CHAPEL HILL UNC football coach Bill Belichick says it hasnt really been an issue dealing with the absences of general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick.People have picked up in areas and weve done the things that we had to do at this time of year, Belichick said on Friday, Aug. 14, during a press conference inside the Kenan Football Center.Things will change, as they always do, on the calendar, as recruiting changes, as the regular season comes into play and so forth. But for this period, its been the same until it changes, which will be in late August, early September.'THROWBACK': Why Bill Belichick views Peyton Seelmann as throwback player for UNC footballQB COMPETITION: Bill Belichick updates UNC football QB competition as fall camp winds downUNC announced on July 27 that Lombardi, the highest-paid GM in college football at $1.5 million per year, was placed on paid administrative leave. The dead period on the recruiting calendar runs through Aug. 31, with the evaluation period gearing back up from Sept. 1 through Nov. 29. The early signing period is Dec. 2-4 and national signing day is set for Feb. 3, 2027.As of Aug. 14, UNC has 17 commitments in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports.As has been the case before each of Belichicks three press conferences during fall camp, a UNC spokesperson has said coaches and players cant address details about the Lombardi situation.For the Tar Heels, Belichick added, hopefully this will be resolved soon.In addition to Lombardi's absence, Belichick announced on Aug. 6 that Steve Belichick is on medical leave. When asked about his son and defensive play-calling duties, Belichick didnt want to dive into the details of an unknown situation.Well, the season doesnt start today, Belichick said, so you get a bunch of hypothetical questions.The Tar Heels have maintained a message of focusing on football throughout preseason practice regarding the Lombardi investigation and Steve Belichicks medical leave.Just keep the main thing, the main thing, not really focusing on the outside things, running back Demon June said. Coming in every day in camp with the focus to get better.The Tar Heels open the 2026 season in just under two weeks against TCU in Ireland.Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Bill Belichick, UNC football adjusting amid Michael Lombardi, Steve Belichick absences

India captain Shubman Gill has denied reports of a communication gap between the team management and the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, saying the two sides have remained in regular contact over the fitness of injured players.Questions were raised after three players initially included in India's squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka were ruled out before the series.Speaking to the media on the eve of the first Test, Gill said the team management had been closely following the rehabilitation of players at the CoE."There is a constant communication with them. Unfortunately Sai Sudharsan did not improve as much as we liked as we can't take risks in Tests. But we are confident of our 15 (players)," Gill said at the pre-match press conference.Gill said the five-day nature of Test cricket meant India could not risk playing players who were not fully fit."The Test match is for 5 days. If it's one-day or T20, then it's a different story. But in the Test match, you don't want to take a risk. I feel that in the Test match, you have more opportunities with other players (to come back)."He explained that players have several opportunities to contribute during a Test, even if they do not start well."For example, if you don't play well on the first day, you get another chance. So, the players have more chances to come back. So, keeping that in mind, we were a little disappointed (with Sai and Bumrah).""But it didn't affect the morale of the team that much that they didn't get the first 11. I feel that whoever is in our 15 or whoever we give a chance in our playing 11 in any condition, they can play well and win the game," he said.India will begin the series with Ravindra Jadeja as their only all-rounder, with Washington Sundar still recovering from injury.Gill backed young all-rounder Manav Suthar to contribute if he gets an opportunity during the series."I think that's where someone like Manav coming in. He's got the ability with the bat. Of course, you need a bit of experience, you need some belief and confidence and that will only come once you're out there playing, when you score some runs."And hopefully he does that in the series." 133249055

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Scott Gardner: A learning curve for usLeeds United Under-21s played out their first game of the new campaign as they were forced to settle for a point away at Stoke City Under-21s.After the game, Scott Gardner admitted he was left wanting more: "Really disappointed, and there's a changing room full of disappointed players there. "It feels more like a loss than a draw. We should have been three, four, maybe five up at halftime, so really frustrated actually. "I don't think the problem was breaking Stoke down. We created more chances, it was just the quality of the finish, a little bit of belief in the finish. "You come in at halftime three or four up and you're probably going to win the game, so it's a big learning curve for us. "We've had a really good pre-season, I have been delighted with what I've seen. Particularly for the first game back, football wise, very pleased. We were dominant, you've just got to be clinical."Any opportunity we've got to play against senior sides we're really keen on," he added on the upcoming National League Cup clash with holders Boreham Wood. "I'm looking forward to it and I hope we play the way that we did today, particularly the first half, and have something to show for at the end."

IOWA CITY, IA - NOVEMBER 22: Iowa players swarm onto the field before a Big Ten Conference college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Nov. 22, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, IA. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesKids Day at Kinnick Stadium gets underway on Saturday, August 15th at 11am. The open practice will be the first time Hawkeye fans will have an opportunity to see the team in person since spring practice ended four months ago. We have to remember this is simply an open practice, much like the non-spring game open practice in April. That means everything should be taken with a grain of salt and things will certainly look different on September 5th against Northern Illinois. But at the end of the day, it IS a chance for fans to watch the Hawkeyes in person and get a glimpse at how things are progressing through the early days of fall camp.With those caveats out of the way, lets dive in on what to watch for in Kinnick on Saturday.The QB BattleLikely the top thing on most fans minds heading into fall camp is who exactly will be taking the reins from Mark Gronowski under center for the Hawkeyes. Year three of Tim Lesters tenure in Iowa City gets underway shortly and the trajectory through the first two season has been phenomenal in all but one area: passing yardage.Early reports from camp seem to indicate that former Auburn transfer Hank Brown has a slight edge, but this is a true competition and Kirk Ferentz has indicated the battle may well bleed into the season. Its unlikely that one open practice makes or breaks this position battle, but it will no doubt be something we are all keying in on.Brown feels like the Ferentz pick. Hes got a more prototypical build and he is slightly less mobile, though OC Tim Lester would tell you hes quicker than you think he is. He is also less prone to turnovers and more risk averse, traits Ferentz has long favored. Contrast that with the smaller, quicker Hecklinski who is considered more of a gunslinger. That worked well for Iowa with former QB Drew Tate, but runs against the DNA of Ferentz and the program he has built. If Hecklinski can show consistency without turnovers he has a shot to win the job. Saturday wont be the answer, but it could be a clue.Receiving MixThe hype train on UT-Rio Grande Valley transfer wide receiver Tony Diaz has not just left the station, its continued to gain steam to be an almost unstoppable force heading into September. He took first team reps back in the spring after being in the program only a few short months and since that time the comments, clips and photos of him have done nothing but stoke the flames that have Iowa fans hot and bothered.1014 pic.twitter.com/42eB1LYoFF Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) August 13, 2026But just how much of the receiving mix will shift to the WR position? A lot of that will depend on the rest of the room beyond Diaz. Reece Vander Zee figures to continue to grow his role as he is * hopefully * healthy for 2026. And Iowa also brought in transfer Evan James from Furman, who is expected to be a starter. During Fridays media availability, Ferentz noted that both Jarriett Buie and KJ Parker have been performing well and are gaining traction. So how do all those pieces fit together? Who gets reps with the ones on Saturday?And maybe just as important, how much work do the receivers get as a group when Iowa has the tradition as a tight end factory and the newest model is about to come off the assembly line with DJ Vonnahme? We asked the community how they expect things to shake out this fall and nearly half of you are taking Vonnahme to be Iowas leading receiver this season. Newcomer Tony Diaz was next closest at 31% of the vote with Reece Vander Zee getting just 15%.Again, we wont have anything definitive on Saturday, but something to watch for sure.Defensive Line RotationWhile the offense is likely to get a lot of the fan attention, its the defense which is sure to look more game ready at this point in camp. Virtually every year one of the takeaways from the open practices is just how far ahead the defense seems relative to the offense. Thats a result of both the incredible job Phil Parker does year in and year out, but also the difficulties in installing a full offense and getting it humming with new personnel.Speaking of new personnel, there is a LOT of it on the defensive line this year. The Hawkeyes lost Aaron Graves, Max Llewellyn, Ethan Hurkett and Brian Allen all guys who were starters or played starter minutes. Theyll get back Bryce Hawthorne and add in Brice Stevenson, Kahmari Brown and Lance Ingold from the portal while expecting increased roles from Iose Epenesa and a plethora of others.The question on Saturday is how that rotation shakes out. There are bodies and Parker is likely to use plenty of them. Recently, the Hawkeyes have gone 4-5 deep at both DT and DE with meaningful rotations to keep guys fresh. Who goes with the 1s and 2s on Saturday will likely tell us a lot about what that rotation may look like in a few short weeks.The SpecialistsSpeaking of turnover, special teams is perhaps the area hardest hit for Iowa this year as they lost not only every key contributing specialist, but also their special teams coordinator as LeVar Woods departed for Michigan State in the offseason.It seems unlikely, but it will be interesting to note if there are any differences in scheme that can be identified with new coordinator Chris Polizzi. Is there a change in mix of rugby style vs traditional punting? How does the coverage and return game look?Oh, and who is doing the kicking and returning???Rhys Dakin took off for East Lansing with Woods with Iowa bringing in Tanner Philpottfrom D3 Simpson College to compete with freshman Aussie Boston Everitt in the battle at punter. Who does the most winning in front of a live crowd? Does either have the boot of Dakin? And is there any hope of either being a coffin corner specialist?Sticking with the kicking game, Eli Ozick transferred in from North Dakota State while the Hawkeyes bring back RS freshman Caden Buhr in the battle for placekicker. It will be interesting to see who has the bigger leg and who is more accurate here.And finally, in the return game, Kaden Wetjen continued the legacy a punt and kick returner last year. Who is next? It seems like Zach Lutmer is most likely, but unlike Wetjen he is a full time starter. Does he have the same juice and can he keep it while playing defense full time a la Cooper DeJean?Kids Day DetailsHeres a quick rundown of the details for anyone planning to head to Kinnick on Saturday. The open practice kicks off at 11 am CT.Admission is free for all fans with free parking available on hard surface lots and paid parking in all ramps. Gates open at 10 am (fans can enter through gates A, B and H) with players signing autographs for kids beginning around 10:30.As a quick reminder for those who havent been to the stadium in, the stadium is fully cashless. There will be concessions available accepting debit and credit cards only. Kinnick Stadiums clear bag policy will be enforced.Go Hawks!The place to be tomorrow pic.twitter.com/gFZ48nbLYs The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) August 14, 2026

The stage is set for the Atlanta Braves to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.Lets take a look at the rosters.Drake Baldwin is back in the leading spot and playing catcher. And hey! Look whos batting in the ninth hole: Jim Jarvis is geared up for shortstop.Now, both teams have put up similar numbers against each others pitcher, with all reaching above .500 OPS and over a .235 batting average. Both Chris Sale and Arizonas Brandon Pfaddt are coming off successful stints in their past three games and have continued to show consistency landing their pitches in the zone.Tonight will just be a matter of which team will show up the best.Tune in at 7:15 PM to find out.

Pressure from the FedExCup standings yields a variety of results.Friday's second round in Memphis was no exemption, with its crossover of green and red arrows on the projected top 50 list of players set to be in the field at Bellerive Country Club for next week's BMW Championship. While some battling to extend their season to St. Louis have begun to wilt in the Tennessee heat (Eric Cole, Matt McCarty), there have been others who are rising to meet the moment and are projected to be on the inside of that aforementioned list. Keith Mitchell and Jordan Spieth are a pair of players who have significantly helped their cause early this week.Same could be said for Sunjae Im who is the current FedEx St. Jude Championship clubhouse leader and sits two shots off Scottie Schefflers current lead at 10 under.To remain off the bubble for the BMW Championship, Mitchell, Im and Spieth must remain consistent over the next 36 holes. They've put themselves in great position thanks to strong opening performances at TPC Southwind. Let's take a look at the players listed Nos. 45-55 in the FedExCup standings entering this week's tournament and where they're currently projected to finish. 2026 FedExCup standings (as of Friday, August 14)FEC STARTPLAYERST. JUDE PLACEPROJ. FINISH45Eric ColeT-63 (+4)5046Alex NorenT-18 (-3)4847Michael BrennanT-58 (+3)5148Matt McCartyT-66 (+5)5249Keith MitchellT-5 (-5)4550Maverick McNealyT-29 (-2)5351Harris EnglishT-58 (+3)5552Max HomaT-40 (E)5653Sungjae Im T-2 (-8)2854Jordan SpiethT-4 (-6)4355Sam Stevens T-40 (E)57

The Ravens activated linebacker Teddye Buchanan from active/physically unable to perform, the team announced.Buchanan, who is returning from a torn ACL, passed his physical Friday.Buchanan injured his knee on Dec. 14."This dude has been incredible in how he's attacked coming off the injury that he's come off of," Ravens coach Jesse Minter said of Buchanan last week, via Ryan Mink of the team website. "It's our job to make sure that when we put him into the football environment that he's ready and he doesn't have any setbacks off of that."Buchanan took over the starting job next to Roquan Smith early last season and finished third on the team with 93 tackles despite missing the final three games.The Ravens also announced that they have placed veteran offensive tackle Kendall Lamm on the reserve/retired list. Lamm signed Aug. 3.Lamm, 34, played 11 NFL seasons with the Texans, Browns, Titans and Dolphins after entering the league as an undrafted free agent.