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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.— When the season started, Arkansas Razorbacks' team as a whole struggled shooting beyond the arc. During its two exhibitions between TCU, Kansas and then starting the regular season with Lipscomb, Baylor and first half against Troy, it appeared that this could be a very long year with woeful three-point shooting (24-of-98) once again, a staple under former coach Eric Musselman.
Sophomore combo guard D.J. Wagner wasn't necessarily lighting up opponents with his shooting either, missing all of his six attempts from three to start the regular season. Since then, Wagner's ascent to stardom has risen with a stretch of play that includes a 48% mark from three, which is approaching sniper territory as Arkansas gears up for SEC play this Saturday against Tennessee.
DJ Wagner HEATING UP!
— NJ Basketball (@NJHoopRecruit) December 11, 2024
Last night vs Michigan —
16 points (season high), 5 assists pic.twitter.com/0SoSpFgfJY
As a former 5-star McDonald's All-American, Wagner was expected to be Calipari's next great one-and-done guard at Kentucky last season. An ankle injury led to inconsistent play once the calendar flipped to January 2024, keeping him in college at least another year, a decision that has benefitted Arkansas tremendously.
Calipari won't shy away from what his team did early in the year and that it was a learning experience for them all, including Wagner. Shooting and defending the three was woeful at 31% on 27 three point attempts per game during the month of November.
Since losing to Illinois Thanksgiving Day, Arkansas has trimmed percentages considerably to 27% on 23 shots per game.
"Two things have happened," Calipari said. "Again, we’ve practiced three weeks with five guys, but we’re guarding the three better. You remember early in the year? Oh, it was ugly. Not only were they making them, but they were getting off 25. This team shoots 25 a game. They only got 17 off. The second thing, we were the worst in the league at shooting the three-ball. Now, if you look, I think we’re in the top two or three."
HOGS FEED:
• Tale of how meeting between Pittman, James dramatic, but points valid
• Bielema's swagger same as when Hogs' coach, but more wins
• How Calipari's 'favor' turned into Hogs' highlight reel
• Hogs will open 2025 against new Alabama A&M coach with strong ties to Arkansas history
• Freshman's Emergence Serves as Silver Lining to Arkansas' Injury Woes
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More must-reads:
- How could Bruce Pearl's sudden retirement impact Auburn's Final Four chances?
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- The 'Multiple 30-TD pass NFL seasons' quiz
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Veteran wideout announces retirement from NFL
Mohamed Sanu‘s playing days have officially come to an end. The veteran receiver announced on Friday that he has retired. “After 10+ years in the NFL, my playing chapter is closing,” Sanu wrote on X. “Grateful for every coach, teammate fan. Excited to give back through coaching share the game in a new way with the Facts Over Stats podcast. The Journey continues.” Mohamed Sanu hasn't played in years Sanu last played a regular-season game in 2021, and he very briefly spent time with the Dolphins the following summer. Given the time that has elapsed since Friday’s announcement, it is certainly an unexpected one. Nevertheless, it marks an end to the 36-year-old’s career as a player. Selected in the third round of the 2012 draft, Sanu played out his rookie contract with the Bengals. He established himself as a starting-caliber receiver during that period, a status that remained consistent throughout his Falcons tenure (2016-19). In the 2018 campaign, Sanu set a new personal mark with 838 receiving yards; that season also marked the only time one of his eight career pass attempts (four of which resulted in a touchdown) fell incomplete. After a midseason trade saw him finish the year with the Patriots, the Rutgers product split his time between the 49ers and Lions the following campaign. Sanu saw a downturn in usage and production during that span, and he remained a part-time contributor upon returning to San Francisco for 2021. After being released by the Dolphins in August 2022, no known visits took place, and no further playing opportunities presented themselves. Multiple years removed from his final playing action in the NFL, Sanu will now officially turn his attention to other pursuits. In all, he played 145 combined regular and postseason games and amassed nearly $32M in career earnings.
Cowboys' Jerry Jones provides ominous injury update on CeeDee Lamb
As the Dallas Cowboys look to find their footing after a 1-2 start, their top offensive playmaker doesn't look like he'll be around to help. On Monday, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones provided an update on wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle), telling reporters that the All-Pro could be moved to injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games. Lamb suffered a high-ankle sprain during the first quarter of the Cowboys' Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears, 31-14, but Jones attempted to remain optimistic afterward, saying, "Let's just keep our fingers crossed" when asked about his star receiver's health. CeeDee Lamb's absence would be near impossible to replace Lamb only played seven offensive snaps against the Bears and didn't record a catch. In the season's first two games, the four-time Pro Bowler had 16 receptions for 222 yards. His 13.9 yards per reception are tied for his career high, set in 2021. Lamb is by far Dallas' most dynamic and reliable playmaker, and his absence will certainly be felt. The Cowboys are heavily dependent on their passing attack, ranking first in the league in pass attempts, averaging 43.7 per game. Running back Javonte Williams, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, has been a pleasant surprise, but defenses will be able to put an added emphasis on stopping the run when game planning for Dallas without Lamb. Wide receiver George Pickens, added in an offseason trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, isn't dependable enough to shoulder the load of the passing offense at wide receiver. On Sunday, he dropped a perfectly placed pass from Dak Prescott, with the ball bouncing off his hands and to Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds for an interception. Afterward, Pickens had an outburst on the sideline, slamming his helmet on the turf as Lamb and others watched. The Cowboys don't have a defense capable of stopping opponents either. Through three games, they've allowed 30.7 points and 397.7 yards per game while also ranking last in third-down defense, with opponents converting at a 53.7 percent clip. Lamb is one of the two players, along with Prescott, that Dallas can't afford to lose. He's indispensable to the Cowboys offense, which will likely have a hard time moving the football in Week 4 against the top-ranked Green Bay Packers defense. Games at the New York Jets (0-3) and Carolina Panthers (1-2) are more manageable, but the stretch ends with an NFC East showdown against the Washington Commanders (2-1). Regardless of the opponent, the next four weeks — if that is how long Lamb misses — will be a real test for first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer. And based on the Cowboys roster, he might be set up to fail.
Steelers' Once Promising Third-Year Defender Could Be Relegated On The Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have begun the 2025 NFL season with a 2-1 record, however there are some things that need to be figured out. The defense is shaky at best despite forcing five turnovers in Sunday's win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. The group still struggles to get off of the field on possession downs, and stopping the run has been an issue throughout the first three weeks of the season. A lot of that starts with the front seven and the interior defensive line. Pittsburgh has been banged up in that area, but some healthy contributors returning could shake up the lineup. Pittsburgh was able to see the regular season debut of Derrick Harmon on Sunday. The organization selected Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he suffered a sprained MCL in the preseason finale which kept him on the sidelines throughout the first two weeks of the regular season. He made an impact while serving in a limited role on Sunday against New England as he recorded a sack and two total tackles, and he is expected to help the run defense in the near future. Team insider Mark Kaboly spoke about the interior defensive line after the game on Sunday on the most recent episode of Kaboly + Mack, and he believes there will be two rookies starting in that area very soon. "They made some moves there, and it was able to help them out," Kaboly said. "That's a definite difference in what they were able to do. And I think it's just a matter of time until Yahya Black, Derrick Harmon and Cam Heyward's your one, two and three across the front. It's just a matter of time." Currently, Cam Heyward and Yahya Black are the starting defensive tackles for Pittsburgh while Keeanu Benton has been the starting nose tackle. That is the part of the lineup that will be shuffled, as Benton will likely switch to being a rotational piece, while Harmon enters the starting lineup. He will likely takeover the duties at defensive tackle, while Black shuffles to nose tackle. Benton was expected to take a leap forward going into his second season in 2024, but that didn't necessarily happen. He has made some big plays for Pittsburgh, but he has not been the consistent force that the organization had hoped he would be to this point. There was hope he would improve once again during the 2025 season, but if anything, the third-year pro has shown some regression since his rookie season. Moving to a rotational role where he can fill in at both defensive tackle and nose tackle might be best for Benton at this point. He doesn't necessarily have the size to be a true nose tackle in the NFL, so the coaching staff in Pittsburgh has seemingly been setting him up for failure a little bit in that regard. He would likely play better at defensive tackle, which is something the coaching staff could find out if the starting defensive line gets shuffled. Steelers Need To See Keeanu Benton Step Up No matter what role he is serving, Benton needs to play better moving forward. The interior defensive line is a key part of stopping the run, and Pittsburgh has struggled to do that. It is going to be hard to win meaningful games if that problem persists, especially against the better teams in the NFL that show up on the schedule later in the year. Benton needs to show some signs of progression, whether that be as a starter, or as someone who rotates in with the starting lineup throughout a game. Benton can still have a future in Pittsburgh, but he is going to need to improve in 2025 while setting himself up for success in 2026.
Details emerge on injury to Cowboys star wide receiver
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense endured another poor outing in Week 3. The team’s efforts to rebound will likely include a shorthanded unit on offense. CeeDee Lamb exited the Week 3 loss against the Bears with an ankle injury and did not return. It became clear afterwards that further testing would be needed to determine the severity of his injury. The All-Pro wideout now looks to be in line to miss time. “Certainly, he’s got a high ankle sprain and every one of those are different,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said of Lamb during a Monday appearance on 105.3 The Fan, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “We’d love to have him back for Green Bay but at the same time we also got to understand the injury is what it is and we’ll play it out.” The Cowboys will play the Packers in Week 4, so Jones’ comments leave the door open to Lamb managing to avoid any missed time. Based on the reports which have emerged Monday afternoon, however, it appears far more likely Dallas will be without him for a short stretch. A timeline of two to four weeks is being considered internally, as first reported by Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Since then, both Archer and WFAA’s Ed Werder have pointed to an absence between three and four weeks. Provided those are accurate, Lamb can be considered a lock to at least miss the Cowboys’ upcoming game against a Green Bay defense featuring Micah Parsons. Injured reserve is not being considered in this case, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. As such, Lamb is eligible to return at any time without needing to miss a stretch of four games or longer. The four-time Pro Bowler being back at full strength will be critical for the Cowboys’ offense, of course. On the other hand, it would be sensible to proceed with caution while managing Lamb’s injury. That could especially be true with George Pickens in the fold. Pickens will be counted on to operate as Dallas’ top pass-catching option until Lamb is healthy. It will be interesting to see when that will prove to be the case as the Cowboys aim to improve on their 1-2 start.
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