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GAMEDAYGAMEDAY '09'09ALABAMA (2-0, 0-0) vs. NORTH TEXAS (1-1, 0-0) 09.19.09 TIME: 11:20 a.m. TV: CW21

The absence of a three-year starter The absence of a three-year starter under center was unnoticable through under center was unnoticable through two games, and Greg McElroy has beentwo games, and Greg McElroy has been

everything everything Alabama fans Alabama fans have dreamed ofhave dreamed of

• Etched in stone: 1930 • PS3 Simulation• Etched in stone: 1930 • PS3 Simulation

2009 Schedule2009 Schedule

9/19/09 North Texas Tuscaloosa 9/18/09

9/26/09 Arkansas Tuscaloosa 9/25/09

10/03/09 Kentucky Lexington, Ky. 10/01/09

10/10/09 Ole Miss Oxford, Miss. 10/07/09

10/17/09 South Carolina Tuscaloosa 10/16/09

10/24/09 Tennessee Tuscaloosa 10/23/09

11/07/09 LSU Tuscaloosa 11/06/09

11/14/09 Mississippi State Starkville, Miss. 11/12/09

11/21/09 UT Chattanooga Tuscaloosa 11/20/09

11/27/09 Auburn Auburn 11/24/09

Date Opponent Location GameDay Date Opponent Location GameDay Publish DatePublish Date

Date Opponent ResultDate Opponent Result9/05/09 Virginia Tech W 34-24

9/12/09 FIU W 40-14

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GameDay 2009 • September 18 1ON THE INSIDE

GAMEDAY STAFF• Jason Galloway, GameDay editor• Spencer White, GameDay assistant editor• Amanda Peterson, editor-in-chief• Will Nevin, managing editor• Brandee Easter, design editor• Emily Johnson, assistant design editor• Aaron Gertler, graphics editor

Statof the

weekAlabama leads the nation with 10 sacks, tallying five in each of the first two games. The Tide’s leader in that catego-ry is sophomore defensive end Marcell Dareus, who has recorded 3.5 while fill-ing in for Brandon Deaderick.

4 | PASSING THE REINS4 | PASSING THE REINSSince his poor start against Virginia Since his poor start against Virginia Tech, Greg McElroy has turned the Tech, Greg McElroy has turned the Tide’s offensive into a juggernaut.Tide’s offensive into a juggernaut.

3 | PLAYSTATION SIMULATIONNorth Texas took a 7-0 lead on the opening kickoff. Running back Mark Ingram would have to carry the Crimson Tide to a victory.By Will Nevin

8 | ETCHED IN STONEWe take a look at Wallace Wade’s most dominant and vaunted national championship team, the 1930 Alabama Crimson Tide.

By Spencer White

CW | Katie BennettCW | Katie Bennett

Cover photo: UA Athletics and CW File

By Jason GallowayBy Jason Galloway

2 September 18 • GameDay 2009

CW PICKS | WEEK 3

thestudentSECTION

Caitlin SeabrookSophomoreExercise science

“I hope our kickoff cover-age gets better this week.”

Kenneth NolandSeniorPolitical science

“Itʼs just another scrim-mage.”

Hilary DavenportSeniorElementary education

“I think it is going to be a blowout.”

Katy GrahamSophomoreNursing

“I think we will most defi nitely win! Roll Tide!”

Seth KellerJuniorBusiness management

“I think the of-fense will have a really big game.”

John McWilliamsSophomoreJournalism

“I think Ala-bama will be prepared.”

UA students talk about their expectations for the upcoming Crimson Tide game.

AP POLL1. Florida (56)

2. Texas (1)

3. USC (1)

4. Alabama (2)

5t. Mississippi

5t. Penn State

7. BYU

8. California

9. LSU

10. Boise State

11. Ohio State

12. Oklahoma

13. Virginia Tech

14. Georgia Tech

15. TCU

16. Oklahoma State

17. Cincinnati

18. Utah

19. Nebraska

20. Miami

21. Houston

22. Kansas

23. Georgia

24. North Carolina

25. Michigan

COACHESʼ POLL1. Florida (56)

2. Texas

3. USC (3)

4. Alabama

5. Penn State

6. Mississippi

7t. LSU

7t. California

9. BYU

10. Boise State

11. Ohio State

12. Oklahoma

13. Georgia Tech

14. Virginia Tech

15. TCU

16. Utah

17. Oklahoma State

18. Nebraska

19. North Carolina

20. Georgia

21. Cincinnati

22. Miami

23. Kansas

24. Oregon State

25. Missouri

North Texas at #4 Bama

Tennessee at #1 Florida

#19 Nebraska at #13 Va Tech

Florida State at #7 BYU

Mississippi State at Vandy

#23 Georgia at Arkansas

West Virginia at Auburn

Season record

Jason GallowayGameDay editor

Spencer WhiteAsst. GameDay editor

Cyrus NtakirutinkaSenior sports reporter

Aaron GertlerGraphics editor

Amanda PetersonCW editor

Will NevinCW managing editor

Drew GunnAdvertising manager

9-5 10-4 9-5 7-7 8-6 10-4 10-4

CW | Tori Gordon

PICKS, POLLS AND PERSPECTIVE

GameDay 2009 • September 18 3PS3 SIMULATION

• Passing: Nathan Tune, 16-of-32, 215 yds, 1 TD

• Rushing: Micah Mosley, 9 rushes, 23 yds

• Receiving: B.J. Lewis, 6 receptions, 94 yds, 2 TD

• Top Defensive Performer: Brandon Akpunku, 4 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks

North Texas

PS3 SAYS | ALABAMA 52, NORTH TEXAS 22 SIMULATION STATISTICS

Alabama• Passing: Greg McElroy, 11-of-14, 140 yds, 4 TDs

• Rushing: Mark Ingram, 20 rushes, 288 yds, 2 TD

• Receiving: Mark Ingram, 3 catches, 60 yds

• Top Defensive Performer: Justin Woodall, 7 tackles, 2 TFL

BY WILL NEVINManaging Editor

When North Texas wide receiver B.J. Lewis exploded through the Alabama kickoff cover-age team for a touchdown on the first play of the game, a flicker of hope ignited in the fans who made the trip from Denton, Texas. With the Mean Green still leading at the end of the first quarter, that flicker was beginning to turn into a full-fledged fire, a dream that the visitors could pull off the stunning upset. But by the time Lewis saw the end zone again, the Crimson Tide had already poured on a 28-point bucket of water, scoring four unan-swered touchdowns on a career day for Mark Ingram as the Tide beat North Texas 52-22. After Lewis burned the Alabama special teams for a touchdown, the Tide answered with a 27-yard Leigh Tiffin field goal. In the second quarter, however, the onslaught began as Greg McElroy tossed touchdown passes to Mike McCoy and Marquis Maze. With only a few sec-onds to go in the half, the Tide wanted to run the clock and head into the locker room up 17-7, but Ingram had other ideas as he slipped through North Texas defenders on a simple handoff and ran 77 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter, senior tight end Colin Peek hauled in a touchdown pass from McElroy,

and the Mean Green finally answered with a touchdown and successful two-point conversion. Alabama’s B.J. Scott then returned the kickoff for the Tide’s own special teams score. Lewis added his third all-purpose touchdown in the fourth quarter, which was matched by McCoy’s second touchdown reception. Ingram, who finished the game with 288 yards on the ground, capped off the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run. Ingram came within four yards of beating the Alabama all-time, single-game rushing record held by Shaun Alexander. He added 60 receiving yards, giving him 348 all-purpose yards on the day, and two touchdowns. With the win, Alabama improves to 2-1 on the simulated season.

NCAA 2010 screenshotMark Ingram breaks a 77-yard touchdown run to give the Tide a 17-7 halftime lead.

supestore.ua.edu

Greg McElroy gets a pass off before the Florida International pass rush reaches him. McElroy Greg McElroy gets a pass off before the Florida International pass rush reaches him. McElroy set a new Alabama record Saturday by completing 14 straight passes. | set a new Alabama record Saturday by completing 14 straight passes. | UA AthleticsUA Athletics

PassingPassing

idway through the second quar-idway through the second quar-ter against Virginia Tech, Greg ter against Virginia Tech, Greg McElroy was 2-for-12. He was McElroy was 2-for-12. He was flustered and inexperienced, flustered and inexperienced, and it appeared the Crimson and it appeared the Crimson Tide’s worst nightmare heading Tide’s worst nightmare heading

into the 2009 season, that the Dallas native would into the 2009 season, that the Dallas native would be unable to handle the burden of the Alabama be unable to handle the burden of the Alabama starting quarterback job, was developing into starting quarterback job, was developing into reality. • Midway through the second quar-reality. • Midway through the second quar-ter a week later against Florida International, ter a week later against Florida International, McElroy had completed 25 of his last 31 passes McElroy had completed 25 of his last 31 passes and was on his way to connecting on 14 straight, and was on his way to connecting on 14 straight, setting a new Alabama record. He was smooth, setting a new Alabama record. He was smooth, unfazed, and extended an aura of confidence, unfazed, and extended an aura of confidence, assuring the Tide faithful that he could be relied assuring the Tide faithful that he could be relied on to lead a top-five college football team. • But on to lead a top-five college football team. • But his team already knew that. Ever since spring his team already knew that. Ever since spring practice, the constant word flowing out of practice, the constant word flowing out of Alabama’s camp was how the redshirt junior was Alabama’s camp was how the redshirt junior was taking command of the huddle. With the tall task taking command of the huddle. With the tall task of replacing a three-year starter in John Parker of replacing a three-year starter in John Parker Wilson, a man who wore his leadership like a Wilson, a man who wore his leadership like a tightly-hemmed suit, knowing it would never tightly-hemmed suit, knowing it would never

MM

In two games, Greg McElroy and the In two games, Greg McElroy and the Alabama offense have exploded for more Alabama offense have exploded for more

than 1,000 yards. With concern about than 1,000 yards. With concern about McElroy’s experience entering the McElroy’s experience entering the

season, the new signal caller has season, the new signal caller has proven the Crimson Tide’s quarterback proven the Crimson Tide’s quarterback

production is far from dropping off.production is far from dropping off.

BY JASON GALLOWAYGameDay Editor

THE REINSTHE REINS

6 September 18 • GameDay 2009

unravel, McElroy has already matched, if not exceeded, his pre-decessor’s ability to guide the Tide. “He speaks, everyone listens,” senior wide receiver Mike McCoy said. “He just loves the game so much. Every game he’s just like a kid in a candy shop.” • Perhaps unlike Wilson, McElroy’s leader-ship extends beyond the offensive side of the ball, and McCoy said his open-minded approach with Alabama’s receivers maximizes the potential of the Tide’s passing attack. “Both [Wilson’s and McElroy’s leadership styles] are similar, but they have a different way of going about it,” McCoy said. “John Parker, he’s more to the offen-sive line, as opposed to Greg, he’s more to everybody. He talks to the defense, he talks to the receivers, he asks for our opinion, what do we see out there.” On top of his leadership, McElroy has shown that his 4,687 passing yards and 56 touchdown passes during his senior year of high school were no fluke. After his poor start against Virginia

Tech, McElroy and the Alabama offense have looked unstoppable. After leading the Tide to 18 fourth-quarter points to defeat Virginia Tech, McElroy started 16-for-17 against FIU, with the only incompletion coming from a drop by Julio Jones in the endzone. If the normally sure-handed Jones had reeled in the first-quarter pass, McElroy would have began

the game a perfect 17-for-17 with 219 yards and two touchdowns. His 18 completions in the game were spread to nine different Alabama receivers. “I feel like I picked up where I left off [at the start of the FIU game],” McElroy said. “I was tak-ing what the defense was giving me.” But Alabama has taken well

more than any defense could intend to give it. To put the Tide’s dominance into perspective, the past six quarters of play has seen Alabama bust out 875 yards of total offense. Heading the explosion has been McElroy, a man whose mind was built to be a quarterback’s. He is currently working on a master’s degree as an athletic redshirt

CW | Katie BennettGreg McElroy lines up under center in his fi rst career start against Virginia Tech on Sept. 5. Since his 2-for-12 start in that game, Alabamaʼs new quarterback has been nothing short of spectacular.

GameDay 2009 • September 18 7junior, and he maintained a 3.85 GPA as a business marketing major during his three years as an undergraduate. “My mom says it’s a photo-graphic memory,” he said. “I can see one thing one time and usually remember it. I think it’s just real-ly helpful to me in the fact that I understand the offense pretty well and I understand what everyone wants to do, so that helps me be successful.” McElroy is familiar with suc-cess on the football field. He led Southlake Carroll High School to a national championship as a senior, and his 56 touchdown passes that year set a new Texas high school record. His head coach during that unprecedented season happens to be Todd Dodge, who is now the head coach at North Texas, the team scheduled to line up oppo-site the Tide in Bryant-Denny on Saturday. “When the schedule was released this year, that’s a game I circled,” McElroy said. “Coach Dodge is a special part of my foot-ball career. Playing for him was very special, and it’s not a time

that I want to ever forget. It’s going to be a great experience seeing those guys and competing against him. It means a lot to me.” Dodge’s son, North Texas start-ing quarterback Riley Dodge, also played for Southlake Carroll but will not play Saturday after suf-fering a second-degree separated shoulder against Ohio last week. The advantages McElroy will give Alabama just from a physical standpoint against North Texas could overwhelm the Mean Green, but knowing the extensive ins and outs of Dodge’s spread offense seems to be yet another aspect of McElroy’s contributions this week. Alabama head coach Nick Saban, however, said quarterback play will suffice. “We’re not going to have Greg help us coach defense this week,” he said. “We’ll just go ahead and let him be quarterback, but I’m sure he’d be helpful as smart as he is. “We’re still trying to figure [their offense] out on our own. The way I like to do it is figure it out and then ask him if I’m right or wrong.”

Familiar Territory Greg McElroy is no stranger to waiting his turn. The Texas native rode the pine until his senior year of high school, sitting behind future Missouri quarter-back and Heisman final-ist Chase Daniel. Just like he has shown in his first two games at Alabama, McElroy shines when he finally gets a chance. During his senior season at Southlake Carroll High School, McElroy set a Texas high school record by tossing 56 touchdowns in a single season. The 17-year-old also racked up 4,687 yards through the air while leading

his team to a high school national championship. As the redshirt junior lines up to take on his former high school coach, North Texas head coach Todd Dodge, this Saturday, McElroy will continue to prove he can fill the shoes of his pre-decessors and succeed at the college level.

CW | Bethany Martin

BY SPENCER WHITEAssistant Gameday Editor

Of the three Alabama teams Wallace Wade took to the Rose Bowl, none was more feared or dom-inant than the 1930 Crimson Tide. Led by tackle Fred Sington and sensational sophomore quarter-back John Cain, the Tide rolled over every opponent it faced dur-ing the season to a 9-0 finish and its third invitation to the Rose Bowl in seven seasons. It is written in the lore of Capstone history that the elephant mascot of the Tide originated from the group during an October grid-iron match against Ole Miss. Wade, having such a talented group of players, decided to start his second team against the Rebels, who played Ole Miss to a 7-0 lead at

March of the elephants

UA AthleticsThe 1930 Alabama Crimson Tide poses for a team picture. The national champions allowed just 13 points throughout the entire season.

the end of the first quarter. Exacerbated by their efforts, Wade called in the first team, who were so large by the standards of the day that Tide fans cried out

upon their arrival: “Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!” Sportswriter Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal chronicled the

name four days later in an article on the game. This began the long association of the Alabama pro-gram with the elephant mascot. Strupper would go on to write his assessment of the Tide starting 11 in the article. “It was the first time I had seen it, and the size of the entire starting eleven knocked me cold,” Strupper wrote. “Men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size.” Even after two trips to the Rose Bowl, Alabama still had to earn the respect of national media. The Dickinson Rankings, the premier college football rating system of the time, had the Tide at No. 3 behind the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame

and the Huskies of Washington State. The Tide would match up against Washington State in the Rose Bowl, and for the first time in its history the Tide would simply dominant a Pacific Conference team. With Sington delivering bone-crushing tackles and blocks, and Johnny Campbell, the Tide halfback known as “The Mississippi Rabbit,” Alabama rolled up a 21-0 halftime lead before sending in the reserves in a 24-0 victory. Sington earned his place in Tide legend by preserving the shutout on Washington State’s lone scoring opportunity. With Washington State close enough to attempt a rush into the endzone,

Exacerbated by their efforts, Wade called in the fi rst team, who were so large by the standards of the day that Tide fans cried out upon their arrival:

“Hold your horses, the elephants are coming!” { }the All-American pummeled his way through the Cougar line and stopped the Washington State half-back dead in his tracks, giving the Tide the ball back and ending what little chance the Cougars had of scoring against Alabama. With the victory, Alabama would earn it’s third national champion-ship, placing the Tide well out-side the realm of a simple south-ern football power. The Capstone crew was now a bonafide national name, reaching a standard that

had only been approached by the likes of Notre Dame, Army and the Michigan Wolverines. The 1931 Rose Bowl would be Wade’s last with the Tide, as a disagreement with University president George Denny led to his departure from the Capstone the following year. His replacement, former Notre Dame quarterback Frank Thomas, would lead the Tide to three more Rose Bowls, two of them victorious, and the 1934 and 1941 national championships.

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ALABAMAALABAMA NORTH TEXASNORTH TEXASKEY PLAYERS

LTLGC

RGRTTEHBQBRBWRWR

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James Carpenter (Jr.)Mike Johnson (Sr.)William Vlachos (So.)Barrett Jones (R-Fr.)Drew Davis (Sr.) Colin Peek (Sr.)Brad Smelley (So.)Greg McElroy (Jr.)Mark Ingram (So.)Julio Jones (So.) *Marquis Maze (So.)

Victor Gill (Jr.)Gabe Hollivay (Sr.)J.J. Johnson (So.)Coleman Feeley (So.)Estaban Santiago (Jr.)Bryant Seidle (Sr.)Nathan Tune (Jr.)Cam Montgomery (Sr.)Tyler Stradford (Fr.)Jamaal Jackson (Jr.)Sam Robinson (So.)

Brandon Deaderick (Sr.)Terrence Cody (Sr.)Lorenzo Washington (Sr.)Eryk Anders (Sr.)Dontʼa Hightower (So.)Rolando McClain (Jr.)Cory Reamer (Sr.)Kareem Jackson (Jr.)Justin Woodall (Sr.)Mark Barron (So.)Javier Arenas (Sr.)

OFFENSIVE STARTERS DEFENSIVE STARTERSDEDTDE

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OFFENSIVE STARTERSLTLGC

RGRTTEQBRBWRWRWR

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DEFENSIVE STARTERSDEDTDTDEOLBMLBOLBCBFSSSCB

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Brandon Akpunko (So.)Jessie DeSota (Jr.)Draylon Ross (Sr.)Eddrick Gilmore (Sr.)Kyle Hill (Sr.)Tobe Nwigwe (Sr.)Craig Roberson (Jr.)Royce Hill (Jr.)DaWaylon Cook (So.)John Shorter (So.)Adryan Adams (Sr.)

KP

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Leigh Tiffin (Sr.)P.J. Fitzgerald (Sr.)Javier Arenas (Sr.)Javier Arenas (Sr.)Mike McCoy (Sr.)

SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERSK/PPRKR

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Jeremy Knott (Sr.)John Shorter (So.)DaWaylon Cook (So.)John Shorter (So.)

SPECIAL TEAMS STARTERS

Brandon Deaderick, DE

Deaderick is expected to return to his start-ing position on the Tide defensive line Saturday, three weeks after being shot dur-ing a robbery attempt. It remains to be seen how the senior’s play over a sustained peri-od will be affected by his injury.

Darius Hanks, WR

Hanks emerged as a reliable receiver for the Tide, especially on third down, where the junior made numerous clutch recep-tions against Virginia Tech. With Julio Jones’s playing status in doubt as of press time, the Tide will count on Hanks.

Nathan Tune, QB

With starting quarterback Riley Dodge sidelined with a separated shoulder, Tune is the man who must try to topple the Tide on the road. He was very average in relief of Dodge in last week’s 31-30 OT loss to Ohio, going 9-for-15 for 69 yards.

Cam Montgomery, RB

Montgomery has had an explosive begin-ning to this season, racking up 237 yards on 39 carries in North Texas’s first two games. The Tide defense will be a large step-up from Ball State and Ohio, which means that Montgomery must bring his “A” game.

* as of press time, Jonesʼs status was questionable