Latest news with #Mateer
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Most competitive m**********r you'll ever see': Analyst Mac Shay raves about John Mateer's grit, gets backing from Jim Nagy
Image Source: @Onikuno/X After Mac Shay, a college football analyst, called Mateer "the most competitive motherf*er you will ever see," Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy wasted no time in responding. Nagy echoed the bold opinion and added his accolades for Mateer, citing "tough" and "leadership." The trade has sparked buzz heading into Oklahoma's spring camp as the Sooners gear up for an important 2025 campaign Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy confirms analyst Mac Shay's praise for John Mateer 's grit and leadership On the 'Oklahoma Breakdown' podcast, Jim Nagy essentially let Mac Shay take a swing at Mateer by repeating Shay's fiery compliment, declaring Mateer as ' A flat-out competitor; something you just can't coach' , Rummage from shotgun via (Nagy) podcast. Nagy said, after observing Mateer in spring drills, his respect increased: 'He's more than what I thought. He throws under pressure that few can'. Nagys said Mateer is competitive, poised, and a leader both on and off the field. The endorsement comes as buzz grows around Mateer, who joined the chaos of the quarterback room in Norman after a breakout season at Washington State. At that point in his career, Mateer was the complete package; he passed for 29 touchdowns and rushed for 15, displaying arm talent and a rare mix of mobility. However, analysts such as Mac Shay have compared his intense mentality and playmaker ability to those of Oklahoma legends Baker Mayfield, with him being on the Heisman radar. John Mateer's future: high expectations fueled by competition and leadership Can Mateer back up the hype in one of college football's toughest conferences may be the ultimate question, though. Last season, the Sooners finished among the bottom 10 nationally in scoring offense, so there is little question the heat is on Mateer. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What She Did Mid-Air Left Passengers Speechless medalmerit Learn More Undo But at Oklahoma, he's back with former Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, which could smooth his transition and unleash his potential. Also Read: 'Gotta create some type of balance': Notre Dame boss Marcus Freeman shares solution to growing challenges Nagy acknowledged the pressure but framed Mateer as the ideal quarterback for a winning program: 'You need a guy like him if you want to compete at the highest level. He's the next in line after greats like Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray.' He made clear there's no added stress on Mateer, but the signs point to a player with the drive to rise to the challenge. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Mandel's Mailbag: Is Baylor-Auburn a sneaky Week 1 splash? Will House settlement affect fans?
Welcome to my first Mailbag since May 14, which means I haven't had a chance to weigh in on the approval of the House settlement and what it means. You guys had plenty of questions about it. But what do you say we start with something lighter? (Note: Submitted questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) Advertisement If you are trying to attend the best game every week this season but can go to each stadium only one time, which games would you pick? — Paul G., Cincinnati I love challenges like this. Week 1: Texas at Ohio State. I'm using up my Horseshoe trip early. It helps that Michigan is in Ann Arbor this year. Week 2: Michigan at Oklahoma. Can't miss John Mateer vs. Bryce Underwood in prime time. Or the Sooner Schooner. Week 3: Florida at LSU. This one is easy. Death Valley is my favorite atmosphere in the country. Week 4: Washington at Washington State. Washington's first trip to the Palouse since bolting the Pac-12. Week 5: Oregon at Penn State. It's Alabama-Georgia that week, but I'm not skipping a White Out at Beaver Stadium. Week 6: Clemson at North Carolina. While Kenan Stadium is not on my bucket list, Swinney vs. Belichick might be. Week 7: Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas. It's been too long since I last hit the Texas State Fair. Corn dogs for all. Week 8: USC at Notre Dame. I figure I'd better go this year if USC goes through with chickening out of this rivalry. Week 9: Alabama at South Carolina. Brice-Williams is vastly underrated, and LaNorris Sellers is not. Week 10: Georgia vs. Florida. Embarrassing confession: I have never been to a Cocktail Party. Week 11: BYU at Texas Tech. I'm passing on LSU-Alabama to make sure I hit at least one Big 12 game. Week 12: Texas at Georgia. Not sure I need a justification here. Week 13: USC at Oregon. It's a light week on paper, and I won't pass up a trip to Autzen. Week 14: Ohio State at Michigan. No shortage of good choices, but how can I skip this one after last season? Week 15: The SEC Championship in Atlanta. It could be the last one before this becomes a 1 vs. 8 College Football Playoff play-in game. I can almost guarantee that some of these will be flops by the time they come around, but I'll have fun regardless. Advertisement Do you anticipate the recent House settlement allowing players to be directly compensated having much effect on the current implementation of name, image and likeness? Will direct compensation replace some of the NIL money now being distributed by collectives, or will it more likely be in addition to it? — Pat M. Most schools' collectives currently fall well short of $20.5 million in funding, so for most of them, revenue sharing will become the primary means for compensating athletes. But for the schools at the top of the food chain? That depends on who you ask. Commissioners, athletic directors and coaches are expressing a mystifying level of confidence that the new NIL Go clearinghouse, operated by Deloitte, will succeed in ensuring rev share doesn't just replace outside 'NIL' deals but in fact obliterate them. Athletes are required to submit any deals worth more than $600 for approval to ensure they're for a 'valid business purpose' (i.e., social media endorsements, autograph signings, charity appearances) and within a 'range of compensation' that's of fair-market value. Florida men's basketball coach Todd Golden predicted to Hoops HQ that players will soon be making just '10 to 20 percent' of what they did in the past two years. Ohio State AD Ross Bjork told Yahoo that collectives created a 'false market' and that the 'real' NIL market will be more like the pros, where 'NIL deals for pro athletes are really small.' Do they truly believe the words coming out of their mouths? Pro athletes' salaries only ever go up and up and up. College coaches' salaries only ever go up and up and up. But we are to believe that the new College Sports Commission has devised a foolproof system to decrease college athletes' compensation that is — how do you say it — legal? Over the last dozen years, judges from across the political spectrum, including the nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court, have found it to be an illegal restraint of trade for the NCAA's membership to enforce policies that restrict athletes' earnings. And yet the House settlement itself is a two-part restriction in which Division I members will cap what schools can pay their athletes ($20.5 million) while also capping how much athletes can earn on deals made outside the schools. Advertisement CBS Sports recently reported that Texas Tech is locked into NIL deals totaling $55 million for the upcoming school year, between rev share and its collective. (Tech mega-booster Cody Campbell confirmed that number to my colleague Sam Khan.) Either their payroll is going down by more than 60 percent a year from now, or, as I strongly suspect, a judge will have long since issued an injunction that ties the enforcers' hands. Will the new CEO (Bryan Seeley) of the College Sports Commission publicize what the penalties will be moving forward for improper NIL or under-the-table recruiting enticements? — Nick K. All we've gotten are some nebulous quotes from administrators assuring us the penalties will be 'substantive,' 'stiff,' and 'severe.' Either this is the most leakproof endeavor in the history of college athletics, or, more likely, they're not finished devising them. While we're at it, here's a list of some other specifics notably missing so far about a body that we're being told will get the NIL landscape fully under control and fundamentally change how the enterprise operates. • How will CSC monitor tens of thousands of NIL transactions across every Division I sport to ensure the athletes and/or their agents are reporting all of them, and that they're being paid the actual numbers it says in the contract? • What are the inputs used to calculate fair-market value, and will you be transparent with the public in explaining exactly why a player got his deal rejected and is now opting to play for a different school? • Let's say a running back gets his deal rejected in August. Then, in Week 1, he runs for 250 yards and garners Heisman Trophy buzz. Can he get his fair-market value reassessed, and how quickly can that get done? • Most contracts include a confidentiality clause. Does this mean you're forcing the athlete to break it by submitting the deal to Deloitte? Will CSC cover the costs if they get sued? Advertisement • Along those same lines, an athlete who gets their deal rejected can appeal to an arbitrator who supposedly has 'subpoena power' to produce documents. Can you really subpoena a third-party booster or company that is not bound by the House settlement and never agreed to this process? • And what are the penalties, and will you announce them publicly? I've got more, but I'll hang up and listen for now. I know that you are against a salary cap, but the decision and the establishment of a governing body to regulate NIL money make a salary cap very possible. — Edward B. I'm not against a salary cap. I just think this one, which was not negotiated with the players themselves, is legally dubious. Also, that was not a question. There has been no honeymoon for Bill Belichick at UNC. He hasn't coached a game yet and people are speculating that he will resign or are calling for his resignation. How much of this is just the chorus of haters who have been waiting for years to dunk on him, and how much is legitimate concern? — Rick T., Hamilton, N.J. Both? I'm sure NFL fans who either grew tired of Belichick's dominance with the Patriots and/or saw their teams get their butts kicked over and over by the Patriots are getting a kick out of seeing a series of headlines about a 24-year-old girlfriend who may or may not be running his life right now. Case in point, see this amusing Tim Graham story where he talked to several former Buffalo Bills about the eroding perception of the guy who routinely vanquished them. 'All the distractions that he talked against,' laughed former Bills defensive back/linebacker Bryan Scott, 'that's why he's in the headlines.' Nevertheless, there's plenty of reason to be concerned. None of this is normal. It may be that Jordon Hudson made for good offseason fodder but will fade into the background once preseason camp starts and we become more focused on actual football. But none of this has eased my initial concerns. Advertisement One of which is: Is he really all that dedicated to his job? We know he spent a weekend in mid-May at the Miss Maine Pageant. And my colleague Brendan Marks inadvertently and hilariously stumbled into him during a New England golfing weekend shortly after that. Nothing wrong with a little R&R, I suppose, except that May weekends are often when recruits take official visits. Most coaches in America were likely hosting at least a few. But maybe UNC spaced out its visits to accommodate his schedule. And to be clear, he's not going to resign. He doesn't need to resign. Anyone suggesting otherwise is going out of their way to manufacture a hot take. When do you think the settlement and change fatigue will set in for most fans? — Daniel R. I think it already has. Let's just say House settlement stories are not exactly the most widely read on The Athletic. We need Deion Sanders or Jordon Hudson to weigh in on it. Assuming Julian Sayin (Ohio State) and CJ Carr (Notre Dame) are named starters for their respective teams, which supporting cast would you prefer for a first-time starting QB: Ohio State, with the best receiver duo in the country (Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate) with a good tight end (Max Klare), but several new starters along the offensive line? Or the best running back in the country (Jeremiyah Love) and nearly an entire returning offensive line, but questionable wide receivers? — Michael M. You may be short-changing both Ohio State's offensive line and Notre Dame's receivers. The Buckeyes' three interior O-linemen (Luke Montgomery, Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola) all started in the national championship, and Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa was one of the most coveted tackles in the portal last cycle. Meanwhile, Notre Dame's Jaden Greathouse is coming off of back-to-back 100-yard receiving games against Penn State and Ohio State in the CFP semis and title game, and Malachi Fields was an 800-plus-yard guy at Virginia each of the past two seasons. Which is to say, both Sayin and Carr are walking into highly favorable situations. But of the two, I'd rather be Sayin. For one, Ryan Day has a pretty spectacular track record with quarterbacks, and his offense allows for more big-play opportunities in the passing game than Marcus Freeman's. But most of all, Jeremiah Smith. He's that good. He and Tate will likely turn a lot of not-perfect passes into big gains. Advertisement Will players eventually become bigger than programs? — Jamar G. I highly doubt it. Ask Nico Iamaleava. Is the Friday night Auburn at Baylor game a great under-the-radar Week 1 game? Baylor finished strong and should be among the top of the Big 12, while a road win for Auburn could set the tone for a turnaround year. — Anthony V. Absolutely. Baylor snuck up on folks down the stretch last year. In fact, it looked like Dave Aranda was in big trouble after going 3-9 in 2023 and starting 2-4 last season. But then the Bears' offense, under first-year coordinator Jake Spavital, exploded in a 59-35 win at Texas Tech, which they then rode on a six-game winning streak to end the regular season before falling 44-31 to LSU in their bowl game. Quarterback Sawyer Robertson is back, as are running backs Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass, receivers Josh Cameron and Ashtyn Hawkins, and four offensive line starters. And yet, Auburn, a sub-.500 program the past four seasons, will be expected to win on the road, simply by virtue of being an SEC team. Based on the early preseason power rankings out there, the Tigers will likely be around a 2- to 4-point favorite. Auburn was a weird team last year. All the Tigers' metrics suggest they should have finished much better than 5-7. Their offense finished No. 9 nationally in yards per play (6.7), their defense 18th (4.9). They should have been, at worst, a Top 25 team. But they couldn't stop turning the ball over (No. 106) and couldn't convert much of anything in the red zone (No. 109). Thus, they went 2-6 in the SEC, 5-7 overall. Personally, I think they could be much better in Hugh Freeze's third season. Oklahoma transfer QB Jackson Arnold, who became a scapegoat for a Sooners team with zero receivers, should be an upgrade from Payton Thorne. Last year's breakout freshman receiver Cam Coleman is a stud, and several young defenders emerged last season. I have the Bears No. 21 and the Tigers No. 24 in my post-spring Top 25. So yes, a great prime-time game for Fox that leads into Texas-Ohio State the next morning (my time). Advertisement The fan reaction to the House settlement was a lot of doom and gloom and anger. I get it that there are changes that affect players and athletic department administrators, but as a fan of a mid-tier, non-Playoff Power 4 team who enjoys sitting in the stands or watching TV on a Saturday, I don't see how the recent changes affect my experience or fandom. How might the changes affect fans? — Steve You guys would have to tell me, because I'm a neutral observer. I have not experienced the pain of losing my star quarterback to another program with more money or my team turning over 75 percent of its roster from one year to the next. But for all the bellyaching about NIL and the portal on social media, comments sections, etc., there has yet to be any drop in interest in the actual games in the four seasons since players began getting paid. If anything, it's up. Last year, the ESPN networks, which includes ABC, had their most-watched regular season in eight years. Across all networks, 53 games drew four million-plus viewers, pretty much identical to the year before (54). In 2019, the last non-COVID season before NIL kicked in, there were 44. This is at a time when ratings for pretty much everything else sports-wise on television are down, save the NFL and WNBA. As for attendance, I have not seen any trend reports for 2024 yet — likely because Dennis Dodd retired — but a year ago, he wrote that average attendance rose in both 2022 and '23 after eight consecutive years of it going in the other direction. So to Steve's question, I would ask one back: If the previous changes to the sport didn't affect interest in the games, why would the House settlement? All it really does is change the main source of the money that the players are already receiving. I think we can all agree that the governance of college sports is an absolute disaster. But the product itself has not suffered in the slightest. Fall Saturdays are still incomparable. The upsets, the crazy plays, the field stormings and the surrender cobras aren't going anywhere. The fine folks at Deloitte may have the authority to rob college kids of their money, but they can't rob our fun.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
'I really like what I see': Paul Finebaum on the 2025 Oklahoma Sooners
'I really like what I see': Paul Finebaum on the 2025 Oklahoma Sooners In the transfer portal era of college football, programs now have the capability to change so much for their team over just one offseason. A team that excelled can get gutted by players transferring elsewhere, while a team that struggled can make upgrades at the necessary positions to improve the following year. That's what fans of the Oklahoma Sooners are hoping happens for their team in 2025. After a poor season in 2024, OU is in serious need of a bounce-back this year. They made plenty of portal additions this winter and spring to try and avoid another subpar season. Oklahoma's biggest portal acquisition came in the form of a QB upgrade. Washington State's John Mateer replaces former starting quarterback Jackson Arnold, who now plays at Auburn. With the Sooners needing a total revamp on offense after last season's dumpster fire, many believe that Mateer is the key to getting OU back to their high standard on that side of the ball. That list includes Paul Finebaum, who covers college football and the SEC for ESPN and the SEC Network. He hosts "The Paul Finebaum Show," where he expressed his high expectations for Mateer and Oklahoma. "I think John Mateer is going to fit in very well," Finebaum said. "This is based on people who have seen him perform out there and those who know the Sooners' depth chart. I really like what I see. It's a big year. A couple of tricky games. The second half of the schedule, to me, is littered with tough road games." Mateer, along with new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who also comes from Washington State, will be tasked with getting OU back on track offensively. However, Oklahoma's early schedule includes two big home games against Michigan and Auburn. If the Sooners can topple the Wolverines and the Tigers, they should be 5-0 when they head to the Cotton Bowl to face Texas. After the Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma's final six games are all against brutally tough competition. South Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri and LSU is about as tough of a half-season stretch as you can find in college football. It certainly won't be easy against the nation's hardest schedule, but with a difference-maker in place again at the quarterback position, the Sooners have high hopes for the 2025 season. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
Fox Sports
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
College football transfer portal all-impact team: John Mateer headlines offense
Thanks to the creation and proliferation of the transfer portal, player acquisition in college football now takes on a life of its own every winter and every spring. Coaches across the country — including those whose seasons haven't yet ended — begin remaking their rosters during the initial December transfer window and tweak them once more during a subsequent flurry of movement each April. Though equal parts maddening, exciting and unrelenting, the transfer portal has shown just how quickly programs can now change the trajectory of their seasons with a couple fistfuls of shrewd additions. Michigan received key contributions from all nine transfers the Wolverines added before winning the national championship in 2023. Indiana flipped the guts of its roster in one offseason and then reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history under new coach Curt Cignetti. Identifying which transfers might make the largest contributions in 2025 is, of course, a subjective exercise — but a fun one nonetheless. It's a task rooted in the amalgamation of past production, future opportunity and the projection of how certain individuals might mesh with new coaches, teammates and schemes to influence the landscape of college football. With that in mind, here's a look at our transfer portal all-impact team on the offensive side of the ball: *Transfer Portal rankings courtesy of Quarterback John Mateer, Oklahoma via Washington State (No. 6 transfer, No. 3 QB) Mateer faced the two-prong challenge of simultaneously replacing superstar Cam Ward, who transferred to Miami ahead of the 2024 campaign, and guiding Washington State into the unknown following the collapse of the Pac-12 conference. The former three-star recruit handled both situations with aplomb by blossoming into arguably the top dual-threat quarterback in the country amid an eight-win season. Mateer completed 224 of 347 passes (64.6%) for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while also rushing for 826 yards — including two 100-yard games — and 15 additional scores. He is listed as a redshirt junior for the Sooners and will be joined at Oklahoma by former Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, whom head coach Brent Venables hired to fill the same role. The continuity between Mateer and Arbuckle is a big reason why Oklahoma's offense is expected to make a significant leap forward in 2025 after uneven quarterback play from Jackson Arnold and Michael Hawkins Jr. last season, with the former ultimately leaving for Auburn. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana via Cal (No. 22 transfer, No. 4 QB) Mendoza arrived at Cal as a two-star prospect ranked outside the top 2,000 players in the 2022 recruiting cycle, devoid of additional power-conference scholarship offers. He redshirted later that fall before moving into the starting role partway through the 2023 campaign, playing well enough in nine appearances to earn honorable mention Offensive Freshman of the Year recognition from the Pac-12 coaches. He took another step forward in 2024 during Cal's debut season as a member of the ACC, propelling the Bears to consecutive bowl games for just the second time in the last 15 years. Mendoza completed 265 of 386 passes (68.7%) for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions to become one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the portal. He'll attempt to follow in the footsteps of former Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke, who turned in the best season of his career under first-year Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and helped guide the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff. Both of Indiana's leading receivers — Elijah Sarratt (957 yards, 8 TDs) and Omar Cooper Jr. (594 yards, 7 TDs) — are back for another year. Running back Justice Haynes, Michigan via Alabama (No. 42 transfer, No. 1 RB) At Michigan, the first season of life after All-American tailback Blake Corum, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2024, resulted in a timeshare between bruising runner Kalel Mullings (948 yards, 12 TDs) and enigmatic speedster Donovan Edwards (589 yards, 4 TDs). The result was a rushing offense that finished 73rd nationally after ranking 55th in 2023, fifth in 2022 and 15th in 2021 as former coach Jim Harbaugh elevated his alma mater to three consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. With both Mullings and Edwards moving on to the NFL, there was a significant vacancy in the run-heavy system preferred by head coach Sherrone Moore. The Wolverines are hoping that Haynes, a former five-star recruit in the 2023 cycle, can shine in the kind of leading role he never occupied at Alabama. Now a junior, Haynes finished third on the Crimson Tide in rushing last season (448 yards, seven TDs) behind quarterback Jalen Milroe (726 yards, 20 TDs) and fellow tailback Jam Miller (668 yards, seven TDs) after playing a small role his freshman year. Makhi Hughes, Oregon via Tulane (No. 117 transfer, No. 7 RB) Hughes was a three-star prospect and the No. 1,149 overall player in the 2022 recruiting cycle when he committed to Tulane over a list of suitors that only included two power-conference programs: Florida State and Kansas. Though an injury sidelined Hughes for the entirety of his freshman season, he quickly established himself as one of the most productive tailbacks in the country over the last two years. Hughes was named AAC Rookie of the Year after carrying 258 times for 1,378 yards and seven touchdowns amid an 11-3 campaign in 2023, at which point head coach Willie Fritz left for Houston, and Hughes bettered those numbers last fall when he carried 265 times for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns to earn first-team All-AAC recognition. So while his new team, the Ducks, lost leading rusher Jordan James (1,267 yards, 15 TDs) to the NFL, the one-two punch of Hughes and returning veteran Noah Whittington (540 yards, six TDs) should be among the strongest tandems in the Big Ten this season. Wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn via Georgia Tech (No. 5 transfer, No. 1 WR) A former high school state champion in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes, Singleton enjoyed two highly productive seasons at Georgia Tech despite playing in an offense predicated on running the football under head coach Brent Key. He earned freshman All-American honors in 2023 after catching 48 passes for 714 yards and six touchdowns, numbers that were good enough for him to finish second in ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. His production was nearly identical during a 7-6 campaign last fall — resulting in the Yellow Jackets' first trip to a bowl game since 2018 — when he snagged 56 passes for 754 yards and three scores to become the highest-ranked wideout in the portal. A noteworthy end to the season included a two-game stretch with 13 catches for 192 yards and a score against NC State on Nov. 21 and then-No. 7 Georgia on Nov. 29. Singleton will now form an electric tandem with former five-star receiver Cam Coleman, who would have garnered far more attention last fall when he caught 37 passes for 598 yards and eight scores as a true freshman were it not for the exploits of Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State and Ryan Williams at Alabama. Nic Anderson, LSU via Oklahoma (No. 9 overall, No. 3 WR) Rated the No. 243 overall prospect in 2022, Anderson was a four-star recruit from the suburbs of Houston who chose the Sooners over additional scholarship offers from nearly every blue-blood program: Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, USC, Auburn, Miami, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas, among others. He did not catch a pass in three appearances as a true freshman but exploded onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2023 during quarterback Dillon Gabriel's final season at Oklahoma. Anderson established himself as a dynamic, field-tilting threat with an average of 21 yards per reception — fifth-best in the nation — on 38 catches. He finished second on the team in receiving yards with 798 and was tied for the team lead with 10 touchdowns, which also tied for the most in the country among freshmen. A significant quadriceps injury sidelined Anderson for most of the 2024 season and prompted him to enter the transfer portal, ultimately landing at LSU. He should become an important target for an offense that ranked seventh in the country in passing last season (315.2 yards per game) and returns quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for a second season as the Tigers' starter. Trebor Pena, Penn State via Syracuse (No. 129 overall, No. 26 WR) Arguably the most prominent storyline surrounding Penn State's offseason has been the incredible retention efforts by head coach James Franklin and his staff to preserve the nucleus of a 2022 recruiting class that ranked sixth in the nation. The Nittany Lions convinced quarterback Drew Allar, tailbacks Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton and defensive tackle Zane Durant all to come back for what many expect to be a national championship-level roster this fall. But the one position where such efforts fell short is wide receiver, where leading wideouts Harrison Wallace III (720 yards, four TDs) and Omari Evans (415 yards, five TDs) both entered the portal. Penn State began addressing that glaring need — which has become a perennial thorn in Franklin's side — in the December transfer window by adding Kyron Hudson from USC (No. 261 transfer, No. 36 WR) and Devonte Ross from Troy (No. 524 transfer, No. 99 WR). But the room lacked any sort of legitimate pop until Pena, who caught 84 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns last season, committed to the Nittany Lions in late April. He has the potential to be a difference maker on the perimeter. Tight end Max Klare, Ohio State via Purdue (No. 17 overall, No. 1 TE) The assembly line of high-end receivers that has pumped through Ohio State for the better part of a decade almost always usurps the involvement of Buckeye tight ends. In 2019, during Ryan Day's first season as head coach, no tight end caught more than 14 passes, while wideouts Chris Olave (first-round pick), Garrett Wilson (first-round pick) and KJ Hill Jr. (seventh-round pick) all snagged at least 30 passes. In 2020, during a pandemic-shortened campaign with Olave and Wilson again headlining the show, no tight end caught more than 13 passes. The pattern changed slightly when rugged tight end Cade Stover put together back-to-back 400-yard seasons in 2022 and 2023, working his way into a fourth-round pick. But even last year's national championship-winning team hardly utilized the position as starter Gee Scott Jr. caught two or fewer passes in nine of 16 games. The arrival of Klare, however, gives Ohio State the kind of bonafide receiving threat it hasn't had at tight end in quite some time, perhaps since John Frank in the early 1980s. Klare caught 51 passes for 685 yards and four touchdowns last season to lead Purdue in all three categories despite a passing offense that ranked 113th nationally. Jack Endries, Texas via Cal (No. 131 overall, No. 4 TE) When Endries entered the spring transfer portal on April 16, he needed only two days before committing to Texas, a program that has reached the College Football Playoff in consecutive seasons. And it's not difficult to understand why. Two years ago, in 2023, Longhorns' tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders caught 45 passes for 682 yards and two touchdowns before the Carolina Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Last year, in 2024, tight end Gunnar Helm caught 60 passes for 786 yards and seven touchdowns before the Tennessee Titans drafted him in the fourth round earlier this spring. Endries has similar potential considering what he's already accomplished at Cal the last two seasons. He logged more snaps than any tight end in the country as a redshirt freshman in 2023 while catching 35 passes for 408 yards and two touchdowns, garnering freshman All-America honors from three news outlets. He played even better last fall by leading the Bears with 56 receptions for 623 yards and two scores, including back-to-back 100-yard games against Pittsburgh and NC State. Offensive line Isaiah World, Oregon via Nevada (No. 2 overall, No. 1 OT) Long before Oregon's season ended in a Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State, head coach Dan Lanning knew he was going to be in the market for at least one starting-caliber offensive tackle given what the Ducks stood to lose in the NFL Draft. Left tackle Josh Conerly, who finished as a first-team All-American, would become a first-round pick by the Washington Commanders. While right tackle Ajani Cornelius, who earned second-team All-America honors, would be taken in the sixth round by the Dallas Cowboys. In landing World last December, Lanning secured a player considered the top offensive lineman regardless of position. World, who is listed as a redshirt senior, logged more than 1,600 snaps at left tackle over the last two seasons and spent one year as Nevada's starting right tackle in 2022. He slashed his number of quarterback pressures allowed from 34 in 2023 to just 15 last season, according to Pro Football Focus, and reduced his penalty count from 11 to eight during that same span. The Ducks also added former Texas State offensive tackle Alex Harkey (No. 125 transfer, No. 17 OT). Elijah Pritchett, Nebraska via Alabama (No. 45 overall, No. 6 OT) One of the most pressing items on a lengthy to-do list for Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, who continues barreling forward in his attempted resurrection of the Cornhuskers, is to surround former five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola with enough talent so that the program can realistically compete for the College Football Playoff. Rhule swung big in his efforts to accomplish that goal by adding big-name, big-money transfers like former Kentucky wideout Dane Key (No. 34 transfer, No. 10 WR), former Notre Dame right guard Rocco Spindler (No. 139 transfer, No. 10 IOL) and former Cal wideout Nyziah Hunter (No. 198 transfer, No. 34 WR) to an offense that finished 103rd in scoring (23.5 points per game) last season. But the most important addition might have been Pritchett, who played 555 snaps at right tackle for Alabama in 2024 and logged 64 additional snaps at left tackle. Though Pritchett struggled in pass protection as a first-year starter — he was charged with allowing 30 quarterback pressures and six sacks — he has the pedigree of a former top-40 national recruit and at least two years of eligibility remaining. Josh Thompson, LSU via Northwestern (No. 16 overall, No. 3 IOL) By the time December rolled around and the first transfer portal window opened, LSU head coach Brian Kelly and his staff were keenly aware of how significant the team's offensive line overhaul might be. They knew that left tackle Will Campbell, a consensus All-American, was a surefire first-round pick. They also knew that right tackle Emery Jones, right guard Miles Frazier and left guard Garrett Dellinger were all receiving interest from NFL scouts. Center DJ Chester, an underclassman not yet eligible for the draft, was the only starter likely to return for another year. So the Tigers wasted little time in pursuing Thompson, the second high-profile Northwestern lineman to hit the portal in as many years after guard Josh Priebe transferred to Michigan last offseason. Kelly secured a commitment from Thompson shortly after Christmas to anchor a transfer portal class that now ranks No. 1 in the nation. Listed as a fifth-year senior, Thompson was a two-year starter for the Wildcats who spent 2024 playing right guard (646 snaps, eight pressures, three penalties) and 2023 playing right tackle (731 snaps, 27 pressures, three penalties). Early reports from LSU suggest he will compete at both positions during fall camp. Pat Coogan, Indiana via Notre Dame (No. 138 overall, No. 9 IOL) In an otherwise magical season for Indiana, which won 11 games for the first time in school history, losses to Ohio State on Nov. 23 and to Notre Dame on Dec. 20 in the College Football Playoff exposed one of the team's only weaknesses: a deficiency in talent along the offensive line. The Buckeyes rattled Indiana for five sacks, eight quarterback pressures and eight tackles for loss in a game that was over midway through the third quarter. The Fighting Irish damaged Indiana for three sacks, eight quarterback pressures and 10 tackles for loss that rendered the Hoosiers' offense one-dimensional. Moving forward, Cignetti knew his team needed better players in the trenches to hold up against elite defenses. Adding Coogan, a two-year starter for Notre Dame, was a heady move. Now a redshirt senior, Coogan logged more than 800 snaps at center last season (eight pressures allowed) for a team that reached the national championship game. He also spent the entire 2023 campaign as Notre Dame's starting left guard in his only other year as a primary contributor. He is expected to anchor the interior for Indiana this fall. Howard Sampson, Texas Tech via North Carolina (No. 14 overall, No. 3 OT) Texas Tech made headline after headline this offseason by compiling the No. 2 transfer portal class in the country behind LSU — and reportedly spending more than $10 million in NIL to do so. Any number of players from the Red Raiders' 21-man haul could have made this list, like former Louisiana tight end Terrance Carter (No. 169 transfer, No. 7 TE) or former USC running back Quinten Joyner (No. 145 transfer, No. 9 RB), but the most important addition might just be Sampson, the mammoth 6-foot-8, 340-pound tackle. Sampson was a lightly regarded three-star recruit in the 2022 cycle, originally committing to North Texas over additional scholarship offers from Grambling, Texas Southern and Texas State, among others. He entered the transfer portal following his sophomore season despite having just 87 career snaps to his name, though 83 of them came at left tackle. That was enough of a sample size for North Carolina to take a chance on Sampson and turn him into their starting left tackle last fall. He was charged with allowing 19 pressures and five sacks in 824 snaps before entering the portal a second time last December. Listed as a junior, Sampson will start at left tackle for Texas Tech in 2025. Check back later in the week for Part 2 of FOX Sports' college football transfer portal all-impact team, which will feature the top additions on the defensive side of the ball. Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
31-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On3 analyst Oklahoma has a quarterback advantage in 2025
On3 analyst Oklahoma has a quarterback advantage in 2025 When the Oklahoma Sooners made the offseason addition of former Washington State quarterback John Mateer, they made a massive upgrade at one of the most important positions on the team. In 2024, for the most part, OU was at a QB disadvantage against almost every team they played, especially in the SEC. That's extremely uncommon for a program that is used to having the better player under center. J.D. PicKell, who covers college football for On3 Sports, believes that the script has flipped in Norman, due to the presence of Mateer. "The schedule for Oklahoma and the quarterback matchups they have, I think it's very, very sneaky that Oklahoma, I think, is gonna have the advantage in a lot of those games," PicKell said on his podcast, "The Hard Count with J.D. PicKell. Going through OU's 2025 schedule, PicKell proceeded to say which games he believes the Sooners have the QB edge in, excluding matchups against lesser competition like Illinois State, Temple, and Kent State. PicKell believes Oklahoma has the quarterback advantage against Michigan (Bryce Underwood), Auburn (Jackson Arnold), Texas (Arch Manning), Ole Miss (Austin Simmons), Tennessee (Joey Aguilar), Alabama (Ty Simpson/Austin Mack/Keelon Russell) and Missouri (Beau Pribula). He declined to say the Sooners have the QB edge against South Carolina (LaNorris Sellers) and LSU (Garrett Nussmeier). "We just went through that entire schedule and there's two games that you're talking about a superior quarterback for the opposite side, as we sit here right now," PicKell said. By all reports, the Sooners look to have a quarterback in the saddle again who can change games for them in a positive way. Mateer and new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle are trying to make sure that Year 2 in the SEC goes differently than Year 1 did for Oklahoma and head coach Brent Venables. Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.
