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Three Alabama football players have been added to two "watch lists" for postseason individual college football awards, the Maxwell Football Club announced today.
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The Alabama football team practiced for 90 minutes in shells inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on Thursday, putting the finishing touches in its game plan for Saturday's SEC Western Division showdown with the Mississippi Rebels.Related posts
The Alabama football team wrapped up its week of preparation with a 90-minute practice in shells inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on Thursday afternoon.Related posts
Grant rushed for 891 yards that season, but had only 88 rushing yards in 2008. TUSCALOOSA -- It's easy to forget what Terry Grant used to mean to Alabama's team.
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The Alabama football team practiced for two hours in shells Wednesday afternoon at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility, as preparations continue for the 2009 season opener with Virginia Tech.Related posts
If you follow the talking heads of college football, all the experts believe that Alabama will be taking a step back this season. They say that a nine or 10 win season is to be expected barring a complete meltdown.
CFN even goes so far as to say that one of ‘Bama’s losses will be in the Iron Bowl (laughable).
Here is a list of Alabama’s supposed short-comings, the three key games for the Tide this season, and why they will once again run the table.
Yes, I am an Alabama fan. This article is filled with bias. Deal.
Alabama’s Short-Comings
Quarterback
Junior QB Greg McElroy takes over for three-year starter John Parker Wilson. McElroy is used to waiting his turn to shine. He backed up former Missouri QB Chase Daniel while at Southlake Carroll High School.
During Alabama spring camp, McElroy was the clear choice for the No. 1 signal caller and performed admirably in the A-Day game.
He picked right back up where he left off when fall camp started, prompting coach Nick Saban to say that McElroy is ahead of where they hoped he would be at this point in practice.
He has also continued to put up impressive numbers during team scrimmages this fall. And keep in mind that he practices every day against one of the best defenses in the nation.
Bottom line: McElroy will be a fine replacement for Wilson. He will be an improvement in the passing game with his arm, accuracy, touch, and decision-making abilities. However (knocking on wood), if McElroy goes down…
Running Back
This one is actually quite funny to me. I mean, are the “experts” serious? If nowhere else, the one position at which Alabama is stacked is tailback.
Three of the returning guys at this position have seen considerable time on the field (Ingram, Upchurch, and Grant) with two of them (Ingram and Grant) having been starters before.
Add to this list Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy (Rivals No. 2 and No. 13 RBs, respectively) and you have a deep, young, talented group.
Many of the pundits list this area as a weakness since Alabama doesn’t have a returning starter after having lost Glen Coffee to the NFL draft. I include Mark Ingram as a returning starter simply because he split time with Coffee in many of the games and even started a couple last season.
If Tyrod Taylor of VT can be considered a returning starter after sharing time with Sean Glennon, then Mark Ingram is also a returning starter.
Bottom Line: Alabama has a stable of talented running backs that is as deep as any in the country. Any team would be lucky to have these guys.
Offensive Line
This is the one area that concerns experts and fans alike, perhaps with good reason, after losing two All-Americans and another two-year starter. They do, however, return senior LG Mike Johnson and RT Drew Davis.
Once again, Nick Saban managed to pull in a slew of top recruits in 2009. One area of focus was the offensive line. Alabama took seven total linemen, including Rivals No. 1 DJ Fluker and Rivals No. 32 (No. 4 JUCO OL) James Carpenter, who is also a junior college All-American.
Both of these players have had an immediate impact in fall camp. It is reported that Carpenter has been dominant at the left tackle spot vacated by Andre Smith.
Fluker has not only been solid as an incoming freshman, but he has also shown his versatility by practicing both at tackle and guard.
William Vlachos, the strongest member of the Tide football team, looks to have locked down the center position. He practices every day against the best NT in the country in Terrance Cody.
Word out of fall camp is that he has been able to hold his own against Cody, so he should be just fine.
John Michael Boswell and Barrett Jones appear to also be doing very well in practice. Both have played sparingly in the past, but should be able to step in and contribute right away.
Bottom Line: According to Nick Saban, no position on the offensive line is set in stone. But the guys getting looks at each spot appear to be filling in quite nicely.
Practice is a far cry from real games, so we will see just how effective this line will be when they go up against the talented Hokie pass rush.
After having carefully watched spring and fall camps thus far, it is my opinion that the Alabama O-Line will be ready to go by the start of the season.
Three Key Games
Virginia Tech Hokies
I have done an article breaking down each team unit by unit already. In the end, I give Alabama the edge by a score of four units to one, with a couple washes mixed in.
While I believe both teams' defenses will be outstanding, I doubt Tech’s ability to move the football effectively either through the air or on the ground. Tyrod Taylor has never shown any indication that he can throw the ball. And with Darren Evans out, I am not sure how effective the Hokie rushing attack can be.
I do believe that because Alabama will be filling in their perceived holes, they will be able to move the football down the field consistently. As long as the Tide can establish the run—and I think they will—they will win this game.
Ole Miss Rebels
Get on the bandwagon while you can, folks. Everyone—and I mean everyone—is raving about the Rebels. Will they live up to the hype? We will have to wait and see.
Ole Miss has a very good QB in Jevan Snead; there is no denying that. What is being overlooked is that they, too, are replacing a couple of offensive linemen, including All-American LT Michael Oher.
If this is a weakness for Alabama, then it is a weakness for Ole Miss. The Rebels are, however, talented on the offensive side of the ball. They can run and they can pass.
Can Alabama’s defense slow them down enough to win? Well, they did last year. Expectations are that this year’s version of the Alabama defense will be much better.
As for the Rebel defense, they were good against the run. They are replacing a lineman here, too, and pass rush specialist Greg Hardy is going to be hobbled after having a rod inserted into his ankle to correct an injury from last year that was aggravated in a car accident in July.
Ole Miss had serious issues defending against the pass already—finishing dead last in the conference in 2008—so Hardy’s injury can’t help if his pass rush ability is affected.
In the end, I think the Tide matches up with talent level and experience all over the field.
The Alabama defense will be the deciding factor in this game. If the secondary does its job against Snead and company and doesn’t let him beat them with his arm, Alabama wins this game.
LSU Tigers
The Tigers will be an improved bunch this season. This game will boil down to whether or not the LSU defense has greatly improved over last year. With the addition of John Chavis as defensive coordinator, this may very well be the case.
LSU’s offense will once again feature tailback Charles Scott. He is a beast to bring down. Jordan Jefferson looks to have won the starting job at QB and will be an improvement over Jarrett Lee.
This offense is as talented as any in the SEC.
The Tiger defense of 2008 was not typical of past units. Enter Chavis.
He can flat out coach. LSU should be a much better team in 2009 and will once again be a force in the SEC. Nick Saban turned this team from an SEC also-ran into a national champion by making them a defensive juggernaut.
Les Miles didn’t really continue this trend but looks to have learned his lesson by bringing in Chavis.
Alabama matches up well on both sides of the ball with LSU. Since I believe that this is the game that will ultimately decide the SEC West, it will come down to which team wants it more.
I believe that Alabama has some unfinished business with Tim Tebow and the Gators, and that will be the motivation they need to get past the Tigers.
Why Alabama Runs the Table
The remaining nine games should be wins for the Tide. I’m not overlooking any of them but UT, MSU, and Auburn are breaking in new coaches, the Hogs have no defense, Kentucky and South Carolina have no offense, and the out of conference slate aside from VT is weak.
If Alabama wins the three key games on their schedule, an undefeated regular season is almost a sure thing.
Of course, all of this is contingent upon Alabama avoiding the injury bug to major players. This is a better-conditioned, better-prepared, and stronger team, so hopefully they will be just as injury free as last season. Once again, knocking on wood…
So that’s my take on the 2009 Alabama football season. I welcome all comments and look forward to the discussions. If there is one thing I enjoy, it is talking SEC football.
Good luck to all on the season—until you face Alabama, that is.
Roll Tide!
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Kerry Murphy Update
Alabama DT Kerry Murphy returned to camp last night. Murphy had been out due to the recent shooting death of his 22-year-old brother.
Jack LB Position
Senior Eryk Anders and sophomore Courtney Upshaw are receiving most of the reps at the Jack LB position.
In Saban's multiple defensive scheme, the Jack LB is a hybrid position. It combines an LB and a DE position into one role. Sometimes the player will go down into a DE stance, making the scheme an instant 4-3 look.
Other times, the position player stands up and plays LB, giving the defense a 3-4 look. The position is important in Saban's defense as it's used primarily as a rushing position to place pressure on the QB.
Anders, who is athletic and very quick, was impressive in Saturday's scrimmage, recording three sacks from the spot. He appears to be the front runner to be the starter when UA travels to Atlanta to take on Virginia Tech.
Inside LB Dont'a Hightower had taken some reps there early on, but has since been practicing mainly at his normal position.
O-Line
The RG position continues to be up for grabs. Redshirt freshman Barrett Jones took reps with the first unit in Saturday's scrimmage. After the scrimmage, Saban was asked about Jones and stated:
"He has been doing the best job today, to this point," Saban said, "but we've got a lot of competition at a lot of positions."
Jones has continued to be with the first grouping this week and appears close to winning the job. Sophomore Alfred McCullough has been battling for the position as well.
The LT position has been locked down by Juco transfer James Carpenter. The emergence of Carpenter, whom defensive coordinator Kirby Smart called a solid SEC lineman, has allowed blue chip recruit D.J. Fluker to take reps with the second-team at RT and take some of the pressure off of him.
William Vlachos, the strongest player on the team, continues to hold down the center position and has been impressive.
Free Safety
Replacing All-American Rashad Johnson at FS will be no easy task. Robby Green has been the front runner going into fall camp, but Mark Barron has continued to impress as well and has received work with the first administrative grouping.
Both players are expected to rotate in the position.
Freshmen Looking Impressive
WR Kevin Norwood has been impressive so far in fall camp. The 6'3" receiver has earned praise in camp from head coach Nick Saban, starting QB Greg McElroy, and his fellow receivers.
"Kevin Norwood made a lot of plays in the scrimmage," Marquis Maze said. "He's been making a lot of plays since we started camp. He plays fast. He's a very good guy, and he just wants to learn."
Norwood caught three passes for 60 yards, including a 44-yard TD catch from Thomas Darrah in the scrimmage Saturday.
Anthony Steen, a 6'3", 305-pound blue chip offensive line recruit, who has been working with the second grouping at LG, has been impressive so far in fall camp and caught the coaches' eyes.
Ed Stinson, a 6'5", 260-pound LB/DE, has caught the attention of the staff and his fellow defenders. Stinson is quick and powerful and has shown the ability to catch on quickly.
Eddie Lacy and Trent Richardson, the two blue chip running back prospects, have both looked good at fall camp. Both will have to work hard for playing time as veterans Mark Ingram, Roy Upchurch, and Terry Grant have all been impressive.
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The thoughts of millions of people will soon drift toward University of Alabama football. Fans will crowd into Tuscaloosa, and millions of dollars will change hands. But just who are the real fans; those who have a stake in the university, or the unwashed masses on the outside looking in? To help sort this out, we offer a modest proposal: give Alabama football back to the true fans.Our plan is simple, and would be easily implemented. It would also allow the real Alabama fans the ability to enjoy their team to the fullest, without some of the less desirable elements that make for a bad experience.
• Attendance at Alabama football games would only be open to UofA alumni and their immediate families. Admittance to home games would be conditional on presentation of a valid student ID or proof of prior attendance. Ticket prices could be adjusted upward to compensate for a certain amount of lost revenue, and expansion plans could be put on the back burner, saving the university millions.
• Alabama clothing and merchandise could only be sold through official university outlets, and would be restricted to those items that portrayed the University in a positive light. Alabama t-shirts, bobbleheads, home furnishing items, window stickers and the like would no longer be sanctioned or produced. Pink seersucker would, of course, not be affected.
• On game day, university grounds would be closed to the general public, to allow alumni and their families to gather and enjoy the pre-game festivities. The Strip would be open for business as usual, and the public would be able to view games on a pay-per-view basis. A small user fee could of course be levied for usage of the grounds for tailgating.
• Message boards, blog and other public media outlets not directly under the control, management or ownership of the University of Alabama would be shut down, or not be allowed to provide content related to Alabama football. Alabama alumni could, as always, get their fill of Tide news from various alumni media outlets, but the general public would need to find other pastimes, and leave Tide fandom to the true fans.
There are probably other bullet points we could include, but this is a start. If you have other items to add, let us know.
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When the fifth of September finally rolls around, Greg McElroy will find himself in Atlanta, Georgia, which is a long way from his home of Southlake, Texas.
Much like he did in high school, McElroy will find himself stepping into the shoes of a successful quarterback. The Tide hopes that, much like high school, he will have the success necessary to lead his team to a championship.
In high school, McElroy waited behind upperclassman Chase Daniel, knowing that he would eventually get his turn and working to make the most of it when he did.
When the time came, McElroy indeed made the most of his opportunity, breaking all of Daniel's passing records on the way to taking Southlake Carroll to a high school mythical national championship.
McElroy has now spent the last three years once again holding the clipboard, this time for former Alabama starter John Parker Wilson.
Is he once again ready to take the reins and lead his team to a championship?
Former Heisman Trophy candidate Daniel thinks he will be, telling Birmingham News writer Ian Rapoport, “They're going to throw for a lot of yards under him this year, and I'm excited to get to watch him play.”
Daniel also added he felt McElroy was like a sponge, soaking up everything around him, and that this was one of the things that would make him such a success.
McElroy makes it clear that just winning 12 games isn't enough. He feels as though it's time for Alabama to start winning championships, and until they do, they're falling short of what they're capable of doing.
He told USA Today staff writer Kelly Whiteside, “If you talk to most of our fans, without an SEC championship or national championship, the season can't be deemed a complete success. That's the attitude we want to establish around here.”
McElroy is used to putting up big numbers when being given a chance to play. His senior year of high school, he set a Texas record with 56 touchdown passes against some of the toughest competition in the country.
Those expecting Nick Saban and staff to bring him along slowly to start the season may be in for a surprise.
McElroy may be a first-time starter, but with three years of soaking in everything about this offense, I'd expect the Alabama offensive staff to try to build him some confidence early against the Hokies.
If Alabama's running game produces the way it is capable of doing and Alabama is able to make use of its play action passing game, then McElroy could open the 2009 season with a huge night.
Let him gain confidence early in the year, and he could lead the Alabama offense to its most productive season in some time.
None of it will matter at all, though, according to McElroy, if the Tide is unable to come away some kind of championship hardware—then they haven't met their own expectations.
I kind of like the way the kid thinks.
