Alabama Crimson Tide: Pac-12
RecruitingNation: Building for the future
April, 28, 2013
Apr 28
1:53
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Tom Luginbill breaks down what some of the top teams in the country have done this spring in recruiting.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- With just a player walk-through Thursday, things were relatively easy in Day 4 of practice at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports. A four-star defensive tackle gave further explanation about his decision to decommit from an SEC school, several players talked about who impressed them the most, and an ESPN 150 safety changed his decision date.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
2015 ATH Hayward receiving interest 
December, 14, 2012
12/14/12
5:52
PM ET
By
Derek Tyson | ESPN.com
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Class of 2015 athlete Jaylin Hayward (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby) might be just a sophomore, but the talented prospect is already receiving heavy interest from the in-state programs.
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound athlete, who totaled three receptions for 35 yards in Godby's 21-20 state championship victory over Immokalee (Fla.) Immokalee on Friday, said he is receiving heavy interest from several top programs.
"I'm hearing a lot from Alabama, Florida State, Florida, Miami and hopefully Oregon soon, but I'm not sure," Hayward said. "I have offers from Kentucky, FSU, Miami and Florida already."
The 5-foot-9, 165-pound athlete, who totaled three receptions for 35 yards in Godby's 21-20 state championship victory over Immokalee (Fla.) Immokalee on Friday, said he is receiving heavy interest from several top programs.
"I'm hearing a lot from Alabama, Florida State, Florida, Miami and hopefully Oregon soon, but I'm not sure," Hayward said. "I have offers from Kentucky, FSU, Miami and Florida already."
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Join our ESPN.com college football experts as they preview Week 9.
Now's the time to send us your best tailgate photos feature your food, family and friends. Tweet your pictures to @ESPNCFB or upload them directly to the chat and we'll post the best ones. Here are our previous tailgates.
Now's the time to send us your best tailgate photos feature your food, family and friends. Tweet your pictures to @ESPNCFB or upload them directly to the chat and we'll post the best ones. Here are our previous tailgates.
Join our ESPN.com college football experts as they preview Week 8.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Now's the time to send us your best tailgate pictures of your food, friends and family @ESPNCFB or upload them directly to the chat. It's time to represent for your school. Here are our previous tailgates.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Now's the time to send us your best tailgate pictures of your food, friends and family @ESPNCFB or upload them directly to the chat. It's time to represent for your school. Here are our previous tailgates.
Join our ESPN.com college football experts as they preview Week 5.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Don't forget to send us your best tailgate pictures of your food, friends and family all week long @ESPNCFB and get your photos in our GameDay Live chat Saturday morning. Here are our previous tailgates.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Don't forget to send us your best tailgate pictures of your food, friends and family all week long @ESPNCFB and get your photos in our GameDay Live chat Saturday morning. Here are our previous tailgates.
Welcome to Week 4! Join our ESPN.com college football experts as they get you ready for GameDay.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Now's the time to hit us up with your best tailgate photos. Send your pictures @ESPNCFB or upload them through the chat. We can't wait to see what you're cooking up today. Here are our previous tailgates.
Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
Now's the time to hit us up with your best tailgate photos. Send your pictures @ESPNCFB or upload them through the chat. We can't wait to see what you're cooking up today. Here are our previous tailgates.
Alabama owns competition in SEC openers
September, 13, 2012
9/13/12
1:45
PM ET
By ESPN Stats & Information | ESPN.com
1. Matt Barkley has thrown 119 consecutive passes against five or more pass-rushers without an interception -- a streak that dates to Sept. 24 of last season. During that time, Barkley has thrown 18 touchdowns when opponents blitz, including four games with at least three touchdown passes. 
The first of those four games was against Stanford last year in Week 7, Barkley's second career three-touchdown game against the Cardinal blitz. Overall, Barkley has thrown 37 touchdowns and three interceptions against blitzes since the start of his sophomore season.
2. UL Monroe faces Auburn on Saturday after pulling off a stunning upset of Arkansas last week. In the process, the Warhawks can achieve something that hasn't been done in 24 years. The last team not currently in a BCS-AQ conference to beat SEC opponents in consecutive games was Tulane in 1988. In 1988, the Green Wave beat Ole Miss on Nov. 5 and then knocked off Mississippi State. Memphis pulled off a similar feat just a few weeks earlier in 1988, beating Mississippi State and Florida in consecutive games.
3. Alabama begins its SEC slate this week at Arkansas. On the field, Alabama has won 20 straight SEC openers, with its last loss coming in 1991 to Florida. (Note: Some of those games have since been vacated or forfeited.)
How impressive is that? Not only is it the longest current win streak in conference openers, but it beats the next highest by eight. Boise State has won 12 straight conference openers dating to 2000, accomplishing that in three different conferences. The Broncos open their 2012 conference schedule on Sept. 29 at New Mexico.
4. Last week against Air Force, Denard Robinson had more total yards (426) than the entire Michigan team (422). One big reason for this was Robinson’s 218 rushing yards. The remainder of the team had minus-4. While this seems like it would be a rarity, it isn’t. In fact, he wasn’t even the only player to accomplish this last week (Temple’s Chris Coyer). Since 2004, it’s happened 25 times, and the only player to do it twice over that stretch? Indiana’s Kellen Lewis in 2007.
5. Michigan State soared into the AP Top 10 this week, and that could be bad news for its opponent this week.
Notre Dame has lost nine straight games against AP Top 10 teams by an average of more than 15 points per game. The last time the Fighting Irish beat a team in the top 10 was 2005, when they knocked off No. 3 Michigan. The nine-game losing streak is the longest in Notre Dame history. The previous longest was seven games spanning 1984-86.
The first of those four games was against Stanford last year in Week 7, Barkley's second career three-touchdown game against the Cardinal blitz. Overall, Barkley has thrown 37 touchdowns and three interceptions against blitzes since the start of his sophomore season.
2. UL Monroe faces Auburn on Saturday after pulling off a stunning upset of Arkansas last week. In the process, the Warhawks can achieve something that hasn't been done in 24 years. The last team not currently in a BCS-AQ conference to beat SEC opponents in consecutive games was Tulane in 1988. In 1988, the Green Wave beat Ole Miss on Nov. 5 and then knocked off Mississippi State. Memphis pulled off a similar feat just a few weeks earlier in 1988, beating Mississippi State and Florida in consecutive games.
3. Alabama begins its SEC slate this week at Arkansas. On the field, Alabama has won 20 straight SEC openers, with its last loss coming in 1991 to Florida. (Note: Some of those games have since been vacated or forfeited.)
How impressive is that? Not only is it the longest current win streak in conference openers, but it beats the next highest by eight. Boise State has won 12 straight conference openers dating to 2000, accomplishing that in three different conferences. The Broncos open their 2012 conference schedule on Sept. 29 at New Mexico.
4. Last week against Air Force, Denard Robinson had more total yards (426) than the entire Michigan team (422). One big reason for this was Robinson’s 218 rushing yards. The remainder of the team had minus-4. While this seems like it would be a rarity, it isn’t. In fact, he wasn’t even the only player to accomplish this last week (Temple’s Chris Coyer). Since 2004, it’s happened 25 times, and the only player to do it twice over that stretch? Indiana’s Kellen Lewis in 2007.
5. Michigan State soared into the AP Top 10 this week, and that could be bad news for its opponent this week.
Notre Dame has lost nine straight games against AP Top 10 teams by an average of more than 15 points per game. The last time the Fighting Irish beat a team in the top 10 was 2005, when they knocked off No. 3 Michigan. The nine-game losing streak is the longest in Notre Dame history. The previous longest was seven games spanning 1984-86.Zayd Issah has visits in mind
September, 11, 2012
9/11/12
3:20
PM ET
By
Brandon P. Oliver | ESPN.com
After decommitting from Penn State last month, Zayd Issah (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) has seen his recruiting pick up significantly.
After everything changed in Happy Valley, Issah decided that he was going to put recruiting on the back burner as he tries to lead his team to back-to-back state titles.
"The reason I decommitted wasn't so much about everything that happened and the sanctions. It was more about how different it was -- if that makes any sense," Issah said. "It's not the Penn State I committed to."
After everything changed in Happy Valley, Issah decided that he was going to put recruiting on the back burner as he tries to lead his team to back-to-back state titles.
"The reason I decommitted wasn't so much about everything that happened and the sanctions. It was more about how different it was -- if that makes any sense," Issah said. "It's not the Penn State I committed to."
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Watch: College Football Final (Week 2)
September, 9, 2012
9/09/12
10:33
AM ET
By RecruitingNation staff | ESPN.com
Jim Basquil and the ESPN.com College Football team deliver the highlights, analysis, and interviews from an exciting Week 2 of College Football.
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Five-star cornerback prospect Vernon Hargreaves III (Tampa, Fla./Wharton) won defensive MVP of the IMG Madden 7-on-7 National Championship tournament on Sunday after Team Tampa beat Max Ex Blue 28-17 to win the tournament.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound athlete had several interceptions over the course of the two-day tournament, including one against Michigan quarterback commit Shane Morris in the championship game.
As for recruiting, the talented corner who has more than 50 scholarship offers said three schools are starting to stand out to him.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound athlete had several interceptions over the course of the two-day tournament, including one against Michigan quarterback commit Shane Morris in the championship game.
As for recruiting, the talented corner who has more than 50 scholarship offers said three schools are starting to stand out to him.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
The most interesting and potentially controversial part of the four-team college football playoff it appears we are about to adopt is the selection committee. Who's on it? What will be their criteria? How transparent will the process be? What, ultimately, will be their foundation for impossible distinctions?
The Pac-12 blog has gone on and on about its "just because" concerns. That's the idea that if you have an 11-1 team from the SEC it will get an automatic bump over an 11-1 team from any other conference, even if there is evidence that it shouldn't.
So let's do a "what if" that blends reality and fiction.
What if LSU, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin had all finished unbeaten in 2011. And what if Oregon kicker Alejandro Maldonado's 37-yard field goal in the waning moments against USC was good, and the Ducks then prevailed over the Trojans in overtime.
Our question: Which 11-1 team, Oregon or Alabama, gets the No. 4 spot in a four-team playoff?
The Pac-12 blog has gone on and on about its "just because" concerns. That's the idea that if you have an 11-1 team from the SEC it will get an automatic bump over an 11-1 team from any other conference, even if there is evidence that it shouldn't.
So let's do a "what if" that blends reality and fiction.
What if LSU, Oklahoma State and Wisconsin had all finished unbeaten in 2011. And what if Oregon kicker Alejandro Maldonado's 37-yard field goal in the waning moments against USC was good, and the Ducks then prevailed over the Trojans in overtime.
Our question: Which 11-1 team, Oregon or Alabama, gets the No. 4 spot in a four-team playoff?
If there are no changes to his plans from now until January, four-star cornerback Maurice Smith (Sugar Land, Texas/Dulles) will be one of the athletes to announce his college decision on ESPN.
Smith, an Under Armour All-American, said he will announce where he will take his talents at the 2013 UA All-American Game in January. Smith currently has offers from 18 schools, including Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Florida and in-state schools Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Houston and Baylor.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
ESPNU's national signing day coverage kicks off at 9 a.m. ET. Here's the list of the announcements and time for some of the top prospects.
NOTE: Bold names are announcements, all others are interviews.
NOTE: Bold names are announcements, all others are interviews.
ABOUT TIDE NATION
Greg Ostendorf
Greg Ostendorf joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering University of Alabama football and basketball recruiting at the Tuscaloosa News and Rivals.com. Ostendorf graduated from the University of Alabama and currently resides in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Email him at gsostendorf.espn@gmail.com.
Alex Scarborough
Alex Scarborough joined ESPN.com in 2012 after covering University of Alabama athletics and high school football for The Tuscaloosa News. He currently resides in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Email him at alexscarborough.espn@gmail.com.