Gibson TD closes spring

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Brandon Gibson had a spring to remember at Alabama, right to the very end.

The 6-foot-2, 192-pound junior receiver caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from A.J. McCarron on the final play of Saturday afternoon's A-Day game, providing the White a 23-17 victory over the Crimson.

"It feels good," Gibson said, "but I just want to do it during the season."

Gibson hasn't done much during any season since signing with the Crimson Tide in 2007 out of Mobile and redshirting that year. He did not have any catches in 2008 and had two last season for 25 yards, with one going for 21 against North Texas and the other for 4 against UTC.

In several practices this spring, he worked in the secondary before returning to the offense.

"It really helped," Gibson said. "I didn't get to run everything, but when you're on the other side of the ball and then you go back to wideout, it definitely helps you because you know how to read the corners and the safeties and all that kind of stuff."

Waiting on Williams?

With the overflow of talent returning offensively, Alabama may not be forced to punt much this season. Judging by A-Day, that may not be a pleasant sight, anyway.

"We really don't have a punter," coach Nick Saban said.

Walk-on Zach Goehler handled all 14 punts Saturday and got off to an atrocious start, with his first three traveling 26, 27 and 12 yards. He had kicks of 40, 40, 50 and 43 yards in the third quarter and finished with a 35.2-yard average for the White and a 37.5-yard average for the Crimson.

Senior tackle Taylor Pharr handled some punting this spring but was injured Saturday.

The most likely candidate to replace four-year starter P.J. Fitzgerald is Jay Williams, who signed in February. Williams averaged 37.2 yards and had a long of 62 for Thomasville (Ala.) High and was rated by Rivals.com as the No. 19 punter nationally.

Spring award winners

Quarterback Greg McElroy and linebacker Dont'a Hightower won the Mal Moore Leadership Award for spring practice, and receiver Julio Jones and defensive lineman Luther Davis got the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award.

The position award winners were Josh Chapman (defensive lineman), Courtney Upshaw (linebacker), Dre Kirkpatrick (defensive back), James Carpenter (offensive lineman), Darius Hanks (receiver) and Trent Richardson (offensive back). Former North Jackson High linebacker Tana Patrick was among four recipients of the Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award.

Tide tidbits

Alabama did not sustain any injuries at A-Day. ... Saban said one concern offensively was that quarterbacks did not have solid pockets on a consistent basis against defenses that did not display a lot of multiple rushes. ... Last year's permanent captains -- cornerback/return specialist Javier Arenas, offensive lineman Mike Johnson and linebacker Rolando McClain -- had their handprints and footprints placed in cement at the base of Denny Chimes in the annual pregame Walk of Fame ceremony.

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