South Alabama selects ex-ut QB

South Alabama has promoted offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to head coach.

Athletic director Joel Erdmann announced the former Houston coach as Kane Wommack’s replacement on Thursday, two days after Wommack left to become Kalen Deboer’s defensive coordinator at Alabama.

“Following a broad evaluation of our program, it became very clear that the best leader for us in both the short and long term is Major Applewhite,” Erdmann said.

“I am incredibly excited about our future and can’t wait to work together with coach Applewhite as we continue to move this program forward.”

Applewhite spent the last three seasons running the Jaguars offense. Before that he went 15-11 in two seasons at Houston, leading the team to a pair of bowl games.

The former Texas quarterback spent three seasons as offensive coordinator at his alma mater, where he was an assistant from 2008-13.

Applewhite was Alabama’s offensive coordinator during Nick Saban’s first season in 2007. He also had stints at Syracuse and Rice.

Applewhite was named the Big 12 Conference’s co-offensive player of the year in 1999.

Alabama’s Downs enters transfer portal:

Alabama All-america safety Caleb Downs has entered the transfer portal and left tackle Kadyn Proctor has announced plans to as well.

If Downs and Proctor decide not to return to the Crimson Tide, it would be the biggest blows yet for new coach Kalen Deboer.

They would be the top two players to have entered the transfer portal and already departed receiver Isaiah Bond is No. 4, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

Downs became the first Alabama freshman dating back to at least 1970 to lead the team in tackles.