Bama players have own expectations

By Ken Rogers

Published: August 30, 2007

Even for a team with so many question marks and so little depth, it’s impossible for Alabama to contain expectations on the eve of the official opening of the Nick Saban era.
“We’re all on edge right now, tense,” center Antoine Caldwell said this week. “Everybody’s just ready to go.”
Caldwell said it seemed like it would never get here. A coaching change. A major attitude adjustment from a new coaching staff. Practicing at a higher, more intense pace. And the conditioning. 
“This team has handled it real well,” Caldwell said. “It was kind of rocky, kind of bumpy there at the beginning. But everybody has kind of settled in now. Coach Saban has got his plan in order and we’ve just been following his lead. This team is ready to go.”
From the chaos of new systems installed in the spring to a product that’s about to be unveiled, running back Terry Grant said his expectations have soared.
“You get that much more excited and you try to set higher goals and want to do better,” Grant said. “You never set a goal to be too low and hit it. I always set it higher. It’s amazing how excited I am. For us as a team, I’m excited. I think everybody’s kind of ready to see where we’re at.”
Darren Mustin, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship at the start of fall camp, will start at inside linebacker. He noted it’s not just the Nick Saban debut. Many players will see their first significant playing time, particularly on defense.
“We have a lot of new people. It seems like there’s new everywhere,” Mustin said. “Even the facilities are new. I don’t say we have to prove to the fans, but we want to prove to our opponents that we are here, and prove to our opponents that we will play four quarters of football fully.“
Mike McCoy, a speedster who will start at wide receiver, said more than wins and losses, his expectations are that Alabama will be a true team this year.
“I expect a lot out of this team. I expect everybody to give the same that I try to give,” the sophomore said. “I try to push myself 100 percent every day, every play. Coach Saban says you’re only as good as your last play. So, after every play I ask myself, ‘Did I give my all? If this was a game, would I be able to get the job done?’ So, when I think about that I think about my teammates doing the same thing. They’re giving their all, so I have to give my all. I feel like the team is coming a lot closer.”
A 6-7 record will do that — so will the attitude adjustment provided by Saban and his staff.
The coach has his own expectations and standards. But he cautions Tide fans to be realistic as the foundation for the future is installed.
“I wouldn’t want to coach any place where they didn’t have high expectations or they didn’t expect to win,” Saban said this week. “You’ve probably heard me say this before: It’s also important to be realistic about what you’re expectations are. It’s great to be optimistic, not very good to be pessimistic, but it’s probably most important to be realistic.”
Still, the coach has noted on many occasions that things aren’t going to turn around overnight, that a struggle is ahead.
“We have a 6-7 team and we’re trying to improve that team. And we are very pleased with the attitude that the team has in doing that,” Saban said during fall camp. “But what I’ve tried to do is create positive energy in the organization and with our fans. And I think when your expectation is that things are going to be difficult, then you’re more willing to overcome the adversities that are definitely going to be necessary for us to build the kind of program that we expect to have here.”