Staff Report
(Sept. 2, 2010)

The Montgomery Quarterback Club has announced its first players of the week for the 2010 season.

Michael Gregory, a senior running back from Prattville Christian Academy has been selected as the Private School Player of the Week.

Gregory rushed for 329 yards on 24 carries in Prattville Christian’s 43-29 win over Kingwood Christian Academy. He had touchdown runs of 77 and 80 yards.

Jeremy Johnson, a sophomore quarterback from Carver High School has been selected as the Public School Player of the Week. He passed for 242 yards on 11 of 18 attempts and four TDs in Carver’s 55-34 win over Opelika.

Both players will be honored at the Club’s first meeting of the season on Sept. 7. Auburn University Athletic Director Jay Jacobs will be the featured speaker.

Memberships are still available for the 2010 season. The membership application may be downloaded from the Club’s website at www.mgmqbackclub.org. Single memberships are $250 and couples and parent/child memberships are $430. Memberships cover 10 regular season meetings and February’s awards banquet.

The Club meets at the Montgomery Country Club. The social hour begins at 5:30 with dinner at 6:30 and the program at 7:00. Guests are welcome but must make a reservation by Monday afternoon prior to the meeting. Reservations may be made by emailing the Club at mgmqbc@aol.com or by calling the Club’s head coach, Perry Hooper, Jr. at 409-3119. Guests pay $30 at the door.

Crimson Tide to wear Nike Pro Combat unis

NEW YORK – On Nov.13, the University of Alabama football team will take the field for their game against Mississippi State at Bryant-Denny Stadium wearing the 2010 version of the Nike Pro Combat uniform, featuring the lightest football uniform Nike has ever created.

The materials and fabrication elements, which debuted in 2009, will be incorporated into the Crimson Tide’s traditional uniforms whose design will feature a Houndstooth pattern incorporated into the uniform’s numbers – a tribute to legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Also, as a gesture to honor veterans of the armed services, the Alabama uniform will feature an American flag patch on the right sleeve. The flag is featured with the stars facing forward (to the right) per military protocol.

A formal unveiling of the uniform took place at an event on Wednesday morning held by Nike in New York City. Alabama will be one of 10 elite football programs to feature the Nike Pro Combat uniform this season. Alabama is joined by Boise State University, the University of Florida, the University of Miami, The Ohio State University, Oregon State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Texas Christian University (TCU), Virginia Tech University and West Virginia University.

Former Alabama All-American Marty Lyons served as the Crimson Tide’s featured presenter for the unveiling, reading a short introduction and description of the uniform.

Nike worked closely with coaches and administrators at Alabama to capture a look that not only is dynamic but also is true to the Crimson Tide’s tradition for the uniforms that the Crimson Tide will wear against Mississippi State on November 13.

Tucker becomes second coach in state to 300 wins

Cameron Poe-Mitchell did his best to take the suspense out of Fayette County head coach Waldon Tucker’s quest for his 300th career win last Friday night. Poe-Mitchell score four first-half touchdowns as the Tigers beat Tuscaloosa County’s newest high school, Sipsey Valley, 28-6 before a near capacity crowd at John Morgan Brown Stadium.

Poe-Mitchell scored on runs of 6 and 47 yards and caught TD passes covering 78 and 4 yards as Tucker became just the second coach in Alabama prep football history to win 300 games in the state. Tucker now has 275 wins in the AHSAA and 300 overall counting 25 he won at non-AHSAA member school Demopolis Academy to start his career 38 years ago.

Mitchell’s effort earned him the AHSAA Spotlight performance of the first week’s action. He edged out his own teammate Evan Sims, the Tigers quarterback who was a perfect 9-of-9 passing for 168 yards and the two TDs to Mitchell.

Alabama High School Sports and NFHS Hall of Famer Glenn Daniel was the first prep coach to win 300. He won 302 in his long career that included five years at Pine Hill and almost four decades at Luverne.

The win was bittersweet for Tucker. It came at the expense of his eldest son Lance, who was making his head-coaching debut for Sipsey Valley’s Bears.

“I didn’t enjoy this. This was the hardest thing I have ever had to do,” said the elder Tucker, 300-123-3 overall. He is 275-107 in the AHSAA and 223-92 at Fayette. His team won the 1996 state 4A title at 15-0 and his 1980 Gordo team went 14-0 to win a state crown.  “I didn’t want to have to coach this game against my own son. Any wins I have belong to the players, the coaches. It’s not just me. ”