Joe Everyguy’s Story of Making It in Division I-A Football

July 2, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

Joe Everybody is a player made up from a combination of many of the players I've talked to over the years.  It tells the story of someone coming in and trying to make it in Big Time football.

Chapter One

"What?" angrily replied Joe when he heard the news from his friend that Scout.com had just rated him a three-star prospect.  "I was the 2A defensive player of the year my junior year! I led our division in tackles and sacks, and you're telling me that warrants only three stars?"

"It ain't you," his friend consoled.  "They don't know you that well.  It's not like our school's got any exposure or clout.  Maybe it's the fact that nobody from Mill Creek has ever been rated highly before, but whatever Dude, come some of those summer camps, the coaches will see what you got."

"Damn, man, I'm gonna knock me some five-star asses on the ground and show them!" Joe promised.

That summer Joe goes to two summer camps.  The first was at Florida State where they said kind words about his abilities, but were less than impressed with his times in the 40. 

Being his first camp, he was a bit nervous yet tried to maintain his cockiness to show his perceived status.  One of the coaches mentioned he had good footwork and a strong initial charge, but he wasn't using his arms enough to help himself elude blocks. 

His first mistake was telling that coach that whatever he was doing was working just fine, and he was laying out the runners and getting to the quarterbacks.

He knew he had made a huge mistake when he saw the look on the coach's face as the last of the ill-timed words spilled out of his mouth. 

The coach offered no explanation or technique advice, he simply went on to the next player.  Joe realized his mistake almost as soon as he said it.

They mentioned that they were looking to sign at least two linebackers this next signing class and they'd keep him in mind and see how his senior season went.

Joe was vowing not to repeat this mistake at the next camp.  This was the school he wanted to go to.  Growing up as a boy in Mill Creek, Ala., he always dreamed on playing for the Crimson Tide and having his friends back home watch him on TV.

The first day of his second camp was at Alabama. Nick Saban told him and the rest of the boys something that changed his perception of himself forever. 

It was the only time since his first day at Pop Warner football practice that he had doubt about himself.

"The problem with most of you guys is when you see the games we play on television, you only see the guys on the field." said Saban.  "What you fail to see is all those guys on the bench with their helmet sitting neatly under the bench.  Those guys sitting there watching game after game from the bench were just like many of you.

"They were studs on their team, too, and they realized when they got here maybe they weren't so great after all and weren't the baddest dog in the junkyard after all."

At 6'3" and 212 of muscle, there had been times when was a man among boys out there, but now scanning the room he noticed Ty Williams, a 6'-5" 225 pound five-star linebacker from one of those big Birmingham schools.

Joe knew that he already had an offer from Alabama as well as at least nine other top schools.  He finally had a measuring stick.

The first day on the practice field, Joe sought out James Williams, Alabama's linebacker coach and said, "The last camp I was at, a coach there told me I had a good foundation but wasn't using my arms the right way to maximize my rush.  Can you teach me what I'm doing wrong and help me improve?"

"Yes, we'll work on that with you."  Williams said. "You're Joe Everyguy from Mill Creek, aren't you?"

"Yes sir," said Joe with a grin he couldn't hide because he was so pleased that Coach Williams knew him.

"Well, you show us what you have this week, because we're looking at signing at least two linebackers this year and we've been watching you and seeing how you develop." added Williams.

The practices were almost like punishment sessions.  They worked them long and hard, and some boys were beginning to question their choice of attending this camp.

Paired up with hotshot Ty Williams, Joe began to see why perhaps he was a five-star prospect.  He got some hoots and applause from the coaches for jumping high and batting a pass down on one play and another for beating the blocker badly and tackling a runner in the backfield just as he got the hand-off.

Joe was steady, always around the ball but didn't have a spectacular play to have coaches remember until near the end of the last day, when the offense called a screen play. 

Quickly seeing the offensive linemen retreat in pass blocking formation just a little too much, all his instincts said he was being suckered in. 

He took two quick steps forward and acted as if he was going to take on the blocker and stopped for just an instant and then before the quarterback was aware of it, started back-pedaling and looking for the back who had just milliseconds ago had been faked a hand-off.

He burst toward him, leaped and picked off a floating screen pass.  The runner was taken by surprise and he didn't react quickly enough to tackle him on the spot, but quickly took up the chase.  35 yards later, he was pulled down at the five-yard line.

Later in the locker room Joe's heart leaped when Coach Saban pointed at him and said, "Heads up play on that pick off."

As Coach Saban walked off, Ty added, "Yeah, but with my speed, I would have gone the distance."

Not to be put down, Joe said, "Yeah, but your brains, I would have been chasing the quarterback and never read the screen."

It was a comment that wasn't to be forgotten by the coaches who smiled but chose to let the lighthearted comment pass without acknowledgement.

The last day, the coaches timed them one more time in the 40.  Joe was almost a second slower than Ty who seemed to run his 4.42 time effortlessly.  Joe gave it his all, but his fastest came in at 4.50 with an average of 4.51.

"Darn!" Joe yelled when his time was called out.  He knew that in the speed and agility trials, for the first time in his life, he had come up short.

"Hey Joe!" one of the coaches called to him and he trotted over to him. "You're right you know, speed won't help you if you over run or over pursue the play will it?"

Whatever happened, Joe had certainly learned some new things, had learned that his arms were as much if not more a tool than his legs and brain and maybe had made some friends on the coaching staff.

Weeks pass and though a few schools showed early signs of offers, some of the bigger ones have given little. 

"Maybe when football season starts again, I'll have such a great senior year that the offers and visit requests will come pouring in." 

At least that was his hope.

If you're interested in what happens to Joe next, let me know.  If there's enough hits and interest I'll continue the chapters.

This is what the kids have just finished up at Alabama and other schools across the country.  Summer camps are sort of like a showcase for athletes to both refine their skills, break some bad habits, and get a flavor of what college ball is all about.

Next is the recruiting, official visits and Sr. year stage.

Shhh—Auburn’s Got the Worst-Kept Secret in the SEC…

July 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

Gene Chizik knows that to get back on par with Alabama., it's going to take some great recruits.  Since he's been there, he's tried some new innovative approaches.  The one that garnered the most headlines was the Tiger Prowl with coaches in limousines. 

Though it did get attention, the recruits haven't been rolling in, so Gene Chizik and company have been planning their next move.

According to stories leaking out everywhere, Auburn is planning a 4th of July blitz that is being called Stars and Stripes Weekend.  They are referring to recruiting stars for tiger stripes.

They are hoping to sign at least a dozen recruits in a highly publicized event that they hope will be the nucleus for a top 10 class or better.

When asked about this and other recruiting rumors, Nick Saban's answer is usually always the same. 

"A lot of people spend a lot of time worrying what we're doing."  Saban said. "But we don't worry what anybody else does." 

And why should he?

Saban has already secured 18 commits of the 28 players he's allowed to sign—not for this upcoming season, but for the 2010 class.

So while it's possible that Auburn could land one or two players Alabama covets, it's entirely likely that just like the last three classes, they'll get the players didn't they want.

So while it may gain a little publicity, the balance of power won't be changing any time soon. 

But you do have to give Chizik credit for some creative thinking and for gathering some attention—that doesn't involve making a fool of himself, like his fellow rookie SEC head coach to the North.

And now that the cat's out of the bag, let's see how it goes.  Will they get the dozen they're shooting for?  Will they be solid four and five star recruits? 

Time will tell.

And now you have something else to look forward to this holiday weekend, along with your fireworks and barbecue.

The Deuce: One of Alabama’s Best

July 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

If you were born in the late '80s or early '90s, you missed out on probably the best pure athlete in Alabama football history.

Before fans were in awe of Reggie Bush, there was David Palmer.

Before we watched Percy Harvin carve up defenses at Florida, Palmer was doing it at Alabama.

Before the young Alabama fans get excited over the return abilities of Javier Arenas, the old-school fans held their breath when Palmer touched the ball.

He had his trademark of flipping the ball in the air after a touchdown (which is now an unsportsmanlike penalty).

From 1991 to 1993, he was so electric, that Alabama Coach Gene Stallings had figure out ways to get him the football. He was more than a kick/punt return specialist and a wide receiver—at times he was a quarterback. He didn't run all the time while he played quarterback; he also threw passes to keep defenses honest.

He was an All-American in 1993 and finished third in the Heisman Trophy ballot. His third-place finish is the highest for an Alabama player (and maybe he would have won, if not for two DUI sentences).

Before Palmer was slithering his way through defenses in college, he was electrifying the crowds at Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham, Ala. Rumor has it his high school highlight tape trumps the moves he pulled off in college. That is hard to believe on my end, but when you hear the same thing from more than one person, you almost have to believe it. 

The message board saying, "Pictures, or it didn't happen," never applied to Palmer.

The first time I saw Palmer play was against Vanderbilt in 1991, which was his freshman year. I was an eight-year-old pup at the time, a few months off of watching Michael Jordan switching hands on the Lakers in the Finals. 

Vandy punted to him, and he caught it at the Alabama 44-yard line. The man was surrounded by six Vandy defenders (which is over half the defense), made one move to the left, then hopped back to the right, and took it back to the house. The sick part about the run was that no one touched him, and no one blocked.

If you think this is one of those exaggerated stories you hear from older people, you may want to think again.  If Al Michaels was calling the play, it would have ended with him saying, "He did what?!”

After watching him play that first time, I was hooked to the television screen. I wanted to see Palmer at least touch the football. I remember begging my mom to buy me a No. 2 Alabama jersey, but, to my dismay, it never happened.

Palmer's freshman year was nothing short of amazing. He made a name for himself with his 90-yard punt return against LSU, and followed that up with a quarterback sweep to the right side for a touchdown that made the difference against Auburn in the 1991 Iron Bowl.

But it was the 1991 Blockbuster Bowl against Colorado that made jaws drop, ankles break, and turned Palmer into the most exciting player in college football at that time. He caught a punt at the 50-yard line, high stepped and went back a couple yards, then he split three defenders, made another one miss, and the rest was history. Teammate Antonio Langham didn't have to block the punter on that play, but he did anyway. 

The play of the night however, was when Palmer lined up at quarterback on a 2nd-and-10. He was under center, dropped back (and I'm not sure if it was part of the play), and four Colorado defenders got in the backfield. But Palmer spun out of the jam and broke up field for a first down. I scratched my head in amazement. He caught a touchdown pass later on, while I was still wondering how he got that first down.

Palmer may not have been the fastest guy you would see on the field, but he had what is called "next man" speed. Meaning, if the guy that was chasing him ran a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, Palmer would run as if he ran it in 4.3 seconds.

That speed was evident in the 1993 Sugar Bowl against defending champion Miami.

We heard it from the media:

"Miami has too much speed."

"Alabama doesn't stand a chance."

"Alabama is too slow."

All it took was one punt return from Palmer to put 'Bama in Miami territory to make Miami look like the team that was slow. If Palmer had run to the open gap, it would have been a touchdown. If Miami didn't respect his speed after that play, then there was a reverse where a Hurricane player had the angle on him and Palmer ran right by him.

You can't look back at Palmer's statistics to measure his impact. Alabama didn't start to throw the football until his junior year, in which he had 61 receptions and 1,000 yards receiving (an Alabama record at the time), and a school record 217-yard receiving day against Vanderbilt. There's no telling how many yards he would have had if 'Bama threw the ball earlier in his career.

That year, due to Jay Barker's injury, Palmer also played a few games at quarterback and went 15-for-30 for the season with two touchdowns and three interceptions. His longest pass play went for 54 yards against Ole Miss. He also threw for a career-high 116 yards in a loss against LSU, while completing six of 10 passes. 

Ask anyone who had a chance to see him play in person and they will tell you that he was worth the price of admission. Hell, I would have been glad to see him play on pay-per-view.

Players like Freddie Milons, Tyrone Prothro, AC Carter, and Javier Arenas, are players that come to mind as "the next David Palmer."

If Reggie Bush was called a "human video game," then Palmer was a "cheat code."

There are so many plays he made at Alabama, that it is hard for me to remember all of them.

In his day, Palmer was a man among boys.

To this day, if you ask a Tennessee fan about the 1993 game between 'Bama and UT, they still don't want to talk about it.

Hogs Look on as Their Team is Turned to Pulled Pork

September 22, 2008 · Leave a Comment 

By: Joe Tucker (CrimsNkentucky) RollCrimsonTide.com

Alabama opened up conference play against the Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday in grand fashion dismantling the hogs 49-14. New head coach, Bobby Petrino, is trying to get his team to understand the fundamentals of his pass happy system and Saturday was the first big test for the hogs. They failed.

The Crimson Tide did everything necessary to assure they move up in the polls Saturday, while Arkansas learned more about itself and what they need to work on.

Alabama moved up to #8 in the Associated Press Poll. It was Alabama’s most one-sided SEC road win since 1989 when they beat Ole Miss 62-27. The 49 points were the most Alabama has scored in any SEC game since 1990 when it scored 59 against Vanderbilt. It was a dominating performance both offensively and defensively. It was enough for Alabama to move up to #8 in the USA today poll and #10 in the Coaches Poll.

Arkansas defensive coordinator Willy Robinson stood at the podium for several minutes after the game for the press conference — cameras, microphones and tape recorders pointed at his face — and tried to explain why the hogs struggled against Alabama on Saturday afternoon in their own stadium.

Robinson paused. Then he used an analogy that sounded as if he had dialed up former Bama defensive coordinator Coach Joe Kines.

“We weren’t the hammer,” Robinson said of Arkansas’ defense. “We were the nail today.”

Read More…RollCrimsonTide.com

SEC Championship Preview!

December 6, 2008 · Leave a Comment 

By Tim Nordstrom:

After predicting a 41-16 victory over Auburn last week I think I gave Auburn too much credit and Alabama not enough credit. All season this team has stepped up to the challenge and have forced people to beleive they can get the job done no matter what the task. From the butt whipping they gave Clemson in opening game to the 31 point first half at Georgia all the way through to the 36 point victory in the rival game. This team has stayed the course.

With two games left the mental toughness of this team is going to be tested more than in any 4 game stretch this season. This Florida team is formable opponent, no doubt, but Ole Miss showed us that they are not invincable. If there is a team, right now, that can beat Florida, it is Alabama.

On the line of scrimmage, again, is where this game will be won. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Alabama come out and, if they win the toss, defer to the second half. Send a message to Florida that we are not afraid of them. Another option would be to onside kick, but if Florida recovered it would give our defense a short field. I think we give them the ball and stick with percentages on their first drive, as far as play calling goes. Alabama’s game plan, of course, will be to run the ball down Florida’s throat. If they are successful, we as Alabama can make reservations for our first National Championship game in 16 years.

I have no doubt that Coach Saban has come up with a gameplan to give us the best chance to win. Just like in 1992 when we had no chance to beat Miami, I think this team will make a statement Saturday and make it to the National Championship game. If I were to predict a score like 31-21 or 38-17 it wouldn’t matter Saturday. I will say this, depending on Alabama’s success in forcing their will on Florida will depend on the outcome. I would like to see a repeat of the 1999 SEC Championship game that we won 34-7, as well as our 2005 contest that we won 31-3.

Saturday, win or lose, this has been a season to remember, a success no matter what bowl we go to. This team has the ability to make it 13, believe it!!! They have proved it all season long.

Waverly linebacker to play defensive end for CMU

July 2, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

The hits keep coming for the Central Michigan football program, which picked up commitment number four this afternoon in the form of Lansing Waverly defensive end Andy Phillip Read More →