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Ummm.
Alabama Crimson Tide star Derrick Henry thought about transferring as freshman
J.T. Medley had felt him slipping. The longtime middle and high school assistant coach and father figure to Henry knew he was lost at Alabama and feared he was about to make an irreversible decision. So Medley called Henry's mother, father, high school coach and another assistant coach over to Medley's home in Yulee, Florida. Together, they decided to sit down and speak to Henry like adults. Around the kitchen table, they were frank: You can't leave Alabama.
It seems to be the typical story of a star freshman, far from home and his support system, for the first time in his life getting his chops busted. In Yulee, Henry was the baddest man in Florida. At Alabama, he was an 18-year old who had to learn how (and earn the right) to play. Assist to his parents, coaches and family back in Florida for this save.
College kickers, amirite?
Rewinding Nick Saban's thoughts on Ole Miss, pass blocking, kicking | AL.com
Saban said Dominick Jackson needed some improvement pass blocking after last week. He needs to trust his technique, Saban said. -- Adam Griffith looks confident kicking extra points. He needs to get that with field goals now. He understands what he needs to do, that isn't the issue. Kickers need an "assassin's" mindset. -- Ole Miss defensive line have good pass rushers off the edge, good speed. -- On the Rebels' vertical passing game, he said they haven't taken too many deep shots. Eliminating the big plays is huge. Taking care of the ball will also be very important.
From Saban's final presser re: the Rebels, it looks like the issues with Griffith may be learning to trust his healing body again. The mental part of coming back from an injury can often be far worse: For every guy like Kenyan Drake, who zipped back to the practice field as soon as was humanly possibly, there are guys like Dont'a Hightower, who spend an entire season learning to trust themselves again.
Cade Foster, Leigh Tiffin share unique view inside the head of a struggling kicker | AL.com
"It was uncalled for," Foster said. "I wouldn't have appreciated that if I were Adam. It's early in the season and I thought there were other parts of the game that could have been better besides special teams, but I didn't hear as many boos as I did after that."
Speaking of the tired college kicker memes, I don't care what you think a ticket purchase, or Tide Pride points, or thousands to the alleged bagman entitle you to, but I will tell you what you are not entitled to: You are not entitled to boo an 18-22 year-old amateur, earning his college degree, and generally show your ass like a bunch of classless, tacky Vols. Stop doing this.
I know none of you would obviously do this, so please take the next opportunity you have to gently remind others that this is Alabama: We don't tear down goalposts or rush the field, and we do not boo our own.
Speaking of Vols, Butch is skurred.
Tennessee played scared, and that's why it lost to Oklahoma - SBNation.com
Teams went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 on 122 occasions in the 2014 season. They scored a touchdown 66.4 percent of the time, 81 times in all. That's an expected point value of about 4.6. And if you fail, your opponent is probably getting the ball on its own goal line. Meanwhile, you can only score three points on a field goal. Just thought I'd point that out, Butch Jones.
4th and 1 and the Vols kick the FG...resulting in a loss. Ghosts of Darby/Castille up the middle followed by ugly knuckle-ball field goal. Ah, I don't miss you at all 2005.
Quarterbacks will decide this one?
AL.com Film Room: QB play will be the key in Alabama vs. Ole Miss | AL.com
AL.com's Matt Scalici and former Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson break down Jake Coker's performance against MTSU, show why O.J. Howard is one of the Tide's best weapons, and explain how Alabama can stop Ole Miss' potent offense.
Many think this one will come down to quarterbacks, and it may. If that's the case, let's hope the Bryant Denny Hoodoo works its magic on new Ole Miss starter, Chad Kelly. Because, since the 1988 loss to Ole Miss (the only Rebels win in Tuscaloosa,) the friendly confines have been a nightmare.
The long, sad history of Ole Miss quarterbacks in Tuscaloosa - Red Cup Rebellion
Since Young and Darnell proved that it could be done, 19 players (almost all of them quarterbacks!) have thrown passes for Ole Miss in Bryant-Denny, and most all had what we could generously call "not a real good time." Chad Kelly will become the 20th (and because Hugh Freeze gonna Hugh Freeze, someone else will surely be number 21) and who knows whether his experience will be better than most. Of course, "better than most" won't take much. Because I enjoy horribly mismanaging my free time, I combed the record books to get an idea of how bad it has been for Ole Miss quarterbacks when they play in Tuscaloosa.
Not that Chad Kelly's job became any easier, because it appears as though Tunsil will not play.
The word is that Tunsil received a loaner car from Cannon Motors in Oxford while his ride was in the shop, but that he was allowed to keep the loaner for an extended period of time. That, the NCAA deems, is an impermissible benefit. The CEO of Cannon Motors is Michael Joe Cannon, who happens to be a former Ole Miss assistant coach. If the price of the impermissible benefit was above $700, which it sounds like it was, Tunsil would be required by NCAA rules to miss at least 30 percent of the season, or four games, though it could end up being more.
As many of you have pointed out, The Marmot has two choices here: One, play Tunsil and pray like hell that the NCAA doesn't find anything; or sit him, and have a piecemeal offensive line against the best front seven in football. Given Ole Miss' history, and the fact they always, literally always, get caught, I'd say it's safe we don't see Tunsil. Then again, it is Freeze, a man who has been outcoached by Dan Mullen on more than one occasion, so emotion may get the better of him.
Nick Saban likes personality of Alabama headed into Ole Miss game | AL.com
I like the personality of this team," Saban said. "I think we've played physical and the players have given good effort. We haven't always executed with the consistency that we'd like, but we've done a lot of good things and certainly want to build on those things."
I personally don't think the quarterbacks win this one; I think this is a low-scoring, ugly, physical game with Alabama's depth and running game making the difference late. Good to see the team is physically and mentally in the right place.
Kudos
Terrell Owens, 3 Alabama players, 2 Auburn players nominated for Pro Football Hall of Fame | AL.com
The modern-era nominees also include former Alabama standouts Shaun Alexander, Cornelius Bennett and Chris Samuels
Three Alabama alums nominated to Canton. You have to think Biscuit gets in. Shaun will one day, in all probability. Samuels, though a stalwart for the Redskins, may have a bit longer of a wait. Considering Orlando Pace still isn't in the Hall, Samuels may have an uphill climb.
The 15: Local College Football Players To Watch
1. Sr. Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama (Gilman) Two years removed from playing wide receiver and moving to the defensive side of the ball, Jones (5-foot-10, 196 pounds) flourished at cornerback in 2014 and earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors. Jones, who finished with a team-high 13 pass breakups and three interceptions last season, entered his senior campaign as one of the anchors of an Alabama defense that figures to remain among the nation's elite. He received an extra boost of motivation this offseason after not being named among the 42 players to the Jim Thorpe Award watch list, which recognizes the nation's top defensive backs.
Some love from Cyrus' hometown press. And, they are right; if there are 42 better defensive backs in college football, show them to me.