Washington
Dillon Johnson injury update: How Washington RB will play vs. Michigan one week after serious-looking foot injury | Sporting News
Dillon Johnson may not be as notable a name as his teammate Michael Penix Jr., but he’s been just as vital to Washington during its championship run.
The running back has the most yards on the ground (1,162) by any Husky this season by nearly a thousand yards. He has 16 touchdowns, including two against Texas in the Sugar Bowl. There’s no doubt Washington will want to get Johnson as many touches as they can against Michigan in the championship, as the Wolverines will monitor Penix closely. They have the No. 2 best passing defense in the country.
Whether or not Washington can rely fully on Johnson is still up for question. After going down with an injury late against Texas, the running back may not be at full force on Monday.
MORE: Rome Odunze could be the game-changer Washington needs vs. Michigan
Dillon Johnson injury update
Johnson went down with a lower leg injury in the final minute of the Sugar Bowl.
On third down of Washington’s final possession, Johnson ran up the middle in an attempt to run the clock out. Instead, he went down and needed to be carted off the field, as he was unable to put any pressure on his left foot.
dillon johnson injury pic.twitter.com/EJG3qSP6fM
— ◇ (@2MANYBRIDGES) January 2, 2024
Coach Kalen DeBoer clarified it was a nagging foot injury that Johnson had been dealing with for months. He did not give details regarding the initial cause of the injury, but said Johnson has played through it before.
“He’s playing through it. There’s nothing as far as above and beyond what’s happened in the past. He’d throughout the game, reaggravate it, shake it off and go back out and play. My thoughts are he’ll be ready to go,” DeBoer said Wednesday. “Knowing when we landed, as long as everything came out alright with everything, he was going to do everything he could to be on that football field next Monday.”
Johnson was carted off the field as time expired and the Huskies eventually beat the Longhorns 37-31.
Dillon Johnson was hyped for Washington’s win even as he was being carted off the field.pic.twitter.com/PZNrTzY5ms
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 2, 2024
MORE: Michigan vs. Washington: Sporting News experts make their predictions
Fortunately for the Huskies, Johnson’s X-rays taken at the Superdome came back negative. The running back is expected to play Monday when the Huskies take on top-ranked Michigan in the CFP Championship game in Houston.
Johnson transferred to Washington after three seasons with Mississippi State. He earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors this season after leading the conference in rushing touchdowns and finishing third in rushing yards per game (89.4).
Washington
HIGHLIGHT | Lawrence Dots a Pass to Washington for a 6-Yard TD
DE Dawuane Smoot, LB Foyesade Oluokun, TE Brenton Strange, S Eric Murray, and S Antonio Johnson speak with the media after practice on Thursday ahead of the Wild Card Matchup vs. Bills.
0:00 – 2:28 – DE Dawuane Smoot
2:29 – 6:24 – LB Foyesade Oluokun
6:25 – 9:25 – TE Brenton Strange
9:26 – 11:32 – S Eric Murray
11:33 – 13:46 – S Antonio Johnson
Washington
Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack
DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any U.S. attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional U.S. military bases as “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.
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Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Washington
Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics
The Washington National Opera on Friday announced it is parting ways with the Kennedy Center after more than a decade with the arts institution.
“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement.
The decoupling marks another high-profile withdrawal since President Donald Trump and his newly installed board of trustees instituted broad thematic and cosmetic changes to the building, including renaming the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
The opera said it plans to “reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”
A source familiar with the dynamic told CNN the decision to part ways was made by the opera’s board and its leadership, and that the decision was not mutual.
A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said in a statement, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.”
Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, who was appointed by Trump’s hand-picked board, said on X, “Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”
Grenell added, “Having an exclusive Opera was just not financially smart. And our patrons clearly wanted a refresh.”
Since taking the reins at the center, Grenell has cut existing staff, hired political allies and mandated a “break-even policy” for every performance.
The opera said the new policy was a factor in its decision to leave the center.
“The Center’s new business model requires productions to be fully funded in advance—a requirement incompatible with opera operations,” the opera said.
Francesca Zambello, the opera’s artistic director, said she is “deeply saddened to leave The Kennedy Center.”
“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision,” she said.
The New York Times first reported the opera’s departure.
Founded in 1956 as the “Opera Society of Washington,” the group has performed across the district, taking permanent residency in the Kennedy Center in 2011.
The performing arts center has been hit with a string of abrupt cancellations from artists in recent weeks including the jazz group The Cookers and New York City-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers who canceled their performances after Trump’s name was added to the center – a living memorial for assassinated President John F. Kennedy.
The American College Theater Festival voted to suspend its relationship with the Kennedy Center, calling the affiliation “no longer viable” and citing concerns over a misalignment of the group’s values.
American banjo player Béla Fleck withdrew his upcoming performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying that performing at the center has become “charged and political.”
The Brentano String Quartet, who canceled their February 1 performance at the Kennedy Center, said they will “regretfully forego performing there.”
CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center on the additional cancellations.
The opera said, “The Board and management of the company wish the Center well in its own future endeavors.”
CNN’s Betsy Klein and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.
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