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The Auburn Tigers are making a big quarterback change after an underwhelming start to the 2024 season.
Redshirt freshman Hank Brown is expected to start at quarterback for Auburn’s upcoming game against New Mexico, according to Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live. The move means team captain Payton Thorne will move to the bench, at least temporarily.
The timing of the decision certainly suggests that Auburn coach Hugh Freeze wants this change to be a lasting one. New Mexico represents a fairly lightweight opponent for Brown to get comfortable against before SEC play begins the following week. Brown, a redshirt freshman, had originally committed to Freeze at Liberty before following the coach to Auburn.
The impetus for the change appears to have come from Auburn’s disappointing loss to Cal. Thorne went 14-of-27 for 165 yards with four interceptions, a stat line that seems to have cost him his starting job.
More must-reads:
- Auburn’s Payton Thorne explains why he had so many Venmo requests after Cal loss
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NFL under fire for decision on Chiefs WR Rashee Rice
The Kansas City Chiefs appeared to receive an early gift from the NFL regarding wide receiver Rashee Rice's looming suspension. The third-year receiver is set to have a disciplinary hearing on Sept. 30 after he pleaded guilty to collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation. The timing of Rice's hearing is curious because he pleaded guilty to his charges on the same day Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge connected to his arrest for alleged DUI. The league has already suspended Addison for the first three games of the upcoming season. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, a league source told him that the NFL doesn't typically delay hearings as it has in the case of Rice, preferring to finalize a punishment before Week 1. “Maybe I’m a conspiracy theorist, but this is odd," said the unnamed source, via Florio. “You hardly ever see players get suspended in season unless they did something in season like a drug test or something.” The suspicion from the source and Florio is that the league is keeping Rice available for marquee matchups in the early season. The Chiefs begin their season in Sao Paulo, Brazil, playing the Los Angeles Chargers. Kansas City then plays the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants ("Sunday Night Football") and Baltimore Ravens. Florio suggested that with a hearing date of Sept. 30, Rice would likely start any suspension the Chiefs' Week 5 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars on "Monday Night Football." "At a time when many think the league favors the Chiefs, situations like this will not become evidence to the contrary," Florio said. While the early slate of games is impressive for the Chiefs, their schedule is jam-packed with heavyweight matchups. The next four games after Week 5 include the Detroit Lions ("Sunday Night Football"), Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders ("Monday Night Football" and Buffalo Bills. While the league has some explaining to do as to why it chose Sept. 30 as the date, it's hard to see why the Chiefs would have an advantage by losing Rice for those games.
Jonathan Kuminga Posts Two-Word Message Amid Warriors Trade Drama
The Golden State Warriors have had their free agency headlines dominated by one individual name, Jonathan Kuminga. For what feels like an eternity, the Warriors have been stuck in a standstill with Kuminga. The 22-year-old forward believes he's capable of being a max contract player, but the Warriors don't seem to have maximizing him in their current timeline - that much was evident after the team traded for Jimmy Butler. It's clear that Kuminga does not want to be a member of the Golden State Warriors any longer. Every day, a new headline emerges coming from either side of the camp, but no resolution has been found. As the headlines have been growing, Kuminga gave a simple message on social media. "And at the buzzer, the Golden State Warriors will say, 'Alright, well, we can't afford to lose him for nothing, and Malik Monk and a protected pick, that's much better than nothing. So let's go ahead, do the deal, and be done with it.' " While the Bulls and Bucks have trade interest, it seems like the package that they want from the Golden State Warriors may not work financially. Does Kuminga Staying With the Warriors Make Sense? Realistically, Jonathan Kuminga staying with the Golden State Warriors does not make sense. He does not want to play for the team, and the team did not play him consistently after acquiring Jimmy Butler. Even during the playoffs, he was only really used as an emergency scenario. For a team as serious about winning as the Warriors, it does not make sense to keep a younger player who could potentially disrupt the chemistry. At the same time, it makes sense for the team to want to get the maximum value out of Kuminga and not trade him hastily.
The Washington Commanders are preparing for the worst after checking in with free agents at an important position
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