Roundup: Utah baseball defying conventional wisdom
With the biggest series of the Pac-12 baseball season upon us (Washington at Utah, winner takes the Pac-12 title and auto bid, explained here), Kyle Goon writes that Utah baseball has bucked conventional wisdom on its run to the brink of the Conference title. This really is one of the most improbable stories in college athletics this year – Utah finished in last place in each of its first four years in the Pac-12 and now has a one-game lead over Washington for first going into the final series of the season.
Former Arizona softball player Jennie Finch will serve as guest manager for the independent Bridgeport Bluefish, marking the first time that a woman will manage a pro baseball team.
Some sad news to share – Riley Sorenson’s mother passed away Thursday. CougCenter includes info in the link above on how you can help the Cougar offensive lineman and his family.
With Art Briles getting shown the door in Waco, will Todd Graham be considered for the Baylor head coaching job? Doug Haller ponders the question.
San Jose native Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated profiles Jaylen Brown, whome he dubs the renaissance man of the 2016 NBA Draft. Brown's not your prototypical one-and-done prospect, that’s for sure.
Stanford baseball defeated Oregon 2-1 Thursday night on The Farm. Here’s the Pac-12 Network recap featuring J.B. Long and JT Snow.
Adam Jude writes that Chris Petersen is trying to ignore the hype surrounding Washington football. Plenty of people think the Dawgs can win the Pac-12 North this year.
Chantel Jennings lets us know that new Oregon quarterback Dakota Prukop is trying to work smarter (and harder, she notes) as he gets ready for his first year at the FBS level.
Pat Rooney profiles incoming Colorado women’s soccer freshman Taylor Kornicek, who is part of a big recruiting class for the Buffs. She already envisions big things in Boulder – “I want to be a part of it when CU starts beating UCLA and Stanford and wins it all,” she told Rooney.
Danny Moran gives us the skinny on Oregon State pitcher Bryce Fehmel, who has been thrust into a starting role and came up big for the Beavs last Sunday in a series-clinching win at USC.
In case you forgot to cross it off your calendar, Thursday started the 100-day countdown to the UCLA football season (thanks for the reminder, Thuc Nhi Nguyen). What a season-opener it is, too – at Texas A&M on Sept. 3.
Reign of Troy wonders aloud if USC will have two 1,000-yard rushers in 2016. As per usual, there’s an embarrassment of talent in the backfield for the Trojans, most notably Ronald Jones II and Justin Davis.