ALABAMA NOTEBOOK: RB Griffin out for season

TUSCALOOSA — Alabama sustained its first major injury of the preseason Tuesday night when running back Jeramie Griffin tore a knee ligament.

“He will have surgery and he will be out for the season,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said between Alabama’s two practices on Thursday.

It was a non-contact injury, Saban said.

“We went inside on the turf,” the coach said. “I don’t think the turf had anything to do with it. It was just one of those things. It’s too bad.”

Griffin, a 6-2, 220-pounder from Batesville, Miss., redshirted in 2007. Last season, he had six carries for 29 yards in appearances against Mississippi State and Auburn.

He had 30 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown in three scrimmages this spring.

Coach hobbled
Outside linebackers coach Sal Sunseri was on crutches at Thursday morning’s practice.

Saban joked about Sunseri’s status, using NFL terms.

“We were wondering if we should put him on IR (Injured Reserve), sort of get a roster spot so we can get someone else in here,” Saban said of the former Carolina Panthers assistant coach.

“He’s got cartilage (damage), needs to get scoped. I told him he can be in the golf cart out there, but he chose to show a little mental toughness and get out there on crutches. It didn’t seem like it affected his performance much.”

Knight’s move
Saban said he wishes former linebacker Ezekiel Knight success and good health in the future.

Knight was forced to give up football at Alabama with a medical condition that the university couldn’t disclose due to student privacy laws. However, it was widely reported Knight showed stroke-like symptoms after a workout in January 2008.

Knight wants desperately to play football. It appears he may try to play at Stillman College.

His former coach understands his desire.

“Everybody has to make their own choices and decisions,” Saban said. “I know Zeke really wanted to play, that was never an issue. We did our due diligence, sent him to the Mayo Clinic and had specialists all over the country. It was our intention to try and find a way that he could play here.

“Our medical people could never, ever find a way that was safe with his best interests in mind and his future, medically, to OK him to play. If somebody else chooses to do that, that’s their decision and we can’t do anything about that.”

Saban stressed he wishes the best for Knight.

“I’m just hopeful, and my thoughts and prayers are certainly with him, that he finds a lot of success in the future and doesn’t have any issues in the future relative to the medical condition he had here.”

Javy’s ability
Javier Arenas made a spectacular one-handed grab in Thursday morning’s practice, prompting a reporter to ask Saban about moving him to the other side of the ball.

“We really haven’t. He’s got a pretty full plate with what he does,” Saban said, who added he thought Arenas would be a weapon on offense.

“He has a lot of roles on defense, he’s very important to that. He has a tremendous role on special teams being a fantastic return guy, one of the best in the history of the school.

“You know, it’s something we have talked about before but I just don’t know if we’ll consider doing that in the future or not. I’m sure if we did, he would be a real positive asset to the offense and what he could do as an offensive player.”

Practice note
Saban credited his veteran players for providing a good example as the heat, physical and mental complexities of camp take a toll.

“This time of the year, things are difficult. It’s tough for everybody,” the coach said. “And as I’ve said before, the teams that manage it the best are the teams that have the best chance to be successful. So we’re working our way through that.”

Alabama practiced at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night. The Tide will practice at 2:30 today and will hold its first of two scrimmages Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The players then get their first off day of training camp on Sunday.

Tiffin on watch list
Alabama senior placekicker Leigh Tiffin is on the preseason Lou Groza Award watch list.

“It’s a great honor and I am very happy, but it doesn’t mean anything now,” Tiffin said Thursday. “We are working hard and I kicked the ball well today. I just try to continue to get better each day.”

Tiffin is currently fifth on the Alabama career scoring list among kickers with 253 points. He is 92 points behind career leader Phillip Doyle. Tiffin scored a kicker’s school-record with 111 points and 25 made field goals as a sophomore in 2007.

Last season he scored 106 points and was 20-for-29 on field goals, including a 54-yarder. He was 2-for-3 from beyond 50 yards. He was 16-for-19 on field goals inside 40 yards.