Jersey Countdown to Gameday

BamaHoHo

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Aug 7, 2007
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Coaling, Alabama, United States
17 Days: Kenyan Drake

by Kerry Goode

17 days from the chase for 17
In 17 days the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the field to begin its quest for its 17 National title. We honor a guy that played a big part in the capture of the Tides 16th title. Kenyan Drake attended Hillgrove High School in Powder Springs, Georgia
Kenyan has had a slew of injuries throughout his career, including actual broken bones — and earned two team suspensions. Perhaps for those reasons he’s never quite been able to reach his potential. But with all the surgeries and interruptions on his résumé, Drake always gets up, dusts himself off, and keeps going.
Drake suffered a horrible leg injury in the second quarter against Ole Miss in 2014. During a tangled pileup, his left ankle twisted violently and he shouted so loudly that his voice was audible on CBS' broadcast. It was about as bad of a broken leg as you’ll see in football, and it created serious doubt as to whether he’d be able to regain the impressive form that he displayed during his freshman and sophomore seasons.
After he spent a moment on the turf, Alabama trainers carted him off the field. Wiping tears, he signaled to the crowd with a thumbs-up.
It's a situation that former Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell would understand much better a few weeks later. The All-SEC receiver broke his leg on the same Vaught-Hemingway Stadium turf against Auburn in a moment that spawned a friendship. Treadwell said they communicated a few times since going down.
"Once I injured myself he reached out to me, told me, 'Keep your head up.' We checked on each other through fall camp," Treadwell said. "He said everything was going well. He's made a lot of plays for them on kickoff return and running back so ... it's very nice to see someone come back off injuries."
It's a bond few share and nobody desires.
"It's something that's overwhelming," Treadwell said. "It's a mental process. It's not a fraternity you want to join, but having someone else with an injury just as big as yours and being able to communicate with them gives you confidence and brings your comfort level up."
“We talk about pain all the time and people ask how tough is this guy? How tough is such and such?” Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran said. “And when a guy hasn’t missed a practice, that answers the questions. And when you have a horrific injury and he’s been able to come back so similar, maybe even a little faster, a little bigger, it’s pretty special.”
“I play to follow my dreams that I’ve had since I was a kid,” he said. “I grew up watching football, watching my favorite players play. It was devastating to see other players get injured too. But you see somebody like (Adrian Peterson) who tore his ACL and then comes back a year later and almost rushes for 2,000 yards. That gives you added motivation and understanding that you can do whatever you want to.”
Kenyan Drake was drafted by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Let’s pray he stays injury free.
Picture sequence (Kenyan Drake returns kick 95 yards for TD to give Alabama 38-27 lead over Clemson)






















 

BamaHoHo

All-American
Aug 7, 2007
2,251
1,532
187
Coaling, Alabama, United States
Lightning got my modem. So here is 16 Days. One day late.

16 Days: Paul Ott Carruth

by Kerry Goode

16 nights of anticipation remain before the opening kickoff.
#16 Richard Mullaney brought excitement last year as a go to receiver. Seeing Mullaney perform made me think of the most famous #16 Paul Ott Carruth.
The Summit, Miss., native won Mr. Football for the state of Mississippi his senior of high school while playing quarterback at Park Lane Academy. Carruth played for Bryant in 1981 and 1982 at halfback. Alabama made it to the Cotton Bowl in 1981 and won the Liberty Bowl in 1982 to send Bryant out as a winner. As Paul dealt with his mother’s illness back home. Coach Bryant called Carruth’s mother, Alberta, at the hospital every Sunday as she battled cancer. Carruth was later one of the eight Alabama players to carry Bryant’s casket.
Paul Ott, wasn’t prepared for the news that his coach had died. “Just shock, like no way,” Carruth said, recalling his reaction to the news. “Especially when you’re in college you figure he’d always be there.”
Two days later, Carruth was serving as a pall bearer at Bryant’s funeral. The pall bearers took their own lonely bus from the funeral service in Tuscaloosa to the burial in Birmingham.
“I was sitting across from Jeremiah Castille,” Carruth said. “When we passed the stadium I started looking at the stadium and then I kind of looked at Jeremiah and a big old tear rolled down his face. That’s when I lost it. I was sitting there crying.”
Learning of Bryant’s death was one of those moments those who were close to the late coach will never forget, but they also haven’t forgotten the qualities that made Bryant a success. To them, Bryant was more than an icon in a hounds tooth hat who leaned against the goalpost before every game.
In 1983 Paul suffered a season ending knee injury and return the following season to the Tide first losing season in over 20 years.
“It was a very difficult year. Any losing season would be difficult but especially at Alabama. But I will say that probably one of the things I’m most proud of is being elected a captain that year. Usually when things are going good or easy, a lot of people can be leaders then or appear to be leaders then. It’s usually when things are tough and hard and difficult that people start hiding. To have been thought of as a leader by my teammates — it’s voted on by teammates — that was very special. That, and you have your handprint and footprint at Denny Chimes — that’s going to be there a long time.”
Carruth played three seasons with the Green Bay Packers. He would spend his final NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs. He also played for the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.
Carruth, who is currently vice president of McCullough Oil Company in Trussville, met his wife, Lindsey, while at the University of Alabama. Paul and Lindsey have endowed a $250,000 scholarship to the University of Alabama.
















 

BamaHoHo

All-American
Aug 7, 2007
2,251
1,532
187
Coaling, Alabama, United States
Back on track with.

15 Days: Tommy Wilcox

by Kerry Goode

15 days out..
#15 Tommy Wilcox played defensive back for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide from 1979 through 1982 and was a member of the 1979 national championship team and was a consensus selection to the 1981 College Football All-America Team. Presently Wilcox serves as the host of a hunting and fishing show entitled "Tommy Wilcox Outdoors." As a native of Harahan, Louisiana, Wilcox played high school football for Alfred Bonnabel High School.
Wilcox was signed by the Arizona Wranglers of the USFL, where he was a defensive starter for their 1983 season. He played for the Chicago Blitz in 1984, but was forced to retire that season after he suffered a serious neck injury.
After his playing career, Wilcox became a teacher and football coach at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and later was a pharmaceutical sales representative. In the mid-1990s, Wilcox began to film his hunting and fishing show entitled "Tommy Wilcox Outdoors" and in the time since has filmed hundreds of episodes that also include famous sports personalities.
"We had one show that pitted six Auburn football legends against six Alabama football legends in a pheasant shoot," he said. "We even had a show with Bill Newton and David Langner on it." Newton and Langer are the Auburn players who produced two touchdowns on blocked punts in the famous 'Punt Bama Punt' game.
"I look for country music stars that might have a concert nearby and they love the opportunity to get away. They see it as a chance to get free publicity and to promote their albums. Football coaches like to get away, too. Former players love to get out and talk about their old playing days."
"Getting Coach Saban away from the football field was a neat experience. I could see why he is such a good recruiter. We sat around and talked about football and recruiting. He really mixes well with people." “Saban is so intense and so into football,” Wilcox said. “It was gratifying to see him relax for a few hours and not worry about being the Alabama head coach.”
Former University of Alabama football standout Tommy Wilcox can't stop smiling.
“I meet so many big-named good people,” Wilcox said. “When you get them on the boat they are no different from me and you.”










 

BamaHoHo

All-American
Aug 7, 2007
2,251
1,532
187
Coaling, Alabama, United States
14 Days: Tod Ingram

by Kerry Goode

14 days until kickoff!
The number 14 has been worn by some great quarterbacks in Crimson Tide history. It was also worn by one of the all-time great WRs, Don Hutson. The list of Bama signal callers includes, Richard Todd, Gary Hollingsworth, Tyler Watts, John Parker Wilson, and Jake Coker. Today we take a different approach. I’m honoring one of the guys that got the team ready each week. I salute Tod Ingram and all of the other walk-ons that did it for the love of the game and the University of Alabama.
Like the other walk-ons at the Capstone who show up every day and give blood, sweat and tears. These guys aren't the ones you read about in the paper. Guys like Tod spend their time on the field each week running hundreds of plays and competing against some of the best Bama players ever. These guys simply give their best just to make our team better.
Two years ago Tod continued showing his love of Bama and spirit of giving by helping my family honor my brother, Clyde. Tod came up with the name "Goode Town" and created the artwork we've used for our tailgate and event gatherings. You've also likely seen Tod's creative work elsewhere and just not known it.
He created the branding for well-known projects like the Tide for Troops "A" t-shirt campaign, and he helped Alabama Football equipment manager AJ Starr create his logo and Cerebral Palsy campaign work once AJ's story was told on ESPN. Tod also worked on something that means a whole lot to me: The Kevin Turner Foundation. Tod created the current KTF logo, the KTF 24 ALS Ribbon and even the Chick-fil-A ALS awareness designs featured in Atlanta two years ago.
If you followed this year's Ride4Gabe, for the Birmingham boy who is fighting to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, you saw a lot of Tod's creative work. Today he lives in Oregon and is working on other very meaningful campaigns while he continues to work closely with us. His mom and sister haven't missed a gameday weekend on the Quad since our days in school, and when he's back home he brings his dad down to Tuscaloosa as well. Even though he's across the country, I always look forward to seeing Tod and learning of his latest creative project and how he keeps giving back to the Alabama nation. Roll Tide, T!!! If you are a walkon and reading this, please respond with your years at the capstone and jersey number(s), I’d like the Bama fan to acknowledge you and say thanks…Post a Bama picture if you have one…










 

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