First, we had Kane Wommack’s press conference, which lasted nearly 18 minutes. The man didn’t say much last week, and he certainly made up for it this time.
Best of all, Kane finally revealed what he keeps in his shoulder bag on match day:
“There’s no fanny pack. It has all my power pack stuff on the back. So there’s not like a bag or anything where I can put my lip balm, you know what I mean, and my essential oils or whatever. I don’t do anything like that. But it’s like my radio, I talk to those guys, and then the communications piece is on the top and they strap it to the back. And then on the top, we call it a simple button, which is live with Deontae That happens sometimes with Lawson or Justin Jefferson, so then I have to push that button to communicate with those guys, so I don’t know that people think I’m bringing snacks to the game.”
The biggest news for Alabama is the continued improvements in health.
When the SEC Tournament began, the Tide felt like they were a walking MASH force. Even after that game, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart came out to support Alabama’s case for a playoff spot, noting how many Alabama players were out or faltered.
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Now, though, the tide is down to Latham and Beaman, both of whom were eliminated earlier this year. Everyone else is back and, from all appearances, seems ready to go. Even starting defensive end Overton is recovering from a mystery illness that kept him out of three games, as is RB Kevin Riley with a broken jaw. Hopefully the Clean Health Act will make a big difference in Alabama.
“You know what the best part of it is?” said Lewis, who also works with Future Fan Sports. “It’s going to rain at the Rose Bowl.”
He chuckled.
“It’s good for Indiana in a way,” he said in an interview with AL.com. “Because they can run the football. They can be physical in the trenches. And, like, traditionally this is supposed to be a game where Alabama messes up and makes your nose bleed. They did. Maybe they did. I’m not saying Indiana is going to run away with the game. It’s just the irony of the whole situation.”
He wasn’t exaggerating either.
The numbers back him up, contrasting with the traditional reputations of both programs.
If anything, it’s a challenge for Alabama’s front line, which isn’t as dominant as it has been in the past.
Expected rain will only increase the No. 1 Hoosiers’ advantage in this College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup.
Indiana brings a balanced offense and offensive line that paves the way for a rushing attack that ranks 10th in the country (221.2 yards per game).
If the wet ball becomes an issue in the passing game, Alabama’s 120th-ranked rushing attack doesn’t inspire confidence. Only once did the Tide match Indiana’s season average in rushing totals, a 269-yard game against weak Eastern Illinois (49 carries).
1 – “Heavy rain” in California is very, very different than heavy rain in Florida.
2-I’ve never fully bought into the idea that a team that rushes the ball better is necessarily more likely to win than a team that rushes the ball poorly. We do know statistically that rainfall decreases a QB’s completion percentage by about 2.5%. But rain affects pretty much everything… RB could slip more. Defenders may slip. Linemen may not have as good a grip.
I do believe the rain will even things out a bit more. Bad teams will be closer to good teams because everyone will mess up more.
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What that means for Alabama-Indiana… I’ll let you decide.
Only Michigan State (1,021) and Ohio State (990) have more wins than Alabama’s 985, though to be fair, 142 of Michigan and Ohio State’s all-time wins have come against Indiana, and this is Alabama’s first against the Hoosiers.
I had fun with this line. Good one, Tom Fornelli.
Auburn star wide receiver Cam Coleman has informed schools that he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Coleman is a former five-star prospect who is expected to be a top receiver when the transfer portal officially opens on Friday. The sophomore has two years of eligibility left but will be a popular pick in next year’s NFL draft.
Does the fact that Alabama just hired Auburn’s former OC as their WR coach have any impact on Cam Coleman? Who knows.
But we do know Coleman’s final game at Auburn showed he’s always been an Alabama native:
We will always love him for it.