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The Crimson White's weekly Gameday publication -- Alabama vs. Kent State

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: GAMEDAY 09.02.11
Page 2: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

1771 Skyland Blvd. East • Emergicareclinic.com • (205)349-CARE

“Your Doctor Away From Home” Dr. Phillip K. Bobo

Emergi-Care has moved to a

temporary location until we rebuild.

No One Cares Like Emergi-CareOPEN DAILY | No Appointment Necessary

ALABAMA 2011 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Sept. 3

Sept. 10

Sept. 17

Sept. 24

Oct. 1

Oct. 8

Oct. 15

Oct. 22

Nov. 5

Nov. 12

Nov. 19

Nov. 26

Kent State

Penn State

North Texas

Arkansas

Florida

Vanderbilt

Ole Miss

Tennessee

LSU

Mississippi State

Georgia Southern

Auburn

Tuscaloosa

State College, Pa.

Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa

Gainesville, Fla.

Tuscaloosa

Oxford, Miss.

Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa

Starkville, Miss.

Tuscaloosa

Auburn, Ala.

DATE OPPONENT LOCATION

Page 3: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

Gameday Staff• Tony Tsoukalas, GameDay editor• Marquavius Burnett, assistant GameDay editor• Victor Luckerson, editor-in-chief• Jonathan Reed, managing editor• Sarah Massey, magazine art director• Jessie Hancock, assistant design editor• Adam Greene, chief copy editor

Deciding the DestinyThe defense will be the strength of the 2011 Alabama football team Page 8

InSIDe GameDay

PAGE 4xbox 360

simulAtion Alabama’s offense

dominated the Kent State defense, gaining over 700

yards on a big rushing day from Trent Richardson

By Marquavius Burnett Cover photo: CW | John Michael Simpson

studentSeCTIOnwhat you’re saying...

What are you most exciteD about for saturDay?

1. oklahoma (36)2. Alabama (17)3. oregon (4)4. Lsu (1)5. boise state (2)6. florida state7. stanford8. texas a&m9. oklahoma state10. Nebraska11. Wisconsin12. south carolina13. Virginia tech14. tcu15. arkansas16. Notre Dame17. michigan state18. ohio state19. Georgia20. mississippi state21. missouri 22. florida 23. auburn24. West Virginia25. usc

CW | Jerrod Seaton

PAGE 13column: PrE-sEAson

rAnkinGsGameday examines the

question: Is being ranked No. 2 in the pre-season a good or bad thing for the

Crimson Tide? By Laura Owens

PAGE 14rElivinG thE trAdition:

wilbur JAcksonFormer Tide running back Wilbur Jackson talks about what it was like winning a

national championship at Alabama

By Zackary Al-Kateeb

aP PoLL

“I want to see who starts at quarterback.”

“I’m just really excited to watch the game and experience the atmo-

“I just want to see the de-fense a year older. I am a fan of Phil Sims, and I’m

ADAM ADCOCKsophomoremechanical engineering

JOSH COXfreshmansports science

JOHn AnSeLMOseniorpolitical scienceeconomics

ALABAMA CRIMSOn TIDe

KenT STATe GOLDen FLASHeS

VS.

WHen september 3 at 11:20 a.m.

bryant-Denny stadiumtuscaloosa

WHeRe

WATCH

WHY

sec Network

1 September 2, 2011 GameDay

alabama kicks off the 2011 season

Page 4: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

GAMeDAY STAFF PICKS

Visit gameday.ua.edu to play in The Crimson White’s college football pick ‘em league. Leaders will get their names published each week.

2 GameDay September 2, 2011

toNy tsouKaLas

GameDay editor

marQuaViusburNett

assistant GameDay editor

JohN mcWiLLiams

2010 GameDeay PicK’em WiNNer

GeORGIABOISe STATe

ALABAMAKenT STATe

LSUOReGOn

nOTRe DAMeSOUTH FLORIDA

TCUBAYLORWeeK 1

Predictions of Week one’s biggest matchups 2010 SeASOn In ReVIeW

Page 5: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

SAn JOSe STATe

2010 SeASOn In ReVIeW

3 September 2, 2011 GameDay

AUBURn

OLe MISS

FLORIDA

LSU

GeORGIA STATe SOUTH CAROLInA CAPITAL One BOWL

2010 SCHeDULe AnD ReSULTS

9/4

9/11

9/18

9/25

10/2

10/9

10/16

10/23

11/6

11/13

11/20

11/26

1/1

San Jose State

Penn State

at Duke

at Arkansas

Florida

at South Carolina

Ole Miss

at Tennessee

at LSU

Mississippi State

Georgia State

Auburn

Michigan State

W 48-3

W 24-3

W 62-13

W 24-20

W 31-6

L 21-35

W 23-10

W 41-10

L 21-24

W 30-10

W 63-7

L 27-28

W 49-7

CW File Photos

Page 6: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

XBOX 360 SIMULATION

aLaBama 87 kENT STaTE 28CRImSoN TIDE Statistics

Total Yards: 777Passing: 419 ydsRushing: 358 ydsTurnovers: 1 (iNt)

Top Passer: aJ mccarron: 18-of-29, 305 yds, 5 tDs, 1 iNtTop Rusher: trent richardson: 41 rushes, 240 yds, 1 tDTop Receiver: marquis maze: 7 catches, 168 yds, 3 tD

Top Defensive performer: robert Lester: 10 tackles, 1 iNt (returned for touchdown)

GoLDEN fLaSHES StatisticsTotal Yards: 395Passing: 307 ydsRushing: 88 yds

Turnovers: 1 (fumble)Top Passer: spencer Keith: 11-of-23, 189 yds, 2 tDs, 1 iNtsTop Rusher: Jacquise terry: 11 rushes, 106 yds, 1 tDTop Receiver: sam Kirkland: 5 catches, 210 yds, 2 tDsTop Defensive performer: Norman Wolfe Jr., 12 tackles

WHO’S H O T

MARCUS LATTIMORe – When healthy, Lattimore is one of the best running backs in the nation. His combination of power and speed can cause defensive coordinators to lose sleep at night.

TRenT RICHARDSOn – The running back is primed and ready for a Heisman-caliber season as he steps into the starting role at Alabama.

N O T alabama receiver marquis maze scores a touchdown in the tide’s 87-28 simulated victory over Kent state.

WHO’S N O T H O T

JORDAn JeFFeRSOn – Jefferson was suspended indefi nitely by LSU after be-ing involved in a bar fi ght on Aug. 19. He was arrested on counts of second-degree battery, a felony.

MIAMI HURRICAneS – Miami will have to do without eight players, includ-ing quarterback Jacory Harris, as the school suspended the players for taking improper benefi ts.

XBOX 360 screenshot

4 GameDay September 2, 2011

Compiled by MARK FLEMING

for live coverage of football, basketball, press conferences and other athletic events.

@CWSportsFollow

Page 7: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

ny true southerner will tell you that at the center of all southern cooking is a nice, hearty southern breakfast.

Residents of Tuscaloosa can find one of the tastiest breakfast restaurants in the South in their own back yard. The Waysider, located at 1512 Greensboro Ave. in downtown Tuscaloosa is the oldest operating restaurant in Tuscaloosa, and just one taste of The Waysider’s melt-in your-mouth biscuits lets you know why.

“We have been here since 1951 continually operating,” owner Linda Smelley said. “We just try to serve good food, and people enjoy breakfast. That is the number one thing I think people enjoy in town is breakfast. I guess it’s just good southern cooking.”

The restaurant is no bigger than an average family living room and is packed every morning with loyal Tuscaloosa residents who have made The Waysider part of their daily routine. The intimate spacing and familiar faces add to the at-home atmosphere of the restaurant, and remind you what it used to be like waking up and having breakfast with family.

“It is calming, people like that,” Smelley said “It has got that feel of Alabama. I just feel that it is a real homey atmosphere. Everybody comes in during football season and over time they become friends.”

For some residents, the restaurant is like a second home, one that surrounds them with old friends and old memories too.

“I’ve been coming here for years,” Tuscaloosa resident Beneta Essary said. “The food is good, especially the biscuits, there is always good service. It is just a homely place. I lost my husband 21 months ago and they are just like family to me.”

The walls of the restaurant are decorated with Daniel Moore paintings of Alabama football. The restaurant could easily double as a gallery of Alabama history.

5 September 2, 2011 GameDay

It is not just the scenery that enables Crimson Tide fans to relive past moments; the restaurant is rich in history too. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of The Waysider is the list of important patrons it has served over the years. The most notable being former Alabama head football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. The restaurant now dedicates a corner to Bryant, and fans can actually sit in the same spot where the “Bear” used to sip his morning coffee.

However nice the scenery may be, the thing that keeps The Waysider running as one of the best restaurants in the South is its mouth-watering southern cuisine. The restaurant is known first for its golden buttery biscuits, which are served to you warm and delicious right upon being seated.

My favorite thing to order is the omelet, which can be filled with spinach, ham, sausage, bacon, or practically anything you can think of. Unlike other restaurants that add milk to their eggs to make them too fluffy, The Waysider cooks them just right, the way your mom used to when you were a kid.

For kids there are pancakes, which are often shaped in the form of an elephant. Smelley said the restaurant will shape its pancakes in every way possible.

“When the other team comes in here I will serve them elephant pancakes and make them say roll tide,” Smelley said. “We make all kinds of animals, dogs and bears and cats, pretty much everything you can think up.”

If you are looking to get to The Waysider before a game it is advised that you get there close to the restaurant’s opening time of 5:30 a.m. In my experience, arriving at 6:30 a.m. will still get you a seat comfortably. Show up too late and you will find yourself waiting in a line out the door.

For anyone wanting a true taste of Tuscaloosa, The Waysider is a can’t-miss spot.

“It is a great place,” Essary said. “It is just a good representation of the town.”

A

TOnY’S TASTeOF THe TOWn

THe WAYSIDeRGameDay editor tony tsoukalas checks out t-town’s oldest restaurant

@ cw.ua.edu

Go to gameday.ua.edu to watch Tony’s tour of The Waysider and an in-depth interview with store owner, Linda Smelley.

Page 8: GAMEDAY 09.02.11
Page 9: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

7 September 2, 2011 GameDay

InSIDe THe GAMe:GAMeDAY PRePARATIOn

hen you walk inside Bryant-Denny stadium, you see 100,000 screaming fans, a beautifully maintained field, and Jumbotrons that rival the one in

the Dallas Cowboys’ “Jerry World.”Originally built with a capacity of 12,000,

Bryant-Denny Stadium has grown to be the fifth largest stadium in the country and second largest in the Southeastern Conference, seating 101,821.

But what you don’t see are the countless hours the grounds keeping staff put into getting the stadium prepared for game days and other events hosted inside Bryant-Denny.

“It takes months of planning and preparing,” Brandon Sevedge, director of athletic facilities, said. “We started pressure washing the stadium about a month ago. We have to pressure wash all of the concrete inside and outside the stadium, which is a timely process.

“We had to get all of the windows cleaned and check all of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems to make sure everything is in working order. We clean all of the carpet and

touch up the paint. It takes a really long time.”Stadium clean-up may be an even longer

process. After more than 100,000 people leave a place, there is bound to be a lot of garbage left behind.

“There is a large amount of people that come in and clean up all of the trash in the stands,” Sevedge said. “They have used blowers to blow out all of the trash. They also have to clean up every skybox and the entire North and South Zones.”

Alabama has one of the more beautiful stadiums among all of college football teams. One of the things that make it so great is the field display. When opposing teams come out, the Alabama logo in the center of the field sends an unspoken message about the history and tradition of how great Alabama football is and what it has meant to college football. To keep it beautiful, the field is always being worked on.

“It’s constantly maintained on a daily basis,” Sevedge said. “It’s not on any special surface, but there is an under drain system to get rid of the water if it rains.”

So next time you are enjoying the beautiful arena that is Bryant-Denny Stadium, be sure to pay a silent tribute to those who work hard on making Saturday in Tuscaloosa a great experience. And clean up your trash. Roll Tide!

Wby marQuaVius burNett

assistaNt GameDay [email protected]

“it taKes moNths of PLaNNiNG

aND PrePariNG.”

UA Athletics

Page 10: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

DeciDiNG the DestiNy BY MARQUAVIUS BURneTT

8 GameDay September 2, 2011

Page 11: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

e have all heard the old saying: Defense wins games and offense sells tickets. That is the case for the 2011 Alabama

football team. Running back Trent Richardson will help sell tickets and keep fans excited, but the Crimson Tide’s defense will be the unit that helps win games for the team this season.

W

DeciDiNG the DestiNy

9 September 2, 2011 GameDay

Page 12: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

(Top, left) Dre Kirkpatrick tackles an Old

Miss reciever during the 2010 season; (Top, right)

Courtney Upshaw goes for a fumble against Florida

during the 2010 season; (Bottom, right) Chavis

Williams gets to Florida quarterback John Brantley

during the 2010 season; (Bottom, left)Alabama

players Damion Square and C.J. Mosely take down Duke

quarterback, Sean Renfree last season.

10 GameDay September 2, 2011

CW John M

ichael Simpson

CW Drew Hoover

CW File

CW File

Page 13: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

“We have one of the most athletic defenses that’s been through Alabama,” linebacker Dont’a Hightower said. “Last year, we lacked the speed part, getting after the quarterback. This year, I think it’s what our defense is about, getting after the quarterback. Last year, losing that one or two seconds, or giving the quarter-back that extra time, that made a big difference. If we can get there faster, that relieves pressure off the defensive backs.”

Head coach Nick Saban likes to run a base 3-4 defense. In this base formation, the nose tackle is one of the most important positions. His job is to clog up holes to stop the run and to take on multiple blockers, allowing linebackers to rush free and blitz the opposing team’s quarterback.

Josh Chapman will be the main player filling that role. This will be Chapman’s second year as a starter and his third getting substantial playing time. As a redshirt freshman, Chap-man backed up former All-American Terrence Cody. If Chapman can produce like Cody, he will be the perfect anchor for the Tide’s defensive front.

Linebacker will be the deepest position on this year’s team. The Tide has seven players who could see significant playing time this year. Hightower, Courtney Upshaw, C.J. Mos-ley, Nico Johnson, Alex Watkins, Jerrel Harris and Chris Jordan will all look to terrorize op-posing teams’ offenses with their ability to rush the passer and drop back in coverage. Each one possesses a different set of skills that he brings to the collective unit.

“You won’t see a group of guys work harder in the country,” Hightower said. “C.J. Mosley helped us out tremendously last year. Courtney Upshaw had a great year. Nico [Johnson] and Jerrel [Harris] both have taken the next steps they need.”

Mosley, Upshaw and Hightower will be look-ing to take their games to the next level this season. As a true freshman, Mosley played in all 13 games last year. He was third on the team in tackles, with 67, and he had two intercep-tions, including one he returned for a touch-down against Florida.

After battling back from an ankle injury, Up-shaw developed into the Tide’s most dangerous pass rusher. He had 51 tackles in the final 10 games of the season, including a team high 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. When healthy, Upshaw can be a Clay Matthews-type pass rusher for the Tide.

By his standards, last year was a down year for Hightower. He was second on the team in tackles with 69, but never seemed 100 percent healed from his knee injury in 2009. If Hight-ower can regain some of the brilliance from his freshman season, look for him to be one of the best linebackers in the country.

“He’s got his explosive quickness back, his burst in pass-rush, playing with a little bit more speed, which is more like he played before his injury,” Saban said.

Last year, the secondary went through a lot of growing pains. Injuries, lack of experience and no real pass rush put the secondary in tough spots and they often gave up big plays in

key moments. Saban said how they use those experiences will determine the unit’s success.

“Maturity and experience are important fac-tors if they’re used correctly,” Saban said. “You can take your experience and create a comfort zone with it…. Or you can challenge yourself [to say] that I have experience now and I’ve learned from mistakes that I’ve made in the past and I’m going to play with more consis-tency in the future because of it and challenge yourself to get to the next level.”

This year the secondary could be the team’s most talented and productive group. At the safety positions, Mark Barron and Robert Les-ter are two of the best in the country. Barron earned All-American honors while leading the team in tackles with 75 stops. In 2009, Barron led the SEC in interceptions with seven as a sophomore. Lester followed in Barron’s foot-steps and led the SEC in interceptions in 2010 with eight.

At cornerback, Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie and Dee Milliner will all be asked to play enormous roles in the secondary. With a year of starting experience under his belt, Kirk-patrick will look to be the shutdown corner scouts projected him to be out of high school. Kirkpatrick has all of the physical tools to be the best corner in the nation.

Menzie is the key component to the second-ary. If he stays healthy and performs, he gives the Tide a shutdown corner opposite of Kirk-patrick.

Milliner will be asked to play more of a nick-el back role, similar to the one Javier Arenas played in 2009. As a true freshman, he started 11 of 13 games and earned first-team Freshman All-American honors.

“We want to come out and win a national championship, to be undefeated,” Barron said. “Every time we step out on the field, one of our motivating factors is to be special.”

As a defense-minded coach, Saban has to be pleased with the talent the unit has as a whole. The only question is whether they will use their talent to become champions.

With the defense leading the way for the Tide, it sure does feel like 2009 all over again.

5Key DefeNsiVe PLayers

“We WaNt to come out aND WiN a NatioNaL chamPioNshiP, to be

uNDefeateD. eVery time We steP out oN the fieLD, oNe of our

motiVatiNG factors is to be sPeciaL.”- marK barroN

11 September 2, 2011 GameDay

#41 Courtney UpshawLinebacker52 tacklesSeven sacksTwo forced fumbles

#99 Josh ChapmanDefensive Line31 tacklesOne sack

#37 Robert LesterDefensive Back52 tacklesOne sackEight INT

#4 Mark BarronDefensive Back72 tacklesTwo sacksThree INT

#32 C.J. MosleyLinebacker69 tackles.5 sacksTwo INT

Photos UA Athletics

Page 14: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

Your exclusive source for official GameDay updates.Turn it on. Tune it in.Crank it up.

The Mi l l ion Dol lar Band. Sweet Home Alabama. Rammer Jammer. Dix ieland Del ight . We Wil l Rock You. and more. . .

tidetailgate tunes

Hear Alabama’s sports anthems played on game day Saturdays till midnight.

It’s about friends.It’s about classes.It’s about roommates.It’s about memories.

Page 15: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

is the tiDe’s raNKiNG a GooD or baD omeN?

t’s not a secret that the 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team is expected to be good. Both the Associated Press poll and the USA Today poll have Alabama ranked

No. 2 in the preseason.While it’s great that the rest of the nation

agrees with our campus that Alabama is awesome, a high preseason ranking might not favor the Tide in the long run.

Since 2001, three teams that have started the season No. 2 have finished No. 1. Most recently it happened in 2007 when LSU won the national championship after starting out at No. 2. But for LSU, it was a bumpy ride. The 2007 season saw eight different teams at the No. 2 spot. LSU held the spot the longest, going for five weeks, but once the Tigers were dethroned, the other No. 2 teams held on for only a week or two at a time.

In the past decade, there has been a fair mix of teams in the AP polls that started high and ended high, along with teams that started high and ended low. However, starting high and ending high doesn’t matter if it doesn’t result in a national championship. Here at Alabama, students don’t want to start high only to end at No. 3. They want their 14th title.

Looking solely at Alabama’s ability to keep a top ranking, the Tide’s record isn’t very good. Last season when Alabama started at No. 1, it finished at No. 10, which did not impress Tide

faithful too much. In 2008 when Alabama took the No. 1 spot in week 11, Florida then knocked the Tide off in the SEC Championship game. Most recently before 2008, the highest ranking

Alabama reached was in the 2005 season, coming in at No. 4, before losing to LSU and then Auburn and finishing at No. 8.

With Alabama, it seems like getting there isn’t always the hard part; it’s staying there that causes problems. Between a star-packed defense and an offense that holds its own, the Tide should be a top-tier team in 2011. Everyone knows Alabama is talented, so the team gets a good ranking. But in the SEC especially, it’s hard to stay the top team.

The coaches and the players all claim that the rankings don’t get in their heads. But last year, when the team went into South Carolina thinking they could win just because they were Alabama, those situations make it seem like maybe the ranking does get to them a little.

As far as talk of Oklahoma being the team to stop the SEC’s BCS championship run, the numbers from the past decade don’t support that theory. The only time the AP actually predicted the title game in the past decade was in the 2005, when USC and Texas were the top two teams. The final rankings switched the teams’ preseason rankings, with Texas taking the title.

Another plus for Alabama is that only twice since 1999 has the preseason No. 1 team won the national championship. So Oklahoma has its own forces to fight against.

PReSeASOn RAnK(FInAL RAnKInG)

2010 1. alabama (10) 2. ohio state (5)2009 1. florida (3) 2. texas (2)2008 1. Georgia (13) 2. ohio state (9)2007 1. usc (3) 2. Lsu (1)2006 1. ohio state (2) 2. Notre Dame (17)2005 1. usc (2) 2. texas (1)2004 1. usc (1) 2. oklahoma (3)2003 1. oklahoma (3) 2. ohio state (4)2002 1. miami (2) 2. oklahoma (5)2001 1. florida (3) 2. miami (1)2000 1. Nebraska (8) 2. florida state (5)1999 1. florida state (1) 2. tennessee (9)1998 1. ohio state (2) 2. florida state (3)

13 September 2, 2011 GameDay

PreseasoN raNKiNGs create Pressure that teams caN’t aLWays LiVe uP to

i

TradiTions never Change

XiiiJD’s

on The Corner of bryanT and 14Th ave. for deCades

SPECIALTY BEER ICEESPARTY SUPPLIES

1400 Paul W. Bryant Dr. 205.722.2113

ROLL TIDE

4 FLAVORS

Your Tailgating Headquarters

in PGflirty

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coLumN / by Laura oWeNs / seNior staff rePorter

Page 16: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

Q&AReLIVInG THe TRADITIOnWiLbur JacKsoN

Gameday: What was it like playing under Coach Bryant?Wilbur Jackson: It was interesting. He was tough, he was hard, he was fair. He didn’t play favorites. It was an experience I look back to now, and it’s something I’m glad I had. It was some tough times, but you look back now, and you sure are glad to have it.

GD: Alabama’s about to play their first game of the season. Could you talk about the feelings you had leading up to the first game of the season as a player? WJ: You know, it was always a sense of a

Wilbur Jackson, the first black player to be offered a football scholarship at the University of Alabama, played running back from 1970-73 in Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant’s newly implemented wishbone

offense. In three years, Jackson accumulated 1529 yards rushing and 17 rushing touchdowns, helping Alabama win the 1973 national championship. Jackson was a first-round NFL draft pick, playing for

the San Francisco 49ers before ending his career with the Washington Redskins and a Super Bowl victory. - ZaCKaRy aL-KateeB

relief. You go through spring training, summer workouts, then fall practice... it was just a lot of hard work, and finally, finally you get a chance to play somebody else and measure yourself and see how you’ve done. So I’d just say it was a huge relief.

GD: You’ve talked about your feelings leading up to the game, but what was it like actually playing in it? WJ: The first game was always the beginning. When I was there, the talk was always about a national championship. There was no BCS back then, so there were four things

always on your mind: winning the conference championship, going undefeated, getting into a major bowl and getting to play on New Year’s Day. And it all started with that first day, so you felt like your entire season hinged on that first game, so there was always that anticipation.

GD: Talk about winning a national championship at Alabama. WJ: It was great. It’s almost like it is now. Everybody’s going for the same goal. For a lot of schools it was unrealistic, but at that time, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, Ohio State, Nebraska, Oklahoma all had a legitimate shot to win. And Coach Bryant would always talk about the teams in the ‘60s that had won a championship, and we all wanted to live up to those teams. Even now, I sit down and watch a game, and my hands are all sweaty because I know what all the players have gone through. I know what their ultimate goal is.

GD: Having won a national championship, what do you think Alabama’s chances are that it will win its 14th this year? WJ: I can’t speak odds, but I think we have a good chance, but I don’t want to jinx it. There’s a lot of big expectations there, but I’m sure Saban has put it in their heads, let’s win the first game, then worry about the second game the second week, the third game the third week. And I’m sure that’s their mindset right now.

14 GameDay September 2, 2011

with

Page 17: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

15 September 2, 2011 GameDay

Ar undTHE

Lsu vs. oreGoNGamE of THE WEEk

LSU has had some serious off-the-field troubles recently, with starting QB Jordan Jefferson being arrested for 2nd degree battery after a bar fight. Oregon, on the other hand, is looking to avenge last year’s national title loss with the core of offensive talent coming back, including RB LaMichael James.

Aaron Murray leads the Bulldogs into Atlanta to take on the Broncos, who have a lot to

prove in their first season in the Mountain West Conference.

Ole Miss lost to Jacksonville State in last year’s opener and hopes

to avoid a similar fate against the Cougars, who are in their first

season as an independent team.

SeC

GeORGIABYU

SOUTH CAROLInAOLe MISSBOISe STATe

ron brooks celebrates in the end zone during the 2010 alabama-Lsu game. Lsu beat alabama 24-21.

ARKAnSASeAST CAROLInA

Jadaveon Clowney could make his debut for the Gamecocks against

East Carolina, whose program has been on the downslide after losing

Skip Holtz to South Florida.

MISSOURI STATe

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino is going to be breaking in a new starting quarterback, Tyler

Wilson, and trying to cope with the loss of RB Kniles Davis.

CW Drew Hoover

Page 18: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

16 GameDay September 2, 2011

neXTUP

ALABAMA vs Penn STATeat Penn StateSaturday, Sept. 10 at 3:30 p.m. eSTABC

Page 19: GAMEDAY 09.02.11
Page 20: GAMEDAY 09.02.11

www.supestore.ua.edu

We are open on Game Day:Ferguson CenterBryant Museum

Tent on the Quad

LET YOURCRIMSON PRIDE

ROLL.