Week 11 takeaways: Jimbo Fisher’s QB problem, Kalen DeBoer’s milestone, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Heisman case

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2 years ago

November 13, 2023

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Week 11 brought bigger news off the field than on it, as Texas A&M fired coach Jimbo Fisher on Sunday despite having to pay a $76 million buyout. And of course, the Michigan sign-stealing saga reached a head with the suspension of coach Jim Harbaugh before the Wolverines’ game with Penn State.

On the field, a pair of unbeaten teams — Georgia and Washington — posted impressive wins, while two more players tried to force their way into the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Our college football reporters look at the fallout from all the action in this week’s takeaways.

Jimbo Fisher, Florida State follow QBs in opposite directions

It’s not exactly breaking news to suggest a team is only as good as its quarterback, but Week 11 reinforced just how essential having a genuine star at the position actually is.

Where would LSU be this season without Jayden Daniels‘ heroics?

How many big throws has Michael Penix Jr. made in leading Washington into playoff contention?

Is there a more significant development this season than Jalen Milroe‘s transition from liability to foundation for Alabama?

But if you want to understand the true significance of elite QB play — and the often fickle nature of the position — look no further than Florida State and its former head coach.

The Seminoles are 10-0, carried back from the brink of the abyss by a quarterback no one believed in. Jordan Travis has done it all for FSU over the past three years, and his emergence has almost perfectly mirrored Florida State’s return to glory.

Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher was fired by Texas A&M on the heels of a 6-4 start after his last, best hope at the QB position, Conner Weigman, went down with a season-ending injury in Week 3.

In Week 11, Travis fueled Florida State’s 27-20 win over rival Miami for his third straight victory over the Hurricanes.

In Week 11, Fisher was forced to start Jaylen Henderson against Mississippi State. It was Fisher’s fifth different starting QB in the past three seasons.

There was a time, not all that long ago, when Fisher was considered the preeminent quarterback whisperer in college football. He turned JaMarcus Russell, Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel and Jameis Winston into first-round NFL draft picks. Then, suddenly, the magic was gone. Fisher saw one QB recruit after another run into off-field issues, transfer, flame out or never emerge. He left FSU with a black hole at the position — one worsened by Willie Taggart’s inability to even sign a high school quarterback for two years — and headed to Texas A&M expecting to find greener pastures.

Instead, Fisher’s best years at A&M came with the QB he inherited, Kellen Mond, and none of his recruits — Zach Calzada, Haynes King, James Foster, Eli Stowers — amounted to much of anything.

Fisher’s fate was effectively sealed because he could never find a quarterback.

Meanwhile, Florida State’s salvation came from a castoff from Louisville, a guy Taggart didn’t think could play the position. Travis nearly quit football altogether in 2021, only to be salvaged by Mike Norvell, Kenny Dillingham and McKenzie Milton, who all saw something he didn’t even see in himself.

Fisher’s run of bad luck, bad evaluation and bad development ended with his termination.

Florida State’s good luck, bold vision and long-term investment might end with a playoff berth.

It’s amazing what the right QB can do to change the fates of powerful coaches and blue-blood programs. — David Hale

Georgia is never the hunted, always the hunter

Kirby Smart has done an incredible job of building Georgia’s program through recruiting, development of players and creating the kind of competition on the practice field that leads to quality depth few teams can match.

But after two straight national championships — really, after one, for that matter — most teams and players get complacent. It’s human nature to enjoy success by basking in it rather than using it to drive you harder.

But the more the Bulldogs win, the hungrier they become.

With their winning streak at 27 straight games, they can tie the SEC record on Saturday with a triumph at Tennessee. When Alabama won 28 in a row under the legendary Bear Bryant from 1978 to 1980, and certainly as the years have gone by, a lot of people thought that record that might never be broken. After all, it has stood for more than 40 years. Alabama also won 28 in a row on the field from 1991 to 1993, but it later had to forfeit eight wins and a tie in 1993 because of NCAA sanctions.

Making the Bulldogs’ run even more impressive is that they’ve lost a ton of talent to the NFL over the past two years yet just keep steamrollering along. They’ve had a staggering 24 players selected in the draft during the past two years, but the loss of such elite personnel hasn’t translated on the field.

Seeing tight end Brock Bowers return in a 52-17 rout of Ole Miss was especially revealing. Smart said a lot of people had advised Bowers to sit out the rest of the season, get even healthier and enter the NFL draft. Bowers is one of the top pro prospects in college football, and he returned to action just 26 days after having surgery on his ankle.

Smart said Bowers was even more hell-bent on returning the more people told him he should sit out the rest of the campaign, to “prove them wrong.”

It’s the same with this Georgia team. It’s never enough, and real or perceived, the Dawgs are always trying to prove people wrong. — Chris Low

Washington coach Kalen DeBoer hits 100-win milestone

Kalen DeBoer has only entered the national consciousness in, really, the past year and a half. In his brief time in Seattle, the Huskies have gone 21-2, and they currently own the nation’s second-longest winning streak at 17 games. This comes on the heels of an impressive two-year stint as the coach at Fresno State (12-6), the first season of which was soured by the pandemic.

Not a bad start to a coaching career, right?

Well, actually, DeBoer has been winning games — a lot of games — as a head coach dating back to when Reggie Bush and Vince Young were still in school. His five-year run as the coach at NAIA Sioux Falls from 2005 to 2009 was one of the most dominant stretches in the sport’s history. The Cougars went 67-3 in the span with four national titles.

Saturday’s win against Utah, the two-time defending Pac-12 champion, was DeBoer’s 100th as a head coach. The 10 years he spent climbing the coaching ladder seem absurdly long in hindsight, but there is no question now that he is one of the best coaches in the sport and, at 49, is positioned to become one of the faces of college coaching.

“He’s just a guy that everybody attracts to and everybody trusts because of the person he is,” Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr. said. “He’s the same guy every day, and he leads us very well. He continues to make sure that he puts the person over the player. He always makes sure that as a person, we’re good — we’re good in our daily lives and everybody has lives outside of football.”

That kind of perspective can feel rare in college football. When asked how winning game No. 100 compares with No. 1, DeBoer said he appreciates it more and more.

“I think realizing that the moment that these guys are in right now is what’s special to me, and that getting these wins and the experiences that they’re going to have, the memories that they’re going to have that last forever — the stories they’re going to be able to tell,” DeBoer said. “Hopefully, we’re far from being where this all ends, but I think I have appreciation for that and try to give them a dose of that every once in a while. But we’re trying to keep the pedal down to where we can realize the real goals that we have for this season.”

It doesn’t get easier. Washington will travel to No. 10 Oregon State on Saturday before ending the season with the Apple Cup against Washington State in Seattle. Then a likely rematch with Oregon awaits in the Pac-12 title game, where a College Football Playoff spot could be on the line. — Kyle Bonagura

Michigan remains undeterred by drama, distractions

The opinions about Michigan and the severity of the alleged sign-stealing operation led by former staff member Connor Stalions are both strong and wide-ranging. Did the Big Ten overstep its authority and set a problematic precedent? Did commissioner Tony Petitti go far enough with his discipline for coach Jim Harbaugh? How much should the sign stealing take away from Michigan’s remarkable turnaround since the end of the 2020 season? These questions and others have sparked vastly different and entrenched positions.

But some things aren’t really up for debate, including the ability of Michigan’s players to set aside the drama and distractions that have overwhelmed the program, even long before anyone outside of Schembechler Hall knew the name Connor Stalions. I wrote about this in August, after visiting on campus with Michigan players as well as university president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel. We discussed Harbaugh’s NFL flirtations, co-offensive coordinator Matt Weiss’ mysterious firing, the brief return and departure of Shemy Schembechler and other things that could have sidetracked Michigan but didn’t.

None of those incidents had more potential to impact Michigan on the field than what began Friday afternoon, when the Big Ten suspended Harbaugh while the team was en route to play at Penn State. When the Wolverines arrived at Beaver Stadium without Harbaugh, they didn’t know whether he would be allowed to be on the sideline. Sources with the team described the players as “locked in” and “pissed,” but how would they perform? The Wolverines responded with a clinical takedown of Penn State, leaning on their defense and run game without completing a pass for the final 36-plus minutes (and only attempting one, a play nullified by a PSU penalty).

They didn’t dominate the line of scrimmage the way they did last year against Penn State, but after back-to-back Wolverines touchdown drives in the season quarter, it never felt like the Nittany Lions would come back and win. Michigan did not commit a turnover and was penalized just twice through the first three quarters. The game’s notable coaching errors came from the Penn State sideline, not the one acting head coach Sherrone Moore patrolled.

“We’ve been going through a lot lately,” Michigan running back Blake Corum said, “but it’s only brought us closer together. I love my brothers. It was a good job today.”

Michigan should learn Friday whether Harbaugh will miss its final two regular-season games (versus Maryland and Ohio State) or return to the sideline on Saturday. But whatever happens off the field, the Wolverines likely won’t be fazed by it. Could they lose a game? Sure. But don’t expect it to be because they aren’t focused. — Adam Rittenberg

Marvin Harrison Jr. strikes again with his 2nd TD

Marvin Harrison Jr. scores another touchdown for Ohio State, giving the Buckeyes a 14-0 lead over Michigan State.

There’s little doubt Marvin Harrison Jr. will be in New York on Dec. 9, the night the 2023 Heisman Trophy will be handed out. But the Ohio State wide receiver is making a compelling case that he should be the first Buckeye to win the award since Troy Smith in 2006 and break the program’s tie with Notre Dame for the most Heisman winners (seven).

For the second straight year, Harrison went off against Michigan State. A season after catching seven passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns at Spartan Stadium, Harrison was even better Saturday night at Ohio Stadium, registering seven catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns plus a 19-yard scoring run for good measure as the Buckeyes rolled 38-3. In the process, Harrison tied David Boston’s program record for the most 100-yard receiving games at 13.

Harrison enters the final two weeks of the regular season, when Ohio State plays Minnesota and at Michigan, with 59 receptions for 1,063 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is the first wideout in program history to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons after catching 77 passes for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Harrison is getting revved up at precisely the right time and will give Michael Penix Jr., Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix and any other contender a good run at the trophy as he looks to become the second wide receiver in four years — following Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in 2020 — to lay claim to the world’s most famous bronze stiff-arm. — Blake Baumgartner

Give the former walk-on some love

The Heisman Trophy favorites — Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Penix, Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels — are certainly worthy of attention, but how about some love for Missouri running back Cody Schrader?

The former walk-on from Division II Truman State leads the SEC and ranks ninth in the FBS with 112.4 rushing yards per game. He has accumulated 1,124 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

In Saturday’s 36-7 rout of No. 13 Tennessee, Schrader ran for 205 yards with one touchdown and caught five passes for 116 yards. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, he is the first SEC player in the past 25 years with at least 150 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in the same game. He also is the first Missouri player to total more than 100 yards in both rushing and receiving in the same contest.

“Absolutely,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said when asked by reporters if Schrader should be among the contenders for the Heisman. “If you’re talking about the best player in college football who’s done more for his football team than anybody else. He’s the leading rusher in the SEC. When’s the last time the leading rusher in the SEC on a top-10 team wasn’t considered for the Heisman?

“The guy shows up in the biggest games on the biggest stages.”

Schrader, a 5-foot-9 senior from St. Louis, is already a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the best player in the FBS who started his career as a walk-on. At Truman State, a public university in Kirksville, Missouri, with an enrollment of about 4,000 students, Schrader led Division II with 2,074 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns in 2021. He ran for 745 yards with nine scores at Missouri last season.

Tennessee’s defense wasn’t the only one Schrader has victimized this season. He had 112 yards with a touchdown in a 30-21 loss at Georgia on Nov. 4 and 159 yards with two scores in a 34-12 victory over South Carolina on Oct. 21.

But none of his previous performances was more impressive than the one against Tennessee.

“What an incredible day that little Superman had for us,” Drinkwitz said. “I had to. I can’t call him the Smurf anymore. He’s risen to a new level.” — Mark Schlabach

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Fantasy hockey stock watch: Who’s up, who’s down and why?

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5 mins ago

October 29, 2025

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Fantasy hockey stock watch: Who's up, who's down and why?

Sean AllenOct 28, 2025, 04:00 PM ET
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There are a lot of ingredients that go into the meat grinder when we are crafting up fantasy rankings.

Without getting into how the sausage is made too much, there’s a blend of weighted fantasy points per game averages, which are then modified by a model generated by historical comparables for each individual skater. For goaltenders, it’s even more complex with current and past team dynamics, combined with a manual crease share estimation also thrown into the mix.

But they’re never quite perfect. Some sausages don’t have the right spice blend, the proper fat ratio, or the right bind.

It’s even trickier when the meat is out of season; the offseason grind often produces sausages that are a little … undercooked.

The ESPN fantasy hockey rankings got an in-season update for the first time on Friday. The previous rankings were for preseason drafts.

Since then, some of the sausages have turned out surprisingly well, while others are still a bit raw. Certain players who were ranked far too low have been flipped, now seasoned and ready for the table, while others who were overhyped have fallen apart.

Jump ahead: Goalies | Power Play

Undercooked

Linus Ullmark, G, Ottawa Senators (previously ranked 266; 54 last week): This applies to Ullmark and several other goaltenders. They are the toughest to project. Even now, Ullmark only has 0.6 fantasy points on the season. But what we are looking for above all else are positive team outcomes and workload. Ullmark has both of those going for him, so his season-long projection has come a long way since last spring.

Chris Kreider, LW, Anaheim Ducks (previously ranked 287; 114 last week): Five games into the season, in-season outcomes have already changed his fortunes. The energy the Ducks have shown — with Kreider in the heart of the attack, when he’s not ill — has been significant enough to suggest Kreider’s goal-scoring ways are making a return.

Shane Pinto, C, Ottawa Senators (previously ranked 248; 102 last week): Good things can happen when you shoot. Pinto fired 1.8 shots per game last season. He’s averaging 4.0 per game this season. No wonder he’s already taken down more than a third of his career-high goal total in just 10 games.

Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings (previously ranked 154; 18 last week): It certainly looks like Larkin finally has the talent around him to be the dominant fantasy force that’s been just under the surface for years. Only 10 other skaters have started with better per-game fantasy totals.

Jaden Schwartz, LW, Seattle Kraken (previously ranked 200; 126 last week): To be fair, it still feels tricky to pick which members of the Kraken will truly be the ones rising to the top by season’s end. But Schwartz certainly has the early reins as offensive leader, with four goals and eight points across nine games.

Jaden Schwartz taps in the opener for the Kraken

Overcooked

Andrei Svechnikov, LW, Carolina Hurricanes (previously ranked 139; 438 last week): Just 0.3 fantasy points per game? Svechnikov can recover from this atrocious start, but he has some hills to climb to do so. And it will be too late for fantasy managers.

Steven Stamkos, C, Nashville Predators (previously ranked 101; 341 last week): It seems last season wasn’t an aberration, but simply the new normal. Stamkos is not a fantasy force on the Predators.

Matt Duchene, C, Dallas Stars (previously ranked 105; 303 last week): Having Duchene as depth is going to payoff for the Stars, but fantasy managers can’t afford to wait for his number to be called up the depth chart.

Drew Doughty, D, Los Angeles Kings (previously ranked 99; 235 last week): Without the power play, Doughty’s stat line is getting a bit thin for fantasy. As long as the Kings keep their five-forward advantage, Doughty is out of the mix.

Goalie notes

Here’s this week’s selection of goaltending snapshots, showing crease shares, fantasy production, and key notes where relevant.

Buffalo Sabres in nine games (four last week):

Alex Lyon (crease share season/week: 77.3%/49.3%, fantasy points season/week: 21.8/3.6, 81.8% available)
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (crease share season/week: 11.5%/25.7%, fantasy points season/week: -3.4/-3.4, 88.7% available)
Colten Ellis (crease share season/week: 11.2%/25.0%, fantasy points season/week: 5.4/5.4, 99.9% available)

Luukkonen might not have started on the weekend if Ellis hadn’t been hurt, so this crease is getting quite intriguing. And with Lyon ranked eighth among goaltenders for fantasy points, it’s worth paying attention to how the rotation shapes out now.

Columbus Blue Jackets in eight games (three last week):

Elvis Merzlikins (crease share season/week: 50.7%/67.6%, fantasy points season/week: 13.6/7.6, 73.1% available)
Jet Greaves (crease share season/week: 49.3%/32.4%, fantasy points season/week: 2.4/-5.0, 93.1% available)

Chicago Blackhawks in nine games (two last week):

Spencer Knight (crease share season/week: 67.1%/50.8%, fantasy points season/week: 24.6/5.8, 50.5% available)
Arvid Soderblom (crease share season/week: 32.9%/49.2%, fantasy points season/week: 1.2/-0.2, 99.6% available)

Success in a losing cause isn’t an easy task, but volume looks like it will keep Knight as a fantasy play going forward. Only four other goaltenders have more fantasy points so far, despite Knight sitting on just three wins.

Colorado Avalanche in 10 games (five last week):

Scott Wedgewood (crease share season/week: 81.4%/53.8%, fantasy points season/week: 19.8/-10.6, 29.5% available)
Trent Miner (crease share season/week: 18.6%/46.2%, fantasy points season/week: 2.0/2.0, 99.4% available)

Three consecutive outings with negative fantasy points shows the risks inherent with backups like Wedgewood. When things are good, it’s great, but when they are not, they really are not. Mackenzie Blackwood is due back soon. He should be rostered in every league, but is available in about a quarter of them.

Edmonton Oilers in 10 games (four last week):

Stuart Skinner (crease share season/week: 60.2%/49.8%, fantasy points season/week: 10.0/1.8, 32.3% available)
Calvin Pickard (crease share season/week: 39.8%/50.2%, fantasy points season/week: -3.6/-4.0, 97.3% available)

Montreal Canadiens in 10 games (four last week):

Jakub Dobes (crease share season/week: 50.5%/75.2%, fantasy points season/week: 30.2/18.8, 51.4% available)
Sam Montembeault (crease share season/week: 49.5%/24.8%, fantasy points season/week: -9.8/-7.4, 37.0% available)

Sure, it’s been about 50-50 so far, but Dobes continues his hostile takeover and is a must-roster in all leagues.

Jakub Dobes robs Flames with save

New Jersey Devils in nine games (four last week):

Jake Allen (crease share season/week: 63.2%/75.2%, fantasy points season/week: 24.2/12.0, 66.1% available)
Jacob Markstrom (crease share season/week: 25.7%/DNP, fantasy points season/week: -0.2/DNP, 45.7% available)
Nico Daws (crease share season/week: 11.1%/24.8%, fantasy points season/week: 7.8/7.8, 99.3% available)

Philadelphia Flyers in eight games (three last week):

Dan Vladar (crease share season/week: 61.3%/64.3%, fantasy points season/week: 18.6/6.4, 87.4% available)
Samuel Ersson (crease share season/week: 38.7%/35.7%, fantasy points season/week: -3.4/2.6, 97.7% available)

Toronto Maple Leafs in nine games (three last week):

Anthony Stolarz (crease share season/week: 77.4%/65.3%, fantasy points season/week: -1.6/-7.0, 17.2% available)
Cayden Primeau (crease share season/week: 22.6%/34.7%, fantasy points season/week: 3.8/2.6, 99.3% available)

Back at practice, Joseph Woll should be in game action sooner than later, relieving the pressure on Stolarz and hopefully getting both of them back to roster-worthy, as they managed to stay all last season.

Vancouver Canucks in 10 games (four last week):

Thatcher Demko (crease share season/week: 59.7%/50.5%, fantasy points season/week: 21.2/5.8, 16.4% available)
Kevin Lankinen (crease share season/week: 40.3%/49.5%, fantasy points season/week: -5.6/-9.8, 96.3% available)

Right now, it’s roughly a 60-40 split. The Lankinen contract gave us pause about a potential tandem during the offseason, but Demko is establishing clear separation. Good news for managers invested in Demko: volume is all he needs to climb from middling to near the top of fantasy goaltenders.

Power-play notes

Pavel Zacha, C, Boston Bruins (available in 74.5%)

Jason Zucker, LW, Buffalo Sabres (available in 88.0%)

If you need a specific boost in power-play points in a medium or deep fantasy league, surnames starting with Z might be the way to go. Zacha and Zucker don’t offer a lot at 5-on-5, but are both key cogs of their respective power-play units.

Zayne Parekh, D, Calgary Flames (available in 94.6%): Tuesday’s tilt is a big one for Parekh. The Flames have been rolling him into the quarterback role across the past few games and it’s a homecoming for him. But most importantly, it’s his ninth game, which is the last one the Flames get before he loses eligibility to go back to the OHL.

Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Colorado Avalanche (available in 56.1%): Elevated to the top unit over Brock Nelson, the results are starting to come in after a slow start for Nichushkin. If the second line ever gets going at even strength, he’ll become a must-have, but he fits fantasy rosters as a power-play specialist already.

David Tomasek, RW, Edmonton Oilers (available in 99.7%): It’s been nine games and the Oilers aren’t moving off Tomasek as the fifth forward on what could be one of the best power plays in the league. At some point, Connor McDavid will start scoring more, and some of that action will come on the power play. It’s worth considering Tomasek as a bench stash.

Ivan Demidov, RW, Montreal Canadiens (available in 49.7%): The Habs have switched to Demidov over Zach Bolduc on the top unit, which elevates Demidov’s potential significantly. We just need him to start shooting more.

Ivan Demidov scores goal for Canadiens

Ivan Demidov nets goal for Canadiens

Brady Skjei, D, Nashville Predators (available in 44.4%): Someone has to fill in for an injured Roman Josi. That doesn’t mean you want Skjei on your fantasy team, but it’s at least worth noting. The unit did pick up a goal with Skjei at the helm already.

Trevor Zegras, C, Philadelphia Flyers (available in 45.8%): Zegras has been on the ice for all four of the Flyers power-play goals so far this season. He’s currently on what might be the second unit on paper, but is the first unit in practice, with three goals across the past three games.

Anthony Mantha, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins (available in 90.3%): The early answer to who replaces Rickard Rakell on the Pens top unit, Mantha has some potential with this added assignment. His 5-on-5 line with Evgeni Malkin and Justin Brazeau is on fire. Admittedly, they’ll cool off at some point, but they are hot now. Add in some looks with Sidney Crosby on the advantage, and we could have some fantasy value for the medium-term.

Shea Theodore, D, Vegas Golden Knights (available in 28.8%): So, either the Knights are in a serious funk on the advantage, or Mark Stone is absolutely critical to the attack. The top unit with Stone as part of a five-forward group had eight goals across 22:04 with 4.71 shot attempts per two minutes. With Theodore on the point and Stone injured, the group has no goals and 0.66 shot attempts per two minutes across 6:06.

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Mammoth sign center Cooley to $80M extension

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3 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Mammoth sign center Cooley to M extension

Greg WyshynskiOct 29, 2025, 10:30 AM ET
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The Utah Mammoth have signed center Logan Cooley to an eight-year, $80 million contract extension, locking in one of their brightest young stars for the long term.

Cooley, 21, leads the Mammoth in goals (8) and is tied for second in points (12) in 11 games, helping to power the second-year team to first place in the Central Division (8-3-0). He is on a four-game point streak with six goals and three assists, including a goal in Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers that snapped the Mammoth’s seven-game winning streak.

He became the first player in NHL history to score each of his first eight goals of the season in the first period.

“Choosing to play with this group of teammates was the easiest part of this decision, and living in Utah has been amazing since day one,” Cooley said in a statement. “The atmosphere at the Delta Center in front of our fans is unreal and Ryan and Ashley Smith have given our team every resource to succeed, which is all you can ask for as a player. We have an opportunity to do something special here thanks to the incredible people in the organization. This is an awesome day for me and my family, and I am proud to commit to the state of Utah and to the Mammoth.”

Cooley is playing out the final year of his entry-level deal before the extension kicks in starting with the 2026-27 season, when he would have been a restricted free agent. His $10 million average annual value would be the highest among current Mammoth players next season.

He had 25 goals and 40 assists last season for the Utah Hockey Club. Overall, Cooley has 53 goals and 68 assists in 168 NHL games with Utah and Arizona, which drafted him third overall in 2022.

“Logan is elite in every sense of the word,” Mammoth governor Ryan Smith said in a statement. “He’s one of the most exciting young players in the league, and the fact that he’s chosen to plant roots here in Utah says everything about what we’re building. He is part of an incredible core of young players that will have a major impact on the future of this franchise. Logan choosing to put his roots down here and commit for the long-term is another important milestone in building a championship-caliber team.”

Cooley is the second major signing for general manager Bill Armstrong within Utah’s young core. Forward Dylan Guenther, 22, inked an eight-year deal with an average annual value of over $7.1 million in September 2024, locking him in through 2032-33. Forward JJ Peterka, 23, was signed through 2030 ($7.7 million AAV) after Armstrong acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason.

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‘When those things click, it’s on like Donkey Kong’: Witnessing Vlad Jr.’s epic October run

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3 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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'When those things click, it's on like Donkey Kong': Witnessing Vlad Jr.'s epic October run

Jesse RogersOct 29, 2025, 07:45 AM ET
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LOS ANGELES — It was a swing that could turn the World Series.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got a hanging sweeper from all-world pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani in the third inning of Game 4 of the World Series — and blasted it into the night sky just moments after the Los Angeles Dodgers had taken a 1-0 lead.

It was a critical swing for the Blue Jays mere hours after they lost a heartbreaking, 18-inning affair, putting Toronto behind in the series for the first time — and Guerrero’s homer gave the Jays a Game 4 lead they would never relinquish.

It was the latest in an October full of big moments produced by the face of his franchise, and the fact that it came against the Dodgers’ two-way phenom adds to an evolving storyline: Ohtani isn’t the only superstar in this World Series.

“That swing was huge,” manager John Schneider said after the win that tied the series at two games apiece. “A sweeper is a pitch designed to generate popups…and the swing that Vlad put on it was elite. After last night [Game 3] and kind of all the recognition that went into Shohei individually and he’s on the mound today, it’s a huge swing from Vlad. It’s a huge swing to get us going. I think that gives [us] some momentum.”

Guerrero has been giving the Blue Jays momentum all month, hitting .419 with seven home runs this postseason. But don’t just label him a free-swinging slugger. Though that description might fit his famous dad, the younger Guerrero is much, much more — and his teammates have taken notice throughout the postseason ride.

‘Grabbing some popcorn and watching him do his thing’

Max Scherzer is a future Hall of Famer pitching in the World Series for a fourth different franchise, and even the 41-year-old right-hander is impressed by what he has seen from Guerrero on a nightly basis.

“He’s just locked and loaded,” Scherzer said. “He’s such a force. To me, his greatness is beyond his offense. It’s his defense and baserunning too. He’s an all-around great player.”

But nothing else Guerrero has done this season compares to the show he has put on with the bat in his hands. Even his hitting coach, David Popkins, often finds himself watching his star like a fan would.

“It’s pretty much enjoying the show, grabbing some popcorn and watching him do his thing,” Popkins said with a laugh. “He’s ahead of every adjustment before we can get to him. I learn from him every day.

“And when those things click, it’s on like Donkey Kong.”

It’s a common theme from those playing with him this October.

Closer Jeff Hoffman said he is “on the edge of his seat” every night, waiting for Guerrero to do something special. Sometimes it comes with a big home run to left field and other times it’s just shooting the ball the other way for a single, as he also did in Game 4. Guerrero is the embodiment of spraying to all fields.

“It’s a quality at-bat every time,” third baseman Ernie Clement said. “It doesn’t have to be a homer. He is battling up there and seeing pitches and just making it really, really hard on the opposing pitchers.

“This postseason as a whole is just the most amazing baseball I’ve ever seen from him. And that’s saying something because he hit like .400 in the second half last year. This is the best version of him.”

‘Helping my team win some games’

On the heels of signing a massive $500 million contract that will keep him with the Blue Jays through the 2039 season, many of Guerrero’s teammates point to the extra pressure on their superstar’s shoulders to deliver this month — but he just keeps on living up to the expectations.

He hit .529 in the division series, .385 in the ALCS and is hitting .368 in the World Series so far. Guerrero was asked what has impressed him most about his own play after his Game 4 home run against Ohtani.

“That I am helping my team win some games,” he responded through the team interpreter. “That’s what I’m impressed with right now.”

The effects of his play were echoed throughout the locker room after the latest in a month of heroics.

“He never settles,” Popkins said. “He’s really grounded in who he is as a hitter and what his foundational beliefs are based off how he was raised. He’s special in that manner.”

‘I’d probably pitch around him’

Another regular spectator for “The Guerrero Show,” Jays reliever Eric Lauer, was asked how he would pitch to Guerrero. He paused before answering, shaking his head as he thought about it.

“I’d probably pitch around him,” Lauer said with a laugh. “His bat path is so smooth and long, I feel like he can get to anything.

“Whenever he comes up, we’re just like ‘Hang a slider or a curveball. Hang something. Or throw a fastball down the middle and see how far that goes.'”

“The cool thing about Valddy is he’s not a home-run-or-bust kind of hitter,” Hoffman added.

Even Guerrero could take a moment to appreciate his home run off the best player in the game. It came one night after Ohtani stole all the headlines, reaching base a record nine times in Game 3. The Dodgers star was denied a second straight night of glory, thanks to the second-best player on the field. On Tuesday, it was Guerrero who stole the show, giving his underdog Jays a chance to upset the defending champions.

“It was very important for me to hit that home run, and from that point on, we got going,” Guerrero said. “And I know basically myself and him [Ohtani], we are the talk of the series, but when we are between those two lines, we’re competing.

“It felt good that I could hit that homer against him.”