ALABAMA FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: Tide looking to shore up special teams miscues

TUSCALOOSA — In the 30 seasons from 1973 to 2002, Alabama opponents returned a total of three kickoffs for touchdowns.

Virginia Tech and Florida International have each scorched the kickoff coverage team for a touchdown in the first two games of the season.

Maybe that’s why Tide cornerback Kareem Jackson sounded almost relieved when asked if he is on the kickoff team.

“No — and I’m glad,” he said before Monday’s practice. “I can imagine they’re gonna get an earful today.”

Alabama has surrendered 428 yards on kick returns in two games — including a 98-yard touchdown by Virginia Tech’s Dyrell Roberts and T.Y.
Hilton’s 96-yard return to the house for FIU. Next closest in the SEC is Auburn, which has given up 101 fewer yards.

“We’re over-squeezing the field, not staying in our lanes,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said Monday. “I don’t think it’s a personnel issue as much as it is a responsibility and discipline issue of recognizing where everybody’s supposed to fit.”

Saban said he didn’t recall past teams giving up many kick returns for touchdowns — “let alone back-to-back in games.”

The coach said the Crimson Tide has safeties on kick coverage teams.

“If they were in position, we may give up 40- to 50-yard returns, but we wouldn’t give up touchdowns,” he said.

Alabama went to what Saban calls “alternative kicks” last Saturday against FIU — some squib kicks or high, short kickoffs.

“That’s a feast or famine sometimes. Because if the ball bounces to them right they still get it on the 35-yard line. And then we kicked one out of bounds, so that gave it to them at the 40,” the coach said.

“I think we have good enough players to do it. I just think that our consistency, decision-making running down field — how you dodge a block, where you fit on a wedge, all those things — we have to improve on.”

North Texas QB out
North Texas starting quarterback Riley Dodge suffered a second-degree shoulder separation in his non-throwing shoulder and will miss Saturday’s game, Mean Green head coach Todd Dodge, Riley’s father, said Monday.

“He had an MRI this morning and will not play in this game,” Todd Dodge said. “Nathan Tune will be our starter for the game.”

Tune came in for Riley Dodge, who missed the last six possessions of North Texas’ 31-30 loss to Ohio University in double overtime. He was 9-for-15 for 69 yards.

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy played for Todd Dodge at Southlake Carroll High.

“That’s disappointing,” McElroy said about Riley Dodge’s injury. Dodge was a sophomore and a backup in McElroy’s senior year at Carroll.

“I wish I could be playing against him,” McElroy said. “But they’ve got to do what’s best for them and their season. If holding them out against us will allow them to be more successful down the road this year, then I totally understand why they’re doing it.”

Players honored
Freshman running back Trent Richardson carried a big load of the Alabama offense when starter Mark Ingram missed practiced and was limited Saturday with the flu. Roy Upchurch, who started for Ingram, then sprained his ankle early, forcing Richardson into action.

He carried 15 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and caught two passes for 23 yards.

For his efforts, Richardson was named the SEC’s Freshman of the Week on Monday.

He was one of three offensive players honored by Alabama coaches, along with wide receiver Mike McCoy (five catches, 100 yards and a touchdown) and left tackle James Carpenter.

On defense, coaches recognized linebackers Dont’a Hightower and Rolando McClain and nose tackle Terrence Cody. Hightower had six tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. McClain led the team with 10 tackles, including 1.5 TFL. Cody helped the Tide hold FIU to one total yard rushing on 26 attempts with all three tackles coming behind the line of scrimmage.

Javier Arenas and Dre Kirkpatrick shared the special teams award. Arenas averaged 25.3 yards on four punt returns and had one kickoff return for 25 yards. Kirkpatrick starred on several special teams units and excelled at the gunner spot on the punt team.

Banged up
Wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Roy Upchurch were both in black (non-contact) jerseys in Monday’s practice, which was indoors due to rain. They were on stationary bikes during the media’s viewing period.

Saban said Upchurch has a high ankle sprain “and is day-to-day. ... We are not sure when he will be able to come back, whether it’s a few days or a few weeks. We are going to play it day-to-day and see how he responds to treatment.”

Saban said Jones’ bruised knee “has no other significant damage. As soon as the trauma settles down, he’ll be O.K. He will be day-to-day as well. There is no way to determine how long this is going to take, but it shouldn’t take more than a few days.”

The coach also confirmed a season-ending knee injury to Damion Square, who was also hurt against FIU.

“He will have surgery tomorrow and will be out for the season,” Saban said. “It’s really too bad. He was redshirted last year and was a promising freshman and really played well in the game.”