Specialist football search

2+ min ago (408+ words) As speculation mounts regarding whether it's time for the Steelers and 19-year coach Mike Tomlin to go their separate way, there's another question that the team must answer, sooner than later. Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Tomlin's contract has a 2027 option year, which the Steelers must exercise on or before March 1, 2026. That's new. That's relevant. But Schefter also says "nobody in the Steelers' organization nor around the NFL expects Pittsburgh to fire Tomlin." If the Steelers aren't going to fire Tomlin after 2025, it's hard to imagine the Steelers not exercising the 2026 option. Even if there are doubts but not enough to fire him, why make him a lame duck next season? The potential buyout for 2027 is immaterial. If the Steelers would pick up the option and fire Tomlin after 2026, he'd most likely land elsewhere immediately, making as much or…...

2+ min ago (408+ words) As speculation mounts regarding whether it's time for the Steelers and 19-year coach Mike Tomlin to go their separate way, there's another question that the team must answer, sooner than later. Via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Tomlin's contract has a 2027 option year, which the Steelers must exercise on or before March 1, 2026. That's new. That's relevant. But Schefter also says "nobody in the Steelers' organization nor around the NFL expects Pittsburgh to fire Tomlin." If the Steelers aren't going to fire Tomlin after 2025, it's hard to imagine the Steelers not exercising the 2026 option. Even if there are doubts but not enough to fire him, why make him a lame duck next season? The potential buyout for 2027 is immaterial. If the Steelers would pick up the option and fire Tomlin after 2026, he'd most likely land elsewhere immediately, making as much or…...

4+ min ago (243+ words) Desmond Claude added 22 points and Wesley Yates III had 16 for the Huskies (6-3, 1-1 Big Ten). They were coming off an 82-80 defeat at UCLA, having overcome a 16-point deficit only to see a potential game-winning 3-pointer miss at the buzzer. This time, the Huskies weren't to be denied. After getting off to a slow start in the first half, they opened the second with 13 straight points on 6-of-8 shooting. The Trojans missed five of their first six shots. USC regrouped and extended its lead to 12 points and led by 10 when the Huskies made their game-winning run. It began with another 13-0 spurt in which Steinbach had seven points, including a 3-pointer that gave Washington its first lead since the start of the game. USC never led again in getting knocked out of the unbeaten ranks. Claude followed with a 3-pointer and USC was…...

4+ min ago (243+ words) Desmond Claude added 22 points and Wesley Yates III had 16 for the Huskies (6-3, 1-1 Big Ten). They were coming off an 82-80 defeat at UCLA, having overcome a 16-point deficit only to see a potential game-winning 3-pointer miss at the buzzer. This time, the Huskies weren't to be denied. After getting off to a slow start in the first half, they opened the second with 13 straight points on 6-of-8 shooting. The Trojans missed five of their first six shots. USC regrouped and extended its lead to 12 points and led by 10 when the Huskies made their game-winning run. It began with another 13-0 spurt in which Steinbach had seven points, including a 3-pointer that gave Washington its first lead since the start of the game. USC never led again in getting knocked out of the unbeaten ranks. Claude followed with a 3-pointer and USC was…...

6+ min ago (163+ words) Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana's leading receiver, suffered an apparent right ankle injury in the first quarter and left Saturday night's Big Ten championship game against Ohio State. INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana standout wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. left Saturday night's Big Ten championship game against No. 1 Ohio State in the first quarter with an apparent right ankle injury. Cooper, who leads Indiana in receptions (58) and receiving yards (804), hobbled off after attempting to catch a downfield throw from Fernando Mendoza. He twice went into Indiana's injury tent, and athletic trainers were working on his right ankle, before he left for the locker room. No. 2 Indiana does not provide in-game injury updates. Cooper, a junior from Indianapolis, is tied for the team lead with 11 touchdown receptions, including a dramatic toe-tapping score in the back of the end zone to cap a rally at Penn…...

8+ min ago (724+ words) CHARLESTON " Ross Hodge needed a Help Wanted sign hung over the WVU bench Saturday. It would have stood for both the Mountaineers" offense and defense, as Wake Forest dominated in the second half for a 75-66 victory inside the Charleston Coliseum. As it always does with Hodge, WVU"s defense is where the story begins, and it was nowhere close to where it needed to be. The Demon Deacons (7-3) shot 51% (29 of 57), the first team to connect above 50% against WVU all season. Wake Forest sophomore guard Juke Harris was a human dagger. Every time WVU threatened to get back into the game, Harris countered with one of seven 3-pointers that paved the way to his 28 points. "He"s one of the most improved players in all of college basketball from his freshman to sophomore season," Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes said....

10+ min ago (443+ words) It appears just about everyone has an opinion on whether Alabama deserves to be included in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Paul Finebaum talked with AL.com after the Tide lost to Georgia 28-7 in the SEC Championship Game. Heather Dinich made her thoughts known, too. Social media, for the most part, thinks the CFP should take a hard pass on Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide. But, here's what Alabama fans think after AL.com posed the question about the Tide on social media. "Vanderbilt would be more exciting to see in the playoffs who ever thought that would be said." - Stephen Brown "I'm gonna say yes, due to the fact we was missing seven key starters tonight also went 4-0 vs ranked opponents also the number one team in the SEC to end the season and a better strength of record and…...

10+ min ago (174+ words) UPDATE @ 9:03 P.M. No. 1 Ohio State leads No. 2 Indiana, 7-3, after one quarter. OSU quarterback Julian Sayin has thrown for a touchdown and interception. Ohio State is playing Indiana for the Big Ten championship on Saturday. The No. 1 Buckeyes and the No. 2 Hoosiers battle in a rare game where the top-ranked teams face off in their conference championship. The last time was back in 2008-2009 when Florida and Alabama went back-to-back. UD announces unexpected death of graduate student 13-year-old shot boy inside home during drive-by shooting Period of snow Sunday morning ahead of another shot of Arctic air Both teams will make the College Football Playoffs. There is a chance both will get a first-round bye. Indiana's last Big Ten football championship was back in 1967. This is the school's first appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State is looking for its first…...

13+ min ago (194+ words) Heiden finished with five assists, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals. McCabe made 5 of 7 from the field, 4 of 6 from 3-point range and Houston had eight rebounds for Iowa (9-0). The Hawkeyes have won seven straight against Rutgers and are 15-3 in the series. Rutgers made 2 of 20 from the field in the first quarter and missed its first two shots in the second as Iowa opened a 27-6 lead. The Hawkeyes went 19 of 38 from the field, outrebounded the Scarlet Knights 28-18 and outscored Rutgers 30-6 in the paint on the way to a 42-14 lead at the intermission. The Scarlet Knights shot 13% (4 of 31) from the field and made 6 of 11 (55%) from the free-throw line in the first half. Zachara Perkins led Rutgers (7-2) with 11 points. Iowa's Chit-Chat Wright returned from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury and was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in eight minutes. Iowa:…...

13+ min ago (194+ words) Heiden finished with five assists, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals. McCabe made 5 of 7 from the field, 4 of 6 from 3-point range and Houston had eight rebounds for Iowa (9-0). The Hawkeyes have won seven straight against Rutgers and are 15-3 in the series. Rutgers made 2 of 20 from the field in the first quarter and missed its first two shots in the second as Iowa opened a 27-6 lead. The Hawkeyes went 19 of 38 from the field, outrebounded the Scarlet Knights 28-18 and outscored Rutgers 30-6 in the paint on the way to a 42-14 lead at the intermission. The Scarlet Knights shot 13% (4 of 31) from the field and made 6 of 11 (55%) from the free-throw line in the first half. Zachara Perkins led Rutgers (7-2) with 11 points. Iowa's Chit-Chat Wright returned from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury and was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in eight minutes. Iowa:…...