Jump to content

2004 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2004 Alabama Crimson Tide football
Music City Bowl, L 16–20 vs. Minnesota
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionWestern Division
Record6–6 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDavid Rader (2nd year)
Offensive schemePro style
Defensive coordinatorJoe Kines (4th year)
Base defense3–3–5
Captains
Home stadiumBryant–Denny Stadium
(Capacity: 83,818)
Seasons
← 2003
2005 →
2004 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Eastern Division
No. 13 Tennessee x   7 1     10 3  
No. 7 Georgia   6 2     10 2  
Florida   4 4     7 5  
South Carolina   4 4     6 5  
Kentucky   1 7     2 9  
Vanderbilt   1 7     2 9  
Western Division
No. 2 Auburn x$   8 0     13 0  
No. 16 LSU   6 2     9 3  
Alabama   3 5     6 6  
Arkansas   3 5     5 6  
Ole Miss   3 5     4 7  
Mississippi State   2 6     3 8  
Championship: Auburn 38, Tennessee 28
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2004 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama during the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. This was the team's 72nd season in the SEC. The Crimson Tide were led by head coach Mike Shula who was entering his second season as head coach. They began their season with trying to improve from a 4–9 (2–6) record from the 2003 season. The 2004 squad finished the season with a record of 6–6 following a loss to Minnesota in the Music City Bowl.

The team began the 2004 season at 3–0 with blowout victories over Utah State, Mississippi, and Western Carolina. The Tide's starting quarterback Brodie Croyle was injured during the Western Carolina game and lost for the season. Without him, the team struggled to find consistent offense against SEC opponents Arkansas and South Carolina. The team rebounded to have multiple blowouts victories in three of the next four games, only losing to rival Tennessee. The season ended on a three-game slide, losing to rivals LSU and Auburn, also losing in the Music City Bowl to Minnesota. This season also marks the first time since 1958 in which Alabama was absent from the AP poll top 25 every week of the season while also being the first year that Alabama did not play a game at Legion Field.

Schedule

[edit]
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 46:00 p.m.Utah State*PPVW 48–1782,033
September 118:00 p.m.Ole Miss
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)
ESPN2W 28–783,083
September 186:00 p.m.Western Carolina*
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
PPVW 52–077,306
September 252:30 p.m.at ArkansasCBSL 10–2772,543
October 25:00 p.m.South Carolina
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
ESPN2L 3–2082,141
October 911:30 a.m.at KentuckyJPSW 45–1765,482
October 162:30 p.m.No. 24 Southern Miss*dagger
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL
PPVW 27–382,094
October 232:30 p.m.at No. 11 TennesseeCBSL 13–17107,017
November 65:30 p.m.Mississippi State
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)
ESPN2W 30–1482,617
November 136:45 p.m.at No. 17 LSUESPNL 10–2691,861
November 202:30 p.m.No. 2 Auburn
  • Bryant–Denny Stadium
  • Tuscaloosa, AL (Iron Bowl)
CBSL 13–2183,818
December 3111:00 a.m.vs. Minnesota*ESPNL 16–2066,089
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[1]

Coaching staff

[edit]
Name Position Seasons at
Alabama
Alma Mater
Mike Shula Head coach 2 Alabama (1987)
Chris Ball Secondary 2 Missouri Western State (1986)
Bob Connelly Offensive line 2 Texas A&M–Commerce (1994)
Charlie Harbison Wide receivers 2 Gardner–Webb (1995)
Joe Kines Defensive Coordinator 2 Jacksonville State (1967)
David Rader Offensive coordinator 2 Tulsa (1980)
Paul Randolph Defensive line 2 Tennessee–Martin (1990)
Dave Ungerer Special teams, Tight ends 2 Southern Connecticut State (1980)
Sparky Woods Running backs 2 Carson–Newman (1976)
Buddy Wyatt Defensive line 2 TCU (1989)
Gabe Giardina Student coach 1 Alabama (2004)

Game summaries

[edit]

Utah State

[edit]
1 234Total
Utah State 7 370 17
Alabama 10 71714 48
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 6:00 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:58
  • Game attendance: 82,033
  • Game weather: 84°, partly cloudy, winds NNE at 9 mph
  • Referee: Rocky Goode

Alabama opened the 2004 season by defeating the Utah State Aggies 48–17.[2][3] Brian Bostick scored the first Alabama points of the game with his 28-yard field goal.[2] On the ensuing Aggies possession, Roman Harper intercepted a Travis Cox and returned it to the Utah State 21-yard line.[4] Two plays later, Brodie Croyle threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Clint Johnston to give the Crimson Tide a 10–0 lead.[4] The Aggies responded later in the first with a 35-yard Cox touchdown pass to Kevin Robinson to cut the score to 10–7.[2] In the second quarter, Kenneth Darby scored for Alabama on a 29-yard run and Ben Chaet connected on a 44-yard field goal for Utah State to make the halftime score 17–10.[2]

On the third play of the second half, Simeon Castille intercepted a Cox pass and returned it 31-yards for his first career touchdown.[4][5] After the Alabama defense forced a punt on the ensuing Aggies drive, Croyle threw a 57-yard touchdown strike to Keith Brown on the Crimson Tide's first offensive play of the second half to give them a 31–10 lead.[4] After a 32-yard Bostick field goal extended the Alabama lead to 34–10, the Aggies responded with their final points of the game on a 21-yard Cox touchdown pass to Chris Forbes.[4] The Crimson Tide then closed the game with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. The first came on a one-yard Tim Castille run and the second on a seven-yard Ray Hudson run in the 48–17 Alabama victory.[4]

Ole Miss

[edit]
1 234Total
Ole Miss 0 007 7
Alabama 0 1477 28
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 8:05 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:56
  • Game attendance: 83,083
  • Game weather: 85°, partly cloudy, winds ENE at 3 mph
  • Referee: Matt Austin

Alabama opened conference play by defeating their long-time rival, the Ole Miss Rebels 28–7.[6][7] After a scoreless first, the Crimson Tide took a 14–0 halftime lead after scoring a pair of second-quarter touchdowns.[8] Tim Castille scored first on a one-yard run and Tyrone Prothro scored second on a 15-yard Brodie Croyle touchdown pass.[6] Alabama extended their lead to 21–0 in the third quarter when Ray Hudson scored his first of two touchdowns on a 13-yard Croyle pass.[6] After the Rebels scored their only points of the game on a six-yard Eric Rice touchdown reception from Ethan Flatt, Alabama responded on the following drive with a 46-yard Hudson touchdown run to make the final score 28–7.[6] In the game, Hudson ran for 116 yards, and D. J. Hall and Keith Brown became the first freshman receivers to start for Alabama since Ozzie Newsome in 1974.[7]

Western Carolina

[edit]
1 234Total
Western Carolina 0 000 0
Alabama 14 17714 52
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 6:06 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:46
  • Game attendance: 77,306
  • Game weather: 82°, clear, winds N at 14 mph
  • Referee: Doyle Jackson

Alabama won their third straight game to open the season against the Division I-AA Western Carolina Catamounts 52–0.[9]

Arkansas

[edit]
1 234Total
Alabama 0 1000 10
Arkansas 7 7013 27
  • Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
  • Game start: 2:35 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:12
  • Game attendance: 72,543
  • Game weather: 80°, partly cloudy, winds E at 8 mph
  • Referee: Terry Brown

South Carolina

[edit]
1 234Total
South Carolina 3 3140 20
Alabama 0 300 3
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 5:01 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:49
  • Game attendance: 82,141
  • Game weather: 84°, cloudy, winds NNW at 9 mph
  • Referee: Rocky Goode

Kentucky

[edit]
1 234Total
Alabama 7 101414 45
Kentucky 0 773 17
  • Location: Lexington, Kentucky
  • Game start: 12:33 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:06
  • Game attendance: 65,482
  • Game weather: 64°, fair, winds SW at 6 mph
  • Referee: Penn Wagers

Southern Miss

[edit]
1 234Total
#24 Southern Miss 0 300 3
Alabama 10 3014 27
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 2:36 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 2:49
  • Game attendance: 82,094
  • Game weather: 69°, clear, winds WNW at 6 mph
  • Referee: Jeff Roberson

Tennessee

[edit]
Third Saturday in October
1 234Total
Alabama 7 303 13
• #11 Tennessee 7 730 17
  • Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Game start: 2:35 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:18
  • Game attendance: 107,017
  • Game weather: 63°, cloudy, winds SW at 13 mph
  • Referee: Steve Landis

Mississippi State

[edit]
1 234Total
Mississippi State 7 070 14
Alabama 0 17310 30
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 5:36 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:14
  • Game attendance: 82,617
  • Game weather: 58°, clear, winds SSE at 8 mph
  • Referee: Terry Brown

LSU

[edit]
1 234Total
Alabama 7 300 10
• #17 LSU 0 6713 26
  • Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Game start: 6:47 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:01
  • Game attendance: 91,861
  • Game weather: 55°, clear, winds N at 6 mph
  • Referee: Penn Wagers

Auburn

[edit]
Iron Bowl
1 234Total
• #2 Auburn 0 0147 21
Alabama 3 307 13
  • Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Game start: 2:35 p.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:08
  • Game attendance: 83,818
  • Game weather: 63°, light rain, winds E at 5 mph
  • Referee: Steve Landis

In the 2004 edition of the Iron Bowl, the Crimson Tide took a 6–0 lead at halftime over favored Auburn, but ultimately fell 21–13 to the Tigers.[17][18] Alabama took a 6–0 halftime lead on field goals of 42 and 22-yard by Brian Bostick.[17] Auburn responded in the second half with 21 consecutive points to take a 21–6 lead. Touchdowns were scored by Cadillac Williams on a five-yard run, on a 32-yard Jason Campbell pass to Courtney Taylor and on a two-yard Ronnie Brown run.[17][18] Alabama scored their only touchdown late in the fourth on an 18-yard Spencer Pennington touchdown pass to D. J. Hall to make the final score 21–13 after a failed onside kick.[17][18]

Minnesota

[edit]
Music City Bowl
1 234Total
Alabama 7 702 16
Minnesota 7 1030 20
  • Location: Nashville, Tennessee
  • Game start: 11:00 a.m.
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 66,089
  • Game weather: 60°, cloudy, winds SW at 15 mph
  • Referee: Jack Cramer

After finishing the regular season with an overall record of 6–5, the Crimson Tide accepted an invitation to play in the Music City Bowl on December 4.[20] Their appearance was the second for Alabama in the game, marked the first all-time meeting against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on the gridiron and a return to postseason play for the Crimson Tide following a two-year bowl ban imposed by the NCAA.[20][21] Led by running backs Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney who each rushed for over 100 yards, Minnesota defeated Alabama 20–16.[22]

The Crimson Tide scored first when Spencer Pennington threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Le'Ron McClain for a 7–0 Alabama lead.[19] Minnesota tied the game later in the first on a defensive touchdown. The score happened after Anthony Montgomery forced a Pennington fumble that was recovered in the endzone by Keith Lipka.[22] The Gophers took a 17–7 lead in the second quarter after a five-yard Barber touchdown run and a 27-yard Rhys Lloyd field goal.[19] The Crimson Tide responded with a one-yard McClain touchdown run to cut the Minnesota lead to 17–14 at halftime.[19] The second half was dominated by both defenses with Minnesota only managing to score on a 24-yard Lloyd field goal in the third and Alabama only scoring on a safety in the fourth to make the final score 20–16.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "All-time Football Results: 2004 Season". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Utah State vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 4, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  3. ^ Walsh, Christopher (September 5, 2004). "Youth movement: New look Crimson Tide rolls past Aggies". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Utah State vs Alabama: Play-by-Play Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 4, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  5. ^ Hurt, Cecil (September 5, 2004). "Simeon Castille scores first career touchdown". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C6. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Ole Miss vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 11, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Alabama 28, Mississippi 7". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 11, 2004. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
  8. ^ Walsh, Christopher (September 12, 2004). "Tide dominates Rebels with blitz, running game". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  9. ^ a b "Western Carolina vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 18, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  10. ^ "Alabama vs Arkansas: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. September 25, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "South Carolina vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 2, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  12. ^ "Alabama vs Kentucky: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 9, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  13. ^ "Southern Miss vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 16, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  14. ^ "Alabama vs Tennessee: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 23, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  15. ^ "Mississippi State vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. November 6, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  16. ^ "Alabama vs LSU: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. November 13, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Auburn vs Alabama: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. November 20, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  18. ^ a b c "Auburn scores three TDs in second half". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 20, 2004. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  19. ^ a b c d "Alabama vs Minnesota: Scoring Summary". RollTide.com. University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. December 31, 2004. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  20. ^ a b Deas, Tommy (December 5, 2004). "Crimson Tide headed to Music City Bowl". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C1. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  21. ^ Walsh, Christopher (December 5, 2004). "Crimson Tide's 52nd bowl game will also be a first". The Tuscaloosa News. p. C8. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  22. ^ a b c "Minnesota overcomes second-ranked 'Bama defense". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 31, 2004. Archived from the original on October 23, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2011.