Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

Alabama football quarterback Bryce Young was standing in the pocket in the second quarter of Saturday's 52-49 loss at Tennessee and launched a pass.

Within a second after Young threw it, Omari Thomas crashed into the quarterback, the Tennessee defensive lineman's helmet making contact with Young's helmet, specifically the facemask. Thomas knocked him to the ground in the process.

The hit on Young was reviewed for targeting, but the officials determined a penalty would not be called.

As No. 6 Alabama (6-1, 3-1 SEC) faces No. 24 Mississippi State (5-2, 2-2) on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN) at Bryant-Denny Stadium for this season's homecoming game, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said he was not given an explanation on the play.

ALABAMA FOOTBALL:Clock management on final drive, penalties, Pete Golding and other Alabama football questions

SEC POWER RANKINGS: Rocky Top-ranked Tennessee football bumps Georgia for No. 1

"We turned the plays in," Saban said Monday. "I’m sure the league office will look at it and make a determination. There’s two things that are an issue here: targeting, but you’re also not supposed to hit the quarterback in the head. Last year against Texas A&M, Malachi (Moore) got thrown out of the game. The guy was out of the pocket, jumped up to block the ball and ended up, almost accidentally, hitting him in the head and got ejected from the game. So there’s really two things that should be looked at.”

Thomas said postgame he didn't know the play was being reviewed until defensive line coach Rodney Garner told him.

"I didn’t really feel like I did anything because we’re not going out here to purposefully hurt anyone," Thomas said. "I was just trying to make a good football play and get a good hit on the quarterback."

As for the targeting play against the Aggies in 2021, it occurred when Moore hit Zach Calzada. After Calzada got rid of the ball, Moore gave Calzada a shiver that involved contact to the helmet. Moore was ejected from the game, as it was ruled targeting.

What is targeting?

The 2022 NCAA football rulebook discusses targeting in Rule 9, Section 1, Articles 3 and 4.

Here's what it says about targeting and making forcible contact to head or neck area of a defenseless player. Young fit in that category because he was "a player in the act of or just after throwing a pass."

Article 4 defines the rule, saying that "no player shall target and make forcible contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet, forearm, hand, fist, elbow or shoulder. This foul requires that there be at least one indicator of targeting. When in question, it is a foul."

Here is the full explanation of the targeting indicators, via the rule book:

“Targeting” means that a player takes aim at an opponent for purposes of attacking with forcible contact that goes beyond making a legal tackle or a legal block or playing the ball. Some indicators of targeting include but are notlimited to:

Young was returning from a shoulder injury he suffered on Oct. 1 in the second quarter against Arkansas, which forced him out of the rest of that game, and the team's game vs. Texas A&M on Oct. 8.

Young showed no signs of limitation in his return, however. He passed for 455 yards and two touchdowns, completing 35 of 52 pass attempts.

"I think the way our medical staff managed that gave him the best opportunity to do it, and obviously came through and played really well today," Saban said postgame.

BRYCE – No celebration of Bryce Canyon’s centennial year would be complete without a special day for one of its keystone species.

Utah Prairie Dog Day will return on Thursday, May 11, and feature ranger-led prairie dog viewing, family-friendly activity booths and a special keynote presentation by Keith Day, former sensitive species biologist with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

The event is free with park admission.

“Utah Prairie Dog Day is an opportunity to learn firsthand about a species found in no other national park,” said park superintendent Jim Ireland in a news release, “and it’s also an opportunity for Bryce Canyon to connect with our local community and partners to celebrate a story of successful conservation.

“The cooperative efforts between Bryce Canyon National Park, state and federal public lands agencies and the park’s local community over the past decades have helped protect not only the Utah prairie dog but the meadow ecosystems that depend upon it.”

To help promote the event, the park conducted an art contest open to students in Garfield, Wayne and Kane counties. The park received 150 submissions from students in grades 1-6 depicting the Utah prairie dog in its native environment.

All artwork submissions will be on display at the Visitor Center on May 11, and honorable mentions and grade-level winners will be recognized at 1:30 p.m. in the Visitor Center plaza. “Prairie Dog Goodnight” by Jack Harlen K. Shakespeare, a fourth grader from Panguitch Elementary, is featured on this year’s poster.

Teachers interested in attending Utah Prairie Dog Day with their classes should click here to apply for free entrance to the park by following the instructions at the park’s Academic Fee Waiver.

A year-round inhabitant of Bryce Canyon’s high plateau meadows, the Utah prairie dog is a critical part of the park’s meadow ecosystem, the news release said. Utah prairie dogs are considered a “keystone species” as they serve various important functions, including aerating soil and promoting plant growth.

Over 200 other species have been associated with prairie dog colonies, including wildlife that depend upon prairie dog activity for both food and habitat. The Utah prairie dog has been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1973 and was successfully reintroduced to the park in the 1980s.

Click here for more information on the Utah Prairie Dog.

Participating organizations include the Bryce Canyon Association, Dixie National Forest, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

For more information on the park, 2023 centennial events or Utah Prairie Dog Day, visit the park’s website, contact the park by email or call 435-834-5322.

Anyone who has visited the red rock formations at the Bryce Amphitheater or experienced the sun going down near Sunset Point knows that Utah's Bryce Canyon National Park is a special place. The 56-square-mile park is famous for housing the largest concentration of hoodoos (irregular, spire-shaped rock columns) in the world. Bryce Canyon became a national monument on June 8, 1923 — officials sought to protect it for its “unusual scenic beauty" and for "scientific interest" — and was renamed Bryce Canyon National Park shortly after.

This June, the park will celebrate its 100th anniversary by reflecting on the changes that have taken place over the last century. According to the park’s centennial celebration page, “the rim of the Bryce Amphitheater has retreated an average of 22 inches, 18,000 freeze, and thaw cycles have shaped and toppled countless hoodoos, the sun has risen 36,889 times over Thor's Hammer.”

To honor the park’s changing landscape and to celebrate 100 years of welcoming travelers from all over the world, the park is hosting a series of events and celebrations in the month of June. A photo exhibit at the Bryce Canyon Lodge will be up from April 1 to November 30, showcasing standout images of the park’s evolution over the past century. And on the park’s official 100-year anniversary — June 8, 2023 — there will be a special ceremony and a canyon rim performance by The Piano Guys, a beloved Utah music group. Tickets to the anniversary celebration are free but require advance reservations.

The following week, June 14-17, is the annual Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival. The event, which coincides with June’s new moon, includes constellation tours and ranger-led evening programs that provide context to Bryce Canyon National Park’s notoriously dark, star-filled skies. In fact, it's Utah's fourth national park to receive dark sky certification from the International Dark-Sky Association. (This title is designated to natural areas that have night environments with low light pollution. Not only does this protect nocturnal animals native to these spaces, but it makes it ideal for stargazing.)

In addition to park-sponsored programming, National Geographic Expeditions is offering a multi-national park tour that includes a visit to Bryce Canyon National Park during its anniversary month. The expedition starts and ends in St. George, Utah, and swings through Grand Canyon in Arizona, Zion National Park in Utah, and Bryce Canyon National Park. The trip, which is led by a National Geographic expert and expedition leader, will delve into the geological events that shaped the various parks and includes plenty of hiking and stargazing.

The eight-day National Geographic Expedition runs twice during the summer, with both events coinciding with Bryce Canyon National Park’s anniversary month: June 3-10 and June 18-25. For more on the National Park trips, visit www.nationalgeographic.com, and to learn more about Bryce Canyon's 100th anniversary, visit nps.gov.

247Sports Embed Resource

Tennessee right-handed pitcher Bryce Jenkins has signed with the New York Mets after he was drafted in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. He was the No. 516 overall pick.

The Mets and Jenkins agreed to a signing bonus of $180,000, according to Jim Callis, a senior writer for MLB Pipeline on MLB.com. $30k of Jenkins' signing counts towards New York's signing pool.

It marks the second consecutive draft in which the Mets drafted and signed a Tennessee pitcher. They drafted Blade Tidwell in the second round of last year's draft.

Jenkins played at nearby Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville before attending Cleveland State Community College. He compiled an 11-9 record over 27 appearances (26 starts) during his time at Cleveland State, and went 4-3 with a 4.45 ERA in 2022. He racked up a team-high 93 strikeouts in 60.2 innings of work.

The 5-foot-11 Jenkins went on to sign with Tennessee out of Cleveland State and went 1-0 with a 5.51 ERA in his lone season on Rocky Top. He struck out 24 batters in 16.1 innings while allowing 10 earned runs on 13 hits.

Tennessee has now had 35 players drafted since 2018 when Tony Vitello took over as head coach, averaging just over seven picks per year. From 2019-2022, the Vols' 26 selections ranked third-most amongst SEC teams during that span. UT's six pitchers drafted this year are the most in school history.

Tennessee players drafted in 2023 MLB Draft

It's time for the Tennessee Titans to get better.

The Titans own the No. 11 and No. 41 picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, which begins on April 27. After ending last season on a seven-game losing streak to miss the playoffs, the Titans need those picks to address major holes on their roster, particularly weaknesses at offensive line, wide receiver, tight end, linebacker and defensive back.

The 2023 draft is top-loaded with quarterback talent, and the Titans could benefit from snagging a franchise passer. But the real strength of the draft is the depth available in the second round.

With this in mind, here are The Tennessean's rankings of the 50 players in the draft who can most help the Titans build for a brighter future, sorted by how much their presences could transform the Titans today and for years to come.

TRADING BACK:Why the Titans' ideal NFL Draft strategy should be to trade back - not just once | Estes

WIN NOW:Tennessee Titans 7-round NFL mock draft: Who Titans should pick with win-now attitude

Tier 1: Instant franchise changers

The Titans won't be able to draft Young or Stroud without trading up into the top 3, or likely top 2, picks. Either player would give the Titans a chance to contend for years to come, but they'd have to mortgage three draft classes and maybe a current starter or two to get one.

Tier 2: Not-so-instant franchise changers

Maybe Richardson falls to the Titans at No. 11. Maybe the Titans have to trade up for him. He's got unparalleled speed, size, arm strength and overall talents, but he'll need a year to sit and learn behind Titans QB Ryan Tannehill to develop into a star. Trading up is a huge risk, but Richardson has the chance to be the franchise quarterback the Titans are looking for.

Tier 3: Superstars who the Titans don't exactly need

Anderson and Carter might be the two best prospects in the draft regardless of position. They'd instantly be stars with the Titans. If either falls to No. 11, throw a parade. But the need isn't there for the Titans to trade up for these guys, good as they are.

Tier 4: The need matches the talent

These are the four players the Titans feel likeliest to pick in the first round. Johnson, Skoronski and Jones are all good enough to start on the Titans' offensive line from the get-go. Smith-Njigba is the draft's best receiver. Any of the four will be a good pick.

Tier 5: Maybe it's worth the risk

Levis is the most divisive prospect in the class. At his best, he's a quarterback who reminds scouts of stars like Josh Allen and Matthew Stafford. But he's far too inconsistent. The Titans will need to hone his talents and trust the development process to make him worth picking at No. 11, let alone trading up to draft him.

Tier 6: Great prospects, less great fit

All of these guys could start for the Titans. If the Titans pick them, the roster improves. But these aren't the kinds of players who are going to fix the Titans' weaknesses, so they'd be very future-forward selections.

Tier 7: First-round reaches and trade-back candidates

If the Titans are compelled to reach on a position of need at No. 11, or if they trade back into the mid-to-late first round, these are the best options available. Downs and Hyatt are smaller, stellar options to pair with 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks at receiver, Johnston has prototypical size more like Burks and Wright could start at right tackle or guard.

Tier 8: More trade-back candidates

It'll be hard to justify picking any of these players at No. 11, but moving back in the first round to pick these players makes sense. Hooker is a safer QB prospect than Levis or Richardson, but probably with a lower ceiling. Flowers and Addison are solid receivers who don't match the identity the Titans tend to covet. Torrence is the best interior lineman prospect in the class but by value, interior linemen usually aren't first-round picks.

Tier 9: Interesting ideas

The Titans need offensive weapons. Tight end and running back aren't exactly areas of need. But these are really good players who make the Titans offense more flexible.

Tier 10: Good players, probably not future Titans

Given where these players are projected to be picked and the Titans' relatively-lower levels of need at their positions, these are players it seems unlikely the Titans will be picking unless the team adds enough extra picks to try to hit on a luxury item.

Tier 11: Hope they fall to No. 41 guys

All five of these prospects could go in the first round. They could also fall far enough into the second round that the Titans could get some value. These aren't guaranteed Week 1 starters, but they're all good enough to contribute as rookies.

Tier 12: Defensive depth pieces

The Titans figure to be offense-heavy this draft. But if the goal is to strengthen the front seven, these are players who do that. Even Branch, a DB by name who makes plays like a linebacker.

Tier 13: Round 2 reaches and trade-back candidates

Like Tier 7, but for the second round. The Titans might be buying too early on these players, but if they're willing to reach or trade back, they help in areas of need.

Tier 14: Big swings on athleticism

Three of the best athletes in the draft, these are moldable pieces of clay the Titans can find roles for. They're project picks, but if they hit, they can become stars at high-value positions.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at [email protected]. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.