Kevin Norwood scored Alabama’s first touchdown of the Texas A&M game before coming down with an injury. (AP photo)
Severe exhaustion and dehydration were both tangible problems at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, as Alabama head coach Nick Saban said several players received IVs at halftime and others did so later.
Some need more than time to rest, but time to recover from injuries, as well.
Saban said cornerback Deion Belue (turf toe) is day-to-day and questionable, as is wide receiver Kevin Norwood.
Offensive lineman Anthony Steen has a slightly better outlook.
“Steen is day-to-day but very probable that he’ll be back in a day or so,” Saban said.
Hear them roar
Being away from home and breaking in three new starters simultaneously may have contributed to the offensive line’s struggles in the season opener against Virginia Tech.
Regardless of the start of the issue, the problem was solved. Despite going from a neutral to hostile environment, the men in the trenches cleared the way for 568 yards of offense, 234 of them on the ground.
“Yeah, it felt really good,” tackle Cyrus Kouandjio said. “People misunderstood the first game. We came out there and did what we were supposed to do.
“(Our communication was) like 10 times better. Even with all the noise, we worked so hard on communication that it just worked out.”
In some ways, Alabama did right in doing wrong.
“When we’re all on the same page, things work really well. You saw in the previous game we weren’t on the same page, people going in different directions,” tight end Brian Vogler said. “Against Texas A&M, we were all really on the same page. Even if we called the wrong thing, at least we were all doing something together.”
The members of the line could see their performance start to wear down the Aggies front seven as the game wore on in the Texas heat.
“After a while, you know, it got easier for us,” Kouandjio said. “After run play after run play, it got easier. It created confidence on the offensive line.”
“I didn’t know he could move like that.”
Alabama safety Vinnie Sunseri has been telling everyone: he can scoot. He can make you miss.
He can even make Johnny Manziel miss, as he put a juke move on the Heisman winner on his 75-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“He was coming in pretty fast,” Sunseri said of Manziel. “I had to step out of the way or he probably would have taken my knee out.”
Sunseri said the return made him flashback to, “Playing punt returner back there at Northridge High School,” in Tuscaloosa as a senior.
“I’m very surprised. I didn’t know he could move like that,” safety Landon Collins said. “He always told me he played running back and took a couple punts back on punt return, but I had to see for myself. I was very surprised but I’m glad he could take it to the house like that.”
Home cooking
As a 61-year-old man who has been coaching since his college days ended, Saban does not meet many situations that he has not seen before.
Early in 2013, he has already seen two: a week two bye week and a three-week delay before the first home game.
“I don’t ever remember being Sept. 21 having been practiting for seven or eight weeks and not having had a home game yet,” Saban said. “We’re all kind of looking forward to that. I hope our players are looking forward to it.”
Kouandjio added, “And it’s good to stay at home, not have to worry about the noise. It’s home advantage is good. Away games, it hardened us. We’ve seen everything when it comes to Texas A&M and the 12th Man. Coming home is a bit easier.”
