Alabama takes positive feeling into the offseason

SHREVEPORT, La.

It was the best possible ending to prevent the worst possible outcome.

Sunday's 30-24 Independence Bowl win over Colorado provided the Crimson Tide with all it could hope for in an otherwise grim season.

Nick Saban likes the word "process" almost as much as "relative" to describe almost everything about the Alabama football program these days.

Surely, restoring success will be a process, but it likely would have been a tougher one with a loss Sunday. That would have been the fifth straight for the Crimson Tide and would have given Alabama its first back-to-back losing seasons in 50 years.

Many Saban supporters suggest that players from a previous, less-disciplined regime didn't buy into the coach's methods this season. But how would unspoiled apples respond after doing what was asked of them and still finishing with a losing record?

It's not hard to imagine some unrest within the ranks if Alabama's 7-6 record was flipped around. The way the Crimson Tide mustered the win, it's difficult to deny that most of the 47,043 in attendance in the crimson-and-white-dominated Independence Stadium weren't Saban believers.

He'll probably still have a hard time converting the LSU fans in the end zone who welcomed the coach back to Louisiana with a "$ABAN SUX" sign.

For the first time since the end of October, Alabama finally finished, even if it was close.

It appeared to be another flop job until a diving interception by linebacker Darren Mustin off a tipped pass gave Alabama possession at the Colorado 22-yard line.

The Crimson Tide capitalized with a Leigh Tiffin field goal to give Alabama a 13-point fourth-quarter cushion after surrendering 17 unanswered points.

Before that, the Alabama offense finally looked alive, scoring 27 first-half points while racking up records. DJ Hall, John Parker Wilson and Tiffin all claimed single-season school records during the score fest.

Wilson, the embattled quarterback who caught probably flak than anybody this season, was named offensive player of the game while tying an Independence Bowl record three touchdown passes. His best play though probably came on a 10-yard to the Colorado 48 to convert a third-and-7 opportunity. The drive eventually stalled but allowed Alabama to bleed 2:54 off the clock and do what it couldn't for the previous four games.

Defensive end Wallace Gilberry, who was named the defensive MVP, said most players hadn't lost confidence during the collapse. Sunday night the Crimson Tide proved it in the best possible way and likely gained future support in the process.

Though not from those Tigers fans in the end zone.

Bryan App can be reached at 740-5730 or bryan.app@timesdaily.com.