Last year's loss to Arkansas still stings

TUSCALOOSA | The stunned look on the faces of the University of Alabama football players. The coach standing on the sideline with his hands on his hips while the other team celebrated. The quiet locker room, with the silence enduring though both the bus ride to the airport and the flight home.

Yeah, the Crimson Tide definitely remembers last year’s 24-23 double-overtime loss at Arkansas, and it still stings.

“That was a tough one,” senior cornerback Simeon Castille said. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot. We definitely owe them one.”

For those who have since blocked the loss out of their minds, this time last season Alabama squandered numerous chances at Razorback Stadium, only to see an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Cleveland tie the game, and the subsequent extra point win it for Arkansas.

Afterward, Mike Shula could only call the painful loss, “heartbreaking.”

“That’s been in the back of my mind for a while,” junior center Antoine Caldwell said. “I remember last year how difficult that game was when we played down there. You never really thought about it, but that was kind of the turning point in our season. It went downhill after that game.”

Magnifying the disappointment was the obvious importance of the early-season matchup, which more often than not sends the teams in opposite directions.

The Tide went on to finish 6-7, with the coach dismissed prior to the Independence Bowl, while Arkansas won the Western Division and played in both the SEC Championship game and Capital One Bowl.

Other examples are abound, like in 2005 when Alabama won 24-13. The Tide went on to finish 10-2 and played in the Cotton Bowl, while the Razorbacks finished 4-7.

In 2003, Arkansas won in double-overtime, 34-31, en route to an 8-4 season. Alabama went 4-9.

“It really does seem like this game makes or breaks your season,” Castille said. “You don’t want to say that, but it seems like it usually does.”

Saturday’s game at Bryant-Denny Stadium will likely follow suit, even though it’s only the third week of the season. Factor in that it will be shown on ESPN and feature Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden, and there’s probably no one in Tuscaloosa who doesn’t know what could be at stake.

Even the newcomers are fully aware.

“Rolando [McClain] is a special guy, as you can obviously tell,” senior end Wallace Gilberry said about the true freshman linebacker. “He definitely has a knack for the ball and it doesn’t take much for him to get fired up. So I’m quite sure he’s aware of the hype surrounding Darren McFadden and I’m sure it’s going to be a thrill to him to tackle him. There’s not much you can say to a guy like him except go out and play ball.”

Although both sides made numerous mistakes last year, Leigh Tiffin, then a true freshman, ended up hogging the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

While filling in for injured Jamie Christensen, he missed a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter, a 30-yard go-ahead attempt in the fourth quarter, a 37-yard game-winning field goal in the first overtime, and the extra point in the second overtime.

However, there was a lot more to that game than the squandered kicks.

There was a viscous storm that the Tide flew through the night before. Quarterback John Parker Wilson took a pounding, including a brutal sideline hit from linebacker Sam Olajubutu in the first quarter, five sacks and 13 carries. Left tackle Andre Smith drilled defensive end Antwain Robinson on Keith Brown’s reverse.

Offensively, Arkansas couldn’t pass, while Alabama couldn’t run effectively. Specifically, Kenneth Darby’s 64 rushing yards on 26 attempts were a primary reason why the Tide averaged 2.3 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Razorbacks freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain had only four more completions, seven, than interceptions.

On the flip side, Arkansas struggled to stop Alabama’s receivers, with DJ Hall making six catches for 114 yards, including a career-long 78-yard touchdown strike, and Brown having seven receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, McFadden had 112 rushing yards on 25 carries and one touchdown, and Felix Jones contributed 65 yards on four carries. Both are still at Arkansas.

“It’s always been a big win for us,” Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. “Any time we can beat Alabama it really helps our season. There’s a lot of respect we have for Alabama and our players know that’s the first SEC game, and there’s always a big rivalry between us.”

But all that doesn’t mean the Alabama players have been talking up last year’s game. On the contrary, conversation in the locker room has been on anything but, and during Monday’s interview session players were anything but vocal.

“I wouldn’t say its revenge …,” junior safety Rashad Johnson said.

Granted, different things motivate different players, but this appears to be one of those times that words won’t be needed. For most, the memories will suffice.

“There’s really nothing that has to be said,” Gilberry said. “Just go out and do your job.”

Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.