2009 Season Preview

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Volume 2, Issue 1

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Pg.12 Coach Clem Gryska Pg. 22 Houndstooth Twins Pg. 26 Quarterback McElroy Pg. 14 2009 Recruiting Class

President/Publisher

In this issue

Staff

Bennie Bice

Editor-in-Chief

4

‘08 Season Recap

6

Preseason Forecast

8

Glimpse of Nick Saban

12

Coach Clem Gryska

14

‘09 Offensive Recruits

18

‘09 Defensive Recruits

22

Houndstooth Twins

26

QB Greg McElroy

29

Tailgater of the Week

31

Dave’s Dogs

Mike Lacy

Managing Editor

Jessica Mansell

Photography

Design Editor Graphic Design Chief Information Officer Website Designer

BDL Rivals.com UA Media Dept.

Jenifer McCormick Tramayne Wright Giselle Warren

Brian LaShomb Carey Landon

Public Relations

Drew Franklin Coe Robbins Katlyn Clark

Advertising Director Advertising Sales

Accounting Department Marketing Department

Contributing Writers

Herb Neu Giselle Warren Ross Snyder Doug Cate Caitlin Brothers Tremayne Wright Danny Glynn

Katie Jackson Kasey Coleman

Julie Driscoll Katie Hall Rebecca Mansell Alex Schroyer Dr. Donald F. Staffo Brad Lake Lauren Moranor Jessie Landon

M U L T I M E D I A Next issue: • Past & present UA football pilots • Q & A interview with Coach Nick Saban • Summer camp report • pre-game Preview Alabama vs. Virginia Tech • Preseason Rankings

Volume 2, Issue 1

• Ongoing coverage of the latest recruits • Interviews with coaches and players • Game and practice footage • Blogs by Coe & Jonathan • On-line digital magazine

Weekly Show Coming in August • Catch interviews with Crimson Tide current and former players and coaches.

• Breakdown of upcoming games • Live in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham

All content is the property of Touchdown Alabama Magazine. Touchdown Alabama Magazine reserves all rights to content in both the print and online (www.touchdownalabama.net) versions of the publication. No image or text may be reproduced without written consent from Touchdown Alabama Magazine.

2008

Saban’s Second Season

SEASON RECAP

F

Rebecca Mansell all 2008 started out with the University of Alabama with an unimpressive ranking in the poles. However, Coach Nick Saban lead the Tide to being the top ranked team in the nation and took them to the SEC Championship.

The season opened on August 30, when the Crimson Tide traveled to the Georgia Dome to take on Clemson. The Bama team washed over the Tigers with an end score of 3410. This blowout took many by surprise and showed that the University of Alabama was back in the game.

A week later, Alabama hosted its first home game when the Crimson Tide took on Tulane’s Big Green Wave. Bama fans rejoiced as the home team wiped out the New Orleans players. Bryant-Denny Stadium was filled with cheers at the end of the game. Alabama scored 20 points, while Tulane only scored six.

Bryant-Denny was again filled to the brim, as Alabama took on Western Kentucky. While in passed years, the Crimson Tide has had some issues with smaller schools, this year was different. Alabama again blew through their competition with an end score of 41-7.

The Crimson Tide’s second away game came on September 20. The team went to Fayetteville to play Arkansas. For the fourth game in a row, Alabama beat its opponent by

at least two touch downs. The game wrapped up with Bama winning 49-14.

Alabama was on the road again the next week, going to Athens to take on the University of Georgia.

This was the Tide’s first close game so far in the season, but the “Black Out” was washed away in a sea of red. Alabama scored 41 points, beating Georgia who scored 30, the most points any team scored on Alabama the whole season.

The first game of October was a home game for UA. Kentucky left Bryant-Denny after another close call. The teams were only separated by three points. Alabama scored only17 points in this dismal game.

The next game was also a close scrape for the University. The Crimson Tide fought hard to hold on to their perfect season. On October 18, Alabama hosted Ole Miss.

The game wrapped up with a final score of 24-20.

October wrapped up with Alabama on the road in Knoxville.

The Tide rebounded after its last two disappointing games by demolishing Tennessee. Rammer Jammer echoed through the stadium instead of Rocky Top. The Tide swept over the Vols with the final score Alabama-29, Tennessee-9.

For the 2008 Homecoming Game, the University of Alabama stayed true to the tradition of playing opponents who pose no threat by hosting Arkansas State University. Bama easily won the game, scoring 35 points while not allow-

Stands Out ing Arkansas State to score.

For the November 8th game, UA was on the road again, this time traveling to Baton Rouge to play LSU. Fans and sports commentators alike made much of this game.

Saban was returning to play his old team. Both teams felt the pressure and played their hardest, pushing the game into overtime. Alabama pulled it out, to end the with a score of 27-21.

The Tide was back at home the next week to take on Mississippi State. Fans worried that the close last game would “psych out” the UA team, but the Bulldogs were no match for Bama. Alabama had 32 points at the end of the fourth quarter and Mississippi State only had seven.

The regular season wrapped up with the biggest rivalry in the South – the Iron Bowl. 2008 was Alabama’s turn to host the show down. Fans of Auburn flooded Tuscaloosa on that rainy Saturday.

The Crimson Tide earned their bragging rights by beating the War Eagles 36-0.

The winning season took UA to the SEC Championship Game against the University of Florida.

The game was played at the Georgia Dome, but the good luck Bama experienced at the venue did not hold up. The Gators scored 31 points and the Tide only got .

While no one could be dissatisfied with the effort, many fans and the touchdownalabama.net

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team were saddened by the loss.

The dream of going to the National Championship was over for the 2008 season.

The silver lining of losing the SEC Championship was that UA

got to go the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2, 2009. The trip to the Big Easy ended unhappily with Utah beating the Tide 31 to 17.

The 2008 season ended on a sour note, but this season was only the beginning for the “Sabanation.�

The Tide is bound to keep on rolling into 2009.

Photos by BDL

Photos by BDL

Preseason Preview Alex Schroyer After Nick Saban’s recruiting success, Alabama fans shouldn’t have too much to worry about for the 2009-2010 football season. Key players such as FS Rashad Johnson, RB Glen Coffee, QB John Parker Wilson, and OT Andre Smith are gone, but thirteen starters from last year’s stellar squad remain: four on offense and nine on defense. Of the nine returnees on defense, three received All-SEC honors. Alabama’s offense will need to step up their performance with Antoine Caldwell, Smith and Wilson’s guidance and expertise gone.

The battle between quarterbacks Star Jackson and Greg McElroy should be an interesting one, though the real task at hand is to minimize their mistakes in play.

The defense will continue to be as

dominant as it was last year with Terrence Cody holding down the line and drawing an extra block to help free up the linebackers.

Rolando McClain and Javier Arenas should continue to shine and pound away at the opposing teams offenses. This year, if Alabama can get the ball moving on offense and keep their already dominant defense healthy, they will have a great chance to go all the way.

Let’s take a look at the road to the championship.

Alabama’s first game of the season is against Virginia Tech in Georgia on September 5. VT is coming off of a 10-4 season in which they won the ACC Championship against #20 Boston College and then beat #12 Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl. The Hokies accomplished this feat while in their ‘rebuilding’ phase. Virginia is known for their special teams, so watch for some get up and go on that front.

This game will be a good one, with two young teams facing off for early season polling spots.

The second game of the season

will be against Florida International on September 12 at home. FIU is a newcomer to Division I football, this year being their fifth season in the division. Last year FIU had a record of 5-7, losing to several unranked teams as well as #13 Kansas and #12 USF. Alabama should blow this team out no problem.

North Texas will play Alabama at home on September 19. North Texas lost to FIU and LSU last year, going 1-11 for 2008. This game will be another win for Alabama.

On September 26 Alabama will play its first conference game of the season and it should be an easy one. Arkansas went 5-7 last year with Alabama beating them 49-14.

This will be Alabama’s first conference win.

Kentucky went 7-6 in 2008, with all of their losses coming from conference play. They gave Alabama a scare with a 17-14 game tipping in Alabama’s favor. This will be another notch on the conference belt, as Kentucky hosts Alabama on October 3.

Alabama takes on Ole Miss on October 10 away from home. The Rebels went 9-4 last year, winning the cotton bowl against Texas Tech 47-34. Alabama avoided a loss last year with a 24-20 win, scoring no points in the second half while Ole Miss compiled 17. Alabama blew a lead they had going into halftime of 24-3. This will be a tough game for Alabama. It will be the second true test of the team.

Alabama’s Homecoming will be early this year, on October 17, with a game against the South Carolina Gamecocks. With a 7-6 record in 2008, the Gamecocks made it to the Outback Bowl, which they lost to Iowa 10-31. This will be an interesting conference match-up.

Tennessee will be in town on October 24. The Volunteers lost 29-9 last season and with no real quarterback to lead them they don’t

seem poised to put up much of a threat this year either. One more notch on the conference belt.

The LSU game will be a prime time match-up of two high-profile teams. Last year Alabama pulled off a 27-21 win in overtime that pitted Alabama coach Nick Saban against his former team, a team that he basically built with his recruiting talents. LSU went 8-5 last season. This year will be another close game and a good one to watch. See it all go down on November 11.

Alabama will play at Mississippi State on November 14. The Bulldogs went 4-8 last season, 2-6 in the SEC. Alabama demolished them 32-7 and should be able to pull off another win here.

On November 21 Tennessee Chattanooga comes to BryantDenny Stadium to face the Crimson Tide. This game won’t be too

thrilling, with Chattanooga being a cupcake team that went 1-11 in ‘08. The Tide will roll right over this team.

On November 28 Alabama will head to Auburn to face their hated rivals for the last game of the season. With an all time record of 3933-1, Alabama leads the Tigers in the nation’s biggest rivalry. Last year Alabama broke a six-year winning streak to beat the Tigers 36-0.

Auburn won’t be much better this year with no real depth, thanks to Saban sucking the recruiting well dry. Everyone’s favorite game will go down as an Alabama win.

We have an interesting and energetic season ahead, so stay tuned and keep reading!

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A glimpse of

Nick Saban through the eyes of Terry Saban

T

Coach's wife understands her husband and "the process"

Donald F. Staffo USCALOOSA- Nick Saban is a very busy man, but so is his wife Terry. The Alabama head football coach can certainly recruit, as evidenced by his No. 1 ranked class last year and an incoming group that may match that this year, but it has to be a big asset when the prospects meet his enthusiastic wife, who personifies everything he stands for, but with a charming feminine touch. Being married to Nick for 35 years, Terry clearly understands the man and "the process."

Speaking to the Tuscaloosa Quarterback Club, Terry provided a glimpse of what it's like being the wife of the coach regarded by many as the best, or certainly among the very best, coaches in college football.

Terry- a 1976 Kent State masters degree graduate in Education, English and Speech- began by saying that after living with Saban so long, she understands some of the basics and the psychology of the game. In terms of trying to control the variables that go into putting a winning product on the field for 60 minutes each Saturday, she thumb nailed six things: "No. 1, Talent. You have to put in a lot of time, watching film and preparing (to determine which high school players you want to go after). You only have a brief amount of time to visit with each recruit and convince them to come (to Alabama). There are only 21 scholarships, so you can't make any mistakes," she stated.

"No. 2, Strength and Conditioning. All the hours in the weight room that go into strength and conditioning. Where it really shows up is in the 4th quarter," she said.

"No. 3, The Game Plan. This is the pure Xs and Os of football. The teaching of the game. A coach only gets 20 hours a week with the players, and that includes blackboard time, meeting time and on-the-field time," explained Terry, who taught high school for 12

years and currently has a real estate license. "It's about how much they can learn in this amount of time, about what is the most important thing to teach this week.

"No. 4 is the Intangible Psychological Motivation," Terry continued.

"The mental part of the game. How do you read the team? How do you approach the team? How do you motivate the team?

How do the players approach the game?

"No. 5 are the penalties.

You have to deal with the penalties. You can coach discipline," she stated.

"No. 6 are the entities that you can't control, like the crowd, weather and luck.

"If one or more things go bad, you then have to play above that," she said, sounding very much like her husband. "You want to get to the point where you're so good in the other things, that you can overcome whatever one or two things that you couldn't do.

"After seven hours on the field (with Alabama unbeaten at 7-0), so far we've been better than the other teams," she said. "At LSU, even when we won the national championship, we lost the seventh game that year. That humbled us, and made us do what Nick has been preaching- go back to the process," she said, noting that this is the first time in Nick's coaching career that his team has won its first seven games. (continued on page 10) 8

Photo by U A Media Department

Photo by BDL

Photo by BDL

Terry said she is often asked by people, 'What is Nick like? "I tell them he's the same (way you see him). There are times, like when we got that penalty for excessive celebration (after the touchdown) that I want to see him have a 'hissy fit,'" a phrase she used several times during her talk when she wanted her husband to become more expressive. She then provided a snapshot of what her husband's week is like.

"Monday and Tuesday are long, stressful nights. Nick gets home around 10:30, maybe. The coordinators get home around 1:30, Photo by BDL

maybe. Nick tells them to go home, but they want to stay. Wednesday is not so bad," she said. "Wednesday night is when the coaches call recruits. He gets home around 7:30.

He comes in the door holding a phone to his ear. He's on the phone a long time. Thursday night is the radio show at Buffalo Wild Wings.

He's home by 8:30. Friday night, on home games, he's with the players at the hotel until around 9:00 and he's home by 9:30. Saturday is game day. On Sunday Nick gets up real early and watches film. Then we go to church, and after church I drop him off at the office. Sunday is the hardest day because it's so lonely. So the wives and the children get together and join the coaches (at the football building) to eat. We're with them for about a half hour. I don't see him again until 10 o'clock at night.

"Nick also spends a lot of time watching videos (produced by) sports psychologists and other people," Terry continued. "For example, he watched one on focusing to learn how to shut out the clutter of the media, the rankings, and all the other distractions. When you're focused, everything becomes more powerful. I really believe that's true with prayer too, when a lot of people are praying for the same thing.

"Nick is stressed a lot during this time of year. He's not home very much." Terry then made her point by joking, "I told one of the kids, 'We've got a special guest coming today. Guess who's coming to see us?' "She said, 'Who, Daddy?'"

Being Nick Saban's wife all these years, Terry said, "The good has definitely outweighed the bad."

During the question and answer session she said that "only wives of coaches understand the heartache, the blood, sweat and tears, about

having to move a lot, and about getting fired," which she related Saban was when he was a part of the staff at Ohio State that was let go when a head coaching change was made. "They understand how resilient you have to be. The cream will rise to the top."

Asked what she and her family thought when Nick received a rock star reception right from the get-go and has maintained superstar status among the Alabama faithful, Terry said, "It's a slippery road from the White House to the outhouse. You just remain humble. You stay focused on what got you there. You keep everything in perspective," stated Terry, who related growing up one of five daughters of a coal mining father in a house with one bathroom, and who serves as Chairman of the Mental Health Association of Alabama West Alabama Operation Santa Claus, and President of the Nick's Kids Fund, which in 2007 distributed over $250,000 to needy children's organizations.

Asked how Nick likes to relax, Terry responded, "In the mountains and on the lake. He loves water sports. He's happiest when he can put his swim trunks on and leave them on all week. We also like to work in the garden. He was building a wall. He likes to work with his hands, so he can step back and see what he has done."

Terry concluded by saying that she loves Tuscaloosa. "It's ideal.

It's just the right size, it has a great fan base, good people, the right everything. It has all the elements to have a good team."

The Sabans are the parents of a 21 year old son and a 16 year old daughter. touchdownalabama.net

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Clem Gryska Long-time Bryant assistant coach stays busy at the Bryant Museum Donald F. Staffo

A

lthough it may be hard to believe, Bear Bryant passed away 26 years ago. And although some people who worked for Bryant are still around, they are getting older and that number grows fewer each year. One long-time Bryant associate is Clem Gryska, who worked on Bryant’s

Photo by BDL

staff from 1960 through 1978 as recruiting coordinator, assistant coach and assistant athletic director. ` Gryska was responsible for the kicking game and was also the head freshmen coach, back in the days when schools had freshmen teams.

Gryska likes to tell how he went to Bryant to see if he could do more on-the-field coaching and less recruiting and Bryant, after listening to Gryska’s appeal, responded: “Clem, I can always go out and find a good assistant coach, but I can’t find a good recruiting coordinator.”

“Next to coaching, this is the most enjoyable thing you can do....”

Gryska said that Bryant had a way to make you feel important and that, despite his desire to spend more time coaching, when he left Bryant’s office he always felt good.

After retiring from coaching, Gryska moved into athletics administration where he served until 1982, while simultaneously continuing his responsibilities as recruiting coordinator. “I did a lot of paperwork related to eligibility, I kept the participation charts and did a lot of little things so that Coach Bryant wouldn’t have to do them,” explained Gryska, who played at Alabama from 1945 through 1948 and on the Crimson Tide’s last Rose Bowl team in 1946. “I did that until (Ray) Perkins came back (as head coach and athletic director). Then I was still involved, but it was pretty much back to recruiting coordinator.”

Ten years later, in 1992, Gryska finally retired from the athletic department, but not totally from his involvement with Alabama football. He still maintains a proximity to the program, not only in distance but mind set, in his current role as an administrative assistant at the Bryant Museum, where he still works five days a week.

“I’ve been around Alabama athletics for 64 years,” he said. “It’s just been a part of my life. I don’t think I will fully retire. I lost my wife 18 years ago. I have two children in Tuscaloosa and three grandchildren, but I just can’t sit at home.

“Next to coaching, this is the most enjoyable thing you can do. I have a lot of fun. Former players come by, and we have special events from time to time that bring people together. As an example, during the football season we have teams coming back for reunions. The reunions are Friday night and all day Saturday, and give me and the

players a chance to reminisce.

“Last year Mike Fracchia came back, and I hadn’t seen him since he played here (in the early ‘60s). Harry Gilmore and Hugh Morrow came back, and I hadn’t seen them in several years and they were my teammates on the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl teams.”

Gryska said that since he’s been involved with Alabama football for such a long time that when people visit the museum they ask a lot of questions. “They’ll ask, ‘do you remember this? Do you remember that?”

Gryska came to Alabama from Steubenville, Ohio when he was 17 years old. He played for coaches Frank Thomas and Red Drew on teams that went 31-11-1 before Bryant returned to his alma mater from Texas A&M in 1958. But he spent the majority of his working life with Bryant. “Coach Bryant really had more influence on me than my parents did, because I stayed with him so long,” stated Gryska. “During that time I learned a lot of lessons from him.”

What may be surprising to some is that, according to Gryska, Bryant talked more about keeping from losing than he did about winning. “He emphasized no fumbles, no interceptions, no penalties, no missed assignments and things like that, because those are the things that cause you to lose.

“He stressed that the other team would probably play 100% intensity, so he expected his team to go 110%. He said that there were about four, five or six plays during the course of a game that would make the difference between winning and losing, and that if you got your share of those that you would probably win the game. You just never knew when they were coming. That’s why 100% wasn’t enough. You had to put forth 110% effort to make those plays.

“Coach Bryant felt that a football game was played in three phases- offense, defense and the kicking game, and all three phases were important. That was probably unusual for that time. Coach Bryant probably got that from General Neyland at Tennessee. Coach Bryant always looked up to General Neyland.”

Being on the inside of Alabama football for well over half a century, Gryska has accumulated a wealth of information. No wonder he is such a treasure and an asset to the Bryant Museum.

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2009 Offensive Recruits By Coe Robbins

QB-A.J. McCarron Mobile, Ala. 6’4” 189 lbs

RB-Trent Richardson Pensacola, Fla. 5’11” 220lbs

RB-Eddie Lacy Geismar, La. 6’0” 210 lbs

A.J. McCarron signed with the Tide early in his recruiting and has not disappointed with his ability.

He has a good frame for a quarterback with a quick release and is very accurate on the run. He still needs to add on some weight and improve his throwing mechanics.

Look for McCarron to redshirt and join the practice squad to improve his mechanics, but he will be a serious contender for 2011.

Elite 11 quarterback camper, a U.S. Army All-American Bowl participant, MVP of the AL/MS All-Star Classic and a two-time 5A AllState selection.

4th ranked QB by ESPNU 7th ranked pro-style QB by Rivals.com 17th ranked QB by Scout.com Other offers: Florida State, Oklahoma, Miami, Auburn

Richardson committed to Alabama in June and was rumored all the way until signing day that he was signing with LSU, but ended up with the Tide. This is a guy who will fight for every last inch on a running play and has extreme toughness and vision. With the running backs being thin coming into the fall, expect Richardson to contribute early as a true freshman in 2009.

Member of the 2009 Under-Armor High School All-Star Game, USA Today All-American, EA Sports First-Team All-American, Florida Athletic Coaches Association 5A Player of the Year, and finalist for Mr. Football in the state of Florida.

Top-ranked RB by ESPNU 2nd ranked overall RB by Rivals.com 2nd ranked RB by Scout.com Other offers: Florida, LSU, Florida State, Auburn

Lacy runs downhill and can easily make it into 2nd and 3rd level defenses in open space. He can use the spin move pretty effectively and has good acceleration and toughness. His cut-back ability needs work, as well as his academics; his offers would have been much more plentiful if it wasn’t for his grades.

First-team 5A All-State honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers, SuperPrep All-American, AllAmerican by Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report, and member of the Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120.

17th ranked RB by ESPNU 13th ranked RB by Rivals.com 24th ranked RB by Scout.com Other offers: Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi State

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Photos courtesy of Rivals.com

RB-Jermaine Preyear Mobile, Ala. 5’11” 205 lbs

FB-Mike Marrow Holland, Ohio 6’2” 240 lbs

WR-Kenny Bell Rayville, La. 6’1” 160 lbs

An original 2008 signee, Jermaine Preyear enrolled this past January after recovering from injuries the last two seasons of his high school career and is participating in spring practices. He has flashes at times of being a good inside runner, but overall quickness and explosiveness is lacking. Preyear may switch to fullback later on in his career.

5th ranked FB by ESPNU in 2008 20th ranked RB by Rivals.com in 2008 82nd ranked RB by Scout.com in 2008 Other offers: Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn

Mike Marrow is a strong, short yardage rusher who loves to hit and can take a lick himself. His athleticism is good and he could play either fullback or linebacker, depending on what Coach Saban feels is necessary.

2nd ranked FB by ESPNU 15th ranked FB by Rivals.com 11th ranked FB by Scout.com Other offers: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Penn. State, Toledo

If you consider getting a steal a good thing, Bell is right up your alley - Bell had committed to LSU long into his recruiting process. But after some swaying from Coach Nick Saban, Bell committed on Signing Day to the Tide. Bell has all the makings of a slot receiver and has that “Wow” factor, according to his high school coach. Academics may be a concern, though, in him joining in 2009.

SuperPrep All-American, 3A firstteam All-State selection by Louisiana Sports Writers Association, Mobile Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120, and Atlanta JournalConstitution Super Southern 100.

47th ranked WR by ESPNU 40th ranked WR by Rivals.com 36th ranked WR by Scout.com Other offers: Nebraska, Michigan, Mississippi State

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Photos courtesy of Rivals.com

2009 Offensive Recruits (continued)

WR-Michael Bowman Rossville, Ga. 6’4” 215 lbs

WR-Kendall Kelly Gadsden, Ala. 6’ 3” 215 lbs

WR-Kevin Norwood D’Iberville, Miss.

6’2” 180 lbs

Bowman has all the physical aspects of making one-on-one coverages against him nearly impossible.

People compare his size to Julio Jones, but in a recent interview, Bowman said he has grown another inch and has put on another 10 pounds, thus considering tight end as another option. He needs work in blocking and route running skills, but coaches can fix that. If academics can be straightened out, look for Bowman to contribute as early as 2009.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100, SuperPrep AllAmerican, Mobile Press-Register Super Southeast 120.

15th ranked WR by SuperPrep 20th ranked WR by Rivals.com 14th ranked WR by Scout.com Other offers: Oregon, N.C. State, Kentucky

With his size and speed, Kendall Kelly will be something special at the Capstone. He can get out of jams at the line of scrimmage and is a downfield threat anywhere on the field. Kelly doesn’t mind taking hits, but some recruiting experts say he needs to secure the ball to be much better at the next level. Look for Kelly to see some playing time in 2009 when he arrives on campus.

Played in AL/MS All-Star Game and U.S. Army All-American Game. Mobile Press-Register’s Elite 18, SuperPrep All-American, and garnered 6A All-State honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

7th ranked WR by ESPNU 26th ranked WR by Rivals.com 25th ranked WR by Scout.com Other offers: Southern Cal, Texas, LSU, Auburn

Kevin Norwood is a guy who could contribute on either offense or defense as a safety, but expect the staff to leave Norwood as a wide receiver since he was very high on their receiver board. Norwood is also considered a good return specialist who has very high competitiveness and is elusive. He has a very good frame to add some weight and still keep his speed.

Don’t be shocked at all if Norwood is used as the second man with Arenas on kick returns in 2009.

Orlando-Sentinel All-Southern team, Sun Herald’s South Mississippi Defensive Player of the Year, Mr. South Mississippi Football, and Jackson Clarion-Ledger firstteam All-State.

65th ranked WR by ESPNU 22nd ranked WR by Rivals.com 44th ranked WR by Scout.com Other offers: Auburn, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Southern Mississippi touchdownalabama.net

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Photos courtesy of Rivals.com

OL James Carpenter Augusta, Ga./Coffeyville[Kan.] CC 6’5” 305lbs Carpenter enrolled in January and is currently participating in spring practices. He is expected to play in the offensive guard position at Alabama.

No rankings for this player Other offers: Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas, Ole Miss

OL - D.J. Fluker Foley, Ala. 6’7” 340 lbs

D.J. Fluker was a highly touted offensive lineman out of Foley High School with many offers across the nation. His size is just an intimidating factor alone and can immediately have an impact on run support. Fluker. will need to get into better shape, however, and mechanics will need work for pass coverage, but expect him to play in 2009.

Parade All-American, USA Today All-American, played in AL/MS All-Star Game, No.1 on The Birmingham News Super Senior list.

Top-ranked OT by ESPNU Top-ranked OT by Rivals.com 8th ranked OL by Scout.com Other offers: Florida State, Oklahoma, LSU, Auburn

OL Darius McKellar Jonesboro, Ga. 6’5” 280 lbs

OL-Kellen Williams Lawrenceville, Ga. 6’3” 280 lbs

A long frame makes McKeller a great offensive line prospect once he fills out. Has good quickness and footwork, but injuries hampered him throughout high school.

McKellar will probably contribute to the O-line as a tackle later rather than sooner.

2008 4A All-State firstteam selection by Atlanta Journal-Constitution, SuperPrep top 50 player in the state of Georgia, and 4A first-team selection by Georgia Sports Writers Association.

30th ranked OT by ESPNU 58th ranked OT by Rivals.com 43rd ranked OG by Scout.com Other offers: Mississippi State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn

Kellen Williams has good athleticism with good technique and plays with tremendous effort. He is a very effective run blocker and brings high intensity, but needs some work on off-ball quickness and his lateral movement.

A first-team 5A Georgia Sports Writers Association All-State selection, played in the GWSA North-South All-Star game, and an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Georgia top 150 selection.

78th ranked OT by ESPNU 24th ranked OG by Rivals.com 29th ranked OT by Scout.com Other offers: Florida State, Rutgers, Boston College, Wake Forest

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2009 Offensive Recruits (continued)

OL - Brandon Moore Montgomery, Ala. 6’4” 313 lbs

Nationally, Rivals.com has rated Moore at No. 24 offensive tackle, but he comes in at No. 9 in the state of Alabama. Moore chose Alabama over Florida, Auburn, Clemson, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State.

Anthony Steen Clarksdale, Miss.

6’4” 297 lbs

Steen has done his share of trying things out, as he played offensive line, defensive line, snapping and kicking in high school. As he is ranked at the No. 39 spot for defensive tackle prospect, Steen chose Alabama over Miami (Fla.), Florida State, Mississippi State, Mississippi, and Southern Miss.

Chance Warmack Atlanta, Ga. 6’2” 329 lbs

Warmack is already spring training at Alabama as he enrolled in January of this year. As the No. 29 player in the state of Georgia according to Rivals.com, Warmack chose Alabama over Arkansas, Auburn, Rutgers and South Carolina.

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Photos courtesy of Rivals.com

2009 Defensive Recruits by Julie Driscoll

LB - Jonathan Atchison Atlanta, Ga. 6’3” 216 lbs

Atchison was chosen as a first-team 5A Georgia All-State by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the Associated Press. The ESPNU ranked No.14 Linebacker chose Alabama over Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Louisville.

Nico Johnson Andalusia, Ala. 6’3” 226 lbs

Johnson had 78 tackles with two sacks and 11 interceptions in his senior year and was named No. 20. overall recruit by ESPNU. He chose Alabama over big rivalries such as Auburn, LSU, and Florida.

Petey Smith Seffner, Fla. 6’0” 230 lbs

Smith has been listed as No. 5 inside linebacker

by ESPNU as well as Rivals.com No. 63 player in Florida. Smith chose Alabama over Tennessee, North Carolina, Illinois, and Louisville.

Tana Patrick Stevenson, Ala. 6’3” 215 lbs

Rated No.3 on the Birmingham News Super Senior list, Patrick is also named No.5 inside linebacker by Rivals.com. He chose Alabama over a number of schools including big rivalries Auburn, LSU and Clemson.

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Photos courtesy of Rivals.com

2009 Defensive Recruits (continued)

Rod Woodsen Olive Branch, Miss.

5’11” 200 lbs

Rivals.com rates Woodsen as the hardest-hitting safety in the country, and ESPNU ranks him as the No.34 outside linebacker.

He has chosen Alabama over Ole Miss, Auburn, Tennessee and others.

DE - William Ming Athens, Ala. 6’4” 265 lbs

SuperPrep Magazine calls Ming the No. 8 player in the state of Alabama, being also the No. 19 overall defensive end according to ESPNU. Ming has chosen Alabama over Auburn, Oklahoma, LSU and Tennessee.

Anthony Orr Harvest, Ala. 6’4 260 lbs

Orr is a member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’ Super Southern 100 along with being the Rivals.com No. 14 prospect in Alabama. Orr chose Alabama over Auburn, Clemson, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

Ed Stinson Homestead, Fla. 6’4” 227 lbs

ESPNU has named Stinson as the No. 23 defensive end in the 2009 recruiting class, having 16 recorded sacks as a junior. Stinson chose the Tide over LSU, Florida State, Miami (Fla.) and Auburn.

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20

Photos courtesy of Rivals.com

2009 Defensive Recruits (continued)

DT - Chris Bonds Columbia, Sc. 6’4” 262 lbs

Bonds was named No. 10 defensive tackle nationally by ESPNU along with joining the list of the Atlanta Journal Constitutions’ Super Southern 100 list. He chose Alabama over Southern California, Tennessee, Michigan and Notre Dame.

Quinton Dial Pinson, Ala. 6’5” 308 lbs

As the No. 33 defensive tackle in the nation by Rivals.com, Dial chose Alabama over Auburn, Florida and Clemson.

Darrington Sentimore Destrahan, La. 6’3” 265 lbs

Sentimore had a very successful high school career with 78 sacks and six tackles in his senior year.

He has chosen Alabama over LSU, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.).

DB Dre Kirkpatrick Gadsden, Ala. 6’2” 180lbs

An impressive catch for Alabama, Kirkpatrick is one of the top players in the 2009 recruiting class and is the No. 4 overall recruit nationally in the ESPNU150. He has chosen Alabama over big schools such as Auburn, LSU, and Texas.

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Photos by BDL

2 Girls, 2 Hats:

in LaFayette, Ala. “The recognition is fun,” Ashley said. “Even by ourselves without a hat, people recognize us.” It’s not always easy being in the spotlight, though. “When we go to Tuscaloosa for a game, if we go to the bathroom or to get a hotdog, it takes 45 minutes,” Ashley said, because so many people want pictures or autographs.

According to the girls, a drawback to their fame is that people can get the wrong impression of them from what they find online. “If you Google our names, you pull up stuff that’s not true,” Maegen said. Ashley agreed that she no longer believes everything she sees online. “It makes you look at the Internet in a different way,” she said, “It gets frustrating.”

Houndstooth Twins’ Future Up in the Air Jessica Mansell

T

Photos by BDL

hey’re tall, they’re blonde, and they’re twins. Throw in the fact that they’re big Bama fans and it’s no wonder that Ashley and Maegen Bailey have achieved celebrity status just by cheering on the Tide. The Houndstooth Twins, as they’ve come to be known, never set out to be famous. They just went to a football game in houndstooth hats.

The first time the twins were televised was the 2005 Florida game. The girls were dressed similarly that day, but not on purpose. Like many girls in the stadium, they were both wearing black skirts and crimson tops. Ashley bought a houndstooth hat to complete her look. “Maegen saw mine and had to have one too,” she explained. During that game, the CBS cameraman saw the twins and put them on T.V. Fast-forward to A-Day 2009 and the Baileys can be seen signing autographs and taking pictures outside of BryantDenny. These fans now have their own fans. One even threw a barbecue in their honor, inviting his friends to a meet the twins at his “Alabama house” packed with decades of memorabilia.

The Houndstooth Twins even have some famous fans. “We went to the Auburn game. It was raining and wet.

We just came back from the Strip area and we were going into the stadium early,” Ashley recalled. “This guy in a toboggan comes up and said ‘My dad loves you. Dad, it’s the twins.’” The

guy took off his toboggan to pose with the girls and his dad. Under the hat was was Taylor Hicks.

The Houndstooth Twins phenomenon has opened up opportunities offcampus for the two as well. In 2007, Aaron’s picked them up as spokesmodels for their 499 Talladega NASCAR race and Corr Wireless did the same, putting the pair on billboards and radio ads. The girls are also asked to speak and perform at schools and churches across the state. The most recent school was Chambers Academy

(continued on page 24)

The twins also get hassled about not being “true” Alabama fans because they go to school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The decision wasn’t based on team loyalty, though. Maegen is the pianist at their home church, Union Hill Baptist, in Oneonta. She also teaches piano lessons in their home and at a music conservatory in Trussville. In order to continue working with her young students, Maegen had to choose a college close to home.

Ashley followed suit in order to live with her sister, and the girls decided on U.A.B. Maegen, who has studied piano since the age of 4, is a music major.

Ashley is majoring in education and works at a law firm in Birmingham. “They’re huge Alabama fans,” she said of her employers. “They give me lots of support.” Ashley also gets some teaching practice on the weekends with her firstgrade Sunday school class and helps her twin with the musical equipment for church services and recitals.

The twins’ church activities keep them from traveling to the “super-far-away” games, although they have enjoyed the away games that they have been able to attend. “We meet a lot of nice people at away games. Georgia fans are always nice,” Ashley noted.

The most memorable season for Maegen was 2005. But, she added, “This year was nice at the Auburn game with 360.”

Ashley agreed that the 2008 Auburn game stands out.

“That was awesome, blowing them out of the water. The whole 7 thing.”

The twins also list the 2006 Southern Sports Awards among their favorite things about being the Houndstooth Twins. They were up for “Fan of the Year” and flew to Charlotte, N.C., to attend the ceremonies. “We got to meet a lot of interesting people,” Maegen said, including Chipper Jones, Evander Holifield, and Chris Daughtry.

Over the last few years, the Baileys have collected an impressive amount of houndstooth items, including scarves, dresses, shirts, jewelry, pants, purses, jackets and even a houndstooth Bible cover. The only thing missing from their collection is houndstooth shoes. Maegen’s favorite is their matching houndstooth luggage and Ashley’s is a houndstooth scrapbook that she has filled with news clippings of the two and pictures of them with their many fans.

Even the twins’Yorkshire terrier, Chloe, gets in on the houndstooth action. Like her girls, she has a houndstooth dress and also has custom-made Alabama jacket.

Maegen said it hasn’t been difficult to find new things to add to their houndstooth wardrobes. “Houndstooth has really come into style in the last 3 years,” she said.

“We really don’t have to look,” her twin added.

The twins’ mother, Anna Bailey, added that people say they

even have houndstooth cars; Maegen has a black Xterra and Ashley has a white one.

Before the T.V. cameras made them instant celebrities, the Bailey twins were not frequent attendees at football games.

Their dad, an Auburn fan, didn’t take the family to games when the girls were young, preferring to watch games on television. “They think they have the best seats at home on the couch,” Maegen said of her parents. But, as the twins grew up and became Crimson Tide fans, they started going to a few games.

Since the 2005 season, the girls have been attending all Tide home games. For the first few seasons, they sat in the student section, finding tickets for sale online and converting them to student guest tickets. The very first year they were able to get student tickets from a friend. In the 2008 season, the two purchased general admission tickets instead and sat on the opposite side of the stadium. “We don’t like fighting for seats,” Maegen explained. Ashley said that is also why they started sitting on the concrete pillars at the bottom of the steps when they were in the student section, a position that often made them easy to find. The girls still buy their own tickets to the games. They said they do not get in free. “We pay for our tickets just like everybody else does,” Ashley said.

They are also quick to point out that they never know when they are on T.V. “We’re not camera chasers,” Ashley said. The girls normally get a text message from a friend when they are spotted by the cameras. Not knowing when they are being televised keeps the pair on their best behavior.

“Last year this little boy behind me accidentally dumped his whole Coke in my purse,” Ashley said. “It was terrible.

My phone was in there, my camera, everything. That’s when I was on T.V.” The cameraman had just picked her out of the crowd, holding up her dripping purse with a weird look on her face. Mom Anna called to see what happened and people later commented that she didn’t look very happy.

Although they never know when to expect the cameras, the girls do have a couple of gameday rituals. “We always stop at the same gas station,” Ashley said. Maegen said they used to always get barbecue nachos from Big Bad Wolves on the Strip, but that has been harder to do lately because of autograph sessions.

The twins are very close, but they feel that they have been able to keep their individuality. “Growing up we were always the Bailey twins,” Ashley said. “We’ve always had differences. We’re so close, but we’ve had our different ways.” The duo rarely dressed alike prior to being dubbed the Houndstooth Twins. Their mother said they never fought over clothes. (continued on page 32) 24

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No. 12 to lead the Crimson Tide once again On Saturday during the A-day game, Greg McElroy continued to do what he has been doing all spring: showing everyone why he should be the next number 12 to play quarterback for the University of Alabama.

I

Brad Lake t is the end of spring training, and that means another football season for the Alabama Crimson Tide is only a summer away. After a late-season wakeup call from a tribe of Ute, the Tide has been working hard to improve their performance and competing with their teammates for a starting position in Atlanta where the Tide is scheduled to face off against the Virginia Tech Hokies.

“He’s quite a bit ahead of the other guys.”

A

mong these new positions that have opened, one might be a little easier to fill than the others, and that is the quarterback position. Greg McElroy, Alabama’s redshirt junior out of Texas, has been outperforming the other candidates all spring and continued to do so on Saturday. He completed 16-of30 passes for a total of 189 yards with two touchdowns to lead the crimson team to a 14-7 victory against the highly talented Alabama defense.

“I feel good about where I stand, I think I have had a very good spring,” McElroy said.

Though not perfect with two interceptions, McElroy still performed well, throwing a 52-yard bomb to Julio Jones for a touchdown in the first quarter, and another 10-yard scoring pass to Mike McCoy in the second quarter.

Compared to Star Jackson, who only completed 4for-13 for 52 yards with two interceptions, and Thomas Derrah, who went 8-of-22 for 113 yards, McElroy was the only quarterback that was able to penetrate the strong Alabama defense consistently.

“He’s quite a bit ahead of the other guys,” Head Coach Nick Saban said.

Though McElroy has not gotten a lot of playing time since he has been here at the University of Alabama,

he has had some good experience at the high school level. After playing behind Chase Daniels, the 2004 National High School Player of the Year who continued on to start at Missouri, McElroy had an impeccable senior season racking up 4,687 yards and a new Texas high school record with 56 touchdowns, leading the team to the Texas 5A state title and then a national title win. He was also named the Offensive Player of the Year in Texas completing 321-of-540 throws and running for over 700 yards with 12 rushing touchdowns.

After finishing strong during A-day, McElroy seems ready to fill the shoes of John Parker Wilson. Hopefully he will continue the legacy of number 12 that has been branded into the Tide’s football tradition by the legendary quarterbacks that wore it before him. touchdownalabama.net

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TAILGATER OF THE WEEK “In The Spirit”

T

Katie Hall he smell of barbeque in the air, the color crimson as far as the eye can see, the sounds of the Million Dollar Band playing “Yea Alabama”, and the excitement of another season of Crimson Tide football is all part of the spirit of the art of tailgating.

This season we featured some of our favorite Crimson Tide tailgaters. These “super fans” battled the heat, the rain, and even the cold to show how truly dedicated they are to the boys of ‘Bama football. We greatly enjoyed getting to know the tailgaters a little bit better and hope that they will inspire even more Crimson Tide fans to come out and

share their traditions with us.

The tailgaters ranged in Debbie Thompson and the style from Red Zone are known for best the classic game day wings. family tradition style with a tent on the quad and a grill packed with burgers, to the river boaters and RV gangs that have a little bit more original way of doing things. However, no matter how they get here or how they participate in the true art of tailgating, these amazing fans are an essential part of Alabama Crimson Tide Football and we wouldn’t be the same without them.

Jeff Davis of Pell City tailgates with friends on Bryant Drive.

Drew Alexander holds the infamous Bama Brew which the group enjoys every game day.

Barbara McGee, Terry Wilson, Pati Cheney, and Loretta Alexander, show off their “Nick Chick” bags at their tailgate before the Ole Miss game.

Benda Farmer of Tuscaloosa tailgates on the Quad.

The group uses different cups at each game, all in relation to the Crimson Tide.

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DAVE’S DOGS “It’s in the bun”

I

Julie Driscoll

f you’re looking for a fun, cheap, quick meal on game days or during your shopping spree, head on into Dave’s Dogs in the University Mall. With a good variety and low prices, you’re bound to get what you ask for in this place.

Dave’s Dogs was originated with Dave DelDonnie’s hot dog cart on the beach in Destin, Fla. He teamed up with Richard McCracken, and the pair opened two restaurants in Destin.

McCracken, an Alabama graduate, said he chose to open a Dave’s Dogs in Tuscaloosa in order to get the name out to the many tailgaters that wander hungrily on fall Saturdays.

The restaurant carries a beach theme, derived from its Destin home, with grass skirts and tropical art work along the walls. The mascot, Willy, a giant hot dog, stands in the middle of the restaurant welcoming families in to eat.

“The kids just love Willy,” Mc-

Cracken said. As the name suggests, hot dogs are the specialty on the menu, but these aren’t your average hot dogs. Get plain if you’d like, but recommended is the Chicago Dog, loaded with tomato slices, cucumber and pickle spears, dill relish, banana peppers and celery salt.

Other styles of hot dogs include the nacho chili, bacon, sauerkraut, and kielbasa, and all of the condiments served are freshly made in the restaurant. After getting your order, you can make your way over to the ketchup, mustard, relish and hot sauce, giving you endless possibilities for your dog.

What makes these dogs so special?

They’re made from 100 percent beef and they’re laid in a bun made of buttered and grilled Texas Toast.

Thus, the “It’s all in the bun.” con-

cept.

Not up for a hot dog? Dave’s Dogs offers a variety of burgers made from 100 percent Angus beef with styles such as cheese, bacon and cheese, nacho chili cheese, and

cheddar. All burgers come on a Kaiser roll.

McCracken says his nachos are a great deal because they are large portions and topped with Dave’s famous chili. Sides include fries, onion rings, coleslaw, jalapeños and more.

Pricing is moderate at $3.50-4.50 per hot dog, depending on style and toppings. Burgers, which are decently sized, run from $3.95-5.45.

Order at the counter and your food is out minutes later. The atmosphere is fun with music, decorations, and newspaper articles about Dave’s Dogs framed and hung with pride along the walls.

Try something different than the normal food court food. Look for the fun that’s “all in the bun.”

touchdownalabama.net

31

Photos by BDL

CLASSIFIEDS Send info to: classifiedads@tdalabama.com 205-765-8007 Herb Neu

“They were the best little kids in America,” she said.

Ashley and Maegen have lived together in Birmingham since graduating from Oneonta High School in 2002. But after being together their whole lives, things are about to change for the Baileys.

Both girls are engaged.

Maegen will marry first this July, and Ashley’s wedding is planned for January 2010.

Ashley’s husband-tobe is an Alabama fan and is fine with dating a Houndstooth Twin. Maegen met her fiancé at the Tennessee game in 2005, just weeks after her television debut. He was at the game with his dad, an original Tide Pride mem-

ber, and his brother Bryant, named after the legendary coach.

Maegen said since his family is all big Bama fans, her husband-to-be is also proud to be engaged to a Houndstooth twin. “He doesn’t mind it at all,” Maegen said. But, there are a couple of big drawbacks. First, he’s a Florida State fan. Second, he lives in Louisville, Ky., making hard for him to travel to Alabama games with the twins.

The twins do still plan to attend as many games together as they can, but the Houndstooth Twins era will eventually come to a close. “Are we going to be 45 wearing matching outfits to the games? No,” Maegen said. But, she added “We don’t put a date on it.”

“We’ll always be Alabama fans and we’ll always be twins,” Ashley said. “I don’t think anybody can take that away from us.”

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2009 Schedule Date

Opponent

9/5/09

Virginia Tech

9/12/09

Florida International

9/19/09

North Texas

9/26/09

Arkansas

10/3/09

at Kentucky

10/10/09

at Mississippi

10/17/09

South Carolina (homecoming)

10/24/09

Tennessee

11/7/09

LSU

11/14/09

at Mississippi State

11/21/09

Tennessee-Chattanooga

11/28/09

at Auburn

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“Touchdown Alabama Magazine was created to bring Alabama football fans the coverage of their team that they crave and expect, as well as to bring them closer to the action of the field. The University of Alabama has a long college football history, rich with tradition. Each season has added more dynamic players and colorful stories to the Alabama family. It is only fitting that a program with 12 National Championships should have a weekly magazine dedicated to conveying the excitement of the game to it’s devoted fans. Touchdown Alabama Magazine strives to be the most up-to-date, relevant and exciting magazine covering University of Alabama football. Furthermore, we guarantee in-depth articles, exclusive interviews and quality content surrounding the Crimson Tide. We will never forget who we generate this magazine for... you, the fan. God Bless.”

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