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Air Force Academy superintendent Richard M. Clark has been named the next College Football Playoff executive director.

Clark is a former star linebacker at Air Force who went on to a distinguished career in the military that saw him rise to the level of lieutenant general.

“General Clark’s experience leading the U.S Air Force Academy as a Three-star General and also being a four-year letter winner with the U.S Air Force Football team gives him a strong background to excel in this crucial leadership role,” Mark Keenum, Mississippi State president and the chairman of the CFP board of managers, said in a statement.

Sources told ESPN that Clark impressed the CFP brass with his deep history of leadership, as he is described as having a strong background as a “leader of leaders.” He emerged from a pool of three finalists who interviewed in person this week.

Clark’s assignments prior to taking over as the superintendent at the Air Force included commanding bases around the country, working as a White House fellow and serving as a senior defense official in Egypt. His assignment before taking over at Air Force was deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration at the Pentagon.

He takes over for Bill Hancock, who announced his retirement after this current cycle of CFP bowls.

“We will surely miss Bill Hancock, but I want to note that Bill has graciously offered to stay on board through January 2025 to help General Clark get ready,” Keenum said in the statement. “Bill will remain at the helm throughout this season, while 2024 will mark a year of transition. Bill has been an outstanding leader for CFP’s first 10 years. Everyone in college football owes Bill a debt of gratitude.”

Clark takes over the sport’s postseason at a crossroads; the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams starting in the 2024 season.

“College football is an American tradition unlike any other,” Clark said in a statement. “Especially now, as the Playoff is expanding from four teams to 12 teams, this is an exciting time for fans and everyone involved in this great game. I’m excited to be a part of it and I look forward to beginning my work.”

There are just two years remaining on the CFP’s television contract. The contractual logistics of those final years on the current deal — for the 2024 and 2025 seasons — are in flux.

Ultimately, the biggest challenge of Clark’s tenure will be the next full CFP contract, which is expected to be a multibillion-dollar deal and projects to be split up among multiple media partners.

Structuring that deal will go a long way to shaping the future of the sport.

Clark also has strong relationships in Washington, D.C., which loom large if the CFP role expands from the largely procedural role of Hancock.

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Twins’ Lewis ‘not very optimistic’ about groin injury

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Twins' Lewis 'not very optimistic' about groin injury

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis was removed from Tuesday night’s game against Detroit with tightness in his left groin, and the oft-injured budding star groused afterward about his prognosis.

Lewis was replaced in the field for the top of the sixth inning. He had a two-run, two-out double in the third off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, when he jogged into second base and felt like he couldn’t even run at half-speed.

“He had to come out. He just wasn’t moving the way that he needs to move in the game, and it was just the smart thing to get him off the field,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.

The Twins announced Lewis’ status as day-to-day, but after their 5-3 win, he said he was still experiencing tightness and expected to get an MRI for further assessment.

“Probably not very optimistic, to be honest with you,” Lewis said. “I’m praying, but it’s usually always horrible news. So we’ll see.”

The first overall pick in the 2017 draft can be forgiven for his pessimism. Lewis missed 58 games earlier this season with a partially torn quadriceps in his right leg. He previously underwent two reconstructive knee surgeries for torn ACLs in the same leg that waylaid the beginning of his career.

Lewis has 31 homers and 80 RBIs in 100 major league games, including the postseason.

“What I can control, I’m very happy about, but this is out of my control. I have no idea,” he said.

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Nimmo returns, grateful after hotel room scare

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Nimmo returns, grateful after hotel room scare

WASHINGTON — Brandon Nimmo had two RBIs in his return from a harrowing hotel room accident, and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 7-2 on Tuesday night for their second consecutive extra-innings victory.

Nimmo, who cut his forehead when he fainted and fell Sunday night, entered in the fourth inning after Harrison Bader was pulled following a collision with the wall in right-center field. In the eighth, he drove in Francisco Lindor for a tying RBI single, and then was part of a barrage of hits against Robert Garcia (0-3) once the game went to extras.

“Really enjoying the moments tonight … getting the big hits, just soak them in because not every day’s like that,” Nimmo said. “When things like this happen, it’s a fresh perspective on being able to play this game and being able to play it at this level on a daily basis. When it’s taken away from you briefly, you realize just how special it is, and you start to enjoy the little things a little bit more.”

As part of a five-run 10th, José Iglesias doubled to put the Mets ahead. Nimmo also doubled and Pete Alonso crushed his 18th homer.

Lindor’s 14th homer in the sixth was the only blemish against Nationals rookie DJ Herz, who struck out 10 while pitching 5⅔ innings. Herz joined Stephen Strasburg as the only pitchers since 1901 to have two 10-strikeout, no-walk games in their first six major league starts.

“I’m just going out there and pitching,” Herz said. “I just want to get deep into games and put these guys in the best situation to win. It’s cool to hear all that stuff that comes with it, but I’m just trying to go out there and do what’s best for my team.”

But Washington’s bullpen let Herz down, first when Hunter Harvey got knocked around in the eighth and then when Garcia was lit up for the loss.

The Mets became just the fourth team to score five or more runs in an extra inning in back-to-back games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

After Sean Manaea allowed one earned run and struck out five in seven innings, Jose Butto gave the Mets exactly what they wanted when they called him up to come out of the bullpen. Butto (2-3) allowed just one hit in his first two innings of relief this season.

“We got two huge innings out of him when we needed it,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

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Report: Marlins DFA slumping shortstop Anderson

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Report: Marlins DFA slumping shortstop Anderson

The Miami Marlins have designated two-time All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson for assignment, the Miami Herald reported Tuesday.

Anderson, 31, signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Miami in February, hoping for a bounce-back season that did not materialize.

Through 65 games, Anderson is batting .214 with no homers and 9 RBIs. He has struck out 68 times and drawn only 7 walks.

Anderson won the American League batting title with a .335 average for the Chicago White Sox in 2019 and made the AL All-Star teams in 2021 and 2022.

He batted .282 with 98 homers, 338 RBIs and 117 stolen bases in 895 games over eight seasons with the White Sox from 2016 to 2023.

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