Shula draws from father's experiences in tough times

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Mike Shula has learned a tough lesson about how dramatically fans&#39; perceptions can change with a few losses.<br> <br> The Alabama coach didn&#39;t learn it this week, but a few decades ago as the young son of Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula.<br> <br> ``I thought life was easy,&#39;&#39; he said. ``Everybody loves my dad, and all he does is win games and Super Bowls, and it&#39;s easy. Then, it becomes not quite as easy. I can remember him coming home after tough losses, all hurt and down. But the only thing you can do is focus on your job and not let those things affect you.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Perhaps that helps explain Shula&#39;s upbeat manner in dealing with reporters and players since the Crimson Tide&#39;s 24-16 loss to Mississippi State.<br> <br> Shula can also draw on his own experience as Alabama&#39;s quarterback, perhaps the team&#39;s second-most scrutinized position.<br> <br> ``When you first get here, you see all the attention you get like you hadn&#39;t gotten in high school,&#39;&#39; Shula said. ``And then you throw a few interceptions or you&#39;re the quarterback of a football team at Alabama that&#39;s not doing so well, and all of the sudden, you don&#39;t hear them anymore.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Fullback Tim Castille said the team must maintain confidence in Shula and his offensive playcalling.<br> <br> ``We have to, we don&#39;t have a choice right now,&#39;&#39; Castille said. ``We have to do whatever they&#39;re asking us to do and do it well, or it can get really bad. We have to protect better, we have to throw better passes, we have to run harder.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> ANDRE SMITH: Freshman offensive tackle Andre Smith remembers the last time he had to watch a game from the bench.<br> <br> It was Huffman High School&#39;s spring game. He was an eighth-grader.<br> <br> ``That&#39;s the worst experience I ever felt in my life,&#39;&#39; said Smith, adding that he has started every game since then. ``I hate to be on the bench. I love the game of football. Just being out there competing against a man, you and him one on one. I just love the feel of that.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> It&#39;s a good thing, too. Smith has played 666 snaps in 10 games, more than anybody else on the team.<br> <br> ``I wish I could play both sides of the ball sometimes so I could be out on the field all the time,&#39;&#39; he said.<br> <br> Besides sitting on the bench, another thing the 6-foot-4, 325-pounder hates is seeing quarterback John Parker Wilson get hit so many times this season.<br> <br> ``I love JP so much, it&#39;s like him being my Mom in the backfield, protecting him,&#39;&#39; Smith said. ``I don&#39;t want anybody to hit him. That&#39;s my mentality: Somebody&#39;s back there trying to hit my mom.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> TOUGH ROAD: Alabama&#39;s four road games this season, including LSU, come against teams with combined 30-6 records.<br> <br> However, the Tide might have played its three best games away from Bryant-Denny Stadium. The games have still resulted in losses to Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas.<br> <br> ``We&#39;ve probably played in three of the loudest stadiums in the country, and we&#39;ve been in position to win all three of those games,&#39;&#39; Shula said. ``We just haven&#39;t finished those.<br> <br> ``We&#39;ve started fast in all three of those games, and just haven&#39;t quite finished.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> Shula said he is emphasizing to his players to execute for four quarters and keep their poise in tight situations at LSU&#39;s Tiger Stadium.

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