Beat Everyone: An AL.com Alabama Football Podcast

A special BONUS episode of Beat Everyone from SEC Media Days, featuring interviews with Greg McElroy, Cole Cubelic, Pat Forde, and South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers. TIME STAMPS 0:18 Greg McElroy 14:55 Cole Cubelic 32:48 Pat Forde 39:31 LaNorris Sellers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beat Everyone is on the scene at SEC Media Days with Nick Kelly. Nick sat down with Josh Pate, Damien Harris, Chris Low and Rich Clark, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, for frank discussions about Alabama, Kalen DeBoer, and the future of the league. Tune in and let us know who else you want to hear from this week. TIME STAMPS 1:06 Josh Pate, CBS Sports, host of Josh Pate's College Football Show 12:25 Damien Harris, former Alabama running back and CBS analyst 28:40 Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer 50:32 Rich Clark, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our deep dive into the greatest Alabama Football games of the 21st Century with a look at the 2012 SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Georgia, a game that in retrospect looks like one last farewell to the Power Football Era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's GOAT vs. GOAT on this episode of Beat Everyone as college football writers and historians Creg Stephenson and Kevin Scarbinsky join us for the ultimate Alabama Football debate: Bear Bryant or Nick Saban? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our countdown continues of the Greatest Alabama Football games of the 21st Century with a look back at the 2009 SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Florida, a rematch of the 20008 SEC championship game and one that marked a passing of the torch in college football and the birth of the game's greatest dynasty. Oh, and Tebow cried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the 100th episode of Beat Everyone! Thank you to everyone who has listened and shared the show in our first year. We've got a lot of surprises in store for the next 100 episodes too. This week, we take you behind the scenes of our exclusive sitdown with Kalen DeBoer and our biggest takeaways. Plus a closer look at his success on the recruiting trail this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our countdown of the Greatest Alabama Games of the 21st Century with a look back at the 2021 Iron Bowl, the game that Alabama narrowly escaped and that shattered the hearts of Auburn fans. This may feel like a strange game for this list because it was almost unwatchable for most of the game. But then something magical happened. Ben Flanagan and Matt Scalici explore the dynamics of the game, the defensive strategies and the pivotal moments. They discuss the emergence of Bryce Young as a Heisman candidate and the lasting impact of the game on Alabama football's legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer sits down for an exclusive interview with Beat Everyone's Ben Flanagan and AL.com beat reporter, Nick Kelly. DeBoer shares his outlook for the 2025 season and whether Alabama fans can expect the same second year jump that he's seen at other programs. He describes what he's learned during his first season in Tuscaloosa, his thoughts on the QB battle and joins us for a lightning round with some real live thunder! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our countdown continues for the greatest Alabama Football games of the century with a look at the 2018 SEC Championship Game, the moment that Jalen Hurts found redemption and achieved mythical status as a Crimson Tide hero. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The time has come to make predictions based on little to no evidence! Ben and Matt go down Alabama's 2025 football schedule game by game and give their predictions for each. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our countdown of the 15 greatest Alabama Football games of the century with a look at the 2008 season opener against Clemson, the moment that Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide announced their return to college football's championship conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're entering a new era of college football where colleges will now be able to pay players directly. And we're looking at new scrutiny for so-called pay-to-play NIL deals. Michael Casagrande joins us to break down what the bombshell NCAA House settlement could mean for Alabama's future. Later, he competes against producer Matt Scalici to draft a coaching staff made up entirely of former Nick Saban assistants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our series on the Best Alabama Football Games of the Century continues with a look back at the 2005 Alabama vs. Florida game. That quarterback for the Crimson Tide in that game, Brodie Croyle, joins us to recount his memories of the game and all the hype that led up to it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama quarterback Brodie Croyle took more than his fair share of hits during his time in Tuscaloosa, both physically and emotionally. Croyle's life growing up around kids from difficult family situations taught him how to take those hits and more importantly how to keep getting up from them and moving forward. Croyle shares his perspective on his time at Alabama and some of his most memorable moments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our countdown of the 15 Greatest Alabama Football Games of the Century with a look at the 2014 Iron Bowl. One year after the heartbreak of the Kick Six, Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide were out for revenge. But it would take a heroic offensive performance from Blake Sims and Amari Cooper to get the job done. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Southerners are busy partying on the Gulf Coast this week, SEC power brokers will be just a few yards away in Destin, Florida deciding on the future of college football. We break down this week's SEC Spring Meetings and what they could mean for the future of Alabama Football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're continuing our countdown of Alabama's 15 Greatest Games of the Century with what is perhaps the Crimson Tide's most dominant win in program history - a stunning blowout over Notre Dame in the national championship game that changed the way college football fans think about Alabama for years to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Beat Everyone, we give our picks for the linebacker we want on the field if you just need ONE stop with the game on the line. Later, we blind rank the worst fanbases in the SEC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This is not the kind of game that Nick Saban likes to play ever. If you told him that the way they were going to have to win this is you’re going to have to score like crazy and you’re going to have to consider every single defensive stop to be a gift from God.” In the latest episode of Beat Everyone’s series on the 15 Greatest Alabama Football Games of the 21st Century, Ben Flanagan and Matt Scalici dive deep into Alabama’s 2013 shootout with Texas A&M, back when Johnny Manziel was terrorizing Kirby Smart’s defenses and AJ McCarron had the Crimson Tide offense rolling like it never had before. They break down key moments, standout players like CJ Mosley, and the game’s consequences, including its effect on Alabama’s season and strategic shifts on offense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Alabama and current Birmingham Stallions defensive back Shyheim Carter was present in Tuscaloosa for what many would argue was the peak stretch of the Nick Saban dynasty. He was a part of the legendary 2016 recruiting class, played for one of the greatest defenses in college football history, and practiced against one of the greatest collections of offensive talent ever assembled. Carter shares his stories with us from the golden age of Crimson Tide football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue our countdown of the 15 greatest Alabama football games of the century with a look at the 2020 national championship team's biggest challenge and perhaps its best offensive performance, with the help of one of the members of that offense, wide receiver Slade Bolden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Saban is becoming a mover and shaker in the political world, but is that a world he wants to get involved in? Plus, we give our picks for the Bama players we want on the field for a Hail Mary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beat Everyone is kicking off a new feature where we're diving deep into what we think are the 15 greatest games of the 21st century for Alabama Football. Today, we take an in-depth look at an incredible comeback win for Alabama that in some ways marked a turning point for the Nick Saban Era, one that would begin a new era of dominance with a new style of football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Scalici and Mike Golic Jr. discuss the upcoming NFL Draft, focusing on Alabama's prospects and the evolving landscape of college football influenced by NIL. They explore the implications of NIL on players' aspirations, the perception of Alabama players in the NFL, and provide insights on specific prospects like Jihaad Campbell and Jalen Milroe. The conversation also touches on the importance of offensive line play and reflections on Alabama's 2012 championship team that Golic faced off against on the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama Football achieved something unique among SEC teams this spring that may be the best sign yet for the Crimson Tide's future under Kalen DeBoer. Later, we discuss the Bama running back we want most on 4th-and-1 and we recap a fascinating NFL Draft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of this week's NFL Draft, the Beat Everyone staff is on the clock for a draft of the greatest Alabama alumni to ever play in the NFL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legendary Alabama Crimson Tide tight end OJ Howard joins Beat Everyone to talk about how he got so open against Clemson, the one play that cost Alabama a three-peat, and his new role as a coach working with former Alabama coach Scott Cochran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A-Day 2025 is in the books and while there weren't nearly as many witnesses as usual, we've got two beat writers who saw the whole thing! AL.com's Nick Kelly and Matt Stahl join the show to tell us what they saw at A-Day and why Ty Simpson is now the official frontrunner for the position. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer faces the biggest questions of his coaching career this offseason, including the biggest one of all: who is going to start at quarterback for his crucial second season in Tuscaloosa? Kevin Scarbinsky joins us to ask the pressing questions that DeBoer will have to answer before Week 1 of the 2025 season. You can listen to Kevin on his own podcast, Scarbo Knows, available wherever you get your podcasts or on Youtube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As A-Day approaches, it's time to take a look at what we've learned about the Crimson Tide during spring football practices. AL.com Alabama beat reporter Nick Kelly joins us to talk about the quarterback race, Alabama's revamped offensive coaching staff, and how NIL could continue to shape the rosters of both Alabama football and basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the new world of college athletics, cash is king and Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne has made no secret of the fact that the Crimson Tide is a bit cash-strapped compared to its competitors. Ben Flanagan and Matt Scalici discuss what Alabama can do to close the money gap and how much of a role fans should play in that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Basketball season is officially over for the Crimson Tide but we're not finished with March Madness-style tournament action! Creg Stephenson joins the show to reveal his bracket for the greatest Alabama football player of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama is deep into spring football practice and the question on everyone's minds remains the same: who will be under center for the Crimson Tide this fall? Joe Goodman joins us to discuss the quarterback race in Tuscaloosa and why it could determine the future of the program for years to come. Later, producer Matt Scalici joins Ben Flanagan to build the perfect Bama wide receiver. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nate Oats' Crimson Tide basketball squad stormed through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament and now await their third consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. How does Alabama matchup against BYU? What about a potential Elite 8 matchup with either Arizona or Duke? Former Crimson Tide legend Richard Hendrix joins Beat Everyone to break down Alabama's tournament run so far and preview their potential upcoming opponents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Alabama tight end CJ Dippre joins Beat Everyone to talk about his experiences playing for both Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer and what he saw behind the scenes that makes him confident about the future for the Alabama offense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Stewart is in his third different decade as the voice of Alabama basketball and no one has a better perspective on just how far the program has come and what it means for Alabama to be entering this tournament with high expectations. Stewart shares his thoughts on this year's team and what it's been like to watch Alabama basketball (and football) transform so radically from the inside. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before becoming one of the biggest names in comedy, Roy Wood Jr. grew up in Birmingham among two of the most crazed fanbases in all of college sports. Today on Beat Everyone, Wood joins us to talk about his memories and observations growing up around Alabama and Auburn fans and what he sees changing about the two fanbases today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Sears silenced the Auburn crowd and spoiled their celebration with a stunning buzzer-beating basket to give Alabama basketball its biggest win of the season. Is Nate Oats' squad peaking at the right time again? Later, we turn to football and dive deep into the Crimson Tide's defense, looking at its biggest returning stars and its most promising newcomers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Producers of the documentary series The Tides That Bind join Beat Everyone to discuss how the project came together and what they learned about the Alabama football program from spending a year behind the scenes and in the locker room during Kalen DeBoer's first season in Tuscaloosa. Later, we're joined by Alabama beat reporter Matt Stahl to break down the Tide's first week of spring practice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're continuing our series on building the ideal Alabama football player at each position, this time with a look at the running back spot. Alabama has been fortunate to have some of the best running backs in college football history but who was the fastest, the strongest, or the guy you want in the game when you need just one yard? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The list of great heroes in Alabama football history is long, but what about the villains? Today, Ben Flanagan and Matt Scalici break down their lists of the top 5 villains that have earned the hatred (and even respect) of Alabama fans over the years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SEC and Big Ten have been reportedly privately meeting to discuss a deal that could change the way schools from both conferences schedule opponents in the future. What could that mean for Alabama both in the regular season and the postseason? AL.com Alabama Beat Writer Matt Stahl joins producer Matt Scalici to discuss the shifting sands of college football scheduling plus Stahl breaks down this week's NFL Combine from the Crimson Tide perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're having some offseason fun on today's episode of Beat Everyone, with host Ben Flanagan and producer Matt Scalici giving their picks for the Alabama quarterbacks with the best arm, the best accuracy, the best intangibles, and more. Later, Matt and Ben blind rank Alabama offensive coordinators and the scariest players to ever don a crimson jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama and Auburn squared off in the first. No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in SEC basketball history and the Crimson Tide came out on the wrong side of the matchup. Joe Goodman joins host Ben Flanagan to take an honest look at this year's Alabama basketball team and determine if Nate Oats' squad has what it takes for another deep tournament run this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a time when the Alabama receiver corps was among the most talented of any group in college football history, Slade Bolden became an unlikely stalwart in the group, providing a string of future NFL quarterbacks with an always-reliable target. Bolden shares some of his stories from his time in Tuscaloosa and tells us what it was like to be on the receiving end of a Nick Saban butt-chewing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a Super Bowl MVP and a ring, Jalen Hurts is on top of the world. Alabama Crimson Tide fans know just how much that means for a player who has overcome adversity many times throughout his remarkable career. Ben Flanagan and Matt Scalici discuss the latest chapter in the incredible story of Jalen Hurts and what this championship means for Hurts in the debate about the greatest Crimson Tide players of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kalen DeBoer has set the stage for improvement in 2025 with a strong recruiting class and a new offensive coordinator, but it will take more than that for Alabama to win big against one of the toughest schedules in college football. ESPN analyst Cole Cubelic joins us to talk about what Alabama is bringing to the line of scrimmage in 2025 and what DeBoer and his staff need to do if they want the Crimson Tide to be among the elite teams in college football next season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama made waves with the hiring of Ryan Grubb as their new offensive coordinator. But despite the upgrade in coaching talent, Grubb will be Alabama's fourth offensive coordinator in four years. We talk with former Alabama wide receiver Mac Hereford who experienced a similar amount of turnover in coaching during his time in Tuscaloosa, to get his perspective on just how much changes when a new OC comes in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NIL has changed college sports dramatically, but how does it really work? Eli Gold returns to the show with his new boss Jacksonville State athletic director Greg Seitz to discuss the inner workings of a Division I athletic department in the age of NIL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Alabama heads toward spring practice with a roster made up of an impressive mix of returning starters and highly-touted newcomers, it's time to start establishing which players will be the keys to the season if the Crimson Tide hope to return to the playoffs in 2025. Alabama beat writer Matt Stahl joins host Ben Flanagan and producer Matt Scalici to take a look at which players will need to come up big for Bama in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices