Category: Alabama crimson Tide

 

Referee Steve Marlowe, shown here during the Penn State-Boise State Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31, also worked the CFP national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame on Monday night. He is a Sylacauga native and University of Alabama graduate.

 

The officiating crew for Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship game had a definite Alabama flavor.

 

Four members of the SEC crew that worked the Ohio State vs. Notre Dame game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta have ties to the state of Alabama. Two of them even played football for the Crimson Tide.

 

Head referee Steve Marlowe is a Sylacauga native and an Alabama graduate. He is the “white hat” official in the CFP title game for the first time, having served in the same role during the SEC championship game on Dec. 7 and the Penn State-Boise State quarterfinal game in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

 

Umpire Brent Sowell played on the offensive line at Alabama from 1982-85 under coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Ray Perkins. A Florida native, Sowell spent three seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

Field judge Phillip Davenport is a lifelong resident of Jasper. He is a graduate of Wallace State Community College.

 

Former Alabama quarterback David Smith is serving as the alternate official, which means he won’t see the field unless one of the other officials is injured or becomes ill. Smith was the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback in 1987 and 1988 under coach Bill Curry.

 

 

 

Simpson will be a redshirt junior next season for the Crimson Tide. He is currently the most experienced quarterback on the Crimson Tide’s roster as the former five-star has served as the Tide’s primary back up in back-to-back seasons.

 

The Tennessee product saw action in six games while playing behind Jalen Milroe in 2024. He threw for 167 yards on 14 completions to go along with 44 rushing yards and a score.

 

Simpson’s most meaningful snaps during his time at Alabama came against USF during the 2023 season. He took over at quarterback after Tyler Buchner got off to an undesirable start, and Simpson led Alabama to a win over the Bulls, completing five passes for 73 yards and running in a score.

 

The quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa will garner a lot of attention in the coming months.

 

This article first appeared on Touchdown Alabama Magazine and was syndicated with permission.

 

 

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian’s ‘significant raise’ should shut…

 

Marcus Freeman breaks silence on NFL interest amid Notre Dame…

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman is attracting interest from NFL teams, and he offered a public response to that interest on Saturday.

Freeman has been linked to the Chicago Bears head-coaching position, but brushed that interest aside when asked about it at his press conference Saturday. He said the interest has been “humbling,” but he has paid no attention to it. “The reality is that with team success comes individual recognition,” Freeman said.

“To hear that the Bears have interest, it’s humbling. It’s the NFL. But it’s also a reminder that with team success comes individual success. “I have put zero thought into coaching in the NFL. All my attention has just been getting this team prepared for the opportunity in front of us.” The Bears have not yet interviewed Freeman, but reports suggest they would like to.

They may get that chance after Monday’s national title game, as this is not a flat rejection from the Notre Dame coach. Freeman is 33-9 in three-plus seasons at Notre Dame. He played linebacker for the Bears in 2009, so he does have some preexisting ties to the franchise.

 

 

 

Thatcher Demko no longer wants to play for Canucks according to…

A former NHL head coach says that Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko doesn’t want to play in Vancouver.

The Canucks are a team filled with drama right now, from the trade rumors swirling about J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, the contract status of Brock Boeser and now, Demko wants out? Demko has had a rough last 10 months from a pair of knee injuries, to a slow recovery process and not making his 2024-25 season debut until Dec. 10 against the St.

Louis Blues. The 29-year-old is coming off the best season of his career in 2023-24 where he was a runner-up to Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck for the Vezina Trophy and while there’s still plenty of time to rebound this season, is it possible we see Demko moved by the Canucks? One former NHL head coach shared some interesting comments on Demko and his future with the Canucks.

Doug MacLean says that Thatcher Demko doesn’t want to play in Vancouver Former Florida Panthers and Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Doug MacLean was a guest on Real Kyper and Bourne on Friday where he made some eye-opening comments on the Canucks’ star goaltender.

Firstly, MacLean said that Thatcher Demko isn’t too excited to be between the pipes right now and followed that up by adding that he’s heard the Canucks’ netminder doesn’t want to play in Vancouver (around the 10:00 mark). “I hear that [Demko] is not that excited to get into the net right now.” MacLean said.

He added, “I’m even hearing Demko doesn’t want to play [in Vancouver].” Demko has spent his entire NHL career with the Canucks and is an important piece of the team’s core and while it’s unclear whether or not MacLean is telling the truth, losing him would be a massive blow to the organization. The San Diego native is currently fourth all-time in wins in franchise history with 118 and seventh all-time with eight shutouts, five of which came during his career-year in 2023-24.

We’ll have to wait to see if there’s any fire to this smoke or if another NHL insider will come along and squash this rumor, but it would be safe to assume the latter.

 

Report: Bears candidate Ben Johnson makes interesting agency…

 

Details of a Failed Trade Emerge Between Rangers and Canucks:…

The Canucks and Rangers almost had a deal on Saturday, and now, two major pieces that were almost involved have officially been revealed. On Saturday, a deal came excruciatingly close between the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Rangers involving star forward J.T. Miller, but ultimately nothing came of it despite the report being confirmed by Elliotte Friedman.

While that doesn’t mean the deal is dead completely, the terms could be changing, with Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggesting that either AlexisLafreniere or Braden Schneider would be candidates to head to Vancouver in the deal. It’s not yet been confirmed why these deals fell apart, as we don’t know the entire parameters of the trade as of yet, but if Vancouver could land either young star, they’d be very happy moving forward.

We’ve heard in recent times that Schneider became a deal breaker for New York, but with the team pushing hard to land Miller as an answer down the middle, they’ve finally decided that he may be the perfect piece to get Miller.

The most shocking name involved however was Alexis Lafreniere, as he finally started putting the pieces together last year as the former No. 1 overall pick, but with a down season in 2024/25, there’s a chance they could move him to turn around the drama surrounding their own team.

Unsurprisingly, this is a move that would infuriate Rangers fans, as they believe in Lafreniere’s long-term potential, and after signing him to a long-term deal, it doesn’t make sense to then move him.

However, for Vancouver, it would be an absolute steal, and if they can unload their problematic forward for a former No. 1 overall pick, they’ll be hoping that any deal involving No. 13 is somehow still on the table.

 

Ex-Alabama star shares strong sentiment on college football having super teams like Nick Saban-era Crimson Tide image

For the second straight year, the College Football Championship Game will not feature a team from the SEC as Ohio State takes on Notre Dame. After a dominant stretch of representation in the big game from 2016 to 2023, the SEC has been outshined by the growing parity of college football in back-to-back playoffs.

 

Despite a fresh change in scenery for the landscape of the sport, many college football fans have fond memories of rooting for – or against – the SEC super teams of the past decade. CFB juggernauts like Alabama and Georgia offered a polarizing product for fans across the country to tune into week in and week out.

 

At the 11th Annual Allstate Party at the Playoff on January 18, ex-Alabama star and college football analyst Greg McElroy spoke with me about the underrated value of CFB super teams ahead of the championship game.

 

“I do think that parity is valuable as long as we acknowledge having the ‘Death Star,’ if you will, is still of importance,” McElroy said. “We need that polarizing program that everyone loves or everyone hates, but you better feel something about that team that’s at the end of that run.

 

“As an Alabama guy, there are a lot of people that support Alabama but there are also a lot of people that really like to see Alabama lose. And I think that is valuable for the long run with where we’re at as a sport.”

 

McElroy’s proposed “Death Star” squad existed in the form of Nick Saban’s Bama teams that won six national championships in eleven years from 2010 to 2020. McElroy played quarterback for the Crimson Tide for four seasons, leading the 2009-10 Alabama team to an undefeated record and a national championship in his first season as a starter.

 

Although McElroy believes in the upside of having super teams in the sport, he also recognizes the beauty of how a team like Notre Dame has risen above the talent-heavy SEC and grinded its way to a championship opportunity.

 

“We just want the teams that are the most consistent to win the championship,” McElroy told me. “I think this system kind of rewards consistency, and we should celebrate that … I don’t think Notre Dame has the most talent right now, but they might be the best team. And that, I think, is celebrated by pretty much everyone that follows the sport.”

On Saturday, D.J. Dale, a former defensive lineman for Alabama, signed a contract with the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League. The Buffalo Bills practice squad included Dale most recently in 2023.

From 2019 to 2022, Dale was a player at Alabama.

He participated in 48 Crimson Tide games. Dale recorded 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, and 74 tackles. During his four seasons at The Capstone, the Alabama native was a vital contributor up front for Alabama.

Dale chose not to use his last year, which was a COVID year, after his senior season ended.

He joined with the Bills as an undrafted free agent after going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Before being waived, Dale was with the Bills organization for around three months.

He will now try to pursue a career in a different league as a professional. Observing Dale’s performance with his new crew will be fascinating.

He might use this as a chance to establish himself and eventually make a comeback to the NFL.

The Alabama Crimson Tide wrapped up the 2024 college football season with a 9-4 record and a 5-3 mark in SEC play. While this was a letdown compared to Alabama’s usual standards, head coach Kalen DeBoer discovered a standout talent in freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams. Williams quickly became one of the most exciting players in the country, playing a pivotal role in Alabama’s offense alongside quarterback Jalen Milroe. After the season, Williams revealed that he had signed an exclusive NIL deal with Hollister, expanding his growing portfolio. The 17-year-old currently holds a $2.3 million NIL valuation, according to On3Sports. “we coolin,” Williams said in response to the post. Check out the original article to view embedded media. In addition to his deal with Hollister, Williams has secured NIL agreements with Uber Eats, Rising Tide Youth Football Camps, and EA Sports. His contract with Hollister is his latest since signing with Uber Eats on Oct. 29. Williams initially committed to Alabama as the No. 3 wide receiver and No. 4 overall player in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports. Hailing from Alabama, he reclassified from the 2025 class to 2024 after receiving significant attention from the Crimson Tide as a junior. In his freshman year at Alabama, Williams posted eight touchdowns, 865 yards, and 48 receptions.
Related: Alabama Makes Coaching Move After Disappointing Season Related: Average GPA of Texas Players Under Steve Sarkisian Turns Heads.

 

Justin Okoronkwo, a former Alabama linebacker, left the Crimson Tide after the 2024 season and transferred to a Southeastern Conference rival, South Carolina, which will appear on Alabama’s 2025 schedule. Okoronkwo shared the reasons for his decision in a recent interview.

He played only one season in Tuscaloosa after joining the program as part of the latest recruiting class. As a high school prospect, he was regarded as the top recruit from Europe.

Originally from Germany, Okoronkwo’s football journey is still in its early stages. He grew up participating in gymnastics and soccer before focusing on football in recent years, which quickly attracted the attention of U.S. colleges. He ultimately chose Alabama to play under Nick Saban. However, Saban left just weeks after his arrival, and Okoronkwo chose to stick with the program for his freshman year.

During his time at Alabama, Okoronkwo appeared in 12 games as a backup and special teams player, recording 13 tackles. After his first year, he decided to transfer in search of more playing time. He spoke with The State Newspaper about his decision.

“I felt like the starting spots were already set, and it’s hard to compete — especially at a place like Bama — with guys who have more experience than you.”

Veteran linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson have confirmed they’ll return for another season, and Alabama also added Colorado transfer Nikhai Hill-Green. Okoronkwo is expected to have more playing time at South Carolina, which needs to replace two starting linebackers in the 2025 season. However, his comment seemed to suggest that he was avoiding competition rather than challenging himself to earn a role.

The transfer portal has provided college football players with more freedom to seek opportunities when unhappy with their situation. While this can be beneficial in many cases, it also reflects a shift away from developing on the sidelines and working toward a starting role.

 

Would you like to play football for Alabama? Students at UA have an opportunity thanks to the Crimson Tide.

Alabama declared on Wednesday that walk-on tryouts would take place at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on the UA campus on January 21. Potential walk-ons “must be a full-time student at the University of Alabama” enrolled in at least 12 hours during the spring semester, the football team explained.

Alabama’s 2025 A Game plans have not yet been revealed. April 13 was the date of the 2024 game.

Alabama will kick off its 2025 season Aug. 30 at Florida State.

Justin Okoronkwo was one of the more promising freshman players for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2024.

Despite receiving little playing time as a linebacker, Alabama’s coaching staff spoke positively about the Germany product throughout the season.

He also flashed in Alabama’s last spring game when he led all defenders in tackles with 11.

Lawson and Jefferson have made the decision to return to the Tide for the upcoming season rather than play in the NFL. Okoronkwo left as a result of this and eventually joined the South Carolina Gamecocks.

In an interview with Dan Kaye of The State Newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, Okoronkwo disclosed one of the primary factors that drove him to leave Alabama football.

The Tide had seasoned linebackers Justin Jefferson, Jihaad Campbell, and Deontae Lawson ahead of the gifted rookie, which was unfortunate for him.

“I felt like the starting spots were already gone,” Okoronkwo said, “and, I mean, it’s hard to compete — especially at a place like Bama — with guys who are more experienced than you.”

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This year, Alabama football failed to make the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff in its inaugural season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. Despite finishing with a 9-4 record, many felt that DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide fell short of expectations following Nick Saban’s legendary 17-year tenure. Under Saban, Alabama dominated, with the coach set to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

Saban’s impact on Alabama football and college football in general is monumental, having led the Crimson Tide to six national titles and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in sports history. As Saban prepares for his Hall of Fame induction, Alabama fans took time to celebrate the coach for his historic accomplishments.

Nick Saban Honored By Alabama Football Fans
Alabama football, Nick Saban
N. Saban appears on the ESPN College Gameday set prior to the NCAA football game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., on Saturday, Nov 2, 2024. (Official football page for the University)
According to Alabama Football on Twitter:

A Legacy of Excellence: Congratulations, Coach Nick Saban, on your induction into the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame! #RollTide

This month, long-time Alabama football head coach Nick Saban earned his place in the College Football Hall of Fame. He will be joined by Virginia Tech’s Mike Vick, Ohio State’s Urban Meyer, Wisconsin’s Montee Ball, and West Virginia’s Steve Slaton, among others. Meyer and Saban are also accompanied by head coaches Larry Korver (Northwestern College) and Larry Blakeney (Troy).

Saban began his head coaching career with a 9-2 record at Toledo in 1990, before rising to fame with LSU from 2000 to 2004, where he won a national title. He then coached the Miami Dolphins in the NFL before returning to college football in 2007. Over 17 years at Alabama, he transformed the program into an elite powerhouse, compiling a 206-29 record, producing four Heisman Trophy winners, and winning six national championships. Fans congratulated Saban on his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame this Wednesday.

 

 

 

A former NFL and University of Alabama football player has been arrested and charged following a domestic violence incident that occured in December.

 

Marcell Darius(Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)

On December 30, Hoover Police were called to the Lake Cyrus neighborhood by a woman who said she had been abused by her boyfriend, 34-year-old Marcell Dareus.

 

According to the victim, an argument escalated during which Dareus shoved her to the ground and used a metal object to damage her car. Dareus left the scene before the police arrived.

 

Following an investigation, police issued charges of domestic violence 2nd degree and domestic violence 3rd degree.

 

Dareus turned himself in to the Jefferson County Jail on Monday and has been released on a $36,000 total bond.

 

According to court records, the victim has been granted a protection order against Dareus.

 

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