Tide Face Rebels on Homecoming Saturday
10/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 11, 2010
| Alabama Football Preview - Game Seven | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| No. 8/8 Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) vs. Mississippi (3-2, 1-1 SEC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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HEAD COACH Nick Saban: Alabama head coach Nick Saban (Kent State, 1973) is in his fourth season with the Crimson Tide. He was named the school's 27th head coach on January 3, 2007. Saban has compiled a 33-9 record (38-9 including five vacated wins in 2007) at Alabama while leading the Tide to two SEC Western Division championships, one conference title and one national championship. Saban holds a career record of 124-51-1 (129-51-1) as a collegiate head coach, while also serving at Toledo, Michigan State and LSU. Saban won his first national championship as head coach of the LSU Tigers in 2003, guiding the Tigers to a 13-1 record that season. Overall, Saban has coached four conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC, 2003 SEC and 2009 SEC) and 10 of his 13 teams have played in postseason bowl games with the Tide appearing in a bowl game each year under Saban's direction. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.
RANKINGS: Alabama opened the 2010 season ranked first in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' preseason polls but fell to No. 8 this week after the Tide's first regular-season loss at South Carolina. Mississippi is not ranked or receiving votes in either poll.
MISSISSIPPI SERIES: Alabama leads the Mississippi series 43-9-2 and have won six straight in the series. The Alabama/Mississippi series includes three Crimson Tide NCAA vacations and one forfeit. The Tide has also won nine straight in the series at Bryant-Denny Stadium and 23 of 24, with the only loss a 22-12 defeat in 1988. Alabama is 31-1-1 against the Rebels in the state of Alabama. The Crimson Tide beat then-No. 19 Mississippi 22-3 a season ago in Oxford.
NEXT GAME: Alabama returns to the road for the fourth time in six weeks on Saturday, Oct. 23, with a visit to the Tennessee Volunteers. The Crimson Tide lead the series 46-38-7 and have won three straight in the series. UA is 20-18-1 against the Volunteers in Knoxville, including a 29-9 victory in the Crimson Tide's last visit to Neyland Stadium in 2008. Alabama used two blocked field goals - the second of which came as time expired - by Terrence Cody in the fourth quarter to hold off Tennessee in Tuscaloosa last season, 12-10.
ALABAMA DEGREES: Alabama's success on the field over the past two seasons under the direction of head coach Nick Saban has coincided with the Crimson Tide's success in the classroom. After playing the 2010 BCS National Championship Game with 21 players that already had their degrees, the 2010 Crimson Tide began the 2010 season with four players that already have degrees in hand, including Earl Alexander (financial planning), Greg McElroy (business marketing), Brian Motley (general studies) and David Ross (consumer affairs). Over the past three seasons (2008-10) the Crimson Tide has seen 31 players compete for the Crimson Tide after having already graduated.
McELROY APPLIES FOR RHODES SCHOLARSHIP: Alabama senior quarterback Greg McElroy is one of two students at the University of Alabama that have been endorsed by the University. The endorsement allowed McElroy to officially submit his Rhodes application essay (1,000 words) on Monday, October 4. There are 32 Rhodes Scholarships assigned annually to students in the United States. States are grouped into 16 districts for the purpose of making these appointments. The state of Alabama is in the seventh district, which also includes the states of Florida and Tennessee. Two students from district seven will be selected as Rhodes Scholars following the final interview process on November 20.
McELROY NAMED A SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame and recognizes the best and brightest from the college gridiron. The NFF will announce up to 15 finalists on Thursday, Oct. 28, who will then be recognized as part of the 2010 NFF Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy winner, who will have his scholarship increased to $25,000 and receive a 25-pound bronze trophy, will be announced live at the NFF's Awards Dinner on Dec. 7 at Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. In the classroom, McElroy has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times (2007-10), the President's List (4.0 GPA) twice, the Dean's List (3.5-3.99 GPA) four times and is a UA Rhodes Scholar nominee. He is currently pursuing a degree in sports management after finishing his undergraduate degree in marketing in just three years.
STADIUM RENOVATION: The latest expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium raised seating capacity to 101,821, making it one of the five largest on-campus football stadiums in the nation. The expansion is the fourth expansion of the stadium since 1988 and the seventh expansion in the stadium's history. It consists of roughly 9,600 additional seats, 1,700 South Zone Club seats, two corner video boards, an upper concourse with concessions and restrooms, 36 skyboxes, the Crimson Tide Foundation offices, a Donor Hall of Recognition and an outdoor market featuring Zoe's Kitchen, Yogurt Lab and a new university admissions office welcome center. UA's first three home game crowds of 101,821 not only set a school record, but also set a new record for the most spectators to watch a football game in the state of Alabama.
BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 12-3 against the Associated Press Top 25 over the past three seasons and 8-2 against AP top 10 teams. UA had reeled off nine straight wins against top 25 teams until the loss at South Carolina. The Crimson Tide's 31-6 win over No. 7 Florida on October 2 was the Tide's second straight win over a top 10 team and third top 25 victory in the past four weeks. Alabama is 3-1 against the AP Top 25 this season.
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama is at the end of one of the most daunting three-games stretches in school history. South Carolina represents the last of three straight games against teams ranked in the top 20. It is only the fourth time in school history the Tide has faced three consecutive games against top 20 competition without a bye week. It is the first time Alabama has ever faced three straight games against top 20 teams with two games coming on the road. The Crimson Tide began the three-game run with a 24-20 come-from-behind victory at No. 10 Arkansas before posting a 31-6 win last week over No. 7 Florida at home. The last time Alabama faced three straight games vs. top 20 teams without a bye came in 1997 when the Tide lost to No. 14 LSU and No. 17 Mississippi State before falling at No. 3 Auburn. It also happened in 1986, losing to No. 6 Penn State before winning at No. 17 Mississippi State and dropping a home game to No. 18 LSU. The first time it happened was in 1953 with wins over No. 5 Georgia Tech and No. 16 Auburn at home and a loss in-between to No. 2 Maryland on the road.
STREAKING AT BRYANT-DENNY: Alabama has won 17 consecutive games at Bryant-Denny Stadium dating back to the home opener against Tulane in 2008. It is the fourth-longest streak in school history at Bryant-Denny Stadium and is just one shy of the third-place mark. The longest winning streak at Bryant-Denny Stadium is 57 games from Oct. 26, 1963, to Nov. 13, 1982. During the current streak, the Crimson Tide is 9-0 against SEC competition and 4-0 against top 25 teams.
START FAST -- FINISH STRONG: One of Alabama's priorities each week is to get off to a fast start and then win the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide's "Start Fast -- Finish Strong" motto has been evident in 2010 with a 62-30 scoring edge in the first quarter and a 38-10 advantage in the fourth quarter. UA has also had a distinct edge in the second half, outscoring opponents by a margin of 77-23 in six games. A season ago, Alabama outscored its opponents 121-32 in the fourth quarter, a margin of 89 points. That number grew to 201-77 in the third and fourth quarters for a margin of 124 points.
ALABAMA HAS MOST WINS SINCE 2008: Alabama has won 31 games dating back to the start of the 2008 season, which is tied for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Crimson Tide won 12 games in 2008, followed that with a perfect 14-0 record in 2009 and is off to a 5-1 start in 2010 after a loss at No. 19 South Carolina. Alabama is tied with Boise State and has one more win than Florida over the past three seasons.
SABAN AMONG THE BEST: Head coach Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa led to the Crimson Tide's rapid rise up the national rankings. That success in such a short period of time has impacted the Tide's record book. Saban produced the largest win increase from year one to year two in school history as Alabama went from seven wins in 2007 to 12 wins in 2008. He now has won 18 straight games with the Tide. Saban is one of two coaches (Bob Stoops, Oklahoma) in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to have coached 10 years and never suffered through a losing season. Saban achieved more firsts in 2009 with back-to-back 10-win seasons and his first undefeated campaign. He ranks fourth in winning percentage (71.1 percent) among active coaches who have coached at least 10 years of FBS football. Saban is also one of two coaches (Urban Meyer, Florida) to win two BCS National Championships and the first to accomplish the feat at two different schools.
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama once again has one of the most difficult schedules in the nation with five games against teams ranked in the USA Today Coaches' Poll Preseason Top 25. The Tide beat then-No. 18/14 Penn State on Sept. 11, then-No. 10/11 Arkansas on Sept. 25, and then-No. 7/7 Florida on Oct. 2. Next, Alabama suffered its first regular-season loss since 2007 at then-No. 19/20 South Carolina on Oct. 9. The next ranked opponent for the Tide is at No. 9/9 LSU on Nov. 6.
FIRST-TIME STARTERS FOR THE CRIMSON TIDE: A total of 20 Alabama players have made their first collegiate starts this season - 15 positional starters and five specialists. Three first-time starters have been on offense: LG Chance Warmack, RT D.J. Fluker, RB Trent Richardson. There have been 12 first-time starters were on defense: DE Damion Square, DE Luther Davis, NG Kerry Murphy, LB C.J. Mosley, Sam LB Chavis Williams, Will LB Jerrell Harris, Jack LB Ed Stinson, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, CB DeQuan Menzie, CB DeMarcus Milliner, FS Robert Lester and CB Phelon Jones. Five more have made starting debuts on special teams: deep snapper Carson Tinker, kickoff specialist and distance field goal kicker Cade Foster, punter Cody Mandell and place-kicker Jeremy Shelley. Of the 20 new starters, four are true freshmen (PK Foster, P Mandell, CB Milliner, LB Mosley).
Crimson Tide Offensive Notes
2010 OFFENSE PUTTING UP NUMBERS: Alabama returned eight starters from the 2009 offense that put together one of best seasons in school history. The Crimson Tide set a school record with 5,642 yards of total offense, including 3,011 rushing yards (11th in school history) and 2,631 passing yards (5th in school history). The Tide also scored the second-most points in the 115-year history of the program with 448 (32.1 points per game). However, the 2010 Crimson Tide offense is ahead of that pace. Alabama is averaging 445.17 yards of total offense per game to rank 25th nationally and third in the SEC. The rushing offense is ranked 29th at 197.5 yards per game (4th in the SEC) while the passing offense is 39th at 247.67 yards per game (3rd in the SEC). The Crimson Tide is scoring 35.0 points per game to rank fourth in the conference and rank 27th nationally.
RETURNING HEISMAN WINNER: Running back Mark Ingram returned for his junior season after capturing the school's first Heisman Trophy on the 75th anniversary of the award in 2009. He missed Alabama's opening two games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday, August 31, but returned Sept. 18 at Duke. Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2009 to become the first Heisman Trophy-winning running back to help his team win a national championship in the same season since Tony Dorsett in 1976. Ingram is also one of six players since 1950 to win the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season and is the first Heisman-winning back to return the following season since Oklahoma's Billy Sims returned for his senior year in 1979. Sims won the 1978 Heisman Trophy, but finished second to Charles White of Southern California in 1979.
INGRAM'S HOT START: On Sept. 18 at Duke, Mark Ingram became the first Bowl Championship Subdivision player to rush for 150 yards on less than 10 carries in the last five years. Ingram, in his first action of the 2010 season, ran for 151 yards on just nine carries and scored two touchdowns. The 16.8 yards per carry was a career high and among the top 10 performances in school history. Ingram actually cracked the 100-yard barrier in the first quarter, on just his third carry after runs of 48, 3 and 50 yards. He went into halftime with 148 yards on seven carries for an average of 21.1 yards per carry.
INGRAM VS. TOP 25 OPPONENTS: Mark Ingram has consistently stepped up his production against top 25 competition during his career at the Capstone. The junior from Flint, Mich., averaged 188.8 rushing and receiving yards vs. the top 25 last season, including 156.8 rushing yards in those games and nine touchdowns. He also had 31 runs of 10 yards or more against ranked foes in 2009. In 2010, Ingram ripped off 157 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 24-20 come-from-behind victory at No. 10 Arkansas on Sept. 25. Ingram's 54-yard first-quarter touchdown burst was a showcase of his vision, speed, cut-back ability, vicious stiff-arm and uncanny balance. He then scored two touchdowns and accounted for 66 all-purpose yards in a 31-6 rout of No. 7 Florida and then had 57 all-purpose yards at South Carolina.
INGRAM 4TH ON CAREER RUSHING YARDS CHART: Mark Ingram rushed for 41 yards on 11 carries at South Carolina, moving him up the Alabama career rushing yards chart into fourth place with 2,782 yards in his career. Shaun Alexander (1996-99) is the Tide's career rushing yards record holder with 3,565 yards.
INGRAM OVER 100: Mark Ingram's 12 100-yard rushing performances in his Alabama career rank him tied for third in Alabama history. Shaun Alexander (15 from 1996-99) and Bobby Humphrey (15 from 1985-88) hold the record.
INGRAM EXPLOSIVE: Junior running back Mark Ingram erased an early Arkansas lead on Sept. 25 with a 54-yard run for a touchdown in the first quarter. That big play continued a trend of explosive runs in early action for Ingram in 2010 as it marked the Heisman winner's fifth rush of more than 20 yards in only his first dozen carries of the season. On Sept. 18 at Duke, Ingram has carries of 50, 48, and 20 yards while gaining 151 yards on only nine attempts.
INGRAM SHOWS HIS TOUGHNESS: Mark Ingram became well known for his bruising-running style and tackle-breaking second efforts last season. Ingram accounted for 1,075 rushing and receiving yards after contact en route to the Heisman Trophy. Through Ingram's first four games of the 2010 season, Ingram has accounted for 396 yards rushing and 62 yards receiving on nine catches. Of his 458 total yards, 183 (39.9 percent) of those yards have come after contact. That style seems to have also become a trademark of Crimson Tide running backs with sophomore Trent Richardson and redshirt freshman Eddie Lacy showing the same skill set early this season. Richardson has accounted for 213 yards after contact of his 580 rushing and receiving yards in 2010 while Lacy has 89 yards after contact this year.
BALL SECURITY: Mark Ingram has also developed an impressive reputation during his 32-game Alabama career as an expert at holding onto the football. The junior has only lost one fumble in 470 career rushing attempts, 48 career receptions and one kickoff return for a total of 519 career touches. He has only put the ball on the ground twice, the first of which at LSU in 2008 was recovered by the Tide and the second was a lost fumble vs. Tennessee in 2009. Ingram went 332 carries into his career before losing his first fumble. Sophomore Trent Richardson has been almost as good, touching the ball 261 times and losing just one fumble while putting it on the ground four times.
Julio Jones MOVES UP CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST: Junior wide receiver Julio Jones caught a season-best eight passes for 118 yards at No. 19 South Carolina, moving him up to third on the Alabama career pass receptions list with 133 for 1,960 yards. Jones has caught 32 passes for 440 yards and three touchdowns in six games in 2010, averaging 13.4 yards per catch to give the Tide a lethal threat on the outside. His 4.8 receptions per game rank fifth in the SEC while his 64.4 yards per game are seventh in the conference.
McELROY STREAK ENDS: Greg McElroy's streak of 19 consecutive wins to open a career at Alabama and 35 straight wins as a starting quarterback came to an end with the Tide's loss at South Carolina. He now has a 19-1 mark over the last two seasons as a starter at Alabama. Prior to South Carolina, McElroy's last loss as a starting quarterback was in the eighth grade against Cross Timbers Middle School in Grapevine, Texas. McElroy's 19-0 start to his career is the second best in school history. It ranked as the second-longest streak of consecutive wins by a starting quarterback in school history. Jay Barker owns both records, winning the first 22 games of his career from 1991-93.
McELROY'S SENIOR SEASON STARTING RIGHT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy has gotten off to an excellent start in 2010, showing a commanding presence as both a leader and playmaker for the Crimson Tide. The Southlake, Texas, native has completed 72.3 percent of his passes for 1,298 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions while ranking eighth nationally in passing efficiency at 169.15.
RICHARDSON JOINS 1,000-YARD CLUB: With 61 rushing yards against Duke on Sept. 18, sophomore running back Trent Richardson became the 51st Crimson Tide player to rush for 1,000 career yards. Richardson now has 1,193 yards on 208 carries over the first 20 games of his Alabama career. Mark Ingram became the 50th player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards last season while Glen Coffee and Terry Grant both eclipsed 1,000 career rushing yards in 2008.
RICHARDSON BACK DEEP: Sophomore Trent Richardson's 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on Sept. 18 at Duke did not make the Alabama all-time top-10 list for longest kickoff returns, but it did mark the first Crimson Tide kickoff return for a touchdown since a 100-yard return for a score by Tyrone Prothro on Oct. 10, 2004. Richardson is fourth in the SEC and ranks 22nd nationally in kickoff returns this season with a 28.35 ypr average. He also ranks fifth nationally in all-purpose yards (1,062 in six games) at 177.0 per game average. The Alabama school record for all-purpose yards is 2,016 by Bobby Humphrey in 1986, which averaged out to 168.0 yard per game.
A BALANCED ATTACK: Alabama returned to the nation's elite in 2008 with a punishing ground attack that wore down defenses and took shots down the field. In 2009, the Tide brought more balance to the table on offense. UA still had an outstanding ground game and an aerial attack to match with quarterback Greg McElroy. The Tide showed good balance in their offensive numbers, averaging 215.07 rushing yards and 187.93 yards passing per game. In 2010 Alabama might have the best combination of explosiveness and balance in the country. The Crimson Tide has accounted for 2,671 yards of total offense (25th nationally at 445.17 ypg), including 1,486 yards (55.6 percent) in the air and 1,185 (44.4 percent) on the ground. The Tide has thrown 159 total passes (42.7 percent) - completing 112 (70.4 percent) - while running the ball 213 times (57.3 percent).
QUICK STRIKE OFFENSE: Alabama has displayed a quick strike capability in 2010 with 16 scoring drives of less than three minutes and nine of less than 90 seconds. The Crimson Tide have also put together 13 scoring drives of five plays or less, including seven drives of three plays or less.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS: In first six games of the 2010 season, the Alabama offense has accounted for 57 plays of 15 yards or more, scoring 13 touchdowns within those 57 explosive plays. The Crimson Tide have made 39 passing plays of 15 yards or more with Julio Jones leading the way with 13 15-plus yard pass receptions. Trent Richardson also has 11 explosive plays with seven rushes of 15-plus yards and four receptions. Marquis Maze has six explosive receptions while Mark Ingram had six runs and one pass reception of 15 yards or more in four games, including runs of 54, 50, 48, 20, 19 and 17 yards and a 20-yard reception.
100-YARD RUSHERS AND RECEIVERS: Alabama has had 100-yard rushers in 25 games and 100-yard receivers in 10 games over the last three-plus seasons since Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa. Junior running back Mark Ingram has recorded 12 100-yard rushing games during his career while Trent Richardson has three 100-yard rushing efforts and Eddie Lacy one. Under Saban, Alabama has gone 24-1 in those 25 games with a 100-yard rusher. Junior Julio Jones (6) is the only current player with a 100-yard receiving game. The Duke game on Sept. 18 marked the fifth time under Saban that Alabama has had a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the same game.
MILESTONES VS. DUKE: Alabama's scored 62 points vs. Duke, the most in a game since a 62-0 win over Tulane on Oct. 12, 1991, and the most in a road game since a 62-27 win over Mississippi on Oct. 7, 1989. The 49-point margin of victory is the largest for Alabama since a 52-0 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 18, 2004. Alabama amassed 626 yards of total offense (315 rushing, 311 passing) against Duke, the most since gaining 644 against LSU in Baton Rouge on Nov. 11, 1989 (257 rushing, 387 passing). The 45 points scored in the first half by Alabama was the most scored by the Crimson Tide in any half since Oct. 7, 1989, when Alabama scored 48 points in the first half of a 62-27 victory over Mississippi at Jackson, Miss.
Crimson Tide Defensive Notes
SCORING DEFENSE: The Alabama defense replaced nine starters from its 2009 national championship-winning defense that finished second nationally in all major defensive categories. The 2010 defense, although still far from complete, has been successful to this point. The Crimson Tide ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense, surrendering just 13.3 points per game or 80 total points in six games. UA has not allowed a touchdown at home, surrendering just 12 points on four field goals in three game (4.0 ppg). The secondary, which was forced to replace three of four starters and six of its top seven players, has also fared well in the national rankings with the No. 13 pass efficiency defense (103.73) even after Arkansas' Ryan Mallett threw for 357 yards. The rush defense has not put up the numbers of the past two seasons, but still is just allowing 102.5 yards per game to rank 17th nationally. The Tide's total defense is 17th nationally at 295.5 yards per game, which ranks second in the SEC.
GROUND DEFENSE: The Crimson Tide has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in an astonishing 40 games, dating back to Oct. 13, 2007, when Mississippi's BenJarvus Green-Ellis went for 131 yards. That is the longest streak in the nation, 11 games more than second-place Ohio State (29 games). Alabama was one of three teams not to allow a 100-yard rusher in 2009 and is the only team not to surrender a 100-yard rusher in 2008, 2009 or 2010. Over the last three seasons, the Crimson Tide held 27 opponents to under 100-yards rushing.
FORCING TURNOVERS: Alabama's ability to produce turnovers in recent years has fueled the Crimson Tide's success. The Crimson Tide is off to a decent start in 2010 with 14 turnovers and seven giveaways (plus-7) in the first six games. UA has intercepted 12 passes and recovered two fumbles for a +1.17 turnover margin that ranks tied for ninth nationally and first in the SEC.
Alabama has forced 94 turnovers in 47 games under head coach Nick Saban (an average of 2.00 per game) while forcing 45 turnovers over the last 20 games (2.25 per game). The Tide finished the 2009 season ranked fourth nationally in turnover margin at plus-19 (1.36 per game). The UA offense only turned the ball over 12 times (5 interceptions, 7 fumbles) in 2009. Alabama forced 24 turnovers in 2007 for a plus-4 turnover ratio and then recorded 25 turnovers and ended the season with a plus-6 turnover margin in 2008. Alabama has recorded at least one turnover in 42 of 47 games under Saban. UA is 35-7 under Saban when gaining at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-2 in games without a turnover over the last three seasons.
DEFENSE TOUGH ON THIRD DOWN: Third down defense has been crucial for Alabama over the past three seasons. The Crimson Tide is strong once again in 2010, allowing just 24 third down conversions in 80 attempts (30.0 percent) to rank fifth nationally. UA allowed just two third-down conversions in 10 attempts at Arkansas and three in 13 vs. Florida for a third-down efficiency percentage of 21.74 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide defense was strong on third down in 2009, ranking sixth nationally and allowing a 29.90 conversion rate (58 for 194). The Crimson Tide finished third nationally in third down conversion defense in 2008, holding opponents to a 28.14 percent (56 of 199) conversion rate.
LESTER LEADS SEC IN INTERCEPTIONS: Sophomore safety Robert Lester made two huge interceptions against Arkansas that helped the Crimson Tide complete the comeback win in Fayetteville and preserve their undefeated season. The native of Foley, Ala., now has four interceptions this season to lead the SEC and rank tied for fourth nationally at .67 per game. Fellow sophomore Dre Kirkpatrick is close behind with three picks on the season to rank tied for 22nd nationally and tied for third in the SEC at .50 per game. As a team, Alabama is second in the SEC with 12 interceptions.
HIGHTOWER RETURNS: Sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower returns for his third season at the Capstone as the man in the middle of Alabama's complex defensive scheme. Hightower received a medical redshirt for the 2009 season after suffering a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season against Arkansas. An amazingly quick recovery returned him to the practice field with full contact during spring drills. Hightower has split time between the Mike and Will linebacker spots in 2010 while also seeing time with his hand in the dirt on passing downs to take advantage of his pass-rushing skills. The Lewisburg, Tenn., native has 111 career tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hurries. Hightower has 31 tackles, two pass breakups and three quarterback hurries in 2010.
BARRON MAKING PRESENCE KNOWN: Safety Mark Barron is one of the most prominent safeties in the nation. The Mobile, Ala., native was a first-team All-SEC player a year ago, leading the league with seven interceptions while garnering third-team All-America honors. He registered 76 tackles to rank second on the Alabama defense in 2009. Barron led the SEC - along with teammate Marquis Johnson - in passes defended with 18 (11 PBU, 7 INT) and ranked tied for sixth nationally with 1.29 passes defended per game.
In 2010, Barron is off to a strong start as the leader of the Crimson Tide secondary. He leads the team with 40 tackles while recording one interception, two sacks (-15), one forced fumble, one quarterback hurry and four pass breakups.
MOSLEY NABS A PICK 6: True freshman linebacker C.J. Mosley intercepted a Florida pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to give Alabama a 31-6 lead over the Gators, the first interception of Mosley's Alabama career and the first interception return for a touchdown in 2010. It marked Alabama's first interception return for a touchdown since Marcell Dareus returned an interception of a Texas pass 28 yards for a score in the BCS Championship Game on January 7, 2010. Mosley, who earned his first career start at South Carolina, now has 23 tackles on the season with a team-high six pass breakups and a quarterback hurry.
UPSHAW STUNS GATORS: Junior Jack linebacker Courtney Upshaw had an impressive outing for the Crimson Tide against Florida as he was credited with seven tackles, including four for losses, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups. Upshaw's performance keynoted a strong defensive effort by Alabama, which posted eight tackles for loss with three interceptions and one quarterback sack. Upshaw, who has battled a high-ankle sprain since the Penn State game, has now recorded 16 tackles on the season with five tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a sack.
THREE AND OUT: Consistently forcing three-and-outs has been a trademark of Alabama's defense. A year ago, on its way to a national championship, Alabama led the nation with an average of 5.61 three-and-outs per game. In 2010, the Tide is once again among the nation's best averaging 3.8 three-and-outs per game. Ohio State currently leads the country in three-and-outs with 6.2 per game.
TOUGH SLEDDING ON THE GROUND: Alabama has surrendered the second fewest rushing touchdowns since the start of the 2005 season, giving up only 44. Ohio State leads the country during that time with 42 allowed. Since head coach Nick Saban arrived in 2007, the Crimson Tide has given up 26 rushing touchdowns while OSU has allowed 22. In 2010, Alabama has surrendered just three rushing touchdowns in six games.
Crimson Tide Opponent Notes
MISSISSIPPI SERIES: Alabama leads the Mississippi series 43-9-2 (47-8-2 before NCAA rulings) with six straight wins and 23 of the last 25 games dating back to the 1977 season. The Crimson Tide is 32-1-1 in game played in the state of Alabama, including a 24-1 mark in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has won its last two trips to Oxford and both games were decided on the final play of the game. Alabama registered a 13-10 win on Oct. 15, 2005, when Jamie Christensen drilled a 31-yard field goal on the final play of the game. The Crimson Tide's 27-24 win on Oct. 13, 2007, was not clinched until the Rebels had a failed fourth-down play deep in Alabama territory. Nick Saban is 6-1 in his career against the Rebels, including a 2-0 mark at Alabama. Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt is 5-6 in his career against Alabama, including a 5-5 record as head coach at Arkansas from 1998-2007.
MISSISSIPPI NATIVES: Despite Tuscaloosa being less than an hour from the Alabama-Mississippi state line, the 2010 Crimson Tide squad only features two players from the Magnolia State. Wide receiver Kevin Norwood calls D'Iberville, Miss., home, while offensive lineman Anthony Steen hails from Lambert, Miss.
SABAN VS. MISSISSIPPI: Alabama head coach Nick Saban owns a 7-1 record in his career against Mississippi. He is 3-0 at Alabama following last year's 22-3 win in Oxford. Saban also posted a 4-1 record against the Rebels while at LSU from 2000-04. His lone loss to the Rebels came on Oct. 27, 2001, as Mississippi posted a 35-24 win in Baton Rouge.
NUTT VS. ALABAMA: Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt is 5-7 in his head coaching career against Alabama, with the first 10 decisions coming while he was the head coach at Arkansas from 1998-2007. Nutt's teams are 1-5 against the Tide in Tuscalooosa.
TIDE-REBELS ON TV: Alabama and Mississippi will play the 23rd televised game in series history this weekend. The Crimson Tide owns a 18-4 record in the previous 22 TV games. The 2010 game will mark the first appearance of the rivalry on the ESPN family of networks since the 2004 game in Tuscaloosa that was broadcast on ESPN2.
Crimson Tide General Notes
ALABAMA CELEBRATES HOMECOMING: Alabama will play its 89th Homecoming football game this Saturday when the Crimson Tide hosts Mississippi at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama has compiled a 74-13-1 (.839) all-time homecoming record, including a 35-0 win over Arkansas State on Nov. 1, 2008. The Crimson Tide is riding a seven-game homecoming winning streak dating back to the 2002 season. UA has not lost on homecoming since a 35-21 loss to LSU (coached by Nick Saban) on Nov. 3, 2001. Alabama's current seven-game homecoming winning streak is the longest streak since a school-record 26-game winning streak from 1958-83. The first homecoming game took place on Armistice Day during the 1920 season. J.T. O'Connor, a senior back from St. Louis, Mo., scored two touchdowns and kicked all three extra points in the 21-0 win. From 1929-39, Alabama won 11 consecutive homecoming games. The streak was snapped with a 13-0 loss to Mississippi State on Nov. 30, 1940. After the loss to MSU, Alabama reeled off a nine-game winning streak from 1941-50. UA did not play football in 1943. The Crimson Tide followed that 10-game winning streak with a 2-4-1 (.429) record in its next seven homecoming games from 1951-57. The Tide's 30-21 loss to Florida on Nov. 24, 1951 snapped a nine-game homecoming winning streak. Alabama posted a school-record 26-game homecoming winning streak from 1958-83. Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was a perfect 25-0 in homecoming games at Alabama from 1958-82. Coach Ray Perkins extended the streak to 26 games with a 44-13 win over Memphis State on Oct. 1, 1983. The streak ended the following year with a 30-21 loss to Vanderbilt on Sept. 29, 1984. Alabama defeated Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette) 38-10 on Oct. 3, 1987 at Birmingham's Legion Field in the only homecoming game not played on the UA campus. The Crimson Tide played all of its games at Legion Field during the 1987 season as Bryant-Denny Stadium underwent an expansion project. Since 1984, Alabama has compiled an 18-6 homecoming record over the last 24 years.
RETURNING SUCCESS: Much of the talk in the preseason was about Alabama`s high-powered offense, and the offensive side of the football is where the Crimson Tide returns the biggest portion of its players from last year's BCS National Championship team. UA features 10 total returning starters and 39 lettermen this season, but eight of those returning starters are on the offensive side of the football with two on defense. The offense returns 84 percent of the rushing yards from last season (2,526 of 3,011). Greg McElroy, who took 94 percent of the snaps at quarterback last season, returns with five of his top six receivers from 2009 (Jones, Ingram, Maze, Hanks and Richardson).
PRESEASON ACCOLADES: Ten Alabama players were named to 15 different preseason awards watch lists prior into the 2010 season. The players were recognized before the start of the 2010 season as potentially the top players at their position nationally.
Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower and Greg McElroy appeared on four watch lists. Barron, Dareus and Hightower were on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player), as well as the Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player of the year). McElroy was named to every major quarterback award watch list announced, including the Manning Award (top quarterback), Davey O'Brien Award (top quarterback) and the Unitas Golden Arm Award (top senior quarterback). McElroy was also named to the Maxwell Award (most outstanding player) watch list.
Crimson Tide offensive stars Mark Ingram and Julio Jones were prominent in watch lists as well. Jones appeared on the lists for the Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) and the Maxwell Award, while Ingram appeared on watch lists for the Walter Camp Award (player of the year), the Maxwell Award and the Doak Walker Award (best running back). Last year as a sophomore, Ingram ran for a school single season record 1,658 yards in route to winning the school's first ever Heisman Trophy.
TWO TIDE PLAYERS NAMED PLAYBOY ALL-AMERICANS: Alabama landed two players on the 2010 Playboy Magazine annual preseason College Football All-America Team. Mark Ingram was selected as a running back and Julio Jones was picked at wide receiver. Alabama has now had six Playboy All-Americans in the last three years after Andre Smith was chosen in 2008 and Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas were selected in 2009. This is Julio Jones' second straight year on the Playboy All-America team.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: The Crimson Tide had six players earn preseason All-America accolades from various publications prior to the 2010 campaign. The list includes Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower, Mark Ingram, Barrett Jones and Julio Jones. Both Ingram and Julio Jones were selected to the Playboy Preseason All-America Team.
McELROY WINS ANSON MOUNT: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy was selected as the winner of the Anson Mount Student-Athlete Award by Playboy when the publication named its preseason All-America team. Playboy will send a check for $5,000 to the University of Alabama's general scholarship fund in McElroy's name.
COACHING STAFF PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Alabama coaching staff recognized six players of the week following a 35-21 loss at No. 19 South Carolina. Wide receiver Julio Jones was selected on offense while defensive linemen Josh Chapman and Marcell Dareus garnered defensive accolades. Trent Richardson and Wesley Neighbors and Cade Foster were the special teams players of the week.
Jones caught a season-best eight balls for 118 yards and a touchdown. Chapman and Dareus combined for 13 tackles and five tackles for loss. Dareus had four TFL, eight tackles and a sack while Chapman had five stops and one TFL.
On special teams, Richardson was honored for the fourth straight week. The sophomore returned six kickoffs for 142 yards. Neighbors made one solo tackle on special teams and provided solid coverage and excellent blocking. Foster averaged 69.2 yards on five kickoffs with two touchbacks.
Richardson leads the way through six games with six player of the week awards with Jones close behind with five.
SEC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Alabama has garnered four SEC Player of the Week this season. Trent Richardson's 144-yard effort in Alabama's 24-3 win over then-No. 18/14 Penn State earned him SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors in week two. Robert Lester was then selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Week at then-No. 10/11 Arkansas when he made seven tackles and intercepted Hogs quarterback Ryan Mallett twice. The Tide received two accolades after a 31-6 thrashing of Florida as Chance Warmack was selected as the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week while Courtney Uphaws' seven-tackle, four-TFL performance earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
INGRAM AT&T ESPN ALL-AMERICA PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mark Ingram's 184-yard, two-touchdown effort in the Crimson Tide's 24-20 comeback win at No. 10 Arkansas on Sept. 25 earned him the AT&T ESPN All-America Player of the Week. Ingram rushed for 157 yards on 24 carries while scoring two touchdowns and catching two passes for 27 yards. The 2010 AT&T ESPN All-America Player of the Week and Player of the Year are chosen by the fans. Each week, four finalists are selected by ESPN analysts. The fans then decide the winner by voting online. Each weeks winners are then in the running for the All-America Player of the Year. Ingram now has 308 yards and four touchdowns in two games this season. He is averaging 9.3 yards per rush and 167.5 rushing and receiving yards per game in 2010.
Robert Lester BRINGING HOME THE HARDWARE: Alabama free safety Robert Lester collected some hardware following his seven-tackle, two-interception performance in a 24-20 comeback win at Arkansas. He was named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and the Jim Thorpe Defensive Back of the Week. Lester's second interception of the game set up the Crimson Tide's winning touchdown when he returned a Ryan Mallett pass 33 yards to the Arkansas 12-yard line late in the fourth quarter. His other interception was a second-quarter grab in the end zone to halt a Razorback drive. He was added to the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.
26 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN LAST 34 GAMES: The Mississippi game will be broadcast on ESPN and will be the Crimson Tide's 26th nationally televised game since the start of the 2008 season. In 2010, Alabama has had three games on CBS, one game on ESPN and one on ABC. In 2009, UA played two games on ABC, including the BCS National Championship Game, and six games on CBS while ESPN broadcast two more Crimson Tide games. In 2008, Alabama had 10 of its 14 games broadcast nationally, including five games on CBS, three games on ESPN, one on ABC and one on FOX.
ALABAMA 33-1 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: The Crimson Tide is 33-1 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban, including a 26-game winning streak. The only loss came against LSU in 2007 when UA held a 20-17 halftime lead before losing, 41-34, on Nov. 3, 2007, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide is 3-5 under Saban when trailing at halftime and 2-2 when tied at halftime. The three wins when trailing at the half came in a 34-24 win over No. 7 Virginia Tech on Sept. 5, 2009, in Atlanta; a 24-15 victory over No. 9 LSU on Nov. 7, 2009; and a 24-20 win at Arkansas on Sept. 25, 2010. Alabama's two wins when tied at halftime came at LSU on Nov. 8, 2008, (a 27-21 victory) and at Auburn with a 26-21 win on Nov. 27, 2009.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICIT: Alabama's 13-point deficit in the third quarter at Arkansas on Sept. 25 was the second-largest deficit overcome by Alabama under head coach Nick Saban. When Arkansas led, 17-7, at halftime, it marked the first time Alabama had trailed by at least 10 points at intermission since Utah led the Crimson Tide by 11 points, 21-10, at halftime of the 2009 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 2, 2009, in an eventual 31-17 loss by the Tide. The Tide trailed Arkansas by 13 points (7-20) in the third quarter before going on a 17-0 run to end the game.
OVERTIME RECORD: Alabama is 4-7 (.364) all-time in overtime games. In its last overtime game, the Crimson Tide defeated LSU, 27-21, at Tiger Stadium on Nov. 8, 2008. Alabama has lost six of its last nine overtime games. The Crimson Tide is 4-6 (.400) in overtime games against SEC teams. Alabama is 2-4 (.333) in overtime home games. The Crimson Tide is 3-4 (.429) in single-overtime games.
ALABAMA'S TV RECORD: Alabama has compiled a 175-123-4 (.586) all-time record in 302 televised games. This does not include pay-per-view, tape-delayed or closed circuit telecasts.
NEW HIRES: The Alabama football staff features a new face in 2010 with the promotion of Jeremy Pruitt to assistant coach of the secondary. Pruitt joined the Alabama staff as Director of Player Development in 2007 after a successful stint as an assistant coach at Alabama high school powerhouse, Hoover. At Hoover, he served for three seasons as defensive backs coach with the final two as the defensive coordinator. He tutored a defense that helped the Bucs reach the Class 6A State Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006, winning titles in 2004 and 2005. Pruitt served as an assistant coach under his father, Dale Pruitt, at Fort Payne High School from 2001-03.
TOP AIDES: Alabama's coaching staff has a wealth of knowledge across all levels of football. The nine-man Crimson Tide staff features a former head coaches at the Bowl Subdivision level in Bobby Williams (Michigan State). The staff also has six coaches that have spent time as assistant coaches in the NFL in Bo Davis (Dolphins), Jim McElwain (Raiders), Joe Pendry (19 years with multiple teams), Kirby Smart (Dolphins), Sal Sunseri (Panthers) and Bobby Williams (Lions and Dolphins). Alabama's coaching staff boasts 40-plus years of combined NFL coaching experience.
NICK'S KIDS: At Michigan State, head coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry started the "Nick's Kids" Foundation, which the Sabans have continued in Tuscaloosa. Since their arrival at the University of Alabama, the Sabans have helped raise over $1.5 million - including over $450,000 this year - for "Nick's Kids" and made a total of more than 140 donations to children's charities throughout the state of Alabama.
NFL DRAFT: The Crimson Tide saw seven players selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, including first-round picks Rolando McClain (eighth overall to the Oakland Raiders) and Kareem Jackson (20th overall to the Houston Texans). Alabama also had two more second-round picks in cornerback Javier Arenas (Kansas City Chiefs) and nose guard Terrence Cody (Baltimore Ravens). Offensive guard Mike Johnson went in the third round to the Atlanta Falcons while cornerback Marquis Johnson (St. Louis Rams) and Brandon Deaderick (New England Patriots) were taken in the seventh round. The Tide had eight more players sign free agent contracts, including Colin Peek (Atlanta), Eryk Anders (Cleveland), Lorenzo Washington (Dallas), Justin Woodall (Chicago), Cory Reamer (New York Jets), Leigh Tiffin (Cleveland) and P.J. Fitzgerald (New Orleans).
CRIMSON TIDE PLAYERS ON NFL ROSTERS: The Alabama football program was well represented in the NFL during the 2010 season with former players and coaches dotting league rosters. The Tide has 39 former players and coaches working in the NFL this season. Roman Harper is the only Alabama player on the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints. The Crimson Tide has 28 current NFL players. There are 13 former UA players and/or coaches serving as assistant coaches in the NFL this season, including Sylvester Croom (St. Louis), Freddie Kitchens (Arizona) and Richard Williamson (Carolina).
FRESHMAN ACADEMICS: Alabama's 2009 freshman class did more than just excel on the football field, the Crimson Tide placed 12 rookies on the 2010 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, by far the highest total in the SEC -- double the second-place team. Mississippi State was second with six while Mississippi had five and Kentucky had four. The Crimson Tide's 12 honorees equaled the total number of Arkansas (3), Tennessee (3), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Auburn (1), Vanderbilt (1) and LSU (0) combined. Alabama freshmen that made the list include: Kenny Bell, Chris Bonds, D.J. Fluker, Nico Johnson, Kendall Kelly, Eddie Lacy, A.J. McCarron, William Ming, Kevin Norwood, Trent Richardson, Chance Warmack and Kellen Williams.
