COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

FBS Notes: Mayfield to return, Kiffin to interview

Lindyssports.com Staff

December 03, 2016 at 4:11 pm.

Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA;  Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 3, 2016; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns as Oklahoma blew out Oklahoma State 38020 to clinch the Big 12 title, their second straight conference championship.

After the game, Mayfield said he would return to Norman next year for his redshirt senior season.

Mayfield finishes the 2016 regular season with 3,669 yards passing and 38 touchdowns. Overall, he has thrown 71 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions in his career with Oklahoma.

He finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting last year. While a dark-horse Heisman candidate this season, he still might be invited to New York as one of the top-tier candidates.

–The Texas Board of Regents approved a five-year, $28.75-million contract for new Texas Longhorns head coach Tom Herman.

Herman will be paid $5 million in 2017, which will increase by $250,000 each year.

The former Houston head coach will get a $100,000 bonus if the Longhorns win the Big 12 championship. He will get $250,000 if they win a national title. If Herman is name national coach of the year he will get a $100,000 bonus.

He also will receive a $1 million retention bonus if he is still with the school on Dec. 19, 2019.

–Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is scheduled to interview for Houston’s head-coaching opening on Sunday.

Kiffin, who spent two seasons as head coach of the Oakland Raiders before returning to college to coach Tennessee and USC, is 35-21 as a collegiate head coach, going 28-15 in four seasons with the Trojans.

Kiffin, in his third season as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, also is under consideration for the top offensive position at LSU under his friend Ed Orgeron.

Former Baylor coach Art Briles also is among the names to interview for the Houston job, according to ESPN.

–When former Oregon coach Mark Helfrich realized the very possibility that he would be fired, he reached out to his old boss, former Ducks’ coach and current San Francisco 49ers coach, Chip Kelly.

Helfrich told ESPN Radio he wanted to gauge Kelly’s interest in returning to Eugene. Helfrich, who was fired Tuesday after four seasons, replaced Kelly four years ago.

Kelly, Helfrich said, is bound and determined to succeed in the NFL. “I think Chip has that challenge in his mind right now to make it right in the NFL,” Helfrich said.