Nick Saban, Alabama flip legacy recruit from rival school

Preferred walk-on quarterback Cade Ott Carruth, the nephew of former Alabama running back Paul Ott Carruth, announced Wednesday that he flipped his commitment from Mississippi State to Alabama. He made the decision public following a meeting with Nick Saban and Bill O’Brien.

An unranked prospect in the On3 Consensus, Cade Ott Carruth held offers from multiple schools before opting to join Alabama as a preferred walk-on in the SEC. He held offers from in-state schools Jacksonville State and South Alabama, along with Middle Tennessee State and Gardner-Webb.

The Trussville, Alabama, native attends Hewitt-Trussville High School and will enroll as part of the 2022 recruiting class.

His uncle, who played for the Crimson Tide between 1981-84, played 42 games at Alabama. He finished his career with 1,380 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, adding 257 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Paul Ott Carruth later played in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs after going undrafted.

Alabama sets homecoming date

Mark your calendars, Alabama fans. The 2022 homecoming game is set. Homecoming will be Oct. 22 against Mississippi State at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Crimson Tide announced.

The announcement comes the same day Alabama set a date for its annual A-Day spring game, which is coming up in April. That means the season is approaching fast, even if college basketball is at the forefront.

Alabama is working to build off a strong 2021 campaign led by quarterback Bryce Young — the first quarterback in Crimson Tide history to win the Heisman Trophy. He threw for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns to help Alabama become one of the highest-powered offenses in college football. The Crimson Tide ended the year No. 7 in the nation in total offense.

Young is returning for his junior season and Will Anderson is due back on defense, as well, meaning Nick Saban returns his top two weapons from 2021. Anderson led the nation with 17.5 sacks and also had 57 solo tackles to his name. He and Young two were named co-SEC Players of the Year by the AP for their efforts.

Add in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, according to the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Ranking, and Alabama could be poised for another big year.

The Crimson Tide went 13-2 this past season and ended the year ranked No. 1 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Alabama fell to Georgia 33-18 in the national championship game.