Bleacher Report - Articles by Walter Kirkwood

Quarterback Greg McElroy Grows Up in the Iron Bowl

Walter Kirkwood — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:23:59 -0500

Before the game, the Auburn fans were pretty vocal for an underdog. They had pestered Alabama fans all week, “We are going to shut Ingram down.” “Y'all haven't seen an offense like this.” For me, I let it roll in one ear and out the other. Lots of teams have talked smack before the game. They were all quiet by the end.

I never would have believed it, but Auburn did all of that and more.

The first quarter felt like Pearl Harbor. Auburn bombed Alabama's secondary with misdirection plays and plain old perfect execution.

Offensively, Alabama was stymied by a determined Auburn defense that was quite different from what we saw from them the first 11 weeks of the season. It seems the two week break offered them an opportunity to go the extra mile.

Auburn stacked the box, yet managed to keep the safeties in place to prevent the long play. Auburn used a spy to mirror Ingram's every move effectively taking him out of the game.

Auburn's two quick strikes got the crowd into it, they shut Ingram down, possibly derailed his Heisman Trophy bid, they got reasonable pressure on McElroy and had the lead at the half.

The second half started with yet another long strike by Auburn quarterback Chris Todd, whipping the Auburn home crowd into a frenzy.

Alabama did not panic. Instead they turned to freshman running back Trent Richardson who is a little quicker and quarterback Greg McElroy. The stop-Ingram-at-all-costs defense left gaping holes in the middle of the field and McElroy started firing strikes into Auburn's secondary.

Even with the adjustments by the middle of the fourth quarter Auburn held the lead and field position when Greg McElroy started what is already being referred to as “The Drive.” On that series of plays, with everything on the line, Greg McElroy grew up as a quarterback.

All year long, when Alabama was in trouble they turned to Ingram only asking McElroy to run the offense and not screw up. This time Ingram was down for the count. This time it was his game to win or lose. Safety was not an option, Alabama had to score.

On the drive, McElroy carved up the Auburn defense completing eight out of eight for 63 yards and a touchdown. Four of the throws went to all star receiver Julio Jones who had nine catches on the night.

But the one catch that will go down on canvas was the third-down touchdown pass to embattled senior running back Roy Upchurch playing in his final Iron bowl. The gutsy call was completely out of character, but it was brilliantly executed.

For Roy, it may be his defining moment as a player. Often injured, and known mostly for potential unrealized, this was his moment, and it will most certainly become one of those plays referred to as "A Daniel Moore Moment."

For Greg McElroy, no longer is he just a nanny for the offense. He stepped up and won a game in which Alabama had been mostly outplayed. He answered a lot of questions about what kind of player and man he is. He now stands as a weapon other teams must account for.

One more player made a huge difference, freshman Trent Richardson. While the fans debated all week if Mark Ingram or Ben Tate was the best running back in the state, it's Richardson who was the games leading rusher.

The Iron bowl marked the first time the Freshman had to play without a net, he provided a desperately needed spark when his team needed him most.

It was Richardson's 17-yard catch and run that put Alabama in scoring position, so that his teammate Roy Upchurch could step into history.

The season is done, Alabama is 12-0, and ready for the championship game.

Alabama vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl's Golden Era

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:51:56 -0500

The annual slug fest between bitter rivals Alabama and Auburn has a long and storied past. There has been drama throughout the series, but nothing quite like the early 1980s. In that span of time, the Iron Bowl was as hotly contested as any series in the country. Televising the game was a no-brainer. You were almost guaranteed a photo finish.

To set the stage, you have to get into the mindset of Auburn fans. I know it's hard for some of us, but legendary coach Bear Bryant had dominated Auburn for the better part of a quarter century.

There had been a victory here and there for Auburn, but it was almost a once a decade sort of thing. As a youngster myself during this time, I never even thought about losing to Auburn—it was like a white Christmas, more myth than reality.

In the waning weeks of the 1982 season, Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide were showing their age. Alabama had lost the two previous games coming into the Iron Bowl. Much like Bobby Bowden today, teams throughout the south were whispering into recruits' ears that Bear was going to retire, you don't want to go to Alabama.

The weakness allowed other teams to get players who normally would be bound for Tuscaloosa; most notably a young running back from McCalla, Alabama by the name of Vincent Jackson, otherwise known as Bo.

In 1982, Alabama dominated the game, racking up 507 yards to Auburn's 257. The real star of the show was young Bo Jackson. Alabama seemingly couldn't tackle Jackson as he racked up 144 yards, including the game-winning touchdown to give Auburn the 23-22 victory.

The Game was the final Iron Bowl for Bear Bryant and sadly it was a losing effort. Weeks later, Alabama defeated Illinois 21-15 in the Liberty Bowl and soon after that, Bear Bryant was dead.

Pat Dye had guided Auburn to their first victory in a very long time and kick-started the most exciting era of Tide-Tiger football.

Just to prove that the previous victory wasn't a flash in the pan, Pat Dye whipped Alabama again in 1983. This time, Bo Jackson destroyed the Tide, rushing for 256 yards and two touchdowns, including a 71-yard dash that gave Auburn the 23-22 victory and their first SEC title since 1957.

Forgotten in the loss was a 142-yard rushing effort by Alabama's Kerry Goode. The loss marked the first Iron Bowl for Alabama coach Ray Perkins, who had been named Bear Bryant's successor.

The win was a bitter pill to swallow for Perkins, but he would get his revenge, and that revenge was not long in coming.

Perkins' 1984 season was a disaster. Alabama had graduated most of its offensive talent the year before. Alabama stumbled to a 4-6 record coming into the Iron Bowl.

They faced a vastly superior Auburn team and nobody gave them much of a chance. Bo Jackson once again rushed for over 100 yards with Alabama, countering with a mixed bag of players and a young quarterback named Mike Shula.

Auburn was driving for what would have been the winning touchdown, when, on 4th-and-goal, Pat Dye dialed up running back Brent Fullwood. Bo Jackson was supposed to block on the play. Unfortunately for Auburn, he went the wrong way. Fullwood was dropped for a three-yard loss by Alabama's Rory Turner to preserve the unlikely 17-15 victory.

The 1985 game marked the 50th meeting between the Tide and Tigers and stands today as perhaps the standard by which the rest are measured. It was possibly the most exciting back and forth game I've ever seen.

The drama of the final period began when Bo Jackson scored on a one-yard plunge to give Auburn a 17-16 lead. Not to be outdone, Alabama's Jene Jelks broke loose on a 74-yard gallop to put the Tide back on top, 22-17. Auburn methodically drove 70 yards once again and scored to put them back up 23-22, leaving only 57 seconds left on the board.

At the time, Alabama and Auburn split the tickets 50/50 at Legion Field, so the Auburn half of the stadium was in full celebration while the Crimson Half sat in silent pain.

What followed was possibly the most unlikely string of plays I could have imagined. Alabama managed a 20-yard reverse on fourth down in which quarterback Mike Shula had to throw the key block.

Shula then hit Alabama receiver Greg Richardson for 19 yards. Richardson had to drag an Auburn defender from the hashmark to the sideline in order to stop the clock.

When Richardson made that catch and got out of bounds, the Auburn half of the stadium, which had been celebrating wildly, fell silent. It seemed time came to a halt as Alabama Kicker Van Tiffin trotted onto the field.

The Auburn fans looked on in disbelief as Tiffin calmly booted a 52-yard strike as time expired to give Alabama the 25-23 win.

When the ball cleared the goal and the hands went up, the Alabama half of the field erupted like a volcano. You could have heard a pin drop on the Auburn side. There are Auburn fans today who still say that was the most painful loss they had ever suffered.

Auburn was far from dead as a program, however. In 1986, the game featured two premier runners, as Alabama's Bobby Humprey rushed for 204 yards and Auburn's Brent Fullwood tallied 145.

Auburn engineered two fourth-quarter touchdowns to come from behind. The final touchdown, a seven-yard reverse by Lawyer Tillman, gave Auburn the final 21-17 victory.

After the 1986 game, Alabama coach Ray Perkins took the head coaching job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Alabama replaced Perkins with former Georgia Tech coach, Bill Curry.

Curry was successful in some respects, but his teams not only failed to beat Auburn, but also failed to even come close to winning the year's most important game. That reason, more than any other, was his demise.

There have been great Iron Bowl Games since, but the series has not regained the grand luster of the competitive and unpredictable 1980s.

Alabama's Scout Team From Hell

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:44:15 -0500

Facing UT Chattanooga this week it should afford the fans a chance to look at some younger players. What you won't be seeing are many members of the number one rated 2009 recruiting class.

Most are on schedule to red shirt. The scout team gets no press but their hard work has been crucial to Alabama's 10-0 start. So lets take a look at the newest members of the Scout Team From Hell.

When they line up there is one guy that “literally” stands out.

OL DJ Fluker 6' 6” 350lbs: According to Internet chatter the mammoth five star prospect from Foley pancaked a few experienced players in practice this fall. The problem with Fluker is technique and footwork. He's massive and he needs that to pass block in the SEC.

Fluker only played offensive line his senior year in high school so he is still learning the position. Recent reports indicate his weight has been dropping and his technique improving. its highly likely he will be in the thick of the battle for the right tackle spot that will be vacated by Drew Davis at the end of this year.

OL Anthony Steen 6' 4” 295

Steen was not the highest rated prospect by recruiting services but once he hit campus he quickly made himself a contender on the offensive line. At times he had climbed as high as 2nd string on the line but eventually fell back to take a red shirt.

OL Brandon Moore 6' 5” 313

Moore was a highly touted recruit out of Montgomery. When he signed nobody really knew if he would be on offense or defense. Its possible that question hasn't been answered yet. Moore is very athletic and could end up almost anywhere.

Wide Receivers:
Kevin Norwood 6' 3” 180
Kendell Kelly 6' 4” 210
Kenny Bell 6' 1” 160
Michael Bowman 6' 4” 206

All four of these guys had their moments in the fall camp. Only one or possibly two were ever going to see the field this year and it was up and down all fall as to who might get the shot. Eventually Michael Bowman won out.

Bowman after playing some early has been hurt several times. If we don't see him on the field Saturday against the Mocs its a good chance that he will apply for and get a medical red shirt for 2009. Bowman is a physical beast of a receiver and looked very good in limited playing time.

RB Eddie Lacy 5' 11” 210

Lacy actually had the best run I saw at the open practice this fall. He arrived late this summer due to qualification issues and it put him behind. He's currently the scout team running back and may take more lumps than any starter in the SEC.

Lacy wasn't as prepared for playing time as Richardson but the talent level between the two may be closer than many realize. His running style is different, more elusive and fluid compared to Richardson raw power.

RB Mike Marrow 6' 2” 240

Marrow is a big bruising fullback/Hback. After a year in the weight room look for him to have a roll going forward.

QB AJ McCarron 6' 4” 189

McCarron had the most live arm I saw this fall. His main weakness was experience and size. He needs to mature physically if he's going to play quarterback in the SEC.

McCarron has the skills and has recently been promoted from the scout team according to published reports. He won't win the starting job in 2010 as long as Greg McElroy is around but he could take the number two job which will put him in front for 2011.

DL Darrington Sentimore 6' 3” 265

Sentimore was probably closer to playing time than the other freshman defensive lineman. At many schools he would have got that time, but Alabama is so deep on the defensive line he had little chance without multiple injuries. Alabama graduates all three starting defensive lineman this year so the opportunities will be there.

DL William Ming 6' 4” 265

After Sentimore Ming probably made the most noise. Ming didn't pass the eye test but he is a high motor guy. Many of the NFL's best pass rushers don't look so freakish in street cloths. Its a gift, Ming may have it.

DL Chris Bonds 6' 4” 262: Another highly rated defensive end prospect from South Carolina.

LB Jonathan Atchinson 6' 3” 215: Atchinson looked a little skinny to me in recruiting photo's but he bulked up nicely by time he showed up for fall practice.

LB Tana Patrick 6' 3” 215

Atchinson and Patricks both pushed hard for playing time this fall and again at mid season when it was clear another linebacker was needed to replace Danta Hightower. Nico Johnson won that battle and is a starter but I don't think Patrick and Atchinson were far behind.

LB Pete Smith 6' 0” 230

Smith is a battering ram. He is not the sexy pick, you won't see him on many magazine covers, but this guy can level you. It was obvious in high school all star games what Saban saw in Smith. For his style of game he needed a year to work out.

LB Ed Stinson 6' 4” 227

Stinson is the prototypical Jack linebacker. He needed to add some muscle to handle that job and I'm sure will be getting it. I've read conflicting reports on Stinsons weight. Some said he reported to campus closer to 250 but so far the rosters don't reflect that.

There are some greyshirts out there. Defensive lineman Anthony Orr and offensive lineman Kellen Williams and Darius McKeller all greyshirted and should be available this spring. By greyshirt they will become part of the 2010 class.

Also this spring Jalston Fowler should arrive. Fowler is a brutish 6' 0” 245 running back from Prichard Al. He was past the age limit to play high school football as a senior so he had to sit the year out. He will graduate and be on campus this spring.

With Fowler offensive lineman Chad Lindsay from woodlands Texas plans to enroll and be availble for spring.

One position you didn't see in my list was defensive back. Alabama only inked two DB's in 2009 and both have been playing in mop up duty and on special teams.

Alabama will graduate six experienced defensive backs this year, another, Kareem Jackson could take a peek at the NFL draft. Saban did not have the luxury of redshirting either Rod Woodson or Dre Kirkpatrick. In fact Look for some of the 2010 signees to get a serious look come fall.

Alabama won't start every year out 10-0 but the raw talent coming down the line is significantly greater than what is leaving. Thats bad news for the rest of the SEC West.

Nick Saban Has Tough Decisions To Make About Mark Ingram

Walter Kirkwood — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:42:52 -0500

Without a doubt the most disturbing statement I ever heard an Alabama coach make was during the ill fated 2006 season when a certain coach (who shall go nameless) stated to the press “How do you bench a player that close to the record?”

He was referring to Alabama running back Kenneth Darby. It had been a miserable year for Darby, he had lost his father that fall. I don't know if he was also injured, but the Kenneth Darby of 2006 bore little resemblance to the running back we saw earlier.

As the year wore on, it became clear Alabama needed to rest Darby and give some younger players a shot, but apparently him being close to the Alabama single season rushing record warranted him more playing time.

Alabama continued to lose and Darby faded even more as the season imploded. Darby never even got close to the Shaun Alexander career rushing mark that he was chasing. The coach that made the statement got fired along with the rest of the staff.

I was furious when I read that in the press. My answer to him would have been, “Who gives a crap! At Alabama we are SUPPOSED to win football games”.

Personal records are great, but they don't erect statues of coaches because they coached Heisman winners or record breakers.

Alabama's staff may be treading into dangerous territory with Mark Ingram as he approaches Bobby Humphrey's 1986 single season mark of 1471 yards.

This week's opponent, the Chattanooga Mocs, aren't a bad team, but they are not equipped to to take down Alabama. It's a good time to rest someone who is hurt, and see how a back-up performs under fire. Hopefully, a chance to see the back-up quarterback throw some passes as well.

If a player is healthy, I'm not a big proponent of totally sitting him as a player needs to stay sharp. A few series should be enough, especially for a position like running back.

Mark Ingram currently has 1297 yards rushing. That's just 174 yards shy of Bobby Humphrey's record. While it's possible for Ingram to get that against Auburn, it's certainly not a sure thing.

To give Ingram a reasonable shot to break that record against Auburn, one might expect Ingram needing about seventy yards or more against the Mocs. That's all fine and dandy if that someone were me, or a crazed fan, or the guy with all the Bama tattoos, but when that someone is a coach who might decide who carries the ball, that's when the situation gets a little fuzzy.

It's worth noting Alabama won no championship in 1986. It was a good year, but there are many good years at Alabama. Would Bobby Humphrey trade that record for wins against LSU and Auburn that year? I don't know the man personally, but I'm guessing he would.

There are those that would argue that records like this and Heisman trophies won are good recruiting tools. There may be some truth to this. Every player wants to go somewhere to play college football where winning such awards is within the realm of possibility.

The main ingredient to winning big awards is that you have to have exposure. In most cases, it helps greatly to be on a winning team; Alabama fits the bill on this.

Finally you have to be featured by the right system. This final point may have been an issue at one time, but currently Nick Saban has shown he will ride the horse that looks like a winner. To that end I can say check that on the third point as well.

In my opinion, Mark Ingram winning the Heisman will not have any measurable effect on recruiting. It would be a nice thing to talk about, but I'm sure the focus of kids and their parents will be how Alabama can help them reach their goals. Having one Heisman winner doesn't help you get another; opportunity is what they want, Alabama provides that.

The trophy I'd really like to see Mark Ingram holding is that big glassy-looking football shaped like the one given to the BCS National Championship winner. I'd like to see him break that single season rushing record too, but not at the expense of his health.

If in the process of winning the final two games it happens, so much the better. Alabama's coaches shouldn't push playing time just for records. It may just seem like one or two more series would do it, but what if that series is the last for Mark Ingram?

That's the sort question that never goes away.

Iif it turns out badly, former head coach Mike Shula may never escape a similar question about Tyrone Prothro.

Will Alabama and Florida Be The Clash Of Titans

Walter Kirkwood — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:29:27 -0500

The date is set, the location known, Alabama and Florida will once again tangle for the SEC championship.

It will be a titanic battle between two great teams, but what TV executives and SEC brass are hoping for is a dream match. Two undefeated SEC teams meeting to decide not only who wins the league title, but which team plays for a national title.

Last year the situation was similar—Florida with a single loss arrived to face an undefeated Alabama squad. Florida's loss came early, so the winner was definitely going to the national title game. This year it may not be the case.

If either team slips up in the next three weeks, they won't play for the title even with a win in Atlanta. Several undefeated teams remain still, and they could easily stake a claim for the crown.

Losing late is normally a deal breaker. LSU lost late two years ago, but weaker teams atop the BCS allowed them to slip into the title game.

LSU won the game, of course, but half the SEC could have beaten Ohio State that year. The BCS system has been far from perfect in picking the best.

What does each team need to do to make this dream match happen?

It's worth noting that, neither Alabama nor Florida are unbeatable. Both teams have come within a field goal of losing this year and neither team is blowing the opposition out of the water.

Florida's road to Atlanta includes a road Trip to South Carolina. On the surface this shouldn't be a problem as Spurrier's boys have taken it on the chin the last two weeks.

Steve Spurrier does have a history with Florida and has taken the Gators to the edge more than once. For the first time in his South Carolina tenure Spurrier has a quarterback playing well. Florida should not take them lightly.

Meanwhile over in Mississippi, Alabama will be road tripping as well. The Mississippi State Bulldogs have to be the surprise team of the SEC this year. Everyone expected a train wreck in Starkville but first year head coach Dan Mullins has done a remarkable job making this team competitive.

In most years this would be called a trap game, since Alabama just defeated LSU to win the SEC west and now heads to Mississippi State, but its hard to consider this as a trap. The fact is, Mississippi State is simply too good.

Unless the film equipment is broken in Tuscaloosa the players should see that the Bulldogs have been in every game since a blowout loss to Auburn. They even had a lead on Florida in the third quarter and took LSU to the final buzzer.

If this game were at Tuscaloosa I doubt many would worry but being in Starkville Alabama cannot afford to take state lightly. Alabama needs to put the clamps on their running game early and avoid the turnovers state will need to pull the upset.

If both teams make it through this weekend the only real question the following week is whether Alabama and Florida come out of the game healthy.

Florida faces a two win Florida International while Alabama faces a fairly good but completely out manned Tennessee Chattanooga squad. Both teams will win handily.

Finally, both Alabama and Florida play rivalry games.

For Florida that rival is Florida State. This was once a prime time premier game of the week sort of thing but this is not the Florida State of old.

When Urban Mayer arrived at Florida his youth and fresh spread offense energized recruiting for the Gators. In comparison to the legendary, but aging, Bobby Bowden Florida State seems to be running in mud. Mayer began vacuuming up the best talent in Florida leaving only scraps for the rest.

It didn't end there, Alabama hired Nick Saban and with Georgia's Mark Richt Florida State was getting squeezed for talent. Adding NCAA troubles recently has not helped the situation. At present the The program appears to be completely adrift after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Clemson. Many are calling for Bowden to step down.

Rivalry games should never be taken lightly, but on their best day Florida State just does not look capable of taking down a Florida team with its sights set on the big trophy. Only a letdown by Florida could even put them in this game.

Alabama's situation is similar, but Auburn is not in disarray. Auburn coach Gene Chizik wasn't given much chance when he arrived at Auburn but guiding them to a 5-0 start and upsetting Mississippi a few weeks back most will say he has done better than expected.

The Tigers are streaky, If they get their pass rush going and protect quarterback Chris Todd they can be a very dangerous team. Todd throws a nice deep ball and his receivers will go after the ball aggressively. Runningback Ben Tate is as good as any rusher you'll see.

The Tigers ability to tangle with the tide depends heavily on health. The Tigers are dangerously thin on defense. Questionable recruiting and a number of injuries on defense could prove fatal.

Auburn can be explosive offensively but they lack the talent to overcome mistakes and turnovers. Alabama's veteran heavy defense has a habit of forcing mistakes, even from normally mistake free offenses.

Alabama and Florida both have their work cut out. It won't be easy to keep the unblemished record but if they do, They will get to be part of a game that could be remembered for a generation. That after all is what every kid wants to be a part of when they sign that letter of intent.

Alabama's Big Time Players Make The Difference

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:37:32 -0500

The battle between Alabama and LSU is the kind of game every high school player dreams of playing in. Two heavy weights going toe to toe on national television with championships on the line.

LSU held a 15-10 lead going into the fourth quarter after scoring some success against the Alabama defense and continuing to hold down Alabama’s offense.

The Tide had started to get some traction with Mark Ingram in the third, but the fourth quarter was looming large with so much at stake.

Fifteen minutes remained to decide which team would take the lead position in the SEC West. A possible national title shot also lay on the table for both teams.

What went through my mind at this point was, “somebody’s got to make a play.”

My answer came at the 10:37 mark as Julio Jones took a short receiver screen and dusted his cover man. The second defensive back took the wrong angle, the next was taken out by tackle James Carpenter, and the rest got nothing but fumes as Jones raced down the sideline for six.

Jones never looked back and neither did Alabama.

Recruiting is a game some obsess about while others ignore. Five-star players are sometimes a bust and a walk-on sometimes becomes an All-American.

There are many good teams but championship programs are built on three foundations, Recruiting, Conditioning, and Coaching.

A program can actually win games and have good seasons with bits and pieces.

Alabama has had its moments recently. Mike Shula took one team within two weeks of finishing undefeated, only to fall to LSU in overtime and lose to Auburn in a sack-fest.

In 2006 Alabama was in a game with eventual national champion Florida till the fourth quarter. That’s when Florida’s big time player stepped up and stepped over the tide.

The following year Alabama was also in a tangle with LSU with a trip to Atlanta in the balance only to lose 34-41.

It's a mistake to look at the score board and wonder what if, if only, we were SO close. What looks close on the scoreboard may not be in reality.

The gap between winning and losing is actually quite small, but it takes big time players to fill the gap.

It has taken time, but Alabama now has the kinds of weapons who can win championships. Who can turn a bad game into a good one, who can completely override plans to stop them.

Julio's long scamper for six was just one such example Saturday.

Marcel Darius was only a three-star recruit but his senior year at Huffman High in Birmingham those who saw him said, "This guy is no three-star." Viewing his offer sheet it was clear others felt the same.

Darius showed flashes as a true freshman, but in his sophomore year he has launched an all out assault on SEC quarterbacks. Saturday, in the fourth quarter, he was dominant.

Lorenzo Washington was once a four-star recruit himself. It took him a long time to find his way, but his viscous hit on LSU Quarterback Jordan Jefferson was the beginning of the end for him Saturday.

Five-star true freshman linebacker Nico Johnson finished Jefferson off on a blitz not long after.

Quarterback Greg McElroy was likely underrated himself as a three-star player. He only played his senior year, but racked up record breaking numbers and never lost a game.

I highly suspect recruiting sights recently have put too much emphasis on the athletic prowess of a quarterback relative to their ability to play the position.

McElroy continued to pull free of his midseason slump with 276 yards passing and two touchdowns. One particular toss was a virtually indefensible 21 yard throw to Darius Hanks for a touchdown.

Then, there is the biggest of big time players Mark Ingram. All Ingram did was slash and gash the LSU defense for 144 yards on 22 carries. That’s a 6.5 yard average.

Alabama's come from behind victory against LSU was a total team effort—from tree stumpish center William Vlachos, to backup safety Robby Green, to Kicker Lee Tiffin who was booming kickoffs into the end zone when it counted Saturday.

All play a part, but it’s the big time players that most often change the game.

Nick Saban understands this as well as anyone, and he's not done. In the wake of the big victory Saturday he took a verbal commitment from yet another big time player, Keenan Allen.

Allen is a 6' 3” 195 lb safety from Greensboro, North Carolina, He's notable for many things but one particular thing is “No. 1.” That being the number one rated safety in the country.

For those paying attention that gives Alabama the number one rated safety and the number two rated corner in Demarcus Milliner according to Rivals.

For those who said three years ago that Alabama was no longer a relevant program, they couldn't have been more wrong.

For those hoping Alabama will fade back into mediocrity, it's not looking likely. Not as long as Nick Saban and his staff can recruit, train, and coach.

Creature vs. Creature: Why Alabama Will Beat LSU

Walter Kirkwood — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:48:37 -0500

For the second year in a row, Alabama and LSU tangle with a trip to Atlanta on the line.

This used to be Auburn's gig with the annual cat-fight to determine the West. While LSU remains a top team, Alabama has replaced Auburn as the dance partner.

For the Tigers perspective see Henry Ball's article.

It's hard to call this game a rivalry in Alabama because the game is rarely talked about until game week arrives. That's not a knock on LSU's ability, it's just that Alabama fans expend so much time and energy hating Tennessee and Auburn that there just isn't a lot left to throw the Tigers' way.

Plus LSU folks look so charming in their weird purple suits and stuff, it's just hard to hate them. That, and they usually have good food.

I don't recall that much bad blood in Louisiana until Alabama hired their former coach, Nick Saban. It's understandable, but it may be time for them to let it go. It's not like things have been terrible since Saban left for Miami.

As for the players, none of them were involved, so this is just about winning the game.

The only possible issue with the coaches is the psyche of Les Miles. His record at LSU, which includes a national championship season, is outstanding. Even with that success, there are lingering doubts about his ability. Miles' greatest success came with mostly Nick Saban-recruited players. Last year's sub-par season added fuel to that fire.

Miles is known for taking some wild chances in games. Conventional wisdom is to play hard, strong, and keep it close. Tennessee did that two weeks ago and nearly pulled off the victory with a few late plays.

Will Miles buck convention and pull some sort of stunt? If he does and it backfires, he could put LSU in a hole that they can't get out of late in the game. Alabama has some grave diggers at tailback and they can cover you with dirt before the body's even cold.

That said, let's look at the units.

Defense

Alabama employs a 3-4 base defense with a wide variety of options designed to combat the different types of offenses you see in the SEC.

When Alabama goes to the nickle defense, freshman linebacker Nico Johnson exits and the more versatile and experienced senior Corey Reamer moves over from the edge.

Alabama is a premier defense, but they have struggled to replace injured linebacker Dan'ta Hightower. Replacing him in the middle was one thing; replacing his edge rushing on the left side has become a major area of concern.

With two weeks to work on the problem, expect Alabama to get more creative with blitzing. The Tide defense has made far better and more experienced quarterbacks than LSU's Jordan Jefferson look rather bad. Expect an all out assault on Jefferson, both with the pass rush and confusing looks from the secondary.

Alabama may finally unleash sophomore linebacker Jarrell Harris. Harris spent the first half of the year suspended, thanks to running afoul with the NCAA this summer. The four-star recruit from Gadsden, AL has rare speed for a linebacker and can be a game changer if he's ready.

Alabama is virtually a stone-wall against the run. LSU just doesn't have the horses to make that work.

The problem with the run is nose-guard Terrence Cody. He doesn't make many tackles, but he occupies a center and guard on every play. That leaves one of the two middle linebackers unblocked and Alabama has some good ones.

Offense

The Crimson Tide is all about the running game. They can pass the ball some, but it's more of a diversion.

Starting tailback Mark Ingram reminded many of Emmitt Smith when he came out of high school. Ingram lacks the true break away speed just as Smith did, but for the first eight yards, he's a freight train. Ingram is compact and strong at 5'10" and a muscular 212 lbs. So far, he's been unstoppable.

Any time Alabama gets bogged down on offense they whip out the Wildcat. It's not really known if they will ever throw out this formation. Ingram takes the snap, fakes or hands off to the wide-out coming across, and if he keeps it, he runs. It sounds overly simple, but all Ingram needs is a crease and he will gash the defense for yardage.

Alabama will run plays in rapid succession, not allowing for defensive adjustments. The gassed defense often begins to miss tackles as this continues on down the field.

The basic theory of Alabama's offense is to wear you down for three quarters and then pound you into submission in the fourth quarter. Alabama has three experienced running backs behind Ingram to keep him fresh for that final period.

Tide quarterback Greg McElroy is not spectacular to look at, but he's smart. He's taken a rather tough beating in the middle part of the season and it's caused him to shorten his reads and miss some throws. Even in bad days, he's been stingy with the interceptions.

If LSU can't pressure McElroy on a regular basis they could be in trouble. All Alabama needs are a few down-field strikes to open up the running lanes. If that happens, LSU will be cooked.

Special Teams

Alabama has had trouble covering kicks. Improvement has come in that they aren't letting returners score recently, but they are inconsistent when it comes to keeping them short of the 20.

Alabama's return game is simply so good that few dare to challenge them any more. Most teams just kick it short and out of bounds because Javier Arenas is a threat to take anything he touches back for six. LSU challenged Arenas in the past and lost. Don't expect them to try it again.

Alabama's kicker, Lee Tiffin, has been deadly accurate lately. Short of a letdown, he's going to be solid.

Location, Location, Location

Gone are the days when Alabama's stadium was full of aging southern gentlemen complaining that nothing was as good as it was when “Bear” was here.

Alabama's stadium now holds well over 90,000 people. It will be standing room only and the crowd wants a victory.

Alabama's fans want revenge for the loss they suffered at the hands of Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators last year. LSU is all that stands between them and another chance. Expect the crowd to let LSU know that every time they have the ball, especially on third down.

Tuscaloosa is now a very difficult place to play. Several more experienced quarterbacks have come in and had limited success trying to audible their way out of trouble against the vaunted Alabama defense. LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson may not have the right stuff to guide his team out of Tuscaloosa a winner.

Alabama 20-LSU 10

Man Up, America: It's Time for Defense in Fantasy Football

Walter Kirkwood — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:53:01 -0500

Australia is one of those unique places on earth with strange variations of plant and animal life. Because it was disconnected from the rest of the planet, evolution took its own path there.

Back in 1994, when the idea of fantasy football was in relative infancy, a group of guys in Alabama decided to give it a try. The idea was new, and everybody had their own ideas as to how it should be run.

They sat down and worked out a set of rules, and a fantasy football league was born.

My cousin Brian was one of those guys. He started hounding me about getting into the league, but I was married and had kids—time was not on my side. Nonetheless, after about two or three years of him pestering me, I went ahead and joined up.

That year, because I was an expansion team I got a special pick before the first round because each team was allowed to keep one player from the year before. I chose Barry Sanders, the best running back in football at the time. That move might have made sense to you, and it did to me, but this was not your average league.

This league wasn't just offense; it was defense too. Each team had to carry linebackers, defensive linemen, and defensive backs. Tackles got you one point, sacks three, and interceptions six. If they returned a pick or fumble for a touchdown, they got the six points as well.

In this league rookies got a 50 percent bonus, so a rookie linebacker averaging 10 tackles a game was way more important than a running back who occasionally scored a touchdown.

Needless to say, I got schooled that first year. They showed no mercy!

That was over a decade ago, and the rules have changed slightly, but for the most part it has remained as it began. We did go from keeping score on notebooks and calling on land lines to a full-featured website and cell phone access. One guy even drafted his team over a sat phone from Iraq.

One thing that has not changed is the league is still private, it's invitation only, it's still about honor (money is not involved), and defensive players are still critical to winning.

For years we had hoped some fantasy football site like Fox Sports, ESPN, or the NFL itself would make a league with defensive players, but our wait has been in vain. So we keep trudging along on a privately run website.

Every time a new owner comes in, they load up with offensive talent, and for the first few weeks they do well. As the season wears on, guys get beat up, and the cold weather arrives with the snow and rain. Defense begins to dominate. The offensive-heavy teams fade back, and the defensive teams surge forward.

Usually in the end a well-balanced team will come out on top.

That is our story, and I'm telling it for a reason.

Are you folks tired of being amateurs? What idiot decided defense wasn't important enough to be included?

When is America going to grow a backbone and play the game the way it was meant to be played? This is football!

If there are pictures of Tom Brady somewhere on your wall, quit reading here—I'm sure momma is calling you home for supper.

If the sight of Dick Butkus knocking the snot out of someone on a snowy field in Chicago makes your heart race, where is THAT league?

Where are players like Ray Lewis in your league? Did the amazing rookie year of Patrick Willis register at all to you? Do you even know who he plays for?

With so much competition out there for fantasy football web traffic, why is it everyone is serving the same product? The competitive edge is right in front of you. If you can score a wideout, you can score a linebacker.

To the powers that be in the fantasy football world, I'm calling you out. Show me your man card. I'm not seeing it.

LSU Could Spell Upset for Alabama Crimson Tide

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:38:46 -0500

I'll tell you up front, I'm not a “stats” guy; I look at stats, but I trust my gut more.

When I attempt to predict the future, I don't look at stats, but only the last few weeks. In college football momentum means far more than what happened six weeks ago, or where your rush defense ranks nationally.

Looking at LSU's schedule, they may not have been tested quite as many time as Alabama, but they would be undefeated if they hadn't played Florida already and they didn't lose that game by much.

Focusing on the last three games, LSU has allowed 23 points and scored 76. Seven of those points allowed came during garbage time against Auburn when LSU likely had emptied the bench.

LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson has thrown 18 fewer times than Alabama's Greg McElroy in his last three games, yet got a lot more out of it. Jefferson's 501 yards passing and four touchdowns eclipses McElroy's numbers by 142 yards and all of the touchdowns.

During this span, Jefferson has been throwing for a respectable 66 percent completion and 7.71 yards per attempt.

Greg McElroy's numbers aren't so great. His 51 percent completion rate is barely acceptable and the 4.33 yards per attempt is abysmal, like 1970s furniture; bad.

McElroy's going to take shots from the media, but the blame can be spread far and wide.

Superman Julio Jones has been completely shut down deep in 2009. Alabama needed a trick play to get him his only touchdown this season.

Darius Hanks, normally sure handed, has dropped a few lately and Marques Maze isn't getting open like he was earlier in the season.

Tight end Colin Peek has been reliable, but is currently injured. The other tight ends haven't showed up much in the passing game.

Against Ole Miss, Greg McElory took a beating at the hands of the Rebel defensive line. That's the same Rebel line that couldn't get into the same zip code with Auburn quarterback Chris Todd on Saturday.

South Carolina continued the assault the following week with similar results.

The lone bright spot offensively has been sophomore tailback Mark Ingram. Ingram has been brilliant, but overuse which may have resulted in a subpar performance against Tennessee, especially in the second half.

Looking at the last three games, my gut feeling is that LSU is playing better football now and now is what counts. If this game were in Tiger Stadium, I would pick them to win outright.

Thankfully, the Tide has this game at home and have had an off week to think about it.

Alabama's defense has been stifling all season and will likely give LSU's offense fits. LSU does have outstanding skill players and its unlikely Alabama will pitch a shutout.

But what Alabama desperately needs are for the big-time players to step up on offense. Big-time players ARE big time because they show up when everything is on the line;now is that time.

The polls are beginning to reflect this lack of faith, as Texas slid past Alabama in the AP, BCS and Coaches Poll. The Alabama offense or lack thereof has become a national talking point for the media.

The upset vultures are beginning to circle.

If Alabama has any bullets left in their offensive gun, it's time to load those bullets and fire the weapon. Alabama can still have a great season even if they lose this game, but nothing should be held back.

I can't think of a better time for Mark Ingram to put his best foot forward for the Heisman and for poll voters to see. LSU's game plan is to stop him. Alabama must be prepared to counter that tactic with big plays from their passing game.

The winner controls the West and their destiny.

Alabama's Season Hinges on Off Week Adjustments

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:04:13 -0400

I remember it well, the mental fatigue that marked college days. There were times I would come home to visit my parents that I wanted to curl up in the fetal position and sleep for days. That was just from classes.

For the Alabama Crimson Tide players, multiply that by a thousand.

Every team in college football plays a long, hard season, but for teams at the top the pressure is far more intense. Every week is someone's super bowl, their chance to knock off a top team.

So far Alabama has taken their best shots and sent them packing, but last week against Tennessee the cracks in the foundation were starting to show.

The framework of the Alabama Crimson Tide was groaning and creaking under the pressure. Like champions in years past, the Tide players dug down deep and made the plays to win.

After eight long weeks the bye week has arrived. The players have a chance to heal up mentally and physically.

While they get some rest, go home and enjoy some of momma's cooking, or get some TLC from a girlfriend, the coaches are left to ponder the final stretch of 2009.

The problems start on offense and the offense starts with the quarterback. Greg McElroy has endured a mid season slump as he faced some of the better defenses but did bounce back slightly against Tennessee.

Part of the offensive slump can be traced to the circumstances. Alabama has been playing with a lead for most of the season. When you have a lead you are more into control mode and not score-points mode.

Against lesser defenses the control mode would end up scoring points, but lately touchdowns have become as rare as fried chicken in Iraq.

Alabama's offensive coordinator must work together with McElroy and his audibles to better challenge the defense. As the down field passing has disintegrated so have the rushing lanes, as teams continue to pull the safeties close to the line.

So far in 2009 Julio Jones hasn't been effective deep. Against Tennessee his routes were adjusted to shorter patterns and the results were good. Jones is very hard to tackle and can take any three yard out and make 10 or 20 out of it.

Marquis Maze has been the only significant long threat so far. Alabama might want to give Mike McCoy and Earl Alexander another look. Both are tall, very athletic, and struck deep earlier in the year.

Alabama has lost its balance in the running game. Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, and Roy Upchurch were masterfully mixed earlier in the year, but the last few weeks the balance has seemed off kilter. Alabama continues to mix it up to keep Ingram fresh, but the timing seems off.

Upchurch in particular was an effective third down weapon early, but teams have figured that out and Alabama has failed to adjust. Alabama needs spend some time rethinking third down strategy.

Richardson hasn't touched the ball much, but that's probably by design. Freshmen tend to wear down, and limiting his touches in mid season could be critical to having him fresh down the road. He's a freakishly talented player who is a threat to take any particular play for big yardage.

Colon Peek has had a great year receiving and blocking, but his success has caused backups Michael Williams and Brad Smelly to atrophy. When Peek was injured during warm ups just before Tennessee, his absence was noticeable.

Even if Peek returns for LSU, Williams and Smelly need to get their hands back. Williams in particular is a monster. This is a weapon Alabama needs to develop.

The defense has been amazing all year but perfection is an elusive target. Alabama absorbed a huge blow when they lost Dante Hightower for the year. The pass rush hasn't been the same since, and the staff is still searching.

The biggest area of concern has been at linebacker. True freshman Nico Johnson has taken over the middle spot vacated by Hightower. The speed of his maturation will be critical, but so far he seems to be holding his own.

Courtney Upshaw gained a lot of muscle this offseason. After a great freshman year everyone was excited to see what he could do now, but he seems to have lost some of his pass rushing prowess. It's possible he gained too much weight and lost some speed.

Alabama tried Chavis Williams in Upshaw's spot against Tennessee with little success.

Previously suspended linebacker Jarrell Harris failed to beat out Nico Johnson in the middle. Harris has speed and athleticism to burn. Alabama needs to find a way to utilize him. He may get another look on the outside.

Eryk Anders has put together a solid season but the last two weeks he has produced fewer big plays. This could be a case of rubber legs. Hopefully the week off will resolve that.

Corey Reamer has been one of the true bright spots. Reamer came to Alabama as a hard hitting safety from Hoover. Most questioned his ability to play linebacker effectively especially after multiple injuries.

Thankfully Reamer's dynamic play in the wake of the Hightower injury has helped Alabama stay undefeated. His upside may be limited but all I can say is thanks for being there!

Alabama must find its best options at linebacker and bring back the complexity of the Alabama pass rush. It may not be as good as it was before, but it has to be better than it's been. There's a reason depth is so critical if you want to play for championships.

The defensive line has played solid all year. Marcel Dareus is probably the most dangerous player at the position. I don't know how many snaps he gets, but I know he's a holding call or a sack waiting to happen. This guy may need to play even more.

As for Mt. Cody, Cody just needs to be Cody. He's a wrecking ball with feet. Thank God he's on our side.

The secondary has been solid since week three but must continue to improve. Alabama faces several spread teams down the road. They will have to be at their best. Interceptions could be key.

Alabama cannot play conservatively and win the SEC. Aggressiveness isn't something you can just summon at will. It has to be part of your identity. Alabama needs to decide now if they are satisfied just being there, or if they want to win it all.

Winning it all will require risk.

A Numerical Look at the Alabama Crimson Tide

Walter Kirkwood — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:13:30 -0400

12-10 was the score by which the Tide defeated Tennessee in their annual meeting Saturday and it was not a score that I or anyone would have expected.

Both teams had a strong defense, so a good old-fashioned defensive struggle was far from a surprise but few expected Tennessee to stick a bloody knife into the undefeated season of the Crimson Tide.

Alabama had control of the game and the ball in its hands with only a few minutes to kill when Mark Ingram coughed up the ball and Tennessee recovered, which led to a series of plays in which Tennessee nearly pulled off a miracle.

Tide fans watched in horror as their defense gave up an uncontested touchdown. They felt their knees weaken with shock as they witnessed the ever-so-rare successful onside kick and more so when Tennessee completed a long pass into field-goal territory.

In a matter of what seemed like seconds, Tide fans went from planning post-game cigars to watching their national championship hopes slip away.

Which brings me to my first number.

2 – The number of field goals Alabama blocked in the fourth quarter to defeat Tennessee. I’ve asked around; nobody can remember such a thing happening before.

Both blocks came courtesy of Tide nose guard Terrance Cody. Both Tennessee kicks were low. It’s questionable if either kick would have been good had they not been blocked.

“Mt.” Cody’s main contribution was simply being the largest object in the stadium and the odds were good it was going to hit him somewhere. Cody, for his effort, has solidified his unique place in Tide History and possibly on canvas.

55 - The number for Tide reserve LB, Chavis Williams, who made his first appearance for the Tide defense as the staff continues to try to find players who can take up the pass-rushing slack lost when Dante Hightower’s season ended prematurely.

16 – The number of field goals made by senior Lee Tiffin in the last three games. Lee Tiffin is the son of Tide legend Van Tiffin. Van was the place kicker for the Crimson Tide in the mid 1980’s. He had a solid career but is famous for one kick in particular. In fact it’s so famous it’s known as “The Kick.”

Tide fans know this as the last second 52 yarder that tore the heart out of the Auburn Tigers and their fans as his kick completed one of the most unlikely upsets in Iron bowl history.

Tiffin has had some good and bad days in his college career. He’s continually suffered from those who want to compare him to his father but as of mid-season, Tiffin is money in the bank and pretty much all of Alabama’s offense as Alabama struggles with a very bad case of endzone-a-phobia.

2 – The number of touchdowns Alabama has scored in three games. Alabama’s mid season offensive slump almost cost them dearly against Tennessee. Alabama blew a huge scoring opportunity in the first half that could have put Tennessee away for good.

13 – The number of quarters Greg McElroy has played without throwing for a touchdown. His last touchdown throw was to Darius Hanks against Kentucky in the third quarter.

6 - The number of rush attempts Mark Ingram had in the second half of the critically tight game against Tennessee. It’s probably a fair question to ask why, with the game on the line, your Heisman Trophy candidate running back is collecting dust for most of the second half. Granted, his late fumble put the game in jeopardy but from a strategic standpoint this doesn’t make much since.

8 – The number of weeks Alabama has played without a break which includes five straight weeks against SEC opponents. The Crimson Tide looked somewhat ragged against Tennessee. Alabama is clearly a more talented team than Tennessee but fatigue and the fact that Tennessee had the week off before the game may have played a role in the near upset at the end.

2 – Alabama’s current rank in the BCS poll. Even with the near loss to Tennessee, Alabama still made the plays it needed to win and the polls are still on the wagon.

0 – Number of losses thus far in 2009. In the SEC the name of the game is "Survive and Advance." It doesn’t matter how you get there, or even how you look, only that you get there. Mighty Florida is having their own troubles as well. Florida and Alabama continue to advance relentlessly toward each other. In the end, there can only be one SEC Champion.

When Reading into the Alabama-Tennessee Feud, Throw Out the Record Books

Walter Kirkwood — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:18:29 -0400

You've heard the old saying you can throw out the record books. The saying has meaning, but not what you might think.

The fact is that in rivalry games the better teams usually do win. Most upsets happen when the better team doesn't get up mentally or emotionally for the game. In rivalry games that rarely happens.

That should be the case Saturday at Bryant Denny Stadium as Alabama takes on long time enemy Tennessee. Alabama players will feel an instant rush of blood when they see those those ugly orange uniforms. Its almost an involuntary reaction.

The same holds true of the fans. Forget the records, bring your ear plugs. Alabama fans will be in full throat for this one. The last two years have hardly quenched the Alabama fans thirst for revenge for Tennessee's involvement in the probation that nearly destroyed their beloved Tide.

During the depths of probation induced weakness, when Alabama barely fielded enough scholarship athletes to play, every time they walked onto the field the record books were ignored.

The crimson and white uniforms represented something bigger and more important than the sum of their current parts. Alabama rarely got anything less than their “A” game.

The timing of the annual border war is significant as well. The middle of the season often brings change. At the start of the season the roster starts out much like it ended in the spring.

However as the long SEC season wears on players get hurt, some wear down, freshman players sometimes start putting it together on the field, while some hit the wall physically and begin to fade. The Alabama Tennessee game being at this time every year has seen its share of special or unexpected performances.

Gary Hollingsworth had 379 yards passing while Siran Stacy racked up four touchdowns in 1989. Bobby Humphrey had 217 yards rushing in 1986. In 2001 Satonio Beard had 141 yards in only 10 rushing attempts. Quarterback Jeff Dunn making his first start as a freshman roasted the Tennessee secondary for 229 yards in 1987.

Earlier David Bailey had back to back years (69,70) in which he set the Alabama record for catches in a game (12). Bailey's record that he set twice stood for 38 years as the most catches in a game for Alabama until DJ Hall broke it in 2007 against, you guessed it, Tennessee.

Lane Kiffin may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but he does know the meaning of this game. Win this game and your job is safe. Lose it, and the clock is ticking.

Its the nature of the SEC that there are some games you simply have to win every so often to keep your job. Expect Kiffin to empty the playbook against Alabama. But he would do that even if Alabama hadn't won a game yet. As I said, the record books do not matter.

Alabama Crimson Tide Offense Adrift at Midseason

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:09:32 -0400

It’s funny how perceptions can change from the first few weeks of the college football season to the middle. Several weeks ago some fans and even some national media personalities were praising the Alabama offense and first year starter Greg McElroy in particular.

Now as the Tide have had to claw hammer their last two opponents into submission the Tide offense seems to be a ship without a rudder, but with one big gun on the deck. That gun being Mark Ingram.

The first five weeks of the season QB Greg McElroy was throwing at a 65 percent clip with a yards-per-attempt of 9.1 yards. You can add to that nine touchdowns and just one interception.

The last two games against Ole Miss and South Carolina resulted in a 45 percent completion percentage and a 4.4 yards per attempt. Those two games saw zero touchdown passes for the tide.

Part of the statistical drop is explainable by Alabama reaching the meat of its SEC schedule but not all of it. Against Ole Miss “GMac” was brutalized. He was picking himself off the turf after virtually every pass attempt. Despite the beating he didn’t make the big mistakes and still completed some good throws.

Against South Carolina it appears the effects of that game had lingered. South Carolina didn’t get as much pressure as Ole Miss but McElroy played as if he were back in Mississippi.

Results did not improve as the game went on. Toward the end McElroy couldn’t hit backs reliably out of the backfield. Desperate to give their tired defense some rest the Tide turned to Sophomore running back Mark Ingram and the wildcat offense.

Ingram turned in one of the most amazing performances I can remember as he ran what amounts a pee-wee football offense right into the teeth of the salty South Carolina defense and actually pulled it off putting the game away. Ingram was so spent at the end he needed help walking back to the sideline.

So the Tide goes back to the drawing board with very little time to fix the problem. Tennessee is on the way and they are desperate to get back to respectability. Nothing fixes a heartache better than to upset the No. 2 team in the country, even better if that team name starts with "ALA" and uses an elephant for a mascot.

Mark Ingram is a great back, possibly the best in the country, but Alabama can't rely on him completely and win in the SEC. Nick Saban has too many weapons rusting away on the shelf. Julio Jones was held without a catch against South Carolina, Marques Maze has been taken out of the deep game, Colin Peek isn't being utilized enough.

Greg McElroy even with the win looked frustrated as he left the field Saturday night. He promised in a press conference after the game he would get this worked out. The Tide's national championship hopes rest on his ability to push through this slump and restart the offensive engine that has grown cold.

Prognostication Report Card for Alabama Football

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:27:43 -0400

Before the season, I listed some predictions about the 2009 Alabama football season. As we approach the mid point of the season, let's see how close my predictions were.

My first prediction was about new starting quarterback Greg McElroy and the offense in general. Here are some quotes.

“The offense will be more diverse.”

“From observation, I think it's safe to say Greg McElroy is a more skilled passer and has a better mind for the game than last year's starter, John Parker Wilson.”

“It's a good bet that Alabama may lose a game this year in part because of a McElroy mistake. Though losses are never one player's fault.”

“McElroy will spread the ball around more in the short and intermediate routes, though I don't expect him to go deep very often. His deep balls have more accuracy, so when he does, I expect a higher success rate on the deeper throws.”

Grade: B-

I correctly predicted that Greg McElroy would be better at spreading the ball and had more accuracy than John Parker Wilson, but so far, he has made far fewer mistakes than I expected and has not cost Alabama a game. In fact, he more or less won the Arkansas game when they stacked the box on the offense.

I was also wrong about about his propensity to go deep. He is a threat at any time to uncork a long one.

After several stellar games, some had even mentioned him as a Heisman candidate. I think this is premature.

While his statistics have been outstanding, up to this week he has not faced the best of defenses.

He faced one of the best against Ole Miss and, predictably, his numbers took a dive. But what didn’t happen? He didn’t throw an interception. He was getting rocked by hit after vicious hit by the nasty Ole Miss pass rush, but he refused to make the bad decision. He remained patient and let his defense and his teammates win the game.

I don’t know if McElroy is a Heisman candidate, but he’s clearly one of the more solid quarterbacks in the SEC, if not the country.

“AJ McCarron will rise in status.”

Grade: F

McCarron looked great in camp, but short of the black death, he will keep the redshirt. Additionally, Star Jackson looked much improved from the spring.

“Alabama's running backs will rotate”

“Mark Ingram will be the starter and main ball carrier this year, but Trent Richardson has worked tirelessly in the weight room to prepare himself for SEC ball and I expect it will result in playing time. Roy Upchurch has had an injury-riddled career, but he is as talented as anyone if healthy. I believe he will pick up where he left off at mid season last year and become a true threat on third downs.”

Grade: B-

I was spot on here, but I can't give myself much credit. It was too obvious a prediction to give much credit for.

I came from an era in which you had to actually do the work and make the grade. My teachers weren't afraid to fail you if you were stupid.

If I credit myself anything, it was correctly predicting that freshman Eddie Lacy would redshirt after missing all of the summer workouts.

“Sophomore Marquis Maze will have some true “Prothro” moments. Maze has had to learn how to run routes to create the kind of separation he needs being short. But learn it he has, and McElroy will get him the ball.”

Grade: B

Maze has not had that signature play that puts him on canvas. But he has been our most dangerous deep threat so far.

“There will be movement on the offensive line.”

“The offensive line will be more fluid. In years past, Alabama lacked overall talent, so the starters rarely had challenges from backups, but those days are over."

Grade: F

The starting five have remained the same. Though we have some talent at second string, no one is challenging to take a spots from the starting five.

The line as a whole has played well at times and has struggled in both run and pass blocking at times, but the starters appear set.

“Terrance Cody will return to greatness.”

“Cody will completely demoralize more than one great player this year who lines up across from him.”

Grade: B

Cody is still a huge force to deal with inside and is still demanding double team attention, but he has not had as visible a roll in big plays as before. It's possible the defensive scheme has changed in a way that makes him less visible.

“A star is born in Robbie Green.”

Grade: C

I feel I was right and wrong here. Green did not win the starting spot as I expected. But he has played roughly about as much as the starters and has had some huge plays.

He's not as physical as the other safeties, he's more like a surgical instrument to their sledge hammer approach. He's also very fast and can cover ground quickly.

“Mark Barron will jack somebody up”

Grade: B

Barron started the season looking shaky, but by the third week, the light had clearly come on.

Barron hasn't really made that ESPN SportsCenter hit yet, but he has made quite a few vicious and effective hits. People are going down when he gets there and that's whats most important. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for that one hit that folks talk about for weeks, if not years.

“Javier Arenas will become a lock down corner this year"

Grade: A-

I pretty much nailed this. Nobody's getting anything on Arenas. His pick pocket play against Ole Miss was like something you would see from the '92 defense.

“The Backup defensive lineman will push the starters.“

“Lorenzo Washington and Brandon Deaderick will be pushed hard by second stringers all year, possibly one may lose their starting spot,”

Grade: D

Deaderick did in fact lose his starting spot to Marcel Darius for several weeks, but since it was because he was shot in a robbery attempt, I guess I can't really count that one.

It’s been amazing to see him fight through his injuries and regain his spot.

The main one pushing is sophomore Marcel Darius. Darius could start for any team in the country and he is coming in fresh off the bench.

I'm disappointed we lost Damien Square for the year. I really expected him to become a big part of our defensive rotation this year.

“Dan'ta Hightower will move to Jack, where he will cause great fear among SEC quarterbacks.”

Grade: F-

Not only did Hightower not move to jack, his season was over by the third week. This is nothing short of tragic for the Alabama family.

Prior to his injury, Hightower was possibly the most versatile defensive player in America, lining up virtually anywhere in the front seven aside from nose. His loss has no doubt caused many a late night meeting at the football building.

Long term, this injury is going to force Alabama to prepare more young players. That will pay dividends next year.

“One freshman linebacker will emerge.”

“Alabama signed five talented freshman linebackers this year. Only one will rise to gain significant playing time. They may in fact become a full time starter. Unfortunately, I cannot see which one.”

Grade: B

In fact, one and only one freshman linebacker has has made an impact, and in this case, conventional wisdom was correct. Five star recruit Nico Johnson is the guy.

Johnson saw his first significant playing time against Ole Miss as part of the replacement by committee approach to fill the canyon left by the loss of Hightower.

Early reports indicate he was lost at times, but every rep he gets will help him figure out the complex Saban defense. He's also really starting to lay the wood on kick coverage.

“Alabama will blitz often.”

Grade: A

Bingo! Finally, for the first time since Stallings stalked the sideline, opposing quarterbacks have something to worry about.

Alabama is at the top of the SEC in sacks. The blitzes are coming constantly and from everywhere. So far, two quarterbacks pegged as big time pro prospects have been clueless in the face of the Alabama rush.

Alas, there are always the unknown factors that stay hidden from sight until the package is unwrapped. I must award myself an F on the following items which I did not see.

Julio Jones in a Sophomore Slump

Who would have thunk it? In my original article, I said nothing about Jones; I assumed it to be a forgone conclusion that he would dominate. He has not.

It's important to keep in mind that Julio's slumps are better than most receivers' peaks. His numbers are down, but he is far from irrelevant. He’s still drawing double and triple coverage at times and made a key block on Alabama’s only touchdown play against the tough Ole Miss defense.

Some have questioned if he is truly over his sports hernia that received medical treatment this summer. Julio is a true professional, he will eventually get through it, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Kick Coverage Problems

With a gaggle of four and five star recruits to fill special teams with, I still cannot fathom why we can't cover kicks. It’s been a disgrace, really.

If anyone is giving excuses in Tuscaloosa, it’s time to throw hot coffee in their face. Alabama has made some improvement the last two weeks.

Eryk Anders' Journey from Unwanted Recruit to Starter

Anders was not signed on national signing day like most recuits.

Mike Shula had so many problems signing and keeping players, he picked up Anders after the fact. Anders played defensive end in high school, but was far too small for the SEC, so his journey to starting jack linebacker was a long one.

Most felt he would never be able to keep his scholarship under Saban, but he has proven everyone wrong. Not only did he stick, but he has become a solid jack linebacker and one of our most dangerous rush threats. His improvement from last year to this has been dramatic.

I Heard Trent Richardson Was Good, but Dang!

His mad dash against Arkansas was one of the best runs I've seen, and that’s saying a lot. Richardson has shown his youth at times, missing open holes and fumbling in a critical situation against Ole Miss as well as almost getting caught for a safety. But his physical strength is almost unnatural. I for one am licking my chops to how good he can be.

Roy Upchurch, Injured Again, Yes, but When He's in There...

I never expected to see him trucking people like he has. He's probably the one running back defensive backs hate to see most in Alabama's backfield. I hope he gets well soon.

Where Is Brad Smelly?

I expect him to pick up where he left off last year, but so far he has not really made the kind of plays he made last year. While Colon Peek might have something to do with that, when Smelly’s been in there, he hasn’t been as sure-handed as I expected.

Finally, my last prognostication review:

“Mark it down, Terrence Cody will score a touchdown this year.”

Grade: Incomplete

My fingers are still crossed on this one! I still think somebody's going to get the glove across the face treatment. Who's it going to be?

Dan'ta Hightower's Injury Means Opportunity for Others

Walter Kirkwood — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:05:09 -0400

Alabama starting middle linebacker Dan’ta Hightower and Rolando McLain formed possibly the best one two punch in the country, but sadly that all came to an end on the Bryant Denny Turf in a game against Arkansas.

Hightower went down after a helmet to the knee that resulted in season ending surgery. The game against Arkansas was a thrilling victory on the field but felt like a crushing loss to the fans. Some will speculate that the door may have closed on Alabama’s national title hopes as well.

Anyone who suggests that Alabama can just absorb this loss without missing a beat is simply wrong. Dan’ta Hightower was a special player; not only was he an outstanding middle linebacker but he slid out to the defensive end to add some considerable juice to the pass rush.

The results of this injury will not be immediately known. Alabama has recruited some very talented kids at Linebacker and have two of the best coaching them in James Willis and Sal Sunseri.

In the dark sadness of this loss an opportunity beacons for someone further down the depth chart. Yet, Alabama doesn’t have a single player who they can simply “plug in” to that spot.

Several players could benefit with more playing time and the most successful of that group might be in line for a starting spot next year if Rolando McLain goes pro after his junior year as many expect.

Senior Corey Reamer slid over to cover Hightower’s spot Saturday. Reamer is a converted safety with an injury history of his own. He specializes in pass coverage and his being in there Saturday may have had more to do with who they were facing than who is the best man to take Hightower’s place.

It’s a safe bet the Alabama staff will be looking for someone who can be more physical to be the long term replacement at middle linebacker. Here are some of the more likely candidates:

Sophomore Courtney Upshaw 6’ 2” 249

Upshaw is a special teams demon and backup Jack linebacker. He briefly replaced Hightower Saturday before Reamer shifted over. Uphsaw put on a massive amount of muscle and weight this offseason. Physically he might have the best combination of physicality and experience to fill Hightower’s shoes.

Sophomore Chris Jordan 6’ 3” 230

Jordan arrived at Alabama as a running back. He did practice at running back for a week or two but moved to linebacker when it was clear his future looked brighter on defense. He quickly made a name for himself for one particular thing; he hit like a ton of bricks.

Nick noted in a presser that he might hit the wrong guy, but he hit them hard and he liked that. This spring and offseason he bulked up considerably to his current weight and has been delivering some eye popping blows in backup duty and on special teams.

True Freshman Nico Johnson 6’ 3” 225

Johnson might be the most gifted of the freshman linebackers signed in 2009. Johnson has already played some, so redshirting isn’t really a consideration.

With any freshman the big question mark is: Can he grasp Saban’s defense? Dan’ta himself often made glaring mistakes last year; don’t think Saban will hesitate to put Johnson out there if he is close.

Sophomore Jarrell Harris 6’ 3” 227

Harris may have zero chance of taking snaps. Harris ran afoul of the NCAA this summer and has had his eligibility suspended. The University either doesn’t know or isn’t saying how long this suspension will last. It’s unfortunate because even if he didn’t take the inside spot he would take Reamers spot outside if he stayed in the middle.

It’s possible that several of these players will play a role to try and fill the massive void left by Dan’ta Hightower, and who is playing may depend heavily on what sort of offense they are facing. But whichever player comes closest to Hightower’s versatility will most definitely be the odds on favorite to take a starting spot next year.

Hopefully a very healthy Dante Hightower will be playing right next to them.

Fall Practice Shows Results of Summer Work for Alabama's Crimson Tide

Walter Kirkwood — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:19:41 -0400

I'll be the first to admit that when Nick Saban came to Alabama I thought he would work some magic spell and turn the team from soft to rock hard over night. I didn't really expect them to be a championship caliber team right off the bat, but I did expect them to be bigger and stronger. I, like many, probably expected too much.

What did happen; however, was Nick Saban made them better football players. What he was preaching when he arrived was running, running, running. He said players in some cases were too heavy. He wanted his team in shape to play four quarters and then some.

The results began to show in year one as the team managed a thrilling 4^th quarter win over Arkansas, something unseen in the Shula Era. Weeks later however the team began a collapse that left many heartbroken. How could this be happening again under Saban?

I was disappointed beyond words myself, but surely things would get better from here. To my surprise, the following fall, I once again saw little change in size. It was clear once the season started that the team had taken another leap forward in conditioning as they rumbled through the 2008 schedule to a 12-0 start. The gospel according to Saban was clearly working, but I assumed Alabama would have to recruit size instead of build it.

Then the roster was released a few weeks ago. Somehow over the quiet summer, in which you could have sworn there was nothing going on in Tuscaloosa, the team clearly turned a corner. As practice photos began to surface some players were almost hard to recognize. I sat down and did a comparison with my files from last year and found significant weight gains, especially on defense.

The following list shows some of the results of this summers workout sessions:

Mark Barron +12

Ali Sharrief +15

Westley Neighbors +20

Kareem Jackson +8

Javier Arenas +13

Chris Rogers +12

Lorenzo Washington +7

Marcel Dareus +19

Josh Chapman +13

Brandon Deaderick +20

Eryk Anders +10

Courtney Upshaw +24

Milton Talbert +23

Glenn Harbin +7

Chris Jordan +29

Dante Hightower +7

Jarrell Harris +7

Corey Reamer +11

Weight alone would not necessarily be a good thing, but since the team passed Saban's hardcore conditioning tests, one thing is certain: the weight these players gained was premium muscle mass.

A few offensive guys put on weight as well, with speed being a premium on offense. A few guys lost a few pounds who were overweight but one person in particular was going the other way fast. Terrance Cody's current published weight is 41 pound below his weight when he decimated Clemson in Atlanta.

I'm no personal trainer but its obvious Nick Saban and his strength and conditioning staff know what they are doing and finally in the third year of the Saban era we will see the old fashioned kind of Alabama team.

The kind that can demoralize a lesser team just by walking out for the warmup.

Make no mistake, intimidated or not, no team rolls over on the football field anymore, but some teams will find themselves unable to withstand the size, strength, and speed of the Alabama defense in 2009.

Alabama Time Machine: 1984

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:34:14 -0400

The feelings you get at the start of a new football season is very hard to explain to "non football" people. To me its a bit like being a teenager and you've finally got a date with that girl you've had your eye on for so long. All the hope and promise in the world ahead. Sometimes it went well for a while, sometimes it failed right out of the gate. But always exciting and the anticipation was what made it special.

The fall of 1984 was like that for me, but this particular year was different. This was the fall of my freshman year at the University of Alabama. It was a year of fast and furious change in my life. I was still 17 when I started in Tuscaloosa. I began the year as a high school senior and playing football for my high school and just a few months later I was one of the many hundreds of anonymous freshman wandering the campus with that lost puppy look. Only days after arriving on campus it was already time to begin that sacred ritual of the Alabama football.

The program was in a state of change. Only two years prior we had lost our beloved Bear Bryant. Ray Perkins had taken over the program and guided them to an 8-4 record in 1983. Not an overwhelming record but equal to many of Bears years and a very “Bear-ish” beat down of a highly ranked SMU team in the Sun Bowl just months before.

Alabama had signed what many believed to be the premier high school quarterback in the country in LaGrange Georgia's Vince Sutton. At running back Alabama had what seemed to be an unstoppable power back in Ricky Moore and if that wasn't enough last years freshman phoneme Kerry Goode was headed for what many believed to be an all American career.

Both wideouts from the year before were gone but Alabama still had experienced players in Greg Richardson and Tight end Preston Gothard. Defensively there was talent everywhere with Cornelius Bennett, John Hand, Curt Jarvis, Ed King, Wayne Davis, and Randy Rockwell just to name a few. Confidence was running high, after all, We are Alabama.

The first game was at Legion Field against Boston College and their Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Doug Flutie. The game began with Alabama rolling as expected. True to our expectations Kerry Goode ran all over Boston College ripping them for over 60 yards. Alabama led comfortably at the half, the student section was rocking, the sweet aroma of Jack Daniels was thick and Sweet Home Alabama was blaring on the loud speakers. Life was GOOD.

As the second half started Goode promptly returned a kick for six. Nothing could stop us, we were in a state of Euphoria. What a way to start my college career! Then shortly after Goode went down on a tackle, he limped off the field quickly. We figured he just bumped is knee, but Goode didn't return that day, or any day that year. His knee was blown. For that matter Kerry Good's career never recovered from that injury. He would return, but never like before.

Then as if the air went out of the defense Doug Flutie began filling his Heisman Trophy resume. He proceeded to rip Alabama's secondary apart. We all stood with mouths open for 30 minutes while Flutie ended our night with a 38-31 come from behind victory. What just happened?

What followed was a 16-6 loss in Atlanta to Georgia Tech. Injuries began to mount and Alabama ran hard into a seasoned Vandy squad who took revenge on Alabama for every loss they had endured since 1969. By mid season Alabama was unsettled at Quarterback, We were 1-4 with only a win over lowly SW Louisiana.

Ricky Moore was a shadow of his former self. Alabama was trying to scrape out victories with a skinny slow footed weak armed kid named Mike Shula at Quarterback and journeyman running back named Paul Ott Carruth who had spent most of his career on the trainers table.

Alabama began to show some life as they managed to hammer out an ugly 6-0 win over Penn State in Tuscaloosa but then dropped a heart wrenching 28-27 decision in Knoxville. As the season wore on Alabama began to get unspectacular but efficient passing from Mike Shula and some rotation of Ricky Moore and Carruth began to be more effective as the line began to jell.

What followed was one of the most amazing games I've ever witnessed as the tide managed a completely unexpected 17-15 upset victory over a vastly superior Auburn squad that was preserved in the final moments when Bo Jackson ran the wrong way on a fourth down goal line play leaving Brent Fullwood to be taken down by the Alabama defense. The term "Wrong Way Bo" was forever etched in Ironbowl Lore.

Its hard for me to fathom that a quarter century has come and gone since that magical year. If your wondering about the people in the photograph two of them are successful responsible adults today, the other one is me, Perhaps you remember seeing us on halloween that year wandering around campus.

Time marches on and you can't be a kid forever. But football at Alabama always brings back just a twinge of that magical feeling again. I can't live in it, but just to feel it for a few moments is worth the drive to Tuscaloosa.

As I look forward to the 2009 season with all its promise I am wary that things don't always go they way you expect but I am confident that the Crimson Tide are on the right path with the right leadership in place to contend for championships on a yearly basis. Life is indeed GOOD again.

A Look into The Future For Alabama's Season

Walter Kirkwood — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:16:19 -0400

“Always in motion is the future.” - Yoda, Jedi Master

There are sites on the Internet that quote the fictional character Yoda from Star Wars as “One Minute Wisdom” Though to me Yoda sounds suspiciously like Kermit the frog, the future is in motion and the predictions are haphazard at best. None the less I will take a stab at 2009.

"More diverse the offense will be."

From observation I think its safe to say Greg McElroy is a more skilled passer and has a better mind for the game than last years starter John Parker Wilson. Wilson was a warrior however, he knew when to duck, when to run, when to take a sack and when to go for broke. The 12 win season is a testament to that.

Greg McElroy will undoubtedly have to learn some of that the hard way. Its a good bet that Alabama may lose a game this year in part because of a McElroy mistake. Though losses are never one players fault.

McElroy will spread the ball around more in the short and intermediate routes though I don't expect him to go deep very often. His deep balls have more accuracy so when he does I expect a higher success rate on the deeper throws.

"A Rise in rank you will see."

As in true freshman AJ McCarron. I don't know if McCarron will play this year but I believe he will make steps to put him next in line.

"Share the load will three."

Mark Ingram will be the starter and main ball carrier this year but Trent Richardson has worked tirelessly in the weight room to prepare himself for SEC ball and I expect it will result in playing time.

Roy Upchurch has had an injury riddled career but he is as talented as anyone if healthy. I believe he will pick up where he left off at mid season last year and become a true threat on third downs.

"Amazing Marquis Maze will be."

Sophomore Marquis Maze will have some true “Prothro” moments. Maze has had to learn how to run routes to create the kind of separation he needs being short. But learn it he has, and McElroy will get him the ball.

"On the line movement there will be."

Expect the offensive line to be more fluid this year. In years past Alabama lacked overall talent so the starters rarely had challenges from backups, But those days are over. Nowhere has Saban had a bigger impact on recruiting than on the offensive and defensive lines.

I expect Junior James Carpenter to start at left tackle but I would be surprised if he can hold off massive freshman DJ Fluker all season. I expect John Michael Boswell to win the right guard spot but he could lose it to Carpenter if Fluker does make the move.

Backups Brian Motley, Barrett Jones, David Ross and Chance Warmack will push hard for playing time and you may see one of them make it. I do not expect the line that starts against Virginia Tech to start against Auburn.

"Return to greatness he will."

Terrance Cody was banged up and worn out by mid season last year. That was then, this is now. Cody is truly in shape now and is ready to have an all America type season. Cody will completely demoralize more than one great player this year who lines up across from him.

"In Robbie Green a star is born."

Green may not be the most imposing physical specimen in the secondary but he's got the same sort of smarts that made Rashad Johnson an all American. Look for him to be in the right place at the right time, often.

"Unconsciousness will Mark Barron cause."

At some point, he's going to jack someone up.

"Throw to right they will not."

Javier Arenas will become a lock down corner this year and a first day NFL pick.

"Pushed they will be by those in the rear."

Like the offensive line Seniors Lorenzo Washington and Brandon Deaderick will be pushed hard by second stringers all year, possibly one may lose their starting spot, but since Alabama will rotate often their number of snaps won't change much.

"Only one will emerge."

Alabama signed five talented freshman linebackers. Only one will rise to gain significant playing time. They could become a full time starter. Unfortunately I cannot see which one.

"To Jack will he move."

Dan'ta Hightower will move to Jack, where he will cause great fear among SEC quarterbacks.

"Blitz often they will."

Alabama was taken apart late last year by two very good spread offenses. Saban has made many mistakes in his coaching career but he is not one to stand by and do nothing when his way is not working.

Look for more complex blitz packages from a deeper and more experienced defense. With blitzes comes the threat of single coverage. Look for both success and failure with this.

"A touchdown will he score."

Mark it down, Terrence Cody will score a touchdown this year. And I will have a wall paintings of it in my office next year.

But as always, cloudy the future is. Things are rarely as good as we hope for, or as dark as they appear. The truth is most often in the middle. But one thing is certain, every team Alabama plays has circled that game on their schedule.

Gone are the days of sneaking up unnoticed as we did in Atlanta last year to an unsuspecting Clemson fan base. Alabama is finally back.

Many Unanswered Questions Remain for Alabama Crimson Tide

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:15:17 -0400

My boss owns a software company with many employees. We deal in high-tech products, but when it comes to an organizational chart, he uses sticky notes on a white board.

If you are stuck at the top of a list, that's good; being at the bottom is bad.

Sticky removed to trash can, you're fired.

I'm willing to bet Nick Saban has something similar, probably behind a locked door. I keep such a file myself, it's a living document that changes constantly. Sometimes it's more than what is published by the press, while in the offseason it's more of a speculation chart.

Rather than bore you with the details, lets ask the questions that need to be answered this fall.

Running Back

Lots of options, limited experience, finite number of touches available.

What to do?

Mark Ingram will get his carries, that is a safe bet. After that, I'm not sure.

Most think freshman Trent Richardson will get some touches, I tend to agree. Some say fellow freshman Eddie Lacy will too, if he qualifies. I'm not so sure about that since he missed both summer sessions. Terry Grant was expected by many to transfer this offseason, but he stuck around and had Saban raving about his improvement this spring.

Will often-injured Roy Upchurch ever play again? Didn't Jaramie Griffin look impressive in his limited action last year? Lots of questions to be resolved in a month. Saban generally plays three running backs extensively.

Who's it going to be?

One thing is for sure: if the balls in your hands, you better not dance.

Wide Receiver

Alabama has more than one last time I checked. It's time for someone not named Julio to step up.

To be fair, it's a known fact that former quarterback John Parker Wilson didn't spread the ball around like he should have. If Junior Greg McElroy can do that successfully, the offense could take a leap forward. But the receivers also need better RAC yards (Run After Catch).

I'm keeping my eye on true freshman Michael Bowman. Georgia may have miscalculated in his recruitment, or rather the lack of it. Transfer tight end Colon Peek might also be in line for a huge year. I can't wait to see him in Crimson.

Offensive Line

Can super-freshman D.J. Fluker start as a true freshman at left tackle? Is newcomer James Carpenter as good as advertised? What exactly does freshman Chance Warmack eat, and how was he only a three-star recruit?

Is William Vlachos big enough to handle the center job? Will anyone step forward to truly lock down the right guard spot or will they have to shuffle people around?

Defensive Line

Have the Tide enjoyed a deeper defensive line since the 85-scholarship limit started?

Can Terrence Cody bring back the thunder he terrorized offenses with in the first half of the '08 season? Is Luther Davis ready to finally fulfill his vast potential?

Has Marcel Dareus improved this off season? He was already pretty scary last year. Will the Tide finally find a true pass rusher? That's the million-dollar question.

Defensive Back

With seven upperclassmen in the secondary will they find a way to slow down the spread attack?

Is freshman Dre Kirkpatrick ready to play? Has Javier Arenas managed to make the jump from a recruit nobody wanted to a special teams player to an NFL prospect at cornerback?

Will Justin Woodall jack somebody up this year? Is Kareem Jackson's sophomore slump history? Is Burton Scott going to make his presence felt this year?

Linebacker

Who will play jack linebacker? Alabama has a good set of third-down candidates, but none are ideally suited for that position.

Freshman Ed Stinson was recruited to play that spot, but is he ready? Is Freshman Nico Johnson a candidate for playing time in the middle? If so does that move Dont'a Hightower to jack?

Is Jarrell Harris ready fulfill his great promise as a recruit? Will this be the year Chris Jordan breaks through for playing time? Is there a better middle linebacker in the country than Rolando McClain? Probably not.

In the next 60 days we should have answers to many of these questions. But the biggest question of them all may be how the Tide responds to losing the No.1 ranking in college football so late last season, after a 31-20 loss to Florida in the SEC Championship Game, and a 31-17 loss in the 2009 Sugar Bowl to the Utah Utes.

Do the players lay awake in bed at night wondering “what if”...what if they played the final quarter of the SEC title game like they did the first three?

Where would they be ranked today if they had taken care of business in the Sugar Bowl?

Are obscenities sometimes heard in the weight room that sound suspiciously like “Gators” or “Utes” or some combination of the two? Did the two losses at the end erase the joy of winning the first 12? Perhaps the answers to these questions are the ones that matter most.

Dark Lord Saban's Powers of Manipulation

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:49:19 -0400

My daughter who is 11 years old recently was watching TV with me as I was watching one of the Star Wars movies. At the sight of Darth Vader, she simply snickered and said his outfit looked stupid. Somehow, between my generation and the next, Darth Vader went from the galaxy’s greatest villain to someone in a bad Halloween costume.

My first impression of the dark lord of the Sith was of him lifting a grown man a foot off the ground while simultaneously chocking the life out him and asking him questions. My guess is Vader knew he wasn’t going to get any answers from the guy; he just wanted to make an impression with the ones he didn’t choke. Such are the head games we play in war, politics, and football.

I’ve noticed fans of other schools often refer to Saban as “The Dark Lord.” I tend to agree with that nickname as I have been both friend and foe to Nick Saban in my Crimson past. To say it’s better to be a friend would be an understatement.

One thing I still hate about Saban is that virtually no information of use comes out during spring practice. When the A day game gets here I’ll see with my own eyes and figure out a lot of what hasn’t been said. But until then I must wait.

We all play this game where we are told there is no depth chart when we all know there is ALWAYS a depth chart. My guess is that the real chart is in Saban's head; I doubt he trusts anyone enough to actually write it down. But the press needs something so he lines them up for drills for every practice so we can speculate. While there is probably a lot of validity to those lineups I’m willing to bet that the lineups would be different if there were a real game to play.

All great coaches know how to press buttons, and putting a player who is actually doing well down around fourth-string can really get some of them to dig deep, or make them quit. It’s hard to speculate on that because the truth is some of them NEED to quit. Alabama can only carry 85 into the fall and last time I checked there are too many players and signees at present.

Saban will play these games with people as much as he has to. Building a cohesive unit from a bunch of parts that will stand and fight against all odds isn’t something you can do without ruffling feathers.

First he’s angry the team isn’t practicing well, then he’s happy with the scrimmage. Some players have good days and he downplays it, while others have bad days and he always says they are doing well but truthfully we really don’t know.

Case in point this time last year most of us had written Roy Upchurch off as one of those “future open scholarships.” Saban later admitted once calling him “Mr. Irrelevant.” When game time arrived, however, Upchurch was a regular part of the running back rotation. His roll continued to grow and his eventual injury was a big factor in our losing down the stretch in 2008.

Clearly something lit a fire under Upchurch and he responded in dramatic fashion. So we all have to wait and see what rises to the surface by this fall.

Until then, Dark Lord Saban will continue to use his dark magic to spin the lives of men into a Crimson Tide.

Lombardy Award Winner Andre Smith's Is the Best Lineman in the Draft

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:07:26 -0500

Best lineman in the draft? Call me a homer but I feel confident saying that.

Everyone in the South and especially Alabama became aware of Andre Smith in the fall of 2005. Smith was the number one rated lineman in America according to Rivals.

Andre was big 6’4” 310lbs, but that size isn’t unheard of even at the high school level these days. What set Andre apart was his strength and what he did on the field.

In the gym, Andre was power clinging some ridiculous numbers but on the field he mauled everyone he played against in his Huffman High School Career.

As signing day approached Alabama coach Mike Shula the head coach of Alabama worked hard to get his signature and shortly after the birth of Mike Shula’s child his father, legendary NFL coach Don Shula’s first question was “how was the baby?” his second question was “did you sign that big lineman?”

Later that summer Alabama’s offensive line coach was asked if Andre would start as a true freshman, he just laughed and walked away. The reporter debated if this was a good thing or a bad but by time Alabama lined up that fall Andre was starting at left tackle and would do so for the next three years.

Most believed in short order that big dre, or “Smitty” as Nick Saban always referred to him would only be around for three years and that was the case.

Andre Smith has excellent feet but has had issues in the past with extremely fast speed rushers. For that reason some have speculated he could wind up at guard in the NFL.

There is no question he could play either position. A long time recruiting analyst was asked to compare him to other recruits he had seen in the past. He said Smith reminded him of former Outland trophy winner and long time Redskin tackle Chris Samuels but added that Smith was bigger and much stronger.

Smiths who plays at 340 now has a rare strength. I’m talking that country boy sort of strength that defies his appearance, he is a tenacious blocker. No matter how nice and well mannered he he may seem during interviews. Don’t get in front of him on the field.

I have seen many a YouTube video over the years of Andre pancaking or blind siding some unsuspecting player far away from the action. When asked why his answer was always the same, “Because he was standing.”

A coach will never have to yell at Smith for not finishing. Smith was well known wiping out his man and then getting much further down field to throw a block than you would ever expect a big man to get.

In one case he somehow beat running back Glenn coffee to the end zone and demolished some poor safety who was in his way.

Smith can get in the air for chest bumps and can reportedly dunk a basketball flat footed.

Smith would best fit a team that lives off the power running game. Alabama employed zone blocking at times in his career and he’s smart and nimble enough to do that well but his strength is in his road grating strength so to take advantage of his abilities a team who runs right at you would be the best fit.

NFL coaches are always looking at the measurable: Smith has the size, but when they see what this guy can do athletically they will see why SEC coaches breathed a sign of relief when Smith decided to forgo his senior year at Alabama.

I believe once NFL Scouts see this guy up close they will make him the No. 1 rated lineman in the draft.

Besides, Smitty makes a mean tight end as well.

College Football: A Look Back at Signing Day 2005

Walter Kirkwood — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:08:35 -0500

In about 10 days several of us will post stories about our 2009 signing class and where they may fit in with the tide program.

For me it’s like Christmas morning as a kid.

My mind explodes with wonder and excitement over my new toys. But in the gut wrenching days leading up to “S” day I find it useful to look back for some perspective.

Four years ago this week Mike Shula was in the middle of putting together what most felt was a solid class, especially considering the limitations of probation.

Tops of the class were a stellar group of running backs. The shining star of which was Mike Ford. Ford was a high four star rated player who would eventually earn a fifth star.

Most expected him to become an instant starter. Ford was not the only four star, Roy Upchurch was also a four star player. Three star players Glenn Coffee and Ali Sharrief came in as well. Getting Sharrief was especially sweet as he decomitted from hated Auburn to sign with the Tide.

The tide signed two high profile quarterbacks Jimmy Johns and Jimmy Barns. Barns had impressed in the Army All-Star game and Johns was Mississippi’s Mr. Football.

This class may not have been noticed nationally for its ranking, but their story is one of the more unique as they wound through the Alabama program over the next few years.

To start with a staggering 14 players would never make it.

DB Chris Keys was kicked off the team in '06.

Athlete Desmond Jennings never reported opting for a professional baseball career that has yet to get past the minors.

RB Mike Ford, DB Michael Ricks, and DE Antonio Forbes never qualified to play a down at Alabama.

WR Nick Kyles disappeared un-noticed, a quick search of the internet shows him as part of Georgia Southern’s team.

OL Byron Walton was cut from the team in 07.

QB Jimmy Barns transferred out.

OL Cole Harvey quit the team as did LB Zach Schreiber and DB Sam Burthall.

DB Lionel Mitchell went to Hargrave and did get to Alabama, but a bad back ended his career before it started.

TE Charles Hoke looked promising, but a bad shoulder ended his career just last year.

The crem-della-crem however will forever be the legendary QB Jimmy Johns. The coaches took one look at his arm and decided he was a running back. Never has a bench warmer been so beloved as this guy, but he finally ended the debate as to why he never played by getting arrested for distributing cocaine ON CAMPUS and turning Alabama football into a national punch line.

Five players would be added to the singing day haul from the previous year via grey shirting. QB John Parker Wilson, OL Drew Davis, DL Lorenzo Washington, DL Brandon Fanney, and TE Travis McCall.

A bitter road lays ahead for these young men, a journey that would include many bitter losses, a coaching turnover, endless fan meltdowns and brow beatings by the press.

Glenn Coffee would survive a blown knee to work himself into a star rusher in the SEC.

Michael Johnson one of the few highly regarded recruits would blossom into an outstanding guard.

Eryk Anders would find a place as a pass rush specialist.

Bobby Greenwood and Brandon Deaderick would become run-stuffing defensive ends.

Cory Reamer would eventually go from safety to linebacker and earn a starting spot. As did other players who would find a place to contribute.

John Parker Wilson who arrived as a two star recruit would leave Alabama with his name written all over the record books. He would guide his merry band of embattled veterans to a 12-2 season in 2008. Finally, JP Wilson would stand toe to toe with the best football team in the land and come within 15 minutes from a national title game.

The game ended in a loss for the Tide, but many believe this group of not so spectacular recruits were instrumental in turning the tide of a losing program.

With four and five star recruits being the norm more than the exception these days the future looks bright. I can’t help but remember fondly those who arrived to find a sinking ship taking on water and through hard work left with the ship at full steam sailing in the right direction.

The Fat Lady Does Not Wear Crimson

Walter Kirkwood — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:46:03 -0500

The 2008 storybook season came crashing down in a span of weeks with consecutive losses to Florida and underdog Utah. It was hard to imagine such a humble end for a team that had accomplished so much.

The pain unfortunately is quite familiar to Tide fans.

Since the Stallings era Alabama football has rarely put forth its most notable performances at the end.

Things weren’t so bad in 1999. Alabama had defeated Florida to win the SEC title and was going to a BCS bowl game. But they lost to Michigan in a heart breaker.

But aside from that unexpected tolerable ending the 97 season ended with 4 consecutive losses and the 2000 Tide lost the final 5 games and an entire coaching staff.

Sadly the lone exception to this pattern came under the leadership of the vilified Dennis Franchione. His 2001 squad came back from a hard fought loss to Nick Saban’s LSU squad and trudged past Miss State pulling ahead late in the game, decimated Auburn 31-7, powered past Southern Mississippi in a rescheduled match and edged Iowa State in the Independence Bowl.

It’s a fact that teams often do schedule better competition at the end to give their team time to develop and grow and this can lead to late season losses but nothing in Alabama fans experience prepared them for the pattern beginning in 2003.

In that year Alabama was pounded by LSU, battered by Auburn, then barely beat lowly regarded Hawaii in a non bowl consolation match. In 2004 Alabama lost to LSU, Auburn, and Minnesota in Nashville.

I’ll never forget that loss personally as I was there and Alabama played the game with a backup quarterback. I won’t say his name because I don’t want to beat up the guy, but with mere seconds on the clock it was forth down and we were within striking distance of what would be the winning touchdown. I figure he throws it to the end zone no matter what because the next play is the last and you’re not worried about picks. He ended his Alabama career and the season by throwing it out of bounds nowhere near the end zone.

This single play more than any other symbolizes the futility that Alabama football had become. 2005 was exciting because Alabama ripped off nine consecutive wins but lost to LSU in overtime and was blown out by Auburn in a sack fest that was never as close as the final score indicated.

They slid just past Texas Tech on the last play of the game with one of the ugliest three point kids you’ll ever see. 2006 turned into a total meltdown closing with consecutive losses to Tennessee, Miss State, LSU, Auburn, and Oklahoma State. That one got favorite son Mike Shula and staff fired.

When Nick Saban was hired I predicted we had seen the end of late season collapses but I could not have been more wrong. In 2007 after several important players were suspended on a book selling violation Alabama lost to Miss State, LSU & Auburn. Only a win in Shreveport over Colorado gave bama fans a little hope.

In Saban’s second year Alabama fans were filled with visions of championships with the tide winning the west and heading to Atlanta with an undefeated 12-0 record. Alabama fought hard and fell to the eventual National Champion Gators and most people were proud of the effort but weeks later Alabama would get run off the field by mid major Utah.

Some of this record of futility can be explained away by the overall lack of talent and depth from the years of NCAA troubles and probation but not all of it. Some programs have a knack for building momentum as the season goes on. Until we get a playoff the polls are going to count and where you finish can be closely related to where you start the year, and where you start the year is closely related to how you finished the season before. Alabama after losing the SEC championship this year was in position to pound an undefeated Utah team and the final ranking of #2 was not out of the question assuming Florida won the title game. Florida did their part but Alabama wound up the butt of the Bowl season jokes

Alabama is still working on rebuilding depth but that excuse is quickly evaporating as Nick Saban reels in one four or five star recruit after another to the Capstone. I’m not sure if I can put my finger on the rest of it. I know some teams have a habit of playing their best ball at the end and I’ve noticed they are most often the ones hoisting the big shiny cups that we love to put in glass cases.

The Bear Bryant museum is a great place but the shiny things in there are getting dull with age. We need some fresh bling for a new generation and one ingredient that we absolutely must find is the knack for winning at the end.

At Alabama, Winter Reaping Is At Hand for Little-Used Tide Players

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:56:02 -0500

There was a time at Alabama in which we barely knew anything about recruits. I never knew who had been signed beyond the occasional big time blue chipper. We always looked over the roster in the program during the first game and scanned for freshmen. Most we knew nothing about and often looked for someone who was larger than average.

There was no Internet to give me every minute detail about young players, and at that time only the bluest of blue chip players played early. Most players expected to work for two to three years to get on the field. Some didn’t crack the lineup until their senior year.

Today things are somewhat different. One big difference is that players can and often do head to the NFL (heretofore referred to as “Satan”) after three years on campus. Another big reason is the dramatic improvement in high school coaching and conditioning. Players arrive at college today more prepared to play.

In spite of that, I believe it’s unfair to label a second-year player a failure if he has not played. However, facts are facts, and Nick Saban is recruiting high quality recruits and plenty of them. He is recruiting more than he has room for, and players at the bottom are going to be sacrificed.

Although no one can know the heart of a man or predict what he can accomplish when his back is against the wall, here is a rundown of non-freshman scholarship players who didn’t contribute much last year.

Offensively, running back Terry Grant went from starter to fifth string. Everyone was excited to see what Grant could do this year, and his disappearing act from the Alabama offense was one of the biggest surprises of 2008.

Many have speculated that the style of offense and the type of back preferred by Saban does not match up well with his skill set, but I believe it is more than that. I didn’t see the same burst of speed from Grant that I saw before his injury at the end of 2007. Grant's pass blocking skills may have been another reason you didn’t see him more.

Demetrius Goode came in with a lot of promise, but a blown knee in the first day of fall practice in 2007 seems to have derailed his career to this point. It’s not unusual for such a catastrophic injury to take two years to heal, so I would hope that Goode could bounce back next year, but that is not a guarantee.

Brandon Gibson failed to register a catch in '08, but a lack of depth at the position will likely open the door for him in 2009

Chris Underwood is built in the same mold as Brad Smelley, but barring an injury to Smelley, Underwood's future could be limited to trash time.

A trio of offensive linemen, Brian Motley, Evan Cardwell, and William Vlachos, find themselves looking somewhat, shall we say, “gravity challenged” by comparison to current incoming road grader impersonators.

It is important to note that you don’t have to be 6’6” to be an effective blocker, but the three would need to show some ground-chewing grit that we have not yet witnessed to get on the field with such massive recruits as Saban is bringing in. One larger upperclassman, Taylor Pharr, is 6’6”, but he has yet to get on the field as well.

There are a number of upperclassmen—seven, to be exact—in the secondary, so pretty much everyone who can fog a mirror should be able to keep their free ride, but that is not the case at defensive line, which entered last year as a question mark but after this recruiting class should be considered an area of strength and potential.

Milton Talbert and Nick Gentry have shown neither the quickness to be a speed rusher nor the size to hold the line. This is not a knock on them personally, as I have noticed they play as hard and tenaciously as anyone, but with so much talent coming in, they must make headway up the depth chart.

At linebacker, Jennings Hester, Alex Watkins, and Charlie Kirschman haven’t played, and with newly minted five-star super recruit Nico Johnson and possibly a few more four-star recruits coming in this year, along with a now maturing Chris Jordan and Jarrell Harris, the prospects do not look good. Additionally, Chavis Williams never saw the field after midseason last year.

If you take this list next fall, I would bet money one or more of these guys will come out of nowhere and be a big contributor. As stated earlier, you never know what a kid can do. Sometimes the light just comes on, and it only takes one big play in the right game to put you in a wall painting that would immortalize you forever. I have a picture of a game-winning last second TD catch by Matt Caddell on my wall at home that proves the point.

But for many, the grim reaper is creeping up on their Alabama careers, and the door of opportunity is slowing swinging shut.

Alabama Receiving Corps Still in The Process

Walter Kirkwood — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:22:48 -0500

When Alabama lost three senior receivers in 2007, most predicted a drop off in the passing game production and 2008 certainly met that expectation. Let’s take a look at who did what this year and a few peeks ahead.

Looking at recruiting this year, our targets are outstanding but none are expected to have the instant impact like Julio Jones did. What Jones did is rare, and of our current targets, only Louisiana product Rueben Randle seems to have the raw physicality to mix it up in the SEC right out of the gate, and he is probably LSU’s to lose. Anyone else making an impact in 2009 would be purely a guess.

Brandon Gibson 6’ 1” 196

2008 was not kind to the former four-star recruit. He began the year serving a two game suspension for a ticky-tack NCAA violation that happened when he was in high school. After that, he failed to get on the field. Gibson did win the strength and conditioning award this fall.

BJ Scott 5’ 11” 188

Scott was a big disappointment in a year with few. He was a five-star recruit who failed to live up to the hype. He failed to really get open or make catches.

He played quarterback in high school, so this was an adjustment and he may have had a nagging injury that slowed him down. Chances are high that he will move to Defensive Back this spring, so we may never see Scott on offense again.

Earl Alexander 6’ 4” 216

Earl appeared to be ready to step up be a big factor in 2008, even holding off Julio Jones from the starting spot for a few weeks of camp, but an ankle injury slowed him all season.

Earl, like Jones, is physically imposing, and the idea was to get these two guys on the field to cause match up problems. Alexander never made an impact.

His best play of the year resulted in a fumble and touchback as he tried to stretch the ball too far for a score. Alexander has loads of potential, so it would be no surprise to me if he became a dangerous weapon next year.

Darius Hanks 6’ 0” 172

Hanks was lightly recruited out of high school, but Saban wanted him. Hanks had a great junior season in high school, but injuries cut out most of his senior year, so he had fallen off the radar with many schools and recruiting sites.

This spring it appeared Saban had hit the bull’s eye once again when Hanks secured a starting spot, but this fall he promptly lost it and dropped from sight.

Only in the final third of the season did Hanks once again claw his way back onto the field and seemed to be hitting his stride late only to drop off again against Florida and Utah.

Who knows what 2009 holds for Hanks, 2008 was too up and down to even guess.

Marquis Maze 5’ 9” 171

Maze had a forgettable year in 2008. He roasted the secondary this spring and continued to break open deep during the season but Wilson simply didn’t have the touch or accuracy to drop it in to a small receiver.

Two of the best three receptions he had this year were from walk-on Quarterback Thomas Darrah in the spring and backup Quarterback Greg McElroy in the Iron Bowl.

If the demoralizing throw by McElroy against Auburn is any indication, look for Maze to have some Prothro-ish moments in 2009, but he will need to get more separation in traffic to get many balls thrown his way.

Mike McCoy 6’ 2” 205

For the second season in a row, McCoy started the season and for the second season in a row his production faded as the season wore on. This year he lost many of his late season snaps to Hanks. McCoy is a great downfield blocker, and he will remain in the rotation for that reason.

Brad Smelly 6’ 3” 218

The 218 pounds is from the athletic department website. If Smelly weights 218 my wife’s got a triple D rack! My guess is Smelly is pushing more into the 228 to 230 range and it ain’t shakin' when it runs.

Smelly really should have red shirted but our receiving corps was just not getting it done and Saban pulled the shirt to try and help the situation. Smelly made numerous clutch catches, many on third down.

The decision was clearly the right one, as we may not have made it to the SEC title game without him. Look for much more of the same from Smelly in 2009, as he goes through the conditioning program and uses his increased size and strength to maul secondary players after the catch.

Smelly is another player that Saban wanted that the recruiting sites were not in love with, but his abilities present a very difficult match up for defensive coordinators.

Julio Jones 6’ 4” 210

Jones had the most prolific year a freshman receiver has ever had at Alabama. Unfortunately there are few comparisons in Alabama history. Alabama historically made its living on the ground and since those glory days, Alabama has never gotten the bluest of blue chip players.

But all that changed when Julio Jones signed with Alabama last February. Sometimes the blue chippers fail to reach the overblown expectations, but in only one area did Jones fail to exceed expectations, and that was touchdowns. Jones snagged 58 passes for 924 yards for a 15.9 yard per catch but only 4 touchdowns.

To his defense, Jones was mobbed by the defense fearing no other Alabama receiver. The other reason was that the tight end was used in goal line situations effectively and there was no reason to get away from something that was working.

How good was Jones? He was 132 yards and four receptions from breaking the all time Alabama record held by DJ Hall in 2006. He was 76 yards and three receptions from knocking down David Palmers second-place position from 1993 and he blew past names like Dennis Homan, Ozzie Newsome, Freddie Millons, and Albert Bell for third place in Alabama history.

But stats do not express how dominant Julio Jones was. Quite simply nobody could cover him, not even the national champion Florida Gators. Once Jones got the ball in his hands he was very difficult to bring down and got loads of RAC yards.

The only thing that held Jones back was his conditioning, and that will not be a problem going forward. Barring injury, Jones will most likely continue his assault the record books and SEC secondaries.

To get more production in big games Alabama desperately needs a second receiver to take some pressure off of Julio and some depth. Wilson had a poor year with the deep ball and once again failed to spread the ball around as much as he should.

Hopefully whoever wins the QB job next year will be better overall even if he does have to make some rookie mistakes.

Adding more receiver talent via recruiting should help, if for nothing else but to make it that much harder to win a starting job and to keep it as competition under Saban never ends from the first day of practice to the last.

Things look good going forward, but the receiving corps is definitely still in the process of getting where they need to be.

The View Back To Look Ahead

Walter Kirkwood — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:17:01 -0500

The year was 2001. Alabama had just finished a season most of us wanted to forget. I remember talking to my old roommate about the prospects for Alabama that year and as always the analysis started with the offensive line. That year, two redshirt freshman came out of nowhere to win starting jobs.

One was a lightly recruited guy from Homewood named Evan Mathis. The other was an Auburn fan whom Auburn didn’t want, Wesley Britt.

That fall, we were wondering what would come from a team that let two inexperienced redshirt freshman win starting jobs, but these two guys brought a tenacity to the position we hadn’t seen in a while and though the team struggled to mid season they hit their stride late and ripped off four straight victories including a 31-7 beat down of Auburn, that would be the last iron bowl victory we would see until just recently.

At season end, I remembered thinking how the offensive line had started as a weakness and finished as strength. Both Mathis and Britt continued on to the NFL and we are hopeful that the 2009 season will bring us more success stories like this.

Ever good line starts with the two hardest positions to fill, left tackle and center.

The following are my guesses as to the most likely candidates to fill those positions.

True Freshman D.J. Fluker, 6’7”, 325. The legend of D.J. Fluker is growing similarly to the legend of Mt. Cody last fall. If these two guys were to walk into a Chinese buffet together, the owner would likely pass out. You could use this guys old shoes to grow tomatos.

Fluker had trouble with the speed rush at the Army all star game but by all accounts this was partially due to the twisted knee he acquired during practice. Most reports indicated Fluker was possibly the most dominating player there. It’s rare for any true freshman to start at left tackle, but Fluker may just be someone who could.

James Carpenter, 6’5”, 305lbs. Originally from Augusta, GA, Carpenter went the Jr. College route to Coffeyville community college, where he won first team all conference honors.

Carpenter will arrive at Alabama this spring and will be a Jr. this fall. Most believe he would not have been signed if the staff didn’t think he could make a serious push for a starting job. If Carpenter doesn’t win the left tackle job, it’s a good bet he could wind up staring at right guard or possibly gun for right tackle.

John Michael Boswell, 6’5”, 300lbs. Boswell was the most lightly regarded of the three lineman signed in the 2008 class but after injuries benched the other two freshman Boswell who is a local product from Northport excelled.

I am of the opinion that even though it was a risk we may have been better off slotting him into Andre’s spot against Utah. I can’t imagine he would have done worse than Davis.

Tyler Love, 6’7”, 290lbs. The five-star, can’t-miss recruit that was supposed to win the right tackle spot away from Drew Davis pretty much missed in 2008. But to be honest, it’s extremely rare for a true freshman to be effective and a stress fracture in his leg last summer probably eliminated any chance of him playing in 2008.

Love will start over this spring and hopefully take another shot. He’s got talent but he needs to hit the weights from what I’ve read.

Bobby Massey, 6’8”, 335lbs. I hate to mention someone who hasn’t committed to Alabama, but Massey is so huge you almost have to foot note that if this guy signs he could be in the mix. Massy is a five-star recruit from Hargrave Military academy. Massey has many offers though so we won’t know for a while if we will welcome him to campus.

At center, the field is much smaller. There is only one man on the roster with any starting center experience and that is Evan Cardwell. Cardwell has several things going against him.

One, he is a senior so any experience he gained would be lost at the end of the year. Also, he is 6’2”, and around 279, he is simply small by SEC standards. Assuming he remains an insurance option, here are my guesses.

Barrett Jones, 6’5”, 280. Jones was the best lineman prospect in Tennessee last year and we snagged him. He hurt a shoulder early and had some corrective surgery recently.

He didn’t play center in high school but he did play the position in the high school all star game and did well so he’s got my vote to try and plug in there first.

William Vlachos, 6’2”, 287. Vlachos was known as a workout warrior but seemed to have issues staying off the scout team this fall.

He did claw his way back to second team so it’s possible the sophomore could compete for the job but my guess he will need to pack on more muscle this summer.

There are certainly other candidates. I seem to remember David Ross playing some center so if he loses his bid for Guard you might see him there. It wouldn’t shock me to see long forgotten former defensive lineman Alfred McCullough learn to snap and go for this position.

Johnson has locked down the left guard position and the right guard could simply be whoever loses out for the tackle spot. Ross is probably penciled in right now but he’s got a bull’s eye on his back for sure as does Drew Davis and his right tackle spot. There are other freshmen who will be on campus this fall.

Anthony Steen, for instance, has a mean streak from what I’ve read. Chance Warmack was lightly recruited but at 6’4”, 330lbs and showing up early for spring practice, you have to wonder if he won’t force his way into the mix. Plus, he definitely wins the cool name contest.

Most of the time, however, true freshman can’t be counted on. There are also some older players who could be left in the dust. This spring could be their last chance to keep a roster spot but you just never know who’s going to step up out of nowhere and make an impact.

For instance, Drew Davis and David Ross, this time last year, I figured they would be off the team by now.

Young people can be hard to predict.