SEC KICKOFF 2002
Southeastern Conference Football Media Days
July 30 - August 1 (Tuesday - Thursday)
Wynfrey Hotel * Hoover, Alabama

ALABAMA PARTICIPANT AUDIO
  Coach Dennis Franchione
  DT Jarret Johnson
  QB Tyler Watts

Alabama Quotes from Kickoff 2002 - SEC Football Media Days

Head Coach Dennis Franchione

"Year two is much more comfortable in so many ways from year one. I feel like this is my team right now, and that's a nice feeling. The first year stuff behind is us. I know our personnel better, and they know our system and our expectations, our practice regimen. We've been in full cycle. It sets the table to have chance to improve.

"Year one was about putting substance issues back in place. Trust, accountability and a team that is together. We made lot of progress.

"The bowl game experience was a good win and more than just the score but in the way we had to win the game. I don't know if we had enough heart and fight and grit early in the year. That was a good statement about how far we were able to get the team to develop in that year.

"I really like the attitude and chemistry right now. We've been through adversity. It makes you stronger or divides you. I think it's made us stronger.

"Our seniors have been through a great deal. This has prepared them for the future. We may have questions of how good they'll be but no question about their commitment right now. Because of those qualities, I feel like we have chance to be a better ball club this year. We may have better team and not better record. Tough road schedule. Some top 10 teams included.

On 'Bama's Offense
"Three strengths are offensive line. They've gotten lot of preseason talk. Keep in mind that three of them have only 12 starts under their belts. It's till a developing offensive line. We have come a long way. The tailback position is a strength. We've got four guys who can play at that position. It has created opportunities to put two tailbacks on field at same time. Quarterback is a strength. Tyler is back, another year, more knowledgeable. We have some exciting young guys coming. Brodie Croyle is on the fast track to be pushing Tyler, and Spencer Pennington is right behind him. Brodie has lot of savvy and understanding how to play the game. They made tremendous strides in spring practice.

"At receiver, it's nice to have AC Carter and Sam Collins back. They've played a lot of games, they're steady.

"Defensively, our defensive line has to be a strength. We have seniors who been through a lot of wars, played lot of football games. We have some other guys that have to come through and play well. We have to develop some depth there. It's one position some freshmen might be looked at in the early going.

"Jarrett (Johnson) is the heart of our defense, he's the chemistry. Last month of the season, I'm not sure there was a defensive lineman playing better than Jarrett Johnson. He's such an energetic, catalytic personality to our defensive ball club. Jarrett talks the talk but he walks the walk. Players respect him a great deal.

Quarterback Tyler Watts

"Alabama has got a bad name but it's nothing we have control over. We represent the university the best way we can represent it.

"For the athletic department to go out of their way to schedule us another game, they had seen what we had gone through and we were excited to go out there [Hawaii].

On memories at Alabama: "I had a great '99 season with winning the SEC championship. It's been an up and down career and I have wonderful memories and also memories that I would like to forget.

"We have a tough schedule this year. To put ourselves in the position in the where Auburn was a couple of years ago, we will have to come out and play every week to the best of our ability.

"Hopefully the things you do in the offseason will help prepare you for the season. We have a very tough road schedule. We are looking forward to the big games. That is one of the things you look forward to when you sign. Not everybody gets the chance to play in front of 70,000 people. "

Defensive Tackle Jarret Johnson

"Our main thing right now is focusing on Middle Tennessee State. We are excited about playing Oklahoma State. It's gonna be fun and I know they are excited about it."

"I wish we could always play the way we did against Auburn last season. We learned a lot that game. We learned that we could finish a game. We learned how good we could be. We were focused at practice and had a great week."

"Our goal going into the season is to have the focus at practice and perform the way we did the last four games of the season."

"In order to compete, you have to work all year round to stay in shape. Our strength coach got a bad rap last season. It wasn't as bad as it seemed."

"It hasn't hit me that this is my last season. It still feels like I'm a freshman. I have the chance to be a vocal leader this season. I'm looking forward to that."

"It's good to have a coach that will motivate you and give you a goal to work for. What we do can get monotonous."

"We aren't worried abut the things we can't control. We have set our goals and plan to work to reach them. We have to focus on things we can control."

KICKOFF 2002: ALABAMA PHOTO GALLERY
(Click on the thumbnail to see the full size image and caption)