BamaOnLine.com - Notebook: Tide battles flu

August 27, 2009

Chase Goodbread
BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer

The Alabama football team, like the rest of the UA student body, is battling flu symptoms of late. Noseguard Terrence Cody has missed two practices with flu symptoms, and UA coach Nick Saban said there have been four or five total, plus another four or five with upper respiratory issues without flu.

"Terrence hasn't been out there for two days. We've had a little bit of flu going around. We also have some guys that have just respiratory problems, upper respiratory infection, the difference being if a guy has a fever or doesn't have a fever, and what his flu symptoms are," Saban said. "We immediately have a protocol of what we do relative to testing them for the type of flu that they have. We also quarantine the players, we're doing a lot of hygiene and nutrition type stuff too, as preventative measures so that we don't get this throughout our team."

Cody appears to be the only starter affected. According to Saban, there was not a single flu case on the team during fall camp with a 105-man roster, but problems began when school began.

Cornerback Kareem Jackson said he spoke to Cody briefly.

"He said he hasn't eaten in two days but I find that hard to believe," Jackson quipped about the 350-pound noseguard. "I told him, 'You can't kid a kidder'."

Players are taking their own precautions.

"Our medical staff has done a really good job of supplying every locker with Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer," said guard Mike Johnson.

Saban said players have generally recovered in two to three days.

VLACHOS TAKING OVER - Center William Vlachos enters his first year as a starter, and Saban said that while he lacks experience, Vlachos has been impressive in the preseason.

"Obviously he's short in stature but very strong, plays with really good leverage, plays smart in terms of hand placement and he's got good feet to balance the body control," Saban said. "So other than being a little bit not what you'd expect from a stature standpoint in terms of height, I really don't know that he has a lot of weaknesses. But he's done a really good job for us, he's played smart. ... He certainly has a lot of competitive character. Certainly we have a lot of confidence in his ability."

Vlachos saw limited action last season behind longtime starter Antoine Caldwell. He is one of three new starters along the offensive front.

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