Alabama football optimistic about upcoming season
The Tide's several returning starters and a new head coach have let bad memories fade and are looking forward to the 2003 campaign. -- Jeff Dunnavant, Sports Editor Head football coach Mike Shula has a full plate this season with no. 1 Oklahoma coming to Tuscaloosa in week two. After nearly eight months of turmoil and three coaches later, the Alabama football team is now less than two weeks away from its opening game versus South Florida. Coaches and players alike hope that as game day grows closer the team will be able to put behind them the unrest that has existed and focus on the task at hand, playing football. Despite having less than a month to install a new offensive scheme, head coach Mike Shula and offensive coordinator Dave Rader feel that things have progressed at a nice pace. The playbook still being installed by Shula and Rader is a limited one, but builds off of the systems that previously existed under Dennis Franchione and Mike Price. The team's performance in last Saturday's scrimmage, where 10 touchdowns were scored, has Rader feeling much more comfortable about how his players have grasped this new offense. "What's really encouraging is that I think in these 12 days that we've had together, our guys are believing in this offense and believing in one another," Rader said. On the defensive side of the ball things are looking up for the Tide. Despite losing the dominating front three of a year ago to graduation, most of last season's stellar group returns. Quarterback Brodie Croyle and running back Shaud Williams have had nothing but high praises for the linebackers Freddie Roach and Derrick Pope. Since the departure of Brooks Daniels, Demarco Ryans has stepped up to fill the spot at linebacker. One surprising improvement over the past year is the strong play of the Tide's defensive backs. What was once a maligned group and considered the weakness of Alabama's defense is now looking to be its strong point. (snip) http://makeashorterlink.com/?E1F3215B5 ScR ______________________________________________________ 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
