Saints announce deal with one of Klint Kubiak’s former players

The Saints announced a deal with one of Klint Kubiak’s former players, former Vikings offensive lineman Oli Udoh:

The New Orleans Saints announced a deal with one of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s former players on Tuesday, signing offensive lineman Oli Udoh (short for Olisaemeka) to a one-year deal. The Fayetteville, N.C. native played college football in-state at Elon before the Minnesota Vikings drafted him back in 2019.

Kubiak was on Minnesota’s coaching staff at the time, and he rose through the ranks to become the team’s offensive coordinator in 2021. That’s when Udoh first stepped into the starting lineup, playing 900-plus snaps at right guard. He’s also logged about 200 snaps at both left and right tackle through his pro career. The 27-year-old offers some versatility up front for New Orleans.

He’s also recovering from season-ending quadricep surgery in 2023, but Udoh told reporters Tuesday that he’s ahead of schedule in recovery and it sounds like he’ll be active in the offseason program. It’s unclear just yet which position the Saints will ask Udoh to play but he can help improve depth at a couple of different spots.

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Lady Vols defeat Elon in four sets

Lady Vols defeat Elon in four sets.

Tennessee (2-2) won its first regular-season road match of the 2022 season Friday, defeating Elon in four sets.

After losing the first set, Tennessee rallied for a, 23-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-9, win at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Morgahn Fingall led Tennessee with 18 kills and four blocks. Keondreya Granberry added nine kills.

Erykah Lovett recorded nine kills and 19 digs, while Kadynce Boothe totaled 12 digs for the lady Vols.

Natalie Hayward finished with 34 assists, three blocks and one ace, while Paola Laborda posted 14 digs and five assists.

The win ended a two-match losing streak for the Lady Vols.

Sydney Love recorded 13 kills and five blocks for Elon.

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Vanderbilt vs Elon Prediction, Game Preview

Vanderbilt vs Elon game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 1 game on Saturday, September 3

Vanderbilt vs Elon prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 1, Saturday, September 3


Vanderbilt vs Elon How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 3
Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN
How To Watch: SEC Network/ESPN+
Record: Vanderbilt (1-0), Elon (0-0)
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Vanderbilt vs Elon Game Preview

Why Elon Will Win

The Phoenix bring an interesting mix to this.

Start with an offense that likely won’t turn the ball over much – it didn’t last year – and with an efficient passing attack that knows how to get things moving.

Quarterback Davis Cheek is done, but the receiving corps is solid, the passing game will be good, and the defense has enough playmakers to continue with its bend-don’t-break style.

All that, and Vanderbilt is coming off the long and enjoyable trip to Hawaii. But …

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Why Vanderbilt Will Win

63-10.

Hawaii might have been gutted and is starting over, and Vanderbilt was jacked to make an early statement, but you don’t roll up over 400 yards of rushing offense and over 600 yards in all if you don’t have a changed attitude and better team.

QB Mike Wright was amazing – 163 rushing yards and two scores with two touchdown passes – the defense held up just fine, and it turned into one of the programs most dominant performances in a long, long time.

If the offensive line plays like that again, forget it.

Week 1 Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews, Saturday

What’s Going To Happen

Elon isn’t going to bring any sort of a running game, and the passing attack isn’t dangerous enough to pose any sort of a real threat.

Is Vanderbilt’s mind going to be there? How do you get the intensity back up after making the trip to Honolulu?

It won’t be as amazing an effort, but the Commodores will easily go 2-0 for the first time wince 2018 with another good day on the ground.

All of the CFN Predictions

Vanderbilt vs Elon Prediction, Line

Vanderbilt 41, Elon 13
Line: Vanderbilt -20, o/u: 51.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3

Vanderbilt vs Elon Must See Rating: 1.5

5: Gangs of London Season 2
1: Mack & Rita

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Notre Dame Baseball is ready to face the Big Ten this weekend

The Irish head north to face three Big Ten opponents

The Irish aren’t going somewhere warm this weekend. Actually, they’re going somewhere that is notoriously cold for this time of year, Minnesota. Fortunately, Notre Dame will be playing inside during their three-game road trip against Illinois, Michigan State and host Minnesota.

Earlier this evening Link Jarrett announced his starting rotation, the same one from last weekend. Aiden Tyrell will lead the team on Friday, followed by John Michael Bertrand and Austin Temple. The Cambria College Classic is the start of their spring break trip as the Irish will head to North Carolina to face Elon before starting their ACC campaign against NC State over the weekend.

With the Big Ten foes each entering the weekend with losing records, the Irish should be favored in every game. All the games are being played indoors at U.S. Bank Stadium along with being televised on Big Ten Network Plus.

Stay tuned to Fighting Irish Wire for the latest results from this weekend’s contests for Notre Dame Baseball.

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Ravens sign 6 more UDFAs, including OLB Marcus Willoughby

The Baltimore Ravens continue to work through the UDFA group, signing another six more prospects to their 90-man roster.

The Baltimore Ravens are moving paperwork this week, adding another six undrafted free agents to their 90-man roster, according to a press release from the team. These deals come at the same time the Ravens have signed the first of their 10 2020 NFL Draft picks, defensive tackle Broderick Washington Jr.

With the signing of six more UDFAs, it brings their total to 11 signed thus far. Baltimore had been linked to 18 prospects in our UDFA tracker, though with the coronavirus pandemic making getting physicals tougher, deals are slower to come through than in previous years.

Take a look at the six newest Ravens:

CB Khalil Dorsey, Northern Arizona

You can never have too many cornerbacks — At least that’s what former general manager Ozzie Newsome once said. Dorsey was productive at Northern Arizona, starting 40 games and notching 197 combined tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, eight interceptions and 41 passes defensed. More impressively, Dorsey blocked two kicks, which could be his ticket on the 53-man roster.

CB Josh Nurse, Utah

Like Dorsey, Nurse enters a pretty deep cornerback group in Baltimore. Nurse hasn’t started many games, winning the starting job for 10 games in 2019, playing mostly on special teams before that.

WR Jaylon Moore, Tennessee-Martin

As a small-school prospect, Moore could easily be overlooked. But he was productive, starting 25-of-39 games and catching 92 passes for 1,492 yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. At 5-foot-11 and 191 pounds, Moore is more primed for the slot than as an outside receiver, though he also returned three kickoffs in 2019 and could factor in that competition with the Ravens.

S Nigel Warrior, Tennessee

We identified safety as one of the positions Baltimore had to pay attention to for the future. Though the starting lineup is cemented in place, there’s not a ton of depth at either free safety or strong safety. The Ravens did take Geno Stone in the 2020 NFL Draft but Warrior could earn a roster spot with great play on special teams and work his way up the roster over time.

OLB Marcus Willoughby, Elon

Pass rushers are perhaps the second-most coveted position in the NFL, right behind the quarterback they’re trying to bring down. Since the Ravens didn’t address the position in the 2020 NFL Draft, Willoughby will have a legitimate chance to make the 53-man roster with a good showing in training camp and the preseason.

Willoughby posted 224 combined tackles, 31 tackles for a loss, and 16.5 sacks over four years with Elon.

TE Eli Wolfe, Georgia

With the trade of Hayden Hurst, Baltimore has two top tight ends but will be searching for a third to provide depth. Wolfe will compete with Charles Scarff for that final spot.

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