UA Football Continues Prep For UT
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The University of Alabama football team continued its preparation on Tuesday afternoon for its annual rivalry game with the University of Tennessee. The Crimson Tide worked for two hours yesterday afternoon in full pads at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.
The Crimson Tide offense is at work to counter a Tennessee defense that leads the Southeastern Conference in pass defense. The Tide and Vols annual "Third Saturday in October" faceoff is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on the CBS network. Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will be making the call from the booth while Allie LaForce works the sidelines.
Da'Shawn Hand was still not seen in practice on Tuesday, more than two weeks after his knee injury suffered in the contest with Ole Miss. Other recovering previously injured players were participating in the practice session.
This will be the 100th meeting between the Crimson Tide and Volunteers, with Alabama holding a 54-37-8 (52-38-7 after vacations) series lead, including a 49-10 win last year in Knoxville over the Vols. Bama has won the last 10 meetings between the two schools, including a 19-14 win in Tuscaloosa the last time the Big Orange came to the house that Bryant built. Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 12-1 overall against Tennessee, including a perfect 10-0 record at Alabama. Tennessee head coach Butch Jones is 0-4 all-time against the Tide.
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Alabama's Collin Sexton Named To Cousy Award Watch List
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| Collin Sexton Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – University of Alabama men's basketball freshman guard Collin Sexton is one of 20 candidates from all across the United States named to the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Watch List. The announcement was made by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Sexton has the distinction of being the first Alabama guard to be named to the watch list since Trevor Releford was selected to the list prior to the 2013-14 season.
Sexton is one of only six freshmen named to the prestigious list, and the only honoree from the Southeastern Conference.
John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame said, "These 20 student-athletes truly represent the best in the college game today, and we are eager to see what they will achieve in the 2017-18 season. They exhibit many of the characteristics that made Bob Cousy a tremendous player and floor general, and we are pleased to be recognizing them."
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2018 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, California on Friday, April 6, 2018. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
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Crimson Tide Men's Basketball
Picks Up First 2018 Commitment
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - University of Alabama men's basketball has picked up its first commitment for the class of 2018. Four-star point guard Jared Butler made his commitment public via his Twitter account. According to the 247Sports composite, the 6' 2" 180-pound Butler is the No. 89 prospect in the class of 2018, and No. 15 as a point guard.
In addition to the Crimson Tide, Virginia, Baylor and Texas were supposedly finalists for the services of young Butler. reportedly among the finalists for Butler's services.
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Alabama Football Places 5 As AP Mid-Season All-Americans
Five University of Alabama football players have been named by the Associated Press as mid-season All-Americans. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the AP.
Two Crimson Tide players were named to the First Team. They are defensive backs Minkah Fitzpatrick and Levi Wallace. Three were placed on the Second Team, left tackle Jonah Williams, center Bradley Bozeman and defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne.
Fitzpatrick has been outstanding for Bama with 32 tackles, one interception, a forced fumble, four pass breakups, as well as a sack. He currently is third on the team with 4.5 stops for a loss. Payne ranks third on the team with 29 tackles, a shared sack along with three quarterback hurries. Wallace leads the Southeastern Conference with nine pass breakups, and ranks second in the SEC with three interceptions.
Bozeman and Williams both contributed greatly to the Alabama offense, accumulating a conference-best 484.9 yards per game as well as an SEC-best 302.6 rushing yards per game.
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No Subpoena Received By UA
Concerning FBI College Basketball Probe
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| Kobie Baker Photo Credit: UA Athletics |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - According to an email received by AL.com from Monica Watts, the University of Alabama's Vice President for Communications, the University of Alabama has not received a subpoena from a federal grand jury looking into the investigation that has plagued several universities, basketball coaching staffs and even resulting in the resignations and firings of both assistant and head coaches. As a result of this FBI investigation into the sport, an Alabama men's basketball staff member recently resigned.
Former Alabama assistant athletics director for men's basketball, Kobie Baker, resigned on September 27th after having admitted to UA that was was indeed "Staff Member-1" that was mentioned in the FBI complaint against then Auburn associate head coach Chuck Person.
Baker wasn't arrested or charged with any crimes, but admitted to wrong-doing and resigned from the university. According to the complaint by the FBI, Baker was introduced to disgraced financial adviser/FBI informant Martin Blazer by middleman Rashan Michel.
Various coaches from across the country have been caught up in the investigation. One of the most well-known is former head basketball coach for the Louisville Cardinals, Rick Pitino, who was placed on leave and then ultimately fired. The complaint filed by the FBI alleges that, on August 31st Baker, Michel and Blazer met in Atlanta, Georgia with the father of a very sought-after Alabama freshman basketball player. The alleged purpose of that meeting was to have Baker help steer that player into a business relationship with Blazer.
