The 2014 edition of the Alabama football team will commence practice this Saturday. The month long affair will culminate April 19 with the annual public scrimmage.
Excluding roughly 18 players who will not officially arrive until the fall semester, Alabama will welcome the 2013 returning roster including a total of eight early enrollees from the newly inked 2014 signing class.
In respect to the news wire, as a whole, life around the Alabama football program has been rather "quiet" since the fireworks that were national signing day. The Crimson Tide program has certainly been in the news, but no single story has been of the "quaking" variety, which is certainly desired, especially during the offseason. We all know the old saying in respect to idle hands...
Listed below are several stories that made headlines, in some capacity, since mid February.
*Click the yellow text within the content to read additional information on the news in question.*
Legal issues plague two former players
In mid February, former Crimson Tide running back Dee Hart was arrested at a Tuscaloosa convenience store on charges of providing false information, attempting to pay with counterfeit money, and possession of marijuana.
Per UA officials, Hart has not been a member of the football program since the Sugar Bowl. Tide coach Nick Saban has met the media on a few occasions this year, most notably national signing day, and at no time was Hart's departure relayed verbally to the media or general public during a press conference.
Per 247Sports, Dee Hart informed Nick Saban near the end of 2013 that he would not return to the Alabama football team in 2014.
— The Crimson Elephant (@BamaFootballTCE) February 17, 2014
Former Crimson Tide player Wilson Love has also found himself tied in legal issues. Love is being sued by a fraternity brother for an alleged assault that took place in March of 2012.Love, who graduated from the University of Alabama in December, chose to leave the Alabama program following the Sugar Bowl.
Knowing the rules
Since the early portion of February, no story in the college football arena has been discussed more than the "10-second rule" proposal.
Without beating a dead horse, or in the case of rival fans and media members, beating Nick Saban with a hickory stick, just know that for now, the rule has been tabled.
Rivals fans rarely give Nick Saban credit for winning, but they're always quick to give him credit for the "power" over college football that he doesn't have.
In conclusion, the topic of the rule proposal was never really about the rule, but yet another excuse for media members and ignorant college football fans to throw jabs at Satan, err...Saban.
Saban on the perception of him pushing an agenda: "Everyone seems to know what I think ... without ever talking to me."
— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) March 5, 2014
One rule that was not tabled, but passed with ease, was in the area of targeting. The silly and illogical 15-yard penalty that was in place after a targeting penalty was overturned, has in itself, been overturned. In 2014, if a targeting call is reversed, so is the penalty. Coaching news
-Former Alabama wide receivers coach Mike Groh has been sued by the University of Alabama for refusal to pay his contract buyout.
-Alex Mortensen, the son of ESPN's Chris Mortensen, has joined the Alabama staff as an offensive graduate assistant.
-Decorated high school football coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim has left his position at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, D.C. to join the Alabama staff.
-Doug Belk, most recently the defensive backs coach at Valdosta State, has left his position to join the Alabama staff as a defensive graduate assistant. *The Belk story is noted under the February 28 tracker listing in the link provided.*
2015 verbal commitment
Three-star defensive end Anfernee Jennings, the pride of Dadeville High School, has given his verbal commitment to Alabama.
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