Samwise College Football Newsletter
Thursday, June 11, 2026
USC Hires First-Ever Director of AI in Conor McQuiston, Pioneering a New Front-Office Role
USC has hired Conor McQuiston as its Director of Artificial Intelligence, a role believed to be the first of its kind at a major college football program. McQuiston joined USC in 2025 as Director of Football Analytics, having previously served as an analytics intern with the Arizona Cardinals and as an undergraduate analytics manager at Michigan. In the new role, McQuiston will report to General Manager Chad Bowden, with work focused on applying AI-driven tools to three areas: recruiting evaluation, opponent game preparation, and roster management decisions. Saturday Down South, citing a USA Today report, broke the news on June 10.
Sources: Saturday Down South
Four-Star Safety Chance Gilbert Commits to Auburn Over Georgia in 2026 Class
Four-star safety Chance Gilbert, ranked No. 55 overall in the 2026 class by Rivals and third nationally at his position by ESPN, committed to Auburn on Wednesday, June 10, choosing the Tigers over Georgia. Gilbert is from Sharpsburg, Georgia, and is also ranked No. 29 in the South’s Next 300 recruiting index. His commitment arrived during the heart of June official visit season, when the 2026 recruiting cycle typically sees its most significant movement as prospects complete campus visits. Auburn defensive coordinator Alex Golesh oversees the program’s defensive recruiting. ESPN broke the news of Gilbert’s decision.
Sources: ESPN
Texas Tech Threatens Big 12 With Lawsuit if Sanctioned Over Brendan Sorsby Eligibility Dispute
Texas Tech has warned the Big 12 Conference it will pursue legal action if sanctioned over Brendan Sorsby’s eligibility, Yahoo Sports reported June 10. Sorsby, ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA for placing thousands of bets while a redshirt at Indiana — including bets on his own team — won a temporary injunction from a Lubbock judge allowing him to play in 2026. Texas Tech AD Hocutt said, “We did not file it. We did not fund it. There is no perfect answer.” Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark is meeting with the executive committee this week. A sanctions vote requires a 12-of-15 supermajority; penalties include CFP ineligibility and game forfeits.
Sources: Yahoo Sports
SEC and ESPN Announce Full 2026 Football Game Window Assignments for All 16 Teams
The SEC and ESPN announced television window assignments for all remaining 2026 conference-controlled football games on Wednesday, June 10, with details released through the “Inside the 2026 Football Schedule” special simulcast on ESPN2 and the SEC Network at 7 p.m. All 16 SEC teams now have a window for every 2026 game. Windows are divided into Early (noon to 1 p.m. ET), Afternoon (3:30 to 4:30 p.m. ET), and Night (6 to 8 p.m. ET) categories, with flex designations for select games. Some matchups, including Texas at Tennessee and Florida versus Georgia in Atlanta, received exact kickoff times. Saturday Down South reported the announcement.
Sources: Saturday Down South
June Flip Season Accelerates With 60 Percent of SC Next 300 Already Committed
June has emerged as college football recruiting’s most active month, with CBS Sports tracking a wave of commitments and decommitments as flip season accelerates. Among the SC Next 300 prospects, 177 — nearly 60 percent — are already committed. No. 7 cornerback Joshua Dobson dropped his LSU commitment and added Michigan to his official visit list, with Auburn, South Carolina, and Texas A&M also competing for his pledge. Xavier Sabb has scheduled his final official visit at Oregon on June 19. The top-ranked 2026 cornerback is expected to announce this month, with Texas A&M and Texas as the finalists competing for his commitment.
Sources: CBS Sports
Final 2025 AP Top 10
Off-Season — 2025-26 Season Complete
1. Indiana (16-0) — CFP Champions
2. Miami (13-3)
3. Ole Miss (13-2)
4. Oregon (13-2)
5. Ohio State (12-2)
6. Georgia (12-2)
7. Texas Tech (12-2)
8. Texas A&M (11-2)
9. Alabama (11-4)
10. Notre Dame (10-2)
2026 Recruiting Snapshot
SC Next 300 — June 11, 2026
Committed: 177 of 300 (~60%)
5-stars committed: 13 of 21
June official visit season: underway
Notable: Chance Gilbert (AUB ✓)
Flip watch: J. Dobson (LSU → ?)
X. Sabb final OV: Oregon 6/19
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.