First quarter goes to Bama

September 08, 2007

Ken Rogers

Alabama didn’t need any help, but Vanderbilt gave the Tide some aid in the first quarter.
Two big Vanderbilt penalties wiped out potential big plays as Alabama jumped to a 10-3 advantage.
Just as it did in last week’s win over Western Carolina, Alabama scored on its first play from scrimmage. Javier Arenas returned a punt 69 yards to the 1 yard line. Terry Grant scored on the next play. Last week, he scored on a 47-yard run after Arenas returned the opening kickoff into WCU territory.
Bama appears to be controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Chris Nickson has been under pressure for most of his attempts, and that doesn’t bode well for the second half.
Still, Vandy has stayed close, and they’ve got enough athletes to make big plays.

Countdown to Tide kickoff

Ken Rogers

We’re 25 minutes away from kickoff and there is more red in the stands at Vanderbilt Stadium than gold or black.
Maybe Tide fans just wanted to take their seats early, or watch the early groups warm up. Either way, Tide Nation is here in force.
It’s kind of appropriate, actually, but rare: Vanderbilt is wearing road white jerseys and Bama will play in its home crimson today. Haven’t heard an explanation, other than Vandy made a special request. Usually, the Commodores wear gold or black jerseys at home. Don’t recall them wearing white at home.

Tide secondary must stay on the same page

September 05, 2007

Ken Rogers

Want to know what really sets Nick Saban off? What inspires a real — as he calls it — “eruption?”
It’s communication — or lack of it on the football field. Alabama free safety Rashad Johnson earned praise for keeping the Crimson Tide secondary in sync throughout most of last week’s season-opening victory over Western Carolina.
But the stakes — and the opponent — increase dramatically when the Tide opens SEC play against Vanderbilt in Nashville.
Keeping the Tide secondary on the same page against the pass-run option style of quarterback Chris Nickson will be a huge challenge. Whether it’s a series of hand signals or just screaming at each other, Johnson’s job won’t be any easier.
Saban says there are no excuses, either.
“If you talk to the defensive players and ask them what really makes coach Saban mad, the answer to that was to ever say that you didn’t get the call,” said Saban, who personally coaches secondary personnel. “That’s like ... an eruption. ‘I didn’t’ get the call.’ How could line up if you didn’t get the call? Somebody’s making the call, so that means you’re not listening for it, didn’t hear it. You can always say, ‘Excuse me? What’d you say? Give me the call.’ But don’t tell me you didn’t get it. You’re responsible to get it. So I’m really adamant about communication, because when you don’t have it you have busts.”
Vanderbilt is good enough, particularly with Nickson throwing to Earl Bennett, to break big plays on its own. Saban just doesn’t want the Tide secondary helping out.
Alabama players have gotten that message. Johnson visibly winces when asked if he ever says he didn’t get the call.
“If a guy doesn’t get the call, it might be better if he says, ‘I messed up,’ instead of ‘I didn’t get the call,’” Johnson said, a smile replacing the grimace. “Right then, he’s throwing another guy under the bus. If they didn’t get the call, guys pretty much know now to say, ‘I just messed up’ instead of ‘I didn’t get the call.’”
Simeon Castille didn’t have to learn that lesson first-hand.
“I don’t try that excuse. That doesn’t fly with him at all,” Castille said, referring to the head coach. “That’s why I try to learn the calls and try to get them myself, so I don’t have to ask anybody else.”
Vanderbilt could borrow a page from Western Carolina’s no-huddle attack, which had what little success it enjoyed when it quick-snapped the ball.
“It was kind of hard for us last Saturday because they were taking a long time before showing us what personnel were going to be in,” Castille said. “That slowed us before we went into nickel or dime. Then sometimes they were quick-snapping it.”
Johnson said it was more difficult early in the game.
“It was tough. You had to get the signals and the crowd was very loud,” Johnson said of the opener. “We’re kind of defense that makes checks off the offense. Lot of verbal communication. It was tough at the beginning, but we all relaxed and got better at it. At first it was a lot of yelling. Hand signals went out the window with all the nerves. But as the game went on it got easier.”
Castille said using hand signals may be easier on the road.
“I would prefer it,” the senior cornerback said. “When that crowd starts yelling you can’t hear nothing. So hand signals would be easier. It’ll get easier. We’ll practice it more and everybody will be more familiar with the calls, instead of having to ask, ‘What’s the play, what’s the play?’”

Risk on Chapman not worth the reward

September 01, 2007

Ken Rogers

This coulda, woulda, shoulda been an opportunity for Alabama coaches to evaluate all of ithe Tide’s defensive linemen.
With first-teamer Brian Motley lost with a broken ankle at a position already thin and inexperienced, every defensive lineman was preening for a chance to play.
But Nick Saban couldn’t take a chance on Josh Chapman, the prized freshman from Hoover.
Chapman’s academics were called into question by an investigation into Hoover High School. Allegations of grade changing called several transcripts, including Chapman’s, into question.
As of Friday, Alabama did not confirmation that Chapman was approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse. The coach said he likely wouldn’t play.
“First of all, I don’t think anybody should know anything about Josh Chapman’s academics,” Saban said. “That’s a violation of a kid’s rights, and it’s a shame that anybody ever got that out That’s no. 1.
“No. 2, I’m going to talk to Josh Chapman, probably (Friday), and then make a decision relative to the information that we have as to what is the prudent way for us to move forward relative to Josh Chapman.”
Saban said the frustrating thing is, “He really didn’t do anything wrong. We really didn’t do anything wrong.”
Clearly, the problem is at Hoover, which has had more than its share in the offseason.
“This is an internal situation at their school. It all goes to the clearinghouse and we get that information,” Saban said. “The thing about it is, there are other options for guys to qualify that he didn’t have the opportunity to take advantage of because of an error. Somebody’s error.”
The risk of playing Chapman may not be worth the reward against WCU.
“If there is potential for the guy to be ineligible, which we need to get information from several sources on, then the prudent thing for us to do is maybe not play him in this game,” Saban said. “But that decision has not been made. We haven’t got all the information. But we’re going to do the most prudent thing relative to what’s best for our team, without penalizing the young man.”
Saban is a man who loves options. Taking Josh Chapman out of the mix takes one of those options away.
It shouldn’t matter against Western Carolina.
But I bet it matters to Chapman, who would love to play tonight.

Risk on Chapman not worth the reward

Ken Rogers

This coulda, woulda, shoulda been an opportunity for Alabama coaches to evaluate all of ithe Tide’s defensive linemen.
With first-teamer Brian Motley lost with a broken ankle at a position already thin and inexperienced, every defensive lineman was preening for a chance to play.
But Nick Saban couldn’t take a chance on Josh Chapman, the prized freshman from Hoover.
Chapman’s academics were called into question by an investigation into Hoover High School. Allegations of grade changing called several transcripts, including Chapman’s, into question.
As of Friday, Alabama did not confirmation that Chapman was approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse. The coach said he likely wouldn’t play.
“First of all, I don’t think anybody should know anything about Josh Chapman’s academics,” Saban said. “That’s a violation of a kid’s rights, and it’s a shame that anybody ever got that out That’s no. 1.
“No. 2, I’m going to talk to Josh Chapman, probably (Friday), and then make a decision relative to the information that we have as to what is the prudent way for us to move forward relative to Josh Chapman.”
Saban said the frustrating thing is, “He really didn’t do anything wrong. We really didn’t do anything wrong.”
Clearly, the problem is at Hoover, which has had more than its share in the offseason.
“This is an internal situation at their school. It all goes to the clearinghouse and we get that information,” Saban said. “The thing about it is, there are other options for guys to qualify that he didn’t have the opportunity to take advantage of because of an error. Somebody’s error.”
The risk of playing Chapman may not be worth the reward against WCU.
“If there is potential for the guy to be ineligible, which we need to get information from several sources on, then the prudent thing for us to do is maybe not play him in this game,” Saban said. “But that decision has not been made. We haven’t got all the information. But we’re going to do the most prudent thing relative to what’s best for our team, without penalizing the young man.”
Saban is a man who loves options. Taking Josh Chapman out of the mix takes one of those options away.
It shouldn’t matter against Western Carolina.
But I bet it matters to Chapman, who would love to play tonight.