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The FSU football transfer portal raid on Alabama’s roster

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The FSU football transfer portal raid on Alabama’s roster


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 ‘Bama to FSU.

“Coach Norvell’s message to me was just: ‘I’m here,’” Ferguson said.

Now Ferguson is here, too — 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 nation’s top junior college prospect.

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The group isn’t 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 Tide’s diaspora than the Seminoles.

“I think honestly with all of us here, I feel like we can bring some of Alabama to Florida State and mix our cultures up,” Murphy said. “I think that would be great for all of us.”

Shawn Murphy is one of the five Alabama players who transferred to FSU. [ VASHA HUNT | AP (2022) ]

Murphy is an outlier in the group; he’s the only one who entered the portal after Saban’s stunning retirement. Benson and Little were already committed to FSU by then. Ferguson chose the ‘Noles a day after Saban announced his retirement — and a day before Norvell announced he was staying at FSU.

The key figure in this migration, then, isn’t Saban. It’s Norvell.

He and his FSU staff offered all five players the first time. The ‘Noles were serious contenders for Ferguson, Little and Murphy in high school.

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“I feel like it might not have been the right time then, but that played a big role in why I’m here now,” Ferguson said. “And I feel like it’s the right time now.”

You don’t have to look hard to understand why.

When Little was deciding on his first college, ‘Bama 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 Little’s first recruitment has come to fruition.

Earl Little Jr. (right) strongly considered FSU as a high school recruit but picked Alabama instead.
Earl Little Jr. (right) strongly considered FSU as a high school recruit but picked Alabama instead. [ VASHA HUNT | AP (2022) ]

“With 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?” Little said. “That was a great thing.”

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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 doesn’t have to be. Everett Golson quarterbacked Notre Dame’s last-second loss in a top-five matchup at FSU in 2014, then started for the ‘Noles the next year. It happens.

Though every member of the ‘Bama 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.

“You’ve got to come see for yourself,” 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.
Malik Benson had 13 catches (one touchdown) last season at Alabama. [ VASHA HUNT | AP (2023) ]

“It makes it way easier to transition to everything going on,” Murphy said. “You see familiar faces, and you’re not doing it alone.”

Their decisions came at a crucial time for their new program. FSU lost 42% of last season’s production, ranking 83rd in the nation and third-to-last in the ACC, according to ESPN. It’s reasonable to expect the ’Noles to slip after all this turnover — 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 Alabama’s 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 ACC’s defensive player of the year and a first-round NFL draft pick.

“All of us being here, it’s just like a little brotherhood that was already formed,” Benson said. “We bring it here, and we can bring what we know to this team, and it’s going to make the team stronger.”

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Alabama

New Poll Shows Varied Dynamics Across Alabama Republican Runoff Races

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New Poll Shows Varied Dynamics Across Alabama Republican Runoff Races


A new survey of likely Republican runoff voters in Alabama suggests the state’s four statewide runoff contests remain at different stages heading into the June 16 election, with one race showing a clear leader, another appearing highly competitive, and a third remaining largely unsettled.

According to The Alabama Poll, which surveyed 600 likely Republican runoff voters on May 28, U.S. Senate candidate Jared Hudson leads Congressman Barry Moore 48.7% to 39.2%, while 12.1% of voters remain undecided. The poll indicates Hudson has built support among voters whose preferred candidates did not advance to the runoff.

In the race for lieutenant governor, Secretary of State Wes Allen holds a narrow overall lead over Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, 41.9% to 38.4%. However, the survey found Wahl performing slightly better among voters who report they are certain to vote and among the most frequent Republican primary voters, highlighting the potential importance of turnout in the contest. Nearly one in five voters, 19.6%, remain undecided.

The attorney general runoff shows the largest margin among the four statewide races surveyed. Katherine Robertson leads Jay Mitchell 49.1% to 31.2%, with 19.7% of respondents undecided. Poll analysts noted that Mitchell’s path to closing the gap would likely depend on winning support from voters who view him favorably but have not yet committed to a candidate.

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Meanwhile, the Republican runoff for commissioner of agriculture remains the most unsettled race in the survey. Corey Hill leads Christina Woerner McInnis 33.1% to 27.3%, but nearly 40% of likely runoff voters remain undecided, leaving substantial room for movement before Election Day.

Beyond the candidate matchups, the poll found Republican voters generally optimistic about the direction of Alabama, with 63.6% saying the state is headed in the right direction. At the same time, economic concerns continue to dominate voter priorities. Nearly 79% of respondents identified an economic issue as the most important problem facing the state, with grocery prices and utility costs cited most frequently.

The survey also found President Donald Trump’s approval rating among likely Republican runoff voters at 83.2%. Researchers reported that endorsements from both Trump and U.S. Senator Katie Britt carried similar persuasive weight among respondents.

The Alabama Poll surveyed 600 likely Republican primary runoff voters using a combination of live telephone interviews and text-message surveys. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points and was conducted May 28 among voters who said they are likely to participate in the June 16 Republican runoff election.



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Two Alabama Players, One Coach Being Considered for 2027 CFB Hall of Fame Class

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Two Alabama Players, One Coach Being Considered for 2027 CFB Hall of Fame Class


Former Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones and linebacker DeMeco Ryans are under consideration for the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2027 class, the National Football Foundation announced on Monday.

Dennis Franchione, who was Alabama’s head coach during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, is also under consideration. Franchione was a two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year before moving into Division I, where he led New Mexico to its first bowl in 36 years and TCU to its first postseason win since 1957. He took over a 3-8 Alabama team and led the Tide to a 10-win season in 2002, later guiding Texas A&M to consecutive victories over Texas (2006-07) and a berth in the 2005 Cotton Bowl.

Jones is a two-time First Team All-American (2011-unanimous, 2012-consensus) and winner of the 2012 NFF Campbell, 2012 Rimington, 2011 Outland and 2011 Wuerffel trophies. He Led Alabama to three national titles and two SEC crowns.

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The three-time First Team All-SEC selection is arguably the most decorated offensive lineman in school history, winning national honors at three different positions (center, tackle, guard). The 2012 Alabama captain played through Lisfranc injury with at least two torn ligaments suffered in SEC Championship Game. He also played in the national title game before having surgery that kept him out of the NFL combine.

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DeMeco Ryans, who is currently the head coach of the Houston Texans, could be considered the best player of the Mike Shula years as he was the program’s top draft pick between 1998-08 (between first-round selections Dwayne Rudd and Andre Smith).

During his senior season, the linebacker led Alabama with 76 tackles including 9.5 for a loss, en route to being named a first-team All-American, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and Lott Trophy winner as college football’s best impact defensive player.

These three are among 80 players and nine coaches from the FBS, along with 99 players and 39 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks.

Alabama currently has 28 representatives in the College Football Hall of Fame, with the most recent inductees being Heisman Trophy-winning running back Mark Ingram in the 2026 class and seven-time national champion (six at Alabama) head coach Nick Saban in the 2025 class. Ingram was the first Crimson Tide player under Saban to be inducted.

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Alabama in the College Football Hall of Fame

(Member, Year Inducted)

  1. Don Hutson, 1951
  2. Frank Thomas, 1951
  3. Fred Sington, 1955
  4. Wallace Wade, 1955
  5. Don Whitmire (transferred to Navy after two years), 1956
  6. Johnny Mack Brown, 1957
  7. Pooley Hubert, 1964
  8. Millard “Dixie” Howell, 1970
  9. John Cain, 1973
  10. Lee Roy Jordan, 1983
  11. Riley Smith, 1985
  12. Paul “Bear” Bryant, 1986
  13. Vaughn Mancha, 1990
  14. Harry Gilmer, 1993
  15. Ozzie Newsome, 1994
  16. John Hannah, 1999
  17. Johnny Musso, 2000
  18. Billy Neighbors, 2003
  19. Cornelius Bennett, 2005
  20. Woodrow Lowe, 2009
  21. Gene Stallings, 2010
  22. Marty Lyons, 2011
  23. Derrick Thomas, 2014
  24. E.J. Junior, 2020
  25. Sylvester Croom, 2022
  26. Antonio Langham, 2024
  27. Nick Saban, 2025
  28. Mark Ingram, 2026

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Alabama troopers launch 101 Days of Summer Safety campaign

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Alabama troopers launch 101 Days of Summer Safety campaign


BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) kicked off its annual 101 Days of Summer Safety campaign as the summer travel season begins.

The campaign runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, a period troopers call the “100 deadliest days of summer.”

Over Memorial Day weekend, troopers investigated four traffic deaths and one boating fatality. They issued more than 1,400 speeding citations, 365 seat belt violations, and made 14 DUI arrests on roadways statewide.

On the water, Marine Patrol made four boating under the influence arrests and conducted nearly 500 vessel stops.

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ALEA says the goal this summer is education and enforcement. Troopers say that means buckling up, watching your speed, keeping your distance, and putting the phone down every time you get behind the wheel.

“More traffic means people get complacent. More car crashes, more injuries, more fatalities,” said ALEA Trooper Brandon Bailey. “Check your tires, make sure they’re at the appropriate tread depth. If you don’t have the appropriate amount of tread, it could easily lead to hydroplaning.”

ALEA says they will have increased patrols on roads and waterways through Labor Day.

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