Texas trying to lock down Thanksgiving Day home game?

AP

Since Texas A&M’s departure for the SEC, Texas has decided that it will play a different opponent every year on Thanksgiving Day rather than stick with a series with the Aggies as a nonconference game.

This year’s game will be against TCU on Thursday and it appears the Longhorns are interested in having a rotation of Big 12 opponents come to Austin every year going forward on the holiday weekend. According to the Dallas Morning News, Texas Tech will come to Austin on Thanksgiving to play in 2013. Next year’s Big 12 schedule is expect to be released later this week — perhaps tomorrow — so confirmation of that report should be coming in short order.

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told DMN reporter Chuck Carlton this weekend that the league is looking into the long-term feasibility of the idea, but that it had been worked out for the next few years.

“It creates a dynamic in the schedule that’s a challenge,” Bowlsby said. “It’s easy to make it so they play every Thanksgiving. It’s not easy to make it so they play every Thanksgiving at home, which is what they want. So that requires other accommodations.

“But at least in the near term we think we have it done.”

Bowlsby said earlier this year upon taking the job as Big 12 commissioner that he would not serve as a puppet for the likes of Texas and Oklahoma, yet Texas is getting approval on a request. Bowlsby said that most schools prefer not to play on Thanksgiving Day.

Special treatment for the Longhorns? Perhaps, but the decision’s reportedly been made — at least for the next few years.

AP

They may not have him for long, but, for now, Michigan State is home to the top assistant coach in the country.

At a ceremony held this afternoon in Little Rock, Ark., it was announced that Spartans defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi has been named the 2013 winner of the prestigious Broyles Award.  Narduzzi was one of five finalists for the award announced earlier this month, along with Auburn offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Rhett Lashlee, Baylor offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery, Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt and Duke offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper.

“Pat pays great attention to detail, and he’s an outstanding teacher,” Narduzzi’s boss, head coach Mark Dantonio, said in a statement. “His relationships with his players also is a strength. In addition, he’s an outstanding recruiter. Pat has been a loyal staff member for 10 years, including the last seven years at MSU. As our assistant head coach, he’s asked to manage a lot of duties.

“Pat has been the architect of a top 10 defense for the last three years. There’s no question that his defense has been the cornerstone for this record-setting 12-win season.”

Narduzzi was in charge of a defense that finished the regular season fourth in the country in scoring defense and first in total defense, helping the Spartans to earn their first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1987.  How long he remains in East Lansing remains to be seen.

After MSU’s win over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, Narduzzi interviewed for the head-coaching vacancy at UConn.  It’s believed Narduzzi is the leading candidate to land that job, a position that should be filled at some point this week.

AP

And the denials have begun to flow out of Austin.

A report that a decision on Mack Brown‘s future would be decided in the next 48 hours was quickly trumped by a separate report that Brown had decided to step down as the head football coach at Texas.

The university, through a school official, has quickly denied the report.  Citing a Texas source, Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com tweeted that Brown “hasn’t had any meeting & has not told anyone he’s stepping down.”

Now, the coach himself, who is in Florida on a recruiting trip, has weighed in.

“I’m in Florida recruiting. If I had decided to step down I sure wouldn’t be killing myself down here,” Brown told 247Sports.com. “I have not decided to step down.”

Is it possible that the decision has already been made for Brown and he doesn’t know it yet?  Certainly anything is possible, especially when it comes to the unique dynamic that is UT athletics and the myriad people who pull the strings in the state.

How unique?  ESPN.com‘s Joe Schad wrote that “[t]he University of Texas Board of Regents has a critical meeting Thursday at which the future of President Bill Powers is to be discussed, which could affect the fate of Longhorns coach Mack Brown.”

As we wrote earlier, and to put these denials into perspective, Orangeblood.com‘s Chip Brown, who is reporting that Brown has decided to retire, reported back in mid-September that DeLoss Dodds would be stepping down as UT’s athletic director; the school and Dodds vehemently denied the report almost immediately.  Two weeks later, Dodds announced he would be stepping down as UT’s athletic director.

In other words, take any denials coming from in and around the university without size grain of salt you deem necessary.

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Those two days just flew by, didn’t they?

Shortly after a report surfaced that a decision on Mack Brown‘s future at Texas would come in the next 48 hours, it appears the decision has already been made.  Citing two high-level sources, Orangebloods.com‘s Chip Brown is reporting that Brown has decided to step down as the Longhorns’ head coach after 16 seasons.  An official announcement from Brown and the school is expected before the end of the week.

One source intimated to the Rivals.com website that it was Brown’s love of the football program he was largely responsible for rebuilding that led to his decision.

“Mack Brown loves Texas and wants what’s in the best interest of Texas and what’s in the best interest of Mack Brown,” the source told the site. “I don’t think it’s been an easy decision. But he doesn’t want negativity around the program he helped unify.”

If the report is accurate — and Chip Brown is one of the best in the business when it comes to UT football — it will bring to an a decade-and-a-half run for Brown in Austin… and will also cause a ripple effect to roll through the college football landscape as top-tier coaches trip over themselves to fill the coaching void with the Longhorns.

There’s little doubt UT would make yet another run at Alabama’s Nick Saban.  Outside of Saban — and/or his wife — making a surprise move out of Tuscaloosa, anyone from Jimbo Fisher to Art Briles to Kevin Sumlin to David Shaw to Jon Gruden (sorry, federal law dictates Chucky’s name be mentioned) will likely be connected to the opening in some shape or fashion.

Given the obscene financial wherewithal the UT athletic department possesses and the prestige the job holds, there should be no shortage of candidates champing at the bit to take over the reins from Brown.

UPDATED 3:03 p.m. ET: The university has denied the report that Mack Brown has decided to take his leave as the Longhorns’ head coach.

To put this denial into perspective, however, Chip Brown reported back in mid-September that DeLoss Dodds would be stepping down as UT’s athletic director; the school and Dodds vehemently denied the report.  Two weeks later, Dodds announced he would be stepping down as UT’s athletic director.

AP

If one report is accurate, the question of will he or won’t he as it relates to Mack Brown and his future as Texas’ head coach should be answered before the end of the week.

Citing what he calls a “high-ranking source,” Bobby Burton of 247Sports.com is reporting that the “decision on Mack Brown’s future [is] expected in [the] next ’48 hours.’”  Whether that decision will be made by Brown alone — to return or retire/move on — or if the long-time UT coach will have some “help” from university officials and powerful boosters is the ultimate X factor.

Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman had reported Sunday that a decision on Brown’s future could come in the next two weeks.

The way the Longhorns began the 2013 season made it seem like a foregone conclusion that Brown’s 16-year run in Austin was fast approaching its end.  After that 1-2 start, however, UT won seven of its next eight games to put itself in a position to win the Big 12 and qualify for a BCS bowl with a win over Baylor in the regular-season finale.  A 20-point loss to the Bears ended any hope of that as well as once again throwing the rumor mill into high gear.

Athletic director DeLoss Dodds, long a champion of the coach, has left his post and was replaced by Steve Patterson, who will ostensibly have a hand in helping decide Brown’s fate.  Another long-time and ardent Brown supporter, UT  president Bill Powers, will have his employment discussed by the University of Texas System regents at a closed-door meeting this week.  The meeting will evaluate a “recommendation” that was made regarding Powers; what that recommendation is specifically is unknown.

Have confirmed that UT president Bill Powers didn't join Mack Brown and Steve Patterson in NYC this week. Brown & Patterson met Sunday.—
Mike Finger (@mikefinger) December 10, 2013

AP

The list of awards releasing its finalists for year-end honors continues to grow, with the folks at Liberty Mutual jumping into the hardware fray.

The insurance company announced today the 25 finalists for its 2013 Coach of the Year awards spread across four divisions of college football, including 10 from the FBS level.  All 10 of the coaches for the FBS version of the award come from automatic-qualifying conferences, although, curiously, one of the two coaches in the BCS title game is not among the group of finalists:

Art Briles, Baylor
David Cutcliffe, Duke
Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
Todd Graham, Arizona State
Gus Malzahn, Auburn
Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Jim Mora, UCLA
Bill O’Brien, Penn State
Nick Saban, Alabama
Dabo Swinney, Clemson

No, that’s not a misprint; Jimbo Fisher of top-ranked Florida State is not a finalist for this particular award.

Craig Bohl, who left North Dakota State this past weekend to take over at Wyoming, is one of five finalists for the FCS award.

In its release, Liberty Mutual wrote that “[t]o help determine the winners, fans can vote from now until December 22 at CoachoftheYear.com and Facebook.com/LMCoachoftheYear for the finalists they feel represent the highest values in college sports, whether it is achieving the players’ potential on the field, promoting academic excellence in the classroom, or making an impact in their communities through charitable work and volunteerism.”  That fan vote counts for 20 percent of the votes.

The winner in each of the four NCAA divisions will receive $50,000 to support his favorite charities and a $20,000 donation from Liberty Mutual to his school’s alumni association for scholarship

The 2012 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year was Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly.

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Heading into a couple of weeks worth of bowl prep, South Carolina’s secondary is suddenly a little thinner both for now and moving forward.

A source has confirmed to The State‘s Josh Kendall that cornerback Ahmad Christian has decided to take his leave of the football team and will not play in the Capital One Bowl.  The sophomore is expected to transfer to another program, although where the Jacksonville, Fla., product will land is unclear.

For what it’s worth, the Gamecocks have yet to publicly address Christian’s status with the team.

Christian played in 12 games this season, making his first career start in the second game against Georgia.  With starters Jimmy Legree and Victor Hampton leaving for the NFL — the paper reports the latter will leave early for the draft — Christian was expected to, at the very least, compete for a starting job next spring.

Christian was a three-star member of USC’s 2011 recruiting class.

AP

Following up on reports from Monday night, Bowling Green has indeed lost its head coach.

In a press release, the school confirmed that Dave Clawson has agreed to become the head coach at Wake Forest.  The move ends a five-year run with the Falcons that saw Clawson compile a 32-31 mark and, this year, win the football program’s first MAC championship since 1992.

The Falcon’s have gone 18-8 the past two seasons, the team’s most successful two-year run since the middle of last decade.

“I want to publicly thank Dave Clawson for all that he has done for BGSU and for developing such great young men in the classroom, on the field and in the community. We wish the best for the Clawson family,” athletic director D. Christopher Kingston said in a statement.

Wake Forest announced in its own release Tuesday morning that it will hold a press conference at 4:30 p.m. ET today to name its new head coach.  Clawson’s name was not mentioned in that release.

With Clawson out, Adam Scheier has been named as interim head coach.  The special teams coordinator/tight ends coach has spent the past five seasons with the Falcons.

Scheier will coach lead the program through its prep work for the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl game against Pittsburgh.

UPDATED 9:31 p.m. ET: Wake Forest confirmed in a tweet posted to its Twitter account that Dave Clawson is its new head football coach.

We're excited to introduce our new coach Dave Clawson! #GoDeacs go.wfu.edu/8kh http://t.co/bM613EnFb4—
Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) December 10, 2013

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Memphis’ quality and depth at the running back position has taken an unexpected hit exiting the 2013 season.

Saying “[a] change is needed,” Marquis Warford revealed via Twitter that he has decided to leave the Tigers football program.  Head coach Justin Fuente subsequently confirmed that the player would be seeking a transfer.

No specific reason was given for the departure.

“Man I’m just trying to play ball, when it comes down to it I want to win and compete simple,” Warford tweeted.

The freshman finished the 3-9 season second on the team with 303 yards and led the Tigers with a 5.9 yards-per-attempt average.  Warford was a three-star member of Memphis’ 2013 recruiting class coming out of high school in San Antonio.

AP

Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald claimed the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Monday night in Charlotte, as the Football Writers Association of America’s tabbed him the national Defensive Player of the Year.

Donald, also the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year, leads the country in tackles-for-loss with 26.5. By comparison, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh had 20.5 the year he finished fourth in the Heisman balloting.

“It is truly a blessing,” Donald said. “All of the hard work did pay off. I am truly honored.”

The four other Nagurski finalists were cornerback Darqueze Dennard of Michigan State, cornerback Lamarcus Joyner of Florida State, linebacker C.J. Mosley of Alabama end Michael Sam of Missouri.

Donald, a senior, is Pittsburgh’s first defensive player to win a national individual award since Hugh Green in 1980.

AP

Wake Forest has offered Bowling Green coach Dave Clawson its vacant head coaching position, according to a report on Monday from CBSSports.com.

The move comes on the heels of Clawson’s reported interview with Wake on Sunday.

No word yet on whether Clawson has accepted the position.

Apparently, Bowling Green’s 47-27 romp over Northern Illinois in the MAC title game on Friday night made quite an impression on Demon Deacon athletic director, Ron Wellman, who attended the game. Wellman also interviewed Ball State head coach Pete Lembo last Thursday, but it looks like Clawson is now at the top of his list.

Former Demon Deacons coach Jim Grobe resigned one week ago after 13 seasons as head coach.

UPDATE: Clawson on Monday night agreed in principle to become the next head coach at Wake Forest. A press conference introducing him as the new Deamon Deacon coach is expected to take place on Tuesday.

AP

Iowa got some good news on Monday when its All-Big-Ten left tackle, Brandon Scherff, announced he would return for his senior season.

Scherff had a stellar junior year, starting every game for a unit that allowed just 12 sacks (tied for tops in the Big Ten). He had been projected by some as a potential first round pick in the next NFL draft (the Hawkeyes have had six OL selected in the past five drafts).

His return gives Iowa (8-4) a big boost in 2014 as two starters must be replaced on the offensive line as it is. If the Hawkeyes can find a way to make up for the loss of all-star tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz, their offense could be much improved.

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The Associated Press is reporting that South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was ticketed on Saturday night for going 110 miles-per-hour in a 70 mile-per-hour zone on an interstate.

Highway Patrol Lance Cpl. David Jones said Clowney was pulled over in a Chrysler 300 around 7:30 p.m. Saturday northbound on Interstate 77 in Fairfield County, about 25 miles north of Columbia.

The Gamecocks defensive end — who should be a top five pick in next spring’s NFL draft — was allowed to drive away after being given the citation, which will result in a $355 fine and six points on his license — halfway to the points needed for a suspension.

This is the first time in months that Clowney has been seen moving with a sense of urgency.

AP

Jameis Winston, AJ McCarron, Andre Williams, Tre Mason, Johnny Manziel and Jordan Lynch have been named the six finalists for the 2013 Heisman Trophy, the Heisman Trust announced on Monday.

It’s the first time since 1994 — and only the second time in Heisman history — that six finalists have been named to attend the Heisman ceremony, which takes place this year on Saturday, Dec. 14.

Winston has a chance to become Florida State’s third Heisman winner overall and first since 2000. McCarron is the third Heisman finalist from Alabama in the last five years. Williams is the first Boston College finalist since Doug Flutie in 1984. Mason is Auburn’s second finalist since 2010. Manziel is a finalist for the second-straight year and Lynch is the first finalist from Northern Illinois.

With Winston the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s trophy, most of the suspense will center around who finishes second. Lynch might have the inside track, since he was picked as the runner up by the latest HeismanPundit Straw Poll.

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The six finalists for the Rimington Trophy, presented to the most outstanding center in college football, have been announced.

They are: Reese Dismukes of Auburn, Hroniss Grasu of Oregon, Gabe Ikard of Oklahoma, Tyler Larsen of Utah State, Bryan Stork of Florida State and Travis Swanson of Arkansas.

The winner of the Rimington Trophy is selected by determining the consensus All-American center pick from three existing All-America teams — the Walter Camp, Sporting News and Football Writers’ teams. The winner will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Our guess is that either Stork or Dismukes walks away with it.

AP

For the second year in a row, a redshirt freshman has topped the college football season’s final HeismanPundit.com Heisman Straw Poll.

Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston collected seven out of 10 possible first-place votes and totaled a season-best 26 points from the weekly survey of Heisman voters, putting him on the verge of becoming a landslide winner of the most prestigious trophy in sports.

The result comes just five days after Florida state authorities decided against charging Winston for felony sexual assault and two days after the freshman led the Seminoles to a 45-7 victory over Duke in the ACC title game to complete an undefeated regular season.

To get to this point, Winston set NCAA freshman records this season for passing yards (3,820) and passing touchdowns (38) and produced a passer rating of 190.06, just below the all-time efficiency mark of 191.78 held by Russell Wilson of Wisconsin. If, as the poll predicts, Winston goes on to win the Heisman, he’ll do so with the highest passer rating in the trophy’s history.

He will be the third Florida State player to win the Heisman and first since Chris Weinke did so in 2000, which was also the last time the Seminoles made it to the BCS national title game. He’s also set to be the youngest player to win the trophy, beating out Alabama’s Mark Ingram by 14 days.

“He’s been spectacular all season,” said one voter. “Florida State has been a juggernaut on offense and he’s the main reason for it. No other candidate has been as consistent as he has been.”

The lack of consistency by other candidates in the race is reflected in the poll’s results, which includes a HeismanPundit Straw Poll-record 12 players in the final balloting, topping the 11 selected in 2009′s final poll (when Mark Ingram defeated Toby Gerhart by the closest vote in Heisman history).

If this year’s poll is correct, Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch will take second in the race and claim the highest Heisman finish by a non-BCS-conference player in the BCS era. Lynch grabbed two first-place votes to finish with eight points, well behind Winston’s total.

Defending winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M was third with seven points, while running back Tre Mason of Auburn picked up the last first-place vote to finish fourth with five points.

Alabama’s AJ McCarron was fifth with four points.

Now in its eighth season, the HeismanPundit.com Heisman Straw Poll is the college football world’s most trusted gauge of Heisman voter sentiment. It has been the most accurate Heisman poll in the country during the past seven seasons, with the final 2012 poll correctly picking the top five finishers and the final 2011 poll picking the top seven. This year’s poll is made up of 10 anonymous Heisman voters from across the country. Each week during the season they picked three players. Tabulations for the preseason poll are tabulated like a real Heisman ballot, with three points awarded for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote.

Each week’s poll was released on Tuesdays throughout the season at HeismanPundit.com. Heisman votes are due on Monday, Dec. 9 at 5 p.m ET. The finalists for the 2013 Heisman Trophy ceremony will be announced at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9 and the trophy will be awarded on Saturday, Dec. 14.

The HeismanPundit.com Heisman Straw Poll, 12/9/2013

Total Points (with first place votes in parentheses)

1. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State — 26 (7)

2. Jordan Lynch, QB, Northern Illinois — 8 (2)

3. Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M — 7

4. Tre Mason, RB, Auburn — 5 (1)

5. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama — 4

6. (tie) Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon — 2

Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State — 2

8. (tie) Andre Williams, RB, Boston College — 1

Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor — 1

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville — 1

Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford — 1

Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh — 1