Happy Gump Day: “There is nobody above the program, including the head coach”

Happy Gump Day, folks.

College football is over, so naturally, let’s talk college football.

Senior Bowl practice began yesterday, and Kalen Deboer was in attendance for the many ‘Bama players selected for a pre-Combine look by the pros. Of course, the beat guys harassed him, but that’s to our benefit. He was wide open on a lot of topics — once you learn to spot his soft-peddling way of communication.

For instance: He’s rightly worried about the appalling lack of experience QBs. And, no, Ryan Grubb is not coming:

DeBoer on how he would characterize Alabama’s quarterback room…

“Probably the biggest thing is there’s just not a lot of snaps that have been taken on a college football field. But I also feel like the skillset’s there, there’s very strong strengths that we have and excited about them being similar in a lot of ways. Of course, everyone’s different. They’ve got the things that they bring to the table. But they all three just work together, and that’s really led to workouts already that they’re running that sound like they’ve been very efficient and got a lot of work done. But I’m excited about what they all bring to the table. Can’t wait to get back on campus here in February and work with them.”

DeBoer on if he has considered adding Ryan Grubb to his coaching staff…

“We go way back. He’s a great friend of mine. I think the world of him as a football coach. Obviously as a person, too. I know he’s working through his process after what last season brought. Just kind of seeing what he does there and here for him whenever he needs me. That’s always gonna be the case.”

Tell me if you got something different out of this. The full transcript of this, and much more, from Potter is below.

On the field, speculation about Milroe was all over the place, including some NFL teams talking themselves into an AR15-like move to way overdraft JM4. And then practice began.

Let’s just say, it wasn’t the smoothest day ever for the ‘Bama alum, as NFL scouts got to witness what we’ve endured for two years: A likable person, player with the frame and athleticism of a Greek god, and a live arm that is perhaps the strongest on the board…but a player who simply cannot process the field fast enough to make the right reads and throws. And, even then, his accuracy left much to be desired:

No player at the Reese’s Senior Bowl has a better opportunity than Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. After an up-and-down season in a new system with the Crimson Tide, Milroe needs a strong week in Mobile to try and separate himself from the rest of the second tier or quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft.

But on the first day of practice, Milroe didn’t do much to help himself. According to multiple reports from those in attendance, Milroe once again struggled with his accuracy throwing the football, which plagued him all season long.

On the other end of the spectrum, Junior Day is fast approaching, and the No. 3 ‘back in his class, in-state Ezavier Crowell, is a heavy ‘Bama lean. Though, since Hugh Freeze is recruiting a 7A high school super power, Auburn is all-in on trying to buy away his services. Still, Alabama may have an insurmountable lead at this point:

Alabama has the edge in Crowell’s recruitment and it might be tough to overcome to land the Jackson, Ala., standout who recently reclassified to the 2026 class.

Crowell, who had 1,964 yards and 31 touchdowns this season, was at the Iron Bowl this season – a two-touchdown win for the Crimson Tide – and he’s expected back in Tuscaloosa this weekend for junior day. That could be one of the final touches in his decision-making process.

Prediction: Alabama

Crowell is so much fun to watch. He’s a wrecking ball with great balance who absolutely blasts people.

We can’t embed the video from MaxPreps, but seriously, check out his tape:

Ryan Williams, fresh off his freshman campaign, is already a leader in the receiver room — he and Germie are the old hands bringing everyone else along:

“He’s a team player through and through,” DeBoer said. “We saw that all season long. Him and Germ(ie Bernard) coming back as the leaders of the receiving core, I’m excited about what they bring from a mindset. When your best players are your best people and highest-character guys, it’s exciting what it can become, so we have that at the receiving core.”

The Alabama receiver room will also have some newcomers for the 2025 season. Isaiah Horton transferred in from Miami, and the most recent recruiting class includes Lotzier Brooks and Derek Meadows.

In addition, Cole Adams and Jalen Hale are set to return from injury, and Jaylen Mbakwe was practicing as a wideout ahead of the ReliaQuest Bowl, moving over from defensive back.

“I really like the way that that group is coming along under (Williams and Bernard’s) guidance,” DeBoer said.

That’s a wild sentence to read, especially since he’s really only 17 — and that actually matters in this context. How many 17-year-old leaders do you know? Have you met?

Things seem to have been smoothed over between Mark Sears and HC Nate Oats. He reflected some more yesterday on the benchings, and honestly, I love him more for this.

“There is nobody above the program, including the head coach,” Oats said.

Standards at Alabama are high, especially off a Final Four appearance last year. Oats has not revealed the exact halftime conversations that led to not just Sears being benched but Cliff Omoruyi as well. Both came out of the halftime locker room and sat on the bench. The difference is that Omoruyi got back into the game and contributed in a big way.

Oats’ goal is to make sure the program is able to function without one specific person, including himself. He used an example from Nick Saban when he missed the 2020 Iron Bowl vs. Auburn due to COVID-19. Steve Sarkisian was the acting head coach while Saban watched from home but Alabama still cruised to a 42-13 win.

“My first year here, I had to go to my grandfather’s funeral,” Oats said. “If I missed a game, if I missed a day. I think Coach Saban maybe had to miss one back in COVID. He built such a strong program that they’re able to perform without any one particular person there.

“The program is bigger than any one person, including the head coach. Let’s build such a strong program and such a strong culture by everybody in it that we don’t rely on just one person all the time.”

You have to crack the ruler across knuckles sometimes to build a team culture. I get that…indeed, I am grateful for it. I think Oats had been waiting to spread his wings in this direction too — waiting on legitimacy that comes with greater success (including that Final Four), and waiting on financial and program job security. The message is clear now: He’s not going anywhere. He helms this ship. And no single person is irreplaceable on this vessel. Contrast that with college football, where mercenary rosters run the program more often than not, and it’s a refreshingly old school approach.

Sears’ sulking and lack of defensive effort earned the benching, but the program required it.

This certainly sounds like a positive development on a suddenly-thin Alabama basketball bench:

“Derrion Reid has been going more and more,” Oats said Tuesday afternoon. “He’s probably questionable until game day, but he’s done more in practice these last two days than he’s done up until this point.

“I’m not the trainer and I don’t make these decisions, but he looked pretty good to me. So if he does get the clearance finally to go, we’ll have 10 healthy available players for us.”

Reid has been absent the last four games, and his high energy and physical play would have come in handy against the Rebels or Tigers…or tonight, in the Hump. He won’t be back 100% for a while, I’d guess, but any Reid on the floor is an instant shot of adrenaline for the Tide.

FINALLY, the NOA and leaked replies from Michigan’s system cheating started leaking out yesterday. As expected, Michigan’s defense goes something like this: “Harbaugh didn’t know about it. But it didn’t matter to the outcome. And if it did, it was minor. And we should have never been punished.”

To which the rest of the Big 10 is responding…about as expected.

BERT has always been a bit of a tacky jerkoff. But I’ll take his straightforward obnoxiousness over Harbaugh’s sanctimony any day, and twice on Sunday.

For more on the actual NOA and the looming fight, we got ya’ covered:

Late game tonight for the Tide at No. 14 Mississippi State. Your preview is over here. In case you missed it, CB’s softball preview dropped yesterday as well. Check both of those out.

Have a great day, and Row Tahd.