Bama - Clemson quotes

Tide Sports photo gallery

"The last time Alabama won a truly big-time non-conference game during the regular season, some members of the Crimson Tide’s vaunted freshman class were not yet born. It was 1989, when Alabama won at Penn State." - Cecil Hurt

Clemson’s star running back tandem of James Davis and C.J. Spiller were harder to locate than Osama Bin Laden, vanishing from the Tiger offense. - Cecil Hurt

“I cannot remember us getting physically beaten that badly in the last three years. We created no momentum. We did nothing offensively or defensively to do that. We’re obviously not the ninth-rated team in America.” Tiger coach Tommy Bowden

“We were more physical than they were. I would say our team played well for an opening game.” Nick Saban

“We’re winning the battle up front, and that is what we have to do. It opens up everything for us on both sides of the ball.” Nick Saban, at halftime

"I am really proud of this team and how it competed. It was a great win for our team. I'm happy for our team. But we got to learn how to play with consistency." Nick Saban

“I think the last drive, to take the air out of it for seven minutes, is what you call finishing the game and I was pleased and proud that we were able to do that.” Nick Saban

"The world is now spinning correctly on its axis."

That is how Eli Gold, the voice of the Tide, called the end of Alabama's 34-10 victory over the ninth ranked Clemson Tigers. This will certainly go down as one of "Bama's Greatest Games".

My game notes:

First quarter:
- three mental penalties limited Alabama to field goals
- Rashad Johnson dropped an int
- Cory Reamer forced a fumble that was recovered by D Hightower
- bad pass by JPW on 3rd and 3 at the foyr necessitated another fg
- defense confused and dominated Clemson
- nice punt return by Arenas
- offensive line and Ingram dominating 13-0
- D gave up 42 yard pass
- big sack by Deaderick

Second quarter:
- nice passes by JPW and interference called against Clemson
- Ingram running, o-line blocking, and JPW passing looking good
- halfway thru 2nd quarter: Bama led rushing 102-5
- JPW TD pass, now 8/10 and score is 20-3
- Defense made a nice stand again and pressured QB
- scored on first 4 possessions
- 3 or 4 Clemson players already hurt
- Thunder and Lightning RB's for Clemson have combined for 7 yards
- R McClain deflects a pass and Marquis Johnson intercepts
- nice passing and running by JPW
- Bowden admitted at halftime that Bama was tougher
- at the half, 23-3, Ingram 57 yds, Coffee 44 yds, JPW 14/18 for 118 yds
- Bama led rushing 126-7, total yds 245-89, first downs 15-4

Third quarter:
- Bama special teams gave up a 96 yd kickoff return..."arm tackling"
- offensive line dominates and Coffee running well
- Bama punts first time during the game
- Andre Smith hurt...only Bama injury I noticed....not too severely I hope
- TD pass JPW to JJ on 3rd and 4...now 9/13 on on third downs
- standouts include Terrance Cody who stuffed the line
- Clemson's two big runners combined so far for 7 yds, 1/10 on 3rd down

Fourth quarter:
- D continues to stop Clemson
- nice 29 yard run by Ingram
- sack by Charlie Higgenbotham
- Eli Gold, "The world is now spinning correctly on it's axis."

Stats and notes:
Score: 34-10
Last defeat of a top 10 team: Florida on 10-1-05
Clemson had 0 yards rushing
Rushing: Coffee 17-92, Ingram 17-97, Upchurch 7-30, Wilson 5-25
Total yards: Bama 419 Clemson 184
Clemson made it inside the Tide 30 only twice

Game Day is here

Roll Tide!

Forbes features Saban on cover

The Most Powerful Coach in Sports - Forbes

"On New Year's Day in 2007 Mal Moore, the athletic director at the University of Alabama, boarded a private plane bound for Miami. A little over a month earlier the university had fired Mike Shula, its fourth football coach in eight mediocre years. The pursuit of a new coach to that point had been bungled badly--the once proud program was reportedly turned down by Steve Spurrier, from South Carolina, and Rich Rodriguez, at the time the coach at West Virginia. Moore was on his way to Miami to try to woo Nick Saban, then the coach of the NFL's Dolphins. It was all-or-nothing, with no real backup plan. "I told the pilots when they dropped me off in Miami that if I didn't come back to this plane with Nick Saban, they should just go on and take me to Cuba," Moore says." >> More

Really liked this article. I thought it was fairly balanced and filled some holes in my knowledge about Saban's contract.

Julio excels in scrimmage

Alabama knows it has catch in Jones - Huntsville Times
In a preseason abuzz with excitement over Alabama's newest signing class, one freshman continues to leap above the others. Receiver Julio Jones was the statistical star of Saturday afternoon's scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium, all but cementing a contributing role this season with five catches for a team-best 125 yards and one touchdown.

Check out this video of a catch and run after the catch.

Fun with Coach Saban

Tide AP Preseason #24

Georgia first, Auburn tenth. Six SEC teams ranked - all are on 'Dawgs schedule.
Bulldogs! Georgia is No. 1 in preseason AP poll - Tidesports.com