But then again the resourceful Alabama defense rose up

Matt Johns is Virginias incumbent starting quarterback and one of its unequivocal team leaders.In a summer that is part of a new era for the Cavaliers, the fifth-year senior has been leading his teammates through seven-on-seven drills and workouts in the weight room. Johns is embracing the changes though he doesnt know if he will be behind center when Virginia opens Bronco Mendenhalls coaching tenure against Richmond on Sept. 3.After spring practice, Mendenhall declined to name Johns or fellow senior Connor Brewer the starter, and the program has added former East Carolina quarterback Kurt Benkert as a transfer. Benkert, who has two years of eligibility remaining and can play right away, might be more mobile than either Johns or Brewer -- a factor Mendenhall said he wants in a quarterback -- and is familiar with the offensive system the Cavaliers will use.Johns is not letting any of the uncertainty knock him off course.Im good. Im just taking it one day at a time and putting one foot in front of the other and trying to stay in my lane, he said Friday. When you get caught up with everything, thats when it really hurts you and I just try to focus on what I can do to help this team get better and let the chips fall where they may.That means maintaining his leadership in the weight room, too. Frank Wintrich, the teams director of football performance, or strength and conditioning coaches, guides them through intense, body-changing workouts.Were getting pushed every day to new limits physically, mentally and just as a team, Johns said.Mendenhall promised when he was introduced that Virginias players would work harder than they ever thought they could. Wintrich and Mendenhall were already on the same page in that regard when they teamed up last year at BYU and then came east to Charlottesville together.Like the head coach, Wintrich was delighted that the Cavaliers embraced, rather than shied away from, the high standard. Only a handful of players opted to leave the football program, and none of them were on scholarship.The leadership of Johns and others has been crucial, Wintrich said, even after his job status became murky.Real testament to the kid, Wintrich said. Outstanding leadership, outstanding buy-in. His motivation and his energy havent waned one bit.Johns credits a changed attitude program-wide, and said the team is closer than ever before not only because they have had to work so hard together, but because of the excitement brewing that better results will be their reward in the fall.In the spring, when some players had one last chance on a Saturday morning to earn the right to practice by completing a series of runs within a proscribed time, the rest of the team showed up to cheer them on.And when the freshman recruits, on campus for nearly two weeks now, had their first scheduled workouts with Wintrich and his staff on Monday, about 50 of the veteran players were there offering encouragement.The culture is completely different, and its very exciting, Johns said.Even if he doesnt know what his fate will be in the fall. Air Max 97 Plus Wholesale China . 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Well save that discussion until the end of the season.But of this there can be little doubt. This is the most resourceful team that Saban, the future Hall of Famer, has ever coached.There was no other conclusion to draw Saturday night after watching No. 1 Alabama handle every challenge No. 15 Florida could muster and still post a 54-16 victory in the 25th SEC Championship game at the Georgia Dome.?Alabama (13-0), ranked No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings, won its third-straight SEC championship and the 26th in its storied football history. The Crimson Tide will now advance to the CFP semifinals, most certainly as the No. 1 seed. That means Alabama will return to Atlanta on Dec. 31. The Crimson Tides opponent will be announced at Noon ET Sunday on ESPN.?It was Sabans seventh SEC championship (two at LSU, five at Alabama), which moves him into second place alone on the all-time list behind Paul Bear Bryant, who won 13 SEC championships at Alabama and one at Kentucky.?And now Saban will be in pursuit of his sixth national championship, which would tie him with Bryant for the most by any coach in football history.?After the game Florida coach Jim McElwain, who once served as Sabans offensive coordinator, said there should be no debate. This, he said, is Sabans best team at Alabama.This is the best team that Coach (Saban) has put together, said McElwain. This is the best 85 they have traveled with to the SEC Championship Game. That is a real ball squad.It was certainly not Alabamas most artistic performance of the season. The Crimson Tide offense looked uneven and uncertain early in the game against the SECs No. 2 defense that was missing a lot of pieces due to injuries.Alabamas No. 1-ranked defense gave up a 64-yard touchdown drive to open the game and a 92-yard touchdown drive right before halftime against an offense ranked No. 104 nationally in scoring.The impressive thing about Alabama on this night - and really all season long - was that every time it appeared Florida might challenge, the Crimson Tide showed the myriad of ways it can find to beat people. During this game Alabama scored in the following ways:Defensive back Shaun Dion Hamilton intercepted an Austin Appleby pass and returned it 40 yards to the Florida 12-yard line. Adam Griffith kicked a 31-yard field goal with 6:58 left in the first quarter.On Floridas next possession Minkah Fitzpatrick returned an Appleby interception 44 yards for a touchdown.On Floridas next possession the Crimson Tide blocked a punt attempt and Josh Jacobs returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. It was Alabamas 14th non-offensive touchdown of the year. It was also the first ttime in SEC championship game history that a blocked punt had been returned for a touchdown.ddddddddddddThen Alabama got points the conventional way, driving the ball 88 yards on seven plays and scoring on a six-yard touchdown pass that gave the Crimson Tide a 23-9 lead.At the end of the first quarter Alabama had 84 yards of interception returns and minus-7 yards of total offense. Still the Crimson Tide led 16-9.At halftime Alabama had run 28 plays with only eight first downs and 172 yards of total offense. Florida had run 43 plays for 191 yards and had 20:02 time of possession to Alabamas 9:58.But Alabama led 33-16.This group, weve scored more non-offensive touchdowns than any team Ive been associated with, said Saban. I think it speaks to the playmaker type guys that we have.The 33 points by Alabama in the first half was the most in SEC championship game history.As expected Florida could not run the ball against the nations No. 1 run defense and that put the pressure squarely on quarterback Austin Appleby, who completed 26 of 39 passes for 261 yards. But he also had three interceptions. Appleby did direct touchdown drives of 64 yards to open the game and 92 yards right before halftime.After Alabama went three and out after the second half kickoff, Florida drove the ball to the Alabama two-yard line for a first down. A touchdown would have cut the Alabama lead to 10 and put a some pressure on the Crimson Tide.Thats why McElwain said he elected to go for the touchdown at that point instead of kicking the field goal.But then again the resourceful Alabama defense rose up. On third and goal from the one, Jordan Scarlett was stoned for a one-yard loss by a host of Crimson Tide defenders. Then on fourth down Applebys pass into the end zone was incomplete.Then Alabama responded by driving 98-yards on eight plays, which included a 34-yard run by Bo Scarbrough, to go up 40-16.For us to get the goal line stand and to follow it up with a 98 yard drive was big, said Saban. It was the turning point of the game.It would, indeed prove to be the knockout punch. On Alabamas next possession the Crimson Tide drove 91 yards on 15 plays to take a 47-16 lead with 9:15 left in the game.It wasnt perfect, said linebacker Rueben Foster, who was named the games Most Valuable Player. We had to persevere, overcome some hard times. But it came through. We overcame.It was the last SEC Championship game that will be played at the Georgia Dome, which next year will be destroyed and replaced by the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium right next door. After playing the first two SEC Championship games at Legion Field in 1992 and 1993, the game was moved to Atlanta in 1994. ' ' '