KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs know as well as any team in the NFL the importance of backup quarterbacks, and that makes the fact that coach Andy Reid called the competition for the spot too close to call after Monday's practice noteworthy.

The Chiefs signed veteran Blaine Gabbert to fill the role of Chad Henne, who retired last season after five years as the primary backup to Patrick Mahomes.

But Gabbert has been pushed throughout camp by Shane Buechele, a former undrafted free agent and practice squad staple, and the duo continues to go back and forth heading into the Chiefs' preseason finale.

Buechele got most of the work with the No. 2 offense on Monday. Gabbert has worked in that role as well.

“Those two are real close. Real close,” Reid said. “We'll just let it play out here. See how it goes. But that's good competition.”

The Chiefs have other spots still to be decided heading into Saturday's game against the Browns, including the last couple of wide receiver jobs and spots along the defensive line.

But those aren't nearly as important as the quarterback, where the backup can go from holding a clipboard to having an entire season resting in his hands in an instant.

That was the case twice for Henne during his time in Kansas City.

The first time against the Browns during the divisional round of the 2020 playoffs, when Mahomes was knocked from the game with a concussion early in the second half. Henne led the Chiefs the rest of the way, completing an audacious fourth-and-1 throw to Tyreek Hill near midfield in the final minutes to put away a 22-17 victory.

The Chiefs beat the Bills for the AFC title before losing to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.

The second time came last season, when Mahomes sprained his ankle late in the first half against Jacksonville. The Chiefs led 10-7 when Henne trotted onto the field, with Kansas City backed up to its 2-yard line, and led the Chiefs 98 yards with a short touchdown throw to Travis Kelce finishing off another superb emergency appearance.

Mahomes finished out the 27-20 victory, then led Kansas City past the Bengals in the AFC title game before beating the Eagles in the Super Bowl — when Henne was still at the ready as Mahomes played through his injury.

So yes, the backup quarterback job certainly matters in Kansas City.

“That's what makes a great team," Buechele said, "is when guys are competing for a spot.”

Not just any competition, though. Quality competition.

Gabbert has the benefit of experience, entering the league as a first-round pick in 2011 and playing for five different teams over the past 11 seasons. He's appeared in 67 games, making 48 starts, and thrown for more than 9,300 yards. And all of that is a big reason why the Chiefs signed him to a $1,317,500 contract for this season.

“We were watching film," the 33-year-old Gabbert said, recalling a moment from a meeting earlier in camp, “and there’s a play we put in at the end of the game and it was from 2011 in Jacksonville, and they were like, ‘That was you at quarterback? We couldn’t even see you the film was so grainy.’ So that really made me feel old.”

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Buechele has never thrown a regular-season NFL pass. But he does have the benefit of experience in what can be a complicated system, spending the past two seasons on the Kansas City practice squad.

“This is the first time that I’ve ever been in the same offense for three years in a row,” Buechele said. “I feel confident in my ability and my preparation and knowing this offense in and out. Obviously we can keep getting smarter, but just the confidence I have and the preparation in knowing this offense has really helped me be successful on the field.”

It just might earn him the Chiefs' backup job, too.

NOTES: RB Isiah Pacheco was out of the yellow no-contact jersey for the first time in camp on Monday. Reid said it's possible he could play against the Browns. ... The Chiefs moved practice indoors and earlier than scheduled because of temperatures that hit triple digits in Kansas City. The heat index was 110 when the late-morning workout finished. ... DE Matt Dickerson missed practice with turf toe. OL Nick Allegretti (shoulder), CB Nic Jones (hand), WR Nikko Remigio (shoulder), CB L’Jarius Sneed (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (knee) and DT Turk Wharton (knee) also missed the workout. ... DT Chris Jones continued his holdout. He skipped the entire camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, and now the first workout at the team's practice facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1690884338994.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to pass during NFL football training camp Friday, July 28, 2023, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes looks to pass during NFL football training camp Friday, July 28, 2023, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs know as well as any team in the NFL the importance of backup quarterbacks, and that makes the fact that coach Andy Reid called the competition for the spot too close to call after Monday's practice noteworthy.The Chiefs signed veteran Blaine Gabbert to fill the role of Chad Henne, who retired last season after five years as the primary backup to Patrick Mahomes.But Gabbert has been pushed throughout camp by Shane Buechele, a former undrafted free agent and practice squad staple, and the duo continues to go back and forth heading into the Chiefs' preseason finale.Buechele got most of the work with the No. 2 offense on Monday. Gabbert has worked in that role as well.“Those two are real close. Real close,” Reid said. “We'll just let it play out here. See how it goes. But that's good competition.”The Chiefs have other spots still to be decided heading into Saturday's game against the Browns, including the last couple of wide receiver jobs and spots along the defensive line.But those aren't nearly as important as the quarterback, where the backup can go from holding a clipboard to having an entire season resting in his hands in an instant.That was the case twice for Henne during his time in Kansas City.The first time against the Browns during the divisional round of the 2020 playoffs, when Mahomes was knocked from the game with a concussion early in the second half. Henne led the Chiefs the rest of the way, completing an audacious fourth-and-1 throw to Tyreek Hill near midfield in the final minutes to put away a 22-17 victory.The Chiefs beat the Bills for the AFC title before losing to the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.The second time came last season, when Mahomes sprained his ankle late in the first half against Jacksonville. The Chiefs led 10-7 when Henne trotted onto the field, with Kansas City backed up to its 2-yard line, and led the Chiefs 98 yards with a short touchdown throw to Travis Kelce finishing off another superb emergency appearance.Mahomes finished out the 27-20 victory, then led Kansas City past the Bengals in the AFC title game before beating the Eagles in the Super Bowl — when Henne was still at the ready as Mahomes played through his injury.So yes, the backup quarterback job certainly matters in Kansas City.“That's what makes a great team," Buechele said, "is when guys are competing for a spot.”Not just any competition, though. Quality competition.Gabbert has the benefit of experience, entering the league as a first-round pick in 2011 and playing for five different teams over the past 11 seasons. He's appeared in 67 games, making 48 starts, and thrown for more than 9,300 yards. And all of that is a big reason why the Chiefs signed him to a $1,317,500 contract for this season.“We were watching film," the 33-year-old Gabbert said, recalling a moment from a meeting earlier in camp, “and there’s a play we put in at the end of the game and it was from 2011 in Jacksonville, and they were like, ‘That was you at quarterback? We couldn’t even see you the film was so grainy.’ So that really made me feel old.”Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Buechele has never thrown a regular-season NFL pass. But he does have the benefit of experience in what can be a complicated system, spending the past two seasons on the Kansas City practice squad.“This is the first time that I’ve ever been in the same offense for three years in a row,” Buechele said. “I feel confident in my ability and my preparation and knowing this offense in and out. Obviously we can keep getting smarter, but just the confidence I have and the preparation in knowing this offense has really helped me be successful on the field.”It just might earn him the Chiefs' backup job, too.NOTES: RB Isiah Pacheco was out of the yellow no-contact jersey for the first time in camp on Monday. Reid said it's possible he could play against the Browns. ... The Chiefs moved practice indoors and earlier than scheduled because of temperatures that hit triple digits in Kansas City. The heat index was 110 when the late-morning workout finished. ... DE Matt Dickerson missed practice with turf toe. OL Nick Allegretti (shoulder), CB Nic Jones (hand), WR Nikko Remigio (shoulder), CB L’Jarius Sneed (knee), WR Kadarius Toney (knee) and DT Turk Wharton (knee) also missed the workout. ... DT Chris Jones continued his holdout. He skipped the entire camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, and now the first workout at the team's practice facility.

Backup job to Mahomes remains tight as preseason finale nears

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City's first-team offense didn't play well during its first few series Saturday night, dropping a few passes, committing a few penalties and coming up well short of the end zone.

An expected light preseason night for the starters was suddenly becoming a little longer. Before the third drive, MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a message for his teammates.

“If we don't want to keep playing, we'd better score," Mahomes said.

The Chiefs responded with a 10-play, 92-yard drive&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1693060892248932792?s=20">that ended in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Justin Watson</a>&nbsp;and Kansas City was on its way to a 38-10 victorty over the Arizona Cardinals.

It was the first extended preseason action for Mahomes, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, playing the entire first quarter. The defending Super Bowl champs never trailed and outgained the Cardinals 504 yards to 286.

Kansas City rookie receiver Rashee Rice — a second-round pick out of SMU — caught eight passes for 96 yards.

“You can see the talent,” Mahomes said. “He makes a lot of tough catches. He had a drop early and then responded well. I think that's just the jitters of being in your first few NFL games. I've got a lot of trust in him that he'll make those catches in tough spaces.”

Kansas City (1-1) is expected to be among the NFL's best teams again this year, while Arizona (1-1) is a popular pick to be among the worst. Franchise quarterback Kyler Murray is likely out for the first several weeks of the season while he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last year.

Veteran Colt McCoy is the expected starter until Murray returns. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 25 yards. Rookie Clayton Tune — a fifth-round pick out of Houston — completed 12 of 24 passes for 133 yards. He also ran for 35 yards.

The Chiefs built a 17-0 lead by late in the second quarter following Harrison Butker's 28-yard field goal. The Cardinals cut it to 17-7 just before halftime on Keaontay Ingram's 5-yard touchdown.

Arizona's Matt Prater made a 54-yard field goal with 9:33 left in the third to make it 17-10, but Kansas City would finish the game with 21 straight points.

Kansas City's backup quarterbacks both had strong performances. Shane Buechele was 10 of 10 for 105 yards, while also running for a 15-yard touchdown. Blaine Gabbert was 7 of 8 for 120 yards and two touchdowns.

“It was a good effort, all the way around,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Defensively, I thought we started fast, which is what we needed to do. Offensively, we had a few hiccups early. We've got to take care of business with that. But all in all, the groups came out and played good, respectable football.”

The Chiefs' four quarterbacks — Mahomes, Buechele, Gabbert and fourth-stringer Chris Oladokun — combined to complete 31 of 38 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns.

“All three phases, we've got to get cleaned up or that is what going to happen against a good football team,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “You’re going to get beat pretty good. It will be very black and white to our guys what we need to improve in a hurry.”

Arizona's Isaiah Simmons has made the move to safety from linebacker as the Cardinals try to unlock the potential of the former No. 8 overall pick of the 2020 draft.

The first preseason game went OK. The second one was a little rougher.

Simmons appeared to get beat on multiple plays in the first half as the Chiefs built their 17-0 lead. He finished with two tackles. Gannon said the entire defense gave up too many explosive plays.

“I obviously need to play better,” Simmons said. “I feel that each and every game. Explosives definitely are something we need to tone down.”

It was the third time in less than a year that the Chiefs have played at State Farm Stadium.

Kansas City beat Arizona 44-21 in last year's season opener before returning before returning to the desert for their Super Bowl win over the Eagles in February. Six months later, they were back in Glendale for the preseason game.

Chiefs: Host the Cleveland Browns in their final preseason game next Saturday.

Cardinals: Travel to face the Minnesota Vikings in their final preseason game next Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692505726045.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws as he is pushed out of bounds by Arizona Cardinals defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws as he is pushed out of bounds by Arizona Cardinals defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports WriterGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City's first-team offense didn't play well during its first few series Saturday night, dropping a few passes, committing a few penalties and coming up well short of the end zone.An expected light preseason night for the starters was suddenly becoming a little longer. Before the third drive, MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a message for his teammates.“If we don't want to keep playing, we'd better score," Mahomes said.The Chiefs responded with a 10-play, 92-yard drive&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1693060892248932792?s=20">that ended in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Justin Watson</a>&nbsp;and Kansas City was on its way to a 38-10 victorty over the Arizona Cardinals.It was the first extended preseason action for Mahomes, who completed 10 of 15 passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, playing the entire first quarter. The defending Super Bowl champs never trailed and outgained the Cardinals 504 yards to 286.Kansas City rookie receiver Rashee Rice — a second-round pick out of SMU — caught eight passes for 96 yards.“You can see the talent,” Mahomes said. “He makes a lot of tough catches. He had a drop early and then responded well. I think that's just the jitters of being in your first few NFL games. I've got a lot of trust in him that he'll make those catches in tough spaces.”Kansas City (1-1) is expected to be among the NFL's best teams again this year, while Arizona (1-1) is a popular pick to be among the worst. Franchise quarterback Kyler Murray is likely out for the first several weeks of the season while he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last year.Veteran Colt McCoy is the expected starter until Murray returns. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 25 yards. Rookie Clayton Tune — a fifth-round pick out of Houston — completed 12 of 24 passes for 133 yards. He also ran for 35 yards.The Chiefs built a 17-0 lead by late in the second quarter following Harrison Butker's 28-yard field goal. The Cardinals cut it to 17-7 just before halftime on Keaontay Ingram's 5-yard touchdown.Arizona's Matt Prater made a 54-yard field goal with 9:33 left in the third to make it 17-10, but Kansas City would finish the game with 21 straight points.Kansas City's backup quarterbacks both had strong performances. Shane Buechele was 10 of 10 for 105 yards, while also running for a 15-yard touchdown. Blaine Gabbert was 7 of 8 for 120 yards and two touchdowns.“It was a good effort, all the way around,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Defensively, I thought we started fast, which is what we needed to do. Offensively, we had a few hiccups early. We've got to take care of business with that. But all in all, the groups came out and played good, respectable football.”The Chiefs' four quarterbacks — Mahomes, Buechele, Gabbert and fourth-stringer Chris Oladokun — combined to complete 31 of 38 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns.“All three phases, we've got to get cleaned up or that is what going to happen against a good football team,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “You’re going to get beat pretty good. It will be very black and white to our guys what we need to improve in a hurry.”STRUGGLING SIMMONSArizona's Isaiah Simmons has made the move to safety from linebacker as the Cardinals try to unlock the potential of the former No. 8 overall pick of the 2020 draft.The first preseason game went OK. The second one was a little rougher.Simmons appeared to get beat on multiple plays in the first half as the Chiefs built their 17-0 lead. He finished with two tackles. Gannon said the entire defense gave up too many explosive plays.“I obviously need to play better,” Simmons said. “I feel that each and every game. Explosives definitely are something we need to tone down.”HOME AWAY FROM HOMEIt was the third time in less than a year that the Chiefs have played at State Farm Stadium.Kansas City beat Arizona 44-21 in last year's season opener before returning before returning to the desert for their Super Bowl win over the Eagles in February. Six months later, they were back in Glendale for the preseason game.Kansas City won all three games.UP NEXTChiefs: Host the Cleveland Browns in their final preseason game next Saturday.Cardinals: Travel to face the Minnesota Vikings in their final preseason game next Saturday.

🏈 Mahomes throws a touchdown pass as Chiefs roll to preseason win over the Cardinals

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger homered twice and Justin Steele pitched six effective innings, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki each hit a sacrifice fly for 63-59 Chicago, which had dropped three of four. The Cubs are fighting for playoff positioning in the crowded NL standings. Bellinger, who signed a $17.5 million, one-year contract in December, hit a two-run shot in the first and a solo drive in the third.

CHICAGO (AP) — Cody Bellinger homered twice and Justin Steele pitched six effective innings, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki each hit a sacrifice fly for 63-59 Chicago, which had dropped three of four. The Cubs are fighting for playoff positioning in the crowded NL standings. Bellinger, who signed a $17.5 million, one-year contract in December, hit a two-run shot in the first and a solo drive in the third.

Cubs top the Royals

CHICAGO (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead home run and Cole Ragans pitched six effective innings to help the Kansas City Royals end a three-game skid with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Ragans struck out nine while allowing eight hits and all three Chicago runs. He struck out three straight batters to end his final inning. The Cubs started the day 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings and missed a chance to creep closer after striking out 13 times. Carlos Hernández, the last of four Royals relievers, pitched the ninth for his second save in five chances.

CHICAGO (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a go-ahead home run and Cole Ragans pitched six effective innings to help the Kansas City Royals end a three-game skid with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Ragans struck out nine while allowing eight hits and all three Chicago runs. He struck out three straight batters to end his final inning. The Cubs started the day 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central standings and missed a chance to creep closer after striking out 13 times. Carlos Hernández, the last of four Royals relievers, pitched the ninth for his second save in five chances.

Royals end losing skid

Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and SportsKS will attend the Connect Sports Marketplace 2023 event in Minneapolis, Minnesota.&nbsp;

The event brings together organizations from the sports industry to network and exchange ideas about trends and developments in sports management.&nbsp;

Representatives will engage with other professionals and meet with planners with the goal of increasing the level of sports related travel to the state of Kansas.&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostGeary County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and SportsKS will attend the Connect Sports Marketplace 2023 event in Minneapolis, Minnesota.&nbsp;The event brings together organizations from the sports industry to network and exchange ideas about trends and developments in sports management.&nbsp;Representatives will engage with other professionals and meet with planners with the goal of increasing the level of sports related travel to the state of Kansas.&nbsp;

Geary County CVB to attend Connect Sports Marketplace 2023

The Junction City football team will host a scrimmage on Saturday at Blue Jay Stadium. 

The high school team will practice from 8:00-10:00 a.m., followed by the future Blue Jays, which is Kindergarten-sixth grade from 10:30-11:00. Seventh and eighth grade will practice from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.&nbsp;

There will be a family picnic in the stadium from 11:00-2:00.&nbsp;

The Blue Jays begin&nbsp; the regular season at home on September 1, at 7:00 p.m. against Hays.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692101110349.jpeg" alt="Junction City football practice at Blue Jay Stadium" />
 <figcaption>Junction City football practice at Blue Jay Stadium</figcaption>
 </figure>By Anthony GorgesJC PostThe Junction City football team will host a scrimmage on Saturday at Blue Jay Stadium. The high school team will practice from 8:00-10:00 a.m., followed by the future Blue Jays, which is Kindergarten-sixth grade from 10:30-11:00. Seventh and eighth grade will practice from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.&nbsp;There will be a family picnic in the stadium from 11:00-2:00.&nbsp;The Blue Jays begin&nbsp; the regular season at home on September 1, at 7:00 p.m. against Hays.&nbsp;

Blue Jay football set for scrimmage on Saturday 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — High expectations are nothing new to Kansas State coach Chris Klieman, who for five consecutive years was expected to win the FCS national championship at North Dakota State and proceeded to deliver in four of them.

They aren't quite as common for the Wildcats. Just last year, they were picked fifth in what was then a 10-team Big 12, and then stunned just about everyone but themselves by beating College Football Playoff-bound TCU in the conference title game.

So when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">No. 16 Kansas State</a>&nbsp;was picked to finish second in a league that has expanded to 14 teams with the addition of UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati, it left Klieman recalling his past with the Bison on how to manage those high expectations.

“You don't shy away from it. You talk about it," he said. "Yeah, the target is on our back. There's expectations. But that's why you came to Kansas State, to have high expectations and be the team to beat. That's what we did in the past and it worked. That is what we want to do. We want to keep elevating what we're doing at Kansas State.”

The Wildcats are picked so highly despite losing first-team All-American Deuce Vaughn from the backfield, first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah from the defensive line and two other NFL draft picks from the secondary. And that says a lot about what they have coming back: quarterback Will Howard, their entire offensive line and most of the rest of the defense.

It also says a lot about the guys brought in to fill some of those holes.

Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward could be the No. 1 running back by the season opener Sept. 2 against Southeast Missouri State. Iowa transfer Keagan Johnson could be the top wide receiver. In the secondary, North Dakota State transfer Marques Sigle could join returning Kobe Savage, now recovered from a season-ending injury, to form one of the league's best safety tandems.

“The continuity is huge,” Klieman said, “especially on the offensive side. I think we've barely scratched the surface of what we can do offensively. I saw some innovation and some things in spring ball that they were able to do, and when you have someone like Will that is so smart, I think we can advance some of the things we've done.”

The Wildcats return offensive coordinator Collin Klein and defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, and the fact that the same voices are calling the plays on both sides of the ball is significant. Klein, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist for the Wildcats as a quarterback, turned down offseason interest from Notre Dame to be its offensive coordinator.

Klanderman scrapped the Wildcats' defensive system before last season, implementing a 3-3-5 scheme that is better designed to stop the proliferation of read-option offenses in the league. The result was the Big 12's third-best scoring defense.

Howard had appeared in 14 games over his first two seasons, and that experience paid off when Adrian Martinez was hurt a year ago. He stepped into the starting QB role and never gave it back, guiding the Wildcats to the Big 12 title and the Sugar Bowl.

The senior completed just 59% of his passes, but his 15-to-4 touchdown-to-interception rate over seven games was exceptional.

Right tackle Christian Duffie will miss the start of the year because of an injury sustained over the summer, but the Wildcats have plenty of depth along the offensive line. Carver Willis has taken most of the reps this fall alongside fellow starters Hadley Panzer, KT Leveston, Hayden Gillum and Cooper Beebee, an All-American candidate and potential first-round draft pick.

There are hopes that Ward and Johnson can produce in the Kansas State offense after both were relegated to part-time use at their previous schools. Ward ran for 628 yards and seven scores for Florida State, despite losing the majority of the carries to Trey Benson, while Johnson's production was hamstrung by a woefully inept Iowa offense.

The schedule in the new-look Big 12 sets up well for a title defense. The Wildcats miss out on playing No. 20 Oklahoma and newcomers BYU and Cincinnati, which are both stout programs. They have non-conference games against SEMO and Troy to hit their stride, then a trip to former conference rival Missouri on Sept. 16. Big 12 play opens with a long trip to UCF, while games against No. 17 TCU on Oct. 24 and No. 11 Texas on Nov. 4 could decide who plays for the title.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — High expectations are nothing new to Kansas State coach Chris Klieman, who for five consecutive years was expected to win the FCS national championship at North Dakota State and proceeded to deliver in four of them.They aren't quite as common for the Wildcats. Just last year, they were picked fifth in what was then a 10-team Big 12, and then stunned just about everyone but themselves by beating College Football Playoff-bound TCU in the conference title game.So when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">No. 16 Kansas State</a>&nbsp;was picked to finish second in a league that has expanded to 14 teams with the addition of UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati, it left Klieman recalling his past with the Bison on how to manage those high expectations.“You don't shy away from it. You talk about it," he said. "Yeah, the target is on our back. There's expectations. But that's why you came to Kansas State, to have high expectations and be the team to beat. That's what we did in the past and it worked. That is what we want to do. We want to keep elevating what we're doing at Kansas State.”The Wildcats are picked so highly despite losing first-team All-American Deuce Vaughn from the backfield, first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah from the defensive line and two other NFL draft picks from the secondary. And that says a lot about what they have coming back: quarterback Will Howard, their entire offensive line and most of the rest of the defense.It also says a lot about the guys brought in to fill some of those holes.Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward could be the No. 1 running back by the season opener Sept. 2 against Southeast Missouri State. Iowa transfer Keagan Johnson could be the top wide receiver. In the secondary, North Dakota State transfer Marques Sigle could join returning Kobe Savage, now recovered from a season-ending injury, to form one of the league's best safety tandems.“The continuity is huge,” Klieman said, “especially on the offensive side. I think we've barely scratched the surface of what we can do offensively. I saw some innovation and some things in spring ball that they were able to do, and when you have someone like Will that is so smart, I think we can advance some of the things we've done.”COACHING CONTINUITYThe Wildcats return offensive coordinator Collin Klein and defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman, and the fact that the same voices are calling the plays on both sides of the ball is significant. Klein, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist for the Wildcats as a quarterback, turned down offseason interest from Notre Dame to be its offensive coordinator.Klanderman scrapped the Wildcats' defensive system before last season, implementing a 3-3-5 scheme that is better designed to stop the proliferation of read-option offenses in the league. The result was the Big 12's third-best scoring defense.WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAYHoward had appeared in 14 games over his first two seasons, and that experience paid off when Adrian Martinez was hurt a year ago. He stepped into the starting QB role and never gave it back, guiding the Wildcats to the Big 12 title and the Sugar Bowl.The senior completed just 59% of his passes, but his 15-to-4 touchdown-to-interception rate over seven games was exceptional.INJURY OUTLOOKRight tackle Christian Duffie will miss the start of the year because of an injury sustained over the summer, but the Wildcats have plenty of depth along the offensive line. Carver Willis has taken most of the reps this fall alongside fellow starters Hadley Panzer, KT Leveston, Hayden Gillum and Cooper Beebee, an All-American candidate and potential first-round draft pick.SECOND CHANCE, FIRST IMPRESSIONThere are hopes that Ward and Johnson can produce in the Kansas State offense after both were relegated to part-time use at their previous schools. Ward ran for 628 yards and seven scores for Florida State, despite losing the majority of the carries to Trey Benson, while Johnson's production was hamstrung by a woefully inept Iowa offense.SCHEDULE SITUATIONThe schedule in the new-look Big 12 sets up well for a title defense. The Wildcats miss out on playing No. 20 Oklahoma and newcomers BYU and Cincinnati, which are both stout programs. They have non-conference games against SEMO and Troy to hit their stride, then a trip to former conference rival Missouri on Sept. 16. Big 12 play opens with a long trip to UCF, while games against No. 17 TCU on Oct. 24 and No. 11 Texas on Nov. 4 could decide who plays for the title.

Wildcats prepare for the 2023 football campaign

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Julio Rodriguez had a career-high five hits to go with five RBIs, including a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning, as the Mariners rallied to beat Kansas City 6-4. Rodriguez's homer was his 20th of the season, to go with 30 stolen bases, making him just the fourth Seattle player ever to make the 20-30 club. Nelson Velazquez homered for the fourth time in seven games with Kansas City. Both teams made a series of baserunning blunders. Each team had a player thrown out at the plate, another was cut down on the basepaths, one was picked off first and Seattle had a runner called out after he started back to the dugout on a dropped fly ball.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Julio Rodriguez had a career-high five hits to go with five RBIs, including a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth inning, as the Mariners rallied to beat Kansas City 6-4. Rodriguez's homer was his 20th of the season, to go with 30 stolen bases, making him just the fourth Seattle player ever to make the 20-30 club. Nelson Velazquez homered for the fourth time in seven games with Kansas City. Both teams made a series of baserunning blunders. Each team had a player thrown out at the plate, another was cut down on the basepaths, one was picked off first and Seattle had a runner called out after he started back to the dugout on a dropped fly ball.

Mariners beat the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred threw his support behind a new stadium for the Royals on Wednesday. He was in town for a discussion at the Urban Youth Academy, which is designed to encourage inner-city support of the game. Manfred toured both of the sites that the Royals are considering and called both “unbelievably high quality” for the type of revenue-producing, multi-use districts that are necessary for small-market clubs to compete. One site is near the downtown T-Mobile Center and the existing Power &amp; Light District, while the other sits across the Missouri River in nearby Clay County. The Royals have said they want to settle on a location and provide updated stadium renderings sometime in September.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred threw his support behind a new stadium for the Royals on Wednesday. He was in town for a discussion at the Urban Youth Academy, which is designed to encourage inner-city support of the game. Manfred toured both of the sites that the Royals are considering and called both “unbelievably high quality” for the type of revenue-producing, multi-use districts that are necessary for small-market clubs to compete. One site is near the downtown T-Mobile Center and the existing Power &amp; Light District, while the other sits across the Missouri River in nearby Clay County. The Royals have said they want to settle on a location and provide updated stadium renderings sometime in September.

Commissioner supports a new stadium for the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5. Julio Rodriguez had four hits for Seattle, including a ninth-inning single that provided an insurance run the Mariners ended up needing. Cal Raleigh added a home run and a double. Dylan Moore opened the eighth by reaching on an error and came around to score on Hernandez’s fly to make it 5-4. Luis Castillo (9-7) allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Teoscar Hernandez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5. Julio Rodriguez had four hits for Seattle, including a ninth-inning single that provided an insurance run the Mariners ended up needing. Cal Raleigh added a home run and a double. Dylan Moore opened the eighth by reaching on an error and came around to score on Hernandez’s fly to make it 5-4. Luis Castillo (9-7) allowed four runs on nine hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Royals lose to Seattle

Kansas State is ranked 16th in the college football preseason football poll.

Georgia ranked number one and Michigan second. Texas is the top ranked Big 12 team. TCU is rated 17th and Oklahoma 20th.

Kansas State is ranked 16th in the college football preseason football poll.Georgia ranked number one and Michigan second. Texas is the top ranked Big 12 team. TCU is rated 17th and Oklahoma 20th.

K-State is ranked 16th

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ty France lined a two-run single to center in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners rebounded from a blown-seven run lead to beat the Kansas City Royals 10-8. Eugenio Suárez, France, Teoscar Hernández and Josh Rojas ahomered in a seven-run fourth inning off Jordan Lyles, the Mariners’ first four-homer inning since 2002. Hernández tied his career high with five hits and had three RBIs, and and France had four hits and three RBIs. The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. hit his second grand slam in an 18-day span. Kansas City clinched its seventh straight losing season.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ty France lined a two-run single to center in the 10th inning and the Seattle Mariners rebounded from a blown-seven run lead to beat the Kansas City Royals 10-8. Eugenio Suárez, France, Teoscar Hernández and Josh Rojas ahomered in a seven-run fourth inning off Jordan Lyles, the Mariners’ first four-homer inning since 2002. Hernández tied his career high with five hits and had three RBIs, and and France had four hits and three RBIs. The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. hit his second grand slam in an 18-day span. Kansas City clinched its seventh straight losing season.

Royals fall to Seattle

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– For the second-consecutive season, Kansas State offensive lineman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/cooper-beebe/11081">Cooper Beebe</a>&nbsp;has been named to the preseason watch list for the Lombardi Award, the Rotary Club of Houston announced Tuesday.&nbsp;

Beebe is one of 12 Big 12 players on the watch list for the award that is presented annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi in addition to outstanding performance and ability. He is the fifth two-time candidate in school history for the award, joining offensive linemen Nick Leckey (2002 and 2003), B.J. Finney (2013 and 2014) and Cody Whitehair (2014 and 2015) in addition to defensive end Ian Campbell (2007 and 2008). It is the second watch list designation this preseason for Beebe, who was also named to the Outland Trophy watch list. A product of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe has started 35 career games, including each of the last 32 contests dating back to the 2020 season. He picked up First Team All-America honors from&nbsp;The Athletic, ESPN, FOX Sports and&nbsp;Sporting News, as well as numerous second team and honorable mention accolades. A two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, Beebe was named the 2022 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year by the league's coaches. Beebe's second watch list honor of the preseason gives Kansas State 13 total watch list designations. Quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/will-howard/11107">Will Howard</a>&nbsp;was named a candidate for the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Wuerffel Trophy, safety&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/kobe-savage/11150">Kobe Savage</a>&nbsp;was on the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award watch lists, offensive lineman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/kt-leveston/11120">KT Leveston</a>&nbsp;joined Beebe on the Outland Trophy watch list, wide receiver/returner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/phillip-brooks/11087">Phillip Brooks</a>&nbsp;is up for the Hornung Award, tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/ben-sinnott/11156">Ben Sinnott</a>&nbsp;is on the John Mackey Award watch list, running back&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/treshaun-ward/11185">Treshaun Ward</a>&nbsp;is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award, and long snapper&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/randen-plattner/11143">Randen Plattner</a>&nbsp;is on the watch list for the Patrick Mannelly Long Snapper of the Year Award. Kansas State continues preseason camp this week prior to the first week of classes of the fall semester beginning next Monday. Preparations will continue until the 2023 season commences with a contest against SEMO on September 2 at 6 p.m., inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Tickets to the seven-game home slate can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692127260337.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– For the second-consecutive season, Kansas State offensive lineman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/cooper-beebe/11081">Cooper Beebe</a>&nbsp;has been named to the preseason watch list for the Lombardi Award, the Rotary Club of Houston announced Tuesday.&nbsp; Beebe is one of 12 Big 12 players on the watch list for the award that is presented annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi in addition to outstanding performance and ability. He is the fifth two-time candidate in school history for the award, joining offensive linemen Nick Leckey (2002 and 2003), B.J. Finney (2013 and 2014) and Cody Whitehair (2014 and 2015) in addition to defensive end Ian Campbell (2007 and 2008). It is the second watch list designation this preseason for Beebe, who was also named to the Outland Trophy watch list. A product of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe has started 35 career games, including each of the last 32 contests dating back to the 2020 season. He picked up First Team All-America honors from&nbsp;The Athletic, ESPN, FOX Sports and&nbsp;Sporting News, as well as numerous second team and honorable mention accolades. A two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, Beebe was named the 2022 Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year by the league's coaches. Beebe's second watch list honor of the preseason gives Kansas State 13 total watch list designations. Quarterback&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/will-howard/11107">Will Howard</a>&nbsp;was named a candidate for the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Wuerffel Trophy, safety&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/kobe-savage/11150">Kobe Savage</a>&nbsp;was on the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award watch lists, offensive lineman&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/kt-leveston/11120">KT Leveston</a>&nbsp;joined Beebe on the Outland Trophy watch list, wide receiver/returner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/phillip-brooks/11087">Phillip Brooks</a>&nbsp;is up for the Hornung Award, tight end&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/ben-sinnott/11156">Ben Sinnott</a>&nbsp;is on the John Mackey Award watch list, running back&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/treshaun-ward/11185">Treshaun Ward</a>&nbsp;is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award, and long snapper&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/randen-plattner/11143">Randen Plattner</a>&nbsp;is on the watch list for the Patrick Mannelly Long Snapper of the Year Award. Kansas State continues preseason camp this week prior to the first week of classes of the fall semester beginning next Monday. Preparations will continue until the 2023 season commences with a contest against SEMO on September 2 at 6 p.m., inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Tickets to the seven-game home slate can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 Beebe named to Lombardi Award watch list

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The University of Kansas and Kansas Athletics on Tuesday announced the latest plans for the transformational Gateway District, which will feature a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, a new conference center and multi-use facilities that will enable year-round use and drive economic development in Lawrence. Plans for the district also include a combination of new retail, dining and other amenities that will drive student recruitment and enhance the campus experience for KU students and employees.

The latest plans for the district – including the first architectural renderings of the project—were shared Tuesday afternoon at an event at the Jayhawk Welcome Center, hosted by Chancellor Douglas Girod, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff and other members of the University community.

The project will be completed in a multi-phased approach. The first phase of the project will include additional renovations to, and expansion of, Anderson Family Football Complex, the training hub for Kansas Football. Additionally, the first phase will include the construction of new southwest, west and north sides of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, as well as a new conference center on the north end.

Construction on the first phase will begin at the conclusion of the 2023 football season, and will be completed by the beginning of the 2025 season. Kansas Football will continue to play at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium during construction and will have reduced capacity for the 2024 season. Fans are encouraged to purchase season tickets for the 2023 season to have the opportunity to be in the stadium for the 2024 season.

The project will be primarily funded by private funds from donors and no tuition dollars or state general funds will be used. Kansas Athletics has set an initial fundraising goal of $300 million for David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse capital projects, which is currently under construction. A total of $165 million in gifts and commitments have been secured, including $125 million since the project was announced last October. This represents unprecedented and record-shattering fundraising results, but additional support will be needed in order to fulfill the full vision.

Funding for the project will also include $35 million in ARPA funds appropriated to KU by the 2022 Kansas legislature, as well as up to $50 million through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s University Challenge Grant program. These funds will help fund the aspects of the Gateway District that will drive economic development, including the conference center and multi-use spaces. Additional funds may come from bonds issued by Kansas Athletics, the debt from which would be repaid from new revenue streams generated by the stadium.

Future phases of the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will focus on the south and east portions of the stadium, as well as development of multi-use facilities to be used throughout the year to generate revenue for academic programming and student success. Although in the early stages of planning, the multi-use facilities will include a mix of amenities that further boost economic development in the area and advance the university’s academic mission, such as arts and entertaining, dining, retail, office spaces and lodging.

The Gateway District, including the upgrades to the Anderson Family Football Complex and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, will create a best-in-class experience for student-athletes, fans and supporters. The first phase of upgrades to Anderson was completed earlier this month when Kansas Football unveiled a new locker room and weight room.

The renovations to the Anderson Family Complex, to be completed as part of the first phase of the project, will equip the building with a state-of-the-art sports medicine center that will feature new hydrotherapy pools, cryotherapy chambers and infrared light therapy equipment. The building, which will be expanded north to connect to the stadium, will also have a new 2,300-square foot player lounge with a nutrition and fuel bar and will have nutrition fueling stations throughout the facility.

Plans are also in place for a 1,200-square foot state-of-the-art photo/video/audio content studio and a 2,400-square foot in-house student-services center with dedicated study rooms and player development and academic support facilities. The team will also have a 180-seat team meeting room with full view into David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. In addition, the facility will be equipped with a 2,400-square foot virtual practice walkthrough room with a video wall that can be combined with the new lobby of the building to create 5,500-square feet worth of multi-functional event space.

The reconceptualized northern entrance to campus will undoubtedly help in economic growth for the city of Lawrence and the University of Kansas. The mixed-use development is projected to amount to $2.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced spending and $1.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced earnings, while supporting an estimated 720 jobs. Construction of the mixed-use development will create an additional 670 temporary jobs, $2.2 million in state sales tax and $2.4 million in state personal income tax. An estimated 500,000 prospective students and guests who visit the University of Kansas each year would utilize and benefit from the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

The upgrades to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will create an unprecedented fan experience in Lawrence with amenities suited for all fans. The new seating bowl will bring fans closer to game action with the first row of seating four feet higher off the ground. On top of improved accessible seating and sight lines, there will be new chairback seating in the west and north seating areas and a videoboard that will be approximately two-and-a-half times larger and 60-feet closer to the field. There will be a 50 percent increase in area per seat and 50 percent more leg room throughout the stadium. Fans can also expect approximately 2,300 club seats in three different club spaces and unique social zones, along with suites 80 feet closer to the field. On the concourses, fans can expect four-times more food and beverage offerings and at least 1.5 times more restrooms.

Local design firms HNTB and Multistudio have taken the design lead on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. HNTB, headquartered in Kansas City, is a national leader in sports architecture and has been the lead designer for Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and several other projects from coast to coast. Located in Lawrence, Multistudio places an emphasis on community improvement and immersion and is known as an innovator in the design industry.

KU has also partnered with Turner Construction Company as the construction manager for the project. Turner was named the No. 1 construction manager in the United States by Engineering News-Record and the No. 3 sports builder in the nation. In May, Legends, a global premium experiences company, and Kansas Athletics announced a comprehensive, long-term partnership focused on reimagining the fan experience at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Legends is working with Kansas Athletics to optimize revenue generation and curate experiences for all KU fans. The Nations Group is serving as the owner’s representative throughout the project, using their industry and market knowledge to assist Kansas Athletics in the project.

“This project represents a new day for the University of Kansas,” said Goff. “An ambitious vision and heightened aspirations require bold investment and earnest action. The Gateway District and new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will deliver a profound experience and provide an impact that our student-athletes, fans, and broader community richly deserve.”

Kansas supporters can learn more about the Gateway District by visiting KUGatewayDistrict.com, which will be live starting at 2:45 p.m. The interactive website features renderings, frequently asked questions, videos honoring the past, ways to get involved and much more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692127080000.png" alt="Courtesy of Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The University of Kansas and Kansas Athletics on Tuesday announced the latest plans for the transformational Gateway District, which will feature a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, a new conference center and multi-use facilities that will enable year-round use and drive economic development in Lawrence. Plans for the district also include a combination of new retail, dining and other amenities that will drive student recruitment and enhance the campus experience for KU students and employees.The latest plans for the district – including the first architectural renderings of the project—were shared Tuesday afternoon at an event at the Jayhawk Welcome Center, hosted by Chancellor Douglas Girod, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff and other members of the University community.The project will be completed in a multi-phased approach. The first phase of the project will include additional renovations to, and expansion of, Anderson Family Football Complex, the training hub for Kansas Football. Additionally, the first phase will include the construction of new southwest, west and north sides of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, as well as a new conference center on the north end.Construction on the first phase will begin at the conclusion of the 2023 football season, and will be completed by the beginning of the 2025 season. Kansas Football will continue to play at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium during construction and will have reduced capacity for the 2024 season. Fans are encouraged to purchase season tickets for the 2023 season to have the opportunity to be in the stadium for the 2024 season.The project will be primarily funded by private funds from donors and no tuition dollars or state general funds will be used. Kansas Athletics has set an initial fundraising goal of $300 million for David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse capital projects, which is currently under construction. A total of $165 million in gifts and commitments have been secured, including $125 million since the project was announced last October. This represents unprecedented and record-shattering fundraising results, but additional support will be needed in order to fulfill the full vision.Funding for the project will also include $35 million in ARPA funds appropriated to KU by the 2022 Kansas legislature, as well as up to $50 million through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s University Challenge Grant program. These funds will help fund the aspects of the Gateway District that will drive economic development, including the conference center and multi-use spaces. Additional funds may come from bonds issued by Kansas Athletics, the debt from which would be repaid from new revenue streams generated by the stadium.Future phases of the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will focus on the south and east portions of the stadium, as well as development of multi-use facilities to be used throughout the year to generate revenue for academic programming and student success. Although in the early stages of planning, the multi-use facilities will include a mix of amenities that further boost economic development in the area and advance the university’s academic mission, such as arts and entertaining, dining, retail, office spaces and lodging.The Gateway District, including the upgrades to the Anderson Family Football Complex and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, will create a best-in-class experience for student-athletes, fans and supporters. The first phase of upgrades to Anderson was completed earlier this month when Kansas Football unveiled a new locker room and weight room.The renovations to the Anderson Family Complex, to be completed as part of the first phase of the project, will equip the building with a state-of-the-art sports medicine center that will feature new hydrotherapy pools, cryotherapy chambers and infrared light therapy equipment. The building, which will be expanded north to connect to the stadium, will also have a new 2,300-square foot player lounge with a nutrition and fuel bar and will have nutrition fueling stations throughout the facility.Plans are also in place for a 1,200-square foot state-of-the-art photo/video/audio content studio and a 2,400-square foot in-house student-services center with dedicated study rooms and player development and academic support facilities. The team will also have a 180-seat team meeting room with full view into David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. In addition, the facility will be equipped with a 2,400-square foot virtual practice walkthrough room with a video wall that can be combined with the new lobby of the building to create 5,500-square feet worth of multi-functional event space.The reconceptualized northern entrance to campus will undoubtedly help in economic growth for the city of Lawrence and the University of Kansas. The mixed-use development is projected to amount to $2.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced spending and $1.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced earnings, while supporting an estimated 720 jobs. Construction of the mixed-use development will create an additional 670 temporary jobs, $2.2 million in state sales tax and $2.4 million in state personal income tax. An estimated 500,000 prospective students and guests who visit the University of Kansas each year would utilize and benefit from the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.The upgrades to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will create an unprecedented fan experience in Lawrence with amenities suited for all fans. The new seating bowl will bring fans closer to game action with the first row of seating four feet higher off the ground. On top of improved accessible seating and sight lines, there will be new chairback seating in the west and north seating areas and a videoboard that will be approximately two-and-a-half times larger and 60-feet closer to the field. There will be a 50 percent increase in area per seat and 50 percent more leg room throughout the stadium. Fans can also expect approximately 2,300 club seats in three different club spaces and unique social zones, along with suites 80 feet closer to the field. On the concourses, fans can expect four-times more food and beverage offerings and at least 1.5 times more restrooms.Local design firms HNTB and Multistudio have taken the design lead on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. HNTB, headquartered in Kansas City, is a national leader in sports architecture and has been the lead designer for Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and several other projects from coast to coast. Located in Lawrence, Multistudio places an emphasis on community improvement and immersion and is known as an innovator in the design industry.KU has also partnered with Turner Construction Company as the construction manager for the project. Turner was named the No. 1 construction manager in the United States by Engineering News-Record and the No. 3 sports builder in the nation. In May, Legends, a global premium experiences company, and Kansas Athletics announced a comprehensive, long-term partnership focused on reimagining the fan experience at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Legends is working with Kansas Athletics to optimize revenue generation and curate experiences for all KU fans. The Nations Group is serving as the owner’s representative throughout the project, using their industry and market knowledge to assist Kansas Athletics in the project.“This project represents a new day for the University of Kansas,” said Goff. “An ambitious vision and heightened aspirations require bold investment and earnest action. The Gateway District and new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will deliver a profound experience and provide an impact that our student-athletes, fans, and broader community richly deserve.”Kansas supporters can learn more about the Gateway District by visiting KUGatewayDistrict.com, which will be live starting at 2:45 p.m. The interactive website features renderings, frequently asked questions, videos honoring the past, ways to get involved and much more.

🏈 KU announces David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium renovation plans

JUNCTION CITY - The country's top 8 college anglers will be launching from Milford Lake, September 29 - October 2nd for the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's.

The anglers will be fishing for a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.

The&nbsp;2023 Bassmaster College Team of the Year&nbsp;—&nbsp;Easton Fothergill and Nick Dumke from the University of Montevallo automatically qualified to the College Classic and will compete against the Top 3 teams from the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in the individual, elimination-style tournament.

Also competing at Milford Lake are Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith from Auburn University, Levi Mullins and Matthew Cummings from Bethel University and Brody Robison and Jack Alexander, also from the University of Montevallo.

For Tucker Smith, this is his second trip to the College Classic Bracket. He finished second by 3 ounces in 2021.

“The last time I was there, it really hurt my feelings,” Smith said of the narrow loss. “It will be good to be back and get another chance at it.”

Milford Lake is home to the Kansas state-record smallmouth, a 6-pound, 14-ounce fish caught in April 2010, and has hosted other Bassmaster tournaments, including the 2018 College Classic Bracket and the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional.

The first day of the tournament will have all eight anglers competing individually to determine their seeding based on weight of their bag.

Days two and three will be the first two elimination days of the tournament which will be broadcast on FS1 starting at 8:00am CT on Saturday and 7:00am on Sunday.

The final day of competition will be streamed on <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUXCzDKpXzfRhvlUN79KjLOYuR064SbgVW5tCjivGnCnduNuq_PwOf9TV4o-2F51ashMaloDMwAROn0JFK3Mas5I8fiJ60UlgXs3ZC-2B6anQ8-2BMcMtpFKknpgNc6wZV2X5mTOJao8-2BwZaIffkAUhhXy-2B-2B1a-2FelZjlRUhUJHaSmOUxAoMICfW9WmGWIHcqCwQ9rIyk-2F45dt-2B5CA3KkPm5jFA-2FkhvWaHMCucNhu5yAEWPeIInWyG-2FXhOgm7TQ4zMVMMzAoLHbIZWs2jhm5kkTP-2B3GR2B5UwB7zmaUjpIiBvBIkpBNWPotLOmo2l0zVOBlDvU40as2Ws2vUqnEYP-2F6ecvuiXr0iVN9LQMpWRVzWYuIIuPl-2BZVmWnd4o6Iewy9gIuXIGJNMPknnQkAJD1jULARBRkXcJ4izY-3D">Bassmaster.com</a>.

The winner secures a spot in the Bassmaster Classic and will also earn a paid entry into the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, and the use of a Toyota Tundra and a Nitro Boat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692124536322.jpeg" alt="Left to right: Nick Dumke (University of Montevallo), Easton Fothergill (University of Montevallo), Jack Alexander (University of Montevallo), Brody Robison (University of Montevallo), Hayden Marbut (Auburn University), Tucker Smith (Auburn University), Levi Mullins (Bethel University), Matthew Cummings (Bethel University). photo courtesy Bass Master" />
 <figcaption>Left to right: Nick Dumke (University of Montevallo), Easton Fothergill (University of Montevallo), Jack Alexander (University of Montevallo), Brody Robison (University of Montevallo), Hayden Marbut (Auburn University), Tucker Smith (Auburn University), Levi Mullins (Bethel University), Matthew Cummings (Bethel University). photo courtesy Bass Master</figcaption>
 </figure>JUNCTION CITY - The country's top 8 college anglers will be launching from Milford Lake, September 29 - October 2nd for the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's.The anglers will be fishing for a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.The&nbsp;2023 Bassmaster College Team of the Year&nbsp;—&nbsp;Easton Fothergill and Nick Dumke from the University of Montevallo automatically qualified to the College Classic and will compete against the Top 3 teams from the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in the individual, elimination-style tournament.Also competing at Milford Lake are Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith from Auburn University, Levi Mullins and Matthew Cummings from Bethel University and Brody Robison and Jack Alexander, also from the University of Montevallo.For Tucker Smith, this is his second trip to the College Classic Bracket. He finished second by 3 ounces in 2021.“The last time I was there, it really hurt my feelings,” Smith said of the narrow loss. “It will be good to be back and get another chance at it.”Milford Lake is home to the Kansas state-record smallmouth, a 6-pound, 14-ounce fish caught in April 2010, and has hosted other Bassmaster tournaments, including the 2018 College Classic Bracket and the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional.The first day of the tournament will have all eight anglers competing individually to determine their seeding based on weight of their bag.Days two and three will be the first two elimination days of the tournament which will be broadcast on FS1 starting at 8:00am CT on Saturday and 7:00am on Sunday.The final day of competition will be streamed on <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUXCzDKpXzfRhvlUN79KjLOYuR064SbgVW5tCjivGnCnduNuq_PwOf9TV4o-2F51ashMaloDMwAROn0JFK3Mas5I8fiJ60UlgXs3ZC-2B6anQ8-2BMcMtpFKknpgNc6wZV2X5mTOJao8-2BwZaIffkAUhhXy-2B-2B1a-2FelZjlRUhUJHaSmOUxAoMICfW9WmGWIHcqCwQ9rIyk-2F45dt-2B5CA3KkPm5jFA-2FkhvWaHMCucNhu5yAEWPeIInWyG-2FXhOgm7TQ4zMVMMzAoLHbIZWs2jhm5kkTP-2B3GR2B5UwB7zmaUjpIiBvBIkpBNWPotLOmo2l0zVOBlDvU40as2Ws2vUqnEYP-2F6ecvuiXr0iVN9LQMpWRVzWYuIIuPl-2BZVmWnd4o6Iewy9gIuXIGJNMPknnQkAJD1jULARBRkXcJ4izY-3D">Bassmaster.com</a>.The winner secures a spot in the Bassmaster Classic and will also earn a paid entry into the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, and the use of a Toyota Tundra and a Nitro Boat.

Top 8 college anglers headed to Milford for Bassmaster College Bracket

Junction City High School volleyball and football teams were conducting practice Monday at Blue Jay Stadium. It was the first day of fall sports practice.

By Dewey TerrillJC PostJunction City High School volleyball and football teams were conducting practice Monday at Blue Jay Stadium. It was the first day of fall sports practice.<figure>
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JCHS teams open practice

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dairon Blanco executed a suicide squeeze bunt in the ninth inning to score pinch-runner Samad Taylor, and the Kansas City Royals rallied after blowing a 5-0 lead to hand the playoff-contending Seattle Mariners their third straight loss, 7-6 on Monday night. Brady Singer took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Bobby Witt Jr. hit an inside-the-park homer and Salvador Perez hit a three-run shot to build the Royals’ big lead. But it all came undone in the final two innings. Julio Rodríguez drove in four runs for the Mariners, including the go-ahead single in the ninth. But the Royals won it in the bottom half against Matt Brash.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dairon Blanco executed a suicide squeeze bunt in the ninth inning to score pinch-runner Samad Taylor, and the Kansas City Royals rallied after blowing a 5-0 lead to hand the playoff-contending Seattle Mariners their third straight loss, 7-6 on Monday night. Brady Singer took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Bobby Witt Jr. hit an inside-the-park homer and Salvador Perez hit a three-run shot to build the Royals’ big lead. But it all came undone in the final two innings. Julio Rodríguez drove in four runs for the Mariners, including the go-ahead single in the ninth. But the Royals won it in the bottom half against Matt Brash.

Royals squeeze by the Mariners

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Derek Carr threw a touchdown pass in his New Orleans preseason debut and rookie Blake Grupe kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Saints to a 26-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the opening exhibition game for both clubs.

Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes started but took just five snaps before Kansas City’s first drive ended with a failed fourth-and-1 play on a direct snap to reserve tight end Blake Bell.

Carr looked comfortable taking his first live snaps in his new offense, completing six of eight passes for 70 yards on the game’s opening drive.

Aftrer twice rolling away from pressure on first-down completions to tight end Juwan Johnson and running back Alvin Kamara, Carr closed out the 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard pass to Keith Kirkwood as the receiver crossed the back of the end zone.

With backups in the game for both teams, the Saints rallied late.

After rookie Jake Haener’s 2-yard scoring pass to running back Ellis Merriweather pulled the Saints within 24-23 with 1:20 to go, New Orleans' 2-point conversion attempt for the lead went awry on a botched shotgun snap.

But Saints defensive end Kyle Phillips tipped Chris Oladokun’s third-down pass and caught the deflection on the Kansas City 22 to set up the winning kick.

Jameis Winston relieved Carr and drove New Orleans 48 yards in just four plays for 14-0 lead on a 29-yard pass over the top of the Chiefs' secondary to rookie receiver A.T. Perry. A sixth-round draft pick out of Wake Forest, Perry was New Orleans' leading receiver with six catches for 70 yards.

Blaine Gabbert played most of the first half for Kansas City and pulled the Chiefs within 17-7 on a 1-yard fade to Richie James in the corner of the end zone. Saints defensive backs Alontae Taylor and Bradley Roby appeared to have a miscommunication on the play, leaving James uncovered.

James' TD came a few plays after he'd beaten Taylor on a 43-yard catch deep into Saints territory.

Kansas City third-stringer Shane Buechele threw for 155 yards and a pair of scores, the first on a 15-yard pass over the middle to Justyn Ross.

Buechele put the Chiefs in front 21-17 when he escaped two near sacks, stepped forward and found Kekoa Crawford in the middle of the end zone.

Chiefs receiver Nikko Remigio, a rookie out of Fresno State, caught four passes for 71 yards.

The Chiefs had three sacks, with Drue Tranquill, Chamarri Conner and Danny Shelton each getting one. Linebacker Zach Baun and Ty Summers each had sacks for the Saints.

Kahlef Hailassie, a rookie out of Western Kentucky, made a leaping grab to intercept Saints rookie Jake Haener along the sideline. Saints backup safety Ugo Amadi intercepted Buechele on a ball tipped by Taylor.

Saints: Rookie RB Kendre Miller limped off the field in the third quarter and walked to the locker room after being examined on the sideline. Miller was a third-round draft choice out of TCU who, if healthy, is expected to be in the mix for snaps during Kamara's three-game suspension to start the season.

Saints: Visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 20.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691975416112.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
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 </figure>By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports WriterNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Derek Carr threw a touchdown pass in his New Orleans preseason debut and rookie Blake Grupe kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Saints to a 26-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the opening exhibition game for both clubs.Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes started but took just five snaps before Kansas City’s first drive ended with a failed fourth-and-1 play on a direct snap to reserve tight end Blake Bell.Carr looked comfortable taking his first live snaps in his new offense, completing six of eight passes for 70 yards on the game’s opening drive.Aftrer twice rolling away from pressure on first-down completions to tight end Juwan Johnson and running back Alvin Kamara, Carr closed out the 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard pass to Keith Kirkwood as the receiver crossed the back of the end zone.With backups in the game for both teams, the Saints rallied late.After rookie Jake Haener’s 2-yard scoring pass to running back Ellis Merriweather pulled the Saints within 24-23 with 1:20 to go, New Orleans' 2-point conversion attempt for the lead went awry on a botched shotgun snap.But Saints defensive end Kyle Phillips tipped Chris Oladokun’s third-down pass and caught the deflection on the Kansas City 22 to set up the winning kick.Jameis Winston relieved Carr and drove New Orleans 48 yards in just four plays for 14-0 lead on a 29-yard pass over the top of the Chiefs' secondary to rookie receiver A.T. Perry. A sixth-round draft pick out of Wake Forest, Perry was New Orleans' leading receiver with six catches for 70 yards.Blaine Gabbert played most of the first half for Kansas City and pulled the Chiefs within 17-7 on a 1-yard fade to Richie James in the corner of the end zone. Saints defensive backs Alontae Taylor and Bradley Roby appeared to have a miscommunication on the play, leaving James uncovered.James' TD came a few plays after he'd beaten Taylor on a 43-yard catch deep into Saints territory.Kansas City third-stringer Shane Buechele threw for 155 yards and a pair of scores, the first on a 15-yard pass over the middle to Justyn Ross.Buechele put the Chiefs in front 21-17 when he escaped two near sacks, stepped forward and found Kekoa Crawford in the middle of the end zone.Chiefs receiver Nikko Remigio, a rookie out of Fresno State, caught four passes for 71 yards.DEFENSIVE STANDOUTSThe Chiefs had three sacks, with Drue Tranquill, Chamarri Conner and Danny Shelton each getting one. Linebacker Zach Baun and Ty Summers each had sacks for the Saints.Kahlef Hailassie, a rookie out of Western Kentucky, made a leaping grab to intercept Saints rookie Jake Haener along the sideline. Saints backup safety Ugo Amadi intercepted Buechele on a ball tipped by Taylor.INJURIESSaints: Rookie RB Kendre Miller limped off the field in the third quarter and walked to the locker room after being examined on the sideline. Miller was a third-round draft choice out of TCU who, if healthy, is expected to be in the mix for snaps during Kamara's three-game suspension to start the season.UP NEXTChiefs: At Arizona on Saturday.Saints: Visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 20.

Chiefs fall in preseason opener

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributor

After announcing their desertion from the Champions Indoor Football League in late July, it has been confirmed that both the Omaha Beef and Sioux City Bandits will join the National Arena League for the upcoming 2024 season.

The Beef and Bandits will become the seventh and eighth members of the NAL, competing alongside another former CIF foe in the West Texas Warbirds, as well as the Jacksonville Sharks, Carolina Cobras, San Antonio Gunslingers, Fayetteville Mustangs, and Orlando Predators.

These additions will also help the NAL cope with the loss of the Albany Empire, who were kicked out of the league after a brief but turbulent run of ownership by former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.

At this time there is still no news regarding the future of the third deserter, as the Topeka Tropics, who went 1-19 in their two seasons in the CIF, continue their search for a landing spot.

By TYLER HENRY Salina Post contributorAfter announcing their desertion from the Champions Indoor Football League in late July, it has been confirmed that both the Omaha Beef and Sioux City Bandits will join the National Arena League for the upcoming 2024 season.The Beef and Bandits will become the seventh and eighth members of the NAL, competing alongside another former CIF foe in the West Texas Warbirds, as well as the Jacksonville Sharks, Carolina Cobras, San Antonio Gunslingers, Fayetteville Mustangs, and Orlando Predators.These additions will also help the NAL cope with the loss of the Albany Empire, who were kicked out of the league after a brief but turbulent run of ownership by former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.At this time there is still no news regarding the future of the third deserter, as the Topeka Tropics, who went 1-19 in their two seasons in the CIF, continue their search for a landing spot.

Beef and Bandits Join National Arena League

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals open a two-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Kansas City has gone 21-36 at home and 37-80 overall. Royals hitters are batting a collective .239, which ranks ninth in the AL.

St. Louis is 26-32 on the road and 51-65 overall. The Cardinals have the sixth-best team slugging percentage in MLB play at .432.

Friday's game is the third time these teams match up this season. The broadcast on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK begins at 6:30 p.m. with the first pitch at 7:10 p.m.

In action Thursday night the Royals fell to the Red Sox 2-0 in Boston.

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals open a two-game series at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.Kansas City has gone 21-36 at home and 37-80 overall. Royals hitters are batting a collective .239, which ranks ninth in the AL.St. Louis is 26-32 on the road and 51-65 overall. The Cardinals have the sixth-best team slugging percentage in MLB play at .432.Friday's game is the third time these teams match up this season. The broadcast on 107.9 FM / 1420 KJCK begins at 6:30 p.m. with the first pitch at 7:10 p.m.In action Thursday night the Royals fell to the Red Sox 2-0 in Boston.

Royals will host the Cardinals

JUNCTION CITY, Kan.- Junction City High School fans can now purchase a season pass online for all varsity home games for the 2023-24 fall campaign. This will allow fans to purchase tickets in advance and print from home or present the ticket from their phone in order to enter home contests.

Buy a $50 fall season pass today, which is a $130 value, and support JCHS student-athletes at every home football, volleyball and soccer contest. An all-season pass is also available to purchase. Individual game tickets will be made available at each home event for $7 parents and $5 students.

USD 475 release JUNCTION CITY, Kan.- Junction City High School fans can now purchase a season pass online for all varsity home games for the 2023-24 fall campaign. This will allow fans to purchase tickets in advance and print from home or present the ticket from their phone in order to enter home contests. Buy a $50 fall season pass today, which is a $130 value, and support JCHS student-athletes at every home football, volleyball and soccer contest. An all-season pass is also available to purchase. Individual game tickets will be made available at each home event for $7 parents and $5 students.

JCHS Athletics Season Pass Now Available

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State senior safety&nbsp;Kobe Savage&nbsp;picked up his second watch list designation of the preseason on Thursday as he was named a candidate for the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award, the award’s association announced.

Savage, who last week was on the initial watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, is the second Wildcat in as many years to be a candidate for the award that goes to the nation’s best defensive back as cornerback Julius Brents was also a preseason candidate last year. Other notable K-State candidates for the award include Jaime Mendez (1993 semifinalist), Chris Canty (1995 and 1996 finalist), Terence Newman (2001 semifinalist and 2002 winner), Nigel Malone (2011 and 2012 semifinalist) and Ty Zimmerman (2013 semifinalist).

A transfer prior to last season from Tyler Junior College, Savage shined in his first 10 games as a Wildcat prior to an injury that cut his season short. Despite missing the final four games, Savage went on to earn All-Big 12 Second Team honors from the league’s coaches in addition to picking up votes for the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. He finished the year tied for fourth on the team with 58 tackles to go along with three interceptions, which tied for 43rd&nbsp;nationally and sixth in the Big 12.

Kansas State now has 11 preseason watch list honors this year. Quarterback&nbsp;Will Howard&nbsp;was named a candidate for the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award and Wuerffel Trophy, offensive linemen&nbsp;Cooper Beebe&nbsp;and&nbsp;KT Leveston&nbsp;were on the Outland Trophy watch list, wide receiver/returner&nbsp;Phillip Brooks&nbsp;is up for the Hornung Award, tight end&nbsp;Ben Sinnott&nbsp;is on the John Mackey Award watch list, running back&nbsp;Treshaun Ward&nbsp;is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award, and long snapper&nbsp;Randen Plattner&nbsp;is on the watch list for the Patrick Mannelly Long Snapper of the Year Award.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State senior safety&nbsp;Kobe Savage&nbsp;picked up his second watch list designation of the preseason on Thursday as he was named a candidate for the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award, the award’s association announced.Savage, who last week was on the initial watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, is the second Wildcat in as many years to be a candidate for the award that goes to the nation’s best defensive back as cornerback Julius Brents was also a preseason candidate last year. Other notable K-State candidates for the award include Jaime Mendez (1993 semifinalist), Chris Canty (1995 and 1996 finalist), Terence Newman (2001 semifinalist and 2002 winner), Nigel Malone (2011 and 2012 semifinalist) and Ty Zimmerman (2013 semifinalist).A transfer prior to last season from Tyler Junior College, Savage shined in his first 10 games as a Wildcat prior to an injury that cut his season short. Despite missing the final four games, Savage went on to earn All-Big 12 Second Team honors from the league’s coaches in addition to picking up votes for the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. He finished the year tied for fourth on the team with 58 tackles to go along with three interceptions, which tied for 43rd&nbsp;nationally and sixth in the Big 12.Kansas State now has 11 preseason watch list honors this year. Quarterback&nbsp;Will Howard&nbsp;was named a candidate for the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award and Wuerffel Trophy, offensive linemen&nbsp;Cooper Beebe&nbsp;and&nbsp;KT Leveston&nbsp;were on the Outland Trophy watch list, wide receiver/returner&nbsp;Phillip Brooks&nbsp;is up for the Hornung Award, tight end&nbsp;Ben Sinnott&nbsp;is on the John Mackey Award watch list, running back&nbsp;Treshaun Ward&nbsp;is a candidate for the Doak Walker Award, and long snapper&nbsp;Randen Plattner&nbsp;is on the watch list for the Patrick Mannelly Long Snapper of the Year Award.

K-State’s Savage Named to Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

BOSTON (AP) — Alex Verdugo had a two-run double to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 in a game with one of the strangest ground-rule doubles in Fenway Park history. In the top of the second inning with two out and Matt Duffy on first base, Kyle Isbel lashed a drive to left field that looked as if it would be caught by Masataka Yoshida, who lunged and clasped his glove. But Yoshida missed the ball, crashing into the wall. The ball was not on the field. It had smashed through one of the red lights on the wall that denote the number of outs. Yoshida picked the ball through the hole in the light, with the play ruled a ground-rule double.

BOSTON (AP) — Alex Verdugo had a two-run double to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 in a game with one of the strangest ground-rule doubles in Fenway Park history. In the top of the second inning with two out and Matt Duffy on first base, Kyle Isbel lashed a drive to left field that looked as if it would be caught by Masataka Yoshida, who lunged and clasped his glove. But Yoshida missed the ball, crashing into the wall. The ball was not on the field. It had smashed through one of the red lights on the wall that denote the number of outs. Yoshida picked the ball through the hole in the light, with the play ruled a ground-rule double.

Royals fall to the Red Sox

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=22596&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-august-8-2023/4802" target="_blank">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a> MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;met with members of the media for the first time during preseason camp on Tuesday at the Vanier Family Football Complex. Links to video and audio of the press conference – which was streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ – are above, while a transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.

“Good afternoon, everyone. It’s great to see everybody here as we wrap up practice six of fall camp. I just want to start off by saying that our thoughts and prayers are with President Linton right now. Hopefully they caught it in time. I know he's going through some treatments in the near future. We're thinking of him with K-State Football, for sure, and obviously the entire K-State community. We're praying for you. We've got your back, Prez. Wishing you well.

“The first six practices are in the books. There are some really good things. A lot of installs, so there's a lot of young guys that are probably swimming a little bit mentally. The older kids kind of pick up where they leave off from spring and their own stuff in the summer. So, we're ahead of schedule with some of the older guys. Our install starts to slow down here in the next couple of practices, and then we'll be able to hone in on a lot of the basic schemes and techniques and try to get more guys understanding of what we're doing. But I’m pleased with the energy. We talked last night in our team meeting that we're kind of catching a break right now with the weather the last few days. It's been really good. So, we've had really good energy, really good competition, but adversity is going to come back on us here once that heat fires up. We need it, we like it. The players may not, but coaches do to make sure that we're prepared for early season football.”

Associate Athletics Director for&nbsp;Communications

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691581046206.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=22596&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-august-8-2023/4802" target="_blank">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a> MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;met with members of the media for the first time during preseason camp on Tuesday at the Vanier Family Football Complex. Links to video and audio of the press conference – which was streamed live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ – are above, while a transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACHOpening Statement…“Good afternoon, everyone. It’s great to see everybody here as we wrap up practice six of fall camp. I just want to start off by saying that our thoughts and prayers are with President Linton right now. Hopefully they caught it in time. I know he's going through some treatments in the near future. We're thinking of him with K-State Football, for sure, and obviously the entire K-State community. We're praying for you. We've got your back, Prez. Wishing you well.“The first six practices are in the books. There are some really good things. A lot of installs, so there's a lot of young guys that are probably swimming a little bit mentally. The older kids kind of pick up where they leave off from spring and their own stuff in the summer. So, we're ahead of schedule with some of the older guys. Our install starts to slow down here in the next couple of practices, and then we'll be able to hone in on a lot of the basic schemes and techniques and try to get more guys understanding of what we're doing. But I’m pleased with the energy. We talked last night in our team meeting that we're kind of catching a break right now with the weather the last few days. It's been really good. So, we've had really good energy, really good competition, but adversity is going to come back on us here once that heat fires up. We need it, we like it. The players may not, but coaches do to make sure that we're prepared for early season football.”RYAN LACKEYAssociate Athletics Director for&nbsp;CommunicationsK-State Athletics

K-State Holds First Preseason Camp Press Conference

BOSTON (AP) — Drew Waters, MJ Melendez and Michael Massey each hit two-run home runs and the Kansas City Royals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over the Boston Red Sox. Brady Singer (8-8) allowed three runs off five hits over 6 2/3 innings, and the Royals finished with six extra-base hits. Adam Duvall had his 10th home run of the season and Connor Wong and Jarren Duran added RBIs for Boston, which has lost five of its last six. Kutter Crawford (5-6) allowed three runs off seven hits over 3 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking two. Boston’s Trevor Story, who was in the lineup for the first time since last September after being activated off the 60-day injured list following offseason shoulder surgery, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

BOSTON (AP) — Drew Waters, MJ Melendez and Michael Massey each hit two-run home runs and the Kansas City Royals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over the Boston Red Sox. Brady Singer (8-8) allowed three runs off five hits over 6 2/3 innings, and the Royals finished with six extra-base hits. Adam Duvall had his 10th home run of the season and Connor Wong and Jarren Duran added RBIs for Boston, which has lost five of its last six. Kutter Crawford (5-6) allowed three runs off seven hits over 3 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking two. Boston’s Trevor Story, who was in the lineup for the first time since last September after being activated off the 60-day injured list following offseason shoulder surgery, went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.