A-Day notes

From UA:

McCULLOUGH AND WILSON ARE A-DAY GAME AWARD WINNERS
Two players were recognized today for their outings in the A-Day Game. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Alfred McCullough was voted by the media the winner of the Dwight Stephenson Most Valuable Lineman of the A-Day Game Award. McCullough was credited with six tackles, including one quarterback sack, and two passes broken up. Sophomore running back Terry Grant was voted the winner of the Dixie Howell Memorial for Most Valuable Player of the A-Day Game. Grant finished the day with 108 all-purpose yards, gaining 87 yards and scoring two touchdowns on four catches while rushing for 21 yards on six carries.

A-DAY FUNDRAISER FOR UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
UA Athletics and Terry Saban helped raise funds to benefit academics for all UA students by taking donations for the University Libraries at the A-Day Game. Terry Saban, UA students, faculty, staff, and student-athletes, including members of the UA men’s basketball team, collected donations for the University Libraries gates around Bryant-Denny Stadium and in the Walk of Champions area prior to the game and inside the stadium throughout the first half. Details regarding the total funds collected will be announced in a couple of days.

ANOTHER BIG CROWD FOR ALABAMA A-DAY
Today’s attendance, estimated at 78,200, is the second-largest crowd in Alabama A-Day Spring Game history behind last year’s 92,138-plus national record. Today’s total also ranks as the second-highest known nationally. Several notable schools have their spring games slated for later this month, including Ohio State and Penn State on April 19. Last year’s national attendance leaders for spring football games were: Alabama (92,138), Ohio State (75,310), Penn State (71,000), Nebraska (54,288), Notre Dame (51,852), Florida (47,500), Texas (42,500), South Carolina (35,153), Auburn (31,757), Louisville (28,000), Florida State (25,000), Michigan State (25,000), Texas A&M (24,212), Georgia (21,407). Tennessee is believed to have held the mark before Alabama’s 2007 game with an estimated 73,000 in 1986.

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ALABAMA FOOTBALL SPRING AWARDS ANNOUNCED
The following players were recognized for exceptional performance through the offseason and spring practice by the coaching staff in a post-game ceremony today:

LEE ROY JORDAN HEADHUNTER AWARD: Rolando McClain (LB)
JERRY DUNCAN “I LIKE TO PRACTICE” AWARD”: Javier Arenas (CB/PR/KOR) & Travis McCall (TE)
BILLY NEIGHBORS DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD: Lorenzo Washington (DT)
BOBBY JOHNS DEFENSIVE BACK AWARD: Kareem Jackson (CB)
PAUL CRANE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD: Mike Johnson (OT) & Andre Smith (OT)
RAY PERKINS RECEIVER AWARD: Mike McCoy (WR)
JOHNNY MUSSO OFFENSIVE BACK AWARD: John Parker Wilson (QB)
WOODROW LOWE LINEBACKER AWARD: Jimmy Johns (LB)
OZZIE NEWSOME MOST IMPROVED FRESHMAN AWARD: Josh Chapman (DT) & Darius Hanks (WR)
BEAR BRYANT OUTSTANDING NON-SCHOLARSHIP PLAYER AWARD: Tyrone King (CB) & Leigh Tiffin (K)
DERRICK THOMAS COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Glen Coffee (RB) & Cory Reamer (LB)
MAL MOORE LEADERSHIP AWARD: Antoine Caldwell (OL) & Rashad Johnson (S)
BART STARR MOST IMPROVED PLAYER AWARD: Drew Davis (OL) & Justin Woodall (S)
SYLVESTER CROOM COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD: Marlon Davis (OL) & Bobby Greenwood (DL)

A-DAY ATTENDANCE – A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
While not the overflow situation that occurred last year, today’s A-Day Game still ranks as clearly the second-most attended A-Day Spring Game in Alabama football history. The 2007 A-Day Game drew in excess of 92,138 fans, with fans being turned away at the gate. The attendance mark of over 92,138 fans was well over the previous best for a Southeastern Conference spring game, believed to be Tennessee’s 73,000 in 1986. It also nearly doubled 2007’s previous best of 47,500 set by Florida at 47,500. The Tide’s 2007 A-Day attendance mark bettered the previous Bryant-Denny Stadium A-Day record of 46,700 set in 1994. The previous Alabama A-Day record was 51,117 set April 9, 1988 in Birmingham’s Legion Field.

A look at the Crimson Tide’s all-time A-Day attendance figures since the stadium was expanded to 60,000 fans in 1966:
Year Attendance
2008 78,200
2007 92,138
2006 40,000
2005 25,000
2004 35,000
2003 34,000
2002 37,000
2001 35,000
2000 25,355
1999 32,500
1998 8,968
1997 30,212
1996 No Game
1995 37,323
1994 46,700
1993 30,000
1992 35,016
1991 No Game
1990 16,500
1989 16,500
1988 51,117
1987 32,000
1986 20,435
1985 28,000
1984 16,000
1983 16,000
1982 N/A
1981 N/A
1980 8,000
1979 7,500
1978 N/A
1977 7,000
1976 N/A
1975 N/A
1974 N/A
1973 5,000
1972 20,000
1971 15,000
1970 17,000
1969 17,000
1968 12,000
1967 17,000
1966 15,000