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Five Football Bowl Subdivision programs got new head coaches, including UB. All five of those hires had previous head coaching experience at the college level. At least 39 assistant coaches changed jobs, including five assistants at UB and eight at San Jose State. The 2024 college football season will feature a handful of sizable changes, however, Alabama Crimson Tide football fans are mostly focused on their own team. Without Nick Saban at the helm, new head coach Kalen DeBoer will be forced to tackle some high expectations in his first season in Tuscaloosa. The staff had a strong showing during the contact period solidifying relationships with current Class of 2025 commits and laying the groundwork for official visits in the summer. The Third Saturday in October rivalry lives on as the Crimson Tide will take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville in 2024. Just a few seasons ago Alabama lost to the Vols on the road in what finished in dramatic fashion with the goal posts coming down and being taken out of the stadium by fans. The Wisconsin Badgers are heading into the second year of the Luke Fickell era and expectations are somewhat limited for the team.

A difficult schedule that features challenging games at home and on the road could leave Alabama with either an impressive resumé or an ugly record after November. Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter. He was a starter during the 2023 season after transferring from Maryland, but he wasn't used much in the passing game. Even with the elite receivers that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had at Washington to whom he could throw in 2023, former Washington tight end Jack Westover still managed to catch 46 passes for 433 yards and four touchdowns in DeBoer's offense. «He's been a guy that's been waiting for this opportunity,» DeBoer said Tuesday.

(Image: http://wordpress.org/)That changed in the bottom of the fifth inning when Tennessee got on the board behind three unearned runs. Rylie West got the Tennessee rally started, drawing a lead-off walk then stealing second. Gabby Leach reached first base on a Kali Heivilin error, which allowed West to score. Laura Meeler then hit a two-run home run to center field to give the Lady Vols the 3-2 lead.

The Tide coaching staff didn’t just suffer losses from the transfer portal, a handful of immediate starters for the program transferred in, as well as some young, talented players who could contribute in the next few seasons. Following the news that legendary head coach Nick Saban would be retiring as the leader of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program, several players decided it was time to move on from Tuscaloosa—one of the notable being offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. Alabama Crimson Tide football is under new leadership, as Kalen DeBoer takes over as the program’s head coach following the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban. One of the biggest concerns regarding DeBoer was his recruiting abilities. Those have since been alleviated to a certain degree after the impressive offseason he’s had on the recruiting trail and the transfer portal.

Jocelyn Briski entered in relief for Alabama in the bottom of the fifth inning, finishing the game going 1⅓ innings with one hit allowed and one strikeout. Kayla Beaver finished the game giving up three runs on two hits while striking out two across 4⅔ innings pitched. The winner of the Knoxville Super Regional will punch a ticket to the Women's College World Series. Alabama is looking to make its second-straight trip to the Women's College World Series and 15th in program history. After Beaver allowed the home run, freshman Jocelyn Briski entered in relief.

«That first weekend felt a little touch and go, but since then Kalen DeBoer has done just about everything right as he tries to replace the greatest of all time. Nick Saban left DeBoer a cool way to improve pretty spectacular roster, and DeBoer added to it with some of his favorite former Washington players. Initially losing players to the transfer portal Caleb Downs (to the Ohio State Buckeyes), Isaiah Bond (to the Texas Longhorns) and Kadyn Proctor (to the Iowa Hawkeyes… temporarily), there was fear that a mass exodus would follow.

UB football coach Pete Lembo discusses leaving South Carolina and his connection with Lance Leipold. The agreement between the schools and EA Sports is for the next four iterations of the game, per Liberman, and «schools will receive additional payments based on the success of the game» and will receive a «10 percent royalty on sales.» Iowa, Oklahoma State and Utah may not be considered powerhouses in the sport, but they have consistently been ranked in the Top 25 enough to land in Tier 1. Tennessee's Payton Gottshall entered the game in the circle for Karlyn Pickens in the sixth inning, not allowing another Alabama run to score.