RADIO
Ty Clark III Projects as Wake Forest's RB1
With Demond Claiborne off to the NFL after a productive season at Wake Forest, there is a gaping hole in Jake Dickert's backfield. Junior running back Ty Clark III, who backed up Claiborne last season, appears to be the frontrunner to start in Week 1. Clark carried the ball 75 times for 323 yards and three touchdowns a season ago. While Clark appears to have a grasp on the starting job, smaller backs Jamar Searcy and freshman Deuce Lawrence could find roles, while Florida transfer KD Daniels appears to be fighting for a goal-line role. The backfield lacks a top-end talent like Claiborne, but is a deep group altogether.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Caleb Hawkins Reportedly Bigger, Faster, Stronger
Oklahoma State running back Caleb Hawkins shattered records as a true freshman at North Texas last season. He ran for 1,434 yards and 25 touchdowns while also adding 370 yards and four touchdowns through the air. Hawkins led the nation in rushing touchdowns and was fifth in rushing yards. He followed head coach Eric Morris to Stillwater for his upcoming sophomore season, where he has focused on adding muscle while maintaining his speed this offseason. Hawkins stated: "It's a little crazy to see how everything works out together. Like running and lifting in the offseason, starting OTA's and fall camp. It was a lot easier this time around I wasn't playing basketball or running track like I was in high school. I feel like I got a lot stronger this offseason because I was living in the weight room every day. And my speed has definitely been upgraded." Hawkins enters the season as one of the nation's best running backs. If he takes a step forward as a sophomore like he is projecting himself to, he could be in for a record-setting year.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Ryan Coleman-Williams Noted as Matchup Nightmare by Kane Wommack
Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack called out Ryan Coleman-Williams when asked which offensive players are the toughest to defend. Coleman-Williams burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2024, but his play regressed last season when he grabbed 49 catches for 689 yards and four scores. The star receiver will be looking to bounce back as a junior, and appears to be doing so in practice. Wommack stated: "Obviously, Ryan Williams presents a lot of challenges for us. There's things that you have to sit there and say, OK, we've got some great DBs that we're going to be able to go one-on-one and play man-to-man, but how often do you want to do that? How consistently do you want to do that? Because Ryan can win. He also is a guy that when you get him the ball just in space, he's hard to bring down with the first guy."
Source: On3
Source: On3
Jack Layne Still Recovering From Elbow Surgery
New Mexico quarterback Jack Layne received an offseason surgery on his elbow and is still not practicing. Head coach Jason Eck noted that "It's bothering him a little bit." Layne transferred to New Mexico from Idaho last season, following Eck as he landed the head coaching gig. He played well as the starter from day one, completing 65.1% of his passes for 2,486 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, setting the New Mexico single-season record for completion percentage. It remains to be seen if Layne will be ready for Week 1, when the Lobos will face Central Michigan.
Source: On3
Source: On3
Jamauri McClure Out with Injured Foot
Tulane running back Jamauri McClure (foot) is out indefinitely with an injured left foot, per Green Wave beat reporter Guerry Smith. McClure reportedly watched practice from a scooter today. Head coach Will Hall noted that McClure would be back early in the season, but it sounds as if his status is in doubt for the season opener against Duke. McClure ran for 540 yards and two touchdowns a season ago as the lead back for a team that made the College Football Playoff. His absence will be filled by the likes of senior Maurice Turner, who missed most of last season with an injury, and Jaylin Lucas, the speedy playmaker who transferred in from Florida State.
Source: BallDurham
Source: BallDurham
Ousmane Kromah in Line for RB1 Duties at Florida State?
Florida State running back Ousmane Kromah has been the leader in the position room throughout fall camp, according to Pete Nakos of On3's sources. As a true freshman a season ago, the Georgia native tallied 72 carries for 408 yards and caught nine passes for 147 yards and one touchdown. The Noles brought in one of the highest-paid running backs in the transfer portal, Tre Wisner (formerly of Texas), but he has been dealing with an injury this fall. Nakos reports that Kromah is expected to be an every-down back who could see 15 to 20 carries per contest. All that said, Wisner could make an impact if he can return to health and take part in full practices closer to the Week 1 opener against SMU. At worst, Kromah should see plenty of work in a committee backfield.
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Northwestern Football to Receive $35 Million Donation Over Next Three Years
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, the family of Liz and Dick Uihlein has committed to a $35 million donation to the Northwestern football program, which will be paid in the next three years. "The donation is intended for holistic football success," Thamel reports. "Including recruiting support and broader program needs." The Wildcats are behind many of their Big Ten counterparts in football resources, so this is a significant development for the program. Northwestern has not had an outright Big Ten Championship since 1995, and the team has had 11 losing seasons since 2000. This could be a program on the rise.
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Source: Pete Thamel - ESPN
Michigan Freshmen Travis Johnson, Salesi Moa Competing for WR3 Role
Michigan true freshmen Salesi Moa and Travis Johnson are competing with Texas sophomore transfer Jamie Ffrench for the WR3 role behind Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchanan, according to Anthony Broome of The Wolverine. "Johnson is a taller target at 6'3" with the ability to run past defenders and stretch the field, where Moa is more of a technician and crisp route-runner," Broome wrote. "There's no reason to hold either of them back with the 5-in-5 rule passed and redshirt seasons abolished, so we would expect them to get every opportunity to play and grow within Michigan's new offense." Moa and Johnson were both four-star recruits out of Utah and Virginia, respectively, and it sounds like both have a strong chance to make early contributions in the Bryce Underwood-led passing offense. That said, the Wolverines will likely remain a run-first, defensive team under new head coach Kyle Whittingham, so there might not be much volume available during their first seasons in Ann Arbor.
Source: Anthony Broome - The Wolverine
Source: Anthony Broome - The Wolverine
Savion Hiter to Open Season as Michigan's RB2
Michigan running back Savion Hiter will be the team's No. 2 running back behind Jordan Marshall, "barring anything unforeseen," according to Anthony Broome of The Wolverine. The true freshman was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 overall running back prospect in the 2026 class, per Rivals.com. "What stands out about Savion is he just works so hard all the time," offensive coordinator Jason Beck said. "There's no such thing as not full speed with that kid. And my experience is when you have freshmen like that that are that way, they have a chance to play early." The Virginia native averaged a whopping 13.9 yards per carry as a senior and "already has the body of a college veteran." Marshall, who rushed for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, will handle lead-back duties, but Hiter could push to make this more of a committee backfield in 2026.
Source: Anthony Broome - The Wolverine
Source: Anthony Broome - The Wolverine
Derek Carr Joins UCLA Coaching Staff
Former Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is joining the UCLA football staff as a special advisor to head coach Bob Chesney, according to On3's Pete Nakos. The 35-year-old will assist the offensive staff with game planning and work with the Bruins' quarterbacks. After throwing for over 40,000 yards and 257 touchdowns in 169 career pro starts, Carr's presence in the program could be significant for junior quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former Tennessee transfer had an up-and-down debut season for UCLA, completing 208 of his 323 passing attempts for 1,928 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He tallied 505 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Source: Pete Nakos - On3
Devin Fitzgerald Flashing for Notre Dame
Notre Dame wide receiver Devin Fitzgerald "has shown a ton of promising signs" since enrolling in school, according to Jack Soble of BlueandGold.com. The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald missed practice to attend his father's enshrinement ceremony but did not miss a beat upon his return to camp. Fitzgerald was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2026 after posting 82 receptions for 1,230 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final high school campaign in Arizona. While the Irish have plenty of talent in their wide receiver room consisting of Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse, and Ohio State transfers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter, Fitzgerald could see action as a freshman in a rotational role. If he doesn't make a significant impact this year, he likely will in the near future.
Source: Jack Soble - BlueandGold.com
Source: Jack Soble - BlueandGold.com
Kevin Jennings Dealing with Injured Throwing Hand
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (hand) will be limited in fall practice for the next week or two due to an injury to his throwing hand, according to head coach Rhett Lashlee. The senior signal-caller has been limited during the first week of action, but this update brings further clarity to his situation. Luckily for the Mustangs, the Week 1 matchup against Florida State is on September 7, meaning Jennings will have right around a month to recover and ease back into full practice. In two seasons as the starter in Dallas, Jennings has thrown for over 6,800 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions, adding nine scores on the ground. He holds an 18-6 record since 2024 and brought the Mustangs to the College Football Playoff two seasons ago. SMU is gearing up for another run at an ACC crown and CFP bid, but needless to say, they'll need Jennings at full health to make that happen.
Source: Griffin McVeigh - On3
Source: Griffin McVeigh - On3
Darian Mensah Flashing "Elite Passing Skills" in Camp
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah, who heads into 2026 at his third school in three years, has been consistent through the early part of training camp, and he already has clear chemistry with wide receivers Malachi Toney, Cooper Barkate, and Daylyn Upshaw, according to Gary Ferman of CanesSport. "Darian Mensah is a pro," Ferman wrote. "Like all the quarterbacks, he has been challenged by the quality play of the defensive backs. But you can see his elite passing skills in every drill." In 27 career games with Tulane and Duke, Mensah has completed over 66% of his passes for 6,696 yards, 56 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He's one of the true polished pocket passers in college football, and he'll be surrounded by the most talent of his career with the Canes. He is fully expected to lead Miami to an ACC title and College Football Playoff spot, and he is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender in his junior campaign.
Source: Gary Ferman - CanesSport
Source: Gary Ferman - CanesSport
Running Back AK Dear Taking First-Team Reps for Alabama
Alabama running back AK Dear held a limited role as a freshman last season, rushing 19 times for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He added three catches for 18 yards. Heading into 2026, the team is without Jam Miller, and Dear, Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and EJ Crowell are competing for touches. According to Clint Lamb of BamaOnline, Dear has taken the majority of the first reps at running back after a strong summer. Alabama posted its worst rushing season in program history last year, averaging just 104.1 yards per game on the ground. Being more physical and establishing a strong rushing attack has been a point of emphasis this offseason, and it sounds like Dear will be a significant part of that effort. All that said, we'll likely see a committee approach in Tuscaloosa.
Source: Clint Lamb - BamaOnline
Source: Clint Lamb - BamaOnline
Isaac Brown Remains Limited in Monday's Practice
Louisville star running back Isaac Brown (undisclosed) remains a limited participant in Monday's practice, according to Matt McGavic of WHAS11 News. However, he did take part in some team periods on Saturday, which is a notable improvement after he missed the team's first fall practice. Brown missed four games last season due to injury, but he was fantastic when active, leading all FBS running backs in average yards per carry (8.8). Through his first 22 games of his collegiate career, Brown has tallied 2,057 rushing yards, 200 receiving yards, and 19 total touchdowns. He has been one of the most efficient and explosive ball carriers in the nation since joining the Louisville program, and his availability is a significant storyline this offseason. The Cardinals are a sneaky contender to compete for an ACC crown, but Brown is a key piece in that equation.
Source: Matt McGavic - WHAS11 News
Source: Matt McGavic - WHAS11 News
