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Ohio State is set to hire longtime NFL head coach Bill O’Brien as the school’s new offensive coordinator, sources told ESPN.

The move comes with a potential shift within the OSU program, as coach Ryan Day has spent part of this off-season exploring bringing in an experienced coordinator that would allow him to give up play calling duties, according to sources.

O’Brien served last season as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator in 2023 and has extensive experience as an offensive coordinator, play caller and developer of quarterbacks at the college and NFL level.

In O’Brien, Ohio State is getting an offensive coach who worked with Bryce Young (Alabama) and both Tom Brady and Deshaun Watson during some of their best seasons. Young won the Heisman Trophy Trophy in 2021 under O’Brien, and Alabama finished in the Top 10 in scoring offense in both of O’Brien’s seasons as coordinator, averaging 39.9 and 41.1 points per game.Ohio State’s offense dipped this season to 30.5 points per game, down from 44.2 the prior year.

In O’Brien’s seven years as a head NFL coach from 2014 to 2020, he reached the playoffs four times and lead the Texans to a winning record five times. He was fired after an 0-4 start in 2020 and finished his tenure there 52-48.

O’Brien brings experience in the Big Ten as a head coach. He took over for Joe Paterno at Penn State in 2012 and went 15-9 in two seasons there. His time there is most noted for being a strong recruiter and steadying presence as Penn State navigated through the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky sexual assault scandal.

Brady won the NFL MVP with O’Brien as quarterbacks coach in 2010. (New England didn’t list an offensive play caller that year, and O’Brien was officially the offensive coordinator the following year.)

In the wake of three consecutive losses to Michigan and a two-game losing streak to end the 2023 season, Day has embarked on significant changes to the program. Already, Ohio State decided to not bring back a pair of assistant coaches – safeties coach Perry Eliano and special teams coach Parker Fleming.

Since Ohio State’s season ended, the program has received a flurry of draft-eligible players returning for an additional season and some high-profile additions through the transfer portal, signals that the school’s collective appears poised to invest significantly.

On offense, those players include star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka coming back for a fourth season, tailback TreVeyon Henderson returning to school for a fourth year and guard Donovan Jackson returning for a fourth season. Heading into the season, all were regarded as players who’d seriously consider the NFL.

In the NCAA transfer portal, former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard joined the Buckeyes for his final year of eligibility and two-time All-SEC tailback Quinshon Judkins transferred in from Ole Miss.

Ohio State also added Alabama center Seth McLaughlin in the portal.

O’Brien is a Brown graduate who started his career there in 1993. He’s worked in college at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke before joining the Patriots staff in 2007 as an offensive assistant.

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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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