Bleacher Report - Articles by MARK HERREN

Alabama Football: Spring Practice Begins

MARK HERREN — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:05:03 -0400

It’s been roughly 70 days since the University of Alabama football team was last seen walking off the field at the Sugar Bowl.

The Crimson Tide will return to the field today to begin spring practice, which will culminate April 18 with the annual A-Day Game shown nationally on ESPN.

Today’s workout was moved up before spring break to avoid holding a practice on Easter weekend. Otherwise, the Tide will essentially stick to a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday schedule in the future.

It also signals the end of the brutal fourth-quarter conditioning program for players, which includes a whole lot of running.

Today will be mostly about debuts. There are plenty of new faces on campus this spring.

New coaches include new Assistant/Linebackers Coach Sal Sunseri and Associate Head Coach/Linebackers Coach James Willis.

Although he already had the title of Defensive Coordinator/Secondary Coach, the defense is clearly Kirby Smart’s unit now with former coordinator Kevin Steele moved to Clemson.

New players wearing crimson and white for the first time will be lineman James Carpenter, Chance Warmack, Kerry Murphy, and running back Jermaine Preyear.

These new arrivals are getting a jump on the rest of the recruiting class, as all other players will arrive on campus over the summer. B.J. Scott is expected to line up at defensive back, and head coach Nick Saban indicated one young outside linebacker will probably move inside, with Jerrell Harris getting the first look. A outside linebacker to watch for is Chris Jordan.

There are also three key position battles to keep an eye on. At quarterback, Saban has said there is no timetable for naming a starter between Greg McElroy, Star Jackson, and Thomas Darrah. McElroy is the only one of the three with playing experience and is the most familiar with the offense.

Alabama native A.J. McCarron also joins the team this summer. He may not compete for the starting job in his freshman season, but should earn some valuable experience.

“We’re just going to have to let things happen over the course of spring practice,” Saban said. “I think it’ll be pretty (important) for those guys in terms of their improvement and getting the confidence of the other players on the team.”

New starters need to be found at left tackle, center, and right guard, but expect the competition to continue into the fall.

Finding a new starting safety to replace Rashad Johnson may be the biggest challenge of the offseason. Ali Sharrief, Tyrone King Jr., and Mark Barron are the leading candidates.

The team will practice without pads today and again during the first practice after break, March 23. Wide receiver Earl Alexander (shoulder) and running back Roy Upchurch (neck) will be kept from contact following offseason surgery.

Who Will Be Alabama's Next Basketball Coach?

MARK HERREN — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 11:21:53 -0500

When the name "Alabama" is mentioned in a basketball conversation, the names Robert Horry, Latrell Sprewell, Gerald Wallace, and Mo Williams come to mind.

These are the current NBA players that were coached by former head coach Mark Gottfried at Alabama. Now that Gottfried has resigned at Alabama, there are great speculations that the new head coach could be Tubby Smith (Minnesota) or Mike Anderson (Missouri).

These are only on a wish list put together by the Alabama Faithful. These are current successful head coaches with that winning attitude branded into their philosophy. That is what the administration at Alabama is looking for in their next head coach as well. I feel that these coaches will be renegotiated by their current schools and re-signed to new contracts because of success!

The next head coach at Alabama will step forward when the timing is right for him. He might not be the one that has even been thought of as a candidate. During the downhill phase of the season and trying to make the NCAA Tournament is not the right time to be thinking about change.

I think Alabama is very patient with whoever that next coach will be because of that focus and respect, and in hopes that these goals will be in every coach's mind at this point in a season.

Quality is what the Alabama season ticket holders want to see in the next head coach. People sitting in the seats want to see discipline and passion toward the players during a game, whether they are ahead by 20 points or behind by 20 points. It should not matter about the situation.

I am very patient and confident with the ongoing search and hope that all Bama fans are too.

Sports, Life, and Learning

MARK HERREN — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:24:52 -0500

When it comes to basketball I'm not a very knowledgeable person. But based on what information I have heard I have to make this observation:

We now know that Alabama is searching for a new basketball coach. Mark Gottfried resigned this past week due to pressure that he was receiving over his handling of the Ronald Steele situation.

Mark did not have control of this year's basketball team—Ron Steele did! The whole program wasted too much money keeping Ron Steele in college—and keeping him happy.

He played just one good full season. He played injured and had both knees repaired. He sat out one entire season to rehabilitate those knees.

All this time he was in the ears of other players. All this time he was riding the scholarship through his life with every intention of being in the NBA when healthy enough to play. He did nothing to prove himself worthy of a college scholarship.

This happens everywhere in college sports—not just in Alabama, and not just in basketball.

Mark Gottfried knew that in his mind and allowed this to spoil the "apple barrel." Now that Gottfried, Steele and this season are history, it's time to back up and punt!

Start over with first finding a disciplinarian, recruiter and mentor as a head coach. You have to build a program that makes these high school kids set a goal to want to play there and get an education.

After two seasons, a player should not set his sights on a professional career before getting his degree. After two seasons, a player should be a leader, recruiter and mentor for the new kids coming in. The coaches need and welcome this help from their players and they preach this every day.

Be an example, people! Not just in athletics—but in life too. There are little eyes on you all the time.

Think about that!