Legendary former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron has been staying busy as of late, but his next step might just be the most surprising one yet.

According to the team, McCarron has been hired as the next head coach of the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions just days after former head coach Skip Holtz stepped down.

The news also comes the same week that McCarron announced the end of his bid for Lt. Governor for what he said was a football related opportunity.

https://x.com/UFLStallions/status/2001663978829709734

“I am excited about this new opportunity with the UFL,” McCarron said in a statement.

“This game has given me so much as a player, and now I am ready to give back as a coach. It’s even more special that I get to do that while representing my home state – a state that has supported me throughout my career. Our team will build upon the amazing legacy of Skip Holtz. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Holtz, what he has done for the league and for the Stallions. I am ready to put in the work that will continue producing championship wins for the city of Birmingham.”

It seemed like McCarron knew this was a possibility for him upon announcing his exit from the political race, saying that his upcoming football position will “require the same 100% focus, commitment and attention that I was prepared to give to the office of lieutenant governor, so it is time to end my campaign.”

The Stallions have won two USFL titles in 2022 and 2023 as well as the inaugural UFL title in 2024 before being defeated in the playoffs in 2025, so the standard of success McCarron is walking into is quite high.

Wes Allen is reminding Alabama that AJ McCarron isn’t the only former football player in the race for Lt. Governor in 2026.

This morning, he released his first campaign video entitled, “Undefeated,” which serves as the punchline of the ad.

According to his campaign, the 30-second spot will run on digital platforms throughout the state.

“I enjoyed my days as an Alabama football player,” Allen says. “But it’s my record off the field that matters.”

Watch full video here: 

Allen marks through a list of conservative accomplishments, including cutting “wasteful spending,” tightening election security, and supporting the state’s ban on sex-change surgeries for minors.

“When it comes to my record against liberals, I’m undefeated,” Allen says.

Allen’s first video ad also comes with a big financial edge.

This week, courtesy of a major contribution from the Alabama Farmers Federation’s FarmPAC, Allen crossed over the $1 million cash-on-hand goal line.

By comparison, Rick Pate, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, currently has raised $532,000 cash on hand, to AJ McCarron’s balance, less than $100,000.

Allen, who was elected statewide for the first time in 2022 as Secretary of State, previously served in the Alabama House for a term, and prior to that, as Probate Judge in Pike County.

AJ McCarron, a total political newcomer — both in running for office and voting — announced his campaign in October, playing to familiar themes, such as wanting to be “quarterback” for U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s administration as Governor.

Allen lettered at Alabama as a walk-on receiver in the late 1990s.

Beyond the differences in he and McCarron’s on-field experience, Allen’s first video banks on reminding voters that their political experience also could not be more different, now 160 days out from the 2026 Alabama Republican Party primary election.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

Is the government shutdown about to wrap up?

Can Republicans take back the Alabama State House District 10 seat in 2026?

Can AJ McCarron duplicate the success of Governor-elect National Championship-winning coach U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn)?

All this and more on Alabama Politics This Week, on TV, radio, and online all over Alabama…

Mecca Musick is the CEO of 256 Today. Sign up for the 256 Today newsletter here.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

7. As the media and their Democrats rage about a privately funded East Wing renovation, the Trump administration is pushing with a remark about how U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is a scumbag.

6. U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) suggested that the “No Kings” protests hide a socialists/Marxists/left wing political wish list, framing them as a radical agenda masked by anti-Trump sentiment. Meanwhile, more protests are planned.

5. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) released a memo revealing what he claims is the Biden Department of Justice’s leadership meddling in investigations targeting President Donald Trump and his campaign, raising concerns about government overreach and spurring demands for accountability.

4. An Alabama lawmaker argued that expanding the law banning schools from teaching divisive concepts to cover all grades could reverse a drop in school enrollment, citing parental concerns over classroom content and the perception that educators are working against parents’ wishes.

3. Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron announced his run for lieutenant governor in 2026, referencing the assassination of Charlie Kirk and pledging to be a quarterback for Governor-elect National Championship-winning Coach U.S. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Auburn) conservative outsider agenda; one of his opponents, Secretary of State Wes Allen, countered with his own solid record in the race.

2. aldotcom has its second day of reports about how the government shutdown is killing Huntsville, this time citing a drop in dining out, as the 24-day government shutdown’s economic pinch may be hitting local businesses.

1. U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) called out the media for bias that creates polls showing Americans blame the GOP for the government shutdown, attributing them to what she calls the “third arm of the Democrats” influencing the narrative and hiding the reality of the situation to help Democrats’ message.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen is welcoming former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron to the 2026 Lt. Governor’s race by drawing a sharp contrast on experience and record. 

McCarron launched his campaign on Thursday, entering a field of contenders that include two tenured incumbents, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate, and Secretary Allen. 

First-time candidate and 35-year-old AJ McCarron released an announcement video that introduced himself politically as an outsider, a supporter of President Donald Trump, and someone uniquely positioned to be a “quarterback” for a future Tommy Tuberville governorship. 

Allen, a former state lawmaker, probate judge, and first-term Secretary of State, said his record is much different than McCarron’s.

“This race is about more than talk. It’s about real action. An endorsement of President Trump is only valuable if you follow it up with the real action of voting for him, which I have done,” Allen said in a statement to Yellowhammer News. 

“I don’t just talk about standing up for conservative values. I have a solid record and voter record to support a strong, proven record of getting things done through hard work and common sense decision making. I have eliminated red tape and wasteful spending in the Secretary of State’s Office, developed the most secure elections system in our nation’s history and led the charge to ban puberty blockers and sex change procedures on minors in our state. I take action again and again. I fight for what is right on economic and social fronts and I get the job done.”

According to official voter data from the Secretary of State’s office, McCarron registered to vote on October 20, 2025, and has not voted in any primary or general elections in Alabama.

Current Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth said Thursday of McCarron’s announcement, “This race just got interesting.”

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

The crowded race for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat could soon welcome another contender.

In an interview published by OutKick Monday morning, sports media personality Paul Finebaum revealed he is considering leaving ESPN, his employer since 2013, to run for public office. 

The broadcaster described himself as a registered Republican who voted for Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential election.

Although he hasn’t yet committed to running for office, Finebaum said he is “considering” mounting a campaign for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026 following U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Auburn) decision to run for Governor of Alabama rather than win slam-dunk re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Despite his long-standing reputation as a provocateur, Finebaum has generally circumvented the subject of politics throughout his career.

As he told OutKick, he neither wants to alienate members of his audience or infringe the policies of ESPN, a network he says encourages its employees to steer clear of political discussion.

According to Finebaum, however, he struggled to complete his show after the recent killing of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, prompting him to reflect on his priorities.

“I spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me. And it kept building throughout that weekend,” Finebaum said. “I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day.” 

Finebaum hopes to make his decision in “the next 30 to 45 days” — he has until January 23, 2026, the deadline for candidates to qualify in Alabama. The Republican primary will be held on May 19, 2026.

If Finebaum chooses to throw his hat in the ring, he will enter a competitive Republican field that includes Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, the current polling leader, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), and former Navy SEAL Jared Hudson, among others. 

The names of several notable sports figures have already been associated with the race.

Despite months of rumors to the contrary, recently-retired Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl declined to enter, and former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron is preparing a bid for either Lieutenant Governor or U.S. Senate — the three-time national champion has already lashed out at Finebaum, calling him a “dumbass” Monday afternoon.

Candidates will vie to replace Tuberville, a former Auburn football coach.

Unlike most of his potential competitors, Finebaum is not a native of the Yellowhammer State.

The broadcaster was born July 26, 1955, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he went on to graduate high school. Finebaum attended college at the University of Tennessee, earning a degree in 1978.

It wasn’t until 1980 he moved to Alabama to take a job at the Birmingham Post-Herald. He remained in the Magic City for over 30 years.

Although Finebaum spent the last decade-plus in Charlotte, returning to Alabama only this year, he describes the state as his home.

“Alabama has always been the place I’ve felt the most welcome, that I’ve cared the most about the people,” he told OutKick. “I’ve spoken to people from Alabama for 35 years and I feel there is a connection that is hard to explain.”

Most importantly, Finebaum is objectively on track to meet the lax residency requirements to run for U.S. Senate: prior to campaigning, he’ll have to prove he’s lived in Alabama for at least one day. 

As long as he proves the Mountain Brook mansion he purchased in February is his primary home, Finebaum won’t be hampered by issues of residence.

Where does Finebaum fall on the political spectrum? Almost certainly closer to the center than the notoriously conservative Tuberville.

In July, Finebaum told The Athletic he votes for both parties and considers himself a “moderate” and a “fairly middle-of-the-road person.”

Finebaum also revealed he counts both Tuberville and former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, a Democrat, as friends.

In 2016, Finebaum compared then-Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to Trump, who had become the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination after a series of incendiary debate performances. He accused both men of deploying provocative language as an attention-seeking device.

“It’s like [Marco] Rubio and [John] Kasich and [Jeb] Bush all reacting to Donald Trump. That’s what he wants,” Finebaum said. “And the Donald Trump of college football, Jim Harbaugh, wants [SEC coaches and officials] to get their panties in a wad and make him an even bigger story.”

In 2017, the broadcaster blasted the president to ESPN’s First Take panel, saying Trump “thinks he’s the smartest person in every room” and “behaves like a child.”

Finebaum challenged Trump to hold a town hall with representatives from the sports world about the issue of football players kneeling during the national anthem, going on to claim he’s “never seen a leader act with [Trump’s] level of immaturity.”

But in 2019, Finebaum attempted to interview the president prior to November’s game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama. He was allegedly shot down by ESPN, which he said cited its ‘no politics’ rule.

Finebaum told OutKick the incident represented a “turning point” for him, as he was denied a chance to conduct an interview he saw as having nothing to do with politics.

“It was just about the idea of going to the White House to interview the President of the United States,” Finebaum said. “It wasn’t about politics; it was about the game that he was going to attend, the biggest game of the year in college football.”

Finebaum now says that it would be ”impossible to tell [Trump] no” if the president pushed him to jump into the race.

“There’s no way I could,” Finebaum said. “I would tell him yes.”

Celebrity senatorial candidates have suffered high-profile defeats both in recent years — in 2022, former Heisman winner Herschel Walker and television presenter Mehmet Oz lost general elections in Georgia and Pennsylvania, respectively — and over the course of American history.

According to a 2024 study, celebrities who ran for federal office from 1964 to 2022 lost 72% of the time. They fared particularly poorly when matched up against experienced politicians, an unwelcome sign for Finebaum.

In a state like Alabama, however, where the Republican primary is the de facto general election, a candidate like Finebaum may be more viable.

Take Tuberville, for example: in 2020, the political newcomer roared past former U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, denying him the seat he once held.

However, Tuberville rode Trump’s endorsement to victory, marching in lockstep with the president; if Finebaum doesn’t secure Trump’s coveted support, he’ll have to chart his own path.

Despite boasting a greater net worth than his potential opponents, Finebaum also isn’t guaranteed a fundraising advantage: the risk-averse donor class is generally hesitant to back political novices, famous or not.

Other than his experience in front of crowds and cameras, Finebaum possesses at least one significant political advantage: name recognition.

Many lesser-known candidates spend much of their campaigns simply introducing themselves to voters. Finebaum will have to do no such thing.

Although Alabama voters might not necessarily like the often-acerbic broadcaster, they’ve certainly heard of him.

Charles Vaughan is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News.

Bruce Pearl has retired from Auburn, but is he running?

Is Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension a 1st Amendment issue?

How bad is the political violence going to get, and who is causing it?

All this and more on Alabama Politics This Week, on TV, radio, and online all over Alabama…

Mecca Musick is the CEO of 256 Today. Sign up for the 256 Today newsletter here.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

7. First, it was Governor-elect Nation Championship-winning Coach U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), then retired Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl was alleged to be considering a run for Congress, and now former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron is planning to run for a statewide office in Alabama in 2026, with sources confirming his political entry.

6. The Trump administration’s claim linking Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism risk is under attack from the media despite Tylenol’s previous warnings, and people on the Internet are rebuking President Donald Trump by taking Tylenol while pregnant.

5. President Donald Trump used his United Nations speech to criticize the global body, calling it incompetent and powerless, while touting his success on the world stage.

4. Former District Court Judge Spiro Cheriogotis defeated State Representative Barbara Drummond in Mobile’s mayoral runoff, with reports of voter glitches leading to complaints and provisional ballots. Also, Gunterville’s incumbent mayor fought off a challenge from former State Senator Jeff McLaughing (D-Gunterville) after the two tied in August.

3, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, a candidate for U.S. Senate, supports President Donald Trump’s efforts to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization, specifically citing a 2024 office bombing as personal evidence by a proclaimed follower of the movement.

2. A Democratic candidate for Alabama’s 5th Congressional District, Jeremy Devito, is embracing Antifa in a desperate effort to solicit campaign contributions after Donald Trump criticized the group and labeled it a terrorist organization.

1. Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC, with 4 Alabama TV stations not airing his program, offering a teary-eyed “apology” suggesting he wasn’t assigning blame for Charlie Kirl’s murder even though he actually did just that, and President Donald Trump hammered Kimmel and ABC after the return.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN.

AJ McCarron, former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and Mobile native, will run for statewide office in 2026, sources close to his decisionmaking process tell Yellowhammer News. 

While he has not yet announced a campaign or filed papers to make his bid official, he is preparing to run either for Lieutenant Governor or U.S. Senate.

McCarron, 34, led Alabama to back-to-back national championships as the starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012. He spent parts of nine seasons in the NFL, including with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2024 started for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks.

Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, elected first in 2018, is term limited in the role.

In the open 2026 field, Rick Pate, who is also term-limited in his position as Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries, as well as Wes Allen, only in his first term as Secretary of State, are currently running for Lt. Governor.

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), soon-to-be Governor of Alabama, also created an open race.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Jared Hudson, and Morgan Murphy are running to take his place in the Senate.

In his hometown of Mobile, McCarron and his family are associated with a Mobile-based real-estate enterprise, McCarron Real Estate, which advertises listings across Mobile and Baldwin counties.

His wife, Katherine Webb-McCarron, is also an Alabama native, born in Montgomery, raised in Phenix City, and was crowned Miss Alabama USA in 2012.

The couple married in Orange Beach in 2014 and have three children.

Given that the Alabama Republican Party qualifying window doesn’t end until January 23, 2026, McCarron has plenty of time to make up his mind on which office to run for.

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

The Alabama Crimson Tide is just days away from the start of the 2025 season as the team gets ready to head to Tallahassee to take on the Florida State Seminoles.

Perhaps the biggest spotlight on the field is going to be on the quarterback position as program veteran Ty Simpson prepares to make his first real career debut after three years as a backup QB on the bench.

Given that the offense has struggled with consistency in the passing game for the last two years, the anticipation for Simpson is high among the fanbase.

Simpson is going to be feeling a lot of pressure to get the job done and prove why he won the job and why he should be the man for the position all year long.

However, he cannot let that pressure get to him and impact the way he makes decisions. With a tremendous defense and group of pass catchers around him, Simpson simply needs to just play his game, play smart, make the plays and avoid turnovers.

AJ McCarron, who won two national titles at Alabama from doing just that, offered timely advice to Simpson on the latest episode of “The Dynasty” podcast.

“My mindset for him would be the same mindset I had going into my first year of starting,” Tide legend AJ McCarron said.

“You have an experienced defense, right? The team is expecting a lot out of the defense. Let them control a lot of the game. Your biggest thing right now, especially in your first start, is come out, take care of the football, just don’t do anything crazy and play out of yourself from a sense of making mistakes and hurting the team.”

McCarron even shared some insight as to what it was like preparing for games right before he took over the job and revealed the approach from former offensive coordinator Jim McElwain.

“Jim McElwain used to say it all the time: ‘Touchdowns, checkdowns, take what the defense gives us, and eventually, they will give us the game.’ And I kind of lived by that my first year because I knew, hey, if you just take care of the ball, whether each possession ends on a kick, whether it’s a field goal or a punt, you’ve done your job for the most part right there because you’re at least giving your team a chance to rebound and bounce back some sort of way.”

If Simpson can play a similar style to what McCarron was able to do — Alabama is going to have a great shot this season.

The rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers is arguably the most iconic rivalry in the Southeastern Conference and possibly in all of college football as well. When the two teams meet in the Iron Bowl each year, the game can get chippy fast.

For many players, there is certainly no love lost, even many years later.

Count former Alabama two-time national title-winning quarterback AJ McCarron in that group.

On his podcast with Crimson Tide radio voice Chris Stewart and fellow Alabama legend Trent Richardson, McCarron ripped into Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze during what has been a very cold streak of recruiting for the program.

RELATED: AJ McCarron rips current state of Alabama and CFB: ‘Everybody’s worried about f***ing Tik Tok’

Both Freeze and AD John Cohen insinuated through comments that the recruiting failures were due to Auburn cooperating with post-House settlement rules that other schools are not. McCarron was not buying the excuse.

“I think Hugh Freeze is trying to do whatever he can to save face.”

Last week, Freeze suggested Auburn is playing by the House settlement rules while others aren’t. @10AJMcCarron isn’t buying it.#RollTide pic.twitter.com/PSSft61dQu

— TheDynastyBAMA (@TheDynastyBAMA) July 9, 2025

“Hugh Freeze is full of sh*t,” McCarron said. “I think Hugh Freeze is trying to do whatever he can to save face. He’s starting to feel pressure at Auburn – going into his third year, not having the success that the alumni, the boosters, everybody donating a lot of money thought he would have by this point. I think he’s trying to figure out and scramble on why they are not successful.”

RELATED: Tide legend AJ McCarron shares hilarious story of Lane Kiffin trying to steal him away to UT

While talking about the financial issues of Auburn and why the money has dried up, McCarron posited that the finance and power in the state rests with Alabama boosters rather than those affiliated with the Tigers

“The state of Alabama is run by Alabama fans, Alabama alumni,” he continued. “Whether you like it or not – and I’ve never been one to just absolutely hate on Auburn. Hell, I’ve caught hell from Alabama fans for cheering for some of my friends who played at Auburn. If you are from the state of Alabama, I think it is dumb for you not to sing with the University of Alabama. Your avenue for success with life after football is a lot greater – bigger, however you want to describe it – I think, with being an ex-Alabama football player compared to Auburn.”

The current day and age of college football has turned into a much more over the table, straightforward strategy in terms of how talent is acquired and players are recruited.

While the days of McDonald’s bags full of cash and secret car dealership agreements may be gone in favor of the NIL era, there are some absolutely classic stories left over.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide legendary quarterback AJ McCarron shared one this week on his new podcast with play-by-play broadcaster Chris Stewart and as well as his former teammate in superstar running back Trent Richardson:

McCarron, who is from Mobile, recounted the time Lane Kiffin — then the head coach at Tennessee — brought his entire staff down to the Gulf Coast to sneak around Nick Saban and his staff and try to flip the gunslinger to Knoxville.

RELATED: AJ McCarron rips current state of Alabama and CFB: ‘Everbody’s worried about f***ing TikTok’

Saban had an inkling that Kiffin and his staff were poking around, so he sent Jeremy Pruitt a few hours South to stake out McCarron’s house and make sure Kiffin did not arrive.

A loyal soldier, Pruitt did as he was asked, but there was one problem.

He was at the wrong house.

“One morning, I’m knocked out, dad’s at the fire station, I’m sleeping,” McCarron recalled. “All of a sudden, I got a bang on my window, bedroom window. ‘Bam Bam Bam’, I woke up and was like, who the hell is banging on my window? I open up the blinds, and it’s Lane (Kiffin) and Lance (Thompson) who are leaning down near my window (waving). I look behind them, and it’s the whole offensive coaching staff for Tennessee, outside my window. All you hear is Lance saying ‘Let me in! Let us in!’”

RELATED: Kiffin vs. Finebaum rivalry continues: Kiffin says he is ‘grateful’ Finebaum got him fired

Kiffin and his entire staff got around Pruitt because he was a few doors down.

Already knowing he was going to Alabama, McCarron got a call from Saban shortly after the Tennessee house visit, and when Saban heard Pruitt was not there, all hell broke loose.

“Coach Saban calls me, ‘What are you doing, boy?'” McCarron said. “Oh, just getting my day going, but I just had a full-on interview, meeting with the whole Tennessee staff. He said, ‘What do you mean?’. Well, the whole staff was down here in my living room, and were here for about 30-45 minutes….He said, ‘I told Pruitt’s ass to get down there and watch your house, let me call him.'”

Saban proceeded to chew Pruitt out, who went and knocked on the door of the house he was watching, only to have an elderly woman answer to tell him the McCarrons lived six homes down.

Of course, it all worked out in the end.

But these are the kind of classic recruiting tales we will be missing from this era, years down the line.

The Alabama Crimson Tide is going through a challenging transition from Nick Saban to new head coach Kalen DeBoer.

After the first offseason of the new era went about as well as it possibly could have in terms of recruiting, and everyone seemingly starting to get on the same page, it simply has not translated to the field yet for whatever reason and the Tide has two losses before November for the first time since 2007.

Someone who lived and played through the highest highs of the Saban era and understands the standard as well as anyone in former Crimson Tide quarterback and 2x national champion AJ McCarron feels he has a pretty good idea however, essentially calling it the consequences of a selfish mindset due to the new era of college football surrounding players getting paid through NIL.

“I think it’s definitely a different era,” McCarron said on the McCready & Siskey podcast. “I don’t think you’ll see the same standard from discipline, just things that the team seems to do. It’s a new day and age. Everybody’s worried about f***ing Tik Tok and having a reel and being on highlights for their personal self and personal gain, and how much money they can get from NIL. We just didn’t have that s*** back then. It was a team sport. You came together as a team because you had one common goal, because you knew that’s how you were going to make your money, was by winning.”

RELATED: Nick Saban, U.S. Senators want to regulate NIL before it’s too late

McCarron added that if the team wins, NFL scouts and personnel will come to see the players, which is how they should be creating value for themselves, echoing what Saban often emphasized.

“Winning attracts people to that program, it attracts scouts, it attracts GMs, it attracts ownership to allow yourself that opportunity to go make yourself a lot of money and change your family tree for a long period of time. You can just tell. It’s not the same.”

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.

By Southern Research

Frances Grace Hirs and Jack Secrist have never met, but their paths have crossed.

Frances Grace is a 17-year-old junior at Fairhope High School, a member of the National Honor Society who enjoys painting and recently started driving. She’s making plans for the future and may pursue a career in pediatric oncology.

“She is flourishing,” said her mother, Debbie. “She’s just amazing.”

Frances Grace is also a fighter. She has battled acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) since she was 3 years old – and that’s the source of her connection to Secrist, the former head of Southern Research’s Drug Discovery division.

Secrist, Ph.D., is co-inventor of clofarabine, a therapy for children whose leukemia has returned after two types of treatment have failed. Frances Grace received clofarabine while being treated at Children’s Hospital of Alabama during the summer of 2013, following a second relapse.

Debbie Hirs believes the drug discovered by Southern Research helped save her daughter’s life by getting Frances Grace’s leukemia into remission so that a bone marrow transplant could be performed on Sept. 7, 2013.

“Thank goodness there are people out there doing that work,” said Mrs. Hirs, who visited Southern Research’s Birmingham offices with Frances Grace and husband Allen last month.

Secrist retired from Southern Research after a 34-year career and now lives in Michigan. He said it’s actually rare for the inventor of a cancer drug to meet someone who has been treated with that drug. But he knows the life-changing impact that work in the drug discovery field can have.

He glimpsed it first-hand at the Food and Drug Administration hearing when approval was granted for clofarabine back in 2004. (Read a story about the discovery of clofarabine.)

“A father brought his son to the hearing and he took advantage of the public forum to relate the story of his son and how this drug has certainly saved his life,” Secrist recalled.

“He was holding the boy, who was perhaps five or six, in his arms as he spoke. It was a moving scene.”

TRANSPLANTING HOPE

Frances Grace was diagnosed with the deadly blood cancer in 2003, after severe back pain left her screaming in agony. Her parents decided to make the 260-mile trek to Children’s Hospital for treatment, and she was soon in remission.

But in 2009, when she was in the third grade, Frances Grace felt a pain in her side after ballet class. Doctors confirmed that the leukemia had returned. A second round of chemotherapy at Children’s returned positive results.

In April 2013, the disease came back. Frances Grace’s third bout with ALL was serious, because her chemotherapy options were growing limited. She needed a bone marrow transplant but couldn’t undergo the procedure unless she was in remission.

“The transplant was her last hope,” Mrs. Hirs said.

Frances Grace’s doctor recommended clofarabine, and the drug worked rapidly, making the transplant possible, Mrs. Hirs said. The teenager still faced a long, difficult recovery period, but she was able to return home shortly before Christmas 2013.

Last month, Frances Grace met her bone marrow donor, when Bryan Schneider of New Braunfels, Texas, traveled to Birmingham for a ceremony at Children’s Hospital.

The Hirs family visited Southern Research after learning clofarabine had been discovered there.

DISCOVERING CLOFARABINE

The work that led to clofarabine began around 1983, when Southern Research scientists were searching for new anticancer drugs based on nucleosides, the building blocks of DNA.

Secrist said the team saw promise in two potential drugs, but an evaluation revealed structural concerns with both. He and John Montgomery, Ph.D., a key member of Southern Research’s drug discovery team, formulated a plan. They set out to create new compounds that would disrupt DNA function in cancer cells in a similar way while lacking the structural issues that had raised concerns with the others. *

“We made this series of compounds, and the end result was clofarabine,” said Secrist said.

Later, while clofarabine was in clinical development at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, a chance development proved critical in the drug’s long journey toward FDA approval.

“A family had a child that had gone through the available drugs for his leukemia, and he was not responding,” Secrist said. “They asked to be able to try clofarabine, which was not yet available for trials, and their request was granted.

“The child responded immediately, and the family was truly grateful,” he added.

When clofarabine received FDA approval on Dec. 28, 2004, it was the first new drug to treat childhood cancers in a decade. The drug, marketed in the U.S. by Sanofi Genzyme, carries the brand name Clolar.

The Hirs family is deeply grateful for the medical research that has benefited Frances Grace. They organized a golf tournament in Baldwin County to raise money for Children’s and cancer research. The tournament, now in its 12th year, has raised $700,000, including $110,000 last year.

“People need to know that it takes money to do these things,” Allen Hirs said. “It just takes a lot of people and a lot of effort.”

*Both of the other compounds – fludarabine and cladribine — won FDA approval as treatments for leukemia. Fludarabine, first synthesized by Montgomery, was approved in 1991 as a therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It’s one of five cancer drugs invented or co-invented by Montgomery while at Southern Research.

In 2012, Alabama quarterback Phillip Sims transferred to Virginia after losing the starting quarterback battle to AJ McCarron. He amassed 1,263 yards passing and nine touchdowns during his four starts at Virginia, but left that program after being found to be academically ineligible.

He could have rejoined Alabama as he sat out 2013 and competed for a job in 2014, but he decided to play his final collegiate season on scholarship at Division II Winston-Salem State.

But once he left Alabama, he apparently kept in close contact with Saban, who this week wrote a letter to NFL scouts — obtained by the Tuscaloosa News — to help promote Sims’ case.

I believe Phillip Sims has the mental acumen and physical tools to be an asset for a team in the National Football League. He is hard-working, driven, tough and a coachable player.

Sims was not invited to the NFL Combine, but instead participated in Wake Forest’s Pro Day and impressed scouts there. Sims had 1,560 yards and 15 touchdowns last season for Winston-Salem State, and the team finished 9-2.

Saban has had 41 Alabama players drafted into the NFL during his tenure in Tuscaloosa. While Sims may not technically count toward that tally, this letter to scouts shows that Saban wants him in the NFL as badly as his current Alabama players.

Here’s more of what Saban said about Sims in the letter, according to the Tuscaloosa News:

I found him to be a quick study who was always ready and eager to learn. He is a special young man who always followed direction and did things the right way. He was a natural leader both in the classroom and on the field, won numerous Scout Team Player of the Week awards, and was well liked by his peers and coaches. Phillip also served as a member of our leadership team and won the Ozzie Newsome Award.

I stand behind Phillip and wholeheartedly endorse him as a player and as a man.

[Tide Sports]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With homecoming this weekend and the Iron Bowl next Saturday, Alabama’s seniors — a group that has experienced both championships and heartbreak on the football field — only have two home games left in their college careers.

This team is No. 1, like many Alabama teams have been in the past, but the rapport this year’s leaders have with younger players feels different than last season.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban and the seniors themselves acknowledged that.

“We have a very good group of seniors this year, we have a very good leadership group,” Saban said. “I think… the best thing about our seniors is they’re really well-liked by their teammates. I think that really starts with the fact that they care and they care about other people on the team and they’re willing to spend time to help the other people on the team…I think that’s made the team chemistry really good.”

Saban has already talked about this team not having any “energy vampires,” which is Saban-speak for players that demand coaches’ attention and distract the team. The players are motivated and communicate well, and leaders have emerged, sometimes surprisingly.

“Some of the guys that are doing a really good job of that, without me mentioning any names, are actually guys that struggled maybe early on being able to do those types of things,” Saban said. “When it was their turn to take a leadership role, regardless of what their role was on the team, they really did it in a first-class way and that’s been very helpful with team chemistry.”

Alabama senior wide receiver Christion Jones said the atmosphere among players is similar to that of 2011 — a national title-winning season. Jones also mentioned Jalston Fowler, Blake Sims and DeAndrew White on the offensive side as guys who have really stepped up.

“Everybody is comfortable with each other from the seniors to the freshmen,” Jones said. “Everybody has a good vibe. We haven’t had any problems on the team amongst each other with dislike or any outcasts.”

This is a different story from a team that had a cloud of disarray around it following last season’s consecutive losses to Auburn and Oklahoma. Former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron repeatedly blamed the younger players on the team for not buying in and called some players on the team selfish. Even Saban said the team needed a hard restart after last season’s poor finish.

Teach chemistry was clearly a problem last year, and it become evident in post-season interviews. But Alabama cornerback Cyrus Jones had only positive things to say about the Tide’s bond this season.

“This year everybody’s so tight; it’s a well-knit group,” Jones said. “There aren’t really cliques on the team, everybody pretty much hangs out with each other all the time, has each other’s backs. Once you have that cohesiveness — especially with the leaders — it just trickles down to everybody else. I think this team is on the right track.”

AJ McCarron seems to be playing a lot of armchair quarterback these days.

While the former Alabama star is injured in Cincinnati, McCarron is continuing to criticize this new iteration of the Crimson Tide.

During his weekly segment on “The Game” with local Tuscaloosa sports station 99.1 FM, McCarron said the team was bereft of leaders after this weekend’s loss to Ole Miss.

“I think one of the things that this team is lacking that hurts them the most is not having the true leaders like we had last year and guys that, when things go bad said, ‘Hey, let’s calm everybody down, pick it back up and go back to work and get back on the right track,’” McCarron said on the Game. “I feel like when things go bad, this team struggles a little with bouncing back and making good plays.”

The former Alabama quarterback then spoke more about the leaders, saying Landon Collins and Trey DePriest are doing their jobs as leaders on the defense, but the offense needs more players like them.

“They got to find that leader on offense, I don’t know if that’s Austin Shepherd or, with Ryan [Kelly] being out, somebody needs to establish that,” McCarron said. “Blake needs to step up and do it. It’s going to be a tough road…I think we have a tough road here on out.

“Hopefully someone can establish as a true leader, and can get the team back on the right track to win some football games.”

McCarron later defended his statements on Twitter, saying the team is fine, but it doesn’t have vocal leaders, which he says are different than people who lead by example.

Other than the absence of an established leader on the offensive side, McCarron said the offense was targeting Amari Cooper too much, rather than spreading the ball around and not spreading the ball. He mentioned wide receiver Christion Jones as someone he frequently looked for last year.

McCarron also seemed to put some blame on head coach Nick Saban for keeping the offense too simple and preventing offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin from opening up the playbook.

“I don’t know if that’s Lane doing that or if coach Saban is kind of putting the handcuffs on Lane,” McCarron said during his segment. “I’ve known Coach to do (that) in the past (to) his offensive coordinator and we’re going to be very bland and run this play and do this and we’ll throw it on third down if we have to. It’s going to be interesting to see how they bounce back against Arkansas this week and what kind of offense comes out this week.”

During the weekly SEC Coaches teleconference, Nick Saban rebutted McCarron’s comments, saying he didn’t think what McCarron said about the offense was true.

Saban on McCarron saying UA offense lacks leadership: "I don't know how AJ would really know, but I don't see that."

— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) October 8, 2014

McCarron’s comments were critical of the team but, for the most part, they were measured and pretty typical of the things he usually says out loud.

But while he had plenty of unsolicited advice for the team, his advice for the fans was probably the most rational.

“People need to calm down,” McCarron said. “I understand losing a game at Alabama, having played there, people think the world’s coming to an end. It’s one game.”

UPDATED:

We are clearly twisted RT @Marq_Burnett: Katherine Webb (McCarron) isn't happy with these "twisted writers." pic.twitter.com/ClfSW8JBiR

— Jonathan Biles (@Jonathan_Biles) October 8, 2014

[H/T to 99.1 FM and AL.com]

Follow Jonathan on Twitter @Jonathab_Biles

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As rain started to fall on campus at the University of Alabama, Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron saw a fellow student trying in vain to hail a bus.

“We had gotten done with practice, and I saw two buses starting to pull away,” McCarron recalled. “I saw AJ, and I could tell he had some type of disorder. And he tried to raise his hand at the two buses and they just pulled off. It was starting to rain and I just felt bad.”

The “AJ” that McCarron was referring to is Alabama student AJ Starr, who has cerebral palsy. He was diagnosed with the central motor dysfunction after the umbilical cord inadvertently got wrapped around his neck prior to his birth, causing brain damage.

“I heard someone say, ‘hey man, do you need a ride?’” Starr said. “As I got closer, I’m like, ‘that’s A.J. McCarron!”

The two A.J.’s became fast friends. Starr ultimately became a part of the Crimson Tide football program working as an equipment manager, and his inspirational story was immortalized by an ESPN segment that went viral online.

He’s now universally known as “The Real AJ,” not to be confused with McCarron, “The Other AJ.”

(More below the video)

As McCarron prepares for the NFL draft, Starr is gearing up to graduate in May, at which point he will begin pursuing a graduate degree at UA’s Sports Management Program.

But continuing his academic career and helping The Tide prepare for next football season are far from the only things Starr has on his mind these days. He is preparing to embark on his most ambitious journey yet — launching a non-profit organization, “The Real AJ Foundation,” with the goal of “helping others with cerebral palsy live a life without limits.”

In spite of cerebral palsy being the most common motor disability among children, The US Federal Government spent more last year on a 3-d pizza printer and a documentary about superheroes than it did on cerebral palsy research (not kidding).

In June, The Real AJ Foundation team will travel to Washington, D.C., to start the process of changing that.

Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-AL06, is helping facilitate the visit, which will include numerous events at the U.S. Capitol. A proclamation honoring Starr will be read into the Congressional Record, highlighting Starr’s impact on cerebral palsy awareness. He’ll also be visiting the White House.

“It will be an honor to help host AJ during his visit to Washington,” Bachus said. “His remarkable story has provided inspiration to fans of not just Alabama Crimson Tide football, but to countless people throughout our state and nation.”

But before he goes to Washington, AJ will be launching his non-profit in more familiar territory — Bryant Denny Stadium. Accompanied by friends, family and supporters, Starr will announce the launch of The Real AJ Foundation at halftime of the Alabama A-Day football game on Saturday. More details about the organization’s mission will be released at that time.

RELATED: Average crowd at Bama’s A-Day game would lead NFL in regular season attendance

The Foundation is already embarking on a national awareness campaign titled “Starr Powered” that will include Starr making numerous national media appearances in the coming weeks.

Musician and vocalist Chuck Tilley, a Tuscaloosa native and current cast member of the hit ABC TV Show “Nashville,” is in town this weekend to help with the launch.

“I never miss an Alabama football game, and I’ve had the story of the two AJs in the back of my mind for a while,” said Tilley. “My good friend called and pitched the ‘Starr Powered’ idea. The minute I heard his vision, I was hooked. Together, we are going to produce a benefit concert for AJ Starr and UCP (United Cerebral Palsy), and I can’t wait to share this news tomorrow at Bryant-Denny stadium with all of our closest friends.”

In the mean time, you can “like” The Real AJ Foundation on Facebook and look out for more details in the days ahead at TheRealAJ.com.

“AJ’s story demonstrates the power of authentic and meaningful relationships, and it highlights the challenges that more than 700,000 people with cerebral palsy and their families live with every day throughout our nation,” said Dr. Gary Edwards, CEO of UCP Greater Birmingham. “The most common motor disability of childhood, cerebral palsy often isolates the children and adults living with it. The relationship between AJ McCarron and AJ Starr reminds us of the power of friendship and the purpose of our lives — to push beyond our boundaries, to compete, to live a life without limits.”

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

As rain started to fall on campus at the University of Alabama, Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron saw a fellow student trying in vain to hail a bus.

“We had gotten done with practice, and I saw two buses starting to pull away,” McCarron recalled. “I saw A.J., and I could tell he had some type of disorder. And he tried to raise his hand at the two buses and they just pulled off. It was starting to rain and I just felt bad.”

The “A.J.” that McCarron is referring to is Alabama student A.J. Starr. Starr has cerebral palsy. He was diagnosed with the central motor dysfunction after the umbilical cord inadvertently got wrapped around his neck prior to his birth.

“I heard someone say, ‘hey man, do you need a ride?'” Starr said. “As I got closer, I’m like, ‘that’s A.J. McCarron.”

The two A.J.’s became fast friends.

“Having cerebral palsy… It’s kind of hard to go out into the real world and sort of meet people,” Starr told Alabama’s 13.

After recalling seeing Starr watch the Tide practice through cracks in the fence — even in inclement weather — McCarron wanted to find a way to get him involved with the program.

“I called Joe Pannunzio, who’s kind of director of our football operations and I told him the story and I said, ‘Is there any way we can get him a job here?,'” McCarron said. “He called me back the next day and was like, ‘he’s going to help in the equipment room getting all the stuff ready for the games and doing laundry.'”

Starr was now an official part of the Alabama football program.

“I was so excited,” he recalled. “Now I get to be around the football players, and just interacting with all the guys. I’m so thankful for all AJ and this organization have done for me.”

But if you ask McCarron, Starr has done much more to inspire the Alabama players than they ever could have done for him.

“Here’s a kid who’s been through all these obstacles and he still wakes up smiling every day and ready to go to work,” McCarron said. “I feel like he’s taught me more — given me more than I could have ever given him.”

“Every time I come here, no matter how bad my day is, or what I may go through with my challenges, when I come here it goes out the window,” Starr said. “I’m probably the happiest man on this planet.”

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims

Since taking over as starting quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide, AJ McCarron has the same number of losses as he does BCS Championship rings.

This week McCarron scored the cover of the Sports Illustrated with the question, “Is it time to think about AJ McCarron as one of the best ever?”

In the story, SI executive editor L. Jon Wertheim looks at McCarron’s career, leadership on the team, his reputation across the country, and even his relationship with Katherine Webb.

“He is not just one of the great Alabama quarterbacks,” Wertheim wrote in the article. “AJ McCarron is on the short list of the most successful players in the history of college football. Even if not many think of him that way.”

Over his career, McCarron has gone 35-2. His only two losses came against LSU in 2011, and Texas A&M last year.

McCarron recently cracked the top three in the USA Today’s “Heisman Watch” alongside Florida State’s quarterback Jameis Winston and Texas A&M’s quarterback Johnny Manziel.

McCarron’s chance at winning college football’s highest individual honor will hinge in part on his performance in the upcoming Iron Bowl. With Auburn having turned their program around this year after a dismal 3-9 2012 season (0-8 in the SEC), many folks are calling this one of the biggest Iron Bowl games in history.

The last time the two teams played each other while ranked in the top ten was 1994. #3 Alabama beat #6 Auburn in that game 21-14.

The #1 ranked Crimson Tide will take on #6 Auburn in Auburn Nov. 30th on CBS.

Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamYHN

(Above: 60 Minutes profiles the Bama football program and head coach Nick Saban)

For the last eight months, University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban gave CBS’ 60 Minutes full access to his entire program.

On Sunday evening, CBS aired the first half of a two-part series focusing on The Crimson Tide, starting with a visit to Crimson Tide practice

“Why are you so tough on people?” 60 Minutes correspondent Armen Keteyian asked Saban after watching him relentlessly demand perfection from his players.

“I don’t know if that’s fair, that I’m really tough on people,” the Tide coach replied calmly. “We create a standard for how we want to do things, and everybody’s got to buy into that standard… Mediocre people don’t like high achievers and high achievers don’t like mediocre people.”

The means through which Saban and his teams pursue perfection is a system known simply as “The Process.” Rather than worrying about winning, Saban encourages his guys to focus on doing their job at the highest level every single play — in practice, and ultimately during the games.

“The approach was to challenge the players to play every play in the game like it had a history and a life of its own,” Saban explained. “[We] tried to take the other team out of the game and make it all about us… It really is the simple way to do it. It’s the best way to do it.”

The play that epitomized “The Process,” according 60 Minutes, took place late in last year’s National Championship game.

The Crimson Tide were up big with just over 7 minutes to go against an outmatched Notre Dame squad. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron and center Barrett Jones called different plays at the line of scrimmage. Both insisted they were right. After arguing over the play, McCarron called a timeout in frustration and berated Jones, who responded by shoving McCarron in front of millions of people on live television.

Saban loved it.

“The game’s probably won… and they’re still trying to get it right,” he said, “which to me is the kind of pride in performance that you want in the players.”

The CBS crew dug into Saban’s past to try to gain a better understanding of what in Saban’s upbringing led to his seemingly maniacal pursuit of perfection.

Saban’s dad, Nick, Sr., is a local Pee Wee football coaching legend in their West Virginia coal mining town. Saban started working at his dad’s service station when he was only 11 years old.

“If we washed a car… and it was not done exactly, perfectly correctly, he would say ‘wash it again,'” Saban recalled. “A single streak and you had to do the whole care again.” He says now that his desire for perfection started at that service station.

Years later, after working as a graduate assistant for Kent State University’s football program, Saban decided that coaching was the profession for him. In what would be the last conversation he ever had with his father, Saban told him the news.

“I think [coaching football] is what I really want to do,” Saban recalled telling his dad. “That was the last conversation we had.”

Nick, Sr. passed away just days late at the age of 46.

After bouncing around from college to college, never staying longer than a few years, Saban won his first national championship at LSU. He then hightailed it to the NFL, taking a job as the Miami Dolphin’s head coach.

But after a couple of lackluster seasons, Alabama came calling.

Saban initially denied any interest in the job. At one press conference, an exasperated Saban explicitly said he would not be Bama’s next head coach.

He took the job shortly thereafter.

Asked by the 60 Minutes correspondent if he regrets those words now, Saban said, “Absolutely… It affected my integrity as a person by saying one thing and doing something else.”

The criticism he received over taking the Alabama job ended up being nothing more than a blip on the radar, though, especially now as the Tide pursues its third consecutive national championship. But there are still some who question whether any coach is worth what the University of Alabama pays Saban — over $5 million per year, more than any other college coach in the country.

University of Alabama system Chancellor Dr. Robert Witt, who approved Saban’s giant contract, says it has proven to be one of the smartest decisions he’s ever made.

“Nick Saban is the best financial investment this university’s ever made,” Witt said confidently.

When 60 Minutes ran the numbers, they found plenty of data to back up that claim. Saban has overseen a 112 percent increase in revenue for the athletic department, $4 million of which was returned to the university in the form of academic scholarships last year alone.

But Saban’s pursuit of perfection has not consumed him to the point that he’s blind to the world around him. Even a little bit of pop culture seems to have infiltrated “The Process.”

After a big win against Texas A&M earlier this year, Saban praised his team in the locker room with a familiar phrase from A&E’s hit reality show Duck Dynasty.

“I’m so happy, happy, happy,” Saban exclaimed. “…I’m so proud.”

The second part of the 60 Minutes profile is set to air Wednesday on Showtime.

Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims