SEC Football

Thanks to the transfer portal and amended rules regarding compensation for name, image and likeness for athletes, college football has undergone a significant transformation in a short amount of time. Alabama head coach Nick Saban isn't convinced the new normal can last.

"I don’t think what we’re doing right now is a sustainable model," Saban said to the Associated Press' Ralph D. Russo.

He expressed concerns with what he believes is a warping of the aim behind the NIL legislation:

The concept of name, image and likeness was for players to be able to use their name, image and likeness to create opportunities for themselves. That’s what it was. So last year on our team, our guys probably made as much or more than anybody in the country. ...

But that creates a situation where you can basically buy players. You can do it in recruiting. I mean, if that’s what we want college football to be, I don’t know. And you can also get players to get in the transfer portal to see if they can get more someplace else than they can get at your place.

Saban isn't the first, nor will he be the last, to lament what has become a Wild West in college sports, particularly football.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told ESPN's Chris Low the landscape is "out of control," "not sustainable" and "an absolute mess and a train wreck."

NCAA President Mark Emmert has called upon Congress to "find a single legal model by which NIL and other relationships with student-athletes can be regulated" because different states have different NIL laws.

Of course, there's a level of irony in seeing well-paid coaches and administrators wring their hands now that college athletes can earn their share of the financial pie and keep things above board.

Those athletes are also getting to enjoy the same freedom of movement that has been afforded to coaches.

The professionalization of big-time college athletics has been happening for decades, and the ongoing arms race has only widened the gulf between the haves and have-nots. When the University of Alabama rolls out a plan to spend $600 million to upgrade its athletic facilities, the horse was out of the barn before the NIL reforms.

While it's difficult to see how the NCAA can close Pandora's box, the market may correct itself.

The boosters lining up NIL deals and helping to fund NIL collectives expect to see some return on their investment, be it financial or through success on the field of play. If they don't see the results they hoped, then it stands to reason they might shy away from future support.

Georgia defensive tackle Warren Brinson was arrested Thursday on two misdemeanor charges stemming from an alleged TikTok challenge. 

Per Anthony Dasher of Rivals.com, Brinson turned himself in to Athens-Clarke County jail on charges of simple battery after he allegedly shot water-based gel beads out of a toy gun at a group of people on Georgia's campus.

Brinson was later released on $3,000 bond.

According to Dasher, Brinson was doing the "Orbeez Challenge" from TikTok in which participants use a toy gun to shoot water-based gel beads at random strangers while recording.

Brinson said in a message to Dasher he "was in his vehicle when he pulled up to a group of people that he thought he knew," but he was mistaken and the individuals filed a report after calling police about the incident. 

The "Orbeez Challenge" has generated significant controversy. The Orange County (Florida) Sheriff's Office tweeted Tuesday that individuals who take part in the challenge will be arrested for terrorizing people. 

The Voluisa Sheriff's Office announced last month the arrest of a 19-year-old who shot an Amazon driver in his neck and glasses as he was driving as part of the challenge. 

The Georgia football program has not yet issued a statement about Brinson's arrest. 

Brinson has appeared in 19 games for the Bulldogs over the past two seasons. He recorded nine total tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack to help Georgia win a national title in 2021. 

Wide receiver Agiye Hall has been suspended from Alabama's football team for a violation of team rules. 

Head coach Nick Saban addressed Hall's status while speaking to reporters after Wednesday's spring practice:

"He is suspended from the team for violations of some team rules, whether they’re academic or whatever. It doesn’t really matter. Everybody has a responsibility and obligation to respect the principles and values and do what they need to do. They’re all there to help them be more successful, so to respect those and do those are always really helpful."

Saban was asked what Hall needed to do to get back on the roster, though he didn't seem open to the possibility. 

“He’s had that opportunity once, so I don’t know what his plans are for the future,” Saban answered.

BamaInsider reported on Tuesday that Hall was no longer listed on Alabama's roster and "his time in Tuscaloosa has come to an end."

Saban didn't specify what Hall did that got him suspended. The Florida native was part of Alabama's 2021 recruiting class. He was a 4-star prospect and No. 5 wide receiver in the country coming out of Bloomingdale High School, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

There were indications that Hall was unhappy with his role on the Crimson Tide last season. He deleted a tweet in October that said he was "calling it quits," per Charlie Potter of 247Sports.

Alabama's loaded wide-receiver room made it difficult for Hall to get consistent playing time as a freshman. Jameson Williams and John Metchie both had more than 1,100 receiving yards in 2021. 

Hall only appeared in three games last season, finishing with 72 yards on four receptions. His best game was in the College Football Playoff Championship loss against Georgia (two receptions, 52 yards) after Williams tore his ACL early in the second quarter.     

HEIGHT: 5'8"

WEIGHT: 178

HAND: 9"

ARM: 27 5/8"

WINGSPAN: 5'7 5/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.44

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 9'10"

POSITIVES

— Good athlete with very good balance. Always plays under control when coming out of route breaks. Can throttle down and find soft spots when working against zone coverage.

— Willing to lay out for throws and come up with more difficult catches.

— Primarily lined up in the slot. Kentucky found various ways to try to get the ball in his hands.

—.Good route-runner who can stay tight with his route path.

— Has the long speed to take the top off defenses.

— Overall a competitive player.

NEGATIVES

— Undersized with short arms and can have trouble versus more physical defenders.

— Had drops come up with throws at his body.

— Rarely worked from the outside.

2021 STATISTICS

13 G, 104 REC, 1,334 YDS (12.8 AVG), 7 TD, 7 ATT, 111 YDS (15.9 AVG)

NOTES

— 2021 second-team All-SEC

OVERALL

Robinson is a good route-runner who uses his very good balance and body control to keep his route breaks tight. He will consistently stay friendly to the quarterback and understands how to maintain a path despite contact when going against man coverage. His body control allows him to throttle down his speed and find soft spaces when working versus zone coverage. Robinson has just above-average burst with the ball in his hands and when working out of his break. He can allow defenders to close the separation he creates with his good quickness. He also has enough long speed to create some vertical stretch on defenses.

Robinson projects as a slot-only receiver at the next level. He rarely worked from the outside at the college level, and his lack of size and length limits his projection to do so in the NFL. He has the ability to win from the slot with his speed, quickness and route-running ability, and he is willing to work over the middle despite his smaller frame. You wish he could create a little bit more with the ball in his hands, being more OK than overly dynamic. Overall, Robinson can step in and contribute as a No. 3 WR early in his career who can be a nice weapon to add for a team with options already in place on the outside.

GRADE: 7.0 (High-level Backup/Potential starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 112

POSITION RANK: WR18

PRO COMPARISON: Cole Beasley

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

Nicholaus Iamaleava, a 5-star quarterback out of Warren High School in Downey, California, has chosen to play college football at Tennessee.

"They had everything I was looking for," he said in an interview with 247Sports' Greg Biggins. "I met some incredible people, not just with the football program but everyone we met was so welcoming to us and made me feel like home."

Per 247Sports, the 6'5", 195-pounder ranks as the No. 3 overall prospect and the No. 3 quarterback on the class of 2023 prospect list.

247Sports lists Iamaleava as having 21 offers, including ones from Alabama, Oregon and USC. He played two years at Long Beach Poly before moving onto Downey.

Iamaleava is also a volleyball star, as On3.com detailed:

Nicholaus Iamaleava received scholarship offers in volleyball long before he picked up his first offer in football. Iamaleava is ranked by some volleyball analysts as the top high school volleyball prospect in the country. He played varsity volleyball as a freshman at Long Beach Poly—one of the top high school teams in the country. Iamaleava transferred from Poly to Downey (Calif.) Warren before the start of his junior season.

Iamaleava will now take his talents to Tennessee, which will welcome one of the top Class of 2023 quarterbacks in the country in hopes of earning a national title under his leadership.

His commitment now also helps head coach Josh Heupel build more momentum following a seven-win 2021 season that got the Vols to the Music City Bowl. That was more than what many expected given the difficult situation Heupel inherited. 

Texas A&M wide receiver Demond Demas was arrested Wednesday after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend last weekend. 

David Wilson of ESPN obtained a probable cause affidavit from the Brazos County (Texas) Sheriff's Office that alleges Demas and the unnamed woman got into a verbal argument before he physically assaulted her. She told police Demas pushed her head into a wall then grabbed her and threw her off a bed, causing her to bite through her bottom lip. 

"The injury caused bleeding, loose teeth, swelling and a hole to the bottom lip," the affidavit said.

Demas was released from jail Wednesday after posting $5,000 bond. Texas A&M said he's been suspended from school and all football activities pending the result of the investigation.

Demas recorded 15 receptions for 235 yards and one touchdown in 2021. He was the nation's No. 25 overall recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports.

Jahlil Hurley, a 5-star cornerback out of Florence High School in Alabama, is staying in state to play college football for the Crimson Tide.

Hurley told Hank South of BamaOnLine on Tuesday that Alabama head coach Nick Saban was excited when he made the commitment.

"I swear I'm not lyin' … he cracked the biggest smile," he said about Saban's reaction. "And then when I walked out of his office he was like, 'I'm depending on you.' I kid you not."

Hurley also explained the decision: "Why not Bama? Honestly, look at the numbers, look at Coach Saban and all the things he's done at Bama. Why not Bama?"

The class of 2023 prospect is ranked 22nd overall and fourth among cornerbacks on 247Sports' composite rankings.

The 6'2", 170-pounder fielded 18 offers, including ones from Georgia, LSU and Michigan, before settling on the Tide.

Hurley listed a top eight of Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Penn State, Florida, Michigan, Auburn and Texas A&M on Oct. 31:

Alabama eventually won out as Hurley will take his shutdown corner skills to Tuscaloosa starting next year in hopes of helping lead the school to another national championship.

HEIGHT: 6'4 1/8"

WEIGHT: 330

HAND: 10 1/8"

ARM: 32 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'5 3/8"

40-YARD DASH: 5.41

3-CONE: 8.41

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 21.5"

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Thick frame with his weight well distributed.

— Very good upper-body strength. Hands don't pop, but he has no issues taking control of blocks after engagement.

— Plays with good length and extension. Keeps OL out of his frame.

— Great eyes and discipline to the backfield. Can maintain his gap control without losing vision.

— Above-average lower-body strength. Can handle double teams well enough.

— Above-average movement across the line of scrimmage and when coming off blocks for his size.

— Good flexibility. Can contort his body while remaining balanced to make it difficult for OL to take over blocks.

NEGATIVES

— Hands do not pop when engaging. Needs to find a quicker strike.

— Below-average snap get-off. Not someone who will find themselves in the backfield immediately.

— Occasionally gives up an extra step of ground upon first contact by engaging with the wrong foot and forcing himself to reset/recover.

— Does not add much value as a pass-rusher. Average pocket-pusher and clean-up guy.

2021 STATISTICS

45 TOT, 9.5 TFL, 2 SK, 2 PD

NOTES

— Four years of playing time, one-and-a-half as a starter.

— 3-star recruit in 2017.

OVERALL

Neil Farrell Jr. is yet another SEC big man in this class with the tools to be a solid nose guard for any defense. Farrell played a majority of his snaps in the A gap as a 1-tech at LSU, though he could probably slot in directly over the center as a true 0-tech with ease in the NFL as well.

Farrell's calling cards are his strength and disciplined upper-body technique. Farrell's raw strength takes over once he gets engaged, allowing him to extend his arms and keep offensive linemen out of his frame while controlling the block with his tight grip. From there, Farrell does an excellent job playing with his eyes through the block and to the backfield. Couple that with Farrell's feel for what kind of block schemes he is getting, and you end up with a nose guard rarely out of position. Furthermore, Farrell has the lower body strength to anchor effectively, even against most double-team situations.

Most of Farrell's weaknesses stem from his lower body. Every now and again, Farrell can get caught taking on the block with the wrong foot forward and get blown off his spot. That is more of a foot quickness and technique issue than raw strength. Granted, Farrell often recovers well and stays off the ground, but it's a concern worth keeping an eye on. Additionally, Farrell does not come off the ball well for the most part. He is not going to be a menace in the backfield in the NFL.

The same is true of his pass-rushing work, where Farrell is mostly dependent on decent leg drive and the occasional swim move, but nothing more. In fairness, Farrell does play with good enough effort to be a somewhat valuable clean-up player. It is just more likely that Farrell is a complementary pocket-pusher than a real difference-maker in that respect.

In all, Farrell is one of the better nose guards in the class. He has the size, strength, discipline and experience to come in right away as a fairly reliable space-eater in the middle. Lack of explosive playmaking tools put a cap on Farrell's ceiling, but there should be a long-term starting role for a player with his kind of run defense chops up the middle.

GRADE: 7.5 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 59

POSITION RANK: DL7

PRO COMPARISON: Derrick Nnadi

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Former collegiate goalkeeper Sarah Fuller, who became the first woman to score in a Power Five football game as a kicker for the Vanderbilt Commodores in 2020, is continuing her soccer career with the USL W-League's Minnesota Aurora FC, the team announced Monday. 

Fuller is Minnesota's first-ever signing. 

Fuller was recruited as a kicker for Vanderbilt after members of the school's football team had to quarantine due to COVID-19 policies during the 2020 season. She made history by kicking off in a game against Missouri on Nov. 28, 2020, becoming the first woman to take a snap for a Power Five team. In addition, she kicked a pair of extra points in a loss to the Tennessee Volunteers on Dec. 12, 2020.

Fuller spent four seasons as the goalkeeper for Vanderbilt's women's soccer program from 2017 to 2020 before transferring to North Texas in 2021. 

The USL W-League is set to begin play this year. 

LSU announced Friday that it reached a historic deal with Fanatics and OneTeam Partners to sell customizable Nike football jerseys.

The program showcased what fans will be able to purchase on Fanatics:

Per the official announcement, LSU is the first college football team with "near unanimous team participation" in the Fanatics and OneTeam Partners co-branded player jersey program.

As part of the NCAA's new NIL rules, collegiate athletes are now permitted to profit from the use of their names, images and likenesses.

That means every LSU player who has opted into the jersey program will be compensated for their jersey sales.

LSU athletic director Scott Woodward said the following regarding the program:

This is a historic day in college athletics, and we're proud and pleased to bring the storied tradition of LSU Football to the forefront of the sport through co-branded, licensed football jerseys. For the first time ever, fans will be able to purchase authentic jerseys of their favorite LSU Tigers, and student-athletes will directly benefit from every sale. We cannot wait to see our jerseys on the sidelines and in the stands inside Tiger Stadium next season, and we eagerly anticipate additional player co-branded products for our student-athletes across all sports.

LSU is one of several schools to opt into the program, which launched Thursday on Fanatics.

The Tigers are just three seasons removed from the greatest year in program history, as they went 15-0 and won a national championship in 2019.

That team produced several high NFL draft picks, including quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who will lead the Cincinnati Bengals against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI.

LSU has not finished with a winning record in either of the past two seasons, but after hiring Brian Kelly from Notre Dame as its new head coach, expectations are high for 2022 and beyond.