Swinney says Bryant likely to start at QB for Clemson

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney says junior Kelly Bryant will likely start at quarterback in the national champion’s season opener against Kent State on Sept. 2.

Bryant has competed with freshmen Zerrick Cooper and Hunter Johnson for the starting spot held by All-American Deshaun Watson the past three seasons.

Swinney said Wednesday that Bryant has made good decisions and played well throughout camp. As long as Bryant does not go backward the next couple of weeks, he’ll open the season as starter against the Golden Flashes at Death Valley.

Minnesota handled 2016 suspensions properly

The University of Minnesota followed law and policy properly when it suspended 10 football players last fall following an accusation of sexual assault, an outside review found.

The review released Wednesday blamed “weak leadership” by the coaching staff for a threat by remaining players to boycott the Holiday Bowl. The Dorsey and Whitney law firm’s review also said administrators and regents could have done a better job managing the threatened boycott.

A student accused several players of sexually assaulting her at a party last September. Prosecutors declined to file criminal charges, citing insufficient evidence. But the university suspended the players following an internal investigation.

Influence by unnamed outsiders on both the football team and coaching staff also “helped foster a hostile atmosphere where meaningful dialogue was difficult,” the report concluded.

Duke loses starting safety

Duke says starting safety Jeremy McDuffie is out indefinitely after having surgery on his broken right thumb.

Team spokesman Art Chase said Wednesday that McDuffie had the operation Tuesday.

The junior has 34 tackles and one interception in 24 career games. He entered preseason camp as the starter at the team’s “strike” safety position.

Leaf joins SiriusXM

Former NFL quarterback and Washington State star Ryan Leaf is joining SiriusXM’s for regular talk show appearances on the satellite radio’s college sports channel.

Leaf was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 1997 and the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. His NFL career was a bust and after football he struggled with substance abuse and served time in prison for burglary and drug charges.

Leaf now works for recovery program and has started a foundation to raise money for those in need of addiction treatment who cannot afford it.