Nebraska has opted out of a home-and-home football series with Tennessee scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

• Tennessee athletic director Danny White confirmed the news -- and his displeasure -- on social media.

  "Tennessee is not canceling this series. Nebraska did," White posted Friday on X. "We are very disappointed that they didn't want to play these games, especially this close to 2026."

  The 2026 game had been scheduled for Lincoln, Neb., with the 2027 contest in Knoxville, Tenn.

  Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen said upcoming renovations to the Cornhuskers' stadium prompted the decision.

  "We are making plans to embark on major renovations of Memorial Stadium that may impact our seating capacity for the 2027 season," Dannen said in a statement. "The best scenario for us is to have eight home games in 2027 to offset any potential revenue loss from a reduced capacity. The additional home games will also have a tremendous economic benefit on the Lincoln community."

  Nebraska will pay $500,000 to get out of the agreement. White told Volquest that the cost should have been "much steeper."

  "You really can't pull an audible this late in the game," White said.

  The Cornhuskers will replace the Volunteers with home dates against Bowling Green in 2026 and Miami (Ohio) in 2027. Tennessee is still looking for replacements.

  Nebraska finished 7-6 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten last season and Tennessee finished 10-3, including 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference.

  The Cornhuskers are 2-1 in the all-time series, with the Volunteers winning the most recent meeting 38-24 at the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, 2016.

  Nebraska and Tennessee originally agreed to a home-and-home series in 2006, to be played in 2016 and 2017. In 2013, the schools agreed to delay the series for a decade.

  --Field Level Media

Texas and Southern California are part of the growing wave of prominent programs punting their annual spring game, eliminating the "live scrimmage" element from the offseason practice schedule in favor of an "NFL model."

• Coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed the Longhorns won't pack Darrell K. Royal Stadium in April as has been tradition for Texas and almost every college football program in response to the length of the season.

  "Over the last two years we played 30 games. That's a lot for college football: 14 two years ago, 16 this year," Sarkisian told Kay Adams in an appearance on "Up and Adams."

  "And I just mentioned we've had 25 guys get invited to the NFL combine the last two years, so we've got a lot of young players on our roster. We have 21 mid-year high school kids that just showed up. And so the development that's needed for these guys to get ready for the fall is a little bit different than it used to be."

  USC, one of Sarkisian's previous employers, reportedly will move forward with the public engagement elements of the spring game and involve well-known former players and coaches in a replacement event yet to be officially announced.

  Sarkisian, who also coached in the NFL, emphasized process and individual player development in leading Texas to the first 12-team playoff in 2024. The Longhorns will double down on that plan.

  "Our approach is going to be a little bit more NFL driven. Kind of more of an OTA style early on and as we grow into more of the scrimmage formats in the second half of spring ball, that I just don't know if rolling the ball out, playing the game, when we only get 15 practices is the best for us to maximize the opportunities that we get," Sarkisian said. "So it's going to be a little bit of a different approach, but I think college football is changing right now. And we need to do a great job as coach of adapting to college football and that's what we're trying to do."

  While the spring game can be a showcase for a program's stars of tomorrow, the complexities -- and potential unintended consequences -- involved in the modern game pushed other programs to pull the plug on the end-of-semester games. Nebraska's Matt Rhule felt the Cornhuskers' spring game because more of a platform for transfer portal poachers to scout and contact players. National champion Ohio State and Southern California also are done with the spring game as we know it.

  Ohio State, one of the most active programs in the transfer portal between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, sold 80,012 tickets to its 2024 spring game according to school estimates, ahead of Alabama (72,358) and Penn State (67,000). Nebraska and Georgia each had more than 50,000.

  The Texas spring game drew "a tad under 50,000" fans, according to athletic director Chris Del Conte.

  --Field Level Media

National champion Ohio State made the appointments of defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline official on Thursday.

• Coach Ryan Day announced them as replacements for Jim Knowles, who Penn State made the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the nation, and for OC Chip Kelly.

  Kelly is now filling that role on the staff of new head coach Pete Carroll with the Las Vegas Raiders.

  Patricia, 50, won three Super Bowls on the staff of the New England Patriots, where he spent 16 seasons. He also was the head coach of the Detroit Lions (2018-20).

  "I have been aware of and followed Matt's successful NFL career for the past 15 years, or when he first started calling plays for those outstanding New England teams," Day said in announcing the hire. "I have also gotten to know him and, aside from his creative and outstanding abilities as a defensive coach, I think Matt is going to integrate into our program's culture and values, which are the essence of who we are, very well."

  Hartline, 38, a former Ohio State and NFL wide receiver, was promoted to offensive coordinator but will continue in his role coaching wide receivers. Under his watch, the Buckeyes have had four first-round NFL draft picks in the past three years - Chris Olave (2022), Garrett Wilson (2022), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024).

  "Brian did some of his best coaching this past season," Day said. "His loyalty and patience are going to pay off, and I think he's going to be the best coordinator in the country."

  Ohio State also announced the hiring of Tyler Bowen, 35, as offensive line coach and run-game coordinator. He most recently served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Virginia Tech.

  In other staff moves, Tim Walton, 53, was promoted to co-defensive coordinator, secondary and cornerbacks coach and Keenan Bailey to co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.

  --Field Level Media

Commissioners of the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences hinted that they know how they're going to vote if the issue arises of changing the seeding format for future College Football Playoff tournaments.

• Greg Sankey of the SEC and the Big Ten's Tony Petitti would no longer guarantee conference champions the top four berths in the bracket if they don't end up within the top four of the final CFP standings.

  Those coveted top-four seeds are assured a bye in the first round.

  Any changes need the unanimous approval of all 10 conference commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua. The Fighting Irish are not affiliated with a conference in football.

  The seedings proved controversial in the past season's CFP bracket, the first one to feature 12 teams instead of four.

  The Mountain West's Boise State finished ninth in the final CFP standings but was awarded the third seed for winning the conference. Similarly, Arizona State finished 12th in the rankings but slid into the fourth seed because it won the Big 12.

  The third- and fourth-ranked teams in the final standings, Texas (SEC) and Penn State (Big Ten), respectively, were pushed down to fifth and sixth in the bracket because they did not win their conferences.

  Petitti wants the five highest-ranked conference champions to automatically earn spots in the CFP tournament, but not necessarily the top four seeds.

  "We're in favor of going to a straight seeding, where there's no difference between rankings and seeding like we had this year. We're in support of that for next year," Petitti said.

  Sankey also said he is "prepared to vote for a seeding change."

  The 10 commissioners and Bevacqua, who make up the CFP management committee, are to meet next week in Dallas to review last season's tournament.

  The Big Ten and SEC will carry extra clout going into the CFP format for the tournament capping the 2026-27 season. Changes at that point could include expanding to 14 teams.

  "Oh, it's gonna go to 14. I would bank on that," ESPN reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed Big Ten source.

  --Field Level Media

Former All-Pro running back Clinton Portis joined the Delaware State coaching staff of DeSean Jackson.

• Portis played nine seasons in the NFL with the Washington franchise and Denver Broncos, who traded the 2002 Rookie of the Year for cornerback Champ Bailey after two seasons.

  Portis, 43, compiled 9,923 career rushing yards and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2003 and 2008 in Washington. He was named second-team All-Pro in 2008 and last played in 2010.

  Jackson, 38, was hired as a first-time head coach following a 1-11 season in 2024. The Hornets were 0-5 in the MEAC and last posted a winning season in 2012 (6-5).

  Delaware State also announced Jackson would lead the team against Norfolk State, which hired former Eagles teammate Michael Vick as head coach. Delaware State is scheduled to host the game Nov. 1.

  Jackson last played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2022. He is best known for two stints with the Eagles (2008-13, 2019-20) and played for a total of six teams in a 15-year NFL career that featured three Pro Bowl selections. Jackson caught 641 passes for 11,263 yards and 58 touchdowns, adding four rushing touchdowns and four punt return touchdowns in 183 career games.

  --Field Level Media

Wisconsin announced Wednesday that head coach Luke Fickell was given a one-year contract extension through 2032.

• Financial terms were not disclosed by the school. Fickell's previous deal kept him with the program through 2031. He made $7.7 million this past season, fifth-highest in the Big Ten.

  Fickell, 51, just completed his second season in Madison and is coming off a 5-7 campaign in 2024. He led the Badgers to a bowl after the 2023 season, in which the Badgers went 7-6.

  Fickell replaced Paul Chryst as head coach in November 2022.

  Fickell is 76-38 as head coach at Ohio State (2011), Cincinnati (2017-22) and Wisconsin.

  --Field Level Media

Greg Sharpe, the play-by-play voice for Nebraska football and baseball since 2008, died Friday at age 61.

• Sharpe's family announced his death through a statement released by the school on Saturday, 10 months after Sharpe revealed he was battling pancreatic cancer.

  "While his passion and energy on the call of Husker football and baseball brought joy to so many for the past 17 seasons, it comforts us to know that his legacy will live on through these same moments that he narrated and through the relationships that he built," his family wrote in a statement. "While the public knew him for his booming voice and infectious personality, those closest to him knew him for his loyalty and dedication to them."

  Sharpe called Nebraska's final three football games in 2007 and became the team's permanent announcer for Huskers Radio Network the following year, when he also took on baseball coverage.

  He was in the booth for several Cornhuskers football games last fall and was honored as the Nebraska Sportscaster of the Year for the second time. The university's athletic department renamed Sharpe's press box workspace in his honor last month.

  "Greg was more than an announcer; he was a storyteller, a champion for our student-athletes, and a constant, trusted presence for all who love this university," Nebraska president Jeffrey P. Gold said in a release. "His impact will endure in the memories he created and the legacy he leaves behind."

  Sharpe is survived by his wife and three daughters.

  --Field Level Media

UNLV senior offensive lineman Ben Christman, a recent transfer who played at Ohio State and Kentucky, has died. He was 21.

• UNLV said Christman was found dead in an off-campus apartment on Tuesday morning. The university said it had no further details, and that the Clark County Coroner's Office would determine a cause of death.

  "Our team's heart is broken to hear of Ben's passing," UNLV football coach Dan Mullen said in a statement from the university. "Since the day Ben set foot on our campus a month ago, he made the Rebels a better program. Ben was an easy choice for our Leadership Committee as he had earned the immediate respect, admiration and friendship of all his teammates. Our prayers go out to his family and all who knew him. Ben made the world a better place and he will be missed."

  The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Christman graduated from Kentucky in December with a degree in communications. He appeared in all 12 games last season on special teams for the Wildcats.

  Christman, a native of Akron, Ohio, enrolled at Ohio State, redshirted in 2021 and played one game in 2022. He transferred to Kentucky in the spring of 2023 and missed the entire season due to knee injury. He was the top-ranked offensive lineman in Ohio as a four-star prospect out of Revere High School in Richfield.

  UNLV director of athletics Erick Harper said counseling services are being provided.

  "There is little that can be said to lessen the pain of suddenly losing a member of our university family at such a young age, and my heart breaks for all who knew and loved him," UNLV president Keith E. Whitfield said in a statement. "On behalf of UNLV, our sincere condolences are with Ben's family, friends, loved ones, and teammates during this very difficult time."

  --Field Level Media

Ohio State is turning to former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia to be its next defensive coordinator, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

• Patricia would replace Jim Knowles, who helped the Buckeyes to the national title this past season. Knowles, a Pennsylvania native, left Ohio State to assume the same position at Penn State and become the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the nation.

  The Buckeyes rode the No. 1 defense in the country to four victories in the College Football Playoff, including a 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the title game. Ohio State gave up 251.1 yards per game, more than five yards better than the next best team, Indiana.

  The Buckeyes finished 14-2 and also led the nation with 12.2 points per game, more than two points better than Notre Dame.

  Patricia, 50, had a 13-29-1 record during parts of three seasons (2018-20) with the Lions. He also served as a defensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.

  Patricia was the defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots from 2012-2017 but joined Bill Belichick's coaching staff in 2005, making him part of two Super Bowl-winning teams.

  --Field Level Media

Six former junior college football players are seeking $30 million in a lawsuit that claims they were portrayed inaccurately on the Netflix docuseries "Last Chance U," Front Office Sports reported Tuesday.

• The athletes, who were featured on the show while playing at East Mississippi Community College during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, reportedly filed the suit in Los Angeles earlier this month.

  Netflix, East Mississippi Community College, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), production company Conde Nast and the executive producer of "Last Chance U" were listed as defendants in the case.

  The players argued that they were portrayed in "misleading, offensive, or highly objectionable" ways and were not paid for appearing in the successful docuseries, even though East Mississippi Community College profited through merchandise sales and Nast got "a large amount of money from Netflix."

  "Make no mistake, each of the defendants have been unjustly enriched by intruding upon the private lives of the plaintiffs, taking unfair advantage of them through defendants' superior bargaining power, manipulating many of plaintiffs' characters, along with other means for their own financial gain while sacrificing any decent reputation plaintiffs had," John Pierce, the players' attorney, wrote in the suit.

  Players were also repeatedly pressured to sign contracts without knowing how the show was being marketed, the suit alleged.

  "Plaintiffs were misled and unaware of the potential commercial value the footage had," the lawsuit said. "However, defendants were aware of the high probability the documentary would turn into a highly profitable production."

  One of the players, Ronald Ollie, contended that his portrayal on the docuseries contributed to him going unsigned by the Baltimore Ravens and being released by the then-Oakland Raiders during the 2019 preseason.

  "The image that Ronald Ollie being lazy, unmotivated, and lacking work ethic is a false narrative," the lawsuit said. "However, ‘Last Chance U' portrayed him in a false light which destroyed career opportunities for Ronald Ollie."

  Netflix declined Front Office Sports' request for comment, while the other defendants did not provide a comment.

  John Franklin III, Cary Sidney Reavis II, Deandre Johnson, Tim Bonner and Isaiah Wright were the other five plaintiffs who appeared on the football version of "Last Chance U," which ended in 2020 after five seasons.

  --Field Level Media

Buffalo head coach Pete Lembo agreed to a one-year contract extension on Tuesday that boosts his deal with the school through the 2029 season.

• Financial terms were not disclosed for Lembo, who guided the Bulls to a 9-4 record and a 26-7 victory over Liberty in the Bahamas Bowl in his first year on the job. The season win total was one shy of Lance Leipold (2018) for the most in the program's history.

  "Pete Lembo exceeded expectations as our head football coach during his first year at UB," Buffalo director of athletics Mark Alnutt said. "He has definitely earned and deserves a contract extension. He has instilled an unbelievable culture in our program that resulted in a very successful year both on and off the field.

  "In addition to his extension, I recognize the work that his coaching staff has done to contribute to this success and have provided Pete additional resources to assist him with retaining and recruiting critical members of his staff. An incredible foundation has been built under Pete's leadership and I look forward to continued success as we as a University community work together to build this program as one of the top programs in the Group of Five."

  Lembo, 54, previously was the head coach at Lehigh (2001-05), Elon (2006-10) and Ball State (2011-15), amassing a 112-65 record at those schools.

  --Field Level Media

Jim Tressel, who coached Ohio State to the 2002 national championship, was named lieutenant governor of Ohio on Monday.

• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tapped Tressel to replace Jon Husted, whom DeWine chose to replace Vice President J.D. Vance in the U.S. Senate.

  "My criteria, No. 1, the most important thing is someone who could serve as governor if something were to happen to me over the next 100 weeks," DeWine said in his announcement on Monday. "Second, I want someone who can really contribute."

  DeWine added, "I wanted someone who knew Ohio."

  Tressel, 72, went 106-22 at Ohio State, including 9-1 against Michigan, though his record was adjusted to 94-21 by the NCAA after an investigation found he used ineligible players over improper benefits violations during the 2010 season. The Buckeyes reached the BCS Championship game in 2006 and 2007, both losses. He also led Division I-AA Youngstown State to four national championships in 15 years.

  Tressel went on to become president at Youngstown State from 2014-23.

  Tressel will have to be confirmed by the Ohio state Senate.

  --Field Level Media

SMU athletic director Rick Hart announced Friday that he will be leaving his position at the end of the school year.

• "It is with tremendous pride, heartfelt love, and yes, mixed emotions, that I share with you that I have made the decision that this academic year will be my last at SMU," Hart wrote in a statement posted to X.

  "... It is time for a new challenge for me and for a new voice to lead the Mustangs."

  Hart took over as athletic director at SMU in July 2012. He was in charge of overseeing the Mustangs' shift to the Atlantic Coast Conference, which took effect with the 2024-25 school year. In its first year in the conference, the football program advanced to the 12-team College Football Playoff.

  His departure coincides with that of university president R. Gerald Turner, who announced last summer that he would leave the school effective June. 1.

  Hart said that by leaving now, incoming president Jay Hartzell -- most recently the president at the University of Texas -- will be able to "move forward with his own vision."

  In his statement, Hart did not specify what his next move will be.

  "When I interviewed for this job, President Turner shared that he wished for a nationally competitive athletics program on par with the quality of the university," Hart said in his statement. "Mission accomplished! Of course, there is always more we could have done and more that lies ahead, but I am excited for what comes next for me and for SMU athletics."

  In a news release, SMU said it will begin it search for Hart's successor "in the coming weeks."

  --Field Level Media

Marshall Faulk is joining head coach Deion Sanders at Colorado, giving the Buffaloes three members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame on its coaching staff.

• Sanders and Faulk were 2011 inductees in Canton, with Warren Sapp joining them in 2013.

  Sapp is the Buffaloes' senior quality control analyst on defense. Faulk will coach the running backs and will be tasked with improving a running game that ranked 134th in the nation with 65.1 yards per game.

  Faulk brings a lengthy resume to his role as running backs coach at Colorado.

  He was a first-team All-American three times at San Diego State and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

  In the NFL, he was the league Most Valuable Player in 2000, a three-time Offensive Player of the Year and a three-time first-team All Pro. The No. 2 overall pick in the 1994 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, he won the Super Bowl with the then-St. Louis Rams and its "Greatest Show on Turf."

  Faulk, 51, played 12 seasons in the NFL and tallied 12,279 rushing yards, 6,875 receiving yards and 136 total touchdowns.

  Sanders is entering his third season as head coach at Colorado. The Buffaloes finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record.

  --Field Level Media

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels will be limited in spring practices after recently undergoing knee surgery.

• The school released the news on Thursday and said the surgery was minor.

  Daniels missed most of spring drills prior to the 2024 season due to a back injury.

  Daniels will be entering his sixth season with Kansas. He has thrown for 6,751 yards, 45 touchdowns and 24 interceptions in 37 games.

  Last season, Daniels passed for 2,454 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

  --Field Level Media

Ohio State and football coach Ryan Day are in agreement on a seven-year contract through the 2031 season. The deal is valued at $12.5 million per year.

• The new pact, which adds three years to his current contract, is pending approval by the university's trustees.

  The Buckeyes won the College Football Playoff national championship in January, making Day one of just three active coaches -- Dabo Swinney of Clemson and Kirby Smart of Georgia are the others -- to hoist the trophy.

  "Ohio State Football has long been defined by excellence and, under Ryan Day's leadership, that tradition has not only continued, but thrived," athletic director Ross Bjork said in a school statement.

  "Stability at the head coaching position is crucial in today's evolving college football landscape, and this new contract guarantees continued momentum in recruiting, player development, and overall program success," Bjork continued. "It is a great pleasure to work side by side with Ryan and we know that his vision and leadership will continue to bring championship success and pride to our program for years to come."

  The Buckeyes finished the regular season with a 10-2, but a 13-10 home loss to bitter rival Michigan in November had fans calling for the dismissal of the 45-year-old Day.

  Ohio State entered the CFP as the No. 7 seed, then won four games in dominating fashion, defeating Tennessee, Oregon and Texas to earn a meeting with Notre Dame in the title game in Atlanta. The Buckeyes won 34-23.

  It was Ohio State's ninth national championship and first since 2014 and moved Day's career record to 70-10.

  "My family and I are incredibly grateful to be a part of the Ohio State community, this football program and Buckeye Nation," Day said.

  "I want to thank my assistant coaches and the entire staff for the tireless efforts they all put in to keep Ohio State positioned as one of the elite programs in the country ... on and off the field.

  "And I especially want to thank and commend all the young men, and their families, who are a part of this football program. This is a team of tough and determined individuals who drive our culture of respect, commitment and love."

  --Field Level Media

Ohio State is promoting wide receivers coach Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator, On3 reported Wednesday.

• Hartline replaces Chip Kelly, who left the Buckeyes after just one season to become OC of the Las Vegas Raiders over the weekend.

  It's unclear if Hartline or head coach Ryan Day will be the chief offensive play-caller in 2025, per the report. Hartline was also the OC during the 2023 season, but Day did the play-calling.

  Hartline has been with Ohio State since 2017 and was promoted to wide receivers coach in 2018.

  In addition, Billy Fessler is expected to be promoted from analyst to quarterbacks coach, and the Buckeyes are expected to name Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Tyler Bowen their new offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

  Bowen would replace Justin Frye, who left Ohio State to take the offensive line job with the Arizona Cardinals.

  --Field Level Media

Ron Rivera, who took the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl a decade ago, said Wednesday he's headed to the football staff at Cal, his alma mater.

• The former coach of the Panthers and Washington Commanders, Rivera interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets this offseason but didn't land any offers. But he seems content with his Plan B, and, after all, if six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick can work on the NCAA level, he can, too.

  "Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool," Rivera posted to X about his new job. "Stay tuned I am coming home."

  ESPN reported that Rivera, 63, largely will help Cal head coach Justin Wilcox and the program in an administrative role. He'll assist in overseeing the big picture of the program, including budget and coaching staff, per the report.

  Rivera was an All-American linebacker at Cal after his senior season in 1983. That year, he set a school record with 26.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including 13 sacks. He had 337 tackles during his Golden Bears career.

  He was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.

  This will be the first foray into college for Rivera, who posted a 102-103-2 record with the Panthers (2011-19) and Washington (2020-23).

  He was fired by the Commanders following the 2023 season.

  --Field Level Media

Georgia Southern has agreed to a new five-year deal for football coach Clay Helton, ESPN reported Wednesday.

• The contract runs through the 2029 season and includes a raise to an average of $1 million per year, per the report.

  Helton, 52, has guided the Eagles to a 20-19 record and three bowl games in three seasons on the job.

  Georgia Southern was 8-5 in 2024, including 6-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Eagles lost 31-26 to Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 19.

  He previously coached at Southern California (2013, 2015-21), going 46-24 with five bowl appearances with the Trojans.

  --Field Level Media

Top 50 prospect and blue-chip offensive tackle Ty Haywood signed with Michigan on Wednesday.

• Haywood, out of Ryan High School in Denton, Texas, was the top remaining uncommitted recruit in the Class of 2025 after decommitting from Alabama last month. He is rated the 39th best prospect in the class and sixth-best offensive tackle, according to the 247Sports composite. ESPN rates Haywood the 16th best prospect.

  The 247Sports composite ranks Haywood as a four-star prospect; ESPN gives him five stars.

  The 6-foot-5 Haywood chose the Wolverines over Florida State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma among 33 offers.

  He rates as the second-best prospect in Michigan's class behind 5-star quarterback Bryce Underwood.

  His commitment gives Michigan the sixth-best class, according to the 247Sports composite.

  "We all have the same mindset of winning," Haywood told ESPN. "We're going to go in and do what we're supposed to do. But we're also going to have fun with this process and this next chapter of life. I'm ready to go dominate, win games and make it a fun time in our lives."

  While most players sign with teams during the early signing period in December, Haywood chose to wait until Wednesday, which is the traditional National Signing Day.

  --Field Level Media

Former Texas wide receiver Johntay Cook II was arrested on Tuesday morning on misdemeanor charges of property theft and interference of public duties.

• Cook, a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023 out of DeSoto, Texas, was being held at a correctional center in Fort Worth, Texas, according to inmate intake records.

  Cook left the Longhorns midway through the 2024 season and entered the transfer portal. He announced he was transferring to Washington on Dec. 28 before re-entering the portal on Jan. 14.

  He appeared in 20 games at Texas from 2023-24, catching 16 passes for 273 yards with two touchdowns. Both of his scores came in a 56-7 win against UTSA on Sept. 14, 2024.

  --Field Level Media

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule says he just might pull the plug on his team's traditional spring game.

• And while the fervent faithful in Lincoln, Neb., likely would be devastated if Rhule follows through, the third-year coach said it might be necessary to keep his program together.

  "I don't know that yet, but I'll be honest with you. I highly doubt it," Rhule told reporters Saturday about the likelihood of the Cornhuskers playing the game.

  The reason? The transfer portal. He doesn't want to expose his players to other coaches who might try to pluck them during the spring transfer window.

  "The word ‘tampering' doesn't exist anymore," Rhule said. "It's just an absolute free open common market. I don't necessarily want to open up to the outside world. I don't want these guys all being able to watch our guys and say, ‘Wow, he looks like a pretty good player. Let's go get him.' "

  Rhule said he is considering ways to give fans a preseason look at the team without sharing his players with the nation. The spring game last year drew 60,452 fans to Lincoln, and it also was televised on the Big Ten Network.

  The spring transfer portal closes April 25. After that, as a ceremonial close to spring practices, Nebraska could invite the fans in.

  "I do want to show off our players in some way," he said. "So what exactly will it be? ... I have not worried about anything other than recruiting right now."

  --Field Level Media

The Big Ten Conference is gauging investment interest from private equity firms despite the league's previous opposition toward meshing risk capital and college sports, Sportico reported Thursday.

• The investment bank Evercore, which was previously retained by the Big Ten, fielded initial offers from private equity firms earlier this week, per the report. A Big Ten spokesperson confirmed Evercore's inquiries to Sportico but declined to provide additional details.

  "To better support its 18 member institutions, the conference is evaluating potential strategic partnerships in order to enhance the conference's event, sponsorship and other ancillary business endeavors," the Big Ten spokesperson told Sportico in an email.

  Evercore's inquiries come after Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti pushed back on welcoming private equity into intercollegiate sports last fall. Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey took a similar stance when leaders from the two conferences met in October in Nashville. The Big Ten and SEC will reconvene for another summit next month in New Orleans.

  No other conferences currently have a private equity deal, although the Big 12 explored that route, CBS Sports reported last June. Things could change in the near future if the House v. NCAA lawsuit is finalized this spring. The groundbreaking settlement would permit schools to share revenue directly with their athletes and distribute about $2.8 billion to former athletes who were not compensated for their name, image and likeness.

  The Big Ten generated $880 million in revenue in 2023, the most among all conferences, according to Sportico. That also marked the first year of the Big Ten's seven-year multimedia rights deal with CBS, Fox and NBC worth $7 billion.

  --Field Level Media

ESPN has agreed to exercise its option to continue broadcasting Atlantic Coast Conference sporting events through 2036.

• "We appreciate the ongoing partnership with ESPN and their enduring commitment that further solidifies the ACC as a premier league in all facets," ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement Thursday. "The extension showcases the importance of our long-standing relationship, and I want to personally thank the entire ESPN team for their leadership and dedication to our collective future.

  "In addition, I want to thank our ACC Board of Directors who have been involved throughout this entire process. The resolve from both parties to further enhance the partnership through innovation and creativity to continue to drive additional value remains our top priority."

  ESPN had until Feb. 1 to pick up the option on a 20-year contract it signed in 2016. The deal would have ended after the 2027 season had the network declined to do so.

  "We remain committed to serving the ACC, its member schools, student athletes and fans via comprehensive live game coverage, storytelling and broad exposure across our unprecedented array of networks and platforms, including ACC Network," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. "The ACC is a pillar of ESPN's leading commitment to college sports and we are thrilled to continue the partnership over the next decade."

  The conference reportedly is working on how to create more marquee games in football and men's basketball. Those "value adds" are expected to help increase a new revenue distribution model as the ACC works toward a settlement with Clemson and Florida State.

  Per ESPN, a proposed plan has a percentage of the ACC's television revenue included in a "brand" fund -- with that money going to schools that annually generate the most revenue for the league in football and men's and women's basketball.

  Should that come to fruition, Clemson and Florida State likely would drop lawsuits that they currently have against the conference. The Tigers and Seminoles are suing the ACC in an attempt to back out of the conference's grant of rights.

  With the grant of rights, which is in effect through 2036, Clemson and Florida State's media rights are attached to the conference itself.

  Multiple athletic directors have said that this also could affect Notre Dame as a means to create additional games against top-tier teams within the conference, according to ESPN's report.

  --Field Level Media

Less than a week after losing its defensive coordinator to the NFL, Notre Dame is set to lure Chris Ash from the NFL to be the new DC in South Bend, Ind., ESPN first reported Wednesday.

• Ash, 51, has been in the NFL since the 2021 season and was a scout for Jacksonville in 2024. He replaces Al Golden, who departed ND last week to be the new defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals.

  Ash went 8-32 as the head coach at Rutgers from 2016-19, getting fired after a 1-3 start to the 2019 campaign. Prior to that, he was the DC at Wisconsin, Arkansas and Ohio State, where he was co-coordinator with Luke Fickell on the Buckeyes' 2014 College Football Playoff championship team.

  Ash coached safeties with the Jaguars in 2021 before going to the Las Vegas Raiders to coach defensive backs in 2022 and 2023.

  Ash also spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Texas, the latter as DC and safeties coach under Tom Herman.

  Under Golden in 2024, the Fighting Irish defense finished fifth in the nation in points allowed per game (15.5). Notre Dame lost to Ohio State in the CFP championship game.

  --Field Level Media