Tide Tidbits – January 28, 2010

Crimson Tide Quarterback Conundrum Might Surprise Some
The saying, “What have you done for me lately” perhaps fits the sport of college football unlike anything else in the sporting world. That college fans are fickle is no surprise. To them, players and coaches are only as good as their last game. Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is a prime example. I remember sitting and watching him make his first start under center for the Crimson Tide. The Tide went on to win that game with McElroy under center, as well as 13 more, to finish a perfect 14-0. Considering he had won all his starts in high school and all of them so far in college, to go with a SEC title and a BCS National Championship, you would think job security wouldn’t be an issue. You would likely be wrong. [More]

Ex-Tide players sign with unlikely agent
Rolando McClain has joined two University of Alabama teammates in signing with agents Pat Dye Jr. and Bill Johnson of ProFiles Sports, Inc. The Crimson Tide’s Butkus Award-winning linebacker declared himself eligible for the National Football League draft as a junior two weeks ago, and earlier this week he followed offensive lineman Mike Johnson and tight end Colin Peek in signing with ProFiles. “I haven’t seen a better player in college football this year. He’s got all the measurables,” said Dye Jr., son of former Auburn coach Pat Dye. “Above all that, he’s a smart, savvy, instinctive player. He knows how to line everyone up, which is what he’s going to have to do at the next level. Good character, a hard worker and has the right attitude for the position. I put a lot of stock in what (UA) Coach (Nick) Saban says about guys, and he just raves about him.” [More]

Saban, Malzahn to speak to coaches
The Alabama Football Coaches Association convention has been growing each year. With the fifth annual convention being held at the Embassy Suites, today through Saturday, members of the ALFCA board of directors hope this is the best convention yet. The convention begins today with University of Alabama coach Nick Saban and Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn as two of the three featured speakers. Former Tennessee and current USC coach Lane Kiffin was originally scheduled to speak in between. As of Wednesday, Sessions said a member of the Tennessee coaching staff will speak, but it was unclear which coach that would be. [More]

Tide’s Cody, Arenas looking to size up in the NFL
Terrence Cody is a mountainous nose tackle who weighs nearly twice as much as cornerback Javier Arenas. Despite their vastly different statures, the two former Alabama All-Americans both are trying to prove they size up as strong NFL prospects during preparations for Saturday’s Senior Bowl. The 6-foot-5 Cody weighed in at a jiggly 370 pounds before a crowd of NFL scouts, coaches and executives on Monday while Arenas measured in at 5-8 and 195 pounds. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock believes Cody is a first-round talent for teams seeking potential stars in the middle. “However, because he’s so big and there’s been these weight questions off the field, I’m not sure he’s going to sneak into the first round,” Mayock said. Conditioning isn’t an issue for the chiseled Arenas, who bench presses 425 pounds and finished his career 10 yards shy of the NCAA record for career punt return yards while starting in the secondary. Arenas isn’t concerned about size questions or the pressure of practicing in front of so many potential employers. “I just go hard and play,” he said. “This is what I do. Just go out there and play like I always played.” [More]

Heart of a champion: Castille works to strengthen personal and spiritual lives of Tide players as team chaplain
Jeremiah Castille knows all about success on the football field. He played under legendary Alabama coach Paul “Bear” Bryant for four years, won a national championship, earned All-American honors and enjoyed a six-year pro career that included a trip to Super Bowl XXII. Castille, 49, is still involved in the game, but he now works behind the scenes and from the sidelines. For eight years, the former defensive back has worked to strengthen the spiritual and personal lives of Crimson Tide players as the team’s chaplain. “It gives me access to be involved in the lives of the football players on a personal basis,” Castille said. Castille was with Alabama when the Crimson Tide won the BCS championship against Texas in Pasadena, Calif., earlier this month. “I could see a lot of things about the character of the team that said, ‘this team is going to win a national championship,’” Castille said of the current UA squad. “You saw it last year and they were that close with playing Florida and they had a tremendous number of players coming back. It was just their time. It was neat for me being behind the scenes to see the young men that are involved in chapel that really contributed to that championship.” [More]

Roll Tide!

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