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Alabama Football
Sunday Practice Session
1st Inside AT&T Stadium For Cotton Bowl
Quarterback Jake Coker/Cotton Bowl Practice
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
The 2015 Cotton Bowl matchup between the University of Alabama and Michigan State University is only days away. The second-ranked team in the nation, Alabama, worked out inside AT&T Stadium for two hours yesterday in full pads to acclimate themselves to the venue for the second time this season, but the first for the upcoming game.
The Crimson Tide had 11 practice sessions scheduled for the upcoming game, with yesterday's workout the ninth. All of Bama's players were present and accounted for as the team went through stretching, individual drills and the game plan. The new defensive coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt, was there watching from the sidelines as outgoing DC and new Georgia head coach Kirby Smart took the defense through its paces.
On the injury-front not much to report. Kenyan Drake is doing just fine with the broken arm, continuing to practice and will be playing in the Thursday contest. Concerning Drake, Saban said, "He's been fine. He hasn't had any issues or problems at all. He's been able to practice every rep, do everything we needed him to do. I think he's much more confident now."
Drake has been the primary backup to first team and Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry. He bounded back in the SEC Championship Game against Florida getting seven offensive touches, as well as once again becoming the Tide's primary kick returner. Drake has 347 yards and a touchdown in 11 games this season. He also has 24 receptions for 250 yards and another touchdown.
Saban commented, "I think the fact that he got to play in that game (Florida) probably helped his confidence. But he seems to have no issues at all relative to what he's capable of doing, and I think it's important because he's certainly a guy that can be a weapon for us on offense, and we certainly need a little more diversity in terms of what we do on offense. And he's a guy that can give us some of those things."
Injured receiver Robert Foster was working in shorts and tee shirt off to the side, as well as reserve lineman Brandon Moore. It is reported that safety Eddie Jackson is battling some kind of virus, but was practicing in full gear. Jackson leads the Southeastern Conference in interceptions with five, including two for touchdowns.
The 2015 Cotton Bowl Classic will be played Thursday night and is also one of two College Football Playoff Semifinal games. The winner of this contest goes on to play for the national championship of college football. Game time Thursdays is 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. Chris Fowler will be doing play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit with color/analysis and Heather Cox working the sidelines.
Alabama and Michigan State have met only once previously, with the Crimson Tide coming out on top of a 49-7 score in the 2011 Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
This morning Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart and five members of the Crimson Tide defense will meet with the media in a press conference prior to returning to AT&T Stadium for another workout. Following practice the team will visit Children's Medical Center of Dallas.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
Reggie Ragland At Cotton Bowl
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Kent Gidley
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Women's Basketball Hosts Lipscomb Tonight
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama women's basketball team (10-2) will play it's final game of 2015 tonight when it hosts the Lipscomb Lady Bison (3-10) in Foster Auditorium in Tuscaloosa. The Lady Tide won't play again until after the first of the new year. This will also be the final non-conference game of the season.
Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy both the game and halftime entertainment tonight. Area youth basketball teams will be participating in a scrimmage at halftime. The Alabama-Lipscomb basketball game tips off tonight at 6 p.m. CT.
This will be only the second meeting between the two schools, and the first in nearly 30 years. The first game was played back on January 24, 1986 with the Tide taking the win 78-50 in Nashville.
Team leaders so far in the young 2015-16 season are sophomore Hannah Cook and senior Nikki Hegstetter. Cook leads the Tide in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game. She has scored in double figures in five of the last six outings and in nine of the 12 games played this season. Her season-high is 22 points against the Georgetown Hoyas where she also pumped in a career-high six three-pointers. Hegstetter leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.6 per game. She is in double-digits in the last three games, and her season-high is 13 rebounds against North Florida.
