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Former South Alabama defensive lineman lands at AAC school

Former South Alabama defensive end Jordan Norman has signed with Tulane, the school announced Thursday.

Norman, a Hoover High School graduate, was the Jaguars’ primary Bandit defensive end as a redshirt freshman in 2024. He totaled 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 13 games, nine of them starts.

At Tulane, Norman will be reunited with Landius Wilkerson, his position coach during his true freshman year at South Alabama. Norman was among eight South Alabama scholarship players to enter the transfer portal in the most-recent cycle, and the last to announce his destination.

The full list:

• RB Fluff Bothwell (Mississippi State)

• RB Jarvis Durr (Northwest Mississippi CC)

• DB Amarion Fortenberry (Kansas State)

• SAF Rickey Hyatt (Ohio)

• K Laith Marjan (Kansas)

• RB Braylon McReynolds (Louisiana-Monroe)

• DE Jordan Norman (Tulane)

• DB Jordan Scruggs (West Virginia)

General

Alabama is next to the bottom in another quality-of-life list, ranking shows

A new study says Alabama is one of the worst states in the country to retire in 2025.

Seniorly, a directory and technology company devoted to senior living communities, recently ranked Alabama number 50 in a report on the Best and Worst States to Retire in 2025. To compile the study, Seniorly says it analyzed nine metrics of data in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. across three categories: affordability, healthcare and the quality of life.

Seniorly used data from several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Health and Resource Services Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, and the Tax Foundation to determine the rankings. The site also analyzed a number of factors in each state including the cost of living, income taxes, Supplemental Security payments, weather, entertainment options, availability of doctors, long-term care spending, the community of older adults, and overall health status.

You can see the complete methodology here.

Washington, D.C. ranked number one in the study as the best place to retire due to its high monthly Supplemental Security payment ($1,094) and spending on long-term care, as well as the availability of doctors and recreational opportunities. Montana, Wyoming, Alaaska, and Pennsylvania also made the top five.

Several states in the Southeast and Southwest ranked at the bottom of the Seniorly study, including Georgia, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

“These states tended to have unhealthy seniors and below-average spending on long-term care,” wrote Christine Healy, Seniorly’s Chief Growth Officer. “However, they did typically have larger older populations, lower costs of living and among the best weather in the country.”

Seniorly ranked Alabama number five in terms of cost of living, but number 44 in terms of the availability of doctors for older adults.

While Alabama ranked 50, the state didn’t land on the bottom – thanks to the inclusion of Washington, D.C. That spot went to New Jersey.

“New Jersey is the worst state to retire, driven by its high cost of living and income tax rate of 10.75% for top earners. It lands in the middle of the pack when it comes to the size of its older community (17.7%),” wrote Healy.

General

Oilers-Avalanche free livestream: How to watch NHL game tonight, TV, schedule

The Edmonton Oilers play against the Colorado Avalanche in an NHL game tonight. The matchup will begin at 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN, and it will be the second game of a doubleheader on the network. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Oilers enter this matchup with a 28-13-3 record, and they have won three consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Oilers defeated Minnesota 5-3.

During the victory, Connor McDavid led the Edmonton offense. He ended the game with two goals and one assist, so he will be a key player to watch tonight.

McDavid has accrued 62 points this season, which is fourth-best in the NHL.

The Avalanche enter this matchup with a 27-17-1 record, and they are coming off a 3-2 overtime win against the New York Rangers.

During the victory, Colorado’s goalkeeper Mackenzie Blackwood played well. He ended the game with 27 saves, so he will try to perform similarly this evening.

Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

General

LSU QB found unresponsive after on-campus crash

LSU’s Colin Hurley was found unresponsive after an on-campus car accident Thursday, according to WBRZ.

The report, citing sources, the freshman quarterback’s Dodge Charger crashed into a tree. The Jacksonville, Fla., native was breathing but unresponsive. WBRZ reports firefighters pulled the 6-foot-1, 213-pound freshman from the vehicle, and he had a “large cut on his face.”

Officials told WBRZ “impairment was not suspected” as a cause for the accident.

Hurley, 17, re-classified to the Class of 2024 and was 16 when he enrolled at LSU. He was a 4-star quarterback in high school and considered one of the top 20 quarterbacks for the signing class.

He threw for more than 5,000 yards during his high school career.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

General

Ex-Alabama linebacker reveals why he left for South Carolina

Justin Okoronkwo only spent one season with Alabama football. Then he decided to go elsewhere for a different opportunity.

The promising young linebacker transferred to South Carolina after the 2024 season. Okoronkwo entered the transfer portal right before the deadline.

The timeline is notable because he did so right after inside linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson announced they would return for one more season.

Okoronkwo spoke with The State in South Carolina about his decision, among other topics.

“I felt like the starting spots were already gone,” Okoronkwo told The State, “and, I mean, it’s hard to compete — especially at a place like Bama — with guys who are more experienced than you.”

In addition to returning both Lawson and Jefferson, Alabama also secured Colorado linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green. That’s a crowded room, even with 2024 starter Jihaad Campbell declaring for the NFL Draft.

So, Okoronkwo looked elsewhere and landed with the Gamecocks, where they must replace two starters at linebacker in 2025. He told The State that the strength staff also stood out to him.

“(It’s) very impressive, especially compared to Bama,” Okoronkwo said. “What they are doing there, I really like because it’s way more related to the game. Like what drills they do and what lifts they do. That really stood out to me.”

Okoronkwo saw 39 defensive snaps in 2024, per Pro Football Focus. That included 14 snaps in the Missouri game for the former three-star recruit from Germany.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.

General

Look: Alabama football’s ‘25-26 National Championship odds ahead of Monday’s CFP title game

The College Football Playoff National Championship matchup between Ohio State and Notre Dame is still a few days away, but sportsbooks have already released the odds for next season’s College Football Playoff title game.

Head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first year with Alabama resulted in a 9-4 record. The Crimson Tide failed to win 10 games for the first time since 2007 when Nick Saban debuted on the sidelines at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Missing the 12-team CFP was a bad way to start the DeBoer era, but it was reasonable to expect a decline in Year 1. Alabama’s 2025-26 national championship odds show what Tide fans can expect heading into the long offseason.

2025-26 Alabama National Championship odds (+1200)

*Odds as of 1/16:

+1200 at DraftKings
+1200 at Fanatics
+1400 at bet365
+1400 at FanDuel

The odds vary slightly depending on which sportsbook you check, but each operator gives Alabama the sixth-best odds to win the national championship. The teams listed above the Crimson Tide include Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Oregon and Penn State.

Alabama’s upcoming schedule is largely unchanged from 2024. The conference opponents are the same, but home-field advantage will switch for each matchup. The Crimson Tide’s toughest games come against Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU and Auburn.

One notable difference with next season’s schedule comes in Week 1, when Alabama faces Florida State in Tallahassee. The Seminoles would typically be a tough opponent, but FSU’s 2-10 record in 2024 was one of the biggest shockers of the year.

Alabama’s season wasn’t nearly as disappointing, but failing to earn a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff left a sour taste. The highlights included wins over Georgia and LSU, and the lowlights came in losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan. The Crimson Tide was a double-digit favorite in three of the defeats.

The transfer portal has evened the playing field; elite programs like Alabama no longer have the roster depth of previous years. When another team can offer a large NIL deal to second or third-stringers, the Crimson Tide may not be willing to match.

Building a team through recruiting is still the recipe for sustained success, and Alabama continues to dominate. According to 247Sports, the Crimson Tide ranked second in the most recent cycle and picked up the No. 2 recruit in the nation.

Alabama Crimson Tide’s outlook for the 2025-26 season

QB Jalen Milroe, G Tyler Booker, S Malachi Moore and LB Jihaad Campbell are leaving Tuscaloosa and entering the NFL Draft. Luckily, stars like WR Ryan Williams, WR Germie Bernard and LB Deontae Lawson will return in 2025.

Retaining three starting offensive linemen will be crucial for the next starting QB. Milroe’s replacement hasn’t been named, as Ty Simpson, Keelon Russell and Austin Mack will compete for the starting job.

Simpson is entering his fourth season with the Tide and is seemingly the frontrunner after spending 2024 learning DeBoer’s system. The former five-star recruit projects to be a better passer than Milroe but less mobile. However, few players can run like Milroe and Simpson has the athleticism to make plays with his legs.

Russell is a player to watch in the QB battle. The incoming freshman was the second-best player in the last recruiting cycle and promises to be Alabama’s QB of the future. Time will tell if DeBoer gives Russell an opportunity in his first season.

Getting Williams and Bernard back is crucial for whichever QB is under center in 2025. The duo combined for 1,659 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024. No other Alabama pass catchers had more than 25 catches or 300 yards.

The Tide acquired some depth by grabbing former Miami WR Isaiah Horton from the transfer portal. Horton recorded 56 catches, 616 yards and five touchdowns last season.

The defense benefits from the return of standouts like Lawson, S Keon Sabb, CB Domani Jackson and CB Zabien Brown. The secondary will be a strength, however, DB DeVonta Smith entered the transfer portal and joined Notre Dame.

General

UAB football announces 21 transfer portal additions for 2025

UAB’s football team announced its entire list of transfer portal additions for this cycle, which includes 21 athletes.

Among the athletes are four with ties to the state of Alabama in Nicholls State linebacker and Ohatchee native Eli Ennis, UTEP transfer running back and Decatur native Jevon Jackson, former Alabama State/Troy safety Dasheen Jackson and former Miles College defensive end and Bessemer native Jamichael Rogers.

Ennis emerged as one of the top defensive players in the Football Championship Subdivision at Nicholls, earning FCS All-America nods last season after totaling a team-high 111 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries, three interceptions and two sacks.

The former Ohatchee star totaled 200 tackles and 22.5 tackles for loss during his time with Nicholls.

Jevon Jackson was the lead back at UTEP last season, running the ball 191 times for 754 yards and four touchdowns after three seasons at Austin Peay; he was a standout athlete at Austin High School, where he was an all-state and AHSAA North-South All-Star Football Game selection.

Dasheen Jackson finished the year with 22 tackles (10 solo), five tackles for loss and a sack for Alabama State this season after transferring from Troy; he played in six games for the Hornets.

Rogers was a mainstay of the defense at Miles College last season, totaling 53 tackles (39 solo), 18.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks for the Golden Bears; he was selected to the first-team Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Super Region Two football team.

Here is the full transfer class for the Blazers:

UAB football 2025 incoming transfers

—Josh Baka, S, 6-1, 205, Sr., Ottawa, Ontario/Kent State

—Kaleb Brown, WR, 5-10, 200, R-Jr., Chicago, Ill./Ohio State/Iowa

—Ryder Burton, QB, 6-2, 200, R-So., Springville, Utah/BYU/West Virginia

—Jalen Cheek, DB, 6-2, 200, R-Sr., Sicklerville, N.J./Boston College

—Tamarion Crumpley, DB, 6-1, 195, R-Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio/Pitt

—Eli Ennis, LB, 6-2, 205, Sr., Ohatchee, Ala./Nicholls

—Antonio Ferguson, TE, 6-3, 225, R-So., Apopka, Fla./East Carolina/FIU

—Perry Fisher, DB, 6-3, 200, R-Jr., Tallahassee, Fla./Maryland

—Devin Hightower, LB, 6-1, 230, R-Sr., Twinsburg, Ohio/Michigan State/Cincinnati/Rhode Island

—Dasheen Jackson, S, 6-2, 210, R-Sr., Columbus, Ga./Hutchinson CC/Troy/Alabama State

—Jevon Jackson, RB, 5-8, 205, R-Sr., Decatur, Ala./Austin Peay/UTEP

—AJ Johnson, WR, 6-3, 195, Sr., New Orleans, La./Gardner-Webb/ETSU

—Elijah Lagg, TE, 6-4, 240, Jr., Mountain Home, Ark./Copiah-Lincoln

—Evan McCray, WR, 6-1, 190, R-Sr., Raleigh, N.C./Wingate

—Amorie Morrison, DE, 6-4, 260, R-Sr., Virginia Beach, Va./Old Dominion

—JaSire Peterson, DL, 6-4, 280, R-So., Union City, N.J./Rutgers

—Calvin Pitcher, S, 6-1, 200, R-Sr., Corona, Calif./Idaho State

—Jamichael Rogers, DE, 6-2, 250, R-Sr., Bessemer, Ala./Miles College

—Pierre Royster, DB, 6-2, 200, R-Sr., Norfolk, Va./Norfolk State/St. Francis

—Nigel Tate, DT, 6-3, 320, R-Sr., Washington, D.C./Boston College

—Denver Warren, DL, 6-2, 300, R-Sr., Chicago, Ill./Bowling Green/Independence CC/New Mexico State/Sam Houston

General

Legendary director dead at 78: ‘There’s a big hole in the world now’

David Lynch — the legendary filmmaker behind arthouse hits like “Blue Velvet,” “Eraserhead,” “Mulholland Drive” and the television series “Twin Peaks” — has passed away.

He was 78.

The news of Lynch’s death was shared on his official Facebook page Thursday.

“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” the post said. “We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us.

“But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’”

The post concluded, “It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

In August 2024, Lynch revealed he was diagnosed with emphysema, but the “The Elephant Man” and “Lost Highway” director took to social media to set the record straight on his condition and his filmmaking future.

“Yes, I have emphysema from my many years of smoking,” Lynch wrote on X/Twitter. “I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco – the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them – but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema.

“I have now quit smoking for over two years. Recently I had many tests and the good news is that I am in excellent shape except for emphysema. I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire.”

He added, “I want you all to know that I really appreciate your concern.”

Lynch, 78, was a Montana-born film director and visual artist known primarily for critically acclaimed films with surreal and dreamlike qualities. His feature film debut “Eraserhead” (1977) earned widespread praise. He would earn an Academy Award nomination for best director for “The Elephant Man” (1980).

His film “Blue Velvet” (1986) is widely considered one of the best films of the 1980s. He earned another Oscar nomination for directing “Mulholland Drive” (2001).

Lynch also directed “Dune” (1984), “Wild at Heart” (1990), “Lost Highway” (1997), “The Straight Story” (1999) and “Inland Empire” (2006).

He and Mark Frost co-created the ABC series “Twin Peaks” (1990-91). Lynch directed the spinoff film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” (1992) and he made the limited revival series “Twin Peaks: The Return” in 2017.

Lynch was also an actor, appearing in his own films like “The Elephant Man” and “Twin Peaks.” His most recent appearance came playing famed director John Ford in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nomianted 2022 film “The Fabelmans.”

General

Pedestrian struck in Gadsden hit-and-run airlifted to UAB; driver sought

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General

Former Grissom coach hired to lead Decatur Heritage football

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