Tide Tidbits - January 8, 2009

How does Alabama AD Mal Moore mea$ure up?
Tonight is the BCS national title game, and for Bloomberg Press that was a good excuse to take a look at the role of the athletics directors in college sports, with the spotlight on the man considered to be among the nation's finest: Florida's Jeremy Foley. The article goes into the changing roles of the ADs and looks at the issues they face. It also breaks down the salaries, including showing where Alabama athletics director Mal Moore stands among his colleagues.

Three new football players enroll at Alabama
Two incoming freshmen and a junior college transfer have enrolled in classes at the University of Alabama and will be added to theCrimson Tide's 2009 football roster. Freshman offensive lineman Chase Warmack of Westlake High School in Atlanta, Ga., graduated early from high school and began classes Wednesday, along with freshman running back Jermaine Preyear of Davidson High School in Mobile and junior college lineman James Carpenter. All three players will be eligible to take part in spring practice.

Shurtleff considers probe of the BCS
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff was among the fans at the Sugar Bowl, cheering wildly as the Utes defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, fuming over their apparent denial of a national championship after an undefeated season, he's considering launching an investigation into college football's Bowl Championship Series. Shurtleff plans to meet with some of his lawyers and investigators next week to consider building an antitrust case against the BCS. "This game proved that it's an unfair system," the attorney general said in an interview with the Deseret News on Monday. "A team like Utah will never be given a chance."

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - January 7, 2009

Utah No. 1? Ute got to be kidding me
The U.S. sports media has a new flavor of the month, and it's Utah. Which means it's up to you, readers and listeners and sports fans all over, to say no to this nonsense. I mean, come on. Utah? From the Mountain West? There's an awful lot of momentum for Utah to be crowned king in the final Associated Press poll, the final one of the 2008 season, which comes out shortly after the ostensible national championship game between Florida and Oklahoma on Thursday night. The AP poll has that kind of freedom, considering it has cut ties with the Bowl Championship Series. The AP poll could make a stand for Utah, and against the BCS, all in one motion by erecting the Utes as the No. 1 team in college football.

Trojans, Utes show how dumb the BCS is
Maybe Florida or Oklahoma will be more impressive in the national title game than Utah was in the Sugar, or USC in the Rose. But I doubt it. And so you can watch the former and be satisfied that the winner is the best team in the land. Not me. I think the latter has just as strong a case, but with lousier timing (USC) and lousier perception (Utah). Not to flog a horse that’s not only dead but skeletal, but if USC and Utah aren’t the best arguments yet for a college football playoff, I don’t know what is.

Memo to Switzer: Utah was unbeaten
Having graduated to studio color analyst for Fox, Switzer was priceless before, during and after Utah's 31-17 Sugar Bowl conquest of Alabama. Switzer said no one on Utah's recruiting list could play as a freshman for Alabama. When it was over, Switzer sheepishly said, "Well, I told you Utah couldn't run on Alabama," which is true because the Utes barely tried to run the ball, with a 349-208 advantage in total yards.

Recruiting: The Final Two
Brandon Moore, Scout.com four-star offensive tackle from Montgomery-Carver, (Ala.), has two schools still standing for his signature. Moore talked about the finalists and what has his attention with each program. "I have decided to narrow my list down to just two schools," said Brandon Moore. "They are Alabama and Florida. I am going to visit Florida this weekend, and then go to Alabama the next."

Saban wins Robinson Award
The University of Alabama’s Nick Saban took a step closer to nearly sweeping the national college football coach of the year honors when he was named the winner of the Eddie Robinson Award for the second time in six years on Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale. “Nick Saban has proven to be a winner wherever he has gone,” FWAA president Ron Higgins said in a release. “He has re-established Alabama as a national power in quick fashion. He was an overwhelming choice by our members for this very prestigious award.”

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - January 6, 2009

Oklahoma looks to Alabama for help
Florida’s confounding spread offense that features quarterback Tim Tebow demands as detailed a game plan as possible. Oklahoma, which faces the Gators in the FedEx BCS National Championship game in Miami on Thursday night, has been looking everywhere to find a key. That includes calls to Alabama’s coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart last week acknowledged contact from Bob Stoops’ staff at Oklahoma. They also downplayed its significance.

Crimson Tide late-season showings prove Alabama has work left
Three reasons high on the list of why Tide faithful have carried on a season-long love-fest with Saban are the discipline he instills in his players, the notion that he always has his team performing at its top level and the intensity a Saban-coached group has. None of those qualities were on display Friday night. Alabama had seven penalties for 67 yards, two interceptions and a fumble. The defense, the secondary in particular, missed tackle after tackle, and the offense was manhandled all night by the Utes’ front seven. Not much discipline or intensity there.

Mike Shula and John Parker Wilson to reunite for Senior Bowl
Officials of the Senior Bowl released word today that staffs of the Cincinnati Bengals (North) and Jacksonville Jaguars (South) will be coaching this year's Jan. 24 game in Mobile. That Jacksonville staff, of course, includes its quarterbacks coach: Former Alabama head coach Mike Shula. Throw in the fact that departing Crimson Tide QB John Parker Wilson is one of four Tide players bound for the Senior Bowl, and that makes a very interesting angle to this year's event.

Despite Alabama’s loss, SEC enjoys surprising bowl efforts
Alabama’s disappointment in the Sugar Bowl may have overshadowed everything else, but the SEC turned in some surprisingly strong showings during a bowl season that preceded Florida’s appearance in the national championship game.

Roll Tide!

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!

Tide Tidbits - January 4, 2009

Alabama has few but important holes to fill in 2009
The results of the Allstate Sugar Bowl were not even 10 minutes old when Alabama coach Nick Saban turned his attention to 2009. "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 a dominant program."

Something to build on
It wasn't supposed to happen this fast. Sure, there were signs that Nick Saban had Alabama on its way back, with the bigtime recruits making their way into the fold, giving hope for a bright future and a fan base adopting the attitude that it was just a matter of time. Turns out those newcomers provided the few missing pieces to the Crimson Tide's roster. The result was a 12-0 regular season and more than a month spent atop the national rankings, before the dream season crumbled with losses to Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game and No. 7 Utah in the Sugar Bowl, 31-17 Friday night. Alabama still went from 7-6 to 12-2, the most dramatic improvement for a coach's second year in school history. Senior center Antoine Caldwell figures the 2008 group should be remembered as "the team that kind of turned the corner for Alabama."

'Bama can't overcome O-line losses
Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama players repeatedly said the Sugar Bowl will be a key to how this team will be remembered. If true, that's bad news for the No. 4 Crimson Tide. Down to its third-team left tackle, Alabama's offensive line uncharacteristically struggled and its normally stingy defense was victimized by quarterback Brian Johnson and No. 7 Utah in a 31-17 Sugar Bowl loss Friday night.

Andre Smith announces plans to enter the NFL Draft
Alabama left tackle Andre Smith announced his intention to declare for the NFL Draft late Saturday night. Smith, who was suspended for the Allstate Sugar Bowl for improper dealings with an agent, was a consensus All-American and winner of the Outland Trophy awarded to the nation's top offensive lineman. The Birmingham native and Huffman High product started for three years for the Crimson Tide and allowed one sack in 2008. The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder is considered by pundits a lock to be a Top 5 NFL draft pick.

Recruiting: BIG MACK: Calhoun County junior poised to be one of state's top prospects in 2010
Zam Fredrick didn’t like what he saw at all. A day after his team’s 81-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Estill Gators, he watched as a guard let a center go right by him in defensive footwork drills. And, we’re not talking a little center. We are talking 6-4, 315 pound Eric Mack. Fredrick preaches defense, and that type of thing is unacceptable. So, as Mack -- who is a fair player coming off the bench for the Saints hoops team -- kept moving up the floor, Fredrick stopped the action. He couldn’t watch it. He had to admonish. And, yet, maybe he shouldn’t have because Eric Mack is making a name for himself these days for being more agile than a man his size should be.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - January 3, 2009

It was painful to watch...

Unbeaten Utah humbles Saban, No. 4 'Bama
Coach Nick Saban and the Alabama players repeatedly said the Sugar Bowl will be a key to how this team will be remembered. If true, that's bad news for the No. 4 Crimson Tide. Down to its third-team left tackle, Alabama's offensive line uncharacteristically struggled and its normally stingy defense was victimized by quarterback Brian Johnson and No. 7 Utah in a 31-17 Sugar Bowl loss Friday night.

"We weren't ready for them."
For nearly a month, lightly regarded Utah was the sideshow to the expected celebration that would mark Alabama's return to the Sugar Bowl. The game itself was a very different story. The underdog Utes struck a blow for non-BCS teams everywhere, stunning the Crimson Tide like no one in the previous year for a 31-17 victory. "We weren't ready for them," Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody said. "They took control of the game and that's how they set the tempo. I was stunned."

Utah proves it can play in the big time against the SEC
They play football in Utah. Really good football. The Utes can take that chip off their shoulder now. They belong in the Bowl Championship Series. They belong on the field with the best teams in the country. Just ask the University of Alabama. Friday night in the Sugar Bowl, No 7 Utah took the No. 4 Crimson Tide to school. The Utes beat Bama like it was Wyoming.

The Tide Will Rise Again!

Tide Tidbits - January 2, 2009

Alabama meets Utah at the Superdome
The teams have the best combined records of any bowl matchup, including next week’s national championship game between Florida and Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide has a chance to add to its Sugar Bowl legacy, which includes 12 previous trips and eight wins, most of any school in the country. Its last visit came in 1993, when it beat Miami to capture its 12th and most recent national championship. “It means a lot because this is one of the great bowl games of all time and it is just an honor to be able to play in it,” Alabama tight end Travis McCall said. “It is a part of Alabama’s history and it is always good to continue that.”

Unlikely stars fell on Alabama, Utah
The 75th Sugar Bowl is Exhibit A for those who'd argue the science of football recruiting remains inexact. Their case rests on the parallel story lines of Alabama safety Rashad Johnson and Utah linebacker Mike Wright. They were walk-ons when they joined their teams — no scholarships, just an opportunity to prove themselves on the practice field against all the prized recruits. They played too hard and learned too quickly to be ignored. Now they are leaders on their respective defenses.

Alabama coach Nick Saban not worried about possible staff changes
Barring a last-minute change of heart, Alabama defensive head coach Kevin Steele will be announced as the new defensive coordinator at Clemson as early as this weekend, multiple sources told the Press-Register. "Continuity is great," Saban said. "But also when you do have change, there are some tremendous benefits to that in terms of new experience, new ideas, new enthusiasm."

Heavily favored Tide stays on guard
Hardly anyone is buying the upset, be it odds-makers, media, the betting public or the majority of football fans swarming the Big Easy. By now they surely know about left offensive tackle Andre Smith. The player widely considered Alabama's best was sent home this week, and the suspension of the Outland Trophy winner dominated headlines and threatened to distract a team that has proved largely unflappable. Overall, that mess caused the betting line to move one single, solitary point.

Utah eager to test Tide in Sugar Bowl
Unwittingly, Nick Saban added some spice to the 75th Sugar Bowl. Saban's intention - after his club fell out of the national title chase with a loss to Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game - was to remind his players of their exceptional 2008 campaign. He noted the Crimson Tide was the only team to have an undefeated regular season in a "real BCS conference." So not all 12-0s are created equal, right? Suffice it to say the Utes intend to prove that idea wrong, and while Utah coach Kyle Whittingham would rather not make a big deal out of it, he couldn't deny his players were aware of what Saban said.

Utah looks to make Sugar Bowl history vs. Tide
During its glory days of old, there was no place Alabama would rather end a season than in the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide won its last national championship in the 1993 edition, its eighth victory in 12 previous appearances in New Orleans during the new year. The Bowl Championship Series era changed that. Alabama's berth in the Sugar Bowl this season was more akin to a relegation after a loss to Florida in the Southeastern Conference title game, which prevented the Tide (12-1) from playing for the BCS championship in Miami.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - January 1, 2009

Utah reminded of underdog status in Sugar Bowl
Utah quarterback Brian Johnson tuned into the Sugar Bowl last year. He didn't watch it for very long. There were better things on TV than the 41-10 trouncing that BCS buster Hawaii endured at the hands of a Georgia team that was among the best in the Southeastern Conference last season. As fate would have it, Johnson's Utes are preparing to play in the Louisiana Superdome one year later, testing their 12-0 record against one of this season's SEC powerhouses. "It would be huge for our school to beat someone as well known as Alabama," Johnson said.


Saban addresses suspension
“Andre Smith is a fine young man and he did a great job here for us. He may be doing a great job for somebody else in the future; he may doing a great job for us some more. That decision has not been made.” Saban said poor judgment can come with consequences. “It’s unfortunate but hopefully it’s something we can all learn from and other players on our team will learn from,” Saban said. “... When you do things right, things usually work out the right way. And if you don’t, they don’t. And sometimes when you don’t, your actions create consequences and that can go in a positive way or it can go in a negative way. And this one didn’t work out that good.”

No NCAA probe for Tide's Smith
The NCAA is not pursuing any action in the situation that led the University of Alabama to suspend star left tackle Andre Smith for Friday night's Sugar Bowl. NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn said Wednesday, "The NCAA has been in contact with Alabama and the institution is handling the matter." Osburn's statement validated Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, who said earlier Wednesday that the Smith investigation is an "institutional matter" and "not an NCAA matter." "So anybody that's out there worried about that doesn't need to really think too much about it," Saban said.

Mike Johnson is getting tips from departed roommate Andre Smith
Alabama offensive lineman Mike Johnson said he has been receiving pointers from suspended teammate Andre Smith as Johnson prepares to replace Smith at left tackle Friday night against Utah. "He's helping me out with the defensive end that we're playing against and giving me some tips," Johnson said.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 31, 2008

Sugar Bowl features overachieving defenses
With Andersen's looming departure and Kalani Sitake's elevation to replace him, the Sugar Bowl will feature three defensive coordinators, a head defensive coach and two defensive-minded head coaches. Not surprisingly, it will also boast two pretty good defenses. The success also means some coaching turnover, possibly for both staffs. Both defenses have overachieved this season, thanks largely to the emergence of the front seven defenders. Nose guard Terrence Cody transferred in from junior college and became an All-American and freshman linebacker Don'ta Hightower also became an immediate starter.

Alabama attorney general investigates Smith situation
The suspension of Alabama junior left tackle Andre Smith carried aftershocks Tuesday. The state attorney general’s office is reviewing reports of alleged contact between the Outland Trophy winner and a sports agent, according to the Associated Press. “The attorney general’s office has been active in prosecuting sports agent violations,” office spokesman Chris Bence told the AP. “It’s a felony. That’s a serious law.”

Alabama notes: Tide likes Barron's future
Former St. Paul's standout Mark Barron will be in the competition to replace Alabama's departing All-American free safety Rashad Johnson, Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said Tuesday. "Mark Barron has done an outstanding job," Smart said. "He's another freshmen who's contributed on special teams. ... He's one of the better overall athletes. He's a guy that can run. He can hit you. He's a good player. He's going to help us."

Smith says return to Tide 'possible'
While Alabama teammates tried to move on before Friday night's Sugar Bowl against Utah, junior left tackle Andre Smith was home Tuesday pondering his future amid what he termed a "disappointing" situation. Smith said "it's possible" he could still opt to return to the Crimson Tide next season despite his Monday suspension from the team. Smith was sent home from the bowl site as school officials continue to hash out details of an improper association between Smith or a person representing his interest and a sports agent.

So what else is going on?
One special treat: Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart met with the media for the first time today. The BCS requires coordinators to be available for scheduled interviews, which means access to Tide assistants that otherwise do not conduct interviews. Offensive coordinator Jim McElwain (who like we told you, is not bound for New Mexico State) stopped by yesterday. Smart, like McElwain, was great to talk with. He was asked plenty of times about Nick Saban's tendency to jokingly call himself a graduate assistant ...

Utah ready to take on Cody
Salt Lake City is surrounded by mountains on three sides, so University of Utah sophomore Zane Taylor has some idea what he's in for Friday night when the seventh-ranked Utes play the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl. Taylor is Utah's center, so he'll be charged with trying to block Alabama's All-American nose guard Terrence Cody — all 6-foot-5 and 365 pounds of him. 'I've heard the name a few times, seen him on film,' Taylor said. 'He's quite a guy, quite a player, for sure. 'He's a strong player and he's hard to move. A lot of guys, you can move them one way or another. He really is like a mountain. You don't see many guys push him around.'

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 30, 2008

Even without Smith, Utah not taking Alabama lightly
Kyle Whittingham wanted to see the University of Alabama's Outland Trophy winner, Andre Smith, on the field in Friday night's Sugar Bowl. Instead, Utah will now be preparing to play an Alabama team without Smith, who will miss the game after being suspended. 'It was slated to be an intriguing matchup between (Smith) and Paul Kruger,' Whittingham told The Tuscaloosa News after Utah's Monday practice at Tulane upon learning of Smith's suspension. 'We think a lot of our defensive end and he's a pretty good player as well, so that was going to be one of the battles within the battle that I was looking forward to seeing.'

Alabama's Kevin Steele emerges as top candidate for Clemson job
Alabama defensive head coach Kevin Steele is at the front of the line to become the next defensive coordinator at Clemson in a deal that could be finalized in the next week. Interest has been expressed by both parties, multiple sources told the Press-Register, and Clemson reportedly can offer a salary competitive with or exceeding the $360,000 that Steele made with the Crimson Tide this season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL REPORT: ‘Bama’s Smith suspended for Sugar Bowl
Alabama All-America left tackle Andre Smith has been suspended from the Sugar Bowl for violating team rules, possibly signaling an end to the Outland Trophy winner’s college career. “The University of Alabama, the team and the football program are more important than any individual player,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a statement Monday. “Every one on our team depends on each other to be responsible, to make good choices and decisions relative to their actions.” Saban did not specify Smith’s violation leading up to Friday night’s game against Utah (12-0).

Coffee not concerned with rushing record
With University of Alabama junior left tackle Andre Smith suspended for Friday’s game against Utah in the Sugar Bowl, one of the biggest questions for the Crimson Tide is how it might affect junior running back Glen Coffee’s record chase. With 1,347 yards on 220 carries, he needs only 125 yards to set a new UA single-season mark, currently held by Bobby Humphrey (1,471 yards on 236 carries in 1986). “I’ve been aware, but that’s not the focus,” Coffee said during a press conference Monday morning before Smith’s suspension was announced. “The focus is on what the coaches are asking me to do in the game.”

No Zs, just Ws
If there’s one word that should never be used to describe University of Alabama offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jim McElwain, it’s boring. As a person, he’s anything but. Introduce yourself and you may get a wide smile. Ask about his home state of Montana and prepare to get comfortable because there are few things he likes to talk about more. His offense really isn’t much different even though the run-first Crimson Tide was called everything from throwback to old school this season while cranking out 196.5 rushing yards per game and outscoring the opposition by an average of 31-13.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 29, 2008

Utah Utes football: There's lots of sweet talk from 'Bama
Practically the first thing out of Alabama coach Nick Saban's mouth Sunday morning — other than a folksy how-ya'll-doin'? — was exactly how good Utah is. "This is an outstanding team that we are playing in Utah," said Saban. "This is probably the only undefeated team left in the country now, which is a significant accomplishment in and of itself, and is a very, very difficult thing to do in this day and age, in terms of the consistency you have to play with." So why does this sound slightly suspicious? Oh, right — because it's not necessarily true.

Bama has Utes dwarfed
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham was quick to acknowledge his players will be the little guys in more ways than one when the Utes take on Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Friday’s game is not only a matchup of an SEC powerhouse and a non-BCS upstart from the Mountain West conference. It’s a game between one of the most physical offensive lines in the country and an undersized defensive front that relies on stunts and quickness. “It’s no secret we are going to have to put at least eight or nine guys in the box to stop their run game or at least slow it down,” Whittingham said Sunday morning, a day after both teams arrived in New Orleans. “I don’t like the word finesse, but we are going to have to move a lot, slant and twist and that type of thing. It is what we have been doing all season long.”

Changes coming for Tide in 2009
The momentum generated with a 12-1 season paired with the smallest senior class in the nation will have Crimson Tide fans clamoring for the start of the 2009 season. There will be changes, however. The offensive line will have to replace at least two seniors — first-team All-American center Antoine Caldwell and right guard Marlon Davis. And Outland Trophy winner Andre Smith, another first-team All-American, is eligible to enter the NFL Draft.

Nick Saban discussing the Alabama job: "I'm happy to do it for a long time."
Maybe I just don't get it, but I'm not understanding this hubbub over Nick Saban's comments at yesterday's Sugar Bowl press conference. So he gave a bit of a tepid, careful answer when asked if Alabama was his "ideal" job. If you missed it, here's the basic quote ...

Tide's Saban gets another honor
Nick Saban of the Sugar Bowl-bound Alabama Crimson Tide has been selected the Walter Camp 2008 Coach of the Year by the nation’s 119 bowl subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. The only other Alabama coach to earn the honor was Gene Stallings, who won in 1992. Saban is also the first coach from the Southeastern Conference to receive the award since Auburn's Tommy Tuberville was selected in 2004.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 28, 2008

10 reasons for Tide's turnaround in 2008
Alabama fans are thankful their team emerged from its decade-long dormant stage and captured the attention of the nation with an outstanding season that included five weeks at No. 1 and the Southeastern Conference West Division title. Here, then, are the 10 things that helped the Crimson Tide roll to a 12-1 season and a berth in the Sugar Bowl against Utah:

SUGAR BOWL: Saban tells fans to respect Utah
The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide has gone over the game plan of trying to contain quarterback Brian Johnson and the spread formation and looked at the challenges presented by a constantly shifting defense that relies on speed to get opposing ballcarriers on the ground quickly. "This is a lot better team than everybody thinks," he said. "I want everybody to know that's traveling and supporting us, you need to respect this team ... because this is a very, very good team. This is as good a team as we've played all year long, in terms of what they do. And I can promise you that. So if you think any different, you're thinking wrong."

Tide's ride tops state sports stories
It was a steamy August afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and Antoine Caldwell was feeling pretty good about Alabama's chances of contending for a Southeastern Conference title. "I feel like this is the first year that I can legitimately say that we can compete for the SEC West," the Crimson Tide center said after a preseason practice. "Talentwise, we've got everything. We've got the pieces to the puzzle." Turns out Caldwell was aiming low. Alabama's stunning return to the top of the rankings and the national title scene was named the state's biggest sports story of 2008 by The Associated Press.

Big trouble can find you in Big Easy
Alabama coach Nick Saban said he trusts his players to make good decisions leading up to next week's Sugar Bowl. But as a general rule, Saban also trusts in a curfew. When Crimson Tide players arrive for today's first on-site bowl practice, they'll begin receiving free time to enjoy The Big Easy on their own. The team's peer group will meet to decide on a certain time to be back at the team hotel, with the understanding that violations could lead to repercussions. "If we have issues, we will penalize the people that are involved in it," Saban said.

Tide players look to avoid distractions in New Orleans
It's an easy-going atmos­phere, a place where musicians can find easy work or where French Quarter revelers can make easy purchases and con­sumption of alcohol. It's also an easy place to get into trouble. While New Orleans grabbles with its own problems in the wake of Hurricane Katrina -- a contingent of Louisiana Nation­al Guardsmen remain on patrol through March 1 to combat a murder rate that is 10 times the national average -- Alabama head coach Nick Saban will have to deal with the constant distractions posed by The Big Easy as he prepares the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide for its Sugar Bowl game with seventh-ranked Utah on Friday.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 27, 2008

Tide’s maturity faces test this week
Alabama has relied on its experience and maturity throughout the season — on and off the field. That maturity will be tested, displayed and expected in a city almost synonymous with, uh, “distractions” for college football players. Alabama players report for the final week of Sugar Bowl preparations Saturday in New Orleans. The team will practice late in the afternoon for the Jan. 2 game against undefeated Utah. “I’ve never been. It’s my first time. I’ve heard it gets pretty crazy. There are a lot of things that can distract you from playing football down there,” said Johnson, the All-American safety.

Alabama's small but tight senior class led turnaround
The group is tiny. Just nine of them on scholarship, the smallest contingent in the country. That becomes clear every time the Alabama seniors gather for a meeting. "There's just not a lot of guys there," senior quarterback John Parker Wilson said. Yet when they peel off their crimson for the final time on Jan. 2, they will be like proud parents. The process wasn't easy. Enduring two 6-6 regular seasons and a coaching change rarely is. But they believe the fruits of their labor resulted in the stunning rebirth of a program.

Recruiting: Athens High star Ming commits to play for Saban, Crimson Tide
Want to know what it feels like to be somewhat of a teenage celebrity? Ask William Ming. The Athens HIgh defensive end has been living in the spotlight since his sophomore year. Instead, he's a football player. And in Alabama, that's better than all of the above. "When I go down to (Tuscaloosa), people recognize me," said Ming, who has committed to play football at the University of Alabama next fall. "I'll just be walking around, and people will say 'Hey, that's William Ming.' It's pretty cool."

Back to the Big Easy
The last time the University of Alabama played in the Sugar Bowl, it won the 1992 national championship. If anyone can relate to what that’s like, it’s Nick Saban. The last time he coached a team at the Superdome in New Orleans, he too won a national title. You think there might be some good karma at work here? “Any time you’re in a (Bowl Championship Series) bowl game, there’s a great memory from that,” the second-year Alabama coach said last week. “This is a fantastic opportunity.”

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 26, 2008

Tide taking Sugar Bowl seriously
Bowl games are rewards for great seasons. At least, that’s the common refrain. But a number of Alabama players missed that memo. They look at the Crimson Tide’s Jan. 2 date against Utah in the Allstate Sugar Bowl as a final opportunity to prove — and even vindicate — themselves. There is a genuine urgency to make sure the luster of an undefeated regular season isn’t dimmed by a loss in the SEC Championship Game and a bowl loss.

Cody plays joke on fans
Terrence Cody likes Alabama so much he doesn't want to leave just yet. But that doesn't mean he doesn't like to tease Crimson Tide fans. Cody told Alabama coach Nick Saban last week he would return for his senior season. He then had his girlfriend post on his Facebook page that he was going pro. "It was a joke," he said.Despite being projected as a possible first-round pick in April's NFL Draft, the 6-foot-5, 375-pound Cody didn't want to submit paperwork to receive an evaluation of his NFL Draft status like his teammate Andre Smith, an All-American left tackle.

Alabama's Top 10 sports stories
The Top 10 sports stories for Alabama in 2008, as chosen by The Associated Press: 1) TIDE'S RISE: From No. 2 in the state to No. 1 in the nation, Alabama forged a dramatic turnaround this season. 2) TIGERS' TURMOIL: Auburn struggled to a losing record then coach Tommy Tuberville stepped down and was replaced by Gene Chizik.

Jim McElwain is not on New Mexico State's short list
A highly speculative report from the New Mexico State Rivals' site today named Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain as one of the three candidates for the head coaching job at NMSU. After some checking around, I can safely say I've found nothing solid to suggest this is about to happen but plenty to suggest it will not. Two sources close to that search both said today that McElwain is NOT on a list of three finalists being considered at the moment.

Top 50 recruits in Alabama: 1-10
The state of Alabama has seen a few changes in 2008, starting with the sudden rise of the University of Alabama back to national prominence. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class helped contribute to the great success on the field, starting with wide receiver Julio Jones, who was Scout.com’s No. 1 player in 2007. Six players from the state of Alabama were selected to participate in the U.S. Army All-American Game on Jan. 3, 2009, in San Antonio, Texas. The Tuscaloosa News presents the state’s postseason Top 50:

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 25, 2008

Tide players spend Christmas at home
The Alabama Crimson Tide gets the best of both worlds: Christmas at home with family and a nice bowl trip. The Tide players got to head home for two or three days before gathering in New Orleans on Dec. 27 to resume practices in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl. It’s a big improvement from last season when Alabama had to gather for practice on Christmas day in Shreveport, La., for the Independence Bowl. “You have to enjoy anything you’re given but traveling on Christmas Day to a bowl game was probably the worst Christmas present I’ve gotten,” Tide linebacker Cory Reamer said.

Details make the difference for Tech coach Derek Dooley
Dooley, the son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley, spent five seasons at LSU under Nick Saban and another two with the Miami Dolphins with the current Alabama coach. Moffitt said another Dooley trait allowed him to survive long enough to be Saban’s longest tenured assistant when he accepted the Tech job. “His mental toughness and the ability to see long term (helped him). Some people couldn’t deal with that,” Moffitt said. “We had our own little support group. He had grown up where coaching was the norm and he knew that was part of the job. He would take the beatings and keep on ticking. He deserves everything good that comes his way.”

All eyes on new guys in leading the teams
One new Southeastern Conference football coach has won barely one-fifth of his games as a head man. Another managed a 25 percent clip. Still, a third has never been a head coach, and two others are closer to age 30 than 40. The powerhouse football league didn’t go for splashy names like other recent hires Bobby Petrino, Nick Saban and Urban Meyer in its latest sideline shopping spree. This time it’s Gene Chizik, Lane Kiffin and Dan Mullen. It’s hard to imagine any of them drawing 92,000 fans to a spring game like Alabama’s Saban did in his first year.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 24, 2008

Under Saban, Tide rides high
Four straight losses were bad enough for Alabama, and one humbling defeat to Louisiana-Monroe was even worse. Nick Saban could have lost his team right there. Instead, he might well have claimed it. "Coach came in and talked to us and was like, 'We've got an opportunity to change things with this bowl game,"' Crimson Tide safety Rashad Johnson said.

Tide's spoils include longer break
Alabama linebacker Cory Reamer doesn't want to complain about a Christmas present. "You have to enjoy anything you're given," Reamer said, "but traveling on Christmas Day to a bowl game was probably the worst Christmas present I've gotten." When Crimson Tide players broke for the holidays after one final on-site Sugar Bowl practice Tuesday morning, each of them was aware they won't have to report back to the team in New Orleans until Dec. 27. That leaves three full days to enjoy family and friends, a fact that thrills pretty much everyone associated with the program.

Alabama's big offensive line faces test against Utah's tiny defensive line
Nick Saban's eyes have deceived him. When the Alabama coach watches film and focuses on Utah's defensive line, he reaches one conclusion. "They don't look so small to me," he said. They are. In the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, the Crimson Tide's massive offensive line faces a Utes front four that is smaller than that of any other UA opponent. By far. "They're a little undersized compared to (Southeastern Conference) lines," said Alabama right tackle Drew Davis, a 6-foot-7, 300-pounder. "What they lack (they make up for by being) very quick."

Next stop:New Orleans
The fourth-ranked University of Alabama football team completed its final on-campus practice Tuesday before taking a holiday break prior to the Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide will re-gather in New Orleans two days after Christmas to resume preparations for the Jan. 2 game against seventh-ranked Utah. For these few days off for the holiday after practicing seven times in the last six days, Alabama players are under orders not to spend too much time thinking about the game.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 23, 2008

'Saint Nick' happy he's home for the holidays
"I don't even remember the last time," he said. "This is a great holiday season, certainly a time to be thankful for all of this and all the gifts that we have. That starts with your family, and being thankful that you have great relationships with your children and relatives and people that you can spend time with. It's always better if you can do that at home. That's what makes home what it is." He said he told his wife, Terry, not to get him anything for Christmas. "She said, 'Oh, I got you something,'" he continued. "I said, 'Oh yeah, what?' She said, 'Gold Toe socks.' I asked her what she wanted. You could have bought a whole truckload of socks.

Final word: Crimson Tide seniors want to cement legacy with win
Senior quarterback John Parker Wilson acknowledges all that Alabama's football team accomplished this year — the 12 wins, SEC West title, BCS bowl bid, a heap of postseason accolades. But he knows there is more to achieve. "We've had a great season up to this point, something we'll all remember," Wilson said. "But if we don't go out and win this game, it's going to be all for nothing."

Alabama will open up QB competition next season
Alabama second-string quarterback Greg McElroy will not inherit the starting spot from senior John Parker Wilson without a fight. "We will have competition for the position next year," Saban said. "(McElroy) has the most experience right now, but we're certainly going to let everybody compete for it and make a decision about who can do the best job of helping us win."

Saban: You'd best fear the Utes
Alabama returned to practice Monday in preparation for its Sugar Bowl matchup with Utah, and Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban issued a stern warning to those who might be overlooking the underdog Utes. "This is a lot better team than everybody thinks. ... Oregon State beat Southern Cal, and (Utah) beat (Oregon State). TCU is a very good team and they beat them. This is as good a team as we've played all year long, in terms of what they do. ... So if you think any different, you're thinking wrong."

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 22, 2008

SUGAR BOWL: Alabama's Greenwood wants to go out strong
Bobby Greenwood can't complain. The Alabama senior from Prattville would like more sacks, but what defensive end wouldn't? He'd like more tack­les, but doesn't every defender? Most of all, he'd like to wipe out the disappointment of Ala­bama's last game, a 31-20 loss to Florida in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, with a win over Utah in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2. "We've done a lot of great things this year," he ob­served, "and we just don't want to mess it up here at the end. We just want to go out on top with a victory. I know the sen­iors, we're going to give it all we got."

Utah Utes football: Sharitt knows an upset of Alabama
When Kelly Sharitt became Utah's new athletic equipment manager earlier this year, he brought a wealth of experience to the post. It's a staff Christmas gift he received last year from his previous employer — a commemorative football from Louisiana-Monroe football coach Charlie Weatherbie. "We went in there in front of 92,000 people and we shocked the world," said Sharitt, who was ULM's equipment manager at the time. "It's a pretty neat little gift and just something to remember it by for a long time."

Tide's defense has seen enough of the spread to be ready for Utah
When head defensive coach Kevin Steele's unit takes the Superdome field on Jan. 2 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, it won't be exactly like facing the Gators. But the nation's No. 3 defense can expect many of the same plays and formations. Coach Nick Saban began to sprinkle work on the schemes into practice as early as Nov. 17. By the time the team turned its attention to Utah on Sunday, the UA defenders were practically experts. "It will be just repetition and getting it down more polished," safety Rashad Johnson said, "instead of having to learn new stuff."

Stover enjoying the ride in his senior season
Nikita Stover had no ulterior motive for picking out a shirt from last year’s Independence Bowl to wear after practice on Saturday. The senior receiver for the fourth-ranked University of Alabama wasn’t trying to make a statement, nor did he wear it as a reminder. “I just threw it on,” he said.

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 21, 2008

Senior Crimson Tide tight ends have developed a close bond
At first glance, they're polar opposites. Nick Walker is the fun-lov­ing guy, the outspoken cut-up who hails from rural Pike Coun­ty and played every position as an all-state athlete at a small county school. Travis McCall is the quieter type who often wears a serious look and has always had to prove he can catch the ball after being recruited as a blocker out of Prattville High. Together, they make an al­most unbeatable combination. In another twist of the un­likely makeup, the pair will make history on Jan. 2 by play­ing in their 52nd game at Alabama.

Nick Saban dismisses similarities between Utah and Florida offenses
The similarity between offenses at Utah and Florida has been overblown, according to Alabama coach Nick Saban. "It's not really the same," Saban said. "There's some of the same concepts, but Utah is much more of a passing team." The primary difference, however, deals with Johnson and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who is much more of a running threat.

CECIL HURT: Utah not an extension of the Gators
It’s rare for any college program to remain frozen in place after a head coaching change, even if there is a smooth transition from that coach to an assistant coach. Even though Kyle Whittingham, the current Utah coach, served as an assistant to Urban Meyer before Meyer left for Florida after the 2004 season, that doesn’t automatically mean the Utes will be doing the same things offensively that the Gators did in the University of Alabama’s most recent game. “It’s not really the same,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said as he spoke to reporters on Saturday, discussing the Crimson Tide’s upcoming shift to game-plan preparation.

Injured receiver Will Oakley won't be back for Sugar Bowl
Alabama senior receiver Will Oakley will not be healthy enough to participate in the Sugar Bowl, Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban confirmed today. "He's out for the season," Saban said. And that means an end to Oakley's playing career at Alabama. He's still practicing -- though restricted from contact -- right now, which likely means he's working just to make the trip to New Orleans with the team.

Utah's bid for respect
If you think Alabama's football team was overlooked at times this season, try being Utah. The Utes haven't lost a game and were never a part of the national title mix. Their best chance for respect comes Jan. 2 against the Crimson Tide. "People make a lot of assumptions at times, and I don't think a ton of people have watched us play," Utah quarterback Brian Johnson said. "We know that we're a big underdog, obviously, but at the same time, we think we're a talented enough team. We'll be ready. We're going to go out there and compete hard for 60 minutes and show up and be ready to play."

Roll Tide!

Tide Tidbits - December 20, 2008

SUGAR BOWL: Legacy on the line for Tide
Alabama coach Nick Saban is all about finishing. And a good finish to a 12-0 regular season does not include a loss to Florida in the South­eastern Conference Champion­ship Game and a loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl. "I really do think the legacy of this team lies in what they do from this point on," he said. "What has happened to this point really doesn't matter. This team will be remembered a lot by their last game."

Alabama to open 2009 season with Va. Tech
Alabama football coach Nick Saban traces a lot of his team's success in 2008 to a decision made the previous January to participate in the inaugural Chick-fil-A College Kickoff against nationally ranked Clem­son. "I think it really motivated our players in the offseason to work hard and prepare well for what was going to be a very chal­lenging game," Saban said. "I think it actually made our team better in a lot of ways: the atti­tude, the togetherness, the com­mitment, the work ethic, were all things that we probably needed to improve on and I think that game played a signifi­cant role in helping us do that."

Utes just ignore opinion of others
Heading in, they're already listed as 10-point underdogs. Such is life for a non-BCS powerhouse in today's college football climate. It's a constant uphill battle because, as Utah quarterback Brian Johnson said, "Nobody really pays attention to what's going on. People make a lot of assumptions at times, and I don't think a ton of people have watched us play," Johnson said. "We know that we're a big underdog, obviously, but at the same time, we think we're a talented enough team. We'll be ready. We're going to go out there and compete hard for 60 minutes and show up and be ready to play."

Roll Tide!