Month: July 2024

Four-star WR Donovan Olugbode sets commitment date

One of Washington’s top targets is set to commit in the first week of July.

Jedd Fisch and the Washington Huskies coaching staff are nowhere close to done adding to the 2025 recruiting class. Four-star wide receiver Donovan Olugbode has developed a strong relationship with position coach Kevin Cummings and now, the product of IMG Academy has set his commitment date.

On July 5, Olugbode will choose between Florida, Missouri, Oregon, USC, and Washington. In recent days, national recruiting analysts named the Huskies a strong contender to secure his services, and Rivals’ Adam Gorney named Washington the leader to secure the nation’s No. 69 overall player.

“There could be a surprising leader here,” Gorney said. “The Gators have pushed along with Missouri and others but the Huskies have been getting a lot of chatter recently.”

In a class that already has three wide receiver commits: Deji Ajose, Dezmen Roebuck, and Olugbode’s teammate, Raiden Vines-Bright, he stands above the rest.

“For IMG, Olugbode was a target vacuum who seemed to catch everything that came his way,” Huskies Wire’s Ben Glassmire said in his evaluation. “His body control is among the best in his class and combined with elite sideline awareness, he is a reliable target outside the numbers. He does many of the little things that can make a receiver successful, and this bodes well for him for his potential future at Washington.”

If Olugbode were to commit to Washington, he would have the opportunity to be firmly in the mix to start from his first day on campus. The Huskies are losing seniors Jeremiah Hunter and Giles Jackson who are out of eligibility, which could give the nation’s No. 11 ranked receiver a quick path to the field.

That could give the 6-foot-1, 200-pound prospect a similar development track to Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who was the highest-ranked prospect in Jedd Fisch’s inaugural 2022 recruiting class in Tucson.

As a true freshman, McMillan pulled in 39 receptions for 702 yards and 8 touchdowns, and while those numbers are extremely hard to replicate, they could symbolize the role that Fisch and Cummings are selling Olugbode on.

If he picks Washington, Olugbode would symbolize a new era of recruiting in Seattle under Fisch.

76ers rookie Jared McCain knows exactly how fans will make fun of his TikTok and he couldn’t care less

76ers rookie Jared McCain has already seen the memes.

Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Jared McCain has already seen the memes.

McCain, who was selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, still isn’t afraid to express himself. He paints his nails and posts videos of himself dancing for more than 3.3 million followers on his TikTok before ever playing his first game in the NBA.

He has garnered fans around the world after his one-and-done season at Duke, especially after playing particularly well for Duke during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

But there is a learning curve and, like everyone else, he have some games that are better than others. When that happens, though, he already knows exactly what is going to happen. It will look something like this:

Fans are going to make memes using his viral dances, like the tweet included above, and it’s going to make him look very silly.

But he is prepared for that to happen and he recently acknowledged it.

Here is what he said:

“Even since high school, I’ve had the social media. I’ve gotten hate since high school. I’ve painted my nails high school. So I understand. The TikToks are always going to come into play after one bad game. I understand it.”

McCain speculated about what this will look like:

“I’ve been on Twitter. It’s going to be like: ‘Joel Embiid says Jared we need to make a 3.’ Then it’s like: ‘Jared McCain’ and it’s going to be one of my TikToks. I already know what it’s going to be.”

He added, however, that Duke set him up for that kind of a reception.

The rookie said he already knows what is going to come of it, he feels prepared for it, he will embrace it, and. he will work as hard as he can to prove to everyone that he belongs.

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Legendary Clemson running back C.J. Spiller to be inducted into Clemson’s Ring of Honor

C.J. Spiller is being recognized for his outstanding career at Clemson.

Clemson, SC – All-Americans Kim Graham-Miller and C.J. Spiller will be inducted into the Clemson Ring of Honor this fall. Graham was a five-time All-American and four-time ACC Most Valuable Player in track between 1990 and 1993, and Spiller was a unanimous All-American and ACC Player of the Year in football in 2009 and two-time All-ACC running back over his career that spanned between 2006-09.

The Ring of Honor is the highest award bestowed by the Clemson Athletic Department. Recipients must have made an outstanding contribution to the heritage of Clemson Athletics, must be a member of the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame and a graduate of a four-year institution for consideration.

Graham was named one of the top 50 female athletes in ACC history in 2002, one of just six Clemson athletes selected. She was also named to the 50-year anniversary team for indoor and outdoor track.

Graham, who came to Clemson from the state of Virginia, was a 15-time ACC Champion (including relays), most of any track athlete in Clemson history. Three times she was named the Most Valuable Athlete for the ACC Outdoor meet, still the only women’s track athlete to accomplish that feat. She also was the ACC Indoor Track Meet MVP once.

Nationally, Graham finished runner-up in the 200 meters at the NCAA outdoor championships in 1992, and finished fourth in the 200 in 1991 and 1993. She was the winner of the Frank Howard Award for bringing honor to Clemson for the 1992-93 academic year.

Internationally, Graham won an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta as a member of the United States 4X400 meter relay team. She was the national USA Champion in the 400 meters in 1998.

The 1993 Clemson graduate was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame in 1998. She is now the head men’s and women’s track coach at the University of California-San Diego.

Graham joins Tina Krebs (2003) and Michael Green (2017) as members of the Track and Field program to be inducted into the Ring of Honor, and is the sixth woman in any sport to earn the recognition.

Spiller, a native of Lake Butler, Fla., joined Clemson as a running back in 2006 and embarked upon a superlative career that resulted in his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021 in only his second year of eligibility.

Over his career, the two-time All-ACC selection set the NCAA record for career kickoff returns for touchdowns with seven, and his 7,588 career all-purpose yards still rank third in NCAA history. That total remains an ACC record and ranks first all-time among Power Conference players.
As a senior in 2009, Spiller earned unanimous first-team All-America honors, including a first-team selection as a kick returner and second-team selection as a running back according to the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF), the sport’s oldest All-America team. Spiller became the first player in history to be named as an All-American at two different positions in the same year by the WCFF.

That year, Spiller also became the first player in ACC history to record more than 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving. He set an ACC record for all-purpose yards with 2,680, a mark that still stands today. He finished sixth in the voting for the 2009 Heisman Trophy.

Spiller was also an All-American in track in 2008-09 and was a member of the 4×100 relay team that finished third in the nation in the spring of 2009. Following his collegiate career, Spiller was a first-round draft choice (No. 9 overall) by the Buffalo Bills in 2010 and went on to an eight-year NFL career. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012 in recognition of his more than 1,200 rushing yards that season.

Spiller, a 2008 All-ACC Academic Team selection, earned his degree from Clemson in December 2009, garnering a standing ovation from the Clemson University Board of Trustees during his commencement. In addition to his selection into the College Football Hall of Fame, he was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020 and into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. He is presently entering his fourth season as Clemson’s running backs coach.

Spiller becomes the eighth former football player to be inducted into the Ring of Honor, joining Banks McFadden, Steve Fuller, Jeff Davis, Fred Cone, Jerry Butler, Terry Kinard and Levon Kirkland. Frank Howard, Danny Ford and the 1981 National Championship team are also part of the Ring.

-Via Clemson Athletic Communications

Watch Clemson Athletics celebrate an excellent 2023-24 year of sports

Watch Clemson’s 2023-24 sports year recap.

Clemson Athletics had a phenomenal 2023-24, with multiple programs having historic seasons that went down in Tigers’ sports history.

It wasn’t the best season for every program, but there was excitement across campus. From top to bottom, each Clemson sports programs had their moments.

The Clemson men’s soccer team reclaimed their spot atop the country, winning another National Championship. The men’s basketball team made a historic run to the Elite 8, showing everyone that the Tigers are trending in the right direction in hoops. Though it wasn’t the season everyone hoped for in football, it ended with a thrilling bowl win over Kentucky.

This week, Clemson released an impressive cinematic video showcasing highlights from the 2023-24 athletics year, capturing some of the top moments across the many Clemson sports programs.

Jordin Canada hilariously explained the viral picture of her screen on Jonquel Jones

Poor Jordin Canada. She was going THROUGH IT.

Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada‘s screen on Jonquel Jones during a game against the New York Liberty on June 30 had hoops fans cracking up. Jordin recently revealed why that whole exchange was so funny.

As Atlanta was mid-game during a matchup against New York, a play was called for a guard to set a screen for a post player. Canada (5-foot-6) didn’t hesitate to set a screen on Jonquel Jones (6-foot-6) for her teammate, Tina Charles, to knock an easy jumper.

But, what was optically a hilarious moment for those watching was pretty tough for Jordin Canada. While preparing for a game against the Chicago Sky on Tuesday, Jordin revealed to For The Win what was actually happening during that moment:

“Well, the play was [called] for a guard to set a screen for the four. So, that was my job…I will say I wasn’t smiling.”

“I actually was really like grimacing because how difficult it is to set a screen on someone like J.J. or [Breanna Stewart] because they are so big…I was just trying to be aggressive.”

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2025 NFL mock draft: Bucs make polarizing 1st-round pick

See who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers land in this early first-round projection for the 2025 NFL draft

If you’re a fan of way-too-early projections for the NFL draft, you’re in luck, because ESPN’s Matt Miller has a fresh first-round mock draft for 2025 that just hit the digital newsstands.

Miller has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers picking at No. 12 overall, and using that selection on LSU’s Harold Perkins, one of the more intriguing defensive prospects in next year’s draft class.

Perkins has been shuffled between edge defender and off-ball linebacker throughout his time in Baton Rouge so far, and we’re still no closer to finding out where his best position fit might be for the next level.

Here’s what Miller had to say about the pick:

Perkins was misused at linebacker last season, but he will move back to edge rusher in new defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s scheme this year. And we could see him use his great speed to eclipse his 13 career sacks this season alone. That might entice the Buccaneers, who are looking for a defensive end to break out and emerge as a true threat to opposing offenses. Veteran Shaquil Barrett is gone in free agency, and Tampa Bay’s 27.3% pressure rate ranked 24th in the league last season, so adding to this group could be a frontline need come next offseason.

Perkins’ overall skill set might be more effective as an edge rusher in the college ranks, but he’s currently listed at 6-1 and 220 pounds, which is already light for an off-ball linebacker, let alone an NFL edge player.

Unless Perkins is able to bulk up and still retain his explosiveness, he could have a hard time finding the right spot at the next level that would warrant first-round consideration.

To check out Miller’s full first-round mock for the 2025 NFL draft, click here.

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How to make a Bomb Pop cocktail for a red, white and blue July 4th

Red, white and blue? That means cherry, lime and, uh, blue. With or without a little vodka.

Day drinking for a special occasion? Awesome. Day drinking to celebrate the birth of your nation? That’s practically your civic duty.

July 4 is more than a holiday meant to traumatize dogs with hours of traumatic sky booms. It’s a day to celebrate and focus on the things that make America great. What better way to do that than hang out with other folks who hate the monarchy and drink themed cocktails?

This year, the biggest trend is the Bomb Pop, a simple cocktail that doesn’t taste quite like the popsicle that inspired but looks like patriotic bunting when done correctly. It’s a four-step process that takes a little more effort to craft than your typical cookout drink, but one that will absolutely stand out among a sea of light beers and hard seltzers.

So let’s make something pretty, and boozy, to celebrate our nation’s independence. First, your ingredients:

You’ll need:

  • Lemonade or limeade. Limeade will get you closer to replicating an actual Bomb Pop flavor, but is more difficult to find.
  • Grenadine or Maraschino cherry syrup.
  • Blue Gatorade/Powerade or even just blue food coloring.
  • Vodka (I used Beattie’s strawberry vodka because it’s very good and also the only thing I had left after a weekend of bloody Marys. Regular vodka? Totally fine. Want to skip it for a virgin cocktail? Hell yeah. Want to swap it out for gin to revel in that lime flavor? Also great)
  • A Bomb Pop for garnish.

Fill a glass with ice and fill the first third with your grenadine or cherry syrup. Then, combine your limeade with vodka; I use a 50/50 mix that gives you four total ounces.

Now comes the tricky part. Pour that slowly over an overturned spoon so it sits on top of the red cherry juice rather than mixes with it. It’ll look something like this only, you know, better if you’re not trying to pour AND take a picture at the same time.

Next, repeat the process with your blue. I used Powerade because it’s cheap and perfectly captures that nebulous “blue” flavor we all know and love. You can use food coloring mixed with lemon/limeade or vodka if you prefer.

Once that’s carefully poured, it’ll look like this:

OK, now we’re talking. Toss in that Bomb Pop garnish and you’ve got red, white and blue on red, white and blue.

How’s it taste? Well, weird if you drink it according to layer, obviously. But mixing the contents gives you a sweet, slightly tart cocktail that’s at least a little bit too much but certainly looks cool. You probably won’t want more than one, but if you’re mixing these up without the booze it’s an easy win for any kids at your cookout.

Colts’ training camp roster preview: CB Micah Abraham

In our training camp preview, we will be taking a look at each member of the Colts’ roster. Up first is cornerback Micah Abraham.

Veterans and rookies for the Indianapolis Colts will report for training camp on July 24th, with the first practice taking place on July 25th.

Between now and then I will be previewing the Colts’ 91-man roster with a look back at each player’s 2023 season, along with what’s ahead for 2024.

I’ll be going through the Colts’ roster alphabetically, so up first is cornerback Micah Abraham.

2023 Season review

Micah Abraham was the Colts’ sixth-round selection in past April’s draft, taken at 201st overall. Abraham is a bit undersized compared to the cornerbacks the Colts usually target, and his RAS of 3.70 was lower as well, but what GM Chris Ballard really liked about Abraham was his versatility and ball production during his time at Marshall.

“To go in and out gives him some real value and gives him a chance to actually compete and make the roster,” Ballard said after the draft. “12 picks is 12 picks, that’s not easy to do. So, he’s got a natural instinct and ball skills. That usually translates.

“We’ll see, but we like him. His tape is really good. I thought he should’ve been at the combine. For whatever reason, they don’t end up there. That happens, but he’s a really talented guy.”

During the 2023 season, Abraham allowed a completion rate of just 49 percent on 63 targets and a passer rating of 75.4. He finished his career with 12 interceptions, four of which came in 2023, and 34 pass breakups, according to PFF. Abraham comes to the NFL as an experienced collegiate player with over 3,200 defensive snaps.

2024 Season preview

Although Abraham spent the majority of his time at Marshall lined up on the boundary, as Ballard mentioned, they like his versatility and believe he is someone who can play inside at the nickel position, providing the Colts with a backup option behind Kenny Moore.

My guess is that, ideally, the 2024 season would be a red-shirt-like year for Abraham, with the opportunity to be on the roster but not relied upon on Sundays. If Abraham does see playing time this season, the Colts are probably dealing with injuries.

In an effort to project what the cornerback depth chart will look like, heading into camp Abraham will be behind Moore, JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers, and Jaylin Simpson. He will be competing with Darrell Baker, who played 469 snaps for the Colts in 2023, Chris Lammons, and Ameer Speed.

“I’m someone who they’ll obviously say is undersized, but I’m someone who plays with a chip on his shoulder. I’m someone who has to be good and excel in different areas because of that. One of the things I can bring is obviously my speed, my game IQ, and my ball production.”

The advantage that Abraham has when it comes to earning a roster spot, along with being a draft pick, is that four of the five players on the depth chart ahead of him are boundary cornerbacks. Of the players competing for the sixth roster spot, only Lammons has some slot experience.

Highlights

Video: Analyzing NAC’s recent rulings on Lopes-Ige last minute, Tsarukyan and Severino suspensions

Did the NAC make the right call sanctioning Diego Lopes vs. Dan Ige last minute? We discuss that and more on “Spinning Back Clique.”

The Nevada Athletic Commission has been under scrutiny this past week over some of its rulings.

The NAC handed out suspensions to [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag], who was involved in an altercation with a fan during his walkout for UFC 300 in April, and [autotag]Igor Severino[/autotag], who bit his opponent Andre Lima to get disqualified and cut from the UFC. But most notably, the NAC sanctioned a bout between Diego Lopes and Dan Ige hours before it happened at UFC 303.

Did the NAC make the right calls?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Farah Hannoun, Mike Bohn and host Gorgeous George discuss and make sense of their recent rulings.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/9bFDhZ86n44

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KenPom ratings put MSU as one of best programs across last 10 years

See where MSU stacks up nationally in the last decade of college hoops

Things haven’t necessarily been great for the Spartans the last few seasons, but overall they’re still one of the most dominant programs over the past decade.

According to the well-known KenPom rankings system, Michigan State is one of the top 10 programs across the last 10 years. The Spartans have an average finish of 22.4 in the country over the last 10 years, which puts them No. 9 nationally. Only Purdue at No. 4 with an average finish of 15.9 is higher than the Spartans from the Big Ten.

Check out the complete rankings breakdown from X account College Basketball Report below:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.