Todd Bowles speaks.

So electric returner/receiver Tez Johnson, the Bucs’ seventh-round draft pick, isn’t getting much of a pay raise this season to play for Tampa Bay.

He’ll pull in about $865,000. That’s in the ballpark of earnings for a stud receiver at the University of Oregon, which Johnson was.

Yes, times have changed. That’s why fans aren’t treated to as many wildly emotional draft-night scenes. So many players already hit the lottery in college and have more of a professional mindset.

Asked about how life-changing earnings for college athletes, NIL money, has affected evaluation of college prospects this week on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Todd Bowles had a thoughtful answer.

“I don’t think it hurts when you’re evaluating a player. I think it hurts when you’re evaluating the person,” Bowles said.

“When you’re evaluating why they’re taking the money or how they’re taking the money or if they keep transferring from schools, you try to find out the ‘why’ in that category. The player is gonna be the player.

“I think we’re all still trying to figure how the NIL is working and how that affects everybody in the league. And everybody’s still scrambling in college as well as in the NFL. But the player itself, the tape and the practice habits will tell you a lot about the person.

“The character tells you a lot about the person. We try to pick high character guys and understand that some people need the money and may use it as a motivation. Some people play for the love of the game; some people play to take care of their families. It’s up to us, it’s up to the scouts. It’s up for everybody to decipher what kind of person we’re bringing in the building and we try to make sure we bring in the right person. Obviously, money talks in a lot of cases and these guys aren’t desperate to get the league money now that they can get the college money. I mean, they’re handing out like hotcakes over there.

“But there’s still a lot of guys where the NFL is the pinnacle and they work at it and they find their craft, and they want to be the best in the league. And those are the guys you try to take.”

The Bucs certainly seem to have found the right formula.

Ira Kaufman Recaps Day 3 Of The Draft, Grades The Bucs’ Haul, Talks Shilo Sanders, Deeper Meaning And Debates The Top-3 Most Critical Bucs, And More

This is the fourth time in program history that Tech has reached 40 wins, and the first time since 2012. Tech will also finish with an 18-2 (.900) record at Rocky Johnson Field making it the winningest home season in program history.

How it happened:

Chloe Riassetto improved to 7-2 on the season after throwing 3.0 innings and allowing just two hits. Samantha Lincoln came in relief for the final 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit.

Tech’s offense got going in the second inning with RBI singles from Alana Johnson and Bailey Lindemuth to give the Red Raiders an early 2-0 lead.

The Red Raiders added five more runs in the third inning highlighted by NiJaree Canady’s seventh home run of the season. Johnson and Victoria Valdez also added RBI with a single and double, respectively, while Mihyia Davis scored after tagging up to go to third and then crossing home thanks to an errant throw.

Davis scored again in the fourth inning with her base running after Demi Elder stole second, Davis then sprinted home on the throw to score the eighth run of the game. Lauren Allred capped of a 3-for-3 day with an RBI double to complete the scoring for Tech.

UP NEXT: Tech will close out the regular season on the road in Provo for a three-game series with BYU.

 

For too long, the Southeastern Conference has played an eight-game conference schedule.

That was even before the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma’s additions brought the league’s total members up to 16 total. And yet, the eight-game conference schedule—at times, with decent arguments to remain so—has stayed.

However, it seems as though change could be on the horizon.

… thanks to the College Football Playoff.

From CBS Sports:

“Following the historic meeting between the two conferences in Nashville back in October, Big Ten and SEC athletic directors and conference leadership met in New Orleans Wednesday to discuss a variety of topics, including changes to the College Football Playoff — and, in the SEC’s case, whether to expand its own conference schedule.

While Wednesday’s outcome didn’t lead to any direct changes, it’s clear the Big Ten and SEC are continuing to make their case for a CFP takeover. …”

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LONGHORNS

Austin American-Statesman: Texas had the most players drafted over the past two years. Here’s how.

Dallas Morning News: Is Texas QB Arch Manning the next No. 1 pick in NFL draft? Experts make their predictions

247Sports: Four Downs: Quinn Ewers made the right decision, Texas football’s NFL approach, Ryan Watts and more

Inside Texas: Video Reheat: Texas strengthens RBU legacy and CFB’s wildest offseason storylines

Inside Texas: Steve Sarkisian urges fans to be patiently supportive of Arch Manning as he lives out a lifelong dream

ICYMI IN BURNT ORANGE NATION

Steve Sarkisian: Texas football’s class of 2023 has ‘winning in their DNA’

Don’t underestimate former Texas QB Quinn Ewers’ future role with Miami Dolphins

Former Texas WR Johntay Cook seems likely to land at Syracuse

Former Texas RB Savion Red hits the transfer portal once again, lands at Sacramento State

RECRUITING ROUNDUP

247Sports: Texas makes top six for EDGE target Dre Quinn

247Sports: Top-10 overall 2027 prospect Joshua Dobson feels like Texas could be his home

Inside Texas: K’Adrian Redmond talks Texas visit, Kenny Baker connection, and top schools in 2027 recruitment

Inside Texas: The point guard recruit that could define Sean Miller’s first season at Texas

SEC SHOWDOWN

Austin American-Statesman: How high is Texas softball ranked after losing to Oklahoma?

Rock M Nation: Mizzou baseball falls to KU in Lawrence

Rocky Top Talk: Transfer Portal: Former Louisiana Tech guard Amaree Abram commits to Tennessee

A Sea Of Blue: Kentucky to visit 5-star guard Jordan Smith

WHAT WE’RE READING

SB Nation: Full results, updates for the road to the Stanley Cup

SB Nation: The Browns’ reaction to the Shedeur Sanders pick was subdued, like their other selections

SB Nation: Could Travis Hunter win both Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors?

NEWS ACROSS LONGHORN NATION AND BEYOND

• Apparently Quinn Ewers never took a dime from Texas Athletics.

FRISCO – Two East Texas A&M University softball players have earned all-Southland Conference recognition as both Tatum Wright and Maddie Cason were named to the all-Southland teams on Wednesday morning.
 
Wright (Frisco – Centennial) was named to second team all-Southland as a first baseman, while Cason (Honey Grove) was named to second team all-Southland outfield.
 
Leading the conference in home runs during conference play, Wright batted .338 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in the 25 conference games that she appeared in. Her 26 RBIs put her in fifth and her slugging percentage is also second in the SLC. On the season, she batted .307 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs as the Lions led the Southland with 35 team home runs. Wright was also the Southland’s Hitter of the Week last week.
 
Cason was the Lions’ batting average leader, hitting .329 on the season and scored 24 runs, while recording seven RBIs, four triples, and went 11 for 13 in stolen base attempts. She also had a .983 fielding percentage in the outfield, which put her in 17^th in the conference. Cason was also top 25 in the conference in batting average and top 20 in stolen bases.
 

The two Lions on the 2025 Southland Softball All-Conference honors are the most in a single season since moving up to NCAA Division I and joining the conference for the program. East Texas A&M has now had three all-conference honorees in the SLC era.
 
The Lions clinched their postseason berth in the Division I era and begin the 2025 Southland Conference Tournament on Thursday at top-seed McNeese at 3 p.m.
 
2025 SOFTBALL ALL-SOUTHLAND TEAMS
Player of the Year — Victoria Altamirano, UIW
Hitter of the Year — Victoria Altamirano, UIW
Pitcher of the Year — Maddie Taylor, McNeese
Freshman of the Year — Kassidy Chance, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year — Macie LaRue, Southeastern
Coach of the Year — James Landreneau, McNeese

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

 

-ETAMU-

Now that the Texas Tech softball team has secured the first Big 12 Conference title in program history, the Red Raiders can focus on padding their résumé in hopes of hosting an NCAA regional next month.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Chattanooga’s Peja Goold was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Pitcher of the Week for the fourth consecutive week and sixth time this season.
 
She went 2-0 in the Mocs’ series against Samford, striking out 17 total over three games. In her first game, she struck out eight in a come-from-behind walk-off win. During the second game, the Stockton, Calif., native struck out nine and had a no-hitter going into the sixth. Goold finished allowing two hits and one run in the 5-1 victory.
 
Goold is third in the NCAA for shutouts with eight and ninth with 207 strikeouts this season. She leads the Southern Conference in complete games, ERA, hits allowed per seven innings, innings pitched, shutouts, strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings, victories and WHIP.
 
Chattanooga moved into first place over the weekend, sweeping Samford who was tied for the conference lead heading into the three-game series. UNCG fell in two of three games on the road at Mercer leaving Chattanooga out front by a game-and-a-half over the Spartans. The Mocs entered the D1Softball Mid-Major Top 25 Wednesday with a 36-12 overall record.
 
The Mocs close out the home slate tonight against non-conference foe Tennessee Tech at 5:00 p.m. at Frost Stadium and finish the regular season on the road at SoCon rival ETSU. The pair will play one game Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. and a double header Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA SOFTBALL
For the most up-to-date information and news regarding Chattanooga Softball, please follow @GoMocsSB on Twitter & Instagram and ChattanoogaSB on Facebook.
 
SOFTBALL
Feb. 11 | Player: Danielle Jason (Tusculum); Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
Feb. 18 | Player: Abbie Buckner (Sewanee); Pitcher: Reagen Huskey (Sewanee)
Feb. 25 | Player: Brianna Asmondy (Trevecca): Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
March 4 | Player: Hayden Dye (Carson-Newman); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
March 11 | Player: Presley Williamson (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
March 18 | Player: Morgan Jennings (Union University); Pitcher: Ashlan Sensing (Trevecca Nazarene)
March 25 | Player: Abbee Klinefelter (Tennessee Tech); Pitcher: Maya Johnson (Belmont)
April 1 | Player: Alyssa Suits (King University); Pitcher: Taylor Long (Chattanooga)

April 8 | Player: Kailey Snell (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
April 15 | Player: Kailey Snell (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
April 22 | Player: Olivia Lipari (Chattanooga); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)
April 29 | Player: Morgan Jennings (Union); Pitcher: Peja Goold (Chattanooga)