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November 18, 2010 | Volume 3, Issue 11

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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

Pregame Preview

Alabama vs Stephen Smith

The Tide Looks To Stay Sharp Against The Panthers

oming off of a 30-10 win against Mississippi State, Alabama looks to build momentum against Georgia State this Thursday before heading into the Iron Bowl. While Georgia State is greatly overmatched, both teams have a lot to gain this week. The Panthers (6-4) finish their inaugural season in Tuscaloosa with their first nationally televised game. The game will be on ESPNU at 6:30 with commentary by Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Erin Andrews. Quarterback Drew Little has been the anchor of the Georgia State offense, completing 63% of his passes for 2,033 yards passing, 18 TDs and 7 interceptions. The Panthers’ offense averages 29.5 points per game on the arm of the redshirt freshman from

McDonough, Ga. Wide receiver, Danny Williams is Little’s favorite target on the field. The 6-foot-4-inch, 190 pound receiver leads the team with 53 catches, 604 yards, and 5 TDs. The backup quarterback Kelton Hill (not former Alabama player Star Jackson) leads the Panther’s rushing attack with 386 yards, and just over seven yards a carry. Georgia State is coming off of a 23-17 comeback victory over the Lamar Cardinals to ensure a winning season for the fledgling team. The Panthers have no senior starters on offense or defense. The only two senior starters are place kicker Iain Vance and holder Brandon Lupo. The task seems nearly impossible, but the exposure of a Thursday night game in Tuscaloosa could land Bill Curry some new talent to build upon.

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

The Alabama team has to maintain focus on a short week. After three SEC games in a row, the team can’t overlook Georgia State. While most would agree that Alabama should dominate, the team needs to focus on carrying momentum from the Mississippi State win through the Panthers and finish strong in the Iron Bowl. Quarterback Greg McElroy is coming off of an efficient performance against Mississippi State. He was

Georgia State

12-of-18 with 227 yards, 1 TD, and 1 interception. The offense exploded in the second and third quarters, scoring 21 points, but the offense needs to start faster and finish stronger. With big plays from Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Marquis Maze, the offense has added a big-play element to its arsenal. The Alabama defense held the Mississippi State offense to ten points with their only touchdown coming with eight minutes left in the fourth PHOTO BY MATT GASTON

quarter, long after the game was in hand. C.J Mosely led the team with twelve tackles while Mark Barron followed closely behind with eleven. Robert Lester continued his impressive season, recording two more interceptions. The Tide should have no trouble with Georgia State. The team needs to play sound defense and polish up the offense before the much anticipated Iron Bowl on November 26. The

Panther offense is fast paced, and will look to keep the Bama defense off balance, but their inexperience will be their downfall. The Thursday night game is a new experience this season, and Bama students are excited to be back in the stadium just five days after Mississippi State. After bouncing back from the loss at LSU, the team looks rejuvenated and ready to finish the regular season with two in Tuscaloosa. touchdownalabama.net |

Exclusive

First Year Fate

of Georgia State Jennifer Gorham

What happens when everyone’s a rookie?

hen most fans think of Tuscaloosa they think of tradition, football and pride. While teams in the Southeastern Conference have been around decade after decade, one team nearby is just starting out. The Georgia State Panthers are in their

first season in the Colonial Athletic Association. This conference consists of teams such as Delaware, James Madison, UNC Wilmington and William & Mary. The Panthers take on the Alabama Crimson Tide this week. This game could hold a special place for some fans

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

because the Panthers have a link to the Crimson Tide in more than one way. The Panthers’ head coach, Bill Curry, coached at UA after Ray Perkins, and a former Tide player, Star Jackson, transferred to GSU this year. This team picked the perfect coach to start its program. Curry has been recognized by the American Football Coaches Association with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award. The award recognizes someone whose services advance the best interests of football.The team started from the ground up in 2008, and Curry elaborates on his team and the beginning of a tradition. "I think back when there was nothing," Curry said earlier this year. "On July 1, 2008, we had a phone and a desk. Now we have 103 players… we have a full coaching staff, we have equipment, and now we have this beautiful field. It's almost surreal.” The Panthers reside in Atlanta and have a practice field on campus, but play their home games at the Georgia Dome. Curry’s team has proven they are here and are staying for the long haul. With a

PHOTOS (THIS PAGE): UPPER-MEG BUSCEMA, LOWER-DAVID TULIS

winning season record of 6-4, they are coming into this game off of a bye week. Curry mentions the importance of having a winning season the first year. “I think it is critical,” he confessed after the win against Lamar. “I felt more pressure today than any other time of the season

the student excitement and to see them fill the student section straight away will be with me forever. I love it." While Georgia State has played teams ranging from Jacksonville State University to The University of South Alabama, UA will be the team’s first

Palomar Junior College in California. He caught the winning catch against Lamar and spoke about it afterward. "We went through [the play] in practice, and it was the exact same play as what happened in the Jacksonville State game [in overtime],” Williams said at a post-game conference. “So, I just told myself, 'not twice, not in one year.' As I released, the ball was coming right to me, and the defensive lineman slapped it. I just kept my focus on the ball and made the catch." Aiding Williams in the game-winning touchdown was quarterback Drew Little. In an after-game conference, he commented on the tipped pass to Williams for the touchdown. “It was just a pop pass that I've run since I was seven years old,” he said. “I don't know if we didn't get out enough, or if they covered it well. It was thirdand-whatever, so I had to give him [Arthur Williams] a chance to make a play, and he kept his eyes on the ball and made a play for us. I trust in my guys, and they always have my back." Georgia State will finish out their successful regular season in Tuscaloosa. This Thursday’s game will be aired on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. Be sure to tune in for the first showdown between the Panthers of Georgia State and UA’s Crimson Tide.

"On July 1, 2008, we had a phone and a desk. Now we have 103 players… we have a full coaching staff, we have equipment, and now we have this beautiful field. It's almost surreal.” -Bill Curry personally. I was more anxious because we have had wonderful coverage this year from the media, but there is a flipside to that. If you don't produce you will be remembered for that. This was the game [against Lamar] that determined a winning record or not. Today was a big day for our football team." Georgia State’s President Mark P. Becker also enjoyed the festivities of the first season and first game. Starting team traditions and viewing fans painted and decked out for the Panthers stuck with him and will live in his memory forever. "Everything's been memorable,” Becker admitted. “Before the game [against Shorter], we went down to the field and we did some photo opportunities for this historic event. Our student section was already full, their bodies were painted, and I'll never forget the excitement of those kids. The students have been behind this program. To see

SEC competitor. Not only will Georgia State close out their first season with a winning record, but UA can be proud to be the first SEC team to battle against the Panthers. This is a special event for the Tide as well. Some players to watch for are quarterback Drew Little, tight end Arthur Williams and kicker Iain Vance. Vance came from Georgia Tech as a walk-on and he scored the winning field goals against Campbell and North Carolina Central in overtime. He elaborates on kicking in overtime and his potential to come through for his team. “I'm always looking to redeem myself if I mess up,” he said at a post-game conference. “There is no question in my mind that I wanted to get out there and do that [against North Carolina Central]." Junior tight end Arthur Williams weighs in at 270 pounds and stands at 6-feet,-3inches tall. He joined the team from

PHOTOS (THIS PAGE): LEFT-DAVID TULIS, CENTER-TODD DREXLER, RIGHT-BREAKTHENEWS.US

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Exclusive

Bill Curry: Followed the Bear, Pacing the Panthers

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

ill Curry has been around football his entire life. Born in College Park, Ga., he played at Georgia Tech in the 60s, and then bounced around the NFL, with stops in Green Bay, Baltimore and Houston, until 1974 when he retired with the Los Angeles Rams. Curry’s coaching career, much like his NFL career, has been all over the country. He coached college football at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky and is currently the head coach of the Georgia State Panthers. He also spent time in the NFL as an assistant to the Green Bay Packers. Bill Curry is remembered with mixed feelings by fans old enough to recall his tenure as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. He took over the Tide in 1987 from Ray Perkins and stayed until 1989. He amassed a 26-10 record during his three seasons at the Capstone. The record was good for the highest winning percentage among Alabama coach since Bear Bryant until Nick Saban, who is 33-9 thus far with Alabama. Curry also won an SEC Championship in 1989. Curry was also selected as the SEC Coach of the Year and the National Coach of the Year in 1989. While he did post very strong win totals, he never beat Auburn while he was at Alabama. The fact that he never won an Iron Bowl casts him in a poor light for some fans. He left the Tide in 1990 to coach at the University of Kentucky. Curry did not duplicate the success he enjoyed at Alabama while he was with the Wildcats. The best record he posted was a 6-6 record in 1993 which included a loss to Clemson in the Peach Bowl. He hit rock bottom in 1994 with a one win season. He stepped aside in 1996 and Hal Mumme succeeded him at Kentucky. Curry stayed out of coaching for the next twelve years until

PHOTO BY PAUL ABELL / ABELL IMAGES

Georgia State, a university in suburban Atlanta, decided to begin a football program on the Division 1 level. They hired Curry in January 2008 to build the program from the ground up. Curry was thrilled with the opportunity. “It is fascinating! I have done a lot of things in my long football stint, but never this,” he told ESPN’s SportsNation. “And it shocked me that it was proposed to me, but I am a football coach. I could not restrain my excitement, and when I called my wife, who has a masters and PhD from Georgia State, she was excited too, which surprised me. And when we put our heads together we decided it was something that should be done so we jumped on board.” As eager as he was to get started, he knew it would be a challenge. "We know all the negative talk," he said, "so we address it. 'Y'all don't have a chance.' You're going to hear it, but you're not required to believe it." From the beginning, Curry believed his task was not just to compete, but to win games right out of the gate. “We want to be competitive from the minute we step on the field,” he said. “Our goal will remain the same and that is to win every game no matter who we are playing. I have never been able to frame goals any other way. We are going to shoot for perfection and if you aim high and push yourself to be the very best, while you may never get there, and no team is perfect, you will reach excellence. So that is how we are going to start and that is how we will continue.” Coming into a brand new program was a very different experience than taking over established teams. Curry took it in stride. "There's a whole laundry list of things we don't have,” he said, “but not one of them can keep us from

winning. Not one." In the Panthers’ first season, he has proven that statement to be accurate. The school has had some moderate success with its program in its first season of competition, posting a 6-4 record with victories over Morehead St. and Savannah St. They’ve endured two overtime games in their first season. They close their season this week against Alabama, their only ranked opponent of the season, in Tuscaloosa. At a capacity almost 30,000 more than the Georgia Dome, where the Panthers play their home games, Bryant Denny Stadium is also the largest venue the young team has seen. No matter the outcome of this last game, Curry is proud of his teams’ accomplishments thus far. “We have a lot to work on, but the bottom line is this, we have a winning record for the year and we have a winning record at home. We have one more piece of business to take care of and we are already allowing ourselves to think about it now [after the Nov.6 game against Lamar and prior to their bye week]. We will have a plan for when we go to Tuscaloosa and we will play our hearts out and let the chips fall where they may.” When asked what he thought of Nick Saban specifically, Curry replied: “Well I think the same thing that I have always thought…He is a great football coach.” Bill Curry isn’t the only person with an Alabama connection who will be on the opposing sideline on Thursday. Star Jackson, former Alabama quarterback, transferred there after the 2009 season. He is currently buried on the depth chart, and should not see playing time against the Tide. Already a member of the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Curry was chosen as one of four inductees for the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year. touchdownalabama.net |

Player Spotlight

Big Man on Campus DJ Fluker Has Slimmed Down and Shaped Up

Thomas Watts

ick Saban has shown a real knack for bringing top talent to the Capstone during his time as head coach of the Crimson Tide. He’s brought in physical monstrosities such as Terrence Cody and Arie Kouandjio, but they all are dwarfed by Alabama’s massive starting right tackle, DJ Fluker. DJ Fluker stands 6-feet-6-inches tall and tips the scale at 330 pounds. Fluker had a tumultuous high school career. He is originally from Biloxi, Miss., and was directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. Fluker spent a year at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School in Mobile, Ala., before returning to Biloxi as a junior. He finally landed back in Alabama at Foley High for his senior year. He was originally a defensive tackle throughout his first high school years, but began developing the skills required to be an elite offensive tackle during his senior year. Rivals.com raved about Fluker throughout the 2009 recruiting cycle. He was ranked third overall for on the 2009 Rivals100, and was the top rated offensive tackle in the country. Fluker committed to the Crimson Tide over offers from LSU, Auburn and Florida, among others. Parade, EA Sports and USA Today all honored Fluker with high school All-American honors. He also played in the Alabama/Mississippi All Star Classic and the Army All-American Bowl. He was a major cog in Alabama’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class in 2009. Fans believed that Fluker could come in and immediately replace Andre Smith, who left for the NFL draft, but that was not the case. Fluker weighed close to 400 pounds as a freshman. He was beaten out by James Carpenter at the left tackle position, and spent the 2009 season listed as the third-string right tackle. He saw no

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

PHOTOS BY XXXXXX

playing time during his freshman season and redshirted. The big tackle drew rave reviews from coaches and players for his work ethic, and he reshaped his body into a finely-tuned athletic machine. He dropped from nearly 400 pounds to a comparatively svelte 330. Jim McElwain, Alabama’s offensive coordinator, said in an interview with Senior BamaOnline.com writer Christopher Walsh that “he’s totally reshaped his body.” James Carpenter, the other starting tackle, echoed McElwain, saying “He got way quicker by losing that weight.” Fluker himself noticed a big difference in his abilities after dropping about 70 pounds. “I move a lot better,” he said. “Feel a whole lot quicker. I work hard. I can breathe a whole lot better, too.” One dilemma could not be solved by slimming down: finding size 22 shoes. Fluker sometimes has to specialorder them. "They are kind of hard to find, but we find them somehow," he said. His massive extremities have not caused too much of a problem on the field, though. Fluker admits that with feet almost 15 inches long, it’s "kind of hard moving them, but you get used to it." Entering 2010, Fluker was expected to compete for the starting job at right tackle. He earned the right to be the Crimson Tide’s right tackle throughout spring practice and began the year at the position. He injured his groin against South Carolina earlier in the year, and has been rehabbing the injury since then. He is expected to be back in the starting lineup for the Georgia State game. The massive tackle will be a huge part of paving the way to an Alabama victory on the right side of the line.

"We threw the ball effectively on offense. Still some inconsistencies in the running game; that’s something that we have to continue to work on and get better at and get more physical, get our toughness back." - Nick Saban, on the Mississippi State game

"We want to show everybody that we’re not giving up because we lost two games. We’re still going to fight to be the best team we can be."

- Robert Lester

"The goal has always been to play to a high standard and be the best team that we can be. We are still working towards that and I thought we made progress toward that in terms of the way we played tonight." - Nick Saban, after the Mississippi State game

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CRIMSON TIDE

Alabama Football Roster NO NAME 82 Earl Alexander 19 Jonathan Atchison 31 John Baites 4 Mark Barron 7 Kenny Bell 86 Undra Billingsley 69 David Blalock 93 Chris Bonds 67 John Michael Boswell 88 Michael Bowman 37 Hardie Buck 87 Drew Bullard 34 Hunter Bush 20 Nate Carlson 77 James Carpenter 33 Caleb Castille 99 Josh Chapman 57 Marcell Dareus 96 Luther Davis 51 Michael DeJohn 85 Preston Dial 40 DeMarcus DuBose 13 Rob Ezell 76 D.J. Fluker 43 Cade Foster 45 Jalston Fowler 10 John Fulton 95 Colin Gallagher 58 Nick Gentry 6 Demetrius Goode 25 Corey Grant 23 Robby Green 15 Darius Hanks 54 Glenn Harbin 48 Rowdy Harrell 5 Jerrell Harris 30 Dont’a Hightower 15 Mark Holt 21 Ben Howell 42 Adrian Hubbard 22 Mark Ingram 62 Brandon Ivory 35 Nico Johnson 57 Aaron Joiner 75 Barrett Jones 40 Harrison Jones 8 Julio Jones 9 Phelon Jones 36 Chris Jordan 43 Sam Kearns 26 Kendall Kelly 10 J.B. Kern 21 Dre Kirkpatrick 59 Arie Kouandjio 42 Eddie Lacy 37 Robert Lester 95 Brandon Lewis 78 Chad Lindsay 72 Tyler Love

P CLS HT WR SR 6-4 LB FR 6-2 TE JR 6-4 DE JR 6-2 WR FR 6-1 TE/DL SO 6-2 OL JR 6-5 DL FR 6-4 OL JR 6-5 WR SO 6-4 WR SO 5-9 LB JR 6-3 DE SO 5-11 RB JR 6-4 OL SR 6-5 DE FR 5-11 DL JR 6-1 DL JR 6-4 DL SR 6-3 LB SR 6-1 TE SR 6-3 LB JR 6-1 WR SR 5-10 OL FR 6-6 PK FR 6-1 RB/LB FR 6-1 DE FR 6-0 PK SR 5-10 DL JR 6-1 RB JR 5-10 RB FR 5-9 DE JR 6-0 WR JR 6-0 DL/LB SO 6-5 LB JR 6-0 LB JR 6-3 LB SO 6-4 DE SR 6-1 RB SO 5-9 LB FR 6-6 RB JR 5-10 DL FR 6-4 LB SO 6-3 OL SO 6-2 OL SO 6-5 TE FR 6-4 WR JR 6-4 DE JR 5-11 LB JR 6-3 DE JR 5-6 WR FR 6-3 LB SR 6-1 DE SO 6-3 OL FR 6-5 RB FR 6-0 DE SO 6-2 DL JR 6-3 OL FR 6-2 OL SO 6-6

WT 207 228 235 210 172 269 255 263 291 225 184 232 181 230 300 163 310 306 279 237 237 240 172 340 221 236 179 194 282 191 186 181 184 260 213 231 260 172 193 227 215 335 238 258 301 235 220 199 232 156 214 232 190 335 212 206 274 277 304

HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL Phenix City, Ala. Central Atlanta, Ga. Douglass Hendersonville, Tenn. Beech Mobile, Ala. St. Paul’s Rayville, La. Rayville Birmingham, Ala. Woodlawn Charlotte, N.C. Providence Columbia, S.C. Richland Northeast Northport, Ala. Tuscaloosa County Rossville, Ga. Ridgeland Birmingham, Ala. Vestavia Hills Florence, Ala. Florence Wetumpka, Ala. Wetumpka Birmingham, Ala. Air Force Augusta, Ga. Coffeyville CC Birmingham, Ala. Briarwood Christian Hoover, Ala. Hoover Huffman, Ala. Huffman West Monroe, La. West Monroe Hoover, Ala. Hoover Mobile, Ala. UMS-Wright Montgomery, Ala. Jefferson Davis Athens, Ala. Athens Foley, Ala. Foley Southlake, Texas Southlake Carroll HS Mobile, Ala. Vigor Manning, S.C. Manning Atlanta, Ga. Marist Prattville, Ala. Prattville LaGrange, Ga. Hargrave Academy Opelika, Ala. Opelika New Orleans, La. John Curtis Christian Norcross, Ga. Norcross SQ Mobile, Ala. McGill-Toolen Moundville, Ala. Hale County Gadsden, Ala. Gadsden City Lewisburg, Tenn. Marshall County Muscle Shoals, Ala. Muscle Shoals Gordo, Ala. Gordo Lawrenceville, Ga. Norcross Flint, Mich. Southwestern Academy Memphis, Tenn. East Andalusia, Ala. Andalusia Florence, Ala. Florence Memphis, Tenn. Evangelical Christian Germantown, Tenn. Evangelical Christian Foley, Ala. Foley Moblie, Ala. LSU Brentwood, Tenn. Brentwood Academy Mobile, Ala. McGill-Toolen Gadsden, Ala. Gadsden City Dove Canyon, Calif. Mission Viejo Gadsden, Ala. Gadsden City Beltsville, Md. DeMatha Catholic Geismar, La. Dutchtown Foley, Ala. Foley Pleasant Grove, Ala. East Mississippi CC The Woodlands, Texas The Woodlands Mountain Brook, Ala. Mountain Brook

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

NO NAME 29 Will Lowery 7 Keiwone Malone 32 Cody Mandell 33 Mike Marrow 4 Marquis Maze 24 Nathan McAlister 10 A.J. McCarron 52 Alfred McCullough 12 Greg McElroy 24 DeQuan Menzie 28 DeMarcus Milliner 56 William Ming 97 Brandon Moore 32 C.J. Mosley 66 Brian Motley 64 Kerry Murphy 46 Wesley Neighbors 83 Kevin Norwood 18 Morgan Ogilvie 53 Anthony Orr 2 Tana Patrick 39 Kyle Pennington 27 Nick Perry 3 Trent Richardson 74 David Ross 1 B.J. Scott 94 Darrington Sentimore 90 Jeremy Shelley 79 Austin Shepherd 18 Blake Sims 14 Phillip Sims 71 Allen Skelton 17 Brad Smelley 38 Petey Smith 92 Damion Square 61 Anthony Steen 47 Ed Stinson 46 William Strickland 47 Logan Thomas 51 Carson Tinker 26 Nick Tinker 87 Chris Underwood 41 Courtney Upshaw 73 William Vlachos 84 Brian Vogler 65 Chance Warmack 91 Alex Watkins 49 Ranzell Watkins 2 DeAndrew White 55 Chavis Williams 60 David Williams 20 Jarrick Williams 44 Jay Williams 63 Kellen Williams 89 Michael Williams 9 Nick Williams

P CLS HT DE JR 5-9 WR FR 5-11 P FR 6-4 RB FR 6-2 WR JR 5-10 WR FR 5-11 QB FR 6-4 OL JR 6-2 QB SR 6-3 DE JR 6-0 DE FR 6-1 DL FR 6-3 DL FR 6-5 LB FR 6-2 OL SR 6-3 DL SO 6-4 DE SO 6-1 WR FR 6-2 QB FR 6-0 DL FR 6-4 LB FR 6-3 DE JR 5-11 DE FR 6-1 RB SO 5-11 OL SR 6-3 DE SO 5-11 DL FR 6-3 PK SO 5-10 OL FR 6-5 A FR 6-0 QB FR 6-2 OL SO 6-1 TE JR 6-3 LB FR 6-1 DL SO 6-3 OL FR 6-3 LB/DL FR 6-4 WR JR 6-0 WR SR 6-3 ST SO 6-1 RB FR 5-10 TE SO 6-4 LB JR 6-2 OL JR 6-1 TE FR 6-7 OL SO 6-3 LB JR 6-3 DE FR 5-9 WR FR 6-0 LB SR 6-4 OL SO 6-3 DE FR 6-1 P FR 6-3 OL FR 6-3 TE SO 6-6 WR FR 5-10

WT 188 165 201 235 182 165 190 309 225 195 182 263 305 225 289 319 205 187 198 268 231 188 193 220 302 193 261 165 307 195 214 261 227 250 284 292 252 188 206 220 215 238 263 289 242 300 232 168 180 223 267 203 208 307 270 179

HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL Hoover, Ala. Hoover Memphis, Tenn. Mitchell Lafayette, La. Acadiana Holland, Ohio Central Catholic Birmingham, Ala. Tarrant Russellville, Ala. Russellville Mobile, Ala. St. Paul’s Episcopal School Athens, Ala. Athens Southlake, Texas Southlake Carroll Columbus, Ga. Copiah-Lincoln CC Millbrook, Ala. Stanhope Elmore Athens, Ala. Athens Montgomery, Ala. Carver Theodore, Ala. Theodore Autaugaville, Ala. Autaugaville Hoover, Ala. Hargrave/Hoover Huntsville, Ala. Huntsville D’Iberville, Miss. D’Iberville Mountain Brook, Ala. Mountain Brook Madison, Ala. Sparkman Bridgeport, Ala. North Jackson Chatom, Ala. Washington County Prattville, Ala. Prattville Pensacola, Fla. Escambia Homewood, Ala. Homewood Prichard, Ala. Vigor Norco, La. Destrehan Raleigh, N.C. Broughton Buford, Ga. North Gwinnett Gainesville, Ga. Gainesville Chesapeake, Va. Oscar Smith Coker, Ala. Tuscaloosa County Tuscaloosa, Ala. American Christian Tampa, Fla. Armwood Houston, Texas Yates Lambert, Miss. Lee Academy Homestead, Fla. South Dade Tuscaloosa, Ala. Northridge Houston, Texas Cyrpress Creek Murfreesboro, Tenn. Riverdale Ralph, Ala. Tuscaloosa County Vestavia Hills, Ala. Vestavia Hills Eufaula, Ala. Eufaula Birmingham, Ala. Mountain Brook Columbus, Ga. Brookstone Atlanta, Ga. Westlake Brownsville, Tenn. Haywood Charlotte, N.C. Independence Houston, Texas North Shore Dora, Ala. Dora Duncanville, Ala. Hillcrest Mobile, Ala. Blount Thomasville, Ala. Thomasville Lawrenceville, Ga. Brookwood Reform, Ala. Pickens County Fort Lauderdale, Fla. St. Thomas Aquinas

PANTHERS

Georgia St. Football Roster NO NAME 1 Anthony, Nate 24 Barnes, Fred 81 Beidel, Brett 58 Berry, Brandon 53 Bilukidi, Christo 13 Bostic, Evan 44 Burkhalter, Sam 83 Carter, Bo 33 Chahoy, Brad 69 Cheatham, Kameron 72 Clottey, Harrison 27 Collins, Mark 63 Couch, Jacob 49 Crosby, Kevin 91 Curry, Eduardo 34 Davis, Hubert 68 Davis, Michael 70 Davis, Ramell 96 Donovan, Michael 51 Ennis, Trey 86 Ervin, Isaiah 21 Evans, Travis 14 Fears, Jocquez 37 Felder, Akeen 10 Ferguson, Robert 93 Findura, Alex 43 Garcia, Max 71 Gilbert, Joseph 8 Giles, Jordan 47 Hall, Michael 73 Hampton, Gabriel 19 Haynes, Sidney 4 Hill, Kelton 23 Hogan, Mark 22 Howard, Isaiah 16 Hughes, Justin 42 Ibarrondo, Cliff 2 Jackson, Star 62 Jacoby, Ben 85 James, Blake 94 Jenkins, Kalan 56 John, Ulrick 20 Jones, Brandon 82 Jones, Zach 98 Jordan, Deron 90 Karriem, Khiry 79 King, Grant 76 Kirkland, Ladeven

P SL S WR OLB DT ILB RB WR ILB G T CB OL P NG S G T P ILB WR RB CB OLB OLB DE K G WR S OL WR QB OLB CB CB OLB QB C ILB DE OL S WR NG DT T T

CLS HT WT RFR 5-9 180 RFR 6-0 178 FR 6-1 185 RSO 5-10 212 JR 6-5 285 JR 6-2 235 RFR 5-9 214 RFR 6-4 195 RSO 5-11 202 RFR 6-1 280 RFR 6-5 310 RFR 5-9 175 FR 6-1 250 RSR 6-1 186 RFR 6-3 300 RSR 5-10 195 RFR 6-3 295 RFR 6-7 270 RJR 5-9 180 RJR 6-1 225 RJR 5-9 190 RFR 5-11 183 JR 5-11 208 RSO 6-1 195 RFR 6-1 230 FR 6-5 225 RSO 5-11 175 RJR 6-4 280 RFR 6-1 195 RJR 6-1 219 JR 6-5 320 RJR 6-3 212 RFR 6-0 183 RFR 5-11 202 FR 5-10 165 FR 5-10 165 RSO 6-3 212 RSO 6-3 210 RJR 6-2 275 FR 6-1 225 JR 6-5 245 FR 6-8 280 RJR 5-11 180 RFR 6-1 200 RSO 6-0 240 JR 6-4 270 RFR 6-5 285 JR 6-5 340

HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL Conley, Ga. Columbia Ellenwood, Ga. M.L. King Roswell, Ga. Roswell Douglasville, Ga. Chapel Hill Ottawa, Ontario St. Patrick’s/Eastern Arizona Shelby, N.C. Crest/Jones County J.C. Alpharetta, Ga. Blessed Trinity Cordele, Ga. Crisp County Dacula, Ga. Dacula/Georgia Southern Louisville, Ky. Louisville Male Loganville, Ga. Grayson Roswell, Ga. Milton Gainesville, Ga. Gainesville Alpharetta, Ga. BlessedTrinity/GeorgiaTech Charleston, S.C. West Ashley Valdosta, Ga. Valdosta/Mississippi Lithonia, Ga. Chamblee St. Matthews, S.C. Calhoun County Milledgeville, Ga. John Hancock/Ga Military Ivey, Ga. Tatnall Sq./Ga Military Smyrna, Ga. Campbell Williston, Fla. Williston Fairburn, Ga. Creekside/Northeastern Perry, Ga. Perry Belle Glade, Fla. Glades Central Stockbridge, Ga. Woodland Macon, Ga. Westside/UAB Cartersville, Ga. Cartersville/Ga Tech Columbia, S.C. Spring Valley Dublin, Ga. Dublin Hercules, Calif. Hercules/SF City College Suwanee, Ga. Peachtree Ridge/UCF Douglasville, Ga. Lithia Springs Matthews, N.C. Lincoln-Sudbury, Mass. Boynton Beach, Fla. American Heritage Port St. Lucie, Fla. Treasure Coast Oak Bluffs, Mass. Martha’s Vineyard Lake Worth, Fla. Lake Worth/Alabama Lawrenceville, Ga. Buford/Ball State Little Rock, Ark. Little Rock Central Midlothian, Texas Midlothian/NavarroCollege Hinesville, Ga. Bradwell Institute Decatur, Ga. SouthwestDeKalb/MarsHill Juliette, Ga. First Presbyterian Day Hinesville, Ga. Bradwell Institute Columbus, Miss. Columbus/ItawambaC.C. Columbia, S.C. Spring Valley Miami, Fla. BookerT.Wash./YubaCollege

NO NAME 52 Knowles, Davis 7 Lee, Parris 59 Lee, Travis 11 Little, Drew 40 Lupo, Brandon 65 Martin, Ronald 5 Matthews, Demarius 9 McClendon, Brent 6 McCray, Darren 32 McKay, Allen 54 McQueen, Scott 25 Moon, Cole 35 Muasau, Jake 38 Muasau, Louie 66 Nesmith, Nicholas 88 Ogbuehi, Emmanuel 41 Opanubi, Olufemi 89 Pearson, Drew 92 Peary, Dion 29 Price, Rodriguez 26 Ransby, Jamal 95 Rhodes, Deron 46 Robinson, Jarrell 74 Sauls, Jon Marshall 12 Schlechter, Bo 80 Schneider, Joseph 99 Shorter, Demetreious 36 Singleton, Kail 28 Smith, Malcolm 77 Stephens, C.J. 31 Stevens, Parker 64 Thompson, Kevin 57 Truitt, Robert 97 Vance, Iain 3 Watson, Rosevelt 30 Watts, Latavius 39 Wilder, Rendell 45 Wiley, Austen 84 Williams, Arthur 17 Williams, Danny 15 Wilson, Albert 75 Woodard, Terrance 48 Woods, Bailey 18 Wyatt, Blake 50 Wynn, Tim 78 Yandell, Clyde 60 Yates, Cade

P CLS HT WT ILB RFR 6-0 215 SL RFR 5-9 190 DT RFR 6-3 230 QB RFR 6-5 245 P RSR 6-4 211 OL FR 6-1 285 CB FR 5-10 165 CB RFR 5-9 175 SL RFR 5-7 150 OLB RFR 6-2 200 LS RFR 6-0 240 ILB FR 6-3 215 OLB JR 6-1 243 ILB RJR 6-0 248 G RFR 6-3 255 TE RSO 6-3 235 ILB JR 6-1 215 TE FR 6-5 222 NG JR 6-2 280 CB RFR 5-9 180 CB FR 5-8 165 DL FR 6-2 220 OLB FR 6-3 205 OL FR 6-2 300 WR-P RFR 6-3 210 K FR 6-2 185 DE RFR 6-4 255 ILB RFR 6-2 203 RB RSO 5-10 205 OLB FR 6-4 240 CB RFR 5-11 180 T RSO 6-1 300 DT RFR 6-0 255 K RSR 6-2 217 RB RSO 5-9 205 CB RSO 5-9 185 RB FR 5-8 175 DE RFR 6-4 227 TE JR 6-3 270 WR RFR 6-4 190 WR FR 5-9 185 NG FR 6-4 300 TE RJR 6-5 250 OLB RFR 6-3 210 C FR 6-2 270 T RJR 6-5 287 G RFR 6-1 280

HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL Fayetteville, Ga. Whitewater Jacksonville, Fla. Fletcher Griffin, Ga. Spalding McDonough, Ga. Henry County Smyrna South Cobb/Kentucky Conyers, Ga. Rockdale County Powder Springs, Ga. McEachern Atlanta, Ga. Mays Columbus, Ga. Spencer Buena Vista, Ga. Marion County Buford, Ga. North Gwinnett Atlanta, Ga. St. Pius X Sierra Vista, Ariz. Buena/Phoenix College Sierra Vista, Ariz. Buena/Phoenix College Cumming, Ga. Forsyth Central Buford, Ga. Mill Creek Los Angeles, Calif. University/West L.A. C.C. Lindale, Ga. Pepperell Duluth, Ga. Jeff.City,Mo./CoffeyvilleC.C. Union City, Ga. Creekside Newnan, Ga. Newnan Stone Mountain, Ga. Stone Mountain Portal, Ga. Portal Savannah, Ga. Memorial Day Wellington, Fla. Glades Day Conyers Salem Columbus, Ga. Crisp County Temple, Ga. Bremen College Park, Ga. Tri Cities Woodland, Ala. Woodland Katy, Texas Taylor St. Mary’s, Ga. Camden County Snellville, Ga. Southwest Dekalb Duluth, Ga. Duluth Lake Worth, Fla. Lake Worth Columbus, Ga. Carver/Morehouse Decatur, Ga. Tucker Fayetteville, Ga. Whitewater Miami, Fla. Carol City/Palomar J.C. Orlando, Fla. Boone Port St. Lucie, Fla. Port St. Lucie Ocilla, Ga. Irwin County Marietta, Ga. Walton/Auburn Fayetteville, Ga. Landmark Christian Atlanta, Ga. Mays PonteVedra Beach, Fla. Nease/Georgia Tech Roswell, Ga. Roswell

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Opposing Team

Newly Minted Georgia State Comes to Tuscaloosa

Troy Farsoun

Young Panthers team will face tough challenge this week

eorgia State University guaranteed its first winning season last week with a 23-17 victory against Lamar and improved to 6-4 on the year. The Panthers are in their first year as an FCS football program and are off to a fast start under head coach Billy Curry, who is two decades removed from his coaching stint with the Tide. GSU quarterback Drew Little, a redshirt freshman from McDonough, Ga, has been effective this season, leading the Panthers on a 71-yard game-winning drive against Lamar to seal the win in the fourth quarter. Little has completed over 60% of his passes on the year for 2,033 yards and 18 touchdowns. Against the Lamar Cardinals, he had 189 yards through the air with two

#11

touchdowns and an interception. Little leads an offense that has averaged 29.5 points per game, and throws an average of 203 yards against FCS opponents. He seems to become most effective when his team enters the final quarter of play, generating a multitude of exciting fourthquarter comebacks. He has completed 69% of his passes for 594 yards and five touchdowns in the final minutes of the game. Alabama has had trouble defending the pass this season, but should have no problem overpowering the Panther offense. Thursday's matchup will be GSU's first against the Crimson Tide, and provided that Nick Saban's team does not underestimate the overmatched Panthers, this should be an easy contest before the Iron Bowl.

Drew Little

hough the Panthers have spread the ball around to fourteen different receivers, the go-to target of QB Drew Little seems to be redshirt freshman Danny Williams, who has 53 receptions for 640 yards and five touchdowns. Williams has over 100 yards receiving in three games so far this season, the first of which came against Morehead State on October 2nd, when he became GSU's first century yard receiver. In that contest he had eight catches for 101 yards. His season high came against Old Dominion when he had 11 catches for 102 yards in a 20-34 loss. At 6-feet-4-inches, 190 pounds, Williams is the ideal size for an elite receiver. He has only gained momentum throughout the season, with 27 catches for 348 yards through the last four games. From Boone High School in Orlando, Fla., Williams also serves in lategame situations to defend against the Hail Mary pass. He has one critical pass breakup on the year to preserve a late-game victory against Lamar. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick will likely be charged with the task of covering Williams, and should have little problem doing so, considering the more elite competition he has faced throughout the season.

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

#17

Danny Williams Photos by JASON BRAVERMAN

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The Lowdown

Larryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

LOWDOWN Larry Burton

Will Alabama's Thrashing of Mississippi State Send Shudders up Auburn's Spine?

ast Week Alabama did something Auburn hasn't seemed to be able to do to a good team, simply blow them out. Auburn struggled to beat Mississippi State 17-14 in a game they could have easily lost while Alabama blew out the Bulldogs 30-10 in a game that was never in question or close after the first touchdown. But while scores against common opponents can be deceiving, one thing that is clear is that Alabama had no trouble with State's defense, while Auburn certainly did.

Is that the message that Auburn should fear? Yes, Auburn's offense is as flashy as new car with lots of chrome, but defense wins in the SEC. And nothing would make Alabama fans feel less disappointed in a two-loss season than making Auburn No. 2 in the state of Alabama, despite what may happen in the SEC Championship game. And even with one of their stars, running back Trent Richardson, on the sideline, Alabama still had enough firepower to blow away one of the SEC's top defensive units. With over 450 yards of passing and rushing, the

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

Tide simply did whatever it wanted to. Nick Saban had been asking for "explosive" plays from the offense, and he got them. A long run from his leading receiver and a long pass reception from his leading rusher were just two of the explosive plays that the coach wanted to see. Marquis Maze's 45-yard grab and sensational kick return, though called back, also showed the coach the kind of sizzle he wanted to see. "That's what we want to do," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "We've got some guys that can make explosive plays and we want to put the PHOTO BY MATT GASTON

ball in their hands so that they have an opportunity to do that. We made some that were really big in this game." Alabama's offense held State without a touchdown until the fourth quarter when the game was already over and substitutes were going in and out. Seeing Alabama begin to register sacks was also a high point of the game. The return of defensive back DeQuan Menzie was nice for the defense, and he registered one of the four sacks by Alabama in a day that saw the most sacks in one game this

season. Nick Gentry and Courtney Upshaw had one each, and Damion Square also joined the party with two sacks. Robert Lester's two picks and Alabama holding Mississippi State's best rusher to only 80 yards were also good signs for a defense that needed to make a statement in the game. In all, it was an Alabama type of game against a top twenty opponent. Not just the win itself, which was expected, but the manner in which it was dealt to the Bulldogs, should send shudders up the spines of the Auburn faithful who are wanting much more

out of this season than just an SEC Championship. Though it may have finally hit its stride a bit late this season, there is no doubt that this marks the best game Alabama has played against a top twenty opponent in some time and may signal the Tide is in to stay for the remainder of the season. With a short week to prepare for a pushover game with Georgia State and then a Thanksgiving weekend showdown with top-rated Auburn, the Tide players have a chance to finish the season as it started, with high expectations and wins. touchdownalabama.net |

Catching Up With

Mark Womack Executive Associate Commissioner of the SEC

Tuscaloosa native and Alabama graduate promotes the conference, discusses bowls, and answers questions

Dr. Donald F. Staffo

orn and raised in Tuscaloosa, Mark Womack graduated from the University of Alabama in 1978 with a degree in public relations and marketing. He worked in the athletic department at UA while a student and parlayed that experience into an internship with the Southeastern Conference Office. The following year Womack accepted a full-time position with the SEC. Thirty-seven years, later Womack is still with the SEC Office, working his way up to his current position of Executive Associate Commissioner, where he oversees TV contracts, finances, bowl arrangements and is a liaison to the athletic directors. He also serves on several committees. In a talk last week Womack started out by summarizing the recent successes of the conference, which include winning the last four football national championships with three different schools- Florida twice, LSU and Alabama. During the past year the SEC won eight of the 20 national championships overall in the sports sponsored by the conference, and finished in the top five in 14 of the 20 sports. Going back to 1990, the SEC has won 135 national championships, an average of six national championships a year. This is the 29th consecutive year the SEC has led the nation in highest total football attendance, with conference schools averaging 76,000 people per game. “Our stadiums are filled to 98% capacity,” Womack stated. This year is the 19th year the conference has had a

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA

championship game in football, with Womack pointing out that 16 of the previous 18 games have been sell-outs. In 2009 the SEC distributed $209 million back to the conference institutions, an average of $17.3 million to each institution. “That’s not a bad return,” he stated, pointing out that institutional membership dues are only $50. Womack also pointed out that this season there are 35 bowl games, with 54 teams currently bowl eligible, and another 39 teams still trying to become bowl eligible. As for the SEC, Womack said that eight teams are already bowl eligible, with the potential of 11 teams becoming bowl eligible. In addition to the BCS national championship game, the BCS bowl structure with the host conference is: Sugar Bowl- SEC, Fiesta Bowl- Big 12, Orange Bowl- ACC and Rose Bowl- Big 10. “The Big East is guaranteed a spot in one of those bowls,” explained Womack, who also served two terms as Acting Commissioner of the SEC. The bowls with which the SEC is associated are as follows: The Sugar Bowl, if a conference team is not in the BCS national championship game; Capitol One Bowl- SEC team vs team from the Big 10; Outback Bowl- SEC East team vs team probably from the Big 10; Cotton Bowl- SEC West team vs team probably from the Big 12; Chick-Fil-A Bowl- SEC team vs team from the ACC; Gator Bowl (new addition this year)- SEC team vs team from the Big 10; Music City Bowl- SEC team vs team from the ACC; Liberty Bowl- SEC team vs team from Conference USA; and the PHOTO BY CSVSUMMIT.COM

tuscaloosa southern times

Crimson Tide, Womack answered, “We’re working on the Birmingham Bowl- SEC vs team from the Big East. 2012 schedule, which is the first year of the new 10-year “There are still a lot of options for which teams will be scheduling cycle, and we’re trying not to let that happen playing in which bowls,” stated Womack. “If the SEC has a again.” team in the national championship game, then there is a good And finally on the current Cam Newton situation chance of another SEC team going to a BCS bowl, most likely Womack said, “That is an ongoing situation, so it is better not the Sugar Bowl.” to comment on that.” Womack was asked about the possibility of SEC expansion, to which he responded, “From an SEC perspective, we • like 12 teams, but we will watch the landscape. We want to protect our position, but we are not actively pursuing other Live Operators teams at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation.” 7 Days! As for the SEC’s position on a national football play-off Womack said, “We have not been a supporter of that. We Come & watch the game on think the current bowl structure has been good for our NINE 42” FLATSCREENS league.” has helped the blind become productive in the workplace since 1957 Regarding a possible SEC television network like that of & a 100” HD SCREEN!! the Big 10, Womack said, “No, I don’t think we’ll do that in PLUS! the near future. We elected not to go down that path. We are Try our signature RTR drink in the souvenir cup!!! happy with our arrangement with ESPN and CBS, plus the individual schools have rights to do their own media 1215 University Blvd. • Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 packages.” info@roundersonthestrip.com www.roundersonthestrip.com On the problem with open dates that resulted in Alabama Ph: 205-345-4848 playing several teams that had open dates prior to playing the

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1 2 3

Bear Bryant led the Crimson Tide to 24 consecutive bowl games. How many did Alabama win? a. 12 c. 20 b. 18 d. 23 What was Bear Bryant’s record in his first season at Alabama? a. 3-7 b. 5-4-1 c. 7-2-1 d. 8-2

Bear Bryant is the only coach who was also______.

4 5

According to the Crimson Tide fight song, “Yea Alabama!,” the team is_______. a. “the greatest in the land” b. “the victors of the south” c. “Dixie’s football pride” d. “the envy of them all”

Before the creation of the SEC, Alabama played in which conference? a. the Eastern c. the Atlantic b. the Southern d. the Appalachian

a. a President of the American Football Coaches Association b. a member of the Alabama Bar Association c. a native Alabamian d. the commissioner of the SEC

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ProConnections

Lots of Potential

“Mt.Cody” Has Yet to Erupt in NFL

Haley Namie

ormer 6-foot-five-inch Crimson Tide defensive lineman Terrence Cody was a second-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2010 NFL Draft. The 365-pound lineman is making his way with the Ravens as a nose guard. There was some question circling Cody’s career after he failed his first NFL physical and then missed the first three games of the season due to knee surgery performed in August. But Cody is adjusting to life in the pros. In his played his first game against the Pittsburg Steelers, he got six snaps but did not record any tackles. “[Cody] is a guy we want to play more and more,” Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s got a bunch of ability, works really hard and came through it well with the knee.” Joe Hortiz, the Raven’s director of

college scouting agrees that Cody has a lot of potential. “Cody is a prototypical run-stopper who fits what we do in Baltimore,” Hortiz said. “He’s a big guy who’s stout and strong inside. He does a good job playing two gaps with that ability to take on blockers and help shut down running games.” In Cody’s two seasons with the Tide, Alabama opponents averaged just 73.2 rushing yards per game, 243.9 total yards per contest and 12.3 points per game. During his senior year with the Tide, Cody was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the nation's best interior lineman or linebacker, and a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award. He was also on the watch list for the Outland Trophy and named a midseason All-American by Sporting News and CBSsportsline. He had 20 tackles in 2009 with 5.0

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

tackles for loss (-10), a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. He helped the Tide boast the nation's No. 2 rushing defense (68.22 ypg) and the No. 4 total defense (242.22). Cody was named the AT&T All-America Player of the Week after blocking two field goals to secure the Crimson Tide a win over Tennessee that year. During his junior year, Cody registered 24 tackles on the season with 4.5 tackles for loss (-14), half of a sack, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and two quarterback hurries. He was a 2008 Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist, and a first team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press, Sporting News, league coaches and Phil Steele. In his 12 starts, opposing teams failed to rush for 100 yards nine times. He anchored the No. 2 rush defense (74.1 ypg) and the No. 3 total defense

PHOTO (L) BY BDL; (R) JONATHAN NEWTON / THE WASHINGTON POST

(263.5 ypg) in the country and was selected the SEC Defensive Lineman of the week following the Clemson game. While playing in junior college at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Cody was a massive defensive line prospect with good agility. He was a Scout.com four-star recruit and earned a three-star rating by Rivals.com. Cody was listed as the No. 45 junior college player in the nation, according to SuperPrep Magazine. At Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Cody recorded 31 tackles and 3.5 sacks in helping lead his team to an 11-0 regular season record in 2007. He played two years of high school football for Coach Scott James at Riverdale High School in Fort Myers, Fla.

Tis the Season The lists are long and the days are short. Time to visit the Babytalk Store for a friendly welcome and relaxing Christmas shopping experience. Cool weather outfits, dressy outfits and cozy boots to keep little feet warm. Pick up some traditional wooden toys for the toddlers and soft cuddly toys for babies! Clothing and shoe sizes range from preemie and newborn to children’s. See our website for more.

Baby Baby Talk Talk

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Recruit of the Week

A Star

in the Making

Coe Robbins

WR Bradley Sylve looks to put name in Tide history books

oach Nick Saban’s ties to LSU helped land this Louisiana prospect as Port Sulphur native Bradley Sylve committed to Alabama back in May to become Alabama’s 12th commitment at the time and the fourth wide receiver. Many schools from across the country wanted Sylve’s services including Auburn, Tennessee, Nebraska, California and Southern California. Many people in the know, however, said Sylve was leaning toward LSU, and Sylve even admitted several times that the Tigers were his top choice. But Sylve’s stepfather, Cyril Crutchfield, was a fan of Saban while at LSU and he felt playing for a coach like Saban would be good for Sylve. “He liked Alabama from the start. They were the first school to offer him back in September,” Crutchfield said. “He felt comfortable with Nick Saban. He liked the facilities there and the environment of the whole school. He liked the set up of

PHOTO BY LEE CELANO / NEW YORK TIMES

the academic facilities, the weight room and the academic center all the way to the dorms and the cafeteria.'' It has been evident that the coaching staff has really concentrated in this 2011 class on wide receivers and this speedy wideout will bring quickness to the receiving corps. At 5-feet-11-inches and 175 pounds, Sylve boasts a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash. Sylve also uses his speed to run track for his high school, South Plaquemines. According to Mike Strom of The Times-Picayune, “Sylve, a Class 1A state sprint champion in the 100 and 200 meters as a sophomore, missed virtually all of his junior football season after tearing a ligament in his foot in South Plaquemines' season opener versus Belle Chasse. The injury required surgery and rehabilitation that lasted seven months and kept Sylve sidelined until the final weeks of the outdoor track season in which he finished second in the 100 in Class 1A with a time of 10.89 seconds.”

ESPN’s recruiting service provides an in-depth look at Sylve and what he brings to the Crimson Tide: “Sylve may be the biggest playmaker this class has to offer as an offensive skill player in the passing game. He is versatile, explosive and fast and can do it all including being a difference-maker in the return game. He has adequate size and is a sleek athlete that can run like the wind. Possesses all of the physical tools you look for in a guy that can create serious mismatches. Is an Andre DeBose/Percy Harvin type in that he can line up anywhere and you better be aware of where he is at all times. Is a fluid athlete with very good initial quickness and change-of-direction skills. He does a good job of driving defenders off and then breaking off his route. He shows good burst when the ball is in the air and does a good job of tracking down the deep ball. He is an explosive underneath route runner. He stops and starts quickly.” touchdownalabama.net |

Game Da

ay P hotos

PHOTOS BY MATT GASTON

Recruiting

Mike Parker

Still in Evaluation Stage

Carradine

Clowney

he Alabama coaching staff has put together a fantastic class and seems to be waiting on the big name prospects; they are also evaluating sleepers and more players across the country that fit the Tide’s system. Number one on the board for the Tide has to be running back Isaiah Crowell, who has grown tired of the recruiting process and is probably getting closer to a decision. It probably doesn’t help the Tide, having lost two games, but his other contender is Georgia, who is 5-5 on the year. Crowell said that the way Georgia finishes the season will have an impact on his decision. If the Tide does strike out on Crowell, look for them to put the full court press on Jeremy Hill. He’s a

Cromwell

Faciane

bruising back, but he is from Baton Rouge, La., and has already committed to LSU. However, he does have a lot of interest in Alabama and has not yet closed the door. Another prospect that the Tide wouldn’t hesitate to take a commitment from is Cyrus Kouandjio, the offensive tackle from Maryland. At 6-feet-6-inches and 330 pounds, Kouandjio is quite the physical specimen and even has room to grow. With his brother Ari Kouandjio already playing for the Tide, you have to like Alabama’s chances. Offensive tackle is a huge need for the Tide; Kouandjio is therefore a must-get for Nick Saban. One need in the Tide’s class that still has to be addressed is H-back.

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

Grant

Hill

With the commitment of Malcolm Faciane, who plays like Michael Williams and is more of a blocker than a pass catcher, the Tide would love to add Nick O’Leary. Ranked as the No. 1 tight end in the country, he catches everything thrown his way, has great route-running skills and is not a bad blocker either. He has enough speed to be labeled as a deep threat, is an absolute ball hawk and would be a great addition to the Tide’s two-tight end set. With the Tide pretty set at the linebacker position, with commits such as Shannon Brown, Trey DePriest, Vinnie Sunseri, and Brent Callaway, the No. 1 player in the state of Alabama, look for them to only take a commitment from either Tony Steward or Curtis Grant, who

PHOTOS FROM RIVALS.COM

are ranked the No. 1 outside and inside linebackers in the country. Either way you look at it, the Tide has the best linebacker class in recent memory. Another prospect that the Tide would take a commitment from is Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 ranked player in the country. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so good that no matter what school he does attend, he will definitely get meaningful snaps or even start as a freshman. Alabama was in good shape for a while, but now South Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lead is getting a little momentum. The Tide coaching staff, looking at the foreseeable

Jernigan

Kouandijo

future, offered a scholarship to JUCO player Cornelius Carradine. At 6-feet-5-inches, 245 pounds and running a legitimate 4.6, he resembles Clowney in a lot of ways. If South Carolina closes the deal with Clowney, look for the Alabama coaching staff to put the full court press on Carradine. When it comes to the secondary, look for some new names to emerge, as the Tide has already secured commitments from Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, Chris Jones, and Jabriel Washington. The Tide would like to add Robenson Therezie, a big hitter out of Miami

O'Leary

Steward

Florida. Another one is Malcolm Mitchell, on whom the Tide is extremely high and has a great shot of landing. Alabama already has a commitment from Jesse Williams, who is the No. 1 JUCO player in the nation and a monster at 6-foot-4-inches and 330 pounds. They also have a commitment from LaMichael Famming. But the Tide is still heavily recruiting Timmy Jernigan, and is in fairly good shape as they are in his top four.

Therzie

Williams

2011 Recruiting Class Rankings ank R #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10

School Total Texas 23 Alabama 19 Oklahoma 17 Florida 18 Florida State 17 LSU 17 Ohio State 18 Clemson 21 Stanford 21 Nebraska 16

5-stars 1 2 2 0 2 1 0 1 0 0

4-stars 16 12 8 10 5 7 8 6 8 10

3-stars 6 5 6 7 10 9 10 11 12 4

Avg Stars 3.78 3.84 3.65 3.50 3.53 3.53 3.44 3.14 3.33 3.50

Points 2,410 2,195 1,739 1,643 1,602 1,594 1,581 1,490 1,471 1,393

touchdownalabama.net |

News

Jennifer Underwood

OLE MISS @ LSU Sat, Nov. 20 2:30pm CBS The newly named Black Bears will enter Death Valley this Saturday to battle the No. 5 team in the nation, LSU. Ole Miss is recovering from a hard loss to Tennessee on the 13th, where the Vols came out with a 52-14 win. Tennessee had control the entire game and exceeded Ole Miss’ yardage 441 to 295. LSU, on the other hand, dominated their opponent, Louisiana-Monroe, 51-0 on November 13. The Tigers, currently 5th in the BCS polls, were led by their defense as they fought against the Warhawks. Although the game brought another victory for the Tigers, the weekend also brought some disappointment. Since Auburn defeated Georgia on Saturday, the LSU Tigers will not advance to the SEC Championship in Atlanta. ARKANSAS @ MISSISSIPPI STATE Sat, Nov. 20 6pm SPN The Bulldogs of Mississippi State have had their share of hardships over the past few weeks. First, they lose one of their beloved players, Nick Bell. Then, they were defeated by Alabama 30-10 on Nov. 13. Despite adversity, the Bulldogs have had a very successful season. Before their loss to the Tide, Mississippi State had a six-game winning streak. Arkansas will travel to Starkville after their 58-21 win over UTEP. The Razorbacks’ star quarterback, Ryan Mallet, threw for a school record of five touchdowns, and ran for another. He has now set or tied 35 records at Arkansas. The Razorbacks, currently ranked No. 13, will take on the Bulldogs, 22, after an 8-2 season. TENNESSEE @ VANDERBILT Sat, Nov. 20 6:30pm CSS

The Volunteers got their first SEC win of the year against Ole Miss last week. This is also the first SEC win for new coach Derek Dooley. Tennessee led the entire game, which partly redeemed their current 4-6 record. The

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

Vols’ quarterback, Tyler Bray, completed 18-of-34 with 323 yards. Vanderbilt will host their in-state rival after their loss to Kentucky on the 13th. The Commodores fell to the Wildcats 38-20. This was the sixth win for Kentucky in the last seven meetings. Despite the end result, the Commodores did begin the game with a great start. Within the first half hour, Vanderbilt had 242 yards under their belt.

Other SEC Games:

Game Thurs, Nov. 18: Georgia State at Alabama Sat, Nov. 20: Troy at South Carolina

Time

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11:21am

SEC Network

Appalachian State at Florida 11:30am

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INJURY REPORT Commodores starting DE Redshirt freshman Walker May missed the Kentucky game with an ankle injury and is questionable for Tennessee. Tennessee true freshman RG Zach Fulton missed the Ole Miss game with an ankle injury and is questionable against Vanderbilt this week. South Carolina had two starters suffer concussions during the Arkansas game and miss the Florida game. Jarriel King, starting tackle for the Gamecocks, is questionable this week for Troy. Junior CB CC Whitlock is probable this week. Gerald Rivers, sophomore DE for Ole Miss, has missed two straight games with a high ankle sprain and is questionable for LSU.

CURRENT POLLS AP TOP 25 1.Oregon 2. Auburn 3. Boise St. 4. TCU 5. LSU 6. Wisconsin 7. Stanford 8. Ohio St. 9. Nebraska 10. Alabama 11. Michigan St. 12. Oklahoma St. 13. Arkansas 14. Virginia Tech 15. Missouri 16. Oklahoma 17. South Carolina 18. Texas A&M 19. Nevada 20. USC 21. Iowa 22. Mississippi St. 23. Arizona 24. Miami (FL) 25. Utah

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BCS

1. Oregon 2. Auburn 3. Boise St. 4. TCU 5. Wisconsin 6. LSU 7. Ohio St. 8. Stanford 9. Nebraska 10. Oklahoma St. 11. Michigan St. 12. Alabama 13. Arkansas 14. Oklahoma 15. Virginia Tech 16. Missouri 17. South Carolina 18. Nevada 19. Texas A&M 20. Iowa 21. Miami (FL) 22. Mississippi St. 23. Arizona 24. Utah 25. Northwestern

1. Oregon 2. Auburn 3. TCU 4. Boise St. 5. LSU 6. Stanford 7. Wisconsin 8. Nebraska 9. Ohio St. 10. Oklahoma St. 11. Alabama 12. Michigan St. 13. Arkansas 14. Oklahoma 15. Missouri 16. Virginia Tech 17. South Carolina 18. Nevada 19. Texas A&M 20. Iowa 21. Mississippi St. 22. Arizona 23. Utah 24. Miami (FL) 25. Florida St.

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Traditions

Tailgating on the Quad: Kid Tested and Mother Approved

Jennifer Underwood

he Quad has always been recognized for its beauty, history and significance in the tradition of tailgating. Families from all over the country gather every game day to celebrate Alabama football together. Even visiting teams take notice of the closeness that is seen on the Quad and the events that it has to offer. Probably the largest exhibit to be seen on a warm football day is the inflatable units that make up the kid-friendly zone of the tailgating experience. Each week, the members of Tuscaloosa’s own Fun Factory set up a series of activities that attract children of all ages. Owners Tony and Siomy Bracken stated that they have had this company for 17 years now and have been working with Alabama for many of those. They started out solely doing events for the Alumni Association. Now, they are a vital part of the game day experience. They have approximately 41 units in the game day rotation so that the children have a variety offered to them throughout the season. “We are out here rain or shine. In fact, parents normally call ahead of time to make sure we will be out on the Quad for their children,” said Siomy Bracken. Bracken also stated that the visiting teams also join in on the fun because most of them do not have the same experiences at their home stadiums, mostly due to a lack of space. The Fun Factory generally has about two activities and up to five or six bounces which provide children a fun place to play and give the parents a sense of security. One young

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

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fan, leaving the area last week, declared that her day had been “the best day ever!,” and that was before the game even started. According to Bracken, they usually start setting up around four hours prior to game time. They are normally ready to go by 10am. This week, for the Georgia State game, they will be ready for fun at noon. This kid-friendly environment is just another aspect that brings tradition to Alabama football. It sets the Tide apart from many other schools throughout the country and gives an enjoyable experience to fans of all ages.

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celebrate the Tide

Jennifer Gorham

alking on the Quad before a football game, one will never have hunger pains. Each tailgate group has its own favorite recipes that add to its game day atmosphere. Some come for socialization, some come for food and some come strictly for football. Whatever drives fans to the Quad on gameday, it is always a success. For one group’s tailgate, it’s not game day without the chicken. Each tailgate has its own traditional food, but this group has a name for their best dish. “Spivey and Chaos Chicken” is what makes this tailgate a tailgate. For Antjuan Spivey and

Stephan “Chaos” Williams, “secrets and love” are what make the chicken grill up so perfectly. Spivey is a Birmingham native and a proud member of Omega Psi Phi. He is the chef for this tailgate. “Chaos” Williams is also a Birmingham native and active member of Omega Psi Phi. He is a senior in finance and gives the lowdown on the tailgating experience. He dished on the dinner menu for the tailgate. The spread for these tailgaters consists of “chicken, baked beans and beer.” Williams also commented on the activities that go down all weekend long for a home game. On Fridays,

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

the group gets to the Quad right at six o’ clock and sets up their tent. They prefer a spot in the southeast section of the Quad, near Farrah Hall. With fans filtering in and out of the tent and the grill fired up, this tailgate is a delicious mix of fun, football and food. “We have party traffic,” Williams confessed, and drop-ins seem to be welcome. The tailgaters under this tent rarely go to the games, but support their team from across campus every home game. Socialization, food and football all help bring this tailgate together and everyone enjoys themselves before Bama takes the field. PHOTO BY MATT GASTON

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My First Game

Bryant-Denny + Atmosphere = New Fan Game Day Environment Creates Convert

Jessica Brown

eila Vafai doesn’t attend the University of Alabama, but experienced her first Alabama football game when she was a freshman in college. Now a junior at the University of West Georgia, Vafai made the two hour drive to Tuscaloosa to visit friends and watch the Tide play Ole Miss in 2008. With the rich winning tradition at Bryant-Denny, the atmosphere is undeniable and hard to compare to other stadiums across the country. “Not only was it my first Alabama game, but my first college football game,” said Vafai. “It was exciting to be there, and the atmosphere was so fun! The fans were so into it, yelling all the chants, which I had no clue what they were, and just having a good time. I'm happy I got to experience it with some good friends of mine as well.” Although Vafai has many family members who live in Louisiana, she forgot about being an LSU fan and cheered on Alabama as they took on the Rebels in Bryant-Denny Stadium. “Alabama has always been my second-favorite team, so it wasn't that hard to cheer for them,” stated Vafai.

“Luckily, Alabama wasn't playing LSU. It would have been tough to sit there in that stadium and not cheer for Alabama.” On game days everyone is dressed up differently, and Vafai loved the diversity. “I thought everyone…looked like they were having fun,” Vafai stated. “Some people really get into it. A lot of the students, including the Greek community, were all dressed up. Girls wore nice dresses and the guys wore slacks, with a button up and tie. Some of their pants had elephants on them. It was cute! Everyone really represented the Crimson Tide well.” With all the talented players who play for the Crimson Tide, Vafai found one that stood out the most to her. “My favorite player I liked watching on the field was probably Julio Jones, only because I met him earlier that day at a traffic light.” Vafai said. “It was fun watching him, knowing that I met him earlier.” After the Crimson Tide won the game 24-20, Vafai got to experience her first time singing Rammer Jammer and watching the stadium unite after a big win. “My favorite game day tradition was

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA November 18, 2010

definitely singing Rammer Jammer after the Tide won,” stated Vafai. “It was so loud and amazing to see the whole stadium screaming it to the Ole Miss players and fans.” Everyone experiences Alabama games differently. Vafai had many expectations entering Tuscaloosa and expected to have a fun weekend. “Besides it being extremely hot that day, everything I was a part of lived up to all my expectations,” Vafai stated. “I got to enjoy a great game of football with some amazing friends. The tailgating, dressing up, and meeting a bunch of new people was so much fun. And Alabama won that day, so it was perfect!” Vafai described Alabama in three words: glory, tradition, and excitement. It was her first college football game, and she was surrounded by champions. She got to witness the glory all the fans experience as the team runs from the tunnel, the tradition the fans and team carry on, and the excitement of winning a game. Bryant-Denny Stadium is a very impactful place and has Vafai screaming “Roll Tide” every Saturday when the Tide plays.

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