Jumbo Package: Tua is on the mend; some wide receivers may be a different matter

Get your minds right, and multitask. Sure, there’s some Vol hatin’ to be done (in both prose and graphical forms), but there’s ‘Bama news to cover as well.

We’ll start with hoops. Last night was the poorly-publicized and poorly-timed Tide Tip-off event. Why marketing decided to open the doors at 5, line up ‘grafs at 6, and begin at 7 on the Monday of a road game is entirely beyond me. I have no idea how many tweets and texts I received last night from people locally in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham who didn’t even know the event was happening.

That’s a shame too: this iteration of Alabama basketball may prove to be the best that Avery Johnson has had on campus. C’mon, marketing. Do better.

If you missed Roger’s coverage, then go check it out and get some great photos too! BOL got some excellent shots as well.

But, what did Avery Johnson see, especially from star-PG-in-waiting Kira Lewis?

“Fortunately, Kira doesn’t have feel like he needs to come in and be the savior for Alabama basketball.”

The scenario is a little different for the Hazel Green High School alum compared to Collin Sexton a year ago.

”Two totally different situations,” Johnson said. “First of all, you had a guy that was a true freshman in Collin and Collin was pretty high on some draft boards. Whether that was 15 when he first arrived at Alabama and he eventually got drafted eighth. Kira is just a young guy and he’s trying to get better and he was a guy who was potentially going to be a McDonald’s All-American had he stayed in high school and who knows what boards he would have showed up on had he stayed in high school another year.”

#Buckleup

Another positive for Tide hoops? In the ongoing criminal trial for handlers and bagmen, Alabama has yet to be named. That should put to rest any NCAA concerns about Collin’s eligibility last season.

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Now to football.

First, let’s get caught up on the state of Alabama recruiting with TiderInsider’s Rodney Orr, who appeared on ESPN 740 with Russell Terry. Here’s the link to listen to that — man, can you believe that Early Signing Period (ergo, the new real NSD) is just 10 weeks off?

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This is pretty good, right?

People are going to quit testing Jerry Jeudy. According to him, DBs are consistently underestimating his speed. The result has been a lot of jocks strewn across fields throughout the south.

And, after smoking Mizzou, he sent a message to Greedy and Kristian and whomever else wants to play press against him down the road:

Jerry Jeudy got quite a reaction posting a two-word message with a photo Sunday afternoon.

The Alabama receiver just went with the “Come press” message corresponding with the picture of him looking across the line at Missouri cornerback Christian Holmes. The post had more than 20,000 likes as of Monday afternoon.

”I just thought that quote would go well with the picture,” Jeudy said Monday. “He was playing off. That was just a good caption for the picture, that’s all.”

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All is not right in receiver-land however. DeVonta Smith is still listed as day-to-day after injuring his hamstring — an injury I suspect will linger for several weeks:

DeVonta Smith, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, was at practice but wasn’t participating in drills with the other wide receivers. He’s considered questionable for the Crimson Tide’s game against Tennessee on Saturday. “You never know how hamstring injuries are going to respond and how fast guys will be able to recover,” Saban said. “At his position, probably have to be pretty full-speed to be able to play, so we’ll have to play that one day-to-day.”

Nor did Henry Ruggs III participate fully in practice, having left this weekend’s game after a b******* knee twist by a Mizzou team that played dirty all game long.

Raekwon should have punched someone harder. Instead, Alabama media relations he apologized

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Raekwon Davis may have the size, but it is Quinnen Williams who is really turning heads after moving to the nose this season.

Look at this — it’s insane:

That article referenced by Marq in that tweet is via the Athletic. It’s behind a paywall, but I will tell you they have all Alabama DL in the Top 40 draft-eligible players for 2019, with Q being the highest rated prospect, a player that will go in the second dozen picks.

Get that money.

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Tua and his knee, now addressed in the Royal “we” is apparently better this week than it was following the Arkansas game. The Sophomore appeared at halftime on ESPN’s Monday Night Football:

Tagovailoa practiced Monday -- and, according to Saban, still “hasn’t missed a day of practice” due to the knee, which he first injured against Arkansas Oct. 6.

”It looked bad on the field,” Tagovailoa said on ESPN of the situation against Missouri. “I just re-tweaked it kind of. But we got some treatment after the game, (some more) this morning leading up to practice today, so we’re a lot better. We’re much better.”

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Here is the recap of Coach’s presser by Charlie Potter:

“As I mentioned, Tennessee’s playing really, really well ...

”They’ve made constant improvement in terms of playing together as a unit and as a team. Playing with a lot of toughness, a lot of discipline. They don’t make a lot of mental mistakes. They’ve been very effective on special teams. All around, this team’s doing that you need to do to put yourself in a position to be able to win games. We’re going to have to be our best on the road to be able to take advantage of the opportunity that we have.”

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And here is the video if you’ve the time or inclination:

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MISCELLANY:

Too early for midseason All-Americans? Nah, didn’t think so.

We almost Dan Mullen and Todd Grantham catch some hands from Derek Mason on Saturday. But, turns out that no one will be punished for the field-clearing fracas.

The playoff bloodbath happened Saturday. But, that still leaves in line a first-round dance card with long-time Tide nemesis Notre Dame. Please let Alabama play ND in Round One and Ohio State in the finals. I beseech you, football gods.

If you missed Tua’s MNF performance, Tide 102.9 has the vid up for your perusal.

Finally, we leave you with this bit of joviality from SEC shorts: It’s report card time!

Roll Tide