Tide Tidbits – March 28, 2010

McElroy’s comfort zone
A year older, Greg McElroy doesn’t look much different than he did after last spring practice broke. Still freckle faced and quick with a smile, his personality wasn’t affected by the year gone by.On the field, though, forget it – comparisons end there. Just 12 months after thoroughly beating Star Jackson for the starting quarterback job, it’s as if McElroy barely recognizes his March 2009 self. He went from the man, to the goat and back again since. Along the way, picking up SEC and BCS championship rings, the maturity of McElroy was recorded, scrutinized, then celebrated after coming through 2009 with quite a story to tell. Now, free from the constant pressure of playing for his job, the fifth-year senior is in a familiar place under somewhat foreign circumstances. “I keep reminding myself, this is the first time returning as a starter since my eighth grade season,” he said Monday. In terms of his comfort level in the Alabama offense, it’s “night and day,” while claiming “we’ve only scratched the surface.” [More]

Alabama players make sure focus for next season not swayed by title
Reminders are everywhere, ranging from subtle to obvious. They placed the crystal football and trophy in a second-floor window of the Alabama football building, illuminated at night and visible to passing motorists on Paul Bryant Drive. Radio clips of a special season blare on speakers outside Coleman Coliseum. They needed another wall for the latest Sports Illustrated cover, with a blow-up coronation of the latest game lining the other side of a hallway featuring previous covers of Paul “Bear” Bryant, Brodie Croyle and, of course, Nick Saban. The SEC championship trophy and Heisman Trophy are encased steps away, in an area football players pass each day on the way from the locker room to coaches’ offices. Then there was senior quarterback Greg McElroy exiting the complex last week wearing a T-shirt from the fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger. “I bought it in California,” McElroy said. [More]

Tide RB Ingram deals with more attention
Mark Ingram has felt the prying eyes from the time he’s deciding between breakfast cereal or when he’s window-shopping. The price of fame almost has a pied-piper feel for the Alabama running back because, wherever he goes, someone is checking him out. Sure, it’s a regular part of any football player’s existence at Alabama, but imagine how it feels for the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner right after the Crimson Tide wins a national championship. Wherever he turns, there’s someone else watching. “It happens all the time,” Ingram said. “Grocery shopping or going to the mall, anything, going out to eat, it’s crazy. Not just for me, but for all of us. … Every player is getting it. “It’s all fun and it’s something you dream of when you’re little. You learn to deal with it the best way you can.” [More]

Tide QB Jackson withheld from practice
University of Alabama reserve quarterback Star Jackson is being withheld from spring practices for academic reasons, UA coach Nick Saban said Saturday. “We have a system around here for academics,” Saban said. “Guys have to conform to the system. When a guy doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do in school, there is a point where I don’t let them participate until they get it straightened out. If he gets it straightened out in the next few days, or a week, we’ll let him back out to practice. Right now, he’s allowed to come to the meetings but when we go to practice, he has to go do school work.” The redshirt sophomore was not at practice Friday or Saturday. Saban stopped short of describing Jackson’s status as a suspension, but offered no further details. “He’s worked hard, he had a good offseason program,” Saban added. “But the thing that’s going to affect the quality of life more than anything else is graduating from school. … We aren’t going to compromise that for them to play football.” [More]

Barron more vocal for Crimson Tide
Alabama safety Mark Barron went from project to seasoned veteran in a hurry. Of course, eight interceptions and 70 tackles tend to adjust the learning curve. Circumstances demand it, too. Barron, a rising junior, is the only returning starter in the secondary. He has inherited a leadership role that will be crucial in the development of the newcomers. Alabama wound down its first full week of spring drills on Saturday as over 1,000 high school coaches attending the Tide’s coaching clinic looked on. Barron knows what his teammates are feeling. “It’s a complicated system that we have,” Barron said after practice on Wednesday. “They’re trying to learn.” He spent much of his freshman year bogged down in assignments as he tried to learn safety, star and money responsibilities on the defense. [More]

Saban Says Practice Is Crisper, Quicker
Over 1,000 high school coaches attended Alabama practice sessions and a high-powered coaching clinic at The Capstone this week as the Crimson Tide ended its first full week of spring training. It was not a surprise that one coach recognized a reporter waiting outside before meeting with Bama Coach Nick Saban. “I don’t think he’s in a good mood for you today,” the coach confided, obviously speaking of Alabama Coach Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide was nearing the end of its fifth practice of the spring, fourth of the week, and third in full gear. We suggested it might be difficult to tell. Coach Saban can be a little testy even when things are going well. As it turned out, he may not have demonstrated being pleased with practice while on the field, but in Saturday’s post-practice press briefing, things didn’t sound too bad. [More]

Roll Tide!

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