Arroyo given keys to Arizona State offense
Former Rebels coach is named coordinator
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State has hired former UNLV coach Marcus Arroyo as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Arroyo replaces Beau Baldwin, who was not retained last week.
Arroyo coached the Rebels from 2020-22, going 7-23. He previously served as offensive coordinator at Oregon, the same position Kenny Dillingham held before becoming Arizona State’s coach last year.
Arroyo also had stints at Oklahoma State, Southern Mississippi, California, Wyoming, San Jose State and Prairie View A&M. He was interim offensive coordinator for the NFL’S Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014.
■ Heisman finalists: Fith-year senior quarterbacks Jayden Daniels (Louisiana State), Bo Nix (Oregon), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. were announced as the Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night.
This year’s winner will be announced Saturday in New York. The top four vote-getters determined by more than 870 voters, which include members of the media and former Heisman winners, are selected as finalists.
With Nix and Penix Jr., the Pac-12 has two Heisman finalists for the first time since 2010 when Stanford’s Andrew Luck was the runner-up to Auburn’s Cam Newton and Oregon running back Lamichael James finished third in the voting.
■ Southern California: Quarterback Caleb Williams, who won the Heisman Trophy last year, won’t be in the lineup when the Trojans (7-5) face Louisville in Holiday Bowl in San Diego on Dec. 27, coach Lincoln Riley said Monday.
The move fuels speculation that Williams will enter the NFL draft. He is a strong candidate to be selected No. 1 overall after two impressive seasons at USC.
■ UNR: The Wolfpack named Jeff Choate their new football coach. Choate had been co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Texas since 2021.
Prior to his time at Texas, Choate went 28-22 in four years as Montana State coach. In his final two years, his teams made consecutive appearances in the FCS playoffs, including a run to the semifinals in 2019.
Choate also has been an assistant at Florida, Washington State, Boise State, Eastern Illinois and Utah State.
■ Transfer portal: Ohio State’s Kyle Mccord and Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel led a parade of quarterbacks into the transfer portal on the first day of a 30-day window football players can put their names out in search of another opportunity.
Oregon State’s Aidan Chiles, Boise State’s Taylen Green, Arizona State’s Drew Pyne, Baylor’s Blake Shapen, Utah’s Bryson Barnes and Georgia backup Brock Vandagriff were among other quarterbacks who entered the portal.
Other players entering the portal Monday included Arizona State edge rusher B.J. Green II, Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming, Illinois running back Reggie Love and Wisconsin receiver Chimere Dike.
■ Houston: Willie Fritz was introduced as Houston’s coach, replacing Dana Holgorsen, who was fired a week ago after five seasons with the Cougars.
Fritz spent the last eight seasons at Tulane, where he was named American Athletic Conference coach of the year in the last two seasons.
■ UTEP: The Miners hired coach Scotty Walden away from Austin Peay on Monday, hoping the 34-year-old can revive amoribund program. Walden led Austin Peay to the FCS team’s first undefeated conference record this season with a 9-3 overall record and a 6-0 mark in the United Athletic Conference.