Today: Latest on the Michigan search, intel on top portal QBs, basketball Player of the Year power rankings, and DJ Lagway portal fallout. |
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Michigan coaching search: Wolverines have as many as six targets on the board |
Michigan has identified as many as six candidates in its search for a new head coach, sources tell On3's Pete Nakos, following the dismissal of Sherrone Moore last week. The Wolverines are moving forward with a wide-ranging process as they look to stabilize the program amid continued uncertainty. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has been the most discussed name since Moore's firing. DeBoer released a statement Sunday saying he has not spoken with any schools and does not have interest in other jobs. Sources told On3's Chris Low and Nakos that Alabama and DeBoer are engaged in ongoing extension talks, though nothing has been agreed to or signed. Beyond DeBoer, five names continue to surface most frequently in conversations with sources: Louisville's Jeff Brohm, Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham, Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz, Washington's Jedd Fisch, and LA Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Sources have told On3 that Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel has made it clear he is prepared to open the checkbook to land a top-tier hire. That includes buying out contracts if necessary to bring the right candidate to Ann Arbor. Reports over the weekend suggested Dillingham is nearing a contract extension at Arizona State. Sources indicated those talks have been ongoing for months, with much of the focus centered on staffing support and program resources. Brohm, meanwhile, was a top candidate at Penn State earlier in the cycle before opting to remain at Louisville. He has not publicly announced a new deal. Ideally, Michigan would have a new coach in place by Jan. 2, when the transfer portal officially opens. The university has also launched a full investigation into its athletic department, though Warde Manuel currently remains in his role as athletic director. Read the full report here. |
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Early schools to watch for DJ Lagway, Sam Leavitt |
Two quarterbacks expected to be among the most discussed names of the winter transfer cycle are preparing to enter the portal, reshaping the market at the position. Florida's DJ Lagway and Arizona State's Sam Leavitt both bring starting experience, remaining eligibility, and high-end upside, and each is already drawing interest from a familiar group of national contenders as programs prepare for January movement. Florida QB DJ Lagway Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is expected to enter the transfer portal on Jan. 2, he announced Monday. Sources tell On3 that Lagway made the decision before informing Florida's new coaching staff. Early schools to watch in his recruitment include Baylor, LSU, and Miami, according to sources. Baylor stands out due to family ties, as Lagway's father, Derek, played college football there, and the Bears will need a quarterback with Sawyer Robertson exhausting his eligibility. Miami and LSU were not major players in Lagway's original recruitment but are both expected to be active in the portal this winter. Texas Tech is also expected to search for a transfer quarterback, though the Red Raiders were not viewed as a factor as of Monday. A former Five-Star Plus+ recruit in the 2024 class, Lagway was the nation's No. 3 overall prospect and No. 1 quarterback in the Rivals Industry Ranking. He started immediately as a true freshman, going 6-1 as a starter, but injuries in the spring and summer impacted his sophomore season, during which he threw 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt is also expected to enter the transfer portal, as previously reported by On3. Early schools mentioned in his recruitment include Oregon, Indiana, Miami, and LSU. Oregon could emerge as a factor if Dante Moore enters the 2026 NFL Draft, while Indiana is expected to again target a transfer quarterback after recent success at the position under Curt Cignetti. Miami and LSU are also monitoring the market closely, with both programs having leaned on proven portal quarterbacks in recent seasons. Leavitt entered the season as one of college football's top returning quarterbacks after leading Arizona State to a Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff appearance. In 2024, he completed nearly 62 percent of his passes for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Injuries limited him in 2025, but he still completed over 60 percent of his throws for 1,628 yards and 10 scores before a foot injury ended his season. Get the full story on Leavitt. |
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College Basketball: National Player of the Year Week 7 Power Rankings |
The college basketball National Player of the Year race remains fluid, but there is growing separation at the top. Eight of the top ten players from the Week 5 rankings remain on the list in Week 7, with Michigan senior Yaxel Lendeborg holding steady at No. 1. Lendeborg and Duke freshman Cam Boozer have emerged as the clear top tier in the conversation. The race itself is always one of the sport's most compelling storylines, and this season includes an added wrinkle. An elite freshman class has wasted no time making an impact. With nine to eleven games now on film, and several marquee matchups already played, the picture is becoming clearer. This ongoing series is compiled by Rivals' Jamie Shaw, a member of the Naismith Board of Selectors. With small but tangible sample sizes available, here is a look at the men's college basketball National Player of the Year power rankings entering Week 7. 1. PF Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan Stats: 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.6 steals, 59.6% FG, 40.8% 3P The Buzz: Lendeborg has been the best player on the best team to this point. He leads Michigan in points and steals while ranking second in rebounds and assists. Nationally, he sits top ten in effective field goal percentage, player efficiency rating, win shares, and leads Division I in box plus/minus. Michigan has won seven straight games by 18 or more points, including five against high-major opponents. 2. PF Cam Boozer, Duke Stats: 23.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.7 steals, 55.9% FG, 37.2% 3P The Buzz: Boozer has been the engine behind Duke's No. 2 ranking. The freshman leads the Blue Devils in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, and has paced Duke in scoring in all four top-25 matchups. He currently leads the nation in scoring, player efficiency rating, and win shares. 3. PF Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State Stats: 18.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.8 blocks, 1.5 steals, 55.8% FG, 46.2% 3P The Buzz: Iowa State is undefeated and ranked No. 4, and Jefferson has been central to that start. The senior leads the Cyclones in points and rebounds, ranks second in assists and blocks, and sits among the national leaders in efficiency, win shares, and box plus/minus. 4. SF AJ Dybantsa, BYU Stats: 20.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.5 blocks, 1.1 steals, 55.5% FG, 34.8% 3P The Buzz: Dybantsa has been at his best on big stages, scoring at least 15 points in every game this season. He leads the Big 12 in player efficiency, ranks top ten nationally in box plus/minus, and paces a top-10 BYU team in scoring. 5. PF Caleb Wilson, North Carolina Stats: 19.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 blocks, 1.5 steals, 55.1% FG, 25.0% 3P The Buzz: UNC's 9-1 start has been driven by Wilson's consistency. The freshman has scored 15 or more points in all ten games and has posted seven double-doubles in his last eight outings. He leads the Tar Heels in points, rebounds, and steals, and ranks top ten nationally in efficiency, win shares, and box plus/minus. See the full Top 10 player rankings. |
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Staples: The D.J. Lagway-Florida divorce isn't shocking; it's a product of its era |
As new Florida coach Jon Sumrall answered questions at his introductory press conference two weeks ago, quarterback DJ Lagway sat in the back row and listened. A year earlier, Lagway was the reason Florida did not have a new coach introducing himself to a hopeful fanbase. He was the five-star freshman who had just beaten LSU and Ole Miss, brimming with potential and promise. If Billy Napier could keep pushing Lagway toward his ceiling, the thinking went, everything else might fall into place. Instead, Lagway's first full season as a starter did not go as planned. He was not the quarterback Napier had hoped for, nor was he close to the best in the country. Lagway was largely an older version of what he had been a year earlier: a 6-foot-3, 247-pound bundle of elite physical traits who still needed improvement in accuracy and decision-making. That context framed the quiet moment at Sumrall's press conference, where both coach and quarterback likely wondered what came next. On Monday, the answer arrived when Lagway announced his intention to enter the transfer portal. In the span of a year, he went from Florida's franchise quarterback to a free agent. In 2025, that kind of shift is no longer shocking. One coach's QB1 does not always fit another's vision. Lagway came to Gainesville hoping to leave as a legend. Instead, he will try to make his mark elsewhere, while Florida's new staff searches for a quarterback capable of competing for the College Football Playoff. This was not a case of Lagway forcing his way out or simply chasing a better deal. By all accounts, he wanted to stay. But staying did not align with his current price point or with the priorities of Sumrall and new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. Faulkner prizes accuracy at quarterback. Last season, Lagway completed fewer than 60 percent of his passes in five of 10 games against power-conference opponents. Even in one of the exceptions, against LSU, he threw five interceptions. Faulkner's Georgia Tech quarterback, Haynes King, never dipped below 60 percent in those matchups. King is out of eligibility, but the comparison helps explain Florida's direction. One possible answer is already on campus. Freshman Tramell Jones Jr., who took most of the offseason practice reps while Lagway battled injuries, plans to stay and compete. Jones is popular within the locker room, which could matter as Florida works to retain key skill players. Freshman receiver Vernell Brown III appears likely to stay, while Dallas Wilson and tailback Jadan Baugh could draw significant interest elsewhere. Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards, is a clear retention priority. Florida also could turn to the portal. Aaron Philo, Georgia Tech's redshirt freshman heir apparent, is a name to watch who could choose to follow Faulkner. Whether Florida spends big on an established starter or allows a true competition will shape the next phase of the rebuild. Lagway, meanwhile, will try to maximize his five-star traits elsewhere. He remains capable of throws most quarterbacks cannot make. Whether a new offense can pair those moments with consistent play will determine his future. That uncertainty is what makes this split frustrating. Lagway wanted to be everything Florida fans hoped he would become. Instead, he will chase that vision somewhere else, while Florida begins a new era with a new QB1. Don't miss the full column from Andy Staples. |
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Below, you'll find 3 facts about a random college football player. You'll try to guess who the player is based on the facts. Let's go. I was a high school All-American in baseball and a second-round MLB Draft pick, making it all the way to AAA before ever playing a down of college football.
- I walked away from professional baseball in my mid-20s, returned to college, and led my team to an undefeated national championship season.
- I won the Heisman Trophy after leading the nation in passing yards and remain the oldest player ever to win the award.
Answer at the bottom. |
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College Basketball AP Top 25 updated after Week 6 |
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