Sophomore linebacker Dont’a Hightower learned on Sunday that his season would be ending prematurely, as he was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his left knee that requires season-ending surgery.
Rolando McClain, the other half of Alabama’s star linebacking corps, formed a duo that was regarded as one of the best linebacking duos in the country. The two LBs became an integral cog of Alabama’s #2 rated defense.
“He’s not just my teammate, he’s like a little brother to me,” McClain said on Monday. “We’ve been like that since he got here. When he went out, it was like a part of me went out.”
Head coach Nick Saban does have a fair share of linebackers on the roster who can replace Hightower, including sophomore Jerrell Harris, who is eligible to return from an NCAA suspension when the Crimson Tide face off against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
“The players that are here now, even though our thoughts and prayers are with him, we can’t respond to the loss,” Saban said. “We’ve got to respond to the new situation and challenges that we have and the opportunity that it creates for somebody else to go in and take advantage of reacting to what has happened. We need to redefine who we are individually and collectively so that we can get that done.”
“I don’t think we’re going to miss a step because coach Saban is going to put the guy at his spot that best fits that position,” McClain said. “I have confidence in the defense. One guy doesn’t make a defense, and I don’t think this is going to break us. I think everybody around him, around me, is just going to have to step it up.”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 5:49 pm by bryan
Saturday’s matchup between No. 4 Alabama was suspenseful for about two minutes. That’s how long it took for Crimson Tide quarterback Greg McElroy to lose a fumble and for the defense to get the ball back.
After that, it was business as usual.
McElroy went 13 of 15 for 176 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, three running backs ran for over 75 yards, and the defense was overwhelming as Alabama blasted visiting North Texas 53-7.
The Crimson Tide scored 44 unanswered points in the contest, and didn’t seem to miss star wideout Julio Jones one bit. Next week might be a different story with SEC foe Arkansas coming to town, but Alabama might be even better this season than it was last year in year 3 under head coach Nick Saban.
Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 10:42 pm by Raj Sethi
The Alabama Crimson Tide dominated the first half against the Virginia Tech Hokies yet somehow went into the locker room trailing, 17-16.
Head coach Nick Saban clearly wasn’t pleased with some costly penalties and a coverage breakdown that led to a big play, but it seemed apparent that Alabama had things under control.
Things got a little worrisome after neither team managed to put any points on the scoreboard in the third quarter, but Alabama exploded for 18 in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
Saban said afterward that he actually felt that his team played much better than the score indicated, but that all of the stupid penalties and mistakes almost cost the Tide dearly.
The team certainly felt at home in what was supposed to be a neutral field with the game being played in the Georgia Dome. While many Hokies fans made the trip down South, the stadium was filled to the brim with rabid Alabama faithful.
Sunday, September 6, 2009 at 8:45 am by steve
Alabama football coach Nick Saban awaits word from the NCAA about receiver Julio Jones and tailback Mark Ingram, after the two took a fishing trip with Athens businessman Curtis Anderson.
“I think that is up to the NCAA,” Saban said Wednesday. “I don’t think it’s my decision to do anything. We are hoping for a response and we want to do what we need to do to do things the right way, from a program standpoint and for the players’ best interest.”
Alabama self-investigated the matter and found that neither player committed an NCAA infraction by taking the fishing trip with Anderson, who the school described as “a friend” of Jones and Ingram’s.
“I think the institution has handled the situation with tremendous professional integrity and we’re hopeful that we’ll have some kind of resolution to this situation in the short term,” Saban said.
Jones found his way onto the All-SEC team as the best playmaking receiver for the Tide; Ingram hopes to replace departed All-SEC tailback Glen Coffee, after Coffee left the Tide for the San Francisco 49ers this season.
Saban most likely ruled out defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick, who was shot in the arm during an attempted robbery earlier this week.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 10:08 pm by bryan
Senior defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick was shot in the arm during an apparent robbery attempt and was hospitalized on Tuesday, however; the injury was not life threatening and Deaderick was expected to be released within the day.
Police Chief Steve Anderson reported to the Tuscaloosa News that Deaderick suffered the gunshot wound to his forearm. Brad Fisher, a spokesman for DCH Regional Medical Center, announced that the bullet missed vital areas.
Deaderick was in an off-campus apartment parking lot around 10 p.m. on Monday when a man approached him, wearing dark clothes, a dark cap and a blue bandana over his face. The man pointed a gun at Deaderick and ordered him to “give it up.” When Deaderick refused, the man fired the gun, striking Deaderick in the forearm.
Deaderick started all 14 games for the Crimson Tide last season, making 36 tackles and four sacks.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 8:24 pm by bryan
