Alabama

What does future hold for Alabama athletics? What to know at this critical juncture

Published

2 years ago

June 6, 2024

What does future hold for Alabama athletics? What to know at this critical juncture

Greg Byrne didn’t wait to watch the game until he reached a TV. He wanted to make sure he didn’t miss any of the action.

SEC spring meetings had just ended in Miramar Beach, Florida, and the Alabama athletics director held his tablet as he walked out of the conference room. He had the broadcast rolling of Alabama softball’s game against UCLA in the Women’s College World Series on May 30. Byrne locked into the game even as he walked. So much so that he even stopped and stood in the resort hallway to finish the inning, knowing he was about to lose Wifi connection if he walked too far.

“I’m as excited to go to Oklahoma City with our softball team as getting to go to the College Football Playoff,” Byrne told The Tuscaloosa News the day prior. “Those kids have worked hard.”

Football and men’s basketball are the two revenue-producing sports at UA, but Byrne takes pride in his department supporting 21 sports. He talks frequently about his affinity for all of them. Also, he often stresses how special the Olympic sports model is in collegiate athletics.

There’s an extra weight to that conversation these days, though. College sports sits at a critical juncture, and as part of that, the exact future for non-revenue sports remains unclear. Far more questions exist than answers. In May, the NCAA and the Power Five conferences agreed to a a historic settlement that, if finalized, will give schools the ability to share revenue with college athletes. That number is expected to be at least $20 million to start, per USA TODAY Sports.

That new line item on the budget could have all sorts of ripple effects.

“This is a big deal,” Byrne said. “And I think we just have to recognize we don’t have all the answers yet and we have to be very thoughtful of how we decide to move forward with the new model and how that impacts our department across the board.”

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How Greg Byrne has been preparing for changes in college athletics

The NCAA and Power Five conferences approved the settlement terms late last month, but Byrne didn’t start preparing folks in Tuscaloosa then.

Rewind to a year ago; that’s when Byrne started discussing the House v. NCAA case with his staff.

“Just planting seeds that things were changing,” Byrne said.

That included what Byrne called a “heart-to-heart” discussion with all of the head coaches in the fall. He broke down where things stood, the potential of the House litigation and its impact. Then he talked with the entire department.

“I’ve always found, when things are going to change and change dramatically, that first conversation you have with people in your department shouldn’t be after everything is all said and done,” Byrne said. “It needs to be an educational process. We’ve been doing that, and part of that is how you manage your resources going forward.”

Will Alabama have to cut sports?

It’s the question that looms largest for all athletics departments with significant change incoming. To make the new expenses fit, will some sports that don’t produce revenue have to go?

“I would hope we wouldn’t have to do that,” Byrne said.

He added that’s the last things he wants to do.

“Our Olympic-model sports program is one of the cool things in our country,” Byrne said. “But it also is very, very costly. That’s not an Alabama comment. That’s across the board in what we do. I’m proud of how we support our Olympic sports.”

What’s the future of Yea Alabama and NIL collectives?

Simply put, it’s unclear. As is the case with most things until the settlement is finalized. And even then, plenty will have to be hammered out.

Once revenue sharing begins, the role of collectives could change. The bigger unknown is the extent of the change. Could collectives go in-house as well? Might collectives focus solely on facilitating “true NIL” deals? Will collectives cease to exist? Or is there another role for them? It’s unclear at this juncture.

“If anybody tells you they know exactly what is going to come of their collectives, they’re a lot smarter than I am,” Byrne said.

Yea Alabama has operated as UA’s official NIL entity going back to February 2023. Byrne praised Yea Alabama and how it has “done a really good job of representing our student athletes.” Having a strong collective is key to compete in today’s college athletics. Maybe it won’t be required down the road, but that change hasn’t happened just yet.

“Until we understand what the new model looks like, we need to continue to stay competitive from a Yea Alabama standpoint,” Byrne said. “And we’ve made really good strides there.”

Will CFP revenue solve the new expense problem?

Increased revenue from the expanded College Football Playoff will help bring in more income for each SEC school. Annual distribution from the CFP is set to increase to about $23 million for Alabama and each SEC school, per Yahoo! Sports. That’s going to help, but more will likely be needed with increasing expenses.

“It’s not the only solution,” Byrne said. “It’s not the silver bullet to me.”

Strategic decisions around budgeting will need to be made. One example that has already occurred: Byrne said Alabama athletics has already reduced some personnel, just by choosing not to fill some vacant positions.

“We’re trying to find efficiencies on a regular basis,” Byrne said. “But our costs continue to escalate, and it’s not just this line item.”

Byrne’s title is director of athletics, but the approaching era of college athletics will call on him to be a CEO more than ever. For Alabama athletics to continue to thrive, it’s vital Byrne answers.

“We all have a responsibility,” Byrne said. “As much as people think there’s unlimited money, there’s not. You have to make financial decisions.”

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men’s basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter

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Alabama

Alabama Farmers Federation endorses Kristin Nelson for House District 38

Published

3 hours ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Alabama Farmers Federation endorses Kristin Nelson for House District 38

The Alabama Farmers Federation has endorsed Kristin Nelson in the upcoming special election for Alabama House District 38, a seat left vacant following the resignation of Rep. Debbie Wood (R-Valley). The district includes portions of Chambers and Lee counties.

Nelson recently secured the Republican nomination after winning a runoff election. The special general election is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.

“Kristin Nelson is a well-respected community leader in Chambers County, and we are proud to endorse her,” said Jason McKay, president of the Chambers County Farmers Federation. “We know she will represent us well in Montgomery and ensure District 38 gets the attention it needs in the business and agricultural arenas.”

Support for Nelson’s candidacy also came from farmers in neighboring Lee County. “Kristin Nelson is a strong conservative with incredible knowledge of House District 38,” said Robert Walters, president of the Lee County Farmers Federation. “There is no doubt she will work hard and represent the people of Lee and Chambers counties well in the Legislature.”

Nelson grew up along the Chambers-Lee county line and brings experience from both the public and private sectors. Her background includes seven years in city administration with the City of Valley and three years as a third-grade teacher with Lanett City Schools.

She has also been active in homeschooling through Classical Conversations, where she has served as both a tutor and a local representative supporting other families.

In addition to returning to part-time work with Harris Gray LLC, Nelson serves as worship leader at Fairfax Methodist Church, secretary of the Junior Variety Club and president of the EAMC Lanier Auxiliary Board.

She also founded the Chambers County Young Republicans and currently serves as the chair of the Chambers County Republican Party.

“The farmers of this district and I share the same strong work ethic and conservative values,” said Nelson. “It is an honor to have their support and to be able to represent them and all the people of this district in Montgomery.”

Nelson and her husband, Jeff, live in the Huguley community with their two teenage sons.

The Alabama Farmers Federation is the state’s largest farm organization, representing more than 360,000 member families. The organization uses a grassroots endorsement process that relies on decisions made by county Farmers Federation boards of directors in local elections.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].

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Alabama

Tuberville officially files for 2026 Alabama governor’s race

Published

15 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Tuberville officially files for 2026 Alabama governor’s race

HOOVER, Ala. (WSFA) – Senator Tommy Tuberville officially filed the paperwork to run for governor at the Alabama Republican Party Headquarters in Hoover Monday morning.

“I want to make the lives of the people of this state better,” said Sen. Tuberville. “If I thought that staying in the U.S. Senate would be best for Alabama, I would’ve stayed. but I think the best thing for Alabama is for me to come back.”

He talked about the need to grow Alabama’s economy, with attracting manufacturers being a primary focus. Sen. Tuberville said that to do that, he would focus on improving the state’s infrastructure and making the state’s education and workforce systems more attractive to new residents.

When asked about cutting waste, fraud and abuse, a focus of his time in Washington, D.C., alongside President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Sen. Tuberville said, he expects to make changes if elected governor.

“You have a lot of different agencies here, we want to make them all better,” he said. “We also want to make sure that we save the taxpayers’ money, that we use it wisely and we give it back to them.”

The former Auburn football coach said he did not expect to go into politics, but now, he is ready to transition from national to state politics.

“It’s time to come home, put together a staff and worry about the state of Alabama and the people here,” he said.

According to Alabama’s constitution, someone running for governor has to have lived in the state for at least seven years. Some have questioned whether Sen. Tuberville fits that requirement. He said during the candidacy filing that the Republican Party of Alabama says he does fulfill the requirement.

The filing deadline for candidates to qualify for a major political party is Jan. 23.

Alabama’s Democratic primary has the following candidates:

Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones
Dr. Will Boyd – businessman and engineer
JaMel Brown – pastor and talk show host
Chad ‘Chig’ Martin – businessowner

Alabama’s Republican Primary has the following candidates:

Sen. Tommy Tuberville
Ken McFeeters – former congressional candidate

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Alabama

Who has Alabama football lost in the transfer portal so far?

Published

1 day ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

Who has Alabama football lost in the transfer portal so far?

Alabama football has already seen some of its roster clear out via the transfer portal in the days following its loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide will likely see more attrition in the coming days, with players allowed to enter through Jan. 16.

As of Monday morning, 15 Alabama players had entered the portal. Here’s a look at what the Crimson Tide is losing via transfer.

Cam Calhoun

The Utah transfer was a backup cornerback for the Crimson Tide this season. He played a major role on special teams but had trouble cracking the lineup on defense for Alabama.

Calhoun began his college career at Michigan

Rico Scott

Scott was perhaps the fastest receiver on the team, but there were too many players on the depth chart ahead of him. Scott finished the year with 11 catches for 55 yards.

Keon Keeley

When he arrived in Tuscaloosa, Keeley was one of the nation’s top recruits, at the edge position. After a year with the Tide, he moved over to the more traditional defensive end spot that Kane Wommack calls the “bandit.”

Keeley finally was able to make an impact on the field this year after two season on the bench. He likely could have played an increased role with LT Overton off to the NFL, but opted to portal instead.

Wilkin Formby

Formby moved around in Alabama’s lineup during the 2025 season, his first as a full-time starter. He began the year at tackle, but wound up playing right guard as Michael Carroll took over the outside spot.

Cole Adams

Adams was the Crimson Tide’s primary punt returner. However, he didn’t have much of a role at wide receiver.

The Oklahoma native had five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown this season.

Micah DeBose

DeBose joined Alabama as a highly touted recruit before the 2025 season. He saw action in just one game for the Crimson Tide this year, against Eastern Illinois.

Peter Notaro

The Alabama kicking game was an issue at times during the 2025 season. Notaro battled with Conor Talty for the starting job in preseason camp, but Talty eventually earned the spot.

Notaro was a five-star kicker in the 2025 recruiting class according to Kohl’s.

Noah Carter

Carter was a four-star edge recruit for the Crimson Tide ahead of the 2024 season. He redshirted that season, but got more action in 2025.

He finished the year with nine total tackles before deciding to find greener pastures.

Olaus Alinen

Alinen was not a major part of what was an extremely large offensive line rotation this season. The member of Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class earned the most praise from coaches due to his versatility, with the native of Finland able to play both guard and tackle.

Jalen Hale

Hale was a contributor at receiver in 2023, before a major leg injury cost him the 2024 campaign. He returned in 2025, but wasn’t able to get significant playing time at receiver given the amount of talent ahead of him.

Joseph Ionata

Ionata was listed as Alabama’s backup center during the 2025 season. However, when it came down to it, Geno VanDeMark slid to the spot if Parker Brailsford needed to leave the field.

The redshirt freshman did see some playing time on special teams.

Jaylen Mbakwe

Mbakwe joined Alabama as a five-star prospect in the 2024 class and proceeded to have an interesting career in Tuscaloosa. He spent most of 2024 as a defensive back, before deciding to enter the transfer portal, then backing out and switching to wide receiver before the ReliaQuest Bowl.

He stuck at wideout for 2025, without seeing major playing time at that position.

Richard Young

Some turnover among Alabama’s running backs came as no surprise. Young was thought of as a potential starter at running back, but got lost in a struggling rotation.

He finished 2025 with 23 carries for 64 yards and two touchdowns.

Roq Montgomery

Montgomery did not see the field during the 2025 season. He had been a special teams contributor in 2024, and saw some snaps on the offensive line as well.

Kam Howard

Howard spent two seasons as a cornerback in Tuscaloosa after transferring in from Charlotte. He didn’t play much in 2025, finishing the year with two tackles.

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