UNDATED (AP) — Alabama wasted little time in finding Nick Saban’s successor, hiring Kalen DeBoer away from national runner-up Washington. The powerhouse program tapped DeBoer on Friday to replace Saban, just two days after the 72-year-old coach announced his retirement. DeBoer says in a statement that he “would not have left Washington for just any school.” But he says the chance to coach Alabama “is the opportunity of a lifetime.” Saban won six national titles with the Crimson Tide and seven overall. DeBoer went 25-3 in two seasons at Washington and has a career record of 104-12 at all levels of college football.
UNDATED (AP) — Casey Thompson, who has played quarterback at Texas, Nebraska and Florida Atlantic, has announced he will transfer to Oklahoma for his seventh and final season of an injury-riddled career. Thompson made the announcement on social media on Thursday night. Thompson’s father is former Oklahoma wishbone Sooners quarterback Charles Thompson. Oklahoma recruited Casey, who played high school football at Southmoore and Newcastle high schools in Oklahoma, before he chose Texas. And when Casey was in the transfer portal after leaving Texas, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables tried to lure him before he chose Nebraska.
UNDATED (AP) — FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have named Jerod Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick as the franchise's 15th head coach. He becomes the first Black head coach in team history. Mayo played eight NFL seasons and won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots during the 2014 season. Mayo’s hire comes a day after Belichick agreed to part ways with the Patriots after a 24-year run that included six Super Bowl wins. Mayo will be formally introduced at a news conference on Wednesday.
UNDATED (AP) — Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill and Fred Warner are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2023 NFL All-Pro Team. The 49ers’ McCaffrey and Warner and the Dolphins’ Hill received first-team votes from all 50 members of a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. Running back McCaffrey and linebacker Warner are joined by three San Francisco teammates, including left tackle Trent Williams, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and tight end George Kittle. Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson earned his second All-Pro selection, receiving 45 first-place votes. Dallas’ Dak Prescott and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy each received two first-place votes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen got the other one
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Free-agent pitcher Jordan Hicks and the San Francisco Giants have agreed on a $44 million, four-year contract, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced by the team. The hard-throwing Hicks has spent most of his time in the bullpen during five major league seasons, compiling 32 career saves. But he made eight starts for St. Louis in 2022, and the Giants intend to add him to their rotation. Hicks went a combined 3-9 with a 3.29 ERA and 12 saves over 65 outings spanning 65 2/3 innings last year between St. Louis and Toronto.
HONOLULU (AP) — Carl Yuan missed keeping his full PGA Tour card by one point last year. And then right when the 26-year-old from China was preparing for Q-school, Jon Rahm joined LIV Golf. That meant Yuan moved up a spot in the FedEx Cup and had his card. That's how he got to the Sony Open, and Yuan already is taking advantage. He shot a 65 on Friday for a three-way share of the lead. Austin Eckroat and Byeong Hun An also shared the lead. Fifty-year-old Stewart Cink was one shot behind. Only seven shots separate first from worst.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls fans booed former general manager Jerry Krause on Friday night during a halftime ceremony to honor the organization’s greats, seemingly moving his widow to tears and drawing criticism from former players. Krause was one of 13 members of the inaugural class for the Bulls’ “Ring of Honor,” and was being recognized as the architect of their six championship teams. Having died in 2017, Krause was represented by his widow, Thelma, who was visibly upset by a torrent of booing from fans in the United Center and remained seated rather than acknowledge the crowd.
UNDATED (AP) — Caitlin Clark has set records on and off the court. The University of Iowa’s superstar guard is on track to do something never accomplished by a women’s basketball player — appear on all four broadcast networks in the same season. Clark and the third-ranked Hawkeyes host No. 14 Indiana on Saturday night on Fox. Iowa is featured in four of the six Big Ten regular-season women’s games that will air on either Fox or NBC. Both networks have left open the possibility of adding more games. Should the Hawkeyes reach the Big Ten Tournament final, that game will be on CBS. ABC will carry NCAA Women’s Tournament games on weekend afternoons in the first two weeks, along with the Women’s Final Four championship game in prime time on April 7.
FRIDAY SCORES
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 126 Atlanta 108
Final Houston 112 Detroit 110
Final Philadelphia 112 Sacramento 93
Final L.A. Clippers 128 Memphis 119
Final Minnesota 116 Portland 93
Final Golden State 140 Chicago 131
Final San Antonio 135 Charlotte 99
Final Miami 99 Orlando 96
Final Utah 145 Toronto 113
Final Denver 125 New Orleans 113
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Nashville 6 Dallas 3
Final OT Philadelphia 4 Minnesota 3