Marcus Spears Jr., the son of the former LSU defensive lineman, announced he will be reclassifying to the 2026 class and attending Texas this season. Spears was the top-rated recruit in the class of 2027 by ESPN. LSU, Arizona and Kentucky were also targeting the f-foot-9 five-star forward. Ruston High School four-star Ahmad Hudson is the only commitment in Will Wade’s 2027 class.

LSU unexpectedly lost freshman righty pitcher Marcos Paz to the transfer portal. Paz posted a 9.20 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 17 appearances, including six starts, but head coach Jay Johnson believed he had the tools to be a weekend starter next year. He says he was surprised when Paz decided to leave.

Cut 18 (17) “…entitled to that.”

LSU President Wade Rousse invited LSU athletics’ top 40 donors to a meeting at the Governor’s Mansion to discuss the department’s financial future. Rousse and Governor Jeff Landry will present what they call “an alternative revenue-generating opportunity for LSU athletics that is first of its kind nationally and could quite possibly change the future of college sports in America.”

The Lafayette District Attorney’s Office is investigating reports of a UL Lafayette football recruiter who misused a university credit card to pay for over five-thousand-dollars worth of unallowed alcohol and food costs. The recruiter allegedly submitted false documents to get paid for the costs. A state auditor says there were other incidents totaling over 75-thousand dollars.

McNeese baseball coach Justin Hill signed a four-year contract extension to stay in Lake Charles. Hill has led the Cowboys to three Southland regular season titles, two tournament titles and a tournament championship game appearance last year.

The Pelicans have now lost 12-straight Summer League games after losing 105-92 to the Timberwolves in their first Summer League game.

LSU welcomed its third transfer outfielder commit in Oregon freshman Angel Laya last weekend. Laya hit .296 with 14 homers this season, but LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson told Tiger Rag Radio all three of the newcomers can do more than just swing the bat.

Cut 16 (17) “…high-end hitters.”

The Tigers will likely lose outfielders Derek Curiel and Jake Brown to the MLB Draft this weekend. Curiel is a projected top-ten pick.

The Pelicans tip off the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas against the Timberwolves today. New Orleans will look to snap an 11-game Summer League losing streak after going winless in 2024 and 2025. Tip-off is at 2:30.

Sun Belt West schools announced which players will be joining their head coaches at Sun Belt Media Days in New Orleans next week.

Redshirt junior quarterback Lunch Winfield and redshirt senior offensive lineman George Jackson will represent UL Lafayette.

Louisiana Tech will send senior tight end Eli Finley and graduate linebacker Kolbe Fields

Senior offensive lineman AJ Vinson and senior linebacker Noah Flemmings will attend for ULM

The Saints announced the open practice schedule for this year’s training camp. Players report July 28, and the first public practice is the 30^th. New Orleans hosts nine open practices in all, including one at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium August 26. Joint practices with the Jaguars and Cowboys are also open.

Former Louisiana Tech and Ruston High School pitcher Cade Gibson made his second of back-to-back relief appearances for the Marlins last night. Gibson allowed no hits and struck out three in two innings against the Mariners. Tuesday night, Gibson earned his second win of the season as he allowed no runs and no hits in the tenth inning of a 6-5 walk-off win over Seattle

The MLB Draft is this weekend. LSU coach Jay Johnson says up to 13 players in his incoming freshman class of 23 commits could head to professional baseball, but he hopes as few as six decide not to come to campus.

Cut 17 (17) “…high school ranks.”

The first four rounds of the draft are on Saturday and rounds five through 20 are on Sunday. LSU centerfielder Derek Curiel could be a top ten pick.

The Saints have released their training camp schedule. The Black and Gold report on July 28^th. The first practice open to the public is two days later. They will have nine practices that will be open to the public in New Orleans, including a joint practice with the Jaguars on August 13th.

The SWAC released its preseason all-conference teams. Southern has two players on it, defensive back Herman Brister and running back Trey Holly who rushed for 869 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Grambling has three players on the All-SWAC team, offensive lineman Alexander Vigil, Linebacker Marcellius Johnson and Sepcialist Jay’Shaun Johnson who returned a kick for a touchdown last season.

Trent Partridge has been named the new softball coach at Southeastern Louisiana. Partridge had a lot of success at LSU Alexandria, where he led the Generals to a 147-62 record and a couple of Red River Athletic Conference championships and three N-A-I-A Tournament appearances.

The Pelicans begin play in the NBA Summer League today as New Orleans will face Minnesota at 2:30.

Angel Reese was named to her third-straight WNBA All-Star team. The former LSU star is averaging almost 15 points and 12 rebounds a game this season for the Atlanta Dream.

LSU received its 16th football recruiting commitment for 2027 in Ruston four-star safety Jayden Anding. Anding announced his decision between LSU and Ole Miss yesterday after postponing his pledge date last week. Matt Belinson with the Ruston Daily Leader says he was always going to be a Tiger.

Cut 16 (13) “…choice for him.”

Jayden’s brother, Aiden Anding, is a sophomore cornerback at LSU. The class is now ranked 10th in the nation.

Two Southern Jaguars were named preseason All-SWAC selections. Redshirt junior defensive back Herman Brister was named to the first-team defense. Brister was third on the team with 5 tackles in ten games last season and recorded five PBUs. Redshirt Junior running back Trey Holly made the second-team offense after rushing for 869 yards and nine touchdowns a season ago.

Grambling had three players on the preseason All-SWAC second team. Offensive lineman Alexander Vigil played over 600 snaps for the Tigers last season and helped the offense rack up 1,712 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Linebacker Mercellius Johnson was second on the team last season with 51 total tackles to go along with 4-and-a-half tackles for loss and two sacks. Specialist Jay’Shaun Johnson returned 10 kicks for 290 yards and one touchdown that came on homecoming against Texas Southern.

The Saints announced their training camp schedule. Players will report July 28, with practice kicking off the 29^th. The first public practice is scheduled for Thursday, July 30. Season ticketholders will be able to reserve tickets starting at 9 a.m. Monday, and they’ll open to the general public 24 hours later.

Angel Reese was named to her third-straight All-Star team. The former LSU star is averaging almost 15 points and 12 rebounds a game this season.

Ruston High School four-star safety Jayden Anding committed to LSU yesterday. Anding said he chose LSU because he wants to develop under secondary coach Corey Raymond. Matt Belinson, who covers the Bearcats for the Ruston Daily Leader, says Anding was also the latest in a growing line of LSU commits who credited their recruitment to Coach O.

Cut 17 (14) “…have been happening.”

LSU’s 2027 class now holds 16 commitments and ranks 10^th nationally by 247Sports. The website listed the Tigers outside the top 60 just one month ago

Former LSU women’s basketball phenom Angel Reese earned her third straight WNBA All-Star selection, each year since being drafted 7^th overall in 2024. She is leading the league with nearly 12 rebounds a game and is averaging a career-high nearly 15 points per game.

Former LSU pitcher Paul Skenes earned his first win since May 9th, rebounding from the worst stretch of his young pro career. The Pirates beat the Braves 12-4 last night as Skenes allowed just two runs in six innings. His ERA this season is now 3.58, nearly double that of his first two seasons.

Neville quarterback Parker Robinson committed to Bryant Vincent and the ULM Warhawks. Last season for Neville, Robinson threw for nearly three thousand yards, 21 touchdowns and three interceptions. The only other pledge in ULM’s class is three-star Oklahoma quarterback Kason Delgado.

The Pelicans tip off NBA Summer League in Las Vegas tomorrow against the Timberwolves at 2:30. The New Orleans summer league team is led by assistant coach God Shammgod and features this year’s 58th overall pick, Jaron Pierre and 2025 second-rounder Micah Peavy. The roster includes two New Orleans natives in Pierre and Maryland forward Solomon Washington as well as former McNeese standout Christian Shumate. All-rookie second-team selections Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears are not on the team.

LSU has won the recruiting battle versus Ole Miss for four-star Ruston High safety Jayden Anding. The younger brother of current LSU corner, Aidan Anding, committed to LSU on Tuesday afternoon. Jayden Anding is 5-10, 165-pounds and Matt Belinson of the Ruston Leader says he does it all for the Bearcats.

Cut 18 (15) “…front line.”

Anding is the second Ruston High product to commit to LSU this cycle, joining five-star tight end Ahmad Hudson.

Neville quarterback Parker Robinson  has given a verbal commitment to Bryant Vincent and the ULM Warhawks. Last season for Neville, Robinson threw for nearly three thousand yards, 21 touchdowns and three interceptions. Robinson says it’s a dream come true to stay home.

__________________________________________________________

The most famous student manager in college athletics is teaming up with Will Wade again. Amir Kahn who became a viral sensation in 2025 when the McNeese men’s basketball team reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament told ESPN he will be a student manager for Wade at LSU this season. He’s known for his aura and his fancy boom box that had him rapping as he led the Cowboys out of the locker room before their games. It helped him land numerous NIL deals that added up to him earning hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Paul Skenes won his first game since May 9^th as the Pirates pounded the Atlanta Braves 12 to four last night. Skenes allowed two runs over six innings. Ryan O’Hearn was the real star. The Pirates first baseman hit three home runs and drove in ten runs.

The Ragin Cajuns have added another pitcher to their roster as Joey Ervin is transferring to U-L Lafayette from Chipola Junior College. He was 8-1 with a 5.74 ERA last season.

Ruston High School four-star safety Jayden Anding plans on being a Tiger. Louisiana’s top-rated safety announced his commitment to LSU over Ole Miss this afternoon. He becomes LSU’s 16th commitment in a class that is ranked ninth nationally by 247Sports. Anding told Rivals YouTube live stream LSU gives him the best opportunity to improve his game.

Cut 19 (15) “…better place.”

A date has been set for LSU basketball’s nonconference clash with Houston. The Tigers will take on the Cougars in the Houston Toyota Center December 13. Houston has made it to the Sweet 16 each of the last seven seasons. Tigers point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. transferred to the Cougars this offseason.

The Saints are three weeks away from the start of training camp. The offense hopes to see improvement in year two under head coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough. Luke Johnson with Nola.com says training camp will bring some answers to a fresh unit.

Cut 16 (14) “…under Kellen Moore.”

The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation is holding one of its big fundraising events, and it’s a chance for one lucky person to win two tickets to hundreds of South Louisiana’s best sporting events. Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President Jay Cicero says…

Cut 8 (08) “…men’s and women’s”

To purchase a 100-dollar raffle go to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation’s website.

Saints players report for training camp in just three weeks. This offseason, coordinator Brandon Staley’s defense lost key players Demario Davis and Alontae Taylor. New Orleans welcomed back linebacker Kaden Ellis to replace Davis, and second-year safety Jonas Sanker is expected to fill Taylor’s nickel corner role. NOLA.com’s Luke Johnson says he isn’t sure if they’ll make up for the loss of the veterans.

Cut 18 (12) “…a good team.”

UL Lafayette announced a men’s basketball matchup with LSU this season. The teams will square off in the P-MAC December 22. The Tigers are 36-and-9 all-time against the Cajuns and have won their last eight matchups.

The U.S.’s World Cup run is over after a 4-1 loss to Belgium last night. The Stars and Stripes got behind early and were unable to mount a comeback against the world’s ninth-ranked team. All three host nations were knocked out in the round of 16.

Ruston High School safety Jayden Anding is scheduled to announce his decision between LSU and Ole Miss at 12:30 today. The four-star D-B is the brother of sophomore LSU corner Aiden Anding. He is ranked as the No. 9 prospect in Louisiana and No. 21 safety in the class by 247Sports.

Former LSU star Flau’jae Johnson led the Storm with 23 points in an 82-64 win over the Sparks last night. The rookie added five rebounds, three assists and a steal. She’ll have a rematch with Angel Reese’s Atlanta Dream Thursday night.

Mississippi State transfer infielder Nicholas Frontino committed to Louisiana Tech. The freshman was a top 100 shortstop coming out of high school but failed to make an appearance for the Bulldogs this year.

UL Lafayette landed a commitment from Chipola College transfer pitcher Joey Ervin. Ervin posted an 8-and-1 record in 16 appearances last season with a 5.74 ERA and 58 strikeouts.

Viral McNeese basketball student manager Amir Khan will reunite with Will Wade at LSU. He’ll join the Tigers’ staff in a similar role.

The U-S Soccer team’s run in the World Cup is over as the Americans started slow and never recovered in a four to one loss to Belgium. Belgium scored two goals in the first half, scored two more in the second half to win four to one. The third goal was scored when goalie Matt Freese lost control of the ball well outside of the box leading to an easy goal. It was over when that happened.

In three weeks, the Saints report for training camp and Who Dat Nation is optimistic the Black and Gold will improve on their 6-11 record from a season ago. But New Orleans was five and four in games started by Quarterback Tyler Shough. Luke Johnson who covers the Saints for NOLA.com is eager to see what Shough can do in year two.

Cut 17 (13) “…good NFL quarterback.”

Four-star Ruston High safety Jayden Anding is expected to announce his commitment today. The brother of current LSU corner Aiden Anding was scheduled to make the announcement last week, but decided to wait a week. He is scheduled to announce his decision at 12:30, it will be either LSU or Ole Miss.

LSU baseball has lost a recruit as middle infielder CJ Weinstein has decommitted from the Tigers and instead will stay close to home and play for the UCLA Bruins.  If Weinstein came to LSU, he would have had a hard time seeing the field with Stevan Milam returning and second baseman Cade Kurland transferring in from Florida.

The Pelicans have announced their Summer League Roster. Last year’s draft picks are eligible to play, but Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen will not play in Las Vegas after making the second-team All-Rookie team last season. 2026 second round pick Jaron Pierre is on the team and so is former McNeese star Christiam Shumate, who was on the Pelicans summer league team last year. The first Summer League game is Thursday afternoon versus the T-wolves.

LSU kicks off its football season against Clemson in less than two months in a rematch of las year’s season opener. After losing to LSU, Clemson finished 7-and-6 last season with a 4-and-4 record in the ACC despite starting the year ranked 4th in the nation. They added 11 new transfers and a 25th-ranked high school class this offseason, but The Advocate’s Jon Blau says he doesn’t know if they quite match up with LSU.

Cut 20 (19) “…at home.”

Four-star Ruston High School safety Jayden Anding is set to announce his commitment tomorrow. The brother of current LSU corner Aiden Anding was scheduled to make the announcement last week before pushing back the date at the last minute. He will decide between LSU and Ole Miss at 12:30.

The U.S. Men’s National Team has a World Cup round-of-16 showdown with Belgium tonight at 7. The Stars and Stripes have already made it a tournament to remember, winning consecutive games for the first time and earning a knockout round victory for the first time since 2002. Louisiana Soccer Association reporter Paul Boron says this team is different than prior U.S. squads.

Cut 16 (16) “…here in America.”

Leading scorer Flo Balogun will be available after FIFA suspended his one-game red card ban

A fallen tree was removed from former LSU baseball coach and Athletic director Skip Bertman’s Baton Rouge home. The tree was uprooted in Bertman’s front yard during thunderstorms yesterday and fell onto his garage, totaling his car. Former players and neighbors came together to assist the Bertman family yesterday, who were all unharmed.