Ohio State RB Dobbins declares for NFL draft
Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins announced Monday that he will forego his senior season and enter the NFL draft.
Dobbins, a second-team All-American and finalist for the Doak Walker Award, rushed for an Ohio State-record 2,003 yards this season and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Many draft experts consider Dobbins a first-round prospect.
Dobbins eclipsed 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons with the Buckeyes and leaves the program second in all-time rushing yards with 4,459.
■ QB Ian Book plans to return to Notre Dame next season. Book, who passed for 247 yards and a TD in a bowl win over Iowa State on Saturday, has a redshirt season remaining after sitting out his 2016 freshman year. He has played in 35 games for the Fighting Irish and is 20-3 since taking over the starting job in 2018 . ... Incoming Georgia Tech freshman WR Bryce Gowdy, a four-star recruit, died after he was hit by freight train in his hometown of Deerfield Beach, Fla. Broward Sheriff’s Office homicide detectives are investigating the death.
Baseball: The Blue Jays agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract with free-agent INF Travis Shaw. Shaw hit .157 with seven HRs and 16 RBIs in 86 games last season for the Brewers. Shaw, 29, has a .243 career batting average over five seasons with the Brewers and Red Sox.
Soccer: David Beckham’s new MLS team finally has its first coach, with Inter Miami hiring Diego Alonso. The Uruguayan, who has coached two different teams to CONCACAF Champions League titles, officially took over as the inaugural manager of Beckham’s club. Alonso, 44, was most recently coach of the Mexican club Monterrey, which had success against MLS sides during its run to the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League title. Inter Miami — with Beckham a leading part of the ownership and front office — will gather for its first practices in January, has preseason matches in February and makes its MLS debut March 1 at Los Angeles FC . ... The U.S. men’s team will open its 2020 schedule with an exhibition against Costa Rica on Feb. 1 in Carson, Calif., after training in Qatar with a roster that includes 12 players who could make their debuts. The U.S. will train at the Aspire Academy in Doha from Jan. 5-25. Qatar will host the World Cup in 2022. The U.S. is preparing for a CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against Honduras in June and the start of World Cup qualifying in September. The U.S. has a March 26 exhibition against the Netherlands, the start of a two-match Europe trip.
Tennis: World No. 13 Kei Nishikori of Japan withdrew from next month’s Australian Open, citing a right elbow injury. Nishikori, who hasn’t played since a third-round loss to Ausssie Alex de Minaur at the US Open, underwent minor elbow surgery during the offseason.