2009 Alabama Crimson Tide

[Coach Bryant]

Looking to next year's team:

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/01/...all_entry.html

Quote:

Returning starters in bold OFFENSE QB -- Greg McElroy (Jr); Star Jackson (R-Fr) This will be the story of spring practice, as Nick Saban has opened the quarterback competition to include McElroy, Jackson and walk-on Thomas Darrah, none of whom have attained much game experience behind the remarkably healthy John Parker Wilson. McElroy is the most experienced and has to be viewed as the clubhouse leader at this point, so we'll give him the early nod here. TB -- Glen Coffee (Sr); Mark Ingram (Soph) Coffee is considering a jump to the NFL after a breakout junior year. Assuming he returns, he'll be nearly impossible to edge out as Alabama's featured tailback. Ingram was solid as a freshman. It will also be interesting to see how Roy Upchurch reponds from neck surgery in the spring and the immediate impact of blue-chip commitment Trent Richardson of Pensacola, Fla., in the fall. WR -- Julio Jones (Soph); Earl Alexander (Jr) WR -- Mike McCoy (Sr); Brandon Gibson (Soph) SLOT WR -- Darius Hanks (Jr); Marquis Maze (Soph) Nikita Stover and Will Oakley are the only subtractions from a group of receivers that should be a strength of the team in 2009. Julio will be in All-American discussions, while experience abounds at every position. Questions involve B.J. Scott, who could be moved to defense, and several expected or potential signees that could make an immediate impact. TE -- Colin Peek (Sr); Preston Dial (Jr); Brad Smelley (Soph); Chris Underwood (Soph) Alabama's penchant for using multiple tight ends means we'll add four to the list here. Any of the four could wind up being every-down replacements for departed seniors Travis McCall and Nick Walker. If he stays healthy, Georgia Tech transfer Peek is probably atop the group. Don't forget about Michael Williams, who switched positions for bowl practice. LT -- Drew Davis (Sr); James Carpenter (Jr) LG -- Mike Johnson (Sr); David Ross (Jr) C -- William Vlachos (Jr); Evan Cardwell (Sr) RG -- Alfred McCullough (Jr); Barrett Jones (R-Fr) RT -- John Michael Boswell (Soph); D.J. Fluker (Fr) This is the big project of the offseason, and it's possible that I've just swung and missed at all five spots. The only real certainty is that Davis and Johnson will be in the lineup somewhere. Everything else is guess work. All I can say is it will be very interesting to see who is where on the first day of spring drills. PK -- Leigh Tiffin (Sr); Corey Smith (Soph) Tiffin will be a real asset in his third year as the full-time starter. DEFENSE NT -- Terrence Cody (Sr), Josh Chapman (Jr) DE -- Brandon Deaderick (Sr), Marcel Dareus (Soph) DE -- Lorenzo Washington (Sr), Luther Davis (Jr) Given his experience, Washington is the clear favorite to replace Bobby Greenwood in the starting three. Dareus could play anywhere on the line and will remain the pass-rushing specialist at nose tackle behind All-American Cody and the very capable Chapman. Alabama's d-line should be as solid as it has been under Saban. SLB --Cory Reamer (Sr); Jerrell Harris (Soph) MLB -- Rolando McClain (Jr); Prince Hall (Sr) WLB -- Dont'a Hightower (Soph); Chris Jordan (Soph) JACK -- Brandon Fanney (Sr); Courtney Upshaw (Soph) Everyone is due back in a linebacking corps that will probably look an awful lot like it did this past season. Harris and Upshaw could potentially make a move to secure more playing time after a year in the system. CB -- Kareem Jackson (Jr); Chris Rogers (Sr) CB -- Javier Arenas (Sr); Marquis Johnson (Sr) FS -- Ali Sharrief (Sr); Mark Barron (Soph) SS -- Justin Woodall; Tyrone King (Sr) The big question is who will replace Rashad as the quarterback of the defense. Sharrief, Barron and King will all compete for the spot this spring. If none are capable, Woodall could move from his spot. At cornerback, something tells me playing time will be up for grabs although both starters return. That will be particularly likely if Alabama starts looking at Arenas on offense. P -- P.J. Fitzgerald (Sr); Leigh Tiffin (Sr) Fitzgerald quietly improved this season, which was certainly enough to assure he'll hold the starting spot as a senior.

Its never too early to start thinking about next season!

Building a good offensive line is the #1 priority for Alabama in the offseason. Success, or failure is going to ride on this units performance. This is even more important than finding a suitable replacement for JPW. They will be the key to Alabama's running game, and will have a lot to say about the success of either McElroy, or Jackson.

Hopefully Coffee will be back, and the receiving corps should be improved.

The defense should be very good, and hopefully some quality depth will be developed on both sides of the ball! I think Cody made a wise decision coming back, and will benefit by going through Saban's S&C program.


I'm hoping that Tiffin will be more consistent in 09, and could be critical if the offense struggles early on.

We will learn what the 09 version of the Tide is made of right out of the gate against Virginia Tech. I can't wait!

I'm even looking forward to A day!

[Coach Bryant]

When Kevin Steele offically leaves Alabama's staff, Clemson will have to ante up...

http://blog.al.com/rapsheet/2009/01/...icially_l.html

Quote:

As the lengthy saga of Kevin Steele continues, it's a foregone conclusion that the Alabama head defensive coach will leave to become Clemson's defensive coordinator. Right now, we're just waiting on CU officials to finish a background check on Steele before it becomes official. So, it's worth revisiting one important issue: When Steele joins Dabo Swinney's staff, the UA athletics department is owed a buyout of $72,000 within 14 days of the move. That's 20 percent of Steele's salary of $360,000. You know that we at The Rap Sheet love to follow some money. When Les Miles signed a contract worth $1,000 more per year than Nick Saban, we were the first to bring it to you. (Did I say first? I meant third, after ESPN.com and LSUBeat.com. Whatever). This issue first came up here, when Ron Middleton left for Duke. And actually, because it's likely Saban will hire a position coach to replace Steele, it'll actually save the school some dough. Here is what Alabama athletics director Mal Moore told me earlier in the year when I wrote the article about how UA was protecting itself against other schools raiding its staff: ''In the process of negotiating contracts, we recognized the growing sophistication of assistant coaches' contracts,'' Moore said. ''We sensed that this was the direction the business was going, and we worked well with all parties involved.'' Here are the rest of the buyouts: -- Offensive line coach Joe Pendry - $72,000 buyout with a base salary of $360,000. -- Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart - $65,000 buyout with a base salary of $325,000. -- Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain - $65,000 with a base salary of $325,000. -- Tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Bobby Williams -- $58,000 with a base salary of $290,000. -- Running backs coach Burton Burns - $46,000 with a base salary of $230,000. -- Outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson - $45,000 with a base salary of $225,000. -- Defensive line coach Bo Davis - $40,000 with a base salary of $200,000. -- Receivers coach Curt Cignetti - $38,000 with a base salary of $190,000. So... how should Alabama spend its new-found riches?

I think all of these coaches have done an outstanding job. Just stop, and think about it. We won 13 games in a row counting the win against Colorado in the 07 Independence Bowl! Not even the mighty, and very talented Florida Gators could pull that off! Those 13 wins followed Alabama's 2007 November meltdown! That truly was an amazing turnaround. We won 12 in a row with a very young team that had limited quality depth behind the starters. We beat Georgia in Athens, Tennessee in Knoxville, LSU in Baton Rouge, MSU, and Auburn! All 5 of those wins were extra special to me, and now seeing the year that Ole Miss had I now realize what a huge win that was for Alabama. Watching Julio Jones, Donta Hightower, and Mark Ingram play at such a high level as true freshmen was awesome! Curb stomping Clemson in the season opener in Atlanta on the national stage was fun to watch! Winning the west, and watching Alabama return to Atlanta for the SEC Championship was very sweet!

What happened in the Sugar Bowl against Utah has done nothing to diminish what this team, and coaching staff accomplished in 2008. That was Utah's biggest game of their season. I never like to see Alabama lose, but honestly I can name off 6 games that were bigger for Alabama. I will forever hold this team in high regard, and appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in making it happen. I think there is no doubt that Nick Saban will have more talented teams at Alabama than this one, but this team played with an incredible amount of heart. 2008 was a great season, and I will never forget it! Thank you players, and coaches! Roll Tide!

[Coach Bryant]

Alabama vs. Utah, Sugar Bowl Report Card Results:

http://blog.al.com/tidecorner/2009/0..._bowl_rep.html

Ugly ugly game. I've got a feeling this game will be talked about, and studied a lot in the off season! Among other things a total lack of focus, intensity, and bad fundamentals got Alabama beat. Those will get your *** handed to you everytime! I don't give a damn who the opponent is!

[Coach Bryant]

Take two for "The Capstones" awards...

http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/01/...tones_awa.html

Quote:

OFFENSIVE MVP LT ANDRE SMITH No matter how fans feel about him now, they can't question Smith's value. Alabama found out exactly how much this year's Outland Trophy winner meant when its offense stalled badly in two games without him. It's a shame that such a great college player's legacy was damaged by a nasty controversy before the final game. DEFENSIVE MVP FS RASHAD JOHNSON A case could be made for Terrence Cody or Rolando McClain, but Johnson was the stabilizing force of a top-notch defense, not to mention the source of a few big-time plays. He was an unquestioned team leader and an inspiration to any player originally slighted by the so-called recruiting experts. No one will be missed more around that team. MOST IMPROVED RT DREW DAVIS The Tide had struggled for years to find a capable player to fill that troublesome right tackle spot. In doing so this season, Davis became an unsung hero who played a large role in the entire team's success. Punter P.J. Fitzgerald and tailback Roy Upchurch each deserve a nod here, too. MOST UNDERRATED TE TRAVIS McCALL McCall's statistics do not account for what he meant to Alabama this season. More often than not, he delivered the key block to spring a long run or big play. The NFL is paying attention, however, as McCall received an invite to this month's Senior Bowl. Honorable mention: LB Dont'a Hightower, LB Cory Reamer and SS Justin Woodall. MOST OVERRATED RB/LB JIMMY JOHNS OK, so Johns wasn't on the actual team this season after last summer's drug arrest. But he gets this award for the second consecutive year because of all the unnecessary gloom and doom that accompanied his dismissal. Seriously, has any Alabama player in history managed to do so little with so much? MOST COURAGEOUS LB ROLANDO McCLAIN During the Mississippi State game, McClain gashed his hand so badly it later required minor surgery. He missed one play. It wasn't the first instance of McClain playing through pain, and don't forget that how quickly he overcame an offseason motorcycle wreck, returning to be named a finalist for the Butkus Award. FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR WR JULIO JONES Was this ever in question? In my opinion, Julio was the best freshman player in the entire country. Physically, he's as gifted a rookie receiver as I've ever seen, and he made a ton of big plays for Alabama this year. Next season should be even better. GAME OF THE YEAR FLORIDA 31, ALABAMA 20 in the SEC TITLE GAME This one didn't quite go down to the wire, but in terms of high stakes and the quality of football matching them all the way, no game in Alabama's recent history comes close. The Gators charged back in the fourth quarter to win despite an outstanding performance from the Crimson Tide. Alabama didn't lose this game. Florida won it. MOST MEMORABLE PLAY RASHAD JOHNSON'S OVERTIME INTERCEPTION The only genuine close call for Alabama during the regular season was at LSU. A blocked Leigh Tiffin field goal sent the game into overtime and had Tigers fans roaring until Johnson made a brilliant over-the-shoulder catch to intercept a ball in the end zone and keep LSU's offense off the board on its first possession. MOST FORGETTABLE PLAY UTAH'S FIRST SACK Take your pick from the Sugar Bowl, really, but I choose this: Facing third-and-14 on its opening possession, Alabama called a drop-back pass. Utah linebacker Stevenson Sylvester raced past left tackle Mike Johnson and blindsided Wilson, who was lucky to even hold onto the ball. In one snap, the Utes had confirmed the Tide's worst fears about playing without Andre Smith and set the tone for an entire evening. MOST IMPORTANT PLAY FACEMASK AGAINST FLORIDA Alabama's Dont'a Hightower made the play. He had tracked down Florida speedster Jeffrey Demps and tackled him one yard short on a critical third-and-4 with the Tide clinging to a three-point lead in the fourth quarter. But then a yellow flag sailed to the turf. The referees said Hightower grabbed Demps' facemask. It was only a subtle brush, but a new rule required a 15-yard penalty. First down, Florida, and a key touchdown drive continued. It was the turning point play in the year's biggest game. Had Hightower not been flagged, the SEC title game and the Tide's entire season may have ended differently. BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE RASHAD JOHNSON and JULIO JONES at LSU Alabama doesn't win a tight game without the contributions of these two players. Johnson picked off three passes, returning one for a touchdown and (see above) halting LSU in overtime. The next play in overtime, Jones caught his seventh pass of the day, bringing Alabama's offense to the doorstep of a game-winning touchdown. BEST RUN GLEN COFFEE vs. AUBURN The first cracks in Auburn's armor appeared when Coffee soared off the right side of the line of scrimmage, riding a key block from Nikita Stover to a 41-yard touchdown that set to tone to an Iron Bowl rout. DEFINING MOMENT OF THE SEASON After Alabama whipped Arkansas State on Nov. 1, fans took to Tuscaloosa establishments to watch Texas' game at Texas Tech. When the Red Raiders charged back to win on a thrilling last-second touchdown, roars could be heard up and down "The Strip" and in downtown. That result assured that Alabama would attain its first in-season No. 1 ranking since 1980. The Tide stayed there for more than a month. BEST QUOTE "They wearing black 'cuz they goin' to a (expletive) funeral." - Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran on Georgia. A Tuscaloosa News camera shooting the Tide's stretching drills at practice caught Cochran's subtle comment about Georgia's decision to "black out" the Alabama game, and it took mere hours for footage to leak all over the Internet. It was funny and, as it turned out, a bit prophetic. You may find it interesting that from that day forward, media have had to wait for stretches to end before being admitted for its viewing period at Tide practices. WORST QUOTE "I'm very proud of what our football team was able to accomplish this year -- the only team that plays in a real BCS conference that went 12-0, which is very difficult to do." - Nick Saban after the SEC title game. Only trying to applaud his own team after a tough loss, Saban inadvertently issued a memorable statement that, by the way, was entirely true. No team in a BCS conference team except Alabama won its first 12 games. But the problem for Saban came when Alabama was paired against Utah in Sugar Bowl. Had Saban not used the word "real," there wouldn't have been an issue. But as it was, the Utes seized on Saban's phrase and used it as motivation to hand the Tide its worst loss of the entire season. BEST HALF Alabama rolled to a 31-0 lead at Georgia, the nation's No. 1 team in the preseason. Home fans were stunned, but so were Crimson Tide supporters. The outlook of the entire changed after those 30 minutes. BEST COACHING MOVE Saban moved returning nose tackle starter Lorenzo Washington to defensive end during the preseason, allowing big junior college transfer Terrence Cody to step into the starting defensive line. Cody responded with an All-American season that made him a star and helped produce one of the nation's top rushing defenses. Honorable mention: Playing Cody as a blocking back on offense. WORST COACHING MOVE Again, take your pick from the Sugar Bowl. I'll go with the fact the Tide continued to use six defensive backs and drop additional men into coverage despite getting picked apart by Utah QB Brian Johnson, who was receiving basically no pressure from Alabama's defensive front. Whereas the Tide often gambled for defensive plays much of the season, it seemed to have no strategic answer for the Utes' offense other than to insert new players and shuffle others around. BEST SUCCESS An emphatic 36-0 victory delighted home fans and snapped a six-year Iron Bowl drought against Auburn. WORST DISAPPOINTMENT As good as the season was as a whole, the Tide did not finish like it wanted. The Sugar Bowl letdown against Utah leaves a bad taste heading into 2009.

Pretty good except I'd change the following:

Best success: Beating Georgia in Athens, Tennessee in Knoxville, LSU in Baton Rouge, MSU, and Auburn were all equally sweet to me.

Worst disappointment: The worst disappointment for me was losing to Florida, and not winning the SEC Championship. I was really hoping that we would at least win the SEC. Sure it would have been nice to win the Sugar Bowl, but Alabama won the games that were most important to me except the SEC Championship game. Most of them in convicing fashion I might add which made the wins even sweeter!

[trobinson97]

They could have at least given Mark Ingram an honorable mention. That young man did his thing this year. 728 yards on 143 attempts with NO fumbles, 5.1 YPC, 12 touchdowns, playing behind Coffee and splitting that time with Upchurch.

[Coach Bryant]

Quote: Originally Posted by trobinson97

They could have at least given Mark Ingram an honorable mention. That young man did his thing this year. 728 yards on 143 attempts with NO fumbles, 5.1 YPC, 12 touchdowns, playing behind Coffee and splitting that time with Upchurch.

I think that maybe even Donta Hightower should have got co-honorable mention. In the mushy post I made above about what made this season special to me I mentioned that watching Julio Jones, Mark Ingram, and Donta Hightower play at such a high level was truly awesome. All 3 of these young men made huge contributions.

Speaking of Upchurch I sure hope he can get his neck problems straightened out because he played really well.

[Coach Bryant]

It's offical: Alabama welcomes three players for the spring semester.

http://blog.al.com/rapsheet/2009/01/..._welcomes.html

Quote:

Updating an earlier blog entry... Remember when I wrote about the two members of the 2009 signing class to begin school today? Better add a name from the 2008 class -- Jermaine Preyear, who had shoulder surgery and didn't enroll in August, is in the house now. Here is the official release: The Crimson Tide football team welcomed three new players into the fold on Wednesday with the start of the new semester at the University of Alabama. Two freshmen and a junior college transfer have enrolled in classes and will be added to the 2009 Alabama football roster. Freshmen Chase Warmack out of Westlake High School in Atlanta, Ga. and Jermaine Preyear from Davidson High School in Mobile, Ala., are joined by Coffeyville [Kan.] Community College offensive lineman James Carpenter (Hephzibah, Ga.).

[Husker_OS]

I can't let this little gem get lost in the shuffle from EARLY September '08...

Quote: Originally Posted by AuburnAlumni

It will last for at least the next two weeks since the Tahd plays the little sisters of the poor (Tulane, Western Kentucky). Then it will come crashing down like it always does when they start to play the LSUs and Auburns of the SEC.

If we lose to Va Tech..it'll be interesting to see the predictions on how the rest of our '09 season goes. I think we'll be decent to start the year, but will have a lot of room to improve. The Va Tech game certainly won't be like the Clemson game.

[trobinson97]

Lot of visitors this weekend.

http://alabama.scout.com/a.z?s=14&p=...009&refid=8833

[Coach Bryant]

Oh yeah....Saban is building a monster!