him level up as a sophomore in 2025. The former five-star will only grow more comfortable inside Dana Holgorsen’s offense.  He also has elite wide receivers around him. Former Kentucky Wildcat Dane Key serves as an excellent example. Last season at Kentucky, the junior had 47 receptions for 715 yards. This type of production will set him up for future success at Nebraska. His ability to lead is surprising as well. In the short time he’s been in Lincoln, Key praised Rhule for allowing him to “see who wants to be part of the team.” It’s pretty clear he wants to help the Cornhuskers reach new heights.

Emmett Johnson

The Minnesota native provided explosiveness to Nebraska’s offense. His elusive running style allowed him to gain 598 yards on the ground and touchdowns. He also had an excellent performance in the Pinstripe Bowl. Against Boston College, Johnson rushed for 75 yards in Yankee Stadium. In addition, he had a touchdown on a screen pass. His role should expand under EJ Barthel in 2025. He’ll now get a chance to be Nebraska’s top back. After a strong season with the Cornhuskers in 2024, Dante Dowdell transferred to Kentucky. New arrivals Conor Booth and Jamarion Parker could try to take his spot. But it’s not very likely. They’ll have to develop in Spring practice. The only dark horse would be Kwinten Ives. The New Jersey native had a two-yard touchdown against Boston College. This could set him up for more playing time in the Spring.

Nyziah Hunter

The 210-pound wideout made an immediate impact for the Cal Golden Bears. This is largely because Hunter was able to develop chemistry with ex-Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza. On only 40 receptions, he had 578 yards and five touchdowns. These are great numbers, but it seems that Key will be the Husker’s top wideout in the Spring. The sophomore could find his calling as a slot receiver. This strategy worked well for Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor in 2024. This could be where Holgorsen puts him. But if he doesn’t make the field, he’ll be a valuable mentor under Daikiel Shorts. Cortez Mills and Isaiah Mozee need to adjust to Nebraska’s offense.

Carter Nelson

The tight end room is a bit of a mystery under Marcus Satterfield. Thomas Fidone decided to spread his wings outside of Nebraska’s offense.  The Council Bluffs native tested well at the NFL Combine in February. Hopefully, Nelson can try to recreate his numbers. After all, he does have the most experience in the position group. Last season, the freshman from Ainsworth had 10 catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. We should see him leap in his sophomore season. Luke Lindenmeyer played a handful of games in a Husker uniform. And after playing quarterback for three seasons in Lincoln, Heinrich Haarberg will make the move to tight end. This should be a smooth transition. Haarberg was able to play tight end against Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl. Granted, he had one catch for eight yards. But this doesn’t bother the coaching staff. With the start of Spring football near, Matt Rhule said that he will “have a chance to play at the next level via this position”.

Read more about Thomas Fidone’s performance at the NFL Combine in The NFL Combine: How Did Nebraska Fare?

Main Photo: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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In the days following Washington’s loaded Junior Day recruiting event, the Husky staff landed the commitment of two class of 2026 recruits. Cornerbacks Ksani Jiles and Elijah Durr pledged to Washington, growing the class to six commits as the calendar works towards Spring practice. 

Washington’s 2026 Recruiting Taking Shape

Jiles Commits to Washington

The day after Washington’s recruiting event, Jiles took to social media to announce his decision to commit to Washington. He was one of about 40 recruits on campus during the weekend of March 8th. Prior to Junior Day, Jiles visited Washington for the UCLA game last November. Jedd Fisch and four other members of the Husky coaching staff then visited Jiles at his high school in January during the recruiting contact period. Fisch offered the California native back in February of 2024. At the time, Jiles was committed to Miami, FL. Just two days after the offer, the cornerback de-committed from the Hurricanes, reopening his college search. He’s now pledged with the Huskies.

Originally from Southern California, Jiles plays high school football in Bradenton, FL, at IMG Academy, one of the nation’s top high school football programs. At 6’-0”, Jiles is a physical cornerback who plays with great anticipation in the secondary. He’s quick to recognize underneath routes or run plays and can quickly crash down on the formation to make a play. Jiles’ physicality can allow him opportunities at either slot cornerback or outside corner. The three-star is inside the top 75 at his position nationally and one of two current cornerback commits for Washington.

Durr Commits to Washington 

The other cornerback commit is Durr, who was also on campus during Washington’s recruiting weekend in early March. Two days after the event, he announced his pledge to the Huskies on social media. Durr is a three-star local product from Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington. He’s the seventh-ranked player in the state, according to 247Sports. Durr finds himself inside the top 70 at his position nationally. Washington offered Durr last June amidst offers from other schools, including Cal, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Arizona. 

Durr is a two-way player in high school, lining up at both wide receiver and cornerback. Last Fall, as a junior at Mount Tahoma, Durr broke up five passes, hauled in three interceptions, and picked up two fumble recoveries at cornerback. On offense, he caught eight touchdowns with 445 yards on 26 receptions. Durr is a versatile player at 6’-1” and is currently the third-highest rated player in the Huskies 2026 class and third in-state commit.

Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Let’s talk about the SEC Hot Seat. Coaching in the SEC  is intense, high-stakes, and relentless. It’s a pressure cooker where success is measured in championships, recruiting dominance, and maintaining a win-or-else mentality. These are not just our perspectives but the facts.  Kirby Smart said as much earlier this week at a Spring ball press conference when he was asked about coaching and turnover in the SEC.

“This league will chew you up and spit you out. This league is brutal when you look across.” Smart said. “I’m sitting in an SEC head coach meeting, and there’s [Mark] Stoops and I, the most tenured guys, and there’s a lot of guys that are in their first three or four years. Then you look at their staffs, and there’s tremendous amounts of turnover.”

In short, stability is a commodity in the SEC, and the pressure never fades. The 2024 season may have been an anomaly with no head coaching changes, but history tells us that won’t last. That perspective will shape our 2025 SEC hot seat tailgate talk.

SEC Tailgate Talk: 2025 SEC Hot Seat

Hugh Freeze: Auburn Tigers

Hugh Freeze was the answer to the problem that became Bryan Harsin at Auburn. He also leads our SEC host seat list for 2024. Freeze came in at the end of the 2022 season to bring stability and winning back to The Plains. Harsin was a disaster and was a meager 9-12 (4-9 in SEC play) in less than two seasons. Freeze brought a history of winning big at Arkansas State, Ole Miss, and then at Liberty. He is the guy who gave Nick Saban fits and beat him in back-to-back seasons. The results on the field have not measured up. Freeze is 11-14 in two years at Auburn, including a 5-11 record in the SEC. That includes no wins against Georgia or Alabama, two of Auburn’s biggest rivals.

Freeze is supposed to be an offensive and quarterback guru. Two years with Payton Thorne makes us question if Freeze has lost his fastball. Thorne is gone, and in comes Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold. The former five-star failed to light the world on fire as the Sooner QB. He now heads to The Plains to try to resurrect Freeze’s offense. Another disappointing season. Seeing anything less than nine or ten wins could mean Auburn will be back on the search. The buyout is friendly, especially compared to the rest of the names on this list.

Buyout: $20.3 million

Billy Napier: Florida Gators

Florida and Auburn are in similar boats. Teams that have competed and won SEC and national championships. Dan Mullen was fired after three seasons as head coach of the Gators. Mullen took the Gators to two SEC championship games in his short time. All of that success was derailed on a rainy and foggy night when a Gator DB threw a shoe against LSU. After that, the shoes came untied for the Gators. Florida suddenly became non-competitive, and Mullen was soon let go.

Florida beat out LSU for the hottest name in that season’s coaching carousel: Billy Napier. Napier was famous in Louisiana for saying, “Scared money, don’t make money,” in a postgame interview. Napier’s time in Florida has been underwhelming, and some could argue that the money is not well spent. Napier’s is 15-18 overall with Flordia and just 8-13 in SEC conference play. The Gators missed going bowling and had losing records in each of Napier’s first two seasons.

Napier and the Gators showed life at the end of 2024, winning their last four games, including a bowl win, to finish 8-5. Those four wins included wins over LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State. Much of the success has been attributed to Sophomore quarterback DJ Lagway. Napier’s success and ability to stay on the sideline will rest on Lagway’s shoulder. The schedule is still daunting. Eight wins probably get Napier another year and would be good enough, and not championships may be the new standard in Gainesville.

Buyout: $26.7 million

Brent Venables: Oklahoma Sooners

‘I want to go back. And do it all over again. But I can’t go back, I know.’ Eddie Money’s banger from 1986 (you’re welcome for getting that stuck in your head) may very well be the theme song for the 2025 Oklahoma Sooners. Oklahoma was one of the proudest and most successful programs in the Big 12. They were consistently competing and winning conference championships. They were always in the mix for the College Football Playoff. The Sooner learned in 2024 that they’re not playing Kansas anymore.  Oklahoma finished the season 6-7 and 13th in the league with a paltry 2-6 conference record.

The results sum up Venables’ time as head coach in Norman. Venables’ seat may be the hottest of any coach on the 2025 SEC hot seat list. The Sooners continue to backslide and are not showing much promise for 2025. The Sooners tied Arkansas for the most players, 30, to enter the transfer portal. In addition, there continues to be a revolving door for Venables’ coordinators. He will take over the play-calling duties on defense and hired Ben Arbuckle from Washington State to take over the offense. Arbuckle brings in quarterback John Mateer to hopefully jumpstart the turnaround. A difficult conference schedule and welcoming in Michigan in Week 2 make the seat grow warmer.

It’s a big buyout number in Norma, but what is the cost of turning into Nebraska 2.0 in the SEC?

Buyout: $34.9 million

Brian Kelly: LSU Tigers

A rocking home playoff atmosphere to open the College Football Playoff. They knocked off Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Coming up just short in the national championship game against Ohio State. Not a bad year three at all. Oh wait, that was Marcus Freeman’s 2024 season at Notre Dame. The man who replaced Brian Kelly. Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU in 2021, citing a desire to be in an environment with resources to win a national championship, including a dedicated nutrition center, dining hall, and chef for the football program, which he felt was lacking at Notre Dame.

LSU fans must wonder if they should have hired Freeman instead of Kelly. Kelly has been ok at LSU but not great. He is 29-11 at LSU and 17-7 in the SEC in his three seasons. He has an SEC Championship game appearance and had back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2022 and 2023. That may work at Notre Dame, but this is Baton Rouge. LSU demands excellence and championships. Backsliding to 9-4 and missing the College Football Playoff is unacceptable. After not being big-time players in the Portal, Kelly and the Tigers have spent lots of money to bring in more talent to get LSU back on top.

The results must come. Kelly’s hefty buyout may keep him safe, but for how long? Winning is a thing at LSU, and their patience is growing thin.

Buyout: $51.7 million

Three Other Names for the 2025 SEC Hot Seat

• Mark Stoops (Kentucky) had wandering eyes last off-season, heavily flirting with Texas A&M. That makes the 3-9 2024 record and 1-8 SEC record less palatable. A 40+ million dollar buyout likely keeps him in Lexington.
• Sam Pittman (Arkansas) may be on some lists, but Arkansas should be careful. Pittman has done well in Fayetteville. He has them at 7-9 wins and is in the hunt to go bowling each season. The gamble to find 10 or 11 wins with a new coach is probably more likely to lead to a backslide like at Kentucky or Mississippi State.
• Jeff Lebby (Mississippi State) is not Mike Leach. Lebby is quiet and has had difficulty getting out of the shadow of Lane in Oxford. The cowbells were largely silent in 2024 and will likely be in 2025. When he was hired, Lebby was Hail State Athletic Director Zak Selmon’s top choice. At some point, Lebby will need results, or both may update their LinkedIn profiles to “open to work.”

Main Photo: Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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