A fire sale in Indianapolis may have just begun.

The Colts traded their longest-tenured player, left guard Quenton Nelson, to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick, The Ringer reported on Tuesday afternoon.

Nelson, an eight-time Pro Bowler and a six-time All-Pro, has established himself as one of the league’s best interior offensive linemen since being selected by the Colts with the No. 6 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame.

Nelson joins a talented Seattle offensive line that could be one of the league’s best, slotting in alongside former first-round picks Grey Zabel and Charles Cross, with Abraham Lucas holding steady at right tackle.

According to Pro Football Focus, Nelson holds an 85.7 overall grade, good for the third-highest-graded guard in the league. Having played left guard at a high level for his entire career, Nelson’s arrival in Seattle likely means Zabel will move over to right guard. 

The 30-year-old Nelson was set to hit free agency this offseason. Interim general manager Ed Dodds’ first signature move netted the Colts Day 2 and Day 3 draft picks, instead of risking losing Nelson for nothing on the open market, which likely signals a complete rebuild is on the horizon for the Colts.

Other trade candidates for the Colts could include star running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receiver Josh Downs and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, among others. With a locker room leader like Nelson being moved, all options appear on the table for Dodds and ownership heading into the NFL trade deadline. 

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Some time ago, when Harry Kane was eight years old, he took a routine walk to the local park in his hometown of Chingford (a suburb in north-east London) with his dad and brother to play football. 

“No goals. No proper pitch. Just give us some grass and two trees and we were happy,” Kane remembered back in 2018 in an essay for the Players’ Tribune.

It was on this day in the park when he received some disappointing news. 

“Arsenal have released you,” said his father. 

At the time, a young Kane had been part of Arsenal’s youth team, which was a very dangerous thing to do in a family full of Tottenham Hotspur supporters who lived 20 minutes from White Hart Lane. But alas, a boy had to start somewhere. 

Arsenal, however, decided to let go of him and per Liam Brady, a club icon and then-academy director, the Gunners decided Kane sadly was not athletic enough and perhaps “a bit chubby.”

Harry Kane winning the Ballon ‘d Or award. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

After hearing this news, his father, however, didn’t show disappointment nor frustration. He didn’t get on the phone to complain or criticize Brady or make a statement to condemn Arsenal. He simply looked at his son, put his arm around him and said,

“Don’t worry, Harry. We’ll work harder — and we’ll go on and we’ll find another club, alright?”

That sentiment stayed with Harry Kane and quite simply, it exemplified what he is all about: a silent crafter who piece by piece, step by step, worked incredibly hard on his objectives to become the world’s best.

After Arsenal’s rejection, Kane returned to his local team Ridgeway Rovers before a scout eventually recruited him for Watford. It was in a game against Tottenham where he eventually ended up with Spurs. But even after joining, he still had to prove his worth. He went on loan across the English pyramid throughout his young career and even when he graduated to the first team, he was still third choice striker. Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival in 2014 was a sparkling opportunity but Kane still had to prove his worth as that season, the Argentinian manager opted for Emanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado.

Harry Kane

By the numbers

543Career goals

Goals by team

• 

  Tottenham435 games · 2011-23

  280280

• 

  Bayern Munich158 games · 2023-present

  156156

• 

  England125 caps · 2015-present

  9191

• 

  Other clubs65 games · 2011-13 · on loanSee listHide list 

  1616

• • Millwall2012 · 27 games

     

    9

  • Leyton Orient2011 · 18 games

     

    5

  • Leicester City2013 · 15 games

     

    2

  • Norwich City2012-13 · 5 games

     

    0

Tap to play 

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Kane’s journey, therefore, has been a perfect example of perseverance and how his incredible career, which has made him into England’s all-time scorer and now a Ballon d’Or winner, reminds me of Albert Einstein’s quote, It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.

Harry Kane’s genius on the football pitch is not a result of immediate, natural, god-given talent that was born from the first day he saw a ball. There isn’t a prodigious sword that blessed him with mesmerizing skills at a young age — such as Lamine Yamal or Kylian Mbappé. Kane is also not a boisterous character nor does he care too much about extravagance. In this day and age of self-promotion and marketing aggression, Kane is the antidote.  

I INTERVIEWED HIS Bayern Munich teammate Luis Díaz back in January and the conversation was meant to be mainly about the Colombian star ahead of the World Cup. But in one question, I asked him about Kane and what it was like to train with him every day. 

“I don’t even have words,” said Díaz, who actually continued to express the dedicated genius of his teammate and how in training, he does things that we wouldn’t even believe.

Harry Kane has found success at Bayern Munich. (Photo by Christina Pahnke – sampics/Corbis via Getty Images)

But I do believe it because this is a testament of Kane’s work ethic and his obsession to be better than yesterday.

“Work hard in silence. Let success be your noise,” he posted after winning on Monday night. And that’s his career. A series of silent, dedicated tasks where every day is an opportunity to improve and what we now see in front of us is the most complete striker of his generation–perhaps ever. 

Harry Kane will forever be a Tottenham legend. (Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images)

That’s why I am so happy for his Ballon d’Or success, thanks to a remarkable 2025-2026 campaign where he scored an individual record of 73 goals for club and country, helped Bayern Munich win a domestic treble and led England to its best ever finish at the World Cup since 1966. He became the first English men’s player to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001 and the first Londoner to do so. The fact that it happened in his home city is that much sweeter. For Kane, a major inspiration to become a striker was Ronaldo Nazario and it was the Brazilian legend who gave him the award.

Harry Kane, the boy who got rejected for not being athletic enough, is now a Ballon d’Or winner. If that’s not a lesson on grit, endurance and a will to keep going—then I don’t know what is.

Harry. Kane is England’s all-time leading goalscorer. (Photo by Calvin Hernandez/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

AS FOR THE future? Kylian Mbappé remains in the hunt for the trophy and at 27 years old, there is still time. But the objectives for the French superstar and Real Madrid have now become more aggressive this season. Mbappé, a goalscorer of pure talent, has not yet won a Champions League nor La Liga—and he knows that’s a hurdle to be severely overcome.

Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé will be on Ballon d’Or shortlists for years to come. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

Lamine Yamal? At 19, there is a whole lifetime for him to win a Ballon d’Or and there is very little doubt in my mind that one day, he won’t be on the stage to receive it. Yamal is a prodigious talent with a World Cup, European championship, La Liga titles to his name. The question is not if—but when. 

I do wonder what Erling Haaland’s future looks like too, especially during Man City’s current situation. And let’s not forget, there is another Englishman who can help the Three Lions reach the promised land. Jude Bellingham continues to be a player that can change a game in a heartbeat. 

But for now, the award and the highlighted accolades belong to Harry Kane—England’s greatest, Bayern Munich royalty and a Ballon d’Or winner.

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I played offensive line for eight seasons in the NFL, and before that I spent my Saturdays in Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, blocking for guys who ended up on lists like this one. So when I watch college football now, I watch for the stuff that signaled to me in the huddle whether a guy was for real.

I’m picking the 10 players who impressed me most during the previous weekend. Not just the gaudiest stat lines, but the performances that hold up when you turn the tape on. Some weeks, that’ll be an edge rusher wreaking havoc. Other weeks, it’ll be a lineman you’ve never heard of who didn’t lose a rep all afternoon. I have a soft spot for those guys. 

Week 8 had several guys ball out. Let’s get into it.

Jackson Bennee had the biggest play for the Utes defense late Saturday night against Houston. Utah was up 14-13 and Houston had the ball just before the two minute timeout. Bennee came free on a pressure and strip sacked Houston quarterback Conner Wegman. Utah scored on the next play and the game was over. Utah’s defense held Houston to just 13 points and 368 yards, well below their season averages.

Jenkins kept making play after play and eventually threw the game winner in overtime for the Knights in their upset of BYU. In total, Jenkins completed 25 of 41 passes for almost 300 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a rushing touchdown. The Miami native led UCF to its first ever win vs. an AP top two team. 

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The Indiana defense has been stout all season and none more so than against Michigan on Saturday. Michigan scored six points and had 224 yards. They went 6-20 on third down, which is wild. Twenty third-down attempts is nuts! Hardy had two sacks, two tackles for loss and eight total tackles on Saturday. A big time performance by the veteran for the Hooisers.

Toney continues to be one of the best players on any field he’s on. He showed that once again facing Pittsburgh this weekend. He had 16 receptions, a new Miami single-game school record, for 194 yards and three touchdowns. He’s up to 11 touchdowns for the season and almost 1000 yards this season. He’s absolutely fantastic and so dynamic.

Marcus Stokes is going to be a name we are going to hear come portal season. Sorry Wave fans. The West Florida transfer is thriving under Charles Huff, and we saw that against East Carolina on Friday night. Stokes led Memphis to a comeback win with 320 yards and three touchdowns. Memphis scored four second half touchdowns plus another in overtime. 

Sellers is just a baller man. It’s not always pretty as a passer, but he can take over when he’s on. He only threw for 210 yards but he rushed for 96 on the ground and scored two rushing touchdowns. Those touchdowns included a mad scramble and effort to tie the game at 24 before South Carolina finished the game with a field goal. 

Omosigho is the heart of the UCLA defense. The JMU transfer followed Bob Chesney to Westwood and he’s firmly planted himself as the man of their defense. Against Michigan State he had six tackles and two sacks. He’s now up to 53 tackles and 5.5 sacks on the season, and his Bruins have allowed more than 24 points only once this season. 

While his Bears lost in a mid-week game to Delaware, it wasn’t because of his lack of effort. Myers caught 11 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. That’s 22 yards per catch. Just wild. 

Raleek Brown had 23 carries for 157 yards in the win against Ole Miss, averaging a whopping 6.8 yards per rush. His elite burst was on display, and he was a menace for the Ole Miss front seven. It was his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and the second-most of his career. 

Tyler Hughes has been electric all season, throwing for 1,131 yards and rushing for 605. Against Air Force on Friday, he totaled 113 pass yards, two passing touchdowns, 146 rush yards, and a rushing score. He’s the only player in all of FBS to have multiple games this season with over 100 passing yards and over 140 rushing yards. 

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Deion Sanders on Tuesday downplayed comments from a person close to him who suggested the Colorado coach was willing to pay $50,000 to silence his critics.

“That was a joke,” Sanders told reporters.

Christopher Neely, a YouTube content creator known as “Uncle Neely” who’s been with Sanders since he coached Jackson State, found himself in the spotlight for a comment he recently made on a roundtable internet program.

“For the most part, the people that attack him wouldn’t be making the money they were making if he wasn’t here to attack,” Neely said in the video. “Which is why he told some of them, ‘Hey man, let’s just do this. I give you $50,000 to not mention my name for a year.’ And ain’t nobody took the deal yet.”

Sanders was confused Tuesday when he was asked about offering money to silence the criticism surrouding his program. He was given a quick background by Neely, who was in the room for the coach’s weekly news conference.

Deion Sanders says he was joking around, but had to clarify as much. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images)

“Oh no, no, no! I think you misinterpreted that,” said Sanders, whose Buffaloes have dropped five in a row heading into their game Saturday against Kansas State. “I said, like some of y’all in here sitting right now, ‘I would love to give you money and not mention my name, and I want to see how far that goes.’ … That’s what we were saying. Some people live on your name.”

He added that he’s experienced criticism most of his life — as a player and as a coach.

“I would never offer a man money. I don’t give a darn what you say about me,” Sanders said. “That was really a joke about someone prospering off of your name and your brand. It’s not in my heart to not like anybody in this room. I may not like some things you may do or say, but I don’t know you enough to form that opinion.

“This is normalcy because I’m just different. I’m unapologetic about things I say and how I live my life.”

Sanders is in his fourth year at Colorado. He has brought the spotlight back to the downtrodden program and his quarterback son, Shedeur, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter helped engineer a 9-4 season that ended with a trip to a bowl game. But Sanders is 18-26 overall and last year’s 3-9 finish set up expectations for improvement this season that haven’t been met amid a 2-5 start.

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Sanders pointed out that during his NFL Hall of Fame playing career he wasn’t a talker. Show-boater, sure, but not much into taunting.

“I never belittled, downgraded, hated. Never said anything to my opponent,” Sanders said. “I never talked on the field. I danced, I high-stepped. I never spiked the ball in somebody’s face. I I wasn’t raised like that. I’ve always been very respectful. I would never go with an insult, or I would never say nothing about any of you guys or your kids. I don’t I don’t get down like that.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD (Philadelphia) — Brian Schottenheimer wasn’t in a very good mood, which was odd since his Dallas Cowboys just stepped back from the edge of a cliff. The Cowboys’ head coach seemed weirdly angry for someone who should’ve been celebrating. His postgame answers were unusually short.

“Definitely [a] hungry, pissed-off version of Shotty,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “It’s not like he’s naive.”

No, he’s not. So Schottenheimer surely knows that even though his Cowboys temporarily salvaged their season Monday night with a 38-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, he still has a lot of work to do if he’s going to save his own job. Jerry Jones has spent a ton of money building a team that’s still under .500 nearly halfway through the season (3-4), and they’re 1.5 games back in an NFC East that might be the NFL’s worst division and looks as wide open as it’s been in years.

There’ll be no hiding and no excuses for Schottenheimer if these Cowboys don’t win it, especially after he said last week that, “I know what a great coach I am.” If he doesn’t start proving it very quickly, he’s going to be out of a job.

“It’s not like he hadn’t heard some noise about him,” Prescott said. “Whether it’s calling the games or whatever doubt that’s been out there. But we’ve got his back. He knows that. He’s a guy that takes a lot of pride in his job and a lot of pride in his team.”

That pride came through in the end on Monday night, but it certainly wasn’t easy. On a night that began with the Cowboys’ 53-year-old coach reportedly being berated by a fan on the way from the team hotel to the bus (“Every other NFC East team has a backup quarterback. What’s your excuse? 2-4, Schotty!” the fan screamed, according to The Athletic), the Cowboys didn’t shake the battered Eagles off until the fourth quarter. They were even trailing late in the third, before Prescott engineered three late scoring drives, and linebacker DeMarvion Overshown thwarted the Eagles’ last real scoring chance with an interception with 7:55 to go.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has dealt with increased scrutiny this season after a 7-9-1 first year at the helm. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

That was all great for the Cowboys, except for the fact that they struggled against an Eagles team that was playing its backup quarterback (Tanner McKee), without their two best receivers (DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks), and finished the game with their sixth-string running back (Elijah Mitchell) after Saquon Barkley and Dameon Pierce got hurt. The truth is, it was embarrassing that it took the Cowboys that long to shake them, even on a night when their offense was finally humming again. The 38 points they scored were the most the Eagles have allowed in the 2.5 years that Vic Fangio has been their defensive coordinator. And running back Javonte Williams tore through a tough Eagles front for 155 yards.

But the Dallas defense that has been like an anchor trying to drag them under all season long was the usual disaster. They’re lucky Barkley injured his back, along with his already injured hamstring, after touching the ball three times, gaining 49 yards, and scoring a touchdown on the Eagles’ first four plays. Dallas didn’t offer a ton of resistance to the rest of Philadelphia’s decimated offense, which used two more long touchdown drives to build a 21-20 third-quarter lead.

Yes, the Cowboys survived. And in doing so, they probably showed they’re the only team capable of making a run at the division-leading Giants (4-2-1) — a team with the best coach in the division in John Harbaugh, but one without its starting quarterback (Jaxson Dart) and best defensive player (Brian Burns). But once again, the Cowboys failed to answer their biggest question:

Why, with a team this talented, with so many highly-paid players, does everything continue to be so hard?

That’s the question that dogged Schottenheimer heading into what his quarterback had called a “must-win” game. The previous two weeks had been particularly ugly. In back-to-back losses to the then-winless Buccaneers and the Packers, even Schottenheimer’s offense struggled, scoring just 29 points in the two games.

First-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker hasn’t provided the lift the Cowboys have been hoping for so far. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Schottenheimer’s defensive coordinator, Christian Parker, was already under siege from fans and the media. The Cowboys had even brought in veteran defensive coach Mike Pettine a few weeks ago to help the rookie coordinator out. But now Schottenheimer was taking heat for the way he called the games for his star-studded offense. And really, if the Cowboys don’t have an offense to continually bail out their defense, then they have nothing at all.

And that possibility was embarrassing for a coach who has said he considers himself an “elite” play-caller, and who has more than enough weapons at his disposal to ensure the Cowboys are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league. So Schottenheimer had to be thrilled with his team’s offensive explosion Monday night, even if he wasn’t willing to show it. 

Schottenheimer did concede that his offense was “pretty good,” but wouldn’t say much more than that. He admitted the win was “really important” and “gets us right back in the hunt,” but his demeanor told a different story. There were no smiles, no joy, no outward expressions of confidence.

And even though Schottenheimer insisted that the win “had nothing to do with desperation,” it sure seemed like more of a relief. 

Prescott, though, saw it as something else: Anger over the Cowboys’ two-game losing streak, a renewed focus, and a “hunger” to get his team to start digging out of their hole. 

Dak Prescott played like a motivated QB on Monday night after a pair of underwhelming performances in losses to the Buccaneers and Packers. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

“I know the team feels it,” Prescott said. “It’s contagious. And at the end of the day, he’s our head coach. We’re going to follow him. We’ve got his back and we appreciate that.”

Maybe that’s what the Cowboys need as they head into a soft spot in their schedule — four games against losing teams (the Cardinals, Colts, Titans and Eagles) sandwiched around a home game against the San Francisco 49ers. There is a real chance for them to head into December with a 7-5 record, which could be enough to give the Cowboys control of the division by the time December begins.

But that’s really the problem. It might not take much. So there’s no excuse for it not to happen. These Cowboys are just too talented to waste this golden opportunity. Schottenheimer is coaching with a stacked deck of cards, even though his team too often plays like the deck is stacked against them.

Maybe that’s why, when Schottenheimer was asked about his dour mood after a necessary win over a shattered opponent, he deadpanned, “I’m great” without a hint that was actually true.

Schottenheimer knows he won’t be “great” if this win doesn’t turn out to be the turning point his team has so desperately needed. The Cowboys are the most talented team left in the crumbling NFC East. They have been waiting years for the Eagles to falter and clear a path to the division title.

Schottenheimer can’t let them waste that opportunity. If he does, he’ll have wasted his, too.

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With the Milwaukee Brewers pulling ahead to a 3-0 World Series lead over the Tampa Bay Rays, the pressure is on heading into Game 4. That intensity is driving a massive surge in fan demand, whether it’s to grab a seat in the stands at Tropicana Field or join a packed home-turf watch party.

However, secondary ticket markets for the live game in St. Petersburg aren’t seeing extreme price spikes, with entry-level tickets starting around $724. Meanwhile, back in Milwaukee, fans are packing American Family Field for tonight’s stadium watch party, eager to see their team capture its first World Series title in franchise history.

According to TickPick secondary market listings, intense local demand for the home watch party has pushed ticket prices so high that it exceeds seats for the actual game at Tropicana Field. Resale tickets for American Family Field start around $519, with premium spots in Section 220 climbing up to $1,017.

While securing a live seat at Game 4 starts at a steep $724, top-tier watch party passes in Milwaukee are commanding upwards of $1,000 on the secondary market. This price overlap underscores the massive local appetite to share the championship excitement on home turf.

Excitement couldn’t be higher for a Brewers fan base hoping to finally remove their team from the list of franchises without a World Series title. Now in firm control after Monday night’s 10-1 victory, the Brewers have a chance to make history.

Third-year manager Pat Murphy has won over 60% of his games since taking over in 2024, securing three consecutive NL Central titles. With the team in possession of the league’s best regular-season record and first Brewers’ pennant since 1982, fans are backing the team at the ticket office.

Still, finishing the series is what matters most. All eyes now shift to Game 4 to see if they can wrap it up and make history, with both local watch parties and Tropicana Field expected to be packed.

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DeForest Buckner is heading back to where it all started.

The Indianapolis Colts are trading the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick, according to The Ringer.

The deal came hours after the Colts sent guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks, a sign that Indianapolis is fully committing to selling ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline. 

The Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard after a 26-20 Week 6 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans dropped them to 2-4. They fell to 2-5 with their loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. 

Buckner was drafted with the seventh overall pick by the 49ers in 2016 out of Oregon, and he spent his first four seasons there. He was named the team’s MVP in 2019, when the 49ers reached the Super Bowl. 

San Francisco traded him to Indianapolis the following March for the No. 13 overall pick, which it used on defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.

Buckner, 32, has been productive again this season after neck surgery cut his 2025 campaign short. He has 31 tackles, four sacks, a fumble recovery and three passes defended in seven games. He’s also 14th in pressures (20) among defensive tackles, per Pro Football Focus.

The 6-1 49ers needed help up front after injuries depleted their defensive line as star pass rusher Nick Bosa has missed five games due to a calf strain and Alfred Collins is out for the season due to a torn patellar tendon. 

The move continues a trend of San Francisco bringing back familiar faces after it reunited with linebacker Dre Greenlaw and wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. this past offseason. Buckner now returns to a 49ers team chasing a Super Bowl, the same goal it had when it traded him away six years ago.

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Hot seat season is, well, heating up.

Three coaches — Mike Locksley (Maryland), Dave Doeren (NC State) and Dave Aranda (Baylor) — were relieved of their duties over the last week for the first Power Four firings of the cycle.

I called around to agents and search firm executives in recent weeks to help put together my 2026 guide of names you need to know during silly season.

Let’s get into it.

The Belles Of The Ball

Jason Eck — Head Coach, New Mexico

Eck seems to have it all. Vibes. Acumen. Geographic diversity.

The former Wisconsin offensive lineman has worked wonders under less than ideal conditions at New Mexico, where his roster has been pillaged year after year. Eck is now 41-18 as a head coach between stops in Las Cruces and previously at Idaho. That kind of track record will be in huge demand.

Jake Dickert — Head Coach, Wake Forest

Will Jake Dickert seek a job elsewhere or stay put? (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Dickert may well evolve into this offseason’s version of Jon Sumrall. Like Eck, he has deep Wisconsin ties and worked wonders under a horrendous situation following the ousting of Nick Rolovich at Washington State.

While he has spent the bulk of his coaching career in the Dakotas and upper Midwest, Dickert has been a revelation at Wake Forest, guiding the Demon Deacons to a 14-5 record, despite working with limited financial resources.

It’s worth noting that, during a cycle where there may not be a plethora of premium jobs available, Dickert might be better served waiting one more year as Sumrall did when he was initially involved at North Carolina, before landing the Florida gig a year later. Wake Forest’s money people will also be keen and motivated to keep their head coach.

Other Head Coaches To Know

Spencer Danielson — Head Coach, Boise State

Danielson has kept things motoring right along in Boise despite the growing disparities between the Group of Six and Power Four. His squad gave Oregon a scare earlier this year and is just two years removed from a College Football Playoff berth that came on the heels of retaining all-world running back Ashton Jeanty.

Danielson does have deep ties at Boise State and may be picky given he’s incredibly close with athletics director Jeremiah Dickey, who himself has been sought after. Danielson is also deeply faith-based and that will likely play into what kind of job he takes.

Willie Fritz — Head Coach, Houston

Houston has found success under Willie Fritz despite a limited budget. (Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

If there’s a Curt Cignetti-adjacent in this year’s coaching carousel class, Fritz might well be it. He’s been winning games for longer than I’ve been alive, with stops at Blinn Junior College, Central Missouri, Sam Houston State, Georgia Southern, Tulane and now Houston.

Fritz has turned the Cougars into a winner despite limited financial resources and the complication that the school’s basketball success might impede how much might be diverted toward his program, so long as Kelvin Sampson is the head coach.

The Houston situation has gotten better thanks, in part, to new athletics director Eddie Nuñez, who came from New Mexico and has deep SEC ties. That partnership continues to bear fruit, but as Fritz gets older, he may be inclined to look at some of the bigger jobs that come open this cycle. Administrators would be wise to give the serial winner a look.

Brent Brennan — Head Coach, Arizona

Brennan doesn’t have Fritz’s lengthy track record, but he’s been incredibly impressive in turning around San Jose State and Arizona.

The former UCLA wide receiver reached a bowl game in three of his final four seasons at San Jose State, traditionally one of the hardest jobs in America. He’s also stabilized things at Arizona after nearly being run out of town following a 4-8 debut. He’s now got the Wildcats at 5-1 coming off a 9-4 campaign a year ago.

If any major West Coast jobs come open, Brennan should get a look, but he may be patient given he’s finally got things rolling in Tucson.

Manny Diaz — Head Coach, Duke

No Darian Mensah? No problem for the Blue Devils and Manny Diaz. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Say what you will about his Miami tenure, but Diaz has worked wonders during his two seasons in Durham.

Despite losing quarterback Darian Mensah to the Hurricanes at the eleventh hour, he has the Blue Devils in the mix in the ACC again. That also comes despite limited roster resources — sensing a pattern here?

The one-time Florida State graduate assistant is a cerebral guy with experience that spans each of the Power Four conferences. But given the coup d’état that ended his tenure in Coral Gables, Diaz may be choosy about his next stop.

PJ Fleck — Head Coach, Minnesota

Fleck isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. He’s high energy. High intensity. He also just continues to pile up wins at a place where stability is just hard in this day and age.

Now in his 10th year at Minnesota, Fleck has won fewer than six games just twice — a 5-7 debut season and a 3-4 2020 COVID-affected campaign. That kind of serial winning will be noticed by administrators and search firms.

The Gophers are off to an impressive 5-2 start and beat Iowa last week. That said, four of Minnesota’s final five games are against ranked opponents — Indiana, UCLA, Northwestern and Wisconsin. Win a few of those and Fleck might finally have the breakthrough he’s come oh so close to over his decade in the Twin Cities.

Kenny Dillingham — Head Coach, Arizona State

Kenny Dillingham has a 25-20 record midway through his fourth season as Arizona State’s head coach. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images)

It hasn’t been the rosiest season for Dillingham at his alma mater, but that shouldn’t dissuade anyone if he’s willing to listen.

Dillingham has completely resuscitated Arizona State after the mess that was the Herm Edwards era. He was in play at Michigan last year, but decided to stay put. That should be a key indicator in discussing his candidacy anywhere else.

Given the lack of primo jobs that are expected to open this fall — albeit USC, Florida State and Texas could challenge this theory — it’s hard to imagine Dillingham leaving this offseason, but weirder things have happened. I’m keeping him on the list, just in case.

The Group Of Six Cohort

Charles Huff — Head Coach, Memphis

Huff is now onto his third different head coaching job in three years, having bounced between Marshall, Southern Miss and Memphis. The constant? He keeps winning. He’s now 45-27 at the Group of Six level, where that kind of consistency is nearly impossible in this day and age.

The Maryland native figures to get some looks from the Terrapins brass given his ties to the area, while he was also at one-time a low-level assistant on Ralph Freidgen’s staff.

Jeff Traylor — Head Coach, UTSA

Could Jeff Traylor end up in the Big 12? (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Traylor is about as Texas as Texas gets in the coaching ranks these days.

The former high school coach has worked his way up and turned UTSA into a stable winner while creating one of the fiercest home field advantages in the Group of Six at the Alamodome.

The knock on Traylor has been that he’d missed his window for a bigger job, but he may have his chance this fall. The Roadrunners are in a prime spot to challenge for the American Conference title and with a job like Baylor open and others like TCU under the microscope, he’d be a great fit for a Big 12 gig.

JaMarcus Shephard — Head Coach, Oregon State

Oregon State might be the best story in college football right now.

The Beavers were left for dead in the wake of the Pac-12’s implosion, but JaMarcus Shephard and standout receiver Jesse Legree have this thing motoring toward a potential conference title.

Legree has already reaffirmed his commitment to Oregon State. Will his head coach follow suit? Harder to say, but Shephard, a Fort Wayne, Indiana native, should have options this offseason.

Jamey Chadwell — Head Coach, Liberty

Jamey Chadwell has Liberty sitting at 6-1 this season. (Photo by Lee Coleman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Chadwell was in huge demand when he was torching defenses with his run-heavy option-adjacent attack at Coastal Carolina, including interviewing for the South Carolina job that ultimately went to Shane Beamer. 

He’s since moved on to Liberty, where he battled undisclosed health issues last year. But now that he’s back full bore this fall, the Flames are 6-1 with a path to another Conference USA title.

Liberty has huge resources and Chadwell is compensated as one of, if not the highest-paid coach in the Group of Six. He hasn’t generally been motivated by money, but that price tag may make him choosier during a cycle where there aren’t expected to be a huge number of major openings. Still, a place like NC State might find it worth giving him a look.

Lance Taylor — Head Coach, Western Michigan

Western Michigan has become the class of the MAC under Taylor’s watch. The former Alabama receiver is 21-13 over the last two-plus years following a 4-8 debut. The near-win over Michigan turned heads, and a return to the conference championship after a 10-win season last year could bolster his case for a bigger job.

It’s been harder than ever for MAC coaches to make the jump to the Power Four in recent years, but Taylor has ties to Notre Dame, Louisville and the NFL. That should help his cause if he looks to move on.

Dan Mullen — Head Coach, UNLV

A strong finish to 2026 could mean another big year for Dan Mullen at UNLV. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

In retrospect, are we sure Dan Mullen’s tenure at Florida was that bad? It fell off toward the end, but the former Gators coach has won at the highest levels and did more with less as the second-winningest coach in Mississippi State history.

UNLV was a dead-end job for decades before being resuscitated by Barry Odom. Mullen has kept the Rebels relevant with a 10-win season last year, though a 4-3 start to this year may not help his overall cause.

Mullen’s squad faces three of the five worst teams in the Mountain West down the stretch, while games against New Mexico and Wyoming could prove crucial toward another high win total.

Matt Entz — Head Coach, Fresno State

Entz might be the best head coach in the country that nobody is talking about. 

The former North Dakota State head coach kept the Bison rolling following Chris Klieman’s departure for Kansas State, winning FCS national titles in 2019 and 2021. He eventually left Fargo to become Lincoln Riley’s assistant head coach and linebackers coach during the 2024 season before landing the Fresno State job.

Entz has been a steadying presence at Fresno, where administration has been aggressive in trying to resource the program for the new-look Pac-12. He was 9-4 a year ago and gave Boise State a run for its money earlier this year. Expect Entz to get consideration if the Bulldogs continue winning.

Mike Jacobs – Head Coach, Toledo

One year at Toledo might be all Mike Jacobs needs to wind up with a Power Four job. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Jacobs is one of the more interesting names that was tossed around in my conversations over the last few weeks. Like Cignetti, he has won just about everywhere he’s been, including lower-level stops at Division II Notre Dame College, Lenoir-Rhyne and Mercer. He’s kept that train rolling at Toledo, which is one of the more resourced jobs in the MAC.

It might be too small a sample size at the FBS level for Jacobs to jump up to a Power Four gig after just one season at Toledo, but he’s got a lengthy-enough track record that his 5-2 start to the year should open some eyes.

Sonny Cumbie — Head Coach, Louisiana Tech

It’s been a weird tenure at Louisiana Tech for Cumbie, an air raid disciple and former Mike Leach quarterback. His tenure started with back-to-back 3-9 seasons followed by a 5–8 campaign. An 8-5 effort last year helped stabilize things, while the Bulldogs are off to a 5-2 start and in position to win the Sun Belt West Division.

Cumbie has deep Texas roots as a former Texas Tech quarterback. He could make sense for a few of the Lone Star State jobs that open up this cycle, whether that be in the Power Four or higher up the Group of Six ladder.

The Hotshot Coordinators

Arthur Smith, Matt Patricia — Coordinators, Ohio State

Smith and Patricia should be viewed through similar lenses given their NFL backgrounds and current situations.

Smith was involved in the North Carolina search that landed Bill Belichick two years ago, while Patricia interviewed for the Penn State job last offseason. Both are also incredibly well compensated — Patricia at $3.75 million and Smith at $1.5 million — meaning it would likely take a Power Four job to pry either away from Columbus. 

If the Buckeyes keep things steady sans Julian Sayin down the stretch, both should receive consideration at a few places.

Given Matt Patricia’s salary, it might take a Power Four school to pry him away from Ohio State. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Glenn Schumann — Defensive Coordinator, Georgia

As always, Kirby Smart has at least one coordinator who should be known among college football fans and prospective hiring managers.

Schumann has a master’s degree in the Smart-Saban school of football, thanks to his time at Alabama and Georgia. He’s seen as the next big-time coordinator hire from that tree, but he’s been choosy.

With the SEC expected to be mildly quiet on the coaching carousel, he may stick around in Athens another year.

Buster Faulkner — Offensive Coordinator, Florida

If they handed out awards over the first month of the season, Faulkner would’ve been the runaway favorite to win the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant.

The Florida offense has been high-flying over the early part of Jon Sumrall’s tenure in Gainesville and Faulkner’s system is a big reason why. Need more proof? Look at the struggles at Georgia Tech this year since Faulkner left.

A lifetime Southerner, Faulkner makes the most sense for jobs in that part of the world, though he could get some NFL looks given his X’s and O’s acumen.

Shannon Dawson — Offensive Coordinator, Miami

With the way Miami is rolling, Shannon Dawson could be in demand this offseason. (Photo by Eston Parker/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Dawson is on track for another incredibly successful run guiding the offense at Miami. Quarterback Darian Mensah looks like a Heisman contender and wide receiver Malachi Tony is right there alongside him. 

The Hurricanes may be playing well into January based off the way they’ve looked so far. Would that complicate when Dawson might be able to take another job? Perhaps. But he’s been as prolific an assistant coach as there is in the country over the last 18 months. He’ll get a few calls.

Bryant Haines — Defensive Coordinator, Indiana

Cignetti’s squad remains one of the most fascinating stories in college football, and it’s the defense that’s carrying the Hoosiers through Big Ten play this year.

Haines is seen by most as a future head coach, though his newly-minted $3 million salary makes him a harder hire for programs in the Group of Six and lower down the Power Four hierarchy.

There’s also at least some thought in and around Bloomington that he could be the man to replace Cignetti whenever the latter decides to retire – to be clear, this isn’t expected any time soon. Could this turn into a Morgan Scalley-like, coach-in-waiting situation? Perhaps. 

Haines succeeding elsewhere also wouldn’t preclude a return.

Kane Wommack — Defensive Coordinator, Alabama

Wommack is unique on this list in that he’s already been a head coach — and a successful one, at that. He went 22-16 over three years at South Alabama, including a 10-3 season in 2022.

The former Arkansas/Southern Miss fullback has been a stabilizing force for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama in the post-Saban era, while the Crimson Tide defense has taken steps forward this fall.

Expect Wommack to be picky, but he’s a realistic coordinator name if any SEC jobs open up.

Tim Lester, Offensive Coordinator, Iowa

Tim Lester was 37-32 in six years as Western Michigan’s head coach (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Believe it or not, Iowa’s offense is fun — and Lester is a huge reason why.

Like Wommack, Lester had a lengthy run as a head coach, first at Division II Saint Joseph’s College, Division III Elmhurst and later at Western Michigan, where he was 37-32 in six years.

Lester has a good thing going at Iowa, but he should get some looks for the wonders he’s worked with the Hawkeyes over the last year-plus.

The Wild Cards

Brian Kelly — Former LSU, Notre Dame Head Coach

It’s no secret Kelly wants back into coaching after his time at LSU was cut short.

The fit in Baton Rouge was bad. But for whatever went sideways there, Kelly can coach. He’s almost certainly a Hall of Famer and his career record at the FBS level is 179-74.

I’d be surprised if he’s not on the sideline again next fall.

Jimbo Fisher — Former Florida State, Texas A&M Head Coach

Fisher has been trying to get back into coaching for the better part of 12 months — and he told me as much last year.

There’s a faction of Florida State fans that would love to run it back in Tallahassee with the man who brought FSU their most recent national title. But whether the school can afford Mike Norvell’s buyout has made it tricky to gauge whether it will actually happen.

Either way, Fisher wants back in. Will anyone give him a shot? We’ll see.

Lincoln Riley — Head Coach, USC 

Lincoln Riley is 41-20 as USC’s head coach. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

Ok, I buried the lede here.

RIley’s tenure at USC has been, at best, underwhelming. Whether that means he’ll be fired given his buyout is believed to be in the neighborhood of $70 million is harder to peg — albeit games against Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA may make that decision easier on athletics director Jen Cohen.

The bigger question is whether Riley gets out of Dodge, errr, Los Angeles, before the grim reaper comes for him.

The West Texas native has been a weird fit on the West Coast. Could a soft landing spot like Baylor be in the cards? How about TCU if Sonny Dykes doesn’t make it through the season? 

Other Names To Keep An Eye On

• Kalani Sitake — Head Coach, BYU
• Eli Drinkwitz — Head Coach, Missouri
• Charlie Weiss Jr. — Offensive Coordinator, LSU
• Blake Baker — Defensive Coordinator, LSU
• Tommy Reese — Offensive Coordinator, Atlanta Falcons
• Philip Rivers — Head Coach, St. Michael Catholic High School (Ala.)
• Mike Shanahan — Offensive Coordinator, Indiana

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All-American running back Ahmad Hardy is back to practice with No. 23 Missouri, nearly six months after he was wounded in the leg during a shooting outside of a concert in his home state of Mississippi, though it remains unclear when he will play for the Tigers.

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz did say Tuesday that Hardy had been a full participant in practice the previous day.

“We’ve always felt he would need two weeks to be back in football practices, and shape — to figure everything out. I really don’t have a timeline,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s never been anybody that we’ve experienced have to go through this. So for me to put an artificial timeline on that creates an expectation, and then disappointment to you and the fans and everybody that he can’t meet something he has no control over, and I have no control over.”

The Tigers were off last week following a 31-3 loss at No. 12 Mississippi. They play rival Arkansas on Saturday.

Hardy transferred to Missouri last year after a standout freshman season at Louisiana-Monroe, and he proceeded to lead the nation with 1,649 yards rushing and set a single-season school record with 16 touchdowns. In a game against Mississippi State, he ran for 300 yards and three TDs, the third-highest rushing total in a Southeastern Conference game in the league’s history.

Hardy was attending a concert in Laurel, Mississippi, in early May when he was shot in the leg as a bystander. Police made an arrest in the shooting and charged Rashodrick Harris with two felony counts of aggravated assault.

There have been few details released about the extent of Hardy’s injuries. But Drinkwitz indicated Tuesday that the 20-year-old running back needed to have a metal rod inserted in his femur, the large bone in the upper part of the leg.

“There’s a lot there,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s a lot more challenging than maybe a hamstring or an ACL injury or something like that. The invasive nature of the recovery based off the bullet entry and the surgery that occurred, there’s a lot of things that have to go right continuously to return to play football at a high level. You’re having to monitor all that, from the bone healing to the wound to how does his body respond to having a rod placed in his femur. There’s a lot there.

“There’s not an X-ray that tells you he’s ready to go.”

The Tigers (5-2, 2-2 SEC) have gotten by without Hardy thanks largely to the efforts of Jamal Roberts, who backed him up a year ago but has flourished in the lead role. He ranks seventh in the Bowl Subdivision with 867 yards rushing — two of those ahead of Roberts have played an eighth game — while his eight touchdown runs put him just outside the top 10 nationally.

The Tigers were staking a claim for a spot in the College Football Playoff until their lopsided loss at Ole Miss. But with a three-game stretch against No. 11 Texas, third-ranked Georgia and No. 9 Kentucky bookended by games against Arkansas and Oklahoma, Missouri will have ample opportunities to make a statement for inclusion in the 12-team bracket.

Drinkwitz reiterated that he wasn’t sure whether Hardy would play against Arkansas, Texas or even in a potential bowl game.

“Our goal is to make sure he is able to play and protect himself the best he can. That will be our guide,” Drinkwitz said. “We’ll be really attuned to how he’s feeling, how he feels like he can best perform, and we’ll rely on him and the doctors to make decisions based on it and when he’ll be available this year.”

Reporting by the Associated Press.

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When a new generation of blue-chip teenagers recently led the U.S. men’s soccer team to four convincing wins in its first four games since capturing the imagination of the American public during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, optimism about the program’s future surged among USA fans old and new.

Perhaps nobody was happier about how Cavan Sullivan, Julian Hall and the rest of the youngsters fared than U.S. Soccer COO Dan Helfrich.

(Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/USSF/Getty Images)

In less than a year in the role, the former Deloitte executive has quietly emerged as one of the most influential figures in the domestic game. Helfrich, who has overseen the federation’s day-to-day operations since January, and CEO JT Batson made the decision to sign coach Mauricio Pochettino to a new four-year contract following the Stars and Stripes’ stirring run to the World Cup round of 16.

And it was Helfrich who spearheaded the successful recruitment of three-time former U.S. World Cup defender Steve Cherundolo, an MLS Cup-winning coach with LAFC in 2022, to lead the American men at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)

Coming out of a World Cup that shattered viewership numbers and created 10 million new U.S. Soccer supporters, according to a recent report by Nielsen Media Research, Helrich sees these stateside Summer Games as another once-in-a-generation opportunity for both the mens and women’s national teams.  The U.S. women, of course, have won gold at five of eight Olympic tournaments, including in Paris in 2024. The men are aiming for their first.

“Medaling is very realistic,” Helfrich told me last week during a 30-minute interview.

He’s right. For all the “Why not us?” talk over the summer, the miracle the U.S. needed to win the 2026 World Cup never materialized. 

The Americans showed that they weren’t in the same class as Belgium, let alone Argentina or France or champions Spain. There’s no shame in that. They certainly aren’t alone. In a century’s worth of World Cups, only eight nations have ever won it.

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The Olympics are an entirely different matter. It’s primarily an under-23 event, for starters, with three overage players per team permitted. Mid-major national teams around the same caliber as the U.S. have won it on multiple occasions in the past, most notably chief rival Mexico in London in 2012.

LA28 will feature a 12-nation men’s tournament. If the hosts advance from group play, they’d be just one knockout-stage win from the medal round. Imagine what 90,000 red, white and blue-clad fans packed into the historic Rose Bowl to watch both the men and women go for glory on the last weekend of July 2028 could do to further propel soccer in America. 

Helfrich definitely has.

“This summer was the biggest and broadest demonstration of what large-scale public love of the sport can look like in our country, and we think for several weeks in the summer of 2028, we can recapture some of that same passion and fervor and joy,” said Helfrich, a soccer lifer who played at Georgetown and has a son currently on the top-ranked Hoyas and a daughter who represented the U.S. U-17s before enrolling at the University of Virginia.

“When you piece together a ‘26 World Cup, a ’28 Olympics, and hopefully a 2031 Women’s World Cup on home soil, there’s enough connective tissue between all of those events that we believe we can create stars.”

Sullivan and Hall are the leading candidates on the men’s side. The 18-year-old Hall scored in his first three senior international games this fall, including the winner in a resounding 3-0 exhibition victory over Mexico. Sullivan, who turned 17 last month, became the youngest goalscorer in program history later in that game. 

(Photo by Patrick Mulligan/USSF/Getty Images)

There are plenty of others, though. Almost half of Pochettino’s September/October roster consisted of picks who will be age-eligible for LA28 — forward Justin Ellis, 6-foot-7 center back Neil Pierre and keeper Diego Kochen among them.

Some of those players will continue to gain experience under the watchful eye of Pochettino, who has a well-earned reputation for nurturing young talent.

But by the time the Olympics roll around, Cherundolo’s team will be the priority. Expect that to be the case even when it comes to selecting the overage additions, and even if Pochettino’s side competes in a U.S.-hosted 2028 Copa América the same summer. (Asked for an update, Helfrich told me there’s “no news on Copa América ’28.”)

“Mauricio has an astute understanding of culture, history, and sport, both in soccer and more broadly,” Helfrich said. “He understands what the Olympic Games mean to the United States.”

(Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

For Cherundolo, the difficult part will be convincing European clubs to release players for the Olympics. Unlike for major senior tournaments like World Cups or Copa América, FIFA does not compel clubs to allow youth national teamers to report for Olympic duty.

Still, MLS teams historically haven’t stood in the way of their youngsters. Given the spotlight a home Olympics will shine on its athletes — and the potential to cash in on any transfer interest that comes as a result — that doesn’t figure to change.

Fielding the strongest Olympic squad possible could also pay off for Pochettino at the 2030 World Cup.

During a roundtable with reporters at U.S. Soccers headquarters outside Atlanta three days before Spain beat Argentina in the 2026 final, Helfrich noted that 12 members of La Roja’s squad were former Olympians. La Albiceleste boasted eight. Semifinalists France had six.

“The historic connection between strong Olympic performances and then strong World Cup performances that followed either two or six years later is well known,” said Helfrich, noting that that history includes the U.S.

(Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images)

The USA men’s best finish at an Olympics came in 2000 in Sydney, where they reached the semis before finishing fourth. Two years later, five members of that Olympic roster started the Americans’ 3-2 upset of Portugal in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, with another on the bench. The U.S. went on to reach the quarterfinals, its deepest run at soccer’s marquee event since 1930.

Replicating that success will hinge on making good decisions at the right moments over the next four years. The 2024 Olympics had already happened when Pochettino arrived that September. He had less than two years to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Helfrich barely had six months. 

They’ll get an entire cycle this time.

“Mauricio, JT, me — everybody’s been clear that this chapter, call it the second chapter if you want, has a different context and set of goals than the first chapter,” Helfrich said.  “It’s a longer cycle with a home Olympics and an exciting young player pool.

“The men’s national team staff is really tied into an overall federation strategy about the trajectories of all these teams and these players,” he added. “That’s a fundamental part of this chapter, and Mauricio and his staff have jumped into that strategy with both feet.”

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