Michigan's ongoing quest to revamp its wide receiver room could get a significant boost, as former UConn and Wisconsin wide receiver Skyler Bell visited Ann Arbor on Sunday. Bell, who led the Huskies with 783 receiving yards last season, enters the portal with one year of eligibility remaining.
The 6-foot playmaker's potential addition would be timely for the Wolverines, who have already lost Tyler Morris to the transfer portal and are looking to improve a passing attack that struggled in their championship season. While Michigan has secured commitments from three tall receivers in the 2025 recruiting class and added former Indiana receiver Donaven McCulley through the portal, the staff appears determined to add more firepower.
Bell brings Big Ten experience to the table, having spent three seasons at Wisconsin before transferring to UConn for the 2024 campaign. After redshirting in 2021, he became a reliable target for the Badgers over the next two seasons, accumulating 68 receptions for 740 yards and six touchdowns before heading to Storrs.
His single season at UConn proved particularly productive. Bell appeared in all 12 games, leading the Huskies in receiving yards (783) and yards per game (65.5) while matching tight end Louis Hansen for the team lead with four touchdown receptions. His 47 catches and 16.6 yards per reception ranked second on the team.
While UConn head coach Jim Mora has indicated his staff will attempt to retain Bell - as they're doing with other portal entries like defensive end Pryce Yates - Michigan's championship pedigree and need for experienced receivers could make Ann Arbor an attractive destination for the proven pass-catcher.
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Hopefully, Sam Pittman spent the weekend on his boat, with his wife, having fun and sharing a few cold beverages. It'll be the last time for quite a while that Arkansas' football coach has the chance to enjoy extended time on the lake with blue skies, a soft breeze, hot sun and a carefree attitude. That's because practice for the 2025 season starts Friday. For Sam, who is 30-31 in five seasons at the Hogs' helm, it could be the most important season of his coaching career. Feeling I've got is that it'll be a successful one. Oh, I know there are plenty of naysayers out, for a variety of reasons. Lots of them are the type who simply clamor for a coaching change every few years. Those folks "know" without a doubt that the program will really win big if they can just hire a new head Hog. Others say it should be Sam's last chance to duplicate the successful 9-4 season he guided Arkansas to in 2021. Last year's 7-6 mark was good, not great, and those fans want more. They were thrilled with that 9-4 mark in Sam's second season at Arkansas. That year included an ultra satisfying 40-21 beatdown of the Texas Longhorns in rowdy Razorback Stadium. It also included victories against Texas A M, LSU and Missouri -- the three schools the Razorbacks play each year with a made-up trophy at stake. Arkansas hadn't beaten A M since 2011 so whipping the hated 'Horns and the Aggies in the same season made Pittman popular enough to run for governor. The Hogs topped A M by 10 and Missouri by 17 in Fayetteville and went to Baton Rouge, La., to beat LSU 16-13 in overtime. The very next week Arkansas invaded Tuscaloosa, Ala, and gave the No. 2 Crimson Tide a huge scare before the home team escaped with a 42-35 win. The other losses were a blowout at No. 3 Georgia, a 52-51 thriller at Ole Miss, and a 38-23 home loss to Auburn. The Hogs capped that season with a 24-10 win over Penn State in a New Year's Day bowl game in Tampa, Fla. Here's why I detailed that 2021 season: Sam thinks -- no, he believes -- the Hogs can do it again this year. Oddsmakers disagree. They have Arkansas as the 13th best team in the 16-team SEC with astronomical odds against the Razorbacks winning college football's best conference. As ESPN football commentator Lee Corso would often say, "Not so fast, my friend." Winning six seems a lock from where I sit. Plus, there's even a path to achieve 9-4 again. It would take 10-2 in the regular season to make the College Football Playoffs, and I'm not going to suggest that'll happen. But, check this out and let me know if you disagree it's impossible. I don't claim it's probable but it won't take a miracle to finish 8-4 in the regular season. Please let it be the finale. There is no reason to play in outdate War Memorial Stadium ever again. Really can't believe it took this long to end the relationship. Whether the Hogs won or lost at Ole Miss, they simply must win at Memphis if this season is to be a success. Home, sweet, home: Three straight in Razorback Stadium against the Texas A M Aggies, Auburn Tigers and Mississippi State Bulldogs. Beat the Aggies and it's a much-needed sweep. If you lost track, I've got the Hogs at 7-2, losing to Notre Dame and Tennessee. That'd likely have Pittman's guys ranked about No. 16 if they kept the two losses reasonably close. That's 8-4, setting up the Razorbacks for a good bowl game and a chance to equal Sam's best record as a head coach. Pittman hit the jackpot when Arkansas hired him for his first gig as a head coach of a four-year college. That followed nearly three decades as a highly respected and honored offensive line coach and associate head coach. Is it likely the Hogs are 8-4 heading into a bowl game? Maybe not. Most figure they lose at Ole Miss and maybe at home to A M. That would be another break-even regular season, perhaps good enough for Sam to come back and take another go at glory in 2026. But for those who say he's on the hot seat in '25 for the second straight season, he might need at least eight wins to cool off those naysayers. An 8-5 season wouldn't be bad at all, and would bring Pittman peace next summer when he's back on the lake, catching fish from his boat and celebrating life with his wife. HOGS FEED:
Sunday marked the last day of Week 1 of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. The next time the team takes the field, it will be with pads, on Tuesday. Before we get there, however, let's take a look at everything of note from day four of Steelers training camp practice in Latrobe... Offensive Takeaways LT Broderick Jones leaves 7 Shots after getting his lower body looked at. Sits out individual drills and is replaced by Dylan Cook for the rest of the practice Rookie TE/FB DJ Thomas-Jones injures ankle RT Troy Fautanu was yanked from 7 Shots after a false start WR Roman Wilson continues to work outside, opposed to the slot Rookie QB Will Howard receives first team reps in 7on7 What it means No one player will have a bigger impact on the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense, and frankly, the team in general, than Broderick Jones. He needs not only to be urpight, but to be good. Mike Tomlin said both Jones and WR Montana Lemonious-Craig have soft tissue injuries, while DJ Thomas-Jones seems to have one that is a little more severe. Similar to what happened with Zach Frazier yesterday, the Steelers are proving they have no time for growing pains after pulling Troy Fautanu on Sunday. Fautanu and Frazier may only be second-year players, but the team needs them to perform like seasoned professionals. It's been interesting to see the alignment of the WRs in Pittsburgh through the first four days of practice, as Roman Wilson has dominated the outside role compared to Calvin Austin, who is playing the slot. After making some nice plays in practice yesterday, Will Howard took some first-team reps in the team's 7on7 period on Sunday. The arrow contimues to point up for the sixth rounder. Defensive Takeaways Defense wins 7 shots 4-3 Cole Holcomb and Ryan McCollum get into scrum and go to the ground Rookie Yayha Black has multiple pass breakups on Mason Rudolph What it means The first four practices in Pittsburgh were dominated by the defense. The same proved true on Sunday as the team won 7 Shots yet again. We'll see if that changes when the pads come on next week. While the real fights will probably start in the dog days of camp, the Steelers had their first big scrum in Latrobe on Sunday, and it featured Cole Holcomb and center Ryan McCollum. Continuing the trend of rookies making an impact, Yahya Black helped set that tone on Sunday with multiple pass breakups at the line of scrimmage against Mason Rudolph. Tough to ask for a better start to camp than what the Steelers' rookies put forth.
Right-handed slugger Mark Vientos is in his fourth season with the New York Mets after making his debut in 2022. The 24-year-old emerged as a rising star for New York last year, playing 111 games and posting career highs with a .266 batting average and an .837 OPS. He also elevated his performance in the 2024 postseason, batting .327 with 18 hits, five home runs, 14 RBIs and eight runs scored in 13 games, leading the Mets to an NLCS appearance. Vientos recently recovered from a right hamstring strain that sidelined him for a few weeks in June, but since then he has really struggled to return to form and regain his production at the plate. Ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants, the Mets decided to bench Vientos (the second time in the last three games). The decision to leave him out of the lineup came after Bob Nightengale reported that the Chicago White Sox require Vientos to be involved in any trade for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. Mets general manager David Stearns recently said the Mets will be “engaged” when it comes to possibly adding a center fielder, so addressing that outfield need and Vientos losing playing time may push the organization to part ways with him. In 2025, Vientos is hitting .226 with a .638 OPS, six home runs and 27 RBIs, a steep drop-off in production after his breakout year. He will remain under team control for five more seasons after 2025 and will not hit free agency until 2030.
There may be more to Christian Wilkins’ recent surprise release from the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported Saturday that "some sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in-part into the Raiders' fatigue and release" of Wilkins. The nature of the incident is not clear. However, many believe the Raiders had a very good reason to move on from Wilkins considering the money they had invested in him. It also suggests the Raiders saw no alternative if they went straight to a release. Wilkins was dumped by the Raiders just one year into a four-year, $110 million deal. The Raiders suggested Wilkins failed to take rehab seriously as he tries to work his way back from a foot injury. Other teams do not appear to have the same concerns about Wilkins as the Raiders did, and he should find a new landing spot fairly easily. That is one of the reasons some suspect there is more to the Raiders’ decision than they are publicly saying.
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