Alabama's Nick Saban Named Semifinalist
For George Munger Collegiate Coach Of The Year
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| University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban Photo Credit; Alabama Athletics |
It's another banner year for Saban and his Crimson Tide football team. Thus far in the 2016 football season, Saban has led his Bama boys to a perfect 10-0 record as well as the number one ranking in all the major college football polls as well as the ever-important College Football Playoff rankings. Offensively, the Crimson Tide leads the Southeastern Conference in scoring, averaging 41.2 points per game, and ranks number 11 in the country in rushing offense at 255.2 yards per game. And once again Alabama is monstrous on defense, one of the best in the country in every phase of the game. The Bama D ranks number one nationally in rushing defense (68.6 yards per game), is second nationally in scoring defense (12.2 points per game) and comes in at number two as well in total defense (259.5 yards per game).
The Crimson Tide has now won 10 games or more in nine consecutive seasons under Saban. And get this, the 2016 Southeastern Conference Championship Game this year will be the sixth appearance for Bama under Saban, and the third consecutive.
Saban has led Alabama to BCS and Associated Press national championships in 2009, 2011and 2012, as well as leading the Tide to the College Football Playoff championship in 2015. (Additionally he led LSU to a national title in 2003.) Saban was the first coach in college football history to win a national title with two different Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools since the inception of the Associated Press college football poll back in 1936. Interestingly enough, Saban and the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant are the only coaches to win an SEC championship at two different schools.
Voting for the semifinalists of the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year award began on Friday and will close on Sunday, December 11th. The final round will include the top three coaches as selected in the semifinalist round. Finalist voting will open on Monday, December 12th and run until Tuesday, December 27the, with the winner scheduled to be announced on Thursday, December 29th.
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Alabama Men's Basketball Defeats Ball State 77-59
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics/Robert Sutton |
Also scoring in double figures last night was junior Ar'Mond Davis pumping in 17 points, while sophomore Avery Johnson Jr. added another 13 points to the tally along with six assist and five boards. None of the three players started the game last night for the Tide.
Alabama men's head basketball coach Avery Johnson said, "It was a really good bounce-back win for us tonight. One of the things we stressed was defending the three-point line. Teams have been shooting over 40 percent on us from the three-point line. We did a great job of contesting them at the line and closing out help side defense. We got off to a little bit of a slow start offensively, but our defense was good. Then we got a huge boost from the guys that came off the bench. Two of them are up here with me, Shannon and Avery. Ar'mond played well for us off the bench. I am proud of our team."
It wasn't until the 12:14 mark in the game that Alabama took the lead 13-12, then went on a 21-7 run over the next nine and a half minutes to turn around a 15-14 deficit into a lead of 15 points, 36-21. Bama led by double figures the remainder of the contest.
It was a strong performance from the Crimson Tide reserves, outscoring the Cardinals 30-6 in the first half alone. Hale led all scorers on the court last night, going five-of-eight from the field and three-of-five beyond the three-point line. Bama led in points from turnover with 11 points on nine Cardinal turnovers, with State unable to score.
| Game Stats | BSU | UA |
|---|---|---|
| FG% | .426 | .426 |
| 3FG% | .235 | .522 |
| FT% | .750 | .591 |
| RB | 36 | 36 |
| TO | 21 | 11 |
| STL | 7 | 14 |
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics/Robert Sutton |
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Hey, Folks, Nick Saban Doesn't Care What You Think
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| Photo Credit: SportsWorldNews.com via Bing |
Once again Saban has spoken. And rightly so. For a few weeks now criticism has been heard from various college football coaches concerning his use of some of his former players in practices as stand-ins on scout team duty. Yes, some of those players have been current or former NFL players.
To lay the "rules-violation" accusation to rest, NCAA Bylaw 14.2.1.6 states that "[a] former student at the certifying institution [e.g., former student-athlete] may participate in an organized practice session on an occasional basis, provided the institution does not publicize the participation of the former student at any time before the practice session."
Seems that there has been no blow-back from other Southeastern Conference coaches on the matter. At least none have gone public with comments. But outside the league is a different story.
Saban had finally had it with the talk and criticism of this practice, and decided that after Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly commented on it, Saban would fire back. Kelly openly criticized Saban and his use of former players saying, I think it's absolutely ludicrous...doesn't sound like college football to me." (Of course one may wonder if Kelly realizes that what he thinks college football is at this particular time is of no particular importance. The last time Kelly's team faced Nick Saban's team they whimpered off the field after a sound thrashing for the national championship a few years ago. And look at the state of Notre Dame football today. Kelly will be fortunate to keep his job after this season...or at least the next.)
Saban addressed the issue and fired back at Kelly. He spoke on his most recent Thursday night coach's show, The Nick Saban Show, to address the issue. He also was a little more specific in a recent chat with AL.com, saying, "Now everybody is complaining that we did it and they want to change the rule. We didn’t break any rules. If they want to change the rule, they can change the rule. I don’t care what rules they change if it’s the same for everybody. I just wish people would quit complaining about what we do, that’s allowed by the rules, and why don’t they just do it. I hear this all the time. I hear this all the time."
More than likely the situation will be addressed by the NCAA. Yes, currently it is legal to do what Saban is doing. It may not remain that way, however, as the old saying comes to mind, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease." Perhaps the squeaking going on may cause grease to be applied to the situation, or the wheel replaced all together. Regardless, Saban said nothing about ending the practice as is currently allowed. Why should he?
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Alabama Softball Signs Madison Preston
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| Graphics/Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Alabama softball head coach Patrick Murphy said, "Madison had a magic carpet ride her senior year of high school softball. Her team won the Missouri state championship and Madison hit a two-run walk-off to win the title. She is a 5-11 lefty pitcher who hits right-handed. We love the fact that she is a lefty with a great drop ball."
Preston is a senior at Centralia High School in Centralia, Missouri, leading the school to state titles in two seasons, in 2013 and this year, 2016. She was the All-Conference Player of the Year in 2016, earning all-conference, all-district, all-region and all-state honors. Preston led her team to a program-record 29 wins in 2016, setting single-season records for home runs as well as RBIs. She plays club softball with the Demarini Aces, and placed fifth at the 2016 USA Elite Select Nationals as well as ninth at the 2016 PGF Premier.
Roll Tide, Madison, and welcome to the University of Alabama.
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Crimson Tide Volleyball Beats Gamecocks
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
This is the sixth consecutive victory for the Alabama Crimson Tide (18-11 overall, 7-9 SEC) over South Carolina (18-9 overall, 6-9 SEC). Though the two had to go to extra points in the first set, Bama won handily in the second. Set three wasn't without its drama but the Tide prevailed.
Leading all playeers last night was Alabama's Krystal Rivers with 19 kills, her second-highest total in a three-set match this season. This puts Rivers only seven off the Alabama volleyball career kills record with two matches remaining in the regular season. Rivers also earned four of the team's seven service aces, tying her season-high. Shannon Mikesky picked up 18 while Alexa Tomlak added 12 as the pair split setting duties. It was Abolanle Onipede with a .385 hitting percentage, her second-highest total in SEC play, playing an error-free game.
Hayley McSparin contributed seven kills and one block on the night. Leah Lawrence posted five kills, one ace and four blocks in the contest.
The Crimson Tide will play its final home match of the 2016 season this coming Wednesday, November 23rd against the Ole Miss Rebels (15-13, 4-11 SEC). The match, which is the Tide's senior night, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CT.
| Game Stats | UA | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Kills | 45 | 41 |
| Errors | 12 | 18 |
| Hitting % | .295 | .215 |
| Points | 58.0 | 49.0 |
| Aces | 7 | 3 |
| Blocks | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| TA | 112 | 107 |
| Assists | 38 | 35 |
