Alabama Crimson Tide news and notes from Monday and Tuesday, August 6th and 7th.
Nick Saban may have courted Dabo Swinney to be his replacement at Alabama
In an article previewing Clemson's season, ESPN's Chris Low revealed an interesting tidbit that had never been shared. The day after Nick Saban announced his retirement from Alabama, he placed a phone call to Dabo Swinney.
Saban and Swinney were rivals on the football field, but friendly off of it. It was no secret for years that Swinney was at the top of the list of potential Saban replacements. The Clemson head man played college football at Alabama, is originally from Birmingham, and served as an assistant coach for the Crimson Tide for seven years.
It's unknown what they discussed, and Greg Byrne had a plan of his own, which centered around then-Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, but Saban may have tried to make a move on his own to try and bring Swinney home.
According to Swinney, he still loves Alabama, but after 23 years, Clemson is now home.
The return of joyless murderball?
In a post-practice interview on Wednesday, Ryan Grubb revealed he was excited about how well the offensive line has been playing in camp. That's music to the ears of Alabama fans, who have long awaited the return of a dominant offensive line that could reinstate joyless murderball.
Alabama has the talent up front, but the depth is a legitimate concern. Perhaps as important as finding the right five to start, is developing a few guys down the depth chart who are ready to play in case of injury. Right now, Alabama is comfortable with six guys. They need at least eight.
Rico Scott's commitment to blocking has him firmly in the WR rotation
Grubb also had plenty of praise for redshirt freshman Rico Scott, stating Scott's commitment to blocking was infectious for the rest of the WR room.
It sure sounds like the Crimson Tide has a selfless group of receivers who root each other on. That's easy to do in the preseason, and harder once the season starts and the targets aren't distributed the way some of the receivers hope.
Scott has emerged as the clear No. 4 WR on the depth chart behind the starting trio of Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard, and Isaiah Horton. He's going to see the field quite a bit this year.
Keon Sabb's younger brothers could be a two-for-one special for Alabama
Keon Sabb has two younger brothers who are both coveted recruits, one in the 2026 class and the other in 2027. They are likely to be a package deal, and Alabama has a leg up in their recruitment with their older brother playing on the current team.
2026 ATH Amari Sabb is a solid prospect, albeit only a 3-star. That's mainly due to the fact that he's undersized at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds. He's still highly coveted for his athletic ability, but also because the youngest Sabb brother - 2027 ATH Xavier Sabb - is a 5-star prospect and one of the most coveted players in the 2027 recruiting class.
Amari and Xavier are expected to be in Tuscaloosa for Alabama's home opener on September 6th. It's not likely to be the last time they are in town to see Alabama play this season.
Recruiting expert says Alabama is a "front runner" for 5-star 2027 WR
5-star WR Monshun Sales from Indianapolis is one of the top overall players in the 2027 recruiting class, currently ranking as the No. 2 WR. He's 6-foot-5 with tremendous speed. He looks like a future star at the college level, and he's coveted by every major program out there.
According to On3's Steve Wiltfong, Alabama is a top contender for Sales, and will be. a "front runner" through the end of his recruitment. There's still a long way to go before Sales makes his college decision, but Kalen DeBoer and his staff are sitting in a good early position.
Qua Russaw the freakiest of the freaks, per Kane Wommack
About his star Wolf LB Qua Russaw, DC Kane Wommack had this to say: "In a room full of freaky people, Qua is the freakiest."
Russaw seems poised for a massive year three breakout. He was a solid player a year ago, but now, with a year of experience under his belt, his technical skills are catching up with his unbelievable athleticism.
Deontae Lawson mentioned at SEC Media Days that Russaw was clocked running 22 miles-per-hour over the summer. His raw strength has been discussed at length, and with the increase in his skill, Russaw could become one of the most feared edge rushers in college football in 2025.
That would be huge for Wommack's defense, which needs to improve getting after the quarterback in order to reach its ceiling.
Alabama basketball's SEC schedule released
While we already knew the opponents Alabama would face in SEC play, Nate Oats' team now knows the order in which those games will happen. Most notably, for what feels like the first time in forever, Alabama will face Auburn - AT HOME - to finish the regular season, and on a Saturday to boot.
For years, it felt like Alabama always played Auburn on a Saturday on the road, but the Tigers would get a beneficial draw and face the Tide in Tuscaloosa during the week. That changed last season, with both Iron Bowls of basketball happening on a Saturday. Home court advantage proved not to be beneficial for either team, with the road team coming out on top in both meetings.