Tide Tidbits – November 18, 2009

Tide seniors have experienced team transformation
They came to the University of Alabama from as far away as San Antonio and Sarasota, Fla., and from as near as Hoover and Muscle Shoals. Alabama’s seniors, whatever paths they took to UA, will leave a program far different from the one they found when they arrived. They have won back-to-back Southeastern Conference Western Division championships and 22 straight regular-season games, and returned the Tide to national recognition. All will play their final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium this Saturday. ‘When we got here, it was like you sign with these guys and you’re happy you made some new friends and you’ve got these coaches that recruited you, you kind of have a vision for what you want things to be like,’ senior guard Mike Johnson said. ‘I don’t think anybody’s vision resulted in this — maybe the wins, but not the coaching staff. I couldn’t be happier with where I’m leaving the program and where this place stands.’ [More]

Tide senior Anders back to full speed
Alabama senior linebacker Eryk Anders returned full speed to practice Tuesday and said he plans to play Saturday against UT-Chattanooga despite a lingering right ankle sprain. Anders was restricted from contact during Monday’s practice. He said the ankle has “been hurting off and on since (the) South Carolina (game). I tweaked it a little bit (against Mississippi State),” Anders said, “but I’ll be good to go Saturday.” Reserve tailback Terry Grant remained out of practice Tuesday. Grant has been struggling with what coach Nick Saban said was a pulled muscle and missed Alabama’s last two games. Receiver Julio Jones has filled in as a kickoff returner in Grant’s place. Linebacker Dont’a Hightower, who is out for the season with multiple torn knee ligaments, also walked over to his defensive teammates early in practice and was spotted helping instruct his freshman replacement Nico Johnson. [More]

Tide’s top safety leads conference in picks
He was a highly regarded tailback who played some at linebacker as a senior at Mobile’s St. Paul’s Episcopal High, but there wasn’t anyone who watched Mark Barron play who didn’t think he could excel at whatever position he played in college. “He’s an outstanding athlete,” said Alabama senior cornerback Javier Arenas. “He’s the type of guy you just have to put out there and let him play ball. It’s obviously it was going to happen for him, the plays he was going to make. He’s made them in practice, he’s made them in camp, he made them when he first got here, he made them in high school. He’s just carrying on, that’s all that is.” Barron, battled with Robby Green in preseason practice at strong safety before winning the starting job. “Mark has always been a really good player,” Saban said. “I think, sometimes, when guys haven’t played their particular position, those kinds of guys have to develop a position. He really hadn’t played that much safety before, especially in the deep part of the field. As he learned, we knew he was going to be a very good player.” [More]

The home of champions
Even in its infancy, Bryant-Denny Stadium was the abode of winners. Constructed in 1929 and named after adored University of Alabama president George Denny, Denny Stadium spent its first full season hosting the third national title team in Crimson Tide history as the 1930 squad rolled to a 10-0 record and a Rose Bowl victory over the Washington State Cougars. Eighty years, nine titles, 80,000 seats and an added name later, Bryant-Denny once again serves as home to one of the premier teams in college football. The No. 2 Tide will play its final home game of the 2009 season this Saturday against the UT-Chattanooga Mocs, and in doing so try to continue a 13-game home winning streak that stretches over the past two seasons. [More]

Alabama vs. Chattanooga Preview
Alabama is 10-0 for the second straight season. Given that this week’s opponent is from the Football Championship Subdivision, a second consecutive 11-0 start appears almost certain. Coach Nick Saban seeks the best effort yet from the second-ranked Crimson Tide on Saturday when they host Chattanooga in their final non-conference matchup before bowl season. Despite his team’s glowing resume, Saban believes Alabama has yet to play its best football. “Our focus for this game is to continue to improve as a team,” he said. “I think our best game is somewhere out there, still and we need to keep working toward that. Every game has significance. There won’t be one thing that anybody ever remembers about this season if we didn’t have success against a team like this.” [More]

Roll Tide!

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