Tide Tidbits – August 30, 2009

CECIL HURT: Alabama got a big win on Saturday
Did the University of Alabama football program have its best Saturday of the season a week before the season officially began? That’s one way to look at the news that UA head coach Nick Saban has signed a three-year contract extension, stretching his on-paper relationship with UA until the end of 2017. Perhaps more encouraging, for Alabama fans, was Saban’s characterization of the deal as one that would take him “for the rest of our coaching career, no doubt, relative to the age I am now.” (For the record, Saban would be 66 at the end of the 2017 season.) Ultimately, it comes down to Saban wanting to be in Tuscaloosa. But the contract extension, if nothing else, is a symbolic statement that the Alabama head coach wants to stay right where he is.

New QBs rarely win SEC titles
Greg McElroy won the starting job as Alabama’s quarterback in a runaway. He stepped into the role smoothly, and the brief glimpses fans have seen of him as a backup make his arrival as the starter tantalizing. He’s articulate, well-liked by his teammates, everything a starting quarterback is supposed to be. But, history says, McElroy isn’t likely to be a championship quarterback this season. Since the SEC expanded to 12 teams in 1992, only one quarterback with so little game experience has led his team to a championship. In two seasons as Peyton Manning’s backup at Tennessee, Tee Martin threw just 16 passes. But he led the Vols to the national championship as a first-year starter.

Terrence Cody returns to practice, flu moves on to other players
Alabama returned a player but lost three more from practice Saturday as a result of the flu circulating through campus. Senior nose tackle Terrence Cody returned after a three-day absence, but the Crimson Tide worked without receiver Marquis Maze, offensive lineman Alfred McCullough and defensive lineman Darrington Sentimore. “As we go through our protocol, if a guy has a fever, we just get him out of here,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “We try to manage not having too much of this around, so we hope it’s not an issue on our team moving forward, and, hopefully, those guys will be back in a few days and be able to continue preparation for the game.”

Alabama blockers will be tested by Hokie defense
For the second year in a row, the University of Alabama enters the season with the offensive line among its primary question marks. But unlike last year, when an experienced line took advantage of its final chance to deliver, the 2009 group is inexperienced – and also looks to deliver on its first chance. Three first-time starters will take the field against Virginia Tech next weekend, including new faces at the crucial positions of center and left tackle. If the preseason has been any indication, those roles will be filled by William Vlachos and James Carpenter, respectively. “Mike Johnson is obviously probably the leader of the group. James Carpenter has made nice progress. We feel like he’s very functional in his position, a lot more confident than in the beginning,” UA coach Nick Saban said. “Vlachos has done a really good job at center, Barrett Jones has stepped up at right guard and Drew Davis is back at right tackle. I think after that is where we have a lot of young guys that are making progress.”

Alabama’s success is in the eye of the beholder
Barely had Nick Saban strolled to the lectern on his first day on the job, a beaming choir of trustees and school officials over his shoulder, when he tackled an obvious issue. “I know,” Saban said, “there’s tremendous expectations here.” It was one of his first statements as the University of Alabama football coach – and his first understatement. Saban often tries to temper expectations, part of a curious relationship with the fans. “I want our fans to understand that when they don’t have positive passion and energy for what we’re trying to accomplish, it affects everyone,” he said last spring, noting “very little interest from our fans, our players or anybody else to play in the Sugar Bowl.”

Roll Tide!

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