Happy Gump Day, folks. Just 96 hours or so until the Tide kicks off, so let us Gump this day.
And we start with USA Today of all places having Too Much Bama in them — guess who their No. 1 playoff seed is? A team that will be hosting a January game and making a deep run in the playoffs? Interesting bracket here from them (and they fact they have Memphis as the G5 bid tells me they truly know ball. #901Hoe)
I would love put a pretty hyperlink in the “RELATED” box, but this five-dollar Temu redesign
with a backend more defective than a 1974 Pinto will not allow me to. So, you’ll have to settle with going retro to the Good Ole’ Days of the internet, and just click here.
They do seem inordinately high on two puzzling teams, though. 1. Georgia, which must get much better under center and at offensive line, and 2. Oregon, which has to replace a ton of defensive talent, and who have still never won a meaningful game outside of Eugene against a team that wants to hit them in the mouth.
Meanwhile, CBS arrives at a similar conclusion, though via the backdoor: People are overlooking Alabama.
Alabama: Alabama’s offense might be on rocket fuel in 2025 with former five-star quarterback Ty Simpson slinging the rock to a stud group of receivers while protected by an offensive line that includes potential top-five pick Kadyn Proctor at left tackle. The addition of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, a trusted confidant of coach Kalen DeBoer, will also help push this group forward in a major way. Even if the defense stagnates, the offensive improvement will be enough to lift the Crimson Tide into the playoff. If DC Kane Wommack’s unit improves at all, this team will be at or near the top of the national title odds sheet by the end of October. — Cobb
Their overrated/underrated piece is a good read, not least of all because (like many ball-knowers), they have all kinds of questions about a South Carolina team that is being hyped into the aether despite a very raw quarterback without his best running back, and playing without the benefit of last year’s outstanding defensive.
They’re not alone either, in thinking that ‘Bama is being overlooked after an up-and-down transitional 2024. The Tide are also great value on the books. See Fornelli’s Power Poll:
No. 4: Alabama Like everybody ahead of the Tide, I have questions about the QB. I don’t have nearly as many questions about Kalen DeBoer, whom I firmly believe is one of the best coaches in the country, and that factors into how I rate teams. There are plenty of coaches whom I consider a detriment to their team. Even if DeBoer’s in a tough spot of replacing the greatest coach of all time, he is not one of them. I know Alabama missed the playoff last year, but the truth is this team was only a few plays away from being in the CFP. And, trust me, none of the 12 teams that did make the field were wishing Alabama was in it.
How much has the CW flipped? Even ESPN is getting on board. And I don’t mean the smart ones, like Fowler, but also NegaGump-in-Chief, G Mac.
Quick: Which paragraph is Greg?
“They feel good,” Fowler said of Alabama. “I mean, look. DeBoer has won everywhere. This year, he’s not in year one following Saban, which was an impossible job – let’s be honest. I like them. I like the Tide this year.”
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“So, I think Alabama will be a better team this year. Also, year two under Kalen DeBoer. I’d be surprised if they didn’t take a significant step from a consistency standpoint,” McElroy said. “And, by season’s end, with the veterans they have back, they’ll be in a position to go chase a champion in the postseason.”
And, make no mistake: the goal this season for the Tide is a national championship. The team is not shying away from saying it either.
The biggest question mark most have for 2025 regards play under center. No doubt, that’s what wins games and especially is a requirement for a title. But it’s also my least area of concern. Even smart and efficient ball distribution will put up points in this offense. (Ask me about the defensive line though).
I’m just some guy though. More importantly, Ty has put in the mental work and heeded all of the small things in order to set himself up for success this year. All of which has given him the faith of his team:
“I’d say [it’s] his focus,” center Parker Brailsford said Tuesday. “He’s already watching film before pretty much everybody else is here. He’s a guy that, he can sustain his focus for long periods of time. That specifically, just him being able to prepare in that way… I know he’ll be ready.”
Simpson’s preparation is already that of a starter, with sophomore wide receiver Ryan Williams saying that he’s in the facility before the sun rises, at 4 or 5 a.m.
“I think that Ty’s been ready for a while,” Williams said. “Just with the way he’s attacked this offseason… I’m bumping into him, I’m going to get stretched, and he’s coming out of the film room. Little things like that, it’s all about preparation, and he’s prepared.
With the SEC’s adoption of a nine-game conference slate, and with Nick Saban’s retirement, the obvious happened to the 2027 schedule: The Tide dropped its road trip to West Virginia. That year Alabama will add a ninth SEC game, and has a date with the Buckeyes. That’s plenty enough degree of difficulty. In its place, also as expected, Alabama added a “respectable-but-not-very-good” G5 team: East Carolina. It looks like my predicted formula will be the way: Good Power 4 opponent, decent G5 team, Senior Day FCS paycheck slaughter, SEC schedule. Not that it took a genius to sort that out, mind you. It has been ‘Bama’s formula for almost 20 years. This just swaps out another G5 team for an SEC opponent.
I always had my money on Nick’s retirement coming in 2028, with the 2027 season being his valedictory. It was set up for that — a return to the Horseshoe where he got his coaching start under Earl Bruce and a trip to the mountains of his home state. It would have made for such a perfect bow on his career. Plus, we would have gotten the Rich Rod-Saban duel that the screamsheets would have had a field day with, as both men return to where it began. The only way this would have been better is if the Irish and Tide had not delayed their meeting. It would given us all of this on the heels of ‘Bama’s first trip to its only historical peer and 80-year-long intersectional rival, Notre Dame under the arms of Touchdown Jesus — this is where I remind you Saban is devout Catholic.
Alas, those great side stories are now shelved, and I guess we’ll just have to settle for the Buckeyes welcoming two-time defending national champion Kalen DeBoer. #GumpSoHard
SEC SPEEEEEEEED.
People are overlooking Jalen, who is an absolute burner. Until his injury last season, Hale was almost guaranteed to be the Tide’s deep threat weapon. There is an abundance of speed on the roster, but if he’s at even 85%, Jalen is going to put a lot of pressure on defenses in a scheme where every pass play has a homerun option.
Kids, if this doesn’t make you want to run through a brick wall, nothing will.
What does LT Overton think about FSU Quarterback-cum-Loudmouth Tommy Castellanos?
Overton’s answer: “We just listen to our leaders. Disrespect will be addressed accordingly.”
That was a reference to comments from linebacker Deontae Lawson and defensive tackle Tim Keenan, both team captains, at SEC media days this summer in response to Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos’ claim that Alabama would not be able to stop him without Nick Saban.
Another question to Overton: what stands out about Castellanos, a transfer from Boston College, on film?
“Of course it’s the legs,” Overton said. “But nothing we ain’t seen before.”
Overton, who transferred after the 2023 season from Texas A&M to Alabama, noted Alabama practiced against a quarterback in Jalen Milroe last season who could run.
“It’s nothing different,” Overton said. “It’s being able to compete him contained, keeping our rush lanes in check, and making sure he just keeps the ball — we want to make sure [Castellanos] doesn’t want the ball in his hands anymore.”
It’s time for a bit of the ole’ ultraviolence. This sounds like a defense that’s on edge and ready to inflict it.
And, finally, your moment of levity…
We’ll be back later today with Giving Away Money. For now, have a great morning.
Row Tahd
