Conference USA Football

Marshall University has filed a lawsuit against Conference USA in an effort to make its move to the Sun Belt Conference this summer.

According to ESPN's Heather Dinich, the suit was filed Tuesday through the Cabell County Circuit Court in Huntington, West Virginia, and Marshall's goal is to sever ties with Conference USA so it can play in the Sun Belt during the 2022 football season.

A Marshall athletics spokesperson released the following statement to ESPN as well:

"For more than two months, Marshall University has attempted to reach a resolution with Conference USA regarding our decision not to participate in the league after this academic year; however, no progress has been made. The action we brought yesterday is the beginning of litigation intended to protect our rights, help us reach an agreement in a timely manner and clear the way for our shift in conference affiliation. We look forward to a successful resolution of this matter and a bright future with the Sun Belt Conference."

Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss all announced in June that they were leaving C-USA for the Sun Belt, but Conference USA still included all three teams in the 2022 football schedule it released this month.

Per Dinich, Conference USA filed a demand for arbitration this month, noting that in the league bylaws, a school must give the conference 14 months' notice before leaving.

Marshall claimed in its lawsuit that it informed C-USA it would be withdrawing from the conference on Nov. 1, Jan. 12 and Jan. 20. Marshall noted that it said specifically it would withdraw from Conference USA on July 1.

Additionally, Marshall said in the lawsuit that when it joined Conference USA, the league bylaws weren't attached to the agreement, and they didn't include mandatory arbitration in an instance of leaving the conference.

Marshall has played in Conference USA since 2005, following stints in the Mid-American Conference and Southern Conference. Marshall also played as an independent from 1970-76.

The Thundering Herd have been largely successful since joining C-USA, going 115-97 with 10 bowl appearances and one conference title.

Marshall won double-digit games in three consecutive seasons from 2013-15, and it has finished with a winning record in each of the past five seasons, including a 7-6 mark in 2021, which was the first season under head coach Charles Huff.

When the move to the Sun Belt becomes official for Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss, they will join conference stalwarts such as Arkansas State, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana and Troy.

The Miami RedHawks finished the 2021 season with a 27-14 win over the North Texas Mean Green in the Frisco Football Classic on Thursday at Toyota Stadium to finish with a 7-6 record. It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools. 

LOVE & HONOR!

The RedHawks are coming home with the 🏆@MiamiOHFootball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/JzWsuZS9kf

— MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2021

It was a fitting end to the season for the RedHawks, who won four of their final six regular-season games to become bowl eligible. It was also a nice bounce-back win for Miami as it fell short of winning the MAC East Division title with a 48-47 loss to Kent State on Nov. 27. 

Before Thursday, Miami hadn't won a bowl game since the end of the 2010 season. It's also the team's third winning season since recording 11 winning campaigns in a row from 1995-2005. 

---

Notable Stats

Brett Gabbert, QB, MU: 22/31 for 228 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT

Austin Aune, QB, UNT: 15/32 for 228 YDS, 0 TD, 2 INT and 9 CAR for 28 YDS, 1 TD

Jack Sorenson, WR, MU: 7 REC for 116 YDS

Kenny Tracy, RB, MU: 14 CAR for 92 YDS, 1 TD

Damon Ward Jr., WR, UNT: 6 REC for 70 YDS

---

Brett Gabbert, Miami Offense Dominate

It comes as little surprise Gabbert, the brother of Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert, had an impressive evening against the Mean Green. 

The sophomore completed 22-of-31 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns against zero interceptions. It was his sixth straight game with at least 200 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. 

It has been quite the turnaround for Gabbert, who has upped his game over the last several weeks. Though it's worth noting the RedHawks had the best passing offense in the MAC during the regular season, having averaged 282.6 yards in the air over 12 games. 

Gabbert entered Thursday's game with a 167.6 passing efficiency rating over his last five games, per Sports Reference. He also threw for 1,682 yards and 17 touchdowns against four interceptions in that span, so it should come as no surprise that he showed out against North Texas. 

He made big plays when necessary, including an 11-yard strike to open up the second half to put Miami up 27-14, and didn't turn the ball over once. 

That's how you answer! @KennyTracy3 goes up the middle for the RedHawk TD!#ESPN | #RiseUpRedHawks | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/lbxtPuYUl1

— MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2021

.@BrettGabbert ➡️ @kevsss_jr = 6️⃣

The RedHawks cash in on the turnover and take a 20-14 lead over the Mean Green! #ESPN | @MiamiOHFootball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/NRjptN4VWx

— MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2021

Hey #SCTop10, @Nate_Muersch JUST DID THAT! 👀#ESPN | @MiamiOHFootball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/CIQfzynhAV

— MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2021

It should also be mentioned that Miami entered Thursday's game with a subpar third-down conversion percentage at 38 percent, which ranked 79th in the FBS. Gabbert and Co. converted 50 percent (8-of-16) of their third downs against North Texas, which is a big reason why they won. 

However, Gabbert isn't the only reason for Miami's turnaround success. 

Senior wide receiver Jack Sorenson finished Thursday's game with seven catches for 116 yards. He entered with 961 yards and six touchdowns in his last seven games, a significant turnaround from the 329 yards and four scores he recorded in the team's first five games of the season. 

Freshman running back Kenny Tracy was also impressive, finishing Thursday's game with 14 carries for 92 yards and one touchdown. It was his best game of the season, as his previous high was 50 rushing yards. 

---

Mean Green's Rushing Offense Suffers Without DeAndre Torrey

North Texas' offense had been very one-dimensional during a five-game winning streak to close out the regular season. The Mean Green averaged 283 rushing yards per game in that span, largely because of DeAndre Torrey.

Torrey, who recorded 1,214 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 12 games, missed Thursday's game against Miami for unspecified reasons. However, North Texas was expected to perform well on the ground against Miami as Ikaika Ragsdale and Ayo Adeyi entered having rushed for 511 and 479 yards, respectively.

But Torrey's absence was glaring, as the North Texas offense finished with just 89 rushing yards and two rushing scores among Austin Aune, Ragsdale, Isaiah Johnson and Adeyi.

Further highlighting the team's issues on the ground, the Mean Green entered Thursday's game averaging 246.2 rushing yards per game (fourth in FBS). They didn't even come close to that mark against Miami.

In addition, the Mean Green's passing offense underperformed. Quarterback Austin Aune completed 15-of-32 passes for 228 yards and no touchdowns against two interceptions. One of those turnovers was costly, as the RedHawks charged down the field for a touchdown to go up 20-14.

PICK!!!!

ESPN | @MiamiOHFootball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/kWfiYqrnI7

— MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2021

The Mean Green's offensive struggles highlight how well the RedHawks defense played. Miami's rush defense entered having ranked third in the MAC, allowing just 150.7 yards per game on the ground. With that said, it explains why North Texas' rushing offense struggled.

Western Kentucky scored a 59-38 victory over Appalachian State in the 2021 Boca Raton Bowl on Saturday at FAU Stadium in Florida.

A shootout was expected between the Hilltoppers and Mountaineers, who combined to average 77.6 points per game during the regular season, and the offenses delivered in a game that featured 1,246 total yards and 13 touchdowns.

WKU quarterback Bailey Zappe stole the spotlight with 422 passing yards and six touchdowns en route to setting the new NCAA FBS single-season records in both categories. He finishes the 2021 season with 5,967 yards and 62 scores through the air.

Zappe captured the yards record in the second quarter:

Here it is! 🐐 https://t.co/tHKmiGCkBD

— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) December 18, 2021

And the touchdown mark in the third quarter:

.@MitchTinsley15 on the receiving end: pic.twitter.com/TXjwnBPbA5

— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) December 18, 2021

Here's a look at some of the bowl game's other standout performers:

• Chase Brice (ASU QB): 317 passing yards, 4 TD
• Noah Whittington (WKU RB): 150 rushing yards, 1 TD
• Camerun Peoples (ASU RB): 101 rushing yards 
  
• Jerreth Sterns (WKU WR): 184 receiving yards, 3 TD
• Mitchell Tinsley (WKU WR): 103 receiving yards, 2 TD
  
• Christian Wells (ASU WR): 86 receiving yards, 1 TD
  

The sides traded scores at a rapid rate until it was 24-24 late in the second quarter.

Western Kentucky seized control with a 21-0 run spanning from late in the second quarter until midway through the third. An 86-yard touchdown run by Whittington shortly after halftime really helped turn the tide in favor of the Hilltoppers.

Appalachian State couldn't keep pace as its offense sputtered in the second half.

WKU, which started the season 1-4, finished the campaign by winning eight of its last nine games to post a 9-5 record. The Hilltoppers also improved their bowl record to 5-2 since 2014.

Zappe is a name to watch as the 2022 NFL draft moves closer. What he lacks in size (6'1''), he makes up for with arm talent, specifically his throwing accuracy, and the ability to command a fast-paced passing attack. He could be a developmental middle-round pick in April.

Meanwhile, Appalachian State wrapped up its season at 10-4 following back-to-back losses in the Sun Belt Championship Game and the bowl game. It's also the team's first bowl loss since moving to the FBS level in 2014 after six straight wins.

The Mountaineers have still won at least nine games in seven consecutive years while emerging as one of the nation's premier Group of Five programs.

Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe broke the NCAA FBS records for the most passing yards and most passing touchdowns in a single season during the Hilltoppers' Boca Raton Bowl matchup with Appalachian State on Saturday.

We have witnessed 𝓗𝓘𝓢𝓣𝓞𝓡𝓨!#TopsOnTop | @baileyzappe04 pic.twitter.com/fDtLbvHSxT

— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) December 18, 2021

Zappe broke the yards record, which was previously held by Texas Tech's B.J. Symons, in the second quarter:

WKU quarterback Bailey Zappe now holds the single-season passing yards record.

1. Zappe, 5,845
2. B.J. Symons, 5,833 yards (Texas Tech, '03)
3. Graham Harrell, 5,705 yards (Texas Tech, '07)
4. Joe Burrow, 5,671 yards (LSU, '19)
4. Case Keenum, 5,671 yards (Houston, '09) pic.twitter.com/81cJMV5t35

— Simon Gibbs (@SimonGibbs26) December 18, 2021

He followed it up with the new touchdown mark in the third quarter, passing LSU's Joe Burrow:

BAILEY ZAPPE IS THE NEW NCAA RECORD HOLDER FOR MOST PASS TD IN A SEASON ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/iGvqTbGVkp

— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) December 18, 2021

The 22-year-old Texas native arrived to WKU as a graduate transfer ahead of the 2021 season after four years at Houston Baptist, an FCS program.

Zappe proved a perfect fit for the Hilltoppers' fast-paced offensive attack. He entered the bowl game having completed 69.2 percent of his throws for 5,545 yards with 56 touchdowns and 11 interceptions across 13 games. He added three rushing scores.

Western Kentucky's offensive scheme is a variation of the Air Raid created by the program's first-year offensive coordinator, Zach Kittley, who's accepted the role of offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech for next season.

Zappe told ESPN's David M. Hale ahead of the bowl game he expects the reworked system to catch on elsewhere in the years ahead.

"There's a misconception of the Air Raid," he said. "This is not that. [Kittley] has made his own wrinkles, and I'm sure 10 years from now, we'll be talking about coach Kittley's Air Raid tree."

The quarterback's success following the transfer has helped bolster his NFL outlook heading toward the 2022 draft. He's a bit undersized at 6'1'', but his arm talent makes him a potential middle-to-late-round selection come April.

He'll head to the next level with a resume that includes the 2021 Conference USA Player of the Year Award and now a place in college football's record book.

Florida International University has reportedly hired Mike MacIntyre as its new head football coach.

According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, the Miami school and MacIntyre came to an agreement early Thursday morning and that the hiring is expected to become official later in the day.

MacIntyre served as the defensive coordinator at Memphis for the past two seasons, but he also has extensive head coaching experience at both San Jose State and Colorado.

The 56-year-old MacIntyre is set to replace Butch Davis, who was not offered a contract extension by FIU after going 1-11 this season.

While Davis' tenure at FIU started off well with an 8-5 record in 2017 and 9-4 mark in 2018, the former Miami and North Carolina head coach had a losing record in each of his final three seasons and went 24-32 overall.

MacIntyre has an impressive history of turning around struggling programs, which is likely why he was Florida International's choice.

When MacIntyre arrived as the head coach at San Jose State in 2010, the Spartans were coming off three consecutive seasons with a .500 record or worse and had reached only one bowl game in the previous 19 seasons.

San Jose State struggled to an overall record of 6-19 in his first two seasons, but MacIntyre went 10-2 in 2012 and helped the Spartans reach the Military Bowl.

That led to Colorado hiring MacIntyre, and he once again worked his magic there.

Before he was hired, the Buffaloes finished with a losing record in seven straight seasons and reached a bowl game only once during that time. After three more losing seasons to start MacIntyre's tenure, Colorado went 10-4 in 2016 and played in the Pac-12 Championship Game.

MacIntyre was named both the Associated Press Coach of the Year and the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for his efforts.

Colorado fired MacIntyre after back-to-back losing seasons in 2017 and 2018, leading to him becoming the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss in 2019 and at Memphis from 2020-21.

At FIU, the Miami native will look to return the Panthers to the level they occupied early in Davis' tenure when they reached three consecutive bowl games from 2017-19.

Southern Miss has reportedly agreed to join the Sun Belt Conference, per Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.

A source told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg on Friday that the move is a "done deal" and would "probably" happen in time for the 2023 fall sports season.

Southern Miss currently plays in Conference USA. As Ralph D. Russo of the Associated Press reported, six C-USA schools (UAB, Charlotte, Rice, Florida Atlantic, North Texas and UTSA) are set to join the expanded American Athletic Conference. The Golden Eagles' move would continue the exodus of teams as Division I conference reshuffling continues.

After UAB left for the AAC, Southern Miss was the last remaining original member of Conference USA.

Per Rittenberg, the Sun Belt has also had talks with C-USA schools Marshall and Old Dominion, as well as James Madison out of the Colonial Athletic Association in the FCS.

The Sun Belt has not officially invited any of those schools, although conversations with ODU and JMU are reportedly further along than with Marshall. Only five members would remain in C-USA if ODU and Marshall leave: Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, Florida International, UTEP and Louisiana Tech.

C-USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod said in a statement there are teams interested in joining the conference:

We have a strong core of members to build around and are continuing to work to strengthen our league as we move forward. There are several institutions interested in joining Conference USA, both across FBS and FCS, some of whom we've already met with in person. Every step we take will be deliberate, strategically sound, and intentional.

Thamel provided some potential additions:

Conference USA is actively pursuing multiple avenues to expand and stay afloat. Among the schools they have been engaged with are Sam Houston State, New Mexico State and Tarleton State. There’s an effort to fortify the Western flank of C-USA that got gutted by the AAC.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 22, 2021

Conference USA was formed when the Metro Conference and Great Midwest Conference merged in 1995.

The league has weathered exoduses before, including when the AAC welcomed Tulane, Houston, East Carolina, UCF, SMU and Tulsa over 2013 and 2014.

Marshall running back Knowledge McDaniel was arrested and is facing a felony drug charge after police executed a search warrant at his home, per WSAZ.

Members of the Huntington Violent Crimes Drug Task Force found a "distributable amount of suspected marijuana and $21,017 in cash" at the player's home Friday.

McDaniel, 20, was held on a $50,000 bond, per Courtney Hessler of the Herald Dispatch.

"We're aware of the situation involving Knowledge McDaniel. He has been suspended indefinitely from our football program as we continue to gather all available information," Marshall Athletics said in a statement.

McDaniel is no longer listed on the team's online roster.

The Bradenton, Florida, product was in his third year with the program, initially committing to the school as a 3-star prospect in the 2019 class.

He rushed for 212 yards in five games last season and had 13 carries for 107 yards through four games in 2021. McDaniel's 8.2 yards per carry currently leads the team.

Southern Miss football head coach Will Hall's debut with the Golden Eagles ended with a 31-7 loss at South Alabama last Saturday.

Hall admitted to reporters Wednesday that he's feeling the heat as the team looks toward its home opener Saturday against Grambling State. He said his "life's on the line":

#USM HC Will Hall on the Golden Eagles’ home opener against Grambling State: “I’m not excited. My life’s on the line.”

Hall added that right now he feels like the ‘biggest fraud’ to come through Southern Miss in the last 50 years. @BigGoldNation pic.twitter.com/pFDnKT9InL

— Trevor M. Ritchie (@ritchietmr) September 8, 2021

Hall arrived at Southern Miss after two years as Tulane's offensive coordinator. He was also a head coach at Division II West Alabama (2011-2013) and West Georgia (2014-2016).

The 41-year-old amassed a combined 56-20 record at those stops and notably led West Georgia to the Division II Football Championship semifinals twice.

Hall's first game with the Golden Eagles did not go well, however. For starters, South Alabama closed the game with 31 unanswered points.

That was because Southern Miss committed four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumbles) and ran the ball for just 2.8 yards per clip. The Golden Eagles struggled through the air, accumulating only 133 passing yards on 13-of-28 attempts.

On defense, Southern Miss couldn't stop South Alabama's Jalen Tolbert, who had five catches for 168 yards.

In sum, it was a rough opening game for a team that posted winning records from 2015-2019 before falling to 3-7 last year.

Southern Miss should be favored over Grambling State, a Division I FCS school that plays in the SWAC. The Tigers did win their opener 16-10 against Tennessee State and could post a threat to the Golden Eagles, however.

Kickoff is Saturday at 6 p.m. ET from M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Former Marshall linebacker Jaquan Yulee died Tuesday night in a car crash at the age of 24, police confirmed Wednesday, per Sarah Fearing of WAVY.com.

Police in Suffolk, Virginia, said emergency personnel responded to a single-vehicle crash at 7:10 p.m. ET and discovered a car had flipped onto its roof. Yulee was pronounced dead at the scene and was the only person in the vehicle.

Marshall released a statement Wednesday saying the Chesapeake, Virginia, native "will be missed by so many in the Thundering Herd":

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of former Marshall football student-athlete Jaquan Yulee. His energy and ability to connect with so many in our fanbase was exemplary. He will be missed by so many in the Thundering Herd. pic.twitter.com/ccnMotdOes

— Marshall Football (@HerdFB) July 14, 2021

An investigation into the crash remains ongoing.

Coming out of high school, Yulee was a 4-star recruit and the third-best player in the state of Virginia, with offers from Alabama, Miami, Florida and Michigan among others, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

The 6'4" defender redshirted as a true freshman and then made 26 appearances for the Thundering Herd between 2017 and 2018. He worked his way onto the starting unit ahead of the 2019 season but suffered a spinal injury in the season opener that left him paralyzed for two days, per Fearing, and required surgery.

According to Fearing, Marshall had declared him medically ineligible, but Yulee announced in August 2020 he was entering the transfer portal with an eye toward returning to the field for the 2021 season.