Tag Archives: Alabama Crimson Tide

New Look Alabama: Tommy Rees, Run the Damn Ball

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

It is no secret that with Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, and Bryce Young, the Alabama Crimson Tide got away from running the ball. You can afford to get away from the run when you have NFL quarterbacks who consistently make good reads. However, Bryce Young is gone, and Nick Saban is getting back to his roots with Tommy Rees: running the damn ball.

Meet Tommy Rees:

For those who don’t know much about college football but know a lot about the NFL, remember Ian Book? Yeah, well Tommy Rees brought that guy to the college football playoffs. Why is Rees so interesting? Well, he is a career QB and QB coach whose play-calling specialty is running the rock. His run schemes are some of the best in the country.

Saban brought in a recruiting class that features the number 1 offensive lineman in the country and the number 2 running back. With this class and the current team, Rees can change the game for Alabama.

The Tommy Rees Offense:

If you can’t tell by the title and introduction, Tommy Rees likes to “Run the Damn Ball” — something it feels like Alabama hasn’t done in forever. The Alabama backfield is loaded this year, and depending on who the quarterback is, Alabama could have the most dominant run game in all of college football.

Jalen Milroe, who was Bryce Young’s backup all year, is probably the best-rushing quarterback in college football. However, there are questions about him as a thrower. The other option is Ty Simpson, Alabama’s younger 5-star QB. He is a much more pure thrower of the football. Simpson isn’t the runner that Milroe is, but he can get on his horse.

Tommy Rees had just brought QB Sam Hartman over from Wake Forrest to Notre Dame. Simpson is definitely more in that style of quarterback. I think Rees will hold a legit QB competition at Alabama this spring.

Who Can Rees Unlock?

I personally think the big one is Justice Haynes. The freshman running back came in for bowl practices, and Will Anderson spoke highly of him. Haynes should dominate quickly in a very downhill, creative running offense.

I would really like to see something out of tight ends this year. Alabama got basically 500 yards from tight ends in total. They added C.J. Dippre and Ty Lockwood. The Maryland transfer, Dippre, is going to HAVE to be Rees’ guy.

If you have watched any Notre Dame, you know they love tight ends. Rees definitely shows it.

Will Tommy Rees Succeed?

Personally, I think so. It might take a year for him to be the best version of his offense. However, Rees will be a breath of fresh air for Alabama fans. So Bama fans… please cut this dude some slack and be ready for big changes on offense.

Alabama Quarterback Problem: Life After Bryce Young

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Alabama reserve quarterback Ty Simpson
Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics

From Jalen Hurts to Tua Tagovailoa to Mac Jones and now Bryce Young, Nick Saban has been on a historic quarterback run. However, going into their Sugar Bowl matchup with Kansas State, there are a lot of questions surrounding the quarterback position for Alabama.

Superstar QB Bryce Young will play in the bowl game, much to the surprise of college football fans. It isn’t with Bryce where the questions lie. The questions are what comes next after Alabama loses its greatest quarterback?

Alabama Quarterback Options:

While it was thought that Coach Saban might dip into the transfer portal for freshman standout Drake Maye. That turned out to be a pipe dream for Alabama fans. Saban and Alabama will be rolling with the quarterbacks currently on the roster. Let’s get into the options:

Jalen Milroe

We got to see some of Jalen Milroe during Bryce Young’s injury. The young quarterback looked decent against Texas A&M and Arkansas. He is very raw, much like Jalen Hurts during his time in Alabama. Milroe seems like the favorite currently, however footage during practice for the bowl game has come out of him running routes at wide receiver. Only time will tell with Milroe.

Ty Simpson

Now, with Milroe’s future up in the air, the guy on his heels is Ty Simpson. Simpson was a top recruit, with a 98.883 composite rating. He left his home state of Tennessee for Alabama and is the reported reason Alabama went out on Arch Manning. Personally, I think Ty Simpson has all the tools to be the next great Alabama quarterback.

The Recruits

Alabama brings in two 4-star quarterbacks, neither of which will make much of an impact — at least initially. Eli Holstein has drawn Mac Jones comparisons, which feels like an insult to Mac Jones. Dylan Lonergan has a bit more upside, but he’s extremely raw and will need time to develop.

Who is the Alabama Quarterback next year

My take is that Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson will have a serious battle all off-season. In the end, the versatility of Milroe means he might end up as a running back or wide receiver. Ty Simpson ends up as the Alabama quarterback. Simpson will need a lot of help, but he can get the job done in T-Town.

Alabama vs. Texas: Game Recap & NFL Draft Prospects Review

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Alabama vs. Texas Week 2
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Michael Thomas

In spite of all of the freak injuries, Alabama vs. Texas was a great matchup of NFL draft prospects on Saturday. Both teams played stout defense throughout, not allowing either offense to show much explosiveness.

Although the situation looked dire for the Crimson Tide late, the team managed to stave off a potential upset due, in part, to the heroics of their Heisman-winning quarterback. Alabama would take a narrow 20-19 victory over the Longhorns, despite the efforts of the latter’s defense. 

The first drives for both teams ended with a field goal, giving the teams a dead tie. Alabama managed to chip away at the Longhorns’ defense with their rotation of running backs, but came up short. For Texas, transfer quarterback Quinn Ewers looked as good as advertised, making some incredible deep passes. 

Alabama would score again on their second drive with an 81-yard Jace McClellan touchdown run. Ewers would continue his efficient passing on the Longhorns’ second drive before suffering a shoulder injury on a throw-away pass. Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner would get called for a roughing the passer penalty after falling on Ewers in a freak incident. 

Backup Hudson Card would replace Ewers, but also would struggle with an apparent injury through the game. In any case, the Longhorns would finish the drive with a touchdown from Bijan Robinson. 

Neither team would score again in the first half, with the next score coming from Texas on a Brett Auburn field goal. After stopping Alabama’s offense, the Longhorns would score from another field, goal bringing the score to 16-10. 

Down six at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Crimson Tide would march down the field and score on a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown reception. With the score now 17-16, the Longhorns would respond with a 49-yard field goal giving Texas the lead late into the fourth quarter. 

With 1:29 left of the clock, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young would orchestrate a masterful drive to set up the game-winning field goal. 

Alabama vs. Texas NFL Draft Prospects Review 

It goes without saying that the star of the show Saturday was Bryce Young. Despite not having an incredible statistical outing, the final drive was nothing short of remarkable. Young was surgical with his passes, but also showed off his athleticism, escaping a cornerback sack with a simple duck-and-run. Young is the clear-cut QB1 right now, and it may not be close if he continues on his current track. 

It was a relatively quiet day for Will Anderson, as well. He had a few off-sides penalties, but made up for it with a key 3rd down sack late in the four quarter. 

His teammates Jaylen Moody and Henry To’oTo’o also looked solid in the box. However, the real stars this weekend in the trenches were the Crimson Tide defensive line. DJ Dale and Byron Young did a great job establishing leverage and made some nice plays in the backfield. 

For Texas, Bijan Robinson looked solid but could never find the right crease to run through. Even with a touchdown, it was not the star performance on-lookers would’ve expected. The same could be said for his running mate in Roschon Johnson, who also struggled versus the Alabama front. 

The stars of the Texas offense were wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington. Worthy shined early with a couple big catches, but trailed off in the second half. Whittington, however, was a consistent safety blanket for Card, doing plenty of damage in the middle of the field. 

On defense, linebacker Jaylan Ford made a few nice plays in-between the tackles. He looked sharp as he flowed to the football, and was the most impressive player on the Longhorns defense. DeMarvion Overshown was quiet, but still made a few stops here and there. 

Similarly to Alabama, the Longhorn’s defensive line had a few nice plays. EDGE Ovie Oghoufo had a great sack for Texas in the first quarter using his first step quickness. T’Vondre Sweat would have had a safety, but was ruled an incompletion on a weird third down play. Sweat, along with Moro Ojomo and Keondre Coburn, were excellent at stopping the run on Saturday — save for the McClellan touchdown. 

Nick Saban’s Comments On Rival NIL Deals Sparks Drama

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Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders drew criticism from Nick Saban over NIL and star recruit Travis Hunter
Photo Credit: JSU / Edward Waters

During a media interview, Alabama head coach Nick Saban attempted to reveal his competition’s unscrupulous techniques in bringing recruits — mainly concerning NIL practices — into their institution. During said interview, Saban accused SEC rival Texas A&M of “buying every player,” while also pointing the charge at Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders for paying top recruit Travis Hunter one million dollars to commit to his school.

The college football community was incensed by these accusations, and both head coaches were enraged by what was said about them. Jimbo Fisher was the first to answer, and he delivered a Nas-worthy ether, calling Saban a “narcissist” and saying that some individuals believe they are God.

It’s one thing to poke fun at a competitor, but to accuse them of nefarious business practices is plain unprofessional and makes you appear entitled. The next person who quickly responded was Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders and his number one recruit, Travis Hunter.

These claims were swiftly debunked, with Sanders writing, “We as a People Don’t Have to Pay Our People to Play With Our People.” Even the millionaire recruit chimed in, tweeting, “I got a mill, but my mom still lives in a three-bedroom house with five kids.”

What Does All This Mean

This essentially implies that when it comes to recruiting, every school’s football program is on an equal playing field. While pay-for-play has been practiced in college sports for many years, Saban should not be concerned; if anything, it raises the level of competitiveness.

This coach is known as the Bill Belichick of college football, having sent countless Crimson Tide players to the NFL. It simply appears he feels as if the pressure is coming, and has real challenges ahead.

The SEC has grown a little stronger, and if Alabama is still the powerhouse it has been for the previous ten years, what happens inside another school’s program shouldn’t be their business. Saban’s remarks have undoubtedly made their games against Texas A&M a little more personal this season.

Jackson State Is A Huge Threat

When Jackson State hired Deion Sanders, he immediately transformed that program, putting all eyes on the HBCUs. In his debut season, he led his team to a near-unbeaten season and the SWAC conference championship. He also gained a number of recruits, the most notable being Travis Hunter, the nation’s number one recruit, who switched from Florida State to Jackson State.

Simply put, HBCU football programs are back, and Deion is leading the fight. With him at the helm, it is evident that prospects do not need to attend a big school to flourish; it is possible to do so at an HBCU.

If Hunter can flourish at Jackson State, the sky is the limit for Deion, as countless recruits will follow suit and leave a legacy rather than simply being a part of a winning program. It’s clear that NIL has changed the landscape of college football, and the comments from Nick Saban clearly reflect that.

2023 Recruiting Class Update: Spring

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The 2023 recruiting class is in full swing, and were already starting to see highly touted recruits make their commitments.

Sitting pretty:

Leading the pack thus far is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish headlined by five star defensive end Keon Keeley. First year head coach Marcus Freeman is hitting the recruiting trail hard ahead of his first campaign at the helm. Look for more big time commits in the coming weeks with playmakers like wide receiver Carnell Tate (IMG Academy, FL) and Braylon James (Del Valle, TX).

The next team having a surprisingly good start to the cycle is Tennessee. Coach Heupel’s second class at the helm is headlined by five star quarterback, Nicholaus Iamaleava (Long Beach Poly, CA) and four star tight end, Ethan Hill (Collins Hill, GA). The Vols are also in the top 5 schools for wide receiver Carnell Tate(IMG Academy, FL).

The final up-trending team is one completely out of left-field, currently sitting at the number two spot at this time. The Texas Tech Red Raiders are making a splash in the recruiting scene with four 4 stars committed to Joey McGuire’s program thusfar. They’re still in the mix for 4 star safety, Ryan Yaites (Denton, TX). Keep a close eye on this Texas Tech class as they look to load up for the new Big 12.

Off to a slow start:

The first team in this category will not be here for long, the Alabama Crimson Tide are currently 33rd in the nation for the 2023 class. Now we all know how this goes, Bama gets off to a slow start and then dominate the national signing days.

The Tide are in the mix for current consensus number one recruit Arch Manning (Isodore Newman, LA). They are also in the mix for the top 2 running backs, 3 of the top 5 receivers and the top 2 offensive tackles in the class. Don’t expect Saban and company to stay this low for too much longer with kids taking their official spring visits.

The second team off to a slow start is the Texas Longhorns. The ‘Horns are currently sitting at 25th in the national rankings, but are in the mix for some big name recruits. Targets for Texas are headlined by 5* quarterback, Arch Manning (Isodore Newman, LA), but also include 4* receiver Johntay Cook (DeSoto, TX) and 5* running back Reuben Owens (El Campo, TX). Sarkisian and company are off to a slow start, but just like Alabama, will not stay here for much longer.

On life support:

Jumping over to the west coast for the first time today, we spotlight Oregon for our final breakdown of the day. Coach Lanning is off to a very slow start with his first class at the helm. Cristobal leaving for Miami has hurt the Ducks recruiting class as they dropped out of the top 15 for the 2022 class after his departure.

Lanning looks to build his class from the ground up, but sitting at 45th in the nation he is going to need to build momentum and quick. They are in the mix for 5* defensive back Javien Toviano (Martin, TX) and 5* athlete Nyckoles Harbor (Arch Bishop Carrol, D.C.).

Conclusion:

The 2023 recruiting class has barely started taking shape and there is still a lot of time between now and Early Signing Day in December to make moves. Be ready for all teams to really hit the recruiting trail hard after the spring and into the summer for camp and 7 on 7 showcase season.

As always be sure to follow on Twitter @Sam_WaltonFB.