NORTH BERWICK, Scotland — A funny thing happened Sunday at the Scottish Open: after a star-studded leaderboard had built throughout the week, a whole lot of the best players in the world left … disappointed. 

Rory McIlroy was caught on camera berating himself saying, “I’m so bad at golf.” Chris Gotterup’s title defense ended in a disappointing one-over final round. Scotland’s own Bob MacIntyre held the solo lead on the final day, only to mutter under his breath across four bogeys in seven holes, surrendering all hope. There was more frustration than happiness at Renaissance Club, it seemed. And then there were those three pregnant seconds when we saw total despair. 

Johnny Keefer, 25, had just played the best golf of his season, finishing T3 and earning one of three spots remaining in next week’s Open Championship. He took pictures with the yellow flags that will dot the course at Royal Birkdale next week. He did interviews with the widest grin imaginable. And then he listened as an R&A staffer leaned in close with 10 words.

“Oh, one other thing, Johnny. Have ye entered The Open?” 

Keefer’s face went from elation to anguish. Had he missed some deadline … for an event he was only hoping to play? His panic was palpable.

“Yeah, my heart rate probably spiked a little bit,” Keefer said moments later. “Probably could have played a little rookie card. There’s not many things that I know — he could have played a nice little prank on me.” 

Luckily, Keefer was assured, it’s all good, there’s a spot waiting for you. But now you do, indeed, need to formally sign up for next week’s Open, about 200 miles away on the west coast of England. The R&A were not out to play pranks. Rather, they were there to help make sure everyone had accommodations and transportation sorted. Keefer’s mind was still racing and non-committal when they offered him a late-night shuttle ride down to Southport. 

He’d be forgiven for being a step slow. Open Qualifying comes at you fast. And this was a week of newness for Keefer, who had never played links golf before July, 2026. He arrived Monday morning fresh off a redeye from the John Deere Classic, and instead of heading to Renaissance Club, he elected to make his links debut on the nearby North Berwick in 30 mph wind.

“You kind of get off the plane and try to tire yourself out in Edinburgh,” he said. “Then try to tire yourself out more at North Berwick, which is kinda hard because you’re like eyes wide open, this is sick. Conked out and then played two practice nines out here.” 

Oh, and then 72 holes in 13 under par and a top-3 finish. 

What Keefer now reaps is the result of betting on himself, something plenty of other pros balked at this week. For one reason or another, a dozen Tour pros with some status had the right to enter the Scottish Open, but ultimately withdrew from the field, many of them to stay back and play their more native style of American golf at the ISCO Championship. Taylor Pendrith, Chad Ramey, Chandler Phillips, Adrien Dumont de Chassart. Whether they were in pursuit of all-important FedEx Cup points, less travel or just familiar golf, they took a familiar route this week. Keefer considered it, too, but opted for something newer, riskier, more invigorating.

“If you have a good week, it’s better off over here than it is over there,” he said Sunday night. By which he means, a good week with a bigger purse and more points on offer — that’s better. 

“And yeah, it kind of paid off,” he continued. “It’s a little 2-for-1. Got more points and got a spot in The Open.” 

Where there’s even more money and points on offer. With that sorted, all that was left for him to figure out was where he’d be sleeping next week.

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It was a day of joy, drama and celebration as El-Kanemi Warriors and Nasarawa Amazons were crowned champions of the 2026 President Federation Cup after exciting finals at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba.

For El-Kanemi Warriors, one goal was enough to bring back the famous trophy to Maiduguri.

The men’s final against Ikorodu City was closely contested, with both teams fighting for every ball from the opening whistle. The breakthrough came in the first half when El-Kanemi Warriors were awarded a penalty. Muktar Ismail stepped forward and calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score what turned out to be the winning goal.

Ikorodu City pushed hard after the break in search of an equaliser, creating pressure on the El-Kanemi defence. But the Maiduguri club stayed organised and defended strongly until the final whistle to secure a 1-0 victory.

The win completed an impressive Federation Cup campaign for El-Kanemi Warriors and earned them a place in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup. Although they finished as runners-up, Ikorodu City also qualified to represent Nigeria in the same continental competition.

The triumph marks another proud moment in the club’s history as they reclaimed one of Nigeria’s biggest domestic football trophies.

Earlier in the day, the women’s final produced even more drama as Nasarawa Amazons defeated Heartland Queens 8-7 on penalties after both sides played out a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

The first half was a tense affair, with both teams showing respect for each other and creating only a few clear chances. The goalkeepers were kept busy as neither side could find the breakthrough before the interval.

The match came alive in the second half. Heartland Queens opened the scoring with a well-worked goal, but Nasarawa Amazons refused to give up. They fought back and found the equaliser to force the final into a penalty shootout.

The shootout was full of tension as both teams converted important spot-kicks. After the first five penalties, the score remained level at 5-5, sending the contest into sudden death.

With the pressure at its highest, Nasarawa Amazons kept their composure. They scored their next penalty before Heartland Queens missed theirs, sealing an 8-7 shootout victory.

The final whistle sparked wild celebrations from the Nasarawa Amazons players, coaches and supporters as they lifted the 2026 President Federation Cup trophy after a thrilling contest.

After a break, VikingsTerritory has reopened the mailbag, answering questions from the masses and posting them weekly in a single article. The time feels appropriate, with training camp getting underway in about 2.5 weeks.

We picked the main questions from folks’ submissions, and below are our answers.

Vikings’ Summer Picture Remains Far from Settled

Question: Do you think the Vikings will reach the playoffs this year?

Answer: Yes.

The only scenario preventing the Vikings from a somewhat obvious playoff push — the roster is good enough for it — is the level of competition in the NFC North. Throughout the division’s history, there’s always at least one “pushover” team — usually the Detroit Lions or Chicago Bears. Sometimes even the Vikings.

Those don’t exist anymore.

If Minnesota can conquer the strength-of-schedule concern, they can finish at least 10-7 this season. How do we know that? Simple — the club finished 9-8 last year while showcasing bottom-of-the-barrel quarterback play. If the Vikings could be 9-8 with a rollercoaster version of J.J. McCarthy, they can secure a Wildcard playoff berth with a steady version of Kyler Murray.

Never forget: Minnesota already has a championship-caliber defense, thanks to Brian Flores. Now, Kevin O’Connell must do his part on offense, empowering Murray to cook.

We say an 11-6 record for the Vikings, with a Wildcard playoff game, probably against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or New Orleans Saints.

Question: If Minnesota signs any free agents, who will it be?

Answer: Leonard Floyd.

O’Connell and Floyd won a Super Bowl together in 2021, and five years later, O’Connell arguably needs a third pass rusher. You can pretty much “take your pick” at outside linebacker in free agency — Floyd, Von Miller, or Jadeveon Clowney would do the trick for OLB3.

So, we expect Minnesota to sign an extra EDGE, either in the next few weeks or at the end of August when a barrage of unemployed pass rushers hit the open market amid roster trimdowns.

A guard, too, would make sense because the primary backup guard right now is Joe Huber. The Vikings are one injury away from an offensive line that looks like this Week 1:

• Christian Darrisaw (LT)
• Donovan Jackson (LG)
• Blake Brandel (C)
• Joe Huber (RG)
• Brian O’Neill (RT)

In years past, Brandel would be nominated for backup guard duty, but that won’t work anymore. He can’t start at guard and center.

Thankfully, as with the OLB spot, a handful of reputable depth guards are available, such as Will Hernandez and James Daniels.

Question: Any word on Harrison Smith? Is he coming back?

Answer: We think so.

About a month ago, one of our sources told us, “Hitman is coming back,” but that was prefaced with the caveat that “the announcement is coming soon.”

Here we are, less than three weeks before training camp arrives, and Smith has not announced his decision. Smith turned up the gas in December last year, leading the masses to believe he could still perform decently, even if the Vikings nominated him for a situational role in 2026.

The telling part here is that Minnesota’s roster is quite impressive. Would Smith really want to miss out on a playoff or Super Bowl push the moment Kyler Murray came to town? We think not.

It’s unclear when the announcement will hit, but VikingsTerritory operates under the assumption that Smith will return last time in 2026.

Question: Who will win the quarterback battle at training camp?

Answer: Kyler Murray.

This is probably the easiest question this week; we don’t consider the quarterback competition a big or mysterious thing. Since entering the NFL, Murray has a better EPA+CPOE than Trevor Lawrence, Baker Mayfield, C.J. Stroud, and Daniel Jones, among others. We do not believe that Murray needs a significant push to put himself over the top as a worthwhile starter. He’s already there.

We also maintain that J.J. McCarthy still has time to develop and become an honest-to-goodness starter in the big leagues. Sometimes quarterback maturation takes longer than 10 starts, which McCarthy has under his belt.

Both men also have a recent history of injury. Whoever wins the battle will probably get hurt, at least for a game or two, enabling the other guy to get under center and shine.

In the end, Murray has the experience, arm strength, passing accuracy, and speed to win this competition. We don’t spend much time thinking, “I wonder who will be the QB1?” To us, it’s Murray, and McCarthy will need a massive upset to change that.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Champion Jannik Sinner of Italy and runner-up Alexander Zverev of Germany pose with their trophies after the men’s singles final at Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Sunday, July 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

LONDON — Alexander Zverev is used to being “the third guy” in tennis.

After following up his French Open title with a run to his first Wimbledon final, he’s hoping to be more than that in the future.

Despite losing to Jannik Sinner on Centre Court on Sunday, the 29-year-old Zverev thinks he is closer than ever to challenging the top-ranked Italian and his main rival Carlos Alcaraz and giving tennis a Big Three again.

READ: Jannik Sinner bounces back with another Wimbledon title

The 2026 Gentlemen’s Singles runner up, Alexander Zverev 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/C0ngxzBRsJ

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 12, 2026

Sinner and Alcaraz had won the last nine Grand Slam tournaments between them before Zverev won his first major at Roland Garros this year.

“There was always this conversation, ‘who will be the third guy?’” Zverev said. “I’ve always been the third guy, but I was just far away from those two. But I’ve always been No. 3 in a way. So if I get closer to them … it would be great.”

Alcaraz missed this year’s French Open — and Wimbledon — with a wrist injury, and Sinner was eliminated in the second round in Paris after wilting in the heat. Zverev lost in five sets to Alcaraz in the semifinals at the Australian Open this year and lost 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 to Sinner on Sunday after overextending his knee in the third set.

“I think I’ve been pushing those guys,” Zverev said. “I haven’t beaten them this year, but I’ve pushed them to the limits, I would say.”

He may have been able to push Sinner even more had it not been for a slip during the third set, on Zverev’s only break point of the match. The German fell to the ground and clutched his right knee in pain, with Sinner coming over to check on his opponent before helping Zverev up off the grass.

Zverev said he overextended his knee and that it hampered his serve — his biggest weapon — after that.

READ: Zverev ends wildcard Fery’s run for his first Wimbledon final

“I was struggling to push off on the serve a little bit. So my serve speed went down,” he said. “But everything else went fine. I was moving fine from the baseline and playing from the baseline fine.”

Despite the loss, Zverev will shed the “third guy” moniker in at least one way — he will overtake Alcaraz as No. 2 in the rankings on Monday.

Zverev had never been past the fourth round at Wimbledon before this year, but seems to have finally figured out how to play on grass.

“I’m 29 years old and this is the first time I actually believe I can win this trophy,” Zverev told the Centre Court crowd after his defeat.

Sinner seems to share that belief.

“Today you were so, so close. If you play like this, I’m very, very sure you’re going to have this (trophy) at home as well,” Sinner told his opponent. “I know the goal is for you to become the No. 1 in the world. You’re very, very close. So we have to be very careful now.”

For the New York Yankees, it’s like father, like son.

Luke Pettitte, the son of Yankees legendary pitcher Andy Pettitte, was selected by his father’s old ballclub in the eighth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday.

Luke, a two-way player for Dallas Baptist University, was named to the Second Team All-Central Region (ABCA) and First Team All-Conference USA during his 2026 season.

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Orleans Firebirds pitcher Luke Pettitte poses for a portrait before a game against the Falmouth Commodores in Falmouth, Mass., on July 17, 2025. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe)

While he has pitching roots like his father, though from the right side, Luke was the Conference USA Hitter of the Week (Week of May 11) during the season, while hitting .341 with 16 homers and 48 RBI across 186 plate appearances.

On the mound, Luke was efficient with a 3.19 ERA, striking out 56 batters faced across his 48 innings total during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

MLB COMMISSIONER ROB MANFRED GOOFS UP FIRST OVERALL DRAFT PICK’S NAME

The 21-year-old was unable to pitch in 2026 due to Tommy John surgery, but he was able to hit.

If Luke ends up signing on with the Yankees, it will be interesting to see how they wish to utilize him, though he is highly touted for his pitching accuracy.

Orleans Firebirds pitcher Luke Pettitte poses for a portrait before a game against the Falmouth Commodores in Falmouth, Mass., on July 17, 2025. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Andy, a three-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion and ALCS MVP, was a 22nd round pick in 1990 out of Deer Park High School in Texas. While he had a three-year stint with the Houston Astros from 2004-06,

Andy spent 15 of his 18 MLB seasons wearing pinstripes and becoming one of the best left-handed starters in the game.

He owned a career 3.85 ERA with 2,448 strikeouts, many of which coming on a wicked, 12-6 curveball that became a patented pitch.

Orleans Firebirds pitcher Luke Pettitte poses for a portrait before a game against the Falmouth Commodores in Falmouth, Mass., on July 17, 2025. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe)

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Andy remains around the Yankees, serving as a special advisor. He also coached Luke and his other children while they were in high school.

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Alejandro Garnacho has struggled at Chelsea with the former Manchester United winger potentially set to be on the move again this summer amid interest from Italy

Manchester United could be set to bank a second sizeable sell-on clause with Alejandro Garnacho’s potential Chelsea exit following Mason Greenwood’s move to Fenerbahce. Garnacho has struggled since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Old Trafford last summer for £40million.

The Argentine made little impact in west London as the Blues finished 10th in the Premier League – missing out on Europe altogether. It has led to speculation that the 22-year-old could be shown the exit door, with reports from the Press Association that Chelsea are ready to sell him and will listen to offers of around £42.5m.

And the Reds could be in line for an additional payday from Garnacho’s transfer last year, having negotiated a 10 per cent sell-on clause as part of the deal, entitling them to a slice of any future transfer fee should Chelsea decide to move him on.

Recent reports from Italy have claimed that Roma are interested in the Reds academy graduate. It is claimed that the Serie A side’s qualification for the Champions League will allow them to pursue a permanent deal if they so wish, but they would prefer to get the forward on loan with an option to buy.

And because Garnacho was an academy product – having joined United from Atletico Madrid for just £100,000 in 2020 – the initial £40m fee paid by Chelsea was recorded as pure profit under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The same accounting benefit would apply to any sale-on income they receive down the line.

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It comes after reports from Turkey that Fenerbahce are expected to sign Greenwood for €40m (£34m) plus €2m in bonuses. The Reds sold the forward to French Ligue 1 side Marseille in the summer of 2024.

United also secured a sell-on clause for that deal, which entitles them to a major portion of any future transfer fee which Marseille may receive from a sale. While initial reports varied, the clause is widely understood to be between 40 and 50 per cent.

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According to ESPN, both Fenerbahce and Atletico Madrid have agreed deals with Marseille. United would receive €14m (£11.9m) if Greenwood opts to move to Turkey, or €15.7m (£13.3m) if he returns to Madrid, having had a loan at Getafe while he was still registered at Old Trafford.

Greenwood has scored 48 goals in 81 appearances for Marseille. The forward’s impressive form has led former Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi to back him to win the Ballon d’Or.

He said: “I see him every day, he has huge potential. I don’t see any other players in Europe at the same level.

Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.

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“He has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or. It will be up to him to decide whether he wants to do everything he can to fight for it or not. At the level of the qualities that nature has given him, that his parents have given him, I think he is worthy of the Ballon d’Or.

“I would like him to be more consistent. I know he needs to press with more intensity, he needs to manage the ball better when the team is in trouble, not lose the ball easily, but keep it to allow the team to move up because he has the ability to do it.”

After two hours and 42 minutes of play in a Wimbledon final that felt as dry, slow and wind-swept as a desert, Alexander Zverev finally sensed his opportunity. At long last, the 29-year-old German’s immaculate, imposing serving and brave attacking play paved the way to a first break point, midway through the third set. By then, Jannik Sinner was past the stage of looking hot and tired, and his Wimbledon defence felt on the edge.

But from his toolbox, Sinner produced a drop shot that swept Zverev’s legs from underneath him. He held serve, then rose from the dust. On the very next game, Sinner scrambled to his right but fell to the grass, only to spring back up and stay alive in the point long enough for Zverev to make the crucial error. It was one of only two breaks in a three-hour 46-minute final that was dominated by serve, and which will hardly be remembered as a classic, but was gripping in stages – especially as Sinner brought some touches of magic in the closing moments.

It was the 24-year-old Italian who endured, who responded to countless moments of potential danger by firing unerringly powerful, clean serves past his opponent at speeds of up to 134mph. Anything the 6ft 6in Zverev could do, Sinner could do too. Then, in the biggest moments, Sinner defied Zverev on the defence. He eventually ground down the second seed on the return, and then struck for the finish line. A 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 victory secures a second consecutive Wimbledon crown and fifth grand slam title.

This time, Sinner fell to his back onto the grass. Last year, he stood with arms aloft when beating Carlos Alcaraz, but this was a marathon effort and he had been pushed all the way. The defending champion had always expected to face a “different” Zverev in the Wimbledon final even though he had won nine matches in a row against the German, and his last six without dropping a set. Their previous grand slam final, at the 2025 Australian Open, left Zverev at one of his lowest points and remarking Sinner felt in a “different universe”.

Yet he had not stood across the net from Zverev since ended his long wait to win a grand slam title at last month’s French Open and received an injection of confidence. Could Zverev take that into the Wimbledon final and turn a new page in their rivalry? Even though the result remained the same, the answer was yes. This was a gruelling, almost suffocating barrage of serving from both sides, an onslaught of power and accuracy. The wind swirling around Centre Court ensured that almost every game was its own battle, with the final prolonged by both players firing almost 50 per cent unreturned serves throughout the match.

Zverev was playing in his first Wimbledon final having previously failed to advance past the fourth round in nine attempts. He was aiming to become the first man in the open era to win his second grand slam title immediately after his first, but his appearance in the Wimbledon final was also clouded by the domestic abuse allegations he has faced from two former girlfriends, Olya Sharypova and Brenda Patea, who is also the mother of his daughter. Zverev had strenuously denied all the accusations and reached a financial settlement with Patea in 2024, while a 15-month investigation from the ATP concluded in 2023 after finding “insufficient evidence to substantiate” Sharypova’s allegations.

The final began under a gorgeous blue sky, with the scorched grass behind the baseline a dusty shade of brown after a dry fortnight. In the throwback final of two massive servers, the first two tiebreaks felt inevitable – but the margins remained razor thin. Zverev roared as he found the breakthrough to win the first, a thunderous forehand winner flashed down the line. The second tiebreak felt pivotal for Sinner, who was growing increasingly agitated, but, from nowhere, he found his moment as Zverev served into the wind and he pinged a return onto the baseline to draw the forehand error. Suddenly, Sinner had something to work with. He looked alive.

Two hours in, with the sun setting and the shadows creeping across Centre Court, Zverev managed to quell some of Sinner’s momentum. He faced three consecutive games where he lost the first point on serve but came through them all. Then, at 3-3 in the third, after two hours and 42 minutes, Zverev finally saw a break point. Sinner, though, did more than keep his cool. He pulled the rug from Zverev’s feet to save. Then, on the very next game, as errors from Zverev left him in a hole, Sinner lost his own footing as he scampered wide to his right. Somehow, he kept the point alive to find the crucial break. Zverev flung his racket away in disgust.

“If he serves like this, it’s so tough to get into the rally,” Sinner said later. “I had my chances, I felt like, in the third set in the beginning, was 0-30, where I made a couple of wrong choices. That’s tennis, because you cannot be perfect for four hours, five hours. Honestly, I just tried to accept the situation and be as present as possible with the right attitude. I think this today was the biggest key, to be honest.”

As the wind picked up and gusted around Centre Court, Sinner denied Zverev again as he pounded two excellent serves down 0-30 early in the fourth. Then, at 3-3, Sinner played his best point of the match, turning defence into attack by playing a subtle lob over Zverev’s head and then showing the softest of hands at the net. It moved Sinner ahead and although Zverev saved two more break points, he could not hold on following consecutive forehand errors. Sinner pinned a return return onto the baseline and advanced to put the winner down the line.

Sinner had still not dropped serve as he entered his 22nd service game of the match and stood four points from the title. For one last time, Zverev threw everything he had at the 24-year-old and stretched him wide to his backhand corner. Zverev thought he had done enough, and yet there Sinner was, sprinting to his right to flick the angled volley over the net.

This was a cathartic victory for Sinner. He has been the dominant force on the men’s tour this season, setting records for winning five Masters titles in a row and building a 31-match streak. Yet two of his three defeats came at the most important stages, in five sets to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open and, shockingly, from two sets up against Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the second round of the French Open. Sinner had been the overwhelming pre-tournament favourite in Paris. After Sinner’s early exit and in Alcaraz’s absence, Zverev swept up the title.

But over the past four weeks, Sinner has once again demonstrated his ability to reset from disappointment. His victory over Alcaraz in last year’s final came after blowing three championship points to the same opponent at the French Open. After his glaring weakness was exposed so publicly in the heat at this year’s Roland Garros, Sinner simply got back on track and did what he does best. “For me this one means a lot because was a tough one after Paris again,” Sinner later confirmed.

The wins came after Sinner made the bold choice to not play a warm-up tournament on grass before Wimbledon. In the first round, he had to fight from two sets to one down to avoid a major scare against Miomir Kecmanovic. But Sinner ensured he peaked when he needed to, with his destruction of Djokovic in the semi-final, and in the closing moments of a titanic battle on Centre Court. He proved why he is the best in the world once again.

Michigan athletics director Warde Manuel now finds his own tenure in jeopardy following an investigation into the culture of the Wolverines’ athletics department.

The university’s Board of Regents is scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the findings of the independent investigation and consider a response, sources told CBS Sports. Manuel is also weighing his options, which include retirement, a source said Sunday.

CBS Sports granted sources anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Michigan’s board authorized Chicago-based law firm Jenner & Block in December to conduct an “open-ended” review of the athletics department amid the fallout of the Sherrone Moore scandal, a source told CBS Sports at the time. Later, university president Domenico Grasso confirmed the investigation would expand into “an independent evaluation of culture, conduct and procedures throughout our athletics department.”

Grasso said the school would “act swiftly” if the investigation produced findings that warranted additional terminations.

“We will leave no stone unturned, and any further action we take will be based on credible evidence and findings, developed through a rigorous investigation,” Grasso said in a December video statement.

Former Michigan staffer alleges coercive relationship with Sherrone Moore in interview

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Brad Crawford

Manuel, who has served as Michigan’s athletics director since 2016, fired Moore on Dec. 10 after evidence of an inappropriate relationship between Moore and a subordinate staff member was brought to the department that morning. Moore was arrested later that day after he entered the home of that staff member, who was later identified as Paige Shiver. He was charged with felony home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering.

Shiver, 32, said she endured “years of manipulation, harassment and exploitation” from Moore and that the university failed to protect its employee. Shiver’s lawyers said in March that she “believes strongly that she may not be the only person who experienced inappropriate, coercive, or predatory behavior” from Moore. Questions about the department’s broader awareness of Moore’s conduct during his two-year tenure fueled calls for a deeper institutional reckoning.

Moore eventually pleaded no contest to misdemeanor counts of malicious use of a telecommunications device and trespassing. A Washtenaw County judge sentenced him in April to 18 months of probation and a $1,000 fine. The felony and other charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Manuel has managed more institutional turbulence than most athletic directors see in a career — a sign-stealing investigation during the Jim Harbaugh era, the arrest and firing of his football coach, a national basketball championship, a rejected private-equity bid and an Amazon streaming deal outside the Big Ten’s media agreement that sparked tensions within the conference.

“I always aim for steadiness,” Manuel said in May at the Big Ten’s spring meetings in Southern California. “Believe me, this is not anything that I’ve desired or wanted or hoped for. But I deal with it. My goal as a leader is to provide the steadiness in the wake of dealing with issues to the rest of the department and my staff and student-athletes. We have done that as a department and an organization. I don’t take any of it lightly. It’s not something I welcome, but we’ve dealt with it.”

Manuel promoted Moore from offensive coordinator to head coach after Haraugh left for the NFL following the Wolverines’ first national championship since 1997. Moore went 16-8 in two seasons. 

Utah‘s Kyle Whittingham was hired in January as the athletics department attempted to stabilize. Then, basketball coach Dusty May left the program in June for the NBA‘s Dallas Mavericks after winning a national title in April.

Manuel signed a five-year contract extension through June 30, 2030, in December 2024. His average annual compensation is $1.9 million.