Injured Washington RB Dillon Johnson expected to….

Injured Washington RB Dillon Johnson expected to play in title game against Michigan

CFP Sugar Bowl Football
Associated Press

SEATTLE — Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said Wednesday he expects injured running back Dillon Johnson to play in the College Football Playoff championship game against Michigan in Houston on Monday.

Johnson aggravated an injury to his right foot during Washington’s final possession in a 37-31 win over Texas in the CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Johnson, who transferred from Mississippi State after last season, has been battling a foot problem for two months. The nature of the injury was not disclosed.

“There’s nothing as far as above and beyond what’s happened in the past,” DeBoer said. “Just kind of throughout the game, he would reaggravate it and shake it off and go back out there and play. My thoughts are that he’ll be ready to go.”

Johnson has run for 1,162 yards and 16 touchdowns and has excelled in pass-protection for quarterback Michael Penix Jr. He was examined when the Huskies returned from New Orleans on Tuesday.

“Knowing when we landed, as long as everything came out all right, he was going to do everything he could to be on that football field next Monday,” DeBoer said.

Heading to Houston

HOUSTON — As Houston prepares to host the College Football Playoff title game for the first time when No. 1 Michigan faces No. 2 Washington on Monday night, CFP executive director Bill Hancock believes the city will factor into future playoff games when the new contract is signed.

Though the playoffs will expand from four teams to 12 next season, the next two seasons’ sites already have been chosen under the previous contract.

After that, other bowls could be chosen to host quarterfinal, semifinal and championship games, but Hancock said they haven’t done much work on that yet.

“We really haven’t started talking very much about what’s to come,” Hancock told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “We go to Atlanta and then Miami after that, and after that we’re not sure, but I would expect Houston to have a long-term presence with CFP because they have everything we need.”

This is the 10th year of the CFP and the title game has been played in a different stadium each year. Houston has been trying to get the game for years and organizers hope to host it again in the not-too-distant future.

BRIEFLY

TRANSFER PORTAL: Alabama center Seth McLaughlin, who struggled with errant snaps against Michigan in the College Football Playoffs, has entered the transfer portal. McLaughlin started all 14 games this season for the Crimson Tide, who lost to the Wolverines 27-20 in the Rose Bowl.

CLEMSON: Tigers tailback Will Shipley is giving up his college eligibility to enter the NFL draft. Shipley announced his decision on social media Wednesday night. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior finished his Clemson career with 2,747 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground. He also had 85 career receptions and two receiving touchdowns.

ALABAMA: Offensive tackle JC Latham plans to enter the NFL draft. Latham, a two-year starter at right tackle, announced his decision in a post on Instagram. He was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick this season as a junior and earned second-team AP All-America honors.

LSU: Tigers coach Brian Kelly has fired defensive coordinator Matt House and three other assistants. Kelly said he informed House, cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples, safeties coach Kerry Cooks and defensive line coach Jimmy Lindsey that they would not be retained for the 2024 season.

UCLA: Ikaika Malloe was promoted to defensive coordinator by Bruins coach Chip Kelly. Malloe was the defensive line coach this season for UCLA and he coached linebackers and served as special teams coordinator in 2022. He has five years of defensive coordinator experience, including two as co-coordinator for the University of Washington.

UNC: North Carolina is changing its defensive coaching staff. The school announced that defensive coordinator Gene Chizik and defensive line coach Tim Cross won’t return in 2024. Head coach Mack Brown will search for a new coordinator. Senior defensive analyst Tim Monachino will replace Cross.

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