December 2024 - Page 2 of 11 - footballzones.online

LSU football officially signs two top transfer portal defenders LSU football officially added two top defensive transfers to its roster over the weekend. Patrick Payton and Mansoor Delane put pen to paper, according to LSU’s social media posts. Delane’s announcement came on Friday and Payton followed on Sunday. Delane verbally committed on December 16 after three seasons at Virginia Tech. There was some initial confusion when Delane’s signing wasn’t announced soon after. LSU fans can rest easy now. At cornerback, he totaled 146 total tackles, 16 pass deflections and four forced fumbles. In 2024, Delane posted 54 total tackles, seven pass deflections and four interceptions. On3’s Industry Rankings slots Delane as a four-star cornerback. He is No. 2 at his position and No. 39 overall. With the Hokies, he demonstrated the ability to defend in pass coverage while also making open-field tackles. Payton drew a four-star ranking from On3’s Industry Rankings. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 2 player in the portal after a standout three seasons at Florida State. In his career, Payton totaled 90 pressures and 14 sacks. He’s stout against the run and a proven veteran presence needed in the LSU room.

23 December 2024

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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS FANS STAND UP FOR A LITTLE BOY WITH A RARE DISEASE Sometimes college football brings out the best in people, even off the field. On Saturday (Dec. 21), the Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the Tennessee Volunteers in a first round matchup of the college football playoffs, marking only the second time ever that these two teams have met. As fans across the college football world watch the first-ever round of playoff games at home stadiums, fan excitement is at an all-time high for these schools. But even with all that enthusiasm for the Buckeyes and Volunteers, real life — with all its highs and lows — keeps rolling. That was true when Buckeye fan Brutus Stark, aka X username @iron_brutus, posted a heart-wrenching update on his son Clark, who has recently been diagnosed with a rare condition called Sanfilippo syndrome. “I will be taking time away from here to grieve this but just wanted to say thank you to all who I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with here over our shared love of college football and our Buckeyes,” Stark wrote. “Once we’ve had time to grieve and process this I’m sure I’ll be back,” he added, “because if there’s one thing my son loves it’s Buckeye football. Go Bucks.” Ask any parent, there is nothing worse in life than getting bad news about your child. But that’s the thing about life: When bad things happen, it gives good people a chance to do something good. That is when X user @BoCamaro stepped in. He put out the call to his fellow Vols fans, along with Volunteer charity fan group @BeyondTheSnap, to try and raise some money to send Brutus Stark and his son Clark to the playoff game. And the call was answered. The money started to roll in. Not only has enough money been raised to get Clark some extra care the family could not afford, but also any extra money not used by the family will go towards buying Christmas gifts for kids that are battling cancer this Christmas in Columbus area hospitals. A great reminder this time of year that there are good people out there. You’ve just got to look for them sometimes. After all, they don’t call Tennessee the Volunteer State for nothing.

23 December 2024

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Sean Manaea agrees to 3-year contract with Mets The New York Mets have bolstered their rotation, re-signing left-hander Sean Manaea to a three-year, $75 million contract. “BREAKING: Left-hander Sean Manaea and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The 32-year-old is running it back with the Mets,” Passan shared on X. Manaea, 32, is coming off a strong season with the Mets, highlighted by a 3.09 ERA and an impressive 4.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his final 12 starts. Manaea adds valuable depth to the Mets’ pitching arsenal with six pitches and a deceptive delivery.

23 December 2024

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Alabama Junior Wide Receiver Set to Enter Transfer Portal Emmanuel Henderson Jr. also served as one of the Crimson Tide’s kick returners. Alabama junior wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. is set to enter the transfer portal, On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported on Monday. Henderson returned five kicks for 107 yards (21.4 yards per return) this season, while also recording four receptions for 82 yards (20.5 yards per catch) in 12 games. “I first I want to thank my family, coaches, and the University of Alabama for the opportunity to play the sport I love,” Henderson wrote in a statement that he posted on Instagram. “I am grateful for the past three years I’ve had at Alabama and the experiences, memories, and friendships I’ve made. After much consideration, I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining.” Henderson is the 13th player to enter the transfer portal, following quarterback Dylan Lonergan, running back Justice Haynes, defensive linemen Jeheim Oatis and Hunter Osborne, edge rusher Keanu Koht, cornerbacks Jahlil Hurley and DeVonta Smith, wide receivers Kobe Prentice, Caleb Odom and Kendrick Law, offensive linemen Miles McVay and Naquil Betrand. Tight end Danny Lewis Jr. also entered the portal on Dec. 9, but withdrew his name from it on Monday. Henderson is the fourth wide receiver entering the portal. It’s a pretty safe bet that Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and company will aim for this position in the transfer portal, especially since only Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard, freshman Rico Scott and redshirt freshman Jaren Hamilton are the only healthy receivers for the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31 against Michigan. Scott has seen very little action this season, meanwhile Hamilton hasn’t even recorded a catch. The 6-foot-1, 2016-pounder out of IMG Academy but also from Glassboro, N.J. was ranked as the No. 44 prospect in the nation at the time of his commitment to Alabama on March 13, 2021. The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9 and will close on Thursday, Dec. 28. The spring portal window still exists and opens on Wednesday, April 16 and closes on Friday, April 25.

23 December 2024

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Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings Week 15 Game Day Preview Key statistics, trends and individual matchups in Monday night’s game in Minneapolis between the Bears and the Minnesota Vikings. Chicago Bears (4-9) at Minnesota Vikings (11-2) Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis Minn. TV: ABC/ESPN (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters) Radio: ESPN AM-1000 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Jason McKie) Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner) Spanish Radio: Latino Mix 93.5 (Omar Ramos, Mateo Moreno) The Line: Vikings by 7, over/under 44 1/2 (Draft Kings) Chicago Bears On SI Pick: Vikings 37, Bears 16 The Series: The 128th time they’ve played. The Vikings lead 67-58-2 and won the last game, 30-27 in overtime on Nov. 24 at Soldier Field. The Bears won the last game at Minneapolis, 12-10 last season. The Coaches: Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown lost his first game last week and is 0-1 after replacing Matt Eberflus. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell owns a 31-17 record in his third season and is 4-1 against Chicago. The Teams: The Bears are trying to avoid an eight-game losing streak after suffering their worst defeat of the season, 38-13 at San Francisco. They had been outgained 319 yards to 4 at halftime before Caleb Williams hit Rome Odunze in the second half for two touchdown passes. The Bears are now 14-33 since the end of Matt Nagy’s coaching regime. They were 34-31 under Nagy in four years with two playoff berths. Brown is one of the possibilities for head coach next year but there currently are no announced candidates as the pursuit of a coach will begin when the season ends. The Vikings have clinched a playoff spot and have a chance for a division title, especially after Detroit’s loss on Sunday to Buffalo. They are tied with the Lions and beat Detroit earlier this season. Minnesota has won six straight and QB Sam Darnold has had a 100 passer rating in seven of the last eight games and 11 of 13 on the year while WR Jordan Addison has four catches for 410 yards and five TDs in the last four games. Justin Jefferson is coming off a two-catch and 27-yard effort in the first game with the Bears. Stat Leaders: Williams leads the Bears in passing with 270 completions in 434 attempts (62.2%) for 16 TDs and five interceptions with a passer rating of 87.8. RB D’Andre Swift leads the Bears in rushing with 742 yards on 193 carries (3.8 yards a carry) and Roschon Jonson, who is injured, leads in rushing TDs with six. WR DJ Moore leads in receptions with 68, yards with 712 and is tied with Keenan Allen for the TD reception lead with five. … LB T.J. Edwards leads the Bears in tackles with 103 and tackles for loss with eight. DT Gervon Dexter leads in sacks with five but is injured. CB Jaylon Johnson has two interceptions to lead the team, while Tyrique Stevenson leads in pass defenses with nine. For the Vikings, Sam Darnold is 264 of 386 (68.4%) for 3,299 yards with 28 TDs and 10 interceptions for a 108.1 passer rating. Aaron Jones leads the Vikings in rushing with 893 yards on 197 carries (4.5 ypc) and in rushing TDs with four. Justin Jefferson leads in receptions with 75, yards with 1,170 and is tied with Jordan Addison for TD catches at seven. … S John Metllus is the Vikings leader in tackles with 78 and edge Jonathan Greenard and OLB Andrew Van Ginkel lead in tackles for loss with 15. CB Byron Murphy has the Vikings lead in interceptions with six and in pass breakups with 12. Greenardhas the lead in forced fumbles with three.

22 December 2024

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As Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogsprepare for the College Football Playoffs, there may be some good news coming down the line in regards to one of the top transfer wide receivers in the country. The Bulldogs have put together an impressive run in 2024, including a playoff bid as the No. 2 seed and an SEC championship. However, miscues at the receiver position have been a consistent theme for the Georgia offense. UGA leads the FBS in drops this season, despite featuring an experienced group at the position. Smart and company are clearly focused on improving that aspect for the future, signing five-star Talyn Taylor and four-stars CJ Wiley and Landon Roldan in the 2025 cycle The transfer portal is also an intriguing option for the Bulldogs, who signed three transfer receivers in the 2024 cycle. It’s perhaps the best way to add immediate contributors. According to , Georgia is expected to land Kentucky transfer receiver Dan Key. The junior led the Wildcats (4-8) with 47 catches for 715 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. Get Athlon Sports’ daily newsletter SUBSCRIBE HOMECOLLEGE Georgia Projected to Land Coveted 1,800-Yard Transfer WR J.C. SHELTON DEC 19, 2024 12:44 PM EST In this story: GEORGIA BULLDOGS As Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogsprepare for the College Football Playoffs, there may be some good news coming down the line in regards to one of the top transfer wide receivers in the country. The Bulldogs have put together an impressive run in 2024, including a playoff bid as the No. 2 seed and an SEC championship. However, miscues at the receiver position have been a consistent theme for the Georgia offense. UGA leads the FBS in drops this season, despite featuring an experienced group at the position. Smart and company are clearly focused on improving that aspect for the future, signing five-star Talyn Taylor and four-stars CJ Wiley and Landon Roldan in the 2025 cycle The transfer portal is also an intriguing option for the Bulldogs, who signed three transfer receivers in the 2024 cycle. It’s perhaps the best way to add immediate contributors. Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart. Brett Davis-Imagn Images According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Georgia is expected to land Kentucky transfer receiver Dan Key. The junior led the Wildcats (4-8) with 47 catches for 715 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. Key signed with Mark Stoops’ Wildcats as a four-star recruit, rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Kentucky () out of the 2022 class. The Lexington native provides a typical X-receiver frame at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, combined with a knack for finding the end zone. Key finished his Kentucky career with 126 receptions for 1,870 yards and 14 touchdowns in three seasons. Key is considered as the No. 4 wide receiver and the No. 10 player overall in the transfer portal, per. Georgia could lose its top three receivers in the offseason. Team leaders Dominic Lovett and Arian Smith have exhausted their eligibility, and starter Dillon Bell has an nlf decision to make. But the Bulldogs have some important business to take care of for the time being. Georgia will face the winner of No. 7 Indiana at No. 10 Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Day.

19 December 2024

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Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani Surprises Fans by Announcing Marriage Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Shohei Ohtani had a big surprise for his fans on Thursday, February 29, when he announced that he’s married. The 2023 American League Most Valuable Player, 29, revealed on Instagram that he tied the knot. However, he did not reveal the identity of his wife. “To all my friends and fans throughout, I have an announcement to make. Not only have I begun a new chapter in my career with the Dodgers but I also have begun a new life with someone from my Native country of Japan who is very special to me and I wanted everyone to know I am now married,” Ohtani captioned his post on Instagram. This was a rare revelation from Ohtani, who has been very private about his personal life.. The superstar from Japan wrote his caption in English and added a photo of his dog, Decoy. His pet has become so popular that Ohtani received a mock honorary visa for Decoy from the U.S. Embassy in Japan last month. He concluded, “I am excited for what is to come and thank you for your support.” Ohtani also added a message in Japanese, asking the media not to reach out to his family or friends in an attempt to find out more information about his new wife, per a translation by CNN. “We are still young and [there are] many things we don’t know yet, but we hope you will warmly watch over us,” he continued. “We hope that the two of us (and one dog) will work together to support each other and move forward alongside with our fans.” After playing five seasons in Japan as a star pitcher and outfielder, Ohtani became one of the most sought after players in the world, and signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017. He quickly became one of Major League Baseball’s top players, with the rare combination of pitching and also serving as a designated hitter. Ohtani won his first American League MVP Award in 2021 and repeated the feat last year, leading the league in homeruns with 44. He also became the first player in MLB history to hit over 40 homers — and win 10 games as a pitcher — in the same season. After six seasons playing for the Angels, Ohtani became a free agent last year, igniting an intensive bidding war. In December 2023, he signed the largest contract in professional sports history, a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers.. After signing the record contract, he thanked his former team in an Instagram post. “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to everyone involved with each team that was part of this negotiation process,” Ohtani wrote. “Especially to the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, your guys’ support and cheer meant the world to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever.

19 December 2024

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Impact of Jesse Edwards Departure How Syracuse basketball should react to losing its star center. Are you looking for the inside scoop on Syracuse basketball and football recruiting? Subscribe to All Syracuse, with in-depth and exclusive information brought to you by Mike McAllister, a name you can trust, and his staff. Subscribe today and get the first month of an annual membership for just $1, or a full annual membership at an almost 20% discount! Syracuse basketball lost Jesse Edwards, who is entering the transfer portal and will finish his collegiate career elsewhere. This is a significant blow to the Orange’s 2023-24 roster, that had largely received positive news to this point. What does this mean for Syracuse going forward? The answer is simple. Syracuse must be aggressive in the portal to find a replacement. Players of Jesse Edwards’ caliber do not grow on trees. It will not be easy to find someone of the same talent level. However, there is one that would be a huge addition if Syracuse can find a way to make it work. That would be Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson. Dickinson is in the process of scheduling visits, and schools like Kentucky, Maryland and Georgetown are said to be involved. If the Orange can get a visit, it has a shot. The pitch needs to be that Syracuse has the players, and style, to get back to competitive basketball with his addition. The vacancy left by Edwards gives him a guaranteed starting spot with 30+ minutes available each night. Pair him with JJ Starling, an up tempo style, improved Chris Bell and Benny Williams along with more guard depth to be added in the portal, and Syracuse would have a competitive team that should be tournament caliber. There are obvious connections to, as Dickinson is from the DMV area where new assistant Brenden Straughn has extensive ties. The two likely have a previous relationship that Syracuse could utilize during this transfer recruitment. Dickinson will also likely command a large NIL deal, so the question is whether or not Syracuse will have a competitive offer to make from that perspective. If Syracuse does not land Dickinson, there are still others available. If Syracuse does not get Dickinson, someone who can rebound, play defense and finish would be what the Orange is looking for as finding someone with the same skill set as Edwards would be a near fools errand. I would look at players like Kadin Shedrick (Virginia), former five star Yohan Traore (Auburn), Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky), 7-2 Jamarion Sharp (Western Kentucky), Will Baker (Nevada), etc. If I’m Syracuse, I am being very aggressive there. Yes some of those players have been in contact with several schools. Shedrick even has a top five, he has visited Duke, and has visits to Texas and Missouri scheduled. Does that mean Syracuse could not get involved? It is at least worth a call. As it would be with those mentioned and others in the portal. The point is, Syracuse going into next season with Mounir Hima, Peter Carey and William Patterson as the three centers would be a large risk. Hima has not been a full time starter. Carey has not played in a couple of years due to injury, and Patterson was not expected to contribute right away. That would significantly hamper the prospects for Adrian Autry’s first year as the Orange head coach.

18 December 2024

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Mike Shildt Lands 2-Year Contract Extension as Padres Manager Through 2027 MLB Season After making the playoffs in his first season with the San Diego Padres, manager Mike Shildt has had his contract with the club extended. The Padres announced on Wednesday that Shildt has signed a new deal that ties him to the organization through the 2027 season. “As Mike demonstrated this year, he has an unwavering commitment to winning and a unique set of skills that got our group to perform at a high level,” general manager A.J. Preller said in the announcement. “He possesses a true love for this team and the game of baseball, and I am thrilled to continue to work together with Mike to bring a championship to the City of San Diego.” Shildt has been with the Padres since January 2022 when he was hired as a player development coach on Bob Melvin’s staff. Melvin led the Padres to the NLCS in his first season as manager, but they finished with a disappointing 82-80 record in 2023 after they went all-in with an offseason spending spree. The expectation was that Melvin would be back with the Padres in 2024. He was still under contract with the club and Preller told reporters during his end-of-season press conference in October 2023 that they were keeping Melvin as manager. In the wake of Preller’s comments, Melvin left San Diego when he was hired as manager by the San Francisco Giants. The move didn’t come as a surprise because the Padres had to give the Giants permission to interview the 63-year-old. Shildt wound up getting promoted by the Padres to become their manager on Nov. 21, 2023. He had four years of managerial experience with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018 to ’21, making the playoffs in each of his final three seasons with the club. The Padres made the playoffs under Shildt with a 93-69 record, their most wins in a single season since 1998 (98-64). They swept the Atlanta Braves in the NL wild-card round and held a 2-1 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS before losing the final two games. Despite the disappointing end to this season, the future is extremely bright in San Diego. Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Luis Arráez and Manny Machado are a great foundation for the lineup. Dylan Cease, Michael King and Yu Darvish give them a strong trio at the top of their starting rotation. There is work to do for Preller to do with the roster, especially with Jurickson Profar and Tanner Scott hitting free agency, but the Padres have a lot of upside going into 2025 as they look to compete with the Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West.

18 December 2024

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The LSU Tigers may end up with the top-ranked 2016 recruiting class, currently rated No. 2 by Rivals, but 5- and 4-star high school talent can never replace maturity, leadership, and experience. On Monday, LSU head coach Les Miles announced two of his defensive stars from the 2015 season will be returning, linebacker Kendell Beckwith and cornerback Tre’Davious White, making those targets the Tigers’ biggest recruiting win thus far. When the 2016 season kicks off, Beckwith will be putting a stamp on a four-year career that has gotten better and better as his time on the field has increased. The Clinton (La.) area native played in 12 games as a freshman but did not get his first start until his sophomore season in 2014 becoming LSU’s starting middle linebacker during the backstretch of the season. With seven consecutive starts under his belt, he entered his junior season with high expectations and delivered, becoming a semifinalist for both the Butkus Award and Bednarik Award after posting 84 tackles (second on the team), 10 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. White has lived up to his Class of 2013 hype as a 5-star recruit earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2013 after starting 11 of 13 games. In 2014, White became a cornerstone of the Tigers’ defense and started all 13 games. LSU put more responsibilities on White’s plate in ’14 and this past season, adding punt returner to his resume. The former Green Oaks High School star out of Shreveport was fifth on the team in tackles in 2015 with 44 to go along with seven passes defended and seven pass breakups. White has two career punt returns for a touchdown as well as 126 tackles, 19 pass breakups and four interceptions. Miles released a statement oozing with excitement about the return of White and Beckwith after the LSU team has endured four consecutive seasons of top underclassmen heading off to the NFL early. “This is a windfall for us. For the first time, we return a big senior class,” Miles said. “Anytime that you have a senior-dominated team, you recognize that you are going to play with leaders and guys always play their best year of football when they are most mature.” Miles addressed all the positives of his defensive leaders returning adding, “This is a great decision for all of these guys. They are going to get their college degree and they will all improve their (NFL) draft position. This is a great day for LSU and our program.” LSU starts the 2016 season on Sept. 3 with a neutral-site game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., against the Big Ten’s Wisconsin Badgers.

18 December 2024

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