Crimson Tide Completes Final Preparations for WKU
By: Josh Rultenberg
Updated: September 7, 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The Alabama football team practiced for 90 minutes in shells on Thursday inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility as they put the final touches on the game plan for Western Kentucky.
The Crimson Tide and Hilltoppers are slated to kickoff at 2:39 p.m. Saturday on the SEC Network. Mike Morgan and Chris Doering will call the action with Jill Montgomery working the sidelines.
Saturday's game is the home opener for Alabama. The Crimson Tide has won 10 consecutive home openers dating back to a win over Middle Tennessee in 2002. UA has won its last five home openers under head coach Nick Saban by an average of 34.4 points per game while scoring 41.6 points per game during that span.
Alabama junior punter Cody Mandell turned in one of the best games of his career last Saturday against Michigan, averaging 47.0 yards on four punts. He booted a long of 59 yards with two punts over 50 yards, forced two fair catches and dropped two more kicks inside the 20-yard line.
"I have really been concentrating on my technique," Mandell said. "I have been trying to drop the ball a little later on my punts and really pay attention to the little things and it seems to be paying off. From game to game I really have to just let the line block for me and focus on putting the football where the coaches want it."
The only work remaining for the Tide will be a walkthrough on Friday.
