A good read on former Tide RB Terry Grant

Remember Terry Grant? The 2007 leading rusher on Nick Saban’s first Alabama team?

Well he’s back in football. After losing snaps to Glen Coffee, Mark Ingram,  Trent Richardson, and nagging injuries knocked him down a few pegs on the depth chart by the 2009 national title run.

He graduated that season and was done with football.

Click here to read which former teammate convinced him to get back into the game. The Toronto Sun story is a pretty good read on a player who once had a really good season in crimson and white.

Update: Another former Alabama player landed on a Canadian football team roster. Click here to read about where ex-Tide receiver Earl Alexander is now.

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Saban updates Tide injuries

Nick Saban just finished his news conference. Injuries were noted. Here’s what he said:

Linebacker C.J. Mosley is expected to be a “game- time decision” with his elbow injury. He hasn’t done much in practice.

On Eddie Lacy, Saban said the running back hasn’t practiced much this week but was expected to do more tomorrow and was hopeful for him to contribute Saturday at Florida.

More later.

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Video of Eddie Lacy from Wednesday practice

Here is a look at Eddie Lacy (42) from today’s practice this afternoon. You can see he wasn’t participating in all drills and walked gingerly on the injured toe. Stay tuned for Nick Saban’s comments on the matter later this evening.

 

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A few notes from Wednesday practice

The weather couldn’t be nicer this early-fall afternoon here in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide were back outside for the third straight day — the second in full pads. Here’s a quick rundown of the observations from the media viewing period:

• Linebacker C.J. Mosley was back out there again today, but like the last two days, he wasn’t doing anything during our time to watch. His right elbow is still wrapped from Saturday’s unnamed injury.
• Running back Eddie Lacy was also moving slow again today. He was limping slightly and not participating in all individual drills. The toe injury that he returned from against Arkansas appears to be giving him trouble through three practices this week.
• Coach Nick Saban is expected to give an update on the status of both at this evening’s news conference. Stay tuned for that.

Video of Lacy at practice is also coming up very soon.

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AJ McCarron takes heat, matures as top QB

There’s been a lot said about Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron in the past week. Looking back, it’s about the same time of the year Greg McElroy started taking heat in his first season starting in 2009.

Only he was throwing interceptions and facing notable declines in his effectiveness when the critics came out two seasons ago. McElroy took it personally, as he said in interviews.

McCarron hasn’t had a voice since he’s been off-limits to reporters all season except following the Penn State game. He’s also completing 66 percent of his passes and hasn’t thrown an interception since the opener against Kent State.

His teammates have noticed a difference in his performance.

“Absolutely. We did check a lot of stuff at the line of scrimmage,” center William Vlachos said. “That shows the confidence the coaches have in him. He’s matured very quickly this year and I couldn’t be prouder of him. The biggest thing that stands out to me is the decisions he has made. He hasn’t gotten us into any really bad plays or anything like that. Manage the game very well and made good decisions and the coaches trust him to go up there, identify things, check it off, and get us in the best play we can be in.”

What do you think. Is McCarron living up to his potential? Leave a comment below.

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Saban talks Dee Hart, Florida, scheduling

The SEC media teleconference is chugging right along this morning. Nick Saban just wrapped things up. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version of his thoughts:

• On Dee Hart’s progress: “He’s doing extremely well in rehab.”  The freshman running back is running again, but still a month away from getting in the neighborhood of football condition after tearing his ACL this summer.
• “It would be a real longshot if he could come back and contribute this year.
• Florida game is both “biggest challenge” and “greatest opportunity.”
• Adding to West Division can mess with scheduling and Saban doesn’t want rivalries altered.
• Anyone who in the SEC who plays Texas A&M next year will have to drop a non-conference game. Those non-league games are scheduled well in advance.
• West Division “is as strong as I remember it.” Still good teams in East, lists all but Vandy and Kentucky on that side.
• Asked to look ahead to a possible LSU/Alabama showdown in the BCS title game, Saban said he “doesn’t care to speculate” with so much else to worry about.
• Florida QB John Brantley “takes what the defense gives you.” The Gators are certainly capable of throwing down the field and there is no lack of respect from Alabama defense for passing game.
• Brantley playing “with a lot more confidence.”
• Florida offense “significantly different” from last year. No more zone-reads, much more “pro-style.”
• Saban went nearly 12 minutes. Muschamp was 10:23 if you’re scoring at home.

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Muschamp talks Tide, McCarron, Richardson

Florida coach Will Muschamp just did his 10 minutes on the weekly SEC media teleconference. Here’s the gist of what he said:

• Coming from his last gig as defensive coordinator at Texas, a Texas A&M question kicked things off.
•  He said the recruiting benefits to the rest of the league would likely go more to the teams in the West Division and the Gators would continue hitting the state of Florida before anywhere else.
• On two occasions, Muschamp talked about the importance of “being multiple” on offense. Too much reliance on the running game makes the Gators predictable.
• On Tide QB AJ McCarron, Muschamp said the sophomore “has been efficient.” He finds the open receivers and doesn’t make many mistakes, Muschamp added.
• On Tide RB Trent Richardson, the Gator coach praised his low center of gravity and great balance. Being “a one-cut guy” means Florida must be disciplined and leverage the ball.
• On establishing a running game and stopping the opposition’s, Muschamp said that’s what creates the toughness of a football team.

We’re a few minutes from Nick Saban’s turn. Check back for those updates soon.

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Video of Richardson, Demps in 2008 high school state track championship

Update: For the print story, click here.

The story of Florida’s track speed at running back was addressed in today’s newspaper. The first few paragraphs took you back to the Florida Class 3A state championship meet where Alabama’s Trent Richardson and Florida’s Jeff Demps competed in the 100-meter dash finals.

Click here to see video of the race from the site flotrack.org. Based on seedings and the final order of finish, I’m pretty sure that’s Richardson in Lane 1 at the top of the screen. He finished fifth behind Demps.

Of course Demps went on to win six NCAA track championships — four individual — at Florida. The race also featured a few more future Football Bowl Championship Subdivision players. Here’s the complete listing with times and order of finish:

1. Jeff Demps, RB, Florida (10.4)
2. Philip Pierre-Louis, WR, Auburn* (10.76)
4. Lamar Lindsey, WR, South Florida (10.86)
5. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama (10.93)
7. Terrence Mitchell, WR, South Florida (11.1)
14. Mike Bellamy, RB, Clemson (11.3)
*No longer with team

For video of fellow Gator Chris Rainey’s long run against Kentucky, (also described in the story) just click here.

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