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From Indiana to Alabama

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From Indiana to Alabama


MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – I’s been about six months since former Jags head coach Kane Wommack left the University of South Alabama to accept the defensive coordinator job with the Crimson Tide.

Wommack spent the last three seasons here in Mobile where he led South to their first 10-win season in 2022 as a division one program and their first bowl victory in 2023.

While Wommack was establishing himself as a head coach at South, the call to rejoin his friend on the sidelines at the premier job in college football was too much to pass up.

The relationship between Wommack and new Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer began back in 2019 when the two were coaching at the University of Indiana.

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Former Indiana head coach Tom Allen hired Wommack to be the Hoosiers defensive coordinator and told him “Find me the best offensive coordinator out there.”

Of course, it was Kalen DeBoer.

“We vetted a lot of guys out and it was clear that this offensive coordinator from Fresno State was doing a tremendous job and he and I really hit it off from the word ‘go’ and so there was a little back and forth there, in fact, he turned us down once or twice if I remember correctly.”

DeBoer eventually accepted the job.

The two only coached at Indiana together for one season, but they built a bond that has lasted over the years. Now, they are reunited, taking on the biggest college football job in the country. I asked Wommack, what was it about that season at Indiana that solidified their relationship as coaches and friends.

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“We’re like-minded individuals in terms of how we see coaching” said Wommack “How we see leading young men and leading a staff, so Kalen and I have really had that connection since day one.”

For Wommack, leaving South Alabama and the Mobile, AL community behind wasn’t easy, but he only would have done it for this job.

The opportunity for two people who always hoped to coach together again is now a reality, and at Alabama no less, the premier college football coaching job.

Wommack is finishing up his move from Mobile this week and will soon officially call Tuscaloosa home, but Mobile is somewhere he’ll always come back to.

“You know Mobile guys are always going to be special to me, that’s just the way I feel about it. This is now my home and will forever probably be my home I’ll probably retire here one day.”

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'Headed to the house': Alabama Power lineworkers make heroic return home after helping restore power for Texas residents hit by Hurricane Beryl

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'Headed to the house': Alabama Power lineworkers make heroic return home after helping restore power for Texas residents hit by Hurricane Beryl


Alabama Power line workers and contractors returned home Friday after spending more than a week helping Texas utility CenterPoint Energy restore power following Hurricane Beryl. The storm left more than 2 million customers without power during a heat advisory that saw temperatures reach the upper 90s and the heat index reach triple digits for much



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Alabama Roots: NFL Draft picks sign for $137.6 million

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Alabama Roots: NFL Draft picks sign for 7.6 million


Dallas Turner signed his first NFL contract with the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the team announced, bringing all the players with Alabama football roots picked in the 2024 NFL Draft under contract in time for training camp.

The other 26 draft picks who had played for Alabama high schools and colleges already had signed their first contracts by the time the No. 17 pick and the Vikings got the details hammered out on his deal.

Each player picked in the NFL Draft receives a four-year contract, and the range in the total value of those deals for the Alabama-roots players in the 2024 draft stretches from around $26.045 million to about $4.101 million. The approximate value of the 27 contracts is $137.606 million.

The values of the contracts are based on the NFL’s salary cap of $255.4 million for the 2024 season and this year’s rookie compensation pool in a formula spelled out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players association. While the values of rookie contracts aren’t negotiable, other factors are, including the amount of guaranteed money.

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It wasn’t always that way. Before 2011, all factors were in play for negotiation, and quarterback JaMarcus Russell (Williamson) signed the biggest contract for a rookie from an Alabama high school or college as the No. 1 pick of the 2007 draft at $61 million for six years with the Oakland Raiders.

One of this year’s draft picks isn’t in training camp and will never play in the NFL. A fourth-round selection of the Minnesota Vikings, former Alabama cornerback Khyree Jackson died in a traffic accident on July 6.

A rundown on what the drafted players who played at Alabama high schools and colleges signed for this year, with values from the sports financial web site spotrac.com:

J.C. Latham, offensive tackle, Alabama

First round, Tennessee Titans: Four years for $26.045 million, including a $15.762 million signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.

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Bo Nix, quarterback, Pinson Valley High School, Auburn

First round, Denver Broncos: Four years for $18.613 million, including a $10.357 signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.

Dallas Turner, linebacker, Alabama

First round, Minnesota Vikings: Four years for $15.767 million, including an $8.287 signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.

Terrion Arnold, cornerback, Alabama

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First round, Detroit Lions: Four years for $14.344 million, including a $7.252 million signing bonus. The contract is fully guaranteed and carries a team option for a fifth season.

Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry, cornerback, Pinson Valley High School, Alabama

Second round, New Orleans Saints: Four years for $9.157 million, including a $3.48 million signing bonus. The contract includes $7.282 million in guaranteed money.

Kamari Lassister, cornerback, American Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa

Second round, Houston Texans: Four years for $9.015 million, including a $3.376 million signing bonus. The contract includes $7.091 million in guaranteed money.

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Chris Braswell, linebacker, Alabama

Second round, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Four years for $6.785 million, including a $1.755 million signing bonus. The contract includes $3.885 million in guaranteed money.

Jermaine Burton, wide receiver, Alabama

Third round, Cincinnati Bengals: Four years for $5.821 million, including a $1.053 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Justin Eboigbe, defensive lineman, Alabama

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Fourth round, Los Angeles Chargers: Four years for $4.859 million, including an $839,012 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Khyree Jackson, cornerback, Alabama

Fourth round, Minnesota Vikings: Four years for $4.847 million, including an $827,148 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Javon Baker, wide receiver, Alabama

Fourth round, New England Patriots: Four years for $4.807 million, including a $786,748 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

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Nehemiah Pritchett, cornerback, Jackson High School, Auburn

Fifth round, Seattle Seahawks: Four years for $4.399 million, including a $379,072 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Kris Abrams-Draine, cornerback, Spanish Fort High School

Fifth round, Denver Broncos: Four years for $4.368 million, including a $348,272 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Jaylin Simpson, defensive back, Auburn

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Fifth round, Indianapolis Colts: Four years for $4.317 million, including a $297,012 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Keilan Robinson, running back, Alabama

Fifth round, Jacksonville Jaguars: Four years for $4.302 million, including a $281,956 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Javon Solomon, linebacker, Troy

Fifth round, Buffalo Bills: Four years for $4.274 million, including a $254,276 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

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Kimani Vidal, running back, Troy

Sixth round, Los Angeles Chargers: Four years for $4.227 million, including a $207,436 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Jase McClellan, running back, Alabama

Sixth round, Atlanta Falcons: Four years for $4.214 million, including a $194,368 million signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Tejhaun Palmer, wide receiver, UAB

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Sixth round, Arizona Cardinals: Four years for $4.205 million, including a $185,228 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

D.J. James, cornerback, Spanish Fort High School, Auburn

Sixth round, Seattle Seahawks: Four years for $4.204 million, including a $184,432 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Will Reichard, kicker, Hoover High School, Alabama

Sixth round, Minnesota Vikings: Four years for $4.191 million, including a $170,620 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

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Tylan Grable, offensive tackle, Jacksonville State

Sixth round, Buffalo Bills: Four years for $4.19 million, including a $169,912 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Nathaniel Watson, linebacker, Maplesville High School

Sixth round, Cleveland Browns: Four years for $4.183 million, including a $162,724 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Cedric Johnson, defensive end, Davidson High School in Mobile

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Sixth round, Cincinnati Bengals: Four years for $4.158 million, including a $138,388 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Justin Rogers, defensive tackle, Auburn

Seventh round, Dallas Cowboys: Four years for $4.108 million, including an $87,640 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

Marcus Harris, defensive tackle, Park Crossing High School in Montgomery, Auburn

Seventh round, Houston Texans: Four years for $4.105 million, including an $85,480 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

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Jaylen Key, safety, Alabama

Seventh round, New York Jets: Four years for $4.101 million, including an $80,736 signing bonus. The signing bonus is the guaranteed portion of the contract.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OURNFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at@AMarkG1.





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Alabama legislators to look at victim notification system for county jails | Chattanooga Times Free Press

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Alabama legislators to look at victim notification system for county jails | Chattanooga Times Free Press


State officials gathered for the first in a series of meetings to investigate how to create a victim notification system for individuals incarcerated at county jails.

The Joint Interim Study Commission on Local and County Victim Notification, which held an organizational meeting Tuesday at the Alabama statehouse, comes after the state established a victim notification system for those in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections.

“We really need to understand what is currently being done in these counties, what needs to be done in the future, and if the state is part of that funding solution or does that fall back on individual counties,” said Rep. Rex Reynolds, R-Huntsville, who was elected chair of the commission. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, was elected vice chair. Reynolds and Albritton, respectively, chair the Alabama House and Senate general fund budget committees.

(READ MORE: Alabama governor signs bill barring diversity, equity and inclusion programs)

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The state has a contract with a private firm to have the Victim Information and Notification Everyday system provide notices to crime victims on the status of perpetrators within the criminal justice system, but that system tracks only those within the custody of the department of corrections and the bureau of pardons & paroles.

The terms of the contract, including the name of the company and the cost, were not disclosed. A message was left with the Alabama attorney general’s office and the parole bureau Tuesday seeking comment on the contract.

The state had a system to track the status of those held in the custody of county jails, but it was no longer valid when the state initiated its own system for tracking people within the state’s custody. The state is identifying possible avenues for replacing the system.

Some counties also had a contract with Notification Everyday to provide notifications to victims of crimes within county jurisdictions. Since the state had a contract with the company providing the service, the company extended the service free of charge to counties without a contract.

(READ MORE: Alabama task force charts five-year plan to tackle Alzheimer’s disease)

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As a result, some counties pay for the system, but others do not. According to a map provided to the committee on Tuesday, many of the counties with system are concentrated in North Central Alabama. Many of those without the system are isolated to the southern part of the state.

Many Black Belt counties operate without such a system. This includes Dallas, Marengo, Hale, Greene, Elmore, Macon and Montgomery counties.

“So the problem is now, what created this, is the state doing its own system, which is working very well for it is doing for the state, but it is not doing local notification for those inmates coming out of our county jails,” Reynolds said.

The state unveiled its automatic victim notification system at a March news conference that featured several law enforcement agencies and representatives from the court system.

In 2011, the legislature passed a bill by former Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, who now oversees the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, that created the Automated Victim Notification System and Implementation Task Force. The task force was charged with creating an integrated victim notification system.

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In 2015, the legislature passed a bill that granted early release for specific people in custody of the corrections department based on the amount of time they were in custody and on different levels. That bill only applied to those who would be incarcerated after that 2015 bill passed.

In 2021, lawmakers passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, that made the 2015 bill retroactive.

Many, however, were not released on time after the Alabama attorney general’s office filed a lawsuit against Corrections Commissioner John Hamm seeking to delay the release of inmates until victims were notified.

The revamped system provides updates on the status of individuals in the custody of the Alabama Department of Corrections and pardons and paroles — not people who are held within county jails.

“Today, it is working,” said Maury Mitchell, the state crime information director, at the meeting Tuesday. “It takes the original bill by Mr. Ward. So it is a notification required by pardons and paroles and corrections when someone comes out or when several triggers happen.”

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Members of the committee will continue to study the issue for the next several months. The study commission has not set its next meeting date.

Read more at AlabamaReflector.com.



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