Alabama
Bonus notes, observations from a second viewing of Alabama win over Georgia
We’re back.
Loyal readers might remember this weekly Sunday series from my time as a beat writer covering Alabama. It went on hiatus after moving into a new role last spring but we dust it off on special occasions.
So here’s the Sunday DVR rewind of Alabama’s 41-34 win over Georgia. For the uninitiated, this was a series to go back and clean up the notes we missed watching the game in real-time at the stadium. Sometimes, the TV copy of the game can add context to what we saw, and instead of wasting these notes, we just ran them for the whole internet to read.
So here we go, the stream-of-consciousness note-taking as we watch this one a second time.
— Coming out, I was expecting to see a Georgia team with its hair on fire after a full offseason to think about what Alabama stole from it in last season’s SEC title game. I was clearly wrong.
— From the first play, I was surprised to see how Georgia was playing Ryan Williams. The CBs were lined up well off the ball, allowing a free release for a quick 8-yard gain on the game’s first play.
— Running back Jam Miller threw some impressive blocks several times. He’s a powerful back who got just five carries but made his impact in other ways. It’s worth pointing out Alabama RBs got just 11 carries while Jalen Milroe ran it 16 times.
— It’s hard to explain the wiggle and burst that Milroe has in the running game. He makes rushers miss with phonebooth moves and the next gear burst in the open field is unlike almost any QB I remember seeing.
— Alabama overcame three penalties on the first drive to score the first touchdown Georgia allowed in its fourth game. The Tide set the tone physically and with a great game plan.
— It was clear Georgia was testing Alabama’s young secondary early and often after seeing how many open WRs were missed by the Tide’s first three opponents. It didn’t work early. Then it did later.
— I remember watching this in real time so I checked the stats. Carson Beck looked like he had plenty of time to operate when throwing the ball 50 times. He was sacked three times while Alabama was credited with just two QB hurries. I thought affecting Beck was going to be a big factor in the game and the fact he had time was crucial in the comeback later.
— Ryan Williams gains seven or eight extra yards (it seems) every catch with his footwork. He’s like a dancer out there with his footwork.
— It was interesting watching the TV version of Milroe’s TD pass to Jam Miller to make it 14-0. The camera angle didn’t do that throw justice but our angle in the press box did. We were right on the line of the throw that Milroe had to throw so far ahead of the RB to bend around the pursuing linebacker. That thing went through a window barely bigger than the ball, nearly kissing the LB’s helmet before landing in Miller’s breadbasket. I thought you could argue that was among the best of Milroe’s throws at Alabama, even more impressive for Miller to haul that in as a RB and not a WR.
— The third-down play on the following Georgia drive was among the most important in the game. The crowd was a factor here too. Down in the Alabama student section end, Beck tried to change the call at the line seeing Alabama had more pass rushers than they had blockers. Well the WRs didn’t get the message, Kirby Smart said after the game. Alabama DB Domani Jackson sniffed it the whole way, stepping in for an INT that changed the game. The Tide had the shortest field of the game and it cashed in. Suddenly 21-0 and the first quarter wasn’t even over.
— Alabama CJ Dippre had an impressive game catching passes where he’s been almost primarily a blocker. He had four receptions for 38 yards.
— The most surprising thing to me early in the second quarter was the trick plays Alabama tried. It was gashing the Dawgs the traditional way before trying two tricks in three plays. The first was stopped for a one-yards loss on a WR pass that Kendrick Law ultimately ate.
— The fourth Alabama TD was a message. Jam Miller took the helmet off LB Jalon Walker as Milroe somehow turned a corner and dashed upfield for the 36-yard score. Taking you behind the scenes, that play was the subject of the opening few paragraphs of a column that never saw the light of day. The way the game changed meant scrapping that lede, but here’s what you would have seen:
Jalon Walker took a knee in the dark, helmet-less looking stunned.
The Bryant-Denny Stadium lights strobed as its seating bowl pulsed in perhaps the most stunning moment on a baffling night at the center of the universe.
The Georgia linebacker had just been separated from his headgear as Alabama QB Jalen Milroe made a cut and dashed upfield. His 36-yard run gave the Crimson Tide a fourth touchdown on four possessions but it was the helmet-rattling block on the Bulldog ’backer that was the insult to the injury.
— Alabama had a 258-27 yardage advantage after taking that 28-0 lead that was clearly as good as it would get for the home team. The Tide ultimately finished with a narrow edge (547-519).
— There was serious whiplash from Alabama getting stuffed on fourth down late in the half, followed directly by Beck’s second INT of the half thrown to LB Jihaad Campbell. He made an impressive play on the ball for a linebacker but that was wasted when Dippre batted a Milroe pass into the air for the first INT of the year (compared to 10 TDs).
— Was impressed with Alabama’s sell-out blitz that led to the intentional grounding safety three plays after the INT. They sent EIGHT pass rushers at Beck. Robinson and Koht sandwiched the QB because Georgia just didn’t have enough blockers to stop eight blitzers.
— Totally forgot about the failed flea flicker late in the half when Alabama was driving up 30-7 before halftime. It lost eight yards on 2nd-and-5 from the 40. The Tide ultimately punted when there was blood in the water.
— Can only imagine how Saban would’ve handled a post-half unsportsmanlike penalty like the one Alabama got with a dust up going to halftime.
— I remember thinking the third-down sack of Beck on the first drive of the second half was huge. It forced a three-and-out when Georgia was in desperate need of momentum.
— The level of desperation peaked on the next Bulldog drive down 30-7. Georgia went for it on three fourth downs on its own side of the 50. That included plays at the 29, 37 and 46. Getting stuffed on any and Alabama has a short field and a play from making it 37-7. Impressive play under pressure to keep this game competitive.
— Malachi Moore played with an edge all night.
— A stat of note, Alabama defenders were credited with nine pass break-ups. Moore and DeVonta Smith led with two apiece.
— To show how quickly this game changed, Georgia was behind the 50 down 30-7 with 5:45 left in the third quarter. It would come all the way back to take the lead in just over 17 football minutes.
— What more could be said about this insane Ryan Williams catch. Here it is. Watch it again.
— It’s crazy to think Alabama brought in Graham Nicholson, the reigning Lou Groza Award winner, and his first field goal came late in the third quarter of his fourth game. And the 28-yarder barely missed the upright to make it 33-14 with 1:23 left. Again, it was a three-score lead with just over a quarter to play.
— Georgia outgained Alabama 275-115 in the fourth quarter with 75 of those Tide yards coming on the game-winning touchdown pass to Williams.
— Alabama defenders started to looked gassed in the fourth quarter, just as Georgia hit another gear and scored three straight touchdowns.
— Just noticed Ryan Williams did the Dirty Bird dance after scoring the game-winning TD.
— A stat that was huge: Georgia was 1-for-3 on 2-point conversions. Alabama was 1-for-1.
Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – You don’t find too many camps where you learn how to slap someone. But this summer, you will in Montgomery. It’s one of many kids camps put on by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.
“We have our Camp Shakespeare Junior which is our half day for the littles, kindergarten through 3rd grade,” said Cameron Williams, the ASF director of education. “We have Big Kid Shakespeare camp and everyone is learning all about ‘Much Ado About Nothing’.”
They learn about on stage combat, different acting techniques, and also how to be creative and think on their feet.
“I think theater skills are life skills. So, what makes this camp special is we’re doing more than just boosting literacy and doing theater things. We’re doing life skills, learning what it means to be team players, about discipline, and working with people who may have different personalities than you.”
Different kids have different talents. And even if your child isn’t up for a lead role in the next play, this place can leave a lasting impact.
“If you’re looking for a place where your kid can come out of their shell, to learn how to speak in front of a group, and develop some confidence, this is the place to be.”
It’s a place that’s a real treasure in Montgomery, and its mining some young gems, who one day, could be on the big stage themselves. There are still more ASF camps going on this summer for pre-teens and even adults.
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Huntsville-based defense contractor LOGZONE Inc. has agreed to pay $507,144 to resolve allegations that it failed to comply with cybersecurity requirements in contracts with the U.S. Department of the Navy, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The settlement resolves claims brought under the False Claims Act alleging that LOGZONE knowingly submitted claims for payment while not meeting certain cybersecurity standards required under two Navy contracts.
Federal officials alleged that between May 2021 and March 2025, LOGZONE did not implement specific cybersecurity controls outlined in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-171. The standards are designed to protect sensitive defense information handled by government contractors.
According to the Justice Department, the deficiencies were identified during an assessment conducted by the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA). The evaluation resulted in LOGZONE receiving a score of -170 on a scale ranging from -203 to 110, indicating significant gaps in compliance with required security controls.
The government alleged that the missing cybersecurity measures could have increased the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information or the exploitation of company systems.
The settlement does not include a determination of liability. As part of the agreement, LOGZONE will pay $507,144 to resolve the allegations.
Federal officials said the enforcement action reflects ongoing efforts to ensure government contractors comply with cybersecurity obligations tied to federal contracts, particularly those involving sensitive defense information.
The investigation and settlement involved the Justice Department’s Civil Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, the Department of the Navy, the Defense Contract Management Agency, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.
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Additional details regarding corrective actions taken by the company were not immediately available.
Alabama
Alabama’s Self-Proclaimed ‘AI Watchman’ Unseats Incumbent Public Service Commissioner – Inside Climate News
MOBILE, Ala.—Jim Zeigler didn’t have much time to celebrate.
The morning after his Republican primary victory on Tuesday and a gathering of supporters at Wintzell’s Oyster House, the 78-year-old hit the road early to drive the nearly four hours to his hometown of Sylacauga, southwest of Birmingham, to attend a funeral.
But even this early, Zeigler already had his mind on November.
“It’s going to be a tough, tough race,” Zeigler said.
He may be right.
Like Republicans across the South, Zeigler pointed to recent public service commission elections in Georgia—two Republican to Democratic flips—as a seeming electoral mandate from voters: Lower energy bills and curb data centers, or face citizens’ wrath at the ballot box.
But, Zeigler said, he believes Democrats’ success in Georgia also came because of an influx of campaign cash from out-of-state donors—a challenge he said he anticipates Alabama Republicans in utility regulation races will face in November as well.
“It’s not only a possibility that kind of campaign will be attempted in Alabama,” Zeigler said. “It sneaked up on the Republicans of Georgia. It won’t sneak up on me.”
The election of a Democrat to one of Alabama’s at-large PSC seats would be a major electoral shakeup. The last Democrat to serve on the body was elected in 2008.
Zeigler said his aim in the campaign—both in the primary and general—is to channel voters’ frustrations about data centers and solar farms.
It was those issues, according to Zeigler, that put him past the finish line in the race against his Republican opponent, Chris Beeker, an incumbent with a 5 to 1 campaign finance advantage.
Beeker, who was appointed to serve the remainder of his father’s term, ran a much less vocal campaign, a stark contrast to Zeigler’s.
During his campaign, Zeigler has promised he will serve as an “AI watchman in Alabama,” shielding residents from the economic and environmental burdens of the data centers that power AI technology.
He said he will soon begin rolling out a detailed plan about how he’ll conduct that oversight. One of the first things that should be made public, Zeigler said, is a list of all data centers in Alabama currently operating, proposed or under construction.
“Right now there is no such a list available to the public,” Zeigler said.
Both Alabama Power and the Alabama Public Service Commission have declined requests by Inside Climate News for such a list.
Still, despite Zeigler’s pledges, the ability of he or any other public service commissioner to regulate industry effectively will soon be more limited than ever before. Earlier this year, the Alabama Legislature passed a law expanding the commission from three to seven seats and consolidating regulatory power in a newly-created secretary of energy.
Experts said the legislation stood to benefit Alabama Power, the state’s largest utility, by making the initiation of rate cases scrutinizing energy prices more difficult.
Zeigler seemed reticent to criticize the new law on Wednesday.
“The fact is it’s law,” he said. “It’s something that I’m just going to have to live with. Move on.”
This won’t be Zeigler’s first time serving on the body. A perennial candidate, he served on the Public Service Commission for a single term from 1975 to 1979. Half a century later, after running for various offices and serving as Alabama’s state auditor from 2015 to 2023, Zeigler said he recognizes that if he wins in November, he’ll be serving in a state much different than it was all that time ago. In 1979, Zeigler said, no one had heard of a data center, much less had one proposed to be built in their back yard. Times have changed. Now, Zeigler himself is figuring out how to deal with ever-evolving technology.
Zeigler said while his campaign hasn’t generated AI images for publication, it may have shared some created by supporters. Both Zeigler’s website and social media pages feature AI-generated images, one portraying Zeigler in a heroic stance, “THE WATCHMAN” emblazoned across the bottom.
In it, Zeigler holds a bottle labeled “sunlight, integrity, common sense and sweet tea.” Zeigler, in a houndstooth blazer, a cape and a “people over profits” belt buckle, appears above a monster truck painted in the University of Alabama’s crimson and white. “Zeigler,” the side of the truck says. “Watching out for Alabama!”
Ultimately, Zeigler said it doesn’t matter if his campaign or supporters use AI-generated images in his run for office.
“I guess eventually I’m going to have to learn how to use AI,” he said. “But the idea that you can’t be a watchman over data centers and try to oversee them if you use any AI yourself is a juvenile analysis.”
Zeigler will face Democrat Sheila McNeil in the November election.
About This Story
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Thank you,
Lee Hedgepeth
Reporter, Alabama
Lee Hedgepeth is Inside Climate News’ Alabama reporter. Raised in Grand Bay, Alabama, a small town on the Gulf Coast, Lee holds master’s degrees in community journalism and political development from the University of Alabama and Tulane University. Lee is the founder of Tread, a newsletter of Southern journalism, and has also worked for news outlets across Alabama, including CBS 42, Alabama Political Reporter and the Anniston Star. His reporting has focused on issues impacting members of marginalized groups, including homelessness, poverty, and the death penalty. His award-winning journalism has appeared in publications across the country and has been cited by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, among others.
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