ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky is mourning a sudden family loss after posting Thursday that his brother-in-law died unexpectedly.
“This weekend, our family experienced an unimaginable tragedy. My brother-in-law, Fed, passed away unexpectedly, leaving behind my sister and their three amazing boys,” Orlovsky wrote on X. “There are no words to describe the heartbreak of losing a husband, a partner, and a father so suddenly.
“In the midst of trying to process this devastating loss, my sister is now facing the overwhelming reality of navigating life as a solo parent and a single-income household, all while helping her boys cope with the loss of their dad.”
Orlovsky later added: “No family should have to face this kind of heartbreak, and no one should have to worry about how they will manage financially while trying to put the pieces of their lives back together,” he wrote on X. “Thank you for showing up for my sister and my nephews when they need it most. Our family is heartbroken, but we are so grateful for the love and support surrounding them during this unimaginable time.”
Federico Lascano is survived by his wife, Christine, and their three sons: Brayden, 18, Cameron, 16, and Colton, 11. A cause of death was not announced.
Orlovsky also shared a GoFundMe to help the family cover expenses. The fundraiser had raised more than $77,000 by Thursday afternoon toward a $120,000 goal for bills, costs and future education.
A Shelton native, Orlovsky starred at quarterback at UConn before playing 13 seasons in the NFL. He has worked as a college football and NFL analyst for ESPN and ABC since 2018.
In Other News...
Kentucky Faces A Tougher Oklahoma Test Than Fans May Expect
Kentuckys trip to Oklahoma sits in the middle of a crowded week of college football picks, but it stands out because this is the kind of game where the familiar SEC script can get upended in a hurry. The matchup comes with plenty of recent trend-watching attached, along with the sort of player and performance notes that shape how these predictions get made, and it gives the Wildcats a chance to show they can handle a road test that looks tougher on paper than some fans may have expected.
Oklahoma brings the sort of profile that can punish a team if it starts slowly, and that is why this one has drawn more attention than a routine conference preview. Kentuckys outlook is tied to whether it can match the Sooners tempo and avoid the kind of mistakes that tend to decide games like this, which is also what makes the prediction angle so interesting: the gap between what people think and what actually happens could be smaller than it appears. [Read more 🡒]
Lance Heard Is Giving Kentucky's Offense Something Few Tackles Can
Lance Heard has quickly become one of the more versatile pieces in Kentuckys offense, and that matters for a team looking for every edge up front. The left tackle has not allowed a sack through the first six games, but his impact has gone well beyond pass protection. Kentucky has found ways to use his size and movement skills in space, including a highlight-reel sweep against South Carolina, and the results have given the Wildcats something few offenses can say they have from the tackle spot.
His coaches have also been creative with how they deploy him, at times lining him up as a lead blocker in the backfield, a role Heard has clearly embraced. He was again part of the story in Kentuckys recent overtime win against LSU, adding another layer to a season that has already shown how valuable he can be when the Wildcats ask him to do more than the usual left tackle job. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky's Linebacker Situation Just Took Another Unexpected Turn
Kentuckys inside linebacker picture got a little clearer, at least for the moment, when Alex Afari was granted eligibility to play by a temporary injunction from Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Brian Edwards. The ruling comes amid a lawsuit challenging how the NCAA is applying its new five-year eligibility rules to players who graduated high school in 2022, and it adds another twist to a situation that has already moved through multiple legal decisions.
For Kentucky, the timing matters because Afaris status directly affects a depth chart that has been under pressure at inside linebacker. His return gives the Wildcats another option in a spot where every available body counts, even as the larger eligibility fight continues to play out in court. [Read more 🡒]
