Jumbo Package: Alabama adds another 4-star, leads in All-Americans, and Saban got paid again

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Nick Saban and company added yet another blue chip to the impressive 2023 haul.

At North Kansas City, Hill initially dreamt of using his quick feet and strong hands at tight end. A strong showing in middle school 7on7 tournaments convinced Douglas and others to give him a shot at it. Then he started a game at linebacker, was moved to nose guard then defensive end, where Hill was an all-conference player as a sophomore.

He projects as a defensive lineman in college. Tide defensive line coach Freddie Roach was listed as his primary recruiter. Hill and North Kansas City open the season this Friday in Columbia, Mo. against Hickman.

Hill chose the Tide over LSU, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and USC.

Highlights? Highlights.

Quite a few cleanups on aisle three in that video.

Guess who leads the nation in most AP All-Americans?

Joining Young, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, and Anderson, the star pass rusher, were Alabama defensive backs Jordan Battle and Eli Ricks as first-team selections.

The AP preseason All-America team presented by Regions Bank was selected by a panel of Top 25 poll voters and released Monday.

Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs made the second team as an all-purpose player and Crimson Tide guard Emil Ekiyor was also a second-team selection.

Alabama’s four first-teamers and six players on the two teams overall were the most for any school.

Berry Tramel at The Oklahoman wonders if Alabama and Oklahoma will be permanent opponents.

Bama has several traditional rivals. LSU-Bama has become a national game. Bama-Ole Miss is deep Deep South tradition. Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is just 82 miles from Starkville, Mississippi, so Bama-Mississippi State makes a lot of sense.

I suppose the SEC could save the Alabama-LSU series instead of LSU-Florida, making the Gators an annual OU opponent, though there’s little tradition there.

Or the SEC could tell A&M it’s going to keep things regionally, making Sooners-Aggies an annual series.

I personally don’t see that happening.

Nick Saban is getting paid again.

The new deal for Saban comes after Georgia coach Kirby Smart received an extension in July that moved him ahead of Saban as the highest-paid public-school coach in the country. Smart is set to make $10.25 million in 2022 on base salary and supplemental compensation. That will increase over time.

In the updated contract, Saban would make $9.9 million in base salary, talent fee and completion benefit.

The talent fee grows each year, moving the total to $11.5 million in base salary and talent fee in the 2028 contract year.

And that still isn’t enough for what he’s brought to the program.

Last, Patrick Murphy found his new pitching coach.

Lance McMahon will be the new pitching coach for Alabama softball, a source with knowledge of the hiring process told The Tuscaloosa News on Monday.

McMahon has bee pitching coach at Illinois for the last seven years.

That’s about it for now. Have a great day.

Roll Tide.