SEC Football

The University of Alabama announced Wednesday two members of the football team's coaching staff—offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and offensive line coach Doug Marrone—tested positive for COVID-19.

Both coaches are expected to return before the Crimson Tide face Cincinnati in the College Football Playoff semifinals in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Eve:

O'Brien joined the Bama coaching staff in January to replace Steve Sarkisian, who left Tuscaloosa to take over as head coach at Texas.

The 52-year-old Massachusetts native spent the previous nine years as a head coach, first at Penn State (2012-13) and then with the NFL's Houston Texans (2014-20).

His high-powered Tide attack is ranked fourth in scoring offense (42.5 points per game) and sixth in total offense (495.5 yards per game).

Marrone also joined the Alabama staff in January to coach the offensive line, a role he'd filled numerous times at the college and NFL levels before becoming a head coach in 2009.

His head coaching stints included time at Syracuse (2009-12) along with stops leading the Buffalo Bills (2013-14) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-20).

The Crimson Tide almost always feature one of the nation's top line groups and this year is no different, led by offensive tackle Evan Neal, a potential top-five pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Alabama enters the College Football Playoff as the top seed after beating previously undefeated Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

The winner of the Cotton Bowl will face either Michigan or Georgia—who will face off in the Orange Bowl—in the National Championship Game on Jan. 10.

Former Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs announced Tuesday that he will transfer to Alabama:

The rising junior rushed 143 times for 746 yards (5.2 YPC) and four touchdowns in 2021. He also added 35 receptions for 465 yards and two more scores.

For his efforts, Gibbs earned All-ACC first-team all-purpose back honors. The conference also named him to the second team as a specialist and the third team as a running back.

The news comes six days after ex-LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, a former 5-star recruit, announced he would be transferring to Alabama.

Alabama's current No. 1 running back, Brian Robinson Jr., is a fifth-year senior in his last year of eligibility.

Trey Sanders is Robinson's backup. The sophomore had 242 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 56 carries (4.3 YPC) alongside four catches for 51 yards.

As noted by ESPN's Alex Scarborough, two other Alabama backs (Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams) suffered season-ending injuries this year.

Gibbs should have opportunities to carve out a significant role in the Alabama backfield, especially after a successful 2021 season with Georgia Tech.

Charlie Potter of Bama OnLine gave a rundown of where Gibbs could fit:

So where does Gibbs fit in in a position room that could feature seven players next year? With a few players coming off injuries, especially McClellan who will likely be the No. 1 back when fully healthy again, having a guy with Power 5 experience like Gibbs allows them to take their time in recovering. That’s not to say the injured players won’t be ready for the start of the 2022 season, but if they’re not, Gibbs could certainly step in and provide UA with immediate help.

But say everyone returns and is at 100-percent health for the opener against Utah State, then what? Well, Gibbs is a do-it-all back that can not only carry the ball but make plays with it out of the backfield as a receiver. In his two seasons at Georgia Tech, he has averaged 3.2 receptions per game and 12.9 yards per reception as the Jackets’ second-leading receiver.

Gibbs also could continue a positive Alabama trend.

The Crimson Tide have found excellent talents through the transfer portal, with the team notably finding its top wide receiver (Jameson Williams from Ohio State) and tackler (Henry To'o To'o from Tennessee) there.

Thanks in part to those two, the Crimson Tide are riding into the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 team in the country. They'll play Cincinnati in the CFP semifinal on Dec. 31.

Former Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller committed to Florida on Tuesday.

Miller will fill the void in the Gators' quarterback room left by Emory Jones, who entered the transfer portal. The Arizona native went 7-of-14 for 101 yards in mop-up duty for OSU during the 2021 season.

The redshirt freshman was a 4-star recruit and the No. 13 pro-style quarterback in the 2020 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Had he stayed with the Buckeyes, Miller would've seen his path to the starting job blocked by Heisman Trophy finalist C.J. Stroud and Kyle McCord in 2022. The Buckeyes already had former No. 1 overall recruit Quinn Ewers transfer to Texas for presumably the same reason.

Miller's situation in Columbus was complicated by his November arrest for operating a vehicle while impaired. He subsequently pleaded guilty to reckless operation, a misdemeanor.

In terms of playing time, Miller will probably have little in the way of guarantees since Anthony Richardson isn't going anywhere.

The freshman had Florida fans demanding he be named the starter after throwing for 192 yards and two touchdowns and running for 275 yards and two touchdowns in the team's first two games.

Former head coach Dan Mullen looked a bit more justified for taking a cautious approach with the 6'4" signal-caller when the Gators lost 34-7 to Georgia on Oct. 30. 

Inside the final three minutes of the first half, Richardson committed three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble) that Georgia turned into 21 points to take a commanding 24-0 lead.

A meniscus injury will keep him out for Thursday's Gasparilla Bowl against UCF, eliminating the chance for him to end 2021 on a high note.

With the experience he gained this year, Richardson should be better next season. Any advantage he might've had over Miller in terms of continuity is probably nonexistent, though, since the offense could look a lot different under new coach Billy Napier.

The pro-style QB's transfer will likely make that position battle one of the more closely followed when spring practices begin.

Former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix announced Sunday on Instagram that he is transferring to Oregon.

"Coast to Coast," he wrote. "It's official! #GoDucks."

Nix has familiarity with the coaching staff. New Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Auburn in 2019 when Nix was a freshman for the Tigers.

His first game came against Oregon, a 27-21 win in which Nix threw the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds. He won the SEC Freshman of the Year award that season.

Per Tom Green of AL.com, Dillingham—who was Florida State's offensive coordinator the past two years—"had been a candidate for the offensive coordinator vacancy on Bryan Harsin's staff this month. A source at the time told AL.com that part of Dillingham's interest in potentially returning to Auburn was the opportunity to work with Nix again."

In three years at Auburn, Nix threw for 7,251 yards, 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, completing 59.4 percent of his passes. 

In Nix's three seasons, the Tigers have gone just 21-15, and they are a disappointing 6-6 this year. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

T.J. Finley is the favorite to serve as Auburn's starting quarterback. The sophomore stepped into the role in the Tigers' last two games after Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury, throwing for 325 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He was sacked seven times and Auburn lost both games.

"These guys have seen me in live action. These guys trust me," Finley said of serving as the starter, per Green. "They communicate well with me, and they allow me to do my job and communicate to them what I see on and off the field, and things of that nature. I think the guys have responded well to me stepping in and being the quarterback of the team.”

The Texas A&M secondary will be dangerous in 2022 with the addition of cornerback Denver Harris. 

Per his Twitter page, Harris committed to the Aggies on Saturday after picking them over schools like Alabama, LSU and Texas. 

A standout defensive back at North Shore High School in Texas, Harris is regarded as one of the best players in the 2022 recruiting class. He's a 5-star prospect ranked as the No. 3 cornerback and 17th-best prospect overall, per 247Sports. 

Harris already possesses the kind of size (6'1", 180 pounds) that would fit right in with any college program.

The scouting report by 247Sports' midlands region recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks is indicative of the type of talent Harris is bringing with him to the Aggies:

"Tall, long cornerback prospect with elite frame potential relative to the position. Size already gives opposing wideouts problems. Possesses a ton of potential as a jammer. Uses frame to advantage and plays physical brand of coverage. Physical nature translates to tackling ability. Light on his feet and sinks hips. Shows impressive redirecting ability, whether in coverage or pursuit. On-field top-end speed looks encouraging."

Head coach Jimbo Fisher is definitely making his mark on the Aggies, but they are still trying to catch Alabama atop the SEC standings. 

Last year was a step back for Texas A&M after a strong 2020. The program went 9-1 overall and finished the season ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press Top 25 two years ago.

Despite beating the Crimson Tide during the 2021 regular season, the Aggies managed a disappointing 8-4 record. 

The easiest way for Fisher to build a roster that can consistently challenge Alabama and compete for SEC titles is recruiting well in the state of Texas. Harris, one of the best 2022 recruits in the country, is from Houston. 

Getting Harris to commit to the Aggies gives Fisher a building block to center his entire defense around next year and beyond.

Myles Brennan will remain at LSU after initially entering the transfer portal, an LSU spokesman confirmed to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.

Brennan also announced the move on social media, tweeting: "There’s no place like home. Let’s ride tiger nation!"

The Tigers' account had its own message to fans after the decision:

Brennan's future with the team was uncertain after LSU parted ways with head coach Ed Orgeron. It seems he is willing to stick around under new coach Brian Kelly as he tries to live up to his enormous potential.

This news also comes after LSU starting quarterback Max Johnson entered the transfer portal earlier this month.

Brennan suffered a broken arm that required surgery ahead of the 2021 season, allowing Johnson to take over the starting job. The Tigers finished 6-6, including a 3-5 record in SEC play.

Injuries were also a problem for Brennan in 2020, as he suffered a torn abdominal muscle that ended his season after three games.

It has limited the quarterback to just 201 pass attempts across five years on campus, totaling 1,712 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Brennan was a 4-star recruit out of high school, considered the No. 6 quarterback in the 2017 class by 247Sports composite rankings.

Brennan will look for more success under Kelly, who helped Notre Dame average at least 30 points per game in each of the past eight seasons. LSU averaged 27.1 points per game this year, 77th in FBS.   

To hear Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher tell it, paying players in college football has been around well before they were allowed to make money off their name, image and likeness.

"There were a lot of NIL deals going on before all this was going on, they just weren't legal," Fisher said on The Paul Finebaum Show (h/t Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports). "Nobody told nobody."

Fisher's comments came on Wednesday's early national signing day and in the light of plenty of discussion about how the NIL possibilities and the transfer portal has impacted recruiting and college football as a whole.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin told reporters of the transfer portal, "We have free agency in college football. The kids, a lot of times, go to where they get paid the most."

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day also addressed NIL during a press conference, saying, "To say that I'm not, at the very least, concerned about what's going on around the country right now, that would not be accurate."

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney also discussed the transfer portal and the number of players who are looking to switch schools telling reporters, "It's chaos right now. Tampering galore. Adults manipulating young men. Education is like the last thing now."

Swinney also said he would like a return to the system that required players to sit out for one year if they decide to transfer.

Fisher has navigated the new world of college football rather successfully when it comes to the recruiting trail.

As of Wednesday, he has the No. 2 overall class for the 2022 cycle, per 247Sports' composite rankings. That is the type of recruiting that is necessary to compete with some of the powerhouses in the SEC such as Alabama and Georgia.

The Aggies went 8-4 this season and will face Wake Forest in the Gator Bowl.             

Georgia landed a potentially elite pass-rusher in Marvin Jones Jr. on Wednesday.

The 5-star prospect announced his commitment to play college football at Georgia, choosing it over other prestigious programs such as Alabama and Florida State.

According to the 247Sports' composite rankings, Jones is the No. 22 overall player in the 2022 recruiting class, as well as the No. 2 edge and No. 4 player from the state of Florida.

Jones, who is the son of longtime New York Jets linebacker Marvin Jones, has starred at American Heritage Schools in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at the high school level.

Per 247Sports, he broke out as a pass-rusher in a big way in 2020, finishing with 13 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 55 tackles.

His numbers weren't as good in 2021, as they dipped to five sacks, six tackles for loss and 46 tackles, but he showed more versatility in being a stand-up pass-rusher from the edge.

At 6'4½" and 245 pounds, Jones already has good size for an outside rusher and shouldn't have much trouble transitioning to the collegiate level from a physicality standpoint.

Andrew Ivins, the Southeast recruiting analyst for 247Sports, has compared Jones to current Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former University of Washington pass-rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who has three sacks as a rookie first-round pick.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in college football, and he has recruited at a high level on that side of the ball as a result.

With Smart at the controls, the Bulldogs lead the nation this season with just 9.5 points allowed per game.

Jones could help Georgia maintain that level of defensive dominance and help keep the team in national championship contention moving forward as well.

Kamari Wilson, a class of 2022 5-star safety from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, will attend Florida.

Blake Alderman of 247Sports reported Wilson chose Florida on Wednesday after taking an official visit to the school this past weekend.

Per 247Sports' composite rankings, the 6'0", 200-pound Wilson is ranked 28th in his class overall, second among safeties and fifth overall from Florida. 

Wilson fielded 33 offers, including ones from Georgia, Texas A&M, Alabama and Notre Dame. In the end, he chose the Gators, who have added a potentially dominant force in their secondary.

Wilson racked up 114 tackles, five interceptions and five touchdowns during his sophomore year in 2019 for Westwood High School in Fort Pierce, Florida.

He decided to transfer to IMG Academy before the 2020 season and announced his decision on social media:

"It was a super tough decision," Wilson added, per Jon Santucci of Treasure Coast Newspapers.

"I love this football team so much, and I didn't want to leave it. IMG is going to give me the tutors that I need to succeed academically. I don't have to worry about violence there. I can just go there and focus on school and football."

He also mentioned academics as a reason for his move.

"The thing that got me thinking about transferring was my grades," Wilson said.

"I'm a 3.2 (grade point average) student, but I had some C's during the third quarter because I had some struggles staying focused. I don't think that will be an issue for me at IMG. I'll have tutors for every class, and I think that will really help a lot."

Wilson played his 2020 season at IMG Academy. In the summer of 2021, he excelled at the Future 50 event, per Chad Simmons of On3 Sports:

Wilson was heavily tipped to play at Georgia at one time, with many of the 247Sports prognosticators projecting as much.

However, Wilson will head to rival Florida, which went 6-6 in 2021.

The Gators will be under new leadership in 2022 as Louisiana-Lafayette's Billy Napier now runs the show in Gainesville. 

Adding a player like Wilson is a huge get for Napier as he looks to establish his footprint in the SEC and in the Sunshine State.

Texas A&M's defense got a lot more dangerous with the addition of prized defensive lineman Anthony Lucas to the 2022 recruiting class. 

Lucas announced his decision Wednesday during the early signing window:

Lucas is regarded as one of the best defensive players in this year's class. The Chaparral High School standout is a 4-star prospect, the No. 7 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 50 overall player, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

247Sports lists Lucas at 6'4½" and 275 pounds, with Blair Angulo's scouting report for the website comparing his size and skill set to Green Bay Packers star Kenny Clark:

Big and hulking frame with plus-plus length. Built through his lower half and carries 300 pounds very well. A physical force at the line of scrimmage and has the prototypical size of an elite line prospect. Quick and agile out of his stance. Shows great burst to instantly put tackles on their heels.

In 17 games between his sophomore and junior seasons, Lucas had a total of 25.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for Chaparral's football team. 

Given that level of production and scouting report, it's no surprise that most of the top programs in the country made Lucas a formal scholarship offer. He had offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, LSU and Georgia, among others. 

The Aggies ultimately came out on top in the recruiting battle. Lucas will have the ability to make his presence felt as soon as next season. His ability to get after the quarterback as an interior defensive lineman makes him incredibly valuable. 

Head coach Jimbo Fisher and his staff continue to do a great job of stockpiling high-ceiling talent to keep the Aggies competitive against the elite teams in the SEC. 

Even though Texas A&M has yet to really break through with an appearance in the SEC Championship Game, it did score a huge win over Alabama during the 2021 regular season. 

Lucas' ability to disrupt the opposing quarterback will boost an Aggies defense that was already among the best in the nation this season (18.1 points allowed per game). 

Teams like Alabama and Georgia reload their talent pools every year. Fisher is doing his best to keep the Aggies close enough to those two programs that they might finally get their moment in the SEC spotlight sooner rather than later.