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.

Ohio State Expected to Promote Brian Hartline to OC Position

Ohio State is expected to promote WRs Coach Brian Hartline to OC, according to multiple sources.

While WRs Coach, Coach Hartline has helped develop some of the top WRs in the sport, including currently coaching Jeremiah Smith and also developing Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and others in the last 5 years.

As addressed in a later story of the newsletter, Ohio State is also intending to hire Virginia Tech’s OC to be its OL Coach and Run Game Coordinator. It is unclear which of the two will serve as the play caller. Coach Hartline did hold the OC title in 2023 after Kevin Wilson left to be the Head Coach of Tulsa, but Ryan Day took over play-calling duties rather than letting Coach Hartline call the plays.

Coach Hartline has also been one of the top recruiters in the country, having helped land top level talents like JT Tuimoloau and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, among other 5-stars.

NCAA Considering Rule Change to Address Fake Injuries

According to Chris Vannini of The Athletic, the NCAA rules committee is considering having injured players sit out a full drive in an effort to stop fake injuries.

Vannini is reporting that this rule change would apply to every player except for quarterbacks and possibly the green dot player on defense. Steve Shaw is the national coordinator of officials and committee rules editor, and he shared, “there’s a push by the stakeholders in the game saying, on feigning injuries, something must be done. We can’t kick the can down the road once again.”

“That’s where another idea comes in: to handle differently the ‘green dot’ player – those with a coach-to-player helmet communication, typically quarterbacks and one defensive player. Perhaps they would have to sit out one play if they’re cleared to return.”

Former Wyoming Head Coach and the AFCA Executive Director Craig Bohl shared, “the green dot exception provides a relief from that and makes the rule more palatable. Because the guys abusing this rule and going down are rotational players, not the quarterback.”

Cal Expected to Name Ron Rivera GM

Cal is expected to name Ron Rivera as its new GM, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos and a text received by ESPN’s Adam Schefter from Rivera himself.

Rivera shared, “Coach Bill Belichick has made going back to school cool. Stay tuned, I am coming home.”

Rivera played linebacker for Cal from 1980-83 and then spent 1984-92 with the Bears after being a second round pick by Chicago. He’s been a long-time NFL Coach ever since, having never returned to the college game.

Rivera will reportedly help “the program, coaches, players, fundraisers, and athletics department navigate the new waters in college athletics.”

Consensus 4-Star EDGE Zahir Mathis Commits to Maryland

Consensus 4-Star EDGE Zahir Mathis committed to Maryland yesterday over Florida State, Michigan, UCLA, and others.

Mathis’ High School Coach was asked what stood out about Maryland, to which his Coach shared it was about mainly the location and the ability to get on the field early, but “it’s a bunch of stuff. It was getting down and letting his family see it and everything they have to offer.

Mathis ranks as high as 60th nationally (ESPN) and 4th at his position (Rivals), but the On3 industry composite rankings place him 170th nationally and 16th at his position.

For Maryland, this is their 6th Bllue Chip commitment and 21st commitment overall for the 2025 class, a class which ranks 32nd nationally and 10th in the Big Ten.

Consensus 2026 4-Star TE Israel Briggs Commits to Arizona State

2026 Consensus 4-Star TE Israel Briggs committed to Arizona State yesterday over offers from Oregon, Miami, Alabama, Michigan, and over 20 other programs.

At 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, Briggs has been described as a bit of a Swiss-Army knife for how he plays on the field – a big pickup for the Sun Devils’ 2026 class.

Briggs ranks as high as 67th nationally and 6th at the TE position (247Sports), but according to the On3 industry composite rankings, Briggs ranks 152nd nationally and 9th at the position.

For Arizona State, this is the 2nd Blue Chip commitment and 6th commitment overall for the 2026 class, a class which currently ranks 21st nationally and 2nd in the Big 12, behind only Baylor.

LSU’s Brian Kelly Responds to Pending Litigation and Allegations By Former Player

The family of former LSU DB Greg Brooks Jr. spoke out yesterday about how Brooks was treated by Coach Brian Kelly and the LSU staff following his cancer diagnosis.

Coach Kelly shared a statement, provided by The Advocates Wilson Alexander, calling the claims inaccurate:

“There’s many things I can’t say because it is pending litigation, obviously. But here’s what I can tell you. It is factually incorrect to state that I was not there by Greg’s side through this ordeal. I was there on multiple occasions. We had somebody from my staff that was there virtually every single day. We love Greg. We love him for the person that he is, for the competitor that he is and the battler that he is and can only wish him continued progress as he goes through an incredibly difficult time. It was important for me to set the record clear as to my care, my love for Greg during this very difficult time. Again, I want to be clear that any player that is part of this program, I am going to be involved in making sure that they receive the best care, the best support, and I’m part of that. So, that was extremely important for me to talk about. You can question me as a football coach. You can question me in terms of the things that we do on the field. But off the field, as a parent, as a husband, as somebody that is actively involved in every community that I’ve been involved with, this is where the line is drawn with me. That comment struck a nerve with me. It hit my heart. Because that’s not why I’m in this business. I’ve been in it for our players, will always be in it for our players. It rattled me that somebody could possibly be so factually incorrect in stating that I was not part of Greg Brooks Jr.’s care and support. The support was the entire university, the entire community. I needed to make sure that record was clear.”

Brooks Jr. underwent emergency surgery back in September of 2023 to remove a tumor stemming from a rare form of brain cancer. A year later, Brooks Jr. sued the school and their medical center for the alleged handling of his health, which reportedly led to multiple strokes which left him ‘permanently disabled’. And now, he is reportedly in daily occupational therapy to relearn how to speak, write, and eat.

Florida Hiring Washington’s Robert Bala as Co-DC, LBs Coach

According to a report from CBS Sports, Florida is set to hire Washington’s LBs Coach Robert Bala as Co-DC and LBs Coach.

Coach Bala has also held the LBs Coach position at Alabama as part of Coach Saban’s final staff before he was not retained by Coach DeBoer.

Coach Billy Napier shared that the plans was to hire someone else on the defensive side of the ball, to let the other DC, Ron Roberts, “kind of walk around, much like we did the last two-thirds of the year. I think that’s kind of when we started making progress. So, I think just the expertise and the feedback and having eyes on each position from a meeting, individual, I think that part was healthy for us. So, yeah, I think we’re in the inside linebacker coach world, that (hire) could happen.”

Florida Targeting 33rd Team Contributor Ben Elsner to Support Staff/Front Office Role

According to a report from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Florida is targeting Ben Elsner for a support staff/front office role with a title that is being reported as the Director of Football Strategy.

Coach Napier said of the hire, “I think it’s a little more contract, caps, and analytics. We’re getting this front office built out to be more strategic about the salary cap, the contracts, rev share, marketing, endorsement, that pool of money that could come available. And then, how you allocate the money becomes part of the evaluation process.”

Elsner has been the Chief of Staff for the 33rd Team, a site founded by former NFL Executive Mike Tannenbaum that is designed to be like a football think-tank, focusing on the business, roster, and high level decision making in football front offices.

Ohio State Hiring VT OC to OL Coach Position, Run Game Coordinator

Ohio State expected to hire Virginia Tech OC Tyler Bowen as the next OL Coach and Run Game Coordinator.

Coach Bowen has been with Virginia Tech since 2022 and has experience coaching the offensive line. Ohio State lost its OC, Chip Kelly, and OL Coach, Justin Frye, so that left a hole at both positions that Coach Bowen can help fill to some extent as he has experience both as a play caller and as an OL Coach.

As part of Coach Bowen’s experience, he was also the primary recruiter at Penn State for Tyler Warren and Olu Fashanu, a pair of top draft picks in last year’s and this year’s NFL Draft.

3-Star LB AJ Tuitele Commits to USC

3-Star LB AJ Tuitele committed to USC yesterday after having previously signed with Washington State. After the coaching staff left for Wake Forest, Tuitele was released from his financial aid agreement.

Less than a week later, USC offered him and he took a visit. That visit is what sold him, and the rest, as they say, is history. It helped that on the visit, they gave him ideas for his development plan in college, and Tuitele saw the vision.

Tuitele is rated highest by On3, which rates him as a 4-star and ranks him 147th nationally and 15th at the LB position. According to the On3 industry composite, however, Tuitele ranks 561st nationally and 62nd at the LB position.

For USC, this late commitment is the 24th for the 2025 class, a class which ranks 15th nationally and 5th in the Big Ten.

Other Commitments/Decommitments

3-Star (88) RB Isaiah Groves decommits from Georgia Tech

3-Star (88) LB Donovan Jones commits to Texas Southern

2026 3-Star (88) OT Max Wright commits to Texas

2026 3-Star (88) EDGE Draeden Punt commits to Kansas

3-Star (86) CB JuQuarius Brooks flips from UAB to Jacksonville State

3-Star (86) EDGE Richard Scott III decommits from FIU

3-Star (85) EDGE Emmanuel Nwaiwu commits to North Carolina

3-Star (85) DL James Steel commits to UAB

3-Star (85) DL Trey Giddens decommits from Navy

2026 3-Star (85) CB Deon Jackson commits to Cal

3-Star (84) IOL Jacob Maiava flips from SMU to UCF

3-Star (84) DL Jadyn Farmer decommits from Charlotte

3-Star (84) LB Byron Jackson decommits from South Alabama

3-Star (84) S Jamarion Bennett decommits from Jacksonville State

3-Star (84) EDGE KJ Brown decommits from Bowling Green

3-Star (84) WR Ryan Matulevich decommits from Dartmouth

3-Star (84) CB Michael Gilliam commits to Campbell

2026 3-Star (84) OT Rico Schrieber commits to Purdue

3-Star (83) WR Tyree Barnett decommits from Southern Miss

3-Star (83) OT Kaden Mayle commits to Ball State

3-Star (82) WR Nare Means flips from Charlotte to to Hampton

3-Star (82) EDGE Andrew Hines commits to Eastern Kentucky

3-Star (82) S Nizhan Feagin flips from Western Michigan to West Florida (D2)

3-Star (81) CB Reggie Rainer Jr. flips from Charlotte to Jacksonville State

2026 3-Star (81) LB Chase Cahoon commits to Stanford

2-Star (78) WR Trey Bass commits to Sacramento State