Alabama
Nate Oats looking for Alabama's practice habits to translate against LSU
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nate Oats was not pleased about Alabama’s defensive output in the second half of its 103-87 win over Vanderbilt on Tuesday. After the game, guard Mark Sears said the team was given a maturity test one week after it suffered its first defeat in Southeastern Conference play to Ole Miss.
Oats assessed the Tide a C- on that test against Vanderbilt after the Tide put in a strong performance defensively in the first half, but floundered in the second. Alabama allowed the Commodores to hit 11 of 17 3-pointers and average 1.3 points per possession in the second half after averaging just 0.86 in the opening 20 minutes.
Alabama (16-3, 5-1 SEC) has scored over 100 points in its last two games since losing to Ole Miss. The offense has clicked on all cylinders, which is a good sign for the Tide going forward as it now sits alone in second place in the SEC standings.
The Tide faces LSU on Saturday. The Tigers (12-6, 1-4) don’t look as formidable on paper, coming in with the No. 102 offense according to KenPom.com. But the Ole Miss loss is keeping Oats honed in on preventing the Tide from underestimating an SEC opponent.
“We’ve done the deal where we’ve overlooked a team a little bit,” Oats told reporters Friday. “Now, Ole Miss – I have no idea why we overlooked them. They were undefeated at the time we played them, but I think we did. So, we’re gonna have to see how mature we are to see what kind of effort we bring for the entire 40 minutes tomorrow and that’s what I’m most curious to see.”
In Oats’ eyes, Alabama can’t play hard for 40 minutes if it doesn’t practice with the same kind of intensity in the days leading up to the game. That’s why practice ran long Monday ahead of the Vanderbilt matchup, and the Tide was able to avoid a repeat of the Ole Miss game and take down the Commodores.
Alabama typically goes lighter the day before a game to keep players fresh. It’s a different story on Thursdays, however, with the team able to practice longer and with more intensity without having to worry about a game the next day. While Oats has continued to make sure his team doesn’t get complacent, he liked what he saw on the floor during Thursday’s practice.
“I thought it was one of our better practices we’ve had all year from everybody,” Oats said. “I thought — [Chris Youngblood] is gonna go hard that’s who he is. I thought Sears went really hard in practice. I thought some of our young guys — CY and [Mouhamed Dioubate] were going at in practice pretty good. I didn’t think anybody had a bad practice.”
Oats said he’s yet to see a complete 40 minutes of defense from his side this season. Alabama is much improved in that area from a year ago, currently ranking No. 45 in adjusted defensive efficiency according to KenPom.com. First-year assistant Brian Adams has led the defense this season and his impact can be seen in the team’s organization thus far.
The key moving forward for Alabama is sustaining its defensive presence, especially when it gets a big lead. The Tide has gotten complacent in games before, which has allowed its opponents to trim away at leads. Against Vanderbilt, defensive miscommunication led to a barrage of 3s and the Commodores cut Alabama’s lead to just eight points with 2:54 remaining.
Preventing those kinds of lapses starts in the practice gym. And Oats’ assessment of Thursday’s practice is a promising sign that his players are getting the message that sustained intensity in practice will lead to better results in games. His message was supported as Alabama road its first-half domination to a win Thursday. Now Oats wants to see his side take it one step further on the defensive end.
“Day before a game we go a little shorter, little lighter, make sure they’re fresh for the game tomorrow but I thought there was still some good intensity,” Oats said. “But I thought Thursday’s practice was one of the better ones we’ve had all year. So if we can come out and play for 40 minutes like we practiced for the entire time on Thursday I think we’ll be in good shape tomorrow.”
Alabama faces LSU at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday inside Coleman Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.
Alabama
3 Alabama players who helped their draft stock at 2026 NFL combine
Each player had a pivotal role on the Crimson Tide in 2025.
Alabama had a multitude of former players who performed at an elite level at the NFL combine this past weekend.
Former Alabama star quarterback Ty Simpson was among those who put his talents on full display in Indianapolis, as Simpson continues to emerge as a top quarterback prospect available in April’s draft.
Numerous Crimson Tide stars on both sides of the football were able to have an excellent showing at the combine as well, with each playmaker a vital component to the Tide’s success in 2025.
Here are three Alabama players who helped their draft stock rise at the NFL combine.
Ty Simpson, Quarterback
Simpson is widely regarded as the best quarterback prospect available outside of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The talented redshirt junior put on an absolute show at the NFL combine, as Simpson delivered multiple perfect throws and put his talents on full display throughout Saturday’s events.
The former Alabama star is a candidate to potentially shine day one in his campaign in the NFL, as Simpson’s draft stock continues to rise prior to April.
Jam Miller, Running Back
Miller is an extremely fast and athletic running back, despite struggling in the Tide’s backfield last season. The star running back recorded an impressive 4.43u 40-yard dash time, as Miller could very easily shine in the NFL next season with consistent playing time.
Miller was nothing short of elite throughout his entire performance at the combine in Indianapolis, as the former Tide running back continues to rise in a multitude of draft rankings around the football world.
Kadyn Proctor, Offensive Tackle
Proctor played a crucial role on Alabama’s offensive line last season. The star lineman reportedly slimmed down prior to the NFL combine, as Proctor displayed elite speed and athleticism throughout Sunday’s combine in Indianapolis.
Proctor is widely expected to be a mid-to-late first round selection in April, as the talented lineman’s efforts during the combine could quickly begin to work in Proctor’s favor during next month’s draft.
The 2026 NFL draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania starting on April 23, as each Crimson Tide star will look to shine throughout their rookie campaign in the NFL.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Alabama
Husband, 19, fatally shot wife, 24, himself at Alabama hospital moments after welcoming their first child
A husband fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself at an Alabama hospital just moments after they welcomed their first child on Sunday.
Kynath Terry Jr., 19, gunned down 24-year-old Precious Johnson before fatally shooting himself inside the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital around 9:30 p.m. Sunday night, WTVM 13 reported.
Johnson delivered a healthy baby just before she was murdered. It’s not immediately clear if the baby was present during the shooting, but police said that Terry and Johnson were the only ones injured.
Terry’s mother told the outlet that the couple were having some marital issues leading up to Johnson’s due date, but nothing that made her fear her son would become violent.
She told the outlet that Terry completed Army National Guard training before tying the knot with Johnson.
She noted that Johnson didn’t want Terry’s side of the family at the hospital for her child’s birth, but it’s unclear if anyone from the mother-to-be’s own family was there.
The hospital was plunged into a lockdown “out of an abundance of caution” while police investigated reports of a shooting. It wasn’t lifted until hours later when they determined there was “no active threat to patients, team members or the public,” the outlet reported.
The Homewood Police Department described the tragedy as “an apparent murder-suicide and is domestic in nature.”
Danne Howard, the president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told the outlet that the chilling attack “was an isolated incident” unlike anything she’d encountered during her three decades working in the state.
Howard said, in the wake of the tragedy, the Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital would undergo a security overhaul implementing “lessons learned” from a mandated after-action report.
Just three months ago, in a town six miles outside of Homewood, a beloved sports reporter was fatally shot by her husband before taking his own life. Their 3-year-old son, who was unharmed, led his grandfather to his parents’ bodies.
Alabama
Air Force base security tightens, AL reacts after attacks in Iran
Hegseth on Iran: ‘This is not Iraq. This is not endless.’
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said operations on Iran won’t be “endless” like Iraq.
The United States and Israel-led attacks on Iran are having an impact in Central Alabama.
The military actions that began Saturday targets the military forces of Iran and the nation’s ability to build nuclear weapons.
In Montgomery, Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex have stepped up security so that all entry points will have a 100 percent ID check, the bases said on social media. The Trusted Traveler Program is suspended, which allowed Department of Defense identification holders to vouch for passengers.
Visitors without base access will have to go through the visitor center to get a pass.
Central Alabama residents react to the Iran attacks
For Travis Jackson of Montgomery, the attacks bring back memories, bad memories. He served one tour in Iraq from 2007-2008 with the U.S. Army. He attained the rank of sergeant before leaving the service and has worked the last 10 years as a community activist and diversity, equality and inclusion coordinator.
“I had a flashback of being overseas again,” he said when he first heard news of the attack. “The first thing I thought of was corporate greed. Of yet again seeing what has transpired throughout the years of any war overseas.”
He feels the attacks are a mistake.
“It’s going to be detrimental to the economy, notably with the increase in oil prices,” he said.
Removing the current regime in Iran and establishing a more western friendly country could improve hopes for a more stable Middle East, said Amy Stephens of Elmore County.
“I don’t know if there will ever be peace there,” Stephens said. “But Iran has been the causing trouble over there for almost 50 years.”
Ray Roberts of Prattville served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990 and 1991 after Iraq invaded Kuwait. He served in an ordinance company with the Alabama Army National Guard. He was a sergeant when he left the service and now works as a draftsman at a Montgomery manufacturing plant.
“It wasn’t a surprise,” Roberts said of the attacks. “President Trump had said they were coming. When he says something like that, he means it. I am glad we are working with Israel so it’s not just the United States. I wonder if Europe and some of the other Gulf nations will join the attacks.”
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com. To support his work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
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