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Jumbo Package: Monday, 2 May 2016

Your daily dose of news and notes...

Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Happy Monday, everyone. As Roger already reported, the baseball team dropped two of three to #3 Mississippi State. Meanwhile, the softball team took two of three in Columbia.

It was something of a stressful week for Alabama fans as news broke that former assistant Bo Davis resigned amid NCAA scrutiny over recruiting violations that now appear to be somewhat minor in terms of impact to the program. Yesterday, we learned of his replacement:

Alabama set to name Karl Dunbar as defensive line coach

Dunbar was strength and conditioning at LSU under Nick Saban from 2001-02. After stints at Oklahoma State and the Chicago Bears, he returned to LSU as defensive line coach in 2005 under Les Miles and has worked in the NFL since 2006.

Dunbar has a great résumé that includes some of the best defensive line units in the NFL for the past few seasons. Like Mel Tucker, he will enjoy instant credibility with players and recruits. The machine rolls on.

Alabama Football Players Show Off 2016 Championship Rings -

On Friday, Alabama received its rings for the accomplishments, one for winning the SEC Championship and two for navigating the College Football Playoff - one for the Cotton Bowl, one for the title game.

Very nice

Decision Day: Will Alabama land commitment from Hawaii QB? | AL.com

Tua Tagovailoa, a four-star quarterback from Honolulu, Hawaii., is set to announce his commitment. He's supposed to announce his commitment on the KHON live stream in Honolulu during the 6 p.m. newscast. That's Hawaii time, so it would be after 11 p.m. in Alabama. The finalists are Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, USC, UCLA and Hawaii. His coach at St. Louis in Honolulu, Cal Lee, doesn't expect Hawaii to be a factor.

This is a big one, folks. If Tagovailoa goes elsewhere, Alabama will very likely be left without a blue chip QB prospect for the 2017 recruiting cycle.

Derrick Henry reunited with his former Alabama lead blocker | AL.com

"Me and Jalston played two years together (at Alabama), so just excited to be back with my boy," Henry told local reporters in Tennessee during a conference call on Friday. "Me and Jalston, we've got a close relationship. He was like my brother."

Tennessee signed Demarco Murray to be their bell cow, but Murray is always hurt. With Henry and Jalston Fowler joining Chance Warmack and Rashad Johnson, Alabama fans may have a decent southern option for their NFL diversion.

Why Dolphins GM referenced Hall of Famer while discussing Kenyan Drake | AL.com

"I always tell the story. I was in New England when we took Curtis Martin. And everyone said, 'Why you guys taking Curtis Martin? He's always hurt. He's never made it,'" Grier said during a press conference Friday after being asked about Drake's durability. "Curtis, the year he came out as a junior, only played two games. So Curtis has gone on to be a Hall of Famer. I'm not saying this is Curtis Martin.

"But ... (former Dolphins No. 1 draft pick) Jake Long never missed a game at Michigan. And unfortunately here, his career's kind of been ravaged by injuries, but he got off to a great start. But I think you take (injury history) into account, but you don't ever let it determine the player's value and where you take him."

Drake's injury history involves broken bones rather than tendons and ligaments, so that likely wasn't much of a factor. Kenyan will have plenty of folks rooting for him.

Tracking Alabama undrafted free agent signings | AL.com

Seven Alabama players were selected during the NFL draft, but several other key players from last year's national championship went undrafted. Here is a running tab of where those players are headed as undrafted free agents

Jake Coker ended up in Arizona, Richard Mullaney in Houston. There are several more listed.

Lastly, yet another college football player in Alabama was killed on the highway, this time 19-year-old Nathan Harris from Troy.  Condolences to his family.

That's about it for today. Have a great week.

Roll Tide.