Jumbo Package: NCAA to vote today on eligibility for spring sport athletes

Happy Monday, everyone. The biggest news of the day:

They are expected to give the seniors a year of eligibility, but we aren’t sure what it will look like in terms of scholarship counts, etc. This is the first I’ve seen mentioned of the players who aren’t seniors, but they too were stripped of a year of eligibility by the virus. Stay tuned.

Jaylen Waddle is putting in work.

Herb Jones joined John Petty and Kira Lewis in entering the NBA Draft process, but he isn’t going anywhere.

It’s a sensible move for all three players. For juniors Petty and Jones, the move is essentially a free evaluation and a chance to have all the information possible before making a decision. Lewis is a sophomore although no one ever projected that he would stay four years at Alabama when he signed out of Hazel Green High School. His name is routinely mentioned as a first-round pick in the 2020 draft and if evaluations support that, he’s likely to go that route. (While Alabama head coach Nate Oats would love to have Lewis back, having him go in the first round could translate into a long-range recruiting benefit.)

Oats was not immediately available for comment but did discuss Jones in his media teleconference last Tuesday.

“I think Herb, with all the injuries he’s had (a hyperextended elbow and a fractured wrist both affected his playing time this season), I think he needs to come back and have an unbelievable year for us, and then I think he can play his way into something really good.”

Hopefully Jones can finally get that wrist right so that he can be a factor on offense. Petty remains a wild card. If he returns to this team, they have a chance to do some great things next season.

Former Georgia standout Todd Gurley credits Julio Jones with luring him to Atlanta.

“The dude that came over to my house as soon as I got cut – Julio,” Gurley said. “Julio and Deandre, they both pulled up to the house and came and checked up on me.

“Chopping it up with Julio. That’s why I was like, ‘I’m trying to get to the A.’ Going back to Georgia. Going back home. I was waiting for it.”

A former Foley High School and Alabama standout, Jones is a seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Falcons.

Speaking of Julio, Antonio Brown has things to say.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone go further out of his way to be a jackass at every opportunity. You can bet that Julio will do what he always does: keep his mouth shut and kick ass on the field. Well, whenever he gets to do that again, anyway.

Alabama track alum Kirani James is having to wait an extra year for his third Olympic medal.

“The way I see it is, for them to postpone it, they’re taking this pandemic very seriously and I’m sure if there was a way where they could keep it for this year, they would have,” James said. “Obviously, they exhausted all their options. It is what it is. At the end of the day, safety and health trumps the Olympics every time.”

James quickly shot to worldwide fame after his UA career ended in 2011, winning the gold in the 400 at the 2012 Olympics in London; it was Grenada’s first Olympic medal of any kind. That came a year after he won the gold in the same event at the world championship meet in 2011.

Last, I made some people very #madonline when I poked fun at Butch Jones’ new title with a spoof based on NBC’s “The Office” a while back. Well, if you are a fan of the show you will enjoy this, and even if you aren’t, watch it anyway. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

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

Roll Tide.