college football

college football

News & notes

Michigan: As Jim Harbaugh storms into his second year as Michigan’s head coach, the most common negative recruiting sentiment is the same as it was December 2015: That he’ll leave U-M as soon as he’s bored or interested in the NFL or something else. That’s largely based on his track record - he’s never stayed in a coaching job more than four years. But the longer he stays in Ann Arbor, the longer the 52-year-old seems to want to stay. Asked on SiriusXM satellite radio tonight if he plans on Michigan being his ultimate job, where he would stay 20-25 years, he was emphatic. “Yeah, I think that way,” he said. “I think God willing and the creek don’t rise, that’ll happen. I love coaching, I love football, I love the University of Michigan. You hope to go as long as you can where you’re still going it by example, not just by anecdote and you’re doing it as long as the good lord will allow you to do it.” Harbaugh’s seven-year contract, where he is now in Year 2, is valued similar to NFL deals, at $7 million per year. He moved his parents to a house near his Ann Arbor home and wants his young children to grow up in the same city where he spent his formative years.

Penn State: Trace McSorley will start at quarterback for Penn State when the Nittany Lions open against Kent State on Sept. 3. Coach James Franklin settled on the sophomore after McSorley battled redshirt freshman Tommy Stevens for the job through the spring and summer. “We’re excited what he brings to our offense,” Franklin said Wednesday. “I think the biggest thing is he’s been the backup quarterback for two years. He has game experience and there’s value in that. You’ve been able to see it already, you’re not projecting as much.” McSorley will make his first career start at home against Kent State. “It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders,” McSorley said. “Over the whole offseason, Tommy and I were pushing each other. This team will be better because of how this competition went with us pushing each other.”

North Carolina: Former Illinois coach Tim Beckman, fired last year amid allegations of player mistreatment, is working as a volunteer assistant with No. 22 North Carolina’s defense. Speaking after Wednesday evening’s practice, Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora described the decision as helping a friend while also gaining Beckman’s expertise as a former head coach and defensive coordinator. Fedora and Beckman were assistants together at Oklahoma State in 2007. In an email to The Associated Press on Wednesday, team spokesman Kevin Best said Beckman can interact with players but cannot instruct them as a coach. The News-Gazette of Champaign, Illinois, first reported Beckman’s role. Illinois fired Beckman shortly before the 2015 opener after a law firm hired by the university concluded he interfered in player medical decisions and pressured players to play through injuries. Beckman denied the accusations and said he was considering legal steps to defend himself before receiving a $250,000 settlement from the school.

Stanford: Senior Ryan Burns will start at quarterback for Stanford in the No. 8 Cardinal’s opener against Kansas State. Coach David Shaw announced the decision after practice Wednesday, also saying junior quarterback Keller Chryst would see action against the Wildcats at home Sept. 2. “Ryan Burns will start and play a good chunk of the game,” Shaw said. “Keller Chryst will play as well. We’re going to play both guys and try to win a game. There hasn’t been a huge separation between the two. Both guys have played extremely well. Ryan has been enough ahead to get the nod.” Burns played in four games last season, but did not throw a pass. He rushed for 13 yards. Kevin Hogan, the winningest starting quarterback in school history, is now a rookie with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Wire reports