Bama Football Begins Prep For Kent State
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Fundamentals, concentration and execution were again being stressed during the workout.
Receiver ArDarius Stewart is the "biggest question mark" for this week's game according to Saban. Stewart sprained his knee in the Ole Miss win last weekend, but was on the practice field yesterday. He was wearing a black non-contact jersey.
Two other players injured this past weekend were back on the practice field. Safety Eddie Jackson who sustained a leg injury as well as cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick, who received a blow to the back of the head, were both looking good in practice.
This Saturday's contest will be only the second time the Crimson Tide and Golden Flashes have met on the football field of battle. Alabama defeated Kent State in the 2011 season-opener for both teams by a score of 48-7. Though it is the second meeting between these two teams, it's the third time Saban has gone up against his alma mater, boasting a 2-0 record thus far. In 1990, Saban led Toledo to a 24-14 victory in a Mid-American Conference contest. Saban is currently 14-1 all-time against current members of the MAC.
Scheduled game time for the Alabama-Kent State contest is 11:01 a.m. CT, with the game being played at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network, with Tom Hart, Andre Ware and Cole Cubelic on the call.
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Taking A Look At Alabama And Kent State
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Kent State will close out its non-conference portion of its schedule this coming Saturday, September 24th when they travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to face the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Their game against Monmouth this past Saturday was State's strongest defensive performance of the young season, holding the Hawks under 10 points, shutting them out in the first three quarters.
Both Alabama and Kent State have something in common. Both coaches are former Kent State safeties and alums. The Alabama Crimson Tide is, of course, led by Nick Saban while the Golden Flashes are under the leadership of Paul Haynes.
For the Golden Flash one defensive player to keep an eye on is senior safety Nate Holley, ranking second in the nation with 15.7 tackles per game. His 9.0 solo tackles per game puts him solidly in the number one spot in the country.
In addition to Holley, look out for senior defensive end Terence Waugh, who ranks second in the nation in sacks (5.0), eighth in tackles for loss (8.0) and in solo tackles (26).
Offensively, junior receiver Nick Holley put on a great performance against Monmouth last week, snagging seven catches that included two touchdowns. It's the second multi-touchdown game of his career.
State redshirt freshman quarterback Mylik Mitchell completed 14-of-18 passes last week as well as adding his own 77 rushing yards into the mix and is hoping to show the Crimson Tide that Jalen Hurts isn't the only dual-threat quarterback on the field this coming weekend.
The Kent State offensive line has experience, for sure. Five of those men have made a total of 105 career starts, so would definitely be considered a veteran line.
But so as not to over-hype the situation, the Golden Flashes have been picked to finish last in the MAC East in both the media and coaches polls. This should give the Crimson Tide an opportunity to get plenty of game experience and build confidence for the second team and younger players when (and if) the score should dictate.
Turning to Alabama, the Crimson Tide currently ranks sixth in the nation in rushing defense, allowing just 64.3 yards per game. Offensively, Bama ranks 11th in scoring with 46.0 points per game.
The Crimson Tide and head coach Nick Saban, since 2011, boasts a 65-7 record, and have won three National Championships. Another interesting statistic, so far this season Alabama is outscoring its opponents 45-6 in the third quarter.
In non-conference home games, Alabama has been a dominant force with which to contend. Over the past five-plus seasons the Crimson Tide has won by no less than 24 points.
Six players for Bama's defense have either intercepted a pass or forced a fumble already this young season. More are certainly to follow.
The Alabama-Kent State contest is slated for 11:01 a.m. CT, with the game being played at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network, with Tom Hart and Andre Ware in the booth, and Cole Cubelic on the sidelines.
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2016 University Of Alabama Gymnastics Video Shoot Fun
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Check out this fun video as the lovely ladies of Alabama Gymnastics hypes the upcoming season!
This is Alabama Gymnastics (Click video link)
Roll Tide!
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Bama Men's & Women's Cross Country Rankings
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Both Bama teams are off until September 30th, when they will travel to South Bend, Indiana to compete in the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational.
