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Sam Houston hired Phil Longo as head coach on Wednesday, tabbing a person who served as the school's offensive coordinator from 2014-16.
Longo was Wisconsin's offensive coordinator this season until being fired on Nov. 17, one day after the Badgers fell 16-13 to top-ranked Oregon.
Longo replaces K.C. Keeler, who recently departed to become the coach at Temple.
"My family and I feel that a part of us has never left Sam Houston and it feels like we are returning home," Longo said in a news release announcing his hire. "I am elated and honored to become the next head football coach at Sam Houston State University."
Sam Houston is completing its second season at the FBS level. The Bearkats (9-3) will face Georgia Southern in the New Orleans Bowl on Thursday.
Longo, 56, also had stints as offensive coordinator at Ole Miss (2017-18) and North Carolina (2019-22) during his career. He was the OC under Keeler in his previous stint with the Bearkats.
"Throughout each step of this process, Phil Longo kept rising to the top as the best choice to lead our football program," Sam Houston athletic director Bobby Williams said in the news release. "He checked all the boxes we were looking for from knowing our program and his success as our offensive coordinator. His growth from his time at Ole Miss, North Carolina and Wisconsin were also key factors in our decision. In addition, he has a high level of support from our on-campus leaders and overwhelming positive input from donors and fans."
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Main reason Nebraska won't make College Football Playoff revealed
Nebraska is a program that is trending up heading into the 2025 season. If anything, look at the trends for head coach Matt Rhule. In Year 3 at Temple, he had the Owls as a 10-win program and considered one of the top teams in the AAC. At Baylor, the Bears went 11-3 in his third season in Waco, and that included an 8-1 record against Big 12 opponents. Rhule is a program-builder, and especially with star quarterback Dylan Raiola entering his second year in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers will be one of the more interesting teams in the country to watch. But can they compete for the College Football Playoff this season? Interestingly enough, Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt recently revealed that he thinks Nebraska is close to being a "playoff party crasher." There is one reason he thinks the Huskers will fall short, though, and that's the defensive side of the football. First, losing former defensive coordinator Tony White to the same position at Florida State is going to be tough. "Well, I didn’t pick them because they lost Tony White, their defensive coordinator. He’s very good. So they promoted from within with John Butler," Klatt said (h/t On3). Klatt doesn't seem to think hiring from within was the right move to elevate Nebraska in 2025. He also seems worried about losses on the defensive line. Nash Hutmacher, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman, is now in the NFL, as is 6-foot-5, 288-pound defensive tackle Ty Robinson. Those are two huge (literally) players that Nebraska may have a hard time replacing. "That was the heart and soul of their defense, so I question whether their defense will be as strong this year as it was a year ago," Klatt said. Even in a 12-team CFP, a team with a massive weak link probably won't cut it. It will be interesting to see if the defense really does hold back Nebraska in 2025, or if Klatt is simply overthinking it. Again, Rhule's track record is hard to ignore.
New report sheds light on how Cowboys view Micah Parsons situation
It is no secret that the relationship between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys is not on solid ground, but that does not necessarily mean it is tarnished beyond repair. On the latest episode of his podcast, which was released on Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter predicted that Parsons and the Cowboys are "headed towards divorce." Schefter said the two sides have not spoken since April and that it seems like a matter of when — not if — they part ways. Longtime NFL reporter Josina Anderson was told the situation is not quite that grim, at least from the Cowboys' perspective. Anderson reported on Tuesday evening that the relationship between Parsons and Dallas "has not deteriorated to the point of an imminent divorce." "I did not detect any obvious tones of concern in my sourced conversation when I recently asked about ESPN's Adam Schefter's report stating he sees 'these two sides headed towards a divorce, in time.' ... I just feel Dallas has so much history with protracted (and) sensitive negotiations, thus my current impression is the club remains unrattled, at this time," Anderson wrote in a post on X. Parsons is earning just over $24M in the final year of his rookie contract this season. The 26-year-old had 12 sacks in 13 games last season and has 52.5 sacks in 63 career games. Parsons is arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL when healthy. Although Parsons has formally requested a trade, the Cowboys maintain that they have no intention of dealing their four-time Pro Bowl defensive end. The only real leverage Parsons has is creating a headache in Dallas. He remains under contract, and the Cowboys also have the ability to use the franchise tag on him in each of the next two seasons. If Parsons were to sit out regular-season games, his contract would eventually toll. Even with Jerry Jones publicly taking shots at Parsons, one massive contract offer could change everything.
Trade proposal: 49ers bolster running back depth amid injuries
The San Francisco 49ers recently attempted to trade for Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III but were beaten out by the Philadelphia Eagles, who reportedly made a stronger offer. Wide receiver remains a pressing need for the 49ers, with Deebo Samuel gone and Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Jordan Watkins all working their way back from injuries. However, Bleacher Report's Moe Moton argues that another position may need immediate attention—running back. He floated five potential trade packages for Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr., who, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, is being shopped around the league. Robinson has been a reliable starter, appearing in 41 games with 37 starts over three NFL seasons. He's rushed for 2,329 yards (4.1 yards per carry), caught 65 passes for 587 yards, and scored 20 total touchdowns (15 rushing, five receiving), per Pro Football Reference. Interestingly, Moton compared Robinson's value to former 49ers running back Jordan Mason, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in March. In his hypothetical scenario, San Francisco would send 2026 fourth- and sixth-round draft picks to Washington in exchange for Robinson, giving the 49ers proven depth behind star running back Christian McCaffrey. "Head coach Kyle Shanahan expects Isaac Guerendo to miss a few weeks with a shoulder injury," Moton noted. "Going back to last year, he's missed time because of minor injuries. Rookie fifth-rounder Jordan James underwent surgery on a broken finger." Additionally, two running backs suffered injuries this past weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders. Patrick Taylor will miss time with a dislocated shoulder, and Corey Kiner is out after sustaining a high-ankle sprain. San Francisco recently signed veteran running back Jeff Wilson Jr., who rejoins the team he started his NFL career with after a three-year stint with the Miami Dolphins. Wilson scored a touchdown against the Raiders in his first game back. "If the 49ers want to lighten Christian McCaffrey's workload, they must add a durable running back to the rotation," Moton added. "Robinson can grind out yards between the tackles, which would allow McCaffrey to stay fresh for the length of the regular season." Ultimately, whether San Francisco makes a move for Robinson—or any other running back—will depend on how quickly Guerendo, James, and the rest of the injured backs can return to action.
Milwaukee Brewers Shortstop Joey Ortiz Will Not Play Game 4 vs Chicago Cubs on Wednesday
For the first time since early July, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost back-to-back games, dropping both contests of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. They lost the first game 6-4 and the second 4-1. In both games, their starting pitchers, Chad Patrick and Brandon Woodruff, failed to keep their pitch counts low and Cubs hitters off the basepaths. The second game was especially frustrating as Milwaukee’s offense forced Cubs starter Jameson Taillon to throw 30 pitches in the first inning, a frame that saw them score their only run, only to swing early and often after the opening frame, allowing Chicago’s starter to get through six innings. Taillon threw just 62 pitches between the second and sixth innings, and at one point retired 11 Brewers hitters in row. But the two games were not the only things Milwaukee lost on Tuesday. It appears they will be without their starting shortstop, Joey Ortiz, tomorrow and perhaps longer. Milwaukee Brewers Shortstop Joey Ortiz Has a Bone Bruise in His Knee Ortiz was 0-2 with a walk in the Game One of the doubleheader, but was pinch hit for later in the game by Anthony Seigler, who struck out. In Game Two, Ortiz was 1-3, but was not able to finish the game. He fouled a ball of his knee during his last at bat, prompting the Brewers to replace him Andruw Monasterio. Of course, Brewers fans’ minds immediately went to 2019 when Christian Yelich broke his knee cap when he fouled a ball off of it late in the season. Fortunately, x-rays revealed that Ortiz did not break any bones. Rather, he has a bone bruise which, in addition to some stomach issues, will keep him out of the lineup on Wednesday: Ortiz is hitting .233/.285/.329 with seven home runs and 43 RBI this season. It is likely that Monasterio will start in place of Ortiz.
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