Player Notes

INDIANAPOLIS — Minnesota coach PJ Fleck's description of Purdue coach Ryan Walters' Illinois defense sounds like an oxymoron until you look at the box score.Last season the Illini secondary, held the Golden Gophers to 38 yards through the air on 6-of-18 passing with three interceptions.Having talented players such as top-5 NFL draft pick Devon Witherspoon certainly helps a defense thrive, but Fleck ...

On Saturday, Pitt fans and coaches alike will hope to see things turn around as one of the most notable names to visit campus this summer, Yasin Willis, is expected to announce his collegiate destination.“Big announcement Saturday,” Willis tweeted last weekend, “stay tuned!”While Pitt already has a running back in its 2024 class, the Panthers would undoubtedly accept Willis into the group. Rivals rates ...

Counting down the days to the start of Oregon State’s 2023 preseason football camp on Aug. 3.Here is the fifth of 10 countdown topics: The most important game of the Beavers’ 2023 season.It’s Oregon State at Oregon on Nov. 24, no?Of course, if the Beavers are 9-2 or better and have a shot to reach the Pac-12 title game. But so much must happen to make the game meaningful beyond the rivalry.The key ...

Oregon State leadership expressed support of the Pac-12 on Friday, as the conference deals with school defections, media rights negotiations and possible expansion.OSU president Jayathi Murthy and athletic director Scott Barnes met with the Pac-12′s CEO group, athletic directors and conference commissioner George Kliavkoff during a virtual conference call late Thursday afternoon. The hastily assembled ...

Chad Weiberg admits he had no way of knowing in July 2021 what the future of the Big 12 would look like. He likely wouldn’t have thought then, in the aftermath of OU and Texas announcing their departure for the SEC, that the Big 12 would be pilfering another Power Five league only two years later.But here’s what the Oklahoma State athletic director did know back then: he and other leaders in Stillwater ...

NORMAN — For the first time since 2019, OU football will host "Meet the Sooners Day."The event will be held Aug. 5 from 1-3 p.m. on the main concourse at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.The event is open only to members of the Crimson and Cream Collective (ages 13 and above) and Sooner Jr. Kids Club members (ages 12 and under). Sooner Jr. Kids Club members must be accompanied by one adult ...

INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State has faced Penn State in each season since the longtime independent joined the Big Ten in 1993.That is changing soon.The league’s elimination of divisions next year, accompanying expansion to 16 teams with the addition of Southern California and UCLA as members, will wipe away the annual grudge match between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions. Only Michigan is set as a protected ...

Cincinnati Bengals punter Drue Chrisman provided an update on his undisclosed medical situation Friday afternoon.The 26-year-old former Ohio State standout tweeted a picture from a hospital bed, saying, "Thank you to everyone who has reached out. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Everything looking to be okay and hopefully back soon."Chrisman was not at the opening day of training camp on Wednesday. ...

INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio State football will nearly be at full strength for the start of preseason camp next week.At Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said all of the scholarship players who were out for the spring will be ready for the start of preseason camp. That begins Aug. 3 in preparation for the Sept. 2 season opener at Indiana.Returning starters Julian Fleming, Emeka Egbuka, ...

SOUTH BEND — For Notre Dame football, the shockwaves continue to reverberate from Matt Balis’ resignation after 6 ½ seasons as the program’s director of football performance.“I think he’s been taking some time for himself,” Kevin Bauman, a fourth-year junior tight end from Red Bank, N.J., said Thursday. “I shot him a quick text just thanking him and everything. I think he’s keeping a little bit to ...