Alabama Welcomes Mississippi State to Bryant-Denny
11/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 8, 2010
| Alabama Football Preview - Game 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| No. 11/12 Alabama (7-2, 4-2 SEC) vs. No. 17/18 Miss. State (7-2, 3-2 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 35-10 record (40-10 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 126-52-1 (131-52-1) 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 checks in at No. 11 in the AP poll and No. 12 in the coaches' poll this week. Mississippi State is ranked 17th in the AP poll and 18th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.
MISSISSIPPI STATE SERIES: Alabama will be meeting the Mississippi State Bulldogs for the 95th time in school history and boasts a 72-18-3 record in the series (one forfeit and one vacated win). The Tide have won two straight in the series and seven of the last nine. Alabama has outscored MSU 63-10 in the last two meetings. The Tide also boasts a 39-9-1 (.806) record against the Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa, winning five of the last six games at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama's record against MSU in games played in the state of Alabama is 50-11-2 (.810)
NEXT GAME: Alabama plays its first Thursday night game in nine years as Georgia State visits Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 18, for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPNU. It is the first year of existence for the Georgia State program under the direction of former Alabama coach Bill Curry (1987-89). The Panthers are 6-4 on the season with victories over Shorter, Campbell, Morehead State, Savannah State, North Carolina Central and Lamar.
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.
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 four 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.
McELROY NAMED A FINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has been selected as a finalist 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 announced 16 finalists, who are 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 December 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.
STREAKING AT BRYANT-DENNY: Alabama has won 18 consecutive games at Bryant-Denny Stadium dating back to the home opener against Tulane in 2008. It is tied for the third-longest streak in school history at Bryant-Denny Stadium and is just two games shy of the second-place mark of 20 set from Nov. 1, 1941, to Nov. 11, 1950. 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 10-0 against SEC competition and 4-0 against top 25 teams.
GREG McELROY/BARRETT JONES EARN ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy and offensive lineman Barrett Jones have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Team. McElroy, who is 21-1 as a starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide, graduated in three years with a degree in business marketing and is finishing his graduate degree in sports administration this fall. He completed his undergraduate work with a 3.82 GPA and has a 4.0 in graduate school. McElroy is a National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete, receiving an $18,000 scholarship from the NFF, and becoming a finalist for the William V. Campbell Award. Jones boasts a 4.0 grade point average in finance during his third year of course work in Tuscaloosa. He was a first-team All-District IV selection a year ago and a second-team CoSIDA Academic All-American. He was a member of the 2009 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll and the 2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Members of the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Team are eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America recognition.
McELROY NOMINATED FOR SI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR: Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has also been nominated for the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, which will be announced November 30. McElroy was nominated by SI writer Lars Anderson because, he says, "More than any other player in the sport, he represents all that is good about college football."
REMAINING SLATE: Alabama has probably the toughest remaining schedule among the BCS top 25 teams. The Crimson Tide is one of only four teams in the country with two teams ranked in the AP top 25 remaining on their schedule. The Tide still has to host No. 17 Mississippi State before a visit from No. 2 Auburn to close out the regular season. Alabama's two remaining SEC opponents boast a record of 17-2 (.895).
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama faced one of the most daunting three-game stretches in school history when it challenged No. 10 Arkansas, came home for No. 7 Florida and then traveled to No. 19 South Carolina. It was only the fourth time in school history the Tide had faced three consecutive games against top 20 competition without a bye week. It was 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 over No. 7 Florida at home and then falling at South Carolina. 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.
BEATING THE BEST: Alabama is 12-4 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.
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 72-30 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 84-30 in seven 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.
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 has won 21 of his last 23 games and is coming off of his second national championship in 2009 -- his first at Alabama. 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.
ALABAMA HAS MOST WINS SINCE 2008: Alabama has won 33 games dating back to the start of the 2008 season, which is the second 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 7-2 start in 2010. Alabama one win back of Boise State, who has 34 wins, and is tied with TCU at 33 victories.
TOUGH SLATE: Alabama once again has one of the most difficult schedules in the nation with as many as eight 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. Alabama then suffered its first regular-season loss since 2007 at No. 19/20 South Carolina on Oct. 9, and dropped a 24-21 decision at No. 12/11 LSU on Nov. 6. The next ranked opponent for the Tide is No. 17/18 Mississippi State on Nov. 13 and then No. 2/2 Auburn on Nov. 26.
FIRST-TIME STARTERS FOR THE CRIMSON TIDE: A total of 21 Alabama players have made their first collegiate starts this season - 16 positional starters and 5 specialists. Four first-time starters have been on offense: LG Chance Warmack, RT D.J. Fluker, RB Trent Richardson and RT Alfred McCullough. 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 427.89 yards of total offense per game to rank 27th nationally and third in the SEC. The rushing offense is ranked 34th at 177.44 yards per game (fifth in the SEC) while the passing offense is 36th at 250.44 yards per game (third in the SEC). The Crimson Tide is scoring 32.78 points per game to rank fifth in the conference and rank 31st 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.
Julio Jones MOVES UP CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST: Junior wide receiver Julio Jones has caught 22 passes for 310 in the last two games after undergoing surgery to repair a broken left hand on Sunday, Oct. 10, following the South Carolina game where he had a then-season-best eight passes for 118 yards. He is second on the Alabama career pass receptions list with 156. He moved past the 2,000-yard mark at Tennessee in career receiving yards and now has , becoming the third player in Alabama history to eclipse the total and now ranking second in school history. He joined DJ Hall (2,923 yards from 2004-07) and Ozzie Newsome (2,070 yards from 1974-77) in eclipsing 2,000 receiving yards in a career. On the season, Jones has caught 45 passes for 669 yards and three touchdowns in eight games in 2010, averaging 14.9 yards per catch to give the Tide a lethal threat on the outside. His 5.62 receptions per game rank fourth in the SEC and tied for 35th nationally while his 83.63 yards per game are 26th nationally and second in the conference.
RECORD PERFORMANCE FOR Julio Jones: Junior wide receiver Julio Jones caught 12 passes for a school-record 221 yards against Tennessee. The receptions total ranks second in Alabama history behind only DJ Hall's 13-catch outing (185 yards) versus Tennessee on Oct. 20, 2007. Those totals put Jones over 100 yards receiving for the seventh time in his Alabama career (ranks 2nd in Alabama history) and the third time this season. Jones' previous single-game yardage high at Alabama was a 128-yard outing (on 7 catches) at LSU on November 8, 2008. His previous single-game high for catches was 9 (for 83 yards) at Auburn on Nov. 27, 2009.
JONES ON SINGLE-SEASON LISTS: With 10 catches for 89 yards last week at LSU, Julio Jones now has 55 catches for 758 yards this season. That ranks Jones tied for seventh for catches in a season and ninth in receiving yards in a season.
McELROY'S CAREER TD PASSES: Senior quarterback Greg McElroy had two touchdown passes against LSU, the 31st and 32nd of McElroy's Alabama career, moving him into fifth place on the UA career touchdown passes list. He has 13 touchdown passes in the 2010 season.
MR. EVERYTHING: Running back Trent Richardson is doing a little bit of everything for the Crimson Tide this season. The sophomore ranks eighth nationally and second in the SEC in all-purpose yards (1,495 in nine games) at 166.11 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. Richardson is currently on pace for 2,159 yards in a 13-game season. Richardson has 634 yards rushing (70.44 per game), 245 receiving (27.2 pg) and 616 on kickoff returns (68.4 pg). He has two 100-yard rushing games, one 100-yard receiving game and three games with more than 100-yards in kickoff returns. Richardson has also eclipsed the 200-yard barrier in all-purpose yards three times (Penn State, Arkansas and Mississippi), and has had less than 121 all-purpose yards only once (at LSU).
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 then had 97 yards rushing and a touchdown at No. 11 LSU.
INGRAM 4TH ON CAREER RUSHING YARDS CHART: Mark Ingram rushed for 88 yards on 14 carries at Tennessee, which give him 2,930 rushing yards in his career to rank fourth in Crimson Tide history. 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.
BALL SECURITY: Mark Ingram has also developed an impressive reputation during his 35-game Alabama career as an expert at holding onto the football. The junior has only lost one fumble in 520 career rushing attempts, 52 career receptions and one kickoff return for a total of 573 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. On average, Ingram fumbles once every 286.5 touches. Ingram went 332 carries into his career before losing his first fumble. Sophomore Trent Richardson has been almost as good, touching the ball 286 times and losing just one fumble while putting it on the ground six times.
INGRAM SCORES: Junior running back Mark Ingram scored his 38th-career rushing touchdown last week at LSU. His 38-career rushing touchdowns rank second in school history, just three behind Shaun Alexander (41 from 1996-99). Ingram also has 41 total touchdowns during his Crimson Tide career. He ranks tied for fifth in Alabama history in total touchdowns.
RICHARDSON ECLIPSES 100 RECEIVING YARDS: Sophomore running back Trent Richardson caught 5 passes for 101 yards against Mississippi to become the first Alabama running back to eclipse the century mark in receiving yards in 12 years. Before Saturday night, the most recent Alabama back to have more than 100 yards receiving was Shaun Alexander, who caught 5 passes for 110 yards and one touchdown against Mississippi State on November 14, 1998.
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 1,385 yards on 237 carries over the first 23 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.
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 has again shown to have excellent balance. The Crimson Tide has accounted for 3,851 yards of total offense (27th nationally at 427.89 ypg), including 2,254 yards (58.5 percent) in the air and 1,597 (41.5 percent) on the ground. The Tide has thrown 253 total passes (44.8 percent) -- completing 174 (68.8 percent) -- while running the ball 312 times (55.2 percent).
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS: In first nine games of the 2010 season, the Alabama offense has accounted for 76 plays of 15 yards or more, scoring 16 touchdowns within those 76 explosive plays. The Crimson Tide have made 55 passing plays of 15 yards or more with Julio Jones leading the way with 18 15-plus yard pass receptions. Trent Richardson also has 14 explosive plays with nine rushes of 15-plus yards and five receptions. Marquis Maze has 10 explosive receptions while Mark Ingram had seven runs and one pass reception of 15 yards or more in seven games, including runs of 54, 50, 48, 42, 20, 19 and 17 yards and a 20-yard reception. The longest play of the season was a 85-yard scoring strike from Greg McElroy to Richardson against Mississippi with the second longest coming on a 65-yard scoring run by Richardson at Tennessee. That 85-yard pass play is tied for the fifth-longest scoring pass in Alabama history and is the longest pass completion of McElroy's Alabama career (previous long: 80 to Marquis Maze vs. Arkansas in 2009).
100-YARD RUSHERS AND RECEIVERS: Alabama has had 26 100-yard rushers in 25 games and 12 100-yard receivers in 12 games over the last four 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 four 100-yard rushing efforts and Eddie Lacy one. Under Saban, Alabama has gone 25-1 in those 26 games with a 100-yard rusher. Junior Julio Jones (7) and Trent Richardson (1) are the only current players with a 100-yard receiving game. The Tennessee game on Oct. 23 marked the six time under Saban that Alabama has had a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the same game.
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 21-2 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 also 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.
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.
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 October 10, 2004. Richardson is fourth in the SEC and ranks 27th nationally in kickoff returns this season with a 26.78 ypr average.
MAZE'S PUNT RETURNS: Wide receiver Marquis Maze made a major impact as a punt return man in the second half of the season. He returned 6 punts for 125 yards (20.8-yard average) including returns of 37 and 20 yards against Mississippi. The yardage against the Rebels ranked third on the Alabama single-game punt returns yardage list. Maze is ranks 10th nationally and third in the SEC averaging 15.5 yards per punt return.
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 fairly successful to this point. The Crimson Tide ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense and first in the league, surrendering just 13.78 points per game or 124 total points in nine games. UA went 14 quarters at home before surrendering a touchdown at Bryant-Denny and has only allowed one touchdown at home this season, surrendering just 22 points (5.5 ppg). The secondary, which was forced to replace 3 of 4 starters and six of its top seven players, has also fared well in the national rankings with the No. 5 pass efficiency defense (100.03). The rush defense has not put up the numbers of the past two seasons, but still is just allowing just 125.78 yards per game to rank 33rd nationally. The Tide's total defense is 17th nationally at 307.11 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the SEC.GROUND DEFENSE - PART II: Keeping the opposing running back under 100 yards is nothing new for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has surrendered just nine individual 100-yard rushing games dating back to the 2005 season (70 games), a mark that third nationally behind Ohio State and Boston College (8). Since head coach Nick Saban's arrived in 2007 (50 games), Alabama has only allowed four players to rush for 100 yards in a game: Tennessee's Tauren Poole (117), Mississippi's BenJarvus Green-Ellis (131 yards), Houston's Anthony Alridge (100 yards) and Arkansas' Darren McFadden (195 yards).
TOUGH SLEDDING ON THE GROUND: Alabama has surrendered the second fewest rushing touchdowns in the nation since the start of the 2005 season, giving up only 46. Ohio State leads the nation allowing 45 during that time span. Since head coach Nick Saban arrived in 2007, the Crimson Tide has given up 28 rushing touchdowns while OSU has allowed 25. In 2010, Alabama has surrendered just five rushing touchdowns in nine games.
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 17 turnovers and 10 giveaways (plus-7) in the first nine games. UA has intercepted 15 passes and recovered two fumbles for a +0.78 turnover margin that ranks tied for 15th nationally and first in the SEC.
Alabama has forced 97 turnovers in 50 games under head coach Nick Saban (an average of 1.94 per game) while forcing 48 turnovers over the last 23 games (2.17 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 44 of 50 games under Saban. UA is 37-7 under Saban when gaining at least one turnover. Alabama is 3-3 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 43 third down conversions in 131 attempts (32.82 percent) to rank 12th nationally. 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 come-back win in Fayetteville and preserve their undefeated season. The native of Foley, Ala., now has five interceptions this season to rank tied for first in the SEC and rank tied for fifth nationally at .56 per game. Fellow sophomore Dre Kirkpatrick is close behind with three picks on the season to rank tied for 39th nationally and tied for fifth in the SEC at .33 per game. As a team, Alabama tied for sixth nationally with 15 picks.
TIDE AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN INTERCEPTIONS: With two interceptions at Tennessee the Crimson Tide ranks tied for sixth nationally and second in the SEC with 15 interceptions in nine games, just two back of Florida and Boston College. Alabama finished second nationally with 24 interceptions last season (one behind Texas). It took the Tide 14 games during the 2008 season to equal the 15 picks it has this season heading into LSU.
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 126 career tackles with 9.5 tackles for loss and 19 quarterback hurries. Hightower has 52 tackles, three pass breakups and eight 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 playing well as the leader of the Tide secondary. He leads the team with 59 tackles while recording two interceptions, two sacks (-15), 3.0 tackles for loss (-19), one forced fumble, two quarterback hurries and six 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 started two games, made 46 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 28 tackles on the season with 7.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one quarterback hurry.
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 3.89 three-and-outs per game or 35 three-and-outs in nine games. Ohio State currently leads the country in three-and-outs with 5.88 per game.
Crimson Tide Opponent Notes
ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI STATE SERIES: Alabama holds a 72-18-3 lead over Mississippi State in a series that dates back to the 1896 season. The Mississippi State series is tied for the second-longest continuously played series in the Alabama record book, dating back to the 1948 season. The two border rivals will be meeting for the 95th time this weekend in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has played more games (94) and has more wins (72) against Mississippi State than any other opponent on record. The Tide and Bulldogs first met in 1896 with the Crimson Tide posting a 20-0 win in Tuscaloosa. Mississippi State posted its first win with an 11-0 victory in Columbus, Miss., during the 1903 season. The Crimson Tide's 21-10 win in 1975 was the school's 750th all-time football game. From 1958-79, Alabama posted a 22-game winning streak in the series. The 22-game winning streak is the longest in series history. State ended that streak by upsetting No. 1 ranked Alabama, 6-3, on Nov. 1, 1980, at Mississippi Memorial Stadium in Jackson. That 6-3 win also snapped Alabama's school and SEC-record 28-game winning streak. The Tide won the next 15 games in the series from 1981-95 before MSU ended the streak with a 17-16 win on Nov. 16, 1996, at Scott Field. The one-point win was State's first on-campus win over the Tide and first in the state of Mississippi since 1980. Mississippi State followed up that victory with wins in 1997 and 1998, giving the Bulldogs three straight wins over Alabama. The three-game winning streak from 1996-98 equaled the longest in series history by the Bulldogs. State also won three straight games from 1912-14. Alabama ended a two-game series losing streak with a 32-7 win on Nov. 15, 2008, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.SABAN VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE: Alabama head coach Nick Saban is 7-1 in his career against Mississippi State, with his only loss coming in his first visit to Starkville as the Tide's head coach in 2007. Saban is 2-1 against the Bulldogs in his first three years at Alabama, winning 31-2 last season in Starkville, winning 32-7 on Nov. 15, 2008 in Tuscaloosa, and losing 17-12 in Starkville in 2007. Saban was 5-0 against Mississippi State while serving as head coach at LSU from 2000-04. The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs, 214-57, in those five games.
STATE IS TIDE'S MOST REGULARLY-PLAYED FOE: Alabama has played more games against Mississippi State than any other opponent. The two border rivals will be meeting for the 95th time on the gridiron this Saturday. Mississippi State (94), Tennessee (93) and Vanderbilt (81) are the only three opponents the Crimson Tide has played at least 80 times. In addition, the Mississippi State game is the seventh oldest series in the UA record books as the two teams first met in 1896. The Mississippi State and Auburn series' are tied for the second-longest running series in the UA record books, both starting in 1948. Alabama will face Auburn in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 26. The Tennessee game is the longest current running series in the UA record books. Tennessee and Alabama met for the 80th consecutive year (neither team fielded a squad in 1943) earlier this season in Knoxville.
Crimson Tide General Notes
COACHING STAFF PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: The Alabama coaching staff recognized five players of the week following 24-21 loss at LSU. Julio Jones was named the offensive player of the week while Josh Chapman and Dont'a Hightower earned defensive honors. Marquis Maze and John Fulton were special teams selections.Jones caught 10 passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. It was his second straight double-digit reception game. His touchdown came on a nine-yard completion from Greg McElroy late in the fourth quarter.
Hightower led the team with 10 tackles with one tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry. The 10 tackles were a season high. Chapman registered the Tide's only sack for a loss of 12 yards. He finished a career-best eight tackles.
Special teams honors from the coaching staff went to true freshman John Fulton and junior Marquis Maze. Fulton was excellent on both his coverage unit and his return unit. Maze made one tackle on special teams while returning three kickoffs for 73 yards, including a long of 26 yards.
SEC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Alabama has garnered six SEC Player of the Week this season. Trent Richardson's 144-yard effort in Alabama's 24-3 win over 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 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. Marquis Maze was the co-Special Teams Player of the Week following his 125 yards of punt return yardage against Mississippi. James Carpenter's effort along the offensive front garnered him SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following Tennessee.
TIDE TO WEAR NIKE PRO COMBAT UNIFORMS: The University of Alabama football team will take the field on November 13 for their game against Mississippi State at Bryant-Denny Stadium wearing the 2010 version of the Nike Pro Combat uniform, featuring the lightest football uniform Nike has ever created. The materials and fabrication elements, which debuted in 2009, will be incorporated into the Crimson Tide's traditional uniforms whose design will feature a Houndstooth pattern incorporated into the uniform's numbers - a tribute to legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. Also, as a gesture to honor veterans of the armed services, the Alabama uniform will feature an American flag patch on the right sleeve. The flag is featured with the stars facing forward (to the right) per military protocol. Nike worked closely with coaches and administrators at Alabama to capture a look that not only is dynamic but also is true to the Crimson Tide's tradition for the uniforms.
BARRON A SEMIFINALIST FOR LOTT TROPHY: Alabama safety Mark Barron has been selected as one of 23 quarterfinalists for the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced as this week. Named after NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. It is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. Barron was chosen as the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week on October 5 for his performance in Alabama's 31-6 victory over Florida in which he recorded a game-high 11 tackles, including nine solo stops a sack (-9) and two pass breakups. Barron paces the Tide this season with 59 tackles, has two interceptions and six passes defended.
HIGHTOWER A SEMIFINALIST FOR BUTKUS AWARD: Alabama sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower was selected as one of 15 semifinalists for the 26th annual Butkus Award, which goes to the nation's top linebacker, by the Butkus Foundation. Hightower, who missed most of the 2009 season with an injured knee, is second on the team in tackles with 52 through nine games. The native of Lewisburg, Tennessee, has also broken up three passes and leads the team with seven quarterback hurries. Hightower is one of the leaders of an Alabama defense that ranks in the top 17 nationally in all defensive categories. Alabama has had two Butkus Award winners with Derrick Thomas taking home the award in 1988 and Rolando McClain this past season.
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.
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 September 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.
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.
29 NATIONAL TV GAMES IN LAST 37 GAMES: The Mississippi State game will be broadcast on ESPN2 and will be the Crimson Tide's 29th nationally televised game since the start of the 2008 season. In 2010, Alabama has had four games on CBS, two games on ESPN, one game on ESPN2 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 35-2 UNDER SABAN WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF: The Crimson Tide is 35-2 when leading at halftime under head coach Nick Saban. Alabama had a 28-game winning streak snapped earlier this season against LSU. Both losses ahve come against LSU. In 2007, UA held a 20-17 halftime lead before losing, 41-34, on Nov. 3, 2007, at Bryant-Denny Stadium. In 2010, UA led 10-3 at the half before the Tigers rallied for a 24-20 win at tigers 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 January 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. Below is a summary of the largest deficits faced by Alabama since head coach Nick Saban took over the program in 2007.
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 177-124-4 (.587) all-time record in 305 televised games. This does not include pay-per-view, tape-delayed or closed circuit telecasts.
MICHIGAN GAME SET FOR COWBOYS STADIUM IN 2012: The Alabama football team will open the 2012 season against the Michigan Wolverines on Sept. 1, 2012, in the "Cowboys Stadium Classic" at Cowboys Stadium. The primetime kickoff will be televised by either ESPN or CBS and will mark the fourth time the schools have played. The Alabama-Michigan contest will mark the third time since 2008 that the Crimson Tide has opened the season at a neutral site in front of a prime time national television audience. Alabama opened the 2008 and 2009 seasons with victories against ACC opponents Clemson and Virginia Tech, respectively, in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Ga. Alabama will be the home team and the Wolverines will be the away team. The game officials will be from the Big 12 Conference.
CRIMSON CATHEDRAL: Sporting News selected its top `Saturday Shrines' in its most recent issue and Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium was listed at No. 1. The voting was done by 70 former coaches, current coaches and broadcasters, who voted based on each school's stadium, fans, city/surroundings, traditions and history. The latest expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium, which raised the seating capacity to 101,821, and was called a `masterpiece of mixing history and modern updates.' The two-page Alabama spread also lists Sporting News' opinion of the `Five Biggest Moments' and `A Fan's View.'
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.
