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USC's 2026 recruitment class gets even bigger, literally, with five-star OT
USC head coach Lincoln Riley is building an incredible 2026 recruiting class, and it just got even better in a big way, literally and figuratively.
Keenyi Pepe, a five-star offensive tackle recruit from IMG Academy in Florida, has committed to the Trojans. Pepe is 6-foot-7, 320 pounds and is ranked as the No. 3 offensive tackle in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. He's a literal big commitment for Riley and the Trojans, but figuratively, he should be a big recruit as well, considering the rankings.
Pepe was born and raised in California, so this commitment is a homecoming for him.
"Growing up, they were my dream school," Pepe had told 247Sports of USC. "As far as recruiting, they have been so consistent in recruiting me, especially with communication. I'm always getting to talk with (offensive line) coach (Zach) Hanson and (head) coach (Lincoln) Riley."
There was some major competition for Pepe's commitment. Along with USC, Florida, Georgia, Miami and Texas were in the running.
He was on campus this past weekend for a recruiting weekend, though, and that absolutely helped the Trojans. There's also the fact that his cousin, Kobe Pepe, is a senior defensive lineman for the team.
It all made sense, and Riley's 2026 class got much better as a result. Heading into Thursday, the Trojans had the top-ranked 2026 class in the nation, and Pepe's commitment only strengthens that ranking.
With 25 hard commits, Pepe will go down as Riley's second five-star of the cycle, joining athlete/linebacker Xavier Griffin from Gainesville, Georgia.
More must-reads:
- USC land coveted four-star WR as Lincoln Riley's top-ranked recruiting class gets even better
- Five-star athlete narrows down list to five powerhouses with decision date set
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Ryan Day still doesn't get why Ohio State keeps losing to Michigan
Ryan Day might have led Ohio State to a national championship, but it's clear he still doesn't understand what it takes to win "The Game." Yes, Day has led Ohio State to a win over Michigan before. However, this is a different Wolverines program. Don Brown is no longer the defensive coordinator, and Michigan is now the one living rent-free in the minds of Ohio State. For nearly two decades, that was Ohio State. Jim Tressel, and then Urban Meyer, who famously went 7-0 against Michigan, owned the Wolverines. Owned the rivalry. But there is a price to pay, and that's what Day doesn't get. Like Jim Harbaugh when he first arrived at Michigan, Day has essentially treated Michigan as just another game. When asked this week at Big Ten Media Days what the Buckeyes need to do to beat Michigan, Day responded: "Score more points than them," via Ari Wasserman of On3. In a way, that's fair. Ohio State doesn't need to overthink, something they did in 2024. It's also a lot different from Jim Harbaugh saying, "We are going to beat Ohio (State) or die trying." That was in 2021, right after Harbaugh took less money to remain Michigan's head coach. He was on the hot seat, and the reason was that he couldn't beat the Buckeyes. Harbaugh, like Day, tried to treat "The Game" like just another game. Standing across from the maniacal Meyer, that strategy was never going to work. So Harbaugh adapted. Michigan started the "Beat Ohio" drill and focused on dominating in the trenches. After all, the team that wins the rushing battle usually wins "The Game," or at least it has every season dating back to 2001. That's why Ohio State was trying to pound the rock last season against one of the best defensive tackle duos in Michigan history instead of throwing it to Jeremiah Smith. Although the inability of the offensive line to block the Wolverines didn't help. Looking ahead to the 2025 edition, the Buckeyes are once again considered the more talented team. They are the defending national champs and have the two best non-quarterbacks in college football — Smith and Caleb Downs. Ohio State should win. But it should have won last season, as three-touchdown favorites. The biggest difference between the two programs is their attitude toward the rivalry. Michigan is built to beat Ohio State, because the Wolverines figure that if they can beat the Buckeyes, they can beat anyone else. Michigan designed its defense to beat Ohio State. It works every single day to beat the Buckeyes. OSU used to be like that. It was under Meyer. Things changed under Ryan Day, and his answer at Big Ten Media Days only reinforces the fact that he still doesn't get it. The Buckeyes proved they can win a national championship last season. But can they beat Michigan? That remains to be seen.
Clemson looking to take care of business on field vs. LSU as 'Death Valley' debate persists
Steelers News: Omar Khan Details Why George Pickens Was Traded to the Cowboys Despite 'Developing' Him Since 2022
Following his breakout year in 2023, George Pickens was expected to be the WR1 of the Pittsburgh Steelers for the foreseeable future. He had already justified the second-round draft capital that the franchise had initially invested in him, but there were growing concerns about Pickens’ lack of maturity. Fast forward to the 2025 offseason, and even though he’s managed to produce a career total of 2,841 receiving yards throughout his first three seasons in the league, the Steelers were willing to let him go in exchange for nothing more than a 2026 third-round pick and a minuscule value swap with the Dallas Cowboys. While the team has since managed to replace Pickens’ service with that of D.K. Metcalf, fans and analysts alike are still questioning the decision. Thankfully, the self-titled host of The Rich Eisen made the most of his recent discussion with the team’s general manager, Omar Khan, by directly asking him “Why did George Pickens have to go despite developing him?” “I’ll just say, as we went through the offseason and the process, it just became evident that, for both sides, a fresh start was the best thing,” Khan explained. “It just made sense for both of us.” Suffice to say, Khan’s answer, while not very insightful, does suggest that Pickens’ relationships with various Pittsburgh personnel had become fractured beyond repair. Whether it was the Steelers or Pickens himself who was responsible for things not working out does not matter anymore, as Khan’s brief statement brings the entire saga to a somewhat definitive end. For one reason or another, it was no longer in either side’s best interest to continue working together, and that’s that. Much like the rest of his interview with Eisen, Khan and the rest of the Steelers’ organization is now moving forward. When Eisen noted that Pittsburgh’s trade involving Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey couldn’t have “happened over night,” Khan explained that it took “weeks” to finally get the deal done with the Miami Dolphins. Being sure to cover all of the high notes from the Steelers’ chaotic offseason, the seven-time Sports Emmy award nominee also inquired about T.J. Watt’s latest benchmark contract with the team. While he was unwilling to go into the “specifics of the numbers,” Khan did proclaim that, “I think it just reflects how we feel about him. It was important for me, and the organization, for T.J. to be a one-helmet Hall of Famer. It would be a great thing and hopefully there’s many, many more years to go with T.J., but it was just important. His numbers speak for themselves… As great of a player as he is, he’s an even better person.” At 6-foot-4 and 229-pounds, the aforementioned Metcalf is certainly capable of filling the Pickens-sized hole in Pittsburgh’s receiving core. Likewise, the addition of Ramsey along with their retaining of Watt will help to ensure that the defense is as stout as ever. The Steelers are going all in on the 2025 regular season with the hopes of discovering their first playoff win since January 15th of 2017 and it’s too late for them to turn back now. They’ll have to hope that they’ve made the right moves and prioritized the right signings. Otherwise they’ll risk wasting the final regular season of one of the most storied careers in all of NFL history.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
Klay Thompson Reacts Angrily To Fan Asking About Megan Thee Stallion’s Former Partner
Klay Thompson's time in the offseason has been eventful. But with particular reference to his stay in New York City, the Dallas Mavericks guard has had myriad experiences with fans. After being followed around by a fan through the streets of the city a few days ago, Thompson had a comparatively unpleasant interaction recently. In a video posted on X, a fan can be seen asking Thompson to comment on his girlfriend Megan Thee Stallion's former partner, Tory Lanez. Needless to say, the guard wasn't inclined to comment on this and was visibly annoyed by the question as he said, "Bro, stay away from me. Get away from me." The fan was taken aback by Thompson's reaction. After interpreting the guard's response as hostile, he can be seen hanging back, while adding, "Why are you scared of me, bro?" In a whirlwind of public attention, Thompson's relationship with Megan Thee Stallion became one of the primary talking points of the offseason. From viral posts on social media to celebrities commenting on the relationship, the two have constantly been in the limelight. While this hasn't been a negative occurrence for the most part, it is quite clear that her past relationship with the rapper struck a nerve. This could also be attributed to the stories associated with the two, as sources claim that Lanez assaulted Megan after a pool party at Kylie Jenner's home in 2020. The two reportedly argued at the party. On the journey back, while Megan demanded to be let out of the car, Lanez opened fire, harming her in the process. The rapper was convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and negligent discharge of the firearm, leading to a 10-year prison sentence. Reportedly obtained bodycam footage suggests that Lanez didn't intentionally fire the gun at Megan. But the supposedly new evidence isn’t enough to overturn the conviction. Given the broader context, it is easy to see why Thompson was bothered by the question. When considering the kind of media backlash and social media vitriol his partner has faced after the traumatic experience, especially with Lanez's fans demanding "justice" for him, the Mavs guard was well within his rights to be upset. Regardless, it appears that Thompson is protecting his peace at the moment. Given that he and Megan appear to be in a good place with regard to their relationship, he has every reason to take things at his own pace.
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