For the second time in as many years, the Detroit Lions are in the market for a new offensive coordinator.

The team announced Tuesday evening it’s planning to part ways with John Morton, who was hired last offseason, lost his play-calling duties halfway through the year, and wasn’t retained at season’s end.

After the Lions‘ offensive dysfunction (as well as a really bad defense) contributed to missing the playoffs, the stakes for Dan Campbell’s next hire could not be higher. While OC Ben Johnson was a massive hit, Campbell’s other two hires, Morton and Anthony Lynn, were flops.

Let’s take a look at some potential candidates for the Lions’ vacant OC job.

Todd Monken, former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator

Ravens coach John Harbaugh was fired on Tuesday after 18 seasons, likely leaving Monken without a job. The Athletic reported on Tuesday night that part of the reason for Harbaugh’s dismissal was his unwillingness to let Monken go. Monken was the OC for the last three seasons, when Baltimore’s offense was consistently one of the most explosive in the league — albeit with a much different quarterback than Detroit in the speedy, shifty Lamar Jackson.

The Ravens had a top-two rushing offense in all three seasons under Monken and finished No. 1 in total offense in 2024. Monken, 59, has further experience as an OC with the Georgia Bulldogs (2020-22) — with whom he was a two-time national champion — the Cleveland Browns (2019), and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2018).

The one thing Monken’s candidacy lacks is a connection to Campbell, which, in this process, matters a lot. But given the desperation to get things back on track, perhaps his ample play-calling experience will lessen that concern.

Zac Robinson, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator

Robinson’s future is in flux after Atlanta cut ties with general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Raheem Morris on Sunday night. He spent two seasons with the Falcons, overseeing a unit that finished sixth and 14th in total offense while being hampered by a quarterback controversy featuring a late-30s Kirk Cousins coming off a torn Achilles and 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr.

Robinson, 39, doesn’t have a prior working relationship with Campbell, but he does have one with quarterback Jared Goff, which could help bridge that gap. Robinson overlapped with Goff in the Los Angeles Rams organization for two seasons (2019-20), including one as an assistant quarterbacks coach. Robinson spent five total seasons in L.A. under coach Sean McVay, including two as the passing game coordinator and head quarterbacks coach.

During his playing career as a quarterback, Robinson spent half the 2010 season with the Lions but never saw a snap.

Brian Daboll, former New York Giants head coach

Daboll, a former Michigan State grad assistant (1998-99), won five Super Bowls over two stints as an assistant with the New England Patriots (2000-06, 2013-16). He also won a national championship with Nick Saban as Alabama’s OC and quarterbacks coach (2017) before landing a job with the Buffalo Bills (2018-21) as an OC, where he was credited with helping kickstart quarterback Josh Allen’s career.

His candidacy doesn’t suffer from a lack of familiarity. Daboll, 50, interviewed Campbell for his first full-time NFL coaching gig with the Miami Dolphins in 2011, which resulted in a classic Campbell story about the Lions coach slamming chairs and hitting walls in hopes of landing the job. It is, however, hurt by questions about the culture he established during his time as Giants coach (2022-25). He was fired in November after posting a 20-40-1 record.

David Blough, Washington Commanders assistant quarterbacks coach

Blough, a former quarterback, spent two stints with the Lions after going undrafted out of Purdue in 2019 and has had a quick rise in the coaching profession since retiring in 2023. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday night, just hours after Morton was let go, that Blough was on Detroit’s radar.

He’s one of the more inexperienced options on the list, with no play-calling experience on his resume. His only two seasons in coaching have come as an assistant quarterbacks coach for the Commanders, and at just 30 years old, he’s a year younger than Goff. But his first season as a coach was spent working with the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, quarterback Jayden Daniels, and his one season with Goff in Detroit as a player (2021) likely established a good baseline for their potential working relationship.

Declan Doyle, Chicago Bears offensive coordinator

Doyle, 30, is one of the hottest young names in the coaching profession. After beginning his coaching career as a student assistant at Iowa, he was hired by Payton in 2019 to be an offensive assistant in New Orleans (2019-22), where he overlapped with Campbell for two seasons.

Doyle rejoined Payton as a tight ends coach in Denver for the 2023 and 2024 seasons and got his big break this past offseason when Ben Johnson took a chance on him as the new OC in Chicago. He wasn’t in a play-calling role, so if the Lions intend to have Doyle do that, they’d be able to poach him without issue. But like Blough, calling plays is something he’s never done before, so it’d be a bit of a gamble.

Pete Carmichael, Denver Broncos senior offensive assistant

Given some of Carmichael’s parallels to Morton — both in their mid-50s, both connections from back in the Saints days, both most recently worked in Denver under Sean Payton — I don’t know if Carmichael’s hiring would satisfy the fanbase, but one thing Carmichael has that Morton didn’t is 15 years’ worth of OC experience in New Orleans (2009-2023). Which kind of counts for a whole lot.

For the most part, Carmichael, 54, didn’t call plays in New Orleans until after Payton was gone, so he’s not a flawless candidate. But he’s certainly experienced in the role at large, which could help him get on the same page with Campbell quickly.

Thomas Brown, New England Patriots passing game coordinator and tight ends coach

A few years ago, Brown was thought of as one of the league’s top up-and-coming offensive minds. After three seasons with the Rams as an assistant head coach and position coach (2020-22), one of which overlapped with Goff, he became the Carolina Panthers’ OC in 2023. He was named the league’s No. 2 OC in an NFL Players Association survey, but left during a regime change the following offseason.

He worked with Caleb Williams as the Bears’ passing game coordinator in 2024 and was promoted to OC and interim head coach as Chicago cleaned house midseason. This past season, Brown, 39, worked as the passing game coordinator for a revitalized Patriots offense featuring quarterback Drake Maye playing at an MVP level.

Kliff Kingsbury, former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator

Kingsbury, one of the few candidates on this list with head coaching experience, went through the highest of highs and lowest of lows over his two seasons with the Commanders, who are letting him go after a disappointing 5-12 season. Kingsbury called the offense that led Washington to an NFC Championship appearance and Daniels to the 2024 Rookie of the Year, but the offense fell apart in 2025 as Daniels was plagued by injuries.

Kingsbury, 46, doesn’t really seem like a match for Detroit on the surface. Not only is he missing a connection to Campbell, but he runs an Air Raid offense and most of his notable successes — Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, and Daniels — have been mobile quarterbacks. Still, he has a ton of play-calling reps under his belt and could be a high-ceiling option.

Internal candidates

Hank Fraley, Lions offensive line coach

Fraley has been with the Lions since 2018, when he joined the staff of then-OC Jim Bob Cooter as an assistant offensive line coach. After he became the head position coach in 2020, the Lions’ offensive line gained a reputation as one of the best in the league, with players like Penei Sewell, Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker reaching All-Pro and Pro Bowl levels.

Fraley, 48, interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks’ vacant OC job last offseason, but wound up returning to Detroit, where he had the title of run game coordinator added to his plate. One could argue his resume was stronger a season ago; following Ragnow’s retirement, the Lions’ offensive line was their most inconsistent unit, and Detroit’s run game took a significant step back. Still, Fraley is a highly respected coach who could soon earn a bigger role.

Scottie Montgomery, Lions wide receivers/assistant head coach

Montgomery has coached running backs and wide receivers for the Lions, and while it certainly helps that each unit is packed with talent, both reached a consistent level of excellence under his tutelage. The rushing tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery was elite in 2023 and 2024; as the wide receivers coach this past season, he led a unit that featured two receivers who finished in the top nine in receiving yards.

Montgomery, 47, has been an offensive coordinator at two of his college jobs, Duke (2013-15) and Maryland (2019-20). In between, he served as the head coach at East Carolina (2013-15). Montgomery is a sharp, detail-oriented coach who could help refine Detroit’s attention to detail, which was sorely lacking in 2025.

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DETROIT — Nick Marsh won’t be coming back to Michigan State after exploring his options in the transfer portal. Instead, he’ll play for a budding Big Ten power in Indiana.

Marsh committed to the Hoosiers Sunday after a visit to Bloomington, Ind., on Saturday. The rising junior wideout led the Spartans in receiving each of his first two seasons with 100 career receptions for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns. In 2025, he set career highs in receptions (59), yards (662) and touchdowns (six).

Marsh was one of the earliest Spartans to enter the portal after the firing of Jonathan Smith and hiring of Pat Fitzgerald within two days of the end of the season. He joins the Hoosiers as the Big Ten champions ready for a College Football Playoff semifinal bout with Oregon, who the Hoosiers beat 30-20 on the road Oct. 11.

Michigan State also made its first adds in the transfer portal Sunday: offensive tackle Ben Murawski, who played for left tackle for Connecticut this past season and also has experience at left guard; and cornerback Tyran Chappell, who was a standout for Houston Christian in 2025.

Murawski, a 6-foot-7 and 335-pound Pennsylvanian, was one of PFF’s highest-graded run blockers and played for an offensive line that allowed just 16 sacks on the season, 17th best among all Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

There have been 41 Michigan State players have entered the transfer portal since it opened Friday, the latest addition being reserve cornerback Anthony Pinnace III. A whopping 11 of those players were offensive linemen, including left tackle Stanton Ramil, guards Gavin Broscious and Kristian Phillips, and right tackle Ashton Lepo, who all started at least one game. Fitzgerald changed offensive line coaches from Jim Michalczik, who came in under Smith, to Nick Tabacca, a longtime Wake Forest assistant who coached MSU center Matt Gulbin there before the NFL draft prospect came to East Lansing in 2025.

“Nick Tabacca is an established coach who has consistently demonstrated the ability to get the most out of his players and build a cohesive and effective offensive line,” Fitzgerald said in a statement Friday. “He cultivated one of the best O-lines in the ACC during his time at Wake Forest and has coached numerous players who have gone on to the NFL.”

The Spartans did secure the return of 2024 FCS All-American right tackle Conner Moore, as well as reserve linemen Andrew Dennis and Antonio Johnson, who all publicly announced their returns.

Murawski was a second-team Group of Five All-American as selected by HERO Sports, one of six Huskies to make the cut as Jim Mora’s Huskies went 9-4 with a loss to Army in the Fenway Bowl. Mora left for Colorado State before that game, and UConn hired Toledo coach Jason Candle to lead the program.

For years, Michigan State’s offensive line has struggled to assert itself, especially in the past two years under Smith. In 2025, Michigan State allowed 37 sacks, 12th most in the FBS, and carved the way for just 122.8 rushing yards per game, ranking 109th in the country.

Behind the offensive line, Michigan State’s other big position loss to the portal was among its defensive backs, especially its corners. The Spartans lost 10 defensive backs to the portal, returning just two cornerbacks, NiJhay Burt and Dorian Davis, with game experience that added up to 18 snaps in 2025. Burt was a senior in 2025 but played just three games and has a redshirt year to use.

The addition of Chappell is a big one for the secondary. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defended for Houston Christian this past season as his team went 2-10 in the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Southland Conference despite his strong play. Chappell is a product of Denton, Texas, and Ryan High School, the same program as Chance Rucker, a redshirt sophomore who entered the portal this offseason.

Texas is a particularly strong recruiting zone for Fitzgerald. Of 428 freshmen recruits to his Northwestern program across 17 years, 44 came from Texas, third-most behind Illinois (108) and Ohio (62).

Chappell will be coached by Hank Poteat, the former Iowa State cornerbacks coach who joined Fitzgerald’s staff formally on Friday. He won a Super Bowl with New England in 2005 and has coached corners at the FBS level since 2011.

“He won a Super Bowl ring and knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m looking forward to him bringing that mindset to our defense on a daily basis.”

In the wake of a disappointing end to the 2025 season, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has been consistent about two things when it comes to this upcoming offseason:

Changes are coming and he will be looking at everything.

Where are those changes most likely to occur? More importantly, how can the Lions (8-8) get back into the playoffs in 2026? Here’s a look at the three biggest issues facing the Lions entering the offseason, and how they can overcome them to become a contender once again.

Fix the offensive line

The Lions always expected to lose offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn at some point. They did not expect to lose All-Pro center Frank Ragnow to sudden retirement when they did, and the lack of preparedness to tackle that scenario would hang over the entire season like a dark cloud.

Detroit’s run game was consistently inconsistent. The Lions ran for under 100 yards in seven of 16 games — they had just eight such instances over the last three seasons combined — and lost all seven of those contests. While the pass protection was nothing to write home about for most of the season, the Lions’ deficiencies on the ground robbed them of their identity, which left them up creek without a paddle when adversity struck in the back half of the season. As the Lions’ season fell apart, their offense merely tried to hold on for dear life to make up for a subpar defense, rather than dictate the terms of engagement, as we’ve grown accustomed to seeing.

“It’s always been a big emphasis every single week, the run game and trying to get it going,” Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said this week. “And sometimes you get behind the eight ball, and you’ve got to throw it, and sometimes you don’t get the right looks, and sometimes we just aren’t executing. We all have our hand in all of this, so it’s just a little bit of everything. It’s frustrating.”

This can partially be attributed to a lack of detail throughout the entire offense — more on that later — but generally speaking, the absence of Ragnow was the critical factor in Detroit’s shortcomings. He retired after the draft and most prime free-agent windows, when other teams had already settled their rosters, which forced the Lions to play a past-his-prime Graham Glasgow at the position.

If the Lions want to take a legitimate swing at solving these problems for 2026, general manager Brad Holmes will have to get aggressive in luring in a veteran center to take over the role. Before Detroit’s season finale at Chicago, Campbell was asked how critical it is to get the run game back on track next season: “It’s everything,” he said. “It’s everything.”

Setting aside the on-field results of last season, there’s even more urgency this upcoming offseason: Glasgow, and potentially reliable left tackle Taylor Decker, seem to be inching toward retirement.

It’s always possible that Holmes seeks a solution through the draft, and the Lions should absolutely exhaust those options. But given their insistent stance against drafting for need, it doesn’t seem likely that’s a position they’ll put themselves in. Several interesting options are set to become free agents this offseason, such as Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum and Buffalo’s Connor McGovern. But if the Lions can’t reel in one of the big fish — it seems unlikely that either player will be allowed to walk to free agency — Holmes will have to look at the trade market.

Given how open Decker has been about his potential retirement, I don’t think the Lions will be unprepared to attack his departure. But they don’t currently have anybody on the roster that you’d feel comfortable with tabbing as a starter going into the offseason — former fourth-round pick Giovanni Manu has not shown enough to be in that conversation yet — so they’ll probably have to make a significant effort to bring in a veteran there, as well.

No matter what happens with the veteran acquisition process, the Lions will have to begin restocking the offensive line cupboard with higher-floor pieces than they currently have on the roster. Tate Ratledge and right tackle Penei Sewell are the only linemen to be picked by Holmes before Day 3 of the draft.

Of course, player acquisition is never easy. But Holmes has mostly done a good job of bringing in the right veterans to supplement his roster over the years, and solving that problem this offseason is still a fairly realistic outcome.

Refresh the defense

The Lions’ defense completely fell apart at the hands of explosive plays down the final stretch of the season. Injuries to the Lions’ secondary didn’t help, especially when one of those players (Kerby Joseph) is one of the most feared middle-field coverage defenders in the league, and the other (Brian Branch) is a Swiss Army Knife whose location must be identified before every play. Detroit has allowed 56 pass plays of 20-plus yards this season, fourth-most in the league entering Week 18.

That said, the Lions actually got decent play from reserves such as Thomas Harper and Avonte Maddox — plus a healthy front seven — so not all the blame falls on attrition.

Of the 11 highest-paid pending free agents on the Lions’ roster, 10 of them are defensive players, and six of them play on the defensive line. Three of those defensive linemen — Josh Paschal, Marcus Davenport and Levi Onwuzurike — were injury-prone gambles that didn’t work out.

Though defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said he “doesn’t see drastic change” coming to the scheme, the impending turnover should help the Lions reimagine how they want this to look.

And no matter what the sack numbers say, the Lions need help affecting the quarterback. Detroit has the fifth-slowest time to pressure (2.86 seconds) in the NFL, and it was painfully obvious as one quarterback after another — a group that includes Giants third-stringer Jameis Winston — tore up the Lions’ defense.

It’s expected that Tyleik Williams and Alim McNeill will be the starting defensive tackles next season, meaning the signings there will largely be for depth. The Lions would surely like to bring back edge defender Al-Quadin Muhammad, who has 11 sacks, but he might’ve priced himself out of a return, especially considering that Detroit did not trust him against the run. There will still be a need for a starting defensive end to play opposite Aidan Hutchinson, which could be solved via a strong draft class at that position.

In the secondary, Detroit’s biggest offseason hurdle will be seeing through the cloudy injury statuses that dim the group’s future. Branch’s Achilles injury could cost him significant time next season, and Joseph couldn’t deliver a positive update on the status of his knee injury when asked earlier this season, saying, “You don’t fix it. Just keep the faith.”

The Lions invested heavily in cornerback D.J. Reed last offseason (three years, $48 million) and likely won’t be making any major moves with him, after he appeared to be limited by his hamstring injury after coming off of injured reserve. Their other starting cornerback, Terrion Arnold, ended the season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, but he showed positive strides before being placed on the shelf.

In an ideal world, former second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw could take over the starting nickel cornerback job next season, allowing Detroit to shed some salary by letting Amik Robertson walk in free agency. But with Rakestraw unable to stay healthy for the second year in a row and Branch’s outlook uncertain, Detroit will probably look into bringing Robertson back to compete for the starting nickel job.

All of this is to say that the Lions’ best chance at fixing the defense starts up front, where they’ll have ample opportunity to reshape what this team looks like.

Find a new offensive play caller

While both of the Lions’ new coordinators struggled at various points this season, it seems likely that Sheppard’s job is safer than Morton’s. Sheppard’s personnel and scheme was inherited, and Campbell has invested a lot into his development as a coach. Plus, as a more offensive-minded coach, Campbell could be slower to make sweeping changes on the defensive side of the ball. And then there’s the tangible act of Morton actually having play-calling duties taken away from him at the season’s midway point.

Campbell said the primary reason for taking over play-calling was that Morton wasn’t able to bring his vision to life, but there was a Johnson press conference answer that went viral this week and was a good reminder of what else Detroit was missing offensively: Accountability. Asked about a red-zone sequence gone wrong, Johnson immediately took responsibility for how things ended.

“That field-goal drive, once we got in the red zone, I wasn’t very happy with how I called that,” Johnson said, putting the failure squarely on his own shoulders.

This was something Morton never did. Now, there were probably plenty of times where something that went wrong was actually the fault of the players and their execution. But the fact that the offensive coordinator is constantly pointing that out publicly instead of offering any sort of self-reflection probably didn’t sit well with players who’ve played in prolific offenses over the last few years.

Not to mention, a lack of thoughtfulness regarding the problems probably made it difficult to actually solve them. If and when the Lions move on from Morton, the next candidate should have two main qualities: Accountability and attention to detail.

Until the coaching carousel starts to spin next week, we won’t have much clarity on the options for a potential Morton replacement. Campbell essentially has two options for how he’ll proceed: He can either try to find another play-calling coordinator so that he can continue to focus on the bigger-picture in-game duties, or lean into being a play-calling head coach and supplement his staff to make up for the game management aspects.

Judging by how reluctant he’s been to do the play-calling, it seems like a safe bet that Campbell will try to bring in another play-caller. But on the flip side, two of Campbell’s three offensive-coordinator hires have been legitimate disasters, so not only is there a concern that he’ll get the next hire right, but there’s also the worry that any quality hire will eventually be poached as a head coach, starting the process over again. Becoming a play-calling head coach could give Detroit the best chance at long-term stability.

CHICAGO — If this is it for Dan Skipper, he wouldn’t change a thing.

Skipper, who has spent the better part of his nine-year career with the Detroit Lions, is unsure of his future beyond Sunday’s victory over the Chicago Bears. Skipper, with tears in his eyes, told reporters in the locker room at Soldier Field that he’s dealing with issues related to his lower back “that might push me out.”

Asked if the decision regarding retirement will be his or instead left up to the doctors he plans to soon meet with, Skipper, 31, said “it’s a little bit of both.” The 6-foot-9 offensive tackle added: “You start getting some pretty intense surgeries — I’m old, tall. So, we’ll see what happens.”

A fan favorite as Detroit’s swing tackle and a key piece in the team’s jumbo package, Skipper has carved out a role for himself with the Lions. He was at the heart of a controversial ruling against the Dallas Cowboys two years ago, when officials ruled he reported eligible, making teammate Taylor Decker, who caught what first appeared to be the go-ahead 2-point attempt with less than 30 seconds remaining, an ineligible receiver.

Skipper’s standing as a folk hero has only grown since. Since that moment in Dallas, fans at Ford Field have cheered for Skipper every time he checks in and the referee announces he’s reported as an eligible receiver. Skipper and his teammates often have to wave their arms up and down, reminding the crowd to be quiet while quarterback Jared Goff is relaying play calls in the huddle.

“Finding a way to just stick around and stick in and finding a home and (having) guys that appreciate you, a place to take you in. It’s a special place,” Skipper said of his career, reflecting on his time in Detroit. “It’ll always hold a place in our heart. We had a kid born here. My boys know the damn fight song.”

Skipper said there were moments he wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to physically make it through this season, and that he owes his availability to Detroit’s medical team: “I’ve just never had a ‘quit’ bone in me. I don’t know, maybe that would’ve saved me at some point,” Skipper said. “You just find a way to play through it for the guys next to you, for your family, for everyone else. You just give it everything you’ve got each week.

“Some weeks are all right, and some weeks you can’t f—— move. It just felt like, as it went on, you start not being able to move and it’s frustrating and it’s hard. You’re like, man, stuff that you have been able to do for a long time, you can’t anymore. It sucks. But it’s just part of the aging process of being here and being hurt and everything else. I … owe a lot of it to the training staff.”

An undrafted free agent in 2017 who initially signed with the Cowboys out of Arkansas, Skipper began his first stint with the Lions in September 2017. He’d go on to make pit stops with various teams — the Denver Broncos (2018), New England Patriots (2018-19) and Houston Texans (2019) — before returning to the Lions for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Skipper was briefly with the Las Vegas Raiders (2021) and Indianapolis Colts (2023) over the next five years, but each of his 16 career starts (all since 2022) have come with Detroit, where he’s been since 2023.

The Lions (9-8) capped their season by walking off the Bears, as Jake Bates connected on a 42-yard field goal as time expired, with Skipper blocking on the play. Detroit missed the playoffs after beginning the season with Super Bowl aspirations, but Sunday’s result in Chicago secured the Lions their fourth consecutive campaign above .500, something that hadn’t been done in more than 50 years.

Skipper has 68 appearances in his career. All but three of those have come with the Lions.

“If this is it,” Skipper said, “no regrets.”

Who do the Detroit Lions play in 2026?

With the Minnesota Vikings beating the Green Bay Packers on Sunday — a result that means Detroit will finish last in the NFC North — we now know the full answer to that question.

The Lions are set to play nine games at home and eight on the road next season, though one of those home contests will likely be played overseas; Detroit has been told its going to play internationally, but the location and opponent has not been announced.

Six of the Lions’ 2026 games will come against NFC North rivals, of course. They’ll also play the NFC South and AFC East. Finishing last in the NFC North in 2025 secured the Lions a fourth-place schedule, meaning their remaining three opponents in 2026 are the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals. Had the Lions finished third, their remaining opponents would’ve been the Indianapolis Colts, Washington Commanders and one of the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams.

Nine of Detroit’s upcoming 14 opponents in 2026 finished this season with a record under .500. For comparison, four of Detroit’s foes in 2025 finished 2024 with a record under .500.

Lions’ 2026 opponents

Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans

Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins

CHICAGO — Richard Silva grades the Detroit Lions in their 19-16 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Quarterback

Jared Goff had a stellar first half, completing 19 of his 28 attempts for 205 yards and a touchdown. The Lions leaned on their passing attack early — only 10 of Detroit’s 39 plays in the first half were rushes — and Goff rose to the occasion, orchestrating drives of 35, 55, 71 and 76 yards before intermission, and the 35-yarder put the Lions in position to score at the end of the second quarter. Goff was not as prolific in the second half, and he made a critical mistake when he tried to shove a pass into tight coverage that was picked off by safety Kevin Byard. Grade: B

Running backs

It wasn’t a dominating outing for either Jahmyr Gibbs or David Montgomery, but the duo combined for an above-average rate of 4.5 yards per carry, and it tacked on 46 yards in the receiving game. Gibbs found the end zone on a Texas route, beating linebacker T.J. Edwards for a 15-yard touchdown. Montgomery was helpful on Detroit’s second possession of the third quarter, accounting for 32 yards on a drive that resulted in the Lions taking their largest lead. Grade: B-

Wide receivers/tight ends

This game, despite the absence of stakes, certainly seemed to mean something to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who finished with 139 yards on 11 catches. St. Brown benefitted from a large target share (35.7% of Goff’s attempts went in St. Brown’s direction), but he was also fairly explosive, notching seven receptions of 10 or more yards, including a 30-yarder to put Gibbs in position to score two plays later. Jameson Williams was solid with the ball in his hands (46 of his 74 yards came after the catch), and Kalif Raymond and Isaac TeSlaa chipped in a combined 70 yards. Grade: A

Offensive line

There were certainly negative moments — Goff’s first sack was due to subpar protection from Christian Mahogany and Chris Hubbard, and Graham Glasgow was beaten by defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. on the quarterback’s second — but the offensive line largely held up well, especially without Penei Sewell. Hubbard got the start in Sewell’s place at right tackle, and he was able to get out in space effectively on a couple outside runs, as well as on a screen pass to Williams that went for 12 yards. The unit was flagged once, and the call (a holding penalty on Tate Ratledge) was questionable. Grade: B-

Defensive line

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was only sacked once and wasn’t consistently moved off his spot, though the general lack of pressure didn’t sting the Lions until the fourth quarter. That was partly due to the opponent’s own issues — drops and misfires were issues for Chicago — but also because of Detroit’s run defense; running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 54 yards on 16 rushes. The Lions’ offense deserves a hat tip for limiting Swift and Monangai, as the visitors at Soldier Field dominated time of possession, recording a 10:30 advantage. Aidan Hutchinson, who was impactful as a run defender, extended his career-high sack total (14.5). Grade: B

Linebackers

Linebackers looked to be at fault on a couple notable plays, including Williams’ touchdown pass to tight end Colston Loveland that tied the score with fewer than six minutes remaining. The rookie got lost in coverage, and either Derrick Barnes or Malcolm Rodriguez didn’t pick him up. Barnes had a massive play earlier in the game (a fourth-down pass breakup against Loveland), but he was also run at on multiple occasions, and he struggled to hold the edge. The Lions put Rodriguez in a difficult position when they left him as the only defender in coverage over the middle of the field on a late third-and-long, but he was slow to react to Loveland, who crossed his face for the first down. Grade: D

Secondary

Avonte Maddox snatched his first interception in more than three years, boxing out receiver D.J. Moore on a deep ball launched to the opposite side of the field. That was before the fourth quarter, when Williams heated up and completed nine of his 13 throws for 123 yards and two touchdowns, as well as posting a couple of 2-point conversions. Chicago’s first touchdown was against zone coverage, so it’s difficult to discern who was directly at fault. Amik Roberston was the closest defender, but it appeared Maddox might have been out of position. Grade: B-

Special teams

Jake Bates made his first two field goals (from 30 and 34 yards) before missing a 53-yarder as time expired in the first half. He redeemed himself at the buzzer, connecting on a 42-yarder for the win. Raymond had a fine showing as a punt returner (an average of 11 yards on three tries), and punter Jack Fox averaged 46.5 yards on his two attempts. Grade: A

Coaching

How the Lions handled their second-to-last drive was baffling, and that’s being polite. Following an encroachment penalty on the Bears that gave the Lions a fresh set of downs, Detroit proceeded to pass the ball three consecutive times. On first down, an incompletion stopped the clock. On second down, Goff was flagged for intentional grounding. On third down, he tossed an interception. The Lions were running the ball well, and there was no reason to go away from it at that point. It didn’t end up mattering, but the sequence was quite questionable. Grade: C

CLARKSTON – The Clarkston Everest Collegiate Mountaineers dropped a Catholic High School League crossover matchup to the Jackson Lumen Christi Titans, 56-45, at home Saturday afternoon.

The Mountaineers hung tough early, but a 10-0 run that bridged the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter put the Titans up 21-14, and Everest never led again.

Everest put up a fight to the end, finishing the game on a 7-0 run of its own and outscoring the Titans in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late for the hosts. They came into the game shorthanded, having only seven players available in their first game returning from the holiday break.

Nolan Alban and Dominic Walker each scored 13 points to lead Everest, while Sean Felix had nine points and seven rebounds. Additionally, Benjamin Sasak contributed seven points and six rebounds.

But the Mountaineers never really got an offensive rhythm in this one, and they also had rebounding trouble. The Titans piled up a 33-25 edge on the glass and were particularly effective on the offense boards in the middle two periods when they build their lead.

“That will be a big focus moving forward, just doing a better job on the glass rebounding,” Everest head coach Richie Cross said.

The Mountaineers also had no answer for Jonathan Morgan, who poured in 28 points for Lumen Christi.

After a 24-2 campaign last year that saw the Mountaineers reach a regional final (they lost to eventual D4 semifinalist Allen Park Inter-City Baptist), the Mountaineers are off to another solid start, sitting at 5-3 overall and 2-1 in the CHSL Intersectional 1 Division despite returning only three players who saw significant minutes last year.

“We have one starter from that team and basically two other guys who played a lot of minutes for us,” Cross said. “We’re really fortunate to have a lot of guys that are committed three-sport athletes. I think that really helps on the competitive side, and it really pays off for us,” he added.

Photos of Clarkston Everest Collegiate vs. Jackson Lumen Christi in a CHSL boys hoops crossover

That has not stopped the Mountaineers from scheduling tough games, often against much bigger schools.

“To us, this is just another opportunity to play kind of a crossover in the Catholic League and we're just grateful for Lumen Christi agreeing to play us (and) making the drive,” Cross said. “I think we’ll get there, but we’ve just got to keep getting as much experience for all the guys stepping into bigger roles this year.”

Next up for Everest is a road test against Detroit Douglass on Wednesday before hosting Marine City Cardinal Mooney next Friday to resume CHSL play.

“They (Cardinal Mooney) are always good. They are kind of a rival in recent years just because they’re another good Division 4 program. So you seem them not only in the Catholic League but you see them sometimes in a regional or in the state tournament,” Cross said.

Jackson Lumen Christi used a 10-0 run in the first half to win 56-45 at Clarkston Everest Collegiate on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.

DETROIT (AP) — Bryan Rust and Yegor Chinakhov scored first-period goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Detroit Red Wings for the second time in three days, 4-1, on Saturday.

Rickard Rakell and Connor Dewar added empty-net goals to clinch Pittsburgh’s fourth consecutive victory. Kris Letang’s overtime goal gave the Penguins a 4-3 win over Detroit in Pittsburgh on Thursday.

Sidney Crosby extended his point streak to six games with two assists. Crosby, who scored two goals on Thursday, has four goals and six assists during that stretch and 53 points in 40 career games against the Red Wings.

Parker Wotherspoon had two assists and Stuart Skinner made 11 saves for the Penguins.

Alex DeBrincat scored his team-leading 22nd goal for Detroit. John Gibson stopped 27 shots for the Red Wings, who are 5-2-1 over their last eight games.

The Penguins led 2-0 after the first period. Rust lifted a shot over Gibson’s left shoulder 3:44 into the game. Ben Kindel passed the puck out of his zone to Chinakhov, who got behind Detroit’s defense and converted on the breakaway with 2:30 remaining in the period.

DeBrincat scored on a breakaway with 4:54 remaining in the second period. He clanged a shot off the right post during a power play later in the period.

Rakell and Dewar scored their empty-netters in the final minute.

Up next

Red Wings: Visit Ottawa on Monday.

ROCHESTER HILLS – Sometimes teams just have that can’t miss attitude.

Rochester sure did so Friday night against visiting Utica Ford.

In the annual Battle of the Falcons game, host Rochester came out on fire by making nine of its first 11 shots from the field to build a 22-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back in recording an impressive 75-49 non-league victory over Utica Ford in the 10th annual event.

Unbeaten Rochester scored a season-high in points with 75 – all while shooting 65.6 percent from the floor in the first half and 52 percent overall from the floor in one of the best single-game team field goal shooting percentages in program history and in over 100 years of Rochester basketball.

Although the host Falcons cooled down some in the second half, going 12-for-23 from the floor after shooting lights out in the first half (19-for-29), Rochester never allowed Utica Ford to make a serious threat on the lead.

“I didn’t realize the stat of our field goal percentages, but it did seem like we couldn’t miss for a while there in the first half,” said Rochester coach Nick Evola. “They do love playing with one another. They share the ball. We talk about playing the right way. We share the ball and it moves around. We play with a lot of energy and it seems like we find people in the right spots. I’m happy with the guys making plays – they’ve done that all season long.”

Rochester used a 24-15 second quarter surge to go up 46-23 at the half, while the home-standing Falcons outscored Ford 18-13 in the third quarter for a 64-38 advantage through three quarters of play.

The home Falcons – who led by as many as 31 points at 62-31 late in the third quarter – rotated all 14 players in the fourth frame.

“We just want to go 1-0 each night,” said Evola. “We want to keep working, keep our heads down and keep working hard and keep trying to get better. But you can see it. I think they are having fun out there. I’m proud of these guys. Some of them I’ve had for a long time. It’s a fun group to coach.”

Rochester was 27-for-52 from the floor in the contest, finished 5-for-9 from the foul line (55.6 percent) and made 8-of-19 shots from beyond the three-point arc (42.2 percent). Rochester also out-rebounded the taller Falcons 29-14, forced 17 turnovers, recorded 12 steals and showcased its balance and unselfish brand of basketball by registering 22 assists on 27 made baskets.

Senior guard Luke Lower scored all 20 of his points in the first half, finishing 4-for-8 from beyond the arc while adding four steals, three assists and three rebounds to pace Rochester.

One of five third-year varsity veterans, 6-foot-3 senior forward Anthony Chirco added 15 points and seven rebounds, and 6-2 junior guard Nate Tandy registered 15 points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists as he continued to impress in his first varsity campaign.

Photos of Rochester vs. Utica Ford in a boys hoops contest

A total of 10 Rochester players reached the scoring column, with 6-6 sophomore center Ben Bissett adding six points, four rebounds and four assists while senior point guard Logan Pleasant swished a pair of three-pointers for six points. Rochester’s starting five finished 26-for-44 shooting from the floor (59.1 percent).

Ford finished the night 19-for-44 from the floor, good for a reasonable 43.2 percent. The visiting Falcons also converted 8-fo-21 three-point attempts (38.1 percent). But even with those strong shooting numbers, Utica Ford just couldn’t keep pace with red-hot Rochester’s torrid shooting pace.

Junior guard Aiden Gillich sank four 3-pointers on the night to lead Ford with 12 points to go along with five assists. Senior center Nick Pagel added seven points, four rebounds and three blocked shots, and sophomore forward Mason Marchand and senior guard Jamie Thomas both chipped in with six points apiece.

The visiting Falcons still dipped their wings to a 1-6 record.

“I’m a first-year coach at Ford and we’re still searching for an identity,” said Ford coach George Woods. “We are playing hard, but one game we do one thing well and the next game we do something else well. We haven’t had that complete night yet. That will come with time.

“I think we’ve played a very tough schedule,” said Woods, whose team dropped its second game of the week to an undefeated team, including Tuesday’s 51-38 setback to Division 2 Yale. “In all of my years coaching, I always try to schedule some very good teams to help get us get ready for league play. I think everyone in our league has four, five, six losses overall. Someone will get hot and win our league.

“I think Adam Gillich really came to play tonight,” continued Woods. “He shot the ball well and passed it well. If we can get that type of effort from everybody, we’ll be fine.”

Rochester put up its most points in a game this season and remained unbeaten with a 75-49 win over visiting Utica Ford on Friday, Jan. 2, 2025.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Rienk Mast hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:51 left and finished with 19 points to lead No. 13 Nebraska to a 58-56 victory over No. 9 Michigan State on Friday night.

Fans rushed the court at the final buzzer as the Cornhuskers (14-0, 3-0 Big Ten) won their 18th straight game since last season, the longest streak in the nation.

It was the lowest-scoring game of the season for both teams in what was the first ranked vs. ranked matchup in Lincoln since 1991. The game was hyped as a measuring stick for Nebraska, the only power-conference team to have never won an NCAA Tournament game. The Huskers met the moment.

What started as a slog quickly turned into a battle of bigs shooting 3-pointers. The 6-foot-10 Mast made five of his first seven from distance and finished 6 of 13. Michigan State’s 6-10 Jaxon Kohler made a career-high five on six attempts and finished with 19 points.

Pryce Sandfort had 13 points and Jamarques Lawrence added 12 for the Huskers. Jeremy Fears Jr. had 14 for the Spartans and Kur Teng, who started in place of Divine Ugochukwu (illness), added 12.

Michigan State was just 6 of 24 from the field in the second half and its 19 turnovers were its most since it committed the same number against Nebraska four years ago.

Mast’s last 3 was his only field goal of the second half and gave the Huskers the lead for good.

The Spartans had a chance to tie when Carson Cooper was fouled with 0.7 seconds left. But his first free throw bounced off the rim, and the Huskers came up with the rebound when he intentionally missed the second.

The Huskers are among six undefeated teams in Division I.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts No. 24 Southern California on Monday.

Nebraska: Visits Ohio State on Monday.

— By ERIC OLSON, Associated Press

ROCHESTER HILLS – A year ago around the holidays break, Utica Ford pulled away from Rochester down the stretch.

The Ford Falcons earned a 63-48 win in that game between two cross-borders rivals of two traditionally-strong programs – Ford from Macomb County and Rochester from Oakland County.

On Friday night some 54 weeks later, Rochester remembered that defeat.

In a back-and-fourth battle that had the feeling of a state tournament atmosphere, Rochester held off visiting Utica Ford in the annual Battle of the Falcons, 43-42.

Rochester sophomore guard Sam Walker drilled a three-pointer off a senior Kelly Cook feed with 3:05 remaining for the go-ahead points – and the game’s final points overall.

“Last year (Ford) had two really good guards that took over in the second half and we couldn’t stop them,” said second-year Rochester coach Andy Topie. “This was a good win for us because Ford is always a strong program.”

Rochester missed two free throws and also misfired on two point-blank layups down the stretch, while Ford was 0-for-3 from the floor in the final three minutes of the game. Ford junior Lia Raciti’s three-point attempt was off the mark with one second left, as the home-standing Falcons staved off Utica Ford in the final minute.

Rochester opened the game with a 9-2 run, only to see Utica Ford surge back with a 13-0 run to take 15-9 lead late in the first quarter. Senior Aris McDonald hit a late three to make it a 15-12 game at the end of the first frame.

Ford (3-3) kept going inside to 6-foot senior center Claire O’Brien in the first half, where she scored all 20 of her points over the opening half. Ford outscored Rochester 14-12 in the second quarter to take a 29-24 lead into the locker room.

Rochester (4-1) switched up its defensive pressure to go on a 12-5 third-quarter run – and more importantly made life miserable for O’Brien and her teammates on the inside. O’Brien was 8-for-14 from the floor in the first half but finished 0-for-7 from the field in the second half.

“She (O’Brien) was killing us in the first half. She’s a really good player. We pinched her a little bit more and had someone come over on the backside every time she touched the ball,” offered Topie. In the first half we were letting her get to her spots. We tried to take that away and make it a little more tougher by sending someone behind. That really helped us get some momentum and we also started to make more shots in the third quarter,” said Topie. “We wanted to make someone else try to beat us.”

Holding on to a 36-34 lead through three quarters of play, Rochester continued to match Ford’s defensive pressure toe-for-toe and neither team was able to build larger than a four-point advantage in the fourth quarter.

“(Rochester) started to run three girls at (O’Brien) and we needed to do a better job taking care of the ball, kicking the ball out and having other players make shots,” said veteran Ford coach Matt Joseph. “We needed to do a better job of opening up that lane. Rochester did nice job taking that away in the second half.”

Photo gallery of Rochester vs. Utica Ford in girls hoops action

Utica Ford opened the fourth stanza with a 8-2 run with freshman Laila Sosnowski’s triple from the right corner giving the visiting Falcons a 42-38 advantage with 5:15 remaining in the contest. Ford would not score again.

“This is the 10th year in a row we’ve played them and it has become a fun little (non-league) rivalry,” said Joseph. “It’s good competition and we’ve had some great games with them. Both teams I thought competed very hard. It wasn’t always pretty, but I thought both teams fought hard to the end. They were just one point better than us this time around.”

Rochester picked up a layup from sophomore Abby Condon with 4:29 left to cut the deficit down to 42-40 with 4:29 left, while Walker’s triple 1:24 later served as the game-winning dagger.

Senior guard Taylor Parsons had one of the best efforts of her career, scoring 12 with a game-high 14 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Cook led Rochester with 13 points and four rebounds and Walker finished with eight points and four rebounds for the hosts. Rochester finished 18-for-49 from the floor (36.8 percent) and made 7-of-22 three-pointers (31.9 percent) but finished an uncharacteristic 0-for-5 from the foul line.

Rochester also forced 17 turnovers, had 12 team assists and recorded 10 steals on the night.

“This was, I thought, a great team effort,” said Topie. “We lost one a couple of weeks ago to Romeo where we made some mistakes that really cost us. This time we found a way to win.”

Utica Ford finished 17-for-50 shooting from the floor (34 percent), made 5-of-10 free throws (50 percent) and canned 3-of-15 three-point attempts (20 percent). Following O’Brien, junior forward Emma McNally added eight points and nine rebounds, Sosnowski scored eight points, while Raciti finished with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals for Ford.

Utica Ford had 14 assists on 17 made baskets, recorded 11 steals and forced 20 turnovers. The visiting Falcons held a 30-25 edge on the boards.

ALLEN PARK — What a difference four months can make.

The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears have trended in opposite directions since the former blew out the latter, 52-21, in a September matchup. The Lions (8-8) are 7-7 since that meeting, and they’ll miss the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Bears (11-5) and first-year coach Ben Johnson, meanwhile, are 11-3, and they’ve already clinched the NFC North.

“I’m sure Ben wants to beat our ass,” Lions left tackle Taylor Decker said of his former offensive coordinator. “He would want to do that even if they won the first game; it’s just how he is. That’s probably why he’s going to have success, be a successful coach. That being said, we want to do everything we can to beat them. I’m happy for Ben’s success, I really am. But when we play, it doesn’t matter. We want to beat their ass, they want to beat at our ass. If there’s bad blood from the first one, that’s fine. That’s football, it is what it is.”

Johnson has led the Bears to their first division title since 2018. With a triumph over the Lions at Solider Field on Sunday, he’ll tie for the franchise’s second-most wins since 2006, when it won 13 games under former coach Lovie Smith before losing Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Bears are a much different team since falling to the Lions in Week 2, adding or shuffling pieces throughout the season. C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who spent one season with Detroit in 2023, is a prime example. The defensive back signed with the Bears in October and has played at least 40 snaps in every game since. Gardner-Johnson has started six games for Chicago, notching three sacks and two interceptions to go along with 45 total tackles and four pass deflections.

But when taking a big-picture look at how the Bears have changed, they’re simply more refined in what they do, especially on the side of the ball in which Johnson specializes. Caleb Williams is on pace to set the franchise’s single-season record for passing yards, and running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai have formed a tandem that’s up there with any duo in the NFL.

Then there’s rookie Colston Loveland, who has 506 receiving yards since Week 9. That’s more than all but three tight ends, with Arizona’s Trey McBride (753), San Francisco’s George Kittle (531) and Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts (526) being the exceptions.

“Offensively, they’re more polished,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “Ben’s done a good job. The system is in and these little things that were there (as problems in) game two, game one, they’ve begun to go away. They’ve got a run game, they’ve found a run game. … Caleb’s playing really well, O-line’s playing really well. … Swift’s running well, (Monangai), he’s a downhill, hard runner, too. … They’re playing at a high level. They’re doing things well. Much more polished.”

Johnson isn’t running the same exact plays in Chicago that he did for three seasons in Detroit, though there are clear similarities. The Bears are extremely efficient in their rushing attack, which sets up play action. Williams has thrown 178 passes off a play-fake this season, second-most in the NFL. For comparison, Williams had 94 of those attempts (16th) as a rookie in 2024. Lions quarterback Jared Goff led the league in play-action passes last season. He’s fifth this year, with 149 tries.

But what makes Johnson special is his ability to build his offense around his personnel: “Ben’s a great coach,” Lions offensive coordinator John Morton said. “He sees what he has, and he plays to their strengths.”

Defensively, limiting mistakes has been an emphasis for the Lions in their preparation. That’s key against any team, but it’s particularly important versus the Bears, who lead the NFL with 32 total takeaways, including 22 interceptions and 10 recovered fumbles. Veteran safety Kevin Byard has a league-best six interceptions. Cornerback Nahshon Wright has five, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds has four.

At home, the Bears are allowing 17.4 points per game. On the road, that average shoots up to 30.4.

“I think the biggest thing that we touched on, as a team, is turnovers come in bunches,” Decker said. “If the offense is giving them opportunities to get their hands on the ball, they’re making those plays. … They fly around, they play with energy. I would say the biggest thing (that’s changed since Week 2) is they play more nickel, and then they just gained confidence. You see it on film, they’re just more confident in the way they play.”

Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan, one of the Wolverines’ top defensive players who led the team with three interceptions during the 2025 season, has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal.

Sullivan joined the portal on Friday, and by his name is a do-not-contact emblem. Receiver Semaj Morgan, who played at West Bloomfield High, also entered his name in the portal, as did freshman cornerback Elijah Dotson, who had an interception this year, freshman offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn, freshman running back Jasper Parker. Veteran defensive back Zeke Berry is entering his name in the portal, per several reports. Berry was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches in 2025.

This is typically the time for normal attrition as players decide to try new paths with other programs, but for Michigan, this is an additional time of transition with the coaching change to Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham coached the last 21 years at Utah and was hired by Michigan on Dec. 26. He met with each player individually while in Orlando for the bowl game.

Michigan general manager Sean Magee said in an email sent Thursday to players and parents that he knows the timing of Whittingham’s hire and the opening of the portal on Friday – it will be open 15 days – is challenging.

“We have begun engaging in conversations with many of your representatives and some of you directly,” Magee wrote in the email obtained by The Detroit News. “It is important that new staff has input and visibility on many of the program decisions that are going to be made.

“We are working our absolute best to try and accomplish all of this in a very short window. With 105+ on our roster, this will not be able to occur as quickly as we would have liked, but we promise to operate in good faith and transparency with each of you as we navigate this coaching transition.”

Sullivan said after Michigan’s 41-27 loss to Texas on Wednesday that he did not know what his football future holds.

“I had a great meeting with Coach Whittingham,” Sullivan said after the game. “I really like him and what he’s bringing to this team and this program. As far as my future is concerned, it’s hard to say. There are too many uncertainties at this point, but I love this university.”

Sullivan said he wanted to learn more about what defense new coordinator Jay Hill, officially announced on Friday as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, plans to install.

“Obviously, the scheme is one thing, and just the mentality of the staff,” Sullivan said. “That’s all I could really say right now. I’m really excited to meet everybody that’s coming and just see what they have to say, and hopefully we blend in a good way.”

Michigan quarterback Davis Warren, who started nine games in 2024, also is in the portal, along with quarterback Jadyn Davis. Both had previously announced their decisions.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.

Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.

Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.

The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.

USC got no closer the rest of the way.

Up next

USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.

Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.

— By BOB TRIPI, Associated Press

Transfer portal roster churn is no anomaly in the college football world. But the sheer volume of players entering the portal should make this transfer season quite busy for Pat Fitzgerald and the Michigan State football team.

With the addition of Alex VanSumeren and Armorion Smith to its portal departure list, Michigan State now has 40 players who have entered or plan to enter the transfer portal, headlined by contributors like quarterback Aidan Chiles, tight end Michael Masunas, wide receiver Nick Marsh and cornerback Aydan West.

Fitzgerald, unsurprisingly, expected all this when he took the job. As early as his introductory press conference Dec. 2, Fitzgerald made clear that he knew he and his staff would need to go big in the transfer portal. To donors and other stakeholders, he likely discussed it even sooner.

Though he spent the past three seasons out of the college ranks since his 2023 firing after 17 years leading Northwestern, Fitzgerald isn’t oblivious to the changes in the sport. He spent the past three years studying the current landscape of college football, which gives him insight into the rapid change in recent years with tools like the portal, revenue share and NIL reshaping the sport’s conventions.

“I don’t see any dinosaurs walking outside here,” Fitzgerald said Dec. 2, standing inside the Tom Izzo Football Building. “So I’m going to make sure that we’re as fully, nimble, flexible as we can be.”

In conversations with other coaches and his own observations, Fitzgerald came away with some takeaways on the current football landscape. A big one was that a high number of transfers can hurt teams, and the rosters that maintain experience and depth tend to fare better than those that don’t. Against the guidance of that lesson, the current roster churn may leave Fitzgerald no choice.

“That might not be my choice here to start off with,” Fitzgerald said. “You got to double down on the right people, right? You got to double down, and you don’t want to ever have to paint yourself in a corner with the roster. But you also have to be nimble and flexible enough to take the right number of guys by each position to make sure you’ve got the competitive depth.”

In that regard, Fitzgerald faces a challenge. Of 46 Spartans to take at least 100 snaps in the 2025 season, just 10 remain on the roster as of Friday, including a few headliners like quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, defensive tackle Ben Roberts and offensive tackle Rustin Young. That 11 also includes safety Nikai Martinez, who appeared in four games last season as a senior but has a redshirt year to use.

Some of those absences are players seeking better opportunities. Some, like West, are those who want to play for a proven contender. Some players may have been told that the program’s new direction doesn’t include them. Those are common factors in transfer decisions everywhere, let alone a program amid a coaching change.

Many of the players entering the portal are those who have already been through this type of roster turnover, when Jonathan Smith took over Mel Tucker’s program after the latter’s scandalous firing. Smith added 24 transfers in his first season and 21 in his second, through the winter and spring windows. And even then, he struggled to cultivate depth across two seasons in which he went 5-19, 4-14 in Big Ten play. This year, the portal window is condensed into one two-week period, from Friday to Jan. 16, which means Fitzgerald will have to move quickly.

Again, none of this is unexpected. Fitzgerald outlined an early action plan that started with putting together an early signing period class, hiring his staff and then recruiting transfers to fill out the roster. Those first two steps are largely done. Now, he’s got a big shopping list to fulfill in the portal.

“That’s just a reality of college football,” Fitzgerald said. “And if young men decide that this is the right fit for them, then we’re going to evaluate them like I would to make sure that that’s going to happen, and we’ll add those pieces. And if some young men decide that maybe moving on is their best decision, I would support them wholeheartedly — without a doubt.”

Fitzgerald and his staff should have lots of players to look at to fill the roster. There were reportedly more than 1,000 names in the transfer portal within an hour of midnight Friday, and that number is expected to grow as players throw their names in at more reasonable hours of the day.

There are a number of position groups that will need extra attention. Only eight offensive linemen are on the roster right now, granted six played at least a snap and five started at least one game. Only two safeties, Martinez and Aveon Grose, have played more than 100 snaps and the only cornerback to factor into meaningful reps is Chance Rucker. There isn’t a punter on the roster right now — except for quarterback Alessio Milivojevic if Fitzgerald wants to get tricky.

So, expect Michigan State to get busy the next two weeks putting together the bulk of Fitzgerald’s first roster.

MSU transfer portal players

Quarterbacks: Aidan Chiles and Ryland Jessee

Wide receivers: Nick Marsh, Chrishon McCray, Evan Boyd and Shawn Foster

Tight ends: Michael Masunas and Wyatt Hook

Running back: Makhi Frazier

Offensive linemen: Stanton Ramil, Ashton Lepo, Gavin Broscious, Kristian Phillips, Rashawn Rogers, Cole Dellinger, Justin Bell, Payton Stewart, Mercer Luniewski, Cooper Terpstra and Charlton Luniewski

Linebackers: Darius Snow, Semaj Bridgeman, Aisea Moa and Marcellius Pulliam

Defensive linemen: Alex VanSumeren and Jalen Thompson

Edge rushers: David Santiago, Stone Chaney and Tyler Gillison

Defensive backs: Aydan West, Ade Willie, Chance Rucker, Justin Denson Jr., Jeremiah Hughes, George Mullins, Elisha West, Tracy Revels and Armorion Smith

Long snapper: Kaden Schickel

Kicker: Martin Connington

An attempted 3-pointer in the final seconds by Utica Ford was missed, allowing Rochester to send its fans home happy with a 43-32 victory Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 in Rochester Hills.