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CHICAGO (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out 11 over six no-hit innings in his second major league start, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 on Friday. Skenes allowed just one baserunner — Michael Busch on a full-count, fifth-inning walk on the eighth pitch of the plate appearance — in an utterly dominant performance. After pitching through some nerves in his big league debut against the Cubs last weekend, he looked quite comfortable on a picturesque day at Wrigley Field. Skenes (1-0), who turns 22 on May 29, struck out his first seven batters, including the side in the first on pitches of at least 100 mph. He struck out Mike Tauchman on a 100 mph fastball on his 100th and final pitch — his 12th to reach triple digits. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft became the third rookie with seven strikeouts to start a game, joining Jacob deGrom on Sept. 15, 2014, and Jim Deshaies on Sept. 23, 1986. He also became the first rookie with an outing of at least six no-hit innings and 10-plus strikeouts since Chris Heston threw a no-hitter for San Francisco against the New York Mets on June 9, 2015. Andrew McCutchen and Jared Triolo homered for Pittsburgh, which held on for a 5-4 victory in the opener of the four-game series on Thursday night. Triolo and Yasmani Grandal each had two hits and three RBIs. Chicago played without second baseman Nico Hoerner, who missed his fourth consecutive game because of left hamstring tightness. He is day to day.

Fire on the Mountain!

Game 2 of LSU-Ole Miss Baseball Series to Begin at 12 p.m. CT Friday Friday’s 12 p.m. CT game will be broadcast on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network, and it will be streamed SEC Network +.

FYI: Tomorrow’s game vs. Ole Miss has been moved up to 12 p.m. CT. The matchup can be viewed on SEC Network +. lsul.su/3K8ySvj

Yesterday in my area.

Bo took this kid an made him the 16th pick in the NFL draft. Byron Murphy II from DeSoto High School was rated a 3-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. After high school, Murphy II joined Texas after being heavily recruited. He's 6'0" and 297#. The higher recruited player from that DeSoto team? Shemar Turner from DeSoto High School was rated a 5-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. After high school, Turner joined Texas A&M after being heavily recruited. Shamar is staying another year at aTm, needs a little more coaching. The kid Bo coached, the 56th best DL coming out of high school. The aTm player, #10 best DL. There are lots of factors involved, but coaching is a big part of it.

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BREAKING: Transfer portal DT Jay'Viar Suggs to sign with LSU By Mike Scarborough May 15, 2024 The LSU football program picked up a vital piece on Wednesday as transfer portal defensive tackle Jay'Viar Suggs of Grand Valley State announced his commitment to LSU. The 6-foot-3, 282-pound Suggs visited LSU officially earlier this week. He chose the Tigers over Wisconsin, Kentucky and Michigan. He announced his commitment via social media. Suggs spent five years at Division II Grand Valley State. Two of those years he was a starter. He totaled 42 tackles (14.5 for loss), eight sacks, two forced fumbles and nine pass deflections. Suggs is originally from Flint, Michigan and he prepped at Clarkson High School.

OT Weston Davis – LSU signee On300 Ranking: No. 24 Next Highest Ranking: No. 100 (Rivals) Industry Comparison Scouting Take: Weston Davis has one of the higher upsides among the offensive tackles in this class. He’s a guy who is pretty new to football having played for only three year, but he’s an obvious top talent. He has elite length as a guy who is 6’5 and 285 pounds with 35-inch plus arms. His basketball background and athleticism on the court really stand out as well. It’s easy to tell how explosive of an athlete he is on the basketball floor, but he’s going to need continued development from a technical standpoint with his lack of experience. For someone who has only played the game for a short time relatively, his growth in physicality and understanding the game is really encouraging. – Charles Power, Director of Recruiting.

Keep an eye on this LSU Baseball recruit. https://wgno.com/sports/watch-william-schmidt-pitches-catholic-to-division-i-select-state-championship-win-over-john-curtis/amp/

Paul Skenes notches first major league strikeout on 101 mph fastball by:Wade Peery•about 3 hours (Photo: USA Today) Former LSU star pitcher Paul Skenesfinally got the call up to the major leagues on Saturday to perform for the Pittsburgh Pirates. And he didn’t disappoint. He checked in with some serious smoke from the jump, striking out his first batter on a fastball that was clocked at 101 miles per hour. The former top overall pick in the draft threw 10 fastballs in the first inning alone, with the slowest clocking in at 99.8 miles per hour. With his first four batters, Skenes struck out the second batter with an offspeed pitch. He walked the third batter he faced, and then forced the fourth batter to hit a long fly ball that was caught by the Pirates outfielders. Skenes, who was the No. 1 overall MLB Draft pick in 2023, has thoroughly impressed in the minor leagues. He threw for three different teams in 2023 and put together a 5.40 ERA after making five starts. However, he would significantly improve in 2024 as he got more comfortable. The talented flamethrower has played in 12 games for the Pirates in the minor leagues, allowing a batting average of .179, with an ERA of 1.85, while throwing 55 strikeouts. Those impressive numbers got him the call-up from the franchise.

Actor Vic Morrow had chilling last words before dying in a helicopter accident on set of Twilight Zone The actor, who died on the set of The Twilight Zone, had a premonition that he would die in a helicopter accident Gregory Robinson Published 19:27 8 Aug 2023 GMT+1 Actor Vic Morrow had chilling last words before he died in a helicopter accident on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie. In 1982, production on a film adaptation of the popular science fiction anthology TV series was underway. Morrow, who rose to fame in the ABC drama series Combat! in the 1960s, was cast in one of the lead roles. During the filming of a segment directed by John Landis, on July 23, 1982 at around 2:30 a.m., Morrow was killed along with two child actors, Myca Dinh Le, seven, and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, six, when a helicopter that was being used in a scene being filmed at Indian Dunes, in Valencia, California, crashed. Six passengers were injured in the accident. The helicopter crash led to years of civil and criminal action against the personnel overseeing the shoot, including Landis. The scene was meant to be set during the Vietnam War in which Morrow’s character, a loudmouth racist named Bill Connor, is transported back in time. The night scene called for Morrow’s character to carry the two children out of a deserted village and across a river while being chased by American soldiers in a hovering helicopter. Warner Bros. The sequence was ‘poorly planned’ and ‘barely rehearsed’, The New York Times reports, which led to one of the explosions damaging the rotor blades on the aircraft, causing the pilot to lose control. The helicopter crashed into the river and decapitated Morrow and Le, while crushing Chen to death. Morrow had an eerie suspicion that he would be involved in a helicopter crash years before it happened. While filming Dirty Mary Crazy Larry in 1973, he insisted on having a one million dollar life insurance policy before he would shoot any scenes involving the helicopter he was meant to ride in. When asked, he reportedly said: "I have always had a premonition I was going to die in a helicopter crash!" Warner Bros. Shortly before filming the scene that would ultimately claim his claim, he allegedly told a production assistant: "I must be out of my mind to be doing this. I should've asked for a stunt double. What can they do but kill me, right?!" Morrow was the father of two children, daughters Carrie Ann Morrow and actor Jennifer Jason Leigh. Landis and four other defendants, including the helicopter pilot Dorsey Wingo, were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter after a trial that lasted nearly nine months. The parents of Le and Chen sued and settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

LSU has the No. 1 offensive line in the country per On3 Kyle Richardson May 11, 2024 6:00 am CT It is a widely known fact that the LSU Tigers have the two best offensive tackles in the NCAA this year. Will Campbell and Emery Jones are the cornerstones of an offensive line group that strikes fear in the eyes of opposing defensive coordinators. Garrett Nussmeier sleeps a lot better at night knowing that his blindside is safe every time he drops back to throw. Hopefully, the running game will make a huge improvement from 2023 to 2024 as well. Recently, On3 ranked the top 10 offensive line units as we get ready to head into the 2024 season. They have LSU as the No. 1 team and here is their analysis of why. Even with the losses of Heard and Martinez to the portal, this offensive line has the chance to be one of the best in program history.

Giants first-round pick Malik Nabers buys mom new home before Mother's Day by:Nikki Chavanelle•about 3 hours (SCOTT CLAUSE/USA Today Network) Unless you’re Malik Nabers, the pressure to deliver for Mother’s Day just increased. The New York Giants rookie first-rounder shared on Friday that he purchased a new home for his mom last week. Nabers signed a four-year contract that’s worth $29.2 million, which is fully guaranteed, on Friday. “That was the most important thing in my life, having her have her own house and feel comfortable and not having to worry about bills to pay,” Nabers told reporters at rookie minicamp. “And know that her little boy did it for her.” Nabers’ rookie contract includes a signing bonus of $18.062 million. As a first-round pick, he has a fifth-year option in his contract that allows the Giants to hold on to him through the 2028 season. New York can exercise his fifth-year option after he’s played his third season in the league.

Former LSU baseball right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes has been called up to the major leagues, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced Wednesday. The Pirates also revealed that Skenes will make his debut with the big club on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

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I know I wrote about this a while back. The 12 Personnel can win you a National Championship, you don't have to look back too far to see it in action. How about to a few months back when Michigan won the NC. There best package was 12, yes the one back and two TE's. They were more of a 50/50 run pass. As comparing 22 to 23. They were at 238 yard per game in 2022. Thats 71 less yards per game, as to 2023. They also rushed for 5.6 yards per carry in 22. But the passing game tells another story. They were at a 75%(64% in 22) completion percentage and 3rd in college football on 3rd down being efficient 55% of the time( in 2022, 27th at 45%). They threw for 257 passing yards a game. In 22, they were at 219. Now Kelly has utilized the TE position as much as anyone, at every stop he's made. Don't look for this to change. Last season Kelly used 4 TE's in the formation, short yardage, resulting in a TD.

Spring overreactions from each Way-Too-Early Top 25 college football team! ESPN staffMay 6, 2024, 07:00 AM ET The spring is prime overreaction time in college football. Where are the breakout freshmen, backup QBs-turned-Heisman contenders and transfers who could be the missing piece in a deep CFP run? With spring ball wrapped up and the summer's "talking season" rapidly approaching, our reporters take a look at notable overreactions for each team in our latest Top 25 offseason power rankings. 1. Georgia Overreaction: Georgia's offense won't be nearly as good without star tight end Brock Bowers and receiver Ladd McConkey. There's no question the Bulldogs are going to miss the two aforementioned pass-catchers, who were selected with the 13th and 34th pick in last month's NFL draft, respectively. Both players were explosive after the catch and served as safety valves for quarterback Carson Beck, who was confident they'd be open when they were on the field. But Georgia still has plenty of firepower returning and more talent coming this summer. Beck should be even better in his second full season as a starter -- he's trending as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. Dominic Lovett and Rara Thomas should emerge as go-to receivers after transferring to Georgia before the 2023 season, and Dillon Bell is a versatile playmaker as well. Miami transfer Colbie Younglooked like a red-zone threat in the spring. Junior tight end Oscar Delp is another future NFL draft pick, and Stanford transfer Benjamin Yurosekwill give Beck another proven target. -- Mark Schlabach 2. Ohio State Overreaction: Freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith will immediately take over for Marvin Harrison Jr. as Ohio State's No. 1 WR. The buzz this spring around Smith, the No. 4 overall recruit in this freshman class, was palpable. Smith dazzled throughout the spring with his body control and big-play ability. Clearly he has the potential to be, like Harrison, a high draft pick himself down the line. But Emeka Egbuka reminded everyone in the spring game why he'll be the Buckeyes' go-to target in 2024 with a series of impressive catches, including a one-handed grab along the boundary. The senior leader will bring stability to an Ohio State offense that will feature a new quarterback and new playcaller in Chip Kelly. -- Jake Trotter 3. Oregon Overreaction: The Ducks are going to be one of the most physical teams in the new Big Ten. There's plenty of skepticism about how the former Pac-12 teams like USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon are going to fare in their first season playing physical, defensive-minded Big Ten football. USC, for example, has made it a point to try and beef up its lines on both sides of the ball and though that remains a work in progress, there's little doubt that the Ducks already have that pedigree going into this season. Their spring game was a manifestation of that. While other teams took on a "thud" approach where they weren't fully tackling each other, Dan Lanning's team went all out with full tackling during its game (except for the quarterbacks) and showed off their athleticism. "Football requires a certain level of effort and physicality and that doesn't happen by accident," Lanning said after the Ducks' spring game. "You have to practice it. Are we smart with our players? Yeah, absolutely. But we want to take advantage of every opportunity on the field." Come Big Ten play, Oregon should be more than equipped to take on its opponents. -- Paolo Uggetti 4. Texas Overreaction: There's a quarterback controversy. Arch Manning electrified a stadium with plenty of fans wearing his No. 16 jersey during the spring game, throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns, looking in command and locked in on deep passes all day, while Quinn Ewers threw a pick-six on one of his two drives. But there's no controversy. Two years ago, when Ewers struggled in multiple games midway through the season, the Longhorns had a capable backup in Hudson Card, who transferred and started 11 games last year at Purdue, but Sarkisian allowed Ewers to ride it out and kept Card on the bench. Those growing pains paid off last season when Ewers led the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff, throwing for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns and six INTs through the season. Sarkisian knows and likes what he has in Ewers, who is projected to be a top-10 NFL draft pick next year. Sarkisian planned all along to let Manning get a spring showcase to keep developing for next season. -- Dave Wilson 5. Notre Dame Overreaction: Former Duke QB Riley Leonardis injury-prone. The big get of portal season for Notre Dame was Leonard, who figures to be the catalyst for the Irish offense in 2024. Only problem? No one has seen him play in a Notre Dame uniform yet. After enduring a significant ankle injury last year -- against Notre Dame -- he dealt with turf toe and then required an additional surgery on the ankle that kept him out of spring ball. Does that mean Leonard will be playing catch-up all summer? Will he even be healthy enough to get the work he needs to be ready for Week 1? Not to worry -- Leonard is a veteran. The light spring might ultimately be a benefit, in that it gave him time to heal and study the offense before being thrown into the fire. -- David Hale 6. Ole Miss Overreaction: There's no such thing as "rat poison." First of all, Lane Kiffin knows better. He has repeated the phrase often after hearing his former boss, Nick Saban, lament what rat poison could do to a football team that gets too full of itself after reading its press clippings. Not since the John Vaught years has Ole Miss received this kind of love going into a season. There's no doubt that this is Kiffin's most talented team, and he has added impact players on both sides of the ball. Not to mention, he returns a top-flight quarterback in Jaxson Dartwho will be in his third year as a starter. But no matter how hard you downplay it, there's a different dynamic to going out and performing at a high level when everybody expects it and is touts how good you are. This will be a different world for an Ole Miss team that enters 2024 with a playoff-or-bust label. Certainly, rat poison isn't unbeaten, but it's real. -- Chris Low 7. Missouri Overreaction: Offensive line could hold back the offense. The Tigers lost All-SEC tackle Javon Foster to the NFL draft as well as two other offensive linemen, Xavier Delgado and Marcellus Johnson, who signed as free agents. Granted, every good offensive line has the proper chemistry and cohesion that comes from players accustomed to playing alongside each other. That said, the Tigers strengthened themselves significantly on the offensive line over the past four months by bringing in transfer tackles Marcus Bryant(SMU) and Cayden Green(Oklahoma). They join three returning starters, and if the Tigers can stay healthy up front, they're plenty talented enough to give quarterback Brady Cook and his playmakers on offense the time and space to be a team that averages more than 30 points per game for a second straight season. -- Low 8. Penn State Overreaction: Penn State's pass protection is primed to fall apart. With Olumuyiwa Fashanu and Caedan Wallacemanning the tackle spots last year, the Nittany Lions allowed only 16 sacks, second fewest in the Big Ten. In last month's draft, Fashanu went 11th overall to the New York Jets, and Wallace went in the third round to the New England Patriots. Still, Penn State should be solid in protecting QB Drew Allar with players such as Drew Shelton, its swing tackle the past two years, and Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci potentially stepping into the starting tackle spots. -- Trotter 9. Alabama Jalen Milroe and Alabama look to make a run in the CFP under new coach Kalen DeBoer. Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire Overreaction: A quarterback controversy is brewing. Let's pump the brakes on a quarterback controversy looming in Tuscaloosa as Kalen DeBoer takes over for Nick Saban as Alabama's coach. The Tide staff loved what they saw this spring from Ty Simpson and the steps he took. He was much more decisive in his decision-making and played with more confidence than he did last spring and preseason when he was competing for the starting job. But Alabama's starter unequivocally remains Jalen Milroe, who was the key to Alabama's transformation a year ago from an above-average team to a playoff team. Milroe should thrive in DeBoer's system and has a year of experience to build on as a second-year starter. The best news for the Menstrual Wave is that they have two quarterbacks they believe in, and that's always comforting going into a season. -- Low 10. Utah Overreaction: Cam Rising and Dorian Singerare going to be one of the most potent QB-WR duos. Both Rising and Singer are coming off of less-than-ideal 2023 seasons. Rising sat out the entire year recovering from knee surgery, while Singer had transferred to USC after a 1,105-yard season at Arizona only to struggle in the Trojans' crowded receivers room (289 receiving yards and three touchdowns). A fresh start under an experienced quarterback is exactly what Singer may need in order to get back to his 2022 form. Rising, meanwhile, is back healthy for one last hurrah in Salt Lake City and should benefit greatly from having a top wideout option like Singer. The two seem to have already developed some chemistry throughout spring, connecting on five passes for 92 yards in the Utes' spring game. -- Uggetti 11. Arizona Overreaction: Noah Fifita is primed for a Heisman-level season. After a stunning breakout freshman season from Fifita where he threw for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns in just nine starts, Fifita is now getting what he didn't get last year: a full offseason to prepare to be the Wildcats' starting quarterback. During spring ball, he has stepped confidently into that role. With standout wide receiver Tetairoa McMillanstaying in Tucson despite the coaching change from Jedd Fisch to Brent Brennan, Fifita has the ingredients to build upon his first season under center and show why he may be not only the Big 12's best offensive player, but could be one of the nation's best, too. -- Uggetti 12. LSU Overreaction: DBU is back. It wasn't long ago that LSU dubbed itself "Defensive Back University" and deservedly so, after the Tigers sent Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson, Corey Webster and so many other great defensive backs to the NFL. Last season, however, the Tigers struggled to cover just about everyone. LSU ranked 108th in the FBS in pass defense (255.6 yards) and 108th in total defense (416.6). Tigers coach Brian Kelly blew up his defensive staff, poaching coordinator Blake Baker from Missouri and bringing back longtime secondary coach Corey Raymond from Florida. The secondary took its lumps against quarterback Garrett Nussmeier during the spring game but bowed its neck and made some stops as well. If young players such as cornerbacks Ashton Stamps and P.J. Woodland and safeties Dashawn McBryde and Kylin Jackson continue to develop, the coaches should at least have more depth and talent in 2024. -- Schlabach 13. Michigan Overreaction: The transition from Jim Harbaugh to Sherrone Moore will be seamless. Moore showed down the stretch, as Michigan's interim coach last season, that he's ready to lead the Wolverines. But Michigan lost 13 players to the NFL draft, two more than any other program (ahead of Texas). That included quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who went 10th overall to the Minnesota Vikings. With a new starting quarterback still to be determined, and several new starters on either side of the ball, the reigning national champions could endure some early growing pains at the outset of the Moore era in Ann Arbor. -- Trotter 14. Oklahoma Former Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel transfers to Oregon in its first season in the Big Ten. Brian Bahr/Getty Images Overreaction: The Sooners' offensive line will be their undoing. Oklahoma lost five offensive linemen who made up the bulk of its starts and career snaps, not to mention its offensive coordinator (Jeff Lebby, the new Mississippi State coach) and quarterback (Dillon Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon). Not ideal heading into its first SEC season. But the Sooners boast one of the top offensive line coaches in the country in Bill Bedenbaugh, who is piecing together transfers from Washington, Michigan State and USC, among others, to pair with young OU linemen. There were plenty of concerns when QB Jackson Arnold, Gabriel's replacement, threw three interceptions in an Alamo Bowl loss to Arizona. But since then, the Sooners elevated former North Texas head coach Seth Littrell to OC and brought in Purdue WR Deion Burks (who had five catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game) and Southeastern Louisiana tight end transfer Bauer Sharp to an already talented group of receivers. The Sooners will be able to move the ball, and if the defense under new coordinator Zac Alley can keep the Sooners from becoming one-dimensional, that will allow Littrell to scheme his way out of any growing pains up front. -- Wilson 15. Florida State Overreaction: The offense will take a step back. This is a natural assumption after Florida State lost Jordan Travis, Trey Benson, Keon Colemanand Johnny Wilson to the NFL draft. Florida State addressed this in the transfer portal, signing quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, receivers Malik Benson and Jalen Brown, and running backs Roydell Williams and Jaylin Lucas. While the running game looks like it has potential to be a force, the offense left unanswered questions following the Spring Showcase. No official stats were kept, but Uiagalelei was inconsistent, and beyond Benson, the receiver group didn't step up the way it needed to. Coach Mike Norvell referenced missed opportunities and dropped balls in his news conference afterward. -- Andrea Adelson 16. Tennessee Overreaction: Nico Iamaleava for Heisman. Anybody who has seen Iamaleava throw the ball and deftly work his way around the pocket knows what an immense talent Tennessee's first-year starting quarterback is. But there's such a thing as too much hype (and too many expectations) too soon. His performance in the win over Iowa in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl was promising, but bowl games aren't always a great indicator of what comes next. The Vols need to play well around Iamaleava this season, both in the way the offensive line protects him and the way his skill players make plays. Iamaleava is well-liked in the locker room and has shown no entitlement despite all the attention he's received. But now comes the real challenge -- performing consistently week in and week out against the grind of an SEC schedule. Iamaleava also needs to bulk up. Unlike his arm talent, his durability could be a question. -- Low 17. Oklahoma State Overreaction: No more spring games in Stillwater? For the second year in a row, the Pokes didn't have a spring game because of construction at Boone Pickens Stadium. Not having a spring game is not unusual. Mike Gundy is not the biggest fan of the spectacle for good reasons, such as protecting players from injury. However, the one big caveat that Gundy acknowledged is the fan aspect of it, and how it's also for them. Until they find a replacement, we'll file this in the "overreaction" category, even though I would expect them to find a replacement fan event or engagement eventually. -- Harry Lyles Jr. 18. NC State Overreaction: The offense is going to be electric. When the Wolfpack's first-team offense put up 51 points in the spring game -- highlighted by explosive performances from transfer QB Grayson McCall, transfer receiver Noah Rogersand transfer tight end Justin Joly -- NC State fans had every right to be overjoyed. It's hard to recall the last time the Pack had so many playmakers at skill positions. Enter: KC Concepcion, Jordan Waters and Hollywood Smothers. But let's tap the brakes just a bit. Offensive coordinator Robert Anae should have plenty of on-field talent this season, but NC State hasn't had an 1,000-yard receiver or rusher since 2018. The spring offered reason for optimism, but we want to see it against real competition before we're sold. -- Hale 19. Clemson Overreaction: The offense is a disaster. You can forgive Clemson fans for a bit of offensive pessimism after three straight years of frustrating performances. The days of quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence feel like a bygone era, and the dismal performance from the spring game tells us little about how the Tigers might rebound in 2024. The units were split, so Cade Klubnik wasn't playing with his full arsenal of first-team impact players such as Jake Briningstool and Tyler Brown. And the game plan, as Klubnik noted, was little more than a Day 1 installation. If anything, the emergence of freshman Bryant Wesco is cause for optimism for a receiving corps that should be much improved. -- Hale 20. Kansas State Overreaction: Nothing can stop the Wildcats offense. The Wildcats will be able to run on anybody in the country, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop them. There was already hype because of what fans expect quarterback Avery Johnson to bring to the table, which has only grown with time. Running back DJ Giddens is facing big expectations after a breakout 2023, in which he rushed for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns (along with 323 receiving yards and three TDs), and former Colorado running back Dylan Edwards is a welcomed addition from the transfer portal. -- Lyles 21. Louisville Overreaction: Tyler Shough will be a star. A seventh-year senior, Shough has had a hard time staying healthy throughout his career. But in the spring game, he showed exactly why Jeff Brohm went after him in the transfer portal. Shough played nearly flawless, going 8-of-12 for 177 yards and two touchdowns -- that included one score on the first play from scrimmage, a beautiful 80-yard pass to Chris Bell that immediately showed Shough's arm strength. His predecessor, Jack Plummer, had experience running the Brohm offense, but if there was one thing the Cards did not do it was stretch the field consistently enough. Shough has the arm talent to do that, and Bell looks poised to be WR1. Louisville wanted to add more receivers through the portal, but even without that, Shough has made major strides over a short period of time in getting acclimated to a new offense and making plays happen. --Adelson 22. Kansas After injuries the past two seasons, Jalon Daniels looks to show off his skillset this fall. Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports Overreaction: Jalon Daniels is a Heisman Trophy candidate. Because of his injury history the past two seasons, I think this is a lofty expectation of him, though it's also entirely possible if he stays healthy. Daniels had a breakout 2022 season, in which he probably would have at least received an invite to New York had he not gotten injured. He threw for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He also had 425 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground in nine games. Daniels played in just three games last season but has all the weapons to succeed in 2024. Here's hoping one of the most exciting players in the nation can stay healthy. -- Lyles 23. Kentucky Overreaction: New quarterback Brock Vandagriff is a sleeper Heisman Trophy candidate. Vandagriff, who transferred to Kentucky from Georgia, is going to be an interesting case study this season. Was he simply blocked by Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck at Georgia? Or was he not good enough to lead an SEC offense? We're about to find out at Kentucky, where the Wildcats have turned over their offense to the former four-star recruit. Vandagriff might not have the pocket presence of former starter Devin Leary, but he's going to be a lot more mobile than his predecessor. It's hard to take too much from Kentucky's spring game -- nine defensive linemen were out with injuries -- but it was evident that quarterback draws will become a staple of the offense. Vandagriff threw two touchdowns and limited his incompletions. So far, so good. -- Schlabach 24. Miami Overreaction: Is Miami ba... ? OK we won't finish the sentence, but expectations are building in Miami (again) after a spring game in which transfer quarterback Cam Ward threw for over 300 yards and looked like he will put himself in contention for preseason ACC Player of the Year. Ward has dazzled at previous stops at Washington State and Incarnate Word, but if he is able to have another 3,000-yard season and show off at Miami -- there will be an opportunity to deliver big-time results in Year 3 for Mario Cristobal. Beyond Ward, Miami made some major additions through the portal after the spring game, signing running back Damien Martinezand receiver Sam Brown to go with a veteran receiver group. Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George combined for nearly 2,000 yards a year ago. The offensive line returns a veteran group, too, and Ward specifically pointed to that unit as one of the biggest selling points in choosing Miami. The Hurricanes open at Florida in a game that will no doubt set the tone for its season. -- Adelson 25. Texas A&M Overreaction: The Aggies lost too much in the portal to win in Mike Elko's first year. The Jimbo Fisher blockbuster deal has now gone the way of Blockbuster Video. Aside from the 2020 COVID season, Fisher never lost fewer than four games in his five full seasons, and the Aggies went 12-13 over the past two years. The Aggies immediately lost some of Fisher's star recruits to the portal, such as wide receiver Evan Stewart (Oregon) and defensive linemen Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), LT Overton (Alabama) and Fadil Diggs (Syracuse). But Elko embraced the portal and began plugging holes, including adding Big Ten sack leader Nic Scourton of Purdue. There are new faces all over the secondary, and Elko has been working to rebuild the Aggies' culture and forge a new attitude. There is plenty of talent on hand, and with a schedule that includes the preseason's toughest matchups in Notre Dame, Missouri, LSU and Texas all at home, Elko will have the opportunity to make a quick turnaround if he has succeeded in finding the right parts and fitting them together. -- Wilson

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This is big. Haleigh Bryant is returning for 5th year! Thats a major step forward.

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Cortez Hankton's big NFL Draft weekend a glimpse at future for LSU WRs by:Billy Embody•about 2 hours LSU wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Cortez Hanktonhad an NFL Draft weekend some colleges would love to have as a whole. Hankton had five players he’s coached, developed and/or recruited land in the top 80 2024 NFL Draft picks. On top of 1st round draft picks from his recent coaching run at LSU in Top 10 pick Malik Nabers and 1st rounder Brian Thomas, Jr., he had a trio of former players land with NFL teams. Georgia’s Ladd McConkey and Jermaine Burton went at No. 34 to the Los Angeles Chargers and No. 80 to the Cincinnati Bengals, respectively. Former Georgia turned Texas wideout AD Mitchell also landed in the draft at No. 52 overall, going to the Indianapolis Colts. Joining an episode of Andy Staples On3 on YouTube earlier this month, Hankton Jr. told stories about Nabers and Thomas, and why they’ve been nothing but successful on the football field. “Well, I had a little history with both of them because I recruited them coming out of high school, and so I was familiar with their skill set,” Hankton Jr. said. “Malik was always ultra competitive. He was the guy that played a game with a chip on his shoulder. You know, there’s this way about him that he can willed himself to make a play. “Brian Thomas is probably the most gifted athlete that ever coached and also has high football intelligence. And so when you are blessed to coach those guys, they make your job a lot easier.” Five of the first 13 wideouts taken in the draft are products in some way of Hankton’s tutelage. For LSU, that’s a good sign. The future could be bright, if Hankton’s past group is any indication. Hankton’s got an opportunity to turn Kyren Lacy into a draft pick as he heads into his final season with the Tigers. He brought in Liberty wideout CJ Daniels, Mississippi State playmaker Zavion Thomas and has others in the mix to one day hear their name on draft day. Hankton’s got more talent on the way for LSU. After signing a solid group in 2024, which includes a borderline Top 100 prospect in Kylan Billiot, LSU has the No. 1 wideout committed in 2025, Dakorien Moore. Toss in Louisiana standout and four-star prospect TaRon Francis, and LSU’s future appears bright at the position. Hankton’s ascent into co-offensive coordinator is well-deserved since arriving back in his home state coming off a National Championship with Georgia. Quietly, he’s shown why he’s a key staffer for the Tigers, who has kept the professional talent at wideout flowing out of Baton Rouge. His weekend in Detroit might just be the start.

Kim just loaded up a roster: BREAKING: LSU women's basketball signs three guards from transfer portal By TigerBait Staff April 24, 2024 BATON ROUGE – LSU Coach Kim Mulkey has announced the addition of Shayeann Day-Wilson, Kailyn Gilbert and Mjracle (pronounced Miracle) Sheppard, three guards who will bolster the Tigers’ perimeter depth. They will join transfer forward Jersey Wolfenbarger and Jada Richard, Louisiana’s high school player of the year, as the five new additions on LSU’s roster heading into the 2024-25 season. “We could not be more excited to add Shayeann, Kailyn and Mjracle to the LSU family,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “The three of them will add a combination of experience and depth on the perimeter for us and will bolster our roster to continue to compete at an elite level.” Mjracle Sheppard: Guard, 5-10, Kent, Washington Sheppard will join the Tigers after spending her freshman season in Starkville at Mississippi State. During her freshman season at MSU, Sheppard averaged 5.1 points and 2.1 assists per game with 48 total steals. She scored in double figures in three games with a career high of 14 against Jacksonville State. She also had 3+ steals in six games, including a career high of 7 against Kennesaw State. A native of Kent, Washington, Sheppard went to Montverde Academy in Florida for high school where she became a four-star recruit. She was a critical piece in helping lead Montverde to the 2021-22 National Championship. During the championship run, Sheppard led the team with 4.2 assists per game and added 7.2 points game. She also led the team with 2.6 steals per game en route to the championship. Kailyn Gilbert: Guard, 5-8, Tampa Bay, Florida Gilbert will come to LSU after spending the previous two seasons at Arizona. After averaging 4.9 points as a freshman, Gilbert saw a big jump to 15.1 points per game during her sophomore season. She had a total of 88 assists during her two seasons in Tucson. She scored over 20 points in six games during her sophomore season and earned one Pac 12 Player of the Week honor. Just as Gilbert saw her scoring output take a jump from her freshman season to sophomore season, her assists went from 1.1 per game as a freshman to 2.3 during this past season. Gilbert finished her high school career at IMG Academy. Throughout her high school career she was a three-time First Team All-State selection and two-time Hillsborough County Player of the Year. She was ranked at the No. 31 player in her class by ESPN HoopGurlz in the class of 2022. Shayeann Day-Wilson: Guard, 5-6, Toronto, Ontario Day-Wilson, the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year, comes to LSU after spending a season at Miami and before that, two seasons at Duke. In three seasons, Day-Wilson has averaged 10.8 points per game with 300 assists and 79 steals. She has started 71 games and played in a total of 93 games throughout her college career. Over the past season, Day-Wilson scored in double figures in 14-18 ACC games, including a stretch of 12 in a row. She set her career-high with 27 points, going 5-11 from three-point range, during a double overtime game against Georgia Tech. She tallied 5+ assists in six games, including a career-high 9 assists in a game against Jacksonville. During her sophomore season at Duke, Day-Wilson scored in double figures in 12 games and led the Blue Devils with 2.5 assists per game. During her freshman season, the ACC coaches voted Day-Wilson as the ACC Freshman of the Year. She led all ACC freshmen with 12.7 points and 3.7 assists per game. She earned three ACC Freshman of the Week honors and one USBWA National Freshman of the Week accolade. The Toronto, Ontario native Day Wilson was the top-rated Canadian guard in the class of 2021, ranked No. 41 overall in the class according to ESPN HoopGurlz. In high school she led Crestwood Prep to back-to-back OSBA High School State Championships and was a Bio Steel All-Canadian player, equivalent to a McDonalds All-America selection. She played on numerous Canadian national teams too, including on the U23 Canada team that won the gold medal at the inaugural GLOBLJAM International Basketball Showcase in 2022 and with the U19 Canada team the 2021 FIBA World Cup in Hungary.