Fighting Illini football’s depth chart has taken another hit. On Wednesday, defensive lineman Teko Powell informed The News-Gazette of his intent to transfer from the program after four years in Champaign. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound junior was forced to miss 22 games over the past two years — including the entire 2015 season — with various foot injuries. Powell will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out this Fall.

Teko Powell transferring: ‘I’m looking for a more stable program.’ Story on former #Illini https://t.co/dp7pSpigeT pic.twitter.com/aUlrqJjRDn

— Matt Daniels (@mdaniels_NG) June 22, 2016

In 19 career games, Powell recorded a total of 34 tackles (1.0 TFL) for the Orange and Blue. While injury history may have played a big factor in this decision, Powell instead pointed towards a lack of program stability as a driving force for his departure. That makes sense, considering he’s had relationships with four different head coaches at Illinois.

“I didn’t have the best career at Illinois. I had four different head coaches that either recruited me or coached me. I’m looking for a more stable program with the last two years of eligibility that I’ll have.”

Kentucky, Miami, and Southern Illinois have already reached out to Powell, so it certainly appears he won’t have a limited number options. Hopefully he’s able to stay healthy and contribute wherever he ends ups.

Name: Tyler Provo

Position: Tight End

Year: Redshirt-Junior

Height: 6′ 2″

Weight: 208

Hometown: West Palm Beach, Fla.

High School: American Heritage School

2015 Stats: He played in two games last year against Rhode Island and Central Michigan on special teams.

2016 Projections: He is listed as the fourth-best tight end on the post-spring depth chart behind a trio of seniors in Cam McPherson, Kendall Moore, and Josh Parris, but he could see more time with the special teams unit this season, if he stays healthy.

How’d He Get Here?: Tyler turned down offers from Louisville, Boston College, Central Florida, and Florida International and had drawn interest from Oregon and Alabama. His older brother also happens to be Nick Provo, Syracuse’s all-time leader in receptions by a tight end.

What’d Recruiting Sites Say?: Scout, ESPN, and Rivals all gave Tyler three stars. In addition, Rivals touted him as one of the top-five tight ends in his class.

Money Quote: The Provo brothers’ father, Sam, on what sets Tyler apart from his older brother:

“He’s an agressive kid. Tyler’s a little meaner. He plays with some attitude…. He’s more of a guy you throw the quick bubble (screen) to, and he’s going to pick up the first down. He’s going to get you the five or six yards you need.”

Twitterfeed: He has an account, but, unfortunately, it’s private. @ProvoTyler

Tweets of Wonder: If you haven’t taken a listen, you might want to check out this podcast that Orange Fizz did with Tyler on National Signing Day back in 2013:

Listen to @BJ_Glash‘s conversation with Tyler Provo here: http://t.co/af5nArr9

— Orange Fizz (@OrangeFizz) February 6, 2013

What Does Babers Think of Him?: He hasn’t said anything yet, but he was limited during spring practices this year.

Interesting Nugget O’ Interest: Tyler was recruited as a fullback and hybrid-back in addition to tight end, so you might say that he’s a pretty versatile player.

Let’s Get A Good Look Atcha: High school highlights from his fancy recruiting profile on Hudl:

Ohio State football set several records during the 2016 NFL Draft, and now with a few months worth of rookie mini-camps and offseason workouts behind them, fans have a better insight into the type of contributions they can expect from the Buckeye first-years.

With 12 players drafted — five in the first round — and three others signed as UDFAs, there are 15 Buckeyes in total hoping to make their NFL debut this fall. Whether or not they’ll have spots on the final 53-man roster come August is anyone’s guess, but how they’ve prepared and worked this offseason could be a big indication of their potential as a professional ball player.

Here is a look at how the first rounders out of Ohio State are faring since draft day.

Joey Bosa

Bosa participated early in the offseason program and rookie minicamps before contract negotiations took over — in the first of many instances that will show the rookie that professional football can be dictated by things happening off the field. Due to the stalemate, he is one of few rookies yet to sign a deal — worth over $20 million — due to language about salary guarantees, and has since held out from attending Chargers mini-camp.

John Spanos, president of football ops for the Chargers, commented on the missing rookie, “Was it disappointing to have 89 players instead of 90 in for camp? Sure. But these things tend to work themselves out and the good thing was, when Joey Bosa was here he looks great.”

Ezekiel Elliott

The Cowboys are saved!

At least that’s what the team would lead you to believe given their continuous praise of their No. 4 overall pick. The former Ohio State running back will likely take on the load of the run game from the onset of the 2016 season; teammate and fellow running back Darren McFadden suffered an elbow injury — falling on it while trying to save his cell phone on Memorial Day weekend — which will result in the rookie seeing more touches than even first expected.

Elliott is already keeping the Cowboys defenders on their toes, and is quickly being looked at as a contender for Rookie of the Year. He is easily the best rookie in Dallas, and is expected to be a big contributor for the team this fall. He’s done everything right since the first round of the draft, and if he continues could be just as dynamic in the NFL as he was at Ohio State — which is scary for everyone not named the Cowboys.

Eli Apple

The Buckeye wasn’t the only one who got drafted to the Pros; Apple’s mom Annie signed a deal with ESPN as a contributor this fall after her Twitter persona and red-carpet interview went viral. The opposite of distraction, Eli playing in New York lets him spend the weekends and off days with his family — which keeps him grounded and focused when he needs it most.

The cornerback is likely to play on the inside in 2016 for the Giants. With two veterans on the outside, Apple is working on learning a new role, one that requires him to be more vocal than before, but one he is excited to embrace.

Giants’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been yelling at the rookie about grabbing and tugging — a problem the young player had in college, often drawing penalties as a result — but was still impressed with the rookies desire to compete.

Apple is getting some of the best practice he can going against Odell Beckham Jr. in practice. If the saying “iron sharpens iron” than Apple could wind up being one of the most successful secondary players over the next few seasons.

Darron Lee

Another Buckeye whose Mom is making the move from college — Lee’s mother Candace resigned from her TV career in Columbus to focus on managing her son’s professional career.

Lee — like Bosa — has yet to sign his rookie deal, but he didn’t let the business side of things keep him from attending the offseason program for the Jets. Even with a strong preseason showing, he might not have a great shot of breaking the starting lineup, but that hasn’t affected his effort at all — the rookie even got caught up in the moment and made a tackle during a no-contact practice.

No hard feelings for the overzealous linebacker, who is well on his way to being groomed for a starting role. Lee is expected to be the No. 2 behind veteran Erin Henderson at the left inside position. Jets’ head coach Todd Bowles believes nothing beats experience, so despite the endless talent from the former Ohio State player, he’ll need some game time under his belt before the team hands him the reigns as starter.

Lee has been asked about size going all the way back to the NFL Combine, but he maintains his steadfastness that he anticipates no issues going against bigger guys in the NFL, having faced some pretty big players during his time at Ohio State.

Taylor Decker

Decker is expected to play right away for Detroit — a team that has proven unable to protect their quarterback over the past few seasons. The former Ohio State player is looking at a starting role at left tackle, but critics are waiting to see what he does in pads before handing him the keys to the offensive line. The tackle should have an easier adjustment to the NFL if the Lions keep him on the left side, given that’s where he played his last two seasons in Columbus.

“I think I have made progress and there are things that I’ve learned well along way, things I need to polish up on,” Decker said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “I’m far from a finished product — definitely far from a finished product — so I got a lot of work to do.”

With personal expectations that likely exceed those by his team and fans, Decker will be a key cog in the offense this fall. He’s stood out during offseason training, but notes he’s still a rookie and learning the playbook can be like drinking from a firehose.

I’ve been on record before that barring a, shall we say, Chizikian Collapse, Gus Malzahn should not be on the hot seat in any way, shape, form, or fashion this season. It looks like Jay Jacobs believes the same thing.

Just a few short weeks ago, Auburn announced they were adding an extra year to Gus Malzahn’s contract. At the time, there were plenty who said this didn’t mean anything, much. I was one of those, as well. I thought it was a shoring up of a situation that could still go south in some way if the worst case scenario happens this Fall. It was primarily a move to reassure people – mainly recruits and their families – that Gus Malzahn will still be the coach in 2017. If you want proof of that, see this tweet by current 2017 commit Tadarian Moultry which goes along with some of his other tweets to indicate one or two commits may be deciding based on Malzahn’s job status.

I’m Gone Drop This Here Just Incase You Recruits Or Coaches Didn’t Know. So Why Not Commit To AU? He NOT LEAVING! pic.twitter.com/8BE0O4VTEg

— On The Way Duece ! ™ (@Humble10_) June 22, 2016

Yesterday, Jay Jacobs clarified that with his statements that what Auburn football needs most is stability. I agree with Jacobs. Chizik was the first Auburn football coach to be fired before his first full contract was up. That was because of the level of the 2012 collapse. Every other coach has gotten at least five seasons. While 2015 was bad, the Tigers were still competitive in nearly every game. That’s something you absolutely cannot say about the 2012 team.

If the Tigers still struggle in 2016, then Gus Malzahn’s seat should definitely be hot in 2017. I’ve always felt that 2016 should be safe, though. Things went south last season. Gus’ history suggests it was an anomaly. There are playmakers on both sides of the ball maturing or arriving this season. Sure, the pundits in Vegas are predicting a similar situation to last year, but no one really knows how this team will perform.

What I do know is that Gus Malzahn and his offense have taken Auburn to the highest levels during a time when our in-state rival has been on an unprecedented run through college football. That says a lot. In a time when Alabama has been dominant, Auburn has been competitive and even won one national title and played for another themselves.

Sure, there have been some bad seasons, too. Malzahn’s offense struggled in 2011 in a manner that is reminiscent of 2015: some QB questions and there was a lack of “hurry-up” to his “HUNH” philosophy. If the Tigers settle on a QB this season, and with Herb Hand on board, as well, the possibilities are there to see a return to Malzahn form along the lines of 2007-08 Tulsa and 2013-14 Auburn (depending on the QB).

I honestly think Malzahn’s job stability would have been settled on the field in 2016, anyway. I’m still happy Jacobs clarified things in the way that he did, though. Barring a monumental collapse, Gus Malzahn should still be the Tigers’ head coach in 2017. I’m happy with that, and I think it’s the right answer.

Florida added a much-needed defensive back to its 2017 recruiting class on Wednesday, as rising senior cornerback Elijah Blades of Pasadena, California committed to the Gators, announcing the move on Twitter.

DREAM COME TRUE GOTTA CHASE IT #SWAMP pic.twitter.com/fqrUjCwTEF

— ELIJAH – BLADES SZN™ (@savageszniv) June 22, 2016

Blades is a four-star player per the 247Sports Composite, and its No. 222 player and No. 26 corner. 247Sports itself thinks a bit more highly of Blades, whom it sees as a four-star player and the No. 160 player in the country. He’s also a four-star player according to Scout, and a three-star per Rivals. (ESPN has yet to rate him.)

And at 6’3″ and 170ish pounds, he’s got the size to be a bigger corner in college football. His highlights suggests he may also have the skills, though they’re, well, terrible — Blades makes an interception offscreen before even the first minute is up.

Blades picked Florida over Arizona, which had been in hot pursuit of him, and is the eighth (and second-highest-ranked) member of a Gators recruiting class that now sits 38th nationally per the 247Composite.

A few minutes ago, the Big 12 released a statement calling for a “full accounting” from Baylor of the circumstances surrounding the sexual assault allegations levied at our athletics program.  This is apparently the second request from the Big 12 Board, the first having come on May 24.  The statement, which is available on the Big 12’s website, reads, in pertinent part:

Today, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby sent a letter to Baylor University Interim President David Garland once again requesting all documents associated with the investigations of sexual assaults at Baylor. This request is for written materials as well as any information that has been conveyed orally to University leadership or to its Board of Regents including, but not limited to, the unedited written or verbal information from Pepper Hamilton, omitting only the names of any involved students. Internal documents pertinent to the investigation have also been requested.

Because this statement just came down, we’ve yet to see any official response from Baylor to the Board’s requests.  I would note that this request is coming through Bowlsby from the Big 12’s Board, so any statements you may have seen from Bowlsby prior about what the Big 12 can and cannot do with respect to Baylor may not reflect the Conference’s thinking at this time.

When/if Baylor responds to this request, we will do our best to keep you informed.  I find it interesting that the Board specifically requested “internal documents pertinent to the investigation,” since that is all stuff that definitely has not been released to the public and that Baylor would definitely not want to release to the public.  Baylor will probably be concerned about both the privacy of its students and the impact any release of internal documents could have on the various lawsuits in which Baylor is involved at this time (since that stuff could potentially be discoverable, if turned over to the Big 12).  That’s a tricky line to walk, and I don’t envy Baylor’s attorneys right now trying to figure out how to do it.

Anthony McFarland has released a loaded top 10 list featuring the Hurricanes. The 5-foot-8, 186 pound all-purpose back has built a strong relationship with the Miami coaching staff, specifically with running backs coach Thomas Brown, who he has been recruited by since Brown was at Georgia.

TOP 10 .. pic.twitter.com/9LxHX4jgxf

— MaccⓂ️ (@AnttMacc_) June 21, 2016

McFarland went as far as saying that his relationship with Brown was one similar to a “big brother, little brother” relationship. This relationship carried over to Miami from Georgia when Brown joined Mark Richt in Coral Gables.

Recently, the Hurricanes have been appealing heavily to McFarland, after a visit he took with both his mother and girlfriend. According to McFarland, the trip helped him get a better feeling for UM and the area.

“It’s nice, the campus is nice, and it’s the first school that is actually teaching me life after football,” McFarland told canesport.com. “It was a good visit for me. It’s not all about football down here. There’s the academics, job opportunities here as well as the football.”

Miami has benefitted from the bond forged by Richt, Brown and McFarland during Richt and Brown’s years at UGA. The relationship has continued to grow, showing that coaching is a major factor in the recruitment process. Based on what McFarland told canesport.com, the relationship he formed with Richt and Brown was the major contributing factor in adding Miami to his top 10 schools.

McFarland hasn’t set a specific date on his decision, but he plans on waiting and discussing his options with his family. Look for a possible announcement at an all-American game. Anthony has also taken visits to Penn State, Maryland and Alabama.

On film, McFarland is incredibly explosive. He hits the hole hard and has elite vision. His acceleration is apparent, separating from defenders in foot races to the end zone. He also is an excellent receiver.

It will be interesting to see if McFarland continues to narrow down his list of schools, or releases a numbered list in order of interest.

The Maryland football program is a top-10 choice for DeMatha Catholic running back and receiver Anthony McFarland, one of the top players in the class of 2017.

TOP 10 .. pic.twitter.com/9LxHX4jgxf

— MaccⓂ️ (@AnttMacc_) June 21, 2016

Testudo Times spoke with McFarland in April, and the impression given then was that Maryland and Alabama were the two likeliest suitors for him. The Tide want McFarland to be their lightning bolt in a backfield that’s sure to have a lot of thunder, and Maryland wants him to contribute in a bunch of ways as a critical member of the class.

Aside from Maryland and Alabama, McFarland’s top group includes Ohio State, Michigan, Miami, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Notre Dame and Florida. He’s the sort of prospect who will essentially have his pick of the national litter, so DJ Durkin and his staff will need to do a terrific recruiting job to get him to sign.

McFarland has excellent speed and route-running ability, and those combined with his 5’9 stature suggest he might have a future as a slot receiver and a change-of-pace running back, rather than as an every-down ball carrier. But he’s so skilled in so many ways that some team’s going to be through the roof when it gets him.

McFarland is teammates with Chase Young, who’s either the best or second-best defensive end in the country. (The other is five-star Maryland commit Joshua Kaindoh.) Young is considered an Ohio State lean, with Maryland also very much in the picture.