With returning starters all through the middle of the Alabama football defense − at defensive tackle, inside linebacker and safety − stopping the run figured to be a strength of the 2024 Crimson Tide. Meanwhile, Alabama entered the season green with inexperience at cornerback and at the pass rush edge, suggesting that growing pains were inevitable in pass defense.
It’s been much the opposite through three games.
Part of the reason, certainly, is that the quarterbacks the Crimson Tide has faced to date aren’t exactly dynamic passers. Western Kentucky’s TJ Finley has been pedestrian at best in his career against tough competition, South Florida’s Byrum Brown was more effective as a runner against UA, and Wisconsin starter Tyler Van Dyke barely played against Alabama due to a first-quarter knee injury.
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Still, UA defensive coordinator Kane Wommack is excited by what he’s seen from his cornerbacks, led by starters Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown.
“In the last two games, we’ve had over 100 snaps of man coverage, and on the outside in man coverage our corners have only given up two catches for 24 yards. So (I’m) really pleased by the consistency we’re seeing from some of those young players on the outside,” Wommack said. “I think we’ve been fairly sticky in coverage. I think we’re denying some of the easy-access throws, and at the same time, we’ve been able to limit some of the explosive plays downfield.”
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Wommack sees more issues with the run defense. Wisconsin rushed for 149 yards and its top back, Chez Mellusi, averaged six yards per carry against the Crimson Tide. Up next for Alabama, of course, is a foe that can absolutely gash defenses with the run: Georgia. With Trevor Etienne averaging 6.5 yards per carry as a highly-talented transfer from Florida, the Bulldogs will check for soft spots in Alabama’s run defense early and often on Sept. 28.
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“I still think there’s some things we’re not doing well enough in the run game right now. I think we’ve got to continue to work in cleaning up some of our fundamentals and techniques,” Wommack added. “I also think schematically, when we call some of our pressures, we have not executed those things well enough up front.”
Etc.
A week ago, it was noted here that Alabama very much needed sophomore left tackle Kadyn Proctor to be in peak form coming off a shoulder injury in his season debut at Wisconsin. The outcome? He delivered exactly that. Over 46 snaps, his pass protection allowed no sacks, no hurries and no hits on QB Jalen Milroe. He wasn’t penalized once, and he turned in the fifth-best run-blocking grade of his 15-game career, per Pro Football Focus. … Former Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram spoke to the Crimson Tide on Friday night before UA’s road game at Wisconsin. Ingram was in Madison as part of FOX Sports’ broadcast team. He also spoke to the team in Tuscaloosa in August.
Around the SEC
After Wake Forest bought its way out of a Sept. 13, 2025, road game at Ole Miss last week, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin understandably criticized the move. But his lament about how difficult it will be to find a replacement opponent on short notice rings hollow. In fact, there’s an easy option within a bus drive of Oxford that would eagerly sign up: Southern Miss needs a game for Sept. 13 next year, too. … The Billy Napier Death March moves to Starkville this week. Does it end there? If Florida drops its third September loss to a Mississippi State team that just got drummed at home by Toledo, Gator fans will be incensed. Then again, interim coach stints are designed to last a messy few weeks, not a messy three months. And this early in the season, getting an early start on a job search is overrated as an advantage. … Imagine it’s your school’s first league game as a new member of the SEC. You’re 3-0. You’ve got ESPN’s “College GameDay” coming to town. And you (Oklahoma) get blasted at home by one of your own favorite sons (Tennessee coach Josh Heupel). It could easily happen Saturday. … SEC Spread Pick of the Week: Needing to get even for the season, this week’s pick advises the under on the Florida-MSU total (58.5). Season ATS: 1-2 (.333). All-time ATS: 22-6-1 (.776).
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Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – For those incarcerated in Alabama, there is a path to employment through the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles Re-Entry Program.
The Bureau looks at where someone may live after serving their sentence and starts connecting them with potential employers, while also conducting drug screenings to help ensure employers and communities are getting a safe employee.
“We make sure as they’re moving through our re-entry programs that they’re re-assessed for mental health stability for substance abuse challenges,” said Rebecca Bensema, Assistant Director of Re-entry and Rehabilitation.
Bensema said the agency sits down with inmates to gauge their interests and review their work history to help match them with opportunities.
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Bureau Director Cam Ward explained that there are areas where an individual would be unable to work because of their conviction.
“For example, if I committed check fraud, I’m not going to be able to get a job at the bank. Sex offense… you’re not going to be eligible to work anywhere near kids or sensitive facilities,” Ward said.
Ward said offering job possibilities to people leaving incarceration is key to reducing recidivism and repeat offenses.
“Give the employer all the information and if they want to hire somebody based on their criminal history, let the employer decide, don’t let the government be the one who dictates it,” he said.
The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles says it currently has positions open that people with a criminal background can apply for.
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Alabama football is hosting an impressive group of 2027 recruits throughout this weekend. This is the first of several weekends the Tide will host top recruits for official visits.
So, will Alabama add a commit this weekend? This is very much possible, and there are a few prospects Touchdown Alabama has our eyes on.
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Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
OKLAHOMA CITY–– UCLA’s home run power made headlines all season, but it was Alabama’s super sluggers who stepped up in the biggest moments on the biggest stage during the Crimson Tide’s opening game of the Women’s College World Series.
No. 1 Alabama was trailing by two runs heading into the fifth inning of Thursday’s game before Alexis Pupillo tied it up with a two-run shot in the bottom of the frame.
The Tide had struggled with runners in scoring position all game, but when Alabama’s home run leader Brooke Wells stepped to the plate with two on in the sixth inning, she made sure that wasn’t going to happen again. In her first ever game at the WCWS, Wells hit one over the right field wall to give Alabama a three-run lead.
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That score would hold as No. 1 Alabama beat No. 8 UCLA 6-3 to move into the winners’ bracket at the WCWS.
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The moment meant a lot for Wells after she went without a hit during the super regional round against LSU. The team rallied around her, and head coach Patrick Murphy put a card in her locker at the beginning of the week.
“It was great to do it for these girls,” Wells said after the game. “These girls are so great. They had my back all last weekend, you know, how he said. It wasn’t the best weekend for me, but they never lost trust in me, they never lost faith in me. Murph gave me a card, the girls picked me up all weekend. I walked in here feeling as confident as ever. Didn’t really cross my mind anything that happened last weekend.”
This is the first trip to the World Series for both Wells and Pupillo as transfers into Alabama. Pupillo is in her final season and has now hit a home run in three straight postseason games and is up to 20 on the season.
“This is the moment that I’ve been waiting for since I was like eight years old,” Pupillo said. “I walked through the gates today, I kind of started tearing up for a second because it just felt surreal. I just remember watching Montana Fouts pitch in the World Series when she threw the perfect game. That moment of me when I was eight years old watching it on the TV, man, I really want to do that.”
Alabama junior ace Jocelyn Briski shut down the UCLA batting order the first time through, but the Bruins bats wouldn’t stay down for long. UCLA rallied for three runs on four hits, including two home runs, in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead.
She did not allow another run to the potent UCLA offense over the next four innings. Briski finished with nine strikeouts against a team that does not strike out much.
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“You could see they hit two home runs, we hit two home runs, but the ability to come up with those timely hits with runners on obviously makes a difference,” UCLA coach Kelly Inoyue-Perez said after the game.
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Coming into the matchup, Alabama knew UCLA would score. It just wanted to limit the damage, and Briski was able to do that.
Jena Young set the tone for the offense at the top of the lineup, reaching base four times with three hits. She scored in the first inning on an RBI-single from Alabama’s senior captain Marlie Giles, Pupillo’s home run and on the Wells’ home run in the sixth inning.
Alabama (55-7) will face the winner of Thursday night’s game between No. 4 Nebraska and No. 5 Arkansas on Saturday. Winning the first game sets the tone for the rest of the series and makes the path a lot smoother. Around 90 percent of previous college softball national champions win their opening game at the WCWS.
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