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PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Northwestern athletic director Derrick Gragg praised the school’s football players and coaches for displaying “collective resilience” in preparing for the season, including their participation in anti-hazing training last month.

Gragg, who will attend Sunday’s season opener against Rutgers alongside university president Michael Schill, told ESPN that the team has “done everything we’ve asked them to do” since the firing of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald on July 10 in the wake of hazing allegations against the program.

Northwestern brought in Protection For All, a consulting firm run by former college athletes Mike McCall and Dan Beebe — also the former Big 12 commissioner — to conduct in-person training on Aug. 3, before the team’s first preseason practice.

The training, which all Northwestern teams will go through before the start of their seasons, covers physical and emotional harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying and sexual misconduct. Northwestern also had players meet with the Institute for Sport and Social Justice, which addressed topics such as inclusive leadership, bystander intervention and team culture.

The anti-hazing seminars were conducted in groups, starting with players only and then only with coaches.

In firing Fitzgerald, Schill said the Northwestern football culture had been partially “broken” by the hazing allegations, which were largely supported by a university-commissioned external investigation into the program.

“It was an intensive three-hour-session and [the consultants] said after about the first 10, 15 minutes, guys were relaxed, participating, understanding what they were supposed to do, and did everything that they were asked to do,” Gragg said. “I think everybody understands the importance of conducting themselves in a first-class manner, as it relates to being representatives of themselves, and their families and to this university.

“I think they took it very seriously.”

Beebe told ESPN that Northwestern is “committed to get to the right place,” and can benefit from learning about the consequences of hazing and other misconduct from people outside the program.

“You’ve got to put the cards on the table and recognize no matter what the issues are, people have different viewpoints, whether it’s hazing, sexual misconduct, all that,” Beebe said. “We’re risk managers and we’re here to tell you what the risks are going to be. Whether you agree or disagree, these are the issues that are going to come up when you have certain kind of conduct that’s going to degrade and humiliate other people.

“We’re there to explain what conduct you cannot engage in, or you’re going to have the risk of public scrutiny and legal action.”

No Northwestern players are facing discipline in the hazing scandal, as none were named in the school’s investigation or in any of the lawsuits filed by more than 10 former players against the university. Northwestern has looked into allegations involving Matt MacPherson, the team’s associate head coach and defensive backs coach, but he has continued to work and will coach in Sunday’s opener.

Gragg told ESPN that he does not anticipate further personnel changes with the program, although the university will investigate any specific claims against individuals if they surface. After a surge of lawsuits from former players in July and early August, none have been filed in the past few weeks.

Gragg commended interim coach David Braun and the staff for “keeping the team together.”

“They were committed to that from the start when we first convened a meeting with them back in July, and they’ve stayed true to that,” Gragg said. “They put in a great deal of work, not just obviously during camp, but for the last few months. I’ve been personally to many practices. I’ve watched them. The group seems spirited, they seem engaged, and I think they’re very well prepared and they’re well-organized. They’re ready to go.”

Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is conducting reviews of Northwestern’s overall athletics culture and the reporting systems for hazing and other misconduct. Gragg met virtually with Lynch for the first time Friday. Lynch’s reviews are likely to extend into 2024.

Lawsuits have been filed by a former volleyball player and by three former baseball staff members, alleging abuse. Northwestern has held several meetings with all of its sports’ head coaches since the hazing allegations came to light.

“The coaches, they want people to know that no one should be painted with a broad brush,” Gragg said. “We’ve had some challenges, but by and large, what they’ve built here collectively, especially at a school with high academic performance, is nothing short of amazing.”

In his first interview since Big Ten preseason media day, Gragg responded to an open letter sent Aug. 21 by 86 former Northwestern athletes, which criticized him and Schill for “a clear failure of unbiased and principled leadership” in how they handled Fitzgerald’s firing. The former players said Gragg’s repudiation of a T-shirt worn by players and coaches expressing support for Fitzgerald “worked to incite public opinion against his own program,” and that the athletic director “fosters an environment of uncertainty, distrust, and censorship” in the athletic department.

“When you’re in a position like this, leadership on this level, you have to come to expect scrutiny, criticism,” said Gragg, who was hired by Northwestern in 2021. “There’s a lot of emotion, again, a lot of relationships that are tied into this situation, and I understand that. … At the end of the day, whether people are supportive of the leadership or not, or the decisions that were made, I always go right back to the student-athletes.

“They really need our support right now. Their lives have changed dramatically.”

Gragg said Northwestern has avoided a large drop-off in season-ticket sales. (The team plays its home opener Sept. 9 against UTEP.) Northwestern’s plans to rebuild Ryan Field also remain on track, he said, as former board chair Pat Ryan and his family, who are largely funding the plan, are “still very interested in moving forward with the project.” Gragg said two of Ryan’s sons recently attended practice to meet Braun.

Northwestern will begin its search for Fitzgerald’s permanent successor later this fall, as Gragg said his focus remains on the current team.

“We’re just asking everybody, continue to support us, support the student-athletes,” he said. “We’re moving forward, we’re excited about this year, and we have a great deal of inner support. I’m excited about being the leader here.”

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Walker back in Phils’ rotation after Abel demoted

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Walker back in Phils' rotation after Abel demoted

PHILADELPHIA — Mick Abel couldn’t sustain his sublime major league debut and is headed to the minors.

Taijuan Walker is back in Philadelphia’s rotation. And anticipation that prized prospect Andrew Painter could be headed to the Phillies will stretch past the All-Star break.

Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez are about the only sure things this year in Philadelphia’s rotation.

The Phillies demoted Abel, the rookie right-hander who has struggled since he struck out nine in his major league debut, to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies also recalled reliever Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley ahead of Friday’s loss to Cincinnati.

The 23-year-old Abel made six starts for the Phillies and went 2-2 with 5.04 ERA with 21 strikeouts and nine walks.

“Mick needed to go down and breathe a little bit,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Just get a little reset. It’s not uncommon.”

A 6-foot-5 right-hander selected 15th overall by the Phillies in the 2020 amateur draft, Abel dazzled against Pittsburgh in May when his nine strikeouts tied a Phillies high for a debut, set by Curt Simmons against the New York Giants on Sept. 28, 1947.

Abel hasn’t pitched beyond the fifth inning in any of his last four starts and was rocked for five runs in 1⅔ innings Wednesday against San Diego.

Abel was 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA last year for Lehigh Valley, walking 78 in 108⅔ innings. He improved to 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA in eight minor league starts this year, walking 19 in 46⅓ innings.

“This guy’s had a really good year,” Thomson said. “His poise, his composure is outstanding. He’s really grown. We just need to get back to that. Just attack the zone and get through adversity.”

The Phillies will give Walker another start in Abel’s place against San Francisco. Walker has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen over the past two seasons. He has made eight starts with 11 relief appearances this season and is 3-5 with one save and a 3.64 ERA.

Thomson had said he wanted to give Walker an extended look in the bullpen. Abel’s struggles instead forced Walker — in the third year of a four-year, $72-million contract — back to the rotation. For now.

“He always considers himself a starter and ultimately wants to start,” Thomson said. “He’ll do anything for the ballclub, because he’s that type of guy, but I think he’s generally happy he’s going to go back into a normal routine, normal for him, anyway.”

Wheeler, Suárez and Sánchez have been lights-out in the rotation this year and helped lead the Phillies into first place in the NL East. Jesús Luzardo was a pleasant early season surprise but has struggled over the past two months and gave up six runs in two-plus innings in Friday’s 9-6 loss to the Reds.

“I still have all the confidence in the world in Luzardo,” Thomson said. “Everybody’s going to have bad outings here and there. I think we’re still fine.”

Thomson said he had not made a final decision on who will be the fifth starter after the All-Star break. Painter has two more scheduled starts in Triple-A before the MLB All-Star break and could earn a spot in the rotation. The 22-year-old will not pitch in the All-Star Futures Game as part of the plan to keep him on a hopeful path to the rotation.

Painter hurt an elbow during spring training in 2023 and had Tommy John surgery later that year. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus.

Because of the All-Star break and a quirk in the schedule that has them off on all five Thursdays in July, the Phillies won’t even need a fifth starter after next week until July 22.

Aaron Nola could be back by August as he works his way back from a rib injury. Nola will spend the All-Star break rehabbing in Florida and needs one or two minor league starts before he can rejoin the rotation.

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Cubs’ Taillon (calf) to miss more than month

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Cubs' Taillon (calf) to miss more than month

CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs righty Jameson Taillon was placed on the injured list on Friday with a right calf strain, the team announced before its game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He’s expected to miss “more than a month,” according to manager Craig Counsell.

Taillon, 33, injured his calf on his last wind sprint after a bullpen session on Thursday.

“He’s going to miss a pretty significant amount of time,” Counsell said.

Taillon was 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA in 17 starts for the Cubs this season who just got lefty Shota Imanaga back from a hamstring injury. Now they’ll have to navigate at least the rest of this month without one of their other key starters.

“There’s a little room for us to be flexible right now,” Counsell said citing the upcoming All-Star break. “We’ll use that to our advantage and we’ll go from there.”

The team recalled left-hander Jordan Wicks to take Taillon’s spot on the roster, though he won’t go directly into the rotation. Instead, the Cubs will throw a bullpen game on Saturday against the Cardinals and “go from there,” according to Counsell.

Wicks, 25, went 1-3 with one save, a 4.06 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 12 appearances (11 starts) with Triple-A Iowa this season. In his past five starts dating to May 18, he posted a 1.65 ERA with 20 strikeouts, compared to just three walks, a 0.86 WHIP and a .186 opponent batting average.

The team might also consider a bigger role for righty Chris Flexen who has been fantastic for them out of the bullpen. Flexen, 31, has a 0.62 ERA in 16 games, including a four inning stint late last month.

“He’s a candidate to be stretched out for sure,” Counsell said. “He’s prepared to do a little bit more.”

Cubs brass have already stated they are looking for starting pitching before the trade deadline later this month. Counsell was asked if Taillon’s injury increases that need. He didn’t take the bait.

“The trade deadline isn’t until July 31,” he said. “I’m focused on the next week or 10 games before the All-Star break.”

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Guardians OF Thomas reinjures foot, exits game

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Guardians OF Thomas reinjures foot, exits game

CLEVELAND — Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas left during the sixth inning of Friday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers due to mild plantar fascia symptoms with his right foot.

Thomas missed 11 games in late May and early June because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He is batting .160 this season and .197 (13-for-66) since coming off the injured list on June 9. He does have four homers in his past 10 games.

“We think he’s good. The plantar fasciitis flared up a little bit again and I just didn’t like the way he looked running around the outfield. So rather than take a chance, I got him out of there,” manager Stephen Vogt said after the 2-1 loss to the Tigers.

Thomas also missed five weeks due to a right wrist bone bruise after getting hit by a pitch during the April 8 home opener against the Chicago White Sox.

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