Tide Tidbits – March 25, 2010

Saban ‘disappointed’ appeal failed
University of Alabama coach Nick Saban spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday on the subject of UA’s failed appeal for relief from NCAAA penalties imposed following an investigation into violations related to textbook distribution to student-athletes. His message? No different than it was when the penalties were first announced: While unhappy to have forfeited games from his first season as coach in 2007, Saban is encouraged that the penalties do not hamper the program going forward. “Even though it’s disappointing, it still affects nothing in the future, as it has not affected anything in the future since (the penalties),” Saban said. Among other penalties, the NCAA vacated 21 Crimson Tide football victories from 2005-2007, including all but two wins — over Tennessee in Tuscaloosa and Colorado in the Independence Bowl — from Saban’s first year. Five football players were suspended prior to the 2007 Tennessee game when the violations were discovered, and were reinstated by the NCAA for the Colorado win. In all, 201 student-athletes from 16 sports were identified as participating in the violations, knowingly or otherwise. [More]

Richardson skips contact
A minor injury to University of Alabama running back Trent Richardson broke up the nation’s top returning rushing tandem Wednesday, if only for a single practice. The sophomore, who rushed for 751 yards in a prominent reserve role behind Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram last season, sat out the contact portion of Wednesday’s practice with a hamstring strain. But while UA coach Nick Saban did not indicate when Richardson might return to the field, it was clear the player’s absence Wednesday was only precautionary. “Trent Richardson strained his hamstring a little bit on Monday, so he was in a black shirt today,” Saban said. “He did some things in individual (drills) and some things in the kicking period, but basically we didn’t do much with him. We want him to get healthy and not put him at risk in the future.” Ingram and Richardson combined for 2,409 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns last season, leading the Crimson Tide’s offense to a 14-0 season and national championship. Ingram also indicated his primary backup wouldn’t be off the field for long. [More]

Hightower adjusting after injury
For six months, the fire burned as Dont’a Hightower stewed on the sideline. Everything but his left knee was ready for football contact. So he swallowed hard and waited as patiently as a middle linebacker could. The return to football contact came during Alabama’s first workout since opening the 15-date spring practice schedule March 12 after returning from spring break. Working on what he calls a brand new knee, Hightower went through light drills during Monday’s media viewing period as he donned the same red jerseys as the rest of the defense. No longer relegated to the black, non-contact shirt that he wore most of last fall and he left the exercise bike behind and returned to football action. “They said it was supposed to take a year heal,” he said. “But I feel like I didn’t even have surgery.” There are still a few drills that requires Hightower to leave the field, but just for precautionary reasons. [More]

Tide holds first full-pad practice
The Alabama football team had its third practice of the spring and first in full pads Wednesday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility. “It’s been quite a long time since [the players] have had pads on,” said head coach Nick Saban. “It’s always a physical adjustment for players to carry their pads and go through their first practice, but I was really pleased with the way our players kind of persevered.” With three starters graduating or leaving for the NFL, the secondary is one position where young players could benefit the most from spring practice. “They make progress every day,” Saban said. “We have a lot of progress we need to make with that group. We don’t have a lot of experience coming back.” [More]

Barron assumes his place in spotlight
To say Mark Barron was lost in the shuffle last fall would not be entirely fair. He did, after all, make the second-most tackles on one of the nation’s best defenses. But because he shared space in the Alabama defensive backfield with two potential early-round draft picks in Javier Arenas and Kareem Jackson, Barron’s name wasn’t always the first cited when the unit’s dominance was discussed. Oh, how that will change this fall. As the only returning starter and one of only three players who saw time in the secondary during the Tide’s 2009 title run, Barron’s name has been front and center all offseason. Not quite a big talker, the rising junior is working his way into being a vocal player in a secondary depleted by graduation and the draft. [More]

Roll Tide!

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