Boomo Bugg Show 011326

[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 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. Brett Beaird, welcome in. We're at last report in the portal party. Alabama at three while Auburn has an RB and a QB. Good afternoon. Welcome in and how are you?

Happy a Tuesday to you and the listeners. Auburn announces a traditional eight-day spring football game for Saturday, April the 18th. We'll talk to Brian Matthews about that a little bit later in the show. Thomas Ashworth of Ale.com previews the Boys and Girls Power 10 in the state of Alabama that features a lot of North Alabama teams. And we're delighted to have Brett Greenberg of Bama 247 join us again to talk about what you just mentioned, Alabama's latest signees in the transfer portal. Brett is probably running out of ink because it's been a busy, busy last few days.

Brett Greenberg and his team there at Bama 24-7, part of the 24-7 sports family. Brett, welcome in. Have you got any more ink left in the pen? How are you? Just opened up a fresh new pack of my Pilot G2.07. Very reliable, but in this day and age, everything's up online. So, you know, the pad is full, but also online over at Bama 24-7 as well. Thank you guys for having me. How's everybody doing? We're doing fine, Brett. A little confused like everybody else. Basically, our heads swimming with all the comings and goings.

How would you describe the last few days looking at it through the eyes of an Alabama fan? The weekend is like doom and gloom, and then I think the way it's been posted, it's been a rebound Monday. Brett, catch us up today for the folks who've been out and about and trying to keep up with Alabama's portal party. Yeah, you kind of put it perfectly there, perfectly said right there. Maybe a little bit of doom and gloom over the weekend, just with Cam Coleman, obviously making it to Alabama, but ending up committing and signing with Texas, which I think your listeners and myself and you guys would know, maybe not too much of a surprise that you're dealing with.

Texas and NIL, point blank, they can spend more than Alabama. We've got oil money out there. Anybody who follows college football and NIL kind of knows that. I felt like Texas was always going to be the ultimate destination for him. It was impressive for Alabama to get him on campus, but when you're dealing with the money, the $2.5 to $3 million that I'm hearing, it seems like most Alabama fans are pretty okay with him heading elsewhere. Then obviously, you deal with flips in the recruitments in high school, but now there's flips over in the transit portal as well.

Obviously, with Hollywood's mother, the NC State running back who ends up committing to Alabama earlier last week, everything kind of seems status quo there. The Texas really never gave up. He gets them on campus. Texas gets them on campus. He ends up ultimately flipping to the Longhorns. So, a little bit of doom and gloom, but that Monday was off to a very big kind of rebound, rebound start to the week, obviously, with a couple more days until the transfer portal window closed on the 16th. You get Ty Haywood in the fall, who was a former five-star offensive tackle who was committed to Alabama for many, many months in the 2025 cycle.

He ends up visiting Tuscaloosa, and that was wrapped up pretty quickly. He's in the fold. You got Noah Rogers out of NC State, a wide receiver, 6'2", 200-plus pounds, who was also on campus over the weekend. He's in the fold. And then Alabama and their specialists, they got three new guys last year. They're getting three new guys as well as a punter, a long snapper, and now the last one, a place kicker out of Marshall, Lorcan Quinn, who is straight from Ireland. He's only been playing college football for one season, but is 4'6 from 50-plus yards.

So I think Alabama fans was a big focus in the kicker world and the specialist world, and we saw some kind of mishaps with Connor Talti last fall. So Alabama continuing to revitalize that specialist room. But I think arguably one of the bigger news pickups, if you will, in this day and age is getting the retaining Bray Hubbard, obviously, that starting safety for Alabama, who was very, very productive to think he was second overall behind Keon Saban, total number of snaps, had career highs and tackles, past breakups, forced fumbles, interceptions.

So retaining him on that back end of the defense, which seems to be is going to be a very strong area for the Crimson Tide 2026. I think that was massive, massive, massive news for the Crimson Tide. Brad, quickly, back to Hollywood Smothers, he had committed. Folks, like you said, it's a new chapter for a lot of football fans, even the hardcores. Committed, was he signed? And if he wasn't signed, if he's going to commit, and word that we're getting, and you're closer to it than we are, I can clarify if it's true or not.

[5:21] He'd already started attending some classes. I think a lot of folks are confused over who we are. Was he just committed, or had he signed, or what was the deal there? Yeah, from my understanding, he was committed. Now, the paperwork was actually not signed just yet, but there is a little bit of confusion there. You're absolutely right. He was enrolled in classes as far as I was told and learned. But again, if you don't sign that dotted line, I guess you're still kind of open season there.

And whether that was a mishap on the Alabama staff to try to get a signature or not, that's kind of up for debate. But again, he continued to have kind of conversations with Texas. I did hear there was, you know, maybe, hey, I'm not taking a visit to Texas on the Alabama side, so there wasn't too much concern there. But obviously, again, he gets to Texas. And again, you're dealing with oil money out there. There's probably a little bit more money to be spent over there.

So, again, that kind of puts an end to the Hollywood Smothers, I guess, situation or debacle. But again, you're absolutely right. You want to get these guys signed as soon as possible upon committing. Brett, you mentioned Bray Hubbard. I think that's a big return for Alabama. There are two more pending. Keyon Salb. I know the one and only Mel Kuyper doesn't have him among his top 15 safeties. Yonse Pierre is the other one. Kuyper does have Pierre. He is number five outside linebacker. They've got to make a decision here in the next couple of days.

What are you hearing? Are you fairly optimistic both may return for 2026? Yeah, you mentioned right there. I believe it's Thursday that these draft eligible players have to make a final decision whether they're going to go into the NFL draft process or not. I'll start with Yonse Pierre. I continue to feel pretty confident in Alabama's ability to retain him. You're looking at that position group as a whole. You've got him and Justin Hill are kind of your two main guys. Obviously, you saw Kway Roussau enter the portal.

He ends up at Ohio State. I think there's kind of a crowded room there when Kway Roussau went down. Yonse Pierre more than took advantage of his opportunities. It's probably the reason why he's so highly regarded on the Mel Kuyper and other draft boards as well. But continue to hear pretty good things about where Alabama stands with Yonse Pierre. And Keon Sav has been a little bit quiet. I think that's one that's maybe some position room conversations to be had because obviously you have Bray Hubbard returning who's the leader of that safety route.

But you've got a Zay Minty. You've got an Ivan Taylor as well. So there's probably some both money decisions to be had. It's kind of funny. It's full NFL now in college football, whether you like it or not, whether retaining and signing contracts and things like that. But as far as those two go, like you said, those are the two main guys I'm following. Continue to hear pretty positive things with Yonse Pierre. Now, again, things can change on a whim. We talked about Hollywood Smothers there.

So, you know, things can absolutely change by the time I get off this call. But here are pretty good things there as well. And whether Keon Sav decides to come back or not, I think that safety room has a bright, bright future between, like I said, Zay Minty and Ivan Taylor. And you obviously got Jair Edwards as part of the 2026 number two overall signing class that looks the part to be able to contribute right away. The deck's shuffling fast. Get the very latest with Brett Greenberg and the team there at Bama 24-7, part of the 24-7 sports family.

Brett, you'll never guess my next question. Fans want to know who's next and what, so far, your gut about the fact that the losses and the gains and what's interesting, you bring up a good point to illustrate the NFL aspect here. You look at the guys who basically they're still shopping and some of these schools, I've never heard of them. I mean, where these kids are coming from. Obviously, you've got to believe that with the roster expanding 105 and the budget being what it is, you've got to be more considerate of filling it out and hoping for a big bang for the buck with some people who are not necessarily four and five stars.

Yeah, absolutely. And like you mentioned there, I believe that last check, the roster's right around 77 players, I think, and you can get up to 105. So, plenty of more additions to be made and nothing really changed on my part as far as positions of focus. Obviously, the offensive line, you bring in a Ty Haywood, you bring in a Kaden Strayhardt, you retain Michael Carroll, all signs pointing to Jackson Lloyd returning as well. You've got William Sanders. It's a nice start, but not a whole lot of experience.

So, Alabama's going to expect it to bring in some offensive linemen over the next week after this dead period, which it's kind of so fitting for the NCAA to have a two-week transfer portal window and then obviously have a three-day dead period in between. That's kind of just on brand for the NCAA. Why are we not surprised by that coming from the NCAA? That's kind of what I'm saying there. It's just like, I know there's a coaching convention, it's like just kind of on brand for the NCAA.

I imagine that's going to be moved heading into next year, but offensive line remains a big focus. I think defensive line as well. I think, you know, again, you add Noah Rogers to that room, you're looking at six receivers currently in the room, and there's a whole lot of talent between all six of them. Wouldn't be surprised if Crimson Tide probably pushed for maybe one or two more wide receivers in the portal, but like you said, some of these guys are coming from lower-level schools, but that's just what you've kind of got to do now these days.

[10:42] You're not going to be able to load up on talent like Nick Saban was able to do, Georgia's obviously going through. Alabama's not alone in this situation of being able to have an inability to stack talent at certain positions, so you've got to go and you've got to heavily rely on your evals. Brett, let me ask you about a real position of need, and you alluded to the offensive line. You just dropped about an hour ago another name, Ethan Fields, out of Ole Miss. He's from Louisiana, 6'3", 320.

DJ Chester has been a name that's been out there for just about a week, former LSU offensive tackle. I've heard some good things about Rayson Delgotti out of Cal Poly. Josh Quavis is from Cal Poly, if a lot of people are wondering what kind of players come out of there. 6'4", 3'10", and Louisiana Monroe offensive lineman Q McBroom, 6'4", 320. Now, obviously, Alabama's not going to sign all four of those guys. Do you anticipate Alabama, though, getting one or maybe two out of those four or five?

Yeah, absolutely. So, you start with DJ Chester there. He ends up committing to Mississippi State, I believe it was yesterday or the day before. I'm not exactly sure of the timeline. All these days are kind of mixing together since January 2nd, but he's kind of out of the fold. You brought up Rayson Delgotti again, the other Cal Poly kid, but has the height, has the weight, has the measurables. It was offered earlier this week, immediately confirmed plans to visit Alabama after the dead period. So, I believe he'll be on campus on Thursday at the earliest.

Quay McBroom is another guy, but it's interesting to note with him, with the Warhawks, he's still trying to vie for that extra year eligibility. Some sources I've talked to within the building, not sure if he's going to be as big as a priority, just because you don't know if he's going to have that extra year. But, like you said, the offensive line is a major, major priority, and when it's all said and done, I think Alabama's going to try, and quite frankly, they need to add one, two, and even maybe three more in the fold.

And there's going to be norm names that continue to pop up, like you mentioned, Ethan Fields. I believe, you know, there's potential for a visit at the end of the week as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's some more names that continue to pop up on my radar over the next 24, 48, 72 hours. Before you jump off, obviously, the deadline, I guess, unless the NCAA wants to ship that to his Friday at last report for these kids to do what they're going to do. That takes care of the players.

What kind of shuffling are you anticipating once they finish this chapter as far as the coaching staff? In other words, what kind of tweaking do you see once this phase is over? Yeah, it's a question I've gotten a lot over the last couple of weeks and really over the last couple of months as the season came to it. And I know a lot of people, at least over on social media and kind of in my phone as well, are kind of clamming for a coaching position change along the offensive line.

Yep. There's some chatter there for right now. To be completely honest, I don't have a whole lot when it comes to the coaching changes there. But it's just one of those things where I think if you wanted to make a change, I personally, you know, why not go ahead and do it? I know that may not be the answer that Alabama fans are looking for when it comes to the offensive line potentially running back and potentially special teams as well. But those are maybe three that I'm circling.

But, again, I don't know if you want to wait for that through the portal. I think you maybe want to make that decision as soon as possible. So, again, we're going to be tracking those very heavily. There could be some decisions that are made over the next couple of days. But, again, you know, not a total, total, whole lot of information when it comes to the staff for right now. Brett, let me ask you real quick before we let you go. Well, running back with Smothers now in Texas, I've heard Makai Frazier, a running back at Michigan State, 5'10", 2'18", good size, played seven games, got hurt, missed three out of the last four.

And then Christian Clark, Texas is going from no running backs now to, I believe, three. Will Alabama pick up one of those or do you hear another name? And, once again, great stuff. I mean, you've been updating this thing practically hourly from day one. Where can we get online to get all the great stuff with you and the team? Yeah, I appreciate always the kind words. Over at Bama247, we've got a full roster tracker. We've got a full transfer portal tracker. And I also set the threads updating, you know, when we hear about specific names by the hour.

But, yeah, you mentioned the running back. Obviously, you've got a pretty good stable of running backs between Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, A.K. Deer. You've got the five-star Xavier Crowell that is going to come in. You've got the three-star Treshawn Brown. But, clearly, this staff was looking for another running back. They thought they hit a home run in Hollywood Smothers. Again, he's ending up at Texas. But you mentioned Christian Clark, Makai Frazier. Those are two guys that I'm continuing to track pretty closely for potential visits over the next couple days once his dead period ends.

[15:45] And I think if one of the two were to end up on campus, Crimson Tide may be in a good position to add some better and a little bit more experienced talent to the room. Brad, it's always good to hook up with you, man. We know you're busy. We're just flattered that you can take time out of that busy schedule and join us today. Keep up the good work, and hopefully we can talk as soon as possible out there. Absolutely, guys. You guys have a good day and happy to come on.

You too, bud. Thank you. Brad Greenberg is going to be this time of 24-7, 24-7 sports. We mentioned Auburn also busy with the portal party. The latest with Brian Matthews on deck on the Boomo Bugg Show. At North Alabama Bone and Joint Clinic, our show's roots run deep. We provide quick access and familiar, friendly faces so you never have to feel just like a number. From sports medicine to joint replacement, expert care happens right here at home. As UNA Athletics' choice for orthopedics and the trusted orthopedic team of the show's families for over 30 years, North Alabama Bone and Joint Clinic is here for you.

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Hello again, everybody. I'm Roger Hoover. As we get ready for Alabama men's basketball tonight at Mississippi State, here are postgame thoughts from Saturday's game from Alabama men's basketball head coach, Nate Oates. It looks like we need some leadership to step up. Some guys that want to get everybody together and say they're tired of losing. Stuff's got to change. It's not a talent problem. It's a focus and effort, a competitive juice problem. So if they're not as connected, that falls on the leadership of the team. And we've told these guys, I mean, we're here to help you.

This is your team, your season. I'll be coaching for a long time after this. They get one opportunity with this group to put it together and that's it. So, you know, if they love their brothers and they want their teammates to perform well. I'll have more in a moment. Tide fans, are you ready for game day in Tuscaloosa? Don't miss the ultimate pregame experience this season at Vector Security Champions Lane, opening four hours before each home game. This FanFest has everything you need to get pumps for kickoff.

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Crimson Tide Today is brought to you by Vector Security Champions Lane. Crimson Tide Today is a production of the Crimson Tide Sports Network from Learfield. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in business. This is the name of the game of the Plains as well. Brian Matthews got it all covered there. The senior editor for AuburnSports.com. Brian, welcome in. And is it true that actresses in Hollywood's got a lot in common with this Auburn roster? They both are undergoing major facelifts.

Welcome in. How are you? Yeah, it really is. There's a lot of changes, you know, 30 plus out the door, 25 so far in the door. So, there has been a ton of turnover for this Auburn football roster. Obviously, let's start with the freshest. It's live radio. We tease the top of the show. Amongst the additions, Auburn adding a QB and an RB amongst others. Talk to us. It's always intriguing when you add another quarterback. I'm going to take a shot here. Tristan Tia, if I mispronounced that, I'll run around the room three times.

But talk to us about the latest additions. Yeah, I mean, Auburn will have four new quarterbacks on staff, you know, once they get underway here. And I think Tia's a guy that they feel like can come in and compete for that number two role right away. We'll compete with another registered freshman or two freshmen, you know, for that role. And for, you know, early competition for being the starter next year. And, of course, Byron Brown will be the starter, come from USF. So, you know, I think that's one of some positions, especially on offense, that really upgraded with the additions.

I think quarterbacks certainly running back definitely. Bryson Washington from Baylor was the latest addition there. But, you know, between him, Jeremiah Cobb, the guy at Davenport from USF, that's a total up. That's over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns from last season. So, that's a whole lot of production at that position they're bringing in, along with Cobb. And I think that's going to be a really strong position. I think you're going to see Auburn feature the running game a lot more than it did a year ago and have a lot more weapons there.

So, those two positions, I think, tied in, which had to be totally rebuilt, too. Just one player returning there, Ryan Gay. But Jake Johnson from UNC, I think, is a really nice addition. Jonathan Echols from USF is a nice piece to add there. And then they've got some younger guys, too, coming in. So, I think they're so positions they've really helped themselves out with. Auburn's picked up in the last week, last few days, I know two corners, Andre Jordan Jr., UCLA, Shamar Arnault, I believe is how you pronounce it, B-MAT, C, cornerback from Florida State.

Let's see, Nate Johnson, edge rusher from Missouri, St. Farrier, a defensive lineman from Alp State. Are they still looking, as far as position of needs, are they still looking for one or two on the offensive line and defensive line? Yeah, I think one or two on the offensive line. I think they still need a lot more on the defensive line. I just feel like that's an area that just haven't done a good enough job addressing so far. I like the kid they got from Arkansas State, the defensive tackle.

I think he's a really good player. But, you know, the rest of the guys, to me, are just step pieces so far. Unless somebody steps up and just takes a big step forward. But I do like what they've done on the offensive line. They brought in, I think it's five so far, four transfers. Probably could use some more help there. But at least now you can feel the SEC starting offensive line now with the guys that have been brought in Rambo from Michigan State. Simmons, another tackle.

Cole Best, I thought was a really important addition there. He was a starting center at USF the last couple of years. He'll come in with a lot of familiarity with the offense, with Byron Brown. I just think that's a really nice addition there, too. So that room's gotten better. But, you know, they only returned three players, right? Three second-year players. That's it. So there's still some rebuilding to do there. Does Auburn have a chance to get Ohio State transfer, Tegra, Shibola? And you're right. They picked up Cole Bass.

[25:57] Cole Skinner was another name. Are you – but what is the status on Shibola? I have not heard anything today or yesterday on Monday, really. So I don't really have necessarily a great update on that young man. But, you know, I think Auburn, offensive line-wise, there's a Juco kid that was in for a visit, I think, a few days ago. Barrett Maddox. He's from Itawamba. He's a big tackle. I think he's a guy to watch right now at that position, you know, for another addition there. You know, and as far as the defensive line, I mentioned they're going to have to find some more guys there.

I just don't know any top targets right now. I'm sure some guys are maybe keeping quiet, but no top guys. I like what they did at cornerback. You mentioned Arno, Andre Jordan from UCLA. I think that's basically a wash, basically using Crawford and Kyan Lee. You know, those two guys had a lot of SEC starting experience, but you're getting some guys here that have some power for starting experience, too, and were pretty productive at both their schools. So I think they've done a good job at least replacing those guys with other good, solid players.

Brian Matthews, AuburnSports.com. Brian, you're the smart one. The NCAA says, let's do this. Well, let's have a dead period in the middle of it. You can explain that along with physics and calculus. We can't figure that one out. And it's Tuesday. The deadline, if they haven't changed yet, is Friday. How much more movement do you see Auburn doing between now and Friday? And as far as the rumblings on the ground, if so, who might be next? Well, the only thing that, you know, can end Friday is players entering the portal.

Players can still leave the portal or go to schools, you know, in the days and weeks after and Fridays. So, you know, I don't know of anybody, you know, Auburn-related that would be leaving still, but you never know what to pop up, you know. We'll just have to wait and see. But 34 so far have left the team. And then, you know, you've had your graduations and your guys leaving for the NFL. So, I think the total leaving is around 52-ish right now. So, you're really turning over that roster from last year.

But I think so far they're doing a pretty good job. I always enjoy Monday Musings. We talk about it nearly every week. Years yesterday was basically about how to put a roster together. And Indiana's turned into the blueprint for a lot of schools. As you mentioned, they signed the nation's number 60 recruiting class, 53 in 2025. But they finished 10th in the own three rankings in 2024. And I agree with you. One of their huge assets was the evaluation at the quarterback position. And I know you've talked about that.

You know, is this an outlier? Is this the future blueprint? You know, we'll see. Summarize money Musings for us. I just think it's interesting to see because I think we've seen with the portal at NIL area, we've seen the talent distribute more, right? We're not seeing the super teams as much anymore. And I think that's going to increase as we go forward. I mean, I think you look at the playoffs this year. The first team out, Notre Dame, I think, probably could have competed for the championship, too.

So, to me, there are at least 13 teams I can compete for. And I think we'll see more as we move forward. So, I think a 16-team playoff really fits this era of college football really well if they move to that. But, you know, as far as building rosters, maybe I'm stuck in the past a little bit. I still think the best way to do it is sign top 10 recruiting classes, freshmen, and supplement with the portal as you move forward. But maybe that's not necessarily – maybe I'm wrong, right?

Because you're seeing now, at least with Indiana, and I think Auburn is moving in this direction in some ways, at least for now, where, look, let's not sign a big high school class. Because if you look at what's happened to Auburn with the two top 10 classes they signed, a lot of those kids have already left. So, you know, Auburn put two years into developing them, coaching them, making them really good players. And other teams – in fact, other SEC teams are going to profit off of that work that Auburn put in, right?

You know, Malik Blockton was a pretty good player for Auburn, but now he's going to LSU as a junior, and he's going to be a better player for LSU. You know, Amars Williams was a really good backup for Keldrick Falk for two years. And, you know, you invest that time and money into him, and you're hoping, hey, we're going to get him back for that big junior year. Instead, he went to Georgia. So, you know, there is a reason why it hasn't worked for Auburn. There's probably other reasons, too, because Auburn's not willing to pay for them to stay, at least at the price they wanted.

[31:12] But, yeah, I think there is other opportunities, and that's to put more emphasis on the portal, getting experienced players, getting players with a number of starts under their belt already, and then, you know, putting a team out there with experience that can execute. You look at Indiana, they're just out-executing every team. It's because they've got, like, I think 45 players out there with, I wrote it, I forget what it was, it was 45 with starting experience or upperclassmen or something that really makes a difference, I think, on the field when you have that going up against all these other teams that are rolling over their rosters so much.

Bringing all these new players every year, and then, really, that execution when you get some newcomers every year kind of starts to go down. Yeah, 45 players in the league, four years of college playing in the Mariners, what Indiana has. Yeah, that's what it was. That's pretty good. Yes, no question. Auburn basketball Wednesday night, traveling to Como, to Missouri, after a big win over Arkansas, and confirm for us, Auburn announces A-Day, a spring football game in a traditional format. Ah! Be mad, Saturday, April the 18th. We'll see what else goes on there.

Confirm that, and then, secondly, where can we get online and get all the great stuff? Yes, A-Day is April 18th, which I believe is not Masters weekend, which I think a lot of people out there will be very excited to know. And then it is a big game for basketball, right? You know, then they start off 0-2, got a really nice home win over a top-15 team in Arkansas, and now they're going on a road to a Missouri team that's already beaten Kentucky and Florida. So this is a big test for Auburn, trying to get back to .500, trying to compete in an SEC that I don't think is as close to top-heavy as it was a year ago.

So I think a lot of teams, including Auburn, in this conference can get on a little run and move right to the top of the league. So we'll see if Auburn's one of those teams that can do that now. But definitely playing better basketball, even though they started out 0-2 in the SEC the last few weeks, I'd say. A couple weeks. Brian's always good to hook up with you, man. Thanks so much. Stay safe and warm down there, okay? Appreciate you guys. Thanks for having me.

Thank you, Bill. Yeah, I'm Brian Matthews, senior editor over at sports.com. To Vegas, we go next with Bruce Marshall. Stay with us. There are many advantages of doing business with an independent insurance agent. Page Borden Insurance in Tuscumbia and M.J. Carter & Company Insurance in Florence can show you. An independent insurance agent is not tied to just one company in order to get you the coverage you need at a competitive price. Go by and see M.J. Carter & Company Insurance at 127 South Court Street or call 256-760-9999.

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Whatever, it's fine. I'm totally fine. But I cope with losing with an ice-cold Dr. Pepper. 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. Avatar Fire and Ash has arrived. I am the fire! Get your 3-D tickets now for the greatest chapter of the biggest saga in history. Whatever happens, protect this family. Don't! Critics rave. It's by far the best Avatar movie. If your father and I do not return, you go as far and as fast as you can.

[36:41] Movies don't get any bigger than this. Avatar Fire and Ash. Rated PG-13. Now playing. Progressive presents the Sports Flash on 93-9. The score. In the latest top 25 poll for men's basketball, Alabama down five spots in the AP poll to number 18. The Tide down six spots to number 18 in the latest coaches poll. Alabama back in action tonight. They're on the road against Mississippi State. The Tide 1-2 in the SEC. Mississippi State is 2-1 in conference play. Tomorrow, Troy will play at home against Southern Miss and Auburn.

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No. We'll take a lesson from our wipers and just keep doing our job with humility. As America's number one wiper blade. Rain-X. Outsmart the elements. The score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back in. Breaking news. Jerry, can we have the envelope? The verdict is Ty Simpson officially signs the paperwork to enter the 2026 NFL draft. Who needs your $6.5 million deal, Miami, Brett Beaird? Well, Harold, even if he goes in the early second round, he's going to probably make between 8 and 10, which is a little bit more than 6.5.

Either way, he's going to be in pretty good shape. I'm going to go ahead and say he's going to be the richest man in Martin, Tennessee for a long, long time. Bruce Marshall knows where the money is. He's out in Vegas. Las Vegas Insider. Now, on sports.net, CBS Sportsline, the podcast, Vet Rivers, and Vegas Insider. Bruce, welcome in. How are you? I am pretty good, and I'm just trying to come to grips with the fact that we live in a world where Indiana is a football school and Nebraska is a basketball school.

That's right. Where did we go wrong, Bruce? When did things start crossing? I've been around a while. My memory's slipping. When do we go from what used to be to what is, and where are you, particularly with college football now? Just like the other day with Alabama, they thought they had their problem solved at running back to bring all that in a bag of chips down from North Carolina State. He was this. He was that. He commenced. Word is he went to class. And then over the weekend, he said, nah, not going to do it.

I'm going to Texas and cash some of those oil checks. Your problem is, the old problem is still the problem as far as filling that void. Bruce, where are we in this world of college football? I know. It's hard to say. I mean, I would, like I said a minute ago, what would Bob Knight or Dr. Tom, or Dr. Tom? Or Bear Bryant. Or Bear Bryant. What would they think of all this stuff? I think we just have to kind of wait as far as the portal goes for all of the smoke to clear where all these kids land.

I've already lost track of where all these guys are going. The Simpsons situation was pretty interesting because Miami seemed to barge ahead even after Simpson announced he was going into the pros. And before he actually, I guess, put his name into the draft, I guess now he's done that officially. Maybe Miami should have upped the offer a little bit. Interesting. I thought interesting, too, speaking of Nebraska, how Dylan Raiola has ended with Oregon next year. So I guess we're still waiting on Dante Moore if he's going to announce for the draft or not.

But I think Oregon has sort of told him, okay, I think you can go to the draft right now. We've got your replacement already in the house here now. So this stuff keeps evolving like that. And in the next week, a week from today, we'll have actually a lot more about the portal than we know now because it's happening really quick here in January. Bruce, if you wonder, if someone's wondering why Indiana and Miami are in the national championship game, just a few stats. They don't beat themselves.

[41:59] Indiana's lost one fumble, one, the entire season. Miami's lost three. Miami leads the nation with 47 cornerback sacks. Indiana is tied with Oklahoma for second with 45. And something else amazing to me, Indiana has outscored teams by 237 points in the first half this season. That's actually behind Texas Tech, who's got 256. And the more amazing thing about it is they've outscored teams by 236 points in the second half. No wonder these teams win games. Yeah, no wonder. I mean, they're like machines, especially, you know, this Indiana. And I admit I've been wrong here a couple times with the Hoosiers.

Maybe I'll learn. But I'm still trying to think what I'm going to do with this game coming up next Monday. You know, one thing about the championship games, and you could sort of throw Indiana and Oregon into that from last week as well. But there's a history in this stuff, and it might apply to the game on Monday and also in pro football throughout the years. And these big games, these title games, often end up one-sided. And even though they don't look like it beforehand, to wit, in the college championship game, the last seven of those have all been decided by double digits, believe it or not.

The closest one was actually 11 in the final score last year. That was Ohio State-Notre Dame, and that was sort of not that close of a game. Ohio State was in control. The Georgia-Alabama game four years ago probably played closer than that final score when Georgia got those scores late to extend the margin. But nonetheless, the scoreboard tells the story. These things end up being one-sided often. And in the NFL, we've seen that throughout the years, too. Not as much lately, though we did in the Super Bowl.

That turned into a one-sided game. There was a spate there in the 80s into the 90s where you had about 13, 14 Super Bowls, and only one of them, that Bills-Giants game down in Tampa where Norwood missed a field goal, was competitive at all. And history, you know, back in the 50s and 60s, too, one-sided. The biggest NFL score in history came in a championship game with the Bears over the old Redskins, 73-0 in 1940. So something about these championship games just seems to lend to, you know, one-sidedness.

And I think Oregon contributed a lot to that last Friday against Indiana. That was a very feckless performance by Oregon. I was stunned. I mean, the body language, they just looked defeated. And they handed Indiana four scores. So that's the only thing I'm sort of grappling with here. Is Indiana really that good? Or did, you know, Oregon just, especially in the Oregon game, was that just Oregon completely melding down on the big stage there? Which surprised me. But that, I think, is what happened. Bruce, Marshall Vegas insider.

I'll tell you who's rich right now. Someone who put a bet down that Indiana could wind up 16-0. That is one rich dude, I guarantee you. But let me ask you this, Bruce. As far as looking at the dynamics in this game, you look at Miami, and it looks like what Indiana's planning is. It's what Nick said at his opening press conference in Tuscaloosa. I'll paraphrase, make their A's quit. That seems to be what Indiana does. And a lot of these younger teams, it's easy to get inside their heads.

Carson Beck's not a kid. He's older than a lot of the NFL quarterbacks. Your thoughts just about that dynamic. And Barry Bryant said, if you play defense, the worst you can do, if they don't score, is to tie. In your opinion, which defense would you take here? Yeah, I'd actually take Miami's a little bit. And I don't want to downgrade what Indiana's been able to do. But Miami, I mean, those are sacks. Indiana does a lot of sacks, too. I mean, the Denver Broncos are the only team with more sacks than Miami, I think.

They've got a couple. Reuben Baines, a first-round pick. High first-round pick. Messonville might be a mid-to-late first-round pick. So you're talking about some NFL guys on the defensive front for Miami. And you think about what they've done. This team's got a little different swagger and intimidation factor about it. They're like Miami used to be. And the fact, I look at the Ohio State games for both of them. And Miami, listen, Ohio State is still, you know, right there at the top there. And in Miami, that was no fluke.

I mean, they stood up to Ohio State. The defense really kept Ohio State in check. And Indiana and Ohio State, that was a real war they had in Indianapolis last month for the Big Ten title game. So my thought is, I mean, if Miami loses this game, it's not going to be because of its defense. It's going to be because something happens on the other side and turning the ball over. But like you mentioned, they don't fumble the ball much. And I think the pressure is on these quarterbacks, especially Carson Beck.

[47:14] I didn't think he played particularly well the other night against the Rebels. But he did put together the winning drive there late. So I think a lot is on his shoulders to not make mistakes and keep Miami in the game. That's exactly what I was going to mention. Beck was 23 of 37 and for 268 and three touchdowns. But he made a lot of clutch plays. He threw for all of 130 yards against Texas A&M. And their defense won that game in College Station. Miami ran 88 plays to 60 for Ole Miss and ran for 191 yards.

And I kind of doubt if they're going to run for 191 yards against Indiana. But you alluded to it, is the line of scrimmage. Both of these teams are very good at it. But is Miami just a little bit better at the line of scrimmage? They might. I mean, that's going to be the key. And I think also maybe they're not going to have 88 plays like against Ole Miss. But they have been running the ball rather effectively for a while here. And that's been a little bit different this year's Miami as opposed to the last few years.

But it's been the line of scrimmage where they've been able to win a lot of these games. And I go back to that Ohio State game and that clinching TD drive for the Hurricanes. I was mostly on the ground. And Ohio State had gotten back in the game. And it looked like they had the momentum. And Miami just bucked up there and decided to run the ball down Ohio State's throat. And it worked. So maybe they'll be able to do that to a certain extent. But I still think at some point they're not going to be able just to, you know, completely bulldoze over Indiana.

That's not going to work. They're going to need Beck to do some things. He's going to have to have a very good game. Valcine Mendoza. And I'm not quite sure he can do that. Although, you know, the longer this game stays close, advantage, you know, Miami. And they are going to be playing on their home field. Although the crowd might be about split down there from what you could tell in Atlanta last week. That was about a 95% Indiana crowd. Those fans are hungry. I think they'd go anywhere to watch the game.

They'll be in Miami too. Spend their kids in here. And that's how you sponsor that stuff. Bruce Marshall, Vegas Insider. Bruce, your thoughts about one, Sam Leavitt on his way to LSU. And overall, just moments ago, the pickup Wisconsin running back Dylan Jones must have something to do with LSU money. Your thoughts about Sam Leavitt and this LSU class coming together. I think that might be one of the best pickups here in the portal. There's some talk, you know, that Leavitt might even test the draft.

And I think he might have if he didn't get hurt midway through this season. So it was still sort of an incomplete grade for him this past year. Arizona State. But he really burst upon the scene the year before with the Sun Devils. And they were projecting him as an NFL first-round pick. And he got hurt last year. And he'll have one more year to prove it here down at LSU. But I think that's a great pickup for them. I like, you know, I actually think, you know, some of the quarterbacks in the portal there.

Now, Cignetti's already got Hoover from TCU for next year. And Texas Tech's brought in Sorsby from Cincinnati, who, by the way, was at Indiana before Cignetti got there. But I thought Leavitt might actually be the best, you know, the more upside of anybody in the portal. If he stays healthy, I think LSU's got a real winner. And it shows Lane is already doing his stuff down there. And I think Leavitt, he will definitely be an upgrade over Nussmeyer and Van Buren from this last year. So, I think that's a winner for Lane.

We'll see how it goes. Let me ask you real quick. SEC basketball, two big games tonight. Alabama on an 0-2 run. Should have beat Texas. Had multiple opportunities. But Sean Miller's a very good coach. Josh Hubbard scoring and scores more. Alabama at Mississippi State tonight. And then Texas A&M undefeated in the SEC. Tennessee got waxed by Florida. But they did the same thing last year. Buckyball 3-0. Your thoughts on those two games. And where can we get on line to get all of your incredible stuff with the NFL, college football, college basketball, and everything else?

Yeah, thanks, Brett. Well, these games tonight, A&M is really interesting here. Because, you know, the schedule wasn't that difficult. But they took a couple losses there to Oak State, which is much better this year, and UCF back in early November. But Buckyball has really picked up the pace since. And like you said, they started 3-0. You know, the win over Auburn last week was really good. They're scoring almost 94 per game. And it's just a portal all-star team, like most of them are. But he's really put them in.

[52:26] And that's what Buckyball does. If they can keep their turnovers down, I think A&M's a 10-and-a-half-one underdog here tonight. And Tennessee just lost that game to Florida last week. So I might be inclined to give A&M a shot. Totals at 161, roughly, in the way they're scoring with some of these guys. I mean, it's interesting. I look at these guys. Wow. I mean, they've pulled them in from everywhere. I mean, A.G. has turned into a real – Papa Isaacs is back. And he's one of – something like their fifth-leading scorers.

So I might give Bucky a shot there. Mississippi State, kind of interesting here. They did start off with those wins over Texas and Oklahoma, which is struggling some. And then they got kind of waxed by Kentucky in the last game there. I would think this should be a night Alabama turned some things around. I know it's been a little frustrating, these last two losses. And they were right there with Vanderbilt and Texas. But let's see if Mississippi State can run with Alabama here tonight. Alabama's scoring in the mid-'90s.

They've got two guys scoring about 20 per game. So I think Alabama bounces back tonight. I want to mention one other game tonight. This is interesting because UConn getting a lot of press again this year at Seton Hall, up at Newark tonight at the Rock. They've lost the last four years at Seton Hall, believe it or not. But even two of their championship teams lost at Seton Hall. They're about a six-and-a-half-point favorite tonight. So this might be a spot Seton Hall historically has given UConn some trouble at home.

So keep an eye on that one. Anyway, for my stuff, for all my picks, and we've got some more football coming up. Of course, all this basketball, hockey, you name it, it's up there at the old standbys. VegasInsider.com. Also CBS Sportsline, Sportsline.com. Picks are the different twists. WinnersAndWiners.com. PicksAndParlays.com. Bruce, as always, good to hook up with you. You are a busy boy. Keep it up, and thanks so much for your time today, buddy. Have a good week, boys. Thank you. Thank you, bud.

You do the same. Bruce Marshall against, again, other places, VegasInsider.com. Coming up the next hour, Matt Murcia is going to be taking us coast to coast. Joe Cox covering the SEC and Thomas Ashworth a little bit closer to us to see what's shaking in the shoals in North Alabama. All straight ahead. Stay with us here on the Boomo Bugg Show. Have you ever seen those halftime scholarships where you have to nail a 40-yard field goal? Yeah, this isn't that. I didn't have to write a long essay or audition or make a half-court shot.

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[57:54] 18-19 News. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall was in Hoover this past Monday in order to finalize paperwork to run in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat. About 50 supporters also showed up at the headquarters for the Alabama Republican Party in order to cheer Marshall on. Marshall said he was pleased to see so many young people come out in support of him, and he called them the next generation of leaders. Marshall also expressed gratitude to Alabama farmers who also came out to show their support.

The Alabama Farmers Federation endorsed Marshall back in October of 2025. The primary election will be held this coming May 19th, with the general election being held on November 3rd. I'll be back with more Alabama stories after this. Some of the greatest blessings is just having the people that care about you. To have someone that's just going to love you and make you feel important. They encourage you to be in church. They encourage you to be in prayer. They encourage you to be in your Bible. Now it's a part of my day every day.

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A Calhoun County man has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for the possession of an illegal machine gun. 25-year-old Justice Edmondson of Anniston entered a guilty plea to the charges filed against him in August of last year. Edmondson was charged after a group of people were shot at and injured during a gathering. Investigators found that Edmondson had modified a handgun with a Glock switch. His actions were caught on a nearby security camera. I'm Andrea Theis. For more news affecting Alabamians, go to 1819news.com. And while you're there, subscribe to the daily newsletter.

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And for your Thursday, sunny with a high around 35. Your weather from 939thescore.com. 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. The Boomo Bugg Show. Your exclusive inside track to the Tide, Tigers, Tennessee, and the rest of the SEC. Now, your host, Harold Bugg on 93.9. The Score. Welcome back in. I'm Harold Bugg, alongside Brett Beaird. Thank you so much for giving us free ride around the Tennessee Valley.

And quickly, baby, in case you missed you, we know you're busy out there. A lot of folks wondering about Ty Simpson. He says, I am going to go to the NFL over the last few days. Welcome to clickbait heaven. A lot of folks says, not so fast, my friend. Other teams have thrown millions at him, including a reported six and a half mil from Miami. But moments ago, the news coming down the pipe that Ty Simpson says, forget all about it. He has, according to the reports anyway, officially signed the papers to indeed head to the NFL draft, BB.

Well, again, I know people are saying, well, Ty, what's wrong with you? What in the world would you give up on $6.5 million and Ole Miss and Tennessee wanted you for four? Well, that's a pretty simple answer. Even if he goes early in the second round, he's going to make between $8 and $10 million. He goes in the first round, it's more than that. Yeah. And a lot of these guys, look at Brock Purdy. It's not always the first contract anyway. And you've got to do your math. Next year, who knows?

[1:03:05] With Arch Manning coming out, where you're placed? And if you love money, I understand the answer to the question. But if not, you want to come down the board, so to speak, and be in the first round. But late first round, that means you might have an offensive line that can keep you alive. And you put up pretty good numbers, hello, Purdy, and make good, show enough good money on that second contract. We'll see how that plays out. Thomas Ashworth's got how everything is playing out on the high school hardwoods and beyond.

He's busy there at AL.com. Thomas, welcome in. How are you? Hey, doing good. How are y'all doing? Good, Ben. So, Thomas, do you have to make a decision? Do you take the six and a half mil, or do you try to get some serious money? Is that same decision something you're facing these days, Thomas? I don't know. I'd say show me the money. That's just me personally. But I don't know. I'm not as good of a quarterback as him. Yeah, well, some of these guys, they're getting overpaid.

They're not either, but they're making some good coins. Thomas, let's talk about something you are good at, and that's covering high school ball. It's hard to believe. Here we are mid-January. Put it another way, the postseason will be here before you know it, down the road to Hansfield and beyond. Thomas, right now, I'm looking at the Power 10 boys basketball. We'll get to girls in a second. Who stands out in our neck of the woods as far as high school basketball? Yeah, right now, if we're just talking about the whole state, it's a lot of, there's not really one true, this is a super team.

You know, like last year, it was Hoover and Huntsville kind of interchanging for that spot. Obviously, Hoover won the state championship. But this year, there's not really an established, like, this is the greatest team, you know, in Alabama, if you know what I'm saying. It's a little bit different from last year, I think. But if we're just talking about North Alabama, I mean, obviously, there's going to be a ton of really, really good basketball teams over here in North Alabama. Huntsville, they graduated their entire starting five from last year.

They still look like one of the best teams in the state. They have Evan Toms, the guy who has offers from Tulane, North Alabama, that kind of level. And he's been probably averaging a double-double for Huntsville. And they've gotten a bunch of other guys. You know, Graham Gossett is the younger brother of J.D. Gossett, who is at Huntsville. Or at Sanford, sorry. And there's two younger Gossetts on that team. And then they brought in a transfer from Oklahoma, Tyson Bobick. His dad was actually on the record-setting Oklahoma State basketball team.

So there's a pedigree there. But that Huntsville team's really good. And I think we learned a lot from the Huntsville City Classic, as we always do. It's, in my opinion, the best tournament in the state all year. And I don't think that's really a hot take either. But James Clemens looks really good. Sparkman looks really good. Albertville boys are 17-3 or 18-3 right now. I mean, it seems like just that 7A in North Alabama is just really, really good this year. I mean, there's just a lot of teams that are really solid.

I mean, and then you go down to 6A, Coleman's always good. You know, Hazel Green actually looks really good this year. You know, in my opinion, if we're talking about North Alabama, you know, it's much better when the May Jemisons and the Lee Huntsville and the Buckhorns and the Hazel Grains are all really good. Those really good 6A teams are good. And it seems like this year all four of those teams are pretty solid. We're just, you know, kind of looking at the whole state. But there's always some really good basketball in North Alabama.

And last year was kind of the year of the seniors are really good. But this year there's a lot of really good upcoming talent. So it's made for a different year. But it's been a really good year so far. Yeah, I agree with you. I'm looking at the top 10, Albert Bull, 18-3 with the boys. Lord, the girls are number two. What a year Albert Bull's having in basketball. Stu Studeman at Coleman, they're 18-3. I agree with you. Frankie Sullivan, who's the coach at James Clemens, they've been rolling.

They've won 11 out of 12. Christian Sweers is the program everybody looks up to now. And you're right, Evan Toms, I believe, is a junior. They beat Grissom last Friday 86-45. I think it's the worst loss in Josh Doss' illustrious career to get beat by 41 points. Pelham is number one. But also, as you mentioned, Guntersville is a team to watch. Hazel Green, you mentioned. And Oakwood. People forget that Oakwood is a very good basketball program. Whitesburg Christian with Patrick Harding, who moved from Buckhorn. And you mentioned Spartan.

And, you know, we talked about this in football for the last couple of years. The power in the state is in North Alabama in basketball. A lot of teams represented in the boys' power team. Yeah, it is. And, you know, you're talking about Oakwood. And I think they're like 12-11 this year. But, I mean, they're not – I think they're just wiping the floor with 1A opponents. They're 7-0 in their region. I mean, they've, you know, gone toe-to-toe with Mae Jemison. You know, they beat Park Croft in the 6A.

[1:08:24] You know, they've lost by 8 to Huntsville. They beat – you know, they're beating a lot of really good teams. You know, they're playing a lot of really good teams. And coming close and beating some of them, actually. They beat Columbia by 2 and 5A John Carroll Catholic by like 3, I think. They've picked up some wins there. And then Patrick Harding. I seriously think that Weisberg Christian team has a really good chance to win a state championship in year 100. Patrick Harding. They're really good. I mean, a lot of those guys from last year, obviously they had – Caden Raglan-Morris is probably, I think, the most underrated prospect in the state right now.

He's really, really good. Doing a really good job leading that team as a junior. But they had a lot of guys coming in that were eligible to play this year. Tripp Mason is a guy that's from – I think he's from Huntsville. And he's able to play this year. And they have some other guys that are, you know, getting some reps. And that's just a really complete basketball team. I think that they were up 15 to Hale County in the Huntsville City Classic and, you know, fell in overtime.

But went on to beat defending 3A champ Montgomery Academy and made it all the way to the consolation bracket finals and fell to Hazel Green. But that's a really good team right there. But I think, obviously, a lot of that's with the talent. But Patrick Harding always does a really good job with his teams. And I don't think he gets enough credit just because when you have Caleb Holtz on your team, it's like, oh, you know, anybody can coach that team with Caleb Holtz on. But, you know, that's not true.

But he's done a really good job over there at Weisberg. And I think it's good for him that, you know, he's getting a chance to do this with, you know, such a really good, talented roster. And anyone from that neck of the woods knows they've got resources to help him do it. They're doing their part as well. Thomas Ashworth, AL.com. One of the things we like about being able to do this type of show is it's not coming in from Timbuktu. It's local, which means we can talk about teams here.

And let's talk a little bit about two perennials. Desher back up there at number three. Mars Hill, number two. Talking girls here. What a show. Reese Davis, the other Reese Davis in the shows. Hep and Desher rocking and roll. And then you look over on the other side of the coin. And Mars Hill also with their own standout. And Bell Hill. Your thoughts about the girls in North Alabama? Yeah, I don't think it's any secret, you know, that girls basketball in the state of Alabama is absolutely the best in the show.

It's just at another level. You know, you're talking about consistently, you know, Mars Hill and Deschler at Lauderdale County. And, you know, Rogers is having a really good year over there. You know, there's just so many good schools over there that are really, really good at girls basketball in Northwest Alabama. But, I mean, like you said, a really good battle. I hate I missed it, honestly. But, yeah, Deschler able to pull away by 10. Reese Davis is having an awesome year, as everybody expected. She's an electric player, probably one of the best scorers in the state right now.

And, like you said, Bell Hill, obviously, I think that over this offseason she was getting way more attention, which deservingly so. She'd probably pick her set of school wherever she wants to go. But the two really good players, like you said, going at it, Deschler able to pull away. And Deschler's in a really tough foray right now, especially when you're looking at Plain B is always really good. Good Hope, you know, they lost some good players. But, you know, they're still really good as well. Cherokee County, also excellent this year.

And St. Michael, there's just so many good teams at 4A. And, you know, you're looking at 3A. Marcel Bible is going to have to run into St. James at some point. St. James plays a lot of guards. So it'll be interesting to see how Bell is able to, you know, fare if they actually meet in the final four of the state championship game. I don't actually know the lineups off the top of my head. But Lardell County is still a good team, I think. They just had a rough stretch.

I think they went from, like, 9-2 to 9-7. But that's still a team with a lot of talent. They're a really talented team. So, I mean, I'm not out of the realm of possibility that a girls team from the Shoals win the state championship this year. There's just so much talent over there like there is every year. But it still amazes me. Rich Davis is a junior at Dashler. And Bell Hill is still a sophomore at Morris Hill. Both of these girls combined have scored 5,143 career points.

It is amazing what a future both of them have. Just quickly, Seth Parker, new coach at Bob Jones. I thought that might be coming. Former receiver coach and offensive coordinator leaving Priceville. There's an opening at Russellville. Dustin Goodwin has stepped down. That is going to be a plum job. A lot of people looking at that. But congratulations, Seth Parker. Basically going back home. Yeah, I don't think it could have happened to a better person. And, you know, it's obviously hard to, you know, it's kind of unwritten rule to not have, you know, to have favorites.

[1:13:29] But he really is one of the good guys in the industry. Talking about high school football coach, he really is a good dude. Even before that, I mean, it's a guy that's been there when Bob Jones was having their success. And I don't mean that, like, they're not solid year in, year out. I mean, they've missed the playoffs, I think, like three times in the last 15 years. But I think the last time they won a playoff game was, like, 10, 15 years ago at this point. It's been a long time.

And Seth Parker was a part of that. It's been a long time. But Seth Parker was a part of that. And, you know, the team that were able to, it was when everybody was 6'8", I think. And, you know, they were playing Hugh at Trustville and all those teams and actually beating them. And playing close games against Hoover and that kind of level. So, it's a much-needed move, I think. They definitely interviewed a really wide range of candidates, guys that were, you know, former NFL players.

It's my understanding, guys who were, you know, in the Birmingham area as well. There was a wide range of candidates for this job. But I don't think they could have done a better hire. I mean, I think they just needed somebody who can not only recruit the hallways, but also, you know, understand what it takes and what Bob Jones is capable of. And I think he's the man for the job, for sure. Absolutely. Great job. It's going to be a fascinating January with reclassification coming on January the 23rd.

This public versus private school, what kind of the score act, all sorts of stuff kind of in limbo. We should know a little bit more about this even beginning next week. But you're going to keep us updated about UAH, UNA, a lot of other schools, Jack State, and, of course, the high school scene. Where can we get online and get all the good stuff? Yeah, like you said, it's probably going to be one of the biggest couple of months in HSA history and sports history. So, it'll be interesting to see what happens.

You can follow all of it at AL.com. It's right in the middle of basketball season. Basketball season is the best in North Alabama. So, you know, whether you're reading Florida's Time Daily or Decatur Daily or whatever, you know, this is the time for basketball in the state of Alabama. So, it's going to be a great year for sure. Thomas, we've got eyes on you, man. Listen, man, thanks so much for taking time out for us today. And stay safe out there, okay? Yes, sir. Thank you, guys.

Thank you, bud. Thomas Ashworth, they're going to win this division there at AL.com. Coming up all over the SEC with a man, Joe Cox, on deck of the Bermode Bug Show. Stay with us. You like saving money, right? We all do. That's why Allstate just lowered the price of car insurance. Not, but wait, there's a catch. Lower. Actually lower. So, if you're shopping around or just want to see how much you could save, check Allstate first for a new lower auto rate that could save you hundreds.

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It's Saturday down south. His book's called A Fine Team Man. Joe, welcome in. How are you? Can't complain, gentlemen. Doing well. Hope you're doing likewise. Well, we're doing as well as we can, Joe. Listen, man. You're in the zip code of Kentucky. Rough start to conference play. Then you come back. You blow out Mississippi State. Get that big, important first conference win. And then the good in a hurry gets to bad with a medical report. Joe, what's the latest on Cat basketball? Well, the loss of Lowe, the point guard for the season, what you're referring to.

But honestly, at this point in time, I think probably the best thing for everybody. He can now go ahead and apply for a red shirt after the year. He'd only played in nine games. So, you know, he doesn't lose the year. And apparently he had separated his shoulder three different times. And math has never been my strongest subject. But if nine games has three shoulder separations, then, you know, it's not really clear he was going to be able to provide a whole lot dependably for them moving forward.

So Jasper Johnson is kind of the next guy up. He's a freshman. He's got a lot of talent. He's got a high motor. But, you know, as is the case often with freshmen, sometimes that high motor goes where it's supposed to. And sometimes it goes in the ditch. So, you know, we'll see how that works out. What is the biggest surprise to you in the SEC? I know we've played all the three games, but the Vanderbilt Commodore are still undefeated. They beat LSU Saturday, beat Alabama last week.

And after 62 fouls and 88 free throws were shot. I'll kind of leave that there. I'll kind of leave that there. In Buckyball, we know about the controversy ending with the Auburn game, but they're 3-0 in the SEC. And people were wondering, well, can he teach his team how to play Buckyball? They're one of the best defensive teams in the country. Joe, what's your biggest surprise so far early in the season? You know, it's got to be those two. If anybody said, you know, here we go a week and a half into the season, it's going to be Vandy and Texas A&M on top of the league.

[1:23:38] You know, if they said that, then I might worry that they've got a bridge to sell me, too, because it didn't stack up that way. But here they are, and you do it in a different way, A&M. It's funny, A&M, they changed coaches, and they still are going to guard you for 94 feet, and probably a little more than that if they can figure out a way. You know, nothing changes there. And then, Vandy, I don't know. I kind of started to harbor some suspicions that Vandy made a deal with some supernatural entity, because it seems like all they do is win at everything now.

I'm at a loss to explain it in any rational way. Well, they've always said we're the smartest school in the league. Maybe we need to start believing them. Joe Cox, Saturday down south. Joe, obviously, you know about Mississippi State. Kentucky's fresh from playing them. Now, it's Alabama's turn. At the hump tonight, your thoughts about the Dawgs and Tide tonight. Well, it was interesting in that game with Kentucky, because State came out and absolutely just punched Kentucky in the mouth. The first five minutes, State was shooting something in the 80% range, and Kentucky just couldn't get out of its own way.

And so, you know, they're capable of that. And obviously, Hubbard is a guy that we know from years past. And, you know, if I'm Mississippi State, that's my plan is I've got to get that guy off for about 30 and then just, you know, hope that we can hang around defensively. I think that was what ended up doing them in against Kentucky, and I think it'll be what we'll do them in against Bama, just because I don't think they've got the athletes to match up defensively for 40 minutes.

But, as Kentucky showed, they can certainly make it interesting for a while anyway. So, let me ask you to follow up at Alabama. Nate Oates, I thought, had an interesting, it's not unusual for a coach to say these things, but in the modern era, I think people give it a little more attention. And he said, basically, to paraphrase what I understood him to say, these kids now, losing doesn't bother them like it did at one time. You've got the NIL, they've got the checks going to cash either way.

Your thoughts just about the intensity of some of these players now, because you see it in football, you don't see people going to the ground as much because, let's face it, they're going to get hurt and lose money. But your thoughts about Nate Oates and what you gleaned from his comments about, maybe these kids are not as hungry as they were at one time. I don't think he's alone in perceiving that, and I don't think he's wrong. You know, another big factor in that for basketball that I don't think has really been as big of an issue with football is the AAU culture.

You know, for a lot of these guys, the high school team, it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference one way or the other. It's when you get in the summer and you play with your AAU team that you, you know, make your name and get your recruiting stars and whatnot. And the problem with that is nobody's taking that seriously. I mean, sure, you'd rather win than lose, but it's a bunch of guys playing around in the summertime, and if you lose, oh, well, ho-hum, move on to the next thing.

You know, yeah, it just doesn't create the same kind of intensity that we're used to. And then, obviously, if money does matter, it'd be silly to pretend it doesn't. But, you know, I think that's the downside. The upside is it's parity. Anybody can win. Anybody will win. We're going to see more and more upsets. I mean, here we are. Indiana's good at football. Anything is possible. But the bad side of this is, yeah, if you're a fan of a blue blood program, a team that's historically had a lot of effort, hold on to your seat.

Well, we talked about Texas A&M and Buckyball. They're traveling to Knoxville tonight. Florida ran Tennessee off the court on Saturday. They did the same thing last year, and they're going to do that to quite a few teams at home. But Rick Barnes has forgotten how to coach. By any means, your thoughts on Tennessee so far, Joe? Tennessee looked really good early, and then, you know, they've just hit a rough patch. They've kind of stacked up some losses, some bad losses, and it seems like the problem is going to be on the offensive end of the court.

I mean, I don't think Rick's teams are ever going to represent themselves terribly on the defensive end. But offensively, they still very much seem to be looking for an identity. You know, I don't see anything there that's unfixable. I think this is one of those teams where you can be down in the mouth on it, but it's still January. And, you know, see where they are in six weeks, and that's going to be a little more relevant to the ultimate proof of things. There's cause for concern, but I think there's plenty of time to right the ship.

Joe, quickly, your thoughts about the Auburn Tigers. Obviously, they have been in some interesting ballgames, to say the least, back to the Texas A&M finish and others. And then over the weekend, everybody said, well, it's going to be doom and gloom. And then they just blow out the Razorbacks. Back to your point, any given game, crazy things can happen. Your thoughts about the next showdown at Como, Columbia, Missouri, coming up tomorrow night. You would think they're sitting pretty. Missouri is not one of the more talent-rich teams in the league.

[1:28:54] But, yeah, it's been wild. They give up 104 to Georgia in overtime and lose. And it looks like they beat A&M. And the thing for me about that one, guys, I don't know. When I saw it, I saw the replay about seven times, and I kept seeing it at regular speed. And all I could tell at regular speed was, man, it's really, really close. So, I'm still not sure whether he got that shot up in time or not, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

So, yeah, hopefully they found some things in that Arkansas game to build off of. It's going to be tough on Steven Pearl. I mean, the whole nature of getting kind of thrown in at the last minute, I think it gets him a little grace from the Auburn fan base. But it's going to be a challenging season just because it's a challenging league. And to have everything shifted around at the last minute, I'm sure, has not done them any favors. Yeah, I agree with you. I think there's a lot of depth in this league.

We'll see. We'll have a better ideal about this in two or three weeks and certainly going into February. We've got a very good ideal about what Saturday Down South can provide for readers with your stuff and Conor O'Gara's stuff and Adam Spencer's stuff. Where can we get online to get all the stuff, Joe? That's it. It's Saturday Down South. And, you know, those guys do the lion's share of the work. But I've got to admit, yeah, I'm just like you. I'm sitting there clicking away. And what did they come up with now?

Because they always keep me entertained, too. Joe's always good to hook up with you, man. Thanks so much for your time today. And let's do it again soon, okay? All right. Sounds like a plan. Take care, guys. Thank you, bud. Anyway, J.C., Joe Cox, Saturday Down South. Coming up, it's the Matt Merchelle Show on deck. Stay with us. Get fit and fab this new year at YMCA of the Shoals with 24-7 access and no joining fee if you sign up before January 31st. The YMCA has leading-edge fitness equipment, year-round swimming, dozens of group exercise classes per week, and a family atmosphere.

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Call 800-690-8974. 800-690-8974. The Score. Now, back with Boomo Bugg on 93.9 The Score. Welcome back again quickly with some breaking news. Mike Tomlin stepping down as the head football coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers following that loss last night to the Houston Texans and a fellow that we've had the privilege of working with over the years, BB. Mike Tomlin, 19 seasons, never had a losing season. Super Bowl champion. I don't know if maybe they just got tired of working with each other. And Rodgers probably played his last game.

But you're right, the Texans have done, that former linebacker from Alabama has done a pretty good job as head coach for the Texans. And Nico Ryans, obviously, he's one of the up-and-coming coaches. Matt Michelle's always got it covered there with the Orlando Center in the podcast. It's called Grand Iron 365. Matt, welcome in. Are you on your way to Pittsburgh? Are you on your way to the portal? Where are you today, Matt? I'm on my way on vacation. How about that? Smartest person around. Matt, you're going on vacation.

You're already rich. Where do people in Florida go on vacation, Matt? Everybody goes to Florida. Where do Floridians go? I go to visit my family, actually. I go back to the Midwest. I'm actually going to go where it's like 25, 26 degrees. So I'm not sure about that. But when family calls, you go spend some time with them. But, yeah, I mean, Mike Collins had an amazing career at Pittsburgh. I guarantee you there's a job out there for him lined up. Someone who will go in there and try to get him and get him what they do.

The NFL is known for that, obviously, as well. It's really kind of recycling coaches. So I think Mike Collins is good enough of a coach to land somewhere else, which is just going to be weird not seeing him on the sideline in Pittsburgh. Here he is. Matt, I'm going to go on a limb here. You said you're going to go see the folks in cold country. If I'm not mistaken, that would be the state of Indiana. Is it cold up there or is it like 150 degrees if you take the temperature of Indiana football fans these days?

Well, it's going to be interesting. You know, I mean, Indiana football fans are excited. They're eager to get this done. I mean, I wrote a little bit about this earlier today that, you know, Indiana has been known for, you know, for the most part, been known for being a basketball school. And now all of a sudden they're on the cusp of doing something they've never done before, which is win a national championship. And it would be an incredible feat for what they've done. An incredible turnaround for Kirk Cignetti.

Indiana has won more. No team has won more games the last two years than Indiana. And right now they're on the brink of, you know, being something that's never been done for, you know, being undefeated and having a bunch of wins coming in. So I think that's the secret right now. It's just, you know, Indiana wants to kind of ride that wave in and see what's going on. And it's going to be a tough challenge. And listen, they're going right in to play a team that's playing on its home turf in front of its home fans.

There's more than likely going to be a lot more Hurricanes fans than there are going to be Indiana fans at the game. And they're going to have to figure out a way to get past that. So it's going to be a challenge. Let me ask you, this isn't ironic, Matt, that here we are talking about something that no one's ever done, at least in the modern era. They can have a chance to go 16-0 in football. Correct me if I'm wrong, the last team in college basketball to go unbeaten was the 1976 Indiana team.

[1:39:31] What's in the water up there, Matt? Yeah, you know, it's taken a while, believe me. I mean, like I said, there have been a lot of bad years. There have been a lot of lean years. I just think, you know, we've been talking about this, but it's the job that Kurt Cignetti has done. I mean, it's the going in and the way he built that program. You know, it's not easy to come into a new school and change the culture and change the mindset and get the fans to get on board and to, you know, find a way to convince everyone, yeah, we're Indiana and we're known for basketball, but we're going to find a way to get in there and compete in football.

And all of a sudden, he's done that in a short period of time. You saw Mark Cuban, you know, Indiana, you know, alumni who was at the game the other day. He already mentioned he's upped his contributions to the program, you know what I mean, when it comes financially. Those are the kind of things that come with success. And when all of a sudden, you've got people who are giving your money to your football program. You could do a lot more. Yes, you could do a lot more than you probably can.

And so I think as long as Indiana can find a way to keep, you know, Kurt around and make sure that maybe he's happy what he wants to do, and believe me, the NFL is going to come at him hard again, you know, the NFL is going to come at him and try to go there. I'm sure he's, if he wins a title, it's going to be hard not to say, you know, yes to some of those deals. But I think he also likes Indiana. I think he's going to be there for a while, but to keep him there for long term might be really hard to do.

And if that's the case, and they can't keep him, I think that puts Indiana in a good spot over the next decade or so. Man, these teams really are very good at not beating themselves. Indiana, one fumble, Miami three on the season. Sacks are 47 to 45, they're number one, or tied for second. Now, Miami ran for 191 yards and had 88 to 62 Ole Miss. I don't think they're going to be able to do that against Indiana. But they want to win the game at the line of scrimmage. They want to run the ball with Fletcher and friends.

Carson Bank, I thought, delivered in that game late. How do you see the game coming out? Well, Miami's got a lot bigger size on both lines. And I think they're going to try to take advantage of that. But I think one of the things for Indiana is they've got to kind of do what they did against Oregon. They've got to come out on fire. I mean, they've got to come out and score quickly, kind of take the crowd out of the game. You know, put Miami on its heels a little bit.

And then if they can take advantage of that and not turn the football over, like you mentioned, and really just kind of control the line of scrimmage and not let themselves get too caught up in all the hoopla that surrounds me. I think it's something that has brought up a lot. And these two teams haven't been in this spot. I mean, Indiana, we mentioned it, never, but Miami hasn't been there in a long time. And so to tell these players, okay, you've got to calm down, you've got to take a deep breath, you've got to go out.

These guys haven't had to, you know, this is the first time they're going through this. So it's really about which coach can say, let's just take a deep breath, let's go out there and play football. We know how to do this. These both coaches, I think, are really good. You know, I mentioned Signetti, but then you've got Mario Cristobal. I mean, Cristobal's been there. He understands. So it's about who can handle the emotions right now. I mean, because there's going to be so much buildup to this game or every, you've got press events every day.

You've got, then you get to the stadium and it becomes a big deal. They've got to be able to control that emotion. And I also think the key to this game is who can make the best adjustments. I mean, Indiana has done a great job of making adjustments when they had to. Miami has done that as well. The second half of games, it's going to be which team can make those adjustments quick enough so that they don't fall behind or let themselves get out of hand.

And the last thing you want to do if you're one of these teams is fall behind by a couple of touchdowns early on. And then you spend so much energy and effort to try to come back to try to win the game. You'd like to be able to handle things. So it's going to be a challenge for both these two teams to handle that. And the body language of both Oregon and Alabama said Indiana came out and took her manhood away from us. And we're just going to sit here and play out the clock and go home and try to regroup.

Matt, your thoughts about how coaches, we live in a copycat world. And you look at what Indiana's done here. Hey, I won't put you on the spot because we don't have it either. I would love to see where the recruiting rankings were of Indiana compared to Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon. And the transfer portal classes because everybody gets caught up in these numbers and all these stars. I'd love to see that. I did see a number the other day. Basically, Alabama outspend Indiana two to one as far as expenses.

Well, coaches sit here and basically say, you know what, maybe we need to reevaluate because if we go to the high school ranks traditional route and we get a five star in here, we're going to pay him a lot of money. And then one of two things is going to happen. Either he's going to bust and we're going to waste our money or he's going to be exceeding those expectations. And next year, someone like a Texas, et cetera, is going to come in and outbid us and we lose a year on our investment.

But your thoughts about the influence of how Indiana might influence putting rosters together going forward. Well, I think it's going to be, it's got to be. I mean, there's coaches right now watching these two teams and thinking, okay, what did they do that we didn't do? You know what I mean? Evaluate. Exactly. And Indiana went out and got guys that fit what they're trying to do. It wasn't like they went out and spent the most money and they didn't go after these guys. And you mentioned that the interesting thing.

[1:44:55] I think it's interesting. I talked to a college GM a couple months ago. We talked about high schools and talked about the star system and how the schools that were enamored with stars, they signed a five-star kid. The problem with that is that five-star kid now looks at his stars and says, well, I deserve more than a four-star and more than a three-star. And for a coach, the idea is if I sign you and pay you that money, you've got to produce right now. I can't wait on this investment.

I can't wait a year or two for you to step up and earn that. Because what happens, as you just mentioned, is that player a year later says, okay, I'm going to go to Texas or I'm going to go wherever, Alabama, wherever. And the next thing you know, you've lost that money and you've lost that time. And then you've got to look and figure out, how do I handle it? So I think all these coaches right now are trying to figure out what's the best route to go.

You don't want to give up on the high school system and say, no, it's not worth doing it. But I don't think the star system is really going to be beneficial when we get into the head. It'll still be there. Don't get me wrong. I just don't know if the coaches are going to be so enamored with it. I think they're going to look at where can I get guys who I feel I can play right now and get their money's worth. And they're also going to look at this idea of the transfer portal.

Where can I get guys who were four-star, five-star guys maybe when they started out and now have somehow fallen down the ranks a little bit. And I can get them cheap and I can get them cheap and bring them in and bring them out. It is literally like the NFL free agency. You're trying to find guys that maybe you can hit on and you have some success. You know, Fernando Mendoza, it wasn't like three years ago everyone was clamoring to get him. You know what I mean?

And trying to figure out what was going on. Some of that is development. But also, too, they've got to figure out what's going on. And I think that's something that these coaches have done a really good job of. Man, I was listening to Heather Dinnage of ESPN. She is basically the college football playoff committee PR person. And the deadline of January the 23rd to decide, are they going to 16 teams, going to expand to 16 teams in the college football playoff or stay at 12? And Tony Petetti, who is the Big Ten commissioner now, believes, well, listen, we're just going to zoom past 16 and go to 24.

And I wonder if in the allotted time they've got to make a decision if they're going to say, look, why don't we just stay at 12 and make a final decision on this later this year or next year? One of the things that I've always agreed with that they want to tweet the selection committee is they question whether or not sitting athletic directors should remain a part of the committee. They've got a lot of things to figure out, not a whole lot of time to do it.

Yeah, I agree with you. And I'm not 100% sure that I think it's going to expand. I mean, listen, it's going to expand at some point. I don't know if it's going to happen now. I mean, they've had more than a year, this group, to sit there and figure out what the next step is going to be in this playoff. And they haven't been able to come to some sort of agreement. They're not even close. And then you get the Big Ten saying, let's go to 24 instead of 16.

Well, that changes everything. And then all of a sudden, wait a minute. You know, we don't have time to sit there and do this in a month, you know, to figure this all out. I just think this group has not been very focused in the sense of, let's do something that I think works for everyone. So my gut is that they're going to probably stick with 12 the next season. And then after that, like you said, maybe a year during the next year, they're going to sit down and work out what's best.

I think they'll go to 16. I don't think they'll go 24. I think they'll look around and say, okay, 16 works for now. And they're going to move forward on that. And, you know, I agree with the idea of maybe sitting athletic directors don't make the best college football playoff selection committee. Maybe they need to remove those players. I know they have recusals and they can step away and stuff like that. But I just wonder if maybe the group needs to be differently structured to kind of figure some things out.

And I think that, you know, it wouldn't shock me to kind of make some changes like that. But again, you're not going to make those changes in the next month. You know, it's going to have to take some time for that to happen. So, I think they stay with 12 for now. And then I think that maybe the following year it goes to 16. Before we get away, if things play out, we'll be talking to you after the finale in the college football world. Who walks away with the confetti falling on down in Miami?

Well, you know, I've gone with them most of the playoffs. I think Indiana's the team right now. I mean, they've played the best football. They've looked the best. They've been dominant. And I think they've got a chance to put this away and get a win. I think it would be huge for them. And, you know, I know there's a lot of Miami fans in my area who are probably cursing at me right now. But it's, you know, I mean, I just think that, I just think overall, I think this team is kind of better constructed.

So, it's going to be interesting. Like I mentioned, it's just, we've never had a championship game, at least I can remember, at least, and maybe I'm forgetting, where you've had a team that's basically playing a home game. You know what I mean? And it's going to be interesting to see how that kind of affects this, maybe this setup and how, you know, Indiana can handle that. But I'm going to still go sticking in with Indiana for winning it all. Yeah, I think there have been a couple of other teams that played in their state, their home state, but never their home stadium.

[1:50:24] And I still say, man, there's going to be a ton of Indiana fans in Miami. They're going to find their way down there. No question about it. Listen, have a great vacation. Enjoy seeing the family. Look forward to talking with you in a couple weeks. When you get back, where can we get in a line to get all your good stuff, bud? You can go to OrlandoSentinel.com to check out the latest or follow me on social media at OSMattMichelle. Sounds great. Safe travels to and from, and thanks for your time today, Matt.

All right. Thanks a lot, guys. Take care. Thank you, bud. And Michelle, the Orlando Sentinel. VB, are you ready for some Alabama basketball tonight here at 93.9 this school? I am ready. We, in fact, pregame at 7 o'clock and tip off at 8 on the SEC Network. At the famed hump in Stark Vegas. That's going to take care of business for now on behalf of B.B., Greg, James Blair, the entire crew here. Harold LeBlanc, thank you so much for your time today. Let's do it again tomorrow, noon to two for the Boomwell Buck Show.

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