Wednesday 6 January 2010

Tiffin Hoping to Finish has a Kick

The headlines and stories this week have mostly been focused on Mark Ingram, Greg McElroy, Javier Arenas and Coach Saban. Thursday will be the last game at Alabama for the All-American, record-setting senior kicker Leigh Tiffin. Throughout the 2009 season Tiffin has been as big a factor in winning games as his quarterback and running back have. On November 7th against LSU Tiffin became Alabama’s all-time leading scorer, it was a week before then, however, that Leigh Tiffin proved his importance to the Crimson Tide. Terrence Cody got the headlines for his double field goal block against Tennesse but, with a neutered offence, someone had to score the points. Tiffin went 4 for 4 in the nail biting rivalry game, kicking goals of 22, 38, 49 and 50 yards. Amongst the excitement surrounding the successes of Ingram, McElroy and Cody the 21 year old from Muscle Shoals, Alabama has been lost in the mix.

Tiffin has improved as his college career has progressed. This year has been by far his best, making 87.9% of his field goals, that has been an improvement from 61% in his freshman year, 73% sophomore and 69% last year. This is what you expect from college players, improvement. Despite regressing last year he has shown, in his senior year, why he has been contending for the Lou Groza award. The stats show exactly how; the 18% success rate improvement shows his work on the practice field. It is even more impressive that because Tiffin has attempted 33 field goals, 4 more than last year and 1 less than his sophomore year. The only area he has dropped off is his extra point kicking, missing a career high 3 extra points. Despite this, in the biggest moments, when the clutch kicks have been needed is when Leigh has been at his best. The Tennessee and LSU games being the prime example.

He is also a very engaging young man. One of the forefront media figures on the Alabama roster he is always willing to give an interesting sound bite, something slightly unique. He obviously knows Alabama football, his dad Van was another record setting Tide kicker, and this shows. He cares for the team, university, fans and his team mates. He is clearly a young kid from northern Alabama living the dream of every Alabama born young man. If he remains as ice cool as he has been this year he could be living the biggest Alabama dream there is, a dream that’s been a 16 year nightmare. The nightmare could end, with Tiffin’s college career, in Pasadena tomorrow night.

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