Virginia camp deep with talent
June 28, 2008
Highlights from today’s Birmingham News
June 28, 2008
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford's idea to rename the Birmingham International Airport in honor of civil rights icon the Rev.
SEC Football: Is This The Year Of The Running Backs?
June 28, 2008
If you are a fan of the power ground and pound running game, or even the spread the field and beat the defense with your speed rushing attack, then the 2008 Southeastern Conference football season is defiantly for you. In the SEC this season, with the down year on quarterbacks, the running game will dominate on offense.
Even with the loss of Arkansas's Darren McFadden, who is arguably one of the greatest SEC running backs in history, Felix Jones, Kentucky's Rafeal Little, LSU's Jacob Hester, USC's Cory Boyd, and Ole Miss's Benjarvus Green-Ellis, the SEC still returns an impressive list of backs in 2008.
By far, the best returning back in the SEC this season is University of Georgia's Knowshon Moreno, who is in a class of his own. He ran all over defenses last season as a redshirt freshman for 1,334 yards and he will only get better in 2008.
Tennessee's Arian Foster will return for the Vols in '08 and will be just behind Moreno in rushing. Foster ran for 1,193 yards and 12 TD's with 39 catches for 340 yards receiving. Foster will become Tennessee's all time leading rusher midway through 2008, barring injury. He only needs 685 yards to pass Travis Henry on the Vols all-time list.
Kentucky returns a plethora of talent in the backfield with Derrick Locke, Tony Dixon, and Alfonso Smith at the running back spots. This backfield is one of the fastest to ever come through Kentucky, with both Derrick Locke and Alfonso Smith running 4.2 forty yard dash's at UK's pro day. Also, Moncell Allen is Kentucky's power back, so to speak, and can punish defenses with his size, standing 5'7 and weighing 225lbs. Also, look for quarterback Curtis Pulley to rack up a lot of yards on the ground with his speed. This will be the Cats main offense, and this backfield will produce.
Mississippi State returns Anthony Dixon. Last season, Dixon ran for 1,066 and accounted for 16 of the Bulldog's 30 touchdowns scored by the MSU offense last season. If he can produce like he did last season or maybe even more, look for him to lead the Bulldogs to their 2nd straight bowl game.
LSU has two good backs returning in Keiland Williams and Charles Scott. Williams, who will more than likely get the majority of carries for the Tigers, averaged an amazing 6.8 yards per carry in 2007. Also, don't forget about the quick little speedster in Trindon Holliday.
Auburn returns two good backs in Brad Lester and Ben Tate. Lester ran for 530 yards and 3 TD's after missing nearly the first half of the season. Ben Tate led the Tigers with 903 yards rushing in 2007.
The Alabama Crimson Tide returns Terry Grant. Grant set the Alabama freshman rushing record with 891 yards rushing. Also, the Crimson Tide returns good consistency in the backfield with Glen Coffee. Grant is still 'Bama's big play threat in the backfield.
The Gamecocks in South Carolina lost its leading rusher in Cory Boyd. But they aren't hurting that bad. They return Mike Davis, who rushed for 518 yards in 07 while getting carries behind Boyd. He has more than enough talent to take over the role.
Florida returns a lot of talent in the backfield. Kesthan Moore averaged a great 5.6 yards per carry in 2007, but he also had problems holding on to the football. Quarterback Tim Tebow and athlete wide receiver/running back Percy Harvin both combined for 293 rushes in 2007. Also, freshman Chris Rainey is rumored to be the fastest sprinter on the team, so watch out for him in 2008.
Vanderbilt will struggle a bit on the ground this season. They return a talented back in Jeff Jennings who rushed for 346 yards backing up Cason Jackson-Garrison in 2007. But the Commodores are going to struggle majorly on the offensive line.
Arkansas was hurt right where it hurts with the loss of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, who were arguably one of the best tandems in college football history. The Razorbacks return a explosive back in Michael Smith who averaged a great 6.6 yards per carry last season with very limited carries behind McFadden and Jones.
Ole Miss has a lot of searching to do at the running back spot. With the loss of Benjarvus Green-Ellis and Bruce Hall, the Rebels return Cordera Eason who only had 3 carries in 2007, but had a good spring and will more than likely get his chance in the backfield for the Rebels.
Of course, a running back cannot do it by himself. If you don't have a good offensive line, then your running game will struggle. All offense starts at the war in the trenches up front. That is truly where it all starts in football.
Tags: crimson tide
Hendrix, White and Sharpe selected in NBA Draft
June 28, 2008
Former Alabama forward Richard Hendrix, who opted to skip his senior season for a chance to play pro basketball, was picked in Thursday night's NBA draft.
USC Rising Stars Camp Hot 11
June 27, 2008
Shane Sez: Time To Separate The Men From The Boys
June 27, 2008
Johns not only hurt himself - he also damaged the entire football teams’ chances of having success during the upcoming season. I thought senior leadership consisted of being an example of dedication, focus, and maturity. Instead, Jimmy chose to show all the underclassmen, as well as the incoming class, (with one swift move) how to destroy the hard-earned national respect the Crimson Tide is attempting to regain.
His selfish, childish actions clearly illustrate his total lack of consideration for team rules, the justice system of this country, and the health of those with whom he dealt. Johns committed the single most embarrassing and perceptually-damaging act in the history of the University of Alabama by a football player.
The sad part is that Johns’ bad habits taint the image of every player and give the impression that problems of this nature are entrenched deep within the Alabama football program. Too many dark clouds have already passed over this once-storied university. Enough is enough!
This team needs somebody to walk and talk like a man – a real leader. Someone needs to step up to the plate and take control. I’m more upset that none of the players on this team was man enough to stop Jimmy in his tracks. With all the negative press in the past year or so, I would’ve hoped that the player’s council might’ve shut him down.
Is the team unity so split that a senior player can live a separate existence as an alleged drug kingpin who lives the thug life? It is even more disturbing to think that other Tide players could have participated in these classless and destructive activities along with this clown. Makes me wonder if there is any peer pressure at all on this squad to do the right thing?
It pains me as a college football fan to see a small group of immature frauds - like some of the jokers who’ve put on the Crimson Jersey lately - give the sport a bad name.
Some who read this might say it is too harsh and stringent. In reality, I’m just telling the truth. After all is said and done, I believe most fans would concur with my previous statements.
Alabama fans spend massive amounts of time and money supporting the Crimson Tide football program. They are truly dedicated to the cause. Nick Saban and his tireless staff are committed to making Bama a winner again, but they must first turn this large group of boys into men. The sheer number of players arrested lately points to the fact that the conversion hasn’t happened yet. When this group finally grows up, the winning will take care of itself.
Sadly, it appears that the only participants in Saban’s vision called “the process” that aren’t holding up their end of the bargain are certain members of the team. Maybe some of the upperclassmen will “get it” and establish some leadership by requiring the higher level of dedication and sacrifice it takes to become a champion. One thing is certain, after this latest catastrophe, this team needs some good things to occur and it’s up to the players themselves to make that happen.
NBA draft sends Tide’s Hendrix out to Oakland
June 27, 2008
There were plenty of anxious moments, but in the end Richard Hendrix secured his spot in the NBA draft two weeks earlier.
Tags: SECAs I step away from this space…
June 27, 2008
Gottfried on Hendrix’s NBA Draft: “I’m disappointed to see a player with eligibility left go 49th.”
June 26, 2008
Lawyers: UA’s Jimmy Johns “deeply saddened” by arrest
June 26, 2008
Former Alabama linebacker Jimmy Johns is "distraught" over and "deeply saddened" by his arrest on six drug-related charges, his lawyers said in a statement today.
