Thursday, July 21, 2016

Tide Offers D'Andre Litaker; Myles Mason Still Leaning Toward The Crimson Tide; Twitter Poll Says Keep Kickoffs Like They Are; Former Crimson Tider Tony Mitchell Scores 76 Points




Tide Offers Defensive Tackle D'Andre Litaker


D'Andre Litaker
Defensive Tackle
Riverdale H.S., Murfreesboro, TN
Photo Credit: Scout.com



Defensive tackle 4-star prospect D'Andre Litaker out of Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tennessee has been offered by The University of Alabama for the class of 2018. Litaker is considered one of the Volunteer State's best defenders, standing 6' 3" and weighing in at 284 pounds.

The youngster also holds offers from Mississippi, Tennessee, LSU, Georgia, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina and Memphis. Litaker formerly had listed Tennessee at his top school, but has since backed off. He has said that he really just wants to get out and visit more schools, and to see what they are about. He said he just wants to slow the recruiting process down some.

According to Scout, Litaker is the No. 10 defensive tackle overall, No. 1 DT in Tennessee and the No. 4 DT in the south.


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Myles Mason Still Heavily-Leaning Crimson

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New Alabama Offers


Myles Mason
Photo Credit: AL.com


One of the Alabama Crimson Tide’s top recruiting prospect targets in the class of 2018 was on campus in Tuscaloosa this week. Pleasant Grove (Alabama) High School four-star athlete Myles Mason says that Alabama is still his leader and where he is most interested in playing his college football, though he has still not, as yet, made a formal verbal commitment.

Mason was invited to this Friday's Champions Cookout, and invitation-only event reserved for only the Crimson Tide's top prospects. The 6' 3", 197-pounder is confirmed for the event.

Though Mason is the nation's No. 21 safety, it is thought he could end up as a wide receiver for Alabama. He has said he has no preference as to the position he would play in college. He also plays quarterback in high school.

Mason is considered the No. 7 prospect in the state of Alabama and has said he is too busy focusing on the upcoming high school season to actually make a commitment at this time.

Other prospects receiving recent offers from the Crimson Tide are Florida tight end commit Kenmore Gamble, former Texas tight end commit Major Tennison, 2020 Woodward Academy (Atlanta, Georgia) athlete Arik Gilbert, Todd Harris out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and 2018 offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere out of Berkeley Prep in Tampa, Florida.


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Twitter Poll Says Keep Kickoffs Like They Are

In an unscientific poll yesterday, 78 percent of respondents said that they wanted to see the current kickoff/return play in college football remain as is. Talk has begun to do away with kickoffs, which has caused numerous comments in college football circles, including from Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban. Saban likes the kickoff as a part, a very traditional part, of college football. He did, however, say that he was in favor of moving up the kickoff line which would allow more kickoffs to pass through the endzone resulting in fewer returns.

Besides the 78 percent saying they wanted kickoffs to remain as a part of the college football plays, the other 22 percent went with Saban's suggestion of moving the kickoff line or at least make some sort of adjustment in the way it is currently being done. No one voted to get rid of kickoffs and returns.

The discussion on kickoffs is centered around reducing the number of concussions and head injuries. Kickoffs and returns have been called the most violent play in college football.

The story yesterday concerning doing away with kickoffs caused several comments across the Twitterverse. Here are a few of those comments:

From @cfb_poindexter:

My 'big' thought to this was if they eliminate kickoffs, they must do the same to onside kicks - which can be crucial in a game.

And in another tweet  @cfb_poindexter followed up:

I'm not mad about it, but it changes the dynamic in a comeback bid.


From @TidePride8:


Whatever reasoning stands behind this is absurd. Kicking has always been a BIG part of football! 😡



From @high_t1de:


Doing away with kickoffs would be ridiculous, and make games less exciting. Kickoff returns can be huge momentum changers.


From @RichardLeJarr3:

Football will not be the same without it, I can't imagine watching a game with out "The Kickoff" this can't happen!🏈


From @La12BamaFan:

Lets up knockoffs stay part of the game!


From The @MattRTR:


Just the other day I was thinking CF was just too damn exciting and we needed a way to dail it back a little


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Former Crimson Tider Tony Mitchell Scores 76 Points


Former Crimson Tider Tony Mitchell
Photo Credit: RollTide.com


University of Alabama basketball is making a big splash in China. Well, at least one of The Crimson Tide's former players is making the splash. Former Bama men's basketball player Tony Mitchell scored 76 points in Hebi Xianglan's 159-123 win over Beijing yesterday in China's National Basketball League.

Mitchell hit on 19-of 23 two-point shots, 8-of-24 three-point shots and 14-of-15 free throws during yesterday's contest. He also had 11 rebounds, six steals, five assists and blocked three shots on Wednesday. He had been averaging 41.5 points per game, with a previous high score of 61 through 17 games.

When playing for the Tide, Mitchell averaged 12.7 points per game, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 89 games.





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