Alabama News

Another Trojan is off the board in the 2025 MLB draft.

The Chicago Cubs picked Troy pitcher Noah Edders in the 15th round of the draft on Monday with pick No. 451.

Former Troy catcher Brooks Bryan was also drafted on Monday, going to the Kansas City Royals in the eighth round.

In his lone season with Troy, Edders posted a 5.12 ERA with a 5-2 overall record in 14 starts and 65 innings pitched. He struck out 67 batters and walked 27 as a junior with an allowed batting average of .241.

He pitched a seven-inning complete game against ULM in April, allowing four hits and one earned run while walking one and striking out nine; his 67 strikeouts ranked No. 14 in the Sun Belt Conference.

Before his time with the Trojans, the Woodridge, Ill., native spent three seasons at Bradley where he led the team with 79 innings pitched in 2024 across 15 starts; he struck out 76 batters with a 6.15 ERA.

Edders is the second Troy pitcher drafted in three seasons, joining 2023 ninth-round pick Zach Fruit, who is with the Baltimore Orioles organization.

One of Alabama’s two Republican candidates for secretary of state says he will not attack his opponent with negative ads and calls on her to make the same commitment.

State Auditor Andrew Sorrell and Montgomery attorney Caroleene Dobson are the two GOP candidates in the race.

In a campaign news release on Monday, Sorrell urged Dobson to join him in signing a “Clean Campaign Pledge.”

“As Alabama’s chief elections officer, it is important for the next secretary of state to set a moral example that other candidates and campaigns should follow,” Sorrell said.

“The ‘Clean Campaign Pledge’ I propose simply states that we will not engage in negative campaigning against each other or condone attacks from outside groups or individuals. In essence, it embraces Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment – Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.”

Sorrell is a business owner from Muscle Shoals and a former state legislator who was elected auditor in 2022.

Dobson is a lawyer who was the Republican nominee in Alabama’s 2nd congressional district last year. Dobson lost to Democrat Shomari Figures in a district redrawn by a federal court to favor Democrats.

Dobson did not immediately respond to an email from AL.com on whether she would sign the “Clean Campaign Pledge.”

“The ball is in Caroleene’s court, and I hope she will accept my request to engage in a civil and friendly campaign that will make every Alabamian proud,” Sorrell said.

“We’ve seen enough discord, division, and deceit among Democrats on the national level, and those kinds of attacks and tactics have no place in the Alabama Republican Party, where we pride ourselves on being Christian conservatives.”

Sorrell said the main points in the “Clean Campaign Pledge” are:

• The candidates understand that running to become Alabama’s chief elections officer obliges them to conduct a positive campaign that sets an example for others to follow.
• The candidates will vigorously debate policy issues but will not engage in negative attacks on their opponent.
• The candidates will not allow, condone, or endorse negative attacks on their behalf by third-party groups or individuals.
• The candidates will encourage all of their supporters to engage in positive campaigning and avoid negative tactics.

The race is for an open seat because Secretary of State Wes Allen, who was elected in 2022, is running for lieutenant governor.

The primary is May 19, 2026.

In 60 minutes, Vanderbilt football totally flipped the national narrative about itself. When the Commodores beat Alabama in October, Clark Lea’s group went from the perpetual cellar-dweller, which had spent the past several years playing in an active construction site, to a competent, fun team, that could beat anyone in the country on its best day.

By the time the FirstBank Stadium goalposts landed in the Cumberland River, two miles from the field, Diego Pavia was a superstar. The New Mexico State transfer talked trash in postgame interviews, then backed it up the rest of the year, leading Vanderbilt to a rare bowl appearance.

Speaking Monday at SEC media days in Atlanta, Pavia was asked how his life had changed since the win. He mostly focused on team-related differences, but recalled a recent podcast appearance.

“Maybe I get to hang out with some cool people,” Pavia said. “I hung out with (comedian) Theo (Von). Obviously, recruiting-wise, we got in some good talent. We were able to get in the transfer portal and get some good wide receivers, some good O-linemen. We returned two of the top O-linemen because of the transfer portal… We’re super excited to have those guys and then all the talent around us. I mean, we’re fully loaded on offense this year, and so e have weapons left and right. We’ll be really exciting to watch.”

The Commodores finished 2025 7-6, with a Birmingham Bowl win over Georgia Tech. According to Pavia, that’s not enough.

“I want to finish something I started,” Pavia said. “And that’s going to win a national championship. And last we we fell short, so this year we’re looking forward to the season.”

That part won’t be easy. Vanderbilt still has the institutional limitations it always has, and won’t be a favorite to compete at the top of the SEC in 2025. Still, perceptions have changed.

“People started looking,” cornerback Martel Hight said in Atlanta. “Some people thought it was a fluke. Some people thought it was, you know, luck. And then we had our diehard fans who actually believed in us. So it’s just been mixed personalities and feelings and emotions toward it.”

The Commodores open the season Aug. 30 against Charleston Southern. Expectations have never been higher.

However, Lea, entering his fifth season as head coach in Nashville, cautioned that VU still needs to put in the work.

“As energized as we may be for where we are, it’s important to acknowledge we’ve been here before,” Lea said. “Two years ago I stood before you messaging excitement and progress. That gave way to a failed season. We went backward before we could move forward. Progress is seldom linear.”

UAB catcher Nick Hollifield was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 14th round of the MLB Draft on Monday with the 411th overall pick.

He becomes the third Blazer drafted on Monday, joining outfielder Logan Braunschweig and pitcher Colin Daniel, who were both drafted by the Atlanta Braves.

A 5-foot-11, 190-pound catcher, Hollifield appeared in 52 games for UAB last season and started all but one of those games. He batted .266 with five home runs, 13 doubles and 30 RBIs with a .376 on-base percentage.

He finished with a .995 fielding percentage with 371 putouts, catching 10 runners stealing as a junior. He was also named to the midseason watchlist for the Buster Posey Award.

Hollifield played in 111 games with 98 starts during his UAB career with a career .254 batting average and .375 on-base percentage, logging 722 putouts.

A native of Hoschton, Ga., and graduate of Mill Creek High School, he was a member of the Conference USA all-freshman team in 2023 with a perfect fielding 1.000 percentage in 23 games played.

Nick Saban walked up to Damien Harris right before Alabama football went out for warmups.

The Crimson Tide was about to face Tennessee in 2018, and Saban broke the news to his starting running back.

We’re going to have to play the other guy today. Your job is just to be a cheerleader.

That week, Harris had been late to a meeting. So he wasn’t shocked that Josh Jacobs was getting the start instead.

Saban started to walk away, then he turned around and looked at Harris.

I want you to understand this isn’t because you were late. It isn’t because you made a mistake. It’s because you didn’t come talk to me about it. You didn’t take ownership of your mistake.

“That was one of the most powerful moments to me because that was when I started to realize truly … coaches always talk about these are life lessons,” Harris told AL.com as part of the Beat Everyone podcast. “These aren’t football lessons. You hear that in little league, you hear that in middle school, high school, etc. That was the first time in my life I felt like I was learning a life lesson through football.”

Harris had been late to a Friday meeting, what he said was the first and only time he was late to a meeting. He overslept. Then, he told some people he was going to be late because he didn’t know the best way to handle it.

“The No. 1 thing you don’t do is walk into a Nick Saban meeting late,” Harris said. “They told me, ‘Listen just come in. Lay low. We’ll figure it out from there.’”

Harris never talked to Saban that day, though.

“I’m like, OK, this is weird,” Harris said. “Then you get to Saturday.”

That’s when Saban removed Harris from the starting lineup, who would become a captain that season.

Being that guy and not coming to talk to me about that, I felt like that was a lack of accountability. Because of that, I feel like you should be punished. Not because you made a mistake, but because you just didn’t have any accountability. You didn’t own up to it.

“I tell people this story all the time,” said Harris, now a CBS Sports analyst. “It’s not funny. It’s not a joke. This is what Nick Saban is about.

“Football is a vehicle to teach us how to live our lives a certain way. How to have a certain level of discipline, a certain level of respect, detail orientation, that will benefit us long after we’re done playing football. That for me was an ‘ah-ha moment’ for me.”

Beat Everyone is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the show on your favorite platform to automatically receive new episodes every Monday and Wednesday evening.

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

Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended from his position as the head football coach at Miami Northwestern Senior High School (Fla.).

He confirmed the news in a Facebook post, with the suspension dealt from the school itself after Bridgewater allegedly provided impermissible benefits to his players.

This comes one week after he posted on social media that he covered things such as Uber rides, meals, clothes and training camps for his players with his own personal funds.

Bridgewater also noted in the post that he self-reported the purchases, with the Florida High School Athletic Association also investigating the matter.

“The suspension came from MNW and it’s impossible to suspend someone who doesn’t work for you,” he wrote on Facebook. “So if im suspended from MNW im free to go to another school of my choice but IM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

“And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.”

In his Facebook post last week that said he paid for multiple things for his athletes, he asked fans and supporters for donations to go towards different things that he claimed he paid for himself last season; those included training camp ($14,000), “pride sets” ($9,500), pregame meals ($2,200) and more.

Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern, his alma mater, to the 2024 FHSAA Class 3A state championship in his first season as head coach, beating previously unbeaten Raines 41-0 in the title game; it marked the program’s eighth championship.

His NFL career spanned from 2014-24 across various teams, spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Detroit Lions as a backup. A Louisville alum, he has played in 79 career games with 65 starts, throwing for a career 15,120 yards and 75 touchdowns in the NFL.

The announcement sparked the response of many around the NFL to defend Bridgewater, including former quarterback and current media personality Robert Griffin III.

“He got suspended for taking care of his players when they were in need, teaching them how to take care of their bodies and giving them the necessities to help them chase their dreams for a brighter future,” he wrote on social media.

“Not cheating. Not stealing. Just caring. He gave them the tools to chase a better future and is getting punished for it. Suspending Teddy Bridgewater isn’t justice. It’s punishing love, leadership, and sacrifice.”

Others to respond in defense of Bridgewater include longtime Saints defensive end Cam Jordan and Cincinnati Bengals Ring of Honor member Chad Johnson.

The season one finale of the hit reality series Virgins premieres on TLC Monday, July 14 at 9/8c.

Those hoping to tune in for this season’s finale can find it available for streaming through Philo (free trial), DirecTV (free trial) or Sling (50% off first month).

Previous episode recap

Last week’s episode saw the Virgins season one cast’s continued pursuits in their late-blooming journey into intimacy. While delving into different methods for meeting someone, the cast remained in good spirits and the episode included plenty of jaw-dropping moments.

One of the most entertaining and moving parts of last week’s episode titled “Stealing Home” was Deanne’s participating in a comedy show dating event. During her involvement, she was blindfolded on stage and found herself opening up to the audience about her lack of intimacy at the age of 35.

During Deanne’s tell-all, another contestant named Conrad was moved by Deanne’s stark vulnerability and agreed to go on a date with her.

Other major breakthroughs in last week’s episode include Sonali getting more comfortable with her therapist Wayne, Rhasha accepting a friend’s invitation to an adult resort, and Alex attending speed dating where he met a woman named Lauren.

On the upcoming season finale episode titled “Grand Slam” the show follows Rhasha as she arrives at the adult resort, Secrets Hideaway. Meanwhile, Deanne continues to explore her attraction to Conrad, and Alex fills Lauren in on his lack of intimacy, hoping she takes it well.

How to watch the Virgins season 1 finale

Cord cutters looking to catch the season one finale of TLC’s Virgins can stream the premiere live through Philo, DirecTV or Sling.

Both Philo and DirecTV offer free trials for new subscribers to enjoy before committing to a paid plan while Sling offers those that commit to a paid subscription half off their first month.

Out of the three streaming services listed above, Philo is the cheapest at just $28 a month after its 7-day free trial concludes.

What is Philo?

Philo is considered one of the most affordable streaming platforms on the market. Known as an entertainment-focused streaming service, Philo offers its subscribers access to over 70 top-rated TV channels such as TLC, MTV, BET, AMC, CMT, Investigation Discovery and more.

New users can enjoy Philo’s 7-day free trial and continue to stream top channels, hit TV shows and movies on-demand for just $28 a month once the free trial expires.

Those looking to customize their flow of content even further on Philo can consider including add-ons such as MGM+, STARZ, and AMC+ in their subscription.

What is DirecTV?

DirecTV is a top streaming service perfect for those looking to access a plethora of live TV channels and enjoy helpful features. The base package starts at just $86.99 a month after its 5-day free trial and includes popular TV channels such as HGTV, ESPN, Bravo, CMT, CNBC, BET, CNN and more.

DirecTV has also recently introduced a lineup of genre packs, which allows subscribers to choose their favorite viewing options based on what genre they watch the most. With genre packs, users can get the channels and content they want without filler channel overload. Packs start at just $34.99 a month.

Those interested in comparing all DirecTV’s channel packages and the new genre packs can check them out here.

What is Sling?

Sling is another streaming service to consider if you want to access top-rated TV channels like TLC. Though no free trial is available to new subscribers, those who commit to a paid plan get half off the first month.

Both the Sling Orange plan and the Sling Blue plan are normally $45.99 a month, but with the current promotion, Sling users will pay just $23 a month for the first month.

For those who wish to access channels from both the Sling Blue and Sling Orange plans can do so by signing up for the Orange + Blue plan, which combines the best of both plans for just $60.99 a month ($30.50 for the first month).

In January of 2024, the college football world shifted.

That was when Alabama coach Nick Saban retired from the game. Since then, Saban, 73, has been an analyst for ESPN’s “College GameDay.”

However, former Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy said he had heard Saban could return to the game. It has been the talk of the first day of SEC Media Days.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin believes his former boss isn’t done coaching.

But what about the guy that broke the news that Saban was retiring? Does he see a scenario where the analyst returns to the sidelines?

“I don’t see it,” ESPN’s Chris Low told AL.com on Monday. “I guess you never say never. Nick will be 74 in October. I think probably the person who’ll make that decision is Miss Terry. I don’t think Nick makes that decision. I’m being facetious there.

Low explained – in talking with Saban – he learned how difficult it was for the former coach to hang up the whistle.

“He loves coaching,” Low said. “He loves being in the locker room, loves being with the players. He made that decision to walk away, and it was for good.

“I don’t ever see him getting back into the NFL. I know he’s not crazy about the climate right now in college football in this era of (revenue) sharing and NIL.”

That’s not to say Saban couldn’t win, Low said.

“He’s great at adapting and evolving as he has proven through his career, but I don’t see coaching horizons out there for him. He’s a competitive guy, I know that.”

Kiffin, on the other hand, called coaching an addiction for guys like Saban.

“That’s why I never thought it would last,” Kiffin said of Saban’s retirement. “It’s been two years, and I still don’t think it will last because of that addiction to it.

“He has the highest level of addiction to it because he’s the same guy that goes to a little kids camp and he is coaching it the same way because he is so into it. He’s screaming at them. He’s yelling at them. They got the helmets on like at Alabama. Half the kids don’t come back the second day.”

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.

Homewood Mayor Alex Wyatt continues to call on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to allow the family of Jabari Peoples to view body camera footage from the June 23 fatal shooting.

“As the Mayor of Homewood, I continue to urge the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to allow the family of Jabari Peoples to view the body camera footage from the June 23 shooting incident,” Wyatt said in a Monday statement. “Their request is completely understandable.”

Wyatt said the city legally doesn’t have the authority to release the footage because ALEA has taken over the investigation. Under the law, it controls access to evidence because it is the custodian of the footage.

“We know this is an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved,” Wyatt said in his statement, “and want objective results made available to the family and the public as quickly as possible.”

Also Monday, the family’s attorneys – including Ben Crump and Leroy Maxwell – announced they will hold a press conference Tuesday to announce the findings of an independent autopsy they had done.

Read full coverage of the case here

Peoples, 19, was a 2024 graduate of Aliceville High School where he was standout track athlete and football player.

Peoples had just finished his freshman year at Alabama A & M where he was studying computer information and criminal justice with hopes of becoming a law enforcement officer, specifically a detective.

He was shot to death that Monday night in Homewood Soccer Park.

Homewood police say a veteran officer, who has not been publicly identified, approached the vehicle to investigate because of a recent increase in criminal activity in and around the city’s athletic complexes.

The officer, police say, smelled marijuana and ordered Peoples and his female friend out of the vehicle.

Police say the encounter ended with Peoples resisting, breaking away from the officer as he tried to handcuff him, and grabbing a gun from the driver’s side door pocket.

The officer shot Peoples, who was pronounced dead a short time later at UAB Hospital.

Peoples’ family and attorneys disagreed with that narrative, saying that Peoples wasn’t armed and didn’t resist.

The Homewood Police Department turned the investigation over to ALEA, which is standard policy for many officer-involved shootings.

ALEA denied the family’s request to see the footage, saying the release of the video would jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

Though Alabama provides a way for families to view body camera and dash cam videos, the same law also allows law enforcement to withhold the footage for investigative purposes.

There have been several protests following the fatal shooting, including at the Homewood Police Department, ALEA’s office in west Homewood, Homewood City Hall and during the World Police and Fire Games in the Birmingham area.

The family’s attorneys have filed a motion in Jefferson County Circuit Court seeking to preserve critical evidence and identify parties as the family considers a potential wrong death and civil right lawsuit.

The City of Homewood on Friday filed a response in Jefferson County Court seeking to have the petition dismissed, citing ALEA as the custodian of the footage and all other investigative material.

Peoples’ funeral was held Saturday at Aliceville City Hall.

Diego Pavia was more subdued than usual. The Vanderbilt quarterback has a habit of getting excited and dropping profanity in interviews, including after he and his Commodore teammates beat then-No. 1 Alabama football in October.

By the time he appeared at SEC media days on Monday, Pavia had clearly been coached up. He never took the bait to start talking trash, even when the opportunity was offered.

When asked about facing the Crimson Tide again in 2025, he kept his answer simple.

“That stadium is electric,” Pavia said of what he was looking forward to. “I’ve heard about it. And you, just going to come down to who’s more prepared that week and who wants it more.”

To say Vanderbilt beating Alabama rattled the world of college football was underselling the response. In one game, the mighty Crimson Tide dynasty was shattered, while the perception of the Commodores went from the ultimate SEC doormat, playing in an active construction site, to the sport’s upset kings.

Pavia was a ball of energy after the game. Recalling it on Monday, he was quick to credit his teammates.

“”We had (tight end) Eli Stowers, who had a big game for us that week,” Pavia said. “And then obviously (wide receiver) Junior Sherill had a big week too. But I think it’s just who comes more prepared to the game. And I feel like that week, we were the more prepared team.”

The rematch is coming Oct. 4 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Earlier this offseason, UA wideout Ryan Williams made headlines talking about the upcoming game against Vanderbilt, claiming the Crimson Tide will “Kill an ant with a sledgehammer.”

Pavia then shared rap lyrics to his Instagram story, laid over a photo of Williams. However, when asked about it on Monday, he remained polite.

“Obviously he’s a great competitor,” Pavia said. “The kid is naturally talent, gift from God, you know? So I’ll be excited to play him in his home stadium.”

Alabama is scheduled to open the 2025 season on Aug. 30, at Florida State. The Crimson Tide will begin preseason camp in early August.