Former OU wide receiver Mark Clayton has designed headphones intended specifically for athletic activity, and they seem to be gaining some traction.

According to Tim Newcomb at SI, “The key behind LIVV lies in the SureFit band, which uses tension to keep the wireless headphones in place.” With LIVV, you are able to adjust the amount of tension to suit your comfort level.

Clayton has apparently been working on the headphones since 2012, and it looks like the hard work is finally paying off with some publicity. It seems like an incredibly cool idea. Even though I’m not much for physical activity, I’d definitely like to try these out.

According to Clayton, you’ll be able to see NFL players wearing the headphones during warmups, so keep an eye out for these when you’re watching pregame coverage on Sundays this fall.

Sooner fans will remember Clayton as Jason White and Nate Hybl’s go-to guys from 2001-2004, and he was an incredibly special player. Before the arrival of Ryan Broyles and Sterling Shepard, Clayton was considered the best receiver in OU history. He went on to a seven-year career with the Ravens and Rams in which he accumulated 65 starts. It looks like he’s becoming quite a success off the field, as well.

At the conclusion of today’s practice, the UK football team officially closed fall camp and now looks towards its Week 1 matchup against the Golden Eagles of Southern Mississippi.

While the defense entered and left the preseason with many question marks, the offense appears to be rock solid, a fact that offensive coordinator Eddie Gran confirmed with the press earlier today when he said that the unit gave him exactly what he wanted out of camp and more.

“Got more in terms of capacity of the install. These guys have done a great job, as I’ve talked about, they’ve got to be a sponge”, Gran said.

Gran also praised the intelligence of his offensive line, the willingness of his receivers to do what is asked of them and the steady progress of the quarterbacks and running backs.

However, Gran doesn’t believe that the culture shift has anything to do with him. Instead, he believes that it started at the top with Coach Stoops.

“I think it’s everybody collectively, with Coach Stoops and the culture. He’s said it’s time. It’s time to grow up. It’s time to finish. He’s had a butt load of not, and you got to be accountable. And we’ve held them accountable. We’re going right from the head football coach.”

Depth has also helped pushed the offense to improve across the board.

“We have a decent 2-deep on the O-line. John (Schlarman) has done a nice job of moving guys around if you’ve got an emergency situation. So he would put some guys at center, some guys at tackle. And we’ve been able to do that in camp, which you have to do. And, you know, I think the receivers and running back corps have really just pushed each other”, Gran said.

The increased depth and competition also means great accountability.

“So, now, if somebody’s not getting it done, or they’re not doing it the right way or they’re not doing it our way, we can pull ‘em. And we can say, ‘Hey, you know what? If you don’t want to do it this way, then we’ll let another guy step up.’ And that’s a good thing.”

The real challenge for the team now, said Gran, is for them to fight on when the “crud hits the fan.” Gran said he has seen that in practice from his players and now he wants to see it translate to results under the bright lights of Commonwealth Stadium.

Other Notes

– Gran indicated that he and the offensive staff are already preparing for the Golden Eagles. They have watched a decent amount of film and are in the process of scripting the first few series of plays for the game. Quarterback Drew Barker will be consulted on said plays, according to Gran.

– Barker is comfortable in the offense and has toned down his turnovers, but Gran said he would continue to stress to Barker than he needs to take care of the ball so that the possession will not “end with a kick.”

– Garrett Johnson’s work summer work ethic impressed Gran. He had this to say about the receiver, “When we left the spring we said he was one of the guys that we needed to have come on this summer, and he worked his tail off. I remember on Saturday’s he’d be in the indoor facility. He was working extra. So, he earned what he’s getting right now.”

– Gran said that Kentucky’s tight ends are catching 95 percent of the balls thrown their way in practice.

– Coach Gran isn’t sure if he will work any specific packages in for backup QB Stephen Johnson.

The University of Utah announced today that senior wide receiver Cory Butler-Byrd has been partially reinstated by head coach Kyle Whittingham effective immediately. What does partially reinstated mean? Well, he is allowed to participate in team activities and practice, but he has not been cleared to return to games.

Butler-Byrd was suspended indefinitely for misdemeanor criminal mischief charges stemming from an incident where he vandalized a police station and car. This news comes one day after Butler-Byrd announced a guilty plea in abeyance, per Kyle Goon of the Salt Lake Tribune. Below is the official definition of a guilty plea in abeyance from the Utah code:

77-2a-1 Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter:

(1) “Plea in abeyance” means an order by a court, upon motion of the prosecution and the defendant, accepting a plea of guilty or of no contest from the defendant but not, at that time, entering judgment of conviction against him nor imposing sentence upon him on condition that he comply with specific conditions as set forth in a plea in abeyance agreement. (2) “Plea in abeyance agreement” means an agreement entered into between the prosecution and the defendant setting forth the specific terms and conditions upon which, following acceptance of the agreement by the court, a plea may be held in abeyance.

According to Goon, Butler-Byrd will have his charges dismissed if he pays restitution of $1,691.50 for the damage he caused, does not have any other criminal offenses in the next year, and obtains mental health counseling. Butler-Byrd would face a prison sentence of up to one year if he fails to meet the terms of his plea deal.

NC State’s depth chart is out, though it doesn’t tease which player will start at quarterback against William & Mary next Thursday. Jalan McClendon and Boise State graduate transfer Ryan Finley are listed as co-starters. Jakobi Meyers, who has been slowed by injury, does not appear to be a significant factor in the QB battle at this point.

Here is the full depth chart, via GoPack.com, which also has a handy breakdown of each position group.

Of note:

— Ryan Finley has been reclassified as a redshirt sophomore and has three years of eligibility remaining. The NCAA granted Finley a medical hardship waiver because he missed the bulk of 2015 with an injury. This is how you end up with the extremely rare case of a grad transfer with three more years of eligibility.

Both Finley and McClendon will play against W&M, unless something changes between now and then.

— Johnny Frasier is listed as fourth-string running back, which is a surprise considering the praise he earned as a scout player last fall. But the three guys ahead of him have real game experience, and he doesn’t. His spot on the depth chart could be an indictment of his conditioning, or he may be slower to grasp the new offense than his peers. (He does have a reputation as a bit of a loafer.)

— Thaddeus Moss is not a fullback, and neither is Jaylen Samuels. It’s better to think of that as the “move” tight end spot, as Dave Doeren would call it, and picture Moss filling a role similar to Samuels’. Doeren has said that Moss can play both TE spots—that includes the Y spot led by Cole Cook.

— The first-string offensive line has pretty much been set for a couple weeks. There is talent but a lot inexperience behind the first five, which is what warrants keeping an eye on. State’s going to need a rotation of some kind, and that’s without addressing any injuries. It’s also interesting (and encouraging or alarming, depending on how you want to frame it) that walk-on Peter Daniel is the second-string right tackle.

— Yep, Kelvin Harmon is going to see the field quite a bit this year. Hope he’s ready because we’re going to need the help.

— No decision has been made between Kyle Bambard and Connor Haskins at placekicker. AJ Cole and Jackson Maples will be handling the punting and kickoff duties, respectively.

— The defensive line is absolutely loaded, and most of these guys should be back in 2017. Big Eurndraus Bryant had a good fall camp and if he’s ready for a breakout campaign, this unit can be really really good.

— No surprises at linebacker or corner, and it will be crucial for State to stay healthy at those positions.

On Sunday we learned that Devin Butler would be suspended indefinitely after being arrested early on Saturday morning. Irish fans were probably wondering what Brian Kelly was waiting for by suspending Butler indefinitely, but he was probably just waiting to see what charges Butler would face. On Tuesday we learned those charges.

Butler’s future at Notre Dame just became a little more clear on Tuesday as the St.Joseph County prosecutors formally charged him with two felonies, one count of resisting law enforcement, the other count of battery of a police officer. Each charge is a level 6 felony, which if he’s convicted could face up to two and half years in prison.

This likely means the end of Butler’s time at Notre Dame. Paul Browne, Notre Dame VP of public affairs and communications, released a statement on Saturday after the news of Butler and the Fulton Five broke that said any Notre Dame student arrested on a felony charge faces dismissal from the university.

Butler played three seasons for the Irish. He played in 32 games and started in three. For his career he tallied 39 tackles in one interception. He never really made an impact on the field in his three seasons playing behind the likes of KeiVarae Russell and Cole Luke. Butler broke his foot during Fiesta Bowl prep last season and refractured it at the beginning of summer, so he wasn’t expected to be back until October at the earliest.

Assuming Butler is dismissed from the university, the Irish won’t be losing much on the field since the corner position is one that is suddenly loaded. The couple of things they will lose is depth and experience. Even though they won’t lose much on the field, it’s still definitely not a good look for the football program or the university.

Make sure to check back with One Foot Down as we’ll be bound to learn about the futures of Te’von Coney, Dexter Williams, Kevin Stepherson and Ashton White in the coming weeks.

I’m hoping I don’t have to go back and do a major revision on this article before it publishes like last year when Korie Rogers just quit out of nowhere during fall camp.  Luckily, that (along with Kendall Joseph’s injury) didn’t end up haunting the team, as Ben Boulware, who is a freaking boss, and B.J. Goodson did iron man work at the position and earned All-ACC honors along the way.  That linebacker room got a lot nastier with the additions of five star Tre Lamar and Shaq Smith, not to mention Boulware 2.0 in Jamie Skalski, who has made a push to play as a true freshman.  This has got to be refreshing for Coach Brent Venables, after no doubt holding his breath most of last year as Boulware and Goodson logged ridiculous snap counts.  Hopefully, improved depth will help cut down on some of the gap busts that led to big plays given up last year.  With the offense this team has, the defense just needs to make the other side earn it and things will be just fine.  So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the position breakdowns.

SAM (Strong Side Linebacker): Projected Starter:  rs Jr. Dorian O’Daniel (181 snaps, 32 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 PBU in 2015)

O’Daniel finally sits atop the depth chart after plugging away as a backup and special teams demon the last two years. He already is the resident GT wrecker, having had two tremendous games against the Jackets, but now he hopes to be the jack of all trades that this position really requires in Coach V’s defense. He can play the run and is fast/quick enough to handle slot and tight end coverage (clocked sub 4.5 this summer). I’ve always been a fan of “DOD” and am looking forward to his getting extended playing time. A true SAM is essential against teams like Auburn who run spread sets but try to run at you the majority of the time.  He brings the second most snap experience to the corps behind Boulware (not counting Wiggins from 2014) and will be a major cog in the machine as a redshirt junior. You would have to say he is an upgrade to the Blanks/Carter combination that handled this duty last season.

Depth: rs Jr. Korrin Wiggins (521 snaps, 40 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 PBU, 2 interceptions in 2014)

Wiggins is coming off that knee injury that took him out of 2015 and is still rounding into shape.  Should the injury bug not hit, the staff should be able to ease him back into the mix.  Wiggins is a very heady player who logged a ton of snaps in 2014, though he isn’t a real playmaker as DOD nearly matched his tackle total in 2014 with a fraction of the snap load.  Of course, doing your freaking job is not to be underestimated and Wiggins was that type of guy and should be again when he sees the field.  Wiggins also has seen work at safety, but I would suspect he will log most of his action at SAM as he works to regain full mobility.  A healthy Wiggins gives the defense a great depth boost and much needed experience to a talented but untested group.

soph. Jalen Williams (85 snaps, 15 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2 sacks in 2015)

Williams was called on to play very little in 2015 and the vast majority of his action came in the Wake Forest game when Boulware first hurt his shoulder and was held out of that mismatch. He is undersized for Will, so the move to SAM makes more sense, though I suspect he might be the backup Will should something happen to Boulware early on in the season. Williams does have a nose for the football and isn’t afraid to go flying in looking for action, but he isn’t able to hold up on blocks like bigger LB’s and can get swallowed up in that regard. It is doubtful Williams ever becomes a major cog in the defense but he can find a role as a backup here and a special teams demon.  Shaq Smith’s development will determine how much, if any, Williams plays Will in addition to SAM work he might draw.

(Note: Obviously this spot will see some action by defensive backs like Ryan Carter and K’von Wallace in pure nickle situations so I am not counting them as linebackers here.)

WILL (Weak Side Linebacker): Projected Starter: Sr. Ben Boulware (850 snaps, 138 tackles, 8 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 7 PBU, 2 Interceptions in 2015: All-ACC).

The undisputed leader of the Clemson defense has to be Ben Boulware, who brings by far the most experience and production to the linebacker group. Boulware is a straight War Daddy, if such a term can apply to a non DL, and put together an All-ACC 2015 while playing with one arm the latter part of the season. Boulware has only added to his legend in the off-season by calling out doubters on Twitter, clowning the Sooners, and stealing the show at ACC media days with his wardrobe choice.  He is the heart and soul of this side of the ball and embodies the type of passion, physicality, and commitment his coordinator and position coach expects. Boulware will be called on once again to shoulder a heavy snap load as the depth behind him is seriously unproven.  His 2015 backup, as mentioned earlier, was Jalen Williams and might be again if, God forbid, something befall Ben in the early part of the season.

DEPTH: Soph. J.D. Davis (19 snaps, 6 tackles in 2015):  Yep, that’s a Davis twin listed second team on the last official depth chart before fall camp.  I’m actually going to state for the record I am hoping one of these Davis twins emerges as a player and validates their place on the roster.  We’ll get the “I told you so” stories from Coach Swinney, but I will take them gladly. The alternative is they eat two scholarships for the next three seasons in a Drew Traylor, Spencer Region fashion. That said, both Davis’s saw heavy special teams action last year.  We’ll see if they are a part of the supposedly revamped special teams units going into this season.  I really don’t feel J.D. would be next up behind Ben, I suspect Jalen Williams would be at this point.

Fr. Shaq Smith:  I’m sure the vast majority of Tiger fans are looking at five star Shaq Smith as the heir apparent to Ben Boulware. That is certainly the outlook for the future, but the jury remains out if Smith will be deemed ready to take on that role this season.  Coach Venables has been hesitant to commit to Smith playing this year the way he has with Tre Lamar.  However, this could very well be motivational as it is hard to imagine Smith not playing as a true freshman.  He simply brings a physical presence that these other WILL candidates don’t.  Not busting and being gap sound is all that stands in the way of Smith being firmly on the second team, but as of August 23, Smith is firmly on the redshirt bubble.  His natural pass rush ability should definitely come into play as the Will tends to blitz more than the other linebacker positions.  Hopefully, the reduction of the package that comes with game planning as opposed to camp will help Smith gain Coach V’s trust.

MIKE (Middle Linebacker): Projected Starter: RS Soph. Kendall Joseph (63 snaps, 11 tackles in 2015).

One of the biggest holes to fill (no pun intended) in the 2016 defense is the one left by All-ACC performer and current New York Giant, B.J. Goodson at Mike.  It is hard to believe that Joseph was beating Goodson out for the starting job prior to suffering an injury that severely limited his 2015 action and production. Knowing the player Goodson was, Tiger fans can only be giddy over the prospect of a healthy Joseph being an upgrade at the position.  Of course, we all know things can change when the lights come on for real so the jury is clearly out on the upgrade thing.  I think I speak for nearly everyone in saying I will gladly take Goodson’s production from Joseph in 2015. The best news here is Joseph won’t have to shoulder nearly the snap load that Goodson had to last year.

DEPTH: Fr. Tre Lamar:  Big Tre is the reason Joseph can be spelled much more than Goodson was in 2015.  Lamar has looked every bit the five star prospect he was when he signed and enrolled early.  It is rare to hear the kind of praise out of Coach Venables, for a player this young, that we have heard this camp.  Lamar is an absolute physical specimen and is the prototype MIKE ‘backer.  This is shaping up to be a situation similar to 2014 at WILL when Tony Steward and Ben Boulware were able to divide snaps at about a 60-40 rate.  Joseph and Lamar only have game experience to gain, but this position appears to be in very good hands for the next two to three years. Keeping a fresh body out there should help cut down on some of the problems in the run game we witnessed down the stretch in 2015.  Lamar could very well be the starter here by the end of the season and the battle should keep both players sharp.

RS Fr. Chad Smith: We have heard very little about the progress of Chad Smith as he comes off his redshirt year until a recent post practice Dabo interview when he discussed him.  There have been reports he has struggled with added weight as he’s a stout 240 pounds now.  I was not even fully sure if he had been working at Will or Mike, but Swinney said he is “behind Tre” which means he’s at MIKE now after beginning at WILL.  He wasn’t listed on the last official depth chart.  Smith may very well become the type of player his four star rating suggested coming in, but it could be on the Eric Mac Lain or Kevin Dodd trajectory where patience is required.

Wild Card: Fr. Jamie Skalski:  I was with many others in feeling Skalski’s hope to play as a true freshman would come if he could win the kickoff job.  However, he’s gotten some love and appears to be on the bubble to play this year as a linebacker.  This is something to monitor because Skalski could very well emerge as a factor for depth at Will.

COACHING: Brent Venables has done a magnificent job turning the Clemson defense into a consistent top 10 performer after several years of underachievement in the Swinney era.  Even throughout the down years of the 1990s and early 2000s, most of Clemson’s top talent could be found on this side of the ball.  Everything flipped when Chad Morris came to town and the offensive production took off like a rocket.  Now the program has found the balance required on both sides to seriously contend for the national title.  Elevation in recruiting has been a major part of this, but talent alone doesn’t win and Coach V’s efforts (along with his staff) should be commended.  Coach V has also provided a serious upgrade as a position coach for the linebackers over Kevin Steele. Clemson had ZERO All-ACC linebackers from 2009 to 2012 (continuing a trend from the Bowden era), but beginning in 2013, Clemson has had at least one first, second, or third team linebacker on the All ACC team (5 selections in the last three years). It hasn’t just been guys like five star Stephone Anthony either, as lightly recruited Spencer Shuey was a third team selection in 2013 and B.J. Goodson was second team last year.  That speaks volumes to the upgrade Venables has provided at this position and the defense as a whole.  A defense approaching the top 10 this season should put Clemson in Tampa and cement Venables as one of the top 2 or 3 defensive coordinators in the land considering the roster turnover the last two seasons.

Most of the attention for 2018 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) 4-star CB Al Blades Jr. is if he will follow in his fathers footsteps. His father, Miami great Al Blades, who played in the NFL for a couple of years.

Blades was once committed to Miami, but after all the hype surrounding his father’s legacy and the Al Golden firing, he decided to decommit. However, this time around he will take his time and evaluate all of his options.

“My father (Al Blades) attending Miami doesn’t play a factor in my recruitment,” Blades said. “It just makes people think I should go there. I don’t have a leader or top five, but they will be up there. Miami, Florida State, Florida and Alabama are standing out but those are just a few.”

Despite his commitment from the Canes, he is still heavily considering Miami. In fact, back in July he visited the Paradise Camp and had a very good time hanging out with the coaches and checking out the campus.

“It was great, I drove around the campus on a tour and basically was informed on the program. I think the U will always be one of the greatest programs around because of it’s rich tradition. No matter what the record turns out to be, kids will always love the program and go there.”

Miami made a huge impression on Blades during his visit a few months ago. The coaching staff might just be able to climb up his list of schools as he plans to visit Coral Gables multiple times this season, including a confirmed visit to Florida State on October 8th.

“After the season and I plan on going to some games, I will be at the Florida State game for sure. I look forward to seeing how the defense operates together and I want to see if there’s opportunity to make plays there.”

Blades hasn’t had a ton of contact with the Miami coaching staff, but things are starting to look different than when he first committed to Miami when Al Golden was the head coach.

“I haven’t had that much contact with the staff, but we have had some communication. I talk to the two DB coaches; Banda and Rumph. They are wonderful coaches and people.”

The St. Thomas Aquinas standout plans to announce his commitment sometime during his senior season of high school. Miami looks to be in prime position to regain a commitment from one of South Florida’s top CB prospects and 11th ranked CB according to 247Sports.

“There’s a certain standard at Ohio State. And it shouldn’t change for anybody. I don’t care how many people you lost.”

– J.T. Barrett via Jack McCluskey, The Ringer

Ohio State’s mantra for the 2016 season is “The Edge” and head coach Urban Meyer and quarterback J.T. Barrett know what it takes to push through that edge to the other side. After winning a national championship in 2014, the Buckeyes faltered a bit during “The Grind” of 2015 and now have the task of preparing one of the youngest teams that Meyer has had during his tenure in Columbus. But Ohio State was a young team in 2014, and as Meyer has said, if players break out in a similar way to many of the young players from two seasons ago, a run to the playoff is certainly possible.

With Barrett the unquestioned leader of the team, it’s no surprise that he’s not backing down from the expectations at Ohio State. Even with losing so many starters, the Buckeyes have an abundance of talent at nearly every position. From this point, it’s all about pushing beyond that edge for the young players looking to find that championship-level of play. Despite the inexperience across the roster, the Associated Press ranked the Buckeyes sixth in the country, so it’s not just Ohio State fans that have high expectations about the talent on this year’s roster.

“He’s doing what we brought him here for. A cover linebacker, being fast out there. And he’s also stopping the run.”

– Sheldon Richardson via Daniel Popper, New York Daily News

Former Buckeye linebacker Darron Lee is starting to make serious strides on the next level as training camp for the New York Jets continues. Teammates of Lee have begun singing their praises of the rookie linebacker. With the speed to be a very good cover linebacker and the aggressiveness to help with blitzing and run defense, Lee was a solid prospect coming into the NFL draft, which is why the Jets took him with the 20th pick of the first round.

There are still some growing pains, but it’s a learning process for Lee. The article mentions a time that Lee bit on a fake from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brandon Marshall was quick to point it out. Since then, Lee has picked up more of the mental aspect of the game and has since played well in scrimmages and the like. In fact, in the practice mentioned in the article, Lee had intercepted two of Fitzpatrick’s passes that day.

“[Reese’s Senior Bowl 2017 Watch List] Pat Elflein, Center. Corey Smith, Wide Receiver.”

– Senior Bowl

Two members of Ohio State were featured on the latest watch list. This time, the Reese’s Senior Bowl 2017 was the list, with center Pat Elflein and wide receiver Corey Smith making appearances alongside a sizable list of college seniors. Elflein was a clear choice having 29 career starts and being made a First-Team All-Big Ten selection for the past two seasons. Smith has been quieter in his accolades but is still a solid receiver for the Buckeyes having played during the 2014 national championship run and even coming up with some big plays.

A sixth-year senior, Smith suffered a broken leg against Indiana in 2015 and earned an additional year of eligibility due to the injury. Now he returns to the Buckeyes with a chance to go out with a bang as one of the few veteran wide receivers on the team. Urban Meyer called Smith one of his favorite players on the roster last season when Smith went down with the injury, and with another shot at donning the scarlet and gray, expect some more big plays from the senior wideout.

STICK TO SPORTS:

Some games I’ll be at this year #Blessed pic.twitter.com/sDT7jpT2Bf

— Antwuan Johnson (@Antwuan21) August 23, 2016