WORCESTER While Craig Breslow traded his clubs current top two pitching prospects and a former top infield prospect ahead of the MLB trade deadline on Monday, the Red Sox chief baseball officer did not ship out his organizations No. 1 prospect.Franklin Arias, ranked as the Red Sox top prospect and the No. 7 prospect in baseball (according to MLB.com), returned to Polar Park on Tuesday to play for Triple-A Worcester after his name swirled around in trade rumors over the past week.Despite Breslow dealing top pitching prospects Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon (and others for Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman), and former first-round pick and infielder Marcelo Mayer (to San Francisco Giants for pitcher Erik Miller), Breslow kept Arias in the system as the likely heir apparent at shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.I hate to put those types of expectations on a 20-year-old, Breslow said via a Zoom call with reporters on Monday. What I am very excited to say is that every challenge that he has faced, hes met, which is pretty incredible for someone his age and what hes done at each level.Asked whether Arias could help Boston down the stretch this season, Breslow balked a bit but didnt entirely shut down the possibility.I just feel like well continue to take note of what hes doing, Breslow said. Well continue to put him in the best development environment that we can, and if he is the person who can help us, then well have that conversation when it comes time.Since being promoted to Triple-A Worcester on July 24, Arias played seven games for the WooSox ahead of their contest Tuesday at Polar Park.The 20-year-old infielder, who has played both shortstop and second base for Worcester, is slashing .233 with 2 HR, 7 RBIs and a .814 OPS across 30 at-bats in AAA. On Tuesday, Arias started at shortstop and hit leadoff for the WooSox and extended his hit streak to six straight games with an infield single in the first inning.After going 0 for 8 in his first two games, Arias was 7 for 33 (.318) with six RBIs in his next five games. And according to legendary sportswriter Bill Ballou, Arias is the second-youngest player in WooSox history after Roman Anthony (who was 20 years, 91 days old) to debut in Triple-A Worcester history. Arias was 20 and 248 days when he made his WooSox debut last homestand.Following a week of seeing his name in trade rumors, Arias was happy to return to Worcester.Trying not to let it affect me personally, Arias said through translator Juan Montero. Its something thats part of the game and I just want to play the game and enjoy it as much as I can and not trying to think about it.With Arias recent rise through the Red Sox farm system, its fair to assume that Breslow and Red Sox brass felt the freedom to trade away their former heir apparent at shortstop in Mayer.Caught up with Franklin Arias today after his first seven games with the WooSox.Here is the Boston Red Sox No. 1 prospect talking (with the help of translator Juan Montero) about his first week-plus in AAA, what he thinks about playing second base and staying with the pic.twitter.com/7awCuMf7Hp Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) August 4, 2026Bostons first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft, Mayer was promoted from Triple-A Worcester to Boston on May 24, 2025. Across 332 at-bats with the Red Sox, Mayer hit .223 with 7 HR, 32 RBIs and a .624 OPS but struggled to stay on the field due to wrist and forearm injuries.Mayer was traded on Monday for a relief pitcher from the Giants.I still think hes an incredibly talented player, Breslow said of Mayer on his Zoom call. In no way is this an indictment of Marcelo.Still, even a year ago, Mayer was listed as the No. 12 prospect in baseball by MLB.com and seen as the Red Sox shortstop of the future.Now, that title belongs to Arias, who returned to Worcester this week after his named swirled around during a hectic trade deadline for Breslow and the Red Sox.Im just enjoying the time that Im having here, Arias said. Just trying to enjoy the game as much as I can and not trying to think about it and when (a possible call up to Boston) comes. I just want to enjoy it.Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Franklin Arias returns to WooSox after name popped up in trade rumors

Jun 6, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) reacts after hitting a go ahead two run home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn ImagesAnything happen on Monday?In reality not much, if youre an Arizona Diamondbacks fan. The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline came and went at 3:00 p.m. MST Monday afternoon, and the only deal the Diamondbacks were able to complete was a trade for St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar. Arizona did not bring back any pitching and was forced to part with highly-touted pitching prospect Daniel Eagen (alongside minor league reliever Sandro Santana and a player to be named later) in order to acquire Nootbaar.So, did the Diamondbacks actually get better at this years Deadline? Lets take a look at the trade that went down and the missed opportunities to address other areas of need:Evaluating Diamondbacks Lars Nootbaar tradeNootbaars fitSep 6, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) makes the catch on a fly ball to left field by San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) in the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Vizer-Imagn ImagesNootbaar, 28, is a left-handed hitting outfielder with plus contact skills and a bit of pop. Hes not going to be the infield power bat the D-backs might have hoped for, but he takes his walks, gets on base and puts up quality at-bats, regularly. Hes under affordable team control for one more season after 2026.Nootbaar has only played in 48 games this year, beginning 2026 on the Injured List with a foot/heel injury. His .234/.333/.354 triple slash and .687 OPS are nothing special, and nearly identically match his numbers from 2025 in which he played in 135 games.Outside those numbers, however, Nootbaar has been remarkably consistent. He has a .742 career OPS and double-digit home runs in every one of his 100-plus game seasons. His career 108 OPS+ is that of a solid, consistently above-average hitter.Nootbaar rarely chases outside the zone (18.3% chase rate in 2026), limits strikeouts to around a league-average clip (20.3% career K rate) and is a very stubborn at-bat. Hes walked around 13% of the time for most of his career, and that hasnt changed this season. For some context, Geraldo Perdomo has a 12.3% career walk rate and 15% strikeout rate. Nootbaar is slotted in as the DH, and should get some looks there as 2026 continues. But hes also a plus defender in the outfield. Mainly a left fielder in recent seasons, Nootbaar has been worth +14 career Defensive Runs Saved and +8 Fielding Run Value. His plus speed offers him plenty of outfield range, but its his high-power throwing arm that stands unique among Arizonas outfield group. His arm strength ranks in the 89th percentile this year.Nootbaar enters somewhat of a logjam, but will likely play every game against right-handed starters. Its important to note that fellow lefty outfielder Max Kepler will not be eligible for a potential postseason roster due to the terms of his 80-game PED suspension.In short, Nootbaar is going to be a regular offensive face, hitting in the middle third of the order and providing more of an on-base boost than a slug-heavy bat, alongside above-average defensive ability. The return: overpay?Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick near Scottsdale on Feb. 20, 2024.In all likelihood, the reluctance of Diamondbacks fans to embrace this deal stems, in large part, from the return.Eagen had been ranked Arizonas No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Hed burst onto the scene with a 2.99 ERA season in 2025, including a 2.49 figure and 132 strikeouts in 97.2 innings with the Hillsboro Hops. Eagen was the D-backs third round pick in the 2024 Draft.But hes only slotting in at No. 17 among St. Louis top prospects. Whether this is an indictment of Arizonas farm system or not, Eagen clearly isnt as valuable to the Cardinals as he was to the Diamondbacks. Its also worth noting the 23-year-old righty hasnt exactly been dominant since making the jump to Double-A. He posted a 5.49 ERA in four Amarillo starts in 2025, and has a 4.95 ERA there in 20 starts this season. The Texas League is a hitters league, but Eagen is only about 10 points above the average Texas League ERA, which is 5.05. What stands out is his 109 strikeouts in 87.1 innings. The swing-and-miss is quite prevalent, though hes also had a bit of a walk issue at times in his MiLB career.Santana, meanwhile, was a promising relief prospect. He had a 2.14 ERA between Hillsboro and Amarillo this year. Though a more inconspicuous name in the system, Santana has quality stuff, and Arizona does not exactly have a wealth of southpaw relief prospects.All of this to say, the deal does look like an overpay on paper in terms of objective asset value. But prospects are not major league players. Neither of these two arms were likely to help the D-backs this season, and possibly even next if there is 2027 season, of course. Whether or not the Cardinals can turn Eagen into a quality major league starter remains to be seen. He may not have progressed that way in Arizona, regardless. The point is, this deal hinges much more on what the Diamondbacks get out of Nootbaar than what the Cardinals get out of Eagen and Santana. Prospects are often only as good as the system in which theyre developing, and the D-backs track record of pitcher development is not sparkling.The elephant in the Diamondbacks clubhouseArizona was not able to acquire a pitcher starting or relief. It was not due to negligence on the part of GM Mike Hazen, whose subdued, frustrated demeanor was quite evident during his post-Deadline press conference.Hazen was very clear; the Diamondbacks were very close on more than one pitcher. The processes simply did not go in Arizonas favor.We had some things just not go our way, and it didnt happen for us, Hazen said. We took some runs at a lot of the pitchers. We made a lot of players available. It just didnt happen for us.Hazen said he had to draw the line at young major league hitters and reliever, most likely referring to former top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt, among some others. He was not afraid to part with some of the top talent in the D-backs farm. It wasnt enough.It even came out shortly following the Deadline, as reported by AZCentrals Nick Piecoro, that the New York Mets backed out of a deal to send righty starter Clay Holmes to Arizona due to the medical records of a prospect involved in the trade. As that transpired relatively late, alternative pitching options had already begun to dissipate, and the D-backs ended their Deadline festivities without pitching upgrades.And that is the most glaring downside of this years Deadline for Hazen and the D-backs. Its not Nootbaar, or even the price of Nootbaar that give pause to a more positive grade. Arizona tried to do what was necessary to add pitching. But to rely entirely on returning, injured arms is no way to put a team in its best position to contend for a postseason berth. The Diamondbacks major league roster got better with the addition of Nootbaar, but they did not complete their Deadline assignment and that is a big risk as the stretch run looms.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 20: Javier Assad #72 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in a game against the Detroit Tigers at Wrigley Field on July 20, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesGo get em, Javier.Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

Detroit linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez left Lions training camp practice early on Tuesday to be evaluated for potential injury, per Detroit Lions senior writer and insider Tim Twentyman.Detroit was evaluating Rodriguez's ankle.Rodriguez, 27, has played in 50 regular-season games and made 25 starts across his four-year playing career since being drafted by the Lions in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.Per Pro Football Focus, Rodriguez totaled 72 defensive snaps with the Lions last season. The 5-foot-11, 230-pound linebacker carded just a 28.4 overall defensive grade from PFF in those limited snaps, but he registered overall defensive grades of 62.8 in 2022, 57.4 in 2023 and 74.4 in 2024.The following players left practice early today to be evaluated for potential injuries.LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle) Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) August 4, 2026Rodriguez also totaled 160 special teams snaps last season.For moreLionscoverage, follow us on X,@TheLionsWire, and give ourFacebookpage a like.Follow Josh on X,@JoshOnLionsThis article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez leaves Tuesday practice early

Aug. 4LISBON, N.D. Thompson's hopes of winning a second consecutive North Dakota Class B state American Legion baseball championship appeared to be in jeopardy after one and a half innings Tuesday afternoon in Lisbon.Then the rally started.Thompson stormed back from a five-run deficit to beat Grafton 12-6 in the second championship game, winning its third Class B state Legion title in the last four years.Thompson lost to Garrison earlier in the tournament, battled through the elimination bracket and beat the Spoilers 5-2 in Monday's first championship game to force a winner-take-all Game 2."(A championship) is always our goal," head coach Nate Soulis said. "It's not necessarily that you have to win all these championships to play with a standard of what we want to do at Thompson, it's when you go through the process the right way like these kids did for a long time."They continuously got better, took coaching well and worked on their craft to put themselves in a position and just really prepare through the year. This tournament after we stumbled a little bit, they had the grit and toughness to continue to stick with it."The comeback began in the bottom of the second inning. Jacob Olson hit a two-run double and a fielding error on the ensuing at-bat allowed Eli Gemmill to reach first as another run scored to make it 5-3."We talked after the top of the second, it's just about chipping away at it," Soulis said. "It happened a little bit faster than maybe I had thought, but it's just about getting a few runs, getting a little bit of confidence, and that's what they did."Designated hitter Cooper Larson led Thompson with four hits. He hit an RBI single in the third inning to draw Thompson within one, and a fielding error on the same play sent Larson to second base and another run home to make it 5-5."He showed out in a big way today," Soulis said. "I'm really proud of how he's grown throughout the summer, and it's a tough adjustment coming into a town and a program where you don't know anybody, but he just put his head down and worked. He's a great kid."Dex Avdem broke the 5-5 tie in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly. Grafton managed to even the game up in the top of the sixth thanks to an RBI single from Trenten Keena.That was the only run Grafton scored after the first two innings, though. Avdem came on in relief for starting pitcher Kaden Loiland with no outs in the first inning and pitched the final seven innings.He finished with three strikeouts, issued no walks and allowed five hits."He did awesome," Soulis said. "It's tough for anybody to come into a game of that magnitude and it's 3-0, there's two runners on, nobody out. To go 1-2-3 and get out of that inning was a huge confidence booster for him, and he just really settled in, mixed it up really well."Thompson responded to Grafton's game-tying run in the sixth by scoring six runs in the bottom of the inning.A bases-loaded wild pitch gave Thompson a 7-6 lead. Thomas Schumacher hit an RBI single and Loiland followed it up with a two-RBI single to make it 10-6.Thompson added two more runs thanks to a wild pitch and an RBI single from Eli Schumacher."We just stuck to our approach," Soulis said. "The bottom of the order was phenomenal all weekend and really set the table. They drove in runs, played a little small ball. ... Hitting is contagious, and once you see a guy barrel up a baseball, it seems like that's how the ball rolls sometimes."Although Thompson returned experienced leaders such as Thomas Schumacher, there were several new faces on this year's championship team. Thompson lost six players in the offseason."It's just the next man up," Soulis said. "A lot of kids grow up watching these guys, and they want to be the next ones up. That's pretty special in my mind, it's something that's really helped over the last few years, guys seeing how it's done that are in the program and maybe not contributing but practicing on the team, and once they see how it's done and it's their turn, they take the reins."

Aug. 4GRAND FORKS The UND football program put on full pads and brought in local officials Tuesday morning for the first day in full pads.Here are five observations from Day 6 of fall camp.UND defensive back Avery Scott, who's seeking an additional season of eligibility, practiced for the first time on Tuesday.Scott was in an unnumbered jersey. On Media Day on Monday, coaches said Scott was waiting on enrolling in school in order to participate.Scott joins nickel Jonnie Wiltshire, who started practice late last week. Wiltshire is also seeking an additional year of eligibility.Both Scott and Wiltshire have court dates later in August seeking a preliminary injunction. UND is also monitoring separate court battles that could address eligibility.Those separate cases could open the door to others in a similar position to Wiltshire and Scott. Head coach Eric Schmidt indicated he had been in contact with a couple of other players interested in a return.UND's practice featured a small window of live tackling, but it was enough to showcase the power of running back Griffin Broderick, a redshirt freshman from Minot.The powerful back kept his legs churning in what became a rugby scrum of defenders unable to bring the back to the turf for what appeared to be about 15 yards.The play was the end of practice and brought a big celebration from the offense, cheering on Broderick's efforts.Broderick entered the program as a raw talent and a bit of a mystery. He's starting to gain steam as an option in short yardage.Evan Kludt, a 6-foot-3 sophomore cornerback from Alexandria, made the defensive highlight of the day when he jumped a Javance Tupou'ata-Johnson quick out pass.Kludt made the diving catch with UND's offense backed up near its own end zone.Kludt has established himself as a likely member of UND's two-deep depth chart, perhaps the No. 3 cornerback in the program.UND has started Akron transfer Ben Kamara and 2025 breakout freshman Grant Noland as the starting corners during fall camp.Aside from Broderick's run to end practice, the offensive highlight of the day belonged to Grand Forks native Sam Strandell, who's working his way back in the mix after an injury derailed his 2025 season.Strandell was shaken up on a play early in practice, which drew the concern of coaches and players, considering the injury history.But Strandell later made a touchdown catch from Tupou'ata-Johnson in which the backup quarterback threaded a perfect ball up the sideline and Strandell dove into the end zone at the perfect time to reel it in.Strandell isn't expected to be among UND's top three wide receivers in 2026 but he clearly brings unmatched energy to the offensive sideline. It's likely the Hawks find a role for Strandell, even beyond his special teams value he flashed late in 2025.The semi-live setting Tuesday provided a look at physicality for the first time at fall camp.Some of the highlights include: Noland and Deng Deng continue to daily battle for 50-50 battles. Both players have made impressive plays throughout camp, as Deng attracts a high volume of targets and Noland appears to often draw that assignment. In the first play of a full-tackle setting, Noland was flagged by officials for pulling down Deng on a deep ball. Wiltshire, Michael Devereaux and Jake Starcevic each had disruptive plays in the backfield for the defense. Jerry Kaminski hit fullback Mason South for a short touchdown pass, which South then punted the ball high in the air in a rare practice touchdown celebration. Matt Lawson, a first-year Illinois State transfer, was active in the passing game, catching swing passes and screens for big gains out of the backfield. UND's offensive line had a strong day, making considerable holes for the running backs. The addition of pads to practice brought a much-needed jolt of energy to fall camp and the offensive line seemed to thrive off it. UND's scout team running back will be an interesting situation if availability doesn't change. Both true freshmen backs Tyler Zdon and Owen Reynoso were sidelined Tuesday.

Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James--still weird to see it written--is continuing to get in the gym and prep for the upcoming season. As he prepares for his 24th season, first in Philadelphia, James is working out with Tyrese Maxey as the two continue to work and prep for the challenges to come.James and Maxey have had a relationship for quite a while due to both being repped by Klutch Sports and the respect they have for each other. Now, instead of facing off against each other, the two will be looking to help the Sixers reach the mountaintop in the league.James posted on his Instagram story about how he's locked in with Maxey and he campaigned for his younger teammate for president.LeBron James has a new IG story: We IN! Reese for President! #Sixerspic.twitter.com/Fs5etWyKYI Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) August 5, 2026James is coming off a season in which he averaged 20.9 points for the Los Angeles Lakers while Maxey averaged 28.3 in the 2025-26 season. As Philadelphia moves forward, it will continue to rely on these two to help it get over the hump in the East and push the franchise forward.This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers' LeBron James posts message regarding Tyrese Maxey on IG story

The Golden State Valkyries continue their push toward the WNBA playoffs when they host the Toronto Tempo on Tuesday night at Chase Center.Aug 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) shoots the ball against Toronto Tempo guard Julie Allemand (22) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn ImagesHow to Watch Tempo vs ValkyriesWhen: Tuesday, August 4, 2026Time: 10:00 PM ETTV Channel: CBSLive Stream: Fubo (try for free)Golden State has been one of the leagues biggest surprises in its inaugural season and enters Tuesday firmly in the postseason race. The Valkyries have built their success around strong defense, balanced scoring, and one of the WNBAs best home-court advantages, making Chase Center a difficult place for opponents to earn a win. With the regular season entering its final stretch, every victory is becoming increasingly important as Golden State looks to secure its first playoff berth in franchise history.Toronto, meanwhile, continues its inaugural campaign looking to finish the season on a high note while gaining valuable experience against one of the leagues hottest teams. The Tempo have shown flashes of promise throughout their first season and will have an opportunity to measure themselves against a playoff contender. With Golden State trying to strengthen its postseason positioning and Toronto eager to play spoiler, Tuesdays matchup carries plenty of significance for both expansion franchises.This is a great WNBA matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.Live stream Tempo vs Valkyries on Fubo: Start your free trial now!With Fubo, you can watch live television without cable on your phone, TV, or tablet. Fubo carries a wide array of sports and entertainment channels, including local sports packages and top national channels like ABC, FOX, CBS, ESPN, FS1, MTV, Comedy Central, and much more. The best part is you can try it out today for free.Regional restrictions may apply. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman wants his players focused on winning now so they can avoid the trap of missing the College Football Playoff again.The Fighting Irish are expected to open the season ranked in the top five of the AP poll, and they could use last year's snub as motivation to help guide the 2024 national runner-up back into the playoff field.Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Freeman tried to avoid talking about what happened last season as he looked ahead to Notre Dame's opener on Sept. 6 against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.We didnt earn that opportunity, Freeman said of last season. That doesnt need to be said, but its the reminder of what the work that must be done is to give your program a chance to play past game 12. That's important, to get into the playoffs. Thats what I continue to remind our program, our coaches, our players about.Although the Fighting Irish finished last season ranked No. 11 in the CFP rankings with a 10-2 record, they were left out of the 12-team bracket. Notre Dame then declined to play in a bowl game.This season, Notre Dame will be locked into a playoff spot if it finishes in the top 12.But Freeman already has heard enough playoff talk despite having a team with some top NFL prospects, a favorable schedule and that top-12 guarantee. Instead, he wants to see his players produce on the field.Stop worrying about the playoffs, said Freeman, who's entering his fifth season leading one of college football's most storied programs. Stop talking about it.Freeman doesnt want the Irish thinking ahead. A year ago, it was an 0-2 start against Miami and Texas A&M that doomed Notre Dame's playoff hopes. Freeman's teams also endured September losses to Marshall in 2022, Ohio State in 2022 and 2023 and Northern Illinois in 2024.Notre Dame had six key players selected in this year's NFL draft, including the one-two rushing punch of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.Quarterback C.J. Carr returns after leading the Irish on a 10-game winning streak to cap his first season as the starter. He'll be working with a deep receiving corps led by Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse. Former Ohio State receivers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter also are in the mix.All-America candidate Leonard Moore returns at defensive back while defensive end Boubacar Traore and linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa add punch to the Notre Dame's defense.All of it adds up to soaring expectations for a team ready to prove it deserves to be in the postseason even if Freeman wants to put aside that discussion now.The foundation is higher," Freeman said. But we've got a tremendous amount of work and not a lot of time to get that foundation to where we need it for Sept. 6.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 11: Bret Bielema of the Illinois Fighting Illini coaches during the NCAA game Illinois Fighting Illini vs Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesCHAMPAIGN, Ill. Bret Bielema addressed the media on Tuesday about his roster just one month before the start of the regular season. With the Illini slated to kick off against UAB on September 3rd, things are starting to get real. Injury updatesBielema shared some rather sad news at the presser. True freshman Davon Grant is going to be medically ineligible for the Illini this season. We had some things medically, Bielema said. We were never able to clear that hurdle.Grant, who was a three-star wide receiver in the class of 2026, had joined the team back in January of this year. Bielema didnt offer specifics of what medical issues the freshman was facing, but was adamant that Grant wouldnt play for the Illini. He wont be able to play for us here at Illinois, Bielema said.Its always heartbreaking to see any player go down with an injury, but for a young kid to possibly get his dream of college football taken away from an off-the-field medical issue, this situation is extra disheartening. Weve expressed to him that were here for him in any way, Bielema said.On a more positive note, Bielema did give some insight on offensive lineman Dezmond Schusters health. The sixth-year senior was cleared recently. I know Dez Schuster wasnt with us in the Spring, Bielema said. He didnt get cleared until the summer started.Schuster will also have the opportunity to return to Champaign next season. He got a waiver for an extension of his time, Bielema said.Position changesJershaun Newton, the younger brother of former Illinois star Johnny Newton, has switched positions. The sophomore from Florida originally came to Champaign as a quarterback and was at the position last year. For the 2026 season, Newton will be joining the wide-out room. Hes had the majority of the summer to put himself in that position, Bielema said. He can help us win games.I think for Newton this makes a lot of sense, as the sophomore only stands at six feet even, but possesses elite athleticism. Bielema also shared that there were three quarterbacks ahead of him, so for the younger Newton brother, the move seems like the fastest way to get playing time. Hes going to be running with the twos, Bielema said of Newton. Its not the first time weve seen Bielema do this either. Bielema moved Isaiah Williams from quarterback to wide receiver several years ago, and now Williams is making a name for himself returning punts and kickoffs in the NFL. On the defensive side of the ball, Bielema also indicated a change. Utah State transfer Will Holmes will be moving from linebacker to defensive end. We moved him to defensive end, Bielema said.Holmes, who stands at a towering 64, 255, will be playing a variety of different roles for the Illini. Hell live in the d-line room, but do a variety of different things for us, Bielema said.The junior transfer made seven starts at Utah State last season, recording 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and one interception.