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USC entered the 2012 campaign as the nation's No. 1 team in the eyes of many. But the wheels came off in a hurry for the Trojans, leaving them with a loss in the third week, a stretch of five losses in their final six games and, ultimately, a mediocre 7-6 record.

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Other than Iowa State, perhaps no school has been more active when it comes to adding transfers than that of Oregon. It may not be a coincidence, then, that it was Dana Altman's Ducks that landed JUCO forward Richard Amardi, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound senior forward who was let out of his letter-of-intent by the Cyclones last week.

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Telling the NFL Network that there is "no doubt," Bruce Arians confirmed today that there is a clear No. 1 running back for the upcoming season in Arizona, and his name is Rashard Mendenhall.

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Telling the NFL Network that there is "no doubt," Bruce Arians confirmed today that there is a clear No. 1 running back for the upcoming season in Arizona, and his name is Rashard Mendenhall.

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The Chicago White Sox are now 9 1/2 games back in the American League Central. If the club can't climb the standings some in the next five weeks, GM Rick Hahn may look to flip some veterans for young talent. If such a scenario transpires, wrote Dan Hayes earlier this month, Chris Sale may be the lone untouchable.

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Two years ago, Indiana ranked No. 80 nationally in terms of passing offense, posting 199.4 yards per game and ultimately stumbling through a 1-11 campaign. Last season, however, there were considerable signs of improvement. The Hoosiers managed 311.2 yards per game through the air, bumping their aerial attack to No. 17 overall. Not surprisingly, their win total rose as well -- from one to four.

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Houston transfer Joseph Young is coming off a year where he averaged 18 PPG, shot 42 percent from 3-point range and a blistering 87.5 percent from the foul line. It's safe to say Young would be a welcome addition for just about any team in the land. A report today has four schools in the lead for the 6-foot-3 shooting guard.

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According to a report by Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, during the San Francisco 49ers minicamp, an unfamiliar face was seen working out with the team's wide receivers. That "stranger" was Vernon Davis.

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When trying to project a receiver's performance for a given season, a number of factors have to be considered. Certainly, talent and motivation are major points to consider. As is the quarterback who is throwing him the ball.

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He's a former No. 2 overall pick, and for the first time in quite a while, it appears that tackle Jason Smith might be deemed good enough by his team to actually start some games in the NFL.

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For as long as Steve Smith has been in the league, it seems, his fellow wide receivers in Carolina have left a lot to be desired. It's always been an uphill battle for somebody else to step up and take some of the double-coverage heat off the team's No. 1 down-the-field option.

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Chicago Cubs right-hander Matt Garza was lit up last week versus the Cincinnati Reds, yielding nine earned runs in five innings thanks to three long balls. He rebounded this past weekend, tossing seven scoreless frames at the New York Mets and adding some momentum to the right-hander's chances to be moved to a contender this summer.

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It's certainly not going to surprise anyone if incoming freshman Kelvin Taylor puts together an impressive college career. The son of former NFL running back Fred Taylor joins Florida as the No. 8 overall recruit in the nation for 2013 -- and No. 1 at the running back position.

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ESPN's No. 1 ranked recruit in 2016, Harry Giles (Winston-Salem, N.C./Wesleyan Christian Academy), reportedly suffered a major knee injury over the past week while playing for USA's U16 team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Uruguay.

There are numerous questions going forward: How long will it take Giles to recover? Will he be the same player when he returns to the court? And how will his spot atop the class of 2016 be affected?

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