Alabama News

When Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold took his seat in front of a sprawling media scrum at the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday, it had been 364 days since he sat on a similar stage, but with a different logo pin on his suit.

Tuesday was Arnold’s second career appearance at SEC Media Days, but this year was “a lot different” from last.

The former five-star signal caller went from an eager redshirt freshman getting ready to take on his first year as the starter at Oklahoma, to a veteran transfer at Auburn, hardened by the trials of an SEC season in which nothing went right.

In Arnold’s one full season as the starter at Oklahoma, the threw for fewer than 1,500 yards, was briefly benched in the middle of the year and never had any continuity with his receivers or play callers.

As Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze later put it, he needed a reset. Arnold landed at Auburn after a brief transfer portal stint in December. The biggest factor in his decision, Arnold said, was scheme.

“I feel like if the scheme didn’t fit, Coach Freeze wouldn’t have recruited me to begin with,” Arnold said. “The RPO system that he runs and the shots he takes reminded me a lot of high school and my years at OU.”

The feeling of finding a perfect fit for the offense was mutual on Freeze’s side. Throughout the spring and into the summer, Freeze hasn’t wavered in his confidence and support for the Oklahoma transfer.

Arnold’s film from last season wasn’t pretty at times, but the context of why it wasn’t pretty gave Freeze the confidence that Arnold can live up to his high school star rating at Auburn.

“I knew he had the toughness to him,” Freeze said. “And now it was just a matter of, man, let’s give this guy a restart and let him regain his swagger and confidence, and I knew that the receiver room we had could assist in that.”

As Arnold took questions at media days, sporting a simple blue suit with an orange tie, he faced just about every question you could think of.

“Why Auburn?”

“What’s different at Auburn?”

“What’s your favorite SEC uniform?”

“Have you golfed with Hugh Freeze yet?”

Arnold took the questions in stride. He didn’t poke his chest out or flex with any of his answers, but he didn’t come off as nervous or overwhelmed by the stage either.

With “getting his swagger back” being one of the biggest keys for Arnold at Auburn, facing the public and the national media is the first step toward showcasing that.

Freeze said it was important to bring Arnold with him to media days, saying, “If I really want him to be my guy, then he’s gotta be my guy.”

Proclaiming Arnold as Auburn’s starter early on is part of building his confidence. However, confidence is only one part of improvement, and Arnold pointed out some of the tangible reasons why he thinks this year at Auburn will be different.

The wide receivers are the first piece; a unit Arnold has prioritized getting to know since arriving on the Plains. He even skipped the Manning Passing Academy this year, an event he was invited to and attended in 2024, just to spend more time with his new pass catchers.

With summer in full swing and fall camp two weeks away, Arnold says the chemistry-building is going well. Between workouts and spending time together off the field, Arnold believes in the process, even if it’s not headline-grabbing.

“There doesn’t always have to be theatrics involved with everything. If I go and take the O-line out to dinner, like I’ll take them out to dinner, but I don’t have to post about it,” Arnold said. “I just want to go out there and be with my guys and go hang out with the receivers and hang out with running backs and tight ends and whoever.”

The chemistry is one part, but the receivers need to be talented too. Auburn has that.

From former five-star prospect Cam Coleman to Eric Singleton Jr., the top-ranked receiver in the transfer portal this offseason, the production is there. On top of that, Arnold said the group isn’t shying away from putting in the work either.

“I got Cam texting me at 8:30 at night wanting to throw damn near every night,” Arnold told The Next Round.

Arnold’s offensive line was an issue at Oklahoma last year too. The sooners led the SEC in sacks allowed, giving up 23 more than Auburn in 2024.

The Tigers are set to return four of their offensive line starters, while adding starting caliber tackles Xavier Chaplin and Mason Murphy out of the transfer portal. Connor Lew, Auburn’s center and arguably the top returner on the offensive line, joined Arnold at media days.

“Having a dude like Connor Lew is awesome. I mean, he’s like a general on our offense,” Arnold said. “I’m super, super excited to play behind him this year.”

Arnold is confident. So is Freeze. Did their words at SEC Media Days inject that feeling into America? Time will tell, but who’s to say that matters.

America will buy in when the results start changing. Auburn is confident Arnold can be the catalyst for that.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

A former Alabama star is making an impact as part of Mississippi State’s staff, Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby said Wednesday.

Shaud Williams, an All-SEC running back at Alabama in the early 2000s, is entering his second year as the Bulldogs’ head strength and conditioning coach. Lebby was asked about Williams during his appearance at SEC Media Days on Wednesday in Atlanta, and positively gushed.

“Shaud Williams, I just don’t have enough great things to say about what he’s done for the program — his impact, the day-to-day,” Lebby said. “To me he’s a guy that just, he gets it. He’s lived it; he’s played it. He’s not asking anybody inside that locker room to do something he didn’t do. And I think there’s great value in that.

“I talk about consistency; Shaud is incredibly consistent. I’m so thankful for what he’s doing as he’s continued to grow our program, the strength and conditioning program, the way he has and we have.”

Williams, 44, played a decade of professional football after leaving Alabama in 2003, including four years with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. After working at Andrews (Texas) High School — his alma mater — from 2014-16, he spent one season as assistant S&C coach at Wisconsin and six more at Oregon before joining the Mississippi State when Lebby was hired in December 2023.

It’s been a part of Birmingham’s bar scene for decades, but it has new owner.

Billy’s Tavern on Sixth Avenue South reopened this month, after new owner Jesse Thompson spent several months renovating the interior.

“Everything but the bare bones of the place is different,” he said. “The physical aesthetic of the place is all new. It wasn’t in very good shape. It was very dark, not much lighting. It wasn’t very inviting.”

Thompson, 39, is a veteran of Birmingham’s drinking establishments. He started back in 2007 at the Blue Monkey Lounge and was at Lou’s Pub & Package Store for 12 years.

But while he added new seating and pool tables, Thompson said he wanted to preserve the dive bar feel of the building – a friendly, casual, welcoming social place.

“The feedback has been phenomenal,” he said. “Walking in, you’d think the place had been open 50 years, and it has.”

Take the outside as well. Billy’s stands out for two reasons – there’s the colorful Coca-Cola Santa Claus mural that adorns one wall of the building’s exterior. Then, not a few feet away, is the old Coca-Cola sign out front, which actually misspells the business’ name as Billie’s Tavern.

What gives?

To understand that, you have to understand the history of the place.

Once upon a time, Billy’s Tavern was a gas station, built in the 1940s, Thompson said. It was converted into a bar in the late 1950s, and former owner Billy English took over in the early 80s. Coca-Cola gave him the sign, but the sign maker misspelled his name. He just rode with it.

Now, more than 40 years later, it’s a conversation starter.

Thompson bought the bar in February from English shortly before his death earlier this year.

“When I took the place over, that sign was all faded out and didn’t work,” he said. “I repainted the name. It kind of adds to the dive bar aspect in that, 10 feet away from it, is a different spelling of the name.”

For the first time in months, home sales in the Huntsville area fell below 2024 numbers with two notable exceptions: the Decatur and Marshall County markets.

They were the only two area markets that saw sales figures better not only than last year’s marks, but May’s numbers as well.

But realtors said the area markets remain strong. They said inventory numbers and almost flat sales price numbers indicate that now is a good time to buy a home.

“The best buying opportunities are likely between now and the end of the year,” realtor Matt Curtis told AL.com. “Savvy buyers and investors will act now — everyone else may look back and wish they had.”

“Market conditions will likely continue to favor buyers over the next few months as listings are at their highest level in more than five years,” Alabama Association of Realtors economist Evan Moore said in a recent report on state sales.

Ben Wales of Gateway Alabama Realty Group said it “is nice shopping in this current market but unfortunately that will change if these rates ever go down.”

“Rumors are stirring that (Federal Reserve Chairman) Jerome Powell is about to resign and if that happens rates determined by the fed will begin dropping,” Wales said. “Mortgage rates are not tied to the fed but in my experience the fed does eventually have an effect on mortgage rates. Real estate nerd talk but in short I think that the pleasant laid back buying days are numbered.”

Sales numbers dip in Rocket City

According to data from ValleyMLS, realtors and real estate agents sold 635 homes in June in the Huntsville market, which includes all of Madison County. That’s a drop from 743 in May and 685 in June of 2024. There were 1,079 sales still pending.

The Athens market followed a similar trend. There were 183 homes sold in the market last month, which includes all of Limestone County. That is down from 224 in May and 189 from a year ago. There were 314 sales pending.

The Decatur market, on the other hand, saw sales jump from 115 a year ago to 159 last month. Month-over-month, sales increased by nine homes over May. There were 138 sales pending in the market, which includes both Morgan and Lawrence counties.

Marshall County also saw a boost in sales, jumping from 89 in June 2024 to 100 last month. Realtors sold 91 homes there in May. There were 78 sales pending.

Median prices stable

Median home prices in the area remained stable.

In Huntsville, the median price was $345,000 in June, up only $5,000 from June of 2024. It climbed only $7,000 from May.

In Athens, the median sales price actually dropped $4,000 year-over-year to $322,000 last month, but it did climb from $310,000 in May.

Homes remained the cheapest in Decatur, where the median sales price was $265,000 last month. That’s up from $244,000 in May, but down from $283,000 in June 2024.

In Marshall County, the median sales price in June was $273,000, down $2,000 from a year ago, but up from $260,000 in May.

“Despite the increase in supply and softening demand, prices have held steady — with average sales prices actually rising 1.5%,” Curtis said. “That kind of resilience in the face of economic and global uncertainty speaks volumes.”

He said if prices haven’t dropped under those conditions “it’s unlikely we’ll see major pricing pressure this year.”

“I believe we have a 12 to 18-month window of opportunity before the next economic cycle brings higher prices and stronger demand,” Curtis said.

Inventory continues to climb

Across the Huntsville area, there are now more homes are on the market than last year. Curtis said that brings a balanced market between buyers and sellers with 4.5 months of supply. Gone are the days when homes flew off the market in less than a week.

There were 2,734 homes on the market in Huntsville, up from 2,237 in June 2024. Homes stayed on the market an average of 43 days compared to 35 a year ago.

There were 1,030 homes on the market in Athens, up from 819 a year ago. Homes stayed on the market an average of 46 days compared to 40 a year ago.

There were 578 homes on the market in Decatur, up from 286 in June 2024. Homes stayed on the market an average of 52 days compared to 25 last year.

In Marshall County, there were 477 homes on the market last month, up from 355 in June of last year. Homes stayed on the market an average of 45 days compared to 40 a year ago.

Deontae Lawson thought he was heading to the NFL. Right up until Alabama football faced Oklahoma, the linebacker and team captain expected to forgo his final year of eligibility in 2025, and was ready to begin his professional career.

Then, a torn ACL against the Sooners. Suddenly, Lawson had to reevaluate his plans.

“It wasn’t a light injury, whatsoever,” Lawson told reporters Wednesday in Atlanta, during SEC media days. “And I had full faith in Alabama’s medical staff. And Dr. (Lyle) Kane who did my surgery, he worked with me for a couple years. It’s just a sense of comfort. And I’ll say, when you know you have guys around you that love you and they’ll take care of you, I think that was one of the biggest decisions.”

Lawson recovered well during the offseason. He said at media days that he would rate his health as a nine of out 10, ahead of UA starting camp on July 30.

The Mobile native said he was fully expected to be ready to roll in the Aug. 30 season-opener at Florida State. Lawson missed spring practice due to the injury.

“I’ve been running around a good bit,” Lawson said. “Doing everything the team does. SO I think I’ll be ready. I’m sure I won’t take every rep, but they definitely monitor me, make sure I’m ready to go for August 30.”

Lawson said he enjoyed playing in defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s system in 2024, noting how much production he and Jihaad Campbell were able to rack up. Lawson finished the year with 76 total tackles, two sacks and an interception.

Also speaking in Atlanta, Kalen DeBoer praised Lawson.

“Probably thought a year ago at this time he’d be wearing an NFL jersey,” DeBoer said. “Circumstances as they may be, just coming back from an injury, seeing him attack it, seeing him and his mindset, him understanding the circumstances he can’t control and what he can. Man, it’s just amazing seeing him take over not just the defense, but be a leader on our football team.”

Italy plays against Norway in the Women’s EURO quarterfinals today. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CT on FOX. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV.

Italy ended the group stage with a 1-1-1 record, which helped them secure second place. The team is coming off a 3-1 loss against Spain, so Italy will look to improve their play today.

In order to win this quarterfinal game, Italy will need to rely on their star players Arianna Caruso, Cristiana Girelli, and Elisabetta Oliviero. Each of these players lead the team in scoring, as they have each scored a goal at the tournament this year.

Norway ended the group stage with a 3-0-0 record, which helped them easily secure first place. In their most recent game, Norway defeated Iceland 4-3.

During the victory, Frida Maanum and Signe Gaupset led the Norway offense. Both players scored two goals in the match, so they will look to continue their offensive success this afternoon.

Notably, Gaupset has the second-most assists on the team.

Fans can watch the Women’s EURO quarterfinals for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV.

Walmart is offering a ton of exclusive prices on select Blackstone griddles, and while these aren’t sale prices, it is the cheapest you’ll find these Blackstone products anywhere else.

A notable deal Walmart is offering includes a $139 price tag on the Blackstone E-Series 17″ Electric Tabletop Griddle. You can also get the similar Blackstone E-Series 22″ Electric griddle which comes with a convenient prep cart for $247. Free shipping is included with both products.

RELATED: Walmart’s $400 Costway patio furniture set is on sale for only $169

According to Walmart, all features included in the Blackstone E-Series 17″ Electric Griddle are as follows:

• Versatile Cooking: Blackstone’s first electric griddle for both indoor and outdoor use
• Spacious Cooktop: 238-square-inch surface accommodates up to 9 pancakes, 12 eggs, or 4 steaks
• Efficient Grease Management: Patented rear grease management system for quick and easy clean-up
• Clear Display: Large LCD digital display ensures easy readability
• Innovative Hood: Patented rotate and remove glass hood traps heat for cooking and steaming
• Non-Stick Surface: Ceramic titanium coated griddle surface for effortless cooking and cleaning
• Easy Controls: EZ-Touch control dial for simple temperature adjustments
• Compact Dimensions: Assembled size of 17.89″ L x 18.7″ W x 6.97″ H

“Introducing the Blackstone E-series 17″ Electric Tabletop Griddle with Hood. This 17″ E-Series Griddle is a brand new style from Blackstone and is perfect for any occasion, whether it be indoor or outdoor,” Walmart’s product details state.

“The 238-sq-in griddle plate is machine cast with a durable and elegant ceramic-titanium coating. It has a clean-catch, low profile, rear grease management system. The entire grease cup is dishwasher safe making cleanup simple. You can rotate and remove the E-Series hood for ease of use. Control the temperature with the EZ-Touch control dial and the large LCD Display”

Ryan Grubb only got one season as offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. The NFL squad, where he landed following Kalen DeBoer’s departure from Washington to take over Alabama football, struggled in 2024, and Grubb wound up fired because of it.

A hard moment for any coach. However, it might wind up being the Crimson Tide’s gain for 2025.

“What an opportunity to be a coordinator in the NFL,” DeBoer said. “I thought he had a great year, did an amazing job. He was certainly ready and prepared for it. But things happen for a reason. Him getting the chance to come here and just add to our staff at the level you’re talking about with an elite, elite offensive mind. Our familiarity with each other, the efficiency we have when it comes to the day-to-day work off season, in season, it certainly helps us gain even more momentum going into this fall.”

Grubb and DeBoer have worked together throughout their careers, dating back to Sioux Falls. When DeBoer replaced Nick Saban, Grubb initially joined his staff, before jumping on the chance to stay in Seattle.

DeBoer said the time in the pros helped Grubb better contribute to the staff after finally joining up with the Crimson Tide.

“The rest of the staff has been awesome in how they embrace Ryan Grubb coming in,” DeBoer said. “The players have, as well. Then Ryan’s hit the ground running and added some things on the things he’s learned. When you go through your career, every year you’re going to get better if you have the right mindset.

“There’s no place you’re going to get better and be put in tough spots than in the NFL. So love what he’s brought on top of what our system has always been and how we’ve evolved to make us even better this fall.”

During Grubb’s one-year NFL stint, Nick Sheridan got the nod as the Tide’s offensive coordinator. Sheridan remained on staff when Grubb returned, as co-OC and quarterbacks coach.

According to DeBoer, there is no animosity between the two assistants.

“He and Ryan Grubb, their relationship is amazing,” DeBoer said of Sheridan. “Again, it goes back to two strong years that they had together putting together elite offenses there at Washington, too. Seeing these guys come together, pick each other’s brains. Nick has been able to share along with the rest of the staff, JaMarcus Shephard, with coach Grubb, Ryan Grubb, what they felt, why they did things. Myself as well. It’s helped us take those next steps.”

Alabama opens preseason camp on July 30. The Crimson Tide will face Florida State on Aug. 30 to open the 2025 season.

All of Kalen DeBoer’s interviews and press conferences right now seem to include at least one question about the quarterback situation.

That streak continued Wednesday as the Alabama football coach was asked about the quarterbacks at SEC Media Days.

“We did make it known at the end of spring if we played a game at that point, wouldn’t have changed at this point because there’s nothing that’s happened as far as practicing, Ty Simpson would be the guy that would take the first snaps and be our starter,” DeBoer said. ”Challenged all of them at that time that they have to continue to take the strides, they got to continue in their own ways to improve. They’ve really worked hard to do that. Excited to see that progress two weeks from today.”

Then DeBoer broke down each quarterback.

“Ty throws a catchable ball,” DeBoer said of Ty Simpson. “He’s smart. He’s been in college football now going into year four. He’s seen the ups and downs. He’s got great relationships with the team. He’s a leader that way. He’s really owned things on another level.”

Then there’s Austin Mack, who has been with DeBoer the past two seasons.

“Austin Mack, if he walked in here, the guy is 6-foot-6, 230, 235. He has a presence about him,“ DeBoer said. ”That carries over to how he throws the football. Just really took his most meaningful snaps in college this spring working with the ones and twos.”

Then DeBoer finished by talking about Keelon Russell, the five-star freshman.

“Keelon Russell, you never would have guessed, a lot of guys graduated from high school a month ago, really a high school senior, early enrollee, that came in and learned the system of college football, taking these huge strides in the course of the spring,” DeBoer said. “Now again, getting that install over and over again in the summer, going into the fall. I’m confident he’s going to make big jumps as well.”

DeBoer finished by saying all three have the potential to do big things in the Alabama offense.

“I think it a lot of it has to do with what is around them, as well,” DeBoer said.

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

President Donald Trump on Wednesday referred to his voters advocating for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files as “weaklings” whose support he no longer wants.

The president referred to the files as one of many Democrat “Scams and Hoaxes.”

“Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker,” Trump posted to his Truth Social account Wednesday morning.

Speaking of the supporters who have broke with him on the Epstein files, Trump said: “They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.”

Trump lamented that the Epstein scandal has overshadowed what he called the “success” of his presidency.

“I have had more success in 6 months than perhaps any President in our Country’s history, and all these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success starved Dems, is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.

“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work,” Trump continued, “don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!”

Trump has been dogged by the Epstein case since July 6, when the Department of Justice and the FBI issued a joint memo saying there was “no incriminating ‘client list’” and “no credible evidence” that Epstein blackmailed co-conspirators who sexually abused underaged girls provided by him, Axios first reported.

The memo contradicted Attorney General Pam Bondi’s claim in a February interview with Fox News that the client list was on her desk.

Some of the president’s most staunch backers turned on him over the memo’s release, angering them after posting to Truth Social that they should ignore the Epstein files.

Trump’s post was “ratioed,” meaning there were more replies — 45,800 as of Monday morning — than likes — 40,900 as of Monday morning. The ratio indicates that the post was extremely unpopular.