Latest news with #FWAA
USA Today
08-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
CBS Sports' SEC spring overreactions sees Florida football's DJ Lagway dominate in 2025
CBS Sports' SEC spring overreactions sees Florida football's DJ Lagway dominate in 2025 We currently dwell in the doldrums that separate college football's spring practice season from the summer activities, which resume at the end of May. In the meantime, we are left to ponder the outcomes of this month's final scrimmages and begin projecting ahead to the 2025 regular season. The Florida Gators were without their star quarterback DJ Lagway for all intents and purposes during the spring as a persistent shoulder injury — and possibly a lingering leg injury from last season — kept him out of throwing-related drills and scrimmage duties. Nonetheless, CBS Sports writer Brandon Marcello's SEC overreaction after the dust settled is focused mainly on UF's second-year signal-caller now that he appears to be ready to fully resume his quarterback workouts. 'DJ Lagway will lead Gators to glory' "Florida is not deep on defense, and Billy Napier might not be the best game-day coach, but the ingredients on offense are potent enough for a surprising turn in Gainesville," Marcello notes. "The Gators were left for dead last September, but somehow rebounded to win eight games against a brutal schedule. If the dynamic Lagway can stay healthy behind an offensive line that returns four starters, why can't they improve upon last season and challenge the likes of Georgia and LSU on the schedule?" DJ Lagway's 2024 stats The 6-foot-3-inch, 239-pound signal caller out of Willis, Texas, appeared in 12 of Florida's 13 games last season while logging seven starts. The Gators won six of those games he opened up under center, with the lone loss coming against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville — a game he was knocked out of with a lower-body injury after rallying his team in the first half. Lagway completed 59.9% of his passes for 1,915 yards and 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions last fall. He also amassed a multitude of accolades, including a spot on the FWAA Freshman All-American Team, as well as ESPN Freshman All-American, 247Sports True Freshman All-American, On3 True Freshman All-American, PFF True Freshman All-American, CFN Freshman Quarterback of the Year and All-American, plus the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl MVP award. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
04-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
WATCH: Full Ohio State head coach Ryan Day interview with Josh Pate
WATCH: Full Ohio State head coach Ryan Day interview with Josh Pate Ever since Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day and the team went on a memorable run to win the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff national championship, the head man has been making the rounds with the media. From late-night talk shows to radio appearances to podcasts, Day has been all over the place as an ambassador to the program that's trying to stay on top of the college football mountaintop. Just recently, the latest media engagement Day was a part of was with Josh Pate of CBS Sports on his "Pate State Speaker Series," he's meandering through during the offseason. Pate has quickly become one of the sounding boards of college football with his methodical, well-analyzed, and well-balanced way of making sense of things in the sport, and it was no different with the Day pice. Pate sat down with the national-championship-winning coach to discuss a wide range of topics, and the 43-minute segment is entertaining, thoughtful, and insightful. It's another example of how well Day does in handling the media, so much so that he was voted the FWAA's "Super 11 'Coach of the Year'" award for his availability and accessibility to the media. If you didn't get a chance to watch the interview, we highly encourage you to do so. Day touches on losing assistant coaches, NIL, meeting expectations in a job like the one at Ohio State, and more. I hope Ohio State fans and media members understand and recognize what a breath of fresh air it is to have Day as the head coach and how honest, available, and forthcoming he is with the media. Often times, head coaches have a combatant role with the media, but Day understands the relationship and how important it is to have a great one as the face of the OSU program. This is just another example. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Ohio State coach Ryan Day receives media award from the FWAA
Ohio State coach Ryan Day receives media award from the FWAA We media members are a little spoiled, to be honest. We get to cover one of the bluest of the blue blood college football programs, meaning the travel and pampering we receive is pretty dang cool. Another reason we are spoiled these days, though has to do with the head coach running the program. Ryan Day is not only honest and forthcoming, but he is engaging and raw, and about as professional as you can be when it comes to his media duties. And because of that, Day was awarded the "Super 11 Coach of the Year" by the Football Writers Association of America this week. The award, given out annually, goes to the coach who provides "outstanding media accessibility to their program throughout the season, notably through consistent interview opportunities with the head coach, coordinators, assistant coaches, and players," stated a media release from the OSU program. Day has not only won a ton on the field, but he has been super accessible and seemingly always willing to provide his time to media outlets, charities, radio shows, and more. And he does it with graciousness, patience, and at times, some humor and tolerance. He is 70-10 during his six years at Ohio State, has a national title to boast about, four College Football Playoff appearances, and two Big Ten Championships to his credit. "All you have to do is watch the press conferences when it comes to Ryan Day," FWAA president Bill Bender said in the same OSU release. "He takes questions from all outlets on arguably the largest beat in college football – and they often stretch well past what would be an acceptable amount of time to get those questions in." Congrats to Day and hopefully the on field results continue to happen for one of the best guys and coaches in the business. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
Miami Herald
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Standout safety glad to be back on FIU football team for 2025
Demetrius Hill admits he made a mistake. Hill, a safety who checks in at 6-2 and 205 pounds, started all 12 of FIU's games in 2022, making the FWAA Freshman All-America team. He then transferred, which is where it all went wrong. 'I think I made a mistake leaving,' said Hill, who spent the past two years at the University of Illinois. 'FIU has always been home.' Hill, who played his high school ball at Miami Springs, got into just one game at Illinois, wrecking his knee while playing special teams. 'I was running down, and I stepped wrong,' Hill said. 'My knee just went. But I'm now healthy and 100 percent.' Hill said FIU starting cornerback Brian Blades II is one of his best friends on the team. Hill leaned on that friendship to find his way back to FIU and new coach Willie Simmons. 'I had been communicating with Brian, and I finally said, 'Just give me the phone number for Willie, and let me express myself and what I can bring back to this program,' Hill said. '(Simmons) gave me the opportunity, and I'm going to take full advantage. I'm just trying to be the best version of myself.' Hill is one of the most proven players on the FIU Panthers. As a redshirt freshman, he ranked third on the Panthers with 95 tackles. He also totaled 3½ tackles for losses; three forced fumbles; one sack; one interception; and one pass breakup. After that, Hill said he got bad advice to leave FIU. 'I made my decision (to leave FIU) off of emotions and not on my faith,' Hill said. 'I was getting all kinds of people coming at me from different directions. Go here or there -- this school and this and that. Deep down, I wanted to stay. 'Now I realize that it's not what school you are at, it's what you do while you are at that school. Make a name for yourself, which I did before, and I will do it again.' Hill, 22, said he is a devout Christian. 'My faith is so deep,' Hill affirmed. 'One thing I've learned is that I can't do it on my own. 'There's a higher power, which is God. I'm nothing without Him. My faith brought me back to FIU.' Faith aside, Hill is also a big believer in Simmons and the rest of FIU's coaches. 'This coaching staff brings energy that I haven't felt before,' Hill said. 'There are no dull moments around this coaching staff. 'With this new coaching staff and with my best friends on this team, I'm back with my family, and I love it.' THIS AND THAT ▪ FIU running back Devonte Lyons, although he seems like a quiet sort, told The Herald: 'Oh yeah, I love trash talking.' Asked for an example, Lyons said: 'It ain't for the public.' ▪ FIU running back Kejon Owens, who is in his last season of college eligibility, said he put his name in the transfer portal after coach Mike MacIntyre was fired last season. But Owens decided to stay at FIU after getting calls from Simmons and running backs coach Benedick Hyppolite. 'They had the vision of putting FIU on the map,' Owens said, 'and that's all I've wanted to do since Day One.'
USA Today
28-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
LaJohntay Wester receives invite to NFL scouting combine
On Monday via social media, wide receiver LaJohntay Wester became the first Colorado football player to formally announce an invite to the 2025 NFL scouting combine. Held from Feb. 27 to March 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the combine will give Wester a chance to put his talent on display in a myriad of drills while under the watchful eyes of NFL scouts, coaches and front office members. Wester racked up all-time great numbers throughout his collegiate career, finishing sixth in Football Bowl Subdivision history with 326 catches. After four years with the Florida Atlantic Owls, including an FWAA First-Team All-American campaign in 2023 as a punt returner, Wester logged 74 catches for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Buffs last season. The Palmetto, Florida native quickly developed chemistry with quarterback Shedeur Sanders and helped make one of the greatest memories in recent CU football history with his game-tying Hail Mary grab against the Baylor Bears in September. While Wester may have lived in the Flatiron-laden shadows of head coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter during his only Power Four season, he certainly has the skills and pedigree to hear his name called in the NFL draft this April. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
