Tide Tidbits - November 26, 2008

A TALE OF TWO OFFENSES: The best of times for Alabama
Alabama's offense struggled at times last season, but you could understand the problems as the unit made a transition from head coach Mike Shula and coordinator Dave Radar to new coach Nick Saban and his coordinator, Major Applewhite. When Applewhite decided at the end of 2007 to return to the University of Texas, Saban wanted to find an offensive coordinator who liked the idea of running the ball with multiple backs while putting together a balanced offense that could attack through the air. He settled on Jim McElwain, a former coordinator at Fresno State who hardly made any ripples in the college football world when his hiring was announced Jan. 30. "I think he's a really good teacher," Saban said. "I think the players have a lot of respect for him. I think he does a really good job from week to week varying some of the things that we do in terms of formations and implementing new ideas, being a little innovative and being able to make a few plays that are critical in the game. I think he's a good play-caller on game day. So he's done a really good job."

Tide’s Wilson a steady influence
The scars have healed. What didn’t kill John Parker Wilson made him stronger. And wiser. Wilson is the Crimson Tide’s career leader in completions, attempts, total yards, passing yards, passing touchdowns and total plays. Because of the differences in offensive schemes, comparing Auburn’s Kodi Burns to Wilson is an apples-to-oranges proposition. “Well, I don’t think there’s any comparison between the quarterbacks in the game,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday. “I think that John Parker’s experience — not just in this particular game but in all the games that he’s played — has been something that has been a benefit to us throughout the year.”

Tide focuses on 'simple things'
Alabama tailback Glen Coffee said practice "is going good" after Tuesday's workout but insisted the annual Iron Bowl battle doesn't draw out any special strategies during the week. "People are running around, flying to the ball and it is the same mood, the same emphasis we take every week and every game," Coffee said. "But it's known what week it is and we just want to get practice and get the technique right and get the simple things done."

Alabama seniors looking for redemption
Alabama Coach Nick Saban appreciates the effort from a small but dedicated group of Crimson Tide seniors. A lot. “They have done a fantastic job,” Saban said this week. “I think, regardless of what happens in the future, this senior class is going to be, in my mind, the group that sort of turned it around. They bought in. They believed in it. They changed their ways and they affected other people to do that, as well as made a really significant contribution, in terms of what their role was to the success of the team.”

Staff changes put teams on different paths
One decision, made long before either squad even thought about spring practices, led to vastly different outcomes for the University of Alabama and Auburn football teams this season. It was when their head coaches made crucial hires at offensive coordinator. Auburn, ranked 10th in the preseason and a popular pick to win the SEC Western Division, hired Troy offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. Alabama, thought to be still a year away from challenging for the conference title, brought in Fresno State offensive coordinator Jim McElwain. So how did that one work out?

Roll Tide!