Bama Central

NFL Legend JJ Watt Speaks to Alabama Football: Roll Call, August 17, 2024

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Alabama athletics and how to keep up with the Crimson Tide.

Katie Windham

JJ Watt with Kalen DeBoer, Kane Wommack and Freddie Roach
JJ Watt with Kalen DeBoer, Kane Wommack and Freddie Roach / Alabama Athletics

Another A-list athlete made an appearance at the Alabama football complex as a fall camp speaker. Wisconsin and NFL legendary defensive end JJ Watt was the latest person to speak to the Crimson Tide joining Mark Ingram and Hunter Pinke.

Watt spent over a decade in the NFL, mostly with the Houston Texans. He was the three time Defensive Player of the Year, was named first-team All-Pro five times and was the 2017 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Watt finished his NFL career with 114.5 sacks

Former Alabama linebacker Ryan Anderson also stopped by practice to speak to the team. The Crimson Tide has its final preseason scrimmage on Saturday and one more week of fall camp before entering game week preparations for the season opener against Western Kentucky.

Today's Crimson Tide Schedule:

Soccer at North Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Crimson Tide Results:

No events scheduled

Countdown to Crimson Tide's 2024 Football Season Opener

14 days

Did You Notice?

  • BamaCentral has a new beat writer! Hunter De Siver will be joining the staff in a new role to cover Crimson Tide football and basketball. Give Hunter a follow on X.
  • Both Alabama golf teams got their first look at the new, state of the art Alabama golf complex that was part of Phase I of the Crimson Standard.
  • There will be an Alabama-branded WWE belt.

On This Date in Crimson Tide History:

August 17, 1988: Offensive coordinator Homer Smith named David Smith his starting quarterback, giving the senior walk-on from Gadsden the nod over Jeff Dunn and Vince Sutton. – Bryant Museum

August 17, 1951: Former Alabama quarterback and Crimson Tide baseball player Butch Hobson was born in Tuscaloosa. He had an eight-year career in the Major Leagues (with the Red Sox, Angels and Yankees), and was Boston’s manager from 1992-94).

Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

"I believe in my heart that I did the best I could. I don't regret a single thing I did. I made a lot of friends. Hope I didn't make any enemies.

"I never embarrassed a player on the field. I never embarrassed a player in front of his teammates. That's how I managed here, and that's how I managed in the minors. If people are saying different, they don't know me. I knew when I took this job it wouldn't be easy. It didn't change me. I stayed Butch. I did. If I'd have changed, they wouldn't have had to fire me. I'd have resigned." —Butch Hobson when he was fired by the Red Sox in 1994.

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Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports. 

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