Tide Tidbits - November 5, 2008

Saban closes in on SEC history
If someone had told Alabama safety Rashad Johnson when Nick Saban was hired in January 2007 that in Saban's second year the Crimson Tide would be 9-0 and No. 1 in the country, Johnson wouldn't have believed it. "Once I saw the way he was every day with his consistency, demanding the best out of everybody every day - and it never changes - I could have believed it," Johnson said. "But before that, I wouldn't have believed it."

Tide learns from past losses to LSU
Alabama has been in this position before. In fact, the last time they were undefeated this late in the year was three seasons ago. The Tide faced LSU at home, and the loss ended their National Championship aspirations. The upperclassmen that were around for the 2005 season have no intention of repeating that bit of history this weekend in Baton Rouge, La. The Crimson Tide has lost five straight games against the LSU Tigers.

Alabama's Davis criticizes LSU's Miles
Luther Davis is at it again. The Alabama reserve defensive end from West Monroe High criticized LSU coach Les Miles and his staff's recruitment of him Tuesday as the LSU-Alabama game approaches. Davis said Miles was "pretty upset" when he learned of his commitment switch to Saban. "It went from him trying to talk to me to calling me a traitor and saying that I'm only doing this because, 'The devil has come back to college football and is trying to create a big buzz.' It wasn't all about that," Davis said. "The fact that he got mad that I even took the visit showed that I was just going to be another number on the (LSU) team, that I wasn't going to be as important as he made it out to be."

Cody back at full speed, Davis talks recruiting
Terrence Cody is back at full speed in practice for the University of Alabama football team, and may be better than he was before his injury. That’s the assessment of teammate Luther Davis, a sophomore defensive lineman. “It’s been great,” Davis said. “He’s like a kid in a candy store. He’s just having fun with everybody, keeping everybody’s spirits up, keeping everybody motivated. “He’s just running around. He’s looking like he’s in better shape than he was, and that’s only a plus for us. That’s real big. Everybody is ready to welcome him back with open arms.”

Roll Tide!