Looking Back: Big week at Alabama
We take a look back at the five biggest news items to surround Alabama athletics in the last week.
1. Jeremy Pruitt named Tennessee football coach
The Volunteers who have not beaten Alabama since 2006 hired Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt to replace Butch Jones. In a coaching search that never seemed as though it would end, Tennessee went with an Alabama native to try to resurrect the program that was 4-8 this past season and 0-8 in SEC Play. Pruitt’s contract is a six-year deal with $3.8 million per year and a $300,000 bonus if Tennessee is able to win the SEC Championship. Alabama fans have had mixed reactions about Pruitt leaving the program, but staying on at Alabama to coaching the College Football Playoffs against Clemson.
Related: Alabama defensive coordinator hot board
Related: Why Jeremy Pruitt should not coach at Alabama in the CFB Playoffs
Pruitt said in his opening press conference that he wants to finish what he started at Alabama, but the interesting part of this is Pruitt is now actively recruiting the same targets Alabama is after. We’ll let Nick Saban deal with that. Chris Weinke will join Pruitt at Tennessee, the former Heisman Trophy winner and assistant coach at the IMG Academy served as an Offensive Analyst at Alabama this past season.
2. Minkah Fitzpatrick wins Bednarik and Jim Thorpe Award
For the second year in a row, Alabama has produced the top defensive player in college football. Fitzpatrick a junior safety at Alabama won the Jim Thorpe Award and the Chuck Bednarik Award during the college football awards ceremony. “It’s a lot of pride for me, my teammates, my family coaches and everybody who’s helped me get to where I am today,” Fitzpatrick said. Fitzpatrick who is projected a high first-round draft pick in the 2018 NFL Draft is the first to win the Jim Thorpe Award at Alabama since Antonio Langham did it in 1993.
Fitzpatrick is Alabama’s fifth-leading tackler with 52 stops, including six for a loss with 1.5 sacks. He also has an interception, seven pass breakups a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Last season, Alabama’s Jonathan Allen won the award and was drafted No. 17th overall to the Washington Redskins.
3. Alabama lands three commitments
Alabama picked up three commitments this past week and shot up the Rivals.com recruiting rankings from No. 31 to No. 11 in the Nation. Rivals100 Defensive Back Nadab Joseph a former LSU Commit was first of the trio to commit to Alabama. “He is an elite corner prospect with good size and excellent length. Uses long arms to re-direct receivers in press, but has the skills and hips to play off as well. "- Rivals.com National Recruiting Director, Mike Farrell.
Rivals also added Gulf Coast Community College safety Saivion Smith and at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, BamaInsider.com’s Andrew Bone told us earlier this week, Smith is someone who could step in at Alabama and play right away. Alabama then added 6-foot-6, 240 pound Michael Parker out of Huntsville, Alabama. There is some talk regarding a possible blueshirt or grayshirt for Parker. That decision has not been made.
Premium Coverage From Andrew Bone of BamaInsider.com
Bone: What it means landing Nadab Joseph
Bone: What it means landing Michael Parker
Bone: What it means landing Saivion Smith
4. Several uncommitted targets visit Tuscaloosa
There were many big-time targets in Tuscaloosa this weekend including Rivals.com five star Eyabi Anoma, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound prospect out of Baltimore, Maryland. Also in town was AJ Lytton a Rivals100 defensive back out of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and Christian Barmore a Rivals.com four-star that is 6-foot-6, 290 pounds out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mobile, Alabama defensive end Andres Fox who was supposed to take a visit to Alabama this weekend canceled his trip after recently receiving an offer from Tennessee.
Premium Coverage from Andrew Bone of BamaInsider.com
BONE: Alabama set for big recruiting weekend!
BONE: Who takes over Pruitt’s territory?
5. Alabama basketball loses to Arizona
The Alabama basketball team suffered a road loss on Saturday night against Arizona, falling to the Wildcats 88-82. Alabama led at the half 40-38 after Freshman Collin Sexton who finished with a game-high of 30 points drained a three from the top of the arch as the halftime buzzer sounded. Arizona, led by 7-foot-1, 250 pound Deandre Layton who had a team-high 29 points shot 52% from the field and out-rebounded Alabama on the evening 43-30.
For Alabama, Danta Hall scored 15 and added 12 boards and Freshman John Petty added 13 points. The Crimson Tide is now 7-3 on the season and will finish the month of December off with Mercer on the 19th, then play Texas on the 22nd, followed by their first SEC game against No. 7 Texas A&M on the 30th.
Extra Point
Despite assistant coach turnover, Alabama continues to win under Nick Saban
Since Nick Saban has arrived at Alabama in 2007, he’s had six different offensive coordinators and three different defensive coordinators, but despite the changes, one thing remains the same: Alabama continues to win.
Alabama has a record of 130-20 since Saban’s takeover of the program (86% Win PCT) and has brought four National Championships to Tuscaloosa. Jeremy Pruitt who served as Alabama’s defensive coordinator since 2016 was named the head coach at Tennessee on December 7, which follows the trend of universities continuing to seek out top Alabama assistant coaches for their own head coach.
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