Alabama Begins Practice For Arkansas
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
ArDarius Stewart was back practicing after his knee injury. He was dressed out in the regular practice jersey working hard yesterday.
Players went through drills and group practice sessions, as well as running through plays as a team.
Alabama, the number one team in the country, travels to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a contest with the No. 16/18 Arkansas Razorbacks. Kickoff is schedules for 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN. Joe Tessitore will handle the play-by-play, Todd Blackledge handling color commentary and Holly Rowe will be walking the sidelines.
Arkansas enters Saturday's constest with a 4-1 overall record, and winless thus far in the SEC with an 0-1 mark, The Razorbacks led by head coach Bret Bielema, 22-21 in his fourth season in Fayetteville, and an overall 90-45 record between Arkansas and Wisconsin.
Alabama leads the series 16-8 (19-7 before forfeited and vacated games), and has won the last nine contests between the two. Alabama's most recent win was just last season, beating the Razorbacks 27-14 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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Joshua Jacobs Is SEC Freshman Of The Week
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| Joshua Jacobs Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
In his first career start for the Crimson Tide, Jacobs racked up 100 yards on the ground. quite the accomplishment for an Alabama freshman. He carried the ball just 16 times, averaging 6.2 yards per carry and posted one touchdown for the contest. Jacobs also caught a career-best three passes for 44 yards, giving him 144 yards of total offense. The 5' 10, 204-pound youngster out of Tulsa, Oklahoma converted first downs on nine of his 19 touches, including seven rushing first downs and two via the air. He finished with an average of 7.6 yards per play, with long plays of 28 yards rushing and 23 yards receiving.
So far this season Jacobs has rushed 34 times for 250 yards to average 7.4 yards per carry. He has also scored three times to lead all tailbacks and tie for the team-high mark for rushing scores. Through the air, Jacobs has hauled in five passes for 67 yards, averaging 13.4 yards per reception.
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| Graphics/Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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What Saban Said
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban once again met with the sports media on Monday, as is his custom, to talk about the previous week's game and the upcoming contest. He spoke yesterday of the performance of the Crimson Tide in the Kentucky contest, and gave some insight into this week's game with the No. 16/18 Arkansas Razorbacks.
Saban said, "Well, not a lot of different feelings about the last game in terms
of how we played after watching the film. I think we did a lot better in
the second half than we did in the first, but I think the question I
would ask is how much did the other team really stop us, and how much
did we stop ourselves? Whether it was a dropped ball; a missed
assignment; not getting the ball out of our hand where we need to;
giving up a play on defense; whether it's not the right run fit, gap fit
or whatever; these kinds of execution things are really important,
especially when the whole emphasis needs to be that we need to play
better over and over again when you play better teams. I think we had
some outstanding performances in the game. I think our team is making
progress, but we need to continue to do that and continue to work,
because every week in the SEC is a real challenge and a real test. That
certainly won't be any different on the road against Arkansas.
"We don't have any real injury problems. We have a couple of guys that will be out there in black shirts today. ArDarius Stewart will resume practicing today and we're hopeful that he'll be able to get through the week and make the kind of progress he needs to make to be able to contribute in this game. We are really happy that Joshua Jacobs got named SEC Freshman of the Week. I think it is a great honor for him, and he did a fascistic job (against Kentucky)."
Concerning quarterback Cooper Bateman in his first outing as backup, Saban said he did "fine" in his solo series last Saturday.
When asked about what he would do should a player or players express interest in protesting (during the National Anthem as pro players and some fans have done elsewhere), Saban said he chooses not to weigh in on political issues.
Concerning evaluation of quarterbacks, Saban believes it is a difficult process. He said the mental size of the position is the big thing, and that quarterbacks have to have the "right stuff" in order to play well, especially in the areas of judgment and the processing of game information.
Saban said he really didn't notice Tim Williams during the first half of the Alabama-Kentucky game. He said that holding him out and the entire episode should be a learning experience for the outside linebacker.
Saban also commented he didn't like some of the decisions when it came to fielding punts, that some of them were bad decisions and cost the Tide yardage.
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Tide Coaches Recognize Nine Players
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| Graphic/Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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Alabama Men's Golf 8th At Jerry Pate Intercollegiate
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| Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
It's No. 3 Auburn (284-274) and No. 21 Baylor (274-284) sharing the team lead as both enter today's final 18 holes with a 2-under par 558. UAB sits in third place six strokes back at 564, while No. 42 UNLV (567) and No. 28 Arkansas (570) round out the top five.
Bama junior Lee Hodges led the way for the Crimson Tide, currently in a tie for eighth with a 36-hole total of 1-under 139 (70-69). Junior Steven Setterstrom began his day with the team's high round of 79 in the opening 18 holes, but responded with a career-low tying score of 3-under par 67 in the afternoon round to finish the day with a 6-over par 146. Setterstrom is currently 35th as he enters the final 18 holes.
It is sophomore Davis Riley, who entered the tournament leading the Crimson Tide in stroke average at 72.17, is in a tie for 36th place just one stroke behind Setterstrom with a two round total of 147 (71-76). Senior Robby Prater (74-74/148) is 43rd and Tyler Hitchner (74-75/149) sits at 45th.
The Tide will tee of today's final round at 8:50 a.m. CT from Hole No. 10. Alabama will be grouped with Florida State and South Alabama.
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Women's Basketball Holds First Official Practice
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| Kristy Curry Alabama Women's Head Basketball Coach Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
University of Alabama women's head basketball coach Kristy Curry and the Crimson Tide held their first official practice of the 2016-17 season yesterday inside Foster Auditorium on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. This was the first of 30 scheduled practices prior to the regular-season tipoff on Friday, November 11th.
Now entering her fourth season as head coach, Curry commented, "We were a little bit further ahead than we normally are this time of year. It was the best first day
we've had since we've been here. Our junior class with Hannah (Cook) and
NeNe (Bolton), Ashley Williams, and Meo Knight, Shaquera Wade,
those five are doing a nice job of really bringing some experience. I
always say association brings on assimilation, and I thought that our
newcomers followed their pace today, so that was good to see."
Concerning the returning players, Curry continued, "They're so poised. They understand what it takes. They've learned from the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, and become better people for it. Their leadership and the things they're doing off the floor for us has just been phenomenal, so the culture is much improved and where we want it to be. Shaquera Wade has grown up an awful lot as well, so those five (with the addition of Williams) have really carried the torch for us in the offseason on and off the court."
Williams, a 2014 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team honoree and the team's 2014-15 leader in points and rebounds, had to sit out last season but is back now. Curry said, "She gives our team a lot of confidence. She just plays so hard. She's worked on her 12-15 foot jumper and that's consistent now. Her free throws have improved. She's physically nearly back as far as her stamina and conditioning. She just has a great presence about her on the floor and gives our team a lot of confidence. Believe me. It's a happy bunch. We are all happy to have her back."
Sophomores Trista Magee and Taylor Berry also return for the Tide. Newcomers include two true freshmen and four transfers.
Concerning the newbies, Curry said, "I could just sit here and talk about each one of them. I'm thrilled with our two freshmen, Jordan Lewis and Ashley Knight, and what they bring and what they give us. Jordan's leadership at the 1 and the ability to play the 2. She's got some things that she's got to learn, but you can never ever question the effort and commitment. I love her energy. Ashley Knight just gives you a new dynamic inside and has far exceeded where I thought she might be. The way she has embraced our strength staff and what she's done this summer, I'm just excited about the two and the chance that they have to impact us in a really big way."
Transfers joining Bama this season are three-time OVC Freshman of the Week out of UT-Martin, DaiJia Ruffin, who must sit out this season due to NCAA transfer rules, Coco Knight, LaKyesha "KeKe" Stennis and Alana Da Silva.
Curry said, "Coco Knight really has the ability to get a shot off and will create something out of nothing, and I really love her energy and her willingness. She's an open book right now. She's just willing to learn. She's so coachable. KeKe Stennis is a great pure shooter and just continues to get better every day. Alana da Silva is really coming along with her health and was just cleared for some contact and really is a great player. We are looking forward to her being able to progress hopefully and get back. We are being real patient right now. Those five are really going to give us some dimension and depth, some size and some quickness and the ability to score in bunches, so we're excited about those five.
"We feel like we will be a group that's deeper than we've been, as quick and as athletic as we've been, and we have more size and more depth in the post. We're really excited about that."
Fans will get their first opportunity to see the ladies at the second annual Tide Tipoff event, which will be held on Friday, October 21st. Doors will open at 6 p.m. CT for autographs, and the event will follow at 7 p.m.
Alabama's only exhibition game this year will be held on Friday, November 4th, with the Crimson Tide taking on West Alabama at 7 p.m. and will tip off the regular season a week later with a doubleheader with the men's team. The women's game against New Orleans is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. CT, with the men's contest with Coastal Carolina starting at 8 p.m.
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Bama Buddies Registration Underway At UA
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| Bama Buddies Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
UA's women's basketball program is proud to say that Bama Buddies play an important role in every home game for the Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide is looking for youth basketball players to take the court with women's basketball for starting lineups and the national anthem. Bama Buddies must be 5-12 years old, arrive 30 minutes prior to game time and be available for the duration of the game.
The only fee to participate is the price of admission to the game.
It should be noted that Bama Buddies and their families will be able to take advantage of group ticket pricing. Discounted rates apply to groups of 15 or more.
For more information, call 205-348-2612.
