We told you we were going to milk this bastard. For Carolina fans — try a 10-win season, you might like it. For Clemson fans — try getting into the national championship hunt in an era when white belts weren’t in style. In the words of the best of the Southeastern Conference (winners of the last four national championships), “Don’t worry. We got this.”
It had been 17 years. The fan base was hungry. The players were hungry. Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram was hungry. It had to happen. Alabama beat Texas 37-21 to win the national championship.
Sure, the haters were out. It was expected. But they weren’t on the field. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy couldn’t handle a tough, physical defense and had his shoulder injured early. Too bad for him. He plays in a weak conference against weak defenses. When you play against the Southeastern Conference, you have to show up to do battle, son.
Ingram had to check out, too, with cramps. Thing is, his replacement, freshman Trent Richardson, would start for most teams in the country. At halftime, it looked like a walk. 24-6 Alabama. But the Longhorns didn’t quit. They played hard, and cut the lead to three. Wide receiver Jordan Shipley played out of his mind.
Regardless, never discount the Crimson Tide defense. Huffman High School graduate Marcell Dareus, a mid-season replacement, intercepted a pass by the Texas backup to score late in the first half. The big win was solidified when a hit came from Eryk Anders and Bama recovered the ball inside the 10-yard-line, followed by a touchdown run by Richardson.
It’s been a rough few years. Certainly, 1994 and 1996 had Alabama in the mix to win it all, but it didn’t happen. Then came the long, dark tea time of the Tide. Sure, there were decent teams, but none legitimately challenged for the national title.
Then there was 2009. The 13th national championship for Alabama. Feels good.
With the departure of Mike Leach from the coaching job at Texas Tech, there’s rampant speculation at where he could end up. After all, he did become the most successful coach in the history of Red Raider football, and his unorthodox offense revolutionized the Big XII into one of the most pass-happy leagues in college football. However, many teams looking for a new skipper have already locked down their replacements.
There is one school that could be in need of a new coach very soon — Kentucky. Following the Wildcats’ loss in the Music City Bowl to Clemson, coach Rich Brooks said he was 80 percent sure that he would not return for next season, though he’s taking a week to think about it. That would provide an opening at another BCS conference school for Leach, and the mid-level expectations would be on par for what he encountered upon taking over the job in Lubbock.
The Cap’n isn’t a stranger to Lexington, either. As offensive coordinator under Hal Mumme, Leach brought his inventive style to the Southeastern Conference and helped make Tim Couch an NFL first-rounder. The 1998 season, which ended in a trip to the Outback Bowl, gave Kentucky its first winning season since 1989.
Whether Kentucky is willing to take the risk of PR fallout, and the potential headaches for the administration, of hiring Leach, is unknown. Also, the buccaneer might not be interested. He’s a strange cat. But watching that guy swing his sword in the SEC East would be a lot of fun.
UPDATE: And, after being apprised of what we’d forgotten — Joker Phillips being named head-coach-in-waiting at UK — that effectively rules out Leach there. Still, he is a swashbuckler. We wouldn’t put it past him.
Texas Tech coach Mike Leach is well-known for his strange obsession in piracy. And, not the Somali version, but the 17th-and-18th century type of buccaneer that would sail the high seas. This became known to the national college football universe when The New York Times‘ Michael Lewis wrote,
As his team raced onto the field, he gazed into the stands filled with screaming fans and wondered about the several thousand “cadets” from Texas A.&M. clustered in one end zone. They wear military uniforms and buzz cuts, holler in unison and stand at attention the entire game. “How come they get to pretend they are soldiers?” he asked. “The thing is, they aren’t actually in the military. I ought to have Mike’s Pirate School. The freshmen, all they get is the bandanna. When you’re a senior, you get the sword and skull and crossbones. For homework, we’ll work pirate maneuvers and stuff like that.”
And so, it’s been known that the man who has been “Cap’n” on the Red Raiders’ program since 2000 has been a rather quirky fellow. But with a gentlemen with a jib cut thus, it was only a matter of time until some other swashbuckler came for his head. This certain privateer is known as Craig James, a guy who was a running back for SMU during its days as the worst rules offender in the history of college football, before he became a TV talking head. See, his son is on the Tech squad. Leach obviously forgot one lesson — don’t mess with a C-list sports celebrity’s kid.
The school said in a release Monday defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill will be the interim coach and lead the team in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2 against Michigan State. McNeill will remain in charge of the team until the investigation is complete.
The player, Adam James, is a redshirt sophomore wide receiver for the Red Raiders and the son of ESPN college football analyst Craig James.
A source close to the family told ESPN’s Joe Schad that James sustained a concussion on Dec. 16, was examined on Dec. 17 and told not to practice due to a concussion and an elevated heart rate. The source said Leach called a trainer and directed him to move James “to the darkest place, to clean out the equipment and to make sure that he could not sit or lean. He was confined for three hours.”
According to the source, Leach told the trainer, two days later, to “put [James] in the darkest, tightest spot. It was in an electrical closet, again, with a guard posted outside.”
An attorney for Leach said that while James was secluded twice, the circumstances were not as portrayed in that account.
Ted Liggett, Leach’s attorney, said James “was placed in an equipment room as it was much cooler and darker” than the practice field “after a doctor had examined him and returned him to the field.”
Was it a coach making an unusual decision to help his player, or an ego-driven dad flipping out? We should find out in January, when it’s determined if Leach will be able to man the helm or walk the plank.
Bart Starr. Joe Namath. Kenny Stabler. Lee Roy Jordan. Cornelius Bennett. Derrick Thomas. David Palmer. Shaun Alexander. None of these heroes of Alabama football won the Heisman Trophy. For a program that has 12 national championships and 22 Southeastern Conference titles, the other major accomplishment in college football was something that had been lacking from the Tide trophy case for years. No longer.
Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram added one of the more incredible accomplishments of the team this year, becoming Bama’s first-ever Heisman winner, and the third consecutive sophomore to take home the award. The win was the closest in the history of the award, 75-Heismans deep. For the first time in years, stiffarmtrophy.com got the final lineup wrong. It had Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in third, ahead of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, but in fact the two flipped positions in the final results.
1. MARK INGRAM, RUNNING BACK, ALABAMA
Votes: 1,304 (227)
2. TOBY GERHART, RUNNING BACK, STANFORD
Votes: 1,276 (222)
3. COLT MCCOY, QUARTERBACK, TEXAS
Votes: 1,145 (203)
4. NDAMUKONG SUH, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, NEBRASKA
Votes: 815 (161)
5. TIM TEBOW, QUARTERBACK, FLORIDA
Votes: 390 (43)
Perhaps the most memorable part of the ceremony was Ingram totally losing it when he went on the dais, having to take a few seconds to compose himself. It was only about a minute or two into the acceptance speech that the 2009 winner was able to get himself together enough to roll through the rest of his thank-yous.
“I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” Ingram said at the podium. “I’m just so excited to bring Alabama their first Heisman winner.” Afterward, the super sophomore told the assembled media, “I was overwhelmed, really excited, just the fact that I’m the first Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Alabama and doing this for my family. It hasn’t been easy for us.”
Alabama football is an emotional endeavor, so most of us who slagged on Tebow for crying during the SEC Championship Game gave Ingram a pass. Double standards are the spice of life in sports.
This season, Ingram put up 1,542 rushing yards on 249 attempts for 6.2 yards-per-carry and 15 touchdowns, despite being extremely limited in action against the patsies of the Tide schedule. He also has 30 receptions for 322 yards, for 10.7 yards-per-catch and three touchdowns.
Ingram wins
Ingram’s interview with ESPN’s Chris Fowler
There’s only one step left: beating Texas in Pasadena in the BCS National Championship Game. If Alabama can do that, and there is significant thought to believe that it’s possible, 2009 could go down as one of the greatest years in the 117-year history of Crimson Tide football.
This week, the University of Alabama announced it was canceling classes between Jan. 6 and Jan. 8 for the BCS National Championship Game between the Crimson Tide and Texas. For the kids in public school in Tuscaloosa County, they don’t get the same consideration. It was announced today that the local school district will be operating as usual.
“We are thrilled and excited that one of our partners [the University of Alabama] has made it to a national level, but that does not affect a K through 12 institution,” Joyce Levey, superintendent of the city school system, said during a work session.
Levey said 37 of the system’s faculty and staff members asked her to cancel school for the football game on Jan. 7, which is the first day that students return to school from Christmas break.
The request was considered and placed on the school board meeting’s agenda, but the board rejected the request.
For shame! But, the game is at night, so there’s that. When we were in fifth grade in North Carolina, they wheeled a TV into the classroom so the ACC basketball tournament could be in the background while we went about our normal business. And in seventh grade when most major bowl games were played on Jan. 2, we got to have the games playing in the background all day. Maybe some T-Town teachers will do the same.
Regardless, we feel for you, Tuscaloosa County students. Of course, you just could get a sick note and stay home. Who can concentrate on class when your favorite team is playing for all the marbles?
You could see this coming from a mile away. Members of the University of Alabama faculty senate have expressed their displeasure at the university canceling classes from Jan. 6-Jan. 8 for the BCS National Championship Game, when the No. 1 Crimson Tide faces off against No. 2 Texas for the football program’s 13th national title. Fucking academics.
The group passed a motion Tuesday stating that members were “profoundly disappointed” in the university’s decision to cancel classes for a football game. Professor John Vincent said the situation is a “true embarrassment” for the university because it sacrifices 95 percent of students for the 5 percent who will be at the game.
Waah. Don’t they know that a profound amount of students go to Tuscaloosa just because of football? And furthermore, don’t they realize that the tuition these kids pay goes directly to their salaries? At least not everyone is getting their white-columned panties in a bunch. The senate president and vice president both came out in favor of the cancellation.
Maybe they got to see this video before making their positions known.
If it weren’t for football, Alabama would just be a public school version of Samford. And nobody wants that. Except Auburn. And Tennessee. And Florida. And LSU….
Monday, Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody missed out on winning the national award for the best lineman in college football. Instead, that trophy went to Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. He won the award despite being a part of a middling Big XII team that surprised Texas in the conference championship game.
“There have been greats that won this. They have all their posters around the hotel,” Suh said to the Associated Press. “It’s a very well-known trophy and it’s really the Heisman of the defensive players.”
Less than a week from the chance that Alabama running back Mark Ingram could take home the Crimson Tide’s first Heisman Trophy, two other people in crimson claimed high-level awards. One was defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, who snagged the national assistant coach of the year award, named after Frank Broyles.
Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart won the Frank Broyles Award today at a banquet in Arkansas.
The Broyles Award goes to the top assistant coach in college football.
Other finalists were: Defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas of TCU, offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin of Boise State, offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn of Cincinnati and defensive coordinator Charlie Strong of Florida.
The biggest trick now for Alabama could be finding enough cash to keep Smart in town for another season. The 33-year-old coach is being courted for positions on other coaching staffs, including his alma mater of Georgia.
As far as players go, linebacker Rolando McClain won the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. In a surprising play, the award’s namesake Dick Butkus showed up to Tuscaloosa to give the award to McClain.
We started a campaign called “I play clean.” We’re trying to eradicate the use of steroid use at the high school level, and really the Butkus Award is a vehicle to get that message across.
To which McClain added:
When I first got here I was just an 18-year-old kid running around, trying to learn a system. But thanks to [Coach Saban] and a lot of hard work from other coaches, I guess I turned out to be a pretty good linebacker. It means a lot to me, but it’s bigger than me, it’s for my team. Without them, I don’t think I would even get this award.
That’s not all, when it it comes to Alabama. There’s yet another cover from Sports Illustrated.
There are 34 bowl games this year, and we’re picking every damn one of them (probably with 60-70 percent success). You can follow the progress or join up and do battle with us through ESPN College Bowl Mania. We’re in “The League” and “The War Against Tebow.” TWAT (jokes!) is the brainchild of decamped S.C. blogger and good time Johnny, Micah Snead, so go there. But beware — Snead’s dad is a total ringer and will probably take the title by 20 points.
Dec. 19, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Fresno State v. Wyoming
Dec. 19, 8 p.m., ESPN
Central Florida v. Rutgers
Dec. 20, 8:30 a.m., ESPN
Southern Miss v. Middle Tennessee State
Dec. 22, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 18 Oregon State v. No. 14 BYU
Dec. 23, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 23 Utah v. California
Dec. 24, 8 p.m., ESPN
Nevada v. Southern Methodist
Dec. 26, 1 p.m., ESPN
Marshall v. Ohio
Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 17 Pitt v. North Carolina
Dec. 26, 8 p.m., ESPN
Boston College v. No. 24 Southern Cal
Dec. 27, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Kentucky v. Clemson
Dec. 28, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Texas A&M v. Georgia
Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
UCLA v. Temple
Dec. 29, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 15 Miami v. No. 25 Wisconsin
Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Bowling Green v. Idaho
Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 20 Arizona v. No. 22 Nebraska
Dec. 31, Noon, ESPN
Houston v. Air Force
Dec. 31, 2 p.m., CBS
Oklahoma v. No. 21 Stanford
Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Navy v. Missouri
Dec. 31, 6 p.m., NFL Network
Minnesota v. Iowa State
Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 11 Virginia Tech v. Tennessee
Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN
Northwestern v. Auburn
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., CBS
No. 16 West Virginia v. Florida State
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ESPN
No. 13 Penn State v. No. 12 LSU
Jan. 1, 4:30 p.m., ABC
No. 8 Ohio State v. No. 7 Oregon
Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m., Fox
No. 5 Florida v. No. 3 Cincinnati
Jan. 2, Noon, ESPN2
South Florida v. Northern Illinois
Jan. 2, 2 p.m., ESPN
South Carolina v. Connecticut
Jan. 2, 2 p.m., Fox
No. 19 Oklahoma State v. Ole Miss
Jan. 2, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Arkansas v. East Carolina
Jan. 2, 9 p.m., ESPN
Michigan State v. Texas Tech
Jan. 4, 8 p.m., Fox
No. 6 Boise State v. No. 4 TCU
Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Fox
No. 10 Iowa v. No. 9 Georgia Tech
Jan. 6, 7 p.m., Fox
No. 25 Central Michigan v. Troy
Jan. 7, 8 p.m., ABC
No. 2 Texas v. No. 1 Alabama
Here we go. With the conference championship games over, and only Army-Navy left on Dec. 12, bowl bids are going out hot and heavy. There are some things that were expected, some surprises and — oh man — Clemson totally got jobbed.
BCS National Championship Game
No. 1 Alabama v. No. 2 Texas
Sugar Bowl
No. 5 Florida v. No. 3 Cincinnati
Capital One Bowl
No. 12 LSU v. No. 13 Penn State
Cotton Bowl
Ole Miss v. No. 19 Oklahoma State
Outback Bowl
Auburn v. Northwestern
Chick-fil-A Bowl
Tennessee v. No. 11 Virginia Tech
Music City Bowl
Kentucky v. Clemson
Liberty Bowl
Arkansas v. East Carolina
Independence Bowl
Georgia v. Texas A&M
Papajohns.com Bowl
South Carolina v. Connecticut
Definitely some interesting matchups — Georgia and Texas A&M are a couple big name teams for a small bowl, so that should be good. In other bowls, the Gator Bowl gave a big, wet, sloppy kiss to Bobby Bowden by inviting Florida State and West Virginia. Travesty. Though it was technically OK, Miami and Boston College were higher up in the selection order in the ACC. Southern Cal, the over-hyped 8-4 team, is going to play the Eagles in the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco.
Ooh! There are other BCS games?
Fiesta Bowl
No. 6 Boise State v. No. 4 TCU
Rose Bowl
No. 7 Oregon v. No. 8 Ohio State
Orange Bowl
No. 9 Georgia Tech v. No. 10 Iowa
