A Collaboration with @SabanSays
Too many people nowadays focus on all the negative things and not on the positive things. They tend to focus on the current but not look back on the past. Yes, Cade missed some field goals last night. So what? Other players made mistakes as well. It doesn’t matter who made what mistakes. It CERTAINLY doesn’t call for all of the nasty tweets Cade is getting from “so called” Alabama fans. And yes, I am calling you all out. With this blog post, I am going to look back at what Cade has done for us during his time here at Alabama. Sure, he has had some rough spots. We all have had bad days. I know I have. If you say you haven’t had a bad day, you are lying to me and yourself. I have had days at work where nothing I could do seemed like it would go like I had planned. I am thankful I have a understanding boss that realized people can make mistakes and can forgive me for messing up. As most of the Bama players have said, football is a team sport. You win and lose as a team. I can assure you, no one feels as bad as those guys that gave their all to put on the Crimson jersey. They spend time away from their families and put in all of the hard work to give us fans some entertainment on fall weekends. I, for one, am thankful for each and every one of them. Right down to every walk on. I have been an Alabama fan as long as I can remember. If you are one of the ones that have been sending death threats etc. to Cade, turn in all of your Tide memorabilia and find another team to cheer for. Yes, even if you graduated from Alabama. We don’t need you and you probably will want to stop reading right here. I have included all of the stats in this post. Good and bad. It’s not because I want look at the bad things. I want to look at everything Cade Foster has done for Alabama, appreciate his time here, and to thank him for it as well. Always remember, no one is perfect. Not you nor I. Thank Cade and the rest of the team for what they have done. This has been a special ride and it’s not over yet. “Losing doesn’t make me want to quit. It makes me want to fight that much harder.” -Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.
This season alone before the Auburn game, he had connected on 11 field goals on 12 attempts. His longest is 53 yards. He has been responsible for 89 points that Alabama has scored this season. There is not that many field goal attempts because he has not been needed as much this year with the offense being as effective as it has been. On that note, he knocked 59 extra points through the uprights. Those extra points never really came into play but they are crucial in close games. A missed extra point can mean the difference between a win and a loss.
Foster played in all 13 games as a Freshman at Alabama. He connected on 7-of-9 field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards against Mississippi (Oct. 16) and was a perfect 7 for 7 on PAT attempts and tallied 10 touchbacks on kickoffs. The former high school linebacker made nine tackles on kick coverage and forced a fumble and averaged 65.2 yards on kickoffs (84 for 5,476 yards).
- San Jose State: Was named one of the Special Teams Players of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff … was a perfect 2 for 2 in field goal attempts in his first collegiate game with a long of 41 yards … connected on both extra point attempts … averaged 67 yards with a touchback on kickoffs.
- Penn State: Missed his only field goal attempt on the day … averaged 67.2 yards on five kickoffs.
- Duke: Went a perfect 2 for 2 in field goal attempts with a long of 44 yards … connected on both PAT attempts.
- Arkansas: Kicked off five times and tallied one touchback … did not attempt a field goal.
- Florida: Kicked off six times with one touchback … did not attempt a field goal.
- South Carolina: Was named one of the Special Teams Players of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff … kicked off five times and tallied a season-best two touchbacks while averaging a season-best 69.2 yards on kickoffs … assisted on one tackle on kickoff coverage.
- Mississippi: Was named one of the Special Teams Players of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff … connected on two field goals, including a long of 49 yards … kicked off five times and tallied one touchback.
- Tennessee: Kicked off eight times and tallied a touchback … connected on his only point after attempt in the contest.
- LSU: Kicked off four times and recorded one touchback.
- Mississippi State: Was named one of the Special Teams Players of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff … connected on a 45-yard field goal and averaged 68.7 yards on seven kickoffs with one touchback.
- Georgia State:Missed a 54-yard field goal attempt … recorded a tackle and forced a fumble on kickoff coverage … kicked off 10 times for 633 yards.
- Auburn: Made one assisted tackle on kickoff coverage … averaged 60 yards on six kickoffs against the Tigers.
- Michigan State: Kicked off five times for an average of 62.2 yards with his 10th touchback of the season.
During his sophomore season, he was the kickoff specialist and handled all of the long field goal opportunities. He averaged 63.3 yards on 81 kickoffs in 2011 and was 2-for-9 on field goals, hitting from 45 yards against Tennessee and 46 yards against LSU.
- Kent State: Averaged 64.4 yards on nine kickoffs in the Crimson Tide’s 48-7 victory … also missed on a 53-yard field goal against the Golden Flashes.
- Penn State: Kicked off six times for 372 yards, an average of 62.0 yards per kick.
- North Texas: Averaged 64.0 yards on eight kickoffs against the Mean Green. Arkansas:Kicked off seven times for 430 yards, averaging 61.4 yards per kick with one touchback.
- Florida: Kicked off seven times for 450 yards, averaging 64.3 per kick.
- Vanderbilt: Was named the Special Teams Player of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff … recorded five kickoffs for 316 yards … averaged 63.2 per kick.
- Mississippi: Tallied three kickoffs for 197 yards for an average of 65.7 per kick … missed a 53-yard field goal attempt.
- Tennessee: Was named one of the Special Teams Players of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff … connected on his first field goal of the season when he hit from 45 yards in the win against the Volunteers … kicked off eight times, recording one touchback and averaging 65.4 per kick.
- LSU: Connected on one field goal for 46 yards against the Tigers … was 1-for-4 on the evening … kicked off three times for an average of 63 yards.
- Mississippi State: Kicked off four times for 231 yards for an average of 57.8 per kick … went 0-1 on field goals.
- Georgia Southern: Kicked off seven times for an average of 63.9 per kick … recorded one touchback.
- Auburn: Kicked off eight times for an average of 60.5 yards … tied a career high with two touchbacks.
- LSU (BCS National Championship Game): Kicked off six times for a 66.7 yard average, allowing the coverage team to limit the Tigers to 20.8 yards per return … his net yards per kickoff was a solid 45.8 … did not attempt a field goal.
During his junior season, he shared field goal attempts with Jeremy Shelley and handled the kickoffs. He connected on 4-of-9 field goals this season, three from beyond 50 yards and kicked off 92 times for 5,837 yards and 42 touchbacks.
- Michigan: Drilled a career-long 51-yard field goal in win against the No. 8-ranked Wolverines.
- Western Kentucky: Named one of the specialists of the week by the Alabama coaching staff, after three of his six kickoffs went for touchbacks … also assisted on one tackle on special teams.
- Arkansas: Named one of the specialists of the week by the Alabama coaching staff … connected on his second 51-yard field goal of the season (1-for-2 in the game) … kicked off nine times for 580 yards and eight touchbacks.
- Florida Atlantic: Named one of the specialists of the week for the second consecutive week by the Alabama coaching staff … 2-for-2 on field goals, including a career-long 52-yarder … kicked off nine times for 580 yards, with six touchbacks.
- Mississippi: Kicked off eight times and had seven touchbacks … totaled 520 kickoff yards, for a 65-yard average per kick.
- Missouri: Had seven kickoffs covering 430 yards and three touchbacks.
- Tennessee: Missed his two field-goal attempts … kicked off eight times for 498 yards and four touchbacks.
- Mississippi State:Kicked off seven times for 433 yards.
- LSU: Covered 236 yards on four kickoffs, with one touchback.
- Texas A&M: Kicked off five times for 321 yards (64.2 average) and two touchbacks.
- Western Carolina: Had eight kickoffs for 512 yards … averaged 64 yards per kick and, with three touchbacks.
- Auburn: Kicked off eight times for 494 yards (61.8 per kick).
- Georgia: Had his lone field-goal attempt blocked … kicked off five times for 325 yards, averaging 65 yards per kick (all touchbacks).
- Notre Dame:Registered four touchbacks seven kickoffs for a 64-yard average.
Stat rundown from RollTide.com
So, while all of Twitter saw last night and early into this morning the hate that some of our fellow “Bama fans” can lash out with as the sun rose this morning, just as AJ said it would, we saw another side of Alabama fans. We saw the true fan base of THE University of Alabama. Those “Bama fans” which I will now call uneducated trolls began attacking and we saw Bama fans, the true fans, step up and support their team. We watched Alabama fans support Cade Foster like he was one of their own blood. Twitter saw the uneducated trolls be silenced by the diehard Bama fans. Maybe, as we reflect back on the game and the unnecessary reaction towards Cade Foster, we can agree Auburn did have something right. True fans are a family. As quickly as the uneducated trolls decided to pin an entire team loss on Cade Foster, we saw the true Bama fans come out and defend him as if Cade was their own own son, brother, or teammate. As much as it pains me to say it…Auburn is right about one thing: Coaches, players, and (true) fans are a family. We may not all be in the trenches and fully understand the mind-blowing intensity and nerves that come with 100,000s of people watching you all over the country – but we do feel the agony of defeat. We understand in times like this we should come together and support those hurting the most. Why? Because we are THE University of Alabama. We all are Alabama Football. Coaches, players, and fans. True fans come together and are proud of their team no matter the outcome. So, thank you to the entire team and a very special to our big ole (crazy) family. The Dynasty only ends if we allow it to — we ain’t going to do that. Roll Tide!