Alabama vs. San Jose State: Opening Day Anticipation

This year's opening game against the San Jose State Spartans has the Alabama fan base buzzing with extreme anticipation. Not because anyone expects an upset of any kind, in fact, no fan in the state and no fan of college football would consider anything of the sort.

But Alabama fans know that wins are never taken for granted. Wins are earned on the field.

For the past two seasons, Crimson Tide teams have played as well as any two back-to-back campaigns since 1978 and 1979. Alabama teams have won each of their last 14 home games.

Opening Old Wounds

The last home defeat was a bitter and memorable 21-14 loss to the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

In 2007, Alabama was 4-3 at home, and in 2006, 6-2 at Bryant-Denny. While on paper, the 2006 record is acceptable, getting there was insufferable. Close games against the visiting Hawaii Rainbows, Vanderbilt Commodores, Duke Blue Devils and Ole Miss Rebels kept Bama fans on the edge of their seats until the final seconds ticked off the clock.

It was not a season to remember. Alabama lost all four away games and suffered defeats at home against Mississippi State and in-state rival Auburn. The 2006 season ended with only two conference wins. Mal Moore had the unpleasant task of removing Mike Shula has head coach of the Crimson Tide.

In just three years, head coach Nick Saban has completely changed the direction of the Alabama program. The administration and fans support is at an all-time high.

A New Campaign

Anticipation has more to do with a new campaign with a new set of players. A new team that has the potential to finish the season as a champion. Finishing as a champion would give Alabama, the institution, back-to-back SEC championships. A team that must establish a new identity.

Finishing this season as SEC champion would likely give this team a chance to play for the crystal Coaches Trophy. If this team finishes as a national champion, they would give Alabama, the institution, the claim to back-to-back national championships, a feat that has yet to be accomplished by any college football program in the BCS era.

Game One - San Jose State Spartans

The season simply begins on Saturday, September 4th. A season opener at home against the San Jose Spartans. The Spartans are not expected to defeat Alabama, but they are expected to compete. And as a competitor, they are to be respected. The Spartans have the full and undivided attention of Coach Nick Saban, his coaching staff and the 2010 Crimson Tide team.

The Spartans are members of the Western Athletic Conference. In 2009, they finished 8th in the conference standings. It was the last season for 72 year old head coach, Dick Tomey.

A New Head Coach

The Spartans have a new head coach, Mike MacIntyre.

MacIntyre is no stranger to the SEC. He played two years for the Vanderbilt Commodores ('84-'85), under the tutelage of his father, head coach George MacIntyre. He finished his career at Georgia Tech ('87-'88) under head coach Bobby Ross. As a Yellow Jacket, MacIntyre was an exceptional free safety and punt returner.

A 1989 graduate of Georgia Tech, MacIntyre got his first coaching job as a graduate assistant at Georgia. He then served as defensive coordinator at Davidson in 1992, had stints at UT-Martin ('93-'96) and Temple ('97-'98) before returning to the SEC.

He spent time as an assistant at Ole Miss from 1999-2002. In his first two years, he coached wide receivers for Rebels head coach David Cutcliffe. In the following two seasons, MacIntyre coached defensive backs. The Rebels finished the 2001 season ranked fifth nationally in pass defense, yielding only 161.3 yards per game.

From 2003-2006, MacIntyre coached in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys (under Bill Parcells) and Cincinnati Bengals (2007), as a defensive backs coach in both situations. His highest achievement as a mentor in the professional league was helping Roy Williams achieve Pro Bowl status in each of the four years he was on staff with the Cowboys.

When Cutcliffe got the call from Duke to take the reins as head coach, he quickly contacted coach Mac and offered him the opportunity to join his staff as the defensive coordinator for the Duke Blue Devils.

In the two seasons that MacIntyre coached the Blue Devils (2008-2009), his defenses posted the best defensive statistics for a season (in back-to-back seasons) in over 20 years. The 2008 team allowed 67.7 fewer yards per game than the season before and 9.8 fewer points per game.

In 2009, the defensive unit improved from 2008, and helped the Blue Devils win a total of five games; more wins than in any season since 1994. Three defenders received All-Conference honors.

These achievements compelled the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) to name Mike MacIntyre as National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2009.

Mike MacIntyre knows defense, particularly pass defense, and will have the San Jose State Spartans prepared for the Alabama pass attack.

Interestingly, San Jose State University began playing football in 1893. This is the first meeting between San Jose State University and the University of Alabama in the sport of football.

A New Alabama Offense

The Alabama running game should be in full gear and prevent an upset in the season opener. But the offense should not back off, and must use this game as a teaser for the upcoming test against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Success in the passing game against the San Jose State Spartans, in conjunction with the punishing backfield kicking it in high gear, will instill a confidence that can carry this team for weeks to come in the early season.

This Alabama offense is expected to be explosive. They have mature play-makers at every skill position and depth to go along with the talent. This offense is expected to score frequently and post record setting numbers in the passing and running game that exceeds any previous Alabama team.

But the game must be prepared for as expertly as any other game on the schedule. This San Jose State team would like nothing more than to upset the so-called defending national champs in the season opener on the road.

Having said this, the Spartans won only two games in the 2009 season. While great things are expected from the hire of Mike MacIntyre, opening the season with a win against Alabama is highly unlikely. The Spartans return only 39 scholarship players. Furthermore, 27 players will likely see their first college action against the Tide. The team depth is limited to 56 players.

Eight players for SJSU are preparing for their first college start. The list includes redshirt freshmen wide receivers Chandler Jones and Noel Grigsby. Offensive tackle David Quessenberry and running back Wade O'Neill are also on the slate for their first start

On defense, Brandon Driver and Alex Germany will have their first game action in the secondary while defensive tackle Anthony Larceval and linebacker Vince Buhagiar will line up in the front seven for the Spartans.

If this Alabama offense can accumulate over 700 yards against the first and second team Alabama defenses in a late fall scrimmage, expect them to light up this young Spartan team. This opening day home crowd will be dying to see this team get on track and be playing in mid-season form on day one.

The Alabama offense should be clicking on all cylinders against this very inexperienced team.

If all goes according to plan, the first and third quarters should be dominated by the first team Alabama offense while substitutions at every position should occur in the second and fourth quarters.

A New Alabama Defense

Defensively for Alabama, they should completely shut down the SJSU offense. Barring a complete breakdown in coverage, the Spartans should not cross the goal line. In 2009, the Spartans averaged less than 14 points per game. Running backs averaged only 76 yards per game, while the receiving corps posted 207 yards per game.

Spartan quarterbacks combined for 240 completion of 403 attempts, scoring 13 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. Quarterbacks were sacked on 20 occasions for a loss of 143 yards. Don't expect the Spartans to gain a lot of confidence against the young Alabama defense.

Substitutions for the purpose of rotation and keeping defenders fresh for the game will be the modus operandi for the season. The staff will get a chance to get the rotations down pat during this game. The entire 105 may get a chance to play in this season opener.

This is the kind of opening game that a young, inexperienced but talented Alabama defense can cut their teeth on. The kind of game that a mature and talented offense can get on track early and provide plenty of valuable playing time for inexperienced back-ups in preparation for week two.

It is the perfect opening to the 2010 campaign for the Crimson Tide. Anticipation. It's making me wait, again.

If it weren't for the money, SJSU would simply not be making this trip to Tuscaloosa. But count on Saban and his staff to get the most out of his team for the money paid out by the Alabama program. They will play and coach this game as if it is for another shot at the title.

As a player, do your job and do it right. Never let your guard down. Pay close attention to fundamentals and technique. Last year, Damien Square mis-stepped once against Florida International University.

That single mis-step cost him his native ACL and the remainder of the season. 

Every game counts in the season, every down counts as an opportunity to learn and grow.

A New Look To Bryant-Denny

To the SJSU players, bring your lunch pail. It is your chance to play in front of 101,000 wild and crazy fans. The old stadium has had another facelift. It is one of the greatest venues in all of college football.

These fans love football, college football played the old fashioned way. They love Alabama football and they respect every opponent that takes the field against "Alabama's Football Pride."