Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x

The Hokies won big at home over the Yellow Jackets, 91-67. Virginia Tech was up double-digits for most of the game, but when Georgia Tech cut the lead to seven, the Hokies responded with an 11-0 run. Virginia Tech had 23 assists on their 32 made field goals. Lynn Kidd had 18 points and four rebounds for the Hokies. Mylyjael Poteat added 18 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. For Georgia Tech, Baye Ndongo led the Yellow Jackets with 16 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST

Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
NBA

Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly

Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard patched things up Sunday after years of feuding. But even while describing their rapprochement, O'Neal couldn't keep from teasing his longtime nemesis. The "Big Aristotle" was at the BIG3 playoffs Sunday to watch Howard's L.A. Riot play the Chicago Triplets. In the middle of describing to Rachel Nichols how he and Howard had made peace, O'Neal broke off his explanation to make fun of Howard for missing a dunk. The two Hall of Fame centers had sparred for years, despite their common ground as former members of the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. Some of the tension seemed to be due to Howard adopting O'Neal's "Superman" nickname, though O'Neal claimed to Nichols that he was simply being tough on Howard to motivate him. That explanation doesn't account for the time O'Neal mocked Howard for playing basketball in the Taiwanese league or the decade-plus he's spent roasting Howard on his podcast, in public appearances and on "Inside the NBA." Still, it appears that the two have made peace. Despite O'Neal being left off the original list of presenters, he insisted that he'll be among a group of Hall of Famers inducting Howard Sept. 6, including Dominique Wilkins, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman and Patrick Ewing. It means that two of the most dominant big men of their eras have finally buried the hatchet. It's added a new level of interest to the Hall of Fame ceremonies, and it should be a sweet moment between O'Neal and Howard. As long as Howard doesn't mention Superman.

Texas' Arch Manning reacts to grandfather Archie's 2026 NFL Draft prediction
College Football

Texas' Arch Manning reacts to grandfather Archie's 2026 NFL Draft prediction

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning should keep his family group chat updated about his decision for the 2026 NFL Draft. He doesn't want it tipping his plans, especially when they're not confirmed. Manning's grandfather, former New Orleans Saints QB Archie, told Texas Monthly his grandson isn't going to declare for the 2026 draft in a story published at the beginning of August. The 21-year-old passer, however, clarified he's keeping his options open. "I don't know where he got that from," Manning said Tuesday, via CJ Vogel of OnTexasFootball. "He texted me and apologized about that, but I'm really just taking it day-by-day right now." Manning attempted just 95 passes in his first two seasons at Texas but is already viewed as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. In a story published Tuesday, The Athletic's Dane Brugler tabbed him as his top QB entering the season. Still, it would reportedly take a special circumstance for Manning to declare for the draft in 2026. He would want to play for a team that has a stable head-coaching situation and front office. Most franchises that are picking near the top of the draft don't have that. More importantly, Manning must prove he's worthy of the No. 1 pick. Despite his family name, he doesn't have a large enough sample size to show he's pro-ready. "If his last name were 'Smith' and he were a three-star recruit instead of a five-star blue-chipper, would he still appear this high early in draft rankings? Who knows," wrote Brugler. "However, what he has put on film so far has been very impressive. Now, scouts need to see it consistently each week, especially against the top opponents on Texas' schedule." Manning faces an elite opponent in Week 1. The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes host the No. 1 Longhorns on Aug. 30 at noon ET (Fox). The QB should probably tell his family to deflect questions about the draft until he's ready to make a decision. Speculation about his future could create even more pressure, which he doesn't need.

Packers may find themselves in position to repeat a quarterback move that once paid off after the latest NFL development
NFL

Packers may find themselves in position to repeat a quarterback move that once paid off after the latest NFL development

A year ago, the Green Bay Packers found themselves in a complicated situation at backup quarterback. Former fifth-round pick Sean Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt had been struggling in training camp and preseason, and the team didn't have great options in the free agent market. So general manager Brian Gutekunst pulled off a trade, acquiring Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick. In hindsight, it was the perfect move. Willis had to start in Weeks 2 and 3, leading the Packers to wins over the Indianapolis Colts and, guess what, the Titans. But don't get it wrong, that move was a huge bet on what the coaching staff could do to develop Willis. A good athlete, the quarterback had massively struggled in Tennessee—that's why he lost the starting job to Will Levis and the backup job to Mason Rudolph, and ultimately why he was available for that type of trade. Now, or next offseason at the latest, the Packers have a shot at repeating the process to acquire a distressed asset to develop at quarterback. It's Anthony Richardson, who lost the QB battle on the Colts to Daniel Jones. Why a trade for Anthony Richardson makes sense for the Packers Philosophically, Gutekunst loves this type of quarterback—raw, athletic, strong-armed. The GM's first QB move on the Packers was trading for DeShone Kizer. He closely scouted Drew Lock in 2019 before taking Jordan Love in 2020. Richardson is obviously raw and needs development, but his arm strength and physical capabilities are undeniable. If the Packers can get him for a Day 3 pick, that should absolutely be on the table, especially because Malik Willis is entering the final year of his deal. Green Bay will need a long-term backup to Love, and Richardson is under contract through 2026 for a combined $9.225 million—plus a fifth-year option for 2027 that would likely not be exercised. According to the Relative Athletic Score in the pre-draft process, Richardson is the best athlete ever at the quarterback position coming out of college. Playing time is important, but Matt LaFleur showed with Jordan Love that it's possible to develop a backup quarterback to a certain degree with practice and preseason reps, if the situation is right. Would the Colts pull the trigger? A follow-up question is how much the Colts would be willing to actually trade Richardson. The Titans had just spent a second-round pick on Levis, which prompted them to move on from Willis. Even though the Colts gave Daniel Jones a $14 million deal, it's a one-year contract, and they haven't made big investments at the position after taking Richardson with the fourth overall pick. Publicly, the Colts keep saying that Richardson is part of the team's long-term plans. However, Richardson himself might want out. His agent, Deiric Jackson, didn't officially request a trade, but told ESPN that they will assess the situation. "We have a lot to discuss," Jackson said. "Trust is a big factor and that is, at best, questionable right now. Anthony came back and made the improvements in the areas he needed to improve. And by all accounts, he had a great camp." On the Packers, Anthony Richardson wouldn't have playing time right away—and ideally, never. But he would have a real chance to develop in a positive environment, become a useful backup and maybe situational quarterback, and elevate his value for a possible second contract with a shot at fighting for another starting job elsewhere.

Brewers Rumors: Milwaukee Predicted To Add Dominant Flamethrower
MLB

Brewers Rumors: Milwaukee Predicted To Add Dominant Flamethrower

The Milwaukee Brewers sat on the fence of contending and rebuilding for a good chunk of the season, but over the last few months, there hasn't been a better team in baseball. From top to bottom, this Brewers team has been impressive. They're managed and coaches very well. Their star players are playing like star players. Their role players are also playing like star players. It's the perfect mix of everything going right that has the Brewers sitting atop the league. But they're only going to look to get better in the coming months. The Brewers will develop their players even more, but they also have the trade block in the offseason, free agency, and eventually the MLB Draft to improve their system. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently put together a "way-too-early" MLB mock draft for next season and predicted the Brewers would land TCU flamethrower Tommy LaPour. While this is a very early mock draft and LaPour's stock could rise or fall in the next eight or nine months, the fit makes a lot of sense as things currently stand. MLB mock draft: Brewers predicted to land TCU's Tommy LaPour "A member of the weekend rotation at Wichita State as a freshman, LaPour transferred to TCU and put together a fantastic sophomore campaign, going 8-3 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 88 strikeouts in 90.1 innings while slashing his walk rate from 10.7 to 7.2 percent," Reuter wrote. "The 6'4", 230-pound right-hander has been up to 100 mph with his fastball, and he backs it with a quality slider and changeup." The Brewers are seemingly a pitching factory. It seems like each year there's a new pair of Brewers pitchers dominating the big leagues, even after the front office trades away guys like Devin Williams, Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, and others. Adding a raw talent with a 100 MPH arm like LaPour would be a recipe for success in Milwaukee. The big righty is already showing massive improvements in college, though he could work on developing his offspeed pitches a little more. As things currently sit, LaPour would be the dream selection for the Brewers at the backend of the first round in next season's MLB Draft.

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!