Red Raiders end district slate with win over Columbia

The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on a one-year deal with veteran guard Lucas Patrick. Agents Joel and Justin Turner said Patrick, 30, will sign his contract on Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed. Patrick spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Bears after five campaigns with the Green Bay Packers. He has started 54 of his 96 career games (including 15 starts in 2023) since going undrafted out of Duke in 2016. --Field Level Media

Utah State transfer Great Osobor picked Washington over Louisville and Texas Tech, and he's expected to land in Seattle with a Name, Image and Likeness valuation of more than $2 million. Osobor was the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and transferred to Washington to follow coach Danny Sprinkle, who previously coached the England native at Montana State for two seasons (2021-23). Last season at Utah State, the 6-foot-8 junior averaged 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals in 35 games (all starts). Osobor told ESPN and Stadium he has agreements in place with adidas, trading card companies and marketing assurances. ESPN said his total valuation makes the new Huskies' big man the top NIL earner in college basketball. "Washington will allow me to maximize my potential as a player in my final year of college basketball," Osobor told ESPN. "Coach Sprinkle has been with me every step of the way since I came from England, and I cannot wait to help the Huskies get back to the NCAA Tournament." Sprinkle loaded up on transfers in addition to five-star freshman point guard Zoom Diallo to give the Huskies a chance to compete quickly as new members of the Big Ten. Other arrivals from the transfer portal include Mekhi Mason from Rice and 6-foot-11 Cameroon center Franck Kepnang, who jumped from Oregon. --Field Level Media

Transfer Great Osobor picks Washington, could earn $2M in NIL

Chiefs to open 2024 season vs. Ravens

Game 1 of the 2024 NFL regular season features the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 5. The Week 1 headliner was confirmed by the league as the build-up begins for a full schedule release on Wednesday night with select marquee games and dates made official by the NFL. The Chiefs beat the Ravens, 17-10, in the AFC Championship game to reach the Super Bowl, where Kansas City topped the San Francisco 49ers. This is the third time in five seasons the Chiefs and Ravens are scheduled to face off. The Thursday night primetime game has become a traditional spotlight game for the defending Super Bowl champions. Last season, it became a springboard for the Lions when Detroit left Arrowhead Stadium with a 21-20 win. Previously the NFL confirmed Game 2 of the NFL season would feature the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, Sept. 6, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It's the first time a regular-season game is being played in South America and the first game on a Friday of the NFL's opening week since 1970. --Field Level Media

Former Memphis forward Ashton Hardaway, the son of coach Penny Hardaway, told On3.com on Sunday that he is transferring to Saint Mary's. Ashton Hardaway also posted a picture of himself in a Saint Mary's uniform with coach Randy Bennett also in the shot on his Instagram page. The 6-foot-8 Hardaway averaged 2.3 points in 8.3 minutes per game last season, his first as a college player. He shot 34.3 percent from the field in 30 games (three starts). Penny Hardaway was a star at Memphis before being a four-time NBA All-Star. He is 133-62 in six seasons as head coach of the Tigers. --Field Level Media

Wyoming hired Sundance Wicks as its new head coach on Sunday, three days after Jeff Linder departed to take an assistant coaching job at Texas Tech. Wicks, 43, is a native of Gillette, Wyo., and served as an assistant coach with the Cowboys from 2020-23. Wicks coached Green Bay to an 18-14 record last season and was named Horizon League Coach of the Year. He had inherited a 3-29 squad. "First off, please know that I am honored, humbled and immensely grateful for this opportunity at the University of Wyoming," Wicks said in a news release. "This opportunity would have never been possible without the belief that Green Bay chancellor Mike Alexander and athletics director Josh Moon had in our mission and vision a year ago at UWGB. ... "You cannot put into words what it means for a kid from the country roads outside of Gillette to represent the State of Wyoming and the Cowboys as their new head basketball coach." Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman wasted no time pursuing Wicks after Linder (63-59 in four seasons) departed. "Sundance will bring a great energy to our program and the entire State of Wyoming," Burman said. "Being a native of this great state, Wicks knows the pride Cowboy fans take in the program and he will work tirelessly for his student-athletes and the community." Among Wicks' stops as an assistant coach were Colorado (2006-07), Northern Illinois (2007-11) and San Francisco (2015-16). He also was a head coach for two seasons at Division II Missouri Western, compiling a 30-32 record from 2018-20. Wyoming went 15-17 last season for its second straight losing season following a 25-9 mark and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021-22. The Cowboys lost 66-58 to Indiana in the First Four at Dayton. --Field Level Media

A.J. Smith, former general manager of the then-San Diego Chargers, died Sunday. He was 75. Atlanta Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith, the son of A.J., and his family announced the passing on Sunday. The elder Smith died after a seven-year battle with prostate cancer. Smith began his NFL personnel career as a scout with the New York Giants in 1977, advancing in his career until his eventual promotion to general manager with the Chargers in 2003. He held that position for 10 seasons. During that period, the Chargers won five division titles and finished with a .500 or better record for eight straight seasons. Smith was the winningest GM in Chargers history, as San Diego totaled 98 wins (including postseason) over his 10 seasons in charge. "Belying a tough, matter of fact and no-nonsense persona -- one synonymous with that of a true football guy -- was A.J.'s softer side which included a tremendous love for his family, the NFL and the Chargers," Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in a statement on Sunday. "The architect of one of the greatest chapters in franchise history, A.J. made everyone around him better with a singular focus and intensity that elevated our organization." Smith had some high-profile moments during his tenure in San Diego. Smith went ahead and selected Eli Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft despite father Archie Manning requesting the team not pick his son. Smith then traded Manning to the New York Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers (the fourth pick) and also obtained draft picks used to select linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding. The trade worked out for both teams with Rivers setting Chargers franchise marks of 59,271 passing yards and 397 touchdowns. Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants. After Rivers' second season, Smith allowed Drew Brees to leave as a free agent and turned the club over to Rivers. Brees had injured his shoulder in the 2005 season finale and underwent major surgery before recovering to become a star with the New Orleans Saints. The Chargers went 14-2 in 2006 but were upended at home 24-21 in the postseason by the New England Patriots after holding an eight-point, fourth-quarter lead. That led to the firing of coach Marty Schottenheimer, who Smith had refused to talk to during the campaign due to their frosty relationship. The coaching search was held in February, leading to Norv Turner becoming the new coach. San Diego reached the 2007 AFC Championship Game before losing to the Patriots in Foxborough. The Chargers have not advanced that far ever since. Smith famously signed tight end Antonio Gates as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Gates, a college basketball player, holds the team's all-time records for receptions (955), receiving yards (11,841) and touchdown receptions (116). Smith and Turner were fired after a 7-9 season in 2012. After his tenure with San Diego, Smith spent three seasons as a consultant with Washington before announcing his retirement in 2015. Smith is survived by wife Susan, son Kyle, daughter Andrea, son-in-law Noah and three grandchildren. --Field Level Media

New England Patriots rookies - head coach Jerod Mayo and quarterback Drake Maye - spent a good deal of time together the past two days at the team's rookie camp, with Mayo taking a level approach in his initial reviews. "Early impressions of Drake?" Mayo said Saturday. "He has a lot to work on. But I have no doubt he'll put the work in." Maye, the Patriots' first-round pick (No. 3 overall) from North Carolina, has not yet been named the starter but that's widely expected to come this summer. Until then, Mayo will watch closely and continue to challenge the 21-year-old quarterback. "He has a lot to work on. A lot to work on ...," Mayo continued. "He was here all night trying to get on the same page as everyone else." While "all night" might be a stretch, Mayo underscored the importance of spending quality time with his rookies. "We'll be here ‘til 7, 8, 9 o'clock," he said. "Go in for a lift, then we have some meetings. "The best thing about mini-camp is being around the guys for the first time. We're at the hotel together. We're right across the hallway from each other, so we'll watch the film and look at the scripts for the next day together. We've got nothing else to do up here. Why not focus on football?" Among Maye's future targets, wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk spoke highly when asked for his evaluation of Maye. "Guy can sling it," said Polk, New England's second-round selection. "Very confident and vocal. He's a leader. "He's setting the tone in practice, trying to get guys moving around and operating at a high level. This is new to all of us. We're still learning and trying to get to know each other so everybody can get on the same page." Much of Maye's early work centered on fundamentals. "I'm trying out two new stances that I'm getting used to," he said. "Just getting more reps at it. Footwork is huge. It's something that's not easy." Along with Mayo, Maye will lean on Mayo as well as New England offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, offensive assistant coach Ben McAdoo and quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney. "T.C. is talking to us during the meetings," Maye said, "Coach Van Pelt will chime in when he needs to. (McAdoo) is awesome. All three of them know a lot of football." -Field Level Media