Alabama's Britt questionable for LSU game

[quietfan 233]

http://www.al.com/sportsflash/alabama/inde...orylist=alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama offensive tackle Wesley Britt said he will play in Saturday night's game at No. 17 LSU despite spraining his left foot early against Mississippi State.

"The injury happened early in the game," Britt said. "It took me about six plays to get back into the game. It's going to take a lot to keep me off the field."

He said it's similar to an injury that kept guard Justin Smiley out for two games last season.

Offensive line coach Bob Connelly said it will be "a tolerance issue" for the preseason All-SEC pick. He said the pain and swelling are going down.

"In his mind he is playing," Connelly said. "In my mind I hope he is playing. But we've got to have a Plan B. It's going to be a game-time decision between him and our training staff."

Britt has helped pave the way for the league's top running game despite season-ending injuries to running backs Ray Hudson and Tim Castille

Question for BamaGrad or others more in the know:

(and a time-out distraction for my adrenal system that's too keyed up over Georgia tomorrow!)

I know Britt is the cornerstone of your offensive line & rushing attack, but is he indispensible? How much of a disaster would his absence or partial performance be?

In any case, you have my sympathies... I'll admit that it's hard for me to ever root for the Tide, but I prefer to see you lose with your best game and without excuses. I can't recall a team having as many injuries to so many of their primary stars as y'all have faced this season.

[BamaGrad03 146]

Well you can add to that our starting safety Charlie Peprah out for his second game in a row. And our starting TE David Cavan out for the season.

Our center has a stinger but i think he's gonna play.

Britt is hurting pretty bad. He had his foot in a boot tuesday. And he's an all american, so it would be a pretty hefty blow to lose him saturday. We will run more to the weakside if he's out with a pulling guard. His backup is decent, but not the caliber player of Britt. Pass blocking we'd be okay, run blocking is another story.

When its all said and done saturday we could be playing without:

1st QB

2nd QB

1st RB

1st FB

1st Left Tackle

1st Center

1st TE

2nd TE (concussion)

1st Safety

2nd DT (ankle)

1st OLB (shoulder)

[Ravad 77]

Just wondering, why do you guys keep saying Spencer is your 3rd string?

I thought Gullion was 2nd, got hurt, then did not get the nod when he was better becuase Spencer was bumped to 2nd?

Are you saying Gullion is better then Spencer and is still listed as 2nd?

[BamaGrad03 146]

Guillon is still hurt. He is our 2nd string QB. But he has a torn muscle and 2 bulging discs in his back.

The only thing he could do would be to hand off pretty much...deep passes hurt his back too much.

[Ravad 77]

And in your opinion, do you think Gullion played better then Spencer has been doing and if healthy would still be starting?

I relize we dont have the power to make these desicions but I thought Gullion was a pretty big let down from all the hype.

I would stay with Spencer.

[BamaGrad03 146]

I think Guillon is a better QB. He played decent against USC, just made 2 major major errors with ints. He is a deep ball threat and Spencer is not. Spencer looked MUCH worse than did Guillon in the USC game...and hasnt had to do too much since. I think we would have won against UT with Guillon. But I think Spencer has done a good job in the last couple of weeks picking himself up. He seems more comfortable out there now. His game against MSU was his best yet. He showed a couple of times that he's got skills. The deep ball just isnt there yet.

That's why i keep saying we are playing with our 3rd string guy. Guillon took all the reps in spring (spencer was still recovering from shoulder injury)...and Guillon was more in tune with the WRs.

[Tigerdog 0]

should make next weekend VERRRRRY interesting!!

hmmmm...

[Bama Bo 0]

Britt's back up is a fairly capable blocker, the main thing missed with Britt is his leadership on the field. He plays very emotional and the team rallies around him. I'm betting that if he is able to walk without crutches, you'll see him in the game vs. LSU.

As far as Guillon/Spencer goes, Guillon is still considered the #2 guy. Even though Spencer has made improvements from week to week, I feel pretty certain that if Guillon was healthy he would get the nod as the starter.

[Streyeder 0]

Here's another good read on that subject:

University of Alabama center J.B. Closner shrugged when asked about playing through the discomfort of a neck stinger. It's merely part of playing football, he proclaimed.

Crimson Tide offensive tackle Wesley Britt glanced down at the protective boot on his left foot and expressed the desire to play on Saturday when Alabama visits 15th-ranked LSU.

Cornerback Charlie Peprah said he'll test his tender left hamstring on Saturday in Baton Rouge before making a decision on his availability.

Tight end Clint Johnston opted to stay away from discussion about what's ailing him, but said he doesn't plan to sit out a second consecutive week.

Running back Kenneth Darby had his left ankle heavily taped but still wants the football more than the 36 times he carried it last week vs. Mississippi State.

Alabama's practice sessions this week showed the effects of a long, physical season. But nearly every player plans to play through the pain.

Each one wants to get on the Tiger Stadium field for the 6:45 p.m. game in front of a raucous full house and a national television audience on ESPN.

"It's that time of year," said UA defensive coordinator Joe Kines. "You talk to other friends in the coaching business - everybody is beat up right now."

Alabama head coach Mike Shula took a different approach to practice this week because of his team's bumps and bruises. The Tide went through full-speed workouts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but did so without pads. It was the first time this season the Tide spent the week without putting on the pads.

"The thing you worry about when you take pads off is the tempo goes right down," Shula said. "That's not what you want. Ideally, you practice in pads, full speed, because you want to get used, as much as you possibly can, to the speed of the game."

It carries more importance this week because Alabama (6-3 overall, 3-3 SEC) plays perhaps its most physical opponent of the season. LSU head coach Nick Saban not only built his team to be physical, he won a piece of the 2003 national championship that way.

Saban said the Tigers (6-2, 3-2) won't play the only smash-mouth football on the field. "They are a tough and physical team," he said of Alabama.

The most compelling story line on Saturday is whether either offense can pierce a stellar defense.

Alabama enters Saturday's game ranked No.1 in the country in total defense, and LSU stands fourth in that category.

What's an offense to do?

The Alabama offense will begin by running the ball, which is nothing different. The Crimson Tide leads the conference in rushing offense with Darby averaging 103 yards per game. Two years ago, Alabama ran the ball 54 times for 300 yards in a 31-0 win at Tiger Stadium.

The rub is that LSU gives up only 102 yards per game on the ground, which is second best in the conference. It also doesn't help that Alabama could have redshirt freshman Chris Capps at left tackle to replace Britt and another redshirt freshman, Travis West, replacing Closner at center if he gets beat up again.

The dilemma for Alabama's defense is preparing for an offense which looks for balance. However, the Tigers have struggled when they have trouble running the ball. They were held under 100 yards against Oregon State, Georgia and Troy.

Kines said LSU, which will play senior Marcus Randall and redshirt freshman JaMarcus Russell at quarterback, still features plenty of threats.

"When you turn the film on the first thing you see is speed," Kines said. "You want to reach out and turn that projector down a little bit to see if it won't go a little slower. It's not the projector, it's what's on the field."

http://www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/in...25457066491.xml

[AUesquire 1]

Are any of our Bama brethren going down to Baton Rude?? If so, be safe and watch out for those crazy cajuns. They'll be good and liquored up by kickoff.

[BamaGrad03 146]

a bunch of my friends are going down. road trips always cost a lot of money though. And HOPEFULLY ill be making a peach bowl trip this year...savin up!

[quietfan 233]

a bunch of my friends are going down. road trips always cost a lot of money though. And HOPEFULLY ill be making a peach bowl trip this year...savin up!

120776[/snapback]

Might want to hold off on those Atlanta reservations for a little while, according to these:

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2004/Bo...Projections.htm

Peach Bowl: SEC #4 = Bama?

http://www.al.com/sports/huntsvilletimes/j...16822716340.xml

Thursday potpourri:It's pretty well understood that the Peach Bowl in Atlanta would love to invite Alabama this season to play an ACC opponent in late December--provided the Crimson Tide can get to seven victories by beating either LSU or Auburn.

But it looks like y'all will be traveling somewhere, though, so congrats on that.

[BamaGrad03 146]

Well the peach bowl people have said they would take us with 6, but like us with 7 more....of course.

If UGA wins this weekend, or bama wins this weekend we are definitely in the peach. If not, you got UT going to the cap one bowl. UGA going to the outback, LSU going to the cotton. And Bama, UF, USC fighting it out for the peach. But remember, USC and UF still have to play each other. UF finishes with FSU and USC with Clemson. USC stands at 6-3 UF at 5-4. An 8-3 USC team goes to the peach no doubt. But bama has a better appeal, IMO than a 7-4 USC team or a 7-4 UF team.

It will be much clearer after saturday.

[lsuj2006 0]

Hey BG;

our bet is still on, correct?

[BamaGrad03 146]

Crap...they're coming out of the woodwork! Refresh my memory about our bet? Was it beat bama by 10 and i gotta put something (non anti bama) of your choice in my sig?

[lsuj2006 0]

Correct.

If LSU beats Bama by 10+, you have to put a pic of my choice in your sig for one month. If Bama stays within 9, I'll wear a pic of your choice for a year.

[tombigbeetiger 223]

if s.car can beat florida, the peach will want them over the bamaboobs.....s.car will bring a shipload of folks

[Argo 8]

if s.car can beat florida, the peach will want them over the bamaboobs.....s.car will bring a shipload of folks

120887[/snapback]

And If UGA beats AU, we put two teams in the BCS, the loser of the seccg will play in the capitol one. South Carolina will play outback, LSU goes to cotton, and bama goes to Peach. Florida, if they get eligible, will get music city.