ALABAMA RECRUITING // SOFTBALL LEAVES ITS MARK ON THE PLAYERS // MURPHY PROUD
T.D. MOTON
Brings Versatility
Alabama picked up commitment number 18 in the 2015 class recently when Shreveport-Woodlawn, LA defensive lineman T.D. Moton announced via twitter that he had picked the Tide.
“He just felt like Alabama was the best place for him to develop as a person and as a player,” says Woodlawn head coach Jerwin Wilson. “He thinks Alabama is the place that can help him in the next step in his career.
“He also has a good relationship with Coach Napier, who did a great job of recruiting.”
Wilson says that the Tide is getting an athletic defensive lineman with versatility and the potential to develop into a dominant player.
“He’s a guy who wears his weight well,” Wilson says. “You look at him and you wouldn’t know that he’s as big as he is. He’s about 6-3 and right around 315 pounds right now. He’s actually slimmed down some. He’s in better shape.
“He’s very versatile as a player. He could play just about anywhere on the defensive line. I think at Alabama they will probably use him more inside.”
Moton has offers from several schools, including Baylor, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and USC, among others.
“I think he’s one-hundred percent locked for Alabama,” Wilson says. “That’s what he’s told me. He told me that’s here he wants to go and he’s told that to Coach Saban. He seems to be confident that’s where he wants to be.”
KEATON ANDERSON
A Student of the Game
Four days before Moton’s commitment, Alabama picked up a verbal pledge from Florence High School linebacker Keaton Anderson. The 6-1, 214-pound Anderson has drawn comparisons to former UA safety Vinnie Sunseri.
“He plays with a chip on his shoulder,” says Florence head coach J.B. Wallace. “They’re getting a very smart player. He’s a competitor. He can’t stand losing. He’s going to do whatever it takes to be successful. He’s a student of the game. They’re getting all of those things. Very seldom do you see a player with all of those attributes. He’s definitely one of them.”
Anderson seems to be made to play linebacker against spread offenses.
“Most definitely he’s made to do that,” Wallace says. “He’s built to play in space. He does that very well. I think Alabama is moving to linebackers that are similar to him, so I think he’ll fit in well with what they’re looking for. I think it’s a really good fit.”
“He wanted to find a school that had a plan for him and could tell him how they would use him,” Wallace says. “But more than that, he wanted to feel at home. I think when he went to Tuscaloosa, he felt at home. He could see himself playing there, so that’s ultimately why he made the decision.”
SOFTBALL COMES UP SHORT
Alabama Falls to Florida
The Alabama softball team came up short in its quest to win the Women’s College World Series, falling to SEC rival Florida in the finals. The Gators swept the Tide, winning game one 5-0, and taking game two, 6-3. Even in defeat, the Tide seniors were proud of their team.
“We all want to end our career with a win,” Kaila Hunt said. “But the biggest thing I’m going to take away from this is the relationships and the friendships that I’ve built over the past four years with these people, because it’s not going to matter in 20 years whether I ended my career with a win or not.”
Crimson Tide Head Coach Patrick Murphy gushed when talking about his 2014 team.
“I’m really pleased with my team,” Murphy said. “I thought this was one of the easiest teams I’ve ever had to coach. I never had to discipline them. There were five Academic All-Americans at this tournament and four of them wore ‘Alabama’ across their chest. That’s a remarkable accomplishment for these young ladies.”
The 2014 season marked Alabama’s ninth appearance in the Women’s College World Series and their second in the best-of-three championship series. Alabama’s 53 overall wins makes this the 10th season with at least 50 wins, nine of which have come in the last 10 years.
“I think this weekend was great because we had nine athletes who have never been here and got to experience the ride of a lifetime,” said Murphy. “They’ve got experience now and they’re going to have that hunger when we start back this fall. To get Leslie and Sydney to pitch this week was awesome too.”