Samwise College Football Newsletter
Friday, June 19, 2026
Five-Star Athlete Brandon Arrington Commits to Texas A&M Over Oregon
Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington committed to Texas A&M over Oregon on Thursday, giving the Aggies the highest-ranked pledge of second-year coach Mike Elko’s tenure. Arrington, a 6-foot-1 prospect from California, is the No. 1 athlete and 14th overall recruit in the 2026 ESPN 300, and projects as a cornerback in college. He took official visits to Penn State, Washington, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oregon this spring before narrowing his finalists to the Aggies and Ducks, announcing at a ceremony at Mount Miguel High School. Arrington cited his connections with assistants Jordan Peterson and Bryant Gross-Armiento and the program’s development path.
Sources: ESPN
Oklahoma Signs General Manager Jim Nagy to $4.6 Million Contract Extension Through 2030
The Oklahoma Board of Regents approved a new contract Tuesday for football general manager Jim Nagy after a strong first year with the Sooners. Nagy’s deal extends through 2030 with a total value of $4.6 million; he is set to make $1 million in 2026 with $100,000 annual raises. Nagy joined Oklahoma in February 2025 after seven years as executive director of the Senior Bowl, initially lured with a $750,000 salary. Oklahoma jumped from 6-7 in 2024 to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2025. With the extension, Nagy joins a growing group of seven-figure college football general managers.
Sources: FootballScoop
Purdue Flips Offensive Lineman Chase Clark From Oklahoma State Commitment
Offensive lineman Chase Clark flipped his commitment from Oklahoma State to Purdue on Wednesday evening, announcing the move on social media after a recent visit to West Lafayette. Clark, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound prospect from Chicago who plays at Mount Carmel, had committed to Oklahoma State and coach Eric Morris just two weeks earlier following an official visit to Stillwater. He was one of three offensive linemen in the Cowboys’ 2027 class and represents the first flip from that group. Per 247Sports, Clark is considered a top-110 interior offensive lineman and a three-star prospect. The move brings him geographically closer to his Chicago home.
Sources: Sports Illustrated
ESPN’s 2026 Big 12 Preview Projects Texas Tech to Repeat as Conference Favorite
ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his 2026 Big 12 preview, projecting defending champion Texas Tech as the favorite to repeat after the Red Raiders reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history last season. Texas Tech reloaded through the transfer portal, headlined by quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who was granted an injunction making him eligible for 2026, plus defensive linemen and 14 returning starters. Connelly’s SP+ metrics place the Red Raiders atop the conference. BYU, Utah, Kansas State, Houston and Arizona are projected as contenders, while Oklahoma State, Colorado and West Virginia added significant transfer-portal talent for the upcoming campaign.
Sources: ESPN
Offseason Snapshot
It is the June offseason. The 2026 FBS season opens Saturday, Aug. 29.
Live beats: recruiting, the transfer portal, coaching moves and NIL/revenue sharing.
2025 Champions
Big 12
Texas Tech — first Big 12 title and first College Football Playoff appearance in program history.
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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