Alabama, Florida fans already enthused for spring games

By David Moorman  |   Tuesday, January 27, 2009  |  Comments( 2 )

College Football
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It’s still nearly three months away for many teams, but don’t be surprised if Southeastern Conference college football fans already have circled the dates for their teams’ spring games.

That’s especially true for those who support Alabama and Florida. Alabama drew the SEC’s top spring-game crowd last year with Florida right behind it. Both schools have scheduled April 18 for their spring games, as have Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State and Tennessee.

There’s plenty to celebrate at Florida, which earlier this month won its second BCS national championship in three years. Given the euphoria of that, Florida is likely to draw more than the 61,000 fans, who attended last year’s spring game.

Alabama led the SEC, and ranked second nationally, with a crowd of 78,200. In 2007, the Crimson Tide drew a record 92,138 to the game. Expect something in the middle of those two numbers this year.

HOT DAWG: Anyone who has had a Georgia fan bark at them or yell, “Go you hairy dawgs," might disagree, but at least one group is impressed with the way the Georgia Bulldogs conduct their business. College Football Live recognized Georgia as fifth in the country for promoting a family atmosphere. Ranking ahead of it from first to fourth were Oregon State, Penn State, Texas and Wake Forest.

The ratings took into account the coaching staffs and their guidance, integrity and personality in assisting their players and employees.

MAKING A RARE MOVE: It’s not often that someone leaves Auburn for hated instate rival Alabama, but that’s what happened in the case of James Willis -- who became Alabama’s associate head coach and linebackers coach after spending the previous three years at Auburn.

Granted, there were extenuating circumstances in that Auburn has a new head coach in Gene Chizik. Willis didn’t have to look far for a new job after having spent the last three years at his alma mater. During that time, Auburn ranked seventh, sixth and 14th, respectively, in national scoring defense.

Willis also coached for seven years in the NFL. Alabama head coach Nick Saban has NFL experience, as does recently hired Sal Sunseri, who will work with the linebackers after having been the Carolina Panthers’ defensive line coach last year.
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About David Moorman

Dave Moormann is an award-winning journalist, who has covered LSU athletics since 1980. He began his coverage with the Baton Rouge Advocate, where he was a writer and editor from 1980-98. In 1996, he authored a book on the history of LSU football entitled, "Fighting Tigers Handbook: Stories, Stats ...
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