Jumbo Package: Happy 4th of July!

I’ll keep this one fairly short so you can take the day to spend with your friends and families. And also because I like to do the same.

AL.com All-Access: Are there really 10 QBs in college football better than Tagovailoa, Stidham?

Sports Illustrated released its annual Top 100 players in college football last week, and there were some interesting rankings on the list.

There were seven players from Alabama on the list (Isaiah Buggs, Tua Tagovailoa, Damien Harris, Dylan Moses, Raekwon Davis, Mack Wilson and Jonah Williams) and two from Auburn (Jarrett Stidham and Derrick Brown). There were three Clemson defensive linemen (Christian Wilkins, Clellin Ferrell and Dexter Lawrence) in the Top 10.

The article I’m quoting is mostly talking about Tua Tagovailoa and Jarrett Stidham being underrated. Feel free to debate that amongst yourselves.

What is interesting to me is that Isaiah Buggs and Dylan Moses both made the top 100 players in the nation, despite limited playing time in their first year on campus. Personally, I’d think Terrell Lewis has shown more than either of those two. Same with Ross Pierschbacher.

But what do I know?

Sibling rivalry between Tagovailoa brothers could shape Alabama and SEC

The relationship is complicated.

They were so competitive with each other growing up that it affected their friendship. For a time, they didn’t like each other. If you grew up with a sibling, you can relate. The complex family dynamics of sibling rivalries can produce some of the most powerful emotions people experience.

Where there is blinding competition, there is also blinding loyalty.

Where there are shared experiences, there are also contrasting personalities.

Can you love someone unconditionally but also be envious and jealous of that person? Yes, just have an older brother or sister close in age.

Sometimes it takes years of maturity before siblings can get along. Sometimes it never happens. The competition is never really gone, though. Sibling rivalries never leave us. No matter how old, or wise we become, they’re always there.

AL.com is here with a nice little article about the relationship and rivalry between the Tagovailoa brothers, and how it might affect Alabama. On one hand, it could wind up pushing both to be better. Or it could cause a split in the team. Even worse would be the younger Tagovailoa going somewhere like Tennessee and then building a year’s worth of hype before playing head to head against his older brother.

However it plays out, it’ll be interesting to watch and should be a fun storyline for reporters over the next 3 years.

Jonathan Allen appreciates football more after injury

In the five games that Allen played, the Redskins yielded an average of 88 rushing yards per game. In the remaining 11, that average jumped to 155 rushing yards per game, and Washington wound up finishing last in the NFL in rushing defense for the 2017 season.

The Redskins won’t have the NFL’s worst rushing defense in 2018, Allen promised.

”One-hundred percent,” Allen said. “Completely different.”

In addition to Allen’s return from injury, Washington added Alabama defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne with its first-round draft choice in April to bolster its rushing defense.

”I think we’ve got a great chance for that front seven to be very, very good,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said.

The Alabama takeover in Washington has entered phase two. Obviously, the ultimate goal here is for Saban to take over as president of the United States.

In any case, it’ll be good to see Allen back on the field this fall, especially alongside Da’Ron Payne and Ryan Anderson.

NFL suspends 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster for 2 games

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster has been suspended by the NFL for the first two games of the 2018 regular season for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy and its Policy and Program on Substances of Abuse.

The former Alabama All-American will be able to participate in the 49ers’ training camp and preseason games, but he will miss San Francisco’s regular-season contests against the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Foster will be eligible to return to practice on Sept. 17 after sitting out two weeks.

”I accept the league’s decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team,” Foster said in a statement released by the 49ers. “I have a responsibility to the 49ers, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted.”

After all the accusations and attacks thrown his way earlier this spring, it’s good to see Foster not being drug through the mud anymore after his name was cleared. The two game suspension is for minor violations that are basically a wrist slap from the NFL because they had to do something publicly to appease the masses. Hopefully, he’ll get back on the field and quickly resume showing why he was looking like one of the best young linebackers in the pros before finishing the season injured.

That’s all for now. Have a happy 4th, and Roll Tide