Tide Tidbits – June 30, 2009

Finebaum: Is Alabama going overboard for Saban?
Is there a bigger non-event in college football than Alabama’s head coach getting an extension that has less teeth than the front row at Neyland Stadium? There is no buyout in the agreement — meaning he can leave anytime. So what’s the point? Saban is a fabulous football coach and the best thing to hit Tuscaloosa since Paul Bryant. Last year was spectacular. This year should be huge. Saban is a recruiting machine. Pure genius. There is nothing wrong with the school supporting him and giving him every tool and toy in the arsenal. That’s called commitment.

Shane: Tubby’s Revenge?
With the kick-off of the 2009 college football season less than 70 days out, most of the questions that remain for the state’s “powerhouse” universities – Alabama and Auburn (sorry Troy and UAB) – are about to be answered on the field of play. I would suspect Crimson Tide fans are anxious to see if Alabama head coach Nick Saban can produce a championship this year. Meanwhile, Auburn Tiger fans don’t know what to expect. Tuberville got the last laugh. He left Auburn in a confusing mess while he drove off into the sunset with over $5 million. Tommy set himself up well by using contract savvy and left the very same people who tried to overthrow him in 2003 (see Jet Gate) with no cards left to play.

What else did Alabama DC Kirby Smart say this weekend?
If you were interested in the comments made by Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart at the Scout.com/GAVSV.com College Football Annual Kickoff Party. Here are a few more: On RB Trent Richardson and the backfield: “As far as running backs, Roy Upchurch and Mark Ingram were both injured all spring. We have those two guys who are SEC-tested backs that were injured the entire spring. We then signed Trent Richardson. We hope he can start and play for us.” On WR Julio Jones and his future: “(Jones) is one of the toughest, most competitive wide receivers I have ever been around. He walks by me at practice and says to me, ‘It’s on today coach. I am going to get after your DBs,’ and he does. He challenges us. He beats up on us and makes us better. … We hope to keep him for three more years, but I don’t know if that will happen.”

UA could learn from Fla. State’s experience
Alabama filed an appeal last week with the Infractions Appeals Committee (IAC), which has the final say in overturning or upholding penalties. The COI ruled it would vacate records from 2005 to’07, including 21 football wins, and place Alabama on three-year probation. Alabama’s case focuses on impermissible benefits from distributing textbooks, and Florida State’s deals with academic fraud. But Alabama could learn from Florida State, which is also attempting to overturn a penalty of vacated records. A recent report from the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions (COI) in Florida State’s case, plus rulings in past cases, shed light on the obstacles Alabama will encounter.

Tide vs Big 12 Matchup Rumored for 2012
ESPN has interest in a 2012 Alabama versus Big 12 match-up in Cowboy Stadium. Kirby Smart dropped that hint Sunday night at an event in Rome, Georgia: “We have received a lot of great exposure with ESPN. They have actually a schedule for us to play in three years to play a Big 12 team in the new Cowboys stadium.

Roll Tide!

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