During defensive line drills, the Future Hall of Famer continues to go third — even when groups are split — rather than lead.
“Earning my keep right now,” Donald said after Rams practice Thursday. “I’m a guy that likes to work and earn everything I get.”
Donald, 35, has one game under his belt after returning from a two-year retirement to rejoin the team that selected the three-time NFL defensive player of the year in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.
Donald played 33 snaps in the Rams’ 28-6 victory over the New York Giants on Monday. He made three tackles, including one for a loss.
Donald said he watched tape of his performance six times — two times by himself, once with his brother and three more times on his own.
“Not as bad as I thought,” he said. “A lot of things to clean up but on the right track.”
Donald looked “excellent,” defensive coordinator Chris Shula said.
“He was awesome,” Shula said. “He put a lot of pressure on the quarterback, and then you see like some of the run plays … that group as a whole played really tough, played stout, played physical at the line of scrimmage and Aaron was a huge part of that.”
Now, one of the top interior pass rushers in NFL history is preparing for Sunday night’s game against the Denver Broncos in Denver.
Will Donald’s playing time increase?
“Every game is going to kind of tell its own story,” Shula said. “I think we have a general range of where he would be, but I think depending on how the game plays out, you never know how many snaps and the situations that you’re going to be in.
“You never want to put a full hard cap on it.”
Donald is happy with the way his return to game action is playing out.
“We’ve got a good rotation … keeping guys fresh and right now I’m liking it,” he said. “I think it’s at a great pace right now.
“I’m getting my feet wet, get going, get a feel for the game again and other guys are out there working and getting work too.”
Etc.
Rams receiver Puka Nacua (hip), who sat out against the Giants, did not practice for the second day in a row. On Wednesday, coach Sean McVay told reporters he was “not sure” if Nacua would play against the Broncos. Later in the day, he told ESPN radio that Nacua was “not making great progress.” … Tight end Colby Parkinson (knee) and safety Kam Kinchens (hamstring) also did not practice.
Motsepe began his inspection visit for Afcon 2027 in Tanzania before touring Kenya, where he inspected two venues in Nairobi: Kasarani Stadium and the newly constructed 60,000-capacity Talanta Stadium.
BBC Sport Africa understands that one of the main areas of concern in Kenya is the Kasarani and its corresponding training facility.
When Caf conducted its previous inspection in mid-February, the local organisers were told that stadiums and their associated training facilities should be around 80% ready by August.
However, Kasarani has seen limited progress over the past seven months, with several areas still requiring attention.
One of the biggest challenges is the playing surface, which is yet to be laid. Work is also required on cabling for broadcast and television operations, floodlights and the stadiums’ sky boxes.
Motsepe also pointed to the demands created by hosting hundreds of VIPs and heads of state, saying some stadium designs will need to be reconfigured.
“Security issues in relation to where the special guests, particularly the heads of state, will be seated requires a revision of the original plans,” the 64-year-old explained.
Kenya’s cabinet secretary for sports Salim Mvurya insisted preparations would be completed on time.
“I assure Caf and Kenyans we will accelerate the preparations for Afcon 2027,” Mvurya said.
“We will conclude everything by December to be sure we can have test matches in the various facilities.”
AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s government forces are better prepared, more experienced and better armed to defend the central city of Marib against any renewed Houthi offensive, a senior military official said, amid reports that the Iran-backed group is massing forces around the province.
Brig. Yahya Al-Hatemi, director of the Yemeni army’s military media, told Arab News that government forces had gained significant battlefield experience during more than a decade of fighting and were ready to repel any attempt by the Houthis to advance on Marib.
“The armed forces have generally become more organized, powerful and effective,” Al-Hatemi said.
“Over the past decade, they have gained combat experience that enabled them to overcome adversity, master military tactics and identify the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Marib has become one of the most strategically important government-held areas in Yemen since the war escalated in 2015.
It is home to more than 2 million displaced people, major army bases, oil and gas fields and a key power station. The Houthis have repeatedly attempted to seize the city, but previous offensives have failed.
Over the weekend, Yemeni media reported that the Houthis had sent large numbers of fighters and military equipment to areas of Marib province under their control, raising fears of preparations for another offensive.
The reported buildup followed major Houthi gains along Yemen’s western coast, including the seizure of the Red Sea port city of Mokha and advances toward the Bab Al-Mandab area.
Al-Hatemi said the army was aware that Marib could become the Houthis’ next major target.
“We know that the new pressure will be directed at Marib,” he said.
“However, Marib has significant military strength and divine protection. Moreover, the Houthis lack a popular support base there. Quite the opposite: The local environment is hostile to them.”
The Houthis launched a major offensive to capture Marib in early 2021, with fighting continuing into early 2022 and leaving hundreds of civilians and combatants dead or wounded.
The campaign largely subsided following the UN-brokered truce in April 2022, although the Houthis continued launching missile and drone attacks and mobilizing forces around government-held parts of the province.
Military commanders say the situation is different today.
Government forces are operating under a more unified command and have accumulated years of experience fighting the Houthis across multiple fronts.
For the first time in more than a decade, Yemen’s military has also reactivated its air force, which has recently carried out strikes against Houthi positions.
“The armed forces were supplied with military equipment they had previously lacked, while the army and navy were restructured,” Al-Hatemi said.
“In addition, the air force, which had been absent for 11 years, was reactivated.”
Presidential Leadership Council member and Marib Gov. Sultan Al-Aradah expressed similar confidence, saying government forces were capable not only of defending the province but eventually of taking the initiative and launching a broader campaign against Houthi-held territory.
“There is no doubt that Marib is part of the broader battlefields across the country,” Al-Aradah told Saba TV.
“From the beginning, the Marib front has focused solely on victory, supporting the people and supporting all fronts across Yemen. The objective of the forces in Marib and elsewhere is to restore the capital, Sanaa.”
Al-Aradah urged families in Houthi-controlled areas not to send their children to fight alongside the group.
“I hope they do not send their misled children into death traps … horrific slaughterhouses that make one shudder with shame,” he said.
“It is deeply regrettable to witness, right before our eyes, these scenes where hundreds, even thousands, of misled individuals are sent off — unaware of where they are going or whom they are fighting.”
Al-Aradah accused the Houthis of reigniting the war through their latest military escalation and blamed Iran for encouraging the group to reject peace efforts.
He also praised Saudi Arabia for its support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
“Our Arab brothers, foremost among them Saudi Arabia, provide great support to the Yemeni people in all fields,” he said.
“They stand by Yemen’s constitutional legitimacy and support the Yemeni people in addressing their economic and humanitarian hardships. They also stand by us in our efforts to achieve stability and prosperity under a legitimate state.”
The renewed attention on Marib comes as the battlefield has widened following Houthi advances in western Yemen.
The militia’s gains around Mokha and Bab Al-Mandab have increased pressure on government forces and raised questions over where the Houthis will seek to concentrate their next major offensive.
For government commanders, however, the stated objective now extends beyond simply defending Marib.
“The priority now is to restore the Yemeni state and rid Yemen of terrorist organizations, foremost among them the Houthis, regardless of their form or nature,” Al-Aradah said.
“This is an irreversible commitment tied to the will of the people. There will be no turning back until the state is restored, whatever it takes.”
George Rainsford is returning to Casualty tonight as fan favourite Dr Ethan Hardy for the BBC medical drama’s 40th anniversary three years after his last apperance
George Rainsford played Dr Ethan Hardy in Casualty from 2014 until 2023(Image: BBC/Alistair Heap)
A former Casualty actor has admitted he was “ready to have a break” after nine years working on the medical drama.
George Rainsford is putting his scrubs back on and resuming his role as Dr Ethan Hardy for the BBC show’s huge 40th anniversary, which airs tonight (Saturday, September 5).
The actor played the popular doctor for almost a decade before leaving the BBC medical drama in 2023. Fans will know George’s charatcer Ethan was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and left the E.D. three years ago to spend more time with his son, Bodhi.
Speaking exclusively to Betway about his exit, George explained: “At the time, I definitely wanted that time away. I was ready to have a break. It’s a fantastic place to work.
“I loved how generous they were with all the storylines I had over the years, and I loved everybody there but it’s filmed in Cardiff, and I’m not based there, so I needed to spend a bit more time at home. When you’re an actor, sometimes you want to challenge yourself and see what else is out there.
“After nine years, that feeling had gotten a bit stronger. I was keen to go back and do theatre for a bit and see what other screen work was out there.
“I’m glad we were able to have the conversation with the producers that it wasn’t final because I really enjoyed going back and I do think there would be a storyline there but at the same time, I was ready for a little break”
Since leaving Casualty, Jimmy has appeared in seven episodes of popular BBC period drama Call the Midwife as Jimmy Wilson and more recently played the role of Miles is movie Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger.
Ethan isn’t the only familar face returning to Casualty this week with Derek Thompson also reprising his iconic role as nurse Charlie Fairhead. Fans last saw him during his final appearance in March 2024, where he retired after 38 years in the NHS.
Although bosses haven’t shared too many details of Ethan and Charlie’s involvement in the 40th anniversary, they have said: “The gripping, anniversary event centres on a high-stakes major incident that throws Holby into chaos.
“Lives hang in the balance and the ED team are pushed to their limits in a tense and emotionally charged story that brings together some of the show’s most beloved characters.
“As the fallout continues, a major rescue operation unfolds, forcing impossible life-or-death decisions and testing the courage, resilience and leadership of those at the heart of the hospital.
“As Dylan Keogh (William Beck) battles personal tragedy while leading his team through their darkest hour, Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) and Flynn Byron (Olly Rix) find themselves fighting for survival in a race against time.”
Casualty’s 40th anniversary specials will air on Saturday, September 5 from 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer
“I’m very confident. I think we have the opportunity to go out and be successful,” said Ron Rivera, California’s athletic director and football general manager. “If we can be successful early on, we can most certainly build faster than anticipated as well.”
The Golden Bears haven’t delivered an eight-win season since 2009, an outright conference title since 1958 or a national championship since 1937.
Led by a tenacious new head coach and a left-handed prodigy under center, with a loaded offense and an aligned administration to match, the Golden Bears are earnest as ever entering Saturday night’s home opener against UCLA.
“You can feel the anticipation in the locker room,” Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele said. “Everyone’s excited to go out there and play for each other and represent the Bears.”
Lupoi returns
Cal coach Tosh Lupoi waves to fans before throwing out the first pitch before a Giants-Marlins game on April 24.
(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
California’s renewed belief largely stems from first-time skipper Tosh Lupoi, who has instilled enthusiasm at his alma mater since taking over for the fired Justin Wilcox in December.
“He’s not scared to get … too hyped,” Golden Bears linebacker AJ Tuitele said of Lupoi said. “The players just match his energy. It’s a big deal for us.”
A Bay Area native, Lupoi was a defensive lineman for the Golden Bears from 2000-05 and became the youngest full-time coach in program history at 26, emerging as an elite recruiter as California’s defensive line coach on Jeff Tedford’s staff from 2008-11.
Lupoi later gained experience at Washington, Alabama, in the NFL and, most recently, as Oregon’s defensive coordinator for the past four seasons. But leading the Cal has always been his dream.
“Every waking second of my life will be dedicated to the success of this program,” Lupoi said during his introductory news conference. “No matter what I say, it’s going to be based off of my actions. And I’m a man of action.”
Nine months in, Lupoi has worked to mold a program that lives by three pillars: relentless effort, ball excellence and power of unit.
The confidence is contagious, prompting Lupoi to take the tarps off at Memorial Stadium for the first time in several years and allow thousands more tickets to be sold for the highly anticipated opener against UCLA.
“Butts in the seats and eyes on the television,” Rivera said. “That engagement is so important.”
A rising star at quarterback
Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele looks to throw a pass against Hawaii during the Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 24 in Honolulu.
(Darryl Oumi / Getty Images)
The Golden Bears also have a proven leader in Sagapolutele, also known as JKS, on their side.
Sagapolutele threw for 3,454 yards and 18 touchdowns as a true freshman with a limited supporting cast and suspect offensive line. A folk hero in his home state of Hawaii, Sagapolutele is projected to be a first-round prospect in the 2028 NFL draft.
The 20-year-old has shown poise in the pocket, patience when going through progressions and ability to throw receivers open anywhere on the field.
“Even if you’re covered, he finds back shoulders and back hips,” UCLA coach Bob Chesney said of Sagapolutele. “Even when under duress … [the football] seems to still be put right on the money. … A kid that’s very hard to fluster.”
He’ll be manning a pro-style scheme in 2026 constructed by first-time offensive coordinator Jordan Somerville, who comes to Berkeley after three years as Baker Mayfield’s assistant quarterbacks coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“[Sagapolutele] is everything that is said about him,” Somerville said. “He is awesome to be around.”
Reeling in top talent
Washington running back Adam Mohammed is tackled by UCLA linebacker Jonjon Vaughns at the Rose Bowl on Nov. 22. Mohammed has transferred to Cal, calling it “a great place to be.”
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
The Golden Bears assembled what recruiting network 247Sports called the ACC’s second-best transfer portal class this spring, rebuilding its defense with younger, high-ceiling players and stocking its offense with more proven talent.
“Cal is a great place to be,” said running back Adam Mohammed, who transferred in from Washington. “You get a good degree and a great education [and an] NFL coaching staff. That basically sums it up.”
It’ll be on first-time coordinator Michael Hutchings, who was the Minnesota Vikings’ safety coach for the last three years, to put together a competent defense. He has solid returning options to work with as well as an influx of transfers.
“Control what we can control [and] focus on us,” Hutchings said of his approach.
The offense’s personnel is much simpler. In Somerville’s system, Sagapolutele will work alongside seasoned transfers, including running backs Mohammed and Carter Vargas (UC Davis), wideouts Chase Hendricks (Ohio), Ian Strong (Rutgers) and Cooper Perry (Oregon), tight end Dorian Thomas (New Mexico) and right tackle Jimothy Lewis (Mississippi State).
California beat several bluebloods in the transfer portal and continues to win high school recruiting battles, with an elite 2027 class on the horizon led by Westlake wideout Charles Davis and Chaparral quarterback Dane Weber.
Assistant general manager Marshall Cherrington, who has largely led the Golden Bears’ roster-building efforts for nearly eight years, remembers when major recruiting wins weren’t realistic.
“The access we have now is unparalleled to what we’ve had here in my time,” Cherrington said. “The positive trajectory only improves the opportunities to do more selecting rather than recruiting.
“It’s not like, ‘Oh, we can’t go after a kid because he’s in Florida or Mississippi or wherever.’ It’s like, ‘Oh, we got access.’”
Claw or nothing
Cal football general manager Ron Rivera, right, and new football coach Tosh Lupoi hold up a jersey during Lupoi’s introductory news conference on Dec. 5.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
Lupoi was the missing piece alongside Rivera and Chancellor Rich Lyons, forming a trio of Berkeley graduates who understand the importance of elevating the university’s profile with a contending football program.
“It’s hard to overstate the importance and benefit of the fact that Tosh, Ron Rivera and I are all Cal alumni who share profound respect for Berkeley’s values, traditions, and persistent pursuit of excellence in all that we do,” Lyons said.
The trio has worked to tap into Berkeley’s alumni network, from Silicon Valley to the NFL — and it’s paying off.
California Athletics recently announced it received $88.5 million in “gifts and pledges” from July 2025 to June 2026, in a year when the football team posted a 7-6 record and both basketball programs missed the big dance.
“This is not a normal university in terms of what people expect and don’t expect from you,” Rivera said. “The expectations at Cal are high.”
It all starts with Saturday’s “Pac-12 After Dark” throwback against UCLA, with game kicking off at 7:30 p.m. and airing on ESPN.
“You should be really excited about what you’re going to see,” Sagapolutele added. “You’re going to want to keep coming to our games, for sure.”
From behind his new desk, on the top floor of USC’s shining, new Bloom Football Performance Center, Lincoln Riley can gaze out upon a stunning view of the downtown L.A. skyline. It’s a nice perk when rounding out a $200-million facility.
And especially welcomed given that three-quarters of USC’s previous football home, the John McKay Center, could be classified as “subterranean.” But as Riley considers how far he’s come these past five years and how far USC has come in the meantime, the metaphor is just as meaningful to USC’s coach as the cityscape.
This view, this office, this program, really — it was all just a hypothetical when Riley accepted the USC job in November 2021. The wunderkind coach knew he was inheriting a football program in a years-long slump. What he couldn’t grasp was how far it actually fell. And what it would take to drag it back. He’d never even been on USC’s campus.
He admits he didn’t understand quite what USC needed then, in the beginning. Not like he does now, on the doorstep of his fifth season as the Trojans coach.
“There’s no other job like this, not in our sport,” Riley said Thursday. “There are some unique things that make this place really special, but also you have to understand how it works and how to harness it and how to use it, and I think that has probably been the biggest thing.”
“I know what direction we’re heading now. I know so much more about this place and how it works, and that’s been more helpful than just starting over at kind of your normal run-of-the-mill job in college football. … This one is just so unique and different. That’s what attracted me to it. And that’s what’s going to help make it great again.”
Riley certainly knows USC well enough now to understand his time to deliver on that promise is running out. The Trojans are 35-18 through four seasons under Riley, precisely the same record they were under his predecessor, Clay Helton, through 53 games. In that time, USC has yet to reach the College Football Playoff and only once played for a conference title, in Riley’s first season. And it hasn’t beat a ranked team in a true road game outside of L.A.
Meanwhile, the school has gone to great lengths to close the gap that existed between USC and its blueblood counterparts, revamping the whole front-office operation, hiring a Hall of Famer in Gary Patterson to coordinate the defense and investing millions in NIL in the nation’s top recruiting class in 2026.
Riley said multiple times this summer that he is now more “well-equipped” to win. And around USC, everyone seems inclined to agree. Meaning any excuse for why the Trojans aren’t breaking through will no longer suffice.
“It’s black and white,” USC general manager Chad Bowden said after last season. “You’re either in the Playoff or you’re not. You either win a championship or you don’t. … I’m sick to my stomach, you know, for people that might be unhappy with winning nine games. They should be unhappy, right?”
Whether nine wins in 2026 would be enough to ensure Riley sees a sixth season at USC in 2027 remains to be seen. Though, just getting back to that mark, with a schedule that includes Oregon and Ohio State at home and Indiana and Penn State on the road, might be more of an uphill climb than it was a season ago.
It would also probably mean falling short of the Playoff. When asked if Riley needed a Playoff berth this season, athletic director Jennifer Cohen told The Times in May she “tries not to think in hypotheticals” but added:
“The expectation has always been the same. I mean, that’s the thing, that’s the reason why I came here, is that the standard is high, that we do expect to make the Playoff. We do expect to have a championship run. We do expect to be competing for championships every single year.
“The expectation, I mean, we haven’t been shy about that. We expect to win, and I feel confident that we’re going to.”
So confident, in fact, that USC pasted its season mantra on billboards across the Southland, each of them not-so-subtly declaring that the “THE TIME IS : NOW”.
The message feels, in many ways, meant for Riley. And he isn’t shying away from it.
“Hell, that’s why I came here,” Riley told The Times this summer. “It’s progressively gotten better and better, I think to a point where everybody should be excited and the expectations should be through the roof.”
It’s hard to argue with the positive signs so far. The No. 1 recruiting class is already making a major impression, with five true freshmen earning starting spots and over a dozen appearing on the initial two-deep. With a top returning quarterback in Jayden Maiava, real depth along the offensive line and one of the Big Ten’s best backfield tandems in Waymond Jordan and King Miller, USC should once again have one of the nation’s top offenses.
The questions, as always, are on the other side of the ball. But in Patterson, Riley appears so far to have found someone he considers an equal on defense, the yin to his yang.
“You feel his presence in terms of the mentality of the group and how he pushes and pushes and pushes,” Riley said. “He’s very aggressive, and you never have to wonder about how he’s feeling or where he stands. For a little bit, I think it took our players some getting used to. It was a little different of an approach than what they had out of that position. But I think they’ve come to understand and respect the intensity that he brings every day and the demand for greatness. There’s no question on the practice field that you feel that from him.”
Riley, meanwhile, has not seemed like a head coach who’s feeling the heat heading into a make-or-break season at USC. In fact, with everything hanging on this season, he seems more at ease than ever.
“It’s taken a lot to come from where it was four years ago to now, a lot of people,” Riley said. “And so, I don’t want us to be bashful about it now. We’ve gotta go do it. And that’s the fun part of this. And it’s fun feeling like that you got the opportunity to do anything and everything that you want to do.
“I think this year will be the start of a run where USC football, we’re gonna feel like that for a while. That’s what we came here to do.”
