ACC Football

Four-star tight end Jake Briningstool announced his commitment to join the Clemson Tigers in their 2021 class on Twitter Sunday morning:

The Brentwood, Tennessee, product was on campus in South Carolina on Saturday for junior day, per 247Sports' Anna Hickey, who also noted that Briningstool is the highest-ranked tight end recruit Clemson has landed since head coach Dabo Swinney took over in 2008.

"The culture and the family feel," Briningstool told Hickey, referencing the factors in his decision. "Coach Swinney has a built a special program that's built to last. There's no other program like Clemson's."

247Sports ranks Briningstool as the No. 2 2021 Tennessee recruit, No. 6 among 2021 tight end prospects and 164th among all 2021 prospects.

Briningstool received 28 offers, including Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota and Oregon. Briningstool's father, Tony, played linebacker at Michigan from 1987-92 with Nick Saban as his position coach, but Clemson edged those family connections. 

"My whole family went to coach Swinney's office and spent time with him in his office," Briningstool told Hickey when describing his December visit. "He told me to take my time with my decision and look around other places, because Clemson is unique and I'll see that when I visit other places. Hopefully in the end, he said I'll choose Clemson."

Briningstool brings Clemson's 2021 commitment total to six, and he is the only tight end as four-star tight end Cane Berrong opted to commit to Notre Dame last June. 

Four-star defensive end Cade Denhoff and four-star Beaux Collins each announced his commitment to Clemson this weekend too:

Clemson tight ends Davis Allen, J.L. Banks, J.C. Chalk, Braden Galloway, Jaelyn Lay and Luke Price combined for 26 catches and 239 yards in 2019. 

Briningstool will bring game-changing talent to a position that needs it. 

The No. 2 Tigers lost the College Football National Championship Game 42-25 to top-ranked LSU earlier this month, snapping a 29-game winning streak that dated back to the 2017 CFP semifinal.

Miami quarterback Jarren Williams has entered the transfer portal.

Williams attorney Thomas Mars confirmed the player was completing his paperwork Thursday in a statement to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.

Williams later confirmed the move in an Instagram post, h/t the South Florida Sun Sentinel's David Furones:

Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated first reported the news.

The decision comes after Houston quarterback D'Eriq King announced Monday he will join Miami as a graduate transfer, eligible to play next season.

Williams appeared in 12 games last year as a redshirt freshman, starting 10 games in 2019.

After beating out N'Kosi Perry and Ohio State transfer Tate Martell for the starting job in the preseason, Williams played well out of the gate with four straight starts without an interception.

He finished the year with 2,187 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The Georgia native was a 4-star recruit out of high school, considered the No. 5 pro-style quarterback prospect in the 2018 class by 247Sports. He received more than two dozen offers the first time around, including from big programs like Alabama, Ohio State and LSU.

Though he was inconsistent on the field, Williams should receive a lot of attention once again as a transfer.

Meanwhile, Miami could lose some key depth for the future even if King takes over as the starter in 2020.

Perry and Martell are currently slated to return but will be both be junior next season, providing them limited opportunities if they are forced to wait until 2021 to see the field.

Manny Diaz's debut season as head coach of the Miami Hurricanes included an ineffective offense, fourth-quarter defensive collapses, dreadful special teams and a 6-7 record. However, that nightmare of a year followed an offseason in which he had gone undefeated.

The brain behind the Turnover Chain created Portal U, signing marquee players such as Tate Martell, Jaelan Phillips and Trevon Hill, among others. Diaz arrived at a booster event on an 88-foot yacht. He attempted to rebrand the program after a stale end to Mark Richt's tenure.

None of it mattered when the final record read 6-7. But the same trap could be approaching in 2020.

This offseason, Diaz and Co. returned to the transfer portal and brought back Houston quarterback D'Eriq King, Temple defensive end Quincy Roche and FIU kicker Jose Borregales. They'll join an incoming recruiting class that ranks 17th nationally.

It's easy to label Miami's latest moves as false hope, a precursor to another inevitable disappointing year. But this optimism—seemingly more than ever—is based on real production, not simply the possibility for improvement.

Yes, Martell arrived as a much-hyped player and provided 14 yards of total offense in 2019. He also had thrown only 28 passes at Ohio State, whereas King posted a 50-touchdown season at Houston in 2018. His billing is entirely based on what he's accomplished.

Miami has a problematic offensive line, but a mobile quarterback of King's ability can atone for some of those woes.

Roche tallied 19.0 tackles for loss and 13 sacks at Temple last season, earning AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He'll line up opposite Gregory Rousseau, the nation's leading returning sack leader, to form a devastating combination up front.

Borregales went 21-of-29 on field goals last season and hit two 50-yarders in FIU's upset of Miami. That's a considerable upgrade from the three Hurricanes who ended a combined 12-of-20, with missed kicks playing prominent roles in four losses.

In that trio alone, every unit of the roster improved measurably.

Plus, Diaz hired Rhett Lashlee as offensive coordinator after he guided SMU to the seventh-most points per game (41.8) last year. Lashlee previously coached at Auburn, where he oversaw a prolific scoring attack with a dual-threat quarterback in Nick Marshall.

With Lashlee, Miami is finally embracing an offense that stretches the field both vertically and horizontally. Based on his performance to date, King seems like an ideal option to engineer that style.

Here we go again?

"The New Miami" of 2019 was no better than the old Miami, a program that enters 2020 with one 10-win season in 16 years.

The 'Canes faltered so badly that Diaz dismissed offensive coordinator Dan Enos, who he once called the No. 1 recruit of last offseason. They ranked 90th in points per game, 96th in red-zone touchdown rate, 103rd in yards per carry, 128th in sacks allowed and 129th in third-down offense, and they failed to score a single point in the Independence Bowl.

The defense surrendered a fourth-quarter or overtime winner in Miami's first four losses, and missed kicks didn't help in any of those games, either.

Yet every offseason, analysts look at Miami's roster with respect to Coastal Division competition. We often highlight how Miami is clearly the most talented team and expect a division crown. The result is one Coastal title in 15 years.

We're already doing the same in 2020. Misery loves company, and Andy Bitter of The Athletic has also experienced this Miami-themed roller coaster in January.

Miami's level of success mostly hinges on Lashlee and the quarterback. Despite a below-average offense in 2019, the Hurricanes' seven losses were by a combined 51 points, including five one-score letdowns. If this new offense and kicker are even worth 10 points of improvement while the defense is stable, Miami easily has 10-win upside.

Considering the history of Lashlee, King and Borregales, isn't that a reasonable thought? Defense, as a whole, has never been a serious issue under Diaz; Roche only bolsters the unit.

Additionally, Miami's nonconference slate includes Temple, Wagner, UAB and Michigan State. And beyond games against Coastal Division foes, the 'Canes host rival Florida State and get a rebuilding Wake Forest—avoiding Clemson in crossover play.

Given the program's recent results, no matchup should be labeled a guaranteed win, perhaps other than Wagner. But none of Miami's 2020 opponents are unquestionably better, either.

Yes, a pessimist sees the positive developments and wonders how Miami will manage to mess up this time. After all, we have 15 years of evidence for that happening.

But this familiar offseason trap sure is appealing once again.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from NCAA.com, cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Miami received a significant boost for the 2020 college football season Monday as D'Eriq King confirmed he will transfer to the Hurricanes.   

The Athletic's Manny Navarro first reported the decision Sunday.

King enjoyed a breakout junior season at Houston in 2018. He completed 63.5 percent of his throws for 2,982 yards with 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions across 11 games. He added 674 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground for the Cougars.

The 5'11", 195-pound King suffered a torn meniscus that required surgery in November of that season. While he made it back for the start of the 2019 campaign, he made only four appearances before announcing he was going to redshirt after the team's lackluster 1-3 start.

"I'm staying here," King told reporters in September. "If I wanted to leave Houston and go somewhere else, I could have. I think me being here is what I want to do, and it's the best opportunity for me. I don't think anybody will reach out to me [to convince me to transfer]. Even if they do, they should know I'm staying here."

The Texas native's tune changed in January when he entered the NCAA's transfer portal:

He immediately became one of the most coveted players available for Power Five schools that had an unsettled quarterback situation into 2020.

King finishes his time at Houston with 81 total touchdowns (50 passing, 28 rushing and three receiving) in 35 games for the Cougars.

His decision to join the Canes sets up an intriguing battle with incumbent starter Jarren Williams and potentially also N'Kosi Perry for the starting job.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson wrote on Jan. 12 that head coach Manny Diaz was looking to bring in a transfer who could immediately step into the starting QB job.

According to Jackson, Diaz's decision was driven in part because of how negative aspects of the team's locker room "infiltrated the quarterback room": "And the other issue is that a few players felt players could get away with some things without being punished, such as Jarren Williams not showing up for a practice and then playing (off the bench) the following Saturday. One player said there were multiple missteps with Williams regarding maturity."

Jackson concluded by saying Miami was "prepared to move ahead with Williams, Perry, Tate Martell and newcomer Tyler Van Dyke if it cannot find an upgrade on the grad transfer market." Now, that won't be a problem for the Hurricanes.

If King makes a quick transition and can match the upside he showed in 2018, it's a game-changing addition for Miami that could shake up the ACC race next season.

Virginia Tech head football coach Justin Fuente will stay with the Hokies for the 2020 college football season after interviewing at Baylor as a potential replacement for Matt Rhule, who left the Bears to become head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

A Virginia Tech official confirmed the news Thursday to ESPN's Andrea Adelson, and Fuente posted a picture on Twitter of his VT staff:

The 43-year-old Oklahoma native has posted a 33-20 record across four seasons with the Hokies since being hired in November 2015. Although the team has qualified for a bowl game in each of his four years, it's just 1-3 in those postseason contests, including three straight losses.

"The fact that we didn't come through in this game doesn't diminish my pride in them," Fuente told reporters after a 37-30 Belk Bowl loss to Kentucky on New Year's Eve. "My excitement for the direction of our program, my belief in what we're going to be."

Nevertheless, pressure is starting to mount on Fuente given the lack of bowl success and absence of high-profile victories on the recruiting trail. Virginia Tech currently ranks 13th in the 14-team ACC based on its commitments for the 2020 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

His track record is strong, though. He was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2016, his first season with the Hokies, after guiding the program to a 10-4 record and a bowl win. He was also the 2014 AAC Coach of the Year after a 10-3 season with Memphis.

Fuente went 26-23 in four years with the Tigers, including 19-6 over the last two seasons, before accepting the VT job.

Meanwhile, the Baylor coaching search will continue.

Scott Roussel of FootballScoop reported other candidates include Louisiana Lafayette head coach Billy Napier, Arkansas State head coach Blake Anderson, LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda and Bears assistant coach Joey McGuire.

Baylor will want to make a decision in the near future, with 2020 national signing day on Feb. 5.

The Clemson Tigers enjoyed an excellent 2019 season despite a disappointing 42-25 loss to LSU in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday.

On Wednesday, quarterback Trevor Lawrence summarized the year with a few words in an Instagram post.

"It’s hard to find the words to sum up this year, but I’ll keep it short. I’m thankful for everyone and everything that has happened this season. It’s been challenging, unique, and a whole lotta fun. I’m so appreciative to this senior class and the 2 years I got to spend with them.

"I’m grateful to get to call my teammates family, because they really are. Adversity teaches and shows you who you really are. I thank God for teaching me more now than ever before. I’m also learning that life is mostly about how you respond, not what happens. So here’s to a heck of a year and lots of great memories. Clemson family, we love you. We will be back."

Lawrence, a sophomore, had not lost on the collegiate level until Monday. He guided the Tigers to a 15-0 record and national title last year before leading Clemson to a 14-1 mark this season. 

The road to the national title wasn't as easy in 2019 as it was the year before.

Clemson nearly got picked off in an early-season ACC contest against unranked UNC before surviving 21-20.

The Tigers then steamrolled their way through to the College Football Playoff, but they needed to overcome a 16-0 first-half deficit and hold off a late Ohio State drive to defeat the Buckeyes 29-23 in the semifinal.

Clemson had a couple of early-season close calls in 2018 but won all of its last 10 games by 20 or more points. They outscored their CFP opponents (Notre Dame and Alabama) 74-19.

The loss is undoubtedly disappointing for the Tigers, who knew nothing but winning for two years. However, Caesars Palace likes their chances to return to the top of the sport next year, with Clemson's 2-1 odds leading all teams. SEC foes Alabama (4-1), LSU (9-2) round out the top three.

Clemson Tigers junior wide receiver Tee Higgins is going pro, as he announced his decision on Wednesday to forgo his senior season and declare for the 2020 NFL draft. 

Higgins posted 59 catches for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns for Clemson this season en route to the team's run to the national title game, where it lost to LSU. 

His positioning within this stacked draft class of receivers has been fluid as the season has worn on. Other receivers viewed as high-end first-round draft picks include Alabama's Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III as well as Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb. However, the likes of Minnesota's Tyler Johnson, Colorado's Laviska Shenault Jr. and TCU's Jalen Reagor have the potential to sneak up the board.

CBSSports.com's Chris Trapasso listed Higgins as the second-best receiver in the class and noted he "truly can do it all." More from Trapasso:

"At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Higgins has intimidating size. He routinely contorts his body into awkward positions to make catches and has some of the strongest hands in college football. And don't give him room to run, because he'll hit the accelerator and run by just about everyone. He's averaging 20 yards per grab this season."

Higgins is just the latest Clemson receiver to be reputed so highly. The university has become known as WR U because of the pipeline of NFL-level talent at the position.

Since 2010, nine Clemson wide receivers have been drafted. Three have been first-rounders: the Los Angeles Chargers' Mike Williams (2017), Kansas City Chiefs' Sammy Watkins (2014) and Houston Texans' DeAndre Hopkins (2013). Of those three, Hopkins has had the most successful pro career as a two-time All-Pro.

If Higgins ends up dropping because of the volume of receiving talent available, someone figures to land a steal.

The No. 3 Clemson Tigers, reigning College Football Playoff national champions, saw their 29-game winning streak end when the No. 1 LSU Tigers defeated them 42-25 in Monday night's 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.   

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was grateful after the loss even though he hadn't experienced defeat since falling 24-6 to Alabama in the 2017 CFP semifinal:

Swinney delivered the same sentiment directly to his players on the field before the game, consoled quarterback Trevor Lawrence during the contest and gave credit where credit was due to LSU afterward:

Swinney came one win short of joining some elite company:

However, given the way Swinney's Tigers rebounded after losing in 2017, Clemson should still be in the conversation for next season's title.

Clemson experienced something new Monday.

Losing a game with Trevor Lawrence at quarterback.

The sophomore signal-caller lost the first game of his collegiate career, as LSU defeated Clemson 42-25 to win the College Football Playoff national title at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

"We're going to be fine," Lawrence said, per Bill Bender of Sporting News. "We'll be back. It just sucks not being able to finish for [the seniors]."

For his part, head coach Dabo Swinney told reporters, "It's been a long time since I've stood in front of a team with a loss."

It's hard to argue with the notion Clemson will be back. After all, Lawrence is set to return for a third season in 2020, and the Tigers figure to steamroll their way through a weak ACC once again. There may be challenges along the way, but it's reached the point where it would be more surprising if Clemson missed the CFP than made it.

The ACC representative simply didn't have an answer for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow on Monday.

He finished 31-of-49 passing for 463 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding a rushing touchdown and consistently found wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (nine catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns) when the game was still hanging in the balance early.

While Clemson figured out a way to topple blueblood programs such as Notre Dame, Alabama and Ohio State in previous playoff contests, Burrow was too much on Monday.

If there is a silver lining for Lawrence and Co., at least they won't have to face Burrow again next season when he is lacing it up in the NFL.

In addition to being a mess on the field, Miami was apparently dealing with some off-field problems as well.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson provided details on some of the Hurricanes' internal strife in Manny Diaz's first season as head coach:

"That player - and other sources around the team - say a few players seem more concerned with partying than focusing on football and that a handful (including a prominent one on offense) broke curfew the night before the FIU loss to go out.

"It didn't help that players are aware that UM's drug policy does not call for a suspension for a first failed drug test; that policy was taken advantage of, according to numerous sources."

Poor production at the quarterback position was one reason Miami won just six games in 2019.

Tate Martell arrived with a lot of hype from Ohio State and was granted immediate eligibility. He failed to win the starting job to start the year and took a leave of absence for personal reasons midway through the season.

Jarren Williams and N'Kosi Perry combined to throw for 3,232 yards, 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

According to Jackson, the negative aspects of the team's atmosphere "infiltrated the quarterback room":

"And the other issue is that a few players felt players could get away with some things without being punished, such as Jarren Williams not showing up for a practice and then playing (off the bench) the following Saturday. One player said there were multiple missteps with Williams regarding maturity.

"That's one reason - combined with the quarterbacks' erratic play - why UM is pursuing a grad transfer quarterback to be the potential starter in 2020."

If nothing else, Jackson's report underscores the breadth of Diaz's rebuilding job at Miami.

The fact that the Hurricanes pursued Martell in the first place illustrated how neither Williams nor Perry developed much under former head coach Mark Richt. Now, Diaz appears to be looking for another quick fix.

Following what proved to be Richt's final game—a 35-3 loss to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl—the players were also openly critical of the team's effort. Richt explained that "things got to get fixed," providing little depth beyond saying the offense had to improve.

Jimbo Fisher guided Florida State to a national championship in 2013. By the time he left in December 2017, however, the Seminoles were left in a state of disarray. Two years after Fisher's departure, the 'Noles have won 11 games and look no closer to catching up to Clemson in the ACC.

Many have acknowledged the difficulty in returning Miami to the heights it enjoyed during the 1980s and '90s and then again in the early 2000s.

With more information on how the Hurricanes operated behind the scenes, Diaz has an even harder job than fans realized.