The Battle Plan presented by Mercedes-Benz
12/16/2016 3:44:00 PM | General
A Special Holiday Season Highlighted by the CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Congratulations to Coach Nick Saban, his staff, and the 2016 Alabama football team! Three Southeastern Conference championships and three straight invitations to play in the College Football Playoff are achievements that put our great University in rare air!
This team has been so much fun to watch, both on the practice field and in games. Talent is obviously very good, but this team reaches a high level for reasons far beyond talent. It has outstanding leadership, work ethic and team spirit. It is a special group that, in my mind, will go down as one of our best ever. There is still work to do to complete their resume', as we face a very talented and well-coached Washington team on December 31 and, hopefully, another game on January 9 in Tampa.
Washington is not what some may think of as a typical West Coast team that is all offense and little defense. Their defense is ranked in the top ten in the nation and they are very good on both sides of the ball. When you get to this level of competition, the best four teams in the country, they are all difficult opponents to play.
It is very exciting to be playing in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. The Georgia Dome has been very good to Coach Saban-coached teams, both at LSU and Alabama. The Dome has also been very good for The University of Alabama. The opportunity to play in the final football game in the Georgia Dome is an honor and, certainly, a historic moment for our team.
We sold out our allotment of tickets in one day and we expect a partisan Alabama crowd to help provide a comfortable home-field advantage. But don't count out the Huskies. I remember a few years ago, when they were winning their conference every year, their fans traveled very well to bowl games in the South. We will see a lot of the color purple in Atlanta as, like our fans, they come early, stay late, and spend money while they are there. That's why bowls love having both of these teams come to their cities. We all had better bring our "A Game" in the stands to support our great team and cheer them to victory.
More Than 30 Receive Degrees at Fall Commencement
Graduation is always a very special time around the University. It is especially enjoyable for me to see our student-athletes from all sports in their caps and gowns. They and their families all look so proud. They should be happy and proud as they have completed a very significant milestone in their lives – earning a college degree. Some have even completed their second degree.
There is special pride in the fact that they have done so in addition to competing at the highest levels in intercollegiate athletics. To me, the education and preparation for life that our young men and women get through their coaches can be extraordinary. The lessons they learn competing with, and against, the best players in their sport can also provide very meaningful life lessons.
Earning a degree from The University of Alabama is the very foundation of our Mission, so we are very proud that more than 30 of our young men and women, representing 12 different Crimson Tide teams, received their degrees last Saturday during Alabama's winter commencement. We are also very proud that our No. 1-ranked football squad led the way 15 graduates, including three – Alphonse Taylor, Dakota Ball and Brandon Greene – who earned master's degrees this semester.
Among those earning bachelor's degrees were 2016 Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award and Ted Hendricks Award winner Jonathan Allen, All-American Eddie Jackson, Southeastern Conference Championship Game Most Valuable Player and Butkus Award winner Reuben Foster, Anthony Averett, David Cornwell, Raheem Falkins, Truett Harris, Jake Long, Cole Mazza, Brandon Moore and Joshua Palet. Any of you who saw the picture of our football graduates with Coach Nick Saban that was featured on RollTide.com and on social media, could tell by his big, infectious grin, how happy Reuben Foster is to have his diploma in hand.
The final member of the Alabama football family who earned a bachelor's degree this semester is Crimson Tide legend Marty Lyons. The former First Team All-American was part of the famous goal line stand against Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl. Marty was extremely proud to fulfill the promise he made to Coach Bryant and earn his degree.
We had seven members of the track and field/cross country program receive degrees, including All-Americans Ahmed Ali and Andrew Harris along with Josh McCullan and Kevin Shannon from the men's squad and All-SEC honoree Meropi Panagiotou, Allison Gregg and Anna Reed from the women's team. Soccer had three graduates this semester - Caroline Alexander, Auburn Mercer and Kaylee Semelsberger. Others graduating in December included All-Americans Brett Walsh (men's swimming and diving) and Janie Jackson (women's golf) along with All-SEC honorees Becker O'Shaughnessy (men's tennis) and Ashley Williams (women's basketball), All-Region honoree Andrea Hawkins (softball) along with Nyia Owen (rowing), Mattie Weldy (volleyball) and Leah Bird (women's swimming and diving). Leah earned her master's degree, giving us a total of four student-athletes with master's degrees this semester.
As I said, to have these young men and women join the ranks of Alabama alumni is a point of great pride, and we wish all our December graduates the best of everything as they continue on their life's journey.
Hoops Season in Full Swing
Basketball season is truly upon us. Yesterday, we had a double-header in Coleman Coliseum as Coach Kristy Curry's women played Georgia State at 11:30 a.m. and Coach Avery Johnson's men played USC Upstate at 7 p.m. If you've never been to a women's basketball game that includes hundreds of 5th graders from around the county, you have missed a treat. Coach Curry and Coach Johnson want energetic, stand-on-your feet, jump-up-and-down, and wave-your-shakers fans at their games. Well, all they need is to get these young boys and girls to their games! It was like a houseful of Energizer Bunnies! I thoroughly enjoyed watching our women's team move to 8-1 on the season with an 80-57 win, but equally enjoyed watching the fans and energy brought to the arena by our fifth-grade guests.
Our men's team enjoyed a 78-61 victory in the evening game, bringing their record to 6-4. Our team is shaping up and finding its best combinations as we finalize preparation for our conference schedule. We have a big game this Sunday at 3 p.m. in Birmingham against the Clemson Tigers. This is an important game, and a win this weekend will put us in good position to start the New Year out strong.
Tomorrow our women's team plays Georgia Tech at 2 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum. This weekend is Alabama against the ACC! Whether you are in Tuscaloosa or Birmingham, or best of all, both, I hope you will make an effort to come out and support our teams.
College Football Playoff Participants Giving Challenge
For the second year in a row, we have an exciting challenge on our hands! As our football team prepares for the College Football Player Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, our fans and supporters have a competitive way to show the world that we truly have the best, most passionate fan base. The four universities playing in the College Playoff Semifinals are competing in a Giving Challenge that will begin on December 28 and end on December 31.
The winner of this competition is the school that has the most participants, so we need every Alabama fan to make a gift. We put forth a good effort in last year's Challenge, but came in second to Clemson, so we need everyone to participate and tell your friends and family to make a gift as well! Remember – any size of gift counts, so please contribute whatever you can. We are encouraging gifts to our annual scholarship fund, the Crimson Tide Scholarship Fund (CTSF), but your gifts to named scholarships, gift funds, or any other fund within the athletics department counts.
We can't do this without you. So, when you are making your end-of-year giving plans, please remember to "Give Crimson" during this challenge (Dec. 28-31) and show your support for the Tide. Help us not only beat the University of Washington on the field, but also beat the Huskies, Tigers and Buckeyes in giving participation! Remember, it takes us all to keep the Tide Rising! Check out the Crimson Tide Foundation website for more information.
3 Tide Legends Part of 2017 ASHOF Induction Class
Three Crimson Tide athletics legends are among eight inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (ASHOF) as part of the 2017 induction class, announced by the hall's Board of Directors last week. Trainer/administrator Jim Goostree, football coach Ken Donahue and running back Kevin Turner will represent the Crimson Tide in the group that also will include Lee DeFore (basketball/Auburn), Jeff Herrod (football/Ole Miss), Todd Jones (baseball/Jacksonville State), Takeo Spikes (football/Auburn) and Carnell Williams (football/Auburn). That group will be formally inducted at the 49th Induction Banquet and Ceremony scheduled to take place in the Birmingham Ballroom at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel on Saturday, May 13, 2017.
Kevin Turner, who passed away earlier this year after a long battle with ALS, was a fullback at Alabama from 1988-91 and was a member of our 1989 SEC co-championship team. He served as a team captain as a senior in 1991 and received the Spring Practice Award and the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award during his career at the Capstone. He was a third-round choice of the New England Patriots in the 1992 NFL Draft and played three seasons with the Patriots and five with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1996, he was presented with the NFL's Ed Block Courage Award for overcoming adversity on and off the field.
Unfortunately for me, I never met Kevin. But, at last year's reunion of the 1992 national championship team, I learned a lot about Kevin from his teammates. There was a consistent description of Kevin by his teammates – he was a "Warrior's Warrior," which is about the highest honor one football player can say about another. He fought an insidious disease right to the end with humor, toughness and will.
Coach Donahue was an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Alabama for 21 years from 1964-85. During that time period the Alabama defense led the SEC in total defense seven times, in rushing defense nine times and in pass defense three times. Alabama won 11 SEC titles and three national championships during his tenure. He was also an assistant coach at Memphis State, Tennessee and Mississippi State during his 38-year career. Coach Donahue was named Working Coach of the Year in the SEC twice (1975 at Alabama and 1985 at Tennessee) and was the 1985 Football News Assistant Coach of the Year. Coach Donahue passed away in 2001.
I knew Coach Donahue as an opposing defensive coordinator when I was at Tennessee. I was always amazed at the different schemes he always brought to our games. I couldn't figure out how he could teach so much in so little time. When I got out of coaching and regained a closer familiarity with Alabama football, I found out he worked around the clock, had no hobbies, and all he ever thought about was football. I also found out he spent a lot of time meeting with players, but the rules were a little more lax in those days than today. He was a great coach and made a significant contribution to his players' lives and to Alabama football.
Coach Goostree served as athletic trainer (1957-84), assistant athletic director (1984-87) and executive athletic director (1987-93) at Alabama and was inducted into the National Athletic Trainer's Association Hall of Fame in 1984. He also served as head trainer for both the Blue-Gray and Senior Bowl all-star games for 15 years. As an administrator, Jim was in charge of our Tide Pride donor program and supervised the renovation and expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium and Coleman Coliseum in the 1990s. Jim passed away in 1999.
Coach Goostree was the trainer during my time as a player here. He was a great trainer because he cared for the health and safety of the players, but he also had the toughness required of trainers to "distinguish pain from injury" and get players out on the field. As players we always appreciated his willingness to stand up to Coach Bryant when the two disagreed on whether or not a player was ready to play. Trainers could be the most important members of a coaching staff as team morale is often directly proportional to the quality of treatment received from trainers and doctors. They also probably have a better finger on the pulse of the team than anyone, as players in the training room usually see trainers as semi-invisible, and talk about whatever is on their minds – good or bad. I am proud to be able to call Jim Goostree a former trainer and a friend. He definitely made a positive impact on the success of University of Alabama athletics.
All three of these great men very much deserve the honor of induction into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. And I am proud to recognize them in this space.
"Crimson Heart" is the Perfect Gift for Any Tide Fan
The holiday season is upon us, with Christmas Day less than 10 days away at this writing. And, if you're as busy as I am this year, you may be in a bind in finding the time to get a unique, thoughtful gift. If that's the case, you should consider getting a copy of Mal Moore's autobiography, "Crimson Heart". The book, originally published in 2014, is an excellent chronicle of Mal's life. From his time growing up in rural Alabama on through his playing days under Coach Bryant (during which time I was a teammate of his) and on to his career as a coach and administrator, the book is filled with countless anecdotes and tidbits that make it seem like I'm chatting with my old friend, once again. I think the most enduring feeling I get from reading the book is that, in my mind I can just hear Mal talking to me.
Steve Townsend, our long-time administrator, worked closely with Mal on this project from prior to his death and saw it through after Mal's passing. Steve did a tremendous job of putting Mal's voice in this book. Steve, along with Mal's daughter Heather Cook, completed the book after Mal's death and have done a great honor to his memory. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, as have others in my family. This book also is a historical treasure for true Alabama fans, as Mal played a key role in the careers of Coach Bryant, Coach Stallings and Coach Saban during their time at Alabama. One particular aspect that I found most interesting and relatable was his ability to tell so many of the stories in the book from his unique perspective, often done in a humble tone in which he shares with the reader all the lessons he learned over the years.
I was particularly moved by his account of his wife Charlotte's battle with Alzheimer's. Mal made the incredibly difficult decision to walk away from the only career he had ever known (and a very successful one at that) to do what had to be done for the love of his life, then returning at age 60 to lead a struggling athletics program out of a tough period and back into a place of national prominence. This is more than a "sports book." It's a story of perseverance and class personified. All the proceeds from the sale of "Crimson Heart" are coming back to the University in the form of scholarships and to Caring Days, an award-winning Alzheimer's day care center that started here in Tuscaloosa. You can buy the book online at Amazon.com, from the website (crimsonheartfoundation.com), or at many bookstores in the Tuscaloosa area.
Crimson Tide Foundation Update: Building and Facilities Fund
I hope you have had an opportunity to enjoy a game, meet, match or competition at one of our Athletics facilities on this beautiful campus recently. Our 16 athletics buildings and facilities serve a tremendous number of fans, supporters, staff and student-athletes. The job of maintaining and improving those facilities is a never-ending task. The stadiums, practice facilities, complexes and arenas are in constant use and always in need of improvements, as well as general maintenance and cleaning. Having stellar facilities is vital to our Mission to recruit and develop student-athletes to complete at the highest levels in intercollegiate athletics. The quality of our infrastructure enhances our coaches' ability to recruit top student-athletes to The University of Alabama, while also directly affecting the overall experience of those students while they are here. The Crimson Tide Foundation's Buildings and Facilities Fund serves the training and competition needs of more than 550 student-athletes each day and we need your help to keep all of our buildings and facilities in championship form. Help us Keep the Tide Rising by making your gift to our Buildings and Facilities Fund.
Sports Updates
Baseball
Season tickets went on sale Tuesday morning for the 2017 baseball season. The Tide will host 37 home games, including 21 straight to start the season. The 2017 schedule is highlighted by home SEC series with Texas A&M (April 13-15), LSU (April 27-29) and Florida (May 12-14). Season tickets start at $190 for Tide Pride and general public, with tickets for seniors (age 65-plus) going at $95 (limit of four per person). Premium seating in the Home Plate Club and .525 Club is still available. This season, the Tide will be featured on national television 11 times, including nine games on The SEC Network and two on the ESPN family of networks. Televised games begin Friday, March 17, as part of the ESPN's Bases Loaded coverage that will feature every SEC team in a live compilation of all seven games going on that night. The Crimson Tide will be featured nationally four times in March, five times in April and two times in May. The SEC Network has five open dates that allow for wild card selections where the network has the opportunity to air the best television matchup on those dates. The SEC Network will again carry the SEC Tournament in its entirety, with the exception of the Championship game that will air on ESPN2.
Men's Basketball
The Tide snapped a two-game losing streak with a 78-61 victory over South Carolina Upstate last night. The victory came on the heels of a narrow loss at No. 24 Oregon last Sunday. Last night, Donta Hall scored a career-high 15 points to lead the way as the Tide had its highest-scoring output of the season. Freshman Braxton Key scored 10 points with season highs of nine rebounds and five assists, while senior Bola Olaniyan set a season best with a game-high 10 rebounds. Last night's game was the first home game the Tide has played this month. Next up, the Tide takes on Clemson in the BBVA Compass Vulcan Classic on Sunday, Dec. 18, at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. CT with tickets on sale at RollTide.com or on Ticketmaster.com.
Women's Basketball
Coach Kristy Curry's team moved to 8-1 with an 80-57 win over Georgia State in Coleman Coliseum Thursday. The game served as the team's 10th annual 5th Grade Fastbreak game, which welcomes thousands of 5th graders from Tuscaloosa city and county schools. Throughout the semester, members of our women's basketball team visit with and spend time in the classrooms of these 5th graders, so it's always fun to see them cheer on and interact with the team when they come to the game. Without a doubt, this is one of the games that our team always looks forward to every season. There will be one more home game before the holiday break as the Tide welcomes ACC foe Georgia Tech to town tomorrow. The first 300 fans in the door will receive a free Alabama ugly Christmas sweater T-shirt. We encourage you to bring a teddy bear or stuffed animal to toss on the court at halftime. All donations will be given to the Salvation Army. Following Saturday's game, the team will travel to Niceville, Fla., for the inaugural Patrick Harrington Tournament. Harrington, who was the head women's basketball coach at Northwest Florida State, lost his life in a car accident two years ago. The coaching staffs of all four teams participating – Alabama, McNeese State, Pitt and UTEP – had a connection with him, so it will certainly be a special event to honor his memory.
Upcoming Action
Here's a summary of athletic events over the next several days (times listed are for the location of the event: CT is Central Time, ET in Eastern Time, MT is Mountain Time, PT is Pacific Time). For a complete look at our upcoming calendar, go to http://www.rolltide.com/calendar.aspx:
Saturday, December 17
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 p.m. CT | Women's Basketball | vs. Georgia Tech | Coleman Coliseum |
| All Day | Swimming & Diving | at Auburn Diving Invitational | Auburn |
Sunday, December 18
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 p.m. CT | Men's Basketball | vs. Clemson | Birmingham |
| All Day | Swimming & Diving | at Auburn Diving Invitational | Auburn |
Monday, December 19
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. CT | Women's Basketball | vs. McNeese State | Niceville, Fla. |
Tuesday, December 20
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. CT | Women's Basketball | vs. Texas-El Paso | Niceville, Fla. |
Wednesday, December 21
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 p.m. CT | Men's Basketball | vs. Arkansas State | Huntsville |
Wednesday, December 28
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. CT | Women's Basketball | vs. Florida A&M | Coleman Coliseum |
Thursday, December 29
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. CT | Men's Basketball | vs. Stetson | Coleman Coliseum |
Where to See, Listen and Follow Alabama Sports
Here's how to follow Crimson Tide teams via TV, radio, rolltide.com, Twitter and Facebook.
Men's Basketball
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/alabama/mbball/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlabamaMBB
Twitter: @AlabamaMBB
Women's Basketball
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/alabama/wbball/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlabamaWBB
Twitter: @AlabamaWBB
Swimming & Diving
Live Stats: www.rolltide.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlabamaSwimDive
Twitter: @AlabamaSwimDive
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 WatchESPN. If you can't make it to our games in person, catch us on radio or TV. (All times listed are Central Time)
Saturday, December 17
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. | Football: SEC Inside: Auburn at Alabama | SEC Network |
| 11:30 a.m. | Football: SEC Inside: SEC Championship Game | SEC Network |
| 2 p.m. | Women's Basketball vs. Georgia Tech | SEC Network + |
Sunday, December 18
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 9 p.m. | The Process: The Story of the 2015 National Champions | SEC Network |
Monday, December 19
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. | RE-AIR: Men's Basketball vs. Clemson | SEC Network |
| 11 a.m. | RE-AIR: Men's Basketball vs. Clemson | SEC Network |
| 5 p.m. | The Process: The Story of the 2015 National Champions | SEC Network |
Tuesday, December 20
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | SEC Storied: In Search of Derrick Thomas | SEC Network |
Wednesday, December 21
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 5 p.m. | Football: SEC Film Room: SEC Championship Special | SEC Network |
| 8 p.m. | Men's Basketball vs. Arkansas State | SEC Network |
Thursday, December 22
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 4 a.m. | Men's Basketball vs. Arkansas State | SEC Network |
| 5:30 p.m. | SEC Inside: Football vs. Auburn | SEC Network |
Friday, December 23
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 8 p.m. | RE-AIR: 2011 Football at Auburn | SEC Network |
| 10 p.m. | The Process: The Story of the 2015 National Champions | SEC Network |
| 11 p.m. | RE-AIR: 2016 Football at Ole Miss | SEC Network |
Saturday, December 24
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 8 p.m. | RE-AIR: 2016 Football vs. Florida, SEC Championship Game | SEC Network |
| 11 p.m. | SEC Storied: Sarah & Suzanne | SEC Network |
Sunday, December 25
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 4 p.m. | SEC Storied: Croom | SEC Network |
| 8 p.m. | SEC Storied: In Search of Derrick Thomas | SEC Network |
Monday, December 26
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | SEC Inside: Football vs. Auburn | SEC Network |
| 1:30 p.m. | SEC Inside: Football at SEC Championship | SEC Network |
| 11 p.m. | The Process: The Story of the 2015 National Champions | SEC Network |
| 3 a.m. | SEC Storied: In Search of Derrick Thomas | SEC Network |
Wednesday, December 28
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. | Women's Basketball vs. Florida A&M | SEC Network + |
Thursday, December 29
| Time | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 7 p.m. | Men's Basketball vs. Stetson | SEC Network + |
Best wishes to all for a wonderful holiday season. The University of Alabama is a great place and this is a special time in the history of Crimson Tide athletics. I am grateful to all of our fans who support our programs with their presence at events, their prayers and well wishes, and their generosity in endowing scholarships and building facilities. It really does take all of us to Keep the Tide Rising!
Roll Tide!
