Roundup of news from the Non-FBS schools across the state of Texas.

Southland Conference

Lamar announced a partnership with INFLCR to begin the CardiNIL Exchange to allow student-athletes to pursue Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities. The Cardinals join a quickly growing list of NIL opportunities for athletes, with Sam Houston launching the Kat Fund earlier this year. Other schools are getting the approval needed to begin a collective. Read more on this story here.

Dave Campbell's Texas Football has confirmed sources who indicated that Bruni High School coach Richard Johnson was resigning after four years and will accept a position with UIW. Johnson will serve as a defensive analyst for the Cardinals after compiling a 22-18 overall record and leading the Badgers to the area round of the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.

Lamar offensive coordinator John Perry has left the program for a job with an FBS program. The news was first reported by Matt Faye of the Beaumont Enterprise. Sources confirmed to DCTF that Perry departed the Cardinals to return to Rutgers, where he was an assistant coach before joining Sam Houston last year. Perry previously served on the Houston Texans coaching staff for seven seasons and is known for his outstanding work with quarterbacks.

Matt Faye of the Beaumont Enterprise reported that Lamar's Provost Umphrey Stadium will receive a new videoboard and sound system. The upgrades are expected to be completed before the start of the 2023 season. Faye reports the new videoboard was funded through private donations and will feature a seven-foot interlocking LU logo on the front of a nearly 37-foot wide illuminated logo of Lamar on the back.

Lamar head coach Peter Rossomando is moving quickly to fill the Cardinals offensive coordinator position. DCTF sources indicate that Rossomando is expected to hire Valparaiso offensive coordinator Will Fleming to guide Lamar's offense. In his only season with the Beacons, Fleming helped lead Valpo to three road wins in the Pioneer League. It marked the first time the Beacons won three road games in a single season in the Pioneer League since 1962. Before arriving at Valpo, Fleming spent two years as quarterbacks coach at Boston College and was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Rhode Island from 2014-2019.

Southwestern Athletic Conference

Texas Southern head coach Clarence McKinney has finalized his coaching staff, which includes a new defensive coordinator. Everett Todd joins the Tigers from Aldine Eisenhower, where he served as defensive ends coach. Todd previously spent 9 years as the defensive coordinator at Grambling. TSU's defensive coordinator last season, Jeffery Ceasar, remains on staff as defensive line coach. Aman Anand will serve as special teams coordinator and running backs coach following three years as an assistant at Baylor. Anand is a fast-rising coach with previous stops at Penn State, Memphis, Utah State, and Northern Arizona.

Western Athletic Conference

Sam Houston announced the return of Chris Buckner to the Bearkats coaching staff. Buckner will serve as wide receivers coach for SHSU after spending last year coaching outside receivers at Texas State. Buckner previously served as running backs coach in Huntsville from 2020-2021 and helped lead the Bearkats to a national title with running back Ramon Jefferson earning All-American honors under his tutelage.

Stephen F. Austin head coach Colby Carthel is adding West Texas A&M alum Brett Watson to the Lumberjacks staff. Watson will serve as defensive ends coach at SFA after serving as a defensive quality control coach at North Dakota State last year. Before joining the Bison, Watson spent four seasons as defensive line coach at UIW.

For the second consecutive offseason, Stephen F. Austin coach Colby Carthel is searching for a new defensive coordinator. Joe Cauthen is leaving the Lumberjacks to become the defensive coordinator at Utah State. Monday, DCTF published five potential candidates to become the next defensive coordinator for SFA. 

American Southwest Conference

Division III coaches sound off with their opinions on the proposed NCAA rule changes and are concerned that speeding up the game will cause more injuries and player safety concerns at their level. Read the story here.

Dave Campbell's Texas Football has learned that Matthew Newby is returning to McMurry. A former member of the War Hawks from 2012-2016, Newby returns to Abilene to serve as offensive line coach. He spent the last five years as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Oakdale, La. High School

Southwestern Junior College Football Conference

Tyler announced the addition of Elven Walker IV to serve as the defensive coordinator for the Apaches. Walker spent the last two years as secondary and special teams coach at FCS Saint Francis. Before his time with the Red Flash, Walker spent two seasons as linebacker coach and special teams coordinator for Coe College and defensive backs coach and punt return coordinator at Carroll.