For Men’s Basketball, recruiting violations were sent out by the NCAA last Wednesday. Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway will be out for the first three games of the 2023 season. This suspension was followed up with another one. The current McNeese State head coach Will Wade, who was the former head coach for LSU, was given a two-year show-cause order and a 10-game suspension for three Level I violations, the Independent Accountability Resolution Process announced Thursday.

Wade’s suspension was doubled from five to 10 games, along with recruiting restrictions.

According to the IARP, Wade was found to have made impermissible payments to the former fiancée of a player, while also failing to cooperate in an investigation and failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance.

Both the football and basketball program were impacted, as LSU fired Wade prior to the 2022 NCAA tournament, as the NCAA sent a notice of allegations, detailing five Level I violations and a Level II violation involving Wade. This isn’t his first punishment, as Wade was also suspended in 2019 before the tournament that year for recruitment violations.

The former LSU head coach led the Tigers to an SEC title that year he was suspended in 2019 and had three NCAA tournament showings in five seasons during his tenure before he was terminated.

In March 2023, Wade was then hired to be the head coach for McNeese State to a deal that included a five-game suspension to open the season and recruiting restrictions. But now, that suspension is doubled, as the penalties and restrictions will go on until 2025.

Hardaway is being accused of recruiting violations during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Division I Committee on Infractions panel released a statement explaining their reasoning for the three-game suspension.

“Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse,” the panel said. “The head coach’s inattentiveness to compliance — particularly at a time when his program was under scrutiny related to a different infractions case — resulted in careless violations. Head coaches must remain diligent in monitoring their staff and promoting compliance at all times and cannot delegate those responsibilities to compliance staff members and administrators.”

According to the panel, on two separate occasions (one by Hardaway and one by an assistant), the Memphis coaches made two in-home visits with a recruit in his junior year. This goes against the rule, as visits during the fall of a player’s junior year must take place at the player’s high school.

This is the second time Memphis has been sanctioned under Hardaway, as this upcoming season will be his sixth for the Tigers. They are coming off a 26-9 season and a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, as Memphis should be a contender regardless of the Hardaway suspension.

On Tuesday, LSU football coach Ed Orgeron released a written statement to a Louisiana state Senate committee. His statement explained that he considered former running back Derrius Guice’s alleged sexual harassment of Gloria Scott that took place in 2017 “utterly unacceptable” but denied ever discussing the matter with Scott directly.

“Clarifying on deleted tweets: Ed Orgeron sent the Louisiana senate comittee this letter, which says he spoke to a man whose name he didn’t know about Gloria Scott. He also learned later a man demanded compensation from LSU. Cleavon Williams told me he did not speak to Orgeron,” read a tweet about this situation.

Orgeron submitted his statement following a request from the Louisiana Senate Select Committee on Women & Children. This was done to achieve the committee’s goal of providing policy recommendations to address sexual assault allegations at Louisiana colleges.

In a letter to Orgeron, Senator Regina Barrow (R), a chair on the committee, wrote, “As the leader of the LSU football team, it is critically important that your office take these matters into serious consideration and act accordingly to ensure the safety and well-being of the students of which it serves.”

The statement Orgeron wrote goes against some of what Scott previously told the committee on March 26 when she recalled how she was working as a security worker at the Superdome in New Orleans in 2017. Scott said that Guice approached her and told her in front of his friends, “I like having sex with older women like you” and “I want your body.”

Orgeron, who wrote to the committee instead of appearing in person, said that whether he spoke to Scott directly “does not change the fact that what happened to Ms. Scott in 2017 is unequivocally wrong.”

“As a leader, and as a father, son, and grandson, I want to emphasize that it is heartbreaking Ms. Scott was subjected to such crude remarks by Mr. Guice, and she should be respected for her bravery and resolve to provide her statements to the Committee. She, along with this Committee, has my word that I will continue to be vigilant in ensuring that the LSU football program maintains a culture of integrity and compliance,” Orgeron added.

Coming off what is considered to be the best season in college football history, LSU enters the offseason with their sights set high for the future. But they will have to do it with substantially fewer players.

Tight end Thaddeus Moss has become the ninth underclassmen to leave campus and declare for the NFL draft. The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss transferred from North Carolina State to join the all-star team that LSU had assembled. He played a pivotal role this season catching 47 passes for 570 yards, with three of his four touchdowns coming in the College Football Playoffs.

Running back Clyde Edwards–Helaire will be leaving campus, forcing LSU to find another back with the versatility and “heart” of Edwards-Helaire.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Receiver Justin Jefferson, safety Grant Delpit and outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson are all set to depart for the pros, leaving LSU searching for a corps of guys to replace what seems unreplaceable.

Of course, Heisman Trophy winner and star quarterback Joe Burrow will leave and is projected by some to go number one in the draft. His poise and leadership have been staples for LSU and Coach Ed Orgeron will face a tough task of filling the gaps where legendary players once stood.

Two games tomorrow will decide which of the final four college football teams will represent their respective schools in the national championship. No.1 LSU will take on No. 4 Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 4 p.m. ET, while No. 2 Ohio State will face No. 3 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona at 8 p.m. ET.

LSU vs. Oklahoma

Heisman winner and star LSU quarterback Joe Burrow looks to continue a stellar season with a victory over the sooners, while veteran quarterback Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma looks to lead his team to a win.

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LSU star running back Clyde Edwards–Helaire suffered a hamstring injury in practice mid-December and is questionable to take the field on Saturday. He has rushed for 1,290 yards with 16 touchdowns, but has also caught 50 passes for 399 yards with one touchdown.

Oklahoma will be without star defensive back Ronnie Perkins, backup running back Rhamondre Stevenson and true freshman Trejan Bridges, due to suspensions for failing NCAA drug tests caused by ‘weed’.

Ohio State vs. Clemson

Ohio State’s two Heisman finalist QB Justin Fields and DE Chase Young are set to lead Ohio State in what is said to be the more competitive of the two matchups against Clemson star QB Trevor Lawrence and LT Jackson Carman.

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Young and Carman are a key matchup in this game as Carman will have to hold, will most likely some help, Young to keep him at bay.

The Lawrence-Fields matchup will be the big story of this game, as both quarterbacks have had impressive seasons. Lawrence has the knowledge and physical tools to distribute the ball quickly, as well as evade pressure regularly.

Fields, who has suffered some injuries, has continued to be dominant despite the setbacks. A fully healthy Fields would be a dynamic threat and will be needed agains the strong arm of Lawrence.

The defending national champions have gotten one step closer for a shot at repeating as they compete for a chance to get their third crown in four years. The third-ranked Clemson Tigers (13-0) crushed Virginia (9-4) by a final of 62-17, claiming their fifth straight ACC title and extending their win streak to 28 games in a row.

Virginia showed creativity in their execution early on, but as ACC teams know, if your not perfect on every snap, then Clemson will take you down. Although they seemed to make Clemson sweat in the beginning, the gap grew too great for the Cavaliers to bounce back.

Virginia quarterback Bryce Perkins was 27 of 43 for 266 yards, throwing two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had 17 carries for 58 yards. Perkins had 324 of Virginia’s 387 yards, proving why he was the ACC’s leader in total offense. Wide receiver Hasise Dubois had 130 yards on the day with ten receptions and one touchdown.

Clemson’s offense seemed uncontainable with star quarterback Trevor Lawrence completing 16 of 22 for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Travis Etienne had 14 carries for 114 yards with one touchdown, while wide receiver Tee Higgins had 182 yards on nine receptions, scoring three touchdowns. Wide receiver Justyn Ross went 59-yards for a touchdown, making it the second longest in ACC Championship game history.

With Clemson having a solid hold on the number three spot, the debate now lies in whether or not they will face LSU or Ohio State in the semifinals. With no equals in the ACC, the Tigers certainly showed their claws, but will that be enough to match the SEC dominance of LSU or the Big Ten force in the Buckeyes.

Kyler Murray revealed this week who he believes could be the next Heisman Trophy winner: LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow.

The Arizona Cardinals QB and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick this year — who won the Heisman in 2018 after a standout record at Oklahoma — suggested his successor with the Sooners, Jalen Hurts, could have potentially won this year’s trophy but lost his shot after his team suffered a major loss to Kansas State last month. Hurts transferred to Oklahoma from Alabama.

“Our guy kind of took a hit with that loss,” Murray said of Hurts, according to ESPN. “I think right now, if somebody had to win, it’d probably be Joe Burrow.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Burrow is second in the country in passing yards with 2,805. He boasts a 78.8% pass completion rating and averages 10.8 yards per pass. He has tossed 30 touchdown passes and recorded four interceptions, and has logged 15 sacks.

The LSU QB also set a major program record for TD passes in a single season this year:

The Tigers lead the AP’s Top 25 college football rankings and are second on the first College Football Playoff list. On Saturday, Burrow and LSU will face Alabama, the No. 2 team in the AP rankings and the third squad on the CFP list.

Hurts has logged 21 touchdowns and three interceptions this year, and has recorded 2.469 yards.

Other college football pundits have argued that Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa could be Heisman Trophy winner this year. The junior QB was a finalist for the trophy last year after leading the Crimson Tide to a national championship victory over Georgia in overtime.

Tagovailoa has logged 2,166 yards and 27 TDs to go with two interceptions this season for a 74.7% pass completion rating. On Oct. 19, he sustained an ankle injury against Tennessee and received surgery. The QB has since sat out. However, Alabama coach Nick Saban told ESPN Wednesday that Tagovailoa could be ready to play against LSU on Saturday.

Will Wade is parting ways with Virginia Commonwealth to take charge of the LSU Tigers men’s basketball team, after guiding the Rams to the NCAA Tournament in both his seasons as coach.

VCU’s Will Wade Hired As LSU’s New Head Coach

According to ESPN’s Jeff Goodman, Wade signed a six-year deal with LSU.

The 34-year-old took over as coach for VCU after Shaka Smart left for Texas in 2015.

The Rams are 51-20 under Wade, with back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. However, VCU (26-9) lost to St. Mary’s 85-77 in the first round of this year’s tournament on Thursday.

Wade was also the head coach at Chattanooga for two years, going 40-25 overall and 27-7 in the Southern Conference.

Wade, one of the youngest coaches in college basketball, started his coaching career at Clemson as a graduate assistant and director of basketball operations from 2005 to 2007 before moving on to become an assistant coach at Harvard and VCU.

He received an eight-year contract extension from VCU following his first season that would have paid him $1.4 million this season, plus incentives, and $1.5 million in each of the remaining seasons. LSU will have to pay the Rams $1 million as compensation for hiring Wade and agree to a home-and-home series with VCU within three years. Wade will inherit a struggling Tigers team that went 10-21 this season and finished 13th in the Southeastern Conference.

“I always meet with coaches after the season to determine the best ways to build their programs and put our student-athletes in the best position to reach their potential,” VCU athletics director Ed McLaughlin said in a statement released Tuesday. “Will and I agreed on the necessary next steps, and we met all of Will’s requests. He ultimately decided he would rather coach elsewhere.”

The Rams have reached the NCAA Tournament for seven consecutive seasons. VCU and Kansas are the only teams that have won at least 24 games in each of the last 11 seasons. However, the Rams have also lost four coaches to major college jobs since 2006.

VCU is also in a tricky position because it is losing five graduating seniors from this year’s team, including leading scorer JeQuan Lewis, and are set to have only two seniors on next year’s squad.

Nevertheless, McLaughlin remains confident VCU will remain an attractive destination for both new coaches and players, and said the search for Wade’s successor will begin immediately.

“We have a world-class practice facility, a sold-out arena every night and one of the greatest fan bases in all of college basketball,” said McLaughlin. “VCU basketball is bigger than one person. We remain committed to ensuring that VCU basketball remains a top-25 program nationally. We have a tradition of remarkable success that is focused ultimately on providing our student-athletes with a positive experience, focusing on our core values: student-athlete focus, drive to excel and integrity.”

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – MARCH 16: Head coach Will Wade of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams instructs his team against the St. Mary’s Gaels during the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 16, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Former LSU Tigers wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry have been dominant NFL offensive stars since the moment they joined the NFL in 2014.

Ex-LSU Stars Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry Set Reception Record

Now, both wideouts have just made history by setting a reception record together.

The pair boasts 288 catches apiece, tying each other for the record for most receptions in the NFL in a player’s first three seasons.

In addition to these 288 catches, the duo also currently holds a combined total of over 7,000 yards accompanied by 48 touchdown receptions.

Beckham’s statistics are even more impressive when you account for the fact that he missed multiple games in his career due to suspension and injury. The New York Giants No.12overall pick of 2014 has 4,122 yards and 35 touchdown receptions. The youngster has even made a few impressive one-handed catches in both practices and games.

Of course, Beckham, 24, has also made a name for himself in the NFL as a hot-tempered player who is prone to getting into arguments with both opponents and officials, behavior that has cost him penalties and fines.

Beckham and Landry, also 24, are currently tied for 17th in career receptions in a player’s first four seasons, trailing only Anquan Boldin by 54 receptions.

When asked about the Giants receivers partying in Miami this week, Beckham said he was more focused on the upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers.

Both ex-Tigers will compete in the playoffs this weekend, when Landry and the Miami Dolphins face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Beckham and his Giants travel to Green Bay on Sunday.

CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 27: Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants avoids a tackle by Derrick Kindred #30 of the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 27, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Up until about Friday evening, all public records seemed to indicate that Christian McCaffrey would be playing with Stanford against North Carolina in the Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas on Dec. 30.

Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, LSU’s Leonard Fournette To Skip Bowl Games

The 20-year-old running back, who announced his intention to enter the 2017 NFL Draft two weeks ago, said he looked forward to one final opportunity to play with his Cardinal teammates.

“I’m really focused on UNC,” McCaffrey said on Friday. “I just wanted to make the announcement to get it out of the way. I’m just focused on UNC now.”

However, something must have changed in the 50 hours between then and his early Monday morning tweet, in which he dropped this shocking piece of news:

McCaffrey’s announcement came just three days after LSU rusher Leonard Fournette revealed he would be skipping his own bowl game, the Citrus Bowl, which the Tigers will play against the Louisville Cardinals in Orlando, Florida on Dec. 31. Fournette also cited his NFL draft prep as his reason for skipping LSU’s bowl game.

It remains uncertain whether McCaffrey was influenced by Fournette’s decision– Stanford provided only a brief statement of support from Coach David Shaw. Nevertheless, it should be stated that Fournette continues to heal from an ankle injury, while McCaffrey was also hurt earlier this year.

Allowing either player to participate in one more game could be risky, as demonstrated by Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith’s knee injury in last year’s Fiesta Bowl.

The Cardinal will surely be losing a great player in McCaffrey: his 6,191 all-purpose yards since 2015 are the most by any player over a two-year stretch in FBS history.

McCaffrey clearly seems confident that he has matured during his time at Stanford.

“I was a curious kid, very quiet,” McCaffrey said. “That’s how I was when I came here. I really just wanted to put my head down and get to work. [Looking back] I would have just told myself to relax a little more and know that everything is going to be OK, because I was pretty stressed when I came here. I didn’t know what to expect, just like any new college kid, but it all ended up OK.”

His and Fournette’s decisions unsurprisingly drew some criticism from both NCAA and NFL members. Ezekiel Elliott, a Dallas Cowboys running back who was drafted as a first-round pick earlier this year out of Ohio State, was among those critics. Elliott said he would give anything to have a final chance to play alongside his college teammates.

If McCaffrey and Fourntte truly feel that performing in their respective Bowl games would ultimately hurt them more than help them, then more power to both running backs in making such an unexpected, controversial decision.

BERKELEY, CA – NOVEMBER 19: Christian McCaffrey #5 of the Stanford Cardinal runs with the ball against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2016 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The LSU Tigers have a brand new offensive coordinator.

LSU Hires Pittsburgh’s Matt Canada As New Offensive Coordinator

The university announced Wednesday that it has hired Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Matt Canada, just two days after Alabama’s Lane Kiffin accepted a position as head coach at Florida Atlantic.

LSU coach Ed Orgeron was originally interested in Kiffin joining his staff, but wasted no time after the offensive coordinator chose Florida.

“We have a real opportunity under Coach Orgeron to propel LSU football to another level,” Canada said in a statement. “The chance to put together a high-powered offense with the athletic ability available at LSU and the leadership of Coach O is incredibly exciting.”

Canada, 44, does not have the same national name recognition as Kiffin, who has served as a head coach in the NFL, as well as at Southern California and Tennessee. However, Canada’s Pittsburgh Panthers offense has been virtually just as productive this season as the one Kiffin led at top-ranked Alabama.

Furthermore, Canada was the only offensive coordinator to make the finalists cut this season for the Broyles Award, which honors the nation’s top assistant coach.

The Panthers have compiled the highest season point total in program history (508). They will next face the Northwestern Wildcats at the Pinstripe Bowl in New York on Dec. 28. The Panthers are averaging 42.3 points per game (10th in FBS), which would eclipse the all-time Pitt record of 40.7 set in 1904. They also improved their scoring output by over 14 points per game from last year.

Canada replaces Steve Ensminger, who took over playcaling duties after Les Miles was fired and Orgeron was named interim coach in September. The interim tag has subsequently been removed from his title.

The Tigers had just one quarterback — Jordan Jefferson with 450 yards in 2010 — rush for at least 300 yards in a season under Miles.

LSU starter Danny Etling has just 44 rushing yards this season, although the Purdue transfer is more of a pocket passer than a running QB. The other three quarterbacks on the Tigers’ roster– Brandon Harris, Justin McMillan and Lindsey Scott– were all dual-threat prospects in high school. Orgeron’s staff may also attempt to persuade 2017 dual-threat prospect Lowell Narcisse to rejoin LSU’s recruiting class after he recently wavered on his commitment.

Canada’s offenses– if you include his work at NC State last year– have scored 11 touchdowns in the past two meetings against very talented Clemson defenses.

“He does a nice job and is very creative,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said of Canada last month. “He did it when he was at Wisconsin and ran for 500 yards (539 actually) on Bo Pelini’s defense (in a 70-31 win) in the (2012) Big Ten title game. I like what he does. I think it puts defenses in a bind.”

Canada’s quarterbacks have averaged 392.2 rushing yards per season over the past decade — Northern Illinois’ Chandler Harnish was the best of them all with an impressive 1,379 rushing yards in 2011.

BATON ROUGE, LA – OCTOBER 22: D.J. Chark #82 of the LSU Tigers celebrates a touchdown with Danny Etling #16 during the first half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Tiger Stadium on October 22, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Louisiana State University has hired Tom Herman as its next head coach, according to reports late Thursday, although it was not until to move on from Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher that the Tigers focused their attention on Herman, according to ESPN’s Brett McMurphy and USA Today’s Glenn Guibeau.

Reports: Jimbo Fisher Staying At FSU After LSU Moves on to Tom Herman

LSU was reportedly set to meet with Fisher on Saturday following the FSU Seminoles’ rivalry game against Florida. ESPN reported at one point Thursday that Fisher had made a huge contract request that partly led LSU to change directions, although that information was subsequently scrapped from a published story.

USA Today reports that LSU and Fisher’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, were negotiating a deal that would have paid Fisher approximately $7 million per year, “but discussions ended Wednesday night with Fisher not accepting the job.”

Fisher currently makes $5.25 million at Florida State, per the USA Today salary database. He has gone 76-17 since taking over as Florida State’s coach for Bobby Bowden in 2010. He led the Seminoles to a national championship in 2013. Fisher is under contract through the 2022 season at Florida State after signing a $44 million extension in 2015.

Fisher previously played the role of LSU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2000-06 before taking the same jobs at Florida State.

As for Herman, the Houston Cougars coach is the highest-paid Group of Five coach in the nation at $3 million. A bidding war is expected between LSU and Texas, and Herman could join the $5 million club that currently includes seven coaches.

The Cougars have also reportedly increased their offer in hopes of keeping Herman, although it remains to be seen what actually occurs.

GAINESVILLE, FL – NOVEMBER 28: Head coach Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles signals to his players during the game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 28, 2015 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Every major athlete who become a university recruit has a different approach to the decision-making process.

Von Miller Explains Commitment To Texas A&M Over LSU

Some value the prestige of a program the most, others aim to choose the school that offers the best route to the pros, while others simply look for a school where they can play from the start.

For Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller, the decision came down to which school wanted him the most.

Miller, a three-star recruit, ended up having a fantastic career at Texas A&M after choosing the Aggies over LSU in 2007. LSU was the better team at the time. It was coming off of a Sugar Bowl win against Notre Dame and went on to win the national title in 2007. However, as Miller, 27, explained to Sports Illustrated in his own way, Texas A&M seemed more overtly interested in him. The Super Bowl 50 MVP used a dating analogy to explain his decision:

“A&M really wanted me,” Miller said. “You know that girlfriend that’s really not that attractive but she’s going to do everything she can to keep you? That was A&M. . . . That hot chick that just talks to you on Mondays? That was LSU.”

That’s quite an interesting analogy for recruiting, albeit one that certainly make the point very clear. Texas A&M fans are definitely glad the program put in the time and effort in to land Miller as he was a star for the Aggies’ defense.

Miller also signed the highest-paying contract to date for a non-quarterback just last month.

SANTA CLARA, CA – FEBRUARY 07: Von Miller #58 of the Denver Broncos reacts against the Carolina Panthers during Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The “Honey Badger” will no longer worry about going hungry.

Tyrann Mathieu signed a five-year, $62 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals Tuesday, making the defensive back one of the highest paid players at the position in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals Ink Mathieu To Megadeal

Rumors of contract negotiations between the two sides have been swirling for weeks, but as Mathieu continues to rehab an ACL he tore in his right knee with two games left in 2015, the urgency of the preseason and cap configuration pushed the parties back to the table to hammer out an agreement Tuesday.

The contract includes $40 million in guarantees, according to ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter, a lofty figure for some, considering concerns over the 24 year-old’s current knee injury, coupled with a left ACL tear in 2013.

Coming off a season where he was drawing significant consideration for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors before injuring himself in Week 15, the “Honey Badger” has now inked the highest-paying contract for a safety in the history of the league, in terms of guarantees, according to ESPN records.

TYRANN MATHIEU 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

He may have earned it.

Mathieu made five interceptions, tallied 89 tackles and added a sack in 14 games last season. His flexibility within the secondary offered Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher a variety of options.

All though he was listed as a safety, Mathieu played over 60 percent of his snaps at cornerback, leading Pro Football Focus to declare him the best cornerback in the NFL, even if he appeared in your program as a safety.

At 5-foot-9, many recruiters questioned whether Mathieu could play cornerback at an SEC program, but he proved them wrong when he first arrived on campus at LSU.

Dubbed, the “Honey Badger” by a coach on the LSU staff, Mathieu made waves with his aggressive style of play and his penchant for ripping the ball away from opponents, often much larger in stature.

As a true freshman for the Tigers, Mathieu played in 13 games, making 59 tackles with three sacks and two INTs. He followed that up with 77 tackles, five forced fumbles, recovering four and returning two for touchdowns.

Mathieu also ran two kicks back for TDs in his sophomore season.

HONEY BADGER WAS EVERYWHERE AT 2011 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP

He was named the MVP of the 2011 SEC Championship, but the season did not come without difficulty. Mathieu was suspended for violating LSU’s drug policy and before his junior year began he was kicked off the team for repeated marijuana violations.

It appears he has cleaned up his act.

When Arizona selected Mathieu with the 69th pick (third round) in the 2012 NFL Draft the agreement the two sides struck, then, hinged on his enrollment in a drug-testing program.

Since, the “Honey Badger” has managed to keep his nose clean, but his instincts for finding the football have never wavered.

In 40 career NFL games, Mathieu has posted nearly 200 tackles, eight interceptions, 30 passes defended, two sacks, two forced fumbles, with one TD.

“For some reason, I was always attracted to the football,” Mathieu said in November 2014.

Now, he’ll have 40 million more reasons to feel attracted.

With College Football season just around the corner, fans are scrambling to find the appropriate gear for when their favorite program kicks off. Don’t worry, Amazon did all the work.

With affordable jerseys from SF Sports, you can support any school of your choosing for around $40.

Get the Gear: 5 College Football Jerseys You Must Have Before Kickoff

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Deshaun Watson took the college football world by storm last season, leading Clemson to the CFP National Championship and finishing third in the Heisman Trophy race.

Now, he is a year healthier and a year wiser.

This beautiful, purple, Tigers jersey will have everyone in Death Valley crooning come game day.

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Leonard Fournette was at the top of everyone’s Heisman watchlist in 2015, but a down year for LSU had him finishing sixth in the final voting tally.

Fournette rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in his sophomore season, foreshadowing a big year in 2016, which he began in the Tigers bowl game, two days before the calendar turned over. The Bayou Bengals running back posted a 212-yard rushing performance in the 2015 Texas Bowl, scoring four touchdowns.

Get your hands on this Fournette jersey before he runs away to the NFL.

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Baker Mayfield was a nobody before last season.

A former walk-on at Texas Tech, Mayfield transferred to Oklahoma in 2014, but was forced to sit out a season due to NCAA and Big 12 rules.

He made it worth the wait.

In his first season with the Sooners Mayfield threw for 3,700 yards, finished fourth in the Heisman voting and led Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff.

The Sooners are circling the wagons again for 2016, so don’t miss the party.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES NO.16 (Red) JERSEY: GET IT HERE!

J.T. Barrett waited patiently behind Braxton Miller, then waited some more after an ankle injury sidelined him for the 2015 Big Ten and National Championship games.

Now Ohio State is his team and this is the opportunity for all the Buckeyes fans out there to have THE most affordable jersey to represent THE Ohio State University.

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE NO.3 (RED) JERSEY: GET IT HERE!

Calvin Ridley burst onto the scene in his freshman season, earning Freshman All-American honors en route to a National Championship.

Ridley broke Amare Cooper‘s record for freshman receiving yards during a remarkable season for the Crimson Tide where he led the team with 89 receptions for 1,045 yards.

Now that he’s a sophomore, this jersey has some staying power.

So hurry up and lockdown this jersey so you can scream “Roll Tide” with pride.

Ben Simmons is projected by many to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and since it remains unknown which team will end up selecting in that spot, Simmons is holding off on signing a sneaker deal with sports apparel giant Nike just in case the Los Angeles Lakers choose him.

Ben Simmons Waiting On Nike Shoe Deal To See If He Gets Drafted By Lakers

The Lakers came in at No. 2 in the Draft lottery on Tuesday.

Nike is offering $7.5 million over five years with fewer performance incentives than the adidas contract structure.  The company is unwilling to change its current offer, sources stated.

Although the original strategy from Simmons and his Klutch Sports Group representation, as well as his agent Rich Paul, was thought to be a desire to sign a shoe deal prior to the draft lottery, they have now said they are not satisfied with Nike’s offer. They were hoping that if the Lakers landed the top overall pick — which they had a 19.9 percent chance of doing –€“ Nike would move closer to matching Adidas’ offer.

Simmons has a more lucrative offer on the table from Adidas, one that would pay him $10 million over five years and would include a $2 million signing bonus along with plenty of other incentives. But his representation (the same people who represent LeBron James) clearly want to seek a deal with Nike due to the existing relationship.

The 19-year-old LSU Tigers forward was also recently named Rookie of the Year.

Point guard D’Angelo Russell went to the Lakers last year as the second overall pick, and Nike upped its offer considerably to prevent Russell from signing with Adidas. Russell ended up agreeing to a deal worth $1.2 million annually.

The Draft will take place on June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

PHOTO: NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 11: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers dribbles the ball during the game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the quarterfinals of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The tenth-ranked LSU Tigers (15-5) defeated the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (12-9) 8-5 in the Wally Pontiff Jr. Baseball Classic at Zephyr Field in New Orleans on Tuesday.

LSU Beats Louisiana-Lafayette 8-5 In Wally Pontiff Jr. Baseball Classic

Among the standouts were center fielder Jake Fraley and second baseman Cole Freeman, each of whom finished with two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers. Kramer Robertson and Brody Wofford also each got two hits for LSU.

In the third inning, Freeman stole second base, and after Robertson doubled down the right field line to score Freeman and then Fraley got a pitch to drop in center field, which allowed Robertson to score and LSU to take a 2-1 lead.

After helping the Tigers gain the lead, Freeman came through again in the fourth inning. After Bryce Jordan scored on a wild pitch, Freeman snuck one by the third baseman who was playing up to score Greg Deichmann and Jordan Romero to give LSU a 5-1 lead.

The fifth inning, contrarily to the first few innings, was a very long one, lasting at least 45 minutes or more. Although the Cajuns posted four runs in the top half of the inning to tie the game at 5, the Tigers put up three runs of their own to bring the score to 8-5.

LSU freshman Antoine Duplantis ended his safe-hitting streak of 19 games (all games so far this season) against Louisiana-Lafayette. During Tuesday’s game, Duplantis went 0-of-4 and was one of only two LSU starters to not earn a single hit, the other being Beau Jordan. Duplantis currently holds the third-longest hitting streak by an LSU freshman in school history behind Blake Dean (20, 2007) and Alex Bregman (23, 2013).

Fellow freshman pitcher Cole McKay also made his start with the Tigers on Tuesday, although his debut was not as strong as he had probably hoped, at least not at the very beginning of the game. McKay walked the first batter he faced, but then struck out the following two. The freshman improved in the second inning, however, striking out three batters while allowing two singles.

LSU relief pitcher Parker Bugg proved to be very efficient against Lafayette. The junior faced two batters and got two outs on just two pitches.

LSU will next visit Texas A&M in a Thursday-Sunday series. The Tigers’ next home game will be against Tulane on March 29.

Caption: OMAHA, NE – JUNE 24: Derek Helenihi #5 of the Louisiana State University Tigers makes the catch for the out against the Texas Longhorns during Game 3 of the 2009 NCAA College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 24, 2009 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Tigers defeated the Longhorns 11-4 to win the national title. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Ever since Ben Simmons stepped foot on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, he was considered the clear frontrunner to hear his name called first in the 2016 NBA Draft.

He has great size at 6’10” and will continue to grow and add on to his 225 pounds.  He possesses great ball handling for a frontcourt player, and has shown a knack for scoring down low and grabbing rebonds off the glass.  He has even been compared to Magic Johnson and LeBron James, and has been called the best prospect since the King himself.

Lately though, there have been numerous questions surrounding the Australian freshman.  Simmons has yet to show any consistency or confidence shooting outside and has seen his impact become limited as defenses throw smaller guys on him and force him to shoot.  Scouts have also questioned his competitiveness as he refuses to close out perimeter shooters or put a body on opposing players in the paint.

Can an NBA scout view Simmons, who has continued to shy away from physical play, play lackluster defense, and failed to become a threat to shoot the ball, as a franchise player?

One player who has proven to be Simmons’ top competition for the top pick in the draft is Duke guard/forward Brandon Ingram.  Ingram has been compared to Kevin Durant since the 2014 NBA MVP had a slender build coming out of Texas in 2007 that resembles Ingram and both have elite scoring ability.

Ingram, 18, shoots 41% from three and with the NBA seeing more three pointers than ever before, he could become a more inviting prospect for a franchise looking for a turnaround or a team like Philadelphia, who desperately needs offense to spark a resurgence.

With Simmons’ lack of range, other comparisons could end up being more accurate than Magic and LeBron.  Some scouts have called him a taller Rajon Rondo or a more athletic Evan Turner, both of whom are notorious for their inability to stretch the floor, Rondo is shooting a respectable 35% from three this season but a paltry 28% for his career.  Turner’s career percentage from downtown is a mere 30% while he is shooting an atrocious 18% this season.

One last knack on SImmons is that he failed to carry LSU to the NCAA Tournament, numbers are nice but team success plays a part in evaluating how a player makes his teammates better.  He has appeared to chase individual stats over team success.

Ingram has managed nice numbers as well but he will not compromise his team’s chance to win while chasing individual accolades.

Simmons has likely played his last game for the Tigers (a disastrous 71-38 loss to Texas A&M in the SEC semifinals) as they announced they will not participate in any postseason tournaments after missing out on the NCAA.  Duke matches up with Colonial champs UNC Wilmington in the first round of the NCAA Tourney on Thursday, March 17, at 12:15 in Providence, R.I..

The debate over who should go number one will be settled on June 23 when the NBA Draft takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

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LSU running back Leonard Fournette was named an All-American this season and, after Tuesday night, it’s easy to see why. He scored for five touchdowns and over 200 yards as the Tigers trounced the Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-27 in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl.

“This is a night that Leonard Fournette would have again and again and again,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “I wouldn’t call it routine because he is not a routine runner; he’s a special back. But we would expect him to have nights like this. He’s fast and strong and capable.” His performance set up a complete offensive showing, with the Tigers racking up over 600 total yards on the night.

Fournette himself was a little more subdued, though. “I would say the night was productive,” he said. His five touchdowns (four rushing  and one receiving) tied a school record for the most touchdowns in a bowl game.

The reception was unusual for him; catching the ball isn’t something he’s exactly comfortable doing. “I like running the ball; I don’t like catching,” he explained.

On the Texas Tech side of things, quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for an impressive 370 yards and four touchdowns; the Red Raiders defense, however, just couldn’t get the stops. That put pressure on Mahomes to make things happen, which kept him under pressure all night.

“I knew it would be a challenge, particularly when we had to go into throwing mode every play,” Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “It’s a good front. It’s a good defense.”

Photo:Leonard Fournette #7 of the LSU Tigers poses on stage after the Tigers beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-27 during the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 29, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)