Alabama
Colorado LB Nikhai Hill-Green to transfer to Alabama football. What it means for Crimson Tide
![Colorado LB Nikhai Hill-Green to transfer to Alabama football. What it means for Crimson Tide Colorado LB Nikhai Hill-Green to transfer to Alabama football. What it means for Crimson Tide](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/images/smg/2024/12/16/SMGW/77029846007-102-44213.jpeg?auto=webp&crop=4286,2411,x0,y223&format=pjpg&width=1200)
An all-conference linebacker is joining Alabama football for the 2025 season.
Nikhai Hill-Green, a former Michigan and Charlotte linebacker who was second-team All-Big 12 at Colorado in 2024, told On3 he would transfer to the Crimson Tide for his final season of eligibility.
Hill-Green is the seventh player to join Alabama ahead of 2025 along with Cal long snapper David Bird, Colorado School of Mines punter Blake Doud, Florida defensive lineman Kelby Collins, Utah cornerback Cameron Calhoun, Texas A&M offensive lineman Kam Dewberry and Miami wide receiver Isaiah Horton.
Hill-Green is the third transfer commitment Saturday along with Horton and Dewberry.
What Alabama football gets in Colorado LB Nikhai Hill-Green
Hill-Green is coming off his most productive collegiate season yet.
The former four-star linebacker out of Baltimore was the Buffaloes’ second-leading tackler with 82, adding 11.5 tackles-for-loss, two sacks, four pass deflections and two interceptions.
Hill-Green had a 13-tackle performance against Kansas State. He also had back-to-back games against Texas Tech and Utah where he had an interception.
Hill-Green improved upon his productive 2023 season at Charlotte where he had 73 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, two sacks and three pass deflections.
Hill-Green originally signed with Michigan in the 2020 class and played two seasons with the Wolverines.
Alabama football depth chart: Where does Nikhai Hill-Green fit?
Alabama’s linebacker room is about to get a lot younger.
The Crimson Tide added four linebackers in the 2025 recruiting class: Ohio four-star Justin Hill, Georgia four-star Darrell Johnson, Georgia four-star Luke Metz and California four-star Abduall Sanders Jr.
It’s a room currently in a bit of a transition period, one that will not have Que Robinson and Justin Jefferson in 2025 while Jihaad Campbell and Deontae Lawson are both NFL draft eligible.
Depending on the status of Campbell and Lawson, Alabama could be looking to fill two linebacker spots next to Wolf Qua Russaw. And other than the four freshmen, Alabama’s room does not have many options with players expected to return such as Justin Okoronkwo, Jeremiah Alexander and Cayden Jones.
Hill-Green is a plug-and-play starter, likely at the Mike, one that gives Alabama a chance to develop younger members of the room instead of throwing them into the fire as freshmen.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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Alabama
Which coach had Alabama football lowest in final US LBM Coaches Poll?
![Which coach had Alabama football lowest in final US LBM Coaches Poll? Which coach had Alabama football lowest in final US LBM Coaches Poll?](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/31/NTTN/77357779007-relia-29.jpg?auto=webp&crop=4905,2759,x0,y0&format=pjpg&width=1200)
A look at Alabama football’s Walk of Champions at Bryant-Denny Stadium
VIDEO: A brief tour of the Walk of Champions at Alabama football’s Bryant-Denny Stadium: Statues, commemorating championships and more.
Alabama football did not leave much of a final impression on the 2024 season.
After regular-season road losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma, the Crimson Tide missed the College Football Playoff and lost to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl, securing Alabama’s first season without 10 wins since 2007.
Last season, the lowest Alabama football was ranked in the final US LBM Coaches Poll was No. 8 by then-Central Florida coach Gus Malzahn. To end the 2024 season, the Crimson Tide finished much lower.
Washington coach Jedd Fisch, New Mexico coach Bronco Mendenhall, San Jose State coach Ken Niumatalolo, UNLV coach Barry Odom and Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor did not have Alabama ranked.
Of the coaches that ranked the Crimson Tide, Ohio coach Tim Albin, Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell and South Florida coach Alex Golesh each had Alabama at No. 24
Air Force coach Troy Calhoun had the Crimson Tide as its highest ranked, putting Alabama at No. 11 ahead of Boise State and Clemson.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart had Alabama at No. 12.
Ryan Day, who led Ohio State to a CFP national championship win against Notre Dame on Monday, had Alabama ranked at No. 19 behind South Carolina, Miami, Illinois and BYU.
Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer ranked the Crimson Tide at No. 15 in his final coaches poll.
Alabama will open the 2025 season Aug. 30 against Florida State.
Final US LBM Coaches Poll Top 25: Where did Alabama rank?
Here’s the final US LBM Coaches Poll:
- Ohio State (53)
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Oregon
- Penn State
- Georgia
- Arizona State
- Tennessee
- Boise State
- Indiana
- SMU
- Clemson
- Ole Miss
- BYU
- Iowa State
- Illinois
- Alabama
- Miami
- South Carolina
- Missouri
- Army
- Syracuse
- Memphis
- UNLV
- Colorado
Others receiving votes
LSU 44; Navy 28; Louisville 28; Michigan 20; Kansas State 20; Ohio 6; TCU 5; Marshall 1
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Alabama
Alabama Republicans celebrate Trump inauguration
![Alabama Republicans celebrate Trump inauguration Alabama Republicans celebrate Trump inauguration](https://www.alreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/trump-inauguration-speech-e1737403540112.webp)
On Monday, Donald Trump was officially sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. As he returns to office, 48 percent of Americans say they have an unfavorable opinion of Trump while 46.4 percent express favorability. That public division in approval is representative of a larger partisan divide which has only grown since Trump was first elected in 2016, with Republicans largely coalescing around Trump as the leader of their party while Democrats vehemently reject Trump and his policies.
Trump’s inauguration once again shined a spotlight on the stark partisan division between the rhetoric, policies, and values of the modern Republican and Democratic parties.
Prominent Democrats, including U.S. Reps. Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, and Ilhan Omar, D-MN, refused to attend Trump’s inauguration as a public display of disapproval aimed at the president and his incoming administration. “I do not celebrate rapists, so no, I’m not going to the inauguration tomorrow,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a video posted to her social media. A 2023 civil case found Trump liable of sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996.
Meanwhile, Republicans, including those from Alabama’s congressional delegation remained largely supportive of the president and vocally celebrated Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
“Welcome back, Mr. President!” tweeted U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., alongside images of Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance at the inauguration ceremony.
U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., also praised Trump’s return to office. “President Trump is back. The American Dream has a bright future,” she posted to her X account.
The official ALGOP X account also made a post celebrating inauguration day. “Stay tuned to the Alabama Republican Party’s social media for updates and highlights from our nation’s capital as we celebrate this historic day and the swearing in of @realdonaldtrump!” the post reads with an attached image that states, “Time to Make America Great Again.”
U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-Ala., also made a post welcoming Trump back to office.
“Today is the day we have been waiting for. Donald J. Trump overcame every attempt by the establishment to stop him. His election came as an overwhelming mandate by the American people –to secure the borders, restore our economy, unleash American energy, and re-establish the United States as a respected world leader,” Strong wrote.
“He did not have to fight through this adversity, but he did,” Strong continued. “Today marks a new beginning. I am honored to serve the people alongside President Donald J. Trump, and I look forward to Making America Great Again. Our time is NOW!!”
Strong also made a post in support of executive orders related to immigration policy which Trump is expected to make soon after returning to office, including: “building the wall,” “designating cartels as terrorist organizations,” “deploying the National Guard to stop border crossings,” “ending an open border with catch-and-release policies,” and “suspending refugee resettlements.” Trump has also promised to issue mass deportations of undocumented immigrants soon after his inauguration.
Civil rights advocacy groups like the American Civil Liberties Union have decried Trump’s immigration agenda, calling the policies “inhumane” and “based on xenophobia and racism.”
Alabama’s two Democratic congresspeople were not as celebratory of Trump’s inauguration as the Republican delegation was. However, neither U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., or Shomari Figures, D-Ala., chose to explicitly criticize the president’s agenda on Inauguration Day, unlike other members of their party.
“Today, we were once again reminded of what sets our nation apart as a beacon of freedom and democracy as we witnessed the peaceful transfer of power from one president to the next,” Sewell said in an official statement Monday. “I remain hopeful that the new administration will govern on behalf of all Americans, and I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner, where possible, for the benefit of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.”
Rep. Figures, meanwhile, did not publicly comment on Trump’s inauguration. Instead, Figures chose to speak in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as the federal holiday celebrating the life and legacy of the historic civil rights leader happened to coincide with Inauguration Day.
“As we celebrate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I reflect on the lasting impact he made not only on this country and the world but also on the great state of Alabama. I would not be in my position if Dr. King had not marched in Selma, boycotted in Montgomery, and resisted in Birmingham,” Rep. Figures wrote on his X account. “I strive to fulfill the dreams Dr. King spoke of, not just for myself and my family but for all the people of Alabama.”
Rep. Figures did not respond to APR’s request for further comment on President Trump’s inauguration.
Alabama
Former Alabama players reflect on Ohio State national championship
Even with a foot in a boot due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, Ohio State’s Seth McLaughlin stood on a chair in celebration. A cigar in his mouth, the former Alabama football center took the moment in, enjoying the national title the Buckeyes had won.
“Feels good,” McLaughlin shouted through the giddy yells and rap music. “Feels great.”
McLaughlin didn’t play in the 34-23 win over Notre Dame due to the injury he suffered late in the Buckeye season. Still, he used the season in Columbus to rebuild his confidence, and the night in Atlanta was a perfect ending.
Fitting for him and his Ohio State teammates, whose season was in question when they fell in in the regular season finale against Michigan.
“There isn’t a single person in here that hasn’t been doubted by everybody in the country,” McLaughlin said. “It’s just a testament to these guys’ resiliency and just, even to hang on in those final moments, find a way to win.”
Near the entrance to the locker room, McLaughlin’s fellow Alabama transfer, quarterback Julian Sayin, had a black commemorative t-shirt stretched over his shoulder pads. The freshman, who signed with Alabama and participated in Rose Bowl practices after the 2023 season, then transferred to OSU after Saban retired, posed for pictures with his teammates.
Sayin didn’t play in the game, sitting behind Ohio State starter Will Howard. Still, he was thrilled by reaching the college football mountaintop, the first Buckeye title since the 2014 season.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Sayin told AL.com. “Proud of the guys. Will Howard had an amazing game. I was able to learn a lot from him this season, and was really excited to see him do so well.”
Toward the back of the room, still in his game uniform, eyeblack running down his face as his teammates interrupted interviews to celebrate, Caleb Downs sat in a folding chair. Of all the ex-Alabama players now at Ohio State, he’d had the most impact on the field Monday.
Downs finished with five total tackles, playing the game in his home state. Both he and fellow Buford, Ga. native McLaughlin said they were undefeated in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, dating back to high school.
“It’s a blessing,” Downs said. “I can’t even describe it. It’s an unreal feeling for me just to come back home. To see my home, my family here, grandparents. And then I saw two of my elementary school teachers here today, like, I can’t describe it.”
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