Damon Payne officially announced a commitment to Michigan on Wednesday ahead of Alabama football taking on the Wolverines in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
The former Tide defensive lineman played at Alabama from 2022 to 2024. He played 288 snaps under Alabama’s defensive coordinator Kane Wommack this season, per Pro Football Focus.
Payne is expected to know quite a bit about Alabama’s defense. Is Alabama worried about Payne giving away Tide secrets to Michigan?
“This is the world we live in right now, transfer portal, signals and all that other stuff,” Wommack said when asked about the possibility in Wednesday. “You gotta figure those things out. We are aware of all dynamics in terms of what puts us in the best position to win the game. So, there is certain things that we’ll have to do and adjust to make sure we don’t get got.”
Alabama will take on Michigan on New Years Eve for the bowl game.
This article first appeared on Touchdown Alabama Magazine and was syndicated with permission.
More must-reads:
The wait is almost over with the 12-team College Football Playoff kicking off this weekend. This is the inaugural year for the format expansion from four to 12 teams, now granting automatic berths to the five highest-ranked conference champions. One of the most highly anticipated games this weekend features the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2), coached by Ryan Day, facing off against the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers (10-2), directed by Josh Heupel. This matchup will take place at Ohio State.
On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum stated that he considers this game the best of the weekend, and its primetime slot on Saturday confirms this. “Of the four games, and I don’t want to be dismissive, that’s by far the best game,” Finebaum said. “That’s the most important game.” According to ESPN Bet Sportsbook, the Buckeyes are a 7.5-point favorite over the Volunteers. The game will feature two of the best defenses in the country: Ohio State ranks No. 1 in total defense, and Tennessee ranks No. 4. The key to the game might be the Buckeyes’ No. 7 run defense against the Volunteers’ No. 9 run offense.
Tennessee’s offense is spearheaded by Dylan Sampson, who rushed for 1,485 yards and scored 22 touchdowns, earning him All-America recognition from various sources. The Buckeyes’ defense is anchored by Cody Simon, who wrapped up the season with 74 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and five sacks, ranking second on the team. Finebaum believes this is the weekend’s biggest game, and the hope is it will meet expectations at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday on ABC.
The Toronto Blue Jays are in need of an outfielder that can hit and they might have a solution in Spencer Steer, who has been put on the trade block by the Cincinnati Reds. The Blue Jays are still without an outfielder to pair with George Springer and Daulton Varsho for 2025 while also still looking for a quality hitter to add to their lineup, which is why Steer could be a great option.
Blue Jays might be interested in Spencer Steer as the Reds put him on the trade block According to MLB reporter Jack Azoulay-Haron, the Reds have made it known that they are listening to offers on Steer with multiple teams interested but none specifically named so far. Steer would be a great addition for the Blue Jays as he is coming off a great season offensively with 20 home runs, 92 RBI, a .225 batting average and .319 on base percentage in only his third season in MLB. This would be a great addition for the Blue Jays offense but also for their defense as they are still in need of an outfielder. If they do not bring one in, they will start the season with Joey Loperfido.
The young Reds outfielder would be a great addition for next season but also for the Blue Jays’ future. He is still young, while Springer is on the back end of his career, and it would give them a solid young duo in Varsho and Steer. While the Blue Jays are nowhere near getting a deal done for Steer, this could definitely be a great option for the organization’s future. Hopefully, Ross Atkins brings in an outfielder even if it isn’t Steer because Loperfido does not seem ready to be an everyday player in the majors just yet.
Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union don’t spend much on each other at Christmas. The 42-year-old former NBA player has been married to “Bring It On” star Gabrielle, 52, since 2014 and has learned in that time that the best sort of present is “not about the price tag” or going to extremes. He told E! News: “Gab and I have learned it’s not about the price tag or going over the top with gifts. It’s about making it meaningful, something that speaks to who we are as a couple. “We try to focus on experiences.
It’s about creating memories, not just unwrapping a box. At the end of the day, it’s the thought and love behind the gift that counts. That’s how we keep it special every year.” Dwyane — who has Kaavia, six, with Gabrielle and Xavier, 11, from his relationship with Aja Metoyer as well as Zaya, 17, and Zair, 22, with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches — just likes to embrace this time of year, especially following his retirement in 2019. He said: “There’s just something special about having everyone together under one roof, especially after a long, crazy year. I spend so much time traveling during the year even after retiring, so when the holidays roll around, it’s like a timeout from everything.
” But, other than Christmas, Dwyane — who was awarded full custody of his nephew Dahveon, 21, in 2011 — noted that he and his family love the November holiday of Thanksgiving and he “looks forward” to seeing all of his loved ones in the same room. He said: “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and each year we host at my house. I look forward to seeing all of my close family and friends in one room and the amazing conversations we have each year.”
The Buffalo Sabres have lost their last 10 games, and now their owner is paying them a visit, which according to Elliotte Friedman could mean big changes. After a promising start to the 2024/25 campaign, one which the Buffalo Sabres hoped would end their NHL record playoff drought, the team are now 3-7-0 in their last 10 games, and changes could be on the way. This week, rumours have surfaced that Terry Pegula, the owner of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres is headed to Montreal, where the Sabres will play on Tuesday night, and given his status, it’s safe to say that’s not a good thing for some involved in the organization.
While Elliotte Friedman couldn’t confirm that big changes are coming, he offered these comments on the situation, revealing that a shakeup in the organization is one of two options for this visit. I think in Buffalo there’s a rumor going around that Terry Pegula, the owner who was at the owners meetings in the NFL last week with the Buffalo Bills, may be going to Montreal to meet the team on Monday. And that means to me one of two things, either Kyle, he’s making changes, or he’s saying that this is the group and this is who we’re going with. I mean, it’s possible there’s other options, but I wouldn’t know what they are, so I think it’s one or the other.
I’ve been around long enough to know that in these organizations when you sense the change is coming or you’re waiting for change to come, they can Splinter apart. People aren’t rowing in the same direction. At this point in time, it’s hard to predict what changes this team could make to turn things around, with Kevyn Adams, the team’s General Manager recently addressing the stigma that has surrounded Buffalo for a long, long time in the NHL.
We don’t have palm trees. We have taxes in New York. Those are real, and those are things you deal with. There’s a lot of players in this league that we’re on their (no-trade) list. So we need to earn the respect and it starts with getting over the hump, getting in the playoffs, competing. Ultimately, something has to change in Buffalo for them to finally end this decade long rebuild, and whether or not those changes occur as a result of Pegula’s visit, only time will tell.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
