Fall Football Practice Continues
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Yesterday was the second of two-a-day practices for the University of Alabama football team. The first practice began at 9:30 on Thursday morning with the Tide practices for two hours in full pads on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.
A beautiful day greeted the Tide with lower temperatures and humidity, as well as bright sunny skies for the morning session. Having seen limited practice time since turning ankle, cornerback Marlon Humphrey was more active Thursday. He has been steadily progressing in his recuperation.
Again dressed out in a black jersey was running back Bo Scarbrough. He continues his recuperation from a torn ACL. Though his rehab is running ahead of schedule, he has been in and out of drills during the fall practices.
Today's lone practice comes at 2:30 p.m. This is the last practice session before the intrasquad scrimmage inside Bryant-Denny Stadium tomorrow. Player get an off day on Sunday, but return to practice on Monday.
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Bama Volleyball 2nd In SEC Preseason Poll
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama volleyball team has been chosen to finish second in a vote of the Southeastern Conference head coaches. The Crimson Tide earned 127 points, including one first place vote. The defending SEC champion Florida Gators garnered the remaining 12 first place votes to come in at number one. Kentucky was third and Texas A&M fourth. Arkansas rounded out the top five preseason position.
The remaining positions are LSU (6), Missouri (7), Ole Miss (8), Auburn (9), Georgia (10), South Carolina (11), Mississippi (12) and finally Tennessee (13). Vanderbilt doesn't field a team.
Redshirt junior Krystal Rivers was selected as one of nine athletes to make the Preseason All-American SEC Team. This is her second consecutive appearance on the list. The other eight are Chanell Clark-Bibbs from Arkansas; Rhamat Alhassan, Mackenzie Dagostino and Alex Holston from Florida; Morgan Bergren from Kentucky; Nakeyta Clair from Mississippi; Carly Kan from Missouri; and Shelby Sullivan from Texas A&M.
The Crimson Tide returns all the starters from last season's team that set a new school record at 26 wins. The season-opener is Friday, August 28th against Long Beach State at the LBSU/CSUF Baden Invitational in Long Beach, California.
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RB 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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Bama Soccer Defeats Vandy 4-3
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
It was a great beginning for the University of Alabama soccer team. The Tide defeated the Vanderbilt Commodores last night 4-3 in Nashville.
First year head soccer coach Wes Hart was pleased, to say the least. "It was awesome to get the first game under our belts," he said. "Even though it was an exhibition game, the result meant a great deal to us. As I told the team, winning is habit forming. I don't care if we're playing a small sided game at training, horseshoes the day of the game, or corn hole in my backyard. When there's competition involved, we want to win."
There were four different Crimson Tide players who scored in the contest. Freshman Emma Welch finished with a goal and an assist on the night.
Hart added, "Emma showed a great deal of composure scoring her first collegiate goal on a great feed from Lacey (Clarida). She was a bit unfortunate not to have scored to start the second half, but it was her quick thinking on a short corner kick that resulted in the equalizer. She was brilliant in the second half, causing problems with her ability to take players on the dribble. Emma and Elena (Zang) did not look like two freshmen playing their first collegiate games. They were outstanding tonight."
The Tide will officially open the 2015 season with a contest next Friday, August 21st. Bama travels to play the Memphis Tigers. Alabama's first home game will be with Troy on August 23rd at the Alabama Soccer Complex. Both contests begin at 7 p.m. CT.
