Alabama Coaches Honor 11
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| Graphics/Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
From the offense, the coaches have recognized Bradley Bozeman, Bo Scarbrough and Jonah Williams. From the defense the coaches selected Anthony Averett, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Reuben Foster and Dalvin Tomlinson. Recognition went to Trevon Diggs, Derrick Gore, Keith Holcombe and Josh Jacobs on special teams.
Bozeman and Williams earned their honor by making sure the Tide quarterback was protected and opening some holes for Bama running backs. Alabama's offense averaged 6.4 yards per play against Florida as well as notching a Crimson Tide team has ever scored against the Gators. The 54 points are also the most Alabama has scored in an SEC Championship Game. Meanwhile, Scarbrough rushed the ball 11 times averaging a whopping 8.3 yards per carry while scoring two touchdowns.
Foster led Bama in tackles with 11, sacks (2.0) and tackles for loss (2.5) on Saturday to earn the Most Valuable Player award, with the two sacks equaling the championship game record. Minkah Fitzpatrick contributed big on Saturday with his 44-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter. The return was his second for a score this season and school-record fourth of his two-year career. Averett was the secondary's second-leading tackler. He finished the game with four stops and a tackle for loss. Tomlinson stepped up big helping to close down running lanes and pressuring the line and the entire Gator to hold Florida to zero rushing yards in the contest.
Diggs was the Crimson Tide leader in return yards with 90 on three punt returns, including a 47-yard effort that set up a Tide field goal in the second quarter. Gore was able to block a Florida punt that was returned 27 yards by Jacobs for a first quarter touchdown. Gore also had a 10-yard touchdown run while Jacobs also added a touchdown run for six yards on offense. Holcombe also stepped up and contributed as he was in on a pair of tackles on special teams as the Tide held the Gators without a single yard on punt returns in the game.
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Jonathan Allen Wins Bronko Nagurski Trophy
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| Jonathan Allen Wins Bronko Nagurski Trophy Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Awards "season" is officially here for college football. The Alabama Crimson Tide's Reuben Foster had already picked up the Dick Butkus Award on Sunday night at the Alabama Awards Banquet from Butkus himself. Now another Bammer has picked up some hardware.
Allen leads the Crimson Tide in quarterback hurries (15) and shares the team lead in sacks (8.5) as well as 13.0 tackles for loss, and the season isn't over yet. He has also returned a team-leading two fumble recoveries for 105 combined yards and two touchdowns. Allen is second on Alabama's all-time sack list (behind Bama legend Derrick Thomas) with 26.5 career sacks.
The award is named after the legendary Bronko Nagurski, who dominated college football at the University of Minnesota as a bruising fullback and defensive tackle from 1927-29.
This was Alabama's sixth consecutive season, and the eighth season in the last nine, with at least one finalist for the award. Previous Tide finalists include: Reggie Ragland (2015), Landon Collins (2014), C.J. Mosley (2013), Dee Milliner (2012), Mark Barron (2011), Terrence Cody (2009) and Rashad Johnson (2008).
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| Jonathan Allen Bronko Nagurski Trophy Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics/Kent Gidley |
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Crimson Tide Will Be Focused On Playoffs
Whether Lane Kiffin Leaves Or Not
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| Photo Credit: Getty Images |
Various sports pundits are questioning the focus, or the ability thereof, for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team for the upcoming College Football Playoff Semifinal Game and the possibility of the national championship game. All of the "questioning" is coming about, not because of overblown reports of invincibility or press clippings or it being awards season for players or even the looking ahead to the NFL draft, but because of the possible departure of Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
Yahoo sports, just to name one, is questioning whether the players will be able to focus because of the hoopla. Or if Alabama will be able to mount a cohesive offensive attack should Kiffin leave early. Or if Kiffin himself will be able to concentrate on the game scheduled for New Year's eve should be stay.
I suppose you just have to have something to write about.
Folks, How many of Alabama's former assistants have had to face Nick Saban over the years from the other side of the ball? Two former offensive coordinators just had to face him last Saturday in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, and all they could muster were 13 points that basically were handed to them. Life and Alabama football went on.
Were there not comments of the demise, or at least a decrease in the defensive capabilities, of the Crimson Tide defense following the departure of former defensive coordinator and first-year Georgia head coach Kirby Smart? Better not tell Saban, or new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt or the Alabama defense...or the opponents who have been man-handled by them this season that they have taken a step back because of Smart's departure.
Lane Kiffin is a professional, and to be honest...he's going to do whatever it is he's going to do. What he is not going to do is coach an Alabama offense in a way that is beneath his abilities. He will be focused on the task at hand, should he stay. And, besides, Nick Saban will not allow him on the sidelines if he senses any letdown in the performance of his duties and responsibilities while a member of the Alabama coaching staff.
Kiffin's name has been mentioned concerning several coaching vacancies for this upcoming season. Among the most recent are Houston, Oregon and South Florida for a head coaching position, and of course the one that many have talked about as offensive coordinator for LSU and his old buddy, Ed Orgeron.
Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports asked Saban about how he would handle the departure of any staffers getting new coaching jobs, especially when it comes to Lane Kiffin.
Saban said, "I
think it depends on the circumstance and the situation. And I
think those are things that people have to agree on relative to what
their goals and aspirations are … their commitment to our players and
our team, and do we think it’s going to affect our organization
long-term.
"The
job that I got when I was the defensive coordinator to the Cleveland
Browns, I got early in December. We had four or five games left in the
season. We were a really good team and made it to the playoffs. We won
first round of the playoffs, lost in the second round. I stayed there
the whole time, hired four or five guys [at Michigan State], did the
best job I could for the players. That’s the way I believe, but if
somebody else didn’t believe that, then that wouldn’t be the right thing
for them to do."
The Alabama head man is used to questions from the media...on a variety of subjects. And, of course, coaches leaving for other other schools happens, so there will be questions about it.
Kevin Scarbinsky of Al.com asked Saban, pretty much the same thing but more pointedly about Kiffin.
Saban told Scarbinsky, "We’ve had conversations about it. He [Kiffin] wants to be a head
coach. I want him to be a head coach. I want to help him to get a
head-coaching job. The rest of it, we have not discussed, and I don’t
think it’s the right time. Maybe the right time will be sometime in the
next couple weeks, but right now we’re focusing on him trying to get a
head-coaching job."
The "rest of it" could mean more than one thing. Like when he would leave, or even the issue of Kiffin leaving for SEC West opponent LSU. Regardless, believe that Saban will have it covered.
We'll all know soon enough whether or not Lane Kiffin is leaving...and when. In the meantime, bet that he is indeed helping the Crimson Tide work out an offensive game plan for the upcoming Peach Bowl on New Year's eve where No. 1 Alabama will face No. 4 Washington for the chance to play the winner of the Clemson (2) - Ohio State (3) matchup for the National Championship early this coming year.
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Casher Out Remainder Of Season With Broken Foot
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| Josh Casher Photo Credit: University of Alabama |
The Tuscaloosa News is reporting that University of Alabama that 6' 1", 287-pound offensive lineman Josh Casher suffered a broken foot this past Saturday in the SEC Championship Game and will be out for the remainder of the season. Casher contributed on the offensive line as the top backup at the right guard position behind Korren Kirven.
Casher was listed as a four-star recruit in the 2014 recruiting class, and was the second-best center in that class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
The redshirt sophomore from Mobile had surgery yesterday and is expected to be out for three months. The prognosis, however, is good.
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Former Alabama QB Blake Barnett To Arizona State
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| Twitter Photo |
Various sports networks, sites and newspapers are reporting that former University of Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett has committed to continue his college eligibility with Arizona State. The young man left UA after losing the starting QB job and serving as current starter Jalen Hurts' backup for three games.
Barnett had enrolled and been attending Palomar College in California while he looked around at his options. He finally decided on Arizona State.
The youngster still has three years of eligibility remaining, and will be eligible this next season following the fourth game provided he completes an average of 12 hours of transferable degree
credits per term at his junior college, earns at least a 2.5 GPA in
those courses and graduates from the junior college, according to NCAA
Bylaw 14.5.6.
