Where will five-star recruit Oliviyah Edwards take her talents?
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Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Panthers film review: Rookies flash in preseason opener against Browns
Carolina Panthers fans got just the second full look at their team this summer on Friday night, when they hosted the Cleveland Browns for the preseason opener. And now, it's time to get a second peek at that second look. With the NFL finally returning to some real in-game action, we took a dive into the All-22 film for some lessons from the 30-10 defeat. While sloppy at times, the Panthers proved to be a physical squad—bringing their effort despite the not-so-successful results. We also learned a few things about a few notable players. Here are a handful of key takeaways from the film . . . Bobby Brown III could be a huge piece in 2025 Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero had operated without a true nose tackle during his previous two years in Carolina. That has changed, now that the Panthers have added former Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Bobby Brown III. The 6-foot-4, 332-pounder should end up being a significant upgrade for this Panthers defense, which allowed a league-worst (by far) 179.8 rushing yards per contest in 2024. He has the ability to take on double teams and can be effective on passing downs, as evidenced by his team-high five pressures on Friday. Brown showed his power, quickness and penetration skills throughout the contest . . . Austin Corbett has the lead in the center battle The battle for the starting center job between Austin Corbett and Cade Mays may be the biggest one of all in Carolina this summer. And on Friday, Corbett showed why he's currently listed as the first-stringer. Corbett may have already returned to form after missing 12 games last season due to a biceps injury. He was consistent at resetting his hands and base when needed, anchoring well to stonewall interior rushes. Mays is a good mover for his size and will bully defenders as he so chooses. There were some instances where he contained stunt/twist games up front, with emphasis on anchoring and hand placement. However, there were times when defenders succeeded in attacking his outside shoulder, and he lost a rep or two in the process. This should be a competitive fight to the end, but Corbett has the lead and may not look back. Nic Scourton flashes potential 2025 third-round pick Nic Scourton shined, eating up space with quickness and impressive movement skills in the open field. There were times when he played out of control in his rushes, but he still brought consistent pressure off the edge. The rookie outside linebacker displays outstanding effort and pursuit ability, as evidenced by his chase-down sack of Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. While there will be a learning curve for the soon-to-be 21-year-old, the explosiveness and power from Scourton already translates. Dan Morgan's latest undrafted gem Former Louisville cornerback Corey Thornton has been one of the standout rookies in Panthers training camp this summer. He's really forced himself into the forefront over the past week, filling in for starter Jaycee Horn both at Fan Fest and in this exhibition outing. Thornton has good size and length at 6-foot-1 and possesses the physical temperament that could be helpful in man-to-man looks. He is physical in coverage, especially press-man, though some false steps cost him at times. One of the highlights of the night came off an end-around by Cleveland in the second quarter—where Thornton accelerated downhill, came to balance, then picked up and threw the ball carrier to the ground. Quick hitters Jalen Coker is making a case to be the No. 2 target on this Panthers offense. His ball skills, football intelligence and route running flashed in a big way, including on a 5-yard touchdown reception. Inside linebackers Trevin Wallace and Christian Rozeboom will benefit from Carolina's upgrades on the defensive line. Wallace, for example, was able to collect a run stop in the first quarter when the interior front swallowed up double teams to help free the B-gap. With offensive coordinator Brad Idzik calling plays last night, the cadence, communication and play-call tendencies were drastically different. In short, it was a 'vanilla' approach Friday evening, which may partially explain the drop in play from the first-team to the second-team unit. The same can be said for Evero's defense, which was being called by defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley. Like the offense, the defense had different tendencies, cadences, calls and more. However, the similarities between both unites exemplified a physical brand of football for all four quarters, despite the blowout. Not the news that Demani Richardson fans were wanting to hear, but the second-year safety still has a lot of room for improvement. He took bad angles to the ball and was responsible for giving up a few big plays. He may be losing ground to 2025 fourth-round pick Lathan Ransom and veteran Nick Scott, one of the two current starters at the article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Panthers film review: Rookies flash in preseason opener against Browns
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
Can Florida State football climb back from historic collapse? What's next after rock bottom
The first move Florida State made after its worst season in 50 years was to stop the humiliation. The Seminoles' 2-10 campaign had mercifully ended moments earlier with a 31-11 loss to Florida. When the Gators planted their flag triumphantly in the Tallahassee turf, FSU head coach Mike Norvell personally took the archrivals' emblem and threw it to the ground. Advertisement Critics cracked that the postgame uproar was the most fight the Seminoles had shown all year. But, eight months later, it also looks like a fitting preview of Norvell's rebuilding plan after one of the most incomprehensible collapses in college football history: Florida State saw a problem and addressed it with the fire and desperation Norvell stresses daily, then vowed the disgrace would never happen again. 'Nobody ever wants to face disappointment, no one ever wants to get knocked down,' Norvell said. 'But I'm built for this journey. This program is built for this journey.' The journey ahead for both is unmarked. No coach or Power 4 program has suffered a bigger year-over-year tailspin than the Seminoles, which went from 13-1 ACC champions in 2023 to dead last in the league last fall. They were the first preseason top-10 team to win fewer than three games since 1956. But this isn't the first time Norvell has had to lead the Seminoles up from rock bottom. A month into the 2021 season, Norvell was 3-10 overall (0-4 in Year 2) and still stained by an infamous loss to Jacksonville State. Two days after an unsuccessful rally against Louisville, Norvell delivered a fiery 4 1/2-minute rant that served as a recruiting pitch to anyone fed up with the latest 'failure' (his word). It was a turning point for the program. FSU won five of its final eight games that year, and at least 10 players Norvell added in the ensuing offseason — the ones who saw the problems and wanted to be a part of the solution — became core contributors to a 23-4 run over the next two years. Look closely enough, and you can see similarities between that roster makeover and the one Florida State just finished. Norvell's 2022-23 portal classes prioritized production, whether it was in the Power 4 (Michigan State receiver Keon Coleman), Group of 5 (Western Michigan defensive lineman Braden Fiske) or FCS (Albany defensive end Jared Verse). All three starred at FSU and became top-40 NFL Draft picks. Advertisement After unsuccessfully overvaluing potential with big-name, blue-chip backups in the 2024 cycle, Florida State swung back toward proven performance this offseason. A portal class ranked sixth nationally by 247Sports totals at least 319 starts; 17 of the 23 transfers enter with at least five in their careers. Tommy Castellanos was the only player in Boston College history to record more than 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season, inviting comparisons to Norvell's last playmaking star quarterback, Jordan Travis. Squirrel White left Tennessee with the seventh most catches in Volunteers history. Luke Petitbon was one of the ACC's top centers at Wake Forest, and Jeremiah Wilson's four interceptions last year at Houston were tied for third in the Big 12. Castellanos, Wilson and former USC receiver Duce Robinson all rank among The Athletic's 90 most impactful transfers this cycle. 'I wanted to have an emphasis on guys that have done it,' Norvell said. 'That doesn't mean that everything went great for them. I wanted to see their response.' The same was true with his existing roster. There were, Norvell said, 'tough conversations' and 'tough decisions' about who showed enough resolve to deserve a spot in the rebuilding process. The exodus, for one reason or another, included Norvell's top signee in 2023 (receiver Hykeem Williams) and 2021 (receiver Destyn Hill), the 2022 ACC defensive rookie of the year (end Patrick Payton) and the highest-rated quarterback Norvell has signed at FSU (Luke Kromenhoek). Of the 60 Seminoles who participated against Memphis — the sky-is-falling mid-September loss to Norvell's former team — 36 are gone. More starters from that game transferred out (seven) than remain (five). The roster churn led Norvell to a group of players that 'said yes to the expectation.' It's almost the exact same phrase Norvell used to describe those who fought through his early struggles to turn the program around last time. Players at last month's ACC media days used another word: desperate. Advertisement 'Desperate to win, desperate to eat, just desperate to succeed,' defensive back Earl Little Jr. said. Or, in the case of Castellanos, desperate to make Florida State feared again. He made ripples this offseason when he said he didn't see Week 1 opponent Alabama stopping him. Though the bravado was not always well-received by a quarterback who was 11-9 as the starter at Boston College and left before the end of last season, he said the support was universal from former players itching for a return to national relevance. 'It's my job to reinstall some good times, some happiness, some laughs, some joy that comes with winning,' Castellanos said. 'We want everybody to be able to get back to the old Florida State.' If this Florida State does get back to looking like the old Florida State, it will be with a new-look coaching staff. Before the season was over, Norvell fired three of his original hires: offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and receivers coach Ron Dugans. In December, Seminoles Hall of Famer Odell Haggins moved from defensive line coach to a broader assistant role, ending a 31-year tenure that was the longest of any position coach at one school in the country. Co-defensive coordinator Randy Shannon was out, too. Their replacements included the highest-paid assistant in Nebraska history, defensive coordinator Tony White, and former Auburn/UCF head coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator. Hiring Malzahn did more than add the experience and knowledge of a sitting Power 4 head coach who came 13 seconds away from leading Auburn past the Seminoles for the 2013 national championship. Because Norvell spent two years under Malzahn on Tulsa's offense staff, he can trust his mentor to run the system with a quarterback (Castellanos) whom Malzahn originally signed at UCF. Norvell traded his biggest strength — calling plays — to have more time for personal conversations and one-on-one meetings than ever. Perhaps deeper relationships can repair or prevent any intangible weaknesses that festered last fall. Whether any of these changes work is unknown. No Power 4 program has ever had its win total drop so much from one season to the next, and the recent results of somewhat similar roller-coaster rebuilds are mixed. Of the 11 other preseason top-10 teams to finish with fewer than five wins in the past 50 seasons (excluding 2020), four rebounded to finish ranked the next season. The best-case comparison is what Brian Kelly did at Notre Dame after yo-yoing from 10-3 in 2015 to 4-8 the next year. With a revamped staff led by three new coordinators, the Fighting Irish bounced back to go 10-3 in 2017. Kelly won 54 of his final 63 games and made the Playoff twice before leaving for LSU after the 2021 regular season. Advertisement A worst-case scenario mirrors what happened at Florida under Will Muschamp after a crumble from an 11-1 regular season in 2012 to 4-8 with a home loss to then-FCS team Georgia Southern. Running back Matt Jones said the shame lingered all the way until the next fall. When 2014 began, Jones said the Gators put 4-8 behind them, and the chemistry issues and finger-pointing subsided. But even an overhauled offense and top-10 recruiting class with three future Super Bowl champions couldn't turn things around; Muschamp was fired after a 5-4 start. 'We put up a fight (on the field), and that's just what happened,' said Jones, the Gators' leading rusher in 2014. 'We came up short.' Michigan State landed somewhere in the middle after falling from the 2015 CFP to 3-9. Mark Dantonio went 10-3, 7-6 and 7-6, then stepped away from a stagnating program in February 2020. Norvell has owned last year's failures, beyond uprooting the Gators' flag and immediately apologizing when the 2-10 season was finally over. In December, he voluntarily cut this season's pay by $4.5 million 'while recognizing that the results and expectations need to be upheld to the highest level.' The restructured contract also gives him the chance to earn $750,000 back with every nine-win season starting in 2026. Norvell's buyout would be north of $50 million after this season, cooling hot-seat speculation around a marquee brand projected to finish seventh in the 17-team ACC. Instead, it puts him and the Seminoles in a rare spot. The first four years of Norvell's tenure were defined by 'The CLIMB,' the motivational catchphrase that became the title of the program's YouTube series. The process worked all the way to the precipice of the four-team CFP. Now, after a historic free fall, is it possible for Norvell and the Seminoles to climb back? 'When you're climbing a mountain, there might be some times where you slip and where you stumble,' Norvell said. 'But the most important step along the journey is the next one.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
Joe Milton struggles in Cowboys preseason debut: ‘I just got to settle down early'
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — There have been moments throughout the first few weeks of training camp where Joe Milton has looked impressive. His rocket arm is what immediately gains attention. His athleticism and ability to extend plays has also been noticeable. That led to Milton being easily the top Dallas Cowboys player to watch entering Saturday's preseason opener. The results, however, were underwhelming. Advertisement Milton came out firing, throwing on his first six plays. Two completions, one yard, two punts. 'I just got to settle down early and just make a lot of those throws,' said Milton, who added that he would grade himself with a D or D-minus in Dallas' 31-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. The plan was for Milton to play the entire game. The second-year player needs as many reps as possible as he is expected to be Dak Prescott's backup this season. Prescott, who is not expected to play in the preseason, was communicating with Milton throughout Saturday's game. Milton said the franchise QB's advice was to take completions and let the game come to him. One play that Milton would like to have back was a deep ball he threw to wide receiver Ryan Flournoy early in the second half. Flournoy had a chance to make the grab, but he was double-covered. Rams cornerback Cam Lampkin came down with the interception. The better option would have been throwing to rookie running back Phil Mafah underneath. Cam Lampkin said "gimme that" 🙌 @RamsNFL Stream on @NFLPlus — NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2025 'Second and (seven), he's got a checkdown in front of him,' Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. 'Ultra-competitive, he was moving left, and he threw it up there. Now, he's trusting (Flournoy) in that situation to try to make a play. I think that's one of the things when Joe watches it that he'll be like, 'Yeah, I probably should have taken the checkdown. I got moved off the launch point.' 'That's why he needs to play. I do think he settled down. He found his rhythm late, started using his legs a little better. Terrific talent. Every rep he gets is going to help him become a great pro.' Milton finished the game completing 17 of 29 passes for 143 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a 68.6 passer rating. rivaldo reels in the tuddy!@Qbjayy7 x @rivaldo_f13 📺: #DALvsLAR on CBS11 📲: Stream on NFL+ — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 10, 2025 'Second quarter on I felt great,' Milton said. 'I think I need to calm down faster so I can start rolling in the first quarter. … I was very excited. I think that's what got me off my track. I feel like if I was able to go back out there again right now I'd be able to settle down faster and make those throws, for sure.' Advertisement In April, Dallas traded the New England Patriots a fifth-round pick for Milton and a seventh-round pick. Cooper Rush, who had been the Cowboys' backup the previous four seasons, signed with the Baltimore Ravens in March. The only other quarterback on the roster is Will Grier. As long as Milton is healthy, he will be the backup. Milton had an injury scare last week when the Cowboys practiced with the Rams as the thumb on his throwing hand hit the hand of a defender while completing a pass. He was pulled from that practice but was ready to go the next time the Cowboys were on the field. He exited Saturday's game late in the fourth quarter when a Rams defender hit his right elbow. Schottenheimer said initial tests showed the injury wasn't significant. Milton said he wanted to go back in the game. 'I feel good,' Milton said, 'just get a little treatment in the morning, I'll be all right.' One of the reasons the Cowboys made the deal to acquire Milton is because the sixth-round pick has so many of the tools that coaches and scouts covet. He only played in one game for the Patriots as a rookie, but he was impressive. Although he didn't play to that level Saturday, there is belief that with more in-game work, Milton can be an ideal backup and one day maybe more. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer: 'It's definitely not a storybook beginning, that's for sure. We just struggled.' Schottenheimer said he got choked up on his way to the stadium and again before kickoff while meeting with Jerry Jones. 'It's been a dream of mine to be in this… — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 10, 2025 'We need to throw more completions,' Schottenheimer said. 'He knows that. He had his fastball out today and there's times where you kind of throw a little bit of a changeup. … Part of staying in rhythm and part of me and Joe being on the same page, because I am the play caller, is executing the offense, taking things when it's there, when you get moved off a spot, check it down. Advertisement 'But what a great learning experience for Joe. The guy hasn't played a ton of football in real situations like this where he's getting hit. I'm not sure I loved him running the guy over on the sideline, but that kind of woke him up a little bit, got him going. I'm still learning him as well in terms of his play style.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
