Happy Friday, everyone. Alabama baseball had a prime opportunity to get a jump on the pivotal series in Gainesville, but were sadly unable to hold on.
Rob Vaughn’s squad has struggled greatly in SEC series openers. After winning its first three against Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, the Crimson Tide has gone 1-6 since, with the lone win coming against Missouri (a team that is winless in conference outside of College Station).
Alabama is in prime position to host a regional if the Crimson Tide can win the final two games and take the series, but that is a tall task against a Gators team that may be the hottest squad in the nation. Florida boasts five straight series wins, including victories over No. 5 Arkansas and No. 1 Texas.
Game two of the series is set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
Regardless of what happens the rest of the weekend, this has been a much improved season for the Tide.
Justin Jefferson has the sound of an inspirational leader for this upcoming football season.
On Christmas Day in 2024, Wommack called one of his linebackers, Justin Jefferson. He had good news and a gift to deliver.
I didn’t want to call and tell you anything until I knew it was for real.
Jefferson, Wommack said, could stay for one more season.
“I just started crying because I knew what it was,” Jefferson said this week on the Crimson Drive. “There wasn’t no doubt in my mind, coming back. Do it one more time. A little more experience … I feel like it’s going to be pretty fun.”
We need dudes with that kind of passion to play.
Nick Saban didn’t take the bait when asked about his expectations for Kalen DeBoer’s second season.
“I don’t really have an expectation,” Saban said. “I know those guys are working hard to be the best they can. It was a difficult transition with the number of players that moved. New system, new people, players in the organization had to make adjustments. I would say that everybody’s probably a little more settled in this year. And I hope they do extremely well.”
In Alabama’s first season without Saban since 2006, the Crimson Tide finished 9-4, recording its first season with less than 10 wins in 17 years.
AJ McCarron believes that Ty Simpson will be Alabama’s QB, and has formed a relationship with him.
McCarron went through a quarterback competition in 2011 with Phillip Sims before winning the starting job and leading Alabama to a national title that season. He is one of few who knows what Simpson is going through currently, but also what he will go through if he is named the starting quarterback of the Crimson Tide.
“That’s what me and Ty have talked about before just the pressure of playing at Alabama and the expectations, right?” McCarron said. “It comes with it. It’s what you signed up for. It’s what makes Alabama such a special place to play I think. Like I told him, pressure creates diamonds, so go out, have fun, do what you’ve done your whole life playing the game and let the chips fall where they fall.”
Last, Nate Oats is set to host what could be the final piece to the 2025-26 basketball roster.
Alabama basketball is set to host USC transfer Desmond Claude for an official visit starting Sunday evening.
With guard Labaron Philon opting to remain in the NBA Draft, the Crimson Tide is eyeing Claude as a potential replacement in its backcourt, as first reported by Joe Tipton of On3. The 6-foot-6 junior, considered one of the top point guards still in the portal, averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this past season at USC, shooting 48.2% from the field and 30.7% from beyond the arc.
Claude obviously has elite size for a point guard and looks great going to the hoop, but his three ball isn’t great. To be fair, Philon’s wasn’t great either. Florida was reportedly the leader for Claude’s services, but that was before Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland withdrew from the draft and joined the Gators. This would be a great pull for Tide hoops.
But I will never get used to USC being Big Ten.
That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend.
Roll Tide.
