Tide Tidbits - September 10, 2008

'Mt. Cody' staying on for senior season
When Terrence Cody arrived at the Capstone, he gave himself a solid pinch. Although he didn’t take pleasure in the pain, the 6 feet 5 inches, 365-pound junior defensive lineman from Ft. Myers, Fla., said he just had to make sure that he was really going to play for the Crimson Tide. At the time, Cody, a transfer from Gulf Coast Community College, was 420 pounds and a long shot for a starting spot. For the soft-spoken Cody, his position was nothing new.

Tide hoping for more big plays
The vibe around the University of Alabama’s football complex was slightly different this week. This wasn’t the same football team — or at least it wasn’t based on performance. In the season opener against Clemson, the Crimson Tide appeared almost unstoppable. The following week against Tulane, it was a different story.

Alabama fans, hold off on title talk
Alabama fans better hope one of the oldest clichés in college football doesn't ring true this season. The hackneyed old line goes something like this: "Usually, you see the greatest improvement from the first week of the season to the second."

Hanging with Mark Ingram Sr.
The father's role is not to heap praise on the son. Other people can do that. Instead, Mark Ingram Sr. greeted Mark Jr. in the wee hours of Aug. 30 at the Georgia Dome with a different message. He knew his star offspring had rushed for 96 yards in Alabama's dismantling of Clemson. "Look, `You're behind pace,'" Mark Sr. told his son. "The guy from Georgia (Knowshon Moreno) had three touchdowns, and you don't have any. You got to catch up.' Got to keep him hungry.".

Roll Tide!