Game Film Important In Preparation
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| UA Photo |
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team is currently enjoying a few days of rest and relaxation before returning to practice this coming week in preparation for the big College Football Playoff Semifinal game to be played on New Year's eve. Of course there is more to preparation than the drills and running plays on the practice field. Bama spends time on game film; individually and collectively.
One of the games being dissected by the Crimson Tide is, of course, the matchup between the USC Trojans and the Washington Huskies. Alabama defeated Southern Cal in the season-opener 52-6, while later in the season the Huskies were beaten by the Trojans 26-13 in a game that really wasn't as close as the score would seem to indicate.
Of course the players know that those contests came at entirely different times of the 2016 season, and that, in fact, the Trojans are a greatly improved team over the one that the Tide met back in September. And, of course, Washington has, too, been improving.
There are, however, still things that can be learned from both contests. And especially what was going on in the Washington-USC matchup.
Minkah Fitzpatrick said that the team is looking for whatever USC was "doing to make them (Washington) play off their game...just watching the small things, the details." Fitzpatrick noted that USC was being very physical with the Huskies, and forcing turnovers as well. He commented that the Tide was "going to have to do that, too" against Washington.
O.J. Howard said that USC looked "totally different" in the Trojans win over the Huskies. Plus that the game was over a month ago. Teams evolve, and some even devolve.
Jonathan Allen spoke of the Huskies being impressive. Allen says Washington has a good offense. He was complimentary of Jake Browning as "a great quarterback," and John Ross as an "explosive" receiver. And one especially interesting quality he found was that the Huskies "like to run a lot of misdirection."
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has mentioned numerous times that Washington was a really good football team. He also spoke of the so-called gadget plays that the team sometimes employs. One big compliment made by Bama's head man was the fact these gadget plays weren't haphazard plays, but well-designed, thought-out and executed.
The top-ranked Tide will take on the No. 4 Washington in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Saturday, December 31st in one of two College Football Playoff Semifinal games. Ohio State and Clemson will battle it out in the other game to see who will face the winner of the Tide-Huskies contest to determine the 2016 National Championship. The Peach Bowl matchup will air live on ESPN at 2 p.m. CT, with Joe Tessitore and Todd Blackledge in the booth and Holly Rowe working the sidelines.
Alabama is the defending National Champion, the Champion of the Southeastern Conference, ranked No. 1 in the nation and boasts a perfect 13-0 record for the 2016 season. The Washington Huskies enter the College Football Playoff Semifinal with a 12-1 overall record and an 8-1 mark in conference play as well as being the Pac-12 Conference champion. Washington earned its berth in the playoffs defeating No. 8 Colorado 41-10 championship game on back December 2nd.
The Crimson Tide and Huskies will be meeting for the fifth time, with Alabama winning each of the previous four contests. The most recent meeting was in the 1986 Sun Bowl where the Tide defeated the Huskies 28-6. This will be the third postseason meeting between the Huskies and the Crimson Tide. Besides the before-mentioned the Sun Bowl game, Alabama defeated Washington 20-19 in the 1926 Rose Bowl, the first Bowl appearance in Alabama football history.
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WR Justyn Ross Eye-Ballin' The Tide
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| Photo Credit: 247Sports/Keith Niebuhr |
Speaking with Keith Niebuhr on the SEC Recruiting Buzz Podcast, Ross said, "I've been to Alabama so many times I can’t even remember. The program, it’s so great because it’s just like one big family."
However, Ross's mother is currently on overseas deployment, so he really wants to make his announcement after she comes home. He wants to be able to share the experience with her at home in person.
Ross commented, "I plan on taking a whole bunch of visits to my top schools when my mom comes back from her deployment in Kuwait. He says his mom, Charay, Franklin, will be a big factor in the eventual choice.
It appears that Ross enjoys the relationship he has with Alabama wide receivers coach Billy Napier. Ross says he and Napier talk about every week. "He's a great guy. He’s just like a friend. Me and him have a great relationship. I can see myself playing for him one day. I think I can play a great role in their offense."
According to the 247Sports Composite, Ross is rated the No. 6 receiver and the No. 44 overall player in the country.
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Celebrity Birthdays
12/24
Ryan Seacrest, TV Show host, 42
Ricky Martin, Pop singer, 45
Louis Tomlinson, Pop singer, 25
Rihanna Quinn, Dancer, 10
Ava Gardner (1922-1990), Actress
Ana Brenda Contreras, Actress, 30
Kate Spade, Fashion designer, 54
Anil Kapoor, Actor, 60
Michael Raymond-James, Actor, 39
Barry Chuckle, Comedian, 72
Adam Pitts, Drummer, 26
Amaury Nolasco, Actor, 46
Austin Stowell, Actor, 32
Lee Daniels, Director, 57
Diedrich Bader, Actor, 50
