2 months ago
The Iowa football program has always prided itself on developing stellar offensive linemen. Every team in the Kirk Ferentz era seems to have at least one or two linemen who end up playing at the next level. The 2026 Hawkeyes look primed to continue that trend.
Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck are the superstars of this year's offensive line. Pieper has been named to virtually every single preseason All-American team out there, and Lauck has received his fair share of accolades as well. The duo is among the best players in all of college football.
That was more than evident in USA TODAY Sports' preseason top 100 college football players. The list, put together by writer Austin Curtright, featured a pair of Iowa stars.
Lauck came in at No. 66 on the list, while Pieper ranked No. 26.
Curtwright didn't have anything specific to say about either Hawkeye, but his placement of them on the list speaks volumes. Iowa has two of the best offensive linemen in the country to work with. That's huge considering the question mark at the quarterback position and the fact that Iowa has to replace three NFL linemen from last year's Joe Moore Award unit.
#linemen #lauck #list #team
Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck are the superstars of this year's offensive line. Pieper has been named to virtually every single preseason All-American team out there, and Lauck has received his fair share of accolades as well. The duo is among the best players in all of college football.
That was more than evident in USA TODAY Sports' preseason top 100 college football players. The list, put together by writer Austin Curtright, featured a pair of Iowa stars.
Lauck came in at No. 66 on the list, while Pieper ranked No. 26.
Curtwright didn't have anything specific to say about either Hawkeye, but his placement of them on the list speaks volumes. Iowa has two of the best offensive linemen in the country to work with. That's huge considering the question mark at the quarterback position and the fact that Iowa has to replace three NFL linemen from last year's Joe Moore Award unit.
#linemen #lauck #list #team
3 months ago
On Monday morning, USA TODAY college sports trending writer Austin Curtright published an article **** led "Big Ten football's 10 most impactful transfers for 2026: From Josh Hoover to Terry Moore," which featured two new UCLA Bruin players.
Senior running back Wayne Knight was the first Bruin featured on the list.
"An All-American last season by multiple outlets, Wayne Knight also followed his former head coach, joining up with Bob Chesney from James Madison at UCLA.
"Knight was a difference-maker last season for the Dukes, rushing for 1,373 yards with nine touchdowns, also catching 40 passes for 397 yards and another score. He has a small frame at 5-7, 193 pounds, but showed he can hold his own against tougher opponents. Against Oregon in the College Football Playoff, he rushed for 110 yards on 6.5 yards per carry.
"Knight is on multiple preseason All-American teams ahead of the 2026 season, and has huge expectations in his final season of eligibility."
#bruin #featured
Senior running back Wayne Knight was the first Bruin featured on the list.
"An All-American last season by multiple outlets, Wayne Knight also followed his former head coach, joining up with Bob Chesney from James Madison at UCLA.
"Knight was a difference-maker last season for the Dukes, rushing for 1,373 yards with nine touchdowns, also catching 40 passes for 397 yards and another score. He has a small frame at 5-7, 193 pounds, but showed he can hold his own against tougher opponents. Against Oregon in the College Football Playoff, he rushed for 110 yards on 6.5 yards per carry.
"Knight is on multiple preseason All-American teams ahead of the 2026 season, and has huge expectations in his final season of eligibility."
#bruin #featured
3 months ago
A new era of Auburn football is upon us, and very few people face the pressure of leading the Tigers back to glory than quarterback Byrum Brown.
Brown transferred to Auburn during the offseason, following his head coach Alex Golesh from USF after working under his leadership for four seasons. Brown is coming off his most successful season of his college career after passing for 3,158 yards, rushing for 1,008 yards, and scoring 42 total touchdowns. It was a season that, if he had accomplished the same stats at Auburn, would have been the best season by an Auburn quarterback in history.
The leap from the American Athletic Conference to the SEC is a giant one, but its one that USA TODAY Sports' Austin Curtright believes Brown can make. Curtright included Brown in his "Most impactful SEC football transfers ranking" ahead of the 2026 season, believing Brown could turn heads.
Brown is a true dual-threat quarterback, passing for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions last season, also rushing for 1,008 yards with 14 touchdowns. The 6-3, 235-pound signal-caller has 32 career starts and is one of the more under-the-radar transfers of the cycle.
Brown proved to handle the big stage last season by leading USF to wins over Boise State and Florida to open the season, and guided the Bulls to the nation's No. 5 scoring offense with 40.5 points per game. This season, he will be tasked to guide the new-look Tigers through a daunting SEC schedule and to its first bowl appearance in three seasons.
#curtright #Football #leading
Brown transferred to Auburn during the offseason, following his head coach Alex Golesh from USF after working under his leadership for four seasons. Brown is coming off his most successful season of his college career after passing for 3,158 yards, rushing for 1,008 yards, and scoring 42 total touchdowns. It was a season that, if he had accomplished the same stats at Auburn, would have been the best season by an Auburn quarterback in history.
The leap from the American Athletic Conference to the SEC is a giant one, but its one that USA TODAY Sports' Austin Curtright believes Brown can make. Curtright included Brown in his "Most impactful SEC football transfers ranking" ahead of the 2026 season, believing Brown could turn heads.
Brown is a true dual-threat quarterback, passing for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns to seven interceptions last season, also rushing for 1,008 yards with 14 touchdowns. The 6-3, 235-pound signal-caller has 32 career starts and is one of the more under-the-radar transfers of the cycle.
Brown proved to handle the big stage last season by leading USF to wins over Boise State and Florida to open the season, and guided the Bulls to the nation's No. 5 scoring offense with 40.5 points per game. This season, he will be tasked to guide the new-look Tigers through a daunting SEC schedule and to its first bowl appearance in three seasons.
#curtright #Football #leading
3 months ago
The days of recruiting an elite group of players and developing them over the course of a few seasons are mostly gone in college football. There are still a few teams that operate that way, but building through the transfer portal is more of a viable option than it's ever been before.
Penn State will be one of those teams this season, with more than 20 transfers on the roster from Iowa State alone. At least one player in that group is bound to have a massive impact, and USA TODAY's Austin Curtright believes it will be quarterback Rocco Becht.
Curtright listed 10 of the most impactful transfers in the Big Ten, and while he didn't rank them numerically, Becht was placed among some heavy hitters. He became one of the most decorated passers in Cyclones history — finishing top-three in passing yards and touchdowns — and hopes that success will translate to a more talented conference.
Becht will have a familiar supporting cast with the Nittany Lions, which should help ease the transition. Wide receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, tight end Benjamin Brahmer, and running back Carson Hansen came over from Iowa State as well as coach Matt Campbell, so there should be a level of cohesion offensively.
Penn State has a lot of belief in Becht, and it sounds like Curtright does too. Becht has a chance to do big things with this team if he plays to the standard he set while with the Cyclones.
#penn #teams
Penn State will be one of those teams this season, with more than 20 transfers on the roster from Iowa State alone. At least one player in that group is bound to have a massive impact, and USA TODAY's Austin Curtright believes it will be quarterback Rocco Becht.
Curtright listed 10 of the most impactful transfers in the Big Ten, and while he didn't rank them numerically, Becht was placed among some heavy hitters. He became one of the most decorated passers in Cyclones history — finishing top-three in passing yards and touchdowns — and hopes that success will translate to a more talented conference.
Becht will have a familiar supporting cast with the Nittany Lions, which should help ease the transition. Wide receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, tight end Benjamin Brahmer, and running back Carson Hansen came over from Iowa State as well as coach Matt Campbell, so there should be a level of cohesion offensively.
Penn State has a lot of belief in Becht, and it sounds like Curtright does too. Becht has a chance to do big things with this team if he plays to the standard he set while with the Cyclones.
#penn #teams
3 months ago
USA Today's Austin Curtright named the top 10 most impactful transfers in the Big Ten for the 2026 college football season. There are a lot of impact positions in this group of course.
Now, will all these transfers pan out? Not necessarily. But, these teams took some big swings in some cases to fill roster holes and it could be boom or bust. Not to mention, there are a few quarterbacks on this list.
$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage
So without further ado, let's take a look at the 10 most impactful transfers in the Big Ten for 2026. We'll start out west with two guys who followed their coach for a new, sunny location!
Knight followed his head coach Bob Chesney to the Big Ten after playing for James Madison. It took him until 2024 to get solid reps and get moving, but he broke out in 2025.
#impactful #austin
Now, will all these transfers pan out? Not necessarily. But, these teams took some big swings in some cases to fill roster holes and it could be boom or bust. Not to mention, there are a few quarterbacks on this list.
$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage
So without further ado, let's take a look at the 10 most impactful transfers in the Big Ten for 2026. We'll start out west with two guys who followed their coach for a new, sunny location!
Knight followed his head coach Bob Chesney to the Big Ten after playing for James Madison. It took him until 2024 to get solid reps and get moving, but he broke out in 2025.
#impactful #austin
4 months ago
Bill O'Brien is entering his third year as head coach of Boston College and his first two could not have been more different.
O'Brien was hired in 2024 and went 7-5 in his first season with a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl, which was a 20-15 loss to Nebraska. O'Brien and the Eagles finished 2-10 in 2025.
O'Brien has been around college football and the NFL for a long time. He spent six full years with the Houston Texans before being fired in 2020 following an 0-4 start. He then bounced around as offensive coordinator at Alabama, Ohio State, and with the New England Patriots.
O'Brien has now settled into his new home at Boston College looking to improve upon what was a disastrous 2025 campaign.
The itch for college football has arrived in full force. This means countless previews, predictions, and rankings about anything and everything. This includes a ranking of ACC head coaches made by Austin Curtright of USA Today.
O'Brien was hired in 2024 and went 7-5 in his first season with a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl, which was a 20-15 loss to Nebraska. O'Brien and the Eagles finished 2-10 in 2025.
O'Brien has been around college football and the NFL for a long time. He spent six full years with the Houston Texans before being fired in 2020 following an 0-4 start. He then bounced around as offensive coordinator at Alabama, Ohio State, and with the New England Patriots.
O'Brien has now settled into his new home at Boston College looking to improve upon what was a disastrous 2025 campaign.
The itch for college football has arrived in full force. This means countless previews, predictions, and rankings about anything and everything. This includes a ranking of ACC head coaches made by Austin Curtright of USA Today.
