| FTBL A-Day 2019 : Alabama Football Finishes Spring Season with White Besting Crimson, 31-17,

doemasters

doemasters

The Rowdy One
Staff
Crimson Team

1 Ben Davis LB
3 Daniel Wright DB
4 Christopher Allen LB
4 Jerry Jeudy WR
5 Shyheim Carter DB
6 DeVonta Smith WR
7 Braxton Barker QB
10 Ale Kaho LB
11 Scooby Carter DB
11 Henry Ruggs III WR
12 Skyler DeLong P
13 Nigel Knott DB
13 Tua Tagovailoa QB
15 Paul Tyson QB
18 Slade Bolden WR
20 Cameron Latu LB
22 Jalyn Armour-Davis DB
22 Najee Harris RB
23 Jarez Parks LB
25 Eddie Smith DB
27 Jerome Ford RB
27 Joshua Robinson DB
29 Michael Collins DB
35 Shane Lee LB
35 De’Marquise Lockridge RB
36 Markail Benton LB
36 Mac Hereford WR
37 Jalen Edwards DB
38 Sean Kelly DB
39 Loren Ugheoke DB
43 Daniel Powell TE
43 Christian Swann DB
44 Kevin Harris II LB
48 Phidarian Mathis DL
52 Preston Malone LB
53 Matthew Barnhill LB
54 Trae Drake LB
55 William Cooper LB
55 Emil Ekiyor Jr. OL
56 Antonio Alfano DL
57 Joe Donald LB
59 Jake Hall SN
60 Kendall Randolph OL
61 Alex Pearman DL
65 Deonte Brown OL
70 Alex Leatherwood OL
74 Jedrick Wills Jr. OL
77 Matt Womack OL
78 Amari Kight OL
79 Chris Owens OL
84 Joshua Lanier WR
87 Miller Forristall TE
88 Major Tennison TE
90 Stephon Wynn Jr. DL
92 Justin Eboigbe DL
96 Taylor Wilson LB
97 Joseph Bulovas PK
98 Quindarius Watkins DL

White Team


2 Patrick Surtain II DB
3 John Metchie WR
5 Taulia Tagovailoa QB
7 Trevon Diggs DB
9 Eyabi Anoma LB 9 Xavier Williams WR
10 Mac Jones QB 12 Chadarius Townsend RB
14 Tyrell Shavers WR
15 Xavier McKinney DB
16 Kyle Edwards QB 16 Will Reichard PK
17 Jaylen Waddle WR
18 Layne Hatcher QB
21 Jared Mayden DB
24 Terrell Lewis LB
24 Brian Robinson Jr. RB
28 Josh Jobe DB
30 Chris Herring WR
31 Ladarius Foreman WR
32 Jalen Jackson WR
32 Dylan Moses LB
33 Anfernee Jennings LB
34 Brandon Bishop DB
34 Mason Edwards RB
37 Dalton Adkison WR
39 Jahi Brown RB
40 Giles Amos TE
40 Joshua McMillon LB
42 Jaylen Moody LB
44 Kedrick James TE
45 Thomas Fletcher SN
46 Melvin Billingsley TE
47 CJ Howard WR
49 Jackson Mooney TE
50 Hunter Brannon OL
51 Wes Baumhower LB
51 Tanner Bowles OL
52 Scott Meyer SN
58 Christian Barmore DL
62 Jackson Roby OL
64 Rowdy Garza OL
71 Darrian Dalcourt OL
72 Pierce Quick OL
73 Evan Neal OL
75 Tommy Brown OL
76 Scott Lashley OL
80 Michael Parker TE
81 Keedrick Adams WR
82 Hunter Hill WR
83 John Parker WR
85 Chris Golden WR
86 Connor Adams WR
89 LaBryan Ray DL
89 James Reasor WR
91 Tevita Musika DL
93 Tripp Slyman PK
94 DJ Dale DL
98 Mike Bernier P
99 Raekwon Davis DL
 
A-DAY: What exactly is the Alabama Factor? - TideSports.com

A-Day Game
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium
TV: ESPN2
Admission: Free

Finding the “Alabama Factor” can’t be done with even the most complex of formulas.

There may be an equation somewhere among all the variables that have helped Alabama win five national championships in the last 10 seasons. But it doesn’t come from top-ranked recruiting classes, arduous offseason workouts and dominance on the field may all play a part.

The variable that has played a part of Alabama’s dynasty might be, in the mathematical meaning, undefined.

“The No. 1 goal and objective for the spring is we have to re-establish the Alabama Factor, to me,” coach Nick Saban said at the start of spring practice.


It’s been a focus for the team this spring, but it’s been a part of the program for much longer than that. Even before Saban spoke the phrase into existence, it was there.

“It isn’t a slogan, I didn’t come up with it,” Saban said. “It’s been who I am for the last 27-some years. It’s been who we are ever since we’ve been here. You could ask someone who played on the second team here that went 12-0 and lost in the SEC Championship Game and they could recite and tell you exactly what that is. So it’s not a slogan. It’s really what the program’s built on.”

‘The second team here’

Alabama’s 2008 team did not win a national championship. It was neither Saban’s most dominant team nor his most talented, but it embodied many of the characteristics he sought.

It had the “Alabama Factor,” even if he never used that term at that time. Offensive lineman Mike Johnson said he doesn’t remember Saban using the phrase, but it still has meaning to him.

“It’s not so much winning the game or scoring points or keeping the other team out of the end zone,” Johnson said. “It’s just breaking their will. That’s the way I’ve always looked at ‘The Alabama Factor’ or whatever you want to call it, ‘The Process’ or ‘Putting your foot down,’ whatever you want to call it. It’s breaking their will. It’s going out there and manning them up on the line of scrimmage, with our offensive line against their defensive line or our defensive line against their offensive line and breaking their will. Making them quit. Making them not want to play us anymore. When they come off the field, they’ll say ‘Man, I’m glad we don’t have to play them again this year. Man, I don’t look forward to playing against that team.’ That, to me, was the Alabama Factor when we played.”



Johnson remembers Saban’s speech in the locker room before Alabama’s 27-21 win over LSU in Baton Rouge. Pieces of it have become a popular rallying cry that resonate more than a decade later.

“I want everybody to think here for a second,” Saban says. “How much does this game mean to you? Because if it means something to you, you can’t stand still. You understand? You play fast. You play strong. You play physical. You go out there and dominate the guy you’re playing against and make his (butt) quit. That’s our trademark. That’s our MO as a team. That’s what people know us as.”

There’s also a difference between Alabama’s trademark ‘Process’ and the ‘Alabama Factor.’

“When I think of ‘Process,’ I think of Fourth Quarter (Conditioning), I think of offseason,” Johnson said. “The Process to me always was mentally being able to get over the hurdles on a daily basis, that you’re not thinking about how bad something stinks or how not fun something is, you’re able to focus on what you have to do that day, that rep or that practice to be better for Saturday. That was The Process to me. The Alabama Factor, on the other hand, is when you do get to Saturdays.”

When the 2008 team got to Saturdays, it didn’t start with the reputation of invincibility that some of Alabama’s championship teams would later construct. It was recovering from a 7-6 season in 2007.

The 2008 team had to make its own name and prove itself. The players were motivated to restore Alabama’s place in college football after suffering through previous seasons, Johnson said. They played angry.

The 2008 team had to look different than previous Alabama teams. The 2019 Alabama team isn’t built the same as some of the teams of the past decade, but it can still have the same effect on opponents.

“(The 2018 team) scored a ton of points last year,” Johnson said. “They still played very, very good defense. But it’s a completely different brand. I think what he’s talking about is getting back to that brand where it’s not just scoring points or keeping them out of the end zone; it’s absolutely demolishing whatever is in front of you. Running right through it, them knowing what’s coming and not being able to do anything to stop it. They know you’re going to run up the A gap on third and one and there’s still nothing they can do about it no matter how many guys they have in the box. … It’s a scary notion, because I don’t want to take his quote and say something (Saban) wasn’t thinking. But at the same time, that’s what it was to me.”

The missing factor

Whatever the Alabama Factor had been for the last decade, something was missing from the equation at the end of the 2019 season.

Alabama allowed 10 games of 100+ rushing yards in 2018, the most of any season under Saban. Its 11 rushing touchdowns allowed and 3.53 yards per carry were both the worst marks for the program in the last decade. Opponents ran for 93 first downs; the most allowed by Alabama in any national championship season was 76.

It wasn’t just the defense. Alabama was -4 in turnover margin in three postseason games in 2018; it was +13 in the postseason from 2015-17. The team was penalized for an average of 53.1 yards per game, the second most yards in the last decade for Alabama. When the offense was forced to go for it on fourth down it posted a lower conversion rate than any of the 10 prior seasons.

“To me, we kind of have the ‘Alabama Factor’ around here that has always helped us be successful,” Saban said in February. “That’s having a team that plays with a lot of discipline, a team that everybody is sort of responsible and accountable to do their job at a high level and standard, and everybody puts the team first. Aight. So that’s the standard. And it’s up to the individuals on the team to do that. And if I thought that we weren’t doing that in one game or 10 games, I’d address it with the players, and make sure that everybody was on board with those principles and values that’s helped us be successful.

“And I don’t think we played in (the national championship) game with the Alabama factor.”

There were plenty of high points. Alabama posted back-to-back shutouts of Mississippi State and LSU in November. The offense once went two-and-a-half games without punting. The Crimson Tide won its first 12 games by at least three touchdowns.

“One game doesn’t define who you are,” Saban said after the national championship loss. “But I also told the players that sometimes we learn more when things don’t go well, when we lose. You have to learn how to lose as well as how you win. And there’s a lot of lessons for us to learn from the experience that we had in this game, whether you’re a senior who’s leaving or whether you’re a player who’s coming back and you see that we have work to do.”

‘A main focus’

That’s helped set the message for early 2019. Saban first used the phrase “Alabama Factor” publicly at National Signing Day in February, then repeated it when Alabama started spring practice.

“I didn’t hear it as much last year but I hear it a lot now,” safety Xavier McKinney said.

Offensive lineman Jedrick Wills said he hears the phrase “every day” this spring. It’s a priority for the program during practice, but also when the team isn’t on the field. Wills said the ‘Alabama Factor’ comes into play with how players handle discipline themselves in the classroom and in the community as well.

“Just don’t want to create any bad habits like we did last year,” he said. “… I heard about it when I got here, before I got here as a recruit, and then right now it’s a main focus.”

It’ll take time to see if the emphasis pays off. The program is gearing up for another championship run, which means the challenges will only grow as spring turns to the season.

The Process remains the same. The goals haven’t changed. Finding the ‘Alabama Factor’ may be the difference.

“We’ve always been a team that plays with a tremendous amount of discipline, had a lot of responsible and accountable guys who could go out there and do their job and be dependable,” Saban said. “And everybody’s always put the team first. The result of that has been we’ve been able to win a lot of games, guys have got a lot of individual accolades, got a lot of opportunities to play at the next level, and we’ve been able to win a few championships. I think it’s important to re-establish that.”





 
Nick Saban…….

“One game doesn’t define who you are,” Saban said after the national championship loss. “But I also told the players that sometimes we learn more when things don’t go well, when we lose. You have to learn how to lose as well as how you win. And there’s a lot of lessons for us to learn from the experience that we had in this game, whether you’re a senior who’s leaving or whether you’re a player who’s coming back and you see that we have work to do.”

Coach Bryant...…….

“It’s awfully important to win with humility. It’s also important to lose. I hate to lose worse than anyone, but if you never lose you won’t know how to act. If you lose with humility, then you can come back.”
 
The "Alabama Factor" is mental and physical toughness, cause that's all I know that will break someone's will. It's going to be interesting to see if Bama is playing out of offensive formations today that let them practice what they preach.
 
some of the young'uns look pretty good. granted i know it's not full-on game speed...still.

Sgt. Lincoln Osiris said:
So. Uhhhh, at the Alumni Game...



While I agree with the Prothro love, didn't Jimmy Johns get busted for selling cocaine out of his car, IN THE FOOTBALL FACILITY PARKING LOT?

He's even ALLOWED back on campus?
Click to expand...


right? i think that if you're kicked off the team (and out of the school, if i'm not mistaken), especially for something like that, then you forfeit all ties to the program, the school, and any and all alumni events.
 
Eli just spent a lot of time with Chris Stewart chatting with Coach Oats on the radio.

Coach Oats is killing it.

Synopsis: The whole family LOVES Tuscaloosa, they're looking for a house, working on pace of play and shooting during off season workouts (practice pace, drill pace, and even pace in the weight room are all emphasized). Loves the football tradition (as a huge college football fan), loves the even spring game pre-game festivities all weekend, is hosting 4 officials and they are having a blast.

"Everybody says they want to play fast, but you have to practice fast, even in the weight room". This man is building a true mentality and culture.

Eli and Chris are glowing.

Ended the interview with "look, I've been a huge Alabama football fan, been following coach Saban since he got here. We've got a field goal kick coming up, and I know we need to pay attention to this" haha

I know it's Spring football, but damn, I'm finding myself increasingly anxious for next basketball season. Lol.
 

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