Tag: TCU

Saints fans should prepare for rain inside Chargers’ open-air SoFi Stadium

Saints fans shouldn’t forget about Hurricane Hilary’s rain Just because the Chargers play inside SoFi Stadium. The venue has dealt with leaks and lightning delays before:

The NFL is determined to see the New Orleans Saints kick off their second preseason game with the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night whether Hurricane Hilary hits the area or not. Orange County is under the first tropical storm warning — not the first this year, but the first ever — but the league office has determined the show must go on.

So kickoff is still scheduled for 6 pm. CT/4 p.m. PT, right around the time bands of tropical wind and rain are forecast to approach one of America’s largest cities. And any fans looking to brave the elements so they can see their team play an exhibition game should take precautions for the weather while at their seats.

Pack a poncho, wear good shoes, and try to practice patience. Don’t assume you’ll be high and dry just because SoFi Stadium has a dome. The venue does not have complete walls encircling the field, stands, and concourse (so that the normally-pristine Los Angeles climate can breeze through) but that exposure has led to rain pouring inside before. Past games have dealt with lightning delays, interior flooding, and injuries from people slipping and falling while just trying to make their way to their seats. Another factor to consider is how the precipitation may impact the field’s artificial Matrix Turf playing surface.

Take a look for yourself at the elements’ intrusion to this year’s NCAA national championship game between Georgia and TCU:

How Chargers’ rookies fared in preseason debut

Evaluating Los Angeles Chargers rookies after first week of 2023 NFL preseason.

The preseason is meant to evaluate players, and for a handful of them, this past week marked their first time playing in an NFL game, including the Chargers with their seven draft picks in their win over the Rams on Saturday.

Los Angeles was headlined by first-round pick wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who had an uneven performance. He was targeted early but couldn’t hang onto two passes, including one deep down the right sideline. Johnston was knocked in the draft process for his hands, which is clearly still a work in progress. But right before the half, Johnston came back in the game and hauled in a pass for an 8-yard touchdown, beating Rams defensive back Richard LeCounte from the slot with a smooth route.

“It was alright,” Johnston said about his debut. “Not the best start, it was kind of rough but I bounced back with it at the end with the touchdown.

“At the end of the day, I’m not satisfied,” Johnston added. “Hopefully I’ll come back next week and do better.”

Edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu brought some pressure early on the Rams’ first drive. Tuipulotu displayed high effort, acceleration and closing speed to cover ground and bring down quarterback Brett Rypien, who barely managed to get the pass off. Tuipulotu also looked good at defending the run, setting some firm edges.

Linebacker Daiyan Henley made some key plays on defense and special teams. Henley, the former defensive back and wide receiver, recorded a pass deflection and was always around the football against the run. He wore the green dot and called the plays in the second half. On Derius Davis’ 81-yard punt return touchdown, Henley made a vital block to open up a big hole for him.

Davis, the Chargers’ fourth-round pick, showed why they drafted him: to be their return specialist, with his 81-yard punt return for a score, making it look effortless with his speed and quickness. He also had two catches on two targets for 21 yards.

Jordan McFadden logged all of his snaps at left guard. McFadden was dinged for holding a couple of times, including on running back Isaiah Spiller’s 70+ yard touchdown, which negated it. Aside from that, he performed well, making some key blocks in the run game and looking comfortable out in space as a puller. In pass protection, McFadden was credited for one pressure on 21 pass-blocking snaps.

Defensive tackle Scott Matlock made his presence known with a rush where he got pressure on Stetson Bennett, showcasing his athleticism for a man of his size and up-field urgency to force him out of the pocket, leading to an incompletion. Matlock was also stout at taking on blocks at the point of attack in the run game.

Quarterback Max Duggan took over in the second half following a solid performance from Easton Stick. There wasn’t much to write home about Duggan on Saturday. He completed two of three passes for 19 yards and added a 19-yard run.

Highlight: Chargers WR Quentin Johnston catches first touchdown of NFL preseason

Quentin Johnston has his first touchdown catch as an NFL player.

Quentin Johnston has his first touchdown catch as an NFL player.

After an inauspicious start with three drops in the first two drives, the Chargers put Johnston back in the game in the red zone with time winding down in the first half.

You can probably guess what happened next: a target in the red zone, which the rookie converted for his first NFL touchdown.

Los Angeles will hope that positive note, which should be the end of Johnston’s game against the Rams, puts the first-round pick back on the right track.

Five unique programs the SEC should at least consider regarding expansion

Five teams the SEC could add during the conference realignment chaos

Conference realignment has always been a part of college sports, but when Oklahoma and Texas both agreed to leave the Big 12 in favor of the SEC something just felt different.

The following summer, UCLA and USC announced their decision to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, an indication that we were entering a new era that was moving away from the five power conferences. The Big 12 quickly responded by adding UCF, BYU, Houston and Cincinnati to form an even 12 teams again and stay afloat.

All had been calm since then, until last week when Colorado decided to leave the Pac-12 to join the Big 12. The move seems like it could possibly end the Pac-12, which now has nine members, with other conferences actively trying to recruit who is left. At this point, it is just a matter of time until the Big Ten and SEC strike again, but what will happen with the Big 12, Pac-12 and ACC in the meantime?

Here are five programs the SEC should at least reach out to in order to gauge interest in potentially joining the program.

TCU was rightfully upset after a runner was called out despite getting pushed off the bag

How does any umpire make THAT call?

Major League Baseball fans love to complain about umpires, but it’s important to remember just how much worse it could get. The College World Series is a reminder of that.

During Tuesday’s elimination game between TCU and Oral Roberts, umpires made one of the most ridiculous rulings we’ll see in a baseball game. They even stood by the call after a review.

The play in question took place in the top of the sixth inning with TCU threatening to extend its lead. Karson Bowen hit a grounder to short, which had Elijah Nunez caught in a rundown. As Blaze Brothers (what a name!) ultimately tagged Nunez out, his momentum carried him into the bag and towards Austin Davis’ legs on third base.

Davis was clearly pushed off the bag and should have been safe. But the umpires ruled (and upheld after review) that Davis left the bag and was tagged out.

It was a nonsensical call, and this man in the crowd had the appropriate reaction.

TCU had every right to be upset about that double play. The umpires really should have known better there as Davis didn’t leave the bag on his own.

MORE:

Notre Dame football: 12 teams Irish should soon play

Who is overdue to get back on Notre Dame’s schedule?

A quick look at Notre Dame‘s schedule puts it among the best in college football almost annually.  With USC always on it and yearly bouts against the nation’s best teams (Clemson and Ohio State both this year to come), if you play football at Notre Dame you’ll be playing in marquee match-ups on the regular.

Who are the teams you wish you’d see Notre Dame play again (or for the first) time again, though?

I came up with the 12 teams I’d most like to see Notre Dame renew games against but there were two simple stipulations:

  1. The opponent doesn’t currently appear on a Notre Dame future schedule
  2. Notre Dame hasn’t played this opponent since at least 2009

So here are the 12 teams I’d most like to see Notre Dame play under those guidelines…

Report: Mike Miles Jr. to work out for the Thunder in pre-draft visit

Mike Miles Jr. is set to work out for the Thunder, per @Rylan_Stiles

The 2023 NBA draft is two weeks away, which means draft prospects are touring the country and meeting with several teams.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking at possibly adding three rookies to their roster. They own the No. 12, No. 37 and No. 50 picks in the draft.

A possible addition in the late second round is TCU guard Mike Miles Jr., who is set to meet with the Thunder in the near future for a pre-draft visit and workout, per “Locked On’s” Rylan Stiles.

The 20-year-old spent three seasons at college, all at TCU. In 27 games last season, he averaged 17.9 points on 49.7% shooting, 2.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds. He also shot 36.2% from 3 on 3.9 attempts.

Miles Jr. is projected to be a late second-round pick or undrafted free agent, which is in the range of the 50th pick the Thunder own.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 22. A full list of prospects who’ve met with the Thunder can be read here.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

The Fayetteville regional won’t be easy and DVH knows it

Dave Van Horn knows it will be a dogfight to win the Fayetteville Regional.

Fans in Fayetteville are excited about Baum-Walker Stadium being one of the NCAA Regional host locations. Still, manager Dave Van Horn already knows it won’t be easy. 

Van Horn spoke of the journey his team took to be one of the top eight teams despite the struggles they went through midway through the season, including injuries and one-inning collapses.

But the legendary manager quickly dismissed the season’s misfortunes and acknowledged the field. The Hogs start with the lowest seed of the group, Santa Clara, and while they might not be from a power five conference, Van Horn still respects them as champions.

“They won something,” he said after the selection. “They’re a championship team. So all I know is probably just a little bit more than most people know about them, what popped up on the board. We’ll look into them right now.”

The other side of the field includes one of the Diamond Hogs’ opponents from earlier in the season, another conference champion, TCU. The Horned Frogs blew out the Hogs at the College Baseball Classic, and they haven’t slowed down since then.

“What a really talented team,” Van Horn said about TCU. “Older team Veteran team. Good mix of speed and defense. Power. Just following scores, and I follow most of the teams in our region. We felt like we’d get somebody from the area. Wasn’t sure it would be TCU.”

The Hogs will have to wait to see if they will get a rematch, all pending on if TCU can defeat Arizona, the wild card of the bunch.

Both games are Friday, with the Hogs taking on Santa Clara first at 2 p.m.

NCAA Baseball regional: How they got to Fayetteville

The field includes No. 2 Texas Christian and No. 3 Arizona, who will play after Arkansas and Santa Clara. Let’s see how each team made it to Fayetteville.  

Baum-Walker Stadium will host NCAA regionals for the 10th time in Arkansas baseball program history.

The last time the Diamond Hogs hosted the NCAA regionals was in 2021.  Arkansas emerged victorious against Nebraska in the regional final, advancing to the super-regionals, only to lose to NC State, missing a trip to the College World Series.

Arkansas is one of a record eight SEC teams that will host a regional, along with Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt.

The rest of the field includes No. 2 Texas Christian and No. 3 Arizona, who will play after Arkansas and Santa Clara. Let’s see how each team made it to Fayetteville.

WR Quentin Johnston makes first appearance in full Chargers uniform

Check out the Los Angeles Chargers’ first-round pick in full uniform.

Last Saturday, May 20, the NFLPA held its Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, CA. The event provided football fans with their first look at some of the 2023 NFL draft’s popular prospects in the uniforms of their new teams.

For the Chargers, their first-round pick wide receiver Quentin Johnston represented the team at the event.

Check him out below, donning the infamous powder blue jersey with his number 1 and the gold pants.

A big-bodied wideout, Johnston should provide a spark to Los Angeles’ offense early in the 2023 season as he is a deep threat with the speed to stretch the field and can outpace defenders in the open field with great explosiveness, wiggle and strength.

Johnston needs to refine his route running and clean up some drop issues, but having the mentorship of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Josh Palmer should aid that.