TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tim Tebow made the hand gesture without any repercussions. So did Knowshon Moreno.
But when Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson pantomimed a phone call at the LSU student section following a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter this past Saturday — taunting those who called him continuously during the week — flags flew. Officials called a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Wilson for the gesture, which was enforced on the kickoff.
“Whether it should have been a penalty or not, it doesn’t really matter. It was just a bad decision, something I really shouldn’t have done,” Wilson said. “It backed our defense up; they got great field position and went on to score. It could have been really costly in the game. Luckily, we pulled it out. But it wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Wilson said he turned his cell phone off Thursday and didn’t turn it back on until after the game. He didn’t listen to any of the messages from LSU fans, who were probably not calling to wish him good luck.
“My voice-mail got full pretty quick,” Wilson said.
Two ‘questionable’
Alabama coach Nick Saban called running back Roy Upchurch and receiver Earl Alexander “questionable” for Saturday’s game against Mississippi State. Upchurch, who did not play in the 27-21 overtime win over LSU, is battling neck problems. Alexander dislocated his shoulder against the Tigers.
“Roy Upchurch continues to have problems that we need to evaluate,” Saban said. “It’s not something that’s totally football related.”
Upchurch is the Tide’s third-leading rusher with 335 yards and four touchdowns this season. Alexander hurt his shoulder trying to extend the football over the goal line in the first quarter Saturday. He fumbled and dislocated the joint, adding injury to insult.
“Without criticizing the player who was competing and trying his best, he made a poor judgment,” Saban said. “When you’re being tackled and two other guys are coming to hit you, you don’t do that with the ball. I respect his competitive spirit and trying, but there’s competitive spirit and there’s good judgment. We love the competitive spirit. We disagree with the judgment.”
Cody ‘played OK’
Saban said noseguard Terrence Cody, who missed two games with a sprained MCL, was lacking initial quickness and mobility in his return to the field against LSU. Cody finished with just one assisted tackle, and LSU rushed for 201 yards against the Tide.
“Even though he practiced last week, we didn’t practice him much when we went good on good,” Saban said. “The speed of the game is a little bit different when you’re playing against the scout team, even though our scout team does a fantastic job for us. But when you get in there against the good guys, everything is a little bit quicker.
“This week, he’ll be able to do that, and that will enhance his development of being able to come back and improve and probably be more confident in himself as well.”
Stallings picks Texas Tech
Gene Stallings, the last coach to lead Alabama to a national title, ranked Texas Tech first in the Legends Poll. The poll is made up of 18 former coaching greats.
“I’m impressed that they’ve gotten a whole lot better defensively,” Stallings said of the Red Raiders in the latest Sporting News digital issue. “And I’m convinced now they have the best quarterback in the country (Graham Harrell).”
Honors for Johnson
Rashad Johnson was named the SEC defensive player of the week and the Walter Camp Foundation national defensive player of the week after recording four tackles, three interceptions and one tackle for loss against LSU. He had 64 yards in interception returns, including a 54-yard touchdown that tied the game 14-14 in the second quarter.
“Rashad put his Superman cape on,” Alabama’s Javier Arenas said.
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