Being only two games out of the final wild card spot will probably prevent the Tribe from dumping payroll. But it probably won't be enough to inspire a significant trade that adds money to the budget.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Tribe notebook:

1. You'll hear all the debate about the Tribe being "buyers" or "sellers" as the trading deadline looms at the end of July. Will they dump some of their better players or prospects, or actually add significant payroll? The answer to both questions is probably -- NO! They probably will not make any major moves.

2. It would be a shock if they added any high-priced talent. One of their concerns is that they have Nick Swisher becoming a full-time DH with 2 1/2 years at $15 million annually left on his contract. Michael Bourn is battling a bad hamstring, and he has 2 1/2 years and $14 million annually remaining. Neither has any trade value.

3. Swisher (.209, 8 HR, 40 RBI) has finally started to hit, belting three homers with 15 RBI in July. His June batting average was .122 (6-of-52). This month, it's .274 (.765 OPS). Part of the reason the Tribe has an 11-5 record in July is Swisher producing.

4. Swisher spent some time on the disabled list in June with "knee hypertension." Perhaps the grumpy knees (yes, both bothered him) is why he went from a decent first baseman to horrible. Or else, he simply wasn't paying attention. Either way, his defense was deplorable. And he didn't hit. At least he is producing now as a DH.

5. And helping the Tribe defense is that Carlos Santana has played a very commendable first base -- now that it is becoming his regular position. Swisher had nine errors in 52 games, most in the American League. Santana hasn't made an error at first this season.

David Murphy is batting only .203 since June 1. AP 

6. As for Bourn, he went on the disabled list on July 6. It's the second time with a bad hamstring, and he probably will be out for a month. He also had surgery on the same hamstring at the end of last season. He's batting .267 (.695 OPS) with three homers and 21 RBI. Not great, but his absence highlights how Ryan Raburn (.199, 2 HR, 18 RBI) is really hurting them. The Tribe was counting on Raburn to be a valuable extra outfielder.

7. The combination of Bourn being hurt and Raburn's slump means David Murphy is playing too much. He's batting .203 since June 1. The plan was to platoon Raburn and the lefty Murphy in right field. That hasn't worked out.

8. Justin Masterson gave up two earned runs in five innings in a rehab start at Class AAA Columbus Sunday night. He struck out six, gave up five hits. Masterson said his knee felt "pretty good," in an interview with the Columbus Dispatch. He has been bothered by some inflammation.

9. Obviously, the Tribe needs Masterson (4-6, 5.51) to at least be a legitimate Major League starter down the stretch. It's doubtful they will trade him, or receive much in return if they try to find a buyer. He makes $9.7 million this season and will be a free agent when it's over.

10. A year ago, the Indians were 51-44 at the All-Star break, only 1 1/2 games behind Detroit in the Central Division. It never felt that close. But the Tigers had yet to bare their teeth and really growl. As for the Tribe, they were preparing to be one of baseball's best team's after the All-Star break.

11. And a year ago, the Indians were 41-26 after the All-Star break ... and 21-6 in September ... to finish 92-70 and make the playoffs as a wild card team. Hard to imagine that happening again.

12. This season, the Tribe was  47-47 at the All-Star break, 7 1/2 games behind the Tigers. Winning 3-of-4 in Detroit cut the Tiger lead in the Central Division to 5 1/2 games.

13. So will the Tribe dump players? Probably not. Entering Monday's game at Minnesota, the Tribe was two games out of a wild card spot. The Angels (59-38) seemed to have the top position to themselves. Next is Seattle (52-46). Then come the Yankees, Tribe and Toronto -- all within two games of Seattle. The chance of making the playoffs in any fashion will probably prevent a major sell off, but it's not likely to inspire any serious spending.

Mike Aviles came in from center field to replace Asdrubal Cabrera at short. Chris Dickerson replaced Aviles in center.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Indians' shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera left Monday night's game in the second inning with lower back spasms.

Chris Dickerson pinch hit for Cabrera in the third and delivered an RBI single. Dickerson moved to center fielder and Mike Aviles moved from center to short.

Cabrera appeared to injure himself fielding a grounder by Chris Parmalee for the second out in the second inning.

The Tribe's shortstop, a free agent at the end of the season, has been the subject of trade rumors. The July 31^st trade deadline is approaching. A rumor over the weekend said the Giants were interested in Cabrera and Aviles.

Cabrera entered the game hitting .247 (90-for-364) with nine homers and 39 RBI.

American League Player of the Week is making constant adjustments to try and swing his way around right oblque injury suffered in April.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Jason Kipnis was named American League Player of the Week on Monday for the damage he did to Detroit over the weekend, but of more concern to the Indians' second baseman are the daily adjustments in his swing that he has to make because of his right oblique muscle.

Kipnis spent a month on the disabled list after straining the oblique at the end of April. He's healthy enough to play, but so far it hasn't been at the All-Star level of 2013.

When asked the Detroit series, in which he went 5-for15 with two homers and six RBI, was a sign of progress, Kipnis said, "I wouldn't use the word progress, I'd use the word adjustment. As far as the oblique goes, it's going to be there all year. It's not going to go away until the offseason.

"What I can do is find a swing that works for me. I thought we may have found something coming out of Detroit. It was a step in the right direction and we're going to keep making adjustments day to day and pitch to pitch and see how it goes."

Kipnis came into Monday's game against the Twins hitting .259 (72-for-273) with 14 doubles, five homers and 30 RBI.

"No, I didn't come back too fast," he said. "It's just one of those things that's going to be there.

"The trainers here are fantastic. They've done a great job. They wouldn't let me play until they thought I was ready to. It's just one of those (injuries) where even if it's not painful, it's still limiting. It's still going to be there and not allow you to be full go or full anything."

So as Kipnis said, he has to adjust and adjust some more.

Testing, testing: Center fielder Michael Bourn, who has been on the disabled list since July 6 with a strained left hamstring, joined the Indians at Target Field on Monday.

He ran on the field, swung the bat and did some throwing, but he's still not close to being activated.

"I came to see the head man (James Quinlan, head athletic trainer) to see how I'm doing," said Bourn. "I'm going to continue my rehab and go to Kansas City with the team.

"I jogged a little bit on the field (Monday). I'll probably do that again on Wednesday. I feel much better.

"Hopefully, I can get it right this time to where I don't have to take breaks."

Bourn underwent surgery on the hamstring at the end of last season. He opened the season on the DL after injuring the same hamstring running the bases in spring training.

The RubberDucks get only five hits against the Flying Squirrels.

Akron's losing streak grew to five games as RubberDucks batters managed only five hits in a 2-0 loss to the Richmond Flying Squirrels in a Class AA Eastern League game at Canal Park.

It was first game of a three-game series against the Squirrels, who increased their lead in the Western Division to 4.5 games.

The RubberDucks had runners on first and third with one out in the first inning against Squirrels starter Jack Snodgrass (9-3, 2.99 ERA). However, the scoring threat evaporated when first baseman Bryan LaHair grounded into a double play.

Squirrels catcher Myles Schroder was the only offense Richmond needed. Schroder gave the Squirrels a 1-0 lead in the second inning with an RBI single, then drove in another run in the sixth inning with a triple. Schroder finished 3-for-4 with two RBI.

RubberDucks outfielder Jordan Smith was 3-for-4 with a double. LaHair and outfielder Anthony Gallas each had one hit for Akron.

Akron starter Joseph Colon (8-5, 2.50) pitched five innings, giving up one run on four hits and striking out six. Snodgrass gave up four hits in seven innings, striking out five.

The series against Richmond continues Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. at Canal Park.

Notes: The RubberDucks attracted 21,864 fans to Canal Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during their series against Erie. They're third in the league in attendance. ... Akron has the fewest errors in the Eastern League (66).

The Indians are 21-30 on the road.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians played the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game series Monday. Here is a capsule look from The Plain Dealer reporter Dennis Manoloff:

Game: 99.

Opponent: Twins.

Location: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.

Time of day: Night.

Time elapsed: 3 hours, 1 minute.

Attendance: 25,109.

Result: Twins 4, Indians 3.

Records: Twins 45-53, Indians 50-49.

Scoreboard watch: The Indians fell to 6.5 games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Tigers (55-41) defeated the Diamondbacks, 4-3, in Arizona. 

GPS required: The Tribe is 21-30 on the road.

Division damage: The Twins are 18-14 against AL Central opponents, including 4-4 against Cleveland.

Bottom line, up front: Some losses are less excusable than others.

The Indians' offense -- no matter who is or is not in the lineup -- cannot allow Kris Johnson to hold it to two runs in five innings. But that is what happened.

Reliever Bryan Shaw gave up a go-ahead homer to Josh Willingham in the eighth inning, but the Indians lost primarily because their offense sputtered against Johnson, a 29-year-old lefty who had six major-league appearances on his resume. Johnson entered at 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts this season.

Oh, by the way: The Twins are supposed to be inferior competition and were coming off a three-game sweep by the Tampa Bay Rays at Target Field. The Indians arrived  having won three of four against the Tigers in Detroit.

So much for that.

Off-target: The Indians played at Target Field for the first time since their wild-card-securing victory Sept. 29, 2013. They had won six in a row and seven of eight at the ballpark.

Three and out: The Indians slipped to 9-36 when scoring three or fewer runs. Records are expected to be bad when scoring so few; the volume is much more telling/alarming. American League teams with playoff aspirations typically don't achieve the goal when scoring three or fewer in 45 percent of their games.

Not much doing: Johnson is a lefty who doesn't throw all that hard, which means he figured to give the Indians problems. He allowed five hits, walked three and struck out four.

The Indians missed, or did not square, hittable pitches against him throughout. They undoubtedly would admit it -- at least privately, lest they sound like sore losers who are disrespecting Johnson.

Too easy: Johnson struck out the side in the first -- all swinging. He got Jason Kipnis (93-mph fastball), Asdrubal Cabrera (85 slider away) and Yan Gomes (86 slider down and in).

That can't happen.

Testing, testing: The Indians fielded a patchwork -- and seemingly severely defensively challenged -- outfield of Ryan Raburn in left field, Mike Aviles in center and Nick Swisher in right. The ball found two of them in the Minnesota first, each result positive for the Tribe.

With one out, Brian Dozier flied to deep left, where Raburn tap-danced but found a way to make the catch at the track. Trevor Plouffe followed with a liner to center, where Aviles overcame a late break to make an over-the-head catch on the run near the track.

Done in a blink: The Indians put runners on first and second with one out in the second. Roberto Perez hit a first-pitch roller to shortstop Eduardo Escobar, who stepped on second and threw to first for the double play.

No House party: Tribe lefty T.J. House allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out two. House's line, while not good, was better than how he pitched. His stuff didn't have much on it, and he missed his spots too often.

The Twins took an up-the-middle/opposite-field approach against House (Memo to the Indians: It might help against soft-tossing lefties.)

In the second inning, righty Kendrys Morales led off with a single up the middle and righty Willingham singled to right. Both hits came after House had gotten ahead in the count, 1-2. Righty Kurt Suzuki hit a two-run double to right-center to give the Twins a 2-0 lead.

In the third, righty Danny Santana led off with a double into the right-field corner.

After Brian Dozier grounded out, righty Plouffe stepped in. As SportsTime Ohio  analyst Rick Manning spoke of how House needed to pitch inside, House tried to go inside on Plouffe. But a 91-mph fastball didn't get in far enough, and Plouffe ripped it to left-center for an RBI double and 3-1 lead.

Replay to the rescue: For a couple of minutes, Chris Colabello gave the Twins a 4-0 lead with a two-run homer in the second. Colabello, swinging at a first-pitch fastball away, hit a ball that first-base umpire D.J. Reyburn thought struck the right-field pole.

Swisher, House and other Indians disagreed with Reyburn. Tribe manager Terry Francona asked the umpires for a review, and they obliged; MLB command center ruled it foul. House struck out Colabello and retired the next two.

Full-service part-timers: Chris Dickerson and Michael Brantley came off the bench to play significant roles for the Indians.

Dickerson pinch-hit for shortstop Cabrera (back spasms) with two outs and Aviles on third in the third. Dickerson singled to cut the Tribe's deficit to 2-1.

Dickerson played center field in the bottom of the inning. Aviles moved to short.

In the fifth, Dickerson drew a two-out walk and scored on Gomes' double into the left-field corner to cut the Tribe's deficit to 3-2. Credit third-base coach Mike Sarbaugh, in the midst of a terrific season, for being aggressive and forcing Minnesota to be good with two throws. It never got to two because left fielder Willingham missed the cutoff man.

Brantley, who had been getting a scheduled day off, pinch-hit for Raburn with one out in the eighth against righty Casey Fien. Brantley doubled and scored on Perez's two-out single to tie the score, 3-3.

Brantley is 7-for-13 with two doubles as a pinch-hitter in his career.

If Asdrubal Cabrera goes on the disabled list after Monday's back injury, how soon would it take the Indians to call up Francisco Lindor?

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Indians said the move was planned before Asdrubal Cabrera's back made him feel like 68 instead of 28. There's no reason to think otherwise, but the timing was as subtle as a brick to the head.

Soon after Cabrera left Monday's 4-3 loss to the Twins with lower back spasms in the second inning, the Indians announced that Francisco Lindor, their prospect of prospects and shortstop in waiting, was promoted from Class AA Akron to Class AAA Columbus. Erik Gonzalez, another talented shortstop in the system, moved from Class A Carolina to Akron to take Lindor's spot.

Here's what this could mean:

Even if Cabrera goes on the disabled list in the next couple of days, it's doubtful Lindor would immediately join the big league club. The severity of Cabrera's injury is not known but when manager Terry Francona describes an injured player by saying, "a lot will be determined by how he wakes up in the morning,' it often means the DL is not faraway.

Mike Aviles was Boston's everyday shortstop in 2012. Justin Sellers, with a ton of experience at shortstop in the minors, is a phone call away in Columbus. So the Indians can let Lindor settle at Triple-A and see how he handles the next rung of competition on the ladder to the big leagues.

For the Indians and Cabrera the timing couldn't be worse.

He certainly has hit critics, but Cabrera has been a solid player for the Indians since he made his big league debut in 2007. If he's injured, it hurts the Indians' ability to stay in the AL Central race.

Should they fall out of the race, and Cabrera's injury lingers, it hurts their ability to trade him and his market value. Cabrera is a free agent at the end of this season and the Indians have shown little interest in keeping him.

I have to admit that when I heard Cabrera was being taken out of the game Monday, the thought occurred to me that he'd been traded. I watched the play that he was injured on, fielding Chris Parmalee's grounder and throwing him out at first, but I didn't see him wince.

It's happened before. The Indians took Austin Kearns out of a game on July 30, 2010 when they were in Toronto and traded him to the Yankees for a player to be named. The player turned out to be Zach McAllister.

The next day, with Jake Westbrook scheduled to start, they took him out of the rotation and sent him to St. Louis in a three-team deal with San Diego. The Indians received Corey Kluber in that deal.

Maybe we have to get closer to the July 31^st deadline for that kind of drama, but it's approaching.

One more question, if the Indians are still in the race in August and September, do you trust Lindor enough to call him up and start him at the most important defensive position on the field?

In 2007, the last time the Indians made a serious push into the postseason, Cabrera played 96 games at Akron and hit .310. The Indians promoted him to Class AAA Buffalo where he spent all of nine games before joining the Indians.

Cabrera, 21 at the time, didn't play shortstop because Jhonny Peralta was there. So he took over at second base, hitting .283 (45-for-159) with 30 runs and 22 RBI in 45 games for a team that went to Game 7 of the ALCS.

Lindor, 20, hit .278 (95-for-342) with 12 doubles, four triples, five homers and 48 RBI in 88 games at Akron. Could he do what Cabrera did in 2007?

It would be fun to find out.

Hudson's Mitch Guadagni plays the part of coach, quarterback and role model at Explorer's youth football camp.

HUDSON, Ohio — Mitch Guadagni surveyed the defense before setting the play into motion. He took one step back, cocked the ball behind his right ear and sent it 35 yards through the air with a flick of his wrist to a waiting receiver in the end zone.

Touchdowns came easy for Guadagni on this day, the third of Hudson football’s four-day youth camp. Guadagni, the Explorers senior quarterback, was coaching and playing QB for the Lions, a team comprised of seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders.

The third-year starter is expected to be a leader. He already is one on the field, accounting for more than 5,000 yards of total offense and leading the Explorers to 19 wins the past two seasons.

Off the field, Guadagni prefers to give back through football as well.

“I remember when I was sitting where they are, looking up to the high school players,” he said.

Every day in July, check out a profile featuring one of the many standout football players in Northeast Ohio as part of the 31 in 31 series.

During the camp, it’s nearly impossible for Guadagni to get a moment alone. When he’s playing, there’s a crowd of aspiring young football players watching his every move.

When he has a break, he walks around the turf behind Hudson Middle School with a throng of kids following him around like ducklings following their mother.

Some of the youngsters ask football questions, like how many touchdowns he threw to receiver Colton Whited last season. Most just want Guadagni to follow them back on Instagram.

Whatever their reasons for following Guadagni around, it’s clear the campers look up to him, just as he used to look up to the high school players when he was younger.

“It’s cool knowing they know who I am,” Guadagni said. “I get to talk to them about football and everything. They’re really fun kids. They get to play football and get to learn a little bit.”

Guadagni was born in Michigan and moved to Hudson when he was 2 years old. His father, Mark, played college football for Michigan in the late 1970s. Mitch is verbally committed to Toledo, and said he is now a Rockets fan, but he was raised a Wolverines fan and still has a rooting interest in the program, especially when it plays Ohio State at the end of each season.

That sometimes rubs his friends who are avid Buckeyes fans the wrong way, but Gaudagni has always liked being a little different.

One of the ways he shows that is through the way he dresses. On this day, Guadagni is sporting bright yellow Michigan shorts, high Nike socks that range in color from purple at the top, to teal, black and then orange at the bottom. His Nike sneakers are an almost neon yellow with bright orange soles.

Loud would be an understatement when describing the color palette he has on today.

His fashion sense often rubs Hudson coach Ron Wright the wrong way. But Wright, who will be the first to admit he may not be the most fashion-forward person, is fine with the style as long as his quarterback keeps winning football games.

That’s what Guadagni did through Day 3 of the youth camp. His Lions stood at 7-0-1 in pool play, the lone blemish being a tie against the Packers. The goal was nothing less than a championship for Guadagni, who also hopes to lead a talented Explorers team to a state championship this season.

In the meantime, he’s going to have fun.

That means celebrating the big plays his young teammates make during youth camp, and making sure they don’t get down on themselves when things don’t go their way. It’s the same mindset he brings to quarterbacking the varsity team.

“I think the biggest thing is staying positive about everything,” Guadagni said. “If they drop the ball, it’s not a big deal. You just have to stay positive and get it back the next play.”

His personality is part of the reason why the young kids look up to Guadagni. Throughout the camp, he’s flanked by Mack Daberko, a 10 year old with curly blonde hair and braces, who has been given the title of Guadagni’s offensive coordinator.

After each throw, Guadagni goes back to the line to search out Mack, who runs over with a wide grin and thumbs through the blue binder of simple plays, finding the next one for the Lions to run.

Guadagni executes each play Mack picks with precision, as you might expect a high school senior to do against young defenders, some five or six years his junior.

With each completion, his standing among the campers grows, his reputation sometimes bordering on the superhuman.

“There’s not a better quarterback,” 10-year-old Brock Bivens said. “Even if he’s down by 100, he’ll do his best to bring the team back.”

Guadagni is confident, though maybe not as confident as the youngsters who expect him to perform Herculean tasks on the football field. He knows he is surrounded by good people who will make sure he and the Hudson football program will head in the right direction.

He always has confidence in his teammates, whether they’re his classmates at Hudson, or the seventh- eighth and ninth-graders he’s playing with on the turf field behind Hudson Middle School.

Day 3 of the youth camp ends with Guadagni’s Lions picking up another win, this one against the 49ers. Day 4 features playoffs in the morning, and the Super Bowl for each age group in the afternoon.

“I think we’ll get it,” Guadagni said with a smile.

With him at quarterback, any team would have a chance.

More about Guadagni:

Height: 6-foot-2.

Weight: 190 pounds.

Position: Quarterback.

Grade: Senior.

2013 stats: Completed 148 of 253 pass attempts for 2,029 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Rushed 147 times for 913 yards and seven touchdowns.

College commitment: Toledo.

Awards/honors: Second-Team Division I All-Ohio in 2013; First-Team Division I Northeast Inland All-District in 2013; First-Team Northeast Ohio Conference in 2012 and 2013.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Vough was third at heavyweight in Division I last season as a freshman for the Pioneers.

FARGO, N.D. - Elyria wrestler Kevin Vough has added another accomplishment to his impressive offseason resume. 

The incoming sophomore took the 285-pound Cadet Greco-Roman title Monday at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet National Championships.

Vough won a 8-1 decision against Osawaru Odighizuwa of Oregon in the final. He won two matches by pin and another by technical fall to reach the title bout.

In April, Vough won the FLO Nationals tournament. In May, he was runner-up in freestyle and fourth in Greco-Roman at the ASICS University and FILA Cadet National Wrestling Championships at the University of Akron.

Vough finished third at heavyweight in the Division I state wrestling tournament in March. 

Freestyle competition runs Wednesday through Friday at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D. To follow results of the event, visit trackwrestling.com.

Contact high school sports reporter Scott Patsko by email (spatsko@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@ScottPatsko). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

The Browns' diminished passing-catching corps is their most troubled position.

BEREA, Ohio -- This is the second in a seven-part look at the Browns' roster position by position. The receivers and tight ends are the subject of today's report.

Overview

In April there were a segment of Browns fans and media members that wanted to see the club draft Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins. It would have given the organization a dynamic trio of pass catchers led by All Pro receiver Josh Gordon and Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron. Instead, the Browns traded down on draft night, allowing Buffalo to select Watkins at No. 4 in exchange for the No. 9 pick and the Bills' 2015 first-round choice.

Stunned Browns fans learned a day later that Gordon could be lost for the season for reportedly failing another drug test. Still, the Browns opted not to take a receiver in the remaining rounds. General manager Ray Farmer defended his decision by pointing out recent Super Bowl winners lacked "mega-receivers." A fair point, but it won't stop many Browns fans from feeling uneasy about their group of wideouts that includes Nate Burleson and Miles Austin, players released from other rosters in the spring.

The club still has Cameron and it upgraded in the slot by signing Andrew Hawkins. But neither Brian Hoyer nor Johnny Manziel likely will have a game breaker to target. The Browns enter camp, at least on paper, with one of the NFL's most pedestrian receiving groups.

Projected starters

WR: Nate Burleson (6-0, 198)

WR: Miles Austin (6-2, 215)

Slot: Andrew Hawkins (5-7, 180)

Tight end: Jordan Cameron (6-5, 249)

Reserves

WRs -- Travis Benjamin, Charles Johnson, Anthony Armstrong, Taylor Gabriel, Chandler Jones, Jonathan Krause, Kenny Shaw, Willie Snead, Conner Vernon, Josh Gordon (likely to be suspended); TEs – Gary Barnidge, Jim Dray, MarQueis Gray, James Oboh.

View full sizeFootball Outsiders, an NFL analytics site, gave Browns tight end Jordan Cameron solid marks for his breakout 2013 season. Football Outsiders graphics 

Player to watch

Jordan Cameron – What a year to heading into free agency. The hybrid tight end could lead the Browns in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns catches if he can stay healthy. But defenses will key on the lanky USC product and he could find open spaces harder to find without Gordon stretching the field. Cameron dealt with injuries in his first two seasons before his breakout year of 2013. The Browns can ill afford to lose him this season.

Regaining form

Miles Austin -- The former Dallas Cowboy standout reached earned Pro Bowl bids in 2009-10. But hamstring problems in 2011 and 2013 cost him a total of 11 games. He managed just 24 catches for 244 yards a year ago. If he can remain healthy, Austin could be a valuable signing. That remains a major question, however.

Under pressure

Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine – The general manager and coach knew before the draft Gordon was likely lost for the season and decided against selecting a wideout with the Nos. 8, 22 and 35 picks. You can argue nobody in the field would have replaced Gordon, but if the Browns' passing game struggles and Watkins excels, those decisions will be widely questioned.      

Emerging talents

The Browns will look to upgrade the position as teams release receivers through training camp. There's also time to trade for one, although that seems unlikely. The club must hope someone on the depth chart emerges to push the veterans. The most intriguing prospect is Charles Johnson, who at 6-2, 215 certainly looks the part. But the small-school product has been dogged by knee injuries, including an ACL tear, since turning pro. The Browns should finally get a good look at him in training camp.

On Deck

Wednesday – Quarterbacks and running backs

Thursday – Defensive line

Friday – Linebackers

Saturday – Secondary

Sunday – Specialists

Previously

Monday – Offensive line

Kent State has the overall experience and a proven defense, but needs to find some consistent playmakers to help make the 2014 football season a winner.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kent State football reached a high-water mark in 2012 when the Golden Flashes won the Mid-American Conference East Division title and played in a post-season bowl game for the first time since 1972.  But without consistent big-play ability, or the ability to consistently create turnovers, the Golden Flashes staggered to a losing season in 2013. Now, with MAC football meetings set for Detroit on Wednesday, Kent hopes to regain its footing.

Bowling Green's Gabe Martin catches Kent State quarterback Colin Reardon (10) from behind last season.Akron Beacon Journal photo

Quarterback -- Sophomore Colin Reardon began his career in solid fashion, but nagging injuries and mounting pressure to reverse a losing skid led to some poor decisions down the stretch.

Now a year wiser, with 1,957 yards and 19 touchdowns worth of experience, the 5-11, 210-pound veteran should be viewed as a solid, stable, MAC quarterback who will not get his team beat. Behind him is freshman gunslinger Nathan Strock, who has no experience, but is known around KSU for his lightning arm.

Tailback -- The incumbent is senior Trayion Durham, but coming off a sub-par (766 yards rushing) junior season, plus off-season foot surgery that had to be revisited, does not inspire visions of a quick return to 2013 when Durham rushed for more than 1,000 yards. And while head coach Paul Haynes has not mentioned it, the thought of a redshirt season could come into play if Durham is not at full speed at the end of preseason camp.

An injury to tailback Dri Archer last season may well have impacted his NFL draft stock, before being picked in the third round by Pittsburgh. While the 6-1, 245-pound Durham has the requisite NFL size, a sub-par senior season coming off foot surgery will do more harm than good for him and KSU. Behind Durham, there is little explosiveness -- with proven bulk, speed or elusiveness -- unless a freshman quickly emerges.

Receiver -- While there is some experience in this group, particularly a deep tight end position, there are no proven game-breakers in the ranks. Senior Chris Humphrey leads the group, but 51 receptions for 613 yards and 3 TD in the pass-happy MAC are mundane numbers for a No. 1 receiver. Josh Boyle's 19 receptions are the best among the returning Kent wideouts.

However, tight end is where KSU could make an impact, particularly if the Golden Flashes decide 6-4, 230-pound senior Casey Pierce (33 catches, 364 yards, 5 TD), fast improving 6-3, 230-pound sophomore Bryce Fackler, and 6-3, 247-pound junior Kyle Patton are good enough to employ a two tight-end offense. All three are quality receivers with size.

Offensive line -- This unit was key to Kent's big 2012 season and after some retooling last season, should start to emerge as a team strength again. All five projected starters have quality game experience. The fact that 6-4, 305-pound senior Terrell Johnson, the most veteran player in the unit, enters camp at backup tackle to sophomore Reno Reda speaks loudly about the depth and improvement of this outfit.

Overall, Johnson is the only senior on the two-deep, so the offensive line should improve. The emergence of 6-5, 285-pound sophomore Jake Witucki as a backup is another good sign as he was a prize recruit two years ago.

Defensive line -- Traditionally a team strength, this season should be no different. Senior Richard Gray returns after missing a season due to academics and is joined by versatile senior Nate Terhune, who can play both the interior and at end. Like the offensive line, this is a two-deep unit loaded with experience that could get better if any of a trio of freshmen tackles can crack the rotation inside to free Terhune to play any spot necessary.

Linebacker -- Matt Dellinger is Kent's top returning tackler (77) while DeVante Strickland, Darius Redmond and Elcee Refuge all return with plenty of game experience. What this group lacks, however, is big-play ability as not one of these linebackers forced a fumble or picked off an interception last season.

Secondary -- Sophomore Nate Holley did not take over as a starting safety until the end of last season, but proved to be an instant leader with two sacks, seven tackles for lost yardage and a fumble recovery. He joins another ballhawk in junior Jordan Italiano, who had 76 tackles last season. Cornerback Malcolm Pannell and Ohio State transfer Najee Murray offer some big-play ability, as Pannell led the team with three interceptions last season.

Special teams -- There is no electric return specialist to replace Archer, but 5-6 sophomore Earnest Calhoun cleanly handled punt returns last season and was decent returning kickoffs as teams shied away from Archer's side of the field. Junior Anthony Melchiori averaged 44.5 yards per punt and had a productive year kicking field goals (9 of 14).

For Kent State's complete roster, schedule, stats and more, click here.

The Browns could have filled a need in the draft with Sammy Watkins, who was impressive in his training camp debut with the Bills.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Browns don't begin training camp until Saturday but the Buffalo Bills got a jump on the competition when they opened camp on Monday.

And it is only training camp, but news that rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins blew past defenders and was clearly the best player on the field probably caught the attention of a Browns organization that passed up Watkins in the draft.

Passing up Watkins could become even more painful if the Browns lose wide receiver Josh Gordon for the season.

How good was Watkins on Day 1?

Bills coach Doug Marrone tells BuffaloBills.com how Watkins made plays against good players as a member of the first team.

Marrone is also impressed with Watkins' fearlessness.

More Browns and NFL news

Coach Mike Pettine says he won't cut Josh Gordon (Cleveland.com).

Former pro challenges city of Cleveland's jock tax (Cleveland.com).

A reporter would have handled Josh Gordon in a different way (Football Outsiders).

Coverage skills could propel rookie LB Christian Kirksey to starter (Ohio.com).

QB Johnny Manziel has the NFL's top selling jersey (NFL.com).

Ravens coach John Harbaugh's setting the tone for the upcoming season (Baltimore Sun).

Here's everything you need to know about the Bengals training camp  (Cincinnati.com).

A guide for the Steelers 49th training camp (Post-Gazette).

Greco, Garrett and Gilkey will battle for two guard spots (The Morning Journal).

The 10 most important Browns heading into training camp (ESPNCleveland.com).

The Buckeyes were ninth in the nation in run defense a year ago, and it should be a strength again.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Part five of our Ohio State-Michigan State comparison gets to what the Buckeyes should do best this season - get after teams with their defensive line.

Michael Bennett, Noah Spence and Joey Bosa are all potential first-round NFL Draft picks, and they seem to be adjusting to life under a new coach in Larry Johnson. There's more to stopping the run than just defensive linemen, but it's a good place to start.

Mike Griffith of Mlive.com has the breakdown for the Spartans, who should be pretty good at this part of the game as well.

Run defense

The Buckeyes ranked ninth in the nation against the run last season, allowing 109.4 yards per game, and they really controlled teams until Michigan State's Jeremy Langford ran for 128 yards in the Big Ten Championship.

The entire defensive line is back to continue that effort, with Adolphus Washington the fourth starter there with Bennett, Spence and Bosa, though Spence will serve a suspension carried over from last season for the first two games.

But it's not just the line. All-American linebacker Ryan Shazier could chase down ballcarriers and he's gone. The Buckeyes like returning starter Joshua Perry and newcomer Darron Lee at outside linebacker, but both have to prove they can pursue like Shazier. Middle linebacker Curtis Grant is back as a senior, though he has been pushed by true freshman Raekwon McMillan.

Strength: The starting defensive line could be the best in the country. Bosa and Spence are both great athletes on the edge who may be best known for getting after the passer, but they can affect the run game as well. Bennett proved himself last year and is smart and tough and should be the leader of the group. Washington, at 6-foot-4 and 288 pounds, has all the tools to tie teams up inside and has the most room to grow. And with Johnson vowing to rotate players on the line more often, the depth of the group should show up as well, led by ends Steve Miller and Tyquan Lewis and tackles Tommy Schutt and Michael Hill.

Weakness: The read and react skills of the linebackers. Coaches raved about the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Lee in the spring, but he's still fairly new to defense and has to prove he can find the ball consistently. Perry is stout but without Shazier's speed, and the status of Grant is always a question in a career in which he has played a good deal but never been a star.

Keep an eye on: How much the line really does rotate, and what happens in the second half of games and the second half of the season. Rotating is a great idea - but you also don't want guys like Bennett, Bosa and Spence off the field too much.

Rating: 9.8 -- Ohio State is always good against the run. With this line, the Buckeyes could be as good as anyone remembers.

Ohio State vs. Michigan State, The Breakdown

Introduction: Ohio State -- Michigan State

Quarterback: OSU's Braxton Miller (9.2) -- MSU's Connor Cook (8.9)

Run game: Ohio State (8.5) -- Michigan State (8.7)

Pass game: Ohio State (7.5) -- Michigan State (8.5)

Offensive line: Ohio State (7.3) -- Michigan State (7.9)

Run defense: Ohio State (9.8) -- Michigan State (9.5)

Coming Wednesday: Pass defense

Cedar Point made the pledge in the frenzied days leading up to LeBron James' announcement a week and a half ago: Come back to Cleveland, the park said, and we'll name a roller coaster after you. Since then, Cedar Point fans have been left to speculate: Which coaster? And when?

Sandusky, Ohio – Count my 13-year-old among those who are unhappy about LeBron James' return to Cleveland.

She doesn't care much about basketball, doesn't think too hard about the economic health of the region.

What she is passionate about: Cedar Point, and the possibility that the park will rename one of its roller coasters after the Cavaliers' latest addition.

Cedar Point made the pledge in the frenzied days leading up to LeBron James' announcement a week and a half ago: Come back to Cleveland, the park said, and we'll name a roller coaster after you.

Since James made his decision, Cedar Point fans have been left to speculate about the park's decision: Which coaster? And when?

And, perhaps most importantly, does LeBron James even want an amusement park ride named after him? And if he does, might the park have to pay for the right to use his name?

Shortly after James announced he was returning to Cleveland, park officials released a statement saying they stood by their pledge.

In an email Monday, Cedar Point spokesman Bryan Edwards said the park had no updates to offer on the coaster renaming. "I can tell you, though, that we are meeting with several partners and potential partners on this," he wrote.

Speculation continues, meanwhile, on how this might turn out. Some possibilities:

-- Cedar Point takes a popular coaster, Top Thrill Dragster say, and renames it King James. This is perhaps the least likely scenario, as it would alienate the most passionate park fans.

-- Cedar Point reconfigures one of its existing coasters – Mean Streak and Mantis are generally considered to be in most need of a makeover – and renames it after James. This could be a popular solution, pleasing both coaster and Cavs fans.

-- Cedar Point builds a brand new ride and names it after James. This wouldn't work, though, if the park intends to honor its commitment in the near future. The park, which debuted its record-breaking GateKeeper coaster in 2013, isn't likely to get a major new ride for at least another couple of years.

Jeff Putz, co-founder of PointBuzz.com, a Cedar Point fan site, offers one more possibility: "You can call something 'The King," and make the association with the basketball player for a year, and after that, it's an ambiguous, nebulous kind of thing. It doesn't have to be associated with anyone after that," he said.

One unknown is whether LeBron James even wants a roller coaster named after him – and whether he'd allow Cedar Point to use his name for free, or would require payment (the $42 million a year he earns in endorsement deals, with Nike, Coca-Cola and others, speaks to the man's negotiating skills).

A call to James' agent, Rich Paul, on Monday afternoon was not returned, though Edwards said that James' team had reached out to the park after the initial offer and that a dialogue had commenced.

Edwards said a number of possibilities exist – including renaming a ride for a weekend, a season or permanently.

"Every option is on the table right now," said Edwards. "There's a lot that goes into this. We want to do it right, and we're having fun with this as well."

It wouldn't be unprecedented for Cedar Fair, the Sandusky-based parent company of Cedar Point, to pay James to use his name. The company does maintain a handful of licensing agreements at its 11 amusement parks, including one with the Schulz family for multiple Peanuts-themed children's areas.

In addition, two roller coasters at non-Ohio parks – Intimidator at Carowinds near Charlotte, N.C., and Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion near Richmond, Va. – are named after the late NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt.

Putz, with PointBuzz, says it's possible the park's publicity stunt has become more complicated than initially anticipated.

"I can imagine the planning and design people in a conference room somewhere, scratching their heads and saying, 'What do we do with this?' " said Putz. "It's not as simple as just being a cool gesture."

Indeed, public reaction to Cedar Point's offer has been decidedly mixed, with some fans decrying the publicity stunt – and others applauding its inventiveness.

Edwards, the park spokesman, said of the fans: "I believe they know that we are just having fun with a popular story at this time."

A popular story, for sure, but one with potential for a controversial conclusion.

Many, including my daughter, are holding their breath in anticipation of how this ride comes to an end.

Potter has offers from Davidson, Toledo and Miami (Ohio).

MENTOR, Ohio -- At 6-foot-10, Mentor rising junior Micah Potter has some big shoes, but the ones he's trying to fill may even be bigger.

Next season, the Cardinals will be without Conner Krizancic, Caleb Potter and Kade McClure, who were the only players on last year's team to average double-figures in scoring.

"I have big shoes to fill, but I know I can fill them and be a leader," Micah Potter said. "I've been trying to increase my ability to score."

Even without his offensive game fully developed, Potter has caught the eye of plenty of Division I coaches. He already has offers from Davidson, Toledo and Miami (Ohio) and says that he's heard a lot of positive feedback from high-major programs.

There's one aspect of Potter's game that schools seem to like the most.

"Besides my ability to score in the post, they like my ability to pass the ball," Potter said. "In the summer, I'm averaging close to 5-6 assists per game."

While Potter mentions being fans of Ohio State and Duke, he's not about to jump at any offer. With any school, the key is how he likes the coaching staff and college itself.

Potter saw a little of the recruiting process when his brother, Caleb, went through it before committing to West Virginia. However, Micah Potter says the differences are so big in recruiting for basketball and baseball that it doesn't help as much as you would think.

"It's totally different with NCAA rules, and with baseball, games get rained out and with basketball, a coach always knows when he can see you," Potter said.

Esa Ahmad, Josh Williams fall short at Peach Jam

With a 2-3 record, All-Ohio Red, which features Shaker Heights forward Esa Ahmad and St. Vincent-St. Mary guard Josh Williams, fell short at the Peach Jam, the finals of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League. The team was in a tough pool, though, as two of its teams reached the semifinals.

While he was there, Ahmad picked up an offer from Wisconsin. The offer was his seventh from a Big Ten school. Earlier in the week, he added a Providence offer.

Offers roll in for Northeast Ohio players

It was another week full of offers for the area's top talent. St. Edward forward Kipper Nichols added offers from East Carolina and Nebraska, while Villa Angela-St. Joseph forward Brian Parker picked up an offer from St. Francis (Pa.). Medina center Jon Teske added an offer from Miami (Fl.).

Meanwhile, Garfield Heights guard Willie Jackson added an offer from Iowa State and former North Royalton forward Omari Spellman added offers from Arizona and Memphis.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Gibson finalized plans to attend Ohio State's Friday Night Lights recruiting event this week, a major step for a prospect who has been up and down with his OSU interest.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- If it seems like we write about Torrance Gibson a lot, we do.

The four-star quarterback recruit from Florida is an intriguing prospect as a QB and an overall athlete. He's an interesting test case for the Buckeyes as they chase a top-tier Florida talent that every major school in the South also has interest in. And now the Buckeyes at least are getting him to Ohio. Gibson confirmed that on his Twitter account late Monday night.

As was suspected earlier Monday, when Gibson told cleveland.com he was in the process of finalizing his plans, the 2015 recruit will be in Ohio Stadium for the Buckeyes' biggest recruiting event of the season, Friday Night Lights. That will take place on ... Friday night.

And it will be under the lights. The new permanent lighting at the Shoe was tested this week.

#OSUNews: Update from #TheShoe ... Let there be light(s)! New stadium lights turned on for 1st time today! #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/YXa7GfkCdy

— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) July 21, 2014

Getting Gibson to campus is just part of the battle. But the Buckeyes always want to introduce out-of-state players to the vibe in their home.

Gibson has been all over the board with his level of interest in Ohio State, listing SEC schools like Tennessee, Auburn and LSU ahead of the Buckeyes. But then Gibson made it clear that he hasn't given up on Ohio State.

And the Buckeyes haven't given up on him. 

Ohio State has a quarterback in its 2015 class with in-state prospect Joe Burrow. But if Gibson wants to be a Buckeye, Ohio State will make room for two quarterbacks in this class.

This is recruiting. We're a long way from a decision, and Gibson may change his attitude about the Buckeyes 100 times before he makes that call.

But getting him to Ohio? That needed to happen if this was going to go anywhere.

It's official I will be visiting The Ohio State University this week! [?] [?] #BuckeyeNation [?] [?] [?]

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) July 22, 2014

I am fired up to visit Ohio State! [?] #BuckeyeNation [?] [?][?] [?][?] [?]

— Torrance Gibson (@quick_tg6) July 22, 2014

Talk Cavaliers and ask your questions during a live show at 11 a.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Summer league is over and July is winding down, but the Cavaliers are still front and center in the NBA universe. Talk Cavaliers live at 11 a.m. with Chris Fedor and Dan Labbe.

We'll discuss the latest on Kevin Love. We'll also talk about the moves the Cavaliers have made since re-signing LeBron James and who they may still have an interest in bringing in.

Leave your questions in the comments below and we'll answer as many as we can throughout the show.

The Indians, trailing most of the night, finally tied Twins in the top of the eighth only to lose it in the botom of the eighth.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Just when the Indians climbed back into the game, they were knocked out of it.

Josh Willingham homered off Bryan Shaw with one out in the eighth inning Monday night to give the Twins a 4-3 victory over the Indians at Target Field. Willingham sent Shaw's 3-2 pitch on a line into the left field seats for his ninth homer.

Roberto Perez had pulled the Indians into a 3-3 tie with a two-out single in the eighth. Michael Brantley, who scored the tying run, opened the inning with a pinch-hit double.

Glenn Perkins worked the ninth for his 23rd save.

What it means

The momentum the Indians gained in Detroit over the weekend by taking three out of four games, stalled against the last-place Twins. They fell to 50-49 and are 4-4 against the Twins this season.

The Twins ended a three-game losing streak to improve to 45-53.

Ouch, that hurts

The Indians lost starting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera in the second inning when he left the game with lower back spasms. Mike Aviles came in from center field to take over at shortstop and Chris Dickerson came off the bench to play center field.

Later in the game the Indians announced the promotion of shortstop Francisco Lindor from Class AA Akron to Class AAA Columbus. Shortstop Erik Gonzalez was promoted from Class A Carolina to Akron to take Lindor's place.

The Indians said the moves were planned before Cabrera was injured.

What's going on here?

Manager Terry Francona used one of his most unusual lineups of the season Monday night against Twins lefty Kris Johnson. He did not start center fielder Michael Brantley because "I thought he was a little tired. He'd done a lot of running in Detroit in center field so with a lefty going tonight, a guy with big splits, I tried to get all the righties in there." Francona added that Brantley needed a rest because he played in the All-Star game.

Right-handers entered Monday hitting .450 (9-for-20) against Johnson. Lefties were hitting .214 (3-for-14).

The Tribe's starting outfield consisted of Aviles in center, Nick Swisher in right and Ryan Raburn in left. It was the first start of the season for Aviles and Swisher in center and right, respectively.

Yan Gomes, with Roberto Perez catching, DH'd and hit third for the first time this year.

No way that's fair

Twins DH Chris Colabello, in the second inning, drove a ball down the right field line against T.J. House. First base umpire D.J. Reyburn called it a two-run homer, but Swisher and House protested that it went foul.

After a meeting with Francona, crew chief Brian O'Nora called MLB's replay gurus in New York to have the play reviewed. The call on the field was overturned in just over a minute.

So instead of giving the Twins a 4-0 lead, Colabello ended up striking out.

House's night

House, who gave up three runs in the first two innings, made it through the fifth. He struck out two, walked three and allowed three runs on six hits. When he left, the Tribe trailed, 3-2.

House threw 89 pitches, 56 for strikes.

Running Twins

The Twins ran into two outs on the bases.

In the third, Trevor Plouffe doubled home Danny Santana for a 3-1 led. When he tried to advance to third, second baseman Jason Kipnis threw him out.

In the fourth, Kurt Suzuki doubled Josh Willingham to third, but was cut down by Dickerson on a throw to second from center field.

What's coming?

Danny Salazar (1-4, 5.53) joined the Indians on Monday and will be activated Tuesday to face the Twins and RHP Yohan Pino (1-2, 4.39).

Salazar opened the season in the Indians' rotation, but was optioned to Class AAA Columbus on May 10 after eight starts. This will be his third start against the Twins this season.

He made 10 starts at Columbus, going 3-6 with a 4.02 ERA. He had a 2.16 ERA over his last four starts.

First pitch is at 8:10 p.m. SportsTime Ohio, WTAM and WMMS will carry the game.

Cornerback was the Browns' top choice in the 2014 draft, and he is expected to challenge for a starting spot opposite Joe Haden.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns first-round pick Justin Gilbert's bid to win the starting cornerback job opposite Joe Haden will begin without interruption.

Gilbert agreed to terms Wednesday -- rookie reporting day in Berea -- on a four-year deal, according to ESPN's Chris Mortenson.

The contract hasn't been signed yet because the two sides are still working through some language, a source told cleveand.com, but it should be finalized by today.

Gilbert's four-year deal is worth $12,833,502, according to spotrac.com.  It includes a $7,653,456 signing bonus and $12,833,502 in total guarantees. The deal averages $3,208,376.

Gilbert, the former Oklahoma State product, was the second-last NFL rookie to agree to terms as the two sides presumably worked through offset language in the contract.

Offset language gets a team off the hook for a portion of a player's guaranteed salary in the event he signs with another team before his rookie deal expires.

Teams want it in the deal and players don't. The only rookie who has yet to agree to terms is Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan, the No. 11 overall pick.

Gilbert (6-0, 202) will challenge Buster Skrine for the second starting cornerback job in one of the better battles of camp.

"We weren't going to just hand Justin the job,'' coach Mike Pettine told cleveland.com Monday. "There will be some good competition there.''

Gilbert plans to learn everything he can from Haden, who's coming off a Pro Bowl season.

"(Haden's) an awesome cornerback, a Pro Bowl cornerback,'' Gilbert said in May. "He's a guy I can learn a lot from.''

Gilbert fits Pettine's mold of a big, press corner.

"He told there's going to be a lot of man and that they were looking for a guy that could play press man, run with receivers downfield and make plays on the ball,'' said Gilbert. "I think I'm a perfect fit here.''

Brush linebacker Matthew Draper verbally commits to Cincinnati.

LYNDHURST, Ohio — For the last few years, Brush linebacker Matthew Draper has watched his two older brothers show their talents at the Division I college level.

On Wednesday, Draper made a pledge that will help him follow in his brothers’ footsteps by announcing his verbal commitment to Cincinnati.

“It means a lot,” Draper said. “It’s exciting to make the decision and know I’ve actually made it.”

Draper’s brother Sean is a junior cornerback at Iowa, and oldest brother Shane Belle is a wide receiver at Ball State. The three have a strong bond, and Draper talked it over with his family before making his commitment.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker is rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, and said it’s always been a dream of his to play college football in Ohio.

“It’s an Ohio school, it’s close to home,” Draper said. “I’ve always wanted to play for an Ohio school at the college level. My mom can come see and come to my games.”

Draper said he was also considering Louisville, Kentucky and Duke, but Cincinnati has been sticking out as his top choice for a while.

So what exactly are the Bearcats getting?

“There’s not going to be a kid that outworks him,” Brush coach Josh Wells said. “He’s a smart football player and a great leader.”

If there’s one area in which Draper can improve, it’s being more vocal, but that’s something he plans on working on during his senior year.

“I’m going to focus on my leadership skills and work as hard as I can,” Draper said.

Contact high school sports reporter Bill Landis by email (blandis@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@blandis25). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher sees change coming with scholarship awards and with a early football signing period in his MAC Media Day statements.

Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher.MAC photo 

DETROIT, Mich. -- Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher hit on several issues during his State of the MAC address, during an open Q&A session, and later in one-on-one time. Following are a few highlights:

• Steinbrecher said he anticipates new rules in the future to define scholarship awards for athletes. "We are headed for a re-definition of the grant-in-aid," he said.

• The sentiment among MAC coaches, according to Steinbrecher, is a move toward an early signing period for football. But the logistics of such a move have yet to be worked out.

• His highlights from last season included the MAC being "in the hunt for a BCS Bowl berth'' ... and having "six teams in the Top 100 RPI in basketball going into the MAC Tournament."

• The MAC will have five bowl partners this year. The GoDaddy (Mobile, Ala.) has the pick of No. 1 or No. 2, which means the MAC champ won't necessarily have the luxury of being the first team to play in the Bahamas Bowl game in Nassau.

Five bowl games "is very solid growth for our conference," Steinbrecher said. But noted, after GoDaddy, "we have not slotted the other four (bowl games).''

• While the MAC has made deals with ESPN to partner for several of the bowls, and has scheduled its top games for late in the season for TV purposes, a new financial deal -- in the talking stage for nearly a year -- does not seem close.

"I don't have anything to update,'' Steinbrecher said. "These things take time."

The commissioner did note the bowl negotiations with ESPN are separate from the MAC's regular TV package.

• Steinbrecher said he expected the MAC to be a player in the postseason college football bowl/playoff format, but admitted, with a no hard and fast criteria, the selection process will have to be monitored.

"What we will have to do is avoid slipping labels on people,'' Steinbrecher said. "It's going to take two or three years to evaluate things."