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Shane Buechele leaving Texas for SMU

By Zach BarnettFeb 7, 2019, 5:26 PM EST

It seemed like fait accompli that Shane Buechele would leave Texas for SMU, and that fate is now complete.

After putting his name in the transfer portal in mid-January, everyone who was anyone was pointing to SMU as his likely destination, and they did so for two reasons. First, it was close to home for the Arlington, Texas, native. Second and most importantly, the Mustangs were in the market for a graduate transfer quarterback after watching their own multi-year starter, Ben Hicks, graduate transfer to Arkansas.

Thanks to the new redshirt rule, Buechele will have two years to play for SMU, where he figures to compete with rising sophomore William Brown for the starting job. Brown played quite well as a freshman, hitting 53-of-85 passes for 625 yards with seven touchdowns against just one pick.

Thank you Longhorn Nation. On to the next chapter. pic.twitter.com/3Wk65mSByf

— Shane Buechele (@BGShaneBuechele) February 7, 2019

Still, Buechele will be seen as the favorite to start for SMU next season thanks to his experience playing and learning as a Longhorn. He started his first game as a collegiate player, throwing for 280 yards and two touchdowns in that memorable-for-how-un-memorable-it-wound-up-being win over Notre Dame to kick off the 2016 season. He started that entire season, hitting 60 percent of his passes for 21 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.

Sam Ehlinger arrived in 2017 and Buechele beat him out for Snap 1 in Game 1, but injuries and inconsistent play saw him yo-yo from the field to the bench throughout the year. He saw serious action in five games, and for the year completed 137 of his 213 tosses for 1,405 yards with seven scores against four picks. Buechele was Ehlinger’s full-time backup this past season, but those involved still pointed to him as an integral part of the team. Tom Herman referred to Buechele as the most engaged backup he’d ever coached, and when called upon Buechele nursed home wins over Baylor and Iowa State for a temporarily injured Ehlinger, in the process connecting on 30-of-44 passes for 273 yards with two scores and one interception.

Those were the only two games in which Buechele played, meaning he will get to repeat his junior season for SMU in 2019.

Buechele is the third Texas quarterback to consider leaving and the second to follow through with it. Freshman Cameron Rising left already for Utah, and fellow freshman Casey Thompson opted to return as Ehlinger’s backup rather than leave. Texas signed 4-star Roschon Johnson in December and convinced 3-star Sam Saxton to spurn an offer from Rutgers (among others) to walk-on for his hometown team.

College Football in Coronavirus Quarantine: On this day in CFT history, including Steve Sarkisian getting nothing in his $30 million lawsuit against USC

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By John TaylorJul 10, 2020, 8:24 AM EDT

2019

THE HEADLINE: Déjà vu all over again: Talk resurfaces of Nick Saban wanting Texas job after winning 2012 title at Alabama
THE SYNOPSIS: Saban and his wife both stated they weren’t leaving Tuscaloosa. Saban’s high-powered agent, Jimmy Sexton, though, reportedly playing point man in at least a couple of meetings with those connected to the Longhorns football program. Of course, there is — or, was — a reason to question what the future Hall of Famer says publicly.

“I guess I have to say it… I’m not going to be the Alabama coach,” Saban, then the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, said on Dec. 21, 2006, nearly two weeks before he was named the Alabama coach Jan. 3, 2007.

2018

THE HEADLINE: Steve Sarkisian gets nothing in $30 million lawsuit against USC
THE SYNOPSIS: This was the biggest win related to football for the Trojans in quite awhile.

2016

THE HEADLINE: Add ‘2016 Olympian’ to Oregon WR Devon Allen’s list of accomplishments
THE SYNOPSIS: After posting a personal-best 13.03 in the 110-meter hurdles, Allen was part of the United States Olympic team in Rio De Janeiro. In The Games, Allen finished fifth after putting up a 13.31 in the finals. In November of that year, Allen announced he was foregoing his remaining eligibility to pursue a professional career in track. That announcement also comes nearly two months after he sustained a torn ACL, his second such tear in less than two years.

2015

THE HEADLINE: Florida State suspends RB Dalvin Cook following warrant for alleged battery of woman
THE SYNOPSIS: The following month, a jury found Cook not guilty.

2013

THE HEADLINE: Pac-12 commish: ‘I think we will have football’ in China
THE SYNOPSIS: Seven years later, and we have yet to see this come to fruition. And Larry Scott, meanwhile, could be on his way out of the door.

Central Michigan loses one of its highest-rated 2018 signees to the transfer portal

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By John TaylorJul 9, 2020, 10:50 PM EDT

Now, for what’s seemingly becoming a daily disclaimer when it comes to transfers.

As we’ve stated myriad times in the past, a player can remove his name from the portal and remain at the same school. At this point, though, other programs are permitted to contact a player without receiving permission from his current football program.

NCAA bylaws also permit schools to pull a portal entrant’s scholarship at the end of the semester in which he entered it.

Pearson was a three-star member of the Central Michigan football Class of 2018. Only one offensive signee in that cycle for CMU, wide receiver Keonta Nixon, was rated higher than the New Jersey product. As a true freshman, Pearson completed 12 of his 24 passes for 94 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Pearson didn’t play a down for the Chips in 2019.

In 2018, Central Michigan lost a school-record 11 games. In Jim McElwain‘s first season in 2019, CMU won went 8-6. Included in the losses was a New Mexico Bowl beatdown at the hands of San Diego State.

Ole Miss pulls in second transfer from a university in Canada

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By John TaylorJul 9, 2020, 8:24 PM EDT

SEC commish issues statement in wake of Big Ten’s seismic announcement

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By John TaylorJul 9, 2020, 7:11 PM EDT

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It didn’t take long for the most powerful man in SEC football country to respond to what the B1G wrought.

As you may have heard, the Big Ten confirmed Thursday afternoon that it will be going with a conference-only football schedule for the 2020 season. That was the first significant Power Five domino to tip, but it certainly won’t be the last. In the coming days, or perhaps next week, the ACC and Pac-12 are expected to make a similar announcement. The Big 12 and SEC, though, are widely expected to kick that football scheduling can down the road a bit longer, perhaps as late as the end of July.

Not long after the B1G announcement, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey released a statement addressing just where his conference is at decison-wise.

The Southeastern Conference will continue to meet regularly with our campus leaders in the coming weeks, guided by medical advisors, to make the important decisions necessary to determine the best path forward related to SE Fall sports. We recognize the challenges ahead and know the well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans must remain at the forefront of those decisions.

Again, it’s expected that the SEC will make a decision on the football path it will take later this month. Barring unforeseen circumstances pushing up that timeline, of course.