Derrick Henry Named SEC Offensive Player Of The Week
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Southeastern Conference office yesterday afternoon announced that Alabama junior running back Derrick Henry has been named the SEC Offensive Player Of The Week for this past week's performance. This award is the firs of Henry's career.
The tough-running Bama junior racked up 147 yards on 13 carries in the Tide's 35-17 win over Wisconsin on Saturday night. He averaged 11.3 yards-per-carry and scored three touchdowns on runs of 37, 56 and two yards. Additionally he caught two passes for 12 yards. He beat his own personal career highs with his performace, and ran for over 100 yards for the the sixth time in his career at Alabama.
Henry and the rest of the Crimson Tide are busily planning and practicing for this Saturday's contest against the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders at 3 p.m. CT inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. Bama is enjoying a 16-game home winning streak, and under head coach Nick Saban is a perfect 8-0 in Tuscaloosa in home-openers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bama Preparing For Contest With MTSU
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama football team was back on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields yesterday afternoon for a 90-minute practice in shells. Next up: Middle Tennessee State University. This one should not even be the contest of this past Saturday night, but it's important to not get the lesser-opponent-letdown syndrome.
Bama's win against the 20th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night was a great win, but there are still plenty of kinks to be worked out. Today began the focus on working out said kinks and preparing to do battle for week two of the 2015 season. The Tide began work towards making improvements in every facet of the game.
Two items of note concerning yesterday's practice. Shaun Dion Hamilton didn't practice yesterday. The sophomore inside linebacker was excused to attend a funeral. Safety Jabriel Washington was in a black no-contact jersey working with a trainer off to the side. He suffered a sprained knee last Thursday, and according to head coach Nick Saban, will miss a couple of weeks.
The game with the MTSU Blue Raiders is scheduled for a 3 p.m. CT start time at home in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be televised by the SEC Network with game hosts Tom Hart, Andre Ware and Laura Rutledge.
Both the Tuesday and Wednesday practice sessions will be in full pads working on both the offensive and defensive schemes and play calls for MTSU. The Blue Raiders offense put up 70 points and 605 yards of total offense in their season-opener this past Saturday against Jackson State.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Coach Saban addressed the media and said, "We looked at the film of this game and the feeling that we had after the game was the same. There were a lot of good things during the game. I think the best thing was that our players really played hard in the game and were really physical. It was a physical game on both sides of the line. Our offensive line got some good movement when we needed to, and we had balance on offense. The defensive front controlled the running game, which was sort of their forte. I think the team had fun playing together, and that was good to see. It is always exciting as a coach when you think the players are out there having fun. They are down, they are up. The guys did the things you like to see from an energy and enthusiasm standpoint.
"We took care of the ball well during the game, and we didn't turn it over. We still need to attack the ball on defense. We made some explosive plays, and we didn't give up as many big plays. There was a lot of things that we need to clean up. There are details across the board that we need to work on: There was way too many penalties, we stopped ourselves on several drives, and there was a lack of fundamental execution and basic discipline that led to poor outcomes. That's something that we are looking forward to learning from, whether it was how we blocked; how we covered; how we played gaps up front; how we ran routes; how we protected or whatever it may be. Consequently, we need to do a little better job on third down on both sides of the ball, and certainly need to improve our execution on special teams across the board."
Concerning getting the younger and newer players in the game, Saban commented, "When the young players get a chance to play, they need to see the standard that we expect guys to play around here regardless of the circumstance of the situation of the game. That's something I think will be a great learning experience for a lot of those players. I think concentrating on the right things, thinking about the right things, is really important right now. We need to take the things we did well and build on them. The things we need to improve on we need to address and go out there and get better at."
Looking at the contest for this week, Saban had this to say, "We are just starting to climb a mountain here, we took one step and that's it. We have another challenge to look forward to this week. Middle Tennessee was a 6-6 team a year ago, their first week was very impressive in the way they played offensively and defensively. Rick Stockstill has been there for a while and they do a great job. They go fast on offense, and they had really good concepts and schemes about what they do. They have a good quarterback and lots of returning players on both sides of the ball. This is a game that I feel like will be a
challenge for us, use it to improve on some things and be ready to play at a standard that is going to help us to get better as a team."
The hoopla is over from game one. Saban began yesterday looking only at the challenge ahead for this Saturday. You can bet he is working on the young men in his care to do the same.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC Championship Game To Remain In Atlanta
Greg Sankey
SEC Commissioner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported a new 10-year that will keep the Southeastern Conference Championship game in Atlanta, Georgia. The new agreement would keep the game in Atlanta for at least twelve more years, as two years remain on the current contract. An official announcement is expected this morning at a 9:45 a.m. CT news conference at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
The new ten-year deal would begin in 2017 and run through 2027. That means that the championship game will be moved to the Atlanta Falcon's new Mercedes-Benz Stadium at the end of the current contract. New SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will make the announcement himself at this morning's news conference.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 University Of Alabama Football Commitments
This is the complete list of the 18 University of Alabama football commitments for 2016 class as of September 8, 2015.
- T.J. Simmons, WR (6' 2", 185 lbs), Clay-Chalkville High School, Pinson, Ala.*
- Deonte Brown, OL (6' 3", 330 lbs), Austin High, Decatur, Ala.*
- Riley Cole, LB (6' 3", 210lbs), Oneonta High Schol, Oneonta, Ala.*
- Quinnen Williams, DL (6' 4", 265 lbs), Wenonah High School, Birmingham, Ala.*
- Shawn Jennings S (6'2", 218 lbs.), Dadeville High School, Dadeville, Ala.*
- Chris Owens, OL (6' 3", 312 lbs), Lamar High, Arlington, Texas
- Raekwon Davis, DT (6' 7", 315 lbs), Meridian High, Meridian, Miss.
- Jonah Williams, OL (6' 5", 283 lbs), Folsom High, Folsom, Calif.
- Brendan Scales, TE (6' 4", 230 lbs), Lafayette, Ballwin, Mo.
- Joshua Perry, DB (6' 3", 190 lbs), Amite High, Amite, La.
- Kendell Jones, DT (6' 4", 360 lbs), Shoemaker High, Killeen, Texas
- Charles Baldwin, OL (6' 5", 305 lbs), ASA College, Brooklyn, N.Y.
- Jalen Hurts, QB (6' 2", 208lbs), Channelview High, Channelview, Texas
- Jaquan Yulee, LB (6' 0", 252 lbs), Indian River High, Chesapeake, Va.
- Eddy Pineiro, K (6' 1", 180 lbs), ASA College, Miami, Fla.
- Miller Forristall, TE (6' 5", 220lbs), Cartersville High School, Cartersville, Ga.
- Khalid Kareem, DE (6' 4", 260 lbs), Harrison High School, Farmington, Mich.
- B.J. Emmons, RB (5' 10", 232 lbs), Freedom High School, Morganton, N.C.
*In-state commitments
