Alabama Football: Chance, Skyler and other Crimson Tide buzz

Check out the most recent buzz and chatter about Alabama football

As Alabama football fans anxiously await news about the regular season, other things are happening. With college sports fans, no news is ever good news. Our collective appetite for ‘new’ is never filled.

While the Alabama football regular season is undefined, news from Tuscaloosa and about former Tide players fills a void.

One news snippet should have been a zero surprise to Crimson Tide fans. Punter Skyler DeLong is apparently weighing a decision to move on.  Monday’s surprise was DeLong was reported off the Crimson Tide roster and then back on. DeLong came to Tuscaloosa on a scholarship, but his replacement, Ty Perine may not be on scholarship. Walk-on Perine replaced DeLong at midseason last year. If Delong deserved a scholarship, Perine certainly does with his 2019 performance. Junior-to-be, DeLong is expected  to make a decision soon with the transfer portal beckoning.

There is also NFL news with former Crimson Tide, All-American, Chance Warmack walking away from a 2020 season. The NFL for Warmack has been a down, roller coaster ride. After three seasons as a starter with the Titans, Warmack started only five games in his last three NFL seasons. After sitting out out last season, Warmack was hoping to get his NFL career re-started with Seatlle in 2020.

According to the News Tribune, Warmack is opting out of the season because of COVID concerns. A league source said,

"(Warmack) lost a family member to COVID, and some close family friends have been hospitalized."

Warmack is not the first NFL player to opt-out and he likely will not be the last. UPDATED: On Tuesday it was learned Dont’a Hightower and Andre Smith are also opting out of the 2020 season.

From a more positive perspective, chatter about Ishmael Sopsher keeps building. The former 5-Star recruit may not be a 2020 starter, but the early word is to expect him to be part of the Tide’s defensive line rotation. A few weeks ago, we included Sopsher in our four ‘ifs’ for the 2020 season. If Sopsher can contribute, the Alabama football, d-line rotation will be enhanced.

For those not counting, note, in 300-plus words, no mention has been made of an amended regular season. Tune out if you must, but none other than Cecil Hurts of the Tuscaloosa News is casting doubts.

The Alabama Crimson Tide should be able to sustain such a shortfall. Many other programs, at amounts well under $60M in lost revenue, would not be as financially stable.

More than a few voices argue college football needs remote learning and something similar to the NBA and MLS bubbles to accomplish a regular season. The Alabama Crimson Tide could fund a ‘bubble’ – some, maybe many other schools could not, even in Power Five conferences.

Closing on a positive note, 5-Star prospect, Amarius Mims may not be ‘All Dawg.’ Georgia may or may not lead, but a couple of Alabama football insiders advise not counting out the Crimson Tide.