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The State Of UFC Heading Into The Second Half Of 2018

By
Sina Pahlevan
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With UFC 227 just around the corner and rumors of Conor McGregor’s return looming on the horizon, it’s safe to say there are many things to look forward to in the UFC. But before we get into those things, we need to understand the state of the MMA game and where the UFC stands as 2018 is coming to a close. Here is the “State of UFC” heading into the second half of 2018.

Heading into this year, all Dana White could hear was criticism that the UFC was on a downward trend and that things weren’t looking so bright. Ronda Rousey and McGregor didn’t step foot in the octagon once in 2017 and the same can be said for the first half of 2018. With its stars gone and viewership having declined across the board, has the UFC really passed its peak? What will the future hold for this billion dollar enterprise with these declining statistics?

Let’s all stop a second and take a deep breath.

There is absolutely no reason to hit the panic button. The UFC isn’t going anywhere. Not only is it not going anywhere, but it is without a doubt still riding its upward spiral, with or without its stars. Sure, the UFC could use the help of its big names and there’s certainly no question that fighters like McGregor or Jon Jones would only bolster this already incredible sports mogul. But the truth of the matter is a temporary lack of star power isn’t enough to stop this train at this point. It may only slow it down for a bit.

There are so many young and talented prospects coming up in the MMA game that it’s inevitable that a star pops up sooner or later. With how rapidly the UFC is growing day by day, a lack of star power can only be considered a temporary problem.

Now that we’re in the second half of 2018, there are definitely some things going on in the UFC that fight fans can be happy about. One of them being the handful of prospects that have blossomed so far this year and have shown star potential. 

“Suga” Sean O’Malley

Holding a professional record of 10-0, O’Malley has quickly become a fan favorite with his unorthodox and creative movements inside the octagon. His striking is vicious and unpredictable but what makes “Suga” a blessing to watch is his heart. In his recent win over Andre Soukhamthath at UFC 222, O’Malley injured his leg at the beginning of the third and final round and had to survive the rest of the round without a leg in order to win the fight. What I will say to all you “Sean O’Malley Stans” is that the man needs to improve his physical condition in order for him to grow into the star we want him to. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t matter how talented you are. That skinny frame isn’t taking the belt from TJ or Cody.

Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa is apparently “the next big Brazilian star,” according to Dana White. Costa, 12-0 in professional MMA, is new to the game but he may be one of the craziest physical specimens we have ever seen grace the octagon (what’s crazy is I seem to be saying that about a new fighter every week). The guy looks like he is sculpted from marble. He is coming off a crazy win over Uriah Hall at UFC 226 and I could not be more excited to see what the future holds for the Brazilian slugger.

Mackenzie Dern

The last prospect I want to talk about is none other than the beautiful strawweight star, Mackenzie Dern. The 25-year-old young lioness is sporting a 7-0 professional MMA record and drawing comparisons to Ronda Rousey due to her merciless jiu-jitsu. She’s got the looks, she’s got the talent and she’s certainly got the demeanor. This girl gets after it in the octagon. She could very well be the next female superstar and there’s a strong chance Rose Namajunas is going to have to worry about this girl for years to come.

Old Names Also Returning In UFC’s Time of Need

While the young prospects have started to come into their own so far this year, the proven names are starting to make their returns as well.

The greatest welterweight of all-time, Georges St. Pierre, made his return last December, after a four-year hiatus to capture middleweight gold. There’s a big chance we see the end of his great career at the end of this year or in 2019. Everyone’s favorite heavyweight, Brock Lesnar, is also gearing up for a return to the UFC to challenge newly crowned heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier after the dramatics at UFC 226. It seems like Anderson Silva is ready to fight again as well, after clearing his controversial supplement issues.

Both Junior Dos Santos and Chad Mendes even just completed their comebacks in satisfying fashion as both of them registered a win at UFC Fight Night: Ivanov vs. Dos Santos. There are even rumors going around right now that Jon Jones could be cleared to fight soon.

With all these big names and young prospects getting ready to change combat sports history, there’s absolutely no way we can maintain the notion that the UFC is on its way out or declining. If there’s one thing the UFC is not lacking as of now, its star power. Greatness is on the horizon for MMA fans across the world as we are getting ready to wrap up 2018.

White Sox Grab Two Prospects From Brewers In Soria Trade

By
Matt Enuco
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Joakim Soria #48 of the Chicago White Sox reacts after getting the final out against the Oakland Athletics in game two of a doubleheader on June 22, 2018 at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (David Banks/Getty Images North America via Zimbio)

The Chicago White Sox were suspiciously quiet leading up to the trade deadline, but things have changed. One of the few valuable trade pieces the White Sox had in two-time all-star Joakim Soria was abruptly dispatched to the Milwaukee Brewers early Thursday afternoon.

The return was initially unclear, but details quickly emerged on two prospects the White Sox were able to pry from the Brew Crew. The South Siders were able to grab Kodi Medeiros and Wilmer Perez from the Brewers in a fair-return trade.

The almighty and ubiquitous “cash considerations” was involved in the trade with the White Sox sending money along with Soria to the Brewers.

Here’s what you need to know about Medeiros

He’s a left-handed pitcher and former first-round pick of the Brewers in 2014. Medeiros was ranked as the 29th-best prospect leading into the draft and adds depth to system bereft of southpaws with the South Siders. Drafted out of a high school in Hawaii, the lefty was the archipelago’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2014.

Just today, Medeiros was ranked as Milwaukee’s 13th best prospect by MLB Pipeline and Baseball America ranked him as the No.-6 organizational prospect. He currently boasts a 3.14 earned run average in Double-A with 107 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings pitched.

The White Sox appear to have a lot of experience with Medeiros considering he played in the Southern League this season and could he could be a quick mover at only 22 years old. His WHIP is a little high right now (1.31) and his career figure under that stat isn’t reassuring (1.46). Yet, he’s fanning batters at a 9.3 SO/9 clip this season and does a fantastic job keeping runners from scoring given his high WHIP and above average ERA.

Medeiros operates in the 92-95 mph range and features a heavy fastball after lifting his three-quarters arm slot. While he was known for raw stuff, his slider is above average and his changeup occasionally flashes at the same level. Still, questions still linger about whether he will remain a starter given his lack of control.

Here’s a look at what he brings.

The goods on Wilber Perez

Perez is less well known than Medeiros. He’s a young right-handed pitcher still toiling in the Dominical Summer League. He’s posted good numbers in limited action this summer and appears to be a late bloomer by Dominical standards.

The good news is that Perez has found immediate and sustained success in the DSL since signing with the Brewers on July 10, 2017. The bad news is that he’s still in the DSL. Considering he only signed a year ago it seems evident that he is a high-ceiling prospect, but signing at 19 years old in the Dominican screams a very low floor.

Here’s the full write up from the White Sox statement on Perez.

All things considered, this is a fair deal for both teams. The Brewers have a pattern of whiffing on big trades (even though they landed Christian Yelich from the Marlins last winter) and they have boosted the strength of their bullpen with Soria.

Don’t expect much more movement from the White Sox. James Shields might be the only scrap left to deal as the season rolls along.

‘Carrier’ On My Wayward Son To A New Contract: Winger Re-Signs With VGK

By
Kevin Smith
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One could make the argument that IF there were an area the Golden knights had a weakness this past season, it was their lack of size. For the most part, it didn’t matter because the Knights were so quick that they just skated by everyone. However, Knights general manager George McPhee is continuing to address this issue in offseason. The Vegas Golden Knights announced returning left winger William Carrier has received a two-year contract worth $775,000 per season.

A former second round draft pick by the Blues, Carrier has been hampered by injuries so far in his brief NHL career, but was a positive presence on the ice this season. Coming from a fourth line winger, that’s a rare attribute in this league. He played in only 37 regular season games, just four less than his first season in Buffalo, and only posted a whopping three points (1 goal, 2 assists).

“William is a fast, physical player who added pace to our lineup last season,” McPhee told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We are excited about his effectiveness and think he has tremendous upside.”

Carrier’s game is not the goal scoring type, but his physical presence brings with both size and speed to VGK’s 4th line. In many ways, he’s similar to Ryan Reaves, but much younger and maybe a little quicker. Despite playing in only 37 games, Carrier threw 113 hits this season. Only Brayden McNabb, Colin Miller, Deryk Engelland, Nate Schmidt and David Perron hit more than Carrier. All of them played in double the games Carrier did. He can also drop the gloves if needed, too.

Of the Vegas Golden Knights forwards that are returning, William Carrier is the team leader in hits. My personal favorite moment from Carrier this last season was his hit on Ryan Johansen, a Nashville Predator forward with a knack for whining about other teams being too physical against him.

Though Johansen was not severely injured on the hit from Carrier, he might have been day-to-day with hurt feelings. Aw, poor baby.

Even though the Golden Knights do not play a physical game as a team, it is important to have that element to be a complete team from at least some of the players. When guys are skating with their head down, other guys like Carrier and Reaves will make you pay. That opens up the ice for your other play-makers to get quality chances. The speed the Golden Knights play with is what makes them one of the most exciting casual follows in pro sports.

Carrier is not guaranteed a starting spot. He will be competing with around nine other legitimate candidates for three spots on that fourth line, and two of them just signed contracts this offseason themselves in Reaves and Nosek.

Players like Carrier and Reaves are going to take penalties because it’s just apart of their game. But, if they can balance that with baiting other team’s into taking penalties, playing that instigator role, and lay some hard hits out on the ice, it’ll be a force to reckon with.

These Position Battles Have Escalated in Recent Bears Practices

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears practices
Credit: USA Today

Chicago Bears practices down in Bourbonnais remain ongoing. The Hall of Fame game is right around the corner now. Not only will people get to see Brian Urlacher reach Canton, but they’ll also get their first taste of real football too. The end result means nothing of course, but it will be a chance to see how much progress this roster has made in the past few months.

Don’t expect any starters to see action in that game. It will be a gloried scrimmage between reserves. At the same time, it will be a huge opportunity for those lower on the depth chart to get noticed, improving their odds to make the final 53-man cut in August. That would explain why several positions in camp have seen their competitions get heated over the past few days.

Who has turned up the juice? Here are the groups seen the most action and the names that bear watching as the first game action approaches.

*All videos below are provided by @GBraggsJr on Twitter. If you haven’t followed him already, do yourself a favor and change that.

Running back:  Ryan Nall gaining on Bennie Cunningham

The Bears are set at the top of the running back depth chart. Jordan Howard is a consistent competitor for the Pro Bowl. Tarik Cohen is one of the most exciting dual-threat backs in the league. Still, a team can never have enough good depth at that position. It would seem the Bears have some nice things going even at the back end.

Veteran Bennie Cunningham, who held the #3 spot last year, still seems like the prohibitive favorite to win the job again thanks to his special teams value. That said, some newcomers aren’t making it comfortable for him. Taquan Mizzell has looked interesting in the new system, but it’s been undrafted free agent Ryan Nall who has really impressed with a number of big runs in drills.

With the benefit of an extra preseason game, this presents a big opportunity for guys like Nall and Mizzell to get work in. If they can take what they’ve done in practice to games, Cunningham might be in trouble.

Wide receiver:  Tanner Gentry refuses to go away

The training camp darling of 2017 was unquestionably wide receiver Tanner Gentry. The former undrafted free agent from Wyoming seemed like he was set to make the roster and become a steady contributor. Instead he was relegated to the practice squad most of the season and barely made an impact. Then the Bears made a series of moves at the position this offseason, leading many to think Gentry was all but done in Chicago.

The only one who disagrees seems to be the man himself.

Gentry has continued to make a handful of nice catches each practice. Enough to keep himself in the running as the Bears try to figure out the bottom of that depth chart behind Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller and Kevin White. Making plays in offensive drills is great, but if Gentry wants to survive it will be special teams that decides his fate.

Defensive end:  Bilal Nichols sends a message to Bullard and Robertson-Harris

Right now the Bears defensive line situation is fairly clear. Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman are locked in as starters. The only open spot is the other defensive end position, vacated by veteran Mitch Unrein who left for Tampa Bay. The prohibitive favorites to fill it are former third round pick Jonathan Bullard and former undrafted free agent Roy Robertson-Harris. Their competition remains ongoing.

One man who doesn’t seem content to let them duke it out alone? That’s rookie fifth round pick, Bilal Nichols. After a slow start to camp, he’s turned up the juice of late.

Nichols has flashed his considerable ability to shoot gaps more and more often, not just against the run as the play above shows but also as an interior pass rusher. This was a big reason the Bears drafted him. Though winning the job outright is unlikely, he’s making the competition more interesting.

Cornerback:  Cre’Von LeBlanc re-emerges into the picture

Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are firmly established as the starting cornerbacks on defense. Where things start to get a bit hazy is at the #3 and #4 spots. Bryce Callahan has been the primary nickel corner the past couple years but his health issues have made it hard to stay on the field. Meanwhile, the depth chart behind him has grown more interesting by the day.

Undrafted free agent Kevin Toliver was the early darling of camp. Now a somewhat forgotten name is getting back into the mix in Cre’Von LeBlanc.

The third-year man had trouble seeing the field in 2017 and seemed to struggle with consistency. This was the first sign during camp that he’s regaining some of that swagger he had as a rookie. The play above against Cohen was one of several positives during practice. He also did well to break up what would’ve been a touchdown pass by knocking it from the receiver’s hands.

It will be interesting to see how many of these players are able to duplicate what they’ve done in practice in games. Too often there are plenty of practice legends who completely disappear when they go against actual opponents That’s why it’s important to keep a clear head and not get sucked in too far by the optimism.

Top Five Questions Facing Raiders Heading Into 2018 Training Camp

By
Kevin Fiddler
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Oakland Raiders rookies and quarterbacks hit the practice fields Monday in wine country as 2018 Training Camp kicked off. The first official start to the 2018 season, the Raiders enter the season with plenty of question marks after last season’s disappointing 6-10 season. With Jon Gruden leaving Monday Night Football and returning as head coach, and with QB Derek Carr finally healthy, 2018 could be more exciting than some believe.

From quarterback health to offensive weaponry, many experts are predicting a five-win season for the Silver & Black. Here are the top five question marks facing the Raiders heading into 2018 Training Camp.

5. Can the secondary protect the second level and beyond?

Last year’s top Raiders pick, Gareon Conley, played just two games due to injury. Free safety Reggie Nelson can barely move, despite being a heady player. Obi Melifonwu missed much of the offseason with an injury. Other than Karl Joseph, there isn’t much to celebrate with this secondary. In a division with hybrid offenses like Kansas City, experience matters but so does the ability to shift and move into coverage seamlessly. If this crew can’t get healthy (and faster), Derek Carr and his offense will have to throw up some big numbers to keep up. Can’t allow Chiefs QB Alex Smith throw for 342 yards and three TDs again.

4. How will the offensive line hold up in both the running and passing game?

“Beast Mode,” Marshawn Lynch was brought in last year and fared OK (891 rushing yards), “Muscle Hamster” Doug Martin signed in the offseason, and Carr returned from injury to play OK in 2017. The Raiders line graded out eighth. Center Rodney Hudson led the way, allowing just three pressures all season, along with guards Kelechi Osemele and Gabe Jackson. The line allowed 133 total pressures. The team also drafted two tackles in the first and third round of the draft so the addition of rookies Colton Miller and Brandon Parker should improve an already strong line. This should allow the Raiders to control the ball, and allow the defense to get its breathers when needed.

3. Will Martavis Bryant stay out of trouble and play like his former self?

The pressure to play isn’t nearly as bad as it is for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, but Bryant is always one slip up from a suspension. Because of the stupid cannabis policy the NFL keeps rolling out every year, Bryant is always going to a question mark. Luckily, he has a selfless mentor in the form of Jordy Nelson. Bryant’s former teammate Antonio Brown cared about one thing: Antonio Brown. Nelson is a veteran leader who has learned under arguably the best QB in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers. Perhaps this is a friendship that will net some impressive numbers together when the duo lines up this fall. Oh, and don’t forget Amari Cooper. There should be no pressure for Bryant to produce, so everything he gives will be a benefit.

2. How will the defense play under new defensive coordinator Paul Guenther?

With Khalil Mack sitting out the mandatory minicamp and the beginning of training camp due to contract issues, the defense is without its central core leader. Regardless, he’ll be ready to go once he gets paid. The defensive play calling will be vital if the Raiders are going to succeed. Guenther has a well-defined scheme with two-deep coverage and plenty of double-A-gap pressures. He isn’t afraid to also employ “odd front” zone blitzes either. In his first year after leaving Cincinnati, expect Guenther to dial up plenty of pressure with blitz packages. Despite question marks in the secondary, the veteran defensive coordinator should be able to mask some of the weakness by getting to the opposing quarterback frequently and fast.

1. Will Jon Gruden and Derek Carr mesh?

“Coach Chucky” has a personality as big as the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man and the ego to match. Carr is as humble as they come, choosing to lead in a less flashy manner. When the two are put together in a room full of alphas, who is going to take the reigns? While as Carr earned the locker room’s respect, Gruden has been broadcasting on ESPN for almost nine years. The locker room is a tricky thing, so this dynamic will dictate the success the team has this season and into the future. Hopefully, they’ll be Bonnie and Clyde, not Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.

Jonathan Toews Is The Oil In The Blackhawks’ Engine

By
Tony Gianares
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Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks, Facts

The Blackhawks have gone from Dynasty status to a bottom-dwelling afterthought in the NHL. They have accomplished this feat at an alarmingly fast rate as well. When a team undergoes such a dramatic change, you start asking why. I usually try not to point fingers at anyone, but I am beginning to question the direction of the management team and the leadership from the leader on the ice, Jonathan Toews.

Now, there is no questioning Jonathan Toews’ heart. His heart has always been in the game. Is his head still in the game? Toews is now 30 years old and as he ages, the wear and tear starts to become significant and visible. Besides playing in tons of games, Toews has also sustained multiple head injuries. When you take all of this into consideration, it is easy to see why Toews might be starting to feel his age these days. He is not the same player he was 11 years ago, nor will he ever be again.

Jonathan Toews’ Resume

Believe it or not, Jonathan Toews has been playing in the NHL for 11 years already. In that time, Toews has compiled a nice resume. 3 Stanley Cups in a 5-year span, 2 Gold medals with Team Canada (2010, 2014), 4x NHL All-Star, Conn Smythe award, Frank J. Selke award, and 1st Team NHL All-Rookie to name a few.

Besides the long list of accolades, Jonathan Toews has also piled up a lengthy injury report. According to www.foxsports.com, Toews has had 7 injuries in his career. Of these 7 injuries, 1 was due to illness and 6 were labeled as “upper body injuries”. Dan Bernstein of 670 The Score reported that Toews has tallied up at least 6 concussions in his career. At age 30 with a history of serious injuries, Toews will have to be more careful and take care of himself. It will be a hell of a lot easier to become injured, as well as take longer to recover from injuries. Any hope for a bounce-back season from Toews next season will have to be tempered.

Jonathan Toews Is Displaying A Troubling Trend

Jonathan Toews is known for his two-way prowess, but the guy has also shown in the past that he can put some points on the board. Through the first 8 years of his career, Toews was an elite two-way forward, he put up points regularly, and won faceoffs at an impressive rate. Here are his stats through his first 8 seasons.

                          Scor Scor    Scor Shot   Ice                Ice
Season    Age  Tm  Lg  GP    G    A PTS +/-   S%   TOI  ATOI  FO%  TK  GV
2007-08    19 CHI NHL  64   24   30  54  11 16.7  1195 18:40 53.2  29   8
2008-09    20 CHI NHL  82   34   35  69  12 17.4  1527 18:38 54.7  54  18
2009-10    21 CHI NHL  76   25   43  68  22 12.4  1520 20:00 57.3  69  24
2010-11    22 CHI NHL  80   32   44  76  25 13.7  1661 20:46 56.7  93  30
2011-12    23 CHI NHL  59   29   28  57  17 15.7  1230 20:51 59.4  82  25
2012-13    24 CHI NHL  47   23   25  48  28 16.1   909 19:21 59.9  56  16
2013-14    25 CHI NHL  76   28   40  68  26 14.5  1555 20:28 57.3  51  30
2014-15    26 CHI NHL  81   28   38  66  30 14.6  1585 19:34 56.5  45  34
Career            NHL 791  292  382 674 193 14.1 15630 19:46 56.9 626 292

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

As you can see, Toews’ performance played a huge role in bringing home 3 Stanley Cups to Chicago. As the captain, he is the oil that keeps the Blackhawks’ motor running. However, the next 3 seasons tell a much different story. The story of a guy who is beginning to show his age and the injuries are finally catching up to him. Check out exactly how much Toews’ production has fallen off.

                          Scor Scor    Scor Shot   Ice                Ice
Season    Age  Tm  Lg  GP    G    A PTS +/-   S%   TOI  ATOI  FO%  TK  GV
2015-16    27 CHI NHL  80   28   30  58  16 15.6  1540 19:15 58.6  57  28
2016-17    28 CHI NHL  72   21   37  58   7 10.6  1451 20:09 54.9  37  37
2017-18    29 CHI NHL  74   20   32  52  -1  9.5  1457 19:41 58.0  53  42
Career            NHL 791  292  382 674 193 14.1 15630 19:46 56.9 626 292

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

Look At Them Patrick Kane GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

The drop in production is more visible in a few categories, but they are drops in key categories. Goals, points, +/- rating, shot %, takeaways, and giveaways. Will this trend continue?

Outlook On the 2018-19 Season

Unless Jonathan Toews and the aging core discovers the fountain of youth, I have no reason to believe this trend will change. StanBo’s “big moves” in free agency will definitely not help the team’s cause neither. Thus, the Blackhawks struggles will, more likely than not, continue into the 2018-19 season. I really hope that is not the case though, because nobody wants to see a third failed season in a row. Maybe the young guys can stop the Blackhawks’ engine from stalling.

Toews and the Blackhawks should have enough fuel left in the tank to prove me wrong, but if they don’t, big changes could be coming and nobody is untouchable, not even the Captain.

For more Blackhawks news and updates, follow the author @Certified_TonyG on Twitter.

2018 Illinois Fighting Illini Football Preview

By
Gabe Salgado
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Members of the Fighting Illini pose for a picture in Downtown Chicago
Members of the Illinois Fighting Illini football team were in Chicago for Big Ten Football Media Days earlier this week. (Twitter: @IlliniFootball)

It look Lovie Smith just one year to turn the Chicago Bears into a playoff team. Making the Illinois Fighting Illini bowl eligible again however has been a much more difficult task. But such is life in college football. Heading into his third year in Champaign, Smith is under a thin microscope to get this team -at the very least- back to a general bowl game for the first time in four years. The Illini last won the Big Ten Championship back in 2001, but in order to get back to that level coach Smith needs time to recruit.

Over the last few months he’s been doing just that. He’s slowly adding the talent that’ll make this team a contender once again. There are some who are impatient and want the 60-year-old gone if this season doesn’t pan out, but then the program would have to start over again. So unfortunately the fan base and alumni will have to endure the growing pains and let Lovie shape the program the way he sees fit. The program seems to have a direction now, it’s just a matter of getting the talent to fully move the team in said direction.

Talent is the key word when it comes to the Fighting Illini. Whether it was transfers, injuries, graduations, or other various reasons, roster turnover certainly hasn’t helped Smith as he tries to make Illinois into a winner again. Here is the reset from last season….

W-L: 2-10 (0-9, Big Ten West)

Bowl Game: None

Best Win: 20-7 vs Western Kentucky

Worst Loss: 52-14 at Ohio State

Final Rankings: 117th overall nationally

Most Outstanding Players: Quarterbacks Jeff George Jr., Chayce Crouch, and Cam Thomas, running backs Kendrick Foster, Ra’Von Bonner, and Mike Epstein, wide receivers Ricky Smalling, Malik Turner, and Mike Dudek, linebackers Del’Shawn Phillips and Tre Watson, and defensive back Stanley Green.

Things looked bright when the Fighting Illini started the season 2-0 after beating both Ball State and Western Kentucky at home by a combined score of 44-28. But that enjoyment was short-lived as Lovie Smith would oversee an unheard of 10-game losing streak to finish the season. The Illini were outscored 350-141 the rest of the way but here’s a deeper look inside of those numbers…..

24 points was the highest number that Illinois reached offensively during the season. They were held under 20 points in eight of those ten games, and only reaching single digits in two games. On the defensive side they surrendered an average of 25 points per game, they gave up over 30 points on five occasions, and struggled to do simple things like rush the passer often, limit the big plays, and they ranked near the bottom of every major category in the nation.

Among the highlights, or lowlights if you will, of those losses were second half collapses against South Florida, Rutgers, and Minnesota, failing to move the ball against Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Purdue, and taking a pounding from Iowa, Ohio State and arch-rival Northwestern. The hope is that the Fighting Illini can show at least some remote improvement this year, especially in conference play.

Back to that roster turnover I talked about….. Cam Thomas was the only quarterback left standing at the end of 2017. George Jr. started the season under center but was eventually benched due to turnovers and inconsistent play. Crouch was more of a runner than a passer and got hit with some injuries. Both men are now gone from the team as George transfered earlier this year while Crouch walked away from football altogether.

Thomas started the final four games as a freshman and threw for 375 yards, ran for another 233, and learned on the fly in one of the toughest conferences in the country. He only had one rushing touchdown and threw five picks, but after having a full offseason to prepare to be the starter his fundamentals should be much improved. Kendrick Foster (1,064 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns in 2017) has moved on but Ra’Von Bonner and Mike Epstein (both sophomores now) return and they’ll take the majority of the hand offs from Thomas this season. Last year both players combined for 548 rushing yards, 64 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns (Epstein also contributes on special teams). They’ll be asked to take a great deal of pressure off of their young signal caller.

It won’t be easy to replace the 1,804 career receiving yards and 10 career touchdowns that Malik Turner leaves behind, but Mike Dudek and Ricky Snalling will be more than happy to pick up the slack. Dudek was phenomenal as a freshman in 2014 (1,038 yards, 6 touchdown catches), but knee injures cut short his 2015 season and wiped out all of 2016. The Naperville native returned to limited action last year and he contributed 24 receptions for 262 yards and made one trip to the end zone in seven games. Now in his final year of eligibility, Dudek is hoping to make an impact similar to how he did in 2014.

Snalling was a nice surprise in his freshman season. He only scored two touchdowns but he had 510 yards on 31 catches, and he averaged an outstanding 16.5 yards per catch. He was definitely one of the few bright spots for the Fighting Illini in 2017. Sophomore Louis Dorsey was another freshman who made his mark last year. After averaging 18 yards per catch himself (finished with 22 receptions, 395 yards, 3 touchdowns), Dorsey -now a sophomore- is expected to be the starting tight end come September.

To make sure that the offense doesn’t repeatedly stall the way it did last year, Lovie Smith brought in Rod Smith to replace Gerrick McGee as offensive coordinator. Tre Watson transferred to Maryland and took his 188 career tackles with him. But Del’Shawn Phillips (senior) and Stanley Green (junior) return, and they’ll be accompanied by sophomore defensive end Bobby Roundtree. Phillips last year led the Illini defense in both total tackles (85) and tackles for loss (4). Green was right behind Phillips in tackles (70), while Roundtree was tied for the team lead in sacks (4).

Those three will be joined by a mixture of both youth and experience on the defensive side of the ball. With a new offensive coordinator handling the play calling, coach Smith can fully focus on the defense which has always been his specialty. Illinois will have to navigate another interesting schedule in 2018 that looks very similar to last year’s schedule.

They start the year again with a Mid-American Conference team when they host Kent State (September 1st) at Memorial Stadium (The Fighting Illini are 7-2 against the MAC since 2004 and won their last meeting with KSU back in 2015). The next week (September 8th) Western Illinois comes to Champaign for the third meeting between these schools in the last decade. The Illini are 15-0 against the Football Championship Subdivision since 2002 and won the last two games against WIU in both 2015 and 2007. The following week (September 15th) Illinois makes their first appearance at Solider Field since 2015 when they play South Florida and hope to avenge last year’s loss in Tampa (the Illini have lost two in-a-row at Soldier Field).

They finish the month of September by returning home to host Penn State (September 21st), who’s a favorite to win the conference, before taking their bye week. After the bye, the Illini will spend much of October on the road. They travel to Rutgers (October 6th) with whom they’ve split the last two meetings with, come home briefly (October 13th) to play Purdue who they haven’t beaten since 2015, then go back on the road to play west division rulers Wisconsin (October 20th), and Maryland (October 27th) to play the Terrapins as football foes for the first time.

The Illini will wrap up the regular season by taking on the rest of their division rivals in November. The order of the games looks like this…. Home against Minnesota (November 3rd) whom they haven’t won against since 2014, then travel to Nebraska (November 10th) to take on the new look Cornhuskers under the guidance of former Nebraska quarterback Scott Frost. Illinois has a subpar 1-4 record against Nebraska since “Big Red” joined the Big Ten back in 2011, and they’ve been outscored 156-69 in those five matchups combined. Making matters worse is that the up-tempo spread offense that Frost presents scores plenty more points than those of Mike Riley and Bo Pelini who coached against Illinois in those five previous games.

After Nebraska, Illinois plays their final home game (November 17th) against Iowa (four-game losing streak against the Hawkeyes), then they finish the the season when they come to Evanston to play Northwestern for the Land of Lincoln trophy (November 24th). When the Illini last beat Northwestern in 2014, they went to a bowl game that year. Just some food for thought.

Aside from putting everything together talent wise, Illinois must find a way to string six wins together against what could be yet another challenging slate of games.

Former Champion Exec Makes a BOLD Jordan Howard Prediction

By
Erik Lambert
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jordan howard

Jordan Howard doesn’t get a lot of respect these days. Every time the subject of who the best running backs are in the game today, it’s usually the same names coming up. There’s Le’Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, David Johnson, and Ezekiel Elliott. Lately, even #2 overall pick Saquon Barkley, who has yet to play an NFL down, is getting more favorable coverage than the Bears star.

How is that possible? There are a few likely reasons. Howard is an unassuming person. He’s known for being quiet and humble. He’s not the flashy type, which ironically makes him easier to forget. Then there’s his playing style. Howard might be, for now at least, what one would call a “throwback.” He’s a classic running back who does just that:  runs. Catching the ball as a receiver out of the backfield? Not exactly his strength.

In the eyes of modern evaluators, this makes him limited as a player. Last but not least? He’s playing for the Bears, a team that hasn’t had a winning season since 2012. In this sport, individual recognition often goes hand in hand with team achievement. An understandable if unfortunate reality.

That said, this isn’t a universal thing. Howard has his supporters out there, and one of them just went to bat for him.

Jordan Howard predicted to lead the NFL in rushing for 2018

If there’s anybody who can appreciate an old school type of player, it’s Gil Brandt. The man has been in the NFL since all the way back in 1955. He was one of the chief executives that helped the Dallas Cowboys go from an expansion team in 1960 to America’s Team in the 1970s. He has two Super Bowl rings to prove it.

Since retiring from the front office, he’s stayed close to the game as a chief analyst for NFL.com. In his latest column, he made his predictions for who would be the stat leaders on offense and defense this 2018 season. Bears fans will be surprised by his choice for rushing champion.

“This might seem like kind of a reach, given that the league leader in rushing over the past five seasons has averaged 1,579 yards, while Howard barely topped 1,000 in 2017. But I happen to think the Bears will run the ball a lot this season, to protect second-year QB Mitchell Trubisky. And Howard is a very, very good runner.

Don’t forget that first-year Bears head coach Matt Nagy, in his role as offensive coordinator of the Chiefs, helped Kareem Hunt lead the league in rushing last season while also pushing Kansas City QB Alex Smith to 4,042 yards (eighth in the NFL) on 505 attempts (13th). So even if Trubisky takes on more of the offensive burden than he did as a rookie, it’s conceivable that Howard could still produce at a prolific rate under Nagy.”

Brandt sees Howard claiming the crown with 1,400 yards rushing.

If things play out that way, Howard would achieve a career-high in rushing yards. Perfect timing since he’ll be entering his contract year in 2019. Is it possible? Yes. Brandt is correct that arrival of Nagy is crucial. People think the new head coach was hired to elevate only Mitch Trubisky. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

He can also do great things for Howard, and it starts with embracing a minor shift in the scheme the Bears failed to capitalize on last year.

Howard averaged 5.1 yards per carry in 2017 out of the shotgun formation. In 2016 as a rookie? It was 7.0 yards per attempt. How the previous Bears coaching staff didn’t do everything in their power to feature that every week is baffling. Don’t expect Nagy to make the same mistake. This new offense is expected to feature lots of Run-Pass Option plays, which often include runs from a shotgun formation.

Combined with the improvements at wide receiver and tight end to ease defensive presence in the box, it’s fair to assume Howard’s going to do a lot of damage this season.

REPORT: Cubs Interested In Chris Archer, Again

By
Aldo Soto
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Ahh, the trade rumor that will never go away.

The Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays have been linked for the better part of the past three years, making perfect partners for a trade. Nathan Eovaldi was the latest player connected to the Cubs, who scouted him during the last month, but ultimately Tampa Bay traded the righty to the Boston Red Sox.

But there’s another big fish left in bay.

Chris Archer.

The 29-year-old starting pitcher is under contract for three more years after 2018, and like Jose Quintana, that deal is ridiculously cheap. Actually, Archer’s contract is even more team friendly, earning less than $9 million a season for the next three years after making a little more than $6 million this year with the Rays.

Archer missed more than a month this season on the DL, and overall has a 4.30 ERA in 16 starts, but his last outing was outstanding. Archer struck out 13 batters in six innings against the Miami Marlins and the Cubs were among the teams scouting him, as the trade deadline approaches.

Via Jon Morosi, MLB.com.

 One source told MLB.com that as many as eight teams have contacted the Rays about Archer recently.

The Diamondbacks, Cubs, Padres and Phillies are among the teams interested in Archer, and all of them had scouts in attendance for Archer’s season-high 13-strikeout performance on Sunday.

But again, the Rays would have to be blown away by a trade offer and just like the previous discussions about a Jacob deGrom deal, the Cubs would have to ship away one of their core players not named Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Willson Contreras and Javier Baez to be the centerpiece in a trade for Archer.

So no, stop suggesting David Bote and Victor Caratini, plus other prospects for Chris Archer.

The Cubs are also reportedly in the mix for Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ.

There was a report earlier today that said Toronto was close to trading away the 35-year-old lefty.

The Cubs have previously been linked to Happ earlier this month.

Trade Rumors: Cubs Linked To Another Starting Pitcher

So, stay tuned!

And at this point, considering Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein have both said that it’s unlikely the Cubs make a huge trade I’d lean that no, the Cubs won’t be making a trade for Chris Archer…again.

But I guess they’re just checking in to give us all more shit to talk about.

Javier Baez Pinch Hit For The Cubs, But This Didn’t Make Fans Feel Any Better About His Knee Injury

By
Aldo Soto
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The Chicago Cubs are already dealing with Kris Bryant’s shoulder injury by resting him the past two games and on Wednesday Javier Baez was out of the lineup because of a knee bruise. Baez pinch hit for the Cubs today, so that was a good sign that he’s OK, but when he had to run out a slow grounder between the plate and pitcher’s mound the concern over his knee returned.

Here’s the play.

Initially, the Cubs left Baez in at second base, but obviously as you could tell from the video above he wasn’t close to feeling fine. The Cubs then took out Baez, sending pitcher Tyler Chatwood in to pinch hit during Ian Happ’s at-bat.

Baez was taken out of Tuesday night’s game after Steven Souza slid into second, inadvertently hitting Baez on his left knee.

Baez iced the knee after that game and tested it out before Wednesday’s afternoon start at Wrigley Field.

So, the knee is still bothering Baez and at this point it is a worry for the Cubs, who again aren’t sure about Kris Bryant’s status either.

The good at least for Wednesday’s game is that after Baez reached on the single and got to second base, Chatwood ended up scoring the game-winning run later in the eighth inning.

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