SMU quarterback Preston Stone doesn't catch himself accidentally saying his program plays in the American Athletic Conference anymore. "I'm pretty hardwired to think (Atlantic Coast Conference) at this point," Stone said with a smile on Monday at ACC Media Days in Charlotte. Stone and coach Rhett Lashlee lead the Mustangs back into the power-conference ranks of college football in 2024. SMU joins Cal and Stanford as the ACC's three new member schools. The program's recent football tradition may be lacking, but SMU played against the likes of Texas, Texas A&M and Arkansas in the Southwest Conference until the league's dissolution in 1996. "We were on this stage many years in the Southwest Conference, won over 11 conference championships, three national titles, had a rich history and tradition," Lashlee said Monday. "To have had that and lost it, now to have it back. I don't think there's any question our school, and we believe our program right in the heart of Dallas belongs on the national stage. We're humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be back." The Mustangs haven't won a bowl game since 2012, but they're coming off an 11-3 campaign that saw them run the table in the American and win the conference championship game. It was the program's winningest season since the 1982 national championship campaign. The chaos of the recent round of conference realignment aside, Lashlee emphasized that he believes SMU earned the opportunity to be back on this stage. "We understand it's a different opportunity," Lashlee said. "We're moving up in weight class. To play 10 straight power games, we haven't done that in almost 30 years at our program. There's going to be some changes there." One of those changes included beefing up to prepare for the jump in talent. By Lashlee's count, 13 of SMU's 20 incoming transfers play on either the offensive or defensive line. Lashlee pointed out that SMU's first two ACC games come against Florida State and Louisville -- the two schools that played in last year's conference championship game. "I feel confident we have a team that's going to compete," Lashlee said. "What does that look like? I don't know. We're excited to get out and see where we stand." Stone threw for 3,197 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions in his redshirt sophomore season in 2023. A Dallas native, he often attended SMU games as a child. "I remember when Baylor came into town and Courtland Sutton was going crazy," Stone said. "I remember when Johnny Manziel tore us up back in 2012. "Now we have a chance to play big-boy football in the ACC. I feel incredibly lucky to be this school's quarterback. That's not something I take lightly." --Field Level Media

The awkwardness of the legal battle between the Atlantic Coast Conference and member schools Clemson and Florida State continues to simmer with the 2024 season just more than one month away. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips pledged the day-to-day operations remain business as usual while also insisting the league will aggressively fight the lawsuits from the two schools over withdrawal penalties and the grant of media rights deal that runs through 2036. The ACC previously filed its own countersuit against the schools. "I can state that we will fight to protect the ACC and our members for as long as it takes," Phillips said at the ACC Kickoff on Monday in Charlotte, N.C. "We are confident in this league and that it will remain a premier conference in college athletics for the long-term future. These disputes continue to be extremely damaging, disruptive and incredibly harmful to the league." Florida State filed its suit in December and Clemson followed with its own in March. The Seminoles alleged "years of mismanagement" by the ACC and also challenged the league's "draconian" withdrawal penalties. Clemson had similar grudges against the withdrawal process and the grant of media rights. Phillips was quick to remind the assembled media on Monday that both Clemson and Florida State signed the rights' agreement in both 2013 and 2016. "Quite frankly, (the schools) eagerly agreed to our current television contract and the launch of the ACC Network," Phillips said. "The ACC, our collective membership and conference office deserves better." While saying it doesn't have to be an "evil" situation, Phillips made it clear that the overall plight of the conference matters more than any individual institutions. "Forceful moments deserve forceful support and leadership," Phillips said. "I don't know that I've changed at all, other than I stand by everything I've said. ... Either you believe in what's been signed or you don't. We're going to do everything we can to protect the league. "This has been a league that started way before me -- 71 years ago -- and will be a league around a long time after I depart." The ACC will feature 17 programs this football season after Cal and Stanford joined from the Pac-12 and SMU moved from the American Athletic Conference. --Field Level Media

College football's most coveted award, the Heisman Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding player each December. In 2023, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels won the award -- then was drafted with the No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Commanders -- with 3,812 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 10 TDs on 135 carries for 1,134 yards. In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, there's been a lot of movement among top college football programs and players, leading to some intriguing opportunities for wagering on Heisman Trophy futures. Below, we look at the current Heisman Trophy odds and discuss some notable changes, values and risks. Top Heisman Trophy Odds Favorites, based on DraftKings odds, for the 2024 Heisman Trophy: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon (+750) Carson Beck, Georgia (+800) Quinn Ewers, Texas (+1000) Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss (+1400) Will Howard, Ohio State (+1500) Jalen Milroe, Alabama (+1500) Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee (+1800) Cam Ward, Miami (+2200) Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (+2200) Avery Johnson, Kansas State (+2500) --Notable college football changes heading into 2024 Gabriel transferred from Oklahoma to Oregon. Ewers lost several key weapons to the NFL, including Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Ja'Tavion Sanders and Jonathon Brooks. Howard transferred to Ohio State from Kansas State. Milroe and the rest of Alabama are without head coach Nick Saban following his retirement. Former Washington Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer has taken over. Ward transferred to Miami from Washington State. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is +3500 to win the Heisman. Texas and Oklahoma joined the SEC. Stanford, Cal and SMU joined the ACC. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah joined the Big 12. Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington joined the Big Ten. --Heisman 2024: The Top Value Looking over the list of Heisman candidates and their odds, the value that stands out most: Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita at +4000. Last year, across 12 games as a redshirt freshman, Fifita completed 241 of 333 passes (72.4 percent) for 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions. We didn't see a lot of rushing ability, but with the athleticism he possesses to move in the pocket to fend off defenders, we could see more runs from him this season. Arizona made a coaching change and switched conferences -- Pac-12 to the Big 12. If Fifita can rack up some rushing stats and continue to show his accuracy as he did last season in an improved conference, he's on my Heisman radar. --Heisman Trophy 2024 Betting: Biggest Risk At +1500, Howard is the biggest risk atop the Heisman odds board. A fifth-year player, Howard will be playing for Ohio State, which helps any resume, but he's stood out in college football mostly because of his rushing ability. He has a lifetime 58.8 completion percentage quarterback with 48 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He scored nine rushing TDs last season. He'll have improved wide receivers, like Emeka Egbuka, but the running back duo of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson will limit his potential as a runner. His inefficiency as a passer and lack of rush attempts limit his ceiling. --By Richard Janvrin, Field Level Media

LSU cornerback Javien Toviano turned himself in to authorities in Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday after an arrest warrant sought him on suspicion of video voyeurism. Per the warrant, Toviano is accused of filming himself having sex with a woman without her consent to be recorded. The woman told police Toviano had recorded them having sex in the past without her consent and she made it clear to him she did not want to be recorded. The woman said a clock with a built-in camera near the bed recorded videos that she later found on Toviano's iPad. Toviano admitted in an interview with detectives that he had used the hidden camera for this purpose. LSU suspended Toviano from all team activities, according to a statement. LSU's preseason camp begins Aug. 1. Toviano was a top-100 recruit in the Class of 2023 and played in 13 games as a freshman, finishing with 33 tackles, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. --Field Level Media

Thom Brennaman will return to the broadcast booth this fall, calling nationally televised college football games for The CW after four years out of the business, The Athletic reported Sunday. He was fired after he uttered a homophobic slur during the broadcast of the Aug. 19, 2020, game between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals. He didn't realize his microphone was live when he made the comment as part of the Reds broadcast crew. Dismissed from the Reds job, he also was fired by Fox Sports, for whom he called MLB, NFL and college football games. "There are no words to describe how grateful I am that they're rolling the dice," Brennaman, 60, told The Athletic. "They don't have to do this." He told The Athletic that he contacted Nexstar Media Group about potential work, not expecting to hear back. But Nexstar, the parent company of The CW, reached out. The network is expanding its sports coverage, adding events such as college football and basketball, as well as LIV Golf and the long-running show "Inside the NFL." Brennaman has been making amends with the gay community in Cincinnati and across the nation, listening and learning. Cyd Zeigler, the co-founder of Outsports, said he believes Brennaman deserved a second chance. Outsports focuses on LGBTQ+ issues in sports. "I pumped my fist in the air and said, ‘Finally!'" Zeigler told The Athletic about his reaction to Brennaman's hiring. "Somebody gave this guy a chance that he deserved. I'm so proud of The CW." The CW looked into Brennaman and asked respected professionals about him, including Bob Costas. "Neither Thom nor anyone else denies that he had a serious misstep," Costas told The Athletic. "A misstep for which some consequence would have been appropriate. But the price he has paid is beyond disproportionate. Especially when you consider that he had a fine reputation prior to the incident, and took every proper step to make amends subsequent to it. His return to the booth is overdue and I am sure the audience will be happy to hear his voice again." Dennis Miller, president of The CW, said he was satisfied by when he team heard. "It became clear that he has taken full responsibility for his actions," Miller said. Brennaman will debut on the network on Aug. 31, providing the play-by-play for the Oregon State vs. Idaho State game. After that, he predominantly will be heard on coverage of the Atlantic Coast Conference. --Field Level Media

Utah State cornerback Andre Seldon Jr. died of an apparent drowning at a Utah reservoir on Saturday, the school announced. He was 22. Per the Cache County Sheriff's Office, a search began Saturday afternoon at Porcupine Reservoir after Seldon was seen diving from cliffs and did not resurface. Utah State officials said they learned he was found at 9:05 p.m. MT by the Utah Department of Public Safety dive team. Seldon transferred to Utah State earlier this year after totaling 96 tackles and two interceptions over two seasons at New Mexico State. He played there under Nate Dreiling, Utah State's interim head coach and defensive coordinator. "Our football program is heartbroken to have to endure the loss of one of our own," Dreiling said in a statement released by the school. "Having had a previous relationship with Andre during our time together at New Mexico State, I can tell you he was an incredible person and teammate. Our condolences and prayers go out to Andre's family as we grieve with them over this tremendous loss." Seldon spent two seasons at Michigan prior to playing for New Mexico State. --Field Level Media

Derek Meadows, a five-star wide receiver from the Class of 2025, committed to LSU on Saturday. Meadows marks the Tigers' second five-star pledge in four days after cornerback DJ Pickett committed to head coach Brian Kelly's program on Wednesday. The 6-foot-5, 200 Meadows chose LSU over Notre Dame - considered the favorite for months - and Georgia, Alabama and Michigan. Meadows visited all five schools, but he said his experience with the Tigers stood out from the rest. "The coaches all treat everyone like family. I know I want to be in that environment," Meadows told 247Sports. "Playing in the SEC will mean a lot and I know that I'm going to keep grinding to compete against the best." The 247Sports composite ranks Meadows as the No. 10 receiver in the nation and the No. 68 overall prospect. Meadows caught 15 passes for 391 yards and eight touchdowns during his sophomore season in 2023 to help Bishop Gorman High School win the Nevada 5A state title. A two-sport athlete, Meadows was also named Nevada's Gatorade Track and Field Player of the Year in 2023. He excelled in the 300 meters and 110m hurdles and ran on a gold medal-winning 4x400 relay team. LSU now has three five star commits from the Class of 2025. Meadows joins Pickett and quarterback Bryce Underwood, the nation's top overall prospect. --Field Level Media

Alabama approved naming its football field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in September, when Nick Saban Field will be formally recognized in Tuscaloosa. The university confirmed Friday via a unanimous approval vote that Saban, the head coach who led the Crimson Tide to six national championships, will be added to the signage. "We are humbled that The University of Alabama has honored us with the naming of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium," said Saban. "The remarkable success that the football program has achieved over the past 17 years is a reflection of the hard work of many student-athletes, coaches and staff. Being leader of the process at Alabama has been the greatest privilege of my life. Terry and I are grateful for the naming of Saban Field, which forever celebrates our accomplishments." Saban won national championships at Alabama in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020. He retired after the 2023 season with a 297-71-1 record as a college coach. As coach of the Crimson Tide, he was 206-29. Saban won nine of his 11 SEC titles with Alabama. He previously coached at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU, winning a national title with the latter in 2003. "Dedicating the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium as Saban Field is a fitting way to honor Coach Saban's extraordinary contributions to The University of Alabama," said UA President Stuart R. Bell. "Coach Saban and Ms. Terry have significantly enriched our community, and this recognition celebrates their lasting legacy. We are grateful to the Board of Trustees for bestowing this great honor." --Field Level Media

The Major League Baseball tradition is alive and well for the Kenosha Kingfish.

Utah State announced Thursday it has officially fired football coach Blake Anderson, two weeks after giving him notice of the school's intent to terminate his contract. In a statement released Thursday, Utah State said: "This action is based on significant violations of his contractual obligations related to USU's employee reporting requirements. These reporting requirements include a prohibition on employees outside the USU Office of Equity from investigating issues of sexual misconduct, including domestic violence. Additionally, Anderson failed to manage the team in a manner that reflects USU's academic values." Anderson did respond to the allegations within the 14 days after he received notice, by way of a 70-page response submitted by Anderson and his attorney Tom Mars. "Coach Anderson's legal team believes this decision -- as well as USU's deliberately inflammatory July 2 press release -- violate the terms of Coach Anderson's employment agreement and the implied covenant of good faith," Mars said in a statement. "We will be pursuing all available legal remedies on his behalf." In its original notice two weeks ago, the school cited "actions taken (by Anderson) in spring 2023." The school also announced in the original statement that it also dismissed Jerry Bovee, a deputy athletic director who was interim AD in 2023, and Austin Albrecht, director of player development and community. They were part of the same investigation. The Athletic on Thursday reported that the impetus of the investigation was a domestic violence incident in April 2023. Defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling will serve as the interim coach for the Aggies this season. Anderson, 55, was heading into his fourth season at Utah State. He compiled a 23-17 record, including a second consecutive 6-7 campaign in 2023. The Aggies finished 11-3 during his first season with the Mountain West program in 2021 and won the LA Bowl, finishing the year at No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25. Anderson is 74-54 overall, including seven seasons at Arkansas State from 2014-20. Utah State opens the season against Robert Morris on Aug. 31. --Field Level Media

After taking the program to the Elite Eight, Clemson coach Brad Brownell was rewarded Thursday with a contract extension through the 2028-29 season. Reports said the Clemson board of trustees approved a new contract that will pay Brownell $20 million over five years, starting with $3.5 million next season and growing by $250,000 every year thereafter. Clemson announced Brownell's deal Thursday without divulging financial terms. "I'm honored and grateful to continue to lead the Clemson Basketball program," Brownell said in a statement. "I want to thank (athletic director) Graham Neff, President Jim Clements and our entire administration for their continued belief and confidence in me and my staff. I am extremely proud of our recent success, both on and off the court, and there is not a better time than now to be a part of the Clemson family." Brownell, 55, is the program's winningest coach with a 265-189 record in 14 seasons on the job. Under Brownell's guidance, the Tigers have made four NCAA Tournaments, including the Sweet 16 in 2018. This past March, Clemson was a No. 6 seed and beat No. 11 seed New Mexico, No. 3 seed Baylor and No. 2 seed Arizona to make the second Elite Eight in program history. The Tigers' run ended with an 89-82 loss to No. 4 seed Alabama. The deal comes one day after ACC rival Pitt extended coach Jeff Capel through 2029-30. --Field Level Media

Bobby Petrino wasn't in the room in Dallas, but the offensive coordinator's return to the Arkansas Razorbacks was a popular topic of conversation at SEC Media Days on Thursday. Head coach Sam Pittman told ESPN his decision to hire the controversial Petrino was all about the Razorbacks' desire to win, going on to claim at the podium that he is not worried about meshing with the man who once held his position. Petrino was at the helm of the Razorbacks from 2008-11 and led them to a Cotton Bowl win in the 2011 season. But he was fired in April 2012 after a motorcycle accident led to the revelation that he was conducting an extramarital affair with an athletic department employee. Petrino's figure now looms behind Pittman, whose seat is getting hot after a 4-8 season in 2023. "I want to win. I don't care about all the rest of it," Pittman told ESPN. "This has never ever, ever been about me. I'm grateful to be the head coach at Arkansas, and I'm trying to make the people of the state of Arkansas, the team and the staff proud to be a part of the program." Pittman told reporters that Petrino has been "a great resource for me" with his head coaching background and he is not expecting to butt heads with the Arkansas icon. "I would want to work for me," Pittman said. "I would want to work with me if I was an offensive coordinator because I'm going to let you go get them. Now, I've got (many) ideas and I'm going to come in and have my tape up there and go, ‘OK, I see this, I see this, I see this.' But I would think if you ask Bobby and (defensive coordinator Travis Williams) and (special teams coordinator Scott Fountain), they say, ‘He gives me the freedom to run what I think is best.'" Petrino, 63, spent 2023 as the offensive coordinator for Texas A&M. Jimbo Fisher faced nearly identical questions about Petrino's persona at last year's SEC Media Day session and said it wouldn't make things "volatile" on the coaching staff. Fisher was fired 10 games into the season with a 6-4 record, and Petrino wasn't retained by new coach Mike Elko. "I don't know about A&M. I don't know that," Pittman said. "I just know we've given him the freedom to go score points." Hired in November to replace the fired Dan Enos, Petrino has already had a big imprint on the Razorbacks' offensive personnel. Pittman said Petrino "hand-picked" Arkansas' new quarterback, Taylen Green, a transfer from Boise State. "I had a relationship previously with Coach Petrino," Green said. "He was my first offer coming out of high school. Hit the transfer portal, and he called me every morning. Sometimes I wasn't up, and he would text me. But I took that as that meant a lot to me. He made me a priority. That meant a lot. "Just the vision that he had and Coach Pitt had, I'm truly grateful for the belief and the vision that they have. I feel like just the opportunity with the weapons that we have offensively and a great defense, I feel like the sky is the limit for us." Green emphasized how excited he was to play for Petrino. "He doesn't even have to say anything," Green said. "You just have to look at his resume and turn on the film of the different quarterbacks he had throughout his coaching career and just the development that he has and just the six, seven months that I've been ... coached by him, it's crazy just how much knowledge and how much understanding that I got just from talking to him and just taking everything in." --Field Level Media

Alabama will honor retired football coach Nick Saban by naming the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium after him, media outlets reported Thursday. Saban won six of his seven career national championships in 17 years coaching the Crimson Tide. The Alabama university system board of trustees is scheduled to meet Friday, with a resolution on the agenda for a naming at the stadium in Tuscaloosa, ESPN reported. Tide Illustrated first reported the news, with the dedication ceremony scheduled for Sept. 7 when Alabama hosts South Florida. The Crimson Tide open their season under new head coach Kalen DeBoer against Western Kentucky on Aug. 31. Saban, 72, retired from coaching in January, finishing with a career mark of 297-71-1 -- 206 of those wins coming at Alabama (with 29 losses). He began his head coaching career at Toledo in 1990. He coached Michigan State from 1995-99 before accepting the head coaching job at LSU in 2000. He won his first national title in 2003 at LSU. Now a college football analyst for ESPN, Saban has a statue of him along with the Crimson Tide's other national title-winning coaches on the Walk of Champions outside the stadium. --Field Level Media

Mike Elko prefers not to look over his shoulder. At SEC Media Days on Thursday, the new Texas A&M coach was asked to retrace a few steps in his journey to the Aggies. Elko was hired to replace Jimbo Fisher, returning to College Station where he was the defensive coordinator from 2018-21. Elko was 16-9 in two seasons at Duke. "I'll let other people judge these differences or judge what's different between me and Coach Fisher," Elko said Thursday in Dallas at SEC Media Days at the Omni Hotel. "I hadn't spent a ton of time thinking about what's different. I think our focus is what we want our program to look like, the culture that we want, the level of buy in and discipline and accountability that we want. And that's kind of been where we have focused our attention." Fisher first brought Elko to College Station on his original coaching staff after the 2017 season and he was a semifinalist for the Frank Broyles Award given to the nation's top assistant coach in 2021. He then earned ACC Coach of the Year honors in leading Duke to a 9-4 season in 2022. During his four-year stint as Fisher's defensive coordinator, Elko and the Aggies never played Texas. This year, the rivalry is back with the Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners breaking into the SEC ranks. "That's a rivalry that means an awful lot to our fan base, to the program, the history of the rivalry, and the tradition," Elko said. "I have been aware of it. I was a huge football fan growing up. I watched those games on Thanksgiving. And the defense and the wrecking crew and all of that. I think it's great for the state, great for college football that that rivalry is coming back. When you have two brands like that that are that close to each other, they should play. They should play meaningful games. They should play games that really matter. And with our tradition, they should play on Thanksgiving weekend." Another spin down memory lane awaits Elko this season with a matchup against Notre Dame. Elko was defensive coordinator for the Fighting Irish before being hired by Fisher, and his former quarterback at Duke -- Riley Leonard -- is now the signal-caller in South Bend. "Riley's a phenomenal quarterback. He's a phenomenal competitor," Elko said. "He obviously played a huge role in our success at Duke. And in a lot of ways me getting this job here at Texas A&M. And so the irony of playing against him in the opener certainly isn't lost on me. He's going to do everything he possibly can to make sure he has the upper hand on me for the rest of his life." --Field Level Media

On the hot seat entering his third season in Gainesville, Billy Napier insisted Wednesday that Florida's rebuild is "on schedule to some degree." The Gators went 6-7 with a Las Vegas Bowl loss in Napier's first season and 5-7 in 2023. The coach Napier replaced at Florida, Dan Mullen, went 34-15 in his four seasons on the job, a loss total Napier is danger of matching before October due to a highly challenging schedule. The pressure is on Napier, who was a successful Group of Five-level coach at Louisiana before taking over at Florida. Before taking the podium at SEC media days Wednesday in Dallas, Napier spoke with a smaller group of reporters. "Change doesn't happen overnight," Napier said. "I think ultimately, timing is everything. When we took the job, what we inherited, the work that needed to be done, I think we're on schedule to some degree. Should we have won a couple games down the stretch? Would I have liked to close some of those games out in the fourth quarter? Absolutely. But the reality is, I think from a systems standpoint, a process standpoint, in-house, the culture, I think we've made tremendous progress." Florida was seen as behind the times when Napier was hired. The program opened a new state-of-the-art practice facility in 2022. The Gators were also involved in an NIL melodrama with quarterback Jaden Rashada, as the sought-after prospect revoked his commitment when a reported $13.85 million NIL agreement fell through. Rashada is now suing the school and Napier. "(College football has) changed significantly every six months, every season, every offseason," Napier said. "Not only are we trying to create culture at Florida; we're building new facilities, we're creating infrastructure. "You go back to the very beginning, you're hiring a staff, you're trying to improve the roster. The game continued to evolve while we've been doing that, so that's where the challenge has been." Florida stuffed its nonconference schedule with in-state rivals. The Gators open at home against Miami. After its first two SEC games against Texas A&M and at Mississippi State, they host UCF, expected to be one of the better teams in the Big 12 this year. And as usual, they end the regular season against rival Florida State, which will be in Tallahassee this year. "It's a unique year," Napier said. "I think ultimately when you think about all the P4 teams, each conference represented to some degree, two teams from the ACC and the Big 12, it's an incredible opportunity, and I think it's going to be huge. Each one of those matchups is critical. We have a ton of respect for each one of those teams and coaches, and it's part of the schedule that everybody likes to talk about." Napier will be relying on Graham Mertz, who's returning as the starting quarterback. Mertz had a statistically middling campaign for Wisconsin in 2022 (57.3 percent passing, 2,136 yards, 19 touchdowns, 10 interceptions) but improved his game by a large margin with the Gators last year, completing 72.9 percent of his passes with a 20-3 touchdown-interception ratio. Mertz said the idea of his coach being on the hot seat and the pressure to perform in 2024 is just chatter. "That's exactly what it is," Mertz said. "For us, and I always tell my guys every day, 'Look, we can focus on what people are saying or we can focus on what we are doing.' I think that's where, regardless of what you are doing in life ... if you're worried about external things, that's where your focus is, that's where all your energy is gonna go. "For my team and my guys, I see a group of guys that are all striving to get a little bit better every day." --Field Level Media

Pitt coach Jeff Capel signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him at the school through the 2029-30 season on Wednesday. Capel, 49, guided the Panthers to back-to-back 20-win seasons, going 24-12 in 2022-23 and 22-11 last season. They qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament after being picked 14th in the league that preseason, leading Capel to win Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors. "The University of Pittsburgh continues to have outstanding leadership. ... I am appreciative of the support they have provided me and my staff as we continue to build a Pitt Men's Basketball program that competes for championships on a conference and national level annually," Capel said. "Pittsburgh is a terrific sports town full of amazing people and we are grateful for the continued support of so many passionate fans. We will continue to give 100 percent of ourselves as we represent Pitt on the court, in the classroom and in the community." In six seasons at Pitt, Capel has amassed a 97-92 record. He previously served as the head coach at VCU and Oklahoma. "When Coach Capel initially arrived at Pitt in 2018, he was tasked with one of the most difficult rebuilding jobs in all of college basketball," Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke said. "Jeff fully embraced that challenge from the outset and never wavered from his lofty vision for our players and program. Brick by brick, he built a rock-solid foundation that has Pitt basketball poised for a championship future. Jeff is an outstanding leader well beyond the court and we are highly fortunate to have him representing the University of Pittsburgh." --Field Level Media

DJ Pickett, a top-10 prospect in the Class of 2025, committed to LSU on Wednesday evening. The five-star athlete is ranked as the No. 6 overall player and No. 2 cornerback in the country, according to the 247Sports composite. Pickett also plays on offense at Zephyrhills High School in the Tampa area. LSU won out for Pickett over finalists Miami and Oregon. In announcing his commitment to On3, Pickett said LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond was a major reason for choosing the Tigers. "If you're a DB, and Coach Raymond's at LSU, I feel like that's the right place to be at," Pickett said. "That tells you everything right there." LSU entered the day already ranked No. 6 in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports. Pickett is the second five-star to commit to Brian Kelly, joining top quarterback and top overall prospect Bryce Underwood. --Field Level Media

Steve Sarkisian has experienced Southeastern Conference football before, but the magnitude of his current school's move to the conference hit him before he arrived at media days Wednesday in Dallas. "So we flew in this morning, we landed, and we get off the plane, we get in the Sprinter van and we got a police escort to media days," Sarkisian told reporters before cheekily quoting the SEC's official motto. "‘It just means more?' It just means more right there. The fact that we had a Sprinter van with a police escort to come to this was tremendous." As the nation's premier football conference welcomes Texas and Oklahoma to its ranks this summer, the head coach of the Longhorns was sure to make it clear that he doesn't expect to paint the league burnt orange right away. "As far as our transition into the Southeastern Conference, I think the key word is respect," Sarkisian said. "We have a ton of respect for this conference. We have a ton of respect for the teams, the coaches, the players and the fans. This is the elite conference in college football, and we're fortunate enough to be part of it. "We won't do anything without having a level of respect of who we play, where we're playing them, the types of players that they have, the coaching that they have, and I think on the flipside of that, we have to go earn their respect. We're not going to get anything in this deal. Nothing is going to be free. We're going to have to go earn the respect of our opponents, the opposing coaches, the opposing fans, and that's going to be kind of on the forefront of what we do." Sarkisian, the former Washington and Southern California head coach, spent 2016 as an offensive analyst for Nick Saban at Alabama and 2019 and 2020 as his offensive coordinator before taking over in Austin. Saban attended SEC media days despite retiring last winter, and Sarkisian expressed his gratitude for the future Hall of Famer helping save his career. "I would not be standing here today without you and what you've meant to my career, to my life, and I can't thank you enough, and the impact that you've had on our game has been second to none, and I just can't thank you enough," Sarkisian said to Saban. "I want to be able to publicly do that to you, Coach." As for Saban's earlier declaration that Texas "is not gonna run the SEC," Sarkisian joked, "Yeah, I gotta talk to him about that." Texas joins the SEC coming off its best season in more than a decade. The Longhorns made the College Football Playoff for the first time, where they fell to Washington in the semifinals. They brought back quarterback Quinn Ewers and have Arch Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli, waiting in the wings. "We've been fortunate to coach some pretty good quarterbacks. We've been fortunate to do it for some decades now," Sarkisian said of his program. "We've been fortunate to have some really good quarterback rooms, and I think the Manning family is pretty well aware of that. "I think they trained Arch to try to put himself in the best position to try to play in the best conference in America and then ultimately put himself in the best position to further his career playing in the National Football League." --Field Level Media

Quinn Ewers considered entering the 2024 NFL Draft before returning to the Longhorns and a crowded quarterback room at Texas based on a self-assessment that kicked back a decisive verdict. He wasn't ready. "I think one of the main things for me was getting more experience under my belt," Ewers said Wednesday in Dallas at SEC Media Days. "There is a line of demarcation for guys who really have success in the league and, obviously, there are some guys that have rare accounts of it not being this way, but there is a line, kind of 25. Twenty-five (college) starts - you see a jump in how their career went. I just kind of wanted to give myself a better chance to have a long and successful career in the NFL. "I don't want to be a guy that just comes and goes. I want to be somebody who is remembered." Ewers, 21, will make his 23rd career start on Aug. 31 in Texas' season opener against Colorado State. Week 2 brings a road game to Ann Arbor to play defending national champion Michigan on a schedule that ends with a Nov. 30 trip to Texas A&M and features traditional Texas rival Oklahoma and a home game against Georgia on back-to-back Saturdays in October. Ewers passed for 3,479 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions last season but began his college career at Ohio State. He transferred after one season and enrolled at Texas in January 2022, but he already had an education in Michigan football. "To be the best, you've got to play the best. We're all fired up to go up to Ann Arbor," he said. "It's actually my second time going up there. I was up there when Ohio State played 'em back in 2021. It's going to be cool to go back up there and see, and now I understand the hatred that Ohio State has for them. I understand the rivalry." Still No. 1 on a depth chart that includes Arch Manning, Ewers' evolution stands out to the Texas coaching staff. "He's changed his body, he looks great, he understands the system," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said of Ewers on Wednesday. "But the thing I'm probably most proud of him about is his leadership. This guy is exuding confidence right now, and there's nothing better for anybody in your organization, for anybody in your building to walk in and to say, there's our guy, and our guy is exuding confidence. He's carrying himself the right way. He's doing things the right way, not only on the field but off the field. He's our leader, and we can unequivocally say that about Quinn Ewers, and I'm proud to have him with us today." --Field Level Media

After one seasons at Gonzaga, Luka Krajnovic will return to his native Croatia to continue his basketball career. Krajnovic announced on his Instagram account that he will play next season for KK Cedevita's junior club team in his hometown of Zagreb. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard averaged 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 8.7 minutes in 15 games as a true freshman for the Bulldogs in 2023-24. He shot 46.7 percent from the floor, including 33.3 percent (3 of 9) from 3-point range. Krajnovic missed nine games early in the season because of a broken hand injured and was sidelined for the Sweet 16 game against Purdue because of illness. He was a reserve behind starting guards Ryan Nembhard and Nolan Hickman, as well as freshman wing Dusty Stromer. Krajnovic and 6-9 freshmen forward Pavle Stosic of Serbia were the only Bulldogs on scholarship from last season's team to enter the transfer portal, with Stosic committing to Utah State. --Field Level Media

DALLAS -- Jalen Milroe was down to three suits and still a little worried about whether he selected the right fit for SEC Media Days on Wednesday. A relatively tiny decision made Wednesday morning stands out as a big example of how things have changed in one year for the Alabama starting quarterback. "It came down to the shoes. You got to start with the shoes when you start your outfit off so I got the black Pradas on and then you build up from there," Milroe said of his selection of attire at the Omni Hotel on the third day of the SEC media gathering. Milroe is back as the starter for Alabama, a position that was contested into fall camp and the first two weeks of the 2023 regular season under now-retired head coach Nick Saban. Milroe turned heads by the end of the season, notably in the 27-24 SEC Championship game win that nudged Alabama into a somewhat unexpected return to the four-team College Football Playoff. Alabama ended the season with a 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan at the Rose Bowl in a CFP semifinal game that Milroe isn't ready to let go. "We were blessed and fortunate to be in the college playoffs, one game away. What burn do you need more than being that close to the championship?" Milroe said of offensive lineman Tyler Booker's reference earlier in day to being driven by that defeat. "For us, we're passionate about each other and also passionate about achieving short-term goals and long-term goals in this process and we can all reflect from it. We shared the same experience from Coach (Kalen) DeBoer with failing to achieve a national championship so now it's about refocusing and focusing on our spring 2024 football season." A Texan who delivered thoughtful answers with a posture of modesty on Wednesday, Milroe quickly grew into a monster for Alabama last season. He focused on growth as a passer in the spring to be better suited for DeBoer's wide-open passing attack. He shared the field with multiple SEC quarterbacks at the Manning Passing Academy last month and Missouri's Brady Cook said everything about Milroe is impressive. "You could just tell talking to him immediately, such a cool personality. He's always smiling. Vibrant. Just the way he interacts with people. He's not too big for anyone. He's not too cool for anyone. So I really appreciate his character," Cook said. Milroe returned from being benched against South Florida to account for 27 total touchdowns in the final 10 games. Booker said there's a new Milroe mode being unlocked in the collaboration with DeBoer, regarded as an innovate offensive mind and quarterback whisperer. "He wants to do what Jalen can do well, build on that, and the other playmakers on offense as well," Booker said. "Letting Jalen play his game is the best thing that we can do. Toward the end of the year, when Jalen started playing his game and felt more comfortable running, that's when he was at his best." Not everyone stands in the Milroe fanclub at Alabama, where the backup quarterback constantly stands out as a fan favorite. Milroe doesn't worry about changing minds or opinions, but feeds off of any remaining doubters while staying locked in on the big picture. "I think it's the same (focus) -- being the best version of myself, being the best quarterback in the country, learning, growing as a player, seeking all information from my coaching staff, being a student of the game. I think it's all about going 1-0," he said. "It's all about getting better and leaning on my brothers." DeBoer, who replaced Saban upon the legend's retirement in January, knew a lot about Milroe as a quarterback and physical specimen before he entered the trenches with him. After six months together, the things that stand out about the quarterback are his positive leadership and commitment and drive to improve. "There's nobody that's going to beat him into the football facility. He's there at 4:30-5 a.m. for sure. I know there's guys that have tried to beat him into the facility and they can't," DeBoer said. --Field Level Media