San Jose State finalizing extension with Brent Brennan

Associated PressDec 23, 2020, 6:56 PM EST

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

SAN JOSE, Calif. — San Jose State is finalizing a contract extension with Brent Brennan after he led the school to its best season in more than 80 years.

Brennan’s current contract runs through the 2023 season and athletic director Marie Tuite said the school wanted to make a bigger commitment. Brennan says the extension is “validation” that the program is going in the right direction both on and off the field.

The 19th-ranked Spartans (7-0) beat Boise State 34-20 last week to win their first Mountain West title. They are headed to the Arizona Bowl to face Ball State on Dec. 31.

This is the best record for the school since a 13-0 mark in 1939.

“I feel great about where we are at,” Brennan said. “I’m really excited about this bowl game. It gives us a chance to focus on this bowl game and put everything we can into playing well there against a very good Ball State team.

“And, it gives me a chance to keep our staff together. I think a big part of our journey is the quality of our assistant coaches and our staff that surrounds the team. For us, to continue moving this program forward with a contract extension and the belief and support of our administration is absolutely critical.”

Brennan is finishing his fourth season at San Jose State. He went 3-22 the first two years before improving to 5-7 last season and then breaking through with a big season in 2020.

Alabama suspends freshman defensive back after drug arrest

Associated PressMar 20, 2023, 10:32 PM EDT

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama freshman defensive back Tony Mitchell has been suspended from the team following his arrest on a drug charge.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday after the first practice of spring that Mitchell was suspended from the team “and all team activities until we gather more information about the situation and what his legal circumstance is.”

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office arrested Mitchell and another man, Christophere Lewis, last week on a charge of possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page. Lewis also was charged with carrying a concealed gun without a permit.

“Everybody’s got an opportunity to make choices and decisions,” Saban said. “There’s no such thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You’ve gotta be responsible for who you’re with, who you’re around and what you do, who you associate yourself with and the situations that you put yourself in. It is what it is, but there is cause and effect when you make choices and decisions that put you in bad situations.”

Mitchell, who is from Alabaster, Alabama, was a five-star prospect rated the 34th-best player and No. 3 safety in the 247Composite rankings.

Mitchell was driving the vehicle during a traffic stop. After deputies smelled marijuana, Mitchell picked up a baggie of marijuana from the passenger floorboard, according to the department’s Facebook post.

Sheriff’s deputies found “an additional significant amount of marijuana, a set of scales, a loaded handgun between the passenger seat and center console, and a large amount of cash,” according to the department’s Facebook post.

Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey suspended after arrest

Associated PressMar 20, 2023, 12:05 PM EDT

Saul Young/News Sentinel/USA TODAY NETWORK

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri linebacker Chad Bailey was suspended from the team after he was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the team said.

The 23-year-old, who was a team captain last season, was booked at about 2:45 a.m. and released after posting $500 bond, according to online records from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

“We are aware of the situation involving Chad Bailey,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said in a statement to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He’s been suspended according to Department of Athletics policy. We have high expectations for all of our student-athletes, on and off the field, and we will follow all departmental and campus policies.”

Bailey was Mizzou’s third-leading tackler with 57 stops last season. He started all 11 games he played, missing two with an injury. He’ll be a sixth-year senior this fall after opting to return for his final year of eligibility, the Post-Dispatch reported.

The Missouri student-athlete handbook says any athlete who is arrested must serve a minimum one-week suspension.

Bailey was pulled over at about 1 a.m. not far from the Columbia campus for an expired license plate and lane violation, a police statement said. Bailey told the officer he had consumed alcohol and then performed poorly on a field sobriety test, the Post-Dispatch reported.