Let’s have a practice week of Pick the winners, as football returns August 24. The object is to pick the most games right and normally we have 12, which will include SEC games and if we don’t have 12 we will add some big ones. On the last pick remember to pick the score and the leading rusher for the winning team with his yardage. If the Creeks don’t rise and the Good Lord is willing, I’ll be able to do this all year.

1. Florida A&M v. Norfolk State

2. McNeese v. Tarelton State

3. North Alabama v. S.E. Missouri

4. Delaware State v. Hawaii

5. SMU v. Nevada

6. Montana Stat v. New Mexico

7. Florida State vs. Georgia Tech. Pick the score, the leading rusher and his yardage.

Yes I am a homer, but I really see this team as being special. I think this team is as good as any other team in the country on Offense and we have a very good Defense. I think this team has a legitimate chance of running the table. There is only one team as talented as Alabama on our schedule and except for Tennessee and LSU the tough games are at home. I predict that Bama is a top seed at the end of the year and has a legitimate chance to win it all, although I would rather be a five seed.

Watching College Game Day and hearing the conversation with Brent Key. They just should have interviewed Coach Saban, since they heard the exact same thing Saban would have said the exact way Saban would have said it. The three years as O-line coach obviously paid dividends.

The 2024 football season kicks off today with FSU v. G-Tech, ESPN, 11 a.m. Seems like a decent matchup.

Did a deep dive and compared DeBoer's current class to a recent one from Saban here:

Sporting an Alabama pullover to the Crampton Bowl for Montgomery Carver's first game of the season tonight against Vestavia Hills.

Jasper Johnson will make his announcement next week. Kentucky raised their NIL offer substantially to try and keep him in Lexington. Alabama has always felt great where they are, but money can talk.

We will see where it goes. I still lean Bama slightly.
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Login to view embedded media Watch how Tua could take a step and avoid a sack. Milroe needs to learn how to use this to avoid the sack. The play that got Tua hurt he was running parallel to the line of scrimmage. This will not work with the speed of the rush in todays game.

I’m assuming this is his younger brother being that his dad tagged him in it. He’s a 9th grader so surely he’s been recruited for 2-3 years.
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Eight days until kickoff, name the great players to wear number 8.

I’ll leave the easy one for Pop.

Rick Neal Big TE.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Miami of Ohio head coach Chuck Martin believes Alabama tampered in its recruitment of Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Graham Nicholson this offseason. During an interview posted to Miami of Ohio’s official YouTube page Thursday, Martin claimed the Crimson Tide “stole” Nicholson when he transferred to Alabama in late April.

“We didn’t lose him, he’s at Alabama,” Martin said. “We know exactly where he’s at. Again, you media people, it’s all pretend. Like, no, Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us and that’s a fact. We act like it’s not. We live in this la-la world, like ‘Hey, let’s not talk...’ I don’t know why. Everybody knows what’s going on.

“So yeah, Alabama stole our kicker. A couple other schools tried to steal him but then… OK, what was the question?”

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked about Martin’s comments hours later and denied that he or his staff did anything wrong in its recruitment of Nicholson.

“He entered the portal, and we reached out to him,” DeBoer said. “So, that’s how it goes, right? We did everything that we were supposed to.”

During his Lou Groza Award-winning season last year, Nicholson connected on 27 of 28 field-goal attempts and 35 of 37 extra-point tries. He also set an NCAA single-season record with 25 straight made field goals.

Nicholson was brought in to replace departing kicker Will Reichard, who holds the NCAA all-time points record. So far in camp, the Miami-Ohio transfer has drawn positive reviews from DeBoer and the staff.

“He’s been really consistent,” Deboer said of Nicholson earlier this month. “Honestly, all of our kickers have, but specifically with Graham… I like his mindset. He’s a very confident guy. I don’t really know how he’s going to respond when he misses one. Maybe if, right?

“He’s great to have with us. The team has really accepted him in. I think he feels a part of it. You can’t help but look at what he’s done in the past and already know, man, this guy is really good. You can see why each and every day. He has a good process about him. We’re glad he’s here.”

Alabama has been quietly trending for the North Carolina product and he's also expected in Tuscaloosa for the Georgia game @samspiegelman has the details on his recruitment here:


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More for Ayklin Dear on why he chose Alabama. Must read from @samspiegelman

Watch or listen right here:

It’s only been a little more than three months, and King Mack has already made Bryant-Denny Stadium his home. The Penn State transfer has turned heads since joining Alabama in early May. During this month’s preseason camp, he’s done his best work under the brightest lights.

Season preview on Alabama DL commit London Simmons:

Looks like Jalen Milroe gave out custom Alabama Beats headphones to his teammates.

I think what impressed me the most was Philon's layup package. He's super crafty around the rim, isn't afraid to finish through contact and hangs in the air really well. He has a bag of tricks with reverse layups, finger rolls and floaters he can go to with either hand. He has solid bounce and will rise up for dunks from time to time. What really sticks out is how direct Philon plays. If he sees a lane he can attack, he attacks it without hesitation because he's confident in his finishing ability. Those tendencies should be really helpful in three-on-one or two-on-one fastbreak situations that Alabama is often in with the style it plays. Philon is confident on the break, either taking it to the basket himself or hitting a teammate.

Serving as the point guard for Link Academy, Philon is an excellent ball handler. He doesn't pull out any crazy moves but plays confidently and keeps the ball low and tight when he dribbles. I didn't see too many demonstrations of his playmaking in this, but in halfcourt sets, he moved the ball around well and didn't try to do too much too often.

Philon's shot selection in this video reminded me a bit of Aaron Estrada last season. First off, Philon LOVES the stepback and he's good at it. He creates nice separation and clearly relishes going at a defender one-on-one, knowing he can either blow by him and get to the rim or go into his stepback. He's a confident midrange shooter. That might not be music to some given Oats' style, and some of Philon's tendencies to lean on stepback 2s and shots from the elbow will be coached out of him in Alabama's system. Philon also won't have the same shot volume that he got at Link and will have to pick his spots to take shots off the dribble. That said, his stepback doesn't just apply to shots inside the arc. He hits a few nice stepback 3s and 3s off the dribble in the video and the stepback can definitely be a weapon for him next season.

Philon should be able to operate as both a lead guard and an off-ball 2 with Alabama. He moves off the ball decently well and seems to gravitate toward the corners in catch-and-shoot situations (something Alabama will love when it comes to spacing). Philons jumper is smooth and the ball gets out of his hands quickly after the catch. He should be a more than capable shooter at the next level if he continues to develop his off-ball movement.

Most of these highlights were mainly halfcourt offense but he displayed some nice instincts in the couple of defensive plays that were shown. On one play saw him help down on Montverde's Cooper Flagg as he drove to the rim, before racing out in transition and finishing past Flagg on the other end.

Obviously, with it being a highlight package, the video doesn't really show Philon's current weaknesses heading into college, but I tried to highlight a few areas that look like they'll need polishing. I'm intrigued to get a better idea of how he is as a defender at the next level, but I'm really excited by his offensive skillset. If he can be a solid off-ball and on-ball guard in Year 1 that will be incredibly vital for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has a deep guard unit but I think Philon is going to be a big part of the Tide's plans next season.

Here's the video if y'all want to watch for yourselves!

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9 days until kickoff. Name the great #9’s to wear the Crimson Jersey.

He was a danger to everyone in the stands. I never saw anybody else that strong play QB.

Freddie Kitchens.

Ducky it is with a heavy heart that I tell up you that we lost #51 yesterday. Freddie Marshall the long snapper passed from a long illness.