A day after keeping one of its current cornerbacks from the transfer portal, Alabama is now adding to its future secondary. The Crimson Tide received a commitment from Utah cornerback transfer Cameron Calhoun on Wednesday. The rising sophomore will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Calhoun started one game over 11 appearances during his debut season this fall. The 6-foot, 177-pound defender led Utah with nine pass breakups to go with an interception. He also tallied 21 tackles, including one for a loss.

Calhoun, a Cincinnati native, originally signed with Michigan as a four-star recruit in the 2023 class before transferring to Utah. He was a high school teammate with Alabama freshman signee Justin Hill.

Alabama lost cornerback Jahlil Hurley (Kansas) and safety DeVonta Smith to the transfer portal earlier this month. The Tide nearly saw cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe enter as well. However, the five-star freshman had a change of heart and elected to return to the team.

Both of Alabama’s starting cornerbacks from this season, Domani Jackson and Zabien Brown, are eligible to return next year. Jackson, a rising senior will have a draft decision to make, while Brown is coming off a promising freshman campaign. The Tide also returns former Wake Forest transfer DaShawn Jones, a rising redshirt senior, who saw plenty of action both at cornerback and in the Husky role.

The addition of Calhoun ensures Alabama is covered in the event Jackson elects to depart for the draft. Regardless, the Utah transfer provides the Tide with more experienced depth in the secondary.

The author of one of the most iconic moments in Washington Huskies history is entering the transfer portal.

Cornerback Elijah Jackson, who had the game-winning pass breakup that sent Washington to the national championship last season, announced on his social media that he will search for a new home for his final season of eligibility on Wednesday.

Jackson was passed on the depth chart this season by Arizona transfer Ephesians Prysock and emergent senior Thaddeus Dixon, relegating him to rotational duties on the outside after an injury kept him out for most of spring practice. He played only 152 snaps on defense, with ten tackles and two pass breakups.

His best play of the 2024 season came on special teams against Northwestern when Jackson chased down Wildcats returner Joseph Himon II inside the five-yard line to prevent a kickoff return for a touchdown. The Huskies defense responded with a goal-line stand, preserving critical momentum in what became a 24-5 victory.

Jackson is the fourth member of the Huskies secondary to enter the portal, joining cornerbacks Darren Barkins and Curley Reed III and safety Tristan Dunn. Dixon is also out of eligibility, leaving Jedd Fisch’s squad with Prysock and a cadre of inexperienced younger players at corner heading into 2025.

Alongside those four, Washington has also seen linebacker Khmori House, edge rushers Maurice Heims and Lance Holtzclaw, running back Cameron Davis, wide receiver Camden Sirmon, offensive lineman Kahlee Tafai, punters Jack McCallister and Adam Saul, and long snapper Caleb Johnston enter the portal.

CASPER, Wyo. — According to data from the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division, Natrona County’s unemployment rate at the end of September is slightly up from the same point in 2023, as well as the state’s average at the same point.

At the end of September, Natrona County’s unemployment rate was 2.9%. At the same point in 2023, the county’s rate was 2.6%. And in the most recent survey, Wyoming’s unemployment rate also sat at 2.6%. The state’s unemployment rate is down 1% from the same point in 2023.

Despite the slight rise in unemployment in the Casper area community, the report found that the economy is steadily improving. The Economic Analysis Division measures counties’ economic stability with an economic health index that looks at a variety of factors. In every indicator except for the unemployment rate, Natrona County saw improvement.

In addition to the unemployment rate, the economic health index considers the total nonfarm employment, the sales and use tax and the average home value.

Despite the unemployment rate rising by 0.3%, the total number of employed Natrona County residents grew by about 1.2%. Overall, the number of nonfarm payroll jobs in the county was 40,800 in September.

Sales and use taxes grew approximately 5.1%, and Natrona County’s collection of the 4% sales and use tax was reported at $10.3 million in September 2024.

The average Natrona County home value rose 2.2% from 2023 to 2024. According to the report, the average home value is $296,100.

However, because sales and use tax collections the county receives for a given month represent transactions that took place four to six weeks prior, the tax collection data lags by one month in the economic health index model.

Employment in Wyoming totaled 295,900 jobs at the end of September, up 2,800 from the same point last year.

“Total employment continues to increase year-over-year, but at a slowing rate,” Economic Analysis Division economist Dylan Bainer said.

Statewide, private education and health fields added the most jobs in the past year.

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