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Wednesday Championship Press Conference
University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Besides discussing the upcoming national championship contest between the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (13-1) and the number one Clemson Tigers (14-0), Tide head coach NICK SABAN said he really didn't want to dance after the Cotton Bowl win...and took some grief from his daughter for his dance moves.
Getting down to the business of the College Football Playoff National Championship, Saban said this isn't a bowl game. He said they can't approach it that way and that this is just game week.
Concerning Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, Saban said that the run-pass option and the athletic ability of of the young man makes this a difficult prep. He also complimented running back Wayne Gallman, saying that he brings good speed to the offense, and can make you miss and is big enough to run with power.
Concerning the Clemson defense, Saban said that they create a lot of negative plays. They get sacks on defense.
Saban said that the Tide didn't play tired in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. He said that Clemson plays a more fast-paced game so that would test them. Saban gave the players a few days off before Clemson prep began, as well as giving them Tuesday off from practice. The head coach says he feels like the players are in the right condition for this game.
The coach was very complimentary of CYRUS JONES, saying that the young man had always been a good punt returner. He did mention a few were called back early in the year, and that Jones is doing better concerning ball protection.
Another compliment from the big man...he says that this team is fun to coach and hasn't had to spend much time harping on the small things.
Saban did make the comment that until the Cotton Bowl was over, he didn't know who won the Clemson-Oklahoma game and really didn't care.
Alabama and Clemson tangle on Monday, January 11th beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Tide Holds 3rd-Of-6 Championship Practices
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
After taking an off day on Tuesday, the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide football team (13-1) returned to the practice field yesterday in preparation for the College Football Playoff National Championship coming up in a few short days. The Tide spent approximately 90 minutes working out in helmets and shorts outside on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.
The Wednesday practice was the third of six championship practices leading up to the national championship game on Monday, Janauary 11th in Glendale, Arizona. Alabama has two practices remaining before heading to Arizona on Friday, January 8th.
One noteworthy item concerning injuries...though he practiced linebacker REUBEN FOSTER was seen with some sort of wrapping on his hand. Other players and situations were pretty much as they have been the past couple of weeks.
This will be the 16th meeting between Alabama and Clemson, with the Crimson Tide holding a big advantage in the series, 12-3. Though the Tigers won the first three meetings with Bama, the Tide is riding a 12-game winning streak over the orange-clad Tigers. The most recent contest was a 34-10 win for the Tide in the 2008 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Georgia. Clemson was ranked number nine going into that contest, and gave head coach NICK SABAN his first win against a top-10 opponent at UA.
The College Football Playoff National Championship will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CT this Monday night, January 11th. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN. Chris Fowler will handle the play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit on color/analysis and Heather Cox and Tom Rinaldi will report from the sidelines.
The Crimson Tide was the only team of the four semifinal teams to repeat this season from last year's inaugural season.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Amelia B. Barton
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Bama Men's Basketball To Open SEC Play
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Alabama closed the non-conference portion of their schedule at 9-3. The Crimson Tide has won four straight games when away from the state of Alabama this season. This is Bama's longest road winning streak since the 2001-02 season.
Crimson Tide men's basketball head coach AVERY JOHNSON commented, "We're excited that our non-conference season is over and now we're about to start play in the SEC which will be a first time for a lot of us. A lot of our freshmen, me as a rookie coach in the conference, so we're excited about playing in the SEC, a conference that has three teams ranked in the Top 25. Several of our teams have really good RPIs. I think as a conference we're ranked number five right now in terms of RPI, and that's really exciting. Hopefully, we can continue that and hopefully we can continue to play good basketball, especially on the defensive end because for us to be competitive, we're going to have to be competitive on the defensive end.
"Hopefully, we'll have some much, much improved offense in terms of taking care of the ball, maybe getting some offensive rebounds every now and then, having great spacing on offense, setting great screens, sharing the basketball. Hopefully we can do a better job of having a better assists-to-turnovers ratio, which we think, combined with some good defense, will give us at least a chance to win. We'll get back to work in practice today (Wednesday) and then we'll travel on tomorrow (Thursday) to Ole Miss."
Tonight's game is at 8 p.m. CT and will air on ESPNU. Dave Neal, Daymeon Fishback and Laura Rutledge will handle the call.
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Lady Tide Basketball Visits Kentucky Tonight
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama Crimson Tide women's basketball team (12-2, 1-0 SEC) travel to Lexington, Kentucky to take on the 10th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats (11-1, 0-1 SEC) in Memorial Coliseum tonight.
This game is a part of the SEC Network's whip around coverage. Tip off for tonight is expected to be at 6:06 p.m. CT. The game will air live on the SEC Network with Jeff Piecoro and Christi Thomas handling the call.
This will be the 43rd meeting between the Tide and the Cats, and the 19th in Lexington. Kentucky leads the series and won the last meeting. Alabama did, however, win the last meeting in Lexington on January 23, 2014 by a score of 57-55.
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Tide Gymnastics Opens Season Ranked No. 3
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics team opens the 2016 season this Sunday, January 10th ranked third in the nation according to the preseason coaches poll. Bama is the the two-time defending Southeastern Conference champion. The Tide heads to Los Angelas, California to do battle this Sunday with the UCLA Bruins.
The Crimson Tide has finished in the top four each of the last seven seasons, including a pair of NCAA championships, one in 2011 and the next the following year, 2012. Bama placed fourth in 2015.
In all, five SEC teams made the preseason top 10, with all eight making the top 25. The five top 10 SEC schools are three-time defending NCAA champion Florida in second place (behind number one Oklahoma). Also representing the SEC is Alabama (4) LSU (5), Georgia (9) and Auburn (10).
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Quanesha Burks On Bowerman Award Watch List
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
After an outstanding 2015, Alabama junior long jump specialist QUANESHA BURKS is starting out the new year in fine style. Burks has earned a spot on the Preseason Women's Bowerman Award Watch List according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Bowerman Trophy is collegiate track and field's highest individual honor. The announcement came yesterday.
Burks won the Crimson Tide's first NCAA long jump title with a 22 foot, 8 inch leap at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. It was the best all-conditions jump in Alabama school history.
She won the SEC long jump title in the 2015 outdoor season with a leap of 22' 5 1/4 ", earning her a share of the ninth-best wind-legal jump in collegiate history.
Burks broke the 28-year Alabama school record outdoor long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 9 inches. Her performance beat the school record by almost a foot.
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ESPN's Kaylee Hartung Interviews Jake Coker
The young man is from Mobile, Alabama. He said as a kid he wanted to play for the University of Alabama. Then he committed and signed with Florida State. But quarterback JAKE COKER eventually made it to the Capstone. Sure, last season didn't pan out as expected. This season, however, is different. He landed his dream job and is making the most of it. He's on a title run.
Jake Coker and the Alabama Crimson Tide are going after the 16th National Championship for a school rich in heritage and tradition. Jake Coker has left a mark there. Now he wants a memorial. He wants to be known at the quarterback that led Alabama to its 16th national title by knocking off a previously undefeated team.
Kaylee Hartung of ESPN asked Coker, "How did it feel the first time you ran out out of the tunnel at Bryant-Denny, knowing you were the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide?"
Coker answered, "It's finally here. It's one of those things I've always dreamed of and wished could happen, and then when it actually happens it's like, oh my gosh, this is once in a lifetime. This is unbelievable."
Kaylee asked Jake to take her through the "unconventional trip" to this point. Coker replied, "It's been a long five years. You know I'd have never thought five years ago I'd be in the position I am now, but I couldn't ask to be in a better spot right now. I grew up an Alabama fan, and I always cheer for them.
"Nobody understands how recruiting is," Coker continued. "It's kind of like you don't know whether you should make a business decision or go with your heart or whatever. And I don't regret I went to Florida State. I love Florida State and I love the coaches there...and I came here, and this year I wouldn't give anything to be where I am right now. It's a dream of mine and I'm just excited to be on this team."
Hartung was impressed with the "guys" Coker followed as a quarterback. She asked him to take her through the list he's been able to play with.
Coker said, "Yeah, in high school I was a sophomore when A.J. (McCARRON) was a senior, so I was three years behind him. And of course he comes here (Alabama) and does well. Then I go to Florida State and two starters I was behind were E.J. Manuel and then Jameis (Winston). So E.J.'s with the Bill's and Jameis is with Tampa Bay. So then I come here and then BLAKE (SIMS)...he's breaking all these records here so it's been uhh, I've had a lot of good examples to sit behind and watch an just see how they manage a team in situations. It's pretty incredible the guys that I've played with."
Hartung asked, "Could you share with me a lesson or two you've learned from a couple of those guys specifically that's impacted you and helped you grow?"
Coker replied, "There's a lot of things that those quarterbacks went through that you wouldn't even know they were going through the way they handled themselves, and the way they carried themselves around the team. So that's just kinda staying laid back and keeping on the task."
Hartung asked Coker about stiff quarterback competition to being named a captain this season by his team mates, and the significance of that honor to him.
Coker said, "That honor means the world to me. That's the biggest honor that I've ever received, you know, from anything. It means more to me than anything. This is the most unselfish team I've ever been on."
Monday night Jake Coker leads the Crimson Tide agains the Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship. The game is January 11th with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. ESPN will broadcast the game live.
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