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This week we bring you the La Tech game reviews, a new depth chart for the Arkansas game, Look for our next issue on Thursday, September 23rd, with previews of the Arkansas game and more!

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ROLL TIDE!

***
TIDE MAY HAVE LOST MORE THAN JUST A GAME
Jess Nicholas
Editor-at-Large

I had a bad feeling about the Louisiana Tech game, but said nothing last week. I kept my feelings quiet, wrote my columns, and waited patiently for game day and the trip to Birmingham.

My bad feeling came from memories of 1997, when one of the few teams that year that had less talent than Alabama had came out of the game victorious. Now fast-forward two years, to a game in which Alabama held a sizeable talent edge, and much more to play for. It made no difference.

As a writer for TideFans and Alabama Weekly, I have made a commitment to see that our site is different than many others. No vitriolic rambling meant only to cause controversy; rather, a commitment to provide both sides of every story. It with a heavy heart, therefore, that I write the following:

There was good to be seen in the Tide’s loss to Louisiana Tech. It came from the special teams units, which had looked woeful during the Vanderbilt and Houston games. Against Louisiana Tech, Alabama could do no wrong in special teams situations. Chris Kemp was an able substitute for Ryan Pflugner, who injured himself, reportedly, in warm-ups. Lane Bearden probably won a job as kickoff man, and the return game for Alabama could not have been better.

Unfortunately, that good was outweighed by far too much bad. Alabama was out-played and out-coached yet again. This has been a running theme for Alabama fans the last two-and-a-half years, and it has shown few signs of improving. The result is that now, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs have beaten Alabama more times than the Tide has beaten them.

There was nothing that came out of this game that Alabama can build upon. Nothing. The players looked terribly dejected after the game, and it is a game like this that can cause a team to tank the rest of their season. The question for the players now is, can they go on? Can they put this behind them and prepare for an Arkansas team that is of similar talent? Or do they let this game eat at their confidence and finish the season 2-9 because they can’t get over it?

Then, there is the question of the future of this Alabama coaching staff. Only a fool would say nothing is wrong, or that the current staff is a lock to come back in 2000. In fact, the tenor of the moment suggests a change in coaches by the end of the season, if not sooner. As much as I hate to address rumor, something is up. Unless this Alabama team somehow wins every game on their schedule or close to that, then the Tide will have a new coaching staff in place for the UCLA game next September.

There are other questions. What becomes of recruiting? Will any current coaches be retained? Should any current coach be retained? Will Alabama change starting quarterbacks? Will Alabama qualify for a bowl?

These are all good questions, none of which anyone has definitive answers for. My personal prediction is that a proven, veteran head coach will be brought in to coach the 2000 edition of the Crimson Tide. For Mike DuBose to survive, he will have to pull of a miracle, plain and simple.

And on that subject, I have come down with another one of my "bad feelings."

***
QUESTIONS NEEDING ANSWERS
by Chris Van Steenberg
Staff Writer

These are the times that try men’s souls…or so it says somewhere. I’m sure that some equivalent to this passed through the minds of the Alabama coaching staff Saturday evening as they made that painfully long drive back to Tuscaloosa. Louisiana Tech. La Tech. They showed up in high school uniforms and beat the Crimson Tide, at home, again.

There were the usual platitudes in the post-game press conference. "I need to do a better job of preparing the team", "We need to focus more on the basics", "We’re going to try to learn from this", "We’re going to take it one game at a time"…is it starting to sound like Kevin Costner in Bull Durham yet?

I had a GREAT vantagepoint for the debacle on Graymont. I was splitting my time between the press box and on the sidelines for the entire game. The photographers on the sidelines were questioning the play calling and mental fortitude of the Crimson Tide. The cheerleaders were wondering why we couldn't seem to hold onto the ball, period, but especially when it hit the receivers right in the numbers (a surprisingly frequent occurrence). Even the half-time entertainment thought that the Tide looked like a discombobulated group.

Shaun is great. He’s quite literally the best thing to hit Bama football since Dreamland opened its doors back in the mists of time. He ran…did he ever run. Unfortunately, it was often for his life. But he runs with such grace that it looks like he’s not trying that hard. I saw him on the sidelines up close and personal. He’s trying HARD.

Shaun caught. Not as often as in past games, but he caught. He THREW…it wasn’t perfect, but it gave La Tech something else to think about. And Shaun can run kicks back. I was as stunned as the La Tech kicker when I saw #37 sauntering up to make the catch. I loved the comments that Shaun made after the game about it:

Interviewer: "How did you end up on the field for the kickoff?"

SA: "Coach (Ivy) Williams told me to go out there and see if they were dumb enough to kick it to me."

They were, much to their chagrin. Seventy-six yards later we heard Eli Gold (without any speakers) yelling, "TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA!!!" The only thing Shaun didn’t do was sell popcorn (thanks, JM).

However, we can’t continue to ride Shaun like this and continue to win. I’m not even sure where to start, so I’ll just pick a spot and jump in.

Penalties:

Sheesh, wasn’t that embarrassing? What was that, four penalties on the first La Tech possession (and 27 over three games). I’ll admit that it looked like the refs were choking on their whistles a little bit (e.g. that face mask / legit tackle that kept a La Tech drive alive with the 15-yards for the "flagrant foul", among others), but some of those penalties were just STUPID. I’m not saying that the players are stupid. I’m just saying that the mental preparation that is SUPPOSED to be as big a part as the physical preparation for games was not there. That’s the coaches’ responsibility. All of it.

Passing Game:

Where oh where was Terry Jones, Jr. and Big Red McClintock? I mean, I saw them on the field, but why were so few passing plays called their way? And why couldn’t ANYONE hold onto the ball? Did they slip up and put Vaseline on the receivers’ gloves instead of stickum? You can only hit them in the chest/hands so many times before it becomes demoralizing. Not that pass protection was that great, but we had opportunities.

One hundred four yards. Time to rethink that three yards and a cloud of dust mentality. What happened to the "we’re going to open it up" promise? We can’t abandon the pass, even with Shaun Alexander in the backfield.

Play Calling:

Why is it so difficult to get a play in on time? Any play, I don’t care if it’s a defensive call, just get the play in. That’s coordination between the coaches and the QB. That can be coached, but it’s not like we’ve got a bunch of first-time players out there…OK, we do, but not at the QB position and these coaches have been around the block a few times themselves. It was LOUISIANA TECH for God’s sake. This is a facet of the game that is so basic that we shouldn’t even have to worry about it. But we do, and that’s a concern.

Secondary Play:

While the DL and LBs played like men among boys, the secondary’s play posed more questions than it answered. A couple of the six sacks (that’s right, SIX; three times as many as Texas A&M and FSU combined) could be attributed to the coverage, but it was mostly our front 5-6 players making the gutsy plays they needed to. None of the DBs looked back for a ball all game long. I’m not sure why that is, but it’s particularly disappointing to see. Especially on 4^th and 22 from the 32 with 9 seconds left in triple coverage. A fellow TideFans.com writer was standing there with me and said, "It’s Cangelosi. I’ve got two steps on him, should I make the play?" I offered to get him out of jail afterwards, but it might not have mattered.

This is the third game in a row that has witnessed the defensive backs not looking back for the ball. We could be +5 instead of –5 in turnover margin if these guys would look back occasionally.

There were some bright spots to this fiasco. Shaun as usual led by example. We found a kicker, we found a kicker!! The defensive front looked as good as I’ve seen since 1992. They’re not as good as 1992’s group, but it’s getting closer. However, the questions that are hanging over this edition of the Tide bear some serious introspection. I hope we find the answers to some of the more glaring questions before this Saturday.

***

NOTES FROM THE BOX
La Tech Game
By Jim Morris
Features Editor

+Alabama dressed 100 players against La Tech and 56 saw action. Two players made their season debuts, including kicker Chris Kemp and kickoff specialist Lane Bearden. Bearden, a redshirt freshman from Pelham, made the first appearance of his career for the Tide. Kemp appeared in his first game since the 1997 Auburn game.

+With the loss Saturday, UA has now lost the third game of the season in each of the last three years. (Arkansas '97 & '98) and La Tech ('99)

+Shaun Alexander recorded 263 all-purpose yards against the Bulldogs, the second-highest total in his career at Alabama.

+Shaun ran the ball 30 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns, moving him into fourth-place on the Tide's career rushing chart. In Saturday's game he moved ahead of Sherman Williams (2,486), Johnny Davis (2,519) and Bobby Marlow (2,560).

+Shaun's 30 rushing attempts gives him 508 career rushes at UA, fifth all-time. Sherman Williams is fourth with 535 attempts.

+Shaun had two kickoff returns for 90 yards, including a 76-yard TD return in the third quarter to ignite the Crimson Tide. It was his first career touchdown on a kickoff return.

+Shaun's 76-yard return was the first Alabama since Irving Spikes had a 64-yard kickoff return in Alabama's 45-7 win over Cincinnati on Nov. 17, 1990.

+Shaun added three touchdowns today, his fourth consecutive game of three or more TD's. In his last five regular-season games, he has 14 TD's. Saturday's game was also his third 100-yard rushing game of the season.

+Marvin Constant recorded his first career blocked kick against La Tech, blocking a first quarter extra point attempt.

+Freshman Hirchel Bolden earned his first career start as the Crimson Tide employed five defensive backs in its starting lineup.

+Starting Center Paul Hogan missed his second consecutive game with a strained calf muscle. Griff Redmill, who is the Tide's starting left guard, replaced Hogan at center for the second straight week. Marico Portis started his second straight game as the left guard.

***
RESULTS FROM AROUND THE NATION -- WEEK 4
By Chris Van Steenberg
Staff Writer

As I sit here in NYC annoying my neighbors with a little Clint Black, the same thought keeps passing through my mind: Ouch! That wasn’t me falling. It was a lot of teams falling. That’s where pride hits the road at full speed, face-first. A lot of teams are suffering from a severe case of road rash. It wasn’t a pretty weekend for many teams. Let’s take a look.

Penn State 27, Miami 23.

This had to have been an epic game. Not quite "Catholics vs. Convicts", but still something worthy of its national spotlight. PSU’s 4^th and 2 stop of Miami was pretty impressive, but the un-Penn State like "quick strike" TD immediately after the defensive stand put the final nail in the coffin.

This wasn’t a pretty game. There were turnovers a-plenty in the rain-soaked Orange Bowl, but Joe Pa’s Nittany Lions came out with their record and national championship hopes intact. Their schedule over the next few weeks doesn’t pose too many problems for the Nittany Lions, but an on-again, off-again Ohio State may surprise the boys from Happy Valley if they’re not wary.

Miami will face no challenges next week, but they have to go to the Doak in Tallahassee in two weeks. Look for another spirited but futile effort from the ‘Canes.

Nebraska 20, Southern Miss 13.

Did I read that correctly? This should be cause for concern for all future USM opponents. OK, OK, Nebraska has fallen on hard times lately and aren’t the team they were under Dr. Tom. Whatever. In spite of the fact that NU gave up five turnovers and didn’t get a first down until the 2^nd quarter, the Huskers would take all but 2-3 teams in America to pieces. Their offense may not be the blitzkrieg ground attack of years gone by, but their D can outscore most Div 1A offenses.

USM may just be legit. I’d hate to see them win ANOTHER Alabama State Championship like they did with Brett Favre. Jeff Kelly may be the next coming of Favre. Note to all future Golden Eagle opponents: jump on them early and play tough D for all 60 minutes.

Stanford 50, Arizona 22.

Have I mentioned lately the utter contempt in which I hold the PAC 10? I haven’t, you say? Well, let me comment that over the last few years, the PAC 10’s flagship teams have proceeded to stumble not only in major out of conference games, but also in their run-of-the-mill conference games. Last year it was Arizona State. "We’re going to win it all baby!!!"…they couldn’t even beat their way out of the state.

And now it’s Stanford whooping up on Arizona. STANFORD. The home of the infamous marching band TD. They haven’t been good since Elway was legally a minor. OK, I exaggerate a little bit, but you get the point. Stanford who lost to Texas by 52 points. The Cardinal / Trees (someone explain that to me) ran up 578 yards of total offense on the former #4 team in the country.

Cincinnati 17, Wisconsin 12.

Ron Dayne is the greatest. He is the ultimate running back. He’ll out-Ricky Ricky Williams. Oops. Being one-dimensional finally cost the Badgers. I’m not sure how, but the Bearcats actually BEAT a Big 10/11 team. I bet the people in Madison are already canceling their PPV packages and bringing the ice-fishing huts out of storage.

Ron Dayne ran for an inhuman yardage total: 231 yards, 103 in the first half. Not that it mattered in the end. The Bearcats played a near-perfect game and put the Badgers away in the fourth quarter with the help of UW turnovers and untimely penalties.

FSU 42, NC State 11.

In the second biggest revenge game of the week, the 'Noles romped. I’m not sure what people expected, but after NC State’s showing against South Carolina, I hope that it wasn’t too much. FSU got all over the State QB, Jamie Barnette, who lead the Pack to victory last year on the strength of his arm, Torry Holt’s hands and Chris Weinke’s six interceptions. The Nole’s defense turned the tables on Barnette, intercepting him four times and sacking him three times.

The Wolfpack played the 'Noles tough throughout, giving up a short first-half TD plunge by QB-cum-fullback Dan Kendra and four first-half field goals by the imperturbable Janikowski. Janikowski ended the evening as FSU’s leading scorer with 5 field goals on the night. Peter Warrick had a un-Heisman like night with only 121 all-purpose yards, but was philosophical about the sloppy victory, "Forty two points is not enough against a team that humiliated us last year." There’s sportsmanship for you, FSU-style.

Florida 23, Tennessee 21.

"We’re gonna come down there and whoop some Gator butt!" That was the common sentiment out of Knoxville, the last-chance bait and gas stop before entering the hinterlands of the Eastern Tennessee hills. Unfortunately for the people wearing road-construction crew orange, it didn’t happen that way. The Swamp, long-dismissed by the foolhardy Vol faithful as irrelevant to the game, lived up to it’s fearsome legend by acting as a 12^th, 13^th and 14^th player.

The game was not a pretty one, with both teams amassing a total of 224 yards of penalties. However, the Gator D looked like they’d hoodwinked the nation by rolling over and playing dead in their "warm-up" games. The key play of the game was when the Gator D stopped Heisman hopeful Jamal Lewis on 4^th and 3 with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter. While neither team can lay claim to greatness on the back of their performances Saturday night, they’re definitely the class of the SEC.

Vanderbilt 37, Ole Miss 34.

Nope, you read it correctly. I had to double-check the score myself. A long-standing rule was broken in the Legion Field press box as a result of this game: no cheering. The assembled journalistic luminaries (including yours truly) let loose with whoops and cheers usually reserved for the guy who picks up the tab at the end of the night when Vandy tossed the winning TD in overtime.

It was Vandy’s first SEC road win in 5 years. Woody Widenhoffer’s Commodores looked like they might be something other than a doormat this year. Vandy kept it close throughout with an 84-yard TD pass (I know, I know, but it really happened that way) and a TD pass to Todd "Use the Force, Luke" Yoder with 49 seconds left in regulation. This result makes me feel better about how the Tide played Vandy, but I’m sure that’s no consolation to the Rebel fans out there.

Auburn 41, LSU 7.

For a while, we thought that the Apocalypse was at hand. Notre Dame started the season 1-3. Vanderbilt won an SEC road game. Cincinnati beat Wisconsin. Auburn matched their 1998 season win total in their third game. I was looking for a man of the cloth to talk to about this, but they were confused, too.

Let’s hand it to Tuberville. He’s figured out how to motivate his club and how to play to their strengths. AU outgained LSU 426-342 and made the most of the many and varied LSU miscues. LSU didn’t even manage a first down in the first quarter. The vaunted Bayou Bengal defense looked more like meek kittens crying over spilt milk as the other Tigers marched up and down the field. It wasn’t pretty for the LSU fans, but they should be used to it by now: they continue to employ DiNardo and Tepper. Hmmm….

That’s all from my corner of the world.

***

Depth Chart for Arkansas Game (F=true freshmen)

(Check online @ TideFans.com for any changes)

OFFENSE

SE 84 Shamari Buchanan 7 Sam Collins 25 Dennis Bonga

FL 15 Freddie Milons 8 Tim Bowens 26 Arvin Richard

TE 82 Terry Jones, Jr. 38 Shawn Draper 89 Theo Sanders

QB 5 Andrew Zow 14 Tyler Watts 18 Luke Tucker

FB 30 Dustin McClintock 6 Marvin Brown 43 Alex Malone

RB 37 Shaun Alexander 28 Shaun Bohanon 29 Ahmaad Galloway

DEFENSE

RE 54 Kindal Moorehead 98 Reggie Grimes 94 Derek Sanders

RT 97 Cornelius Griffin 90 Jamie Carter 67 Kelvis White

SS 41 Marcus Spencer 19 Jason Jones 32 Phillip Weeks

P 16 Patrick Morgan 44 Lane Bearden 3 Jason Kellen

AND THE BAMANATION SAID: "ROLL TIDE!"

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Alabama Weekly / TideFans.com Staff:

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Chris Depew, Football Editor

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Soup Campbell, Joke Master

David Ozment, Staff Writer

Chris Van Steenberg, Staff Writer

William Webster, Staff Writer

Brett Young, Managing Editor

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