Happy Monday, everyone. As you already know, the softball team landed the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament,
which is an honor but also adds some pressure. And, the baseball team swept South Carolina in Columbia.Not bad, folks. Not bad.
Nick Kelly wrote about the best DeBoer era plays to date.
The 17-year-old freshman saved Alabama from an all-time collapse.
Alabama, having led Georgia 28-0 in the second quarter, found itself trailing 34-33 with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter after a Dillion
Bell touchdown.
On the very next play, Williams became a superstar.
The freshman secured a 75-yard pass from Jalen Milroe that included all kinds of maneuvering around Georgia defenders as he eventually raced past them to the end zone.
With 2:18 left, Alabama led Georgia 41-34 in what proved to be the biggest win of DeBoer’s two years at Alabama.
It was a beautiful play.
May we get that version of Ryan this season.
After bringing in 27 freshman in the 2026 class, expect the 2027 haul to be smaller.
Last year, DeBoer told WAFF TV, Alabama brought in the talent it wanted, both in state and nationally, and a good haul overall with 27 players. DeBoer knows, in 2027, that haul won’t look the same, even if the expectation for talent remains high.
“The state is so important,” DeBoer said. “We’ll continue to do our best to make sure we can bring the best players. We won’t have a big class this year overall in our recruitment. But we’ll still make sure if we have a priority and we have that in-state, we will look there first.”
Here’s a look at why Alabama’s 2027 class should be smaller, and what the Crimson Tide’s recruiting board looks like.
Matt Stahl looked at “backups” who may break out this season.
NC State transfer Noah Rogers, a presumed starter for Alabama, went down with an injury, one that will keep him out for at least a portion of the 2026 season.
With Rogers on the shelf, the Crimson Tide will have a few options to turn to. Veteran Rico Scott and sophomore Derek Meadows will likely be contenders for the starting job, at least until Roger is able to return.
As far as depth goes though, UA could see production from a true freshman wide receiver for the third season in a row. Cederian Morgan made a big splash during A-Day, and could see the field early in 2026.
Morgan joined up as a four-star prospect from Benjamin Russell in Alexander City. He finished A-Day with three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown according to AL.com’s unofficial stats.
I’m not convinced that Ced was ever going to be a backup. That dude looks like the real deal.
A Kentucky beat writer is doubling down on the “trap” narrative, outright predicting a Wildcats win over Alabama.
Kalen DeBoer‘s first SEC road game was a loss at Vanderbilt. Alabama opened the 2025 season on the road at Florida State and got manhandled in the trenches by the inferior Seminoles, who won the run-game battle 230-87.
Simply put, DeBoer is really, really bad in this spot. He has an exceptional record against his best opponents, but is due to lay an egg once or twice a year against a seemingly overmatched foe.
That reputation is going to follow Kalen until he dispels it.
Last, Alabama basketball will once again play in the Players Era tournament.
Thanksgiving Week will feature the Players Era 16. Reigning champion Michigan is the headliner, with the Wolverines joined by Alabama, Gonzaga, St. John’s, Louisville, Tennessee, Iowa State, Miami, Texas Tech, Baylor, Maryland, TCU, Oregon, Creighton, San Diego State and Kansas State.
Moving to a bracket-play format is a notable change from last year’s 18-team format, which gave each team two scheduled games and then determined each team’s third game based on record and scoring margin.
ESPN networks will be the exclusive home of all 37 games next season.
“Players Era features elite programs, meaningful competition and high-stakes matchups to start each season,” Dan Margulis, ESPN senior director of college basketball programming and acquisitions, said in a statement. “These tournaments immediately strengthen ESPN’s industry-leading college basketball portfolio and underscores our commitment to showcasing the best teams and storylines across the sport. We’re excited to partner with the Players Era team to continue to elevate the Players Era Men’s Championships and showcase them to fans across the country.”
Nate Oats is a scheduling fiend.
That’s about it for today. Have a great week.
Roll Tide.
