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Quarterback Kedon Slovis is transferring to BYU, he announced Saturday.

Slovis, who played at Pitt last year, is one of the most accomplished collegiate quarterbacks in the NCAA transfer portal, as he has thrown for 9,973 yards over four seasons. It will be Slovis’ third collegiate destination and third different league, as he played at USC in the Pac-12 (2019-21) and with the Panthers in the ACC (2022).

Slovis tweeted thanks to Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi and said he’s “excited for this new chapter and can’t wait to get to work.”

He’ll compete to win the starting job at BYU for the program’s first season in the Big 12, which BYU joins after being an independent since 2011. Slovis has one year of eligibility remaining.

In his three seasons at USC, Slovis completed 70% of his passes. His best season came there in 2019 when he won the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. He threw 30 touchdown passes and nine interceptions that season while completing 71.9% of his passes.

Sources told ESPN that level of accuracy appealed to the BYU staff, which has developed both Zach Wilson and Jaren Hall into NFL prospects. BYU has averaged more than 31 points per game the past three seasons, as coach Kalani Sitake has leaned into the program’s wide-open-passing roots.

Since 2020, when Wilson blew up to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the lowest passing output for a BYU starting quarterback has been Hall’s 2,583 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2021.

With Slovis having just one year of eligibility remaining, he stressed fit and system in his search for his final collegiate home.

Last year at Pittsburgh, he had his worst statistical year of his career. He completed just 58.4% of his passes and threw 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions, as the transfer of Jordan Addison to USC late in the spring downgraded Pitt’s aerial ambitions.

BYU traditionally has stout offensive lines, elite tight ends and strong skill players. The arrival of Slovis indicates a commitment to a wide-open system that should be attractive to both transfers and recruits trying to find a team where they can put up big numbers.

After Slovis visited recently, sources said he took the initiative to get the phone numbers of the receivers to text them and build rapport.

The Cougars went 8-5 this season, a slip from back-to-back double-digit-win seasons in part because of a porous defense. BYU shook up its defensive staff in the offseason, hiring Weber State head coach Jay Hill, as a way to solidify the program as it heads to the Big 12.

BYU won four consecutive games to end the season in 2022. That included a 24-23 victory over SMU in the New Mexico Bowl and wins over Boise State and Stanford. They open the 2023 season with back-to-back home games against Sam Houston and Southern Utah.

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Makar 9th NHL blueliner with 30 goals in season

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Makar 9th NHL blueliner with 30 goals in season

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Avalanche star Cale Makar scored against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night to become the ninth defenseman in the NHL, and the first with Colorado, to score 30 goals in a season.

The sixth-year player is the NHL’s first defenseman to reach the 30-goal mark since Mike Green of the Washington Capitals had 31 in 2008-09.

Makar put the Avalanche up 5-2 by scoring a power-play goal with 38 seconds left in the second period. He was set up in the left circle for a one-timer by a pass from Nathan MacKinnon. He also had two assists as the Avalanche won, 7-3, to clinch their eighth consecutive playoff appearance.

Overall, NHL blue liners have now combined to reach 30 goals 18 times, led by Bobby Orr, who had five 30-goal seasons. Paul Coffey (four) and Denis Potvin (three) are the only others to have had multiple 30-goal seasons. The list is rounded out by Ray Bourque, Kevin Hatcher, Phil Housley and Doug Wilson.

With the goal and two assists, the 26-year-old Makar also increased his point total to 90, matching the franchise record for defenseman he set last season. In doing so, he became the NHL’s fifth defenseman to produce consecutive 90-point seasons, and first since Coffey (1988-89 to 1990-91) and Al MacInnis (1989-90 to 1990-91).

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Oilers keep pace for home ice, but lose Draisaitl

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Oilers keep pace for home ice, but lose Draisaitl

SAN JOSE, Calif. — NHL leading goal scorer Leon Draisaitl left the Edmonton Oilers‘ game against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night in the second period because of an undisclosed injury and didn’t return.

Draisaitl appeared to be injured midway through the second period and skated gingerly to the bench before leaving for the dressing room. Coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game that he had no update on the severity of the injury.

Jeff Skinner scored the tiebreaking goal shortly after Draisaitl left the game, giving the Oilers a 3-2 victory that kept them within two points of the Los Angeles Kings in the race for second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

“Obviously we’ve had some injuries to key guys,” Skinner said. “It’s a lot of opportunity for other guys to step up and I think guys have done a good job so far. We’re going to have to continue that and keep working together to get the results we want.”

Draisaitl had an assist earlier in the second period. He leads the NHL with 52 goals and is third in the league with 106 points.

Draisaitl sat out four games last month because of an undisclosed injury.

The Oilers are already without star center Connor McDavid, who has been sidelined since colliding with Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey on March 20. McDavid has resumed skating with the team in a noncontact jersey but there is no timetable for his return.

The playoffs begin in just over two weeks.

“You never want to miss those guys,” Knoblauch said. “You never want your top players not to play because every time they’re not in, it decreases your chances of winning because they are good players, obviously. But what happens is other guys have some opportunities to play, get some confidence, hopefully score some goals, because we’re going to need them.”

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Blues’ Holloway exits with lower-body injury

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Blues' Holloway exits with lower-body injury

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis forward Dylan Holloway left the Blues’ 5-4 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first period Thursday night because of a lower-body injury.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery had no additional information on the injury after the game.

“We’ll have more, I’m sure, tomorrow,” Montgomery said.

The team announced the injury during the first intermission and said he would not return to the game. It was not clear when Holloway was injured.

Holloway had eight shifts in the first period.

Holloway has been a driving force in the Blues’ 11-game winning streak, which ties a franchise record. He has 26 goals and 37 assists in 77 games this season.

“Obviously, that’s an elite player for us, someone who plays in all situations, and, you know, a really important piece to our team,” forward Jake Neighbours said. “We had to focus on the task at hand. … it sucked losing Dylan, and just hope he’s OK.”

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