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Saturday Cotton Bowl Press Conference
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban met with the press upon arrival at the hotel in Dallas in preparation for the 2015 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Saban opened with a statement, " I hope everybody had an enjoyable holiday. Things went extremely well at my house. You know, when you have a two-year-old grandbaby it makes it sort of special and unique. Especially when you see Tata, who is grandma, have so much fun. So that made me really happy.
"But we're really excited about the opportunity that we have here this week at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. I'd like to thank everyone associated with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl who works so hard to host this event. A very first-class event, to say the least. And special thanks to Cotton Bowl Chairman Dan Novakov and President Rick Baker and, you know, the entire Cotton Bowl Committee and those who are working hard to host us.
"You know, we had a really good practice in preparation back in Tuscaloosa before the Christmas break. Now, I think the most important thing is everybody get the mindset back to get ready to play a football game and probably a very challenging game from any perspective. When you're in the playoff game with the four best teams in the country, I think getting back in the mindset investing your time in preparation, investing your time in the way you practice to get the most out of practices so that you can go play a complete game, and I'm sure it will take a 60-minute complete game against any of the teams that you would play at this point in the season, in this, you know, playoff format.
I can also like to mention that I'm very proud of the fact that we have 29 guys who have degrees... three master's degrees and 26 graduates on our team, which I think is the most of any bowl team in the country and says a lot about the program itself and the great academic support that we give our players so that they have a better chance to be successful in life.
"So we're excited to be here. We're excited about the challenges and the opportunity that we have and certainly looking forward to this week of preparation."
A reporter asked Saban about getting the players refocused, and his message to them to get them "off holiday." Saban replied, "I think pretty much what I said. It's all about mindset. Putting the Christmas holiday behind you, refocusing on what we need to do to invest our time in the preparation that we have, the opportunity each day in practice and in meetings to focus on that. And it's about how bad you want something, because it's certainly going to be a difficult game, a tough game. And I think you have to prepare for that and have the right mindset in terms of what your expectation is when the game starts, what kind of game it's going to be."
Saban responded to a reporter's question concerning the bad weather for practice since their arrival and whether it was a problem. Saban pretty much said it was no real problem for them.
Another reporter asked what Saban's expectation for the team was for this week getting ready to play. He responded, "Well, I think, if we can get our team to play their best football game of the year and a complete game, which I think it takes against a team like this...when you're playing a team that won several games in the fourth quarter, several games on the last play of the game, several games in really tough circumstances, I think everybody has to have the mindset that it's going to take a complete game and it's going to be a tough game. And the way this team plays, good defense, don't turn the ball over on offense. They don't give you much. So you got to have the mindset that you're going to have to fight for every inch and you're going to have to make them fight for every inch. And I think that's the kind of game it's going to be.
"But, as a coach, you just like to see your team go out and play their best. And you do a good job with your coaches and your players getting them prepared to do that. And, you know, if you can do that, you feel good about it. And if you don't do that, you don't feel like you did a very good job. And certainly we'd like to do a better job this year than we did a year ago."
Alabama running back Derrick Henry was up next. He responded to a question about "getting back to business" and a "routine" after the break. Henry said, "Practice hard. What we've been doing before we went on break. Same thing. No change."
Concerning the difference in this team now at the end of the season and the one that opened in this same AT&T Stadium at the first of the year, Henry said, "We're focused on finishing better. Family, great leaders."
Another reporter asked about adjustments and how to make this year better than last year's playoff game. Henry replied, "We're just going to play like we've been doing....Practice hard, you drive each other every day."
Henry was then asked about the focus level of this team. He said, "Everybody knows what we got to do. So they come in and practice and get ready to play in Dallas in the stadium."
Reggie Ragland was up next and asked about getting the team focused. He said, "It's time to get it now. All the play time is over. It's about being focused on Michigan State and coming out and practicing hard and getting the right way. So that's what it's all about now, getting it done."
A reporter asked Ragland how different this team was from the one that opened the season. Ragland replied, "Oh, it's very different. Guys are more honed in on what's going on. Guys are smarter. Guys have actually sat down and studied more and doing the things we got to do. And we're more together as a whole. After the loss to Ole Miss, everybody was talking about it coming together and now everybody's together."
Ragland was asked about how important it was to get pressure early on quarterback Conner Cook. He responded, "He's probably the best NFL rated quarterback in the country. So it's all about getting him and rattling him as much as we can. We know he's a good quarterback. He knows where he wants to go with the ball every time he has it in his hands. So it's about giving it to him and helping out the secondary. He's a good quarterback, and it's all about us getting to him and rattling him."
A reporter then asked about Saban talking adjustments being necessary for this season as compared to last season's playoff game. He was asked if he was looking to see adjustments throughout this week's prep.
Ragland said,"Of course. Coaches going to be on us all the whole time. It's about adjusting to what they want us to do. And whatever they want we have to get done even if we don't like it at all. It's about getting it done. Plus we're in a different environment preparing for a game. It's about focusing
in on what you got to. And that's what we're going to do as a team."
Alabama and Michigan State meet this Thursday, December 31st. Game time is 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.
Lane Kiffin Holds Cotton Bowl Press Meeting
Photo Credit: Vasha Hunt/vhunt@al.com
University of Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin met with reporters this morning along with running back Derrick Henry and center Ryan Kelly. This was the first press conference for Kiffin since back in August. Today's press conference focused, of course, on Alabama's upcoming national semifinal playoff game with Michigan State this Thursday, December 31st.
Kiffin led with the statement he believes the University of Alabama football program has the best coaching staff in the United States, to which most all Tide fans would agree. He was complimentary of departing defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and was excited for him to be getting the head coaching opportunity at Georgia.
The OC pointed out that Alabama quarterback Jake Coker is undefeated as a starter, quite an accomplishment. He mentioned that it was a critical moment for Coker when he was replaced as the starter in the Ole Miss game and how he responded to that.
Kiffin said that Michigan State has "a dominant front four." The Tide must be prepared, and complimented the coaching staff at MSU.
Kiffin talked about what a great year receiver Calvin Ridley has had. He said the young man was only going to get better. He said it was remarkable how well Ridley has done given that he wasn't an early enrollee at UA and didn't get a head start on learning the plays and routes.
Talking about the "Lane Kiffin-style of offense," the OC said his style and offensive schemes have changed a lot since coming to Tuscaloosa a couple of years ago. He mentioned Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman as being a key element in helping bring some new ideas after the Tide lost to the Buckeyes in last year's semifinal game at the Sugar Bowl.
Kiffin also spoke of his early mistakes after arriving at Alabama. He said that he concentrated too much on the Xs and Os of the game, and that head coach Nick Saban helped him learn by watching how Saban interacted with players and the community away from the game itself. He also spoke of how Saban has helped the team itself by bring in motivational speakers to address the guys, and help them look at other aspects of the game and life.
Lane Kiffin also spoke of being a head coach again. He said he'd love to "down the road." But right now he'd like to be back at Alabama for 2016.
Kiffin said, "I d love to be back here. We'll have a new set of challenges with the third year of a new quarterback, a lot of great players. We'll replace a Heisman Trophy winner just like we did a Biletnikoff winner the year before. We have some great returning players to work with. I'd really be excited about coming back."
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Alabama Football
Crimson Tide Holds 1st Dallas Practice
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Cotton Bowl week is officially under way with the Alabama Crimson Tide football team officially having arrived in Dallas, Texas on Saturday morning. Head coach Nick Saban, running back Derrick Henry and linebacker Reggie Ragland met with the press upon their arrival at the team hotel. Bama then got in a 90-minute practice before their departure for an offical welcoming with festivities and food from the Dallas Cowboys.
The Tide's first practice was held at Coppell High School after a brief press conference, lunch and then meetings.
More meetings with the press are to be held today. This morning offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin along with five members of the Alabama offensive unit will meet with the media at 8 CT. Immediately following the Tide will prepare for their first trip to AT&T Stadium for a workout at 11.
In their first press conference Saban said, "...we're really excited about the opportunity that we have here this week at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. I'd like to thank everyone associated with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl who works so hard to host this event. A very first-class event, to say the least. And special thanks to Cotton Bowl Chairman Dan Novakov and President Rick Baker and, you know, the entire Cotton Bowl committee and those who are working hard to host us." (More of Saban's comments in a related story.)
When asked about team leaders making sure everyone was ready to play this game when the time comes, Derrick Henry said, "We're just going to play like we always did and make sure everybody get the right mindset and practice hard." (More from Henry in a related story.)
Linebacker Reggie Ragland was asked about how to help get the team refocused after such a long layoff. He said, "It's time to get it now. All the play time is over. It's all about being focused on Michigan State and coming out and practicing hard and playing the right way. So that's what it's all about now, getting it done." (More from Ragland in a related story.)
The Crimson Tide and Spartans will face each other Thursday, December 31st at 7 p.m. CT in the 2015 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, one of the seminifinals of the 2015 College Football Playoff. The game is at AT&T Stadium, where Alabama began this season's campaign with a victory over Wisconsin, and will be broadcast by ESPN. Chris Fowler will be handling play-by-play duties, Kirk Herbstreit handling color/analysis and Heather Cox working the sidelines.
This will be the second meeting between the two schools. The first came in the 2011 Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day, with the Crimson Tide coming away with an impressive 49-7 win.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
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Alabama 4th In 2015 Football Attendance
According to statistics, college football attendance is down slightly in 2015. However, numerous teams had a banner year in attendance. The following is a list of the top 10 teams in the country as far as attendance is concerned. The Southeastern Conference had the most teams in the list and the Big Ten was second.
Alabama did not lead the SEC by the way. This season the distinction went to Texas A&M. In all, six teams from the Southeastern Conference were listed in the top 10 for attendance. They are the Texas A&M Aggies (3), Alabama Crimson Tide (4), Tennessee Volunteers (5), LSU Tigers (7), Georgia Bulldogs (8) and Florida Gators (9).
Here are the 10 college football teams with the highest attendance for the 2015 season:
10 Texas - 90,035
9 Florida - 90,065
8 Georgia - 92,746
7 LSU - 93,441
6 Penn State - 99,799
5 Tennessee - 100,584
4 ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE - 101,112
3 Texas A&M - 103,622
2 Ohio State - 107,244
1 Michigan - 110,168
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Alabama Football
DE Prospect Aaron Sterling Commits To Tide
Aaron Sterling
Photo Credit: 247Sports
270-pound 2017 defensive end prospect Aaron Sterling out of Stone Mountain, Georgia (Stephenson) has committed to the University of Alabama, according to 247Sports.
Sterling had 24 sacks this season as a junior as well as 40 tackles-for-a-loss. He is the 9th commitment in the 2017 class for the Crimson Tide. Sterling has been recruited by outside linebackers coach Tosh Lupoi.
