The Battle Plan
10/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | General
A Great Saturday for Fans, But a Tough One for Coaches
Last Saturday may have been one of the most entertaining days of college football ever. Close games, upsets, big plays, excited crowds, and a playoff atmosphere was evident in games all across the country from the first televised game until the last. A weekend like this with polls getting turned upside down has occurred every year over the past several years, but it has usually come at a later point in the season. It will definitely be interesting to see how this season plays out, as there is much football left to play. These conditions are great for fans, but tough on coaches!
Our game with Ole Miss was definitely exciting and entertaining. It was a gorgeous fall day, the crowd was electric, and the play on the field was fierce. The game didn't end the way we planned, but credit goes to the Rebels. They made plays in the clutch and we tip our hats to them. But I was proud of our team and believed we would pull out the victory right up to the last play.
"When you go to war you have casualties," said General George Patton. "You close ranks and keep marching." We had three serious injuries during the game and lost Kenyan Drake (running back) for the rest of the year. Denzell Devall (linebacker) and Ryan Kelly (center) will each miss a few weeks. We feel badly for those players, as each has made significant contributions to our team thus far. I hope Denzell and Ryan rehab successfully and get back soon, and hope Kenyan will heal 100 percent and be back next year. Good teams have players who step up and deliver when opportunities present themselves, and I'm sure we have players who will do that for us at this time.
Arkansas is another SEC road game and they present another mighty challenge. They play smash mouth football and feature one of the best running attacks in the country. They have also been very effective in the passing game as their quarterback has had a good year. They are coming off an open date week, so they should be rested and ready to go. It will be another hostile atmosphere and we are excited and looking forward to the challenge.
Our fans at the Ole Miss game, although badly outnumbered, did a great job. We appreciate those who follow our teams and represent our University so well. I hope to see a good number of fans in Fayetteville this week. Our players love to see our fans everywhere, but especially those who turn out for road games.
Fall Sports Update
The Crimson Tide VOLLEYBALL team split two games on the road last weekend, losing a tough one at Kentucky on Friday and winning at Tennessee on Sunday. After trailing 2-0 in the match at Kentucky, the Tide battled back to win the third set and nearly took the fourth, but Kentucky rallied late to win the match, 3-1. The loss was the Tide's first in SEC play and snapped a nine-match win streak. Kat Hutson led the Tide offensively with 18 kills and a .400 hitting percentage and Krystal Rivers notched her third consecutive double-double with 16 kills and 11 digs. The Tide held off a late Tennessee comeback on Sunday, taking a four-set victory over the Lady Vols. Alabama is 15-3 this season, 3-1 in the SEC, entering this weekend as the Tide concludes its four-match string of road matches with a trip to Texas A&M on Friday.
Coach Todd Bramble's SOCCER team tied South Carolina last Friday night and lost a close one on Sunday to Ole Miss in a pair of tightly contested games. The Tide and the Gamecocks tied, 1-1, on Friday night at the Alabama Soccer Complex, before Alabama fell, 1-0, to the Rebels on Sunday afternoon. Trailing against the Gamecocks in the second half, 1-0, Alabama answered back in the 58th minute on a goal by Maruschka Waldus. Heading into this weekend's action the Tide is 7-4-2 on the season with a 2-2-1 SEC record.
Our MEN'S GOLF team won the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate tournament title on Tuesday at Vestavia Hills. Three Crimson Tide golfers finished among the top 10 individuals in the final standings. Alabama finished the two-day, 54-hole event with a team score of 10-under 830, 13 strokes ahead of second place Florida State. It was the third consecutive Jerry Pate Intercollegiate title for the Crimson Tide, and the team's seventh overall title of the annual event. Tom Lovelady shot a 6-under 64 in the final round to finish tied for eighth overall. The tournament completed the Tide's fall season. Now coach Jay Seawell and the team takes a break until February when they open the spring season at the Puerto Rico Classic on February 22-24.
Catch Alabama Athletics on The SEC Network
Here's a summary of our athletic events to be televised this weekend on The SEC Network. Thursday night's soccer game at LSU will be televised nationally on the SEC Network, as will our Sunday afternoon volleyball match with South Carolina. Replays of our football game at Arkansas will be available for viewing via SEC Network platforms. SEC Network + is available online via ESPN3 here.
(All times listed are Central Time)
Thursday, Oct. 9
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. | Soccer at LSU | SEC Network |
Friday, Oct. 10
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. | REPLAY - Soccer at LSU | SEC Network |
| 12 p.m. | REPLAY - Soccer at LSU | SEC Network |
| 6 p.m. | Volleyball at Texas A&M | SEC Network + |
Sunday, Oct. 12
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | REPLAY - Football at Arkansas | SEC Network |
| 3 p.m. | Volleyball vs. South Carolina | SEC Network |
Monday, Oct. 13
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 9 p.m. | REPLAY - Football at Arkansas | SEC Network |
Action This Week
Here's a summary of athletics events over the next several days (times listed are for the location of the event):
Thursday, Oct. 9
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. | Soccer | at LSU | Baton Rouge, La. |
Friday, Oct. 10
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | Swim & Diving | at Georgia | Athens, Ga. |
| 6 p.m. | Volleyball | at Texas A&M | College Station, Texas |
| All Day | Women's Golf | Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invite | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | USTA/ITA Southern Regional | Tuscaloosa |
Saturday, Oct. 11
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 p.m. | Football | at Arkansas | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| All Day | Women's Rowing | Chattanooga Regatta | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| All Day | Women's Golf | Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invite | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | USTA/ITA Southern Regional | Tuscaloosa |
Sunday, Oct. 12
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 p.m. | Volleyball | South Carolina | Tuscaloosa |
| All Day | Women's Golf | Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invite | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | USTA/ITA Southern Regional | Tuscaloosa |
Monday, Oct. 13
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Day | Women's Tennis | USTA/ITA Southern Regional | Tuscaloosa |
Remember: if you live in close proximity to one of our teams' road games, please plan your outings this weekend around seeing our student-athletes and coaches. Go and meet them, support their efforts and become a part of their success. You can make a positive difference in their performance. A rising tide lifts all boats and it's up to all of us to Keep the Tide Rising!
Players Mentioned
