Premier Players - August 2023 Edition

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Penn State QB Drew Allar

Helping Others While Preparing For The Upcoming Season

Quarterback Drew Allar has earned his fair share of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals since arriving at Penn State, and recently he took the chance to use his status to give back to the local community.

Allar teamed up with Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes and the company’s Mission Tiger project, which donated $30,000 to Pennsylvania middle schools to help fund youth sports. Allar was on hand to announce the donation at the Giant on Benner Pike, where he signed autographs for fans, played catch with kids and posed for photos.

The Penn State quarterback said he wanted to help with the cause because of how much sports meant to him when he was growing up.

“I want to be able to give back to every kid that I possibly can just because of the opportunities and things that were brought to me throughout sports and all of the life lessons that I learned throughout playing sports,” Allar said. “I think every kid should just have the opportunity and be able to have the resources to go out and enjoy the sports that they love to play.”

Allar said being able to give back is one of the great things about NIL, and hopes other players and programs continue doing more of the work they’ve done through NIL to help their local communities — especially because it can help encourage kids to do the same when they get older.

And while NIL has played a role in his offseason, Allar said it’s only after he puts the proper work into school and football to help him and the Nittany Lions achieve their goals this season.

“It’s definitely a balance,” he said. “But for me personally, my two most important things are school and football and then NIL comes third for me personally. Just because obviously I have goals at Penn State and we have goals as a team that we want to achieve. So we don’t want to be distracted in any way.”

Allar said the team intends to keep those goals in-house whether they’re

individual or team-related — but the primary focus to achieve them is to maintain his improvement on a day to day basis.

Despite keeping his aspirations for the season to himself, Allar said the work the team is putting in right now and what they’ve done to this point in the offseason gives him the confidence that when the season comes around, they’ll be where they want to be on the football field.

For him, some of that is about relationship building, especially with his primary weapons. The Nittany Lions had the same starting quarterback for almost the entirety of the last four seasons in Sean Clifford, and now the team’s receivers and tight ends will have to build a new connection with Allar.

He said those relationships are the biggest key moving forward.

“I think the biggest thing is just communicating with them no matter if it’s on the field or off the field, just spending time with them to get to know them,” Allar said. “Not always talking about football,

getting to know their personal side more. Those conversations always happen in the locker room and as we’re walking out of lifts. I think our receiver room is really, really deep this year and I think we have a really strong core in there and they all pull each other up and pull each other together.”

His connections with his receivers will be important, but so will his leadership with the rest of the team. Clifford was one of the undisputed leaders of the Nittany Lions over the last few years, and now the team’s new quarterback will have to work to replace him. That level of influence won’t come right away for Allar, but it will likely have to eventually.

Until then, he’s collaborating with offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Yurcich and the rest of the quarterbacks in the position group to help each other grow.

Allar is getting help from his position mates, but he’s still the runaway leader to be the team’s starter, even if Penn State head coach James Franklin has not declared it yet. That type of pressure can have an impact on a young quarterback, butAllar said it’s the same as it always was for him as he heads into the season.

Written by Jon Sauber, Yahoo! News

Alex Borysov

Inside The Mind of A High School Baller

When we see successful players on the field, we think of their natural ability for the sport. However, every elite athlete must grind outside normal practice to become a better player. They do not have any more time in the day than any other player, but they make time within the chaos of everyday life to maximize their talent and advance to the next level.

Great athletes are all over the Tampa Bay area. One such kid we've had the privilege to see play is Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School student-athleteAlex Borysov. Alex is one of the best soccer players to ever play at Brooks, earning the school's 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Award with 18 goals

"Alex is a very skilled soccer player, but

the thing I like about him the most is that he is very cerebral on the field," says Brooks DeBartolo Head Coach Rudy Isaac. "He thinks like a coach, is not afraid to offer his opinion, and sometimes disagrees with me and (Assistant Head) Coach Sean.“

However, a quick chat with his mom, Meghan, reveals more than a great athlete, but a determination and character you can't coach in a player. With his love for soccer, all else could be on the back burner as he's a typical teenager with a lot on his plate. Yet, he has worked through distractions all his life while staying focused on being the best version of himself

Some examples include:

- Being challenged at a young age about his grit and soccer skills after joining a new team didn't make him want to quit but work extra hard to earn the respect of his teammates.

- The oldest of four kids, he takes care of his three siblings "with kid gloves" (says mom) while his parents are at work.

- He spends time with his Ukrainian dad, fundraising to help others affected by the war in his homeland.

- He readily gave up his private bedroom and moved in with his little siblings so his displaced grandma could come from Ukraine to live with them.

- He dreams of playing soccer at an Ivy League school and puts in the extra study hours to make that happen.

Alex makes no excuses because he has always found his way. He was not born into a soccer-mad family. His dad, Sergiy, was a Soviet Union-born Ukrainian immigrant focused on academics over sports. His dad and mom were cancer biology Ph.D. students when they met, meaningAlex's early strides as a player came from selfdriven determination over coaching from his parents.

That mindset impacts all aspects of Alex's life. He is sitting on a 6+ GPA while taking AP and college classes. He has already attended a pre-med summer program at Columbia University and is taking an investment management/finance program at the same school this summer. In addition to soccer and academic success, Alex is also a classically-trained pianist. His ability to

juggle all these aspects of his life into a successful routine sets Alex apart from the crowd.

His self-driven determination also helped him when he went down with a stress injury in his back at the end of 2021. Instead of gaming, Alex refocused and worked on film study and rehab. That rehab led to more gym work - agility, speed, and strength drillswhich gave Alex the physical tools needed for his big 2022 season.

"If I learned a teammate ran four miles, I would run five. If one of my friends said they worked out two hours, I would work out three hours the next day," Alex wrote in an essay for acceptance into the Columbia pre-med program. This is the kind of doctor I would want to work on me.

That mindset allowed Alex to score 18 goals in a single season. To achieve those 18 goals from the center attacking midfield role makes the accomplishment even more special. Alex also plays as a striker for his ECNL TBU club side. This team has made the national playoffs for two consecutive years, with Alex as one of their top performers. His ability to play a 10 for his school and a 9 for his club says so much about his versatility as a player and his desire to do everything possible to help his teams win.

"He's always challenging himself," recalls his mom. "At an early age, he would set challenges to beat on a daily basis. Sometimes it was waiting for his siblings to

eat half of a cookie before he started eating his half. Sometimes it was running layup drills until dark to develop the jumping ability needed to dunk. If there were ways to put a challenge into something, he would find it.“

That mindset is what will make Alex succeed in life. At this time, Alex sees sports medicine as his future, a profession that will allow him to give back while pushing science simultaneously. He has dealt with enough injuries to understand how skilled professionals can quickly get players back on the pitch, and he wants to be part of that rehab process of helping others.

That is Alex's future. His mindset today is to continue to score goals, to create chances for others, and to push himself and his teammates to be the best soccer players they can be

Written by Steve Wright & Carnell Moore

THE NEXT 5BEST Exercises Athletes for

Part 2

There are many reasons why people exercise. Some are trying to build muscle, lose weight, or compete in bodybuilding. Another major user of the gym is athletes, as working out continues to become an integral part of any sport.

Athletes are always looking for that competitive edge, especially in the off-season. A great way to achieve this is by adopting a workout routine for athletes to get bigger, faster, and stronger.

However, working out can also help athletes reduce the risk of injury. To get better in any sport, you must put in the work outside of practice and games, which is why working out is the perfect activity to take on. Below are some of the best exercises for athletes at any level to try.

1. BURPEE

A burpee is an athletic exercise that requires no equipment, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t difficult. All you need to perform a burpee exercise is space. You can perform a burpee exercise in four steps: standing straight up, then moving down on the ground in pushup position, then moving back up, and finally jumping as high as you can with your arms straight up. This is yet another exercise that gives you the benefit of athletic fitness; plus, it’s an excellent exercise to work into circuit training.

2. DEADLIFTS

Deadlifts are another exercise that can greatly improve an athlete’s explosiveness. This is

because deadlifts build strength in the hips and grow your calves. Deadlifts also require the use of a barbell; however, many recommend that you invest in a platform, so you don’t damage the floor.

3. LUNGES

Lunges are something every athlete should be doing frequently. You can perform this exercise in several different ways, and they are great for stretching and building lower body muscle. When you are doing lunges, you want to get low, but don’t get low enough to the point where your knee is touching the ground.

4. LADDERS

Footwork is another important aspect of sports that athletes are always looking to improve. Using agility ladders can greatly improve footwork as it involves completing many different movements. Ladder drills can also improve an athlete's balance, reduce the risk of injury, develop fast feet, and more. An agility ladder is a must-have to improve athletic fitness and is ideal for any athlete who is looking to take their game to the next level.

5. DOT DRILLS

Besides ladders, dot drills are another great workout routine for athletes if they are looking to improve their agility. All you need are cones or markers of any kind. Then, work on cutting by touching each marker and running at full speed. What some people might not realize is that athletic conditioning needs to involve cutting in addition to regular cardio. It’s incredibly important for athletes to work on cutting so you don’t run the risk of getting an injury by pulling something during a game.

A huge plus about all these workouts is that you can complete all of them at home. All you need to do is invest in the proper equipment. Top Fitness Store has all the Precor home fitness equipment athletes need to become better outside of practice and games.

Your Guide To Financial Goals

Your money might have a to-do list a mile long: pay off debt, save for retirement, build an emergency fund, cover gas and groceries.... And that's before you've even gotten to what you want to do with your cash (think: vacations, dinners out, upgraded computers). With so many jobs to do, it can be hard to tell exactly which should come first. Here's our framework for how to create, prioritize, and then tackle your financial goals.

2. Make a budget

Fidelity Smart Money

Financial goal examples & roadmap

Saving for 1 financial goal by itself may not feel hard. The trouble is you probably never have just 1 goal competing for your money's attention. Here are some of the most important financial goals to put on your radar and how to attack them.

1. Understand your finances

It sounds basic—just getting a grasp on the actual numbers involved in your financial situation. And yet, when was the last time you pored over your paystubs and monthly account statements? You have to know what you have coming in and going out each month before you can optimize reaching bigger financial goals.

To reach your financial goals, you'll have to make sure you're spending less than you make, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to make a budget. A good place to start is with the 50/15/5 framework, where you allocate 50% of your monthly take-home pay to essentials, 15% of your pre-tax income to retirement savings, and 5% of take-home pay to short-term savings or emergency savings. The rest? It's up to you and your financial goals..

3. Maintain minimum insurance coverage

Insurance helps protect you from life's whatifs. Ensuring you have enough coverage should be a high priority as you create your financial roadmap. So, opt into the health, life, and disability plans available to you. These types of insurance are often easier (and cheaper) to get through employers, and while they're a crucial part of any financial plan, they're especially vital if you don't have enough emergency savings to cover the types of catastrophic events they protect against.

5. Fund medical expenses/pre-tax dollars

flexible

spending accounts (FSAs) let you pay for eligible medical expenses with pre-tax dollars, effectively raising the value of your medical dollar by whatever your current income tax rate is. Which of the two accounts you're eligible for depends on your health plan only those with HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) can contribute to HSAs; those in other plans and those who opt out of HSAs can contribute to FSAs. Because these accounts are such valuable tools, you may eventually want to contribute up to their max.

5. Begin building an emergency savings

If you don't have any emergency savings yet, work on this goal next. Like insurance, it's part of the financial safety net you should prioritize building to protect yourself from life's surprises. A helpful first goal is to stash $1,000 or the equivalent of one month of essential expenses.

6. Get your 401(k) match

When you're trying to make ends meet, saving for retirement might not be a top priority. But if you have access to a workplace retirement plan and any sort of employer match don't miss out on an easy way to instantly increase your investment.

7. Pay down credit card debt

With interest rates around 20%, credit card debt is some of the most expensive debt out there. It's roughly 4 times the going rate for federal subsidized student loans.* Make sure you're at least covering your monthly minimum payment but work toward paying more than that every month until you've zeroed out what you owe.

8. Save for something special

Saving for certain goals can seem like eating your financial vegetables. While it's important to plan for retirement, it's also helpful to include moments of more instant

gratification. Maybe you want to go on a big anniversary trip or plan a reunion. Work to find ways to include these fun goals through the various pitstops on your financial goal roadmap to reward yourself.

9. Flesh out your emergency fund

While $1,000 or a month's worth of essential expenses is a great place to start, it may not be enough to completely shield you from an unexpected turn of events, such as a layoff. That's why as soon as you can, you should work to save 3 to 6 months' worth of essential expenses. And don't forget: You should prioritize replenishing your emergency account after you've tapped it.

10. Pay down other high-interest debt

Not all debt is created equal. How you prioritize paying it off often depends on the interest rate. Fidelity recommends targeting paying off debts with interest rates of more than 6% as soon as you can. It may seem counterintuitive not to chip away at all of your debt, but money you'd spend getting ahead on lower-interest-rate debt may be better spent on investments that historically have returned more than 6% each year on average.

Automate your contributions

Nobody wants the headache of having to ferry their cash between their various accounts. Instead, set up automatic contributions from your paycheck or recurring transfers from a main checking account to other goal-based accounts. The less you have to think about, the easier it is to save.

College Football Ranking Preseason Top 25 for 2023

Georgia left no doubt when it clobbered TCU to win the College Football Playoff national title, delivering consecutive CFP championships to enter an exclusive club. The Bulldogs became the first repeat champ since Alabama won it all in 2011 and 2012, back in the BCS era.

Now comes the question: Can Georgia make it three in a row? That hasn't happened since Minnesota (!) won three in a row from 1934 through 1936. It's possible Georgia starts its run for three in a row at the top of the polls. Here are some very early top 25 college football rankings for the 2023 season

1. Georgia

Yes, Georgia loses Heisman finalist Stetson Bennett. But coach Kirby Smart and his program will likely simply reload and remain SEC and national contenders, with Carson Beck perhaps taking over. No matter who wins the starting quarterback job Beck, Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton the Bulldogs will be strong at

running back and have TE Brock Bowers and strong WRs. LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson (9 TFL, 4 sacks) should be among the leaders of another strong UGA defense.

2. Michigan

Two disappointing endings in a row in the CFP semifinals, yes, but there's no doubting that the Wolverines have flipped the script against Ohio State the last two years. Michigan will be looking at a third consecutive conference title in 2023, only this time it will hope to take that next step and advance to the CFP title game. QB J.J. McCarthy and RBs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards will star on offense, while DB Will Johnson (3 INTs) will be an All-America threat as a sophomore. This ranking does depend on the return of coach Jim Harbaugh.

3. Ohio State

Ryan Day is 45-6 but back-to-back losses to Michigan and a loss to Georgia in the CFP

A rout of K-State in the Sugar Bowl sent out Bryce Young and others on a high note, but any Nick Saban season that doesn't end with an SEC or national title will feel slightly disappointing. Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson will probably battle it out for the starting QB job. There are a lot of questions throughout here, but Alabama is still Alabama.

The Trojans were one win away from the CFP, but they ended the season falling to Utah in the Pac-12 title game and then Tulane in the Cotton Bowl. USC must show progress on defense to be taken even more seriously as a true national championship contender. The good great news, however, is that Lincoln Riley has the return of Heisman-winning QB Caleb Williams (4,537 passing yards, 382 rushing yards, 52 total TDs).

Sean Clifford's lengthy career ended with a dynamite performance in the Rose Bowl, which means highly touted recruit Drew Allar's time is here. Expect dynamic running backs Nick Singleton (1,061 yards) and Kaytron Allen (867 yards) to take the next steps as sophomores. DC Manny Diaz will keep the defense among the best.

Michael Penix Jr.'s return slots Washington as a clear Pac-12 title contender and a candidate to break the conference's CFP drought. He'll go into 2023 as a Heisman hopeful after his 4,641 passing yards. Could the Huskies take the next step USC almost did have a Heisman winner at quarterback in the CFP?

Brian Kelly's first season included beating Alabama and picking up a dominating bowl win along with disappointing blowout defeats to Tennessee and Georgia. The Tigers have star power on both sides of the ball, with QB Jayden Daniels (2,913 passing yards, 885 rushing yards, 28 total TDs) and LB Harold Perkins Jr. (72 total tackles, 7.5 sacks). LSU also opens up with Florida State again a major chance for both schools to get off on the right foot (Florida State won it in 2022).

As brutal as the loss to Georgia was for the CFP title, don't let that sour the incredible run Sonny Dykes had in his first season. TCU picked up a lot of close wins behind star QB Max Duggan and others to go from unranked to No. 2. More top talent may be gone to the NFL, but Dykes will continue to look into the transfer portal. This might be too low, if anything.

After going 3-6 in the COVID year and then 5-7 in 2021, the Seminoles broke out in Mike Norvell's third season a bit, winning their last six games to reach double-digit wins. As is the case for many teams here, optimism starts at quarterback thanks to Jordan Travis (3,214 passing yards and 31 total TDs) and all his weapons. FSU gets another date with LSU before important road trips to rivals Clemson and later Florida. Those 3 games will be the difference.

The Utes are the two-time defending Pac-12 champions but are going to again be underappreciated compared to the likes of USC and others in their conference. Coach Kyle Whittingham and his group are used to that and will again compete for conference honors. QB Cam Rising will be back after unfortunate injuries knocked him out of the last two Rose Bowls.

Hendon Hooker is gone, but the Volunteers and

5. Penn State

6. LSU

7. Florida State

8. USC

9. Washington

10. TCU

11. Utah

12. Tennessee

and their fans hope Joe Milton's performance in the Orange Bowl (251 passing yards, 3 TDs) is a sign of another Heisman contender at quarterback. Josh Heupel and his staff continue to recruit well. If the defense takes a step forward, Tennessee will challenge Georgia for the SEC East championship.

13. Notre Dame

The Irish recovered from an 0-2 start to hand Clemson its first defeat, climb to the top 15 for a bit and then beat red-hot South Carolina in the bowl game. Some 2023 optimism in Marcus Freeman's second year is due to QB Sam Hartman transferring from Wake Forest. Hartman passed for 76 total touchdowns the last two seasons. Key games include USC, Clemson and Ohio State.

The Beavers broke out in Jonathan Smith's fifth season, winning 10 games for only the third time ever. Oregon State brings back almost all its offensive line and will be one of the Pac-12 favorites in 2023. QB Ben Gulbranson will be back, but Oregon State also brings in Clemson transfer DJ Uiagalelei.

17. Texas

The Longhorns had their moments pushing then-No. 1 Alabama, toppling Kansas State on the road but they'll be expecting more in Steve Sarkisian's third season. RB Bijan Robinson is gone, but QB Quinn Ewers is back...as is the highly touted Arch Manning. Texas has had quite a lot of close defeats lately, so it'll have to switch those around to get back to the elite.

18. Tulane

The Green Wave will be one of the top AAC and thus Group of Five contenders next season. Running back Tyjae Spears (205 yards against USC in the Cotton Bowl) declared for the NFL Draft, though QB Michael Pratt (3,010 passing yards, 478 rushing yards and 37 total TDs) will be back.

19. Texas Tech

Clemson got back to being ACC champs again but a late-season loss to rival South Carolina ended any CFP dreams. Cade Klubnik is the guy at quarterback, though RB Will Shipley is going to be rather busy in 2023. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will star on defense.

The Red Raiders surged late in Joey McGuire's first season, winning their last four. Texas Tech also beat both Texas and Oklahoma. QB Tyler Shough will be back and will lead the Red Raiders against his former team, Oregon, in the second week of the season. That will go a long way into just how much Texas Tech can climb in 2023.

Dan Lanning and his Ducks regrouped from a humbling loss to Georgia to begin the season by winning 10 games. Oregon could swing much higher or drop notably depending on how the new offensive line works with returning QB Bo Nix.

14. Clemson

15. Oregon

16. Oregon State

20. Kansas State

The Wildcats upset TCU to win the Big 12 title, so even though Deuce Vaughn (1,558 rushing yards, 9 TDs) is off to the NFL, doubt Chris Klieman at your own risk. Should Will Howard be back at quarterback, K-State will score enough to challenge for another conference crown. The defense should also be typically tough.

21. Iowa

If the Hawkeyes' offense improves but only a little, they'll make a run for the Big Ten West crown. After all, Iowa averaged only 18.15 points and 251.6 yards per game last year — and still won eight games. Michigan transfer Cade McNamara could take over. On defense, they lose star Jack Campbell, but DB Cooper DeJean (5 interceptions) is back.

22. North Carolina

The Tar Heels started outside the top 25 but got into the top 15 of the CFP before losing their final four games. However, UNC could break out in 2023 with the return of QB Drake Maye (4,321 passing yards, 45 total TDs). The offense should score A TON of points, so any progress will depend on defensive improvement. As usual.

23. Wisconsin

The Badgers brought in Cincinnati's Luke Fickell

to take over the program after he went 57-18 with the Bearcats. It's Wisconsin, so the defense should again be strong in what figures to be another open Big Ten West race. Former UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo will be the Badgers' new OC — a return to double-digit win seasons will depend on the offense.

24. Ole Miss

The Rebels got to No. 7 before losing five of its last six. Running back Quinshon Judkins and a good offensive line will work with QB Jaxson Dart, but the defense will have to improve. It also doesn't help to be in the same division as Alabama and rising LSU.

25. UTSA

The Roadrunners went undefeated in C-USA play and were a bowl win against Troy away from remaining in the top 25 to end this past season. QB Frank Harris is back after throwing for more than 4,000 yards and has a lot of talent around him like WR Zakhari Franklin (1,136 yards) and RB Kevorion Barnes (845 yards as a freshman). This will be UTSA's first season in the AAC.

Written by Wayne Staats - a senior interactive producer for NCAA.com. His work has also appeared in the Augusta Chronicle, augusta.com and Land of 10. He is a graduate of Penn State University.