Druid City Online's coverage of Alabama football brings you up close and personal with players and coaches. Read these comments that followed the announcement of new head coach Mike Shula as he held his first official press conference ...

Shaun Alexander (Alabama's All-Time Leading Rusher - currently RB Seattle Seahawks)

The University of Alabama was forced to hire its third head football coach in four months after the unexpected departures of Dennis Franchione and Mike Price. This time University officials turned their sights back within the Crimson Tide family, giving serous consideration to three candidates ... Sylvester Croom, Richard Williamson and Mike Shula. These comments came from a press conference announcing Alabama's new head coach ...

Press Pool - Do you feel like you're a caretaker of the program?

Alexander - I do, but it all started when I was a freshman and I got phone calls from Bobby Humphrey and Johnny Musso and they'd say "Hey! Welcome to the team. You do this and you go break all our records. I remember that as a freshman, and I just believe that you should carry it on. Shaud is a great running back, and we're going to need him to come in here bigger than life and take this team to the next level. And we've got some young talent, like Brodie, who's going to do some great things too. But it's always the seniors that pull the team through and that's why Shaud is so important for us right now.

How do you feel about Mike Shula taking over this position?

I'm excited for him. I think he's going to do a great job. I haven't met him yet. I'm going to go meet him in a little bit. I think he's going to do well. It's good to have a guy that's played here and who will bring the fire and the passion and the stories from when he was here. He's going to do a great job.

How about the fact that's he only 37?

Yeah, that is young, but that's a great number! (laughs) No, you know what? I think that could be against him, but it could be for him. Players like coaches that can relate. So it could be a good tool for him and hopefully it will be.

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Click the name for a transcript ...
Head Coach Mike Shula

Brodie Croyle

Shaun Alexander