Do you have to have a 7 foot+ elite center like Edey or Clingan to win it all? I feel like the post is where we are furthest away from being natty caliber.
So what are we expecting in the portal next week? Surely there are some whispers. Seems like Brailsford may be gone. Which is fine because Brock stepping up at center has to be one of the biggest surprises of the spring. Proctor coming in really solidifies the OL and I'm fine with having Pritchett and Fornby battle it out for RT. (also wouldn't hate playing Proctor at RT. I don't think he's an NFL LT) Do we lose one of the QBs? Ty sure is getting a lot of positive buzz. Surely Longerdong is gone? Biggest need still seems to be secondary and specifically corner. Having said that I can live with roster as it is with Proctor coming back. Zabien Brown/Bak on one side and Domoni on the other is pretty damn nasty. All the rumors seem to indicate that Bama is going to be very active in the portal. Josh Pate has been hinting all spring that other programs are terrified of us poaching their players. The vibes in the football facility seem very, very strong. I could see us swinging for the fences and adding a RB1 or WR1. that seems to be the kind of kid you go out and get when you have an elite roster. Wouldn't hate to have an elite edge rusher and/or DT. you really can't have enough of those.
Oh i didn't realize he said he was committed to staying. Just that he was currently still on the team and dealing with off field stuff. Just figured if anyone decides to leave after the spring, he's a likely candidate.
Jeff Goodman on full ride said Alabama had 900k in NIL to build their team last year. No clue how he came up with that number.
He was saying it as a compliment to Nate. Claimed that the Big East had 6 teams with budgets over 1.6 million.
There aren't any disclosures required that I know of, so everything reported is just a rumor. As far as we know they're just getting duffle bags of cash like the good ol days. I just ignore all the figures quoted.
Isn't our practice facility pretty new and very good? Though I'd imagine Nate has very specific ideas about what his ideal base of operations for a basketball program looks like. And maybe this is not attached to the Coliseum, the women get this one and it's one step closer to a new arena.
Any scuttlebutt out there at all on guys decisions (specifically Sears and Nelson)? Feels like Sears just has to decide whether he wants to play another year of college ball or start his professional grind in Europe/G-League. Nelson pretty clearly has the opportunity to improve, add some weight, show consistency and become a lottery pick next year.
I heard one of the “insiders” on TI is saying Mark isn’t expected back. No idea how real that is, but I think it can be classified under scuttlebutt
A lot of mocks are starting to put Sears in the first round. This is probably the least talented NBA draft in a decade at least, and honestly he isn't going to improve on the phenomenal year he had this year. I would be a little surprised if Sears returned, but this is a different world with NIL. The NBA is still the NBA though. Personally I've been on the fence about him as an NBA prospect, but that last game convinced me he can be a pretty good one. In a very weak draft I'd take a chance on him in the late teens or end of the first. Those UCONN guys were NBA talents and made him earn every single point he got, and he played well and more importantly super efficiently. His percentages this season were off the charts.
Let’s recap: Alabama brought back 3 “contributors” Sears, Griffen and Pringle from last year. Lost all 3 assistant coaches. Played the toughest schedule in the history of KenPom. Made the Final Four, finished 3rd in AP and 4th in Coaches Poll And Oats got zero votes for a coach of the year award.
From The Athletic’s way too early top 25 6. Alabama Projected starters: Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Rylan Griffen, Derrion Reid (freshman), Jarin Stevenson, Grant Nelson Notable returners: Nick Pringle, Sam Walters, Mohamed Wague, Mouhamed Dioubate, Kris Parker, Davin Cosby Other newcomers: Aidan Sherrell, Naas Cunningham, Houston Mallette Much like with Duke above, we’re listing 14 players here — and that’s including a projected departure from Mark Sears cashing in on his outstanding NCAA Tournament to turn professional. So there will obviously be some roster attrition in the coming days. But, man, is this roster so incredibly deep coming back. The big returners here are Nelson and Griffen, both of whom project to have monster upperclass seasons for the Tide if they go back to school. Nelson really started to figure out SEC play later in the year and in the NCAA Tournament, using his athletic tools and skills off the bounce to take centers away from the rim. Griffen is a 3-and-D wing with potential for more. But the team is also just straight-up loaded with wing and forward talent. Stevenson and Walters had good freshman seasons that should allow them to grow into even more important roles as sophomores. Pringle played a terrific bruiser role this year. Wague and Dioubate were good in limited roles. Then to top it off, the Tide have a top-five recruiting class led by Reid and Sherrell. Reid is a big-time scorer who is a more physical driver than a skilled wing, but he would work nicely in lineups with Stevenson and Nelson pulling rim protectors away from the basket. Sherrell is best right now as an enormous rim-runner who can defend, and should be able to get early minutes next year as a complement to a skilled big like Nelson. Cunningham is a top-50 recruit who was at one time considered one of the best players in his class before leveling off a bit late during his prep years. They’ve also already brought in a lights-out shooter from Pepperdine in Mallette who is a good fit for their scheme. The only place that the Tide could stand to upgrade the depth at is point guard, where Wrightsell is a bit on his own right now. If they find that answer in the portal, watch out.