As speculation swirled about Florida State coach Mike Norvell replacing Nick Saban at Alabama last month, TJ Ferguson found himself looking at it from the opposite side. He was in the transfer portal considering a move from âBama to FSU.
âCoach Norvellâs message to me was just: âIâm here,ââ Ferguson said.
Now Ferguson is here, too â along with four of his former Crimson Tide teammates.
The quintet has brought an infusion of talent from Tuscaloosa to Tallahassee. All were blue-chip transfers in a portal class ranked fourth by 247Sports. Three were top-100 national recruits in high school: running back Roydell Williams, linebacker Shawn Murphy and Ferguson, an offensive lineman. A fourth (defensive back Earl Little Jr.) was 106th, and the fifth (receiver Malik Benson) was the nationâs top junior college prospect.
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The group isnât as top-heavy as the Alabama expats at Ohio State (second-team All-American Caleb Downs) or Texas (Iron Bowl hero Isaiah Bond and Lakewood High alumnus Amari Niblack), but no team has signed more players from the Tideâs diaspora than the Seminoles.
âI think honestly with all of us here, I feel like we can bring some of Alabama to Florida State and mix our cultures up,â Murphy said. âI think that would be great for all of us.â
Shawn Murphy is one of the five Alabama players who transferred to FSU. [ VASHA HUNT | AP (2022) ]
Murphy is an outlier in the group; heâs the only one who entered the portal after Sabanâs stunning retirement. Benson and Little were already committed to FSU by then. Ferguson chose the âNoles a day after Saban announced his retirement â and a day before Norvell announced he was staying at FSU.
The key figure in this migration, then, isnât Saban. Itâs Norvell.
He and his FSU staff offered all five players the first time. The âNoles were serious contenders for Ferguson, Little and Murphy in high school.
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âI feel like it might not have been the right time then, but that played a big role in why Iâm here now,â Ferguson said. âAnd I feel like itâs the right time now.â
You donât have to look hard to understand why.
When Little was deciding on his first college, âBama was on its way to the national title game (again). FSU was 5-7. Since then, Florida State is 23-4. The turnaround Norvell talked about in Littleâs first recruitment has come to fruition.
Earl Little Jr. (right) strongly considered FSU as a high school recruit but picked Alabama instead. [ VASHA HUNT | AP (2022) ]
âWith Coach Norvell saying that he was going to do that and actually standing on his word and accomplishing that great goal, bringing that success to the program?â Little said. âThat was a great thing.â
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It could have been greater, of course. FSU started last season 13-0 and won the ACC but was left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of ⦠Alabama. If that dynamic sounds awkward, it doesnât have to be. Everett Golson quarterbacked Notre Dameâs last-second loss in a top-five matchup at FSU in 2014, then started for the âNoles the next year. It happens.
Though every member of the âBama bunch picked FSU individually, their connections played a part, too.
After Little committed on Jan. 6, Benson asked what he liked. Two days later, Benson committed and started fielding calls and texts from other teammates in the portal. They wanted to know what Tallahassee was like and, in the case of Williams, where to eat.
âYouâve got to come see for yourself,â Benson told them.
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A week later, the other three were on board.
Malik Benson had 13 catches (one touchdown) last season at Alabama. [ VASHA HUNT | AP (2023) ]
âIt makes it way easier to transition to everything going on,â Murphy said. âYou see familiar faces, and youâre not doing it alone.â
Their decisions came at a crucial time for their new program. FSU lost 42% of last seasonâs production, ranking 83rd in the nation and third-to-last in the ACC, according to ESPN. Itâs reasonable to expect the âNoles to slip after all this turnover â unless the newcomers star.
The Alabama additions bring a combined 100 games of experience. Three started at least once. Little bolsters a secondary that lost three starters, while Williams and Benson can help replace NFL-bound stars Trey Benson and Keon Coleman.
But any optimism is based more on potential than proven ability. Though Williams was Alabamaâs No. 2 rusher and scored the go-ahead touchdown at USF, the others were more role players than stars. Then again, Jermaine Johnson was a role player at another heavyweight (Georgia) before he got to FSU. He left as the ACCâs defensive player of the year and a first-round NFL draft pick.
âAll of us being here, itâs just like a little brotherhood that was already formed,â Benson said. âWe bring it here, and we can bring what we know to this team, and itâs going to make the team stronger.â
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Alabama AHSAA softball key dates and top teams approaching the 2026 playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Alabama’s AHSAA softball playoffs are just around the corner with three of the state’s top teams ranked in the national Top 15.
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The No. 5 Orange Beach [AL] Makos, No. 10 Thompson [Alabaster, AL] Warriors, and No. 15 Wetumpka [AL] Indians are all ranked in the most recent edition of the MaxPreps Top 50 with the start of Alabama’s postseason less than two weeks away.
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Orange Beach was previously ranked No. 1 before losing to the South Warren [Bowling Green, KY] Spartans last week. Both teams were undefeated going into the contest, and the Barbers Hill [Mt. Belvieu, TX] Eagles took the Makos’ place at the top of the rankings following the loss.
WATCH: ALABAMA AHSAA SOFTBALL ON THE NFHS NETWORK
Key dates for the Alabama AHSAA softball playoffs
DATE
PLAYOFF DEADLINES
5/1-5/26
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Area Tournaments
5/11-14/26
Regional Tournaments
5/18-22/26
State Tournaments
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National Top 50 contenders by classification
Alabama’s three nationally-ranked teams all compete in different classifications.
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Class 7A
The Thompson Warriors are 34-1-2, and they compete in the AHSAA’s top-level Class 7A ranks. The team’s only loss is to the No. 15 Wetumpka Indians in a 3-2 setback on April 3.
Class 6A
Wetumpka is 34-5, and as noted above, they are the only team to beat Thompson so far.
Class 4A
Orange Beach is the state’s top-ranked team despite competing at the AHSAA’s Class 4A level. Their loss to South Warren of Kentucky in a 6-1 setback on April 9 ended a 45-game win streak at the time. The Makos had only allowed 25 runs all season prior to the relative outburst by the Spartans.
Photo comes via Rodger Champion of Alabama athletics
How electric could Alabama football be on defense this season?
Alabama edge updates development of 4-star inside linebacker
The answer comes down to how many players Kane Wommack can produce to affect opposing quarterbacks in the pocket.
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He returns Yhonzae Pierre, a fourth-year edge rusher, following a season where he collected eight sacks (team-high), 14.5 tackles for loss (team-high), nine quarterback hurries (team-high), and three forced fumbles. Pierre will draw much attention from offensive coaches; however, the Crimson Tide has a sophomore ready to help him on the outside.
Justin Hill, a former four-star from Cincinnati, Ohio, has made it his mission to become a complete pass rusher.
3/25/25 MFB Spring Practice Alabama Linebacker Justin Hill (8) Photo by Kent Gidley
He provided some excitement in 15 games last year, posting 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.
Former 4-star edge “will stand out” at Alabama in 2026 season, per Yhonzae Pierre
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Who is Justin Hill modeling his game after?
The 6-foot-3, 244-pounder had a good spring, and the coaching staff looks at him as someone that brings speed, power, and edge-bending abilities to harass quarterbacks. Hill mentioned to reporters after A-Day that he wants to ‘go through’ quarterbacks in generating pressure.
He also wants to pattern his game after a former two-time Super Bowl Champion.
Hill detailed the former two-time Butkus Award winner he’s emulating.
“I am watching guys like Von Miller,” Hill said. “I’m watching a lot of speed to power guys.”
Hill stated Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos as another National Football League pass rusher he is studying. Bonitto has 37 sacks and 44 tackles for loss in four seasons with the Broncos – including a career-high 14 sacks in 2025.
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Miller is one of the greatest pass rushers in the history of the league. He has 138.5 career sacks, including seven seasons with 10-plus sacks.
Miller has two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honor, three first-team All-Pro honors, eight Pro Bowl nods, and is on the NFL’s 2010 All-Decade Team.
Hill learned to ‘cut it loose’ as an edge rusher from Pierre, so the combination of that and studying film on Miller should prepare him to be a force in the fall.
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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
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Stephen Smith is a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama.
He is a seasoned writer that has covered Alabama football for Touchdown Alabama Magazine since 2009. Smith has extensive knowledge within the program, which has made him among the most respected journalist in his field. Throughout his career, Smith has been featured on ESPN and several other marquee outlets as an analyst.
SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) – The YMCA of South Alabama held a Healthy Kids Day at Spanish Fort Town Center Park.
Saturday’s event featured games and demonstrations, along with interactive activities featuring police and fire vehicles.
“I think just seeing so many organizations come together that serve kids, and just seeing kids have fun,” said Gwen Summer, CEO of the YMCA of South Alabama.
Marissa Rennaker, director of development for the YMCA of South Alabama, said the event exposed children to new activities.
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“I think it’s been seeing all the kids laugh and try different things that they probably haven’t tried before,” Rennaker said. “There was a big group doing pickleball and yoga. We had ballet earlier, so just getting them out and exposed to things, I think it’s been great.”
The event was designed to kick off a healthy, active summer.
The YMCA of South Alabama is located at 27080 Pollard Road in Daphne.
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/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/GABA53Q755DDZGBKUAXMW3YBUA.JPG?w=400&resize=400,240&ssl=1 "Blake boys fall to Miami Norland in Class 5A state championship game")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/GABA53Q755DDZGBKUAXMW3YBUA.JPG?w=80&resize=80,80&ssl=1 "Blake boys fall to Miami Norland in Class 5A state championship game")
