Marshall Opts Out of Independence Bowl After Losing 29 Players to CFB Transfer Portal
Dec 14, 2024
COLUMBUS, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 21: Offensive lineman Logan Osburn #65 of the Marshall Thundering Herd lines up during the game Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
Marshall's 2024 football season has reportedly come to an unceremonious end.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported that the school notified officials of its decision to opt out of the Independence Bowl. The Thundering Herd were set to play Army in that game on Dec. 28.
Marshall has notified officials that it is opting out of the Independence Bowl vs. Army, sources tell @YahooSports.
Absent of 6-6 teams, officials are working to determine a replacement thru a ranking of NCAA APR scores of 5-7 teams. Marshall has lost 25+ players in the portal.
The decision was made due to the program having lost 29 players to the transfer portal thus far. The officials will now look to add a new participant based on the NCAA APR scores of programs that went 5-7.
Some schools who will be up for consideration due to high APR scores include Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Air Force and Auburn.
The mass exodus comes after head coach Charles Huff left to take the same position at Southern Miss. He led Marshall to a 10-3 record this season and the team won the Sun Belt Conference.
Marshall hired Tony Gibson as Huff's replacement, and he is reportedly recruiting former Marshall players who are in the transfer portal. Some notable players who have entered are quarterbacks Braylon Braxton, Stone Earle, and Cole Pennington, as well as top rusher A.J. Turner.
The game would have featured two conference champions who clinched 10-win seasons but instead Army will take on a program that would not have traditionally made a bowl game due to its record.
South Alabama Scores 87 in Historic CFB Win vs. NWST Despite Shortened 4th Quarter
Sep 13, 2024
SรO PAULO, BR - SEPTEMBER 6: A detail view of the field conditions prior to an NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles, at Arena Corinthians on September 6, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
South Alabama set FBS, program and conference records during Thursday night's 87-10 victory over FCS member Northwestern State.
The win marked the highest-scoring victory by an FBS team over an FCS opponent in the matchup's history, per Fear the FCS. Houston set in 1990, and Oklahoma State tied in 2012, the previous FBS-FCS record of 84 points.
The victory also marked the highest-scoring FBS outing since Fresno State's 94-17 win over New Mexico in 1991.
South Alabama racked up the record-breaking points total despite the blowout being cut short as the fourth quarter was replaced with a six-minute running clock, per College Football Report.
South Alabama also set a program and Sun Belt Conference record with the team's 87-point total. The team recorded its previous high of 55 points twice last season during wins over UL Monroe and Southern Mississippi.
Northwestern State was put in an almost immediate deficit when South Alabama's Jamaal Pritchett returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown in the opening minute of the game.
South Alabama, which led by 14 points at the end of the first quarter, had extended the lead to 42 points at the half and 70 points by the end of the third quarter.
Jaguars quarterback Gio Lopez went 15-of-19 for 257 yards and four touchdowns in his season debut, while Fluff Bothwell and Kentrel Bullock combined for 15 carries, 245 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the victory.
South Alabama totaled 620 total yards of offense in the wind, while holding Northwestern State to 237 yards.
The victory marked Major Applewhite's first win since he was named the program's coach in January. The former Houston coach spent the past three years building the Jaguars' offense before he was promoted to his current role.
Northwestern State will meanwhile continue searching for the program's first win of the season following an 0-3 start.
Jontrey Hunter NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Georgia State LB
Mar 14, 2024
MOBILE, AL - FEBRUARY 03: National linebacker Jontrey Hunter of Georgia State (1) during the 2024 Reese's Senior Bowl on February 3, 2024 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 236
HAND: 9"
ARM: 31ยพ"
WINGSPAN: 76โ "
40-YARD DASH: N/A
3-CONE: N/A
SHUTTLE: N/A
VERTICAL: 32"
BROAD: 9'3"
POSITIVES
โ Good frame with room for growth if need be.
โ Smooth mover who has good speed and change-of-direction skills to help in coverage. Obvious that he's a former defensive back.
โ Good eye discipline in zone coverage to locate threats coming into his area. Uses his hands to disrupt routes.
โ Has decent range against outside runs with his angles and speed.
NEGATIVES
โ Can be late or a little slow to key and diagnose running plays, leading to him getting caught in the trash.
โ Struggles to hold his ground and shed in the running game. Gets stuck on blocks and has short arms.
โ Doesn't have much pop behind his pads even when coming downhill.
โ Misses way too many tackles. Lunges and dives at ankles instead of bringing his feet and running through the ball-carrier.
2023 STATISTICS
โ 12 G, 96 TOT, 7.0 TFL, 1.5 SK, 4 PD, 3 FF
NOTES
โ Born June 1, 2000
โ 2-star recruit as a safety in the 2018 class, per 247Sports
โ No major injuries
OVERALL
Listed as a 6'2" and 205-pound safety recruit coming out of high school, Jontrey Hunter moved up a level on defense and packed on some size during his six years at Georgia State. On tape, it's clear that he has a background as a defensive back, as his movement skills are his biggest asset.
Hunter is good in coverage against tight ends and running backs. He has the change-of-direction ability to stay in phase against shorter routes and the speed to carry deep ones in man coverage. He also has smooth transitions and impressive acceleration to click and close when playing zone.
Speed also helps Hunter's range against outside runs, but he struggles to hold his ground when taking on blocks from offensive linemen and blocking tight ends. He needs to add strength, but his shorter arms could always make it tough for him to disengage from blocks.
With that being said, Hunter has athletic traits worth betting on in the later rounds of the 2024 NFL draft as a potential coverage linebacker. He'll need to make a name for himself on special teams and spend some time in the weight room, but he could blossom into a decent NFL player down the road.
Javon Solomon NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Troy EDGE
Feb 20, 2024
MANHATTAN, KS - SEPTEMBER 09: Troy Trojans linebacker Javon Solomon (6) rushes in the second quarter of a college football game between the Troy Trojans and Kansas State Wildcats on Sep 9, 2023 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, KS. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'0ยพ"
WEIGHT: 247
HAND: 10โ "
ARM: 33ยพ"
WINGSPAN: 80"
40-YARD DASH: 4.85
3-CONE: N/A
SHUTTLE: N/A
VERTICAL: 31.5"
BROAD: 9'1"
POSITIVES
โ Accelerates off the line of scrimmage well out of a two-point stance.
โ Sets up his pass-rush moves well by getting to square and/or using a Eurostep.
โ Impressive use of hands as a pass-rusher, showing the ability to win with a cross chop and hand swipe while also playing the offensive tackle's hands well after contact.
โ Has good bend and angles as a pass-rusher to take advantage of a short corner.
โ Physical and not afraid to throw his body around as a run defender.
NEGATIVES
โ Short for an NFL edge.
โ Stands up when working out of a three-point stance.
โ Often gets caught with his hands down at the point of attack against the run.
โ Gets collapsed inside by down blocks from tight ends.
โ Injuries: 2022 (Undisclosed, missed spring and summer practices), 2023, (Undisclosed, missed spring practices)
OVERALL
Javon Solomon is an intriguing pass-rusher who was highly productive in college with 33 sacks over the last four years. Thanks to his good use of hands and solid athleticism, he's shown a handful of moves that he can win with and impressive bend to turn a tight corner.
However, Solomon will likely struggle as a run defender in the NFL. He had a hard time holding his ground in the Sun Belt conference, and he's already fairly full-framed. The latter is part of where his lack of height comes into play, meaning he doesn't have much room for growth and already weighs close to 250 pounds.
With that being said, the former Trojan does have long arms, especially at his height. Overall, he'd be a good fit as a standup outside linebacker who can contribute on passing downs.
Jerry Kill: New Mexico Tried to Deny NMSU Access to Facility; Police Watched Practice
Dec 17, 2023
AUBURN, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Jerry Kill of the New Mexico State Aggies prior to their game against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill accused the Aggies' in-state rival of effectively sabotaging their preparation ahead of a 37-10 loss to Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl.
Earlier in the year, New Mexico State quarterback Diego Pavia was disciplined internally after he appeared to urinate on the New Mexico logo on the Lobos' indoor practice facility. Kill referenced that incident after Saturday's game and said UNM athletic director Eddie Nuรฑez attempted to prevent the Aggies from accessing the facilities ahead of the bowl game (warning: video contains profanity).
THREAD At end of NM Bowl presser, NMSU head coach Jerry Kill went on rant discussing Diego Pavia's incident @ UNM facility, saying he was punished for it. Kill then went on to call out UNM AD Eddie Nunez for not allowing NMSU to practice in indoor facility this week. pic.twitter.com/HlUhf6rT7b
The University of New Mexico has hosted the New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque since 2006.
A school spokesman confirmed to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg that Kill and his team practiced indoors for each day they requested leading up to the game. However, Kill said the intervention of New Mexico Bowl executive director Jeff Siembieda was required to gain that ability. He added that Albuquerque police officers were on hand to watch the Aggies.
"The police officers kind of laughed," he said, per Rittenberg. "They said, 'There's a lot of stuff going on in Albuquerque, I don't know why we're here watching the logo.' It's a great bowl game, but here's the deal: They were going to make us practice on a high school field and let Fresno practice in the indoor, and that particular day, it snowed. But Jeff busted his butt and had to argue with their people to get us on the thing."
New Mexico State hosts New Mexico in Las Cruces next September for the next installment of their long-running rivalry, and the Aggies may now have some added motivation.
James Madison Requests to Be Fully Eligible for CFB Bowl Consideration in Letter
Nov 7, 2023
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA - SEPTEMBER 9: Ty Son Lawton #7 of the James Madison Dukes silences the crowd after scoring a touchdown in the second half during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium on September 9, 2023 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)
James Madison formally petitioned for the NCAA to relax its rules prohibiting the program from earning a postseason bowl berth this year.
The Dukes are 9-0, which would ordinarily mean competing in a bowl game and perhaps earning a New Year's Six bid. However, NCAA rules stipulate a team is ineligible for a bowl within the first two years of moving from the FCS to the FBS levels.
The school wrote a letter to the NCAA requesting to attain bowl eligibillity:
Unbeaten JMU sent a letter to the NCAA Board of Directors on Monday requesting relief from NCAA bylaws restricting transitioning teams from bowl participation. Here's a copy of the letter: pic.twitter.com/rA4e3j9gRb
James Madison went 8-3 and finished first in the Sun Belt East division in 2022. On the heels of that success, the school appealed to the NCAA to have the bowl eligibility requirement shortened to one year. The Division I Council denied the appeal in April.
The Athletic's Chris Vannini and Nicole Auerbach wrote how the rule is intended to be both the cost of admission into the FBS and motivate schools to "spend that time making necessary investments for the jump."
You can't blame JMU for making a second attempt.
Due to their bowl status, the Dukes aren't listed in the College Football Playoff selection committee's weekly rankings. They are ranked 21st in the Associated Press Top 25, giving them the second-highest Group of Five ranking.
James Madison finishes up with UConn, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina. Were it to run the table, a case could be made its the best Group of Five school, and having that distinction in the CFP rankings means a guaranteed New Year's Six bowl appearance.
That would carry a massive windfall for JMU and the Sun Belt as a whole in addition to the prestige the program would gain.
As successful as the Dukes were in the FCSโthey won national titles in 2004 and 2016โand regardless of their quick adjustment to live in the FBS, there's no guarantee when they'll be in this position again.
Even if James Madison doesn't finish in what would be a New Year's Six position, any bowl game would be a nice reward for this year's squad.
Absent a turnaround from the NCAA, though, the school might have to watch bowl season unfold from afar.
Texas State Band Member Removed From Game After Holding Nevada's Turnover Trident
Sep 24, 2023
SAN MARCOS, TX - SEPTEMBER 24: The Texas State Bobcats band performs before the game with the Houston Cougars at Bobcat Stadium on September 24, 2016 in San Marcos, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
A member of the Texas State band was removed from Saturday's game against Nevada for allegedly holding the Wolf Pack's "Takeaway Trident," according to Colton McWilliams of the San Marcos Daily Record.
The person in question was initially accused of throwing the trident at Nevada players, but McWilliams later confirmed that the band member did not throw it. The trident was laying on the ground and given to the student section, "which obviously caused a bit of a stir," McWilliams wrote.
Video shows the band member being escorted out of Bobcat Stadium by security staff during the first half of Saturday's matchup against the Wolf Pack. Nevada held a 17-0 lead at the time of the alleged incident.
The Wolf Pack entered halftime up 17-0 on the Bobcats before Texas State came roaring back, scoring 35 unanswered points in the second half to take a 35-17 lead at the 4:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
Nevada introduced its "Takeaway Trident," which it uses to celebrate turnovers, during the 2022 season. Battleship Nevada Remembrance Project director John Galloway presented the team with the trident last year to honor the USS Nevada, which was given seven battle stars for its service in World War II.
Galloway also gave the Wolf Pack a "Touchdown Trident" for the 2023 season to honor the submarine SSBN-733 USS Nevada that has been in service since 1986. It is currently stationed in Washington.
The Bobcats went on to win the game 35-24 to improve to 3-1 on the season while the Wolf Pack dropped to 0-4. Texas State now has sole possession of the No. 1 spot in the Sun Belt Conference West.
Baylor Called Out by Fans for Shocking Upset Loss to Texas State in Season Opener
Sep 3, 2023
FILE - Baylor head coach Dave Aranda walks the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., Sept. 18 2021. Baylor opens their season at home against Texas State on Sept. 2. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)
Don't call it an upset
The Texas State Bobcats came into Waco, Texas to face the Baylor Bears and were not courteous guests, defeating the Power-Five opponent 43-31.
The Bobcats offensive outburst saw quarterback T.J. Finley go 22-30 for 298 yards and three touchdowns and receiver Joey Hobert make six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. One of his catches stood out as an early catch of the year candidate.
They call him Joe Dirt because he runs dirty routes - and makes dirty catches
The victory is a reversal of fortune for the Bobcats who have had a rough go of it since joining the FBS in 2012. The team has a 40-92 overall record at the FBS level and are 0-6 all-time against the Bears.
Baylor came into the contest as heavy favorites, with a 97.6 percent win probability. Texas State had been outscored by 44 points in the previous two matchups against the Bears and collect the first win against a Power-Five opponent in program history.
The stunning loss had fans on social media expressing disappointment in Baylor's performance, questioning head coach Dave Aranda's job security and celebrating Texas State for providing a quality upset this early.
No way Baylor is actually going to lose to Texas State right?
Amidst how bad Baylor was today, you have to give the Cats credit. They smacked the Bears in the mouth right away and Baylor had no answer defensively the whole night.
The Bobcats now have their marquee win of the season but now will shift focus towards a strong season in the Sun Belt Conference and trying to qualify for a Bowl Game for the first time in program history.
The Bears, on the other hand, will look to rebound from the upset loss by playing spoilers themselves next week against defending Pac-12 champion Utah.
HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA - OCTOBER 29: Lance Boykin #7 of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers defends against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium on October 29, 2022 in Huntington, West Virginia. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 200
HAND: 9 3/4"
ARM: 32 3/8"
WINGSPAN: 78 1/8"
40-YARD DASH: 4.72
3-CONE: TBD
SHUTTLE: 4.39
VERTICAL: 30.5"
BROAD: 10'4"
POSITIVES
โ Excellent length and size. Ideal for cornerback in the NFL.
โ Very good ball skills and hands to catch the ball away from his body.
โ Great vision in zone. Has a good feel for his threats and has the ability to bait the quarterback into throws.
โ Triggers quickly to the run and quick game. Uses his quickness to dip and rip past blocks.
NEGATIVES
โ Plays high in his backpedal, which can affect him sinking his hips and redirecting.
โ Long strider with above-average speed and lack of recovery speed when beat. Has trouble with stop-and-go routes.
2022 STATISTICS
โ 11 G, 58 TOT, 2 TFL, 1 SK, 1 FF, 2 INT, 8 PD
NOTES
โ DOB: 8/31/2000
โ 23 Starts
โ East-West Shrine Bowl
โ 2022 All-Sun Belt Second Team
โ 2021 transfer from Old Dominion
OVERALL
Lance Boykin spent two years at Coastal Carolina after transferring from Old Dominion in 2021. He has excellent length and size for the position. He's a raw player with excellent traits, but he needs to clean up some of his technique.
Boykin is a long strider who has above-average speed when he's able to open up and run. It may take some steps for him to get going, but he does a good job of running with receivers when he's able to stay on top of the route. He's able to show his quick feet and burst on routes that are in front of him. Boykin takes poor angles to receivers at times, which allows shorter, jitterbug receivers to give him fits.
When competing for the ball, Boykin uses his length to disrupt passes. He plays with good patience and awareness on short to medium routes, but he can get turned around at times on passes down the field. When on top of routes, he is able to locate and play the ball much better, showing off his ball skills and hands.
As a run defender, Boykin uses his quickness to defeat blocks in space. However, his lack of strength can show up when he has to take on blockers. He can get stuck to blocks and occasionally gets washed by bigger receivers. Boykin is a willing tackler, but he often braces at the point of attack, taking the brunt of the blow.
Ultimately, Boykin has outstanding traits that NFL staffers are looking for. He will need time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the NFL game, but he has tremendous upside. If he sticks around for a few years, he could start for a team on his second contract.
