There is a reason Matt Campbell wanted to bring Rocco Becht from Iowa State to Penn State once he took over as the head coach in Happy Valley. Becht gave Campbell and Penn State an experienced starter at the most important position on the football field, and that veteran presence was shining in the season opener against Marshall.
Becht passed for 271 yards and four touchdowns to four different wide receivers in Penn State's 45-0 victory over the Thundering Herd. With Becht leading the offense, Penn State put points on the scoreboard on each of their first three possessions in the first quarter. Becht took advantage of his existing chemistry that carried over with a handful of former Iowa State teammates like Brett Eskildsen, Chase Sowell, and tight end Ben Brahmer (all three caught one of Becht's touchdown passes), and he may have found a new favorite go-to target in Koby Howard, who had a game-high 161 receiving yards.
"I thought Rocco was really efficient today in terms of, you were getting eight, nine guys in the box, you were getting a lot of pressure," Campbell said when discussing Becht's performance in Week 1. "I didn't know exactly what to expect, and I think for Rocco to be able to handle that and distribute the ball, sometimes being a great quarterback is like being a great point guard, you got to be a great distributor of where the ball needs to go, and I thought he was outstanding today."
The success of the passing game, including when backup quarterback Alex Manske came in to relieve Becht in the second half, helped make up for a pretty slow start for the running game. Penn State had just 62 rushing yards at halftime and never seemed to find cracks for some big gains on the ground. The rushing yardage piled up a bit more in the second half as the bench started getting some time on the field. Carson Hansen led the Nittany Lions with 48 rushing yards and Cam Wallace picked up 47 yards once he got some playing time in the second half with the game well in hand.
A slow day on the ground from the starters didn't seem to bother Campbell too much in his postgame press conference, although it will certainly be something to watch in the coming weeks. But as long as the football is moving down the field, Campbell seems satisfied with the end result.

#state #campbell #getting

Penn State faced Marshall as a 23.5-point favorite in week one, crushing expectations with a 45-0 victory. They have now opened as Temple with the same line – as a 23.5-point favorite in week two over the Owls.
The Nittany Lions kicked off the Matt Campbell era with a satisfying shutout victory, with strong performances in all three phases of the game. Rocco Becht had a career-high four passing touchdowns before exiting the game early in the third quarter. Koby Howard had the breakout performance that Nittany Lion fans have been waiting for, catching six passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. The Penn State defense swarmed Marshall all game long, with Caleb Bacon among the top performers with four TFLs in a game where he seemed to nearly always find himself in the Herd backfield.
Temple also began the season on a winning note on Saturday, taking down Rhode Island 38-14. Former Penn State quarterback Jaxon Smolik was four-of-six passing for 57 yards and a touchdown for the Owls, while running back Keveun Mason had 192 yards from scrimmage and two scores.
Penn State will visit Temple for its first road game of the season on Saturday. Kickoff is set for noon with the game airing on ESPN2.

#temple #yards #marshall #nittany

It's just one game.
Let's keep this in mind as we start to examine the Texas Tech football team's 33-10 win over Abilene Christian. By all accounts, the game was relatively boring, a workmanlike victory for the Red Raiders to knock the cobwebs off and start anew.
Each season is a snowflake, no two ever exactly alike. However, when some problems trickle over from one season to the next, with entirely new personnel between the individual units, it's fair to wonder what the deal is.
Texas Tech operated functionally on offense, putting together back-to-back methodical drives to open the game. Rushing touchdowns by Quinten Joyner (on his first official touch as a Red Raider) and J'Koby Williams made it seem destined for another tail-whooping of the Wildcats.
While the outcome was never in question, there were no offensive fireworks until Malcolm Simmons got by an ACU defender late in the fourth for a score. Offensive coordinator Mack Leftwich called a conservative game, mixing the run with the pass and moving the ball down the field, usually without much resistance from the ACU defense. It was the small plays that wound up garnering Tech 471 yards of total offense. Only a few deep throw attempts from Will Hammond, who was more than happy to check it down to Williams as often as possible with nothing open.

#Tech #offense #open

Well, it's safe to say that the new-look Nittany Lions understood the **** ignment. In Matt Campbell's first game as the head coach of the Nittany Lions, he had his squad firing on all cylinders in a commanding 45-0 win over the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Quarterback Rocco Becht looked like the most experienced QB in the FBS, and receiver Koby Howard looked like a revelation with 161 receiving yards. On the defensive side of the ball, new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn's guys were flying, led by spirited efforts from Tony Rojas and Caleb Bacon.
Here are the players of the game for the Nittany Lions.
You remember when Rocco Becht mentioned that he would try to get Koby Howard over 1,000 receiving yards in the year? They got right to it Saturday afternoon with Howard putting on a clinic.
Penn State fans have been begging for a star receiver, and they may finally have one on their hands. With 6 catches and 161 yards, Howard was the leading receiver on the day and flashed his elite skill set, with one of his catches from redshirt freshman QB Alex Manske being one of his highlight catches on the day.

#nittany #receiver #rocco #koby

Penn State is less than a week away as the Lions will be at home in six days to take on Marshall.
Wide receiver Koby Howard will be wearing No. 6 for Penn State this season. A year ago, Howard was getting buzz in camp about his play, but he didn't really start seeing the field very much until after James Franklin was fired.
Howard wound up starting four games for the Lions, appeared in all 13, and had seven catches for 133 yards. He showed his big play ability with three catches of better than 20 yards.
With two experienced Iowa State transfer receivers on the outside, it will be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser gets Howard involved.
We will start to see how that looks in six days when Penn State opens the Matt Campbell era at Beaver Stadium against Marshall.

#penn #marshall #catches

Aug. 22—MITCHELL — The Dakota Wesleyan University football team enters the 2026 season with a clear objective: get the running game going.
The Tigers finished last in the Great Plains Athletic Conference a season ago in rushing yards per game at 59.5, rushing touchdowns with three and rushing yards per attempt at 2.0. Those numbers contributed to an offense that finished third-to-last in the GPAC in scoring at 17.5 points per game and second-to-last in total offense at 283.9 yards per game.
With the season opener set for Saturday, Aug. 29, against rival Dakota State in Madison, DWU is hoping a more experienced offensive line combined with a new lead back can help change those numbers.
Junior Landon Iverson is stepping into the starting running back role after serving primarily as a backup last season. The 5-foot-6, 180-pound Hot Springs product appeared in all 11 games and finished with 100 rushing yards. He was fourth on the team in carries behind junior quarterback Jed Jenson and running backs Koby Kayser and Lane Darrow in 2025, who both graduated.
Now, Iverson is being counted on to carry a larger share of the workload.

#running

Next up in the opponent preview series is the Penn State Nittany Lions. The team that Rutgers (and several other teams around the region) love to hate the most, and the team that handed the Scarlet Knights a truly bitter and heartbreaking defeat 40-36 in Piscataway a season ago. Similar to Rutgers, Penn State is going through a bit of a transition as they settle into the Matt Campbell era after letting go of longtime head coach James Franklin midseason following some surprising losses.
However, an easier Big Ten schedule might mean that the Nittany Lions gain their confidence by the time the Knights head into the Lions' den in late November. This could be Rutgers' hardest road game of the season, as the Knights will previously face Boston College, Maryland, Northwestern, and Wisconsin away from SHI Stadium. Rutgers will have had their chances at several Big Ten wins by this point, but how will the Nittany Lions look in their first year under Campbell?
The Nittany Lions will have a whole new look in 2026, with the offense featuring several former Iowa State Cyclones, including quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carson Hansen, and wide receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen.
The running back room will have a solid one-two punch, with Hansen rushing for 950 yards with the Cyclones while Ohio State transfer James Peoples will look to be his explosive counterpart with the ability to support the passing game from the backfield.
Penn State has often struggled lately at wide receiver, but Sowell and Eskildsen combined for over 1,000 receiving yards from Becht last year. In addition, sophomore Koby Howard flashed last season despite limited action and will likely start in the slot for the Lions.

#lions #rutgers #penn

It was announced that in 2028, a new WNBA franchise will reside in Cleveland, Ohio. In a live-stream unveiling on August 4th, a presentation group include Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman, it was revealed what the newest chapter of Cleveland's part in the WNBA.
The name decided upon is the Cleveland Sirens. The name was chosen "for Lake Erie's power and pull".
The last time there was a WNBA franchise in Cleveland, it was under the Cleveland Rockers, who eventually were dissolved as Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund no longer wanted to house the franchise.
For those hoping the Rockers would return in the unveiling, they were at least mentioned in the press release.
"Cleveland gave the world rock and roll, then brought that sound to the WNBA stage. Now, we're back. With a different song. A louder one."

#august

Quarterback Rocco Becht is intent on setting things right in 2026. Becht's transfer to Penn State after a rough 2025 season, along with several of his teammates, gives him a unique opportunity to start anew. Along with pass catchers Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen, and Benjamin Brahmer, Becht is looking to elevate the production of the offense. However, during Big Ten media day, Becht highlighted the role that a returner could play in the offense.
"That guy is really special," Becht said of sophomore wideout Koby Howard. "He did a lot of good things in spring ball and he's probably going to do a lot of great things in fall camp [and] in the season for us. So, hopefully I can get him over 1,000 yards receiving, but something I'm looking forward to is just playing with him." While that is a lofty goal to set for a receiver you have never worked with, it is one that should intrigue Penn State fans.
Howard is the youngest member of Penn State's new-look receiving corps and is also the only player who got meaningful snaps at the position. Still, being a true freshman meant that he didn't receive many targets either. He only caught seven passes for 133 yards. This year, with Becht now at the helm, Howard will almost certainly see more snaps.
Whether or not he breaks 1,000 yards remains to be seen. After all, Penn State receivers have not covered themselves in glory in that regard over the past several years. Still, both Becht and Howard have apparently built a nice rapport with each other during fall camp, with Howard serving as a potential touchstone to Becht during his transition to life in Happy Valley. That connection may not result in a breakout season for Howard, but it could definitely be better than last season for Howard as well.
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#becht #penn #season #along

First there was "The Indecision" by LeBron James which dragged his free agency decision on for what seemed like three Northeast Ohio pro football seasons, now there is "The Aftermath."
That aftermath includes revelations that James, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week, met with Cleveland Cavaliers ownership, including owner Dan Gilbert, and management including president of basketball operations Koby Altman and ****** istant general manager Brandon Weems in Akron in early July, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.

#aftermath #including

LAS VEGAS — Phoenix Suns 7-footer Khaman Maluach has been the team's best player so far in Las Vegas.
Double-double menace. Knocking down 3s. Vocal leader.
Javonte Cooke and Darius Brown II have led the Suns in scoring in each game, respectively.
Rasheer Fleming has shown flashes of his potential. Koby Brea can't make a 3.
Then there's Koa Peat.

The 2027 recruiting class for the Oklahoma Sooners remains at 27 after running back commit Keldrid Ben reaffirmed his pledge to OU on Friday. Running backs coach Deland McCullough is keeping a player on board who originally committed to McCullough's predecessor, DeMarco Murray.
Ben, who is from Montgomery (Texas) High School, has been committed to OU since December 1st. The four-star prospect checks in at 5-foot-10 and 208 pounds. He's the No. 86 overall player in the class, according to Rivals and a consensus four-star prospect. He has shut down his recruitment, which had been competitive after he ran for 18 touchdowns as a junior in 2025. On the ground, he piled up over 1,500 yards.
Ben joins fellow Texan Jakoby Dixon, who was McCullough's first add through recruiting, as the two RB commits in Oklahoma's 2027 class. Head coach Brent Venables and general manager Jim Nagy have been hard at work ****** embling a top-flight group, aided by strong success on the field in 2025.
According to 247Sports, Ben is the 14th-best running back in the class, the 39th-best player in the state of Texas, and the 225th-best player in the nation for 2027. He is an important piece of the class that Venables and Nagy are building together in Norman.
Contact/Follow us SoonersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions.You can also follow Aaron on XAaron_Gelvin.

"Let's get to one guy that played with the Cavs this past season, that is James Harden. He opted out of his deal with Cleveland. What can you tell us about his future with the Cavs?" Shams Charania: "James Harden will be going back to the Cavaliers just depending on how this shakes out with LeBron James and other upgrades the Cavs are able to make. He will be back, my understanding is on a multi-year deal. Whether that is a two-year deal, a three-year deal, a lot of that shakes out after the Cavs' offseason moves. But I am told James Harden, his reps are on the same page with the Cavs. They want to give the organization as much flexibility as possible to see what upgrades they can make, because they know there needs to be some level of upgrade on the roster, especially on the wings. So whether it is LeBron James, a guy like Jonathan ***** inga, this is a Cavs group led by Koby Altman, president of basketball operations, that is being aggressive here in the market, and that starts with LeBron James."
YouTube
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: James Harden, Cavaliers on same page as Cleveland pursues LeBron James and roster upgrades

PHOENIX – For an organization trying to build sustainable depth around its core, re-signing Koby Brea to a two-way contract could prove far more important for the Phoenix Suns than it initially appears.
Apr 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix head coach Jordan Ott talks to Phoenix guard Brea (14) during the first half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Every contender needs specialists, and Brea already owns the skill every NBA offense covets most of all, which is elite perimeter shooting. Floor ******* ing has become one of basketball’s most valuable commodities, and players capable of consistently stretching defenses create opportunities that don’t always appear in the box score. Even in limited action during his rookie season, the Suns saw enough to believe his shooting could eventually translate into meaningful NBA minutes.
The two-way contract is equally significant. Rather than forcing Brea into an inconsistent bench role, Phoenix can give him meaningful repetitions while allowing him to sharpen the areas of his game that still need refinement. Defense remains his biggest challenge, but perhaps more importantly, Brea has acknowledged it publicly and embraced the work required to improve. That mindset often separates players who simply possess talent from those who maximize it. The Suns also benefit from patience. Development rarely follows a straight line, especially for undrafted or late-blooming role players. Two-way contracts give organizations flexibility without sacrificing upside, allowing players to gain experience while remaining within the team’s system.
Oct 22, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix guard Brea against the Sacramento Kings at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Josh Bartelstein, CEO of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury franches, has been given a contract extension.
ESPN's Sham Charania reported on Monday, July 6, that Mat Ishbia, owner of the franchises, confirmed the extension to ESPN.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Charania also reported that Suns' second-year player Koby Brea is signing a two-way NBA contract to return to the team, which his agent confirmed to ESPN.
Brea, a 6-5 guard/forward, was a restricted free agent who spent much of last season with the G League Valley Suns but appeared in 12 games with the Suns as a rookie, averaging 3.8 points. With the Valley Suns, he averaged 21.3 points in 25 G League games.

Like many other programs across college football, Penn State will be looking at one of its first-year players to step up and elevate an unproven receiver room. With many incoming receiver transfers and a transfer at quarterback, Penn State will need to build continuity on the fly. Quarterback Rocco Becht could build a rapport with a freshman receiver to start this season.
In a recent article, Brad Crawford ranks the top freshmen who will be productive early this season, and Penn State receiver Amarion Jackson cracks his ranking. Here is what he had to say about Jackson:
"A spring riser for the Nittany Lions, Jackson's pushing to crack the rotation at wide receiver in Happy Valley ahead of Matt Campbell's first campaign. ******* uming Penn State's starters are Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen and sophomore Koby Howard, Jackson hopes to crack that next tier of potential targets for new quarterback Rocco Becht, who was the Cyclones' previous starter for multiple seasons. Jackson, a three-star signee out of Omaha, Nebraska, arrived as a defensive back before quickly converting to a wideout."
This season, vs a potentially improved Trojans defense under Gary Patterson, Rocco Becht's go-to guy could very well be a 1st-year receiver. Amarion Jackson is showing great potential early, prior to camp, and with a new man under center, it is fair game for all of the receivers. In Week 8, it will be up to the Trojans to give the Penn State receiver a game to remember and Rocco Becht a warm welcome to Big Ten football.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Rocco Becht's best Penn State receiver target can't sneak up on USC

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Meleek Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. Thomas was selected 34th overall by the Cavs last week in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Thomas played 37 games with Arkansas last year as a freshman. He averaged 15.7 points and 3.8 rebounds as a 6'3" sharpshooting combo-guard. The Cavs are excited to add an efficient shot-maker like Thomas to their roster.
"We were excited that he was available in the second round," said POBO Koby Altman after selecting Thomas. "Usually, a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier."
The first three years of the deal, worth $6.4 million, are guaranteed to Thomas.
Thomas shot above 40% from deep as a freshman. His marksmanship is one of the main reasons Cleveland targeted him in the draft despite him being a guard. The Cavs are loaded in the backcourt, but Thomas was too skilled for them to pass on.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a type: undersized guards. They added another one to the fold as they selected 19-year-old 6’3″ guard Meleek Thomas 34th overall out of the University of Arkansas.
Thomas is a lights-out shooter. He connected on 41.6% of his 5.3 outside shots per game. This led to him averaging 15.6 points in 37 games for the Razorbacks.
That shooting is one of the things that intrigued the Cavaliers most.
“When you meet this kid, his confidence jumps off the page,” Koby Altman said in a press conference after the selection. “It’s not a ******* y sort of ego, he just believes, and it’s a quick flick. He doesn’t need to jump high, so he can get it off against anybody. He can get the ******* e, he can get the step-backs. I think he’s 47% off the bounce three-point wise. When I talk about these translatable skills…these are things he has.”
Shooting is, in fact, a translatable skill that works in every kind of lineup. There’s always more room on the floor for more shooting. But it’s fair to wonder if there’s more room on the roster for another undersized guard.

Ten athletes from Section 4 captured ****** les at the New York State outdoor track & field championships Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 at Webster Schroeder High School in the Rochester area.
Corning-Painted Post senior Cella McLaughlin led the way among Section 4 girls with triumphs in two events, giving her a combined seven state ****** les over the last two school years in indoor and outdoor track & field.
Candor senior Logan Aman also won ****** les in two events, including a sweep of the Class C and Federation finals in the 100-meter dash.
Other Section 4 champions were Binghamton's Milo Wilson, Maine-Endwell's Wyatt Richardson, Lansing's Ava Kobylarz, Oneonta's Cassidy Howard and Darren Rose, Tioga Central's Gavin Albrecht, and Chenango Valley's Delaney Walters and Mack Patterson.
Competition was suspended twice Sunday because of rain. As of late Sunday afternoon, a few events had not been completed.