Tag: React

Former Alabama QB Greg McElroy weighs on the Kalen DeBoer hire for Alabama

Former Alabama national champion winning quarterback Greg McElroy weighs in on Kalen DeBoer

After 17 years as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] called it a wrap on his legendary career.

Saban guided the Tide to nine SEC titles, six national championships and four Heisman Trophies. One of those national championships came in 2009 with starting quarterback [autotag]Greg McElroy[/autotag], who is now ESPN college football analyst.

McElroy never found the right opportunity in the NFL, but he found his calling as a broadcaster and analyst. He signed on with ESPN in 2014 before beginning to call games in 2016. Despite his obvious love and ties to the University of Alabama, he usually does a great job removing any sort of bias from his commentary — almost to the point where it makes ‘Bama fans mad.

As someone who has spent time at Alabama and knows what it takes to win in Tuscaloosa combined with his knowledge of the current college football landscape, there probably aren’t many people better positioned to weigh in on the hire. McElroy is a big believer in [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] and what he brings to the table for the Crimson Tide.

“I think this is a terrific hire for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In the 36 hours I got to spend with the Washington Huskies, I felt like I was a part of the team. We sat down with Kalen Deboer and his staff for the better part of three to three-and-a-half hours. I found that DeBoer is as approachable and as personably a guy as I’ve been around in the profession. … You talk to his players about him, and he’s willing to go the extra mile.”

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Social media melts down as Alabama trails Tennessee

Fans react on X after Alabama’s slow start against Tennessee

Alabama vs. Tennessee is one of the most deep-rooted rivalries in the South with neither side being able to stand the other. The Volunteers got the best of the Crimson in the 2022 edition, and things aren’t looking good for the Tide early into the second quarter.

Alabama trails 13-0 and the team as a whole has played poorly. Joe Milton and the Tennessee offense marched right down the field and scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game. Jalen Milroe has struggled to have any sort of awareness in the pocket which resulted in a fumble that the Volunteers recovered deep in Alabama territory. Alabama needs to get something going fast as fans are melting down on social media.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly still in wait-and-see mode re: Michigan football

Is the team perhaps a bit disinterested? #GoBlue

Everyone, your writer here included, expected Michigan football to come out in 2023 and blow away the nonconference competition to start the season. While the Wolverines have been dominant, they perhaps haven’t been stylistically dominant.

There have been some potential growing pains. The offense has looked efficient and incredible for the first half of the first two games, but haven’t exactly looked like worldbeaters otherwise. Week 3 saw a certain coming back down to earth for that unit.

The defense has been impressive, but that’s no surprise given the level of competition. Also, Jim Harbaugh has yet to make his season debut, which could have something to do with the moribund output to this point.

ESPN’s resident advanced analytics guru Bill Connelly isn’t concerned quite yet (subscription required) but does note that the maize and blue were much more stylistically dominant (read: put up way more points) in each of the last two years. But, as he points out, if the Wolverines come out and destroy Rutgers on Saturday, it’s all a moot point.

Michigan has looked far less convincing against its early season cupcakes than in previous years. The Wolverines outscored East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green by a combined 96-16, which sounds fine but is 46.2 points under what SP+ projected the combined margin to be. It also pales in comparison to the domination of the past couple of College Football Playoff years: They outscored three similar opponents 166-17 in 2022, and in 2021 they obliterated two of the MAC’s better teams (WMU and NIU) and Washington by a combined 141-34.

The bar’s high for proving you’re at a playoff standard, and Michigan hasn’t cleared it yet. Of course, none of this will matter if it pummels Rutgers on Saturday and starts looking the part.

Your writer’s belief is that Jim Harbaugh’s absence has perhaps affected the game more than anyone in Schembechler Hall has been willing to admit. From an in-game strategy standpoint to the team being fired up, there are a lot of potential pitfalls that Michigan has fallen into with Harbaugh watching games remotely.

Additionally, this is an experienced team who’s just come off of a season where they were expected to be in the national championship game. And they’re still young — as anyone in college football is. It’s difficult to blame them for being potentially disinterested in three Group of Five teams that they were supposed to manhandle.

We’ll find out more about these Wolverines on Saturday when they host Rutgers at noon EDT. That game will be broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network.

NFL RBs are vocal in response to the way the position has been devalued

NFL running backs react to brutal market after big name guys miss out on deals

Running backs across the NFL took to social media on Monday to express their discontent with the way the RB position is currently viewed and being paid after four elite backs were not able to strike deals with their teams yesterday.

Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley, Austin Ekeler and Tony Pollard are all Pro Bowl-level players that will now hit a tough free-agent market next offseason after failing to meet yesterday’s deadline to reach a long-term deal.

Former Alabama RB, Jacobs, was reportedly so close to reaching a deal that he was waiting in the Raiders parking lot with teammate Maxx Crosby, but ultimately the deal fell through.

Ekeler is entering the final year of his contract with the Chargers who have essentially said they are unwilling to negotiate and will let him walk next offseason, while the other three guys have been franchise tagged and will become unrestricted free agents next summer.

From the team’s perspective, while Saquon or Jacobs may be great, you can find around 85% of the production for around 15% of the cost. Teams have found a lot of success drafting the RB position in later rounds of the draft so they don’t see a reason to go pay an elite guy $15 million when you can draft a player for $1 million. If you look back at the Super Bowl winners over the past decade, almost none of them feature a Pro Bowl-level back outside of Marshawn Lynch with the Seahawks in 2014 as wide receivers have become much more of a necessity.

All that being said, running backs play a massive role in their team’s success and deserve to be paid accordingly. Jacobs and Barkley both have been the face of the franchise type of guys and deserve to be rewarded for all they have done for their franchises. Below, the NFL world came to defend the position together:

Social Media reacts to Brandon Miller’s monster Summer League game

Social media goes WILD reacting to Brandon Miller’s epic Summer League performance

One might expect the high-end draft picks to dominate the NBA Summer League, and while that is often the case, it is not as easy as that.

Yes, the League is meant to develop the recent draft picks, but it’s also a chance for guys trying to make rosters to compete for that opportunity in a game-like atmosphere. Meaning, you will often see games end up in the 70s and 80s or even less in terms of points because the games do get to be that competitive and every possession matters.

So, a guy like Brandon Miller could struggle in the Summer League because he knows, as the No. 2 pick in this past draft, that his roster spot is secure.

The high level of competition makes for a great opportunity to see what a player is really made of and is the first time you get to see them in an NBA-level atmosphere at the speed of the NBA game.

The first two games for the former Alabama PF were good, but he didn’t blow people with his performances as he averaged 13 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists across the two games. However, it was his ineffectiveness from the field that was cause for concern as he shot 9-33 and 3-17 from three.

On Tuesday night, Miller finally broke through as he went for 26 points, six rebounds and two assists against the Trail Blazers.

Social media reacts to Jahvon Quinerly’s decision to enter transfer portal

Fans online were quick to react to Jahvon Quinerly’s surprising decision to enter the transfer portal

Shocking news came out of Tuscaloosa Sunday evening as Alabama guard Javon Quinerly reportedly decided to enter the transfer portal. Quinerly will be leaving as a grad transfer so he will be eligible to play immediately for whatever team he chooses next. It will be his final remaining year of eligibility and his sixth year in college.

Quinerly was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and spent his first year of college ball with Villanova. He then entered the transfer portal and has since spent the past four seasons in Tuscaloosa making 123 appearances and 40 starts for Nate Oats. While at Alabama he posted career averages of 11.7 PPG, 3.7 APG and 2.3 RPG.

His decision sent shock waves through social media as people reacted to the surprising news.

Crimson Tide fans react to news of Kevin Steele as new DC

Crimson Tide faithful have some interesting takes on Kevin Steele’s arrival

The Alabama Crimson Tide finally have a new defensive coordinator in now-former Miami Hurricanes DC Kevin Steele. This will be Steele’s third stint with the Tide, but he has also coached for Auburn and Tennessee to make things funny.

Steele is about as experienced as they come, but it has been a mixed reaction from the Tide faithful. Steele was very much a candidate for the Auburn head coaching position a few years ago when the Tigers ultimately decided on Bryan Harsin.

Steele should be a slight upgrade over Golding, especially with the talent in Tuscaloosa, but we will see!

Alvin Kamara says he’s ‘not 100% committed’ to his dinner plans after Sean Payton report

Alvin Kamara says he’s ‘not 100% committed’ to his dinner plans after Sean Payton report

Let’s count Alvin Kamara in the camp not sweating Sean Payton’s commitment to working with the New Orleans Saints this year. After a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Payton had not verbally, 100% committed to returning to New Orleans for the 2022 season, Kamara issued his own statement making light of the whole situation on Twitter.

“I’m not 100% committed to putting ketchup on my fries tonight,” Kamara wrote, advising fans to turn to WDSU’s Fletcher Mackel for details on his dinner plans later that evening.

Maybe there’s more smoke to this fire than the reactions of Kamara and Saints owner Gayle Benson would suggest, but it sure doesn’t sound like either of them are worried Payton might be about to ride off into the sunset. Obviously it’s a developing situation, so be sure to watch this space for movement in the days ahead.

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Drew Brees has terse response to Saints’ Week 2 Panthers loss

Drew Brees has terse response to Saints’ Week 2 Panthers loss

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One of the benefits of Drew Brees joining NBC Sports as a broadcaster in retirement is his quick reaction to New Orleans Saints games each week — there isn’t anyone better informed about the team than him across the NFL media landscape. He even got a look at their Week 1 game plan for the Green Bay Packers.

But he didn’t mince words when reviewing his old team’s stunning loss to the Carolina Panthers on NBC’s “Football Night in America” panel.

“The Carolina defense completely shut them down today. There was no run game, they got after Jameis Winston,” Brees said tightly, adding: “These Carolina Panthers came ready to play.” And then he quickly transitioned to recap the next game’s results.

It was a brief moment, but it sure felt like a quiet scolding. It’s a safe bet that he reserved more specific criticism for private conversations, which is probably the right move. Raising three rowdy boys prone to wrasslin’ on the sideline at the Pro Bowl is good practice. Entertaining as it may be, dissecting the Saints’ flaws on national television might not be in his or the team’s best interests. Let’s hope they make him proud next week.

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Chiefs players congratulate Anthony Sherman on his retirement

Chiefs players shared their reactions to the news that FB Anthony Sherman would retire following eight seasons with the team.

Kansas City Chiefs FB Anthony Sherman announced his retirement from the NFL on Thursday after spending 10 seasons in the league. His last eight seasons have come in Kansas City, where he’s cemented himself as a leader and the consummate teammate. Following the announcement of his retirement, a number of Sherman’s teammates, both currently and formerly with the Chiefs, took to Twitter to react and congratulate Sherman on a tremendous career.