Since Dan Lanning took over as head coach, theOregon Duckshave steadily moved closer to capturing the elusive national championship. In 2025, Oregon advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals, but once again saw its title pursuit end short of the ultimate goal.Now, with a coaching staff that has been able to learn and grow, a veteran core returning, and one of the most talented rosters in the country, theDucksenter 2026 witha legitimate opportunity to deliver the championship seasontheir fans have been waiting for.One of the position groups that will have a prominent hand in determining if that goal is reached is the linebacking unit. Out goes veteran Bryce Boettcher, and in come several players who have been with the program for multiple years yet have not capitalized on their opportunities as much as the coaching staff would probably like.Coming into the offseason, adding to this group via the transfer portal was viewed as somewhat of a necessity, but that didn't happen. It's the homegrown guys that will have to step up. How effective they are at doing that is something to monitor as the 2026 season progresses.State of the Oregon Ducks Linebacker PositionThe linebacker unit was led by Boettcher a season ago, as he racked up a team-high 136 tackles. He was all over the place, largely overshadowing any other linebacker that took the field. But after being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, the onus is on other players to step up and fill the shoes that Boettcher leaves behind.There's one prominent candidate in Jerry Mixon, who had a mini-breakout in 2025 alongside Boettcher. He finally seemed to adjust to the speed of the college game, making several big plays, albeit while disappearing for stretches of other games. Across the whole group, consistency will have to improve if this unit is to be successful this fall.Who's Gone, Who's Back, and Who's New?DeparturesThe only departure from this group was the most important of them all in Boettcher. After posting a career-high in tackles, he was drafted in the fourth round by the Colts and will compete for a starting role in Indianapolis. He leaves behind some massive shoes and a loud voice to fill, as he was the emotional leader of the Ducks' defense. For a while, it felt like Boettcher would be a Duck forever. But after his best season, he's finally departed for the NFL.ReturnersMixon is the headliner here, as he was the primary linebacker next to Boettcher in 2025. He was fifth on the team in tackles with 57 while nabbing two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Devon Jackson appears to be the leader in the clubhouse to fill Mixon's role from a season ago, though he's plateaued the last two seasons with 41 and 47 tackles in a reserve role. Brayden Platt, Gavin Nix and Dylan Williams are all blue-chip talents who have been around the program and had promising stretches, but are unaccomplished as a whole.NewcomersThe 2026 recruiting class was strong at this spot for the Ducks, as they received commitments from four-stars Braylon Hodge (No. 15 linebacker overall) and Tristan Phillips (No. 17 linebacker). Both are 6-foot-3 and around 215 pounds, with a need to add mass to their frames before contributing on a regular basis. As mentioned, Oregon didn't add any linebackers in the transfer portal.Projected Depth ChartStarters: Jerry Mixon, Devon JacksonBackups: Brayden Platt, Gavin Nix, Dylan WilliamsOther names to know: Braylon Hodge, Tristan PhillipsBiggest Questions Entering Fall CampCan Devon Jackson finally break out?The stage is set for Jackson to have his full-blown breakout campaign, as all signs point towards him starting from Day 1 of fall camp. But Ducks fans have thought this same thought before, only for Jackson to have a solid, but unspectacular season. A four-star and the No. 9 linebacker in the 2022 class, Jackson has been around for awhile, biding his time. Now's the year for him to start ramping it up and take the LB2 spot, not slide into it simply because he's a solid fifth-year senior.Who among Platt, Nix and Williams emerges as a reliable rotational option?There's clear talent between these three players, with Platt and Williams having a bit of a leg up having been in Eugene for the last two seasons. During that time, they haven't been able to carve out consistent roles on defense. They were young, but as juniors, much like with Jackson, the time is now to step up and prove themselves. Mixon and Jackson can't be on the field all the time, and this trio of players will compete for replacement reps.Player to WatchJerry MixonThis is the chalk answer, but Mixon should be extremely fun to watch this season. Having totaled just eight tackles in his first two seasons with the Ducks and looking pretty timid while doing so, Mixon finally seemed to learn how to use his 6-foot-2, 240-pound frame to his advantage last season. He was physical for the most part, an area where he'll need to continue to grow as the focal point of this position group. Boettcher flew around to the ball but was a tad undersized while doing so. Mixon is bigger and possesses similar qualities, giving himself a chance to have a monster senior season.Final Outlook and Position GradeThe position group bar is incredibly high for this 2026 Oregon roster, and there's a case to be made that the linebacking unit is the weakest of them all. Each player that is projected to see time this year has something to prove and is somewhat unaccomplished, leaving some uncertainty about how the group may perform. Not adding through the portal was a curious move, but also a vote of confidence that this group has what it takes. I'm a bit more on the skeptical side. I think this group is going to be passable, but not quite elite like other positions on the Ducks' roster.Overall Oregon Ducks Linebacker Position Grade: B-Contact/Follow@Ducks_Wireon X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions. This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks LB preview: Each player has something to prove

Pogacar is set for a fifth Tour win - but Carapaz, right, will take the king of the mountains polka dot jersey [Getty Images]Tadej Pogacar is set to secure a record-equalling fifth Tour de France after a dramatic stage 20 saw Ecuador's Richard Carapaz clinch victory on Alpe d'Huez as Sepp Kuss crashed twice while leading in the last few kilometres.If Pogacar avoids a race-ending crash on Sunday's final stage to Paris, in which the overall standings are traditionally not contested, he will become the joint-most successful rider in the Tour's history alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.Pogacar, 27, of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, finished the three-week Grand Tour's 'queen' stage in fourth place after helping his Mexican team-mate Isaac del Toro provisionally seal third place on the overall podium and the young rider classification's white jersey. Pogacar will claim his fifth overall yellow jersey in Paris by six minutes and 26 seconds over Belgium's Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, after Evenepoel finished the stage in second, 26 seconds behind Carapaz, after a late charge.Race organisers ASO announced during the stage that Sunday's finale will have its distance reduced from 133km to 89km after the re-direction of emergency services to help tackle devastating wildfires in the south-west of the country.Traditionally, the final stage sees the sport's sprinters battle for the line on the famous Champs Elysees cobbles, but a new section over Montmartre allows riders with more sustained power the potential to steal a breakaway win.A double crash that so nearly ended in disasterThe most demanding stage of the whole race was left to the penultimate day, in which riders had to climb 5,450 metres across three hors category climbs covering 170.9km to finish in the iconic Alpe d'Huez ski-resort for a second time in two days. American Kuss of Visma-Lease a Bike was part a large early breakaway which contained riders looking for a stage win, and attacked alone with about 25km to go.The 31-year-old looked to have found the strength which helped him win the Vuelta a Espana in 2023 and seemed set to hold on to a slender lead for victory. But the often unflappable Kuss was on the ragged edge and crashed on a right-hand corner after getting his line wrong, his rear wheel sliding on dust at the edge of the road before coming to a stop half off his bike and leaning into safety netting which prevented him from falling down a sheer drop.He maintained his lead that time but soon crashed again coming out of a tunnel approaching Alpe d'Huez town and the tenacious Carapaz, of EF Education-Easypost, swept past Kuss and into the lead as the American. Carapaz, the 2019 Giro d'Italia winner, took his second stage win in three days and also secured victory in the king of the mountains competition.Typically, on a stage such as this one in the French Alps, Pogacar would be expected to deliver yet another masterclass but he held back to help Del Toro, who at one point was starting to struggle on the Col du Galibier, to defend his white jersey and third place overall from French sensation Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMA-CGM.The 19-year-old Seixas finally ran out of energy on the final mountain of the race and is set to finish fourth in the general classification, 11 minutes and 56 seconds down on Pogacar's overall time.Britain's Tom Pidcock of Pinarello-Q36.5 finished the stage 16th, nine minutes and three seconds down, and will finish ninth overall in the GC.Denmark's Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek will win the green points jersey in Paris on Sunday just by finishing as he leads Belgium's Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Premier Tech by an uncatchable 82 points.

25 July 2026, Hesse, Wiesbaden: Soccer: Friendly Matches, SV Wehen Wiesbaden vs. FC Bayern Munich, BRITA Arena. Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich) celebrates his penalty kick goal that tied the score at 1-1. Photo: Uwe Anspach/dpa (Photo by Uwe Anspach/picture alliance via Getty Images)Bayern Munich were invited to Wiesbadens to celebrate Wehen Wiesbadens 100th anniversary celebration and proceeded to serve them a very welcome present by losing the friendly 1-2. The Bavarians started with an extremely young side consisting of U-19 and U-23 players, with the oldest player on the pitch being 19 years of age. Unsurprisingly, the youngsters had to battle and ultimately went into the break 0-1 down. There were some substitutions before half-time, but all the first team players came on to the pitch in the second 45. The Bavarians proceeded to dominate the match and found an equalizer through Tom Bischofs penalty, but a late spill by Sven Ulreich saw the underdogs emerge victorious to celebrate their anniversary in style.Here are the match awards:Jerseys Swap: Ibrahim Ati AllahIt was a game of many facets and differing phases of play. In the first half, Wehen Wiesbaden were the clearly more proactive side and 19-year-old Ibrahim Ati Allah played a big part in keeping Bayern on the back foot. Time and again he would proved to be a bother for left back Richard Ajayi and he would score the goal to put his team up on the day.Der Kaiser: Adam El-ChaarBayern lacked a lot of forward thrust and momentum in the game, particularly in the first half. Bayerns flying right back and #29 on the day, Adam El-Chaar, was one of the very few in a white jersey that brought the ball up the field and made something happen. The 17-year-olds powerful running, close control and positive play lit up the first half at times.Der Fuballgott: #35, Maycon CardozoWas Maycon Cardozo a midfielder? Was he a forward? A defender? Subbed on for the 45 minutes, Cardozo seemed to spend more time near his own penalty area than the opposite one, but he gravitated further up the pitch as the game went on. Sowell call him a midfielder.Regardless of the role, Cardozo did his job efficiently and with minimum fuss. He dealt with the unfamiliar defensive role well before demonstrating his classy close control and dribbling skills as he attempted to make inroads towards the Wiesbaden goal.Der Bomber: #31, Tim BinderThe players who go the farthest are those who are willing to work on their weaknesses. Winger Tim Binders close control and technique may never have been in question, but the youngster has struggled mightily when taking on defenders in the past. His next move was always far too easy to read and slowly executed to get him past his opponent. What we saw today was a product of his improvement. Binder impressed in many ways in this match- his defensive work and application, creative combinations and impact off the bench were all impressive- but his dribbling stood out the most in the match. He nearly scored a goal himself after getting past 4 players before his sudden turn and impeccable control saw him get a yard on the nearest defender, forcing his opponent to bring him down to win the penalty that got Bayern their equalizer. Still on his path to full fitness after suffering a serious injury in December 2025, Binders positive impact here shows he is nearing the end of the long, hard roard.Meister of the Match: Tom BischofWho else? Bayerns new #8, Tom Bischof, dominated the match from the second he walked on to the pitch to the final whistle. His passing was pinpoint, his presence in midfield a huge issue for Wiesbadens offense and he pulled the strings. Of course, it does not hurt that he scored Bayerns lone goal of the game from the penalty spot. What Bischof does in a friendly will not impact his future all too much, but if the U-21 Germany captain continues to take responsibility on the pitch like he did today, he could deliver a special 2026/27 season.Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

NEW DELHI: Shreyas Iyer's extraordinary run of luck at the toss finally came to an end on Saturday as Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and elected to field first in the second T20I at the Harare Sports Club, ending the India skipper's record streak of eight consecutive toss wins in the shortest format.The result marked the first time Iyer has lost a toss as India's T20I captain, bringing to an end a sequence that had already seen him surpass former skipper MS Dhoni's long-standing national record.With India leading the three-match series 1-0 after a commanding victory in the opener, Iyer admitted he would have preferred to bat first on what he felt looked like a much-improved batting surface.Iyer expects better batting conditionsUnlike the opening match, where the pitch offered uneven bounce and assistance to the bowlers, Iyer believed the surface for the second T20I looked significantly better."We were going to bat first. I feel it looks a bit different. It's not as tacky as it was in the first game. I feel the bounce will be consistent, and that's what I'm hoping. But let's see how it plays," the India captain said.Rather than dwelling on the toss outcome, Iyer stressed the importance of maintaining the same mindset that helped India dominate the opening encounter."We just passed on the message to all the boys that it's important to stay in the present and not be complacent because when you have such a comprehensive win, you tend to take things easily," he said."I think it's essential for us to enjoy the moment as well as make sure that we play to the best of our abilities. There is a lot of potential in the dressing room and if they turn up today with a solid approach, then definitely the results will take care of themselves," he added.Iyer also confirmed one change to the playing XI, with Yash Thakur making his India debut in place of Ashok Sharma.Raza backs Zimbabwe seamersHaving won the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza wasted little time in opting to bowl first, convinced that Harare's winter conditions would once again provide early assistance to his pace attack."We want to bowl first. First reason being the winter wicket as we know, it's slightly spicier at the start, so hopefully we can make early inroads and then see what comes in the batting order later on," Raza explained.While acknowledging that the wicket appeared better than it had during the first T20I, Raza still expected enough movement for his fast bowlers."The surface is certainly a lot better today than it was in the first game, so it may not be as spicy, but we know that in Harare, especially during winter, there will be a bit of spice at the start and hopefully our seamers can make inroads. If they do, it'll go a long way towards helping us stop them," he said.Zimbabwe retained the same playing XI that lost the series opener by seven wickets.Historic streak finally comes to an endBefore Saturday's contest, Iyer had rewritten India's T20I captaincy record by winning eight successive tosses, overtaking MS Dhoni's previous mark of seven set between 2010 and 2012.The streak, which stretched from June to July 2026, had become one of the most remarkable toss runs by an Indian captain in the format. It finally ended in Harare, though India will hope the result at the toss has little bearing on the outcome of the match. 132628752

Amorim asks Milan to hold off on Estupinan deal with Aston VillaPervis Estupinan has been heavily linked with a move to join Aston Villa this summer, but the latest updates in Italy claim that Ruben Amorim wants to take a closer look at the left-back before sanctioning a transfer away from the club.Amorim to assess Estupinan on Australia tour before making decision on Aston Villa dealEstupinan joined the Rossoneri last summer in a deal that cost around 19m with bonuses included. His first season in Serie A was not the most convincing, ending with 19 league appearances and firmly behind 20-year-old Davide Bartesaghi in the left-back pecking order.He has since been linked with a move away from Milan, and recent reports claim that he could soon be on his way back to the Premier League to join Aston Villa, who are on the verge of selling left-back Lucas Digne to Paris Saint-Germain.However, according to updates on Saturday, recently-appointed Milan head coach Amorim is not entirely convinced about the idea of letting the Ecuadorian leave. In fact, Calciomercato.com reports that Amorim has personally asked that any negotiations be put on hold.Ruben Amorim smiles at his first Milan press conference (acmilan.com)According to the latest reports, Estupinan returned to Milanello on July 24, but he is not part of the side that took part in a pre-season friendly against Celtic on Saturday.He is expected to be part of the travelling squad for Milans pre-season trip to Australia, which is when Amorim will take a closer look at the left-back and evaluate whether or not to keep him on board for the 2026-27 campaign.MILAN, ITALY JANUARY 18: Pervis Estupinan of AC Milan controls the ball during the Serie A match between AC Milan and US Lecce at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)If Milan were to part company with Estupinan this summer, they will reportedly be seeking a fee in the region of 15m-16m.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could be adding a fresh face to their vacant roster spot. Or force a rival to pony up some dough amid a cap crunch. They have signed Spencer Jones to a two-year, $12 million offer sheet, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The Denver Nuggets have 48 hours to match it.After the Thunder traded away Lu Dort, they had an open 15-player roster spot. Looks like they're trying to add talent on the back end of the roster. Jones has spent two seasons on the Nuggets. He averaged 5.5 points on 50.4% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists this past season. He shot 39.6% from 3 on 2.3 attempts.Jones went undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft. He spent most of his first two years on a two-way deal before the Nuggets converted him to a standard deal in Feb. 2026. The 25-year-old has been one of Denver's breakout depth pieces in recent years.This is a great strategy to use if you're the Thunder. Seldom do you see them play the restricted free agency game especially as the one who proposes the offer sheet. Now, they'll force the Nuggets to make a tough decision as it tries to lower their tax bill. Either pay up or lose a quality player to a divisional rival.Denver restricted free agent Spencer Jones has agreed to a two-year, $12 million offer sheet with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Adam Godes of ADS Sports tells ESPN. Jones was a key contributor for the Nuggets last season, including an NBA-best 69% from 3-point range during the pic.twitter.com/qMi8VGYav9 Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 25, 2026This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Report: OKC Thunder sign Spencer Jones to 2-year offer sheet

Michael Scotto: JUST IN: Restricted free agent forward Spencer Jones has agreed to a two-year, $12 million offer sheet with the Oklahoma City Thunder, league sources told @hoopshype. The Denver Nuggets will have an opportunity to match the offer sheet.TwitterThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Thunder sign restricted free agent Spencer Jones to an offer sheet

Bobby Marks: The Lu Dort trade gave OKC the flexibility to have the $6.1M tax midlevel exception available to use for a Jones Offer Sheet.TwitterThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The Lu Dort trade gave OKC the flexibility to have the

Kyle Shanahan car crash details: What's known about 49ers coach's 'significant' injuries from July collision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident in mid-July that left him with "significant" but non-life-threatening injuries,ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Saturday.Shanahan is now recovering at home, per ESPN, after the collision happened near his home in Northern California.With the 49ers' training camp beginning prior to the 2026 regular season, Shanahan will reportedly be "limited" in his involvement as he recoveries from his injuries.Here's what's known about Shanahan's car crash in California and his current condition.Kyle Shanahan car crash detailsESPN first reported Saturday that Shanahan had been involved in a car crash on July 14, a collision that left him with "significant injuries" but will only leave him "limited" ahead of 49ers training camp.The crash happened when Shanahan's vehicle collided with an SUV near his home in California, per ESPN. The 49ers head coach's injuries included a broken nose, three broken ribs, a broken hand, a "severe" concussion and over 40 stitches being put in his face.According to ESPN, Palo Alto police lieutenant Nicholas Martinez saiddrugs and alcohol were not involved in the collision and "both drivers were cooperative with the police," with neither being cited. The other driver in the crash was not injured, while Shanahan was taken to a local hospital for "much of that day" before being released.Since the crash, per ESPN, Shanahan has been recovering from his injuries at home and is "believed to be healing well.""San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan was involved in a car accident last week where he suffered non-life-threatening injuries," the 49ers said in a statement, per ESPN. "Coach Shanahan will participate in team activities on a limited basis at the start of training camp while he recovers.""Coach Shanahan and the 49ers organization would like to sincerely thank all first responders involved for their efforts and care. Assistant Head Coach Chris Foerster along with team coordinators will handle head coach responsibilities during this period."Will Kyle Shanahan be ready for 49ers training camp?With 49ers training camp officially beginning with practice on Sunday, doctors will still not be clearing Shanahan "until concussion symptoms clear," per ESPN.Shanahan reportedly informed his fellow coaches of his accident last Tuesday, withassistant head coach and offensive line coach Chris Foerster set to assume "some of Shanahan's duties" in any absences.However, with the 49ers saying in their statement that Shanahan "will participate in team activities on a limited basis at the start of training camp while he recovers," he is still expected to contribute to the team's camp in some fashion.

Florida forward Thomas Haugh is set to make more money in NIL than LeBron James is going to make with the Philadelphia 76ers next season. James is set to make the lowest amount of his career, with his contract sitting at $3.8 million. Haugh could earn more than $10 million during the 2026-27 season after withdrawing his name from the 2026 NBA Draft and returning to the swamp. That figure makes him one of the highest-paid players in college basketball and more than doubles James projected $3.8 million salary next season with the 76ers.This shows not only the benefits of high-level collegiate players remaining in college basketball, but also the bargain the 76ers got LeBron for. With millions of dollars now available through NIL deals and revenue-sharing opportunities, top college players can command salaries that rival and, in Haughs case, surpass those of veteran minimum contracts.Haugh played a key role for the Gators during their 2025-26 campaign, leading the team in scoring with 17 points per game on 46% shooting from the field, and will return as one of the team's most important pieces. Now, he is set to enter the upcoming season with an honor few college basketball players or NBA stars can claim, and that's making more money than LeBron James.Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Thomas Haugh set to make more money than LeBron James next season