Former Alabama duo ranks top 10 among all-time CFB playmakers

This former Alabama QB-WR combo ranks top 10 among all-time college football playmaking duos.

Throughout the history of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program, dozens of players rank among the elites of their respective positional units. However, it’s the relationship between those players that result in championship wins and the creation of dynasties.

A recent ranking by Brad Crawford of 247Sports listed the top-50 all-time playmaking duos in college football history. One former Crimson Tide duo made the top 10.

Alabama’s most recent national championship in 2020 featured the duo of quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver DeVonta Smith. Both would go on to be first-round selections in the NFL draft and Smith was awarded the Heisman Trophy, with Jones being a finalist the same season.

“Alabama saw several All-American quarterback to wideout combos during Nick Saban’s illustrious tenure, but the 2020 season featuring Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith was the greatest. Smith recorded 117 catches for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns, the greatest season ever in Tuscaloosa at the position. Via the Heisman Trust, Smith became the first wide receiver since Desmond Howard to win the prestigious honor after leading Alabama to an undefeated season and a berth in the College Football Playoff. He went on to dominate in both playoff games, including a record-setting first half in the finale against Ohio State. In his only season as Alabama’s starting quarterback, Jones managed 4,500 yards passing with 41 scores.”

The duo was electric to watch while they were teammates in Tuscaloosa, as their flashy plays left defenses in a daze en route to a national championship and an undefeated season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football news as the 2024 college football season approaches.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.

56 days until Alabama football kicks off the 2024 season

We are now just 56 days away from the start of Alabama football’s 2024 season!

In 56 days, Kalen DeBoer will usher in a new era of Alabama Crimson Tide football, replacing the legendary [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] as head coach in Tuscaloosa.

Coach DeBoer and the Crimson Tide will take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Aug. 31 to kick off the 2024 college football season inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

At Roll Tide Wire, we will count down the days until Alabama football takes the field.

With 56 days remaining, we look back at a former Crimson Tide standout defensive player who wore No. 56, Tim Williams.

Williams played for Alabama from 2013-16 racking up 31 tackles for loss and 21 sacks from his outside linebacker position.

The Baltimore Ravens selected Williams in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Tim Williams’ Photo Gallery

57 days until Alabama football kicks off the 2024 season

57 days until Alabama football!

In 57 days, Kalen DeBoer will usher in a new era of Alabama Crimson Tide football, replacing the legendary [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] as head coach in Tuscaloosa.

Coach DeBoer and the Crimson Tide will take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Aug. 31 to kick off the 2024 college football season inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.

At Roll Tide Wire, we will count down the days until Alabama football takes the field.

Today, with just 57 days remaining, we will look at one of the more dominant defensive linemen of the Coach Saban era, [autotag]Marcell Dareus[/autotag].

Dareus terrorized opposing offenses during the 2009 and 2010 seasons where he would accumulate 20 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. His strong college career would earn him the No. 3 overall selection in the 2011 NFL draft.

Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett currently wears No. 57 for the Tide.

Marcell Dareus’ Photo Gallery

Nate Oats adds Detroit Pistons assistant Brian Adams to coaching staff

Nate Oats completes his coaching staff with an interesting hire from the NBA

Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball program has completed its coaching staff for the 2024-25 season by hiring Detroit Pistons assistant Brian Adams. The veteran coach will replace Austin Claunch who left the Crimson Tide this offseason to become the head coach at UTSA.

Adams has spent time as a coach in college, the NBA, and overseas and joined the Pistons halfway through last season. Adams most notably worked as an assistant for Doc Rivers with the Philadelphia 76ers 2020-23.

Adams will join Preston Murphy and Ryan Pannone on Oats’ staff in Tuscaloosa. With the addition of Adams, Coach Oats now has two assistant coaches with NBA experience.

ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report on the hire.

ESPN Sources: Alabama is hiring the Detroit Pistons’ Brian Adams as an assistant coach on Nate Oats’ staff. Adams joined Pistons midway through last season after nearly a decade under Doc Rivers with Sixers and Clippers. pic.twitter.com/beHL0wXQGB

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2024

Roll Tide Wire will continue to provide updates on the Alabama men’s basketball team throughout the offseason.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

On3 names Alabama as biggest recruiting winner of June

Alabama football put together an impressive month on the recruiting trail in June!

Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide football coaching staff put together a historic month in June on the recruiting trail. There isn’t a program in the country that has generated more momentum than Alabama for prospects in the class of 2025.

On Monday, as a new month begins, On3 released its top five recruiting winners for June, and to the surprise of no one, Coach DeBoer and the Crimson Tide sit atop the list.

In total, Alabama landed nine commitments with an average rating of 92.28 which helped passion the Tide at No. 2 in the overall team rankings for the 2025 recruiting cycle.

The Georgia Bulldogs, the Oregon Ducks, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Penn State Nittany Lions are joining Alabama as recruiting winners for June.

Biggest recruiting winners in the month of June‼️📈

Read: https://t.co/BF2nQcFDOd pic.twitter.com/AAL5BEOh7Y

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) July 1, 2024

Roll Tide Wire will continue to provide updates on Alabama football recruiting throughout the summer.

Recent NFL player rankings prove Alabama is RBU

No other college football program produces running backs like the Alabama Crimson Tide. This is a fact.

Every year, the annual NFL draft allows for players from programs all across the nation to have their names called, and their professional football journey begin. There is one program, however, that seems to produce more NFL talent than the rest: the Alabama Crimson Tide.

While Alabama has been able to send a player at every position to the NFL under former head coach Nick Saban, the program has done an exceptional job at producing high-caliber running backs who succeed at the professional level.

By constantly sending running backs, among other positions, to the league, the Crimson Tide has made the argument that it is ‘RBU’ for being the program that consistently developing running backs that have successful and impactful careers in the NFL.

A recent ranking of the top-20 running backs in the NFL for the 2024 season by Garrett Podell of CBS Sports features three former Alabama running backs inside the top 10, the most of any single collegiate program.

No. 9 – Josh Jacobs

Nov 12, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (8) reacts after getting first down against the New York Jets during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports — Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

On this list, Josh Jacobs ranks No. 9 in the league. After being drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders and spending his entire young career with the franchise, Jacobs is about to begin a new chapter. In the 2024 offseason, Jacobs signed with the Green Bay Packers and will be the team’s lead ball carrier.

No. 8 – Jahmyr Gibbs

Nov 19, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (26) runs the ball against the Chicago Bears in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports — Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Former Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a phenomenal rookie season with the Detroit Lions and he is expected to step it up in his sophomore NFL season.

“He became just the eighth rookie in the 21st century to total more than 900 rushing yards (945) and at least 10 rushing touchdowns (10) while averaging at least five yards a carry (5.2, third most in the NFL among running backs in 2023, on 182 carries),” writes Podell. “The company Gibbs keeps with his rookie year production is among some of the NFL’s best when it comes to Pro Bowl running backs.”

No. 2 – Derrick Henry

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) tries to get past Houston Texans linebacker Denzel Perryman (6) during the third quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023. — Syndication: The Tennessean

Former Alabama Heisman-winning running back Derrick Henry had a Hall of Fame-worthy career with the Tennessee Titans, but he will now be the featured running back for the Baltimore Ravens after making the move as a free agent during the 2024 offseason.

“Alongside reigning NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson in the Baltimore Ravens backfield, Henry should have much wider running lanes to work with since the Ravens’ registered a Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade of 67.9, the eighth best in the league,” writes Podell. “That’s a considerable upgrade from the Titans’ 60.2 PFF run-blocking grade, which ranked 17th in the NFL. King Henry is set up to rule once again in 2024.”

There’s no telling if these stars will remain in the top 10 as the 2024 NFL regular season goes on, but there’s also a chance other former Alabama football standout running backs will enter the list, as well.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football news as the 2024 offseason progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.

Alabama barely makes the cut in latest College Football Playoff prediction

See where Alabama is projected to land in the new 12-team College Football Playoff format in 2024.

The upcoming 2024 college football season will feature the debut of the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, which is a substantial expansion from the four-team format it had for a decade. The Alabama Crimson Tide are regular participants in the CFP, and experts don’t think the program misses the cut in its first season without Nick Saban.

Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer recently made the move from the Washington Huskies program to assume the same role in Tuscaloosa for the Crimson Tide. Last season, DeBoer and his Huskies team made the CFP and made an appearance in the national championship game, but fell short to the Michigan Wolverines.

RELATED: Where does Alabama land in the college football rankings of the future?

Recently, Bill Bender Sporting News revealed a prediction for the full bowl season slate, including the new 12-team playoffs.

Though Alabama isn’t one of the teams to receive a BYE, which indicates that the Crimson Tide aren’t projected to win the SEC in this scenario, it does show that the team was able to put a strong enough resumé together to impress the College Football Playoff committee to make the cut.

In this projection, Alabama ranks No. 8 and will face the No. 9 Clemson Tigers. Because this is a first-round game and the Tide is the higher-ranked team between the two, this contest would be played in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Bender’s projection has Alabama winning that matchup and places the Crimson Tide in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal against the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs.

Unfortunately for Alabama, this is where Bender has the Tide’s season coming to an end, as the Bulldogs would advance to the semi-final Orange Bowl against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns.

According to Bender’s prediction, the national championship game would be played between Georgia and the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, where the Bulldogs would be victorious in a close battle that finishes with a final score of 42-41.

It’s important to keep in mind that these are all predictions and anything can happen throughout the regular season, which can give rise to significant changes in the possible playoff picture.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama Football news as the 2024 college football season approaches.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.

Former Alabama guard Aaron Estrada agrees to deal with Detroit Pistons

The talented combo guard lands a deal in the NBA!

The Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball program did not have any former players selected in the 2024 NBA draft, but on the day following the conclusion of the draft it was reported that [autotag]Aaron Estrada[/autotag] had agreed to an Exhibit-10 deal with the Detroit Pistons.

Estrada played just one season in Tuscaloosa after spending the two previous seasons at Hofstra. The combo guard was a central piece of the Crimson Tide’s second Elite Eight appearance and the program’s first Final Four.

As a Woodbury, New Jersey native, Estrada ranked third in the SEC in assists per game. He posted the fourth triple-double in Alabama history on Feb. 28 at Ole Miss, recording 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the win over the Rebels.

Estrada started in all 37 games for the Crimson Tide this past season and averaged 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field.

John Chepkevich of Draft Express was the first to report the news of the deal between Estrada and the Pistons.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Estrada and the other former Alabama stars now in the NBA.

Nick Saban’s new role, salary released following retiring from Alabama football

Nick Saban now has a new title and salary at the University of Alabama

[autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] shocked the college football world in January with the sudden announcement of his retirement as the Alabama Crimson Tide football head coach.

At the time of his retirement, it was reported that Saban would remain an employee of the university athletic department but no details were revealed on his exact role.

On Thursday, the details of the legendary coach’s new position were finally released. Nick Kelly of the Tuscaloosa News has reported that Coach Saban’s new title with the Alabama athletic department is listed as “professional” and will earn an annual salary of $500,000.04. Coach Saban officially started his new role on March 1.

Saban now has an office at Bryant-Denny Stadium where athletic director Greg Byrne refers to his role as an “advisor”.

The seven-time national championship-winning head coach will also serve as a college football analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay.

Early score prediction, preview for Alabama vs. Wisconsin on the road

Alabama football’s Week 3 road game against the Wisconsin Badgers will be Kalen DeBoer’s first test as the Tide’s head coach.

The 2024 season for the Alabama Crimson Tide begins on Aug. 31 in Tuscaloosa against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Not only does that game kickoff the new season, it begins a new era of Crimson Tide football as Kalen DeBoer takes over as head coach, replacing the legendary Nick Saban following his retirement.

In Week 2, Alabama will stay at Bryant-Denny Stadium to take on the South Florida Bulls in the second, and final installment, of an interesting home-and-home series. In 2023, the Tide’s trip to Tampa was one to forget. Not only did a torrential downpour cause a significant mid-game delay, but the contest was much closer than anyone could have predicted.

It won’t be until Week 3 that DeBoer and Alabama face a Power-Conference team. A rare trip up north to Big Ten country will have the Tide go head-to-head against the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison, Wisconsin.

Badgers head coach Luke Fickell is entering his second season as the program’s head coach and will look to make an early-season statement against Alabama.

Though fans should expect a valiant effort, experts are predicting Alabama to leave the Badger State with a win and enter the off week with plenty of planning ahead, as the biggest game of the season awaits the Tide in Tuscaloosa – a home game against the Georgia Bulldogs.

The value of a road win against Wisconsin cannot be understated. Tony Liebert of Sports Illustrated’s “All Badgers” shares an early preview of the matchup.

“One of the biggest non-conference games in Camp Randall history takes place in week three, as the Badgers welcome Alabama to town. With Nick Saban retired, people might be lower on the Tide with new head coach Kalen DeBoer, but they’re still loaded with talent led by star quarterback Jalen Milroe. Wisconsin might be able to lean on the home-field advantage early, but Alabama has too much firepower and comes out on top.”

Leaning on the home field advantage could be advantageous for the Badgers, but this Alabama team has grown accustomed to playing in some of the most daunting, hostile environments in all of college football. At the end of the day, the better team will win and they can plead their case by reforming at a high level on the field.

Liebert concludes the preview by offering a score prediction: Alabama 31, Wisconsin 17.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football news as the 2024 offseason progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.