1961 National Championship Football Team
University of Alabama football's 6th National Championship came in 1961. Yes, this was the first title under the leadership of legendary head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.
The 1961 team completed the regular season with a perfect 10-0-0 record and won the Southeastern Conference championship. The big-name, legendary players of the 1961 team were quarterback Pat Trammell, linebacker Lee Roy Jordan, and two-way lineman Billy Neighbors. The 1961 Crimson Tide team outscored their opponents by a whopping 297-25.
Alabama was then invited to, and played in, the January 1, 1962 Sugar Bowl against the No. 9 Arkansas Razorbacks. Bama won that game 10-3 to finish the season at 11-0-0. Outstanding player of the game was Mike Fracchia. Every major organization recognized Alabama as National Champions, with the exception of the Football Writers Association.
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Alabama-Oregon Reportedly To Play In Basketball
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
New head basketball coach Avery Johnson is still working to fill the holes in the current Tide schedule and hopes to have everything finalized in a few short weeks.
The Tide and Ducks have met twice before. Bama took the first meeting 87-86 in 2003, and the Ducks won the second in 2009.
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4-Star Patrick Bethel Releases Top-10
36 college scholarship offers. That's right, 36. 4-Star defensive end Patrick Bethel out of Vero Beach, Florida has 36 offers to play college football and receive a free education.
He says he's narrowed that field to 10. Bethel tweeted and thanked all 36 schools, then shared his top-10. The 6' 3", 250-pounder says nothing is set in stone, but these are his ten top choices: Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Miami (FL), and Virginia Tech.
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TaDarryl Marshall Plans Bama Visit
3-Star prospect TaDarryl Marshall is still planning an official visit to Alabama this fall despite his commitment to Tennessee. He chose Tennessee because of his opportunity to play multiple position. Alabama recruited him to play quarterback.
Since his commitment to the Volunteers, Marshall hasn't even paid a visit to Knoxville. Many believe it's an indication that he is "still available."
Marshall rushed for 1,376 yards and passed for another 1,252 yards during his junior season. He led Leeds to an AHSAA Class 4A State Championship victory.
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Gayle 5th In Men's 400 Meters
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Competing in the final of the men's 400 meters at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Steven Gayle finished fifth with a time of 46.32 seconds after only about an hour break after running the second leg on Alabama's eighth-place 4x100-meter relay team. Both performances earned Gayle First Team All-American honors.
Crimson Tide head coach Dan Waters said, "Steven was impressive today and, really, all week. Running from lane one is always extremely difficult because of the tight turns. It's usually a death knell for finishing well in any race. For him to run as strong as he did today shows what he is capable of. We're very proud of him. He had a great year, improved throughout the season, and he's set himself up for an excellent senior season next year."
Gayle commented, "It was a great experience today, but it was rough running in lane one (in the 400) into the wind," Gayle said. "But I was in it most of the way and I thought I ran a pretty good race. I wasn't expected to be in the final and no one really had me ranked very high, so I am very happy with how it went for me this week and what it means for my potential."
