Big Ten Football

Ohio State had to manage without running back Trey Sermon in the national championship game, and it'll have to do so next season, too.

The star announced in a tweet Sunday that he has declared for the 2021 NFL draft. 

"I am truly excited for the opportunity to pursue my dreams at the next level," he wrote. "I know the best is yet to come for me!"

A graduate transfer this season, Sermon was injured on the opening series of the Buckeyes' loss to Alabama in the championship, though his mother, Natoshia Mitchell, said that the injury "is not serious." 

Sermon ended the year with 870 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 116 carries, highlighted by a pair of career performances when it mattered most. He collected 331 yards with two touchdowns on 29 carries when the Buckeyes defeated Northwestern 22-10 in the Big Ten title game, setting a program and conference championship record for single-game rushing yards.

In the College Football Playoff semifinals against Clemson, he helped OSU punch its ticket to the championship by posting 31 carries for 193 yards and a touchdown to lead all rushers, tacking on 61 receiving yards on four receptions.

Prior to joining the Buckeyes, he spent three seasons at Oklahoma, where he won three Big 12 championships and finished with 2,076 rushing yards and 25 total touchdowns. He was the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2017 and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention as a sophomore. 

"He's a starter at the next level," Jim Nagy, executive director of the Senior Bowl and a former NFL scout, told Brad Crawford of 247Sports. "We watched him last spring on film and you're like, 'Wow! How is this guy transferring?' He was an easy eval. I mean, the dude is really, really talented." 

For now, Sermon will be training for his NFL future in Florida, his mother said (h/t Ben Pickman of Sports Illustrated).

The University of Maryland has reached a $3.5 million settlement with the parents of Jordan McNair, a sophomore offensive lineman who died after suffering heatstroke during a conditioning session in May 2018. 

According to ESPN's Heather Dinich, the school's settlement must be approved by the university board at a January 27 meeting. 

"Marty [McNair] and Tonya [Wilson] are relieved that this fight is over and are eager to put this behind them as they continue to mourn Jordan's death," attorney Hassan Murphy said in a statement.  "They are committed to channeling their grief and loss into the work that remains to protect the lives of student-athletes around the world by educating them about the signs and risks of exertional heat stroke through the Jordan McNair Foundation."

The law firm of Murphy, Falcon & Murphy will continue to work with McNair's parents on reforming Maryland tort law to raise the state's recovery payments from $400,000. 

McNair, a 19-year-old Maryland native, was forced to run sprints after he began showing signs of physical and cognitive decline on the field due to heatstroke. The school found Maryland's athletic failed to "quickly diagnose and properly treat McNair's heatstroke," leading to his death. 

Subsequent findings resulted in the firing of head football coach D.J. Durkin and the resignation of strength and conditioning coach Rick Court after the program was found to use abusive and humiliating tactics. 

"The university accepts legal and moral responsibility for the mistakes that our training staff made," Maryland president Wallace D. Loh announced in August 2018. 

The settlement marks an important step as McNair's family continues to mourn its loss and works to honor his memory. 

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields shared the advice he gave to some of his younger teammates Monday night following the Buckeyes' 52-24 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

According to Justin Holbrock of NBC4, Fields said he told the players: "I encouraged them to just get back to work and remember this feeling."

Alabama imposed its will on an OSU team that entered the game undefeated and was coming off a win over Clemson in the CFP semifinals. The Buckeyes had no answer for a Crimson Tide attack that rolled up 621 yards of total offense in the victory.

Fields, who threw for 385 yards and six touchdowns in the 49-28 win over Trevor Lawrence and Clemson, was no match for a Bama offense spearheaded by quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who was named Offensive MVP of the game to go along with his Heisman Trophy.

Fields went 17-of-33 for 194 yards with one touchdown through the air and rushed for 67 yards in the loss. Jones went 36-of-45 for 464 yards and five touchdowns to cap a spectacular season.

Although Fields has yet to make an official announcement, he looks like a strong bet to enter the 2021 NFL draft since he could get taken as early as No. 2 overall by the New York Jets after Lawrence presumably goes first to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As a sophomore last season, Fields threw for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns and three interceptions, while adding 484 yards and 10 scores on the ground.

In a 2020 season that was shortened for Big Ten teams because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fields threw for 2,100 yards, 22 touchdowns and six picks, and rushed for 383 yards and five touchdowns.

It is difficult to envision Fields staying in school with those numbers, and if he does leave, head coach Ryan Day will be left with the gargantuan task of replacing him.

Ohio State figures to lose several key players to the NFL, as it does every year, but it will reload and bring back no shortage of quality contributors from this season's team as well.

What happened in Monday's game may be a learning lesson for many of those players, and it could better prepare them if they wind up on that stage again, which is clearly what Fields is hoping for.

Ohio State star Justin Fields lamented his showing in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game after the Buckeyes suffered a 52-24 loss to Alabama.  

"I didn't get the job done," Fields told reporters after the game. "I was healthy enough."

The status of his ribs had been an ongoing storyline in the buildup after he suffered an injury in OSU's Sugar Bowl win over Clemson.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day acknowledged Fields was carrying some sort of problem into the game, telling reporters he was "not 100 percent."

The junior quarterback was being a bit too hard on himself. His final numbers weren't great (17-of-33, 194 yards, one touchdown), but OSU lost because it had no answer for the Crimson Tide offense. Mac Jones threw for 464 yards and five touchdowns, and Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr. combined for 148 yards and two scores on the ground.

Fields will presumably be moving on to the NFL next.

He still has eligibility left, and the opportunity to win a national championship could prove alluring after having come so close in 2019 and 2020. But the Georgia native doesn't have much to gain personally by spending a third season with the Buckeyes.

After Trevor Lawrence, he might be the No. 2 quarterback on the board in the 2021 NFL draft, all but assuring he'll be a high pick.

Fields and Day echoed how Monday's defeat could be a learning experience for the players:

Fields will leave big shoes to fill for his successor in Columbus.

Ohio State running back Trey Sermon was brought to the hospital after suffering an injury early in Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Alabama.

ESPN's Maria Taylor provided an update, noting the player couldn't lift his arm:

Sermon had only one carry for two yards before coming out of the game.

The senior was red hot entering the title game, rushing for 524 yards with three touchdowns over his last two appearances. He set a school record with 331 rushing yards in the Big Ten title game against Northwestern.

Despite getting limited opportunities earlier in the season, he became the team's leading rusher and headed into Monday with 868 rushing yards on 7.5 per carry this season.

Sermon began his college career at Oklahoma and totaled 2,076 rushing yards and 22 scores across three seasons before transferring to Ohio State for his final collegiate season. Unfortunately, his last game will be cut short because of an injury.

Master Teague filled in for the Buckeyes at running back and came through quickly with two first-half touchdowns in the title game.

Teague had 449 rushing yards in his first six games this season, including 169 in a win over Indiana.

Thirteen Ohio State players will miss the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Alabama on Monday night.

Kicker Blake Haubeil, defensive tackle Tommy Togiai and defensive end Tyreke Smith are among the notable absences, per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren:

Haubeil announced on Instagram he'd be out for COVID-19-related reasons.

College coaches aren't required to disclose the extent to which a team could be impacted by COVID-19. Because of that, fans have often been left to wonder until the last minute who would and wouldn't be available to play.

Questions about Ohio State arose last week after AL.com's John Talty and Matt Zenitz reported the Buckeyes "informed key parties" they might be missing a position group when they played the Crimson Tide.

Togiai has 27 total tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss in eight games. Smith's impact has been more muted, but he had a big sack on Clemson star Trevor Lawrence in the fourth quarter that caused a fumble. Their collective absence will be felt against an explosive Alabama offense.

Haubeil, meanwhile, was 5-of-7 on field goals. Dominic DiMaccio is the only other Ohio State kicker to connect on a field goal this season, which came from 22 yards. The kicking game hasn't been a vital piece of Ohio State's offense, but losing Haubeil could alter how Ryan Day operates once he gets inside Crimson Tide territory.

University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said Jim Harbaugh is the coach who can get the football program back on the right trajectory in awarding him a four-year extension Thursday. 

"I continue to believe that Jim is the right man to lead our program in pursuit of Big Ten and CFP championships," Manuel wrote in a statement. "Our program didn't achieve at a level that anyone expected this year, but I know those setbacks will drive the coaches, players and staff moving forward. Jim is a tireless worker and competitor." 

The new contract comes after Michigan finished 2-4 this year—Harbaugh's worst season as the head coach of his alma mater. Overall, Harbaugh is 49-22 (34-16 Big Ten) at UM with just one Big Ten East title in 2018. The program hasn't won a bowl game since the 2016 Citrus Bowl during Harbaugh's first season with the team. 

Most importantly in Ann Arbor, the coach has yet to defeat rival Ohio State.

Manuel believes the best is still to come for the 57-year-old former quarterback:

"Jim loves the University of Michigan and this football program. He has been committed to this university, athletic department and football program since his days as a player and returning in 2015 as the head coach. He wants to do everything possible to build a championship football team while graduating our student-athletes. We all need to do our part to continue to help in that pursuit as it takes everyone pulling the same direction to have a championship level program."

The coach said he's still in the process of putting together his staff for the 2021 season after having "honest, open, insightful and constructive" conversations with the AD over the past few weeks and thanked the university for allowing him to continue in his role. 

"We have a plan," Harbaugh said in a statement. "There is work to be done and challenges to be addressed. These challenges are being addressed as we continue to strive for excellence in the classroom and championships on the field, a message that I hope is noted in the language of our agreed-upon contract."

Penn State announced Mike Yurcich will become the team's new offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, according to Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic. 

He replaces Kirk Ciarrocca, who held the roles last season after being hired away from Minnesota.

Yurcich spent last season as the offensive coordinator at Texas but was seeking a new home after head coach Tom Herman was fired after four seasons at the school.

Though the Longhorns didn't live up to their own lofty expectations, the offense still thrived with an average of 42.7 points per game, eighth best in the country.

Yurcich has proved himself at other top programs in the past, including spending the 2019 season with Ohio State as the squad won the Big Ten title and reached the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes had the third-best scoring offense in the country as Justin Fields finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

This came after serving as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State from 2013-18, often leading some of the most explosive offenses in college football.

The consistency at different stops has made Yurcich one of the top assistants in FBS in recent years:

Penn State is hoping this can continue after a miserable 2020 campaign. The Nittany Lions finished 4-5, the first losing record for the program since 2004.

Ciarrocca was hired in December 2019 after leading Minnesota to a breakout season, taking over playcalling duties after Ricky Rahne became head coach at Old Dominion.

Just one year later, head coach James Franklin told reporters it was "best for our program to make a change."

"We are excited to have Mike join our staff," the coach said of Yurcich. “He is an impressive offensive mind and talented play caller who has set records everywhere he has been as an offensive coordinator. I look forward to seeing what he can do with all of the offensive weapons we have here at Penn State."

Two-year starter Sean Clifford is expected to return at quarterback along with top playmakers like Jahan Dotson and Keyvone Lee.

Jim Harbaugh will reportedly remain at Michigan.

Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic reported Thursday that Harbaugh is expected to sign a five-year contract to remain the head coach at Michigan, a deal that will keep him in Ann Arbor through the 2026 season.

The deal carries an expected base salary of $4 million but could double with incentives, per Baumgardner. 

News of an extension should come as no surprise, as Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports reported on Jan. 2 that the school was optimistic an extension would be reached.

Harbaugh has compiled a 49-22 record over the course of six seasons in Ann Arbor.

The contract extension comes on the heels of a disappointing 2020 campaign, which saw the Wolverines finish 2-4.

While things started off on a high note with a blowout victory over then-No. 21 Minnesota in the season opener, Michigan's season quickly spiraled out of control.

Michigan fell to unranked Michigan State—a team that was coming off a loss to Rutgers in its season opener—in Week 2. The Wolverines then got blown out by Indiana and Wisconsin before getting back in the win column against Rutgers, with a triple-overtime victory on Nov. 21.

A 27-17 loss to the then-winless Penn State Nittany Lions on Nov. 28 wound up being the final game of the season for Harbaugh and Co., as the team's final three games were canceled due to coronavirus-related reasons. 

As the Wolverines look to put the 2020 campaign behind them as quickly as possible, they have decided to move forward with Harbaugh.

When Harbaugh took over in 2015, Michigan was coming off a 5-7 performance under Brady Hoke and had reached double digits in the win column just once in the previous eight seasons. Hiring the former San Francisco 49ers coach immediately helped the program get back on track.

Michigan went 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl victory in Harbaugh's first season in 2015. The next season, the Wolverines were on the verge of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time ever before a loss to archrival Ohio State knocked them out of the Big Ten East race and ultimately the playoff race.

They took a major step back in 2017, stumbling to an 8-5 record. The team responded in 2018, though, as it went on the much-hyped "Revenge Tour," which saw it take a No. 4 ranking into Columbus for the regular-season finale. But once again, the Buckeyes spoiled the Wolverines' season.

That would be the theme of Harbaugh's tenure in Ann Arbor.

Harbaugh has recorded three 10-win seasons in six years at Michigan, though the Wolverines have never finished with fewer than three losses. Most notably, his teams have struggled in spotlight games:

• 11-16 versus Top 25 teams 
  
• 1-9 versus Top 10 teams 
  
• 1-4 in bowl games

Part of those struggles can be attributed to rivalry games:

• 1-1 versus Notre Dame 
• 3-3 versus Michigan State
• 0-5 versus Ohio State 
  

Michigan has never won the East division under Harbaugh, let alone a conference championship. And as promising as some seasons appeared to be at times, it has never reached the CFP.

As Michigan struggled late in the 2020 season, Harbaugh's name began to appear in the rumor mill, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk reported in early December that he was eyeing an NFL gig. According to reporter John U. Bacon, "at least" five NFL teams had expressed interest in hiring the Wolverines coach.

In the end, though, Harbaugh appears to be back coaching Michigan. 

Amid COVID-19 concerns with the Ohio State Buckeyes, head coach Ryan Day believes his team will be ready for the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday.

Day said "correct" when asked by reporters if his team was on track to play Monday against Alabama.

"We'll have plenty of players," he added.

John Talty and Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported Tuesday there have been "concerns related to Ohio State’s player availability for the game" after the Buckeyes "informed key parties involved it could be without a position group due to COVID-19 testing and related protocols."

Talty and Zenitz noted officials from Ohio State, Alabama, the SEC, the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff have had discussions about potentially postponing the game.

However, Bill Hancock, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, told ESPN's Heather Dinich on Tuesday the game will be played as scheduled.

"I can tell you there are no changes," Hancock said. "The game is scheduled for Jan. 11, as planned, and we look forward to it."

Radio host Dan Patrick reported Thursday morning that Ohio State "is very close to the availability limit right now" and that the Big Ten is pushing for the game to be postponed.

A College Football Playoff spokesperson told Kyle Rowland of The Blade last month that conference COVID-19 testing protocols will apply to teams in the playoff.

The Big Ten's adjusted rules require players who test positive to sit out at least 17 days. Games during the regular season were canceled if a team had a positivity rate of at least 5 percent.

Ohio State played the Big Ten Championship Game against Northwestern on Dec. 19 without 22 players, including three starters, because of COVID-19 issues.

The Buckeyes beat Clemson 49-28 in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Jan. 1.