Month: November 2022

Jan 22, 2020; Kissimmiee, Florida, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman during AFC practice at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Stanford contacts Ravens OC Greg Roman

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Stanford discussed its coaching vacancy with Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

The Cardinal are beginning the search for a replacement for David Shaw, who resigned after 12 seasons at Stanford.

Roman was contacted by Stanford regarding the job, the Baltimore Ravens confirmed.

“Greg talked to me, said there’s been some contact there,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday. “I think it’s very preliminary right now. We have really great coaches, they’re going to have opportunities. We try to encourage that and support that any way we can.”

Roman has been an assistant coach with the Ravens since 2017 and was an offensive assistant at Stanford in 2009 and 2010 under Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh ended the chat about Roman with media when asked if his play-caller’s replacement was on the current Baltimore staff.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” Harbaugh said. “I think we’re pretty far from that at this point.”

–Field Level Media

Eastern Washington Eagles linebacker Elijah Rodriguez (52) gets a hand on Florida Gators quarterback Jalen Kitna (11) in the second half at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Sunday, October 2, 2022. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun] Ncaa Football Florida Gators Vs Eastern Washington Eagles

Gators backup QB Jalen Kitna arrested on child porn charges

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Florida Gators backup quarterback Jalen Kitna, son of former NFL QB Jon Kitna, was arrested Wednesday on five counts of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Kitna, 19, was booked into the Alachua County Jail on Wednesday afternoon and immediately suspended indefinitely from the team.

“We are shocked and saddened to hear of the news involving Jalen Kitna,” the university said in a statement. “These are extremely serious charges and the University of Florida and the UAA have zero tolerance for such behavior.”

According to the Gainesville Police Department (GPD), police executed a search warrant on Kitna’s residence after receiving a tip that a Discord user at the address had shared an image of child sexual abuse through its platform. Kitna told police he remembered sharing two images but believed them to be legal since he found them online.

In a news release, the GPD said, “Kitna advised that he realized he should not have shared those two images, based on the reaction from the other Discord user that he shared them with.”

GPD said they confiscated Kitna’s electronic devices and found an additional three images.

He was then arrested on two counts of distribution of child exploitation material and three counts of possessing child pornography.

Kitna appeared in four games this season, throwing for 181 yards and a touchdown behind starting QB Anthony Richardson.

Jon Kitna played in the NFL for 14 seasons (1997-2011) for four teams. He is currently head coach and athletic coordinator at Burleson High School in Burleson, Texas.

–Field Level Media

Sep 17, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Traeshon Holden (11) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama WR Traeshon Holden to enter transfer portal

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Alabama receiver Traeshon Holden said Wednesday that he plans to enter the transfer portal.

Holden caught six touchdown passes in the 2022 season and caught 25 passes for 331 yards in 10 games for Nick Saban’s squad.

The former four-star prospect announced his upcoming departure on his Twitter feed.

“To the Alabama Family, I would like to thank coach Saban and the entire Alabama coaching staff for everything that you have done for me while I was a student-athlete here. Having said that, I would to announce that I will be entering the transfer portal effective immediately,” Holden said.

Holden, a Floridian, has 46 receptions for 570 yards and seven touchdowns in 29 games over three seasons at Alabama.

According to 247Sports. Holden is the eighth Alabama player with plans to enter the portal. The others are defensive lineman Braylen Ingraham, kicker Jack Martin, running back Trey Sanders, defensive back Khyree Jackson, offensive linemen Damieon George and Tanner Bowles, and wide receiver Christian Leary.

The first day players can officially enter the portal is Monday. Entering the portal is not a guarantee the players will transfer, but it allows them to talk to other schools.

–Field Level Media

Jul 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies coach Chris Petersen during Pac-12 football media day at Hollywood & Highland. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Stanford Next Coach Odds: Chris Petersen early favorite

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The Stanford Cardinal have a prestigious football program chock full of history, but it is also presents unique challenges for whoever replaces David Shaw.

Among them is the extremely high academic standards, middling football facilities and the uncertain future makeup of the Pac-12 Conference.

Shaw stepped away late Saturday after 12 seasons. The program he left behind has increasingly struggled to be competitive, winning just three games in each of the past two seasons.

Can Stanford attract a marquee name to spearhead a new era, or will the Cardinal have to dive into the pool of promising young assistant coaches?

Former Boise State and Washington head coach Chris Petersen has been installed as the 3-1 favorite by SportsBetting.ag to be the Cardinal’s next coach. With Petersen’s strong West Coast ties and successful background rebuilding programs, he will likely remain the favorite until he says he’s not interested in the job.

The next shortest odds belong to an interesting potential candidate in Troy Taylor, who is being offered at 4-1. A former quarterback for Stanford’s bitter rival Cal, Taylor led FCS program Sacramento State to an 11-0 record this season and a No. 2 national ranking leading into the playoffs.

Stanford Next Coach Odds:
Chris Petersen, 3-1
Troy Taylor, 4-1
Bronco Mendenhall, 5-1
Mike Bloomgren, 6-1
Brent Brennan, 7-1
Derek Mason, 8-1
Tom Herman, 10-1
Bill O’Brien, 11-1
Greg Roman, 12-1
Troy Walters, 14-1
Ryan Walters, 16-1
Pep Hamilton, 18-1
Dave Aranda, 20-1
Dave Clawson, 25-1
Jim Harbaugh, 50-1

The list includes a wide array of veteran Power 5 coaches, rising assistants and names with Stanford history.

Mendenhall stepped down from the Virginia job after last season and also has strong West Coast ties following his 11-year tenure as BYU’s coach. He won 99 games at BYU before moving on to Virginia, where he produced six seasons with at least eight wins.

The 45-year-old Bloomgren took over at Rice in 2018 after spending seven years on Shaw’s staff, including the final five as Stanford’s offensive coordinator.

Or could the Cardinal look an hour south to San Jose State and try to lure Redwood City, Calif., native Brent Brennan to Palo Alto?

Shaw’s final few years at Stanford left a lot to be desired, but he also departed as the program’s all-time winningest coach.

Who replaces him remains to be seen — and who the realistic candidates are could be determined by how the administration approaches the search.

–Field Level Media

Nov 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) tries to slip past Arizona Cardinals guard Lecitus Smith (54) to get to quarterback Colt McCoy (not pictured) during the second quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Rams DT Aaron Donald, QB Matthew Stafford out Week 13

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Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald will not play Sunday due to a high-ankle sprain that could lead to Los Angeles shutting him down for the rest of the season.

Donald, 31, has never missed an NFL game due to injury, meaning the seven-time All-Pro would be sitting for the first time Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Donald missed two games in 2017 due to a contract holdout.

“That’s what makes Aaron, Aaron,” McVay said. “He’s unbelievable. I mean to be able to play through that, the toughness, everything that he embodies is what you love about Aaron.”

Donald was injured in the first quarter last week but remained in the game, a 26-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

With a five-game losing streak and a 3-8 overall record, Los Angeles has only one win since Sept. 25. A rash of injuries isn’t helping the Rams’ mood.

Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson II are on injured reserve, and quarterback Matthew Stafford (concussion) played only two of the team’s four games in November.

McVay said Wednesday it was “safe to say” Stafford, 34, would miss Week 13.

–Field Level Media

Tulane Green Wave running back Tyjae Spears (22) beats Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0) on a touchdown run in the second quarter during a college football game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. Ncaaf Tulane Green Wave At Cincinnati Bearcats Nov 25 0162

No. 18 Tulane rides wave into title game vs. No. 22 UCF

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Nearing the end of its most successful football season in 24 years, No. 18 Tulane will play in its first American Athletic Conference title game when it hosts No. 22 UCF on Saturday in New Orleans.

By beating two-time defending conference champion Cincinnati 27-24 last Saturday, Tulane not only punched its ticket to the championship game but secured home-field advantage. The Green Wave (10-2, 7-1 AAC) also reached double-digit wins for the first time since Tommy Bowden guided them to a 12-0 season in 1998.

The successful run garnered coach Willie Fritz some attention for a Power Five job. Georgia Tech reportedly interviewed Fritz, but on Tuesday afternoon Tulane announced that Fritz informed the school he wasn’t leaving.

“I’m the head football coach at Tulane,” Fritz told reporters Monday. “I’m extremely proud to be the head football coach at Tulane, and we’re looking forward to the ball game on Saturday. That’s what I told our guys when I visited with them (Monday) morning.”

UCF (9-3, 6-2) can take comfort in having won the teams’ regular-season meeting, 38-31 at Tulane on Nov. 12. That day, Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee threw for 132 yards and a touchdown but added 176 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

But Plumlee left last Saturday’s game due to a lingering hamstring injury, leaving the Knights to turn to backup Mikey Keene at quarterback to finish out a 46-39 shootout win over South Florida. UCF won on Keene’s late touchdown pass to Alec Holler, which Holler brought in with one outstretched hand in the front corner of the end zone.

Keene completed 15 of 19 throws for 129 yards and two touchdowns, after Plumlee had gone 9-for-9 passing with a touchdown and rushed for 133 yards and two scores on just eight attempts.

“Coach (Gus Malzahn) has got some good schemes where a lot of times there’s very similar quarterback run plays that you get, and he does something a little bit different with his quarterback,” Fritz said.

“And then the other young man we played against a year ago, Mikey Keene. He also is not as much a dual threat as Plumlee, but he runs the ball effectively and really throws it. So two very good quarterbacks.”

Malzahn said Plumlee has been feeling better.

“It’s not like something new, and he’s managed it and been able to recover and come back,” Malzahn said. “His mindset’s to play, and so we’ll see how he does each day.”

Tulane’s offense has been powered by running back Tyjae Spears, who leads the conference with 14 rushing touchdowns and ranks third with 1,177 rushing yards. Spears gained 130 on just eight carries against UCF three weeks ago, then added games of 121 and 181 yards with two touchdowns apiece since then.

“He’s real impressive to do what he’s done the last two weeks, and they’ve been committed, too, to getting it to him,” Malzahn said. “He carried it a whole bunch of times last week. He’ll carry it a whole bunch of times against us, we feel like. We’re gonna have to do a good job of fitting, gang-tackling, tackling better than we did last week.”

Saturday’s high-stakes matchup will be UCF’s final conference football game in the AAC before its move to the Big 12 next season.

–Field Level Media

Jan 30, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (left) and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (center) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) celebrate a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of the AFC Championship Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Bengals approach full strength as RB Joe Mixon, WR Ja’Marr Chase hit field

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Running back Joe Mixon participated in Wednesday’s practice with the Cincinnati Bengals after being idle last week due to a concussion.

The Bengals (7-4) host the Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) in a rematch of the AFC Championship game won by Cincinnati, 27-24 in overtime. The teams also met in a 34-31 shootout in Cincinnati won by the Bengals in Week 17 last season.

Mixon has 158 carries for 605 yards and six touchdowns this season with 41 receptions for 314 yards and two scores as a receiver.

Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase also continued to progress toward playing in Week 13, which would be his first game since the Bengals’ 35-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 23. After limping off the field, Chase returned to play in the second half, then was shut down until limited practice participation last week.

Mixon also missed the Week 12 win over the Tennessee Titans due to a concussion. Head coach Zac Taylor said Mixon remains in concussion protocol, but the final step was participation in the workout Wednesday.

Chase, 22, has 47 catches, 605 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns over seven games. He led the Bengals in all three categories before his injury, with Tee Higgins since passing him in receptions (57) and yards (826).

Chase made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021, catching 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns in 17 starts.

In the Week 17 matchup with the Chiefs, Chase caught 11 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

–Field Level Media