Michigan receives notice of allegations from NCAA related to recruiting and impermissible coaching TALKING POINTS

LAFC signs MLS Cup-winning coach Cherundolo to a multiyear contract extension

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles FC has signed head coach Steve Cherundolo to a multi-year contract extension after he led the club to two MLS Cup finals and one championship in his first two seasons.

LAFC didn’t disclose the terms or length of the deal announced Wednesday. The club also agreed to extensions with assistant coaches Ante Razov, Marc Dos Santos and Oka Nikolov.

The 44-year-old Cherundolo has been a huge success since replacing Bob Bradley before the 2022 season. He is 35-19-14 in the MLS regular season and 6-1-1 in the playoffs.

LAFC won the Supporters’ Shield and its first MLS Cup championship last season, and he led LAFC to the final match of the MLS playoffs and the CONCACAF Champions League this year. LAFC lost 2-1 to Columbus in the MLS Cup final earlier this month.

Cherundolo is the only manager in MLS history to finish with the league’s best regular-season record and an MLS Cup title in his first season in charge. He is only the third coach to reach MLS Cup finals in each of his first two seasons, and he is the first to reach the finals of the MLS Cup postseason and the Champions League in the same calendar year.

A Southern California native, Cherundolo spent his professional playing career in Germany at Hannover 96, mostly in the Bundesliga.

He then coached in Germany from 2014 until 2021, when he spent one season in charge of LAFC’s USL affiliate in Las Vegas before getting promoted by LAFC general manager John Thorrington, his friend and former teammate.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The NCAA sent Michigan a notice of allegations related to impermissible on- and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and coaching activities, potential violations that led to the school’s self-imposed three-game suspension of Jim Harbaugh to start the season.

School spokesman Kurt Svoboda confirmed Wednesday that the notice was received this week.

The Big Ten suspended Harbaugh for the final three games of the regular season for an unrelated matter, stemming from a sign-stealing scheme, that is still under investigation.

Harbaugh returned to coach in the Big Ten championship game and will lead the Wolverines against Alabama in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs on Jan. 1 at the Rose Bowl.

Hoping to mitigate some of the damages of an eventual punishment, Michigan chose to suspended Harbaugh for the first three games for impermissible texts and calls — including some by him — to high school prospects during part of a pandemic-related dead period for contact with potential recruits.

The NCAA also is looking at whether a member of Michigan’s off-field football staff violated rules by doing on-the-field coaching during practice.

Harbaugh previously told NCAA investigators that he would not agree to an unethical conduct charge for not being forthright, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. The people spoke earlier this year to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation have not been shared.

Nets’ Simmons out until at least January because of latest back injury

NEW YORK — Ben Simmons won’t return to the Brooklyn Nets until at least January because of a pinched nerve in his lower back.

The Nets said Wednesday that Simmons, who sustained his latest back injury Nov. 6, has shown consistent strength improvement in his back over the past two weeks. However, they added that he is still doing only individual court work and that his status would be updated again in approximately two weeks.

Simmons played in six games before he was hurt and has missed 20 already this season after his last two seasons were cut short because of back problems. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft received an epidural injection as part of the planned rehabilitation from this injury.

In other injury news, the Nets said that Dennis Smith Jr., who has missed the last six games with a sprained upper back, has been cleared for full basketball activities and will be listed as questionable for their game Friday against Denver.

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers activated from IR as next step in rehab. He won’t play again until next season

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Rodgers is being activated from the injured reserve list on Wednesday, but the quarterback will not play again this season for the New York Jets.

Coach Robert Saleh said the move is merely the next step in Rodgers’ rehabilitation from a torn left Achilles tendon. The Jets had until Wednesday to activate Rodgers — whose 21-day practice window began Nov. 29 — or he would revert back to IR for the rest of the season.

Saleh said the Jets have roster flexibility, so they could add Rodgers to their 53-man active squad.

The 40-year-old Rodgers said Tuesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” he’s not yet 100% healthy and is still a few weeks away. He said if the

Jets remained in the playoff hunt, he would have pushed to play Sunday against Washington, but New York was routed 30-0 and eliminated from postseason contention for the 13th straight year.

The four-time NFL MVP reiterated his goal has been to play “at least two years,” and he considered this season a “lost” year. So, he doesn’t anticipate next season being his last in the NFL.

Meanwhile, quarterback Zach Wilson remains in the concussion protocol but is improving, according to Saleh. If Wilson can’t play Sunday, Trevor Siemian would start in his place. Brett Rypien also is on the roster.

Trevor Lawrence still in concussion protocol, leaving the Jags preparing to play without star QB

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence was in the facility but still in the NFL’s concussion protocol Wednesday, leaving the Jacksonville Jaguars preparing to play without their star quarterback for the first time in three seasons.

Coach Doug Pederson said Lawrence is “progressing well” but declined to speculate on Lawrence’s chances of gaining clearance before Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay (7-7).

“Still in the protocol,” Pederson said. “Progressing well, but we have to follow the steps; we can’t skip anything.”

The Jaguars (8-6) believe Lawrence sustained a head injury while scrambling up the middle on the team’s final drive in a 23-7 loss to Baltimore on Sunday. Lawrence misfired on seven of his final eight passes after the hit, a stretch that raised concerns on the sideline about his health. Lawrence reported symptoms after the game.

“He’s doing better,” backup quarterback C.J. Beathard said. “He’s been in the building today. I got to talk to him and hang out with him.”

There has been precedent for guys to play a week after entering the league’s concussion protocol, with San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, Cleveland receiver Amari Cooper and New Orleans receiver Chris Olave gaining clearance before their next games.

If Lawrence doesn’t get cleared, Beathard would make his first start since the 2020 season.

Tennis players to get protection from online abuse through new monitoring service

LONDON — A new monitoring service will help protect tennis players from online abuse and threats, the International Tennis Federation and other governing bodies said Wednesday.

In their joint announcement, ITF, U.S. Tennis Association, the All England Club and the women’s WTA tour said the “Threat Matrix” service will operate in 35 languages when it launches Jan. 1.

“Tennis players are subject to significant levels of social media abuse and other inappropriate online contact, which poses risks to preparation, performance and mental health,” the statement read. “The Threat Matrix service will support the identification of abusers, against whom all available measures will be taken.”