Boomo Bugg Show 111925

[0:00] Now, get ready to roll Shoals, Decatur, Athens and all of Northwest Alabama and Southern Tennessee. It's time for the Valley's Exclusive FM Sports Voice. The Boomo Bugg Show. New Exclusive Inside Track to the Tide, Tigers, Tennessee and the rest of the SEC. Now your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Good afternoon and welcome in to the Boomo Bugg Show. I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird. Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley. Brett Beaird, welcome in where Alabama fans are asking just one thing, one question to the college football playoff committee.

Does SOS stand for strength of schedule or does SOS stand for something else? Good afternoon, welcome in and how are you? Happy Wednesday to you and the listeners. We'll discuss the abomination, debacle, whatever word you want to use, that we saw last night from the college football playoff committee, including Hunter Jurczyk, the chairman of the committee and the athletic director at Arkansas, in depth throughout the show with our guests, including this segment. Kevish White, veteran coach at Bob Jones announced he is retiring and stepping down, which will set in motion a lot of dominoes for coaching hires in North Alabama.

Speaking of Alabama, number 11 Alabama basketball plays in Chicago tonight against number 8 Illinois, 8 p.m. on FS1. You can hear that game on 93-9 to score starting at 7 and Auburn plays basketball against Jackson State tonight. And also, this weekend's last home game at Brawley for UNA football, the best. Cody Gross is going to be joining us. We're sitting here and flashing back with some of his greatest memories of the place where he created a lot of good memories over the years. That's a whole lot to look forward to.

But, B.B., last night, we talked about this yesterday, and by now, everybody knows the narrative. Alabama was fourth. They got beat by number 11 Oklahoma by two on their home field. They slipped from fourth to tenth. I don't think anybody was terribly shocked by the AP and the coaches' poll. Those guys are, let's face it, they're made up of basically assistance to the coaches. I don't know how many head coaches actually do the voting. And then when you start getting into the sports writers, you start getting into a lot of bias.

You can say what you want, but the human element is there. The committee is supposed to sit here and be objective. And the one thing that they've been preaching, preaching, preaching this year, they caught a lot of flack over the years. Basically, they'd look at the records, the win-loss records at this point, and not really look at the strength of schedule. Last night, I think a lot of folks were sitting here, and there was no doubt who was going to be one, two, and three. And at the bottom of the top 25, does it really matter?

I think in that 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 range, that's where the drama was. Where do you start in breaking it down in having a two-loss Notre Dame team ranked ahead of a two-loss Alabama team? And this two-loss Notre Dame team, if you look at what they have been preaching, that is the committee, the strength of schedule, how do they justify this, Brett Beaird? Well, I have never seen the backlash on social media for a regular season ranking. It's what I've seen for the last 18, 12 to 18 hours. Harold, these are some conclusions that I've come up with pertaining to this committee.

The committee doesn't want five SEC teams in the playoff. No. The strength of schedule, which should be the most important factor in selecting the top 12 teams, was ignored once again. Again. Greg Sankey railed about this in May at Sandestin when he handed out his six-page manifesto about strength of schedule. Bad losses take more precedence than good quality wins. Why do SEC teams want to play nine conference games, which would give one to two good teams another loss and be another reason for the committee to keep one or two SEC teams out of the college football playoff when they expand to 16.

And, Harold, let me say, this is not just about Alabama, which was so ridiculous, but we'll get into BYU. You got shafted a little bit. Miami, good point. Then a couple of other teams. But you mentioned this earlier in the week, that this has been the primary topic of discussion that the committee that we thought was going to use the strength of schedule as the most important metric in ranking it, and they, quite frankly, threw it out the window. Well, I think a lot of folks said strength of schedule, the acronym was strength of schedule, SOS.

[5:24] I think a lot of folks thought it believed something like sack of something else. I'll let your mind go there. But, B.B., let's face it. First of all, Notre Dame's a good team. Alabama's a good team. Taking nothing away from Notre Dame, that's not the issue. That's not the conversation here. But we would be very naive, and certainly anyone who's worked in this industry, not for years, but for decades across the spectrum of the different avenues, this thing called TV plays a role. Notre Dame, they're not ever going to say this.

I don't think they've got the nads to say it. But they want to get Notre Dame, which, if you've ever been to Chicago, the last time I was there, there was a bus that was heading from Chicago down to Notre Dame. It's just basically it's about like, if you will, Florence, say, to Huntsville, something like that. It's along the shores there of Lake Michigan. It's a neighbor. That's a big TV market. New York's a big TV market. L.A. is a big TV market. What they've got in common, it's not a knock on Catholics, but that translates into a lot of potential eyeballs.

They want to go with the great coupon, and if you're from corn and cotton country, you've got to be twice as good to get those TV executives with their bow ties to sign off on you. Now, again, not a knock on Notre Dame, but at the committee, I saw some of the reasons they were talking about. They were trying to sit here and say, well, you look at Alabama, and they struggled against South Carolina. They had to do this and do that to win. Did they see what happened with Texas A&M over the weekend with South Carolina?

And did they punish Texas A&M because they struggled to win against South Carolina? There's just no consistency. And I thought the cherry on top was they were basically saying, well, Alabama doesn't have a strong running game. What the c*** does that have to do? As long as you win, does it matter if you go through the front door or the back door as long as you get in? Harold, well, you're right, and I was going to get into that in a few minutes about the audacity of, yeah, Alabama came back to beat South Carolina in the last two minutes, and that was a bad win.

And Texas A&M comes back from 30 to 3. Thank you. In the second half, and kudos to them for doing that, and that was a good win. But at the bottom line of this, once again, Alabama has beaten four ranked teams. Georgia, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Missouri is back in the rankings. At Georgia, by the way. Yeah, Georgia is the best win of any team in the country. And again, Alabama loses to number eight, Oklahoma. We've discussed that all week. And again, congratulations, Oklahoma. Right. Brent Venables for coming up with game plan.

And Alabama's three turnovers. And unranked Florida State. Now, when did that loss happen? It was the last Saturday in August, and here we are in November. Now, Notre Dame, on the other hand, I just mentioned Alabama had four ranked wins. Right. Notre Dame has won. Won. Won. Over number 15, USC. And there are two losses, which I'm sure the committee looks as good losses. Number three, Texas A&M, when the Aggies came back and won at the very end of the game at South Bend, and also to Miami.

But, Harold, it was just Josh Pate. Some of the social media commentary, and I'll mention a few of these in a few minutes, but Josh Pate, the commentary from the COP committee chair last night was some of the most flawed I have ever heard. It's wimpy. I mean, it seems like all they do is, basically, they play the lazy card. They watch where the traditional posts come out on Saturday and Sunday, and then they say, well, that's a pretty good idea. Let's go in and order out and get this fancy food brought into the room.

We get a lot of love from ESPN. We get our faces on TV. We get our brand out there. But as far as the hard work, it makes you question how much do they really, I would love to see, particularly taking the paper back and peeling it back, I'd like to see someone ask the question, do you or do you not go by strength of schedule and tiebreakers? And if you do, then how do you justify taking a team that has four wins against ranked teams over or basically below a team that has won?

Did they ever address that clearly? I know they're going to BS the way around it. They're like, they're good politicians. Did they ever answer it in just plain old country boy logic, BB? Harold, he got off in the weeds so much about the run game, which the last time I looked at a criteria for selecting a college football playoff team, how you run the ball, how many yards you run for is not in there. Clint Lamb of Cover Crimson mentioned this, your reward scheduling easier opponents as long as it creates fewer losses and you're rewarded for dodging another quality opponent in the conference championship.

[10:43] And it just, and Chris Vianney, a, uh, this is not about Alabama, but Chris Vianney from the athletic, uh, COP chair, a hundred year check said that Oregon is still getting credit for beating Penn state. Yeah. Even though the Nittany lines fell off the map and Vianney said, this makes no sense. The Penn state team has not played well since before the Oregon game. Then they lost the UCLA, uh, which calls the coach a job in Northwestern, credit, uh, credit for what Chris says, a preseason ranking again, uh, again, Harold, I do golf and rants very much, but this is one of the most illogical arguments and I've seen it on one tweet after another and on Facebook too, about how nonsensical and illogical some of these comments were last night.

Well, first of all, in all due respect to all the hunters listening right now, when your committee name is named Hunter, how much real life experiences he have with his hands dirty? That's, that's the first question you ask. Maybe I've said this before. A lot of fans get upset because their teams don't play a brand every weekend. And, and you know, my stand on that is I agree with that to a point, but where do you set the bar? If you want to win a national championship and you want to fight this system, all this politics, why would you do it?

Why not do what the teams of the head of the class are doing right now and schedule light? Because let's face it, the money part of the schedule is at the end. If you don't make the playoffs, it doesn't matter what you did during the regular season. You're going to be home watching it from a couch and your fans are going to be madder than the wet hand. Well, Harold, and I keep going back to this over and over again. The committee seems to put special emphasis on what the heck you did in November.

And I understand some of this is August with Alabama. Yeah. Some of this is the eye test. Some of this is which teams are hot. Well, Alabama had an eight game winning streak. But to me, if you're going to rank these teams, it's the overall body of work. Yeah. You start with the first game of the season, which we all know did not work out for Alabama, but they continue to improve. They won four consecutive games against ranked teams in the SEC for the first time in history.

But again, that goes back to the adding the ninth conference game. No wonder these coaches fought this so much that they knew it would imperil their job. Yes, right. But Harold, go play two lesser opponents in November and don't play in the conference game. And you're not rewarding anyone for playing a tough schedule and also for fans who pay thousands of dollars for season tickets who don't want to see those games. Well, at the end, once this committee makes up their final decision of the 12 teams, what's going to happen if an Alabama team with that schedule is left home and a James Madison is in?

And they're going to sit here. Basically, what the committee wants to do is pee on your leg and call it rain and then can't understand why you're sitting here and saying, no, that's not rain, my friend. I've been there and done that. That seems to be their mindset. Bottom line is SBB. Whether Alabama is 10, 9, 8, whatever, their fate is still in their own hands. If they went out, even at 10, they're still going to get to the championship game. If they got to win there, then they're in the playoffs.

So regardless of that, they still, the honest is on them to win, to get in. That's not the issue. The issue here is real simple. If the committee is going to, I'll say it again, if they're going to preach it, practice it, brother. Well, and something else, Harold, even if Auburn be, right now to me, it doesn't make any difference if Alabama beats Auburn 50 to nothing. The problem is going to be is they get into the SEC championship game in Atlanta and they lose to one of the hunnish teams and undefeated Texas A&M team.

Alabama's got three losses. I'm telling you right now, they're not making the playoffs. No. And that's why they needed some wiggle room last night. What they basically have done is give another d*** some wiggle room. They get a mulligan here in November. So if they lose, they can still justify putting them in. Well, they were nine and Alabama's 10. They both lost and they go in. And so I got a feeling right now that the committee not exactly going to get a lot of Christmas presents from Alabama fans.

Coming up, a man who gave a lot of presents to UNA fans over the years. The one, the only, Cody Gross on deck. Stay with us. So you want to buy a house. You could go online, do your research, find the dream listing, go see it and get catfished. Back to the drawing board. More scheduling, more viewings, more. This doesn't even look like the photos. You could finally find one that does match the photos. Then comes the offer. Stress rash? Yep. Make that three. And here's the paperwork.

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Sponsors are welcome. Lace up, show up, and celebrate the season of thanks at Tracks for Max. Move your feet before you eat. United Way of Northwest Alabama is thrilled to announce the return of its signature fundraising gala, Shoals Royale, on Saturday, February 21st, 2026 at the Renaissance Shoals Conference Center. This black-tie optional casino-themed event brings all the glitz and excitement of Las Vegas to the Shoals, complete with live entertainment, gaming tables, prices, hors d'oeuvres, and a cash bar, and all for a great cause. Now in its fourth year, Shoals Royale has become one of Northwest Alabama's premier charity events, uniting local businesses, community leaders, and residents for a night of luxury and purpose.

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Would you agree? I agree with that entirely. Former UNA great Cody Gross, now head football coach at Athens High in the huddle with us. Cody, welcome in. How are you? I'm doing good. Appreciate y'all having me. Hey, Cody. Man, we appreciate you taking time out. Cody, first of all, this is going to be one of those that I think a lot of folks, it's almost enough to make some grown men cry this weekend. When you go back and you look at all the great memories that UNA football has had over the years at Brawley, and this is it for UNA to play there.

Cody, where do you start in breaking down your memories of Brawley Stadium? Ooh, that's tough. I remember the first time I went, I was in elementary school, and I sat on the visitor's side and watched UNA and Jack State play. Original Goodloe from Leeton was playing for Jack State. I remember that. And then my wife, Karen, she's a year older than I am, and she was a lionette her freshman year while I was a senior in high school. So I went to all the games, not to watch football, but to watch Karen.

And then to be able to play there for four years, and then was able to coach there two different times for a total of seven seasons. So I spent 11 seasons as a player or coach there. A lot of great memories, but without question, the best one is the first national championship, 1993 against IUP. That was by far the one that comes to mind first, just the way that game went. You know, we were down 10 with 10 minutes left, and then we were up 10 with three minutes left, and then it was tied with 40 seconds left.

[21:26] And then, you know, we go down and score, and able to do that with 10 seconds. And just, you know, that's storybook stuff. Something as a little kid, you get out in your yard, and you imagine, you know, late in the game, winning drive to win a championship. And then you get to actually do it, and you get to do it in your home stadium in the same county that you grew up in. It doesn't get much more special than that. Cody, I was actually there that day.

You talk about kids, even old men. I've seen a lot of football over the years, and I still maintain that was the best game I've ever seen as far as drama because, number one, everything was on the line. And like you mentioned, basically it came down literally to whoever had the ball last. And it was a Hollywood script. You know, sometimes when you're young like that, you can't put it in perspective. But now when you have a little time on the clock, you look back, and that just has to make it even more special for you and your teammates.

No question. You know, I had a phone call yesterday from Tyrone Rush in California that's flying in for the game and wanted to make sure that I was coming and wanted to see me. And, you know, just that, you know, it ain't like we see each other much. But there he is all the way out in California, and, you know, can't wait to reunite with everybody. And, yeah, you look back on it, you know, as a kid going through it, I mean, I was 19 years old, man, and just like, we didn't know what we were doing.

You know, it was just the whole town got caught up in everything, and everybody was so excited. And, you know, it was the first time we'd made, you know, done the things that we did. And, you know, to build up, to play that championship game there, you know, you think back to Grady Liles and the vision that he had and the work that he did to bring all that to the Shoals area. I mean, you know, Grady's a guy that, you know, I think a lot of people nowadays don't even talk about.

I'm going to try not to get emotional thinking about it, but Grady meant so much to Florence and to the Shoals. Yes. And you think about him and Jeff Hodges and all those that did so much to bring that there. And then we were the lucky ones that, once we became number one in the country after beating Portland State out there in 1993, and we were able to be the top seed in every year and every playoff game was at home. I mean, you play three years, you play 12 playoff games, and every one of them is at your home stadium.

That's a pretty good advantage. Yep. Yep. Cody, it still amazes me. The 93, 94, and 95 teams, their combined record were 41-1. But in that decade, from 90 to 99, there were 25 All-Americans, a Harlan Hill Trophy winner, one member of the College Football Hall of Fame, five NFL draft picks, eight NFL free agent signees, four members of the Division II team of the quarter century, 22 players and four coaches who've been inducted in the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame. And you know this better than anybody else, the coaches, players, even the guys on the staff, et cetera.

That was just an incredible decade of talent at UNA. No question. You know, and it was obviously a different age. You know, you're coming right out of the Prop 48 deal. So, you know, a lot of the players that we got were because they couldn't qualify at a higher level academically. And we got them, and the coaching staff did a great job of getting them there and basically red-shirting them where they could have gone to junior college or something like that and gone to a bigger school.

We were able to get those guys. And then, you know, you think about now with NIL and all that mess. My goodness. We'll talk about it. Last year at the reunion, I was standing back there in the end zone with our teammates, and we were talking about that. You know, and I was like, hey, you realize, I mean, you know, I'm stating the obvious, but what we did will never happen again. Never. There's nobody staying, especially at the lower level. I mean, like, the bigger schools are coming down and getting them.

And I said, if this transfer portal in NIL would have been around when we played, all you guys would have been somewhere making a lot of money, and I'd have been over here with guys like me trying to win a football game. And that's kind of where that thing would have been. But, you know, Coach Wallace and even the staff before I played, not even the guys that I played for, there were coaches like Ike Fowler and Glenn Davis and other coaches that were on the staff before I came that recruited a lot of us and a lot of those guys that were able to get that talent there.

And then those coaches continued to recruit it, you know, and obviously Coach Wallace was, he just Coach Wallace, you know, but we had great talent, we had great coaches, and we had great, really did have great character on those teams. And, you know, just like you just named all that stuff, I didn't realize all those numbers, but it's really mind-boggling. Cody, talk to us about Bobby. Obviously, he personified what one man can do, given the opportunity, and take all your talent and hard work and put it all in the blender.

[26:57] Talk to us about Coach Bobby Wallace and what he's meant to you and A. I don't think he got long enough. That's right. And even what he's meant to me. You know, my high school football coach, Ronnie Ritter, came by to see me this morning, and actually, as you guys called us, I got to take this. He just walked out the door. You know, Ronnie Ritter coming to Rochester, Alabama, changed my life. He came in my senior year, and if he don't come, I'm not at UNA.

You know, you're about the Lord orchestrating things in your life. It just worked out. UNA needed to go to the triple option. You know, they just had to go to the triple option at the same time, and Coach Ritter installed it. So, all that stuff worked together. But Coach Wallace, you know, being able to play for him and then go back and work under him, I got to see both sides of that. And we got to find out a lot of things coaching for him that I didn't realize as a player.

But I think the bottom line, and, you know, the big thing, his big word is intangibles. You know, he only talked about three things that, three ways you win football games. One, you got good players. That's why we recruit. Two, you got to have sound coaching. And that's why, you know, and that's just putting guys in position to make plays and then not put them in bad positions. And then the third one is intangibles. He said those are things you can't measure. You know, unselfishness, player-to-player relationship, player-to-coach relationship, all those things.

And he said most people focus on the players and the coaching, and they neglect the intangibles. He said the intangibles is where you win. And that was really his focus. And one thing I learned from him was you surround yourself with good people and you let them work. You know, when he was able to hire Bill Hyde and Willie Slater in 1992 to coordinate each side of the ball. And he let those guys work. And I found out as a coach that he was a lot more hands-on than I thought he was as a player because he knew what was going on.

But he trusted those guys and allowed them to go work, and they wanted to work for him. And then the players wanted to play for him. And he genuinely cares about people. It's not a fake thing. It's genuine. You know, he showed up at a football game here at Athens about three years ago and didn't tell me he was coming. And didn't stay until the end of the game. And the only way I know that he was here is my wife got up to go to the restroom and went a different way than she normally goes.

And was walking by and heard Karen. And she turns, and it was Coach Wallace. And she got a picture made with him because she said that I wouldn't believe that he was there. And it's like, you know what I'm saying? Why didn't he call and tell me? You know, and it was like he didn't want to bother me. But she said, what are you doing here? And he said, well, Robert, his son Robert, said, Robert and I have been talking about when we see one of Cody's games.

So we just came. I mean, just, and every time he sees me, every time we talk, he'll ask how my dad's doing. How's Karen, how's Karen, how the boys? And it's not one of those where, you know, you meet somebody, you see somebody and go, hey, how's it going? You know, it's not like just a greeting. It's like he genuinely does care. And as a player, you knew that. And it made you want to bust your tail for him. Let me finish with your season at Athens.

We follow you and talk about the team every week with Caleb Suggs of the Decatur Daily and some other guys. Got off to a little bit of a slow start. I know you lost second game to Buckhorn. You finished 6-5, but you won the last three regular season games and faced a good Fort Payne team who has got one of the best kickers I think I've ever heard of. You got behind that game and then came back to make it 38-23. Aiden Lovell, Jackson Unger, two of your dudes who had a very good season.

Summarize the year for us at Athens. Well, you kind of did it there. You know, we started out not so good. We really had a tough loss there early and really did some uncharacteristic things. I don't think we handled adversity real well early, and that's kind of something that we've taken pride in being able to do. And we got it turned around and really proud of this bunch. I told them that. I'm just really, really proud of how they came together and they stuck together. Because, you know, in today's world especially, when things start going not your way, it's easy to quit.

And it's easy to give in. It's easy to blame. And it's always kind of been that way. But I think in today's world, it's so much easier. And, you know, hey, I'm not going to be a part of that. But these guys really came together, really believed. You know, I had some great leadership out of not just seniors, but guys. You mentioned Aiden Lovell as a junior who was a heck of a football player and did everything that we asked him to do. Whether he's a super talented kid, but there were times that he didn't get the ball much because we had trouble getting it to him.

So what did he do? He got in there and he blocked. We need to play him at running back. We need to snap it to him. We need to play him at tight end. We need to play him at receiver, wherever. He's willing to do it. Jackson Unger moved over from safety. He's a great safety. He played corner last year. Great safety. State champion wrestler. We're playing safety and receiver. Hasn't become our quarterback week three. And he just comes over and does it. Whatever we asked him to do, he just did it.

[32:10] So we had a lot of unselfish guys on our team. But just the fact that they stuck together and they believed, it was really rewarding to see that. You know, it didn't go the way we wanted it to go. And that's kind of the way things are in life sometimes. But you just want to get up one more time and persevere. So I think a lot of lessons were learned by all of us, including me, during the season. And hopefully it's going to benefit us going forward.

But just really proud of my staff for the way they continued working hard and coaching and where our players stuck together and found a way to get better. Cody, this has been fun for a fellow who started following me when you were that teenager back in the day. You helped put Brawley on the national map. And I got a feeling you owe a lot to that lionette back in the day. You're still reaping benefits of that, are you not? Oh, there's no question. No question. That's the best thing that ever happened to me.

Cody, man, listen, it's always a pleasure to look up with you. Thank you so much for taking time out and help us put things in perspective about a very emotional weekend there at Brawley. Thanks again so much for your time. Well, I thank you all so much for thinking of me. You know, I don't sit around and think about this stuff. I really don't. But I always like it when somebody asks me because it makes me think about it and being able to talk about it is pretty special.

So I appreciate you guys as always. Right back at you, Cody. Cody Gross, former national championship quarterback at UNA and now the top man at Athens High football, Cody Gross, the one and the only. Coming up, what a week in Tuscaloosa. Rodney Orr on that and more. Straight ahead, stay with us. On the basketball court, the soccer pitch, or even the golf course, your crew brings their best not just for the win, but for that post-game celebration. When victory tastes like Michelob Ultra, it's worth every drop of sweat.

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[37:28] Mmm, those 23 flavors are like so delicious. They totally wash away the pain of your college football team taking a big fat L. College football. It's a pepper thing. Rich Eisen here, and we're brought to you by Sonos. The holidays sound better with Sonos speakers. Whether it's a movie night that feels larger than life or the roar of the crowd as your team takes the field, Sonos helps create the moments you'll remember. Beautiful design, incredible sound, and effortless control mean you can focus on what matters most, enjoying the season.

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Jackson State winless at 0-3, while Auburn is currently 3-1. Progressive is helping veterans drive their lives forward with its Keys to Progress program. Online at keystoprogress.com. I'm John Thayer with the Sports Flash, presented by Progressive on 93.9, The Score. Welcome to Cricket Wireless. Uh, Santa? I've got to get Mrs. Claus a gift or I'm in a whole lot of trouble. How about a single unlimited line? Only $35, plus a free Moto G 5G. Dude, you're a lifesaver. Here, take a present. Says it's for Timmy in Des Moines.

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The score. Welcome back, and I would imagine the Tuscaloosa Fire Department had to respond to Rodney Orr's Tider Insider.com family last night. Rodney's busy there as a founder and editor, and also his book's called Bigger Than Bama. Rodney, welcome in. How was your night? How was the night? Yeah, with all the reaction from the vote from the committee. Yeah, yeah. I mean, man, you know, that guy from Arkansas, that athletic director. Genius. Honestly, I want to say in a most professional way that I don't think I've ever heard a dumber comment in my life.

It was incredible. You know what, Rodney? My late mom always said, it's enough to make a preacher cuss. Did anybody cuss on your website last night? And my mom was a very wise woman. Yeah. Well, I don't know, but that, you know, again, I didn't know rushing yards were a metric. Thank you. Yes. I think the one thing, you know, the one thing that really kind of bothers you is it just seems like this committee kind of just works on a whim. They just go with whatever suits their kind of vision of what they're aiming to do.

And, you know, I wonder this, and I do wonder, and again, it's all going to play out, so I'm not really, you know, worked up about it. But I wonder if Notre Dame had four wins against top 25 teams, and Alabama had one, and Alabama had lost their first two games of the season. Yep. The way they did. I just really wonder if last night they would have said, well, you know, Notre Dame has four top 25 wins. That's right. Alabama has one. So, anyway, it is what it is.

You know, but I'll say this, too. With that said, Alabama put themselves in this position by losing the game. That's right. To be fair. They had no business losing. I mean, look, I watched the game. I was there. Brett was there. But, listen, I mean, from what I saw, Alabama's 14 points better than Oklahoma. Yes. I mean, almost any day. You just don't turn the ball over. And I give Oklahoma credit. I mean, I would say their defense and their special teams really out-physicaled Alabama's offense and Alabama's special teams.

I mean, they out-hit them. They knocked the ball off of Alabama's players multiple times. And I'm not just talking about the fumbles. I'm talking about the ones that were knocked loose and Alabama recovered, got back on, the play was called down. They out-hit Alabama in those areas. Okay. Now, defensively, I thought Alabama played fantastic. And I do understand that Alabama had 400-and-something yards offensively. That's not really what I'm saying. I'm just talking about from a physical standpoint that those groups, those two Oklahoma groups, were very intense.

[42:51] Yeah. Absolutely. Ronnie, two guys who caught my eye was the continued development of Red Morgan. Four tackles, one for a loss, forced a fumble, three receptions against him for eight yards. And where in the world would Alabama be right now without Josh Quavis? Six receptions for 80 yards. Quite a few people told me, well, they should have thrown to him about eight more times. Well, I don't know one more time they should have thrown to him. I think I would have called a play for him on that fourth and whatever it was, six at the end.

And, you know, he was getting open. The middle of the field was open consistently. You know, he had a couple on the sideline, too. But Red Morgan, you're right. I mean, he's been really good. I mean, Red's brought some juice. And I will say that Red has certainly brought some juice on that side of the ball with his tackling, physical tackling. And, you know, he plays the ball well. So, I like what number 16's done. Rodney Oren, a huddle with us, tighterinsider.com. And, Rodney, I appreciate you bringing it up because it's easy to get emotional.

Right now, Alabama, whether they're 10, 9, or 8, they still have to control their own destiny. The question is, what did they learn from that game over the weekend? And here's what is guaranteed for this Alabama team. Unless they win a national championship, they will have lost at least three ballgames again this season. That's guaranteed anything short of winning a national championship. Your thoughts about that. It's a different era. But they can sit here and talk a good game. But what lessons did they learn from this weekend going forward?

Especially, maybe not so much this weekend, but a week from Saturday night down to a place called Auburn. Well, I mean, you know, again, I just think that you've got to protect the football. They came in plus 10 in turnovers. Oklahoma was minus 5. That was an area that we really thought Alabama had an edge there. Because Matier has a propensity to turn the ball over. Alabama did not force him to turn the ball over. So, you know, I think going down to Auburn is going to be really interesting because, first of all, it's DeBoer's first trip down there.

And I'm not 100% sure that, I don't even know what they call it, their battle of the Big Apple or what do they call it? But the ball up there in Washington when they play the Washington State, whatever they call it. Yeah, it's the Apple Bowl. The Apple Cup. Yeah, okay. So, I don't think there's a lot of comparison there. But it's going to be something. But I'll tell you another thing, too, Harold and Britt, and this is kind of one of my concerns looking at that game, is that I think Ty Simpson has got to get that mind straight.

He's got to, you know, it's going to be a tough environment. Now, he handled Athens beautifully, no doubt. Okay, but Ty doesn't have, is not playing with the confidence that he played, was playing with back then. He's lost some confidence. He's lost some of the command that he had. I could see it when the way he was holding the ball, that he was uncertain with what he wanted to do with it at times. And there were times there were receivers open, and he continued to hold the ball.

So, it's going to be a real challenge going down there for DeBoer and for, you know, Ty Simpson, I think. Ronny, let me ask you about the never-ending debate, conversation, angst about the improving the Alabama running game. And I thought Daniel Hill gave Alabama, use your words, some juice, 15 rushes, 60 yards. The 28-yard scamper to the right side was the side, welcome for me, goes to right guard, Michael Carroll at right tackle. And I will give this staff credit, Ronny. They have continued to try to run the ball instead of just completely giving up and throwing it on every down.

And Daniel Hill, again, Kale Miller, he looked very good early in the season. I know he's had two health situations. I don't know if that's slowed him down, whatever the case may be. But your thoughts on Alabama trying to continue to work to improve? If they could run for 110 yards, it would help them. Well, yeah, you're right. And I'll say this, too. You go back and look at kind of the history of their running game, even though they had a 1,200-and-something-yard rusher the year they played for the national championship.

But do you know that in that season, they only averaged 118 yards a game rushing. So they've never really – As a matter of fact, I think last year was one of their best statistical years running the football under DeBoer. I'm talking about his offense, whether it was at Indiana or Fresno State or wherever he's been, Washington, and now here at Alabama. So, yeah, I do think all of those things you said are true. I do think that they've continued to try to run the ball, and I do think that they've continued to try to improve their run game.

[48:07] And I do hear all the things about, you know, they just don't have the guys that they need on the offensive line right now, you know, and that they need to get their kind of guys that move really well. That's who they – that's the kind of guys they want. I hear those things. And, of course, I think that they do lack a big-time back. So I understand all that. But I also would say this, too, is that it's a quarterback-centric offense to me. I mean, that's what it is.

That's what they want to do. And, you know, that's kind of their style. I mean, they want their quarterback. And I know a lot of people say, well, there's a lot on Ty. Well, there's a lot on Michael Penix when he was at Washington. There's a lot on their quarterbacks. That's what they do. They expect their quarterbacks to be ready and prepared to make throws, make plays, you know, throw it 40 times a game. What, Ty, throw it 42? So, you know, you've got to be ready to make those plays if you're the quarterback in this system.

And it's kind of hard for some people to kind of grasp that because, you know, Alabama's not really – you know, there hasn't been that style of offense. Mm-hmm. Ronnie, obviously we know the script. You take on a team like Eastern Illinois. You get out big. You empty the bench and all that stuff. Alabama's still got some stuff to work on. And your thoughts about coming into this weekend's game, I don't think the outcome is any question. But just the approach and how much will we see of Keelan Russell and crew?

Yeah. Well, you know, it's a good question. I think – you know, I really think it'd be nice to kind of get into a little bit of a rhythm. And, again, I understand the competition's not going to be what you've been playing, obviously. But, you know, get into a little bit of a rhythm. Let Ty make some throws. Maybe, hopefully, you get out to a quick lead in the first quarter. And, honestly, I would play those young quarterbacks as much as I could in this game. Yeah.

Number one, to protect Ty a little bit. You know, you don't want some kind of freak injury. But I also think that, you know what, you better play him in case, number one, you do have an injury at some point if you get into the playoffs or whatever it is. You know, what if you go down to Auburn and you need one of those guys? Right, right. So, I do think that you need to play Keelan Russell and Austin Mack as much as you possibly can in this game.

But, you know, we were asked kind of the same question last night, Harold, on Titer & Sutter TV. And, you know, they've rotated a lot of players all year, whether it's been in the secondary, whether it's been on the offensive line, across the board. They have rotated a lot of players in. But now, maybe some of the other guys that haven't played as much. Yeah, I mean, I would expect that they'll probably get some, you know, some opportunities in this game, too. And, Rodney, I think that's one of the reasons why this defense has continued to trend up.

They've played so many players. That's the beginning to play. Even Kelby Collins in limited action had an impact in that game. It just, it really does help. And particularly with, it was Saturday being senior day. And when those guys are lined up with their families, a lot of fans are going to realize, hmm, Alabama's losing some good players. Now, I know they've got some coming in. And particularly with early signing day coming up here now and, what, two weeks from today. But it really has helped to continue to develop these guys.

Rodney, where can we get online? And Alabama with a big basketball game tonight with Illinois at 8 o'clock. Coaches interviews, player interviews, the 24-7 message board, your nuggets. Where can we get online and get great stuff for a very nominal price? Right. It's tighterinsider.com. It's only $48 a year. And you can get instant access with your credit card if you prefer. There is an address there. You can send a check. It gives you all our premium information. But also, our community there, it's been rocking and rolling, I'm telling you.

Oh, yeah. With these Alabama fans. And I guess I should probably thank your check for his comments, Harold and Brett. Because it sure has added a spark to my business today. More like a flame, I would imagine. Listen, Rodney, we appreciate your time. Survive it somehow. And thank you so much for your time today, buddy. Okay, guys. Appreciate it. Take care. Thank you, Rodney. You're tighterinsider.com. The book is bigger than Bama. Coming up, Drew to Armand's on deck. Also going to be checking in with a man who's the latest on the lane, kip, and swoop states.

Brett Norsworthy and UNA basketball boss, Tony Pujol. All straight ahead. Stay with us. At Valley Credit Union, we believe every great team starts with a strong community. We're proud to help our neighbors save, borrow, and build brighter futures together. Whether you're planning for your first home, growing your family, or supporting local dreams, we're here with personalized service and competitive rates. Stop by any of our convenient locations, Tuscumbia, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals, Florence, Russellville, Cherokee, and Killen. Or visit us on the web at valleycreditunion.net. Valley Credit Union, rooted in community, committed to you.

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Anybody have anything to do with young kids, we put them in jail. We throw the key away. I don't care who it is. It's time to get this mess over with and let people know you're going to pay the price for doing something like this. So, you know, it's going to blow up. Larry Summers right off the bat. I don't know who else it's going to be. I have no clue. But I'm anxious like everybody else to hear about the transparency that President Trump offered up during his campaign.

And here it comes. And I'm looking forward to it. Some people are going to have a very, very tough holiday season. And they should. I'll be back with more Alabama stories after this. Are you enjoying 1819 News? If so, consider joining 1819 News as a member. As a nonprofit news organization, we depend on the support of Alabamians like you. Memberships start out as little as $5 a month, and you'll get access to exclusive content only offered to our members. You'll be supporting independent journalism done by people who cherish Alabama values.

Become a member today by visiting 1819news.com and clicking Become a Member. That's 1819news.com and click Become a Member today. A judge has given a Prattville man a sentence of 965 years in prison after that man was convicted of 84 counts of sexual crimes against children. Jason Hudson was found guilty by a jury this past October. His victims involved children as young as 18 months old. Prosecutors wish that the death penalty was an option in this case against Hudson. However, the Child Predator Death Penalty Act has yet to be passed by the Alabama legislature.

It is pre-filed for the upcoming 2026 session. I'm Andrea Tyson. For more news affecting Alabamians, go to 1819news.com. And while you're there, subscribe to the daily newsletter. Remember, always be generous with the nutmeg. Just eyeball it. Okay. Mom's wisdom has served you well, but now it may be your turn to guide her. Hey, I'm worried about mom. She keeps forgetting her famous sweet potato pie recipe. Some things come with me, sis. And some don't. Knowing the early signs of Alzheimer's in a loved one will help you make the best decisions for your family.

Visit 10signs.org to learn the signs. Brought to you by the Alzheimer's Association and the Ad Council. Valley Broadcasting Corporation, WITK-FM, Rogersville, Athens, Decatur, The Shore. Sports Radio 93.9, The Score. Tide fans. Here comes the tide. Let's roll. At one for the win. Ball game, ball game, ball game, and the wins. Grab your hard hats and tune in for blue collar basketball with the Crimson Tide all season long on your home for Alabama basketball. This Wednesday, Alabama travels to Chicago to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini after Hey Coach with a tip at eight here on 93.9 The Score.

[59:05] Brought to you locally in part by Nationwide Insurance Agents Michael Noe and Bill Cochran, Garner Pierce Auto, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Bob's Tire Alignment, Alpha Insurance Agents David Jordan, Mike Mitchell, and Matt Henry, Fake Independent, Champy's World Famous Fried Chicken, Woody Anderson Ford, Garnett Electric, and Elliott Johnson Insurance. Alabama and Illinois this Wednesday, tip at eight here on 93.9 The Score. 93.9 The Score. For today, mostly cloudy skies, high around 75. Tonight, mostly cloudy skies, patchy overnight fog, low near 55. Tomorrow, a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, high around 80.

Tomorrow night, a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, low near 60. And Friday, a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, high around 75. Your weather from 93.9 The Score. Now, get ready to roll, Shoals, Decatur, Athens, and all of Northwest Alabama and Southern Tennessee. It's time for the Valley's exclusive FM Sports Voice. Woo! The Boomo Bugg Show. Your exclusive inside track to the tie. Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC. Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in. I was here to the Boomo Bugg Show. I'm Harold Bugg alongside Brett Beaird.

Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley. Maybe we can call in the head basketball coach at UNA, or we just as easily could call him the traveling man. I got a feeling either one would fit for Coach Tony Pujo. Coach, welcome in and welcome back from Fifth Valley in Clemson. How are you? Doing great, guys. Great to be on the show with you. You too. Man, we appreciate that. Talk to us about your trip to Clemson. This is a team that's pretty doggone good.

Currently 27th in the Ken Palm ratings. That's pretty good at the end of the day. Obviously, the score didn't go the way you wanted it to, but when it comes to experience, I would imagine. We just talked with Cody Gross about the great Bobby Wallace back in the day, UNA head football coach. He talked a lot about the intangibles. I don't care if it's football or basketball. You cannot replace the intangible experience you gained on the road this weekend, I would imagine, Coach. A hundred percent, and I thought our guys showed a lot of grit, especially in the second half.

They jumped on us early. We had, I don't know if you knew, but Cornelius had gone down with a lower leg injury and played the majority of the game. But I thought our guys responded really well. In fact, outscoring Clemson in the second half, which was something that, again, we're not into moral victories, but when you play a team like that, that is just so good on both ends of the floor to get 10 steals and turn them over 12 times, just showed the resiliency of our guys and how they wanted to compete out there.

Coach, I think if we're wise at this point in the season, every coach is trying to figure out the right mix, trying to find out the pluses, the minuses. They always say you play these games to find out, if nothing else, what you need to do to get better going forward. Where do you start in answering the questions or the lessons learned about your team from the trip to Clemson? And for that matter, let's face it, you've already had a trip to a place called Starkville and the SEC opponent, Mississippi State.

What have you learned about your team so far? Yeah, what I've learned about my team is that there's some positions that are solidified and there's some positions that are still up in the air. And, you know, right now I'm looking for guys that are going to go ahead and jump in there and just take those minutes, right? You know, we've got some guys that have definitely solidified themselves. And, you know, you've got Neil, you know, Cornelius Williams, obviously, in my opinion, not just one of the best centers in the A-Sun.

He's probably one of the best centers in the country, just with his numbers and stuff. And, you know, I just think he's solidified himself. Dante Bacchus has done a good job of solidifying himself as well. Kevin Dekovicic, I think he's really done a heck of a job this year. His job from last year is really, really tremendous. So very proud of him and very, very, very pleased. And, again, there's other guys that have solidified themselves. But now we've got some guys that, you know, need to step into roles and step into minutes.

And we're still trying to figure that part out. Like you said, it's early in the year. It's five games in. We've still got another six to go in the non-conference. And then we've got to be ready to rock and roll come January 1st. Tony, I always look for the little things in games. And Clemson came into this game averaging the fewest turnovers in the NCAA, which is six. Your team forced 12, including 10 steals. And junior transfer, Cadell Bode, had four steals. Tony, that impresses me. And you only had eight.

[1:04:13] Tony, that impresses me to double the number of turnovers for Clemson. Yeah, and if you look at it, you know, I think it had a lot to do with our guys back being pressed up against the wall. Once Cornelius went down, we knew we were going to have to grind this one out. We were going to have to be gritty as heck. And I thought our guys did that. They competed really, really well. You know, they didn't back down from the challenge. And I think that spoke volumes of our players to respond the way they responded.

Dallas Howell was, I think he was shooting a three with about five and a half minutes left and could have cut the lead down to about 10. And I was ready to call a timeout. Unfortunately, he missed it. But that's how far back they just kept fighting. They never just relented. And I thought, you know, whenever you play a team, Brad Burnell's team, that, listen, guys, on both sides of the floor, they are solid defensively. And they are one of the most efficient offenses you're going to be going up against.

Whenever you can turn a team over 12 times like them and get 10 steals, I think it speaks volumes for the way that our guys competed in that game. Talk to us just about the intangibles. Because to me, turnovers, we saw it in football over the weekend in the Alabama-Oklahoma game. I don't bring that up to dwell on it here. It's the principle I'm trying to make here. That, to me, is a great equalizer. If you can get that's an extra position, it has the potential of at least a six-point swing.

If they go down, hit the three, and you steal it, and you get the three, that's a six-point swing. Talk to us about how much in practice do you see here and focus on just, again, back to the intangibles of trying to get the turnover and get some easy gets. Yeah, and I'll tell you this. One of the things that we stress, and last year, a lot of our offensive success came in two categories that really stood out for our team. Number one was second-chance opportunities.

The way Cornelius rebounded the ball, the way Tate Fields rebounded the ball. That gave us second opportunities, right? So that increases your efficiency from an offensive standpoint. But from another area is obviously valuing the basketball and not turning the ball over. But we don't just focus on the turnovers or live turnovers or whatever. We're not just focusing on the turnovers. We're also focusing on shot quality. Because if you take a bad shot, to me, that's like a turnover. If the team's not ready for you to take that shot and you take a bad one, it kind of throws everything out of whack.

And then all of a sudden now you have to now transition from your offensive end to defense. And if guys aren't ready for you to shoot it or you take a bad shot, it really will mess up your team defense. And so we spend a lot of time with our guys talking to them about valuing the basketball, keeping it simple. We use a baseball term. We want to hit singles. We don't need to be swinging from the fences every time. We just want to hit singles all the time.

And then we want to make sure that our shot quality is at its best. If we can get a shot off from three with 20 seconds and it's contested, well, we can take that same shot with four seconds on the shot clock. And it's a better shot quality because you've got to get the shot up. There's only four seconds on the shot clock. So we're always looking for the best shot available in the half court. Let me ask you about the East Tennessee State game that broke your 16-game winning streak at home, which is tremendous.

There was, and I know you've gotten over this, it happens in so many games during the course of the year. There was a no call, contested basket, two seconds to go, et cetera, that a lot of people thought was a foul. In fact, several people have mentioned that to me. That was unfortunate. Dallas Howell hit his first three threes, had 19 points. Dante Bancas had 19 and six rebounds. Tony, summarize the East Tennessee game for us. No, I thought, you know, I thought our guys came out in the first half and really did a tremendous job of sharing the ball offensively, playing within the system, and understanding scouting reports.

So whenever you can hold ETSU to 30 points and a half, and you score over 46, like that just shows that the guys were really locked in. But, you know, I've got to give credit to ETSU. They really muddied the game up, and I thought our guys did not. And, again, guys, this to me, have I moved on from this? 100%. We move on, right? In fact, we couldn't dwell on it too much because 48 hours later we were playing club. Yeah. So my thing was, this is something now that we've got to carry with us because when they muddied the game up, we didn't do a good job.

And I'm talking about not just players, our staff, we need to do a better job of making sure that we manage the game better, right? And I've got to give them credit for just mucking the game up, and our guys, we just did a poor job of turning the ball over. It should have never gotten down to that last possession. As far as the call is concerned, guys, you know how I feel about that. I'm not, I'm never going to make a comment about them. You know, they're human beings.

[1:09:31] Can they miss calls 100%? But one thing I do know is, since I've been at the Division I level, referees are told by their commissioners that the last four minutes they can't get anything wrong. They've got to be on point. Now, if that was a call that was missed, well, I'm sure they'll evaluate it and they'll move forward. But as far as we're concerned, that game's over. We did not lose that game because there wasn't a call at the end of the game. And that game, we just didn't manage it the right way.

That's a mature way of looking at it, Coach. You can't look back. You take the lessons, but not the ongoing problems for it. That's a wise way of addressing it. Coach, obviously, you stay there to keep the bags packed. Anyone who knows college basketball, UTC, the University of Tennessee, or as they basically know, Chattanooga, they've had a pretty good program over the years. Your thoughts about this weekend's matchup there by the Aquarium in Chattanooga? Yeah, I mean, the league didn't do me any favors. They have us playing.

They picked us playing the number three SOCON team preseason poll and number one. So, and number one on the road. So, you know, for us, you know, we're excited because it's another opportunity to get on the floor. It's another opportunity for our team to grow. And I'll tell you one thing. And we definitely put our guys through the gauntlet this year. Our next six games, five of them are on the road. And we're going to definitely be road tested once January 1 rolls around. So, I want our guys to go into this game knowing that the most important thing that matters is the growth of our team.

Growth of our team. We don't focus too much on the outcome. We focus on what we've got to take care of in the moment. So, I want our guys to be present and to just compete with integrity. That's it. That's all I'm asking them to do on Saturday. And, Tony, Chattanooga is one and three. But look a little closer. They've lost to UNLV, who Alabama plays next week, and St. Mary's. Those are two very quality teams. Yeah. And then they went on the road to Florida Gulf Coast, which, again, guys, you know our league is one of the – I said this the first year we were in it.

It's a league that every year – it's such a well-coached league, and it's a league that has so many different styles of play, which makes it extremely challenging when you're playing Thursday, Saturday games. So, it's just a rough league. Like, you know, you go to some leagues and pretty much everybody's kind of like the same style, right? This league has got from a team that will take 30 seconds to take a shot to a team that is going to press you for 94 feet for 40 minutes a game. And the funny thing about it is those two teams that I just mentioned, and the 30-second shot and the team that presses, they're all in one city.

So, when you travel there, you're playing one of those teams on Thursday, and then you're playing the other one on Saturday. So, that's the hard part of this league. And I can tell you this, Chattanooga is a team last year obviously going to the NIT and having the success they did in the NIT. It just speaks volumes for their coach. It speaks volumes for the program. And I've got a long history with them. I was at Appalachian State for two years, and we were in the SOCON together.

So, I can tell you right now, I know what we're walking into, and it's going to be challenging. Absolutely. Well, you're going to see the dividends, though, of playing Chattanooga, Mississippi State, and Clemson down the road. Listen, we're going to let you go. We always enjoy the conversation. Have a great, safe week, and bring back a W from Chattanooga. I hear you, brother. Sounds great. UNA men's basketball coach, Tony Pujo. BB, before we jump off here, we would be remiss if we didn't say about the passing of truly a legend at Waterloo and Loretto.

Coach Toby Don passing away earlier this week. All the success in the world as a coach at Waterloo and, of course, at Loretto. Now, I was a math teacher and passing away at the much too early age of 64. I know a lot of folks are basically in shock at the passing of Toby Don. Yeah, I saw Steve Harrison's Facebook post and a lot of other ones. David Weathers certainly knew him. Harold, he was a coach, was a teacher, was a Christian, loved God, and you're right.

He's a big loss for a lot of people in this community. Influenced a lot of folks the right way. Coming up, he knows Lane Kempf and about as well as anybody anywhere. Brett Norsworthy on deck. Stay with us. Hey, Scholes, I know you'd do anything for a win on game day and for an ice-cold Bud Light. Because whether you're tailgating in the parking lot or parked on the couch, sitting on your lucky stool at the bar, or standing in the fan section all game long, a win isn't a win without the clean, crisp taste of Bud Light.

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Call 800-606-8169 for a free consultation. From the University of Alabama, this is Crimson Tide Today. It's a daily update on Bama sports, and it's brought to you by Conecuh Sausage, a true Southern flavor since 1947, and the official smoked sausage of the Crimson Tide. Order online at ConecuhSausage.com. Hello again, everybody. I'm Roger Hoover. Here are thoughts from Alabama women's basketball head coach Christy Curry as Alabama prepares for Samford on Wednesday night. Yeah, looking at the Samford Bulldogs tonight's opponent, where do they present some challenges and some of the talented personnel they have?

Well, they're just well coached. I mean, Matt does a great job of running a lot of different set plays. They're going to really challenge and go at our weaknesses. So it will challenge each player defensively, you know, to guard their yard and understand. Otherwise, they're going to make you look bad. So, I mean, I think it'll be a great opportunity for us to understand he's going to do a really good job with that. And then they run multiple ball screen actions. And so our communication, loud, early, and often, and how we guard the ball screen with great effort and energy are going to be really critical to our success.

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The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back again. I can promise you that if you want to know the latest going on in the Bluff City, a.k.a. Memphis, Tennessee, or with Ole Miss football, there's only one place to go, and that's Brett Norsworthy. He's hosting Sports Time Afternoons 3 to 6 on Sports 56 in Memphis. He's also there busy as co-host of the Ole Miss football pre-game, halftime, post-game, and the latest on Lane. Brett Norsworthy, welcome in. How are you? I'm doing well, Harold.

[1:20:01] Glad to be with y'all. We appreciate you taking time out. Brett, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and say, has anyone asked you about Lane Kiffin lately? No, all anybody's talking about is Lacey's 200-yard performance last week, and Trinidad Chambliss going for 300, and a 10-1 Ole Miss team that's 5 in AP, and 6 in the college football playoff rankings. Anything else going on? We're over here in Alabama. We don't know, Brett, but I tell you what, one thing we do know. Obviously, we don't know about the future, but it's a big question out there, obviously, in Oxford and college football, because let's face it, when you're a big name like Lane, once that domino starts, then they start falling around it.

What is fact and what is fiction there, Brett, based on what you know? Well, the facts are, and a lot of the things I just said in four out of the last five years, the double-digit winning teams, and then that will make people come after your head coach, head coach, in the springtime. Keith Carter had to fend off Texas A&M for Chris Beard. A year before that, Chris Beard turned down Arkansas before they hired John Califarian. Think about all the jobs, and I know Twitter's not a real place, but think about all the jobs that Twitter has associated Lane with.

Well, he was at Tennessee. He did turn down Arkansas to accept Ole Miss, so that's three out of the 16. I think Lane was very much wanting to be the Alabama coach, and there were people that wanted him to be the Alabama coach. It got to an offer level, so that's four. We know Auburn offered, that's five. We know LSU's interested right now, and they were interested when they hired Brian Kelly, so that's six. We know A&M two years ago when they hired Mike Elko was interested.

That's seven. We know right now Florida's interested, and we know Florida was interested when they hired Billy Napier. What are we up to? Up to eight? Okay, so Vandy and Kentucky haven't called. Wow. Or Slippery Rock. Talk to us about the job he's done there. Obviously, his resume speaks for itself. It's one thing to win at a place where everything is in place. Let's just use Alabama as an example. They got a proud championship tradition. They got all the resources a person could want, but when you come to Ole Miss, it's a different ballgame as far as resources and the past.

I've always said the sign of a good coach is who can take the least and make the most. What has been his secret to the sauce there? Harold, that is such a good point. Let's remember what he took over. We lose Thanksgiving night on Elijah Moore hiking up his leg. I don't know what would happen in overtime. We may have lost in overtime, but if we win, Matt Luke stays, and that was the year at the Egg Bowl. Not only did the losing coach get fired, but the winning coach got fired that year at the Egg Bowl.

But we were effectively out of the football business. It was over. The NC investigation was making its soul. The end of Hugh Freeze. We were out of business, and Keith Carter, he threw deep and got Lane Kiffin. So then we go into the 2020 season. There's everybody in the whole world dealing with COVID, the dumbest era in American history. We're all trying to deal with it. We're sitting outside with masks on. That's how dumb we were. But we go through it, and we could see that year.

And I said it one time after one of our games, and I think it was even after a loss. I said, we got us a coach. And I knew we had a revolutionary-type coach and the transformation he had with Matt Corral, and then to see his personal transformation and to get into the sweet spot of his adult and coaching life. And now you see the benefits of it. I know the question, and my answer is I think he's going to stay. You know I want him to stay.

But if he does not stay, I promise you I'll never say the first negative word about the man. He's been great to me. He's been great to our crew. He's a friend. I love seeing where he is with his family, with his life, with his faith. Now, you know, next year, Florida's on the Ole Miss schedule. We go to Gamble, and next year, LSU comes to Oxford. I'm not going to be for him, but I will wish him well, and I will never, ever, ever say the first negative word about him.

And I would have done that had he gone to Auburn even after a short tenure, but I don't think he's leaving. I know I'm being very hopeful about it, just like I was with Auburn. I was right about Auburn. I think I'll be right now. I think how it plays out the rest of the week. I hope how it plays out the rest of the week. I think sometimes Friday, one of the big dot-comers with all the Twitter followers, they'll see Ole Miss and Lane are getting close.

[1:25:03] Probably Chris Lowe, maybe Ross Dellinger. And then I think it won't take over, but it'll certainly be reported and a part of game day on Saturday morning. And then I think next Monday, at some point, Lane tweaks a picture of a contract, and it says something like, hey, Keith, need your signature on this. Let's go 1-0 this week, and all blondes look the same. There you go. Well, let me give you credit for this. Just two or three years ago when we had this conversation, you were one of the only people, everybody else was saying he's gone.

It's just a matter of time to get out of Ole Miss, and you stuck your guns and said, no, I think for several reasons he is going to stay. Now, some of our Florida contacts have said he's got an offer on the table for $13.5 million for six years. $31 million is guaranteed, and I understand a lot of us don't make that in a year, and it'd be hard to turn that down. But I'll give you credit. You said two or three years ago, one of the few he was going to stay, he loved Oxford.

I think he's even more comfortable now. I'll give you credit for that. Brother Brett, you're right. I think he stays this time, and it's not just hope. I've got some pretty good background. Is it from the horse's mouth? No, it is not. But I think he stays. And in these coaching searches, it just goes to show it is really hard to dislodge a guy because, yes, that is a lot of money. He's got that offer on the table from Florida. But Ole Miss has met every financial thing, everything salary structure, everything assistant coach, everything outside of the house settlement that you need to build a team because we've still got to have the Grove Collective.

And this has been the fundraising boon of all time for the Grove Collective. I mean, it is rolling in because people are committed and know that he can win, and we see it this year. I think this year we're 10-1, and he really doesn't like this. I mean, he would tell me before we start postgame, and he would tell me sternly. He'll look me square in the eye and go, give the players credit. Don't make it all about me. And about 10 seconds into it, I'm making it all about him.

And he'll give me that look of, give my players the credit. And he's big on that, and he's sincere about that. But I think he, by himself, was the difference in about three wins this year. I do. Talk to us about the intangibles, if you will, Brett. Obviously, anyone who's ever lived in Oxford knows it is one of the best-kept secrets out there. It has been good for Lane. Lane has been good for Oxford. And the other factor to me, his son and his kids play a big influence.

His son's a star quarterback there at the high school. Your thought's just about things outside of Lane and all that money. Yeah, and Harold, you know, and people that have been around and been to Oxford know, you know, the stereotypical generalizing of Mississippi and, you know, how a lot of Florida parents have talked about us and about Oxford and about Mississippi is really, really overboard. But, you know, that's what we do when somebody's got something that you want. But, I mean, it has really been deep and pretty ugly.

And, you know, I'm not going to try to reciprocate. I'm not going to do that because I think Gainesville is a great place. And, heck, who wouldn't like living in Florida, so I'm not going to go there. They just don't know. And last weekend, there were a lot of Gator fans in town. It was the first time they had really been in town since 07, the year Tebow won the Heisman. We played them in 2020 in COVID, but nobody could go to the games. And so it was 2007 to, you know, 2025, 18 years.

And we had really missed that charming bunch in that time. Let me ask you about last night. As you can imagine, it has resonated in the state of Alabama. I don't know if I've seen a backlash ever about a regular season rankings when Alabama dropped from 4 to 10. Now, again, they should have won the football game. I think they're better, but I give Oklahoma a lot of credit. And Brent Venables, and also Notre Dame going ahead of Alabama, which is no shock to anybody in the South.

Alabama with four wins, consecutive wins over top 25 teams. How many does Notre Dame have won? And we found out last night that rushing yardage plays a role in the criteria for the committee. And I wish I could say that tongue-in-cheek. It was bad enough. And then Hunter Juracek gets on national TV and makes an absolute fool out of himself with some of his excuses and diatribe. Your thoughts on the selection committee's performance last night? Well, it was just shockingly incompetent. And for Hunter Juracek to almost want to describe to us and lecture us what a good football team should or would look like is really rich, considering when has he seen what a good football team looks like.

[1:30:27] He hired him. Touché. And then Bobby Petrino on the rebound tour. Yeah, you hire Evel Knievel after he's embarrassed at university like he did. And so we're being lectured to by Hunter Juracek. Are you kidding? And it was just rank incompetence on full display for the whole world to see. I didn't think anything could top Ward Manuel from last year. I know. But I think, Hunter, your check went full of San Mateo false on the Richter scale and topped it. And I have been told by some Arkansas people that they think he will be out after his tenure on the college football playoff committee because they didn't want to fire him during it and embarrass him.

So he went out and embarrassed himself. He's a joke. Arkansas football is a joke. And it has been. And I love some of my Arkansas friends that just will not admit that Lane Kiffin took Ole Miss over the Arkansas offer. He had two offers on the table and he took Ole Miss. And some of them for years try to say, look, now look, okay, y'all got Lane and we had to get, he had to go somewhere else. But Hunter backed away from him. All right, let's say that's true.

Let's say he got real close to hiring him and he backed away from him, but he backed away from him for Sam Pittman. Oh, my gosh. That didn't work out right. I don't know if I'd admit that. I don't either. Unbelievable. That's another one of the reasons why we enjoy talking to Brett Norsworthy whenever we get the opportunity. Well, it should be an interesting week. Always a pleasure to talk with you about the SEC, Ole Miss, Alabama, and any other topic that comes up. Have a great show today and a great week.

Let's do this again soon. Thank you, man. And happy Thanksgiving. Happy holiday season. Thank you. Hey, thank you so much. Right back at you there, Brett. Brett Norsworthy again. Check him out. The host of Sports Time Afternoons 3 to 6 on Sports 56 in Memphis, Tennessee. Don't have to go that far to get the latest from Drew DeArman. He's on deck on the Boomwell Bug Show. Stay with us. Hi, this is Ike Fowler with Alabama Health Guidance. Whether you are looking for a Medicare health plan or you are under 65 and exploring individual health care options, Alabama Health Guidance can help you find the plan that fits your needs.

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Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93.9. The score. Mids basketball action tonight. Number 11, Alabama, plays number 8, Illinois, and Chicago in the United Center. The Crimson Tide 2-1, while Illinois is 4-0. 22nd-ranked Auburn is home tonight. They'll take on Jackson State. Jackson State winless at 0-3, while Auburn is currently 3-1. The Atlanta Falcons will play in New Orleans on Sunday against the Saints. The Saints are 2-8, while the Falcons are 3-7. Progressive is helping veterans drive their lives forward with its Keys to Progress program. Online at keystoprogress.com.

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Welcome back in. It is always a pleasure. Throw us up the door and say hello to Drew DeArmond. He's host, Talking Ball and Hustle with 97.7 FM The Zone. Drew, welcome in. How was your night? Obviously, Drew is still turning real from last night. We'll get to him in just a second. Drew's busy over there talking ball on Hustle's 97.7 FM The Zone. In the meantime, baby, back to Brett Norris for these comments there. And Brett's not saying that Lane is staying 100%. He's saying that based on his experience of being around Lane, being around sources that are impeccable, that's where, in his heart of hearts, that's where the wind's blowing right now.

Well, I'm glad you got him on because he talks with him on a weekly basis. He knows him very well. And again, I know all the scuttlebutt. And Harold, quite frankly, it'd be hard for any human being to turn down $13.5 million a year for six years and $81 million guaranteed. But he is in the catbird seed at Ole Miss. He has raised that program to a level. They haven't been since Johnny Vaught was there in the 1960s, and he may just simply want to, now that he's built the program, enjoy it for a few years now.

I still think this is 50-50. Would it surprise me if he steps and goes to Florida? No, no, no, no. But it certainly wouldn't surprise me if he decides to stay in Oxford. Well, it's going to be interesting about the intangibles there. We saw how things ended at Alabama, how they ended at Tennessee, how they ended at USC, how they ended with the Oakland Raiders and the NFL. We don't know where he is. Whatever his decision, I just hope it's the best one for him and his family.

In the meantime, a pleasure for us to welcome in Drew DeArmond, again, host of Talking Ball and Huntsville's 97.7 F in the Zone. Drew, welcome in. We were just joking while you were waiting to get to the phone there. How was your night last night? It was interesting. Certainly, I didn't get a chance to hear Hunter Urechek make a fool of himself. Yes, yes. I started hearing some things via social media, but I was actually at Huntsville High's gymnasium. They had their home opener last week against Section, and this was game four, their second home game, and they were playing a city clash against the Columbia Eagles.

We got out of there. The game wrapped up rather quickly. We were done before 9 o'clock. Of course, I knew the rankings show was going to come out, and of course, we've heard all the stuff about Mack Rhoades. Honestly, I did not even know that Hunter Urechek had been taken over as kind of the chair of the committee, and I still don't even understand it because he's lucky to have a job himself after the way he's botched Arkansas' football program. But just reading some of the quotes from him and listening to him today, and we basically made our show out of it on Talking Ball this morning.

I mean, it's pretty amazing that, you know, the way – and I mean, again, some of those people on that committee I truly respect. I mean, Ivan Mazel, I mean, he's part of the reason you get into the business if you're a media guy. They have some other, you know, very well-respected people on that committee, you know, that should know football. I'm just stunned that they would get into discussions about a team's resume and then worry more about losses than wins. I mean, I'm sorry, but Notre Dame has absolutely played nobody, and the only teams that they've played that they basically lost to, and Alabama's played as tough a schedule as there is in college football, and they lost the game by two, and Juracek is more worried about them gaining rushing yards and how they lose, you know, and losing the game instead of actually beating said team.

[1:41:10] So it really didn't make any sense to me. But I will just say this in all contexts. The one thing Alabama does is they can control their own destiny. If they win, this narrative will be completely changed, especially if they get to Atlanta. But if they win, they're the SEC champion as well. If they're fortunate enough to get there, if they can beat the Auburn Tigers, then they're not going to be denied. They're going to be in the dance and have a chance to make their run and make their bones.

So the one thing that they do have is they have a chance to, you know, win their next two games against Eastern Illinois and then Auburn. And if you win those two, you're most assuredly in Atlanta and you'll be playing a high-quality opponent and you should have a chance to compete for an SEC title. And that needs to be what their focus is right now. D2, also the focus is to regroup from a tough loss to Oklahoma. And we've, of course, talked it to death for the last three days.

Everybody knows what happened. Alabama, 75-51 number of plays, 406-212. You just go on and on. But you still lost the game because of three turnovers. And you've got to turn around, regroup, use this Eastern Illinois game to get back into rhythm. I think in particular on offense, I know a lot of the fans in media want to see certainly the young quarterbacks, a.k.a. Deer, a lot of the young kids that we got a glimpse of at Lomb and Rowe, but haven't seen them since.

And I also heard, I saw on a tweet from Clint Lamb, Parker Browsford was humbled. And I'd wondered, because he gave up a good bit of pressure as he normally doesn't, may miss the Eastern Illinois game. Geno Vandenbark may play center. D2, your thoughts about Alabama regrouping and using this next game against a lesser opponent to move forward? Well, I mean, they need to regain some confidence, certainly offensively. You know, I did think they made some strides against OU. I mean, they nearly doubled their yardage output.

You know, I thought they ran the football well enough. They got Daniel Hill more heavily involved. I think that needs to continue this week. You know, they had a couple drops, but it was nothing outlandish. I mean, quite frankly, they just needed Ty to be sharper. And in the last month, he has struggled with his accuracy some. But when it's mattered in situational football, you know, when they needed a drive or two to win a game, Ty had come through every time. And this is the one time that he did not.

Part of that, you just credit Brent Venables in Oklahoma for coming up and being able to kind of bend, but don't break, and then hold them off. But another underlying issue is, you know, I thought the special teams was the catalyst toward them winning against LSU. But it was an unmitigated disaster last week. The turnover by Williams led to the touchdown. The only one OU got. You know, they had a kick blocked at the end of, you know, at the half, which is a 36-yarder, which has got to be made in those situations.

You've got to make that kick. I mean, you know, they gave up a 42-yard punt return when they had the guy kind of coughing, cornered. You've got to make that tackle. So, there's some things they definitely have to work on, you know, against Eastern Illinois to get ready for what's going to be a raucous environment, and as always is in Auburn. So, they need to come out, take care of business. They need to continue building on what they've done defensively, which is, of course, the one thing they didn't do against OU is force turnovers.

But they certainly nearly had a couple pick-sixes. So, you need to continue to force TOs coming up. You need to continue to put stops together. And then just to play as a unit and play with a lot of toughness and intensity, because you're going to have to do that in the Iron Bowl. There's no question about it. So, but again, I just think it's all about taking care of business, staying healthy. We'll see about Brailsford. Certainly, he's key to Alabama's success and the pivot. Maybe they do hold him out and get a guy like – and that's why you signed a guy like Geno Vandermark.

He can play both guards in the center. I know they asked him about Joseph Fianata as well. He's a kid from Florida that they recruited that I think they believe is a Brailsford-type prospect at the center's position. Maybe you'll see some of him as well in this game. So, certainly you might – and I know that A.K. Deer has a cult following. You know, if he gains 15 yards on one carry, it'll probably set off a social media bomb. We'll see, but hopefully they'll build on the running game.

They'll get Daniel Hill further involved and then move on systematically to Auburn, which is going to take your best effort to win and earn your way to Atlanta, Georgia. So, it's all about just taking care of business and controlling what you can control, and I'm sure that's going to be the message from Alabama this week. And maybe we might even see Clay Roussau get back on the field for the first time in over a month because I know he seems to be very close to getting back.

[1:46:38] And I think you can play him together on the field with the emerging Yonse Pierre. So, it'll be interesting to see what we see on senior day, Saturday afternoon inside Friday. The intangibles there is maturity and leadership going to be vital. On the other side of the coin, Alabama the prohibited favorite at one time. I think it's now down to five and a half of the Iron Bowl. I know it's the game after this one, but let's be honest about it. Your thoughts about the line and looking at it through Auburn's eyes, their strategy is, from all indications, rest Ashton Daniels this weekend against Mercer, a pretty good doggone good team.

I don't think there's any sense to be alarmed unless they just stomped their toe big time. But your thoughts about the strategy of Daniels sitting out this weekend and then being fresh and also eligible to come back next year for Alabama and the season? Well, I mean, yeah, he's going to try to come back for Auburn, I'm sure. I mean, he has a year of eligibility remaining after spending the majority of his career at Stanford. And, you know, it's interesting because he didn't play until the last couple of weeks.

And, you know, and there's that four-game rule. So, you know, he would be eligible to come back for the Iron Bowl. It's going to be interesting to see who starts on Saturday. My gut would tell me it would be Deuce Knight, and they might take a look at him and then give him an opportunity. And then they'd still play Jackson Arnold, certainly, and then bring Ashton Daniels back. And Daniels was tremendous against Vanderbilt. I mean, you know, I never would have thought that kind of production would be possible against a really good team like Vandy.

He certainly did that. And certainly he's going to be someone that I think Alabama will be working on this week, trying to be prepared for him and his dual threat capabilities. I mean, there's no doubt. Look, Auburn had a bye last week. I think they probably spent it working on Alabama. Certainly, Mercer averages 40-plus, and you have to respect them and take care of it. But I'm sure that the narrative of them working three weeks on Alabama is true. And Alabama, I'm sure, has spent a lot of this week working on Auburn also.

You know, you should be able to take care of a 3-8 Eastern Illinois team, and you know what's at stake. Diamond Bowl is always important. It's never going to lose importance just because of the college football playoff. And now it's even more heightened because, again, Alabama wants to go to the college football playoff, and you want to go to Atlanta and represent the league and have a chance to win an SEC championship in Kalen DeVore's second season. So, there's a ton riding on it. You know, I think if they had beaten Oklahoma soundly, they might have been a 7- or 8-point favorite.

It probably had about a 3-point swing in it with a field goal, but Alabama's still a 5-and-a-half-point favorite on the road. And in this game, most of the time, the better team wins. I don't think we've had a team with a losing record win the game since 84. And, you know, I was nine years old, and, you know, that was, of course, the wrong-way bow game. So, Alabama won that one when Auburn was really good. And Alabama, under Ray Perkins, it had a lot of close games, a very tough season.

And then we nearly had it repeat itself in 97 in Jordan-Hare, but, you know, Alabama didn't finish that game. So, you know, Alabama has to respect the opponent. Auburn's certainly very talented. They did not play up to their capabilities for much of the year. But they certainly will play, I think, with a lot of energy inside Jordan-Hare in a couple of weeks. And Alabama has to match that intensity. And then the better team has to rise to the occasion and win the game. And I'm certainly – I think that is Alabama in this case.

But you still have to go out there and execute and prove it. And certainly Alabama will have to do that in a couple of weeks. D2, Nate Oates with another big game tonight against number eight, Illinois, in Chicago, Alabama. And now number 11 after losing to Purdue. And I don't know how many times we've heard they were out-rebounded 52-28. Will Mr. Bristow, all 6'10 of him, will he play in this game? Will Davey and Hannah come back, injured a tailbone on a spiel against St. John's? And I'm guessing point of instance has been rebounding since that Purdue game.

D2, your thoughts quickly on Alabama and Illinois tonight beginning at 8, 7 o'clock on 93-9 the score. Yeah, three-and-a-half point underdogs in the United Center in Chicago, you know, on a quote-unquote neutral floor. But, you know, Jefferson's team is, you know, 4-0. They're really good. It's kind of like a United Nations type deal. You've got the Avicic brothers now on the same team. And we know that Big D was at Arkansas and Kentucky the last two years. His brother's a really good player, you know, their leading scorer, 21 points per game.

[1:51:39] And don't forget Stoyakovich, who came over from Cal. You know, Pedro Stoyakovich's son, he's averaging, you know, almost 14. They're actually, they're a really high-scoring team, guys. They've got six guys averaging double figures. And then Big D averages 8-and-a-half. So they're going to be able to score, no doubt about it. It's probably going to be an up-tempo, high-scoring game, you know, for Alabama. But, you know, Brett, you brought it up. They've got to rebound the basketball. You know, Merkivik averages 12-and-a-half boards per game for them. Averages 18-and-a-half, 12-and-a-half.

So Alabama's going to have to rebound the basketball. They're going to have to take care of it, which they have been doing. They've been taking care of the basketball. But they've got to have that foursome of guards play well. Only one did in the last game. That was Aiden Holloway. They're going to need, you know, Phylon to be Phylon again. And then they're just going to need better efforts out of Houston, Flett, and especially Latrell Reitzel. And if they get Briscoe back, I'm anxious to see how he battles their front court.

I know they took a picture of him, and what he did, he wasn't in a boot. So we'll see if he's back tonight. Crossing fingers that he will be. But it's another huge opportunity for Alabama to play a high-quality opponent and kind of measure where they are and certainly show a little toughness and play with the edge that they played against St. John's because they didn't do that against Purdue. But I think the Boilermakers had a lot to do with that. Absolutely. D2, where can we get online and listen to you and Scott, the Recruiting Blitz, and your always entertaining Twitter feed?

Yeah, you know, you can connect with me at DrewD977ESPN. Also, you can stay with us at 977ESPN. And all of our content is on 977ESPN.com, where if you go to our SoundCloud page, you miss talking ball from 7 to 9 a.m., you can go to 97.7 ESPN, which is 97.7 The Zone, and check it out anytime. And we always appreciate being on the Boomo Bugg Show. And certainly, you know, it's going to be a big weekend for Alabama football and basketball tonight as they get the FS1 game.

But, you know, you can listen to it on 93.9. You can listen to it on, of course, ESPN 97.7 The Zone. And just turn down your volume, listen to the radio broadcast, and watch a couple of really good teams go head up tonight in that Big Ten and SEC showdown. Sound like a winner, Drew. Listen, man, I ain't got those sentiments. Thanks for your time today, and stay safe out there, okay? Thank you, guys. Thank you, buddy. DrewD9, 97.7 FM The Zone. Once again, baby, a big night here on 93.9 The Score.

Yeah, you go. Pre-game beginning with Roger Hoover and Brian Passink at seven, tip-off at eight. And, by the way, I mentioned this earlier, Kebis White, long-tenured Bob Jones, is retiring and stepping down. We will see. That's a big domino with Forrest High School coaching football jobs, and we'll see what happens there. First family of coaching in the big city of Cortland, Alabama. That's the roots. That's going to take care of us for now on behalf of B.B., Greg, James Blair, the entire crew here. Harold LeBug, thank you so much for your time today.

Let's do it again tomorrow, noon to two for the Boomo Bugg Show, back here on Sports Radio 93.9 The Score.