Jumbo Package: Tide still projected as a 1-seed, Alabama football players are bulking up

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Alabama fell in the polls following the loss to Texas A&M, but they are still projected as a one seed in the South.

Alabama remains a No. 1 seed in ESPN’s bracket projection, although Kansas has taken over as the No. 1 overall seed despite the Jayhawks’ loss Saturday to Texas. Houston and UCLA are the other two projected No. 1 seeds.

Alabama is projected to play in the South region of the NCAA tournament, which would mean its potential Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games would take place in Louisville after its first and second round games are expected to be played in Birmingham’s Legacy Arena.

If that’s how it shakes out there won’t be any appreciable difference in the top two seeds, as Kansas prefers the Midwest and Alabama prefers the South.

Isaac Trotter over at 247 has the same concern about the team that we all do.

Alabama: It’s all fun and games to shoot 3s and layups until you can’t make 3s. Alabama is shooting just 25 for 116 (21.5%) from 3-point range in the last four games. Is this a young team hitting a late-season wall? Or is the horrific Darius Miles situation taking its toll?

Meanwhile, CBS deems the SEC tournament “wide open.”

Top-seeded Alabama won the SEC outright, but the Crimson Tide are entering the postseason fresh off a loss at Texas A&M and are grappling with off-court distractions surrounding star freshman Brandon Miller. With the No. 2 seed Aggies hot and No. 3 seed Kentucky rounding into form, this tournament could be wide open. No. 9 seed Mississippi State arguably has the most at stake as the Bulldogs enter as one of Palm’s “Last Four in” but No. 7 seed Auburn and No. 6 seed Vanderbilt are technically bubble teams as well. The Commodores face an uphill battle to at-large status following an injury to star center Liam Robbins but could turn some heads with a win over No. 3 seed Kentucky in a potential quarterfinal matchup.

It’s never easy this time of year, nor should it be.

in football news, there is a clear theme as weights have been updated.

Elijah Pritchett, OL – 300 to 312 (+12)

Kobe Prentice, WR – 171 to 182 (+11)

Jam Miller, RB – 201 to 211 (+10)

Anquin Barnes, DL – 305 to 314 (+9)

James Burnip, P – 211 to 220 (+9)

JC Latham, OL – 326 to 335 (+9)

DeVonta Smith, DB – 185 to 194 (+9)

Terrion Arnold, DB – 188 to 196 (+8)

Newcomer Kadyn Proctor, expected to compete heavily (pun intended) at one of the tackle spots, is up to 354 lbs. Not sure what to think about that one, but it’s relatively clear that Saban is encouraging not only the OL to bulk up, but most position groups on both sides of the ball. Perhaps he believes that he overcorrected a bit in choosing lighter defenders the past few years? Chris Braswell added a whopping 15 pounds as well, for his last season at the Capstone.

Here is a nice recap of the Combine numbers.

Running in the last group of the NFL Combine, Gibbs ran a 4.36 in his second attempt, which was the second-fastest at his position (Devon Achane, 4.32).

Most players will do more at the Tide’s Pro Day at its indoor practice facility later this month, including Latu and Ricks. Alabama will hold a pair of pro days in Tuscaloosa, with the first on Thursday, March 23, and a second on Thursday, April 6. Young will throw at the latter.

Here, we break down UA player performances and measurements at the 2023 NFL Combine.

Last, Chris Vannini at The Athletic has an interesting piece on coaching contract perks, starting with the conflict between Deion’s Under Armour deal and Colorado’ Nike deal.

In 2021, Colorado referred to its first Nike deal in 1995 as one of the most consequential moments in school history and said the partnership has “stood the test of time.” Every major school has an apparel deal that coaches and players must follow. But Sanders is “Coach Prime,” a universe unto himself, and his official contract recognizes that, with scores of quirks and perks.

That includes acknowledging that Sanders still has his own Under Armour deal (his son Shedeur does, too). Deion Sanders was once a Nike star in the 1990s, but the sides had a falling out; in the past, Sanders has cited issues such as signature cleats and support for youth leagues as reasons for the split. Sanders and Under Armour have had a relationship since 2009, and Sanders has said many times he would never go back to Nike. At Colorado, Sanders can keep his UA deal on the side.

Coaching ball ain’t a bad gig, y’all.

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

Roll Tide.