BARCELONA -- Quique Setien has said he is struggling to comprehend being handed the top job at Barcelona after spending Monday with the cows in his home village in the north of Spain.

Setien, who's been out of work since leaving Real Betis last summer, has replaced the fired Ernesto Valverde as Barca coach on a contract until 2022. He took training for the first time on Tuesday and will be in the dugout for Sunday's league game against Granada at Camp Nou.

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"Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined being here," Setien said in an introductory news conference. "It's all happened so quickly. Just yesterday, I was walking along beside the cows in my village; now I'm here training the best players in the world."

Setien, 61, has not taken the usual route to the top. In a nomadic career, he has coached Lugo, Las Palmas and Betis, among others. He has never won a trophy and his highest ever La Liga finish was sixth with Betis in the 2017-18 season.

However, he has won acclaim for the manner in which his sides have played football, which is why Barca turned to him.

"Honestly, I just could not imagine them going for me," he added. "I don't have an extensive CV, I've not won any trophies. The only thing I have, which I have demonstrated for many years, is this philosophy of football which I love.

"I have used that same philosophy wherever I have been, Look at my sides at Las Palmas and Betis, they played good football. Whenever I go to a new club, I only guarantee one thing: that they will play good football. I didn't know if that would be sufficient to convince such a big club to give me an opportunity, but I am extremely grateful."

Valverde, who won back-to-back league titles during his time in Catalonia, leaves with Barca top of La Liga and safely through to the round of 16 of the Champions League, where they will face Napoli.

"That's not normal," Setien said. "In my situation, you imagine you will receive an offer from a team in problems and low in the table. I am very grateful for the work done by Valverde."

The dismissal of Valverde and the appointment of his successor has been criticised for the way it has played out in public. Barca's open pursuit of Xavi Hernandez -- who turned the job down over the weekend -- hung Valverde out to dry before he was eventually replaced by Setien on Monday.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu defended the club's decision to change coach midway through a season for the first time since 2003, when Louis van Gaal was sacked, but admitted things could have been handled better.

"We have known for a while that the team's dynamic and performances could be improved, even though results have been very good," Bartomeu said. "Obviously. I would have liked things to happen differently, though.

"During recent weeks we have spoken with different managers, including Setien. We'd spoken with Valverde many times, too. We are halfway through the season and we felt we needed a boost for what remains of the campaign. And, with that, we want to win La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey."

LAFC star forward Carlos Vela would welcome Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez to Los Angeles with open arms, even if the 31-year-old would be playing for archival LA Galaxy.

Sevilla striker Hernandez is in talks with the Galaxy and Vela said he has already spoken to his former El Tri teammate about the possibility of a move in which he believes everyone would win.

"He's a player and a personality that we Mexicans like a lot. He's done great things in the national team, in Europe and in Mexico," Vela told reporters in Spanish on Monday. "If it comes off, it'll be a great signing for everyone."

Vela said he couldn't reveal the nature of his conversation with Hernandez because "you'll tell me off," but added he has a good relationship with the Guadalajara native.

"I played with him at Chivas and with the national team and I have a special affection for him," Vela stated. "Obviously I'd like him to do the best for himself and if that is here it is welcome."

Vela was named 2019 MLS MVP after netting 36 goals over 33 games in a season that saw the rivalry between LAFC and LA Galaxy grow to new levels, fueled at times by former Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic arguing he was a better player than Vela.

But with Ibrahimovic now at AC Milan and the Galaxy on the hunt for a new striker, Vela believes his former teammate Hernandez fits the bill for LAFC's rivals.

"Of course [I'd like to see him join LA]," said Vela, in English. "He's a scoring machine. He's always there looking to score goals, [but] he also does a really good job defending for his team. I think it's really important if they get him because he's a good player and I think he can be a good signing for everybody if it happens."

Hernandez has previously indicated he wanted to stay in Europe for as long as possible, but he's found playing time at Sevilla difficult since joining last summer from West Ham United, with Mexico's all-time top scorer only starting four La Liga games under Julen Lopetegui this season.

Temba Bavuma is not among the 12 South Africa players who have assembled in Port Elizabeth to prepare for the third Test against England, but he remains close to the conversation. So close, that assistant coach Enoch Nkwe has indicated that if Bavuma finds form, he could be candidate for the national captaincy in future.

That may seem like a long way away for a player with 39 Tests to his name and only one century, scored more than four years ago, who averaged 19.84 in 2019 and has scored 9 and 17 in his last two domestic first-class innings but Bavuma is no ordinary player. He is South Africa's only only black African Test batsman and has accepted the pressures of being a flagbearer and leader for millions.

Bavuma has chosen not to engage in the debate at the moment, posting on social media that his silence is "full of answers". Instead it was Nkwe, himself a black African batsman, who spoke extensively on the expectations and challenges Bavuma faces and the reasons why the South African administration believes he will be back in a big way.

Are you comfortable with where South Africa is in terms of transformation targets and how things are progressing?

"There's been a different approach, but that will come over time. We're keeping very close with Temba Bavuma, for example. I strongly believe he's a good player, and he's in the process of making sure that -- from a mental, emotional and skills point of view -- when he gets an opportunity to come back, whether it's in the next Test match or in a different format, he takes ownership of his position and does 10 times more than what he has done. We're confident and believe in him. [Mark] Boucher is the same, and the rest of the team. All I'm going to ask is that we are more patient. We're trying to put a few things in place so that we can shape things in the right direction."

Do you think the weight expectation on Temba, being the first black African Test batsman in South Africa, has been detrimental to him?

"Knowing Temba, no. There is always going to be pressure in this environment but if you look at it, he has been unlucky. Let's be honest. There's been times where he got 95 not out and he was probably one big hit to get over the line and he was unfortunate. There's been times where he got 70, 80. But also sometimes people tend to forget that the situations he has come in for South Africa have been challenging and he has been able to take the team from that position and put them in a much healthier position. Sometimes he gets out for 60, sometimes he gets out for 50 and if you look at the batting positions over the last couple of years - Nos. 4, 5 and 6 - he has been able to make those massive contributions. They might look small in terms of numbers but his contribution has been very powerful for the team and put them in a winning position. He has had good partnerships with Quinny [Quinton de Kock] and obviously Quinny has been more explosive. If maybe a bit of luck had gone his way, he would have got two or three more hundreds but those things we've put behind us.

"I know that having spoken to him recently, he is someone that actually looks forward to getting an opportunity. He is going to do everything in his power to make sure that when the next opportunity comes he is ready for it. He wants to be in this environment and hopefully in the future he performs well enough and he can lead the team because I know having worked with him, he is a strong leader, very smart and he is able to lead a massive group to greater heights."

Do you see him as a future captain?

"In my mind, yes. I can see that happening. But he does understand that he needs to put in some performances. The future could be in a year's time, it could be in two years' time, we don't know. Having worked with him in the last year-and-a-half, he has got the qualities, there's no question around that. I wouldn't be surprised if, after Faf, he takes over. That will be great for South African cricket."

Was it the right decision to send Temba back to franchise cricket?

"From a coach's hat and a high-performance point of view, it's not healthy just to sit around and not play. If you are not playing, you really need to go and find some game time and fortunately, we have some franchise cricket taking place at the moment and we saw that opportunity for him to go there and stay in the game. Some of the challenges we have when we go on tours, is we have a 15-man squad and only 11 can play and the challenge of those individuals to try and get some game time is massive. It's not only him; it's a couple of other guys we have released as well."

South Africa's assistant coach, Enoch Nkwe, who carried the title of team director until a month ago, has acknowledged that being moved sideways was difficult but provided reassurance that he is not the victim of a whitewash and has been able to hold his own.

Nkwe took South Africa to India in September-October last year and was set to take the reins for the England series this summer. But, a major overhaul 10 days before the first Test saw Mark Boucher installed as head coach and Nkwe effectively demoted amid an outcry at perceived racial discrimination. Given South Africa's history, it's not difficult to understand why it was badly received in some quarters.

Against the backdrop of financial and administrative crises, Thabang Moroe, a black African CEO, was suspended and replaced by Jacques Faul, who is white. Almost immediately, Graeme Smith was appointed director of cricket, Boucher was named coach, and Jacques Kallis was hired as a batting consultant. All three are white. Nkwe, the first black African national men's head coach, was offered a lesser role. He accepted, despite how it looked.

ALSO READ: 'Wouldn't be surprised if he takes over after Faf' - Nkwe on Bavuma

"It wasn't an easy call to make but when I met with Jacques Faul and Bouch and Graeme, it was pretty clear and they were very realistic in terms of what has happened, and the type of support [they wanted]. They showed a lot of care," Nkwe said. "I'm not going to beat around the bush -- it's been a challenge, especially when it all unfolded. But I believe I'm mature enough to deal with the situation. By the time we got to the [training] camp I felt very strong and confident I can make a massive impact in a different role."

Given the limited time the new backroom staff had between the end of the Mzansi Super League on December 16 and the start of the Test series on Boxing Day, they decided to hold an intense training camp in Pretoria. That's where Nkwe and Boucher began to work together and Nkwe quickly realised that he would be treated as an equal.

"Boucher has given me the platform to make a difference in the team, to contribute as much as possible; whether it's in team routines or in training," Nkwe said. "We've worked closely together. I'm enjoying the partnership. Yes, there's different energies and different minds. But there hasn't been a hierarchy. We all pull in the same direction. He's very relaxed. As much as he's intense when it comes to business time -- just like any other coach -- he cares a lot about the team."

The adjectives Nkwe uses to describe the new coaching staff extend specifically to Smith and transformation. The Smith/Faul administration has been accused of neglecting the need for change, especially after the Test team fielded only four players of colour in the first two matches. South Africa's target for the national men's team is six players of colour, including at least two black Africans, calculated on average over the course of a season. Though this number can be made up in future fixtures, at a politically sensitive time in cricket, the missed target sticks out.

Nkwe addressed transformation directly and emphasised it remains a key part of South Africa's game plan.

"It's not something that has been ignored," Nkwe said. "We've also got to take care of the mental aspect of players. We are really working hard behind the scenes to build a strong pool of players to come through. We've looked at the high-performance system to make sure that we can produce and make sure we are a well transformed team in the future, a true rainbow nation. And there's no doubt that's going to happen in the very near future.

"I have had a small chat with Graeme and he is fully behind it. People maybe might not see it but he really cares and he has put in a lot of processes and a lot of plans behind the scenes to make sure that in the near future, there are no questions on that topic."

No questions is unlikely, especially because of South Africa's complex history and the recent crisis in cricket, which transpired alongside an agenda of Africanisation. Under Moroe, CSA was a transformed organisation with people of colour in senior positions. Nkwe was one of them, despite his promotion being seen as premature.

Not only was Nkwe handed the toughest away tour around, in going to India, but he had had only one summer as a full-time franchise coach to his name before that. Though he won three out of four trophies on offer, it was still early days. Consider that Boucher was about to begin his fourth season as a franchise coach for the Titans, and had collected five trophies along the way, to gauge the extent of experience that a national promotion calls for. Still, Nkwe believes the India tour only adds to his knowledge.

"I wanted the team to go and win," he said. "Yes, there were a lot of questions around my experience. I knew it was going to be a massive task, and that could only do me good as a coach going into those conditions. The only thing I could take away from there was experience, and I know that if I'm still involved when we go back to India in four years' time, I'll do things differently. We'll have good players in place to execute our skills better, compete better and look to win the series. I'm comfortable and happy that I went there to gain that sort of experience."

For now, Nkwe is focused on the next three years, which will take him and South Africa to the 2023 World Cup. The long-term plan is that he will take over from Boucher at the end of the tournament and though it is something Nkwe is aiming for, he wants to take the focus off himself and onto the bigger picture. "For me, it's always been about the country. It's never been about me. I am here to coach human beings, I am here to coach cricketers to get better."

It remains just about possible - if Jofra Archer makes a late bid for selection on Wednesday - that England could go into the third Test in Port Elizabeth with six players under the age of 25. They have only done that once before*.

It is a statistic that underlines the period of transition in which this England side find itself. Whether by design or not - in a perfect world, the side might well contain James Anderson, Rory Burns and Moeen Ali or Jack Leach - England are in a rebuilding phase. An investment has been made into young players. They are likely to be given time to develop.

At the heart of this young side is Ollie Pope. While some of the other young players - Zak Crawley and Dom Bess, for example - are taking advantage of the misfortunate of first-choice players, Pope is a first-choice pick. In the eyes of most of the England management, he is the most promising specialist batsman to come into the Test team since Joe Root in 2012. There are whispered hopes he will develop into a 100-Test player.

ALSO READ: Botham, Flintoff, Stokes - who is England's greatest?

Such was Pope's promise that he was first selected for the Test side when just 20. By then he had played 15 first-class games and scored four first-class centuries. That is, in context, only two fewer than Jos Buttler in his 104 match first-class career.

But England, bursting with men who could bat in the middle-order, asked Pope to fulfil a role that was unfamiliar to him. Despite batting at No. 6 for Surrey, despite never having come in before the 20th over of a first-class innings, he was required to bat at No. 4 on Test debut. In his first three innings he came into bat in the ninth, 13th and 12th overs. Unsurprisingly, he struggled. Perhaps more surprisingly in these days of continuity of selection, he was dropped after those three innings despite the fact one of his dismissals was down the leg side.

But if the use of Pope was wrong, the identification of his talent was surely correct. He has, at the time of writing, an average of 71.31 in first-class cricket for Surrey and 58.06 in all first-class cricket. After 30 games, he had a higher first-class average than any English player in history.

But for a dislocated shoulder, sustained while fielding for Surrey last April, his recall would have come earlier than November. But as it is, he has been assured of a run at No. 6 - the position Root started out in Test cricket - and, over his last few innings, started to provide returns on that investment. Two of his three most recent innings have been half-centuries, with the first, in Hamilton, showcasing an improved tightness in his game and the second, in Cape Town, providing something of a masterclass in batting with the tail. He scored 29 of the 35 posted for England's tenth-wicket and later took the catch that sealed the win.

After the Cape Town victory, a small group of the younger players - Pope, Bess, Dom Sibley and Matt Parkinson - hired an apartment in Camps Bay and enjoyed a few days' beach holiday. But now, back in training with the rest of the squad, it is clear Pope is relishing being part of a young team who are enjoying the new experiences and each other's successes.

"At the moment I feel like I'm in a good place with my game. I know I've got the technique and mindset to do it [at Test level]" Ollie Pope

"Winning this series would be an amazing achievement for us, especially where we're at as a side at the moment," Pope said. "We're quite young side with a lot of players just coming through.

"The Cape Town result says a lot about what we have within the camp, but we also realise that it's not something that happens overnight. Putting this side together will take time, but if we can win this series will be a great achievement.

"The first time I was picked I felt like it was almost a bit of a lottery. I was thinking 'hopefully I'll get a score but if I miss out then so be it.'

"At the moment I feel like I'm in a good place with my game. I know I've got the technique and mindset to do it. To have those scores under my belt is a real positive for me."

Perhaps it says something for Pope's ambitions that he was inspired by Steven Smith and Virat Kohli when batting with the tail in Cape Town.

"The way I went about my innings was just remembering how some of the best players in the world have done it," he said. "I remember watching Smith and Kohli from when they played against England and how, even when they were nine down, they were trying to face almost every ball. It was pretty new for me.

"The way Stokesy did it at Headingley was slightly different because he can just whack every ball out of the park and clear the men on the rope. Us smaller lads have to go about it in a bit more of a smart way and try and find a way of facing as many balls as you can. If you get a boundary option, then great, if not then try and face five balls and get a quick single at the end and get a boundary next over.

"If you ask any young batsman coming into the game, Smith, Kohli and Joe Root are the guys you want to be like. They have been the main run-scorers in international cricket over the last however many years and hopefully I've got a game where I can follow in their footsteps.

"I wouldn't say I tried to copy their techniques, but the one thing they have in common is having solid foundations. They can build their game around that and that's what I'm trying to do."

While Pope acknowledged the comparisons with Ian Bell - it was Andrew Strauss who first mentioned it to him - he insisted they are accidental. But since his first spell in the side, when his expansive off-side play could leave him looking loose at times, he looks even more like Bell now: more compact; more disciplined outside off stump; more prepared to be patient and make the bowlers come to him. In short, a player who has learned to harness his talent.

"I think Bell is an amazing player and I used to love watching him bat but it's not been anything that I've tried to emulate," Pope said. "But it's a big compliment because he is a pretty class player to watch. I've seen that a lot on social media. He was an amazing player and I loved watching him play."

His favourite players were, instead, keeper-batsmen such as MS Dhoni and Adam Gilchrist and he has not given up hopes of fulfilling a role as keeper in the years ahead.

"I still want to keep that going in my game," he said. "I definitely will be practising my keeping. I'm still the second keeper at Surrey. It's only going to be a positive if I can keep nailing that side of my game, but I'm also more than happy playing as a batter as well."

With a youthful look to the side, it is probably even more important that the more experienced players provide leadership. And Pope said Ben Stokes had taken him under his wing and demonstrated the fitness levels required to excel at this level.

"In New Zealand I realised what was needed," he said. "I'd go under Stokes' wing a little bit and, after the warm-up games, we'd run back to the hotel and do a running session the day before the games.

"If you can get into those good habits, if you control everything in your power to make sure you are as fit as you can be and you're training as well as you can, then hopefully good things will happen. It's good to see the way these guys go about it. Hopefully I can learn from that and keep following in their footsteps."

England's players were given a day off on Tuesday. While some, including Pope, went on safari, others played golf. Only Root, accompanied by batting coach Graham Thopre, took to the nets where he had a long session.

*The previous occasion was at Leeds in 1993, when Australia won by an innings

The BCCI has been asked to convene a meeting of its Apex Council at the earliest by Alka Rehani Bharadwaj, the nominee of the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG), to look into the conflict of interest complaints filed by Sanjeev Gupta, a life member at the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA). The Apex Council is one of the most powerful committees of the board. It is tasked with the governance of the BCCI and ranks second after the general body.

According to PTI, on Monday, Bharadwaj, who was appointed by the CAG to be part of the BCCI's Apex Council in December, sent an email to all the board's five office bearers, including president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah, along with Rahul Johri, the chief executive officer.

Ganguly, Shah and the other three office bearers - Arun Dhumal (treasurer), Jayesh George (joint secretary) and Mahim Verma (vice-president) - are part of the Apex Council along with Bharadwaj, two representatives from the Indian Cricketers' Association (Anshuman Gaekwad and Shanta Rangaswamy) and an elected representative nominated by the general body. The Apex Council has met just once (November 30) since Ganguly's administration took charge in October, and as per the board's constitution, it is supposed to meet every three months.

In the email, Bharadwaj reportedly listed five different conflict charges Gupta had filed since Ganguly's administration was elected. In his latest complaint, filed on Monday with the BCCI Ethics Officer, Gupta has said former Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir is ineligible to be part of the cricket advisory committee (CAC), which is tasked with picking the men's selection committee. The BCCI recently approached Gambhir, along with former India seamer Madan Lal and former India women's cricketer Sulakshana Naik, to be part of the CAC which has been defunct since last November.

In his complaint Gupta said Gambhir, being a Member of Parliament, was ineligible as per the rules listed within the BCCI's constitution. It is not known whether that complaint is on the shortlist of conflict charges that Bharadwaj wanted to discuss with the rest of the Apex Council.

One complaint that Bharadwaj did point out concerns the appointment of the former MPCA secretary Milind Kanmadikar as the team manager of the India A team, currently in New Zealand.

Gupta said that Kanmadikar was ineligible because he had served as MPCA secretary until October 2019, and hence had to serve the mandatory cooling off period of three years as per the rules which were approved by the Supreme Court in 2018. As per the rules, an office bearer or an administrator needs to serve a three-year cooling off period after serving two consecutive terms (6 years).

"Mr Kanmadikar is in compulsory cooling period ( he was Office Bearer of MPCA for 7 years in succession from Aug 2012 till 1 Oct 2019 )," Gupta had said in his complaint, sent on January 9. "He stands disqualified to occupy any post whatsoever till he completes his cooling period on 1 Oct 2022 , including post as Team Official of Indian A Team."

Kanmadikar's appointment was made by the BCCI, but Bharadwaj wanted to know the details because, as she pointed out, the office bearers did not have the power to do it themselves without discussing the matter at the Apex Council. "In terms of BCCI Rule 8 and 15, there is no provision through which either BCCI AGM or BCCI Apex Council can delegate their powers to BCCI office-bearers," Bharadwaj said in the email, according to PTI.

Bharadwaj said she had already sent two other emails to the office bearers in which she had also asked for the minutes of the November 30 Apex Council meeting to be sent to her in addition to uploading the annual reports of the previous two years on the board's website. "Thus, as requested on 7 January 2020, I again request for early convening of Apex Council meeting. Request you, as per my earlier mails dated 20 December 2019 and 3 January 2020, to share and also upload the Annual Reports for last 3 years on BCCI Website, in compliance with Rule 37(5) & (6) of the Constitution.

"You are also requested to share the Agenda, Explanatory notes, Minutes of Apex Council meeting of 30 November 2019 and also [IPL] Governing Council meeting, last held."

Bharadwaj's email is a significant development. The RM Lodha Committee had recommended that the CAG representative needed to be part of the Apex Council to help provide transparency and accountability in the world's richest cricket board. The BCCI opposed the move when it was suggested, with former board president Anurag Thakur (Dhumal's brother) controversially suggesting the CAG nominee appointment could not be allowed. Thakur was later sacked by the court for failing to implement the reforms.

PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby is back.

The Pittsburgh Penguins captain will be in the lineup on Tuesday night when Pittsburgh faces Minnesota. Crosby hasn't played since undergoing abdominal surgery on Nov. 14. The Penguins have thrived in spite of the extended absence of the three-time Stanley Cup winner. Pittsburgh is 18-6-4 since Crosby's last appearance on Nov. 9, tied for the second-best mark in the league during that span.

"I don't think it's ever easy to be patient when you're watching," Crosby said. "I mean you want to play. But like I said, it's been great to see [the results] and we've got to continue to do the same thing.''

Crosby had been dealing with a core injury before aggravating it against Chicago on Nov. 9. He had five goals and 12 assists in 17 games with Pittsburgh before going on injured reserve. The 28 games he missed was his longest absence since he was limited to 22 games during the 2011-12 season while dealing with concussion-like symptoms.

It's official.

He's back. pic.twitter.com/PDEw3RHw3X

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 14, 2020

The team initially estimated Crosby would miss at least six weeks. When he pulls on his familiar No. 87 sweater Tuesday night, it will be nearly nine weeks since his surgery. "It's a slow process,'' said Crosby, adding "Guys who have been injured, and we have a lot of them this year, know what that's like, you're just happy to get back.''

Injuries have decimated the Penguins from the beginning of the season. The list of high-profile players who have missed extended time include Crosby, center Evgeni Malkin, All-Star defenseman Kris Letang, All-Star forward Jake Guentzel, defenseman Justin Schultz and Brian Dumoulin and center Nick Bjugstad.

Yet Pittsburgh has kept right on rolling despite the steady stream of high-profile players to the injured reserve. The Penguins head into Tuesday night 7-1-1 in their last nine games to rise to second place behind Washington in the competitive Metropolitan Division. The team has done it by taking a more responsible defensive approach. The Penguins are seventh in the league in goals against after finishing 14th in the category a year ago, when they were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Islanders.

"I think the way this team has bought in to playing on both sides of the puck has certainly given us a lot of evidence that if we play the game a certain way we're a pretty competitive team," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "We can play against anyone regardless of who is in the lineup."

For the first time in more than two months, that lineup will include Crosby, who will likely be paired with Jared McCann and Dominik Simon. Crosby isn't concerned about his return disrupting the identity the club has forged while watching from the press box.

"I don't like to get too fancy out there. So I like to think the work ethic and the simple things, the things that have made us successful, I don't intend on changing that,'' Crosby said. "I just want to come in and hopefully bring some energy and make sure I'm doing my part.''

Retired NFL receiver Chad Johnson has a tryout scheduled for Monday with the XFL as a kicker, he announced via Twitter.

A source confirmed that, as of now, the tryout is real.

The opportunity to kick in the XFL has presented itself, i must tryout Monday in Houston, I'm excited as hell & I'm sure all will go well ??

— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) January 14, 2020

Johnson, 42, last played in an NFL game in February 2012, catching one pass for the New England Patriots during a Super Bowl XLVI loss. He was named to six Pro Bowls as a receiver, but often expressed sincere interest in kicking. In fact, he converted an extra point and kicked off for the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2009 preseason.

He tweeted that he hopes it could lead to a chance to compete for a spot on an NFL roster as a kicker, saying, "Pretty far fetched but imagine me being consistent during an XFL season & getting a chance at a 53 man roster in the NFL, even i don't make it just being able to compete for a spot at a entirely different position will be so riveting."

Last month, Johnson posted an Instagram video in which he converted what appeared to be a 60-yard field goal.

XFL rules for the kicking game are different than in the NFL. There are no extra point kicks, and kickoffs are to be spotted at either the 25- or 30-yard line, making a touchback unlikely.

Johnson would be by far the most high-profile player to try out publicly for the XFL. The league has largely eschewed big-name players in favor of those who would best fit its attempts to quicken the pace and excitement of games. Players from all eight teams have been in training camp around the Houston area since Jan. 4. The season kicks off Feb. 8.

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- After LSU capped its undefeated championship season with a dominant win over Clemson, the discussion turned to where this team ranks in college football history.

LSU coach Ed Orgeron knows where he would put it.

"This is a team for the ages, especially how prolific we were on offense, and to have that type of quarterback that we have, to go 15-0 and to beat the teams that we beat, all the top teams that we played," Orgeron said. "We had a tremendous schedule. We answered the bell. These guys didn't blink. We didn't have a bad game. We played 15 good football games, and this is going to be hard to beat."

There certainly is a case to be made looking at the record books alone. LSU beat the defending national champions 42-25 on Monday, ending Clemson's 29-game winning streak. That was LSU's seventh victory against a top-10 team this season, the most in FBS history.

As Orgeron pointed out, the reason LSU won all those games was its high-flying offense, specifically Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow.

Against Clemson, Burrow set NCAA single-season records for touchdown passes (60) and touchdowns responsible for (65). He also set NCAA marks for completion percentage and passer rating. His 5,671 yards passing this season is the most in SEC history and is tied for third most in NCAA history with Case Keenum (Houston, 2009).

In addition to all that, 2019 LSU is the only team in FBS history to have a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,500-yard receivers in the same season.

All those accomplishments are especially gratifying for a program that struggled to find an elite quarterback until Burrow decided to transfer from Ohio State. His addition, plus changes to the offensive staff, helped a talented offense with skill players such as Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall Jr. take off.

Burrow is poised to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft in April.

"If you're a quarterback right now, you're looking at LSU," Orgeron said. "You want to be here because of the system, because of what Joe did -- a Heisman Trophy winner, a potential first-round pick, national champion. And then you have great receivers to throw the football to.

"It does say a lot about our program, but you know what? We couldn't have done it without Joe. He's a special young man. I thank God he came to LSU."

Trailing by 16 in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, Detroit Pistons coach Dwane Casey benched center Andre Drummond.

And Detroit responded, rallying to force overtime.

"It wasn't a message for Andre as much as a message for everyone who wasn't on the floor," Casey said. "The young guys were playing hard and earned the right to be out there."

With Drummond still on the bench in OT, the Pistons, who are missing starters Blake Griffin (knee), Luke Kennard (knee) and Reggie Jackson (back), couldn't convert the rally into a win with Christian Wood playing the final 20:23, and youngsters Svi Mykhailiuk and Sekou Doumbouya also on the floor down the stretch in the 117-110 loss.

"In a situation like that, we're looking for five or six men who are playing hard and who can finish the game for us," Casey said.

Lonzo Ball helped the Pelicans salvage the night, scoring five of his 17 points in overtime.

"That was a tough game," Ball said. "We kind of lost it in the fourth quarter, but we got it back in overtime and ended up with a good win."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.