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  • Here’s what Caleb Williams says about being drafted by the Chicago Bears

    Here’s what Caleb Williams says about being drafted by the Chicago Bears

    Here’s what Caleb Williams says about being drafted by the Chicago Bears originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

    We’re closing in on a month away from the 2024 NFL draft, where the Bears will inevitably take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

    Will that quarterback be Caleb Williams? It’s all the more likely the USC star will be the next signal caller for the Bears. But how would he feel if the Bears drafted him with the first pick?

    “I think it’d be great if I was blessed to be the No. 1 pick to the Chicago Bears,” Williams told Colin Cowherd on “The Herd.” “… I think it’s going to another big city. I’ve heard that they love football. So if that’s the place, I’m excited for that. The fans love football. It’s one of the biggest things that I care about is a place that cares. If that was the place, I’d be excited. Getting ready to go win games is what I’m excited for most importantly.”

    Maybe not all of them, but that’s what some Bears fans want to hear. Rumors swirled earlier in the offseason about the USC quarterback’s reluctance to go to Chicago. Some, like Robert Griffin III, say he should pull an “Eli Manning” and demand he be traded before being drafted by them.

    But that’s not where Williams is at in his draft process.

    He’s said multiple times now he would welcome the Bears to draft him. He met with them at the NFL combine and he reportedly had dinner with them the night before his pro day on Wednesday. Close to 10 figures from the Bears were seen at USC’s pro day.

    Williams also has a relationship with a couple of Bears players. He ran track with DJ Moore growing up. He also knows Keenan Allen, who the Bears acquired in a trade for a fourth-round pick recently. Williams characterized the trade as “crazy” because of the cheap price the Bears acquired him for.

    “I’ve known Keenan for a year now, I’d say, before he was traded to the Bears for a fourth-round [pick],” Williams said. “It was pretty cool for him to come out here and show love.”

    Allen did make…

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  • College Football Playoff, Pac-12 agree to significant distribution bump for Oregon State, Washington State

    College Football Playoff, Pac-12 agree to significant distribution bump for Oregon State, Washington State

    USATSI

    The College Football Playoff has finalized a new media rights contract, and what’s left of the Pac-12 is set to benefit from the updated distribution model. Oregon State and Washington State will each receive $3.6 million annually from 2026 — when the new agreement is set to begin — to at least 2028, three years before the deal is set to expire, CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd confirmed. 

    The negotiated amount pales in comparison to what other power-conference schools will make under the model, but it is a huge increase for the nominal “Pac-2’s,” financial prospects. Prior to the amendement, Oregon State and Washington State were set to make around $350,000 annually from CFP distribution — the same figure granted to independent programs not named Notre Dame. 

    “The Pac-12 is pleased the College Football Playoff will continue to grow as an incredible sporting event for our student-athletes and fans,” the Pac-12 said in a statement. “The new agreement to continue on ESPN platforms provides excellent exposure opportunities for Oregon State and Washington State football programs to succeed on the biggest stage in college sports.” 

    Tuesday’s finalized media rights deal allows ESPN to broadcast College Football Playoff games through the 2031 season. In exchange, the College Football Playoff will receive $1.3 billion annually, according to Dodd, which triples the amount of the previous contract. 

    The SEC and the Big Ten will receive around 29% of the annual conference distribution, or approximately $22 million per school, per Dodd. The ACC will get 17% ($13-14 million per…

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  • 2024 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Vikings trade up for Kirk Cousins’ replacement, Chargers land big haul

    2024 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Vikings trade up for Kirk Cousins’ replacement, Chargers land big haul

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  • Purdue football storylines as spring camp begins

    Purdue football storylines as spring camp begins

    WEST LAFAYETTE − Day one of year two feels a lot different.

    Ryan Walters is fully established in his role as Purdue football head coach.

    Most of the players already have a feel for the operation and expectation of the coaching staff, which remained largely in tact from last season.

    Tuesday, the first day of spring football for the Boilermakers, was a seamless transition from the offseason.

    “It’s a night and day difference,” Walters said. “You know the roster. You know what you are trying to accomplish. You’re not trying to figure things out. … We’re in a much more, I don’t want to say comfortable, but a much more educated place.”

    More: Purdue football recruiting class 2024: Meet Boilermakers’ early signees

    Sure, some things have changed, too.

    Here’s a few notable storylines as spring season gets underway.

    Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Hudson Card (1) passes the ball during Purdue football practice, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at Mollenkopf Athletic Center in West Lafayette, Ind.

    Hudson Card’s development

    The challenge last season was just to get through it for Purdue quarterback Hudson Card.

    He did miss one game, at Northwestern, but otherwise gutted through rib and shoulder injuries in his first season after transferring from Texas.

    More: How Purdue football’s Hudson Card played through injury to beat Indiana

    Walters said Card has beefed up from 190 pounds a year ago to 212 currently.

    “Obviously I was a little bit banged up last year, so just trying to put more weight on so I can take those hits and be able to sustain them,” Card said. “That’s been a big part of my offseason is just try to put on some pounds and be durable.”

    By all accounts, Card is much more comfortable entering his second spring at Purdue.

    Beefing up the O-line

    The biggest position of need after last season was offensive line. Purdue had a solid base with…

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  • Cole Kmet calls it “really upsetting” to lose Justin Fields as a teammate

    Cole Kmet calls it “really upsetting” to lose Justin Fields as a teammate

    Bears head coach Matt Eberflus knew not all of his players would be thrilled to lose quarterback Justin Fields, so before the trade that sent Fields to Pittsburgh, Eberflus called Fields’ close friends on the team to touch base with them.

    That included Bears tight end Cole Kmet, who said he was planning to go out for a St. Patrick’s Day weekend celebration in Chicago until Eberflus called him, at which point he decided he wasn’t in a mood to celebrate.

    “I was planning to hit the city and go out, but then I got a call from Flus and the people with the Bears, and decided to stay in after the news with Justin,” Kmet said on the CHGO Bears podcast. “Obviously, really upsetting that it came to that, and where it was at that moment, but you kind of felt like the writing was on the wall with that.”

    Still, Kmet said he appreciates that Eberflus was willing to talk to him about the situation.

    “I don’t expect them to call me for that kind of thing, but it’s always nice when they do reach out,” Kmet said. “I think that’s a classy move by them to let guys who have been with Justin and are close with Justin let them know about the decision and why they made the decision. So I’m definitely grateful that they do that, and it’s not something they have to do, by any means.”

    Kmet believes that the Bears are in a good position to win with a rookie quarterback, likely USC’s Caleb Williams.

    “I still think, really exciting times for the Bears here,” Kmet said. “This is really exciting times and with whatever rookie they decide to go with, looks like that’s the direction that it’s going, what a great opportunity. What a great opportunity for a young kid to come in here with an infrastructure in place and be ready to go win football games from the get-go.”

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  • Colleges with best football, men’s basketball coach tandems: Kentucky, Kansas, Alabama lead the pack

    Colleges with best football, men’s basketball coach tandems: Kentucky, Kansas, Alabama lead the pack

    Football and men’s basketball have historically headlined college athletic departments, but finding success in both sports remains an elusive task for many schools. Hitting on both hires and supporting them successfully has been a challenge for even the most high-profile colleges, but a select few have managed to stand apart. 

    The past few years have been a rapid period of change across both sports. At one time, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and Alabama’s Nick Saban could swing this list. Now, both are retired. So is North Carolina’s Roy Williams, while Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL. Other tremendous combos were also recently split up as Mike Elko left Duke for Texas A&M, while Arizona’s Jedd Fisch abandoned Tommy Lloyd for Washington. None of this factors in women’s college basketball — otherwise, LSU with Brian Kelly and Kim Mulkey would make a strong case for the top spot. 

    With so much turnover, the coaching landscape is shifting almost daily. Even a strong appearance in the 2024 NCAA Tournament could be enough to shake up the list. But heading into the 2024 NCAA Tournament, let’s have a look at the top 10 college football/men’s basketball coaching combinations in the country. 

    1. Kansas: Lance Leipold/Bill Self

    The best coaching combo in college athletics resides in … Lawrence, Kansas? Self is the consensus best coach in college basketball with 16 Big 12 regular-season titles, two national titles and an 809-247 career record. Leipold, meanwhile, is the fastest-rising veteran on the football side, transforming woeful Buffalo and now Kansas programs into consistent winners. He’s coming off a 9-4 season in 2023 with this Jayhawks program and back-to-back bowl berths (for Kansas!). 

    2. Kentucky: Mark Stoops/John Calipari

    The…

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  • Chase Young signing with Saints: Former No. 2 overall pick lands one-year, fully-guaranteed $13 million deal

    Chase Young signing with Saints: Former No. 2 overall pick lands one-year, fully-guaranteed $13 million deal

    Getty Images

    The New Orleans Saints are adding one of the top remaining free agents, as they have agreed to terms with former San Francisco 49ers defensive end and former No. 2 overall pick Chase Young on a one-year, fully-guaranteed $13 million deal, according to CBS Sports HQ senior NFL insider Josina Anderson.

    Young was dealt from the Washington Commanders to the 49ers at last year’s trade deadline, with San Francisco sending Washington a compensatory third-round pick. Young played nine games for the 49ers in 2023, recording 10 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks and six quarterback hits. He also recorded 11 combined tackles in the playoffs, and one sack in the Super Bowl LVIII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

    As a top pick of the Commanders in 2020, Young won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl after recording 44 combined tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits to go along with…

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  • Browns sign former Ravens Pro Bowl QB Tyler Huntley

    Browns sign former Ravens Pro Bowl QB Tyler Huntley

    Despite already adding Jameis Winston, NFL rumors indicate the Cleveland Browns are not done at the quarterback position yet. This time, they add former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley on a one-year deal.

    Huntley made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2022 after filling in for Lamar Jackson for four starts. That season, Huntley had a statline of 658 yards passing, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. He added another touchdown and 137 yards rushing as well.

    A year ago, the Browns were forced to start five different quarterbacks, somehow stringing out 11 wins on the season. They appear ready to make sure history does not repeat itself in 2024 should starting quarterback Deshaun Watson suffer another setback with his shoulder.

    First, they added perhaps the best backup quarterback on the market in Jameis Winston, and now, they have added a former Pro Bowl quarterback in Huntley. They now have four quarterbacks on the roster including Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

    While the hope is that Watson plays all 17 games, and plays well, the Browns are in a much better position in their quarterback room than they were a year ago.

    Story originally appeared on Browns Wire

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