Tide's Walker wants wins, not catches

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama&#39;s tight ends have been mostly afterthoughts in the passing game in recent years.<br> <br> The Crimson Tide is hoping redshirt freshman starter Nick Walker will change that. Walker showed off his catching and running abilities with a 40-yarder in the Crimson Tide&#39;s final scrimmage.<br> <br> It&#39;s the first time in a while we&#39;ve had a receiving threat at tight end,&#39;&#39; quarterback Brodie Croyle said. ``He&#39;s shown improvement all throughout camp. I&#39;m excited about seeing him out there. He&#39;s just shown he&#39;s basically got the all-around receiving game.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Tight ends David Cavan and Clint Johnston combined for a total of 15 receptions the past two seasons. The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Walker won the job after Cavan graduated and Johnston gave up football.<br> <br> ``He&#39;s so much better right now than he was at the end of spring ball and that&#39;s what&#39;s made us feel real good,&#39;&#39; coach Mike Shula said.<br> <br> Walker said he isn&#39;t too focused on how many catches he makes.<br> <br> ``My expectation is to win,&#39;&#39; he said. ``I&#39;m going to play to win. It doesn&#39;t really matter. I can go out there and not catch one ball, but if I block good I&#39;m going to be happy.<br> <br> ``I&#39;m high on winning. I&#39;m not a selfish-type person.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> GILBERRY&#39;S ENCORE: Wallace Gilberry gave himself a tough act to follow as a freshman. Gilberry led the Tide with 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss while backing up Todd Bates.<br> <br> Now, he&#39;s the starter and has bigger aspirations.<br> <br> ``I set some big standards last year,&#39;&#39; Gilberry said. ``It&#39;s going to take a lot for me to go out there and uphold those standards. Last year, I led the team in sacks and tackles behind the line. This year I have bigger goals. I want to lead the SEC in those categories.<br> <br> ``That&#39;s going to take a big contribution from me and dedication to my team.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> RELUCTANT REDSHIRT: Shula has good reason to be cautious when deciding which freshmen to redshirt.<br> <br> That&#39;s because his freshman season was wasted with one relief appearance in a 40-0 win over Mississippi in 1983.<br> <br> As he puts it: ``19 plays the second game of the year, and that was it. I was so happy. I didn&#39;t want to redshirt, but come my junior and senior year I would have given anything to have that year back.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The coach who put him in the game: current offensive coordinator Dave Rader.<br> <br> Last season, Shula had tight end Nick Walker ``by the back of his jersey&#39;&#39; ready to insert him into the Western Carolina game. He didn&#39;t, and Walker redshirted.<br> <br> Among the freshmen slotted to play Saturday against Middle Tennessee are running backs Glen Coffee and Jimmy Johns and defensive lineman Bobby Greenwood.<br> <br> Parade All-American tailback Roy Upchurch is ``on the bubble&#39;&#39; for playing this season, Shula said.<br> <br> ``He&#39;s been beat up here lately so he hasn&#39;t had quite as many reps (in practice),&#39;&#39; Shula said.<br> <br> BRODIE&#39;S RECORDS: If Brodie Croyle stays healthy and has a decent season he will own Alabama&#39;s major passing records despite an injury-filled career.<br> <br> Croyle needs 2,101 yards and nine touchdown passes to break Andrew Zow&#39;s career records of 5,983 yards and 35 TDs.<br> <br> ``I hope that&#39;s something we&#39;re talking about at the end of the year,&#39;&#39; Shula said. ``Right now, it&#39;s getting him back on his feet and in the game and ready to play winning football.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Croyle also isn&#39;t too concerned with the records.<br> <br> ``They&#39;re fun to have. That&#39;s a good conversation piece, but that&#39;s about as far as it goes,&#39;&#39; he said. ``Nobody remembers the guys that set records, they remember the guys that win championships.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)