White’s World Sports Confidential is back for its 17th season of covering college football and everything else in the Sports World. And college football is locked and loaded and ready to rock with week 0 cranking up the 2025 season this Saturday. For my first installment, I’ll preview the 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide, which is ranked 8th in the AP Preseason Poll and has typically high expectations, which is always the case in Tuscaloosa. I’ll preview Auburn University this coming Monday. And on Friday, A.M., the Blog will throw out its first pitch of the football season with a Week 0 slate of four games, headlined by a Big 12 clash in Dublin, Ireland as the 17th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats square off with the 22nd-ranked Iowa State Cyclones. The Blog focuses on the SEC, with Alabama and Auburn featured prominently, but the Big Ten, the Big 12, the ACC and some group of Five teams play good football too, so the Blog will give you those key games every week as well. It’s a wide open SEC this season with some potentially stellar quarterbacks, but questions on each team, a lot of them at the quarterback position. The question is can guys like Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, Garrett Nussmeier etc. live up to the expectations for them. Definitely to be determined. In this state, full focus is centered on Ty Simpson at Alabama and Jackson Arnold at Auburn, with both signal callers having a full cupboard of skilled players at their disposal and physical O linemen, who look both impressive physically and are tough guys that you have to have up front. We’ll start with the Crimson Tide as Coach Kalen DeBoar sets his sights on leading this football program back to the playoff and playing for a shot at winning it all.

On the Headset

Kalen DeBoar enters his second season at the helm of the University after taking over from the legendary Nick Saban, who set the bar for greatness, not just at Alabama and in the SEC, but throughout the country in historic fashion. Seven national championships, six at Alabama, that’s a difficult act to follow. Coach DeBoar went 9-4 in his transition year in 2024 as his quarterback, Jalen Milroe, was erratic, having big games against Georgia, LSU and Wisconsin, in which he looked like the best quarterback in the country, but also putting in some less than stellar performances against Tennessee and Oklahoma in the regular season, and vs. Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. DeBoar has brought in his former offensive coordinator from Washington, Ryan Grubb, and the interviews I’ve listened to and seen are quite impressive. Like what I’m hearing from Coach Grubb. On defense, Kane Wommack returns for his second season with a lot of talent and good depth working for him. Coach DeBoar and Coach Grubb are tasked with having Ty Simpson primed for a big year in 2025. Coach DeBoar has a 113-16 record as a head coach in 10 seasons, an 88% winning percentage, with five seasons at Sioux Falls, two at Fresno State, two at Washington, where he led the Huskies to the National championship game, which they lost to Michigan, 34-13, in a not very competitive game. Michael Penix Jr., the Huskies quarterback, had a nice year in 2023, but was not his best against the Wolverines, led by cheatin’ Jim. Penix is now playing for the Atlanta Falcons, where he is expected to start this season, while Kirk Cousins, last year’s starter, is a good backup. I finished the Netflix documentary, Quarterback, last night. It features Cousins, Jared Goff, and Joe Burrow. Kirk had an up and down year in 2024 and lost his job to Pennix towards the end of the season. He’s such a class guy that he called Penix the day he found out he had been benched for Penix, and congratulated him. He didn’t like it, but he took it like the classy guy he is. Kirk’s wife, Julie, was very emotional in recalling it in the documentary. He supported Penix wholeheartedly the rest of the season. He’s still in Atlanta, and while he is the backup, he’s still competing hard to get his job back, but to also support Penix and the team. Playing quarterback in the NFL is the toughest job in sports. Cousins, Goff and Burrow not only play the most scrutinized position in sports, they are also figuretavely co-head coaches. They instruct teammates, they build them up and they motivate them. Wow, do they ever motivate. It’s an all consuming job. You’ve got to be driven, have humility and also have extremely thick skin. But those guys love it. Awesome documentary. Really like all three guys. Their work ethics are spectacular. Comes with a lot of criticism. Some praise, but more criticism. You gotta stay pretty level-headed to play that position in the National Football League. Also watched Any Given Saturday, the Netflix documentary on the 2024 SEC season, featuring several teams from the conference. It was superb as well.

But back to Coach DeBoar. I like him very much as a person. He’s a breath of fresh air from the way Coach Saban interacted with the media. Just a much more pleasant personality. Quite a contrast from the oftentimes cantankerous Saban. Will that translate to success between the lines on Saturdays? Possibly, but still to be determined. DeBoar brought in an excellent recruiting class in 2025, which included 5-star quarterback Keelon Russell from Texas, among others, as the Tide finished third in recruiting nationally according to 247Sports. The 2026 class is ranked 5th in the country by 247, and features five, 5 stars, the most of any recruiting class in the country. So Coach DeBoar is NOT playing golf, that’s for sure, unlike his rival to the southeast, who had been playing a lot in June and July and lost three, 4-stars while doing so. I like Coach DeBoar and want him to succeed. He’s got a shot. Needs a good season this year.

Offense

Ryan Grubb is OC and Nick Sheridan is Co-OC and quarterbacks coach. Sheridan is better at coaching Ty, Keelon and Austin Mack and helping coordinate the offense with Grubb doing the real heavy lifting with a lot of input from DeBoar. I like Sheridan. I see him developing the quarterback room well. Ty is the man who will start against Florida State on the road at 2:30 P.M. CT on Saturday, 8/30/25, on ABC. Ty was a 5-star in the 2022 class, so the potential is there. There’s just not a huge sample size on Simpson. He completed 14 of 25 passes last season (56%) for 167 yards with 0 TDs and no ints in 2024 in mop up duty for Milroe. He rushed for 44 yards on 8 carries, 5.5 YPC, and ran for a 6. He’s had a nice fall camp. He reminds me a good bit of A.J. McCarron in the sense that he can be a game manager or a playmaker, which is really what DeBoar and Grubb are looking for. He runs a lot better than McCarron did. His arm may not be as strong as McCarron’s, but it’s solid. The good news for him and the Crimson Tide is he has a stellar receiving corps, led by the phenomenal Ryan Williams, who caught 48 balls for 865 yards and 8, 6’s last season. Williams and big left tackle Kadyn Proctor were selected to the Coaches All- SEC first team recently. Germie Bernard, who caught 50 passes for 794 yards and 2, 6’s, forms a nice compliment to the explosive Williams. He’s got good speed as well. The other starting WR is Miami transfer Isaiah Horton, who caught 56 passes for 616 yards and 5 TDs last season for the ‘Canes. So that’s an excellent foundation out wide. Cole Adams, Jaylen Mbakwe, who comes over from the secondary, and Jalen Hale will add depth. Rico Scott is a redshirt freshman they really like. Running back took a hit when Jam Miller, who was having a super fall camp, dislocated his collarbone in the Tide’s second scrimmage last Saturday. He’s out for FSU, and his prognosis is uncertain. Al.com was speculating that it may be the Georgia game on September 27th before Jam makes it back. Justice Haynes transferred to Michigan in the offseason. So that leaves the running back duties to Richard Young, who there is a lot to like about. Young is 5’11”, 212, runs hard and has some breakaway ability. Daniel Hill, 6’1″, 244, is a bruiser behind Young. Dre Washington is 5’9″, 216. Running back has a little bit of uncertainty, but there is certainly talent there, though I know Coach DeBoar and Coach Grubb will be chomping at the bit to get Miller back. I like Josh Cuevas, another Washington transfer like Bernard and Austin Mack, to give the Tide a lot at tight end. He made a spectacular 37-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter at Wisconsin last season grabbing it out of the air in front of two Wisconsin dbs and takin it to the house in a “good Milroe” game. It was a phenomenal play. I can see him having a very good year if Ty gets him the ball. Brody Dalton, a redshirt senior transfer from Troy and UAB, will start at the other tight end. Cuevas is 6’3″, 256, and Dalton is 6’5″, 251. There is depth. Danny Lewis, 6’5″, 254, has a chance to be successful this season.

The offensive line took a bit of a hit when right guard Jaeden Roberts suffered a concussion in a scrimmage. He’s in protocol and his status for FSU is questionable. So Geno VenDeMark will start at Roberts’ position. VanDeMark is a 6’5″, 326 transfer from Michigan State. Definitely has the size, as Excedrin and I like to see. I like this O line a lot though. Kadyn Proctor is back at left tackle in what could be an All America season and a high level first round pick in 2026 at the NFL Draft April 23rd-25th in Pittsburgh. Kaden is 6’7″, 366. How you like them apples. Another great transfer from Washington in 2023, Parker Brailsford, is back at center. Brailsford is 6’2″, 290. While he’s a bit undersized, Brailsford brings tremendous toughness and leadership to his position. He’s stellar. Left guard is Kam Dewberry, a 6’4″, 332 senior transfer from Texas A&M. At right tackle, it’ll be Wilkin Formby, a redshirt sophomore, 6’7″, 324. There’s some inexperience behind the starters, but good size and talent, nonetheless.

Defense

LT Overton at d end (6’5″, 278) and Tim Keenan III at d tackle (6’2″, 320) lead the charge up front. I’m looking for both players to have big years. Sting linebacker Deontae Lawson was a dominant player at linebacker last season before getting hurt towards the end of the season. He was second to OLB Jihaad Campbell in tackles with 76. He also had 2 sacks, 1 int, a forced fumble and one fumble recovered. Campbell was a first round draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles last April, and he led the Crimson Tide in tackles with 119 and added 5 sacks. He was the 31st pick in the first round. He is currently behind Zack Baun on the depth chart for Philly. Campbell will play a significant role for the Eagles and is outstanding. Lawson was injured on Saturday, November 23rd @ Oklahoma in a game the Tide would just soon forget. Middle linebacker Justin Jefferson is excellent, as he finished with 61 tackles last season. He also had two sacks and 1 forced fumble. He’s 6’1″, 227. Lawson is 6’2″, 228. Qua Russaw is back at Wolf linebacker. He’s 6’2″, 243. Qua finished 2024 with 36 tackles, 2 1/2 for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and two ints. There is some younger depth behind the starters. The secondary looks stout. Left cornerback Domani Jackson (6’1″, 196) is back after recording 27 solos, 1 forced fumble and 2 ints. He’s expected to have a big year. Sophomore Zabien Brown mans the right corner. He’s 6’0″, 192. Brown finished with 14 tackles and 3 ints in 2024. He’ll be a stud. Bray Hubbard is back at strong safety. He finished with 35 tackles and 3 ints last season. He’s 6’2″, 218. Keon Sabb returns at free safety after suffering an injury last season after a stellar start to the year. He’s 6’1″, 204. Sabb finished with 24 tackles and 2 ints before getting injured in the Tennessee game @ Knoxville on October 19th, which was season ending. He will be another standout. The Husky position will be manned by DeShawn Jones and backed up by Red Morgan, two experienced, solid players. The Husky is similar to a nickleback, a hybrid between linebacker and safety. Jones, the 2024 transfer from Wake, is 6’0″, 190. Morgan is 6’0″, 185. Morgan posted six tackles last season and gained a lot of experience as a freshman. Jones didn’t post any stats, but has a lot of playing experience from his time at Wake Forest.

Special Teams

Blake Doud is No.1 on the depth chart at punter. He’s a first year player and transfer from Colorado School of Mines? That’s how he’s listed. He’s taking James Burnip’s spot. Burnip was stellar. Burnip is now with the New Orleans Saints. Kicker is Conor Talty. He is a first year starter taking Graham Nicholson’s position, and, before that, the great Will Reichard, who now kicks for the Minnesota Vikings. Ryan Williams and Jaylen Mbakwe are the punt returners, which is potentially electric. Mbakwe and Cole Adams are the kickoff returners. So there’s some take it to the house ability in the return game.

Schedule

@Florida State, Saturday, 8/30, 2:30 P.M. CT ABC

vs. UL Monroe, Saturday, 9/6, 6:45 P.M. CT, SEC Network

vs Wisconsin, Saturday, 9/13, 11 A.M. CT ABC or ESPN

Saturday, 9/20-Off

@Georgia, Saturday, 9/27, 6:30 P.M. CT, ABC. Mammoth game

vs. Vanderbilt, Saturday, 10/4. Game time and TV TBD.

@Missouri, Saturday, 10/11, 11 A.M. CT, ESPN or ABC

vs. Tennessee, Saturday, 10/18, TBD.

@South Carolina, Saturday, 10/25, TBD.

Saturday, 11/1, Off

vs. LSU, Saturday, 11/8, TBD.

vs. Oklahoma, Saturday, 11/15, TBD.

vs. Eastern Illinois, Saturday, 11/22, 1 P.M. CT, ESPN+ or SEC Network+

@Auburn, Saturday, November 29th, TBD. Usually 2:30 P.M. CT, now on ESPN or ABC. We’ll

see.

Analysis of Schedule

I’m looking at 9 or 10 victories for the Crimson Tide, maybe better, but it’s a gauntlet of a schedule.

@ Georgia, vs Tennessee, @ South Carolina, vs. LSU, vs Oklahoma, @Auburn. Diego Pavia and

my Vanderbilt Commodores ain’t no joke. @Missouri. And starting out @Florida State, as bad as

they were last year, is tough. They’ll be better even though their quarterback, Tommy Castellanos,

was talking serious trash before the season, saying there was no more Nick Saban at Alabama.

It’ll be interesting to see if that comes back and haunts him. Yes, I do think this is a playoff team if

Ty performs well, and a team that can do damage in January. I know the standard is national

championship in Tuscaloosa, and that’s the goal. That never changes and they’ve got a shot.