Latest news with #CrimsonTide
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What Alabama football can count on, and what it can't, entering preseason camp
Inexperienced quarterbacks. The health of the tight ends. The depth at running back. Wide receiver Jalen Hale's recovery from a knee injury. New specialists. These were all question-mark areas of the Alabama football team that second-year coach Kalen DeBoer addressed Wednesday, with equal parts encouragement and caution, following the Crimson Tide's first practice of preseason camp. Some more relevant and pressing than others, to be sure, but all worthy of a watchful eye as the next three weeks of practice give way to the onset of the 2025 season. GOODBREAD: Roast of Kerry Goode celebrates 60th birthday, marks 10 years with ALS PRESEASON DEPTH CHART: Predicting Alabama football depth chart before 2025 fall camp starts What was missing in all that uncertainty? Anything about the defense. Anything about Alabama's load of experience on that side of the ball. Anything about the defensive backs, in particular, who are primed to be the stalwart unit. "The veterans, it starts with communication and their confidence with that communication. Guys (being) in sync, knowing the space they've got to cover between two guys in the secondary or the back half. You can just see the jelling of that," DeBoer said. "I can't really think of anything (Wednesday) where it felt like there was a missed assignment or something that was blown all day. And our offense does a lot of stuff to put a lot of pressure on (defenses) to communicate, to (react to) motions, shifting, things like that." There's an awful lot to learn about this Alabama team that a single practice without full pads neither explains to coaches nor reporters. But nobody needs to see this defense practice for a month to know its relative strength and value. Absent injury, it should be one of the best in the SEC. With a breakout season or two among its pass rushers, it could be one of the best in the country (LT Overton, Qua Russaw, James Smith, your numbers have been called). Other than the near-complete recovery from a knee injury by middle linebacker and team captain Deontae Lawson, and perhaps depth at a few positions, there just aren't a lot of concerns on that side of the ball. Meanwhile, the timing for such a defense couldn't be better with Alabama's offense breaking in a new quarterback. Ty Simpson, it would appear for now, will make his first career start on the road at Florida State in about four weeks. And although FSU was a disaster in 2024 with a 2-10 record, that doesn't mean the 2025 Seminoles won't be capable of giving Simpson fits at Doak-Campbell Stadium. Programs can make one-year turnarounds in the era of NIL and the NCAA transfer portal like never before; from 2021-22, under current coach Mike Norvell, FSU made a jump from 5-7 to 10-3. Beyond the opener, however, it could be a few weeks before Alabama's offense finds a full stride. That's the nature of turnover at the quarterback position, particularly when there are other question marks in play, such as right tackle, left guard, and the aforementioned rotations at running back and tight end. As such, defense might have to carry a little more of the weight early in the season for Alabama. And it doesn't take a bunch of camp practices to know it can. Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@ Follow on @chasegoodbread. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Alabama football can count on, and what it can't, in fall camp
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top Alabama 2026 in-state target announces official commitment decision
A commitment decision has now officially come from top Alabama Crimson Tide target Anthony "Tank" Jones. Announced on Thursday, Jones has officially committed to the Oregon Ducks, choosing the Big Ten program over both Alabama and Texas A&M. At the moment, Jones is currently considered as the nation's No. 18 overall prospect, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, as well as the No. 4 edge rusher nationally. A five-star prospect, Jones also ranks as the No. 1 overall player in the state of Alabama where he attends St. Paul's Episcopal School. Following the commitment of Jones to Oregon, Alabama's 2026 class still ranks No. 4 nationally, per 247Sports, with 21 total commits. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama football target Anthony Jones commits to Oregon Ducks
USA Today
12 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Alabama football 2025 season preview, predictions: Olaus Alinen
Entering year three in Tuscaloosa, could this potentially end up being a breakout season for Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Olaus Alinen? Having seen time along Alabama's offensive front each of the last two seasons, Alinen has primarily been a backup option since coming to Tuscaloosa, but things could certainly change surrounding his potential role this season. That is because the now redshirt sophomore is competing for a starting spot entering fall camp, and is likely to be a top reserve option for the Crimson Tide in 2025 at-the-least. Here is everything you need to know about Alabama offensive lineman Olaus Alinen entering the 2025 season. Olaus Alinen player information Olaus Alinen career stats During his first two seasons at Alabama, Alinen has solely been a backup option with the Crimson Tide. Across the 2023-24 seasons, Alinen has appeared in 17 games for the Crimson Tide. Olaus Alinen 2024 stats Alinen's 2024 season was a breakout campaign for the redshirt sophomore in which he appeared in all 13 games for Alabama. A majority of that action for Alinen a year ago came on special teams, while also rotating along Alabama's offensive line. Olaus Alinen recruiting ranking According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Alinen was considered the No. 167 overall player in the 2023 class, as well as the No. 14 offensive tackle. A four-star prospect who committed to Alabama in July 2022, Alinen was also considered the No. 1 player in Finland, but played his senior year of high school at The Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut. Olaus Alinen 2025 season outlook After appearing in every game a year ago, the 2025 season is shaping up to potentially be an even better one for the third-year offensive lineman. Entering fall camp, Alinen is likely expected to be one of Alabama's top backup options along the offensive line, one who could potentially be the top name at tackle who doesn't start. That does not mean that Alinen will not push for a starting spot at right tackle with Wilkin Formby, but is likely to be the top reserve who could also see time on the left side of the offensive line. Overall, expect Alinen to see a significant amount of action for the Crimson Tide in 2025, and for the former four-star to become a household name by seasons end. Olaus Alinen 2025 season prediction Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Greg McElroy Reveals College Football Team as a 'Legitimate' National Championship Contender
Greg McElroy Reveals College Football Team as a 'Legitimate' National Championship Contender originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Alabama Crimson Tide are desperately hoping to return to competing for national titles, a common occurrence during the Nick Saban era. Kalen DeBoer is now the head coach and is fresh off a 9-4 season in his first year in Tuscaloosa. DeBoer took the Washington Huskies to the national championship in 2023, and Greg McElroy thinks the same can happen for the Crimson Tide in 2025. McElroy called Alabama a "legitimate" national championship contender on a recent episode of "Always College Football." Alabama's last national title of the Saban era was in 2020, when the team defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 52-24. "I think Alabama has a big year," McElroy said. "I'm a believer. I'm buying. I think they are a legitimate national championship contender in year number two for Kalen DeBoer." The Crimson Tide missed the College Football Playoff last year after going 9-3 during the regular season. The 2024 season was the first time that the 12-team format was used for the playoff. Alabama had the third-best odds to make the CFP among SEC teams, at -180, according to Circa Sportsbook. The Crimson Tide's trip to the playoff in 2023 ended with a 27-20 overtime loss to the Michigan Wolverines, and Saban retired shortly after. The team returns top talent on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Ty Simpson, receiver Ryan Williams, linebacker Deonte Lawson and cornerback Domani Jackson. Simpson was named the starting quarterback after being the backup for the last three seasons. The former five-star prospect brings 16 games of experience with him into the 2025 season. An elite prospect from the 2026 class named Alabama as a finalist recently. Four-star in-state edge rusher Jaquez Wilkes included the Crimson Tide in his final five schools, but went with the Auburn Tigers instead. Alabama opens the 2025 season with the Florida State Seminoles on August 30. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. ET on story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kalen DeBoer updates status of injured Alabama wide receiver following first practice
After months away, the Alabama Crimson Tide officially returned to the practice field Wednesday for the start of fall camp. Following the Crimson Tide's first practice as well, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer also took the podium, taking questions from the media for the first time since SEC football media days. As part of this, DeBoer was asked about returning wide receiver Jalen Hale, a player who missed the entirety of the 2024 season due to an injury, along with where the former top prospect currently stands entering fall camp, along with what to expect going forward. "Just Jalen Hale, and where he was at a year ago with the injury, actually, in the spring in 2024, just a pretty significant injury at the time, and between he and then our medical staff, just doing an awesome job of pushing forward," DeBoer said. "Our whole team is proud of him, not just me. We've talked about that in the winter, during December, I remember addressing it with the team. Guys being excited about having him out there finally doing some things with the team, and then the spring was the next step, and through the summer and him out there. But there's reps that he hasn't taken. Banked reps that other guys have, and so he's still learning as we go. Every rep, he's gonna get more-and-more confident, but he's certainly got a lot of tools, and I want to see his growth. Excited about that this fall." Hale originally came to Alabama as a member of the Crimson Tide's 2023 recruiting class where he was considered the nation's No. 41 overall player that cycle, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. A highly-rated four-star recruit, Hale was also considered the nation's No. 6 wide receiver out of Longview High School in Texas. Once in Tuscaloosa as well, Hale went on to make an impact as a true freshman in 2023, hauling in five receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown across 13 games. Hale however did not play a year ago due to injury, and now enters his redshirt sophomore season at Alabama this fall as undoubtedly a name to know in the Crimson Tide's deep wide receiver room, one who could potentially have a breakout campaign if back to full health. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
