Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.
Harbaugh set for second interview with Falcons
Nearly two weeks removed from Michigan’s national championship win, it remains uncertain whether Jim Harbaugh will leave for the NFL or remain in Ann Arbor.
The prevailing rumor has been that Harbaugh will leave Michigan to become the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, but the Chargers have also interviewed more than a dozen other candidates including former Ohio State star Mike Vrabel, who’s looking for a new job after he was fired by the Tennessee Titans.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons are emerging as another potential destination for Harbaugh. While Bill Belichick has been seen as a frontrunner for that job, Harbaugh also appears to be a serious candidate as the Falcons have scheduled a second interview with the Michigan coach for this week, according to multiple reports.
The #Falcons are scheduling a second interview with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh for next week, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 19, 2024
So with Bill Belichick in Atlanta for more meetings today, the Falcons also want to continue the conversation with Harbaugh, who met in-person with them on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/bcAfwpjp53
As Harbaugh’s third annual flirtation with the NFL continues, Michigan is still attempting to sign Harbaugh to a contract extension. Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel reported earlier this week, however, that Harbaugh is asking for a contract stipulation that would prevent Michigan from firing him as a result of NCAA findings or sanctions against the program amid its investigation into the sign-stealing operation led by former staffer Connor Stalions.
Bama loses 30 players to the portal
With the entry of possible future Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin into the transfer portal on Friday, Alabama has now had 30 players enter the transfer portal since the end of the regular season. Many of the most prominent players in that group have entered the portal over the last 10 days as a new 30-day portal window opened up for Alabama players following the retirement of Nick Saban.
Some of the most notable portal departures for the Crimson Tide include:
- Second-team All-American safety Caleb Downs and starting center Seth McLaughlin, who have both transferred to Ohio State
- Wide receiver Isaiah Bond and tight end Amari Niblack, two of Alabama’s top three receivers last season, who have both transferred to Texas
- Five-star left tackle Kadyn Proctor, who transferred to Iowa after starting all 14 games at left tackle for the Crimson Tide last season
- Running back Roydell Williams, Alabama’s second-leading rusher in 2023, who is transferring to Florida State
- Dezz Ricks, a five-star prospect ranked as the No. 2 cornerback in the 2023 class, who transferred to Texas A&M after one year in Tuscaloosa
- Sayin and freshman cornerback Jameer Grimsley, who each entered the portal less than two weeks after enrolling at Alabama
As a result, new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has some significant rebuilding of his roster to do going into his first season leading the Crimson Tide. He made his first transfer addition on Thursday with the commitment of quarterback Austin Mack, who followed DeBoer from Washington to Tuscaloosa, but the Crimson Tide will likely be big players in the post-spring transfer window as they look to replace more of the players they’ve lost over the past few weeks. (Update: Alabama added a second transfer from Washington on Sunday morning when former Huskies center Parker Brailsford announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide.)
A ninth-year senior
Miami (Florida) tight end Cam McCormick made history this week when he became the first college football player ever to receive a ninth year of eligibility from the NCAA.
Appreciate all of the support! #84Resilient #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/KKYlI2jO8P
— Cam (@McCormick_Cam) January 18, 2024
McCormick started his college career at Oregon in 2016 – the same year Nick Bosa, who is now five seasons into his NFL career, started his college career at Ohio State. He spent seven years in Eugene but redshirted as a true freshman, then played in only three total games from 2018-21 due to injuries. In turn, the NCAA granted McCormick three additional years of eligibility in addition to the extra year of eligibility all players received in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Plenty of people have questioned why McCormick, who caught just eight passes for 62 yards last season in his first year at Miami, is still playing college football. But he told ESPN that he still aspires to play in the NFL and that he wants to inspire others who have had to battle through injuries to “keep pushing toward their goals and their future.”
“I want to say I gave it my best opportunity and best shot,” he said.
ICYMI
Ohio State’s Projected Defensive Lineup for 2024 is Absolutely Loaded
An already-loaded defense got even better with Caleb Downs’ transfer to Ohio State. We took a look at how what should be one of the Buckeyes’ best defensive lineups ever will stack up at every position.
A Look at Ohio State’s Nine Prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft
Ohio State’s 2024 NFL draft class is much smaller than it could have been, which is a good thing for the 2024 Buckeyes. That said, Ohio State still has nine prospects with a legitimate chance to be drafted, headlined by two-time unanimous All-American wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., a projected top-five overall pick.
Film Study: How An Evolved Kansas State Scheme Prepared Will Howard to Quickly Take Over the 2024 Buckeye Offense
Our Kyle Jones took an in-depth look at how Will Howard’s success as Kansas State’s quarterback should translate to playing in Ohio State’s offense.
What’s Next
- Women’s Basketball: vs. Iowa, Sunday, Noon (NBC)
- Men’s Basketball: at Nebraska, Tuesday, 7 p.m. (Peacock)
- 83 Days: Ohio State’s spring football game
- 223 Days: Ohio State’s football season opener vs. Akron
- 314 Days: The Game
