Tim Booth

RENTON, Wash. -- Bobby Wagner was worried that missing the NFL combine because of pneumonia would be another strike against him, considering he already carried some concerns having played his college ball at Utah State.

LAS VEGAS — Louisiana Tech didn’t even qualify for the Western Athletic Conference tournament a year ago, but time has proven kind to the Bulldogs as coach Mike White has led his team into the WAC semifinals in his inaugural season.

WAC freshman of the year Raheem Appleby scored seven straight points for Louisiana Tech late in the second half, and the Bulldogs held overcame their own mistakes to hold on for a 72-70 win over Utah State on Thursday night in the WAC quarterfinals.

SEATTLE — Marshawn Lynch loves the prime-time stage, even if he’s rarely given such a spotlight.

Seattle’s hard-charging running back bulled through Philadelphia for 148 yards and a pair of first-half touchdowns, David Hawthorne returned the third of Vince Young’s four interceptions 77 yards for a score, and the Seahawks rolled to a 31-14 victory Thursday night that only added to the Eagles’ miserable season.

Lynch ran into and escaped from a massive pileup for a 15-yard TD run in the first quarter, then made a quick cut and went back against the flow for a 40-yard scoring dash on the first play of the second quarter to give the Seahawks (5-7) a 14-0 lead.

BOISE, Idaho -- Stepping inside the Boise State locker room during the summer months is a reminder that the Broncos are still just an infant program 15 years removed from playing at a lower level of college football, no matter the recognition or rankings they receive.

It's a sticky sauna on this 90-degree Idaho afternoon. Industrial fans wail on their highest settings while trying to provide some relief since no one had the foresight to make sure the air conditioning that cools other parts of the athletic complex made its way to the main section of the football locker room.

SEATTLE -- The No. 10 that for so long was associated with Jake Locker at Washington now is in the hands of freshman linebacker John Timu.

For the first time in five years, Locker was no longer around the Huskies program as fall camp began on Monday and much of the focus during the weeks leading up to Washington's opener on Sept. 3 against defending Football Championship Subdivision champ Eastern Washington will be on the guy replacing him, Keith Price.

TUKWILA, Wash. -- Kasey Keller knew exactly when all the good will from spending his college career in Portland was gone.

When Keller attended a Portland Trail Blazers game last January he was able to get courtside tickets. As the video board at the Rose Garden panned the arena showing those in attendance, the camera stopped on Keller.

In the past, his picture might have elicited cheers or at least a polite ovation for the former University of Portland star and U.S. national team goalkeeper.

SEATTLE -- Along with being a two-time WNBA champion and recognition as one of the best women's players in the world, something else changed for Lauren Jackson in the offseason.

She grew an inch.