Alabama
Alabama Football Spring Practice Report before A-Day Scrimmage
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama football is just a few days away from an open scrimmage in front of the public for the 2026 A-Day Game, but until then, the media got one last peak at what the Crimson Tide’s been working on this spring.
The media was allowed to watch two of Alabama’s practice periods during Tuesday morning’s practice. Here are some of BamaCentral’s practice notes and observations:
Practice report
- One quarterback will have to be the first one to take the field on Saturday for A-Day, but Alabama was not giving any hints on who that might be during practice. During the periods the media could see, the quarterbacks were always throwing in groups of three. Austin Mack and Keelon Russell were always part of the first group, and the freshmen QBs Tayden Evan-Kaawa and Jett Thomalla rotated in with that group.
- During the drills where all three were throwing at the same time, the quarterbacks first worked on shorter routes like slants on different parts of the field. They then worked on deep routes to all segments of the field.
- Based on the groupings of wide receives, it seems pretty clear that Ryan Coleman-Williams, Lotzeir Brooks and NC State transfer Noah Rogers will be Alabama’s starters at receiver with Rico Scott, Derek Meadows and Cederian Morgan also in the mix.
- Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said at the beginning of spring practice that senior safety Bray Hubbard would be limited this spring. He was not wearing a black jersey on Tuesday and did not appear to be limited. He did not have any noticeable braces or wraps on his body.
- DeBoer was keeping a watchful eye over the quarterbacks during the media viewing period.
- The cornerbacks started with some press drills off the snap that also involved containing inside leverage. Red Morgan, who has moved all around the secondary the past two years between safety, HUSKY and cornerback, had a really solid rep.
- The CBs then worked on a coverage in traffic drill, where two receivers lined up behind each other and one corner was lined up roughly five yards behind the other. After the ball was snapped, the receivers went in opposite directions and the CBs had to quickly decide and follow. Starter Zabien Brown handled this with ease.
- Perhaps the most exciting drill from the CBs was one where they pressed against each other and went stride for stride before cutting the route and hauling in an interception. Starter Dijon Lee used his renowned 6-foot-4 frame to disrupt the pass, and his catch radius made it look easy.
- Alabama defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist was animated throughout each of the drills. He commended multiple players, but also scolded a couple with hopes that their next rep is much better.
- The Alabama Wolf linebackers worked on a block shedding drill. This involved a swim move on a dummy pad at the line of scrimmage and then pushing another pad downward in the backfield. It wasn’t necessarily a full-speed drill, but rather more about getting the technique down.
- South Carolina transfer Desmond Umeozulu used some force in the Wolf linebacker drills. Alabama Wolf linebackers coach Christian Robinson showed his approval for Umeozulu after a couple of reps.
- The Alabama offensive line spent its early portion of practice working on one-on-one blocking with improving technique and drive as the focus. The starters were difficult to tell due to this, but Jackson Lloyd led the majority of the drills along with center transfer Racin Delgatty.
- The linemen rotated through drills keeping their pads low and staying under the chute. Texas transfer Nick Brooks impressed with his hands as he violently moved his men every time he got a chance to take a rep. Brooks has worked at left guard and right tackle this spring, providing new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm with an interesting chess piece.
- The Alabama wolves came into view in the midst of the offensive line drills with Yhonzae Pierre leading the group. The Crimson Tide outside linebackers had Pierre, Dezmond Umeozulu, Justin HIll and Jamarion Matthews cycling through drills with Christian Robinson barking instructions, urging his group to play with violence. One of the assistants shouted for Matthews to break the blocking dummy saying the program would just buy another to replace it. Kane Wommack stood to observe the drill and smiled commending the violence and force the four were bringing to the morning practice.
Practice footage
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Alabama
WalletHub says Alabama among worst states for working moms. Here’s why
Watch adopted daughter share moving first conversation with birth mom
Adopted at just 6 months old, Sarah Elizabeth Segrest finally found her birth mom in Vietnam and they were reunited on a video call.
Balancing a career and raising a family is no small task, and where you live can make a big difference in how manageable that balance feels.
For working mothers in Alabama, achieving this balance may be especially challenging. In a recent analysis by WalletHub, Alabama ranked 50th out of 51 (including Washington, D.C.) for working moms.
From childcare costs to workplace advancement, working mothers across Alabama face challenges that contribute to the state’s low national ranking.
Here’s how Alabama ranks in WalletHub’s analysis.
Working moms in Alabama are struggling
Alabama ranked 50th out of 51 states, with an overall score of 27.29 out of 100, based on assessments across several key categories affecting working mothers.
- Childcare systems: 47th nationally.
- Professional opportunities: 49th.
- Female executive representation: 49th.
- Work-life balance: 43rd.
The state also performed poorly in the quality and availability of the daycare system, according to the report.
These rankings mirror the daily realities for many working mothers in Alabama, who weigh affordability, career growth and family care.
Limited access to high-quality childcare can make full-time employment more difficult, while fewer women in leadership roles may signal narrower career advancement paths. These challenges are especially significant for households balancing rising living costs with child-rearing responsibilities.
WalletHub expert insight
WalletHub noted that women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, and about 74% of mothers with children under 18 are employed, underscoring the importance of supportive workplace and childcare systems.
“The U.S. still has a lot of work to do when it comes to improving conditions for working moms, given the wage gap and the lack of representation women have in certain leadership positions,” said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst.
Top states for mothers:
In contrast to Alabama’s low ranking, several states excel in support for working mothers. Here are the top 10:
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- New Jersey
- Vermont
- Maine
- Minnesota
- District of Columbia
- New York
- North Dakota
The worst states for mothers:
Notably, Alabama joins other states struggling across key measures. Here are the bottom 10:
- Louisiana
- Alabama
- New Mexico
- Mississippi
- Nevada
- Arizona
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Texas
- Idaho
WalletHub’s methodology
WalletHub’s analysis compares all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 17 metrics in three categories—childcare, professional opportunities, and work-life balance—including childcare quality and costs, gender pay gaps, women’s leadership, parental leave policies and access to health care.
Each state was scored on a 100-point scale and ranked by overall performance across these measures.
Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter in Alabama for USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect Team. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@usatodayco.com.
Alabama
Ex-Alabama tackle pleads guilty in $20M NFL player impersonation case
Prosecutors say Luther Davis wore wigs and makeup to disguise himself as NFL players in a sham loan scheme.
Alabama’s Luther Davis reacts after its 32-13 win over Florida in the SEC championship NCAA college football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Dec. 5, 2009. Davis pleaded guilty Monday to fraud in a $20 million federal case accusing him of impersonating NFL players to secure loans. (Dave Martin/AP)
A former defensive tackle at the University of Alabama pleaded guilty Monday to felony charges in a federal case accusing him of wearing wigs and makeup to impersonate NFL players and fraudulently secure almost $20 million in loans.
Luther Davis, 37, pleaded guilty to single counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a deal with prosecutors.
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Alabama
How Tennessee softball celebrated Sage Mardjetko after one-hitter vs Alabama
Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly ran up to Sage Mardjetko and sneaked in a kiss on her cheek as the junior pitcher’s postgame interview on ESPN2 began.
Mardjetko only got through the beginning of her first answer before her teammates ran up with fake money and gloves, stuffing the fake bills in her belt with the glove on top of her head.
At one point, there were six teammates dressing up Mardjetko after her fantastic performance against No. 3 Alabama, including fellow pitcher Karlyn Pickens and outfielder Gabby Leach, who hit the game-winning home run. Other players joined in to throw bills in the air around Mardjetko.
The moment on April 26 belonged to Mardjetko, who delivered the Crimson Tide their first shutout loss of the season as No. 8 Tennessee won 2-0 at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium.
By the time Mardjetko’s interview was over, there were three gloves sitting precariously on her head, bills stuffed in her collar, too, and bats leaning against her legs, with one stuck in the crook of her elbow.
“Usually this is our home run celebration,” Mardjetko said on ESPN2. “My teammates are just super fired-up, they know how big this game is and how big this series is.”
The Lady Vols’ famous mommy hat also got stacked on top of the gloves before falling off. Leach said they love getting the chance to have some fun with postgame interviews.
“That was just such a big moment for her and just being able to celebrate and make her look goofy, giving her the money and the mommy hat, she never gets to wear that,” Leach said. “So that was the perfect moment for her to have that hat on.”
Tennessee (39-8, 13-7 SEC) relied on solo home runs from Leach and Emma Clarke to back up Mardjetko’s one-hitter and force a rubber match on April 27 (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network).
“Sage is a competitor. She’s going to give you everything she has,” Weekly said. “She’s going to compete freely, she’s going to stay one pitch at a time, and she’s got the stuff to beat anybody. So, I had complete trust in Sage all day long, and the most important number today is a zero on the scoreboard.”
Mardjetko (11-1) had a no-hitter through 6⅓ innings. She struck out six, walked three, hit a batter and allowed one hit in her fifth shutout of the season. After Tennessee got run-ruled in the series opener, Mardjetko said her mentality was to go out and compete and do whatever it took to give them a chance.
Weekly didn’t witness most of the postgame interview chaos; she only saw players running toward Mardjetko with the money, gloves and bats. But she wants them to celebrate, and not just the turnaround from a 12-0 loss in Game 1. Weekly wants them to celebrate everything.
“I think that’s one of the things that we got away from, is focusing on celebrating all the little wins in a game,” she said. “I think that’s what you saw, is the ultimate celebration there. And just so happy for Sage. But also Sage really inspired her team today with the way she competed out there.”
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
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