NCAA

Michigan State redshirt sophomore defensive back Khary Crump has accepted a plea deal stemming from an altercation earlier this season in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium.

Per Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, the 21-year-old "agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor counts of assault/battery and disorderly conduct person-jostling."

Crump had originally faced a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon after he was seen on video swinging his helmet at Michigan defensive back Gemon Green after the Spartans' 29-7 loss to the Wolverines on Oct. 29 as both teams walked to the locker room.

Green was consulted on the plea deal, and Crump was required to write a letter of apology to him as part of the agreement, per Solari.

"This is a step," Crump said in a statement to Solari. "Writing the apology to Gemon was a step. I am taking this step by step. I am working on KJ the man, KJ the student and KJ the athlete. All I can say is stay tuned."

Crump's attorney Mike Nichols told Solari that his client will formally accept the plea deal during a virtual hearing on Jan. 5 and all charges will be dismissed and wiped from his record "once he completes his probation under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act." Nichols added that Crump, who had transferred to Michigan State from Arizona in 2021, doesn't intend to enter the transfer portal this offseason.

"The apology that he wrote to Gemon was heartfelt. … Slowly but surely, he is pulling himself out of a horribly dark place," Nichols said. "I predict that in the end, this kid is going to be one hell of a comeback story."

In addition to Crump, six other Spartans players were charged in two incidents involving Green and fellow Michigan defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows. All seven of them were suspended by Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker for the final four games of the season.

However, Crump is the only one not to be reinstated, as he still faces an eight-game suspension levied by the Big Ten to start the 2023 season.

Pittsburgh quarterback Kedon Slovis announced Saturday via social media that he is transferring to BYU.

Slovis entered the transfer portal on Dec. 5. BYU will be his third school in what will be his fifth season in 2023. In addition to Pitt, he also suited up for the USC Trojans from 2019-2021.

The BYU staff was intrigued by the former Pitt quarterback's "level of accuracy," according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. He is entering his final year of eligibility in 2023 and will compete for BYU's starting quarterback job, Thamel added.

BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick praised Slovis in a statement, via Sean Walker of KSL.com:

"Kedon is an effortless passer, great leader and one of the most accurate quarterbacks in college football. I've enjoyed watching his calm demeanor. He is always poised, never too high or too low. I have been so impressed with his methodical approach to this decision to come to BYU. I can't wait for him to join us in January."

In his lone season at Pitt, Slovis completed 58.4 percent of his passes for 2,397 yards and 10 touchdowns against nine interceptions in 11 games. The transfer of star wide receiver Jordan Addison to USC heavily impacted the team's aerial attack.

Still, Slovis was far more accurate during his three seasons at USC, completing 68.4 percent of his passes for 7,576 yards and 58 touchdowns against 24 interceptions in 27 games.

BYU finished the 2022 season with an 8-5 record and is preparing for a move to the Big 12 in 2023 after being independent since 2011. Having played in both the Pac-12 and ACC, Slovis should help with that transition.

The addition of Slovis comes after former Cougars quarterback Jaren Hall, who spent the last two seasons as BYU's starter, declared for the 2023 NFL draft.

UCLA also expressed interest in adding Slovis this winter, according to Walker.

Class of 2023 5-star safety Peyton Bowen raised some eyebrows when he flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Oregon on Wednesday, but he made an even more surprising decision Thursday.

Bowen announced on social media that he has now committed to Oklahoma. He stated that after his commitment to the Ducks, he "immediately started to rethink my future."

A 6'0", 185-pound safety from John Guyer High School in Denton, Texas, Bowen is ranked as the No. 2 safety and No. 14 overall player in the 2023 class by 247Sports' composite rankings. In his announcement, he cited a desire to stay closer to home as part of his reason for joining the Sooners. He apologized to the fanbases of Oregon and Notre Dame, acknowledging that his decision-making process "could have been handled better."

247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks describes Bowen as a "sudden athlete with lateral mobility and great initial burst and acceleration" who can be "dangerous as a center fielder thanks to ability to cover territory and make plays on the ball." Bowen also competed in track and field at a high level during his high school career.

Brooks added that the two-sport athlete "projects a potential high-major impact player in the future with immediate special teams value and a long-term ceiling that could lead to the NFL draft."

Bowen's decommitment from Oregon is another loss for Ducks head coach Dan Lanning and his staff. 5-star quarterback Dante Moore, the No. 5 quarterback in his class, flipped from Oregon to UCLA earlier this week.

However, Oregon managed to sign 5-star edge-rusher Matayo Uiagalelei on Wednesday. He is the second 5-star recruit in the Ducks' 2023 class, joining wide receiver Jurrion Dickey.

Texas A&M football head coach Jimbo Fisher made his feelings clear about the amount of tampering going on in the NCAA's transfer portal as teams continue to navigate the NIL (name, image and likeness) era.

Fisher made his remarks during a National Signing Day press conference.

Fisher made it clear that he doesn't have any issue with players getting paid. Rather, he has a problem with the rules (or lack thereof) governing the system in place.

"I'm not saying being able to transfer is bad," Fisher said, per Dean Straka of 247Sports. "I'm not saying paying players bad. But the current status of the rules and the way it's done and how it's done? It's ridiculous. It's here. Everybody has the same issues and same problems."

He also expressed concern that teams who weren't abiding by the rules would continue to get rewarded.

"The ones that keep pushing the rules and breaking them will be rewarded," Fisher said. "And the others have to keep fighting, scratching and clawing to do things the right way. You can do it that way and win. Always have."

Fisher's own program went under the spotlight when Alabama head coach Nick Saban claimed that the Aggies "bought every player" in their No. 1 recruiting class of 2022.

"We didn't buy one player. A'ight?" Saban said last May, per Mike Rodak of AL.com. "But I don't know if we're going to be able to sustain that in the future, because more and more people are doing it. It's tough."

Fisher was so displeased with the comments that he soon called a press conference to address them. However, he said in October that the two had moved on.

Fisher also has a feud with Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who got involved in this ordeal after making some remarks about the Aggies' alleged NIL dealings.

"We don't have the funding resources as some schools with the NIL deals," Kiffin said, per ESPN's Dave Wilson. "It's like dealing with salary caps. I joked I didn't know if Texas A&M incurred a luxury tax with how much they paid for their signing class."

Fisher later called Kiffin and Saban "clown acts" in response.

Kiffin had his own take on Fisher's NIL comments from Thursday.

This was a tough year for Fisher's program, which endured a host of injuries en route to a 5-7 season and a last-place finish in the SEC West. Alabama went 10-2 and just missed out on the College Football Playoff. Ole Miss started 7-0 but lost four of its last five to end at 8-4.

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels announced Friday he will return to school for the 2023 season.

Daniels started for three years at Arizona State before transferring to LSU for the 2022 season. He completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 16 touchdowns (three interceptions) and 2,774 yards this year.

Daniels also rushed for 818 yards and 11 scores for a 9-4 LSU team that reached the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers knocked off Alabama and Ole Miss this year and finished No. 17 in the final College Football Playoff poll.

He received an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the NCAA calendar and is poised to be a starter for all five of his collegiate seasons.

Up next is a Citrus Bowl appearance against Purdue on Jan. 2 at 1 p.m. ET.

LSU returns some big names in 2023, including linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. and wideouts Malik Nabers and Kayshon Boutte. Per Brody Miller of The Athletic, LSU will bring back its entire offensive line as well.

That sets up LSU for success in its second season under Brian Kelly, who has accelerated the rebuild of the Tigers program after it went 6-7 last year.

Having all the key parts back in place will make LSU a strong contender for the College Football Playoff crown. The Tigers had an outside shot at getting there this year before losing to unranked Texas A&M on Nov. 26.

Next year's ledger won't be easy, especially a road game at Alabama, but LSU has the pieces to make the CFP.

One of the top pass-rushers in the 2023 recruiting class has picked his school.

Jaquavious "Qua" Russaw, a 5-star edge-rusher from Carver High School in Alabama, committed to Alabama on Wednesday, per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren.

"Just the winning program," Russaw told ESPN about why he chose the Crimson Tide. "Great program, great place to be, and they can do a lot for you. It's a legendary program."

Russaw is considered the No. 22 player in the Class of 2023, the No. 3 edge-rusher and the No. 2 player from the state of Alabama, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Cooper Petagna of the recruiting website wrote in Russaw's scouting report that he is an "instinctive three-down linebacker that has ability to play on or off ball at the next level and can add pass-rushing value on passing downs."

Petagna added: "Plays with outstanding effort and will add immediate special teams value at the next level. Projects to a high level Power Five multiyear starter at the collegiate level."

ON3.com said Russaw compared to Tennessee Titans linebacker Rashaan Evans.

Russaw was awesome in 2021, accumulating 130 tackles (27.5 for loss) and 16 sacks.

"I love football and I want people to see that when they watch me play," he told Dawg Nation in May. "I love to make tackles, and it doesn't matter how far away they are or how far down the field it is. I am going to chase it. That's because I love football."

And matching that energy with a similar team culture was a big part of what he was seeking as he considered his college options.

"Just a hard-working team that wants to win," he said he was looking for during the recruiting process. "With the best players on the field. The best players on the field are usually the hardest workers."

With superstar edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. likely off to the NFL as a potential top-three pick, Russaw could have an avenue for playing time, though Alabama rarely lacks depth.

Dallas Turner, Jeremiah Alexander and Jihaad Campbell will be the favorites to top the depth chart off the edge for the Crimson Tide next season, while fellow Class of 2023 5-star edge-rusher Keon Keeley will also push for playing time.

Javien Toviano, a 4-star cornerback from Martin High School in Arlington, committed to LSU on Thursday, according to Sonny Shipp of 247Sports.com.

Toviano is considered the No. 58 player from the Class of 2023, the No. 6 cornerback and the No. 9 player from the state of Texas, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

At 6'0" and 185 pounds, Toviano already has solid size for the position, though he'll have to bulk up somewhat in college. He's also a versatile athlete, also playing running back and some Wildcat quarterback for Martin.

And he has a solid athletic pedigree. His older brother, Juma Otoviano, is a running back for Rice who has rushed for 1,082 yards and five touchdowns in his college career.

"I think it starts with his humility," Toviano's head coach at Martin, Bob Wager, told NBC DFW 5 when breaking down what made the cornerback prospect special. "He's been raised the right way by his mom and dad. He has an older brother Juma who was a great role model and example for him. He plays all three phases and does whatever he can to help the football team."

That versatility has made him a key player for Martin. At the next level, however, he'll likely focus solely on the cornerback position, with the upside to be a special player.

He may have a route to immediate playing time. LSU only is currently scheduled to have three corners, Sevyn Banks, Laterrance Welch and Jaelyn Davis-Robinson, on the roster for the 2023 season after Mekhi Garner and Jay Ward declared for the NFL Draft and Jarrick Bernard-Converse and Colby Richardson ran out of eligibility.

Toviano will have competition among the freshman, however, with 3-star corners Jeremiah Hughes and Ashton Stamps committed to the school in the Class of 2023. And LSU is likely to address the position in the transfer portal.