Alabama Crimson Tide news and notes from the weekend.
Alabama football blasts Eastern Illinois, trolls the CFP committee
Alabama used its game against Eastern Illinois on Saturday as one great big troll opportunity for the College Football Playoff committee.
Following the comments of Arkansas AD - and CFP committee chair - Hunter Yurachek about Alabama's struggles to run the football - even in wins - as a reason for a six-spot drop after a two-point loss to Oklahoma, Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb made sure the Crimson Tide ran the ball against Eastern Illinois.
In a 56-0 win, Alabama ran for 269 yards and scored all eight of its touchdowns on the ground. Every single good run was posted by the social media team to further hammer home the point to the committee.
It's not that the College Football Playoff committee is actually going to care about how many yards Alabama ran the football for against an FCS opponent, but it was clear that the Tide wanted to prove a point about how ridiculous those comments by Yurachek were.
Josh Cuevas' status up in the air for the Iron Bowl
Alabama sat three key offensive starters against Eastern Illinois. WR Germie Bernard, C Parker Brailsford, and TE Josh Cuevas were held out against the Panthers.
Both Bernard and Brailsford were more precautionary, and both are expected to be back in action next week against Auburn. The news isn't as good for Cuevas, who is expected to be out for the Iron Bowl as well.
DeBoer was non-committal to that point in the aftermath of Saturday's win over Eastern Illinois, but reports have indicated that the injury is serious enough to keep him out.
Kalen DeBoer admonishes fans for booing Conor Talty
Fans had little to be upset about in a 56-0 demolition of Eastern Illinois, but one part of the team that continues trending in the wrong direction is the kicking game. For the second straight week, Conor Talty missed a chip-shot field goal inside 30 yards, going wide right on a 28-yard field goal.
Boos rained down on Talty after the miss, and the next time he stepped on the field to kick an extra point. The boos were as much to do with Talty's poor performance as his reaction to his missed kick the week before against Oklahoma, where he yelled at the long snapper for a poor snap, deflecting blame for another miss.
DeBoer didn't appreciate the booing.
"I wish they'd have his back just like I know our locker room has his back," DeBoer said
The coaching carousel is churning for several Alabama coaches
The DeBoer to Penn State rumors shouldn't be taken seriously at this point. Even if Alabama loses the Iron Bowl, DeBoer will be Alabama's head coach next season. But he could end up having to replace both coordinators.
Kane Wommack has emerged as a serious candidate at Arkansas. ESPN's Pete Thamel has Wommack as one of four potential options for the Razorbacks as their coaching search enters the final stages, joining Memphis' Ryan Silverfield, USF's Alex Golesh, and North Texas' Eric Morris.
On Sunday, Cal announced the firing of head coach Justin Wilcox. The early shortlist of candidates being tossed around included Alabama OC Ryan Grubb.
Oregon DC - and former Alabama assistant - Tosh Lupoi is considered by many to be Cal's primary focus, but Grubb could be a factor in that coaching search.
Alabama WR coach JaMarcus Shephard was previously linked to head coaching vacancies at both Oregon State and Colorado State.
DeBoer could be looking at a major staff overhaul this offseason.