Tyler Wilson

Arkansas QB Tyler Wilson cleared to play against Rutgers

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By Ben KerchevalSep 20, 2012, 6:31 PM EDT

Speaking of injury news, Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson has been cleared to play this Saturday against Rutgers, Razorbacks coach John L. Smith said on Thursday. Wilson has been recovering from a concussion that knocked him out of a Week 2 loss to Louisiana-Monroe.

“I think they’re fired up about that,” Smith said about his team. “They realize, ‘Gosh, the whole week of practice, it’s not for naught. He’s really going to be out there.’ … That energy. That postiveness. That vocal person that we need. His energy and that postiveness, it just kind of breeds and it keeps going and it spirals and that’s what we need.”

Wilson has been listed as day-to-day since being knocked out, but practiced this week. He was unable to go in last week’s 52-0 loss to No. 1 Alabama, after which Wilson told reporters  “Do I feel we gave up? Absolutely.”

Wilson has 563 passing yards and 5 touchdowns this season, and the Hogs have outscored their opponents 70-31 with him in the starting lineup (as compared to being outscored 79-10 without him.) Part of that — okay, all of it — has to do with which teams have been lining up on the other side of the ball, but suffice to say that Arkansas will be glad to have Wilson back.

Despite report to contrary, president David Boren says Oklahoma hasn’t made up mind on Big 12 expansion

NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 10: President of the University of Oklahoma David Boren and Head Coach Bob Stoops of the Oklahoma Sooners talk before the game against the Baylor Bears November 10, 2012 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma defeated Baylor 42-34. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
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By John TaylorSep 28, 2016, 9:09 AM EDT

It wouldn’t be the Big 12 without a little drama, now would it?

Tuesday, Pete Thamel of SI.com reported it’s believed that Oklahoma president David Boren, long thought to be a major proponent of expanding the Big 12 beyond 10 teams, “has reversed course on his view of expansion.” This report comes nearly two weeks after T. Boone Pickens‘ BFF infamously — and very surprisingly — tapped the expansion brakes.

“I wouldn’t take expansion as a given,” Boren said Sept. 14. “I wouldn’t take it as a sure thing.”

According to Thamel’s report, it appears that BYU, long a favorite of Boren, and the uproar over its honor code has caused Boren, and thus the university, to shift gears when it comes to expansion. Additionally, OU’s regents are reportedly not in favor of expansion and are pressuring Boren “to convey that message.”

That shift, at least what he’s putting out there for public consumption, is news to Boren.

“I do not know where the speculation came from,” Boren said in a statement to ESPN.com, “but Oklahoma has not yet taken a position on expansion.”

It was thought that expansion could be decided at a meeting of chancellors and presidents in Irving, Tex., in the middle of next month, although that could be pushed to the end of the year, if not the beginning of 2017. A total of 11 schools made the cut as “finalists” should the Big 12 expand, with those nearly dozen schools presenting their cases over the past couple of weeks.

Of the 11, seven come from the AAC — Cincinnati, Houston, SMU, Tulane, UCF, UConn, USF — two from the Mountain West — Air Force, Colorado State — and one from Conference USA — Rice. The lone remaining school, BYU, is a football independent.

Domestic abuse, child endangerment charges dropped against LSU’s Davon Godchaux

BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 08: T.J. Yeldon #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is tackled by Davon Godchaux #57 of the LSU Tigers during a game at Tiger Stadium on November 8, 2014 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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By John TaylorSep 28, 2016, 7:57 AM EDT

An off-field incident involving one playing member of the LSU football program has taken a positive turn for the Tiger.

The East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s office confirmed Tuesday evening that no formal charges will be filed against Davon Godchaux. The starting defensive end was arrested over the weekend on charges of false imprisonment and domestic abuse/child endangerment in connection to a domestic situation.

Godchaux (pictured, No. 57) had been accused of getting into an altercation with his girlfriend and preventing her from leaving their apartment with their 10-month old child.

“The primary basis for this change of booking (dropped charges) was the inconsistent statements of (the woman) and of Mr. Godchaux and the physical evidence,” DA Hillar Moore III said. “And not her request to dismiss these charges.”

The girlfriend reportedly had a swollen lip and red marks around her neck while Godchaux had cuts on his gums. The woman was charged with domestic abuse/child endangerment as well; that charge is still pending a formal charging decision, Moore stated.

Godchaux was indefinitely suspended by interim head coach Ed Orgeron following the arrest, and remains that way as of Wednesday morning, a school official said.

The junior has started 26 games during his time with the Tigers, including all four in 2016. His 20 tackles are currently fifth on the team, while his two tackles for loss are fifth as well.

FSU says ‘Pigg’ Harrison suspended; report says WR has left program

TALLAHASSEE, FL - APRIL 11: Ja'Vonn Harrison #13 of the Garnett team catches a pass in front of Marquez White #27 of the Gold team during Florida State's Garnet and Gold spring game at Doak Campbell Stadium on April 11, 2015 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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By John TaylorSep 28, 2016, 6:46 AM EDT

There appears to be some confusion regarding the status of Ja’Vonn “Pigg” Harrison, but one thing is seemingly certain — the wide receiver won’t see the field for the Seminoles for the foreseeable future, if ever again.

Following practice Tuesday, FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher announced that Harrison has been suspended from his football team. The only reason given was an unspecified violation of team rules.

“As of right now, he’s suspended,” the head coach said in quotes distributed by the team. “We’ll see what happens. Team violation.”

However, TomahawkNation.com is reporting that third-year junior has left the team completely and intends to transfer.

A four-star member of FSU 2014 recruiting class, Harrison was rated as the No. 30 player at any position in the state of Florida and the 197 player overall on 247Sports.com‘s composite board. The Lakeland native, however, never quite lived up to that recruiting pedigree.

Including this season, Harrison has played in 20 games in his career, starting one of those contest (2016 vs. Ole Miss). He caught eight passes for 139 yards and a touchdown. Six of those receptions, 129 of the yards and the lone touchdown came in 2015. This season, he had one catch for nine yards.

T. Boone Pickens prefers Houston and SMU for Big 12 expansion, rips Boren, still not besties with Gundy

BP Capital Management LP Chief Executive Officer T. Boone Pickens Interview
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By Kevin McGuireSep 27, 2016, 8:40 PM EDT

If you though the rivalry between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State was strictly on the football field, think again. Bedlam reaches beyond the gridiron and now has T. Boone Pickens slinging mud at Oklahoma president David Boren.

According to Kirk Bohls of The Austin American-Statesman, the Oklahoma State donor shared some comments about the Big 12 expansion saga that continues to drag its feet. Pickens reportedly prefers the Big 12 to add within the current Big 12 foot print by inviting Houston and SMU from the American Athletic Conference. That’s probably good news for fans of Houston and SMU, if they believe Boone’s influence carries any weight in this process (it doesn’t, but we don’t have to pour cold water on this subject for now). But the interesting part of the report included a jab at Oklahoma’s president, who recently appeared to suggest he was fine with a 10-team Big 12 only to respond by saying no decisions have been made where Oklahoma stands on expansion.

“I’ve known David forever. He likes to talk. He gets a little bit confused sometimes,” Pickens said. He also suggested “maybe it’s time for David to retire.”

Pickens also updated his relationship status with Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy.

“I don’t have any conversations with Gundy,” Pickens said. In late December 2014 there appeared to be some friction between the head coach and top donor when Pickens proclaimed he didn’t care who coached the team while suggesting he will always support the program and university, his alma mater. Gundy looked to make sure the two were on common ground. Things appeared to have smoothed over by the following spring, but the two are not exactly hanging out together in their spare time.

“I don’t know, but Mike doesn’t handle people relationships very well. And he gets mad about things,” Pickens explained. “I’ve heard he’s written some notes about me that weren’t very complimentary.”

Excuse me while I file away a Freedom of Information Act request for access to these notes…