Crimson Tide Completes 21st Fall Practice On Wednesday
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| Alabama practices yesterday at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
Wide receiver Cam Sims, who has been battling a knee injury, was again practicing with the Tide yesterday. Though wearing a sleeve on the injured leg he was going through practice drills. Inside linebacker Keith Holcombe, having been recovering from an ankle injury, eventually began practice yesterday as well. Defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, who had miss last week with an ankle injury, was back in practice-mode, too.
Attending yesterday's practice session was Alabama Director of Athletics, Bill Battle. Also visiting yesterday's session was former Alabama quarterback Walter Lewis. Former Cleveland Browns GM Phil Savage and new Alabama head baseball coach Greg Goff were also spotted.
The Crimson Tide will practice today and tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. CT, and will begin another two-hour session at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The young men will then take Sunday off, then back at it on Monday. Beginning the new week the Tide starts "game week" preparations for the season-opener with USC. The Tide and Trojans will battle on Saturday, September 3rd in the AdvoCare Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on ABC. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Sam Ponder will be handling the announcing duties for the network.
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The Late Kevin Turner Is Honored
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| Kevin Turner Photo Source Yahoo.com |
Turner played eight seasons in the National Football League for the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. A pair of neck injuries ended his NFL career.
Tragically, Turner was diagnosed in 2010 with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He passed away this past March 24th.
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Tide Places Nine On Lombardi Award Watch List
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Tide Places Nine On Lombardi Award Watch List
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| Graphic/Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
You know, when Academy Awards nominations are announced, the actors selected usually like to use the line, "It's an honor just to be nominated." And I agree with that. It is truly an honor to be nominated to something that showcases your talents, and you get to see how highly-thought of you are to others. But in the case of athlete's on watch lists, you still have to go out there and perform. The performance for actors has already been done.
An honor has been bestowed upon nine members of The University of Alabama football team. Defensive linemen Jonathan Allen, Da'Shawn Hand, Da'Ron Payne and Dalvin Tomlinson; linebackers Ryan Anderson, Reuben Foster, and Tim Williams; tight end O.J. Howard and offensive lineman Cam Robinson have been named to the 2016 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list announced Thursday by the Rotary Club of Houston. Alabama's nine candidates ties with Clemson for the most nominees in the country.
A total of 158 college football players from around the country have been named to the preseason list that now recognizes the nation's top college football player. Back in 1986 Alabama's Cornelius Bennett won the award.
Beginning this year there has been a change in the criteria to be nominated for the Rotary Lombardi Award. Now the award is open to college football players regardless of position, who "demonstrate outstanding performance and skill in offensive or defensive positions and best exemplify the discipline, virtue and wisdom that defined Vincent Lombardi's exceptional brand of leadership." The award is of course named in honor of former Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi.
Jonathan Allen is considered one of the most productive defenders on the Crimson Tide's defensive. He chose to return for his senior season instead of entering this last NFL Draft. Allen was named to the All-SEC First Team defense by the conference coaches and the Associated Press as a junior after having ranked 17th nationally and second in the SEC in sacks with .80 per game (12.0 sacks). Allen recorded 36 tackles in his junior season with a team-leading 14.5 tackles for loss (-92 yards total) while adding four pass breakups as well as six quarterback hurries. All 12 of his sacks came against Power 5 competition, 11 of which were against ranked teams.
Defensive end Da'Shawn Hand is indeed a skilled pass rusher who has played in 24 career games with 23 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. As a sophomore in 2015, he collected 6.5 tackles for loss (-17 yards) and three sacks (-10 yards) to go with his two quarterback hurries. He was named one of the UA coaching staff's defensive players of the week for his efforts against ULM.
A freshman All-American in 2015, Da'Ron Payne returns as a true heavyweight in the Bama defensive line. He played in all 15 games last season as a true freshman, starting three games at nose guard in the base 3-4 formation. Payne finished the 2015 season with 13 tackles with half a sack and one forced fumble. As last season progressed, Payne worked into a more expanded role along the defensive front.
One of the returning veterans for theTide defensive front, Dalvin Tomlinson serves as a disruptive force that will be looking for a breakout season. Tomlinson has played in 29 total games recording 60 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and six pass breakups. He was the first defensive lineman off the bench to backup the line in 2015, and led the team with six pass breakups from a down lineman position and added 34 total tackles and four quarterback hurries.
Ryan Anderson will enter his senior season as one of the top pass rushers in the country, as well as one of Bama's most reliable linebackers. He had 37 tackles last season, with 11.5 of those for a loss (-50), while adding six sacks (-41 yards), two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and nine quarterback hurries.
Reuben Foster returns for 2016 as a senior to anchor the Alabama defense. Foster earned the starting job at inside linebacker a season ago, and finished second on the team with 73 total tackles, eight for a loss (-24 yards), with two sacks (-7 yards), three quarterback hurries and nine pass breakups in 2015.
Tim Williams returns for his senior season, having played in all 15 games as a junior and ranked second on the team with 10.5 sacks (-78 yards) to go with 12.5 tackles for loss (-92 yards), four quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. Williams recorded 11.0 of his 12.5 tackles for loss (-61 yards) during that time, and added 7.0 of his 10.5 sacks (-60 yards). He was a terror to Tide quarterbacks during practices, scrimmages and back during the spring game.
O.J. Howard begins his senior season with the eyes of Bama Nation, as well as the entire country, upon him presenting himself as one of the most dynamic tight end options in all of college football. He had a break-out game against Clemson in the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship earning MVP honors, and brought in five receptions for a career-high and national championship game high 208 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers. All five of his catches converted first downs and went for 15-plus yards with a career-long 63-yard reception in the fourth quarter. He recorded an Alabama bowl record in receiving yards in the contest. For the 2015 season, Howard recorded 38 catches for 602 yards and a team-high 15.8 yards per catch average. A total of 24 of his catches converted first downs for the Tide with nine of 20 yards or more.
Cam Robinson has the distinction of being the first true freshman to start at left tackle for Alabama since Andre Smith in 2006. In fact, he started all 29 games during his two years at the Capstone. One of two returning starters on the Tide's offensive line, Robinson was named to the All-SEC first team by both the conference coaches and the Associated Press following the 2015 season. Robinson had 46 knockdown blocks, ranking third on the team. For his career, Robinson has blocked for 17 100-yard rushers, including 10 in 2015.
The Rotary Lombardi Award has been presented annually since 1970 by the Rotary Club of Houston (Texas). Prior to 2016, the award recognized the top offensive or defensive lineman or linebacker in college football. The award ceremony date is to be announced sometime later this season.
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ESPN Lists FPI Rankings For All 14 SEC Schools
Here is a look at the recently-released FPI rankings by ESPN for all 14 of the Southeastern Conference schools:
14. Kentucky (56th nationally)
13. South Carolina (53rd nationally)
12. Missouri (50th nationally)
11. Vanderbilt (48th nationally)
10. Mississippi State (31st nationally)
9. Arkansas (25th nationally)
8. Florida (20th nationally)
7. Auburn (17th nationally)
6. Texas A&M (14th nationally)
5. Georgia (10th nationally)
4. Ole Miss (7th nationally)
3. ALABAMA (6th nationally)
2. Tennessee (5th nationally)
1. LSU (2nd nationally)
ESPN also listed the actual FPI for each school, as well as the projected end-of-season FPI which can be seen on their website.
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FEI Releases Top 25
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Crimson Tide Tops The List At Number One
The Fremeau Efficiency Index, also known as FEI, has released its 2016 Preseason Top 25. Seven schools from the Southeastern Conference are included in the list. In descending order the top 25 teams are:
25. Boise State
24. Texas A&M*
23. Mississippi State*
22. Michigan
21. TCU
20. UCLA
19. Nebraska
18. Arkansas*
17. Louisville
16. Michigan State
15. Washington
14. Notre Dame
13. USC
12. Ohio State
11. Florida State
10. Tennessee
9. Baylor
8. Ole Miss*
7. Stanford
6. Georgia*
5. Oregon
4. Oklahoma
3. Clemson
2. LSU*
1. ALABAMA*
* SEC Schools
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*State of Alabama Recruits/Commitments
2017 Football Commitments For Alabama Football
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team currently has 21 student-athletes who have committed to furthering their football careers at the Capstone. As new commits are announced the list will be updated and released.
Here is the complete list of 2017 commitments to UA as of 8/25/16:
- Najee Harris, RB (6-1, 210), Antioch, California
- Alex Leatherwood, OL (6-4, 300), Pensacola, Florida
- Chadarius Townsend, ATH, (6-0, 180), Tanner, Alabama*
- Brian Robinson, RB (6-2, 210), Tuscaloosa, Alabama*
- Aaron Sterling, DL (6-1, 270), Stone Mountain, Georgia
- Gary Johnson, LB (6-2, 225), Dodge City (Kansas) Community College
- VanDarius Cowan, LB (6-4, 217), Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB (6-1, 210), Honolulu, Hawaii
- Elliot Baker, OL (6-7, 295), City College of San Francisco (California)
- Mac Jones, QB (6-2, 185), Jacksonville, Florida
- Markail Benton, LB (6-2, 245), Phenix City, Alabama*
- Brandon Ruiz, K (5-10, 165), Gilbert, Arizona
- Tyrell Davis, LB ( 6-6, 202), Lewisville, Texas
- Thomas Fletcher, C (6-2, 220), Bradenton, Florida
- Akial Byers, DL, (6-4, 275), Fayetteville, Arkansas
- Jhavonte Dean, (6-2, 189), Homestead, Florida
- Brannon Hunter, (6-4, 290), Cullman, Alabama*
- Jerry Jeudy, ( 6-1, 177), Deerfield Beach, Florida
- Kyriq McDonald, DB (5-11, 185), Madison, Alabama*
- Kendall Randolph, OL (6-5, 290), Madison, Alabama*
- Kedrick James, TE (6-5, 250), Waco, Texas
*State of Alabama Recruits/Commitments
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