bcs title game
(part seven)


rolando mcclain
javy
mt. cody
mark barron

these are the voyages of the starship alabama defense. and with all due respect to the other starters, once you have claimed all-american status, the above four will be the ones that get to share time in the captain's chair. chances are, one of these four guys will make a huge, if not game-defining, play tomorrow night. chances are, two of the four will be holding the gatorade bucket if alabama is lucky enough to have more points than texas when the game ends.

the impact of this year's defensive unit cannot be overstated. when greg mcelroy forgot how to play quarterback during the season's midsection, it was the defense that held opponents at bay long enough for ingram to get going, long enough for leigh tiffin to kick a few field goals or long enough for cody to turn into a mythical creature and create a daniel moore painting.

if there is one defining image of the defense this season, in my opinion, it came during the arkansas game. it was during that game that one of arkansas' big offensive linemen executed a perfectly legal and perfectly cheap cut block on donta' hightower. donta' couldn't get his knee out of the way of the cowardly dive at his legs and his season was immediately ended. all of sudden, donta' unable to pick himself off the ground, there was a significant hole in what was forming into a solid to really good defense. all of a sudden, alabama would have had a legitimate excuse had they lost a game. "well, we did lose donta!'"

alabama never lost that game. nico johnson eventually filled hightower's shoes, and has laid claim to a starting spot next year if rolando decides to turn pro. the loss of donta' was greatly exaggerated and the defense has grown more intimidating by the week.

i am concerned that cody will not be much of an influence against the pass happy texas attack. the other three all-americans must come to play. and they will. i am sure of it. saban and mcclain would not have it any other way.

i love the way this defense plays. i love all the nicknames. i have this feeling they have another special, sec championship game-like performance in them. not one will be my x-factor come tomorrow's final preview post. that'll be someone else.

hmm...

who have i left out?

i think you all know where this is going.