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Alabama football commit Micah DeBose shines among talent at Under Armour’s All-America Game practice

2024-12-31T19:55:13-05:00

Lori Schmidt / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The four-star tackle and Alabama native is a well-known commodity coming out of high school.

The Alabama Crimson Tide put together yet another top-three recruiting class in the 2025 cycle as a part of head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first true recruiting class, landing a number of five-star recruits in the process.

One of the best parts of Alabama’s recruiting class was their offensive line core, as they landed five-star Michael Carroll, five-star Ty Haywood, four-star Jackson Lloyd, four-star Micah DeBose and three-star Mal Waldrep as a five-lineman class.

Carroll was a big win for Alabama over schools like Colorado ,who made a final push. Lloyd presents a unique size at 6’7”, 290 pounds, while DeBose has a college-ready frame at 6’5”, 315 pounds, providing the Crimson Tide with a variety of different styles of offensive linemen.

Congratulations to Micah DeBose on signing to the University of Alabama ! The best is yet to come ! ❤️
#Family#LANK pic.twitter.com/3vRZD0qhlp
— Coach Markus Cook (@coachcook55) December 4, 2024

Haywood is the lone question mark as the five-star has yet to officially sign with the Crimson Tide, instead pushing his recruitment to the February signing day when Michigan seems to be trending up.

The Crimson Tide have boasted one of the better offensive lines in the country this season, led by star guard Tyler Booker, with a good amount of younger talent across the board as well.

But, that doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunities for freshmen to come in and compete. Carroll and Lloyd could be projected as tackles, given their size at 6’6” and 6’7” size, respectively, while DeBose has the capability to play both inside and at tackle.

DeBose was present this week at the Under Armour All-America game, taking part in the week’s practices that started on Monday.

The four-star tackle was a well-known commodity coming out of high school, but as an Alabama native, he chose to stay home and play for the Crimson Tide.

4⭐️ Alabama signee Micah DeBose locking down 1on1s pic.twitter.com/DT9teeGw2v
— Rivals (@Rivals) December 31, 2024

“Everybody wants to go play early, yeah. But, it was more a development thing,” DeBose said about his commitment. “If I really wanted to go play early, I could just go to like Fresno State or something like that. Play early, Just get on the field. But it was a big thing about who’s there coaching. [Offensive line] coach [Chris] Kapilovic, he’s a great development guy. So, I just went for it. You know, they play early. They have great development. So I thought that was the best thing for me.”

Being on hand in Orlando, Florida, the four-star offensive lineman was a clear standout on Monday’s practice, shining in both 1-on-1 drills and 11-on-11s.

He won both of his 1-on-1 reps that I charted, displayed a strong base and good anchor to meet with bull rushes as a guard, while staying balanced with his pass protection sets.

In 11-on-11s, DeBose saw time both at guard and tackle, where he really started to put on a strong showing, garnering loud praise from the coaching staff on hand.

His feet were excellent, especially the kick step out at tackle, and his hands were quick to negate pass-rushing moves like a spin to the inside, while also being technically refined enough to combat speed off the edge.

That versatility stood out to Alabama during DeBose’s recruitment, which could get him on the field sooner than later.

“They think I’m a very versatile guy, but it’s like they can just put you anywhere. I agree with that. It doesn’t really matter where I start at. Just want to kind of go and play.”

DeBose will head to Alabama soon, but he’s looking to put on a performance in his final stint as a high schooler, starting off strong during Under Armour All-American game week.

Rockets-Heat fight results in NBA suspensions after Tyler Herro thrown to floor

2024-12-31T15:30:52-05:00

Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

The NBA announced its suspensions and fines in the aftermath of the Tyler Herro-Amen Thompson fight.

An argument between Tyler Herro and Amen Thompson escalated into a full-blown brawl between the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Five players and one coach were ejected in the aftermath of the scuffle, and now the NBA has announced their suspensions for those involved.

Thompson, Jalen Green, head coach Ime Udoka, and assistant coach Ben Thompson were all ejected for the Rockets. Herro and Terry Rozier were ejected for the Miami Heat. Fred VanVleet was ejected earlier in the game. Benches on both sides cleared after Thompson threw Herro to the floor before an inbounds pass. Herro taunted Thompson during the incident and after the game. The Heat beat the Rockets, 104-100.

The NBA has now announced their suspensions from the fight. Here’s the punishments for those involved:

Amen Thompson has been suspended for 2 games.
Terry Rozier has been suspended for one game.
Tyler Herro has been fined $25K
Jalen Green has been fined $35K
Ime Udoka has been fined $50K
Watch the full sequence between the Rockets and Heat here:

The Heat improved to 16-14 overall with the win. The Rockets fell to 21-11 with the loss.

Here’s the full press release on the punishments:

The following has been released by the NBA pic.twitter.com/h8WDr1DOns
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 31, 2024

Herro reportedly posted a picture flipping off the Rockets after the game. He also gave these comments in the post-game locker room:

"Guess that's what's happens when someone's scoring, throwing dimes, doing the whole thing. I'd get mad too."

Tell 'em, Tyler pic.twitter.com/kVGFiqjE91
— HEAT on FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSN_Heat) December 30, 2024

Udoka supported Thompson after the game:

Ime Udoka on Amen Thompson and Tyler Herro's scuffle.

"They were in each other's faces, bumping chests a little bit. One guy is stronger than the other." pic.twitter.com/c8QxImrAKe
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) December 30, 2024

Herro ended the game with 27 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in the win. Thompson had five points and five assists in 32 minutes in the loss.

Houston is home against the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers for its next three games. The Rockets face the New Orleans Pelicans, Indiana Pacers, and Utah Jazz all at home for their next three games.

How the Baltimore Ravens turned around their defense and their season

2024-12-31T12:55:02-05:00

Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images

The 2024 Baltimore Ravens’ pass defense has turned from extreme liability to obvious strength. Here’s how it happened.

Throughout the history of the Baltimore Ravens franchise – which goes back to 1996 – the team has generally been known for strong defenses above all. The Ravens have ranked first in Defensive DVOA in six different seasons – 1999, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2011, and 2023. That doesn’t even include the 2000 Ravens, who may have put the greatest defense of all time on the field. That team ranked second to the Tennessee Titans.

That the 2023 Ravens topped the Defensive DVOA charts is more instructive for the purposes of this article. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, now the Seattle Seahawks’ head coach, did a brilliant job of getting career years out of more than half his starters. Everyone from Jadevon Clowney to Justin (now Nnamdi) Madubuike to Geno Stone to linebacker Patrick Queen all had the seasons of their lives, and Baltimore nearly got a Super Bowl defense out of it.

The transition from Macdonald to Zach Orr, the Ravens’ former linebacker, defensive assistant, and inside/outside linebackers coach, was not pretty at first – especially in the pass defense department.

In 2023, including the postseason, the Ravens allowed 433 catches on 706 attempts (61.3%) for 4,171 yards (5.9 yards per attempt), 19 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. Only the New York Jets (believe it or not) allowed a lower completion percentage and passer rating, and the Ravens allowed the NFL’s fewest touchdown passes when you include the playoffs. Only the Cleveland Browns (again, believe it or not) allowed a lower Passing EPA per Play than Baltimore’s -0.16.

Orr said in his introductory press conference that he would keep most of Macdonald’s defensive principles, but the early results were not good at all. From Week 1 through Week 10 of the 2024 season, the Ravens allowed a league-high 261 completions in a league-high 398 passing attempts (62.6%) for a league-high 3,160 yards (7.9 yards per attempt), a league-high 22 touchdowns, just six interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 102.0.Baltimore’s Passing EPA per Play allowed of 0.08 was the NFL’s fourth-worst.

And then, in Week 11, everything changed. Radically. Since then, Baltimore has allowed 117 completions on 193 attempts for 1,142 yards, four touchdowns, four interceptions, and a league-low opponent passer rating of 75.5. Moreover, the Ravens’ Passing EPA per Play allowed of -0.21 isn’t just the league’s lowest – it’s the league’s lowest by a comical margin. The Denver Broncos rank second in that category at -0.10.

So… what happened here? How did the Ravens transform their defense from an extreme liability to a major asset literally overnight?

The Safety Dance has been brilliant for Ravens defense

Starting in Week 11, when the Ravens played the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Orr and his staff made a crucial decision – they would move Kyle Hamilton from his usual “demon everywhere on the field” positions to more of a full-time free safety role.

As Hamilton explained to me in late November, the plan was to clarify roles from front to back. And who better to start with than a 6-foot-4, 220-pound athletic marvel with the closing speed of a guided missile, and near-perfect coverage instincts?

“The coaches, they just felt like for our defense, it would be best for me to kind of chill on a lot of the nickel stuff and dime stuff, and go back to playing safety,” Hamilton said. “Just kind of be that backstop for our defense. We were struggling against the pass, and I think we were kind of experimenting — trying new stuff out.

“I’m happy playing that position though, whatever the team needs me to do. If that’s going back and playing deep safety the whole game, then I can do that. And I’m excited to do so...

“I feel like our defense is kind of hitting a stride right now.”

There’s little doubt about that.

Starting in Week 11, the @Ravens made the decision to put Kyle Hamilton at free safety far more often.

It was a pretty good decision. pic.twitter.com/B2gGCOVQK6
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 31, 2024

The other “safety dance” the Ravens made – and this really started in Week 8 – was to move Ar’Darius Washington to the other deep safety spot far more often. Washington, the 5-foot-8, 177-pound undrafted free agent, has been with the Ravens since 2021, and he’s never had nearly as many snaps as he has enjoyed this season – 671, as opposed to 157 in his first three NFL seasons. He missed most of the 2023 season with a chest injury, but the Ravens re-signed him to a one-year, $985,000 contract that has become one of the bigger bargains in Baltimore. Washington plays like a much larger human than he is – it’s one reason he made Secret Superstars this week – and his knack for making big plays when they’re most needed hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The @HoustonTexans had no clue what to do against the @Ravens' defense in a 31-2 loss. It might have been easier for them were Ar'Darius Washington not blowing stuff up all over the field. Prevented a Joe Mixon TD, and broke up a Dalton Schultz catch on third-and-2. pic.twitter.com/3SxLJsGa8f
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 30, 2024

“He stabilizes that unit [and] stabilizes the defense in the back end,” Orr said in mid-December of Hamilton. “Those guys look to him for answers, and he’s a real smart player, so he gets everybody lined up quickly. And then, I just think the emergence of Ar’Darius Washington. He was our starting nickel last year. He was having a heck of a start to the season, then he had the unfortunate injury, and he just picked up where he left off throughout camp. I think when we finally gave him his opportunity, he went out there and made the most of it, and I think he’s really become a real good NFL starting-caliber safety. I think the combination of those two things – those two guys work well together. They both can [play] man coverage, play zone [coverage] and tackle really well, so I think the combination of that is really what you’ve seen.”

The cornerback group is a different animal entirely

In those first 10 weeks of the season, Baltimore’s cornerbacks gave up 12 touchdowns to four interceptions, and Marlon Humphrey had all four. Then, from Week 11, the Ravens’ cornerbacks have allowed no touchdowns, and Humphrey picked up two more picks. Humphrey is now tied with Byron Murphy Jr. of the Minnesota Vikings for the NFL’s most interceptions with six, and he’s allowed 49 catches on 79 targets for 479 yards, 190 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, those six picks, nine pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 61.0. Humphrey can be a problem for enemy quarterbacks both outside and in the slot, and overall, he’s proven to be one of the most valuable players at his position this season.

Marlon Humphrey: From the slot or outside, if you're a quarterback, he'll mess up your day. pic.twitter.com/sTVDSS5DGf
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 31, 2024

Following Baltimore’s 31-2 Christmas Day beatdown of the Houston Texans, Humphrey spoke about the factors behind the defensive turnaround overall.

“I think when I have conversations with some of the guys one-on-one, two-on-two, there were some tough conversations. We were just like, we still believed, but it did seem far away, because it just seemed like every single guy was having a mishap at just the wrong time. Like I said earlier in the season, it seemed like luck just was not on our side. I think when you watch defenses across the league, there are guys running open all the time and different things, but it seemed like whenever someone else had the inside leverage, and they ended up outside leverage, the ball went there. It seemed like every time we were out of position, not called right, we were getting hit on.

“I think football is a lot of skill, but sometimes it just straight up comes down to luck. The luck has been on our side, and we’ve also just been, like I said, doing our job. So, the good thing is earlier in the season, we kept being like, ‘What are we doing wrong? What are we doing wrong?’ And it was simple. We just needed to get all 11 guys doing their job, and so the coaching hasn’t necessarily changed. A couple pieces have shifted, and that’s kind of it there. It’s just getting 11 guys to do their job, and when we do that, we’re a really tough defense. When we’re not, we look average, and that’s not the standard. But today, I thought the standard was there.”

Another defensive back who had a new role in this defense starting in Week 11 was veteran Tre’Davious White. That was White’s first week on the field with Baltimore after the November 5 trade that sent him to the Ravens from the Los Angeles Rams. White had been dealing with an Achilles injury and some healthy scratches in L.A., and he was the one who asked permission to seek a new home. In four games with the Rams this season, White – who once upon a time was one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks – allowed nine catches on 13 targets for 151 yards, 25 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, no interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 147.8. In his six games with the Ravens, White has allowed seven catches on 13 targets for 56 yards, 23 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, no interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 64.9.

Tre'Davious White has unexpectedly helped to stabilize the @Ravens' secondary since he hit the field following a trade with the @RamsNFL in Week 11. Looking more like the Tre of old these days. George Pickens would probably agree. pic.twitter.com/sTV33qCovk
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 31, 2024

Add in 2024 first-round pick Nate Wiggins and veteran Brandon Stephens, both of whom have played better in the second half of the season, and you have a cornerback group that can hang with just about any in the league.

One meeting in November changed everything

The absolute nadir of Baltimore’s 2024 defense happened in Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals in a 35-34 loss. Joe Burrow ripped that pass defense to shreds, completing 34 of 56 passes for 428 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 108.3. Burrow had touchdown passes of 67 and 70 yards, and overall, he had four explosive completions. He had that defense on a string.

The bottom of the @Ravens' pass defense fell out in Week 10, when Joe Burrow carved it up. Everything has changed since then. pic.twitter.com/6Uyl2S77aW
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) December 31, 2024

That was a Thursday night game. On the next Tuesday, as the Ravens prepared for the Steelers the next Sunday, Orr called an open forum meeting in which coaches and players talked about what had gone wrong, and how it could be fixed.

“We had to do some deep soul-searching,” Orr said of that meeting in December. “And it was a long meeting. I think it was good — from a player and coach standpoint — that we expressed what we wanted to get done; they expressed how they felt, and we were able to come together and figure out solutions, because that’s all we’re about. Everything that we do is trying to come to that solution, [and] I definitely think that meeting had a part in it.”

From then on, meetings became more about the group than about individual positions.

“The meetings were kind of changed in a way that we’re going through every single detail,” defensive lineman Brent Urban said. “It’s not like we’re passing things off to individual position meetings. We’re all gonna focus on what each guy needs to do. And that’s kind of brought about a bigger amount of accountability, too, just in terms of, we’re all there hearing what each other’s job is supposed to be. Because a lot of times it’s set up, we’re all in our individual position groups and that type of thing. [Orr] has done a good job of bringing us all together. I think that’s made things more cohesive.”

Orr held himself accountable, that took hold with the players – who also looked inside to determine what they could do better – and from then on (along with some important positional changes and the addition of Tre’Davious White), things changed in all the right ways.

“Excuse my language,” Ar’Darius Washington said, “but it was really like, ‘[Expletive] everybody. [Expletive] everything else that’s going around. Let’s play together as one.’ That was the main focus, for sure.”

It wasn’t that the Ravens had to change everything for this big turnaround. The run defense was just fine. The pressure was just fine. But this is a Ravens team that can put up some serious points up on your defense pretty much at will, and that invites a specific response. Only the Minnesota Vikings (604) have had to defend more passing attempts this season than Baltimore’s 591, so if the pass defense didn’t figure itself out, this could have been a very long season for a team with two legitimate MVP candidates in Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.

Now, the long season narrative appears to apply to every quarterback the Ravens face. And it couldn’t have happened at a better time.

2026 No. 1 recruit Jackson Cantwell preparing to cut down to final four schools

2024-12-31T11:48:11-05:00

Nathan Papes/Springfield News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

Cantwell has 30 scholarship offers and has a Top 10 of schools almost exclusively in the Big Ten or SEC.

One of the hottest names of the recruiting trail over the past few years in the 2026 class has been No. 1 overall recruit Jackson Cantwell, who has accumulated 30 scholarship offers and has a Top 10 of schools almost exclusively in the Big Ten or SEC.

Cantwell, a 6’8”, 315-pound offensive lineman, has a Top 10 of Texas A&M, Miami, Nebraska, Oregon, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Missouri and LSU.

The five-star is coming off recent visits to Big Ten powerhouses Michigan and Ohio State as he looks to make the rounds with his top schools.

“I had a lot of fun in Michigan and Ohio State. I mean, those are just two great places,” Cantwell said at a media event part of the Under Armour All-America game. “I learned a lot from talking ball with [offensive line] coach [Grant] Newsome Michigan, and got to learn a lot more about the program at Ohio State, was getting to kind of get the tour of that. So that was a really enjoyable trip.”

At this point, Cantwell has a visit to Texas A&M on his bucket list, as he’s yet to make the trip out to see the Aggies since the spring of 2023. Outside of that, the five-star doesn’t expect to check out any new schools, and may not even take that many visits, due to his track requirements in the spring, prior to official visits.

Jackson Cantwell checks in as an Under Armour All-American game captain in his junior year of high school @jcantwell2499

The No. 3 ranked prospect in the ESPN Jr. 300 has elite physical gifts and is one of the most dominant prospects in the nation #UANext pic.twitter.com/YxSNBZLeop
— Billy Tucker (@TheUCReport) December 29, 2024

The five-star offensive lineman only wants to take four official visits as well in the summer with the possibility of adding an extra one in May, which means he’ll have to narrow down his list of schools by then.

Looking at some of his top suitors, what does Cantwell like about each of his top schools?

On Texas A&M: “The Aggies, I mean, they have a lot going for them as far as they’ve put a lot of time into recruiting me, and they’ve really shown them a priority there. I like their O-line coach a lot. I think Coach [Adam] Cushing has shown me a lot of great stuff so far and breaking down film with me and what I can do and how they’re successful.

“I like Coach Elko. He’s a good dude. They got very promising two sport stuff there. They had Bryce Foster, I’d say, a while back, like a couple years like, you know, doing some throwing, some shot put there, throwing some discus while he was playing offensive line. So it’s promising that you can do two sports at Texas A&M.”

On Miami: “Miami excites me a lot because I mean, they have an offensive line-oriented head coach in Mario Cristobal. I like Coach Cristobal a lot. I think Coach [Alex] Mirabal is a top-five [offensive] line coach in the country. Even that could be a little bit subjective where in that top five would be because I mean, he does a fantastic job. I mean he’s been great developing [players]. They always seem to have the right guys on the offensive line.

“I watched them play against Duke. They had Cam Ward — had all the time to do basically whatever he wanted in there, and he was rolling around for like 30 seconds. You got to have some good pass protection up front. They do a fantastic job. So that was kind of what’s what excites me about Miami’s O-line development.

“I’ve talked to [Coach Cristobal and Mirabal] a decent amount. It kind of came up a little bit recently because they were one of the first ones to kind of jump in the boat, like I’d say winter of 2022. And I didn’t talk to them like a whole lot after that. But then I kind of got back on with them in like 2023, 2024. I just didn’t know when I’d be able to visit.

“And I mean, I just got back down there, got talked to them and I like kind of what they do. They seem to be a very close bunch. They’ve kind of known for a while they want to develop offensive linemen, they want to have a great offensive line. So that’s just kind of some of the stuff excites me about Coach Cristobal as a whole.”

On Georgia: “They do a lot of things right. They do a lot of attention to detail. I like [offensive line] coach [Stacy] Searels a lot. Coach Searles [is] definitely one of my favorite O-line coaches that I’ve seen so far. I think it’s just because when you’re at Georgia you can like recruit incredibly well.

“So obviously that will help Coach Searles out a lot, but he also does a pretty good job developing those guys and getting them ready to go play at the next level. So that’s something that I’ve always been excited about with them. And I mean, it’s just UGA like you grow up and you see UGA playing national championships a lot. And I think they’ve got a really good chance to win one this year. So it’s always good to be a contender.”

On Nebraska: “Nebraska played a pretty fantastic game whenever I watched them there. Obviously, they’re kind of back into being an up-and-coming program. It sounds weird because they were a blue blood for a while and now they’re kind of coming back up again. I mean, first bowl game win since 2015. Always good to go see some progress linearly. I mean, they think they’re going to be able to win even more games next year. So I’m excited to kind of see how those guys keep developing that program because it’s obviously really promising.

“Once you get a quarterback, that helps a lot. The got the quarterback they got. They’re trying to get a supporting cast around him. So I’m glad to see they’re investing a lot in those guys. I mean, obviously, they’re in need of offensive linemen and they’ve said that’s something that I could obviously be a big piece for them in 2026 class with. So I’m excited to kind of see how that’ll end up developing.”

On Alabama: “Alabama, obviously they’re a very good football team. I mean, obviously there’s some question about if they could have made it into the playoffs or not. And with one game going right for them, they probably would have made it in with a pretty high seed. So I mean they’re a team that’s been a blue blood for a while now. I mean, I think Kalen DeBoer does a fantastic job. I think he gets over-criticized a bunch just because he’s not Nick Saban. But you don’t have to be Nick Saban to be a great football coach.

“He’s a proven winner. He’s won everywhere he’s been. He’s won at D3, he’s won at D1, FCS, he’s won at Power 5. Like he’s a guy that will go out there and win football games. And [offensive line] coach [Chris] Kapilovic as well, the O-line coach there, we had some ties from Michigan State, but I didn’t talk to them as much. But when he got to Bama, we already had that connection so it helped out a lot. And he went to Missouri State, which is 20 minutes for me. So he knows my area really well. So, it’s kind of cool they get to share that.”

No. 1 player in 2026, Jackson Cantwell is out here for Day 1 @UANextFootball

Miami, Oregon, Georgia, Texas A&M and several others in the mix pic.twitter.com/rp1k28ueWz
— Rivals (@Rivals) December 30, 2024

On Missouri: “ I grew up on the Mizzou campus. I think from until I was 8, I basically lived there while my dad was trained to be a professional shot putter. So I know a lot about it. Obviously, I mean, they got a good thing going there right now. They’re winning a decent amount of games.

“They’re in the top 25, it feels like every year for the last couple years now. Ever since they got Coach Drinkwood, their offensive line has been on the come up. Really, they’ve done a better and better job every single year. I think [offensive line] coach [Brandon] Jones has been a pretty big part of that.”

“And I mean, as far as, like, winning those battles, I mean, it’s really tough to get away from Missouri because, like, they put such a huge emphasis on in-state guys. That’s their biggest recruiting priority right now is Eli Drinkwood wants to get in-state guys. So, I mean, I think that’s why that’s happening and try and make it as tough as possible for guys to leave the state.”

On Oregon: “I think they’re really promising. I mean, national championship favorites right now. I don’t want to jinx [Head] Coach [Dan] Lanning on that, but no, they’ve done a great job. I think people panicked after two games, didn’t understand it takes time to build stuff. But [offensive line coach] A’lique Terry has done a fantastic job building those guys up on the offensive line.

They coach about as well as anybody. I think Dan Lanning is one of the most likable dudes in college football right now as far as head coaches go. And I can confirm that he’s like that all the time. He’s just a great dude. He knows a lot of guys in our south, in our Missouri area, in like southwest Missouri. So I’ve gotten to talk to him a lot and I’ve really enjoyed getting to keep building that relationship. I mean, there’s great stuff going on in Oregon.”

LSU and USC have fallen onto the back ropes here as Cantwell’s recruitment continues to take off, but there are a number of heavy suitors for the five-star’s services, which will lead to a very competitive battle down the line, one that will surely involve NIL.

While the offensive lineman himself hasn’t been very involved, he hired Rosenhaus Sports Representation to help him navigate the process smoothly.

“I don’t know a whole lot yet [about NIL yet], but I mean, I’m glad that I got [Rosenhaus Sports Representation] on board. Earlier, my dad was watching an episode of Hard Knocks and he saw them represent somebody and was like, ‘that’s the guy,’” Cantwell said, referring to Drew Rosenahus. “And I think he was right because they do a fantastic job. But they’ve still got to go meet with everybody because we have not met with a whole lot of schools yet if really, if many at all...So the thinking is, is they want to make sure that everything’s gonna be what’s best for me and then we’ll see what to do from there. But I trust those guys with everything. They’ve done a fantastic job with pros, college guys. They’re starting to get to high school right now, thankfully. So it helped me out a lot.”

Chennedy Carter has been the best WNBA player in China this season

2024-12-31T11:40:03-05:00

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Sky star is leading the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association in points, steals, and assists.

Chennedy Carter, fresh off the best season of her WNBA career with the Chicago Sky, has been lighting up the competition in China. Carter has led the Women's China Basketball Association in scoring (30.3 points per game), assists (5.8), and steals (2.5). She also has the league’s highest efficiency rating at 29.3.

Under her leadership, the Wuhan Shengfan are 13-3 this season, most recently propelling the team to an 8-game win streak with a 35-point, 8-assist, 4-steal performance.

CHENNEDY CARTER TODAY

• 44 POINTS
• 14 REBOUNDS
• 3 ASSISTS pic.twitter.com/BKffqgPlwT
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) December 6, 2024

Throughout the season, she’s regularly turned to Twitter/X to provide updates to the fans:

GAME WINNER !!! yeah & from the 3 ‍ #MarathonNotASprint ngl its some serious hoops being played
12/13 God The Greatest
— H O L L Y W O O D (@ChennedyCarter) December 13, 2024

seriously beating the same team twice back to back is never easy ! but the work will always show another dub
— H O L L Y W O O D (@ChennedyCarter) December 8, 2024

42 points tonight and the win God is the greatest !!! #WeMove
— H O L L Y W O O D (@ChennedyCarter) November 26, 2024

Chennedy Carter’s future in the WNBA is uncertain

Carter had an excellent season on the Sky in 2024, averaging 17.5 points on 48.7 percent shooting. But this winter, she’s a restricted free agent who will be able to begin negotiations with WNBA teams, and her future with the Sky is unclear.

Chicago’s new head coach, Tyler Marsh, was asked on The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show about whether Carter was a big part of the Sky’s plans.

“In regards to Chennedy, she’s a great player, she was a huge catalyst to what last year’s team was able to do and accomplish,” Marsh said. “And obviously, she’s slated to be a free agent this year. So once those talks open up, we’ll take a look at it. But the focus thus far has been on the players who we know are under contract this coming year, and that’s where the communication has been thus far.”

Regardless, Carter has been proving her on-court value with her consistent play since the WNBA season’s conclusion.

There’s been a bump in the road for the Wuhan star, however. Last week, Carter suffered a sternum contusion that led to her hospitalization, an injury that typically takes a couple of weeks to recover from.

Carter gave it her all, putting her body on the line for a crucial defensive stop to secure the win. Her sacrifice exemplifies true grit and determination—without her effort, the outcome could have been very different. Wishing her a speedy recovery! pic.twitter.com/NjLT4VXZb8
— Chinese Women's Hoop Show (@CWHoopShow) December 29, 2024

Several other WNBA players have excelled in the WCBA this winter

Carter isn’t the only WNBA player who has taken advantage of the opportunity to play overseas in China.

Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever is averaging 23.7 points and 4.8 assists per game
Minnesota Lynx’s Myisha Hines-Allen is averaging 22.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
Chicago Sky rookie Kamilla Cardoso is averaging 20.2 points and 9.9 rebounds.
Connecticut Sun guard Ty Harris is averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists
Los Angeles Sparks guard Odyssey Sims is averaging 19.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists
Dallas Wings forward Kalani Brown is averaging 19.3 points and 7 rebounds
Sun backup big Olivia Nelson-Ododa is averaging 18.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks

Picks for College Football Playoff quarterfinal games, with 1 big upset prediction

2024-12-31T11:07:45-05:00

Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Let’s make picks for the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.

College football’s inaugural 12-team playoff is down to the final eight teams.

As an aside, are we going with Elite Eight for this? We have seen a passing reference or two to that term, borrowed from the NCAA basketball tournament, but it truly has yet to stick. But we digress ...

But tonight the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff get underway, with No. 6 Penn State taking on No. 3 Boise State in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. Three more games come our way on New Year’s Day, beginning with the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between No. 5 Texas and No. 4 Arizona State, followed by the Rose Bowl between No. 8 Ohio State and No. 1 Oregon. The games conclude with the Allstate Sugar Bowl between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 2 Georgia.

We have already ranked the teams, but now it is time to make some picks.

No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Picks

JP: Penn State
Mark: Penn State

Mark: JP, we seem to be of the same mind here. Is the thinking that Penn State’s defense — and run defense in particular — is going to be too much for Ashton Jeanty and Boise State to overcome, or do you suddenly have a ton of faith in Drew Allar and company?

JP: The way I see it is simple: if Ashton Jeanty runs wild but Drew Allar and the Penn State offense can match Boise score for score, I think the Nittany Lions will pull out a close victory. Bronco EDGEs Jayden Virgin-Morgan and Ahmed Hassanein will need to play huge roles on a defense that finished second in the nation in sacks. So if Allar can handle the pressure well, the Nittany Lions win. If not, this could be an upset for the ages.

Mark: Another problem for Boise State when it comes to Allar is their secondary is great on the outside, but weaker up the middle. That is where Allar has shined this year, attacking between the numbers. Tyler Warren could have a big game as well.

No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Picks

JP: Texas
Mark: Texas

JP: I love Arizona State’s offense, and RB Cam Skattebo is one of those guys that is must-see every time he touches the ball. I just worry about their sustainability going against a Texas defense that gives up the 11th-least Yards per Carry and is first in Defensive EPA per play allowed against the run. I think Sun Devil QB Sam Leavitt’s legs will have to play a huge role, but if they can’t jump on Texas early, it’ll be all Longhorns.

Mark: So far we are of a similar mind. To me Arizona State was one of the season’s great stories, going from being picked to finish dead last in the Big-12 to winning the Big-12 Conference Championship Game and securing a first-round bye.

But Texas looked good last week against Clemson. Yes we are probably all waiting for the wheels to come off for the Longhorns but I do not think that happens this week, and it seems you do not either.

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

Picks

JP: Ohio State
Mark: Oregon

Mark: Okay now we are having some fun.

At the outset, a Rose Bowl game between Oregon and Ohio State just feels ... right.

As for your pick JP, is this just because the team across from Ohio State is not wearing maize and blue?

JP: That’s right folks, I’m ready to be wrong about Ohio State again.

I picked Tennessee to win their Round 1 matchup because of how much they’d been reeling after the Michigan loss, and that proved to be...well...unwise. I’m picking Ohio State in this game because it’s REALLY hard to beat a team twice. We saw it three years ago when Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC Title Game, then Georgia beat the Tide in the national championship. Alabama and LSU played that iconic 9-6 game in 2011 where the Tigers won, but the Crimson Tide won the championship by beating them 21-0. If I’m going off of trends, I think the Buckeyes will be ready for a neutral site game against the Ducks, and Ryan Day gets the big game victory he needed.

Mark: For me, I think this game is all about DIllon Gabriel. Ohio State has the playmakers to put up points against this Oregon — they did that back in October — but Gabriel has so much experience, and I think that gives Oregon a huge edge. One of my favorite plays from their meeting in October was his touchdown just before halftime to Tez Johnson. Oregon faced third and long, Ohio State showed pressure with a radar front and just one defender in a three-point stance, but dropped nine into coverage. Gabriel did not panic, read the coverage, hit Johnson on a go route for a score, and instead of trailing at the half, Oregon went into the locker room with the lead:

Dillon Gabriel to Tez Johnson for the Touchdown!
Oregon leads 22 - 21 to Ohio State at the half. pic.twitter.com/k6GX3jTAt3
— The GOAT (@TheG0ATPlays) October 13, 2024

There is nothing he has not seen on a football field, and I think that is huge again against Ohio State.

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
Allstate Sugar Bowl

Picks

JP: Notre Dame
Mark: Notre Dame

Mark: We’re really living in a world where Notre Dame is heading to the CFP semifinals, aren’t we?

JP: Have we warped back in time to 2012?

Mark: I really hope we haven’t warped back to 2012. That means I have to go into an office and be a lawyer again Thursday. Nobody should want that.

JP: I would have to go back to middle school, which might be the most awkward time of a child’s life so...yeah there’s that. Georgia is without QB Carson Beck, and although all of the Gunner Stockton hype has been fun (HE DRIVES AN OLD PICKUP AND IS FROM TIGER, GEORGIA Y’ALL), I’m not sure he’s ready for this matchup. Notre Dame is finally facing a team that’s just as big and just as physical as them, but Fighting Irish QB Riley Leonard’s legs will be the big difference in this one.

College Football Playoff: How to watch the quarterfinal Bowl games

2024-12-31T11:00:00-05:00

Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff has advanced to the quarterfinal Bowl games. Here is how to watch each game

The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff has reached the quarterfinals, with four Bowl games playing host to the eight teams left standing.

Action kicks off on New Year’s Eve with the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, featuring Penn State and Boise State. Then three games come your way on New Year’s Day, starting with the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between Texas and Arizona State. Ohio State and Oregon square off in the Rose Bowl — which just feels right if we are being honest — and the games conclude with Notre Dame taking on Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night.

Here is how to watch each game, complete with the “Megacast” information ESPN is sending your way.

No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

When: Tuesday, December 31, 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
TV/Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+
Megacast options: ESPN is rolling out their “Megacast” format for each of the quarterfinal games this week. During the Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Penn State, the main telecast will be available on ESPN. Over on ESPN2 the “Command Center” telecast will be shown, with multiple angles available. Fans interested in the “Skycast” angle will find that on ESPNU, while ESPN Deportes will feature a Spanish language broadcast. Finally, coverage of the two marching bands will be available via streaming on ESPN+.

No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

When: Wednesday, January 1, 1:00 p.m. Eastern
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
TV/Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+
Megacast options: ESPN is rolling out their “Megacast” format for each of the quarterfinal games this week. During the Peach Bowl between Texas and Boise State the main telecast will be available on ESPN. Over on ESPN2 the “Command Center” telecast will be shown, with multiple angles available. Fans interested in the “Skycast” angle will find that on ESPNU, while the SEC Network will include a “Skycast” variation featuring the radio broadcast from the Longhorns radio network. ESPN Deportes will feature a Spanish language broadcast. Coverage of the two marching bands will also be available via streaming on ESPN+.

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

When: Wednesday, January 1, 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
TV/Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+
Megacast options: The Rose Bowl between Texas and Boise State is also getting the “Megacast” treatment from ESPN. The main telecast will be available on ESPN while over on ESPN2 a special “Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show” will be featured. A “Command Center” telecast will be shown on ESPNU with multiple angles available. Fans interested in the “Skycast” angle will find that on ESPNEWS. ESPN Deportes will feature a Spanish language broadcast. Coverage of the two marching bands will also be available via streaming on ESPN+.

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
Allstate Sugar Bowl

When: Wednesday, January 1, 8:45 p.m. Eastern
Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
TV/Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+
Megacast options: The final quarterfinal game is the Allstate Sugar Bowl, kicking off Wednesday night at 8:45 p.m. Eastern, which will make for a tough return to school/work for those on the East Coast. The main telecast will be available on ESPN while over on ESPN2 the “Command Center” telecast will be shown, with multiple angles available. Fans interested in the “Skycast” angle will find that on ESPNU, while the SEC Network will include a “Skycast” variation featuring the radio broadcast from the Georgia Bulldogs radio network. ESPN Deportes will feature a Spanish language broadcast. Coverage of the two marching bands will also be available via streaming on ESPN+.

Aliyah Boston’s offseason workout should have Fever fans excited

2024-12-31T09:28:44-05:00

Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

Boston has been working with Indiana’s new player development coach, Keith Porter — and the Fever are giving fans a behind-the-scenes perspective.

The Indiana Fever posted a behind-the-scenes look at star forward Aliyah Boston’s workout with the team’s new player development coach Keith Porter — and it’s worth a watch.

Porter, who was a player development coach under Stephanie White on the Connecticut Sun last season, led Boston through a rigorous post-player workout that included midrange jumpers and a variety of post moves. The two also ran pick-and-rolls and worked on Boston’s footwork through a variety of game scenarios.

With the WNBA season still five months away, the renowned development coach led the two-time All-Star in a lengthy workout at Worcester Academy, where Boston went to high school and was a McDonald’s All-American.

Aliyah Boston offseason work

an exclusive look inside her workout with player development coach Keith Porter today pic.twitter.com/iU3UF3OcBE
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) December 31, 2024

At 23, Boston is already one of the elite two-way forwards in the WNBA. In two WNBA seasons, she’s averaged 14.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, shooting 55.2% from the field. She was the league’s unanimous Rookie of the Year in 2023 and followed that up with another All-Star campaign in 2024.

Her professional career came on the heels of four dominant four years in college. The first overall pick in the 2023 draft, Boston won an NCAA championship in 2022, and was a two-time Naismith Defensive Player of the Year at South Carolina.

Porter has previously shared that he’s excited, and nervous, to leave Connecticut and fully relocate to Indiana.

“I’m excited, I’m nervous... fully relocating and walking everything that I’ve pretty much grown here in Connecticut is a little scary, but I’m excited for the next chapter,” Porter said on Syndicate Nation. “Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I’m gonna have to train... a person who has the potential to be one of the greatest woman athletes ever with an extreme impact.”

Boston’s workout is not the first offseason workout the Fever have shared on social media. Earlier this month, the Fever shared a glimpse of Caitlin Clark’s workout with Stephanie White and other members of the coaching staff, taking place in the Fever’s practice facility in Indiana.

Caitlin Clark's first workout with head coach Stephanie White pic.twitter.com/7q03ogirKt
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) December 16, 2024

For Fever fans, the fact that their two young stars are so locked in this offseason is a welcome sign. Last year, Clark and Boston helped lead Indiana to their first playoff berth since 2016. This season, with a year of experience under their belt and a renowned new head coach, it’s very likely the franchise will take another leap.

In the meantime, fans eager to watch Fever basketball can enjoy the fact that their team has made a concerted effort to provide them with a behind-the-scenes look at their stars’ offseason workouts.

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Picks for College Football Playoff quarterfinal games, with 1 big upset prediction

No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise StateVrbo Fiesta Bowl

Picks

No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona StateChick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Picks

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 OregonRose Bowl Presented by Prudential

Picks

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 GeorgiaAllstate Sugar Bowl

Picks

College Football Playoff: How to watch the quarterfinal Bowl games

No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise StateVrbo Fiesta Bowl

No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona StateChick-fil-A Peach Bowl

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 OregonRose Bowl Presented by Prudential

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 GeorgiaAllstate Sugar Bowl

Aliyah Boston’s offseason workout should have Fever fans excited

No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
Allstate Sugar Bowl

No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 3 Boise State
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Arizona State
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
Allstate Sugar Bowl