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Britt: I will be at full-speed for fall practice By Cecil Hurt Sports Editor June 17, 2004 Email this story. TUSCALOOSA | It was a moment no Alabama football fan can forget. Thousands saw it at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Hundreds of thousands more watched it on television. The injury that Crimson Tide offensive lineman Wesley Britt sustained in the Tennessee game and his courageous departure from the field have assured him a place in Alabama football history, even though he still has a year of eligibility remaining. But, as Britt has learned, while all Tide fans recall those dramatic moments last October, they don’t all remember it in the same way. The bare details -- Britt’s badly fractured left leg, his exhortation of his teammates, his skyward pointing as he was taken from the field -- remain constant, but the effect varies from person to person. “I can’t even count the times that people have asked me about it," Britt said Tuesday in an interview at the UA athletic complex. “It has to be thousands of times, literally. “But just about every person has something different to say about it. There’s a different point that almost everyone gets out of it. “Some people talk about fighting through pain, and some have told me that it has helped them or helped a friend who was sick. Some people talk about how I kept my helmet on through the whole thing or how I talked to my teammates, and they say it was about teamwork. Some people talk about how I pointed up to God, and they say it reminds them that we should be thankful to Him at all times. “Obviously, I wasn’t thinking about all that at the time. I was just doing what was in my heart, but it is interesting to hear all the different responses that people have." One other interesting reaction belongs to Britt himself, since he has seen it, too. “I’ve definitely watched it," he said. “I’ve got the Tennessee game on DVD. Watching that part hurts a little, but what hurts worse is the overtimes. We had so many chances in that game where literally one more play would have made the difference. That hurts worse than the injury." One thing that is apparent from Britt’s injury is this: He is determined to make the best of any situation. That includes his injury, the five-overtime loss to Tennessee, and the Tide’s 4-9 season. First, Britt discussed his current health as he recovers from the compound fracture of his left tibia. “They went in just below the knee and inserted a titanium rod all the way down the [tibia] bone," Britt said. “Then they to put two screws at the bottom to secure the rod. I’ve had surgery to remove the two screws, but we left the rod in there. I could have had it taken out if it was bothering me, but it really isn’t. Now, it serves as a support mechanism. It’s like having a titanium brace in there." At 6-foot-8 and 320 pounds, Britt can probably use the extra support, although he says that he’s regained full strength in the leg. “In the weight room, it is definitely 100 per cent," he said. “I put up some big numbers in the squats and leg curls today. I did more weight than anyone on the team, so I am back up to where I was in that respect. “My right leg is still a little stronger, because I have been working them out in exactly the same way. I’ll do curls with both, or standing jumps on each leg. Now, I just have to test it on the mobility stuff." Britt is adamant that he will be on the practice field when the Tide starts work in the first week in August. “If the first day of practice was today, I would be practicing," he said. “If the first game was tomorrow, I would be playing." Since Britt can neither play nor practice at this point, like the rest of his teammates, he is doing what he can -- studying. “We’re teaching ourselves in the film room," he said. “I’ve gotten together some things for the other OL’s [offensive linemen] to watch. We concentrate on runs one day and passes the next. It’s tough because mostly we look at what we did wrong. We’re going to learn from our mistakes. “We’ll be better on offense. We’ve had a full season with it, and a spring. People ask if it was difficult to learn three offenses last year, and I say 'Sure, it was difficult.’ Football is not an easy sport. But we won’t have to deal with that this year." In fact, Britt says that he and fellow fifth-year lineman Evan Mathis are taking a “no excuses" approach to the upcoming year. “The way we look at it, we are fifth-year guys so we are the team leaders," Britt said. “Not just the O-line leaders, not just the offensive leaders, but the team leaders. We want to lead on the field, and in other ways that are necessary." Britt said that he never really gave strong consideration to passing on a fifth year of eligibility and entering the NFL draft as 2003 teammate Justin Smiley did. Instead, he has remained focused on the possibilities for 2004. “First, just playing for the most tradition-rich team in the country is always special," Britt said. “Playing in a bowl game would be huge. Any bowl would be great, but I would like to be a part of getting Alabama back to the Orange or the Sugar. I think we can do that if some of our young guys step up the way they can. And after everything we’ve been through, it would be great to be a part of a championship." There is also a more personal incentive for Britt this year. For the first time ever, all three Britt brothers -- Wesley, Taylor and incoming freshman Justin -- will be on the same team. “When I was a senior at Cullman, Justin was just in the eighth grade, so we’ve never all been teammates before, except in some no-blood, no-foul basketball in the back yard," Britt said. “This will be the first time in any organized sport. “All three of us are very close, so I’m really excited about it. It looks like me and Taylor will be on the O-line and Justin will be on defense. That’s not set in stone yet, but I’m pretty positive that’s where Justin will be." That means that at some point in an intense August drill, Britt will find himself staring across the line of scrimmage at his younger brother. “That’s football," he said with a laugh. “I’m used to running over people, so it’ll be no different running over my little brother. I’ve gone against Taylor before, so I’ll be ready for it." Britt admits that there might be some added pressure in those situations. “I’m expected to win when that happens," Britt said. “If I don’t, I’ll hear about it from my teammates, and then I’ll go home and I’ll definitely hear about it from my brothers." Even if that happens, though, Britt will find a way to make the most of the situation. He has already proven that, with every Alabama fan watching. Reach Cecil Hurt at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 205-722-0225. ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" 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