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The Kansas State football staff is gearing up to step into the upper echelon of the Big 12 next season.
The latest to add his preseason hype was Kansas State tight ends coach Luke Wells.
"Just getting to work today, excited to be a part of this great football tradition here and this winning culture here in Manhattan," Wells said on K-State's Twitter Tuesday morning. "Looking forward to calling this place home."
Let’s work @coachlukewells ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/3Boab697bK
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) February 25, 2025
Cure, the program’s first five-star prospect, was drawing offseason hype before even stepping onto the field. Meanwhile, Oakley tied star receiver Jayce Brown leading the team in touchdowns (5) last season. Cure revealed his first impressions of the school after receiving his Kansas State offer back in December.
"I was excited to be there, but I didn't expect much," Cure said in his All-American pregame interview in January. "But I did my job, I showed out, and they invited me the next day to visit the facility. That's when my offer came, so obviously it was a very special moment for me. Growing up as a fan and going to all those games, it was a full circle moment, and it was really cool."
With Cure and Oakley anchoring the position, paired with the additions of veteran receivers this spring, a revamped Kansas State offense is expected to head to the postseason.
However, it all starts with junior quarterback Avery Johnson. Johnson has high expectations but will need to play better to reach the upper echelon of college quarterbacks.
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Main reason Nebraska won't make College Football Playoff revealed
Nebraska is a program that is trending up heading into the 2025 season. If anything, look at the trends for head coach Matt Rhule. In Year 3 at Temple, he had the Owls as a 10-win program and considered one of the top teams in the AAC. At Baylor, the Bears went 11-3 in his third season in Waco, and that included an 8-1 record against Big 12 opponents. Rhule is a program-builder, and especially with star quarterback Dylan Raiola entering his second year in Lincoln, the Cornhuskers will be one of the more interesting teams in the country to watch. But can they compete for the College Football Playoff this season? Interestingly enough, Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt recently revealed that he thinks Nebraska is close to being a "playoff party crasher." There is one reason he thinks the Huskers will fall short, though, and that's the defensive side of the football. First, losing former defensive coordinator Tony White to the same position at Florida State is going to be tough. "Well, I didn’t pick them because they lost Tony White, their defensive coordinator. He’s very good. So they promoted from within with John Butler," Klatt said (h/t On3). Klatt doesn't seem to think hiring from within was the right move to elevate Nebraska in 2025. He also seems worried about losses on the defensive line. Nash Hutmacher, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive lineman, is now in the NFL, as is 6-foot-5, 288-pound defensive tackle Ty Robinson. Those are two huge (literally) players that Nebraska may have a hard time replacing. "That was the heart and soul of their defense, so I question whether their defense will be as strong this year as it was a year ago," Klatt said. Even in a 12-team CFP, a team with a massive weak link probably won't cut it. It will be interesting to see if the defense really does hold back Nebraska in 2025, or if Klatt is simply overthinking it. Again, Rhule's track record is hard to ignore.
Cubs catcher lost to horrific-looking injury on same day he returns from IL
After working to return to the Chicago Cubs' lineup following an oblique injury, Miguel Amaya suffered a gruesome-looking injury in his first game back with the Cubs on Wednesday night. Running to first base, Amaya just beat out an infield single on a slow dribbler to shortstop when his left foot landed forcefully on the base, causing his leg to buckle and sending Amaya flying down the first base line. Following the injury, Amaya was carted off the field in Toronto with a towel over his face. The emotions shown by Amaya as he was carted off indicated he knew already he would miss more time in a season that has been marred by injuries. After the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed Amaya would be going back on the injured list with what was diagnosed as a left ankle sprain. X-rays, however, were negative. The 26-year-old Amaya had just told reporters after being activated from the 60-day injured list that he was thankful he was healthy. Just three at-bats later, Amaya was once again injured. Amaya's three at-bats against the Blue Jays on Wednesday represented his first game action since May 24, when he recorded just two at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds before leaving the game with an oblique injury. In just 96 at-bats this season, Amaya is slashing .281/.314/.500 with four home runs and 25 RBI. Amaya's injury is another blow for the Cubs, who have seen their lead in the National League Central evaporate as the Milwaukee Brewers have now won 12 consecutive games and are 20-4 since the All-Star break. As has been the case in Amaya's absence, Carson Kelly and Reese McGuire will continue to be the dominant presences behind the plate for the Cubs. Joining with Amaya, the duo has helped the Cubs record a 2.8 Wins Above Average (WAA) at catcher, the highest mark of any MLB team. After Amaya's injury, the Cubs would go on to post a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays.
NASCAR makes decision on victory celebrations after Connor Zilisch fall
One of NASCAR's brightest young stars in Connor Zilisch could miss time after falling in Victory Lane following his victory in the Aug. 9 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen. Zilisch slipped on the door of his No. 88 Chevrolet before suffering a hard fall in Victory Lane and breaking his collarbone. He underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, with a timetable for his return yet to be announced. Even in light of the viral incident, NASCAR will not restrict drivers from celebrating in a certain way moving forward, per NASCAR's Mike Forde. Drivers have long climbed on the roof or door of their vehicles on the frontstretch and in Victory Lane to celebrate victories, but accidents stemming from that action are rare. After winning the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen on Aug. 10, Shane van Gisbergen — who will likely be Zilisch's Cup Series teammate at Trackhouse Racing in 2026 — carefully climbed out of his No. 88 Chevrolet — something he does regularly, not just in response to Zilisch's fall. Zilisch did not race in the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen due to his injury. The Xfinity Series will return on Aug. 22 at Daytona International Speedway, with Zilisch leading the regular-season standings by seven points.
Bears make big decision amid concerning Caleb Williams reports
Second-year Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and other starters were spectators for Chicago's preseason opener versus the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson confirmed things will be different when his club hosts the Buffalo Bills for an exhibition matchup this coming Sunday evening. "Everyone's going to play," Johnson said, as shared by Courtney Cronin of ESPN. Johnson added that how many snaps Williams will take versus the Bills is "to be determined." The Bears will first host the Bills for a joint practice on Friday. Johnson came to this decision following multiple reports detailing the supposed struggles that Williams has endured throughout training camp. Most recently, Monday’s practice was allegedly "a low point for" Chicago's first-team offense and featured "Williams and receiver Rome Odunze both looking frustrated" after some failed connections. "I've been pretty consistent with the thought of reps, reps, reps are the most important thing to get [Williams] up to speed," Johnson explained. "And by the plan that we had a week ago, we were able to get him probably somewhere between 80 and 100 more reps than we would've been able to do had he played in the game. This week, it's a different schedule. Different length of time in terms of in between games and all that. And so, our plan right now is the guys that sat out last week, they will be playing this week." Those running the Bears hope that the hiring of Johnson, an advertised offensive guru, will help Williams become a top-tier quarterback after the 23-year-old won only five of 17 starts during his rookie season. However, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic is among those who have mentioned that Williams has been responsible for a noteworthy number of inaccurate passes this summer. "I think the trust that we've been talking about from the get-go, that's really where that comes into play," Johnson added about risking the health of his starters by playing them against Buffalo. "We haven't been here with this group as a coaching staff. That trust has been earning, and we've been developing that amongst each other. It's not a one-way street. It goes both ways. And so I think that's just another step in the progression, you know?" The Bears will wrap up the preseason with a game at the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 22. It's unclear if Williams or other Chicago starters will see any action that Friday night.
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