Latest news with #Pac12
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Haven't Been Relevant Since Matt Leinart': Former Oregon Star Rips USC
'Haven't Been Relevant Since Matt Leinart': Former Oregon Star Rips USC originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's safe to say Kenjon Barner doesn't view Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans very fondly. The former Oregon Ducks running back, who spent eight seasons in the NFL as a journeyman, sounded off on his former Pac-12 rival recently. Advertisement 'This fan base is starting to remind me of the Dallas Cowboys fan base, right? Just annoying,' Barner said Saturday on "Ducks of a Feather." 'All you're doing is running your mouth. Your bark is louder than your bite. … Listen, you've got the No. 1 recruiting class coming in. That's cool. You've still got to be able to win football games, which you guys have not been able to do for a very long time.' At the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 2012, Barner had the best performance of his college career. In a 62-51 win over USC, he rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns on 38 gives. Lane Kiffin and the Trojans entered that same campaign ranked No. 1 in the nation, but finished the go-round with a 7-6 mark. The season before, Barner punched it in twice against USC in a 123-yard losing effort at home. USC coach Lincoln Riley© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images 'You guys have been front-runners,' Barner said. 'You guys have been the school that comes in talking. You know, you've got the look. You're out in front. But when you get on that field? Trash. Tragedy. Tragedy strikes USC. … Listen, there's nothing been nice about y'all. Advertisement 'You guys haven't been relevant since Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, LenDale White.' The Trojans went 34-5 in the three seasons after Leinart and Bush headed to the NFL, winning the Rose Bowl to cap each year. Head coach Pete Carroll left after one more season, and since then, USC has had just five double-digit-win efforts, including only one since 2018. Related: Urban Meyer Sends Blunt Message to Lincoln Riley This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Al Arabiya
4 days ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Cal Athletic Director Jim Knowlton Announces His Retirement
California athletic director Jim Knowlton is retiring after seven years on the job. Knowlton announced on Monday that he will step down officially on July 1. Knowlton was in charge during a tumultuous time dealing with COVID, the emergence of NIL, and conference expansion that forced the Golden Bears to join the ACC after their longtime home in the Pac-12 fell apart. Knowlton was named Cal's athletic director on May 21, 2018, and the Bears captured 10 national championships during his tenure and had more than 100 athletes compete at the two Summer Olympics during his tenure. 'It has been an incredible honor to serve at the University of California, Berkeley, the No. 1 public university in the country,' Knowlton said in a statement. 'The expectation of holistic excellence helps to drive everyone associated with the university, and our department is no exception. The combination of a world-class education, athletic excellence, an inclusive community, an awe-inspiring location, and most importantly, truly special people make Cal a magnificent place to serve.' The Bears didn't have as much success in the high-profile sports. The football program qualified for four bowl games in his seven seasons but hasn't had a winning record since 2019. Knowlton hired two men's basketball coaches, and neither one has had a winning season. He hired Mark Fox in 2019 and fired him after four seasons with a 38–87 record. The program has shown some signs of improvement under Mark Madsen but has only a 27–38 record to show for it. He also hired Charmin Smith to coach the women's basketball program in 2019. She had a losing record in each of her first four seasons before making progress the past two. The Bears went 19–15 in 2023–24 and then made the NCAA Tournament this past season, going 25–9 after losing in the first round. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons named current deputy athletic directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-ONeill as the new co-directors of the program.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Cal athletic director Jim Knowlton announces retirement after 7 years
California athletic director Jim Knowlton is retiring after seven years on the job. Knowlton announced on Monday that he will step down officially on July 1. Knowlton was in charge during a tumultuous time, dealing with COVID, the emergence of NIL and conference expansion that forced the Golden Bears to join the ACC after their longtime home in the Pac-12 fell apart. Knowlton was named Cal's athletic director on May 21, 2018, and the Bears captured 10 national championships during his tenure and had more than 100 athletes compete at the two Summer Olympics during his tenure. "It has been an incredible honor to serve at the University of California, Berkeley, the No. 1 public university in the country," Knowlton said in a statement. "The expectation of holistic excellence helps to drive everyone associated with the university, and our department is no exception. The combination of a world-class education, athletic excellence, an inclusive community, an awe-inspiring location and, most importantly, truly special people, make Cal a magnificent place to serve." Jim Knowlton is seen inside Haas Pavilion at UC Berkeley, on Friday, May 25, 2018. Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images The Bears didn't have as much success in the high-profile sports. The football program qualified for four bowl games in his seven seasons but hasn't had a winning record since 2019. Knowlton hired two men's basketball coaches and neither one has had a winning season. He hired Mark Fox in 2019 and fired him after four seasons with a 38-87 record. The program has shown some signs of improvement under Mark Madsen but has only a 27-38 record to show for it. He also hired Charmin Smith to coach the women's basketball program in 2019. She had a losing record in each of her first four seasons before making progress the past two. The Bears went 19-15 in 2023-24 and then made the NCAA Tournament this past season, going 25-9 after losing in the first round. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons named current deputy athletic directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O'Neill as the new co-directors of the program.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Cal athletic director Jim Knowlton announces his retirement
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — California athletic director Jim Knowlton is retiring after seven years on the job. Knowlton announced on Monday that he will step down officially on July 1. Knowlton was in charge during a tumultuous time, dealing with COVID, the emergence of NIL and conference expansion that forced the Golden Bears to join the ACC after their longtime home in the Pac-12 fell apart. Knowlton was named Cal's athletic director on May 21, 2018, and the Bears captured 10 national championships during his tenure and had more than 100 athletes compete at the two Summer Olympics during his tenure. 'It has been an incredible honor to serve at the University of California, Berkeley, the No. 1 public university in the country,' Knowlton said in a statement. 'The expectation of holistic excellence helps to drive everyone associated with the university, and our department is no exception. The combination of a world-class education, athletic excellence, an inclusive community, an awe-inspiring location and, most importantly, truly special people, make Cal a magnificent place to serve.' The Bears didn't have as much success in the high-profile sports. The football program qualified for four bowl games in his seven seasons but hasn't had a winning record since 2019. Knowlton hired two men's basketball coaches and neither one has had a winning season. He hired Mark Fox in 2019 and fired him after four seasons with a 38-87 record. The program has shown some signs of improvement under Mark Madsen but has only a 27-38 record to show for it. He also hired Charmin Smith to coach the women's basketball program in 2019. She had a losing record in each of her first four seasons before making progress the past two. The Bears went 19-15 in 2023-24 and then made the NCAA Tournament this past season, going 25-9 after losing in the first round. UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons named current deputy athletic directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O'Neill as the new co-directors of the program. ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dolphins' Jonah Savaiinaea Reportedly Most Impressive Rookie Early in Offseason
Dolphins' Jonah Savaiinaea Reportedly Most Impressive Rookie Early in Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Miami Dolphins drafted offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft to bolster their trenches headed into this season. Advertisement Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has dealt with too many injuries, and protecting the Dolphins' franchise quarterback is the No. 1 priority. Savaiinaea brings versatility to Miami's offensive line as he started 36 games across three years at the University of Arizona at three different positions along the offensive line. The Wildcat played 16 games at right tackle, 15 games at right guard, and five games at left tackle. Savaiinaea earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention honors in 2022 and 2023, and All-Big 12 Honors in 2024 when Arizona made the conference move. In 2024, Savaiinaea led Arizona with an offensive grade of 75.9 per PFF, and in his 738 snaps played, he allowed just four sacks, two quarterback hits, and 10 hurries. Advertisement The Wildcats' offensive lineman has continued that success through the beginning of his first offseason in the NFL, reportedly impressing media and his offensive line coach in Miami. "You see he's a big-body guy that's really explosive, that can run - heavy handed - can anchor the pocket, but explosive in the run game," Butch Barry said. University of Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea (OL36) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Musselman-Imagn Images Savaiinaea's rare combination of size and athleticism has been most impressive early on. The offensive lineman excels as a run blocker with his wide frame and sound footwork, and his pass protection is better on the inside as a guard. The Arizona product could be the Dolphins' potential starter in 2025 at one of the guard positions if he continues his impressive offseason performance. Advertisement The Miami Herald's Omar Kelly noted that although Savaiinaea has impressed so far, it's hard to learn too much from the players in the trenches until they reach training camp and practice with pads. However, Kelly named Savaiinaea as his most impressive rookie so far. Fellow Dolphins' offensive lineman James Daniels has also been impressed with Savaiinaea's eagerness to learn. "He's always texting me, he's always texting other players asking for advice," Daniels said. "He's always working after practice. Pretty excited to see his development." The Dolphins will learn more about their second-round pick when training camp gets underway in July, but early reports on Savaiinaea are a welcoming sign in Miami. Advertisement Related: Colts Make Jim Irsay Announcement for Week 1 Against Dolphins This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
