Championship Game Prep Continues
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The number one-ranked University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team is in full prep-mode for its contest with the 15th-ranked Florida Gators in the 2016 Southeastern Conference Championship Game. Bama worked out for approximately two hours on Wednesday afternoon in the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.
Pass defense isn't the only strong suit for the Gators. The Florida defense also ranks second (behind the number one-ranked Tide) in the Southeastern Conference in total defense, allowing just 291.6 yards per game. Overall, the Alabama offense has its work cut out for itself.
This will be the 40th meeting between the Crimson Tide and the Gators, with Alabama having solid control of the series throughout the years with a record of 25-14 (26-14 actual). This will also be the ninth meeting between the two in the SEC Championship Game, and the fourth in the past nine years. The most recent game between Alabama and Florida was the just last season in the 2015 SEC Championship Game, which the Crimson Tide won 29-15.
By way of a history lesson, perhaps two of the biggest championship matchups between the two came in 2008 and 2009. In the 2008 contest, Alabama and Florida were ranked number one and number two in the country when they squared off for the SEC championship. Tim Tebow led the Gators to a 31-20 win over the Tide in 2008, but Alabama came rolling back into Atlanta the next season to capture a 32-13 victory to earn the trip to Pasadena, California for the national championship. The Crimson Tide defeated the Longhorns of Texas later to give Alabama head football coach Nick Saban his first national championship at the Capstone.
Although sporting a little extra wrapping on his injured leg, cornerback Marlon Humphrey was practicing with the first team during the media viewing period.
The injury to the hand of Reuben Foster appears to be a bit better, if the size of the club is indication.
Today will be the final full practice before the Crimson Tide heads to Atlanta on Friday.
Alabama and Florida will square off in the SEC Championship Game this Saturday, December 3rd at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia. Kickoff is slated for 3:10 p.m. CT, with CBS broadcasting the game live. Verne Lundquist will be making the play-by-play call, with Gary Danielson providing the game analysis and Allie LaForce patrolling the sidelines.
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Jalen Hurts Is Manning Award Finalist
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| Alabama True Freshman Quarterback Jalen Hurts Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Alabama true freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has been selected as one of 10 finalists for the 2016 Manning Award. The Allstate Sugar Bowl made the announcement yesterday afternoon. The Manning Award is given annually to college football's top quarterback. It should be noted that the Manning Award is the only quarterback award that takes into account the candidates' bowl performance.
As pointed out throughout the season, Hurts is the first true freshman ever to start under Alabama head football coach Nick Saban, as well as being the first freshman quarterback at Alabama since 1984. Hurts has started 11 of the 12 games for the Crimson Tide this season, but was the catalyst for the first-game victory of the season against the USC Trojans when called in as the replacement quarterback and took the majority of the snaps in that contest. His legs especially have shown him to be an excellent quarterback for the Tide, and with arm enough to accentuate his abilities to help keep the Tide at the top of the national polls this season. Speaking of his arm, Hurts has thrown the ball for 2,454 yards and 21 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. His completion rate stands at 65.9 percent, giving him a 147.14 quarterback rating that ranks third in the Southeastern Conference. The young man has also rushed a team-high 154 times for a total of 840 yards and 12 touchdowns, a total that also leads all Alabama rushers.
Talk about impressive, in only his first season of college football Hurts first in the Alabama record book boasting an average of 274.5 yards per game. The young man also ranks second in Crimson Tide single-season history with his total of 33 touchdowns responsible for (21 passing, 12 rushing). I Hurts has compiled four 100-yard rushing games so far in 2016, the most ever in a single season by an Alabama quarterback. He became the first Bama quarterback to ever rush for 100 yards and pass for 300 yards in a single game, that being a 347 yard passing and 100 yard rushing game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs earlier this season.
Besides Alabama's Hurts, there are J.T. Barrett (Ohio State), Jake Browning (Washington), Sam Darnold (USC), Luke Falk (Washington State), Lamar Jackson (Louisville), Patrick Mahomes II (Texas Tech), Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma), Zach Terrell (Western Michigan) and Deshaun Watson (Clemson) as finalists for this coveted award. The winner of the 2016 Manning Award will be announced after the bowls in January and will be honored at a ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, was created in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. The Manning Award has recognized quarterbacks from 11 different schools and from four different conferences in its 12-year history. The Southeastern Conference leads the nation with four previous Manning Award winners, those being Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton, JaMarcus Russell, and Tim Tebow.
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| Graphics/Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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More Hardware In Jonathan Allen's Future
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Allen Named Finalist For Walter Camp Award & Lott Trophy
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| Jonathan Allen Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Allen has been one of the Crimson Tide's defensive leaders in 2016, recording 52 tackles, ranking fourth for the team. These 52 include 11.5 tackles for loss (-64 yards), two pass breakups as well as a blocked field goal. It doesn't end there, with the defensive lineman returning a team-high two fumble recoveries for 105 yards and two scores. Ranking 10th in the Southeastern Conference, Allen is a force to reckoned with as a pass rusher. He has recorded seven sacks (-55 yards) and has a team-high 13 quarterback hurries this season. Allen is tied for second on the Alabama career sacks list with 25 and ranks fifth in tackles for loss with 40.5.
Besides Allen, quarterbacks Jake Browning (Washington), Lamar Jackson (Louisville) and Deshaun Watson (Clemson), along with linebacker/return specialist Jabrill Peppers (Michigan) have been named as finalists for the award. Last season, Derrick Henry became Alabama's first recipient of the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
For the Lott Trophy, Allen is joined by Adoree' Jackson of USC, Peppers and Weston Steelhammer of Air Force. Winning this award in 2005, DeMeco Ryans is Alabama's lone winner of the Lott.
The 2016 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the 129 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on Thursday, December 8th during the 6 p.m. broadcast of ESPN SportsCenter.
The winner of the 2016 Lott IMPACT Trophy will be announced at The Lott IMPACT Trophy Award Banquet on December 11th at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California. The award show will be broadcast live on Fox Sports at 7 p.m. PST, and will be hosted by Fox Sports' Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft.
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O. J. Howard Is Honored
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| O.J. Howard Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Howard is most definitely one of the Crimson Tide's team leaders on the offensive side of the ball, is a member of the team's leadership council and has been named a game captain on numerous occasions. The Alabama senior always makes an effort to be accessible to the Alabama-faithful and always seems able to use his available time to contribute in the community. For instance, the young man has spent numerous hours working with the elderly as well as the youth organizations all across the state of Alabama.
During Alabama's two trips to the Sugar Bowl during his years with the Crimson Tide, he spent time at the children's hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. Howard also spent time at the Dallas children's hospital during the Tide's trip to the 2015 Goodyear Cotton Bowl as well. Howard has volunteered numerous hours at retirement homes across Tuscaloosa and has made visits to the Tuscaloosa VA hospital in each of the last three years.
Howard spent a day this past summer working on a Habitat for Humanity build with his teammates. He also helped this summer in packing up football equipment for schools in West Virginia affected by the significant floods that affected the state.
This is a young man definitely worthy of recognition.
The SEC names a Community Service Team for each of its 21-league sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community through superior service efforts.
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Alabama Women's Basketball To Host Alcorn State
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The University of Alabama women's basketball team (5-0) welcomes Alcorn State (0-6) to Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa tonight. The game tips off at 7 p.m. CT and can be seen on SEC Network+. Hannah Chalker will be handling play-by-play, with Rick Moody handling analyst duties.
The game will also be broadcast on the Crimson Tide Sports Network. Roger Hoover and Tyler Williams will keep you up to date with all of tonight's action.
Alabama sophomore Shaquera Wade leads the Tide in scoring, averaging 13.6 points per game. Junior Ashley Williams leads Bama in rebounding with 7.2 per outing, and freshman Jordan Lewis leads the team in assists with 3.6 per contest.
Five Crimson Tiders are averaging in double-figures in the young season. Besides Wade with a 13.6 ppg average, there are juniors Meoshonti Knight (12.4 ppg) and Hannah Cook (11.2 ppg), freshmen Jordan Lewis (11.2 ppg) and Ashley Knight (10.2 ppg) and coming in close is junior Ashley Williams with 9.4 ppg.
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Alabama Volleyball's Brittany Thomas Honored
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| Brittany Thomas Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The Southeastern Conference league office yesterday named University of Alabama volleyball senior student-athlete Brittany Thomas to its 14th-annual women's volleyball SEC Community Service team.
Thomas recently completed her career with Alabama volleyball, playing in 131 matches over her four years, and is just the sixth player in program history to be ranked among the top 10 in both career kills and digs. She played all six rotations as a freshman in 2013, earning All-America honors en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Thomas will graduate with a master's degree in marketing.
The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all 21 league sponsored sports. The Community Service Team highlights an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts.
