USA TODAY International Edition
IN BRIEF
OREGON HIRES TAGGART AS NEW FOOTBALL COACH
Oregon hired South Florida’s
Willie Taggart as its football coach. Taggart, 40, has a career 40- 45 record, but he has turned around struggling programs at Western Kentucky and South Florida, which went 10- 2 this season and will play in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 29. He also has some West Coast experience, having worked under Jim Har
baugh as Stanford’s running backs coach from 2007 to 2009. Oregon, which fired Mark Helf
rich last week after a 4- 8 season, offered the job to Temple’s Matt
Rhule on Monday but had to change directions when Rhule chose to go to Baylor instead.
CUBS PICK UP CLOSER DAVIS IN TRADE WITH ROYALS
The Chicago Cubs have a new closer to defend their World Series title, landing All- Star righthander Wade Davis from the Kansas City Royals to supplant
Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning. Davis, 31, has been perhaps the game’s most untouchable relief pitcher the last three years, striking out 234 batters in 1822⁄ innings, posting a 1.18 ERA. 3 Since 2015, the season he took over closer duties after Greg Holland required Tommy John elbow surgery, he has converted 44 of 48 save opportunities. Kansas City will get outfielder Jorge Soler in return.
WHITE SOX GET PROSPECTS IN EATON TRADE TO NATIONALS
The Chicago White Sox agreed to trade outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito and two other prospects, a person with direct knowledge of the trade told USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because the deal is pending a review of medical records. The Nationals will also send righthander Reynaldo Lopez and minor league starter Dane Dun
ning to the White Sox. Eaton, who has a .362 on- base percentage the last three years and was an elite defensive right fielder in 2016, is under contract for two more years and likely will play center field, moving Trea Tur
ner back to shortstop.
ROCKIES, OUTFIELDER DESMOND AGREE TO TERMS
The Colorado Rockies have agreed to terms with free agent outfielder Ian Desmond on a five- year, $ 70 million deal, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the signing is not official. He batted .285 with a .782 onbase- plus- slugging percentage for the Texas Rangers this year, hitting 22 home runs with 21 steals — his fourth career 20- 20 season.
YANKEES, HOLLIDAY FINALIZE ONE- YEAR CONTRACT
Free agent outfielder Matt Hol
liday and the New York Yankees have finalized a one- year, $ 13 million contract. A seven- time All- Star with a .303 career average, Holliday was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 1998, traded to the Oakland Athletics after the 2008 season and then dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals the following July. He hit .246 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI in 110 games.
STANFORD RUNNING BACK MCCAFFREY TO ENTER DRAFT
Stanford running back Christian
McCaffrey will skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft. McCaffrey announced his decision, saying he has done everything he could in college and now wants to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. McCaffrey was the runner- up for the Heisman Trophy last season when he broke Barry Sanders’ NCAA record for all- purpose yards in a season with 3,864 yards. McCaffrey, who was slowed in October by an injury, rushed for 1,596 yards this season.
CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S STREAK HITS 83 IN A ROW
Napheesa Collier scored 20 points, Gabby Williams had 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and No. 2 Connecticut beat No. 1 Notre Dame 72- 61 on Wednesday night for its 83rd consecutive women’s basketball victory. The visiting Huskies ( 8- 0) trailed briefly late in the second quarter but played with the lead most of the game as they controlled the inside, outscoring the Irish 42- 30 in the paint and finishing with a 35- 32 edge in rebounding. Brianna Turner led the Irish ( 8- 1) with 16 points and 12 rebounds and Lindsay Allen added 11 points. The Huskies’ last loss was 88- 86 in overtime to Stanford on Nov. 17, 2014.
FIFA PRESIDENT PROPOSES WORLD CUP CHANGE
FIFA President Gianni Infanti
no has suggested having 16 threeteam groups if the World Cup expands to 48 countries. Members of the FIFA Council received a recommendation from the governing body setting out four proposed formats, including sticking to a 32- team World Cup. If the new plan is approved by the FIFA Council next month, the World Cup would expand to 48 nations in 2026 and the top two teams from the 16 groups would advance to a new round of 32.
IOC EXTENDS SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA
Two days before the release of a new report into Russian doping, the IOC extended the provisional sanctions imposed on the country over allegations of systematic cheating and cover- ups. The International Olympic Committee executive board said the measures imposed July 19 have been extended until further notice. Under the measures, the IOC will not organize or give patronage to any sports events or meetings in Russia. In addition, the IOC urges all Olympic winter sports federations to “freeze their preparations for major events in Russia,” including world championships and World Cups. To date, the retests have caught at least 27 med- alists from Beijing and 16 from London, including five gold medalists.
WARRIORS MAKE DONATION TO FIRE VICTIMS RELIEF FUND
The Golden State Warriors players and coaches pledged $ 75,000 to help relief efforts for the deadly Oakland warehouse fire that happened a few miles from their home arena. Separately, the franchise already donated $ 50,000 to the Oakland Fire Relief fund. The team made the announcement before playing the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
INDYCAR DRIVER CHILTON TO STAY WITH GANASSI
Max Chilton will return to Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar team for a second season in 2017, the organization announced. Chilton, 25, finished 19th of 20 full- season drivers last year with a best finish of seventh in the second race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway. Despite some heartening moments, he cracked the top 10 just once more in the remaining 14 races, finishing 10th on the road course at Watkins Glen International.