Sports
Steve Sarkisian’s First Challenge At Texas

As Sarkisian has grown and matured in the years since several alcohol-related incidents led to his dismissal at USC, he’s put increasing emphasis on the value of his assistants.
Sarkisian compared being a first-time head coach to a fire hose and admitted that he initially tried to solve all of the problems by himself.
“At times you don’t instill enough trust and faith in the staff that you hire,” Sarkisian said in an introductory Zoom call with reports on Saturday. “But I think now having spent some time in the National Football League, having spent obviously the last two years with Coach Saban here at Alabama, you realize the value in the staff in why you hire such a good staff is to put people in place to do what you’re asking them to do. I think that takes some of the burden off of your shoulders as the head coach and allows you to manage people and not overreact to some of the other things that are going on and allow those people to do what they do. And I think that keeps you focused, I think it keeps you grounded.”
Putting together an initial coaching staff is an area that confounded Charlie Strong and Tom Herman.
Strong was forced to fire two of his assistants after his first season, including Bruce Chambers, the lone holdover from the Mack Brown era, then fired his offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Whether Strong simply didn’t receive the necessary support from the administration to make better hires or merely made the wrong choices decreases in importance because he repeatedly made offseason decisions during the season.
Herman believed that bringing most of his Houston staff with him would provide the program alignment he sought, but failures in development and a disappointing regular season forced Herman to fire both coordinators and replace five other assistant coaches last year.
The replacements hired by Herman had some success this season, particularly defensive coordinator Chris Ash and his staff, so Sarkisian’s first challenge will be deciding whether he wants to retain any of Herman’s assistants.
Prior to meeting with the media on Saturday, Sarkisian held an initial call with the assistants and will conduct individual interviews over the coming days, although those discussions may be put on hold until Sarkisian finishes coaching for Alabama in the national championship game.
According to Bruce Feldman,Sarkisian has not made decisions about the support staff.
Beyond the social media team, which has done an excellent job in recent years, two potentially easy decisions for Sarkisian would include retaining Director of High School Relations Bob Shipley and Director of Recruiting Bryan Carrington. Multiple current and former players have already advocated for Carrington and his retention would allow for some continuity in 2021 and 2022 recruiting. Shipley has longtime ties to Texas high school football coaches that would benefit Sarkisian, who has never coached in the state.
Ash’s return, along with a rising young assistant like cornerbacks coach Jay Valai or longtime defensive line coach Oscar Giles, could provide some key on-field continuity and help avoid transfers on that side of the ball after Ash’s defense improved significantly throughout the season and played well in the bowl game despite losing four starters to opt outs.
However, there is a big name on the market who is already connected to the job and has previous ties to Texas — former Florida and South Caroline head coach Will Muschamp, who was named the head coach in waiting for Mack Brown several lifetimes ago. While Muschamp has failed as a head coach in both of his previous stops, he’s still highly regarded as a defensive mind.
Footballscoop also mentioned one of Muschamp’s former players at Texas, Ole Miss special teams coordinator Blake Gideon, who has coached defensive backs in the past and looks like a rising young coach. He’s gone from Western Carolina to Georgia State to Houston and now to Ole Miss over the last four years. When Muschamp spent one season as the Auburn defensive coordinator in between his head coaching jobs at Florida and South Carolina, he hired Gideon as a graduate assistant.
Sarkisian could also choose to bring one or more assistants with him from Alabama.
The premier name is Kyle Flood, the former Rutgers head coach who worked with Sarkisian with the Falcons before joining him in Tuscaloosa. It was Flood who helped convince the Brockermeyer brothers to spurn their Texas ties and sign with Alabama. As an offensive line coach, Flood would represent a home-run hire, but he could also serve as Sarkisian’s offensive coordinator, a title he held at Rutgers before taking over the program.
Another intriguing Alabama assistant could bring recruiting ties to the state. Jeff Banks currently serves as the tight end coach and special teams coordinator for the Crimson Tide after spending five years with the Aggies. As a recruiter, Banks was instrumental in helping Alabama land former Texas quarterback commit Jalen Milroe and consensus five-star running back Camar Wheaton in the 2021 recruiting class.
Banks isn’t the only high-level recruiter initially connected to Sarkisian, though, with FootballScoop floating the name of Tosh Lupoi. In 2019, Lupoi made the jump to the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and moved on to the Atlanta Falcons this season adding the title of defensive run game coordinator. It’s not clear whether Lupoi would consider returning to the college game, but he does have experience working with Sarkisian at Alabama and at Washington.
However Sarkisian chooses to assemble his staff, his previous experiences and the experiences of his two predecessors make it clear how important those initial decisions will be in determining whether Sarkisian succeeds or fails in Austin.
Sports
22 Years After: Arsenal Clinch the Premier League Title as Prophesied by Dr Chris Okafor
*22 Years After: Arsenal Clinch the Premier League Title as Prophesied by Dr Chris Okafor*
When God speaks, none of His words go unfulfilled.
Just a week ago, the Generational Prophet and popular Lagos cleric, Dr Chris Okafor, declared that Arsenal would win the 2025/26 Premier League title. Despite doubts and predictions favoring defending champions Manchester City, the prophet stated clearly that he had received the word directly from God.
On May 19, 2026, that prophecy came to pass.
After Manchester City drew 1-1 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, Arsenal were confirmed as Premier League champions with one game to spare. It marked the end of a 22-year wait for the Gunners, whose last league title came in the 2003/04 season.
Football fans across the globe are now congratulating Arsenal Football Club on their historic victory. For many believers, it’s another reminder that true prophecy still speaks today.
Dr Chris Okafor is one of the well-known prophets who many say hears directly from God. With this fulfillment, he joins the list of voices whose words have come to pass on the global stage.
By Sunday Adeyemi
Society Herald
Sports
PROF. MONDY SELLE GOLD ANNOUNCES SERVICE OF SONGS FOR LATE MOTHER, MA BEDAGBERE JENNIFER GOLD*
*PROF. MONDY SELLE GOLD ANNOUNCES SERVICE OF SONGS FOR LATE MOTHER, MA BEDAGBERE JENNIFER GOLD*
_A Life Celebrated: Family and Community to Honor 114 Years of Legacy in Newark, New Jersey_
*NEWARK, NEW JERSEY* — Prof. Mondy Selle Gold, Chairman of the Ijaw Diaspora Council and Chairman of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) in the United States, has announced the _Service of Songs_ in honor of his late mother, *Ma Bedagbere Jennifer Gold (nee Ozikozi), Amaokosuere of Torugbene*, who passed away at the age of 114.
In a public statement, Prof. Gold wrote with a deeply reflective heart to invite family, friends, well-wishers, and members of the Ijaw diaspora community to a sacred gathering celebrating the life, quiet strength, and enduring love of the matriarch.
_“This sacred gathering, set aside to celebrate her life, her quiet strength, and the enduring love she shared so generously, has been scheduled as follows,”_ Prof. Gold stated.
The Service of Songs is scheduled to hold on *Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM* at the *Abundant Grace Christian Center (The Newark Foursquare Church), 708 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07108*. And her Burial is slated on 12th -14th July 2026
A reception will follow immediately after the service at the same venue.
The family has indicated that the dress code is optional, suggesting *formal black or white, or all-white attire* in celebration of Ma Bedagbere’s life.
*A Life of Legacy and Cultural Significance*
Ma Bedagbere Jennifer Gold, fondly remembered as _Amaokosuere of Torugbene_, lived 114 years marked by resilience, faith, and generous love for family and community. As a matriarch and custodian of Ijaw cultural values, she was widely respected for her wisdom, humility, and unwavering commitment to her family and people.
Her passing has drawn condolences from across the Ijaw diaspora and beyond, with tributes highlighting her role as a pillar of strength and a unifying figure within the community.
Prof. Gold humbly requested the prayers, presence, and spiritual support of all attendees as they gather _“to celebrate a life well lived and a soul now at rest in the Lord.”_
_“With sincere love and gratitude,”_ Prof. Gold concluded in his announcement.
*About Prof. Mondy Selle Gold*
Prof. Mondy Selle Gold is the Chairman of the Ijaw Diaspora Council and a prominent voice in diaspora advocacy, politics, cultural preservation, and community development for Ijaw people worldwide. He also serves as the Chairman of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) in the United States, where he continues to champion engagement between the diaspora and homeland development initiatives.
Sports
University Farms Urged to Drive Innovation, Boost Revenue
University Farms Urged to Drive Innovation, Boost Revenue
A former Director in the Directorate of Environmental Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Dr. Akinpelu Basiru Ojo has called for the transformation of university farms into centres of innovation and sustainable revenue generation.
Dr. Ojo made this call at the 2026 Pre-Season Farming Seminar organised by the Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS), held recently at FUNAAB.
While delivering his keynote address on the theme of the seminar, “The University Farm as an Incubation Ground for Innovation and Revenue Generation,” Dr. Ojo noted that university farms have evolved beyond their traditional roles into dynamic hubs for research, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration.
He identified key areas where university farms could drive innovation, including research and development, student entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and interdisciplinary collaboration. He further urged DUFARMS to explore opportunities in commercial agricultural production, value addition and agro-processing, consultancy services, research partnerships, agritourism, and intellectual property commercialisation.
Highlighting potential challenges confronting university farms, the former Director listed inadequate funding, weak industry linkages, climate change, environmental risks, and limited commercial orientation. He, however, proposed strategies for optimisation, including the adoption of agribusiness models, integration of modern technologies, strengthened partnerships, promotion of student-led enterprises, and the development of sustainable value chains.
Reflecting on the evolution of DUFARMS, Dr. Ojo paid tribute to past Vice-Chancellors, beginning with the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nimbe Adedipe, whose vision led to the establishment of the University Farm. He also acknowledged milestones recorded under successive administrations, including the expansion of cashew and oil palm plantations, as well as the establishment of processing facilities for value addition.
He further commended the contributions of past and present staff, alongside former students who have attained notable academic positions, encouraging staff to uphold discipline, integrity, and continuous professional development.
As part of his recommendations for future growth, Dr. Ojo proposed the establishment of crop collection plots, revival of underutilised crops, exploration of cashew nutshell liquid production for revenue generation, and expansion of tree crop plantations such as cashew and oil palm.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, who declared the seminar open, emphasised the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning in achieving institutional objectives. He described the seminar as timely and essential, noting that the University was established not only for teaching and research but also for meaningful community engagement, particularly in supporting farmers to enhance productivity.
Prof. Kehinde also commended DUFARMS for its efforts, especially its introduction of value addition initiatives, and urged staff, particularly in livestock production, to scale up activities in poultry, beef, pork, and egg production to improve the visibility and impact of the University Farms.
The seminar concluded with a renewed commitment by participants to reposition DUFARMS as a hub for innovation, practical training, and sustainable revenue generation, in line with global best practices.
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