“Ryan Williams made a commitment, and Alabama once again triumphed over their smaller rival. It was an excellent Wednesday.”
Between the commitment of Ryan Williams and the win over Auburn in hoops, yesterday was a day of jubilation for Alabama fans. In case you somehow missed either, check out our celebration articles here on RBR from yesterday:
“After expressing a lack of confidence postgame, Grant Nelson credited teammate Rylan Griffen for challenging him on the bench. Nelson acknowledged the importance of his teammates pushing him to perform better. Alabama head coach Nate Oats emphasized the significance of player-led teams and commended Griffen for stepping up and motivating Nelson.
Oats stated, ‘It was great that Rylan stepped up. He basically told Grant, ‘We need you. We need you to play tough. You’re good enough. We need you. Step it up.’ And Grant responded by elevating his performance.’
While the start of the season had elevated expectations for Grant Nelson in an Alabama uniform, his initial struggles led to a halftime talk. Despite a challenging first half against Auburn, Nelson rebounded in the second half, notably with two impactful follow-up dunks off offensive rebounds.”
The significance of Wednesday night’s matchup was evident, with Alabama yet to secure a victory against a formidable opponent and Auburn yet to face a true test. Following a hard-fought 40-minute battle, it remains challenging to assess the strengths and weaknesses of both teams.
The success of Alabama appears to hinge on its defensive performance, as exemplified by Auburn’s 41.8% field-goal rate. Lingering questions revolve around Alabama’s interior play and Auburn’s ability to perform in hostile road environments. Nevertheless, the fact that Alabama established a double-digit lead and successfully thwarted a comeback attempt suggests the team’s potential for a meaningful March run.
This victory holds particular significance for Alabama, as they have excelled against weaker opponents but faced challenges against stronger teams. The triumph over the #8-ranked team marks a crucial step forward in building confidence. While Alabama boasts one of the nation’s top offenses, the key factor limiting their success has been defense. If they can maintain a level of defensive intensity against other formidable opponents, they could become a formidable force in March.
Shifting gears back to football, Jalen Milroe’s insights were shared during the basketball game:
Jalen Milroe emphasized two key principles: trusting the process and maintaining belief. As the team navigated the current phase in January, he stressed the importance of being present and focusing on the relationships within the team. Milroe highlighted the significance of understanding teammates and coaches, emphasizing the need for continuous growth in relationships and unwavering faith in the coaching staff.
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to be the quarterback at the University of Alabama, Milroe acknowledged the blessing and the pride he takes in the role. He urged his teammates not to take their current situation for granted, emphasizing their awareness of their privileged position.
Milroe, along with fellow players Malachi Moore, Tyler Booker, and Deontae Lawson, is seen as an exemplary group representing Alabama, fostering a team mentality under their new coach.
On the coaching front, Kalen DeBoer made history for Alabama by being the first head football coach to post on Twitter, marking a new era for the team.
Then, DeBoer did something even Saban didn’t do. He interacted with Williams on social media after his decision.
DeBoer reposted Williams’ announcement on X (formerly Twitter), making him the first Alabama head football coach to ever do so. He was active on social media while he was at Washington, and he updated his profile after agreeing to succeed Saban.
I guess technically, no Alabama coach ever actually posted on Twitter, since it’s called X now.
Regardless, it was a long run.
Florida State and the Florida Gators have collectively secured six transfers from Alabama amid the ongoing player movement since Nick Saban’s retirement. However, the success rate of players transferring from Alabama to other programs is not as high as one might anticipate.
An examination of the four previous transfer cycles, excluding walk-ons, reveals the following outcomes for the 58 players who transferred from Alabama to another Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) school:
12 became significant contributors to their new programs.
15 became at least part-time starters.
22 experienced limited success, with little to no significant impact.
In essence, the majority of players departing Alabama may have had valid reasons for doing so. While some, such as Drew Sanders, Taulia Tagovailoa, Jerome Ford, and Javon Baker, have gone on to perform well at their new schools, the data indicates that a considerable number made minimal impact in their subsequent stops. This context is essential to bear in mind, particularly as fans of other teams may exaggerate the narrative of Alabama losing its entire roster in the current offseason.
Leave a Reply