Orange County Register Archive
Getty Images

USC transfer Cary Angeline cleared, listed as NC State’s starting TE

By John TaylorSep 18, 2018, 5:55 AM EST
Leave a comment

As expected, it’s all systems go for one of North Carolina State’s key offseason additions.

On its updated depth chart Monday, Cary Angeline was listed as NC State’s starting tight end ahead of their Week 4 matchup with Marshall. The transfer from USC had been forced to sit out the first three games of the current season by the NCAA. Angeline played in the Trojans’ first two games of the 2017 season and dressed for a third before leaving the Pac-12 program, leading NCSU to appeal to the NCAA to allow him to sit out just the first two games this year; The Association subsequently denied that appeal and forced him to sit out one full (365-day) year.

Because of the NCAA’s ruling, Angeline missed home games against James Madison (Sept. 1), Georgia State (Sept. 8) and West Virginia (Sept. 15). The Wolfpack will travel to Huntington to face the Thundering Herd this weekend.

Penn State had, at least early on, been a frontrunner for the 6-7, 254-pound Angeline, a Pennsylvania native, before he opted to transfer to NC State in December of last year.

A four-star member of USC’s 2016 recruiting class, Angeline was rated as the No. 10 tight end in the country and No. 8 player at any position in the state of Pennsylvania. He took a redshirt as a true freshman, then played in the first two games this past season.

Including the upcoming season, Angeline will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Angeline should be able to help an offense that, despite being 11th nationally in passing yards per game (367.5), is tied for 64th in scoring (32.5 points per game) and tied for 49th in red zone efficiency (.909). They are also 117th in rushing yards per game at an even 99.

Oklahoma State OT Arlington Hambright announces transfer to Colorado

Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images
By Kevin McGuireFeb 18, 2019, 5:37 PM EST
Leave a comment

Former Oklahoma State offensive tackle Arlington Hambright is ready for his final season of college football. He’ll play it at Colorado, Hambright announced via Twitter.

“I give all glory and praise to God, without him I would be nothing but I will be spending my last year in Boulder, Colorado playing in the Pac-12 under some GREAT coaches and for [an] amazing University,” Hambright announced, via Twitter. “Now let’s get to work!”

Reports of Hambright potentially transferring from Oklahoma State surfaced earlier this month as the player transfer fun has continued to run wild this offseason. While no specific reason for his reason for transferring has been made public, he will certainly be looking to close out his college football career on a high note. An ankle injury brought an early end to Hambright’s 2018 season after starting the first five games of the season. He did return for the Liberty Bowl against Missouri, but Hambright will look to get in a full season as a potential starter in the Pac-12 this fall.

E.J. Price, Kentucky OL with starting experience, leaves Wildcats

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
By Kevin McGuireFeb 18, 2019, 3:29 PM EST
Leave a comment

Coming off one of the most successful seasons in recent memory in Lexington, Kentucky now has a hole to plug on the offensive line. Starting offensive tackle E.J. Price has reportedly left the football program. According to a report from Kentucky Sports Radio, Price will pursue other opportunities and a university spokesperson confirmed he is no longer with the program.

Price transferred to Kentucky from USC in 2017, but it was about a year ago Price suggested he was ready to leave Kentucky too. However, Price stuck with the Wildcats in 2018. He started 11 of 13 games for Kentucky as the Wildcats turned in a 10-win season capped with a victory in the Capital One Bowl against Penn State. It was Kentucky’s first 10-win season since 1977 and their first bowl victory since the 2008 season.

What’s next for Price remains to be seen. He will be required to sit out the 2019 season if he transfers to another FBS program unless he applies for a waiver and receives approval to be eligible in the fall.

As for Kentucky, the spring will open with a starting job up for grabs on the offensive line, although the return of Landon Young from a season-ending injury a year ago should help solidify the efforts up front.

Virginia Tech promotes ex-Hokie Justin Hamilton to safeties coach

Getty Images
By Zach BarnettFeb 18, 2019, 1:52 PM EST
Leave a comment

Virginia Tech has promoted director of player development Justin Hamilton to safeties coach, the program announced Monday.

“Justin has more than proven his mettle to our staff over the past year and has earned this opportunity to take the next step in his football career,” head Hokie Justin Fuente said in a statement. “We know how invested Justin is in the continued success of our program. He’s a bright and talented coach who has built a solid rapport with our players and football staff. Coach Foster and I are both excited to expand his responsibilities with our team.”

A former Hokie player himself, Hamilton spent the bulk of this decade coaching at smaller programs in the Commonwealth. He was UVA-Wise’s defensive coordinator from 2011-13 and coached linebackers at VMI from 2014-17.

Hamilton fills a void created by the departure of current safeties coach Tyrone Nix. Virginia Tech officially said goodbye to him on Monday by announcing his departure for Ole Miss, though Ole Miss has yet to say anything as of press time.

Derrick Nix is on staff as Ole Miss’ running backs coach.

Southern Miss reportedly hiring offensive coordinator away from Arkansas State

Getty Images
By Zach BarnettFeb 18, 2019, 12:38 PM EST
Leave a comment

Southern Miss reportedly has its offensive coordinator, and the hire is more notable for who it’s not than who it is.

After the fiasco that was Art Briles‘ interview and interview postscript, Golden Eagles head coach Jay Hopson has decided to go with the decidedly uncontroversial choice of Arkansas State offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, according to FootballScoop. (Full disclosure: I also write for FootballScoop.)

Faulkner spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Arkansas State, and prior to that spent four in a similar role at Middle Tennessee. Faulkner’s first stint as an offensive coordinator came in 2010 at Murray State, where his Racers offense became the first in FCS history to post a 500-yard passer, a 200-yard rusher and a 200-yard receiver in the same game.

Faulkner takes over for Shannon Dawson, who was let go and subsequently became the tight ends coach at Houston.

Southern Miss finished No. 109 nationally in yards per play and No. 90 in scoring; the Golden Eagles went 6-5 but did not garner a bowl bid last season. Arkansas State, meanwhile, was No. 31 in yards per play and No. 55 in scoring.