FC Köln will look to improve upon their 14th place finish last year and reach the top half for the first time since their promotion.
Köln were helped massively by an Ísak Jóhannesson double in the first round of the DFB Pokal as they turned around a 1-0 deficit to defeat Wurzburger Kickers 2-1.
Substitute Linton Maina provided the key ***** ist to the winner in the DFB Pokal to see the Billy Goats into the second round.
New Köln signing and returnee to the side Ellyes Skhiri made an appearance in Wurzburg after being substituted in the 74th minute.
He will no doubt make his first appearance for Köln since 2023 on Saturday for the home side.

#appearance #wurzburger #kickers #substitute

Maintaining the unprecedented highs of success set by Xabi Alonso was always going to be tricky, but ***** ody at Bayer Leverkusen could have foreseen how it unfolded. With Erik Ten Hag sacked after just two league games in charge, it set the tone for what would be a turbulent and uncomfortable 2025-26 season.
The Rhineland club acted quickly and choose to appoint Kasper Hjulmand who filled the void. Despite being unable to impart his tactics on the squad in pre-season, the Dane made a bright start to his rein with seven wins from his first nine games. Thereafter, things started to unravel.
Costly defeats and losing their grip on a prized Champions League berth in the final two matchday's effectively sealed Hjulmand's fate. With a desire for stability, Leverkusen's chiefs decided that a change at the helm would be needed, thus parting ways with the 54-year-old after a sixth-place finish.
With several components of their squad at the 2026 World Cup, Leverkusen partially regrouped for pre-season on 14 July. Players were met by a new face in coach Carles Martinez. The Spaniard, arriving from Girona, said he was keen to bring his intense and passionate style of football to the BayArena.
With routine wins over Sportfreunde Baumberg (7-0) and Kickers Offenbach (3-1), Leverkusen faced a sterner task in KRC Genk. The Belgian Pro League side were brushed aside 4-0, with further impressive displays from summer signing Afonso Moreira alongside Nathan Tella and Christian Kofane.

#leverkusen #season #xabi #alonso

The Baltimore Ravens are bracing for the start of the 2026 season.
After an offseason full of change, the team is hopeful it can become a contender once again. Baltimore has gone not only to a new regime but also to a whole new system.
With an offseason that appears to have fixed many of the problems that plagued them last year, the Ravens still have one big problem: kicking.
Baltimore selected Tyler Loop in the sixth round with the 186th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. After starting the season hot, going 7-7 and 14-15 on extra points through the first four weeks of the season, the Ravens looked like they found their replacement for former long-time kicker Justin Tucker.
But in Week 5 against the Houston Texans, the Ravens found a hole in his game that became a problem late in the year. Against Houston, he went 1-2 on field goals and missed his only attempt from 50 yards. A small hiccup that tends to happen from time to time with kickers who are expected to be almost perfect.

#season #houston

There was a time when Evan McPherson making a 50-plus-yard field goal barely registered as news. That was the expectation.
The Bengals' kicker had established himself as one of the NFL's most dangerous long-range weapons, and there was a stretch early in his career when anything from beyond midfield felt almost automatic. He was incredible as a rookie in the team's 2021 run to Super Bowl LVI, and became one of the best young kickers in the league.
After a couple of uneven seasons, however, McPherson entered 2026 with something to prove. So far, he's doing exactly that.
McPherson continued his outstanding training camp and preseason Saturday night against the Chicago Bears, drilling both of his field-goal attempts—including a 58-yarder—and all three of his extra-point attempts in Cincinnati's second preseason game.
And that 58-yarder? It looked extremely easy, and Mike Watts on the Bengals preseason telecast referenced "Thor's Hammer" when referring to McPherson's leg.

#mcpherson #super

The Buffalo Bills used multiple kickers last season thanks to a variety of injuries at the position. For the majority of the season, it was veteran Matt Prater handling the duties, and the 41-year old was fantastic. He hit on 90% of his tries during the regular season, nailing 18-of-20 field goals over the course of 15 games. He did miss time thanks to a quad injury, but he returned in time for the postseason. Prater made all five of his field goal tries and all six of his extra points.
Michael Badgley also kicked in two games for the Bills, and while he made his only field goal try, it was his PAT misses that led to his dismissal. Even running back Ray Davis had a go, as he made an extra ppoint during the preseason and attempted an onside kick during the regular season.
It's unlikely that any of the aforementioned players will attempt a kick for Buffalo this season, as the man whom the team expected to handle the kicking last year is now back and available. In today's installment of our "91 players in 91 days" series, we discuss the only kicker on Buffalo's current roster.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Name:Tyler Bass
Number: 16

#prater #thanks #tries

The Georgia Bulldogs have an SEC-best (tied with the Texas Longhorns) 11 players on the coaches All-SEC team. Georgia has one less player on the coaches All-SEC team than the media's All-SEC team.
Georgia has five coaches All-SEC selections on defense. Clemson transfer safety Khalil Barnes is the lone Georgia All-SEC player that made the media's All-SEC team to miss the coaches All-SEC team.
College football coaches have shown Georgia a lot of respect this preseason. Georgia is back-to-back defending SEC champions and are the No. 3 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Georgia's roster is stacked with talent and all 11 of Georgia's coaches All-SEC picks are returning players from last season.
One notable omission from both All-SEC teams is kicker Peyton Woodring, who has been outstanding both of the past couple of seasons. Woodring is accurate and reliable, but there's a lot of talented kickers in the SEC.
Safety KJ Bolden (first-team)

#safety #texas

Donny Bogicevic - Back Problems
Jarell Quansah - Red Card
Montrell Culbreath - Foot Injury
Wehen Wiesbaden ( vs Wurzburger Kickers 2026-08-14): Florian Stritzel, Philipp Hercher, Justin Janitzek, Fabian Greilinger, Jakob Lewald, Jordy Gillekens, David Suárez, Tarik Gozusirin, Ibrahim Ati Allah, Moritz Flotho, Sinan Karweina
Bayer Leverkusen ( vs Hamburger SV 2026-05-16): Mark Flekken, Jarell Quansah, Robert Andrich, Edmond Tapsoba, Montrell Culbreath, Aleix García, Exequiel Palacios, Álex Grimaldo, Malik Tillman, Patrik Schick, Ibrahim Maza

#jarell

Fantasy football IDP rankings are harder to come by than the standard NFL fare, especially DL rankings. It's a niche I've enjoyed for more than 20 years. But I understand the broader appeal of an offense-only league. Or even the use of kickers and team defenses, which I've avoided for about a decade. Just pointing out personal preferences are okay and don't need to be justified. Play in and enjoy the leagues that you like!
In IDP leagues, I prefer a split between defensive tackles and defensive ends. Ideally, you should have to start one defensive tackle and two defensive ends.
My 2026 IDP DL rankings diverge from the consensus more in the depths than in the shallows. Best to play it safe and stick with the names who've been getting it done for years at the top.
The consensus and my own IDP DL rankings align closely at the top. Myles Garrett, Aidan Hutchinson and the other elite pass rushers sit in similar spots on both. However, I have Garrett in his own first tier. I think he's earned it, even on a new team. Hopefully, he'll soon be joined by future Hall of Famer and the greatest defensive tackle of all time (it's not close), Aaron Donald.
The gaps in my DL rankings show up in the later rounds, where offseason moves and injuries changed how I read five players. Three of them fall inside my top 36, so they carry real weight for draft-day decisions ****** uming you're in a deeper league.

#league

Tennessee junior kicker Cooper Ranvier was named to the 2026 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award watch list.
The list was released Friday by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. Ranvier is one of 11 SEC kickers named for the award. Groza played 21 seasons for Cleveland and won four NFL championships.
The award will be presented by the Orange Bowl for a 35th year.
A Lexington, Kentucky native, Ranvier transferred from Louisville in January. He was a Third-Team All-ACC selection for the Cardinals in 2025. Ranvier converted 21-of-25 field goal attempts and 39-of-41 extra attempts. He converted 6-of-7 field goal attempts from 40-49 yards and has three years of eligibility remaining.
Accomplishments are tabulated throughout the season, and the Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award will announce its 20 semifinalists on Nov. 17. From this list, a panel of more than 100 FBS head coaches, sports information directors, media members, former Groza Award finalists and current NFL kickers will select the top three finalists, which will be announced Nov 24. The group will select a national winner, who will be announced Dec. 10 during the Home Depot College Football Awards.

#ranvier #kicker #attempts

FC St. Pauli and Jackson Irvine have agreed to announce that they are going separate ways, effective immediately.
The Australian is moving to J. League side Cerezo Osaka, while the two clubs have agreed not to disclose any details of the transfer.
Irvine first signed for the Kiezkickers in the summer of 2021 and soon established himself as a key member of the team.
Irvine's performances led to him taking the captain's armband and playing a major part in the club's promotion to the Bundesliga.
All in all, the now 33-year-old spent five years with the Hanseatic club, for which director of sport Andreas Bornemann thanked him:

#australian

The Tennessee high school football season got a little closer this week as TSSAA football padded practices began July 27.
Here's a look at August's preseason scrimmages. The Tennessean will update its list as more submissions are made.
Coaches who wish to have their games added can email time, date and location information to tpalmateertennessean.com.
East Robertson at Gordonsville, 6 p.m.; Forrest at Moore County, 6 p.m.; Hillsboro at Stratford, 6 p.m.; Spring Hill at Warren County, 6 p.m.; Kenwood at Montgomery Central, 6 p.m.
More: Ranking Nashville area's top 15 kickers, punters for 2026 TSSAA football season

#tssaa #tennessee #east

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Even after 18 seasons in the NFL, kicker Nick Folk says he still gets excited about the dawn of a new season.
"Always exciting," Folk said Tuesday after reporting for his first training camp with the Atlanta Falcons. Folk, 41, and the Falcons will have their first practice on Wednesday.
"I tell everyone, there is nothing like playing on Sundays," Folk said. "Being in front of people, being in front your fans and playing, there's nothing like it. So training camp is just the start of that. And I'm just excited to kind of get going."
Folk signed with the Falcons on March 9, three days before the team signed free-agent punter Jake Bailey.
The Falcons' interest in Folk was easy to explain after the team went through three kickers — Younghoe Koo, Parker Romo and Zane Gonzalez — in 2025.

#excited #first #nothing #like

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl officials are celebrating 50 years of competition this year and they’re doing it in a big way.
The organization is releasing the top 50 all-time players in I-Bowl history and they’re releasing them in five-player increments. The list was voted on by a local panel of media members, including the Shreveport Times, and I-Bowl representatives.
According to the bowl, this group of 41 through 45 athletes represent the decades of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2020s.
Anderson, a native of South Africa, is regarded as one of the greatest kickers of all time — spending 23 seasons in the NFL. Kicking in the 1979 I-Bowl during Syracuse's 31-7 victory over McNeese State, Anderson had a perfect day — converting his lone field goal attempt from 40 yards and making all four of his extra point attempts. He was named first-team All-American in 1981 before being drafted in the seventh round of the 1982 NFL Draft. In his 23 seasons in the NFL, Anderson was named first-team All-Pro in 1983, made four Pro Bowl appearances and was the NFL's scoring leader in 1998. Anderson is third in NFL history for points scored (2,434), field goals made (538) and games played (353), and he is also fourth in NFL history for extra points made (820).
BIG CHANGE: Radiance Technologies I-Bowl to see leadership transition at the top

#anderson #technologies

Kickers don't get the love that other position players do, but in the NFL, they're often the difference between wins and losses. The Los Angeles Rams know that all too well, losing multiple games last season because their kicker wasn't good enough.
Harrison Mevis has taken over as the team's kicker after replacing Joshua Karty last year, aiming to reward the Rams for their confidence in him last year. The "Thiccer Kicker," as he's been nicknamed, is a crucial piece of the Rams' puzzle and their new-look special teams unit, coming in at No. 21 on our list of the most important players.
The Rams gave Mevis a shot last year after Joshua Karty's struggles became a major problem. They signed Mevis to the practice squad in November and he was immediately elevated to the game-day roster against the 49ers.
Two weeks after landing on the practice squad, Mevis was signed to the active roster and remained the Rams' kicker for the rest of the season.
This offseason, the Rams tendered Mevis as an exclusive rights free agent, keeping him at the low cost of $1 million for one year.

If you sort their alumni by wAV on Sports Reference, 3 of the top 7 are kickers lol