Back in Birmingham, that is? --- Ricky McMahan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Top of the morning and ROLL TIDE! >Rick > > >http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWS/StorySportswj21shula.htm > >Shula eager to get players on field > >By Tim Gayle >Montgomery Advertiser > >After racing through June and July at a maddening pace, Alabama coach >Mike Shula figures his first steps on Thomas-Drew Field for the Crimson >Tide's first practice on Aug. 5 will be a return to normalcy. > >"Our summer has been a unique summer," said Shula, who was hired as >Alabama's head coach on May 8 in the wake of former coach Mike Price's >firing. "I think things will calm down for us once practice starts." > >In his first appearance in front of a large gathering since being >formally introduced as Alabama's head coach on May 9, Shula spoke to >more than 300 coaches gathered for the seventh annual Alabama All-Stars >Sports Week coaches' convention at the Montgomery Civic Center on >Saturday morning. > >Unlike his May 9 introduction, when the new coach got off to a rocky >start in the opening moments of his speech to a packed room and a >statewide television audience, Shula appeared comfortable and at ease >with the state's high school coaches. He spoke on developing >quarterbacks -- something he saw first-hand by watching his father, Don, >lead the Miami Dolphins when he was a youngster. He was quarterbacks >coach of the Dolphins before he took the Alabama job. > >Many of his demonstrations were computer generated, although he included >a few clips of Dolphins' games and a couple from the Tampa Bay >Buccaneers, where he got his first coaching job in 1988 and returned as >an offensive coordinator in the late 1990s. > >One of his topics, "Gaining an Edge on Your Opponents," will certainly >be of interest to Alabama players and fans this fall. Shula will attempt >to improve on last year's 10-3 season without benefit of a spring >practice. Three tips to accomplish that edge included watching film, >practicing on your own and working on your weaknesses. > >Shula brought his offensive assistants to the meeting and introduced >offensive line coach Bob Connelly, receivers coach Charlie Harbison, >offensive coordinator Dave Rader, running backs coach Sparky Woods and >tight ends coach Dave Ungerer, who also handles the special teams. > >The defensive staff, Shula said, visited with the coaches earlier this week. > >He opened his speech by talking briefly about the South's 17-10 win over >the North from Friday night's all-star game, showing a little knowledge >and appreciation for the work accomplished by the state's high school >coaches. > >"You hear so much about the programs around here," he said after his >presentation. "They do such a good job, which is evident by the kids >they send us. You want to see the guys that are responsible for doing that." > >While many college coaches have not always embraced the high school >coaches convention -- Price, in fact, turned down an opportunity to >speak to the group -- Shula seemed to enjoy talking to the coaches >individually. Many of them included former Alabama players turned head >coaches such as Stanhope Elmore's Jeff Foshee, Aliceville's Maurice >Belser and Oneonta's Josh Niblett. > >"The more guys that are involved in coaching football can get together, >the more it's going to help football in general in this state," Shula >said. "We all want to be as good as we can be. We've got a chance to >meet with coaches and exchange ideas. That's going to make us all better." > >Several members of Shula's coaching staff were on vacation last week and >the new coach spent this week going over some final summer plans for the >upcoming season. > >"We finalized our training camp schedule," Shula said. "I think from >about Wednesday on, everything will kind of get back to normal." > >Of course, there's nothing normal about August practice, especially for >a coach who didn't get the opportunity to spend the spring with his >team. One thing that will be normal for Shula, however, will be the >opportunity to interact with his players, something NCAA guidelines >prohibit during the summer. > >"We're all looking forward to getting our first chance out there with >the players," he said. "We've got to find out in a hurry who we want to >get the ball to offensively. And defensively, who are going to be the >guys who are going to make the big plays? Who is going to be >accountable? That goes for special teams, also. In all of those areas, >we have to make quick decisions without (the benefit of) a spring practice." >Tim Gayle can be reached at (334) 240-0194 or by fax at (334) 261-1548. > > > > >______________________________________________________ >RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List > >"Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" > >To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit >http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
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