Quarterback Jake Coker Goes Down With Injury
One of Alabama's quarterbacks thought to be a major contender has gone down with an injury during this morning's fall practice. Senior Jake Coker disappeared during practice earlier today from practice, and according to Aaron Suttles of TideSports.com Coker was only present during a portion of this morning's practice.
In a statement from head coach Nick Saban it was reported, "Jake Coker has a minor foot injury that we think will keep him out of practice for several days. Our physicians anticipate a full recovery."
Coker transferred from Florida State and was expected to take the starting quarterback job last season but was beaten out by eventual starter Blake Sims. He was the primary backup for Sims last season and expected to either start this season or once again be the primary backup.
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A Sign Of Things To Come For Bama Football?
It seems those big signs, the poster-size boards you've seen so much of on college football sidelines, may become a regular thing at the University of Alabama football games. The signs are used for relaying play calls from the sideline because the no-huddle offenses left no time for sending in plays.
You'll see all types of things on these signs. There are cartoons, animals, photographs of various things, and even foreign languages that probably don't mean for the play what they mean for real. Anyway, it's a code. A code to get the next play in to the offensive players while lining up getting ready for that hurried snap.
Now for years Alabama has used hand signals on both offense and defense when plays weren't sent in via another player entering the game as a substitute. Those hand signals were used from multiple sources on the sidelines because sometimes players couldn't see just one being used. So, it appears for the offense the cards may be used.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has not specifically said this year's team would be a hurry-up offense, but one can speculate that the strategy will be used...even if sparingly. We know some of the plays were used in the spring, and some were even used in the open practice back on August 9th, so it's safe to say those no-huddle plays will be used.
Coach Saban says the signs are a result of talks and meetings with coaches from other schools. Other schools like Ohio State, TCU, and others employing no-huddle offenses. Notice the two listed are also at the top of the preseason rankings.
Saban said, "We felt like last year we were kind of learning how to be a no-huddle team on the run because of the personnel we had. We thought it was best suited for Blake (Sims), and we've talked about that many times before, but we didn't go in with the idea that we were going to be a no-huddle team.
"So we visited a lot of people during the offseason to try and come up with the best system – Kansas, Washington, a lot of people that go no-huddle ― It's just a methodology of how some people get formations and plays in the game."
It may not do to speculate, but seems fairly safe to do so. If the no-huddle has been used, even if only sparingly preparing the team for the 2015 season, then it would be prudent to have a more reliable method than hand signals in order to get the proper play called before snapping the ball. And if signs are being discussed, and they are because of the previous quote by Saban, and those "codes" are being learned by players, you most likely will see them this season at some point on the sidelines of the Alabama football team.
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Greatest Names In Bama Football History-Robert Cryder
Our next great name in Bama football history was alluded to yesterday. Today we take a brief look at Robert Cryder (born September 7, 1956). He is from East St. Louis, Illinois.
The 6 foot 4 inch (1.93 m) 275 pound offensive guard (college playing stats) played his high school football at O'Fallon Township, Illinois prior to playing for the University of Alabama. He played under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant.
Cryder was drafted in Round 1 of the NFL draft in 1978. He was the number 18 overall pick by the New England Patriots. Cryder played for the Patriots from 1978 to 1983 before being traded to the Seattle Seashawks to play from 1984 to 1986.
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WR Robert Foster Not Expected To Miss Any Games
University of Alabama wide receiver Robert Foster suffered a sprained knee during the Crimson Tide's scrimmage on Saturday, but multiple sources are saying it is "minor" and "not serious", as reported by AL.com. Foster is not expected to miss any games as a result of the injury.
