Alabama News

Greg McElroy prefaced his Kalen DeBoer comments on the SEC Network by saying he was putting on his figurative Houndstooth visor.

“I’m really proud he’s our head coach,” the former Alabama quarterback-turned college football analyst said Wednesday. “I really mean that. I think he represents the program in the right way. He knows exactly the messaging he wants to get across. I’m just proud he’s our guy.”

McElroy made the comments during the network’s coverage of DeBoer and the Crimson Tide at SEC Media Days in Atlanta.

“He’s the right guy for the job,” he added. “I’m so happy for him.”

With that out of the way, McElroy – back in analyst mode – believed the second-year head coach hit a home run with his time at the podium.

“What I loved most is that he deliberately went out of his way to address the shortcomings of 2024,” McElroy explained. “No one at this point is really talking that much about 2024. We’re kind of moving on, spinning it forward, looking ahead. …

He said, “Look, we didn’t play well on the road. We did not do a good job on third-down defense early in the season. We didn’t do a good job, at times, of adjusting to hostile environments. He said, ‘These are the things we didn’t do well.’

“There is no blind spot there. It is out there. It is clearly a priority for this organization to look at what they did wrong and make sure it doesn’t get them again.

“That’s what great coaches do. They see the problem, and they fix it.”

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.

A Texas woman has been indicted on solicitation for murder charges after officials say she plotted to kill her newly engaged ex-husband with a poisoned box of candy.

According to a release from the Parker County Sheriff’s Office, Pamela Jean Stanley, 63, was arrested after a tip that she was planning to murder her ex-husband. Her May 30 arrest was followed by an indictment July 10.

Stanley was recorded as she explained to an acquaintance that she was seeking to purchase powdered fentanyl, and “inject” it in a high-end box of chocolates, according to the sheriff’s office.

The release notes Stanley further planned to mail the box to her ex-husband, making it appear to have been from a travel agency as a congratulatory gift for his recent engagement along with a “honeymoon” incentive offer.

Sheriff’s SCU investigators worked in an undercover controlled capacity with Stanley, who drove several hours from Coleman and solicited the purchase of what she believed was fentanyl in the parking lot of a local interstate motel from SCU undercover investigators.

Investigators took Stanley into custody immediately following her undercover ruse purchase and found her to also be in possession of a substance the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab tested as containing 9.5 grams of methamphetamine.

Stanley was indicted for criminal solicitation with intent to commit murder, criminal attempt to commit murder, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Her total bond is set at $450,000.

© 2025 Weatherford Democrat (Weatherford, Texas). Visit weatherforddemocrat.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Alabama football didn’t shake up its quarterback room at all after the spring.

No one left, and no one was added. The Crimson Tide maintained the group of Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.

On Wednesday at SEC Media Days, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer was asked why Alabama did not pursue a quarterback in the portal.

“Just felt like anyone who was reaching out to us, or that was there, you could not really make the argument they were better than what we had,” DeBoer said. “Hopefully, another level of confidence we had some players in our program that we believe in, Ty, Austin and knowing Keelon was coming in too. The skillsets are there.”

DeBoer noted Alabama’s quarterback room is inexperienced, “and that’s probably what you would be gaining if you brought someone in, would be some experience.”

But there’s more to it than experience.

“There’s also growth to our offense,” DeBoer said. “There’s also a level of understanding. It’s just a matter of honing in on the skillsets and tools that our guys have. I still feel we made the right choice.”

Simpson is heading into his fourth season with Alabama and second with DeBoer. Mack is entering his second season with Alabama and third with DeBoer. Russell is a true freshman.

Simpson enters preseason practices as the frontrunner to be the starter. If he indeed starts, Simpson will complete the arc of waiting his turn then taking advantage.

“It adds to and sets the direction you want your culture to be, and that’s, if I just continue to stay the course and I continue to just believe in the development I’m going to get from our coaching staff, that time will come,” DeBoer said. “Ty is the greatest example of that … just stay the course. Keep plugging away.”

All of those things considered, Alabama decided to stick with Simpson, Russell and Mack. And those are the three the Crimson Tide will bring into the season.

“A lot of feelings that we had what we needed or the better way to put it is,” DeBoer said, “what we felt was out there really wasn’t that much better than what we had, if at all.”

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

By Andrés H. Martínez | Edited by Patricia Guadalupe

Sitting on an empty bucket, behind two pails of colorful floral bouquets, a 70-year-old woman was trying to sell her arrangements. She was short, with sun-tanned brown skin and a maternal gaze. Her face was furrowed with deep wrinkles, a reflection of years of effort and endurance. Sitting on the side of a busy Los Angeles freeway exit, her soul and heart were filled with fear. “I felt like I was stabbed in the throat,” said Tito Rodríguez, describing the moment he saw the woman.

“Hi, ma’am! Let’s go, let’s go. It’s very dangerous to be on the street,” Tito shouted, his heart in his hand, as he turned on his flashing lights and parked his van on the freeway exit. The presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had been reported in that area.

“I’ll take her home. And I have some friends who want to give her money so she doesn’t have to be on the streets,” Tito added as he approached. The woman’s fear was clear in the sparkle in her eyes, but she agreed and followed orders. Within seconds, they left the area. On the way home, Tito gave her $800 so she could pay the monthly rent and have some peace of mind.

Tito and the flower vendor crossed paths by chance. That afternoon, the founder and director of the Local Hearts Foundation was returning home after receiving a $10,000 donation for his organization. He wouldn’t have been able to do this charitable act without the support of his friends, The Singers, local business owners and frequent donors to the foundation.

Days later, Tito, a community leader known as Hood Santa, ran into three men selling cherries and oranges on a busy Los Angeles street. Concerned for their safety amid reports of ICE in the area, he offered to buy their merchandise and take them home. He paid them $700 for the fruit and gave each of them $200.

These acts of kindness are nothing new for Tito, who has been supporting communities in Los Angeles County for 14 years. Through his foundation, and in collaboration with other organizations, he has provided thousands of families with food, basic supplies, and sometimes non-essential items that bring joy to the soul.

One of his most recent collaborations is with Food Finders, which delivers two pallets of fruits and vegetables every Wednesday to distribute in his communities. Usually, people would come to collect the donations, but on Wednesday, June 11, everything changed.

After several days of ICE raids and hundreds of detainees, many communities came to a standstill for fear of arrest. As a precaution, many stopped leaving their homes, and the Local Hearts Foundation’s logistics took a complete turn. Tito’s phone froze from the number of messages he began receiving.

“Hey, Tito, we’re hungry!” “Can you help me with some groceries?” “I’m afraid to go out.” “Can you help me with some food?” “My children were born here, but if I get in trouble, if they catch me, what will happen to my children?” were some of the text messages he received.

“We have to change course, we have to do something different here to feed the affected families,” Tito told himself after collecting the donations. “We have to take this food that’s arriving and give it to the families who are being affected, to those families who are afraid to go out.”

Tito understood that he now had to make home deliveries, right to people’s doors. “People who are afraid don’t have to expose themselves by going out.” He gathered his family and loved ones and began preparing bags of food.

“We’re like vigilantes, but here to do good,” Tito said. “We’re not hiding, and we’re not afraid.” That day, they prepared more than 200 bags of food.

He gathered information from those asking for help, mapped out routes, and assigned trusted people to make the deliveries with him.

“Here’s the information, and when you’re done with it, burn it,” Tito ordered to protect the identity of his community. That first day, more than 200 families received some relief.

But the calls for help didn’t stop the next day, as reports of ICE arrests in Los Angeles County increased. By then, authorities had confirmed at least 330 detainees, not counting the unverified cases. Fear grew minute by minute, and thousands were afraid to leave their homes.

Tito used his social media power to rally his followers. He posted videos preparing bags of food and making deliveries, aiming to inspire and create a support network where the community itself was the protagonist. And so it was.

Within hours, he received a flood of messages of solidarity and empathy: community members wanted to donate money, their time, or whatever was needed. Latino-owned businesses also joined in.

A bakery donated 240 loaves of bread; a butcher shop, 150 pounds of meat and 50 packages of tortillas; a fruit and vegetable store, more than a pallet of fruits and vegetables; and another business, 2,000 pounds of chicken.

Dollar by dollar, donation by donation, the Local Hearts Foundation continues to fill bags of food and deliver them to homes every day. Tito recognizes that the country’s future is uncertain, but he and his community will remain present until the need is no longer there.

With their red and black uniforms and pom-poms in hand, these groups of students demonstrated that when it comes to serving the community, team spirit also extends off the field.

For weeks and full of energy, they cheered with their pom-poms as vehicles with donations arrived at the school gymnasium. They unloaded them and took them to the packing area. They did this not out of obligation, but because they understood their community needed them. They are willing to raise their voices, and their pom-poms, for a greater cause. This is their way of protesting.

In the middle of the gymnasium, several tables served to separate items: one for drinks, another for groceries, one for toilet paper, and yet another for personal hygiene and household cleaning products.

On one side, dozens of white recyclable bags filled with donations were waiting to be distributed. All bore a personalized message.

“You matter, even when everything feels overwhelming,” reads one message. “Believe in the power of your resilience. You have the strength to overcome any storm,” reads another. All to encourage people not to give up.

The idea of ​​holding a community fundraiser and transforming the gym into a collection and distribution center came from Coach Corona, but was sparked by her sister Sarah, a volunteer on the team.

Seeing the fear in her community, Sarah proposed putting together care packages for families affected by the sociopolitical situation.

“Our school has a large population that is being affected, both families and neighbors, and other members of the surrounding community,” Danna said. “We’ve had people on our team who have had difficulty getting to practice because their parents haven’t been able to drive them to school.”

“We know they’re afraid. What we feel most from them is fear. They want to be safe, they want to keep their children safe,” she continued. “It’s affecting everyone on a personal, physical, and emotional level.”

Some students were forced to become heads of households overnight.

“I have a couple of students whose family members were detained during the raids. Now they have to shift their focus from education to supporting their siblings, staying home, and taking on the role of caregiver. They are in survival mode,” said Katella High School assistant principal Ángel Acosta, principal of the high school during the summer session.

The fear and uncertainty have been such that at least one family has chosen to voluntarily return to their home country.

“It’s sad. They’ve withdrawn their children from school and told me they’re going back to Mexico,” said Acosta.

The impact is not only reflected in enrollment but also in the personal stories that leave a deep mark on the school community.

“Honestly, it really discourages me. That’s not what we want for our families, especially in our district. We want to make sure they are supported, that we provide services, and meet their needs. But this is out of our control,” he continued.

The principal asserts that he works with the affected families to support them. In addition, the school has a social worker who also provides socioemotional support for trauma.

Adds Danna, “We hope to not only provide physical supplies, but also offer mental health resources, support for planning situations, as well as information and resources on immigration.”

Beyond logistical support, Mr. Acosta’s message to his students is clear and hopeful:

“Don’t let the ignorance of others limit your potential. You are resilient. You are strong. Keep doing what you’re doing. You have a school here that will support you regardless of your status.”

This unconditional support is not only evident within the school but has also resonated beyond the classroom thanks to the power of social media.

Danna and Acosta agree that, in difficult times, solidarity online has been key. They assert that they would not have achieved so much without this tool. Although their Instagram account had only a few hundred followers, the image with information about the food collection and distribution was shared more than 450 times. Many community members and local businesses reached out to offer their support.

A supermarket chain donated several pallets of food to support the cause. Other local organizations and businesses also contacted the school to offer their support, demonstrating how a simple post can mobilize a network of solidarity within hours.

The cheerleading and dance groups, with support from the faculty, will continue to receive donations and organize food distributions for those in need, with the commitment to continue until the need is no longer there.

The care packages have been delivered discreetly to protect those affected, and they assure that they will continue to do so to protect their identities. “We’re not asking for names, numbers, or any other information. We just want an address where we can deliver a package. We’ll leave it outside your door, and you can come pick it up whenever you feel comfortable,” Danna stressed.

Just like the Local Hearts Foundation and the Katella High School cheerleading and dance teams, there are organizations across the country delivering bags of food to anyone in need, no questions asked.

Because as long as there is fear, there will be hearts willing to face it. And arms that reach out not only to carry supplies, but to support those who feel like the world is falling apart.

In every delivery, in every message of encouragement, there is a promise: you are not alone. Even if the future seems uncertain, this invisible network of solidarity continues to grow, woven by hands that don’t know each other, but that recognize each other’s needs.

And as long as that network remains alive, no act of kindness will be in vain. Because in times of fear, compassion is also contagious.

Somehow, even without coaching Alabama football or attending as an ESPN analyst, Nick Saban found a way to become the top story at SEC media days. When former Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy said during his WJOX radio show that someone “in the know” told him that Saban might return to coaching, it became a bigger deal than even McElroy seemed to want.

Alabama fans had to wait until Wednesday to hear Saban replacement Kalen DeBoer’s thoughts on the matter. DeBoer was asked in Atlanta if he had anything to say about a potential return to the game by his predecessor.

“I mean, he’s one of the greatest to ever do it, and so he’s earned the right to do what he wants,” DeBoer said. “I think the best thing about coach Saban now is that he’s still involved in the game. He’s growing the game, he brings passion to it.”

Saban retired from Alabama in January of 2024. He quickly took a job on the desk of ESPN’s College Gameday pregame show, winning an Emmy for his contributions during the 2024 season.

DeBoer said he enjoyed watching Saban on Gameday when he was able, and seeing the retired coach in person from time to time.

“He still has that love for the game,” DeBoer said. “I think that, my sense is that he’s enjoying doing it in the capacity he’s doing it right now, but I know everyone that’s close to him from the fan base standpoint, can’t help but want him to be happy doing whatever he wants to do.”

McElroy doubted his source as to whether Saban would return to the game, but reported the news all the same on Monday.

“A very much in the know person that I have a lot of respect for and have spent a lot of time around and just really, really admire, they seem to think Nick Saban is not done coaching,” McElroy said of his former coach. “He’s pretty adamant that he thinks Nick Saban will be coaching again.”

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who worked as offensive coordinator for Saban at Alabama, said it wouldn’t surprise him if the 73-year-old coach returned. Georgia’s Kirby Smart, another ex-Saban assistant, called it “scuttlebutt” and suggested that the rumors were simply filling a need for news at media days.

Gadsden city officials this week approved a $115 million bond issue – the largest in the city’s history – to fund a slate of ambitious projects related to economic development.

The biggest is the proposed Gadsden Athletic Center (GAC).

Construction is expected to begin on the project early next year. It will include an aquatic center, 16 volleyball courts, 10 pickleball courts, eight basketball courts, four baseball/softball fields and a 1.25-mile walking track.

According to the city, a preliminary study by the Sports Facilities Companies in Tampa, Fla. estimates the project will create more than 2,400 jobs, with an economic impact of at least $190 million.

The GAC will replace the city’s aging West Meighan Sports Complex.

Other projects will include development along the Coosa River, arts and culture projects, park improvements and more.

“We’re ready to take the next step and capitalize on our financial situation by dreaming big,” Mayor Craig Ford said.

Ford is calling the slate of priorities the Gadsden RISE plan, for Reimagine, Invest, Strategic planning and Economic development.

The ultimate goal, he said, is in improving quality of life as a way to attract more business and investment. Last year, the city announced the $20 million Coosa Harbor development, which has not yet seen construction begin.

“We’ve already got some of the best natural resources in the state, and this will give people and industry even more reason to come to Gadsden,” Ford said. “We can do this without adding any new taxes or fees.”

Funding for the bond comes from dedicated revenue funds, apart from the city’s general fund or city operations’ money, officials said.

An Alabama mother charged with aggravated child abuse has temporarily lost the right to make medical decisions for her infant son as authorities say she is the reason he is on life support.

Prosecutors contend Tesean Laneta Daniele Beard, 30, has a vested interest in whether he lives or dies, despite what is the best course of action for him.

Her son, 10-month-old Reazyn Jackson, has been on a ventilator since March 1 when he was rushed to Children’s of Alabama unconscious and without a pulse.

Doctors have said his injuries are consistent with shaken baby syndrome. Court records state he has no chance of survival or neurological recovery.

Beard appeared before Jefferson County Circuit Judge David Carpenter Tuesday after Bessemer prosecutors filed a motion asking that Beard, who was the sole decision maker in Reazyn’s medical care, no longer be allowed to make those decisions.

Beard’s attorneys, Wakisha Hazzard, Maston Evans and Phillip Fikes, said no evidence has been presented to prove that Beard was responsible for Reazyn’s injuries and to strip her rights would wrong.

“It would be highly inappropriate in my opinion to enjoin (stop) Miss Beard from making a decision about her child because that would be essentially taking away her constitutional and fundament rights as a parent,” Hazzard said.

When the hearing ended, Carpenter did suspend Beard’s decision-making abilities for reason and appointed a guardian ad litem (GAL) to further investigate Reazyn’s case and report back to the judge in 30 days.

A GAL is a person, often an attorney, appointed by a court to represent the best interests of a child or incapacitated person in legal proceedings.

GALs act as fact finders, investigators, and advocates for their ward, ensuring their needs are considered by the court.

The judge said while Beard is presumed innocent, it is a fact that she is charged with aggravated child abuse.

“Whether she is responsible for these injuries to the child or not, she has a conflict of interest when it comes to making the decision to remove the child from life support,” Carpenter said.

“If the child dies, she could potentially be charged with capital murder and so long as the child is alive, she won’t be. This is a conflict of interest that exists.”

Currently, no one has been given the decision-making ability for Reazyn’s medical care.

Beard is a mother of four who lives in Midfield. On that Saturday, Reazyn was found unresponsive and her attorney said Beard first sought help from a neighbor who is a retired Birmingham police officer.

The neighbor performed CPR and 911 was called.

Reazyn was rushed to Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, where he remains.

Charging documents against Beard state an MRI and an X-ray showed that Reazyn – who was 5-months-old at the time – suffered abuse. He had severe head trauma, wrist fractures on both sides and possible rib fractures.

He has remained on life support for more than four months.

Beard was arrested at her workplace on Wednesday, July 9, and booked into the Jefferson County Jail where she is held without bond.

The day after her arrest, Bessemer Cutoff Assistant District Attorney Lori Frasure filed a motion to remove Beard’s ability to make decisions on Reazyn’s behalf.

“It’s my understanding that at some point Miss Beard had wanted, or there was some talk about sending Reazyn to Texas,” Fasure said in Tuesday’s hearing.

“Of course, we would be adamantly opposed to this child being removed from Children’s.”

“It’s my understanding that the child is permanently on a ventilator,” Frasure said. “If the child is removed, the child will pass away,” she said.

“If the child is kept on a ventilator, there is a very high probability that the child will have a lung infection. and pass away from the lung infection.”

“Miss Beard is the one who caused the child to be in the hospital,” Frasure said.

“Miss Beard should not have medical authority of this child no matter what happens with this child.”

Defense attorney Hazzard said Reazyn suffered from respiratory issues and was first hospitalized in January with RSV – Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

When Reazyn was admitted to the hospital again – Hazzard said it was in February – it was noted there might have been some trauma to the head that they saw when they started running tests on the baby.

“Fast forward, and we come to June and there was a supplemental report done where they’re saying now they believe there may be child abuse that might have been involved,” Hazzard said.

“Initially, when Reazyn Jackson went into the hospital, there was no indication of any type of child abuse,” she said.

“There was an indication of respiratory issues that the child was having and some cardiac arrest due to these respiratory issues.”

When Reazyn was taken to Children’s the last time, he started having seizures, Hazzard said.

“After he developed those seizures, we believe, is when all these other things started happening to Reazyn Jackson, not necessarily because it was something that mom did,” she said.

“I hear what the state’s saying. The state is saying, ‘Oh, well, mom did this.’ We’re saying, Your Honor, that mom did not do this,” Hazzard said. “She took the proper precaution that she needed to take.”

“Now they’re saying we have child abuse,” she said.

“Make it make sense. It makes no sense that there was a four-month period where there was no child abuse preliminary indicated. Now four months later they’re saying there is child abuse.”

“We’re highly opposed to this court even giving a consideration to a motion to stop the mother from making decisions for her child when all she’s been trying to do is make the right decisions,” she said.

There is an ongoing case involving Beard in Family Court.

Hazzard said Beard has had supervised visits with Reazyn at the hospital. Her other three children are with Beard’s mother and their fathers.

Hazzard said under Beard’s decision making, Reazyn has shown some signs of improvement during his hospital stay.

He is conscious, she said, and has on occasion been moved out of the ICU.

“We can’t say, Your Honor, that this baby is on his death bed. Because we don’t even know that,” the mother’s attorney said.

“The baby got better and got out of ICU.”

“A DHR case worker has reached out to the maternal grandmother about taking classes and training on how to care for Reazyn during this time because they anticipated him getting out of the hospital,” Hazzard said.

“So, to take the baby off life support now would be premature.”

“We don’t want a third party to get in and make a decision to pull the plug when it’s premature,” Hazzard said.

“We don’t want to put the authority of a baby’s life in a third party’s hand that is not a biological parent.”

Fikes, another of Beard’s attorneys, agreed.

“I understand the court’s conflict with Tesean Beard, 100 percent,” he said.

“If the state on their own motion gets the mother’s authority suspended, and then something happens to the baby that requires the charges to be upgraded, and the state prosecutes Tesean Beard for something that happened on their own motion, it’s a conflict.”

“We just believe this is a very slippery slope,” Fikes said.

“This is new. We’re treading in new waters, and we think it’s a very slippery slope for the state of Alabama to embark on.”

“To make it clear, under no circumstances is this court going to order the child removed from life support no matter what,” the judge said. “That is not going to happen.”

Carpenter ordered the appointed GAL, who is an attorney with a medical background, to report back to the court in 30 days.

“She will do an independent investigation,” the prosecutor said. “She will not be persuaded by either side.”

“I believe she would do a fair and just job and represent the best interest of Reazyn because when it comes down to it, that’s all we want,” Frasure said.

“We want somebody to stand up for Reazyn.”

In the meantime, Beard will return to court Thursday for an Aniah’s Law bond hearing.

Ronnie Cottrell was shocked when he was informed he got mentioned at SEC Media Days in Atlanta.

Then again, he shouldn’t be surprised knowing his former high school standout, Deontae Lawson.

The Alabama linebacker was asked Wednesday who in his hometown of Mobile helped make him the man he is today.

“That’s a great question,” Lawson said. “First, I think my parents, of course. They always have been my support system. They’ve always been in my corner no matter what. I definitely think they were raising me the right way.

“I had a high school coach, Ronnie Cottrell, man, he did a lot for as well.”

Cottrell, who just recently took T.R. Miller coaching job, was 85-31 in nine seasons at Mobile Christian, Lawson’s alma mater.

“Wow, man,” Cottrell said when reached by AL.com on Wednesday. “That’s what keeps you in it. Stuff like that is what keeps you in the business. He’s a great person.”

Many of you might remember Cottrell for his stints in college football. Cottrell served as Alabama’s recruiting coordinator under then-coach Mike DuBose from 1998-2000.

Before that, he was at Florida State – under Bobby Bowden – in the 1990s and recruited the likes of Warrick Dunn, Peter Warrick, Chris Weinke and more.

On Wednesday, Cottrell couldn’t say enough about Lawson.

“Deonate Lawson is a very special, rare talent,” he said. “Just so proud of him and his success.”

Cottrell saw his share of talent at Mobile Christian. Alabama signees Lawson, Sterling Dixon, Eric Poellnitz and more all played under Cottrell.

“I love that young man,” Cottrell said of Lawson. “I truly do. We had a lot of good kids there. To me, he was a generational talent.”

The coach remembered how Lawson came to Mobile Christian as a left-handed pitcher. “A great baseball player,” he added. “The surprise is that he became a football player and carried it as far as he had.”

Lawson will anchor an Alabama defense expected to be one of the SEC’s most stout.

For Cottrell, Lawson will always be the kid mature beyond his years.

“He never really made a decision without discussing it with his parents,” he said. “Often times, he would ask me. Some of the discussions we used to have I will remember the rest of my life. The maturity and commitment to trying to be a great individual and being a great teammate is what I remember most.”

Lawson includes Cottrell among “people that helped me get to where I am today. I definitely had a lot of people to look at in ways of ‘don’t do that’ or ‘do that.’ So, I think that kind of motivated me as well.”

Cottrell deflected much of the praise, simply citing their conversations as personal. He did said he helped get Lawson in front of “people who have wisdom” when the linebacker was deciding whether to stay at Alabama or go pro.

“I was a facilitator more than anything,” he said.

It was evident Cottrell still talks about Lawson as a proud parent.

“He isn’t finished yet.”

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.

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.