The Rock Chalkboard

Inside the making of KU football's Top-25 transfer class
Lance Leipold still remembers the time he realized Kansas football was going to need to pursue every avenue possible to improve the roster. And over the course of 250 days — the time in between KU’s season finale in 2021 and the day transfer Lorenzo McCaskill arrived in Lawrence last week — Leipold and his staff did just that, as the KU program looks to take a step forward and field a more competitive product in 2022.

WATCH: Jonathan Wallace, Ky Thomas and Devin Neal break down deep RB room
The KU football running backs room is arguably the deepest and overall most talent-laden position room on the roster. KU has three former four-star recruits in the room such as Devin Neal, Ky Thomas and Sevion Morrison in addition to players like Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Torry Locklin who have both produced at the Big 12 level during their times in Lawrence. On Sunday, running backs coach Jonathan Wallace met with the media to discuss his position group. Click the video above to see what Wallace had to say about his group.

26 Days Until Kansas Football: Previewing the Cornerbacks - Blue Wings Rising
Each week, we will take a deep dive into one of the 10 main position groups, highlighting the key players to watch and giving you an idea of what to expect from the position this year. This week, we continue moving backwards in the defense. Today, we look at the cornerbacks.

Eraser Dust

U.S. Senate approves bill to fight climate change, cut drug costs in win for Biden | Reuters
WASHINGTON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Sunday passed a sweeping $430 billion bill intended to fight climate change, lower drug prices and raise some corporate taxes, a major victory for President Joe Biden that Democrats hope will aid their chances of keeping control of Congress in this year's elections.

North Carolina sheriff stocking schools with AR-15 rifles in wake of Uvalde shooting
MARSHALL, N.C. — When schools in one North Carolina county reopen later this month, new security measures will include stocking AR-15 rifles for school resource officers to use in the event of an active shooter.

Maps in Four States Were Ruled Illegal Gerrymanders. They’re Being Used Anyway. - The New York Times
A Supreme Court shift, frowning on changes close to elections, gives House Republicans a big advantage in November.

Schools look to security upgrades with latest massacre top of mind | Daily Inter Lake
Multiple public school districts in the region have scheduled security site assessments through Michigan-based Secure Education Consultants (SEC). Those districts include Evergreen, Kalispell, Kila, Troy, West Glacier, West Valley and Whitefish.

Flathead Rivers Alliance seeks volunteers for cleanup | KECI
MISSOULA, Mont. — The Flathead Rivers Alliance is seeking volunteers for the 2022 Flathead Waters Cleanup to pick up trash and celebrate the region's waterways.

Kalispell chamber collaborates to address childcare shortage | Daily Inter Lake
“I think that we were heading in that direction, but COVID brought it on more dramatically,” said Lorraine Clarno, CEO of the chamber. “The Flathead isn’t unique in this situation. Everyone lost a tremendous amount of in-home daycare operators when COVID and the lockdown hit and we're trying to get them back out into the market.”

National Geographic speaker series planned in Kalispell | KECI
In its inaugural 20222023 season, the Wachholz College Center is proud to present the National Geographic Live speaker series in the Flathead Valley. The National Geographic Live speaker series gives audiences incredible insight and behindthescenes stories straight from National Geographic's photographers, scientists, filmmakers and adventurers. Each event takes place live on the McClaren Hall stage, accompanied by iconic National Geographic footage and unforgettable imagery.

Longtime Oklahoma Sooners football assistant Cale Gundy resigns after reading aloud 'shameful' word off player's iPad
Cale Gundy, a fixture on the Oklahoma sideline and the longest-tenured football coach in the Big 12, resigned Sunday night, saying that he read aloud "a word that I should never -- under any circumstance -- have uttered" off the screen of a player's iPad during a film session last week.

NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Still Going 10 Years After Landing – What It’s Learned
Ten years ago, on August 5, 2012, a jetpack lowered NASA’s Curiosity rover onto the Red Planet. This was the beginning of the SUV-size explorer’s pursuit of evidence that Mars had the conditions needed to support microscopic life billions of years ago.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen posts wedding photo
A lot has happened to Milwaukee Bucks guard Grayson Allen since leaving Duke for the NBA, largely from a professional standpoint. But Allen has experienced significant change in his personal life as well. On July 23, Allen made a major life decision when he got married to his new bride, Morgan.