re: Bama Football Tidings

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- True freshman Will Reichard handled every aspect of Alabama’s kicking game in its season opener against Duke last weekend, placekicking, kicking off and punting.

But the Crimson Tide could elect to give the Hoover, Ala., native a few snaps off Saturday when the nation’s No. 2-ranked team hosts the New Mexico State Aggies at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“The kid’s got a lot of talent, and we’ve got him doing a lot of things,” said head coach Saban on his weekly call-in radio show Thursday night. “This week, we might take some of the punting load off of him and maybe let Skyler (DeLong) do it, who did it some last year, see how he responds to that.”

Reichard punted the football twice in his Alabama debut last Saturday and averaged 40.0 yards per punt, which was more than four yards better than the Tide’s team average a year ago (35.76). His first punt traveled 39 yards, but his second was 41 yards with improved hangtime.

Last season, Skyler DeLong averaged 34.44 yards per punt in seven games as a true freshman.

On top of punting, Reichard saw the field for two field-goal attempts, six extra points and seven kickoffs against the Blue Devils. He was 6-of-6 on PATs and all seven of his kickoffs resulted in touchbacks, but he missed field goals from 49 and 48 yards out, respectively, in the opener.

“Will did great,” Saban said after the game. “He kicked a lot of touchbacks, which shows his leg strength. I think he hit both field goals that he hit, he really hit well. It’s just a little unlucky that both of them hit the pole, but hopefully, he’ll be able to gain confidence and improve on that in the future.”

Saban and his teammates are confident in Reichard, but the goal is to not overwork the freshman.

“It’s not hard to do all three,” Saban said Thursday evening. “It’s hard to manage yourself through the season without getting run down doing all three. So, it’s going to be a little bit of a management issue for us to not have him lose his leg somewhere late in the season.”

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Tim Dickerson noticed a familiar aggressiveness from his son this past Saturday.

A graduate transfer from Florida State University, Landon Dickerson appeared in his first game for Alabama and started at right guard. The redshirt junior played pretty well in his Crimson Tide debut, but it was the way that he played that stood out during the season opener against Duke.

“I thought he played with a lot of toughness, had a lot of effort out there, did a good job for the most part,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said earlier this week, “one of the guys that we feel competed in the game like we like. And I’m sure that he would tell you and his coach would tell you that, are there things he could have done better fundamentally? Absolutely.

“But we certainly liked the competitive character that he played with.”

Dickerson graded out at 76.4 in pass protection and 62.4 as a run blocker, according to Pro Football Focus, which was good for second-best among the Tide’s starting offensive linemen, trailing only Alex Leatherwood (85.7) and Jedrick Wills (80.9), respectively, in each category.

But that’s not why Alabama’s newest addition generated discussion after the 42-3 win.

It was because of his two trips to the sideline for losing his helmet. The first instance occurred in the second quarter following a quick pass to wide receiver DeVonta Smith from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. NCAA rules required Dickerson to be replaced for one play, in this case by Emil Ekiyor.
The second helmet removal took place at the 10:41 mark of the third quarter. While running back Najee Harris bounced outside toward the Duke sideline, but away from the play, Dickerson and sixth-year senior defensive tackle Edgar Cerenord had the officials’ attention. Cameras only caught Dickerson playfully pointing to the opposing locker room after picking himself up off the turf.

Color analyst Brian Griese deduced Cerenord threw a punch, which led to his ejection.

“A couple of them, from what I saw,” Wills told reporters Monday.

So, what exactly happened that led the Blue Devils captain to swing at the Tide lineman?

“I think he just dumped him, and the guy was tired of it,” Wills said. “He was just doing his job.”

Although Duke head coach David Cutcliffe thought Dickerson was “a little extra-curricular” and deserved a flag, he agreed with Wills on what transpired on the field before the entanglement.
“I’m disappointed, to use an understatement,” said Cutcliffe during a Tuesday press conference, according to The Charlotte Observer. “(Cerenord) and I met Sunday, and I think the word is frustration on his part, to be honest with you. He was out-competed on the play purely.”

By all accounts, there was no malicious intent on Dickerson’s part to open the 2019 season. It is simply the way the former 5-star recruit has always played the game, said his father, who recognized the aggressive approach his son brought to the field in his first game in crimson.

“He’s a little bit old school,” Tim Dickerson told BamaOnLine. “Your coach taught you you go until a whistle, and if you don’t hear a whistle, you keep going. So, if he’s on a block or he’s driving, he’s going until he hears a whistle. Now, he’s stretched it a few times, especially away from the play. But I think he just gets wrapped up -- he’s very competitive and he gets wrapped up.

“And if he knows he’s gotten in somebody’s head a little bit then he will absolutely take advantage of that, and I think that’s what happened between him and Edgar on Saturday. He just wore him and wore him, and after a while, everybody gets frustrated. I don’t really care who you are, it happens.”

SEC Network analyst and former Auburn offensive lineman Cole Cubelic described it as “some nasty.”

“He brings a little something different to that group and to that room,” Cubelic told BamaOnLine. “He plays with some attitude, some nasty. He’s got a mean streak, obviously, and you appreciate that as an offensive lineman. You like to see the game played that way, especially when you’re going to have younger guys on your group. You want to have a guy that sets the tone and allows them to know this is the way it’s supposed to be done.”

Dickerson’s aggressive nature has always been part of his makeup. His father recalls a game in his prep career at South Caldwell (N.C.) High School where a defensive lineman continuously took shots at Dickerson’s knees and his son body-slammed the defender, drawing a flag.

His time at Florida State was hampered by injuries, but that “nasty” nature was still noticeable.
“I think when you look at what that can do and what that can sort of help you be, it’s definitely beneficial,” Cubelic said. “But I’ll say this, there’s a mature nasty and there’s an immature nasty. Like if you look at Logan Stenberg at Kentucky, there’s not a lot of the B.S. that comes with his nasty. Like Quenton Nelson at Notre Dame, it was nasty but there wasn’t a lot of extra, immature stuff with it. You’ve got to be really careful riding that fence of, ‘Hey, we’re going to play with this attitude. We’re going to play with this demeanor. We’re going to act this way.’

“But if you’re not careful, it can hurt your team at the same time.”
The 6-foot-6, 308-pound lineman is skilled in martial arts, earning a black belt at 10 years old and serving as an assistant instructor during high school. Dickerson is also an Eagle Scout. And he plays football through the whistle, though he has matured over the course of his career.

“I would say earlier on, he could be nasty or whatever you want to call it,” Tim Dickerson said. “I think now he still plays very aggressive, but I think he has more of a mature mindset that he knows when to call it quits. But he will absolutely push it to the limit. I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with that, but sometimes the result is you get too aggressive or your opponent gets a little ticked off and those things happen. But hey, that’s a part of the game.”

Dickerson is set to start his second straight game when Alabama hosts New Mexico State in its home opener Saturday, Sept. 7. If we see him lose his helmet or frustrate a player into a penalty remains to be seen, but his new teammates are OK with him causing “more problems for the other guys.”

“He’s a good player,” Wills said. “He’s got a lot of energy. That’s a plus for us for him to get in their heads.

“He’s a special guy, I’ll put it that way.”

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The 2019 season finally kicks off at home on Saturday at 3 p.m., as the New Mexico State Aggies roll into town to take on the Crimson Tide.
Here’s what you need to know about this year’s first gameday at the Capstone, including some slight changes to the fan experience.

WEATHER
Saturday: Sunny skies with a high near 98, followed by clear skies and an overnight low around 68. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Tuscaloosa County on Saturday.
Sunday: Sunny skies with a high near 97, followed by clear skies and an overnight low around 69.

STAY COOL
Temperatures will be very hot on Saturday and throughout much of the season. UA will provide cooling stations inside Bryant-Denny Stadium where fans can bring in their own empty plastic bottle to fill during games.

TRAFFIC
Visit the UA Gameday Operations website for extensive tips on traveling to and from Tuscaloosa on Saturdays.

You’ll find pregame and post-game traffic maps that should help you find our way in and around campus and town.

Due to construction in high-traffic areas, UA recommends adding an extra 30 minutes to your schedule in case of any potential delays.

I-20/59 TUSCALOOSA CONSTRUCTION
Construction continues on Interstate 20/59 between exits 77 and 73 in both directions. Narrow lanes and reduced speed limits will likely cause delays. Use Highway 216 Route (exit 100) or Cottondale Route (exit 79) to avoid congestion.
A portion of I-20/59 Northbound is divided into two lanes from Exit 73 to Exit 76.
UA encourages fans traveling north from I-359 to use the left-most lane through to Birmingham.
Fans traveling on McFarland Blvd. S are highly encouraged to use Skyland Blvd. to I-20/59 North.

MCFARLAND BLVD. CLOSURE
A left turn lane from McFarland Boulevard onto I-20/59 North ramp is closed. UA encourages fans to use the Cottondale or Highway 216 route when leaving Tuscaloosa.
Skyland Boulevard will also be utilized as an alternate route to I-20/59 for fans using McFarland Boulevard post-game.

LURLEEN WALLACE / DOWNTOWN TUSCALOOSA CONSTRUCTION
Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard North and South through downtown Tuscaloosa will continue to undergo construction for the 2019 football season. As a part of a road widening project, various lanes will be closed to traffic throughout the Fall. At least two lanes will remain open in both directions. These closures may cause traffic delays.

PARKING
You can find free parking in and around downtown Tuscaloosa. For campus parking, check the UA Gameday website for maps and opportunities to park near the action.

The new Capstone Parking Deck (located near Moody Music Building and across Bryant Drive from the Alabama baseball stadium) will have spots available to the public on gamedays for $30.
Some parking has been removed near the north end of Bryant-Denny Stadium to create needed walking room for pedestrians.

METAL DETECTORS
In the interest of continued safety for fans, student-athletes, coaches and game day personnel, UA will continue to use walk-through metal detectors at all gates of Bryant-Denny Stadium on gamedays for the 2019 season.
Bryant Denny Stadium gates will open 30 minutes earlier than past seasons, now 2.5 hours prior to kickoff.
UA Gameday’s metal detector FAQ page notes that there have not been any threats made to Bryant-Denny in the past, but they simply want to enhance safety procedures for fans. Metal detectors are already mandatory at NFL and MLB stadiums, and they are in use at other college stadiums around the country. The SEC has also mandated that all stadiums in the conference use metal detectors by 2020.
Read more about the metal detector plan at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

CLEAR BAG POLICY
Alabama will continue to implement and enforce its new clear bag policy for home football games this year in the interest of public safety and to significantly expedite entry into Bryant-Denny Stadium. The policy that will limit the size and types of bags that may be brought in by fans. The only non-clear plastic bag fans can bring into Bryant-Denny this season is a small clutch purse no larger than 4 1/2 inches-by-6 1/2 inches. If any larger, the bags must be clear and plastic. Fans can also bring in one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags, similar to Ziploc bags you buy at the grocery store. Learn more about the clear bag policy.

FORBIDDEN ITEMS
Keep in mind there are everyday items -- including umbrellas -- you cannot bring with you into Bryant-Denny Stadium. These include unclear bags/purses, chair backs larger than a single seat (16 inches), strollers, flags/banners on poles.

Learn about University of Alabama Gameday Operations rules on the school’s event website.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY TAILGATE RELOCATED TO QUAD
Alabama will move the family-friendly tailgating area it introduced in 2016 in an effort to combine the fun of Crimson Tide gamedays with an atmosphere conducive for families. The spot was located at the corner of Hackberry Lane and Campus Drive, approximately two blocks north of the Quad, on Peter Bryce Campus.
UA will move it and the inflatables back to the northeast side of the Quad next to the Supe Store tent. It will be an alcohol-free area. UA says the move comes because they’ve heard from fans they want to be closer to the Quad and stadium.

TWITTER
Stay up to date before, during and after the game by following AL.com’s Michael Casagrande, Matt Zenitz, Mike Rodak, aldotcomTide or aldotcomSports on Twitter.
You can also follow UAGameday on Twitter for constant updates about this weekend’s festivities.

WILL CALL
The Will Call window will open at 11 a.m. and is located between Gates 32 and 33 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. All gates open at 12:30.
THE GAME!
The Crimson Tide looked impressive in the season opener against Duke, stomping the Blue Devils 42-3 in Atlanta, and they hope to keep up the momentum ahead of SEC play.
Freshmen linebackers Christian Harris and Shane Lee each had a solid outing in their Bama debuts, and every rep will count as the competition gets tougher this season.
While Alabama is the overwhelming betting favorite against the Aggies, they never want to go into kickoff too confident, especially considering the non-conference upsets the conference saw during week one of the college football season.
If quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the talented offense remain sharp early on, fans could see some of Bama’s young players enter the game for some much-needed experience.
We’ll find out at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

IMPORTANT TIMES
FRIDAY, Sept. 6
6-8 p.m.
Quad drop-off Moore Hall and Little Hall drop-off

SATURDAY, Sept. 7
7 a.m.
Crimson Ride shuttles begin
Parking lots open
Quad drop-off

8 a.m.
Bryant Museum opens

9 a.m.
Quad power on

11 a.m.
Coca-Cola Kickoff Zone & Mercedes-Benz Fan Fest open
Prince Wimbley & Antonio Langham autograph signing
University Mall Shuttle begins
Will Call opens

11:30 a.m.
Women’s basketball autograph signing

Noon
Campus roadblocks begin
Lee Ozmint autograph signing
Marco Battle autograph signing
Suite/student gates open

12:30 p.m.
Stadium gates open

1 p.m.
Walk of Champions

2 p.m.
Elephant Stomp

3 p.m.
Kickoff (SEC Network)

ROLL TIDE!
We’ll be out and about on Saturday taking pregame pics and finding fans cheering in the stands, so be on the lookout. Most of all, have fun on Saturday, be safe and Roll Tide!

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Baking in triple-digit temperatures, those in Bryant-Denny Stadium got pretty much what was expected Saturday.

An efficient Alabama offense carved New Mexico State’s defense from the first snap with an equally suffocating defensive effort. The 62-10 beating in a blast-furnace of an afternoon saw the nation’s No. 2 to overwhelm a team ranked among the worst in the FBS.

The Tide scored on 10 if its first 12 possessions -- two long field goals included -- as young players peppered the lineup throughout. Tua Tagovailoa was finished in the third quarter with three passing touchdowns and another rushing.

Two second-half scores ended the shutout bid while the Tide outgained the visitors 603-262 ahead of next week’s SEC trip to South Carolina.

Establish the run
It was clear after Week 1 that Alabama had room to improve running the ball. Saban earlier this week attributed issues from the Duke game to a number of factors, notably the vision for the backs hitting the hole.

Well, in Week 2, it was clear Alabama wanted to get the running game in gear.

And it was slow to start again.

Subtract the game-opening 75-yard touchdown that was ruled a rush on a lateral to Henry Ruggs III, the two running backs didn’t see many big holes. Before Najee Harris broke off a 19-yarder late in the opening quarter, the two backs had eight carries for 30 yards.

Alabama also shuffled the offensive line again as Saban said would happen. Landon Dickerson got the start at center after playing guard last week. Matt Womack was the right guard after coming off the bench in Atlanta.

The Tide’s two first-half rushing scores came from outside Harris and Brian Robinson. First, Ruggs carved the NMSU secondary for the game-opening score. Then it was Tagovailoa who weaved through traffic to go untouched for the 26-yard touchdown that made it 35-0.

Alabama finished with 318 rushing yards on 32 carries aided by a late 74-yard score by reserve Keilan Robinson.

Defensive changes
There were a few different looks right away on defense for Alabama. Safety Jordan Battle made the surprise start at safety while Josh Jobe was on the bench.

Jobe, a starter last week at cornerback, didn’t enter on defense until late in the second quarter. He did appear earlier on special teams and was started the second half at cornerback and recovered a fumble in the third quarter. Also, Jared Mayden started at the Star position occupied by Patrick Surtain last week.

The performance didn’t suffer against an overmatched Aggie offense.

New Mexico State crossed the 50 just once in the first half on its only sustained drive to that point. After three first downs and a little momentum, Patrick Surtain II intercepted a Josh Adkins pass near the end zone.

The Tide defensive shutout streak ended with 5:59 left in the third quarter when it allowed the first touchdown of the season. Receiver Tony Nicholson broke a Shyheim Carter tackle and got a block from the umpire for a 44-yard play to the Tide 5. Jason Huntley’s third-down catch made it 45-7.

Henry Ruggs III steps up

After a relatively quiet opener, Ruggs had a big afternoon in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The former high school track star showed that speed on the first play of the game with a sprint down the Alabama sideline for the 75-yard touchdown.

He added a 10-yard score in the second quarter when he also pulled in a 39-yard catch.

There were a few uncharacteristic overthrows from Tagovailoa early on an afternoon he crossed the 5,000-passing yard mark. Jerry Jeudy also climbed the record books with two first-half touchdowns that tied him for second in Alabama career receiving TD list with Calvin Ridley at 19. His third-quarter scoring catch from Mac Jones pushed him into No. 2 solo with 20 -- still needing work to catch Amari Cooper’s school record of 31.

Kicking changes
As Saban hinted at Thursday, there were changes to the specialist duties. No longer was freshman Will Reichard handling the punting, place kicking and kickoffs.

Sophomore Skyler DeLong returned to the punting job he held early last season with moderate success. His three punts averaged 41.0 yards with a long of 44.

Reichard received perhaps the loudest cheer of the afternoon late in the first half. The 48-yard field goal that made it 38-0 was drilled straight down the middle with at least 10 yards to spare.

After hitting the upright twice on long kicks last week, Reichard added another 49-yarder late in the third quarter to another loud ovation from an understandably thinning crowd.

Reichard also punted once in the fourth quarter for 39 yards.

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