Aug. 8BEMIDJI By Week 6 of the 2025 Bemidji State football season, the Beavers finally found a winning recipe at the quarterback position.For the first four weeks, the Beavers shifted between QBs Connor Carver and Zach Romak as starters. Carver's biggest weapon is his legs, and while he would be responsible for electric plays, he became ineffective as games went on, as defenses figured out how to contain him.The Beavers didn't fare much better with Romak, who's more of a pocket passer. Drives routinely stalled with him under center, and his completion percentage rarely rose above 50%.That's when BSU decided to turn to redshirt freshman Bart McAninch. After rookie mistakes cost him leading a game-winning drive in his first career start against Minot State, things turned around in Week 6 against Northern State.McAninch appeared more comfortable in the pocket, and the Beavers secured their long-awaited first win of the season at homecoming, 24-21.His numbers didn't jump off the paper he went 12 for 17 with only 87 yards passing and an interception. But it was the way the team used Carver that really changed the Beaver offense.Instead of being the main QB, Carver routinely popped in as a running back or as a wildcat QB. Two plays a rushing touchdown and a 44-yard passing touchdown to Jake Hill were the difference makers.With McAninch running a more traditional offense and Carver coming in as a wild card, BSU went 4-2 and ended the season on a high note.Now entering the 2026 season, Bemidji State's QB room has more options than ever before.McAninch now has six collegiate starts under his belt, and the coaching staff believes he'll do nothing but improve. There's Carver, whose skill set is so vast that he'll be used at any position besides offensive line.Then there's newcomer Mack Molander, a transfer from Augustana. The junior has only thrown11 passes in his collegiate career,but the coaching staff believes that he's another starting-capable QB that Bemidji State has to choose from.With the additions of freshmen Sam Johnson and Louis Bucksa, it's led to a competitive and talented QB room."Our QB room is amazing. We might have the best room on the team, I would say, just personality-wise," Carver said. "With me, Mack and Bart in general, I think it's just super competitive, but a lot of minds mixing and helping each other all the time, pushing each other to do better."Coaches have not decided who's going to be the starter on Aug. 27 for the season opener against Michigan Tech. Whoever it's going to be, they'll have some new faces to throw to.BSU's top two receivers from 2025, Drayton Lehman and Jake Hill, have both graduated. Combined, they accounted for more than half of the team's total receiving yards and touchdowns.Receivers who took on supporting roles last year will have their chance to shine this fall. Head coach Brent Bolte pointed to redshirt sophomore Lucas Peterson, redshirt junior Kaleb Miller and senior Zavery Guerra as ones to watch."All three of those guys are bringing a lot back for us," Bolte said. "Then we brought in a few guys Tyree Lockett is a really good player, was a transfer (from Eastern Michigan) this summer. We also brought in, I think, some really talented freshmen that'll have a chance."So they're new, a lot of them, right? I think three or four guys that really have playing experience in the system. But overall, I think there's a pretty good group of solid guys."All five players who finished top five in rushing for Bemidji State in 2025 are returning. QB Carver led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns, while redshirt junior Antonio Brown, redshirt sophomore Isaiah Tisdle, redshirt senior Jayden Washington and redshirt freshman Mitch Olson return to the running back room with experience. Each running back recorded 30 or more carries last season."(They run) in different ways, but bring a lot back to the table," Bolte said of the running backs. "So it's fun to be able to have that amount of depth."Sixth-year senior Zach Ott returns to captain the young offensive line for the Beavers, a position they reloaded on in recruiting during the offseason. In that position group, there are 15 underclassmen on the roster compared to just six upperclassmen.Tight end may be the youngest position group on the team. Nolan Verdi, Gavin Oelschlager and Jaxon Bartkowicz are all redshirt freshmen or younger. While tight ends rarely appeared on the scoresheet last season, their role will likely help the offensive line with blocking.The same goes for fullbacks, of which Bemidji State has four on the roster. Redshirt juniors Eli Pfeiffer and Jadon Hellerud will likely lead that position group.After it took a while for the Beaver offense to get going in 2025, players like Carver are as confident as ever that the offense will find success quickly this fall."I think we were trying to find spots for a lot of guys (last year)," Carver said. "We had a lot of athletes trying to fill holes we had a lot of young guys. Those guys are developed now. I found a spot just all over the place. Bart's developing really well. Our running back room's insanely deep. Obviously, our offensive line's always amazing."So it's just finding and putting guys in the right spot, making sure we're making the right play calls, and (we'll be) just rolling."The Beavers will open the season at home against Michigan Tech on Aug. 27 at Chet Anderson Stadium, with kickoff at 6 p.m.

Spalletti: Inter more of a team than Juventus, Alajbegovic and Kolo Muani strongLuciano Spalletti assures he evaluated carefully Kerim Alajbegovic and Randal Kolo Muani before Juventus signed them, but Inter were more of a team than us in todays friendly.The Bianconeri are making many changes after a campaign that saw them finish sixth in the Serie A table, missing out on Champions League football.PERTH, AUSTRALIA AUGUST 08: Randal Kolo Muani of Juventus and Carlos Augusto of FC Internazionale contest a header during the match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)It has taken far longer than expected to get many of the reinforcements required, as today Kolo Muani and Alajbegovic made their debuts in the second half of a 2-1 friendly defeat to Inter in Perth.Spalletti early days for JuventusMILAN, ITALY APRIL 26: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus FC at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 26, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)I evaluated carefully before they were signed, as I wanted to get a good look at them first, Spalletti told Sky Sport Italia.Alajbegovic had already been tracked by (director Ricky) Massara beforehand, so thats reassuring. They both need to get into match shape, as theyve only been with us for three days, so perhaps I rushed it by asking them to play an entire half today.There were flashes of quality from the two strikers, who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen and Paris Saint-Germain.PERTH, AUSTRALIA AUGUST 08: Kerim Alajbegovic of Juventus makes a run makes a during the match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images)Federico Dimarco and Andy Diouf scored for Inter, showcasing the usual problems in goal with a Michele Di Gregorio howler, while Francisco Conceicao got one back late on.These are strong players at a high level, so we must try to figure out how to find the right balance and become a team, added Spalletti.Inter showed in the first half they were more of a team than us. It is a process that we simply need to go through, we have to take steps forward.

India injury crisis: BCCI secretary to visit COE in Bengaluru amid fitness crisis in Indian cricket team originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia will visit the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Sunday.The visit comes amid a spate of injuries that has rocked the India cricket team.Saikia is set to meet Head of Cricket VVS Laxman to review injury management.BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia to review injury crisis at Centre of ExcellenceThe mounting injury crisis in Indian cricket has prompted action from the very top, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia set to visit the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The trip is aimed at taking stock of a situation that has left the national side badly depleted.Saikia will meet Head of Cricket VVS Laxman on Sunday to review the rehabilitation and injury-management programme at the facility. The meeting comes as the CoE has increasingly resembled, in the words of some observers, a hospital ward rather than a high-performance centre.The visit is understood to serve a dual purpose, marking two years of the Centre of Excellence while also addressing the growing concern over the number of players sidelined. Whether head coach Gautam Gambhir, currently in Sri Lanka, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar join the meeting virtually remains unclear.Cricket journalist Kushan Sarkar, who reports for PTI, flagged the significance of the visit on X. He noted that Saikia is respected for never avoiding questions on record, and suggested it would be welcome if the BCCI secretary and Laxman could front up and allay fears surrounding the situation.Some #COE news. Tomorrow @BCCI Devajit Saikia will be in Bengaluru. Reason two-fold: Celebrate 2 years of COE and also more importantly take a stock of current situaation where COE is more of a 'Mini Hospital Ward'.The best thing about Mr Saikia @lonsaikia is that he never Kushan Sarkar (@kushansarkar) August 8, 2026MORE:Full list of injuries suffered by India stars in 2026: Latest updates with Indian cricket in a fitness crisisThe full list of India's injured players at the CoEThe scale of the problem is stark, with a long list of frontline players currently undergoing rehabilitation. India will be without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who has knee swelling, for the ongoing Sri Lanka tour.Joining him on the sidelines are B Sai Sudharsan, ruled out with a left big toe injury, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, both nursing hamstring problems, and Washington Sundar, who has a quadriceps issue. Fast bowler Akash Deep has been out the longest with a lower-back stress fracture.The concerns extend to the white-ball group as well, with Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Prince Yadav all at the Bengaluru facility. It leaves the Sports Science team stretched, particularly with the department lacking a permanent head since Nitin Patel's resignation in early 2025.Interim sports science head Dhananjay Kaushik is currently overseeing operations, but questions have emerged over the rehabilitation timelines and whether return-to-play protocols are being consistently applied across every case.MORE:Sudharsan ruled out of Sri Lanka Test series: Three players who can replace injured Indian batterWhy the BCCI can no longer ignore the pattern of breakdownsThere is a case that injuries are simply part and parcel of sport, and no medical setup can eliminate them entirely. But the sheer volume of breakdowns, coupled with the confusion around Bumrah and Sudharsan's fitness timelines, points to a systemic issue that the BCCI is right to confront head-on.The absence of a permanent sports-science head is the glaring gap. A state-of-the-art facility is only as good as the people running it, and until the BCCI fills that vacuum and tightens its return-to-play protocols, episodes like this will keep recurring.Saikia and Laxman fronting up with answers would be a start, but the real test is whether Sunday's meeting produces structural change rather than reassurance.For all the latest cricket news, opinion and commentary and to share your voice head to our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

Darren Elkins and Yadier del Valle meet on the UFC Fight Night 284 main card Saturday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.Last event's results: 4-2UFC main cards, 2026: 83-44-1Darren Elkins vs. Yadier del Valle UFC Fight Night 284 previewElkins (29-12 MMA, 19-11 UFC) enters the cage for the final time. His last fight was a first-round TKO loss against Julian Erosa, which took place last April. The 42-year-old won the two fights prior: a third round-submission of TJ Brown and a unanimous decision over Daniel Pineda.Del Valle (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) aims to rebound from his first UFC loss, which came in February by unanimous decision against Jordan Leavitt. His first two UFC appearances were first-round finishes of Connor matthews and Isaac Dulgarian.Darren Elkins vs. Yadier del Valle UFC Fight Night 284 expert pick, predictionIn a fight that I'm semi-surprised even got sanctioned, Darren Elkins returns for one last ride into the damage against the up-and-coming Yadier del Valle.Although this already looks like a depressing ritual sacrifice at first glance, things get even sketchier when you look at the actual sample size of del Valle.Aside from his best win being a confirmed fixed fight against Isaac Dulgarian, del Valle's other two UFC samples feature weirdly one-sided fights that went in completely separate directions. Should del Valle dispose of Elkins' already dead body as the betting line suggests, then I'm still not sure we will have learned anything about del Valle's skills or ceiling.I'm not looking forward to the violent "Weekend At Bernie's" reenactment that the matchmakers have set up for us on the main card, but the pick is for the referee to mercifully save Elkins from himself before the first frame ends.Darren Elkins vs. Yadier del Valle UFC Fight Night 284 oddsThe oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the Cuban fighter, listing del Valle -750 and Elkins +490 via FanDuel.Darren Elkins vs. Yadier del Valle UFC Fight Night 284 start time, how to watchElkins and del Valle are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:10 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on Paramount+.This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Darren Elkins vs. Yadier del Valle prediction, pick for UFC Fight Night 284

Jorge MessiCredit: Jean Catuffe/GettyNEED TO KNOWLionel Messis father, Jorge Messi, died in his hometown of Rosario on Friday, August 7Jorge was the pillar and the person who supported with vision, rigor, and affection the career of the greatest player of all time alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini, Newells Old Boys wrote in a social media tributeJorge spent many years serving as Lionels agent and managing his business affairs prior to his deathLionel Messi is mourning the death of his father, Jorge Messi, at age 68.The Argentinian soccer stars father died in his hometown of Rosario around 10 p.m. local time on Friday, August 7, according to Argentine and Spanish outlets Infobae, El Espaol and La Nacion.Lionels first club, Newells Old Boys, paid tribute to Jorge, who was also Lionels longtime business agent, on social media.With deep sorrow and grief, Newells Old Boys bids farewell to Jorge Messi, who passed away at the age of 68 in the city of Rosario, the club wrote on X, as translated from Spanish. Jorge was the pillar and the person who supported with vision, rigor, and affection the career of the greatest player of all time alongside his wife, Celia Cuccittini.Lionel and Jorge Messi at World CupCredit: Robert Michael/picture alliance via GettyHis constant companionship and behind-the-scenes leadership were essential in backing every step of Lionel, from his beginnings at Malvinas to the pinnacle of world football glory, the tribute post continued. Thank you for teaching him to love these colors. The Board of Directors, members, athletes, and the entire leprosa family embrace with affection Celia, Lionel, Rodrigo, Matas, and Mara Sol, and all their loved ones and close ones in this difficult moment. Farewell forever, Leproso.Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLEs free sports newsletter sign up now!Jorges tragic death comes nearly two months after his family shared that he was diagnosed with an illness, although they did not share details at the time.He is currently under medical observation, recovering and progressing favorably within his current condition, the family said in a statement in June, per ESPN.The statement followed speculation surrounding Jorges health, with the Messi family expressing its deep displeasure at the lack of sensitivity, respect, and scruples with which some people have treated a strictly private and family matter.Jorge Messi at training session of Barcelona at the Parc des Princes stadiumCredit: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via GettyThe family also wishes to clarify that only his closest family members have accurate and reliable information about Jorges condition, the statement continued. Therefore, any version, statement, or information that does not come from the family itself and its official channels should not be considered valid or true. At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence, and compassion.After he scored the first goal during Argentinas opening World Cup match two days prior, which ended with the team earning a 3-0 victory over Algeria, Lionel, 39, grew teary-eyed. When asked what made him so emotional, he shared that it was for personal reasons.Why did I cry? It was something completely unrelated to football. I went through some difficult days, he said at the time. But Im grateful to the entire delegation and my teammates because they were always by my side, giving me a lot of strength to help me get through it.Read the original article on People

The Baltimore Ravens return to the practice field Saturday for Day 9 of training camp at the Under Armour Performance Center. With the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles approaching, every rep carries additional importance for players competing for starting roles, rotational snaps and spots on the 53-man roster. Follow along for live updates, highlights, observations and the best sights and sounds from Saturdays practice.This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens training camp Day 9: Live updates, sights and sounds

As the next crop of hallowed names enter Canton, Ohio, as the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, who are the current members of the Houston Texans following a similar path to one day become immortalized?Three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt will, without question, become a first-ballot Hall of Fame honoree when eligible in 2028, but he's been retired for three seasons. It's about the here and now of players that continue to impress on the field and look unstopabble in their pathway to Canton. So, who qualifes for Houston? ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently revealed every team's top players and their chances of having a Hall of Fame career. Several players have just found their footing and need to continue to build off their success to be considered fringe options, but the consistency of Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter throughout his 12-year career has him in the "on the cusp" category entering 2026."Hunter's not an obvious candidate, and missing nearly a year and a half in the middle of his Vikings career hurt, but the six-time Pro Bowler is making a beeline for the Hall of Fame with his work over the past three seasons," Barnwell. "Hunter has 114.5 sacks under his belt, 43.5 of which have come since the start of the 2023 campaign. And having entered the league at 20, Hunter's still only 31 years old."He is 13th in career sacks through his age-31 campaign, and most of the players ahead of him are either in the Hall of Fame or locks to get there. The key number for Hunter might be 140 sacks. Each of the 10 players to hit that threshold is in the Hall. Hunter could get there in two years at his recent pace."Since joining the Texans, life off the edge has been hell for opposing quarterbacks. In two seasons, Hunter has been arguably a top-three pass rusher, totaling 27 sacks and 32 tackles for loss, which both rank top three in the past three seasons. As for the "keep it up" category, All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. made the cut. Neither should feel like after a promising start that they're off the path, but both still need to keep up the pace of how well their careers have started to sense as if they're entering the "on the cusp" categoery."It's nice to have two of the best young defenders in all of football playing at an elite level alongside Hunter, too," Barnwell wrote. "Anderson has quickly become a disruptor up front and already has a Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a second-place finish for Defensive Player of the Year. Stingley has overcome early-career injuries to establish himself as a high-end cornerback, earning first-team All-Pro honors each of the past two seasons. Both of these guys could do this for years to come."To read the entire list, click here. This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Which Texans players are on their way to Hall of Fame careers? ESPN weighs in

Gadsden City football quarterback Sam Sollie has committed to Auburn ahead of his junior season.The Titans quarterback announced his decision on Saturday, Aug. 8, during a ceremony at the school. Sollie moved to Gadsden City ahead of his sophomore year from Westbrook Christian. In 2025, as a first-year starter he passed for 1,294 yards and 13 touchdowns.Sollie is a Class of 2028 recruit and stands at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. Sollie is rated as the three-star prospect by 247Sports. He is ranked as the No. 44 quarterback in the class and the 21st-best player in Alabama.Auburn won out from Sollie's top five of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi State and Tennessee that he set on July 16th in an interview with The Gadsden Times. Sollie came out of his sophomore season with few offers but has since picked up offers from Kentucky, Tulane, Boston College, Arkansas and Missouri among others outside his top five."I love the coaches. I'm a big relationship guy. I love the facilities. I love all the campuses," Sollie said on July 16. "I'd be blessed to be at any of those places."Gadsden City starts its 2026 season Aug. 21 hosting Oxford.Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports, Jax State athletics, the outdoors in Alabama and more for the Gadsden Times and USA TODAY Network. Find him on Twitter/X@_Max_Donaldsonand contact him at MDonaldson@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Sam Sollie, Gadsden City QB, commits to Auburn ahead of junior season

The Baltimore Ravens waived undrafted rookie cornerback Matthew McDoom, creating a spot on the 90-man training camp roster for inside linebacker Jamon Johnson. McDoom joined Baltimore after completing his college career at Cincinnati. The Florida native spent his first three seasons at Coastal Carolina before transferring to the Bearcats for his senior year.During four college seasons, McDoom recorded four interceptions and 26 passes defended. He entered training camp facing significant competition in a crowded Baltimore secondary led by Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins and Chidobe Awuzie. T.J. Tampa has also strengthened his case for the fourth cornerback role, while several defensive backs are competing for the remaining roster spots and special teams assignments. That depth made McDoom expendable as the Ravens looked to address another position.Johnson participated in a three-player workout with Baltimore before agreeing to join the team. The former Saint Frances Academy standout entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers in 2025 and appeared in two games during his first season.The 24-year-old began his college career at Georgia, where he played on two national championship teams. Johnson earned second-team Associated Press All-America honors in 2022 after leading the Bulldogs with nine tackles for loss. He transferred to Kentucky for his final season and led the Wildcats with 67 tackles while adding seven tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception and a forced fumble.Johnson will compete for a reserve role behind Baltimores established inside linebackers and could improve his roster chances by contributing on special teams. His addition also gives the Ravens another option while Teddye Buchanan continues recovering from the knee injury he suffered last season.McDooms departure is another reminder of how quickly training camp rosters can change. Baltimore gave the rookie an opportunity after the draft, but positional numbers and an immediate need at linebacker led the Ravens in another direction before the preseason opener.This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens waive rookie CB Matthew McDoom to add Jamon Johnson

Although North DeSoto graduated a quarterback to Northwestern (Luke Delafield) and a running back to Louisiana Tech (Kenny Thomas), not many are crying for the 2026 Griffins, who remain loaded with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball.Thats why coach Dennis Dunns squad has been chosen to win the 2026 District 1-4A title in a close race with Northwood, which has seven senior offensive linemen. Five of those linemen have more than 100 starts between them. Replacing Delafield will be freshman Mason Smith, who already holds offers from LSU and Tulane, and hell have a big target in tight end Miller Warren, a Northwestern State commitment.DISTRICT 1-3A: Sterlington, Loyola expected to lead way in 2026 District 1-3A raceDISTRICT 1-2A: Calvary Baptist expected to rule District 1-2A in 2026DISTRICT 4-2A: Mansfield could lead District 4-2A in close race with Many, Red RiverThe Falcons will counter with two college-ready tackles in Adam Hemphill (6-foot, 275 pounds) and Zecheriah Reed (6-3, 300), who have been called nasty by their coach.Minden and BTW could also cause problems for their league opponents thanks to a plethora of talent. The Tide will be led by Jeremiah Jones and Lucas Owens, while Kendrall Johnson and Vincent Blake Jr. will give the Lions plenty of direction. Bossier coach Gary Smith has a veteran quarterback in Montrevell Lewis along with talented Dylan McCoy, while Southwood looks to make a run behind Jayden Carter and Nyangadzai Jenya. Under first-year coach Lavelle Wilson Jr., Woodlawn expects to get big plays from Jeremiah Gustain and Sterling Sheppard.Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.District 1-4A Coaches PollNorth DeSoto (13-1)Northwood (8-3)Minden (5-6)BTW (7-5)Southwood (3-6)Bossier (4-7)Woodlawn 2-8)This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: North DeSoto, Northwood expected to vie for 2026 District 1-4A title