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9/23/2016 4:37:00 PM | General
Benefits of Comeback at Ole Miss Could Have Deep Impact for 2016 Tide
While the football season moves on to game four, I can't help going back and talking about the Alabama–Ole Miss game. From 21 down to 18 up, to winning by 5 in a tough place against a hot quarterback and big, good receivers, the game was a classic in excitement. Jalen Hurts came of age when he took a big hit in the second quarter, lost the ball and gave up the 24th point, making the score 24-3. While the play arguably should have been brought back and a penalty assessed, it was a tough call among many that one of the best crews in the SEC had to contend with, and overall, did a very good job. It was a play at a time in the game that many players wouldn't come back from without being physically or mentally affected.
Not only did he come back but, on the next series, we scored in three plays. On the first play, Jalen calmly threw a nice pass to Calvin Ridley. Then, Jalen ran the ball down to the Ole Miss six-yard line before handing off to Calvin, who scored around left end on the third play of the drive. After the kickoff, the defense held and Eddie Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown, making the score 24-17. We were back in the game going into the half.
Until the last two or three minutes of the half it looked like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. It took courage and resilience to come back on a hot, humid day in Oxford when things weren't going well. Championship teams make plays like those and in the way our team did in the second half to nail down the win. And hats off as well to Ole Miss for coming back in the fourth quarter and scaring us to death!
There is still much improvement that this team can make, which is very exciting for all of us. There are a lot of young players that are still working hard learning the complex details of playing big time college football. Gaining experience in games is worth far more than practice. Coach Saban does a great job of preparing our players to play and getting them playing time. Two players that are extremely important to our future are Blake Barnett and Cooper Bateman. While they aren't getting the amount of playing time they probably would prefer, they are one and two plays, respectively, away from starting.
Our team is back at work this week and looking forward to playing Kent State, Coach Saban's alma mater. The game starts at 11 a.m. Central Time (CT) so wake up early and come on out to Bryant-Denny Stadium. We have plenty of water stations, and bottled water and soft drinks, to keep you hydrated. And there are plenty of delicious options for lunch. Hopefully, the early start will give us a break from the heat. If you are from out of town, and not familiar with our campus, I hope you will take some time after the game and see how beautiful our campus really is. We are so proud of all the great facilities we have, but even prouder of the great students who will become successful citizens after they leave the Capstone.
Joy McCann Culverhouse Women's Golf Suite Dedication
Last Tuesday we honored Hugh and Eliza Culverhouse in the Jerry Pate Golf Center by naming the Women's Golf Suite after Hugh's mother, Joy McCann Culverhouse. Ms. Joy, who recently passed away at age 96, played on the men's golf team when she was at Alabama, and later won State Amateur Golf titles in Alabama and Florida. We recently announced that Hugh and Eliza have donated $2.5 million to endow women's golf scholarships and challenged our development staff to get a match during this academic year for endowed women's scholarships. That $5 million, if we can complete the matching gifts, will go a long way toward keeping our women's sports teams successful. If there is anyone out there who wants to join in this great cause, contact Sam Branch of The Crimson Tide Foundation at 205-348-9962.
It was fitting to have that special ceremony after the women's golf team won the Mason Rudolph Championship in Franklin, Tenn., by 44 shots. Alabama golfers took the top four spots in the tournament. Sophomore Cheyenne Knight set a new program low score with a 14 under par 202. Sophomore Lauren Stephenson and freshman Kristen Gillman tied for second at nine under par 207. Junior Lakareber Abe had a nine under par 63 on the final day, which put her tied for fourth with a seven under 209.
Coach Mic Potter and his team are doing a great job of representing The University of Alabama, both on the golf course and in the classroom. They were all introduced to Hugh and Eliza and are most appreciative, as we all are, about Hugh and Eliza's love for golf and their generosity to our program. I hope you will follow our women's and men's teams as they go about this fall season getting ready for the spring.
Alabama High School Football
In 2015 there were 1,083,308 high school players playing on 11-man football teams in the United States. Alabama ranks eighth nationally in the number of high school players, according to a National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) summary. High school football has come under attack on many fronts over the last few years. Reports of concussions, which have been in the news primarily from NFL stories, have reportedly discouraged some parents from allowing their kids to play. The growing popularity of soccer has also eaten into the potential football population.
Interestingly enough, high school coaches have had a significant impact. When I was in school we were encouraged to play all sports. I grew up playing ball in every season as a kid and played football, basketball, and track. I would have played baseball, but my coach told me I was too slow and put me on the track team running the 440!
When I was coaching, I appreciated recruiting players who played multiple sports. Those that played baseball and basketball had better hand-to-eye coordination. Those that ran track were faster. Those abilities all perfectly complement football skills. Today a growing number of coaches are demanding that youngsters on their teams play one particular sport and practice it year-around. That is also eating into the number of football players, and likely is affecting other sports as well. The state of Alabama has always valued its football programs, supported coaches at different levels in the community, and produced outstanding talent in all sports.
I found these figures, again, according to the NFHS, to be very interesting:
High School Football Players in Alabama - 1969-2015
| Year | Schools | Players |
|---|---|---|
| 1969-70 | 425 | 12,750 |
| 1979-80 | 390 | 28,025 |
| 1989-90 | 373 | 21,532 |
| 1999-2000 | 369 | 21,301 |
| 2009-10 | 382 | 22,052 |
| 2015-16 | 384 | 32,592 |
Most High School Football Players by State – 2015-16
| State | Players |
|---|---|
| Texas | 163,835 |
| California | 100,205 |
| Illinois | 44,451 |
| Ohio | 42,595 |
| Florida | 42,262 |
| Michigan | 38,500 |
| Georgia | 34,344 |
| Alabama | 32,592 |
| New York | 32,387 |
| North Carolina | 29,485 |
It is my strong belief that there is educational value in football that doesn't come from other sports. The physical contact differentiates football from all other sports. It is my belief that football is safer today at the college level than it has ever been. The equipment has improved. The research on concussions and other injuries have been studied and coaches have changed practice periods and coaching techniques to prevent injuries. Nutrition and hydration are major components of college football players daily lives today, just like strength and conditioning have been for years. Medical staffs have grown exponentially over the last few years.
We are blessed to have a growing population of football players. I encourage all of us to support high school athletic programs and see that they remain healthy in our communities.
Alabama's 2016 SEC Football Legend: Chris Samuels
Each year, the SEC honors football stars from its past as SEC Legends. The University of Alabama's selection for the 2016 Football Legends class is Chris Samuels, our outstanding former All-America lineman and NFL star. Chris was our first Outland Trophy winner, earning that honor in his senior season of 1999. He was a consensus first-team All-America selection that season and also earned the Jacobs Trophy, symbolic of the SEC's best offensive blocker. Chris started 42 consecutive games for us during his career and was a first-team All-SEC pick in 1998 and 1999.
Chris was remarkably consistent. He did not give up a sack or quarterback pressure his senior season and was the third player picked in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. Chris spent his entire 10 seasons in the NFL with the Redskins. He made six Pro Bowl appearances during his NFL career, and was an All-Pro selection in 2001.
How respected was Chris as a Washington Redskin? In honor of the Redskins' 70th anniversary, in 2002, a panel selected the franchise's finest 70 players and coaches to honor for on-field contributions to the Redskins' history. In 2012, the Redskins' 80th anniversary, ten more players and personnel were added to the list. When that group of 80 was announced in 2012, Chris was on the list. Consider that - 80 years of Washington Redskins football included thousands of players and Chris is considered among the top 80 all-time. THAT is impressive!
When Chris retired from the NFL in 2010, he stated that he intended to continue his career in football and become a coach. Later that year, he was a part of the NFL's Minority Coaching Fellowship as he served as an assistant to the offensive line coach. In 2011, he volunteered as offensive coordinator at Blount High School in Prichard, Ala. In 2012, Chris returned to The University of Alabama to serve as an analyst with our football staff. Last year, he left to become a high school coach at Osbourn High School in Manassas, Va. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2016 class.
We are so very proud of Chris. Not only for what he accomplished wearing the Crimson Tide uniform, or for his professional achievements, but also because of his attitude of gratitude. He gives back to youth by teaching the lessons learned throughout his athletics career. Congratulations, Chris!
Saturday Will Be Warm – So Be Prepared!
We expect temperatures to peak in the 90's on Saturday. The forecast for our 11 a.m. CT kickoff states (at this writing late Thursday) for a game time temperature in the high 80's rising to the low to mid-90's by 3 p.m. It should be a sunny day on Saturday with humidity dropping as the day progresses, from the 50-percent range down in to the high 30-percent range through mid-afternoon. In short, it will be another hot, dry day in Tuscaloosa that is similar to the conditions we had two weeks ago for our home opener. Days like what we expect to see this Saturday can be a bit tricky to deal with. The best advice we can offer is for you to drink plenty of water in the hours leading up to the game, and take advantage of the many services we have available within Bryant-Denny Stadium on game day.
This season, we are continuing the practice of providing water and cooling stations for our fans. Those water stations are located at the top of the spiral ramps on the Northwest, Northeast, Southwest and Southeast corners of the stadium. Watering stations are also located on the second level concourse at sections D, K, AA and NN. Fans may bring their own plastic water bottles in to refill as the day progresses. We also provide cooling stations located on the first floor concourse at sections K through M; on the lower picnic area on the west side of the stadium; in sections LL through NN; and the picnic area in the student section on the east side of the stadium. Additional cooling stations have been added on the upper concourse in the lower bowl of the stadium. These new cooling stations are located from sections LL through MM and BB through CC.
Please be prepared for game day! We need you healthy, hearty, alert and ready to make some noise as part of college football's finest game day atmosphere!
Fulfilling the Mission: Quanetria Bolton of Women's Basketball is a Classroom Champion
As I mentioned in a previous blog, at each home football game this season we will honor one of our student-athletes as a "Classroom Champion." On Saturday, please be sure to pay attention to the video boards, or pick up a copy of the game program, as we honor Quanetria Bolton, a junior on our women's basketball team. Not only has Quanetria been a key to our quest to return to the elite level on the court, she has also been an important part of our ongoing mission to be dominant in the classroom. A native of Anniston, Ala., Quanetria earned a 3.468 grade point average this past summer, helping pace Coach Kristy Curry's team to an outstanding 3.58 team GPA for the summer. Quanetria was in good company this summer as the entire women's basketball team that attended classes this summer posted better than a 3.0 GPA. That included Taylor Berry and Jordan Lewis, both of whom hold career GPAs of 4.0. In addition to those two, Trista Magee earned a 4.0 (all A-pluses!) for the summer. This is an exciting time for our women's basketball team and we're very proud of Quanetria's success, both on the court and in the classroom.
Crimson Tide Foundation Update: Endowed Scholarships Program is Preparation for Future Greatness
I mentioned earlier how fortunate we were this week to be joined by Hugh and Eliza Culverhouse for the dedication of the Joy McCann Culverhouse Women's Golf Suite at the Jerry Pate Golf Complex.
During his time with us on Tuesday, Hugh reflected on the importance of proper preparation and accepting the outcome. This is something that he has learned over the years as a successful trial attorney and something that we see as our teams prepare for, and execute, their game plans during competition. The same thought can be applied to many areas of life and business, and I think it relates particularly well to fundraising.
In the Crimson Tide Foundation, we are preparing every day for the future. With every gift to endow scholarships, and with every thoughtful enhancement to our facilities, we are preparing to be successful in the future. Our scholarship endowment program is the epitome of this philosophy. By preparing today with gifts toward endowed scholarships, we are building an investment to ensure the future financial success of our department while enhancing our ability to provide scholarship support for student-athletes for years to come.
The focus of Hugh's and Eliza's giving to athletics has been women's golf, and his subsequent challenge to raise funds for women's sports at The University of Alabama is bringing fundraising for women's athletics to the forefront. This is an area that does not get the attention it deserves, and we are deeply grateful for Hugh's generous contributions and challenge to elevate fundraising for women's sports.
As you know, we have been charged to raise $2.5 million to match what he has given. We need everyone's participation to make this happen. As Hugh said on Tuesday, it doesn't matter how much, just make a gift - $5, $50, $500. Whatever you can give will combine with the contributions of other Crimson Tide supporters and will give women's athletics at The University of Alabama the support it needs.
To make a gift, please visit www.crimsontidefoundation.org or for more information about the Culverhouse Challenge or ways to support women's sports or any area of Alabama athletics, please call or email the Crimson Tide Foundation at 205-348-9727 or email us at ctf@ia.ua.edu.
Sports Updates
Baseball
Our new baseball coach, Greg Goff, and the Crimson Tide baseball team enters their second week of practice after kicking off the fall a week ago. There will be a scrimmage on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Any fans coming back from the football game on Saturday are encouraged to come to the baseball stadium on their way out of town to catch what will be a quick scrimmage.
Women's Basketball
The SEC released the 2016-17 schedule earlier this week. Eight of our games will be broadcast on national television (ESPN2 and SEC Network) and the remaining home games and SEC road contests will be seen on The SEC Network+ (WatchESPN app). Official practice begins on Monday, October 3. Women's basketball will continue to hold most of its practices at Foster Auditorium but will come over to Coleman Coliseum sporadically each week, the day before games and for shootarounds on game day. Renovation of the team's locker room in Coleman Coliseum is well underway, as well. We are less than one month away from the Tide Tipoff, which will take place on Friday, Oct. 21. Doors will open at 6 p.m. CT, and autographs will commence at that time. The event will officially start at 7 p.m. I'll have more details in the next few weeks.
Women's Golf
Coach Mic Potter's women's golf team had a tremendous opening weekend at the Mason Rudolph Championship up in Tennessee last weekend. The ladies shot an unbelievable 39-under par over the three-day tournament to win the event by a remarkable 44 shots. The performance included a 25-under par round as a team to close out the tournament on Sunday. Cheyenne Knight led our team with a 14-under par 202, which is another school record, and captured the individual title. Lakareber Abe shot a school record 63 in the final round to finish fourth. Lauren Stephenson shot a 65 on Sunday to equal the previous record. Lauren finished in a tie for second with teammate Kristen Gillman, who was making her collegiate debut at the tournament. What a way to start the season!
Soccer
Coach Wes Hart's team has been impressive in the early going, and continues to play well. They are in the midst of a crucial part of the season this week, hosting a pair of nationally-ranked SEC opponents at the Alabama Soccer Complex. The weekend began last night with a match against 15th-ranked Arkansas, which narrowly defeated The Tide, 2-1, in a match decided in overtime. The Crimson Tide is 6-3-1 overall and a 1-1-1 in SEC play. Trailing, 1-0, in the second half, one of our freshmen, Keely Cartrett, tied the game with a goal off a pass from sophomore Abbie Boswell. It was Keely's first career goal at Alabama. In overtime, at the 97:03 minute mark, the Razorbacks scored to win the game, 2-1. The Tide takes on No. 14 Texas A&M on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT. We hope everyone will come out and join us in supporting this exciting young team.
Volleyball
Last Saturday's win over Presbyterian marked the 600th career win for head coach Ed Allen, currently in his 25th year overall as a head coach which includes previous coaching stints at Tulsa, Presbyterian College and Anderson University. Ed enters this weekend with a 601-252 (.705 winning percentage) overall record with 23 winning seasons in 24 years as a head coach. Alabama opens SEC play this weekend at home with a pair of ranked opponents, beginning tonight against No. 19 Texas A&M at 6 p.m. CT before facing No. 6 Florida on Sunday at Noon CT at Foster Auditorium. Both matches will be broadcast live on the SEC Network. Last weekend, the Tide improved its record to 11-2 by sweeping three matches in the Hampton Inn Crimson-White Tournament with victories over East Tennessee State, Presbyterian and Georgia Southern. Senior Brittany Thomas and sophomore Quincey Gary were named to the Crimson-White All-Tournament team while senior Krystal Rivers was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player. Krystal also was named SEC Player of the Week for the third consecutive week, giving her a school-record six weekly conference awards over her career. Congratulations to Krystal and Coach Allen!
For the latest information on all Crimson Tide teams, go to www.rolltide.com.
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). Take a complete look at our upcoming calendar.
Saturday, September 24
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:01 a.m. | Football | vs. Kent State | Bryant-Denny Stadium |
| All Day | Women's Golf | at Schooner Fall Classic | Norman, Okla. |
Sunday, September 25
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 p.m. | Soccer | vs. Texas A&M | UA Soccer Complex |
| 12 p.m. | Volleyball | vs. Florida | Foster Auditorium |
| All Day | Women's Golf | at Schooner Fall Classic | Norman, Okla. |
Monday, September 26
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Day | Women's Golf | at Schooner Fall Classic | Norman, Okla. |
| All Day | Women's Tennis | at ITF 10k Charleston | Charleston, S.C. |
Friday, September 30
| Time | Sport | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | Cross Country | at Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational | South Bend, Ind. |
| 4 p.m. | Swimming & Diving | vs. Vanderbilt and West Florida | UA Aquatic Center |
| 6 p.m. | Volleyball | at Georgia | Athens, Ga. |
| 7 p.m. | Soccer | at Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. |
Where to See, Listen and Follow Alabama Sports
Here's how to follow Crimson Tide teams via TV, radio, rolltide.com, Twitter and Facebook:
Football
Watch: SEC Network
Live Stats: www.rolltide.com
Twitter: @AlabamaFootball
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (check local listings)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 106, XM 190
Cross Country
Live Stats: www.rolltide.com
Twitter: @AlabamaTrack
Men's Golf
Live Stats: www.golfstat.com
Twitter: @AlabamaMGolf
Women's Golf
Live Stats: www.golfstat.com
Twitter: @AlabamaWGolf
Soccer
Live Stats: www.rolltide.com
Twitter: @AlabamaSoccer
Volleyball
Live Stats: www.rolltide.com
Watch: SEC Network +
Twitter: @AlabamaVBall
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 here. If you can't make it to our games in person, catch us on radio or TV. (All times listed are Central Time)
Saturday, September 24
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. | REPLAY: Football vs. Kent State | SEC Network |
| 1 p.m. | Halftime Band Performances at Alabama | SEC Network + |
Sunday, September 25
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | Volleyball vs. Florida | SEC Network |
| 11 p.m. | REPLAY: Football vs. Kent State | SEC Network |
Monday, September 26
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | Alabama Football Weekly Press Conference | SEC Network + |
Wednesday, September 28
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 4 a.m. | REPLAY: Football vs. Kent State | SEC Network |
Thursday, September 29
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. | REPLAY: Football vs. Kent State | SEC Network |
Friday, September 30
| Time | Event | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 4 a.m. | REPLAY: 1985 Football vs. Auburn | SEC Network |
| 6 p.m. | Volleyball at Georgia | SEC Network + |
| 7 p.m. | Soccer 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!
