Category: Alabama crimson Tide

 

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Ryan Grubb gave an update on where the quarterback competition stands heading into the summer before his first year at Alabama. New Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer inherited Jalen Milroe, but with the two-year starter now in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, DeBoer and his offensive coordinator—Grubb, who coached with him at Washington—have a decision to make among three very different QB candidates.

Ty Simpson, though lacking extensive playing time, is the most seasoned in the room, beginning his fourth year at Alabama. Austin Mack, now a third-year sophomore, started at Washington and transferred after DeBoer took the Bama job. Keelon Russell, one of the most highly regarded 2025 recruits, is in the mix as a true freshman and early enrollee in Tuscaloosa.

There’s still time before Alabama chooses its starting quarterback, but Grubb said that if they had to play Florida State this week, Simpson would currently be in front.

“He is. Right now, that’s accurate. And we don’t speak in absolutes unless it’s necessary, but I wanted to be honest,” Grubb told Ryan Fowler on Tide 100.9 Thursday. “We wrapped up post-spring reviews, and Ty protected the ball better. He executed better. He grew as a player, especially for someone older. Even with limited starting reps, he showed noticeable progress in the back half of spring. But we’re still encouraging an open competition.

“All three will continue to compete during summer workouts and into fall camp, and we’ll let things sort out through performance and consistency. We track everything closely and stay transparent with all the quarterbacks.”

The competition is still wide open, and Grubb had strong praise for Russell, whose vision and poise stood out to the staff despite being new to the college game.

“Keelon’s vision is top-tier. That stands out first. As he grows more comfortable in our scheme, you can tell when a play clicks—he knows where to go with the ball, and he’s getting it out fast,” Grubb said. “He processes fast and distributes the ball properly. For someone his age, that’s remarkable.

“Combine that with his natural athletic ability—what he’s been blessed with—and you’ve got serious potential. Then add in how calm he is under pressure, especially while learning a complex system, and you’ve got something special. He hasn’t been fazed at all.”

Mack, meanwhile, is considered the sharpest passer of the three and is among the most intuitive learners of the system, according to Grubb.

When Fowler asked Grubb to describe what qualities define an ideal quarterback in his and DeBoer’s scheme, he said it boils down to three crucial factors.

“I think first is elite decision-making. You obviously want the physical tools to deliver the ball accurately, but smart choices, control, and leadership are must-haves,” said Grubb. “Those traits are essential for any great quarterback.”

Given how tight the competition is, it’s logical that Alabama leans on its most experienced option for now, but a lot can still change with so many reps remaining before the season kicks off against Florida State.

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Three-star offensive lineman Zykie Helton announced his commitment to Georgia on Wednesday, over a year after de-committing from Alabama.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer | John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Three-star offensive lineman Zykie Helton announced his commitment to Georgia on Wednesday, over a year after de-committing from Alabama. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound interior Carrollton, Georgia, native originally committed to the Crimson Tide in the summer of 2023, a few weeks after receiving an offer from the coaching staff in Tuscaloosa.

 

Helton remained committed to Alabama for nine months before reopening his recruiting. While Helton kept the Tide as a finalist throughout his recruitment process and was scheduled to head to Tuscaloosa on June 20 for an official visit, Alabama’s pursuit of the three-star dwindled. Helton was pursued heavily by Florida State, taking multiple unofficial visits to Tallahassee, but after taking officials to both Georgia and Georgia Tech, he settled on the Bulldogs.

 

3-star offensive lineman Zykie Helton choses Georgia over Alabama, Florida State, and Georgia Tech

Helton is the 14th commit in Georgia’s 2026 class, which ranks fifth-best in the country and is headlined by five-star quarterback Jared Curtis. Kirby Smart is far ahead of Kalen DeBoer’s pace on the recruiting trail, with the latter still waiting for his seventh commit with a class that ranks No. 50 in the country, despite significant blue-chip talent.

 

Alabama has finally gained recruiting momentum coming out of last weekend’s official visit, which yielded the commitment of four-star offensive tackle Sam Utu and thrust the Tide into pole position for five-star safety Jireh Edwards, a top target of the Bulldogs.

 

Helton is a victory for Georgia over Alabama, but much more significant recruiting battles between the two SEC powerhouses have yet to be decided. From last weekend’s group of official visitors alone, the decisions for Edwards, five-star tight end Kaiden Prothro, and four-star edge rusher Khamari Brooks will likely all come down to Alabama or Georgia.

 

Three of Alabama’s six commits are from the state of Georgia, and the Tide are also down to a two-team race with Ohio State for the top player in the state, five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin.

 

The rivalry between Alabama and Georgia isn’t just waged on the field and in SEC title games. The two programs have long gone head-to-head for high school recruits, and this cycle is no different.

 

Redshirt junior Ty Simpson is taking another step toward the Alabama starting QB job by attending a high-profile event this summer.

 

 

Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Ty Simpson may be the leader in the clubhouse for the Alabama starting QB job in 2025, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking anything for granted. The rising redshirt junior is putting in the work this summer to strengthen his lead in the QB competition and prove to head coach Kalen DeBoer and OC Ryan Grubb that he’s the right man for the job.

 

Simpson left spring practice as the presumed starter, though that job has not officially been earned yet. It’s a long summer and then fall camp, and anything can still happen as both Austin Mack and freshman phenom Keelon Russell push Simpson for the spot.

 

Simpson will have a nice opportunity for further development later this summer as he attends the prestigious Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana at the end of this month.

 

Some of the best quarterbacks in the country will be in attendance for the 29th annual Manning Passing Academy, which will run from June 26-29 at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

 

Simpson will work alongside elite talents like Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar, and others. Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning will be there working with all the QBs in attendance as well. There isn’t a family that understands the quarterback position better than the Mannings, and this is a great opportunity for Simpson to learn and grow.

 

Simpson’s development is vital for Alabama’ success in 2025

It has been said by many, but it still rings true. How far the Crimson Tide can go in 2025 will rely heavily on well Simpson – or one of the other two quarterbacks – plays. Alabama has a loaded depth chart everywhere else. If they get good quarterback play, this should be a College Football Playoff team. If one of the quarterbacks steps up into elite territory, this is the best team in the country.

 

Working in Simpson’s favor will be a much-improved WR room. Alabama brought back its two leading receivers from a year ago – Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard – but the most impressive part of the room is its depth. With Miami (FL) transfer Isaiah Horton joining the fray, the Tide’s trio of starting WRs stacks up with anyone in the country.

 

Behind those three are impressive talents such as Jalen Hale, Rico Scott, Lotzeir Brooks, Cole Adams, and Derek Meadows. With talented running backs in tow, there’s plenty of talent at the skill positions – as well as a veteran offensive line – to make things easier for a first-time starting quarterback.

 

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Alabama leads the list once again: For the second-straight year, the Crimson Tide have the top returning offensive line in America.

Utah is a close second: The Utes have multiple stars along their offensive line in Spencer Fano, Tanoa Togiai and Caleb Lomu.

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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

 

While it’s certainly the least glamorous part of an offense, the offensive line is critical to a team’s success. Putting points on the board is nearly impossible without at least some sort of competency up front.

 

Unlike the other position groups we’ve ranked so far, the strength of an offensive line depends on the quality of all the starters rather than just one or two stars.

 

Here are the 10 best offensive lines heading into the 2025 college football season.

 

PFF’s position unit rankings

 

1. Alabama

For the second-straight year, the Crimson Tide have the top offensive line in our ranking. They’re the only school in the country to feature three offensive linemen who made the top 10 of my positional rankings in left tackle Kadyn Proctor, center Parker Brailsford and right guard Jaeden Roberts.

 

Proctor is my No. 3 offensive tackle in college football and has put up elite tape against elite competition. Across three career games against Georgia and South Carolina, the former five-star recruit has a 90.4 pass-blocking grade with only one pressure allowed on 96 pass-blocking snaps.

 

Brailsford is the second-most-valuable returning Power Four center since 2023 according to PFF’s wins above average metric and is my No. 7 interior offensive lineman in the country. Roberts placed 10th on that list and has a 77.8 PFF run-blocking grade since 2023, 10th among Power Four guards.

 

Alabama does have a couple of unproven players at right tackle and left guard in Wilkin Formby and Texas A&M-transfer Kam Dewberry, but the above trio is good enough for it to lead this list.

 

2. Utah

Spencer Fano is my top returning offensive tackle in college football after a stellar sophomore season at right tackle for the Utes. He led all FBS tackles with a 92.7 overall grade and 93.6 run-blocking grade this past season. On the opposite side at left tackle is Caleb Lomu, who’s also seen as a potential first-round pick. His 75.8 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets was eighth among Big 12 tackles in 2024.

 

 

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Leading the interior is Tanoa Togiai, who was third among Power Four guards in both overall grade and run-blocking grade last season. Jaren Kump is also back at center and had a solid 71.1 pass-blocking grade in 2024. Michael Mokofisi only played seven games last year before suffering a season-ending injury, but he’s entering his fourth season as Utah’s starting right guard.

 

3. Texas A&M

The Aggies have one of the most experienced offensive lines in college football, as all six players who played at least 300 snaps in 2024 are back for another year. The star of the bunch is Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, who’s the best guard in college football. He was second among Power Four guards in overall grade, run-blocking grade and in PFF’s wins above average metric last season. The only player who bested him in those metrics was Willie Lampkin, who’s now with the Los Angeles Rams.

 

Trey Zuhn III and Dametrious Crownover are the two starting tackles for the Aggies and each earned 75-plus PFF grades in 2024. Chase Bisontis is the starting left guard and tied for eighth in the SEC with a 71.8 run-blocking grade a year ago. Kolinu’u Faaiu is back at center and only allowed one sack on 381 pass-blocking snaps last year.

 

4. Florida

The Gators had the third-highest-graded offensive line in the Power Four in 2024 (85.9) and brought back five of the six players who played at least 300 snaps for them. Jake Slaughter is my top returning interior offensive lineman in the sport, as he was the only Power Four center who earned 80.0-plus grades as both a pass-blocker and run-blocker. Left tackle Austin Barber has also generated first-round buzz and only surrendered five pressures on 107 true pass sets last season.

 

At guard will once again be Knijeah Harris and Damieon George Jr., who each tied for sixth in the SEC with identical 72.4 run-blocking grades. Redshirt sophomore Bryce Lovett is the new starting right tackle but tied for seventh among SEC guards last year with a 73.3 PFF grade on a healthy 362 snaps.

 

5. Oregon

The Ducks brought in three starters along the offensive line from the transfer portal in Nevada’s Isaiah World, Texas State’s Alex Harkey and USC’s Emmanuel Pregnon. World is a hot name in 2026 NFL Draft circles after earning an 82.4 pass-blocking grade at left tackle for the Wolf Pack. Harkey will start at right tackle and was ninth in the nation with an 85.8 PFF grade in 2024. Pregnon will be Oregon’s left guard and didn’t allow a sack on 532 pass-blocking snaps in 2024.

 

As good as those three are, the star of the unit is still junior Iapani Laloulu. He’s my No. 2 returning center in America and was one of only six in the Power Four to earn top-20 grades in pass blocking and run blocking last season. Laloulu still hasn’t surrendered a sack across 720 career pass-blocking snaps. The only real unknown is right guard Dave Iuli, but he did start four games for the Ducks last year.

 

6. Iowa

Only two schools had multiple players who placed in my top 10 returning offensive linemen lists: Alabama and Iowa. The Hawkeyes had easily the highest-graded offensive line in the Power Four in 2024 (93.1) and brought back their two stars in right tackle Gennings Dunker and center Logan Jones. Dunker is my No. 6 tackle in America and was second among FBS tackles last season with a 90.2 run-blocking grade. Jones is my No. 4 returning interior offensive lineman and paced all Power Four centers with an 83.6 PFF grade last year.

 

Iowa’s only other returning starter is left guard Beau Stephens, whose 71.1 PFF grade tied for seventh in the Big Ten. Kade Pieper is the new starting right guard and flashed incredible dominance on limited snaps in his redshirt freshman season. His 97.6 grade was the best of any guard in the FBS that played at least 100 snaps. The starting left tackle will likely be either redshirt junior Jack Dotzler or redshirt sophomore Trevor Lauck, each of whom played fewer than 25 snaps last season.

 

7. Auburn

All five of Auburn’s projected starters along the offensive line were starters in 2024. Connor Lew is my No. 5 interior offensive lineman in America, and his 76.4 PFF overall grade was fifth among Power Four centers. The Tigers also brought back a couple of starters at guard in Dillon Wade and Jeremiah Wright, who each earned 70-plus run-blocking grades a season ago.

 

Both of Auburn’s tackles are transfers in Virginia Tech’s Xavier Chaplin and USC’s Mason Murphy. Chaplin was one of six ACC tackles who posted 70.0-plus PFF grades both as a pass-blocker and run-blocker, while Murphy started 22 games for the Trojans. Between the nation’s second-best receiving corps and this offensive line, transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold has a far better supporting cast than what he had at Oklahoma.

 

8. Miami (FL)

Francis Mauigoa is my No. 2 offensive tackle in the nation and was the only tackle in the FBS last year with two or fewer sacks/hits allowed on 500-plus pass-blocking snaps. James Brockermeyer transferred in from TCU and was third among Big 12 centers with a 71.5 PFF grade in 2024. Anez Cooper is starting at right guard for the Hurricanes for the third-straight season and has a 70.8 pass-blocking grade since 2023.

 

 

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The left side of Miami’s offensive line is a bit more uncertain. Markel Bell is the favorite to be Carson Beck’s blindside protector at left tackle and is a massive player at 6-foot-9, 340 pounds who started five games for the Hurricanes at left tackle last season. If he’s not up to the task, former five-star recruit Samson Okunlola could be worth a shot as a redshirt sophomore. The left guard will likely be redshirt senior Ryan Rodriguez, who started the opening game last year but suffered a season-ending ankle injury after 38 snaps.

 

9. Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish have an exciting tackle duo in Aamil Wagner and Anthonie Knapp. Wagner is my No. 5 tackle in the country and finished his junior year as the third-most-valuable Power Four tackle, according to our WAA metric. Knapp started 15 games at left tackle as a true freshman and had a 69.2 run-blocking grade.

 

Billy Schrauth is a returning starter at left guard and only allowed one combined sack/hit on 363 pass-blocking snaps in 2024. Charles Jagusah will likely start at right guard and has many fans in NFL Draft circles. He only played in two games last year due to a torn pectoral muscle but had a strong 77.1 pass-blocking grade against two elite defensive lines in Penn State and Ohio State in the semifinal and national championship. Ashton Craig will start at center, which he did in the first three games last season before tearing his ACL.

 

10. Clemson

The Tigers brought back five of their six offensive linemen who played 500 snaps for them last year. Blake Miller is my No. 7 returning tackle in college football and is entering his fourth season as Clemson’s starting right tackle.

His 77.3 career run-blocking grade is a top-30 mark of any tackle in America over the last three seasons, and he’s coming off a career-best 76.4 pass-blocking grade in 2024 as well. On the opposite side is Tristan Leigh, who’s entering his third year as the starting left tackle for the Tigers.

 

Ryan Linthicum and Walker Parks are returning starters at center and right guard. Harris Sewell will take over at left guard but has still played 982 snaps across his first two seasons.

 

The Nittany Lions have plenty of experience along their offensive line, returning five players who played at least 400 snaps in 2024. The star is left guard Olaivavega Ioane, my No. 8 interior offensive lineman in America. He finished last season as the fourth-most-valuable Power Four guard according to our WAA metric.

 

Right tackle Nolan Rucci finally started to show signs of why he was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in 2021 with a 73.2 PFF grade during his first year as a starter. Nick Dawkins is back at center and was 10th in the Big Ten with a 65.4 run-blocking grade last season.

Drew Shelton returns at left tackle and had a 65.7 pass-blocking grade in 2024. The only new starter is at right guard in sophomore Cooper Cousins, but he was the No. 1 interior offensive line recruit from the 2024 class and played 172 snaps as a true freshman.

 

 

Alabama quarterback Jay Barker had the best game of his career to that point in a 29-28 victory over Georgia in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 1, 1994. Barker threw for 396 yards and two touchdowns in the game.

Every day until Aug. 29, Creg Stephenson is counting down significant numbers in Alabama football history, both in the lead-up to the 2025 football season and in commemoration of the Crimson Tide’s first national championship 100 years ago. The number could be attached to a year, a uniform number or even a football-specific statistic. We hope you enjoy.

 

Two numbers — 18 and 396 — tell the story of how far Jay Barker came in a little less than two years.

 

In Alabama’s 34-13 victory over Miami in the 1993 Sugar Bowl, Barker threw for a mere 18 yards. The sophomore was a woeful 4-for-13 with an interception passing, as the Crimson Tide’s running game and defense shouldered the load to secure a national championship.

 

But on Oct. 1, 1994, Barker shredded Georgia’s defense for a career-best 396 yards in a 29-28 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium. It was a breakout performance for Barker, who up until that point in his career had worn the dreaded “game manager” label.

 

“I haven’t looked at the statistics, but I know this was one of Jay Barker’s best games,” Alabama coach Gene Stallings told reporters afterward. “Remember, Jay’s won 28 games. It’s not like he hasn’t done things well.”

 

Indeed, Barker entered that night against Georgia with a 28-1-1 career record as Alabama’s starter. The lone loss had come to Auburn in the 1993 Iron Bowl, with the tie that same season against Tennessee.

 

The fifth-year senior had endured an injury riddled 1993 season, missing four games and parts of a few others. He was knocked out of that Iron Bowl loss with a knee injury that resulted in offseason surgery.

 

Alabama also made a change at offensive coordinator, with Mal Moore moving into administration and the popular Homer Smith returning to Tuscaloosa after a four-year hiatus. He found a willing pupil in Barker.

 

“I was blessed to have two great offensive coordinators, Mal Moore and Homer Smith,” Barker told The Tuscaloosa News upon Smith’s death in 2011. “But it was Coach Smith who really opened my eyes to the possibilities in the passing game.

Before, I had coaches who would tell you something and maybe give you a test. But Coach Smith would make you stand up in the meeting and actually teach. He’d make you go through the entire playbook. Sometimes you’d stand up at the board for an hour-and-a-half, but his theory was, if you could teach it, that meant you knew it. And because of that, when you went on the field, everything came easily.”

 

Barker and Alabama got off to a 4-0 start in 1994, but had struggled offensively. The Crimson Tide managed just 92 total points in those four games, with 42 coming in the season-opener against FCS opponent Chattanooga.

 

But once the Georgia game began, it was the Bulldogs’ offense that was clicking. Eric Zeier — who would set the SEC record for career passing yards during the game — staked his team to a 21-10 lead with three first-half touchdown passes.

 

“He toasted us,” Alabama safety Willie Gaston years later said of Zeier. “We had no answer for Eric Zeier, especially in the first half. And Hines Ward ran all over us.”

 

Alabama scored on its opening possession of the second half, with Barker hitting Toderick Malone for a 35-yard touchdown. A Michael Proctor field goal cut Georgia’s lead to 21-19, but Zeier threw his fourth touchdown pass to make it 28-19 heading into the fourth quarter.

 

Barker went to Malone again — this time on a 49-yarder — to pull Alabama within 28-26 with 11:04 left. And after a second straight Georgia punt, he drove the Crimson Tide into position for Proctor’s 33-yard game-winner with 1:12 left.

 

“I always felt if I had the opportunity to get into a rhythm as a quarterback, that I could get the job done,” Barker said afterward. “Tonight proved that. … I knew we could do it. I knew our offense could do it. I knew I could do it.”

 

 

Barker continued to play well throughout the season, finishing with 1,996 yards and 14 touchdowns passing with just five interceptions. Those numbers are pedestrian these days, but in 1994 were good enough to put the Alabama quarterback in the conversation for national awards.

 

Alabama finished the regular season at 11-0 before losing to Florida 24-23 in the SEC championship game. Barker won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the country’s top quarterback and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting behind Colorado’s Rashaan Salaam, Penn State teammates Ki-Jana Carter and Kerry Collins and Alcorn State’s Steve McNair.

 

Alabama ended its season with a 24-17 victory over Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl, with Barker’s 50-yard touchdown pass to Sherman Williams proving to be the deciding score. The Crimson Tide finished 12-1 and was ranked No. 5 in the final polls.

 

Barker ended his career with a 35-2-1 record as a starter, a .934 winning percentage that is first in Alabama history for any quarterback with at least 20 career starts. Only AJ McCarron won more games as the Crimson Tide’s starter, going 36-4 from 2011-13.

 

Coming Thursday: Our countdown to kickoff continues with No. 93, a man who spoke the truth, even if it sounded like trash talk.

 

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Among the hot topics this week during SEC Spring Meetings in Destin is that of an 8-game SEC schedule vs. a 9-game SEC schedule.

 

A couple of former Alabama greats chimed in this week and made their opinions very clear.

 

Two-time national champions AJ McCarron and Trent Richardson, who debuted along with The Voice of the Crimson Tide Chris Stewart on “The Dynasty” podcast, pulled no punches.

 

“Are we the best (conference) from top to bottom?” McCarron asked. “I would say yes. If you’re scheduling more games against yourself, it ends up hurting you more than it helps you.”

 

The quarterback pointed out the downsize far outweighs the positives.

 

“You get fired at a big SEC school because you don’t win a national championship,” he added. “You add this ninth in-conference game. You lose that game when you should’ve won that game. Now, it knocks you out of the seeding for the playoffs.

 

“Does that hurt your conference or help your conference?”

 

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was among those asked about the scheduling debate this week. DeBoer said he was “to open for whatever.”

 

McCarron and Richardson were a little assertive.

 

“It’s about the game,” Richardson said. “Why do we put these kids out there to destroy each other when we want to have another bid in the playoff?”

 

The former running back took a step further by suggesting if a ninth conference game was added, the league should eliminate the SEC Championship Game.

 

Alabama is +500 over on FanDuel to win the SEC. Our guide to Alabama’s championship odds provides a deeper look at their chances to win it all, as well as their other futures bets.

 

Check out the full podcast.

 

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Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

 

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AJ McCarron’s 99-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper gave Alabama a lead in the fourth quarter of the 2013 Iron Bowl, but is now largely forgotten because the Crimson Tide lost the game on the Kick Six.

: Every day until Aug. 29, Creg Stephenson is counting down significant numbers in Alabama football history, both in the lead-up to the 2025 football season and in commemoration of the Crimson Tide’s first national championship 100 years ago. The number could be attached to a year, a uniform number or even a football-specific statistic. We hope you enjoy.

 

You’ve no doubt seen the Kick Six by now. And if you’re an Alabama fan, you probably don’t ever want to see it again.

 

The decisions that led up to that unforgettable Iron Bowl finish have been studied, dissected and relitigated many times in the last 12 years, including in this space. Thus, our topic today is not “Got a second, Nick?” or “There goes Davis!,” but the now largely forgotten play that should be remembered as among the most amazing in Crimson Tide football history.

 

Alabama had won back-to-back national championships in 2011 and 2012, and by the end of the 2013 regular season had put itself in position for an unprecedented third in a row. The Crimson Tide was 11-0 and ranked No. 1 nationally heading into its showdown with fourth-ranked Auburn (10-1) at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 30, 2013.

 

The two teams played to a 21-21 deadlock after three quarters, before a punt by Auburn’s Steven Clark pinned Alabama at its 1-yard line with 10:42 to play. The Crimson Tide then went right to the air.

 

Quarterback AJ McCarron executed a play-action fake to running back TJ Yeldon, dropped into his own end zone, then turned to throw as tight end Brian Vogler and fullback Jalston Fowler picked up a leaping Dee Ford with a double-team block.

Amari Cooper ran an out-and-up against Auburn cornerback Jonathan Mincy, breaking into the clear just before the ball arrived at the Alabama 38.

 

Cooper made the catch, then shook off a tackle by Auburn safety Jermaine Whitehead at the 41. Whitehead spun to the ground into the legs of the trailing Mincy, allowing Cooper to break into the clear.

 

The Alabama receiver jogged the rest of the way to the end zone for the touchdown, giving Alabama a 28-21 lead on what remains the longest play from scrimmage in Crimson Tide football history. McCarron raced down the field with his fist in the air, reaching Cooper to celebrate with him in the end zone.

 

Here’s video from the SEC on CBS broadcast, with Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson on the call:

 

Alabama would not score again in the game, with its final three possessions ending in a turnover on downs at the Auburn 13, a blocked 44-yard field goal and, of course, the Kick Six. Auburn tied the game on Nick Marshall’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Sammie Coates with 32 seconds remaining, then a short time later perfectly executed Chris Davis’ 100-plus-yard return of Adam Griffith’s missed 57-yard field goal for the most improbable finish in Iron Bowl history.

McCarron to Cooper is the only 90-plus-yard touchdown from scrimmage in Iron Bowl history, with Joe Cribbs’ 87-yard scoring run in 1977 the next-longest. In fact, Cooper has Alabama’s two longest Iron Bowl touchdowns on plays from scrimmage, also scoring on a 75-yard pass from Blake Sims in a 55-44 victory in 2014.

 

Had Alabama won the 2013 Iron Bowl and gone on to a third straight national championship, McCarron to Cooper would have been remembered as one of the defining plays in the program’s history. It would live forever in highlight montages and likely would have been the subject in a Daniel Moore painting.

 

Instead, the play has been swallowed up by all that happened in the 10-plus minutes of game time afterward. It’s a footnote.

 

The longest touchdown from scrimmage in Iron Bowl history has been consigned to the proverbial dustbin, along with other great-but-fleeting Crimson Tide moments.

 

It’s a list that includes Dwayne Rudd’s go-ahead interception return in the 1993 SEC championship game vs. Florida, Jalen Hurts’ 30-yard touchdown run late in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game vs. Clemson and Jaylen Waddle’s four-touchdown masterpiece in the 2019 Iron Bowl.

 

The one thing all those have in common is that Alabama lost the game. It’s a sad fact of college football — and competitive sports in general — that great performances that occur in wins have much more staying power than those that do not.

 

But AJ McCarron’s 99-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper is a marvel of execution — from the block, to the pass, to the catch, to the run. And it shouldn’t be forgotten simply because an even longer and more well-carried-out touchdown occurred several minutes later.

 

Coming Saturday: Our countdown continues with No. 98, the last Iron Bowl ever played at Legion Field.

 

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The No. 1 player in the state of Alabama, Anthony “Tank” Jones, has his official visits set for the summer.

 

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer leads his team onto the field before the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer leads his team onto the field before the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

It’s going to be a big summer for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama football on the recruiting trail. The Crimson Tide has set up a plethora of official visits for some of the top prospects across the country.

 

On Wednesday, it was officially announced that they had added another major prospect to the schedule for summer official visits. 5-star DE Anthony Jones, the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama per On3, set the dates for his five official visits. DeBoer and the Crimson Tide will get the final word with the last of his five visits:

 

Jones is a native of Mobile and is listed at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds. He could project as either a Bandit or Wolf in Kane Wommack’s defensive system.

 

While Miami, Texas A&M, and Oregon join in-state Alabama and Auburn among the teams getting official visits from the 5-star, most recruiting experts believe his recruitment will ultimately be an in-state battle between the Tide and Tigers.

 

Alabama is trending for a big in-state class in 2026

A lot of fans complained about Alabama’s highly ranked 2025 recruiting class because the Tide only signed two in-state prospects. It’s true that Hugh Freeze and Auburn dominated the in-state recruiting in the 2025 cycle, though Alabama still signed a better overall class.

 

DeBoer is determined not to allow that to happen again. As things currently stand, Alabama is in a good position to sign the top three players in the state for the 2026 cycle: WR Cederian Morgan, RB Ezavier Crowell, and Jones.

 

According to On3’s RPM (Recruiting Prediction Machine), Alabama holds a significant lead for both Morgan and Crowell. They sit practically neck-and-neck with Auburn for Jones.

 

Alabama already holds a commitment from On3’s 5th-best player in the state, CB Zyan Gibson from Gadsden.

 

Auburn is the biggest threat in Jones’s recruitment. He’ll visit the Tigers this weekend and Freeze will undoubtedly make a strong sell of his program to Jones. If he leaves the Plains uncommitted, then the Crimson Tide will have a big opportunity to get the final word in his recruitment with his last official visit in June.

 

Alabama football is joined by two other teams in the SEC’s “elite” tier for 2025.

 

 

We’re three and a half months away from kickoff to the 2025 college football season. With spring practice officially over across the country and rosters mostly settled for next season, with the majority of the movement in the Transfer Portal finished, we’ve begun examining the landscape and previewing the season.

 

We broke the SEC into four tiers. First, there was the “no chance” tier. The tier of teams that have no shot of winning the league or making the College Football Playoff this year. The bottom feeders, if you will.

 

After that, we took a look at the next tier, featuring teams that probably won’t win the league. However, that tier of teams is volatile enough to finish near the top of the league or completely bottom out

 

The third tier was a group of legitimate contenders, albeit a step below the three elite teams in the SEC. These are teams that could legitimately win the league and/or make the College Football Playoff.

 

And now we have finally arrived at the crème de la crème. The best of the best. The elite tier, made up of only three teams.

 

These three teams aren’t just legitimate playoff contenders. They are National Championship favorites. Anything short of a playoff berth would be a disappointment.

 

These three teams are the best of the best in the SEC in 2025

Alabama Crimson Tide

HOMER!!!!

 

There. I said it for you. Feel better? Let’s move on.

 

Top to bottom, Alabama has as good a roster as any team in college football. They have quality running backs, elite receivers, and what should be a pretty good offensive line. Defensively, they return a lot of talent from a unit that finished 10th in the country in yards-per-play against a year ago.

 

If Ty Simpson – or Keelon Russell/Austin Mack – can provide above-average QB play for Alabama, this team can win the whole thing. They have everything else in place.

 

Kalen DeBoer navigated the spring Transfer Portal window without losing a single player. The buy-in is there in Tuscaloosa this season. The roster has been flipped to a DeBoer roster instead of a Saban one. He has his coaching staff in place.

 

Texas Longhorns

Texas is deep and talented everywhere, and they should have a higher ceiling at QB in 2025 with Arch Manning taking over for Quinn Ewers. Manning showed flashes last season in a couple of starts with Ewers hurt. He should take another step forward in his third season in Austin and under Steve Sarkisian’s tutelage.

 

Texas made the playoff last season and played Ohio State tight in the semifinals. They’ve been close a couple of times under Sark. It feels like only a matter of time before they eventually break through and win the whole thing.

 

Georgia Bulldogs

Josh Pate stirred up plenty of controversy on social media on Monday when he revealed a Top 20 that had Georgia ranked No. 11, the 6th best SEC team in Pate’s rankings.

 

I think there’s genuine reason for skepticism in Athens. I’m not sure they’ll be good at QB with Gunner Stockton to be a legitimate National Championship threat. But Kirby Smart, more than any active head coach, has earned the benefit of the doubt.

 

Georgia is the defending SEC champs. They are in the elite tier until proven otherwise. Maybe it happens. Maybe it doesn’t. Nobody will be surprised to see the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff again in 2025 and competing for the national title.

When Mark Pope recruited Mo Dioubate through the transfer portal, he didn’t have to conduct extensive scouting. In the Crimson Tide’s victory in the SEC Tournament, the former Alabama forward scored 13 points and held Otega Oweh to just two points when the Cats visited Tuscaloosa last season. In his interview with Jon Rothstein on Wednesday, Pope even went so far as to liken Dioubate’s defensive prowess to that of NBA All-Star Draymond Green.

Regarding Dioubate, Pope remarked, “He punished us.” It wasn’t a good time for us because, man, he punished us three games in a row this season. I hate to say it. On low volume, he shot the ball at an absurd clip. Although he only shoots 46% of three-pointers, he is obviously an excellent defender from one to five, which is where he was most dangerous. I have a strong defensive Draymond Green vibe.

When it comes to pick and roll ball handling, this young man’s ball screen-derived offense is in the top 2% of the nation despite having fewer than 20 possessions. His capacity to make decisions is frightening; while it makes me happy as a coach, the opponent finds it intimidating.

Dioubate shot 61.7 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from three-point range (12-26 overall), and 60.9 percent from the free-throw line in his second season at Alabama, averaging 7.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Last season, the 6’7″ and 215-pound forward recorded 42 assists, a statistic that Pope’s system is probably going to increase. Pope stated in the press release announcing the inclusion that he sees Dioubate as a starting point.

Pope told Rothstein, “He’s a guy who can really stir the drink for us.” “He is specifically designed for what we do because of the way we flip the game and our bigs are responsible for making offensive decisions. After that, he just rams his large shoulders through your chest. He has exceptional physicality for both defense and attack. He is a gamer, then.