Alabama Crimson Tide news and notes.
Kalen DeBoer provides clarity on Alabama injuries ahead of SEC title game
Alabama's injury report is rather lengthy heading into Saturday's SEC Championship Game against Georgia. On Thursday, the report included 12 total names, one more than on Wednesday.
Alabama will be down two defensive linemen against Georgia in LT Overton and Kelby Collins. Collins was the addition to the report on Thursday. DeBoer spoke to the media on Thursday and said that both Overton and Collins have "illnesses" and will be out for this weekend.
Jam Miller, Josh Cuevas, and Kam Dewberry remain questionable. DeBoer provided updates on them as well, and it sounds like Dewberry is probably the one with the best hopes of playing while Miller and Cuevas remain pretty up in the air.
"Jam, still questionable," DeBoer said. "We’ll see here in the next couple days. Kam Dewberry is coming along here as the week progresses. Josh Cuevas, same as Jam. Kind of see here at the end of the week. All those guys a couple weeks down the road will be definitely good to go. Kind of here one week out from last week’s game, some of the injuries that have happened, we’re not quite sure yet.
"They’re coming along, working, doing everything they can."
Alabama adds an off-the-radar RB to 2026 recruiting class
Alabama needed another body in the RB room and found one on Thursday. Alabama had always hoped to take two RBs in this class with two seniors on this year's roster. They signed 5-star EJ Crowell on Wednesday, but 3-star Javari Barnett, who flipped from Illinois to Alabama over the summer, flipped his commitment back to Illinois during the Early Signing Period.
The Crimson Tide ultimately took a flier on an under-the-radar prospect without many offers. 3-star Trae'shawn Brown from Huntsville, Texas was a late addition to the class, committing and signing with Alabama on Thursday. Brown is listed as the No. 42 RB in the 247 composite, and his most impressive offer before Alabama came in was Boise State.
He clealry has some traits Alabama likes and is an intriguing developmental prospect who will give Alabama needed body in the room.
Kalen DeBoer shuts down the Penn State rumors once and for all
Despite zero real evidence that Kalen DeBoer had any interest whatsoever in the job, there have been incessant rumors for months linking DeBoer to the Penn State vacancy. Pundits theorized that maybe he and his family aren't happy at Alabama, and the pressure was getting to him.
It was always a tired narrative. DeBoer was asked about it during his press conference on Thursday, and he shut the rumors down for good:
“We’re extremely happy at Alabama," DeBoer said. "We’re extremely happy here. Love the challenge, love the grind, love this place. And there’s never been any link. There’s never been any conversation. There’s never been any interest either way. And so, I’m glad we can put that to bed right now."
Nate Oats raves about freshman Amari Allen
A severely banged-up Alabama basketball team held on for a gritty 90-84 win over Clemson on Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide nearly blew a 19-point lead, but came up with some key baskets and stops down the stretch to earn a good win over a quality opponent despite only having seven players Oats could trust to play double-digit minutes.
Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell, Keitenn Bristow, and Collins Onyejiaka were out. Jalil Bethea made his Alabama debut, but was on a minutes restriction and only played six. Noah Williamson only played five minutes. Oats' rotation only really went seven-deep, but it was enough to overcome adversity and earn a quality win.
One of the big reasons why was the performance of freshman Amari Allen, who earned his first career start and responded with his first career double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Oats raved about him in the postgame:
"He's been a winner since the day he walked in," Oats said of Allen. ..."He’s a great kid. He’s a winner. He’s smart. He’s tough. He just makes a lot of winning plays. He’s gonna win a lot of basketball games in his career.”
Alabama women's basketball moves to 9-0 with blowout win over Clemson
The women's basketball team hasn't faced a murderer's row of a schedule like the men, but they just keep on winning. On Thursday, Alabama throttled Clemson 72-48 as part of the ACC/SEC challenge in Tuscaloosa.
Essence Cody and Jessica Timmons led the way, combining for 40 points, but it was the Tide's defense that carried the day, holding Clemson to just 31% from the floor and forcing 13 turnovers.
Kristy Curry called her team's preparation "exceptional."
Alabama returns to the court on Sunday to face UL Monroe at home.