Alabama went into the offseason knowing it needed more muscle inside, and Nate Oats believes the Tide found it in the transfer portal.
Former Kentucky big man Brandon Garrison headlines the group after announcing his commitment in April, and Alabama also added forwards Drew Fielder and Jamarion Davis-Fleming. Together, the three give the Crimson Tide a much bigger front court than the one that struggled on the glass a year ago.
Oats laid out exactly what each player brings before Alabama’s season opener against Sam Houston.
“Drew, Jamarion and Brandon would be the three you’re mainly talking about.” Oats said.
“I think they are all different. The point of bringing in all three of them is they are versatile enough to play the way we want to play on offense.
They can play on the perimeter, they can run, they are athletic. Fielder probably shoots the best out of all three of them, Brandon probably passes the best out of all three of them.
And then Jamarion is probably the best overall defender. He’s had some really big time rebound days in practice.
He’s got to do it without fouling, he gets in the game and fouls too much. We got to keep him out of foul trouble, but all of them have the size to be able to rebound and add significantly better than what we did last year.
All of them can kind of play four or fives, you have two of those three together or you can put one of them with a guy like Keitenn. We’ve got a lot of versatility in the front court.”
That versatility is the selling point. Alabama wants lineups that can move, space the floor and still hold up physically, and Oats said all three transfers fit that style. Fielder gives the Tide the best shooting touch of the trio, Garrison brings the best passing, and Davis-Fleming stands out as the top defender.
The need is obvious from last season’s numbers. Alabama finished 111th nationally in rebounds per game at 40.7, and the new additions are expected to help change that quickly. Garrison, Fielder and Davis-Fleming arrive with size and experience, and they should be in the mix right away when the Tide open the 2026-27 season Tuesday night at Coleman Coliseum against Sam Houston.
In Other News...
Philip Rivers Could Leave Alabama For A Job That Changes Two Programs
Philip Rivers has built a second football life in Alabama, coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School while guiding his son Gunner, a committed NC State quarterback, through the next step of his career. Now the former NFL quarterback and NC State standout has surfaced as a leading candidate to take over the Wolfpack program after Dave Doeren was fired, a development that ties his current Alabama stop directly to a job with major meaning in Raleigh.
For Alabama fans who have watched Rivers settle into the high school game, the possibility carries an unusual ripple effect because it could pull him away from the state and into a role that would reshape both programs. Rivers has already shown respect for NC State and has drawn NFL head-coaching interest before, but this opening comes with a different kind of pull, one that would put father, son and alma mater on the same collision course. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama May Get A Massive Defensive Boost Before LSU
Alabamas run defense took a noticeable hit after defensive tackle Terrance Green was injured in the Georgia game, and the timing could hardly have been worse for a front that has been dealing with injuries in recent weeks. Green has been a key interior piece for the Crimson Tide, and his absence showed up in the way opponents were able to lean on the ground game as the season wore on.
Now there is at least some optimism that help is on the way before LSU comes to town. Green is reportedly expected to return in time for that matchup, which would give Alabama a much-needed boost in the middle and restore some stability to a defensive front that has been stretched thin. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Suddenly Has A Surprising Role In Alabamas SEC Drama
Alabamas playoff margin is getting thinner by the week, and Paul Finebaum said the stakes of the upcoming road trip to LSU are hard to overstate. With the Crimson Tide already carrying a weaker non-conference schedule, the value of their best early resume win has also been complicated by Florida States recent coaching change, which only adds to the pressure on every remaining SEC test.
Finebaum also pointed to Kentucky as an unexpected piece of the larger picture, another result Alabama has reason to watch closely while trying to keep its own path to the College Football Playoff alive. In a conference race where Alabama and LSU are being measured against one another, the Wildcats performance could end up shaping how the playoff conversation looks around the Tide, even before the league's biggest games finish sorting themselves out. [Read more 🡒]