Freshman RB Ingram bids for spot in Tide’s rotation
Ken Rogers
I’m writing about Alabama’s running backs for Saturday’s Eagle.
I get that the scrimmages traditionally are geared around the passing game—particularly with a new offense like Jim McElwain’s.
But the numbers weren’t particularly good from last Saturday’s final scrimmage. The top four running backs combined for 95 yards on 28 carries and no touchdowns. Not horrible, but not dominant.
Still, Nick Saban seems very comfortable with the offensive line and a running back-by-committee system that always keeps fresh legs in the game.
Glen Coffee, Terry Grant and Roy Upchurch, whose name hasn’t come up much in camp, will be joined by true freshman Mark Ingram, a 5-10, 215-pounder from Flint, Mich.
He was a late signee to the touted freshman class and he’s gotten raves from teammates.
Saban is typically a bit more reserved, but said he does a lot of things very well—including work hard.
The coach also talked about recruiting him. Ingram’s dad, Mark Sr., went to Michigan State while Saban worked as an assistant there. They’ve stayed in touch. Saban laughed recalling his home visit with the Ingrams.
“I’ve known his family since his dad was a senior in high school and we recruited him to Michigan State,” Saban said. “That was when I was an assistant — Charlie Baggett actually recruited him since he was from Flint. Of course, that’s where Mark (Jr.) is from, too. When I was on the home visit, Mark Sr.’s wife — because I was in charge of academics and all that stuff (at Michigan State) — she says ’So you’re the guy who used to call me all the time looking for Mark to make sure he went to class.’ I said, ’Yes ma’am, it’s nice to meet you after all these years.’ So I’ve known them for a while.“
Posted by Ken Rogers on 08/22 at 03:47 PM
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Wouldn’t Lightning Bolt be something on the gridiron?
Ken Rogers
It’s a very small window that Nick Saban can enjoy the Olympics, but he’s all for getting Usain Bolt on the football field.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a human being run as fast—and as easily—as he is,” Saban noted of the 6-foot-5 100- and 200-meter sprint champion from Jamaica during his press conference after Tuesday’s practice.
“There have been numerous guys who have been really good track guys become some kind of football players, especially at the wide receiver position,” Saban said. “That’s really got to be something that they want to do and have a passion for and want to try to do, That great speed can be an asset as football players.”
Saban admitted not being able to see as much of the Games as he’d like.
“I don’t see the Olympics until, most of the time, after 10. and I usually can’t stay up in my chair after 11. so there’s a short window,” he said.
“But, I do like the women’s gymnastics. And I really root for our two fine competitors that we have who’ve done a really good job,” he noted, referencing Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson.
Posted by Ken Rogers on 08/20 at 04:58 PM
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AP ranking Alabama 24th in preseason poll
Ken Rogers
Not sure what to make of Alabama’s No. 24 preseason ranking by the Associated Press.
My initial reaction was surprise that the Tide was ranked at all.
Then,
Posted by Ken Rogers on 08/16 at 06:28 PM
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Saban: Injury-free camp a combination of preparation, luck
Ken Rogers
TUSCALOOSA—Alabama coach Nick Saban talked about the conditioning drills, the limited contact in practice and his team’s improved strength.
All of those are factors in a comparably injury-free training camp.
But the coach said luck plays a role, too.
“I think sometimes in sports, you just get lucky,” the coach said Thursday after practice. “We try to practice safe. The fact that our players did a nice job in the offseason program, all the way back to offseason conditioning drills before the spring. We’re a lot stronger, we’re more physical. We had a great summer this summer. All the players were here and worked out every day.
“I think the level of conditioning can help that to some degree. I think strength — one of the the things you try to do in the weight room is put yourself in a position to where you can eliminate some injuries.
“But there’s also a certain amount of luck that goes along with guys not getting injured in practice. We try to practice safe, we try to stay off the ground. We try to play fast, get off blocks, thud people, but we try to stay off the ground. We don’t do some things in practice like cut (block), hopefully to keep guys off the ground. Most of the injuries we’ve had here in practice have come because of things that were done outside of the rules relative to how we want to practice. I think two guys last year were injured in practice and both of them were because a guy got cut and a guy got dragged down from behind, and that’s not how we want to do it. I don’t know if you can attribute it to it, but those are some of the things that we try to do eliminate (injuries).”
Posted by Ken Rogers on 08/14 at 07:35 PM
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Moore mum about future football game against Troy
Ken Rogers
Alabama athletics director Mal Moore has been around long enough to know how not to answer a question.
I talked to coach Moore Tuesday night before the Dale County Chapter of the university’s alumni association meeting in Ozark.
I noted that the Crimson Tide played La.-Monroe last year and faces Arkansas State this season. Since we were in the Wiregrass, I asked him why not Troy — and if Troy would ever be on Alabama’s schedule.
That’s when the former quarterback showed he can still be elusive.
“Well, our schedules are kind of ... we wait and see how the SEC aligns each game and then decide how we’re going to pick those teams,” he said.
“So we’re ... I think we’re set for 09 and pretty close to set for 10.”
He disclosed the Virginia Tech game, which has looked on and off at different times the past month, is probably on again.
“That’s very close to happening,” he said. “Some things have kind of happened here in the last week that maybe can make that happen.”
I tried to go back for a Troy comment, adding I mentioned them because of the other Sun Belt opponents on the schedule.
“Yeah,” he nodded.
That’s it. No acknowledgement about playing the Trojans.
Nick Saban has a history of playing in-state opponents in the past. When he was at Michigan State, he scheduled Central, Eastern and Western Michigan.
He played Tulane annually at LSU, as well as add one of the other state schools like Lafayette, Monroe and Louisiana Tech.
But Monroe’s victory over Alabama likely made a matchup against Troy more difficult to sell.
A loss to Monroe, while shocking and embarrassing, fades like a badly blackened eye. An in-state loss to Troy, which beat Monroe 24-7 last season, wouldn’t fade. It would leave scars.
Posted by Ken Rogers on 08/12 at 09:04 PM
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