Alabama
Alabama football has become 2019 Indiana South
Indiana’s 2019 season was an outlier for sure.
The Hoosiers attained an eight-win season and a winning record in the Big Ten — both for the first time since 1993, and a national ranking for the first time since 1994.
During the offseason following that memorable 2019 campaign, IU strength coach David Ballou and athletic performance coach Matt Rhea left Bloomington for Tuscaloosa to join Nick Saban’s Alabama staff.
By the end of the 2019 campaign, Ballou and Rhea had built national reputations as two of the best at what they were doing. Losing Ballou, an IU alumnus, stung a little more, but their departure to a top-tier, top-paying program was not unexpected. And let’s face it, Indiana losing staff to Alabama wasn’t the worst form of publicity.
Fast forward four years, and following the retirement of Saban, the Alabama staff has taken on considerably more of the 2019 IU football staff.
For Hoosier fans, it will be difficult to ignore all of the familiar faces on the sidelines of one of college football’s most prominent national brands.
New Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer was Indiana’s offensive coordinator in 2019. He has assembled a staff with familiar names from 2019.
DeBoer’s defensive coordinator at Alabama will be none other than former IU defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. He held that role in Bloomington for two of the program’s best seasons — 2019 and 2020.
The Crimson Tide tight ends coach will be former IU offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, who followed DeBoer to Washington after being fired at IU.
DeBoer is also retaining and reuniting with Ballou to continue to run the Crimson Tide strength and conditioning program. Rhea has since left Alabama to take on a similar role with the New Orleans Saints.
Of course the Indiana-Alabama connections run both ways. New IU head coach Curt Cignetti spent several years on Saban’s Alabama staff. He credits Saban for shaping most of his philosophy and day-to-day approach as a head coach.
Perhaps all that remains is for the Hoosiers and Crimson Tide to schedule a home-and-home series? Okay, no, don’t count on Indiana signing up for that anytime soon.
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
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Governor Kay Ivey has proclaimed Alabama Doctors Day on March 30, calling on residents to express appreciation for the state’s physicians.
A proclamation issued by the Governor notes that approximately 13,000 physicians are licensed to practice medicine in Alabama and highlights the doctor-patient relationship as “the foundation of high-quality healthcare.”
“Alabama’s physicians are honored to serve our fellow citizens during some of the most critical moments of their lives,” said Dr. Mark LeQuire, President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama. “Being a physician is a calling to help and heal people.”
Dr. Max Rogers, Chairman of the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners, also expressed gratitude for the recognition.
“Physicians understand the extraordinary responsibility we carry,” Rogers said. “Our decisions shape lives and guide families through uncertainty. We thank our patients for their trust and Gov. Ivey for recognizing Doctors Day.”
The Medical Association of the State of Alabama and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners both expressed gratitude to the Governor for the proclamation.
Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].
Alabama football will never be without its share of critics and detractors, no matter who roams the sidelines at Bryant-Denny Stadium — or previously Birmingham’s Legion Field.
That was especially true during Nick Saban’s illustrious tenure as Crimson Tide head coach. Between 2009 and 2020, Saban produced six national championships in his 17 full seasons in Tuscaloosa.
In the grand scheme of things, though, there’s one team CBS Sports believes best embodies the spirit of hate Alabama received under Saban better than any other. That would be the Crimson Tide’s 2011 squad.
Alabama and LSU were indisputably the best two teams in college football that year. Oklahoma State was a distant third behind the two SEC behemoths, who met in their annual regular-season showdown in early November 2011: the “Game of the Century” at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. LSU won, 9-6, in overtime.
And that seemed to be that for Alabama’s national championship hopes.
But then a month of chaos ensued: Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State. Boise State lost to TCU. Oregon lost to USC. Alabama was suddenly propelled back into title contention, and an eventual rematch with LSU for the BCS National Championship Game was set for Jan. 9, 2012, at the Superdome in New Orleans.
From start to finish, Alabama throttled the Tigers behind one of the most suffocating defensive performances in college football history. ESPN broadcaster Brent Musburger famously quipped, “This is a mauling, folks, a mauling.”
LSU didn’t reach midfield until the fourth quarter, and while the game might have lacked for offense, Trent Richardson’s 34-yard touchdown run with 4:36 to play put Alabama up 21-0 and secured Saban’s second of six national championships in Tuscaloosa.
CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford said of why the 2011 Tide was so hated:
“Blame Nick Saban for much of the hate the SEC received for a decade-plus during his illustrious tenure in Tuscaloosa. Universally hated by just about everyone outside of Alabama during his reign, the Crimson Tide won more games from 2010 to 2020 than any program in the country and churned out more first-round picks as well. Saban collected six national titles and countless conference championships over his 17-year reign, but it was Alabama’s rematch opportunity with LSU in the 2011 national title game two months after losing to the Tigers, 9-6, that tossed lighter fluid on the fire aimed at taking computers out of the mix to determine college football’s championship matchup. Alabama’s 21-0 destruction of LSU equaled the third-lowest TV viewership in the 14-year history of the BCS final.”
Who is college football’s all-time most hated team? CBS Sports ranks ‘bad boys’ No. 1
When looking at any Mount Rushmore of most hated college football teams, no Alabama squad has anything on the late 80s Miami Hurricanes. Alabama’s 2011 team was only No. 10 overall on CBS Sports’ list. Jimmy Johnson’s 1986 Miami team was No. 1.
Crawford said of the Hurricanes:
“The birth of “The U” under Jimmy Johnson is when the Hurricanes truly became college football’s bad boys. On a team loaded with future NFL talent, Johnson essentially didn’t believe in suspensions and handled all disciplinary action “in-house” — whatever that meant during a time of little to no NCAA regulation. That included several slap-on-the-wrist penalties for alleged shoplifting and fraud infractions involving his top talent. Miami’s swag wasn’t enough in the national championship game against Penn State after the Hurricanes infamously stepped off the plane in military fatigues. Heisman-winning Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw five interceptions, and the Hurricanes fell, 14-10, for their only loss of the season. Over five seasons with the Hurricanes, Johnson went 52-9 with a national title in 1987 and three top-3 finishes, putting together one of the greatest runs of all-time. The 1986 team, though, was the nastiest group.”
Four SEC programs make CBS Sports’ list of all-time ‘most hated’ college football teams
For the most hated SEC team of all-time in CBS Sports’ rankings, Crawford put Cam Newton-led Auburn at the top of the list and writes:
“These Tigers stand as one of the SEC’s most hated teams ever. In a setting made for reality TV, Cam Newton captivated viewers with his Heisman-level athleticism on the field and his never-ending saga off of it. Kicked out at Florida before starring in the JUCO ranks, Newton landed at Auburn pre-NIL as a transfer and was Gene Chizik’s claim to fame. Much like Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel, Newton was vilified by opposing fans, and many anxiously awaited his moment of failure. But it never came. Newton won the SEC and directed his team to an unblemished national championship season, recording one of the single-most impressive campaigns in the sport’s history. Newton earned 729 first-place Heisman votes, a then record-setting margin, with the next closest player being Andrew Luck (78).”
A breakdown of CBS Sports’ rankings for SEC teams on the list:
Follow us at @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Alabama Crimson Tide news, notes and opinions.
The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) is inviting hunters across the state to take part in its 14th annual Big Gobbler Photo Contest during the 2026 spring turkey season.
According to the association, the contest highlights Alabama’s Black Belt region — a 23-county area long known for its strong turkey populations, hunting traditions, and outdoor recreation opportunities.
Hunters who harvest a gobbler within the region are eligible to submit a photo for a chance to win a prize package that includes a $100 gift card, hunting gear, and a copy of Black Belt Bounty, along with a Buckmasters prize pack for the first-place winner.
“This is the 14th year for our Big Gobbler Contest, and it’s a wonderful way to further educate the public on all the natural resources found in Alabama’s 23-county Black Belt,” said ALBBAA director Pam Swanner. “Hunters flock to the Black Belt from all over the country to access our abundant hunting opportunities while also enjoying our area’s unique natural scenery, historical sites and local food and entertainment.”
The winning photo will be determined by online voting, which runs through May 10 at 11:59 p.m. Participants may vote once per day using an email address and IP address.
To ensure fairness, contest rules limit entries to one per participant and exclude winners from the previous two years. All contest decisions made by ALBBAA officials are final.
Submitted photos must also meet guidelines promoting ethical hunting and wildlife stewardship. Entries may be disqualified if they depict unethical behavior, violate Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources regulations, or show unfair voting practices.
“It’s always rewarding to see the photos entered into the Big Gobbler Photo Contest every year,” Swanner said. “We know we have amazing turkey hunting available here in the Black Belt and what makes it truly special is seeing photos of young hunters bagging their first gobbler or father-and-son or mother-and-daughter hunting together. Those memories will surely last a lifetime.”
ALBBAA encourages participants to comply with all state hunting regulations, including obtaining a valid license through the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The Black Belt region includes Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox counties.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
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