Sports

Coach rankings reaction: Ryan Day at No. 10? Dabo at 4? Brian Kelly? Lincoln Riley?

Published

7 months ago

April 5, 2024

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Apr 5, 2024, 07:00 AM ET

Who are the top 10 coaches in college football?

A straightforward question, but one that generated a wide range of opinions.

In asking our reporters for their top 10, we left the parameters open, allowing them to weigh the factors they thought were important — from past accomplishments to potential future success — however they saw fit.

No matter how you slice it, Kirby Smart of Georgia is the current standard-bearer. No surprise there. But after that, things got interesting.

With points assigned based on our reporters’ votes (10 points for first place, nine for second place and down to one point for 10th place), here are the complete rankings.

1. Kirby Smart, Georgia (100 points)
2. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama (62)
3. Kyle Whittingham, Utah (56)
4. Dabo Swinney, Clemson (50)
5. Mike Norvell, Florida State (49)
6. Dan Lanning, Oregon (37)
7. Steve Sarkisian, Texas (35)
8. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss (29)
9. Lance Leipold, Kansas (28)
10. Ryan Day, Ohio State (27)

Also receiving votes: Brian Kelly, LSU (23); Lincoln Riley, USC (20); Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (7); Luke Fickell, Wisconsin (7); Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri (6); Mack Brown, North Carolina (3); Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State (3); Jonathan Smith, Michigan State (3); Deion Sanders, Colorado (2); Curt Cignetti, Indiana (1); Chris Kleiman, Kansas State (1); Jon Sumrall, Tulane (1)

Is DeBoer, with just two years at a power conference school, worthy of being No. 2? Is Swinney, who has a stellar track record at Clemson but has slipped the past few years, still among the top four coaches in the country? Ohio State’s Day, with a 56-8 career record, is No. 10? LSU’s Kelly and USC’s Riley don’t even crack the top 10?

We needed answers, so we asked some of our voters about which result surprised them the most, and to defend some of their selections that differed from those of their colleagues.

What ranking surprised you the most?

Chris Low: Ryan Day might not be an obvious top-five selection, but he’s at least somewhere in the vicinity. To see him barely slide into these rankings at No. 10 was extremely surprising. Yes, he has lost to rival Michigan three straight years, but he’s not the first elite coach to have a rough stretch against a rival. Remember, Smart was 1-5 against Nick Saban.

Day held things together for Ohio State in 2018 as acting head coach when Urban Meyer was suspended. Since being promoted to replace Meyer in 2019, Day has won two Big Ten championships and posted 11-plus victories every year except the 2020 COVID season. His Buckeyes lost a heartbreaker to eventual national champion Georgia in the 2022 playoff. There are multiple coaches ranked ahead of Day who haven’t accomplished nearly what he has or matched his consistency in five seasons as Ohio State’s coach.

Adam Rittenberg: People might not like Brian Kelly personally, but the facts overwhelmingly show that he’s a top 10 coach. He twice took Notre Dame to the four-team College Football Playoff, went 34-6 at Cincinnati with an undefeated season, won the SEC West in his first year at LSU, has 13 finishes in the AP top 20 and owns two Division II national titles. I like some of the young coaches in this top 10, but they haven’t accomplished a fraction of what BK has in his career.

David Hale: Dan Lanning seems like a fine coach. He commanded an elite defense en route to a national title as Georgia’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and has been an exceptional 22-5 in two seasons as Oregon’s head man. What’s to argue with? Well, two years and no conference titles is a bit of a thin résumé for the No. 6 coach in the country, isn’t it? His team was torched by Georgia in 2022, lost a rivalry game to Oregon State that same year, and has been unable to topple Washington in conference. The Ducks’ most impressive win outside the Pac-12 was a 1-point win over a shorthanded North Carolina in the 2022 bowl game.

Indeed, here’s the list of Lanning’s wins over teams that ended the year ranked in the AP top 25: 2022 Utah (by 3), 2022 UCLA and 2023 Liberty. Again, no knock on Lanning, who would been an upgrade at nearly every program in the country. But No. 6? I need to see a bit more before we start putting him into the same conversations with Swinney, Whittingham and Norvell.

Harry Lyles Jr.: Dabo Swinney at No. 4 feels high to me, given his unwillingness to adjust to today’s game. I think he’s a great coach, and what he has done at Clemson is legendary work. They need to build a big statue of him on that campus at some point. But if you aren’t willing to do all the necessary things to compete at the highest level of the game, you can’t be top five. There’s a great argument you can’t be top 10 either, especially when one considers what those below Swinney have done and are doing.

Bill Connelly: Honestly, Kalen DeBoer at No. 2 is neither surprising nor undeserved. He has been great at basically every football job he has ever had. But it’s pretty funny to think about the second-best coach in college football inheriting a job in which he has almost no chance of matching his predecessor’s accomplishments. The weight of expectation will make DeBoer’s tenure in Tuscaloosa absolutely fascinating to follow.

Kyle Bonagura: The criteria for selection was up for interpretation, but I’m having a hard time imagining how Deion Sanders received any votes unless it was a light-hearted troll attempt with the protection of anonymity. In Sanders’ debut season, Colorado went 1-8 in the Pac-12 and finished in last place.

Defend your vote

Kyle Whittingham at No. 2

How’s this for sustained excellence? Whittingham earned national coach of the year honors in 2008 (13-0; beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl) and 2019 (11-3; in CFP contention until the Pac-12 title game). He has guided the Utes to top-20 finishes in three decades and built a program that was the Pac-12’s most consistent over the past six years. To have that level of success at a place without the resources of the programs in the sport’s upper echelon is beyond impressive. It’s fair to wonder what heights he might have reached if he was blessed with some of the advantages of the blue-blood schools. — Bonagura

Dan Lanning at No. 3

When I made my list, I didn’t just look at what coaches had done in the past. I considered who I would want coaching my team in the modern landscape, and everything that comes along with it. That’s why my No. 3 coach was Lanning, who had one of the most fun teams to watch last year.

I think Lanning’s path to being a head coach is significant. He has seen how two of the best coaches — Nick Saban and Kirby Smart — do it, and he was the coordinator for some of the best defenses we’ve ever seen at Georgia. Now, he has Oregon in great position to win the Big Ten in its first year in the conference. Just as important, it seems as if he’s made Eugene a premiere destination not just for recruits, but for transfers as well. We’re also talking about someone who may have been Alabama’s first choice to replace Saban. I think Lanning would have ranked higher had he taken that job, based on how high we have Kalen DeBoer (whose ranking is fine by me). — Lyles

Brian Kelly at No. 3

Maybe it’s just me, but winning — and doing so at every level over three decades — counts for something. Kelly won two Division II national championships at Grand Valley State, won two Big East titles at Cincinnati, and took Notre Dame to a BCS national championship game and two more CFP appearances. Most recently, he guided LSU to the 2022 SEC championship game in his first season in Baton Rouge.

Kelly has also proven he can turn around downtrodden programs quickly. (See Central Michigan and Cincinnati.) Even Notre Dame had not won more than seven games in the three seasons prior to Kelly’s arrival in 2010. So anybody who didn’t have Kelly in their top 10 either hasn’t been paying attention, doesn’t particularly like him or is too young to appreciate the difficulty of coaching at a high level over a long period of time. I’ll take proven substance over flash every time. — Low

Lincoln Riley at No. 5

Riley has underwhelmed a bit at USC, and it’s fair to question whether he will figure out the defensive piece of a championship equation. But if we’re putting several offense-centric coaches in the top 10 — DeBoer, Norvell, Lanning, Sarkisian, Kiffin — why leave off the guy with three Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks and a runner-up in Jalen Hurts? Oklahoma led the FBS in scoring (43.7 PPG) and offense (533 YPG) during Riley’s time as coach and offensive coordinator. USC is tied for the national lead in scoring average (41.6 PPG) and ranks second in passing offense (334.3 YPG) during Riley’s tenure. How is he not in the top 10 again? — Rittenberg

Dabo Swinney at No. 3

Well, the shine’s off Swinney, it would seem. After two national titles and six straight playoff appearances, Clemson has reversed course and, in the process, sullied Swinney’s reputation as a miracle worker. Indeed, it’s been a dismal three years in which Clemson is — checks notes — 30-10 with an ACC title and the eighth-best record among power conference programs in that span.

What? Yeah, that’s how great Swinney has been. The standard is so unbelievably high that even a stretch in which only a small handful of teams have been better is considered a failure. Yes, Swinney has kept some of the most recent shifts in the sport’s landscape at arm’s length, but despite the criticism and, yes, the missed playoffs, he has still churned out NFL talent, won a bunch of games and positioned Clemson, once again, to win the ACC and return to the new, expanded postseason. — Hale

Swinney out of the top 10

It all depends on the statute of limitations, right? If we’re judging coaches by their résumés, Swinney should be second on the list at worst. It’s hard to beat two national titles and seven ACC championships. But while he remains a very good head coach, it’s extremely difficult to make the case that he has been anywhere close to one of college football’s 10 best over the past three years. Clemson has finished 14th, 13th and 20th in the past three final AP polls and has retreated from national title contention to one conference title in three seasons and wins in the Cheez-It and Gator Bowls.

Swinney’s refusal to adapt to the evolution in roster management, and his insistence on continuing to build through high school recruiting, is endearing in a way, but it has made Clemson far less nimble than other top programs when it comes to plugging holes from year to year. And right now, it appears that Clemson is merely a top-15 or top-20 program. Most still aspire to that, but it’s an unquestionable letdown for a program that once made six straight CFP appearances. Make no mistake: If we had ranked 15 coaches, I would have had Swinney on the list. But it has been a minute since he was a top-10 coach. — Connelly

Ryan Day out of the top 10

Considering my top 10 included Lance Leipold, Kyle Whittingham and Curt Cignetti, it’s pretty clear I have a thing for the coaches who create big things from harder jobs. Day might have thrived at Kansas, Utah or James Madison too, but all we know is that he inherited a team that had averaged 11.3 wins per year over the previous 12 seasons (and 12.2 over the previous six) and has, in four full seasons, averaged 11.5.

Not just anyone could do that, and Day is clearly a very good head coach. But simply winning a lot of games at Ohio State doesn’t make you one of the 10 best. — Connelly

Kalen DeBoer at No. 10

Perhaps I’m a pessimist. Or, at least, someone who’s seen too many can’t-miss hires miss spectacularly (Jimbo Fisher, Scott Frost, Chip Kelly, Tom Herman, etc., etc.). Yes, DeBoer is a tremendous coach who has won everywhere he’s been at nearly every level of college football. He had Washington a few plays away from a national title last year. He’s great. But … he has coached two years at a power conference school, and now he’s moving to a program where the standard is, shall we say, a tad lofty.

He has never had to recruit in the SEC. He has never been under the microscope that comes with being the Alabama head coach. He has never had to showcase his offense against the type of physically dominant opposition he’ll see nearly weekly in 2024. And, of course, he has never had to follow a legend, and that alone is an incredibly tall task. Should we be surprised if it all works out? Of course not! Again, DeBoer is very good. But the names I have ahead of him — Smart, Swinney, Whittingham, Norvell, Kiffin — have done it longer, are in more stable positions and have enjoyed great success in their own rights. — Hale

Sports

NHL Power Rankings: Panic or patience on these struggling players in fantasy hockey?

Published

50 mins ago

November 15, 2024

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NHL Power Rankings: Panic or patience on these struggling players in fantasy hockey?

Sean Allen
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Sean Allen

Special to ESPN.com
Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash

Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010

Nov 15, 2024, 07:00 AM ET

Another week, another No. 1 landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings. But who finishes 2-32?

Plus, it’s another fantasy hockey takeover week, with Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash identifying one player per team who is off to a slow start (relative to his teammates or expectations) and advising fantasy managers whether to have patience or panic at this time.

And as a reminder, it’s not too late to join ESPN Fantasy Hockey. Sign up for free and start playing today!

How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.

Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 8. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.

Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 88.24%

Cole Perfetti, LW (28.9% rostered in ESPN Fantasy leagues): As difficult as it is to find fault with anything Jets-related these days, Perfetti isn’t quite meeting 2024-25 fantasy expectations yet. But the 22-year-old remains cemented on the Jets’ second scoring line and power play, and he has pitched in enough multipoint showings to merit another look in deeper leagues. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 16), vs. FLA (Nov. 19)

Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.33%

Brent Burns, D (69.5%): The writing had been on the wall, faintly sketched with a carpenter’s pencil, but now it’s been retraced in ink. Shayne Gostisbehere has the power play on lock, and Burns doesn’t put up the points without it now. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 16), vs. STL (Nov. 17), @ PHI (Nov. 20), @ NJ (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.65%

Gustav Forsling, D (68.8%): Playoff heroics can inflate rostership numbers even this far into the future, but Forsling isn’t a must-have fantasy contributor. You can find a defenseman with a higher ceiling among your league’s free agents. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 16), @ WPG (Nov. 19), @ CHI (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 78.13%

Marc-Andre Fleury, G (51.8%): As long as Filip Gustavsson continues to perform dependably well, the veteran No. 2 isn’t going to play much. There are other lesser-rostered backups in the league — Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind — who offer more fantasy punch than Fleury. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 16), @ STL (Nov. 19), @ EDM (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%

Matt Roy, D (45.6%): After a breakout fantasy campaign with the Kings last season, cut Roy some slack. He has had only a handful of games to get used to his new teammates, and the minutes are there to get the job done. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ COL (Nov. 15), @ VGK (Nov. 17), @ UTA (Nov. 18), vs. COL (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%

Mika Zibanejad, C (95.6%): Zibanejad has had slow starts before — 1.78 FPPG in 2021-22 and 1.93 FPPG last season — yet still finished over 2.00 FPPG. His current 1.58 FPPG isn’t alarming. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 17), @ VAN (Nov. 19), @ CGY (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 68.75%

Brayden McNabb, D (52.3%): Returning to his selfless ways — highlighted by five blocked shots against the Ducks Wednesday — McNabb is already working back into his fantasy managers’ good graces. While hardly a prolific producer, the veteran should start pitching in a few more points, too. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ UTA (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 17), @ TOR (Nov. 20), @ OTT (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 65.00%

Luke Hughes, D (39.1%): He did an admirable job filling in for an injured Dougie Hamilton as a rookie last season, but unless that situation arises again, it looks as though Hughes is out of the limelight for this campaign. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 16), vs. CAR (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 66.67%

Roope Hintz, C (79.8%): Some bad puck luck, illustrated by his 6.7% shooting percentage through six recent contests (career: 16.5%), is partially to blame for Hintz’s current skid. But the perennial 30-plus goal scorer is bound to get back on track soon, especially once Peter DeBoer inevitably juggles his lines again. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 18), vs. SJ (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.33%

Filip Hronek, D (51.9%): He’s averaging approximately a single shot and blocked shot per game. Unlike last season, the compensatory scoring isn’t there to make up for those shortcomings. Hronek appears far more valuable to the Canucks as Quinn Hughes‘ defensive partner than to his fantasy managers. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 16), vs. NSH (Nov. 17), vs. NYR (Nov. 19)

Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 58.33%

Quinton Byfield, RW (43.2%): The lack of a single power-play point is one concern, along with his removal from the top unit. Through the fantasy lens, so is Byfield’s third-line role. If all remains as is, we might be in for another season of inconsistent fantasy returns. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 16), vs. BUF (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 61.11%

Matthew Knies, LW (42.4%): He has been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak, as he gets first power-play unit access while Auston Matthews is out. The confidence boost should carry over to when Matthews returns, and they are linemates again. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: vs. EDM (Nov. 16), vs. VGK (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 55.88%

Jeff Skinner, C (45.0%): Afforded the opportunity to compete alongside just about every Oiler up front, including two of the best centers in the biz, the veteran winger has nonetheless failed to offer much of a productive presence. Now Skinner appears relegated to Edmonton’s fourth line. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ TOR (Nov. 16), @ MTL (Nov. 18), @ OTT (Nov. 19), vs. MIN (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.67%

Jake Guentzel, LW (98.8%): Guentzel’s overall output is fantastic already, but with just two power-play points so far, he has yet to add his usual production with the man advantage. If he does, his already strong fantasy profile could get a big boost. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 16), @ PIT (Nov. 19), @ CBJ (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.94%

Devon Toews, D (66.7%): While it has taken the defender time to warm up after a delayed start to 2024-25, Toews now appears back in his groove: blocking shots, contributing to the score sheet and skating more minutes than nearly everyone else. Cale Makar‘s partner hasn’t averaged 0.58 points per game throughout his career by accident. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 15), @ PHI (Nov. 18), @ WSH (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.13%

Linus Ullmark, G (84.8%): The Senators are showing signs of competing, and we know Ullmark is capable of being among the best. Patience might already be paying off with some of his recent road outings against tough division rivals. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ CAR (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 19), vs. VGK (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.88%

Nazem Kadri, C (78.4%): While no one is scoring much for the Flames these days, including their No. 1 center, this too shall pass. Perhaps it’ll play out like last season, when Kadri collected two points in October before erupting for 13 in November, then maintained that scoring pace for the duration of the season. Also, he shoots the puck a lot. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: vs. NSH (Nov. 15), vs. NYI (Nov. 19), vs. NYR (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 50.00%

Charlie McAvoy, D (89.9%): The Bruins’ offense might be slower this season, but McAvoy’s 1.64 FPPG is still too low. Give him time. Not enough has changed to drop him far from his 2.29 FPPG average over the past three seasons. Verdict: Patience

Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 16), vs. CBJ (Nov. 18), vs. UTA (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%

Barrett Hayton, C (17.5%): According to analysis by Evolving Hockey, the third-line center (for now) should be scoring more goals in accordance with the quality of his shots. That offers some comfort in light of his current skid. While Hayton certainly needs to play more minutes and shoot on net more often, he doesn’t merit giving up entirely in deeper fantasy leagues. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 18), @ BOS (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.94%

Brock Nelson, C (76.9%): The Isles’ collective offense isn’t weaker than it has been for several years. Nelson has averaged 2.03 FPPG across the past three seasons. He’ll come around. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 16), @ CGY (Nov. 19), @ DET (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%

Patrick Kane, RW (66.3%): If the Red Wings’ power play were in the dumps, maybe we could preach patience for Kane. But it’s not, and it might be time to move on from Kane in fantasy. He is getting all the opportunities required and is just not producing. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 15), @ LA (Nov. 16), @ SJ (Nov. 18), vs. NYI (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%

Dylan Cozens, C (49.3%): It is time to move off Cozens. He had that banner 2022-23 but is now matching the reduced fantasy production that lasted all of last season. Even an uptick in performance might not be enough to get to fantasy relevance from his current 1.41 FPPG. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 16), @ LA (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%

Adam Larsson, D (60.5%): Despite the relative drought, the top-pair defenseman still blocks a sufficient number of shots to merit rostering in deeper standard leagues. Plus, he’ll soon fall back into his usual (however relatively modest) scoring groove. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 16), vs. NYR (Nov. 17), vs. NSH (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.12%

Jordan Binnington, G (55.1%): After winning the season opener against Seattle, the Blues’ No. 1 has yet to beat anyone outside of the Atlantic Division. Shouldering a 4-7-0 record, .887 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against average, Binnington has cost his fantasy managers a total net loss of 1.8 points. Yes, negative points. There are likely brighter days ahead for the banged-up Blues, but when? Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ BOS (Nov. 16), @ CAR (Nov. 17), vs. MIN (Nov. 19), vs. SJ (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 47.06%

Joel Farabee, LW (50.7%): Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton; Take your pick of Flyers who were just picking up some fantasy momentum in their career but have been buried on the depth chart by the new core group. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 16), vs. COL (Nov. 18), vs. CAR (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 38.24%

Teuvo Teravainen, RW (41.4%): The Blackhawks’ offseason acquisition has one goal and zero assists in his past 11 games, and he isn’t shooting with any consistency. Even back on a scoring line with Connor Bedard, Teravainen can’t be counted on to contribute regularly enough. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ VAN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 19), vs. FLA (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 41.67%

Erik Karlsson, D (94.1%): It’s been a season and a quarter now, so what we see from Karlsson as a Penguin might be what we get. He’s not the sole source of offense, so downgraded fantasy output is just the new normal. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 15), vs. SJ (Nov. 16), vs. TB (Nov. 19)

Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%

Ivan Provorov, D (19.2%): No one on the Blue Jackets is underperforming in a big way, but even 20% rostership is too high for Provorov. If he’s not on the first pair, you can safely pretend he’s not there. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. PIT (Nov. 15), @ MTL (Nov. 16), @ BOS (Nov. 18), vs. TB (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 38.24%

Gustav Nyquist, RW (16.6%): Once replaced by Steven Stamkos on the Predators’ top line, Nyquist lost most of his fantasy charm. It’s no coincidence the winger was at his most productive when skating alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 15), @ VAN (Nov. 17), @ SEA (Nov. 20)

Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 40.00%

Lukas Dostal, G (60.7%): The Ducks allow the most shots against (35.5 per game) while scoring the fewest goals (2.20 per game). Plus, a healthy John Gibson is back to share Anaheim’s crease. Dostal’s successful fantasy run was fun while it lasted. It’s time to move on. Verdict: Panic.

Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 15), @ DAL (Nov. 18), @ CHI (Nov. 19)

Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.11%

William Eklund, LW (56.2%): The sophomore is playing a ton of minutes, pitching in assists and now skating on a scoring line with Mikael Granlund. Which is a good thing. Yes, we’d all like to see him shoot more. Verdict: Patience.

Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 16), vs. DET (Nov. 18), @ DAL (Nov. 20), @ STL (Nov. 21)

Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.29%

Sam Montembeault, G (22.3%): The Habs don’t look like they’ll win enough for Monty to shine in redraft leagues, but if you drafted him for a keeper league, there are positive signs for the future. Verdict: Patience, at least for the long term.

Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 18)

Sports

Sale, Crochet named comeback players of year

Published

9 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Sale, Crochet named comeback players of year

Associated Press

Nov 14, 2024, 10:21 PM ET

LAS VEGAS — Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year awards on Thursday.

Cleveland right-hander Emmanuel Clase won his second AL Reliever of the Year award and St. Louis righty Ryan Helsley won the NL honor.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani joined David Ortiz as the only players to win four straight Outstanding Designated Hitter awards. Ohtani and the New York Yankees‘ Aaron Judge won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in their leagues.

Major League Baseball made the announcements at its All-MLB Awards Show.

Sale, 35, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177⅔ innings for the NL’s first pitching triple crown since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2011. He earned his eighth All-Star selection and first since 2018.

Sale helped Boston to the 2018 World Series title but made just 56 starts from 2020-23, going 17-18 with a 4.86 ERA, 400 strikeouts and 79 walks over 298⅓ innings. He was acquired by Boston from the White Sox in December 2016 and made nine trips to the injured list with the Red Sox, mostly with shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.

Sale fractured a rib while pitching in batting practice in February 2022 during the management lockout. On July 17, in his second start back, he broke his left pinkie finger when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees’ Aaron Hicks. Sale broke his right wrist while riding a bicycle en route to lunch on Aug. 6, ending his season.

Crochet, 25, was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA over 32 starts for a White Sox team that set a post-1900 record of 121 losses, becoming a first-time All-Star. He struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.

He had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022, and returned to the major leagues on May 18, 2023. Crochet had a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances in 2023, and then joined the rotation this year.

Sale and Crochet were chosen in voting by MLB.com beat writers.

Clase and Helsley were unanimous picks by a panel that included Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. The AL award is named after Rivera and the NL honor after Hoffman.

A three-time All-Star, Clase was 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 66 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74⅓ innings, holding batters to a .154 average. The 26-year-old converted 47 of 50 save chances, including his last 47.

Voting was based on the regular season. Clase was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the playoffs, allowing three home runs, one more than his regular-season total.

Helsley, a two-time All-Star, was 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and 49 saves in 53 chances. He struck out 79 and walked 23 in 66⅓ innings.

Ohtani became the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. A two-way star limited to hitting following elbow surgery, Ohtani batted .310 and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs while stealing 59 bases.

Ortiz won the DH award five years in a row from 2003-07.

The DH award, named after Edgar Martinez, is picked in voting by team beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. MLB.com writers determined the finalists for the Aaron awards, and a fan vote was combined with picks from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners to determine the selections.

Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322.

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QB Castellanos exits after losing BC starting job

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10 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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QB Castellanos exits after losing BC starting job

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterNov 14, 2024, 08:54 PM ET
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Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who lost his starting job earlier this week, will not be returning to the team, he announced Thursday night.

Castellanos, who started 12 games last season and retained the top job under new coach Bill O’Brien, wrote on X that “unfortunately, all good things come to an end, even though it’s sooner than I would like.” He did not mention the transfer portal in his departing message and has not officially entered it. The junior from Waycross, Georgia, started his career at UCF and appeared in five games in 2022.

O’Brien said Tuesday that Grayson James, who replaced Castellanos in last week’s win against Syracuse, will start Saturday when Boston College visits No. 14 SMU. Castellanos “wasn’t real thrilled” with the decision, O’Brien said, adding that the quarterback decided to step away from the team for several days.

Castellanos had 2,248 passing yards and 1,113 rushing yards last season under coach Jeff Hafley, passing for 15 touchdowns and adding 13 on the ground. He had 18 touchdown passes and only five interceptions this season, but his accuracy dipped in recent weeks, and he completed only 2 of 7 passes against Syracuse before being replaced.

In his statement, Castellanos thanked both coaching staffs he played for at Boston College and wrote that he had “some of the best experiences of my life in the Eagles Nest and I will truly cherish these memories forever.”