Tuesday’s college football: Wisconsin loses starting left tackle for season

Madison, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.

Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.

“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season.

“Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”

Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.

The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.

Wisconsin, which will play at Michigan on Oct. 4, also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle.

The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.

Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.

His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.

Kent State coach Burns fired

Kenni Burns was fired as Kent State’s football head coach for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.

Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was fired last Friday, but a copy of Burns’ dismissal letter was obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

University President Todd A. Diacon outlined five reasons for cause for Burns’ firing, with the first being “significant, repetitive, and intentional violation (or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation), as determined by Kent State University after appropriate investigation, of the University’s policies and procedures regarding your P-card (personal card) expenditures.”

Burns was sued last September by Hometown Bank in Kent, Ohio, for $23,852.09 plus interest in unpaid credit card purchases, which exceeded the credit limit of $20,000. Burns did not make minimum monthly payments on the card and was 60 days past due in August, according to a Portage County Court of Common Pleas document.

The case was dismissed a couple months later when Burns made payment.

Burns was put on administrative leave with pay on March 27, a couple of days before the Golden Flashes began spring practices. Athletics director Randale Richmond said in the letter to Burns that he was being investigated for committing deliberate or serious violations of policies outlined by the university.

“My family and I are saddened by the news today,” Burns posted on social media after he was fired. “We are thankful for the relationships and connections we have made with the players, coaches, and staff over the past few years. The team bond we have is not transactional but that of a family. Kent G.R.I.T. will bind us forever, and for that I am thankful. I am proud of you all, and we will be rooting for you this season and beyond.”

Calls and emails by The Associated Press to Lee Hutton III, Burns’ attorney, have not been returned.

Burns was 1-23 in two seasons at Kent State. The team went 0-12 last season, the fifth winless season in school history. Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.

Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season with a national search taking place at the end of the year.

Kent State opens its season on Aug. 30 against Merrimack, a Football Championship Subdivision foe.

The Golden Flashes schedule gets more difficult after that, including road games against Texas Tech (Sept. 6), Florida State (Sept. 20) and Oklahoma (Oct. 4).

Ex-LSU receiver Lacy died in apparent suicide

Former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy has died at age 24 in an apparent suicide in his car while being pursued by authorities in Houston, according to a Harris County sheriff’s report released Sunday.

Lacy already was facing criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident in Louisiana last December that had clouded his NFL prospects.

Harris County authorities say their pursuit of Lacy late Saturday night ended when Lacy crashed. When officers approached the vehicle to extract Lacy, they say he had died in an apparent suicide, the report said.

Lacy was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders.

“We’re saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former LSU football student-athlete Kyren Lacy,” LSU said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches impacted by his passing.”

Lacy, who led LSU in touchdowns receiving with nine last season, had declared for this month’s NFL draft. But his draft stock plummeted after his alleged involvement in an accident in that killed a 78-year-old man in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana.

Lacy, who was from Thibodaux, Louisiana, allegedly was driving recklessly – speeding and passing in a no-passing zone – when a motorist who was swerving to avoid Lacy’s Dodge Charger crashed head-on into another vehicle.

Herman Hall of Thibodaux, who was involved in a head-on crash, died after being transported to a hospital, a state police report said.

Authorities with State Police Troop C in Gray, Louisiana, said Lacy fled the scene of the accident without calling for help. Lacy was booked with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle.

Lacy played in 12 games for LSU last season and was second on the team in catches with 58 and yards receiving with 866.

He declared for the NFL draft just days after the accident and did not play in LSU’s victory over Baylor in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 31.

RB Ott transfers to Oklahoma

Former California running back Jaydn Ott is transferring to Oklahoma, providing a big boost to the Sooners offense.

The Sooners announced Tuesday that Ott has signed with the program. The spring transfer window opens on Wednesday but Ott was able to commit earlier because he is a graduate transfer.

Ott was severely limited last season after injuring his ankle in the season opener and was held to 385 yards on 116 carries with four TD runs and an average of only 3.3 yards per carry.

But Ott was one of the most dynamic runners in college football the previous two seasons when healthy and will be a key piece of Oklahoma’s offense following a down season in 2024.

The Sooners went 6-7 last season and were just 2-6 in conference play in their first season in the SEC, finishing second to last in scoring in conference games with 16.5 points per game. Oklahoma’s 3.14 yards per carry ranked last in the SEC in conference games.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables already added former Washington State quarterback John Mateer as a transfer in December.

Ott ran for 897 yards and scored 11 TDs as a freshman at Cal in 2022 and led the Pac-12 in rushing with 1,315 yards and scored 14 total touchdowns in 2023. Ott averaged 5.32 yards per carry in those two seasons.

Cal has lost two of its most important offensive players to the transfer portal this offseason with quarterback Fernando Mendoza transferring to Indiana in the winter. The departure of Ott leaves Jaivian Thomas as the No. 1 back for the Golden Bears. Thomas led the team last season with 626 yards rushing and seven TDs.

The Sooners also announced they added former Stanford offensive lineman as a transfer. Jake Maikkula started 11 games for the Cardinal last season.

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