Tide Tidbits – September 19, 2009

Bama nose tackle more than just a big man
Terrence Cody has always made a lasting first impression. The University of Alabama’s 6-foot-5, 354-pound man-mountain of a senior nose guard remembers the first time he set foot on the football field for a game at Riverdale High School in Fort Myers, Fla. “It was pretty much, ‘He’s too big, I can’t block him, I need help,’ all that stuff,” Cody said. “There were a lot of good players, but I was always the biggest on the field.” That much hasn’t changed. “That’s a big ol’ boy, that’s a big ol’ boy,” UA receiver Mike McCoy said. “I’d heard about him, but when I first saw him, that’s a big ol’ boy. That’s what everybody was saying. It was just like, ‘Oh my goodness.’”

Alabama, Saban seek consistency
A coach who’s never short on motivational analogies from the sports world located some new material for week three. Nick Saban spent the past few days telling his Alabama football players how their current situation compares to auto racing. “If we’ve got a car that’s really NASCAR, top-flight, Sprint Cup-caliber, why are we driving in the slow lane?” Saban said. “Why aren’t we playing like we’re supposed to play all the time with some kind of consistency? And that’s the challenge I gave to our team.” Saban’s point is clear. He wants a full 60 minutes when fourth-ranked Alabama (2-0) welcomes North Texas (1-1) to Bryant-Denny Stadium at 11:21 a.m. today in a matchup televised by the new SEC Network (WJTC in Mobile). The Crimson Tide sputtered in the early stages of victories over Virginia Tech and Florida International, but rolled late behind the kind of statistical dominance that Saban typically hasn’t yet enjoyed in Tuscaloosa.

Mean Green faces stiff test in Tide defense
One of the main focal points for today’s game against North Texas will be if the Mean Green can find a way to run its spread offense against the Crimson Tide. North Texas has averaged more than 205 yards rushing in its first two games — a victory at Ball State and a double-overtime loss at home to Ohio University. Alabama has recorded 10 quarterback sacks and is giving up 32.5 yards per game on the ground — which puts the Tide second and fifth, respectively, in those two categories. “Everybody knows we’re going to stop the run,” cornerback Kareem Jackson said this week. “It kind of makes the offense one-sided. You’re either going to have to beat us through the air or we’re going to come out with a ‘W.’”

Tide focus on game as development tool
To this point, fourth-ranked Alabama is averaging 514 yards of offense, continues to rank as one of the best defenses in America and has polished off two opponents with a dominating second-half performance. Perhaps it is higher expectations, maybe it’s the sluggish starts. Whatever the reason, Alabama’s lopsided wins over Virginia Tech and Florida International seem to be missing something. “I am not displeased with where we are,” said Alabama coach Nick Saban. “Last year we had trouble finishing. This year we seem like we have trouble starting. If we can just get it all together I guess we’ll be pretty good.”

Pay increase was UA’s idea; Contract extension was Nick Saban’s idea
Before Alabama’s appearance in last December’s SEC Championship Game, the wheels were already in motion for the contract extension and pay increase recently signed by Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban. “Toward the end of the season last year, when we were undefeated, the President and I talked about a retention bonus, that we need to look at this and make a presentation there,” Moore said. “When I talked with Coach Saban, he mentioned that he would like an extension, so we kind of blended the two together. I think both sides are very pleased.”

Roll Tide!

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