Alabama

Kirby Smart says ‘no question’ Georgia belongs in College Football Playoff after loss to Alabama

Published

7 months ago

December 3, 2023

Kirby Smart says ‘no question’ Georgia belongs in College Football Playoff after loss to Alabama

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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 2: Head Coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs speaks to his team during a game between University of Georgia and University of Alabama at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 2, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Steve L

Atlanta – Georgia coach Kirby Smart challenged College Football Playoff selection committee members to believe what they see when judging his No. 1 Bulldogs following the end of their 29-game winning streak.

Smart also reminded the committee that in the CFP era, no team at the top of the playoff ranking has fallen out of the playoff by losing a conference championship game.

Georgia fans proud of the Dawgs despite SEC Championship heartbreak

“When you talk about the four best teams, watch the game,” Smart said after Georgia’s 27-24 loss to No. 8 Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Saturday. “Go ask the NFL talent evaluators. Go ask NFL scouts. It’s about the best teams.”

Smart said he has “no question” Georgia is “one of the best four teams, 100 percent” as he hopes his team still has a chance to become the first team in the poll era to win three straight national titles.

Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck said it won’t be easy to watch the committee announce the four-team playoff field on Sunday.

“I’m super proud of these guys and obviously to come into this game and not, you know, finish the way that we wanted to and kind of leave the destiny of our team in someone else’s hands rather than us handling it ourselves, you know, that’s hard,” Beck said. “At this point, it’s out of our control. And, you know, we fought hard enough throughout the season. You know, we showed that, you know, we were really a dominant team.”

Beck completed 21 of 29 passes for 243 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The junior led the Bulldogs on a quick touchdown drive on their first possession, but Georgia was scoreless the rest of the first half.

Smart, perhaps attempting to influence the playoff committee, said star tight end Brock Bowers and wide receiver Ladd McConkey were unable to practice the last two weeks while battling ankle injuries before returning to play against Alabama.

“This team is really special in terms of how they play and how they compete,” Smart said. “And they’ve been through a lot.”

Smart said CFP executive director Bill Hancock “said simply, ‘It’s the best four teams’” in the playoff.

“So if you go tell me somebody sitting in that committee room doesn’t think that Georgia team is one of the best four teams, I don’t know if they’re in the right profession because it’s a it’s a really good football team,” Smart said. “It’s a really talented football team and is a really balanced football team. So, you know, they have to make that decision. But it’s the best four teams and that’s critical.”

Smart acknowledged more than four teams will have a claim to be included in the playoff.

“I guess that does make it unique,” Smart said.

So, why Georgia?

“I think it’s the eye test,” Smart said, referencing Georgia’s wins over four AP Top 25 teams: Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee.

“I think you look at what we’ve done this season, to go on the road, play some on the road, the teams we beat, the teams that are in the top 20 that we were able to beat.”

The SEC is the only conference to have at least one team in each of the first nine playoffs, and the league has won six of the nine national titles. The SEC has had at least one team in the championship game each of the last years.

“Our teams in the playoff, look what they’ve done,” Smart said. “I mean, y’all tell me the record, the SEC teams in the playoffs. It’s pretty spectacular. I know. Twice, two of them ended up playing each other. So we’re the best teams, and do we want the best teams?”

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Alabama

U.W.A. is first in Alabama to offer a Master of Dyslexia Therapy degree

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

U.W.A. is first in Alabama to offer a Master of Dyslexia Therapy degree

LIVINGSTON, Ala. (WTOK) – The University of West Alabama is launching a new degree this fall, the Master of Dyslexia Therapy program .

According to the International Dyslexia Association 15-20% of the population is dyslexic. That’s one in every five people.

“A lot of times parents see their children come home and they are just struggling to read,” said Sara Reynolds, Coordinator of Clinical Experience. “They are struggling to really capture and decode these words.”

Dyslexia is a learning challenge that is neurological, characterized by difficulties in reading and spelling ability.

“Without that their comprehension skills are going to lack and so with this program we are able to kind of screen those and give them a really good baseline to see where those children are struggling at,” said Reynolds.

The goal of the program is to enhance the number of equipped Dyslexia Therapists ready to help students soar.

“The program is a two-year program. It is thirty hours of course work and throughout those two years you will complete 720 hours of clinical experience. It begins really after you start the program, so this first cohort will begin in Fall I,” said Reynolds. “During the Fall II, which is in about mid- October, you will begin to actually be an actual dyslexia therapist-in-training. So those people will be in the schools wherever they are already employed at or we will partner them with local schools in their area to where they will actually give those services to those students in those schools.”

Studies show that Dyslexia Therapy is working, thanks to educators willing to pave the path toward a brighter future, one student at a time.

For more information on how you can apply for the program visit: https://online.uwa.edu/online-degrees/med-master-education-degree-dyslexia-therapy/.

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Alabama

Vigor offensive lineman and Alabama commit Micah Dubose is transferring to Theodore for senior season

Published

11 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

Vigor offensive lineman and Alabama commit Micah Dubose is transferring to Theodore for senior season

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Four-star offensive lineman Micah Dubose is transferring from Vigor to Theodore for his senior season, Theodore Bobcats Head Coach Steve Mask confirms to FOX10.

The announcement comes just two weeks after Vigor announced it was relieving Markus Cook of his duties as head coach.

Mask says the decision to move was based on Micah’s education and the Alabama commit plans to graduate in December.

Dubose is considered one of the top players in Alabama in the 2025 class, being named first team all-state by the Alabama Sports Writers Association in back-to-back seasons.

Dubose committed to Kalen DeBoer and the Tide while on his official visit in Tuscaloosa over the weekend.

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Alabama

Alabama Ag Commissioner Rick Pate speaks on 2024 peanut projections

Published

18 hours ago

June 27, 2024

Press Room

Alabama Ag Commissioner Rick Pate speaks on 2024 peanut projections

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) – After a below average yield in 2023, peanut farmers across Alabama are hoping for a more productive 2024.

Dry weather made for a challenging crop but so far this year, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture Rick Pate said things are on pace for at least an average year.

“Last year was kind of a struggle for a lot of our farmers, especially in the west side of the state. We had a drought that lasted so long so production was way down,” said Commissioner Pate. “We are hoping to get just an average yield this year and so far, so good.”

Even with a proclaimed below average year, the state of Alabama still produced 480 million pounds of peanuts with Houston, Geneva and Henry County being among the top four producers for the state.

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