TideSports.com - Notebook: McCarron ready to practice

October 15, 2012

Chase Goodbread
TideSports.com Senior Writer

TUSCALOOSA | University of Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron's knee injury is not serious and the junior will practice this week. McCarron needed assistance getting off the field following a third-down sack by Missouri's Sheldon Richardson Saturday, but returned to play Alabama's next series. UA coach Nick Saban was cautiously optimistic about McCarron's knee in his post-game remarks Saturday, and confirmed his practice status Monday.

"AJ's OK. He's got a bruised knee," Saban said. "He's still sore. He will try to do some things in practice today."

McCarron has made 19 consecutive starts for the Crimson Tide dating back to last season. As for other injuries, wide receiver Christion Jones is being evaluated "day to day" with an ankle sprain. Jones was removed from the win over Missouri and replaced by freshman Cyrus Jones. Running back Eddie Lacy bruised his hand Saturday against the Tigers, but will also practice this week in preparation for the Tennessee game. On Monday, Lacy's hand was visibly swollen, and he said it was the result of Missouri players' helmets colliding with his hand during the game.

"We have our nicks and bruises like everybody does this time of the year," Saban added. "We just need to manage through that and do the best we can to prepare for this game."

Sentimore to face old team
Former Alabama defensive lineman Darrington Sentimore, who transferred to Tennessee after being placed on indefinite suspension by UA coach Nick Saban in the4 summer of 2011, has emerged as a contributor for the Volunteers this season. Saban said he is glad to see that Sentimore has renewed his playing career.

He was a good player when he was here. We're happy he's doing a good job and having success," Saban said. "I hope he's doing what he needs to do off the field, in school. His problems here were not relative to being a football player. It had nothing to do with pass rush or sacks, or any of that."

Though he has made only three starts and has only 10 total tackles, Sentimore leads Tennessee in sacks (three) and tackles for loss (4.5).

Bray apology
Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray, following his team's road loss to Mississippi State Saturday, tweeted that Tennesee had "along of bandwagon fans" and that he hoped his apartment wouldn't be egged, referring to Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray's residence being egged after a loss to South Carolina.

The tweet was soon deleted, followed by a Bray tweet apologizing to the UT fan base, and Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said he had spoken with Bray about the matter.

Quotable
"I got the fever here when I arrived. I didn't know how great the Iron Bowl rivalry was until I got here, I didn't know how great the Alabama-Tennessee [rivalry was] or [what] the feeling was until I got here. Over these five years, it's grown on me and now I'm just like anybody that's been an Alabama fan for 60 years." - UA defensive end Damion Square.

Tidebits
Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors after making 12 tackles against Missouri. Mosley was also named, for the sixth time in six games, to the UA staff's players of the week. Others named by UA coaches were Dee Milliner, Barrett Jones, Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon, and on special teams, freshman Landon Collins, kicker Jeremy Shelley and Brent Calloway. ... Kickoff for the Tennessee game has been set for 6 p.m. and an ESPN broadcast. As well, Alabama's home game against Mississippi State on Oct. 27 has been set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN. ... Dooley said Monday he will likely coach from the Volunteers' press box Saturday against Alabama, which would be his second consecutive game doing so. Dooley has a fractured hip that is preventing him from coaching on the sideline. ... Alabama leads its all-time series with Tennessee 48-38-7, and has won all five of its games against the Volunteers under Saban.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0196.

TideSports.com chat schedule this week includes Cecil Hurt on Tuesday (7pm), Andrew Bone on Wednesday (6pm) and Chase Goodbread on Thursday (8pm).