After 13 NFL seasons, including seven with the New Orleans Saints, safety Malcolm Jenkins has announced his retirement. Jenkins was the last remaining player from the 2009 Super Bowl champions. You can expect to see his number 27 in the Saints Ring of Honor sooner rather than later.

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One player who isn’t going anywhere is wide receiver Michael Thomas, though he has missed 26 of the Saints’ last 33 games with injury. Head coach Dennis Allen says he visited the All-Pro in California where he continues to rehab.

Cut 18 (20) “…just personally.”

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And…Former LSU defensive lineman and Evangel football coach Byron Dawson has been named head coach of the Centenary College Gents. Centenary will add football in the fall of 2024 after 50 years without a team.

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Conference USA has released its revised 2022 football schedule, after reaching separation agreements with Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss, who are leaving to join the Sun Belt conference. That means changes for Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs’ non-conference slate remains the same with the season-opener at Missouri, followed by games against Stephen F. Austin, Clemson, and South Alabama. The conference home schedule starts on Oct. 8 with UTEP and includes Rice, Middle Tennessee, and UAB. On the road, Tech faces North Texas, Florida International, UTSA, and Charlotte.

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The New Orleans Pelicans are on the road tonight, visiting the Portland Trail Blazers and looking for their third win in their last four games. Outside of the Pels postseason push, the big story tonight is the return of CJ McCollum to the Rose City. McCollum was traded to New Orleans after spending nine-plus seasons with the Blazers. He says walking into the Moda Center as a visitor felt…different.
Cut 21 (11) “…that was unique.”

Portland visits the Smoothie King Center next Thursday.

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