In the Arizona Cardinals' 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, 20 players participated in at least one of the 55 defensive snaps and 34 participated in at least one of the 24 special teams snaps.
How was that playing time divided up? We have the numbers below.
The first number after each name is their snap count, while the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.
Walter Nolen III (36/65),Dante Stills (32/58), NT Roy Lopez (26/47), Darius Robinson (19/35), L.J. Collier (19/35)
Inactive: NT Andrew Billings

#snaps

For a while, it looked like the same ol' Arizona Cardinals' defense that lost nine consecutive games to end the 2025 season with inside linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. on injured reserve because of a serious injury to his ribs.
On their first possession, the Los Angeles Chargers moved effortlessly on an eight-play, 77-yard drive that included three receptions by wide receiver Ladd McConkey for 60 yards to tie the game at seven with 4:22 to play in the first quarter.
The Cardinals took a 10-7 lead on a Chad Ryland 27-yard field goal after which the Chargers traveled 76 yards, gaining 62 on nine plays and faced fourth-and-three at the Cardinals' three-yard line after the two-minute warning.
Eschewing a chip-shot field-goal attempt, quarterback Justin Herbert dropped back to pass, but before he could even set up to throw, defensive lineman Dante Stills was on him after cleanly beating guard Trey Pipkins III and sacked Herbert for a 10-yard loss.
The Cardinals followed that with a drive that ended the half with a Ryland 44-yard field goal and a 13-7 halftime lead.

#cardinals #first

2027 NFL Draft QB rankings: Darian Mensah, Drew Mestemaker on the rise appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2027 NFL Draft class was talked up to be loaded with quarterbacks, which was much-needed for many NFL teams coming off of what many claimed was a one-QB class in 2026. Before the college football season, this was billed as one of the most talented QB classes in recent memory.
So far, that hasn't necessarily played out on the field. Dante Moore, our No. 1 quarterback on the board in the preseason, has looked awful, to put it bluntly. Arch Manning and Julian Sayin were up-and-down in their blockbuster Week 2 clash between Ohio State and Texas.
On the other side of the coin, Darian Mensah and Trinidad Chambliss have been very impressive so far in the opening few weeks, and CJ Carr has also played very well against a soft schedule to open the year.
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#darian

The Heisman Trophy got a lot more interesting this weekend when Arch Manning led Texas to a 20-point fourth quarter comeback over Jeremiah Smith and #1 Ohio State. Both players crack the top three this week and we have two drop outs from the top 10 — one as you can guess is Dante Moore after the Oregon Ducks lost at Oklahoma State as three touchdowns favorites! Heisman Trophy odds are courtesy of DraftKings. Let's get started!
1. Darian Mensah, Miami Hurricanes (+550)
2026 Stats: 653 pass yards | 8 pass TDs | 91.1 comp% | 0 INTs
Last Game: 252 pass yards | 3 pass TDs | 93.3 comp% | 0 INTs
Next Game: At Wake Forest — Friday at 7:30 PM ET
Darian Mensah and Miami torched Florida A&M into a burnt crisp. The Hurricanes offense posted a school-record 856 yards and that comes with five minutes being shaved off the fourth quarter. Mensah didn't play the second half and sat the fourth against Stanford, so he has eight touchdowns and 653 yards through five quarters of action. Wake Forest is next on the schedule and they just allowed Purdue to throw for 329 yards and a touchdown on 32-of-42 passing.
2. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Buckeyes (+700)
2026 Stats: 16 rec | 315 yards | 3 total TDs | 19.7 ypc
Last Game: 8 rec | 164 yards | 1 TD | 20.5 ypc
Next Game: Vs Kent State — Saturday at 12:00 PM ET
Texas may have won the game, but Jeremiah Smith won the night! Smith had an extraordinary stat line for a top five matchup. He caught eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Smith could have easily had 200-plus yards and three touchdowns if he and Julian Sayin could have connected on two tough contested catches in the end zone.

#fourth

Being a successful college football program usually means the head coach will have to replace his coordinators fairly often. Dan Lanning has needed to do this at Oregon, and he had to fill both coordinator spots this past offseason. Tosh Lupoi went to Cal, and Will Stein went to Kentucky. After Oregon's 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State, it's clear that Will Stein meant more to Oregon than we all previously realized.
Oregon's offense did not improve from its first game to its second. That's a very alarming development for Dan Lanning. Not getting basic improvement out of his team shows that his new offensive coordinator, Drew Mehringer, is not performing at the needed standard.
Oregon had two delay-of-game penalties on a crucial fourth-quarter drive when trailing. That shows a lack of coaching. Drew Mehringer does not have firm command of his offense.
Dante Moore was good but not incredible last season. He delivered some huge clutch plays but went through cold spells. Will Stein was really skilled at teaching Moore how to learn from mistakes and evolve as a quarterback. Moore doesn't have Stein's wisdom to learn from this year. It is showing in Oregon's very inconsistent offense, which had just 65 total yards just before halftime.
Dan Lanning keeps going for it on fourth downs at Oregon. That's how he rolls. With a new offensive coordinator on staff, that risky approach now looks less effective. Lanning needs an elite offensive coordinator for his ultra-aggressive approach to work.

#coordinator #offense #mehringer

Oregon survived a scare against Boise State in Week 1, overcoming an upset to open the season with a win.
A week later at Oklahoma State, Oregon found itself in a similar position — only this time Dan Lanning's squad couldn't deliver the same ending: Oklahoma State defeated No. 6 Oregon 39-31 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 12.
REQUIRED READING: Oregon stunned by Oklahoma State by running and throwing of Drew Mestemaker
The Ducks fought all the way back and briefly took a 31-30 lead when Dante Moore connected with Evan Stewart for a 38-yard touchdown. But Oklahoma State answered right back, as quarterback Drew Mestemaker scored on a 10-yard rushing touchdown to permanently put the Cowboys back in front.
Oregon then made a bold decision with 6:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, going for it on fourth-and-8 from its own 33-yard line. The gamble did not pay off, as Moore's pass to Dierre Hill Jr. on the right side fell incomplete, resulting in a turnover on downs. The failed conversion gave Oklahoma State prime field position and put the Ducks' comeback hopes in serious jeopardy when the Cowboys tacked on a 31-yard field goal from Sam Keltner.

#ducks

A week after losing to Tulsa and a year after losing by over 60 points to Oregon, the Cowboys shocked the No. 6 Ducks 39-31 on Saturday.
Oregon, a 24-point favorite, was somehow even sloppier than it was in its Week 1 win over Boise State. And the epitome of that adjective came just after the 2-minute warning. As Oregon needed a touchdown and a 2-point conversion to tie the game, RB Dierre Hill simply dropped a toss from QB Dante Moore and Oklahoma State recovered.
THE PITCH IS **** ED AND OKLAHOMA STATE HAS IT!!! pic.twitter.com/HAyEKGLIMM
Oregon had three timeouts after the fumble, but QB Drew Mestemaker kept the ball on a third-down read option to seal the game with a run for a first down.
"I don't know if I can top this," OSU coach Eric Morris told ESPN after the game. "I'm not going to retire but I might think about it tonight."

#week #cowboys

Where to watch ADCC World Championships: Full schedule, times, live stream, channel for 2026 grappling event originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For the first time, Poland will host the ADCC World Championships this weekend.
The world's best submission grapplers compete for the ultimate bragging rights. The ADCC World Championships feature athletes competing across multiple men's and women's weight classes, as well as the absolute division.
Micael Galvao, one of the most exciting grapplers today, won a 77kg ***** le in 2024. Other top grapplers and former champions at the event include Felipe Pena, Dante Leon, Helena Crevar, and more.
Here is everything you need to know about the ADCC World Championships, including TV and streaming options for the tournament.

#sporting

The Seattle Seahawks begin their 2026 season versus the New England Patriots on Wednesday. That doesn't mean some publications aren't already looking towards the 2027 NFL draft. With a new college football campaign officially underway, mock drafts have been populating news feeds.
NFL Draft On SI: A Sports Illustrated Channel was among the outlets that released new first-round mock drafts. Using power rankings to determine the draft order, they have the Seahawks picking at No. 31 overall. The pick? Clemson defensive end Will Heldt.
"Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider likes to keep four, five pass rushers in rotation," NFL Draft On SI wrote. "With DeMarcus Lawrence and Dante Fowler Jr. being aging veterans, adding another young rusher to the fold would fit the Seahawks' approach. Clemson's Will Heldt transferred to the program last season from Purdue and led the Tigers in tackles for loss (15.5) and sacks (7.5)."
Heldt placed third among returning Power Four edge defenders with an 84.4 PFF overall grade last season, according to Pro Football Focus. His 87.8 PFF pass-rush grade on true pass sets ranked 14th in the Power Four. He's been a dominant rusher for the Tigers.
Heldt feels like a prospect who will be on the Seahawks' radar.

#heldt #draft #season

USC football shut out Fresno State on Friday night. The Trojans were able to earn a day off and watch college football on Saturday. The game you know the Trojans were watching on Saturday was Oregon versus Boise State. The Ducks got a severe test. Ducks Wire reacted:
"'I'm glad this game was how it was; we've got a lot to learn,' (Dante) Moore said after a career day with 378 yards passing. 'Thank God it wasn't a 40- or 50-point blowout, because this just shows us who we are right now, and what we have to attack coming into next week.'
"If that's what (Dan) Lanning instilled in his guys after a tense, nerve-wracking, and often frustrating season-opener, then I think the Ducks won in more ways than one. Did Oregon look good on Saturday? No, not by their standards. Did they play well? At times, but it was far too inconsistent. Is there a lot to clean up? Yes, undoubtedly. Is everything they're aiming for still out in front of them?
"Coaching a championship contender is hard. You want them to be so dominant that they blow every opponent out of the water, but you also want to keep them motivated and hungry enough to keep working hard. It's like a magic trick, or threading a needle. Lanning has walked that tightrope several times over the years, and he got a bit of an ****** ist on Saturday in Week 1. The Ducks played far below their standards against what we believe is a pretty good Boise State team. They still showed how good they can be, keeping the ceiling high, but left us thinking about how hard they need to work to reach their goals. In the coming weeks, Oregon will undoubtedly tip towards the side of blowouts and bloodbaths. They may eventually fall toward humility down the road, too."
Oregon fell well short of expectations, but it did win a tough game, which could fuel the Ducks' confidence. It will be fascinating to see how the Ducks evolve before they play the Trojans on September 26.

#state #hard

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Oregon didn't take too kindly to Boise State players dancing to "Shout."
The Ducks play the iconic song from the film "National Lampoon's Animal House" during the break between the third and fourth quarters of every home game at Autzen Stadium.
The video scoreboard shows the Nike commercial made in 2015 that features Oregon stars, including former quarterbacks Marcus Mariota and Joey Harrington, who recreate the film's toga party scene. The Autzen fans always sing and dance along, and sometimes the Ducks players join in on the tradition.
But on Saturday, when the No. 2 Ducks hosted Boise State in the season opener, the Broncos' players danced along to the song. At the time, the game was tied 24-24.
"When we seen that, it was like, `Hey, you can't do that in our home,'" Oregon quarterback Dante Moore said. "So we made sure that we go out here and capitalize and finish drives and put some points on the board."

#players #autzen

Ligue 1 McDonald's, Matchday 3, 05/09/26
OGC Nice secured their second point of the season against a battling Le Mans FC side (1-1). Olivier Pantaloni remains winless, however, after taking over in the summer.
Patrick Videira is credited with creating something special from very little. His side weren't even in the conversation for promotion at the start of last season, having only earned promotion from the National 1 the previous season. There is a clear upward direction of travel; the opposite can be said of Nice. Olivier Pantaloni's arrival was meant to bring fresh momentum, but that isn't easy when the ownership situation remains unchanged.
Club legend Dante was back at the Allianz Riviera, whilst the fans also returned for the first time this season. There was a feeling of yester-season that translated onto the pitch as Le Gym struggled to find any kind of fluency on the ball. Errors were too frequent and punished. There was a let-off when Jean Vercruysse found himself free inside the box. Youssouf Ndayishimiye made himself big and made the block. But it was the Burundi international who was left scrambling following a turnover of possession deep in the Nice half. Ndayishimiye didn't lose it, but he couldn't win it back. Adil Bourabaa danced past him and unleashed an absolute thunderbolt into the far corner of Yehvann Diouf's goal.
The game-state ensured that Nice had much of the ball but Pantaloni's men lacked penetration. Their best chance within the opening 30 minutes came from a set-piece quickly taken by Niels Nkounkou. Jonathan Clauss had all the time to pick out the unmarked Axel Witsel, who couldn't direct his header on target. A let-off for Videira's side.

#remains #PROMOTION #back #time

The first full Saturday of the college football season is here, and we are heading to two of the day's biggest nonconference matchups for our best bets.
First, No. 2 Oregon opens its season at home against Boise State before we turn to Atlanta, where Auburn and Baylor will meet for the second straight year.
For all of your college football betting picks, here are today's TST Best Bets, brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join. All new players receive a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.

First Pick: Oregon vs. Boise State - Over 51.5
Rundown: With projected No. 1 pick Dante Moore leading the way, Oregon should once again have one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
The Ducks scored at least 41 points in each of their first three nonconference games last season, helping the over cash twice during that stretch.

#first #season

Baker Mayfield faces a $50M crossroads amid uncertain Buccaneers future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have refused to pay Baker Mayfield a big new contract extension, as they enter the 2026 NFL season with some long-term question marks at the position.
But, for at least 2026, Mayfield is the starting quarterback. He'll be the starter in 2026 and have a real chance to prove himself one more time. A lot is on the line for Mayfield in 2026.
As ESPN's Bill Barnwell highlighted, there is a $50 million-plus crossroads that Mayfield is facing this season. Depending on how he plays in 2026, Mayfield could potentially wind up playing elsewhere next year.
"There will be organizations angling for Arch Manning, Dante Moore and other options at the top of next year's draft, but if a team such as the Steelers isn't drafting high enough to land one of the top prospects, will it be willing to pay north of $50 million per season to lock in Mayfield?" Barnwell writes. "His 2026 production might determine whether that's a realistic path."

#buccaneers #barnwell

Meet the 7 underrated QBs who could be college football's next Fernando Mendoza originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There might never be a better example of how drastically a quarterback class can change in a few short months than the 2025 college football season.
LaNorris Sellers, Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier were all considered legitimate first-round prospects and potential Heisman Trophy contenders. The name Fernando Mendoza was known by a much more limited number of fans, with the exception of those who stayed up deep into the night to watch him duel with Cam Ward at Cal.
The quarterbacks to watch this college football season are supposed to be Arch Manning, Dante Moore, CJ Carr, Julian Sayin, Trinidad Chambliss and Darian Mensah. It doesn't usually work out that way, though.
At least one quarterback without much name recognition in Week 1 is going to find his way into the thick of the Heisman Trophy race or the first round discussion, if not both. A rise like Mendoza's is tough to mirror, but there are a number of quarterbacks who have the talent to reach stardom in 2026.

#sporting

How early is too early to release mock drafts? For some, it is never too early. That's kind of the beauty of the mock draft: projecting potential trades, surprise picks, and predicting where players might land. Some may think it is far too early to be looking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft, but for one ESPN writer, the time is always right to be doing mock drafts.
Jordan Reid of ESPN went through and made predictions for the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft and has the Cleveland Browns making a blockbuster trade, moving up to the first overall pick.
The package? Picks 4, 32, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick to move up and select Oregon QB Dante Moore:
I had the Dolphins trade out because they recently invested in Malik Willis. While a lot depends on Willis' performance this season, Miami does already have a promising young quarterback. Unless Shedeur Sanders makes a massive leap in Year 2 (which seems unlikely), the Browns do not. Deshaun Watson's contract ends after this season, as well, making this a perfect time for Cleveland to take another swing at that elusive franchise QB to join the young talent it has accumulated in the past couple drafts.
Moore has squeaky-clean mechanics, and his accuracy shined in his first year as a starter. This would be a good situation for him, with young players he can grow alongside. If he brings his stellar college play to the NFL, the Browns could turn things around quickly.

#draft #round #pick

The Buffalo Bills on Saturday announced a handful of their final cuts as they trim their roster to 53 players. Among their initial cuts was former San Francisco 49ers second-round pick Dante Pettis.
Pettis was the 49ers' second-round pick in the 2018 draft. He put together a strong rookie campaign in San Francisco with 27 catches for 467 yards and five touchdowns despite suffering a knee injury in Week 4 and being limited to 12 games. His arrow was pointed up with the 49ers and it looked after Year 1 like he might be a foundational piece of their receiving corps.
Unfortunately for Pettis, the wheels came off in 2019 as the 49ers became a Super Bowl contender. He caught 11 ******* for 109 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games during his sophomore campaign. Pettis didn't make it through 2020 with the 49ers. He didn't record a catch in five games and was waived in November.
Since being waived he's been unable to catch on with a substantial role on any club. He played five games across one-plus seasons with the New York Giants. He had one year with the Chicago Bears in 2022, didn't sign with anyone in 2023, and then caught on with the New Orleans Saints for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The Buffalo Bills signed him this offseason and he wasn't able to earn a place on the 53-man roster.
Pettis since his rookie season has 65 catches for 764 yards and eight touchdowns in 54 games with 12 starts.

#bills

The Bills announced their first wave of cuts on Saturday afternoon.
The list includes the previous reported release of wide receiver Mecole Hardman, but not the release of punter Mitch Wishnowsky. The Bills have reportedly decided to go with rookie Tommy Doman over Wishnowsky.
Buffalo is also parting ways with linebacker Cade Denhoff, cornerback Jordan Dunbar, guard Bruno Fina, linebacker Theron Gaines, center Sincere Haynesworth, defensive lineman Zion Logue, cornerback D.J. Miller, safety Wande Owens, wide receiver Dante Pettis, linebacker Otis Reese, wide receiver Quentin Skinner, and tight end Shane Zylstra.
If Wishnowsky's reported release is included, the Bills are left with 23 more moves to make to get to the 53-man limit on Sunday.

#receiver #linebacker #wishnowsky

Bayern Munich's summer transfer window sees another talent join their U-23s. This time, the Bavarians' confirmed via their official website that they have signed South Korean left back Doyeon Kim, who arrives from Daejon Hana Citizen. The South Korean team, who play in the East Asian country's top division (the K-League 1), will part with their youth academy product for an undisclosed transfer fee. He will join up with head coach Dante's squad and provide valuable depth at left back.
Campus sporting director Michael Wiesinger had this to say: "Doyeon trained with us as a guest player for some time and was able to recommend himself for a transfer to our team. We have had good experiences with young players from South Korea in recent years and are convinced that Doyeon will also take the next step in his development in our second team."
Kim joins goalkeeper Jae-won Heo as the second South Korean signing of the summer, signaling the strong understanding Bayern have with multiple South Korean teams and the emerging benefits of such an understanding. It is preferable, after all, to be able to see a player up close and personal before signing them. Bayern had the opportunity to do so with both players and saw enough in them to bring them to Munich.
There, Kim will join Bayern's youth academy, one in need of left backs. In the U-19s, winger Skender Nuraj has been retooled into the only left back in the squad. The U-23s can boast just Richard Ajayi as a left back. Clearly, more reinforcement in the position was necessary and arrives via Kim. Whether this signing will push Ajayi back to the U-19s or if Kim will spend some time with the U-19s remains to be seen.
Finally, Bayern released an article on their website introducing the youngster. Some excerpts from the article can be read below:

#bayern #korean #doyeon #join

On paper, before the 2026 college football season kicks off, the Oregon Ducks have the best offense in the Big Ten, better than USC, and maybe the whole sport. Dante Moore is primed to be the first quarterback taken in the upcoming NFL draft, and he has an embarrassment of riches to throw the ball to. The Oregon Ducks' receiver room is completely stacked with versatile weapons in Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart, and Jeremiah McClellan. The Ducks also have two tight ends who can be better than last year's first-round draft pick, Kenyon Sadiq.
To complement that, Oregon has an elite run game once again. That sounds promising, and Oregon will be headed for offensive dominance. However, the USC Trojans have both a potential elite passing attack and run game.
Here is my hot take of the week, for game week for the USC Trojans:
Waymond Jordan and King Miller have their own case for best backfield in college football. Both backs have the potential to run for 1,000 yards. The Trojans' offensive line will be better and more experienced than last year, setting both backs up for great success.
Jayden Maiava is also set up for great success with an embarrassment of riches in pass catchers too, just like Moore. Maiava has a handful of freshman playmakers who can be special early. Mark Bowman and ***** ie Feaster will become top targets for Maiava right out of the gate. With Tanook Hines healthy now, Maiava will have his Makai Lemon replacement.

#oregon

Special thanks to Tristan Holmes, Addicted to Quack's Oregon football film reviewer, and Thomas Cicansky, my partner in this year's Big Ten preview series, for joining me on this week's podcast to discuss the Ducks' roster:
View Link
Oregon's offensive coordinator for the last three seasons, Will Stein, departed to take the head coaching job at Kentucky, he's replaced by OC Mehringer who's been the TE coach since Coach Lanning took over the program in 2022. Mehringer's only direct playcalling experience was a decade ago at Rutgers when he was of the youngest in college football history to do so, I didn't find much value on investigating it. Since then my reading of Mehringer's roles at Texas, FAU, and New Mexico has been as a strategist and gameplanner; there's quite a bit of oblique praise from head coaches and OCs in the literature over this time for his role in gameweek preparations, but no evidence about his down-to-down playcalling preferences.
It's also difficult to disentangle some of the idiosyncracies ATQ film reviewers have noted in Stein's playcalling over the last three years — positive notes on counter-programming defensive substitution rules, negative ones on forgoing "money down" opportunities for deep shots and an ***** ytically unsupportable habit for perimeter screens — from Mehriner's potential influence, since their time at Oregon overlaps. It's possible that some, none, or all of those qualities were unique to Stein and he takes them with him to Lexington. ATQ devoted considerable effort this offseason determining if any statistically valid ***** ysis could be performed to quantify Mehringer's effects on play sequencing or outcomes at Oregon or previous stops, and we concluded that nothing we could publish would meet our standards – there are just too many variables involved. We're just going to have to wait and see how Mehringer calls the game.
Otherwise, my expectation is continuity for the Ducks offense, and if anything a return to historical trends after a one-off dip in certain metrics from charting caused by an offensive line quirk in 2025 which it looks like the squad has firmly put behind them in 2026 and beyond. The coaching staff under Lanning all returns, as does starter #5 QB Dante Moore, five of the top eight skill producers on offense in addition to a key 2024 receiver coming back from injury, and the top talent pipeline in the conference:

#down #ducks #mehringer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Simon Becher had a first-half goal to end a long scoreless streak by Houston keeper Jonathan Bond, and rookie Dante Polvara added his first MLS goal in the second half as St. Louis City beat the Dynamo 2-1 on Saturday night to extend their club-record unbeaten streak to 11.
Becher hit a turn-around shot from the top of the box in the 23rd minute to halt Jonathan Bond's scoreless streak at 485 minutes and give St. Louis City a 1-0 lead. It was his career-high fifth goal of the campaign.
Ibrahim Aliyu scored for the second time this season, unassisted in the 75th minute to tie it 1-all.
Polvara found the net in the 85th minute unassisted for the victory.
Roman Bürki totaled three saves for St. Louis City, (9-6-6) which has gone 8-0-3 during its unbeaten run.

#louis #streak #jonathan #half

What does Oregon's Dante Moore (QB), Indian's Charlie Becker (WR), Iowa's Trevor Lauck (OT) and Nebraska's Justin Evans (C) all have in common?
They were named to the preseason All-American second team by The Athletic.
Justin Evans was also named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the upcoming season. Here is a statement from the Athletic Department on that topic:
Justin Evans was honored Thursday, as he was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List. The 40-person preseason list is chosen by the trophy committee using data from Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Evans returns as one of the team leaders for the Huskers this fall, as the East Orange, N.J., native has 31 career starts at Nebraska and logged 38 career appearances as a Husker. He leads an experienced Husker offensive line that returns a pair of starters in 2026. Last season, he started all 13 games at center, paving the way for Emmett Johnson to earn first-team All-America honors. He started all 12 games at guard in 2024 and played in all 13 games, including five starts, as a redshirt freshman in 2023.

#watch

Jayden Maiava of USC, Dante Moore of Oregon, and Julian Sayin of Ohio State all played a full Big Ten football season in 2025. Josh Hoover of Indiana did not. He was with TCU last year. This instantly makes Hoover one of the most compelling and consequential figures in the Big Ten in 2026.
Those of us who follow West Coast football knew that Fernando Mendoza was a good player at California. With Curt Cignetti's coaching and Indiana's overall talent, Mendoza was placed in a position to succeed. He had in Indiana what he lacked in Berkeley as a Golden Bear.
The thought process for Cignetti and Indiana with Josh Hoover is similar to what we saw with Mendoza. Take a talented player away from TCU - a medicore team and a struggling program - and put him in Bloomington with other well-coached Hoosiers. The hope for Indiana is that Hoover takes off much as Mendoza did.
Purely as an athlete, Josh Hoover can compare with Fernando Mendoza. He can run. He can throw. He can make plays. However, Mendoza was special - elite and even legendary - as a crunch-time performer. Mendoza got bigger, not smaller, in late-game pressure situations. He shrugged off huge mistakes in multiple games. He could play poorly for a quarter or two but then regroup and deliver when his team needed it. The mental toughness of Fernando Mendoza, shown on his iconic touchdown run to win the national championship against Miami, is what we can't ***** ign to Josh Hoover right now. Hoover needs to show he has the inner steel Mendoza displayed. Until then, it's all speculation.
Josh Hoover has not earned the benefit of the doubt. Curt Cignetti, however, has. It's a question of whether the coach can lift the quarterback or if the QB drags down the best coach in college football. The way this situation breaks in Indiana will have a profound domino effect on the Big Ten, and very possibly USC, in 2026.

#mendoza #indiana #fernando #player

Ahead of the Buffalo Bills' joint practice against the Cleveland Browns on August 20, injury reports and questionable statuses clouded the team's wide receiver situation. Sal Capaccio of WGR550 shared a list of "(w)ide receivers I either don't see at all or are here but NOT practicing: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Skyler Bell, Dante Pettis" — a large chunk of the wide receivers room.
Brady has indicated a lack of long-term concern for Coleman's availability even though he's dealing with a sprained toe/foot, (per ESPN's Cameron Wolfe). We don't yet know what's bothering Shakir, and Bell was seen doing sideline work with a team trainer on Thursday in Cleveland.
But if you stop and do some math, the injured list renders roughly 30% of the Bills' 13-man receivers group unavailable for the joint session, and their status for Saturday's Week 2 preseason game against the Cleveland Browns in question. NFL teams don't have to disclose injuries at this stage of the proceedings, but during head coach Joe Brady's press conference Tuesday afternoon we learned that Shakir was injured ahead of the joint practice in Cleveland.
Capaccio then shared a look at wide receivers participating for Buffalo, which encouragingly included DJ Moore and a handful of other mostly expected depth options. Once the joint practice began, the bulk of news and video highlights shared were plays to the Bills' group of tight ends.
President of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane can't sit idle hoping the injury bug exits stage left soon. He made a concerted effort to bring Moore in via trade, which so far has the looks of a potentially great move. However, Moore's effectiveness will be limited if the surrounding starting cast around him is unavailable.

#bills #joint #receivers #don 't

The Oregon Ducks have released multiple rosters this offseason, but on Wednesday night, they finally revealed the new heights and weights for every player on the 2026 roster.
Several Ducks have mentioned transforming their bodies this offseason as a key focus, either adding or shedding weight. Matayo Uiagalelei was one of the notable losers in the offseason, hoping to slim down and to become quicker and bendier on the edge. Nasir Wyatt, on the other hand, added weight to be more physical on the edge while also sliding around on defense.
With the release, we also officially learned the height and weight of the freshmen on the roster, some of whom have already seen massive transformations since arriving on campus, while others are, by nature, massive.
The entire roster is worth a look, but some players stood out more than others. Let's take a look at some of the most notable changes and additions to the roster this season.
QB Dante Moore up 14 pounds to 220 pounds

#ducks #pounds

After returning to the practice field on Monday following their weekend off, the Miami Dolphins held their 13th training camp session Tuesday morning at their Baptist Health Training Complex.
Miami has a joint practice scheduled with the New York Giants later in the week before they host John Harbaugh's team for a preseason matchup at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.
Before we get there, though, here's everything that happened at practice on Tuesday, according to beat reporters on the scene.
The Miami Herald's Omar Kelly reported that cornerback JuJu Brents, who has been sideline with an injury for the past couple of weeks, was back practicing on Tuesday. Wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. also returned to team period.
Kelly also noted that Zach Sieler, Clelin Ferrell, ben Sims, Quinn Ewers, Jordyn Brooks, Kenneth Grant and Robert Beal Jr. were all practicing on the side while recovering from injuries. However, safety Dante Trader Jr. did return to 11-on-11s.

#practice #team #practicing

When one watches highlights of the Oregon Ducks football team from last season, Dante Moore sticks out like a sore thumb.
In a good way.
The Oregon quarterback was impressive for the vast majority of that season, and it's quite obvious why Moore has a great chance to bring home the program's second Heisman Trophy. The Ducks were going to be a good team in 2026 whether Moore went into the NFL or not, but when he decided to stay, that lone decision turned Oregon from a good team to a national championship contender.
Even with his great season from a year ago, Moore had to work on some things in order to become an elite quarterback and possibly the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. According to Ducks quarterback coach Koa Ka'ai, the fourth-year signal-caller has made all those improvements and then some.
"He's taken a big leap this offseason in regard to defensive recognition and really understanding what all 11 guys on the field are doing, and then just kind of taking that next level step in holding guys accountable," Ka'ai said. "You know, being that vocal guy out there. He's not a first-year starter here anymore. This is his third year in the program, so he's taking a huge leap in that regard."

#oregon #good #great

New York Giants running back Dante Miller could miss time with an injury suffered Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Giants head coach John Harbaugh said Sunday that "there might be a situation" with Miller, and that it could be "a soft tissue or groin type thing". Miller had said after the game that he thought it was a lower abdominal issue.
Miller, 27, spent the last two seasons on the Giants' practice squad. He was active for two games last season, but did not get a carry or pass reception.
Miller appeared to be injured covering a punt in the second half of Saturday's game. He did return to action, but was clearly uncomfortable in the locker room afterwards.
Miller appeared to have only an outside chance to make the roster, with Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy, and Devin Singletary seemingly locked into spots. Missing time could be the death knell for his roster chances.

#game #appeared #dante #saturday

As the heat acclimation period drew to a close, Minersville was deep into preparations for the 2026 season.
With the loss of some significant star power over the offseason, the early practices gave coach Justin Frantz a chance to see the players vying to fill those vacancies in action.
"We're so big on competing, and because we're young this year, we've made some great strides this week so we love the competition," Frantz said. "We want to get our best 11 on the field and it's not always the biggest guys on the field but it's the toughest and the fastest and they're going to be on the field somewhere."
Senior Derek Derenzo moved from running back to quarterback, replacing Dante Carr, who is entering his freshman season at the University of Central Florida.
Sophomore John Lutsky is preparing to step into the running back role by working on running up-field and not east-to-west.

#frantz #derek