Tider Insider: August 27, 2024

go inside the Crimson Tide with your host Rodney or and Gary Harris keeping you informed on everything Alabama tighter Insider TV brought to you by visit Tuscaloosa and hello again everybody and welcome in the latest edition of titer Insider TV this is the game week edition how I love saying that brought to you by visit Tuscaloosa find out more at visit tuscaloosa.com I'm Gary Harris Rodney or from TI insider.com is with me and we made it to gameweek Rodney and Alabama is getting set to host Western Kentucky on Saturday evening in the first game of the Kalin D'Or era here in Tuscaloosa Alabama will kick it off against the hill tuers at 6 o'clock Central Time on ESPN inside Bryant Denny Stadium of course week after next they'll dedicate Sab and field in the south Florida game now here is some video from Tuesday's practice the tide working out in shells at the Thomas Drew practice fields and the Crimson Tide is uh relatively healthy for this one guard Jaden Roberts who had a little deal with his hand is expected to play as is Jam Miller uh Jeremiah Alexander the out the linebacker from Thompson High School in albaster was the only player that coach dor said yesterday they didn't expect to go but said he is close to returning so with that being said Rod let me bring you in for some analysis fall Camp ended when school started back now it's game week um where is Alabama really strong let's start with the Positive where do when you look at this team from position groups where is Alabama in your opinion its strongest you know what that's a great question I I would say this Gary as you're asking that question uh obviously in the trenches is where you want to be strong I look at this offensive line I think potentially they have a chance as they develop to be really really strong and I said this last March when we walked out there for that first observation spring practice the defensive line the numbers they have now again I'm not going to compare them to say the 2015 2016 groups that had a lot of firstr draft picks okay but they've got some depth they've got some quality and they've got some really good athletes up front defensively I think that's where you want to start I think those are two strong areas obviously you return an experienced quarterback you've got a great running back room I think you've got some talented wide receivers you've got some great inside backers Deontay Lawson Jihad Campbell Justin Jefferson uh you know you've got some things to work with in the secondary a lot of talent but a lot of Youth a lot of inexperience yeah Tyler Booker said today after practice that the offensive line can be great he said it's up to them uh you know I know they said a lot of that same stuff last year then they gave up the fifth most sacks in FBS but uh the talent is there you know they're probably going to play both uh Formby and pritchet at right tackle but the other four spots are set and when you look at this group practice the offensive line Rodney the the size is there uh the talent is there there everything is there other than this particular group hasn't proven it together but as you alluded to this should be a strength and when you're strong up front on the offensive line everything on the offense kind of generates from that I know they want to you know after giving up that many sacks last year you got an athletic quarterback you want to give him a little more time to operate under center before he F fills the rush yeah I think when you look at the interior it's really strong it may be the best interior offensive line in the country when you're talking about Parker bford who was an all Pack 12 selection last year's second team is a shirt freshman at Washington now here uh you've got Jaden Roberts you mentioned him what a season he had when he was inserted in the Texas A&M game there you see Kaden Proctor number 74 at the left tackle but but the left guard Tyler Booker I think he's the heart and soul of this offense I really do believe that really strong interior part of the offensive line with Proctor at left tackle now again the inexperienced at right tackle you got as you mentioned wilin forby Elijah pritet two really good young players uh I think they'll continue to probably compete the early part of the season all right position groups that are really strong you already alluded to the secondary maybe as a group that has a question mark anywhere else that you say yeah I just I'm curious to see how they perform in this first game well I I think defensively overall I'm really curious to see because you had 17 years of Nick sa and certainly nothing Kane wocks did a fantastic done a fantastic job everywhere he's been but I think defensively a lot of people want to see how do they kind of look under Kane de uh Kane wck with that said too Gary you mentioned the secondary again a lot of talent there but the pass rush I I think they can get some pass rush from their down lineman but where's it going to come from the outside are they going to move Justin Jefferson or Jihad Campbell out there to get some pass rush keano cou quarius Robinson who's going to produce that outside pass rush Ronnie we'll have our predictions our score predictions later on in the show but before we get to coach talk you know it seemed like for a while that we were breaking in new coach every few years because Alabama was now this hasn't happened since 2007 when Nick sa ran out of that tunnel for the first time Kor is going to come out of that tunnel it's going to be completely different and new just how much anticipation do you have just to because everything for the first time in a long time there are questions simply because we've never seen this particular coaching staff in action yeah I I don't know that I have questions about this staff because I think when you look at the the overall track record of these coaches you start with kayen deore he's what 104 and 12 he's won everywhere he's been Kane W's been successful uh a really like Nick Sheridan and some of the other staff members they've had success MO linquist is former head coach at Buffalo so I think they've got a lot of great experience it's not so much a staff it's just the change we're used to Nick Sabin the way Nick Sabin did things whether it's going to practice the interviews however they were done a lot of things are a little bit different that's not natural how are they going to look different on the field that's what we're looking forward to well I think based on the results I hope they don't look too much different because Style Style know the same results all right now it's time for Coach talk and obviously this is different for kayin dbor even though he's been a first-time head coach uh you know several times in his career now he's wearing the fame crimson and white and there's going to be nothing that he's ever experienced in coaching like he's going to experience on Saturday night that is just the reality of it he was asked yesterday at his press conference what he's learned about himself that he uh is keeping with him for this first game since he was named the head coach of the Crimson Tide I think you just always are confirming the things that you believe in uh whether it's football related whether it's just uh you know staff related and how you bring a team together um you just always trying to adjust and evolve but also confirm the things that are like your real deep beliefs and a year ago you know a lot of those things continue to just be verified and as we bring it together uh you know you kind of look to those things and are counting on those things uh to help build this team all right a big note on Western Kentucky Tyson hton the head coach has named that young man TJ Finley is the starting quarterback certainly Alabama fans are familiar with him he played against Alabama when he was LSU he played against when he was at Auburn uh last season at Texas State he lit it up and now he's at his fourth School remarkably Rodney he's still just listed as a junior wow uh this is a different world that we live in now as I said before you look on that roster don't ever go by what it says guys play five six seven eight years now but anyway yeah but he is a you know he's a guy that was looking to find his Niche you thought he found it last season at Texas State when he completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns he also ran for five touchdowns but Rodney he's on the move again I I wonder what it was that you had that much success last year yet he's going to Western Kentucky I guess maybe it's that offensive history of that program they they are always it seems like it's the Bobby patrino system that they run there they've always been pretty good on offense yeah they have you know and and he did have a lot of uh lot of success you're talking about TJ Finley last year threw for over 3,400 yards Gary 24 touchdowns just eight interceptions now he's in this great system with Tyson hton they lit it up last year listen the last two years Austin Reed who was their departed quarterback he threw for over 8,000 yards and 71 touchdowns in those two years I I fully expect them to come out they're going to they're going to sling it they will challenge that young secondary yeah eight and five a season too including incredible comeback win over Old Dominion in the bowl game that they had 3835 interesting note here former Alabama offensive lineman will Fran who started four years on the offensive line that's very rare is now the offensive coordinator there of course he's been in several different programs in the SEC but uh so you know in addition to having that powerful passing game and they're going to be strong up front too because he's an o line coach by he is and you know Gary talking about how far back you and I go I remember when he was recruited you covered him in high in high school and that's a long time ago showa Central High School Philadelphia Mississippi remember him well and hope to get him on my radio show this week he said no said he was too busy getting ready to play Alabama imagine that all right kill Toppers were picked to finish second in the preseason Conference USA poll by the media we'll still to come on tier Insider television Alabama volleyball is ready to get the season started we'll preview this weekend's crimson imitational and Miami of Ohio football coach has made some news because of some allegations that allegation just flat out J came out and said it he said Alabama sto his kicker that kicker Graham Nicholson we'll have the details when we come back also we'll be getting your phone calls emails and tweets there you see the phone number 205 348 wva that's 348 9882 or you can email us at the address on your screen TV w23.6 [Music] right special teams lost your kicker Carter M he's we didn't lose him he's at Alabama we knowa we know exactly where he's at like again you media people it's all pretend like no Alabama stole our kicker they illegally they illegally recruited they illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us and like that's that's a fact but that's that's but we act like it's not we live in this la la world like hey let's not talk I don't know why everybody knows what's going on so yeah Alabama stole our kicker DV brought to you by visit Tuscaloosa alongside Rod new or I'm Gary Harris and that was Mi of Ohio football coach Chuck Martin just coming out and flat out of cuing Alabama of tampering with kicker Graham Nicholson who's now at Alabama Nicholson committed to the Crimson Tide in April following the in of spring practice he is expected to be Alabama starting kicker on Saturday night what's interesting to me about this is that uh Miami signs some players out of the portal our schools do uh I mean the guy I hate to say it like this but he just comes across like a clown there um like he's trying to make some news I doubt very seriously Alabama had to contact Graham Nicholson uh illegally Nicholson had you know might have heard there was an opportunity for a kicker at Alabama he goes into the portal and Alabama signs him that's just the way it is well I mean look he was L gr Award winner right I mean he's familiar with will rockard he knew will rard was leaving There's an opportunity to Alabama I don't know if there was any back Channel talk between you know people sometimes that happens and I'm certainly not saying it happened in this case but Gary it happens all the time Caleb DS ended up Ohio State you don't think they already offered a big nil deal while he was still at Alabama he wouldn't have probably left for Ohio State if he hadn't known that so this is going on in college football we talked about this on this show four or five years ago when knew this was coming we said you better hire retention staff because you're going to have to keep your players yeah for Coach Martin listen I know he's a good football coach he's been there a long time and as I said he comes across as a clown I'm not saying that he is a clown but I think that that was you know I I think that was done to generate some headlines which he he did all right coach dor was asked about uh last week following practice about Graham Nicholson and whether Alabama contacted him illegally I don't know anything about that I guess that comment um yeah I mean he entered the portal and we reached out to him so that's how it goes right so uh we did everything that way you're supposed to all right we're going to move on from that uh I think coach pretty much said it all he's in the portal we contacted him we signed him and and that's all I have to say about that yeah it is all right let's talk some Alabama Women's Volleyball because the season is right around the corner and Alabama is looking to uh to get better in the sport of volleyball there's no doubt about that 24-25 season is something where Alabama gets the season underway coming up this weekend with the Crimson Invitational at Foster Auditorium Alabama looks to get off to a strong start at home this season Following last year's 11 and 18 finish Alabama will open Action at 12:30 on Friday against gramling State followed by a 700 p.m. match that night versus The Citadel and Alabama will wrap up the weekend tournament on Saturday playing host to UT Martin at 2 p.m so you can check out uh Alabama volleyball on Saturday afternoon they'll be done in plenty of time for the football game like I said looking to get some improvement in that sport this season at Alabama we'll still to come on TI Alabama soccer back in action at home highlights from that one coming up and up next let's get some phone calls Row in in here it's game week I'm told the phone lines are wide open 205 348 wva that's 348 9882 by all means give us a call we want to hear from you your thoughts on on the game Alabama versus Western Kentucky TV W [Music] v23.0 at Chattanooga early on it's the leader GA Paul who puts it in the back of the net Alabama LED one to nil in the first half right before halftime graduate senior Kate Henderson bends uh in a shot to make it two nothing Crimson tied at the break and Alabama Cruz to their third one of the season and head coach Wes Hart picked up his 100th win at Alabama and welcome back in TI TV brought to you by visit Tuscaloosa this note Rodney this is uh we came on in 2000 with this show so this is our 24th year our th football season unbelievable it really is I was 35 years old when we started the show Mike Duo's last year yeah yeah how about that we've been through a lot of coaches here but the last you know since 2007 it's been a pretty good run all right let's jump out on the phone lines and phone lines are open by the way 205 348 9882 Tommy and ramulus is going to lead us off hey Tommy hey guys how yall doing well well the concern I have about Saturday game is the secondary of those portal transfer going to be starting or do we have any idea we know who the 13 going to start but I mean cuz I know Weston Kentucky loves to throw the ball around yep Tommy they do Rodney you you know no no depth chart has been put out yet let me say that so uh we usually got it from coach Sabin the Monday before the first game was not given out yesterday do you have a feel for who you think will start in secondary you know I look I really like who they've got again he hasn't they haven't released a dep chart officially but when you look at those safeties you talk about Bop Kai Mor his experience Keon sav's great player transferred in from Michigan deanii Jackson has starting experience at USC I think he's a potentially star at corner and then you've got the the young players and you've got Deshawn Jones a transfer from from Wake Forest you've got the the three true freshman zaven Brown Zade meny Jaylen mbakwe uh Devonte Smith at the star position uh you've all or now it's the husk position uh also red Morgan another true freshman that's there at that uh at that husky spot so a lot of Youth and he talked about how are you going to really kind of get TJ Finley out of sync they're going to give him a lot of things to try to build his confidence early you know that but I think Gary what you have to do is you certainly got to get pressure on him and the thing about him you remember how KJ Jefferson how big he is this guy's bigger I mean he's 67 250 lbs getting him on the ground is really tough yeah I think that's probably the best help for the secondary would put pressure on this guy and like you said get him get him out of the Rhythm because he can settle in he can be dangerous that's for sure all right let's go up to Walker County and talk to our buddy Sammy hey Sammy hey Gary Rodney uh great job guys starting off the season right and everything uh I just want to add a statement to the you know the new season the offense I think with kayen theor just start start off I believe it'll be just fabulous but I'm most looking forward to the defense see if they attack see aggressive Blitz whatever what do y'all think about that what about R I think you're on top of it Sammy I'm I'm expecting a really hard-hitting physical aggressive defense a lot of the things you said blitzing trying to create plays turnovers negative plays I think you're going to see defensive lineman more involved I'm I'm I'm like you Sammy I want to see uh Jem Otis in this defense I want to see LT Overton the transfer from Texas ADM so many guys Tim Keenan Who's Back Damon pay we could go down the list uh I'm really interested Gary and and Sammy kind of touched on this a little bit or alluded to it how many guys are going to play I mean if you listen to what Kan wck says it sounds like they could play several in the secondary you know we're not really used to that right so it's going to be really interesting to see what their philosophy is in terms of getting guys on the field all right still to come on titer Insider television an exciting weekend for former Crimson Tide outfielder Tyler Gentry more on his debut in The Bigs coming up next and we'll be getting to more your phone calls emails and tweets again there's the information the phone number 205 348 wva that's 348 9882 phone lines are open we'll be right back with more TV after this timeout and here we are R your your celebrity man bring you right back here on by yourself all right welcome back into TI TV let's get to our email question of the day and our email question of the day is brought to you by KDM Service Corporation when it comes to heating and air conditioning needs KDM Service Corporation serves your family like our family and our email question of the day is from sorry from tamy and Northport I'm sorry I got ahead of myself can players enter the portal during the season right it's my understanding that they cannot no no in fact Gary you know we maybe we talked about this last week they're talking about doing away with one of the portal periods uh where you would only have one and that would be in December so we'll see I hope they do yeah I I just think it's been too easy for players to leave not that you shouldn't have an option but not the way they've been able to do it L all right let's get back out on the phone lines and putty is with us from over in Alabaster hey putty hey Rodney hope you are good thanks hey I wanted to know if uh if my memory is right that Jaylen milro last year had held under the ball maybe longer than any quarterback in the country and I'm just wondering if in y'all's opinion if that accounted for some sacks and also has the new offensive staff helped him with a quicker release all right puty I you know I I'm not familiar with those stats I do know he took a lot of sacks I think some of them were on him some are on the offensive line and sometimes it might have been wide receivers not being open so I think it probably a combination of those but yes I think in this offensive system there is a premium on getting the ball out on time and it's set up to have some quick options in the past game so I expect him to have uh more success getting the bottom of his hand a higher completion rate and less sacks yeah and I think you're right I think they really that's something to do they've worked on is getting the ball out of his hands really quickly uh making quick decisions and I think too putty you have to also kind of consider this jayen milro wasn't really the quarterback until the fourth game last year I mean there was still the cake was baking remember that's right I did very much so I I don't even know that they really narrowed things down to there were four games in I mean that was really tough last year it was tough for Tommy ree it was tough for uh jayen milro so and and the offense as a whole this they've gone through spring practice now they through fall Camp I I I'm really looking forward to seeing how milro is making that adjustment I'm with you I think he's going to thrive I I really do all right let's get to an email and um this one is from Caleb and helina Caleb Cunningham doesn't seem very committed thoughts I think that probably becomes from the news today the wide receiver out of Mississippi who's committed to Alabama is going to visit om miss this weekend for their season opener Gary what what have we said all along you said all the time yeah you know these kids are going to continue to take visits especially when you we have the experience of these Mississippi kids I mean it just kind of seems like they do that uh and they're he's going to visit Old Miss he's probably going to be at Mississippi State quite a bit He Lives 25 minutes from Starkville uh but right now I mean I think he's he's firmly committed as as they come uh but it's going to be a long process we've talked about that all right thanks for the phone calls and emails still to come the annual pkin kickoff event was last night at tusas University Church of Christ we'll have that coming up for you and we'll be getting into our game picks who do we think is going to win and what will be the scores will'll have it for you coming up [Music] next all right almost out of time couple quick notes Tyler Gentry former Alabama Outfitter caught up by the Royals John Hannah was the featured speaker last night at the University Church of Christ pig skin kickoff event we just got a couple of seconds to make your pick you know what Western Kentucky really struggled to stop the run last year they're not stopping it Saturday against Alabama 4417 well you know the line is 30 and a half I think that's just about right I got Alabama winning this one 52 to2 I think the tit is going to score a lot of points but I think before the game's over Western Kentucky is going to get a few points as well all right that's going to do it for this week's edition of TI TV we'll see you again next Tuesday night for rodne or I'm Gary Harris so long everybody [Music] oh