Tiffin caps breakout season

SHREVEPORT, La. - Leigh Tiffin needed less than six minutes to kick his way into Alabama history Sunday.

The former Muscle Shoals standout made field goals on Alabama's first two possessions to become the school's single-season leader for field goals made and points scored by a kicker.

Tiffin booted a 41-yarder through the uprights with 11:30 left in the first quarter to give him 102 points this season. That broke the previous record of 100 set by Phillip Doyle in 1990.

Doyle also set the previous record with 24 field goals that season. Tiffin tied that mark with a 24-yarder with 9:13 left in the opening quarter.

Tiffin also went 3-for-3 on PATs and kicked three more field goals, for a season total of 26 to finish the season with 111 points.

The performance capped a breakout season for the sophomore, who leads the SEC with nine field goals of 40 yards or longer.

His high point came in Alabama's 17-12 loss to Mississippi State, in which Tiffin made all four of his field-goal attempts to account for all of the Crimson Tide's points. Two of those kicks came from 50 yards or longer, setting a personal long and making him one of two Alabama kickers to make two 50-yarders in a game. The other was his father, Van Tiffin.

Hall of records

Already holding seven Alabama receiving records, senior D.J. Hall entered the history books again Sunday, claiming another major receiving record.

Hall broke Freddie Milons' single-season receptions record with his 66th catch midway through the fourth quarter. Milons set the previous record in 1999.

"That ain't me man," Hall responded when asked before the game about a shot at another record. "I'm not concerned about breaking records. I'm just concerned about winning games. I'll worry about it after the game."

Hall finished with 58 yards on four catches Sunday for a season total of 1,005 yards, shy of the school single-season record of 1,056 he set as a junior.

Wilson joins frenzy

John Parker Wilson joined in the record-breaking party, surpassing two of his own best to set Alabama single-season highs in touchdown passes and passing yards.

Wilson connected with Nikita Stover for a 31-yard scoring strike with 12:20 remaining in the second half for the embattled quarterback's 18th touchdown pass of the season, besting his 2006 total of 17. It also gave Wilson 2,744 passing yards, surpassing his 2006 mark of 2,707.

'Tis the bowl season

To the delight of Alabama players playing in their second straight Independence Bowl, bowl officials changed up the gift bag since last year's game.

Gifts received by players from both schools included a surround sound system, a watch, sweat suits, cash and a video recorder, which some players used to catch footage of coach Nick Saban's dance moves.

"We got some different things," Alabama defensive back Rashad Johnson said. "A lot of them have already been used. I'm sure a lot of people have already seen the video on YouTube. It ended up being a bad gift, I guess."

Rubbing it in

A billboard in Monroe, La., was more than an eye sore for bowl-bound Alabama fans driving west on Interstate 20.

The advertisement, which faces the westbound lanes on the left-hand side just east of exit 117, was difficult to miss, providing a reminder to Crimson and White-clad passersby. It reads: "TIDE ROLLED!" with the 21-14 final score of Louisiana Monroe's upset win and a logo for a local Ford dealership appearing below.

Located about 98 miles east of Shreveport, Monroe is, of course, the home of the Sun Belt conference school.

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