South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier has retired, according to multiple reports.

According to Gamecock Central, Spurrier informed his team and coaching staff of his decision after practice on Monday night while Football Scoop is reporting that an interim head coach will be named at 8:30 ET on Tuesday morning. Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated was the first to report the news.

Spurrier, 70, was in his 11th season at South Carolina. He led the Gamecocks to an SEC East title in 2010 and three straight 11-win seasons from 2011 to 2013, but the team trudged to a 7-6 record in 2014 and has struggled to a 2-4 (0-4 SEC) mark through six games this season.

Overall during his tenure in Columbia, Spurrier registered an 86-49 record with a 44-40 mark in SEC play and five bowl wins. He is South Carolina's all-time winningest coach. 

Before his time at South Carolina, the Head Ball Coach spent 12 years at Florida, his alma mater, where he won six SEC titles and the 1996 national championship. He also spent three seasons as the head coach at Duke (where he led the Blue Devils to a share of the ACC title in 1989) and two seasons leading the Washington Redskins in 2002 and 2003.

Spurrier, who compiled a 228-89-2 overall record as a collegiate head coach, played quarterback at UF from 1963 to 1966 and won the Heisman Trophy in 1966. 

 For more South Carolina news, visit GamecockCentral.com.

Popular college football video on Yahoo Sports:

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil is eligible to return to action for the Rebels’ Oct. 24 game against Texas A&M, the school announced Monday night.

Ole Miss said in a release that it was informed of the NCAA's decision concerning Tunsil’s eligibility on Monday afternoon. In total, Tunsil, who was found to have received impermissible benefits, will have served a seven-game suspension.

Ole Miss has held Tunsil, an All-American offensive tackle, for the first six games of the season as an NCAA investigation lingered. Tunsil was accused of accepting benefits from “agents” during the summer, and the NCAA determined that Tunsil “received impermissible extra benefits that included the use of three separate loaner vehicles over a six-month period without payment.”

Additionally, the NCAA found that Tunsil received a “four-month interest-free promissory note on a $3,000 down payment for purchasing a used vehicle, two nights of lodging at a local home, an airline ticket purchased by a friend of a teammate, and one day use of a rental vehicle.”

On top of that, the NCAA says Tunsil was not “completely forthcoming when initially question by investigators” about the loaner cars, but later “corrected his account” and “apologized.”

In addition to Tunsil’s seven-game suspension, he has been “ordered to pay the value of the extra benefits to a charity, perform community service” and “make the vehicle down payment.”

In a statement, Tunsil apologized and said he’s anxious to return to the field.

“I take full responsibility for the mistakes I made and want to thank everyone for their continued support. I want to apologize to my teammates, coaches and the entire Ole Miss family for how my choices affected our program. This was a learning experience, and I'm looking forward to being back on the field with my team and redeeming myself. The last 10 months have been a physical and mental battle for me, but I love playing this game more than anything else. I want to be here for my teammates who are depending on me to finish what we started together.”

Added Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze:

“We have been supportive of Laremy throughout this process, and we are thankful he can return to competition starting with the Texas A&M game. More important than his football ability is his character, and I am confident that Laremy will grow from this experience and continue to be a positive member of the University and our football team.”

Tunsil, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound junior, was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2014, when he started 11 games at left tackle. Tunsil also played in 12 games with nine starts at left tackle as a true freshman in 2013. He was a five-star recruit in Ole Miss’ 2013 recruiting class and is considered a top-tier NFL prospect.

Tunsil must sit out one final game this weekend when the Rebels take on Memphis on the road before he returns for a home game against the Aggies on Oct. 24.

For more Ole Miss news, visit RebelGrove.com.

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

South Carolina offenisive line coach and co-offensive coordinator Shawn Elliott will reportedly be Steve Spurrier's immediate successor.

Elliott will be named South Carolina's interim coach on Tuesday, per multiple reports (and first reported by Fox Sports). Spurrier, the winningest coach in South Carolina history, informed the team he was retiring on Monday evening and his retirement is effective immediately.

Elliott has been a member of South Carolina's staff since 2010. He served as the team's offensive line coach and run game coordinator for two seasons before he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator in 2012.

He joined the program after working for 13 seasons at Appalachian State. He was the team's offensive line coach for his final nine seasons.

Spurrier has been at South Carolina for 10+ seasons. He has an overall record of 86-49 and was 44-40 in SEC play. The Gamecocks are 0-4 in the SEC so far in 2015 and play Vanderbilt on Saturday.

For more South Carolina news, visit GamecockCentral.com.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Utah freshman wide receiver Britain Covey will be leaving the team for a Mormon mission after the 2015 season.

Covey posted the news to his Twitter account Monday evening. Missions typically last two years. Covey, who is 18, could return to the team after his mission is complete.

Confirmation for all those asking about my mission plans: pic.twitter.com/Vg8NlXflSM

— Britain Covey (@brit_covey2) October 13, 2015

Covey is Utah's top punt returner and the team's second-leading receiver this season. He has 17 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns and 10 punt returns for 169 yards and a touchdown. A native of Utah, BYU was also recruiting him. He chose Utah because the Utes offered him first.

His decision to go on the mission after playing a year of football isn't a surprise. He told the Provo Daily Herald in January that he was going to play football for a season before he left. The news is just a bit bigger now that Covey has made such an impact as a freshman and Utah is currently undefeated and ranked in the top five.

Missions are typically served by young adults shortly after high school. Many players for Utah and BYU have played college football after serving their missions. BYU quarterback Tanner Mangum is a 22-year-old freshman after he went on his mission following a grayshirt year at BYU.

Covey moved to wide receiver at Utah after he played quarterback in high school. He had 56 total touchdowns in 2014 playing quarterback as he led his team to the class 4A state championship.

For more Utah news, visit UteZone.com.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Former Texas A&M wide receiver Thomas Johnson stabbed and killed a person at random Monday morning in a park according to Dallas police.

Johnson, a former four-star recruit in the class of 2012, hasn't been with the team since he left during his freshman year. He allegedly hacked a jogger in a Dallas park with a "large-edged" weapon in a fit of rage.

From the Dallas Morning News:

“It appears Mr. Johnson picked this victim at random. Absolutely random,” Deputy Chief Rob Sherwin said. “He just attacked him. … It’s just very unusual. It’s quite shocking.”

Police also said that Johnson admitted to the murder after he was apprehended. His alleged victim was described as a white male between 25 and 35 years old. The man, who died at a hospital, was one of four people murdered by White Rock Lake on Monday in Dallas, though the attacks don't appear to be connected. Johnson allegedly killed the man as he was running on the White Rock Trail.

Johnson had 30 catches for 339 yards in 2012. He went missing in November of that year and never returned to the team. He was reported missing on November 14 after last being seen on November 12 and found overnight on November 15 of that year.

According to the Morning News, police have said Johnson was angry about his "situation in life."

He remains in jail as he awaits charges for the murder. Johnson was arrested in 2014 after he allegedly stole his aunt's minivan and money from her.

The aunt told police then that Johnson “had been causing problems in the family for a long period of time,” according to an affidavit.

He declined a jailhouse interview with The Dallas Morning News then and was supposed to go into rehab.

Johnson received probation for the crimes, but court records show prosecutors filed papers last month to have his probation revoked because he tested positive for marijuana and failed to meet other conditions, including paying fees.

Johnson was the No. 4 wide receiver in the country in 2012 according to Rivals and the No. 5 prospect in the state of Texas. out of Skyline High School in Dallas.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Steve Spurrier is officially no longer South Carolina's coach.

Spurrier publicly revealed his decision Tuesday morning. He called it a resignation rather than a retirement because he said he may end up coaching high school football. And he said his reason for getting out now was because of South Carolina's recent struggles. The Gamecocks are 2-4 in 2015 and 0-4 in the SEC.

"The last several years as I've traveled around the country, seen guys and so forth I always get asked 'How much longer are you going to coach?'" Spurrier said Tuesday. "And my answer is always the same. As long as we keep winning, keep winning these bowl games, everybody's happy, we're ranked, life's pretty good, I guess I could go several more years.

"But, as it starts going south, starts going bad, I need to get out. You just can't keep a head coach who's done it as long as I have when it's heading in the wrong direction. And really today, when I move out of the way and Shawn Elliott's going to take over as the interim head coach, it sort of starts building back what we had just two years ago."

Elliott has been the team's offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator. Spurrier informed the team of his decision on Monday and said he knew Sunday morning that it was time to make a decision about his future. He also said he was responsible for South Carolina's poor record and that it was time for him to "get out of the way and let somebody else have a go at it."

Spurrier said the decision would be the "best thing" for South Carolina. He didn't want to be a lame duck coach and resign at the end of the year and hoped the change in leadership would spark his team. South Carolina plays Vanderbilt on Saturday.

"Actually when we were 2-2 I called [athletic director Ray Tanner] up and I told him 'I'm going to try to get through this season, but I sense this is about it for me. I sense it's it.' Central Florida, it was a struggle against those guys. As you know, we came in at halftime behind. And it was a struggle. And I said 'I don't know if I need to continue having these kinds of struggles.'"

"But we talked briefly then and we talked briefly this past Sunday and when something is inevitable I believe you do it right then. I believe you don't wait a week, you don't wait two weeks. This has to happen, let's do it. Let's do it and get started in a new direction."

He has cumulative record of 228-89-2 in his 24+ years of coaching college football at Duke, Florida and South Carolina. The 70-year-old is the winningest coach in both South Carolina and Florida history. His 1996 Florida team won the national title and he won six SEC titles, all with Florida.

He won the 2010 SEC East division title with South Carolina. The team lost to eventual BCS Champion Auburn in the SEC Championship Game. Spurrier has 208 SEC wins. He's second to Bear Bryant for most SEC wins among coaches.

Spurrier was also a successful football player. He was a first-team All-American at Florida in 1965 and 1966 at quarterback and won the 1966 Heisman Trophy. He's the first coach to win a Heisman Trophy as a player and coach a Heisman-winner. Florida QB Danny Weurffel won the 1996 Heisman.

"I didn't plan on going out this way," Spurrier said. "I planned on being on the shoulder pads of the team coming out of the Georgia Dome with an SEC Championship. But that didn't work out. We did win our division down in the Swamp, that was neat back then, but I just think it's best for everybody, especially our team, our school, that I get out of the way now and let's start in a new direction."

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Tennessee took a hit to its defensive line depth in Saturday’s win over Georgia.

Vols head coach Butch Jones announced Tuesday that defensive tackle Shy Tuttle is out for the season. Jones said Tuttle broke his left fibula and suffered a torn ligament in his ankle.

“That’s a big, big blow to our football team,” Jones said. "I love everything about Shy Tuttle. I thought he was continuing to progress and get better. He really had developed into one of our playmakers on defense."

According to VolQuest.com, Tuttle was hurt in the third quarter on a chop block.

Tuttle, hurt on an away-from-the-whistle "chop-block," late in the third quarter was examined on the sideline by trainers and then helped to the locker room on crutches; he could not place any weight on the left leg. A further evaluation revealed a broken bone in his lower leg as well as a ligament injury to his ankle.

Tuttle, a true freshman, had appeared in all six games for the Vols this season, totaling 10 tackles and a fumble recovery. He was a four-star recruit (No. 66 overall) in the Vols’ 2015 recruiting class.

The Vols, 3-3 after beating Georgia, have a bye this week. 

For more Tennessee news, visit VolQuest.com.

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

USC athletic director Pat Haden defended the school's course of action in firing coach Steve Sarkisian.

Sarkisian was placed on a leave of absence Sunday afternoon following his absence at practice. He was fired on Monday.

Sarkisian said he was under the influence of medication and alcohol at a booster event in August where he made inappropriate remarks. He said he would seek treatment after the event and continued his duties as USC's coach. His Sunday absence reportedly involved alcohol.

"I felt at that time it was in the best interests of our players, who have been through an incredible amount of adversity during these sanctions and the coaching changes they've gone through, and of Steve, not to suspend or fire him," Haden said of his decision to keep Sarkisian in his current capacity in August. "At that time, based on the input of trusted medical professionals and staff, it was determined that he could continue coaching while seeking treatment.

"I felt a great deal of compassion for Steve Sarkisian. He deserved another chance and that's what I gave him. After the Salute to Troy event, I had a private, detailed serious conversation with Steve and laid out our expectations for his behavior. He has violated those agreed-upon expectations and the conduct expected of all of our USC coaches."

Haden said Sarkisian was fired after he uncovered more (undisclosed) details about the coach's conduct. Sarkisian was given a termination letter on Monday after Haden said he could not get in touch with Sarkisian. Haden also said he investigated all "credible" reports involving Sarkisian and alcohol.

The AD's handling of the situation has come under criticism. Haden said he was aware of the criticism. Before Haden's news conference, USC president C.L. Max Nikias issued a statement supporting Haden.

"As president of USC I am very, very fortunate to have Pat Haden as our Athletic Director - as is the entire Trojan Family," Nikias' statement said. "He is a man of true character and integrity, he cares deeply for our student athletes, and he always makes their well-being his highest priority. 

"Pat Haden has been doing an outstanding job in leading Trojan Athletics in the past five years and I want to take this opportunity to reiterate my unwavering support for him. 

"I look forward to working with Pat Haden as our USC AD for many years to come."

While saying he owned the fact that the decision to hire Sarkisian did not work out, Haden also defended the school's hiring process. A Los Angeles Times report documented the expense reports involving alcohol that Sarkisian accumulated in his time as Washington's coach. The expense reports were obtained via an open records request because Washington is a public university and raise questions as to how much USC knew about Sarkisian's time at Washington before hiring him. Before he was the coach at Washington, Sarkisian was a co-offensive coordinator at USC.

Haden said the search firm looked up all relevant information about Sarkisian and talked to "dozens" of people who knew Sarkisian. Sarkisian, Haden said, also passed school and NCAA background checks.

USC offensive coordinator Clay Helton is once again USC's interim coach. Haden fired Lane Kiffin in 2013 and Ed Orgeron became the team's interim coach. After Haden hired Sarkisian from Washington, Orgeron resigned and Helton was the Trojans' interim coach for the Las Vegas Bowl against Colorado State.

For more USC news, visit TrojanSports.com.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

A month after the death of Tyler Sash, an autopsy determined that the former Iowa standout died from an accidental overdose.

According to the Associated Press, an Iowa medical examiner determined Sash “mixed two powerful pain medications” and his “history of painful injures was a contributing factor” in his death.

Sash was found dead in his home on Sept. 8. He was 27 years old.

From the AP:

Sash, a standout safety at Iowa who won a Super Bowl during his rookie season with the New York Giants in 2012, was found dead at his home in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Sept. 8. An autopsy was conducted the next day, but the results weren't clear until laboratory results were completed.

The autopsy determined the cause and manner of death was an ''accidental mixed drug toxicity involving methadone and hydrocodone,'' the office said Tuesday. Both are legal narcotics used to relieve severe pain, but are also highly addictive.

The medical examiner said that a recent shoulder dislocation and a history of chronic shoulder pain suffered by Sash were also ''significant conditions'' in the death.

The Iowa State Medical Examiner said additional studies are required to see if Sash suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease caused by repetitive hits to the head. Those results are expected in “eight to 12 months.”

Sash was a star safety who started 37 games at Iowa from 2008-2010. He ranks fifth in program history with 13 interceptions and is Iowa’s all-time record holder with 392 career interception return yards, which is good for fourth-best in Big Ten history.

Sash declared for the NFL after his junior year at Iowa and was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Giants in 2011. Sash won a Super Bowl with the team in 2012. He was later released via an injury settlement (concussion) in 2013 and was unable to catch on with any other team. 

For more Iowa news, visit HawkeyeReport.com.

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

A day after video surfaced of Arkansas coach Bret Bielema’s involvement in a sideline scuffle from Saturday’s Alabama game, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement that he spoke to Bielema about the incident.

The video showed Bielema jumping in between two players and drawing a personal foul penalty on Alabama lineman Cam Robinson. Bielema appeared to embellish contact between himself and Robinson. And after the official threw a flag, Bielema celebrated.

It does not look like Bielema will face any discipline.

"I visited with Bret over the phone on Monday and we discussed the play that has now become widely reviewed through a brief video clip,” Sankey said. “Football is played in an intense competitive environment and I reminded him of the need for head coaches to resolve with their own players issues that may arise, which was his intent. The unsportsmanlike penalty assessed on the play was not directly associated with Bret's efforts to intervene at the end of the play and we are moving forward in a positive manner."

Bielema jumped in when an Arkansas player got in Robinson’s face after Robinson delivered a big hit on a Razorbacks defensive lineman following a second quarter interception return.

The 15-yard penalty set Arkansas up with great field position and the Razorbacks cashed in with a touchdown three plays later. The touchdown gave Arkansas a 7-3 lead heading into halftime, but Alabama stormed back and won 27-14.

Arkansas dropped to 2-4 with the loss. The team has a bye this week.

For more Arkansas news, HawgSports.com.

- - - - - - -

Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @SamDCooper

AthlonSports.com is a leading website for preseason and in-season football previews, predictions, rankings and analysis.

College football’s coaching carousel is already in motion. Five FBS head coaching positions are open prior to Week 6 and several more are expected to change coaches by the end of the season. With the carousel moving fast, it won’t be long before athletic directors gauge the interest level of coaches or coordinators and setup interviews for the open position.

As with any coaching search, all programs are looking for the next big hire. Whether it’s a big-name coach or a rising star, programs with a coaching vacancy want to hit a home run in the hiring process. Who are some of the rising stars in the coordinator ranks expected to be in the mix for head coaching jobs later this year? Here are some names to watch. 

1. Brent Venables, Defensive Coordinator, Clemson

Despite losing several key contributors and returning only two starters, Clemson’s defense hasn’t missed a beat in 2015. That’s largely due to the coaching ability of Venables, who was a key hire for coach Dabo Swinney in 2012. The Tigers ranked third in the ACC in scoring defense from 2012-13 under Venables’ direction but led the conference in fewest points allowed in 2014. Additionally, Clemson finished first nationally in total defense, limiting opponents to just 260.8 yards per game and 4.03 yards per play. Through five games this season, the Tigers are holding opponents to 4.48 yards per play. It’s only a matter of time before Venables is hired as a head coach at a Power 5 program. 

Related: 10 Coaches to Replace Steve Sarkisian at USC 

2. Doug Meacham, Co-Offensive Coordinator, TCU

Meacham’s arrival in 2014 was a big reason why TCU emerged as a playoff contender last season and is in the mix once again in 2015. The Horned Frogs averaged only 25.1 points a game in 2013 but jumped to 46.5 last season and 51 per contest in 2015. Prior to joining Gary Patterson’s staff at TCU, Meacham called the plays at Houston in 2013 and worked as an assistant for Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State from 2005-12.

3. Mike Norvell, Offensive Coordinator, Arizona State

Norvell has experienced a fast rise through the assistant ranks. After working for one season as a graduate assistant at Central Arkansas in 2006, Norvell was hired by Todd Graham at Tulsa in 2007 and worked with the Golden Hurricane until 2010. The Texas native followed Graham to Pittsburgh in 2011 and to Arizona State in 2012. Norvell has called the plays since coming to Tempe, and the Sun Devils never finished lower than third in scoring offense within the Pac-12 from 2012-14.  

Related: 10 Coaches to Replace Steve Spurrier at South Carolina

4. Lincoln Riley, Offensive Coordinator, Oklahoma

Riley is a Mike Leach and Air Raid disciple, and despite the sluggish showing against Texas in Week 6, the first-year coordinator is off to a fast start at Oklahoma. The Sooners are averaging 37 points per game and 6.4 yards per play in 2015. The Texas native worked at Texas Tech under Leach from 2007-09 and was hired by Ruffin McNeill at East Carolina prior to the 2010 season. The Pirates had a prolific offense under Riley, including a No. 2 rank in the American Athletic Conference in 2014 by averaging 35.8 points per game. Riley is just 32 years old and is stock will only increase over the next few seasons. 

5. Kendal Briles, Offensive Coordinator, Baylor

After Philip Montgomery left Baylor to be the head coach at Tulsa, Briles was handed the keys to a high-powered Ferrari. While his father – Art Briles – is instrumental in the Bears’ offense, this unit is thriving under Kendal’s direction. Through five games, Baylor is averaging 64.2 points a game and ranks first nationally by averaging 9.1 yards per play. The Texas native has worked as an assistant with the Bears since 2008 and is regarded as one of the Big 12’s top recruiters.

Related: College Football's Top 10 Coaches on the Rise 

6. Dave Aranda, Defensive Coordinator, Wisconsin

Aranda isn’t getting a ton of national attention, but he’s clearly one of the top defensive coaches in the Big Ten. Under his direction, Wisconsin’s defense ranked as one of the Big Ten’s best in 2013-14. The Badgers finished second in scoring defense in back-to-back years and are second in the conference in 2015 by limiting opponents to just 11.5 points per game. Aranda was hired by Gary Andersen at Wisconsin and was retained by new coach Paul Chryst this offseason. Prior to the last three years with the Badgers, Aranda worked as the defensive signal-caller at Hawaii and Utah State and also spent three years as a graduate assistant at Texas Tech from 1999-01. 

7. D.J. Durkin, Defensive Coordinator, Michigan

Michigan’s defense has led the way in coach Jim Harbaugh’s first season. Durkin is the mastermind behind the Wolverines’ aggressive group and the Ohio native has guided this unit to three consecutive shutouts. Through six games, Michigan is giving up just 6.3 points per game and 3.1 yards per play. Prior to taking over in Ann Arbor, Durkin called the plays for a standout defense at Florida (2013-14) and worked under Harbaugh at Stanford from 2007-09.

8. Barry Odom, Defensive Coordinator, Missouri

After three years calling the defensive signals at Memphis, Odom returned to a familiar place: Missouri. The Oklahoma native played with the Tigers from 1996-99 and later coached under Gary Pinkel in Columbia from 2003-11. Memphis showed dramatic improvement under Odom and limited opponents to 19.5 points per game in 2014. So far, Odom has picked up where former coordinator Dave Steckel left off, as the Tigers lead the SEC in scoring defense (13.5), rank third in sacks (17) and are giving up just 4.1 yards per play. 

9. Bob Shoop, Defensive Coordinator, Penn State

It’s not unreasonable to think Shoop is the nation’s most underrated defensive coordinator. The Pennsylvania native was on James Franklin’s staff at Vanderbilt from 2011-13 and guided a defense that ranked No. 2 in the SEC with 5.1 yards per play allowed in 2013. Shoop followed Franklin to Penn State and coordinated a defense that allowed just 18.6 points per game in 2014. Shoop has head coaching experience on his resume, spending three seasons at Columbia from 2003-05.

10. Jason Candle, Offensive Coordinator, Toledo

Candle isn’t as big of a name as some of the other coaches on this list, but the former Mount Union player is one of the top coordinators in the Group of 5 ranks. Candle joined Matt Campbell’s staff as a receivers coach in 2009 and worked in that role until 2012 when he was promoted to offensive coordinator. The Rockets averaged at least 30 points a game from 2012-14 and led the MAC in 2014 by recording 6.6 yards per play. Prior to joining Campbell’s staff at Toledo, Candle worked at Mount Union as an assistant from 2003-08. He’s also regarded as an excellent recruiter.

Other Power 5 Names to Watch

Chris Ash, Co-Defensive Coordinator, Ohio State

Geoff Collins, Defensive Coordinator, Florida

Josh Conklin, Defensive Coordinator, Pittsburgh

Scott Frost, Offensive Coordinator, Oregon

David Gibbs, Defensive Coordinator, Texas Tech

Jeremy Pruitt, Defensive Coordinator, Georgia

Mike Sanford, Offensive Coordinator, Notre Dame

Kalani Sitake, Defensive Coordinator, Oregon State

Jake Spavital, Offensive Coordinator, Texas A&M

Other Group of 5 Names to Watch

Kevin Clune, Defensive Coordinator, Utah State

Eddie Gran, Offensive Coordinator, Cincinnati

Tyson Helton, Offensive Coordinator, WKU

Todd Orlando, Defensive Coordinator, Houston

Nick Rolovich, Offensive Coordinator, Nevada

Bryant Vincent, Offensive Coordinator, South Alabama

Marcel Yates, Defensive Coordinator, Boise State

-----

Watch for more rankings, previews and predictions from the good folks at Athlon here on Dr. Saturday. And don't forget to follow @YahooDrSaturday and @AthlonSports for all your college football information.

Rutgers coach Kyle Flood spent his first press conference following a three-game suspension defending the actions that placed him on suspension in the first place.

Flood tried to explain his reasoning for using his private email account to contact a faculty member regarding the academic status of a student-athlete who was struggling to stay eligible. Flood said doing so was in an effort to watch out for the student-athlete, not himself.

“I understand why when looked at out of context, people might feel that way,” Flood said. “The issue with the private email was really just to protect the student-athlete, a student-athlete whose academic record had already been, to some degree, on public display when it shouldn't have been.

“The meeting with the professor was in an open courtyard in broad daylight. The comment about not having Rutgers gear on was very small-talkish type comment. But it's one of the things I've learned in this process, is that things like that when you're the head football coach, they can be taken out of context.”

Rutgers has a steadfast rule that prohibits coaches from contacting faculty members directly. All communication goes through the academic support staff. When Flood was first slapped with the three-game suspension, he said he was not aware of the rule. He continued to defend his own ignorance, but said he was ultimately responsible for knowing the rule. He also noted that it was the first time he’d ever instigated a conversation with a faculty member in that manner.

“Sure, I've had a lot of interactions with the faculty, on the practice field, at games, at functions, but nothing, nothing of this context before, and certainly not in the future.” Flood said.

“I would tell you is that when you make decisions, I try to make them in the best interest of the student-athlete, and going forward, I need to make sure that not only do I make them in the best interest of the student-athlete, that I make them within the rules.”

During Flood’s absence, Rutgers hired an independent law firm to investigate whether the football program had violated any rules pertaining to drug use and athletic hostesses. Flood was specifically asked about former fullback Lloyd Terry, who was booted from the team at the beginning of the year after being arrested for armed robbery. Terry told the Middlesex County prosecutor that he had failed multiple drug tests while at Rutgers, which led to the question of whether Flood believed there was a drug problem in his program.

“I take the issue of marijuana, drugs, alcohol addiction very seriously,” Flood said. “I think those are big issues on every college campus in the country. Do I feel that we have an issue above and beyond what our campus is or what another team has? I do not. That has not been my experience.”

While a lot has happened in Flood’s absence, he said he spent several Saturdays in seclusion, but that he’s eager to get back on the sideline against Indiana.

“I spent the first two by myself watching the game, and then this week's game I spent with my son watching the game, and I guess what I would tell you is it's probably the most helpless I've ever felt in 22 years of coaching,” Flood said. “To be watching your team play, you've been with them all week, you feel like you add value when you're there, and when you can't, you just feel helpless.

“Now we've got a great opportunity this week to move our program forward, playing against a great opponent on the road in Indiana. I know that I'm looking forward to it, certainly to get back on the sideline, but our team is looking forward to it, as well.”

For more Rutgers news, visit ScarletNation.com.

- - - - - - -

Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

The football career of Syracuse quarterback A.J. Long is over.

The sophomore has been medically disqualified by the school because of multiple concussions. He hasn't seen the field in 2015.

"Long has suffered multiple concussions while at Syracuse University," a team statement said. "After reviewing his concussion history, team physician Dr. James Tucker disqualified him from further participation in football and any other contact sport at Syracuse on Tuesday, Oct. 13."

"We appreciate AJ's hard work and the contributions he's made to our program," Syracuse coach Scott Shafer said in the statement. "I look forward to watching him continue to grow both as a student and as a young man. I wish him the best."

Long made five starts (and appeared in another game) as a freshman in 2014. He was pushed into action when Terrel Hunt suffered a season-ending broken leg. Hunt is also out for 2015 after he tore his Achilles' in the first game of the season.

According to Syracuse.com, Long is the fourth Syracuse player to be disqualified because of concussions in the past two years.

Long threw for 935 yards with four touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2014. Syracuse, 3-2, has played four quarterbacks in 2015 and Eric Dungey has gotten most of the team's snaps.

For more Syracuse news, visit CuseConfidential.com.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

USC athletic director Pat Haden said he was unable to get in touch with former football coach Steve Sarkisian when he made the decision to fire Sarkisian on Monday. It's reportedly because Sarkisian was on the way to a treatment facility via plane and unable to respond to Haden.

ESPN's Joe Schad said Sarkisian was going to the treatment facility when Haden was attempting to contact him and Sarkisian learned of his dismissal when he saw emails and text messages about it.

Steve Sarkisian didn’t answer Pat Haden’s calls b/c he was on a plane, en route to an out-of-state treatment facility

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 14, 2015

Steve Sarkisian is expected to spend at least 30 days at the treatment facility

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 14, 2015

Steve Sarkisian was fired by USC for cause and the school believes it won’t have to pay the remaining 3+ years of his five-year deal

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 14, 2015

Steve Sarkisian learned he had been fired when he read an e-mail and text messages from friends expressing sympathy.

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) October 14, 2015

Haden said Tuesday that he also tried three different numbers for Sarkisian's agent, called his sister and eventually got in touch with Sarkisian's brother-in-law. Schad's tweets don't clarify where Sarkisian's agent would have been at the time that he was fired.

Haden also said that he still hadn't spoken with Sarkisian, but that he looked forward to doing so. He said Sarkisian stayed at USC after his alcohol and medication-fueled conduct at a USC booster event in August because he believed Sarkisian deserved a second chance. Sarkisian was fired, Haden said, because he failed to live up to the expectations put in place after the August event.

Offensive coordinator Clay Helton is once again USC's interim coach. He served as the Trojans' interim coach in the Las Vegas Bowl before Sarkisian was hired prior to the 2014 season.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Florida cornerback Deiondre Porter has been suspended after he was arrested by Gainesville police for allegedly firing a gun in the direction of his pregnant girlfriend on September 29.

Porter, a redshirt freshman, is facing five charges including "firing a missile into a dwelling."

#Gators CB Deiondre Porter on the Alachua County Court Records: pic.twitter.com/cZQiwlFBJZ

— Landon Watnick (@LandonWatnick) October 14, 2015

The other three charges are for aggravated battery and two charges of assault with a deadly weapon. According to the police summary, Porter and the woman have been dating since 2013 and she is 10 weeks pregnant.

The summary of the arrest report for #Gators CB Deiondre Porter: pic.twitter.com/hjNEdEJOba

— Landon Watnick (@LandonWatnick) October 14, 2015

Porter allegedly believed she was having a relationship with one of his teammates. While at her apartment overnight, he became enraged and allegedly held a gun to her head. After they slept in separate rooms, he confronted her again about the accusations and subsequently fired a gun in her direction as she was standing by the front door.

The woman allegedly denied the charges that she was romantically involved with an unnamed teammate and attempted to contact him for verification.

Porter has two tackles in four games for the Gators. He was a three-star athlete in the class of 2014 according to Rivals.

For more Florida news, visit InsideTheGators.com.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier will be on the set of ESPN’s “College GameDay” this weekend in Ann Arbor.

Spurrier told the Dan Patrick Show that he’s never been to the Big House where Michigan plays and that appearing on GameDay would be “a new adventure.”

Spurrier said he wasn’t sure whether being a permanent fixture on the popular Saturday morning pregame show would be something he’d want to do fulltime, but he did say he plans on doing something with his idle time.

He said he and his wife, Jerri, would remaining in Columbia, S.C. because Jerri had one class to finish before getting her psychology degree. He said the couple would split their time between there and Crescent Beach, Fla.

Spurrier, who said he spent the time after his resignation press conference Tuesday playing golf, was sad to leave the Gamecocks in the middle of the season but felt it was the right time to walk away.

“If I stayed till the end and I go 4-8, 5-7, what have you, then we’re all fired,” Spurrier said. “This way, a new coach can come in there, give some new spirit, new life and do better than I can, really.

“I’m sad we didn’t do better this year. We thought we had a pretty good team ready to go but for whatever reason it hasn’t worked out. Yeah, I’m relieved a bit because we sort of avoided a lot of negative stuff that would happen if a coach stays and continues losing and so forth. So I hope it’s the best for all concerned.”

For more South Carolina news, visit GamecockCentral.com.

- - - - - - -

Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

A few days after beating North Texas, Portland State has made interim coach Bruce Barnum the team's official head coach.

The FCS-level Vikings beat North Texas 66-7 for the team's second win over an FBS team in 2015. Portland State opened the season with a win over Washington State.

North Texas also fired coach Dan McCarney in the hours after the game. The loss dropped the Mean Green to 0-5.

"It is my privilege to announce that Portland State has signed Bruce Barnum to a multi-year contract," athletic director Mark Rountree said in a statement. "Coach Barnum has proven he can lead our team to compete at the highest levels, and is committed to developing student-athletes to be successful for the rest of their lives.   

"The search committee recognized his strong commitment to integrity and the holistic success of students, which is why he was the unanimous choice for the job. Bruce exemplifies Portland State's identity of being fearless and determined, and I know he will have a huge impact on our campus and our community."

Barnum was the team's interim coach because he was hired when Portland State was looking for a new athletic director in 2014. Nigel Burton was fired after five years at the school and the Vikings went 21-36 in his five years. Rountree was hired in January 2015 but Barnum kept the interim tag, and his 12-month contract, entering the season.

Now Portland State is 4-1 with two of those wins being marquee (and maybe a bit unexpected) ones. The team's performance through the first five games means his hired is a deserved one.

Barnum was previously Portland State's offensive coordinator. A 27-year coaching veteran, he became the Vikings' offensive coordinator in 2010.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Alabama freshman quarterback Blake Barnett has been in the hospital since Monday according to posts on his social media.

According to Barnett’s Snapchat account, he needed “multiple blood transfusions” during the past few days. Despite the posts, Alabama has declined to discuss Barnett’s condition.

Barnett was a four-star recruit in the 2015 class and the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback, according to Rivals. He was one of five vying for the starting quarterback job at the beginning of the season. He has not seen the field this year.

For more Alabama news, visit TideSports.com.

- - - - - - -

Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

And don’t forget to keep up with all of Graham’s thoughts, witty comments and college football discussions on Facebook

WIll Grier's father said his son didn't have any malicious intentions when he took a supplement that is banned by the NCAA.

The Florida quarterback has been suspended for a year by the NCAA after he tested positive for a banned supplement via an over-the-counter product. His dad, Chad, write in an open letter in the Sporting News that his son didn't mean to take the supplement on purpose.

From the Sporting News:

His story is not mine to tell. But I do know the facts. I do know that his mistake was one of naivete, not of malice. I do know that he had no idea that he had done anything he thought was wrong, let alone the NCAA.

If and when he’s ready, he’ll fill in the blanks.

Chad Grier also said he was still proud of his son. Will Grier had been the catalyst to Florida's undefeated start. The 6-0 Gators play 5-0 LSU on Saturday. Without Grier, Treon Harris is the team's quarterback in Grier's absence.

As a family, we have been overwhelmed by the encouragement of so many friends and strangers. Again, crisis brings out the best in some people

Unfortunately, crisis brings out the worst in others. It’s disappointing to see the comments of those all too happy to kick a young man who has just had his life turned upside down and vilify him as if he intentionally did something wrong. I’m sure most of those folks are generally good people and just see it as having fun at someone else’s expense and in a twisted way supporting their own team. Others just troll looking for something or someone to hate on. I doubt that many of these people stop to think what that would feel like if it were happening to their own son.

And to those people, my answer is yes, I am still very proud of my son. More so today than ever before! #ProudDad

Grier and Florida are currently appealing the length of the suspension. Because it's a year, he could miss part of the 2016 season. With a successful appeal, he could potentially be back as Florida's starting quarterback for the beginning of the season.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's campaign is having to change the logo of some campaign materials.

Bush's 2016 presidential campaign was trying to capitalize on people in SEC country with SEC-related materials and events. The campaign even went so far as to put "JEB" in a circle very similar to the SEC's logo. The SEC isn't too thrilled about it.

Something missing from your Saturday Gameday routine? Get your free Jeb Koozie today. pic.twitter.com/f5MV0ugaLA

— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 13, 2015

From USA Today:

The SEC has negotiated with officials from Jeb Bush's campaign to modify a logo that closely resembles the conference's and make other changes in how the campaign aligns itself with the conference.

“The Southeastern Conference does not endorse candidates for any political office,” SEC spokesman Herb Vincent said Wednesday in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “The SEC has spoken to the Bush campaign to ensure that their activities are within the bounds of our trademark requirements.”

USA Today said the koozie was no longer available on Bush's presidential campaign site as of Wednesday morning.

Bush's campaign was calling primaries on March 1 in states with SEC schools the "SEC Primary." He also posted a video to Twitter about schools in the SEC.

Before I head to Rocky Top, I’m setting the record straight on some of my SEC favorites. https://t.co/guLA4uQd9k

— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 9, 2015

Bush is currently polling behind frontrunners Donald Trump and Ben Carson in the Republican primary field. But it's also important to note that there's still four months until the first primary.

- - - - - - -

Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @NickBromberg