Alabama Crimson Tide Football Practice Begins
In Preparation For Showdown With Clemson Tigers
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| Saban at first practice for bowl prep Photo Credit: UA Athletics/Kent Gidley |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - It has begun. Football practice for The University of Alabama football team is underway, holding its first practice for preparation for the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide held a two-hour workout in shells on Friday afternoon inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility on the beautiful campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
The Friday practice session was the first of seven practices to be held before the Christmas holiday break, with five to follow the return to campus for a total of 12 overall. Friday's focus was mainly fundamentals.
Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) appears to be 100 percent and a go for the Clemson contest. Mack Wilson (foot) is getting some much-needed extra healing time and should be in great shape for the game. Thought to be lost for the entire season, Christian Miller and Terrell Lewis returned for the contest with Auburn for the Iron Bowl and may have been a bit rusty after a season-long layoff, but expect both to be in much better shape come the playoff game.
Bama is prepping for its College Football Playoff Semifinal against Clemson in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Crimson Tide will battle top-ranked Clemson on Monday, January 1, 2018 in the second playoff game of the day, with the game being broadcast live on ESPN at 7:45 p.m. CT. Joe Tessitore and Todd Blackledge will call the Semifinal contest from the booth, while Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge will work each team's sideline.
The ACC champion and current CFP No. 1 Clemson Tigers enter the College Football Semifinal with a 12-1 overall record as well as an 8-1 ACC record. Clemson earned its way into the playoffs following a 38-3 drubbing of then-No. 7 Miami in the ACC Championship Game on December 3rd. The Tigers are led by head coach, and former Crimson Tide player, Dabo Swinney, who has a 101-29 in his ninth season with the Tigers.
This will be the 18th meeting between Alabama and Clemson in the history of the series that dates back to 1900. The Crimson Tide leads the series by a big 13-4 advantage. The two most recent contests came back-to-back in the 2016 and 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Games. UA rallied to defeat the No. 1 Tigers 45-40 to claim the Tide's 16th national championship in the 2016 game in Glendale, Arizona. The Tigers then returned the favor the following year with a come-from-behind 35-31 victory in the 2017 championship in Tampa, Florida.
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics/Kent Gidley |
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| Photo Credit: UA Athletics/Kent Gidley |
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Alabama Football
Nick Saban Hires Pete Golding
As Defensive Assistant For The Crimson Tide
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| Pete Golding Bing.com photo |
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Pete Golding, defensive coordinator at the University of Texas-San Antonio, has been hired to serve as a defensive assistant for the Crimson Tide football team according to University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban. The announcement was made on Friday in Tuscaloosa.
Golding served as the defensive coordinator, as well as coached the defensive backs, at UTSA the past two seasons.
In his announcement release, Saban said, "We are pleased to have Pete and his family join our staff at Alabama. Pete is an exciting young coach, who has an outstanding reputation as both a teacher and recruiter. He will be a great fit in our organization with his knowledge of the game and his ability to relate to student-athletes. We are thrilled to welcome Pete and his family to Alabama."
Golding is no lightweight when it comes to defensive coaching. His 2017 defense ranked seventh in the Football Bowl Subdivision, allowing just 287.8 yards per game. The Roadrunners finished this past season eighth in scoring defense (17.0 ppg), second in first downs defense (166) and 19th in pass efficiency defense (112.19). UT-San Antonio made a vast improvement defensively under Golding's tutelage. The Statesmen allowed 156 less yards per game and 16.8 less point per game in 2017 as compared 2015.
Golding commented, "I have always had an incredible admiration for The University of Alabama and the organization Coach Saban has built in Tuscaloosa. Words can't express how excited I am to have the opportunity to work for Coach Saban – it just doesn't get any better for a defensive coach. There is such a rich tradition of success around this program, and I look forward to contributing to that success moving forward."
Golding served as an assistant coach in charge of safeties at Southern Miss before joining the UTSA staff for his two-year tenure. The Golden Eagles won six more games than previously in just his second season, capping a 9-5 overall season as well as winning the Western Division of Conference USA.
He had also served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Southeastern Louisiana for two seasons (2012-13). Golding helped lead the Lions program to a school-record 11 wins as well as its first Southern conference title since 1961. Prior to his time in Hammond, he served as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater Delta State in 2010-11, leading the Statesman to the 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship Game and the Gulf South Conference title.
Golding also served on staff for three year at Tusculum coaching the defensive backs, then coordinated the defense his final two years there. He began his career as a graduate assistant at Delta State in 2006 after starting four seasons at safety for the Statesmen (2002-05).
Golding and his wife Carolyn have two children, Braxton and Bentley. Golding graduated from Delta State in 2005 with a degree in business.
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Nick Saban Press Conference
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| Click H E R E to watch press conference via Tide TV |
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