Category: Alabama crimson Tide

 

 

 

The Alabama quarterback declared for the 2025 draft on Thursday after four seasons in Tuscaloosa.

 

“To my teammates, my brothers, thank you for the blood, sweat, and tears we’ve shared,” Milroe wrote on social media. “The bonds we’ve built will last a lifetime. To Coach [Nick] Saban, thank you for believing in me and instilling the standard of excellence in me. To Coach [Kalen] DeBoer, thank you for challenging me and helping me grow into the player and leader I am today.

 

 

 

“To the entire Alabama family, thank you for embracing a kid from Texas and allowing me the honor of wearing the script ‘A’. Representing this university has been one of the greatest honors of my life.”

 

Milroe, 22, has been the Crimson Tide’s starting signal-caller the past two seasons, going 20-6.

 

Jalen Milroe #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks on before the game against the Michigan Wolverines during the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on December 31, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

Jalen Milroe of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks on before the game against the Michigan Wolverines during the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on December 31, 2024, in Tampa, Florida.

This season, Milroe and Co. fell just short of the expanded playoff, going 9-3 during the regular season before again ending their season with a loss to Michigan, this time in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

 

During his four years at Alabama, Milroe threw for 6,016 yards with 45 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.

 

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) celebrates after defeating the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) celebrates after defeating the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

 

 

Milroe also proved to be a massive threat on the ground, running for 1,577 yards and 33 touchdowns, 20 of which came this season.

 

He is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board in April after a strong tenure in Alabama.

 

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Milroe as the third-best quarterback on his Big Board behind Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward.

 

 

CBS Sports ranks Milroe as the 32nd-best prospect in next year’s class, putting him on the board of being a first- or second-round pick.

 

Milroe’s decision comes less than a week after Georgia rival Carson Beck announced his decision to enter the draft.

 

 

Ryan Williams wrapped up his freshman season with Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday with a disappointing 19-13 loss to the Michigan Wolverines at the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida.

 

The loss came as a surprise, especially since Coach DeBoer’s Tide was heavily favored by at least two touchdowns in some predictions, and the Wolverines were missing key players like Colston Loveland, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, and Mason Graham.

 

Footage later emerged showing a visibly frustrated Williams glaring at Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe after a missed connection on a pass. A high throw, just out of his reach, seemed to be the moment that upset Williams as the Tide struggled in Tampa.

 

Williams recorded only three catches for eight yards, as Michigan’s defense, led by Jyaire Hill, shut him down. The Wolverines’ young secondary, under defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, successfully neutralized Alabama’s star receiver.

 

After the game, Williams took to social media to express his loyalty, writing “til the day I die,” signaling his commitment to remain with Coach DeBoer’s team despite the tough loss, and suggesting he will continue with Alabama after the 2024 season, which many believed should have earned a College Football Playof

f spot.

 

 

Nick Saban enjoys watching Oregon WR Tez Johnson play. However, it seems the former Alabama head coach would have much rather watched him play in crimson and white than green and gold.

 

Johnson, a Birmingham native, was not recruited by the Crimson Tide. He ended up going to Troy for 3 years before transferring to Oregon ahead of the 2023 season. Now he’s become Dillon Gabriel’s go-to guy and helped lead the Ducks to an undefeated record.

 

Ahead of the Ducks’ Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal clash against Ohio State on Saturday evening, Saban joked about Johnson not catching Alabama’s eye:

 

“What I’m sitting here thinking about is Tez Johnson’s in Birmingham, 45 minutes away from Alabama. We didn’t recruit the guy. Who was recruiting Birmingham? And I should have fired their ass,” Nick Saban quipped, drawing laughter from the rest of the College GameDay crew.

 

Johnson recorded 78 catches for 866 yards and 10 touchdowns this year — all team highs for Oregon. All of those numbers would have led Alabama in 2024, too, just for the record. Freshman Ryan Williams posted 865 receiving yards for the Tide on only 48 catches.

 

It’s safe to say Dan Lanning and the Ducks are happy Johnson made his way out to the west coast.

 

 

After Alabama’s loss to Michigan, former Alabama linebacker Joshua McMillon responded to those criticizing Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe on X.

McMillon shared the following statement on X:

Milroe delivered what was arguably one of his weakest performances of his Alabama career during the ReliaQuest Bowl on Tuesday. He completed 16 of 32 passes for 192 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Additionally, Milroe had two fumbles.

It will be intriguing to see what Milroe decides about his future. This could have been his final game as an Alabama player. Still, McMillon defended the quarterback and made it clear where he stood on the criticism of Milroe.

 

 

The Wolverines ended 2024 the same way they started the year — taking down Alabama that came down to to the end of the game o a defensive stand on fourth down. Michigan defeated the Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl to end the season on a huge high note:

 

Von Lozon is the Site Manager for Maize n Brew, where he has covered Michigan football, basketball, recruiting and more since 2016.

For a second straight game, the Michigan Wolverines won outright as a massive underdog. After winning in Columbus last month, Michigan went to Tampa, Florida and took down the Alabama Crimson Tide, 19-13, in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines head into the offseason on a huge high note.

 

Here’s how Michigan’s last game of the 2024 season went down.

 

 

The Tide began the game with the ball and after picking up one first down, Alabama quickly faced a fourth down situation. Much like in the Rose Bowl — six times, to be exact — Jalen Milroe was sacked. Derrick Moore, who recently announced he is returning to Michigan next season, was the one who got to Milroe to force the turnover on downs.

 

After two runs by freshman Jordan Marshall, Michigan quarterback Davis Warren converted on third down by finding freshman tight end Hogan Hansen after being flushed out of the pocket by the Bama pass rush. A trick play gone wrong set Michigan way behind the sticks, which eventually forced a Dominic Zvada 45-yard field goal to put the Wolverines on top. Michigan 3, Alabama 0

 

With the rain pouring in Tampa, Milroe fumbled on the first snap of Alabama’s next drive, which was recovered by Moore. After three straight run plays, Zvada nailed a 30-yard field goal to extend Michigan’s early lead. Michigan 6, Alabama 0

 

Just two plays into Alabama’s ensuing drive, Milroe made another huge mistake — throwing a pass right into the vicinity of safety Wesley Walker, who tipped it to himself for the pick.

 

On third down, Warren completed the pass to wide receiver Fred Moore for the 13-yard touchdown. Michigan 13, Alabama 0

 

Inexplicably, Milroe turned the ball over AGAIN on the very first play of the drive. Cornerback Aamir Hall forced the fumble and defensive lineman Cameron Brandt picked it up and got it down to the Alabama six yard line. Unfortunately, Michigan was only able to get down to the three yard line before converting an easy 21-yard field goal for Zvada. Michigan 16, Alabama 0

 

Bama had the ball at its own 34 facing a third-and-11 heading into the second quarter.

 

 

After a false start, the Tide only picked up one yard on a Milroe rush on third-and-16. Alabama punted, and after a drive that took up five minute of game time, Michigan punted it right back to the Tide. Hudson Hollenbeck — who is now Michigan’s starting punter with Tommy Doman in the portal — booted it 40 yards down to Alabama’s 16 yard line.

 

After the Tide picked up a first down, Moore got to Milroe for his second sack of the game, marking his first multi-sack game of his career. That set Bama behind the sticks and eventually forced a punt on fourth-and-18.

 

Michigan went three-and-out and immediately gave up its first big play of the day on defense, with Rico Scott picking up 28 yards on the carry. Just a few plays later, Milroe tossed a 25-yard touchdown to tight end Robbie Ouzts. The drive only lasted 4:06 of game time. Michigan 16, Alabama 7

 

After milking the clock to 58 seconds left, Hollenbeck had a great punt and got it all the way down to the Alabama four yard line. On third-and-one — after Michigan elected to take a timeout — Milroe ran 41 yards all the way to the Michigan 46 with 28 seconds left. Milroe then threw a 40-yard pass to Jermie Bernard to get to the Michigan six. Wink Martindale’s defense stepped up in the red zone, forcing a fourth-down 24-yard field goal. Michigan 16, Alabama 10

 

 

Michigan started the second half with the ball, and after picking up a first down, Warren was sacked and was removed from the game due to the injury. Alex Orji replaced Warren and the Wolverines lost a yard on three straight rush plays after the injury. Hollenbeck’s punt went into the end zone for the touchback.

 

On Alabama’s ensuing position, Milroe was sacked once again — this one was the fourth of the game for Michigan, with safety Brandyn Hillman getting this one. That negative play helped Michigan’s defense get off the field, as Alabama was forced to punt yet again.

 

After a really nice run by Marshall that picked up a first down, Michigan shot itself in the foot with a face mask penalty by tight end Hogan Hansen. That eventually led to a fourth-and-15 punt by Hollenbeck.

 

Michigan’s defense stepped up once again, sacking Milroe on third down to give Michigan’s offense another shot to extend the lead. Unfortunately, Orji threw a third-down interception to set up Alabama with great field position and all the momentum.

 

 

Alabama wasn’t able to do anything with that field position, as the Tide were unable to convert on fourth-and-seven at the Michigan 34. Marshall took a handoff 24 yards to the Bama 40 yard line, and Orji used his legs to get another 10 yards. Michigan ended up settling for a 37-yard field goal by Zvada to get a two-possession lead. Michigan 19, Alabama 10

 

With Alabama down two possessions and in desperate need of some points, the Tide got just that. They quickly got within field goal range — in large part thanks to a gift from the refs in the form of a roughing the passer on Jaishawn Barham — and converted a 51-yarder. Michigan 19, Alabama 13

 

Being conservative, the Wolverines ran the clock down as much as possible, getting it all the way down to 2:34 before punting. Ryan Williams returned a booming punt 38 yards to the Tide 44 yard line.

 

But like it has all game long, the Michigan defense rose to the occasion. After getting all the way down to the 15 yard line, the Wolverines forced four straight Milroe incompletions to take down the Tide.

 

 

DE Derrick Moore: Four tackles, two tackles for loss, two sacks, one fumble recovery

CB Aamir Hall: Nine tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack, one pass breakup, one forced fumble

Alabama Stat Leaders

 

And with that, the long offseason begins. We won’t see Michigan football again until the spring game (TBD day/time), and then in Week 1 of the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 against New Mexico State at the Big House.

 

Kalen DeBoer and Alabama will look to end the 2024 season on a positive note as the Crimson Tide takes on the Michigan Wolverines in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

 

While there are many fans at Alabama frustrated and disappointed that the Crimson Tide aren’t in the College Football Playoff competing for a national championship. However, with a win against Michigan, the Crimson Tide would get their 10th win of the season, and that is something DeBoer said is motivating for the team.

 

“It is something that is really important to the guys, there is no question,” DeBoer said. “They want to keep the streak alive with 10 win season. The most important game is the next one, just like the next play is the most important one. That’s where we are focused, but there is a piece to the tradition. You don’t do it to put added pressure on yourself. You just make the game what it is, it is the most important game because it is the one in front of us.”

 

The Crimson Tide enter this game with 16 consecutive seasons of at least 10 wins, and would take that to 17 seasons if they can win on Tuesday.

 

 

Miles College head coach Sam Shade has been appointed as Alabama A&M’s next head coach, according to a statement released by the university on Sunday evening. Shade arrives at Alabama A&M after three successful seasons with the Golden Bears, where he led the team to a 2024 SIAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

“This is a new and exciting time to bring Coach Sam Shade to the Hill,” said Alabama A&M athletics director Paul A. Bryant in the statement. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and proven success to a program that’s ready to thrive. His extensive resources in the state and strong relationships with his players made him the perfect candidate for Alabama A&M University.”

Shade is a program builder who revitalized Miles College in just one season, transforming the team into one of the top Division II programs in the nation. He was hired in January 2022 and brought with him valuable experience, including his time as a standout player at Alabama and his career in the NFL as both a player and coach. His résumé also includes notable roles at the high school and college levels, such as head coach at Pinson Valley High School and defensive backs coach at Georgia State.

Shade revitalized Miles College after a rough 1-9 season in his first year. He led the team to an impressive 7-3 record in 2023, with a signature 21-17 upset win over Alabama State. The season also included a narrow 21-20 loss to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff—just missing the chance to become the first Division II head coach to defeat two FCS teams in a single season, let alone in consecutive games.

In 2024, Miles went undefeated in conference play and boasted one of the top defenses in the nation, ranking first in scoring defense, run defense, interceptions, sacks, and forced fumbles. The Golden Bears won the SIAC Championship against Clark Atlanta University and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Although they lost 33-17 to Valdosta State, they made history by securing their first-ever playoff victory with a 14-13 defensive win over Carson-Newman.

Shade takes over from former head coach Connell Maynor, who led Alabama A&M from 2018. Maynor’s tenure was marked by steady progress, culminating in the Spring 2021 SWAC Championship and a 7-3 season behind star quarterback Aqeel Glass. However, his tenure since 2022 has been less successful, with a 15-19 record and no victories over SWAC East rivals Jackson State, Alabama State, or Florida A&M.

 

 

Even though it isn’t a high caliber College Football Playoff matchup, there’s a 16-year streak on the line for the Crimson Tide.

 

Mercer Bears wide receiver Kelin Parsons (13) is tackled by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back DaShawn Jones (7) and defensive lineman Tim Keenan III (96) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mercer Bears wide receiver Kelin Parsons (13) is tackled by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back DaShawn Jones (7) and defensive lineman Tim Keenan III (96) at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Even with a first-year head coach, there’s still a high level of expectation at Alabama. The Crimson Tide is expected to be in the College Football Playoff every year, and while that may seem like a high standard, the program appeared in eight of the first 10 CFPs.

 

So disappointment for missing out by one spot in the inaugural 12-team playoff would be natural. And there is a certain level of disappointment around the team, but with all uninjured players expected to be available to play, there are still multiple motivating factors for the Crimson Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Michigan according to defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.

 

“There’s plenty of motivations,” Wommack said after Friday’s bowl practice. “Getting to 10 wins as a team and what we’ve been able to do in the record of having that for, what, 16 straight years. The guys that were here a year ago had a bad taste in their mouth from last time they played Michigan. And then simply the pride of doing the best they can to send these seniors out the right way. And then to me, building momentum for the offseason is always critical in bowl games.”

 

Alabama has won at least 10 games every year since Nick Saban’s second season in 2008. Currently sitting at 9-3, the Crimson Tide needs a win in the ReliaQuest Bowl to extend the streak to 17 years. Alabama and Michigan last played less than a year ago in what would end up being Saban’s last game as Crimson Tide head coach when the Wolverines knocked out Alabama in the CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Most players when asked have shrugged off revenge as a motivator for Tueseay’s game, but for any player who played against the Wolverines in January, that loss will be on their minds.

 

There were over a dozen players who participated in Senior Day for the Crimson Tide before the Iron Bowl. A few of those players, like Justin Jefferson, might still come back, but there will be multiple others who will be playing their last game in a Crimson Tide uniform in the ReliaQuest Bowl because they will be declaring early for the 2025 NFL Draft (likely guys like Jalen Milroe, Tyler Booker and Jihaad Campbell.)

 

“I think there’s motivation anytime we take the field,” Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said Friday. “Certainly to send the guys out who will be playing their last game here the right way because you love and care about them and want to do right by them. So I think collectively, coaches and players, we’re motivated and driven to play well and do everything we can to win the game. The players deserve that, the coaches, the staff. All the hard work you put in and who you represent when you compete. So that’s what we’re focused on. Certainly we’re driven and motivated to do everything we can to win the game.”

 

For the players that chose to stick around instead of opting for the transfer portal or choosing to sit out, this final game means something. Energy was high on Friday as the Crimson Tide held its first practice in Tampa. In a video released by the program, redshirt junior defensive lineman Tim Keenan III was shown saying, “I love everybody on this field, so let’s work while we’re here. Let’s have some fun,” at the start of the practice session.

 

There will be a lot less on the line for the Crimson Tide this time against Michigan when the two teams take the field in Tampa on New Year’s Eve, but the game serves as a potential exclamation point for the 2024 team and a springboard into the future for the 2025 squad.

 

“This will be my 26th bowl game I’ve been apart of whether it was being a coach’s kid, a coach, a player,” Wommack said. “And they’re all great when you win, and they’re not very fun when you lose. So to me, it’s all about winning the game and building momentum for our program.”

Shane Gillis recently took a playful jab at Nick Saban during his appearance on College GameDay, and the legendary coach quickly responded to defend his reputation. A week later, it seems Saban hasn’t fully moved on from the joke, as he addressed the incident during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

College GameDay went to South Bend last Friday ahead of the College Football Playoff game between Notre Dame and Indiana, with Shane Gillis serving as the honorary guest picker. It was a fitting choice, given that Gillis is a lifelong Notre Dame fan, a former linebacker who originally committed to Army, and spent a season playing football at Elon University. It was clear that he’d bring humor to the broadcast alongside the more seasoned members of the College GameDay panel.

One of those panelists was Nick Saban, who became the target of a joke from Gillis. The comedian insinuated that other football programs, including Alabama, had been paying players before the introduction of NIL. Saban didn’t laugh it off, instead emphasizing that he knew Gillis was just trying to be funny. He then went on to explain the genuine, non-monetary factors that helped him turn Alabama into one of college football’s greatest dynasties.

Saban got another chance to revisit the moment on The Pat McAfee Show, following a clip from the new season of Gillis’ Netflix series Tires, which sparked a discussion about their earlier interaction. While it’s not entirely clear how much the joke still bothers Saban, he again noted the many legitimate reasons he was able to recruit top talent to Alabama and lightly mocked Gillis’ attempt at humor. Saban also added a bit of a mic drop, revealing that his daughter was a fan of the comedian.