Dein erstes Forum » leads a bumper crop of point guards that

Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck has been preparing the Broncos for the national spotlight, putting them through media training and other high-pressure social and athletic situations.Flecks Row the Boat mantra and positive approach have made him popular during the unbeaten season for No. 20 WMU (7-0, 3-0 MAC West), and the first national ranking in the schools 109-year history have pulled him into the coaching rumor mill.After noting how attendance has grown at his weekly on-campus press conference, Fleck was asked about his name being thrown out as a possibility for open jobs -- most recently at Purdue.Its elite exposure for Western Michigan, Fleck said. My focus is on today, thats the way Ive lived my life. I cant control rumors and speculation and Ill never comment on rumors and speculation. Im not interested in that. Im interested in coaching this football team and being the best head coach I can be today.Broncos quarterback Zach Terrell says talk of Flecks future is no distraction to us at all, even if he believes his coach should be a candidate for a more high-profile position.You see the commitment from him every single day. If he were to come in and be a different person, maybe be reserved, maybe wed be worried, Terrell said. He deserves those jobs, 100 percent. Hes one of the best coaches in college football. ... He deserves to be mentioned in those categories. But he brings it every day and thats all we can ask.THEIR OWN RESURGENCEWhile Western Michigan makes national headlines, the opponent on Saturday (3:30 p.m., American Sports Network) is experiencing a resurgence of its own. Eastern Michigan (5-2, 2-1) has already won four more games than last season, which is the biggest turnaround among all FBS programs. In fact, long a MAC cellar-dweller, the Eagles totaled five wins in their last three seasons combined.I think our guys have done a really good job of not getting caught up in outside momentum and what-not. We are not a team that gets very high and we have not gotten very low, EMU coach Chris Creighton said. Its interesting because Im more of an emotional coach, and thats not necessarily a strength. But our team has remained level-headed, and we need to continue that.AWARD SHARINGSaturdays game will serve as a tiebreaker of sorts for Western Michigan running back Jarvion Franklin and Eastern Michigan quarterback Brogan Roback, who shared their divisions offensive player of the week honors after last weekends wins. Franklin ran for a school-record 281 yards against Akron, the second-highest total in the FBS this season. Roback threw for a career-high 347 yards and three touchdowns in a win at Ohio.PROTECT THE BALLWhen Davon Tucker lost a fumble in the second quarter of last weeks win over Akron, it was the first turnover of the season for Western Michigan. The Broncos six-plus games of turnover-free football was the longest in the nation and, Fleck said, one of the biggest reasons for its 6-0 start. Ball protection will be important against Eastern Michigan, which is No. 6 in the country with eight fumble recoveries. Senior defensive lineman Pat OConnor -- who has 5 1/2 sacks and 9 1/2 tackles for loss -- has forced three of those fumbles.ON THE ROAD AGAINPerhaps the most notable statistic in Eastern Michigans turnaround season is that the Eagles have won three straight road games for the first time since 1967, drawing praise from Creighton for their maturity and focus away from home.UNDER PRESSUREFleck says the Broncos are enjoying the extra attention and expectations that comes with this historic season. We embrace it. We love it, he said. Its hard. Dont get me wrong, its very hard on a daily basis. But we embrace it and make sure they understand that most people dont get the chance to feel this type of pressure.---College Football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org Ron Santo Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Kosuke Fukudome Cubs Jersey . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. http://www.cubsauthentic.com/cubs-brad-brach-jersey/ . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Mark Grace Cubs Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Ryne Sandberg Cubs Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Get ready to learn some new names as the college basketball season tips off this week.The 2015-16 season was billed as the year of the senior, but newcomers figure to take center stage this season with the arrival of a talented and deep freshman class.Jerry Meyer, the national director of scouting for 247Sports, calls the incoming freshman class the best since the 2007-08 season, which featured eventual NBA all-stars Derrick Rose, James Harden, Blake Griffin and Kevin Love.I would be surprised if this class doesnt eventually produce multiple NBA all-stars when its all said and done, said Eric Bossi, the director of basketball recruiting at Rivals.That represents a major change from last season, when experience was emphasized. Four of the five first-team selections on the AP All-America team last year were seniors: Virginias Malcolm Brogdon, Oklahomas Buddy Hield, North Carolinas Brice Johnson and Michigan States Denzel Valentine.The starting lineups in last seasons NCAA championship game between Villanova and North Carolina included four seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and only one freshman. The nations most celebrated freshman was LSUs Ben Simmons, who became the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft but failed to reach the NCAA Tournament.This years freshman class features much more depth.I wouldnt put anyone on that Ben Simmons level -- I really think Ben Simmons is an exceptional talent -- but I think theres a bunch of guys just a step below, Meyer said.As usual, freshmen could make the biggest impact at No. 1 Duke and No. 2 Kentucky.Dukes six-man freshman class has four of the nations top 15 prospects, according to composite rankings of recruiting websites compiled by 247Sports . That group includes forwards Harry Giles (No. 2) and Jayson Tatum (No. 4), guard Frank Jackson (No. 13) and center Marques Bolden (No. 15).As everyone can see, these guys are already talented, Duke senior forward Amile Jefferson said. They already have the tools and the gifts that God gave them to be really good basketball players.Tatum has a sprained foot and Giles underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last month that kept both players out of Dukes preseason exhibitions. Bolden is expected to miss Dukes first two regular-season games because of a leg injury.Kentuckys John Calipari landed five of the nations top 24 prospects, according to the 247Sports Composite. The new Wildcats include guards DeAaron Fox (No. 6) and Malik Monk (No. 11) and forwards Edrice Bam Adebayo (No. 9), Wenyen Gabriel (No. 14) and Sacha Killeya-Jones (No. 24). They combined for 788 points Sunday in a 156-63 exhibition blowout of NAIA Division II school Asbury.ddddddddddddis fan base hears every year about that crop of young guys, and about every other year theyve been as good as advertised, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. This is another special group. This could be another Karl Towns-type group.Meyer noted Adebayo is going to bring something to the table that Kentucky was woefully missing last year as far as physical play inside and explosiveness.Meyer added its arguably the best class John Calipari has brought to Kentucky, though Calipari himself is reluctant to compare.Its hard to think back, Calipari said. All I can tell you is its a very smart group -- a very driven, wired group, a competitive group.But the freshman talent is spread around.No. 3 Kansas has guard Josh Jackson, rated as the nations No. 1 prospect in his class by the 247Sports Composite. No. 16 UCLA, attempting to bounce back from a rare losing season, has added guard Lonzo Ball (No. 3) and forward T.J. Leaf (No. 18). Florida State has forward Jonathan Isaac (No. 8) and No. 12 Michigan State adds forward Miles Bridges (No. 12).Bridges averaged 26.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in Michigan States two exhibition games.I think he can be one of the more versatile players that weve had since Jason Richardson, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. He shoots it pretty good. Hes stronger than most freshmen. Hes a man-child in that respect. Hes a power jumper. But hes been an incredible kid. Sometimes your top-10 or 15 players are full of themselves. Hes been as humble and hard-working and coachable a kid as Ive had.Ball leads a bumper crop of point guards that also includes Fox, Washingtons Markelle Fultz (No. 5) and North Carolina States Dennis Smith Jr. (No. 7).Ball and Leaf posted double-doubles in UCLAs exhibition victory over NAIA school The Masters University. Smith averaged 23 points and 5.0 assists in North Carolina States two exhibition games. Isaac averaged 18.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in Florida States two exhibitions.Those early performances lend some credence to the notion this freshman class could live up to its considerable billing.In terms of guys who are going to make significant impacts as freshmen, its definitely going to be one of the top three or four classes of the last 16-17 years, Bossi said.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee ' ' '