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.

Alabama RB Justice Haynes Enters Transfer Portal

Alabama RB Justice Haynes has entered the transfer portal after two seasons with Alabama after ranking as one of the top RBs in the 2023 high school class.

Haynes currently ranks as one of the top transfer RBs, with On3 ranking him 2nd and 247 ranking him 1st. The On3 portal composite rankings place him 1st at RB and 17th nationally.

Haynes ran for 448 yards with 7 touchdowns this season, finishing behind Jam Miller and Jalen Milroe in terms of overall rushing yards. Haynes is the 13th player to transfer out of Tuscaloosa this season, including other such notable names as DL Jeheim Oatis and WR Caleb Odom.

Contract Details for West Virginia’s ‘New’ HC Rich Rodriguez

West Virginia’s new head coach is former West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Coach Rodriguez signed a 5-year deal with an average base salary of $3.75M for a deal worth a total of $18.75M, with the possibility for increases thanks to incentives.

Coach Rodriguez was most recently with Jacksonville State, where he finished 27-10 across three seasons, including a pair of nine win seasons in the Gamecocks’ first two years at the FBS level.

While with West Virginia, Coach Rodriguez was a grand total of 60-26 across 7 seasons, including three different ten-win seasons. Coach Rodriguez left West Virginia right before the Mountaineers’ 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma to go be the Head Coach at Michigan, but now he is back in Morgantown as the Mountaineers’ coach.

Top IOL Transfer, Arkansas’ Patrick Kutas, Commits to Ole Miss

Arkansas IOL Patrick Kutas committed to Ole Miss out of the transfer portal yesterday after his official visit.

Kutas has appeared in 26 games across three years for Arkansas. As a true freshman, Kutas appeared in 13 games – primarily on special teams – before starting 9 of 9 games as a sophomore before a season-ending injury ended his 2023 season. In 2024, Kutas played in four games before Coach Sam Pittman and Co. decided it best to redshirt Kutas for the rest of the season, preserving a year of eligibility.

He now will have two years of eligibility remaining with Ole Miss.

Kutas is ranked as high as the 6th ranked player in the entire transfer portal according to 247, with the On3 portal industry composite ranking him as the 22nd ranked player nationally and 1st ranked IOL in the portal.

4-Star Mississippi State Transfer, CB Brice Pollock, Commits to Texas Tech

One of two 4-star transfers to commit to Texas Tech yesterday, 4-star CB Brice Pollock has committed to the Red Raiders after a solid 2024 season for Mississippi State.

Pollock performed well, finishing with 48 tackles, 10 passes defended, an interception, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.

This production was impressive enough that On3 ranked Pollock as a Top 5 CB in the portal, with the On3 portal industry composite ranking Pollock 39th nationally and 6th at the CB position.

4-Star Transfer Miami (OH) WR Reggie Virgil Commits to Texas Tech

Miami (OH) WR Reggie Virgil committed to Texas Tech out of the portal yesterday over more than a dozen P4 programs, including Oklahoma, Miami, Florida, Michigan, and others.

In 2024, Virgil caught 41 passes for 816 yards and 9 touchdowns for the RedHawks, production good enough to earn Virgil recognition as Second-Team All-MAC this season. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

There are reports he is still planning on taking visits to Oklahoma and Florida.

Virgil ranks as a 4-star transfer according to both On3 and 247, while he ranks 73rd nationally and 16th at the WR position according to the On3 portal industry composite.

Consensus 2026 4-Star CB RJ Sermons Commits to USC

Consensus 4-Star CB in the 2026 class, RJ Sermons, committed to USC yesterday over Oregon, Georgia, Alabama, and Notre Dame, among other offers.

Sermons described his decision a tough one, but one he feels good about because he feels like USC is the best place for him. “I like the authenticity from everybody on the staff and everybody in the building. They kept it real the whole time and made it known that I am a priority to them. The opportunities that I have there on and off the field and in the classroom are great. Also, my family played an important role in my decision.”

Sermons is highly regarded, ranking as high as the 11th ranked player and 1st ranked CB according to On3, with the On3 industry composite ranking Sermons 32nd nationally and 2nd at the CB position.

This is USC’s 4th Blue Chip commitment for the 2026 class, with a total of 7 commitments for a 2026 class which ranks, while still early, 2nd nationally behind only Oregon.

Southern Miss Targeting Former Utah State HC Blake Anderson as OC

Reports from CBS Sports are indicating that new Southern Miss HC Charles Huff is targeting Blake Anderson, former Utah State Head Coach, for its OC position.

Anderson was a fairly hot name in coaching, doing a great job on the field as Utah State’s head coach until he was fired in July while being at the center of a university investigation related to a failure to comply with Title IX in improperly reporting a domestic violence case that resulted in a player’s arrest. Anderson has since taken legal action, saying it was wrongful termination.

Anderson is somewhat familiar with Southern Miss, having been there from 2008-11, including a 2-year stint as its OC from 2010-11. Anderson then went on to be the OC at North Carolina before being the Head Coach at Arkansas State for several seasons, going to a bowl in 6 of his 7 seasons.

After going 51-37 at Arkansas State, he went to Utah State, where he was 23-17 in 3 seasons, including bowl appearances in every season, with an 11-win season in 2021 where Utah State finished the season ranked 24th.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers Planning to Declare for Draft After Season

Texas QB Quinn Ewers is still planning to declare for the NFL Draft after the season, according to Orangebloods’ Anwar Richardson

Richardson shared on X, “Sources say Quinn Ewers still plans to declare for the NFL Draft after this season, paving the way for Arch Manning to take over in 2025. Manning is locked in with Texas and Coach Steve Sarkisian, with no plans to transfer. Right now, both are dialed in on Clemson.”

This information comes amid rumors that Ewers could transfer, with a report emerging from some Twitter sources that Ewers could receive a seven-figure deal from an undisclosed team in the Big Ten to remain in college football for one more season.

Bill Belichick to Continue ManningCast and Pat McAfee Show While UNC’s Head Coach

Bill Belichick has been a regular on the Monday Night Football ManningCast during the first half this season, and has also been doing the Pat McAfee Show on Mondays during the football season, as well.

From the sounds of it, Coach Belichick will continue doing these media appearances through at least the rest of the season, including the Super Bowl, as confirmed by North Carolina AD Bubba Cunningham.

It’s unclear if Coach Belichick will continue this beyond just this season, but that will be interesting to see, as a coach who was known for not sharing much with the media became a media darling in less than one season.

Transfer Arkansas CB Jaylon Braxton Signs with Ole Miss

Arkansas CB transfer Jaylon Braxton committed and signed with Ole Miss yesterday after taking an official visit out of the portal earlier in the week.

Braxton was also considering Missouri and Texas A&M as transfer destinations, but ultimately some recruiting from Ole Miss LB Pooh Paul and a great official visit to Oxford, MS sealed the deal.

Braxton was part of the Freshman All-SEC team in 2023, but had his season somewhat limited in 2024 due to some injuries. That did not stop him from having high caliber interest in the portal, and Braxton will potentially play a big role at Ole Miss, who is losing the likes of Trey Amos, John Saunders, and Brandon Turnage in the secondary.

Braxton is ranked as the 68th ranked player in the portal nationally and 8th at the CB position according to the On3 industry portal rankings.

Other Commitments/Decommitments

3-Star (86) RB Kiandrea Barker commits to Middle Tennessee

3-Star (84) S Vinaz Cobb flips from UNLV to Purdue

3-Star (83) S Antonio Parker flips from UNLV to Purdue

3-Star (81) LB Nolan Farr commits to Western Colorado

Unrated DL King Justice commits to UTSA

Unrated TE Josh Humes commits to Coastal Carolina