Tide Tidbits - January 5, 2009

Dabo’s new hires bring Crimson Tide pedigree, missing toughness
Swinney is an Alabama guy, born and bred. Some of the best times of his life came as an Alabama player and coach. He made the journey from walk-on receiver to valued member of the 1992 national title team, the Crimson Tide’s last. As an assistant coach, he learned from one of ’Bama’s best leaders, Gene Stallings, and one of its worst, Mike DuBose. When Steele officially comes on board, he’ll be Swinney’s fourth hire. All four — Steele, secondary coach Charlie Harbison, tight ends/offensive tackles coach Danny Pearman and director of football operations Woody McCorvey — have ties to both Alabama.

Alabama's 2008 season more good than bad
The Tide started the season ranked near the bottom of one major poll and not ranked in another, rose to No. 1 in all of them, then slid from the mountaintop with losses in its two most significant games. With a 12-2 season and the full picture of this Alabama team in focus, it's fair to say the Tide was good enough to give its fans a full-course taste of the program's glory years. It's also fair to say the team had just enough flaws to deny its fans dessert.

Tide backups eager for QB competition
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has plans. One of them is to "throw every single day" with receiver Mike McCoy between now and spring practice. Another is to study in order to know the assignment of every offensive position on every play. For the first time since coach Nick Saban was hired, the Crimson Tide will have a genuine competition for the starting quarterback spot vacated by three-year starter and departing senior John Parker Wilson.

Alabama moves into recruiting season
Minutes after his team lost 31-17 in Friday night’s Allstate Sugar Bowl, Saban talked about the need for more — and better — players. “We need more good players, more depth in the program,” Saban said. “We need quality big people. We need quality skill guys. We need a lot of things for us to continue to improve to be the kind of program that is recognized as kind of a dominant program on a national level.” The fastest way to do that, Saban knows, is through recruiting. He’s on pace to follow last year’s top-ranked class with another outstanding one. The result of last year’s class was on display all season.

Roll Tide!