Probation-wracked Tide yearning for 'special' season

Posted 6:30AM on Thursday 15th August 2002 ( 23 years ago )

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - Dennis Franchione broke the bad news of Alabama's stiff NCAA sanctions to his players at noon on Feb. 1. Then, drained and depressed, he went home. ``I felt sorry for myself,'' the normally upbeat Franchione said. His wife, Kim, propped him up with a word that would become the Crimson Tide's mantra for 2002: special. ``Just think how special these kids are going to be if they take this group through that,'' she told him. ``Maybe you can be thought of in a special way in Alabama football coaches' history,'' she said. The Tide won't be adding to their six national championships or 21 Southeastern Conference titles this season because of the sanctions imposed for violations that predated Franchione's arrival. They will, however, try to build on last season's feel-good finish of four straight wins, including a 31-7 blowout of Auburn. ``We learned a lot from that game,'' All-SEC defensive tackle Jarret Johnson said. ``We learned that we could finish a game. We learned how good we could be.'' None of the juniors and seniors transferred, though they could have done so without any penalty because of the bowl ban. ``It's a special group when we were pounded by the sanctions we were given, and have nobody leave the program,'' guard Justin Smiley said. ``That already says we're special right there.'' Interestingly, Alabama players have pointed to rival Auburn, which went 11-0 while on probation in 1993 and staked a de facto claim to the SEC and national titles. ``We want everybody to wonder: If they had the chance, would they win the national championship?'' defensive tackle Kenny King said. If they can somehow navigate without defeat a 13-game schedule that features games with three teams ranked in the preseason Top 10, they'll really feel special. The Tide visit No. 2 Oklahoma (Sept. 7) and No. 5 Tennessee (Oct. 26) and play No. 8 Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Oct. 5. ``We have a chance to win every game we play this year,'' Smiley said. ``It's up to us.'' Senior quarterback Tyler Watts entered the preseason practices standing alone as the starter for the first time. He directed the league's top running game for nine games last season before his season ended with a groin injury, but averaged a modest 147 yards passing. The Tide will likely still take a run-first mentality with the offensive line returning intact and tailback tandem Ahmaad Galloway and Santonio Beard also back. ``If it's not broke, don't fix it. That's our mentality,'' said Watts, who had three 100-yard rushing games. ``But we also know we need to score more points, and the only way we're going to be able to do that is to put the ball in the air a little more. We may have to throw 20-30 times a game to score that extra touchdown. ``We're going to try to open it up a little bit, but we're also going to run.'' That's no surprise. Galloway gained 881 yards, Beard 633 and Watts 564 last season while using the option with success. All three say they are aiming for 1,000-yard seasons this year, but they'll have competition for carries. Alabama is introducing a new position, the A-back, with speedy Shaud Williams and Ray Hudson serving as a hybrid running back/receiver. ``We have four legitimate guys at tailback that can play anywhere,'' Smiley said. ``We're stacked at running back. Anybody can see that.'' Smiley and All-SEC center Alonzo Ephraim anchor the line. If Alabama is to pass more this season, the question is who will catch it? The Tide must replace two of their top three receivers, Freddie Milons and Jason McAddley. After Antonio Carter (32 catches), Sam Collins (18) and Triandos Luke (15), the rest of the returnees combined for nine receptions for 114 yards. Plus, Carter and Collins both are coming off offseason surgery. Franchione's goals for the receivers are pretty simple. ``We need them to have less drops and make a few more plays.'' He has few concerns with the defensive line starters. Tackle Jarret Johnson and end Kindal Moorehead were All-SEC picks last season. Johnson, Moorehead and tackle Kenny King have combined for 80 career starts and 42.5 sacks. End Nautyn McKay-Loescher (three sacks) fills out the line. The Tide must replace middle linebacker Saleem Rasheed, who skipped his senior season for the NFL. Redshirt freshman Freddie Roach and junior college All-American Derrick Pope provide talent in the middle but little experience. Brooks Daniels (102 tackles) and Cornelius Wortham (56) man the outside linebacker spots. The entire secondary returns, but might see a shakeup. Alabama's defensive backs were torched for 518 yards by LSU quarterback Rohan Davey, the most ever given up by the Tide. Redshirt freshman cornerbacks Charlie Peprah and Anthony Madison are expected to make an impact and possibly claim the starting jobs. Safeties Charles Jones and Waine Bacon also are back. The team has a big question mark on special teams in its search for a successor to placekicker Neal Thomas. Meantime, Franchione is still preaching that this could be a special team. ``We've definitely bought into it,'' Smiley said. ``Coach Fran's a class act. He's not going to let us slip up.''

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/8/191311

Probation-wracked Tide yearning for &#39;special&#39; season

Probation-wracked Tide yearning for 'special' season