SEAHAWKS-PANTHERS-TRADE
Panthers acquire Seahawks WR Norwood for 2017 draft pick
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β The Carolina Panthers have acquired wide receiver Kevin Norwood in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for an undisclosed 2017 draft choice.
Carolina has been searching for answers at wide receiver ever since Kelvin Benjamin went down with a season-ending injury.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Norwood was a fourth-round draft choice by the Seahawks in 2014. He played nine games with two starts as a rookie, catching nine passes for 102 yards.
Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said in a press release Monday that Norwood “has the size you look for along with toughness and smarts.”
Gettleman said the Panthers had studied Norwood leading up to last year’s draft.
SUN BELT-COASTAL CAROLINA
AP Source: Coastal Carolina to join Sun Belt, move up to FBS
UNDATED (AP) – A person directly involved in the decision tells The Associated Press that Coastal Carolina will become the 12th member of the Sun Belt conference next year and transition to the top tier of college football.
The person spoke Monday night on condition of anonymity because the conference and school were not prepared to make an official announcement. A news conference is planned for Tuesday on Coastal Carolina’s campus in Conway, South Carolina, near Myrtle Beach.
Coastal Carolina will become a full Sun Belt member in all sports but football next year. The Chanticleers’ football team competes in FCS. NCAA rules require a one-year transition period for schools moving up to FBS. Coastal Carolina will need to expand its stadium to meet FBS requirements and join the Sun Belt in 2017.
EAST CAROLINA-QUARTERBACK
ECU to start Blake Kemp at QB after injury to Benkert
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) β Blake Kemp will start the season at quarterback for East Carolina.
Coach Ruffin McNeill announced Kemp as the starter Monday.
Kemp is a junior college transfer who redshirted last season behind record-setting QB Shane Carden.
Kurt Benkert had been designated the starter before suffering a season-ending right knee injury last week. Kemp had been his top backup and McNeill says “he’s next in line.”
McNeill says another reserve, junior Cody Keith, returned to practice last week after missing two weeks of drills with a foot injury.
The Pirates begin their second season in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday night against Towson of the FBS.
MARLINS-BRAVES
Miller’s hard-luck streak reaches 19 starts without a win
ATLANTA (AP) β Martin Prado and Justin Bour each had an RBI double in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins extended Shelby Miller’s winless streak to 19 starts with a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.
Miller, an All-Star with a sparkling 2.56 ERA, began the night with the worst support in the majors, and the Braves, losers in six straight and 13 of 14, stayed true to form.
Beginning the night with the worst average (.227) in the NL with runners in scoring position since the All-Star break, Atlanta has scored two runs or less in 20 of Miller’s 27 starts.
Miller (5-12) gave up six hits and struck out seven in seven innings.
After getting blown out by an aggregate 38-11 score in a three-game series sweep by the New York Yankees, the Braves’ offense was no match for journeyman Chris Narveson (2-1), a journeyman making his second start since 2012.
GEORGIA-INDOOR FACILITY
Georgia finalizing plans for new indoor practice facility
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) β The Georgia athletic board has approved a $30 million football indoor practice facility.
Monday’s action sends the proposal to the University System Board of Regents for final approval. Construction is expected to begin after the 2015 season.
The facility will be 140 yards long, 80 yards wide and 76 feet high, adding nearly 109,000 square feet to facilities at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall. It will be built on part of the current outdoor practice fields, allowing it to be connected to the weight room and other training areas.
The lack of an indoor facility was viewed as a recruiting disadvantage against other Southeastern Conference schools. The Bulldogs had to bus an hour away to the facility owned by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons when they needed to practice in inclement weather.
