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Crimson Tide Football Holds First Spring Scrimmage
Jones & Howard
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
University of Alabama head football coach NICK SABAN had some complimentary things to say concerning the first scrimmage of the 2016 spring "season" held inside Bryant-Denny Stadium yesterday afternoon. Of course he had some not-so-good things to say also.
Saban commented, "This scrimmage was a lot like you'd expect a first scrimmage to be. There were a lot of good things, and there were a lot of things that
need to be cleaned up. We are looking at a lot of different people in a
lot of different circumstances and situations."
Leading the Bama offensive attack was the expected-to-be 2016 starting running back BO SCARBROUGH with 132 rushing yards and three touchdowns on nine carries. He broke one really big run for 95 yards and a touchdown. DAMIEN HARRIS scampered for 36 yards on 12 carries himself, as well as showing some pass-catching ability out of the backfield.
Leading the receiving corp was ARDARIUS STEWART snagging seven catches for an even 100 yards on the day, including two for touchdowns of 40 and 18 yards. CALVIN RIDLEY also stepped up, as expected, with three receptions for 50 yards.
The big boys on defense had their workout, too. DALVIN TOMLINSON had a team-leading eight tackles, including two sacks and two pass breakups. RASHAAN EVANS also brought down eight himself, including a sack, while RYAN ANDERSON contributed seven tackles and a sack. As expected REUBEN FOSTER showed up in his big boy pants with seven tackles as well as a pass interception return for a touchdown.
Saban said, "I thought the effort was good. The toughness was good. We got a lot of turns for a lot of players that needed the experience. The number one thing about this is it really doesn't matter about the result that anybody got out there today. It's what are your goals? What do you need to do to accomplish the goals that you have? What sacrifices do you need to make? Who do you need to work with? Are you going to make the kind of choices and decisions to do the things you need to do to be the best that you can be and create the right habits so that you have the chance to play winning football? This gives us a great indication of where we are and what we need to do to improve."
All being said and done, the coaching staff was able to get a good idea about where the 2016 edition of the Crimson Tide football team stands and what needs to be done to win another Southeastern Conference Championship and eventually the 17th National Championship. It also allowed the players themselves the opportunity to gauge their own progress in a near-game-like setting, and how they stack up against the competition, not only for their own position, but also against a quality "opponent" on the other side of the ball from them.
Oh, yes. The quarterback situation. Still no definitive leader. So what's new? The last two years saw no clear leader until the start of the football season. Could the third consecutive year of selecting a new starting quarterback enter the start of the 2016 season? Still remains to be see.
However, in his opening statement of the press conference following the scrimmage, DAVID CORNWELL was the only name mentioned. Saban said the young man "threw the ball fairly well." All the quarterbacks got an opportunity to play and catch the coaches' attention. Saban said, "They made some good throws today. There were some inconsistencies in the passing game When I say that, I'm not just talking about quarterbacks throwing the ball. I'm talking about the protection, the receivers running the right routes, the timing, all those things."
One more scrimmage remains before the 2016 Golden Flake A-Day Game.
Bama's Bo Scarbrough
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
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Alabama Gymnastics Regional Champions
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Advances To NCAA Tournament
2016 Tuscaloosa Regional Champions
Photo Credit: RollTid.com/Amelia B. Barton
Thirty-four consecutive years. Impressive. Very.
For the 34th consecutive year, the Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics team has advanced to the NCAA Championships by virtue of winning its NCAA-record 31st regional championship. The Tide captured the championship of the Tuscaloosa Regional yesterday in Coleman Coliseum with a score of 197.125 in front of a crowd of 10, 116 adoring fans.
Alabama gymnastics head coach DANA DUCKWORTH may have been more excited than the players, commenting, "The energy in the arena was electric. Our ladies could feel it. It was probably one of the best experiences this season with the way that you could feel their love and their energy."
The fans, the vast majority of whom were there to cheer and yell for their Crimson Tide, were very vocal and appreciative of the effort of the Bama girls. Fan support for the regional, as well as the season, was a positive factor for the Tide this season.
Taking second place and earning that all-important national championship berth out the the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional were the Cal Bears with a score of 195.925. The order of finish for the remaining four teams in the Tuscaloosa regional were Boise State (195.750), Kentucky (195.725), West Virginia (194.250) and Bowling Green (193.850).
Duckworth continued, "The goal was to qualify for the national championships. Of course we wanted to win, that’s always what we want to do, but first or second is what it took to qualify, so that was the focus. We did what we set out to do."
Two NCAA records and one school record now for the Tide concerning the NCAA regionals: 34th consecutive year to advance from the regional to the NCAAs, the Tide's 31st regional title, and the Tide's 12th consecutive regional title.
The Bama ladies posted the highest team score on three of the four regional events, and placed second on the fourth event, the balance beam, by .025. Senior LAUREN BEERS won the floor exercise with a 9.950 and placed second in the vault with a 9.875 in her last competition at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama sophomore MACKENZIE BRANNON captured first in the uneven bars with a 9.900.
Alabama closed out the strong with a 49.225 on the vault behind the 9.9875 posted by both Beers and freshamn JENNA BRESETTE. In the leadoff spot on the uneven bars it was junior KEELY McNEER getting the Tide started with a 9.875. Closing out the rotation were sophomores KIANA WINSTON and Brannon posting scores of 9.875 and 9.900.
After their leadoff fell, the Tide was able to go five-for-five on the balance beam posting a score of 49.150. Leading the Tide on the beam was junior AIA SIMS with a score of 9.875. In the fifth spot Beers posted a 9.95 with fellow-senior CARLEY SIMS posting a 9.90 in the anchor position. It was the Crimson Tide's highest rotation score of the day with a 49.475.
Congratulations, ladies. Roll Tide!
Graphic/Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Tuscaloosa Regional Site Coleman Coliseum
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
UA Senior Gymnast Lauren Beers
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
UA Gymnast Aja Sims
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
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Women's Golf In Liz Murphey Classic Championship Round
The third-ranked Alabama women's golf team competed in a match play format for the first time this season and advanced to the championship match of the 2016 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic after taking down a pair of opponents. The classic is being held on the par-72, 6,365-yard University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Georgia. Bama will now face the sixth-ranked UCLA Bruins this morning in the championship round.
The Tide and Bruins have an 8:20 a.m. CT tee time beginning at hole number one.
