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| Thursday, September 21 A case of deja vu in Alabama By Brian Bennett Special to ESPN.com | |||
| With a strong finish last year, Alabama thought it had turned the corner and gotten back to national-title contender status.
Instead, the Crimson Tide find themselves right where they were last year at this time: searching for answers after a disappointing home loss and facing questions about the coaching staff.
Last week's 21-0 loss to Southern Miss left the Tide -- ranked No. 3 at the start of the season -- at 1-2 and out of the top 25. Meanwhile, rumors are flying in Tuscaloosa about a rift between head coach Mike DuBose and
offensive play-caller Charlie Stubbs.
Bama has scored just 52 points in three games and has switched from a wide-open attack, to an I-formation, to a hybrid of both. On Sunday, DuBose announced that offensive coordinator Neil Callaway would be joining Stubbs in
the press box on gameday.
The coaching controversy swirls around the chain of command. DuBose approves the game plan every week, Callaway inserts it into practice, and quarterbacks coach Stubbs calls the plays on Saturdays. Stubbs, who favors a more
wide-open style than DuBose, has refused interviews for two weeks, and this
week DuBose had to deny rumors of Stubbs' impending resignation.
Despite a offensive attack that ranks 93rd in the nation and that gained only 217 yards on Saturday, DuBose said no major changes are in store.
"I liked the game plans we've had," he said. "It's just a matter of execution."
Players were summoned to watch game film on Sunday, which is normally their day off.
"We've got to have a sense of urgency," said senior guard Griff Redmill. "We're not out of it yet. We've got a lot of football left to play."
Tide fans need look only to last year, when in Week 3, Louisiana Tech pulled
off the upset, further turning up the heat on DuBose, who was under fire for
sexual harassment accusations. Alabama rebounded to win 10 games and the SEC
title.
Last year's turnaround started with a win over Arkansas, whom the Tide play this week in Fayetteville. The preseason favorite to win the SEC, Alabama is 1-0 in league play and still very much a factor in the race.
"We've been in this situation before, an one of two things is going to happen," DuBose said. "If we're made of the right kind of stuff, and I think we are, then it will pull us together. If we're not, then we'll separate and
a house divided falls."
"We're all saying we were in this same boat last year," Redmill said. "And look where we ended up."
Around the SEC Arkansas The Hogs aren't thrilled to have to play a wounded Alabama team for the second straight year."Why does it always have to happen that way?" asked head coach Houston Nutt. ... Running back Cedric Cobb had a monster game in last week's 38-31 win over Boise State, rushing 34 times for 174 yards. "Every time he touches it, you feel like he has the ability to go the distance," Nutt said. ... Saturday's game marks the debut of newly remodeled and renamed Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Auburn The Tigers' offense has gone from anemic to explosive in one season. Auburn has scored 35, 35 and 34 points in its first three games, respectively, and the rushing offense has gained 634 yards on the season, only 115 less than in 11 games last year. ... Coach Tommy Tuberville is shortening practice this week in preparation for Saturday's game against 1-1 Northern Illinois. Tuberville said it's no disrespect to his opponent, but that his team simply needs some rest. ... Senior cornerback Larry Casher suffered a concussion in the win against LSU and has been kept out of contact drills this week. Georgia The Bulldogs may be in search of a running back this week against New Mexico State. Their two leading rushers -- Jasper Sanks (ankle) and Musa Smith (shoulder) -- are both day-to-day. ... The phone scandal has officially been hung up in Athens. Five players sat out UGA's opener and two more missed the loss to South Carolina for improper use of a university long distance code. All the suspended players will available this week. ... The Bulldogs are last in the SEC in time of possession and turnover ratio. LSU Quarterback Josh Booty is second in the SEC and No. 11 in the nation in passing efficiency, but he still might have to look over his shoulder. Coach Nick Saban inserted backup Rohan Davey into the Auburn game for three second-quarter plays. Though Davey was unproductive in his only series, Saban said his practice this week will determine if he sees action against Alabama Birmingham. ... Auburn scored with three second left in its 34-17 win his week, but Saban had no problems with the call. "If we didn't want them to score, we should have stopped them," he said. ... Flanker Abram Booty is questionable for Saturday with a pulled quadriceps muscle. Mississippi The Rebels couldn't have asked for a better time for a bye week. Heisman Trophy hopeful Deuce McAllister bruised his right shoulder at the end of the third quarter of Saturday's 12-7 win over Vanderbilt. McAllister, who gained 215 all-purpose yards before getting hurt, says he expects to be fine in time for Kentucky in two weeks. ... Ole Miss simplified its defense against Vandy, going from multiple sets to just one zone and one man-to-man coverage formation each. ... Preseason All-SEC linebacker Eddie Strong is out for the season after undergoing foot surgery. Mississippi State Junior quarterback Wayne Madkin became the first Bulldog to run and pass for 100 yards in a game, and he did it by halftime against BYU. ... Free safety Josh Morgan was named SEC defensive player of the week after making 15 tackles, intercepting a pass and returning a fumble 97 yards for a touchdown in last Thursday's 44-28 win at BYU. Florida A gag order is in effect this week in Gainesville. Steve Spurrier, upset with his players' jawing before the Tennessee game, has made eight of his most gabby players of limits to the media this week, including quarterback and SEC offensive player of the week Jesse Palmer. ... Receiver Jabar Gaffney, who made the disputed TD catch against Tennessee, will sit out the first half against Kentucky for his crotch-grabbing and throat-slashing gestures after the catch. "What he did, to me, is the same as fighting," Spurrier said. ... Spurrier invited 20 reporters onto the field during an evening practice this week to demonstrate a tackling drill. The Gators' coaching staff counted 20 missed tackles in the Tennessee game. Spurrier is even considering benching rush end Alex Brown, a preseason All-American in most circles. ... Linebacker Travis Carroll will see his first action his week after serving a three-week suspension for breaking team rules. Kentucky The Wildcats have been Swamp fodder for more than a decade, losing 13 straight to the Gators, many in humiliating fashion. But coach Hal Mumme thinks the talent gap may finally be narrowing. "We have a young, scrappy team," Mumme said after his Cats pulled out a 41-34 victory over Indiana. "We think we can get in the (SEC) race. We have more players and more talent." ... Kentucky leads the SEC in sacks, with 13. True freshman Dewayne Robertson's sack of Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El forced a fumble that was recovered for the game-winning score last week. ... Junior defensive end Dennis Johnson, the former USA Today prep defensive player of the year, is slowly recovering from a high ankle sprain suffered in the opener against Louisville. Mumme said he is considering redshirting Johnson rather than have him miss much of the season. South Carolina Lou Holtz thinks his surprising Gamecocks match up well with Mississippi State this week everywhere except the kicking game. "The only thing tht goes wrong with our kicking game is the ball doesn't go through the uprights and it doesn't go far enough when we punt," he cracked. Mississippi State leads the league in punting and kickoff returns, while USC is last in both categories. ... Gamecocks' players credit the no-huddle as a key to their offensive turnaround. USC has scored 93 points in three games, six more points than it produced all of last season. Tennessee The day after the heartbreaking loss to Florida, a group of Volunteers seniors met with Phil Fulmer in the coach's office to regroup. The players vowed to finish the season 12-1. ... Freshman Jason Witten, the prep player of the year in Tennessee last year, has been switched from defensive end to tight end to help the passing game, ranked 96th in the nation. ... Good news, bad news department: The Vols lead the SEC in rush defense, allowing 55 yards a game, but are last in stopping the pass (261 yards a game). .. Tennessee doesn't figure to have much trouble this week against Division I-A independent Louisiana-Monroe. Vanderbilt Coach Woody Widenhofer said he received an apology from SEC coordinator of officials Bobby Gaston for some of the calls in the Alabama game two weeks ago. Specifically, Gaston said the officials missed an apparent fumble by the Tide's Freddie Milons that Vandy had recovered. ... Wide receiver Anthony Jones, considered the team's best deep threat, returned to practice this week after recovering from a fractured hip he suffered in an August scrimmage. ... All-SEC Jamie Winborn made his season debut with 13 tackles against Ole Miss. Winborn sat out the first two weeks because of NCAA violations. | ALSO SEE That old Holtz magic Worst-to-first? S. Carolina's hot start leads to big dreams S. Carolina fans new at winning, great at tailgating Holtz modernizes with new offense and defense | ||
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