Alabama stars enter NFL draft
Alabama’s All-American left tackle Jonah Williams and Outland Trophy-winning defensive lineman Quinnen Williams announced they’re entering the NFL draft, along with tailback Josh Jacobs and tight end Ir v Smith Jr.
Jonah Williams and Quinnen Williams are unanimous All-Americans rated as potential top-10 picks. Quinnen Williams had a breakout season in his first season as starter, leading the team with 17 tackles for loss and ranking third with 66 tackles.
“I dreamed of this day almost every day when I was a little kid when I was playing little league football in Birmingham,” he said. “Just to see I made it become a reality, like I get a chance to enter the draft. Most people don’t get a chance from where I’m from. Most people have the athletic ability or the ability to do it, but can’t get past different distractions.”
Jacobs ran for 640 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns while catching 20 passes for 247 yards and three scores. He averaged 30.6 yards on 14 kick returns with a score. Smith, whose father also was a tight end and a first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 1993, caught 44 passes for 710 yards and seven touchdowns.
Also, Alabama quarterbacks coach and associate head coach Dan Enos is leaving to be offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Miami. Quarterback Jalen Hurts, who went 26-2 as Alabama’s starter before losing the job to Tua Tagovailoa, put his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal and visited Maryland, with Miami reportedly next.
James Coley was promoted to offensive coordinator at Georgia, taking over after Jim Chaney left for Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee . ... Andy Ludwig is leaving Vanderbilt and returning to Utah as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach . ... John Loose was promoted to defensive coordinator at Army . ... John Michels, a College Football Hall of Famer who played guard at Tennessee and spent 27 seasons as a Minnesota Vikings assistant coach, died at 87 . ... President Trump announced he’ll honor Clemson’s national champions at the White House on Monday.
Scotty Pippen Jr., a four-star point guard out of Chatsworth Sierra Canyon High, announced he’ll attend Vanderbilt . ... South Carolina freshman point guard T.J. Moss, who averaged 6.3 points in 20 minutes, will miss the rest the season after undergoing foot and ankle surgery . ... Travel issues for Missouri postponed Saturday’s men’s basketball game at South Carolina until Sunday . ... Former Michigan State coach Gus Ganakas died at 92.
The Memphis Grizzlies expect guard-forward Dillon Brooks to miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured toe ligament. He averaged 7.5 points in 18 games off the bench . ... The Washington Wizards are set to debut a gambling-focused telecast on the regional sports network that carries their games.
Veteran NHL winger Rick Nash retired at 34 because of concussion symptoms. The first overall draft pick in 2002, he played 15 seasons with Columbus, the New York Rangers and Boston, scoring 437 goals with 368 assists . ... Pittsburgh goaltender Casey DeSmith agreed to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.25 million. ... Arizona placed center Brad Richardson on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and acquired center Jordan Weal from Philadelphia for a minor leaguer and a draft pick.
Americans Tennys Sandgren and Sofia Kenin won their first singles titles, Sandgren by beating Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the ASB Classic in New Zealand and Kenin by beating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-4, 6-0 in the Hobart International final in Australia . ... Ashleigh Barty advanced to her second consecutive final at the Sydney International with a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-5 win over Kiki Bertens. ... Gordon Smith, the longtime executive director of the U.S. Tennis Assn., will retire at year’s end.
J.D. Gibbs, the oldest son of former football coach and NASCAR team owner Joe Gibbs and a cofounder of Joe Gibbs Racing, died of complications from a degenerative neurological disease at 49.