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Mount Union gets No. 1 seed in D3 playoff; defending D2 champ Texas A&M-Commerce makes D2 playoff

By Kevin McGuireNov 12, 2018, 11:04 AM EST
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On Sunday, the playoff fields for Division 2 and Division 3 were revealed, officially getting the postseason fun started around college football this week. Both defending national champions from the D2 and D3 levels are back in the field, including Division 3 powerhouse Mount Union, the No. 1 team in D3 going into the postseason.

The Purple Raiders clinched their spot in the Division 3 playoff field by going 10-0 and clinching the Ohio Athletic Conference, Doing so awarded Mount Union one of 26 automatic berths in the playoffs. Mount Union has won 13 of 20 national championship games since 1993 in the Division 3 playoffs, and the Purple Raiders will bring a postseason record of 99-16 into this year’s tournament. This will be Mount Union’s 27th consecutive playoff appearance.

The Division 3 field is highlighted by some familiar national title contenders at the D3 level. Other top seeds in the field include Mary Hardin-Baylor, last year’s runner-up to Mount Union and the 2016 national champion, and Wisconsin-Whitewater, the program previously coached by current Buffalo head coach Lance Leipold. Wisconsin-Whitewater is looking to make their first national championship game appearance since Leipold left for Buffalo, which he did after winning three of the previous four Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowls for the national title against Mount Union.

Defending D2 national champion Texas A&M-Commerce is in the D2 field, although they will have a bit of an uphill climb as the No. 6 seed in their region. They also have a tough draw out of the gate with Minnesota-Duluth (11-0) in the opening round. Last year’s runner-up, West Florida, failed to make the playoff field this season. Longtime D2 giants Grand Valley State and Northwest Missouri State will clash in the opening round with a possible matchup with another longtime power, Ferris State, in the second round. Valdosta State, Minnesota State, Ouachita Baptist and Notre Dame (Ohio) all received top seeds in their respective regions.

Division 2 Playoff Bracket | Division 3 Playoff Bracket

The FCS Playoffs begin Nov. 24. The selection show for the FCS playoff field is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 18 because the FCS season is still ongoing this week with a handful of FCS teams playing FBS programs.

Texas to host Louisiana-Lafayette in 2021

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By Zach BarnettFeb 21, 2019, 5:31 PM EST
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Texas will host Louisiana-Lafayette on Sept. 4, 2021, according to a report Thursday from FBSchedules.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will cancel a scheduled game with Arizona State in order to make the trip to Austin. Other than the shorter trip, the switch will not turn a profit for Louisiana-Lafayette. The school was scheduled to make $1.3 million from Arizona State and will take $1.5 million from Texas, but, in order to access that $1.5 million payday, the Cajuns will have to give back $200,000 to the Sun Devils.

The meeting will be the third all-time between the schools. Texas beat ULL 52-10 to open the 2000 season and 60-3 to begin its 2005 national championship campaign. Both of those games were in Austin as well.

For what it’s worth, Texas hosts Louisiana Tech and LSU in this upcoming season.

After Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas will visit Arkansas and host Rice to round out its non-conference slate. ULL also has games with Ohio (home) and Liberty (road) lined up for 2021.

FBSchedules also reported Thursday that Louisiana-Lafayette will visit Minnesota on Sept. 30, 2023 and play a home-and-home with Tulane in 2024 and ’27.

The Cajuns played a 2-for-1 with the Gophers from 2001-03; Minnesota won all three games. ULL and Tulane have played 27 times previously. Tulane is 23-4 in those games, including each club’s most recent game — a 41-24 Green Wave win in the 2018 Cure Bowl.

Florida State hires Randy Clements as offensive line coach

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By Zach BarnettFeb 21, 2019, 5:09 PM EST
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You knew this was coming as soon as Kendal Briles was hired.

Florida State on Thursday announced Randy Clements as its offensive line coach, ending weeks of speculation and idle waiting for this to happen. Much like an architect prefers a specific contractor or a director only works with a certain cinematographer, Briles and Clements are a package deal. An OG member of the Art Briles tree, Clements has been with dad and/or son dating back to 1990, when Art was the head coach at Stephenville High School and Clements was his offensive line coach.

After Art broke away to serve as Texas Tech’s running backs coach from 2000-02, Clements reunited with Briles at Houston in 2003, where Kendal was along for the ride as a wide receiver and safety. Clements then followed the Briles men to Baylor.

After the staff blew up in infamy in 2016, Clements and Kendal Briles spent 2017 in isolation from each other, with Kendal at Florida Atlantic and Clements at NAIA Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla.

But Briles’ overwhelming success in his one season at FAU led a desperate Major Applewhite to hire him, and he brought Clements along with him. The pair’s success at Houston has now led them to Tallahassee.

“Randy Clements has a remarkable resume filled with quantifiable results coaching offensive linemen,” Willie Taggart said in a statement. “He has proven to be a successful teacher and knows exactly how we want to operate in this offense. I am happy for our student-athletes to learn from him, and I’m enthusiastic about him joining our staff as we continue to build a championship culture at Florida State.”

Taggart made a well-renowned hire off the bat in luring Greg Frey, a member of FSU’s 1993 national championship team, away from Michigan, but the hire did not work out. Working with a patchwork line (to put it kindly), Frey’s offensive line helped FSU rank 110th in yards per play, 129th in yards per carry and 112th in sacks allowed, and he was relieved of duties last week to make room for Briles’ preferred contractor.

“I want to start by thanking Coach Taggart for this opportunity,” Clements said. “My family and I are thrilled to be part of this prestigious program. My background with Kendal will be valuable, but I’m also looking forward to integrating with the rest of the staff and can’t wait to get to know and work with the student-athletes on campus. I am excited to work toward our goal of bringing Florida State its next championship.”

Virginia Tech QB Hendon Hooker removes name from transfer portal

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By Zach BarnettFeb 21, 2019, 4:16 PM EST
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The transfer portal taketh, the transfer portal giveth back.

After announcing late last month that he will place his name in the portal, Virginia Tech quarterback Hendon Hooker on Thursday revealed he had removed his name and will return to Blacksburg.

“I am taking my name out of the transfer portal and I truly believe it’s best to continue my career as a Hokie,” Hooker said in a statement posted to his Twitter account. “I regret the time that I’ve missed with my teammates in preparation for spring ball. I apologize to them and my coaches if I appeared to have a lack of commitment in what we are trying to achieve here at Hokie Nation.”

A native of Greensboro, N.C., Hooker redshirted in 2017 and then saw action in six games last fall. He did not total many snaps while serving as a reserve quarterback, but he did open his collegiate career with a 69-yard touchdown scamper in a 62-17 win over William & Mary in September. Hooker finished the year with 57 rushing yards and did not throw a pass.

However, his path to the field has cleared greatly in recent days.

In a bit of news that is no doubt related to Hooker’s reversal of field, Josh Jackson announced his plans to transfer to Maryland earlier this week. With Jackson out of the picture, Hooker will compete with junior Ryan Willis (who threw 364 passes last season) and fellow sophomore Quincy Patterson II for playing time in 2019.

Oklahoma State transfer one of three Georgia Southern players arrested

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By John TaylorFeb 21, 2019, 3:21 PM EST
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I’m thinking this isn’t the most optimal of first impressions.

In a tweet posted to his Twitter account in early December, running back J.D. King, who announced his decision to transfer from Oklahoma State two weeks prior, confirmed that he would be continuing his collegiate playing career at Georgia Southern.  Very early Sunday morning, the Savannah Morning News has reported, King (pictured) and two of his new GSU teammates, quarterback Ivan Corbin and running back Logan Wright, were all arrested for disorderly conduct.

The details of what led to the misdemeanor charges have not been divulged.

“We are aware of the situation and it will be dealt with internally,” Eagles head coach Chad Lunsford said in a statement. “We are disappointed with the decisions that were made and hopefully we can use it as a learning experience for our entire team as we move forward.”

King, who will have to sit out the 2019 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules, ran for 469 yards and four touchdowns on 99 carries as a true freshman for the Cowboys in 2017.  This past season, King’s production dropped to 153 yards and no touchdowns on 43 carries in 10 games.

After sitting out the upcoming season, King will have two years of eligibility remaining.

As a redshirt freshman in 2018, Wright was fifth on the team 308 yards rushing and tied for fourth with three rushing touchdowns.  Corbin, who has yet to attempt a pass at the collegiate level, will be fighting for a backup job as he enters his redshirt junior season.