[Tuck4Bama]

Preyear shows out in spring scrimmage

Preyear shows out in spring scrimmage
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Shane Youngblood, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

Tide commitment Jermaine Preyear has enjoyed a big spring for his Davidson High School football squad. Although technically a "fullback" in the Davidson nomenclature, Preyear is the featured ball-carrier in Coach Fred Riley's multiple offense.
"When we are under center, Jermaine lines up at fullback," said Riley, whose squad will suit up over 50 sophomores next fall on a 100-player squad. "When we are in shotgun, he is the lone back next to the quarterback. Either way, he is our workhorse."
Preyear showed out in a spring scrimmage against Daphne and Williamson over the weekend, rushing for 151 yards on just 18 carries with three touchdowns.
Davidson defeated Williamson 29-8 in two quarters while dropping a 19-8 decision to Daphne.
"We got Williamson right after they played Daphne, so we were fresh," said Riley. "Then Daphne was able to rest and we ran into them right after we got through with Williamson. Both of those schools have some great athletes."
Riley had praise for his rising senior back.
"Jermaine had a very good spring," said Riley. "The biggest thing he worked on this spring was playing without the ball. He had to get better blocking, carrying out his fakes and just being a more complete football player. I think he did that.
"Committing to Alabama was the best thing that he could have done because while a lot of kids become lazy or selfish once they get big offers and commit, Jermaine picked everything up. He worked harder in the weight room and at practice. He still needs to work harder in the classroom. He has a 20 on the ACT, but still needs improvement with his grades."
As for other schools courting Preyear, it is unlikely that the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder is even aware of them.
"Our policy here is that once you commit, your recruitment is over," said Riley. "If he gets mail from other schools here, we throw it away. Other colleges are aware of that, so they have all backed off for the most part."

Updated on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 5:00 pm EDT

[Stoney]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

Preyear shows out in spring scrimmage

Preyear shows out in spring scrimmage
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Shane Youngblood, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

Tide commitment Jermaine Preyear has enjoyed a big spring for his Davidson High School football squad. Although technically a "fullback" in the Davidson nomenclature, Preyear is the featured ball-carrier in Coach Fred Riley's multiple offense.
"When we are under center, Jermaine lines up at fullback," said Riley, whose squad will suit up over 50 sophomores next fall on a 100-player squad. "When we are in shotgun, he is the lone back next to the quarterback. Either way, he is our workhorse."
Preyear showed out in a spring scrimmage against Daphne and Williamson over the weekend, rushing for 151 yards on just 18 carries with three touchdowns.
Davidson defeated Williamson 29-8 in two quarters while dropping a 19-8 decision to Daphne.
"We got Williamson right after they played Daphne, so we were fresh," said Riley. "Then Daphne was able to rest and we ran into them right after we got through with Williamson. Both of those schools have some great athletes."
Riley had praise for his rising senior back.
"Jermaine had a very good spring," said Riley. "The biggest thing he worked on this spring was playing without the ball. He had to get better blocking, carrying out his fakes and just being a more complete football player. I think he did that.
"Committing to Alabama was the best thing that he could have done because while a lot of kids become lazy or selfish once they get big offers and commit, Jermaine picked everything up. He worked harder in the weight room and at practice. He still needs to work harder in the classroom. He has a 20 on the ACT, but still needs improvement with his grades."
As for other schools courting Preyear, it is unlikely that the 5-foot-11, 205-pounder is even aware of them.
"Our policy here is that once you commit, your recruitment is over," said Riley. "If he gets mail from other schools here, we throw it away. Other colleges are aware of that, so they have all backed off for the most part."

Updated on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 5:00 pm EDT

We need a solid fullback.

[Tuck4Bama]

Originally Posted by Stoney

We need a solid fullback.

Do you think he has the size to be a fullback at the next level? Tailback maybe but not big enough for fullback.

[Stoney]

Originally Posted by Tuck4Bama

Do you think he has the size to be a fullback at the next level? Tailback maybe but not big enough for fullback.

He is still growing, may I remind you it isn't the size but how well he blocks and hits his opponents.

[Tuck4Bama]

Crump impresses at All-Star practice

Crump impresses at All-Star practice
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

One of the pleasant surprises of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic practices this week has been the performance of Crimson Tide signee Patrick Crump at offensive guard. Crump, rated a three-star prospect and the No. 20 offensive guard in the nation in 2007, is slated to take a greyshirt year this fall, joining the team in time for off-season workouts.
But when Crump, 6-foot-3, 285-pounds, was invited to participate in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic along with several of his future Tide teammates, Crump decided it would be a good opportunity to learn about some of the players he'll be playing with in the future.
"Practice has been fun," Crump said. "It's been really hot and very intense. There's a lot of good dudes down here and everyone is practicing as hard as they can. Everybody's really taking this pretty seriously."
Among the more intense competitors on the Alabama squad, Crump said, were his future Tide teammates on the defensive line who Crump has been practicing against on a daily basis.
"I go against Josh Chapman and Alfred McCullough all day. It's cool because they push me as much as I push them. We are all getting after it and at the same time we're having a good time and enjoying it. I'm expecting nothing but the best out of these guys the next four years at Alabama."
Crump said he's kept in touch with a few other Tide signees in the off-season, including another defensive star who is also participating in the All-Star game this weekend.
"I keep in touch with all my classmates from Hoover, obviously but I've also gotten to know Rolando McClain pretty well. We both played in an event in Ft. Lauderdale this year we got to know each other pretty good. He's a great guy and an extremely talented player."
As for the upcoming season, Crump said that although he still expects to greyshirt, the Tide coaches have told him to be prepared to be called into action.
"They've told me that if the numbers lined up a certain way then I could come down as early as June which would still give me time to get in shape. I'm not sure on that yet. I'm playing it by ear. If they need me this year, I'll be there and I'll be ready."

Updated on Friday, Jun 1, 2007 12:01 pm

[Stoney]

Crump is a great offensive star that will fit nicely in the program.

[Tuck4Bama]

Vlachos awaits word on grayshirt
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

With the first week of summer classes coming to a close, some of the newest members of the Crimson Tide are finally settling into their new lives as student-athletes at the University of Alabama. One player still uncertain about when his career with the Tide will begin is Mountain Brook offensive lineman William Vlachos, who signed with Alabama as a grayshirt signee.
Recently, however, Vlachos was called by the Tide staff to enroll at UA this summer with the possibility of entering this fall as a full-fledged member of the Tide.
"I'm here in school at Alabama and taking classes," Vlachos said. "It's great to finally be down here and be a part of the team."
The 6-foot-2, 287-pound center rated as the No. 9 center in the country last season has already begun to bond with some of his future teammates at Alabama and is enjoying his experience at the Capstone thus far.
"I've already met most of the incoming freshmen that are here. I'm rooming with Patrick Crump, Nick Fanuzzi and Nick Gentry and I just ate lunch at the Ferguson Center with Jennings Hester. It's a great group of guys. We all hang out all the time and we're already starting to come together as teammates."
As for his status as a grayshirt signee, Vlachos said that both he and Crump have been told to be prepared to enter the fall as full-fledged scholarship players though nothing has been determined as of yet.
"It's still up in the air for both me and Patrick but for now I'm on full scholarship all summer," Vlachos said. "I don't know when they can make the determination of whether or not I'll grayshirt but they said they would let me know as soon as they are certain themselves."
"For now, I'm spending my time working out and trying to get in the best shape possible in case I do get the call to be on the team this fall. If not, I can still take part-time classes this fall and I'll spend the semester working out and trying to stay in the best shape possible so I'll be ready to join the team in the spring."
In the meantime, Vlachos is spending his time getting used to his new life as a college student and is enjoying the experience of being a member of his new team.
"I've enjoyed the first week of college life. It definitely takes some getting used to being on my own but I've been waiting to do something like this my whole life. It's not easy. We get up at 6 every morning and work out at 7 and then have classes all day. It's a full day everyday."
"The whole team took a karate class together last night, which was pretty cool. It's great to be doing things with everybody as a team. I'm just really happy to finally be here at Alabama and be a part of the Crimson Tide."

Updated on Friday, Jun 8, 2007 5:00 pm EDT

[T_StewartFan]

Bama has a legit shot at a BCS Bowl Bid. they will either get in because they are the #1 or #2 team in the nation, the are the SEC Champs, or because they have 10 wins and have an at large bid.. They Should beat Auburn

[Tuck4Bama]

Originally Posted by T_StewartFan

Bama has a legit shot at a BCS Bowl Bid. they will either get in because they are the #1 or #2 team in the nation, the are the SEC Champs, or because they have 10 wins and have an at large bid.. They Should beat Auburn

Welcome to Go Teams Go and welcome to the Alabama forum. I look forward to reading your posts and hope you will find all of our forums informative. If you should have any questions PM me and I will do my best to help.

[Stoney]

Hey Tuck what is a grayshirt? I've heard of redshirting before but not grayshirting.

[Tuck4Bama]

Originally Posted by Stoney

Hey Tuck what is a grayshirt? I've heard of redshirting before but not grayshirting.

Expert: Thom Brooks
Date: 2/20/2007
Subject: Grey Shirt -105

Question
What does a college mean if they Grey Shirt a player or 105 a player

Answer
Ron, hey!

I wasn't sure, but this is what I found!

_________________________________________________

Hawkins' Class is Full? So What, He Adds More Players
Posted Feb 6th 2007 8:15PM by RJ Schaer
Filed under: Colorado Football

It's called gray-shirting and if a player's not going to get on the field their freshman year anyway, it's a great way to give them more time to mature before teeing it up in Division One football. Hawkins has several gray-shirts coming in this year, they'll enroll in January instead of at the beginning of the year, and their scholarship will count against next year's class. The theory is that some of the players who sign on February 7th won't cut it academically or may not be here by next January when the gray-shirt player shows up. By then, the scholarship will be opened up to a new player, and the gray-shirt player can take that spot.

It's so prevalent that Hawkins was out recruiting last week, even though he reportedly already had 28 verbal commits. He offered Chaz Servino from New Jersey but Servino chose to go to Syracuse instead just yesterday. Hawkins will also welcomed grayshirt Jonathan Hawkins to the team last month. A cornerback, Hawkins was offered a grayshirt spot last year, accepted, and is now on campus and will be ready for the spring. Hawkins is the son of former ABA star Joe Caldwell.


Hope it helps!
__________________

[Stoney]

Okay a Prop 105 player I knew about, thanks Tuck I learned something new.

[Tuck4Bama]

Signee Update: Jeremy Elder
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

He may not have been the most buzzed-about prospect in the Tide's 2007 signing class but College Park (Ga.) defensive end Jeremy Elder certainly caught the attention of several head coaches in the SEC. The coaching staffs at Arkansas and Georgia thought enough of the sleeper prospect to extend him scholarship offers before he ultimately chose Alabama as his college destination.
Months have passed since signing day and Elder is now taking classes and participating in summer workouts with the Crimson Tide. Now that his teammates and coaches have seen him in action, Elder may not be able to hang onto his status as a 'sleeper' much longer.
"Jeremy is really a little freak of nature," said Coach Don Shockley, who coached Elder at North Clayton High. "He's 6-foot-4, 275 pounds but he doesn't look that big. He just doesn't have an ounce of fat on him. Once he gets into Alabama's strength program, he's going to end up in the 310, 315 pound range and even then he'll still be fast. He played defensive end in high school but I think he'll probably end up playing at the 3-technique tackle spot. He's strong, he's mobile, he's going to be a player, there's no question.
Shockley, who has kept in touch with Elder since he arrived in Tuscaloosa, said that the college experience is a bit of a adjustment for Elder but that the incoming freshman prepared himself well before arriving at The Capstone.
"College is a different experience," Shockley said. "Dealing with class, having stuff to do all the time. It's an eye-opener and it will take him some time to buckle down but I'm confident he can succeed there at Alabama. It's a change but he's loving it so far."
"Maturity wise, Jeremy is sort of the baby of the family so being away from home is probably good for him. At the same time, he knew he needed to be prepared before he went down to Alabama and he was in great shape by the time he got there. From what I've heard the other guys are having a tough time keeping up with the off-season workouts but Jeremy is just handling business."
Being a part of a program like the Crimson Tide brings with it the resources many high school players have never had access to, allowing them to reach their full potential both physically and mentally.
"It's different for sure. He's very excited and impressed with Coach Saban and with the entire program at Alabama," Shockley said. "He's coming from high school where he had limited resources and now he's got a weight room that is beyond his imagination. He also only has to concentrate on defense now, instead both sides of the ball. Plus, he'll be practicing against players that are much better than him which is going to make him better as well."
Though Elder may not be one of the most hyped names joining the Tide roster this fall, Shockley said he feels confident that his former player will be a major contributor to the Tide soon enough.
"Jeremy is a guy who loves to play the game. He loves flying around the field and competing and blowing up plays in the backfield. He's going to be a very exciting guy to watch over the next few years, in my opinion."

Updated on Friday, Jun 22, 2007 1:37 pm EDT

[Tuck4Bama]

Who will play: Offense
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici and Travis Reier, BamaOnLine.com Staff – Rivals.com

With Summer classes and voluntary team workouts well underway, the Crimson Tide football team has already welcomed in most of the members of the incoming freshman class who arrived to school early for summer classes. These highly-touted newcomers represent the first class of Alabama signees that will spend (hopefully) their entire collegiate careers under head coach Nick Saban.
While each of these newcomers will be spending the fall developing under the tutelage of their new coaching staff, only a select few are likely to see actual playing time on the field during their freshman year. BamaOnline decided to ask the members of The Round Table, the internet's largest community of Tide fans, their thoughts on which of these highly-touted signees will see the field first.
This week's poll focused on the offensive side of the football where competition for playing time will be stiff with 9 of 11 starters returning from last season. Round Table voters were split between three main candidates with a versatile, multi-talented athlete ultimately winning out.
Check out how what the Round Table thought of each signee's chances to see the field this fall along with BamaOnline Senior Writer Travis Reier's thoughts on each player.
Patrick Crump - Offensive guard
TR's Take: "There's been talk of Crump, one of two grayshirt offensive line signees in the 2007 recruiting class, reporting for fall camp with the rest of the incoming freshmen. Grayshirt or redshirt, given the depth UA has accumulated at the interior spots, Crump's first chance for game action won't come until 2008."
Round Table's Vote: Crump received less than 1 percent of the votes in the Round Table poll.
Nick Fanuzzi - Quarterback
TR's Take: "Jimmy Barnes' departure means Fanuzzi will be the No. 3 quarterback when fall camp gets underway in August. Ideally, Fanuzzi will dress for every game and travel on road trips -- while redshirting."
Round Table's Vote: Fanuzzi received less than 1 percent of the votes in the Round Table poll.
1tide: Fanuzzi looks like more of an obvious choice after Barnes leaving the team. I know they'll want to redshirt him, and hopefully they'll get to. He's one injury away from being the No. 2 qb in 07.
Brandon Gibson - Wide receiver
TR's Take: "With three seniors and two juniors at the top of the wide receiver rotation, it's going to be difficult for a true freshman to get on the field. Gibson has the tools needed to play early, but can he separate himself from guys like Nikita Stover, Will Oakley, Matt Caddell, Mike McCoy and Earl Alexander in a month's worth of preseason practices? Not likely."
Round Table's Vote: Gibson finished fourth in the poll receiving 7 percent of the votes from the Round Table.
Freaky Ty: "Had to go with Gibson since Hall and Brown are gone after this year. And we're going to need Gibson with a few games under his belt."
Demetrius Goode - Running back
TR's Take: "Another guy fighting for snaps at a spot backlogged with promising candidates. After spending a post-grad year at Hargrave Military Academy, Goode appears to be physically capable of playing as a true freshman. How quickly he picks up all aspects of running back play at the SEC level will determine whether he sees the field in 2007. Well, that and the injury bug, which has bitten several Tide runners in the past few years."
Round Table's Vote: Goode finished fifth in the poll with nearly 6 percent in the Round Table poll.
crimsontide4572: "Demetrius is a stud at RB, no two ways about it. He has excellent vision and great hands. He has the ability to run over, or make just enough of a shifty move to avoid being tackled. He also has above average blocking skills. He is the complete package when it comes to being a RB, and most scouts, experts, and coaches who have seen him play will tell you the same."
Jeramie Griffin - Fullback
TR's Take: "Seeing as how UA has just one scholarship player at the position, it's hard to imagine Griffin not making an impact at fullback. Before Griffin can challenge for a job, though, there's that small qualifying hurdle that must be cleared first."
Round Table's Vote: Griffin finished a narrow second place in the Round Table poll with over 27 percent of the votes from BOL members.
scottchap: "I voted for Jeremie Griffin because we need FB help. He may not be the best player of the bunch but he is a position that doesn't have any depth."
Darius Hanks - Wide receiver
TR's Take: "Nothing flashy about this guy; just a solid all-around football player who will eventually find his way onto the field. Look for both Hanks and Gibson to push for top spots in the wide receiver rotation as redshirt freshmen in 2008."
Round Table's Vote: Hanks received just over 1 percent of the votes in the Round Table poll.
thecrisp: "As talented as Hanks and Gibson may be, there are just so many players in front of them."
Marquis Maze - Wide receiver/athlete
TR's Take: "Maze brings an all-purpose presence to the offense and (another) big-play threat to the kick return game. Still, the best play for all concerned would be to look first to MSU transfer Jonathan Lowe to handle those roles in 2007 before making a final call on a redshirt for Maze."
Round Table's Vote: Maze was the winner of the Round Table poll receiving nearly 29 percent of the vote from BamaOnline voters.
Bamajoe34: "I chose maze because of his speed. I heard somewhere that his coaches have clocked him at sub 4.3 in the 40. I know he is listed at 4.4 but if he is sub 4.3 how do you keep him off the field?"
Jamar Taylor - Running back
TR's Take: "Just six months into his collegiate career, talk of Taylor leaving the program has lit-up the web. Saban's recent comments on the matter didn't provide closure to the situation either way. Assuming Taylor hangs around, he would seem destined for a redshirt year. However, the gap between the top tailback on the depth chart and the fifth guy is razor thin, so it wouldn't be wise to write-off any of the candidates at this point."
Round Table's Vote: Taylor finished third in the Round Table poll garnering just over 26 percent of the votes.
Cosmo3: "Taylor looks like he's ready to step in and play now, going by what he did in spring game. I hope everything works out for him, he's very impressive"
Chris Underwood - Tight end
TR's Take: "Underwood plays a position known for piling up injuries -- and it'll probably require a few for him to see playing time during the upcoming season. One of five scholarship tight ends expected to report for fall camp, a redshirt year will allow Underwood to add some needed bulk."
Round Table's Vote: Underwood received less than 1 percent of the votes in the Round Table poll.
William Vlachos - Center
TR's Take: "Like Crump, Vlachos could find himself on the practice field a semester early if there's room for a grayshirt signee or two come August. Interior mauler who will battle for snaps on the two-deep when spring practice rolls around."
Round Table's Vote: Vlachos received less than 1 percent of the votes from the Round Table voters.
Stay tuned to BamaOnline next week as our Who Will Play? series continues when we poll the Round Table on which 2007 signees will see the field this fall on the defensive side of the ball.

Updated on Friday, Jun 22, 2007 10:06 am EDT

[Stoney]

Why doesn't RIVALS ask ESPN who will play? After all ESPN has been to all the practices Saban would allow.