Los Angeles Times - 07.09.2019

Eno Benjamin caught a

touchdown pass in the

fourth quarter, Cristian Zen-

dejas kicked four field goals

and Arizona State labored

to a 19-7 win over Sacra-

mento State on Friday night

in Tempe, Ariz.

Arizona State’s offense

sputtered, plagued by off-

target passes, drops and an

ineffective running game

against a team ranked 115th

in total defense last season

in the Football Champi-

onship Subdivision. The

Sun Devils (2-0) were a five-

touchdown favorite.

Arizona State’s defense

was solid until Kevin Thom-

son hit Pierre Williams on a

40-yard pass, then Tao Mc-

Clinton on a nine-yard

touchdown that pulled the

Hornets (1-1) within 12-7 in

the fourth quarter.

The Sun Devils broke it

open 36 seconds later, when

Benjamin caught a 72-yard

touchdown pass from Jay-

den Daniels, who threw for

304 yards.

at Boise State 14, Mar-

shall 7: Hank Bachmeier

threw for 282 yards and a

touchdown and the No. 24

Broncos held its second

straight opponent scoreless

in the second half.

Boise State (2-0) won de-

spite the lack of explosive of-

fense shown in its opener

last week in a 36-31 victory at

Florida State.

The Broncos snapped

Marshall’s streak of 19 victo-

ries when the Thundering

Herd (1-1) score first.

at Virginia 52, William &

Mary 17: Bryce Perkins

threw for two touchdowns

and ran for a third as the

Cavaliers (2-0) routed the

Tribe (1-1).

Joe Reed caught a 40-

yard touchdown pass and

returned a kickoff 100 yards

for the Cavaliers, who

spoiled the return of former

coach Mike London, who

now is coaching the Tribe.

Wake Forest 41, at Rice

21 : Jamie Newman was 21 of

27 for 312 yards and three

touchdowns, Scotty Wash-

ington had seven catches for

158 yards and two touch-

downs and the Demon

Deacons (2-0) beat the Owls

(0-2).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

Heavily favored Arizona State hangs on

associated press

VIRGINIA quarterback Bryce Perkins beats the
William & Mary defense for a touchdown in first half.

Andrew ShurtleffAssociated Press

LATIMES.COM/SPORTS D7

FOOTBALL

Friday’s Results

WEST

Chapman 45, Pacific (Ore.) 14

Arizona St. 19, Sacramento St. 7

EAST

Becker 33, Anna Maria 19

California (Pa.) 59, St. Anselm 13

Delaware Valley 37, Kean 7

Endicott 55, Framingham State 27

Nichols 37, Dean College 12

Salisbury 63, Albright 28

Stevenson 34, Curry 0

Worcester Poly 51, Worcester State 0

SOUTH

Alvernia 20, Gallaudet 14

Virginia 52, William & Mary 17

MIDWEST

Millikin 27, Hope 21

SOUTHWEST

Wake Forest 41, Rice 21

ROCKIES

Boise St. 14, Marshall 7

Thursday’s Results

EAST

Charleston, W.Va. 42, Fairmont St. 39

Gannon 14, S. Connecticut 7

Glenville St. 33, Alderson-Broaddus 21

Lock Haven 57, Lincoln (Pa.) 13

Mercyhurst 21, Lake Erie 16

Millersville 21, Pace 20

Trine 38, Manchester 21

Westminster (Pa.) 66, Capital 7

W. Virginia St. 20, Frostburg St. 17

SOUTH

Carson-Newman 20, West Florida 13

Delta St. 24, Tusculum 10

Indianapolis 24, Ashland 9

Johns Hopkins 17, Randolph-Macon 12

Millsaps 28, Bellhaven 14

North Greenville 17, Newberry 7

S. Arkansas 34, Southern Nazarene 14

Wingate 42, Johnson C. Smith 0

MIDWEST

Bemidji St. 33, Northern St. 7

Buena Vista 51, Hamline 7

Central Missouri 34, Fort Hays 30

Concordia-St. Paul 41, Sioux Falls 17

Emporia St. 51, Northeastern St. 14

Ferris St. 24, Findlay 23

Lake Forest 27, Wisconsin Lutheran 15

Minn. Duluth 52, Minot St. 7

MSU Moorhead 44, Minn.-Crookston 20

Nebraska-Kearney 39, Missouri Southern 27

NW Missouri 45, Missouri Western 35

St. Cloud 35, Mary (N.D.) 12

Slippery Rock 62, Wayne St. (Mich.) 37

Washburn 49, Lincoln (Mo.) 27

SOUTHWEST

Angelo St. 45, W. Oregon 20

Ark.-Monticello 26, Arkansas Tech 23

NW Oklahoma 21, East Central 13

Ouachita Baptist 16, Harding 14

Pittsburg St. 37, Central Oklahoma 35

SW Oklahoma 35, SE Oklahoma 17

Trinity, Texas 41, McMurry 10

ROCKIES

Idaho St. 38, W. Colorado 13

COLLEGE SCORES

Pacing along the sideline,
Sean McVay enthusiastically
called out formations and
plays, never breaking stride
while discussing the philoso-
phy behind each one.
The Rams’ coach was not
on the field with his players.
He was below ground, inside
USC’s John McKay Center, a
featured speaker at a football
clinic for high school and col-
lege coaches.
A month after getting
schooled by New England Pa-
triots coachBill Belichick in
the Super Bowl, the 33-year-
old McVay enthusiastically
played the teacher, peppering
his unscripted presentation
with motivational phrases
and jokes that mesmerized
an audience hanging on every
word.
McVay spoke for 48 min-
utes without a discernible
pause. Then, while answering
a question about the rhythm
of play-calling, he finally in-
voked the Rams’ 13-3 Super

Bowl defeat.

“It’s humbling but true,”

McVay began before explain-

ing how Belichick and then-

Patriots defensive coordina-

tor Brian Flores stymied the

Rams with a defensive front

he was unable to solve.

“They kept calling it,”

McVay said, “because we wer-

en’t able to make ’em pay.”

On Sunday, when the

Rams open the season

against the Carolina

Panthers, McVay finally gets a

chance to show some of what

he learned from the 67-year-

old Belichick’s Super Bowl

master class.

Immediately after that de-

feat, McVay said he got out-

coached. Then, on his way

back to the locker room, he

told a reporter, “I don’t think

I’ll ever get over it.”

Seven months later?

“I don’t think I’ll ever for-

get,” he said in an interview,

“but I’m over it.”

The Rams are confident

that is the case.

In July, they gave McVay a

hefty raise and a contract ex-

tension that will keep him

with the team through 2023.

This week they gave quarter-

backJared Goff a $134-mil-

lion extension — with a record

$110 million guaranteed — in a

deal that ties the two-time

Pro Bowl player to the team

through 2024.

McVay has joked that Goff

is stuck with him.

“I told him, ‘I think I’m OK

with that,’ ” Goff said. “It will

be a good marriage.”

With their coach and

quarterback in place, the

Rams envision more Super

Bowl runs. The first became

possible because Goff, the No.

1 pick in the 2016 draft, proved

a reliable starter while

playing on a rookie contract.

That situation enabled gen-

eral manager Les Snead to

shop and trade for proven —

and sometimes expensive —

talent while making deft se-

lections in the lower rounds of

the draft.

Now, McVay must act on

lessons learned from the Su-

per Bowl flameout. “You can’t

run away from it,” he said.

Rams players said McVay

has not changed outwardly in

the aftermath of the offense’s

worst performance in two

seasons under his guidance.

“Same guy personality-

wise,” offensive lineman

Austin Blythesaid.

But the Rams have felt the

impact from the lessons Mc-

Vay learned and processed.

“He’s definitely thought

about that game and thought

about every single possibility

from that point,” receiver

Robert Woods said. “We see

it at practice.”

That, apparently, is noth-

ing new.

Cornerback Nickell-

Robey Coleman referred to

the run-up to last season,

when McVay took what he

learned in the Rams’ 2017

playoff loss to the Atlanta Fal-

cons and made sure the Rams

were prepared for similar

situations.

“Now he’s reflecting off the

Super Bowl,” Robey-Cole-

man said.

And perhaps taken anoth-

er step in his maturation as a

coach, punter Johnny

Hekker said. “The way he’s

gone about it, I think he’s

come into his own.”

Time will tell. The Patriots

became only the third team —

and the first since the 1970s —

to lose in the Super Bowl and

return the following season

and win it. The Rams have

worked to correct the mis-

takes they made against the

Patriots.

“There’s other teams

watching that film and we

better be ready to have an-

swers,” McVay said. “We’re

excited to see if some of the

work we’ve put in this off-

season serves as a chance to

improve if we do see those

looks again.”

Super Bowl LIV will be

played in February at Hard

Rock Stadium in Miami. If

the Rams return to the Super

Bowl, McVay said he would

slightly alter his approach,

making sure nearly every-

thing is in place during

the first week of preparation.

“We kind of tweaked and

tweaked and tweaked as the

second week went on when we

were in Atlanta,” he said.

That lesson was only one

of McVay’s takeaways for the

Super Bowl. The entire expe-

rience has prepped him for

what comes next.

“To say that you wish you

could have done better in that

moment for your players — I’ll

always feel that way,” he

said. “But to say that it’s tak-

en [away] any bit of confi-

dence or the ability to move

forward, that’s not the case at

all.”

Etc.

Goff, who agreed to terms

on his extension Tuesday,

signed the contract Friday,

McVay said. ... Left tackle An-

drew Whitworth was a full

participant in practice. On

Wednesday, Whitworth did

not practice because of a non-

injury-related situation, ac-

cording to the injury report. ...

The Rams departed for the

airport after practice. Their

flight to Charlotte, N.C., was

scheduled for Friday after-

noon.

RAMS REPORT

Ready to show old wounds, new foes are licked

By Gary Klein

Star receiver Antonio

Brownreturned to the Oak-

land Raiders on Friday after a

one-day absence and is set to

play the season opener after

apologizing following a run-in

with general manager Mike

Mayockthat had put him in

jeopardy of being suspended.

“I’m excited to be out here

today,” Brown said in a brief

statement after practice. “I

want to apologize to my team-

mates, the organization.

Enough talk now. I’m excited

to be out here with my team-

mates and grateful for all the

fans and I’m excited to be a

part of the Raiders and see

you guys soon.”

Brown addressed the team

earlier in a meeting, a day af-

ter being sent home from the

facility after a confrontation

Wednesday at practice with

Mayock. Brown had posted a

letter earlier Wednesday from

Mayock detailing nearly

$54,000 in fines for missing a

practice and walk-through.

“We had a team meeting

where Antonio addressed the

team,” quarterback Derek

Carrsaid. “We were up there

with him, a couple of captains.

We communicated back and

forth, when that was done, we

were all excited to move for-

ward.”

ESPN reported that the

Raiders were planning to sus-

pend Brown over the incident.

Teams have the right under

the collective bargaining

agreement to suspend players

up to four games for conduct

detrimental to the team. A

suspension would also void

the more than $29 million in

guarantees over the next two

seasons contained in Brown’s

contract with the Raiders.

Coach Jon Grudensaid

the plan is for Brown to play

Monday night at home

against Denver.

“Antonio is back today,”

Gruden said. “We’re really ex-

cited about that and ready to

move on. He’s had a lot of, ob-

viously, time to think about

things and we’re happy to

have him back and I know

Raider Nation is excited

about that, too.”

Hill signs extension

The Kansas City Chiefs

signed Tyreek Hillto a three-

year, $54-million contract ex-

tension, locking up the play-

making wide receiver whose

off-the-field issues left his fu-

ture in the NFL in question

just a couple of months ago.

The deal includes a $5.8-

million signing bonus and

$35.2 million in guarantees, a

person with knowledge of the

details told the Associated

Press. The person spoke on

condition of anonymity be-

cause the Chiefs do not dis-

close the terms of contracts.

Hill was barred from the

Chiefs facility all offseason af-

ter audio surfaced in which his

then-fiancee accused Hill of

hurting their 3-year-old son. It

prompted an investigation by

the district attorney, another

by the NFL and another by

the Kansas Department for

Children and Families. Hill

wasn’t charged by authorities

or disciplined by the NFL.

Etc.

The Jacksonville Jaguars

likely will be without starting

left tackle Cam Robinsonfor

their season opener — and

maybe longer. Robinson in-

jured his right knee in practice

Thursday and was listed as

doubtful to play Sunday. ...

Tennessee Titans long snap-

per Beau Brinkleyagreed to

terms on a multiyear contract

extension. ... A New Orleans

Saints fan’s lawsuit against

the NFL and game officials

over the failure to call a crucial

penalty against the Rams in a

January playoff game was dis-

missed by the Louisiana

Supreme Court.

NFL NOTES

Brown apologizes, set

to play Monday night

associated press
has him sidelined indefinitely.
Scott was moved up to the
first team, where he spent
minicamp and most of train-
ing camp before cementing
the starting job in the pre-
season.
On Sunday against India-
napolis, he’ll be assigned to
protect the blind side of Philip
Rivers, the Chargers’ 37-year-
old franchise quarterback
whose release is much quicker
than his feet.
“I’m very comfortable with
Trent,” coach Anthony Lynn
said. “He understands the sit-
uation. He’s got to step up.
We’re going to do some things
to help him out. We’re not just
going to throw him out there
and leave him on an island all
day.”
It was Rivers who encour-
aged Scott to “just go play” in
the spring.
Scott acknowledged he
was trying to be too perfect on
every play, trying to be too ex-
act with each movement. In-
stead, he focused on his
preparation and self-confi-
dence, accepting that there
would be plays when things
went haywire. Soon enough,
he said, the play around him
began to slow down.
“In Trent’s case ... it’s,
‘Shoot, you may get beat. You
may miss a block,’ ” Rivers
said. “I’m dang sure going to
miss a throw. We’re going to
keep going. We’re going to find
a way. We believe in each
other.”
Scott, 25, went to the same
Huntsville, Ala., high school
that produced another nota-
ble substitute: baseball re-
liever Craig Kimbrel, a seven-
time All-Star and reigning
World Series champion. Scott
walked on at Grambling
State, where he emerged as a
starter and allowed zero sacks
as a senior.
He wasn’t invited to the
2018 NFL combine and, after
going undrafted, was sitting

with his sister when his agent

called, telling him the Char-

gers had made a free-agent of-

fer.

“Growing up as a kid, I was

always in that situation where

I was looked down upon or

they didn’t think I was going

to be the guy,” Scott said. “I’ve

been in situations where I had

to overcome. It’s just the grit

that I bring to the game.”

After beginning last year

on the practice squad, he

played 125 offensive snaps, 99

of which came in two early sea-

son games when Okung was

injured. Now, he will be the left

tackle from the opening coin

flip.

The Chargers’ offensive

line is in a bit of flux entering

Week 1. Along with Scott tak-

ing over at left tackle, third-

year guard Forrest Lamp is

excepted to play off the bench

against the Colts. Lynn said

he wants to build chemistry

across the front and would

like to eventually settle on the

same five starters. But until

then, there could be some

careful shuffling.

“I don’t want a guy going

into a game looking over his

shoulder saying, ‘If I make a

mistake, I’m out,’ ” Lynn said.

“I don’t want that type of

mind-set.”

If he performs well, Scott

could be more than just a

short-term solution. Okung is

on the nonfootball illness list

and, as such, must miss at

least the first six weeks of the

regular season.

His situation will remain

unsettled until the blood clots

that caused his embolism are

cleared up and he is taken off

blood thinners.

The Chargers have no

guarantees that Okung will

play this season.

“I’m not trying to prove

everybody wrong or do any-

thing like that,” Scott said.

“I’m not trying to do anything

special. I’m just trying to play

my game. The rest will take

care of itself.

“I’m not going to be Rus-

sell Okung. Great player,

great guy. I’m not trying to re-

place him. I’m just trying to be

me. This is about me and do-

ing my job and taking care of

my responsibilities.”

Kicker questionable

The Chargers had a poten-

tially significant addition to

their injury report Friday

when kicker Michael Badgley

was listed as questionable be-

cause of a groin problem. If

Badgley can’t play against the

Colts, punter Ty Long also will

kick, the double duty some-

thing he did the last two sea-

sons in the Canadian Football

League.

“This is just normal,” said

Long, 26, who will be making

his NFL debut Sunday. “Same

old for me.

“Nothing changes. It’s

more just getting out there

and doing it.”

In two years with the B.C.

Lions, he made 82 of 93 field-

goal attempts and 58 of 65 ex-

tra points. His longest field

goal was 52 yards.

Lynn called Long “a kicker

by trade that can punt.” He

acknowledged losing Badgley,

like any starter, is concerning

but expressed confidence in

Long.

In the preseason, Long

made one of three extra-point

attempts, one of which was

blocked. Normally Long is the

holder so, if he has to kick,

backup quarterback Tyrod

Taylor would take over that

job.

The Chargers also will

have a long snapper playing in

his first NFL game. Cole

Mazza won a training camp

battle with Mike Windt, who

had held the job for nine years.

“I’m don’t think about it

too much,” Mazza said of his

debut. “I worry about the task

at hand. I worry about getting

1% better every day.”

He spent four years at Ala-

bama and then played in the

now disbanded Alliance of

American Football. Mazza, 24,

has a degree in kinesiology

and, in his previous job, was a

coach for two years at Or-

angetheory Fitness.

Etc.

Cornerback Trevor

Williams (quadriceps) was

ruled out for the game Sun-

day. Linebacker Jatavis

Brown (ankle), safety Roderic

Teamer (hamstring) and wide

receiver Geremy Davis (ham-

string) are doubtful. Line-

backers Denzel Perryman

(ankle) and Drue Tranquill

(back) are questionable.

Scott confident

he can tackle role

[Chargers, from D1]

TRENT SCOTThas big shoes to fill in replacing

Russell Okung as the Chargers’ starting left tackle.

Rick ScuteriAssociated Press