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How mid-major coaches are embracing — or resisting — being high-major launchpads

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How mid-major coaches are embracing — or resisting — being high-major launchpads


Posted up against a wall of the air-conditioned gym at Peach Jam in mid-July, Tulane coach Ron Hunter prepared to greet an approaching SEC colleague, expecting a handshake and pleasantries. But his powerhouse peer had other intentions for the interaction with Hunter, who has developed multiple players who have transferred to elite programs — including former Duke star Sion James — in recent years.

“He came over to me and he said, ‘Ron, you’re doing a hell of a job … getting kids ready for our level,'” Hunter told ESPN at the basketball camp in North Augusta, South Carolina. “And I didn’t know whether to be mad or to say thank you.”

Hunter’s reaction captures the conundrum facing mid-major coaches as their programs seemingly evolve into high-major launchpads. At Tulane, James and Kentucky transfer Kam Williams launched their college careers before moving onto bigger brands; they are just two examples of a trend that is reflected among college basketball’s biggest stars. Three of last season’s AP All-Americans — Mark Sears (Alabama), Johni Broome (Auburn) and Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) — were mid-major transfers, with 60% of the first- and second-team selections from high-major schools having started at the mid-major level.

Once reluctant to accept that a feeder system is developing within the sport, more and more mid-major coaches believe they can leverage that reality to attract top talent who want to star for power-conference programs one day. And while some still resist embracing the role of being a high-major pipeline, they still acknowledge there’s a wave to ride.

“I try not to be the last person selling CDs out of the trunk of my car,” Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said. “Nobody’s buying CDs anymore, so you can’t be the last person selling CDs out of your trunk to recruits or to families or to agents or to the players. You’ve got to get with the times.”


Fifteen.

That’s how many players jumped ship after Andy Kennedy’s UAB Blazers squad won 24 games and reached the American Conference tournament championship game last season.

It’s a list that includes Yaxel Lendeborg, ESPN.com’s No. 3 transfer in 2025-26, who picked Michigan. But rather than sulk over those losses to the portal, Kennedy leaned into the narrative. He has been selling his program to the next surge of recruits as a stepping stone to the high-major level — with a PowerPoint presentation. It compares what his top departing players earned last season to the size of the paychecks they will collect at their new schools. The message was simple: Spend some time in Birmingham, get rich a year or two later.

“Adapt or die, bro,” Kennedy told ESPN. “I’m old-school. But I also understand that I can be stubborn if I want to be and take a bunch of L’s and be frustrated for the rest of my life — or I can adapt to current circumstances and the limitations, from a financial standpoint, that you have at a non-Power 5 level.

“We all ball on a budget. We can be mad about it or we can just try to do the best that we can to figure out what works for us.”

Winning remains the ultimate goal for Kennedy, who has averaged 25 victories per season at UAB since his arrival in 2020-21 and has reached the NCAA tournament twice. He also craves the player retention once common for coaches in his spot. But he recognizes his program is better off adapting to the shifting culture instead of dismissing it.

Former Duke star Nolan Smith understands the appeal for players; he experienced college basketball on the biggest stage, winning a national title with the Blue Devils in 2010 before going onto the NBA. Though he will sell recruits on the benefits of Tennessee State, where he took over as coach in July, he also knows why some are working toward the experiences he had while playing at a larger school.

“I do not mind it at all,” Smith said. “As long as they buy into the [Tennessee State] culture and what we’re trying to build in the one year, two years that they’re here, I’m going to love ’em. And then when that time comes and [they] sarey, ‘Hey, Coach, I’d really love to go play in the ACC or SEC and I have an opportunity to go to one of those leagues and really see what it’s all about’ … I’m going to help them if that time comes.”

When the portal launched in 2018, it opened the door for mid-major players who previously might have been overlooked in high school to pursue their professional goals by playing at a more premier college later in their careers: Since 2016, 30 mid-major-to-high-major transfers have been drafted to the NBA, according to ESPN Research.

And with the introduction of name, image and likeness deals in 2021, transferring also came with the opportunity to earn cash that most non-power-conference schools couldn’t match.

According to Opendorse, a clearinghouse used by schools to process NIL transactions, the average payout for elite players at high-major programs last season easily topped seven figures: $2.9 million for a top guard, $2.8 million for a top forward and $2.3 million for a top center. Less than 10% of the players who earned $100,000 or more at the Division I level last season competed outside of the Big 12, ACC, Big East, Big Ten or SEC.

Wyoming’s Wicks has a vision for how the jump from mid-major to high-major could benefit programs the way it benefits some players: an official feeder system that could turn the possibility of players transferring from a risk into a strategy.

With the loss of 2024-25 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year Obi Agbim (17.6 points per game) — along with nearly a dozen other players via the portal — Wicks already had to rebuild his roster. He said a real relationship between multiple schools, comparable to Major League Baseball and its minor league system, could help everybody.

“If we were working with Iowa or we were working with NC State — I know both Ben McCollum and Will Wade really well — and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got guys here for two years, and after two years, most of our guys right now are looking to [move up].’ And after two years, we meet with the three to four teams that are in our cohort — mid-majors, high-majors alike — I mean, that’s a G league, right?

“That’s a farm system, but professional sports are already doing that. We would just have to fall into that.”

A few years ago, the idea might have seemed farfetched. But not anymore. The turbulence that has come with the transfer portal has demanded ingenuity and innovation from coaches who have been forced to adjust to remain competitive amid constant change.


Loyola Chicago coach Drew Valentine experienced the underbelly of this effect in February. As his team chased an Atlantic 10 regular-season title while riding a winning streak, he had discovered high-major coaches were courting some of his best players long before the portal opened in late March.

“In February, I had two guys, the best guys that I could get back next season, who were showing me vanish mode DMs from coaches,” Valentine told ESPN. “I’m not going to name names, but I called a couple of Power 5 coaches directly and said, ‘Can you please wait until after the season at least? We’ve got regular-season games left.’ So, that stuff is real.”

The meddling that unfolds throughout the season has been frustrating for Valentine, who was an assistant during the Ramblers’ Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018. He said he respects the drive of mid-major prospects who hope to play at a higher level one day, but if a player comes to him and talks about using Loyola Chicago as a stepladder to a more prominent stage, he’ll advise them to take their talents elsewhere.

“I can’t do that. I personally can’t,” Valentine said. “Maybe if I was in a position where we weren’t paying what we’re paying our guys, which I think moving forward in this current model, I think it’s going to be extremely competitive.'”

Valentine is nodding to the dawn of the revenue-sharing era. When NIL was the only way to pay athletes, schools such as Loyola Chicago were in a tough spot as compared with their wealthier peers. But the Atlantic 10 and other leagues that operate without the financial burden of Division I football could benefit from revenue-sharing rules. According to sources with knowledge of the current rev-share distributions, multiple A-10 teams have seven-figure coffers for men’s basketball, with some of those schools surpassing the money available to programs in the Big Ten.

While power-conference schools are likely to maintain an edge in NIL opportunities available to their athletes, revenue sharing should help some mid-major programs close the gap on what they can offer players — but others will continue to focus their pitches on the bigger roles than players would have at the high-major level.

“It’s about the opportunity, the responsibility, you would have in leadership on the floor,” Bradley coach Brian Wardle told ESPN, “and being the featured player while still giving them some kind of money.”

Even if revenue sharing puts the mid-majors in a more favorable position to negotiate with top players, the portal will continue to create chaos — and uncertainty — for programs at the end of each season.

When former Morehead State coach Preston Spradlin first discovered Johni Broome in a high school gym in Plant City, Florida, he said the future All-American and NBA draft pick was “skinny and slow.” With the Eagles, Broome blossomed into a back-to-back All-Ohio Valley Conference selection before signing with Auburn in April 2022, a team he led to a No. 1 ranking and the Final Four last season.

Spradlin, now at James Madison, said he is willing to talk to potential transfers about Broome’s journey and give them a chance to follow the same path but refuses to willingly turn his team into a Triple-A affiliate for power-conference programs.

“I hear of coaches using that in their recruiting pitch and saying, ‘Hey, come here for a year or two and we’ll get you ready, and we’ll get you a big payday and we’ll get you to that Power 5 level,'” Spradlin said. “We don’t do that, but we don’t run from the conversation, either.

“I’m not going to devalue everything that we have to offer here, which is at a really high level, and it’s all encompassing, right? We have a prestigious degree, we have an unbelievable fan base, all the things outside of just the almighty dollar and basketball.”

Beyond individual development, team success and cash, Spradlin and some of his peers believe they have to pitch other ways their programs can offer value to top prospects.

At St. Thomas-Minnesota, coach Johnny Tauer has sold prospects on a prosperous alumni base and a brand-new, $175 million arena. San Francisco coach Chris Gerlufsen tells recruits about the advantages of living in the Bay Area. And Howard coach Kenny Blakeney woos potential players with the opportunity to attend and graduate from one of the most recognizable historically Black colleges and universities in the country.

But how much does all of that matter?

Tulane’s Hunter wasn’t sure after his unexpected interaction with his SEC counterpart at Peach Jam. The high-energy coach — you might remember him as the guy who fell off his chair after his son, R.J. Hunter, hit the game winner in Georgia State‘s second-round game against Baylor during the 2015 NCAA tournament — was left speechless after the exchange.

“Usually, I’m never at a loss for words,” Hunter said. “I had nothing to say to him. I didn’t know whether to say thank you or to get pissed at him.

“But he was right.”



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Messi: I ‘played with fear’ in semifinal win

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Messi: I ‘played with fear’ in semifinal win


Lionel Messi admitted to “playing with fear” as he returned from injury to score twice in Inter Miami’s 3-1 Leagues Cup semifinal win over Florida rivals Orlando City.

Messi converted a 77th-minute penalty at Chase Stadium and then added another goal in the 88th minute — after combining with Jordi Alba — as Miami came back from a goal down to clinch a place in the final.

“I wanted to be here,” Messi said after the game. “When I came back against [LA] Galaxy [on August 17] I felt some discomfort, I didn’t feel comfortable, but I wanted to play the game.

“It was really important to be here because it’s a difficult opponent, they’d beaten us in the two games we played against them this year. In the first half I was playing with a bit of fear, but after that I felt a bit [more] free.”

Orlando had beaten Miami 4-1 when the teams last met on Aug. 11, with Messi absent.

– Messi tracker: Goals, assists, key moments for Inter Miami
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– How to predict when aging Europe-to-MLS moves will succeed

The Argentina star has been struggling with a muscular injury in his right leg this month, and made a brief return against the Galaxy, before coming back into the team on Wednesday.

Miami will now play Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday, after they defeated LA Galaxy 2-0 in the other semifinal.

It will be Miami’s second appearance in the final in two years, after they won the tournament in 2023, while in 2024 they were eliminated in the round of 16.



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Dickie V: Preseason’s All-Rolls Royce Teams and Diaper Dandies

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Dickie V: Preseason’s All-Rolls Royce Teams and Diaper Dandies


Here we go, baby! Buckle up, hoops nation, it’s time for Dickie V’s 2025-26 preseason All-Rolls Royce teams — and my list of star-studded Diaper Dandies. We’re talking Prime-Time Players (PTPers) are ready to light up the scoreboard and make this season one for the ages.

You know me. I don’t hand out Rolls Royce honors to just any player, unless he’s the kind to make you stand up and say, “Are you serious, baby?!”

So, let’s tip it off with the best of the best!

First Team

PJ Haggerty, Kansas State Wildcats: The transfer express finally lands in Manhattan, Kansas, and boy, oh boy, Jerome Tang’s got himself a big-time baller and scoring machine. Haggerty’s dropped 21 points a night the past two years — and, by the way, set an American Conference tourney record with 42 points in a game. But he’s not just a scorer, he’s also a playmaker and a defender. He’s a legit Rolls Royce PTPer.

Braden Smith, Purdue Boilermakers: The maestro, the conductor, the Diaper Dandy-turned-veteran PTPer. The Bob Cousy Award winner led the entire nation last season in assists. He’s the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, a first-team All-American, and when you’re breaking conference records for dimes, you’re the Rolls Royce of point guards. He’s Purdue’s straw that stirs the drink.

JT Toppin, Texas Tech Red Raiders: Double-double deluxe, baby! This young man was named the Big 12’s Player of the Year, recording 19 double-doubles last season. He gets it done with muscle, hustle and heart. You talk about toughness? Toppin is Mr. Reliable down low — a Rolls Royce Red Raider.

Graham Ike, Gonzaga Bulldogs: The postman always delivers. He’s been putting up steady double figures his whole career, and with nearly 60% shooting, he’s money on the block.

Bennett Stirtz, Iowa Hawkeyes: From Division II Northwest Missouri State to Drake to the big stage in Iowa City, what a Cinderella story. He’s a scoring guard with clutch DNA. Last year? Over 600 points, 200 assists, 70 steals. Nobody in Mountain Valley Conference history ever did that before him. Now he’s ready to show the Big Ten he’s prime-time material.


Second Team

Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue Boilermakers: Ohhh, he’s a scoring dynamo. Averaged 20 points, six boards, two assists, and shot almost 60% from the floor. Are you kidding me? He’s a scoring machine in the paint, baby. Matt Painter’s paint crew is alive and well with TKR running the show up front.

Donovan Dent, UCLA Bruins: The only player in America last year to average 20+ points and 6+ assists, he’s flashy, he’s quick — and now he’s headed to Westwood after three seasons at New Mexico to run the show for Mick Cronin. The Bruins got a baller.

Nick Martinelli, Northwestern Wildcats: Martinelli led the Big Ten in scoring and set a school record last season. The kid’s got touch, toughness and talent. He’s the Wildcats’ scoring Rolls Royce.

Emanuel Sharp, Houston Cougars: Clutch city, baby! Big 12 tourney MVP, NCAA tournament’s Midwest Regional MOP, a Final Four star. He can knock it down from deep and from the stripe. He’s ice, baby!

Otega Oweh, Kentucky Wildcats: Big Blue Nation loves this guy. He’s strong, explosive and clutch. He hit not one, but TWO game-winners last year. He’s the Wildcats’ Rolls Royce slasher.

Diaper Dandies

These are the freshmen phenoms, the future lottery picks, the “wow” factor kids who are ready to dazzle from day one.

Darryn Peterson, Kansas Jayhawks: Naismith HS POY, can score, rebound, pass, defend. Bill Self’s got himself a big-time winner in Peterson, who is a future top-3 draft pick.

A.J. Dybantsa, BYU Cougars: The No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, Dybantsa is 6-foot-9 with handles, athleticism and an MVP performance at the FIBA Men’s U19 World Cup. He’s a projected No. 1 overall draft pick.

Cameron Boozer, Duke Blue Devils: The son of Duke superstar Carlos Boozer, but this kid’s carving his own legend. He’s also a two-time Gatorade National POY, a double-double machine and a guaranteed Blue Devil Rolls Royce.

Nate Ament, Tennessee Volunteers: At 6-11 with guard skills, Ament is versatile and ready to shine in Knoxville. A shot-blocking, rim-rocking Diaper Dandy.

Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville Cardinals: A floor general deluxe. He’s got deep range, big-time vision and the confidence of a veteran. He’s going to be the man at Louisville.

Darius Acuff, Arkansas Razorbacks: Lightning quick, explosive and clutch. He’s got that Iverson flair and Razorback fire, baby. Diaper Dandy alert in Fayetteville!

College hoops fans, I’ve been blessed to share my passion for this great game with you for decades. You are the heartbeat of college basketball. Your love, energy and enthusiasm fuel everything I do. As we gear up for another unforgettable season, I want to say, from the bottom of my heart: thank you for supporting me, supporting the game and being part of my hoops family.

It’s going to be special, it’s going to be sensational, it’s going to be Awesome, baby, with a capital A!



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GameDay Kickoff: Expectations for Jeremiah Smith, LSU-Clemson and more ahead of Week 1

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GameDay Kickoff: Expectations for Jeremiah Smith, LSU-Clemson and more ahead of Week 1


Week 1 is finally here and there’s plenty to know about ahead of this weekend. Top 25 matchups will be played, and many freshmen will have the chance to show if they can shine under the bright lights for the first time.

All eyes will be on No. 1 Texas-No. 3 Ohio State as the Longhorns travel to the Horseshoe Saturday. What can we expect to see from Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in Week 1? No. 9 LSU travels to No. 4 Clemson in a tough road matchup to start off the season. While Brian Kelly and LSU have yet to win a Week 1 matchup the past three seasons, will this be the game that changes that? As we look forward to a jam-packed weekend, we take a look back at some of the best quotes of the offseason.

Our reporters break down what to know entering Week 1.

Jump to:
Expectations for Arch and Jeremiah
LSU-Clemson | Freshmen to watch
Offseason quotes

Texas-Ohio State preview

What do we need to see from Arch Manning Week 1?

We can expect Manning to take some deep shots, especially to receiver Ryan Wingo, who Manning has raved about all offseason. The Longhorns weren’t great at stretching the field last season with Quinn Ewers, but whenever Manning got in, he looked to make big plays. Texas’ offensive staffers said this spring they keep reminding Manning that he just needs to keep the offense moving forward and to take the easy throws when he can, especially while breaking in four new starters on the offensive line. Similarly, Manning, who has open-field speed, has been reminded by everyone — including his grandfather, Archie, who liked to run around a little bit — to get down or get out of bounds, and not to drop his shoulder and try to run anyone over. Manning doesn’t have to be “superhuman” or “do anything that is extraordinary,” Steve Sarkisian said on Monday. But a solid performance on the road at No. 3 Ohio State to open the season would set the Longhorns on a national championship trajectory. — Dave Wilson

What can we expect from Jeremiah Smith in his sophomore debut?

Smith noted during Big Ten media days last month that with a year of experience behind him, he expects to play even faster this season. That’s a scary proposition for the rest of college football, considering Smith put together one of the greatest true freshman seasons in college football history, capped with his game-clinching reception that lifted Ohio State to a national championship. The Longhorns were one of the only teams to keep Smith in check last year, holding him to just one catch for three yards. Of course, the attention on Smith allowed Carnell Tate and Emeka Egbuka to thrive, combining for 12 receptions in the 28-14 Buckeyes win. Still, Smith said he has been waiting for this opportunity to face Texas again. How new quarterback Julian Sayin performs could dictate the quality of Smith’s opportunities. Either way, Smith is primed to put on a show on the big Week 1 stage. — Jake Trotter


What each team needs to capitalize on to win

LSU: Four starters from last year’s starting offensive line were selected in the 2025 NFL draft, but that doesn’t mean LSU was elite up front. The Tigers ranked last in the SEC in rushing offense and mustered just 1.5 yards before contact on dropbacks, ahead of only Vanderbilt. This year’s unit will need to improve dramatically on that clip if LSU wants to contend for a playoff berth and that starts with the opener against Clemson. Clemson’s defensive front, manned by Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, is stout, and new coordinator Tom Allen will have his sights set on making LSU one-dimensional. The key to getting the ground game going will be a youth movement in the backfield led by Caden Durham and five-star freshman Harlem Berry. — David Hale

Clemson: As Hale mentioned, Clemson needs to dominate up front — as much as that sounds like a cliché. LSU coach Brian Kelly said he planned to rotate as many as eight offensive linemen in the opener, which is a nod to team depth, but may not be conducive in the type of environment they will be playing in. Clemson is eager to show that it has vastly improved in its front seven under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who brings a far more aggressive approach with his scheme. That aggressiveness was missing a year ago, as Clemson struggled to stop the run and consistently get after the quarterback with its best pass rushers. Clemson ranked No. 85 against the run a season ago while Penn State, where Allen coached, ranked No. 9. The same can be said on offense, where a veteran offensive line must help Clemson get the ground game going. Cade Klubnik was more effective as a passer last season because the Tigers had balance in their ground game. Converted receiver Adam Randall gets the nod at running back, and true freshman Gideon Davidson is expected to play. — Andrea Adelson


Five freshmen to watch in Week 1

Bryce Underwood, QB, Michigan, No. 1 in 2025 ESPN 300

Underwood shook the recruiting world with his late-cycle flip from LSU to the in-state Wolverines last November. Ten months later, ESPN’s top 2025 recruit is set to be the program’s Week 1 starter when No. 14 Michigan hosts New Mexico on Saturday.

Underwood’s elite arm talent, pocket awareness and mobility has impressed the Wolverines’ coaching staff since he arrived on campus in January, as has his accelerated knowledge of the game. The young quarterback will get his first chance to flash that talent alongside fellow Michigan newcomers in running back Justice Haynes (Alabama transfer) and wide receiver Donaven McCulley (Indiana) in Week 1 before Underwood and the Wolverines stare down a much stiffer challenge against an experienced, Brent Venables-led Oklahoma defense on Sept. 6.

Elijah Griffin, DT, Georgia, No. 3 in 2025 ESPN 300

For the first time since 2021, the Bulldogs landed the state of Georgia’s top-ranked prospect in the 2025 cycle, and Griffin already appears poised to be a Day 1 contributor for the No. 5 Bulldogs.

Like many of the elite defensive line talents before him at Georgia, Griffin possesses top-end traits — speed, physicality and SEC-ready size at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds — that have had onlookers drawing comparisons to former Bulldog Jalen Carter throughout the spring and summer. Griffin’s maturity and ability to pick up the defense has also stood out as he vies for snaps along a revamped Georgia defensive line that returns multiple starters from a year ago. Whether or not he starts against Marshall on Saturday, Griffin is expected to play early and often in a significant role within coordinator Glenn Schumann’s defense this fall.

Dakorien Moore, WR, Oregon, No. 4 in 2025 ESPN 300

Moore has been one of the nation’s most productive high school playmakers in recent seasons, and his elite speed and playmaking talent are expected to earn him early opportunities this fall as he steps into an unsettled Ducks wide receiver group.

Missing top 2024 pass catchers Tez Johnson (NFL), Traeshon Holden (NFL) and Evan Stewart (injury), No. 7 Oregon is screaming for fresh downfield producers in 2025. The Ducks have plenty of experienced options between Florida State transfer Malik Benson and returners Justius Lowe, Gary Bryant Jr. and Kyler Kasper, but none offer the brand of electricity Moore presents. One of ESPN’s highest-rated wide receiver prospects since 2006, Moore should be an asset for first-year starting quarterback Dante Moore as soon as Oregon takes the field against Montana State on Saturday.

Demetres Samuel Jr., DB/WR, Syracuse, No. 223 in 2025 ESPN 300

Samuel reclassified into the 2025 class to enter college a year early. At just 17 years old, the 6-1, 195-pound freshman is set to feature prominently for the Orange this fall starting with Syracuse’s Week 1 matchup with No. 24 Tennessee on Saturday in Atlanta.

A speedy tackler from Palm Bay, Florida, Samuel has legit two-way potential, and the Orange intends to make the most of it in 2025. Syracuse coach Fran Brown announced earlier this month that Samuel will start at cornerback against Tennessee while also taking snaps at wide receiver, where the Orange are replacing their top two pass catchers from a year ago. With Travis Hunter in the NFL, Samuel stands as one of the most intriguing two-way talents across college football.

Jayvan Boggs, WR, Florida State, No. 284 in 2025 ESPN 300

Boggs joins the Seminoles after hauling in 99 receptions for 2,133 yards and 24 touchdowns in a wildly productive senior season at Florida’s Cocoa High School last fall. Listed as a starter in Florida State’s Week 1 depth chart, he has an opportunity to pick up where he left off in 2025.

Boggs combines a thick build with sudden route running and knack for yards after the catch. Alongside transfers Gavin Blackwell (North Carolina), Duce Robinson (USC) and Squirrel White (Tennessee), he’s positioned to emerge as a reliable downfield option from the jump within a new group of Seminoles pass catchers around Boston College transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos, starting with Florida State’s Week 1 meeting with No. 8 Alabama (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC). — Eli Lederman


Notable offseason quotes

“I depend on Depends. … I’m making a joke out of it, but it is real. It is real. It is real. If you see a port-a-potty on the sideline, it is real, I’m just telling you. You’re going to see one at practice, on the sideline [in games].” — Colorado coach Deion Sanders, joking about his cancer recovery.

“But since we’re in Vegas, it seems like the right time to say it, our theme for this team is double down.” — Oregon coach Dan Lanning, on expectations coming off last year’s undefeated regular season.

“We figured we would just adopt SEC scheduling philosophy, you know? Some people don’t like it. I’m more focused on those nine conference games. Not only do we want to play nine conference games, OK, and have the [revised] playoff format [with automatic qualifiers], we want to have play-in games to decide who plays in those playoffs.” — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti on criticism of the Hoosiers’ light nonconference schedule.

“The recent NCAA ruling to not punish players that weren’t involved is correct. However, this ruling also proves that the NCAA as an enforcement arm no longer exists.” — Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, on the sanctions against rival Michigan.

“They don’t have Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.” — Florida State QB Tommy Castellanos to On3 in June about the opener vs. Alabama.

“I’m 21 so I can do shots at a bar.” — Texas quarterback Arch Manning, joking after being asked about how he has to carry himself in public.

“They can have their opinion. We’re going to handle all that on Aug. 30.” — Clemson DE T.J. Parker on the battle over the stadium nickname “Death Valley” between Clemson and LSU.

“I still have the [Catholics versus Convicts] shirt. I do. It’s well documented that’s as intense if not the most intense rivalry that at that time it felt like the national championship went through South Bend or Coral Gables. Intensity was high, physicality, the edge that game was played with was next level.” — Miami coach Mario Cristobal on the Notre Dame rivalry. Cristobal played in the game and will now coach in it as Miami opens vs the Irish.

“Be delusional … It means no cap on the jar, no limitations, dreaming big. With the College Football Playoff where it is, as Indiana showed last year, anybody can get there. If we’re delusional enough to know we can do that, we can get there … Take the cap off the jar. Limitless.” — Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck, speaking at Big Ten media days.



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