Jumbo Package: Alabama plans a BBQ for Homecoming 2023

Happy Tuesday, everyone. This is more of a medium sized package today since not that much is going on.

We still have no word on Montana Fouts after her visit to see Dr. Lyle Cain yesterday, but will update you as soon as we do.

The biggest news dropped yesterday when Alabama announced a pig roast event to celebrate Homecoming.

Mark your calendars accordingly.

Being offseason and all, sportswriters are making predictions about what will happen months from now.

On Monday, Action Network’s Brett McMurphy released his bowl projections. Georgia and Washington were picked for the Sugar Bowl, with Michigan and Florida State slotted into the Rose Bowl. McMurphy left Alabama out of the playoff field and predicted the Tide would face Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.

But in early May, CollegeFootballNews.com projected Alabama would return to the playoff. The outlet predicted the Tide would face Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, with Georgia and Texas meeting in the Sugar Bowl.

Guess we’ll see, eh?

Christopher Walsh wrapped up portal season after Elijah Brown announced his commitment to FAU.

There aren’t too many immediate conclusions that one can make about Alabama’s transfer additions and subtractions from the portal this time around. Nick Saban only took in five, with tight end CJ Dippre and interior linebacker Trezmen Marshall participating in spring practices, and quarterback Tyler Buchner and defensive backs Trey Amos and Jaylen Key all signing on since A-Day. Obviously Buchner’s getting the most attention due to his position and having working with new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees at Notre Dame.

Brown left without catching a single pass in Tuscaloosa.

Last, more evidence that the offseason is in full swing: conference realignment talk is back, baby!

A subset of seven schools in the 14-member conference has coalesced over what many of them describe as an untenable situation. Officials from the seven schools, led by Florida State and Clemson, have met a handful of times over the past several months, with their lawyers examining the grant-of-rights to determine just how unbreakable it is.

Per the grant-of-rights, each ACC school gives ownership of its broadcasting rights to the league in a deal with ESPN that runs through 2036. If a school breaks the deal, the ACC will continue to own the TV rights of any of that school’s home games, according to the contract.

The ACC’s options are quite limited, both for the group of seven and the league as a whole.

Alford, speaking to the FSU board of trustees in February, voiced fears of FSU falling $30 million behind SEC and Big Ten schools annually in calling for the ACC to rethink its revenue sharing approach. The athletic directors at Clemson, Miami and North Carolina later echoed Alford’s concerns as college athletics continues to be rattled by realignment. A pair of historic rivals will be on the move to new homes in 2024 as Oklahoma and Texas leave the Big 12 for the SEC while USC and UCLA exit the Pac-12 for the Big Ten.

“We have to do something because we’re a brand. We’re a very important brand, and we drive the media value in this conference,” Alford said during the February meeting, streamed on YouTube.

Brett McMurphy coined a nickname for the disgruntled seven schools, and a Devil of a name surprisingly isn’t among them.

Surely Carolina wouldn’t leave Duke, right?

Surely.

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

Roll Tide.