Tide Tidbits – November 22, 2009

ALABAMA 45, CHATTANOOGA 0: Tide makes quick work of Mocs
No worries and no injuries. That was the goal for second-ranked Alabama heading into Saturday’s game with Chattanooga and the mission was accomplished as the Tide scored three first-quarter touchdowns and cruised to a 45-0 win over the Mocs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Senior Day on Saturday afternoon. “We wanted to go out there and start fast and play our tempo of football and not really lose a step,” said Alabama right tackle Drew Davis, one of the seniors honored in pregame ceremonies. “I think we did that. I would say it (went according to) script. We hoped it would be like this, but you can’t ever go in there thinking it’s going to be like that. I think it’s a huge game, not only for us trying to finish off our perfect season, but it’s huge because a lot of our fans consider our season on this game. Growing up in Alabama, you know how much it means to people.” [More]

Mark Ingram makes the best of limited playing time
If Mark Ingram seemed to be in a hurry Saturday, it’s because he didn’t have much time to make his point. The University of Alabama’s Heisman Trophy-candidate running back got only 11 carries, and far less than half a game, to do all the damage he could do against Tennessee-Chattanooga. He did plenty. The 5-foot-10, 212-pound sophomore from Flint, Mich., rambled for 102 yards and two long touchdowns before taking an early seat in a 45-0 runaway victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Ingram certainly did just enough to satisfy those who might scrutinize his performance against a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) opponent in comparison with the country’s other top players, and did it in few enough attempts and early enough in the game to make it clear he wasn’t picking up cheap yards against an already beaten foe. [More]

Arenas has record-breaking day
Javier Arenas made a lasting impression in his final game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The senior cornerback/return specialist set an SEC record with his seventh career punt return for a touchdown in Saturday’s win against Tennessee-Chattanooga. “It means a lot to me,” Arenas said of the record. “And I think my teammates should feel the same way. Because me against 11 of those guys, I wouldn’t even be here right now talking about it. It’s a very great accomplishment.” With 1,658 career punt return yards, Arenas moved into second place on the all-time SEC list behind Vanderbilt’s Lee Nalley, who had 1,695 from 1947 through 1949. Texas Tech’s Wes Welker (2000-2003) holds the NCAA record with 1,751. [More]

Reamer caps Senior Day with first interception
Cory Reamer said he couldn’t have thought of a better way for his senior class to say its goodbye to Bryant-Denny Stadium. The senior linebacker made the first interception of his career on the final home-field play of his career, capping a five-year journey that began with a serious knee injury, under a different coach, and at a different position. “I just saw the guy run a reverse and another guy coming back, so I just stayed back in case they tried to throw it because they have a bunch of gimmicks,” Reamer said. “I was just playing like a free safety like the old days, like back in high school. It felt pretty good to just be freelancing out there.” [More]

‘Mount Cody’ still wants ball
Alabama senior nose tackle Terrence Cody continues to lobby coach Nick Saban to let him to carry the football on the goal line. Fans buzzed for that possibility Saturday when Cody entered on a first-quarter of fensive play at the 2-yard line, only to have Trent Richardson score the game’s first touchdown in Alabama’s 45-0 rout of UT-Chattanooga. “I wanted to score a touchdown and stuff,” Cody said, “but I didn’t have a chance to. I tried to talk (Saban) into giving me the ball.” Saban has jokingly said that he would allow Cody to carry the football if the defensive lineman could beat him in a footrace between drills at practice. “He hasn’t beat me yet,” Saban said on his weekly radio show. “Now he will argue that point, but I’m the commissioner, so I determine who wins the race.” [More]

Mocs honored to play No. 2 Crimson Tide
Tennessee-Chattanooga quarterback B.J. Coleman passed for just 36 yards and threw two interceptions Saturday afternoon, but in the postgame interview the sophomore seemed honored to be part of the 45-0 drubbing by the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. “That was a great football team that we had an opportunity to play,” Coleman said. “It’s always an honor to be able to come out and play against a potential national champion. They’ve got Auburn next, followed by Florida in the SEC championship and I wish them the best of luck. That’s a heck of a football team. I think you take a lot from this experience from seeing the crowd, the noises and things that can affect a team. You don’t dwell on something like this. You get better over the winter and get ready for next season.” [More]

Young defensive players come through to preserve shutout
University of Alabama fans got a glimpse of the future in the second half of Saturday’s 45-0 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga, as a defense that will lose at least seven starters next season — perhaps more depending on potential NFL Draft declarations — emptied the bench in search of game experience. The results? The shutout was maintained, and the Mocs actually gained more yards against the starters in the first half (67) than they did against second-half reserves (17). “I think it was good experience for them, and I think they did a good job,” said UA coach Nick Saban. “They weren’t quite as wide open in doing some of the things when they were playing to challenge (UTC), but I was happy with the way they played and it was great that they all had an opportunity to play. I think that experience will be valuable for them if they need to play down the road this season. I was happy with the way they played.” [More]

Saturday’s game was last at home stadium for 25 Tide seniors
Drew Davis said it hit him during the Walk of Champions to Bryant-Denny Stadium. Javier Arenas said it hit him in the second half of Saturday’s 45-0 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga, as he and the rest of Alabama’s starters watched from the sidelines while the reserves closed out the victory. Cory Reamer said it hasn’t hit him yet. Saturday’s game was the last time that 25 Alabama seniors played at Bryant-Denny Stadium. They and two others whose careers were cut short due to medical issues, Evan Cardwell and Byron Walton, were honored Saturday at Senior Day. In a dominant performance against a team that Alabama should dominate, nearly all of those seniors went out with a bang. [More]

Roll Ride!

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