PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU’s defense forced three turnovers, Jake Retzlaff threw for 149 yards and two touchdowns and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Big12Conference/status/1837714080649371736">Parker Kingston had a highlight reel 90-yard punt return touchdown</a>&nbsp;in a 38-9 victory over No. 13 Kansas State on Saturday night.

Sione Moa added a career-high 76 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Cougars (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) snapped a five-game losing streak to Big 12 opponents in emphatic fashion.

“A lot of people were surprised by this. They didn’t really think we could do this,” Moa said. “This is not a surprise to us. We know the work we put in to get to this point.”

Avery Johnson piled up 204 yards of total offense for the Wildcats but also threw a pair of interceptions. DJ Giddens rushed for 93 yards on 19 carries as Kansas State (3-1, 0-1) dropped to 0-4 all-time in Provo despite totaling 224 rushing yards. The Wildcats did not score a touchdown in a game for the first time since 2020.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times and we got to score touchdowns,” Johnson said. “You got to take care of the football on the road if you want to win games.”

BYU scored a pair of touchdowns 39 seconds apart before halftime after forcing turnovers on back-to-back Kansas State drives.

Jack Kelly stripped the ball from Giddens on a third-down run and Tommy Prassas took the fumble 30 yards to the house, giving the Cougars their first lead, 10-6. Tyler Batty intercepted Johnson two plays later at the Wildcats 29. His takeaway set up a 23-yard touchdown catch by Chase Roberts that gave BYU a 17-6 lead going into halftime.

“You got to make them earn it all and eventually we were able to crack the code a little bit and get some turnovers and create some momentum and then you saw the result,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said.

Johnson tossed his second interception to Harrison Taggart on Kansas State’s opening drive of the second half. Taggart’s pick and a subsequent 24-yard sprint by Moa set up a 3-yard TD catch by Darius Lassiter and extended BYU’s lead to 24-6.

After the defense forced a three-and-out, Kingston nearly fumbled the ensuing punt but managed to scoop up the ball, cut over to the opposite sideline and race 90 yards for a touchdown. His score put BYU up 31-6 less than five minutes into the third quarter.

“It was stunning to see that,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “We got embarrassed and that hasn’t happened here since the Covid year.”

A 22-yard touchdown run by Moa early in the fourth capped the night for the Cougars.

Kansas State: The Wildcats gashed BYU with long runs on their first two drives, totaling 117 rushing yards and averaging 6.9 yards per carry, but only came away with a pair of field goals before the wheels fell off on offense.

BYU: Forcing turnovers on three straight Kansas State drives helped the Cougars turn a close game into a blowout early in the second half. BYU scored 31 unanswered points in a 6 1/2-minute span bridging the second and third quarters.

BYU has not allowed a touchdown in both games it has played against fellow Power Four schools thus far. The Cougars held SMU to five field goals in an 18-15 win over the Mustangs in week two and then limited Kansas State to three field goals on three trips to the red zone on Saturday.

“We already know what we’re capable of,” linebacker Isaiah Glasker said. “It’s really just showing other people what we can do.”

Moa was buried on the running back depth chart to start the season but injuries to LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati led to the freshman making his first career start. He had just 17 yards on six carries before finishing with 76 yards as BYU’s lead back.

“I was pretty surprised I got a lot of these reps,” Moa said.

A lopsided loss to BYU could send Kansas State tumbling out of the AP Top 25 on Sunday. BYU could also work its way into the rankings.

Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727004907183.png" alt="Photo BYU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo BYU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU’s defense forced three turnovers, Jake Retzlaff threw for 149 yards and two touchdowns and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Big12Conference/status/1837714080649371736">Parker Kingston had a highlight reel 90-yard punt return touchdown</a>&nbsp;in a 38-9 victory over No. 13 Kansas State on Saturday night.Sione Moa added a career-high 76 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Cougars (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) snapped a five-game losing streak to Big 12 opponents in emphatic fashion.“A lot of people were surprised by this. They didn’t really think we could do this,” Moa said. “This is not a surprise to us. We know the work we put in to get to this point.”Avery Johnson piled up 204 yards of total offense for the Wildcats but also threw a pair of interceptions. DJ Giddens rushed for 93 yards on 19 carries as Kansas State (3-1, 0-1) dropped to 0-4 all-time in Provo despite totaling 224 rushing yards. The Wildcats did not score a touchdown in a game for the first time since 2020.“We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times and we got to score touchdowns,” Johnson said. “You got to take care of the football on the road if you want to win games.”BYU scored a pair of touchdowns 39 seconds apart before halftime after forcing turnovers on back-to-back Kansas State drives.Jack Kelly stripped the ball from Giddens on a third-down run and Tommy Prassas took the fumble 30 yards to the house, giving the Cougars their first lead, 10-6. Tyler Batty intercepted Johnson two plays later at the Wildcats 29. His takeaway set up a 23-yard touchdown catch by Chase Roberts that gave BYU a 17-6 lead going into halftime.“You got to make them earn it all and eventually we were able to crack the code a little bit and get some turnovers and create some momentum and then you saw the result,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said.Johnson tossed his second interception to Harrison Taggart on Kansas State’s opening drive of the second half. Taggart’s pick and a subsequent 24-yard sprint by Moa set up a 3-yard TD catch by Darius Lassiter and extended BYU’s lead to 24-6.After the defense forced a three-and-out, Kingston nearly fumbled the ensuing punt but managed to scoop up the ball, cut over to the opposite sideline and race 90 yards for a touchdown. His score put BYU up 31-6 less than five minutes into the third quarter.“It was stunning to see that,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “We got embarrassed and that hasn’t happened here since the Covid year.”A 22-yard touchdown run by Moa early in the fourth capped the night for the Cougars.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas State: The Wildcats gashed BYU with long runs on their first two drives, totaling 117 rushing yards and averaging 6.9 yards per carry, but only came away with a pair of field goals before the wheels fell off on offense.BYU: Forcing turnovers on three straight Kansas State drives helped the Cougars turn a close game into a blowout early in the second half. BYU scored 31 unanswered points in a 6 1/2-minute span bridging the second and third quarters.<h2>No Touchdowns Allowed</h2>BYU has not allowed a touchdown in both games it has played against fellow Power Four schools thus far. The Cougars held SMU to five field goals in an 18-15 win over the Mustangs in week two and then limited Kansas State to three field goals on three trips to the red zone on Saturday.“We already know what we’re capable of,” linebacker Isaiah Glasker said. “It’s really just showing other people what we can do.”<h2>Breakout Game</h2>Moa was buried on the running back depth chart to start the season but injuries to LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati led to the freshman making his first career start. He had just 17 yards on six carries before finishing with 76 yards as BYU’s lead back.“I was pretty surprised I got a lot of these reps,” Moa said.<h2>Poll Implications</h2>A lopsided loss to BYU could send Kansas State tumbling out of the AP Top 25 on Sunday. BYU could also work its way into the rankings.Up NextKansas State hosts Oklahoma State on Saturday.BYU is at Baylor on Saturday.

🏈 BYU forces 3 turnovers in rout of No. 13 Kansas State

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. and Matt Chapman hit two home runs each, Landen Roupp pitched five scoreless innings for his first major league win, and the San Francisco Giants handed the Kansas City Royals their sixth straight loss, 9-0 on Saturday.

The Royals are clinging to the AL's second wild-card berth. Kansas City’s lead over the Minnesota Twins — who were rained out Saturday — was reduced to a half game. The Tigers are another one half game behind the Twins.

Wade put the Giants ahead with two out in the first inning, lining a first-pitch solo homer above the right field bullpen.

Wade led off the fourth with a drive down the right field line and Chapman followed with a blast to straightaway center, marking the seventh time the Giants have had back-to-back homers this season. It was the first multi-homer game of Wade's career.

The Giants batted around and scored six runs in the sixth for a 9-0 lead. Chapman hit his 26th of the season with one out for his 12th career multi-homer game.

Curt Casali added a two-run single and Mike Yastrzemski capped the frame with a three-run homer. Yastrzemski has five home runs in his last 10 games and 18 this season.

Roupp (1-1), making his third career start shut out the Royals on three hits, walking three and striking out three, holding Kansas City hitters to 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Brady Singer (9-12) allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts and a season-high four home runs over 5 1/3 innings.

The Giants have won four of five games, hitting nine home runs and outscoring opponents 29-9.

MJ Melendez had two hits for the Royals, who have lost six straight while hitting 8 for 52 with runners in scoring position in that stretch.

Giants: IF Matt Chapman was reinstated from paternity list. ... IF Marco Luciano was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.

Giants LHP Blake Snell (4-3, 3.31 ERA) opposes RHP Seth Lugo (16-8, 3.05) in the Royals final regular-season home game on Sunday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. and Matt Chapman hit two home runs each, Landen Roupp pitched five scoreless innings for his first major league win, and the San Francisco Giants handed the Kansas City Royals their sixth straight loss, 9-0 on Saturday.The Royals are clinging to the AL's second wild-card berth. Kansas City’s lead over the Minnesota Twins — who were rained out Saturday — was reduced to a half game. The Tigers are another one half game behind the Twins.Wade put the Giants ahead with two out in the first inning, lining a first-pitch solo homer above the right field bullpen.Wade led off the fourth with a drive down the right field line and Chapman followed with a blast to straightaway center, marking the seventh time the Giants have had back-to-back homers this season. It was the first multi-homer game of Wade's career.The Giants batted around and scored six runs in the sixth for a 9-0 lead. Chapman hit his 26th of the season with one out for his 12th career multi-homer game.Curt Casali added a two-run single and Mike Yastrzemski capped the frame with a three-run homer. Yastrzemski has five home runs in his last 10 games and 18 this season.Roupp (1-1), making his third career start shut out the Royals on three hits, walking three and striking out three, holding Kansas City hitters to 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.Brady Singer (9-12) allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts and a season-high four home runs over 5 1/3 innings.The Giants have won four of five games, hitting nine home runs and outscoring opponents 29-9.MJ Melendez had two hits for the Royals, who have lost six straight while hitting 8 for 52 with runners in scoring position in that stretch.TRANSACTIONS:Giants: IF Matt Chapman was reinstated from paternity list. ... IF Marco Luciano was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.UP NEXTGiants LHP Blake Snell (4-3, 3.31 ERA) opposes RHP Seth Lugo (16-8, 3.05) in the Royals final regular-season home game on Sunday.

⚾ Giants hand slipping Royals their sixth straight loss

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Garrett Greene threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Gallagher with 26 seconds left to lift West Virginia to a 32-28 victory over Kansas in their Big 12 opener Saturday.

The Mountaineers (2-2) overcame an 11-point deficit and withstood a lightning delay of about two hours with two touchdown passes by Greene in the final 3:27. It came a week after the Mountaineers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-pitt-score-74df4aa149c7fb92e25ef8a0f77b0f8e">squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes</a>&nbsp;of a heartbreaking loss at Pittsburgh.

“Offensively, we just found a way,” coach Neal Brown said. “It wasn't our best day. We didn't have our ‘A’ game, but we finished well.”

Saturday's outcome wasn't decided until West Virginia's Tyrin Bradley stripped the ball from Jalon Daniels on a pass attempt and Bradley recovered it with 8 seconds left. Bradley also had the team's first interception of the season in the first quarter.

Kansas appeared to be in control when wide receiver Luke Grimm went 32 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with 5:39 left for a 28-17 lead.

“Sometimes it doesn't roll your way," Grimm said. “We just didn't execute in the final stretch. They executed and we didn't.”

Greene, who had been shaky up until that point, then took over. He hit Kole Taylor with an 8-yard TD toss, and Taylor caught the two-point conversion pass from Traylon Ray.

After Kansas was forced to punt, Greene ran for 25 yards on the winning drive. A pass interference call in the end zone on Mello Dotson of Kansas gave the Mountaineers first-and-goal at the 10. A false start pushed the ball back to the 15 before Greene hit Gallagher in the end zone for the final margin.

“I always want the ball in my hands at the end of the game,” Greene said.

West Virginia's Hudson Clement caught seven passes for 150 yards.

Greene, who also had a 5-yard scoring run, completed 15 of 30 passes for 295 yards. He also led the Mountaineers with 87 rushing yards on on 17 carries.

“I may coach for a long time and may never have another guy that’s as competitive as he is,” Brown said.

Devin Neal rushed for 110 yards for Kansas (1-3). It was his fourth straight 100-yard game this season.

Brown said defensive back Aubrey Burks was walking around and “in good spirits” and that medical tests on him were “clear” after Burks was removed from the sideline on a cart in the second quarter with what the coach described as an upper body injury. Burks initially was tended to while the West Virginia offense was on the field.

"It must have happened during a play but he didn't have symptoms until he came out," Brown said.

Last year Burks was injured making a tackle on a punt at TCU and had to have his neck immobilized. He missed one game with a concussion.

Kansas: KU has lost three straight. The Jayhawks are in a free fall after starting the season ranked.

“We’ve been in situations worse than this,” Grimm said. "We sucked when I was first here. We came from way worse than what we are right now. So we’re not worried at all.”

West Virginia: The Mountaineers showed some mettle in the comeback win, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the next three games against ranked opponents and three of the next five games on the road.

West Virginia: Has a week off before playing at No. 14 Oklahoma State on Oct. 5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726956688394.jpeg" alt="A lightning strike is shown in the distance above Mountaineer Field during an NCAA college football game between Kansas and West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/John Raby)" />
 <figcaption>A lightning strike is shown in the distance above Mountaineer Field during an NCAA college football game between Kansas and West Virginia in Morgantown, W.Va., Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/John Raby)</figcaption>
 </figure>MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Garrett Greene threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Gallagher with 26 seconds left to lift West Virginia to a 32-28 victory over Kansas in their Big 12 opener Saturday.The Mountaineers (2-2) overcame an 11-point deficit and withstood a lightning delay of about two hours with two touchdown passes by Greene in the final 3:27. It came a week after the Mountaineers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-pitt-score-74df4aa149c7fb92e25ef8a0f77b0f8e">squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes</a>&nbsp;of a heartbreaking loss at Pittsburgh.“Offensively, we just found a way,” coach Neal Brown said. “It wasn't our best day. We didn't have our ‘A’ game, but we finished well.”Saturday's outcome wasn't decided until West Virginia's Tyrin Bradley stripped the ball from Jalon Daniels on a pass attempt and Bradley recovered it with 8 seconds left. Bradley also had the team's first interception of the season in the first quarter.Kansas appeared to be in control when wide receiver Luke Grimm went 32 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown with 5:39 left for a 28-17 lead.“Sometimes it doesn't roll your way," Grimm said. “We just didn't execute in the final stretch. They executed and we didn't.”Greene, who had been shaky up until that point, then took over. He hit Kole Taylor with an 8-yard TD toss, and Taylor caught the two-point conversion pass from Traylon Ray.After Kansas was forced to punt, Greene ran for 25 yards on the winning drive. A pass interference call in the end zone on Mello Dotson of Kansas gave the Mountaineers first-and-goal at the 10. A false start pushed the ball back to the 15 before Greene hit Gallagher in the end zone for the final margin.“I always want the ball in my hands at the end of the game,” Greene said.West Virginia's Hudson Clement caught seven passes for 150 yards.Greene, who also had a 5-yard scoring run, completed 15 of 30 passes for 295 yards. He also led the Mountaineers with 87 rushing yards on on 17 carries.“I may coach for a long time and may never have another guy that’s as competitive as he is,” Brown said.Devin Neal rushed for 110 yards for Kansas (1-3). It was his fourth straight 100-yard game this season.<h2>Burks hurt</h2>Brown said defensive back Aubrey Burks was walking around and “in good spirits” and that medical tests on him were “clear” after Burks was removed from the sideline on a cart in the second quarter with what the coach described as an upper body injury. Burks initially was tended to while the West Virginia offense was on the field."It must have happened during a play but he didn't have symptoms until he came out," Brown said.Last year Burks was injured making a tackle on a punt at TCU and had to have his neck immobilized. He missed one game with a concussion.<h2>The takeaway</h2>Kansas: KU has lost three straight. The Jayhawks are in a free fall after starting the season ranked.“We’ve been in situations worse than this,” Grimm said. "We sucked when I was first here. We came from way worse than what we are right now. So we’re not worried at all.”West Virginia: The Mountaineers showed some mettle in the comeback win, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the next three games against ranked opponents and three of the next five games on the road.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Hosts TCU next Saturday.West Virginia: Has a week off before playing at No. 14 Oklahoma State on Oct. 5.

🏈 Greene throws two late TD passes and West Virginia beats Kansas 

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

Despite two 30-minute lightning delays, the biggest force of nature in a battle between Ellsworth and Minneapolis didn’t come from the sky; it came from the ground.

Bearcat tailback Landin Johnson ran wild on the Lion defense, carrying the rock for over 200 yards and four rushing touchdowns in a 26-21 Ellsworth win.

Minneapolis moved the ball well on the opening drive but stalled out at the goal line, turning it over on downs after setting up first and goal from the five.

On the very next play, Johnson set the tone, cutting an outside run across the field, breaking two tackles, and running 96 yards to paydirt to put Ellsworth on the board.

The Lions answered with a touchdown connection from Owen Just to Joseph Woehl, but Johnson was there to respond on the ensuing drive, breaking off a touchdown run of 50 yards to restore a 14-7 lead.

Long drives for both teams would result in the two sides trading touchdowns before the half, including a 9-yard Johnson scamper for his third score of the game.

Both sides made good defensive adjustments in the locker room, but Johnson couldn’t be contained for long, and after a scoreless third quarter, the senior tailback punched in his fourth score of the day from four yards out to put Ellsworth ahead 26-14.

In need of a score, the Lions marched the ball down the field but would come away without any points from the red zone for the fourth time as Dax Leiker picked off Owen Just at the goal line.

It could have been an even bigger day for Johnson, but an 80-yard touchdown run was called back for a hold, giving new life to Minneapolis.

The Lions strung together a masterful up-tempo drive, scoring in under 2:00, but were unable to recover the onside kick, falling 26-21 at the final whistle.

With this result, Ellsworth moves to 3-0 while Minneapolis falls to 1-2.

The Bearcats will be on the road to take on Lyons (1–2) next week while the Lions travel to Norton to battle the Bluejays (3-0).

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/kGCN4J5TuZg">Click here to watch the full broadcast of this game 100% free</a>

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostDespite two 30-minute lightning delays, the biggest force of nature in a battle between Ellsworth and Minneapolis didn’t come from the sky; it came from the ground.Bearcat tailback Landin Johnson ran wild on the Lion defense, carrying the rock for over 200 yards and four rushing touchdowns in a 26-21 Ellsworth win.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Minneapolis moved the ball well on the opening drive but stalled out at the goal line, turning it over on downs after setting up first and goal from the five.On the very next play, Johnson set the tone, cutting an outside run across the field, breaking two tackles, and running 96 yards to paydirt to put Ellsworth on the board.The Lions answered with a touchdown connection from Owen Just to Joseph Woehl, but Johnson was there to respond on the ensuing drive, breaking off a touchdown run of 50 yards to restore a 14-7 lead.Long drives for both teams would result in the two sides trading touchdowns before the half, including a 9-yard Johnson scamper for his third score of the game.Both sides made good defensive adjustments in the locker room, but Johnson couldn’t be contained for long, and after a scoreless third quarter, the senior tailback punched in his fourth score of the day from four yards out to put Ellsworth ahead 26-14.In need of a score, the Lions marched the ball down the field but would come away without any points from the red zone for the fourth time as Dax Leiker picked off Owen Just at the goal line.It could have been an even bigger day for Johnson, but an 80-yard touchdown run was called back for a hold, giving new life to Minneapolis.The Lions strung together a masterful up-tempo drive, scoring in under 2:00, but were unable to recover the onside kick, falling 26-21 at the final whistle.With this result, Ellsworth moves to 3-0 while Minneapolis falls to 1-2.The Bearcats will be on the road to take on Lyons (1–2) next week while the Lions travel to Norton to battle the Bluejays (3-0).<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/kGCN4J5TuZg">Click here to watch the full broadcast of this game 100% free</a>

Bearcats outlast Lions behind Johnson's big day

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals' late-season losing streak stretched to five on Friday night with a 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, who got three hits from Heliot Ramos.

Kansas City dropped four games behind Baltimore for the first AL wild card spot and saw its lead cut to one game over Minnesota for the second of the three wild cards.

“You've got to make your own breaks,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We had every opportunity to hit a ball in the gap or a line drive through the middle. We've got to keep putting ourselves in the opportunities to get guys on base and force the action. Hopefully we break through.”

Mason Black (1-4) pitched shutout ball over a career-high 5 2/3 innings for already eliminated San Francisco, limiting the Royals to four hits.

“He pitched great,” San Francisco manager Bob Melvin said. “He seems like the last few times he's been a little bit more comfortable and confident with what he's doing out there.”

Camilo Doval allowed Garrett Hampson's sacrifice fly before striking out Tommy Pham with runners on second and third to get his 23rd save in 28 chances.

"That was a little stressful, but he got out of it," Melvin said.

Hampson came close to a bases-clearing double down the left-field line that would have won the game with one out in the ninth, but the ball was ruled foul. Quatraro asked to challenge the ruling but was denied.

“I was surprised it was called foul,” Quatraro said. “I didn't have a great angle from where I was sitting, but they called it foul and it's not reviewable.”

Quatraro felt like the ball was behind third-base umpire John Bacon, but he was told that the replay umpire in New York said it wasn't.

“I've argued that one a million times,” Melvin said. “You can't review it unless it's behind him.”

Kansas City went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners, including three runners in scoring position in the first two innings.

“You want to score every time you get those opportunities,” Quatraro said. "It just didn't go our way.”

“We hit the ball hard but didn't have anything to show for it,” Adam Frazier said. “We just need a timely hit or two. The pitchers kept us in the game.”

Michael Wacha (13-8) gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 9-2 in 15 starts since June 22.

“I feel like they made me work, especially in the first,” Wacha said. “I feel like I was able to settle in there, but the sixth was frustrating."

Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a bloop single, advanced to second on a walk and to third on a flyout, then scored on Ramos' infield hit.

Ramos hit a two-out double to the wall in right-center in the sixth and scored on Patrick Bailey's single for a 2-0 lead.

Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Tuesday with right-shoulder inflammation and right-hander Austin Warren was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

In a game moved up to 4:10 p.m. CDT because of a forecast of bad weather, San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.02 ERA) is to start Saturday against Kansas CIty RHP Brady Singer (9-11, 3.53 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726896341701.jpeg" alt="San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos watches his RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>San Francisco Giants' Heliot Ramos watches his RBI single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals' late-season losing streak stretched to five on Friday night with a 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants, who got three hits from Heliot Ramos.Kansas City dropped four games behind Baltimore for the first AL wild card spot and saw its lead cut to one game over Minnesota for the second of the three wild cards.“You've got to make your own breaks,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We had every opportunity to hit a ball in the gap or a line drive through the middle. We've got to keep putting ourselves in the opportunities to get guys on base and force the action. Hopefully we break through.”Mason Black (1-4) pitched shutout ball over a career-high 5 2/3 innings for already eliminated San Francisco, limiting the Royals to four hits.“He pitched great,” San Francisco manager Bob Melvin said. “He seems like the last few times he's been a little bit more comfortable and confident with what he's doing out there.”Camilo Doval allowed Garrett Hampson's sacrifice fly before striking out Tommy Pham with runners on second and third to get his 23rd save in 28 chances."That was a little stressful, but he got out of it," Melvin said.Hampson came close to a bases-clearing double down the left-field line that would have won the game with one out in the ninth, but the ball was ruled foul. Quatraro asked to challenge the ruling but was denied.“I was surprised it was called foul,” Quatraro said. “I didn't have a great angle from where I was sitting, but they called it foul and it's not reviewable.”Quatraro felt like the ball was behind third-base umpire John Bacon, but he was told that the replay umpire in New York said it wasn't.“I've argued that one a million times,” Melvin said. “You can't review it unless it's behind him.”Kansas City went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners, including three runners in scoring position in the first two innings.“You want to score every time you get those opportunities,” Quatraro said. "It just didn't go our way.”“We hit the ball hard but didn't have anything to show for it,” Adam Frazier said. “We just need a timely hit or two. The pitchers kept us in the game.”Michael Wacha (13-8) gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings, dropping to 9-2 in 15 starts since June 22.“I feel like they made me work, especially in the first,” Wacha said. “I feel like I was able to settle in there, but the sixth was frustrating."Mike Yastrzemski led off the first with a bloop single, advanced to second on a walk and to third on a flyout, then scored on Ramos' infield hit.Ramos hit a two-out double to the wall in right-center in the sixth and scored on Patrick Bailey's single for a 2-0 lead.Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Tuesday with right-shoulder inflammation and right-hander Austin Warren was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.UP NEXTIn a game moved up to 4:10 p.m. CDT because of a forecast of bad weather, San Francisco RHP Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.02 ERA) is to start Saturday against Kansas CIty RHP Brady Singer (9-11, 3.53 ERA).___

⚾ Royals' skid reaches 5 with loss to Giants, who get 3 hits from Ramos

After knocking off a perennial power in Clay Center on Friday night, the Southeast of Saline Trojans will find themselves in an early battle for league supremacy when they host Beloit for the Trojan War.

Beloit (2-0), has rolled through their first two opponents of the season decimating Lyons 52-6 and Concordia 28-0 while SES (2-0) holds wins over Minneapolis and Clay Center.

“That Clay Center game was a fun one to be a part of,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “I really felt like both teams played their butts off. It was as close to a playoff atmosphere as you could get in week two and it really did come down to a few plays, we were fortunate to make one more play than they did.”

Now, Southeast will have to go toe to toe with one of three remaining unbeatens in the NCAA, as the two Trojan teams join Ellsworth at the early 2-0 summit.

For years, the NCAA ran through Beloit, but for the better part of the last decade, those fortunes have changed, with Southeast winning each of the last six meetings between the two.

“Beloit is always a big game for us, it always has been,” Gebhardt said. “They’ve been coached well since I’ve been here and their kids always play hard and have good size. They present a lot of challenges and they know how to run power football. If we’re not tough, Beloit’s definitely gonna beat us.”

Despite beating one of the best teams in Class 3A last week, SES continues to seek steady improvement and will look to take another step forward this week.

“Defensively, we can still play better as a group and we’ll continue to work on that,” he said. “Offensively we need to make sure we’re making our reads and getting the right guys in the right spots. We still have a lot of kids who have only played in two varsity football games and I think we’re going to continue to get better.”

Southeast will also need to find an answer for a Beloit unit that has outscored its first two opponents 80-6 to open their season.

“Their size always presents problems,” Gebhardt said. “They’re always big and they really fly around and make tackles on defense. We need to play fast this week whether that’s making a run or running down the football. We need to play as a team on defense and pick up first downs to keep our offense on the field.”

Kickoff is set for 7 P.M. with pregame coverage on Salina Post and KINA at 6:40, Devin Hanney and Russ Cossell will have the call.

You can tune in for live stream video and audio commentary at the link below 100% free on Salina Post.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostAfter knocking off a perennial power in Clay Center on Friday night, the Southeast of Saline Trojans will find themselves in an early battle for league supremacy when they host Beloit for the Trojan War.Beloit (2-0), has rolled through their first two opponents of the season decimating Lyons 52-6 and Concordia 28-0 while SES (2-0) holds wins over Minneapolis and Clay Center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>“That Clay Center game was a fun one to be a part of,” SES head coach Mitch Gebhardt said. “I really felt like both teams played their butts off. It was as close to a playoff atmosphere as you could get in week two and it really did come down to a few plays, we were fortunate to make one more play than they did.”Now, Southeast will have to go toe to toe with one of three remaining unbeatens in the NCAA, as the two Trojan teams join Ellsworth at the early 2-0 summit.For years, the NCAA ran through Beloit, but for the better part of the last decade, those fortunes have changed, with Southeast winning each of the last six meetings between the two.“Beloit is always a big game for us, it always has been,” Gebhardt said. “They’ve been coached well since I’ve been here and their kids always play hard and have good size. They present a lot of challenges and they know how to run power football. If we’re not tough, Beloit’s definitely gonna beat us.”Despite beating one of the best teams in Class 3A last week, SES continues to seek steady improvement and will look to take another step forward this week.“Defensively, we can still play better as a group and we’ll continue to work on that,” he said. “Offensively we need to make sure we’re making our reads and getting the right guys in the right spots. We still have a lot of kids who have only played in two varsity football games and I think we’re going to continue to get better.”Southeast will also need to find an answer for a Beloit unit that has outscored its first two opponents 80-6 to open their season.“Their size always presents problems,” Gebhardt said. “They’re always big and they really fly around and make tackles on defense. We need to play fast this week whether that’s making a run or running down the football. We need to play as a team on defense and pick up first downs to keep our offense on the field.”Kickoff is set for 7 P.M. with pregame coverage on Salina Post and KINA at 6:40, Devin Hanney and Russ Cossell will have the call.You can tune in for live stream video and audio commentary at the link below 100% free on Salina Post.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CEI7MN0k9Z0"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Undefeateds clash in Beloit as SES travels for Trojan War

Tonight, the Salina Post Game of the Week takes us to Ellsworth, where the 2-0 Bearcats prepare to host a hungry 1-1 Minneapolis team.

This all-NCAA clash will present an opportunity either for Ellsworth to remain atop the league with the winner of the Trojan War in Beloit or for Minneapolis to stake their claim as a league contender.

While Ellsworth and Minneapolis have shared a league for over a decade, the two will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 2021, a game that went the way of the Lions 18-12.

“You can’t control your districts but it’s been really great to get Ellsworth back on the schedule,” Minneapolis head coach Tom Flax said. “Coach Homolka does a great job and these last two seasons have been really good for them. They’ve got a lot of new faces out there who are excited to get their turn and represent their school.”

That senior class entered the 2024 season with little buzz despite playing a big role in Ellsworth’s 9-2 campaign last season, and will be looking to cement their status as a legitimate threat in Class 2A.

“We had the best two years that this program has had in a long time, but it wasn’t one class that won all those games,” Bearcat head coach Josh Homolka said. “These guys were a big part of that. I think they do feel a bit of a chip on their shoulder with not being talked about but we’ll keep playing the games and see where we are in the end.”

In order to remain undefeated, both on the year and in league, Ellsworth will have to contain junior quarterback Owen Just, who has taken another step forward in his second season as the Lions full time starter.

“I’ve been really impressed with their quarterback,” Homolka said. “He can make things happen with his feet but he keeps his eyes downfield looking to make a play. They also run those old bear fronts in a ‘52’ which can be tough to scheme against and block, they really do some good things.”

Meanwhile, to pull off the upset and walk away 2-1, Minneapolis must match the physicality put on display by the Bearcats in their first two contests, or risk falling victim to the red and black unit.

“They play hard, they’re physical and I think they look a lot like us,” Flax said. “They’re not huge, but they’re not afraid to hit you in the mouth, and they run what they want to on both sides of the ball. They’ll hit us hard but if we can hit back I think this is going to be a pretty good ballgame.”

Kickoff between the Lions and Bearcats is scheduled for 7 pm at Ellsworth High School with pregame coverage beginning at 6:40.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina PostTonight, the Salina Post Game of the Week takes us to Ellsworth, where the 2-0 Bearcats prepare to host a hungry 1-1 Minneapolis team.This all-NCAA clash will present an opportunity either for Ellsworth to remain atop the league with the winner of the Trojan War in Beloit or for Minneapolis to stake their claim as a league contender.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715807615208.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>While Ellsworth and Minneapolis have shared a league for over a decade, the two will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 2021, a game that went the way of the Lions 18-12.“You can’t control your districts but it’s been really great to get Ellsworth back on the schedule,” Minneapolis head coach Tom Flax said. “Coach Homolka does a great job and these last two seasons have been really good for them. They’ve got a lot of new faces out there who are excited to get their turn and represent their school.”That senior class entered the 2024 season with little buzz despite playing a big role in Ellsworth’s 9-2 campaign last season, and will be looking to cement their status as a legitimate threat in Class 2A.“We had the best two years that this program has had in a long time, but it wasn’t one class that won all those games,” Bearcat head coach Josh Homolka said. “These guys were a big part of that. I think they do feel a bit of a chip on their shoulder with not being talked about but we’ll keep playing the games and see where we are in the end.”In order to remain undefeated, both on the year and in league, Ellsworth will have to contain junior quarterback Owen Just, who has taken another step forward in his second season as the Lions full time starter.“I’ve been really impressed with their quarterback,” Homolka said. “He can make things happen with his feet but he keeps his eyes downfield looking to make a play. They also run those old bear fronts in a ‘52’ which can be tough to scheme against and block, they really do some good things.”Meanwhile, to pull off the upset and walk away 2-1, Minneapolis must match the physicality put on display by the Bearcats in their first two contests, or risk falling victim to the red and black unit.“They play hard, they’re physical and I think they look a lot like us,” Flax said. “They’re not huge, but they’re not afraid to hit you in the mouth, and they run what they want to on both sides of the ball. They’ll hit us hard but if we can hit back I think this is going to be a pretty good ballgame.”Kickoff between the Lions and Bearcats is scheduled for 7 pm at Ellsworth High School with pregame coverage beginning at 6:40.You can tune in for live stream video and audio commentary at the link below 100% free on Salina Post.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kGCN4J5TuZg"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Lions and Bearcats collide in Ellsworth on Salina Post Game of the Week

TOPEKA, Kan. –&nbsp;AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk in Overland Park will host the 6A KSHSAA Boys and Girls State Wrestling Championship, February 28 - March 1, 2025. This marks the first time a KSHSAA State Wrestling Championship has been hosted east of Topeka since 1983 and the first time in the Kansas City Metro since 1978 when the 5A competition took place in Shawnee Mission.

<a href="https://bluhawksports.com/" target="_blank">AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk</a>&nbsp;is designed to host a variety of sports including basketball, volleyball, hockey, ice skating, dance, cheer, pickleball, 5v5 soccer, wrestling, gymnastics, bowling, and so much more.

“With the growth of girl’s wrestling and the increase of classifications, more sites will be used to accommodate crowd size and lodging. The KSHSAA will evaluate this on a yearly basis,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director Mark Lentz.

The&nbsp; Class 3-1A competition will return to Gross Memorial Stadum in Hays. Fort Hays State has hosted 50 KSHSAA State Wrestling Championships, the return comes after a one year hiatus due to scheduling conflicts.

Class 4A will return to Salina and Class 5A will stay in Park City.

The state tournaments will be held at four different sites on February 28 – March 1, 2025.

-Class 6A girls and boys at the AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk in Overland Park.

-Class 5A girls and boys at The Park City Arena, in Park City.

-Class 4A girls and boys at The Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.

-Class 3-1A girls and boys at Fort Hays State University in Hays.

1) The girls regional tournaments are super regionals for each classification. Schools will be assigned to an east or west regional, that will be held on Friday, February 14 – Saturday, February 15, 2025. If the number of participants permits, then this will be a Saturday only tournament.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -The top 8 finishers from each weight class in each regional will qualify for the state tournament.

2) The 6A and 5A boys regional tournaments will be held on February 21-22.&nbsp; These are also super regionals.

TOPEKA, Kan. –&nbsp;AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk in Overland Park will host the 6A KSHSAA Boys and Girls State Wrestling Championship, February 28 - March 1, 2025. This marks the first time a KSHSAA State Wrestling Championship has been hosted east of Topeka since 1983 and the first time in the Kansas City Metro since 1978 when the 5A competition took place in Shawnee Mission.<a href="https://bluhawksports.com/" target="_blank">AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk</a>&nbsp;is designed to host a variety of sports including basketball, volleyball, hockey, ice skating, dance, cheer, pickleball, 5v5 soccer, wrestling, gymnastics, bowling, and so much more.“With the growth of girl’s wrestling and the increase of classifications, more sites will be used to accommodate crowd size and lodging. The KSHSAA will evaluate this on a yearly basis,” said KSHSAA Assistant Executive Director Mark Lentz.The&nbsp; Class 3-1A competition will return to Gross Memorial Stadum in Hays. Fort Hays State has hosted 50 KSHSAA State Wrestling Championships, the return comes after a one year hiatus due to scheduling conflicts.Class 4A will return to Salina and Class 5A will stay in Park City.Full site details for 2025:The state tournaments will be held at four different sites on February 28 – March 1, 2025.-Class 6A girls and boys at the AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk in Overland Park.-Class 5A girls and boys at The Park City Arena, in Park City.-Class 4A girls and boys at The Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.-Class 3-1A girls and boys at Fort Hays State University in Hays.Regional Wrestling Information1) The girls regional tournaments are super regionals for each classification. Schools will be assigned to an east or west regional, that will be held on Friday, February 14 – Saturday, February 15, 2025. If the number of participants permits, then this will be a Saturday only tournament.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -The top 8 finishers from each weight class in each regional will qualify for the state tournament.2) The 6A and 5A boys regional tournaments will be held on February 21-22.&nbsp; These are also super regionals.

State Wrestling Sites Selected

Hello and happy Friday, everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine…

The KSHSAA Board of Directors voted Wednesday to allow high school basketball teams to play 23 games during the regular season starting with the 2025-26 season.

A proposal initiated by the Kansas Coaches Association and advanced to the Board of Directors by the KSHSAA Executive Board, changes the allowable games a student may participate in from 20 to 23, not counting the postseason. The item was passed with a 36-25 vote.

Other passed measures allow students to participate in 32 baseball and softball games throughout the course of a season, and allow tennis athletes to participate in one outside competition during the school season.

Thursday also saw the appointment of Richard Konzem as executive director of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, announced by chairman Jim Dunning

Konzem has a long history with the hall of fame, recently serving on the board of directors for the second time. His first stint was 1999-2007, during which time he held the office of vice-president from 2003-05.

And finally week three of the high school football season is here and we have you covered with broadcast coverage of Southeast of Saline hosting Beloit, Sacred Heart travelling to Pleasanton, and Ellsworth hosting Minneapolis.

All three games can be streamed for free on Salina Post with pregame set for 6:40 and kickoff at 7:00

<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9grDhRl3X38"></iframe>
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY SALINA POST(Transcript)Hello and happy Friday, everybody, it’s Tyler Henry, back with another KINA Sports Update presented by Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine…_________The KSHSAA Board of Directors voted Wednesday to allow high school basketball teams to play 23 games during the regular season starting with the 2025-26 season.A proposal initiated by the Kansas Coaches Association and advanced to the Board of Directors by the KSHSAA Executive Board, changes the allowable games a student may participate in from 20 to 23, not counting the postseason. The item was passed with a 36-25 vote.Other passed measures allow students to participate in 32 baseball and softball games throughout the course of a season, and allow tennis athletes to participate in one outside competition during the school season._________Thursday also saw the appointment of Richard Konzem as executive director of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, announced by chairman Jim DunningKonzem has a long history with the hall of fame, recently serving on the board of directors for the second time. His first stint was 1999-2007, during which time he held the office of vice-president from 2003-05._________And finally week three of the high school football season is here and we have you covered with broadcast coverage of Southeast of Saline hosting Beloit, Sacred Heart travelling to Pleasanton, and Ellsworth hosting Minneapolis.All three games can be streamed for free on Salina Post with pregame set for 6:40 and kickoff at 7:00_________

910 KINA Sports Headlines — September 20

TOPEKA, Kan. –&nbsp;The KSHSAA Board of Directors voted Wednesday to allow high school basketball teams to play 23 games during the regular season starting with the 2025-26 season.

A proposal initiated by the Kansas Coaches Association and advanced to the Board of Directors agenda by the KSHSAA Executive Board, changes the allowable games a student may participate in from 20 to 23, not counting the postseason. The item was passed with a 36-25 vote.

Other items passed by the KSHSAA Board of Directors:

Rule 22, Outside Competition, Section 1 Article 1&nbsp;- Tennis athletes will now be permitted to participate in one outside competition during the school season. Those events must be approved in advance with a request to the KSHSAA initiated by the member school.&nbsp; Those outside competitions must meet certain criteria with detailed information available on&nbsp;<a href="http://kshsaa.org/" target="_blank">kshsaa.org</a>&nbsp;and in direct communications to member schools participating in tennis. The change is effective upon publication of the Board of Directors meeting minutes.&nbsp;

Rule 32 Baseball and Rule 39 Softball -&nbsp;A student may now participate in 32 total games during the regular season. Each varsity squad may schedule 26 games and sub-varsity may schedule 20 games. The student may participate in no more than 32 games. This is effective for the spring season this school year.

Rule 44, Wrestling (Girls and Boys) -&nbsp;Girls and boys events may now participate in no more than four (4) events, (any combination of double dual, quad (triple dual) and/or one-day tournament) that begin before 3:00 p.m. for each gender. This is effective this school year.

TOPEKA, Kan. –&nbsp;The KSHSAA Board of Directors voted Wednesday to allow high school basketball teams to play 23 games during the regular season starting with the 2025-26 season.A proposal initiated by the Kansas Coaches Association and advanced to the Board of Directors agenda by the KSHSAA Executive Board, changes the allowable games a student may participate in from 20 to 23, not counting the postseason. The item was passed with a 36-25 vote.Other items passed by the KSHSAA Board of Directors:Rule 22, Outside Competition, Section 1 Article 1&nbsp;- Tennis athletes will now be permitted to participate in one outside competition during the school season. Those events must be approved in advance with a request to the KSHSAA initiated by the member school.&nbsp; Those outside competitions must meet certain criteria with detailed information available on&nbsp;<a href="http://kshsaa.org/" target="_blank">kshsaa.org</a>&nbsp;and in direct communications to member schools participating in tennis. The change is effective upon publication of the Board of Directors meeting minutes.&nbsp;Rule 32 Baseball and Rule 39 Softball -&nbsp;A student may now participate in 32 total games during the regular season. Each varsity squad may schedule 26 games and sub-varsity may schedule 20 games. The student may participate in no more than 32 games. This is effective for the spring season this school year.Rule 44, Wrestling (Girls and Boys) -&nbsp;Girls and boys events may now participate in no more than four (4) events, (any combination of double dual, quad (triple dual) and/or one-day tournament) that begin before 3:00 p.m. for each gender. This is effective this school year.

KSHSAA Board of Directors Approve Changes

ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB

Q: What can special teams do for Jaden Hicks down the road?

TOUB: “He’s (Jaden Hicks) in a lot of key spots for us right now. He’s our PP (personal protector) on punt which he’s making all the calls and he’s also the Mike on punt returns. He’s responsible if a team ran a fake to be able to stop that just like we used (Former Chiefs Safety Daniel) Sorensen in the past so he’s in a lot of key roles for us and it’s going to help him develop as a safety learning football instincts and the speed of the game. He gets better and better each week. He doesn’t make the same mistake twice that’s what I’m really happy about having him.”

Q: Regarding roster decisions, how much direct contact do you have with General Manager Brett Veach?

TOUB: “A lot, yeah, we talk about it. You know, he comes to my office, we talk about it – (Head Coach) Andy (Reid), we get on a three-way call, like early on Monday, we talk about all of that stuff.”

Q: How much better has Matt Araiza gotten already?

TOUB: “Yeah, he’s (Matt Araiza) only had five punts so far in two games but his first game with the three punts, he had two touchbacks and then he had come up with the third punt which was a great punt the 4.94 that we tackled for a two-yard gain. This game he only had two and the goal this past week was no touchbacks, and he did that. Then, Josh (Williams) made a great play on the goal line obviously knocking that ball back for us, that was a huge play. The combination of him hanging the ball up and then the coverage getting down there doing their job, it’s going to make his job that much easier. He did make an improvement from game one to game two.”

Q: On the Ravens and Bengals defending Rashee Rice differently.

NAGY:&nbsp;“Every week is probably going to be a little bit different, with him (Rashee Rice) and these players (that) we have and that’s a good thing. We like the way that they’re playing, they’re playing fast. I think it’s the – the biggest part of the process is going to be us just being able to – us, as coaches – being able to make sure that we try to get them open in different ways and then the players adjusting.”

Q: How does losing Isiah Pacheco for a while change the operation for you guys?

NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s certainly a little bit different but that’s expected. Pop (Isiah Pacheco) is doing a good job recovering and part of this game is injuries, but we know how much he wanted to be out there. For us, football-wise, and the x’s and o’s part, I think the guys that we have here now have really been able to get a chance to be in this offense (and) get some valuable reps – whether it be at training camp or (in) preseason. Now, it’s the next man up mentality. You guys (the media) know who the guys are that are here and for us, the biggest thing is just making sure that we put them in optimum situations and probably don’t try to do too much, one way or the other with any of them. Understand too that this is going to be – it’s a little new to these guys and that’s okay. We just help them through the process but there’s also a lot of excitement for them, too.”

Q: What are the challenges of the Falcons defense?

NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, I just think they (the Falcons defense) play hard. They really play hard. They’re a defense that they keep a lot of things in front of them. You saw that game the other night with Philadelphia, and they did a really good job of tackling, they’re physical (and) they understand the scheme. It’s a great scheme that they have, and they’ve got good football players. For us, the biggest thing is how do we play fast? Then, understand they’re a good football team. It’s obviously a primetime game so they’ll be juiced up, we’ll be juiced up, but I think (Falcons Head) Coach (Raheem) Morris has done a great job and their defense, in general, and he always has.”

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Okay, we’re ready to go. On to the next one. They don’t get any easier. We’ve got another tough opponent but with that, I’m just going to open it up.”

Q: How quickly do you feel like you’ll be able to get Cameron Thomas and Marlon Tuipulotu up to speed and in the game?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“We’re getting there. We talk about it every week. (General Manager) Brett (Veach) always comes in and asks, and (Defensive Line Coach) Joe’s (Cullen) been – Joe and (Assistant Defensive Line Coach) Terry (Bradden) have spent a lot of extra time with both Cam (Cameron Thomas) and Marlon (Tuipulotu) and they’re both great about it. I mean, they’re the first guys in here. They’re chomping at the bit to get in there and we’ll see where that goes. It’d be nice to get more than eight (defensive linemen) but there’s only so many numbers, so we’ll see what happens.”

Q: What stands out about the way Chris Jones influences the game?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“He’s (Chris Jones) attracting a lot of double teams right now. You guys (the media) have probably done your film study so you can see that, right? Yeah, he does. I mean, we try as much as we can to get him on one person, but that’s hard to do. People tend not to let that happen. One of the things we probably need to do a better job of is get into some longer third downs. I was sharing with the (defensive) unit this morning that, if I did my math right, I think we’ve only had 19 third-and-two plus (situations). That’s really not enough in the game. That’s only nine and a half a game, but that means you have to play better on first and second down. That’s where this team (Atlanta Falcons) is going to become really challenging because we know they run the ball really well.”

Q: What characteristics do you have to have to be a blitzer in your defense?

SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“When I do evaluate DB’s and linebackers as well, I’m always looking for guys that can blitz. I’ll tell you one thing that I always look at is a vertical jump because I just think that signifies explosive traits. Chamarri (Conner) has a – it’s over 40, I don’t know exactly (how high)– he’d know exactly what it is, and they all know exactly (laughter) – but that’s one thing I do like, guys that can go from a standstill to really fast to me are the guys that are the best blitzers. Trent (McDuffie) can do it, Chamarri’s done it, LJ (Tennessee Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed) used to do it, we have a lot of guys that can do it. Some guys have to time it up and be moving forward, other guys can go (snaps) from a standstill.”

Q: What was your assessment of Kingsley Suamataia’s second half?

HECK: “In the second half, he (Kingsley Suamataia) had a couple breakdowns in technique, and he had one or two mental errors there. I think it was earlier in the game that those occurred, but stuff that he was able to look at, we’re able to make corrections in our meeting and stuff he’s working on this week.”

Q: Are these some of the growing pains that come with putting a rookie at left tackle?

HECK: “Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think every rookie will go through those ups and downs. Let’s not forget who he’s (Kingsley Suamataia) playing against – an elite pass rusher there (in Cincinnati). It’s a good lesson, good opportunity to learn and grow, so by no means am I down on Kingsley, I’ve got a lot of faith in him.”

Q: How much does your run blocking scheme change when you’re shifting personnel when it comes to the running back?

HECK: “I’d say not much. One of the things that we try to do is we do a lot of different kinds of run schemes – inside zone, mid zone, gap schemes and so we usually carry a mixture of all those things, and we ask our backs to learn them all so that’s a tall order. It’s true some backs are better at this than that, but really, we work hard at, ‘Hey, let’s be good at all these things because if this is drying up, let’s go to this.’”

DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH DAVE MERRITT

Q: What has impressed you the most about Trent McDuffie so far this season?

MERRITT: “His (Trent McDuffie) ability to be calm no matter where we put him on the defense. Whether he’s going to the corner position, whether he’s sliding into the nickel position – just his ability to be able to move around because last year he didn’t have to necessarily travel around as much. He’s just a good guy that you can talk to about, ‘Hey, this is what we would like to do.’ Whether it’s bunch, stacks (or) whether it’s a particular wide receiver and Trent just never bats an eye.”

Q: With a dynamic running back like Falcons RB Bijan Robinson that is effective in the run and pass game, what does the secondary have to be mindful of?

MERRITT: “You have to ready to – number one – not only the running back (Falcons RB Bijan Robinson), you have to be ready to defeat blocks, first. (Falcons WR) Drake (London) is a pretty doggone good blocker. He reminds me of an old (Former NFL WR) Hines Ward, throwback type (of) blocker as far as this young man is (a) big body guy. The number one thing that we’ve been working on all week is making sure we take care of the first contact, which is our pressure key, then we can get to the running back next. Understanding that five (Falcons WR Drake London) is the guy that does a lot of the heavy lifting in being ready to crack-replace and if he’s getting ready to block you, you better make sure you bring your lunch pail. Then, you have to deal with the (running) back next. I think a lot of people when they are looking at this run scheme – their eyes are so focused on the (running) back that all of a sudden, they’re getting cracked (or) they’re getting walled off, so if you don’t take off the first line of defense first, as far as offensive lineman cutting, as well as wide receivers blocking, it’s going to be a long day.”

Q: Nazeeh Johnson got a lot of work on Sunday, too. Is that just a matter of getting him back into football shape?

MERRITT: “That’s exactly right. I mean, Nazeeh Johnson, you’re talking – you cannot – there’s not a better human being in that locker room, in my opinion, than Nazeeh Johnson. He’s always positive (and) he’s always smiling. ‘Brotha -man’ is his word – ‘What’s up, brotha-man’ so Nazeeh is one of those guys – to be able to get him going and playing in some of his first time NFL games. If you think about it, he’s been a special teamer and when I say playing, I mean playing the corner position. Nazeeh is doing a great job for us and he’s going to continue to learn. He had the touchdown that he gave up the other day in the redzone, but he’ll learn from that. He’s just a great young man who we’re happy that (he is a) part of the fab five (and) that he’s one of the fifth pieces of that puzzle that’s stepping up for us.”

Q: What do you see from Carson Steele going into this week?

PINKSTON: “Carson (Steele) is going in just being confident. You can see his work ethic and (the) things that he’s doing are very impressive.”

Q: How has Samaje Perine grown since he first got here, and do you think he’s ready for a 100% workload?

PINKSTON: “He’s (Samaje Perine) a smart vet, he’s been around, he’s been in the game for a long time. He’ll be ready to go, (the) guy (has) prepared well.”

Q: What have you seen from Isiah Pacheco since his injury?

PINKSTON: “His (Isiah Pacheco) mental toughness. He’s a guy that wants to be out there regardless of what he has going on. That’s one thing about Isiah (Pacheco) is he’s going to bring the energy, he’s going to go 100 miles to nothing, every play and that’s something that he’s still going to bring once he starts his PT (physical therapy).”

Q: Has there been an increase in teams double teaming you? Did the Bengals increase their pressure on you?

JONES: “It’s normal, (I’m) used to it. I expected it.&nbsp; So, for me, I don’t really count the double teams, we just make the most of it.”

Q: Regarding sacks, what does it mean to you to be in range of catching former Chiefs like Tamba Hali, Neil Smith and Justin Houston?

JONES: “Listen, those are the guys that came in here and laid the foundation for me to look forward to and try to one day even get close to their names and stuff. When you go from players like (Chiefs 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee) Tamba Hali, (Former NFL player) Justin Houston, most importantly (PFHOF) Derrick Thomas who is the all-time (sack) leader, I think at 126.5 (sacks) – but who’s counting. You know, you look up to those type of guys because they set the foundation of what greatness should look like and what to be superior looks like. When my name is even mentioned at the bottom of that category, it’s an honor but there’s still a lot of more work to do.”

Q: How do you see the rest of the defensive line take advantage of you being double and/or triple teamed?

Chiefs Coordinator QuotesSeptember 19, 2024ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUBQ: What can special teams do for Jaden Hicks down the road?TOUB: “He’s (Jaden Hicks) in a lot of key spots for us right now. He’s our PP (personal protector) on punt which he’s making all the calls and he’s also the Mike on punt returns. He’s responsible if a team ran a fake to be able to stop that just like we used (Former Chiefs Safety Daniel) Sorensen in the past so he’s in a lot of key roles for us and it’s going to help him develop as a safety learning football instincts and the speed of the game. He gets better and better each week. He doesn’t make the same mistake twice that’s what I’m really happy about having him.”Q: Regarding roster decisions, how much direct contact do you have with General Manager Brett Veach?TOUB: “A lot, yeah, we talk about it. You know, he comes to my office, we talk about it – (Head Coach) Andy (Reid), we get on a three-way call, like early on Monday, we talk about all of that stuff.”Q: How much better has Matt Araiza gotten already?TOUB: “Yeah, he’s (Matt Araiza) only had five punts so far in two games but his first game with the three punts, he had two touchbacks and then he had come up with the third punt which was a great punt the 4.94 that we tackled for a two-yard gain. This game he only had two and the goal this past week was no touchbacks, and he did that. Then, Josh (Williams) made a great play on the goal line obviously knocking that ball back for us, that was a huge play. The combination of him hanging the ball up and then the coverage getting down there doing their job, it’s going to make his job that much easier. He did make an improvement from game one to game two.”OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGYQ: On the Ravens and Bengals defending Rashee Rice differently.NAGY:&nbsp;“Every week is probably going to be a little bit different, with him (Rashee Rice) and these players (that) we have and that’s a good thing. We like the way that they’re playing, they’re playing fast. I think it’s the – the biggest part of the process is going to be us just being able to – us, as coaches – being able to make sure that we try to get them open in different ways and then the players adjusting.”Q: How does losing Isiah Pacheco for a while change the operation for you guys?NAGY:&nbsp;“It’s certainly a little bit different but that’s expected. Pop (Isiah Pacheco) is doing a good job recovering and part of this game is injuries, but we know how much he wanted to be out there. For us, football-wise, and the x’s and o’s part, I think the guys that we have here now have really been able to get a chance to be in this offense (and) get some valuable reps – whether it be at training camp or (in) preseason. Now, it’s the next man up mentality. You guys (the media) know who the guys are that are here and for us, the biggest thing is just making sure that we put them in optimum situations and probably don’t try to do too much, one way or the other with any of them. Understand too that this is going to be – it’s a little new to these guys and that’s okay. We just help them through the process but there’s also a lot of excitement for them, too.”Q: What are the challenges of the Falcons defense?NAGY:&nbsp;“Well, I just think they (the Falcons defense) play hard. They really play hard. They’re a defense that they keep a lot of things in front of them. You saw that game the other night with Philadelphia, and they did a really good job of tackling, they’re physical (and) they understand the scheme. It’s a great scheme that they have, and they’ve got good football players. For us, the biggest thing is how do we play fast? Then, understand they’re a good football team. It’s obviously a primetime game so they’ll be juiced up, we’ll be juiced up, but I think (Falcons Head) Coach (Raheem) Morris has done a great job and their defense, in general, and he always has.”DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLOOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Okay, we’re ready to go. On to the next one. They don’t get any easier. We’ve got another tough opponent but with that, I’m just going to open it up.”Q: How quickly do you feel like you’ll be able to get Cameron Thomas and Marlon Tuipulotu up to speed and in the game?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“We’re getting there. We talk about it every week. (General Manager) Brett (Veach) always comes in and asks, and (Defensive Line Coach) Joe’s (Cullen) been – Joe and (Assistant Defensive Line Coach) Terry (Bradden) have spent a lot of extra time with both Cam (Cameron Thomas) and Marlon (Tuipulotu) and they’re both great about it. I mean, they’re the first guys in here. They’re chomping at the bit to get in there and we’ll see where that goes. It’d be nice to get more than eight (defensive linemen) but there’s only so many numbers, so we’ll see what happens.”Q: What stands out about the way Chris Jones influences the game?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“He’s (Chris Jones) attracting a lot of double teams right now. You guys (the media) have probably done your film study so you can see that, right? Yeah, he does. I mean, we try as much as we can to get him on one person, but that’s hard to do. People tend not to let that happen. One of the things we probably need to do a better job of is get into some longer third downs. I was sharing with the (defensive) unit this morning that, if I did my math right, I think we’ve only had 19 third-and-two plus (situations). That’s really not enough in the game. That’s only nine and a half a game, but that means you have to play better on first and second down. That’s where this team (Atlanta Falcons) is going to become really challenging because we know they run the ball really well.”Q: What characteristics do you have to have to be a blitzer in your defense?SPAGNUOLO:&nbsp;“When I do evaluate DB’s and linebackers as well, I’m always looking for guys that can blitz. I’ll tell you one thing that I always look at is a vertical jump because I just think that signifies explosive traits. Chamarri (Conner) has a – it’s over 40, I don’t know exactly (how high)– he’d know exactly what it is, and they all know exactly (laughter) – but that’s one thing I do like, guys that can go from a standstill to really fast to me are the guys that are the best blitzers. Trent (McDuffie) can do it, Chamarri’s done it, LJ (Tennessee Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed) used to do it, we have a lot of guys that can do it. Some guys have to time it up and be moving forward, other guys can go (snaps) from a standstill.”OFFENSIVE LINE COACH ANDY HECKQ: What was your assessment of Kingsley Suamataia’s second half?HECK: “In the second half, he (Kingsley Suamataia) had a couple breakdowns in technique, and he had one or two mental errors there. I think it was earlier in the game that those occurred, but stuff that he was able to look at, we’re able to make corrections in our meeting and stuff he’s working on this week.”Q: Are these some of the growing pains that come with putting a rookie at left tackle?HECK: “Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think every rookie will go through those ups and downs. Let’s not forget who he’s (Kingsley Suamataia) playing against – an elite pass rusher there (in Cincinnati). It’s a good lesson, good opportunity to learn and grow, so by no means am I down on Kingsley, I’ve got a lot of faith in him.”Q: How much does your run blocking scheme change when you’re shifting personnel when it comes to the running back?HECK: “I’d say not much. One of the things that we try to do is we do a lot of different kinds of run schemes – inside zone, mid zone, gap schemes and so we usually carry a mixture of all those things, and we ask our backs to learn them all so that’s a tall order. It’s true some backs are better at this than that, but really, we work hard at, ‘Hey, let’s be good at all these things because if this is drying up, let’s go to this.’”DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH DAVE MERRITTQ: What has impressed you the most about Trent McDuffie so far this season?MERRITT: “His (Trent McDuffie) ability to be calm no matter where we put him on the defense. Whether he’s going to the corner position, whether he’s sliding into the nickel position – just his ability to be able to move around because last year he didn’t have to necessarily travel around as much. He’s just a good guy that you can talk to about, ‘Hey, this is what we would like to do.’ Whether it’s bunch, stacks (or) whether it’s a particular wide receiver and Trent just never bats an eye.”Q: With a dynamic running back like Falcons RB Bijan Robinson that is effective in the run and pass game, what does the secondary have to be mindful of?MERRITT: “You have to ready to – number one – not only the running back (Falcons RB Bijan Robinson), you have to be ready to defeat blocks, first. (Falcons WR) Drake (London) is a pretty doggone good blocker. He reminds me of an old (Former NFL WR) Hines Ward, throwback type (of) blocker as far as this young man is (a) big body guy. The number one thing that we’ve been working on all week is making sure we take care of the first contact, which is our pressure key, then we can get to the running back next. Understanding that five (Falcons WR Drake London) is the guy that does a lot of the heavy lifting in being ready to crack-replace and if he’s getting ready to block you, you better make sure you bring your lunch pail. Then, you have to deal with the (running) back next. I think a lot of people when they are looking at this run scheme – their eyes are so focused on the (running) back that all of a sudden, they’re getting cracked (or) they’re getting walled off, so if you don’t take off the first line of defense first, as far as offensive lineman cutting, as well as wide receivers blocking, it’s going to be a long day.”Q: Nazeeh Johnson got a lot of work on Sunday, too. Is that just a matter of getting him back into football shape?MERRITT: “That’s exactly right. I mean, Nazeeh Johnson, you’re talking – you cannot – there’s not a better human being in that locker room, in my opinion, than Nazeeh Johnson. He’s always positive (and) he’s always smiling. ‘Brotha -man’ is his word – ‘What’s up, brotha-man’ so Nazeeh is one of those guys – to be able to get him going and playing in some of his first time NFL games. If you think about it, he’s been a special teamer and when I say playing, I mean playing the corner position. Nazeeh is doing a great job for us and he’s going to continue to learn. He had the touchdown that he gave up the other day in the redzone, but he’ll learn from that. He’s just a great young man who we’re happy that (he is a) part of the fab five (and) that he’s one of the fifth pieces of that puzzle that’s stepping up for us.”RUNNING BACKS COACH TODD PINKSTONQ: What do you see from Carson Steele going into this week?PINKSTON: “Carson (Steele) is going in just being confident. You can see his work ethic and (the) things that he’s doing are very impressive.”Q: How has Samaje Perine grown since he first got here, and do you think he’s ready for a 100% workload?PINKSTON: “He’s (Samaje Perine) a smart vet, he’s been around, he’s been in the game for a long time. He’ll be ready to go, (the) guy (has) prepared well.”Q: What have you seen from Isiah Pacheco since his injury?PINKSTON: “His (Isiah Pacheco) mental toughness. He’s a guy that wants to be out there regardless of what he has going on. That’s one thing about Isiah (Pacheco) is he’s going to bring the energy, he’s going to go 100 miles to nothing, every play and that’s something that he’s still going to bring once he starts his PT (physical therapy).”Chiefs Player QuotesSeptember 19, 2024DT CHRIS JONESQ: Has there been an increase in teams double teaming you? Did the Bengals increase their pressure on you?JONES: “It’s normal, (I’m) used to it. I expected it.&nbsp; So, for me, I don’t really count the double teams, we just make the most of it.”Q: Regarding sacks, what does it mean to you to be in range of catching former Chiefs like Tamba Hali, Neil Smith and Justin Houston?JONES: “Listen, those are the guys that came in here and laid the foundation for me to look forward to and try to one day even get close to their names and stuff. When you go from players like (Chiefs 2024 Hall of Fame Inductee) Tamba Hali, (Former NFL player) Justin Houston, most importantly (PFHOF) Derrick Thomas who is the all-time (sack) leader, I think at 126.5 (sacks) – but who’s counting. You know, you look up to those type of guys because they set the foundation of what greatness should look like and what to be superior looks like. When my name is even mentioned at the bottom of that category, it’s an honor but there’s still a lot of more work to do.”Q: How do you see the rest of the defensive line take advantage of you being double and/or triple teamed?