Tide Prepares for Iron Bowl Showdown
11/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 22, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama football team practiced for two hours in full pads Monday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields in preparation for Friday's matchup against Auburn in the Iron Bowl.
"We need everybody's full focus," junior running back Mark Ingram said. "Everybody needs to put their best effort forth this week. We need to go out and have a great week of preparation. Everyone needs to focus on executing and going out to give ourselves the best chance to have success Friday."
Friday's game pits the conference's top scoring offense in Auburn (42.82 points per game) against the SEC's top scoring defense in Alabama (12.82 points allowed per game). The Crimson Tide has been even more impressive on defense at home this year, only allowing two offensive touchdowns in Bryant-Denny Stadium the entire season, both coming on passing plays. Overall, the Tide has held the opposition to an average of 6.5 points per game in Tuscaloosa.
Tide players William Vlachos and Dee Milliner both garnered honorable mention from the Southeastern Conference in their Player of the Week announcement Monday. Milliner had four solo tackles, two for loss and an interception last Thursday against Georgia State. Vlachos helped pave the way for Alabama to amass 478 yards of total offense, including 262 yards on the ground. He was part of an offensive line unit that didn't allow a sack the entire contest.
The two in-state rivals will square off in one of the nation's most heated rivalries Friday at 1:40 p.m. CST in Tuscaloosa. The game will be nationally televised by CBS with Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson calling the action from the booth and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sideline.
