The Latest on media days for the College Football Playoff semifinals (all times EST):
10:10 a.m.
Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence says he has no idea what may have led to his failed NCAA test for performance-enhancing drugs and still holds out hope that he will be able to play for the Tigers against Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl.
The 6-foot-4, 350-pound Lawrence says he would never even think about purposely taking something like that.
”I’m not the type of guy to do a selfish act like that, I have too much pride,” Lawrence said Thursday during Cotton Bowl media day. ”I love this team and my family too much to even think about putting a substance like that in my body. I don’t know where it came from, I don’t know how it got there.”
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney announced Monday the school had been notified by the NCAA about the failed tests by Lawrence, reserve offensive tackle Zach Giella and freshman tight end Braden Galloway. Swinney said the players were found to have trace amounts of a substance called ostarine, which can act like an anabolic steroid.
Swinney says the Tigers were waiting for results Thursday from additional testing done by the NCAA that might clear the players for Saturday’s playoff semifinal game.
Lawrence says he’s ”at peace,” adding, ”I know that I have no control on what the `B’ sample result will be. I’m just here to support my teammates and just try to be the leader and starter I’ve been all year.”
– Stephen Hawkins, Arlington, Texas
—
8:50 a.m.
The most closely guarded secret around the Alabama Crimson Tide this season has nothing to do with personnel, injuries, depth charts or playcalling.
Alabama and Oklahoma had media day Thursday for the Orange Bowl Thuin Miami Gardens, Florida, while Clemson and Notre Dame held court for the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas. But one of the burning questions this season for the Crimson Tide has been about burgers.
Every Thursday night this season, Tide offensive coordinator Mike Locksley -who’ll be taking over as head coach at Maryland when Alabama’s run in the College Football Playoff ends- had offensive players over to his Tuscaloosa home to watch whatever college game was on television and to eat some burgers off his grill.
The crowd of players grew as the season went along, given the quality of Locksley’s recipe.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa says he doesn’t know what Locksley puts in the burgers. ”That’s a good question to go ask him.,” the QB says. ”That’s a really good question.”
So the question was posed to Locksley, who responds with: ”Can’t tell you that. It’s the dry rub. They all want the recipe for that, but I won’t give it to them.”
– Tim Reynolds, Miami Gardens, Florida
—
7 a.m.
Preparation for the College Football Playoff is almost finished, but before No. 1 Alabama faces No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 2 Clemson meets No. 3 Notre Dame media day will be held at the bowl sites Thursday.
There are questions to be answered heading into Saturday’s games.
Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray was under the weather and did not attend Wednesday’s Oklahoma media availability for the Orange Bowl in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The quarterback did practice, but will he show up for media day?
Clemson is waiting to hear back from the NCAA on three players who are in danger of being suspended for failing a performance-enhancing drug test. Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is one of the players who the Tigers are preparing to be without in the Cotton Bowl.
—
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25
Add A Comment