Alabama
10 Things That Got Our Attention, Holiday Edition: All Things CW 5
The All Issues CW notes column by Christopher Walsh will seem in 5 components this week, one (practically) every day. That is …
Take 5
Sports activities Illustrated NFL author Albert Breer was requested this week if the Houston Texans find yourself with the first-overall choice within the 2023 NFL Draft as anticipated if they might be higher off taking a quarterback like Bryce Younger or a defensive standout like Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia’s Jalen Carter.
His reply wasn’t shocking. From a philosophical standpoint he likes the defensive gamers for the Texans, as “each are bodily superior gamers at essential positions which you can plug in and hope for a decade’s value of Professional Bowls.”
What received our consideration was the comp he received from an AFC government, who began by saying that bodily, Anderson is constructed like Von Miller, whereas he performs a bit of like a smaller model of one other star edge man.
“Will Anderson is a much less athletic Myles Garrett—not as lengthy or fast, however simply as highly effective,” he mentioned. “Heavy-handed, extra constant motor than Myles popping out. … And Jalen is a unicorn. In all probability the closest factor to [Ndamukong] Suh since Suh, only a complete, freakish mix of measurement, energy and athletic capacity.”
Additionally getting our consideration this vacation week:
2) We have now to say that we’re a bit of confused by the road oddsmakers have had on the Sugar Bowl. The sport opened Alabama -6 and the over-under complete at 55½. It dropped right down to -3, even after stories indicated that the Crimson Tide would not have any gamers decide out, together with Younger and Anderson. SI Sportsbook has the road again at Alabama -6.5, with an over-under of 56 factors.
3) Talking of oddsmakers, Nick Saban‘s advert buddy Deion Sanders is the brand new coach at Colorado, and BetOnline has put the over/underneath for wins subsequent season at 5½. It is also laying odds at whether or not he’ll nonetheless be the pinnacle coach for Week 1 of the 2004 common season (sure -200 or 1/2; no +150 or 3/2).
4) In keeping with Fanatics, gross sales of formally licensed Colorado merchandise are up 700 % since Sanders was employed on Dec. 3.
5) Keep in mind the current remark right here that the NCAA made its high precedence identified by hiring a former politician to be its subsequent president? The Sports activities Buisiness Journal reported that three of the ultimate 4 candidates had notable backgrounds in politics “both as a governor or senator,” plus one conventional profile “who beforehand was an AD.”
The NCAA goes all-in on getting assist from Congress.
6) In an interview with Sports activities Illustrated‘s Ross Dellenger, Archie Manning defined his grandson’s resolution to play at Texas over Alabama and Georgia. Apparently it got here right down to Arch and Steve Sarkisian hit it off the second they first met.
“You would say that Sark was his past love,” Archie mentioned. “He began speaking to Sark on Zoom calls when Sark was at Alabama. Kirby [Smart] and coach [Nick] Saban recruited him onerous. They checked each field in Arch’s thoughts.”
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Faculties began recruiting Arch when he was in center college, however Arch actually first began taking a look at colleges in 2020, when Sarkisian was nonetheless the offensive coordinator at Alabama. As soon as he took the job at Texas, Sarkisian used the connection he had with Arch to convey him over to Austin.
Archie mentioned that Arch additionally thought-about Alabama and Georgia, and “it was onerous for him to say no” to these two colleges. In complete, Arch made 20 school visits, 12 of which had been to these three colleges.
As a footnote, keep in mind that Tua Tagovailoa was initially the identical approach about Sarkisian, each at USC after which Alabama.
7) If we had the 12-team playoff this 12 months, Alabama’s first-round opponent would have ben USC, for a showdown between final 12 months’s Heisman Trophy winner Younger and this 12 months’s Caleb Williams. The profitable workforce would have confronted Michigan.
8) Former Alabama quarterback Paul Tyson is on the transfer once more, and this time to Clemson. Granted, the Tigers have misplaced DJ Uiagalelei and Billy Wiles to transfers, nonetheless have Cade Klubnik and simply signed Christopher Vizzina. Simply considering out loud right here, however If Tyson left for taking part in time, and by no means received right into a recreation at Arizona State, why did decide to spend his final 12 months of eligibility at Clemson? Generally that sort of transfer can sign an curiosity in teaching.
9) Talking of Clemson, we’re nonetheless making an attempt to wrap our brains round Dabo Swinney’s early-signing remark remark that “we constructed this program on NIL. We actually did. … We constructed this program in God’s title, picture and likeness.” By the way, Clemson completed eleventh in Sports activities Illustrated‘s workforce rankings for the Class of 2023.
10) D1.ticker compiled a database with hyperlinks to each DI soccer program’s social media method for the Early Signing Interval. Amongst our favorites was East Carolina performed up Jimi Hendrix and the Purple Haze Expertise.
Merry Christmas and Blissful Holidays!
See Additionally:
Take 1: 15 Ideas Following an Unbelievable Weekend in Sports activities
Take 2: School Soccer Will not Be the Identical With out Its Pirate King
Take 3: Suspense, Drama, Pleasure? They’ve Turn out to be Scarce on Signing Day
Take 4: It Wasn’t Simply One other Prime Recruiting Class by Nick Saban, However an Reply
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