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How Alabama football built elite secondary ahead of Rose Bowl, CFP

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How Alabama football built elite secondary ahead of Rose Bowl, CFP


PASADENA, California − The argument can be made the Alabama football secondary has the most elite talent of any position on the team.

It could very well have multiple first-round NFL Draft picks next spring, depending on which players decide to declare for the NFL Draft. It has the nation’s best freshman. It has versatile athletes and veteran starters. It has depth and leadership. If there’s an MVP award given to a group of players, the secondary would be deserving.

It has allowed only one 300-yard passer all season (the Texas loss), and it has given up two passing touchdowns total over the past four games.

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“We’ve got a good nucleus of old guys and we brought in some young guys that have been very, very helpful,” secondary coach Travaris Robinson said.

How did Alabama build this group? The Tuscaloosa News spoke with Robinson and a few players to get the story behind each key piece in the elite secondary that will compete against Michigan in the Rose Bowl, part of the College Football Playoff semifinals, on Monday (4 p.m. CT, ESPN).

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Caleb Downs

Year: Freshman

Downs, long before he arrived at Alabama, wanted to talk schematics. He would chat with Robinson, coach Nick Saban and former safeties coach Charles Kelly on the phone, for hours.

“That’s what interests him,” Robinson said. “How can he learn? What can he learn? How much can he learn? Some people run away from that. He loves that. That’s what gets him to tick.”

So the staff spent hours with Downs on the phone talking ball. Eventually, he committed to the Crimson Tide.

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“I think a lot of people during recruitment, they get involved in the glitz and the glam more than what it really takes,” Downs told The Tuscaloosa News.

That wasn’t for Downs, though. He also didn’t really waste too much time looking at a bunch of schools. He had about three to four he was really interested in, Robinson said. And Robinson, who joined Alabama before the 2022 season, knew first hand what it’s like not to be one of those schools.

“I tried to call him at places I had been before and get on the phone with him, and he had a good attitude about it, but he wasn’t very receptive to it,” Robinson said. “He had kind of his mind of what he wanted to do.”

So once Robinson arrived at Alabama “it wasn’t very hard to recruit Caleb.” The coaches just had to be willing to talk for hours about football.

“He is just a ball, ball guy,” Robinson said. “When I say dedicated, he’s meeting with our GAs and a bunch of guys who are analysts. We’ve got a bunch of guys who are around that he wants to watch film.”

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There’s a reason Downs started right away as a freshman, leads the team with 99 tackles and was named the Shaun Alexander freshman of the year and second-team All-American.

“It was a very, very big piece because if he wasn’t (joining Alabama), then we was kind of scrambling looking for a guy who could come in and do the things that he is able to do,” Robinson said. “And he’s done a really good job with that.”

Terrion Arnold

Year: Redshirt sophomore

Arnold was not new to the starting lineup at cornerback, but this version of Arnold is new.

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Arnold has played so well in his second season at cornerback that he might have worked his way into a high-round NFL draft pick if he decides to declare. This season, he has allowed a completion percentage of 53.5% on 71 targets, breaking up 12 passes and intercepting five. He has allowed an NFL passer rating of 51.3, per Pro Football Focus’ charting.

“I think it’s just reps,” Robinson said. “You look at last year, he struggled. He was in and out of the lineup. Between him and Eli Ricks. This year, he continued to get better and better and better.”

Robinson pointed out how Arnold played a lot of offense in high school and when Arnold was on defense, he played safety. But when he came to Alabama, Arnold moved to cornerback. So, 2023 is really only his second season playing the position.

“I think Terrion’s best football is still ahead of him,” Robinson said.

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Jaylen Key

Year: Graduate student (transfer)

Alabama wanted and needed to add veteran safety depth with the departures of Brian Branch, Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams to the NFL. So, the Crimson Tide turned to the portal and looked up the road to a safety from UAB. And once he entered the portal, Alabama decided to pursue him.

“Jaylen Key was a guy we watched play against some really good people,” Robinson said. “He played very well … The key for us when we bring a guy in because we do so much on defense is the kind of kid he is. And can he learn? He’s a very exceptional learner and has done a really good job of coming in and grasping what we’re trying to do. He was a very, very, very big part of us being here.”

Trey Amos

Year: Senior

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Amos hasn’t been a starter yet on a regular basis, but he has been a vital piece.

Look no farther than the SEC Championship Game. Kool-Aid McKinstry had to exit the game because of a concussion, so in went Amos. The first play for Amos, Georgia targeted him, throwing at tight end Brock Bowers. But Amos broke up the pass.

“A guy who’s very intelligent, a guy who’s very athletic,” Robinson said. “He’s definitely the future. He has a chance to be really, really good.”

When the former Louisiana defensive back heard Alabama’s plan for him when he was in the portal, he became sold. There was no starting guarantee, though. That was fine with him.

“I just wanted to develop,” Amos said. “I wanted to really get the feel of being coached in the right type of environment and the right type of system that really fits me.”

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Kool-Aid McKinstry

Year: Junior

McKinstry was about as sure of a thing as it got to return to the starting lineup after a strong sophomore season, but as Robinson reminded, everybody works for what they get and no spot is 100% guaranteed.

So what did McKinstry do to not only keep it but also keep growing?

“Work hard,” Robinson said. “Technique. Leader of the group. A lot of guys don’t catch balls on Kool-Aid. He does a really good job of getting the ball off people. He’s got instinct and knack for that, and he cuts guys off in the deep part of the field. He’s a really good football player and he will continue to get better too.”

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Malachi Moore

Year: Senior

Moore was a returning veteran and figured to play a sizeable role coming into the season, especially with the departure of Branch, Battle and Hellams. The only question was … where?

“You can use him anywhere you want,” Robinson said. “He’s the smartest guy on the team.”

Star and safety have been the primary spots for Moore. And he’s made all kinds of plays, no matter the location.

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“He’s a guy who’s going to do what’s best for the football team before he even does what’s best for him,” Robinson said. “That’s just the kind of kid he is. I could go on and on speaking good about that guy. He’s a very, very loyal guy. He’s a team oriented guy, and it shows how he plays.”

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men’s basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.





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Alabama’s recent focus on defense pays off in blowout win over Kent State

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Alabama’s recent focus on defense pays off in blowout win over Kent State


TUSCALOOSA, Ala.Nate Oats started his postgame press conference explaining why Alabama would have a much better winter break after its 81-54 win over Kent State. According to Oats, a happy holiday hinged on the Tide’s defensive performance against the Golden Flashes.

“Much better defensive effort so it’ll be a lot better Christmas break for us,” Oats said with a smile at the podium. “We did make a big point of emphasis on defense, especially after that debacle up in North Dakota with [Fighting Hawks guard Treysen Eaglestaff].”

It was far from a perfect offensive display for the Tide against Kent State. Alabama’s lingering turnover issues reared its ugly head for a second straight and the Tide continued shooting poorly from 3-point range.

However, after defensive letdowns nearly sprang an upset in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Alabama got back to the basics over the next few days at practice. The team worked on defensive fundamentals rather than solely focusing on film study.

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That extra emphasis paid off as Alabama equaled its lowest points allowed in a game this season with 54. Tide forward Grant Nelson swatted a shot attempt by Kent State’s leading scorer VonCameron Davis in the opening few minutes, which helped set the tone the rest of the way.

“I think that [block] and just really everyone loading in the gaps, helping each other out,” Nelson said of Alabama’s defensive performance. “I thought that was huge. I think we kept them to six points in the first three media timeouts, that was huge for us. We emphasized that like I said and just a lot of credit to our guys for carrying it over on the court.”

While Alabama didn’t shoot the ball well, it made sure Kent State’s shooting was even more ineffective. Alabama communicated well on switches and contested shots from beyond the arc. It honed in on Davis, who averages 14.9 points per game but was limited to under 10 points for just the second time this season. Davis scored nine on an inefficient 4 of 15 from the field and had a minus-31 box plus-minus rating.

Coming into the game, Oats also felt like Kent State guard Jalen Sullinger (9.7 points per game) could be a dangerous weapon against Alabama’s defense with the potential to do the same thing Eaglestaff did for North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks guard scored a career-high 40 points, single-handedly pulling them back into the game late.

After missing the mark severely on guarding Eaglestaff, the Tide understood the assignment when it came to Sullinger and locked down the Kent State senior.

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“He ended up shooting 1 of 14 and didn’t score in the second half,” Oats said. “So I think we did a little bit of a better job being locked in to a perimeter guy. We held them to a pretty good field goal percentage, they only shot 28%. Traditionally, this has been one of the hardest playing teams — I was in the MAC for six years and they get all of the O Boards. We gave up too many second-chance points but I thought for the most part our first-shot defense was good.”

Alabama continued to play effective post-defense in spite of the offensive rebounds. The Tide finished with six blocks as a team. Center Clifford Omoruyi won the Hard Hat Award for the most blue collar points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Nelson had 14. Off the bench, Derrion Reid had a pair of steals while Mouhamed Dioubate chipped in with two blocks.

Following the win, Alabama jumped from No. 57 to No. 42 in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. As the Tide looks to build on its defensive momentum, better play on offense will have to follow. Alabama’s defense is much improved from last season when it was at its best, but it won’t be able to win games on defense alone when league play tips off on Jan. 4.

“We struggled a little offensively, and we’re gonna have to figure some stuff out here before SEC play,” Oats said. “The turnovers have been really just way too many — 13 in the first half. We did the same thing two games in a row. We only had one the second half against North Dakota. We ended up with six in the second half here. So we’ve got to do a better job at turnovers. I don’t have an answer for the free throw problems, but the only way to fix that is get in the gym and work. The good thing for us is we don’t have any school for a few weeks here, so after they get back from Christmas break, we’ll be in the gym and putting some time in.”

Alabama will conclude non-conference play against Summit League side South Dakota State. The Tide and Jackrabbits will tip off at 2 p.m. CT Dec. 29 inside Coleman Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.

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How cold did Alabama get last night? These cities had the lowest temperatures

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How cold did Alabama get last night? These cities had the lowest temperatures


Very cold temperatures greeted Alabamians on Sunday morning.

The National Weather Service said temperatures overnight bottomed out in the low 20s in parts of the state and even were at the freezing mark in south Alabama.

Here were the lowest temperatures between midnight and 6 a.m. Sunday from around Alabama from the National Weather Service:

* Alexander City: 30 degrees

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* Anniston: 23 degrees

* Auburn: 28 degrees

* Birmingham: 24 degrees

* Decatur: 25 degrees

* Demopolis: 25 degrees

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* Dothan: 30 degrees

* Evergreen: 28 degrees

* Eufaula: 28 degrees

* Gadsden: 21 degrees

* Haleyville: 22 degrees

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* Huntsville: 26 degrees

* Mobile: 31 degrees

* Montgomery: 25 degrees

* Muscle Shoals: 24 degrees

* Ozark: 29 degrees

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* Prattville: 25 degrees

* Sylacauga: 24 degrees

* Talladega: 22 degrees

* Troy: 26 degrees

* Tuscaloosa: 25 degrees

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Temperatures today will be a few degrees higher than on Saturday. Highs will range from the low to mid-40s in south Alabama to the 50s in central Alabama, to the mid-50s in south Alabama (today’s forecast is at the top of this post).

Tonight will be chilly again, but not as cold as last night. Here are the forecast low temperatures from Sunday night into Monday morning:

Tonight’s low temperatures won’t be quite as cold as last night.NWS

Gradual warming is expected to continue this week, with the next chances for rain arriving on Wednesday, Christmas Day. The weather service isn’t expecting a lot of rain, and no severe weather is anticipated.

High temperatures on Christmas Day will be warmer, with 60s expected across a wide area and possibly some 70s near the coast. Here are the expected Christmas Day temperatures:

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Wednesday highs

It will be warmer across much of Alabama on Christmas Day. Above is the forecast for Wednesday.NWS

The warming trend looks to hold past Christmas. Here is the six- to 10-day temperature outlook, and it shows a high probability of above-average temperatures for Alabama through the end of December:

6-10 day temp outlook

Alabama has a high probability of experiencing above-average temperatures from Dec. 27- Dec. 31.Climate Prediction Center



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Seth McLaughlin Brings Alabama's Tennessee Victory Cigar Tradition to the Ohio State Sideline

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Seth McLaughlin Brings Alabama's Tennessee Victory Cigar Tradition to the Ohio State Sideline


Seth McLaughlin wasn’t able to play against Tennessee on Saturday night.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t celebrate his team’s dominating 42-17 win the way he used to when he suited up for the Alabama Crimson Tide as an undergraduate student. 

The cigar he had with him was not random or a prop. It was part of a tradition he learned in Tuscaloosa.

As the legend has it, in 1961 one of Bear Bryant’s trainers lit up a stogie following a Tide win which had ended a five-game slide to the Volunteers. This created a tradition maintained over the next two decades – which eventually spread to the opposite sideline.

The Volunteers have been participating in the victory cigar tradition since the early 1980s. It has spread from the sideline into the stands and tailgates. Earlier this season, the Volunteers beat the Crimson Tide in Knoxville, creating a plume of smoke above Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee students light up cigars after an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.

Tennessee students light up cigars after an SEC conference game between Tennessee and Alabama in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. © Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

So it was appropriate that McLaughlin, now with the Buckeyes following his Rimington Award-winning season in Columbus found a way to pay homage to his first alma mater while celebrating with his second one.

Ohio State plays Oregon in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. 





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