Month: June 2024

Pac-12 was doomed and USC couldn’t save it

You can be sad about the Pac-12 dying and still admit USC really had no choice but to join the Big Ten.

Are some people still trying to process the fact that USC and the Pac-12 couldn’t make things work out? Is it still sad that the Pac-12, a conference we all grew up with out here in the West, couldn’t survive? Yes. The answer is yes. This is still something that will take some getting used to. However, the fact that the death of the Pac-12 destroys a number of cherished college football traditions (such as the Big Ten versus the Pac-12 in the Rose Bowl) doesn’t mean USC should have stayed in the Pac-12. The Trojans had to do what they needed to do. The Pac-12 didn’t make life easier for USC.

At 17:30 in the video below from our recent YouTube show at The Voice of College Football, you’ll get more insights on how USC joined the Big Ten because the Trojans were jobbed by the Pac-12. They weren’t going to go down with the sinking ship. The Pac-12 was falling behind whether USC stayed or not.

https://www.youtube.com/live/4wTnFA4l8QU

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Demarcus Robinson named one of the NFL’s most underappreciated players

Rams receiver Demarcus Robinson was selected as one of the NFL’s most underappreciated players, and for good reason

Tom Blair of NFL.com recently released a list of players that have generally been underappreciated by fans and members of the media. The instructions were simple: Select one player from each team that matches the criteria above.

For the Rams, it was one of the pleasant surprises of 2023 that made the list. Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was named the Rams’ most underappreciated player, and for good reason. Robinson, a Super Bowl champion for the Chiefs, wasted no time making his mark. His hard work paid off as he pushed himself into the Rams’ starting lineup to end the season.

This offseason, Robinson re-upped in L.A. on a one-year deal. So the stage is set for him to finally, in his ninth pro season, establish himself as an essential supporting member of a capable passing game. If he’s about to level up from yeoman status playing alongside star receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, now’s the time to put Robinson on this list.

Robinson re-signed with the team this offseason. Part of the reason he was brought back was his performance once he gained a starting job. In two of the biggest games of the Rams’ 2023 season, Robinson shined. A home matchup with the Saints on Thursday night and a road game against the Giants the following week would define the season.

A late playoff push by the Rams led the team to victories in both matchups, victories that Robinson played a massive role in. In those two games, Robinson combined for 12 receptions, 174 yards and one touchdown. Robinson also went on a four-game streak where he scored a touchdown in each matchup.

His talent is clear but what also makes Robinson so underrated is his veteran experience and guidance. Robinson has championship experience, played with high-level quarterbacks including the last two MVPs and he has the physical ability to command respect from his teammates.

I’ve also met Robinson during his short tenure with the Raiders. Despite only being in Las Vegas for a couple of months, Robinson took a UDFA out for an appropriate night on the town when ours paths crossed. My interaction with him was like his play on the field: nice.

He was relaxed, funny and in his element. A player that sets and enforces the standard. He’s certainly among the NFL’s most underappreciated players.

Wisconsin football loses class of 2025 RB target Javin Gordon to an ACC school

Wisconsin football loses class of 2025 RB target Javin Gordon to an ACC school

Wisconsin football class of 2025 running back target Javin Gordon announced his commitment to Duke on Monday.

Gordon became the fourth Wisconsin class of 2025 target to commit elsewhere over the weekend, joining three-star WR Vernon Allen III, three-star iOL N’Kye Wynn and three-star LB Elliot Schaper. Allen and Wynn chose Rutgers while Schaper, like Gordon, committed to Duke.

The 5-foot-10, 200-pound running back chose Duke over Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Indiana, Toledo, Liberty, USF and Wake Forest, among others.

Like Schaper, Gordon had an official visit scheduled with the Badgers the weekend of June 7. He was also slated to visit Georgia Tech this month.

When Wisconsin offered the Toccoa, Georgia native in April, recruiting outlets had yet to rank the rising senior. 247Sports now has Gordon as the nation’s No. 91 running back nd No. 111 recruit from Georgia for the class of 2025.

Luke Fickell’s class of 2025 currently ranks No. 17 in the nation with 13 players committed. With Gordon’s choice, Wisconsin has yet to secure a commitment from a running back.

Wisconsin also secured commitments from top class of 2025 cornerback Rukeem Stroud and four-star OT Logan Powell over the weekend. Both Stroud and Powell made their decisions during official visits to Madison beginning May 31.

Leclerc optimistic about Ferrari progress but warns about getting ‘carried away’

Charles Leclerc believes he can continue to close the gap to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship if Ferrari can get more performance out of its latest upgrades. Ferrari introduced a new package at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix and Leclerc …

Charles Leclerc believes he can continue to close the gap to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ championship if Ferrari can get more performance out of its latest upgrades.

Ferrari introduced a new package at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix and Leclerc finished third, before following up with a pole position and race victory in Monaco. That win was Leclerc’s first in nearly two years, but he says the signs were there earlier this season and he feels there is more to come from the Imola update that can help him to further reduce Verstappen’s 31-point advantage.

“I feel that the turning point of the season has been a few races ago already,” Leclerc said. “We didn’t have quite the car to win a race in the last few races. However, we did [in Monaco], and I knew that the opportunity had to be taken, and I did. So on that, we did a really good job.

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“I’ve had two qualifyings where I struggled at the beginning of the season, but from then on, I worked on my qualifying pace and since then, I’m extremely happy with the job we are doing. So, really happy with how it goes, and I hope that this will bring us to many more wins.

“We shouldn’t get carried away, obviously Monaco is such a specific track and I think we had a really good car. It doesn’t mean that it will stay like that until the end of the year, but looking back at the first few races of the season, I think we did a great job maximizing all the races that we have done, and we’ll keep it going.

“31 [points] is OK. But I don’t think about the championship for now anyway, and it’s still too early on in the season. I think the upgrades that we have brought in Imola, we have still to see how well they work and where it will bring us. And then it’s all about maximizing all weekends, and then hopefully, little by little, we’ll get there.”

The win in Monaco was Ferrari’s second of the season and continues the team’s progression under Fred Vasseur, with Leclerc saying the team principal gives the whole team clarity on what it needs to target.

“I have no doubts,” Leclerc said. “I think since the first day he joined he’s got everything to bring the team back to where it belongs and that means to a world championship. He’s got such a clear vision of what he wants to achieve and how to achieve it. He doesn’t lose time and that is definitely his strength and I think his vision is really good.

“We share it very often, on how he wants to achieve those targets. I’ve always been completely aligned with the way he wants to change things to get to where we want to get. I have no doubt that he’s the right person and that he’s helping the team to get there.”

Lagonza Hayward sets commitment date, Vols in top seven

2025 safety prospect Lagonza Hayward announced his commitment date and the Vols are in his top seven.

2025 four-star safety prospect Lagonza Hayward set his commitment date.

Hayward will announce his commitment on Aug. 7, he told On3. Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, South Carolina, Georgia and USC are finalists in his recruitment.

Hayward will make four official visits during June after visiting Georgia on May 31. He will visit USC this weekend, Florida on June 14 and Tennessee on June 21.

The 6-foot-1, 200 pound safety is from Toombs County High School in Lyons, Georgia.

Hayward ranks as the No. 95 overall prospect in the class of 2025. He also ranks as the No. 10 safety and No. 12 player in Georgia, according to 247Sports.

The Vols have 10 commitments in its 2025 recruiting class: Quarterback George MacIntyre, defensive lineman Ethan Utley, tight end Jack Van Dorseiaer, cornerback Dylan Lewis, running back Justin Baker, wide receiver Joakim Dodson, cornerback Tyler Redmond, safety Sidney Walton, wide receiver Radarious Jackson and offensive lineman Antoni Kade Ogumoro.

PFF projects Colts’ starting lineup on offense for 2024 season

Pro Football Focus projected the starting lineup on offense for the Colts ahead of the 2024 season. Here is what stood out.

Pro Football Focus projected the starting lineup for each NFL team for the upcoming 2024 season. Here is who they believe will be starting on the offensive side of the ball come Week 1 for the Indianapolis Colts.

QB: Anthony Richardson
RB: Jonathan Taylor
RB: Tyler Goodson
WR: Michael Pittman
WR: Adonai Mitchell
WR: Josh Downs
TE: Mo Alie-Cox
LT: Bernhard Raimann
LG: Quenton Nelson
C: Ryan Kelly
RG: Will Fries
RT: Braden Smith

For the most part, this lineup is what you’d expect for a Colts team that saw very little roster turnover during the offseason. However, there are two position groups that do stand out.

The first is at running back, with Tyler Goodson listed as the backup behind Jonathan Taylor. The training camp battle for that role will be one of the more intriguing competitions to take place.

Goodson saw limited opportunities in 2023, but when he did, he showcased that juice he brings, averaging over 6.0 yards per rush. Although Goodson had a crucial drop in the Colts’ Week 18 matchup with Houston, he does bring added playmaking ability to the running back room.

Competing with Goodson will be Trey Sermon and Evan Hull. Sermon is the most experienced of the bunch with 78 career carries, 35 of which came last season, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. Hull’s rookie season was cut short due to an injury in Week 1, but he brings ample pass-catching experience to the Colts backfield from his time at Northwestern.

“We got some young guys that came in, and Trey (Sermon) did a really good job when he came in and played for us last year,” said GM Chris Ballard after the draft. “So we got some guys on the roster that we like. We get (Evan) Hull back. Hull’s healthy, we get him back, so we get to see what he can do and he showed us some good signs last year.”

The other position that caught my attention was tight end, with Mo-Alie Cox listed as the starter. At this position in particular, where the Colts have built a tight end room with a wide variety of skill sets, the term ‘starter’ is a bit hollow, with multiple players contributing each week and playing time potentially dependent upon the opponent and game plan.

However, I can understand why Alie-Cox was listed as PFF’s starter, with his experience potentially carrying weight in this decision. Now, with that said, a fully healthy Jelani Woods could very much push for that role. With his size and speed he provides a dynamic presence at tight end to the Colts’ passing game.

“Finally getting to see him,” Shane Steichen said of Woods after last week’s practice via the Indy Star. “I mean, I saw him a little bit in training camp, he got the injury, but to see how long he is and how he can run, vertical threat, different things you can do with him. It’s good to have him out there.”

Former Lions TE Brandon Pettigrew arrested at Texas convenience store

Former Lions first-round TE Brandon Pettigrew arrested at Texas convenience store

Former Detroit Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew was arrested and faces charges stemming from an altercation in a convenience store in the Dallas area.

TMZ Sports posted surveillance video from the 7-Eleven in Texas where the incident occurred. In the clip, Pettigrew is involved in a progressively escalating discussion with police who were responding to the situation. This took place in the early AM hours over the weekend.

Pettigrew appeared to punch a display case but then raised his hands after police pulled tasers and pointed them at him. He left in handcuffs.

A first-round pick out of Oklahoma State back in 2009, Pettigrew spent all seven of his NFL years in Detroit. His best campaign came in 2011, when the 6-foot-5, 260-pounder caught 83 passes for 777 yards and five touchdowns.

Bears rookie Caleb Williams already winning over new teammates

A couple of Bears veterans have praised Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams.

Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has wrapped his first organized team activities, where he got to practice with his new veteran teammates.

Williams had his share of ups and downs, as expected with any rookie, but he concluded OTAs with his best outing of the offseason ahead of mandatory minicamp. And he’s already winning over the leaders in the locker room.

“He’s competitive,” said linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. “As a rookie, he’s doing some things that are good to see. That’s the thing that gets me most excited and I think gets our team most excited.”

Running back D’Andre Swift praised Williams’ talent while noting he’s “somebody that’s willing to learn.” But the veteran newcomer also praised Williams’ natural leadership skills.

“You could tell it’s natural to him,” Swift said. “You could tell he’s trying to get comfortable with the offense and everything, commanding the offense. You stand in the huddle with a whole new set of faces, new group of guys, so it takes time for somebody to get comfortable and for that to be repetition-like. He’s doing a great job so far taking it day-by-day. I talked to him about it the other day. He’s doing great so far.”

There are a lot of expectations for Williams heading into his rookie season, especially given the ideal situation he’s landed in with Chicago. He’s got an arsenal of weapons, including DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and Swift, along with an improved offensive line and a potential top-10 defense.

While Williams will no doubt have his rookie struggles as he acclimates to the pro game, and learns Shane Waldron’s offense, it sounds like he already has the respect of his new teammates.

Broncos’ center competition is open going into the summer

The Broncos are rotating first-team snaps between centers Sam Mustipher, Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth this offseason.

Denver Broncos center Alex Forsyth was inactive for all 17 of the team’s games last season while Lloyd Cushenberry anchored the offensive line.

After losing Cushenberry during free agency this spring, Forsyth will now get a chance to compete for the starting job this summer. His competition will include Sam Mustipher and Luke Wattenberg.

Last week, Broncos coach Sean Payton praised Alex Forsyth’s smarts, and he advised media members against reading into the order of first-team reps at center.

“We knew when we drafted him he was extremely intelligent,” Payton said when asked about Alex Forsyth on May 30. “We knew we were drafting a highly intelligent player, and you could see that in his film. I think it’s a trait certainly that helps at center. Both he and Luke. I’ve told the coaches, and I think it’s important for you all to know: don’t read into any type of rotation now. I’m trying to get combinations of players.

“The quarterbacks are rotating ones, twos and threes. It’s just so happened that we’ve gone every third day, and you guys have seen [Bo] Nix running with the ones. So that’s a little bit of a coincidence. The centers are doing the same thing. … I think that [intelligence is] one of his strong suits. It’s one of the reasons why I sat down with him a little bit to discuss Nix. I knew that I’d get a pretty intelligent answer, a responsible answer, a thoughtful answer. He has high, high football IQ.”

Forsyth, of course, played with Nix at Oregon in 2022. If Nix ends up winning the quarterback competition, one would assume Forsyth would be a perfect center given his past experience with the QB. Payton will let both competitions play out on the field this summer, though, with the QBs and centers rotating first-team snaps at practice.

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Patty Gasso owns baserunning miscue from 9-3 loss to Florida

Oklahoma couldn’t capitalize with a runner on third and one out and Patty Gasso took responsibility for the running miscue.

In a game where nothing went right from the circle, the Sooners’ bats squandered opportunities in the early going to make something happen. Oklahoma got the lead-off runner on base in each of the first two innings of their 9-3 loss to Florida.

Though they couldn’t move [autotag]Jayda Coleman[/autotag] around the base paths in the first, they had a great opportunity to cash in with [autotag]Kasidi Pickering[/autotag] in the second inning.

Pickering got to third on a passed ball and a fielder’s choice. With one out in the inning, [autotag]Riley Boone[/autotag] rocketed a ball to deep centerfield that looked like it might go beyond the outstretched arm of Florida outfielder Kendra Falby. Pickering started to go home but was forced to retreat to third when Falby made the spectacular running catch.

It was a missed opportunity to tie the game and give the Sooners some momentum. But the running miscue prevented Oklahoma from cashing in with a runner on third and one out. Sooners head coach [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag] took responsibility for the critical error.

“That was an unbelievable play,” Gasso said. “I’m looking up, I’m telling her, ‘OK, it’s through, go.’ I’m looking for the next runner. That was on me. It was nothing she did wrong. I own that.”

It’s hard to know just what that moment meant in the big scheme of things, but tying the game early could have changed the trajectory of the afternoon for Oklahoma.

Instead, the Sooners prepare for an elimination game Tuesday afternoon, in a rematch with the Gators. Oklahoma’s been really difficult to beat twice during their three-plus years of dominance. But Oklahoma will have to prove their ability to bounce back still exists after losing series to Texas and Oklahoma State during the regular season.

They’ll get one more opportunity to prove they’re the best when they take the field against the Florida Gators today at 1:00 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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