Guess who's on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, which just happens to be the venerable sports magazine's annual football preview issue for this year? Not just an Alabama player . . . but our own "Mr. Football"  T.J. Yeldon from Daphne!!

The rising sophomore will lead the 2013 Crimson Tide in its quest for a 3rd consecutive BCS Championship and the fourth in the past five years . . .  with the championship from that 'other' Alabama school squeezed in there in 2010.

At Daphne High School, Yeldon led his Trojans to their second state 6A championship as well as being named "Mr. Football" as the top player in the state. Yeldon is on most major college football award 'watch lists' going into the season as well as being named to the Sporting News first-team preseason All American team . . . one of five Crimson Tide players named to the first squad and one of 12 total players from the SEC.

Naturally, Alabama is picked by both national sports publications as the #1 team going into the college season. Alabama opens up in two weeks against perennial ACC power Virginia Tech in a neutral-site game in Atlanta. Two weeks after that, the Tide roll into College Station to take on Heisman Trophy winner 'Johnny Football' and Texas A&M.