TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama is envisioning a return to those offensive glory days back when Brodie Croyle was passing, Ken Darby was running and Tim Castille was blocking and catching balls.<br>
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You know, the first three games of last season.<br>
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Before Croyle went down with a knee injury. Before running backs Darby, Castille and Ray Hudson all fell by the wayside. Before the offense stopped producing yards and points with such ease.<br>
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Croyle, Darby and Castille are hoping to put that frustrating season behind them coming into Saturday night's opener against Middle Tennessee. The Tide believes the offense has regained its health along with the backfield trio.<br>
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``Getting those three guys back kind of makes your confidence level go way high,'' said receiver D.J. Hall. ``When they were in there, we were doing great things. Getting them back makes us feel like we can do even greater things.''<br>
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Croyle thinks so, too. After all, in 2004 Hudson was a career backup entering his senior season and many of the receivers were fresh out of high school. It didn't keep the Tide from scoring 48, 28 and 52 points to open the season and being effective both passing and running.<br>
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Now, the receivers have a year's seasoning and are ``bigger, stronger, faster,'' coach Mike Shula said. Darby is a 1,000-yard rusher despite his late-season pelvic injury and Castille is a proven commodity at fullback, though he's coming back from surgery to repair two torn knee ligaments.<br>
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But Croyle knows the questions about the backfield's health will persist until they're answered to the skeptics' satisfaction.<br>
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``We've heard people and magazines and stuff 'the fragile backfield' we've heard it all,'' said Croyle, who barely made it past halftime of the third game. ``The only way to prove them wrong is to go out there and all three of us make it through a season. It all starts with me.''<br>
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So does the offense. Middle Tennessee coach Andy McCollum knows that, and watching tape of Alabama's 2004 games before and after Croyle's season-ending knee injury certainly bears that out.<br>
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``Croyle is a tough, tough player who has a great deal of character,'' McCollum said. ``He plays the game the way it is supposed to be played and he makes great decisions.<br>
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``He is as good as any quarterback in the country.''<br>
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Balanced and efficient, the Tide's offense was averaging 442 yards and racking up points before Croyle went down.<br>
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The passing game mostly sputtered after that and the running game faded when Darby was injured late in the season.<br>
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``You can really tell a difference in the games he played,'' Middle Tennessee linebacker Dennis Burke said of Croyle. ``Their offense drove down the field more and he's a big leader for their team. It's very important that we keep him from making big plays on us.''<br>
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The Blue Raiders do have nine starters returning, but the defense allowed nearly 412 yards and 27 points per game last season.<br>
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Even with a healthy Darby and Castille, the Tide running game will rely on some youngsters. Shula said freshmen running backs Glen Coffee and Jimmy Johns a prep quarterback who switched positions in the preseason will likely play Saturday.<br>
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Alabama offensive coordinator Dave Rader said he's not worrying about the health of his veteran backfield.<br>
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``It's the new guys. And we've given them so many reps and the ball so many times,'' Rader said. ``Glen Coffee's shown that he's a good running back. Jimmy Johns has shown us he's a good running back. Roy Upchurch has shown he's a good running back.<br>
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``They just need to grab the ball and run hard.''<br>
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Asked if Croyle and Co. appeared 100 percent healthy, Rader said: ``They sure look like it to me. They're pretty doggone good.''<br>
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(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
