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Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is set to hire South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack as the Crimson Tide’s new defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN on Monday.

DeBoer and Wommack worked together on Indiana’s staff in 2019, DeBoer as the Hoosiers’ offensive coordinator and Wommack as defensive coordinator. Wommack, 36, just finished his third season as South Alabama’s head coach and led the Jaguars to bowl games each of the past two seasons. South Alabama won 10 games in 2022, the most in school history as an FBS program.

In his final season as Indiana’s defensive coordinator in 2020, Wommack was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which goes to the top assistant coach in the country.

The Hoosiers led the Big Ten that season with 20 forced turnovers. When promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator in 2019, Wommack at the time was the youngest Power 5 defensive coordinator.

Wommack’s father, Dave, was a 35-year coaching veteran and the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss from 2012 to ’16. Kane Wommack worked under his father at Ole Miss as a graduate assistant and defensive backs coach and also worked with recently hired Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen on the Ole Miss staff and later became Allen’s defensive coordinator at Indiana when Allen was the Hoosiers’ head coach.

South Alabama ranked 15th nationally in total defense in 2023 (allowing 313.2 yards per game) and tied for 27th in scoring defense (allowing 21 points per game). The Jaguars were 26th in scoring defense in 2022 (allowing 21.3 points per game).

DeBoer, hired last Friday to replace Nick Saban as Alabama’s coach, has spent the past few days assembling his staff. He interviewed Travaris Robinson for the defensive coordinator job Sunday, but Robinson decided to remain at Georgia after taking a co-defensive coordinator job with the Bulldogs three days after Saban retired. Robinson was the defensive backs coach the past two seasons at Alabama under Saban and took on an increased role in 2023.

DeBoer is expected to bring offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb with him from Washington as well as several other coaches and assistants who were on the Huskies’ staff in 2023. Running backs coach Robert Gillespie and defensive line coach Freddie Roach are expected to be retained from Saban’s staff at Alabama.

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Canes’ Andersen, 35, secures deal before Round 2

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Canes' Andersen, 35, secures deal before Round 2

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract for next season, worth $2.75 million for the 35-year-old veteran.

General manager Eric Tulsky announced the deal Saturday, a little over 48 hours before his team starts the second round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals.

Andersen could earn up to $750,000 in incentives for games played and his participation in a potential run to the Eastern Conference finals next season. He would get $250,000 for playing 35 or more games, another $250,000 for getting to 40 and $250,000 if the Hurricanes reach the East finals and he plays in at least half of the playoff games.

“Frederik has played extremely well for us and ranks in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an NHL goalie,” Tulsky said. “We’re excited that he will be staying with the team for next season.”

Andersen and the Hurricanes, the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division, advanced past the New Jersey Devils in Round 1 last week. They will meet the Capitals, who won the division crown, for the right to make the NHL’s final four.

Extending Andersen could give the team a goaltending tandem with Pyotr Kochetkov for less than $6 million combined.

Anderson, a Denmark native who previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs, has become coach Rod Brind’Amour’s most trusted option in net. He is expected to return to the starting role for Game 1 of the Capitals series after getting injured in the first round against New Jersey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sovereignty outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop on Saturday.

Trainer Bill Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified after a 22-minute delay.

This time, he knew right away.

Sovereignty won by 1½ lengths and snapped an 0-for-13 Derby skid for owner Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

Sovereignty covered 1¼ miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds.

Journalism found trouble in the first turn and jockey Umberto Rispoli moved him to the outside. He and Sovereignty hooked up at the eighth pole before Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado pulled away.

Baeza was third, Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.

Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and horse racing fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

FORT WORTH, Texas — Connor Zilisch, the 18-year-old driver already with two NASCAR Xfinity Series race wins, will miss Saturday’s race at Texas because of lower back injuries sustained in a last-lap wreck at Talladega.

Trackhouse Racing said Wednesday that its development driver will return as soon as possible to the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The team didn’t provide any additional details about Zilisch’s injuries.

Cup Series regular Kyle Larson will drive the No. 88 in Texas. After that, the Xfinity Series has a two-week break before racing again May 24 at Charlotte.

Zilisch, sixth in points through the first 11 races, was driving for the win at Talladega Superspeedway when contact on the backstretch sent his car spinning, and head-on into inside wall.

Zilisch won in his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen last Sept. 14. He added another win this year at Austin, the same weekend that he made his Cup Series debut. He has six top-10 finishes in his 15 Xfinity races.

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