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Alabama's football season starts Saturday against Clemson

By Christopher Walsh Sports Writer
Published: Monday, August 25, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, August 24, 2008 at 11:51 p.m.
TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama senior center Antoine Caldwell will never forget what it was like. Not just his first game with the Crimson Tide in 2005, but his first play as a guard.

http://tximg.ny.publicus.com/apps/pb...W=250&border=0 (Michael E. Palmer/Tuscaloosa News)
Members of the University of Alabama football team stretch before practice. The season starts Saturday.



'Nervous,' he said. 'I had to block a guy who was about 350 from Middle Tennessee. I was just hoping to hit him and hang on for the ride.
'Once you get that first play out of the way, and I've talked to some of the younger guys about it, it's wide open. It's football.'
After a seemingly long offseason, marred by numerous off-field incidents and highlighted by the signing of the nation's top recruiting class, the 2008 season will finally kick off Saturday with the Tide once again in the spotlight.
Not only will Alabama face Clemson at the Georgia Dome, but the game is considered the weekend's marquee matchup, attracting even ESPN's College GameDay show.
'I wouldn't have it any other way,' Caldwell said about the first game of his final season. 'Coach and Alabama did a great job scheduling this game. It's a measuring stick, seeing where you are as a football team. You're going to find out real quick who needs pick it up and where the team is, so this is going to be a good thing for us.'
In addition to playing at a neutral site in one of its recruiting hotbeds, Atlanta, the pairing served as a focus for the players through spring, summer and fall, and forced many of the new players and freshmen to quickly grow up.
Coach Nick Saban estimated that eight to 10 could figure prominently in the Tide's season, and at least three could be named starters today — junior college transfer Terrence Cody at defensive tackle, linebacker Don'ta Hightower, and wide receiver Julio Jones.
All have been running with the first units for more than a week.
'Just relax,' was the advice junior cornerback Javier Arenas offered.
'All the guys have that feeling that it's almost time,' sophomore running back Terry Grant said. 'You know it. When you start going against the scout team you start putting in plays. The excitement builds up for our guys.'
Among the questions Grant hopes to answer Week 1 include those about his recovery from surgery for a sports hernia (he's instead had some trouble with shin splints, 'Trying to stay out of black,' Grant said about the jersey color for injured players. 'They treat you worse over there.') to his pass blocking.
'It the past I would say it sucked,' he said. 'Big improvement in the pass blocking. I've been staying late to work on it.'
But the most inquiries he'll get this week figure to come from teammates, especially those who have never traveled with the football team before, or could quickly find themselves on the field like true freshman running back Mark Ingram.
'It's a great feeling, looking up and seeing 92,000 looking down on you,' Grant said. 'It kind of motivates you even more to have them cheer you on.'
So how long did it take him to get over his nerves during his initial appearance, a kick return in 2006?
'When that ball was snapped,' he said. 'When you see 11 guys trying to take your head off, you come down pretty fast and focus on what you have to do.'
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (Tuscaloosa time). Alabama will host Tulane in its home opener at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Sept. 6, also at 6 p.m.
'You get so tired of hitting your own teammates, kind of fall into the same patterns every day, going over the blitzes,' Caldwell said. 'I think everyone's ready to go.

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"This was one game in the season we need to be more consistent and play better football." Coach Nick Saban

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