CFB notebook: Notre Dame dismisses WR Stepherson, 3 others

Notre Dame dismissed wide receiver Kevin Stepherson, running backs Deon McIntosh and C.J. Holmes as well as defensive tackle Brandon Tiassum from the team, the school announced Wednesday. Notre Dame did not offer any additional details, although Stepherson and Holmes were arrested in December for shoplifting at an area mall in South Bend, Ind. Stepherson and Holmes were suspended from playing in the Fighting Irish's 21-17 win over LSU in the Citrus Bowl. McIntosh was sent home from the bowl for a violation of team rules. Stepherson, a sophomore, reeled in 19 passes for 359 yards and five touchdowns this season despite being missing the first four games with a suspension for an undisclosed reason. McIntosh, a sophomore, rushed for 368 yards with five touchdowns in five games this season. Holmes, a freshman, ran for 32 yards in eight games. Tiassum, a junior, recorded two tackles for Notre Dame, which opens the 2018 season at home against Michigan on Sept. 1. --Washington State quarterback Tyler Hilinski, 21, was found dead late Tuesday of "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," according to the Pullman (Wash.) Police Department. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound Hilinski was discovered in his apartment after he didn't show up for practice Tuesday. The Pullman Police said in a release that, "A rifle was recovered next to Hilinski and a suicide note was found." Pullman police detectives and the Whitman County Coroner's Office are conducting a thorough investigation to confirm the suspected cause and manner of death, according to the police release. Hilinski just completed his sophomore season and was in the running to be the No. 1 quarterback next season after starting the team's Holiday Bowl loss to Michigan State. Hilinski completed 154-of-209 passes for 1,421 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions in two seasons in a backup role to Luke Falk. --Illinois quarterback Jeff George Jr. is leaving the school as a graduate transfer to seek an opportunity elsewhere in 2018 and junior quarterback Chayce Crouch decided to end his career. George, the son of former NFL quarterback Jeff George, announced Wednesday on Twitter his intentions not return for his final two years with the Fighting Illini. As a graduate transfer, he would be eligible to play immediately for another FBS program. George was one of three Illinois quarterbacks who played last season. In seven games, he passed for 1,273 yards and seven touchdowns but was intercepted 10 times. Crouch began the season as the starter but lost the job and then played two games at tight end before returning to play quarterback. In seven games behind center, he had 443 passing yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. --A new chairman and six new members, including Ronnie Lott, were named to the committee that determines the four teams that will play for the college football national championship. Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens has been named the selection committee's new chairperson, the College Football Playoff announced. Mullens will replace Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt, whose two-year term as chairman expires Feb. 1. Mullens' duties are to set the selection committee's agenda, run its meetings and serve as the spokesman for the committee, along with Hancock. The College Football Playoff also announced six new committee members: College and NFL Hall of Famer Lott, Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, former journalist and current journalism professor Paola Boivin, former Rice, Clemson, Arkansas and Air Force head coach Ken Hatfield, Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury and Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin. --Maryland offensive coordinator Walt Bell is expected to be hired as Florida State's offensive coordinator, multiple media outlets reported. Bell, 32, will join the staff of new Seminoles head coach Willie Taggart, who took over after Jimbo Fisher left to take the Texas A&M head coaching job. Two other Maryland offensive assistants have already left: Anthony Tucker departed to become the running backs coach at Central Florida and offensive line coach Tyler Bowen left to take the same position at Penn State. --Florida Atlantic is expected to hire Charlie Weis, Jr. to be its new offensive coordinator, multiple outlets reported. The 24-year-old is the son of Charlie Weis, the former Notre Dame head coach and four-time Super Bowl champion during his NFL coaching career. The younger Weis spent the 2017 season with the Atlanta Falcons as an offensive assistant. He was hired as tight ends coach for Florida Atlantic in December 2016 shortly after now head coach Lane Kiffin's arrival, but left for the Falcons two months later.