By that point, Ohio State had just blown a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead to Texas, and Oregon had, hours earlier, been stunned by Oklahoma State. The path to the top of the Big Ten suddenly seemed open as ever, just as the Trojans’ tremendous freshman caught the punt and took off in search of an opening himself.
With his stunning start to the season, no one player at USC — and perhaps in all the nation — had manufactured more hope through two games. While the conference’s other top teams spent the day licking their wounds, here, once again, was Mosley weaving joyfully through the open field and conjuring the very same magic from thin air. He shook off one tackle, then another. Soon enough, he was gone for an 86-yard punt return, and the No. 14 Trojans were rolling, comfortably on their way to a 49-30 win over Louisiana.
The second half didn’t feel quite as hopeful, as the Trojans let up and let Louisiana linger around through a victory that coach Lincoln Riley deemed “up and down.”
Still, the win was USC’s 10th straight at home, going back to the 2024 season, and gives the Trojans’ a spotless nonconference slate in 2026 — not that anyone would confuse their early-season schedule for a murderer’s row. There won’t be any easy home wins from here, though, with USC’s next three games against Oregon, Washington and Ohio State.
“It’s been good getting adjusted to this,” Mosley said. “But now we go on the road, so that’ll be a new adjustment.”
USC has, in glimpses this season, looked like a team that belongs among those Big Ten behemoths. And the most encouraging of those moments have largely come from the Trojans’ talented freshman class.
Mosley, who also had an acrobatic receiving touchdown Saturday, wasn’t the only one who made his presence felt. Tight end Mark Bowman had his eagerly anticipated breakout game, as he exploded for six catches, one of which he capped by hurdling two defenders. He finished with 83 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half. Defensive tackle Luke Wafle, meanwhile, continued his streak of early dominance by tallying a team-leading seven tackles.
USC tight end Mark Bowman hurdles over Louisiana safety Kody Jackson during the first half Saturday.
(Kevin Terrell / Getty Images)
“I feel like our peak, our trajectory should be even higher because of how many young guys are playing,” Riley said.
The win wasn’t nearly as dominant an effort for the rest of USC’s defense, which was coming off of a shutout of Fresno State. Louisiana averaged 7.6 yards per play and scored 20 points in the second half, led by dual threat quarterback Lunch Winfield, who scampered to 91 rushing yards.
“We’re just gonna take this as a learning moment,” defensive tackle Jide Abasiri said. “I just feel like sometimes we’ll get comfortable or complacent, then that’s something we need to, going forward, fix when adversity hits.”
It wasn’t the sharpest night for the Trojans’ offense, either. Though, you wouldn’t know it from the box score. While USC rushed for 214 yards, nearly 100 came in the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand. Quarterback Jayden Maiava put up numbers once again, as well, completing 19 of 29 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns.
USC receiver Trent Mosley makes a touchdown catch under pressure from Louisiana safety Maurion Eleam Saturday at the Coliseum.
(Mark J. Terrill / Ap Photo/mark J. Terrill)
The five passing scores tied a career high. But Maiava said after the game that it “definitely didn’t feel like” that strong of a performance.
Through two games, Maiava had accounted for as many touchdowns (six) as he had incomplete passes entering Saturday’s game. But on Saturday, he missed his first three passes, the third of which went directly to a Louisiana defensive back.
The interception was Maiava’s first of the season, and it led to a Louisiana field goal, giving the Ragin’ Cajuns (1-1) an early lead. It was also the first time the Trojans trailed this season.
USC (3-0) and its quarterback settled down after that. The Trojans mounted a 12-play scoring drive on the ensuing possession, and Maiava found Bowman for a five-yard score. Then, they mounted a 10-play drive, and Maiava found Bowman again.
By that point, USC’s offense had piled up almost 200 yards, while Louisiana had scraped together just 18.
But the Ragin’ Cajuns refused to go away — for the moment, at least. They marched the length of the field and scored, cutting USC’s lead to 14-10.
That was the closest they’d get. The Trojans mounted a third straight drive of 10 plays or more, and this time, Maiava fired a touchdown pass through the hands of a Louisiana defensive back on its way to freshman Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.
The knockout blow came soon after that. After its follow-up drive went nowhere, Louisiana made the mistake of punting to Mosley, who took off sprinting to his right and didn’t stop until he reached paydirt.
The punt return was his fourth score of the season. He added a fifth before the final buzzer sounded.
The rest of the night wouldn’t go nearly as smoothly. The intensity, Riley said, “dipped a little bit.” Louisiana would linger, well into the fourth quarter.
But by then, the Trojans could safely coast their way to a clean non-conference sheet, knowing the trust test of their season – and their stellar true freshmen – is still to come.
That was a strange game. There were 22 accepted flags for 211 yards in penalties, fumbles galore and three turnovers in total. There was a safety and a missed field goal. Ultimately, Mater Dei (4-0) won 10-9 over Corona Centennial (1-2) in a game where it only converted two out of 10 third down attempts.
Beyond the weirdness, however, a solution at the quarterback position might have emerged for the Monarchs — in the form of a freshman, no less. Head coach Raul Lara has cycled through three players in the position so far this season, and the standout against Corona Centennial on Friday was Paytyn Guess.
“The young kid is dynamic, no doubt,” Lara said before the game. “But he’s young and he’s still learning the program and playbook. Once he learns, we’ll get him in the game a little bit more.”
Friday night’s game showed that Guess might be ready to be the starter.
Santa Ana Stadium has played host to Mater Dei football games for many decades, but the fans in its stands might not have seen a better pass than what the freshman conjured during the second quarter. Running away from oncoming rushers, Guess threw the ball back against his body — something most coaches advise against — and found heavily recruited senior wideout Gavin Honore at the one-yard line.
It was a dot. Right on the money. Professional players 10 years Guess’ senior would be excited to make that kind of play.
Mater Dei High freshman quarterback Paytyn Guess.
(Caleb Otte / For The Times)
The only hesitation to not start Guess was shown on the very next snap. Under center, Guess fumbled the snap and Centennial recovered the ball in the end zone. It was an unfortunate low after such a triumphant high.
Ultimately, though, Guess made the key throw after being entrusted to lead the final drive. With Mater Dei in their own half of the field on a third down, he found Honore along the sideline to pick up a first down and effectively end the contest.
That came after Mater Dei junior quarterback Russell Sekona tied the score, 9-9, midway through the fourth quarter with a one-yard touchdown plunge. Jerry Shifman converted the point-after kick for the winning margin.
Centennial had a chance to reclaim the lead with 2:30 left in the game, when its last drive ended in a missed field goal.
As far as Guess, he can make plays and had multiple downfield passes that fell just incomplete. But in that moment, the kid showed true composure. There might be growing pains, but the raw talent is on display.
Guess finished the nightcompleting four of nine passes for 56 yards, while rushing for 19. Lara had no worries about putting the freshman in the fire and letting him secure the victory.
“Coach Lara’s trust in me means everything,” Guess said after the win. “It shows me what I can accomplish on the field.”
He has a lot of time to develop, but aGuess said he needs to acclimate to this new stage.
“High school football moves quicker,” Guess said “I also need to be louder in my cadence because this was my first game in front of a big crowd.”
His skills directly resembled that of his counterpart on the night, senior Jaden Jefferson. The Hawaii commit might be ending his high school career just as Guess is starting, but both have a slippery and slinking style of play that excites fans just as much as it moves their teams down the field.
Jefferson had a solid game, going 14 for 23 through the air with 205 yards and tacked on 65 on the ground. The play that defined the night, however, was a blemish on his record. Backed behind its own 10-yard line, Centennial looked to Jefferson for another magic moment. His flip pass to a running back bounced off his teammate and into the waiting arms of a Mater Dei defender, setting up Sekona’s run.
Centennial’s defense was top notch all night, only allowing two third-down conversions. Mater Dei’s run game was shut down, gaining less than 100 yards, and it looked like the Monarchs would be stifled for the entire four quarters.
The game started out with a jet sweep touchdown from Kennie Leggett, a former Mater Dei player, and it seemed as though Centennial would beat the Monarchs as it did twice last season when building a 9-0 lead in the first quarter. The home team’s defense ratcheted up the pressure, however, not giving up another score. The Huskies only scored again on the freak safety in the first quarter.
Centennial has dealt with a lot of injuries to the offensive line this season, which allowed Mater Dei to get multiple sacks and hurries on Jefferson. Before the game, head coach Matt Logan said that his team has been treating every game in the same way regardless of the opponent. Three tough Trinity League matchups to start the season, however, have left them with a losing record.
Centennial played better, and Logan was right by saying it can go toe-to-toe with any opponent, but the scoreboard favored Lara’s men on a weird night in Santa Ana.
If Matthew Fine, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior running back and lacrosse star for Loyola High, needs a walk-up song, he can go back to 1969 when Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way” came on the radio with the lyrics, “I did it my way.”
Fine, who lives in Manhattan Beach, declined to be interviewed last week before the Cubs’ game against the public school he lives five minutes from, Mira Costa. He didn’t want to give friends he grew up with any bulletin board material. Then he went out and rushed for 105 yards in a 14-7 Loyola victory.
It was fun for him to catch up with neighborhood kids he used to play with starting at age 5.
“I traded jerseys and traded photos,” he said. “It was nice talking to them.”
Asked if he walked home from the game, Fine said, “I actually considered it.”
Fine, with his speed and strength from lacrosse training, could be the comeback player of the year in football. He quit football after his sophomore year to focus on lacrosse. Loyola has one of the best lacrosse programs in the state, winning last season’s Southern Section championship. He’s earned a lacrosse scholarship to Utah.
Football coach Drew Casani had lobbied Fine to return to football before his junior year with no success. Last school year, after the lacrosse season ended, Casani sent him a text inviting him to return.
“I’m in,” Fine responded.
“I love football,” Fine said. “There was a lot of uncertainty. My junior year is where you get recruited for lacrosse. After sitting out a year and watching all the guys playing football, I got really jealous and wanted to jump back in.”
He rejoined the team this year starting at the bottom of the depth chart. Now he’s had back-to-back games rushing for more than 100 yards. This will be his first and only year playing on varsity.
“I’m doing this for fun,” he said. “I love football. I’ve been doing it longer than any other sport.”
Whenever the season ends, it will be Fine’s final football game.
“I don’t think I’ll have any regrets,” he said. “I’ll just be sad. I don’t want to think about that.”
Incredibly, as much as people believe football gets players in the best shape of their life, Fine once flunked his conditioning test for lacrosse after playing football.
“It’s a different type of conditioning,” he explained.
Casani is thrilled that Fine’s one year off from football has had little effect.
“He picked up seemingly where he left off,” Casani said. “ He’s fast, has vision and is hard to tackle.“
Don’t ask his father, Mickey, what Fine might do next or any day.
“My son does things his own way,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t understand it.”
With a 4.0 grade-point average and terrific lacrosse talent as an attacker, Fine has a bright future. For those who play intramural flag football on Utah’s campus, Fine could be the ringer to deliver a championship next year.
Defensive lineman Aaron Donald will not travel with the Rams to Melbourne to play in their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.
Donald, who rejoined the Rams last month after a two-year retirement, wouldn’t confirm if he was planning to play in the season opener when asked multiple times by reporters on Monday, only saying he was “feeling really good. Feeling great.”
The development isn’t surprising considering McVay and his assistants weren’t pushing Donald to play. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said Monday that the team was taking a “day-to-day” approach regarding Donald’s status.
“I think he’ll be ready to go sooner rather than later, but we’re making a decision that we think is best for him and for our team,” McVay said. “He’s attacked this the right way, but it would have been a really quick turnaround.”
One person who might be surprised about Donald not playing is 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan. He told reporters Sunday he “definitely” expected Donald to play.
Rams players and staff are scheduled to leave Los Angeles for Melbourne on Tuesday night, arriving in Australia on Thursday morning. The game will take place on Friday at 10:35 a.m. local time (5:35 p.m. PDT Thursday), with the Rams planning to fly back to L.A. soon afterward.
Barring any setback, Donald should play Sept. 21 when the Rams face the New York Giants at SoFi Stadium.
One player who is expected to take the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground is Myles Garrett. McVay said the star defensive end will be “ready to go” after a left knee problem kept him out of practice for multiple weeks before he returned Sunday.
“We’ve been smart with Myles … but his impact has been tremendous, his overall vibe, what kind of teammate he’s been,” McVay said. “And so looking forward to getting him out there with the guys and being a great factor for us.”
Garrett did not practice Tuesday, but said he feels “ready” to play.
In addition to Garrett, cornerback Jaylen Watson also appeared on the Rams’ first injury report of the season after not practicing because of a toe injury.
From the moment they arrive at school, Dos Pueblos High seniors Ruby Streatfeild and Brooklyn Hedricks are practically inseparable.
Whether in class, at lunch or in practice, the two spend so much of their time together they can finish each other’s sentences, and that synergy is one reason the Chargers are in the hunt for a CIF flag football championship. Their competitiveness is another.
“Me and Brooklyn are besties,” Streatfeild said. ”The biggest thing we have in common is we both want to win.”
Streatfeild began the season as a receiver but transitioned to quarterback when Ava Taiji sustained a tricep strain at the Chargers Invitational. She has flourished in her new role, passing for 823 yards and 18 touchdowns.
“It’s a lot harder, but I like it,” said Streatfeild, who has also rushed for 248 yards and five touchdowns. “I like getting the ball every play and being able to make more plays. It’s taught me to be a leader. It’s not just about being vocal, it’s about the energy you bring to the field and not letting a loss bring you down.”
The Chargers are 10-2 and have shut out five opponents. Their only defeats came within hours of each other at the Chargers Invitational, to reigning Southern Section Division I champion JSerra and Bonita Vista, the second-ranked team in the San Diego Section. They have won seven straight, giving up only 25 points in the process.
Naturally, Hedricks is Streatfeild’s favorite target.
“Brooklyn has the best hands and really good speed,” Streatfeild said. “If I throw her the ball, it’ll be caught.”
Hedricks, a receiver on offense and a linebacker on defense, has mutual trust in her quarterback. She already has 27 receptions for 355 yards and eight touchdowns.
“I know when Ruby throws it, it’s going to get there,” she said.
Both grew up playing soccer and their AYSO teams were once matched against each other at a tournament in Bakersfield when they were 12, although neither knew it at the time.
Dos Pueblos quarterback Ruby Streatfeild throws on the run during a 31-0 win over Santa Barbara.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“My family figured it out later,” said Streatfeild, who ended the first drive of last week’s nonleague game at Santa Barbara by rolling to her left and zipping a perfect pass to Hedricks in the corner of the end zone. Hedricks later scored on a 40-yard interception return in the team’s 31-0 victory.
“Ruby and Brooklyn have been with us since Day 1, they’re both three-sport athletes and both have sisters who also play,” said Dos Pueblos coach Doug Caines, who started the program in 2023. “It’s incredible for Ruby to be clicking this fast at a new position. As for Brooklyn, she’s so gifted at reading the quarterback. She had two pick-sixes at the Ventura Showcase.”
In the winter, the two play on the varsity soccer team (Hedricks plays forward; Streatfeild left back) under the guidance of Hedricks’ father George, who is also the head baseball coach.
“I don’t think we’ve ever assisted each other in soccer,” said Hedricks, who tallied six goals and three assists last season.
Asked which is more exhilarating — scoring a goal or a touchdown — the two looked at each other and said in unison: “A touchdown!”
Hedricks plays outfield in softball and will move from right field to center in the spring.
“I got a promotion,” she joked.
1
2
1.Dos Pueblos receiver Brooklyn Hedricks catches a pass.2.Dos Pueblos quarterback Ruby Streatfeild runs with the ball.(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Hedricks had 30 hits, 23 RBIs and 20 runs with 26 putouts in 26 chances last season as Dos Pueblos advanced to the Division 3 semifinals.
Streatfeild’s spring activity is track and field, where she competes in the 100-meter dash, long jump and both relays. She ran the anchor leg as the Chargers set a school record in the 4×100 meters with a time of 48.66 seconds at the Division 2 prelims last year.
However, both consider flag football their primary sport and have received offers to play in college.
“My dad encouraged me to try out and I loved it from the start,” said Hedricks, who is the school’s all-time leader in interceptions with 45. “I’ve never struggled learning plays.”
Hedricks’ sister Reagan is a freshman linebacker and punter on the junior varsity team.
Streatfeild’s inspiration was her sister Sterling, who was a tailback and free safety and now attends Vanderbilt. Last June, the sisters helped the Conquer Chargers’ U17 team win the inaugural Roma Bowl in Italy after Sterling’s graduation. Ruby was named the tournament MVP.
“She was in ninth grade and came to watch her older sister try out and after that first day she said ‘I want to do that,’” Caines said of Ruby, who caught a team-best 104 passes for 1,101 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall.
Ruby Streatfeild has thrown for 823 yards and 18 touchdowns since switching from receiver to quarterback early in the season.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Streatfeild and Hedricks’ bond grew even stronger as teammates on the Conquer Chargers, which won the high school girls division at the NFL Flag championships in July in Westfield, Ind. That roster also featured Kacey Hurley, who quarterbacked Dos Pueblos to the Southern Section semifinals last fall and is now a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“We tried out in November and were with the team for eight months prior to nationals,” Hedricks said. “We trained once or twice a week in Camarillo and some days we carpooled.”
“It was fun experience but that was five-on-five not seven-on-seven, which is a whole different format,” added Streatfeild, who was thrilled to learn the next morning that a play she made — diving to catch the ball before it hit the ground — was No. 1 on the ESPN “SportsCenter Top 10.” She also made the list for her 60-yard touchdown catch in the playoffs last season against Edison.
“That just shows what a game-changer Ruby is,” Caines said. “I mean, to make an ESPN highlight not once but twice? Amazing!”
While they do not socialize much off campus, the hours they spend together on it have forged a close friendship.
“It’s harder to hang out after school because of where we both live,” said Hedricks, who has a 45-minute commute from Lompoc to Goleta. “Not a big deal — I’m used to it by now.”
Caines is grateful for the attention his stars have brought to Dos Pueblos, located in the foothills across the 101 Freeway from UC Santa Barbara.
Dos Pueblos’ Brooklyn Hedricks, left, celebrates with teammate Kindah Ahmad-Reda after returning an interception for a touchdown against Santa Barbara.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“We’re not in Orange County or San Diego, we’re the northernmost school in the Southern Section and we don’t get as much exposure but we’re fighting for relevancy,” he said. “It was so cool seeing 805 [area code] girls beat more established club teams from Texas and Florida. It shows we have good teams up here.”
Dos Pueblos finished 24-3 last season and played even with JSerra for almost three quarters before losing 20-0 in the Division 1 semifinals. This year’s goal is to make it to the finals.
“We’ve had a different quarterback every season, so this is nothing new,” Streatfeild said. “We’re still progressing but beating Westlake was huge. We have the best coach, so I think we can make the top division. We’re going to give it our all.”
Will star defensive lineman Aaron Donald be with them?
“Feeling good, feeling really good,” Donald said Monday. “Come up with a game plan and see.”
But could he say for certain he will make the trip?
“I’m feeling really good. Feeling great,” he said. “Come up with a game plan and see what’s going on but I’m telling ya, I feel great.”
Donald, 35, returned from a two-year retirement to join a Rams team that is favored to win Super Bowl LXI. But the three-time NFL defensive player of the year has gone through only one 11-on-11 practice.
2026 NFL season preview
He did that on Sunday, but did not practice Monday. Donald said he did a cardio workout as part of a scheduled day off.
“I’m 35,” he said, chuckling. “You don’t play football in two years, you got to be smart. Even if I feel good, you still gotta be smart.”
Coach Sean McVay has said that Donald’s situation would be evaluated daily.
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, asked if a decision had been made regarding whether Donald would play against the 49ers, said “everything’s” day by day.
“We’re ready for him if he does, ready for him if he doesn’t,” Shula said, “and we’ll have a plan for however many plays he feels like he can go and we’ll go from there.”
Donald said his ramp-up has gone better than he anticipated.
“Thought I’d be a lot more rusty,” he said, adding that things were “clicking.”
Donald said that during his first full practice, he settled in after a few plays. He is not where he wants to be, “but pretty pretty damn good, if you ask me, to not play football in two years to be moving how I’m moving.”
Donald came back, in part, to team with edge rusher Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. They have been in meetings and walkthroughs together, and now have practiced.
“It was good to be on the grass with him and do some stuff, and get a feel,” Donald said. “Because the chemistry of playing with each other, kind of learning how each other rush, how each other play, not just Myles just the whole front. … It’s exciting.”
Donald said he was ready for whatever role he fills, and that he was not going to worry about playing 60 or 70 snaps.
“There’s no pressure on me. I can just go out there play free, play ball, let the game come to me,” Donald said. “Play with the guys around me. Help them, they help me.”
Donald, an eight-time All-Pro, has 111 career sacks.
Star receiver Davante Adams is happy that he returned to join the Rams.
“Nobody knows exactly what he’s going to do statistically, if he’s going to be exactly what he was,” Adams said. “But … I know the type of person that he is and I know the way he’s going to work and I know the way he looks right now.
“It looks like it’s going to be a familiar picture for us all out there.”
Puka Nacua ready for opener
Star receiver Puka Nacua said he was happy to be participating in full-team drills after being sidelined for a few weeks because of a psoas injury sustained during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys a few days after the end of training camp.
The NFL has been investigating an incident that led to Nacua being the defendant in a civil lawsuit. If the league determines that Nacua violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could be suspended.
But the league has not taken action, and McVay said he expected Nacua to play against the 49ers.
Did the possibility of a suspension before the season weigh heavily on Nacua?
“Definitely feeling emotion of some of the things that, just trying to handle that in the ways that I can and what’s in my control,” he said. “But also having a realistic understanding of the consequences of some of the things that I put myself in this offseason.
“But I feel like I’ve been able to feel grounded and feel present when I step out there on the football field. That’s been one of the positive things, of every time I step on that football field, never taking that moment for granted.”
“We have a chance to put it together against another opponent, a really good opponent, very well-coached, phenomenal talent on this team, but it all starts with No. 3,” Chesney said.
And while No. 3, Cal quarterback Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele, may be familiar with UCLA’s defensive scheme and personnel — telling reporters Tuesday that the offense has been studying film from James Madison’s 2025 unit for the past few weeks — he may not be as accustomed with the defense’s new identity.
Defensive lineman Sahir West, who transferred to from James Madison to UCLA, says the Bruins have embraced their coach’s emphasis on toughness and attention to detail.
(Robert Simmons / Associated Press)
UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, who has made stops as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at JMU, Alabama, Wisconsin and Cincinnati during the past six years, wanted his defense to enter 2026 with a brand — a reputation to describe the team’s play.
And after presenting his team with different options, the defense settled on the “Bruin Bullies,” a name based on the 1970s Philadelphia Flyers “Broad Street Bullies” — an homage to Hitschler’s home city.
“It’s a lifestyle, it’s a mentality more than anything,” Hitschler said. “It’s what we need to do to win the next play. That toughness, that internal belief. That’s what it’s about.”
Since arriving in Westwood, Hitschler has consistently been touted for his toughness and encouraging his players to compete with an unwavering belief — values he developed as a wrestler.
Hitschler, who won a national prep championship at William Penn Charter School and then wrestled at the University of Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2010, grew up in Philadelphia surrounded by the sport, with his older brother, father and grandfather all lettering at his alma mater, and his father working as a longtime football and wrestling coach at his high school.
“Wrestling is a unique sport in that it’s an individual sport, and you walk out on a mat and you win or lose, and it’s all about just you,” Hitschler said. “It’s a glorified fight with rules. Winning your individual battle in football is what leads to team success, and when those guys really buy into that toughness that it takes to beat the guy across from you, then you’re going to have a really good defense.”
Beyond toughness, Hitschler wanted the Bruins to show intensity and relentless attention to detail, emphasizing the importance of “being intentional in everything you do.”
“The first fundamental is effort and attitude, which is four to six, A to B, and nasty intentions,” UCLA sophomore linebacker Scott Taylor said. “He won’t tolerate low effort or low intensity, and it could be on any play. … We might do all the things we want to do, and then we’re going to come back to meeting that night, and he’s going to pull up the three bad clips from practice and go, ‘This is unacceptable. We better fix it tomorrow.’”
Hitschler’s emphasis on attacking extends to the secondary.
“All 11 guys want to tackle the ball. We have some really tough kids playing [defensive back.] … Those guys love hitting,” Hitschler said.
Hitschler’s track record developing elite defensive backs — such as the Indianapolis Colts’ Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Chicago Bears’ Coby Bryant and San Francisco 49ers’ Darrick Forest — drew players such as Derrick Barksdale to UCLA.
“His intensity level, the way he approaches the game, is something that inspires a player to even play even harder, play with even more technique, or play with more detail,” Barksdale said.
James Madison’s Derrick Barksdale said UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler’s history of developing players inspired him to join the Bruins.
(Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
Hitschler’s revitalized defense will have to create splash plays — something the Bruins lacked last season, finishing last in the nation in sacks and tying for third worst in interceptions — if it wants to stop the potent Cal offense.
“Takeaways are all about playing longer and harder than the offense does, and our job doesn’t stop till somebody or the ball is on the ground,” Taylor said. “Personnel aside, the way we’re going to attack offenses, and the way we’re going to play on defense, is going to create stress and chaos for every team we play. Inherently, with how we play, there’s going to be a lot of big plays, and we’re not going to sit back and hope that the offense messes up.”
Junior defensive lineman Sahir West said the UCLA defense has fully embraced the challenge of being “Bruin Bullies” all season.
“That’s who we truly want to be. That’s not just a moniker. That’s what we live by. That’s basically the brand of football that we want to play,” West said. “Be bullies on the field. Be dominant. Take play by play. Just play hard. That’s who we are.”
Actor and playwright Ellen McLaughlin, who originated the role of the Angel in Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America,” has put her own modern spin on ancient Greek dramas. Her “Helen,” a satirical reworking of Euripides’ tragicomedy and the eternal beauty myth, ought to be better known.
McLaughlin’s modern verse “translation” of Shakespeare’s “Pericles” is now receiving its West Coast premiere at Boston Court Pasadena. I’m traditionally more resistant to playwrights fiddling around with Shakespeare than I am with them updating Greek tragedy. Making Shakespeare’s plays accessible is a noble goal, but there are other ways to go about this beyond modernizing the text and diluting its lyrical beauty and nuance.
When actors understand what they’re saying, audiences tend to catch their characters’ drift while absorbing poetry that’s still at the root of the English language. But “Pericles” isn’t a play that should raise purist hackles. There is an authorship question. The first two acts and the final three may have been written by different writers. There’s an assumption that the second half is Shakespeare’s, but scholars continue to quarrel over attribution.
Julanne Chidi Hill, Desiree Mee Jung, Adam J. Smith, Joel Swetow (center), Rio Rasch, Nicole Javier and Alexander Matos in “Pericles” at Boston Court Pasadena.
(Brian Hashimoto)
Whatever the scholarly truth, it’s safe to say that “Pericles, Prince of Tyre,” to give this late romance its full title, is a patchwork. A strange epic yarn ignited by incest and attempted murder, the play is crammed with shipwrecks and miraculous rescues, devastating suffering and last-minute recoveries. I don’t think I’ve ever read the final act without shedding tears. That said, the play requires an extra-strength dose of willing suspension of disbelief.
McLaughlin’s most notable change concerns the frame of the play, which now unfolds in a disaster relief center. The conceit is that the worried and impatient evacuees amuse themselves with an impromptu performance of “Pericles,” of all unlikely theatrical works.
Outside, a monstrous storm rages. Inside, under flickering lights, a group of reluctant strangers is coaxed into acting out, in a converted gymnasium, a wild tale promising redemption from agonizing tragedy.
Randolph Thompson, Nicole Javier, Joel Swetow Adam J. Smith, Desiree Mee Jung and Rio Rasch in “Pericles” at Boston Court Pasadena.
(Brian Hashimoto)
The production, directed by Margaret Shigeko Starbuck, runs with the makeshift energy and comical freedom that this contextual shift allows. The characters aren’t professional actors, so it’s fine for them to wear their masks loosely. Flashlights illuminate darkened spaces. And props are improvised so that pool noodles are used for jousting and an earbud case serves as an engagement ring.
Joel Swetow, in the role of Gower, smoothly marshals the narrative, advancing the story from one delightful implausibility to the next, recapping what’s happened in the meantime and, when necessary, urging some of the more reluctant characters to stay with the performance. He also takes on the role of malevolent and benevolent kings, whom Pericles (an excellent Randolph Thompson) encounters on his tumultuous odyssey.
Most of the lead players lock into their roles once the performance of “Pericles,” the play within the adaptation, is underway. Thompson is particularly skilled at emotionally investing in his character’s plight even as the spontaneous production refuses to take itself too seriously.
Randolph Thompson, Joel Swetow and Nicole Javier in “Pericles” at Boston Court Pasadena.
(Brian Hashimoto)
A little meta-theatrical hamminess goes a long way, and actors in general have a tendency to overdo the joke. I appreciated the restraint that the cast imposes on itself without spoiling the fun. Nicole Javier who plays Thaisa, Pericles’ seemingly doomed wife, and Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, who plays Marina, Pericles’ transcendentally good daughter born into sorrow, ensure that we care about the fate of a man who trails disaster behind him.
Julanne Chidi Hill, Desiree Mee Jung, Adam J. Smith and Alexander Matos adroitly flesh out the world of a play that sets virtue and vice in neon opposition. Their sporting way of differentiating their roles keep the staging brisk and lighthearted, qualities that are cleverly maintained by a design team that conjures ocean swells with a metallic-looking sheet, royal garb out of contemporary casual wear and a deadly threat from a pocket umbrella.
I missed the rhythms of Shakespeare’s music, though the most compelling poetic imagery in the adaptation is from the original. But the biggest sacrifice, one that is never fully restored unlike Pericles’ grievous losses, is the emotional weight of the play’s climax. It’s hard to allow yourself to fully believe in the incredible turn of events when the prevailing attitude is so emphatically tongue-in-cheek.
Adam J. Smith, Joel Swetow, Nicole Javier, Julanne Chidi Hill, Jamie Gallo, Randolph Thompson and Rio Rasch in “Pericles” at Boston Court Pasadena.
(Brian Hashimoto)
Johnson’s Marina performs with lovely gravitas, as do Javier’s Thaisa and Thompson’s Pericles. But the rollicking jollity that accompanies the final two acts, which includes the entrance of pirates and the abduction of Marina to a brothel, robs the ending of some of its pathos. A touch more solemnity would not have been amiss.
My eyes for once failed to moisten. But I was nonetheless relieved that Pericles’ happy ending is intact — a reassuring sight in our age of successive disasters.
‘Pericles’
Where: Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena
When: Check theater website for schedule. Ends Sept. 27
Ohtani was still considered day to day, and Roberts again teased his possible availability off the bench.
Roberts wasn’t quite as bullish, however, about Ohtani avoiding the injured list.
After describing an IL stint as “unlikely but not impossible” on Thursday, Roberts said Friday that he was “hopeful, but I wouldn’t say confident,” that Ohtani would avoid the IL.
There are a wide range of possibilities for Ohtani as he continues to deal with lingering pain in his right biceps. Though the Dodgers experimented earlier in the season with ways to manage his two-way workload — holding him out of the batting order on the day he pitched, giving him the day off after a start on the mound, or both — this is the first time he has missed two consecutive games. And he hasn’t pitched since July 3.
Roberts described Thursday as a “spa day,” meaning Ohtani rested, watched the game from the dugout and didn’t do any baseball activities. Roberts said Friday was a day to “start getting his body moving a little bit.”
“Let’s stay in communication, and let’s see when the time to give the green light is,” Roberts said.
Roberts said Ohtani has been “very agreeable” with the decision to rest him. Ohtani has declined multiple requests for comment over consecutive days through a team spokesperson.
“I think he wants to be out there, wants to play,” Roberts said, “but he’s understanding.”
An MRI scan of the area around his biceps and neck showed no structural damage, or as Roberts put it “nothing of note at all,” which is a promising sign. But Ohtani’s swings and body language Wednesday signaled that something was clearly wrong, affecting Ohtani’s play.
The fact that the Dodgers have not put Ohtani on the IL yet doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be out fewer than 10 days — it just means that they can’t rule out an earlier return. Teams can backdate IL moves up to three days. But that hasn’t traditionally served as a hard deadline for the Dodgers to make IL decisions. It isn’t expected to in this case, either.
Shohei Ohtani is hurt. The Dodgers’ rotation is injured. The team is in a fairly long slump and a first round bye isn’t remotely guaranteed.
Although having an injured player take up a roster spot for more than a few days isn’t ideal, it’s easier to cover for the designated hitter spot than other positions. And there is no obvious replacement on the 40-man roster pushing for a call-up through an extended period of outstanding play. Those factors mitigate the urgency to make a move.
In Ohtani’s absence, the Dodgers have started outfielder Alex Call at DH against left-handed pitchers, with Dalton Rushing available off the bench in the later innings.
The setup has afforded Rushing more regular at-bats than initially expected when the Dodgers activated him this week. Because Rushing (elbow) is still working through a throwing program, the original plan was to have him pinch hit one at-bat per game until he was ready to return to catching duties.
The Dodgers also have not officially ruled out Ohtani’s return to pitching, seeing even one or two innings from him as a plus. But the longer he’s out, the less likely it’ll become.
Ohtani’s planned buildup from tossing live batting practice on Aug. 22, to preparing to possibly start a little more than a week later, instead ended with the Dodgers shutting him down from throwing. Ohtani hasn’t even gone through weighted plyo ball drills in “a few days,” according to Roberts.
Asked what that meant for Ohtani’s return-to-pitching timeline, Roberts said it “certainly pushes it back.”
The priority, however, is getting Ohtani back to himself on the offensive side before the postseason — whether that means a couple days off or more than a week.
Roberts described the two-day break from the lineup as not just a physical one, but also a mental reprieve for Ohtani. He recorded just two hits in his last six games (23 at-bats). And over the past four weeks, he has a .703 OPS — compared to his .903 OPS overall this season.
“With a lot of players, when they’re not feeling well physically it adds to the toll mentally and emotionally,” Roberts said. “So I think Shohei is like that, like most players. We’re just kind of balancing how many days is sufficient to then be worth the time to get back, versus running this play out of days off and it not being adequate.”
WET weather may be on the way, but that doesn’t mean family fun has to stop.
Across the country are plenty of new indoor soft play attractions that will keep the kids entertained – even when it’s raining outside.
Funparx in Banbury is set to open soonCredit: FunparxSprouts Play Barn is adding a new area to its already huge soft play centreCredit: Millets Farm Centre
Geo-Play, Prestatyn
Over in the Welsh town of Prestatyn, a new soft play centre for babies, toddlers and children has just opened.
Called Geo-Play, it has colourful obstacles, slides, tunnels and places to climb.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
Inside its Dragon’s Magical Sensory Cave children will be able to play amongst lots of lighting with cosy cushions, mirrors and projections on the walls.
Parts of the soft play look like a lighthouse – inspired by Prestatyn’s seaside location.
On September 6, children up to 10 years old will be able to explore a brand-new adventure play area with three slides, ball pools, climbing area, and interactive elements.
There’s a separate area for those under two; it will have a mini play frame, toddler slide, ball pool and activities for younger kids.
Parents can watch on at one of the tables surrounding the soft play and get drinks and snacks from the on-site café.
Epicland UK, Trafford
Epicland opened in July on the upper floor of Partington Shopping Centre in Trafford.
It has two soft play sections – one for twos and under and another for children aged three to nine years.
New soft play centres are opening all over the countryCredit: Getty – Contributor
Inside is a light up racing slide and a light up warp slide along with role play areas and a ball pit.
It also has sand play, craft areas, role play and little trampolines – there’s also a mini climbing wall and a racing track with little cars.
Derby Way, Bury
This soft play may not open for a while as plans have only just been submitted to transform a former car showroom in Bury.
It will transform from its vacant unit into a new children’s indoor activity park for children aged 0 to 11.
Planning documents reveal the indoor play centre would feature soft play areas, seating, party rooms, and a café.
Customers would be able to book two hour play slots, which would start in 30 minute intervals.
Geo-Play is a new soft play centre for babies, toddlers and children that has just openedCredit: Geo-PlayIt also has a ball pit and twisty slidesCredit: Unknown
Fun Parx, Banbury
This centre coming to Banbury has a bit more than soft play with Ninja obstacle courses and super slides.
Fun Parx has enormous Inflatable Monster Course where kids can race each other to the end.
Of course, for smaller kid, s here is a soft play called Critter Castle with its own ball pit, slides and turret to climb.
For gamers, there will be a retro arcade with throwback games, and the on-site cafe will serve up pizza, fries, hot dogs and soft drinks.
It was set an opening time of ‘summer 2026′, so is likely to open soon.
Sprouts Play Barn, Abingdon
Known as being a large, farm-themed indoor and outdoor soft play centre – Sprouts Play Barn has plenty to shout about.
It has a four- lane cow slide, tunnel slide, farmer’ s market role-play, a floor piano, sports court and a designated area for unde5s’s
In July work began on a new play area for even younger children.
Called ‘Crawlers & Cruisers’ it will be a soft play zone designed specifically for babies and toddlers who are not yet walking.
August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” the first of his plays to reach Broadway, catapulted the author’s playwriting career.
It’s the only drama in Wilson’s 10-play American Century Cycle not set in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. But the series might never have come to fruition were it not for the way “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” heralded the emergence of a major new American dramatist.
Although it’s still one of his most produced works, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” has the hallmarks of an early piece. Wilson discovers his playwriting voice in this play, but he’s still working out his approach to dramatic structure.
I wasn’t champing at the bit to see another production of “Ma Rainey’s,” but I’m glad I didn’t miss this latest Wilson revival at A Noise Within, directed by Gregg T. Daniel. Acted with breathtaking ensemble naturalness, the play seems lived in rather than performed.
Francis C. Edemobi, from left, Amber Liekhus and CJ Obilom in August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at A Noise Within.
(Craig Schwartz)
The voices of the characters come through as though we’re eavesdropping from a discreet distance on their banter and squabbles. There’s nothing more riveting on stage than the truth, and here we have human beings in all their flagrant, unadorned and seemingly irreconcilable complications.
Set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927, the play splits its focus between the title character, a fictitious re-creation of the great blues singer Ma Rainey engaged in a power struggle with her white industry overlords, and the exchanges of her sidemen, a quartet of Black men with markedly different ambitions and sensibilities.
Levee, the role magnificently played by Chadwick Boseman in George C. Wolfe‘s 2020 film adaptation, may have more of a claim on the protagonist role than even Ma Rainey, who’s the play’s thematic center. As she throws her diva weight around in defense of a talent born out of Black suffering, she crystallizes the racial politics that Wilson powerfully illuminates.
But Levee’s role is the most dynamic in the play. A trumpeter who wants to move the band in a more musically sophisticated direction, he’s written his own arrangement of the song “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” that they’ve come to the studio to record. But Ma Rainey insists on doing it her way, even if Levee’s version is more interesting from a jazz perspective.
Overcome with anger from a traumatic childhood in which he witnessed his mother being raped by a mob of white men, he can’t tolerate slights, big or small. And his fiery temper, igniting at every possible moment with his older and more accommodating bandmates, turns this snapshot of history into genuine tragedy.
Kai A. Ealy, from left, Alex Morris, Gerald C. Rivers and Jamar Gilbert in August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at A Noise Within.
(Craig Schwartz)
The bedraggled studio has been visually renovated with the wood-slatted elegance of Tesshi Nakagawa’s scenic design. Daniel’s production demands that we experience the play in a fresh light. The period is respected but never allowed to become stiff or artificial. This isn’t a waxwork staging.
Standing microphones, placed on different tiers of the set, never let us forget that Wilson was first and foremost a conductor of voices. He bestows on his characters arias, and Daniel’s cast delivers them as though the words were expressly made for these particular actors.
Jamar Gilbert’s Levee moves through the world as if it’s a battle zone, which of course for him it has been. Conflict has dogged him his entire life, and injustice is what he’s come to expect. His focus is on himself, his music, his sensual pleasures and his determination not to be anyone’s victim. He takes as much pride in the shine of his new shoes as he does in the flirtatious giggle of a pretty woman.
Toledo (Gerald C. Rivers), the philosopher and historian of the group, tries to broaden Levee’s perspective, but the two men have a knack for getting under each other’s skin. Their antagonism is fueled in part by Levee’s immaturity, but there’s also a divide in their worldview: Levee wants society to change in time for him to make good while Toledo is more concerned with the collective spirit of his people.
Meanwhile, Slow Drag (Alex Morris) mostly wants to get on with the session, collect his money and enjoy life as it was meant to be enjoyed, with whiskey, a little reefer and good-looking women. Cutler (Kai A. Ealy) tries to be a moderating influence, but he winds up as exasperated by Levee as Toledo.
Alex Morris, from left, Amber Liekhus and Jamar Gilbert in August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at A Noise Within.
(Craig Schwartz)
The authenticity of the production encompasses the music. These actors don’t mime making music, as is often the case in revivals. They jam together, modestly but effectively enough to make their recording session real to us.
There’s nothing at all modest about Amber Liekhus’ musical talent. Indeed, Liekhus is the first actor who was able to convince me that the character of Ma Rainey really is a professional, jobbing singer. She doesn’t imitate being the mother of the blues, as her character is known. She earns the distinction through the wondrous depths of her soulful singing.
She refuses to be bulldozed by either Irvin (Bert Emmett), her manager, or Sturdyvant (Matt Foyer), the owner of the recording studio, knowing full well that they depend on her gift for their pile of money. Her insistence that Sylvester (Francis C. Edemobi), her nephew with a pronounced stutter, speaks the intro to her new record, is her way of asserting human control over corporate greed.
Liekhus’ Ma Rainey isn’t merely being temperamental, as Sturdyvant and Irvin assume. She’s using her limited leverage in whatever ways she can. There’s something touching about her imperiousness, a regal vulnerability that shines through even in her romantic interaction with Dussie Mae (CJ Obilom), whom Levee has his predatory eye on.
The honesty of the acting is so enlivening that I’m tempted to rank this production among the very best Wilson revivals I’ve seen. If there’s one slight misstep, it happens at the play’s violent climax. The moment makes perfect psychological and dramatic sense, but the confrontation needs a few more beats than Daniel allows.
But this encounter with “Ma Rainey” reveals that even early Wilson can, in the right hands, offer unadulterated playwriting greatness.
‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Where: A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena
The 20-time Grand Slam champion confirmed he’s only going to play in an exhibition match and has no plans to return.
Published On 25 Aug 202625 Aug 2026
Roger Federer is actually nervous about his tennis.
The man who won five straight US Open championships during the height of his dominance of the sport is set to play again in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night for the first time since 2019. And he’s not quite sure how the game that perhaps nobody ever made look more elegant will appear now.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
“I haven’t played a singles set in, I don’t know, [Hubert] Hurkacz at Wimbledon maybe, so it’s been five years,” Federer said on Monday, referring to his 2021 quarterfinal loss in his last Grand Slam match.
“I don’t know how it’s going to go tomorrow. So there is a lot of uncertainty but a lot of happiness that I can return to Arthur Ashe, a place where I have had so many beautiful moments.”
It’s only one set of singles in an exhibition against Andy Roddick and one set of doubles with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi. The winner of 20 Grand Slam singles titles should be fine for those.
But a return to tennis beyond that, competing in major tennis tournaments in his mid-40s like Venus and Serena Williams?
“No, no, no, no. No, not at all,” Federer said during a news conference.
“Thanks for asking. I wasn’t sure if the question was going to get asked, but I’m happy you did so I can clarify in case anybody thought.”
At 45, Federer still looks fit, and said he enjoys working out in the gym. But he said he goes through long stretches where he is rarely on the court.
His lengthy absence from the US Open has done little to dampen his popularity, based on the number of people around the grounds who were mentioning his name. The appearance of “Roger Federer” up on the big board for all to see again, before his afternoon practice on Ashe, where Federer collected the trophy every year from 2004-08, was a welcome sight for his fans.
The trip to New York is a stop for Federer on his way to Newport, Rhode Island, where he will be enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Federer never really had the chance to say goodbye to New York as a player, because there was no way to know his loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the 2019 quarterfinals would be his last match. He had reached the French Open semifinals and the Wimbledon final earlier that year, falling to Rafael Nadal in Paris and then Novak Djokovic in a fifth-set tiebreaker at the All England Club.
Federer will play one set of singles in an exhibition against Andy Roddick and one set of doubles with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi [Sarah Yenesel/EPA]
‘Knee is tired’
It was easy to imagine him returning to the US Open the next year and making another deep run. But after falling to Djokovic in the semifinals of the Australian Open to begin 2020, he had knee surgery that February, then another procedure in May.
He returned to play in the French Open in 2021 but had to withdraw before his fourth-round match. After the loss to Hurkacz – where he appeared to struggle and lost 6-0 in the third set – Federer had another knee surgery that August and knew there would be no more comebacks.
“The knee can’t do it any more. It’s tired,” he recalled thinking. “The mind can’t be patient even more and wait for another couple years and see what happens.”
Federer knows Tuesday night won’t be real tennis, joking that he and Roddick hopefully would be respectful and not try to drop shot each other. But it will be different from when he did return to Ashe a couple of years back to watch.
“They gave me an ovation because they saw me on the big screen, but I just feel, like, tomorrow and I guess today, as well, and Monday next week, it really gives me a true opportunity to say thank you and goodbye, which I think is important for some,” Federer said.
Chargers running back Omarion Hampton is a serious breakout candidate entering his second season in Los Angeles.
“I would say he has, from the first day that we’ve gotten on the field … had as much, if not the most, growth as any player,” offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said earlier in training camp. “And that’s because … this guy’s completely obsessed and focused. His tracks and the urgency in which we’re trying to get him to start the play has been phenomenal.
“Nobody wants to tackle that guy. That is a massive human moving very fast. The less we can get him to stop his feet and do what we call ‘slash’ and pick edges of defenders and shoulder-punch them, the better. I’m very confident, and it’s very exciting, what he’s doing each and every day.”
Hampton, the No. 22 overall pick in the 2025 draft, flashed his skills as a rookie. The 6-foot, 220-pound North Carolina product gained 737 yards from scrimmage and had five touchdowns in 156 touches — 124 rushes and 32 receptions.
Hampton would’ve done more if not for deflating injuries that limited him to 10 games. He fractured his left ankle in a Week 5 loss to the Washington Commanders and injured his other ankle in a Week 17 loss to the Houston Texans.
The past is the past, though.
“Looking forward to next season, putting everything I can into treatment, everything I can to get back to 110%,” Hampton said of his offseason regimen. “I feel like I did that well. Couldn’t be more excited for next season.”
Entering the final week of preseason play, Hampton has looked better than ever.
His speed and agility remain electric despite the ankle injuries. The hands are still reliable. And, maybe most importantly, picking up the playbook hasn’t been a problem.
“All the running backs, really, I feel like it’s going to benefit us a lot,” Hampton said of the offense. “We know [McDaniel] loves to run the ball, so we couldn’t be more excited.”
Chargers running back Omarion Hampton gained 737 yards from scrimmage last season and scored five touchdowns in 10 games, missing seven because of injuries to both ankles.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
Added head coach Jim Harbaugh: “Man of few words. [Hampton’s] got places to be and things to do. When I do have a conversation with him, I see a smile. And when I watch the tape, I smile. I think [McDaniel’s offense] fits him great. … Big year for Omarion.”
Where Hampton has really stood out, though, is with his ability — in the words of the iconic Marshawn Lynch — to run through faces.
“[McDaniel’s] just saying, if I run full speed, it’s going to be hard for [defenders] to tackle me,” Hampton said.
Although Hampton, a certified starter, only played in the Chargers’ opening series in Thursday’s preseason loss to San Francisco, he made waves in the two teams’ joint practice on Tuesday by bulldozing several 49ers defenders.
Hampton arguably made the play of the day when putting 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown on his back during a big run.
“He’s incredibly tough,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said of Hampton after that joint practice. “He leads by example. He doesn’t say much, but what he does on the field is so loud, and guys respect him.
“It’s so cool to hand him the ball and see what he’s able to do because he’s an incredible athlete and an incredible competitor. I’m glad he’s on my side of the ball.”
The Chargers’ running back corps, led by Hampton, also features trustworthy options in veterans Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal.
Although McDaniel’s offenses usually feature eye-popping aerial attacks, he also loves to run the ball. The trio of running backs should see plenty of carries, particularly with opportunities for big-chunk gains.
“Top to bottom, guys are legit,” Vidal said. “Everyone’s here for a reason. … Everyone knows about Omarion and Keaton. I think all guys can contribute at some point during the season.”
McDaniel teased reporters when asked about Hampton’s expected usage, apologizing to fantasy owners for his inability to declare the running back the bell cow because of their other options he has to work with.
Make no mistake, though, Hampton’s the guy.
He’ll be a critical part of the Chargers’ offense and a major factor in determining whether the franchise can get over the playoff hump.
“There’s a lot of small things that go into it,” Hampton said. “But I feel like the more you do it, the more you get comfortable with it. I feel like now, I’m at a more comfortable place with it.”
Under the hot lights of the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the five members of Santos Bravos stood center stage, ready to stake their claim to international stardom. It was the first night of KCON — a three-day festival of Korean pop culture, held every year since 2013 — and on Aug. 14, Santos Bravos became the first Latin American act ever to grace the bill.
Despite the band having debuted less than a year ago, the crowd was buzzing with excitement, but its energy heightened as the slashing knife sounds of “Hooligan,” a song off BTS’ latest hit album, “Arirang,” began to ring out. Because of their popularity, BTS songs are frequently covered by groups at KCON, but newcomers Santos Bravos, who are under the same parent label, Hybe, had more to prove to this audience.
Santos Bravos, a Latin American boy band based in Mexico City, performs on the Artist Stage on Aug. 14 at KCON at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
(Arwen Clemans / Los Angeles Times)
“Hooligan” was produced by Spanish producers Fakeguido and El Guincho (who worked on two records with Rosalía), as well as South Korean producer Ghstloop and American producer Jasper Harris. The multicultural song, with lyrics in both Korean and English, was an apt choice for Santos Bravos — between the five members, they speak and sing in three languages and represent several Latin cultures.
For BTS fans, nothing less than near the performance level of the superstar group is acceptable. But as Santos Bravos sang the opening verses in English, the crowd roared with approval — especially as lead vocalist Kauê Penna, who hails from Brazil, slid onstage to take on the high parts of BTS lead Jungkook.
While artists from different backgrounds working together is nothing new, Santos Bravos, like the Hybe x Geffen girl group Katseye, are part of an effort to bring K-pop training, marketing methods and fandom culture to other regions of the globe.
Fans watch as members of Santos Bravos walk off the stage and into the crowd during a performance on Day One of KCON.
(Arwen Clemans / Los Angeles Times)
Off the global success of BTS, Hybe evolved from a mid-sized label into one of the biggest music and entertainment players in South Korea. Santos Bravos operates under a division called Hybe Latin America, which is based out of Mexico City, where the band calls home. They are the first Hybe group to be based in a region outside of the United States or Asia.
Selected from 17 finalists on a 2025 competition reality show called “Santos Bravos — La Serie,” the contestants had vied to become part of Santos Bravos. Along the way, they received feedback and coaching from Song Sun-deuk, BTS’s longtime former choreographer and performance director. They also worked closely with Miami-based Cuban American choreographer Cultura, who has previously worked with Maluma, J Balvin, and Karol G, among others.
The final five debuted as a group at the show’s finale in October of 2025, where they performed before an audience of 10,000 at the Auditorio Nacional Mexico. Santos Bravos’ members are Penna, 19, from São João de Meriti, Brazil; Kenneth Lavíll,16, from Veracruz, Mexico; Gabi Bermúdez, 21, from San Juan, Puerto Rico; Alejandro Aramburú, 22, of Lima, and Drew Venegas, 26, from L.A. County.
The selected members were no starry-eyed amateurs: Both Lavíll and Aramburú were professional actors in their countries, while the honey-voiced Penna won the fifth season of “The Voice Kids, Brasil” in 2020. Bermúdez, the effusive mood-lifter of the group, was gunning for a career as a soloist when he entered the ring. Venegas, a dance specialist who had performed as a backup dancer for BTS, had a brief stint as a member of the Future X, a co-ed group formed by Simon Fuller that featured members of the queer community.
Not even a year into their formation, Santos Bravos topped Billboard’s new Latin music poll. In January, they performed alongside Mon Laferte and Feid in Willy Chavarria’s Paris Runway show, “Eterno.” In June, their debut EP, “Dual,” made it as high as No. 17 on the Billboard Top Latin Pop Albums chart. That same month, the group won its first award, the fan-voted artist duo or group at the 2026 Premios Tu Música Urbano Mix.
“We’re very disciplined,” said Venegas, who called West Covina home before joining the band. I met the band inside the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday, after their KCON breakout moment.
“One day of training was equivalent to one week of training,” he added. “I think combining all of our cultures together, then keeping our Latin essence with the K-pop methodology, [brings] something very new and very fresh for the eye.”
1/5
Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Drew Venegas of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
2/5
Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Kaue Penna of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
3/5
Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Ale Aramburu of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
4/5
Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Kenneth Lavill of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
5/5
Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Gabi Lopez of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times) (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Although the group doesn’t perform in Korean — unless it’s for fun — they cater to K-pop fans, which is easy to do since they too are K-pop fans. They’ve paid a visit to the Hybe headquarters in Seoul, collaborated with bands like Le Sserafim and BoyNextDoor and livestreamed to fans via Hybe’s proprietary social platform Weverse. They’ve even performed on Korean television.
But for the members of Santos Bravos, the cultural exchange goes beyond marketing.
“In Mexico,” Venegas said, “when you’re eating we say, ‘Buen provecho,’ which is like ‘Enjoy your food,’ No matter who it is, no matter who you’re walking by. Food is a big part of acknowledging somebody, and that’s what we have in [common with Korean culture].”
Mostly talking to each other in Spanish — both Venegas and Penna learned to speak it as a second language — they occasionally forget which language they are speaking to each other in.
“Sometimes I find myself talking to Kenneth or Kauê in English when I don’t need to,” interjected the soft-spoken Aramburú, who plays the guitar — and, in between his shifts as a pop star, is finishing up his music degree at USC.
“The fact that we learn so many languages opens so many doors for us,” Aramburú said. “Personally, wherever we go, I love to learn the language. I’m on Duolingo learning Korean right now.”
Penna sees language as a way to not only open doors for Latin artists, but also reach people through their music.
“Thank God Latin America is being watched,” said Penna. “You know, people can see what we’re doing, and people also are interested in in our languages, in our culture. And in every country we [visit], we try to learn as much as possible about the culture. Now we’re focusing on Portuguese” — a language they test-drove in the song “Velocidade” — “and of course, English.”
Venegas has found that his experience as a Mexican American who didn’t grow up speaking Spanish resonates with some people.
“There were a couple of fans who came up to me who were of Mexican descent, but they didn’t get the chance to learn like me growing up,” he said. “And immediately, they were at a loss for words and kind of filled with emotions. I started getting emotional because I can feel the heartache and … feeling scared, like you don’t belong … and that’s what I felt like. Being able to speak with them and hear what they say made me feel like I’m not alone and like I do matter. Hearing, ‘OK you didn’t grow up getting spoken to in Spanish, but you were still called mijo like I was called mijo.’ ”
Asked why some people struggle to grasp multiracial Latino identity — Cardi B is brought up as an example — Penna weighed in.
“Being in Santos Bravos as an Afro Latino is something so important to me,” said Penna. “I feel like this ‘thing’ of being this or being that… It’s just cultural differences. I’m also working to understand how another culture sees me. As Brazilians, we are very mixed. Of course, I have my Afro side, my mom’s side, I have my Indigenous side… but of course, I am very open and very proud [with] what I’m representing in Santos Bravos.”
“People in general like to categorize,” said Bermúdez, who grew up idolizing Puerto Rican singer Chayanne. Raised in Puerto Rico by parents with both Boricuan and Cuban heritage, Bermúdez bristles at attempts to divide Latinos.
“We as Santos Bravos want to transmit to the world that Latin America is one,” he said
Santos Bravos
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
On the Monday after KCON, I met up a second time with the members of Santos Bravos, who were milling about in the Hybe America offices in Santa Monica. Venegas scrolled through his phone while Penna shuffled past us to grab a drink from the office fridge. I ask whether he’s tired. “A little” he replies, but he’s good.
Upstairs, walking past a large poster of BTS, I met with Juanse Arenas, president of Hybe Global Label Services, who promotes artists outside of their home markets. He said the company looked closely at data and research when conceptualizing the group.
“Mexican regional music became really big, Bad Bunny himself went global,” Arenas said. “You have Karol G, J Balvin, all these massive artists who come from our countries. Latin music is no longer just Latin; it’s global, right? Now, there is a methodology that exists in K-pop that has produced very successful groups. But you can’t just apply that methodology blindly to new regions and to new places — you have to [consider] where the members are coming from, what makes them tick, what drives them and the audience they’re speaking to.”
After posing for individual promo portraits, they gathered for a group photo before singing an acapella version of the uptempo ballad “MHM” for social content. They also greeted their fans on the Weverse livestream, where they expressed sadness over leaving L.A.
“Nos vamos pronto de L.A., mi gente,” said Lavíll to fans. “Y estamos tristes.”
Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson saved a penalty kick from Guro Reiten to preserve a scoreless draw against Gotham FC at BMO Stadium on Sunday.
Initially ruled a clean block in the 82nd minute, video review reversed the call and a handball was called on Angel City defender Sarah Gorden. On the ensuing penalty kick attempt, Anderson denied Reiten.
Anderson made four saves for her sixth shutout for Angel City (7-7-5).
Ann-Katrin Berger had three saves for her 10th clean sheet of the season for Gotham (13-3-5), which is unbeaten in nine games.
Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle landed hard with the back of her head hitting the ground in the 31st minute. Both teams had trainers evaluating the U.S. women’s national team star, who left the game six minutes later.
The Killing Eve star, who is just 33, follows the likes of David Suchet, Albert Finney and Peter Ustinov
David Suchet was ITV’s Poirot for many years(Image: Denis Kilcommons)
Here’s the first glimpse of Edward Bluemel as one of the world’s most famous detectives, Hercule Poirot. And – as tradition dictates – he still has the character’s tradement moustache.
The actor, best known for his roles in Killing Eve and A Discovery of Witches, is the youngest to take on the role created by Agatha Christie back in 1916. The 33-year old will take the lead in the BBC’s upcoming adaptations, called simply Hercule, having previously appeared in the Netflix version of Christie’s The Seven Dials.
The BBC has struck a three-series deal with the the author’s estate for an “ambitious reimagining”, to be set in the 1920s. Made by Poldark production company Mammoth Screen, the first six-part run is due to air next year and will tell the origin story of the famous sleuth, as he first arrives in the UK from Belgium.
Providng an “epic portrait” of Britain between the wars, it puts three of Christie’s most celebrated stories under the spotlight, including her first Poirot tale The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The series also charts Poirot’s burgeoning friendship with Captain Arthur Hastings and his early encounters with Scotland Yard’s James Japp.
Edward, who has also appeared in We Might Regret This and My Lady Jane, said he was thrilled to have landed the plum role. “I feel very lucky to have been trusted with such an iconic character who has been played by so many great actors. I can’t wait to continue Hercule’s legacy.”
BBC drama boss Lindsay Salt said the team had been blown away by Bluemel’s “charm, dynamism and wit”. “From the first moments of Edward’s audition we knew we’d found the perfect actor for Hercule, with a performance that feels both fresh and exciting,” she said. “Hercule Poirot is one of the greatest and most loved characters of all time, and bringing him back to the BBC is a real privilege.”
Albert Finney was previously the youngest actor to have taken on the role of Poirot, having landed the role for the 1974 film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express when he was just 37 years old. But make-up artists spent many hours at the start of each day on set adding a fake nose and cosmetics to make him look like a man in his fifties – while he slept.
David Suchet look on the role at the age of 42 and played him on and off, for ITV, until he was 67. Kenneth Brannagh has played Poirot three times, his first came when he was 55, and Peter Ustinov kicked off his stint in 1978 at the age of 57.
James Nesbitt has also been announced for his first TV costume drama role in the first series. Other cast announced alongside the Cold Feet star include Friday Night Dinner’s Tamsin Greig, Oppenheimer’s James D’Arcy, Game of Thrones’ Jack Gleeson, Smoggie Queens’ Phil Dunning and Juice’s Mawaan Rizwan.
James Prichard, executive producer for Agatha Christie Limited and the author’s grandson said that Edward had been selected with great care. “My father had the privilege of working with David Suchet for nearly 25 years, and I now have the good fortune of being able to share my great grandmother’s brilliant stories with a new generation of viewers,” he explained.
“Edward Bluemel is an extremely talented performer and will make a great addition to the long line of actors that have played this celebrated character, aided and abetted by Benji Walters’ thoughtful scripts. I cannot wait to see Edward on screen as Hercule Poirot.”
While McDaniel and his system have been a hot topic throughout training camp, he isn’t the only new coordinator in town.
Thursday’s game will offer a similar peek at what Chris O’Leary’s starting defense has in store.
“Overall, we played together; we played fast; we played violent,” O’Leary said of the group’s performance in Houston. “The result was a good result for us. We see a lot of stuff we can clean up along the way.”
O’Leary’s defense followed up a strong opening game by playing well against the 49ers’ offense in Tuesday’s practice.
“Honestly, don’t think it was our best day,” San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy said.
The Chargers would like to hear Purdy — who might play Thursday, according to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan — say that again.
