TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The pun, purposeful or not, is not lost on a grinning Ryan Williams .

"It was basically the elephant in the room," Williams said.

He wasn't referring to Big Al, the Crimson Tide's costumed elephant mascot, but to a team meeting that left an indelible mark on the Alabama players as they returned to campus Jan. 13. A meeting in which head strength coach David Ballou spared absolutely nobody in an earsplitting tirade meant to set the tone for Year 2 under head coach Kalen DeBoer. After DeBoer spoke to the team first, Ballou took center stage. He called out players for their lack of urgency, and his message was crystal clear: "If you don't want to be here, leave."

That directive was essentially the final remnant of a 2024 season that saw Alabama lose four games and f

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