Alabama Crimson Tide: Latest News & Notes from T-Town

Tuscaloosa is buzzing, as there is all kinds of noteworthy news swirling around Alabama Crimson Tide athletics. The basketball teams look to close out their SEC schedules strong, and will be preparing for the postseason in just over a month. Around that same time, spring practice will be kicking off for the Alabama football team.

Alabama men’s basketball is up to no. 2 in the country, and remains undefeated in SEC play. The Tide is riding an eight-game win streak, and enjoying its highest ranking in 20 years. Alabama will host Mississippi State on Wednesday night before traveling to Norman to play Oklahoma in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday (more on the Sooners later).

The women’s basketball team fell to undefeated and fourth-ranked LSU on Monday to end the Tide’s three-game winning streak. The team hopes to get back on track at Arkansas on Thursday evening before welcoming top-ranked South Carolina into Tuscaloosa on Sunday.

The Lady Crimson Tide are in the midst of a brutal stretch of their schedule, but are still battling and in the top half of the SEC standings.

Alabama Crimson Tide Football: Pressure’s on in 2023

After a long period without any updates on the Alabama coordinator situation, Bill O’Brien was officially hired by the New England Patriots Tuesday morning, meaning the OC position is finally open at Alabama.

With Pete Golding in Oxford, Mississippi, the Alabama defensive coordinator position continues to remain vacant. Coach Nick Saban has kept the search fairly quiet.

It feels as though Saban needs a home run hire at both coordinator spots. Alabama football has not looked like itself recently, failing to win a national championship over the past two seasons.

National media is beginning (once again) to write off Coach Saban and Alabama, but the fan base is hopeful for a comeback season and a return to the norm.

On the Alabama Crimson Tide & Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts is an Alabama quarterback through and through. His demeanor is perhaps closer to that of Nick Saban than any other player in the Saban era. Hurts has always done things the right way, and is the ultimate winner.

He handled himself like a consummate professional during his time at Alabama, and continues to do so today. Hurts’ tenure at Bama saw him on top of the world, and also saw him withstand trials that would make the vast majority of college football players quit.

Over the weekend, Jalen Hurts became the first former Alabama quarterback to win an NFL playoff game since Richard Todd in 1983, sparking a mindless debate over whether or not Alabama fans can actually “claim” him.

While he is also an Oklahoma product to an extent, Hurts went 26-2 as a starter for the Crimson Tide, and came off the bench to help Alabama win the 2018 SEC Championship game. He played a huge role in Alabama football lore under Coach Nick Saban, and the fact that he eventually transferred can’t erase that history.

Other former Alabama Crimson Tide football players that are still in the playoffs include Devonta Smith (Philadelphia Eagles WR), Landon Dickerson (Philadelphia Eagles G), Josh Jobe (Philadelphia Eagles CB), and Jonah Williams (Cincinnati Bengals OT).

Stay tuned to Bama Hammer for more Alabama Crimson Tide news and updates.