Happy Monday, everyone. As camp draws near, news will probably be scarce for a few days, but there are a few nuggets out there. We will start with the coaching carousel:
While some have waved it off, citing Miles age (63) or the current status of the Ole Miss program (potentially facing more NCAA sanctions and possibly in a rebuild), Miles reportedly does want the job.
According to USA Today’s Dan Wolken on Sunday, Miles is, “extremely interested” in the Ole Miss opening.
On the surface, this seems crazy and suggests that the market for Les’s services may not be as strong as many had surmised. Should Miles become the new head man in Oxford, Ole Miss and LSU will have participated in some perverse college football edition of Celebrity Wife Swap. Of course, it should be considered that Les will be the only candidate with a proven ability to win games for Ole Miss:
That was the third straight time that Miles had lost to Houston Nutt. The Right Reverend is like the Moe to Miles’ and Orgeron’s Larry and Curly.
Les does, however, boast a 3-0 record vs. his former DL coach. Storylines would be abundant.
Moving on...
Harris is probably a better athlete than most outside the Alabama program realize.
The 5-foot-11 Harris, who is up to 221 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds during the Tide's spring testing last year. That was tied for the fifth-best time on the team.
During Alabama's spring testing this year, Harris ran the 40 in 4.51 seconds while also bench-pressing 405 pounds, squatting 515 pounds and posting one of the top vertical jumps on the team.
Somehow a returning back who averaged 7.2 yards a carry and gained over 1000 yards was left off of the preseason All-SEC team. Bo Scarbrough certainly made a name for himself in the playoffs, but Damien was by far the most productive back in Tuscaloosa last season.
Recruiting:
"Same thing will happen in high school if they make the signing day before the season," Saban told CBS Sports. "It will take a few years, then some kid will say, 'Hey, I'm going to Notre Dame. I'm not playing my senior year.'
"Then the high school coach will go nuts."
Saban was referring to the possibility that the new December signing date could be moved even earlier. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby reiterated this week there could be an even earlier signing period -- possibly as long as 60 days -- in the fall.
Come on, Coach. Nobody is sitting out their senior year of high school ball so they can rush to a team that went 4-8.
"When it came down to it, Alabama has been my dream school since I was little," said Brown, a four-star recruit. "It seemed like the best business move for me."
Brown also wanted to keep the focus on his team this fall, which was another reason he committed at this time.
"It came down to this upcoming senior season for me," Brown said. "Our team is looking like we're going to be pretty good and I wanted to be done with all the recruiting and focus on my senior season and know that I have a spot on another great football team."
Brown is protecting a five-star 2019 QB named J.T. Daniels and says he will be recruiting him hard. Michigan, Stanford, and USC are his leaders.
The nation's No. 3 cornerback told BamaOnLine at The Opening he hoped to visit Tuscaloosa in July, and then again in the fall on an official visit. The trip comes just days after Campbell's teammate, Patrick Surtain Jr., visited campus.
"(Saban is) basically telling me they don't have a lot of DBs," Campbell told BOL. "That I can be that type of player that can come in and leave in three years. That's a good plan. I like talking to Coach Saban."
Sounds positive. Alabama certainly needs to add some numbers in the secondary.
Top juco TE Dominick Wood-Anderson made an official visit and it seemed to go well:
Top Juco TE Dominick Wood-Anderson @TheRealYungDom on his #RollTide official visit #needthisguy pic.twitter.com/lk2957JxBG
— InsideBamaRecruiting (@RTRnews) July 23, 2017
Lastly, check out this 14-year old camp visitor:
6'4 286lbs BEAST!! GOING TO 8TH GRADE 3 OFFERS IN MY 1ST 3 CAMPS!!!! OLEMISS, MISSISSIPPISTATE, AND AL REMEMBER THE NAME JAHEIM OATIS!!!! pic.twitter.com/sda0A3lMIE
— Jaheim Oatis (@JaheimOatis) July 22, 2017
Yes, that says that he is six-foot-four and 286 lbs. going into the eighth grade.
Other stuff:
WR Jerry Jeudy
Like Harris, the latest star receiver from South Florida left the spring game crowd eager for the future. The circumstances are more favorable for Jeudy in terms of the depth chart. The exits of ArDarius Stewart and Gehrig Dieter and Trevon Diggs moving to cornerback leaves opportunity for serious playing time early on.
Jeudy probably has the best chance to make a significant impact this season, but that list is a great read for Alabama fans. Five-stars everywhere who have to compete with older four- and five-stars for playing time.
We will close with a bit of nostalgia:
Alabama won the first SEC Championship Game 28-21 over Florida in 1992 when cornerback Antonio Langham intercepted a pass by quarterback Shane Matthews and returned it 27 yards for the game-deciding touchdown with 3:16 left to play.
77. Iowa State 37, Oklahoma State 31
Nov. 18, 2011; Ames, Iowa
Ames feels like a strange place for the BCS to go down in flames, but a Friday night at Jack Trice Stadium nevertheless stands out as a big reason for the creation of the College Football Playoff. LSU had out-kicked Alabama, 9-6, in a 1-vs.-2 battle two weeks earlier, allowing undefeated Oklahoma State to jump to No. 2 in the BCS, in prime position for a title shot. Instead of rival Oklahoma -- who it would crush the next week -- Oklahoma State's biggest obstacle turned out to be middling Iowa State. The Cowboys were 28-point favorites, and they took a 24-7 lead in the third quarter. But Iowa State clawed its way back with two TDs and a field goal. With a minute left, Oklahoma State's Quinn Sharp lined up for a 37-yard field goal, but his attempt for the win missed, sending the game to OT. Both teams scored in the first period. In the second, Brandon Weeden was intercepted by Ter'Ran Benton on the first play, setting up a Jeff Woody touchdown to give Iowa State one of its biggest wins ever and dash Oklahoma State's title hopes, as the BCS chose an ugly Alabama-LSU rematch for the national title. Seven months later, conference commissioners voted in favor of a four-team playoff.
This is going to be a great series from Matt Brown. The aforementioned inaugural SEC Championship game checks in at #80, and the 2015 Hunter Henry game vs. Ole Miss checks in as well. We are forever indebted to the Cyclones and Hogs.
That’s about it for today. Have a great week.
Roll Tide.