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This week we bring you the Vandy game reviews, a look at the second weekend in college football, and post-game quotes from interviews with coaches and players. Look for our next issue on Thursday, September 9th, with more previews and predictions for our game with Houston.

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Tide Sinks Commodores’ Navy
By Jess Nicholas
Editor-at-Large

It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done.

Alabama’s effort against Vanderbilt could have been much better and much more focused, but the end result was a mark in the win column and the only thing to do now is look towards Houston.

The big concern for Tide fans was improvement. Did Alabama improve? From the sideline, the results were mixed.

First of all, the bad: In what has been a trend dating back to at least 1990, Alabama failed to play with emotion against a team it was supposed to beat. It was not until Alabama’s defense made several dramatic second half plays that the team as a whole started to come alive. Also, in another installment in a harrowing series, kick coverage was not up to snuff. Alabama had a few too many penalties, and the pass rush was as inconsistent as the carburetor on a 1979 Ford Pinto. It was no surprise, therefore, that Vanderbilt played the Tide as close as they did.

However, there were many good things to see as well. Another class of freshmen will help the Tide, as Saleem Rasheed, Kenny King, and Jarrett Johnson all made their impact felt. Transfer Milo Lewis proved to be a capable replacement for Fernando Bryant, and Dante Ellington may prove to be one of the most impressive offensive linemen in Tide history.

And then there was Shaun. Shaun here, Shaun there, Shaun everywhere. Alexander ran 26 times for 109 yards and picked up another 85 through the air on 4 catches. Andrew Zow was not flashy at quarterback, but got the job done on 15-of-24 passing for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns. Terry Jones looked more involved than last year and the offensive line as a whole looked better coached and more focused.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day came from punter Patrick Morgan, who averaged 42.3 yards across 8 punts. He also had a 55-yard effort called back by penalty.

Even though the opponent was Vanderbilt and there were expectations for a larger margin of victory, at some point, a win is a win. The Tide did win this game, and they got some things done—like finding a punter and getting reserve quarterback Tyler Watts some needed playing time—that they might not have been able to do against a weaker opponent. Make no mistake—this is not your father’s Vanderbilt football team. They gave the Tide a healthy challenge and should be improved in their own right.

As for Alabama, the concerns now are singular: Beat the Houston Cougars. Will the Tide do that? Probably so. This should be an interesting year for Alabama football, and if Alabama can improve steadily from this past Saturday’s effort, might just be on the road back to where the program belongs.

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Bama Update Week 1: Alabama @ Vanderbilt
By David Ozment
Staff Writer

I love football cliché’s: first game jitters, this team always plays us tough, a win is a win, a defense will always gel before an offense, only one stat really matters, if you let a team stick around long enough their confidence will grow, on any given week anyone can beat anyone… yada, yada, yada… While they are all overused and often misused, they, at some time or another, are all true and this weekend I think most were applicable.

Blame it on our pent up desire for dominance or perhaps the proliferation of preseason hype, but know for certain that there was a stadium full of disappointed Bama fans Saturday afternoon in Nashville. Much of what led to the disappointments can be easily rationalized. Nervous youngsters (21 Tiders saw their first taste of D-1 ball Saturday), first game jitters, assignment uncertainties, formation and personnel issues, misuse of time outs, etc. Others simply frustrate one to the bone without regard to explanation: delay of game penalty on a kick off (I’ll never understand this one), silly penalties negating big plays, or failing to make obvious adjustments (this one led to a fumbled punt as we failed to adjust to their punter’s range, aspiring coaches take note, its always easier to field a punt running forward than running backwards). However, since we have an entire season to lament the mistakes, let’s take a look at the positives upon which we hope to build a successful season.

For Starters

For the first time in the history of Alabama football we started 2 true freshman in a season opener and both acquitted themselves well. RT Dante Ellington (Fr.) is a house-mover and promises to bust holes for Bama ball carriers for years to come. OLB Rasheed Saleem (Fr.) looked sharp. While there were a couple of times when he appeared to make freshman mistakes, there were also times when he looked like an All Star. Saleem covered receivers, provided good pressure on his blitzes (forcing one intentional grounding) and made tackles on both sidelines.

Defensively

Our defensive unit seemed to get better and better as the day wore on. That may have been due in small part to the Commodore’s fatigue, but it also had a lot to do with the confidence of the D. Vanderbilt actually struggled to move the ball and their biggest play of the first half came on a 3^rd and 9 play when DT Cornelius Griffin (Sr.) tipped a pass into the arms of the TE who rumbled for 28 yards. Early in the second half Vanderbilt drove for a field goal, but their offense was limited until Bama fumbled a punt leading to a final scoring opportunity later in the 3^rd quarter.

Bama’s defense demonstrated its youth by losing concentration when a play went wrong, as both the tipped pass and fumbled punt only set up touchdowns. However the DL managed to apply quality pressure on the QB; the LBs blitzed, covered receivers and stuffed the run; and the DBs blanketed the receivers and provided quality run support. It’s also important to note that this bunch performed well with 2 starters and a top reserve suspended. This stop squad should be even stronger with those players suited up next weekend and may possess the best defensive team speed since a certain defense in ’92.

Offensively

At times it appeared that our offense was not firing on all cylinders. QB Andrew Zow (So.) began the game out of sync. However, he regained last year’s stellar form and demonstrated why he’s the number one man. Zow also demonstrated improved arm strength and comfort in the pocket. He’s a leader. On 2 occasions in the 1^st quarter we were inches away from breaking big scores. RB Shaun Alexander’s (Sr.) first carry could have gone for 6 if he hadn’t stepped out bounds, and WR Jason McAddley (So.) came close to breaking a reverse for a score. However, both drives proved fruitless.

At other times the offense seemed to return to its workman roots and yielded positive results. For example, with just under 4 minutes in the 1^st half we elected to stick with the RBs (1 pass, 6 runs) and drove for the tying score. Alexander seemed to take over the 4^th quarter by successfully capping off 2 scoring drives to secure the contest. However, contrary to popular pronouncements, this offense already appears to play with what the defense provides rather than dictate the pace of the game to the defense. Once we get used to the idea that we have some great talent, we should be able to open it up.

Other observations:

The word out of spring drills was that MLB Marvin Constant’s (RS Fr.) lone weakness, a lack of lateral movement, may limit his ability as a big playmaker. If Saturday is any indication of that weakness, we may be looking at a future All America as he made tackles on both sidelines.

DE Kindal Moorehead (So.) and DE Kenny King (Fr.) look like twins on the field. Kindal was Bama’s sack leader last year and Kenny, demonstrating amazing speed for a big man, recorded 2 sacks against the ‘Dores.

CB Reggie Myles (So.) made plays all over the field. He is the most physical corner I’ve seen at Bama in several years.

WR Freddie Milons (So.) had a big day. He has great speed and should put up great numbers if we can get the ball into his hands in the open field. Milons appears to the lack the freaky escapability of a David Palmer or even Eric Locke, but he is definitely faster than both.

It’s too early to say for sure, but Shaun Alexander may be trying too hard to bust the long run every time he touches the ball. He didn’t seem to explode into the hole as he has in years past. However, he still brings an incredible presence to the field.

The QB Tyler Watts (R Fr.) rotation experiment draws mixed reviews. Watts did ‘lead’ the offense to the final go-ahead scoring drive early in the 4^th quarter and seemed comfortable doing so. However, Tyler only played the role of highly-touted-handoff-man as he attempted no passes.

The O-Line needs to bond. Player rotations, position swapping, and intricate pulling and trapping schemes appeared to confuse our front five at times. Look for the line to solidify and be a Bama strong point as the season progresses.

A Look Ahead

Next week we travel to Birmingham to take on the Houston Cougars. Rumors are that Houston may be one of the more improved teams in the NCAA, but what does that really mean?. Look for Bama’s defense to come out strong and play hard all day. A shutout may be possible. As for the offense, watch for Watts to get more reps at the QB spot and Shaun to have another big game.

Roll Tide!

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Week II in Review
Chris Van Steenberg
Staff Writer

It finally happened. College football en masse. Most everyone who was anyone played this past weekend. Most of the games were real yawners, but some were surprisingly good. Here’s my review of some of the weekend’s games.

Texas 69, Stanford 17.
Note to self: Be sure to be the team that BEATS Texas, not the team AFTER the team that beats Texas. I guess that Mack Brown and his Longhorns had a point to make after last week’s self-destruction against NC State. Major Applewhite threw for 353 yards in three quarters against a clearly outmatched PAC 10 foe (was that redundant? See: Arizona – TCU). And as usual, the Texas D showed up with an attitude, surrendering 394 total yards but only 17 points. The Texas special teams made headlines again…as kick blockers. The Longhorn special teams unit blocked a punt deep in Cardinal territory in the 1^st quarter, setting up a 1-yard TD plunge by Victor Ike, heir apparent to Ricky Williams. Freshman phenom Chris Simms got into the action in the 4^th (3-7, 27, 1TD), getting the first of what is sure to be many TDs in his collegiate career. Simms will get more chances to play this week, as Texas faces Rutgers in Simms’ home state this weekend.

Virginia 20, UNC 17.
Say what you will about the ACC (and I probably have), this was an exciting game. You’ll note that I didn’t say good. There were turnovers all over the place, but there were also some great plays. When point guard/quarterback Ronald Curry had the ball, something good was bound to happen. You just couldn’t be sure that it was going to be for Carl Torbush’s Tarheels. Curry made some great plays and some incredibly silly mistakes. However, if he continues to progress and get support from the staff and his teammates, UNC may be a force to reckon with within the ACC. Virginia’s Dan Ellis will need to get the ball to the guys in the blue helmets more often if UVA is going to challenge Georgia Tech for second in the ACC

Penn State 70, Akron 24.
Whew. I bet that whoever was in the Nittany Lion costume was glad when the final whistle blew. That’s a lot of pushups. The outcome of this game was not surprising, but the fact that Akron was able to hang 24 points on the defense that held Arizona to only 7 last-minute points WAS surprising. PSU’s LaVar Arrington said that he felt that he and his battery-mates on defense were a little too loose going into the game. Akron pulled to within 4 in the second quarter before PSU got out of second gear and pulled away. Don’t think that this performance means that Penn State isn’t the real deal. They’ll punish the ‘Canes in two weeks like Miami did Ohio State.

Michigan 26, Notre Dame 22.

I swore I wouldn’t write about this game, but I figured that what little journalistic credibility I have would disappear if I didn’t. There was a record crowd in the Big House (111,523), but I’m not sure if they were there to see the game or if Lloyd Carr would whine some more. Michigan and Notre Dame traded the lead, with both teams playing some old-fashioned "slobber-knocking" football. If there was a game this year that needed Keith Jackson to call it, this was it. Michigan took advantage of some late mistakes by the Irish and held off a late charge led by Jarious Jackson. The Wolverines won’t be challenged like this again until they face the Great Dayne and his Wisconsin Badgers, also known as the Rodent Bowl.

Ole Miss 3, Memphis 0.

I thought that NCAA baseball was over? This in game might win the prize for ugliest game of the year. Memphis’ Rip Scherer didn’t stave off his departure with this performance, and Ole Miss’ Cutcliffe didn’t follow the bowl win over Texas Tech very well. However, look for Ole Miss to bounce back from this Pyrrhic victory and be a force in the SEC West.

Florida 55, Western Michigan 26.

Did the visor fly Saturday night? How ‘bout a clipboard? The ball certainly did. Both teams ran up 682 yards of passing (405 for WMU QB Tim Lester) during the game, with WMU keeping the game much closer than most expected. The inexperienced Gator defense looked like the rookies they are. I guess that all of the summer talk out of Gainesvegas that the Gator D would just reload was just that…talk. While I don’t doubt the athletic ability of the Gators’ defensive players, they’ll need to grow up fast if they expect to keep their home winning streak alive against Tennessee. UF will have to continue to outscore their opponents until that happens.

Marshall 13, Clemson 10.

The OTHER Bowden son had his ACC head coaching debut in the OTHER Death Valley. Marshall’s Heisman-wannabe Chad Pennington had a good statistical performance (29-for-44 for 333 yards), but the game was a defensive struggle throughout. The Herd had a 6-3 lead at the half, with no change to the score until the 8^th minute of the 4^th quarter. However, the Clemson kicker should have given the Rock in the Tigers’ tunnel an extra rub for luck. His 34-yarder to tie with 10 seconds remaining was wide left.

Florida State 237, Auburn –3.

In a surprise move by the SEC head office, SEC Commish Kramer penalized Auburn 3 points for embarrassing the SEC above and beyond even the worst antics of Pat Dye or Danny Ford. FSU Coach Bobby Bowden couldn’t comment on the development due to the complimentary Whopper® he was chowing down on. Oops, this game didn’t get played. I hate when that happens. The Tigers didn’t look very ferocious in their "please-God-let-us-win-this-one" 22-15 opener against the Division 1-AA Mountaineers. They got beat up and down the field by the ‘Neers throughout the game and had to go to the bench for Ben Leard to rescue them. ASU outgained the Tigers 323 to 288, with both teams’ missing opportunities to put the game away. If this is an indicator of things to come, the Auburn faithful will go through more than their share of tribulations. A word of advice: Run, don’t walk, away.

Alabama 28, Vanderbilt 17.

See the game update above/below.

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SOUND CHECK
QUOTES FROM COACHES AND PLAYERS
Comments from Post-Game
Staff Interviews and Reports

Coach Mike Dubose:

"I thought Andrew looked good today, he was able to avoid sacks and make some plays."

"Our secondary played a pretty good game."

"We have got to continue to find a way to establish the line of scrimmage in order to open up our offense.

We had no flow and rhythm."

"Shaun played great as usual, he was the difference in the game."

"Vandy played well, they are an improved football team."

"Dennis Alexander, Santonio Beard, and Saleem Rasheed were Freshman that really played well today."

"I am happy with the leadership of our seniors on this club, I thought they handled adversity well, something that was a question coming into this season."

Asked by a TV news reporter, "Mike is this a big win for you?" CMD:"This is a win for THE University of Alabama, I could care less about Mike Dubose."

"Patrick Morgan had a Big game, the field position he gave us was a key."

Punter Patrick Morgan:

Asked by a reporter if he had been reading about a punting controversy at UA, Morgan replied, "I don't read newspapers, watch the TV news, or any of that stuff, it doesn't matter what you guys report. It matters how we play the game."

Asst. Coach Charlie Stubbs:

"We wanted to get Tyler in earlier, but we were down by 3 at the time and had no rhythm, therefore we stuck with Andrew."

"We made some crucial penalties today that killed our rhythm, we will definitely work on the little things on Monday."

"My main concern was to keep Shaun in the game, we needed to take some of the emphasis off him in order to open him up in other spots. I thought our receivers did a pretty good job of that."

"We need to continue to find ways for Shaun to touch the ball."

"Lots of times they had more folks up there than we could block, Andrew will continue to get better in getting us out of the wrong plays."

Defensive Coordinator Ellis Johnson:

"We had some trouble at the start controlling the line of scrimmage, but in the end we took it over."

"They ran a lot of plays that worked on our young linebackers, picks, counters, different formations."

"We played a lot of guys except at the linebacking position"

"I was pleased with the linebackers who did play, they played hard and recognized formation really well."

"Our Defensive Tackles did a good job keeping their lineman off our Mike Linebacker."

"We changed up our coverages a little, we went to a zone and also some combo packages."

"I think we played either 7-8 people on the Defensive Line today."

"I am really pleased with Saleem Rasheed and Kenny King."

Defensive Lineman Shawn Draper

"This was my first game since my brother passed away, it was tough looking up in the stands and not seeing him there. But I said a prayer for him and told him that I was playing for him. That's why I pointed to the sky when I made a tackle."

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