Manny Navarro

Florida

Columnist and Writer at The Athletic

Husband. Father. The Athletic/NY Times. ESPN+. Podcast: @WideRightPod Insider: @7SportsXtra & @BigOShow. Journalist since 1995. Email: [email protected]

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Articles

Wisconsin files lawsuit against Miami, alleging tampering led to Xavier Lucas’ transfer

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

The University of Wisconsin and its name, image and likeness collective sued the University of Miami on Friday, alleging it interfered with what it said were binding NIL revenue-sharing contracts with former cornerback Xavier Lucas. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Dane County (Wis.) Circuit Court, alleges Miami made “impermissible contacts with (Lucas) and his representatives this past December and January, leading to Lucas’ withdrawal from Wisconsin and enrollment at Miami.
Where do Carson Beck, T.J. Parker rank? The 25 best players in the ACC in 2025

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

The Atlantic Coast Conference had 42 players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft — the league’s highest total since 2021 — including No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. Ward was one of seven Miami Hurricanes picked, which led the ACC. Clemson, which won its eighth league championship since 2015, had only three players selected. But the 2026 draft figures to be a big one for the Tigers.
10 moves that shaped the SEC offseason

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

It sure is nice to be a member of the Southeastern Conference. Even though the league is suffering through its longest national championship drought since Florida State and Ohio State won back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, the SEC continues to dominate the transfer portal. SEC teams plucked 58 of the top 200 transfers, as rated by 247Sports, and lost only 25 players on the same list.
10 moves that shaped the ACC football offseason

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

The Atlantic Coast Conference is finally at peace. The league and two of its most prominent members, Clemson and Florida State, have finally resolved their legal battles. Barring any surprising developments, the conference will look the same until the next major wave of media rights deals begins (around 2030). That's comforting news for ACC fans, who saw two teams from the league (Clemson and SMU) earn a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024. How many ACC teams will make the next one?
Revisiting Washington's 2000 upset over mighty Miami

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Bruce Feldman |Manny Navarro

It's impossible to find two power-conference college football programs farther apart geographically than Miami and Washington. They have faced each other only three times, but the Hurricanes and Huskies have a unique bond. Before they ever squared off, they split the 1991 national title, with 12-0 Miami crowned by the AP poll and 12-0 Washington getting the nod from the coaches poll.
What the last 5 years of the NFL Draft tells us about college football recruiting

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

In many ways, the NFL Draft serves as the ultimate finish line in recruiting. It provides a final tale of the tape in determining which programs delivered on their promise of helping these athletes fulfill their professional dreams. NIL, the transfer portal and conference realignment have altered the state of college football quite a bit over the last few years. But recruits still typically prioritize getting to the NFL when making their decisions.
Why 15-year-old Miami Northwestern QB Neimann Lawrence could be the next big thing

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

It didn't take Neimann Lawrence long to earn a nickname when he started playing football at Gwen Cherry Park in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami. "When he was growing up from 3 to age 7, he was a little chunky. So they called him 'The Big Show,'" his mother, Angela, said this week as she watched her 15-year-old son take quarterback reps at Miami Northwestern High under the watchful eye of former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Are they any good?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Grace Raynor |Manny Navarro

Bill Belichick has a new book, a 24-year-old girlfriend drawing lots of attention and a new football team he's coaching this fall. His roster is in flux, with more than 70 players from last year's team gone and 30-plus additions via the transfer portal. General manager Michael Lombardi said recently he's trying to make North Carolina look like an SEC team. The Tar Heels went 6-7 in Mack Brown's final season and have struggled on defense for several years.
Jackson Cantwell's decision to pick Miami a win for the ACC

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

Jackson Cantwell and his parents once drove 1,200 miles through the heart of SEC Country to visit LSU, Georgia and Alabama. "We had a pretty cool setup," the Missouri native who is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 247Sports Composite said in December before the Under Armour All-American game.
Girlfriend Jordon Hudson 'doesn't have anything to do with UNC football'

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Manny Navarro

Bill Belichick went on "SportsCenter" Tuesday to talk about North Carolina football, and, yes, the show asked him about his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson and whether she is impacting his ability to coach the Tar Heels. "That's really off to the side, it's a personal relationship and she doesn't have anything to do with UNC football," Belichick told ESPN anchor Christine Williamson at the ACC Spring Meetings in Amelia Island, Fla.