NCAA

FSU star Marvin Wilson -- a projected 1st-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft -- says he's boycotting team workouts after he claims his coach lied about individually speaking with players in the wake of George Floyd's death.

"Me and my teammates as a whole are outraged and we will not be working out until further notice," the defensive lineman said Wednesday night.

Here's the backstory ... FSU head coach Mike Norvell was asked by The Athletic's Tashan Reed about how he's handling the unrest in America over Floyd's tragic death with his Seminoles team.

In his answer, Norvell was quoted as saying, "We've had a lot of open communication with our team, our players and our coaches. I went back and forth individually with every player this weekend."

"And that was something that was important to me because this is a heartbreaking time in our country."

But, shortly after the coach's comments were posted on social media ... Wilson called BS.

"Man this [crap] did not happen mane," 21-year-old Wilson wrote. "We got a generated text that was sent to everybody. There was no one on one talk between us and coach."

Several current FSU players -- many of whom returned to campus this week after COVID-19 closures -- backed Wilson's response with retweets and emoji quote tweets.

In another part of the statement attributed to 38-year-old Norvell, he added, "I told these guys just how grateful I am to be a part of this journey with them because they are the future."

The coach has not yet publicly commented on his star player's allegations.

As for Wilson, a boycott of FSU is serious business ... the team leader has a chance to be a top-10 pick in next April's NFL draft -- and is expected to be one of the best college football players in the country in 2020.

Tyler Judson -- a Tulane Univ. football player -- was arrested Monday ... this after he was accused of punching a woman so hard in the face at a Louisiana Waffle House, she required a trip to the hospital.

The mother of the alleged victim told WWL-TV her daughter was at the popular restaurant in Zachary, LA in the early morning hours of Memorial Day ... when a fight with Judson broke out.

The mom claims her daughter didn't know Judson prior to the incident and didn't start it ... but says she was punched by the Green Wave safety anyway -- causing severe injuries.

The woman says her daughter suffered "multiple facial fractures" and will require surgery to fix the issues. She also says the 18-year-old's eyes were still swollen shut as of Wednesday.

Jail records show Judson was arrested and booked on a charge of felony second-degree battery Monday. Records also show he bonded out shortly after.

Tulane Univ. said in a statement to media outlets it's suspending Judson immediately, saying, "Tulane Athletics is aware of Tyler Judson’s arrest."

"He has been suspended indefinitely from the Tulane football program. Tulane Athletics will have no further comment at this time."

Judson -- a redshirt freshman -- appeared in four games for the Green Wave in 2019, logging three total tackles.

He came to Tulane as a fairly touted national recruit, reportedly picking the school over offers from Baylor, Ole Miss and others.

A group of 850 former Kentucky Wildcats cheerleaders are rallying behind the coaches fired over wild hazing allegations ... demanding they get their jobs back!

As we previously reported, UK axed the cheer team's advisor, head coach and 3 assistants after investigation into a crazy team lake retreat back in February.

The school claims the retreat was debaucherous -- with allegations of team members being forced to booze and perform topless and bottomless cheerleading stunts.

Several active members of the team have disputed the allegations -- but the school fired the staff anyway ... citing results of a 3-month investigation.

Now, the UK Cheerleading Alumni Association is going to bat for the staff in a strongly worded letter to school honchos.

"To say the UK cheerleading advisor and coaches lack integrity is insulting," the alumni statement says.

"To suggest that the advisor and coaches didn’t provide proper oversight is absurd. To so harshly penalize a program -- especially one that has led such an exemplary existence for four-plus decades -- is unfair!"

"Although what is alleged to have happened with the current squads is regrettable, we support them too, because we believe no person should be defined by their mistakes."

The group added this message for the fired coaches -- "You were always there for us. We're proud to return the favor."

Auburn legend Pat Dye -- one of the greatest college football coaches ever -- is hospitalized in Georgia after testing positive for coronavirus.

80-year-old Dye is a College Football Hall of Famer who's credited with making Auburn a powerhouse in the '80s ... winning 4 SEC titles and racking up a 99-39-4 record from '81 to '92.

Dye famously coached Bo Jackson during his Heisman Trophy season in 1985.

But now, he's battling serious health issues -- including kidney problems -- according to an email sent to members of his sister's church.

"Please join us in praying for and lifting up Jayne Snell's brother, Pat Dye," the email said.

"Jayne says he is very weak, and is experiencing loss of appetite and some confusion."

"Please help us lift Pat up in prayer so that God may help him. Pat is loved by many people far and wide and there is no better reminder of this love than constant prayer for him and his family."

One of the most anticipated college football games of 2020 will NOT go down as scheduled ... so says FS1 star Colin Cowherd, who reports USC vs. Alabama in Sept. won't happen.

"Told by two people I trust -- USC v Alabama isn't happening," "The Herd" host said. "Trojans can’t even practice in LA potentially for several months. This is why Bama already talking to other possible opponents."

The game's currently scheduled for Sept. 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas ... but with the Pac-12's home schools' states still imposing some of the most strict stay-at-home orders in the nation ... the game is in serious jeopardy.

In fact, with officials in Los Angeles -- home of both UCLA and USC -- announcing Monday their coronavirus lockdown orders could last all the way until AT LEAST August, things are looking super grim for the season as a whole, let alone the schools' opening matchups.

And, Cowherd says he's already hearing the Bama-SC opener cancellation is coming.

"Not official but understood," Colin reported Tuesday night.

There have already been reports the Tide is looking into replacements for USC ... with the school reportedly in talks with TCU for a new season opener.

But, SC athletic director Mike Bohn said in a statement late Tuesday the Trojans still regularly communicate with the Tide and "have every intention of playing our game against Alabama" despite the pessimism.

Tennessee State running back Jordan Bell is recovering after doctors amputated part of his left leg following a motorcycle crash ... and he's already got his sites set on playing football again!

20-year-old Bell was riding his red 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 in Nashville on April 4 -- when he hit a pothole, lost control and was thrown from the bike into a concrete wall.

Several bystanders rushed to help -- and emergency responders were called to the scene to treat the severe injuries, including broken bones and severed nerves.

Unfortunately, Bell's left leg was so damaged in the crash, doctors decided it was in his best interest to amputate below the knee.

Now, the running back is recovering at home -- which SUCKS even more because of the COVID-19 pandemic -- which is why his teammates organized a social distancing visit to show their support.

Several players and coaches (wearing masks) brought signs and balloons to Bell's home on April 29 -- and you can see in the pics, Bell was clearly moved by the gesture.

Bell is currently undergoing physical therapy and will be fitted for a prosthetic so he can walk again.

But, get this ... according to family members, one of Jordan's goals is to "eventually play football again."

Hey, with his work ethic and attitude, anything's possible!

Meanwhile, Bell's family has started a GoFundMe to raise money for the medical bills -- and the fundraiser was already approved by the NCAA.

Like father, like son!!

NFL legend Jim Brown's son, Aris, is following in his dad's footsteps ... by committing to play lacrosse at the collegiate level.

Of course, the Cleveland Browns Hall of Famer was an All-American LAX player at Syracuse ... and even admitted it may have been his best sport over football.

The dude wasn't joking ... he's in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and was one of the first African-American superstars in the sport.

18-year-old Aris, a 4-year starter at Sierra Canyon H.S. -- who plays midfield, just like pops did -- announced the next step in his LAX career this week ... saying he's "very proud" to commit to playing at Hampton University.

"I’d like to thank God, my family, friends, and coaches for helping me through the way," the Sierra Canyon HS star said on IG.

Brown also shared a pic of his unique signing day moment -- wearing a mask while inking his name on his papers.

It's a move that's gotta be dad-approved -- Jim was elated when Hampton became the first HBCU school to have a Division 1 lacrosse team back in 2016.

Teshaun Hightower -- a Tulane men's basketball star who just declared for the 2020 NBA Draft -- was arrested this weekend for felony murder, records show.

Officials believe the 22-year-old is involved in the April 8 shooting death of a man in Stockbridge, GA. Cops say the Green Wave star is one of six people who they believe contributed to the murder.

Law enforcement has not yet released further details surrounding the shooting.

Hightower was arrested Saturday at 9:50 PM, according to jail records, and was booked on 8 charges, including felony murder and felony aggravated assault. No bond was listed for the NCAA star.

Tulane announced in a statement shortly after his arrest, "Upon learning of Teshaun’s arrest this afternoon, he was immediately dismissed from the Tulane basketball program."

Hightower had just declared himself eligible for the NBA draft on April 18 ... this after he posted a monster season in 2019-20.

The shooting guard/point guard started 29 games for the Green Wave, averaged 34.3 minutes per game and posted a team-high 15.9 points per game.

Hightower also logged 4.6 rebounds per game ... and had intended to come back to the school if his NBA draft prospects weren't favorable.

There can only be one Tiger King and it sure as hell ain't Netflix star Joe Exotic ... so says LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who's deemed Joe Burrow the REAL owner of that title.

Of course, Joe is one of the greatest LSU Tigers in school history despite only 2 years with the program ... and he broke a bunch of school records during his run in Baton Rouge.

Coach O agrees ... 'cause when he was randomly asked about Netflix's mega-hit docuseries prior to Thursday's draft ... he made sure to mention his former superstar QB is the only guy worthy of the title.

"None of that 'Tiger King' business," Orgeron told ESPN. "There's only one Tiger King and he's fixin' to get drafted first tonight!!!"

Well, as it turns out Coach O's TRUE Tiger King is about to remain a tiger ... 'cause the Cincinnati Bengals are CERTAINLY drafting the Ohio kid with the #1 overall pick in a little bit. It's a matter of WHEN not IF.

"I don't know if I've ever seen any college player better than he played last year."

That's Brett Favre heaping a TON of praise on Joe Burrow ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks the LSU QB's 2019 season was the greatest of all time!!!

Of course, Burrow's stats back up the claim ... the 23-year-old completed 76.3 percent of his passes for 5,671 yards and scored 65 total (rushing and passing) TDs -- but it's still shocking to hear the Packers legend make the claim nonetheless.

Remember, there are some straight-up ICONIC seasons from college football players over the years from dudes like Cam Newton, Barry Sanders, Johnny Manziel, Tim Tebow, Vince Young and Reggie Bush.

But, Favre tells us Burrow's year just tops them all.

"In fact, [Burrow's] team was incredible," Favre says. "Best college team I've ever seen. And, the best play by a college quarterback in history."

So, just how do Burrow's numbers compare with guys like Newton, Tebow, Young and Manziel?

Newton in 2010: 2,854 passing yards, 30 passing TDs, 1,473 rushing yards, 20 rushing TDs

Manziel in 2012: 3,706 passing yards, 26 passing TDs, 1,410 rushing yards, 21 rushing TDs

Tebow in 2007: 3,286 passing yards, 32 passing TDs, 895 rushing yards, 23 rushing TDs

Young in 2005: 3,036 passing yards, 26 passing TDs, 1050 rushing yards, 12 rushing TDs

Yeah, Favre might have a point here!!

As for Burrow's future in the NFL -- ya gotta hear which legendary QB Brett thinks Joe most plays like.

By the way, the Packers legend also reminisced with us about his draft day experience in 1991 ... and he even opened up about that epic draft night photo!!

Gianna Bryant and her Mamba Academy teammates will be memorialized in a big way Friday night ... the WNBA is set to make them honorary picks in the org's annual draft, according to Vanessa Bryant.

GiGi, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester -- who all passed away in a helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant -- will get the honor at some point during the televised selection process.

Of course, it's a huge deal for the trio ... they all had WNBA aspirations before their tragic deaths in January -- and Vanessa praised the tribute on social media Friday.

The league's show -- which is slated to be entirely virtual this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic -- is set to kick off at 4 PM PT on ESPN.

The WNBA becomes the latest in a long line of organizations, celebs and athletes that have paid tribute to the victims following the devastating helicopter wreck.

Remember, the Lakers held an emotional remembrance ceremony before their game against the Trailblazers on Jan. 31 ... while players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis got tribute tattoos.

Meanwhile, UConn -- Gianna's dream school to hoop at -- also paid tribute to Kobe's daughter by laying out a No. 2 jersey before its game in late January.

Others, like NBA stud Lou Williams, had murals of Kobe and GiGi painted to pay respects following the tragedy.

Two O'Neals are better than one ... just ask the LSU hoops program!

Shaq's 18-year-old daughter, Amirah O'Neal, announced she's headed to Baton Rouge to play basketball for the Tigers next season ... just months after her big bro, Shareef, committed to LSU.

"I am excited to say that I have decided to commit to being a student athlete at LSU along side my brother @shareefoneal," Amirah said on IG.

"I am Sooooo grateful to spend my next 4 years as a Tiger."

Of course, both O'Neals are following in their father's famous footsteps -- Shaq is an LSU legend who balled out in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center from '89 to '92 before lighting up the NBA.

As for Amirah (who's 6'3" tall) -- SHE'S LEGIT -- averaging 17.2 points per game during her high school career at Crossroads in Santa Monica.

She was also an Honorable Mention to the MaxPreps 2019 California All-State Girls Basketball Team.

Shareef -- who recently announced he was transferring to LSU after a short stint at UCLA -- he's VERY excited about Amirah's decision.

"THE BROTHER SISTER DUO," Shareef posted on social media ... "Congrats to my sister on committing to LSU."

The 6'9" Shareef was a top-ranked high school player before heading to UCLA in 2018  -- but his freshman season ended before it began after doctors discovered an irregularity with his heart.

DePaul's former softball coach allegedly punched his assistant in the face and repeatedly verbally abused players ... but school officials did nothing about it -- this according to a new lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the suit, one of the mental health doctors DePaul used regularly, Jenny Conviser, alleges she uncovered a pattern of abuse stemming from Eugene Lenti's softball program.

FYI, Lenti is a legend at the school ... coaching there for nearly 40 years and racking up more than 1,000 career wins.

Conviser -- a noted sports psychologist who worked with DePaul from 2005-2018 -- says in meetings with student-athlete patients in 2016 ... they told her Lenti exhibited abusive behavior often.

In the docs, Conviser says players told her the coach often called them "f**king whores" and "regularly punched them about their bodies," among other things.

Conviser says when she brought this to the attention of school officials ... they failed to properly investigate -- and says it's all because Lenti's sister, Jean Lenti Ponsetto, was the program's athletic director.

Conviser says in 2018, a similar incident happened ... when a patient told her Lenti, during a dispute, "had punched in the face his female Associate Head Coach."

Yet Conviser says when she brought this up to the school once again ... she claims officials not only didn't look into the allegations -- they attempted to cover them up.

In the docs, Conviser alleges the school allowed Lenti to "slip out the back door" and quietly retire. She also says the school fired Lenti's entire staff, including the alleged victim of the punching attack.

Conviser also claims the school terminated its involvement with her and her medical companies ... and also defamed her by painting her as a "befuddled and disgruntled vendor crassly using DePaul’s patients’ well-being as an excuse to extort money."

Conviser is now suing the school -- but not Lenti or other officials -- for retaliation, breach of contract, defamation and more.

We've reached out to DePaul for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

As for Lenti, he unretired one year after leaving DePaul ... and was hired as an assistant coach on Auburn's softball staff in 2019. He's currently still on the school's coaching roster.

We've reached out to Auburn for comment as well, but no word back yet there either.

G.O.A.T. blood clearly runs thick in the Brady fam ...

Tom Brady's niece -- a BEAST on the UCLA softball diamond -- just won a huge national award ... and yeah, the Bradys are now officially good at everything!!

If you weren't aware ... Maya Brady -- the daughter of Tom's older sister -- was a coveted softball recruit last year who chose the Bruins over a bunch of other offers.

And, before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic ... she CRUSHED it in her first collegiate season -- leading the team with 7 home runs and batting an absurd .356!!

Softball America named her its 2020 Freshman Player of the Year this week ... now cementing her as one of the best players on the globe.

Of course, we should've seen this coming ... remember when Tom posted footage of their family dodgeball game back in 2018??

Yeah, she was the one FIRING LASERS AT THE QB LEFT AND RIGHT!!!

Trent Dilfer thinks whoever drafts Tua Tagovailoa in two weeks is getting a future NFL legend ... saying the Alabama quarterback has straight-up Hall of Fame potential.

"He throws better than Aaron Rodgers and Dan Marino," Dilfer told The Washington Post this week.

Of course, the ex-NFL QB is a bit biased ... he's been a key figure in training Tua to get ready for the draft -- but he claims Tagovailoa is as good a prospect as he's ever seen, nonetheless.

"He throws the football better than anyone throws the football," Dilfer said ... "Whoever gets him wins the draft because you are getting a Hall of Fame player.”

Tua would have been in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick on April 23 if he hadn't suffered a dislocated hip during the Tide's game against Mississippi State last November.

But, the injury issue, coupled with other minor ailments he suffered during his Alabama career have made him less of a lock to go in the top 5 now.

Dilfer, though, says the 22-year-old is healing up nicely ... and claims the guy is a better prospect than Joe Burrow.

"There are some really, really good quarterbacks in this draft, but the best one is Tua."

Most mock drafts have Tagovailoa going No. 5 overall to the Miami Dolphins ... so could we really see the next Marino in Miami soon???