Tide Tidbits – March 29, 2010

What Story Alabama’s First Week of Practice Tells About the Team
With Alabama’s first week of full practice under their belt, what does it say about this team and their chances to repeat as national champions? First of all, the man himself, Nick Saban, threw us in the press a curve ball, he didn’t say what we expected, he didn’t play mind games with us or the team and was simply honest. We expected him to say the team had a long way to go and that he wasn’t pleased that this team had proved nothing or some such diatribe that would convey the message that the team couldn’t rest on it’s laurels and needed much improvement in every area to motivate his team to work hard. Instead, he was optimistic and said overall he was pleased and pointed out the obvious, that this team had a lot of talent and some good leaders and the weak points could be worked out. [More]

Nittany Lions begin spring practice on Friday
A member of the Penn State coaching staff since 1950, Paterno is the all-time wins leader among major college coaches, owning a career record to 394-129-3. He ranks second in winning percentage ( 75.2 ) among active Football Bowl Subdivision ( Division I-A ) coaches with 10 or more years as an FBS head coach. Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops leads with an 80.1 mark ( 117-29 ), followed by Paterno, South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier ( 72.1 ), Alabama’s Nick Saban ( 71.1 ) and Texas coach Mack Brown ( 67.9 ). [More]

Tide WR Julio Jones trying defense? It may happen this spring
Alabama coach Nick Saban is toying with the idea of potentially trying wide receiver Julio Jones as a safety on defense this spring. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound Jones, a former Foley standout, has been the Crimson Tide’s leading receiver each of the past two seasons. It’s not that he would move from offense. Instead, Saban compared the idea to what he once did with receiver Michael Clayton, who played on both sides of the football for a short time at LSU. “Michael Clayton was our best receiver and the 16th guy picked in the draft, and that’s what we did with him one year,” Saban said. “He ended up playing over 25 plays of defense, mostly against Texas in the Cotton Bowl, and played both ways.” Alabama returns starter Mark Barron at safety, but may be down a contributor at the position because of an eligibility issue with Robby Green that could sideline the junior during the 2010 season. [More]

Crimson Tide report: Strategy and personnel
2010 OUTLOOK: Top recruiting classes are paying off as Alabama is replacing All-Americans with future All-Americans. While Rolando McClain will be difficult to replace at linebacker, Dont’a Hightower has the potential to be even more of an impact player. Hightower, injured for most of the 2009 season, can drop down to become a pass-rushing end or drop back and cover a slot receiver one-on-one. And what the secondary lacks in experience, it makes up for in talent. When Nick Saban says he wants Alabama to be competing for national championships on a consistent basis, he means every year — this year included. [More]

Roll Tide!

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