The Jumbo Package | 07.30.14

Info you need to know before heading to Alabama fan day, autograph session | AL.com

The annual open practice is coming up soon for the Alabama football team. UA released a few of the particulars you'll need to know before heading to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sunday (Aug. 3) for the sneak preview. Here are the vitals:

-- The gates open at 1:30 p.m.

-- Practice starts at 2:30 p.m. and will last about two hours.

-- After practice, they will sign autographs at approximately 4:45 p.m. Fans will enter at Gate 31 and exit at Gate 44. Those who want to wait on line and skip the practice portion can start lining up at 1:30 p.m. outside of Gate 31.

The annual running of the gumps is nigh upon us.  If you are interested in taking part, check out this article to get all the necessary info.  And be safe out there, y'all.

Alabama football preseason debate: Who starts at QB vs. West Virginia? | AL.com

Who starts at quarterback when Alabama opens the season vs. West Virginia?

Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but I don't really see how this is a debate.  Is there anybody reading this that thinks there's a legitimate chance that Coker isn't starting on August 30th?

Bovada pegs Alabama Crimson Tide as SEC favorite - ESPN

Alabama -- 7/5

Auburn -- 5/1

South Carolina -- 5/1

Georgia -- 6/1

LSU -- 13/2

Florida -- 12/1

Bet the farm, y'all.

Top SEC players: Nos. 20-16 - SEC Blog - ESPN

16. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama: Even though Derrick Henry has generated plenty of buzz over the way he played in the bowl game last season, the 6-2, 218-pound Yeldon is still the Crimson Tide's feature back. He'll be gunning for his third straight 1,000-yard season in 2014 and has averaged at least 6 yards per carry in each of his first two seasons. Yeldon led the SEC in rushing in league games last season with an average of 123.5 yards per game. He's as adept at running over you as he is at running by you.

Is Yeldon the most underrated guy on the team right now?  Last year, some people were wanting to bench him in favor of Drake.  This year, all anyone can talk about is Derrick Henry.  What's a guy got to do to get some respect around here?

Bama Football Roster Update - Roll 'Bama Roll

As much as it stinks to lose a prime recruit before he ever gets the chance to don crimson, there is one area where the loss doesn't hurt - scholarship count.  In the past several weeks, the team has already lost Parker McLeod and Brandon Hill.  With McBride now out of the equation, our scholarship watch count stands at 86 (see chart below).

So the watch is on.  Fall camp opens up in a few days and the list is one person too wide to fit through the door.

Did he just link to an article on this site, PAAWWWL?  Yes.  He did.  BLOGCEPTION.  We are days away from camp starting and haven't gotten the roster down to 85 yet.  Prepare for the barrage.

Ray Lewis offers advice to C.J. Mosley at Baltimore Ravens' practice | AL.com

"Honestly, first of all, we have a motto around here and that's play like a Raven," Lewis told the Ravens' web site about what he shared with Mosley and Brown. "And the second part of that is to understand that this is your profession. Leave your legacy on the field. Give it everything you got and understand that whatever you need to know, know it better than the coaches know it, and you'll be playing for a long time."

Mosley said he appreciated the advice. "He gave me a few pointers on how to sustain myself and get ready for this type of season that I'm going to go through," Mosley said. "I was just learning and listening to one of the greatest, so he's just passing the knowledge down."

I wonder if Lewis also advised him to always wear dark clothing, and stay away from white entirely.

Bo Pelini annoyed with 'clueless' parent after Stringfellow decision - CBSSports.com

On June 1, former Washington wideout and top-100 overall recruit Damore'ea Stringfellow told reporters he had filed the necessary papers to transfer to Nebraska, and that "my mom and my dad support my decision 100 percent." And on June 20, Stringfellow made it officially official that he would be playing for ... Ole Miss .

At Big Ten media days Tuesday, Bo Pelini was asked what had happened with Stringfellow's late change of heart.

"Read between the lines," Pelini said, according to Huskers Illustrated writer Michael Bruntz.  "I think we all know what happened in that situation."

Pelini was then asked a follow-up question on "whether it's parents making their kids' decisions for them" (in Bruntz's words) and if Pelini found that frustrating.

"Especially when it's a clueless parent," he said.

GEEZ.  Pelini certainly has a unique PR strategy...

Do you know what today is friends?  ONE.  MONTH.  LEFT.  Start stocking up on your nacho supplies now.