‘Young Sheldon’ Star Reunites With His ‘Nemesis’ 2 Years After Series Finale

Iain Armitage rang in thenew yearwith a surprise reunion with aYoung Sheldonco-star.

For eight years, fans got a glimpse of how the former child star has grown into a teen actor, tracing his journey from theCBSseries' debut in 2017 to its finale in 2024.

Since then, the show has introduced a host of unforgettable characters, from lead stars to supporting roles. Among the memorable characters was the NASA aerospace engineer Dr. Ronald Hodges, played by Jason Kravits.

Nearly two years afterYoung Sheldonended, Armitage shared a delightful photo with his co-star.

On his Instagram story, he shared the highlights after watching the hit musicalThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, where Kravits starred as Vice Principal Douglas Panch.

The 17-year-old actor was all smiles as he posed beside his former co-star. Moreover, the candid snap was accompanied by a heartfelt and playful message, reminiscing about their on-screen rivalry inYoung Sheldon.

"Before seeing him in @spellingbeenyc, I ran into my old friend @jasonkravits — he was my nemesis on @youngsheldoncbs, but I promise, we get along great in reallife," he captioned the photo.

Iain Armitage IG Story update.pic.twitter.com/Ad47ijXTn8

— Polly (@pollygarcia0915)January 9, 2026

In the past, Armitage has maintained close relationships with his castmates.

The teen star delighted his followers when hereunited with Zoe Perry, who played his on-screen mom, Mary Cooper.

Moreover, he also reconnected with Wallace Shawn, who played the role of Dr. Sturgis in the series. In a post, Armitage fondly referred to the veteran actor as his "favorite actor."

View this post on Instagram

"Getting to see one of my favorite actors/people in the world is always a pleasure- we just wish @ed_begley_jr could have been there to complete our happy trio! You are wonderful, Wally Shawn!!" he wrote, referring to Ed Begley Jr., who portrayed Dr. Grant Linkletter.

After delivering seven wonderful and successful seasons, the viewers witnessed the early years of the quirky physicist.

Set in the late 1980s and early1990s, it is a prequel spin-off ofThe Big Bang Theorythat follows Sheldon's childhood growing up in East Texas.

Besides Armitage and Perry, lead stars include Lance Barber as Sheldon's father, George Cooper Sr., Montana Jordan as the eldest Georgie Cooper and Raegan Revord as his twinsister, Missy Cooper.

Adding to the list is Annie Potts, who played Meemaw. Finally, Jim Parsons, who portrayed the adult Sheldon inThe Big Bang Theory, served as the show's voice narrator.

Related: 'Young Sheldon' Star, 17, Stuns Fans With His Mature New Look

This story was originally published byParadeon Jan 9, 2026, where it first appeared in theEntertainmentsection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

‘Young Sheldon’ Star Reunites With His ‘Nemesis’ 2 Years After Series Finale

Iain Armitage rang in thenew yearwith a surprise reunion with aYoung Sheldonco-star. For eight years, fans got a...

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Jimmy Kimmel slams 'maniac' Trump for response to ICE shooting

Late-night hosts are weighing in after a37-year-old woman was fatally shotby an immigration agent in Minneapolis.

In his Wednesday monologue,Jimmy Kimmelreacted to the death ofRenee Nicole Good, who earlier in the day wasshot by an ICE agentin her car amid an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. Video of the shooting has quickly spread, sparking outrage and protests.

Kimmel criticizedPresident Donald Trumpfor aTruth Social post wherehe alleged Good was acting in a "very disorderly" manner and "viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense."

"This maniac, he isn't just killing people overseas: An ICE agent today shot and killed and unarmed, 37-year-old woman during an ICE operation in Minneapolis," Kimmel said Jan. 7 while introducing the news.

Kimmel said sarcastically that Trump "weighed in with compassion" before reading the president's Truth Social post and objecting to the way he described what happened.

Jimmy Kimmelmocks Trump for Kennedy Center ratings, Maduro capture

"Now, I saw this video," Kimmel said. "It didn't look like anybody got run over to me. It looked to me like a woman got scared, tried to drive away, and they shot her. That'll be for the court to decide."

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlinallegedGood "weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them," and said an officer "fired defensive shots."Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noemalso maintained that the officer "followed his training" and "did exactly what he was supposed to do."

But local officials includingMinneapolis Mayor Jacob Freyhavedisputed thisnarrative, with Frey saying at a news conference that while "they are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense," having "seen the video myself I want to tell everybody directly, that is bull----."

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", will resume production after it was pulled off the air Sept. 17, following comments he made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's killing. Kimmel, a frequent critic of Donald Trump, often earned the ire of the president.

After the announcement, Trump urged other networks to do the same. Scroll to see the other late-night talk show hosts that have feuded with the president over the years.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> In 2016, Jimmy Fallon interviewed Trump ahead of the election, ruffling the then-candidate's signature orange hair. After the interview received backlash, Fallon said he regretted parts of the interview. In response, Trump took to social media to criticize the "Tonight Show" host, writing: "@jimmyfallon is now whimpering to all that he did the famous 'hair show' with me (where he seriously messed up my hair), & that he would have now done it differently because it is said to have 'humanized' me-he is taking heat. He called & said 'monster ratings.' Be a man Jimmy!"

Fallon is pictured here at the Met Gala on May 5, 2025, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart has a history of heated exchanges with Trump.

In 2013, Trump tweeted, "I promise you that I'm much smarter than Jonathan Leibowitz - I mean Jon Stewart @TheDailyShow. Who, by the way, is totally overrated." Stewart is a sharp critic of Trump, often taking aim at the political movement he has created.


Here, Stewart is pictured at "The Daily Show" official Emmy Screening on June 7, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> John Oliver, a "Daily Show" alum who now hosts "Last Week Tonight" is also a frequent Trump critic, and feuded publicly with the president over a potential show appearance in 2015.

Oliver said he wasn't interested in having Trump on his show, which Trump responded to on X, writing: "John Oliver had his people call to ask me to be on his very boring and low-rated show, I said 'NO THANKS' Waste of time & energy!" Oliver refuted that report.


Here, Oliver is pictured in at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> When CBS announced the network was terminating "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" after the 2025-2026 season, Trump took to social media to celebrate.

"I absolutely love that Colbert got fired, his talent was even less than his ratings," the president wrote. Among his late-night peers, Colbert was among Trump's sharpest critics.

Colbert is pictured here at Apple TV+'s Primetime Emmy party red carpet on Sept. 14, 2025, in West Hollywood.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Seth Meyers, the host of "Late Night" on NBC is a frequent critic of Trump and his administration.

The ire, it seems, is mutual, with the president writing previously on social media: "How bad is Seth Meyers on NBC, a 'network' run by a truly bad group of people - Remember, they also run MSDNC. I got stuck watching Marble Mouth Meyers the other night, the first time in months, and every time I watch this moron I feel an obligation to say how dumb and untalented he is, merely a slot filler for the Scum that runs Comcast."

Meyers is pictured here at SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show" on June 17, 2025, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart, see late-night hosts who have beefed with President Trump

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", willresume production after it was pulled off the airSept. 17, following comments he made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's killing. Kimmel, a frequent critic of Donald Trump, often earned the ire of the president.After the announcement, Trump urged other networks to do the same. Scroll to see the other late-night talk show hosts that have feuded with the president over the years.

On his show, Kimmel sided with Frey and played a clip of the mayor telling ICE to "get the f--- out of Minneapolis," prompting cheers from the comedian's studio audience.

Jimmy Kimmelsays show suspension was like watching his 'own funeral'

"Now, that is the shirt I want to see," Kimmel said before holding up a shirt that read, "Get the f--- out of MPLS." Kimmel also urged ICE to get out "of all of these cities."

On CBS,Stephen Colbertopened "The Late Show" with a somber message about the shooting in place of his traditional cold open.

"Normally, we start these shows with a cold open, but sometimes, we don't do that, especially if there's been a shocking tragedy, and there's been another," he said.

After describing the facts of the case, Colbert later sat down with discuss the situation with MS NOW host Chris Hayes. While speaking to Hayes, Colbert criticized the Department of Homeland Security for its "rush to judgment" in quickly deeming the shooting self-defense. He added, "You can't trust DHS to investigate themselves."

Hayes, meanwhile, told Colbert the shooting "looks to many people who have viewed the video tape" to be a "cold-blooded murder."

Contributing: Christopher Cann, Michael Loria, James Powel and Corey Schmidt, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert address Minneapolis ICE shooting

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

Jimmy Kimmel slams 'maniac' Trump for response to ICE shooting

Late-night hosts are weighing in after a37-year-old woman was fatally shotby an immigration agent in Minneapolis. ...

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Donna Kelce Has a Cheeky Label for Travis and Jason Kelce’s Ex-Girlfriends

Donna Kelceis no stranger to high-pressure environments, but even she had a few concerns before stepping into the world of reality TV intrigue.

Ahead of her appearance onThe Traitors, the 73-year-old matriarch was asked who shedidn'twant to encounter inside the show's famously dramatic castle.

"Maybe some of my sons' adversaries," Donna cheekily saidin a promo videoposted Wednesday,January7. "That could either be on other teams, or it could be coaches, or it could be past girlfriends."

The comment, delivered matter-of-factly, instantly caught attention, specifically the last part. As the mother of NFL starsJason KelceandTravis Kelce, she's watched both sons navigate intense professional rivalries—and, in Travis' case, a highly-public datinglife.

While Jason has largely kept hisromantichistory private prior to marrying his wife,Kylie Kelce, in 2018, Travis' past relationships have played out more publicly. Before his engagement toTaylor Swift, the Kansas City Chiefs star dated influencerKayla Nicoleon and off for five years before they split for good in 2022.

Despite her tongue-in-cheek warning, Donna made it clear she was more excited than nervous. When asked who shewashoping to see onThe Traitors, she named icons likeMartha Stewart,Stevie Nicks, andShaquille O'Neal, to which she said "he would be great."

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And Donna won't be navigating the castle alone. This season brings together a wide-ranging cast of familiar faces. Fellow contestants includeTom Sandoval,Chrishell Stause, andPhaedra Parks, among others. Season 4 premiered on Thursday, January 8 on Peacock.

Off-screen, Donna has been embracing her own celebrity lane. InDecember2025, she teamed up with actorTaylor Kinneyfor a festive,Google-sponsored holiday projecttitledThe Gift EXchange. Both shared teaser posts on Instagram, with Donna writing, "Gather thefamilyfor a new holiday (and @google) classic. Trailer kicking off soon." The short film-style campaign casts Donna alongside Kinney andNikki Garciain a rom-com-inspired story centered on exes reconnecting through a Secret Santa exchange.

This story was originally published byParadeon Jan 9, 2026, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

Donna Kelce Has a Cheeky Label for Travis and Jason Kelce’s Ex-Girlfriends

Donna Kelceis no stranger to high-pressure environments, but even she had a few concerns before stepping into the world o...

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Tennessee professor awarded $500k after firing over Charlie Kirk comments

Days after being reinstated to his position, a theater professor at a Tennessee university will receive a $500,000 payout as part of a settlement following his firing in September due to comments he made on social media about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

A lawyer for Professor Darren Michael confirmed to The Tennessean that Michael, a professor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, will receive $500,000, as well as reimbursement for therapeutic counseling services, as part of a settlement agreement with the Clarksville university.

David King, Michael's attorney, confirmed that while the settlement closes the chapter on restoring Michael's employment, they are "exploring future options" against those who "interfered with (Michael's) First Amendment rights."

The settlement deal was first reported byWKRN.

Michael was reinstated to his position at the school on Dec. 30, 2025, three monthsafter he was originally fireddue to comments he made on social media about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, after the school admitted to not following its termination policy.

More:Charlie Kirk social media reactions have gotten some commenters fired: What the law says

Kirk, the founder of the conservative Turning Point USA organization, was killed during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Following his death, Michael shared an article on his personal social media account titled "Charlie Kirk says gun deaths are 'unfortunately' worth it to keep 2ndAmendment," which discussed controversial comments made by Kirk shortly after the Covenant School shooting.

There was no additional caption written by Michael alongside the shared post.

Two days later, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, shared a screenshot of his post on her X account.

Blackburn's caption stated: "What do you say, Austin Peay?"

Later that day,the Clarksville university released a statementsaying that Michael had been fired for social media comments that were "insensitive, disrespectful and interpreted by many as propagating justification for unlawful death."

"Such actions do not align with Austin Peay's commitment to mutual respect and human dignity," APSU President Mike Licari said in a statement about Michael's firing. "The university deems these actions unacceptable and has terminated the faculty member."

But in October,the school walked back his termination,stating that the professor was instead suspended and that administration had begun the process of terminating Michael's tenure.

Now, the school is taking a larger step back. Licari announced in a Dec. 30 emailoriginally obtained by Clarksville Nowand later confirmed by The Tennessean, that APSU "did not follow the required tenure termination process in this matter."

"I deeply regret and apologize for the impact this has had on Professor Michael and on our campus community," Licari said, in the email. "I am committed to ensuring that due process and fairness are upheld in all future actions."

In a request for comment regarding the settlement, a spokesperson for APSU confirmed the settlement agreement, but did not comment on the terms.

Michael one of many employees fighting back after wave of Charlie-Kirk-linked firings

Michael is one of many people across Tennessee and the nation seeking First Amendment vindication after commenting on Kirk's legacy in the wake of his death. His case is part of a broader backlash, as conservative activists, influencers and politicians have mounted a largely online campaign pushing for employment consequences against individuals perceived as posting negatively about Kirk.

Notable Tennessee lawsuits on the issue include:

• A 21-year MTSU faculty member, Laura Sosh-Lightsy, was serving as the Associate Dean of Student Care and Conduct when she was fired on Sept. 10 after posting on her personal Facebook page about Kirk's death. She filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the school in early November.

• Moncia Meeks, a former employee of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and state representative candidate, was fired after responding to a friend's social media posts about Kirk. She filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the state in early December.

• Larry Bushart, a retired police officer and National Guardsman living in Lexington, was arrested on Sept. 22 after he posted a picture of a quote from President Donald Trump on a social media comment thread about a Kirk memorial.

He was charged with threats of mass violence and held on a $2 million bond, causing him to lose his job in medical transportation due to his incarceration, until mounting public pressure resulted in his release on Oct. 29.

He has filed a First Amendment lawsuit against Perry County, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems and Perry County Sheriff's Investigator Jason Morrow.

The USA TODAY Network - The South region's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean:APSU professor awarded $500k after firing over Charlie Kirk comments

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

Tennessee professor awarded $500k after firing over Charlie Kirk comments

Days after being reinstated to his position, a theater professor at a Tennessee university will receive a $500,000 payout...

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South Korea's ex-President Yoon faces potential death sentence request in trial

By Joyce Lee

SEOUL, Jan 9 (Reuters) - A South Korean court trying former President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges put off a sentencing request till next week after a marathon session on Friday, in a ​case that could give him the death penalty over his failed martial law bid in 2024.

Yoon, who is accused ‌of masterminding an insurrection, could face the death penalty or life in prison under South Korean law if found guilty. South Korea has not executed ‌a death-row inmate since 1997, although it has not abolished the death penalty.

A special prosecutor had been expected to make their request for a sentence to the Seoul Central District Court for Yoon and seven other defendants on Friday but the court decided to resume proceedings on January 13 after more than 12 hours of arguments.

Prosecutors have alleged that Yoon and then-defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, began ⁠devising a scheme as far back as October ‌2023 to suspend parliament and assume legislative powers.

Prosecutors accuse Yoon of seeking to brand his political opponents - including then-opposition leader Lee Jae Myung - as "anti-state forces" and to detain them.

They have said Yoon ‍and Kim also tried to manufacture a pretext for martial law by escalating tensions with North Korea through a covert drone operation.

While the botched bid to impose martial law lasted only about six hours, it sent shockwaves through South Korea, which is Asia's fourth-largest economy, a key ​U.S. security ally and was long considered one of Asia's most resilient democracies.

Yoon, 65, has denied the charges. The conservative ‌former career prosecutor has argued he had the powers as president to declare martial law and that his action was aimed at sounding the alarm over opposition parties' obstruction of government.

DEFENCE LAWYERS HAVE NOT FINISHED PRESENTING ARGUMENTS

Dressed in a dark suit and white shirt and appearing noticeably thinner than at the start of the trial in February, Yoon sat with the seven other defendants including Kim and legal counsel.

The session opened earlier than usual for the defence arguments, followed by the prosecutors' final arguments and ⁠sentencing requests relating to each of the defendants.

But by late Friday ​evening, defence lawyers were still hours away from finishing their arguments, prompting the ​court to set a new session for January 13. In South Korea, the court rules whether to convict a defendant and sets the sentence.

The court is expected to rule in February, capping more than ‍a year of political upheaval following ⁠Yoon's martial law declaration on December 3, 2024, which was revoked within hours after lawmakers scaled fences to break through a security cordon around the National Assembly to vote.

Yoon was later impeached and removed from office by the ⁠Constitutional Court and a snap presidential election in June last year brought liberal-leaning Lee Jae Myung to power.

Yoon faces a string of other criminal charges, ‌including obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant and abuse of power.

(Reporting by Joyce Lee, Kyu-seok Shim ‌and Jack KimEditing by Ed Davies, Kate Mayberry and Gareth Jones)

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

South Korea's ex-President Yoon faces potential death sentence request in trial

By Joyce Lee SEOUL, Jan 9 (Reuters) - A South Korean court trying former President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection...

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Tornadoes tear across Mississippi as major storm threatens millions with severe weather, flash flooding

JACKSON, Miss. —A powerful line of thunderstorms produced at least two radar-confirmedtornadoesin Mississippi around 6:30 a.m. CT. These storms were powered by a cold front from a cross-country storm that's delivering heavy rounds ofrainto millions east of theMississippiRiver, as parts of the Deep South and Gulf Coast remain in the bullseye for significantflash floodingandsevere stormsthrough Friday.

Download The Fox Weather App

Tornado Warnings were issued across parts of Mississippi and Louisiana on Friday morning.

No word on the extent of any damage or injuries.

Damaging wind gusts are expected to remain the main threat of severe storms, but moretornadoesare possible. This comes after the first cross-country storm spawned at least four tornadoes across Oklahoma Thursday.

Tornado Rips Through Purcell, Oklahoma Spawning Trail Of Damage

Meanwhile, an intense corridor of flash flooding will be possible Friday into Saturday across southern Mississippi nearHattiesburgand south ofJackson,according to the FOX Forecast Center.

Over eight million people are under a 2 out of 5 severe storm risk that is in place across parts ofLouisiana,Mississippiand westernTennessee, with the highest risk extending fromBaton Rouge, Louisiana, north toMemphis, Tennesseeand east toBirmingham, Alabama.

How To Watch For Weather

The continued threat of tornadoes comes after a strong EF-1 tornado ripped throughPurcell,Oklahoma, as a line of storms moved through the area. Though no one was injured, the tornado left a trail of destruction, downing power lines and uprooting trees.

The National Weather Service offices inNormanandTulsaare still surveying damage, but confirmed three other tornadoes near the Oklahoma City area/

In a classic set up for severe weather in the South, multiple rounds of storms are expected Friday from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast, elevating the threat of flash flooding.

The first round will arrive on Friday morning into midday, followed by another round later in the afternoon and overnight.

How To Watch Fox Weather

Given the abundant moisture and the likelihood of repeated rounds of storms, flash flooding remains a concern across middle Tennessee, northern Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Rainfall totals will generally range from 2 to 3 inches across most of theTennessee Valley; however, isolated pockets could see totals reach up to 5 inches.

However, the greatest threat covers parts of southern Mississippi, where NOAA's Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 3 out of 4 risk of flash flooding.

A corridor from Jackson to Hattiesburg could see rain rates of up to 3 inches per hour Friday, the FOX Forecast Center said.

Flood Watchesare now up fromNew OrleansthroughNashville, extending over 600 miles.

Much of the areas included in flood watches are currently in a drought, increasing the risk for flash flooding as the expected rainfall rates may exceed what the dry ground can absorb.

Severe weather may continue into Saturday as the cold front moves east. A level 1 out of 5 severe storm risk is already in place across parts ofGeorgiaand the Carolinas.

As the storm exits the region, the possibility of flash flooding remains across east Tennessee and westernNorth Carolina.

Original article source:Tornadoes tear across Mississippi as major storm threatens millions with severe weather, flash flooding

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

Tornadoes tear across Mississippi as major storm threatens millions with severe weather, flash flooding

JACKSON, Miss. —A powerful line of thunderstorms produced at least two radar-confirmedtornadoesin Mississippi around 6:30...

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Lincoln University football head coach steps down, suspends program

Lincoln University, a private non-profit educational institution in Oakland, California, with an embattled sports program, has announced the resignation of its football coach, Desmond Gumbs, and the suspension of its football program after five seasons.

The short-lived program has been plagued by losing seasons,allegationsof poor facilities, a lack of athletic support staff, and overcrowding in its players' housing.

Theuniversity said in a Tuesday statementreleased on their website that Gumbs made the decision to step down as head coach but will remain the college's athletic director to ensure "stability and leadership within the University's athletics department."

Additionally, the school announced it will not field a football team for the 2026-27 season, allowing a strategic pause to focus on strengthening and building the program as it prepares for its next phase of competition, the university said on its website.

Lincoln Football investigation:A scrappy football startup, or 'the college Bishop Sycamore'?

Lincoln University football history and allegations

The Lincoln Oaklanders first formed a football team to compete throughout the country in 2021. The small, independent private school does not belong to the NCAA, or any football division or conference, for that matter. They play all their games on the road due to a lack of a dedicated stadium and routinelyproduce losing seasons.

Lincoln president Dr. Mikhail Brodsky had high praise for Gumbs and his impact on the college in Oakland in a news release statement.

"Gumbs' leadership has been instrumental in laying the foundation for Lincoln University athletics," Brodsky said in a news release Tuesday. "His decision to step away from coaching while remaining Athletic Director demonstrates his commitment to positioning our football program for long-term success. We fully support him as he leads the search for our next head football coach."

As noted in a2024 USA TODAYreport, the program didn't have a dedicated practice field or even a weight room for its players, which has been a recipe for some ugly losses.

The program hasn't had a football win in three seasons, with its lastvictory coming in November 2022against Bluefield.

The Oaklanders lost by an average margin of 51.25 points in the 2025 football season, playing eight games: among those opponents were Prairie View A&M, Mississippi Valley State,Alcorn State, Idaho State and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

The program scored 26 points this past season — all in the first three games. They averaged 3.25 points per game in 2025. The Oaklanders' season-high, 12 points, came in a 60-12 loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sept. 6.

The program was the face of a USA TODAY investigation nearly two years ago followingmultiple allegations from players citing the university and its football programfor having inadequate equipment, lack of water at practices and practices without a certified athletic trainer.

Other allegations included players on food stamps, unexpected financial commitments and overcrowded housing that left players sleeping in living rooms. One player allegedly slept in the kitchen of an apartment unit.

Brodsky, when contacted about the recent development, pushed back against those allegations and explained that corrections have since been made.

"The story is old," Brodsky told USA TODAY Sports in an email response. "We conducted (an) independent investigation, found and corrected (said) problems (which were) a lot less in reality than was mentioned in the negative article a long time ago. It is just a lack of funds, currently a common case for small independent schools."

USA TODAY'S previous reporting included interviews with 46 then-current and former Oaklander players, as well as five former assistant coaches.

Brodsky told USA TODAY Sports that previous allegations about team conditions had nothing to do with their joint decision to end all football-related activity at the university.

"Lincoln University is a non-profit educational institution and our mission is to teach students, not winning any games," Brodsky said. "We use athletic activities as a bonus to education if the university can afford it. At this moment, we cannot afford a football team and it has nothing to do with winning or losing games."

The football tab on their athletics website has since been removed, leaving only basketball and soccer to remain, for both men and women.

USA TODAY Sports reached out to Gumbs for comment, but he was not available before the time of publication.

Gabe Zaldivar contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Oakland's Lincoln University football coach steps down, program paused

byDonna Devi

in

January 09, 2026

Lincoln University football head coach steps down, suspends program

Lincoln University, a private non-profit educational institution in Oakland, California, with an embattled sports program...

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