Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford says going back to Ohio State “a little personal”

Penn State quarterback and Ohio native told reporters that “it’s a little personal” going back to Ohio State to play.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 10,000 times. Why can’t kids these days just let their play do the talking when it comes to playing Ohio State. Look, I get it, you’re all fired up to take down the big, bad wolf, so you get emotional and pop off a little in the media.

I mean, these are nineteen and twenty-year old kids, but we’ve seen it time and time again from teams that are trying their hardest to dust off frustrations of playing second fiddle to a team at the level of the Buckeye program. Michigan had some guarantees, revenge tours, and harsh comments for turncoat coaches, but each and every time the walk doesn’t match the talk.

Now we have Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford saying things that — while not crossing the line — can still be used as bulletin board material.

Clifford is an Ohio kid. He played for Cincinnati St. Xavier and was a four-star recruit. He was considered the best player coming out of the state, yet Ohio State didn’t offer him, and instead went for the national Gatorade Player of the Year, Tate Martell.

How’d that work out?

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Anyway, now it appears Clifford has a bit of an ax to grind. When speaking with reporters, the Penn State signal-caller went right up to the line when talking about his feelings of going back to Ohio.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it’s a little personal going back,” Clifford said. “Whenever you go back to where you’re from, to play the team from where you’re from, that’s always going to bring a little extra juice.”

He went on to speak about how hungry and prepared the team will be to go to Columbus.

“I’m very excited to be in the position we are,” he said. “I can promise that this will be the best week of preparation that we will have. We will not be denied that. We will be extremely, extremely prepared for next week.”

So it doesn’t quite reach the level of a slight towards Ohio State some of the things TTUN has done, but you know coaches and players will use whatever they can to motivate and prepare for an opponent. This falls into that category, and Clifford probably would be better advised to just respect and heap praise on the opponent.

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Confident Jennifer Kupcho is one of four rookies in CME Group Tour Championship

Jennifer Kupcho is loaded with confidence, and comfortable with her status that includes a 47th place in the Race to the CME Globe rankings.

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NAPES, Fla. — Jennifer Kupcho might have been considered an American golfing princess last April as she walked up the 18th hole at Augusta National Golf Club while winning the first Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

This coming after winning the 2018 NCAA individual title as a junior at Wake Forest.

After turning pro in May, the Colorado native disappeared from the leaderboard for several months. She had only one significant check, a fifth in the Marathon Classic worth $52,798.

Everything changed a few weeks later in France at her fourth major in eight starts, the Evian Championship. She shot a final-round 66, finishing two shots behind Jin Young Ko, in a three-way tie for runner-up and most importantly, a check for $290,778.

The LPGA rookie princess is loaded with confidence, and comfortable with her status that includes a 47th place in the Race to the CME Globe rankings.

CME Group Tour Championship: Round 1 tee times, TV info

“This entire year has been a learning experience, working with a good caddie and most importantly, understanding how to control my emotions,” said Kupcho, who had her third top-five finish, a tie for fourth in the TOTO Japan Classic, two weeks ago. “Stressful at the start is one way to describe the year in some respects but as I started to make more friends out here on tour it became more fun.

“The LPGA is a lot different than college golf, you’re by yourself out here and you need to build a support system because you’re on your own. I had never rented a car until I came out here and I’ll buy my first car in the next few weeks.”

Kupcho remembers the most common advice she received after turning pro was to take care of your body.

“So what did I do, paid no attention to sound advice and overworked myself, causing a lot of needless wear and tear on my body,” she said. “I’ve learned how to relax and remain more even keel.”

“There was pressure on me to perform after winning at Augusta but finally after I missed a couple of cuts on the LPGA Tour I was just like, ‘Relax, just go play and prove yourself.'”

Kupcho has a noted tendency to blackout while playing, sometimes caused by migraine headaches. She blacked out while making the final putt at the Evian and does not totally remember the scene.

“I was so focused and nervous, knowing making the putt was vital because of the money involved but I was miserable with the headache,” she said.

Kupcho knows she belongs on tour and can compete for titles.

“I’ve established myself, now I’ll work on goals for 2020,” she said.

And people at tournaments continue to remind her of the Augusta win.

“Just this week here at Tiburón people come up asking me to sign Augusta flags,” she said.

She is one of four rookies in the CME field this week.

Naples’ Tamulis in different role

Naples High graduate Kris Tamulis is playing a different role this week at the CME Group Tour Championship, playing in Tuesday’s pro-am but not the actual tournament starting Thursday.

“This is the first year I played in the pro-am but not the tournament so I hope I’ll be in the 60-player field next year,” said Tamulis, who plays out of Grey Oaks Country Club and has been in the CME field previously. “I played good today but I’m still disappointed about not playing in the tournament. This is the last competitive golf I’ll play until early next year.”

Only 60 LPGA Tour players qualified for the CME this year (down from 72), and the LPGA needed several members to fill out the pro-am fields.

Henderson trying to feel at home

Brooke Henderson, the Canadian who comes in at No. 2 on the Race to the CME Globe standings, said she isn’t surprised that Lexi Thompson and sisters Nelly and Jessica Korda have played well at Tiburón, considering they all grew up putting on Bermuda grass greens in Florida.

But Henderson is trying to close the gap. She bought a part-time residence at Miromar Lakes in 2017 after staying in the area in 2016.

“It’s really nice in the offseason to spend time where it’s warm and sunny,” Henderson said. “We love this area and we actually have made a lot of friends. They’re excited to come out and watch me this week. Hopefully I can capture some of that adrenaline of the hometown crowd and fuel off it the next few days.

Ko idolizes Faxon

Jin Young Ko, who already has wrapped up Player of the Year and comes in as the No. 1 player, credits putting guru and tour player Brad Faxon for helping her putting.

Ko was asked when she was growing up if she had a favorite golfer who was not Korean, and she answered Faxon.

“He’s good, great putting, yeah,” she said. “And then I met him at the U.S. Open last year, and then I did — I had handshake with Brad Faxon before the round.”

Ko then one-putted the first three holes and told her caddie that she didn’t want to wash her hands.

Ko, 24, said she had studied Faxon’s putting videos on YouTube for years.

CME Group Tour Championship

When: Thursday-Sunday

Where: Tiburón Golf Club at Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort

Info: cmegrouptourchampionship.com

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Bucs WR Chris Godwin lands on ESPN’s list of the top 25 players under 25

Tampa Bay Buccaneers third-year receiver Chris Godwin has landed on ESPN’s list of the top 25 players under 25 for 2019.

Entering the 2019 season, Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin was viewed by many as a player ready for a breakout season. Bruce Arians even said the third-year receiver out of Penn State could be close to a 100-catch guy this year.

Through the first 11 weeks of the season, Godwin has already exceeded expectations, setting a career-high in both receptions (63) and receiving yards (887) and tying his career-high with seven touchdown receptions.

Few people probably predicted Godwin turning into the star player he has, but now that he’s arrived on the scene, it doesn’t look like he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. Which might explain why ESPN selected Godwin to their list of the top 25 players under 25 for 2019.

Godwin — who won’t turn 25 until February of 2021 — landed at No. 22.

Here’s part of the explanation for his inclusion on the list:

“Godwin was a relatively unheralded third-round pick in 2017, but he has emerged as a force. The restraints are off in 2019. New coach Bruce Arians converted Godwin to a slot receiver and has had him on the field for 96% of the team’s offensive snaps. The Penn State product has run a league-high 368 pass routes and has already put up a 60/840/6 receiving line, ranking no lower than sixth among receivers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns… He and superstar Mike Evans certainly combine to form arguably the league’s best duo at the position.”

Godwin had a fast start to the season, catching six touchdowns in the team’s first five games. He had one touchdown reception in last Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints. It was Godwin’s first touchdown since he caught two against the Saints back in Week 5’s loss.

Godwin will look to keep his scoring ways going next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons on the road.

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