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Alabama suspends Andre Smith for Sugar Bowl
Originally published 02:31 p.m., December 29, 2008
Updated 07:48 p.m., December 29, 2008
NEW ORLEANS — Alabama All-America left tackle Andre Smith has been suspended from the Sugar Bowl for violating team rules, possibly signaling an end to the Outland Trophy winner's college career.
"The University of Alabama, the team and the football program are more important than any individual player," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a statement Monday. "Everyone on our team depends on each other to be responsible, to make good choices and decisions relative to their actions."
Saban did not specify Smith's violation leading up to Friday night's game against No. 7 Utah.
The junior is expected to be one of the top players selected in the NFL draft if he opts to skip his final season at Alabama. Smith has been noncommittal about his future plans, but Saban offered a hint in his statement that the player wouldn't be back.
"Andre Smith has done an outstanding job in our program as a person, student and a player and we will do all we can as an institution to support him in all future endeavors," Saban said.
"Our priority and focus as a team is to play the best football game of the season in this Sugar Bowl, and to support our players to overcome any adversity this unfortunate situation has created."
An immediate starter with the Tide, Smith has allowed only one sack this season and seven during his 38-game career.
He won the Southeastern Conference's Jacobs Blocking Trophy as a sophomore and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award this season.
Saban informed the team before Monday's practice.
"It is bad news," quarterback John Parker Wilson said. "We lost the best offensive lineman in the country, but we still love him to death. Great guy."
Center Antoine Caldwell said he spoke briefly to Smith, but didn't know what led to the suspension.
"He kind of showed remorse and apologized," Caldwell said. "It's just one of those things. It's happened, and you've got to put it behind you and get ready to go."
Smith's absence could mean starting guard Mike Johnson moves over and is replaced by David Ross.
Earlier this month, Smith said he submitted his name to the NFL draft advisory board for feedback on his draft status.
"I'm not worried about it at all," Smith said at the time, adding that his focus was on the Sugar Bowl.
He missed the Tulane game early in the season and the Tide struggled to a 20-6 win, managing a season-low 172 total yards.
"They didn't have the best game on offense," Utah cornerback Sean Smith said. "He's a very good player but they've got other plays on that team that are just as good."
Utah defensive end Paul Kruger said he was looking forward to matching up with Andre Smith. The All-Mountain West Conference performer had 7.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.
"I was a little disappointed. I feel like it would have been a good matchup and a great opportunity for me," Kruger said. "He's a big part of their offense. They've got backup players that can step up and fill that need. I don't think it's going to change our gameplan at all or their gameplan."
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Comments
Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on December 29, 2008 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Saban should have gone ahead and spilled the beans, cause the media will have a field day with this and turn it inside out.
Parole Tide!
Posted by bama1870 (anonymous) on December 29, 2008 at 3:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rumor is he had contact with an agent and Saban just found out. If this is the case, Saban done the right thing by suspending him.
Another rumor was that he missed curfew. I really have a hard time beleiving this one.
The third rumor is Big Andre snuck into Saban's room and ate all of his Little Debbie oatmeal cookies. Now that would be a violation!! LOL
Either way, I can't throw the guy under the bus until I know what really happened.
Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on December 29, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I like the last one.
Posted by chiltoncountymatters (anonymous) on December 29, 2008 at 8:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Although I am saddened that Bama will have to play without All-American Andre' Smith, I think this is just another example of Coach Saban's "class". Those who have followed the Crimson Tide through the years know that Smith is not the first player to be benched due to violating team rules. Doing the right thing, despite how unpopular or costly to the team, is what class and character is all about. A big "Roll Tide" to Coach Saban for doing the right thing!
Posted by bama1870 (anonymous) on December 30, 2008 at 1:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, Where was the class when Tubbs strolled in Bryant Denny holding up 7 fingers knowing he was about to get spanked. And as far as getting in the grill of NFL players you don't know what you are talking about. Watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiM2U9AiQ...
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on December 30, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Come on guys. Saban's the devil. He kicks puppies and he forced a little old lady to go across the street when she didn't want to go, and all because a reporter had a camera on him. He cheats on his taxes and he takes money out of the offering plate.
There, does that make you feel better?
KWSR, you can't honestly tell me you've never heard that kind of language on the sidelines of a football game before. Is it classy? Absolutely not. Would I yell it at them? I certainly hope not. Have I had it yelled at me? Yep.
And please... Auburn fans have been taunting Bama fans for the past 25 years with "he's dead, let it go." Don't start comparing Coach Saban to Coach Bryant when it suits your purposes if you don't want us to talk about him when it suits ours.
Facts are facts. Smith violated a team rule and it was significant enough that Coach Saban booted him from the team. I'm sad to see him go, but it takes a real man to make a decision like that rather than trying to hide the facts and hope they don't get out.
Posted by heathermc (anonymous) on December 30, 2008 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
it is college football, where people get drunk and take their clothes off to show their painted beer bellies, what is supposed to be classy about that? We as fans have those same reactions and these are his boys that he works hard for, he should be doing what it takes to get them going, plus after our past 6 years plus his LSU years, AU deserves a little butt kicking now and then. College football isn't a debutante ball, it's football esp. in the SEC
Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on December 30, 2008 at 9:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He didn't make the comment on national television. He made it on the sidelines of a football field.
Where he made the mistake was letting CBS's gossipy Tracy Wolfson get onto the sideline with him. She's the one who repeated what she heard, just like she's done in every game she's worked. She feels an obligation to let us in on the little secrets she gleans from her privileged access, and no consideration is made for whether it was intended for broadcast or not. She's probably the source of more bulletin board material than anyone else in college football.
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