Good morning, and welcome back to CFB Roundup from CFB Home – the first daily newsletter that’s all college football, all the time with no bias, no slant, and no fluff.

Miami Hiring Minnesota’s Corey Hetherman as DC

ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting that Miami is set to hire Minnesota’s Corey Hetherman to be the next Hurricanes DC.

Coach Hetherman was with Minnesota for one season, and from 2023 to 2024, the Gophers went from averaging 368.4 yards allowed per game down to 285.7 yards allowed per game, a noticeable improvement.

Miami made the change this offseason after Coach Lance Guidry’s defense allowed 327 yards per game and struggled down the stretch of the season despite having one of the most talented defensive rosters in the country.

Coach Hetherman played quarterback at D3 Fitchburg State, and began his coaching career there. He landed his first Division 1 job with Old Dominion, then FCS, in 2011. He then got his first DC position at D2 Pace before going to Maine and James Madison, also then FCS, before getting his first FBS job with Rutgers as LBs Coach for two years from 2022-23. In less than 10 years, he went from FCS position coach at Maine to P4 DC.

Report: Deion Sanders Interested in Las Vegas Raiders HC Opening

According to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Colorado’s Deion Sanders has “very strong interest” in the Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach opening.

The reporter, Vincent Bonsignore, cited a person close to Coach Sanders who said that Coach Sanders was interested in the job.

Coach Sanders had previously shared that he did not plan on coaching in the NFL. The only way he’d consider coaching in the NFL is if he had the opportunity to coach both Shedeur and Shilo, which seems unlikely given the Raiders pick 6th, and there are several QB-needy teams who are likely to take Shedeur well before the Raiders pick 6th, unless there’s some sort of trade for the Raiders to move up.

As a coach, though, Coach Sanders’ results have spoken for themselves. In 3 seasons with Jackson State, the Tigers went 27-6 and made back-to-back appearances in the Celebration Bowl (the de facto HBCU National Championship). With Colorado, Coach Sanders and the Buffaloes went 9-4 in his second season in Boulder and had the Heisman and one of the top QB prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Consensus 2026 4-Star WR Devin Carter Commits to Auburn

Consensus 2026 4-star WR Devin Carter committed to Auburn yesterday over Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, and others.

Speaking on Auburn, Carter shared that he feels like Coach Freeze and WRs Coach Marcus Davis are building something special. He also looks at the QB situation in the long-term for Auburn and thinks that situation, in tandem with the WR development he can be getting at Auburn, is the best place for him.

Carter ranks as high as 26th nationally (ESPN) and 5th at the WR position (ESPN, Rivals), and ranks 43rd nationally and 6th at the WR position according to the On3 industry composite.

For 2026, this is Auburn’s 5th Blue Chip commitment and 6th commitment overall for a class which is already 5th nationally and 3rd in the SEC.

Consensus 2026 4-Star RB Shahn Alston Commits to USC

Consensus 2026 4-star RB Shahn Alston committed to USC yesterday over offers from Penn State, Wisconsin, and other programs.

As for what appealed to Alston, he shared that USC has the biggest opportunities for him both on and off the field, praising both Coach Riley’s offensive scheme and USC’s academic and professional network that it can provide after football.

Alston ranks as high as 81st nationally (ESPN) and 7th at the RB position (247). According to the On3 industry composite, Alston ranks 136th nationally and 13th at the RB position.

USC’s 2026 class is coming out of the gates hot, with Alston the 5th Blue Chip commitment and 8th commitment overall for a class which currently ranks 2nd nationally, only behind Oregon.

Montana State Transfer OT Connor Moore Commits to Michigan State

Montana State transfer OT Connor Moore committed to Michigan State yesterday.

Moore is a two-time FCS All-American and took an official visit to Michigan State before committing to the Spartans over Ohio State and Cincinnati, who were both interested in Moore’s talents.

Moore has two years of eligibility remaining after starting all 12 games at left tackle in 2023 en route to earning Freshman All-American honors. He also spent time at guard and tackle in 2024, helping Montana State make it to the FCS National Championship.

It’s no wonder, then, that Moore is the 12th ranked OT and 129th ranked prospect in the portal nationally. As of yesterday, he was the top rated OT still available in the portal.

4-Star LB McKay Madsen Commits to BYU

4-Star LB McKay Madsen committed to BYU yesterday over Oregon, Cal, and other offers.

Madsen had previously shared with On3 that BYU was high on his list: “BYU, just the religious aspect. They share my beliefs and faith.” He was named Navy All-American Bowl Man of the Year earlier this week.

Madsen ranks as high as 9th at the LB position (ESPN), but ranks 341st nationally and 37th at the LB position according to the On3 industry composite.

For BYU, the 2025 class now has a 4-star to go with its 18 3-star commitments. The class now ranks 61st nationally and 14th in the Big 12.

3-Star IOL Justin Hasenhuetl Commits to Cal

3-Star IOL Justin Hasenhuetl committed to Cal yesterday after decommitting from Georgia Tech roughly a month ago.

Hasenhuetl also held other ACC offers, including Clemson, NC State, and Florida State, but has decided to leave the East Coast to head to Berkeley, CA.

Hasenhuetl is ranked 5th at his position according to ESPN, but ranks more modestly on the On3 industry composite at 414th nationally and 32nd at his position.

For Cal, this is the 17th commitment for the 2025 class, a class which ranks 56th nationally and 13th in the ACC.

3-Star WR Cameron Sparks Commits to Virginia Tech

3-Star WR Cameron Sparks committed to Virginia Tech yesterday after nearly committing to Mississippi State earlier in the season.

Sparks shared that Virginia Tech was on him the hardest in recruiting, and the staff made him feel comfortable. Sparks relationship with Coach Pry was also a big one, as he shared that, “he is a great guy. Coach Pry is just a normal guy. He knows football, he has a great background and he is a winner, but he is also a family guy. He connected with me and my family and I believe in him.”

Sparks is ranked highest on ESPN, where they rank him 22nd at the WR position, but the On3 industry composite places Sparks 552nd nationally and 89th at the WR position.

For Virginia Tech, this is commitment #20 in the 2025 class, a class which now ranks 37th nationally and 8th in the ACC.

2026 3-Star OT Gabriel Osenda Commits to Tennessee

2026 3-Star OT Gabriel Osenda committed to Tennessee yesterday over offers from Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Minnesota, among others.

For Osenda, it was the coaching staff that made him feel at home on his visits. He also believes that Coach Heupel is a “true leader” and that the development he can get from this coaching staff is what he is looking for.

Osenda is ranked highest by Rivals, who puts him 21st at his position, while the On3 industry composite ranks him 365th nationally and 25th at the OT position.

For Tennessee, this is the 8th commitment early on in the 2026 class, a class which currently includes a 5-star and three 4-stars, and a class which also ranks 3rd nationally and 1st in the SEC.

Michigan Transfer QB Alex Orji Commits to UNLV

Michigan transfer QB Alex Orji committed to UNLV yesterday.

Orji spent some time as Michigan’s starting QB this past season, but spent more time as a Wildcat/gadget/change-of-pace QB where he did most of his damage on the ground.

Orji made appearances in 20 games for the Wolverines, but he will have 2 years of eligibility for UNLV.

In his time with Michigan, Orji was 26/48 passing for 155 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. On the ground, he ran the ball 78 times for 392 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Other Commitments/Decommitments

3-Star (88) CB Anthony Pinnace commits to UTSA

3-Star (88) RB D’Shaun Ford commits to UL Monroe

3-Star (86) TE T’Andre Waverly commits to Oregon State

3-Star (84) QB Dalton Anderson decommits from Utah State

Unrated RB Trey Hall commits to Ole Miss

Unrated WR Daveon Walker commits to West Virginia

2026 Unrated CB Terrious Favors commits to Boise State