Touchdown Alabama Magazine - Online Edition - North Texas

Alabama’s Premier College Football Magazine

September 19, 2009

True Freshman Trent Richardson

WildTide: Inside the Wildcat Offense By: Anthony Johnson

TOUCHDOWNALABAMA.NET

Volume 2, Issue 4 $3.00

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September 19, 2009 | Volume 2, Issue 4

In This Issue 8

Staff

President/Publisher

Pregame Preview

10

Rosters

14

Wildcat Offense

18

Visitor Profiles

19

Larry’s Lowdown

21

Darwin Holt

22

Houndstooth Twins

25

Spotlight: Hightower

26

SEC News

29

Bama Fans

Editor-in-Chief

Mike Lacy

Managing Editor Photography

Bennie Bice

Jessica Temple BDL Mark Lent Jenifer McCormick North Texas Athletic Department Paul W. Bryant Museum Rivals.com

Creative Director Graphic Design

Chief Information Officer Website Designer

Jenifer McCormick Cassandra Johnson Tramayne Wright Brian LaShomb Carey Landon

Public Relations

Katlyn Clark Drew Franklin Coe Robbins

Advertising Director Advertising Sales

Herb Neu Ron Bush Doug Cate Kimberly Drake Alex Schroyer Tramayne Wright

Accounting Department Marketing Department

Contributing Writers

Danny Glynn Kasey Coleman John Shamblin

Larry Burton Jennifer Gorham Katie Hall Anthony Johnson Katie Koenig Brad Lake Lauren Moranor Coe Robbins Dr. Donald F. Staffo

M U L T I M E D I A Next Issue • William Vlachos • The Fail Room • Key Player Matchups • Elephants on Campus

Web Content • Post-Game Interviews • Game Footage • Press Conferences from Nick Saban • More From Larry Burton

Weekly Radio Show

• Coming Soon!

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.

Letter from the Editor Hello, Bama fans!

Welcome to Touchdown Alabama Magazine! We are excited about the 2009 season. We have an impressive team that is only getting stronger, a coach that is bringing us back to the top and a great publication to cover it all!

If you are new to the magazine, we are glad you picked us up! We hope you enjoy what you see. For those of you who got to know us last year, welcome back! We hope you appreciate the expanded content and like the new look of Touchdown Alabama.

As Alabama’s premier college football magazine, we strive to bring you the most complete and current coverage of the Crimson Tide. If you have any suggestions or ideas for things you would like to see in our upcoming issues, please let us know! We are always open to suggestions from our readers. Let us

know what you think of Touchdown Alabama!

Look for us at locations throughout Tuscaloosa each home game, and check us out online for away games and in between. 2009 is shaping up to be another fantastic season for the Tide and we are proud to be part of it!

Roll Tide!

Touchdown Alabama Staff Send Letters to: PO BOX 3251 TUSCALOOSA AL 35403-3251 205-701-1211 publish@tdalabama.com Advertising: ads@tdalabama.com

MISSION STATEMENT

“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 on 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 its devoted fans. Touchdown Alabama Magazine strives to be the most up-todate, 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.”

Bennie Bice, Publisher

Subscribe T oday! . . www touchdownalabama net

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

After a slow first half in Alabama’s first two games, expect a much faster start against North Texas. I expect Alabama to have their first complete game with fewer mental errors. Expect much better kickoff coverage as well.

Alabama will be working on the special teams again this week against North Texas after letting Florida International break the lanes last week. Look for some new jersey numbers on kickoffs. Defensively, the Tide will show some different looks. The Crimson Tide, offensively, will continue to utilize the backfield as its main source of power against North Texas’ defense.

After starting the season 2-0, I look to see the offense continue to improve, matching the play of the defense. This will be the game where the Tide puts it all together. With one of the best defenses in the country and the emergence of the running game, they will win big.

>>Alabama 42-7 Bennie Bice - Publisher

>>Alabama 47-17

>>Alabama 42-3

Only a fool would think that North Texas would have a chance to pull off the upset against the Tide.

Instead, what we should look for is improvement in kickoff return coverage and the ability to grab this team by the throat from the first quarter and continue pummeling them for four quarters. That is how I will measure this win.

Larry Burton

Mike Lacy - Editor-in-Chief

Bama is on a roll and should continue on the path to a perfect season this week. North Texas will be using their back-up quarterback and will be no match for our D. Bama will have another big win. >>Alabama 37-10

Jessica Temple - Managing Editor

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Pre-Game Preview

Pre-Game Preview

No. 4 Alabama vs North Texas

Tough Defense and Hot Running Game Will Carry the Tide Past the Mean Green

A

Brad Lake

fter coming off their second win in a row, the Alabama Crimson Tide has to make sure not to get too big-headed for the North Texas game on September 19. The Tide should dominate in all facets of the game, but must stay focused in order to show their determination to go all the way this season.

Starting Quarterback Riley Dodge for the North Texas Mean Green suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday night’s 31-30 loss in double overtime against Ohio. Don’t expect to see him on the field this week against the Tide’s unstoppable defense.

With Dodge out of the picture, expect to see the Mean Green’s backup quarterback Nathan Tune making a lot of mistakes against the Tide’s stellar rush schemes and experienced secondary. Also, after throwing 69-yard interception in the fourth quarter against Ohio, Tune’s confidence might be a little low with Terrance Cody or Rolando McClain, who led the Tide with 10 tackles on Saturday against FIU, nipping at his heels every down.

We will probably see more interceptions made by the Tide’s defense this week, due to the North Texas quarterback situation and the Tide’s impenetrable run defense that held FIU to only 1 single rushing yard for the game.

Alabama should have less trouble with North Texas than they did with FIU due to the fact that PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK LENT

North Texas does not have a player that stacks up to Florida International’s T.Y. Hilton. Last week, Hilton took back a kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown run against the Tide’s shaky special teams, who have given up two touchdowns on kickoffs out of two games played this year. This is obviously one of No. 4 ranked Alabama’s weaknesses this year.

After coming off a big game against FIU, freshman running back Trent Richardson is a player to watch in the upcoming game. With a two touchdown runs, one of which was a 35-yard run, expect to see Richardson getting some more touches on the ball against the Mean Green. Also, look for Greg McElroy to have his best game yet against North Texas, due to the lack of talent on the Mean Green’s Sun Belt Conference defense. One player the Tide will be on the lookout for is sophomore defensive back Royce Hill, who will try to continue his interception streak, having already obtained two picks this season.

Finally, after the Tide establishes their concrete running game, expect McElroy and his crafty receiving core to completely demoralize the North Texas defense with some big pass plays to wide receivers Mike McCoy, Darius Hanks and Julio Jones, even though he has been rather quite the last couple of games. This should be the icing on the cake for the Crimson Tide and should seal the deal for this game. touchdownalabama.net |

alabama Roster 10

NO

NAME

POS

CL

82 32 28 49 4 7 44 86 93 67 88 87 77 99 62 57 16 79 96 95 51 85 40 13 97 76 58 11 6 29 33 23 34 15 54 5 30 40 22 3 2 24 78 35 75 8 26 36 81 20 21 42

Earl Alexander WR Jr. Eryk Anders LB Sr. Javier Arenas DB Sr. Jonathan Atchison LB Fr. Mark Barron DB So. Kenny Bell WR Fr. Alex Benson LB Sr. Undra Billingsley TE Fr. Chris Bonds DL Fr. John Michael Boswell OL So. Michael Bowman WR Fr. Drew Bullard LB Jr James Carpenter OL Jr. Josh Chapman DL So. Terrence Cody DL Sr. Marcell Dareus DL So. Thomas Darrah QB So. Drew Davis OL Sr. Luther Davis DL Jr. Brandon Deaderick DL Sr. Michael DeJohn LB Jr. Preston Dial TE Ir. DeMarcus DuBose LB So. Rob Ezell WR Jr. P.J. Fitzgerald P Sr. D.J. Fluker OL Fr. Nick Gentry DL So. Brandon Gibson WR So. Demetrius Goode RB So. Terry Grant RB Jr. Hampton Gray DB Sr. Robby Green DB So. Jeramie Griffin RB So. Darius Hanks WR So. Glenn Harbin DL Fr. Jerrell Harris LB So. Dont’a Hightower LB So. Baron Huber RB/TE Sr. Mark Ingram RB So. Kareem Jackson DB Jr. Star Jackson QB Fr. Marquis Johnson DB Sr. Mike Johnson OL Sr. Nico Johnson LB Fr. Barrett Jones OL R-Fr. Julio Jones WR So. Phelon Jones DB So. Chris Jordan LB So. Kendall Kelly WR Fr. Tyrone King DB Sr. Dre Kirkpatrick DB Fr. Eddie Lacy RB Fr.

HT

WT

HOMETOWN / LAST SCHOOL

6-4 6-2 5-9 6-2 6-2 6- 1 6- 1 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-3 6-5 6-1 6-5 6-4 6-5 6-7 6-3 6-4 6- 1 6-3 6-1 5-10 5-11 6-6 6-1 6-2 5-9 5-10 6- 2 6-0 6-2 6-0 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-4 5-10 6-0 6-3 5-11 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-4 5-11 6-3 6-3 5-11 6-3 6-0

212 235 195 220 214 160 225 276 280 306 210 238 300 313 354 296 227 306 275 306 241 233 232 170 204 340 264 192 191 190 196 181 224 184 257 227 255 263 212 193 206 191 303 225 289 211 195 230 216 203 185 210

Phenix City, AL/Central San Antonio, TX/Smithson Valley Tampa, FL/Robinson Atlanta, GA/Douglass Mobile, AL/St. Paul’s Rayville, LA/Rayville Trussville, AL/Hewitt-Trussville Birmingham, AL/Woodlawn Columbia, SC/Richland Northeast HS Northport, AL/Tuscaloosa County Rossville, GA/Ridgeland Florence, AL/Florence Augusta, GA/Hephzibah Hoover, AL/Hoover Ft. Myers, FL/Gulf Coast C.C. Huffman, AL/Huffman Newnan, GA/Newnan Evergreen, AL/Sparta Academy West Monroe, LA/West Monroe Elizabethtown, KY/Elizabethtown Hoover, AL/Hoover Mobile, AL/UMS-Wright Montgomery, AL/Jefferson Davis Athens, AL/Athens Coral Springs, FL/Stoneman Douglas Foley, AL/Foley Prattville, AL/Prattville Mobile, AL/UMS-Wright LaGrange, GA/Hargrave Lumberton, MS/Lumberton Northport, AL/Tuscaloosa County New Orleans, LA/John Curtis Christian Batesville, MS/South Panola Norcross, GA/Norcross Mobile, AL/McGill-Toolen Gadsden, AL/Gadsden City Lewisburg, TN/Marshall County Knoxville, TN/Powell Flint, MI/Southwestern Academy Macon, GA//Fork Union Military Lake Worth, FL/Lake Worth Sarasota, FL/Booker Pensacola, FL/Pine Forest Andalusia, AL/Andalusia Memphis, TN/Evangelica Christian Foley, AL/Foley Mobile, AL/LSU/McGill-Toolen Brentwood, TN/Brentwood Academy Gadsden, AL/Gadsden City Birmingham, AL/Grambling State/Minor Gadsden, AL/Gadsden City Geismar, LA/Dutchtown

NAME

POS

37 72 33 4 10 25 80 52 12 56 59 66 64 46 83 18 2 84 39 68 54 13 3 8 74 1 46 50 94 26 94 48 71 17 92 61 47 90 99 51 87 5 41 73 65 97 91 55 60 89 9 27 18

Robert Lester DB Tyler Love OL Mike Marrow RB-HB Marquis Maze WR A.J. McCarron QB Rolando McClain LB Mike McCoy WR Alfred McCullough OL Greg McElroy QB William Ming DL Brandon Moore DL Brian Motley OL Kerry Murphy DL Wesley Neighbors DB Kevin Norwood WR Morgan Ogilvie QB Tana Patrick LB Colin Peek TE Kyle Pennington DB Taylor Pharr OL Russell Rains OL Cory Reamer LB Trent Richardson RB Chris Rogers DB David Ross OL B.J. Scott DB Chris Scott WR Brian Selman SNP Darrington Sentimore DL Ali Sharrief DB Jeremy Shelley PK Travis Sikes WR Allen Skelton OL Brad Smelley TE Damion Square DL Anthony Steen OL-DL Ed Stinson LB-DL Milton Talbert DL Leigh Tiffin PK Carson Tinker ST Chris Underwood TE Roy Upchurch RB Courtney Upshaw LB William Vlachos OL Chance Warmack OL Lorenzo Washington DL Alex Watkins LB Chavis Williams LB David Williams OL Michael Williams TE Nick Williams WR Justin Woodall DB Rod Woodson DB

CL Fr. R-Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Ir. Sr. So. Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. So. Fr. So. Fr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. So. So. Sr. So. Jr Fr. Sr. So. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr.

HT 6-2 6-6 6-2 5-10 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-3 6-6 5-11 6-6 6-2 6-4 5-11 6-0 6-3 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-3 5-9 5-10 6-3 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-3 6-4 6-4 6-2 6-1 6-4 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-5 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-6 5-10 6-2 5-11

WT 207 303 240 179 190 255 215 305 220 260 310 291 323 210 180 195 235 255 188 290 260 234 220 190 299 196 170 210 280 200 170 198 265 233 272 305 240 275 212 220 231 205 249 294 301 290 225 223 272 266 165 221 200

HOMETOWN / LAST SCHOOL Foley, AL/Foley Mountain Brook, AL/Mountain Brook Holland, OH/Central Catholic Birmingham, AL/Tarrant Mobile, AL/Saint Paul’s Episcopal School Decatur, AL/Decatur Rankin, MS/Northwest Athens, AL/Athens Southlake, TX/Southlake Carroll Athens, AL/Athens Montgomery, AL/Carver Autaugaville, AL/Autaugaville Hoover, AL/Hargrave/Hoover Huntsville, AL/Huntsville D’lberville, MS/DiIberville Mountain Brook, AL/Mountain Brook Bridgeport, AL/North Jackson Ponte Vedra Beach, FL/Georgia Tech/Bolles Chatom, AL/Washington County Irondale, AL/Shades Valley Satsuma, AL/SaWuma Hoover, AL/Hoover Pensacola, FL/Escambia Lakeland, FL/Evangel Christian Homewood, AL/Homewood Prichard, AL/Vigor Birmingham, AL/Ramsay Vestavia Hills, AL/Vestavia Hills Norco, LA/Destrehan Stevenson, AL/North Jackson Raleigh, N.C./Broughton Nashville, TN/Christ Presbyterian Coker, AL/Tuscaloosa County Tuscaloosa, AL/American Christian Houston, TX/Yates Lambert, MS/Lee Academy Homestead, FL/South Dade Hattiesburg, MS/Hattiesburg Muscle Shoals, AL/Muscle Shoals Murfreesboro, TN/Riverdale Birmingham, AL/Vestavia Hills Tallahassee, FL/Godby Eufaula, AL/Eufaula Birmingham, AL/Mountain Brook Atlanta, GA/Westlake Logansville, GA/Hargrave Brownsville, TN/Haywood Dora, AL/Dora Duncanville, AL/Hillcrest Reform, AL/Pickens County Fort Lauderdale, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas Oxford, MS/Lafayette Olfve Branch, MS/Olive Branch

alabama Roster

NO

11

north texas roster 12

NO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 27 29 29 30 30 31 31 32 34 35 36 37 39 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 48 48

NAME Brigham, Desmond Hamilton, James Taylor, Willie Lott, Alex Dunbar, Lance Tune, Nathan Thompson, Derek Wilson, Jamaal Roberson, Sam Lewis, B.J. Cook, DaWaylon Dodge, Riley Baine, Chase Jackson, Jamaal Warren, Steve Johnson, Breece Jones, Benny Shorter, John Carey, Darius Chatman, Justin Jackson, Jamel Hill, Royce Adams, Adryan Williams, Darien Mathis, Jeremi Ponce, Matt Smith, Ira Montgomery, Cam Gordon, Robbie Schutza, Casey Jackson, Hilbert Roberts, Phillip Deans, Trent Gandy, Shelton Penson, A.J. Squier, Weston Mosley, Micah Neal, Chris Bush, Antoine Davis, Marquese Hill, Kylie Ekwerekwu, John Serrano, Jose Washington, Tyler Atterberry, Will Robertson, Craig Nwigwe, Tobe Phillips, Jeremy Herron, Julian Akpunku, Brandon Monroe, Charles Obi, K.C.

POS WR RB WR WR RB QB QB DB WR WR DB QB QB WR LB WR WR DB WR DB WR DB DB DB RB RB DB RB DB WR DB DB PK RB LB RB RB DB DB LB DB RB PK LB P LB LB LB LB DE RB DE

HT 6-1 5-8 5-10 5-9 5-9 6-4 6-4 5-10 6-4 6-1 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-1 6-1 6-2 6-0 5-10 5-9 5-9 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-1 5-11 5-11 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-0 5-8 6-1 5-8 6-0 5-9 5-10 6-1 5-11 5-11 5-11 6-1 5-11 6-1 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-1 5-10 6-2

WT 184 178 175 173 202 206 223 181 220 197 196 193 198 163 220 178 165 195 188 180 171 177 182 189 215 198 183 218 180 170 181 195 184 170 225 154 224 168 194 232 190 208 199 221 187 221 240 198 199 226 220 214

CL RFr. So. RFr. Jr. So. Jr. Fr. So. So. So. So. RFr. RFr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Fr. So. Jr. So. Sr. So. RFr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. RFr. Fr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. RFr. So. So. Fr. Fr.

HOMETOWN / LAST SCHOOL Caddo Mills, TX (Caddo Mills HS) Cedar Hill, TX (Cedar Hill HS) Dallas, TX (Hillcrest HS) Plano, TX (Texas Lutheran) Haltom, TX (Haltom HS) Celina, TX (Celina HS) Glen Rose, TX (Glen Rose HS) DeSoto, TX (DeSoto HS) Somerville, TX (Somerville HS) Waco, TX (Robinson HS) Dallas, TX (Samuell HS) Southlake, TX (Carroll HS) Lake Dallas, TX (Lake Dallas HS) Amite, LA (SW Mississippi JC) Burleson, TX (Burleson HS) Colleyville, TX (Heritage HS) Marlin, TX (Navarro JC) Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands HS) New Orleans, La (Helen Cox HS) Mesquite, TX (Minnesota) Killeen, TX (Northwestern State) Houston, TX (Cypress Ridge HS) Oklahoma City, OK (NE Oklahoma A&M) Vernon, TX (Vernon HS) Arlington, TX (Martin HS) Whitehouse, TX (Whitehouse HS) Long Beach, MS (Gulf Coast CC) The Woodlands, TX (NE Miss. JC) Ardmore, OK (Ardmore HS) Euless, TX (Trinity HS) Rowlett, TX (Rowlett HS) Killeen, TX (Ellison HS) Sherman, TX (Sherman HS) Denton, TX (Ryan HS) Lufkin, TX (Lufkin HS) Sanger, TX (Sanger HS) Nederland, TX (Nederland HS) Kaufman, TX (Kaufman HS) Tyler, TX (John Tyler HS) Atlanta, TX (Atlanta HS) Bristow, OK (NE Oklahoma A&M) Carrollton, TX (R.L. Turner HS) Dallas, TX (Skyline HS) Cedar Hill, TX (Cedar Hill HS) Lewisville, TX (Lewisville HS) Stafford, TX (Stafford HS) Houston, TX (Alief Elsik HS) Waller, TX (Waller HS) Arlington, TX (SMU) Cedar Hill, TX (Cedar Hill HS) Mesquite, TX (Mesquite HS) Mission Hills, CA (Bishop Alemany HS)

NAME

49 50 51 51 52 53 53 54 56 57 57 58 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 77 78 79 80 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99

Knott, Jeremy Leppo, Nick Acton, Jared January, Sean Owusu-Hemeng, Sam Foster, Ryan Prior, Daniel Deheck, Robbie Johnson, J.J. Bailey, Tyler Nailor, Joseph Holt, Dan Fortenberry, Aaron Stewart, Jonathan Hollivay, Gabe White, Kyle Gill, Victor Flax, Kennan Kaiser, Jacob Williams, Ryan Drake, Kelvin Bruner, Jason Feeley, Coleman Menard, Matthew Tomlinson, Matt Bean, Jeremy Franklin, Troy Noble, John Santiago, Esteban Kokjohn, Troy Jenkins, Nate Dickerson, Kevin Outlaw, Michael Seidle, Bryant Brown, Greg Fitzpatrick, Austin Davidson, Christian Brainard, Chris Stradford, Tyler Cruz, Rory Rucker, Forrest Cole III, Mack Jackson, Kelvin Ross, Draylen Anyiam, LaChris Gilmore, Eddrick DeSoto, Jesse Cantly, Tevinn Hawthorne, Joe Weber, John Atkinson, Shavod

POS

HT

WT

CL

HOMETOWN / LAST SCHOOL

PK OL OL LB DE LB LB LB C OL DE OL OL DT OL DT OL OL OL OL C OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL OL WR WR LB WR TE LB WR WR WR WR DE DT DT DE DE DT DT DT DE DT

6-3 6-3 5-11 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-2 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-2 6-2 6-9 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-5 6-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-0 6-0 6-2 6-1 6-3 6-2 5-11 6-2 6-0 6-6 6-4 6-2 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-1 6-4 6-4 6-3 6-2

182 246 287 234 242 227 215 231 283 292 235 299 288 254 328 309 261 283 311 219 280 311 305 297 297 301 272 296 296 242 349 200 185 223 217 200 222 158 190 160 215 228 309 292 287 269 289 301 270 288 307

Sr. Tulsa, OK (NE Oklahoma A&M) RFr. Southlake, TX (Carroll HS) RFr. Southlake, TX (Carroll HS) Jr. Cave Creek,, AZ (Scottsdale C.C.) Jr. Arlington, TX (Seguin HS) Fr. Grand Prairie, TX (Prairie View) Fr. Henderson, TX (Henderson HS) So. Azle, TX (Azle HS) So. Plano, TX (Plano West HS) Sr. Lexington, KY (Paul Dunbar HS) So. Houston, TX (Idaho) So. McKinney, TX (Midwestern State) RFr. Era, TX (Era HS) Sr. Arlington, TX (Seguin HS) Sr. Hamilton, MS (Itawamba CC) Fr. New Orleans , LA (McDonogh 35 HS) Jr. Argyle, TX (Argyle HS) Fr. Houston, TX (Cy Ridge HS) So. Greensburg, PA (Central Catholic HS) Fr. Southlake, TX (Carroll HS) Jr. Galveston, TX (Ball HS) Jr. Mineola, TX (Trinity Valley CC) So. Austin, TX (Anderson HS) Jr. Spring, TX (Westfield HS) So. Klein, TX (Klein HS) Jr. Bethel, OK (NE Oklahoma A&M) So. Celina, TX (Celina HS) Fr. Rockwall, TX (Rockwall HS) Jr. El Paso, TX (Coronado HS) So. Carrollton, TX (Hebron HS) Jr. Hattiesburg, MS (Pearle River CC) Sr. Fort Worth, TX (Calvary Christian Academy) Jr. Starkville, MS (East Mississippi CC) Sr. Cypress, TX (Cy-Fair HS) Fr. Grand Prairie, TX (Grand Prairie HS) Fr. Friendswood, TX (Friendswood HS) Sr. Spring, TX (Klein Oak HS) Fr. Southlake, TX (Carroll) Fr. New Orleans, LA (Oklahoma) Fr. Arlington, TX (SW Oklahoma St) Fr. Hearne, TX (Hearne HS) Sr. Topeka, KS (Fort Scott CC) Jr. Hermanville, MS (Itawamba CC) Jr. Fort Worth, TX (Diamond Hill-Jarvis HS) Fr. Allen, TX (Allen HS) Sr. Houston, TX (Alief Hastings HS) Jr. San Antonio, TX (Lee HS) RFr. Arlington, TX (Lamar HS) RFr. Arlington, TX (Martin HS) Jr. Harvey, LA (Itawamba CC) Jr. Hobart, OK (Independence CC)

North texas roster

NO

13

Exclusive

Wildcat, Wildhog…

WildTide??

G

Anthony Johnson

The Tide opens up the season with a new trick in the Georgia Dome 14

reg McElroy waited three years for this day to come. He sat behind John Parker Wilson patiently, biding his time. The Crimson Tide broke the huddle for the first time in the 2009 season and trotted to the line of scrimmage to face a top-ten Virginia Tech defense.

Greg McElroy waited three years for this day to come. He sat behind John Parker Wilson patiently, biding his time.

The Crimson Tide broke the huddle for the first time in the 2009 season and trotted to the line of scrimmage to face a top-ten Virginia Tech defense.

McElroy’s debut as the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide had finally arrived, or so we all thought.

Welcome to the newest addition to the Crimson Tide offense, popularly known as the “wildcat.”

The Tide unveiled a new trick in the offensive playbook Saturday night in the

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

Georgia Dome –much to the shock and dismay of the Tide faithful. On the first offensive play from scrimmage, bruising running back Mark Ingram lined up in the shotgun formation at the quarterback position, while McElroy lined up at wide receiver.

Pandemonium ensued. The Hokie defense screamed audible. Fans screamed obscenities.

Julio Jones was motioned across the field and first-year starting center William Vlachos snapped the ball to Ingram, who then faked a handoff to Jones and plunged through a gap for a three-yard gain.

“It was a big surprise,” said Ingram of his debut as the Tide starting quarterback.

“I was excited because it gives the offense a different look. We decided Thursday that was going to be the first play of the game, and I was just hoping I executed the play.”

The Wildcat formation stems from the single-wing offense and has spread like wildfire throughout the country. Popularized by Gus Malzahn during his tenure as offensive coordinator for the Arkansas Razorbacks, the “wild hog,” named after the Razorbacks mascot, has the distinguishing feature of a direct snap to a running back and an unbalanced offensive line.

A testament to how successful the Wildcat can be was written by the 2008 Miami Dolphins, Nick Saban’s former team. The ’08 Dolphins marked the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history after implementing the Wildcat and finished with an 11-5 record, just one year after a dismal 1-15 season. The Dolphins thrived on the Wildcat using former Auburn standout running back Ronnie Brown, and former University of Texas star Ricky Williams. Through 11 games in the ’08 season, the Dolphins averaged PHOTOGRAPHY BY BDL

seven yards per play using the Wildcat.

Teams’ most successful Wildcat plays are in part due to mismatches on the offensive line –a key element to its success. A guard and eligible tight end make up one side of the line, and a guard and two tackles anchor the other. If defensive players aren’t very attentive to the change, the five players on the line look standard. If the defense does not make the proper adjustments to suit personnel matchups, they can get overpowered by the heavy side of the line, thus resulting in explosive plays.

“It’s difficult to defend because you create another gap on defense,” head coach Nick Saban said of the Wildcat.

“The quarterback is no longer the quarterback. By using a motion guy for speed sweeps, you can at least keep the people on the perimeter honest.”

Senior strong-side linebacker Cory Reamer said running the Wildcat will be

as beneficial to the Tide defense as it will be for the offense.

“I think everyone is going to the Wildcat now all over the country,” Reamer said. “It’s really going to help us out having an offense that can run it because we will face teams further down the road that can run it, and we will be better prepared to face it.”

Saban said the initial idea to implement the Wildcat started during fall camp this season and will add a much-needed dimension to the offense, while giving the Tide play-makers a chance to get into space.

As for McElroy being a play-making threat at wide receiver, he said he’s up to the challenge.

“I think it all kind of depends on the defensive coverage,” McElroy said with a smile. “I’m not real good off the press, but if they can get me off coverage and get me the ball in the flats, I think I can make a guy miss.” touchdownalabama.net |

15

Interviews

Views From the

Other Side

Katie Koenig

#44Tobe Nwigwe

S

enior linebacker Tobe Nwigwe’s Twitter page shows the enthusiasm he has for his team this season. “The celebration was nice, but it’s over,�

Nwigwe wrote on Sept. 4. “Time to re-focus. The win over Ball State doesn’t mean anything if we don’t build from it.�

It seems that Nwigwe is dedicated to building from their victory in their season opener and is working on things he can do to help take his team all the way. “None of my personal goals matter if we’re not winning,� he said to the North Texas Daily in August. “But you do have to have personal goals going into a season, and I plan to be one of the top linebackers in the nation.�

Nwigwe hopes that by doing his best, they can turn their program around and surprise people with the games they win. He told the North Texas Daily that their win over Ball State was just the beginning of the team’s, “shock the nation tour.�

When the linebacker is not focusing on getting wins for the Mean Green, he and his cousin operate a small clothing company. Nwigwe told the North Texas Daily that he hopes the company, Fresh 2 Death, will be his FDUHHU DIWHU KH Ă€QLVKHV DW 1RUWK 7H[DV “We are no Ed Hardy or anything,â€? Nwigwe said to WKH 1RUWK 7H[DV 'DLO\ RQ 6HSW ´:H DUH GHĂ€QLWHO\ XS and coming, and I plan on taking us big one day soon.â€?

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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

N

Riley Dodge

#11

orth Texas redshirt freshman quarterback Riley Dodge knows a thing or two about high expectations for this season. The Mean Green have won three games in the past two seasons and had a 1-11 record in 2008. They sat at the number 1 position of ESPN.com’s Bottom Ten list of football teams by David Duffey on Aug. 11. If that weren’t enough pressure to win more games this season, Dodge also has to deal with a tough head coach who has seen all his mistakes and triumphs: his dad. Dodge has been playing under his father, head coach Todd Dodge, since his high school days. ´:H ZHUH DOZD\V ZDWFKLQJ Ă€OP WRJHWKHU DOZD\V WDONLQJ ball,â€? Riley said to the North Texas Daily in late August. “But we still took time to talk, get away from football and just have fun; we treated football like a light switch.â€?

When Dodge’s father made the move from Texas high school football coaching to become North Texas’s head coach, Dodge decided to follow him there and play for his dad for four more years. “We had a great opportunity here,� Riley said to the North Texas Daily. “If I were to go to Texas he would never be able to see me play and I would never be able to see him coach. I believe in what he was doing here, I know the system and I feel comfortable here.�

1RUWK 7H[DV XSVHW %DOO 6WDWH LQ WKH Ă€UVW ZHHN RI college football with a 20-10 victory. Dodge was named the Sun Belt Conference’s Offensive Player of the Week after the win, according to a press release from North Texas. Many of the players on the Mean Green team feel this will be a winning season. “I know we left a lot of points on the board, but I felt we dominated them,â€? Dodge said to the North Texas Daily on Sept. 4. “We got the W [win] and I promise that we are going to win this season.â€?

PHOTOGRAPHY BY NORTH TEXAS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Larry Burton

LARRY’S -08%08/

U

Larry Burton

Cody Turned a Corner with the Help of New Best Friend nless you’ve been living on the moon for the last year, you already know about Terrence Cody, or as he’s affectionately known to the Bama Nation, Mt. Cody.

The super-talented senior nose guard has had football accolades and recognition fall on him easily, so easily that maybe he became too lax in his conditioning and training.

He stayed on for his senior year at Alabama because many in the NFL doubted his ability to be a three down athlete and be an effective pass rusher. He came back to prove them wrong.

But following the season, the pounds did not come off and the coaches became irritated with his lack of focus on conditioning, will power and effort in practice, and they let him know it.

These not-so-gentle nudges by the coaches, particularly Coach Nick Saban, led Cody to finally shed some weight and add some speed and some added endurance.

It has also given him a new best friend: Nick Saban.

Cody’s lost his father in a car accident at a young age and the lack of a strong father figure is something Cody’s missed ever since.

Now, according to Nick Saban, whenever he’s with the team, Cody is close by. So close that Saban joked about it in the post game press conference when asked about Cody and whether we could anticipate seeing him more on third down.

“Well, he’s sitting with me on the bus now, and everywhere we go, whether it was the movie last night, (Saban took the whole team out to the movies.) or wherever. I used to have that whole front seat to myself and according to him he would not fit in that seat (by himself) last year and that’s the reason he’s sitting there. But he’s doing a little begging while he’s there too,” Saban said with a smile as chuckles rippled through the press room.

“He’s, uh really nice to me,” said Saban, grinning, and he paused while the press box erupted in laughter. “He wants to play more on third down.”

And according to Saban, that is something he’s doing and plans on continuing to do.

During that game in those passing situations, Cody was able to move the whole pocket backward and apply pressure.

In run situations, the Alabama defensive line, led by Cody, allowed Florida International a rushing total of only one net yard for the entire game. This is about as close to perfect as a defensive line can get.

Indeed there may be no mountain that Cody can’t climb.

When he was in high school there was a “mountain” that the high school coach demanded that each player run bottom to top, a two and a half mile climb as part of their pre-season conditioning.

At close to 400 pounds, few of his team mates thought he could make it.

“When he got up the mountain, the kids went crazy because they didn’t think he could make it,” said Scott Jones, who coached Cody in at Riverdale High School in Fort Myers, Fla. No one doubts what Cody can do anymore if he puts his mind to it, especially his new best friend, Nick Saban.

“Tonight he did a good job of pushing the pocket, and being active in the middle,” concluded Saban after last week’s win over Florida International.

So maybe this friendship is paying off, or maybe it’s just all the hard work, but what is clear is that Cody has turned the corner. That’s good news for Alabama and bad news for everyone on the schedule.

touchdownalabama.net |

19

Recruiting

Week 3

Coe Robbins QB Phillip Sims 6’2” 209, Chesapeake, Va. - Phillip Sims leads Oscar Smith over Indian River 42-10 completing 9-of-18 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown.

Rivals No.1 rated QB has garnered scholarship offers from all over the country but is still a very strong commit to Alabama. Sims has two 3,000 yard seasons and has thrown 33 touchdowns as a sophomore and 38 as a junior.

RB Corey Grant 5’10” 186, Opelika, Ala.- Opelika loses a heartbreaker 45-41 against Dothan when Dothan scored 15 unanswered points to win the game. Corey Grant did score on a 25-yard pass and a 13-yard run in the losing effort.

Grant runs a 4.4 forty with a 37-inch vertical and bench presses 290 pounds. Grant has said that the coaching staff wants to utilize him in many ways because of his speed mainly as a returner. With Javier Arenas departing next year, he could make an immediate impact come 2010.

DB Demarcus Milliner 6’1” 180, Millbrook, Ala. Demarcus played a little offense Friday night as Stanhope crushed Jeff Davis 42-6. Demarcus had one 73-yard run and a 6-yard score to lead the Mustangs to their first victory.

The state’s top ranked prospect and No.1 CB in the country

by Rivals runs a 4.45 forty and benches 240 pounds.

K Cade Foster 6’1” 215, Southlake, Tx. - Foster intercepted a pass as a linebacker late in the first half to set up his own 47yard field goal to help Southlake Carroll crush Houston Bellaire 61-13.

As a junior, Foster was perfect inside of 50 yards who finished on last year’s season 6-of-9. Foster also had offers from Miami, Stanford and Washington.

Notes courtesy of Rivals.com

TE Brian Vogler 6’7” 248, Columbus, Ga.- Vogler caught a 19-yard pass for a touchdown making it 18-7. Greenville, however, took the game from Brookstone 27-25 in Columbus.

Vogler was a highly touted tight end who had offers from Oklahoma, Florida State, Miami and others. Vogler had 21 grabbs for 465 yards and 6 touchdowns as a junior.

DE Alfy Hill 6’4” 222, Shallote, N.C. Newest Tide signee Alfy Hill wreaked havoc on Laney as Hill compiled a forced fumble, a blocked kick, a QB hurry and a fumble recovery to lead West Brunswick 31-7.

Hill is freakishly fast for his size. At 222 pounds, Hill runs a 4.59 forty according to Rivals. He is also Rivals 10th best DE prospect and is the No. 4 overall player in the state of North Carolina. Hill chose the Tide over his other finalist and home school North Carolina.

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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RIVALS.COM

Dr. Staffo Interview

Catching Up With

Darwin Holt

Holt recalls playing for Bear Bryant on the 1961 National Championship Team

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Dr. Donald F. Staffo

hen he played for Alabama, Bear Bryant was called “the other end,” a reference to his being overshadowed by teammate and star receiver Don Hutson, an All-American who set all kinds of pass catching records meriting his future selection to the NCAA’s all-time team. Darwin Holt, who people recall as a ferocious hitter on Bryant’s first Crimson Tide national championship team in 1961, could be referred to as “the other linebacker.” He played in the shadow of teammate and star linebacker LeRoy Jordan, an All-American who was named first team on Alabama’s Team of the Century and who went on to star for the NFL Champion Dallas Cowboys.

Holt, a Texan, ended up at Alabama because of Coach Bryant. Bryant, who was coaching at Texas A&M when Holt was a junior in high school, was interested in Holt’s older brother Jackie and, while watching film of Jackie, became interested in Darwin. “I signed with Texas A&M because when I visited they had a big sign on the wall that said, ‘Texas A&M, 1957 National Champions,’ and I liked that because in high school Jackie and I were on teams that won 6 district championships,” related Holt, who was good enough to make Alabama’s Team of the Decade for the 1960s.

Holt said that he only weighed 149 pounds in high school and 152 pounds when he was a freshman at Texas A&M. When Bryant left Texas A&M to return to his alma mater, the new coach at Texas A&M, Jim Myers, wanted bigger players. In the meantime Bryant had told his first group of players at Alabama that they would win the national championship when they were seniors. “That’s what I wanted to hear,” stated Holt. “I came to Alabama to collect a debt- to win a national championship, and (Coach Bryant) came through for me.

“Coach Bryant may have gotten a little softer when he got older, but when I played for him he was tough as nails, but he had a lot of empathy. I was not on the Junction team at Texas A&M, but location had nothing to do with it. (Coach Bryant) wasn’t going to change his methods just because he wasn’t out in the desert.

“It wasn’t always a happy family because we were working so hard, we were tired, we had meetings, practices, travel to away games. We were putting in 40 hours a week playing football,” stated Holt. “I could have been out in the oil fields and been better off.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL W. BRYANT MUSEUM

“We were so busy that I didn’t even know that we were in the running for a national championship until the last two weeks (of the season). We were a tremendous team, but we didn’t know it,” stated Holt, who pointed out that the 1961 national championship team only gave up 25 points all season, and that MSNBC recently picked the Top 10 defensive teams of the last 50 years, and listed the 1961 Alabama defense No. 1.

Holt said that because he was from Texas A&M and was relatively small, that a lot of Alabama players tested him and he got in a few tussles. “When you’re small, you’ve got to get there first and get there fast, and that’s what I tried to do,” he stated, referring to his aggressive style of play. “Coach Bryant never asked me to gain weight, and he never brought weight up to me throughout my career, and I really appreciated that.”

Holt will always be remembered by earlier players and older fans for a hit he put on Georgia Tech’s Chick Granning that broke Granning’s jaw. Holt was running down the field when his elbow caught Granning in the face. The incident, which required Granning to undergo surgery, created hard feelings between the schools and they stopped playing each other. “It was a completely legal block- a helleva lick,” Holt recalled. “I was aiming for his chest, but he dropped his head and that’s how he got his face all busted up. It made a better looking man out of him,” he quipped as he explained in detail how the play unfolded. “We’re friends, and that’s what I tell him when I see him.”

Holt said that The Saturday Evening Post ran a story about brutality in college football that featured the play. “That changed my career, it ruined my career,” stated Holt, who said that he had begun a coaching career and wanted to stay in coaching. “But that was going to trail me forever, so I had to get away from it. I had to make the break (from football) right there.”

Holt doesn’t regret his decision to follow Bryant to Tuscaloosa. “Just to be around that man (Bryant), it was worth every minute of it. We had a relationship. He took care of me.

To graduate from the University, to play on a national championship team, to play for Coach Bryant, to live in Jefferson County is the greatest ego trip in the world. There’s not a day that goes by that somebody doesn’t bring up my days at the University.

That’s why I live in Alabama, and not Texas.” touchdownalabama.net |

21

Exclusive

2 Girls, 2 Hats

Houndstooth Twins are True Tide Fans

T

Jessica Temple

hey 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 2009 and the Baileys can be seen signing autographs and taking pictures outside of Bryant-Denny.

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 phenomenon has opened up opportunities off-campus 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

22

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

asked to speak and perform at schools and churches across the state.

“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.”

The twins also get hassled about not being “true” Alabama fans because neither attended the Capstone. They went to 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 and teaches piano lessons in 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 majored in music and Ashley in education.

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 PHOTOGRAPHY BY BDL

find new things to add to their houndstooth wardrobes. “Houndstooth has really come into style in the last 3 years,” she said.

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. 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. “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.

The 2009 season is different for the twins, because for the first time in their lives, they are living apart. Maegen was married in July, and joined her new husband in Louisville, Ky. Ashley is currently engaged and her wedding is planned for January 2010.

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.” touchdownalabama.net |

23

Traditions

Quad serves up fun, food and family time on game days.

Tide Traditions

TAILGATING

ailgaters start rolling into town a day before kickoff, their vehicles covered in Crimson Tide stickers, PDJQHWV DQG à DJV 7KH\ VHW XS FDPS RQ WKH 4XDG DQG SDWLHQWO\ ZDLW IRU 6DWXUGD\ 7KHLU PHUH SUHVHQFH LJQLWHV DQ H[FLWHPHQW LQ HYHU\ SDVVLQJ %DPD fan that can only mean one thing; it’s tailgating time!

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24

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA

KDYH FKDQJHG D ORW RYHU WKH \HDUV EXW the excitement, friendliness of the other fans, and the amazing football team we DOO FKHHU RQ DUH VWLOO WKH VDPH ¾ VDLG YHWHUDQ WDLOJDWHU +RPHU $UPVWURQJ :LWK WDLOJDWLQJ FRPHV LQFUHGLEOH IRRG 0RVW WDLOJDWHUV VHUYH XS WKH XVXDO %%4 SRUN KRWGRJV DQG KDPEXUJHUV EXW VRPH OLNH WR EH D OLWWOH GLIIHUHQW IURP WKH UHVW :KHQ DVNHG DERXW DQ\ VWUDQJH WDLOJDWLQJ foods, the Holloway family from 0RELOH $OD FODLPHG WKDW WKH\ VHUYH XS IULHG 7ZLQNLHV ´,W ZDV D GHVHUW P\ DXQW XVHG WR PDNH ZKHQ ZH watched the game at home, so when we started tailgating a few years ago, ZH WKRXJKW LW ZRXOG EH D JUHDW LGHD WR PDNH WKHP KHUH :H HYHQ KDYH SHRSOH IURP VXUURXQGLQJ WHQWV FRPH RYHU DQG DVN IRU VRPH :H¡UH PRUH WKDQ KDSS\ WR IU\ WKHP XS RQH ¾ VDLG tailgater and fried Twinkie extraordi QDLUH -XVWLQ +ROORZD\ 7DLOJDWLQJ UXOHV KDYH FKDQJHG WKURXJKRXW WKH \HDUV WKRXJK

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BDL

T

Katie Hall

Player Spotlight

Dont’a Hightower No longer the new guy

L

Lauren Moranor

ast season, he was the new guy on campus. With a lot of hype surrounding him as a recruit, no one knew what to expect. However, this season, Dont’a Hightower can be explained in one word-dominant.

Hightower came to Alabama as a four-star recruit on Rivals. com and Scout.com. He rose as a star of the 2008 freshman class, making a name for himself as part of Alabama’s topranked defense. He was one of two true freshmen to start the season and one of only 11 true freshmen to start for Alabama since 1973 when the NCAA began allowing it.

Before Alabama, Hightower was a star at Marshall County High School. He recorded 168 tackles, five forced fumbles, five interceptions and four fumble recoveries. He was named the state’s defensive MVP by the Tennessean. He also played about six different positions, including receiver.

Now Hightower is back for his sophomore year to help lead a defense that finished last season third in total defense and second in rush defense.

“Last year I was a little hesitant out on the field. I know a lot more now about the defense and the way it goes,” Hightower said.

By the looks of last season, Hightower did not seem hesitant.

He ended the season with 64 tackles - 26 solos - leaving him ranked fourth on the team. He also had 2.5 tackles for a loss and six quarterback hurries. Hightower made 12 starts at the will linebacker position while playing in all 14 games. He was selected for the team’s Defensive Achievement Award which is given to an underclassman who played a major role in helping his specific unit.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BDL

Hightower had an even more impressive spring, coming back with powering speed.

He had 18 recorded tackles in the team’s three spring scrimmages. He also had three tackles for a loss and two sacks. He ended the spring by winning the Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter Award.

This season, Hightower feels ready to help take the Tide all the way. He has added the jack linebacker to his résumé, helping the team be more effective on third down pass rush. He believes the team has the right mentality and is ready to play hard.

“We have a lot more guys that are hungry, a lot more leaders this year. We came so close last year. I think everybody wants to get back to that,” Hightower said.

Hightower earned All-SEC recognition by Southeastern Conference coaches. He also earned Freshmen All-American recognition. This season, Hightower was placed on the Lombardi Trophy watch list, an honor that goes to the top linemen or linebacker at the end of the season. Hightower was also named Second-Team All-SEC (SEC Coaches) and ThirdTeam All-SEC (Athlon’s).

Hightower might have been the new kid on campus last year, but this year he is all business. He said he has been working hard is looking to improve after a great freshman year.

“I am constantly thinking about football,” Hightower said.

touchdownalabama.net |

25

News

SEC News Jennifer Gorham

Georgia at Arkansas

The Razorback’s season opener resulted in a 48-10 win against Missouri State. They are coming from a bye week to play the Georgia Bulldogs. Arkansas’ 38-point-victory margin against the bears exceeds its total margin of 16 points in five games of the 2008 season. The Bulldogs are coming from a 41-37 win against South Carolina. Joe Cox is reportedly suffering from a sore arm or shoulder. He threw for a total of 201 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Boykin set a school record with a 100-yard kickoff return and set up a score with an interception. The Bulldogs will be on the Razorback’s territory and coverage of this game will be on ESPN 2.

Mississippi State at Vanderbilt University

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are set to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores this week. The Bulldogs are coming from a 49-24 loss to Auburn last week. Although the Bulldogs came out strong right before half time with Anthony Dixon’s score on a one-yard run, the team still couldn’t seal the deal. Dixon carried 20 times for 92 yards. Although he had a game’s suspension because of a DUI arrest, he proved the kind of player he can be on the field last week. Both teams are coming from a loss. LSU left the Commodores grasping for more with a 23-9 win. Larry Smith scored Vanderbilt’s only touchdown in the first half but the Commodores were swamped with penalties when they committed seven for 52 yards.

Tennessee at Florida

The Florida Gators are eager to begin their Southeastern Conference play this week against The Tennessee Volunteers.

The Gators are coming from a 56-6 victory over the Troy Trojans. Tim Tebow didn’t fail to impress when he threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score that lead to the victory over the Trojans. He also completed 15 of 24 passes for 237 yards and equaled his career high with four TD passes. “We’re thinking about Tennessee right now,” linebacker Ryan Stamper conceded. Florida had six fumbles and a missed 39-yard field goal attempt by Jonathan Phillips. The Tennessee Volunteers are bouncing back from an upset 19-15 loss against UCLA. Jonathan Crompton will have to play better than he did in the season opener against Western Kentucky, where he lost control after five touchdown passes.

There is a heated rivalry between the Vols and the Gators. The Gators have won in the last four meetings, but Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin’s recruiting claims that promise victory over the Gators has the team ready to battle. The Volunteers will be in the swamps to tackle the Gators on CBS.

Both RB Onterio McCalebb and RB Eric Smith made their first career starts for Auburn. Smith started at H-back, carrying the ball three times for eight yards.

Defensive tackle Nathan Pepper, a fifth-year senior at South Carolina, hurt the team in the first half last week, leaving with a sprained ankle. He is expected to be back on the field this week.

MSU senior RB Anthony Dixon set two school records last week: Dixon is State’s all-time rushing touchdown leader and has 673 career rushing attempts.

LSU running back Richard Murphy could miss the next two games with an undisclosed injury following Saturday’s game against Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt’s right tackle James Williams left last week’s game with a broken ankle.

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| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

CURRENT POLLS AP TOP 25

USA TODAY

1. Florida 2. Texas 3. USC 4. Alabma 5. Mississippi 5. Penn State 7. Brigham Young 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 (FL) 21. Houston 22. Kansas 23. Georgia 24. North Carolina 25. Michigan

1. Florida 2. Texas 3. USC 4. Alabma 5. Penn State 6. Mississippi 7. LSU 7. California 9. Brigham Young 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 (FL) 23. Kansas 24. Oregon State 25. Missouri

UA SCHEDULE Sep. 5 Sep. 12 Sep. 19 Sep. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Nov. 7 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 27

VTech W 34-24 FL Int’l W 40-14 N. Texas Home Arkansas Home Kentucky Away Mississippi Away South Carolina Home Tennessee Home LSU Home Mississippi St. Away Tenn-Chatt Home Auburn Away

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27

5 QUESTIONS?

IN W O IRT! T ER T-SH T EN EE R AF

1 2 3

Bryant-Denny Stadium had a capacity of___ __ back in its first season in1929. a. 800 b. 5,000

c. 12,000 d. 30,000

The Stadium was originally named in honor of George Hutchenson Denny who was ______. a. Alabama’s first million-dollar booster b. The governor of Alabama c. A University president d. The long-time mayor of Tuscaloosa What award was DeMeco Ryans NOT a finalist for in 2005? a. The Nagurski b. The Draddy

c. The Butkus d. The Outland

4 5

Which team has Alabama NOT played to win a national championship?

a. Washington b. Washington State

c. Nebraska d. Oklahoma

How many consensus All-American quarterbacks have the Tide produced? a. 0 b. 1

c. 2 d. 3

Contest Rules

Email your entry to: publish@tdalabama.com or mail entry to: Touchdown Alabama Magazine P.O. Box 3251 Tuscaloosa, AL 35403 First 50 correct entries receive a free t-shirt

KATIE FARMS From our ďŹ elds to your table

Organically Grown Heirloom Vegetables Select from many varieties of farm-fresh fruits, produce and nutritious free range eggs!

Cell: 205.535.0066 Home: 205.333.9686 Fax: 205.752.4145

Jon Fleenor Bill George Road Coker, Alabama

Rodney L. Goins dMd

ROLL TIDE ROLL 28

| TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA September 19, 2009

1434 2nd Court East Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 205.752.5400

Showing

In The PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENIFER McCORMICK

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29

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

BIRMINGHAM, AL

TUSCALOOSA, AL

ANTIQUE SINGER SEWING MACHINE 1906 treadle model with stand, 4 drawers, Egyptian motif decals. In fair condition.

Needs work and refinishing. $150 or best offer. Please call 205-422-7081 or email freejen@mac.com.

CAMERA LENS Non-SLR Camera Lens, 4.5-200 Telephoto lens compatible w/ Minolta, Canon. Great for black & white composition photography, $100.00 or best offer, 205-701-1211

DESIGNER PURSE MCM, authentic, messenger bag, 8� x 9�, like new, has serial number, tan with cognac leather trim and strap. $150 OBO. Call 205-995-8261.

PIANO Antique Remington Piano for sale.

Please call 205-856-2584.

MOBILE, AL CAMPER, POP-UP 2007 Jayco 1207 series - Like New, AC/Heat, 6 gal. water heater, water/propane system, awning w/ screen room, outdoor grill, outdoor shower, color TV, hydraulic-surge breaks, jacks & leveling system, spare tire/carrier. $7400.

Call 251-604-6998.

TV 13� White-Westinghouse TV. Works great and in good shape. $15. Please call 205-792-1035.

MICROWAVE Panasonic “Genius� 1300 watt. Exterior measures 20x12x16. Please call 205-792-1035.

WEDDING GOWN Silk Vera Wang - Ivory silk strapless ballgown with chapel-length train. Bustles up for dancing. Beautiful layered silk detail around bottom. Altered to size 8, but could easily let out up to size 12. Extra length for eights up to 6 feet. $600 OBO. Please call 205-792-1036.

SKYDIVING PARACHUTE size (160lbs) Vector 170, Certified, 7yrs old. $600.00.

Call 205-344-3312.

WANTED

TRUMPET Silver Bach Stradivarius Trumpet, ML 43. Includes Bach case, Bach valve guard, mouthpiece. Just in time for school bands to start practicing!

This trumpet is a top-of-the-line horn used by both students and professional musicians. $1000 OBO. Please call 205-792-1035.

TURKEY CALLERS I collect vintage, rare or custom-made turkey calls, as well as other old game callers. Call 205-907-9044 or email: jtommyc@bellsouth.net.

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD: Email ad to classifieds@tdalabama.com. RATE: $0.35 per word or FREE for subscribers.

Like What You See? Join our team!

Touchdown Alabama is always looking for the right additions to our staff of writers and publisher’s representatives.

Call 205-701-1211.

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3KYLAND "LVD % 4USCALOOSA !, %ACH FRANCHISE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

John Wayne George, Owner 608 41st Street, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405

Licensed & Insured

The Bryant Museum is seeking information and photos for an upcoming book on the Tide’s World War II veterans. Information is needed on WWII-era military service of former Alabama football players.

Ken Gaddy, director of the Bryant Museum, will supervise production of the book to be researched and written by awardwinning journalist and author Delbert Reed. Photographs and information should be sent to Gaddy’s attention at the Bryant Museum, Box 870385, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487.

For more information contact Gaddy at 205-348-9375 or kgaddy@ ua.edu, or visit www.bryantmuseum.ua.edu.