The Battle Plan
2/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
A Very Good Day for Alabama Athletics
There are three seasons of football at Alabama, fall games, spring practice, and recruiting. National Signing Day is the culmination of the latter and is arguably the most important day of any of the three seasons. It also is the culmination of more than a year's work by our coaching staff, who each spend many hours visiting schools, homes, writing letters, making telephone calls, and communicating through social media.
In Coach Saban's first year at Alabama (2007), Mal told me that he and his staff were the most organized and relentless recruiters he had ever seen. I can confirm what everyone now knows: that Coach Saban and his staff are the best in college football in pretty much everything they do.
Recruiting ratings, in many ways, are like beauty contests. They are very subjective, and in all subjective decisions personal biases occur. As recruiting season has become so popular among collegiate sports fans, many polls and ratings services have popped up. The accuracy of those polls is difficult to assess, due to the sheer number of players being evaluated, the different classifications of high school competition, the reality of the maturation process in which some reach their peak sooner than others, and the many intangibles that go into what makes a successful collegiate athlete.
What has impressed me about our staff is the depth of research that goes into the decision-making process of who they want to recruit to play at Alabama. They watch hundreds of hours of tape of high school and junior college players all over the country, often from the time that the prospects are sophomores. They evaluate size, speed, body type, flexibility, skills, toughness, durability, and competitive nature. They also evaluate character, academics, team spirit, and how they will fit into the Alabama way of football. Thousands of man hours by many people go into the evaluation and recruiting of our student athletes.
This 2015 class looks like another very solid group that will fit in nicely with our returning team. Eight members of the class are already enrolled and going through Scott Cochran's strength and conditioning program. Spring practice is just around the corner and we are all anxious to watch this 2015 team take shape. Congratulations to Coach Saban and his staff for another successful step in the process of building championship teams.
Yesterday (Wednesday) was a very good day for Crimson Tide Athletics. Another successful day of football recruiting was topped off with a double-digit SEC victory by our MEN'S BASKETBALL team over Missouri (recap here). Now the Tide begins a stretch of three of the next four games on the road, beginning with a game at LSU on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
As of Thursday evening (Feb. 5), Alabama had an RPI of no. 41 in the nation according to KenPom.com. The Tide was one of nine teams in the Southeastern Conference to boast a top 50 RPI according to the website, which leads all conferences. The Tide outrebounded No. 1 Kentucky, 26-21, last Saturday in a losing effort (recap here). It was only the fourth time this season Kentucky has been beaten on the boards. We shot 45.9 percent against the Wildcats, the second-highest shooting percentage allowed by Kentucky this season.
In SEC games, Alabama leads the league in field goal percentage (.447) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.278), ranks second in scoring defense (59.9) and fourth in field goal percentage defense (.403). Four of our last seven games have been decided by two points each (68-66 loss at South Carolina, 93-91 loss at Arkansas, 57-55 win over Auburn and 52-50 loss to Florida). Of our eight defeats this season, four have come by a single possession. Heading into the LSU game, Alabama had dropped five of its nine SEC contests, three of them by two points each. In fact, the only team to have beaten Alabama by more than a basket in league play was Kentucky (twice).
The SEC is a tightly-contested conference, and one interesting stat bears this out: of the 62 SEC games played this year through Feb. 4, 24 had been decided by five points or less. There are nine SEC games left and the race for bids to the NCAA Tournament is still wide open. Let's get behind this team and coaching staff, and give them the support they deserve.
Nationally Ranked Teams This Week
At this time of the spring semester, there are current national rankings out for the following sports: men's and women's basketball, gymnastics, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's tennis, and baseball. Preseason rankings for women's golf have not been released at this writing. At this writing, seven of our teams remain nationally ranked among the top 25 in their respective sports, including three ranked in the top 10, and six are currently ranked in the top 20 nationally. Here's a glance at this week's rankings:
Men's Golf - 16th (GCAA Coaches, Nov. 14)
Gymnastics - 6th GymInfo, Feb. 2)
Softball - 3rd (USA Today/NCFA Coaches, Jan. 20)
Women's Tennis - 7th (ITA, Jan. 28)
Men's Indoor Track & Field - 12th (USTFCCCA, Feb. 2)
Men's Swimming - 24th (CSCAA Coaches, Jan. 22)
Baseball - 20th (D1Baseball.com, Jan. 19)
*The following Crimson Tide teams received votes in the latest rankings, but did not make the top 25: women's indoor track & field.
Sports Updates
Coach Mitch Gaspard and the Crimson Tide BASEBALL team will hold its annual "Fan Day" this Saturday, Feb. 7, inside Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, with various events planned all leading up to the team's 2:30 p.m. scrimmage. The event will be open to all fans and is free of admission. Festivities will begin with a youth clinic from 10-11 a.m. in which children can learn fundamentals from the Alabama coaching staff and players (read more here). The fan day experience will wrap up at 2:30 when the team will begin its full-game scrimmage. On Sunday, the team will scrimmage in Hoover, the final tune-up before regular season play begins on Friday, Feb. 13, when the Tide will host the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The Crimson Tide and Hawks will face off for a three-day, weekend series with first pitch of the season opener scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Shortstop Mikey White has been selected as a Preseason Second Team All-American by D1Baseball.com, the organization announced Tuesday. The preseason recognition is White's second entering the 2015 season, as the junior shortstop was also named a preseason third team All-American by Perfect Game USA (read more here).
Youth continues to step up for our rebuilding WOMEN'S BASKETBALL team as our freshman and sophomores have accounted for 74.5 percent of the team's scoring and 55.7 percent of its rebounding so far this season. The Tide is playing aggressive basketball, driving to the basket. That is reflected in the fact that the Tide is currently third in the nation in free throw attempts. Home attendance is at a level we haven't seen in more than a decade. The fan support has been great, with those in attendance staying until the end and consistently cheering and getting behind the team. A major factor in that has been due to the team's community outreach efforts as Coach Kristy Curry, her staff and players have been accessible and visible in the community. Our record may not reflect it (yet), but things are definitely looking up on the hardwood for our ladies.
Coach Mic Potter and our WOMEN'S GOLF team begins the 2015 season this Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Northrup Grumman Tournament in California. The Tide played their best golf of the fall schedule in their final fall event, finishing second at The Landfall Tradition in November. Junior Janie Jackson returns to the course this spring after missing the fall due to hip surgery, which will give the team a big boost. The Tide will probably start two freshmen at the Northrup Grumman with Lakareber Abe and Nicole Morales both getting the nod. Lakareber led the team with a 72.5 scoring average in the fall.
Our No. 6 ranked GYMNASTICS team under first-year head coach Dana Duckworth is coming off a pair of strong outings heading into this week's showdown with in-state rival Auburn, which is ranked 11th in the nation. The Tide is 3-1 overall, 2-1 in the SEC, heading into the Auburn meet, which starts at 7 p.m. on Friday in Coleman Coliseum. Two weeks ago our ladies beat defending NCAA Champion and then-no. 1 ranked Florida (recap here) decisively in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 13,788 fans in Coleman Coliseum. The Tide followed that up with a strong showing at Kentucky, beating the Wildcats (recap here). As a team, the Tide is ranked second on the floor exercise, third on the vault and eighth on the balance beam. Individually, junior Lauren Beers is ranked fifth and sophomore Katie Bailey is 10th nationally in the all-around, while freshman Mackenzie Brannan is eighth on the floor exercise. In addition to her high national ranking, Lauren is undefeated on the uneven bars this season.
Coach Patrick Murphy's SOFTBALL team begins the 2015 season tonight in Mobile against 23rd-ranked South Alabama. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. Action continues over the weekend with five games slated for Alabama in the San Dollar Classic at Gulf Shores. On Friday, we take on Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. followed by a matchup with Houston at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Tide meets Florida Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. followed by a clash with Florida International at 6 p.m. Alabama closes the weekend on Sunday with a 1 p.m. game against McNeese State. All the games this season can be heard over the radio in the Tuscaloosa area via 95.3 FM, as well as online via streaming at www.953thebear.com. The team held a Trivia and Games Night Fundraiser last Saturday night at the Tuscaloosa River Market. It was the first event of its kind for Alabama and it was a sellout crowd of nearly 350 people. The event raised over $15,000 for the Bama Softball Walk-Off Club and Alabama softball. ESPN baseball analyst and former MLB star John Kruk was the guest speaker. Junior outfielder Haylie McCleney was named to the Top 50 "Watch List" for the 2015 USA Softball Player of the Year. She was a Top 10 finalist last year. In just two years, she is already a two time All-American and last year she became just the second player in program history to be named a First Team All-American and First Team Academic All-American in the same season. The team is ranked in the top 5 in both preseason polls (third by USA Today/NFCA poll and fourth by ESPN.com/USA Softball poll). Nine SEC teams are ranked in the Top 25, the most of any conference. Alabama is coming off its ninth Women's College World Series appearance in 2014, making it all the way to the championship game. The Tide won its fifth SEC regular season championship in 2014, finishing conference play with a 19-5 record. This year's team returns 13 players from last year while welcoming five newcomers.
Our men's and women's SWIMMING & DIVING teams closed out the regular season on Jan. 23 with wins against Cincinnati (recap here). It was also senior day as the Crimson Tide honored a fine group of swimmers and divers who have helped lead Alabama to ever greater heights over the course of their careers. With the regular season behind them, the team is gearing up for the SEC Championships set for Feb. 17-21 at Auburn. Last season our teams, under the direction of head coach Dennis Pursley and his staff, took a major leap forward at the SEC Championships, rewriting the school record board and moving up the ranks in the conference. Coach Pursley is dedicated to continuing that progress at this year's championships. Five swimmers are nationally ranked in a total of six events: sophomore Kristian Gkolomeev is ranked second in the nation and first in the SEC in the 50 freestyle, while junior Brett Walsh is ranked 23rd nationally and sixth in the SEC in the event. Kristian also is ranked 21st nationally in the 100 freestyle. Senior Kaylin Burchell is 10th in the 100 breaststroke. Sophomore Anton McKee is 17th in the 200 breaststroke. Sophomore Connor Oslin is 20th in the 100 backstroke. Junior Emma Saunders is 22nd in the 200 backstroke.
Coach George Husack's young MEN'S TENNIS team has battled through some tough matches thus far against more veteran teams (Virginia Tech, Oregon and Florida State). Freshman Danny Kerznerman is a combined 6-1 in singles and doubles during the dual match season, and is a catalyst for this team. The Tide has two former no. 1 players back on the staff as Jarryd Botha was added as our volunteer assistant coach and Daniil Proskura is currently serving as an undergraduate assistant coach. This is an exciting team to watch if you're in Tuscaloosa. There's plenty of passion between the guys on the court and the fans affecting the match.
Coach Jenny Mainz's WOMEN'S TENNIS team kicked off the 2015 regular season with a pair of commanding 4-0 victories over Syracuse (recap here) and Virginia Tech (recap here) to advance to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships for the third consecutive year. That tournament will be played this weekend in Charlottesville, Va. The Tide improved to 3-0 with a 6-1 win over TCU last Saturday (recap here). Alabama has yet to lose a doubles point this season, securing 1-0 leads in each of its first three matches. Reigning NCAA doubles champions Erin Routliffe/Maya Jansen are currently ranked #18 in the country. Coach Mainz will be inducted into the Alabama Tennis Foundation Hall of Fame during the weekend of the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic (Feb. 20-22) in Montgomery. If you are in the Montgomery area that weekend, look it up and go out and support Jenny and the team.
The Alabama TRACK & FIELD team, led by head coach Dan Waters and his staff, is ranked no. 12 in this week's men's national team rankings. The Tide women are 29th in the nation in this week's survey. Senior Alex Amankwah currently owns the third-fastest men's 800-meters time in the world for 2015 and junior Cameron Hudson ranks among the world's top 20 in two events as they are among five Alabama athletes (along with the Tide's men's 4x400-meter relay team) to rank among the top 20 on current world lists. Alex set a school record of 1:46.86 on Jan. 24 (recap here), the fastest in the world this year at that time. Four men and one female athletes represent the Tide in the world rankings: senior sprinter Remona Burchell (12th in the women's 60), Cameron Hudson (t-19th in the men's 60; t-20th in the men's long jump); the men's 4x400-meter relay unit of Steven Gayle, Hudson, Marlon Humphrey and Amankwah ran 3:08.67 on Saturday in Albuquerque, a time that is currently fifth in the world; sophomore Jacopo Lahbi (t-17th in the men's 800). Alabama athletes have produced the top SEC results in three events so far in 2015, leading a group of 21 Alabama athletes in 19 events (plus three relay teams) that rank among the SEC's top 10 overall this season. Last Saturday, our athletes won six events at the New Mexico Team Invitational (recap here), leading the Tide women to a third-place team finish and the men to a sixth-place finish in Alabama's first team scoring event of the season. Several of our throwers had season-best outings last weekend at the Indiana Relays (read about it here and here), as well. Alabama competes at a big meet in Nebraska this Friday-Saturday in Lincoln, the 40th Annual Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational.
Upcoming Events
Here's a summary of athletics events over the next several days (times listed are for the location of the event):
Thursday, February 5
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 p.m. CT | Softball | at South Alabama | Mobile |
Friday, February 6
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 p.m. CT | Softball | vs. Eastern Kentucky | Gulf Shores |
| 6 p.m. CT | Softball | vs. Houston | Gulf Shores |
| 7 p.m. CT | Gymnastics | Auburn | Tuscaloosa |
| All Day | Track & Field | at Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational | Lincoln, Neb. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | at ITA National Team Indoor | Charlottesville, Va. |
Saturday, February 7
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. CT | Men's Tennis | at Oklahoma State | Stillwater, Okla. |
| 3 p.m. CT | Softball | vs. Florida Gulf Coast | Gulf Shores |
| 5 p.m. CT | Men's Basketball | at LSU | Baton Rouge, La. |
| 6 p.m. CT | Softball | vs. Florida International | Gulf Shores |
| All Day | Track & Field | at Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational | Lincoln, Neb. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | at ITA National Team Indoor | Charlottesville, Va. |
Sunday, February 8
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. CT | Men's Tennis | at Oklahoma | Norman, Okla. |
| 1 p.m. CT | Softball | vs. McNeese State | Gulf Shores |
| 4 p.m. CT | Women's Basketball | at LSU | Baton Rouge, La. |
| All Day | Women's Golf | at Northrup Grumman Tournament | Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | at ITA National Team Indoor | Charlottesville, Va. |
Monday, February 9
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Day | Women's Golf | at Northrup Grumman Tournament | Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | at ITA National Team Indoor | Charlottesville, Va. |
Tuesday, February 10
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 p.m. CT | Men's Basketball | at Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. |
| All Day | Women's Golf | at Northrup Grumman Tournament | Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. |
Wednesday, February 11
| Time | Sport | Opponent/Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. CT | Softball | Samford | Birmingham |
Catch Alabama Athletics on The SEC Network
Here's a summary of our athletic events to be televised over the next week on The SEC Network and its platforms. Read this schedule closely as some events can be seen via SEC Network +, which is available online via ESPN3 here. If you can't make it to our games in person, catch us on radio or TV.
(All times listed are Central Time)
Thursday, February 5
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 4 a.m. | REPLAY: Men's Basketball vs. Missouri | SEC Network |
| 12:30 p.m. | REPLAY: Men's Basketball vs. Missouri | SEC Network |
Friday, February 6
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. | Gymnastics vs. Auburn | SEC Network + |
Saturday, February 7
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | REPLAY: 2004 Men's Basketball vs. Mississippi State | SEC Network |
Sunday, February 8
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | Women's Basketball at LSU | SEC Network |
| 7 p.m. | REPLAY: 2004 Men's Basketball vs. Mississippi State | SEC Network |
Monday, February 9
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 2 a.m. | REPLAY: Gymnastics at Kentucky | SEC Network |
| 7 a.m. | REPLAY: 2004 Men's Basketball vs. Mississippi State | SEC Network |
| 11 a.m. | REPLAY: Gymnastics at Kentucky | SEC Network |
Tuesday, February 10
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 2 a.m. | REPLAY: 2004 Men's Basketball vs. Mississippi State | SEC Network |
| 8 p.m. | Men's Basketball at Mississippi State | SEC Network |
Wednesday, February 11
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 4 a.m. | REPLAY: Men's Basketball at Mississippi State | SEC Network |
| 11 a.m. | REPLAY: Men's Basketball at Mississippi State | SEC Network |
Our teams need your support, so please plan to attend to do your part! A rising tide lifts all boats and it's up to all of us to Keep the Tide Rising!
Roll Tide!
