September 16, 2010
Tide on a Roll! Wallace Wade By Troy Faruson
Player Spotlight: Eddie Lacy By Thomas Watts
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September 16, 2010 | Volume 3, Issue 3
In This Issue 8
President/Publisher
Pregame Preview
10
Exclusive: Wallace Wade
12
Rosters
14
Pro Connections: Javier Arenas
15
Larry's Lowdown
16
Opposing Team
17
Player Spotlight: Eddie Lacy
18
SEC News
20
Tide Trivia
21
Recruit of the Week: Trey DePriest
22
Tide Traditions
24
My First Game
26
Tailgater of the Week
28
Showing Pride in the Tide
Staff
Editor-in-Chief
Bennie Bice Mike Lacy
Managing Editor Copyeditor Photography
Jessica Temple Micah Phillips BDL Matt Gaston Tim Bailey Rivals.com
Creative Director Graphic Design Chief Information Officer Website Designer Public Relations Customer Relations National Sales Director
Jenifer McCormick Cassandra Johnson Antonio Rogers Tramayne Wright Brian LaShomb Carey Landon Eric Hudson Herb Neu George W. Garmon
Account Executives
Rebecca Ashley Kimberly Carter Mike Long
Writers
Jessica Brown Larry Burton Troy Farsoun Jennifer Gorham Haley Namie Mike Parker Coe Robbins Donald Staffo Chris Tubbs Thomas Watts
Reporters
Johnathan McMath T.J. Paysinger
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Letter from the Editors: Dear Readers: Alabama met its first test of the season head-on and exceeded expectations. Penn State is a ranked team with a football legacy similar to our own, but the Nittany Lions were not up to the challenge last Saturday. The Bama boys proved to be true competitors at all stages of the game. The game itself was a memorable event, as it revitalized a rivalry with an old foe. It also brought football legend Joe Paterno to T-town for the first time. Seeing Saban, JoPa and Bobby Bowden together on the field was a rare glimpse at gridiron greatness. The coaches each have two national championships. Despite the loss, PSU fans were a class act.
They seemed to really enjoy Tuscaloosa and the football atmosphere. They showed what a healthy rivalry is all about: team spirit, respect for the competition, and a love of the game. We were happy to host such enjoyable guests, and those of you who make the trip to Happy Valley next season should represent the Tide with the same ideals that they brought here. Roll Tide! Touchdown Alabama Magazine Send Letters to: PO Box 3251 Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-3251 205-701-1211 publish@tdalabama.com Advertising: ads@tdalabama.com
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“Touchdown Alabama Magazine was created to bring Alabama football fans the coverage of their team that they crave and expect, as well as to bring them closer to the action on the field. The University of Alabama has a long college football history, rich with tradition. Each season has added more dynamic players and colorful stories to the Alabama family. It is only fitting that a program with 13 National Championships should have a weekly magazine dedicated to conveying the excitement of the game to its devoted fans. Touchdown Alabama Magazine strives to be the most up-to-date, relevant and exciting magazine covering University of Alabama football. Furthermore, we guarantee in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and quality content surrounding the Crimson Tide. We will never forget who we generate this magazine for... you, the fan. God bless.�
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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
Pregame Preview
Tide on a Roll
Pregame Preview: Duke
T
Jessica Temple
he Tide rolls up the road to Durham, N.C., this week for its first away game of the season. Coming off last Saturday's 24-3 win over Penn State, Alabama takes on another rare opponent in the Duke Blue Devils. The two teams have met just three times before, starting with the 1945 Sugar Bowl, and this is the first time it’s been on the Devils’ home turf. Alabama leads the series 3-1, with Duke’s only win coming in that first matchup. The last meeting came with a 30-14 victory for the Tide in 2006 at Bryant-Denny. This year marks the first time that the teams will face off in the stadium named for the coach that took both programs to the top, Wallace Wade. Alabama has a winning record against Atlantic Coast Conference schools, 78-34-4. Although the teams have rarely met, the coaches have faced off several times, and Nick Saban has a winning record against Duke head coach David Cutcliffe. The two saw each other across the field each year between 2000 and 2005 while Saban was with LSU and Cutcliffe was with Ole Miss. Saban has a 4-1 record against the former Rebel coach. Coach Cutcliffe himself provides yet another connection between the two programs. He is a 1976 graduate of the UA and a Birmingham, Ala., native. Cutcliffe even worked as an assistant on coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's staff as a student at Alabama. He spent
seven years as the head coach at Mississippi as well as 19 years on the coaching staff at Tennessee before moving to the ACC to coach the Blue Devils in 2007. The Blue Devils are coming off a 54-48 loss to Wake Forest, but are 1-1 on the season with a 41-27 win over Elon in the opening game. They are the second unranked opponent Alabama has seen this season. The Tide has 26 straight regular season wins and has maintained the top spot since the preseason polls. Alabama should have no trouble holding on to No. 1 for another week, but the Bama offense will need to be prepared for the Duke aerial attack, which put up a 20-31 performance with 258 yards and three touchdowns last week. "I know they have a good offense," junior center William Vlachos said. "They scored quite a few points last week against Wake Forest. Our defense is trying to get better every day and prepare for them and we are trying to do what we do on offense." The team will focus on correcting defensive mistakes that showed up against Penn State before flying to Durham on Friday. "I think there is still room for adjustments, making adjustments and getting in the right position," Saban said. "We had a few mental errors that were costly, especially on third down, whether they were technique-type things or errors in assignment, which were not as prevalent as the week before, but
we certainly made progress. We've just got to keep improving, because this will be a real challenge for us this week." The offense has had fewer problems so far, and looks to be well-balanced, with 1,000 yards of total offense, including 563 yards in the air and 437 on the ground. The Tide has thrown 38-for-54 while running the ball 75 times. Sophomore running back Trent Richardson has had a lot to do with those numbers. He opened the first two games in the absence of injured Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram. Richardson has rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries. Ingram is expected to return to the field against Duke and resumed practicing on Monday. Defensive end Marcell Dareus will also play following a two-game suspension for accepting improper benefits from an agent. Both players will take the field for the first time this season and should make immediate impacts. "We're very pleased with what both guys have done to this point," Saban said of the two. "We're hopeful that those guys will be able to contribute in a very positive way and make us better. Mark's situation is going to be a little bit evaluating how much he plays relative to how much he can practice. You're still going day-today with a guy coming off of an injury. In Marcell's case it's just full-metal jacket. He's ready to play and hopefully he'll do a great job for us."
touchdownalabama.net |
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Exclusive
Troy Farsoun
Paving the Way B
efore the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant brought the tradition of houndstooth hats and one football championship title after another, there was another who paved the way to glory for the Crimson Tide. A row of bronze statues carved with the likenesses of championship-winning coaches marks the start of Alabama’s “Walk of Champions.” New to the collection of greats is the name Nick Saban, who delivered the Tide’s latest title in 2009. Then there is coach Gene Stallings, who defeated Miami in dramatic fashion as his national championship squad denied Heisman-winning quarterback Gino Torretta a shot at perfection. Bryant’s statue is the most visited of all, the base of his scowling figure surrounded by the eight national titles brought to Tuscaloosa during his historic tenure. Beside him stands his coach and mentor, Frank Thomas. But at the beginning of the Tide’s road to glory is its first championship winning coach: William Wallace Wade.
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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
PHOTOS FROM BRYANT MUSEUM
Wade was born in Trenton, Tennessee, and went on to play guard for Brown University, where he had the privilege of playing on the 1916 squad that went to the national championship game in California. When his football career ended, he was hired by the University of Alabama in 1923 after working with Vanderbilt’s football program for a time. Two years later, he and the Crimson Tide appeared for the first time in the Rose Bowl, beating out Washington 20-19 in an epic clash to earn the first of what would be many Bama titles. The 1926 season yielded a second consecutive undefeated squad, and another national championship to bring back east. Another victory in 1930 brought a new level of fandom to the Deep South, and began a winning legacy coach Wallace could not have dreamed of. It seemed for a time that Wade would retire in Tuscaloosa after having so much success with its football program. But then the day came when, inexplicably, the iconic coach decided to take his coaching talent to Duke University, viewed as a far inferior program with little in the way of talent and fan base. But it was here that Wallace Wade truly
made his mark on the football world, building from scratch a winning tradition at Duke University and leading the “Iron Dukes” to the Rose bowl in 1939. The game ended in a tight loss, as did his final Rose Bowl appearance in 1942, which was actually played in North Carolina due to the attack on Pearl Harbor. His legacy at Duke University remained, however, and though his finest moments with the Tide are commemorated in stone at BryantDenny, he was immortalized in 1967 as the inspiration for Duke’s football complex: Wallace Wade Stadium. Wade would go on to coach Duke University for the rest of his career, which ended in 1950. He was 63-13-3 with the Crimson Tide and 110-36-7 with the Blue Devils, producing a combined five Rose Bowl teams and obtaining an overall win percentage of 76%. After his retirement from coaching, he became the football commissioner of the Southeastern Conference and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1986, Wallace Wade died at the age of 94, leaving behind a proud legacy of success on and off the gridiron. touchdownalabama.net |
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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
12
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 September 16, 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
Duke Football Roster NO NAME 78 Jackson Anderson 84 Kenny Anunike 98 Paul Asack 39 Adam Banks 48 Issac Blakeney 61 Will Boeckman 7 Anthony Boone 5 Brandon Braxton 59 Kelby Brown 91 Jamal Bruce 57 Will Bryant 20 Lee Butler 29 Lex Butler 38 Jordon Byas 52 August Campbell 4 Walt Canty 6 Ross Cockrell 73 Takoby Cofield 70 John Coleman 18 Brandon Connette 40 Matt Daniels 89 Braxton Deaver 94 Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo 30 Greg DuLuca 90 Patrick Egboh 35 Jeffrey Faris 44 Jack Farrell 64 Joey Finison 69 Teddy Force 80 Tony Foster 31 Brendan Fowler 92 Justin Foxx 54 C.J. France 95 Guillermo Freile 45 Austin Gamble 14 Corey Gattis 75 Travis Gibson 50 Tyree Glover 1 Zach Greene 85 Ryan Hall 74 Dave Harding 55 Brandon Harper 93 Charlie Hatcher 58 Curtis Hazelton 81 Cooper Helfet 79 Kyle Hill 27 Jay Hollingsworth 53 Tevin Hood 51 Stephen Howell 87 Brett Huffman 94 Jeffrey Ijjas
P CLS HT WT HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL LS 6-4 260 RSo. Frisco, Texas Frisco DE 6-5 250 RSo. Galena, Ohio Olentangy K 6-2 220 RSo. Westwood, Mass. Xaverian Brothers LB 6-3 230 Sr. Asheville, N.C. A.C. Reynolds LB 6-6 215 Fr. Monroe, N.C. Monroe DE 6-3 240 Fr. Columbus, Ohio Columbus Academy QB 6-0 225 Fr. Monroe, N.C. Weddington WR 6-1 185 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. Providence LB 6-2 210 Fr. Matthews, N.C. Charlotte Christian DL 6-1 270 Fr. LaGrange, Ga. Callaway DL 6-2 310 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. Woodward Acad S 5-11 190 Jr. Anderson, S.C. Westside CB 5-11 175 RFr. Anderson, S.C. Westside S 6-1 205 RSo. Lynn Haven, Fla. Bay LB 6-3 225 RFr. Freeport, Bahamas Christ School [N.C.] S 6-0 210 So. Roebuck, S.C. Dorman CB 6-0 175 RFr. Waxhaw, N.C. Charlotte Latin OL 6-4 300 Fr. Tarboro, N.C. Tarboro OG 6-4 290 RFr. Florence, S.C. West Florence QB 6-2 225 Fr. Corona, Calif. Santiago S 6-1 205 Jr. Fayetteville, Ga. Fayette County TE 6-5 210 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. Providence DE 6-5 215 Fr. Prairie View, Texas Waller RB 6-1 195 So. Boonton Township, N.Y. Mountain Lakes DE 6-4 250 RSr. Mesquite, Texas North Mesquite S 5-11 185 Jr. Knoxville, Tenn. Knoxville Catholic TE 6-2 230 RFr. Atlanta, Ga. Holy Innocents C 6-4 290 RFr. Greensboro, N.C. Ragsdale OT 6-5 315 So. Lancaster, Pa. Lampeter-Strasburg WR 6-1 180 RSo. Burlington, N.C. Williams S 6-0 215 Fr. Wantagh, N.Y. Chaminade DE 6-3 235 RFr. Charlotte, N.C. Victory Christian LB 6-0 220 Fr. Columbus, Ga. Carver K 5-9 175 Jr. Miami, Fla. Miami Country Day LB 6-0 225 So. Weston, Fla. Cypress Bay WR 5-11 160 RFr. Durham, N.C. Hillside OG 6-1 255 So. Miami, Fla. Christopher Columbus LB 6-1 245 So. Crescent City, Fla. Crescent City CB 5-10 170 So. Raleigh, N.C. Leesville Road TE 6-3 240 RFr. Orlando, Fla. Olympia OG 6-4 275 RFr. Orlando, Fla. Boone OG 6-2 315 RSr. Alpharetta, Ga. Milton NG 6-3 300 RJr. Hamilton, Ohio Hamilton NG 6-2 280 RSo. Roswell, Ga. Roswell TE 6-4 240 Jr. Kentfield, Calif. Redwood & Santa Rosa Jr Col OT 6-6 290 RJr. Orlando, Fla. Boone RB 5-10 200 Jr. Sanford, N.C. Lee County NG 5-11 305 Fr. Phoenix, Ariz. Hamilton LB 6-1 230 Fr. Alexandria, Va. West Potomac TE 6-4 250 RSr. Massillon, Ohio Massillon Washington K 5-11 185 Jr. Clearwater, Fla. Clearwater Cent Catholic
NO NAME P 60 Steven Ingram NG 76 Conor Irwin OT 42 Dezmond Johnson DE 49 Kevin Jones P 83 Austin Kelly WR 25 Georgie Kerber WR 36 Alex King P 22 Brandon King TE 8 Abraham Kromah LB 43 Patrick Kurunwune RB 67 Mitchell Lederman OG 65 Elliott Lynch NG 47 Nick Maggio K 68 Brian Moore OG 62 Bryan Morgan C 71 Jon Needham OT 99 Wesley Oglesby DE 88 Danny Parker TE 24 Garett Patterson CB 46 George Pearkes TE 10 Matt Pridemore WR 41 Eriks Reks LB 19 Sean Renfree QB 32 Garrett Rider S 11 Spencer Rogers K/P 28 Kevin Rojas LB 16 Chris Rwabukamba CB 82 Sydney Sarmiento DE 12 Sean Schroeder QB 33 Desmond Scott RB 13 Preston Scott WR 63 Chris Shannon OT 66 Robert Shofner OL 72 Perry Simmons OT 97 Nick Sink DL 34 Ned Smith LB 9 Josh Snead RB 96 Will Snyderwine K 15 Taylor Sowell S 25 Quan Stevenson S 23 Juwan Thompson RB 56 Damian Thornton LB 77 Laken Tomlinson OL 86 Josh Trezvant WR 26 Donovan Varner WR 2 Conner Vernon WR 95 Jamal Wallace DE 37 Brandon Watkins WR 17 Tyree Watkins WR 3 Johnny Williams CB 21 Anthony Young-Wiseman S
CLS HT 6-2 340 6-4 285 6-4 230 6-2 205 6-2 205 6-2 185 6-1 205 6-2 255 6-1 225 5-9 215 6-7 320 6-0 305 6-3 210 6-2 275 6-3 260 6-7 315 6-5 255 6-4 245 6-0 185 6-2 240 6-0 190 6-5 235 6-5 220 6-1 185 6-1 185 6-3 225 5-11 180 6-4 280 6-2 190 5-9 185 5-10 185 6-5 285 6-3 275 6-5 295 6-5 270 6-1 215 5-9 180 5-11 190 5-10 195 5-10 195 5-11 215 6-2 240 6-3 310 5-10 195 5-9 175 6-2 195 6-4 235 6-0 195 6-0 185 5-10 190 6-0 200
WT Fr. RSo. Fr. RSr. Sr. So. Jr. RSr. RSr. RSo. RSr. Fr. Sr. RSo. Sr. RJr. RSr. Sr. RFr. Jr. RJr. RJr. RSo. Fr. Fr. RFr. RSr. RFr. RFr. So. Jr. RJr. Fr. RFr. Fr. So. Fr. RJr. RFr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. RJr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. RFr. Jr. RFr.
HOMETOWN LAST SCHOOL Southaven, Miss. Southaven Knoxville, Tenn. Knoxville Catholic Nashville, Tenn. Overton Comprehensive Austin, Texas James Bowie Mableton, Ga. Austell Murphy, N.C. Murphy Winston-Salem, N.C. Forsyth Country Day & Exeter Doylestown, Pa. Central Bucks West Staten Island, N.Y. Tottenville Austin, Texas L.C. Anderson Brodhead, Wis. Brodhead Burlington, N.C. Williams Leawood, Kan. St. Thomas Aquinas Coral Gables, Fla. Ransom Everglades Hoover, Ala. Hoover & Mercersburg Acad Melrose, Mass. Melrose Arlington, Texas Grace Prep Christian Rockville, Md. Good Counsel Richmond, Va. Monacan Nelson, B.C., Canada L.V. Rogers Gainesville, Ga. Buford Wrentham, Mass. Xaverian Brothers Scottsdale, Ariz. Notre Dame Prep Raleigh, N.C. Middle Creek Los Altos, Calif. St. Francis Raleigh, N.C. Wakefield Windsor, Ontario, Canada Herman Florence, S.C. West Florence Laguna Niguel, Calif. Dana Hills Durham, N.C. Hillside Rochester, N.Y. Bishop Kearney Andover, Mass. Phillips Academy Nashville, Tenn. Hillsboro Raleigh, N.C. Sanderson Kernersville, N.C. Forsyth Country Day Raleigh, N.C. Cardinal Gibbons Smithfield, N.C. Smithfield-Selma Potomac, Md. Landon School Spartanburg, S.C. Dorman High Point, N.C. T.W. Andrews Fairburn, Ga. Woodward Acad Lenoir, N.C. Hibriten Chicago, Ill. Lane Technical Morrilton, Ark. Morrilton Miami, Fla. Gulliver Prep Miami, Fla. Gulliver Prep Virginia Beach, Va. Green Run Durham, N.C. Hillside Camden, N.J. Camden St. Stephens, Ala. Leroy Bethesda, Md. Walt Whitman
touchdownalabama.net |
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Pro Connections
Kansas City Here We Come Arenas Right at Home with Chiefs
L
ike many great Crimson Tide players have done before him, Javier Arenas moved on to a pro career last year after helping the Tide bring home the national championship. But Arenas has landed in better company than some other Alabama alums have. Drafted 50th overall and going in the second round in the 2010 draft, Arenas is a new addition to the Kansas City Chiefs, but he should feel right at home. Besides the familiarity of a red jersey, his teammates include four other former Tide players. Running back Tim Castille, originally from Birmingham, Ala., joined the team last November after two seasons with Arizona. He played in seven games last year and started Monday night in the first game of the season. He had 2 receptions for a total of 3 yards. Wallace Gilberry is in his third season at defensive end for the Chiefs. Second on the depth charts, he saw action in 16 games in 2009. He finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks last year and had playing time in this season’s opener. He also works on special teams.
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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
Jessica Temple
In 13 regular season games with eight starts, second string quarterback Brodie Croyle completed 150 of 260 passes (57.7%) for 1,401 yards with six touchdowns and eight interceptions. Croyle suffered injuries to his right shoulder and left knee in 2008, shortening his season to just two contests. Last year he played in three games, starting once. This is his fifth season with the Chiefs. Tackle Bobby Greenwood also played for Alabama and is now in his second year with the Chiefs’ practice squad. The team also includes players from other SEC schools: 5 from LSU, 1 from Vanderbilt, and 2 each from South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. In the season opener against San Diego Monday night, corner back Arenas came out with a 36-yard punt return in the second quarter, followed by another 24-yarder. The Chiefs came out on top, winning over the Chargers 21-14. Along with the win, the team celebrated the opening of New Arrowhead Stadium with 71,297 fans. The game was the last matchup of Kickoff Weekend and was featured on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
The Lowdown
Larry’s
LOWDOWN Calming the Fear
Larry Burton
With Two Down and Ten to Go, Has Alabama Quieted the Concerns?
A
labama has two wins in the books so far this year. One against a team they were supposed to dominate and one against a quality top-20 team, Penn State, that they likewise dominated like a non-quality team. Alabama’s rebuilding defense has yet to give up a touchdown and the youngest secondary in the SEC still hasn’t been burned for a score. They are picking off passes, causing fumbles, stuffing the running game of the opponents and causing hurried throws and thrown away balls. In short, they look more like a veteran unit and less like a band of first-year starters. Have they calmed the fears that many of the fans had going into the season, or have they just not faced a strong enough challenge yet? With Marcell Dareus coming back into lineup this week, the pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks should increase, which could only raise the number of forced throws and could give the young secondary more opportunities for turnovers. The offense is humming along like the machine everyone knew it would be. In fact, after two games, Greg McElroy is the fifth-rated passer in college football and is surpassing most expectations. Many thought the offense would have to carry the defense for much of the year until everybody on that side of the ball got their feet under them. However, the defense has simply been outstanding through the first two, and the week three contest is not expected to be one that will give the secondary a good challenge. It won’t be until next week, when Alabama faces one of the premier passers in the U.S., Ryan Mallett, and his Arkansas team, that the Bama defense will know for sure just how good they are and how much work is left to do to get to playoffstyle performance. Other fears the fans may have had from the special teams also seem to be quieted. All four specialists in the kicking
game have looked solid. The punter is among the SEC leaders in average, the long snapper is perfect, Jeremy Shelley has yet to miss a short field goal and Cade Foster has been booming kickoffs and helping the kickoff team hold opponents deeper than last year and has only missed one long field goal himself. If there is any area that has yet to be filled, it might be finding a replacement for punt and kickoff returner Javier Arenas. Though Julio Jones is certainly doing a good job, he hasn’t had the breakaway runs that excited fans in the past few years. So many pundits thought Alabama could not possibly replace nine starters on defense and contend for another title. So many pundits are being proven wrong. If they are this good this early, how good will they be with even more confidence and more playing time? For opponents, this was their biggest fear, a defense that simply reloaded and did not need rebuilding, paired with an offense they knew was a scoring machine. With the talent Nick Saban has assembled over the past three years, the only question should have been of experience at this level and not ability to compete.
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15
Opponents
Views From
THE
Other Side
Sean Renfree - QB
R
edshirt sophomore quarterback Sean Renfree began his first season as a starter a couple of weeks ago and didn’t disappoint. He completed 31 of 39 passes for two touchdowns and 350 yards. He connected the most with wide receiver Conner Vernon. He is the fourth Blue Devil quarterback to throw over 300 yards in a starter debut and the fifth Duke player to have at least 300 yards in a season opener, according to goduke.com. Last season Renfree saw action in five games as the backup quarterback. He completed 34 of 50 passes, totaling 330 yards and four touchdowns. His best game of the 2009 season came against Kansas when he threw for a season-best 115 yards and one touchdown. According to head coach David Cutcliffe, Renfree has a great work ethic that won his team over.
#19
Jennifer Gorham
“Sean’s an unusual young man,” Cutcliffe said. “Coming in on the heels of Thaddeus Lewis [ Duke’s prior four-year starting quarterback] is difficult. He quickly won his receivers over with his work ethic.” As told on goduke.com, Renfree had a chance this summer to work with the Manning Passing Academy and turned it down to practice and be with his team. His coach was very pleased. The fact that he didn’t want to leave his team displayed his work ethic and loyalty to his teammates. “He was asked by the Mannings to come work the Manning Passing Academy,” Cutcliffe said. “It’s a premier thing for quarterbacks to do. He declined it and told me, ‘Coach, I hope I don’t make them mad. I don’t want to do it because I feel I need to be here rehabbing and working with our guys. I don’t want to miss anything – even a week with being with our players.’” Renfree suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2009 and has healed accordingly. He has faith in himself and knows he can succeed this season, but not alone. “I’m most confident being around our players and coaches,” he confessed. “I know Coach Roper and Coach Cutcliffe are going to prepare me for every game. I’m not going to go into every game alone, trying to figure things out. They are going to be right there, teaching me everything, making sure I’m prepared. And, obviously, guys around me are going to be making plays.”
Conner Vernon - WR
S
ophomore wide receiver Conner Vernon is a player to watch for. He is 6-foot-2 and weighs 195 pounds. During Duke’s practice scrimmage in August, Vernon was the star player. He caught five passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. This wide-receiver connected smoothly with quarterback Sean Renfree during their season opener. He had 10 catches, which ties his record for the entire 2009 season. He noted how it felt to mesh so well with the quarterback on goduke.com. “The timing feels great,” he said. “This was what the whole off-season was, the preparation and everything. Sean [Renfree] had us out there all the time just getting in sync with him because he knew it was his time. He knew that this year was strictly on his shoulders and he went out there and proved it today what he could do [against Elon].” Vernon was the first player to total 129 receiving yards in a season opener since 1988, when Clarkston Hines totaled 131 yards. Last season he had 13.5 yards per catch on average, which ranked him as the sixth-highest by a Duke rookie. Vernon is 12th-best overall wideout in the Atlantic Coastal Conference, as ranked by CollegeFootballNews.
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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
com. Last season he played in 11 games and started eight of those. He is ranked as the top sophomore receiver for the Blue Devils. Vernon is a Miami native and, before joining the Duke family, was a three-year letterman in high school. He was a class 2A first team all-state pick by the Florida Sports Writers Association and an All-Dade County pick by the Miami Herald, according to goduke.com. He is the first Duke freshman to score a game-winning, fourthquarter touchdown since George Clark scored against the Tide in the Sugar Bowl in 1945.
#2
PHOTOS FROM DUKE ATHLETICS
Player Spotlight
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
Eddie Lacy In with the New:
Third-string RB sees playing time Thomas Watts
A
redshirt freshman for the Crimson Tide, Eddie Lacy is listed as the third string running back on the depth chart behind Mark Ingram and sophomore Trent Richardson. But with Heisman winner Ingram out with injury during the opening game, Lacy has already racked up valuable playing time. The Geismar, La., native played for Dutchtown High School, amassing over 4,000 yards even though he missed part of his senior season due to injury. Rivals.com listed him as the 13th best running back nationally, and he was number 116 on the prestigious Rivals250. Scout.com had Lacy at the 24th best running back nationally and number 61 in the Southeast 150. Rivals and Scout.com both gave him 4 out of 5 stars during the 2009 recruiting cycle. Lacy chose Alabama over Oklahoma, Tennessee, and LSU. He had some trouble qualifying academically to attend the Capstone, but through hard work and perseverance finally got through the NCAA Clearinghouse in late July of 2009. He reported in time for fall practice and has been a fixture in practice since. He worked with the practice squad last year while he was redshirting, and now works in the regular running back rotation. Lacy has drawn comparisons to both of the players in front of him on the depth
PHOTO BY DAVE MARTIN GETTY IMAGES
chart. Running backs coach Burton Burns said that Lacy “is a combination of Mark and Trent” and that “he’s obviously got some great running skills.” Gentry Estes, former Alabama beat writer for the Mobile Press-Register, in a recent blog post quoted Ingram saying, “Eddie Lacy has improved a lot since last year, he’s doing a lot of great things. Whatever role he plays on the team, I’m sure he’s going to do a great job. He’s been running the ball well. He’s getting better. He’s knows his assignments more. He should be able to contribute.” He was expected to contribute in a very limited role before Ingram injured his knee during the week leading up to the San Jose State game. Ingram’s injury moved Lacy up to the second string, and he responded with a thirteen carry, 111-yard effort to go along with two touchdowns against the Spartans. Having Lacy on the field gaining experience now could prove valuable in his development as a player in the years to come. As long as Ingram’s status remains in question, Lacy will be expected to step in and help fill the Heisman Trophy winner’s shoes.
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News
Haley Namie
Arkansas at Georgia
11:00 AM ESPN
After suffering a loss against South Carolina, Georgia will take on the undefeated Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. The loss puts Georgia at a disadvantage, even at their home field. The Bulldog defense was unable to stop or even slow down South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore, who ran over Georgia for 182 yards. Georgia’s star receiver, A.J. Green, is still on suspension for this week’s matchup. Arkansas defeated LouisianaMonroe (31-7) last Saturday after a slow first half. Coach Bobby Petrino said the team didn’t play the way they wanted to in the first half. He is not pleased with the turnovers in the first two games. Florida at Tennessee 2:30 PM CBS The Volunteers host the undefeated Florida Gators in Knoxville this week. Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said he was disappointed in the way his team competed last week against the Oregon Ducks. The Vols will be looking to redeem themselves this time around. Florida has gotten off to a slow start in both games this season, but Emmanuel Moody has been a major contributor. Deonte Thompson and Carl Moore look to be solid for the Gators, catching six and five passes respectively. Mississippi State at LSU 6:00 PM ESPNU The MSU Bulldogs are on the road in Baton Rouge this week. Last week, the Dawgs lost a heartbreaker on their home turf to a different set of Tigers. Mississippi State watched as Cameron Newton, once a coveted recruit for the Bulldogs, drove the Auburn offense to early success. Though sputtering on offense, the Bulldogs got the breaks they needed at times and found themselves in the game until the end. The Bulldogs have not won an SEC opener since 1999. Coach Les Miles might be in the hot seat this season, but so far LSU is undefeated. Vanderbilt at Ole Miss 11:21 AM SEC Network Ole Miss will face Vanderbilt Saturday after coming off a victory over Tulane. Vandy is 0-2 on the year. Vanderbilt coach Robbie Caldwell said the team has been “out-physicaled” up front and the offense is headed
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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
back to the drawing board. After Ole Miss’s win last week, head coach Steve Sloan said the defense played great against Tulane. It was a close game, but Ole Miss came out victorious (27-13).
Other SEC Games: Game
Akron at Kentucky Furman at South Carolina Clemson at Auburn
Time
6:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
Station FSN PPV ESPN
Georgia will play their third game of the season without star receiver A.J. Green. Green was put on suspension last week for selling his game jersey for $1,000. Coach Mark Richt said he hopes the NCAA shortens the suspension Razorbacks junior DT Zach Stadther missed two games with an undisclosed injury and is questionable for Georgia. The returning starter recorded 42 tackles last season. Georgia junior RB Caleb King missed the South Carolina game and is questionable after spraining his ankle against Louisiana Lafayette. King led UGA in rushing touchdowns last season with seven Tennessee senior WR Gerald Jones missed the UT Martin game with a broken bone in his left hand. He is expected to miss 2 to 3 weeks of action. Jones led the Vols last year in receiving yards with 680 Junior TE Deangelo Peterson has missed two straight games for LSU with a foot injury, but head coach Les Miles says Peterson is "doing remarkably well." He is questionable this week. Ole Miss sophomore LB Brandon Sanders missed the Tulane game due to an indefinite suspension. The reserve LB has played in 12 games in his Rebels career and has seven tackles.
CURRENT POLLS AP TOP 25
USA Today
1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Boise State 4. TCU 5. Oregon 6. Texas 7. Oklahoma 8. Nebraska 9. Iowa 10. Florida 11. Wisconsin 12. Arkansas 13. South Carolina 14. Utah 15. LSU 16. Auburn 17. Miami (FL) 18. USC 19. Stanford 20. Michigan 21. West Virginia 22. Penn State 23. Houston 24. Arizona 25. Oregon State
1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Boise State 4. Texas 5. TCU 6. Oregon 7. Florida 8. Nebraska 9. Oklahoma 10. Iowa 11. Wisconsin 12. LSU 13. Arkansas 14. Utah 15. Auburn 16. South Carolina 17. Miami (FL) 18. Arizona 19. Stanford 20. Penn State 21. West Virginia 22. Michigan 23. Houston 24. California 25. Missouri
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1 2
The playing surface at Bryant-Denny Stadium is made of___________. a. Astroturf b. natural grass c. a combination of Astroturf and natural grass Joe Namath was such a good baseball player in high school in Beaver Hills, Pa., that the______ offered him a $50,000 signing bonus out of high school. He turned it down to go to Alabama. a. New York Yankees c. Chicago Cubs b. Brooklyn Dodgers d. St. Louis Cardinals
THREE LOCATIONS Saturday Banking
3 4 5
Franchione broke the news that he was leaving to his Alabama players____________. a. on a video teleconference b. during a team meeting at Bryant-Denny Stadium c. through his wife d. in a hand-written letter After Mike Price was fired Alabama, he became the head coach at__________. a. UTEP c. UCLA b. UNLV d. Utah Which player was NOT a first-round selection in the NFL draft? a. Bobby Humphrey c. Antonio Langham b. Keith McCants d. David Palmer
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Recruit of the Week
TIDE Gets Elite Prospect
out of Buckeye State Coe Robbins
S
pringfield High School star Trey DePriest said from his home in downtown Springfield, Ohio, back in July that he was rolling with the Tide. He is the fifth-best prospect out of the state of Ohio and the sixth-best linebacker in the nation. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker had numerous offers from other schools across the country including Michigan, Notre Dame, Florida and Oklahoma. But in the end, it all came down to his state school, Ohio State, and Alabama. He wore a huge smile as he announced, “I’m going to be spending the next three or four years of my academic and football career at Alabama.” Most colleges send scholarship offers through the fax machine. Alabama’s offer came through the mail on 81/2-by-11 glossy paper. DePriest was recruited by assistant coach Sal Sunseri and was offered the scholarship in December.
PHOTOS FROM SPRINGFIELD NEWS-SUN
“He’s very football smart,” Springfield head coach Rick Robertson said. “He understands the game and what’s going on. When you give some kids a scouting report, I think they understand parts of it. Trey can take it to heart.” DePriest did a lot to impress coaches all across the country as he
finished his junior season at Springfield with 101 tackles, including seven sacks, three other tackles for loss of yardage and three fumble recoveries. Coach Robertson told Gentry
Estes of the Mobile Press-Register: “The initial thought was that he was going to go to Ohio State, because he's extremely close to mom and grandma and grandpa here in town. But they've been great, because from the get-go they said, 'Trey, don't worry about us. You do what's best for you.' That's given him some flexibility to look at different places. I know he's hit it off with Coach (Sal) Sunseri. I can't deny that. When he has an opportunity to talk to Sal, comparing his body language and demeanor when he talks to other coaches, it's night and day." ESPN.com described him as “a versatile player with excellent playing strength and the speed capable of making big plays at any time. Has the size for the outside linebacker position at the major level of competition.” DePriest will participate in the 2011 Under Armour All-America Game, an invitation-only event played by national recruits.
touchdownalabama.net |
21
Traditions
TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION • TIDE TRADITION
Establishing a New Tradition:
The Walk of Champions
T
radition is the glue that unites the past and the present. Some Alabama traditions go back decades, some a century. The Million Dollar Band was formed in 1913 and the term “Crimson Tide” celebrated its hundredth year in 2007. That history makes forming new traditions much more difficult. Some new custom is not going to have the same weight as yelling “Rammer Jammer” after a victory. Yet, a new tradition has snuck in. Every game day Saturday, hundreds of devoted Alabama fans line up outside the Bryant-Denny north end zone to witness the Walk of Champions, and every Saturday, the Crimson Tide is brought to the stadium, via bus and police escort, suited in their Sunday best, to march in
22
| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
Chris Tubbs
front of their fans on their way to the locker room. Sure, you can see the players during the game, but it is not exactly easy to see the faces of the Crimson Tide from up in the nose bleeds. The march to the locker room is just as important to the players because they get to see their fans up close and personal, right before the game. This is a chance for the players to put a human face on all the fans that they will represent. Of course, the Walk of Champions is important. How long has it been around? Ten, twenty years? Try four. The Walk of Champions was added immediately before the 2006 season. Traditions can spring up just about anywhere with just a little enthusiasm and a lot of heart.
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My First Game
THE TIDE TURNS: How a UA Student and Her Family Came to Love the Crimson Tide
T
he South Eastern Conference is on a whole different level than any other college football conference. The SEC is bigger, faster, and stronger and knows what it takes to win National Championships. While University of Alabama junior Casey Keck was growing up, she was a fan of Florida State University, which plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Her father played football under Coach Bobby Bowden while her mother played volleyball for the Seminoles. Through the years Keck often revisited the field that her dad played on and participated in the many traditions that Florida State holds. “Growing up knowing my Dad played under Bobby Bowden always made going to the Florida State games a huge honor, and it all seemed natural,” said Keck. While applying to colleges during her senior year of high school, Keck’s parents were certain she would attend their alma mater. Little did they know, Keck had a different plan and decided to enroll at the University of Alabama. “My first game day at Alabama, things changed completely,” stated Keck. “Instead of following on with my father’s tradition, Alabama helped
me start a tradition and feel a part of something even greater than what I had experienced with Florida State. From the moment I stepped out of my dorm to tailgate, to the moment I sat down at the stadium I knew I was a part of something truly amazing.” Keck had never been to an Alabama football game and could not wait until her first game against Western Kentucky in 2008. “Bryant Denny stadium is out of control,” Keck stated. “It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen and nothing like the stadiums at Florida or Florida State. The warm up was crazy, and I felt so proud hearing Bear Bryant’s voice play through the loud speakers. I got chills, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up every time one of our players made a tackle or had a nice pass. It’s a truly wonderful atmosphere and experience.” With Keck being from Florida, one memory stood out to her the most during last season. “My favorite Alabama game day memory would have to be singing Rammer Jammer at the end of every game…especially last year when we beat Florida! It’s always nice to rub
Jessica Brown
it in when we beat one of our rivals,” Keck stated. For many students and fans it’s hard not to love Alabama football, but with Keck’s family it was a process. “Both my parents have fallen in love with Alabama, and the tradition that comes with Alabama football more than anything,” stated Keck. “While they try and pretend like they are still and always will be Florida State football fans first, Alabama has truly become their favorite team and they are proud that I am a part of such a great tradition. They watch the games every week, and even manage to find the time to make it up to as many games as they can. Plus, we both hate Florida football just the same, so they don’t feel bad at all cheering for Alabama.” Attending the University of Alabama is something that most people can’t describe. There are so many traditions and everyone comes together as a family on game days. “Alabama football truly has made my two years at Alabama,” said Keck. “When spring rolls around, things just aren’t the same and I’m just left counting down the months, weeks, and days until it’s Alabama football time again.”
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Tailgater of the Week
A Family Affair on the Quad
A
Jennifer Gorham
labama fans often find themselves in a family rivalry when it comes to games like Auburn or Tennessee, but few had that problem last weekend. The Papadelias family did. Ann Papadelias is a Penn State alumna and saw JoePa and “Bear” Bryant play in 1982. She said tailgating is at Beaver Stadium is a different experience. “There are no sundresses,” Papadelias commented. “It is all jeans and T-shirts. The stadium is out in a field and everyone tailgates there.”
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She noticed that everyone in Tuscaloosa was friendly to the Penn State fans. One of her only fears for the game was that she hoped the new quarterback could keep up. This is Papadelias’s second time going to a game at Bryant-Denny Stadium and she said the best part of coming to Tuscaloosa is visiting her daughter. Sarah Papadelias is a junior at The University of Alabama and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Her mother, Ann, and the entire family are Penn State alumni except her and her sister. She was excited about the game
| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 16, 2010
regardless of the family rivalry. “I think it will be a lot closer than people think it is going to be,” Papadelias said before the game. “Both teams have well-respected football fans. [It is the] past meets present.” Although Bear Bryant has a special compartment in her heart, she is a long-term childhood fan of Paterno. Even though the Papadelias family is divided between two legendary programs, football is a family event. They respect each other and know that each of them has to pull for the team that is deep in her heart. PHOTO BY MATT GASTON
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