We bring you the latest news on the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Scroll down to get the latest on the Tide from Tony Tsoukalas and Kyle Henderson.
Alabama and Wisconsin announce home-and-home series
Alabama and Wisconsin announced a home-and-home series between the Crimson Tide and Badgers for 2024 and 2025 seasons on Monday.
“We’re happy to have added another quality non-conference opponent for a home-and-home series in Wisconsin,” said Alabama director of athletics Greg Byrne. “Traveling to Camp Randall, one of the nation’s oldest stadiums, will make for a great road contest early in the 2024 season. Having them return the trip in 2025 to Bryant-Denny Stadium will also certainly provide a boost to our home slate, and we look forward to the opportunity.”
The first game will take place in Madison, Wis., on September 14, 2024, with Wisconsin returning the trip to Tuscaloosa on September 13, 2025.
Alabama and Wisconsin have met on two occasions with the series tied at one game apiece. Alabama won the most recent matchup, 35-17, in the AdvoCare Kickoff Classic in Arlington, Texas, to open the 2015 season. The first meeting was the Crimson Tide’s only visit to Madison, a 15-0 loss in 1928.
“We are excited to add another high-caliber, non-conference game to our future schedule,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “We played a great game with Wisconsin in Arlington a few years back and this home-and-home series will be a tremendous opportunity for our programs to play in two of the best atmospheres in college football. Matchups like this are so important to the health of college football because it provides fans exciting matchups and players new challenges.”
Alabama opens fall practice on Friday, August 2, and is scheduled to open the 2019 season on August 31 in Atlanta against Duke in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. The home opener is slated for September 7 against New Mexico State at 3 p.m.
With the addition of Wisconsin in 2024 and 2025, Alabama has added five home-and-home series to future schedules recently, including Texas (2022 & 2023), West Virginia (2026 & 2027), Notre Dame (2028 & 2029) and Oklahoma (2032 & 2033).
Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Eyabi Anoma in NCAA transfer portal
According to multiple reports Sunday, Eyabi Anoma has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal. The five-star linebacker previously entered his name into the database in February only to remove it a day later. With his name in the portal, teams can now approach Anoma to initiate a transfer. The Baltimore, Md., native boarded a plane from Birmingham, Ala., to Washington D.C. on Friday.
Alabama TE Kedrick James transferring to SMU
Alabama tight end Kedrick James is transferring to SMU, according to multiple reports. The Waco, Texas native placed his name in the transfer portal on July 12. He is currently still serving out the remaining four-games of his NCAA suspension.
Four Alabama players named to Walter Camp Award watch list
Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy and Dylan Moses have been named to the 2019 Walter Camp Award Watch List, announced by the Walter Camp Foundation today.
The four players are among 40 total student-athletes from around the country named to the preseason watch list. Reigning 2018 Walter Camp Award winner Tagovailoa joined running back Derrick Henry (2015) as the second Alabama player to win the award.
Tagovailoa, last year's Walter Camp Award winner, shattered the Alabama and SEC single-season record books as a sophomore and is set once again to contend for a bevy of honors as a junior. Along with claiming last season's Walter Camp honors, he also took home the Maxwell Award to go with consensus first-team All-America accolades.
Tagovailoa was also named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year after passing for an Alabama single-season record 43 touchdowns and 3,966 yards while recording 4,156 yards of total offense, good for second in the league and top-10 nationally despite missing a majority of the second halves in the Tide’s 15 contests as a sophomore. His freshman season concluded with Offensive MVP honors in Alabama’s overtime victory over Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
After two years of backing up future NFL draft picks, Harris steps to the forefront in a starting role at running back. He enters the new year averaging 6.5 yards per carry across his first two seasons, including a team-high 6.7 yards per carry average in 2018. He has already eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in limited time, entering 2019 with 1,153 yards on 178 carries and has contributed seven touchdowns in his 29 career games.
Jeudy begins his third season on pace to rewrite the Alabama record books. The junior has already recorded 1,579 yards on 82 catches and scored 16 touchdowns to tie for fifth in program history for career scores. Jeudy is one year removed from earning consensus All-America honors and being named the nation’s top wideout as the winner of the Biletnikoff Award in 2018. That sophomore campaign saw the Deerfield Beach, Fla., native end with an SEC-leading 14 touchdown receptions as part of his 1,315 yards on just 68 receptions for a 19.3 yards per catch average.
One of the nation’s top-rated linebackers and defensive players overall, Moses comes into the 2019 season with high expectations once again. A second team All-American and finalist for the Butkus Award a season ago, he returns a veteran presence over the middle with big play ability. Moses led the Crimson Tide with 86 tackles in 2018 and had 10 for loss (-41 yards) to go with 3.5 sacks (-29 yards), a pass breakup, one forced fumble and a quarterback pressure as a sophomore. He has impressed since arriving on campus, putting together an SEC All-Freshman performance in 2017 after playing in 11 games with two starts.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award has been presented annually since 1967 by the Walter Camp Foundation to recognize the nation’s most outstanding player in college football. The award is named in honor of Walter Camp, “The Founder of American Football,” who is credited with numerous innovations in the game. The winner will be announced prior to the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December and is recognized during the on-air segment later in the evening.
Alabama players on preseason watch lists
Biletnikoff Award — Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Jaylen Waddle
Bronko Nagurski Trophy — Raekwon Davis, Trevon Diggs, Anfernee Jennings, Dylan Moses
Butkus Award — Anfernee Jennings, Terrell Lewis, Dylan Moses
Chuck Bednarik Award — Raekwon Davis, Dylan Moses
Davey O’Brien Award — Tua Tagovailoa
Doak Walker Award — Najee Harris
Jim Thorpe Award — Xavier McKinney
John Mackey Award — Miller Forristall
Maxwell Award — Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy Tua Tagovailoa
Outland Trophy — Alex Leatherwood, Jedrick Wills
Walter Camp Award — Tua Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Jerry Jeudy Dylan Moses
Wuerffel Trophy — Chris Owens
Nick Saban named to Bobby Dodd watch list
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been named to the 2019 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List announced today by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Saban is among 23 coaches and one of six former Dodd Trophy winners on this year’s list. Entering his 13th season in Tuscaloosa, Saban’s uncompromising dedication to excellence in every phase of the program has resulted in five national championships since 2009. An eight-time National Coach of the Year, Saban has achieved resounding success as a head coach and has earned a reputation as an outstanding tactician, leader, organizer and motivator. After the victory over Georgia in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Saban joined Paul “Bear” Bryant as the only two coaches to win six national titles in the poll era of college football.
The Dodd Trophy was established in 1976 to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. The award honors the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character. The winner of the 2019 Dodd Trophy will be announced in Atlanta during Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Week.
Alabama OL Chris Owens named to Wuerffel Trophy watch list
Alabama redshirt junior offensive lineman Chris Owens has been named to the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, announced today by the All Sports Association of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Owens is among 93 candidates from around the country named to the preseason list. Former Crimson Tide offensive lineman Barrett Jones was UA’s first Wuerffel Trophy winner in 2011.
A native of Arlington, Texas, Owens has been an active member in the Tuscaloosa community, volunteering in nearly 20 different initiatives, with an emphasis on impacting the local youth. Since arriving on campus in 2016, he has visited several local schools including Tuscaloosa Magnet Elementary to promote the importance of reading while sharing some of his favorite books. On the field, Owens has played in 16 career games as Alabama’s backup center and reserve tackle.
The Wuerffel Trophy has been presented annually since 2005 by the All Sports Association of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., to recognize the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. The award is named in honor of former Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel. The 2019 winner will be announced at a National Football Foundation press conference in December.
Alabama's Fan Day set for Saturday, Aug. 3
The University of Alabama football team's annual Fan Day is set for Saturday, Aug. 3. The Crimson Tide will hold an open practice in Bryant-Denny Stadium from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Players and coaches will be available for autographs following practice on the field beginning at approximately 4:45 p.m.
At 1 p.m., the first 150 fans in line at Gate 25 will receive numbered color-coded wristbands for early entrance to the post-practice autograph session. Fans receiving wristbands will need to report to Gate 25 (South field entrance) at 4 p.m. to begin lining up for the autograph session.
Fans may enter the stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. through gates 9 and 19 and occupy the west side lower bowl (sections A-N). The open practice, which is slated to start at 2:30 p.m., is scheduled to last approximately two hours. For security purposes, all items are subject to inspection as fans enter the stadium for both the practice and Fan Day activities.
Following practice, the Crimson Tide football team, coaching staff and head coach Nick Saban will be available for autographs on the field for approximately 45 minutes. The gate to the field will be open once the autograph session has been set up. In an effort to facilitate as many autographs in the time allowed, fans will be limited to one item per person for autographs, and no posed photographs will be permitted.
Select concession stands on the west side (field and mezzanine levels) will be open. Alabama merchandise will also be sold on Saturday and 3,000 autograph posters will be given away.
Parking for Fan Day can be found in the West ten Hoor area of campus. There are two parking decks as well as surface lots that are available for your convenience. Parking for persons with disabilities is available on a first come, first served basis in the Wallace Wade Lot. No special accommodations will be made for recreational vehicles (RVs) on campus. All RVs should park at the Northington Lot near University Mall. Fans can go to RollTide.com for updates and other pertinent information.
Top 5 returning Alabama Crimson Tide football players on offense
The Alabama Crimson Tide will open up fall camp on August 2nd and before the pads start popping, we look at the top five graded out offensive players by Pro-Football Focus from last season. Pro-Football Focus which is made up of former NFL coaches and scouts provides in-depth player assessments and grades after each game. Here are the highest-graded offensive players returning for the Tide going into the 2019 season.
Media picks Alabama to win the SEC
Alabama was picked to win the SEC Western Division with 1,813 total points, while LSU was second with 1,493. Alabama received 253 first-place votes in the SEC West. Texas A&M was third with 1,268 points.
Alabama sets record with 12 players selected to the preseason All-SEC First Team
First-team members:
Tua Tagovailoa
Najee Harris
Jerry Jeudy
Henry Ruggs III
Alex Leatherwood
Jedrick Wills
Raekwon Davis
Dylan Moses
Anfernee Jennings
Trevon Diggs
Jaylen Waddle
Second-team members:
Jaylen Waddle
Xavier McKinney
Patrick Surtain II
Third-team members:
Miller Forristall
Deonte Brown
Matt Womack
LaBryan Ray
Terrell Lewis
Shyheim Carter
