It was supposed to be an all-in showdown on the Ninth Island.

No, not the McGregor-Holloway fight, although that one at least had a moment of action before being decided to the satisfaction of no one.

But the battle of public relations between the Mountain West and the Pac-12 never materialized.

No mas? No show. The Pac-12 did not even put in an ante.

Here’s the back story:

Two years ago, 10 of the 12 Pac-12 schools departed for other conferences. Oregon State and Washington State were left behind with each other, whatever TV revenues were abandoned, and the conference’s name. OSU and WSU had two options: 1) beg to follow Oregon and Washington into the Big Ten, or 2) merge with the Mountain West. They chose “none of the above.”

Instead, OSU and WSU negotiated to play football games against Mountain West teams during the 2024 season. Then in September of that year, whether it was through poaching or persuasive marketing, five Mountain West schools — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State — agreed to join the Pac-12 beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. It took cross-my-heart loyalty pledges and retention payouts to keep UNLV and Air Force from joining the secession. Along the way, basketball powerhouse Gonzaga joined the Pac-12. The Mountain West countered with additions such as UTEP and Grand Canyon, and Hawaii becoming an all-sports member.

Both conferences went to court to argue over poaching penalties and exit fees worth millions of dollars.

This summer, both were supposed to boast about their members, television partners, sponsors and overall well-being.

This week, the Mountain West is hosting media days in Las Vegas. Each of the 10 football programs was asked to bring four players, the head coach, a top administrator, a media relations director, two digital creators and a mascot. (UH does not have an official mascot.) Television and broadcast partners will attend. Commissioner Gloria Nevarez will promote the league’s strengths and five-time-zone footprint in her annual state-of-the-MW address. The two-day event will be held at the Palms, once a celebrity hot spot in the early 2000s. In recent years, the Mountain West’s media days were held at the 21-and-older Circa Resort &Casino in downtown Las Vegas.

The Pac-12 also was expected to launch its football season with media days in Las Vegas. After all, the Pac-12 has embraced Las Vegas as a favorite venue. For the next two years, the Pac-12’s basketball tournaments will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

But Pac-12 officials have been secretive in recent weeks. They have declined to reveal financial details of their new television contracts. And deputy commissioner Rick Hart recently told reporters the Pac-12 decided against holding a media day. The Pac-12 is the only FBS conference without a traditional media day or official preseason kickoff event this summer.

“We could have,” Hart told Front Office Sports. “We talked about it. Those are expensive. … Traditionally, you spend a lot of money, you bring everybody together for two or three days, you disrupt camp or whatever’s going on. Maybe you get the media there, maybe you don’t. Maybe you get 72 hours of publicity alongside all the other leagues that are doing media days. It’s pretty noisy. There’s a lot of static. And then everybody moves on.”

But media event would not conflict with training camp, which can’t open more than a month from the opener. UH, for example, plays Stanford on Aug. 29, college football’s Week Zero. The Warriors’ first practice of training camp is July 29.

The preseason hype probably offsets the cost of a media event. The Mountain West pays for meals and lodging for each team’s representatives. The schools pays for their travel expenses.

To the cynics, there are these conspiracy theories of the Pac-12’s non-plans.

1. If the Pac-12 announces lucrative sponsorships, TV deals and payouts to members, it could enhance the Mountain West’s claim the poaching/secession caused damage.

2. The Mountain West would receive better coverage if the Pac-12 held a media event at the same time in Las Vegas. UNLV and Nevada are Mountain West members; the Pac-12 does not have a member in the Silver State.

Maybe the Pac-12 has an entertaining and superior product. But the proof won’t be in the promotions.

How did this deal come to be? Looney: “I knew I was going to be a free agent. I looked at the landscape of free agency and where there was an opportunity where I could play. A few teams called looking for a backup big. LA is a place that I come to all the time. I’m here a lot of the times. I got a lot of friends and family. So to have the opportunity to join the Lakers, I couldn’t turn that down.”

Fade Away World

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Kevon Looney on joining the Lakers: 'I couldn't turn that down'

What is the key to be able to get Luka and Austin open looks with your screens? Kevon Looney: “For Austin, I can set the screens on the ball and off the ball for him. On the pick-and-roll, I can get the angles for them. They’re both scoring guards. So I can hold my screens. That should relieve them some pressure so they can get a clean look. That’s something that I specialize at. So I’m super excited to do it for those guys. Luka is a pick-and-roll master. He’s probably the best in the league at it with finding angles and manipulating the defense. I want to pick his mind and learn from him and how he wants his screens set. With talking with those guys, I’m excited about that part, too. Every time I go to a new team or play with a new guard, I ask them how he likes to play. That’s always the fun part.”

Fade Away World

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “For Austin, I can set the screens on the ball and off …

As the college football world turns, University of Hawaii head coach Timmy Chang remains grounded in his goals.

“I think college football has changed,” said Chang, who enters his fifth season as the Rainbow Warriors’ leader. “You have to be flexible to build a roster and compete. We’re doing that. We’re a different type of program. We’re in a different location. And that poses different factors and opportunities and challenges that we have to be able to adapt.”

Fifty-four months after inheriting a disheartened program that was in emotional turmoil, Chang is navigating an evolving landscape. The transfer portal has eased the way for players to change schools without interruption. Student-athletes may now profit from use of their name, image and likeness. The House vs. NCAA settlement requires profit sharing up to $20.5 million annually per school. (UH has budgeted $5 million for NILs and profit sharing this coming academic year, with $2.5 million earmarked for football.)

The Rainbow Warriors have been impacted living in a material whirl.

“Jackson Harris is an example,” Chang said of the wideout who received a lucrative NIL deal after transferring to LSU following the 2025 regular season. “I think he loved our program, but he left for the money.”

But the portal is accessible in both directions, and the Warriors were able to find tall and fast transfers to reload the receiver positions.

“We just focus on our program, focus on our staff, focus on getting better,” Chang said. “Those are the things we can control. We focus on building and developing young student-athletes.”

In accepting the UH job in January 2022, Chang emphasized assembling a staff that shared his vision, connecting the program with academic and administrative leaders, and taking great care of his players.

“If we want someone to come into our program, it means something,” Chang said. “You’re taking in somebody’s son. You’re taking in someone who wants to trust you. That’s the biggest thing.”

For Chang, that meant providing educational and nutritional opportunities.

“Five years ago, we fought for feeding our kids and taking care of them,” said Chang, noting such programs as the Braddahhood Grindz and Sodexo provide training tables. “We’re fed year ’round besides the days we’re truly off, like spring break or winter break. We kept them fed.”

With expanded guidelines, every team member, including walk-ons, partakes in the training table.

“Once you’re on our team, you’re part of it,” Chang said.

He also has provided some leeway for youthful mistakes.

“I made it vocal, my biggest problem is we’re very quick to move to the next thing and move off people,” Chang said. “We want to build a program where we can give people second chances to try to do things right. We want to grow and develop and build that trust with them.”

During Chang’s tenure, the pied piper has been quarterback Micah Alejado, who was born and reared on Oahu and became a standout quarterback for national powerhouse Bishop Gorman High of Las Vegas.

“Micah brings a lot to the table for our program, for our state,” Chang said of the third-year Warrior. “He’s able to attract other players, as well. When you talk about receivers wanting to come and play, they want to play with Micah. A guy who left, like Jackson, still wanted to play with Micah. It’s the style of how we recruit. We recruit people. Your talent is your talent. We recruit based on who you are as a person.”

Chang also said that standard holds for his coaches and staff. Chang has reached agreement on a contract extension, although the paper work has not been signed. As part of conversations, Chang strongly proposed rewarding his staff. Last month, the assistant coaches received new contracts — some received two-year deals.

“The most important thing is continuing to build,” Chang said. “When you look at the building part of it, it’s taking care of your coaches. The coaches are an extension of me. I want to make sure we’re taking care of them. And always taking care of the players, whether it’s revenue sharing or NILs or feeding them. That’s the biggest thing.”

The Warriors became a football-only member of the Mountain West in 2012. This month, 15 UH sports joined, making the school essentially a full member. (UH’s men’s volleyball, beach volleyball and water polo teams remain in the Big West because the Mountain West does not sponsor those sports.)

With UH as full member, school president Wendy Hensel has been appointed to the Mountain West’s Board of Directors and the league’s executive committee. Athletic director Matt Elliott will have a greater voice in decisions involving UH. And UH will receive a full share of the league’s national television revenue.

On the football field, the Warriors have a chance to fill the leadership void created by Boise State’s and Fresno State’s departure to the Pac-12.

Chang will continue to call plays for the ever-evolving run-and-shoot offense.

“I think the run-and-shoot is a wrinkle in itself,” Chang said. “It’s an offense about quarterbacks and receivers being on the same page. You start with an offense like that, it becomes challenging (for defenses) to stop.”

Chang also said defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman will continue to reload a scheme in attack mode.

“Dennis has a great understanding of how he wants to attack and what he wants to do,” Chang said. “Complicated or simple, he wants to make his defense attack. This year more than others. You lose (play-making safety) Peter Manuma and you have guys to replace him. There have been guys waiting in the wings ready to step up.”

—

The Buffalo Bills have claimed wide receiver Quentin Skinner off of waivers on Tuesday.

Skinner was let go by the New York Jets with an injury designation and now lands in Buffalo. In a corresponding move, the Bills have released wide receiver Deven Thompkins to make room on the team's roster:

We have made the following roster moves:

- claimed WR Quentin Skinner off waivers from the NY Jets
- released WR Deven Thompkins@Ticketmaster | #BillsMafiapic.twitter.com/8XRrd6qnWM

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) July 14, 2026

Skinner was a UDFA signing of the Jets following the 2025 NFL Draft but did have some hopes attached to him in New York. The 24-year-old spent most of his rookie year on either the practice squad or as a healthy scratch in 2025.

However, his one memorable moment did come against the Jets

Skinner caught his first-career pass from quarterback Brady Cook in Week 17 last season. That 10-yard grade also came alongside another catch on a successful two-point conversation attempt.

Bills Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Bills claim AFC East receiver who had good NFL debut against them

Daniel Donabedian: Joe Mazzulla on how his in-season fighting/training helps him connect with his players: “I can go through the season and not have any physically taxing moments and the players are physically drained…The more I can meet them where they’re at and put (myself) in that position, I think it helps…understanding what they go through.”

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Drained…The more I can meet them where they’re at and …

Heat Central: “There is some appeal I believe in going back to Miami and reuniting there with the Heat and making up for that kind of sour exit” — @JakeLFischer on LeBron to Miami

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “There is some appeal I believe in going back to Miami …

The Wolves have been in regular contact with Rich Paul, James’s agent and close friend, to try to sell them on the idea of teaming up with Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert to make a run at the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in the West. “The recruitment is just this team,” Connelly said. “Obviously, he’s an unbelievable player. Whatever decision he makes is going to be the right one. There’s a lot going on. When you’re as great as he is, you should have optionality. When you look at our team, it’s hard not to be excited about what we have.”

New York Times

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: “Obviously, he’s an unbelievable player. Whatever …

Larne boss Gary Haveron said their Champions League second qualifying round tie against Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade will be a "free hit" for his side.

The Inver Reds progressed to the second qualifying round for the first time courtesy of a 3-1 aggregate win over San Marino side Tre Fiori.

Haveron's side came from behind to win the second leg 2-1 at Inver Park and they will now welcome Red Star, who played in the league phase of the Champions League as recently as the 2024-25 campaign, to Larne for the first leg on Tuesday, 21 July.

"Beyond proud we can bring a club to these shores and showcase our club. It's a huge draw, they're a historical and massive football club," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.

"It's seen as a free hit for us because people won't expect too much, we'll go and try be as competitive as we possibly can.

"We'll pay them the respect but we'll try impose ourselves on the game and see what we can do. We're maybe not shoulder to shoulder with them but while we're on the pitch we'll try our best to get a result."

• Larne come from behind to beat nine-man Tre Fiori

'The boys showed tremendous character'

Larne went into the second leg at home with a 1-0 lead after Matty Lusty's goal in San Marino, but that was quickly cancelled out when Pietro Mengucci scored for the visitors on 11 minutes on Tuesday.

The Irish Premiership champions responded well and levelled through a Matt Ridley header before the break with Dan Bent then stroking home a penalty to secure the comeback win.

Both Simone Rea and Tommaso Bernardi were sent off as Tre Fiori finished with nine men and Haveron was relieved his side got over the line for their first Champions League win.

"I wasn't thrilled after 11 minutes when we conceded the goal, how hard we worked out there in San Marino to have a one goal lead and we give it away after 11 minutes wasn't like us," he added.

"We wanted a fast start and it was anything but that, but the boys showed tremendous character to drag themselves back into it.

"When we got back level before half-time I was extremely confident we'd lift our game second half and it worked out well as we went on and won the tie."

The Arizona Cardinals report to training camp on July 22 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team.

Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2025, questions they face and their roster outlook.

Here is offensive lineman Oli Udoh

Oli Udoh background, 2025 season

Udoh enters his eighth NFL season and his first with the Cardinals. He was drafted in the sixth round in 2019 by the Minnesota Vikings. He spent five seasons with them, starting 17 total games, 16 in 2021 at right guard. He played in 14 games with one start in 2024 with the New Orleans Saints and then, last season, he played in 17 games, starting three for the Tennessee Titans. Udoh started at right tackle for the Titans in their 22-21 Week 5 win over the Cardinals.

Olu Udoh contract details, salary cap hit

Udoh signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract this offseason. He received $50,000 as a signing bonus and $300,000 of his salary of $1.22 million salary is guaranteed. He will get a $87,500 roster bonus if he makes the roster. His cap hit will be $1.26 million.

Roster outlook, questions he faces

Udoh is on the roster bubble, competing for a backup tackle spot. The two starters are set with Paris Johnson and Elijah Wilkinson. He will compete with Josh Fryar, Demontrey Jacobs, Christian Jones and rookie Jayden Williams for the backup tackles jobs.

His experience is helpful and the salary guarantees suggest that the Cardinals have him in their plans.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals training camp roster preview: OL Oli Udoh

Last weekend, former Duke alum Gary Trent Jr. signed a new four-year $64 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, a surprising figure given his production last year.

In 65 games for the Bucks last season, Trent Jr. scored the fewest amount of points (8.1) since his rookie year, to go along with one rebound, 1.2 assists and 0.5 steals. Following the move, NBA insider Tim MacMahon ripped Milwaukee for handing out such an expensive deal, saying, "If you look at the analytics of it, he had negative win shares, a negative box plus-minus, a negative VORP, and he got a mid-level exception basically, a full mid-level. This contract stinks. It smells awful."

For comparison, Quentin Grimes signed a four-year $60 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers despite averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 0.9 steals. However, since the subtraction of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have some money to spend and could potentially package Trent Jr. in a trade this summer or at the February deadline.

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: NBA insiders rip contract of former Duke Blue Devil

People’s minds instantly jump to football when they think about Penn State athletics, but don’t sleep on the other programs at the school. The baseball team was in a dark spot heading into this decade, but they’ve netted a .500 record or better in each of the last three seasons.

This newfound hope for the team has borne some promising players, like the three who were selected in the draft this past weekend. The 2026 MLB Draft took place in Philadelphia, where Michael Anderson, Alex Weingartner, and Dalton Harper all heard their names called. The latter two players never officially suited up for the Nittany Lions, although they were slated to join the team this fall.

Two incoming @PennStateBASE recruits heard their names called in the 2026 MLB Draft.

If either recruit puts pen to paper with their new team, Penn State officially loses them for good.https://t.co/EpsWWSRqem

— Onward State (@OnwardState) July 13, 2026

Anderson was a valuable weapon for Penn State last season, finishing with an impressive .358 batting average, 20 home runs and 53 RBI in 50 games. The earliest draft pick of the bunch, the two-way star was selected in the fifth round by the Texas Rangers, where he has a chance to become a top prospect in the organization.

Weingartner and Harper were more like projection picks, with neither having played NCAA baseball to this point. The Nittany Lions may not be competing for the College World Series, but that isn’t preventing them from developing MLB-level talent.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 3 Penn State players hear their names called at 2026 MLB Draft

FS1 has seen one of its most successful months in recent memory on the back of World Cup viewership. The week of June 15 was the cable network’s most-watched in its history by total-day audience, averaging 885,000 viewers across its dayparts. But it appears as if that success did not rub off on the network’s new morning show, Wake Up Barstool.

According to a report by Austin Karp in Sports Business Journal, Wake Up Barstool averaged just 19,000 viewers on FS1 in the month of June, keeping in line with the show’s soft television ratings that began last September when it debuted. Get Up, the show that airs in the same hours on ESPN, averaged 426,000 viewers, a staggering 2,142% better than Wake Up Barstool, per SBJ.

The underwhelming viewership is particularly notable given FS1’s success throughout the rest of the month. Historically, major live sporting events, like World Cup matches, can have a halo effect on a network’s other programming, even lasting through the overnight hours and into the next day. No such momentum appeared to hold for the 8 a.m. ET episodes of Wake Up Barstool.

The show has failed to capture any sort of loyal audience on linear television since its debut at the beginning of last football season. In its first week on the air, Wake Up Barstoolaveraged 16,500 viewers on FS1. Of course, Wake Up Barstool is unique in the sense that it is also available in full on YouTube, where episodes generally earn between 5,000 and 20,000 additional views.

To be abundantly fair to the show, it did technically earn 2,500 more viewers on average in the month of June than it did in its inaugural week last September. But it’d be quite the stretch to call that improvement a success, especially considering the potential viewership windfall live World Cup matches could’ve provided.

The post ‘Wake Up Barstool’ evades FS1 World Cup bump, toils at under 20K viewers in June appeared first on Awful Announcing.

LeBron James could be close to picking a new NBA team.

The league's all-time leading scorer has been pondering his options since announcing plans to leave the Los Angeles Lakers when NBA free agency opened last month.

James possesses leverage in terms of his timing because his agent, Rich Paul, indicated money won't drive their decision. But the latest reports suggest he is at least narrowing his options and might be on the verge of figuring out where he will play in his record 24th NBA season.

ESPN's Shams Charania said on the Tuesday, July 14 episode of NBA Today that James has "a focus on Cleveland, Miami and Philadelphia," with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors also mentioned as contenders for James (through Paul) in recent days.

A report from Front Office Sports noted that multiple NBA front office executives also consider the Warriors a serious threat to sign James.

LAKERS AFTERMATH: Did they lose or win free agency? Grading massive roster overhaul.

Golden State stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have reportedly been able to contact James during this free agency process, unlike the owners and general managers in pursuit of him. James is scheduled to record a live episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast with Tyrese Haliburton and other special guests as part of two appearances at Fanatics Fest in New York on Thursday, July 16.

Here's a breakdown of the latest potential NBA free agency landing spots for LeBron James based on current reports:

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have emerged as the favorites to land James, allowing him to compete for an NBA championship with Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley and author a storybook ending with a third stint near his hometown of Akron, Ohio to close out a historic career.

Miami Heat

The prospect of teaming James with Giannis Antetokounmpo is so fascinating to consider that the lack of supporting cast around them (because of the Heat's salary cap situation this season) seems worth the risk.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers became a serious option for James when they traded for Jaylen Brown. James shares the same agent with Tyrese Maxey and won a gold medal with Joel Embiid at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also can make more history in Philadelphia. No NBA player has ever won a title with four different teams.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors were the focus of initial speculation surrounding James' next team, particularly once Green elected to opt out of his contract to give Golden State more flexibility to pursue James. Playing with Curry and Green would give James a compelling closing chapter with two of his former rivals, though it remains to be seen if that's enough for the Warriors to compete with the Spurs and Thunder in the West.

Minnesota Timberwolves

James would be a great fit on the court and in the locker room with the Timberwolves, who could use a versatile power forward to replace Julius Randle and Naz Reid in their lineup and a mature voice to help ensure Minnesota's bet on teaming LaMelo Ball with Anthony Edwards pays off. But the idea of James spending his final NBA season(s) in Minnesota is seen as the least likely of these possible destinations.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James landing spots: Which team has emerged star's top choice?

Entering Tuesday's men's World Cup semifinal match, the prevailing sentiment seemed to be that France deserved to be the favorite over Lamine Yamal and defending European champion Spain. After the Spanish defense systematically dismantled Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Co. in a decisive 2-0 win, it's clear many underestimated just how good this Spain team is.

One person who didn't overlook what Spain was capable of was French manager Didier Deschamps.

Whereas it felt like most had crowned France as the favorite, Deschamps had actually fought back against this sentiment with some of his pre-match comments. As it turns out, his below praise of the Spanish defense — which has conceded just a single goal en route to Sunday's World Cup Final — was accurate foreshadowing about what ended up happening to the usually potent French offense:

🫵🏽🇪🇸 Didier Deschamps: “Spain are clear favorites, without a doubt”.

“I’m not putting pressure on them. Scoring a lot, only one goal conceded… they’re favorites”. pic.twitter.com/fnwjXy8zh7

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 14, 2026

It was easy to take Deschamps' commentary here as trying to motivate his players in the biggest game of the tournament against elite competition. We've seen so many coaches try a similar tactic in so many sports. But no, this was Deschamps being candid. He knew what France was up against with a Spanish team that plays every single blade of grass while showing off the epitome of disciplined and technical soccer. And his assessment came to fruition.

Spain now moves on to its first World Cup Final since 2010. Call it a good hunch, but I don't think anyone will underestimate the Spanish anymore, regardless of which opponent awaits them on the other side.

Who will Spain play in the World Cup Final?

Spain is waiting for the winner of the Argentina vs. England match. Those two countries will engage in the other World Cup semifinal on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. The loser of the match will play France in the third-place game on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Didier Deschamps' pre-match Spain compliment was spot-on foreshadowing

Summer is here, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota. 

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans. 

So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

• Illinois
• Maryland

Background Info

• Listed at 5-11/190 lbs. 
• 4-Star prospect according to 247 Sports
• Was in track and field in high school 
• Captain in high school
• 2025 LA Bowl offensive MVP

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• 15 Starts
• 459 Pass attempts
• 4,009 Passing yards
• 8.7 Yards per attempt

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 21 Big-time throws

• 2.1 Turnover worthy play rate
• Average depth of target is 8.6 yards
• 78.9% Adjusted completion percentage

Strengths

• Excellent velocity on his passes
• Good arm strength to push the ball down the field
• Can be a playmaker out of the backfield
• Good mobility in the pocket to avoid pressures
• Has the poise to handle big moments and games

Player Summary

Demond Williams Jr. is a very fun college quarterback right now who can carry his team to big wins and moments. However, as a college prospect looking to the NFL, he has some work to do. The accuracy and touch can sometimes be hit or miss, passes can sail over their targets, and it creates opportunities for the defense. He sees the field well because when he misses it is often to an open target, but the anticipation and timing are where he needs to work. Thankfully for him, a strong base with his arm talent is there, so he can build himself up in 2026 with a strong showing. 

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting: Demond Williams Jr., QB, Washington

Athlon Sports projected the best SEC games for each week of the 2026 regular season.

The conference features some of the most compelling matchups in all of college football, from opening weekend through rivalry week. The selections emphasize games anticipated to have the biggest impact on the SEC championship race and College Football Playoff picture.

Florida's annual clash with Georgia was tabbed as one of the SEC's premier fixtures. The game has grown in national significance since it began in 1904, continuing as a battle of blue-blood programs that routinely produces iconic results. The game temporarily moves to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta during the Jacksonville stadium renovations.

The Jon Sumrall era carries with it an increasing sense of belief — many experts see the Gators as a dark-horse CFB playoff contender. Regardless of its final win-loss record, UF will play a part in shaping the season's narrative as they face several post-season favorites in Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Noted in the article is the SEC's depth and newly implemented nine-game conference schedule. Georgia, Texas, Alabama and LSU appear multiple times on this list, with Georgia facing Alabama in Week 6 and Ole Miss in Week 10 while LSU hosts Clemson in Week 1 and will see Texas in Week 11 take on Alabama.

Many contenders from the SEC face multiple nationally relevant foes over the course of the season.

Athlon Sports' Best game for every week of the 2026 season

• Week 1: Clemson at LSU (Sept. 5)
• Week 2: Ohio State at Texas (Sept. 12)
• Week 3: LSU at Ole Miss (Sept. 19)
• Week 4: Oklahoma at Georgia (Sept. 26)
• Week 5: Auburn at Tennessee (Oct. 3)
• Week 6: Georgia at Alabama (Oct. 10)
• Week 7: Alabama at Tennessee (Oct. 17)
• Week 8: Ole Miss at Texas (Oct. 24)
• Week 9: Florida vs. Georgia (Atlanta) (Oct. 31)
• Week 10: Georgia at Ole Miss (Nov. 7)
• Week 11: Texas at LSU (Nov. 14)
• Week 12: Texas A&M at Oklahoma (Nov. 21)
• Week 13: Texas at Texas A&M (Friday) (Nov. 27)

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Athlon Sports tabs Florida-Georgia among SEC's best games in 2026

A former Carolina Panthers wideout just had himself a short stay up in Orchard Park, N.Y.

As announced on Tuesday afternoon, the Buffalo Bills have released receiver Deven Thompkins. The 26-year-old signed with the team on June 11.

Thompkins, a Utah State product out of Fort Meyers, Fla., cracked into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. That's where he would first cross paths with Panthers head coach Dave Canales, who served as the Buccaners' offensive coordinator in 2023.

Following his two seasons in Tampa Bay, Thompkins rejoined Canales in Carolina ahead of the 2024 campaign. He'd go on to play in seven games for the Panthers that year, totaling four receptions for 20 yards along with five punt returns and five kickoff returns.

2025 would see Thompkins suit up for a third stint in the NFC South, as he appeared in seven contests for the Atlanta Falcons.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Bills release former Panthers WR on Tuesday

Dundee United's hopes of progressing from the Scottish League Cup group stage are in the balance after they were stunned by third-tier Montrose.

Jim Goodwin's top-flight side, who needed a stoppage-time penalty to beat Stirling Albion on Saturday, were undone by a first-half goal from Graham Webster at Links Park.

Fellow Premiership club Falkirk were also on the receiving end of a shock result as Kevin Holt earned second-tier Ayr United a victory away to John McGlynn's men.

McGlynn's team, who missed a penalty, started their group campaign with a 5-0 win at Edinburgh City last weekend but now sit second behind Ayr in Group G.

Meanwhile, there were victories for Stephen Robinson's new-look Aberdeen, Dundee and St Johnstone, but Kilmarnock were held by Raith Rovers before claiming a bonus point from a penalty shootout.

• Holders St Mirren start with win as Linlithgow cause shock
• Who has your Premiership club brought in & let go this summer?
• Scottish League Cup group tables

Nisbet double for Dons as Dundee hit five

It was a Kevin Nisbet penalty that put Robinson's Aberdeen side, which included seven debutants, ahead at Brora Rangers, with the former Hibernian striker adding a second after the break.

Elsewhere in Group A, goals from Aidan Connolly and Jack Hamilton made it two wins from two for Queen's Park at Kelty Hearts.

Dundee hit five at lower-league Annan Athletic to maintain their winning start.

After a goalless first half, a Charlie Reilly double was followed by goals from Joe Bevan, Simon Murray and Ashley Hay.

Steven Pressley's men sit top of their section. Kyle Connell's goal helped Clyde edge out Airdrieonians in the other Group D fixture.

Kilmarnock held as St Johnstone open with win

Kilmarnock, playing at Beechwood Park in Auchinleck while their Rugby Park surface is being re-laid with grass, started with no new faces and played out a goalless stalemate with Championship side Raith Rovers.

However, they claimed a bonus point by winning the subsequent penalty shootout. Peterhead came from behind to defeat Elgin City 3-1 in Group H's other Tuesday fixture.

St Johnstone did the damage in the first half against Linlithgow Rose, with goals from Kai Fotheringham and Ruari Paton downing the Lowland League outfit.

Elsewhere in Group F, Greenock Morton's miserable start continued as they were defeated 2-0 at East Fife, having already been beaten at home by Linlithgow on Saturday.

Thistle continue impressive start

Partick Thistle maintained their encouraging start with another emphatic win as a three-goal blitz sent the Championship side into a commanding lead at Forfar Athletic.

Seb Drozd, Alex Samuel and Dan O'Reilly were the scorers before Tsoanelo Letsosa added a late fourth.

Livingston also won in Group E, securing a 2-0 away victory over Brechin City.

Fellow second-tier side Dunfermline responded to their sobering defeat at East Kilbride - who were beaten in a five-goal thriller by Cove Rangers - by thumping East Fife 4-1.

Stirling Albion fought back from an early Spartans goal by scoring three times to move top of Group B, with Dundee United in fourth.

And Edinburgh City bounced back from their heavy loss to Falkirk by beating Alloa Athletic in Group G.

Viktor Gyokeres may be used as a makeweight to bring Julian Alvarez to Arsenal, Liverpool have made contract with Paris St-Germain over a transfer for Bradley Barcola, while Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is set to leave the club.

Arsenal have explored the possibility of offering Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 28, as part of a deal for Atletico Madrid's Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, 26. (Talksport)

Barcelona will resume their pursuit of Alvarez after the World Cup and could also include one of their players as part of the deal. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Barcelona want to offer Spain forward Ferran Torres, 26, a new contract amid interest from Paris St-Germain, but plan to wait until September because of financial regulations. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Liverpool have made fresh contact with Paris St-Germain over a potential summer move for France forward Bradley Barcola, 23. (TeamTalk)

Arsenal are trying to sell Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus, with AC Milan among the leading contenders to sign the 29-year-old. (TeamTalk)

Sunderland are set to complete the signing of Belgium right-back Thomas Meunier following the 34-year-old's departure from Lille. (Athletic - subscription required)

Liverpool have dismissed a new approach for Curtis Jones, with Inter Milan's improved bid of about £27m falling short of their £30m asking price for the 25-year-old England midfielder. (Talksport)

Everton have stepped up their long-standing interest in Genoa's Brooke Norton-Cuffy, 22, with fresh talks having taken place over a potential move for the England Under-21 defender. (TeamTalk)

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero, 28, is set to leave the club this summer, with Barcelona interested in the Argentina defender. (Talksport)

Crysencio Summerville's agents have met with Roma over the Netherlands forward, 24, joining them from West Ham. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian)

USA goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, 22, is currently on trial with Strasbourg with a view to a move from Chelsea. (L'Equipe - in French)

• Villa assess Estupinan move - Tuesday's gossip

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ARLINGTON, TX — Spain has a way of making Kylian Mbappé and France look mortal.

Done it three summers in a row now, and no victory’s been bigger than this one. For the first time in 16 years, since winning their only championship, Spain is in the World Cup final.

This is not luck. This is not France, which had been the class of the tournament, having a bad day.

This is Spain ruthlessly dismantling Les Bleus 2-0, clogging up the midfield so Mbappé had nowhere to roam, smothering any semblance of attack and finding the holes in France’s defense. This is Spain having the number of what is arguably the second-best team in the world and shoving them off the mountain anytime they get close to the top.

Spain will play either England or Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Spain controlled entire game

France didn’t play badly. Spain just never let Les Bleus get comfortable. With the exception of a couple possessions here and there, Spain dictated the pace and the rhythm of this game and France was powerless to do anything about it.

Through 80 minutes, France had no shots on goal. You read that right. None. Zero. Zip. A team that came in averaging almost three goals a game couldn’t even get a shot off. Mbappé, who leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, might as well have been playing in a straightjacket.

Spain, meanwhile, was opportunistic in its chances.

In the 20^th, Lucas Digne was careless with his effort to clear a ball, catching Lamine Yamal squarely in the thigh when he tried to clear out a goal. That’s about as textbook a penalty as you can get.

Mike Maignan guessed correctly, and dove to his left. But he went just a touch too late, and Mikel Oyarzabal put the kick just beyond his outstretched hands to put Spain up 1-0. That would have been enough, but Pedro Porro doubled the score in the 58^th for good measure.

France had been class of tournament

Perhaps we should have seen this coming. First at the European championship in 2024, and again in last summer’s Nations League, Spain sent France home in the semifinals. Neither game was much of a contest.

Oh, the 5-4 score last summer made it look competitive. Except Spain was hammering France 5-1 through 75 minutes, as Yamal reminded everyone a few hours before this semifinal.  

"There’s no revenge. The past is in the past," France coach Didier Deschamps said the day before the game. “Yes, they did win two games, but I’m looking ahead to tomorrow’s game.”

And, indeed, if France was ever going to change the narrative against Spain, this was the time to do it. Spain had struggled in its opener, drawing with Cape Verde. It needed a late goal to dispatch pesky Beligum in the quarterfinal.

France, meanwhile, had not been tested this tournament. They hadn’t even given up a goal since the group-stage finale, a stretch that climbed to 358 minutes before Oyarzabal converted his penalty.

But Spain is the standard by which France is measured. And once again, Spain did not let Les Bleus measure up.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist on social media @nrarmour.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mbappé went missing. Spain is the prime suspect | Opinion

NEED TO KNOW

• Spain defeated France 2-0 in the men’s FIFA World Cup semifinals to secure their first final appearance since 2010
• Mikel Oyarzabal scored his fifth goal of the tournament while Pedro Porro added another to seal the victory
• Spain will face either Argentina or England in the final after last winning the World Cup against the Netherlands in 2010

Spain is making its triumphant return to the men’s World Cup final for the first time in 16 years!

On Tuesday, July 14, Spain’s men’s national team took down France, 2-0, in the FIFA World Cup semifinals at Dallas Stadium to secure a spot in the final matchup, which is set for Sunday, July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Forward Mikel Oyarzabal scored a penalty kick in the 22nd minute to put Spain on the board. The team then stretched its lead in the 58th minute after a strike from defender Pedro Porro — and that was all they needed to seal the win.

GOOOOAAL FROM THE SPOT! Spain takes the lead!

Mikel Oyarzabal scores his 5th goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/as5Ti2YEzd

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 14, 2026

Oyarzabal, 29, has scored five goals in his debut World Cup appearance.

Spain will face the winner of the semifinals clash between Argentina and England on Wednesday, July 15.

The club last reached the World Cup final in 2010, when it defeated the Netherlands 1-0 to claim its lone tournament title. They’ll now hope to make this two World Cup wins in a row after Spain’s women’s team secured the 2023 title.

19-year-old star Lamine Yamal, who has scored one goal across six World Cup matches, said he and the club were ready to face a fierce opponent in France.

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“I believe if France has to fear anyone, it should be us, in my opinion,” he said after Spain’s 2-1 quarter-finals win over Belgium on Friday, July 10, according to the Associated Press. “We were the ones that knocked them out before.”

Spain defeated France — the defending men’s World Cup champions — in the 2024 European Championship semifinals, per the AP, as well as National League play in 2025.

The final begins Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.

Read the original article on People

Spain dominated France in Dallas to win 2-0 and reach their first World Cup final since 2010, and will face either England or Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday.

BBC Sport's Neil Johnston assesses how the players performed on Tuesday - and you can see how readers rated them at the bottom of the page too.

France starting XI

Mike Maignan: Guessed the right way for Mikel Oyarzabal's penalty but beaten for pace and power. Also guilty of some poor distribution. 5

Jules Kounde: Struggled at times with his passing. France have looked so solid at the back at this World Cup but they came undone in what some might say was their first serious test. 5

Dayot Upamecano: Has been huge for France in the USA and made a significant block to deny Fabian Ruiz at 1-0. However, it was all to no avail. 5

William Saliba: The Arsenal centre-half went off injured with no-one around him after Spain had scored. A desperately sad end to his World Cup as France failed to respond after falling behind for the first time at the tournament. 6

Lucas Digne: Conceded the penalty from which Spain took the lead after kicking Lamine Yamal. 5

Aurelien Tchouameni: Has played a key part in France's run to the semi-final but this was a game to forget as Les Bleus were bullied by Spain in midfield. 5

Adrien Rabiot: Lucky to stay on the pitch after fouling Ruiz having already been booked for an early challenge on Dani Olmo. Replaced at the start of the second half. 4

Ousmane Dembele: The Ballon d'Or winner was unable to impose himself as Spain bossed the game. 4

Michael Olise: Has lit up this World Cup with his assists but chose the semi-final to have his poorest performance and was lucky not to get booked for a late first-half foul on Rodri. 5

Bradley Barcola: One early run into the box which won a corner after he skipped past Pedro Porro. Not a lot else. 5

Kylian Mbappe: Has set this World Cup alight with his finishing - but not this game. Had just two touches in Spain's penalty area in the first half and struggled to cause much of a threat. 5

Substitutes

Maxence Lacroix (30 mins): Brought on after France lost Saliba to injury. 5

Manu Kone (46 mins): Sent on to try to rescue France but unable to impose himself. 4

Desire Doue (57 mins): Departs the World Cup with two goal involvements. Brought on to shake things up but could not inspire his team. 4

Rayan Cherki (72 mins): Ends his World Cup campaign without making a start. 4

Theo Hernandez (72 mins): Came on with Spain already well on top at 2-0 up. 4

Spain starting XI

Unai Simon: A sixth clean sheet in seven matches. Came rushing out of his box to make one vital clearance before Mbappe could pounce. 7

Pedro Porro: Scored a wonderful goal to send his country to their first World Cup final since 2010. Now has three goal involvements at this tournament. 7

Pau Cubarsi: A commanding presence at the heart of defence as Mbappe, Dembele, Olise and co failed to ignite. 7

Aymeric Laporte: What a performance. Cool and composed on the few occasions he found himself under pressure and ended the match with a passing accuracy of more than 90%. 8

Marc Cucurella: Booked for two fouls in quick succession on Olise. 6

Rodri: Outstanding performance by the Spain captain as France were suffocated and La Roja's midfield dominated their opponents from start to finish. 9

Fabian Ruiz: Should have made it 2-0 but was denied by a goal-saving block by Upamecano. 7

Lamine Yamal: Has struggled to turn on the style at this World Cup but the 19-year-old came alive in the semi-final and won the penalty from which Spain scored. He then had a goal ruled out for offside. 8

Dani Olmo: Showed some class touches and proved a real nuisance. 7

Alex Baena: Wasted an early free-kick when he fired tamely into the French wall from 20 yards. 6

Mikel Oyarzabal: Scored his fifth goal of what is turning out to be a memorable World Cup for him. A cool finish from the spot after a delay between the penalty being awarded and taken. 7

Substitutes

Ferran Torres (74 mins): Brought on to get Spain over the line - and into the World Cup final. 6

Mikel Merino (78 mins): Worked hard and produced some good touches. 6

Pedri (78 mins): Ensured France were limited to a handful of chances in the closing stages. 6

Marcos Llorente (84 mins): Didn't have many touches. 5

Nico Williams (84 mins): Did what was needed in the closing minutes. 5

The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026, honoring three legendary players and three iconic coaches whose collegiate careers represent the highest levels of achievement in the history of the game.

The inductees include coaches Jay Wright, Orlando “Tubby” Smith and Ted Owens, alongside players Danny Ainge, Glen Rice and the late Walt Hazzard.

“The Class of 2026 represents the very best of college basketball—individuals whose performance, leadership and impact helped shape the game at the highest level,” NACB Hall of Fame CEO Kevin Henderson said. “Their legacies will forever be preserved as part of the sport’s rich history.”

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Over his more than 30-year career, Smith led seven Division I programs, including Tulsa, the University of Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Memphis and High Point. Smith’s career included leading Kentucky to the 1998 national championship during his first season with the Wildcats.

Across decades of coaching, Smith also guided five different programs to the NCAA Tournament, including the Georgia Bulldogs, earning himself national and conference coaching honors and nearly 650 victories.

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Smith finished his 31-year career as a collegiate head coach with a final win-loss record of 642-370.

While coaching at UGA, the bulldogs climbed as high as No. 14 in the AP poll after racing to a 10-1 start, only losing at North Carolina.

Georgia earned the No. 8 seed in the West Regional of the 1996 NCAA Tournament, with Smith at the helm.

During his tenure, the Bulldogs defeated Clemson 81-74 and upset top-seeded Purdue 76-69 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Georgia then dropped an 83-81 overtime decision to Syracuse, the eventual NCAA runner-up, in the “Sweet 16” in Denver.

In an announcement praising Smith’s career and the honor he is set to receive, UGA said Smith is one of just four coaches who have led five teams to the NCAA.

The Class of 2026 will be formally enshrined on Oct. 22 during the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Celebration at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, Mo.

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The list of Alabama Crimson Tide attendees for next week's SEC football media days in Tampa has been announced.

Alabama will be sending three returning starters to SEC media days, two of which are defensive backs in senior Bray Hubbard and junior Zabien Brown. Junior wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams will also join the duo alongside head coach Kalen DeBoer next week.

All three of Hubbard, Brown, and Coleman-Williams will be entering their third season as a starter this upcoming fall.

Each will speak to the media during the Crimson Tide's availability at the multi-day event, which is set to take place Wednesday, July 22. Alabama will be joined that day by Florida, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M.

The entirety of SEC football media days will be broadcast live on SEC Network, with the event set to begin Monday, July 20, at 9 a.m. ET.

SEC Media Day 🎙️

◽️@BraysonHubbard
◽️@Ryanwms1
◽️@zabien_brownpic.twitter.com/cmmG94P6hV

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) July 14, 2026

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama attendees revealed for 2026 SEC football media days

After a pivotal penalty decision following a painful challenge on Spain's Lamine Yamal, France is already facing tough sledding in Tuesday's men's World Cup semifinal match. A pivotal injury sustained just after Spain took a 1-0 lead could be the beginning of the end for the French team's World Cup hopes.

At the 28-minute mark, France's best defender, centerback William Saliba, had to be substituted out of the game after going down untouched. Beyond losing a pivotal organizing player like Saliba and the likely need for France to adjust its game plan, anyone who follows sports knows it's never good when an athlete suffers an apparent non-contact injury. (Note: Saliba plays for Arsenal in the Premier League.)

As France tries to adjust on the fly without its cornerstone defender, here's hoping for the best for Saliba's health:

French defender William Saliba was subbed off in the first half due to an apparent injury pic.twitter.com/P8uqrSHkXq

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 14, 2026

France's chances of winning against Spain undoubtedly take a huge blow with Saliba now unavailable. But they're not hopeless. Its margin for error just got thinner, is all.

Who replaced William Saliba for France?

Maxence Lacroix, who plays for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, was chosen as Saliba's substitute. This World Cup is Lacroix's first-ever international tournament with France.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: William Saliba injury update: What happened to star French defender against Spain?

Will we ever see another Luke Kuechly? Well, there's at least one person in the NFL who thinks the second coming is already here.

ESPN published their rankings of the league's top off-ball linebackers—as voted on by executives, coaches and scouts—on Tuesday morning. The list features Cleveland Browns standout Carson Schwesinger all the way up at No. 3—and, via senior reporter Jeremy Fowler, had a personnel exec saying the following:

"He's [Luke] Kuechly reincarnated. Elite speed, athleticism, instincts, ball skills."

That's quite a comparison given the legendary credentials of the Carolina Panthers great.

Kuechly was a supreme athlete coming out of Boston College—as his 40-yard dash (4.58 seconds), vertical jump (38 inches) and broad jump (123 inches) from the 2012 scouting combine all ranked within at least the 91st percentile of every inside linebacker tested since 1999. Schwesinger did not run a 40 nor record a broad jump at his combine, but did top Kuechly's vertical at 39.5 inches.

As for the on-field résumé, Schwesinger would have a lot to live up to. Kuechly ended his injury-shortened eight-year NFL career with five first-team All-Pro nods, two second-team All-Pro nods, seven Pro Bowl selections, a Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a Defensive Player of the Year award. Oh, and he's being enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in a few weeks.

Schwesinger has taken a nice first step though, as he was named the 2025 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year back in February. That honor came after he posted 156 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions as a 22-year-old.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: NFL exec says this young star is Panthers LB Luke Kuechly 'reincarnated'

SEC media days begin next Monday. That means fall camp is right around the corner and the 2026 college football season is nearly here. In preparation for the season, we're taking a look at the schools off the field. Last week, we looked at how the SEC teams ranked in US News & World Report's academic rankings for the 2026-2027 school year. Today, we're taking a look at how the teams rank in enrollment.

In the SEC, there's a chasm between the schools that lead the way in enrollment and Vanderbilt University, which as a private school, has the lowest enrollment in the conference. The average SEC enrollment is 29,980 students. Take out Vanderbilt, which has less than 8,000 students on campus, and the average rises to 31,498.

Eight of the 16 SEC schools have enrollments of more than 30,000, and 14 have enrollments of more than 20,000. Enrollments can impact student sections and ticket sales. A larger enrollment will mean a larger alumni base.

So, who leads the way in enrollment heading into the 2026 season

16. Vanderbilt University

City: Nashville, Tennessee

Undergraduate enrollment in fall 2024: 7,221

15. Mississippi State University

City: Starkville, Mississippi

Undergraduate enrollment: 18,567

14. University of Mississippi

City: Oxford, Mississippi

Undergraduate enrollment: 21,585

13. University of Oklahoma

City: Norman, Oklahoma

Undergraduate enrollment: 23,351

Get more Oklahoma Sooners news, analysis and opinions on Sooners Wire

12. University of Missouri

City: Columbia, Missouri

Undergraduate enrollment: 24,449

11. University of Kentucky

City: Lexington, Kentucky

Undergraduate enrollment: 25,534

Get more Kentucky Wildcats news, analysis and opinions on UK Wildcats Wire.

10. Auburn University

City: Auburn, Alabama

Undergraduate enrollment: 27,907

Get more Auburn Tigers news, analysis and opinions on Auburn Wire.

9. University of Arkansas

City: Fayetteville, Arkansas

Undergraduate enrollment: 28,859

8. University of South Carolina

City: Columbia, South Carolina

Undergraduate enrollment: 30,187

7. University of Tennessee

City: Knoxville, Tennessee

Undergraduate enrollment: 30,564

Get more Tennessee Volunteers news, analysis and opinions on Vols Wire

6. University of Georgia

City: Athens, Georgia

Undergraduate enrollment: 32,399

Get more Georgia Bulldogs news, analysis and opinions on UGA Wire.

5. Louisiana State University

City: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Undergraduate enrollment: 34,242

Get more LSU Tigers news, analysis and opinions on LSU Tigers Wire.

4. University of Alabama

City: Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Undergraduate enrollment: 34,389

Get more Alabama news, analysis and opinions on Roll Tide Wire

3. University of Florida

City: Gainesville, Florida

Undergraduate enrollment: 36,573

Get more Florida Gators news, analysis and opinions on Gators Wire.

2. University of Texas

City: Austin, Texas

Undergraduate enrollment: 43,156

Get more Texas Longhorns news, analysis and opinions on Longhorns Wire.

1. Texas A&M University

City: College Station, Texas

Undergraduate enrollment: 60,710

Get more Texas A&M Aggies news, analysis and opinions on Aggies Wire

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.

This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: SEC schools ranked by enrollment for 2026-2027

Aaron Rodgers' bonding week with his Pittsburgh Steelers teammates has gone viral over the past several days. And one particularly interesting storyline was the absence of two key Steelers players.

While Rodgers brought along six teammates, Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, Roman Wilson, Pat Freiermuth, Ben Skowronek, and Mason Rudolph, Steelers quarterback Will Howard and tight end Darnell Washington were nowhere to be seen. And considering how hard it is to miss the 6-foot-7 Washington, there's been a real debate about what these absences could mean.

For Howard, this could mean that the backup quarterback job isn't as one-sided as previously believed. Rudolph appeared to throw his name back into the hat with his inclusion at Rodgers' bonding week.

Washington's absence was less concerning, as the giant, 300-plus-pound playmaker has carved out a role for himself as one of the NFL's best blocking tight ends that's dangerous after the catch.

These two Steelers will definitely be players to keep a close eye on as training camp arrives in a few weeks, as Howard and Washington look to battle with Rudolph and Freiermuth, respectively, for a bigger role on the team.

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: 2 Steelers notably absent from Aaron Rodgers’ bonding week with teammates

FS1 earned a rare month-long victory over ESPN in primetime viewership during the month of June thanks to the strength of this year’s World Cup audience.

Fox Sports 1 averaged 1.31 million viewers in primetime throughout the month of June, good for the second most-watched cable network of the month behind only sister channel Fox News which averaged 2.26 million viewers in primetime. ESPN finished in third place, averaging 1.08 million viewers for the month in primetime.

Top Cable Channels for the month of June. Live+SD, Primetime. Viewers P2+.

1. FOX News Channel: 2.26M
2. Fox Sports 1: 1.31M
3. ESPN: 1.078M
4. MSNOW: 1.015M
5. Home and Garden TV: 703K
6. CNN: 610K
7. TBS: 537K
8. Hallmark Channel: 516K
9. USA Network: 500K
10. History: 491K

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) July 7, 2026

In total, FS1 aired 32 World Cup matches in the month of June, though not all of those matches aired in primetime. Of those 32 matches, just 15 overlapped with the primetime hours, generally measured as between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET. Several also aired simultaneously to matches on Fox during the final day of group play, with FS1 typically getting the less desirable matchup.

Nevertheless, all FS1’s World Cup programming seemed to lift most of the network’s other programming. Per Sports Business Journal, the week of June 15 was the most-watched week in FS1 history by total-day audience. The network averaged 885,000 viewers for the week, 90% better than ESPN’s total-day audience in the same week. As a company, Fox swept the three major ratings categories — broadcast, cable, and news — for both the week of June 15 and June 22.

A World Cup is one of the rare sporting events that commands both a high level of interest and has the volume of inventory to genuinely lift a cable network like FS1 despite the secular decline of the medium over many years. While streamers and tech companies seem to be the favorites to land the tournament come 2030, there’s still clear value to be derived from legacy broadcasters airing the World Cup. Whether that value can justify the expected doubling or tripling of media rights fees for the next tournament, however, remains to be seen.

The post FS1 earns rare month-long win over ESPN on back of World Cup viewership appeared first on Awful Announcing.

The Georgia Bulldogs are contending to land a commitment from four-star defensive line recruit Karlos May. The four-star plans to announce his commitment on July 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Rivals' YouTube channel. May is deciding among the Ohio State Buckeyes, Auburn Tigers, Florida State Seminoles and Georgia.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive lineman plays football for Ramsay High School in Birmingham, Alabama. May is the No. 120 recruit in the country and the No. 11 defensive lineman. May is the fifth-best recruit in Alabama.

The Ramsay star took official visits to each of his top schools in May and June. Ohio State is considered the favorites to land a commitment from May. The Buckeyes have the No. 7 recruiting class in the country with 18 commitments. Ohio State has already beat out Georgia for several notable recruits in the class of 2027 including five-star edge rusher DJ Jacobs, the nation's best recruit, and four-star defensive lineman Marcus Fakatou.

May is a big-bodied defensive lineman with good mobility. He shows upside as a pass-rusher and projects to be a strong run stopper at the next level. He'd be a nice addition for any of his top schools.

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X or Threads for more Georgia football coverage!

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: 4-star DL Karlos May announces commitment plans

Between now and training camp, we will be going through the Indianapolis Colts' full 90-man roster, previewing each player.

Up next is defensive end Mitchell Melton, who wears No. 54.

Profile

• Height: 6-3
• Weight: 253
• Age: 24
• NFL experience: Rookie
• College: Virginia

Mitchell Melton's tenure with the Colts

The Colts signed Mitchell following the 2026 NFL draft as an undrafted free agent.

What to know about Mitchell Melton

Mitchell played 213 defensive snaps between the 2023 and 2024 seasons while at Ohio State. This past year, he transferred to Virginia, where he had a breakout season, logging 53 quarterback pressures, ranking tied for 15th among his position group in that category. Melton would also rank 33rd in PFF's run defense grade.

Looking ahead to 2026 for Mitchell Melton

More likely than not, Melton is a practice squad candidate. While the Colts 'defensive end position has its unknowns, this is a crowded room as well, with a number of players that Melton would have to jump in order to make the 53-man roster.

Laiatu Latu will lead the way, while Arden Key and Jaylahn Tuimoloau will likely compete for the starting role opposite of him. The Colts also signed Micheal Clemons in free agency and drafted Caden Curry and George Gumbs Jr.

That already is six players, which is about the max amount that we will see teams keep on the 53-man roster at defensive end. Many will roster only five.

If you'd like to hold out hope that Melton can make a roster push, the Colts can get out of Clemons' deal with a relatively low dead cap hit, while later Day 3 picks aren't always roster locks.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts roster preview: What Mitchell Melton adds to pass rush unit

Every rebuilding team eventually reaches a point where potential has to become production. The New York Jets have reached that moment.

Quarterback Geno Smith can provide stability. Garrett Wilson remains one of the NFL's premier receivers. Breece Hall gives the offense a proven playmaker in the backfield.

Those pieces provide a solid foundation. Whether the Jets become a legitimate playoff contender, however, may depend on a handful of younger pass catchers taking the next step. They're a nice blend of talent, upside, and football IQ.

Receiver Adonai Mitchell enters his second season in New York and turns 24 on Oct. 8. Tight end Mason Taylor just celebrated his 22nd birthday on May 8th. Then, there are the rookies. Wideout Omar Cooper is expected to assume an important role early, as is tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

The Jets know Wilson can carry a heavy workload. That isn't the point. They'd rather he didn't have to.

Mitchell has an opportunity to become the outside threat the Jets envisioned when they acquired him. Cooper will immediately compete for meaningful snaps by creating separation, while Sadiq can become another dependable target over the middle of the field.

Together, they represent the future of the Jets' passing attack. Now they have to become part of its present.

Head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Frank Reich don't need all three players to become stars overnight. They do, however, need all of them to contribute.

Opposing defenses will continue devoting significant attention to Wilson until someone else consistently makes them pay for doing so. If Mitchell develops into a reliable No. 2 receiver, Cooper proves he belongs, and Sadiq becomes the mismatch the Jets believe he can be, New York's offense suddenly becomes much more difficult to defend.

If that growth doesn't happen, defenses will continue focusing their game plans on slowing Wilson and forcing everyone else to beat them.

That's why the development of these three young pass catchers may become one of the biggest stories of training camp. The Jets have spent the past two offseasons assembling the pieces of a more dynamic offense.

Now comes the difficult part. Their 2026 season may ultimately hinge not on what Wilson does, but on whether three promising young pass catchers are ready to grow up faster than anyone expected.

Jets Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets place their 2026 NFL season in the hands of young pass catchers

Summer is here, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota. 

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans. 

So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

• Northern Arizona
• TCU

Background Info

• Listed at 6-2/205 lbs. 
• 4-Star prospect according to 247 Sports
• Transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State to LSU
• Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year in high school
• MaxPreps Oregon High School Player of the Year
• Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2024
• Second-team All-Big 12 in 2024

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• 20 Starts
• 612 Pass attempts
• 4,652 Passing yards
• 7.7 Yards per attempt

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 32 Big-time throws
• 2.6 Turnover worthy play rate
• Average depth of target is 9.3 yards
• 71% Adjusted completion percentage

Strengths

• Arm strength is his top trait
• Can make plays out of nothing 
• Keeps his eyes downfield and look to push it 
• Uses his mobility to evade pressure
• Puts good zip on his passes to make them into tight windows

Player Summary

Sam Leavitt is a very unpolished piece of diamond that is beneath the harshness of his game on film. The arm talent cannot be questioned; he is able to make throws to every level of the field, but it can still be very erratic. What we need to see more of is that arm talent in much calmer situations. LSU has a better offensive line, Lane Kiffin has a better system, and it should all allow him to be able to take a big step. However, the play we saw at Arizona State is not yet that of a top prospect in a loaded class. 

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU

Could Carolina Panthers receiver Xavier Legette be sent out east? (Or, technically, further down south?)

Moe Moton of Bleacher Report cooked up that scenario on Tuesday, in an article where he suggests one trade each NFL team should make before the start of the upcoming campaign. One of Moton's swaps sends Legette to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a mid-round 2027 draft pick.

He writes:

Based on overall career production, the Dolphins have the worst wide receiver corps. If they want to see quarterback Malik Willis make strides as a first-time, full-time starter, the club should look to bolster its pass-catching group. Miami could inquire about Legette, who may need a change of scenery.

Through two seasons, Legette has caught 84 passes for 860 yards and seven touchdowns in 31 contests. As a former first-round pick, he's underwhelmed, but a new opportunity to be the No. 1 wideout in Miami could lead to increased production.

As Moton notes, Carolina selected Legette as a first-rounder back in 2024—with that year's 32nd overall pick. But he hasn't lived up to that investment, having struggled with drops and spacial awareness over his first two pro seasons.

2025 proved to be a harsh reality check for the former University of South Carolina star, who was passed in the pecking order by the team's newer first-round wideout and eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker–an undrafted signee from Legette's class. Legette saw his on-field presence decrease down the stretch last year, and appeared in a career-low 31.4 percent of offensive snaps during Carolina's (very meaningful) regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If Legette fails to find his footing this summer, perhaps the Panthers may be inclined to cut their losses and move on from the struggling 25-year-old.

Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.

This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers WR Xavier Legette tabbed as trade target for AFC East team

The Oklahoma City Thunder will have plenty of vested interest over the next two summers' worth of international hoops. The United States Men's National Basketball Team will have a new cast of faces manning the sidelines and coaching them up.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will coach Team USA through 2028. That consists of the 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 Olympics. Crafting his coaching staff, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault will reportedly be an assistant, per ESPN's Shams Charania. Other Team USA assistants include the Pistons' JB Bickerstaff and Gonzaga's Mark Few.

Per usual, the United States should enter as heavy favorites to win gold at both international tournaments. The country has dominated the basketball scene for decades now. Now, Daigneault gets to add his to his already-stacked resume. He's universally viewed as one of the sharpest minds in the NBA. So not a shocker to see Spoelstra want to add him.

It'll be interesting to see if Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren suit up for Team USA in this go-around. Both are amid their basketball primes. They've also taken the right steps to be part of the team. If so, the Thunder will have plenty of representation at the international stage.

USA Basketball is expected to name Oklahoma City's Mark Daigneault, Detroit's JB Bickerstaff and Gonzaga's Mark Few as assistant coaches for national team coach Erik Spoelstra's staff, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/fLD5EQNlxe

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 14, 2026

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Report: Mark Daigneault joins Team USA's coaching staff

LAS VEGAS -- The Philadelphia 76ers were able to add to their center depth behind big man Joel Embiid in free agency. While the Sixers already had Adem Bona to give Embiid a break, they still needed some legitimate size at the position to anchor the bench unit.

President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey and the front office identified Ariel Hukporti as a guy who can step in and really help in that area. A legitimate 7-feet tall, Hukporti is an unproven player after two seasons with the New York Knicks, but he has averaged 2.1 blocks per 36 minutes in his career and will look to make a name for himself in Philadelphia for coach Nick Nurse and Co.

"I think the biggest thing is he can run," Nurse said in Las Vegas. "He's really big. Like, he's legit center size, and he can really run. I think, again, like you guys hear me say this all the time, and hopefully you won't have too much more--we got to be able to get back and get our defense set up, and I don't think we were able to do that well enough the last two years. I think just another guy that can run, another athlete, we're gonna have to do a good job of figuring how else he fits in, but he's got legit center size and plays pretty hard."

Hukporti has been behind both Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns while with the Knicks, but should receive more playing time in Philadelphia. When considering Embiid's injury history as well as Bona not yet sealing that backup big man spot for his own, it offers a chance for Hukporti to step in and give the Sixers some real production and good minutes at that spot.

"I mean, you see him play a little bit here and there," Nurse finished. "He's effective in his limited minutes. Can we grow him? And can he be more effective in extended minutes? Can he battle Bona for that position? Or who's going to start if Joel’s not playing all that stuff? I think that's all in play as of now. Although Bona looked really good last week in his Turkish games, really good. So I think he'll have his hands full battling Bona."

It remains to be seen, but it's obvious that there will be a training camp battle when September rolls around for Nurse, Hukporti, and the Sixers.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Nick Nurse evaluates Sixers adding Ariel Hukporti in free agency

TAMPA, Fla. — SEC Media Days has always been part football convention, part political campaign. Coaches sell progress. Quarterbacks sell possibility. Veteran players insist the locker room is closer, offseason workouts are harder, and the coming season will be different from the one everyone remembers.

The Kentucky Wildcats will arrive in Tampa carrying something more revealing than the usual July promises. The Wildcats are bringing a blueprint.

When first-year head coach Will Stein takes the stage Monday, July 20, he will be joined by safety Ty Bryant, quarterback Kenny Minchey, and tight end Willie Rodriguez. The three players represent the foundation Stein must preserve, the gamble that could define his first season and the offensive weapon capable of connecting it all.

Bryant is the proof. Minchey is the projection. Rodriguez is the possibility.

The SEC’s annual preseason spectacle will run July 20-23 at the Tampa Marriott Water Street and JW Marriott. It marks the first time Tampa and the state of Florida have hosted the event after stops in Dallas, Nashville, and Atlanta during the previous three years. SEC Network will provide more than 50 hours of on-site coverage, beginning at 9 a.m. ET Monday.

Kentucky could not have selected three better players to explain where the program stands.

Bryant enters the ballroom as the representative who requires no projection. The Lexington native started all 12 games last season and led Kentucky with 76 tackles. He also intercepted four passes, the highest total in the SEC, and earned second-team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches. His two-interception performance against Ole Miss helped Kentucky turn turnovers into points, while his 12 tackles against Louisville matched his career high.

The numbers matter, but Bryant’s presence carries a deeper message. In an era when rosters can be rebuilt through the transfer portal, he represents continuity. He grew up in Lexington, starred at Frederick Douglass High School, and followed his father, former Kentucky receiver Cisco Bryant, into the program.

Bryant is not renting Kentucky’s jersey for a season. He is wearing part of his family history.

That makes him an important figure for Stein, whose challenge extends beyond installing formations or modernizing an offense. The new coach must prove Kentucky can evolve without becoming unrecognizable. Bryant is the bridge. He understands what the program has been, knows what SEC Saturdays demand, and has enough production behind his name to speak without exaggeration.

Minchey arrives in Tampa with a different assignment. He will be asked to speak for a future that has not yet arrived.

The Notre Dame transfer has appeared in 10 college games, completing 23 of 29 passes for 212 yards. He has also rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns. During the 2025 season, Minchey appeared in six games for the Fighting Irish, throwing for 196 yards while adding 84 rushing yards and a score.

Those are efficient numbers. They are not extensive numbers.

That distinction will follow him through every interview and hotel hallway in Tampa. Can he handle an SEC offense? Can he deliver when the pocket collapses and opposing defensive coordinators have a full week to study him? Can he become more than a talented quarterback with limited tape?

Kentucky’s season may turn on those answers.

Stein has praised Minchey’s accuracy, athleticism, intelligence, and upside. He has also emphasized that his offensive philosophy is not about forcing every quarterback into the same system but building the offense around what that player does best.

That relationship is one of the most important partnerships in the SEC entering 2026. Stein earned this opportunity because of his reputation for building quarterback-friendly offenses. Minchey came to Lexington for the chance to become the centerpiece of one. Each man now needs the other.

For Stein, Minchey is the first major test of whether his offensive success can follow him into the head coach’s office. For Minchey, Stein may be the coach who transforms years of potential and backup snaps into a breakthrough season.

SEC Media Days will not provide the verdict. It will provide the opening argument.

Rodriguez may be the player who makes that argument believable.

The 6-foot-4, 249-pound tight end started seven games in 2025 and caught 23 passes for 310 yards and one touchdown. He produced a career-high 78 receiving yards on six catches at Vanderbilt, the most receptions by a Kentucky tight end in a game since C.J. Conrad caught six passes against Mississippi State in 2015.

Rodriguez is another Kentucky-raised player. He starred at Covington Catholic, catching 29 passes for 488 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior while helping his team reach the state championship game.

His importance, however, goes beyond hometown symbolism. He could become the piece that reveals what Stein’s offense is supposed to look like.

Stein has said Rodriguez can line up as a traditional tight end, in the slot, or in the backfield. That versatility allows Kentucky to change formations and create mismatches without changing personnel. For a quarterback still establishing himself, a tight end with Rodriguez’s size, experience, and flexibility can become invaluable—a reliable target over the middle, an answer against pressure, and a safety valve on third down.

Bryant, Minchey, and Rodriguez were not selected simply because every SEC team needs three players for the trip. Their selection tells Kentucky’s story.

Bryant represents the standard the Wildcats cannot afford to lose. Minchey represents the leap they must be willing to take. Rodriguez represents the creativity Stein was hired to bring.

There will be larger names in Tampa. There will be quarterbacks with longer résumés, defenders carrying NFL Draft projections, and coaches commanding more national attention. Kentucky does not need to win the week.

It needs to introduce itself.

The Wildcats will arrive in Tampa as a program between eras, carrying the scars of what did not work and the optimism that always follows a coaching change. The microphones will be waiting. The questions will be predictable. The promises will come easily.

What happens after Tampa will be harder. Bryant will have to make the tackle. Rodriguez will have to create separation. Minchey will have to deliver the football, and Stein’s blueprint will have to become something more than a July presentation.It will have to become a football team.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky football arrives at SEC Media Days with a plan

• Roof at Dallas Stadium closed with thundery showers forecast
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• Winner will face either England or Argentina in final
• Play our BBC predictor game here before kick-off

France face Spain for place in World Cup final

Manchester United have completed the signing of Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa on a five-year deal.

United have met a release clause of £35m for the 29-year-old midfielder, who has just helped Belgium reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

Tielemans has spent the past three seasons with Villa, having initially moved to the Premier League to join Leicester City in 2019.

"It's hard to describe just how proud I am to join Manchester United," he said. "Signing for such a special club feels incredible.

"It is the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football."

A former team-mate of United's current first-team coach Jonny Evans, Tielemans is noted for scoring Leicester's winner against Chelsea in the 2021 FA Cup final and for Aston Villa in their Europa League final triumph over Freiburg in May.

He made his senior debut for Anderlecht aged 16 years and 82 days, and left for Monaco in 2017, just after his 20th birthday.

Despite still being in his 20s, Tielemans has already played 668 games for club and country, scoring 79 from 578 club appearances.

United's director of football Jason Wilcox said: "Youri has consistently been one of the most outstanding midfielders in the Premier League throughout the past seven years.

"He has all of the technical qualities, as well as the ambition and mentality, to thrive at Manchester United.

"Youri's consistency is exceptional, and he will add further composure, creativity and leadership to our squad."

Last season, Tielemans suffered separate calf and ankle problems that restricted him to 35 appearances in all competitions for Villa, the lowest number in a campaign during his time in England.

He scored a memorable 89th-minute equaliser at the World Cup for Belgium against Senegal, and then converted an extra-time winner from the penalty spot for his 15th goal from 90 caps as they won 3-2.

But his tournament came to a premature end when he was injured in the warm-up before Belgium's 2-1 quarter-final defeat by Spain.

• Man Utd seek another midfielder as Tielemans has medical

• Latest Manchester United news, analysis and fan views
• Ask about Man Utd - what do you want to know?

The transfer window for Premier League, English Football League, Scottish Premiership and Women's Super League clubs - and their counterparts in Germany, France, Spain and Italy - re-opened on 15 June.

Take a look at all the confirmed deals for July, and read the latest rumours in Football Gossip.

14 July

Premier League

Karl Darlow [Leeds - Manchester United] Free

Alvaro Rodriguez [Elche - Bournemouth] £25.7m

Youri Tielemans [Aston Villa - Manchester United] £35m

Luka Vuskovic [Tottenham - Brighton] £46m

Scottish Premiership

Nathan Lowe [Stoke - Hibernian] Loan

Eseosa Sule [West Brom - St Mirren] Undisclosed

Women's Super League

Denise O'Sullivan [Liverpool - Gotham] Loan

Noemie Mouchon [Leicester - Everton] Free

English Football League

Elliot Bonds [Fleetwood - Salford] Undisclosed

Andy Cannon [Wrexham - Fleetwood] Free

Murphy Cooper [QPR - Plymouth] Undisclosed

Tyrese Noslin [Telstar - Barnsley] Undisclosed

Charlie Taylor [Southampton - Derby] Free

James Tilley [Wycombe - AFC Wimbledon] Undisclosed

13 July

Premier League

Andrey Santos [Chelsea - Man Utd] £48m

Women's Super League

Khiara Keating [Man City - Liverpool] Free

Mapi Leon [Barcelona - London City Lionesses] Free

Scottish Premiership

Alan Forrest [Heart of Midlothian - Dundee] Free

Ben Krauhaus [Brentford - Falkirk] Loan

Marko Lazetic [Aberdeen - Noah] Undisclosed

Alex Paulsen [Bournemouth - Motherwell] Loan

Lewis Smith [Livingston - Aberdeen] Undisclosed

English Football League

Victor Adeboyejo [Mansfield - Bromley] Free

Ryan Delaney [Swindon - Oldham] Free

Jusef Erabi [Genk - Preston] Loan

Joe Gbode [Luton - Shrewsbury] Loan

Rocco Shein [Fredrikstad - Portsmouth] Undisclosed

Cieran Slicker [Ipswich - Barnsley] Loan

Michael Smith [Preston - Mansfield] Free

Ryan Wintle [Cardiff - MK Dons] Free

International

Jake Cooper-Love [Burton - FC Emmen] Undisclosed

Brajan Gruda [Brighton - RB Leipzig] Loan

Victor Kristiansen [Leicester - Panathinaikos] Loan

12 July

English Football League

Lluc Castel [Espanyol - Burnley] Undisclosed

11 July

International

Antonio Cordero [Newcastle - Cadiz] Loan

Tom Lockyer [Bristol Rovers - Melbourne Victory] Free

English Football League

Yusuf Akhamrich [Tottenham - Leyton Orient] Loan

Ethon Archer [Luton - Bromley] Loan

Brad Collins [Coventry - Bristol City] Free

Joe Lumley[Bristol City - Sheff Wed] Free

Ole Romeny [Oxford - Fortuna Sittard] Loan

Rafiki Said [Standard Liege - Wolves] Undisclosed

Deon Woodman [Wealdstone - Bromley] Undisclosed

Loum Tchaouna [Burnley - Coventry City] Unconfirmed (£20m reported)

10 July

Women's Super League

Ebony Salmon[Aston Villa - West Ham] Free

Niamh Charles [Chelsea - Manchester City] £500,000

Premier League

Pierce Charles [Sheffield Wednesday - Manchester City] Undisclosed

English Football League

Pemi Aderoju [Peterborough - Crawley] Loan

Ossama Ashley [Salford City - Rotherham United] Free

Pierce Charles [Manchester City - QPR] Loan

Lisav Eissat [Maccabi Haifa - Bristol City] Undisclosed

Shamal George [Wycombe - Bromley] Free

Isaac Hayden [QPR - Leyton Orient] Free

Jamie Jellis [Walsall - Rotherham United] Free

Kyle Joseph [Hull - Middlesbrough] Undisclosed

Jacob Mendy [Peterborough - Bromley] Free

Nic Prelac [Oxford United - Jagiellonia Bialystok] Undisclosed

Josh Stokes [Bristol City - Reading] Loan

Jed Ward [Bristol Rovers - Walsall] Undisclosed

Cauley Woodrow [Luton - Wycombe] Undisclosed

9 July

Premier League

Emersonn [Toulouse - Ipswich] Undisclosed

Illan Meslier [Leeds - Arsenal] Free

Oscar Mingueza [Celta Vigo - Crystal Palace] Free

Sean Steur [Ajax - Newcastle] £23m

Callum Wilson [West Ham - Brentford] Free

English Football League

Harrison Ashby [Newcastle - Luton] Loan

Barry Bannan [Millwall - Sheffield Wednesday] Undisclosed

Louie Barry [Aston Villa - Sheffield Wednesday] Undisclosed

Kamil Conteh [Bristol Rovers - Bromley] Undisclosed

Ty Ewens-Findlay [Charlton - Crawley] Loan

Bradley Ihionvien [Peterborough - Colchester] Loan

Josh Koroma [Leyton Orient - Chesterfield] Loan

Laurence Maguire [MK Dons - Rochdale] Free

Ruel Sotiriou [Hapoel Jerusalem - Chesterfield] Free

Cole Stockton [Salford - Accrington] Free

Mark Sykes [Bristol City - Millwall] Free

Joe Walsh [QPR - Wigan] Loan

Calum Ward [Motherwell - QPR] Undisclosed

International

Radu Dragusin [Tottenham - Fiorentina] Loan

8 July

Women's Super League

Alexia Putellas[Barcelona - London City] Free

Geraldine Reuteler [Eintracht Frankfurt - Arsenal] Free

Premier League

Geovany Quenda [Sporting - Chelsea] £40m

Harry Wilson [Fulham - Leeds] Free

English Football League

Emile Acquah [Dundee - Notts County] Undisclosed

Noah Chilvers [Ross County - Oldham] Undisclosed

Romelle Donovan [Brentford - Sheff Utd] Loan

Mo Faal [Wrexham - Port Vale] Loan

Onel Hernandez [Unattached - Port Vale]

Oliver Lynch [Luton - Port Vale] Loan

Will Jenkins [South Shields - Rochdale] Undisclosed

7 July

Premier League

Jaidon Anthony [Burnley - Brentford] Undisclosed

Women's Super League

Sophie Peskett [Ipswich - Brighton] Undisclosed

English Football League

Josh Clarke [Partick Thistle - Doncaster] Loan

Alfie Devine [Tottenham - Preston] Undisclosed

Paul Digby [Dundee - Colchester] Free

Harry Gray [Leeds - Sheffield Wednesday] Loan

Quilindschy Hartman [Burnley - RCD Espanyol] Loan

Eoin Kenny [Dundalk - Portsmouth] Undisclosed

Isaac Moore [Coventry - Walsall] Loan

Aaron Nemane [MK Dons - Rotherham] Free

6 July

Premier League

Tyrique George [Chelsea - Everton] £24m

Sandro Tonali [Newcastle - Tottenham] £100m

International

Giorgi Chakvetadze [Watford - Udinese] Undisclosed

English Football League

Alfie Pond [Wolves - Chesterfield] Undisclosed

Mathis Servais [Mechelen - Millwall] Undisclosed

Mason Terry [West Ham - Port Vale] Loan

5 July

International

Christy Grogan [Stockport - Derry] Undisclosed

Eliezer Mayenda [Sunderland - Rennes] Undisclosed

4 July

Premier League

Bazoumana Toure [Hoffenheim - Newcastle United] £43m

English Football League

Dan Barlaser [Middlesbrough - MK Dons] Free

Matthew Dennis [Notts County - Burton] Undisclosed

Hindolo Mustapha [Crystal Palace - Wigan] Loan

Kasey Palmer [Hull - Luton] Undisclosed

Jay Turner-Cooke [Halifax - Shrewsbury] Free

Scottish Premiership

Azeem Abdulai [Leyton Orient - Hibernian] Undisclosed

Erik Ring [Lincoln City - Kilmarnock] Undisclosed

3 July

Women's Super League

Justine Kielland [Wolfsburg - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

Georgia Stanway [Bayern Munich - Arsenal] Undisclosed

Janni Thomsen [Utah Royals - London City Lionesses] Undisclosed

English Football League

Jude Arthurs [Bromley - Crawley] Free

Patrick Bauer [AFC Wimbledon - Cambridge]

Nathan Baxter [Watford - Leyton Orient] Undisclosed

Cohen Bramall [Luton - MK Dons] Free

Ilias Bronkhorst [Excelsior - Huddersfield] Free

Henry Cartwright [Leicester - Bradford] Undisclosed

Steve Cook [QPR - Wycombe] Free

Dael Fry [Middlesbrough - Birmingham] Free

Akeel Higgins [West Brom - Wigan] Undisclosed

Macaulay Langstaff [Millwall - Salford] Undisclosed

Lennon MacLorg [Charlton - Gillingham] Free

Myles Peart-Harris [Oxford Utd - Middlesbrough] Free

Jed Wallace [West Brom - Bristol City] Free

Ollie Wright [Southampton - Gillingham] Loan

Scottish Premiership

Martin Moormann [Blau-Weiß Linz - Motherwell] Undisclosed

Willy Vogt [Bellinzona - Motherwell] Free

Sam Cleall-Harding [Dundee United - Dunfermline] Loan

2 July

Premier League

Jack Butland [Rangers - Hull] Undisclosed

Mateus Fernandes [West Ham - Tottenham] £85m

Hayden Hackney [Middlesbrough - Everton] Undisclosed

Michael Svoboda [Venezia - Brighton] Undisclosed

English Football League

Logan Briggs [Leicester - Northampton] Loan

Jacob Brown [Luton - Reading] Free

James Debayo [Hull City - Swindon] Loan

Luke Graham [Dundee - Stoke] Undisclosed

Cian Hayes [Peterborough - Rochdale] Undisclosed

Jake Leake [Oldham - Colchester] Free

Abraham Odoh [Peterborough - Salford] Undisclosed

Jack Price [Brackley - Shrewsbury] Free

Jack Simpson [Leyton Orient - Chesterfield] Free

Isaac Smith [Man City - Barnsley] Undisclosed

Luca Stephenson [Liverpool - Bolton] Undisclosed

Sil Swinkels [Aston Villa - Sheff Wed] Undisclosed

Clayton Taylor [Newcastle Jets - Barnsley] Undisclosed

Kane Thompson-Sommers [MK Dons - Fleetwood] Undisclosed

International

Alex Matos [Sheff Utd - Goztepe] Loan

1 July

Premier League

Marco Palestra [Atalanta - Chelsea] £47m

Scottish Premiership

Dan Neil [Sunderland - Rangers] Free

Women's Super League

Amalie Vangsgaard [Juventus - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

English Football League

Gassan Ahadme [Charlton - Cambridge] Loan

Odin Bailey [Stockport - Portsmouth] Free

Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen [Dunfermline - Wigan] Undisclosed

James Connolly [Crewe - Walsall] Free

Kyle Dempsey [Bolton - Port Vale] Free

Akin Famewo [Hull - Bolton] Undisclosed

Ethan Galbraith [Swansea - Stoke] £10m

Macaulay Gillesphey [Charlton - Bradford] Undisclosed

Svante Ingelsson [Sheff Wed - Stoke] Undisclosed

Billy Koumetio [Dundee - Charlton] Undisclosed

Sam Long [Bromley - Salford] Free

Sean Raggett [Rotherham - Colchester] Free

Leo Walta [Sirius - Swansea] Undisclosed

Oliver Whatmuff [Man City - Stockport] Loan

International

Olaf Kobacki [Sheff Wed - Wisla Plock] Undisclosed

Transfers page archive

2026: January - February to May - June

2025: January - February to April* - May - June - July - August - September to December

2024:January - February to April* - May - June - July - August* - September to December

2023:January* - February to April - May - June - July - August - September* - October to December

2022:January - February to April* - May - June - July - August - September* - October to December

2021:January - February to April* - May - June - July - August - September* - October to December

2020:January* - February to July - August - September - October to December*

2019:January* - February to April - May - June - July - August - September* - October to December

2018:January* - February to May - June - July - August* - September to December

This page covers signings by Premier League, English Football League, Scottish Premiership and Women's Super League clubs, along with selected deals from overseas.

Auburn will send seniors Champ Anthony, Byrum Brown, and Alex McPherson to join head coach Alex Golesh at the 2026 SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida.

SEC Media Days is approaching, and with that, the release of player appearances for the upcoming event. The Tigers send three seniors from each phase of the game to this year's media days. Safety Champ Anthony, quarterback Byrum Brown, and kicker Alex McPherson are the three players set to represent the Tigers.

Anthony is returning from a season-ending leg injury he suffered in the game against Kentucky, which was similar to his leg injury the year before. The senior served as captain and played in seven games and made four starts for the Tigers. He totaled 13 total tackles, nine solo tackles, one PBU, and one pass defense in 2025.

The big name transfer, Brown, has all the eyes on him after an impressive junior season at South Florida. Brown passed for 3,158 yards, 66.3 completion percentage, and 28 touchdowns while totaling 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Rivals rated Brown (94.29) as the highest transfer for the Tigers this offseason.

Similar to Anthony, McPherson's availability on the field had been limited, and he looks to make a comeback. The Fort Payne, Alabama, native initially was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and would have his entire colon removed in December 2024. He would later be diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. McPherson now plays with an ostomy bag. His inspiring story landed him the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award.

Auburn's day will be on Tuesday, July 21, from 9 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. EST. The event begins Monday, July 20, at 9 a.m. EST with league commissioner Greg Sankey and concludes on Thursday, July 23.

Headed to Tampa for SEC Media Days 🌴🦅

🎙️ @CoachGolesh
🎙️ @byrumbrown17
🎙️ @AlexMc83
🎙️ @champthepiratepic.twitter.com/sOCDxlafX5

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) July 14, 2026

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jac on Twitter@Jac_Myrick

This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Which players will represent Auburn football at SEC Media Days?

Norway may have been knocked out by England in the FIFA World Cup, but superstar Erling Haaland’s presence is still being felt. Scoring seven goals in his World Cup debut, Haaland is being remembered for more than his play on the field.

Reports indicated social media algorithms were being geared toward the Norwegian legend “because that is where the demand is.”

His popularity boom was compared to when NFL star Travis Kelce started dating Taylor Swift and then won the Super Bowl, according to The Athletic.

Haaland’s camp has been told that social-media algorithms are being geared towards Haaland content, because that is where the demand is.

His boom in popularity in the US has been likened to when Travis Kelce began dating Taylor Swift and then his Kansas City Chiefs team won… pic.twitter.com/reA5vOEDDj

— Sam Lee (@SamLee) July 8, 2026

Let’s just say, the demand is understandable. And putting all the memes in real life to a parody of “moskau” makes it even better.

The viral Erling Haaland memes.....

© rudy_willingham pic.twitter.com/1OUQNKG4Y0

— Sarahh (@Sarahhuniverse) July 10, 2026

The Norwegian star has provided plenty for social media to work with throughout his career, from highlights deflecting balls off of opponents’ faces while wearing silly expressions of his own, to him wearing Viking helmets as he celebrates.

Haaland: Born a Viking, forced to be a footballer ⚽️😄 pic.twitter.com/lTgQ8PIggT

— Lucy (@TheLucyShow1) July 7, 2026

Haaland has been prepared for the meme culture, as shown when he told someone he was the “social media guy” when asked if he was on the Norwegian soccer team.

View this post on Instagram

Or this collection of silly facial expressions with silly captions. My personal favorite is the McDonald’s caption.

View this post on Instagram

He also made headlines when he carried a taxidermied “whiskey raccoon” holding a bottle of alcohol off the plane when he returned home to Norway.

What on earth has Erling Haaland brought back home 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/dW9jTEgRHJ

— george (@StokeyyG2) July 13, 2026

He later showed off the rest of his collection on his Snapchat story with two squirrels, one wearing a cowboy hat and the other with a can of Budweiser. Seems like Haaland enjoyed his time in the U.S.

Barstool Sports said he should be an honorary American.

At this point Erling Haaland is an honorary American pic.twitter.com/NYYUEDY7bN

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 14, 2026

In the comments of an AI-edited video, Haaland said he and Vinicius Junior “need to recreate” an iconic scene from “White Chicks.”

The Brazilian player was amused, responding, “HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA.”

Erling Haaland and Vinícius Júnior in the comments section of an Instagram meme page. 😭😭😭😂😂 pic.twitter.com/tNTWTSG1UB

— Seputar Real Madrid (@SeputarMadrid) July 3, 2026

Haaland was even compared to Majin Buu from “Dragon Ball Z.”

Erling Haaland comments on fans comparing him to ‘Dragon Ball Z’ character Majin Buu

“I mean I don’t disagree” pic.twitter.com/jCCaXcARr6

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) July 7, 2026

The super striker may not have gone home with the ultimate prize for Norway, but it is safe to say Haaland made his mark in 2026.

Editor's note:Follow France vs. Spain World Cup semifinal LIVE

The 2026 World Cup continues to be one for the history books as both lifelong futbol fans and new soccer fans have been treated to dozens of thrilling matches.

The World Cup semifinals begin Tuesday, when Spain takes on France today at 3 p.m. ET. Spain is aiming for thea team's first World Cup Finals appearance since 2010, the last time the team hoisted the World Cup Trophy.

SHOP: Spain World Cup jerseys

While many national teams have seen a significant shortage in available jerseys as demands continues to skyrocket, there's surprising amount of options available for Spain fans.

Below, we rounded up the top Spain kits that are still available as the team looks to keep its World Cup dream alive.

Shop Spain World Cup jerseys

Spain adidas 2026 home replica custom jersey

Spain adidas 2026 home replica long sleeve jersey

Spain adidas 2026 World Cup fan jersey

Spain adidas 2026 pre-match replica jersey

Spain 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule, results

• Spain vs. Cape Verde - DRAW 0-0
• Spain vs. Saudi Arabia - WIN 4-0
• Spain vs. Uruguay - WIN 1-0
• Spain vs. Austria (Round of 32) - WIN 3-0
• Spain vs. Portugal (Round of 16) - WIN 1-0
• Spain vs. Belgium (quarterfinals) - WIN 2-1
• Tuesday, July 14 (semifinals) - Spain vs. France at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - Watch LIVE

When are the semifinals for the FIFA World Cup?

The semifinals will take place on Tuesday, July 14 and Wednesday, July 15. The two games will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

• Tuesday, July 14 - France vs. Spain at 3 p.m. ET in Arlington, Texas - Watch LIVE
• Wednesday, July 15 - Winner of England vs. Argentina at 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta - Get tickets

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final?

The final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium just outside of New York City.

As of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final start at $8,404. If you want to get closer to the action, lower-level (category 1) tickets are starting at $21,783.

Shop Spain World Cup jerseys

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: I found Spain World Cup jerseys starting at just $50

Florida State football is adding another member to its coaching staff. According to Pete Nakos of On3 and Matt LaSerre of Warchant, the Seminoles are hiring Tom Herman.

He is most famous for his time as the head coach for the Houston Cougars and Texas Longhorns. Herman coached at Houston for two seasons (2015 and 2016) and went 22-4 over that span, which included a 38-24 win over Florida State in the 2015 Peach Bowl. He spent four years with Texas and compiled a 32-17 record (went 10-3 in 2018). Herman would spend the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Florida Atlantic Owls and posted a record of 6-16.

There's no word on what his role will be at FSU. However, Herman does have a ton of experience that could be beneficial to head coach Mike Norvell as he looks to get himself off the hot seat and back in the good graces of the Seminoles' fan base.

NEW: Former Texas, Houston and FAU head coach Tom Herman is set to join Florida State's coaching staff, @PeteNakos and @LaserreMatt report. https://t.co/eAJSep22Dzpic.twitter.com/UPRlkS97cJ

— On3 (@On3) July 13, 2026

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Florida State adds former SEC head coach to its staff

SOUTHPORT, England — First, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler bowed out of the Genesis Scottish Open on Friday, missing his first cut in 78 starts and nearly four years. Then world No. 2 Rory McIlroy muttered on Sunday, "Oh my God, I'm so bad at golf," after a particularly poor shot at the 16^th hole. There may be hope for the rest of the 156-man field to pick off a major this week at the 154^th British Open after all. How is McIlroy feeling about his game after a couple of days to work on his game? 

“Depends what hour of the day you get me, I think,” he said. “It's funny, I felt really good the first two days in Scotland and then felt like my game just sort of deteriorated as the week went on. Even though I shot a good score on Sunday, it didn't feel very good.”

McIlroy, 37, rallied to finish T-7 last week, his fourth top-10 finish in 10 starts this season but he was a non-factor last month at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. The 2014 British Open champion at Royal Liverpool has eight top-10 finishes in 16 career starts at the championship and finished T-4 the last time it was contested at Royal Birkdale in 2017. Having repeated as Masters champion in April, McIlroy is looking to nab his seventh career major and join a select group to amass that total that includes the likes of Bobby Jones, Sam Snead and most recently Arnold Palmer. That would also break a tie with Nick Faldo for most majors in the modern era among Europeans and tie him with Harry Vardon. 

“I've done a good bit of work the past couple days, again, getting the TrackMan out, seeing what my numbers are, and just trying to match up the feels of my swing with what I'm seeing,” McIlroy said of his recent prep after playing 30 holes on Sunday. “I felt a little bit tired yesterday, so I didn't make it on the course, but that allowed me a bit more time to hit some balls and dig into the swing a little bit. Felt good on the range. Felt good out on the course today. Definitely trending in the right direction.”

McIlroy certainly aims to go down as the greatest European-born player but to hear him tell it, he’s not wasting time contemplating his legacy in the game.

“I think it would be a pretty unfulfilling pursuit if you're just chasing records and chasing results. You have to enjoy the process. You have to enjoy the journey to get there. I've learned that the hard way at times by chasing results and chasing records too much,” he said. “You start to focus on your craft and your practice and doing the things you need to do to try to become a better golfer, and then if you do that, the results and the winning almost take care of themselves, or at least you put yourself in position enough to at least step through the door a few times.”

He added: “If all you're thinking about is winning and results, you're playing the wrong game.”

Asked what his main motivation will be when he steps on the first tee on Thursday at the 154^th Open, McIlroy said, “Seeing how good I can be. Seeing if the work I've put in and the practice that I've put in can stand up to the most intense pressure that we are under, which is major championships.”

Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Is Rory McIlroy feeling better about his game? 'Depends what hour of the day you get me!'

John Calipari is arguably the best recruiter of elite talent in college basketball history and continues to bring in potential blue-chip players at Arkansas.

USA TODAY's Fort Smith Southwest Times Record reports that four-star prospect Caleb Ourigou has agreed to play for Calipari and the Razorbacks, and it's just a question of when.

Ourigou is currently part of the class of 2027, but Calipari and his staff are hoping that he will reclassify in order to join the team this season.

The six-foot-ten big man hails from New York and played his most recent season in the Overtime Elite league.

BREAKING: Caleb Ourigou COMMITS to Arkansas! @JoeTipton & @JamieShaw5 Break Down What It Means for the Razorbacks | NEXT GEN HOOPS https://t.co/HRYILEXIbC

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) July 14, 2026

Regardless of when Ourigou arrives at Arkansas, his biggest contribution is expected to be made on the defensive end as a rim-protector.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: 4-star big man commits to Arkansas, considering reclassifying

Is Seattle Seahawks star Ernest Jones IV not a top 10 player at the position in the NFL today?

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler in the network’s rankings of the top 10 off-ball linebackers in the NFL for 2026, determined by votes from league executives, coaches and scouts, Jones received votes but was not even named as an honorable mention.

The omission is somewhat glaring, given that players’ current level of excellence was the basis of the evaluation. Taking into account the fact that Jones was named a second-team All-Pro honoree in 2025, regardless of how long he’s sustained his excellence for, his performance last season made him one of the four best performers at the position.

Jones ranked No. 2 in the NFL and No. 1 at the position in interceptions in 2025 with five. He helped the Seahawks win the Super Bowl at the end of the season, but having finished with an overall player grade of 58.8 from Pro Football Focus for his work on the year, which ranked No. 50 at the position, gives credence to him being docked to a certain degree.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks All-Pro Ernest Jones glaringly left off ESPN’s Top 10 LB list

The Baltimore Ravens will enter training camp with one of the AFC’s deepest rosters, which means the real competition may be smaller than it appears at first glance.

Most of the foundation is already secure. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, Ronnie Stanley, Vega Ioane, Trey Hendrickson, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, and Malaki Starks are not part of any serious 53-man roster debate. Baltimore’s official post-draft depth chart also reflected how many of the team’s primary roles were already taking shape after a draft class built to fill needs and deepen the roster.

The more realistic question is how many jobs are actually available. Barring injuries, late signings, or an unexpected trade, the Ravens probably have roughly 11 to 13 roster spots that should be considered truly up for grabs. That number could shift depending on how many wide receivers, offensive linemen, defensive backs, and pass rushers Baltimore decides to keep.

The number: 11 to 13 spots

The Ravens are not entering camp with 20 open jobs. Their stars are known, and several young players or veteran additions already have strong roster cases because of draft investment, contract status, or projected roles. The real uncertainty exists at the back end of position groups, where special teams value, preseason production, and versatility will decide final spots.

That is what makes this camp interesting. Baltimore does not need to discover its identity. It needs to determine which reserves can help protect that identity when injuries, game-day inactive decisions, and matchup-based packages begin shaping the regular season.

Wide receiver could carry the toughest offensive math

Wide receiver may be one of the most competitive rooms on the roster. Flowers and Bateman are secure, while Devontez Walker, LaJohntay Wester, Ja’Kobi Lane, Elijah Sarratt, Dayton Wade, Cornelius Johnson, Xavier Guillory, Cortez Braham Jr., and Octavian Smith Jr. give Baltimore several different profiles to evaluate. ESPN’s depth chart shows the Ravens with multiple receivers slotted behind the top group, underscoring how crowded the competition could become.

If Baltimore keeps six receivers, two or three spots may be available behind the most established names. If the Ravens keep only five, the pressure rises considerably. Special teams could be the separator, but offensive coordinator Declan Doyle also needs receivers who can give Jackson more dependable answers beyond Flowers and Andrews.

Running back and tight end have real depth questions

The running back room also has decisions to make behind Henry and Justice Hill. Rasheen Ali and rookie Adam Randall could both make strong cases, but Baltimore may not have room for every back if another position requires an extra spot. Preseason carries, pass protection, and special teams work will matter because reserve running backs must help in more than one phase.

Tight end is clearer at the top with Andrews, but the rest of the room has been reset. Durham Smythe brings veteran blocking value, while Ty Pezza, Matt Hibner, and Josh Cuevas are trying to prove they belong. The Ravens could keep three tight ends, or they could stretch to four if one of the young players becomes too intriguing to expose.

Offensive line depth could decide several jobs

The offensive line may have two or three spots truly available, depending on how Baltimore views interior flexibility and tackle depth. The starting group has taken shape, but the competition behind it matters because the Ravens need reliable protection for Jackson and enough physicality to support Henry.

Center is especially worth watching. Nick Dawkins gives Baltimore an undrafted rookie with a real opportunity at a position of need, while other interior linemen will have to show they can handle multiple spots. Backup offensive line jobs are rarely glamorous, but they are often among the most important decisions a contender makes.

Defensive depth will be shaped by rotation value

The Ravens’ defensive front has enough high-end talent to make the final spots difficult. Hendrickson changes the edge outlook, while Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington, Calais Campbell, and Aeneas Peebles give Baltimore several options across the line. Zion Young and Mike Green add more pass-rush intrigue, which could squeeze players who do not provide clear rotational or special teams value.

The Ravens want waves of pressure, not one exhausted group playing every critical snap. That means the final defensive line and edge spots will be decided by more than preseason sacks. Coaches will be looking for run defense, rush discipline, stamina, versatility, and whether a player can contribute on game day.

Secondary and special teams could shape the final roster

Baltimore’s secondary has star power, but backup cornerback and safety depth will be among the most important roster battles. Humphrey, Wiggins, Awuzie, Hamilton, and Starks give the Ravens a strong foundation, but players such as Keyon Martin, Bilhal Kone, Robert Longerbeam, Chandler Rivers, Jaylinn Hawkins, and others will have to separate themselves through coverage consistency and special teams value.

That last part cannot be overstated. The final roster spots are often won on special teams, and the Ravens have a history of valuing players who can cover kicks, tackle in space, and handle weekly responsibilities without needing large defensive or offensive roles.

The bottom line

The Ravens probably have 11 to 13 roster spots truly up for grabs entering training camp. The number could move slightly depending on injuries, late additions, and how the team allocates spots at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive back, and the defensive front.

That is the reality of a deep and versatile roster. Baltimore’s stars will shape the ceiling, but the final roster decisions will determine how well the Ravens survive the season’s inevitable attrition. The most important camp battles may not involve starting jobs. They may involve the players fighting to become the last trusted names on a championship-caliber 53-man roster.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: How many roster spots are up for grabs as Ravens enter training camp?

Former Hibernian striker Kathleen McGovern has joined English WSL2 side Newcastle United following her exit from the Edinburgh club.

The 24-year-old joined Hibs in the summer of 2024 after leaving fellow capital club Hearts and went on to score 51 goals in 65 appearances.

She also helped Hibs to their first top flight title in 18 years during the 2024/25 season.

During her time in Edinburgh, the striker also earned a first Scotland call up and made her debut back in 2024. She has since made 14 appearances for the national team and scored 10 goals in those outings.

Former Texas A&M All-American infielder Braden Shewmake is on the move again after spending the last month with the Houston Astros following his mid‑April call‑up. Shewmake made the most of his return to the majors, providing steady production and dependable defense while filling multiple infield roles.

During his time with Houston, he posted a .250/.265/.678 slash line with 20 hits, three home runs, and nine RBI. His defensive versatility proved valuable as the Astros dealt with injuries, and his fielding percentage remained close to league average, with third base standing out as his strongest position.

While being traded out of his home state is a little bittersweet, staying in the majors is the priority, and Shewmake is doing exactly that. On Sunday, it was announced that he had been traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, one of the hottest teams in baseball. Milwaukee enters the week with a 59–37 record, second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers at 61–36. If the Brewers maintain their pace, Shewmake could find himself in the postseason picture in about a month.

You can see the announcement below.

Welcome, Braden! pic.twitter.com/dANevEGskX

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 12, 2026

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Former Texas A&M infielder traded to Brewers after strong Astros stint

The New England Patriots are set to begin training camp in just over two weeks, and a few players on the team have reason to show out when the time comes.

The Patriots have a deep roster at most positions, including at wide receiver, running back and defensive tackle. With that comes a healthy level of competition that is expected to brew in the lead-up to the start of next season. More so, upcoming contract years, as well as trade rumors surrounding players, make training camp a time for those on the hot seat to increase their value in the open market.

Let’s take a look at the three players for New England that need to have a great training camp this year.

WR Mack Hollins

The Patriots have many mouths to feed in their receiving corps for next season. A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs are the clear-cut first and second options at the position, pushing every other receiver down in the team’s pecking order.

Hollins was the team’s third-most targeted receiver last season with 65 targets, but if Kayshon Boutte remains in New England for next season, he is in danger of falling to fifth. A strong training camp for Hollins will remind the Patriots’ coaching staff of just how valuable he is to the team as a spark plug, as well as being their biggest wide receiver at 6-foot-4.

WR Kayshon Boutte

Boutte was primed to take the next step in 2026 before Brown and Doubs came to town. The 24-year-old wide receiver will now vie to be the Patriots’ third option in the passing attack, along with Hunter Henry and Mack Hollins.

Training camp will give Boutte an opportunity to do just that and also increase his value in the trade market, which his name has circulated in throughout much of the offseason.

EDGE Gabe Jacas

Jacas has been missing in action this offseason. He has yet to sign his rookie contract with the Patriots, and the coaching staff has yet to get a good enough glimpse at his capabilities on the field in practice.

New England has room for another quality edge rusher to contribute in their rotation behind Harold Landry and Dre’Mont Jones, with Jacas being the hopeful man for the job. Putting the pen to the paper this summer and showing out in training camp will allow him to quickly assert himself as the third man in the Patriots’ edge rusher rotation.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 3 players who need to have great training camp for Patriots in 2026

Tadej Pogacar stretched his overall lead to more than three minutes as he raced clear for his third stage win of this year's Tour de France.

After Monday's rest day, stage 10 offered closest rival Jonas Vingegaard a chance to close the gap in Le Lioran, where he beat Pogacar in a two-man sprint to the line in 2024.

With the 166.6km mountain stage from Aurillac taking place on Bastille Day, home fans were hoping French teenager Paul Seixas would be in contention.

But Pogacar went solo with 15km remaining and maintained that gap to cross the line 32 seconds before Remco Evenepoel, with 19-year-old Seixas just behind him in third.

Vingegaard crossed 44 seconds after Pogacar in seventh, meaning the defending champion now leads the Dane by three hours and 36 minutes in the general classification standings.

"We targeted this stage from a long time ago," said four-time Tour winner Pogacar.

"Two years ago, Jonas beat me in the sprint fair and square. Today was similar, my legs to the finish were completely destroyed, but yeah, I enjoyed the day."

Richard Carapaz got clear on the Puy Mary, the third-from-last climb, but Pogacar attacked on the penultimate climb before claiming his third win on Bastille Day and his 24th stage win overall.

Vingegaard led the chasing group and although Evenepoel lost touch, he recovered on the short descent before the final rise to the line then charged into second as Vingegaard conceded more time over the final metres.

"It was an OK day for us, it could be a lot worse, that's for sure," said Visma-Lease a Bike rider Vingegaard.

"My legs are getting better and better, and I'm looking forward to the longer climbs."

British rider Tom Pidcock crashed on the Puy Mary descent but recovered to finish ninth on the stage and climb into 10th overall.

Stage 10 results

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 3hrs 58mins 8secs
2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +32secs
3. Paul Seixas (Fra/Decathlon-CMA CGM) +34secs
4. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) Same time
5. Juan Ayuso (Spa/Lidl-Trek) +38secs
6. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) Same time
7. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +44secs
8. Isaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +1min 31secs
9. Tom Pidcock (GB/Pinarello-Q36.5) +1:59
10. Lenny Martinez (Fra/Bahrain-Victorious) +2:03

General classification after stage 10

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 36hrs 15mins 2secs
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Den/Visma-Lease a Bike) +3mins 36secs
3. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +4:06
4. Juan Ayuso (Spa/Lidl-Trek) +4:22
5. Paul Seixas (Fra/Decathlon-CMA CGM) +4:35
6. Florian Lipowitz (Ger/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +4:44
7. Isaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +5:08
8. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) +5:45
9. Lenny Martinez (Fra/Bahrain-Victorious) +6:34
10. Tom Pidcock (GB/Pinarello-Q36.5) 11:49

• Van der Poel wins shortened Tour stage in 40C heat

Tadej Pogačar is leaving little doubt about his dominance over cycling during another overwhelming Tour de France performance

The two-time defending Tour de France champion extended his lead in the overall standings in 2026 with a ruthlessly efficient Stage 10 win on Tuesday, July 14. Pogačar strengthened his grip on the yellow jersey in France by racing away from his rivals at the end of a grueling mountain stage featuring seven different climbs and large crowds on Bastille Day in France. The 27-year-old Slovenian is seeking a three-peat and fifth Tour de France title since 2020.

Pogačar waited until the final kilometer of the second-to-last ascent (and less than 10 miles left in the stage route) to leave behind the peloton for his third stage win this year, quickly passing leader Richard Carapaz and eventually building a 32-second lead over his closest competition by the time he crossed the finish line. Jonas Vindegaard, who sits in second place in the overall standings, lost 54 seconds to Pogačar during Week 2 of the Tour de France.

Here's everything else to know about the 2026 Tour de France after Stage 10, including updated overall standings for the yellow jersey, race results, and how to watch Stage 11:

💛 Tadej Pogacar catches up with Richard Carapaz and leaves him behind straight away!

💛 Tadej Pogacar revient sur Richard Carapaz et le dépose immédiatement !#TDF2026pic.twitter.com/XmqeLvwmPG

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 14, 2026

🏆 No photo finish needed this time! Beaten in 2024, Tadej Pogacar wins in Le Lioran in 2026!

🏆 Pas besoin de photo finish cette fois ! Battu en 2024, Tadej Pogacar s’impose au Lioran en 2026 !#TDF2026pic.twitter.com/pF5s9QvoA5

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 14, 2026

Who won Tour de France Stage 10?

Tadej Pogačar won Stage 10 of the 2026 Tour de France. He also won Stage 3 and Stage 6 at this year's Tour de France.

Tour de France results: Stage 10

Final results of the 166.6-kilometer Stage 10 from Aurillac to Le Lioran, at the 2026 Tour de France on Tuesday, July 14. *Results and times are via Tour de France website*

Who has the yellow jersey after Stage 10?

Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates - XRG remains in possession of the yellow jersey after Stage 10 of the 2026 Tour de France. He first took control of the overall lead after Stage 6 on July 9.

2026 Tour de France standings

Through Stage 10

Watch Tour de France with Peacock

2026 Tour de France jersey leaders after Stage 10

• Yellow (overall race leader): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
• Green (points): Mads Pedersen, Denmark
• Polka dot (mountains): Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia
• White (young rider): Juan Ayuso, Spain

2026 Tour de France Stage 11: How to watch, start time route and distance

• Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026
• Time: Coverage begins at 7 a.m. ET
• Location: Vichy to Nevers
• Distance: 161.3 kilometers (100.2 miles)
• Type: Flat
• Streaming: Peacock

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tadej Pogačar surges late to Stage 10 win, extends Tour de France lead

On Tuesday, it was announced that Texas A&M redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed, senior safety Marcus Ratcliffe, and senior linebacker Daymion Sanford will serve as the Aggies' player representatives at next week's SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida. Third-year coach Mike Elko and all three 2026 team captains will address the media next Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Aggies Wire predicted that Marcel Reed would be at least one of the three players chosen to represent Texas A&M, and he is the first Aggie signal-caller at the event since former starting QB Kellen Mond in the lead-up to the 2019 season. Last season, Marcel Reed completed 62% of his passes, throwing for a career-high 3,169 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, and added nearly 500 rushing yards and 6 scores.

Marcus Ratcliffe, alongside senior safety Dalton, is widely considered one of the top defenders in the SEC and is coming off a career year, starting in 12 of 13 games and finishing with a personal-best 66 tackles, three passes defensed, and three tackles for loss. Ratcliffe finished as Pro Football Focus's top-rated safety in coverage.

Daymion Sanford suffered a lower-body injury during A&M's Maroon & White Game, which required surgery this offseason. While he is expected to miss the first half of the regular season, Sanford earned his starting job after replacing Scooby Williams, appearing in 13 games with 10 starts and racking up 57 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 9.5 tackles for loss.

This will be the first time we hear from Daymion Sanford since his injury, and it could include an update on his return timetable. Texas A&M will kick off the 2026 season against Missouri State on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Texas A&M is bringing its captains to SEC Media Days next week:
LB Daymion Sanford
S Marcus Ratcliffe
QB Marcel Reed

The Aggies will have a quarterback represented for the first time since Kellen Mond in 2019

— Tyler Shaw (@TylerShawSports) July 14, 2026

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M's SEC Media Days player representatives revealed

The World Cup isn't even over yet, but arguably no player enjoyed his time in the United States more than Norway superstar Erling Haaland. And he returned to Oslo with just the souvenir to prove it.

When the Norwegian national team landed home on Monday, fans quickly noticed that Haaland exited the plane carrying a stuffed raccoon holding a whiskey bottle. It was the chaotic souvenir we could have expected from Haaland.

Apparently, the stuffed raccoon traces back to the Norway star's visit to Wild Bill's Western Store in Dallas. In that visit, which Haaland posted on his YouTube channel, he got fitted for cowboy hats and boots. He reportedly spent $10,000 on merchandise for his staff and himself.

The $750 stuffed raccoon was among the items that Haaland purchased at Wild Bill's, and now the product is completely soldout on Wild Bill's online shop.

Erling Haaland has returned to Norway, and it looks like he brought home a $750 Whiskey Raccoon from Wild Bill's Western Store in Dallas, Texas. What an authentic piece of American culture. pic.twitter.com/SsnwZlEgOZ

— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) July 13, 2026

It's amazing the impact that one visit from a soccer star can have on a business.

View this post on Instagram

This article originally appeared on For The Win: How Erling Haaland got a taxidermied raccoon as his World Cup souvenir

The initial reaction in Manchester United circles to news of Youri Tielemans' impending arrival was positive.

A former team-mate of current first-team coach Jonny Evans, Tielemans is noted for scoring Leicester City's winner in the 2021 FA Cup final and for Aston Villa in their Europa League final triumph over Freiburg in May.

"Well done to the recruitment team because £35m for him is a phenomenal signing," said former midfielder Nicky Butt as he discussed the Belgian's potential impact with ex-United team-mate Paul Scholes on The Good, The Bad And The Football podcast.

"They needed to get a rocket on. If we want to compete in all four competitions we have to build a squad, not just a starting XI."

An erroneous post on X, in which a user claimed Tielemans had already played more minutes of football at the age of 29 than Scholes did in his playing career, grabbed plenty of attention on social media, but while it was incorrect, it did highlight the amount of football the Villa midfielder has played.

He made his senior debut for Anderlecht aged 16 years and 82 days and has now played 668 games for club and country.

That is over 100 more than Casemiro had done when he moved from Real Madrid to United in 2022.

Casemiro was 30 at the time and, after an excellent debut campaign, spent 18 months being told his career was finished as his performances dipped.

Observers defending United's recruitment team would argue Tielemans is more accustomed to the physical demands of the Premier League given he has played in England since joining Leicester from Monaco in 2019.

Last season, he was impacted by separate calf and ankle problems that restricted him to 35 appearances for Aston Villa - the lowest number during his time in England.

After impressing at the World Cup - including scoring a memorable 89th-minute equaliser against Senegal, then converting an extra-time winner from the penalty spot - his tournament came to a premature end when he was injured in the warm-up before the quarter-final defeat by Spain.

Alex Rodriguez had a rough go of it interviewing Justin Verlander ahead of the Home Run Derby.

Rodriguez appeared to be setting up some kind of underdog redemption angle for Verlander, asking him, “How do you explain being a late draft pick, being designated for assignment a couple of times with two different teams?”

Awkward moment for A-Rod, interviewing Justin Verlander saying we was designated for assignment by two different teams.

Verlander, a 10-time All-Star, has never been designated for assignment. pic.twitter.com/nxLbChZbDq

— SportsTalk 790 (@SportsTalk790) July 13, 2026

Neither half of that sentence is true. Verlander went second overall in the 2004 draft, one pick after Matt Bush, and was in the majors within a year. He’s also never been designated for assignment, not once, across 20 seasons and stops with the Tigers, Astros, Mets, and Giants. Being DFA’d is a process reserved for players a team is trying to get off its 40-man roster. It has never once applied to a 10-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young winner.

Verlander, understandably, did not know what to do with this.

“Me? No, you’ve got the wrong notes,” he said.

Rodriguez laughed it off and pivoted to asking how Verlander has pitched at a high level for so long, which, fine, is actually a reasonable question. It’s just not the one he’d spent the last thirty seconds building up to.

Whether it makes him feel better or not, Rodriguez wasn’t the only Fox voice getting called out for scrambling a Hall of Famer’s career this week. Derek Jeter needled Colin Cowherd on Monday over a 2024 interview where Cowherd asked what it was like facing Nolan Ryan — a pitcher whose career ended two years before Jeter’s started.

Someone might want to give A-Rod the same warning next time.

The post Alex Rodriguez botches Justin Verlander’s career history in awkward interview appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Millwall goalkeeper Lukas Jensen says he "can't describe" the feeling of returning to full fitness after overcoming two serious injuries that kept him sidelined for more than a year.

The 26-year-old tore his Achilles in the 2024-25 season before suffering a quad injury in December last year during the final stages of his rehabilitation, delaying his return to first-team action.

"It's a feeling I can't describe," Jensen told the club website. "I've been waiting for this moment for well over a year now."

Jensen admitted the road back had tested him both physically and mentally, particularly after suffering a second injury just as he was nearing a return.

"That was the hardest part," he said. "I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and then, 21 days before the physio could clear me, I picked up another injury - and it was a rather big one."

Despite the setbacks, the Dane says the experience has changed his perspective.

"It's been a rollercoaster. It's been up and down, but I've learnt so much about my body.

"I can look at the positives now and all the things I've learned. Even though it's been tough, we've all come together now. This is just the start.

"When that first league game is over, I think the feeling is going to be even better."

Jensen says he now feels stronger after completing his rehabilitation.

"We expected the Achilles to take a year, and that's what it's taken. The positive is my Achilles got longer, and it was quite a quick rehab. It's been a year where I've had two injuries.

"Now my body feels good again. I can walk with no pain."

The goalkeeper made 43 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Millwall, keeping 14 clean sheets as the Lions narrowly missed out on the Championship play-offs.

Watching from the sidelines was difficult, but Jensen believes the squad can build on last season's progress.

"The team did unbelievably last year, and I hope we can carry that on," he added.

"We have such a good young team and a good gaffer. We want to get promotion.

"It was a joy. I was sat there smiling after every game. It was a great watch."

• Latest Millwall news, analysis and fan views

Everyone with eyes knows Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba formed an incredible connection with the Seattle Seahawks in 2025. Smith-Njigba led the league in receiving yards and won Offensive Player of the Year. Darnold established himself as a franchise quarterback and the Seahawks won Super Bowl 60.

It feels like new data and advanced metrics are still being released that add even more context to how special the Darnold-JSN connection was in 2025. Pro Football Focus recently released a data-driven look at NFL quarterback-receiver partnerships last season. The exercise examined every quarterback-receiver target from 2006 through 2025 through the lens of PFF grading and expected points added (EPA) per play.

During the 2025 season, the Darnold-JSN connection ranked 10th among QB-WR partnerships in EPA per play. If that's lower than you expected, take the sample size into account. PFF tracked Smith-Njigba as being on the receiving end of 181 targets from Darnold. That was second-most on the list behind just Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua (200 targets). The more targets, the more difficult it is to maintain a high EPA.

The Darnold-to-Smith-Njigba connection was both explosive and efficient in 2025. Every advanced metric indicates as such. If Darnold and Smith-Njigba can recapture their 2025 success in 2026, the Seahawks will field a high-scoring offense for a second consecutive season.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and their EPA connection in 2025

Khaman Maluach continued his NBA Summer League dominance Monday on the second night of a back-to-back, having tallied 15 points and 15 rebounds Sunday.

Maluach led the Suns in scoring against the Bucks with 21 points, posting another double-double with 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal and four blocks. Maluach also made all six of his free throw attempts, an improvement from his rookie season with Phoenix, where he converted on 71% of free throws.

Now in three summer league games, Maluach is averaging 18.3 points, 12 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and two made 3-pointers per game (42.8%). Despite placing third on the Suns' depth chart last season behind Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro, Maluach seems destined for more playing time this fall. A year ago, the South Sudanese center averaged 8.9 minutes per game in 46 appearances.

This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Khaman Maluach continues unbelievable summer league performance

Former Tennessee football assistant coach Joe Osovet begins his fifth year as head coach at Heritage High School in Maryville, Tennessee.

The Mountaineers finished 4-5 (3-4 Region 2-4A) in 2025 and did make the playoffs after being reclassified from Class 5A.

In four seasons at Heritage, Osovet has compiled a 16-23 overall record and has not qualified for the postseason. He inherited a program who finished 0-10 in 2021 and lost 15 consecutive games.

In 2024, Osovet and the Mountaineers went 5-5. Heritage failed to qualify for the TSSAA Class 5-A playoffs, going 0-4 in Region 2-5A play. The Mountaineers were 3-7 in 2023 after going 4-6 during Osovet's first season in 2022.

Entering 2026, Osovet and the Mountaineers are looking to end a postseason drought. Heritage last competed in the playoffs during the 2016 season.

Osovet discussed the 2026 season with Vols Wire.

"This year, our goal is what it is," Osovet said. "We want to make the playoffs and we want to beat William Blount."

The former Tennessee assistant coach is optimistic about the upcoming season.

"We have to replace some pieces," he said. "We'll have a new quarterback and we have some key guys back up front.

"We have both of our linebackers back and we have some strengths at the skill positions on the perimeter. We have the best wide receivers that we've had since I've been here."

Heritage will kick off its 2026 season with a home game against Clinton High School (Clinton, Tennessee) on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. EDT.

Clinton is coached by JakeDawson, who worked with Osovet at Tennessee and was also an assistant coach at Heritage.

Osovet served as tight ends coach for the Vols in 2020. He also served as Tennessee’s director of player development (2018) and director of football programming (2019) under head coach Jeremy Pruitt.

Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Joe Osovet discusses fifth season as Heritage's head coach

The news Tuesday that David Steele is retiring after 37 seasons as the voice of the Orlando Magic landed like the end of a long, engaging conversation.

Because that’s what it always felt like.

Not like a broadcaster talking at you.

But like an old friend sitting on the couch talking to you.

For nearly 40 years — first on the radio and then on television — Steele was there through every chapter of Orlando Magic basketball. He described the miracle moments and the miserable ones. He called playoff triumphs, lottery seasons, buzzer-beaters and blown leads with the same steady voice that fans welcomed into their living rooms night after night, year after year, decade after decade.

National broadcasters become famous.

Local broadcasters become family.

Mike Breen has “Bang!” Kevin Harlan has his unmistakable excitement. Mike Tirico can make any event sound important. They are among the finest play-by-play broadcasters in the business for good reason.

But they parachute into your city a handful of times every few seasons.

The local play-by-play announcer is there for every chapter. He’s there on the random Tuesday night in Charlotte when the team loses by 18. He’s there during tanking seasons when victories are scarce. He’s there when lottery picks become All-Stars, when coaches come and go, when championships remain elusive but hope somehow returns every October.

He doesn’t just witness a franchise’s history.

He becomes part of it.

No one embodied that better than David Steele.

“When I interviewed with Pat Williams back in 1988, I never dreamed it would play out this way,” Steele said upon announcing his retirement. “Now it is time for me to put the microphone down and spend time with my family. It’s been an honor to represent the Orlando Magic, and I am forever grateful.”

It’s fitting that the Magic inducted Steele into their Hall of Fame seven years ago. He wasn’t simply honored because he called more than 2,200 games.

He earned that distinction because his voice became part of the franchise’s identity.

You simply can’t separate Orlando Magic history from David Steele.

He was there from the franchise’s birth in 1989.

He narrated the arrival of Shaquille O’Neal.

He narrated the departure of Shaquille O’Neal.

He chronicled Penny Hardaway’s brilliance.

He described Tracy McGrady’s scoring explosions, Dwight Howard’s dominance and today’s young, ascending Magic team.

He was there for the rebuilds and the rebuilds of the rebuilds.

He was there through the exhilarating march to the 1995 and 2009 NBA Finals, the devastating playoff exits and the countless seasons when hope was all Magic fans really had.

The remarkable thing wasn’t simply that he stayed. It was how he did his job.

Steele understood something many broadcasters never learn. He understood the game isn’t about the broadcaster.

“I really think television is more of a color announcer’s medium than it is the play-by-play announcer’s,” Steele once explained. “The fans really don’t rely on the announcer to tell them what’s going on because they can see what’s happening… I set the tempo and I try to bring out the best in the color announcer.”

That philosophy defined every broadcast.

He never forced excitement. He never shouted simply because shouting had become fashionable.

He respected the audience enough to know they could tell the difference between routine and remarkable.

Which is precisely why his biggest calls still resonate decades later. Nothing illustrates that better than Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals.

Michael Jordan had returned from his NBA hiatus.

The Bulls appeared ready to steal the opener.

Then came six unforgettable seconds.

“Anderson tries to steal it from Jordan and Jordan dribbles around him,” Steele told his radio listeners. “The clock is down to 12 and Anderson stole the ball. Hardaway picks it up, two-on-one, Penny bounce pass to Grant and he dunks it! Six-point-two seconds to go! Nick Anderson stole the ball! Nick Anderson stole the ball from Michael Jordan!”

Steele wasn’t performing.

He was reacting.

The excitement was authentic because the moment demanded it.

If David Steele raised his voice, you instinctively knew history was unfolding.

Fellow Magic broadcaster Dante Marchitelli, who now succeeds Steele on television, perhaps explained his mentor’s greatness better than anyone.

“Nobody, and I mean this, nobody in the league prepares as much and as well as David Steele,” Marchitelli once said. “It’s not about him. David Steele is about the game and the players, and if it’s a big moment he lets it breathe. He has a knack and great timing and his preparation and the way it all comes together is what makes it, really, a perfect telecast.

“He doesn’t make it about himself, and I think people truly enjoy that.”

That may be Steele’s greatest legacy.

In an era when too many broadcasters chase viral moments, catchphrases and social-media clips, Steele quietly pursued something far more difficult.

Credibility.

Respect.

Class.

He was prepared.

He was accurate.

He was humble.

And because he never tried to manufacture emotion, fans trusted him when genuine emotion  arrived.

Of course, Steele wasn’t above having fun.

One of the most beloved features of Magic broadcasts became his wonderfully quirky “Is This Anything?” segment, where he’d present some wonderfully obscure statistical oddity before asking broadcast partner Jeff Turner whether it actually mattered. A cheerful “ding” meant yes. A buzzer meant no.

It became one of those inside jokes shared between two friends; between broadcaster and audience; the kind of thing that only develops after decades together.

Orlando Magic Chairman Dan DeVos couldn’t resist using it one last time.

“You can’t have a memory of Orlando Magic basketball without David Steele’s voice being a part of it,” DeVos said. “David handled everything with professionalism and class, and he will forever be entrenched in this franchise’s history. ‘Is This Anything?’ We’d say David was EVERYTHING to the Orlando Magic.”

It was the perfect tribute because it spoke Steele’s language.

As a kid in East Tennessee, Steele would hide a transistor radio beneath his pillow at night, listening to baseball broadcasts after he was supposed to be asleep. Those unseen announcers sparked a lifelong dream and unknowingly shaped the broadcaster he would become.

For nearly four decades, somewhere in Central Florida, children were either falling asleep or on the couch with Dad as another familiar voice drifted through the house.

David Steele’s voice.

One day they’ll realize those weren’t merely basketball games they were hearing and watching.

They were memories being made.

And long after someone else occupies the television chair, generations of Magic fans will still hear Steele’s voice whenever they replay the most compelling moments in franchise history.

Because some broadcasters simply call the games.

The truly special ones like David Steele become part of the family.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on social media @BianchiWrites and listen to my radio show “Game On” every weekday from 3 to 6 p.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen.

Following 37 seasons as the play-by-play voice of the Magic, both on television and radio, David Steele announced his retirement Tuesday morning.

“I can’t thank the DeVos family and the Orlando Magic organization enough for what they have provided to me and my family,” Steele said in a statement. “When I interviewed with Pat Williams back in 1988, I never dreamed it would play out this way. Now it is time for me to put the microphone down and spend time with my family.

“It’s been an honor to represent the Orlando Magic, and I am forever grateful,” he added.

After handling radio play-by-play duties for the team’s first nine seasons (1989-98), Steele was then named the television play-by-play voice for the Magic in March 1998 and spent the next 28 seasons in that role.

“You can’t have a memory of Orlando Magic basketball without David Steele’s voice being a part of it,” Magic chairman Dan DeVos said in a statement. “David handled everything with professionalism and class, and he will forever be entrenched in this franchise’s history. … We wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

Replacing Steele, 72, as Orlando’s new play-by-play television announcer will be Dante Marchitelli, the team said.

Marchitelli, 50, enters his 28th season with the organization and has served as studio host/sideline reporter since 2008. He’s also performed play-by-play duties for select games for the last three seasons (2023-26).

Marchitelli began his career with the Magic in 1998 as a radio intern. He was hired full time in January 2000 as radio producer, working behind the scenes on every broadcast for the Magic Radio Network. Marchitelli was promoted in 2005 to radio manager and also served as radio sideline reporter. He was named assistant director of broadcasting in July 2017, then promoted to director of broadcasting and alumni relations in July 2023.

“I am beyond grateful to the DeVos family and the Orlando Magic organization for this wonderful opportunity,” Marchitelli said in a statement. “Working with David Steele for the past 20 years has been the highlight of my career. He is an absolute legend, and I can’t thank him enough for everything he has taught me along the way.

“This is a dream come true and I’m looking forward to continuing my connection with Orlando Magic fans everywhere,” he added.

The former voice of the University of Florida, Steele arrived in Orlando in 1989 after serving as network coordinator and football/basketball play-by-play announcer for the Gators for seven seasons.

He was named Florida Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association twice, winning the honor in both 2009 and 2021. In 1980, Steele earned the Ray Reeve Award as TV Sportscaster of the Year in North Carolina. He also won the Best Play-By-Play in Florida award from the Florida Sportscasters Association in 1984. In February 2019, Steele became the eighth person inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.

A native of Jacksonville, Steele’s professional broadcasting career began in 1975, as sports director at WJHG-TV in Panama City. He also served as sports director at WLOS-TV in Asheville, NC, and was the football/basketball play-by-play announcer at Western Carolina University.

He and his wife, Sally, live in Orlando. They have three children, Luke, Emily and Betsy, and eight grandchildren.

Marchitelli earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations/advertising from Liberty University in 1998. A native of Woburn, Mass., he and his wife, Lana, live in Windermere and have two daughters, Olivia and Allison.

Following the closure of FanDuel Sports Network Florida, the Magic will announce their broadcast plans for the 2026-27 season in the near future, the team said.

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com

Summer is here, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay. 

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans. 

So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

• Northern Arizona
• TCU

Background Info

• Listed at 6-2/205 lbs. 
• 4-Star prospect according to 247 Sports
• Transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State to LSU
• Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year in high school
• MaxPreps Oregon High School Player of the Year
• Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2024
• Second-team All-Big 12 in 2024

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• 20 Starts
• 612 Pass attempts
• 4,652 Passing yards
• 7.7 Yards per attempt

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 32 Big-time throws
• 2.6 Turnover worthy play rate
• Average depth of target is 9.3 yards
• 71% Adjusted completion percentage

Strengths

• Arm strength is his top trait
• Can make plays out of nothing 
• Keeps his eyes downfield and look to push it 
• Uses his mobility to evade pressure
• Puts good zip on his passes to make them into tight windows

Player Summary

Sam Leavitt is a very unpolished piece of diamond that is beneath the harshness of his game on film. The arm talent cannot be questioned; he is able to make throws to every level of the field, but it can still be very erratic. What we need to see more of is that arm talent in much calmer situations. LSU has a better offensive line, Lane Kiffin has a better system, and it should all allow him to be able to take a big step. However, the play we saw at Arizona State is not yet that of a top prospect in a loaded class. 

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU

Everyone has talked about the Los Angeles Rams' new additions of Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Myles Garrett, but the return of Kam Curl is critical to the success of the defense. He re-signed with the Rams this offseason after two solid years in Los Angeles, earning a big raise with a three-year, $36 million extension.

He's a leader in the secondary, someone who can play a variety of roles at safety. Deep or shallow. In the slot, in the post. And while McDuffie and Watson will make a world of difference at cornerback, having Curl back at safety will have a major impact for Los Angeles, too.

He's the team's 13th-most important player for 2026.

How he got here

The Rams signed Curl as a free agent in 2024, giving him a modest two-year, $9 million deal following his four years in Washington. He came in and had a positive impact right away, starting 16 games in his first year with the Rams. But after a breakout season in 2025, the Rams rewarded him with a three-year extension that nearly tripled his salary to $12 million per year – still a virtual bargain for a player of his caliber.

Despite signing fellow safety Quentin Lake a few months earlier, the Rams extended Curl before he could become a free agent, ensuring he'd be back in Los Angeles for a few more years.

2025 stats

17 games (17 starts): 122 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 tackles for a loss, 5 passes defensed, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Projected role

Curl played all over the defense last season, lining up as a deep safety in two-high looks, covering the slot and coming down into the box, too. According to PFF, 776 of his 1,324 snaps were as a deep safety, with 136 coming in the slot and 358 in the box.

His role shouldn't change much this season, and there's no reason to shake things up. He's at his best when Chris Shula moves him around to find the best possible matchups, whether it's as a robber over the middle when teams might be throwing between the hashes or as a split safety to take away deep throws to one part of the field.

Curl could be more aggressive this season with better cornerback play, knowing the coverage of opposing receivers will be tighter thanks to McDuffie and Watson. That should lead to more takeaways for him and every Rams DB.

One thing to know

Curl is an outstanding tackler and run defender, as evidenced by his PFF grades. His run defense grade of 87.9 was the third-best of any safety in the NFL last season, while his 87.0 tackle grade was the seventh-best at his position. He did miss 13 tackles, but his miss rate of 8.3% still ranked 15th because of how many chances he had to wrap up ballcarriers.

Why he's important

Though he's not the signal-caller on defense, he is one of the primary leaders of the secondary alongside Lake. He helps get guys in position and read the opposing offense, which is an invaluable part of playing the position. And as the last line of defense, he does a great job taking away deep passes and limiting yards after the catch.

Poor safety play can lead to a lot of explosives, which can be back-breakers for the pass defense. But Curl takes those away with his range and instincts, as we saw in the divisional win over the Bears when he picked off Caleb Williams in overtime to help the Rams beat Chicago on the road.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' 26 most important players for 2026 – No. 13: S Kam Curl

When looking far down the road at any NFL draft, the main focus becomes the quarterback position, as many fans and analysts try to determine who the next stars of the game are going to be. As we prepare for the 2027 class to make their final case to NFL teams, there's one position group outside of the pocket that is creating a lot of buzz, though.

The guys that those QBs throw to are expected to turn heads.

Headlined by Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Texas' Cam Coleman, some NFL analysts are predicting early on that this class of WRs in 2027 could be among the best that we've seen in quite a while, with The Athletic's Dane Brugler already stating that he believes Smith could be the best WR prospect he's ever scouted.

Among the best players in that top class, though, is Oregon Ducks' star WR Evan Stewart, who is entering his senior season in Eugene and looking for a chance to boost his profile even higher.

Brugler has Stewart listed as the No. 1-ranked senior WR in the class, just ahead of guys like Miami's Cooper Bartake, Arizona State's Omarion Miller, and Florida's Eric Singleton Jr. In his three-year career, Stewart has hauled in 139 passes for 1,776 yards and 11 touchdowns. He had a career year with the Ducks in 2024, with 613 yards and five touchdowns, but missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury.

Now back for one last ride, Stewart knows that it is a "do or die" season, as he describes it, and that in order to make a name for himself as a member of this draft class, he's going to need to put on a show.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions. 

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks' Evan Stewart named No. 1 senior WR in 2027 draft class

The Detroit Lions 2022 season was the start of the incredible turnaround for this team. Relive the season through the lens of the Top 10 Injury News recap with present day updates.

Here are number one and two on the list. For the full list, visit 2022 Revisited: Lions Top 10 Injury News with Present Updates.

#1 Saivion Smith temporary paralysis

🦁Detroit Lions Top 10 injury news of 2022
#1 Saivion Smith temporary paralysis
-Moving around well before play
-Drops head, contact to top of helmet, falls limp immediately. Unable to move arms/legs.
-Fully recovered neurologically within seconds to minutes pic.twitter.com/a6Lut6ImGF

— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) March 11, 2023

A seemingly innocuous play led to a temporary paralysis for Saivion Smith. The game was stopped for a prolonged period as an ambulance transferred him to the hospital. Fortunately, he had full neurologic recovery within seconds to minutes, although he did later require a spinal fusion.

He was re-signed by the Lions for the 2023 season and participated in training camp, but did not make the roster.

2026 UPDATE: Smith did not appear in an NFL game since his injury and is currently out of the NFL.

#2 Tracy Walker Achilles rupture

🦁Detroit Lions Top 10 injury news of 2022
#2 Tracy Walker Achilles tear
-Hurt in game 3, out for year
-Team captain
-Absence had noticeable impact on secondary late in Vikings game and for a few weeks after until Kerby Joseph hit his stride pic.twitter.com/NA7A82DiEP

— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) March 10, 2023

This team captain ruptured his Achilles in Game 3 and missed the season. The secondary greatly missed his presence, but it opened the way for the emergence of a superstar, Kerby Joseph, later in the season.

This injury dramatically impacted Walker’s career as he only played one more season in the NFL.

2026 UPDATE: Walker has not been with an NFL team since early in the 2024 season (49ers), and his career appears to be over.

Walker’s case is why there is legitimate concern for the outcome of Brian Branch. For the full analysis, visit Brian Branch Achilles injury analysis & outlook.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: 2022 Throwback: Detroit Lions Top 10 Injury News - Smith & Walker

The risk of football on the brain has hit the news a couple times recently by way of Chris Johnson's ALS diagnosis and the NFL Neurodegenerative Mortality Study. I read through the full study and here are my thoughts:

NFL Neurodegenerative Mortality Study

ALS falls into the category of neurodegenerative diseases, which was the subject of a recently released study comparing NFL player deaths with non-NFL player deaths. Other diseases in the study’s neurodegenerative classification included dementia, Parkinson’s, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

The study had the following conclusions:

NFL players exhibited lower all-cause mortality (SMR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.67–0.74) but higher neurodegenerative mortality (SMR = 3.94; 95% CI: 3.38–4.56).

Neurodegenerative mortality was nearly four times higher in NFL players compared to the general population and remained threefold higher after accounting for competing risks. Together, these findings strengthen the evidence for RHI (repetitive head impacts) exposure-related neurodegenerative mortality in NFL players that cannot be explained by differential survivorship.

Here is the link to the full study by Luster et al.

Here are some of my thoughts on the NFL neurodegenerative disease study:

• The study shows that NFL players outlive the general population which brings into play survivorship bias. There are many in the general population that died before they would have developed neurodegenerative disease. To its credit, the study acknowledges this issue and adjusts the NFL mortality risk from 4x to 3x. It’s not clear from the study how they came up with this adjustment though. (Many media reported the 4x risk number when the more accurate number is 3x.)

The preceding was excerpted from my original story at JimmyLiaoMD.com. For the rest of my thoughts on the study along with Chris Johnson's ALS diagnosis, visit my story at NFL Neurodegenerative Disease Study & Chris Johnson ALS.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: NFL Medical News: Neurodegenerative Disease Mortality Study Results

The daughter-in-law of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick is wanted for arrest in the Tar Heel State.

A judge issued an order on Monday, July 13, for the arrest of Jen Belichick, the wife of Belichick's son Steve, according to court records from the Brunswick District Court.

Records show that Jennifer Schmitt Belichick was stopped by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol on May 21 for allegedly driving 88 mph in a 70 mph zone in Brunswick County. Jen Belichick was ordered to appear in court on Friday, July 10, but did not show up, according to court records. As of Tuesday morning, July 14, the arrest order had not been served.

Steve Belichick followed his father to North Carolina and serves as the defensive coordinator after spending one season as the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington. Steve previously called defensive plays under Bill with the New England Patriots from 2020-2023.

This is a developing story.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bill Belichick's daughter-in-law faces arrest order in North Carolina

England men’s national soccer team captain Harry Kane has sparked backlash after revealing he’s played golf with Donald Trump.

Kane, whose six goals have helped fire England into Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal against Argentina, disclosed the round with the president during a news conference on Friday ahead of England’s 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Norway.

Related: "A CNN Host Was Left Speechless After Trump's Shocking On-Air Admission"

Kane added that Trump’s golf game is “pretty good, to be honest with you” and said: “I hope I can play golf as good as him when I’m his age, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah, a unique experience,” Kane added. “But, yeah, I was just grateful that he just invited me down to play, for sure.”

Trump, who turned 80 in June, has long faced accusations of cheating at golf, including from sportswriter Rick Reilly, who devoted an entire book to the subject.

Trump praised Kane on Truth Social last week, calling him “a GREAT player!!!” before later revealing the pair had played golf together.

Kane’s remarks quickly drew criticism on social media, with some calling them “beyond embarrassing” and “disappointing.”

The England captain is not the first soccer star to face backlash over an encounter with Trump. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi have also been criticizedin recent months following visits to the White House and photo ops with the president. If England ends up defeating Messi’s reigning champions Argentina and then goes on to win the World Cup against either Spain or France, Trump will hand Kane the trophy.

Of the 22 teams to have won the World Cup, 19 of them had an average age of between 26 and 28 years old when doing so.

That will be welcome news to England, France and Spain, whose average ages of their starting 11s at this World Cup all fit that age bracket.

If you listed the average starting ages of the 22 World Cup-winning teams of the past, the median average is 27 years and 57 days old.

Should Argentina go on to win the tournament, they would do so as one of the oldest sides to ever become World Cup champions.

The average starting age of their starting 11 against Switzerland was 30.5 years old, with their team consisting of five players aged 32 or older. Lionel Messi, 39, is among them.

Across the whole tournament, Argentina's starting 11 has averaged an age of 29 years and 302 days old, although their last two starting sides have had an average age above 30.

Only one team has ever won the World Cup with an average age of 29 or older. That was Brazil in 1962, whose average age of their starting 11s throughout the tournament was 30 years and 204 days.

Just two nations have won a World Cup with a tournament starting 11 average age below 26 years old. Argentina's 1978 cup-winning squad (25 years, 195 days) and France in 2018 (25 years, 326 days) are the two youngest average starting 11s to win a World Cup.

How do England's squad compare to typical World Cup winning ages?

Of England's squad currently in North America, just two are aged 27 years old.

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah is the closest to the median age of being a starting member of a World Cup-winning side. He would be 27 years and 14 days old on Sunday's final, should England get there. However, Chalobah is yet to feature at the tournament.

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, who has started five of England's six matches so far, is just over 27-and-a-half years old, meaning he is the closest of England's regular players this summer to being at median World Cup-winning age.

Jude Bellingham, Elliot Anderson, Jarell Quansah, Morgan Rogers and James Trafford are all aged 23. At the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, the quintet will have turned 27, meaning they are at prime World Cup-winning age.

Of the 26-man squad, seven are aged between 26 and 28. That is the age that has produced 86.4% of World Cup average starting ages.

Based on average ages of starting 11s at the 2026 World Cup so far, England have the youngest team of the four semi-finalists. They have averaged an age of 26 years and 255 days old in their starting line-ups.

Spain (26 years, 271 days), who play France in Tuesday's first semi-final, also have a median age below 27.

France have the second-oldest squad of the remaining four, but are also close to prime age with an average age so far of 27 years and 194 days.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.

More questions answered...

• What are the key dates for the 2026-27 football season?
• Who are the World Cup's record holders?
• Who is the African World Cup goalscorer older than Ronaldo and Messi?
• What is the 'Trump dance'? And where have we seen it in sport?

As you might have seen, Daryl Dike has posted a farewell message to Albion fans on social media.

The post is his first public words since the American striker was released at the end of last season.

His time at the club was marred by numerous injuries, which is why he was reduced to just 68 appearances after signing for around £7m from Orlando City in January 2022.

It was then-boss Val Ismael who pushed for the signing after working with him during a loan spell at Barnsley.

He scored nine goals in 22 appearances for the South Yorkshire side but, as we know, he was unable to replicate that form at Albion.

His first big injury was a hamstring one on his first start for the club at Peterborough.

He did get fit for the start of the 2022-23 campaign and had scored seven goals in 25 appearances until he suffered that first torn Achilles injury.

That kept him out for nine months but he scored on his return in the FA Cup third round against Aldershot in January 2024.

Just a month later against Ipswich it was heart-breaking to see when he was being carried off on a golf cart by the medical team and Dike would open up later on about the mental struggle during his latest spell on the sidelines that would keep him out for a full year.

He didn't start the final game of the 2024-25 season when then-interim boss James Morrison showed faith in him by starting him against Luton and he scored in a 5-3 victory.

Unfortunately a thigh injury then occurred in the following pre-season, which kept him out again.

He would return in October, but he was given limited minutes by Ryan Mason and then Eric Ramsay. So once again, step forward Morrison.

Dike's minutes increased and that faith paid off when the 26-year-old scored at Preston in April. And it was one of the moments of the season.

He scored in the next match - a win over Watford at The Hawthorns - and, pre-points deduction, it was actually the result that made the Baggies safe from relegation on that night.

But it was to be his last goal. Eleven in total over the four and a half years.

I did get a chance to speak to him, very briefly, after the final game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

I just wished him well and I said farewell in case he was to be released and that was the case - it was announced by the club a few weeks later.

It is a shame, genuinely, because he was a guy who despite the mental struggles of all the injuries, public facing, he kept a smile on his face.

He was a very bright and bubbly lad and I think for someone who played so little because of those injuries, I don't think there's been a player that's had so many well wishes and so many positive thoughts.

But it was a case of what could have been for Daryl Dike and with Albion understood to be planning for life without Josh Maja and Karlan Grant as well, their contracts expiring this summer, it is set to be a virtually new forward line for the new season under now-permanent boss Morrison.

• Latest West Bromwich Albion news, analysis and fan views

When the Los Angeles Rams kick off their season, they will play the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. From their first defensive snap, Rams fans will know whether the team adequately addressed a critical issue in the secondary.

49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling is poised to be a talent that will test whether the Rams did enough to address those concerns. Recently, 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk spoke about Stribling, and from Juszczyk's words, Stribling will be a problem.

“He’s big," Juszczyk said. "He’s fast. He’s physical. I think in our second OTA, he was asked to cut off the defensive end on the backside of the ball, and he so willingly and impressively did so. He threw his body in there with no hesitation.

"You say, ‘We’re talking about a second-round receiver. Why do we care about him blocking a defensive end? Let’s hope he catches passes.’ I think he’s going to do a lot of that, but I think in order to play in Kyle’s offense, you have to really be willing to do everything. So for him, with no questions, to step in there with no hesitancy, and to stick his face into a defensive lineman, I was really impressed.”

A big issue for the Rams' secondary was their physical stature at outside corner. Despite Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and Cobie Durant's willingness to make a hit, along with Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon in spot appearances, the Rams failed to hold their line against bigger-bodied wide receivers, with teams being able to run outside and make plays on 50-50 balls successfully.

A.J. Brown is the biggest example of a receiver giving the Rams problems on the outside, while the Carolina Panthers are the prime example of how a receiving corps of tall pass catchers is able to effortlessly dominate the Los Angeles' secondary.

Brown had one of his better performances against the Rams, outmuscling whomever they lined up across from him and exposing their secondary to this fatal flaw. The Panthers, with their trio of Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette – who are all 6-foot-3 and taller – smoked the Rams' defense in the regular season and in the playoffs.

The Panthers scored at least 31 points twice last season. Both games were against the Rams. And yet they went 8-9 in the regular season.

The Battle in Australia

While the addition of Jaylen Watson should help against bigger pass catchers, the 49ers have a trio of their own in Mike Evans, George Kittle, and Stribling. On top of that, Stribling's blocking ability makes him a prime candidate to play in the slot.

What the Rams' first game of the season should reveal is whether Trent McDuffie will be able to handle those types of playmakers, and if Los Angeles has a schematic answer to a problem that could become greater in an offense that has troubled the team in the past.

For this game in particular, not only do the Rams have to deal with those issues, but also Christian McCaffrey coming out of the backfield. This contest should be a chess match that sets the tone for the season.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 49ers' big pass catchers will test Rams' new-look secondary right away

Matt Leinart isn't the greatest quarterback USC football has ever produced. Sam Darnold won a Super Bowl. Carson Palmer was a top-tier NFL quarterback for more than a decade. Caleb Williams was a No. 1 NFL draft pick and is now living up to his enormous potential. Matt Leinart did not have a successful NFL career. Yet, none of those other USC quarterbacks can say they won 34 straight games and two national championships. Heck, none of them even won one. Matt Leinart is easily the USC quarterback who did more with his college career than all the others. Sports Illustrated named Leinart one of the top 35 college football players of all time.

"The Heisman Trophy in 2004. A Heisman Trophy ceremony invite as a finalist the year after. Back-to-back AP national championships and a 37–2 record in three years as a starter. Leinart’s legendary accomplishments and iconic plays, such as the ridiculous 61-yarder to Dwayne Jarrett on fourth-and-9 from the USC 26-yard line with under two minutes left vs. Notre Dame in 2005, are etched in stone in Los Angeles. USC football has a proud history, and it simply can’t be written without Leinart, who returned the program to the glory days during his years on campus while cementing himself as one of college football’s greatest QBs ever," SI wrote.

Matt Leinart was part of a juggernaut USC offense in 2004 and 2005, but what can get overlooked about him is that he was also a mature and responsible leader. He didn't make the big mistakes other college quarterbacks made. He didn't cost USC games. He made tons of big plays, but he also avoided bad ones. That's part of why he's a legitimate USC and college football legend.

Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Sports Illustrated views USC's Matt Leinart as college football giant

Watford striker Jonathan Lawson has joined Finnish top-flight side FF Jaro on a permanent deal.

Lawson joined the Hornets' academy in the summer of 2023, having previously been at Cray Valley.

The 20-year-old signed his first professional contract at Vicarage Road in May 2024 and had loan spells at Kings Langley and Hitchin Town during the 2024-25 season.

He made one senior appearance for Watford, coming off the bench in last season's 3-1 away defeat to Stoke City.

• LatestWatford news, analysis and fan views

LAS VEGAS — So perhaps a little throwback LL Cool J if LeBron James opts for a return to the Miami Heat? As in the opening verse of Mama Said Knock You Out.

“Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years. I’m rockin’ my peers, puttin’ suckers in fear.”

Actually it has been years since LeBron last played for the Heat in 2014, but there still has been an enduring connection — at Dwyane Wade’s final game with the Heat in 2019, the opponent in the 2020 NBA Finals at the Disney bubble, an embrace with Heat President Pat Riley this past season when the Lakers unveiled a Riley statue in from the their arena in downtown Los Angeles.

And now speculation of perhaps indeed calling it a comeback, with the Heat perceived as a finalist for James’ services in the wake of his parting last month with the Lakers.

Through the Heat’s first 38 seasons, there have been 14 cases of players leaving, playing elsewhere, and then returning.

It largely has been an uneven process, although one comeback resulted in a championship, a few others in deep playoff runs, and then the emotional final chapter of closure with Wade.

James would be the 15th to return and likely would transcend them all, the first Heat player to return after winning a championship with the team (and going on to win two more elsewhere).

So, yes, if it transpires, LeBron-Heat 2.0 would be at the top of the charts, as for the others (with regular-season games of each stint in parentheses:

Dwyane Wade,  2003-2016 (855),  2017-19 (93): The parting was unexpected and shocking, with the Heat during the 2016 offseason prioritizing retaining Hassan Whiteside in free agency and the pursuit of Kevin Durant in free agency.

To their credit, Heat owner Micky Arison and Heat President Pat Riley later acknowledged Wade’s 2016 free agency could have been handled better.

After the unsettling reality of Wade in Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers jerseys, he was brought back in Feb. 2018, after his failed effort to try to make it work with LeBron in Cleveland. While the return resulted only in a single playoff-game victory, it created an emotional 2017-18 farewell tour amid an otherwise lackluster Heat season.

Alonzo Mourning, 1995-03 (407), 2004-08 (186): Despite missing the entire 2002-03 season due to kidney illness, Mourning was offended by the level of the Heat’s offer in 2003 free agency, making a hasty move to the New Jersey Nets.

By March 2005 , fences were mended and Mourning returned, a year later going on to help share in the Heat’s 2006 NBA championship.

The bond has endured since, with Mourning retiring in 2007-08 after a knee injury, now a valued member of the team’s front office.

Bruce Bowen,  1996-97 (1), 1999-01 (109): A developmental discovery in March 1997, Bowen would play only one game for the Heat that season, before leaving for a two-year free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics.

Bowen then returned in 1999 as a valued 3-and-D component, including as a playoff presence, before leaving in 2001 free agency for the San Antonio Spurs.

Eddie House,  2000-03 (169),  2010-11 (56): A quality contributor as a second-round pick in 2000 who was so popular with his streak scoring that Riley’s daughter at one point asked he father to play the guard more often, House would go on to cycle through stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets and Celtics.

House then was signed back as a free agent in the 2010 offseason, after the signings of Wade, LeBron and Chris Bosh, playing as a minor contributor in that first season of the Heat’s Big Three.

Michael Beasley,  2008-10 (97), 2013-15 (79): The No. 2 pick in the  2008 draft after the Heat’s lack of lottery luck cost them a shot at Derrick Rose, Beasley first stint ended when he was dealt in the Heat’s 2010 summer of the Big Three to create cap room for the signing of Mike Miller.

Beasley then would cycle through time with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns, before signing three different reunion contracts with the Heat, never able to recapture his initial Heat success.

Josh Richardson, 2015-19 (259),  2023-25 (51): The No. 40 pick by the Heat in the 2015 draft, Richardson after four productive Heat seasons was sent out to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2019 sign-and-trade for Jimmy Butler.

Richardson returned in 2023, but after an injury-limited second Heat tenure was sent out in the 2025 trade that also sent out Butler, with the Heat in that deal acquiring Kyle Anderson, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins and the first-round pick that turned into Kasparas Jakucionis. Richardson has not played in the NBA since.

Rafer Alston, 2003-04 (82),  2009-10 (25): A valued component amid the Heat’s playoff revival with his ballhandling and 3-point shooting,  Alston then cashed in with the Toronto Raptors during 2004 free agency.

He returned in January 2010 after a buyout from then Nets. only to then walk away from the game in March of that year, never to play in the NBA again.

Ricky Davis,  2000-01 (7), 2007-08 (82): Davis’ first Heat tenure was cut short by knee and ankle injuries, dealt at the end of that season to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the trade that brought back Chris Gatling.

Davis returned in 2007 in the housecleaning trade with the Timberwolves that sent out Antoine Walker. While Davis provided quality play in his return season, he also allowed the Heat to be bad enough to finish with the league’s worst record at second the No.2 lottery pick, then allowed to depart to the Clippers as a free agent in 2008.

Eddie Jones,  2000-05 (352), 2006-07 (35): Having provided stability during the build up to the Heat’s first championship era, Jones was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies in the August 2005 blockbuster deal that brought in 2006 championship components Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey.

A buyout from the Grizzlies then allowed for a Feb. 2007 Heat return, but by then the Heat’s championship rotation was running on fumes, with Jones leaving for the Dallas Mavericks in  2007 free agency.

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Bimbo Coles, 1990-96 (440), 2003-04 (22): Acquired in the second round of the 1990 draft, Coles was a rotation mainstay until dealt to the Warriors in the 1996 Tim Hardaway trade.

He cycled back to the Heat in 2003 free agency, but by then was not the same player.

Steve Smith, 1991-95 (189), 2004-05 (13): Another case of magic that could not be recaptured.

Draft by the Heat at No. 5 in 1991, Smith was sent out to the Atlanta Hawks along with Grant Long in the ill-fated 1994 trade for Kevin Willis.

Smith then was re-acquired from Charlotte in a Feb. 2005 trade for current Heat assistant coach Malik Allen, with a nondescript close to his NBA career that season.

Chris Gatling, 1995-96 (24), 2001-02 (54): A plus-one to the Tim Hardaway acquisition from the Golden State Warriors in Feb. 1996, Gatling left in free agency for the Mavericks six months later.

He then returned for a single-season encore in 2001, by then limited in his productivity, waived at season’s end.

Dorell Wright,  2004-10 (211),  2015-16 (5): Drafted No. 19 out of high school by the Heat in 2004, Wright mostly was reduced to benchwarmer as the Heat moved into playoff mode, allowed to depart in 2010 free agency.

He then was brought back for the 2016 playoff run, with his five appearances coming in the playoffs, in the final games of his NBA career.

Mario Chalmers,  2008-16 (525), 2021-22 (0): A mainstay at point guard during the Big Three era, Chalmers was unloaded to the Grizzlies in a 2015 salary dump.

He then returned to the Heat in Dec. 2021 on a COVID hardship contract, but never saw action.

The Seattle Seahawks will officially begin training camp with a veterans reporting date of July 24. John Schneider's rookie class reports to Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton one week earlier on July 17, giving them a chance to acclimate to their first professional camp. Head coach Mike Macdonald is expected to promote competition as the Seahawks prepare to defend their Super Bowl 60 triumph.

With so much on the line, we've identified three Seahawks players with everything to gain at training camp.

George Holani, RB

George Holani will enter training camp as the most-tenured running back available. The 2024 undrafted free agent will attempt to fend off rookie Jadarian Price. With Zach Charbonnet still recovering from a torn ACL injury, there's loads of opportunity up for grabs in the backfield. Can Holani be the Week 1 starter?

Tory Horton, WR

Tory Horton scored six touchdowns as a rookie (five receiving, one return) despite only playing in eight games and making 13 catches. The former Colorado State standout was extremely efficient before being sidelined with a season-ending injury. Can Horton work his way back into the rotation behind Cooper Kupp, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Rashid Shaheed?

Tyrice Knight, LB

Tyrice Knight did not enjoy the sophomore campaign he envisioned it'd be. An offseason injury limited his impact and eventually allowed Drake Thomas to firmly surpass him on the depth chart. Knight should enter camp with designs on forcing Thomas into another competition for the starting role opposite Ernest Jones IV.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: 3 Seahawks players with everything to gain at training camp

Former Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold has drawn interest from four NFL teams despite his ongoing legal situation.

Arnold, 23, was released by the Lions after he was arrested in connection with a robbery and kidnapping case in Florida. The cornerback has been accused of "coordinating and directing the codefendants to lure three men to an apartment where the victims were robbed, beaten, and held at gunpoint."

Arnold, who was granted a $1 million bond, could face up to life in prison if convicted of the felony charges. The cornerback has denied involvement, and his lawyers have said "there is no credible evidence linking Mr. Arnold to these allegations."

Arnold's agent, Nicole Lynn, said in court last week that four NFL teams — the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets — have been in contact with the cornerback. Arnold already worked out for the Texans, and Lynn expects the cornerback to be signed before the regular season begins in September.

Notably, the Denver Broncos have not reached out to Arnold's camp (at least not as of last week when Lynn testified). Arnold played college football at Alabama, and he is good friends with star Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain. Before his arrest, Arnold co-hosted the "Closed on Sundays" podcast with Surtain. The podcast went on a break after the Super Bowl in February, and it has not returned.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Terrion Arnold update: 4 NFL teams interested (see Broncos status)

The Las Vegas Raiders' passing offense ranked 28th in the league last season, averaging 167.7 yards per game. It was a collective issue on offense, with the quarterbacks and offensive line also deserving blame for the lack of success. There's no denying that the wide receivers need to be better in 2026 though.

The Raiders made one splash in free agency at wide receiver. Elsewhere, they're relying on head coach Klint Kubiak and new quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins to drastically improve the aerial attack. Taking everything into consideration, we've ranked the Raiders' projected top five wide receivers from best to worst.

Tre Tucker

Tre Tucker led all Raiders pass catchers in receiving last year with 696 yards and five touchdowns. The former Cincinnati wideout is a speedster who possesses even more potential in Coach Kubiak's offensive scheme. Tucker should continue being a reliable outlet for the Raiders' quarterbacks while possibly taking his game to new heights in Kubiak's system.

Jalen Nailor

The Raiders signed Jalen Nailor in free agency to a multi-year contract worth more than $11 million per season despite him never topping 444 yards in a single season throughout his four-year rookie deal. The belief is that getting Nailor away from the Minnesota Vikings, who have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison at the position, will make him significantly more productive. He'll likely see a career-high amount of targets in 2026, and possesses the athletic traits needed to take advantage of his opportunities.

Jack Bech

Sophomore Jack Bech needs to be significantly better after producing just 20 catches for 224 yards and zero touchdowns as a rookie. The production did not meet the investment of a top-60 pick. Bech will possess every opportunity to be the starting slot receiver, so expectations are far higher.

Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Dont'e Thornton Jr. was another 2025 rookie receiver who disappointed, albeit with less expectations as a fourth-round pick. He was raw coming out of Tennessee and struggled with the technical aspects of playing the position as a rookie. Anything the Raiders get from Thornton as a sophomore would be considered a bonus.

Malik Benson

Malik Benson was the Raiders' sixth-round pick during the 2026 NFL draft. Day Three rookies rarely contribute much, but he's an intriguing talent who ran 4.37 at the NFL Combine after producing 719 yards at Oregon in 2025. Benson is a former JUCO prospect who had an inspiring pre-draft story after attending four different colleges.

This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Ranking the Raiders' projected 5 wide receivers from best to worst

The Boston Celtics have built their teams in a number of ways over the decades, but few if any methods have born more fruit than through the NBA draft. The best players to suit up for the Celtics have, by and large, come to Boston either through being taken directly in the annual event, or via trades made that night.

And it is not just the top stars who have been picked up by the Celtics via the draft. Countless members of the storied ball club's alumni have been taken by the team via that annual event, and some schools are better represented than others. We can see blue blood programs and some very small schools both delivering top talent to Boston's rosters over the years, so we decided to take a look at which players came from which schools overall.

So without further ado, let's take a look at every player who has been drafted by the Celtics out of Philadelphia University.

Herb Magee - guard

Draft year and position: 7th round (9th pick, 63rd overall), 1963 NBA Draft

Seasons at Philadelphia University: unknown

Seasons played with Celtics: did not make the team

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Every Philadelphia University player drafted by the Boston Celtics

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh recently reflected on a brief but notable offseason controversy involving quarterback Jaxson Dart and edge rusher Abdul Carter, emphasizing the team's ability to navigate differences without his direct intervention.

The situation began in late May when Dart introduced President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Suffern, New York. Addressing the crowd as "Big Blue Nation," Dart expressed pride in presenting the "45th and 47th President of the United States."

Trump reciprocated by praising the young quarterback as a future Hall of Famer.

Carter responded publicly on social media with surprise, questioning the decision and sparking discussions about team dynamics in a politically charged environment. However, the teammates quickly addressed the matter privately.

Carter soon confirmed that "everything [was] good" with Dart, and the pair was later seen sharing a warm embrace. Meanwhile, Dart addressed the full team in a meeting, where players established ground rules for handling such issues internally.

During a Monday appearance on The Domonique Foxworth Show, Harbaugh highlighted the players' emotional intelligence and proactive approach.

"100 percent, yes, truly an opportunity," Harbaugh said. "Those are welcome things because those are going to happen. Those types of things — I told the guys, this is not a one-off. This is not the first time we're going to be thrown into this very thing, the political, social discourse. So we have to have conversations in a reasonable — in a way that respects one another. So, how are we going to go about this? What do you guys think?

"And, really, honestly, Dominique, I didn't have to do anything. I didn't have to say anything, really. The players said it. They laid the ground rules down for the guys and decided how it would be approached going forward. So now, when these waves keep coming in from the ocean and crash against our shore, I think we'll be better prepared for them going forward because we'll be expecting them. And we'll be talking about how we're going to deal with them."

Harbaugh expressed pride in how the group managed the situation through open dialogue and mutual respect, reinforcing unity as the Giants prepare for training camp. The incident, though a brief distraction, ultimately strengthened their resolve to prioritize football and shared goals heading into the season.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' John Harbaugh credits players for navigating Jaxson Dart-Trump drama

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Warren Brinson saw the field plenty as a rookie, especially for a sixth-round pick, playing nearly 300 defensive snaps in his first season as a pro.

That was despite not making his NFL debut until Week 6. He did himself justice and was no liability for the Packers defense despite his humble draft status, giving credence to the idea that he could have been drafted earlier, having performed well for Georgia during his college years.

Brinson’s percentile ranks among defensive tackles across the league show the impact he was able to have as a rookie.

What stands out the most in a positive sense is Brinson’s performance as a pass rusher.

He put up 14 pressures in just 173 pass rush snaps, showing a good level of disruption. Brinson ranked 18th among 121 eligible defensive tackles in pass rush win rate and led all rookies who played enough snaps to qualify. When facing true pass sets, he ranked 21st in pass rush win rate.

In terms of areas to work on against the pass, the biggest thing for Brinson is finishing. He only managed one sack per PFF.

Penalties were also an issue. He may have only had two, but they came on a limited snap count, and one of them extended a drive late in the regular season loss to Chicago, which helped swing the division in the Bears’ favor.

Moreover, his run defense was concerning when looking at the numbers, with him ranking in the bottom third of the league in every category. Brinson looked overmatched and a bit out of his depth defending the run as a rookie.

Simply managing to get the ball carrier on the ground when presented with the opportunity would have made a difference, as he missed three tackles on just 15 attempts, again highlighting the need to finish better.

It is fair to suggest that at the moment, Brinson is not ready to be on the field regularly on run downs.

Still, the Packers will have been pleased with how Brinson acquitted himself after being thrown in at the deep end following injuries to other players. He would not have been expected to take on anything like the kind of snap count he ended up enduring as a late-round rookie.

In 2026, Brinson should be able to slide back into playing far fewer snaps, with Javon Hargrave, Devonte Wyatt, Karl Brooks and Chris McClellan all likely to be ahead of him on the depth chart.

At Georgia, Brinson was part of a deep rotation of defensive linemen and was able to make an impact when his turn came around. The Packers will be hoping to replicate that formula this year, after some positive signs from Brinson as a rookie, specifically in the pass rush department.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Warren Brinson's rookie stats show pass rush potential for Packers

It looks very much like Johan Manzambi is going to be an Aston Villa player and not a Newcastle United one.

It's a familiar feeling - Newcastle missing out on someone that they had worked hard to bring to St James' Park and appeared to be close to completing a deal for.

However, despite reaching an agreement with Manzambi's German club, Freiburg, nothing had been signed by the player.

He still had to decide where his future was going to be and Villa, who can offer Champions League football this season, stepped up their interest in the 20-year-old midfielder and he is on his way there instead.

Manzambi missed Switzerland's final two matches at the World Cup with a knee injury. We're not sure how serious it is.

But he had a great campaign for Freiburg, got the Europa League young player of the season award and played in the final against Villa, who won the trophy and therefore came across him in person just a couple of months ago.

Financially for Newcastle that deal wouldn't have been a problem, not least because of the money they have brought in already this summer - but when you miss out on another top target when it appeared to be close, it's frustrating and looks a bit embarrassing again, particularly as it has been played out in public.

It's another big disappointment in the transfer market.

They are identifying top players but, in some high-profile cases, they are just not able to get the deals done and other clubs are nipping in. It's a bad look and a bad feeling.

Listen to the full chat here and explore Newcastle content on BBC Sounds

The full family is in place.

One of the most anticipated things relating to the new Highmark Stadium home of the Buffalo Bills in western New York has involved something just outside of the building.

Bills fans have a lot of Buffalo pride in them and if there was one request the fans had for the new venue? It was to display exactly that with bison statues outside of the front door.

Previously Bills Wire shared the installment of the first bison. Now the whole family is in place.

Check out a collection of views of the whole bison lot below:

📍Family Circle pic.twitter.com/zlu2QZ58aX

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) July 11, 2026

The bison family is complete. 🦬 pic.twitter.com/ANnCXWTUOm

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) July 8, 2026

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 'Family circle' of bison statues now installed outside Bills stadium

Formula 1 simulators are notoriously optimistic, but the latest leak out of Silverstone is raising eyebrows across the 2026 grid.

According to Spanish outlet Autonocion (highlighted by @FormulaDirecta, Aston Martin’s highly anticipated AMR26 chassis upgrades are yielding a staggering 2-second lap time improvement in virtual testing. If this correlation holds true when rubber meets the asphalt, the entire midfield dynamic is about to shift.

Here is why Fernando Alonso’s patience might finally be paying off.

Erasing the Cadillac Gap

Aston Martin has spent the first phase of the 2026 season completely out of sorts. Instead of chasing incremental gains, the team actively chose to hold its fire, committing to tackling the AMR26’s baseline aerodynamic flaws with one massive, overarching upgrade package.

With design heavyweight Adrian Newey now heavily influencing the AMR26, this incoming package represents the team’s first major swing at salvaging the season. And if the simulator numbers are even partially accurate, the math looks highly favorable for Silverstone.

Currently, Aston Martin is languishing roughly 1.4 seconds behind the new Cadillac entry in race pace. A 2-second gain wouldn’t just erase that deficit; it would instantly catapult Alonso and Lance Stroll past Cadillac and put them squarely in the fight with established midfield runners like Williams.

But can a team actually find two full seconds mid-season? The paddock remains highly skeptical. Finding pace in the simulator is vastly different from unlocking it during FP1, and the team will need to master the setup immediately to extract that theoretical maximum.

However, Aston Martin doesn’t necessarily need the full two seconds to achieve their goal. Even if only a fraction of that simulated lap time materializes in Hungary, it should give the team the firepower they need to comfortably clear the backmarker fight. The AMR26 is about to get its biggest test of the season—and the rest of the midfield better hope the simulator is lying.

A handful of LSU baseball players entered the transfer portal after the 2026 season came to an end. Jay Johnson and the LSU coaching staff did a good job retaining key players -- only a few of the departing transfers were expected to be significant contributors next year.

A good indicator of quality is the caliber of the school where the transfer lands. It's not a good sign if an ex-LSU player lands at a school in LSU's tier. If a player transfers down to a lesser program, it usually means the market doesn't value the player enough to be a starter on a College World Series-contending team.

Eight LSU players entered the portal. Of the eight, only four have found new homes so far. Here's where former LSU baseball players landed in the transfer portal.

LSU baseball transfers -- where former Tigers have landed

• Mavrick Rizy is the only LSU baseball transfer to sign with one of LSU's SEC rivals so far. The right-handed pitcher will join Ole Miss. Rizy is a talented arm, and there's a chance LSU ends up wishing Rizy had stuck around.
• Trent Caraway began his career at Oregon State before transferring to LSU last Summer. Caraway only spent one year with the Tigers, but now found a home at another power conference school, transferring to Miami.
• Jaden Noot and DJ Primeaux are both transferring down a level, with Noot heading to San Diego and Primeaux staying in Louisiana and joining Nicholls.
• LSU's biggest transfer portal loss, freshman pitcher Marcos Paz, remains uncommitted. Rumors have swirled tying Paz to Texas A&M.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Where former LSU baseball players landed in the transfer portal

The 2026 Home Run Derby was as memorable as they come. Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals and Kyle Schwarber of the hometown Philadelphia Phillies dueled in a thrilling final round, with the former coming out on top.

Schwarber hit 11 home runs in the final round, then Walker put himself into a position where he needed six consecutive bombs to win. The math and crowd were not on his side. Slowly but surely, though, Walker inched closer. Walker unlocked the bonus round after three straight home runs, and he unleashed three more for a miraculous win that silenced the Philadelphia crowd.

It was an electric scene at Citizens Bank Park as Walker, who remained calm and composed throughout the competition, rejoiced upon his win.

JORDAN WALKER WALKS IT OFF IN THE @TMOBILE#HRDERBY FINALS! pic.twitter.com/tTbJvWwW78

— MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2026

Walker tied for the most home runs of the first round with 13, then eliminated Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero with six homers in the semifinals. Schwarber punched his finals ticket by finishing just one home run above Willson Contreras' eight in Round 2.

Home Run Derby payouts

Here's how much Walker, Schwarber and the rest of the field earned for the Home Run Derby.

• Jordan Walker: $1 million
• Kyle Schwarber: $500,000
• Remaining participants: $150,000
• Longest home run (Junior Caminero, 491 feet): $100,000

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Who won the Home Run Derby 2026?

Will the Washington Commanders sign a veteran wide receiver before training camp begins on July 29?

Washington's need for a wide receiver has dominated the offseason. The Commanders made a play for Alec Pierce in free agency before he chose to remain with the Indianapolis Colts. They also negotiated with Romeo Doubs, who signed with the New England Patriots. The Commanders eventually added veteran Van Jefferson and brought back Dyami Brown, who spent his first four seasons in Washington.

Additionally, the Commanders re-signed former Tennessee first-round pick Treylon Burks to a one-year deal and spent a third-round pick on wide receiver Antonio Williams in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the returns of Terry McLaurin, Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane, Washington at least has more depth than it did one year ago.

Still, many believe the Commanders need one more starting-level receiver. Brandon Aiyuk and Stefon Diggs are the two names often linked to Washington. Aiyuk's relationship with quarterback Jayden Daniels led many to assume that he'd eventually sign with the Commanders once the San Francisco 49ers released him.

Aiyuk remains under contract to the 49ers. He's also posted several videos on YouTube and Instagram, taking aim at San Francisco, specifically GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Most recently, Aiyuk posted a video in which he even criticized Daniels — his good friend.

That's led many to write off Aiyuk as a possibility for Washington. Of course, Aiyuk must still apply for reinstatement and then show up for training camp to force the 49ers to make a move. Those are two things he said he's not interested in doing.

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler offered an update on Diggs Monday. He mentioned that the Commanders did check in on Diggs, but he believed they were looking for more of a "speed option at this point."

After discussing Diggs as an option for Washington, Fowler dropped the following nugget about Aiyuk and the Commanders.

"I don't think it's going to be Brandon Aiyuk at this stage," he said.

"I think that there's value in Stefon Diggs. ... A veteran receiver in some role, a team that's good with a quarterback that can handle him."@tthasselbeck and @JFowlerESPN weigh in on Stefon Diggs finding the best fit during free agency 🏈 pic.twitter.com/aR0w1rapaJ

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) July 13, 2026

Does that mean Washington wouldn't be interested if Aiyuk is granted his release from San Francisco? Well, it's complicated. Until he's free, it's difficult to assume. Aiyuk's social media antics haven't helped his cause, and it's possible the Commanders don't want that distraction for Daniels as he enters a critical third NFL season.

From the sounds of it, Washington doesn't even believe Aiyuk will be free. He's been on record as saying he won't work with the 49ers; therefore, they can keep him on the reserve/left squad list and not pay him a dime.

While most have presumed in recent weeks that Aiyuk missed his chance to be with Washington, at least in 2026, Fowler all but confirmed it. It's interesting that throughout this offseason, the Commanders did not shut down any talk of their potential interest in Aiyuk. It sounds like they have now.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Brandon Aiyuk appears to have missed his chance with Commanders

It seems a long time ago now, but go back to the day that Liverpool sealed the Premier League title under Arne Slot in 2025 and there is a lovely clip of Alexis Mac Allister.

As the final whistle goes and the players run on to the pitch to celebrate, Mac Allister sits alone on the bench and starts to cry.

That day, when the Argentina midfielder scored a goal the celebrations inside Anfield registered 1.74 on the Richter scale - just shy of the 2.0 needed for a minor earthquake.

Mac Allister was undeniably a force that season and integral to Liverpool's title-winning campaign.

But a year on, after a disappointing campaign that wasn't helped by injury problems at the outset, Mac Allister would be the first to admit that the 2025-26 season fell below the standards he had set previously.

It was undoubtedly the poorest of his three campaigns since he arrived from Brighton for £35m in 2023.

Inevitably, there were question marks about his future going into the summer, but seeing him play a starring role for Argentina at the World Cup will please new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola - even if it means he will have to wait a little longer before meeting Mac Allister.

Bar Argentina's last group-stage game - when qualification was already secured - the 27-year-old has played every minute for his country, including 120 minutes against both Cape Verde and Switzerland, which went to extra time. Only the keeper, Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez, has played more minutes for Argentina.

Across those games, Mac Allister has played 539 minutes, won 31 duels, 10 tackles, made nine interceptions and applied high pressure 208 times - all numbers which put him high up in the rankings.

"I feel like maybe the number eight position, also double number six (double pivot), is my best position, but I can play anywhere," Mac Allister told ESPN last month.

That versatility will be food for thought for Iraola - who is known to want his midfielders to be all action, given his high-press system and his desire for his teams to be direct.

Regardless of the result against England in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final, Argentina will be in the United States until the weekend, when the third-place play-off and final take place.

According to Fifa regulations, players at the World Cup are entitled to at least three weeks off, so anyone who features this weekend will not return to their clubs until 10 August at the earliest, which is less than two weeks before the Premier League season begins.

So there is a strong chance that Mac Allister won't be ready to start for the first few weeks of the season, but Iraola will know that when it comes to building his midfield, he already has a proven winner.

"It's always about winning," Mac Allister said on Saturday, after Argentina beat Switzerland in the quarter-final in a game in which he scored.

Mac Allister's CV already contains a World Cup and a Copa America title, as well as a Premier League title. He is the only man to have 12 World Cup appearances to his name and have won all 12 of those games.

He is no stranger to big games now and perhaps Wednesday's semi-final, when he will come up against England's midfield, will give the clearest indication yet that he is still an asset on the biggest stage.

Mac Allister is still on the five-year deal he signed at Liverpool when he arrived in the summer of 2023, so he still has two seasons left on his contract, but it's worth noting that currently there are no talks over a new deal nor is Mac Allister in active talks with another club.

When you consider that Dominik Szoboszlai - whose contract also ends in 2028 - is in talks over a new deal and Ryan Gravenberch signed a new deal in May, the expectation is that movement on that front for Mac Allister would be expected over the course of the next season.

If those talks aren't planned, then it would make sense if Liverpool considered offers this summer, but in a market in which the value of midfielders is rising and rising, that would be a big call - similar to when Liverpool let Luis Diaz leave for Bayern Munich last summer.

Mac Allister was so close to Klopp that his Liverpool team-mates would often joke that Klopp was like his dad. You only have to see the clip of the pair hugging at the World Cup and Mac Allister giving his shirt to Klopp to see the warmth between the pair.

He described Arne Slot as the "perfect bridge" after Klopp left, crediting the Dutchman's support for him off the pitch too.

"It's not just football. This is not just a club - it's our family. It's our memories, our legacy... and we have to cherish it, because we don't know how long it will last," Mac Allister told The Players Tribune in August 2025.

Crucial to his next steps will be the relationship with Iraola and whether the Spaniard can get the best out of Mac Allister. Both parties will be hoping that last season was merely a blip and more memories are going to be made.

But for now, the man known as "Macca" has the small matter of a World Cup semi-final against the nation that has been his home since 2020 to tackle.

• Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan views
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A routine trip to the mailbox turned into a special memory recently for Aaron Rai.

He became the first Englishman in more than a century to win the PGA Championship, when he played the final 10 holes in 6 under at Aronimink to claim his first major title. This week, he returns to England to take on the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, one of numerous Brits who will be fan favorites throughout the week.

Last week, a story went viral about Rai leaving a hand-written note for DP World Tour pro Pablo Larrazabal, who has struggled in 2026 but is a nine-time winner. After speaking on the range Monday at the Genesis Scottish Open, Rai had his brother print out pictures of Larrazabal holding trophies and placed them at his locker with a note of encouragement.

"We've played quite a bit together in the past," Rai said. "It was the first that I'd heard he'd been struggling a little bit during the season, so it felt like just the right thing to do. So that's where it came from really."

Where did Rai get the inspiration? Perhaps it came from the player with more majors than anyone else in the game.

Rai revealed Jack Nicklaus wrote him a hand-written letter and mailed it after the PGA, and that it was a surprise to grab his mail and see a letter from the Golden Bear amongst the litter.

"For someone like that to take the time to write to me after the PGA, it definitely shows the class of what Jack is about," Rai said.

Nicklaus is notorious for writing letters, as was Arnold Palmer and others. Jack also penned a note to J.J. Spaun after his victory in the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 2025.

Rai called it surreal being on the receiving end of one of Nicklaus' letters. Safe to say that one is going to be displayed next to the Wanamaker Trophy for a while.

Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Aaron Rai reveals Jack Nicklaus mailed him a letter after PGA Championship win

Your club-by-club guide to the summer 2026 transfers in Scotland's second tier.

• Who has your Premiership club brought in & let go? - Summer 2026
• Who has your Scottish League 1 club brought in & let go? - Summer 2026
• Who has your Scottish League 2 club brought in & let go? - Summer 2026
• Who has your Championship club brought in & let go? - January 2026

Arbroath

In: Andy Winter, forward (Livingston); Michael McKenna, midfielder (East Fife); Scott McGill, midfielder (Stenhousemuir); Brody Paterson, defender (Kelty Hearts); Stuart Morrison, defender (Forfar Athletic, undisclosed).

Out: Harry Cochrane, midfielder (Greenock Morton); Jack Wilkie, defender (Livingston); Dapo Mebude, forward (Airdrieonians); Victor Enem, defender (Cove Rangers); Ally Spalding, midfielder (East Kilbride); Aaron Muirhead, defender (Annan Athletic); Ross Callachan, midfielder.

Loan ended: Findlay Marshall, midfielder (Aberdeen); Aidan Nesbitt, midfielder (Falkirk); Jacob MacIntyre, defender (Hibernian); Tom Lang, defender (Falkirk); Luke Kenny, defender (St Mirren); Lewis Gillie, defender (Hibernian).

Ayr United

In: Gary Naysmith, manager (Stenhousemuir); Ben Summers, midfielder (Celtic, loan to permanent); Luke McBeth, defender (Partick Thistle, undisclosed); Ross Taylor, forward (Stenhousemuir, undisclosed); Kieran Shanks, forward (Peterhead, undisclosed); Reece Lyon, midfielder (Queen of the South).

Loan in: Harry Stone, goalkeeper (Heart of Midlothian); Owen Stirton, forward (Dundee United).

Out: John Rankin, interim manager (Airdrieonians); Lucas McRoberts, forward (Bangor); George Oakley, forward (Raith Rovers); Ben Dempsey, midfielder (Partick Thistle); David Mitchell, goalkeeper (Queen's Park); Scott Tomlinson, midfielder (Dumbarton); David Craig, midfielder (Dumbarton); Curtis Main, forward; Anton Dowds, forward; Stuart Bannigan, midfielder.

Loan out: Kenzie Mitchell, midfielder (Auchinleck Talbot); Ollie Ecrepont, goalkeeper (Auchinleck Talbot).

Dunfermline Athletic

In: Kian Corbally, midfielder (Ballymena United, undisclosed); Musa Dibaga, goalkeeper (Crusaders, undisclosed); Luke Robinson, defender (Wigan Athletic); Oli Shaw, forward (Hamilton Academical).

Loan in: Sam Cleall-Harding, defender (Dundee United).

Out: Matty Todd, midfielder (St Johnstone); Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, defender (Wigan Athletic, undisclosed); Sam Young, defender (Stenhousemuir); Chris Hamilton, midfielder (Ross County); Sam Fisher, defender (Airdrieonians); Keiran Ngwenya, defender; Deniz Mehmet, goalkeeper; Tashan Oakley-Boothe, midfielder; Ewan Otoo, defender; Kane Ritchie-Hosler, forward; Liam Hoggan, defender.

Loan ended: Graham Carey, midfielder (Livingston); Aston Oxborough, goalkeeper (Motherwell); Olly Thomas, forward (Bristol City); Freddie Turley, defender (Derby County).

Greenock Morton

In: Jayden Gorman, forward (Dubai City); Bobby McLuckie, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Harry Cochrane, midfielder (Arbroath); Grant Savoury, midfielder (Queen's Park); Brian Kinnear, goalkeeper (Clyde); Laiith Fairnie, defender (Eastbourne Borough); Joey O'Toole, midfielder (Jersey Bulls).

Loan in: Callum Sandilands, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian).

Out: Zak Delaney, defender (Raith Rovers); Aaron Comrie, defender (Hamilton Academical); Cameron Blues, midfielder (Hamilton Academical); Kian Taylor, forward (Airdrieonians); Fergus Owens, defender (Hamilton Academical); Ali Crawford, midfielder; Nathan Shaw, midfielder; Owen Moffat, midfielder; Zak McKay, midfielder.

Loan ended: James Storer, goalkeeper (Wolverhampton Wanderers); Reuben Lopata-White, defender (Leeds United); Murray Johnson, goalkeeper (Hibernian); Curtis Main, forward (Ayr United); Arron Lyall, midfielder (Ross County).

Loan out: Sam Murdoch, goalkeeper (Annan Athletic).

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

In: Graeme Shinnie, midfielder (Aberdeen); Ryan Duncan, midfielder (Aberdeen); Noa Boutin, defender (Bournemouth); Liam Sole, midfielder (Livingston, loan to permanent); Hamzad Kargbo, forward (Maidstone United).

Loan in: Alfie Bavidge, forward (Aberdeen); Alfie Stewart, midfielder (Aberdeen); Morgan Bates, forward (Swansea City).

Out: Ross Millen, defender (Raith Rovers); Sam Nixon, defender (Brora Rangers); Robbie Thompson, midfielder (Strathspey Thistle); Oscar MacIntyre, defender; Jake Davidson, midfielder; Chanka Zimba, forward; Matthew Strachan, defender; Ben Gardiner, forward; Jack Walker, defender.

Loan ended: Alfie Stewart, forward (Aberdeen); Mitchell Robertson, defender (Celtic); Ben Brannan, defender (Kilmarnock); Kieron Willox, midfielder (Stoke City).

Livingston

In: Glenn Whelan, head coach; Liam Polworth, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Sam Nicholson, midfielder (Motherwell); Cammy Palmer, midfielder (Glentoran); Tyrese Sinclair, forward (York City); Jack Wilkie, defender (Arbroath); Jordan Doherty, defender (Raith Rovers).

Out: Marvin Bartley, head coach (Stenhousemuir); Lewis Smith, forward (Aberdeen, undisclosed); Tete Yengi, forward (Machida Zelvia, loan to permanent, undisclosed); Jannik Wanner, forward (St Polten); Dan Finlayson, defender (St Johnstone); Danny Wilson, defender (Sporting Club Jacksonville); Andy Winter, forward (Arbroath); Liam Sole, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle, loan to permanent); Jamie Smith, goalkeeper (Kelty Hearts); Scott Arfield, midfielder; Mo Sylla, midfielder; Joel Nouble, forward; Barrie McKay, forward; Jeremy Bokila, forward; Andrew Shinnie, forward; Samson Lawal, midfielder; Graham Carey, midfielder; Lewis Latona, midfielder; Codi Stark, defender.

Loan ended: Alex Tamm, forward (Olimpija Ljubljana); Macaulay Tait, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian).

Partick Thistle

In: Oisin Smyth, midfielder (St Mirren, loan to permanent); Ethan Ingram, defender (Dundee, loan to permanent); Josh Clarke, goalkeeper (Celtic, loan to permanent); Ben McPherson, defender (Celtic, loan to permanent); Ben Dempsey, midfielder (Ayr United); Seb Drodz, forward (Queen's Park); Euan Henderson, forward (Airdrieonians).

Out: Logan Chalmers, forward (St Johnstone); Luke McBeth, defender (Ayr United, undisclosed); Scott Martin, midfielder (Queen's Park, loan to permanent); Kyle Turner, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Zander MacKenzie, defender (Queen of the South, loan to permanent); Dan MacKay, forward; Che Campbell, midfielder; Luis Cameron, goalkeeper.

Loan ended: Fraser Taylor, midfielder (St Mirren).

Loan out: Josh Clarke, goalkeeper (Doncaster Rovers); Liam Rooney, defender (Clyde).

Queen's Park

In: Jack Hamilton, forward (Raith Rovers); David Mitchell, goalkeeper (Ayr United); Scott Martin, midfielder (Partick Thistle, loan to permanent).

Loan in: Ben Brannan, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Aiden McCallion, midfielder (Rangers); Lewis Stewart, forward (Rangers).

Out: Calum Ferrie, goalkeeper (Kilmarnock, undisclosed); Harris Afzal, defender (Southampton, undisclosed); Henry Fieldson, defender (St Mirren); Grant Savoury, midfielder (Greenock Morton); Seb Drodz, forward (Partick Thistle); Liam McLeish, forward (Airdrieonians); Timam Scott, forward (East Kilbride); Jamie Bradley, midfielder (Clyde); Ricky Waugh, midfielder (Edinburgh City); Roddy MacGregor, midfielder; Niko Ujdur, defender; Leo Clark, midfielder; Michael Collie, midfielder; Connor Falls, forward; Leo Fisher, defender; Sam MacLachlan, midfielder; Daniel Matheson, midfielder; Mason Davies, forward.

Loan out: Archie Aitchison, goalkeeper (Gretna 2008).

Raith Rovers

In: George Oakley, forward (Ayr United); Kyle Turner, midfielder (Partick Thistle); Charlie Telfer, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Zak Delaney, defender (Greenock Morton); Arron Lyall, midfielder (Ross County); Ross Millen, defender (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); John Robertson, forward (East Kilbride).

Loan in: Luke Armstrong, goalkeeper (Cardiff City).

Out: Aidan Glavin, goalkeeper (Linfield); Jordan Doherty, midfielder (Livingston); Jack Hamilton, forward (Queen's Park); Richard Chin, forward (Ross County, undisclosed); Shaun Byrne, midfielder (Montrose); Calum Hannah, defender (Kelty Hearts); Josh Mullin, midfielder (Stirling Albion); Ross Matthews, midfielder (Bentleigh Greens); Logan Raeside, midfielder.

Loan ended: Ewan Wilson, defender (Motherwell); Paul Nsio, midfielder (Rangers); Andrew Winter, forward (Livingston); Innes Cameron, forward (Barrow); Darragh O'Connor, defender (York City).

Stenhousemuir

In: Marvin Bartley, manager; Scott Bright, defender (St Johnstone); Sam Young, defender (Dunfermline Athletic).

Loan in: Callum Penman, defender (St Mirren); Lewis Hodgkiss, midfielder (St Mirren); Gus Stevenson, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian); Matthew Gillies, midfielder (Heart of Midlothian).

Out: Gary Naysmith, manager (Ayr United); Ross Taylor, forward (Ayr United, undisclosed); Scott McGill, midfielder (Arbroath); Finlay Gray, midfielder (East Kilbride); Kelsey Ewen, defender (retired).

Loan ended: Olly Whyte, midfielder (Motherwell); Kane Ritchie-Hosler, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Zeke Cameron, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic).

Your club-by-club guide to the summer 2026 transfers in Scotland's third tier.

• Who has your Premiership club brought in & let go? - Summer 2026
• Who has your Championship club brought in & let go? - Summer 2026
• Who has your Scottish League 2 club brought in & let go? - Summer 2026
• Who has your Scottish League 1 club brought in & let go? - January 2026

Airdrieonians

In: John Rankin, head coach (Ayr United); Ewan Simpson, midfielder (Aston Villa); Jamie Sneddon, goalkeeper (Falkirk); Henry James, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Matty Yates, forward (Linfield); Sam Fisher, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Dapo Mebude, forward (Arbroath); Kian Taylor, forward (Greenock Morton); Liam McLeish, forward (Queen's Park); Zac Butterworth, midfielder (Caledonian Braves).

Loan in: Ruairidh Adams, goalkeeper (Dundee United).

Out: Aaron Taylor-Sinclair, head coach; Chris Mochrie, midfielder (St Mirren); Aaron Reid, forward (Crusaders); Charlie Telfer, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Euan Henderson, forward (Partick Thistle); Dom Thomas, forward (Hamilton Academical); Lewis Strapp, defender (Ross County); Jamie Barjonas, midfielder (Montrose); Sean McGinty, defender (Montrose); Rhys Armstrong, midfielder (East Kilbride); Cammy Cooper, forward (Annan Athletic); David Hutton, goalkeeper (retired); Dean McMaster, midfielder; Jake Hastie, forward; Alex King, midfielder; Lewis McGrattan, midfielder; Aidan Wilson, defender.

Loan ended: Owen Stirton, forward (Dundee United); Sam Cleall-Harding, defender (Dundee United); Harry Stone, goalkeeper (Heart of Midlothian); Charlie McArthur, defender (Newcastle United); Scott Constable, defender (Dundee United).

Alloa Athletic

In: Flynn McCafferty, midfielder (Falkirk); Ross Stewart, goalkeeper (Queen of the South); Josh Walker, forward (Elgin City).

Loan in: Max Cameron, forward (Rangers).

Out: Conor Sammon, forward (retired); Kalvin Orsi, forward (Hamilton Academical); Reece Mullen, midfielder (Caledonian Braves); David McKay, defender (The Spartans); Daniel Church, defender; Tochukwu Ogayi, goalkeeper; Andy Clarke, midfielder.

Loan ended: Calum Adamson, midfielder (Rangers); Josh Gentles, forward (Rangers); Callum Burnside, forward (Rangers); Lewis Stewart, forward (Rangers); Charlie Dewar, defender (Dundee United); Liam McFarlane, goalkeeper (Heart of Midlothian).

Cove Rangers

In: Aaron Fraser, midfielder (Aberdeen); Tristan Stephen, forward (Aberdeen); Victor Enem, defender (Arbroath); Jordan White, forward (Ross County); Edimond Oppong, forward (Hereford); Destiny Oladipo, forward (East Fife); Max Berry, midfielder (Peterhead); Mark Souter, defender (Inverurie Locos).

Out: Declan Glass, midfielder (Montrose); Mitch Megginson, forward (Peterhead); Blair Yule, midfielder (Peterhead); Grady McGrath, forward (Banks O'Dee); David Eguaibor, forward; Justin Eguaibor, defender; Mackenzie Strachan, midfielder.

Loan ended: Lewis O'Donnell (Dundee United); Lewis Carrol, defender (Aberdeen); Cooper Masson, midfielder (Aberdeen); Joseph Teasdale, forward (Aberdeen); Adam Emslie, midfielder (Ross County).

Loan out: Jack Robertson, goalkeeper (Banks O' Dee); Cole Donaldson, midfielder (Inverurie Locos).

.

East Fife

In: Derek Gaston, goalkeeper (Stirling Albion); Myles Gaffney (Annan Athletic, loan to permanent); Cammie Ross, forward (Bonnyrigg Rose); Tom Milne, defender (St Andrews United); Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton, forward (Chasetown).

Out: Michael McKenna, midfielder (Arbroath); Destiny Oladipo, forward (Cove Rangers); Connor McManus (Kelty Hearts); Alan Trouten, midfielder (Benburb); Omar El Harek, midfielder; Dennis Halliday, forward; Robbie Hemfrey, goalkeeper; Joe Halsey, defender; Seff Khyyam, forward; Gregor Nicol, forward; Shea Scally, midfielder.

Loan ended: Ruairidh Adams, goalkeeper (Dundee United); Sam Culbert, forward (Livingston); Lewis Latona, midfielder (Livingston); Freddie Rowe, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic).

East Kilbride

In: Owen Calder, defender (Hibernian); Andrew Kyle, defender (Celtic, loan to permanent); Shay Kelly, goalkeeper (St Mirren); Chris McKenna, defender (Hailstorm); Rhys Armstrong (Airdrieonians); Ally Spalding, midfielder (Arbroath); Craig McGuffie, midfielder (Peterhead); Aaron Steele, defender (Peterhead); Finlay Gray, midfielder (Stenhousemuir); Euan Ross, midfielder (Queen of the South); Malik Zaid, midfielder (Edinburgh City, undisclosed); Darragh O'Connor, defender (York City).

Out: Rhys Breen, defender (Portadown); John Robertson (Raith Rovers); Jordan McGregor, defender (Edinburgh City); Jack Leitch, midfielder (Edinburgh City); Lewis Dobbie, forward (Stranraer); Lewis Spence, midfielder (Dumbarton); Joe Morrison, goalkeeper (Elgin City); Timam Scott, forward (Clyde); Erik Sula, defender (Caledonian Braves); Jackson Mylchreest, forward (Bo'ness United); Bruce Strachan, midfielder.

Loan ended: Bobby McLuckie, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Sam Young, defender (Dunfermline Athletic); Connor Young, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Kerr Robertson, midfielder (Greenock Morton); Craig Hepburn, goalkeeper (St Johnstone).

Hamilton Academical

In: Andy Ryan, forward (Larne); Dom Thomas, forward (Airdrieonians); Aaron Comrie, defender (Greenock Morton); Cameron Blues, midfielder (Greenock Morton); Fergus Owens, defender (Greenock Morton); Taylor Sutherland, forward (Montrose); Kalvin Orsi, forward (Alloa Athletic).

Out: Kevin O'Hara, forward (Larne); Oli Shaw, forward (Dunfermline Athletic); Kayden Aitken, midfielder; Ben Reilly, defender; Zak Flatman, defender; Cole Stirling, midfielder; Finlay Cameron, midfielder.

Loan ended: Kai Smutek, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Zander Hutton, defender (Rangers); Ewan Simpson, midfielder (Aston Villa); Campbell Forrest, midfielder (Motherwell); Gregor Crookston, defender (Heart of Midlothian).

Loan out: Neil Stafford, goalkeeper (Forfar Athletic).

Montrose

In: Shaun Byrne, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Sean McGinty, defender (Airdrieonians); Jamie Barjonas, midfielder (Airdrieonians); Declan Glass, midfielder (Cove Rangers); Flynn Duffy, defender (Peterhead).

Out: Taylor Sutherland, forward (Hamilton Academical); Craig Brown, midfielder (Stirling Albion, undisclosed); Evan Towler, defender (Elgin City); Kerr Waddell, defender (Dundee North End); Ross Matthews, goalkeeper (Dundee North End, loan to permanent, undisclosed); Terry Masson, midfielder (retired); Andrew Steeves, defender.

Loan ended: Harry Sharp, goalkeeper (Dundee); Callum Sandilands (Heart of Midlothian); Gus Stevenson (Heart of Midlothian); Euan Glasgow, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Tommy North, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Lewis Gibson, forward (Raith Rovers).

Peterhead

In: Mitch Megginson, forward (Cove Rangers); Blair Yule, midfielder (Cove Rangers); Lewis McKelvie, goalkeeper (Dundee); Robel Teklemichael, midfielder (unattached).

Loan in: Zak To, midfielder (Aberdeen); Jack Searle, midfielder (Aberdeen); Lewis Carrol, defender (Aberdeen).

Out: Kieran Shanks, forward (Ayr United, undisclosed); Max Berry, midfielder (Cove Rangers); Craig McGuffie, midfielder (East Kilbride); Aaron Steele, defender (East Kilbride); Flynn Duffy, defender (Montrose); Oliver Colloty, forward (Elgin City, loan to permanent); Rob Jones, forward; Caleb Goldie, defender.

Loan ended: Mackenzie Ross, forward (Heart of Midlothian); Henry James, defender (Heart of Midlothian); Lewis McKelvie, goalkeeper (Dundee).

Queen of the South

In: Nicky Clark, manager (player to player/manager); Zander MacKenzie, defender (Partick Thistle, loan to permanent); Christopher McQueen, defender (Edinburgh City).

Out: Peter Murphy, manager; Trevor Carson, goalkeeper (retired); Mikey Hewitt, defender (Portadown); Reece Lyon, midfielder (Ayr United); Ross Stewart, goalkeeper (Alloa Athletic); Jordan Allan, forward (Stirling Albion); Euan Ross, midfielder (East Kilbride); Matty Douglas, defender (Workington); Brennan Dickenson, midfielder; Lawton Green, goalkeeper.

Loan ended: Jamie Sneddon, goalkeeper (Falkirk); Cole Burke, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Kian Leslie, forward (Kilmarnock); Callum Penman, defender (St Mirren); Menzi Mazwi, midfielder (Birmingham City); Seb Mason, forward (Carlisle United).

Ross County

In: Brian Graham, forward (Falkirk); Bradley Wade, goalkeeper (Ballymena United); Richard Chin, forward (Raith Rovers, undisclosed); Chris Hamilton, midfielder (Dunfermline Athletic); Lewis Strapp, defender (Airdrieonians); Jack Turner, midfielder (Woking); Luke McCarvel, forward (Kelty Hearts); Lewis Reid, defender (Stranraer, undisclosed).

Out: Noah Chilvers, midfielder (Oldham Athletic, undisclosed); Arron Lyall, midfielder (Raith Rovers); Ben Crompton, defender (Kidderminster Harriers); Jordan White, forward (Cove Rangers); Uche Ikpeazu, forward; Declan Gallagher, defender; Alex Iacovitti, defender; Jay Henderson, midfielder; Ross Laidlaw, goalkeeper.

Loan ended: Trevor Carson, goalkeeper (Dundee); Sean Mackie, defender (Falkirk); Ryan Duncan, defender (Aberdeen); James Scott, forward (St Mirren); Miller Thomson, forward (Dundee United); Levis Pitan, defender (Piast Gliwice); Kaedyn Kamara, midfielder (Preston North End); Jayden Carbon, forward (Middlesbrough).

In 2015, Anthony Barry was a lower-league footballer at Accrington Stanley, nearing the end of his playing career and taking his first steps as a coach with the club's Under-16 side.

Eleven years on, he will sit alongside Thomas Tuchel as England attempt to reach a first men's World Cup final since 1966 when they face Argentina on Wednesday (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Barry has become a recognisable figure during this tournament thanks to his no-nonsense half-time television interviews during England's matches.

At 40 years old, he already has a wide-ranging CV as an elite coach with prior experience at Chelsea, Bayern Munich and with the Portugal and Belgium national teams.

His journey to this point is one of the most remarkable rises in football.

The Liverpool-born coach describes himself as the yin to Tuchel's yang and acknowledges their partnership can "look a bit strange at times" because of their difference in height and background.

The England assistant is quick to make clear that Tuchel is the boss - and pokes fun at their "little and large" frames, with the German about eight inches taller.

• Football Daily: Anthony Barry on Thomas Tuchel and the World Cup

Barry's path to Tuchel's assistant

Barry's playing career path is not one that will be very recognisable to many of those in the England squad, with former midfielder spending most of his time in the lower leagues.

He was part of the Accrington Stanley side 20 years ago that won the Conference to return to the Football League for the first time in 44 years.

Barry was reminded of that anniversary while speaking to 5 Live Sport.

"In shock at the question because, 20 years ago, was I really winning the league for Accrington Stanley?" he said.

Barry's first coaching job after retiring as a player was as assistant manager at Wigan Athletic. But, after impressing Frank Lampard on the Uefa Pro Licence course, he became first-team coach at Chelsea in the summer of 2020.

Tuchel replaced Lampard when the former England midfielder was sacked in January 2021, but the German retained Barry. Within months Chelsea had won the Champions League.

During that time Barry had also spread his wings into international football - working as an assistant coach with the Republic of Ireland before taking the same role under Roberto Martinez - first with Belgium, then Portugal.

That allowed him to coach at a World Cup and European Championship, while also working with global greats including Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin de Bruyne.

Known as an innovative and enthusiastic coach, Barry also specialises in set-pieces and he wrote a dissertation as part of his Pro Licence for which he analysed 17,000 throw-ins.

Barry was reunited with Tuchel when the German took him to Bayern Munich in 2023.

"As a young English coach, it's a gift to be around a manager like him," he said.

"He is, in my opinion, absolutely world class, and right now he is in his best moment, on his best form.

"Really in the heat of a competition is when I think he comes to his best, and I think the players see and feel that at the moment.

"So the dynamic between me and him right now is we spend a lot of time together, we push each other, and on the back of me and him pushing each other, we push the team."

Barry is the only English coach in Tuchel's core support staff, although Justin Cochrane is a member of the wider coaching staff.

Henrique Hilario, Nico Mayer and James Melbourne joined Tuchel and Barry in signing a new contract until 2028.

'The tank is full of team spirit'

Tuchel has been clear he wants to bring a club feel to the national team - and it is something Barry believes is vital.

Barry told BBC Sport in April that "the petrol in the car is the team spirit" and referenced how important team connection was when trying to achieve World Cup glory.

England have had to produce battling performances during this tournament, notably when going behind against DR Congo and beating Mexico in the Azteca Stadium.

"Anybody that watched the Mexico game would see that the tank is full," Barry said.

"If you could feel the spirit in the training ground, see the spirit around the hotel, see the way they interact - it's just a pleasure to be around."

In the lead-up to the World Cup, Barry estimated that he and Tuchel had only 50 days of training with the players, which is why team chemistry is so highly valued.

"We always felt not so sure that when you have players for such a short period of time that you can build this fantastic football," Barry added.

"It's really, really difficult. So that's why we tried to build a team spirit and a brotherhood."

Does style matter?

England have produced moments of brilliance in this tournament without putting together consistently dazzling performances.

During his time as England manager, Tuchel has looked to make the most of the physicality of the football played in the Premier League.

Temperatures in the US have been high and with hydration breaks effectively breaking the games into quarters, matches have had a different flow.

However, the Three Lions have only had one match - the 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway in Miami - in what could be considered demanding conditions for football.

But it is the high volume of games in a short period of time that could have the biggest impact on the team.

If England reach the final, Tuchel's side will have played six games in a 22-day period from the last group game against Panama.

"There's no shock to us," Barry said. "We knew every hour between games, how to use it, whether that's rest them well, whether that's train them well, whether that's eating well, all of the above.

"The schedule is a challenge, but it was the same for all the other 48 teams."

'We've been dreaming for 18 months'

Barry and Tuchel travelled to the US last summer to watch the Club World Cup.

They spent time looking at potential training bases, facilities, and even how the ball moved on the grass - and took confidence from Chelsea's victory as it proved "that an English team can win" in the USA.

Barry knows he and Tuchel - a proven winner at elite level - will be judged on whether or not England return with the World Cup.

"We've been dreaming for 18 months," Barry said of the vision he and Tuchel had after taking charge of the team in January 2025.

"When you're in elite sport, dreaming is one of the most important things. But a dream is just a dream without work."

Barry added that he and Tuchel are "healthily obsessed" with football and with their goal of trying to "win the biggest titles" in football.

"When we got offered an opportunity in a job like this, we knew it would take absolutely everything from us, but we were both willing to give it," he said.

The final word has to be on those half-time interviews - and in particular his critical assessment of the team's first-half display against Croatia in the opening match that went viral.

Asked if he was a "bit of a half-time star", he said: "So people keep saying, but I certainly wouldn't call myself a star - just a person doing his job.

"We get asked to do a question at half-time. The decision was whether Thomas or I would do it.

"We didn't want to put the responsibility onto a player. Thomas does more than enough media, so it's my turn to share the workload."

• England to make late call on Rice for World Cup semi-final
• 'Easy to create divisions' - Kane says England are 'completely together'
• Most clinical? Least creative? Best in the air? Comparing the last four

It's going to take more than one offseason for President of Football Matt Ryan to really put his stamp on the organization as an executive. Nevertheless, it can be instructive to see where the Atlanta Falcons' priorities lie based on their spending at each position.

Let's break down how much the Falcons are spending on offense and where that figure ranks compared to the rest of the NFL, according to numbers at Spotrac.

QB: $9.42 million - ranks 28th

Atlanta's quarterback room isn't very good - but at least it's pretty cheap. With Kirk Cousins off the books the biggest cap hit at this position belongs to Michael Penix, who will be costing the Falcons around $6.24 million. Tua Tagovailoa only has a one-year deal at the veteran minimum ($1.2 million). The rest are minimal cap hits for third-stringer Trevor Siemian and undrafted rookie Jack Strand.

RB: $12.53 million - ranks 17th

Bijan Robinson is next up for a big-money extension, but until he signs the Falcons are still getting the deal of a lifetime at running back thanks to his rookie contract. For now Bijan's cap hit is just under $7 million, followed by incoming free agent pickup Brian Robinson Jr., whose cap number is $2.5 million. RB3 Tyler Goodson is at $1.145 million. Nathan Carter and undrafted rookie Cash Jones ou of Georgia make up the rest.

WR: $21.95 million - ranks 26th

Even after giving WR1 Drake London a blockbuster contracts the Falcons are still on the lower end in spending at wide receiver. London's new deal has his 2026 cap number adjusted down to just under $8 million. Jahan Dotson carries the second-heaviest cap hit here, coming in at $5 million. Returning receiver Olamide Zaccheaus is just over $2 million. Meanwhile, Zachariah Branch will cost Atlanta just $1,282,935 in his rookie year.

TE: $15.37 million - ranks 17th

The team's new deal with Kyle Pitts is structured in such a way that they won't have a painful cap hit until his void year in 2029. For now, Pitts only has a cap number of $4.622 million for the 2026 season - over $10 million less than he would have cost the Falcons under the franchise tag. Returning vet Austin Hooper's cap hit is $3.22 million.

OL: $74.26 million - ranks 5th

Atlanta has invested a great deal into producing a top-notch offensive line. At left tackle Jake Matthews' cap number is just over $16.77 million. The last year of left guard Matthew Bergeron's rookie deal costs around $4.8 million. At center, Ryan Neuzil carries a cap hit of $6.225 million. Superstar right guard Chris Lindstrom has the biggest cap hit in 2026 at $26.25 million. With Kaleb McGary out of the picture, their projected new starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor will cost $4.625 million. Swing tackle Wanya Morris' cap hit comes in under $1.5 million.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: How much the Falcons are spending at each offensive position in 2026

LAS VEGAS -- Brooklyn Nets guard Drake Powell is heading into his second NBA season and after an uneven rookie season, he is looking to show how much he has improved since the 2025-26 campaign. Brooklyn has already seen Powell be an impactful defender, but the team is hoping that he can come along as an offensive threat, something that Powell is trying to prove amidst shooting struggles.

"I've been working a lot with my coaches on my shot. Obviously, they're not going in right now. I'm gonna continue to put them up and just have full confidence that they're gonna go in," Powell said to the media following Monday's practice in Las Vegas, as posted on X by Erik Slater of ClutchPoints. The Nets play their next game on Tuesday against Darius Acuff Jr. and the Sacramento Kings and Powell is hoping that his shots start falling.

"Some nights are obviously hard when I'm by myself in a hotel room, but just constant conversations with my circle, just continue to trust them and then my coaches as well," Powell continued. As of this writing, Powell has played four games between the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League and he is averaging just 2.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting just 1-of-28 from the field (3.6%) and 0-for-14 from behind the three-point line.

"Just that we have full confidence in him taking the right shots. I think Drake did take the right shots. He had a great drive, but the ball just didn't go in," Nets summer league coach Dutch Gaitley last week when asked about Powell's shooting struggles. "Defensively, he's been outstanding. He's done everything. It's not easy for a young player to struggle offensively and still give great effort defensively, and he's done that."

To say that Powell has been tough to watch on the offensive end of the floor during the summer circuit is an understatement, but he seems to be in a good headspace to deal with his current struggles. Gaitley and the rest of the coaching staff continue to have confidence in him bouncing back in that area so the hope is that Powell can have a good shooting game before summer league is over.

Drake Powell on his shooting slump:

“I've been working with my coaches on my shot. They're not going in right now. But I'm going to continue to put them up and have full confidence that they'll go in... Some nights are obviously hard when I'm by myself in the hotel room. But… pic.twitter.com/BEU5qUJMEf

— Erik Slater (@ErikSlater_) July 13, 2026

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Drake Powell explains mindset amidst summer offensive struggles

If Lamine Yamal is one of the biggest stars at the 2026 World Cup, his little brother Keyne may not be far behind.

Keyne has been an ever-present at the World Cup, with the camera often finding him celebrating wildly in the stands after Spain goals.

Yamal's brother is likely attracting some extra attention because unlike most World Cup siblings, he happens to be a toddler.

Keyne is actually Yamal's half-brother. Yamal's mother and father split when he was young, and his mother Sheila Ebana remarried and had two children, with Keyne born in September 2022.

Yamal and his younger brother have starred in TikTok videos together, raising Keyne's profile even before he took to the world stage this summer.

Keyne Yamal was absolutely fired up watching his older brother Lamine and Spain advance to the Round of 16 🔥 pic.twitter.com/b1ssivEvjj

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 2, 2026

Keyne was also in attendance at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in 2024, as Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player. The three-year-old is also a frequent attendee at Barcelona matches, watching his older brother star for the La Liga champions.

Ahead of Spain's semifinal against France, Yamal was asked if his brother was aware of all the attention that has been coming his way.

"I don't think he's realized," Yamal said. "He does what he does at home and when the camera is on him, he does something goofy.

"When he's older, he'll see it. I like that people have so much love for him. I like seeing him on the screen. He entertains me."

If Yamal lives up to his lofty billing against France, Keyne may be attending his first World Cup final on Sunday in New Jersey.

The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lamine Yamal's little brother is Spain star's biggest fan at World Cup

After being selected by the Washington Wizards with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa knows that he is performing under immense pressure. But his personal goals aren’t just ROTY and MVP. Thanks to Dwyane Wade, someone whose personal checklist includes every desirable NBA milestone, he’s reset his goals to meet those massive expectations.

Dybantsa is already setting the tone at the Summer League, including a 23-point outing that led the Wizards to a 104-85 win over the Sacramento Kings. After that stunner, he revealed that his latest inspiration comes directly from the Miami Heat icon, who completely altered the rookie’s career trajectory with a single pre-draft conversation.

“I spoke to Dwyane Wade right before the draft, and I told him I want to be a Hall of Famer, and he said that’s what he wanted to be too until he got selected for the Top 75, and that was like a bigger moment for him than the Hall of Fame,” Dybantsa said after his Summer League game. “He said 20 years from now will be the 100th anniversary, and I should be aiming for the Top 100 instead of just the Hall of Fame, so that’s my new goal.”

As shared by the X NBA Fan Page, ‘Oh No He Didn’t’.

It’s not clear when exactly they met, but it could be through a shared connection with the Utah Jazz. D-Wade is a minority owner of the team which has ties to BYU. Even the majority owner, Ryan Smith, who aided BYU in recruiting the teen in high school.

After a standout NCAA career, Dybantsa was favored to go to the Jazz because of his connection to Smith and, consequently, D-Wade. But the Wizards had the first draft pick which secured his NBA career. The expectation to win RoTY or All-NBA honors comes with the territory for top draft picks. But his benchmark is to mirror The Flash.

The 3x NBA Champion considers the anniversary list a higher honor than anything he’s accomplished, including having the most meme-able statue in Miami. Even on his podcast, he’s full of stories just from being in that room.

Perhaps because he was chosen to be in a room with his idols, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, along with teammates like Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James, long before he was voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The NBA’s 75th anniversary ceremony was held during halftime of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game on February 20, 2022, in Cleveland. It honored the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team as part of the league’s 75th-season celebration.

Part of that celebration included voting on an exclusive 75-player list to determine the league’s very best players across its history. Wade, whose highly successful career spanned 16 years and included three NBA championships and a 2006 Finals MVP award, was proudly named to that elite 75th Anniversary Team.

D-Wade was later officially inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the star-studded Class of 2023. While Springfield honors hundreds of basketball figures, the anniversary lists represent an ultra-exclusive club voted on by media, players, and executives.

With the NBA’s 100th anniversary looming roughly two decades from now, Dybantsa is setting his sights on making sure his name is undeniable when that historic next list is compiled.

He has already started showcasing that superstar potential during his Washington Wizards Summer League stint, dropping 27 points in an epic debut victory over the Utah Jazz. Wade should be worried because he’s created a monster against his team.

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The post “I Spoke to Dwyane Wade”: AJ Dybantsa Reveals How Heat Legend Inspired a Goal Beyond the NBA Hall of Fame appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Notre Dame has done a great job recruiting Illinois, as it just landed Mount Carmel powerhouse linebacker Roman Igwebuike.

The Irish have missed on other targets, some of them his teammates, and are after another Chicagoland star in Brayden Parks. The 6-foot, 3-inch and 305-pound defensive tackle is ranked as the No. 199 overall prospect in the 247Sports Composite and for many has seemed like a Notre Dame lean.

That might not be the case anymore, as On3’s Steve Wiltfong reports (subscription required) that Parks might be higher on Oregon than the Irish. “I believe that if it were completely up to four-star defensive tackle Brayden Parks, the Chicagoland standout would also elect to play for Oregon. He’s also high on Notre Dame but he seems to be even more excited about the Ducks.” Not the best news, but there are other factors in his recruitment, most notably his family.

Wiltfong also says that his family loves what the Irish have to offer, and the proximity to home so they’d be able to see him play more often. As this recruitment continues, farther away from official visits, it looks like Notre Dame has lost some steam. Hopefully they can regain it back before Parks makes his final decision.

Whiparound: Oregon and Tennessee in position to finish 2027 cycle strong, Miami has elite 2028s thinking strongly about Coral Gables, Texas A&M trending for a key target and more here: https://t.co/4SkbXL6nMYpic.twitter.com/fyMrdjeiEb

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) July 13, 2026

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen

This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame might not be the choice to Illinois 2027 4-star lineman

Ryan Day knows this Ohio State team can win another national title. The talent is there. The real test is the schedule. In 2026, the Buckeyes face what many inside the program call the toughest road of Day’s career in Columbus. It’s a stretch that could decide whether they return to the playoffs or watch from home; Greg McElroy claims “they’ll have to earn” their way through.

“Ohio State, according to many, will be the number one team in the country, understandably. But I think you can make a strong case that this is the hardest schedule that Ryan Day has ever had to coach in Columbus,” said Greg McElroyduring his July 14 appearance on ESPN College Football. “And it is a peculiar tax for being great. You’re at the pinnacle. You’re turning out first-rounders. You got Julian Sayin back at quarterback. Jeremiah Smith out there on the outside. And the schedule makers are like, ‘Perfect. All right. Sounds good. You got all that. Here’s a minefield.'”

Not only McElroy but also Joel Klatt sent an alarming message for Ryan Day, especially considering OSU’s games against Texas, Indiana, and Michigan. If OSU can beat these three, there’s a chance tostay in playoff contention. Otherwise, Klatt warned: “If you miss the playoffs as the Ohio State Buckeyes, life is not going to be good.”

And the possibility of missing a title run only grows considering OSU’s road game. “The road schedule is where this thing turns into a bit of survival test,” said McElroy. “And here’s the number that separates this slate from everyone else’s. No other team in America has two road games against teams that are this good. The Buckeyes go to Texas. They go to the defending national champion, Indiana.”

When the Longhorns host Ohio State, that’s going to be a monster rematch of 2025. Last year, a loss to OSU cost Texas a spot in the CFP, so this season they are desperate to win. Both have elite QBs, OSU’s Julian Sayin and Texas’ Arch Manning, but the difference is that these QBs will be in a stronger version compared to last season. If OSU loses to Texas, the road will be tougher for the Buckeyes, as they will face Indiana.

The Hoosiers know how to win against the likely No. 1 team: Ohio State. Last season, IU was 15-0, and they haven’t lost a home game under Curt Cignetti. More importantly, the Buckeyes lost to IU in the B1G title game. “If Indiana beats Ohio State, all of a sudden the premier program in the Big 10 is Indiana at the moment, which is wild,” said Klatt.

However, the concern doesn’t stop there for Ryan Day’s OSU, as they have to face USC and Iowa on the road. In fact, home games will be de facto playoff eliminators with no easy weeks for the Buckeyes. “They host Oregon. They host Michigan. And that’s potentially a half-dozen games against ranked competition,” said the former Alabama QB. “So, Ohio State is good enough to run the table. The schedule guarantees they’ll have to earn the number one seed against the toughest field any Buckeye team has faced in years.”

But if OSU can win by beating such a tough schedule, they will create history.

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For years, the man who turned the New York Giants around wasn’t just hard on his players; a lot of them genuinely couldn’t stand him. And no one held onto that anger more than a young Michael Strahan. So what turned all that hate into something like respect? The answer says a lot more about the legendary Giants coach than any game plan ever could.

“Tom Coughlin was by far the toughest coach I ever had when he first came to the Giants,” Michael Strahan said on The Entrepreneur Playbook. “Hated the man. Everybody on the team hated this man. He had rules that were so unnecessary. He put us through tough stuff just for the heck of doing it. But when I finally had a chance a few years in, he and I had a real pointed conversation.

“I realized that he wanted the same thing that I did. It ended up working and led us to a Super Bowl. As long as you want the same thing, remove your ego, talk about it.”

Coughlin didn’t just expect a lot from his players. He expected the same from his coaching staff and pretty much everyone who worked under him. Respect wasn’t optional. Neither were his rules. If Coughlin set a guideline, you followed it, no exceptions, and accountability and toughness were basically his religion. All that micromanaging had one real purpose: control.

It’s no surprise he became one of the toughest coaches in the league to play for. Strahan and former running back Tiki Barber didn’t see eye to eye on much during their years together, but they agreed on this: nobody could stand Coughlin.

It got serious enough that in 2004, three Giants, linebackers Carlos Emmons and Barrett Green, along with cornerback Terry Cousin, filed complaints with the NFL Players Association. Coughlin fined each of them $500, according to ESPN. Their crime? Not showing up “early enough” to a team meeting. Then came 2006, and everything shifted.

Coughlin nearly lost his job after that season, and owner John Mara sat him down with a clear message that “he needed to take something off his fastball.” Ease up on the players, ease up on the media. Coughlin actually listened.

From there, his run with the Giants became something special.

He coached the team from 2004 to 2015, picking up two Super Bowl wins along the way, both against the Patriots. And that first ring, back in 2007, meant even more for Strahan. It was the perfect way to close out his career, walking away as a Super Bowl champion under the very coach he once couldn’t stand.

Of course, nothing lasts forever. By 2015, the Giants had slipped to 6-10, their fourth straight year missing the playoffs. Coughlin later admitted the truth everyone already suspected: the team had eased him out the door. But what he taught Strahan has always stuck along.

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