The 26 total players, including eight mid-year enrollees, come from eight states – Alabama (8), Georgia (8), Florida (4), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Tennessee (1), Texas (1) and Virginia (1).

As of 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Alabama’s 2012 signing class is currently ranked first nationally by Rivals.com, ESPNU, MaxPreps and 247sports.com. The Crimson Tide is ranked second in the Scout.com team rankings.

As listed by position, the Crimson Tide add to their roster five defensive linemen, five linebackers, four defensive backs, three wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two running backs, one tight end, one athlete, one place-kicker and one quarterback.

Eight players – Ryan Anderson (LB), Deion Belue (DB), Chris Black (WR), Amari Cooper (WR), Travell Dixon (DB), Dillon Lee (LB), Alphonse Taylor (DL) and T.J. Yeldon (RB) – are already attending classes at the University. They all enrolled in January, began taking classes for the spring 2011 semester and will be able to participate in Alabama’s spring football practices. The other 18 players signed national letters of intent today. The Crimson Tide had nine players enroll in the spring of 2011, 11 in 2010 and four in 2009.

Among the 26 players are:
• 9 players participated in the Under Armour All-America Game – Dakota Ball; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Brandon Greene; Cyrus Jones; Korren Kirven; Reggie Ragland; Eddie Williams
• 3 players participated in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl game – Dillon Lee; Geno Smith; T.J. Yeldon
• 2 members of the Parade Magazine prep All-America team – Landon Collins; Cyrus Jones
• 3 members of the USA Today’s 2011 All-USA High School Football Team – Landon Collins; Caleb Gulledge; T.J. Yeldon
• 5 members of the SuperPrep Elite 50 – Landon Collins; Cyrus Jones; Reggie Ragland; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 15 SuperPrep All-Americans – Ryan Anderson; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Denzel Devall; Kenyan Drake; Tyler Hayes; Cyrus Jones; Korren Kirven; Dillon Lee; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Dalvin Tomlinson; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 13 players in the ESPNU 150 – Ryan Anderson; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Brandon Greene; Tyler Hayes; Cyrus Jones; Korren Kirven; Dillon Lee; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 7 players on the PrepStar 150 Dream Team – Landon Collins; Denzel Devall; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Dalvin Tomlinson; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 9 players named to the Rivals.com 100 – Ryan Anderson; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Cyrus Jones; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 15 players in the Rivals 250 – Ryan Anderson; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Denzel Devall; Kenyan Drake; Tyler Hayes; Cyrus Jones; Korren Kirven; Dillon Lee; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Dalvin Tomlinson; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 15 players in the 247sports.com Top 247 – Ryan Anderson; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Denzel Devall; Kenyan Drake; Brandon Greene; Tyler Hayes; Cyrus Jones; Korren Kirven; Dillon Lee; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon
• 15 players named to The Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 – Ryan Anderson; Chris Black; Landon Collins; Amari Cooper; Denzel Devall; Kenyan Drake; Brandon Greene; Tyler Hayes; Dillon Lee; Reggie Ragland; Geno Smith; Alphonse Taylor; Dalvin Tomlinson; Eddie Williams; T.J. Yeldon

2012 Alabama Football Signing Class
January Enrollees
NAME                         POS       HT       WT       CL         HOMETOWN/SCHOOL                
Ryan Anderson               LB         6-2       244       Fr.        Daphne, Ala./Daphne
Deion Belue                 DB       5-11     178       Jr.        Tuscumbia, Ala./Northeast Mississippi CC/Deshler
Chris Black                   WR       5-11     170       Fr.        Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast
Amari Cooper               WR       6-1       190       Fr.        Miami, Fla./Northwestern
Travell Dixon                 DB       6-1       191       Jr.        Miami, Fla./Eastern Arizona CC/Norland
Dillon Lee                     LB         6-4       240       Fr.        Buford, Ga./Buford
Alphonse Taylor             DL       6-5       340       Fr.        Mobile, Ala./Davidson
T.J. Yeldon                   RB       6-2       210       Fr.        Daphne, Ala./Daphne

February Signees
NAME                         POS       HT       WT       CL         HOMETOWN/SCHOOL                
Dakota Ball                   DL       6-2       295       Fr.        Lindale, Ga./Pepperell
Landon Collins               DB       6-0       202       Fr.        Geismar, La./Dutchtown
Denzel Devall                 LB         6-2       243       Fr.        Bastrop, La./Bastrop
Kenyan Drake               RB       6-1       204       Fr.        Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove
Kurt Freitag                   TE         6-4       240       Fr.        Buford, Ga./Buford
Brandon Greene             OL       6-5       292       Fr.        Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove
Adam Griffith                 PK       5-10     174       Fr.        Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun
Caleb Gulledge               OL       6-4       280       Fr.        Prattville, Ala./Prattville
Tyler Hayes                   LB         6-2       210       Fr.        Thomasville, Ala./Thomasville
Brandon Hill                 OL       6-6       350       Fr.        Collierville, Tenn./St. George’s
Cyrus Jones                   ATH       5-10     192       Fr.        Baltimore, Md./Gilman
Korren Kirven               DL       6-5       292       Fr.        Lynchburg, Va./Brookville
Darren Lake                 DL       6-3       315       Fr.        York, Ala./Sumter Central
Alec Morris                   QB       6-3       225       Fr.        Allen, Texas/Allen
Reggie Ragland               LB         6-2       247       Fr.        Madison, Ala./Bob Jones
Geno Smith                   DB       6-0       182       Fr.        Atlanta, Ga./St. Pius X
Dalvin Tomlinson             DL       6-2       266       Fr.        McDonough, Ga./Henry County
Eddie Williams               WR       6-3       204       Fr.        Panama City Beach, Fla./Arnold

Ryan Anderson
LB, 6-2, 244, Daphne, Ala. (Daphne)
Ryan Anderson comes to the Capstone as one of the fastest risers in the class of 2012 … a five-star prospect by 247sports.com who is ranked as the nation’s No. 19 overall prospect and the No. 1 outside linebacker … 247sports.com also ranks him as the No. 2 player in Alabama … ranked 93rd in the ESPNU 150 and the site’s No. 7 outside linebacker … has four stars from ESPNU, Scout.com and Rivals.com … listed at No. 98 in the Rivals100 as well as the No. 6 outside linebacker … Scout.com has him as the No. 22 defensive end prospect … No. 5 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Elite 18 and No. 33 in the Super Southeast 120 … a SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 25 linebacker … also listed as the No. 8 player in Alabama by SuperPrep … PrepStar All-Southeast Region … a member of the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Super 12 … an ASWA 6A All-State selection … No. 3 on the Birmingham News Super Seniors list … turned in a strong showing at the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star Game … coached by Glenn Vickery at Daphne … had 105 tackles and 12 sacks as a senior in 2011 … posted 75 stops and 14.5 sacks as a junior, helping Daphne to the state championship … second cousin of former Alabama standout and current Kansas City Chief, Wallace Gilberry … teammates with current Alabama freshman T.J. Yeldon at Daphne High School … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida State, Tennessee and Illinois. 

Dakota Ball
DL, 6-2, 295, Lindale, Ga. (Pepperell)
Dakota Ball is a strong and active defensive lineman with a good motor … turned in a solid effort as a starting defensive tackle in the Under Armour All-America Game … a four-star prospect by MaxPrep’s Tom Lemming … three-star defensive lineman by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247sports.com and ESPNU … Scout.com ranks Ball as the nation’s No. 27 defensive tackle prospect … Rivals.com rates him at No. 29 among defensive tackles and the No. 28 player in the state of Georgia … ESPNU considers him the No. 27 defensive tackles, 152nd among players in the Southeast and No. 35 in Georgia … 247sports.com ranks Ball as the No. 36 defensive tackle and the No. 35 player in Georgia … PrepStar All-Southeast Region … Georgia Sports Writers Association AA All-State selection as a senior when he made 73 tackles with 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 38 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, including one he returned for a touchdown … coached by Jeff Shifflett at Pepperell High School … chose Alabama over Georgia, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Clemson and South Carolina. 

Deion Belue
DB, 5-11, 178, Tuscumbia, Ala. (Northeast Mississippi CC/Deshler)
Deion Belue signed with the Crimson Tide in 2010 and comes to Tuscaloosa after two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College … has proven to be a playmaker on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball in high school but excelled at defensive back in junior college … a second-team NJCAA All-American in 2011 after recording 24 tackles with two tackles for loss, one sack and one interception …. started at NEMCC … ranked by 247sports.com as a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 7 JUCO player … coming out of high school at Deshler was rated as the No. 7 player in the state of Alabama by the Tuscaloosa News and was No. 16 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Elite 18 … listed as the No. 21 cornerback by Scout.com and the No. 39 athlete by ESPNU … a two-time Alabama Sports Writers Association 4A All-State selection, named as a defensive back in 2008 and an athlete in 2009 … rated 12th in the Birmingham News’ 2010 Super Senior rankings … competed in the Alabama/Mississippi High School All-State Game … recorded 70 tackles as a junior in 2008 with four interceptions ¬– with two returned for touchdowns … also returned two punts and one kickoff for touchdowns while hauling in over 800 yards receiving and five touchdowns … picked the Crimson Tide over Auburn and Southern Miss.

Chris Black
WR, 5-11, 170, Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast)
Chris Black ranks as one of the top wide receiver prospects in the nation … an explosive athlete with 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash and a 36-inch vertical … a consensus four-star prospect … EPSNU lists Black at No. 22 in the ESPNU 150 and the No. 2 wide receiver prospect … No. 10 in the ESPNU Top 100 Southeast Recruits and the No. 5 player in the state of Florida … played in the Under Armour All-America Game … 247sports.com has Black ranked 42nd nationally, the No. 4 wide receiver and the No. 8 player in Florida … listed at No. 58 in the Rivals100 and is the website’s No. 8 wide receiver prospect and the No. 11 player in Florida … Scout.com rates him as the nation’s No. 19 wide out … No. 23 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … a SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 13 wide receiver … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region selection … a first-team Florida High School Sports Association 7A All-State selection … No. 77 in Tom Lemmings Top 100 nationally and the No. 7 wide receiver … ranked 11th in the Orlando Sentinel’s Florida Top 100 … also listed as the No. 10 player in Florida by SuperPrep … caught 55 passes for 881 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2011 while rushing for 222 yards on 22 carries for 10.1 yards per carry … hauled in 49 receptions for 990 yards and 12 scores as a junior in 2010 … coached by Marty Lee at First Coast … chose Alabama over Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Notre Dame, Miami, Clemson and Tennessee.

Landon Collins
DB, 6-0, 202, Geismar, La. (Dutchtown)
One of the top players in the nation, Landon Collins is a key piece of the Alabama recruiting class in 2012 … a consensus five-star prospect and the No. 1 safety in the nation by ESPNU and 247sports.com and a unanimous top player in the state of Louisiana … a Parade All-American … first-team USA Today High School All-American … the No. 3 prospect nationally by 247sports.com and the No. 6 overall talent by ESPNU … starred in the Under Armour All-American Game, recording an interception and keying a goal-line stand … ESPNU has Collins as the No. 2 overall recruit in the Southeast … MaxPrep’s Tom Lemming ranks him as the No. 10 overall player and the top safety … Rivals.com rates him as the No. 17 overall player and the No. 2 safety while Scout.com lists him 20th overall and the No. 2 safety … No. 3 on the SuperPrep Elite 50 list … a SuperPrep All-American, the publication’s No. 1 defensive back and the top player in Louisiana as well as the SuperPrep Southwest Defensive Player of the Year …  No. 19 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 1 safety … No. 3 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … 2012 247sports.com All-American as a defensive back … selected to the Orlando Sentinel’s All-Southern team … was clocked at 4.39 in the 40-yard dash with an astounding 43.5-inch vertical … excelled on both sides of the ball as a senior, becoming the first player in Louisiana Sports Writers Association history to earn 5A All-State honors on both sides of the ball … also LSWA 5A All-State selection as a junior … had 34 tackles with four interceptions – two returned for touchdowns – on the defensive side of the ball while rushing for 1,218 yards and 21 touchdowns on offense while averaging 13.7 yards per carry … as a junior in 2010, recorded 102, tackles with 12 tackles for loss and four interceptions … had 26 tackles with 1.5 sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery as a sophomore in 2009 … coached by Benny Saia … one of the top players in the country, Collins had his choice of programs from across the nation.

Amari Cooper
WR, 6-1, 190, Miami, Fla. (Northwestern)
Amari Cooper brings big-play ability to Alabama after a prolific senior season at Miami Northwestern … a fast-riser in the scouting services, Cooper showed why he was one of the nation’s best at the Under Armour All-America Game where he had a 75-yard touchdown grab and a 93-yard punt return for a score … a consensus four-star prospect … No. 45 in the Rivals100 and ranked as the No. 6 wide receiver and No. 8 player in Florida … ESPNU lists him as the nation’s No. 7 wide out and No. 46 in the ESPNU 150 while ranking 25th in the ESPNU Southeast Top 100 and No. 12 in Florida … 247sports.com has him the No. 6 wide receiver and the No. 10 player in the state of Florida while ranking him 56th in the Top247 … Scout.com rates him as the No. 12 pass catcher … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … No. 13 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … a SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 14 wide receiver … a first-team Florida High School Sports Association 8A All-State selection … ranked fourth the Orlando Sentinel’s Florida Top 100 … also listed as the No. 11 player in Florida by SuperPrep … caught 33 passes for 722 yards as a senior after hauling in 16 grabs for 175 yards and four scores in 2010 … coached by Billy Rolle at Miami Northwestern … chose Alabama over Florida State, Miami and Ohio State.

Denzel Devall
LB, 6-2, 243, Bastrop, La. (Bastrop)
Denzel Devall arrives in Tuscaloosa as one of the top players from the state of Louisiana … a physical linebacker with good size and skill, Devall is ranked as the nation’s 111th-overall prospect by 247sports.com and No. 122 in the Rivals250 … a consensus four-star player who is projected at linebacker in college … Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 2 player in Louisiana and the country’s No. 5 linebacker prospect … 247sports.com rates him as the No. 3 player in the state and the ninth-best inside linebacker target … Scout.com lists him at No. 8 among middle linebackers nationally … a SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 5 linebacker nationally … SuperPrep’s No. 3 player in Louisiana … ESPNU ranks Devall as the No. 98 player in the southeast and the No. 22 defensive end …  No. 48 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … No. 131 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 11 defensive end … 2011 Louisiana Sports Writers Association 4A All-State selection … recorded 73 tackles as a senior at Bastrop High School, logging 53 solo stops, two sacks, three pass breakups, one fumble forced and one fumble recovery … coached by Thomas Bachman … chose Alabama over LSU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas and TCU.

Travell Dixon
DB, 6-1, 191, Miami, Fla. (Eastern Arizona College/Norland)
Travell Dixon brings maturity and experience to the Alabama secondary in 2012 … the junior-college signee was a key target for the Crimson Tide, who must replace three starters in the secondary … a consensus four-star prospect by Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247sports.com ... a first-team National Junior College Athletics Association All-American as a sophomore at Eastern Arizona Community College in 2011 … ranks as the nation’s No. 3 JUCO prospect in the Rivals.com JUCO Top 50 and the No. 9 junior college player by 247sports.com … SuperPrep lists him as the No. 3 player in its JUCO Top 100 … recorded 39 tackles with four interceptions, four pass breakups and one fumble recovery in 2011 … had 26 tackles and three picks as a freshman in 2010 when he earned first-team All-Region and All-WSFL recognition … led all of Dade County in interceptions with seven in 2008 at Norland High School …. also made 30 tackles and forced two fumbles … chose Alabama over Florida State, Miami, Arkansas, Arizona, Arizona State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

Kenyan Drake
RB, 6-1, 204, Powder Springs, Ga. (Hillgrove)
Kenyan Drake is a consensus four-star prospect and one of the top players in Georgia … versatile athlete who earned Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 honors … the No. 88 player national in the 247sports.com Top 247 while ranking as the service’s No. 4 all-purpose running back and the No. 7 player in the state of Georgia … Rivals.com lists Drake as the country’s No. 13 running back and 185th in the Rivals250 … also the No. 13 prospect in Georgia by Rivals.com … ESPNU ranks him as the No. 15 running back and the No. 105 player in the ESPNU Southeast Top 150 … Scout.com rates Drake as the No. 17 running back nationally … No. 57 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … second-team All-State selection by the Georgia Sports Writers Association in 2010 and 2011 … named to the All-Cobb County team and All-Region 4-AAAAA … rushed for 1,610 yards on 175 carries as a senior with 18 rushing touchdowns while averaging 9.2 yards per carry … also had 315 receiving yards with five scores while returning two kickoffs for touchdowns … Georgia’s Gatorade Player of the Year … won the 100-meter championship in AAAAA … coached by David Ironside at Hillgrove High School … chose Alabama over Georgia, Georgia Tech, Tennessee and Purdue.

Kurt Freitag
TE, 6-4, 240, Buford, Ga. (Buford)
Kurt Freitag hails from powerhouse Buford High School in Georgia … the Tide’s only tight end in the class of 2012 … a physical player who excels as a blocker on the edge with excellent hands … ESPNU has him as a four-star talent and the nation’s No. 13 tight end … No. 124 in ESPNU’s Southeast Top 150 and the No. 25 player in Georgia … Rivals.com has Freitag as a three-star prospect and the No. 13 tight end nationally as well as No. 27 in the Peach State … Scout.com lists him as the No. 20 tight end … 247sports.com has him as the No. 22 tight end … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … a first-team Georgia Sports Writers Association AA All-State selection in 2011 after earning second-team GSWA All-State accolades in 2010 as a junior … was a 2011 Super 6 choice by the Gwinnett Daily Post … SuperPrep ranks him as the No. 20 player in Georgia … coached by Jess Simpson at Buford High School, which won four straight Georgia State Championships from 2007-2010 … chose Alabama over Florida, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Brandon Greene
OL, 6-5, 292, Ellenwood, Ga. (Cedar Grove)
Brandon Greene comes to the Capstone as one of the top offensive line recruits in the nation … a consensus four-star prospect who is among the best players in the state of Georgia … played in the Under Armour All-American Game … ESPNU rates Greene as the No. 6 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 30 overall prospect in the ESPNU 150 … also ranked as the No. 2 talent in Georgia by ESPNU and is 15th in the ESPNU Southeast 150 … 247sports.com lists him at No. 141 in the Top247 and the site’s No. 17 offensive tackle … No. 33 offensive tackle by Rivals.com and the No. 20 tackle by Scout.com … the No. 18 player from Georgia by SuperPrep … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … Tom Lemming of MaxPreps lists him as one of the top 50 offensive linemen … No. 93 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … first-team Georgia Sports Writers Association All-State selection in 2010 and 2011 … played for Raymond Bonner at Cedar Grove High School … chose Alabama over Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Adam Griffith
PK, 5-10, 174, Calhoun, Ga. (Calhoun)
Adam Griffith is one of the nation’s top incoming place-kickers … ranked as the nation’s No. 1 place-kicker by 247sports.com and Scout.com … Rivals.com rates Griffin as the No. 2 kicker nationally … a consensus three-star recruit who combines a strong leg and accurate kicks … also outstanding on kickoffs, averaging 68 per kick … competed at the 2012 U.S. Semper Fidelis All-American Game for the East squad … nailed a 32-yard field goal in overtime inside Atlanta’s Georgia Dome to carry Calhoun to the Georgia AA State Championship over Buford in 2011 … also connected from 46 yards in the state championship game … long kick in 2011 was 52 yards … 247sports.com’s No. 49 player in Georgia … ESPNU has him as the No. 7 place-kicker nationally and No. 303 overall in the Southeast … hit on 9-of-14 field goals as a junior in 2010, including two from beyond 50 yards … had 43 of his 56 kickoffs go for touchbacks in 2010 … two-time Georgia Sports Writers Association All-State selection … coached by Hal Lamb at Calhoun High School … chose Alabama over Georgia, LSU and Vanderbilt.

Caleb Gulledge
OL, 6-4, 280, Prattville, Ala. (Prattville)
Caleb Gulledge is a physical player who picked up an Alabama offer prior to his junior season … excelled on the offense line where he helped Prattville High School win the 2011 Alabama 6A State Championship … earned second-team All-America honors from USA Today as a defensive lineman … played in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star game … 247sports.com has Gulledge as the No. 23 player in Alabama and the No. 62 offensive line prospect … SuperPrep lists him as the No. 25 player in Alabama while Rivals.com ranks him 30th and ESPNU 37th … Rivals.com also lists him as the No. 32 offensive guard with Scout.com ranking him 66th among offensive tackle prospects … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … a three-star prospect … honorable mention ASWA 6A All-State selection … coached by Jamey Dubose at Prattville High School where he started for three years and helped the Lions earn 33 wins during that time … chose Alabama over Florida State, Kentucky and Wake Forest.

Tyler Hayes
LB, 6-2, 210, Thomasville, Ala. (Thomasville)
Tyler Hayes is a versatile athlete who comes to the Capstone as a consensus four-star prospect … starred at both linebacker and running back at Thomasville High School where he led the Tigers to the 2010 Alabama 4A State Championship … ESPNU lists him as the 10th-best outside linebacker in the nation and had him at No. 121 in the ESPNU 150 … also 56th in the southeast by ESPNU and No. 8 in Alabama … 247sports.com has Hayes at No. 126 in their Top247 and the No. 10 outside linebacker nationally … Scout.com lists him as the No. 11 outside linebacker while he is No. 151 in the Rivals250 and the No. 6 talent in Alabama … SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 34 linebacker as well as the No. 10 player in the state of Alabama … No. 6 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Elite 18 and No. 44 in the Super Southeast 120 … No. 6 on the Birmingham News Super Seniors list … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … recorded 97 tackles as a senior at Thomasville with five sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception on the defensive side of the football while rushing for 716 yards on offense with 11 rushing touchdowns … as a junior in 2010 had 69 stops with 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries while rushing for 393 yards with 131 yards receiving … two-time first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State selection … coached by Jack Hankins … chose Alabama over Auburn and Southern Miss. 

Brandon Hill
OL, 6-6, 350, Collierville, Tenn. (St. George’s)
Brandon Hill arrives at Alabama with a lot of potential along the offensive line … a massive prospect who has good athleticism and quickness for his size … MaxPrep 2011 U.S. Air Force Medium Schools All-American … Scout.com rates him as the nation’s No. 25 offensive guard prospect … the No. 9 player in Tennessee by 247sports.com and the site’s No. 46 offensive tackle prospect … SuperPrep ranks him 11th in the state of Tennessee … earned All-State honors in Tennessee at the Division 2A level … Rivals.com has Hill as the No. 57 offensive tackle and the No. 18 player in Tennessee … ESPNU lists him as the No. 77 tackle nationally and the No. 19 player in Tennessee … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … a three-star recruit … helped St. George capture the Class A Division II Tennessee State Championship … coached by Brent Hill … chose Alabama over Georgia, Mississippi State, Mississippi and Kentucky.

Cyrus Jones
ATH, 5-10, 192, Baltimore, Md. (Gilman)
A true athlete in every sense of the word, Cyrus Jones can do a little bit of everything and should be a productive player for the Crimson Tide wherever he ends up contributing … can play wide receiver or defensive back while excelling at punt and kickoff returns … clocked at 4.45 in the 40-yard dash with a 37.5-inch vertical leap … turned in a great performance at the Under Armour All-America Game … Parade All-American … a five-star wide receiver by Scout.com and the No. 45 player in the nation … a four-star prospect by Rivals.com, 247sports.com and ESPNU … the No. 20 player in the ESPNU 150 and the No. 4 athlete … also ranked No. 4 in the ESPNU East Region and the No. 2 player in Maryland … 247sports.com rates him as the No. 8 athlete and No. 76 in the Top247 … also tabbed by 247sports.com as the state’s No. 3 talent … No. 79 in the Rivals100 … Rivals.com lists him as the No. 6 athlete nationally and the third-best player in Maryland … a SuperPrep All-American who is ranked 46th on the publication’s Elite 50 list … the No. 3 athlete nationally by SuperPrep and the No. 4 player in Maryland … PrepStar All-American and All-Atlantic Region choice … 2011 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year … No. 76 in Tom Lemmings Top 100 nationally and the No. 7 athlete … consensus All-State player as a junior and senior … Baltimore Sun All-Metro team in 2010 and 2011 … played running back, slot and cornerback at Gilman High School where he was coached by Biff Poggi … Baltimore Sun 2011 Metro Offensive Player of the Year … accounted for 2,365 all-purpose yards as a senior with 24 touchdowns while recording five interceptions on the defensive side of the ball … chose Alabama over Virginia Tech, Auburn, Ohio State and Maryland.

Korren Kirven
DL, 6-5, 292, Lynchburg, Va. (Brookville)
A signing day pickup for the Crimson Tide, Korren Kirven is a tough and explosive defensive lineman … an elite defensive line prospect who played in the Under Armour All-America Game … No. 100 in the ESPNU 150 and the eight-best defensive tackle … ESPNU rates him as the No. 2 player in the state of Virginia and the No. 12 player in the ESPNU East Region … 247sports.com has Kirven as the No. 6 player in Virginia and the No. 15 defensive tackle while ranking No. 189 in the Top247 … Scout.com also lists him as the 15th-best defensive tackle … Rivals.com has him at No. 206 in the Rivals250, the No. 16 defensive tackle and No. 7 in Virginia … a SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 35 defensive line prospect and No. 8 player in Virginia … PrepStar All-American and All-Atlantic Region choice … first-team All-State as a senior in 2011 after accounting for 15 sacks … coached by Jeff Woody at Brookville High School … helped the Bees win the Virginia AA Division 3 State Championship… chose Alabama over Virginia Tech and Tennessee.

Darren Lake
DL, 6-3, 315, York, Ala. (Sumter County)
A massive defensive line prospect who fits well into the Crimson Tide’s 3-4 alignment at nose guard … No. 184 in Tom Lemming’s MaxPreps Top 200 and the No. 12 defensive tackle … three-star defensive lineman by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247sports.com and ESPNU … Scout.com ranks Lake as the nation’s No. 24 defensive tackle prospect … Rivals.com rates him at No. 20 among players in the state of Alabama … ESPNU considers him the No. 54 defensive tackle, 317th among players in the Southeast and No. 28 in Alabama … 247sports.com ranks Lake as the No. 38 defensive tackle and the No. 17 prospect in Alabama … No. 16 on the Mobile Press-Register’s 2012 Elite 18 … SuperPrep rates him as the No. 19 player in the state … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … had 48 tackles with five sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup and one safety … earned first-team Alabama Sports Writers Association 4A All-State honors as a senior … coached by Andre Pickering at Sumter County High School … chose Alabama over Tennessee.

Dillon Lee
LB, 6-4, 240, Buford, Ga. (Buford)
Dillon Lee gives the Crimson Tide an athletic and physical linebacker for its 3-4 scheme … an early enrollee, Lee runs a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and boasts a vertical of 35.5 inches … a unanimous four-star prospect in the four recruiting services … ranks 59th in the ESPNU 150 … the sixth-ranked outside linebacker by ESPNU and the No. 5 player in Georgia … ESPNU also lists Lee as the No. 29 player in the Southeast … No. 105 in the Rivals250 and the website’s No. 3 outside linebacker as well as the No. 9 prospect in the state of Georgia … Scout.com rates him as the nation’s No. 4 middle linebacker while 247sports.com lists him at No. 150 in the Top247 … the No. 12 outside linebacker by 247sports.com and the 13th-ranked player in Georgia … Georgia Sports Writers Association AA All-State selections … No. 41 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … a SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 7 linebacker … also listed as the No. 5 player in Georgia by SuperPrep … Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 … Gwinnett Daily Post Super Six … No. 146 in Tom Lemming’s MaxPreps Top 200 and the No. 7 inside linebacker … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … MaxPreps Small School All-American led a Buford defense that allowed just 7.3 points per game … had 84 tackles with 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks along with five interceptions and a fumble recovery in 2010 … also played tight end for Buford … brother, Dallas, is an offensive lineman at Georgia … coached by Jess Simpson at Buford High School, which won four straight Georgia State Championships from 2007-2010 … chose Alabama over Florida State, Florida, Auburn and Clemson.

Alec Morris
QB, 6-3, 225, Allen, Texas (Allen)
Alec Morris is the only quarterback in the Crimson Tide’s 2012 signing class … a strong-armed Texan who should fit well into Alabama’s pro-style offense … 247sports.com ranks Morris as the nation’s NO. 26 pro-style passer and the No. 85 talent in Texas … Rivals.com rates him 30th among pro-style signal callers and 100th in Texas … Scout.com lists him as the country’s No. 37 quarterback … ESPNU ranks him 46th among quarterbacks nationally and the No. 101 prospect in Texas … ESPNU also ranks him 132nd in the Midlands Region … SuperPrep has him as at No. 120 in Texas … a consensus three-start prospect … PrepStar All-Midlands Region selection … averaged 270.7 passing yards per game (3,242 yards) in 2011 with 35 touchdowns and just six interceptions … ran for 329 yards with nine rushing scores as a senior … completed 202-of-329 passes (61.4 percent) as a junior in 2010 threw for 2,534 yards with 22 touchdowns while completing 63.6 percent of his passes (189 of 297) … also rushed for 216 yards and eight scores in 2010 … coached by Tom Westerberg at Allen High School … chose Alabama over Wake Forest, Michigan State and Virginia.

Reggie Ragland
LB, 6-2, 247, Madison, Ala. (Bob Jones)
One of the most decorated linebacker prospects nationally … a physically imposing linebacker who is impressive against the run and can anchor the point of attack … garnered a five-star grade from Scout.com and ranked as the website’s No. 1 middle linebacker prospect and No. 9 overall player in the class … has excellent numbers with a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and a 34.5-inch vertical … also the No. 1 middle linebacker prospect by Rivals.com and a four-star athlete … the No. 43 player in the Rivals100 while ranking as the No. 4 player in Alabama … 247sports.com has him at No. 39 in its final Top247 rankings while rating him as the No. 2 inside linebacker and the fourth-best player in the state … No. 109 in the ESPNU 150 and the site’s No. 2 middle linebacker … 49th in the ESPNU Southeast Top 100 and No. 6 in the state of Alabama … SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 38 player on the Elite 50 … SuperPrep’s No. 1 linebacker nationally and No. 3 player in Alabama … No. 33 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 4 linebacker … a three-time first-team ASWA 6A All-State honoree …  No. 4 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Elite 18 and No. 25 in the Super Southeast 120 … No. 4 on the Birmingham News Super Seniors list … No. 11 outside linebacker by MaxPrep’s Tom Lemming … as a senior in 2011 made 97 tackles with 22 tackles for loss and six sacks … had 91 tackles as a junior in 2010 with 21 tackles for loss … as a sophomore had 40 receptions as a tight end and six touchdowns … also played basketball on Bob Jones’ 2009-10 Alabama State Championship team … coached by Kevin Rose … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida and Tennessee. 

Geno Smith
DB, 6-0, 182, Atlanta, Ga. (St. Pius X)
Geno Smith give the Crimson Tide a top-flight cornerback prospect with excellent cover skills … the Atlanta-area star out of St. Pius X is a consensus four-star talent … ESPNU has tabbed Smith as the nation’s second-best cornerback and the No. 31 player in the 2012 ESPNU 150 … also the No. 16 prospect in the ESPNU Southeast Top 100 and the No. 3 player in the state of Georgia … 247sports.com rates him as the No. 66 player in the Top247, the No. 6 cornerback and the No. 5 player in the state … ranked 88th in the Rivals100 and the service’s No. 8 corner as well as the No. 4 talent in Georgia … Scout.com has him at No. 8 among cornerbacks … SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 3 player in the state of Georgia … also SuperPrep’s No. 10 defensive back (corners and safeties) prospect … No. 66 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 5 defensive back … a two-time first-team GSWA AAA All-State selection … Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 … MaxPrep 2011 U.S. Air Force Medium Schools All-American … No. 23 in Tom Lemming’s MaxPreps Top 100 and the No. 2 cornerback … No. 18 on the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … as a senior in 2011, Smith accounted for 80 tackles, three interceptions and over 800 yards rushing on offense … had eight interceptions as a junior and 14 pass breakups while making 47 tackles, three picks and 10 pass breakups as a sophomore in 2009 … coached by Paul Standard at St. Pius X … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Southern California, Arkansas, Stanford and Georgia Tech.

Alphonse Taylor
DL, 6-5, 340, Mobile, Ala. (Davidson)
Alphonse Taylor will give Alabama a big and physical presence in the middle of the defensive line … a four-star prospect by ESPNU … ranked as the site’s No. 15 defensive tackle and the No. 9 player in the State of Alabama … 247sports.com rates Taylor as the No. 33 offensive tackle with four stars and the state’s 13th-best talent … Scout.com ranks him as the No. 31 offensive tackle and gives him four stars while Rivals.com has him as the No. 26 defensive tackle … No. 100 on the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 and 10th in the paper’s Elite 18 (top 18 prospects in Alabama) … PrepStar All-Southeast Region selection … No. 11 on the Birmingham News Super Seniors list … the No. 12 player in the state of Alabama by SuperPrep … played in the Alabama Mississippi All-Star Game … honorable mention ASWA 6A All-State as a senior in 2011 ... recorded 30 tackles and four TFL in 2009 … chose Alabama over Florida State, Auburn, Georgia and LSU.

Dalvin Tomlinson
DL, 6-2, 266, McDonough, Ga. (Henry County)
Dalvin Tomlinson picked the Crimson Tide on signing day to help solidify an outstanding 2012 class of defensive linemen … a four-star talent with good power … ranked 149th in the Rivals250 … Rivals.com rates him as the No. 11 defensive tackle nationally and the No. 11 player in the state of Georgia … Scout.com ranks him as the country’s 17th-best defensive tackle … 247sports.com lists him as the No. 21 player in the Peach State and the No. 22 defensive tackle nationally … ESPNU three-star prospect who ranks 42nd among defensive tackles and 56th in Georgia … first-team Georgia Sports Writers Association AAA All-State selection … SuperPrep All-American and the publication’s No. 13 player in the state of Georgia … also SuperPrep’s No. 53 defensive line prospect (ends and tackles) … Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super 11 … No. 77 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Atlantic Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 11 defensive tackle … No. 50 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … had 109 tackles as a senior in 2011 with 8.5 sacks, four pass breakups and one blocked field goal … had 76 tackles with 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as a junior in 2010 … coached by Mike Rozier … chose Alabama over Georgia Tech

Eddie Williams
WR, 6-3, 204, Panama City Beach, Fla. (Arnold)
Eddie Williams was one of the Crimson Tide’s first commitments in the 2012 recruiting class and one of the nation’s top pure athletes who will play wide receiver at the Capstone … a consensus five-star recruit by ESPNU, Rivals.com and 247sports.com … No. 11 in the ESPNU 150 and its No. 2 athlete in the 2011 signing class … also the No. 4 player in the southeast and the No. 1 player in Florida by ESPNU … 247sports.com rates him at No. 8 nationally in its Top247 while listing him as the service’s No. 2 safety and the top player in the state of Florida … Rivals.com has him as the country’s top athlete, the No. 4 player in Florida and No. 24 in the Rivals100 … Scout.com lists him as the No. 3 safety prospect … played in the Under Armour All-American Game … No. 34 on SuperPrep’s Elite 50 list, earning All-America honors as the publication’s No. 6 defensive back (corners and safeties) … also ranks as SuperPrep’s No. 3 talent in Florida … No. 8 on the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120 … No. 3 safety in Tom Lemming’s MaxPrep rankings and the No. 83 overall prospect … No. 24 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 3 safety … played quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback and safety in high school at Arnold where he was coached by James Hale … earned first-team All-Bay County as a sophomore, junior and senior … 2011 first-team Florida 2A All-State selection … had 20 receptions for 483 yards and six touchdowns while rushing 59 times for 425 yards and five scores as a junior in 2010 on offense while making 31 tackles with two interceptions on defense … runs track and reached the Florida 2A finals in the 4x100 meter relay … chose Alabama over Florida State, Florida and Auburn.

T.J. Yeldon
RB, 6-2, 210, Daphne, Ala. (Daphne)
T.J. Yeldon is an elite running back prospect who should help the Crimson Tide continue a tradition of excellence at the position … Mr. Football in the state of Alabama by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and a first-team All-State selection by the ASWA … second-team USA Today High School All-American … a five-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247sports.com … the country’s No. 1 running back by 247sports.com and the No. 2 player in the state of Alabama … also 247sports.com’s 13th overall player in the Top 247 … the No. 2 running back according to Rivals.com and the site’s No. 12 in the Rivals100 and the No. 2 player in the state … ESPNU lists him with four stars and ranks him as the No. 4 running back … is No. 55 in the ESPNU 150 … is 28th in the ESPNU Southeast Top 100 and the No. 4 player in Alabama … Scout.com rates Yeldon with four stars and the No. 8 running back … SuperPrep All-American and the nation’s No. 6 running back … ranks 29th in SuperPrep’s Elite 50 and No. 2 player in the state … No. 55 on the PrepStar Dream Team … PrepStar All-American and All-Southeast Region choice … PrepStar’s No. 8 running back … No. 2 in the Mobile Press-Register’s Elite 18 and No. 5 in the Super Southeast 120 … No. 2 on the Birmingham News Super Seniors list … selected to the Orlando Sentinel’s All-Southern team … rushed for an astounding 2,193 yards on 232 carries and scored 31 touchdowns in 2011, averaging 9.5 yards per carry … also caught 19 passes for 506 yards and a score … totaled 1,112 yards and 18 scores on the ground as a junior in 2010 while also catching a career-best 34 passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns … had 1,121 yards on 201 carries as a sophomore with 34 catches for 361 yards and one TD … rushed for 227 yards and one score while hauling in 131 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air … finished his high school career with 4,653 yards on the ground with 65 rushing touchdowns while accounting for 1,502 receiving yards and eight scores … accumulated 6,155 yards from scrimmage in four years with 73 touchdowns … coached by Glenn Vickery at Daphne High School where they won the 2010 Alabama 6A State Championship … chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida, Arkansas and Clemson. 

“It’s always good to win, our guys certainly needed it,” Alabama head coach Anthony Grant said. “They came in with great poise and figured out, from a defensive standpoint, how to make us stay down a little bit.  We, I thought, had success in the first half attacking and being aggressive. Their zone really slowed us down, slowed the tempo of the game down. I’m proud of our guys for finding a way, when Arkansas took the lead during the second half; our guys never lost their poise, stayed with it and found a way to come out with the win. It was good to see our guys get stops at the end of the game, come up with some big rebounds and make some free throws to close it out.”

Alabama connected on 25-of-50 shots from the field, marking the seventh time this season the Crimson Tide has shot 50 percent or better in a game. Alabama notched 40 of its 72 points in the paint, while connecting on 20-of-25 free throws (80.0%), the third most the Tide has registered from the charity stripe this season.

The four players scoring in double-digits were the most this season since Alabama put five players in double digits during an 82-45 victory over Alabama A&M in the sixth game of the season on Nov. 23.

After trailing for much of the first half, Alabama outscored Arkansas 14-4 over the final 8:41 to take a 37-30 lead into halftime. The Crimson Tide took its first lead of the game, 28-26, at the 7:11 mark on a three-point basket by Releford, before finishing off the first half with a 7-1 run, with Releford accounting for all seven points.

After Arkansas came back to take the lead in the second half, the Tide trailed 56-54 with 6:59 left in the game, before unleashing a 9-0 run over a span of 4:17 to take a 63-56 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Green sparked the UA scoring burst, scoring five of the nine points during the stretch, as Alabama matched its biggest lead of the game. From there, Arkansas quickly pulled within two points before the Tide closed the game out at the free line, connecting on 7-of-8 free throws over the final stages.

Rickey Scott led Arkansas with 18 points.

The Tide will host the Mississippi Rebels in its next game on Feb. 4. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

Freshman guard Levi Randolph came off the bench to lead the way for Alabama (13-7, 2-4 SEC) with a 12-point performance that included a pair of three-pointers. Junior forward Tony Mitchell added 11 points and eight rebounds, while freshman forward Nick Jacobs logged 10 points.

In a game that included 13 ties and 12 lead changes, the Gamecocks were able to grab their first SEC victory of the season despite shooting 5-of-31 from beyond the three-point arc and 32.4 percent from the field.

“From my vantage point tonight – you had a team, in South Carolina, that played inspired basketball,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said. “They played as a team. We didn’t. It’s been an issue for us and it continues to plague us.”

Alabama opened up the game on a 5-0 run ending it with an electrifying dunk by Mitchell off an assist from Trevor Releford. At that point, South Carolina responded with a 9-0 run of their own with eight of those points coming from Malik Cooke. The Gamecocks’ biggest lead of the half came with 6:12 left in the first as they took a 23-19 advantage over the Crimson Tide. In reply, Alabama ended the half with another 5-0 run to lead South Carolina, 29-27.

The two teams continued to exchange leads to begin the second half with seven lead changes between them within the first 8:41of the half.  With the game winding down, Randolph made a layup with 1:03 left in the game to tie it up at 54-54. South Carolina’s Bruce Ellington scored his only points of the half on a driving jumper with a little more than one second left in the matchup to squeeze out the victory.

Cooke led the way for South Carolina (9-10, 1-4 SEC) with 18 points, leading all scorers, while Ellington and forward Domantre Harris had 12 points each. The Gamecocks’ win was first against Alabama since the 2008-09 season.

The Crimson Tide will play its next SEC matchup at Coleman Coliseum as it hosts Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (CST).

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

The Crimson Tide hopes to end its current three-game losing streak – the longest of the season – against South Carolina, which is looking for its first SEC win of the season. The Gamecocks return home with an 8-10 overall record and an 0-4 mark in league games against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida and Auburn. The Tide travels to Columbia, S.C., with a 13-6 overall record and a 2-3 showing in SEC games.

“They’re a team that is very dangerous from the three-point line,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said of South Carolina. “They’ve done a really good job of mixing up their defense to create turnovers and transition opportunities. Also, they’re a great rebounding team.”

In its most recent outing, UA suffered its third SEC loss of the season with a hard-fought 77-71 loss at No. 2 Kentucky. JaMychal Green surpassed the 1,500 career point mark in that game with a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double. It was the 23rd of his career, tops among active SEC players. Green currently leads the Tide with 14.2 points per game. He has averaged 13 points and eight rebounds against South Carolina and scored 20 in the meeting last season.

Trevor Releford has led Alabama in scoring in five of the last eight games and is averaging 15.5 points per game on 49-of-80 shooting (9-of-21 from three-point) with 23 assists and 23 steals during that span. In the win over LSU, he matched a season-high with 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting. In his last two outings, he has averaged 15.5 second half points.

South Carolina is led by Malik Cooke’s 12.2 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting. Bruce Ellington also averages double figures at 10.9 points per outing.

UA holds a 22-12 advantage in the series with the Gamecocks and has won three straight in the series. In the last meeting in Columbia, UA rallied back from a 14-point deficit for a 79-70 win, its first win in the current streak of three straight.

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

“I thought it was a very good college basketball game today,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said. “You had two teams out there that really battled and fought hard. I thought our guys certainly played with effort and the passion that, as a coach, you want to see. Unfortunately we weren’t able to make the plays down the stretch.”

Alabama senior forward JaMychal Green led Alabama with 22 points and 12 rebounds, registering the 23rd double-double of his career, while sophomore guard Trevor Releford added 17 points, all in the second half, for the Tide. Green became the 15th player in Alabama history to notch 1,500 career points and is one of only three active players in the SEC to accomplish that feat.

After trailing the Wildcats 37-32 at halftime, Alabama pulled within two points on six separate occasions and within one point on two occasions in the second half. However, the Tide could never grab the lead from the Wildcats who offset just one made field goal in the game’s final 6:52 by connecting on 15-of-18 free throws.

Terrence Jones, one of six Wildcats to score in double-figures, led Kentucky with 15 points.

Next up for Alabama is a road trip to Columbia, S.C. to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

Sophomore guard Trevor Releford led the Tide with 14 points to go with six steals and four rebounds, while freshman guard Levi Randolph notched a career-high 13 points. Freshman guard Trevor Lacey added 10 points for Alabama.

“I thought Vanderbilt was very good tonight,” UA head coach Anthony Grant said. “When you look at what they were able to do from a defensive standpoint, it really took us out of everything we wanted to do. They really limited our opportunities around the basket and contested everything on the perimeter.”

The Tide led 19-15 midway through the first half before an 11-0 Vanderbilt run gave the Commodores a 26-19 halftime lead. From there, Vanderbilt built the lead to as many as 23 points in the second half, holding off a late Alabama push that whittled the score down to the final 10 –point margin.

“I thought in the second half Vanderbilt was able to get some shots to fall, which really opened the game up,” Grant said. “Our guys really did fight all the way to the end, and they were able to cut the lead down, but we’ve got to regroup here in a very short amount of time.”

Vanderbilt guard John Jenkins scored a game-high 20 points to lead four Commodores who notched double figures in points scored.

Alabama travels to Lexington, Ky. to take on the Kentucky Wildcats this Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. (CST).

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

The group includes six high school players that graduated early to enroll at Alabama for the spring semester, and two junior-college signees. Alabama welcomes two defensive lineman, two wide receivers, two defensive backs, one running back and one linebacker for the start of the spring semester.

The January signees include defensive lineman Ryan Anderson (Daphne, Ala. /Daphne), wide receiver Chris Black (Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast), wide receiver Amari Cooper (Miami, Fla./Northwestern), linebacker Dillon Lee (Burford, Ga./Burford), defensive lineman Alphonse Taylor (Mobile, Ala./Davidson) and running back T.J. Yeldon (Daphne, Ala./Daphne).

The Crimson Tide also inked junior college defensive backs Deion Belue (Tuscumbia, Ala./Northeast Mississippi/Deshler) and Travell Dixon (Miami, Fla./Eastern Arizona/Norland). Belue, who originally signed with the Crimson Tide out of Deshler High School in 2010, is rated the No. 7 JUCO prospect in the nation by 247sports.com. Dixon checks in at No. 3 in the Rivals.com JUCO Top 50 and No. 9 in the 247sports.com rankings.

Yeldon gives the Tide one of the nation’s most coveted running backs. He is listed as the No. 1 running back nationally in the 247sports.com rankings and the No. 16 player overall nationally. Rivals.com has him at No. 12 overall and the No. 2 running back. Yeldon rushed for 2,193 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2011 while catching 19 balls for 244 yards and a score.

A pair of wide receivers, fresh off the Under Armour All-America game, also arrived on campus to bolster the receiving corps. Black, the No. 2 wide out nationally by ESPNU.com and the No. 3 pass-catcher by 247sports.com, caught 55 passes for 881 yards in 2011 after recording 990 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago. Cooper, considered the No. 8 wide receiver by Rivals.com and No. 9 by ESPNU.com, turned in an impressive performance at the Under Armour All-America game, hauling in a 75-yard touchdown catch and the following that up with a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown.

The Crimson Tide also added a pair of defensive linemen and a linebacker to round out its January enrollees. Lee is 53rd in the ESPNU 150 and ranked as the website’s No. 4 outside linebacker while Rivals.com lists Lee at No. 3. He had 84 tackles as a senior at Buford (Ga.) High School along with nine sacks, 17 tackles for loss and five interceptions.

Anderson gives the Tide an explosive athlete on the edge. He is ranked as the No. 51 player in the nation and the No. 8 outside linebacker by 247sports.com and the No. 98 overall player by Rivals.com. Taylor will provide Alabama with help at the nose guard position. He is No. 145 on the ESPNU 150 and a member of the Super Southeast 120 by the Mobile Press-Register.

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2012 Alabama Football January Enrollees (8)
       
Ryan Anderson           DL       Daphne, Ala./Daphne
Deion Belue               DB       Tuscumbia, Ala./Northeast Mississippi CC/Deshler
Chris Black                   WR       Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast
Amari Cooper             WR       Miami, Fla./Northwestern
Travell Dixon               DB       Miami, Fla./Eastern Arizona/Norland
Dillon Lee                   LB       Buford, Ga./Buford
Alphonse Taylor           DL       Mobile, Ala./Davidson
T.J. Yeldon                 RB       Daphne, Ala./Daphne

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

“We are excited to have Doug as our new offensive coordinator at Alabama,” said head coach Nick Saban. “Not only does he have a good deal of experience as a coach and a player both at the college and NFL level, but he also brings a great passion for the game and a lot of energy and enthusiasm.  At Washington, they were very productive on offense, especially with their quarterbacks. Jake Locker finished his career as one of the top passers in Washington history and was Tennessee’s first round pick. Keith Price stepped in as a first-year starter last season with very little experience, and not only set school records, but also ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency. I think Doug will be a great fit with us and we are looking forward to the Nussmeier family joining our staff at the University of Alabama.”

Last year, Washington’s offense scored 57 touchdowns and 431 points, the second-highest totals in school history (behind only the 1991 National Championship team). The 2011 season marks for passing yards (3,322) and total offense (5,328) were also second in UW record books. Nussmeier helped guide sophomore quarterback Keith Price to one of the top individual seasons at Washington as the first-year starter broke records for passing touchdowns (33), completion percentage (.669) and passing efficiency (161.9). That efficiency rating was seventh nationally and second in the Pac 12 behind only Andrew Luck of Stanford. The Huskies scored 30 or more points in nine of 13 games and also featured an outstanding ground game led by Chris Polk, who ranked 16th nationally with an average of 114.5 rushing yards per game.

“I’m both honored and excited to have the opportunity to coach at the University of Alabama,” said Nussmeier. “I’m looking forward to jumping right in with recruiting and then getting to know the players and everyone involved with the program. Coach Saban and his staff have obviously done a tremendous job here and I want to do my part to help continue that success. I’ve heard a lot about Alabama football in terms of the history, the tradition, the great fans, and I can already see why this is such a special place. I want to thank Coach Sarkisian, the players, the staff and everyone at the University of Washington for all they did for me and for our family while we were there. It was a great experience and we have great memories from our time at the UW.”

In 2010, Nussmeier oversaw a balanced attack that finished the season with 2,238 rushing yards and 2,475 passing yards. The offense was led by Polk at tailback, whose 1,415 rushing yards were second-most in UW single-season history. Additionally, Nussmeier mentored quarterback Jake Locker, who finished his career ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in nearly every major quarterbacking category. Locker was the No. 8 overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, selected by Tennessee Titans.

In his first season at Washington, Nussmeier’s offense made tremendous strides over the previous year. The Huskies scored 26.1 points per game, nearly doubling their average from the previous year while total offense was up more than 110 yards per game over the 2008 average. Nussmeier also spent his first season coaching Locker, who had one of the most productive seasons in Husky history. Locker passed for 2,800 yards, the third-highest total in school history, while his offense also boasted a 1,000-yard rusher in Polk. Nussmeier came to the UW after one season as the offensive coordinator at Fresno State.

He joined the Fresno State staff after spending two seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the St. Louis Rams on the staff of head coach Scott Linehan. He coached Marc Bulger, who was named to his second Pro Bowl in 2006, finishing with 4,301 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.

Before his time with the Rams, Nussmeier was the QB coach at Michigan State for three seasons. In 2005, MSU quarterback Drew Stanton passed for a school-record 3,415 yards, breaking a record set by another Nussmeier pupil, Jeff Smoker, who threw for 3,395 yards in 2003. Smoker also set MSU records for completions (302), attempts (488) and passing touchdowns (21).

Nussmeier, who played in both the NFL and the Canadian Football League, began his coaching career in the CFL. In 2001, he was the quarterbacks coach for the British Columbia Lions and then, in 2002, served as the offensive coordinator and QBs coach for the Ottawa Renegades.

During his outstanding collegiate career at Idaho, Nussmeier passed for 10,824 yards and averaged 309.1 yards per game in total offense for his career. Along with Steve McNair, Daunte Culpepper and Colin Kaepernick, he is one of only four QBs in NCAA history to total 10,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing during his career. He set Idaho school records for TD passes (91), passing efficiency (154.4), completion percentage (.609) and total offense (12,054 yards). In 1993, he won the Walter Payton Award, Division I-AA’s version of the Heisman Trophy. That year, he led Idaho to an 11-3 record and set a school record with 33 TD passes. He was also the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year in 1992, when the Vandals went 9-3 and won the conference crown. Nussmeier was inducted into the University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

In 1994, Nussmeier was drafted in the fourth round by the New Orleans Saints. He played four years (1994-97) with the Saints and one with the Indianapolis Colts (1998). In 2000, he helped the BC Lions to the Grey Cup Championship. The Oswego, Ore., native attended Lakeridge High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in business and marketing from Idaho in 1994. He and his wife, Christi, have two sons, Garrett and Colton, and a daughter, Ashlynn.

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations

A limited number of tickets remain for Thursday’s game and are available through the Alabama Ticket Office in the Coleman Coliseum lobby, via phone at 1-877-TIDE-TIX or online at http://www.RollTide.com. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youths.

Vanderbilt travels to Tuscaloosa with a sterling 3-0 record in league play and a 13-4 overall record after defeating Georgia, 77-66, on Saturday for its seventh straight win. The Commodores have four players averaging double figures with John Jenkins’ 19.8 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting (44.7 percent from three-point) leading the way.

“They have two of the top five scorers in the league with [John] Jenkins and [Jeffery] Taylor,” UA head coach Anthony Grant. “Then [Brad] Tinsley is another guy who obviously has the ability to score and [Festus] Ezeli gives them a presence down low both offensively and defensively that most teams across the country would want. So I’m certainly very impressed with their team.”

That potent Vanderbilt lineup will meet one of the nation’s top defenses and home-court advantages as the Tide has won 26 of its last 27 games and 10 straight SEC games in Coleman Coliseum. The Tide is also gunning for win No. 500 in the building.

UA’s defense is allowing just 55.7 points per game, the eighth best average in the nation with only four opponents scoring 60 or more points against the Tide this season. That defensive pressure has allowed the Tide to win five of its last six games with the wins coming by an average of 18 points as the squad has amassed a 13-4 overall record and a 2-1 ledger in SEC games.

Trevor Releford has led Alabama in scoring in the four of the last six games and is averaging 15.5 points per game on 38-of-56 shooting (5-of-15 from three-point) with 18 assists and 15 steals during that span. In the win over LSU he matched a season-high with 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Tony Mitchell leads the squad this season with 14.5 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting. He also leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 per game and has 30 of the team’s 53 dunks.

Fans attending Thursday’s game should note that due to the 6 p.m. tipoff, more students will be in class and on campus. As a result, there may be a shortage of parking spaces in the Coleman Coliseum Lot. Some fans who have parking passes for Coleman Coliseum may be asked to park in the Soccer Lot, which has been designated as the overflow lot for fans who have parking passes for Coleman Coliseum. Crimson Ride buses will be available to shuttle fans to and from the Soccer Lot and the Coliseum.  For more information on parking for the men’s basketball games, please visit http://www.uagameday.com/basketball.

Courtesy Alabama Athletic Media Relations