Georgia backup Fields to transfer
Freshman QB picks Ohio State
Quarterback Justin Fields confirmed Friday he is transferring to Ohio State, giving Ohio State coach Ryan Day a new dual-threat passer if Dwayne Haskins Jr. goes to the NFL.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Fields was relegated to backing up Jake Fromm for the Bulldogs this season and completed 27 of 39 passes for 328 yards with four touchdowns, running for 266 yards and four more scores.
Day took over Wednesday after Urban Meyer’s retirement. Fields was the No. 2 national prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. NCAA rules would require he sit out next year, though Fields could request a waiver for immediate eligibility.
West Virginia
The Mountaineers hired Troy’s Neal Brown as coach, the school announced Saturday. Brown, 38, is getting a sixyear, $19.05 million contract. A disciple of Air Raid offenses, Brown has a 35-16 record in four seasons at Troy, three bowl wins in a row and the 2017 Sun Belt Conference title. The move follows former Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen officially being hired at Houston.
California
Golden Bears defensive back Bryce Turner, a redshirt sophomore, died, an official from the program said. Turner, 19, endured an undisclosed “medical emergency” in a non-team workout a week ago and had since been hospitalized near his Lakewood home in Los Angeles County, according to a team statement. The cause of death is unknown.
Notre Dame
All-America cornerback Julian Love and tight end Alize Mack are leaving the Irish to enter the draft, they said Friday on Twitter. Love, a junior, broke up 36 passes the past two seasons, with a record 20 in 2017. Mack is a senior but had another season of eligibility. He caught a careerhigh 36 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma hired Ohio State’s Alex Grinch as defensive coordinator. He spent three years in that role at Washington State under Mike Leach, turning a 99th-ranked unit into one that ranked 16th overall and ninth in pass defense in 2017. That year, he was a Broyles Award semifinalist, an honor for the nation’s top assistant. He has been nominated three times.
FCS championship
Easton Stick ran for three scores and threw two to Darrius Shepherd as North Dakota State claimed a record seventh FCS title with a 38-24 win over Eastern Washington in Frisco, Texas. Stick threw for 198 yards and ran for 121 in his 49th win to become the winningest FCS quarterback, adding to school records for total yards (11,216), passing yards (8,693) and total touchdowns (129). It also was goodbye to head coach Chris Klieman, who joins Kansas State after going 69-6 with a record-matching four FCS titles in five years at North Dakota State.