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Kansas analyst Matt Lubick, a longtime college football assistant coach, has been diagnosed with leukemia, he told ESPN this week.

Lubick checked into a hospital in the Denver area earlier this week, and the staff of cancer specialists has begun testing to determine the best course of treatment. He is being treated by the cancer specialists at the Anschutz Center for Advanced Medicine, which is part of the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora.

“The texts and support mean more than you can know,” said Lubick, who spoke with emotion about hearing from former colleagues and players. “It’s been spiritually uplifting and energized me. There’s a purpose to this and I’ve gotten some meaning through the suffering. It’s humbling to know you’ve impacted people’s lives.”

Lubick’s role as an analyst is a remote one, and he has continued to break down opposing defenses and meet via Zoom with the Kansas staff. On Tuesday, for example, he Zoomed with the Kansas offensive staff from the hospital and gave his third-down thoughts after analyzing Oklahoma State, Kansas’ opponent this week.

“That was rewarding,” he said. “You don’t have to work during this stuff. I do it for therapy. The Kansas staff being so loving and caring and supportive has given me strength and given me purpose. It’s been therapeutic for me to keep mind off stuff.”

Lubick credited coach Lance Leipold, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and the Kansas staff for their support, and said he appreciates the opportunity to work during his treatment.

“Matt has made great contributions to our offensive success in this analyst role, and that’s helped this program in ways that many people haven’t seen,” Leipold said. “His courage, faith and passion to want to contribute to this program while he’s battling this has really been remarkable. Our prayers are with him.”

Lubick got hired by Kansas in July 2022, and his job has primarily been away from campus. He went to Lawrence this summer for camp.

Lubick ran the Boston Marathon in April and after a 16-mile run in late August didn’t feel well and went to the doctor, in part because he didn’t want to lose any days of training. He soon found out his white blood cell count was so low that when he returned home he wasn’t allowed to be around people because of the risk.

That led to further tests and the eventual diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. The official diagnosis came last week and Lubick said he moved into the hospital in the Denver area Sunday.

Lubick had already spoken to former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano, who shared his own journey in battling leukemia, which he was diagnosed with in 2012 and has since raised money and awareness to fight cancer. Lubick said conversations such as that one helped him prepare for the diagnosis.

“I was crushed, but I knew what to do and I was prepared,” he said. “I’m grateful for the profession. You have to be prepared and deal with adversity. Life challenges are opportunities to grow. That’s what I’ve been telling my players for the last 20 years, and now I have to live my advice.”

Lubick is a former offensive coordinator and assistant coach, most recently at Nebraska, Washington and Oregon.

He has also coached at Duke, Arizona State, Ole Miss, Oregon State, San Jose State, Cal State Northridge and Colorado State. He started his career as a student assistant at Colorado State, where his father, Sonny Lubick, was head coach from 1993 through 2007.

Along that path he has touched thousands of players and staff members, and he said he spends an hour or two each night returning messages from everyone.

“It shows how important friends and family and relationships are in a tough times, it’s really hard to put into words,” he said. “When someone tells me how much they love me, I get a little bit emotional. One of the things about coaching, it’s a relationship business. Rekindling those and knowing how meaningful they are. That’s been huge.”

Lubick said he hopes to raise cancer awareness and help others by speaking about his battle with leukemia.

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Utes’ Whittingham reenergized after ’24 free fall

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Utes' Whittingham reenergized after '24 free fall

FRISCO, Texas — A dynamic new quarterback, a new offensive system and two projected first-round picks up front have Utah coach Kyle Whittingham feeling enthusiastic about the Utes’ chances of bouncing back from a disastrous debut season in the Big 12.

Utah was voted No. 1 in the Big 12 preseason poll last year after joining from the Pac-12, but a brutal run of injuries and inconsistency resulted in a seven-game conference losing streak and a 5-7 finish — the program’s first losing season since 2013.

After weeks of contemplation about his future and what was best for the program, Whittingham, the third-longest-tenured head coach in FBS, decided in December to return for his 21st season with the Utes.

“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note,” Whittingham told ESPN at Big 12 media days Wednesday. “It was too frustrating, too disappointing. As much as college football has changed with all the other factors that might pull you away, that was the overriding reason: That’s not us, that’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”

“The bottom line and the final analysis was I couldn’t step away on that note. It was too frustrating, too disappointing. … That’s not us. That’s not who we are. It just left a bad taste in my mouth. I did not want to miss the opportunity to try to get that taste out.”

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on going 5-7 in 2024

Whittingham and Utes defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley conducted a national search for a new offensive coordinator and quickly zeroed in on New Mexico‘s Jason Beck. Then they managed to land Devon Dampier, Beck’s first-team All-Mountain West quarterback, via the transfer portal.

After finishing 11th nationally in total offense with 3,934 yards and 31 total touchdowns and putting up the fourth-most rushing yards (1,166) among all FBS starters, Dampier followed his coach to Salt Lake City and immediately asserted himself as a difference-maker for a program that had to start four different QBs in 2024.

“He’s a terrific athlete,” Whittingham said. “He’s a guy that, if spring is any indication, he’s an exciting player, and we can’t wait to watch him this season. … He’s got that ‘it’ factor. He’s a leader. Needless to say, very excited to see what he does for us.”

They’ve surrounded Dampier with 21 more newcomers via the transfer portal and will protect him with two returning starters at tackle in Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, who are projected first-round NFL draft picks by ESPN’s Matt Miller.

“We feel they’re the best tandem in the country,” Whittingham said. “The offensive line in general, I feel, it’s the best since I’ve been there. And that’s quite a statement. We’ve had some really good offensive lines. We’ve got two first-rounders and three seniors inside that have played a lot of good football for us. That better be a strength of ours, and that’s what we’re counting on.”

Whittingham has previously said he did not want to coach past the age of 65. Now that he’s 65, he acknowledges that he might’ve arrived at a different decision about his future had the Utes ended up winning the Big 12 in 2024. He is reenergized about getting them back into contention, but he’s not ready to say whether this season might be his last.

“The best answer I can give you is, right now, I’m excited and passionate about going to work every single day,” Whittingham said. “As soon as that changes, I’ll know it’s time. I’m just counting on knowing when the time is right. I can’t tell you exactly what the circumstances will be other than losing the fire in the belly.”

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MLB to utilize ABS challenge system during ASG

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MLB to utilize ABS challenge system during ASG

The automated ball-strike system is coming to the All-Star Game next week in Atlanta.

MLB officials added the feature to the annual exhibition game knowing it could be a precursor to becoming a permanent part of the major leagues as soon as next year.

The same process used this past spring training will be used for the Midsummer Classic: Each team will be given two challenges with the ability to retain them if successful. Only a pitcher, catcher or hitter can ask for a challenge and it has to happen almost immediately after the pitch. The player will tap his hat or helmet indicating to the umpire he wants to challenge while any help from the dugout or other players on the field is not allowed.

MLB officials say 72% of fans who were polled during spring training said the impact of ABS on their experience at the game was a “positive” one. Sixty-nine percent said they’d like it part of the game moving forward. Just 10% expressed negativity toward it.

MLB’s competition committee will meet later this summer to determine if ABS will be instituted next season after the league tested the robotic system throughout the minor leagues and spring training in recent years. Like almost any rule change, there were mixed reviews from players about using ABS but nearly all parties agree on one point: They prefer a challenge system as opposed to the technology calling every pitch.

As was the case in spring training, once a review is initiated, an animated replay of the pitch will be shown on the scoreboard and the home plate umpire will either uphold the call or overturn it. ABS uses Hawk-Eye system technology which tracks the pitch trajectory and location in relation to the strike zone, providing an instant assessment which can be relayed to the home plate umpire.

The All-Star Game will be played at Truist Park in Atlanta on Tuesday.

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Royals sign former Cy Young winner Keuchel

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Royals sign former Cy Young winner Keuchel

The Kansas City Royals have signed former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel to a minor league contract, the team announced Wednesday.

The 37-year-old left-hander will start at Triple-A Omaha and will earn a prorated $2 million salary if he reaches the big leagues, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Keuchel has not pitched in the majors for nearly a full calendar year. He elected to become a free agent on July 18, 2024, after being designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers.

In four starts with the Brewers last season, Keuchel had a 5.40 ERA in 16 2/3 innings without a decision. In 13 major league seasons, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner with the Houston Astros is 103-92 with a 4.04 ERA in 282 appearances (267 starts).

After pitching his first seven seasons with the Astros, Keuchel has made appearances for six different teams since 2019. He won a World Series with Houston in 2017 and is a two-time All-Star selection and five-time Gold Glove winner.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.

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