Sports
S Charles Woodson Jr. to carry on family legacy at Michigan
Oct 4, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines cheerleader run flags down the field before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Charles Woodson Jr., a three-star safety in the Class of 2027 and son of Michigan legend Charles Woodson, will carry on the family name with the Wolverines.
He shared a message announcing his commitment to Michigan on Instagram on Friday.
The younger Woodson plays at Lake Nona High School in Orlando. The 247Sports composite also lists him as the No. 49 player in talent-rich Florida and No. 82 at his position.
He had 21 offers, two-thirds of them from power-conference programs.
247Sports called Woodson an “impact player” at Lake Nona. As a junior in 2025, he made 73 tackles, broke up eight passes and intercepted two, and made one fumble recovery. On special teams, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
Woodson Jr. has a lot to live up to at Michigan.
His father played in Ann Arbor from 1995-97 after being named Ohio’s Player of the Year as a high school senior.
The starting cornerback in 1995, he had a team-leading five interceptions and was named Big Ten Freshman of the year and first-team All-Big Ten.
As a sophomore, and at the request of head coach Lloyd Carr, he added in some plays at wide receiver but remained known as a cornerback. That season, he set the Michigan record for pass breakups (15) and gained 316 yards receiving and rushing on offense. He earned Associated Press first-team All-America honors.
In 1997, Woodson led Michigan to an undefeated regular season and its first national championship (shared with Nebraska) since the 1948 team — and the last one until Jim Harbaugh’s 2023 team won the College Football Playoff title. Woodson won the Heisman Trophy ahead of Peyton Manning of Tennessee. Until Travis Hunter, a two-way player at Colorado who won the Heisman in 2024, no defender had been honored since Woodson.
He went on to a Pro Football Hall of Fame career with the Raiders and Packers, playing 18 seasons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already playing catch
Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already is playing catch, just nine days after undergoing elbow surgery, the New York Post reported Friday.
The left-hander underwent an arthroscopic procedure on May 6 to remove loose bodies in his pitching elbow. His original estimated recovery time of two months could be shortened to six weeks, per the report.
Skubal, 29, experienced discomfort in his April 29 start against the Atlanta Braves in a 4-3 loss. He gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out seven. He did not figure into the decision.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts this season. He has struck out 45 batters and walked only six in 43 1/3 innings.
Skubal has a 57-39 record and a 3.06 ERA in seven seasons and 144 games (141 starts) for the Tigers since 2020, striking out 934 batters while walking 178.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pitt adds Bryant transfer G Timofei Rudovskii
Timofei Rudovskii, Bryant Men’s Basketball Bryant transfer wing Timofei Rudovskii has committed to Pitt.
ESPN reported the news Friday morning, and Rudovskii confirmed it in his Instagram bio.
Rudovskii averaged a team-best 12.9 points to go along with 4.7 rebounds in 31 games (all starts) last season en route to being named to the America East All-Rookie team.
The 6-foot-9 Russian shot 41.0% from the floor and 36.2% from 3-point range during his lone campaign with the Bulldogs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Japan leaves injured Kaoru Mitoma off World Cup roster
Japan midfielder Kaoru Mitoma (7) controls the ball as USMNT midfielder Luca de la Torre (14) defends at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio on Sept. 9, 2025. Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images Japan left injured midfielder Kaoru Mitoma off the 26-man World Cup roster announced by coach Hajime Moriyasu on Friday.
Mitoma suffered a hamstring injury during Brighton’s Premier League match against Leeds on Saturday, leaving his World Cup status in serious doubt. That was confirmed with Friday’s reveal of Japan’s roster.
“The medical team assessed that it would be difficult for him to get back to fitness during the tournament,” Moriyasu told reporters Friday.
Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also will miss out on the World Cup after the 31-year-old suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in December.
Moriyasu did take a chance on some other players dealing with injury issues, with Wataru Endo, Ko Itakura and Takehiro Tomiyasu included on the roster. Ajax defender Tomiyasu has dealt with multiple injuries that have led to him not appearing for Japan for nearly two years, while Liverpool midfielder Endo has only played in eight Premier League matches this season due to an ankle injury.
Sporting CP defensive midfielder Hidemasa Morita did not make the roster after totaling seven appearances in World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, defender Yuto Nagatomo will make his fifth World Cup appearance.
“I was able to select only 26 players, but I feel sorry that I couldn’t select many other players,” Moriyasu told reporters Friday. “However, I selected these 26 based on their past performances and through conversations with the coaching staff, believing that this is our best squad right now. I think I have chosen the best 26 players in order for Japan to win on the world stage at this moment.”
Mitoma, 28, has nine goals in 31 appearances for Japan.
Japan has won five consecutive matches ahead of its final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland in Tokyo on May 31. The Japanese will then travel to the team’s base camp in Nashville, Tenn., where they will train at the Nashville SC Training Center.
They begin their Group F play against the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas on June 14, followed by matches against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on June 20 and Sweden back in Arlington on June 25.
JAPAN WORLD CUP ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Tomoki Hayakawa, Keisuke Osako, Zion Suzuki
Defenders: Ko Itakura, Hiroki Ito, Yuto Nagatomo, Ayumu Seko, Yukinari Sugawara, Junnosuke Suzuki, Shogo Taniguchi, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Tsuyoshi Watanabe
Midfielders: Ritsu Doan, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Daichi Kamada, Takefusa Kubo, Keito Nakamura, Kaishu Sano, Ao Tanaka
Forwards: Keisuke Goto, Daizen Maeda, Koki Ogawa, Kento Shiogai, Yuito Suzuki, Ayase Ueda
–Field Level Media
Report: Tigers ace Tarik Skubal already playing catch
Pitt adds Bryant transfer G Timofei Rudovskii
