“Show class, have pride, and display character. If you do, winning takes care of itself.”
Those are the words of Alabama coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant. More than three decades after the head coach’s passing, they remain the ethos of the Crimson Tide. It’s something quarterback Mac Jones made sure to point out during a players-only meeting heading into last week’s emotional matchup against LSU.
“Just that we wanted to go out there this past week and just try and win with class,” Jones said of his message. “That’s what we always do because Coach Saban has set that standard here, and I think we’ve done a good job of that this year. Obviously, there’s more games to be played, and we have to continue to do that.”
While Alabama did its best to dispel any sense of revenge heading into last week’s matchup against LSU, it was obvious that the Tigers’ antics following last year’s game left a bit of a sour taste in the Tide’s mouth.
LSU snapped an eight-game losing streak to Alabama last season with a 46-41 victory inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Following the game, the Tigers let the Tide know about it.
Alabama watched as LSU gathered together on the 50-yard line in Bryant-Denny proclaiming that “this is our house from now on.” They saw Tigers players approach their recruiting section, teasing incoming players to reconsider their college decision. And everyone heard LSU head coach Ed Orgeron’s profanity-laced locker room speech.
Following last weekend’s 55-17 dismantling of LSU inside Tiger Stadium, Alabama could have easily given the Tigers a bit of their own medicine. Although, outside of some mild social media banter Alabama kept things classy.
“That’s how it’s always been here, even before the years I’ve gotten here,” linebacker Christian Harris said. “We just try to go out and win with class. We don’t really focus in on all the hype and talking during the game. We just try to go out there, execute and do what we’re supposed to do. If we win the game, then that’s how it is.”
Alabama not looking ahead
The oddsmakers say this week’s game against Arkansas is going to get ugly. They’re probably right.
Alabama is currently a 31-point favorite heading into its matchup against Arkansas on Saturday. On paper, the Crimson Tide stacks up pretty well against a Razorbacks team that has exceeded expectations this season despite its 3-6 record. However, you won’t catch Tide players overlooking the Hogs.
“We treat everybody the same,” Harris said. “In the SEC, being that there’s so many great teams, we could lose at any moment. You can’t take one game off. If you go in and not execute, you’re giving up big plays and now you’re putting yourself into a hole that you can’t dig yourself out of. We have a lot of respect for Arkansas. They have a really great team, really great quarterback, really outstanding offense. I think they’ll present a really good challenge for us this week.”
No. 1 Alabama (9-0) has already clinched a spot in the SEC Championship Game where it will play No. 6 Florida (8-1) on Dec. 19 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Barring a complete collapse, the Tide has also most likely locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Although, simply advancing to the postseason isn’t enough for Alabama — not with the kind of season it is experiencing.
“This is a little bit of a historic game for us,” Saban said of Saturday’s matchup against Arkansas. “We’ve only had one team around here that went undefeated, and it wasn’t as difficult for that team to go undefeated as it is for this team, playing 10 SEC games.
“I think any time you play on the road in the SEC, you’ve gotta be ready to play and you’ve gotta respect the fact that the team that you’re playing certainly is capable of beating you if you don’t execute. When we execute, good things happen, and when we don’t, we allow the other team opportunities on both sides of the ball.”
Saban’s only undefeated team at Alabama came during the 2009 season when the Tide went 14-0 with a victory over Texas in the national championship game. If this year’s team remains perfect, it would finish 13-0.
Although, Alabama knows that journey continues by going 1-0 on Saturday against the Hogs.
Jones provides insight on Smith’s highlight TD
By now, it’s not a matter of if you’ve seen it but how many times. DeVonta Smith turned in one of the plays of the season Saturday when he outjumped LSU defensive back Derek Stingley while making a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone for his third touchdown of the game.
Monday, Jones revealed some backstory on the play, stating it could have been made earlier in the season if not for a mistake on his part.
“Quick story about that,” he said with a smile. “We ran the same play against Missouri on the 18th play of the game vs. Missouri in the red zone and I threw that same pass, but I threw it too far to the right and it was out of bounds.
“Smitty wasn’t mad at me, but he was like, ‘Just throw it up. Throw it up.’
Eight games later, that’s exactly what Jones did. His receiver did the rest.
“From a great catch standpoint, there’s a highlight reel that goes on forever with Smitty,” Jones said. “I don’t have a specific (favorite) one. But I think, one-on-one, I’m going to throw it up to him and hope that he can continue to make plays.”
Award season
It was a busy day for Alabama on the awards front. In total, nine Tide players were named as semifinalists for 10 different awards. Here’s a break down of the honors.
Devonta Smith: Biletnikoff Award (top receiver), Maxwell Award (top player)
Mac Jones: Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback), Maxwell Award (top player)
Najee Harris: Doak Walker Award (top running back), Maxwell Award (top player)
Patrick Surtain II: Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back), Bednarik Award (top defensive player), Lott IMPACT Trophy (defensive impact player)
Christian Harris: Butkus Award (top linebacker)
Dylan Moses: Lott IMPACT Trophy (defensive impact player)
Will Reichard: Lou Groza Award (top placekicker)
Alex Leatherwood: Outland Trophy (best lineman)
Landon Dickerson: Outland Trophy (best lineman)
Those are the words of Alabama coaching legend Paul “Bear” Bryant. More than three decades after the head coach’s passing, they remain the ethos of the Crimson Tide. It’s something quarterback Mac Jones made sure to point out during a players-only meeting heading into last week’s emotional matchup against LSU.
“Just that we wanted to go out there this past week and just try and win with class,” Jones said of his message. “That’s what we always do because Coach Saban has set that standard here, and I think we’ve done a good job of that this year. Obviously, there’s more games to be played, and we have to continue to do that.”
While Alabama did its best to dispel any sense of revenge heading into last week’s matchup against LSU, it was obvious that the Tigers’ antics following last year’s game left a bit of a sour taste in the Tide’s mouth.
LSU snapped an eight-game losing streak to Alabama last season with a 46-41 victory inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Following the game, the Tigers let the Tide know about it.
Alabama watched as LSU gathered together on the 50-yard line in Bryant-Denny proclaiming that “this is our house from now on.” They saw Tigers players approach their recruiting section, teasing incoming players to reconsider their college decision. And everyone heard LSU head coach Ed Orgeron’s profanity-laced locker room speech.
Following last weekend’s 55-17 dismantling of LSU inside Tiger Stadium, Alabama could have easily given the Tigers a bit of their own medicine. Although, outside of some mild social media banter Alabama kept things classy.
“That’s how it’s always been here, even before the years I’ve gotten here,” linebacker Christian Harris said. “We just try to go out and win with class. We don’t really focus in on all the hype and talking during the game. We just try to go out there, execute and do what we’re supposed to do. If we win the game, then that’s how it is.”
Alabama not looking ahead
The oddsmakers say this week’s game against Arkansas is going to get ugly. They’re probably right.
Alabama is currently a 31-point favorite heading into its matchup against Arkansas on Saturday. On paper, the Crimson Tide stacks up pretty well against a Razorbacks team that has exceeded expectations this season despite its 3-6 record. However, you won’t catch Tide players overlooking the Hogs.
“We treat everybody the same,” Harris said. “In the SEC, being that there’s so many great teams, we could lose at any moment. You can’t take one game off. If you go in and not execute, you’re giving up big plays and now you’re putting yourself into a hole that you can’t dig yourself out of. We have a lot of respect for Arkansas. They have a really great team, really great quarterback, really outstanding offense. I think they’ll present a really good challenge for us this week.”
No. 1 Alabama (9-0) has already clinched a spot in the SEC Championship Game where it will play No. 6 Florida (8-1) on Dec. 19 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Barring a complete collapse, the Tide has also most likely locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Although, simply advancing to the postseason isn’t enough for Alabama — not with the kind of season it is experiencing.
“This is a little bit of a historic game for us,” Saban said of Saturday’s matchup against Arkansas. “We’ve only had one team around here that went undefeated, and it wasn’t as difficult for that team to go undefeated as it is for this team, playing 10 SEC games.
“I think any time you play on the road in the SEC, you’ve gotta be ready to play and you’ve gotta respect the fact that the team that you’re playing certainly is capable of beating you if you don’t execute. When we execute, good things happen, and when we don’t, we allow the other team opportunities on both sides of the ball.”
Saban’s only undefeated team at Alabama came during the 2009 season when the Tide went 14-0 with a victory over Texas in the national championship game. If this year’s team remains perfect, it would finish 13-0.
Although, Alabama knows that journey continues by going 1-0 on Saturday against the Hogs.
Jones provides insight on Smith’s highlight TD
By now, it’s not a matter of if you’ve seen it but how many times. DeVonta Smith turned in one of the plays of the season Saturday when he outjumped LSU defensive back Derek Stingley while making a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone for his third touchdown of the game.
Monday, Jones revealed some backstory on the play, stating it could have been made earlier in the season if not for a mistake on his part.
“Quick story about that,” he said with a smile. “We ran the same play against Missouri on the 18th play of the game vs. Missouri in the red zone and I threw that same pass, but I threw it too far to the right and it was out of bounds.
“Smitty wasn’t mad at me, but he was like, ‘Just throw it up. Throw it up.’
Eight games later, that’s exactly what Jones did. His receiver did the rest.
“From a great catch standpoint, there’s a highlight reel that goes on forever with Smitty,” Jones said. “I don’t have a specific (favorite) one. But I think, one-on-one, I’m going to throw it up to him and hope that he can continue to make plays.”
Award season
It was a busy day for Alabama on the awards front. In total, nine Tide players were named as semifinalists for 10 different awards. Here’s a break down of the honors.
Devonta Smith: Biletnikoff Award (top receiver), Maxwell Award (top player)
Mac Jones: Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback), Maxwell Award (top player)
Najee Harris: Doak Walker Award (top running back), Maxwell Award (top player)
Patrick Surtain II: Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back), Bednarik Award (top defensive player), Lott IMPACT Trophy (defensive impact player)
Christian Harris: Butkus Award (top linebacker)
Dylan Moses: Lott IMPACT Trophy (defensive impact player)
Will Reichard: Lou Groza Award (top placekicker)
Alex Leatherwood: Outland Trophy (best lineman)
Landon Dickerson: Outland Trophy (best lineman)
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