Ole Miss B'ball Grades

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From Our Correspondent at FM 90.7

            All Alabama needed to do was win.  Win and they would face Florida with a chance to clinch at least a share of the regular season title. Win and their tournament hopes would remain alive. But the Crimson Tide blew a 51-40 second half lead and Alabama’s bubble sprung a leak that can likely only be patched with an orange and blue band-aid.

            The difference is this game was free throw shooting. Alabama went 10/16 from the line, but Ole Miss, one of the best free throw shooting teams in the country, converted on 27 of their 34 attempts. Head Coach Anthony Grant was careful to criticize the discrepancy in the number of fouls called in his post-game press conference saying, “the difference was the foul line. When they shoot twenty-something free throws in the second half, that’s hard to overcome.”

            Grant’s team, however, didn’t do much to help themselves out. In the second half, senior Chris Hines and freshman Trevor Releford both missed the front end of one-and-one opportunities while Ole Miss converted all four of theirs. Tony Mitchell also missed Alabama’s only two free throw opportunities in the first half. And with 2:42 left in the game, and Alabama trailing 58-59, Anthony Grant was called for a technical foul for arguing with an official over a foul called on senior Senario Hillman. Between the foul on Hillman and the technical, that sent the Rebels to the free-throw line for four straight attempts, of which they converted three, and Ole Miss was up for good 58-62.

While it would be easy to point fingers and say that the referees, with a few questionable calls here and there, cost Alabama the game, that just wasn’t the case. The Crimson Tide played lackadaisical basketball and displayed no sense of urgency. If the current slump continues, Florida will take them to the woodshed in Gainesville and for that matter, they probably won’t win another game.

Here are my grades for Saturday afternoon’s game:

Offense: B-

            Alabama’s offense was average, at best. It scored 63 points, 4 shy of their season average, and leaned heavily on its leading scorers. JaMychal Green led all scorers with 17 points on 7/15 shooting from the field and 3/3 from the free throw line. Sophomore Tony Mitchell shot 6/13 scoring 13 points, but went  0/2 from the free throw line.

            Senior Chris Hines continues to impress, scoring a career high 15 points, going 6/7 from the field and 3/5 from the free throw stripe. The junior college transfer from Southwestern Illinois has seen his minutes increase; he played 32 on Saturday, and has worked his way into a starting role.

            Trevor Releford continued to play poorly, scoring 8 points and turning the ball over 5 times, with no assists.

           

            Bench play and three-point shooting are easily the two biggest weaknesses for Anthony Grant’s team and it showed Saturday afternoon. The Alabama bench shot a mere 1/8 from the field, with freshman Charles Hankerson scoring the only basket. From the three-point line, The Tide went 3/11.

Defense: B

            Ole Miss guard Chris Warren is as good as they come in the SEC. Warren averages 19 points per game on the year, and shoots the 3 at an amazing 34.5%. The Crimson Tide held the senior guard to 15 points in his trip to Tuscaloosa, but he would not be denied in Oxford. Warren scored 25 points in 39 minutes of action. He shot 7/16 from the field, but was also an impressive 9/11 from the free throw line.

            Warren was by no means a one-man show, however. Zach Graham added 17 points and went 11/12 from the charity stripe.

            For Alabama, Tony Mitchell was the team-leader on defense yet again, causing 4 steals and 1 block. JaMychal Green 2 blocks and a steal, while Chris Hines and Charvez Davis each had 2 steals.

Coaching: C

            Since conference play began, this was the worst loss for the Crimson Tide. The team was still finding an identity against Arkansas, and Alabama played a very good Vanderbilt team close on the road and got some tough calls down the stretch. But there was no excuse for the way Alabama played on Saturday. Yes, Ole Miss is a good team, but with everything the Crimson Tide had on the line, they needed a quality win in Oxford to improve their tournament resume. More than that, this was a chance for the team to get back to playing the fundamental basketball that had been so successful for them in SEC play.

            The technical foul Coach Grant took late in the game was similarly inexcusable. Grant has been known to be fiery and intense, like all good coaches, but when the game is on the line, a coach has to keep his temper under control. You hate to point to one instant and say that that’s where the game was lost, but there is no reason for a coach to take a technical in a critical situation and give the other team an opportunity for 2 free points.

Where do we go from here?

            Alabama’s RPI took a hit, dropping to 89, but the Tide has an opportunity to make up for it against the best team in the SEC. Bama travels to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators in a match up that will decide the SEC regular season champion. The Gators fell in Lexington on Saturday, so Alabama still controls its own destiny in the SEC.

          

            The Ole Miss loss gives the Tide little room for error coming down the stretch. With only two regular season games remaining, the season finale in Coleman Coliseum against Georgia looks like a must win, and they can’t get blown out in Gainesville. Some say Alabama must now win 4 in a row, the final two regular season games, and two games in the SEC tournament. Alabama has already clinched a bye in the SEC tournament and it looks like they will play Tennessee, Vanderbilt, or Kentucky in their first game, a great chance to get a quality win.

In my opinion, if Alabama beats Florida and Georgia, they are in. The tournament selection committee simply can’t ignore the regular season champion of a major conference. However, if the Tide loses to Florida, they will need a strong showing in the SEC tournament. A loss in the first round, and they can pack their bags for the NIT. Stay tuned, as Tuesday marks the beginning of March Madness, and Alabama will be right in the thick of it.

Marc Torrence, from Franklin, TN, is a freshman at The Capstone majoring in Telecommunication and Film. He is co-host of the sports-talk show "The Student Section" on Wednesday nights from 8-10 on 90.7 in Tuscaloosa, or online at thecapstone.ua.edu. He can be reached at mdtorrence@crimson.ua.edu

Alabama vs. Auburn: B'ball Grades

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From Our Correspondent at FM 90.7

The T word is a word that gets thrown around a lot in college basketball, and it was certainly in full effect on Wednesday night. No, the T word is not Tuscaloosa or Tiger. It is not team, travel, timeout, or technical. Nor is it Tony, Ty, Trevor, or Taylor. Heck, it’s not even tree or Toomer, though one could argue otherwise, as Auburn fans finally had an excuse to come to Tuscaloosa since the Tree Poisoning Heard Round The World. No, the T word two nights ago was trap, as in “Boy, with games coming up at Ole Miss and at Florida, a bad Auburn team coming to Tuscaloosa could be a real trap game for Alabama.”

A loss surely would have dashed all remaining hopes for an at-large berth to the Big Dance. And for most of the game, it looked like that was going to be the case. Alabama couldn’t buy a bucket, and the only thing keeping them remotely close was their defense. But with .3 seconds remaining, Jamychal Green scored his only field goal of the second half, and possibly the biggest of his career, tipping in a missed layup by Tony Mitchell that put Alabama up 51-49 and sent a sold-out Coleman Coliseum into a frenzy

To put it simply, Auburn is a terrible basketball team. They boast a 2-11 record in the SEC and a 9-18 record overall that includes losses to UNC-Asheville, Samford, Jacksonville, Presbyterian, and the Fighting Camels of Campbell University who currently stand at 6-12 in Atlantic Sun play. The Tigers have an RPI of 271 out of 345 teams in Division 1 play, and earlier this season put up 6, that’s right, 6 points in the first half against LSU. So why, then, was Auburn able to play Alabama so close, and even hold a lead for most of them game?

Give credit to first-year coach Tony Barbee and the rest of his staff. They put together a defensive game plan that took away Alabama’s inside game and forced them to shoot jump shots, the one glaring weakness on this otherwise strong Crimson Tide team. Whenever the ball was in the hands of one of the Tide’s big men down low, there were always 2 or 3 blue jerseys on him, forcing a tough shot, or a pass back out to the perimeter. When asked afterwards about his defensive strategy, Barbee said it was simply, “Play zone and hope they miss.”

The downside to this aggressive approach, however, was the foul trouble it got the Tigers in. Auburn committed 5 personal fouls in the first 3:30 of play and by the end of the night, the Tigers had racked up a grand total of 29 fouls and watched 4 players leave the game. This left Auburn playing guys who more than likely would not start for anybody in the SEC for the last 2:30 of the game, and Alabama was able to put together a late 17-6 run capped off by Green’s tip-in to win the game.

Tide coach Anthony Grant summed it up best in his post game press conference. “Sometimes,” the second-year coach said, “we need these near-death experiences.” Perhaps Alabama was peeking around the corner to next Tuesday when they’ll travel to Gainesville to take on the 13^th ranked Gators. Or maybe just to Saturday and their showdown with the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford. Either way, Alabama got the win they needed, and did what the football team could not: send the Auburn Tigers back to Lee County with the sound of Rammer Jammer ringing in their ears.

Here are my grades for Wednesday night’s game:

Offense: C-

Cecil Hurt may have had the quote of the game. Earlier that night, ESPN’s Pat Forde had said, on Twitter, “The end of Kansas State-Nebraska (is) setting basketball back 2 million years” to which Hurt responded, “If true, then Alabama-Auburn was played two minutes after The Big Bang.” The Crimson Tide were a woeful 11/42 from the field for 26.2%. JaMychal Green led all scorers with 17, while Tony Mitchell contributed 8, and Andrew Steele adding 7.

The only thing keeping the offense from a failing grade was their free-throw shooting. Alabama got to the line 40 times and converted 27 of those chances, good for 67.5%. While 67.5% is not where Coach Anthony Grant wants his team shooting night in and night out, those 27 points from the charity stripe made up over half of Alabama’s scoring and cannot be ignored.

Freshman Trevor Releford had the worst night, statistically, of his young career, with only 4 points, 0 assists, and 4 turnovers.

Chris Hines contributed 6 points, while Charles Hankerson, Charvez Davis, and Senario Hillman each had 3.

Defense: A

This team will go only as far as their defense carries them. Alabama is third in the country in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 37% on the year and fifth in points allowed per game at 58.2. Wednesday night, the defense did its job.

            On a night where their offense struggled mightily, Alabama’s defense bailed them out yet again. ‘Bama forced 18 turnovers, got 8 steals and blocked 6 shots. Auburn shot just under 43% for the game, but the defense locked down when it mattered most, holding the Tigers to just 26% in the second half.

JaMychal Green led the team in blocks, with 4, and steals, with 2. Chris Hines contributed 2 steals and 1 block as well as 3 defensive rebounds.

Coaching: B-

            Alabama came out flat at the beginning of the game, allowing Auburn to jump out to a 14-6 run and the Crimson Tide did not make a field goal until the 12:05 mark of the first half. While some of these struggles can be directed towards the players, the coach has to take some of the responsibility, and that’s exactly what Anthony Grant did. After the game, Grant said that at halftime, “I think the first thing I heard from the assistants when I went back to the locker room was, `Shades of St. Peter's.'”

            Give credit to this coaching staff. After the rough start that Alabama got off to, it would have been easy for a team to mail it in and try again next time. Grant, however, kept his players heads in the game and they were able to grind out the victory. It was the will to win that impressed me the most, something that this team has lacked over the last 4 or 5 years.

Where do we go from here?

            For yet another example of how bad Auburn is, consider this: Coming into Wednesday night’s game, Alabama had an RPI of 77. However, at the end of the night, Alabama’s RPI was 80. How could that be possible? Teams can’t move down in the RPI rankings after a loss, right? While that is correct, a quick glance at the scoreboard shows that Kentucky had lost at Arkansas. Because the win at home against Kentucky was so big for Alabama, and because Auburn is such a terrible team, Kentucky losing actually hurt ‘Bama more than beating Auburn helped them. It’s a wild, wild world in college basketball. Good thing the football rankings make perfect sense, right? But I digress…

            What remains for Alabama is a three game stretch that could very well decide their NCAA tournament fate. Ole Miss, Florida, and Georgia are all teams ranked in the top-100 RPI, something the tournament selection committee takes very heavily into account. The first order of business, however, is to win in Oxford, something that hasn’t come easy for teams as of late. We saw what happened when Alabama came unprepared against one of the worst teams in the country, and I have a feeling the Rebels won’t be so forgiving. If they can take care of business against Ole Miss, which Alabama very well can, and should, then a showdown in Gainesville that could determine the regular season SEC champion awaits them. Buckle up your seat belts, it’s gonna be a wild ride.

Marc Torrence, from Franklin, TN, is a freshman at The Capstone majoring in Telecommunication and Film . He is co-host of the sports-talk show "The Student Section" on Wednesday nights from 8-10 on 90.7 in Tuscaloosa, or online at thecapstone.ua.edu.

           

Getting Up To Speed on Alabama Basketball

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From Our Correspondent at FM 90.7

            As many readers of the Commissioner’s blog may, ‘Bama basketball is having a season to remember. What started off looking like a disappointing campaign has turned into a remarkable run. Head coach Anthony Grant is the mastermind behind this turnaround that has the Tide thinking NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.

Hired in March of 2009, Grant came to Tuscaloosa after leading VCU to regular season Colonial Athletic Association titles in each of his three years there. His teams also achieved two CAA tournament titles, and two straight NCAA tournament berths that included an upset in 2007 over the 6^th seeded Duke Blue Devils. He has already put together two excellent recruiting classes in his time in Tuscaloosa, and led the Crimson Tide to a 17-15 record in his first season at the helm, but the 2010-2011 season is turning out to be his best job as a head coach. Here is a summary of the season so far.

Disaster in the Virgin Islands- To say the 2010-2011 season got off to a rough start would be an understatement. After two cupcake home games to start the season, the Tide traveled to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam Tournament. After falling to Seton Hall 83-78 and to Iowa 55-47, Alabama suffered its most embarrassing loss of the season, losing to the St. Peter’s Peacocks of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (no, I’m not making that up) 50-49. To add insult to injury, Coach Grant suspended center JaMychal Green indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Green had led Alabama in scoring in three of their five games so far. It was evident that Grant was not giving out free passes and would hold each player accountable, regardless of their output on the court.

Non-conference struggles continue- Alabama returned from the Virgin Islands and put up home wins against Alabama A&M and South Alabama. They went to Purdue with the chance to pull an upset, but the struggling Tide fell 66-47. JaMychal Green returned from suspension the following week, but Alabama missed another opportunity for a quality non-conference win, falling 82-70 at Providence. After putting away Southeastern Louisiana at home, ‘Bama failed to capitalize on their final chance for a valuable non-conference win, falling to Oklahoma State 68-60.

Tide surprises in conference play- The Tide took an unimpressive 8-6 record into conference play, with their only wins coming at home against less-than-stellar competition and embarrassing losses to Seton Hall and St. Peter’s. However, the Tide went into Starkville and shocked Mississippi State, defeating the Bulldogs 75-57 and earning their first road win of the season. The Trevor Releford show began to take center stage as well, as the freshman led the team with 17 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals. JaMychal Green added 3 blocks and 11 rebounds.

Alabama returned home and put away the Gamecocks 57-47 four days later. Green stepped into a dominant role, scoring 20 of the Crimson Tide’s points and blocking 3 shots. Sophomore Tony Mitchell added a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. But more importantly, Alabama was beginning to find an identity. The Tide were playing lock down defense, holding its first two SEC opponents to a combined 104 points, and playing well down low, with a majority of their points coming in the paint. This was not a team that would beat you in a shootout, but one that wore down opponents, played suffocating defense, waited for teams to make mistakes, and capitalized off of those mistakes. (Sound like another Alabama team we know?) Grant’s process was beginning to take shape.

‘Bama went back on the road and lost a tough game in Fayetteville, falling to Arkansas 70-65. Releford once again led the team in scoring with 17 points, but made freshmen mistakes in the final minutes and committing a couple of turnovers that proved to be the difference. However, Alabama was off to a 2-1 start in conference play, an impressive feat for a team that had struggled so mightily in non-conference.

Kentucky- If there was ever a time for a statement game, this was it. Alabama, undefeated at home, played host to the #12 Wildcats. In front of 14,859 rowdy crimson-and-white-clad fans, including an overflowing student section, Alabama raced out to a 52-32 lead with just under 5 minutes gone in the second half. The Tide were shooting out of their mind from 3, something that had plagued the team up to this point, and were playing lock-down defense on John Calipari’s second wave of talented freshmen. But, as any elite team does, Kentucky did not back down. With 10 seconds left in the game, Kentucky had cut the lead to 67-66. Back-up point guard Ben Eblen came up with the game-clinching steal and after sinking a free-throw, and Kentucky throwing up a last second heave, Anthony Grant had the win he had been looking for the last year and a half. For an idea of the atmosphere in Coleman Coliseum that night, check out this video of Kentucky’s desperation shot, and the Rammer Jammer that followed.

Tennessee- Alabama rode the momentum of the historic upset of the Wildcats to three straight wins at Auburn, at home against LSU, and at home against Mississippi State. The hype was slowly beginning to build, as the Tide suddenly had a 6-1 record in the SEC. The words “NCAA tournament” were beginning to be muttered in circles of the Alabama fan base, but not many people in the national media were talking about this team. What loomed next, however, was a chance to significantly improve their tournament resume. With the SEC West as weak as it is, it was essential that the Crimson Tide took advantage of their opportunities against teams from the East, and that’s exactly what they had to do when they traveled to Knoxville to take on the Volunteers.

           

           Alabama did what has become its trademark, out-hustling and out-working the Vols from the start, jumping out to a 42-31 lead with 15:10 left in the second half. However, the Tide did something else that had plagued them all year, and let UT go on a 14-2 run to take a 44-45 lead with 9:32 left in the game. ‘Bama fell flat from the field, but relied on their gritty defense to force the game into overtime, tied at 55. The shooting woes continued, but Alabama used their size and strength to get to the free-throw line, and went 10-10 from the stripe, sealing the victory. Good free throw shooting is a hallmark of good coaching. Bama's performance against UT shows the kind of coaching Anthony Grant brings.

           

           Vanderbilt- Five days after the emotional win at Tennessee, the Crimson Tide took a trip to Nashville, TN and Memorial Coliseum, a place where Alabama has not won since 1990. While the game was not a must-win, it was certainly another opportunity for a quality win. Alabama played the ‘Dores close for most of the game, but “Memorial Magic” was alive and well, with Vanderbilt getting two close calls late in the game that even reporters in Tennessee disagreed with. While coaches generally don’t like to talk about getting a “quality loss,” a strong showing against Vanderbilt on national television showed the country that Alabama was for real and they were not going away.

           

           Arkansas- Alabama, put the disheartening Vanderbilt loss behind them, and put away Ole Miss at home and LSU in Baton Rouge. The Tide then returned home to face the Arkansas Razorbacks. For those readers who had the privilege of being at Coleman Coliseum last Saturday night, not much needs to be said about this game.  There was a lot on the line for the Crimson Tide: revenge over one of the two teams to have beaten them in conference play, and a chance to clinch, at worst, a share of the SEC West title. The Hogs battled ‘Bama close, and with 8:15 remaining the score was tied at 51. It was at about this time that Tony Mitchell said enough was enough, taking over the game and leading Alabama to a 69-56 win in front of an electric home crowd. The energy in Coleman last night rivaled that of the Kentucky game. The whole arena, not just the student section, was on its feet for the majority of the second half, willing the Tide to victory. Here is a video of Tony Mitchell just being Tony Mitchell from last night and the crowd’s reaction:

            Where do we go from here?- Alabama has the possibility of being the most interesting bubble team that the NCAA tournament committee has seen in a long time. Coach Grant’s team is undefeated at home, but struggles in non-conference play, especially on the road, has them on the bubble. The Tide could fix all of that, by winning the SEC tournament in Atlanta, however their best bet would be to enter as an at-large bid. ‘Bama has four games remaining on the schedule, at home against Auburn, at Ole Miss, at Florida, and home against Georgia. The game against Florida could turn out to be the make-or-break game for Alabama. The Tide’s RPI is currently 77, and they will need to be in the 60s range to be considered for an at-large bid, especially with a strength of schedule rating of only 130 playing in the weak SEC West. It will definitely be an exciting stretch run as the Tide look to finish the season strong, and hopefully earn a bid to the NCAA tournament.

            Finally, I would strongly urge reader’s of the blog to try and make it out to Coleman Coliseum for one of the remaining games this year if you are in or near Tuscaloosa. The atmosphere has been stellar as of late, and Alabama needs all the support they can get. And if you can’t make it to Tuscaloosa, catch the games on TV or at your local sports bar. If it’s anything like the way the season has gone up to this point, there won’t be a dull moment. Roll Tide!

Marc Torrence, from Franklin, TN, is a freshman at The Capstone majoring in Telecommunication and Film . He is co-host of the sports-talk show "The Student Section" on Wednesday nights from 8-10 on 90.7 in Tuscaloosa.

If you like Marc's B'ball reporting, stay tuned. He will be a frequent contributor to The Commissioner's Blog.

The Commissioner

Recruiting Report Update

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Cyrus Commits to Alabama; Auburn Fans Explore New Lows

By the Presumptive Heir

There was a day and time when National Signing Day was actually one day, the first Wednesday in February.   Over the past few years, it seems that the day stretches into weeks for some of the nation’s highest-rated prospects.  In 2008, Terrelle Pryor waited until the middle of March to announce he was headed to Ohio State.  The next year saw Bryce Brown wait an extra month and a half to commit to Tennessee.  Last year’s number one prospect, Seantrel Henderson, verbally committed to USC on NSD, but chose to wait until the last possible moment to sign his letter of intent in the hopes that USC’s sanctions would be handed down before he had to finalize his decision.  Henderson ultimately wound up at the University of Miami after USC got hammered by the NCAA and released him from his LOI.

There is a major difference between the recruiting journeys of the above-mentioned players and that of Cyrus Kouandjio: they all signed with the team to which they verbally committed.  On February 2^nd, in front of a nationwide television audience, Kouandjio committed to Auburn University.  On February 5^th, Kouandjio faxed his signed letter of intent to the University of Alabama.  On NSD, I made the observation to the Commissioner that Cyrus had made numerous bad choices: choosing the Barn over Alabama, failing to discuss that decision with his family, and announcing that choice on national television.  Fortunately for Cyrus, the one good decision that he made (not signing his LOI) could essentially act as a “Get Out of Jail Free Card”.  That’s precisely what happened.

Kouandjio’s story is rather bizarre.  His brother and fellow offensive lineman, Arie, committed to Alabama in 2010 and redshirted his first year.  During Arie’s recruitment it was assumed by many that he and Cyrus would be making their decisions together, as they wanted to play college football together.  After Arie, a 4 star prospect in his own right, signed with the Tide, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Cyrus would join him the following year.  Cyrus chose not to commit verbally so that he could enjoy his official visits to other schools.  While Iowa, USC, New Mexico, and Maryland (his home state school) were all on his list, most “experts” remained convinced that Alabama would get his signature.  Late in the process, Cyrus eliminated USC and Maryland… and added Auburn.  This is where the plot thickens.

The Barn booked Kouandjio for his final official visit on January 28^th.  Kouandjio’s parents accompanied him on his visits to Iowa and Alabama, but not to Auburn.  The following Wednesday, the awkward press conference occurred, culminating with Kouandjio placing an Auburn cap on his head.  It appears from the video that everyone in the room was stunned by his choice.  ESPNU came back to DeMatha High School a couple of minutes later to interview Cyrus.  Unlike most players, Cyrus did not wear his Auburn hat during the interview.  He was asked multiple questions about his choice, and Cyrus delivered mumbled responses that gave no indication that he was really sure why he made that choice.  Within a couple of hours, word broke that Cyrus was having second thoughts and had not sent his LOI to Auburn.  He would later say that he simply “blurted out a name” and was never sure of his decision.  The obvious question is “Why say anything?”  But trying to understand the thought process of an 18 year old is an exercise in futility.  Kouandjio’s family released a statement letting the press know that Cyrus wouldn’t make a decision until the following day.

Kouandjio retreated from the limelight to consult with those he trusts most: his parents, his brother, and his high school coach.  His coach and his father both spoke with the media during the days following NSD.  Jean-Claude Kouandjio continually spoke of Cyrus’s confusion; his coach continually spoke of getting Cyrus on the phone with the Auburn coaching staff.  While the elder Kouandjio's concern appeared to be about his son’s well-being, the coach seemed more interested in the well-being of Alabama Polytechnic.  Cyrus reported that he spoke with his brother, asked for a family vote, and even consulted his thousands of Facebook followers.  Late Saturday afternoon, and with no fanfare whatsoever, Cyrus Kouandjio faxed his signed letter of intent to the University of Alabama.  Before he switched his account to private, Kouandjio’s final posting on Facebook was a simple message: “Roooollllll Tiiiiidddeee!”

Those are the facts as we know them.  I’ll get to a little editorializing after updating the signing class:

Cyrus Kouandjio, Tackle (DeMatha HS – Hyattsville, MD)

Scout:  5 Star, #1 OT, #2 Overall

Rivals:  5 Star, #1 OT, #4 Overall

ESPN:  5 Star, #1 OT, #3 Overall

Kouandjio is a monster.  There is no other way to put it.  At 6’7” and 325 lbs (with room to grow), he is physically as good as it gets for a left tackle.  He has quick feet, great burst off the snap, and uses all of his bulk to dominate his defender.  His game isn’t completely developed yet, as he comes from a run-oriented offense at DeMatha HS, so he’ll need to work on his pass blocking. But his run blocking is top notch.  Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy have to be salivating at the prospect of running behind this behemoth.  Kouandjio will compete with Aaron Douglas for the starting left tackle position this Fall.

What is going on in Lee County?

As I pointed out in Friday’s blog, Kouandjio isn’t the only Bama commit to have flipped back and forth between the Tide and the Barn during the recruiting process.  Brent Calloway was a year-long Bama commit before suddenly committing to Auburn in January.  Calloway ultimately signed with Alabama after mulling over his decision with his family.  Both Calloway’s and Kouandjio’s parents, along with the grandmother of Auburn signee Greg Robinson, have expressed displeasure over the recruiting tactics of the Barn coaching staff.  In particular, they weren’t fond of the desire of the Barners to get the kids to visit the Village sans parents.

Jean-Claude Kouandjio told the press about Auburn’s late push to sign his son.  He describes only one phone call and one brief in-home visit by Head Coach Gene Chizik.  But Trooper Taylor was supposed to be in charge of Auburn’s recruiting of Big Cyrus.  Surely Taylor would be in somewhat regular contact with Cyrus’s parents, right?  When asked how much contact he’d had with Taylor, Cyrus’s father answered “None.”  Taylor seemed intent on not talking to Cyrus’s parents.  Perhaps Taylor, and other Barn coaches, are telling kids things they wouldn’t want the parents to hear.  What those things might be, I don’t know, but they are not likely to be be very good.

Greg Robinson’s grandmother actually did get to speak with Trooper Taylor.  While her grandson did sign with the Barn, she was very candid in her displeasure.  She said the Auburn coaches she spoke to “weren’t very intelligent”, and of Taylor she claims he “got a lot of lies in there when he was talking.”  She was also very upset about the coaching staff bringing her grandson in on a visit without any parental supervision, and without even telling his family where he’d be.  “They were wrong for doing that.”

Beyond that, a very interesting report came out about Auburn’s recruiting success.  Chizik was asked about what set Auburn apart from her peers.  Chizik proudly explained that while his rivals tell prospects that “They’ll sit until they prove they’re ready to play,” he promised recruits that “They’ll play until they prove they shouldn’t be playing.”  Think about that for a second.   If that were true, how is it possible that Auburn is losing 24 players on their two-deep?  Is it possible that all of these Juniors and Seniors only started because the incoming players “proved they shouldn’t be playing”?  Further, shouldn’t a recruit assume the next logical step in the process: that he’ll be playing as a Freshman if he doesn’t blow his shot, but then he’ll inevitably lose his spot to an incoming Freshman the following season, assuming that the newcomer doesn’t mess up?

Something smells in Barnville, and it’s not just the cow patties.

I also want to include a special note about the class of Auburn fans.  While there are plenty of crazy Bama fans out there, I have trouble believing that many would sink to the depths that many Barn fans did following Kouandjio’s commitment to Alabama.  Before Cyrus had to close his Facebook page to public access, I counted numerous threats on the lives of Cyrus’s parents, numerous hopes the he suffers a career-ending injury, racial slurs that wouldn't be said by Mel Gibson on a bender, and numerous diagnoses that Cyrus is in fact mentally handicapped.

Social media have become ubiquitous, but for goodness sake,18-22 year old kids don’t need this nonsense. I hope that Alabama fans will think before they tweet!

2011 Recruiting Class Report

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National Signing Day Report From the Presumptive Heir

The Best of the Best:

Well, Tide Fans, National Signing Day has come and gone.  The ink has dried, the ridiculous “hat games” have been played, and the fax machine has been turned off.  Once again, Coach Saban and Co. have brought a Top 5 class to Tuscaloosa, one that fills some positions of need and provides tremendous depth at others.  There were some surprises, both good and bad, but what isn’t surprising is that aspiring stars want to play for the best coaching staff in the country.

I’ve broken down the Class of 2011, committing a bit more space to the highest-rated prospects, and those that I think will see the field sooner rather than later.  I’ve provided the star-ratings and rankings from both Scout and Rivals, and have noted if the player made the ESPN 150.  But I’ve also created a few of my own rankings that I hope will provide some special insight for the loyal readers of the Commissioner’s Report.

Ha’Sean “Ha Ha” Clinton-Dix, Safety (Dr Phillips HS – Orlando, FL)

Scout:  5 Star, #1 Safety, #7 Overall

Rivals:  5 Star, #1 Safety, #7 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #2 Safety, #19 Overall

Clinton-Dix is, perhaps, the defensive jewel of the Class of ’11.  This tall, long-limbed player is the prototypical elite safety, but he has the ball and cover skills to perhaps play corner at the SEC level.  He is a big hitter who thrives on contact.  Both Scout and Rival say that his 6’2” frame could easily add another 15 to 20 pounds on top of his current 190.  He will challenge Robbie Green and Robert Lester during camp, but is likely to be a special teams mainstay before cracking the starting lineup his sophomore year.

Demetrius “Dee” Hart, Running Back (Dr Phillips HS – Orlando, FL)

Scout:  4 Star, #8 RB, #63 Overall

Rivals:  5 Star, #1 RB, #19 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #8 RB, #79 Overall

Hart, Clinton-Dix’s high school teammate, shot up the Rivals rankings after winning the Most Valuable Player Award at the Army All-America game.  Hart was the first player in the history of the game to rush for more than 100 yards.  Hart was originally committed to Michigan prior to the ouster of Rich Rodriguez.  He then opened his recruitment back up and committed to the Tide at the Army game.  Hart is not the kind of running back we have grown accustomed to under Coach Saban.  He is more of a shifty, speed back than a powerful bruiser, which should provide a great change of pace from Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy.  Explosive while in space, Hart is likely to make a big impact out of the backfield in the receiving game, and will push Marquis Maze for the punt return gig.

Trey DePriest, Linebacker (Springfield HS – Springfield, OH)

Scout:  5 Star, #1 MLB, #6 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #7 OLB, #97 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #2 OLB, #38 Overall

Early in his recruitment, DePriest looked like a lock for Ohio State.  He shocked everyone when he chose to roll with the Tide.  There is debate about whether he is best suited to play in the middle or on the edge, but I think it’s likely that he will play on the outside at Alabama.  He times his rushes extremely well, and lays the wood when tackling.  He needs to bulk up a little more to play the Jack in a 3-4, as he is currently 225 lbs.  A little time with Coach Cochran will take care of that.  While he won’t likely start on opening day, he will be a major contributor in the rotation during his freshman year.

Brent Calloway, Linebacker (Russellville HS – Russellville, AL)

Scout:  4 Star, #7 OLB, #125 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #5 OLB, #38 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #23 ATH, #140 Overall

Calloway played both tailback and linebacker in high school, hence the rating from ESPN.  However, his future is on the defensive side of the ball, where he has the speed and coverage skills to play safety, but will most likely bulk up to play linebacker.  Calloway could stand to play with more physicality, but his nose for the ball is something that can’t be taught.  He’s likely to show up on special teams early in the season, but could crack the defensive rotation by the end of his freshman year.

Marvin Shinn, Wide Receiver (CF Vigor HS – Prichard, AL)

Scout:  4 Star, #17 WR, #130 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #10 WR, #78 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #14 WR, #75 Overall

If length of time is any indicator, Shinn is the most dedicated commitment in the Class of ’11; he verbally committed to the Tide in April of 2009.  Shinn may well be the fastest member of this year’s class, and at 6’4” he is a major down-field threat.  He’ll need to work on his route-running and on-field awareness.  But with enough reps, Shinn could become the big, fast receiver that the team needs after losing Julio Jones.

Jesse Williams, Defensive Tackle (Arizona Western JC via Brisbane, Australia)

Scout:  4 Star

Rivals:  4 Star

ESPN, Scout, and Rivals do not rank JC players

For everyone who misses Terrance Cody: meet Jesse Williams, the Thunder from Down Under.  At 6’5”, 340 lbs, Williams is going to be the anchor in the middle of the defensive line, and he’s going to do it immediately.  The Tide defensive badly missed the massive presence of Cody, and Williams has the physical gifts to be that same dominant force.  One would imagine that he will also appear in the offensive “Elephant” package as a lead blocker.  Williams was a monster at the JUCO level.  The Tide needs him to be a monster in the SEC.

Xzavier “X” Dickson, Defensive End (Griffin HS – Griffin, GA)

Scout:  4 star, #13 DE, #80 Overall

Rivals:  4 star, #4 DE, #48 Overall

ESPN:  4 star, #4 DE, #22 Overall

Dickson will be the answer to a question that will be frequently asked in the coming years: “Does the truck that just hit me have a name?”  Dickson played both ways in high school, lining up at defensive end and tight end.  His athleticism and quick acceleration help him excel at both.  But his future on the college level is solely on defense.  At 235 lbs, he’s undersized for a 3-4 defensive end, so he’s likely to play linebacker at Alabama.

Jeoffrey Pagan, Defensive End (Asheville HS – Asheville, NC)

Scout:  4 Star, #16 DE, #118 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #4 DE, #42 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star. #8 DE, #53 Overall

Unlike Dickson, Pagan brings the ideal size to play defensive end in a 3-4.  He 6’4” and, at 272 lbs, has plenty of room to add bulk.  Pagan thrives on contact, and prefers to bulrush his way through a blocker.  He will need to learn proper technique and moves, but his brute strength alone will make him a force up front.  I wouldn’t expect Pagan to play immediately as he continues to learn and bulk up, but he could easily be a starter during his sophomore season.

Aaron Douglas, Tackle (Arizona Western JC via Maryville, TN)

Scout:  3 Star

Rivals:  4 Star

ESPN, Scout, and Rivals do not rank JC players

If his name sounds familiar, it’s because Douglas used to play for the enemy.  He earned Freshman All-America honors during his only season at Tennessee.  Douglas had a falling out with Derek Dooley, and chose to leave for a year at Arizona Western, where he teamed with fellow commit Jesse Williams.  Douglas plays with a mean streak, and has great footwork for a guy his size.  He is already enrolled at the Capstone, and is the guy to beat for the starting left tackle position.

The Rest of the Best:

Ryan Kelly, Center (Lakota West HS – West Chester, OH)

Scout:  4 Star, #2 C, #183 Overall

Rivals:  3 Star, #6 C

ESPN:  3 Star

Danny Woodson Jr, Wide Receiver (Le Flore HS – Mobile, AL)

Scout:  4 Star, #28 WR, #179 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #25 WR, #228 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #22 WR, #137 Overall

Yes, he is the son of the former Tide QB.

Bradley Sylve, Wide Receiver (South Plaquemines HS – Port Sulphur, LA)

Scout:  4 Star, #36 WR, #236 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #14 WR, #122 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #5 WR, #41 Overall

Malcolm Faciane, Tight End (Picayune Memorial HS – Picayune, MS)

Scout:  3 Star, #22 TE

Rivals:  4 Star, #16 TE

ESPN:  4 Star, #4 TE, #82 Overall

LaMichael Fanning, Defensive End (Harris County HS – Hamilton, GA)

Scout:  4 Star, #25 DE, #212 Overall

Rivals:  4 Star, #25 DE

ESPN:  4 Star, #14 DE

Christion “Chris” Jones, Cornerback (Minor HS – Adamsville, AL)

Scout:  3 Star, #29 CB

Rivals:  4 Star, #18 CB

ESPN:  4 Star, #10 CB

DJ Pettway, Defensive End (Catholic HS – Pensacola, FL)

Scout:  3 Star, #23 DT

Rivals:  4 Star, #13 DE, #145 Overall

ESPN:  4 Star, #21 DE

Jabriel Washington, Cornerback (Trinity Christian Academy – Jackson, TN)

Scout:  4 Star, #19 CB, #196 Overall

Rivals:  3 Star, #20 ATH

ESPN:  4 Star, #29 ATH

Vinnie Sunseri, Linebacker (Northridge HS – Tuscaloosa, AL)

Scout:  3 Star, #28 MLB

Rivals:  3 Star

ESPN:  4 Star, #18 OLB

Son of Bama LB Coach, Sal Sunseri.  Vinnie’s brother is the current starting QB at Pittsburgh.

Isaac Luatua, Center/Guard (La Mirada HS – La Mirada, CA)

Scout:  3 Star, #18 G

Rivals:  3 Star, #10 C

ESPN:  3 Star, #18 G

Luatua is the first player of Samoan heritage to sign with the Crimson Tide.

Quinton Dial, Defensive End (East Mississippi CC via Scooba, MS)

Scout:  4 Star

Rivals:  4 Star

ESPN, Scout, and Rivals do not rank JC players

Phillip Ely, Quarterback (Plant Senior HS – Tampa, FL)

Scout:  3 Star, #41 QB

Rivals:  3 Star, #20 QB

ESPN:  3 Star, #40 QB

Wilson Love, DT, and Ronald Carswell, WR, greyshirted in 2010 and have been given scholarships for the 2011 season.  Love is the younger brother of current Tide offensive lineman Tyler Love.

As of this posting, Alabama is still in the running for DE Jadeveon Clowney and OT Cyrus Kouandjio.  More on that in a second.

Now for some of my own rankings:

                                                       

Top 3 Names That Make You Wish Kenny Stabler Was Still in the Booth:

3.  Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix

2.  Isaac Luatua

1.  Cyrus Kouandjio

Top 3 Weird Recruiting Outcomes:

3.  Jeoffrey Pagan – Pagan was a lock to go to Georgia.  Just about every Bulldog fan had him penciled in as part of Mark Richt’s self-proclaimed “Dream Team”.  And then, early on NSD, he committed to Alabama

2.  Brent Calloway – Calloway had been verbally committed to Alabama for almost a year.  Hours before the Army All-America game in January, Calloway suddenly decommitted, and committed to Auburn during the live telecast.  His reasoning was that he wanted to play running back, and Bama only wanted him at linebacker.  Without ever decommitting from the Barn, Calloway signed and faxed his letter of intent to Alabama.


1.  Cyrus Kouandjio – Cyrus’s strange recruiting journey has still not reached its conclusion.  Because he is the younger brother of Tide OL Arie Kouandjio, it was long assumed that Cyrus would be headed to Bama.  To the obvious shock of everyone in the room, Cyrus put on an Auburn ball cap on live TV.  He stammered out half-hearted responses to questions about why he chose Auburn, as if he didn’t really know.  And then he never signed his LOI.  Cyrus-watch has now been going for more than 48 hours.  There is some strange stuff regarding his visit to the Barn, and the behavior of his high school coach, but I will go into more detail on that when Cyrus finally signs his LOI, no matter where he faxes it.

In case you missed the story, an unnamed SEC coach called the league office to complain about Bama’s NSD webcam stream.  Specifically, the coach was unhappy with the young student worker who put the recruits’ names on the board as their faxes came in.  She is a member of the Crimson Cabaret dance team that entertains at basketball games.  Mike Slive called Mal Moore to express his disapproval.

Top 3 Responses Mal Moore Should Have Given Mike Slive:

3.  “You’re telling me that a coach at another school spent National Signing Day watching the Alabama Fax Cam?  And people wonder why we think we’re the center of the football universe.”

2.  “So, a father shops his son to SEC schools like the kid’s a fake Rolex in Times Square, and it takes you 10 months to decide to do absolutely nothing.  A young lady appears on a webcam wearing her SEC and NCAA approved dance team outfit, and it takes you less than 24 hours to express your righteous indignation.  Why is this conference paying you?”

1.  “Was Cam Newton aware of the Bama Fax Cam?  If not: we’re good.”