Alabama

How the Lions’ ‘Bama Boys’ are guiding an Alabama DB’s NFL path

Published

10 months ago

February 27, 2025

How the Lions’ ‘Bama Boys’ are guiding an Alabama DB’s NFL path

INDIANAPOLIS — Alabama’s Malachi Moore wasn’t shy about his respect for former college teammate Brian Branch and the rest of his fellow “Bama Boys” playing for the Detroit Lions.

Speaking to reporters Thursday morning, the 23-year-old defensive back pulled back the curtain on the bond he formed with Branch and Terrion Arnold, both of whom he stays in weekly contact with.

The two Lions defenders have been instrumental in Moore’s preparation for this year’s combine, sharing insight and experiences while also comparing and contrasting the differences between the college and NFL games.

While Moore has yet to meet with the Lions in Indianapolis, Detroit could be in the market for safety depth in this year’s draft. The Alabama defender shared he would embrace the chance to reunite with his “brothers” in Detroit’s secondary.

“It would be great to play with my guys Terrion and BB on the defensive side of the ball. We already had that great chemistry, and we come from the same lineage in college football, playing under Coach Saban,” Moore said. “So, all of us are like-minded, and we’re still brothers to this day. Like I said, our relationship is great.”

Moore said he and Branch are like “two peas in a pod,” having entered Alabama together as freshmen in 2020.

Attached at the hip since then, Moore said both players share a similar mindset, refusing to limit themselves in terms of what they can contribute to a team anywhere in the secondary.

“Whatever the team needs me to do — if you need me to be deep in the post or in the deep part of the field, I can do that. If you need me to come down, fill the box, and play the run, I can do that as well,” Moore said. “If you need me to cover down on the slot or cover speed at three, I’m comfortable doing that as well.

“I think that just comes from my experience. When I first came into school, I was a star for the first four years, and now I’ve moved to safety. So, I feel like I have an advantage in being versatile while also being comfortable doing new things. This year was my first year playing safety, and I feel like it was the best year I’ve had in college.”

Despite taking pride in his versatility, Moore said he’s at his best in man coverage, where he can utilize the instincts he developed playing star — a hybrid defensive role — in previous seasons.

That experience, he believes, sets him apart from the other safeties in this draft class when it comes to guarding opposing receivers.

“Freshman year, I was guarding Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith every day at practice, and I don’t think there are a lot of guys better than those two out there,” Moore said. “So, Alabama definitely prepared me for that.”

Another player Moore lined up against daily in practice at Alabama: Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams.

“Jamo — he’s got a different type of speed, and you see that, but seeing it every day at practice is a little different,” Moore said. “You definitely get acclimated and used to guarding people that fast, and when you get to the game and guys aren’t that fast, it makes things easier.”

Moore’s wealth of experience in multiple roles for the Crimson Tide led to him earning first-team All-SEC honors in his final season at Alabama. He recorded 70 tackles (40 solo), eight passes defended, two interceptions, two forced fumbles (one recovered), and one sack.

Modeling his game after Jessie Bates III, Derwin James Jr., and even Branch — whom he considers his NFL comparison — Moore said he studies different players.

“(Me and Branch) were just on the phone the other day, talking about life and football, and I always ask him about little techniques that he uses or what he’s picked up in the league that’s different from college,” Moore said. “He’s always giving me little gems—definitely about man-to-man coverage, the slot, and just his physicality.”

But what about when it comes to his own playing style?

“I’m an aggressive, instinctive player. I’m a player who really takes pride in my preparation, which allows me to go out there and play fast,” Moore said. “But I’m also a great communicator. Coming into Coach Saban’s defense, especially playing star, you’re almost the quarterback of the defense, so to speak.

“So, I’m very used to talking, being loud, and communicating. And even when I moved back to safety this year, my communication was, I would say, even better.”

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Alabama

Alabama Shakes Set Spring 2026 Tour Dates

Published

4 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Alabama Shakes Set Spring 2026 Tour Dates

Alabama Shakes have lined up a string of North American tour dates for 2026. Brittany Howard and the band’s spring run includes multiple stops in Florida and a concluding two-night stint at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver, Colorado. Check out the new dates, plus their previously announced festival shows, European itinerary, and Zach Bryan support dates, below.

Support for the headline shows comes from Joy Oladokun, Mon Rovîa, Lamont Landers, and JJ Grey & Mofro. For every ticket sold, $1 will go towards nonprofits around the United States via the Alabama Shakes Fund, a press release notes. There is, as yet, no word on a follow-up to the band’s 2015 album, Sound & Color, but they did sign to Island this year and release their first single since that record.

Alabama Shakes:

04-16 Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront ~
04-17 Asheville, NC – ExploreAsheville.com Arena ~
04-18 Charleston, SC – High Water Fest
04-22 Memphis, TN – Grind City Amphitheater +
04-24 Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park +
04-25 Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater +
04-26 St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre %
04-28 Tallahassee, FL – Adderley Amphitheater %
04-29 Boca Raton, FL – Sunset Cove Amphitheater %
04-30 Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound %
05-02 New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
05-24 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
05-25 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
06-13 Manchester, Tennessee – Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
07-01 Leeds, England – Millennium Square
07-02 Wasing, England – On the Mount at Wasing
07-03 London, England – Alexandra Palace *
07-05 Ghent, Belgium – Gent Jazz Festival
07-07 Lucca, Italy – Summer Festival
07-09 Lisbon, Portugal – NOS Alive Festival
07-10 Bilbao, Spain – BBK Live
07-11 Madrid, Spain – Noches del Botanico
07-25 Eugene, OR – Autzen Stadium ^
09-19 Dover, DE – The Woodlands ^

~ with Joy Oladokun
+ with Mon Rovîa
% with Lamont Landers
# with JJ Grey & Mofro
* with Tyler Ballgame
^ supporting Zach Bryan

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Alabama

Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

Published

16 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Crews scored 20, and Anthony Robinson II added 19 in Missouri’s 85-77 win over Alabama State on Thursday night.

Crews shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc. Mark Mitchell added 15 points for Missouri (9-2), and Sebastian Mack added 10.

The Tigers had a 15-0 run in the first half, heading into the locker room up 52-39. Alabama State was held scoreless over a 4:19 drought in the middle of the second half to open a 9-0 run for the Tigers. The Hornets (3-8) responded with their own 10-0 run to bring the game within eight, 74-62. The Tigers regained control, though, to keep their eight-point lead the rest of the game, handing Alabama State their fourth loss in a row.

The Tigers shot 65% (33 of 51). Both teams shot 50% from the free-throw line.

Alabama State outscored Missouri in the final period, 38-33. Asjon Anderscon scored 23 for the Hornets, leading all players in scoring.

Up next

Missouri hosts Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 14.

Alabama State travels to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Dec. 17.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Alabama

Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

Let’s crank up a Thursday edition of “The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral” with Mason Woods and Katie Windham as we start getting ready for next week’s College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Windham detailed how the Crimson Tide can improve over the next few weeks, we discuss the team’s health and look back at our last road trip to Norman. The show then discusses the Heisman Trophy finalists before addressing a Kalen DeBoer coaching rumor.

The program opens by power ranking the holidays before discussing Windham’s three areas the Crimson Tide can improve over the next week. Our trio picks the easiest area the team can improve and how Alabama must perform in Norman. Windham details our last trip to Oklahoma as we go down memory lane to the Sooners’ 24-3 victory last season.

The show continues on by getting Windham’s thoughts on Alabama’a College Football Playoff selection and if the Crimson Tide actually deserved its place in the field. She brings up a unique aspect of Alabama’s blowout loss in the SEC Championship and how it played into the program’s inclusion in the College Football Playoffs.

We move from next week’s game into a small discussion on Notre Dame’s reaction of being left out of the field and how it relates to Alabama’s future home-and-home dates with the Fighting Irish. Will the two esteemed programs still face off in a few years?

The show heads into the only college football action of the weekend by highlighting the strong Heisman Trophy finalist field. Who brings home the bronze statue?

Lastly, we spend the final bit of the show talking about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore and the reports of the Wolverines considering persuing Kalen DeBeor for their next head coach. Will DeBoer leave Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor?

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