Tide Tidbits – August 28, 2009

Flu outbreak quarantines a few UA football players
Up to 10 University of Alabama football players have come down with flu-like symptoms and a few have been quarantined to contain the outbreak and protect their teammates. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said Thursday that four or five players have developed the flu and a like number had upper respiratory infections but no fever. Saban said those with the flu have been isolated in dorm rooms to keep from spreading the illness. Defensive lineman Terrence Cody is the only notable player to have missed practice the last two days. Teammate Kareem Jackson confirmed that Cody told him that he had been diagnosed with the flu. Saban said the athletic department’s medical staff has enacted a plan to deal with the situation. Saban did not indicate whether players who have come down with the flu have contracted the N1H1 virus, also known as the Swine Flu. UA reported more than 50 cases of flu on the first day of classes.

Judgment Day Nearer For Tide
Alabama football players may feel that every day is “judgment day,” because Crimson Tide practices are intense. In truth, Coach Nick Saban said, the reason to schedule an opening game against a high caliber opponent is to see where Bama is as a team. Alabama Coach Nick Saban knows that Virginia Tech presents a challenge for his team. He pointed out the strengths of the Hokies, and particularly their outstanding coach, Frank Beamer. “We schedule games like this because it’s kind of a judgment day for all of us, as far as where we are as a team,” Saban said. “We’ve worked hard in the off-season. Everything you do in the off-season really leads up to what you do in the games and everything that you learn and have tried to improve on leads up to what you do in the game. All the practices that you’ve had leads up to what you do in the game.”

Could true freshmen quarterbacks be heartbeat away for Tigers, Tide?
What if Greg McElroy spots Julio Jones with a step on a Virginia Tech corner, plants to throw a strike to the post and instead gets struck down by a blitzer from the blind side? Who gets the call in the Alabama bullpen? Wily walk-on Thomas Darrah? Former phenom Star Jackson? Or current flash A.J. McCarron? We’re a week away from the eve of opening day, and one of the biggest unanswered questions about the Auburn football team remains one of the biggest unanswered questions about Alabama, too. Who will be the No. 2 quarterback?

It’s Almost Football Time In Alabama
For the second season in a row Alabama will open against a team considered the odds on favorite to walk away with the ACC crown. Both teams will likely experience a few opening game jitters though neither is likely to look as inept as the Clemson team the Tide faced in last years opener. You have to give both programs credit for having the guts to step up against top 10 competition while most other teams have chosen to schedule the likes of the East Bumbleturd Girls School for The Blind. The game will feature two of college football’s best coaches in Frank Beamer and Nick Saban. Both are favorites of Alabama AD Mal Moore for sure. He attempted to hire Beamer several times unsuccessfully during the plethora of coaching changes at Alabama.

Offensive line will be key for Crimson Tide against Virginia Tech
Aside from McElroy’s potential to be better than Wilson, the most surprising development has been McElroy’s ability to match Wilson’s leadership, earning the respect of his teammates back in spring practice. The bigger issue, however, is the Tide’s three replacements up front, including a new left tackle taking over All-American Andre Smith’s spot. Smith was the anchor of an offensive line that pulverized defensive fronts unlike any Alabama line since Shaun Alexander was running behind Chris Samuels. Not only is that the game-changing component of Alabama’s season opener against the Hokies, but it quite possibly could be the season-deciding aspect of the Tide’s 2009 campaign. After being so dominant on the ground last year, can the new crew up front sustain anything close to last year’s production? If so, will it take the group a few games before gaining the continuity it needs to be successful? If that’s the case, Alabama could be 0-1 after Sept. 5 in a season that carries more promise than any other in the last 15 years.

Roll Tide!

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