STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy has had enough of the distractions that go along with this new era of college football.
There’s so much to navigate now with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness deals, and Gundy has drawn the line.
“I told the players there’s no negotiating now,” he said. “Portal’s over. All negotiation’s history. Now we’re playing football. Just coaching and playing football.”
Gundy has turned the focus to the Aug. 31 opener at home against South Dakota State.
“The business side of what we do now is, we have to have those conversations with them,” he said. “Tell your agent to quit calling us and asking for more money. It’s non-negotiable now. Start again in December.”
Gundy should be excited about football. Led by running back Ollie Gordon II, the Cowboys enter the season ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25.
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Gordon won the Doak Walker Award last season as the nation’s best running back, and he is the Big 12’s preseason offensive player of the year. He could have left, but he chose to stick around and play for a team with a significant amount of returning talent.
Moss named Southern Cal starting QB
LOS ANGELES — Miller Moss has been named the starting quarterback at No. 23 Southern California, succeeding 2022 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams.
Moss, a redshirt junior from Los Angeles, had been competing with UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava in training camp to replace Williams, now the starter for the Chicago Bears.
Moss was the frontrunner after his strong performance in the Holiday Bowl. With Williams sitting out to focus on the NFL draft, Moss threw for 372 yards and a Pac-12 bowl record six touchdowns against one interception in the 42-28 win over Louisville to earn offensive MVP honors.
Moss was part of USC’s 2021 recruiting class, the last under coach Clay Helton. Moss maintained his commitment to the Trojans despite the signing of another more touted quarterback prospect in Jaxson Dart. When Lincoln Riley replaced Helton and brought Williams with him from Oklahoma, Moss stayed at USC and served as the backup for the past two seasons.
Moss has thrown for 914 yards and nine touchdowns to one interception in 12 career games. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Moss projects as more of a pocket passer in Riley’s spread offense, which has traditionally favored mobile quarterbacks who can contribute in the run game.
USC will face No. 13 LSU in Las Vegas on Sept. 1 in its season opener.
Furman to honor Stanfield with decal
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Furman’s football helmets this season will include a decal in memory of the late Paladins defensive lineman Bryce Stanfield.
Furman coach Clay Hendrix announced the “Stanfield Strong” logo Monday in honor of the player, who died on Feb. 9, two days after he collapsed while working out at the school’s stadium.
Furman announced two weeks later that Stanfield’s cause of death was a pulmonary embolism that was not related to football.
Stanfield, who was 21 and from Acworth, Georgia, played in 34 games in three seasons. He had 49 career tackles and seven sacks.
