I really look forward to seeing how the two "starting" quarterbacks, Philip Sims and AJ McCarron, react to game time situations for Alabama. Depending on how they perform in a real live game, the top performer could walk away with a starting position as the season wears on.

Coach Saban said on Alabama's statewide radio show "Hey Coach" Thursday night, "I hate to say it publicly, but it is a bit of an audition." So therefore the gauntlet has been laid down by the boss in T-town. However he did go on to say that if there is no separation in the quality of play that he has no problem in playing both players throughout the season.

My guess is that the job isn't one that will be won, however it will be one that would be "lost"by the player that is making the most mistakes. I'm hoping that both play so well that Alabama can rotate them both in games throughout the year. If that is the case, then they are both performing at a high level and not making mistakes (which is good!)

How Will the Defensive Line Perform?

The defensive line did not perform last year as it had in the previous year with Mount Cody at the helm, however Alabama brought in a new defensive line coach Chris Rumph from Clemson. There is a new attitude in the defensive line that should translate on game day. Rumph has been training the defensive line on how to be disciplined in the running game also being more aggressive in the pass rush. When things that he's doing this to show them how to use their hands more effectively to shed the blocker.

Look for better performance by the defensive line, however keep in mind that Kent State is a much smaller opponent. Look for Bama to push them around pretty easily. Penn State will be the first glance at real competition blocking our defensive line. How well they pressure the quarterback will make the secondary's job much easier in coverage. Also look for more linebackers participating on the pass rush for Alabama, especially Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower.

Newcomers to Keep an Eye on?

One of the newcomers that will be equally interesting to see and live action will be the big man himself, freshman five-star recruit Cyrus Kouandjio. The 6-foot-6, 322-pound offensive tackle prodigy is already listed as backup left tackle as a true freshman. Do you know how hard that is in the SEC conference? He's a big guy but talking to the other players, it's not just size that makes him such an effective player. It's his work ethic. He really wants to learn the system at Alabama and become a great player.

He's a really special player," said senior center William Vlachos. "Sometimes he looks like Orlando Pace out there at left tackle. Other times he looks like a freshman, as he should. I continue to bring him along...."

Speaking about Cyrus Kouandjio, starting TE Michael Williams said he was a "Bell cow." Williams went on to say about the freshman offensive tackle, "You don't see too many freshmen come in like that. Great feet. Great agility. You don't see too many 6-7, 320-pound men being able to move the way he does. He basically looks like me as a tackle, but he weighs 300. There's a lot of power built up in there somewhere."

At wide receiver, it will be interesting to see how redshirt freshman DeAndrew White does as a starting wide receiver. Coach Saban has been especially effluent with praise toward the young wide receiver in the preseason press conferences. Also keep an eye out to see if #8 Duron Carter has a chance to see playing time after joining the team late into fall practice. From seeing him practice, he is showing a lot of potential for helping replace Julio Jones as a big wide receiver this year.

Who Will Be the Most Exciting Player This Year?

I really think it will be a close race between Courtney Upshaw and Trent Richardson, however I think that Trent Richardson will have a breakout year in which he will win the Heisman Trophy. On offense, TR will be everywhere from the wildcat possibly even splitting out as a wide receiver, however he will primarily be used always to punish defenses with his slashing speed and upper body strength.

Conclusions to Be Drawn from Tomorrow's Game?

I don't believe the quarterback race will be determined by tomorrow's game because both players will play so well. The defensive line will most likely not be blocked very well, but we should see how well the defensive pass rush improves. The new wide receivers will be interesting to see and TR will be TR.

Its obviously a first game against a cupcake team, but keep an eye on these things to determine how well Alabama's team is gelling for a national title run.

ROLL TIDE!

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Will Muschamp, Florida's new head coach, is on the lookout for assistant coaches. One of the other coaches on Alabama staff that may possibly be courted by Muschamp is Alabama's defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. Those rumors have not been confirmed but are being reported by www.TideSports.com

Bo Davis has a history with Will Muschamp. He coached with Will Muschamp at LSU as a strength and conditioning coach.

But Davis coached All-Americans Terrence Cody and Marcel Darius, however the defensive line play has come under fire in the last year for its lack of a pass rush.

Is it all true? We don't know yet. I would not doubt it at all it if Will Muschamp is looking at the Alabama staff to help build up his cupboard. Alabama staff is very good at recruiting and training young men to be top-notch football players.

If Bo Davis leaves, I don't know whether or not to be happy or sad about the situation. It seems right now that Alabama is in a funk in the pass rushing game. A new defensive line coach with some fire in his belly may be just what we need.

The defensive line seemed to be a major disappointment all year long. However, when you consider that Marcel Darius was hurt and we no longer had Mount Cody (big shoes to fill nevertheless)... it is understandable that there could've been a let-down easy. Also, when you lose a position coach, he can sometimes impact recruiting relationships.

With all the targets being placed on several of the Alabama coaching staff from Jim McElwain, Kirby Smart, Sal Sunseri, and now Bo Davis... you can most likely expect Coach Nick Saban to be shopping around for at least one assistant coach in the next few weeks or months prior to spring practice.

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This week, the Crimson Tide is 8th in the first released BCS standings of the year. Also, it is seemingly in a lowly 3rd position in the SEC West standings; however keep in mind that Alabama still controls its fate. Win out, and Alabama will march like Sherman to Atlanta.

Alabama fans are cautiously optimistic of Alabama's chances after a "ho-hum" type of 23-10 victory over Ole Miss on Saturday. Also, don't forget that this isn't missed by the players at Alabama, and of course Nick Saban. There is definitely room for improvement on both sides of the ball. Sure, McElroy passed effectively on Ole Miss 17-for-25 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. But when you look closer, 85 yards was in one play to Trent Richardson. Alabama must get better.

Alabama's next shot to prove themselves worthy of the SEC & national championship rings comes on Saturday night, when they take on their hated rival, Tennessee, in what is sure to be a wild atmosphere in Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee is down this year with only a 2-4 record, but they are definitely not a push-over. Tennessee led LSU at the end of the game, only to lose a close fought game to the hands of the mad hatter himself, Les Miles. Knocking Alabama down a peg in the BCS would cause the goalposts to fall in Knoxville.

Tennessee was even a tough game last year when Bama took home the national championship. It took two blocked kicks by Mount Cody to preserve the victory over the volunteers.

If Alabama can win-out, the road to Atlanta will be one that could lead to Glendale, Arizona. However Alabama could still use some help. They need Oregon and/or Oklahoma to lose a game. UCLA has a chance on beating Oregon this weekend (they did beat Texas), but look for Oregon's best chance for a loss against #18 Arizona. Oklahoma, on the other hand, plays a tough #11 Missouri team that could be upset minded. Not to mention, Oklahoma will have to tangle with an undefeated state rival in Oklahoma State.

Keep in mind that when Florida won the national championship in 2008, it lost to Ole Miss at home. In fact, they dropped to #10 in the BCS that year. 

Nick Saban is no stranger to this game from his days at Louisana State. When the first BCS rankings came out in 2003, LSU was ranked 12th.   That year, they even lost a pivotal game to Florida 19-7 before roaring back to win-out the rest of the season & capture the crystal ball in defeating Oklahoma.

Consider this.  Oregon & Oklahoma have to go unbeaten or Alabama has to get beat again to keep Bama from travelling to Glendale.  For some reason, I just can't see either scenario happening.  Bama will be there in Glendale. 

Remember this, Tide nation.  There is a lot of football to be played this season, so don't give up on Alabama's chances to pick up another crystal football at the end of the year.  All hope is not lost.   Alabama is still in striking distance for the big game, but they have to play it one game at a time. Everything else will fall into place.

Roll Tide!

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Before the Cincinnati game last year, the Ravens had a streak of 39 football games without a runner going over 100 yards rushing. The Bengals did it twice.

After the Ravens got beat by the Cincinnati Bengals twice last year, mostly for lack of them being able to stop the run game, Baltimore definitely needs some in the middle. When the opportunity came in the second round to draft Alabama's big man, "Mount" Cody, the ravens grabbed the opportunity and picked him as the 57th pick of the draft.

Terrence Cody obviously worked really hard in the off-season to improve his weight situation, and was able to get under 350. This makes him a much more effective defensive lineman for the NFL because of his improved quickness and sustainability.

The problems with his weight had led to Nick Saban often leaving Terrence Cody out of the game on long third-down passing situations. With the money on the line, Terrence Cody in the off-season buckled down and began to work hard to lose the extra weight. Right now he is at 345 pounds which is a full 25 pounds lower than the shirtless picture of his weight in at the Senior bowl.

The signs are definitely promising that if Terrence can stay healthy, he will be a force on Sundays. In fact, Terrence has said since the draft that he now has something to prove to the naysayers that thought he could not last on third downs.

Terrence Cody is a physical specimen evidenced by the fact that he could dunk a basketball, blocked field goals, and leap over quivering quarterbacks following a sack. It is his rare combination of size and athleticism that enables him to take his physical tools to the next level, the NFL.

My Cody's first step off of the line is extremely quick anyway, but put it all together with less weight in the ability to sustain, he should be a force on Sundays. In fact, it is the quickness that really impresses his coaches at Baltimore.

Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said "We are really, really pleased with the player we see," enthusiatically. "All the things we hoped, all the things we thought we saw either on film or at our workout or heard by word of mouth from coaches we respect ... all those things up to this point have been coming through."

The Baltimore coaches are thrilled with how quickly he's picking up the Ravens defensive schemes and melding into the defensive front. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison went on to say that Mount Cody is "really exciting" because of his explosiveness off the ball.

All-Pro Baltimore Ravens linebacker, Ray Lewis, should be thrilled to get the same advantages that Rolando McClain received from the big man these last two years. Mount Cody simply clears room for the linebackers to move, and will almost always tie up more than one man with his strength.

With the addition of Mount Cody, the Baltimore Ravens will rise to the peak as the top defensive team in NFL once again.

Watch out Bengals, and the rest of the NFL, here comes a mountain!

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Check out the Mount Cody video for the NFL workouts below! Do you think he will make it in the pros? I do!

"I told him he could play on the rabbits (passing situations) here if he could get to 348," Saban said. "I picked 348 because I knew in my mind he would never get there, so I was real happy to see him get there today."

Mount Cody said that to lose the weight, he disciplined his eating habits and did cardios for 2 hours a day during his daily workouts. I bet he ate a lot of raw carrots.. Whatever it was, apparently it worked!

Cody aid that it is motivation that makes the difference. I would say that money motivates. Cody said, "The main thing is you've got to be motivated," Cody said. "You can say you're going to do it and then you get out there and it starts getting hard, you're going to quit." ...but he kept going.

It is possible now that mount Cody may be in the top 15 picks of the draft and if he is, it will mean a lot of greenbacks for the new "Rabbit" Cody!

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The obvious hole in the defesive line that needs to be plugged this fall is the one by big All-American Mount Cody. A massive specimen of a player at 355 pounds, the big guy made it nearly impossible for teams to run up the middle of the Alabama defense. He was a force of nature (hence the nickname "Mount"), but another player who is coming along who is shaped like a bowling ball. His name is Josh Chapman, and he is poised to take his place at noseguard and make his mark on the 2010 Crimson Tide.

Josh Chapman, junior nosetackle, played a good bit in 2009 in third-down situations in order to rest Mount Cody. He has a a lot of game day experience and at 6'1" tall and 305 pounds, you can see why I say he is shaped to be like a bowling ball. Of course, he is not nearly as big as Cody, but what he lacks in size will be made up in strength and speed. He is widely considered on the team to be the strongest player in the weight room lifting close to 700 lbs. He also provides a lot pass rushing ability in the middle with more speed than Cody. I think Chapman will be a key cog in solidifying the defense for next year. .

One of the players that you might see battling with Chapman is Kerry Murphy. Kerry Murphy is the player that many wondered if he would ever get to Alabama. Murphy, like Chapman, came from the Alabama football powerhouse in Hoover (known nationally for its MTV reality show). both of these two players rotating in and out of the middle. A little taller player at 6'5" tall and a little heavier at 327 pounds, Kerry Murphy is no small fry. Both him and Chapman will be in the mix for nose guard in the 2010 football season. Nick Saban is working on Murphy now to improve his conditioning. Players on the team said that Murphy is a "crazy athlete." In fact, he can do back flips! Not just one either... but two in a row!

Chapman & Murphy are so highly regarded by their teammates, they are called "human earth movers." Think of bulldoziers... That is a really good sign that we are going to be strong in the middle of our D.

One of the top defensive lineman to be on lookout for this fall is junior Marcell Darius. Darius came out the gate this season with two tackles & 1.5 sacks against Virginia Tech in the season opener. Many around the Alabama Crimson Tide program think that Marcell Darius will ABSOLUTELY be the next great defensive lineman for the Crimson Tide. We got a little taste of this in the national championship game when he intercepted a pass for a touchdown and also knocked Colt McCoy out of the game. On top of that, he was in the face of the Texas quarterbacks all night long. He will be a force in his junior and senior years if he stays healthy.

Another player to watch is Damion Square. He actually did a great job on pass rushing duties last year until he hurt his knee. Most likely he's going to be limited in the spring, but you should see him full speed by fall.

Other backups who may be fighting for a job include Darrington Sentimore, William Ming,and Brandon Moore. Brandon Lewis a junior college signee from this years class could be an early force.

Folks we have the numbers, some even have some good playing experience, but I don't think we will see much of a drop-off in defensive line performance next fall. Saban has the talent deep at Alabama. Look for new players this year like Kerry Murphy or even one of the young redshirt freshman players like Brandon Lewis or William Ming to step and contribute.

On the defensive line, Alabama is simply reloading. Sure I hate to lose Mount Cody, but the future is bright! I can't wait to see 2010 and the new defensive front!

ROLL TIDE!

Take a moment and think about where we are at in the history of Alabama football. In the SEC championship, we equaled or highest win total in the history of Alabama football at 13 wins and we stopped the most prolific quarterback in the history of college football, Tim Tebow. Now we're presented with another challenge in the form of Texas.

In case you've forgotten how far we've come, remember back to the pitiful days of Mike Shula and Alabama fans witnessing Tommy Tuberville shoving his fingers in the air in victory. That sad state of affairs in Alabama history is nothing but a memory now has Nick Saban prepares in his third year to take the Alabama Crimson Tide to its 13th national championship.

In the way is a new foe that has defied one of the winningest college football programs in history, the Texas Longhorns. In all the times we have played Texas, we have only walked away without a victory each time. Seven defeats & one sister kisser to show for the games we played.... even through the heyday of Bear Bryant's glorious tenure. With the game coming up Thursday night we can put another one of those nails in the coffin.

If you consider the last game that each team played, you might think that Bama is prepared to have a T-bone dinner out of the Longhorns (..and you might be right), but I suspect the Longhorns will come out playing their hearts out and this will be a game to remember. I believe Alabama will come out victorious and it may come down to the toe of Leigh Tiffin. Nothing would surprise me about this team that has the heart of the champion after seeing what they did in the Tennessee & Auburn games to pull the victory out when they desperately needed it.

If Bama plays it's A game Thursday night, it will be like Mount Cody at an all-you-can-eat steak buffet at the local Western Sizzler. I certainly hope that happens, but even if Bama plays its worst, I believe Bama will feast in a victory. It doesn't matter to me if it comes from the toe of Leigh Tiffin or after a 4th string running back scores in mop-up duty. Victory will be just as sweet!

The key will be stopping the Colt McCoy to Jordan Shipley connection and pounding the interior of the Texas defense with Mark Ingram and crew. I believe we would do it.

If you're ready for some steak Thursday night, be sure to give me a shout out on my Facebook page or comment below!

Let’s do it fans, it doesn't get any better than this.. Let’s hook those horns and get us some T-Bone!   Enjoy your steak & savor the moment. 

Roll Tide!

Watch this video below about the heart of this year's Alabama team on its road to winning #13.  The road wasn't easy but the Tide laid it all on the line to make this a year to remember forever. I have no doubt that we are the road to number 13 in the championship column.

You can see the determination, passion, dedication to excellence as you see players like

1. McCLain hitting Tim Tebow
2. Mark Barron laying his body horizonally for a pass deflection
3. Javier Arenas sacking the QB
4. Trent Richardson burning the hogs on a long run up the sideline.
5. Greg McElroy hopping up the sideline on a tightrope
6. Mount Cody blocking the Tennessee kicks

Isn't it good to be an Alabama fan? Roll Tide roll!

Bama's defense and offense played an outstanding game in all aspects.  I would liken it to a well oiled machine running at optimum capacity.  Tebow reminded me of Gino Toretta of the 1992 Nation Championship game.  He has a confused look in his eye and he was never comfortable throughout the game.  Defensive coordinator, Kirby Smart, had a gameplan that kept Tebow in his Clark Kent suit all night long, only to spot him in a toll booth later crying. 

On offense... McElroy looked like the Heiesman candidate...but so did Ingram (and he will win it).  The receivers caught passes.  The backs pounded Florida behind a dominating offensive line.  On defense, Florida was smothered.  They did not even score in the second half!  The king of the comeback, Tebow, had no answer for McClain & Gang!   Special teams played great for the most part, besides one missed extra point.  It was an all around great effort. 

To Be The Best, You Have to Beat The Best!

Alabama started the season wanting to beat the very best, and that happened Saturday.  The wait is on for the national championship game, but I have no doubt of the outcome.  Texas will be tough but Bama has a different attitude than ever before.  Like a shark that smells blood, Bama is ready for the kill. 

It was said that Mount Cody and some players tried to hit Coach Saban with Gatorade following the SEC victory over Florida... but Rolondo McClain stopped it.   He demonstrated leadership by saying that there will be no Gatorade on coach until they win the BIG GAME.  I call that laser focus. 

This is Alabama's first title in 10 years, but I have a suspicion that this upcoming decade will be a decade of dominance likened to the 70's when a man named Bear roamed the sidelines in Tuscaloosa.  The streak of a SEC title every decade since the beginning of the SEC was preserved.  The swagga is back... most importantly, Bama is back. 

ROLL TIDE!