Alabama
Takeaways from Alabama Football’s First Fall Scrimmage
Alabama football held its first scrimmage of the fall inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday morning. The scrimmage was closed to the public and media, but head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke with the media afterward, and Alabama released a few pictures and videos from the scrimmage.
Here are some takeaways from Saturday morning in Bryant-Denny.
Kalen DeBoer isn’t going to reveal much
Nick Saban wasn’t exactly an open book with the media, but DeBoer kept things very vague after the Crimson Tide’s first fall scrimmage. If you skim through DeBoer’s transcript, you’d be hard pressed to find any specifics about how any one player or position group performed in the scrimmage.
He only mentioned three players by name (Jalen Milroe, Jam Miller and Justice Haynes), and two of those three were specifically asked about by reporters. DeBoer also did not provide any details on injuries, just saying that the team is “relatively healthy” and dealing with “typical fall camp stuff.”
Alabama will have one more scrimmage inside Bryant-Denny and two more practices with viewing portions open to the media, but
Big plays for freshman receivers
Because of the nature of a scrimmage, Alabama was trying to get as many receivers involved as possible according to DeBoer.
“The ball really gets spread around,” DeBoer said. “If we look at the stat sheet it would be almost every receiver catching balls. So it’s not really just one guy had five to seven catches. They all walk away from a day like today disappointed, and there’s no reason to be disappointed.”
While there wasn’t any one guy who got targeted a lot, two of the biggest highlights from the scrimmage came from freshman receivers Ryan Williams and Caleb Odom. Williams had a long touchdown reception as shown in the photos released by UA, and Odom made an impressive one-handed snag around the 29-second mark in the highlight video. The freshman duo displayed their big-play ability on Saturday.
Ohh we ROLLIN’ 😤#RollTide pic.twitter.com/WylyOUfOL5
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Position battles aren’t settled quite yet
Alabama’s biggest position battles heading into fall camp are at right tackle and cornerback. Kadyn Proctor has seemingly won back the job at left tackle after spending the spring at Iowa. Redshirt freshman Wilkin Formby has been with the first team offensive line at right tackle during practice, but he and redshirt sophomore Elijah Pritchett are still rotating reps at the spot.
USC transfer Domani Jackson has locked up one of the starting corner spots, but Wake Forest transfer DaShawn Jones, Jaylen Mbakwe and Zabien Brown are all still in the mix to be one of the other starters at corner.
DeBoer said seeing the guys actually tackling and playing in a game-like situation with the scrimmage helps bring the coaches clarity on the position battles a little more than regular practice can.
Encouraging signs from offensive line
DeBoer brought up the offensive line twice when asked about other position groups. He said they were able to open up some nice holes to create explosive plays for the running backs and create opportunities in the red zone.
“I also see the offensive line, slowly, like coming together, and being in sync, understanding where their help is,” DeBoer said. “So, where it was at, it’s kind of like the spring where the offense was slowly starting to catch up to where they should be.”
He also mentioned there were no procedural penalties on the offensive line like false starts or illegal formations, and they were able to draw the defense offsides once. Alabama struggled with false starts at times last season.
“The penalties were really down and minimal,” he said. “So I like the way we’re having some urgency and we’ll move around offensively. The guys are all getting set, so all the processes that we have in place, the guys are doing a really good job.”
Alabama
Former Alabama OL starter transferring to SEC rival
Alabama football will see one of its ex-starters next season. Wilkin Formby is joining Texas A&M out of the transfer portal, after three seasons with the Crimson Tide.
Formby shared the news to his Instagram account on Wednesday. He opted to enter the transfer portal after the 2025 season came to an end with a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
The Tuscaloosa native and Northridge product played both guard and tackle this past season. Coaches praised his versatility.
“Wilkin obviously has the athleticism to to play inside, and the size,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said in September. “So I think there’s a couple things that happen for Wilkin in there, his natural pad-level because he’s got his hand in the dirt, and he’s got a good base and wide frame, so he’d done a really nice job in there. So we keep working on that and expand. As long as he can stay right-handed, playing on the right side, I think the transition for him is easy.”
Formby started out the year at right tackle, where he had previously played. He eventually moved over to guard, after Michael Carroll emerged as a viable tackle option.
The departure of Formby is part of a larger renovation of the Crimson Tide’s offensive line, which has now lost every starter besides Carroll. Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford opted to leave early for the NFL Draft, while Geno VanDeMark, Kam Dewberry and Jaeden Roberts are out of eligibility.
Alabama is also losing several reserve linemen to the portal. Arkel Anugwom is entering, joining Olaus Alinen (who committed to Kentucky), Joseph Ionata and Micah DeBose.
UA has made one offensive line pickup from the portal. Former Michigan center Kaden Strayhorn is joining the Tide.
Alabama will face Formby in Tuscaloosa this season. Texas A&M visits Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 24.
Undergraduate players can opt to enter the transfer portal through Jan. 16.
Alabama
Prediction, odds for Alabama vs. Vanderbilt in Top 15 SEC showdown
After an impressive home win over Kentucky this past Saturday afternoon, the SEC road opener has now arrived for the Alabama Crimson Tide, which is a trip to Nashville to face the unbeaten Vanderbilt Commodores on Wednesday night.
Two teams ranked in the Top 15 nationally in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, Alabama and Vanderbilt have emerged as two of the SEC’s top teams this season, and are also both currently among the top scoring teams in all of college basketball.
Both of Alabama and Vanderbilt are also loaded with talent as well, headlined by a talented group of guards such as Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway for the Crimson Tide, as well as the Commodores duo of Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner.
Stream Alabama vs. Vanderbilt on Fubo
Stream Alabama vs. Vanderbilt on ESPN+
One of college basketball’s top matchups of the week, following are the latest odds for the SEC showdown between Alabama and Vanderbilt in Nashville.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Jan. 6:
- Money Line: Alabama (plus-145), Vanderbilt (minus-180)
- Spread: Vanderbilt by 4 1/2
- Over/Under: 178 1/2
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Vanderbilt Commodores prediction, pick:
Memorial Gymnasium can be a difficult place to play for a road team at times, and it will likely be challenging for the Crimson Tide on Wednesday night, especially with the undefeated Commodores on the opposite end of the floor. A matchup in which Alabama has won four-straight dating back to 2023, as well as the last five in Nashville, I’ll go with Alabama to hand Vanderbilt their first loss Wednesday night in a high-scoring contest. Prediction: Alabama 88, Vanderbilt 82
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Vanderbilt Commodores channel, start time, streaming:
A Top 25 showdown, Alabama and Vanderbilt are set to meet Wednesday, Jan. 7, from inside Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee. The game is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET live on ESPN2.
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Alabama
Alabama offensive lineman transferring to Georgia Tech
Joseph Ionata, who spent two years with the Tide, will be joining former teammate Jaylen Mbakwe.
Georgia Tech fans celebrate during the second half against Syracuse on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2025)
A second former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide is transferring to Georgia Tech.
Offensive lineman Joseph Ionata intends to play for the Yellow Jackets, according to On3. Ionata spent two years with the Tide and would be joining former Alabama defensive back and wide receiver Jaylen Mbakwe.
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