TENNESSEE
Vols missing 2 LBs
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee will again be without injured linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Darrin Kirkland Jr. when the ninth-ranked Volunteers play at Texas A&M on Saturday.
Vols Coach Butch Jones said Wednesday that Reeves-Maybin wouldn't play against the eighth-ranked Aggies (5-0, 3-0 SEC). Jones said Wednesday night on his radio show that Kirkland also would be sidelined for the Texas A&M game.
Reeves-Maybin, a team captain who led the Volunteers in tackles last season, has been dealing with a shoulder injury. Reeves-Maybin missed the entirety of a 34-31 victory at Georgia last week, and he also sat out the majority of the Vols' triumphs over Ohio and Florida.
"We continue to try to gather information for him and further evaluation to see what's in his best interest, short-term [and] long-term," Jones said.
This will mark the fourth consecutive game Kirkland has missed due to a high ankle sprain. Tennessee (5-0, 2-0) also continues to play without cornerback Cam Sutton, who fractured his ankle in the Ohio game.
Jones said the status of running back Jalen Hurd is day to day. Jones said Hurd has a lower extremity injury.
TEXAS
Strong support
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas president sent a statement of support Wednesday for beleaguered football Coach Charlie Strong ahead of the Longhorns' rivalry game against Oklahoma.
President Greg Fenves tweeted that he had a "great call" with Strong and the university is behind its athletes and coaches for the game and the rest of the season. Fenves' office did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
Strong is 13-16 in three seasons and under pressure to turn things around. Strong demoted defensive coordinator Vance Bedford this week after the Longhorns gave up 50 and 49 points in consecutive losses.
After last week's loss at Oklahoma State, Athletic Director Mike Perrin told a reporter he needed to evaluate what happened. A school spokesman said the comments were about the coaching staff needing to evaluate the game.
ACC
Schedule to stay 8 games
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference is keeping its league football schedule at eight games.
The conference issued a statement Wednesday saying its athletic directors voted to continue playing an eight-game schedule with at least one game against a power-conference opponent.
The ACC had been considering expanding the conference schedule to nine games, but did not reach a decision during discussions two months ago.
Schools that play yearly rivalry games against Southeastern Conference teams preferred an eight-game schedule because that would give them some flexibility and keep the schedule balanced with four home games and four on the road.
Those that preferred a nine-game schedule argued there might not be enough nonconference opponents with openings to fill those schedules.
NCAA
Reforms proposed
The NCAA wants to restrict when and where college football coaches can hold satellite camps and implement two early signing periods for high school prospects.
The two proposals by the Division I Council were recommended by the football oversight committee as part of comprehensive reforms to recruiting. The council also recommended allowing FBS schools to have 10 assistant coaches.
The proposals need to be approved by the Board of Directors and would go into effect for the 2017-18 year.
Under the proposals, coaches would be limited to 10 days during the summer during which they could participate in camps with high school prospects. Coaches could still participate in camps on other college campuses, but not at high schools.
Two 72-hour early signing periods would be held in June and December.
13 additional lawsuits filed
The NCAA is now facing 43 class-action lawsuits related to the handling of concussions by Division I football programs after 13 more were filed Wednesday.
The complaints also name college conferences and in some cases schools. The Chicago-based law firm Edelson PC has been filing the lawsuits in batches since May.
The latest are on behalf of former players from Texas A&M, UCLA, Maryland, Richmond, Idaho, South Carolina, Mississippi, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Alabama and Iowa.
Earlier this week, former players from Memphis, Ball State, Rutgers, Eastern Michigan and Florida A&M filed lawsuits.
The players are seeking damages for injuries they claim are the result of mishandled concussions they suffered while playing college football.
A judge in a previous case ruled one large class-action concussion lawsuit could not be filed against the NCAA.
Sports on 10/06/2016