Alabama held its spring game on Saturday, ushering in the Kalen DeBoer era and presenting more than a dozen awards afterward.

For as much that can be taken from any spring game, the White team offense beat the Crimson team defense 34-28. More than 72,000 fans were in attendance.

READ: UNLV’s Barry Odom agrees to extended contract through 2028

DeBoer said it was a “great day, fun day just altogether” as the spring capped off with the exhibition. He said former head coach Nick Saban had a chance to get in front of the team which DeBoer said “was pretty cool.”

“Scrimmage-wise, shoot, if it was a half, right, it had been a tale of two halves,” DeBoer said. “But that’s why you keep playing. So many things that we’re going to get to learn from, from this scrimmage depending on what side of the ball you’re on.”

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Alabama’s offense produced 508 yards and eclipsed 200 on the ground and through the air.

Starting quarterback Jalen Milroe, who returned for a fourth season, went 3-for-9 with 100 passing yards. He had the longest play of the day on a 52-yard pass to Washington transfer Germie Bernard.

DeBoer didn’t dive too deep into Milroe’s individual performance, rather, emphasizing the progression of all Crimson Tide quarterbacks this spring. He did say he noticed quarterback play continues to “take that next step” and “have that progression.”

“I thought the protection, especially the first half to three quarters, the protection was as good as we’ve had,” DeBoer said. “Now, some of that’s attributed to, early on, just kind of being a little bit more maybe vanilla defensively, things like that. But the offense stayed ahead of the chains, stayed in positions where they could be dual threat, run-pass options, take your shots when they were there.”

READ: Report: Boston College WR Joseph Griffin Jr. enters transfer portal

Redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson led the quarterbacks with 102 yards on 7-of-12 completion. Redshirt freshmen Dylan Lonergan went 8-for-12 with 67 yards and Austin Mack also had a 66% completion for 33 pass yards.

Bernard led the receivers with 122 yards on three catches. He’ll be an interesting factor into the Alabama offense next fall after recording 419 receiving yards and four total touchdowns in 2023.

On the ground, junior Jam Miller carried the ball eight times for 83 yards scoring two touchdowns and breaking off a 48-yard run. Richard Young, who was rated among the top running backs in the class of 2023, had 29 rushing yards on seven carries including a touchdown.

READ: O.J. Simpson passes away

Defensively, freshman linebacker Justin Okoronkwo had 11 tackles, five solo, and a tackle for loss. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Jeremiah Alexander had seven tackles and freshman defensive back Red Morgan had two quarterback pressures.

Miller received the Dixie Howell Memorial Award as the game’s most valuable player. Morgan, Okoronkwo and freshmen defensive lineman Isaia Faga and linebacker Jayshawn Ross earned the Derrick Thomas Community Service Award, and 10 players received the Bart Starr Most Improved Player Award including Simpson.

DeBoer said the Walk of Champions and “seeing that and feeling the energy and the excitement” from some of his first Alabama traditions in person “was a lot of fun.” The Crimson Tide will now enter the summer months of the offseason, among the important dates being the transfer portal opening Tuesday through April 30 and the first game of 2024 on Aug. 31 against Western Kentucky.

“I thought the guys, as hard as they were playing, I mean, there was times where when they were out there just looking out for each other too,” DeBoer said. “I don’t care if it was offense to offense, defense to defense, but most importantly offense and defense playing the game the way it was supposed to be played. And the energy wanting to go out there and make the plays but also not putting the team at risk just to go out then make that one potential play that could put someone at risk. But the energy, the excitement kind of leading up to the spring game was something I think kind of hit me today.”

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Bernard follows head coach Kalen DeBoer to the Crimson Tide program upon Nick Saban’s retirement.

READ: Reports: Former Alabama QB Julian Sayin to transfer to Ohio State

Bernard will give Alabama a familiar weapon under DeBoer. The 6-foot-1 receiver brought in 419 receiving yards on 34 receptions and scoring after two.

Bernard also provides a rushing threat and he scored two touchdowns on the ground last season. He totaled 43 yards on 13 carries.

The Las Vegas native is a former No. 53 receiver among the class of 2022 according to Rivals. Bernard was a three-star prospect in the transfer portal.

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Bernard also had a stint at Michigan State where he spent the 2022 season. He appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman and had 128 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Under updated NCAA rules, players are eligible to transfer twice and play immediately.

The post Reports: Germie Bernard transfers to Alabama appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Bernard intends to transfer from the Huskies program.

READ: Washington hires Arizona’s Jedd Fisch as next head coach

Bernard’s move isn’t the first since Washington underwent a head coaching change. Kalen DeBoer took the opening at Alabama in wake of Nick Saban’s retirement, and Arizona’s Jedd Fisch was hired to replace DeBoer with the Huskies.

Bernard was Washington’s fifth-leading receiver. He brought in 419 receiving yards and two touchdowns across 34 receptions.

READ: Reports: Former Alabama WR Isaiah Bond transfers to Texas

Both Bernard’s receiving yards and receptions were career highs.

The Las Vegas native spent the 2022 season at Michigan State before choosing to transfer to Washington.

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No. 1 Michigan will look to defend its top-seeded position against No. 2 Washington on Monday in Houston. Both teams fought off late comeback bids to advance past the semifinals and into the CFP National Championship.

READ: No. 2 Washington holds off No. 3 Texas 37-31 in Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal

The Wolverines used two rushing touchdowns scored by running back Blake Corum to boost themselves past the Crimson Tide in overtime of the Rose Bowl.

Across the country in New Orleans, Michael Penix Jr. and the Huskies staved off Texas’ late comeback effort and held on to win 37-31.

Here are five takeaways from the CFP semifinals round.

Michgan’s defense came to play

The top scoring defense in college football proved its worth once again.

Michigan entered the Rose Bowl owning the No. 1 scoring defense holding opponents to less than 10 points per game.

The Wolverines, though, allowed more than their season average, and they had a stiff challenge in Alabama which had scored at least 17 points in every game this season.

But when it mattered, Michigan showed up in the key moments of the Rose Bowl.

Junior Colson and the Wolverines shut out the Crimson Tide in the third quarter and held them to 168 yards entering the fourth.

READ: Blake Corum’s TD in OT lifts No. 1 Michigan over No. 4 Alabama in Rose Bowl CFP semifinal

Michigan forced three punts in the second half as well as having picked up a fumble.

Michigan also forced four three-and-outs on four of the game’s first five drives. It allowed the Wolverines to go up 13-7 before they conjured up overtime magic to win the game.

In overtime, Michigan picked up the first touchdown after Corum ran 25 yards on two carries to give the Wolverines a lead.

Then, Michigan got stops on four-straight plays inside its 10-yard line, including the final one of the game that featured a low snap to Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who ran straight ahead into the tackle pile to end the game.

So when it mattered, Michigan’s defense stepped up. Now, the Wolverines will look to stop Penix and Washington, which boasts the No. 5 total offense and averages 332.9 yards per game.

Blake Corum proves he’s top running threat

The NCAA leader in rushing touchdowns with 24 entering the Rose Bowl, Corum provided the critical runs in overtime to help Michigan advance to its first CFP National Championship.

Corum entered the Rose Bowl without a receiving touchdown on the season. He caught his first of the campaign to put Michigan ahead first 7-0 on a route to the left as Corum waltzed into the end zone.

Corum averaged 4.4 yards per carry across 19 attempts. He totaled 83 rushing yards and 35 receiving yards, a season-high.

Corum may be reaching his peak performance this season. In each of his past five games, he’s averaged more than three yards per carry, and he’s scored a rushing touchdown in 14 consecutive games.

The Marshall, Virginia, native broke off his longest run of the game on his second carry, going 21 yards and converting the first down to position Michigan near midfield where it later scored on Corum’s 8-yard receiving touchdown.

Now, Corum and the Wolverines will take part in their first CFP National Championship.

Corum will enter the national title game the leader in total points responsible for. He’s up to 156 points on 26 touchdowns.

He’ll have his latest challenge against Washington, which allows 137.1 rushing yards per game good for No. 41 in college football. Corum and the Wolverines will be ready.

It’s hard to stop Michael Penix Jr.

The Heisman Trophy runner-up shined bright on the biggest stage.

Penix went off 29-for-38 and threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns. His performance was representative of his year this season as Penix leads college football with 4,648 passing yards.

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Penix threw go-ahead touchdowns in the second and third quarters while he continued to pile up passing yards. He eclipsed 400 pass yards for a fourth time this season.

Perhaps Penix’s best quarter came in the third. Both Texas and Washington tied at 21 entering the second half, then Penix turned on.

The sixth-year quarterback went 12-for-13 for 118 yards and a touchdown. He began the second half 11-of-11, and his signature throw came on a 19-yard pass to Jalen McMillan.

Even the Longhorns couldn’t slow Penix, who is having a career year after knee and shoulder injuries plagued his career at Indiana.

Two seasons later at Washington, Penix is leading the Huskies to the national championship game.

Jalen Milroe will be a force to reckon with in 2024

Alabama went into the 2023 season with a new starting quarterback after former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young was selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.

Nick Saban turned to junior Jalen Milroe from Katy, Texas, and Milroe had been a four-star recruit as part of the class of 2021.

Milroe set out this season with a team mantra behind him: “Let a naysayer know.”

Milroe and the Crimson Tide put the college football world on notice after Alabama beat Georgia 27-24 in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, snapping the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak.

Leading up to the SEC title game, Milroe converted a key 4th and 31 play against Auburn in the Iron Bowl, helping Alabama keep on its path toward the CFP.

It’s clear Milroe has a clutch gene. He tried to make something out of a low snap on 4th and Goal at the end of overtime before he ultimately was tackled near the line of scrimmage.

But that doesn’t mean Milroe won’t be back for 2024.

He’s already announced his intention to return to Alabama and put off the NFL ahead of the 2024 season. It’ll give Saban a second-year starting quarterback to compete in an expanded SEC that will welcome Oklahoma and Texas to the conference.

Milroe totaled 2,834 passing yards, 23 touchdowns to six interceptions and compiled a 66% completion in 2023. Saban and Alabama will be in prime position to strike in the first 12-team Playoff with Milroe under center next year.

Special teams play was sloppy

Muffed punt here, muffed punt there.

There several combined muffed punts during the CFP semifinal round. They stung the likes of Michigan and Washington, yet cost neither team the game.

Even still, special teams must perform at the highest levels of the season in Playoff games.

READ: Reports: DJ Uiagalelei to transfer to Florida State

Near the end of the Rose Bowl, Michigan lined up for a punt return while Alabama punter James Burnip got ready. When he caught the snap and prepared to boot the football, disaster struck.

Michigan punt returner Jake Thaw muffed the punt near the goal line and he recovered it at the 1-yard line. Fortunately for the Wolverines, they ran the ball once before kneeling it out and opting for overtime.

In the Sugar Bowl, Washington punt returner Germie Bernard muffed a punt and the Longhorns fell on the football. It resulted in Texas going 22 yards down the field and Byron Murphy II scoring from 1 yard out to tie the game at 14 points apeice.

Both Michigan and Washington know the detriments of poor special teams play. They’ll have one week to fine tune and reload before meeting in the final CFP National Championship of the four-team Playoff era.

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Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and running back Dillon Johnson led the Huskies to their first conference championship since 2018, and they’ll very likely advance to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2016.

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Johnson scored the go-ahead rush from 1 yard out with 12:23 left in the fourth quarter, and Penix connected on his first and only touchdown of the game with receiver Quentin Moore from 2 yards. 

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix put together a valiant effort of his own to wield off the Huskies after the Ducks entered the final quarter ahead 24-20 for the first time in the game. 

Washington wins the likely final Pac-12 game as the conference will shrink down to Oregon State and Washington State after the latest round of conference realignment. 

Johnson had 152 rushing yards and two scores on the ground, and he also ran some trickery and threw a 4-yard touchdown to Germie Bernard midway through the second quarter. 

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Penix completed 69% of his passes for 319 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He’s likely a Heisman Trophy finalist, which will be unveiled Dec. 9. 

Nix went 62% on his passes for 239 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. 

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