One would have thought that after Alabama crushed LSU in the national championship game that Landon Collins’ mom, April Justin, would have felt a little better about Landon committing to Alabama over LSU.
NOPE!!
April is determined to see her son play for her beloved LSU Tigers instead of supporting her son’s decision like any other normal mother would do. After she embarrassed her son on national television, April told Momstream.com that her son chose Alabama because Nick Saban promised his girlfriend, Victoria Lowery, a job in Saban’s office.
And according to sources, April and Victoria do not get along.
In a lengthy article about Collins’ decision for ESPN the Magazine, Christopher Shultz cited a confrontation between Justin and Lowery right before the infamous Under Armour All-American Game interview. Just before the cameras rolled for Collins’ announcement, Lowery was urged onstage by her sister while Justin wanted only family in front of the camera. Lowery ultimately won the confrontation and was standing right behind Collins when he made his announcement. Justin was visibly upset and wasn’t shy about sharing her feelings about her son’s choice in schools.
In the ESPN the Magazine article, Justin also took issues with Saban’s recruiting tactics saying, “I think he stereotyped me” as a mother who was more interested in her son’s NFL prospects than his education.
So, to read her accuse Alabama and Saban of a serious recruiting violation seems to have more bitterness to it than actual truth. Here’s the excerpt written by Brooke de Lench:
What the [ESPN] article didn’t mention, however, was the reason April was apparently upset, which may have tipped the scales in Alabama’s favor. According to April, Victoria had allegedly been offered a job to work in head coach Nick Saban’s office.
In all fairness to Saban and Alabama, I have been unable to independently confirm April’s story on this point (Citing NCAA rules, Doug Walker, Associate Athletics Director, Communications, at the University of Alabama, stated in an email to MomsTeam that the school “would not comment on anything relating to the recruitment of a prospective student-athlete.” Asked if Landon’s girlfriend had been offered a job, he stated, “I have no information regarding that.”). All I know is what April told me.
If all this is true, then it sounds like April is jealous of her son’s girlfriend and the influence she has on him.
But that’s not all. April also said she doesn’t think Alabama will use Landon correctly.
“At ‘Bama they want to red shirt – or grey shirt – him and they want him playing nickleback instead of safety. He is the top safety in the country and he will never play a game his freshman year. Now, at LSU coach Les Miles is offering to play him as safety during his freshman year. His (Nick Saban’s) goals don’t meet the criteria of the family; they meet the criteria of Alabama.”
What were, then, her goals? “For Landon to win the Heisman Trophy and to be able to play close to home at LSU with his younger brother, Gerald, who is also an outstanding football player who has offers to play at LSU.”
April might as well let it go. Landon has already signed his letter of intent to Alabama today, so she might as well get over it. Instead of complaining about his decision be happy that he has a FULL RIDE to college.