Notre Dame could promote Freeman

Notre Dame is working on a deal to promote defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, 35, to head coach to replace Brian Kelly, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press.

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees informed Notre Dame he would remain with the Fighting Irish instead of joining Kelly at Louisiana State.

For the second time since 2019, the Arizona Wildcats have nabbed a UCLA defensive position coach to become their defensive coordinator, this time picking defensive line coach Johnny Nansen.

Arizona had previously hired Bruins secondary coach Paul Rhoads to be its defensive coordinator in late 2019 in a move that lasted one season before the dismissal of coach Kevin Sumlin.

— Ben Bolch

LAFC picked up the contract option for Carlos Vela but that doesn’t mean the former league MVP will be returning to the team next season. Retaining the rights to Vela, 32, could mean LAFC wants to be compensated if the player leaves MLS in the January transfer window. The team also exercised its option on midfielder Eduard Atuesta but declined to do so with goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.

— Kevin Baxter

The suspension of all WTA tournaments in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former government official there of sexual assault, could result in cancellations of those events beyond 2022, Steve Simon, the WTA president and chief executive, told the Associated Press.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is out for at least 10 days because of lower abdominal tendinopathy . ... Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo needs surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and is probably out until at least mid-January.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will be riding full time at Santa Anita this winter, the first time the native of Puerto Rico has done so. Velazquez, 50, has won four Kentucky Derbies and 18 Breeders’ Cup races.