Bama Begins Looking Toward LSU
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
It's bye week for the University of Alabama football team. That doesn't, however, mean no practice sessions. Just different practice sessions, regarding the focus, routine and number of days this week week on the field.
The Crimson Tide returned to the practice field yesterday afternoon under sunny skies after taking Monday off following the 33-14 victory over the Texas A&M Aggies this past Saturday. Bama got in a two-hour practice session in shells at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields, completing the first of three workouts scheduled for this week. The practice's main focal point was on fundamental, execution of plays as well as correcting mistakes that were oh-so-evident this past weekend.
One of the big questions facing Bama is who will be replacing injured senior safety Eddie Jackson in the lineup after suffering a season-ending broken leg this past Saturday. Though it is by no means definitive, corner back Minkah Fitzpatrick was practicing in the position yesterday, at least during the shortened media viewing period. Of course Tony Brown has also been mentioned as a possibility.
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban had commented, "We're trying to get the best combination of players on the field that we can in every personnel group that we play, so we're doing a little experimenting this week, and probably after this week we'll decide what's the best way for us to go."
A face that hasn't been seen in a game in awhile now was back on the practice field yesterday. Right guard Alphonse Taylor hasn't played since suffering a concussion on October 8th in the Tide win over the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Alabama has gone through a grueling season. Already the Tide has played more away games than home, and next week's matchup against the LSU Tigers will be another away game, this one in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Also the Tide has had to run a gauntlet of nationally-ranked teams, or at least they were at the time Bama faced them.
This next contest is Saturday, November 5th against No. 19 LSU, another Southeastern Conference Western Division foe. It's away and it's at night. It also will be a true test since the last several games have been coached by interim head coach Ed Orgeron since the firing of Les Miles a few weeks ago. Thus changes have been and continue to be made in both the offensive and defensive schemes, especially for this big game.
Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU 50-25-5, including a 27-9-2 record when playing in Baton Rouge. The Crimson Tide has won five consecutive games against the Tigers, with the most recent last year's 30-16 win in Tuscaloosa.
This will be the third consecutive Alabama game broadcast by the CBS Network. Verne Lunquist, Gary Danielson and Allie LaForce will once again team up to bring all the action. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
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Jonathan Allen Earns Another Pair Of Awards
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Allen finished the game last week with six tackles, three of which were solo stops, one sack for a loss (-8 yards), as well as a career-high four quarterback hurries. His superman-like tackle of A&M quarterback Treavor Knight was a sight to behold as he launched himself into the air and flew into the surprised quarterback, bringing him down behind the line of scrimmage. The play has received national attention, being replayed over and over again across the country on highlight reels. In addition he scored his second defensive touchdown of the season when he scooped up an Aggie fumble late in the third quarter and rambled 30 yards amidst yells and cheers.
Not only have Allen's own team mates offered up high praise for Allen's defensive play this season, but so has former NFL defensive lineman and current SEC Network analyst Marcus Spears. Spears and several others have compared Allen to former Nebraska and current NFL star defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. Suh finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting back in 2009 and became the first defensive player to be named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year.
Thus far, Allen has a team-high 10 quarterback hurries and ranks second in sacks with six. He also has 6.5 tackles for loss included in his overall 35 tackles this season. Allen also leads the defense in scores, with two touchdowns off fumble recoveries, plus two pass breakups.
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| Photo Credit: SaturdayDownSouth |
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What Saban Said On Tuesday
Watch Head Coach Nick Saban In Press Briefing
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| Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Just click the link ----> What Saban Said On Tuesday
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Bama Cross Country Teams Set For SEC Championships
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The 2016 Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships are scheduled for this Friday, October 28th at the University of Arkansas' Agri Park. The University of Alabama Crimson Tide men's and women's team will once again be well-represented. The women come into this event bringing 12 runners, while the men will field 10.
Representing the women's team will be senior Hannah Waggoner, juniors Caroline Barlow, Emily Edwards and Jessica Gray; sophomores Calli Coggins, Nicole Gardner and Sarah Mohan; and freshmen Rebecca Buteau, Hannah Capek, Elisabeth Danis, Brittany Tolson and McKenzie Yanek.
Competing for the Alabama Crimson Tide men's team will be seniors Robbie Farnham-Rose, Antibahs Kosgei, Evan Prizy and Conner Thompson; juniors Andrew Bull, Garrett Bull and Josh Short; sophomore Clay Austell and freshmen James Brinyark and Patrick Grant.
Kosgei will be seeking to repeat as the SEC men's individual champion. He won the title just last year at the 2015 championships in College Station, Texas. With a victory in this season's championships, Kosgei would become just the fourth repeat champion in Alabama cross country history, joining David Kimani (2000-01-02) and Robert Pette (1959-60) on the men's side and women's two-time champion Evelyn Adiru (1985, 1987).
Alabama has won three men's SEC team titles (1973, 2008, 2009) while the women have won two titles (1986, 1987).
