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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nate Oats lays blueprint, talks move-in for NBA-inspired Alabama basketball practice facility
Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats has had his hand in creating Alabama basketball's practice and training facility since the project was first announced last year. "They've had me heavily involved in the entire thing," Oats told The Next Round at the Regions Tradition. Advertisement Architects and construction workers probably wished that wasn't the case after Oats came back from Boston last summer. After a little less than a week with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzula, Oats returned to Tuscaloosa with some new ideas he'd stowed away in his suitcase. "I came back and kind of blew up the plans," Oats said. CONSTRUCTION NEWS: Where were cuts made on new budget approved for Alabama basketball's practice facility? FUTURE PLANS: Nate Oats gives timeline on replacing ex-Alabama basketball assistant "Literally, we're to the end, and I'm like no, we're doing it all different," Oats said. Advertisement The communication went all the way to UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne and President Stuart Bell, who agreed to Oats' requests. "I think it's gonna be a one-of-a-kind facility. The people designing it said they'd pitched these ideas to people and they didn't really buy em," Oats said. Nate Oats talks blueprint of Alabama basketball training and practice facility "It's gonna be very integrated," Oats explained. "It's going to be a lot easier to build relationships with players, and I think that's very important in the transfer portal, NIL day." Oats said there won't be a player lounge or a staff lounge, but "one big shared space." Advertisement Where Oats' office is currently located in Coleman Coliseum, he's on the opposite end of where players are practicing, so he struggles to know when guys are coming in to shoot, or who's available for a quick conversation before a voluntary workout. Oats explained that his office on the practice floor neighbors three more for Crimson Tide assistants, all standing across from the weight room, which will conjoin with the training room. Using his hands to lay out the blueprint of the facility, Oats indicated his office will be closest to the stairs, which lead to the second floor that'll host support staff and the common area for all involved in the program. How much was the courtyard addition that Oats is so excited about? Oats gave a smirk when he brought up the courtyard, one of the more recent additions approved for the facility, going on to note he has one at his house and often finds himself tempted to work outside. Advertisement In February, the project's budget increased by $500k when the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees voted for the facility to include separate courtyards for men's and women's teams, which will serve as communal areas for players and incoming recruits. Two months later, trustees voted to slash $115k of the budget previously allocated to 'Landscaping.' "I hate being locked up in an office," Oats said. Oats' one rule? "No bird baths." The University of Alabama unveiled the first banner honoring the school's first Final Four appearance Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Coleman Coliseum. Alabama head coach Nate Oats shows off his Final Four ring after it was presented by athletics director Greg Byrne and president Stuart Bell. When is Alabama basketball expected to move in to new home? The facility is expected to be complete by "next summer," according to Oats, adding the team anticipates moving in "this time next year." By that estimate, all should be said and done by May 2026. Advertisement Byrne told the Tuscaloosa News in December that the facility will offer "the latest technology," adding that the "first step" Alabama takes towards renovations on Coleman start with the practice facility. "I'm super excited. I can't wait," Oats said. Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@ This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nate Oats on blueprint, expected move-in for Alabama basketball practice facility
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Was Tyler Booker surprised to be selected by Dallas Cowboys so early in NFL draft?
Tyler Booker was the first Alabama football player to hear his name called in the 2025 NFL draft. The former All-American guard and Crimson Tide team captain was the No. 12 overall pick of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and was the first guard selected as a first-round pick since 2022. Advertisement But in an interview with "The Next Round" on April 28, Booker made it clear he was not shocked to be such a high first-round pick despite mock drafts placing him either later in the first round or even in the second. Please enable Javascript to view this content. "No, I wasn't surprised that I went as high as I did," Booker said "It's something I have been working on my whole life. I know what I bring to a team, and what some of the 'experts' aren't privy to are how well I do in the classroom, how well I do on the board and my leadership and what I bring to the team. So the Cowboys didn't just draft a right guard that is going to come in and play after on of the greatest guards of all time. They also drafted a great leader, someone who is going to change their culture, someone who is going to improve their culture, improve their program and improve their team for years to come or however long the Lord sees fit." With Booker's pick, Alabama secured its 17th-straight draft with at least one first-round selection. Advertisement Booker and Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell (No. 31 Philadelphia Eagles) were both first-round picks and two of seven Crimson Tide players picked in the 2025 draft. Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@ or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Tyler Booker talks NFL draft first round pick by Dallas Cowboys
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hugh Freeze Takes Clear Stance on Being on Hot Seat Ahead of 2025
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze has addressed the mounting pressure as he enters his third season, making it clear he understands the stakes. In a recent interview on "The Next Round," Freeze acknowledged the expectations, stating, "I'm not a fool. I think we've got to go to a bowl game." Advertisement This candid admission comes amidst heightened scrutiny, with ESPN placing him as a head coach on the hot seat for 2025 due to a dismal 11-14 record over his first two seasons. Freeze's comments reflect a recognition of the challenges ahead, particularly after inheriting a program that struggled with recruiting and performance. Despite securing consecutive top-10 recruiting classes and key transfers like quarterback Jackson Arnold, the coach emphasized the need for tangible results. Auburn Tigers head football coach Hugh Freeze.© John Reed-Imagn Images "We could have won some games last year," he admitted, highlighting areas for improvement to ensure bowl eligibility and beyond. Advertisement The interview also revealed Freeze's competitive drive, as he expressed a desire to deliver for the Tigers' fanbase. "Obviously, I'm a competitor, and I want to deliver it to the Auburn people," he said, underscoring his commitment despite personal and professional blessings at the university. With revamped recruiting classes and a commitment to to focusing on the key details, Freeze believes in this program's ability to turn it around. As the 2025 season approaches, Freeze's focus on winning big games and meeting high expectations signals a pivotal year for his tenure at Auburn. The pressure is on, and Freeze is acutely aware of it. Related: Tahaad Pettiford Has Unexpected Answer For Best Player in NBA Question
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
AJ McCarron Shares How Nick Saban Helped Him Create His Favorite Alabama Moment
AJ McCarron left an indelible mark on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Twelve years after his collegiate career ended, McCarron remains Alabama's all-time leader in completions and passing yards while ranking third in touchdown passes. He led the Crimson Tide to national championships in 2011 and 2012 on the way to racking up a school-record 36 wins in three seasons as Nick Saban's starting quarterback. But in a new interview, McCarron revealed that his favorite moment in Tuscaloosa had nothing to do with the national championships, or his role in the Saban era's wild success. Advertisement Instead, McCarron revealed that his "most special moment" at Alabama occurred in his final home game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 23, 2013. That was when Saban and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier put Corey McCarron, AJ's younger brother, in for a play during the second half of a 49-0 win over Chattanooga. "For me, it's the completion I got to my brother," McCarron told "The Next Round" at the Regions Tradition golf tournament in Birmingham, Alabama. "It was my last game at Bama, and I had been telling Saban 'hey, I want him in' ... We were up (by enough points) and he said 'alright.' I can still to this day hear my mom screaming in the stands." The play call, known as "Nashville," was a quick out-route that saw Corey McCarron -- a walk-on tight end who later played at Middle Tennessee State -- pick up a three-yard reception. More than a decade later, AJ admitted to "The Next Round" that the gesture still makes him "choke up." Advertisement "It's such a special moment to be able to have that with my brother, and to be able to share it with our kids is pretty cool," he said. Related: Former LSU Star Predicts Garrett Nussmeier to Follow Jayden Daniels' Footsteps
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hugh Freeze Sets Clear Expectations for Auburn's 2025 Season
The Auburn Tigers' football program has been in a difficult spot for several years. Auburn has sought stability since Gus Malzahn's 2020 departure, and the school hopes Hugh Freeze's third season as the head coach will bring a return to contention in the demanding Southeastern Conference. Freeze on Friday made the expectations clear for his Tigers entering 2025. He told "The Next Round" that Auburn cannot repeat its 5-7 campaign from a year ago, and the time is now to arrest the program's decline across recent seasons. Advertisement "I'm not a fool, I think we've got to go to a bowl game," Freeze said. It has been six years since Auburn ended a season ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press poll, and the Tigers have not won 10 games in a season since 2017. Auburn was criticized for a failure to secure impact recruits during the Malzahn and Bryan Harsin eras, which has put Freeze in a challenging spot as he steadily rebuilds the program. "Our administration understands I inherited a program that didn't have a top-25 recruiting class for four years," Freeze said. "We've had now two full recruiting classes, both top 10, one more and then your roster looks complete." Advertisement Indeed, Auburn's 2024 and 2025 classes have been ranked eighth and sixth respectively by 247Sports. The 2025 class is led by four-star quarterback Deuce Knight and five-star defensive line prospect Malik Autry -- who went to high school just up the road from Auburn in Opelika, Alabama. The recruitment service also likes what Freeze and his staff accomplished in the transfer portal going into 2025. Knight forms one part of an overhauled QB room; he will be competing for reps with Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit who is the early favorite to start Auburn's season opener against Baylor on August 29. "I see no reason why we shouldn't (improve), and I think that's an expectation that our people should have," Freeze said. Related: Fans in Disbelief Over Charley Barkley NIL Confession to Auburn
