For those wondering about the season-end announcement of UA team awards, those have gone official with the conclusion of the team banquet last night in Birmingham. Per the Tuscaloosa News:
Senior quarterback Greg McElroy, sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower, and junior safety Mark Barron were named permanent captains of the 2010 University of Alabama football team Sunday night at the team's annual awards banquet at The Cahaba Grand Conference Center in Birmingham.
In April 2011, on A-Day, those three will have their hand prints placed in the cement at Denny Chimes along with permanent captains of past seasons.
I usually don't read very much into this awards simply because there are so many of them that nearly every upperclassman wins something, but I did find a few things interesting with this year's announcements.
First off, no Julio Jones as a permanent team captain? Arguably no one went through more or played at a higher level than him, hence why he won team MVP. Also, why no Preston Dial? If the award is largely based in leadership, it's hard to see why Dial didn't make the cut. And, frankly, why Hightower? He wasn't a leader, and he never played at a high level, so exactly what is his case? Perhaps it was just a sympathy vote by his teammates for all that he had to overcome with his knee injury.
Headscratchers or not, congratulations to all of those earning honors this season.