Former UFC ****** le challenger Anthony Smith was arrested Monday in Nebraska and charged with three felonies.
While Smith has not spoken publicly since then, his manager, Brian Butler of SuckerPunch Entertainment, shared a pair of statements Friday, asking the public to withhold judgment at this time.
One such statement was from himself. The other was from Smith's wife, the alleged victim in the case, according to the Sarpy County (Neb.) attorney's office.
"We are aware of the reports concerning Anthony Smith's recent arrest," Butler wrote in a statement shared with MMA Junkie that was also posted on his Instagram. "At this time, it would be inappropriate to comment on the allegations or speculate regarding facts that have yet to be fully established. Like every individual, Anthony is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the due process protections afforded under our justice system. We respectfully ask that people avoid rushing to judgment based solely on initial reports, as they often do not reflect the complete facts or context.
"Our thoughts are with Anthony and his family as they navigate this difficult and deeply personal matter. We ask that their privacy be respected while the legal process runs its course. Out of respect for the ongoing proceedings, we will have no further comment at this time."

#shared #statement

The Indianapolis Colts announced on Friday that the team has signed running back Roydell Williams, who is an undrafted rookie free agent out of Florida State.
The 5'10", 214 pound running back played for both the Alabama Crimson Tide and Florida State Seminoles in his collegiate career. He had 275 total carries for 1,264 total rushing yards (4.6 ypc. avg.) and 13 rushing touchdowns, as well as 28 receptions for 217 total receiving yards and 2 touchdown receptions for both programs collectively.
He was a CFP National Champion for the Crimson Tide in 2020.
Williams was among the offensive skill position players that the Colts reportedly worked out on Thursday.
Per the IndyStar's Nathan Brown, the Colts also worked out running backs Marcus Major and Kenny McIntosh a day later on Friday.

#colts #Friday #williams #tide

Professional Fighters League's return to UBS Arena in LongIsland, New York, was punctuated by a majestic performance in themain event.

The PFL New York headliner saw current 155-pound ***** leholderUsmanNurmagomedov (22-0, 1 NC; 4-0 PFL) defend his championshipagainst ArchieColgan (13-1, 2-1 PFL). After a feeling-out couple of minutesin the center of the cage, Nurmagomedov connected with a head kickon his opponent's temple before following up with a big left handthat dropped Colgan. Shortly after the American managed torecompose himself and get back to his feet, Nurmagomedov followedup with more uppercuts that sent "King" to his knees. Smellingblood, the Dagestani landed more punches before referee KeithPeterson waved it off at the 3:42 mark of Round 1. In hispost-fight interview, Nurmagomedov was noncommittal about hisfuture in the promotion, since Friday's fight was the last on hiscurrent contract.

In the co-main event, DakotaDitcheva (16-0, 11-0 PFL) made a successful return from ayear-long injury hiatus, taking on former BellatorMMA ***** le challenger DeniseKielholtz (9-6, 1-1 PFL). "Dangerous" showed no cage rust,combining clean, sharp striking with effective takedowns, puttingany concerns about the injured hand to rest. Ditcheva made the mostof her reach, attacking from range with front kicks to the head andmidsection, while Kielholtz answered with a few spinning attacksbut overall posed little threat. The pace slowed in the thirdframe, drawing scattered boos as Ditcheva went the distance for thethird time in her otherwise finish-heavy career. When the dustsettled, all three judges scored it 30-27 for Ditcheva.

In a 157-pound catchweight tilt, AmruMagomedov (10-0, 2-0 PFL) kept his record unblemished byovercoming AngelAlvarez (11-3, 1-1 PFL). Magomedov attacked with a variety ofstrikes out of the gate, but his kicks proved to be his most lethalweapon. After "Salsa King," who failed to make the contracted155-pound weight limit the day before, crumpled from the damage,Magomedov poured it on until referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in at 4:28 ofRound 2.

An elitemiddleweight clash headlines PFL Charlotte: Tune on Friday, Aug. 7at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The main card opener saw former Ares Fighting Championship205-pound kingpin MoustaphaDiakhate (6-0-1, 1-0 PFL) make a statement in his promotionaldebut, crushing last-minute replacement DarrylKing Walker (2-1, 0-1 PFL). "Black Black" hunted his opponentdown with strikes from the opening bell before taking the fight to the canvas and finishing "The Sacred Beast"from mount at 2:35 into the opening stanza.

In the featured fight on the preliminary card, LazaroDayron (11-0-1, 3-0-1 PFL) relied on his crisp striking andwell-timed takedowns to outpoint former interim Bellator MMA135-pound ***** leholder RaufeonStots (21-5, 1-3 PFL) at the end of a close contest, with twojudges scoring 29-28 in favor of "El Cazador" and one 29-28 for"Supa"; earlier, Sean Gauci(12-1, 2-0 PFL) dominated AllanB

Rhamondre Stevenson is positioned to produce meaningfully for the New England Patriots in 2026, but is he a player that will give fantasy football team managers more than they are anticipating next season?
According to NFL.com's Matt Okada, Stevenson is an undervalued player in the NFL for fantasy football next season, given his status as RB31 with an average draft position in round 10.
"Henderson should rebound from a poor playoff run, but I don't expect him to run away with New England's RB1 role," Okada said. "Stevenson should still see 200 touches, crack 1,000 yards and threaten for double-digit touchdowns. I see Stevenson as a David Montgomery-type from early in Jahmyr Gibbs' career: a solid RB2 with week-to-week RB1 upside, which is far more valuable than his draft costs suggests."
Stevenson recorded 603 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 2025. He did miss three games last season, which played a role in his numbers being down on the year. Nevertheless, it's not out of the realm of possibility to envision Stevenson going for the second 1,000-yard season of his career in 2026.
Given Henderson's role on the Patriots, coupled with the fact that many elite running backs are anticipated to produce bigger stat lines than Stevenson next season, the latter will be an undervalued player to watch.

#player #given #produce

Everyone loves a good training camp story, none more so than fans of the Cleveland Browns.
Every summer, it seems, there is a little-known player who stands out, usually during the final preseason game, by racking up big stats against an opposing lineup of players who will soon be unemployed.
Players like running back Matt Dayes (77 yards on just 8 carries and a rushing touchdown in 2018), or tight end Devon Cajuste, who won over fans that same season as the Browns were featured on Hard Knocks.
Sometimes, however, that feel-good story turns out to be an actual NFL player, as in the case of Josh Cribbs.
An undrafted free agent out of Kent State in 2005, Cribbs made the coaching staff pay attention by showing his return skills during the preseason. He made the roster that year, and over the course of eight seasons with the Browns, etched his name in the franchise's record book.

#Browns #cribbs #fans

Indianapolis Colts' running back Jonathan Taylor has expressed his desire to remain with the Colts as he enters the final year of his contract. On Friday, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon echoed similar sentiments.
"He's one of our pillars," Irsay-Gordon said, via the Indy Star. "His picture is on the stadium for a reason. I would love it if he'd be a Colt for life."
Taylor remains one of the most productive backs in football, while shouldering a heavy workload out of the backfield. He played in 13 games in 2024 and all 17 games last season, rushing for 1,431 yards and 1,585 yards, respectively.
Beyond all the yards and touchdowns, it is Taylor who sets the table for the Colts offense. With a strong and steady run game to lean on, that keeps the Colts out of predictable long down-and-distance situations and opens up the playbook for Steichen.
An extension would seem like a no-brainer, but it's not often around the NFL that we see running backs get a third contract with the same team, especially when the back has as many carries as Taylor does.

#yards #irsay #running

The latest turn in the legal fight for recognition of college athletes as employees who can form unions is taking place out west, with members of the Oregon State women's basketball team on Friday filing a petition for union representation with the state's Employment Relations Board.
The development is legally important for at least two reasons.
More from Sportico.com
Banks Are Rushing to Grab College Sports' Newest Ad ******* e

#college #oregon #employment

CINCINNATI (AP) — While BJ Hill is opening training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury, the Cincinnati Bengals have the benefit of entering the season with the deepest group of defensive tackles that the team has had in years.
The 31-year-old Hill was banged up for much of last season. Coach Zac Taylor said on Monday that he doesn't expect Hill to miss all of training camp and the D-lineman is doing "as well as we had hoped."
In March, the Bengals signed a projected starting defensive tackle in Jonathan Allen, who has been one of the more consistent pass rushing defensive tackles in the NFL over the last few seasons.
Then in April, an unexpected opportunity to trade for star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence came up for the Bengals. After making that trade with the New York Giants, every defensive tackle was ****** ped down one spot on the pecking order.
The Bengals view that as a positive.

#bengals #hill #training #season

Clemson added another talented quarterback to its future on Thursday.
Four-star signal caller Trace Hawkins announced his commitment to the Tigers, choosing Clemson over LSU, Duke, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt. The Calhoun, Georgia native gives Dabo Swinney and his staff another highly regarded passer to develop as they continue building for the future.
Hawkins has been a familiar face in Clemson over the past year. His first visit came during the 2024 season, and he returned several times in 2026, including trips for the Tigers' spring game, Elite Day and Swinney's high school camp. Those visits gave Clemson's staff multiple opportunities to evaluate the talented quarterback while allowing Hawkins to get a closer look at the program.
The 6-foot-1 passer is coming off a productive sophomore season at Calhoun High School, where he threw for 2,442 yards and 24 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He also added three rushing scores, showcasing his ability to make plays with both his arm and his legs. Recruiting services have already identified him as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2028 class, with both 247Sports and Rivals ranking him among the nation's top prospects.
Hawkins also becomes the first commitment in Clemson's 2028 recruiting class, giving the Tigers an early foundation as the staff looks to build around one of the nation's top young quarterbacks.

#staff

Welcome back to our weekly position breakdown series. We've already explored the quarterback situation. Now the spotlight shifts to a running back room that's been through one of the more dramatic offseasons of any position group on the roster. Old faces gone. A national-level newcomer arrived. The depth chart is essentially being redrawn from scratch.
For two seasons, Iowa's offense has been evolving under offensive coordinator Tim Lester. In year one, we expected to see a revolution and instead saw the same singular, run-first identity. Of course, at the time Iowa was handing the ball off to Kaleb Johnson en route to 1,537 yards (third-most in school history) and a program best 21 rushing touchdowns. Things were the same, but better.
Fast forward a year and once again, we expected a shift away from the run with the introduction of college football's all-time winningest QB in Mark Gronowski.
Again we were wrong, but again it was in perhaps the best imaginable way. Gronowski certainly did not light the world on fire throwing the ball and again Iowa was near the bottom of the country in virtually every passing stat. But the offense was vastly improved as Gronowski became an extension of the running game and set the Big Ten record for rushing TDs by a QB with 16.
Now, entering year three under Lester, the question is how the offense will evolve to fit the personnel the Hawkeyes have in 2026. The aforementioned Gronowski is off to the NFL, but Iowa returns loads of production in the RB room and one of their top incoming transfer portal additions comes to a position group that was already a strength for the offense.

#iowa #running

In the aftermath of the World Cup, despite the many issues that had plagued the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, Gianni Infantino spoke in tones that suggested he felt invincible. By delivering record revenues and the "most outstanding" World Cup ever, the Fifa president felt emboldened enough to embark on a victory lap, admonishing his critics from within the stronghold of his Fifa palace, while safe in the knowledge that the structures and mechanisms designed to keep him in power were secure.
Barely a week later, the walls around Infantino are crumbling before our eyes. In over-playing his hand and rushing through proposals to sell stakes in the World Cup and Fifa tournaments to private investors, Infantino has crossed a line from where there may not return. Uefa's extraordinary decision to boycott the World Cup should Infantino get his way has been followed by two more federations, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, rejecting his proposals. Uefa now has enough support to comfortably defeat Infantino if a vote of Fifa's 211 member **** ociations goes ahead next month.
The walls around Gianni Infantino are crumbling (Getty)
Whether Infantino's plans, understood by The Independent to have been in the works for over a year, even survive for that long is another matter. Infantino is also under mounting pressure from within Fifa itself. The president's long-time adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, described as a heavyweight figure within the organisation, resigned in protest on Friday. "Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this **** et and the consequences of giving part of it away," he said in a statement. "That is why this proposal should be rejected." If even the Fifa suits have seen enough, it tells you that Infantino has gone too far.
In their own statement in the early hours of Friday morning, Fifa provided some "clarifications" around their private investment proposals, insisting that their "planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports". But it may not stop some of Infantino's steadfast allies from switching sides. Asia will host the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia and parts of the region have benefitted greatly from Infantino's support since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but the AFC's president, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain, has been Infantino's most vocal critic outside of Europe. A withering statement on Friday accused Fifa of "undermining" the World Cup and called for an "urgent review" into its governance.

#infantino #fifa #around #statement

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer is coming off an inconsistent first season in Norman. Mateer joined the Sooners after a stellar season with the Washington State Cougars.
He was one of the most sought-after players in the portal before ultimately following offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Norman. He got off to a great start, throwing for 1,215 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, while rushing for 190 yards and five scores in the first four games. The Sooners went 4-0 in that stretch, and Mateer was one of the leaders for the Heisman Trophy.
Mateer would suffer an injury to his throwing hand in that fourth game. That would require him to wear a brace on his thumb the rest of the season. He struggled, throwing for 1,670 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions, while rushing for 241 yards and three scores in the final eight games of the season.
Despite those struggles down the stretch, ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed he's a fan of Mateer.
"You know, (I) saw Mateer the other day, and I'm a fan," Finebaum said on WWLS The Sports Animal. "And if he can, you know, stay healthy, if (he) gets, you know, some protection and some weapons, which they didn't really have last year."

#season

Texas A&M's 2026 offense will now feature transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton, who, at 6'4" and now 215 pounds according to the latest roster update, brings much-needed size to an A&M wide receiver corps that was completely built on speed last season, as transfer wideouts KC Concepcion and Mario Craver combined for 1.836 yards and 13 touchdowns.
After Concepcion was the first of a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, going 24th overall to the Cleveland Browns, Mario Craver returns as starting quarterback Marcel Reed's No. 1 receiver after reeling in 917 yards and four touchdowns, including a record 207 yards during the Aggies' road win over Notre Dame.
Marcel Reed's 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions led an Aggie offense that averaged 33.8 points per game last season, but after running back Le'Veon Moss was lost for the year during A&M's home win vs. Florida, Rueben Owens picked up the slack before struggling at the end of the season, rushing for a career-high 639 yards and five touchdowns.
This week, On3's Crain & Cone released their top 10 college football offenses, and while Texas A&M was selected, the Aggies did earn an honorable mention alongside BYU.
"Crain & Crone believe Texas A&M and BYU will do good things on offense in 2026. Last year, the Aggies averaged 33.8 points per game, while the Cougars recorded 31.4 points per contest."

#receiver #concepcion

While veteran wideout Chase Claypool drew the headlines from the day, the Indianapolis Colts worked out a handful of other skill position players on Thursday—ultimately signing former Penn State wideout Liam Clifford:
#colts worked out Chase Claypool, Liami Clifford (signed), Jermar jefferson, Roydell Williams
The 6'1", 200 pound undrafted 1st-year wideout previously participated in the Colts recent 2026 rookie minicamp tryout after earning 4x Academic All-Big Ten honors with the Nittany Lions.
During his 4-year collegiate career, Clifford caught 42 receptions for 530 receiving yards (12.6 ypr. avg.) and a touchdown reception, as well as had 3 rushes for 16 total rushing yards.
On special teams, he had one touchdown on a blocked punt.

#touchdown

The Houston Texans still could be adding in a name or two ahead of their first preseason game.
According to the latest NFL transaction report, the Texans tried out both running backs Alexander Mattison and Hassan Haskins on Thursday. Neither player was signed to a contract, but the Texans could re-explore a deal later on this week.
The 28-year-old former Boise State running back has rushed for 2,370 yards during his five seasons in Minnesota and Las Vegas. During his rookie season, Mattison rushed for a career-high 700 yards that season, but he did not score a rushing touchdown and eventually lost the secondary role to Ty Chandler.
Haskins has only rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns during his time with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Right now, the Texans have little room for a running back with the additions of David Montgomery and Noah Whittington, but it doesn't hurt to at least look.

#haskins

Clemson is officially on the board in the 2028 recruiting cycle.
The Tigers picked up their first commitment in the class on Thursday when four-star quarterback Trace Hawkins announced he will continue his career at Clemson. The Calhoun, Georgia native selected the Tigers over a group of finalists that included LSU, Duke, Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt after building a strong relationship with the coaching staff throughout the recruiting process.
Landing Hawkins gives Clemson an early foundation for the class, with the talented passer becoming the first player to publicly pledge to the Tigers for 2028. Quarterback has been a priority position for the staff, and Hawkins emerged as one of the top prospects on Clemson's board after several visits to campus over the last year.
His first trip came during the 2024 season, and he made multiple return visits this spring. Hawkins attended Clemson's spring game, participated in the program's Elite Day event and later returned for Dabo Swinney's high school camp in June. Those visits allowed the coaching staff to evaluate him in person while giving Hawkins plenty of opportunities to become comfortable with the program.
The 6-foot-1 signal caller is coming off an outstanding sophomore campaign at Calhoun High School. He completed the season with 2,442 passing yards and 24 touchdown throws while being intercepted only three times. Hawkins also made an impact on the ground, adding three rushing touchdowns.

#tigers

The Miami Dolphins are two days into training camp, and following Thursday's practice, the team's longest-tenured wide receiver, Malik Washington, spoke with South Florida reporters. Although entering just his third NFL season, Washington has been the most senior receiver for the Dolphins in snaps on Miami and time with the team.
This is among a group of receivers that includes a seldom-used 2024 draft classmate of Washington's, two 2025 undrafted free agents, four rookies (three drafted and a UDFA) and several veteran free agent fliers.
Washington doubles as a return man and has shown sparks of being a multifaceted weapon in his two seasons. He has made 72 receptions for 540 yards, with three receiving touchdowns, along with 110 yards on seven rushing attempts with two ground scores. He also has returned 38 punts for 394 yards, which includes a Week 2 touchdown from last season against the New England Patriots. He is also the Dolphins' all-time leader in average yards per kick-off return (among those with 50 attempts) with 27.9.
On Thursday, he fielded questions from the media and discussed new quarterback Malik Willis, a summer practice season up in Jacksonville, as well as the elimination of 7-on-7 drills under the new coaching of Jeff Hafley.
When asked about Willis and the chemistry they developed over the summer, Washington said, "I think it's huge for him just to ask some of the guys to come out there and be with him, and we get some of that time to bond. Whether we're on the field or not, we're getting a chance to just get to know each other a little bit better, get to know each other's families and learn about each other."

#season #time #willis #receiver

Last season, the New Orleans Saints were reportedly fielding trade offers for Chris Olave. Now they've made him one of the NFL's highest paid wide receivers.
Olave, headed into the final year of his rookie contract, reportedly signed a four-year extension that will keep him as Tyler Shough's huckleberry through the foreseeable future. At $132 million and $90 million guaranteed, it wasn't able to reset the wideout market but pays him slightly more in annual average salary than former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson. The New York Jets gave Wilson a four-year, $130 million deal last offseason, making him the league's seventh-highest paid WR.
It's a big bet on a player who has emerged as an engine in the Saints offense when available. The Saints are locked in to $90 million for a receiver coming off his finest season. His 100 catches were seventh-best in the NFL en route to second-team All-Pro honors. But he also missed more than half the 2024 season due to concussion concerns and his 2.0 yards per route run (YPRR) were a career low. Will the Saints regret a great commitment for a player who may merely be good?
This offseason has been predicated on bringing weapons into the fold as New Orleans figures out whether Shough's ability to exceed expectations as a rookie was an outlier or a sign of things to come. The Saints signed running back Travis Etienne for $12 million annually and used the eighth overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft on Jordyn Tyson. Keeping Olave fits with that philosophy.
At the same time, it's fair to wonder if Olave can keep up his 2025 pace when he's not the surefire focus of the offense. Last year's New Orleans offense couldn't run the ball (31st in rushing expected points added). Only two other players on the team had more than 40 targets and one, Rashid Shaheed, was traded mid-season. His target share of just under 30 percent was a career high and his 8.7 air yards per catch were a career low, leading to modest impacts despite his prolific nature.

#year #wilson

Giovanni Manu's third NFL training camp may be over almost as soon as it began.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed Thursday morning that the developmental offensive lineman is expected to miss roughly three months with an injury that existed before players reported to Allen Park.
According to Campbell, Manu had been dealing with an undisclosed issue from earlier in the summer. He came off the field following Wednesday's opening training camp practice, underwent additional testing and received a crushing recovery timeline.
"He will be out for a period of time. Call it 12,14 weeks," Campbell said.
The Lions placed Manu on the active/non-football injury list shortly after Wednesday's practice but provided no immediate explanation.

#lions #injury

A New Orleans Saints fan favorite is heading elsewhere. Taysom Hill, the do-it-all athlete who played everything from quarterback to special teams, announced Wednesday night he's leaving the Saints after nine seasons.
Hill developed into one of the NFL's most exciting and unique players under longtime Saints coach Sean Payton, making starts at quarterback, tight end and fullback while also playing snaps at wide receiver and running back. He finishes his Saints career 7-2 as a starting QB, and over 118 games he recorded 2,426 and 12 touchdowns passing plus 3,585 yards and 45 touchdowns rushing and receiving.
Kellen Moore took over the Saints in 2025 and Hill's role diminished significantly, so this move doesn't come at a complete shock.
In a statement shared on social media, Hill thanked New Orleans for its support and said he's "still working through what comes next" in regard to his career.
"I had always heard, 'If you love New Orleans, New Orleans will love you back,'" Hill's statement read. "That could not have been more true. You exceeded every expectation I had of what it would be like to live and play in a city. The passion, loyalty, and support you showed my family and me over these nine seasons were truly one of a kind."

#orleans #nine

It's always interesting to see what Notre Dame football players do after their playing careers are over, and for one former running back, it's teaching the profession to high school athletes.
Tony Jones Jr. played a big role during his time in South Bend from 2016-2019, scoring 12 touchdowns while rushing for 1,481-yards with 273-yards receiving and two more scores. He'd go undrafted but played parts of seasons with five teams from 2020 through 2024, then played in the UFL and CFL earlier this year.
Jones didn't waste any time starting his new career, as it was announced earlier this week that he will be coaching the running backs for his high school alma mater, the St. Petersburg Catholic Barons. It will be quite the homecoming for him, as he returns to his former stomping grounds to help the young players learn what he has.
There is no doubt in my mind that Jones will do a great job, and hopefully moves up the coaching ranks quickly. At just 28-years old, he'll be at a fantastic place to start coaching.
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Former Notre Dame running back takes job coaching high school football

#Coaching #high

John Mateer is entering his final season as a college football player. The Oklahoma Sooners' gunslinger is hoping this year will be his best.
Mateer joined the Sooners after an incredible season with the Washington State Cougars in 2024. He threw for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 826 yards and 15 scores. He was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal. Ultimately, he decided to follow his offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, to Norman.
His first season was rocky. He threw for 2,885 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while rushing for 431 yards and eight scores. Mateer dealt with an injury to his throwing hand that derailed a promising start. On3's J.D. PicKell has been one of Mateer's biggest supporters. He said on "The Hard Count" that he believes Mateer is in for a big season.
"I think that John Mateer, going into his second year as the guy in Norman, and going into, I think it's like Year 4 in Ben Arbuckle's offense, will be so much better," PicKell said. "... I think he's going to be so much better from the neck up playing the game. He's seen the live bullets in the SEC now. He knows what it is to expect from the speed of the game."
If Mateer can improve his decision-making and regain the efficiency he showed at Washington State, he could take a massive leap in 2026. Oklahoma's defense gives the Sooners a championship-caliber foundation, but the ceiling of the team could ultimately depend on whether Mateer can become the difference-maker at quarterback that many expected him to be when he arrived in Norman.

#going

Florida football will enter the 2026 season with one of the best running backs in the SEC, if not the country.
Gators junior Jadan Baugh rushed for 1,170 yards and 8 TDs last season, ranking third in the SEC and becoming UF's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Taylor in 2015.
What can Baugh do for an encore? Under new Florida coach Jon Sumrall and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, the possibilities are limitless. Faulkner recruited Baugh out of Columbia High in Atlanta when he was at Georgia Tech and understands the strengths of the 6-foot-1, 228-pound running back who began his high school career as a linebacker.
"He always told me these are the things we can do with you, play can play running back, quarterback, receiver, whatever you want to do," Baugh said, "Being with an offensive coordinator like that, to have so much creativity and being able to put players in great positions, I feel like it's very exciting."
At 1,843 career rushing yards, Baugh has a chance to surpass 3,000 career rushing yards with a big junior season. That would put him among the top five UF rushers of all time, a list that includes Fred Taylor, Earnest Graham, Neal Anderson, Emmitt Smith and Errict Rhett.

#baugh

Miami running back De'Von Achane is aware that the Dolphins are not viewed as contenders this year, and he's happy to be on a team that opponents are overlooking.
Achane said he and his teammates will be ready to make other teams regret looking past them.
"We're kind of used to that," Achane said. "We don't pay no mind to that. If teams feel that way about us, that means when they play us, they're gonna be not taking us seriously. And if you're doing that, then you're gonna have a long day for yourself."
Achane, who said he has a goal of leading the league in rushing, signed a four-year, $64 million contract this offseason. That was a significant investment from the Dolphins, who are a rebuilding team but think Achane is a big part of their future.
As for this season, if Achane likes having people overlook his team, the good news is that a lot of people are: The betting odds say the Dolphins are the least likely to make the playoffs of any team in the AFC.

#achane #Miami

The Senate took its first major step in fulfilling one of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's biggest desires: levying bone-crushing sanctions against Russia.
A bipartisan swell carried the sanctions package through its first hurdle on an 86-12 vote, which has gone through several iterations in the time since it was first formulated by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. He explained that at its core, the package was designed to stop purchases of Russian oil and gas that was "fueling Putin's war machine."
"Ukraine's fight is our fight," Blumenthal said. "Nobody believed that more deeply and passionately than Lindsey Graham. He lived it, and this vote is a step forward."
Lindsey Graham's Final Mission Nears Finish Line As World Leaders Gather To Honor Him
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Presidential Council for the Implementation of State Policy on the Promotion of the Russian Language and the Languages of the Peoples of Russia via video link at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 2, 2026.

#state

As he negotiates a new long-term deal with Detroit, Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs did not practice on Wednesday during Detroit's first training camp practice.
Gibbs is a hold-in, meaning he is at Lions training camp but not currently participating.
"Of course, you guys know how we feel about Gibbs and all of our guys, (Sam) LaPorta, (Brian) Branch. And so, we'll take this as it comes. This will kind of continue. It'll come as it comes. I think that's the best way to say it. And so, this is both sides working through something and we'll take it as it comes, but that's where it is," Campbell said of Gibbs to open camp.
The Lions executed the fifth-year player option on Gibbs back in April, keeping the star rusher under contract through the 2027 NFL season. Gibbs will earn $14.293 million in 2027 with his player option.
Gibbs, a 5-foot-9, 202-pound back, rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 scores a season ago. The Alabama alum's rushing yards ranked seventh in the NFL last season. Gibbs also added 616 receiving yards and five touchdown grabs, helping him eclipse 1,800+ yards from scrimmage for a second straight season.

#season #back #training

Indianapolis Colts' running back Jonathan Taylor is entering the final year of his current contract. During offseason programs, he said that he would "love to be a Colt for life."
Whether or not a new deal will be reached remains to be seen, but following Wednesday's first training camp practice, Taylor did say that there have "been some good conversations," according to ESPN's Stephen Holder.
Taylor added that he has "faith" that the two sides will be able to reach a new deal.
On Taylor's current deal, he is averaging $14 million per year, which ranks as the seventh-most among running backs. Perhaps of interest to Taylor as he looks for an extension, Devon Achane signed a four-year, $64 million extension this offseason, making him the third-highest-paid back in football.
From a production standpoint, Taylor remains one of the top backs in football, while shouldering a heavy workload out of the backfield. He played in 13 games in 2024 and all 17 games last season. rushing for 1,431 yards and 1,585 yards, respectively, as one of the more productive backs in football each year.

#backs #remains

Although Saquon Barkley clearly leads the Eagles' backfield, Tank Bigsby is poised to take a huge leap in his fourth NFL season. Here's why fantasy managers should reach early for the handcuff.
There is room on this team for both Barkley and Bigsby to thrive, at least relatively speaking. Barkley has had 288+ regular-season touches in four straight seasons. He's still the workhorse, and last year's letdown was predictable (as discussed last summer) given his massive 2024 workload.
Bigsby's RB55 ADP (down from RB52 three weeks ago) reflects the fantasy market's uncertainty about his usage. After earning only 61 touches last year, he's ranked behind Dylan Sampson (RB51), Isiah Pacheco (RB52), Keaton Mitchell (RB53), Emmett Johnson (RB54), and many other second- and third-stringers.
It doesn't make sense. He was among the league leaders with 3.1 yards-after-first-contact on 63 rushing attempts. He didn't get his first snap in Philly until Week 7 and frequently outplayed Barkley while running behind the same offensive line. I don't think the Eagles will overwork Barkley. 300-325 touches seems realistic. That would open the door to at least 100, or even 125, touches for Bigsby.
Volume-wise, that would probably put him in the top 50, possibly the top 45. And if Barkley is ever sidelined, Bigsby would have top-20 appeal in a plus offense.

#barkley #rb52 #least

There have been other Bulldogs tailbacks who ran for more yards than Knowshon Moreno. There are Bulldog tailbacks with more SEC and national **** le rings than Knowshon Moreno. But pound for pound and carry for carry, has there ever been a more electric Bulldog tailbacks who ran than Knowshon Moreno? I submit that the answer is ""no." Just ask the Central Michigan Chippewas.
CMU came to Athens for the second game of the 2008 season and met a Bulldog squad with a chip on its shoulder. Georgia, led by future #1 draft pick and likely NFL Hall of Famer Matt Stafford had begun the season ranked #1 in the nation for the first time in decades. But the Red and Black actually dropped to #2 after a sleepy home opener win against Georgia Southern. They took their frustrations out on the Chips, scoring on four straight possessions coming out of halftime to cruise to a 56-17 victory.
There were plenty of highlights in this one, but the iconic moment remains Knowshon's twisting, leaping run for a drive extending first down.
Few tailbacks have ever been as shifty in traffic and as smooth in the open field as noted quiet hours back flipper Knowshon Rockwell Moreno. Knowshon would finish his day with 168 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. But it was this leap that ended up on teeshirts and message board avatars.

Go ''Dawgs!!!

#carry

LAS VEGAS – Down a couple of bigs, the Portland Fire had an opportunity to test the Aces' size and depth at the Michelob ULTRA Arena Tuesday night.
However, despite missing NaLyssa Smith and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, the defending WNBA champions did not let that faze them.
Coming off the All-Star break — wounded by a 100-99 road defeat to Washington on July 22 — the Aces showed no signs of rust, particularly on offense, brushing aside the Fire, 98-83, on their first visit to Sin City.
The win clinched a season sweep of Portland for Las Vegas (19-8). It was the Aces' fourth victory in their last six games. Head coach Becky Hammon's group never trailed and led by as many as 18 points.
"Pretty good," Hammon said when asked to grade her team's return to action. "Except for that third quarter (Fire outscored the Aces 27-26), we gave up too much there, [but] pretty good. Good job; everybody is just trying to get into a flow. It's hard to replicate game flow in one day of practice, but it was a good game to kind of get back into our groove a little bit."

#good #FIRE #game