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Crimson Tide Football Ready To Roll Today
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Alabama football has been here before. In fact, in both the 2011 and 2012 national championship campaigns, Alabama lost a regular season football game to an SEC western division foe. The goal remains the same, both an SEC championship and a national championship.
Gone is the 17-game home win streak. Gone is the undefeated season. But what is not gone is the pride and ability to win football games.
Unless something major has happened overnight, Jacob Coker is the starting quarterback going into this afternoon's contest with Louisiana-Monroe. Other than that first quarter against Mississippi, Coker has been the starter and it now appears the job is his to lose.
Concerning Coker's performance last week, Alabama head coach Nick Saban said, "Jake, when he came in the game, played with some passion...showed great leadership and energy when he played. We still have things we need to work on and improve. At this point, providing he does the things he's supposed to do, I think we'll start him in this game.
Out for the remainder of the season is sophomore receiver Robert Foster who received a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery. But the addition of transfer Richard Mullaney the Tide will have a seasoned veteran with both the speed and ability to help the Tide move the ball down the field.
Concerning the University of Louisiana Monroe, Saban commented, "UL-Monroe coach Todd Berry has done a really good job there; he has been there for a while. These guys do a myriad things on offense that are very hard to defend: a lot of formations; a lot of motions; a lot of adjustments; fast ball; the quarterback is very efficient, very accurate. They have got nine starters back on defense, and they play physically, tough defense. I think the focus for us is to get our team better, and it wouldn't matter who we were playing this week because that still would be the focus of what we need to do."
Bama hosts the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks this Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network at 3:00 pm CT with Dave Neal and Matt Stinchcomb making the calls. On the sidelines will be Kayce Smith. Bama faces four non-conference opponents this season, and this will be number three. The Tide handily disposed of the first two, Wisconsin in the season-opener followed by Middle Tennessee State University.
This will be the third meeting between the Tide and Warhawks, and, believe it or not, officially ULM owns the series. 2006 was the first time the two teams met, with Alabama take that one 41-7. The win, however, was vacated by the NCAA. The next season, the first for new Alabama head coach Nick Saban, the Warhawks pulled off a 21-14 upset win over the Tide in Tuscaloosa.
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Tide Tennis Picks Up 6 Wins
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama tennis team is indeed on a roll, picking up six victories on the first day of the Furman Fall Classic yesterday afternoon in Greenville, South Carolina. Winning in doubles was Bama junior Erin Routliffe paired with freshman Andie Daniell. They captured three straight matches over their foes from Furman, Vanderbilt and Florida State.
Two other doubles wins came via senior Natalia Maynetto and junior Joanna Savva. Maynetta pulled in another win when paired with Furman's Blair Martin.
The 29th annual Furman Fall Classic is underway again this morning at 8 am CT. Six teams ranked in the top 61 of the ITA Collegiate rankings are participating. The tourney opens the morning with singles play.
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Kiffen Remains Offensive Coordinator At UA
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Unless you live under a rock you've heard the crazy rumors circulating the past few days about Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. And as any reputable reporter will tell you, don't believe everything you hear...or read on the Internet. But use common sense.
Of course when an idiot like Colin Cowturd, uh, sorry, Cowherd lends voice to those rumors with the millions of whom he has access his ESPN pulpit, it doesn't help things. It fuels things, which is what Colin was after anyway. He has a way of saying very stupid things, whether it's Alabama-related or otherwise.
Now, according to TMZ Sports, they have contacted the University of Alabama, and more specifically Josh Maxson, the director of communications for Alabama football. Reportedly the Maxson, representing the university, has said Lane Kiffin is still the offensive coordinator for the football team. The various, yes various, rumors are unverified and need not be discussed here. Perhaps one can be mentioned, and that one being that head coach Nick Saban has not fired Lane Kiffin.
So, unless anything new arises, that is that.
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