As we await the next weekend of exciting action, now seems like a good time to take in all of the news that has happened in the college football world since Saturday.
Quick Axe
No one ever said life in the Southeastern Conference would be easy. Chad Morris ended up lasting less than two years as the head coach at Arkansas, as the school let Morris go after a humiliating 45-19 home loss to Western Kentucky over the weekend.
Morris’ tenure in Fayetteville ends after a 4-18 record with no conference wins in 14 tries. Assistant Barry Lunney Jr. will coach the team’s final two games against LSU and Missouri after this week’s bye. Arkansas will continue to pay Morris another $10 million between now and 2023. At the moment, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn appears to be the dream candidate to become the next head coach at Arkansas.
Take a Mulligan
Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman is the latest player to take advantage of the new redshirt rule in college football. Bowman suffered a shoulder injury in September but was medically cleared to play prior to last week’s game against West Virginia. However, having only played in three games, the sophomore chose to sit out the rest of the season and get his sophomore year back.
Backup Jett Duffey has taken over as the starting quarterback and done an admirable job. The Red Raiders are 4-5, still needing two more wins to become bowl eligible.
Bad Break
Notre Dame will spend the rest of the season without defensive end Julian Okwara, who will miss the rest of the season after breaking his fibula against Duke over the weekend. The senior captain is considered one of the best NFL prospects at his position and has amassed four sacks and two forced fumbles this season.
The injury to Okwara adds to Notre Dame’s problems on the defensive line after already losing Daelin Hayes.
Coming Back
Michigan spent this season without running back Chris Evans because of academic issues, but they’re going to have him back in 2020. Jim Harbaugh has confirmed that Evans will re-enroll at Michigan in January and participate in spring football.
Evans was Michigan’s second-leading rusher in 2018 but will have some competition from Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins when he rejoins the Wolverines next season.
Got It Wrong
The Pac-12 has admitted that one of its officials got something wrong. One referee incorrectly called a Washington State player for illegal hands to the face when the penalty was actually committed by a Cal player on a kickoff return that would have given Washington State the ball at the 50-yard line rather than its own 8-yard line.
The referee, Matt Richards, will be suspended for a game while the rest of the crew has had their status downgraded.
A Little Upset
A bad call by the refs is the least of what had Washington State coach Mike Leach upset after his team lost to Cal. After the game, he referred to the leaders on his team as “frauds,” adding that they have “failed to reach the group.”
Of course, earlier in the season, Leach called his players “soft, fat, and dumb,” so his comments, while unusual, aren’t all that shocking.
