Alabama

3 bold predictions for Alabama football against Mercer

Published

1 month ago

November 14, 2024

3 bold predictions for Alabama football against Mercer

Alabama football has seemingly turned the corner after a difficult October that saw the Crimson Tide go just 2-2 and see its hopes of a national championship go up in flames.

But the beauty of an expanded playoff is that the second loss was not the end of the season for Alabama. All it did was remove the margin for error. Since the loss to Tennessee in Knoxville, Alabama responded with dominant wins over ranked opponents in Missouri and LSU.

Last week’s 42-13 win in Baton Rouge might have been Alabama’s single most impressive win of the season, perhaps more so than the home win over Georgia at the end of September.

Alabama now sits at 7-2 and seemingly controls its own destiny for the College Football Playoff, and sits in a good position to make it to Atlanta for the SEC Championship if things break the way most expect.

Prior to Alabama finishing the regular season with back-to-back SEC games against Oklahoma and Auburn, the Crimson Tide faces Mercer at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.

In last week’s bold predictions, we correctly predicted that Alabama would force multiple LSU turnovers. And while Jalen Milroe didn’t quite get to 400 yards of total offense, he was still the star of the game as predicted. The only real miss was Ryan Williams leading the team in receiving as Alabama’s passing game revolved around the running backs.

So even in a game that isn’t getting as much hype as the others, we’re still going to come up with some bold predictions that are guaranteed to be 100% accurate.

3. Caleb Odom scores his first career touchdown

Ryan Williams was obviously the prized WR of Alabama’s 2024 class, but Caleb Odom was highly ranked in his own regard and has unicorn traits. Odom has yet to be a big factor in the passing game, but he has seen his playing time increase in recent weeks.

With Cole Adams out for the season, Odom has more of a path to getting on the field. Against Mercer, if Alabama takes care of business, this should be a game where the starters are out by halftime. That should open the door for Ty Simpson to come into the game and run the full offense, and a guy like Odom could benefit from that.

I’m betting Odom finds the endzone for the first time in his career on Saturday.

2. Richard Young leads the team in rushing

I’m banking on Alabama coming out of the gate and playing well, learning from its lesson against Vanderbilt following the big win over Georgia earlier in the season. If that’s the case, there should be plenty of playing time for backups like Richard Young.

Young missed some time earlier in the season following an injury he suffered against Wisconsin. He’s been the No. 3 guy in the pecking order behind Justice Haynes and Jam Miller, but Young has impressed when he has gotten the opportunity.

He broke a 62-yard run three weeks ago against Missouri, and he found the endzone for the first time this season last week against LSU in the 4th quarter. I think Young will get a lot of playing time in the second half this week, and I think he’ll break a big run or two and ultimately be the team’s leading rusher.

1. Alabama finally scores a non-offensive touchdown

Alabama is fourth in the country in takeaways forced per game. It’s almost mind-boggling that they haven’t turned a single turnover into a defensive touchdown yet.

Either by a pick-six, scoop-and-score, or a special teams punt/kick return, I believe Alabama will find the endzone this week.

Ryan Williams looks explosive as a punt returner and if the Tide’s defense plays well then he should get a plethora of opportunities early in the game to make a big play in the return game. Williams had a 28-yard punt return last week against LSU.

I think it will be Williams who finds the endzone, but I won’t be surprised if Alabama houses a pick-six, either.

Alabama a championship contender with Milroe. dark. Next. Alabama a championship contender with Milroe

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Alabama

South Alabama adds Samford wide receiver transfer Brendan Jenkins for 2025

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

South Alabama adds Samford wide receiver transfer Brendan Jenkins for 2025

South Alabama on Wednesday picked up its first transfer portal commitment of the current cycle, from former Samford wide receiver Brendan Jenkins.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Jenkins caught 89 passes for 888 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulldogs, and was Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2023. A native of Hochston, Ga., he has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

South Alabama has a major need at receiver, with four seniors among its top five pass-catchers in 2024. First-team All-Sun Belt selection Jamaal Pritchett has used up his eligibility, as have Salute to Veterans Bowl Most Valuable Player Jeremiah Webb, tight end DJ Thomas-Jones and No. 4 receiver Shamar Sandgren (though it’s now possible Sandgren could return next season after a recent NCAA ruling involving former junior-college transfers).

Devin Voisin, who caught 34 passes this past season, is expected to return for a seventh year at South Alabama in 2025 after receiving a medical redshirt following an early-season knee injury in 2023. Also eligible to return are Anthony Eager (10 catches, 2 TDs as a redshirt freshman in 2024), program veteran Keyshawn Woodyard and a host of less-experienced receivers including Micah Woods, Noah Toster, Jeremy Scott and Jerrian Graham.

South Alabama is expected to add a number of other portal transfers before spring semester classes begin on Jan. 13. The transfer portal closes for new entries on Dec. 28, though a player already in the portal by then may commit to or sign with his new school at any time.

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Alabama

2024 Alabama High School Back and Lineman of the Year Finalists

Published

17 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

2024 Alabama High School Back and Lineman of the Year Finalists

Winners, Super All-State and Mr. Football to be revealed Jan. 28 at a luncheon banquet at the Montgomery Renaissance.

Class 7A

Back of the year
Anquon Fegans, Thompson
Trent Seaborn, Thompson
Daylyn Upshaw, Central-Phenix City

Lineman of the year
Malik Autry, Opelika
Zion Grady, Enterprise
Jared Smith, Thompson

Class 6A

Back of the year
Corey Barber, Spain Park
KJ Lacey, Saraland
Na’eem Offord, Parker

Lineman of the year
Keenan Britt, Oxford
Jourdin Crawford, Parker
Anthony Jones, St. Paul’s

Class 5A

Back of the year
Conner Nelson, Leeds
Cam Phinizee, Russellville
Jotavion Pierce, Catholic-Montgomery

Lineman of the year
Jabarrius Garrar, Vigor
Kentonio Kelly Jr., Vigor
Ellis McGaskin, Williamson

Class 4A

Back of the year
EJ Crowell, Jackson
Landon Duckworth, Jackson
Gunner Rivers, St. Michael

Lineman of the year
Tristan Brown, Cherokee Co.
Tae Diamond, Cherokee Co.
AJ Rice, Madison Academy

Class 3A

Back of the year
Caden Chandler, Mars Hill Bible
Kadyn Mitchell, Houston Academy
Rollie Pinto, Piedmont

Lineman of the year
Myles Johnson, T.R. Miller
Billy Neill, Bayside Academy
Tucker Wilks, Fyffe

Class 2A

Back of the year
Chris Clemons, Winston Co.
Luke Gilbert, Pisgah
Preston Lancaster, Tuscaloosa Aca.

Lineman of the year
JJ Faulk, Highland Home
Clete O’Bryant, Coosa Christian
Grayson Gulde, Vincent

Class 1A

Back of the year
Alvin Henderson, Elba
Ziquayvion Jackson, McKenzie
Jaquez Wilkes, Wadley

Lineman of the year
Fred Curry, Georgiana
Hayes Farrell, Donoho
Tim Parnell, Leroy

AISA

Back of the year
Julian Curry, Wilcox Academy
Gerrell Perry, Banks Academy
Luke Tarver, Chambers Academy

Lineman of the year
Jackson Boykin, South Choctaw Academy
Ashton Yelder, Lowndes Academy
Asher Young, Fort Dale Academy

The Alabama Sports Writers Association is a professional organization for sports writers and editors throughout the state, or any person involved in disseminating sports information or publicity in Alabama including but not limited to sports information personnel, publicists of professional organizations or facilities, or publicists of non-profit organizations sponsoring or governing sporting events. The ASWA is a non-profit organization.

The ASWA prep committee’s primary responsibilities include conducting regular top-10 rankings of a variety of high school sports, and select all-state teams in those sports as well. The committee will determine the winner of a variety of annual awards including the annual Mr. Football winner, and the Jimmy Smothers Courage Award. For more information, check out: ASWA

See Also 2024 Alabama High School All-State Football Selections

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Alabama

3 former Alabama high school stars return to NFL rosters

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

3 former Alabama high school stars return to NFL rosters

Three Alabama high school alumni will wake up on Christmas morning on NFL rosters after starting Christmas eve out of the league.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills signed linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville High School) to their active roster, the Atlanta Falcons signed linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High School, Alabama) to their practice squad and the Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy High School) to their practice squad.

Each of the players rejoined a team they had played for this season.

An eight-year veteran with 105 NFL regular-season games and 58 starts in his career, Morrow played in 11 games for Buffalo before the Bills released him on Dec. 7.

A seven-year veteran with 87 NFL regular-season games and 68 starts in his career, Evans played in two games for Atlanta before being waived on Saturday. This is the third time the Falcons have signed Evans for their practice squad this season. He joined the team on Oct. 1, was released on Oct. 12, re-signed on Oct. 21 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 1.

A three-year veteran with 19 NFL regular-season games in his career, Farrell played in seven games for Miami before being waived on Saturday. Farrell joined the Dolphins’ practice squad on Sept. 26 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 11.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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