Tide fans turn out in throngs for Gameday festivities

TUSCALOOSA

Stepping out from the confines of a bus crammed full of crimson- clad fans and into the barbecue smoke-filled air of the University of Alabama Quad on Saturday should have afforded a bit more room to move in.

It should have.

Instead, fans covered seemingly every inch of sidewalk and blade of grass in anticipation of the Crimson Tide’s first home football game of the season.

“I mean, we’re only playing Florida International,” fan Terri Elmore said with a laugh, surprised at the large crowd.

It may have only been FIU, but after an undefeated regular season in 2008 followed by two straight losses in the SEC Championship game and then in the Sugar Bowl, Tide fans were eager to start a new winning streak.

And after beating Virginia Tech to open the season, defeating FIU would make two wins in a row for the Tide.

“We want a repeat of last year,” Steve Sheffield of Jackson said. “Except we want to redeem ourselves for the last two losses.”

Everything seemed to go smoothly Saturday leading up to the game. There were relatively few changes to game-day traffic routes and parking around the campus this year, and even limiting UA students to a single entrance to Bryant-Denny Stadium did not appear to cause any problems. Students usually enter through multiple gates, but the ongoing stadium expansion required the change.

Elmore and her family made the drive from Trussville for their first game in a few years. She and her husband, Danny, used to come to every game in Tuscaloosa until they had children.

The couple said much has changed since then.

“It wasn’t like this then. The experience is definitely larger than it’s ever been,” Terri Elmore said.

“And the environment inside the stadium is overwhelming,” her husband said.

The couple brought along their daughter, Payton, and her friend, Emma Owen, and all agreed that they were excited to see what this season has in store for the Tide and one player in particular.

“I’m excited to see Julio,” Payton Elmore said, referring to star receiver Julio Jones. “He’s a great player and I love it when he scores a touchdown because the entire crowd goes ‘Juuuulioooo.’ ”

Danny Elmore credits coach Nick Saban with returning Alabama football to prominence, and said he’s happy about the recent extension of Saban’s contract.

“The longer he’s here, the better,” Danny Elmore said. “Pay him whatever he needs.”

Don and Joan Cothran have been making the trip from Centre for years and said they have enjoyed the changes both the city of Tuscaloosa and the university have gone through in recent years.

“I love it down here. I think it’s wonderful,” Joan Cothran said. “Things are getting better and the town looks a lot better than it has in years.”

The couple said with Saban at the helm, they expect the same kind of great season that last year’s team produced.

“It think he’s doing a good job and I think he’ll continue to do a great job,” Don Cothran said.

Jerrod Harvey, his wife, Ginger, and their two sons, Ethan, 7, and Eli, 3, are from Oxford, and said they enjoyed their first Gameday experience in Tuscaloosa.

“There are so many great activities for the boys to do and we’re excited to see the game,” Ginger Harvey said.