Thursday, November 19, 2015

Bama Continues Prep For Charleston Southern; Saban Gets Fired Up In Press Conference; Tide Offensive Line Semifinalist For Joe Moore Award; Derrick Henry Selected As Doak Walker Award Semifinalist; Alabama Swimming & Diving Ready For Georgia Tech Invitational


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Bama Continues Prep For Charleston Southern

Photo Credit: RollTide.com


     It was another two-hour practice for the University of Alabama football team yesterday afternoon. This one was moved indoors in the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility where Tide continued their preparation for this Saturday's match up with Charleston Southern.

     The team did work on fundamentals, as well as running through plays. The defense began work on stopping the triple-option threat that Southern possesses, the first Alabama will have seen this season. 

     Minkah Fitzpatrick, and of course Kenyan Drake did not practice. Saban says these won't play against Southern, but all others should be available.  

     Alabama hosts the Charleston Southern Buccaneers this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with a kickoff time of 3 p.m. CT. This game also serves as Senior Day since this will be the Tide's last home game of the 2015 season. The SEC Network will air the game live, featuring Dave Neal on play-by-play, Matt Stinchcomb on color-commentary and Kayce Smith handling sideline duties. This is the first meeting between the two schools.

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Saban Gets Fired Up In Press Conference

Photo Credit: RollTide.com



     University of Alabama head football coach got fired up, and rather colorful, in his weekly Wednesday press conference ahead of the University of Alabama Senior Day game with Charleston Southern this Saturday.

      Saban's ire came about due to the lack of respect being give to Southern, an FCS school, yet one with impressive credentials. The coached dropped the s-word when talking about FCS teams, saying that nobody respects teams like this.

     The second-ranked Crimson Tide will be playing a Charleston Southern team that boasts a 9-1 record and is ranked ninth in the Football Championship Subdivision, something that Saban believes reporters and most fans don't seem to understand.

      Saban also pointed out that no matter who the opponent, it is important for the team to play to a standard, not an opponent. He says this week's game will be a test of character.

      There are some issues in preparing for Southern this week, because it's the first team this year that Alabama will have faced that employs the triple-option offense. He said it's hard to get the scout team ready to run it, and it's hard to play fast with it. Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett has been tasked with running that triple-option in practice against the Tide's number one defense.

     Saban did put out a call to all Alabama fans. He's asked fans to come out early for Senior Day.

     Saban did say he likes the improvement he's seen from the offensive line in recent weeks. He says that the injury situation is clearing up and that has helped. He said the line still needs work on pass protection.

     He did say that Minkah Fitzpatrick is doubtful for the game and is not expected to play, but the others should be good to go.

     Alabama hosts Charleston Southern in the Tide's final home game of the 2015 season this Saturday at 3 p.m. CT in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

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Tide Offensive Line Semifinalist For Joe Moore Award

Photo Credit: RollTide.com


     The University of Alabama offensive line has been selected as one of 20 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award. This award is presented annually to the nation's top offensive line. The announcement came from the Joe Moore Foundation for Teamwork yesterday.

     Alabama's offensive line is led by assistant head coach Mario Cristobal. The Tide's O-line has excelled this season in the run game. The Tide is one of the top 15 teams nationally in time of possession at a 33:17 average per game.

     The award derives its name from a one of the most highly-regarded offensive line coaches in college football history, Joe Moore. This award annually recognizes the nation's most outstanding offensive line unit that best displays toughness, effort, teamwork, physicality, tone-setting and finishing. Five finalists will be announced on November 30th. The Joe Moore Award Voting Committee will then cast a second vote to determine the 2015 recipient.  
The Joe Moore Award is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, and is the only major college football award to honor a unit. The Award annually recognizes the nation's most outstanding offensive line unit that best displays toughness, effort, teamwork, physicality, tone setting and finishing. Five finalists for the award will be announced Nov. 30, wherein the Joe Moore Award Voting Committee will cast a second vote to determine the 2015 recipient. 

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Derrick Henry Selected As Doak Walker Award Semifinalist



Alabama Running Back Derrick Henry
Photo Credit: RollTide.com


     Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry has been selected as one of 11 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, it was announced yesterday by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum. The Doak Walker Award is presented annual to the top running back in the country. 
     Henry has compiled a total of 1,458 yards rushing on 240 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and has scored 19 touchdowns in his first season at running back for the University of Alabama football team. He leads the nation in rushing touchdowns, and is second overall in total rushing yards. In the Tide's six games against ranked opponents this season, Henry has racked up 1,072 yards and 12 touchdowns.

     Through 10 games this season Henry already has more yards than any running back in Alabama school history through the same period. He has the third-highest single-season total in Bama's record books, and is second for all-time rushing touchdowns in a season. He is only two TDs away from the 21 rushing touchdowns scored by Trent Richardson back in 2011. Henry holds the nation's longest active streak in the country in the number of games scoring at least one touchdown, which currently stands at 15 consecutive games. This is also the longest streak by an SEC player in the last 20 seasons.

     Henry has been a relentless running in Alabama's backfield, and has put together 200-plus yard performances in three of the Crimson Tide's last four games. He is the first-ever University of Alabama player to achieve three 200-yard games over a stretch of just four games. During that same period he has achieved a Bama-record 792 yards.

     The prestigious Doak Walker award is named after three-time All-American running back and 1948 Heisman Trophy winner Doak Walker, and was created in 1989 to honor the nation's top running back for achievements not only on the football field but also in the classroom, as well as recognizing his citizenship in the community. There will be an announcement on November 24the of three finalists for the award, followed by a vote by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee to determine the 2015 recipient.

     Alabama's Trent Richardson was the first player in Alabama history to win the coveted award in 2011.


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Georgia Tech Invitational Begins
Alabama Swimming & Diving Team Ready For Meet 





     The Alabama swimming and diving team competes today in the Georgia Tech Invitation. There will be more than a dozen schools participating in the competition. 

     Head coach Dennis Pursley said, "This one is a little different. It's what we'll see at the end of the season in the championship meets."

     Several of the Crimson Tide's athlete's are shooting for Olympic qualifying marks, and are training hard for these events, the postseason and a shot at the 2015 Olympic Games.

     The preliminaries begin at 9 a.m. CT this morning, with the finals starting at 5 p.m. CT. These will be the set times for each of the three days. 

The meet gets underway Thursday, with prelims starting at 9 a.m. CT and finals beginning at 5 p.m. CT each day.