American Conference Launches Modernized Brand Identity Ahead of Football Media Days; Pirate Nation invited to kickoff event in Charlotte … Cliff Godwin and the Pirates are in the midst of putting together potentially their best offseason yet,,, Memphis Tigers left empty-handed after bold Big 12 proposal falls flat

Pirate Press: ECU Headlines

ecupirates.com

• Pirates Garner ITA All-Academic Team Honors
• Pirates Earn AVCA Team Academic Award For Fifth Straight Season

AAC unveils new name, slogan for the conference  WNCT 9

Greenville police arrest three ECU football players after shots fired call WCTI 12

247 Sports

• ECU Countdown to Kickoff: No. 37 Ryan Leavy
• Cliff Godwin and the Pirates are in the midst of putting together potentially their best offseason yet

Greenville Daily Reflector (sub req’d)

• Pirate Nation invited to kickoff event in Charlotte 
• Update: ECU football players ‘suspended indefinitely’ following arrests

Three ECU football players suspended after Greenville police say they shot gun into air WRAL

Inside the contracts of college football’s newest coaches: Off-the-wall perks, clauses and quirks CBS Sports

Arizona Cardinals bring in quarterback, receiver, long snappers for tryouts before camp Cards Wire

Cowboys open camp down $15 million of talent as three CBs, LB start on PUP/NFI lists Cowboys Wire

 

Around the American Athletic Conference

American Conference Launches Modernized Brand Identity Ahead of Football Media Days American Athletic Conference

AAC changes name to ‘American Conference,’ introduces mascot Soar as part of rebranding intiative CBS Sports

USF’s league re-brands itself as ‘American Conference’ Tampa Bay Times

Former Tennessee QB Gaston Moore signs with USF from the NCAA Transfer Portal On3

Memphis Tigers left empty-handed after bold Big 12 proposal falls flat Sporting News

Memphis releases statement after Big 12 rejection, says Tigers athletics ‘stronger than ever’ USA Today

Memphis’ desperate Big 12 membership proposal still got shot down SB Nation

Memphis basketball’s Sincere Parker appears in court. Attorney says they are ‘fighting’ case Memphis Commercial Appeal

Judge reduces bail for Memphis guard Sincere Parker in domestic assault case  The Associated Press

Daily Memphian

• Calkins: If the Big 12 couldn’t see what’s changed at Memphis, they weren’t looking very hard
• Memphis makes $200 million proposal to join Big 12, per report
• Memphis guard Sincere Parker’s attorney: ‘We plan on fighting this’ 
• Memphis’ conference changes name

Athlon Sports

• Big 12 Turns Heads by Reportedly Rejecting AAC Program’s Lucrative $200 Million Offer
• Memphis Shares Awkward Message After Big 12 Efforts Fail   

Memphis Tigers Give Off Second-Hand Embarrassment With Sad Response To Big 12 Rejection brobible

The Big 12’s refusal of Memphis’ $200M offer is a shortsighted blunder Saturday Blitz

AAC rebrands as American Conference in move designed to fuel growth in changing college landscape NBC Sports

CBS Sports

• Memphis’ bid to join Big 12 falls short as conference leaders rebuff $200 million proposal from school
• AAC changes name to ‘American Conference,’ introduces mascot Soar as part of rebranding intiative

Sports Illustrated

• Big 12 ‘not interested’ in conference expansion idea
• Memphis Offered Huge Nine-Figure Payment to Power 4 Conference for Membership Bid
• Big 12 Reportedly ‘Not Interested’ in Adding Memphis Despite $200 Million-Plus Offer

BYU’s Jake Retzlaff reportedly commits to Tulane WGNO

AAC Rebrands as ‘American Conference,’ Introduces Conference’s First Live Mascot Athletic Business

AAC rebrands as ‘The American,’ adds eagle mascot with Iverson arm sleeve Houston Chronicle

AAC rebrands as American Conference; first one with live mascot  UPI

Group of 5 conference undergoes trendy name change Austin American-Statesman

American Athletic Conference is dropping the ‘Athletic’ and adding a mascot On3

YAHOO!

• Memphis proposing lucrative offer to join Big 12, but it lacks support from conference leadership: Sources
• College football viewer’s guide: Here are all the new coaches, including UNC’s Bill Belichick
• College football betting: Full list of over/unders for every CFB team at BetMGM 

 

Regional Headlines: The Carolinas and beyond

WRAL

• ACC Kickoff storylines: ‘Eat what you kill’ era, Belichick’s task, transfer QBs, Clemson’s dominance
• Belichick keeps focus on football with first season looming
• Clemson’s Swinney can’t wait for Belichick’s positive impact on the Atlantic Coast Conference

Nine insights into coach Bill Belichick’s UNC football adventure Raleigh News & Observer

NC State Football Has a Tough Schedule in 2025 Sports Illustrated

WVU football: WVU to rack up air miles this fall WV Gazette Mail

ACC Teams Eye SEC Move as Big 12 Rejects Memphis’ $200M Bid  Essentially Sports

Charleston Post & Courier

• Top 25 of the last 25: The Gamecocks’ best offensive players since 2000
• Clemson lost a workhorse RB. Tigers coach sizes up the ‘horse race’ to replace him.