Noah.Dreams
08-31-2005, 11:28 AM
Several members of Shula's 25-man freshman signing class - Alabama's first since 2000 - earned No. 2 spots on offense or defense and are in the game plan for Saturday. They include Glen Coffee, quarterback John Parker Wilson, tight end Travis McCall, right guard Marlon Davis (6-3, 314, PreMed major) and defensive end Bobby Greenwood.
Others expected to play have earned No. 3 spots - and might be involved in special teams, too. They include Johns, tight end Charles Hoke, cornerback Lionel Mitchell and safety Chris Keys.
That's nine total - which could quickly become 10, according to special teams coach Dave Ungerer, who said safety Cory Reamer of Hoover is getting close to being a regular contributor.
"It wouldn't surprise me to see Reamer in the game this week," Ungerer said.
Coffee, a true freshman, won the No. 2 job. The Fort Walton Beach, Fla., native ran for 1,886 yards as a prep senior.
Jimmy Johns, the 2004 Mississippi Player of the Year, who switched from quarterback two weeks ago, provides a more physical option at 6-2, 245 pounds. As a senior, Johns passed for 2,173 yards and 24 TDs, rushed for 1,394 yards and 20 TDs last season. Averaged 6.6 yards per carry for Class 4A state championship team.
Running backs coach Sparky Woods said he didn't want to make the mistake of ruining a young back's year by playing him only a few snaps in a mop-up situation.
"I think Upchurch is going to be a great back, and so I think if we could (redshirt him) it would be a wonderful thing," Woods said. "But right now we're just going to try to win this football game. My intentions right now are to play Glen (Coffee) more and play Jimmy (Johns) more. Jimmy's really got a big role in special teams. So there's two guys that come (to play) with KD.
"If they do well, that may afford us the luxury of redshirting a guy like (freshman) Ali (Sharrief) and Roy (Upchurch)."
Upchurch said he had a nagging ankle injury from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Fla., where he ran for 2,548 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior, that bothered him slightly but that he's 100 percent healthy today.
Others expected to play have earned No. 3 spots - and might be involved in special teams, too. They include Johns, tight end Charles Hoke, cornerback Lionel Mitchell and safety Chris Keys.
That's nine total - which could quickly become 10, according to special teams coach Dave Ungerer, who said safety Cory Reamer of Hoover is getting close to being a regular contributor.
"It wouldn't surprise me to see Reamer in the game this week," Ungerer said.
Coffee, a true freshman, won the No. 2 job. The Fort Walton Beach, Fla., native ran for 1,886 yards as a prep senior.
Jimmy Johns, the 2004 Mississippi Player of the Year, who switched from quarterback two weeks ago, provides a more physical option at 6-2, 245 pounds. As a senior, Johns passed for 2,173 yards and 24 TDs, rushed for 1,394 yards and 20 TDs last season. Averaged 6.6 yards per carry for Class 4A state championship team.
Running backs coach Sparky Woods said he didn't want to make the mistake of ruining a young back's year by playing him only a few snaps in a mop-up situation.
"I think Upchurch is going to be a great back, and so I think if we could (redshirt him) it would be a wonderful thing," Woods said. "But right now we're just going to try to win this football game. My intentions right now are to play Glen (Coffee) more and play Jimmy (Johns) more. Jimmy's really got a big role in special teams. So there's two guys that come (to play) with KD.
"If they do well, that may afford us the luxury of redshirting a guy like (freshman) Ali (Sharrief) and Roy (Upchurch)."
Upchurch said he had a nagging ankle injury from Godby High School in Tallahassee, Fla., where he ran for 2,548 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior, that bothered him slightly but that he's 100 percent healthy today.