Pro football: Eagles advance to next round of playoffs. 4C
Sports
M O N D A Y , J A N U A R Y 5 , 2009
SECTION C
WWW.TUSCALOOSANEWS.COM
LOOKING
Ahead
BCS TITLE GAME
Sooner DB gives Gators bulletin-board material
3
By Mark Long The Associated Press
All-American selections lost
2
5 9
Starters lost on offense
Starters lost on defense
16
Freshman who played this season
Number of seniors lost STAFF FILE PHOTOS
With season over, it’s time for Alabama to address its needs By Christopher Walsh Sports Writer
NEW ORLEANS | When the University of Alabama played poorly during Nick Saban’s first season at the University of Alabama, he tried to motivate his players with posters of the LouisianaMonroe and Mississippi State losses to serve as daily reminders. One has to wonder if the printer is already hard at work following Friday’s 31-17 loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl. “It’s big motivation because we want to get back here,” junior linebacker Cor y Reamer said. “We don’t want
this to be our only chance at a BCS or national championship.” Over the weekend, the offseason officially began for the Crimson Tide, which closed the book on a successful 12-win season, and exceeded everyone’s expectations by not only reaching the SEC Championship Game, but spent five weeks at No. 1. Although the finish was disappointing, losing twice after being just minutes away from playing for the national championship, a lot was still accomplished. “I think we changed the attitude, the mentality of the team, that we can go
out there and play with anybody,” senior quarterback John Parker Wilson said. “You know, it was a lot different my freshman and sophomore year than it is now.” However, it begs the age-old question in football of which is harder, getting to the top or staying there? Alabama is about to find out. “We need to continue to improve as a program for the future,” Saban said. “We need more good players, more depth in the program. We need quality big people. We need quality skill guys. We need a lot of things for us to continue to improve to be the kind
of program that is recognized as kind of a dominant program on a national level.” Considering the Tide had only nine scholarship seniors and saw 16 true freshmen play this past season, the program appears to be in a good position numbers-wise. Nine defensive starters are expected to return along with most of the offensive playmakers. But finding replacements for two All-Americans and a starting quarterback, both physically and in terms of leadership, will be critical. SEE AHEAD | 3C
FOR T LAUDERDALE, F LA . | The Florida Gators may have some bulletinboard material, a little extra motivation heading into the Bowl Championship Series title game. Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks, a sophomore from Tulsa, Okla., called Florida’s Tim Tebow the fourth-best quarterback in the country Sunday. Franks said Tebow, who is already miffed he finished third in Heisman voting last month, ranks behind Sooners teammate and Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford, Texas’ Colt McCoy and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell. Franks added that preparing for McCoy and Harrell was tougher than getting ready to face the 6-foot-3, 240pound Tebow. “If you look at the three best quarterbacks in the country, (they) came from the Big 12,” Franks said. “The three best receivers in the countr y came from the Big 12. The three best tight ends came from the Big 12. So we’ve faced some great offenses, and a lot of people don’t understand that other conferences don’t have what we face.” Franks then acknowledged that Tebow would be fourth on his QB list. “Yup. I think our quarterbacks are better,” Franks said. “Just the way they conduct themselves and how they play on the field. I just think, playing against those guys, it’s a lot harder to prepare for those guys than it is for Tebow.” Franks said devising a game plan for a quarterback who is going to throw the ball 40 or more times a game is more difficult than getting ready for someone like Tebow, who likely will throw the ball far less. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables defended his player, saying Franks was “going to bat for the guys he has a lot of respect for.” “I think he’s just a young guy that doesn’t know any better, too,” Venables said. “He hasn’t watched enough tape. And I really mean that. ... Not that he doesn’t have (respect for Tebow), but guys that he’s familiar with. SEE MATERIAL | 3C
NFL PLAYOFFS | RAVENS 27, DOLPHINS 9 Baltimore fullback LeRon McClain, a former University of Alabama player, scores a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during an AFC wild-card playoff football game at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. McClain rushed for 75 yards in the Ravens’ win.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Five turnovers help Ravens beat Dolphins By Steven Wine The Associated Press
MIAMI | The Baltimore Ravens had Chad Pennington spinning, ducking, on his heels and on his back. When he did manage to get a pass away, they were often there to snatch it. The Ravens came up with four interceptions, including one returned 64 yards for a touchdown by Ed Reed, and won 27-9 Sunday to spoil the Miami Dolphins’ first playoff game in seven seasons. Baltimore stuffed Miami’s ground attack and negated the Wildcat, but most of all the Ravens harried Pennington into uncharacteristic mistakes. After throwing only seven interceptions during the regular season, he
had four during a 22-minute flurry midway through the game. “We heard all week that they don’t turn the ball over,” linebacker Ray Lewis said. “But we force turnovers.” With a rookie coach in John Harbaugh and a rookie quarterback in Joe Flacco, wild-card entrant Baltimore (12-5) won for the 10th time in 12 games and will play Saturday at AFC South champion Tennessee. “We’re going to Tennessee,” Reed said. “Be there.” The playoff victory was the first for the Ravens since they beat Miami in a first-round game in Januar y 2002. The result put the brakes on this season’s remarkable resurgence by the Dolphins (11-6), who won the
AFC East after going 1-15 in 2007. “It has been a special year; that’s why it hurts so much,” Pennington said. “You want to keep it going and see how far you can take it.” A soft schedule contributed to Miami’s turnaround, and there was nothing soft about the Ravens. They forced repeated mistakes by a team that tied an NFL record with only 13 turnovers during the regular season. Reed had two interceptions, and Jim Leonhard and Fabian Washington made one apiece. Terrell Suggs recovered a fumble by Patrick Cobbs early in the second half at the Miami 19, and four plays later Le’Ron McClain scored on an 8-yard run for a 20-3 lead. SEE RAVENS | 4C
FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK TONIGHT PARTY TIME: The Fiesta Bowl kicks off with Big 12 giant Texas taking on Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State in Tempe, Ariz.
TUESDAY STARTING THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT: The Alabama basketball team looks to continue its winning ways in 2009 at Clemson at 8 p.m. The game will be televised by Fox Sports Net.
THURSDAY WHO’S NO. 1?: We’ll find out when the Florida Gators clash with the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS championship game in Miami.
SATURDAY IN THE BIG TIME: Baltimore takes on Tennessee in the NFL playoffs while Arizona takes on Carolina.
SUNDAY TIME TO STEP UP: The NFL playoffs continue with two of the biggest games on tap. Philadelphia plays defending Super Bowl champion New York while San Diego travels to face Pittsburgh.