Alabama
Alabama’s Secondary Is Entering A Gauntlet Of Passing Attacks

The phrase that encapsulate the Crimson Tide’s play in opposition to the Tennessee Volunteers: large performs.
Alabama’s secondary couldn’t cease the Hendon Hooker – Jalin Hyatt connection final Saturday, as Hyatt had the very best recreation of his profession with 207 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, three of which had been over 30 yards. Hooker additionally performed along with his often elite accuracy, finishing 70% p.c of his passes for 385 yards (all of his touchdowns had been to Hyatt).
For the reason that loss, each Nick Saban and his gamers have emphasised reply successfully, together with Will Anderson’s assertion about “tucking in your shirt and being on time for conferences.” In line with Saban, the gamers have responded nicely, saying “I do know lots of people are disenchanted within the outcomes of the sport, however I don’t suppose anyone’s as disenchanted as we’re internally — gamers, coaches — so we’re all working exhausting to attempt to get it proper and so they’ve responded pretty nicely.”
It is crucial for Alabama to bounce again this week. They’re No. 6 within the AP Ballot and have arguably the hardest remaining schedule; of their remaining convention video games, all of them are SEC West opponents, and a loss, particularly to Ole Miss, would make it just about unimaginable to make the playoff as a 2-loss workforce with out a convention championship to bolster its resume.
Scroll to Proceed
The percentages are nonetheless within the Tide’s favor, nevertheless. In line with the Soccer Energy Index, they’ve a 65.6% probability to win the division, and the fourth-best odds to succeed in the School Soccer Playoff. To make their objective a actuality although, the secondary has to step up, and so they’ll should do it going via a gauntlet of passing offenses.
Beginning with the subsequent opponent, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers leads the SEC in passing yards and is certainly one of solely 5 FBS quarterbacks to eclipse 2,300 yards at this level within the season. Rogers has a stable pocket presence whereas throwing the ball all around the subject, and he does so whereas spreading the wealth; no different SEC workforce has three gamers with at the very least 30 catches every, and Caleb Ducking, who’s not afraid to go get it at 6-foot-5, is second with 33 catches to go along with a third-best seven touchdowns.
After the Crimson Tide’s bye week, the protection has to face LSU and Jayden Daniels, who completes his passes at a 69.23% clip, adequate for fifth-best within the SEC. He is additionally achieved so whereas solely throwing one interception. Daniels’ ball comes with some warmth on it, and he is very a lot a menace to run (whether or not that is an indication of his dual-threat skill or him operating for his life behind a nasty offensive line is as much as you). His favourite goal his Malik Nabers, who’s top-five in each catches and yards.
The gauntlet presumably ends with Jaxson Dart and Ole Miss, the leaders of the SEC West. Dart has Quinshon Judkins to lean on as his 10 speeding touchdowns are tied with Bijan Robinson for fifth in all the FBS, however the sophomore quarterback is not only a recreation supervisor. He’s the teen of the gauntlet QBs, and it reveals along with his six interceptions on the yr, but it surely should not result in any slouching on the Crimson Tide’s aspect.
Alabama’s secondary should run the gauntlet, particularly not guys named Jordan Battle or Kool-aid McKinstry. Is that this the time Eli Ricks lastly will get his time to shine? How will DeMarcco Hellams reply after the Tennessee recreation? Every opponent poses a menace, however the excellent news (or dangerous relying on the view) is that the largest problem of the gauntlet is Mississippi State, the identical program Alabama performed after dropping to Texas A&M final yr. It will be a full-team effort to include the Bulldog passing assault as a vital residence stretch begins.

Alabama
Alabama collects receipts and displays accountability at SEC Media Days 2025

The kickoff to the upcoming SEC season begins where it will end in December, though the SEC Championship Game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Before toe meets leather to kick off the 2025 slate of football game, players and coaches meet with the media to talk about what lies ahead. Each day, AL.com will provide a daily recap from each day with key moments and interesting nuggets of information you might have missed.
Elephants (and Alabama) never forget…
Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos lit a fuse earlier this summer as saying that “they don’t have Nick Saban to save them”. That sparked anger and fired up current and former Crimson Tide players, well ahead of the Alabama season opener at Florida State.
For the first time since those comments, members of the Alabama football team had to address them with the media present at media days. Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan authored a short, but direct response to the FSU transfer QB’s comments saying, “the disrespect will be addressed”.
Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson also chimed in saying, “all disrespect will be addressed accordingly”.
It remains pretty clear that Alabama has taken Castellanos’ words personally, and any backfield interactions in Week 1 might have a bit more spice to them.
DeBoer talks Alabama standard
It was his first year on the job at Alabama, and despite the nine-win season, Kalen DeBoer knows better.
While taking the main stage at inside the College Football Hall of Fame, Alabama’s head coach addressed the fact that there is a standard at Alabama, of success, in winning bowl games and ultimately, competing for championships. Something they didn’t do last season with a 9-4 record. Something DeBoer put bluntly while talking with the media.
“If you internally ask us, no,” DeBoer said. “We fell short of making the playoffs. It’s as simple as that, right? Giving yourself a chance to go compete for a championship. I think there’s a lot of things that I’m super proud of that have happened within the program that are part of the progression. Yeah, we want it right now, too.”
The “Alabama standard” has been established, officially. It’s now up to DeBoer, the staff and the players to live up to it over 12 weeks in the fall.
Auburn getting some preseason love from who?!
Throughout the lead up to media days, pundits, experts and armchair experts like to make their picks for who may surprise in a certain league or division.
Usually, it’s a team that finished in the middle and or lower half the previous season. A perfect spot for a team like Auburn to be discussed, right? Correct. That’s not the surprise; it is the person who delivered said surprise.
While handicapping the SEC title contenders, former Alabama quarterback and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy tabbed the Auburn Tigers as his sleeper pick, noting their potential with the weapons on offense and talented defense.
Oklahoma shows love to Arnold
The realities of the transfer portal mean that the bonds you create with teammates may last a year, two years, and if you’re lucky it goes throughout your entire college career.
For former Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold, his time with the OU program lasted two seasons (2023-24) before transferring to Auburn this past spring. When Oklahoma took their place in front of the media, Sooners head coach Brent Venables and the players discussed Jackson at length.
Venables talked about how Arnold handled tough moments and went as far as saying he wanted to keep the new Auburn signal-caller.
When asked about Arnold, former teammate Robert Spears-Jennings remarked about the positive attitude, and R Mason Thomas lauded his professionalism when faced with adversity last season.
Oklahoma and Auburn meet again, this time in Norman, OK on Sept. 20.
Jordan Rodgers gets flashbacks
Being a football player means you’re going to have some hits you don’t remember. Then you have some that you absolutely, positively never forget, and think about so much you wake up in a cold sweat years later.
He may have not woken up in a cold sweat, but it was clear that Jordan Rodgers remembers when he and Mark Barron met when the former Vanderbilt quarterback played Alabama in 2011.
What to watch on Thursday
Thursday in Atlanta is the final day of SEC Media Days 2025. The teams that will take the stage are Kentucky, Missouri, Texas A&M, and Arkansas.
Two schools who are looking to make a breakthrough into the playoff (Missouri, Texas A&M) and two schools with coaches who may need a big season, to return to media days next year in 2026 (Arkansas and Kentucky).
Along with those teams hitting the stage, the preseason predictions for the order of finish and All-SEC preseason teams will be announced soon after. And the only thing left after that is the opening of fall camps, then the season.
Football in the south is on the horizon, just a few more weeks.
Click the following links for recaps from Monday and Tuesday at SEC Media Days. For more on SEC Media Days, visit AL.com for the latest from Atlanta.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Alabama
Nearly 50 arrested following federal search warrants served across Alabama

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – A complex and years long investigation has led to nearly 50 illegal immigrants being arrested across Alabama.
Federal agents served 14 search warrants in lee, Macon, Elmore, Autauga, Crenshaw and Baldwin counties.
The El Patron Mexican restaurant in Robertsdale was one of the targets.
According to the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama Kevin Davidson, these searches led to more than just arrests.
“Law enforcement recovered distribution amounts of methamphetamine powder, cocaine, crack, cocaine, assorted pills, more than $100,000 of bulk cash, and at least 20 guns,” Davidson said.
At the center of this investigation is Cesar Campos Reyes, who according to FBI Mobile, surrendered himself in Lee County hours after the search warrants were served.
According to a federal indictment, Campos Reyes fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan by falsely certifying documents tied to restaurants that were raided today. Federal agents say the loan funds totaled around $225,000.
Federal agents also going to other El Patron locations in Wetumpka, Opelika and Prattville.
Campos Reyes is said to be the registered agent for the businesses.
Steven Schrank, special agent in charge for HSI in Alabama and Georgia, said this investigation has uncovered a bigger issue.
“This operation was not about any one offense. It was about dismantling a criminal ecosystem, one that profits from the exploitation of people in the circumvention of our nation’s laws,” Schrank said. “In many of the locations we investigated, we uncovered, not only unlawful, unauthorized employment of aliens, but evidence that may point to a broader pattern of criminal conduct.”
Schrank also said businesses who knowingly hire non-citizens are creating a path for other problems.
“When employers knowingly hire illegal aliens, they create a magnet for exploitation, wage theft and unsafe conditions,” he said. “They also sidestep labor laws designed to protect workers, and dissuade honest employers. This creates an underground economy that is often tied to organized criminal activity and puts our communities at risk.”
Federal investigators also said Campos Reyes is the registered agent at the El Patron restaurant in Pensacola.
Although we’re told that business wasn’t raided today, when we stopped by on July 15, a sign on the door said, “closed due to an inconvenience.”

Copyright 2025 WALA. All rights reserved.
Alabama
Bengals predicted to trade for former Alabama star to join WR depth chart | Sporting News

The Cincinnati Bengals clearly have a strong top of the wide receiver depth chart.
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are a great place to start.
The No. 3 spot is held down by Andrei Iosivas.
After that, though? The depth is shaky.
The Bengals can fix that in a trade with the Texans, writes For The Win’s Cory Woodroof. He wants them to deal a sixth-round pick to Houston for John Metchie III.
“After their main three wide receivers, the Bengals have a lot of questions with depth on the roster,” Woodroof writes. “Metchie has flashed impressive play in his Texans tenure, but he’s never been able to consistently carve out a role. Houston has one of the more crowded wideout rooms in the NFL, and Metchie would be an excellent get for Cincinnati at this point in the offseason to compete for the fourth wide receiver spot on the roster. He may well win it. Particularly if injury struck, the Bengals having a solid receiver like Metchie on the roster would be pivotal.”
MORE: How good was LeBron at football? NBA legend would have been ‘one of the best’ in NFL
Metchie was a star at Alabama but has had a bumpy start to his NFL career.
Especially given Higgins’ injury history, having such talented depth is a great idea.
Soon enough, Metchie could be playing huge snaps in big games for the Bengals if this deal went down.
MORE NFL NEWS:
-
Culture1 week ago
Try to Match These Snarky Quotations to Their Novels and Stories
-
News7 days ago
Video: Trump Compliments President of Liberia on His ‘Beautiful English’
-
Finance1 week ago
Do you really save money on Prime Day?
-
Technology1 week ago
Apple’s latest AirPods are already on sale for $99 before Prime Day
-
News1 week ago
Texas Flooding Map: See How the Floodwaters Rose Along the Guadalupe River
-
News6 days ago
Video: Clashes After Immigration Raid at California Cannabis Farm
-
Politics1 week ago
Journalist who refused to duck during Trump assassination attempt reflects on Butler rally in new book
-
Politics1 week ago
Obama officials used dossier to probe, brief Trump despite knowing it was unverified 'internet rumor'