Bama Back Derrick Henry On Heisman Watch List
Another University of Alabama football player has been added to a watch list. This one is considered college football's gold standard. It's the Heisman trophy, and Bama running back Derrick Henry is one of the 2015 college football players to watch to win.
Henry joined the Crimson Tide as high school's all-time leading rusher. Quite an accomplishment. And now he's up for the big one in college football.
Four other players from the SEC join Henry on that list. They are Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson, LSU running back Leonard Fournette, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, and Georgia running back Nick Chubb.
Can Henry bring the Crimson Tide the second Heisman? Yes, he can. It's very much in the realm of the possibility. He will be counted on greatly in this year's offensive scheme. Staying healthy is, of course, a must. This could be a banner year for Henry, and in turn, for the Tide.
Running back Mark Ingram is the only Alabama player to ever win the Heisman. He did that back in 2009.
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Day 8 Of Fall Football Practice
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Yesterday was one of the single practice days for the University of Alabama football team. The guys were dressed out in full gear for practice which was held yesterday afternoon on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields. It was a two-hour practice session.
This was practice number eight for fall camp, with 20 practices remaining before the Crimson Tide takes on the Wisconsin Badgers in the AdvoCare Classic on September 5th. The game will be broadcast by the ABC Network, with the kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The team almost immediately began focusing on fundamentals when practice began at 2:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon.
In his press conference yesterday afternoon Alabama head coach Nick Saban said there was really nothing new to report as far as the injuries were concerned. He said that Chris Black and Marlon Humphrey had done well in progressing from their injuries but are still listed as day-to-day. He also alluded to the back surgery on freshman defensive end Anfernee Jennings (see next story).
Saban had words of praise for several players. He mentioned that Jonathan Allen had been very productive and was a diverse player in his abilities, and also called him a "pretty special guy." He said that Ardarius Stewart was doing a nice job and had been the most consistent wide receiver in practice. He also praised Minkah Fitzpatrick, saying he was doing a really good job and could make a contribution this season if his progress continued. Saban said that Calvin Ridley was a skilled receiver but didn't want to put too high expectations on the freshman.
Alabama's second two-a-day practices will be today, with the first session scheduled for 9:30 a.m. The second practice will start at 7:30 p.m. The Tide will once again hold a single practice on Friday afternoon, and then hold a scrimmage inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.
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Greg McElroy Joins SEC Nation
SEC Nation, the SEC Network's traveling pre-game show, will have a new face familiar to Alabama fans. Former Crimson Tide quarterback and current SEC Network analyst Greg McElroy will join the broadcast. The announcement came yesterday.
McElroy, former New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback joined the SEC Network and has been seen regularly since the 2014 season. He has done a good job, offering insight into the fourteen teams that make up the Southeastern Conference.
The return of SEC Nation will be Saturday, September 5th. The second season will feature host Joe Tessitore, Marcus Spears, Paul Finebaum, Kaylee Hartung and McElroy. The show will air Saturdays at 9 a.m. CT, broadcast live from a different SEC campus each week. The announcement for that first location is to be announced next week.
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4-Star Freshman Defensive End Out With Back Injury
Four-star freshman defensive end Anfernee Jennings has not been taking part in any football activities since his arrival on campus this summer. According to head coach Nick Saban, Jennings is not expected to be cleared for "awhile." The youngster underwent a procedure to repair a slipped disc in his back according to Saban's statement yesterday.
Jennings' injury was discovered when he failed a physical, and is on campus rehabbing, according to Saban.
The 6' 3", 255-pounder was listed as the 10th best defensive end prospect in the 2015 recruiting class.
The injury was discovered when Jennings, who failed a physical, arrived in Tuscaloosa this summer.
Jennings is on campus rehabbing, Saban said.
Rivals ranked the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Jennings as a four-star recruit and the 10th-best defensive end prospect in this year's recruiting class.
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Lady Tide Volleyball Makes Pre-Season Poll
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
University of Alabama football is not the only sport at the Capstone with a pre-season national ranking for 2015. Though not in the top 25, Alabama Volleyball placed just nine spots outside the top 25, coming in at 34th according to the poll released Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). Bama earned 24 points in the poll.
Last season found the Tide receiving votes in the top 25 after week five of the season. The great thing is, Alabama returns every starter from last season's team that set a brand new school record with 26 total wins, including that five-set win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Samford, which was, incidentally, the first tournament win in Alabama Volleyball history.
A total of five Southeastern Conference schools received votes, with the highest placement going to Florida at No. 4. Kentucky was next coming in at No. 15, followed by Texas A&M placing 5 spots out of the top 25. Alabama was next, followed by LSU whose eight points placed them six places behind Alabama.
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Women's Soccer Opens With Exhibition Game Tonight
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Believe it or not, it's soccer time at the Capstone! The Alabama soccer team with first-year head coach Wes Hart opens 2015 tonight with their only exhibition game of the season at Vanderbilt. The game is set for 6 p.m. CDT tonight inside the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex.
Bama looks to be improved this season under the new head coach, only the fourth in the program's history. Hart came from Florida State where he served two season as an assistant and helped lead the Seminoles to their first national championship season in 2014.
Hart brings a new look to the team, and boasts nine new players on the roster for this season. Those nine consist of seven freshmen and two transfer student-athletes. This year's squad boasts 15 freshmen and sophomores, and just eight upperclassmen. All four of the regular starters on the defensive backline do return this season, however. This is the group that recorded nine shutouts just a season ago.
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4 Nick At Noon Luncheons Scheduled
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
All four Nick At Noon luncheons scheduled for this fall still have tickets available, according to the announcement by The Crimson Tide Foundation. These luncheons take place the Friday prior to four select home games, which this season include September 18th (Ole Miss), October 9th (Arkansas), October 23rd (Tennessee) and November 6th (LSU).
Nick at Noon luncheons have become a tradition, and feature a lunch buffet with information provided concerning the weekend's events as well as being addressed by head coach Nick Saban. Questions are also fielded at the end of the coach's comments.
Doors open at 11:15 a.m. CT and lasting until 1 p.m. Each of the luncheons will also feature head coaches from various sports programs at UA.
The luncheons are $60 per person per luncheon. Because of limited seating each person will be limited to four tickets. Tickets are available online at RollTide.com or by calling the ticket office at (205) 348-BAMA. If you've never been this would be a great time to start. Log on now to order.
