Washington RB coach joins Bielema in Arkansas

“‘Twas the day before Christmas with new Arkansas coach Bret Bielema manning his post.

“‘A running backs coach,’ Bielema wished aloud. ‘That’s what I want the most.’

“And, so, Bielema picked up the phone and gave it a dial. Joel Thomas answered in Seattle, joking to Bielema that it had been a while. Bielema offered Thomas a job, to which the coach accepted. Thomas packed his bags for Fayetteville, and that’s how he left it.”

Anyway, here’s what Bielema said less-poetically and festively in a release on Monday announcing Thomas as the Hogs’ new running backs coach.

“Joel Thomas has a proven record of developing running backs. He excelled at the position as a player and has demonstrated a remarkable ability to connect with his student-athletes and pass his knowledge on to them. He also brings a strong background of recruiting in Texas and Dallas specifically, which is a valuable area for us to have a presence. I am extremely confident in Joel’s ability based on his time spent working under Jim Chaney, and I believe Joel’s knowledge and familiarity with Coach Chaney will be a benefit to our offense.”

Thomas has coached four 1,000-yard running backs in as many years with the Huskies. In his final game with you-dub, Thomas coached Bishop Sankey, who rushed for 205 yards and was named MVP of the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas.

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So maybe it’s Alex Rodriguez’s fault that Alabama lost to Auburn.

Turns out Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron had a phone conversation with the controversial New York Yankee prior to the Iron Bowl, the ‘Bama quarterback told media on Tuesday.

The two talked for 10-15 minutes about what it takes to be a successful athlete and Rodriguez revealed that Yankees manager Joe Girardi showed his team video of former Tide center Barrett Jones shoving McCarron in the BCS National Championship win over Notre Dame.

“(He told them) that’s the passion they need within their club again and stuff like that,” McCarron said. “It’s just pretty crazy that they’ve watched me before and are fans of me.”

McCarron, a lifelong Yankees fan, was clearly elated about the call. He later told the media he was grateful for the position he’s in as the Alabama quarterback.

“It’s almost like living in a dream in a way because I’ve met guys that I’ve watched and watched coach for so many years,” he said. “Now I’m talking to them on the phone and meeting them in person. It’s just pretty surreal.”

Rodriguez isn’t the first Yankee to kibbutz with the Alabama program. Girardi has done some hanging around and Derek Jeter attended the Tide’s game with LSU in November.

But maybe some of that patented Rodriguez reverse-magic rubbed off on McCarron a little too much. I bet the Tide could’ve used a bit more Jeter and a lot less A-Rod before the biggest game of the season.

Just sayin’.

AP

Mississippi head coach Hugh Freeze got his just reward for leading his team to a 7-5 record and its second-straight bowl: A contract extension and a nearly 50 percent raise.

According to the school, Freeze’s contract has been extended by one year to the maximum four years and his base salary will rise to $3 million (from $2 million) and increase by $150,000 each year. Incentives for Freeze’s new contract will be based on conference championships, postseason accomplishments and academic performance. In addition, the salary pool for the Ole Miss football staff was increased by 12 percent with $400,000 of new money.

“In just two short years, Coach Freeze and his staff have placed Ole Miss among college football’s top rising programs,” athletic director Ross Bjork said. “Their hard work and devotion in all facets of the program have resulted in postseason berths, elite recruiting success, personal development of our student-athletes and a renewed energy throughout Rebel Nation.”

It’s probably a smart investment by Ole Miss. After all, Freeze took over a 2-10 team and brought it back to bowl eligibility. He then signed one of the nation’s top recruiting class last spring and has another top 15 class in the works. The future is bright in Oxford and the only thing that can really derail it is more instability at head coach.

Since it looks like Freeze won’t be going anywhere soon, he might actually get a chance to see just how good those recruiting classes turn out to be.

AP

The denial train continues to chug out of Austin on Tuesday regarding football coach Mack Brown’s future.

First it was the university that released a statement denying he was stepping down, then Brown himself denied it.

Now, it’s Texas athletic director Steve Patterson’s turn.

“We continue to discuss the future of Texas Football. Mack Brown has not resigned. And no decisions have been made,” Patterson said in a statement released to media.

It doesn’t exactly sound like a ringing endorsement of Brown staying on as coach, does it? Sounds to me like decisions are about to be made.

If Texas does make a move, it could happen in the next 48 hours and then the wheels will be in motion to find a replacement for the 16-year head coach. If the Longhorns can’t lure Nick Saban out of Tuscaloosa, who’s next on the list?

Whoever it is will likely be a very, very rich man when this is over.

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The family of the woman who accused Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston of rape will hold a press conference this coming Friday (Dec. 13) to address the report on the investigation by State Attorney Willie Meggs, the accuser’s attorney said on Tuesday.

Why is Friday significant? It just so happens to be the day before the 2013 Heisman ceremony, when Winston will be awarded the coveted trophy in New York City.

This assures that the decision by Meggs and the issues swirling around it are bound to be brought up to Winston by media covering this weekend’s ceremony. It’s even possible that the accuser’s press conference will happen at the same time as the traditional pre-Heisman-ceremony press conference held on Friday with all the finalists.

Whatever the case, the accuser’s family seems intent on keeping this issue alive for now. Time will tell how this will affect the long-term perception of Winston…and the accuser.

Coming off a three-win season that saw it go winless in the SEC and fire its head coach, Auburn was an afterthought entering the 2013 season when it came to the conference race let alone the chase for a BCS title.

12 wins and an SEC championship later, the Tigers will face top-ranked Florida State for the right to claim what will be the final BCS championship trophy early next month — and there are a couple of individuals out there who couldn’t be happier.

Sportsbook.com revealed Monday that, prior to the start of the season, two individuals placed $100 wagers on Auburn to win the 2013 BCS title prior to the start of the season.  As the Tigers carried 1,000/1 odds to win the championship at the time the bets were placed, those two individuals stand to pull in a cool $100,000 if Auburn can get past Florida State Jan. 6 in Pasadena.

Prior to the SEC championship game win over Missouri that propelled Auburn into its matchup with the Seminoles, Bloomberg News reported that, per the Las Vegas Hotel Superbook, at least 14 people had laid various amounts of money on the Tigers at 1,000/1.

Sportsbook.com has the Seminoles listed as a 7.5-point favorite over the Tigers as of Tuesday morning.

(Tip O’ the Cap: Cleveland Plain Dealer)

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.