Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Surly Horns

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.
Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business & Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Advertise... Tailgate Donations

Featured Replies

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

I remember when you decided it was your duty to repeatedly say this same type of shit heading into Jake Majors’ senior season at C during that offseason. It was powerful stuff. The groundswell of support for your bravery echoed through the structural bones at Bellmont, Flood heard your demands and everything changed.

Wait. No, no that’s not right. Oh yes, now it’s coming to me - nothing you bawled about mattered, Majors started all season and wound up joining an NFL organization.

Keep tilting at those windmills though. They’ll fall down eventually. Make sure you leave no room for the possibility of player improvement.

The Texas approach is to lock up the key roles now. Once that work is finished, we may see a flurry of additions that don’t cost anything more than scholarships. If some of those guys play their way into snaps, they’ll get some upside in future rev share. This is what they started doing in recruiting in the 2026 cycle and it sounds like they’re amplifying that in 2027.

There is only so much time, employee headcount and money. No org can do everything. It’s great to plan, but also be flexible because who does or does not go into the portal becomes a real time issue. I know they fucked up the OL situation, but I’m interested in seeing if they can course correct with who is actually out there now. Everything else has gone according to plan A, or then plan B, or then plan C. OL? They flunked plan A and now we cross our fingers.

Just like I knew the portal was going to be a game changer, but thought smaller than yall as far as what I was willing to do and what was possible, it's pretty obvious where we are going (as all of college football) in paying the top of the roster and just churning the shit out of the bottom. I think you pay 8 guys a year in high shool (that makes 32 home grown guys) and then go big game hunting at the portal for 5-10 guys depending upon how your development goes, and everyone else is more or less on scholarship seeing if they can develop to be quality players. Your point about headcount, is, of course right.

I did have a bit of a thought that there might be a contrarian play to having 105 guys if you go back to essentially having a junior varsity team. I don't think they would call it that, of course, but if you are going to pay 65 guys (more than i would but if we have the money cool), any thought to taking another 40 that you don't pay, turning them into a JV- having someone on staff in charge of that and analysts cutting their teeth on that, and hoping that you develop a handful of guys and having a waiver wire essentially in case you get hit by injuries? With no real coaching limit anymore on staffs if it's just about a scholarship why not? There is a certain quality to quantity if you can make it happen. Juice just not worth the squeeze?

  • Replies 11.7k
  • Views 1.3m
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Most Popular Posts

Posted Images

1 hour ago, Duane Moore said:

The OTF guys were talking like schools may be closer to carrying 65 scholarships as the game adapts to these new market realities.

The problem with this is there's no practice squad, no list of free agents who attended one of your spring camps to grab guys off of when there's injuries. You've got the December signing period/portal and that has to last you until next December.

3 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Just like I knew the portal was going to be a game changer, but thought smaller than yall as far as what I was willing to do and what was possible, it's pretty obvious where we are going (as all of college football) in paying the top of the roster and just churning the shit out of the bottom. I think you pay 8 guys a year in high shool (that makes 32 home grown guys) and then go big game hunting at the portal for 5-10 guys depending upon how your development goes, and everyone else is more or less on scholarship seeing if they can develop to be quality players. Your point about headcount, is, of course right.

I did have a bit of a thought that there might be a contrarian play to having 105 guys if you go back to essentially having a junior varsity team. I don't think they would call it that, of course, but if you are going to pay 65 guys (more than i would but if we have the money cool), any thought to taking another 40 that you don't pay, turning them into a JV- having someone on staff in charge of that and analysts cutting their teeth on that, and hoping that you develop a handful of guys and having a waiver wire essentially in case you get hit by injuries? With no real coaching limit anymore on staffs if it's just about a scholarship why not? There is a certain quality to quantity if you can make it happen. Juice just not worth the squeeze?

Another logical next step is schools creating a defacto minor league system and aligning with lower division teams for development. Imagine if Sark had a say in the offensive schemes run by Texas State or UTSA and we could essentially "call up" standouts at the end of each season who have spent the last year or two getting playing time in our system but have not yet hit our payroll. I imagine the quality of players willing to consider these schools would increase if there was a "UT could call you up if you stand out" carrot being dangled.

Pretty sure people mean 65 Revshare players.

Revshare is the new scholarship.

Scholarship will eventually be the new PWO.

22 hours ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Today we will get a nice transfer. Keep the momentum up. I got a feeling

Let’s see if I can go 2/2. Today we won’t get any commits but early this week, I’ll say tomorrow, we get a solid o-line transfer. Let’s ride!!!

3 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Another logical next step is schools creating a defacto minor league system and aligning with lower division teams for development. Imagine if Sark had a say in the offensive schemes run by Texas State or UTSA and we could essentially "call up" standouts at the end of each season who have spent the last year or two getting playing time in our system but have not yet hit our payroll. I imagine the quality of players willing to consider these schools would increase if there was a "UT could call you up if you stand out" carrot being dangled.

Yeah, that was another thing I have kicked around in thought experiments offline. Teams used to do that with Juco guys they'd stash or have real working relationships with certain schools. Would that be worth exploring again? Sure. Maybe. But the problem with that is that do we really get to "call them up" when there is a bidding process? Running the same schemes would obviously be pretty helpful in knowing if you had a guy that was going to fit. You could also make it worth that schools while with sending guys down that don't work out for us but could be good players at UTSA or UNT or UTEP or something. We could at least give the downlow on whose a dipshit, who hates football, or who is a good character guy that just isn't good enough.

38 minutes ago, HtownHorn said:

Man, X is just a bunch of salty bitches that Texas is spending money that only Texas can spend. I love it. aggy, ou, Bama, and Georgia fans all pissed off. They didn't have any problems cheating, and would crow on and on about it.

People's brains are just permanently warped at this point because of social media.

All $$$ being equal, there is no better situation for Cam Coleman than Texas. It's not even close.

A shockingly good spot for him if Moore moves on.

7 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Another logical next step is schools creating a defacto minor league system and aligning with lower division teams for development. Imagine if Sark had a say in the offensive schemes run by Texas State or UTSA and we could essentially "call up" standouts at the end of each season who have spent the last year or two getting playing time in our system but have not yet hit our payroll. I imagine the quality of players willing to consider these schools would increase if there was a "UT could call you up if you stand out" carrot being dangled.

Sounds great for UT, but why would a recruit want to sign up for any of that? If they ball out at UTSA or Texas State, then they can just hit the portal and have every school in the country offering them huge money. Or they can go to another school, ball out and transfer to UT anyways. What is the upside for them to sign up for some minor league system that limits their options if they breakout?

13 hours ago, Hook1997 said:

We still need quite a few lineman if we’re going to have any depth this season.

the minimum acceptable roster situation at the end of this portal period is TWO (2) upperclassmen (soph/junior/senior) AT EACH POSITION with a freshman (true/shirting/EEwhatever) as the 3rd ultra-emergency player

relying on 'utility' guards/tackles to play either side is madness - it should not be the preferred strategy - yes it happens all the time but it is not a cunning plan

and of EXTREME CRITICAL IMPORTANCE is THREE (3) centers with snapping skills under center, for field goals and for punts - these are 3 different skills and there can be ZERO in-season in-game clusterfuck over an injury which can happen AT ANY TIME

the fact that the cupboard is only half-full at this stage of sarkstevetexasfootball is not cromulent or embiggening

  • Popular Post

First comment. Like fucking clockwork. No surprise here:

IMG_1724.jpeg

Yep. Reed is “better.” Unless you count head-to-head performance and TD:INT ratio in big games. Reggie is still better than Vince, I bet.

Edited by MuellerHorn

6 minutes ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Let’s see if I can go 2/2. Today we won’t get any commits but early this week, I’ll say tomorrow, we get a solid o-line transfer. Let’s ride!!!

RGBIII said more fireworks to come yesterday, but that it may get pushed to today. So, sounds like there will be someone dropping today.

4 minutes ago, mdmost said:

A shockingly good spot for him if Moore moves on.

Drew Mehringer - Football Coach - University of Texas Athletics

15 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Imagine if Sark had a say in the offensive schemes run by Texas State or UTSA

So Sark can have three fan bases screaming at him to figure out red zone play calling?

I was not aware that he went to UT. I know an agent can’t play favorites but how ever we can get mulugheta in our back pocket…I’d say it’s worth the “moola-to-get-a”.

1 hour ago, satyanash said:

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

There is only so much time, employee headcount and money. No org can do everything. It’s great to plan, but also be flexible because who does or does not go into the portal becomes a real time issue. I know they fucked up the OL situation, but I’m interested in seeing if they can course correct with who is actually out there now. Everything else has gone according to plan A, or then plan B, or then plan C. OL? They flunked plan A and now we cross our fingers.

So, we aren’t really buying players….we are just leasing them? Now, Indiana has a bunch of old Rudy’s who are mature and beefed up…interesting scenario.

13 hours ago, Hookem10 said:

Are you saying we sucked last year? If we sucked last year then a lot of teams out there would love to be asswater like us. Ten wins and playing better at the end of year with a young team.

i had nausea for 2 months and i was not the only one

what should have been a walk at the shoe turned in to a death march to the swamp

36 of 44 snaps were flags or pressures on arch at the swamp

36

of

44

we barely escaped the 2 worst teams in the sec and were slaughtered again by georgia

we didn't suck

but we tried real hard to suck

yes 0u aggy michigan all great wins

COMPETENT O-LINE RECRUITING 3 and 4 years ago would have prevented asswater

PK paid the price for this and i will not go quietly in to the night until the situation is repaired

There have to be a couple of decent IOL guys out there. Places like Northwestern, Boston College, Big 12, and Virginia must have someone with potential we could entice who would feel comfortable at a real school.

4 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Yeah, that was another thing I have kicked around in thought experiments offline. Teams used to do that with Juco guys they'd stash or have real working relationships with certain schools. Would that be worth exploring again? Sure. Maybe. But the problem with that is that do we really get to "call them up" when there is a bidding process? Running the same schemes would obviously be pretty helpful in knowing if you had a guy that was going to fit. You could also make it worth that schools while with sending guys down that don't work out for us but could be good players at UTSA or UNT or UTEP or something. We could at least give the downlow on whose a dipshit, who hates football, or who is a good character guy that just isn't good enough.

1 minute ago, Burt Macklin said:

Sounds great for UT, but why would a recruit want to sign up for any of that? If they ball out at UTSA or Texas State, then they can just hit the portal and have every school in the country offering them huge money. Or they can go to another school, ball out and transfer to UT anyways. What is the upside for them to sign up for some minor league system that limits their options if they breakout?

Yeah, I mean it will never be as simple as baseball where the big league club is in full control of the "call up" process, but as this all continues to develop, from the agents to the contracts to the expectations of the players, I do think there will definitely be value in partnerships with the lower levels. The situation may never change for the unquestioned breakout stars, but I do think there would definitely be some benefit for the potential fringe guys to have a streamlined potential path to the big show.

(The obvious potential downside would be honing in on these guys as potential replacements instead of conducting national searches every year. But I think the JMU-Indiana story will really make people rethink the model and highlights the value in solid evaluations and extended time in a similar system.)

3 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

i had nausea for 2 months and i was not the only one

what should have been a walk at the shoe turned in to a death march to the swamp

36 of 44 snaps were flags or pressures on arch at the swamp

36

of

44

we barely escaped the 2 worst teams in the sec and were slaughtered again by georgia

we didn't suck

but we tried real hard to suck

yes 0u aggy michigan all great wins

COMPETENT O-LINE RECRUITING 3 and 4 years ago would have prevented asswater

PK paid the price for this and i will not go quietly in to the night until the situation is repaired

The Office No GIF

16 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Another logical next step is schools creating a defacto minor league system and aligning with lower division teams for development.

10 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Yeah, that was another thing I have kicked around in thought experiments offline.

I had the same thought, but when I played it out I think it's more of a "road not taken" that isn't available any longer due to a number of factors (logistics, lack of regulations, competing entities, etc.). If you want to see that you have to be able to restrict labor movement and the only restrictions on the table are those that require the players to be students and conform to the school calendar.

Not to be overly critical of anyone’s message board brainstorming a particularly perplexing issue (I appreciate the thought and respect the boldness), but I want to be on the call when Steve Sarkisian calls up Jeff Traylor and G.J. Kinne and offers his coaching expertise in exchange for their most promising players. Those guys (and others in the profession) think they know just as much about football as he does, as they may be right. I think trying to recreate the Odessa Permian-style model of feeder schools running your schemes in college will be a bridge too far.

48 minutes ago, JBJ said:

This was kind of a last page discussion, but I've previously heard from a couple NFL-types that transferring to avoid competition or find a "better fit" is being viewed as a red flag.

So it's actually not clear at all that getting more snaps at Mizzou this year is preferable to rotating and waiting another year at Texas when it comes to your NFL draft profile.

I’m sure transferring is a factor in an evaluation, especially multiple transfers. But having an extra year of tape on a guy who is playing, vs sitting on the bench, is going to have a much stronger impact on his draft potential, unless the transfers also uncover attitude issues. More than 2 transfers would also be a significant red flag.

  • Popular Post

Poor Alabraska...

al
No image preview

Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog

The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. What's next?

Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog

Updated: Jan. 12, 2026, 6:43 a.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2026, 6:08 a.m.

By Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com

This is an opinion column.

It’s tough to see the Crimson Tide take it to the teeth again and again and again.

First it was the pummeling at the Rose Bowl and now Texas is taking its turn rearranging Alabama’s battered face.

The image of Alabama football might never be the same again.

Alabama forgot how to run the ball last season. It was embarrassing to watch. The Tide’s top running back rushed for 13 yards on five carries in the 38-3 loss to Indiana. Quarterback Ty Simpson had the longest run for an Alabama back, but he broke a rib and fumbled the football on the play.

Not good. Sad stuff.

The problems with Alabama’s running game were all going to change in the offseason, though. Coach Kalen DeBoer had big plans. He was going to bring in a transfer running back and reignite the flame.

Yeah, about that …

Alabama was set to sign a new running back last week. Hollywood Smothers (great name) was planning to leave N.C. State for Alabama. That Alabama didn’t already have five running backs better than a guy at N.C. State would make Nick Saban toss his Oatmeal Creme Pies, but let’s focus on one new reality at a time.

On Friday, Smothers flipped his commitment to Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian.

Oof.

But the hits didn’t stop there.

Texas also landed former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman on Sunday despite a max-effort push by Alabama that included hiring Coleman’s receivers coach away from the Tigers.

Is it just the money, or is the problem Alabama’s coaches and their broken offense, too? Either way, these are bitter days in Tuscaloosa. Don’t forget that Alabama also lost receiver Isaiah Horton to the transfer portal. On Sunday evening, news broke that Horton was headed to Texas A&M.

A new week is here and so is a different perception of Alabama. The Crimson Tide is officially a college football underdog. Alabama can’t run the ball against Indiana, and it can’t outspend the schools in Texas.

Is Alabama poor?

Oh, wait. I know. If that’s the case, then no doubt future football governor Tommy Tuberville will know how to fix it.

Until then, Alabama football is looking more and more like Ole Miss every day.

Is it enough for Alabama to simply limp into the playoffs these days? Maybe that’s the new measure of success. I’ll take 11 wins and a beat down by Indiana over missing the party altogether.

How does Alabama football get off the ropes and punch back? I don’t have an answer for that, but the beatings continue.

Alabama’s loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff was the kind of thing that can reshape college football history, but losing all of Alabama’s players to Texas year after year is worse. First it was receiver Isaiah Bond after the Iron Bowl. Bond was the hero of the 2023 Iron Bowl. He’s the player who caught the pass from Jalen Milroe in the back of the end zone.

Bond was going to be an Alabama legend forever. Then he made a “business decision” to leave Alabama for Austin.

We thought it couldn’t get any worse, but that was just the beginning of Alabama’s losses to Texas.

Coleman and Smothers would rather play with Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, and I can’t really blame them. Who’s going to be Alabama’s quarterback next season? No one knows. It’s either forever backup Austin Mack, or unproven underclassman Keelon Russell.

I was hoping the Tide could maybe lure former Arizona State triggerman Sam Leavitt out of the transfer portal, but that was a pipe dream. Leavitt, the top-rated quarterback in the portal, is expected to choose between Miami and Tennessee.

Some readers thought I was crazy on Saturday when I wrote that Auburn is better positioned for the future than Alabama. Then Sunday happened.

Will Alabama ever win another national championship? Seems ridiculous to even ask the question, but things come and go.

Remember when Yale and Princeton ruled college football? Then it was Notre Dame and Michigan for a time.

What about Alabama? Yeah, the Crimson Tide had a good run, too, but that was before money changed everything.

The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. Horton, a returning starter at receiver, is off to Texas A&M.

Who’s going to be on Alabama’s offensive line next season? No one knows that either. Everyone left.

Right tackle Wilkin Formby would have been a returning starter, but then he went to … you guessed it … Texas A&M.

Alabama’s offensive line was pretty bad last season, but can it get even worse?

When you’re an underdog like Alabama, it’s best to keep the salaries low and expectations even lower.

6 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

First comment. Like fucking clockwork. No surprise here:

IMG_1724.jpeg

Yep. Reed is “better”. Unless you count head-to-head performance and TD:INT ratio in big games. Reggie is still better than Vince, I bet.

I can't even type up a sarcastic reply without having to bang my head on my keyboard

Reed scored 0 points in the playoffs

Its like they are ignoring the last 2 games of the season even happened for both teams

I also keep seeing people talk about Arch as if he didn't massively improve from Sam Houston -> Michigan, he ended the season trending way up and played lights out

They are going to hate next year so much, and these dipshits are in for a real world shocker with Wiggins being promoted to OC and a substantially more difficult schedule with Reed at the helm . Their backup will be their favorite player by game 4

  • Popular Post

6 minutes ago, MuellerHorn said:

First comment. Like fucking clockwork. No surprise here:

IMG_1724.jpeg

Yep. Reed is “better.” Unless you count head-to-head performance and TD:INT ratio in big games. Reggie is still better than Vince, I bet.

Yeah... which guy would you rather play for? Marcel Reed who didn't break 250 yards passing in 5 of his last six games, 10 TDs vs 8 INTs, a declining QBR in every game, and barely 250 yards of total offense

Screenshot 2026-01-12 at 9.30.44 AM.png

Or Arch Manning vs better competition throwing for over 250 yards in 4 of his last 6 including 4 ranked opponents, 14TDs vs 2 INTs, and a QBR in the 90's in 4 of his last 6 games, and around 350 yards of total offense in 4 of 6 games.

Screenshot 2026-01-12 at 9.31.37 AM.png

1 hour ago, satyanash said:

Thought it was this guy

Who is Lazlo?

17 minutes ago, mdmost said:

A shockingly good spot for him if Moore moves on.

Did Oregon hire a new OC yet? Moore as a tough decision considering how bad he looked against Indiana in the semis. I bet he goes because this might be the worst QB draft in a while in the NFL. I really don't understand the desire to draft shitty QBs, I get that it's the most important position in the league, but it shouldn't be at the expense of having shitty candidates available.

5 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Poor Alabraska...

al
No image preview

Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog

The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. What's next?

Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog

Updated: Jan. 12, 2026, 6:43 a.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2026, 6:08 a.m.

By Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com

This is an opinion column.

It’s tough to see the Crimson Tide take it to the teeth again and again and again.

First it was the pummeling at the Rose Bowl and now Texas is taking its turn rearranging Alabama’s battered face.

The image of Alabama football might never be the same again.

Alabama forgot how to run the ball last season. It was embarrassing to watch. The Tide’s top running back rushed for 13 yards on five carries in the 38-3 loss to Indiana. Quarterback Ty Simpson had the longest run for an Alabama back, but he broke a rib and fumbled the football on the play.

Not good. Sad stuff.

The problems with Alabama’s running game were all going to change in the offseason, though. Coach Kalen DeBoer had big plans. He was going to bring in a transfer running back and reignite the flame.

Yeah, about that …

Alabama was set to sign a new running back last week. Hollywood Smothers (great name) was planning to leave N.C. State for Alabama. That Alabama didn’t already have five running backs better than a guy at N.C. State would make Nick Saban toss his Oatmeal Creme Pies, but let’s focus on one new reality at a time.

On Friday, Smothers flipped his commitment to Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian.

Oof.

But the hits didn’t stop there.

Texas also landed former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman on Sunday despite a max-effort push by Alabama that included hiring Coleman’s receivers coach away from the Tigers.

Is it just the money, or is the problem Alabama’s coaches and their broken offense, too? Either way, these are bitter days in Tuscaloosa. Don’t forget that Alabama also lost receiver Isaiah Horton to the transfer portal. On Sunday evening, news broke that Horton was headed to Texas A&M.

A new week is here and so is a different perception of Alabama. The Crimson Tide is officially a college football underdog. Alabama can’t run the ball against Indiana, and it can’t outspend the schools in Texas.

Is Alabama poor?

Oh, wait. I know. If that’s the case, then no doubt future football governor Tommy Tuberville will know how to fix it.

Until then, Alabama football is looking more and more like Ole Miss every day.

Is it enough for Alabama to simply limp into the playoffs these days? Maybe that’s the new measure of success. I’ll take 11 wins and a beat down by Indiana over missing the party altogether.

How does Alabama football get off the ropes and punch back? I don’t have an answer for that, but the beatings continue.

Alabama’s loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff was the kind of thing that can reshape college football history, but losing all of Alabama’s players to Texas year after year is worse. First it was receiver Isaiah Bond after the Iron Bowl. Bond was the hero of the 2023 Iron Bowl. He’s the player who caught the pass from Jalen Milroe in the back of the end zone.

Bond was going to be an Alabama legend forever. Then he made a “business decision” to leave Alabama for Austin.

We thought it couldn’t get any worse, but that was just the beginning of Alabama’s losses to Texas.

Coleman and Smothers would rather play with Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, and I can’t really blame them. Who’s going to be Alabama’s quarterback next season? No one knows. It’s either forever backup Austin Mack, or unproven underclassman Keelon Russell.

I was hoping the Tide could maybe lure former Arizona State triggerman Sam Leavitt out of the transfer portal, but that was a pipe dream. Leavitt, the top-rated quarterback in the portal, is expected to choose between Miami and Tennessee.

Some readers thought I was crazy on Saturday when I wrote that Auburn is better positioned for the future than Alabama. Then Sunday happened.

Will Alabama ever win another national championship? Seems ridiculous to even ask the question, but things come and go.

Remember when Yale and Princeton ruled college football? Then it was Notre Dame and Michigan for a time.

What about Alabama? Yeah, the Crimson Tide had a good run, too, but that was before money changed everything.

The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. Horton, a returning starter at receiver, is off to Texas A&M.

Who’s going to be on Alabama’s offensive line next season? No one knows that either. Everyone left.

Right tackle Wilkin Formby would have been a returning starter, but then he went to … you guessed it … Texas A&M.

Alabama’s offensive line was pretty bad last season, but can it get even worse?

When you’re an underdog like Alabama, it’s best to keep the salaries low and expectations even lower.

Sad. Maybe you shouldn’t have been illegally paying players all those years. We don’t feel sorry for you. Eat shit.

Yale guy Bennett to Oregon.

IMG_9848.jpeg

Edited by horny_gunman
Added photo after cause I’m old

10 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Poor Alabraska...

al
No image preview

Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog

The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. What's next?

Goodman: The day Alabama football became an underdog

Updated: Jan. 12, 2026, 6:43 a.m.|Published: Jan. 12, 2026, 6:08 a.m.

By Joseph Goodman | jgoodman@al.com

This is an opinion column.

It’s tough to see the Crimson Tide take it to the teeth again and again and again.

First it was the pummeling at the Rose Bowl and now Texas is taking its turn rearranging Alabama’s battered face.

The image of Alabama football might never be the same again.

Alabama forgot how to run the ball last season. It was embarrassing to watch. The Tide’s top running back rushed for 13 yards on five carries in the 38-3 loss to Indiana. Quarterback Ty Simpson had the longest run for an Alabama back, but he broke a rib and fumbled the football on the play.

Not good. Sad stuff.

The problems with Alabama’s running game were all going to change in the offseason, though. Coach Kalen DeBoer had big plans. He was going to bring in a transfer running back and reignite the flame.

Yeah, about that …

Alabama was set to sign a new running back last week. Hollywood Smothers (great name) was planning to leave N.C. State for Alabama. That Alabama didn’t already have five running backs better than a guy at N.C. State would make Nick Saban toss his Oatmeal Creme Pies, but let’s focus on one new reality at a time.

On Friday, Smothers flipped his commitment to Texas and coach Steve Sarkisian.

Oof.

But the hits didn’t stop there.

Texas also landed former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman on Sunday despite a max-effort push by Alabama that included hiring Coleman’s receivers coach away from the Tigers.

Is it just the money, or is the problem Alabama’s coaches and their broken offense, too? Either way, these are bitter days in Tuscaloosa. Don’t forget that Alabama also lost receiver Isaiah Horton to the transfer portal. On Sunday evening, news broke that Horton was headed to Texas A&M.

A new week is here and so is a different perception of Alabama. The Crimson Tide is officially a college football underdog. Alabama can’t run the ball against Indiana, and it can’t outspend the schools in Texas.

Is Alabama poor?

Oh, wait. I know. If that’s the case, then no doubt future football governor Tommy Tuberville will know how to fix it.

Until then, Alabama football is looking more and more like Ole Miss every day.

Is it enough for Alabama to simply limp into the playoffs these days? Maybe that’s the new measure of success. I’ll take 11 wins and a beat down by Indiana over missing the party altogether.

How does Alabama football get off the ropes and punch back? I don’t have an answer for that, but the beatings continue.

Alabama’s loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff was the kind of thing that can reshape college football history, but losing all of Alabama’s players to Texas year after year is worse. First it was receiver Isaiah Bond after the Iron Bowl. Bond was the hero of the 2023 Iron Bowl. He’s the player who caught the pass from Jalen Milroe in the back of the end zone.

Bond was going to be an Alabama legend forever. Then he made a “business decision” to leave Alabama for Austin.

We thought it couldn’t get any worse, but that was just the beginning of Alabama’s losses to Texas.

Coleman and Smothers would rather play with Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, and I can’t really blame them. Who’s going to be Alabama’s quarterback next season? No one knows. It’s either forever backup Austin Mack, or unproven underclassman Keelon Russell.

I was hoping the Tide could maybe lure former Arizona State triggerman Sam Leavitt out of the transfer portal, but that was a pipe dream. Leavitt, the top-rated quarterback in the portal, is expected to choose between Miami and Tennessee.

Some readers thought I was crazy on Saturday when I wrote that Auburn is better positioned for the future than Alabama. Then Sunday happened.

Will Alabama ever win another national championship? Seems ridiculous to even ask the question, but things come and go.

Remember when Yale and Princeton ruled college football? Then it was Notre Dame and Michigan for a time.

What about Alabama? Yeah, the Crimson Tide had a good run, too, but that was before money changed everything.

The running back that Alabama wanted chose Texas. The receiver that Alabama wanted went to Texas, too. Horton, a returning starter at receiver, is off to Texas A&M.

Who’s going to be on Alabama’s offensive line next season? No one knows that either. Everyone left.

Right tackle Wilkin Formby would have been a returning starter, but then he went to … you guessed it … Texas A&M.

Alabama’s offensive line was pretty bad last season, but can it get even worse?

When you’re an underdog like Alabama, it’s best to keep the salaries low and expectations even lower.

Sorry Fake Cry GIF by Trevi Moran

10 minutes ago, Vito Andolini said:

Not to be overly critical of anyone’s message board brainstorming a particularly perplexing issue (I appreciate the thought and respect the boldness), but I want to be on the call when Steve Sarkisian calls up Jeff Traylor and G.J. Kinne and offers his coaching expertise in exchange for their most promising players. Those guys (and others in the profession) think they know just as much about football as he does, as they may be right. I think trying to recreate the Odessa Permian-style model of feeder schools running your schemes in college will be a bridge too far.

Maybe. But the thing is it also would become a feeder system for the coaches too. Maybe not for the head job (I doubt we ever hire outside of P4 for head job) but for coordinator or position level. Which- with $2 or $3M pay days at the coordinator position maybe it helps for some guys?

I think it's an interesting relationship.

Missed all of the fun yesterday while stuck in Waco.

Adding Coleman will alleviate Sarks goal to goal issues. Dez Bryant is my comp there.

Smothers/Brown won't get caught 10 yards down the field like the last couple of years.

Did anybody make the Biles/Spetic make up a shitty portal class joke yet?

Waiting to see the OL haul before crowing Sark/Texas for 2026

I mean, there is also the idea that your OLine doesn't have to be as good if you have skill position talent and a QB that manipulates the pocket as well as Arch does. You don't need to block a long time to throw swing passes to the running backs, drags to Wingo or fades to Coleman. I'm not saying that we don't get some more dudes that are starter level (I believe we will) but it's just not as big a deal if your center is snapping the ball well and your tackles are good.

Just now, HtownHorn said:

Did Oregon hire a new OC yet? Moore as a tough decision considering how bad he looked against Indiana in the semis. I bet he goes because this might be the worst QB draft in a while in the NFL. I really don't understand the desire to draft shitty QBs, I get that it's the most important position in the league, but it shouldn't be at the expense of having shitty candidates available.

He will still be a top 5-10 pick in this draft. Next year, there is no chance he is going above Arch and that draft is going to be full of a bunch of war daddies. Arch, Colin Simmons, Jeremiah Smith, Dylan Stewart, Julian Sayin, Sam Leavitt, Cam Coleman, Trevor Goosby, Andrew Sprague, Jaden Baugh, etc.

12 minutes ago, MichaelDicksonFanClub said:

Yale OT committed to Oregon

Whatever. He probably reads too many books.

14 minutes ago, Vito Andolini said:

Not to be overly critical of anyone’s message board brainstorming a particularly perplexing issue (I appreciate the thought and respect the boldness), but I want to be on the call when Steve Sarkisian calls up Jeff Traylor and G.J. Kinne and offers his coaching expertise in exchange for their most promising players. Those guys (and others in the profession) think they know just as much about football as he does, as they may be right. I think trying to recreate the Odessa Permian-style model of feeder schools running your schemes in college will be a bridge too far.

we can schedule north texas or nevada or new mexico or wyoming instead of keeping the money in the family

we can also help fund their nil in exchange for 'partnering' (whatever that means)

5 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

I mean, there is also the idea that your OLine doesn't have to be as good if you have skill position talent and a QB that manipulates the pocket as well as Arch does. You don't need to block a long time to throw swing passes to the running backs, drags to Wingo or fades to Coleman. I'm not saying that we don't get some more dudes that are starter level (I believe we will) but it's just not as big a deal if your center is snapping the ball well and your tackles are good.

have you watched indiana play?

are you aware that behind our senior starting center we have the following currently on campus?:

seniors: 0

juniors: 0

sophmores: 0

freshmen: 0

ee/shirting: 1

We will see what happens. maybe Flood pulls a rabbit out of the hat here but not looking great at this point.

13 minutes ago, MichaelDicksonFanClub said:

Yale OT committed to Oregon

The quality of offensive lineman does not match the quality available at the skill positions. When I see the 9.95ers say "offensive lineman are on the way" I'm assuming it means we're tampering with somebody. Maybe I'm naive but the way Texas is spending money doesn't make me think we're going to shell out money for somebody from Yale when we're so committed everywhere else.

5 minutes ago, Hagbard Celine said:

have you watched indiana play?

are you aware that behind our senior starting center we have the following currently on campus?:

seniors: 0

juniors: 0

sophmores: 0

freshmen: 0

ee/shirting: 1

I'd be shocked if that was the case going into next season. There is no doubt they sign a depth guy or one of the people already on campus they believe can do it in a pinch. I'm not really going to think that the situation on 1/12 is the same as the situation will be on 1/16.

10 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

You don't need to block a long time to throw swing passes to the running backs, drags to Wingo or fades to Coleman. I'm not saying that we don't get some more dudes that are starter level (I believe we will) but it's just not as big a deal if your center is snapping the ball well and your tackles are good.

Sark runs a lot of slower-developing PA plays though. They get our WRs in open space more often than not, and that's where Coleman/Wingo will be deadly, but the OL has to hold up.

Sark ran fewer of those plays down the stretch last year but it felt more like a short-term change due to lack of confidence in the OL than a permanent one.

42 minutes ago, Chuckie Finster said:

Another logical next step is schools creating a defacto minor league system and aligning with lower division teams for development. Imagine if Sark had a say in the offensive schemes run by Texas State or UTSA and we could essentially "call up" standouts at the end of each season who have spent the last year or two getting playing time in our system but have not yet hit our payroll. I imagine the quality of players willing to consider these schools would increase if there was a "UT could call you up if you stand out" carrot being dangled.

I had not posted it, but since you did, I’ll share an extension to the idea that is based on soccer. It would work like European soccer, where a player signs with Texas but is loaned out to Texas State or UTSA. If needed, the player could be “called up” to travel as depth for games with the team. This way, players get meaningful playing time, remain under what we hope will eventually be 2–3 year contracts, and lower-division football can survive while benefiting from better talent. Academics would hate it but maybe it could be done with UTSA since they are part of the UT system. Now back to the subject of getting IOL help.

16 minutes ago, horny_gunman said:

Yale guy Bennett to Oregon.

IMG_9848.jpeg

He’s from Georgia originally so it wasn’t a geography/familiarity thing. I assume Oregon told him he would start at LT, and Goosby is returning at Texas. Them’s the breaks.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...
Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business & Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Advertise... Tailgate Donations

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.