Tide notebook: Interesting stats on Tiffin, Tide 'D'

TUSCALOOSA — Leigh Tiffin heard the statistic and smiled as it sunk in.

Alabama’s placekicker leads the Southeastern Conference in scoring this season, averaging 9.9 points per game. Alabama’s defense has given up 9.9 points per game. Tiffin has scored 109 points and Alabama has surrendered 109.

“I didn’t even know that. That’s pretty interesting,” Tiffin said. “It says we’ve got a great defense.”

The senior is a finalist for the Lou Groza Award, presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate kicker.

“That’s a super honor and something to be really proud of,” Tiffin said. “I have to give a lot of credit to the guys who helped me do it, P.J. (Fitzgerald, holder) and Brian (Selman, snapper).”

Tiffin will attend the Groza awards ceremony in West Palm Beach, Fla., the Monday after the SEC Championship Game.

Cover me: Alabama sophomore running back Mark Ingram is on the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated, the magazine announced Tuesday. Newsstands will start getting copies today.

Ingram is a finalist for both the Doak Walker Award and the Maxwell Trophy. He ranks fifth nationally and leads the SEC with 127.2 yards per game. He has gained 1,399 yards on 205 carries. That’s 6.8 yards per rush.

He also has 225 yards on 25 pass receptions this season.

Most impressive, Ingram has gained 885 of his 1,624 total yards after contact.

Practice update: Alabama practiced for a little over two hours in full pads Tuesday afternoon as preparations for the Iron Bowl continue.

“It’s gone well. It’s a bit of a short week so we kind of had to speed it up our game plan, getting everything in,” senior defensive end Brandon Deaderick said. “Great enthusiasm out there, good energy, so I think we’re gonna be ready to play on Saturday.”

He meant Friday, of course.

Making the grade: Alabama tight end Colin Peek and right guard Barrett Jones were named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American Team, as selected by the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Tuesday.

Peek, a senior, has a 3.79 grade point average in finance and is expected to graduate this December.

Jones is a second-team Academic All-American after compiling a 4.0 grade point average in management for the Tide. The redshirt freshman is one of three first-year starters on the offensive line.

“It’s something I really worked for because coach Saban puts a large emphasis on us being students first and athletes also,” Jones said after practice Tuesday. “But it’s something I’ve tried to put a large emphasis on, keeping my academics up, because that’s the main reason I’m here — to get an education.”

Roundball note: Basketball head coach Anthony Grant said Tuesday that senior guard Anthony Brock has been reinstated to the team.
Brock was suspended last Monday for violation of undisclosed team rules.

“Anthony Brock has met the requirements that we set for him to end his suspension effective immediately,” Grant said. “Anthony is committed to this program and understands the expectations that we hold for our basketball team.”

The Crimson Tide travels to Orlando, Fla., today for the 2009 Ole Spice Classic at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex Nov. 26-29.
Alabama (2-1) plays NIT runner-up Baylor on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CST on ESPN2. The Tide then plays either Florida State or Iona on Friday.