Jul. 22—When Maine’s college football coaches gathered Monday at their annual kickoff luncheon, University of New England Coach Mike Lichten had one statistic that topped all of his peers. The Nor’easters have 40 seniors returning from the seven-year program’s first winning season with an eye on climbing higher after they finished 6-4 overall, 2-3 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) …

The Las Vegas Raiders are holding training camp in Southern California, a hotbed of support for a team that built one of the most loyal brands in sports during its tenure in Los Angeles. But local fans aren’t invited. Neither are local media. Thanks to the NFL’s territorial marketing rights rules, the Raiders aren’t even allowed to promote the fact …

USC enters the Big Ten with a complete overhaul on defense, and a very large and nasty offensive line room which is young and hungry. USC has completely revamped its defensive coaching staff, starting lineup and playbook. Taylor Mays and Matt Entz bring added fresh insights to a defensive staff which was already transformed by the arrival of new defensive …

49ers want to sign Aiyuk to long-term contract, Schefter believes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area As the contract standoff between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers continues, one NFL insider believes that the two sides eventually will agree to a long-term deal. Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter explained why he believes that San Francisco will …

Four new teams and a transfer portal in overdrive provided the Big Ten with an infusion of new talent. The USA TODAY Sports Network’s preseason Player of the Year has never played a snap in the league. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel was a unanimous choice for Player of the Year, and Ohio State’s Ryan Day edged Oregon’s Dan Lanning for …

Patriots host five free agents for workouts, release linebacker originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston The New England Patriots are doing their due diligence before training camp practices get underway later this week. Running backs Demetric Felton and Gary Brightwell, guards Jack Anderson and Mike Panasiuk, and defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson visited Gillette Stadium for free-agent workouts on Monday, per …

USC football will take center stage at Big Ten media days on July 24 at 12:15 p.m. Eastern time on the Big Ten Network. Head coach Lincoln Riley, redshirt senior offensive lineman Jonah Monheim, quarterback Miller Moss, and safety Kamari Ramsey will represent the Trojans at the event. Riley is entering his third season at USC after leading Oklahoma to …

NFL training camp is just about in full swing with veterans joining rookies to embark upon a new season. After a full offseason, a few players we’ve come to know and expect in one uniform are now in new cities with new teams — and hopefully new versions of success on their journeys. Here are five veterans to keep an …

It’s a new era of Big Ten football with the addition of four Pac-12 programs, and the league swelling to 18 teams also means the end of divisions. It’s a free-for-all with the top two teams meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Big Ten Championship game Dec. 7. Michigan beat Big Ten newcomer Washington for the 2023 national championship, …

Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson tragically passed away in a car accident earlier this month. His team is taking steps to honor his passing and helping his family in the aftermath. The Vikings will pay for a large sum of the funeral expenses for Jackson, and will also pay out the rest of his signing bonus to his estate, …

The Lions have added a veteran offensive lineman. Detroit announced on Monday that the team has signed free agent Ike Boettger. Boettger, 29, spent last season with the Colts’ practice squad. He appeared in a pair of games with Indianapolis. In 2022, Boettger appeared in just one game with Buffalo. The Bills signed Boettger as an undrafted free agent back …

It’s almost high school football time in West Tennessee. Practice opens next week in the Jackson area ahead of the 2024 TSSAA football season. The first games are set for the weekend of Aug. 23, with some games taking place on Aug. 22. Going into the season, The Jackson Sun has been ranking returning players by position groups. Now, it’s …

There were no highlight reel plays for Chiefs first-round pick Xavier Worthy in Monday’s practice. Worthy went viral for hooking up with quarterback Patrick Mahomes for a long touchdown catch in the team’s first 11-on-11 work of the summer, but the wideout was not on the field at all on Monday. The good news is that it is not a …

On its way to winning the program’s first national championship since 1997, Michigan football boasted one of the most talented rosters in its long, illustrious history. The Wolverines had 13 players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, the most of any college. The mark set a Michigan program record, surpassing the previous high mark of 11. The depth and quality …

Eric Williams NFC West Writer Seeking sunny skies, milder temperatures and the serene beaches of Southern California, five NFL teams are holding training camp in the greater Los Angeles area for the first time in league history.  The Rams open training camp at Loyola Marymount for the first time in franchise history, moving from the team’s former site at UC …