Happy Thursday, everyone. It’s Alabama’s turn to be front and center in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics after Charles Bediako was granted a TRO that makes him immediately eligible. Nate Oats reportedly plans to take advantage of the situation.
Alabama coach Nate Oats plans to play Charles Bediako on Saturday at home against Tennessee, source told The Field of 68.
Bediako, who received a temporary restraining order by a judge earlier today to be eligible, is expected to arrive in Tuscaloosa tomorrow and practice with the Crimson Tide.
This past Saturday in Birmingham, Bediako logged five minutes in a G League game. One week later, he’ll be suiting up for the Crimson Tide.
The big man previously played at Alabama for two seasons, leaving school after the 2022-23 season, where he helped the Tide to a No. 1 overall seed in March Madness. He averaged 6.6 points and 5.2 rebounds while starting 67 games in his two seasons.
How much he plays is yet to be seen, but he was certainly a difference maker in the post back in 2022-23. He should be in good shape since he’s been playing in the G league.
Of course, this sent waves throughout the sport as Bediako becomes the first player to return to college years after making the decision to leave college and declare for the draft. To be frank, it’s utterly absurd, but per usual the NCAA has created the problem.
UConn AD David Benedict told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that he’s imploring Baker and the NCAA to take a stand in eligibility cases where there are NCAA rules being circumvented by a judge’s ruling.
“If legally we can’t control or impose NCAA rules in terms of who can play and who can’t, based on a legal decision, the NCAA still has the right to determine what games count toward the NCAA tournament. And what games don’t count,” Benedict said.
“The NCAA has deemed [Bediako] ineligible. Fine, he can play [on a judge’s ruling]. It doesn’t mean the games need to count toward the NCAA tournament. Otherwise, throw away the rulebook and set it on fire. There are no rules.”
Earlier this month, Alabama coach Nate Oats said Nnaji and other former professional and G League players who’ve secured college eligibility would hurt high school kids seeking opportunities in college basketball. But he also noted that he would consider going after those same players if he could.
“I wouldn’t say I’d be one of the guys that was necessarily for it to begin with because I do think it’s taking away opportunities from kids coming out of high school,” Oats said on SiriusXM Radio. “I was a high school coach for 11 years. I wanted kids to get opportunities when they left my program. This is taking opportunities away from those kids. But on a competitive level, if it’s allowable and they’re going to be eligible to play and they’re the better players you can get, then you probably gotta go after them.”
Earlier in the season, the NCAA granted James Nnaji immediate eligibility despite his being chosen 31st overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2023. Nnaji didn’t make the roster and decided to go play ball in Europe. His agent saw a need for a big man at Baylor, was able to secure a better financial deal there than Nnaji had overseas, and the NCAA granted him immediate eligibility based on the fact that other European professionals had been allowed to play. Earlier this season, Alabama played an Illinois team stocked full of them, including 22-year-old sophomore point guard Mihailo Petrovic who was a MVP candidate in something called the Adriatic league just last season. Several current college basketball players have competed in the NBA G league as well.
The NCAA’s line in the sand with Bediako was centered around the fact that he signed contracts with NBA teams, unlike any of the other players who were granted eligibility. But, the contracts he signed were two way deals and he never took the floor in a NBA game. His attorneys argue that the NCAA is inconsistently applying its own rules by letting certain professionals compete and not others.
None of those guys should have ever been granted eligibility to play. Signing a professional contract and/or competing in a professional league of any kind has always been a reasonable line for eligibility to compete in college athletics. But, that line was crossed with the NCAA’s blessing and now here we are.
The best part of the whole ordeal? Auburn fans are in shambles.
Absolutely could never have guessed where the decision was made. Full. On. Corruption. https://t.co/S2uEbCGrpf pic.twitter.com/u8iKHtrUkb
— Jimmy Reign (@AU_Godfather) January 21, 2026
For now Bediako is eligible only for the next ten days, pending a hearing on his petition for an injunction that would grant him eligibility for the rest of the season. Stay tuned.
Texas Tech billionaire booster Cody Campbell says that Alabama can’t compete in football anymore due to a lack of financial resources.
Campbell thinks Blue Blood programs like Alabama are going away in favor of programs that go all-in to buy players and win championships.
“Well, what’s happened is that the identity of the Blue Bloods is just changing, right?” Campbell said. “So certain schools that have historically been really good or have a great brand or have won a lot of national championships in the past won’t anymore.
“And it’s going to be those schools that have the financial resources that will. And so you’ll start to see Indiana show up every year. And people say I’m kind of tired of seeing Indiana, you know, after a while. And so you’re just trading one group of blue bloods for another essentially.”
This is why the Texas schools have refused to sign onto the CSC enforcement memo. The House settlement was supposed to even the playing field to a large degree, but a few schools have openly flaunted their defiance to the cap. The legal fights will continue.
ESPN’s staff believes that Keelon Russell will win the quarterback job in the fall.
2026 starter: Keelon Russell, redshirt freshman
Why he’ll start: Russell, ESPN’s No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2025 cycle, arrived as the gem of Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer’s first signing class in Tuscaloosa. Sitting behind starter Ty Simpson and backup Austin Mack, Russell completed 11 of his 15 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns across appearances in blowout wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Illinois. Russell has been viewed as the Crimson Tide’s quarterback of the future from the moment he stepped on campus last January. With Simpson headed to the NFL, he has a clear path to the starting job in 2026, provided Russell can edge Mack and the relative experience of the fourth-year passer.
Nothing against Austin Mack, but it’s fair to say that most Alabama fans hope that Keelon wins the job as well, simply because he has Heisman caliber talent. It will be one of the most interesting camp battles across the sport.
Alabama’s offensive line completed its offseason makeover yesterday when Jayvin James transferred in from Mississippi State. The battle for starting positions should be fierce.
Haywood jumped into the portal, then opted to join up with the Crimson Tide. The redshirt freshman could play an intriguing role this coming season.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound Haywood can play both guard and tackle. With all of Alabama’s starting guards gone, he could make an impact inside this year.
At the very least, the Texas native’s versatility will make him an interesting depth piece. But if he makes strides on the field, Haywood could blossom into a full-time starter.
In terms of pure recruiting rankings, Haywood would be in the “best five” along with Michael Carroll and Jackson Lloyd. But, those rankings mean nothing once you get to campus. Whoever wins the jobs, hopefully the Tide will be able to field a more cohesive unit than we saw last season, and one better suited for the scheme.
Last, Michael Casagrande notes that rankings this time of year are just silliness.
Take it from the guy who believed Hugh Freeze would turn it around in 2025.
We stink at predicting the future, and these way-too-early-preseason polls prove that more every year. The immediate anger that met my Tuesday social media post spotlighting Alabama’s standing in various projections was understandable.
A few responders asked an important question: How did these mid-January forecasts look a year ago? Why should we care?
Comical.
And you shouldn’t.
Our friends at The Sporting News made a composite of 12 rankings from the immediate aftermath of last January’s national title game.
Indiana was No. 23 on average.
Two — USA Today and The Action Network — didn’t rank the Hoosiers at all.
What isn’t silly in college sports these days, Mike?
That’s about it for now. Have a great day.
Roll Tide.
