2009: The Beginning, Part 2 | Looking back at Alabama's first championship season under Nick Saban

The year was 2009, and Alabama’s third-year coach, Nick Saban, had his Crimson Tide off to an undefeated start in what would become his first national championship season in Tuscaloosa.
The scene had been set with a season-opening win against Virginia Tech, and the Tide was rolling.
The regular season came to a climatic end against Auburn on the play “Near I left Peter Pass Right X Corner.”
But long before Nick Saban’s Tide took the field in the annual Iron Bowl against Gene Chizik’s Auburn Tigers, adversity struck in the form of a visor-wearing, ole’ ball coach by the name of Spurrier and a young, brazen coach - decked out in orange - by the name of Kiffin.
AL.com, on the 10th anniversary of the 2009 national title run, takes a three-part visual trip through what became the foundation for a modern-day college-football dynasty.
For Saban and his Tide, who were off to a 6-0 start, things were out of sorts.
“Everyone was a little bit on edge because we hadn’t performed offensively the way we would have liked, dating back to the Kentucky game,” then-Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy told AL.com.
McElroy, who played at Alabama from 2007-2010, remembers the Kentucky game was rough, Ole Miss wasn’t very good, then there was South Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier.
It was a Saturday night, nationally televised game between No. 2 Alabama and No. 22 South Carolina.
And McElroy, who admitted to never dealing with adversity, blinked first with an early interception. “The rest of the game I was seeing ghosts the whole time,” he said.
Alabama countered the adversity with a healthy dose of Mark Ingram, who ran for a career-high 246 rushing yards, and the Tide got a late score from Ingram for the 20-6 win.
“It was a microcosm of the entire season,” Alabama lineman Mike Johnson said. "There were some struggles. There were some ups and downs. We had a good football team. In the end, we put our foot down, and we were able to get it done."
The following week it wasn’t putting a foot down but a hand up that swatted adversity and a potential game-winning kick right back into the faces of the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville.
Dubbed by SEC Network analyst Paul Finebaum as “the moment” of the season, Terrence Cody, the Crimson Tide’s 350-pound nose guard, blocked a 44-yard field-goal attempt on the final play -- his second block of the fourth quarter -- and Alabama escaped with a 12-10 victory over rival Tennessee and its coach Lane Kiffin.
Fast forward five weeks later - and with 1:24 left in the Iron Bowl and the Tide down 21-20 - McElroy got the play: “Near I left Peter Pass Right X Corner.”
A play-action pass inside the 5 - a play McElroy shares was often practiced but never used - finds Roy Upchurch for the game-winning touchdown.
It was the culmination of a 99-yard drive with fewer than 10 minutes left in the game, something the Tide had been unable to do throughout the night.
“Everything that was not happening right for these guys for 3 1/2 quarters was happening right,” then-Auburn coach Gene Chizik told AL.com.
Johnson called the final touchdown the “best moment of his life.”
But the play - and the drive - solidified something deeper.
Said Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports: “It was a statement drive for Greg McElroy, for Nick Saban, and I would say the program.”

[@TheLFB]

“It became a footnote, as all Tennessee games have become.” Man, it’s about 10 degrees cooler in that shade, Paul.

[@Jzanderm]

I was about to say the same thing all the way down to the shade.

[@sam21462]

That's odd as I haven't even entered a footnote under "Tennessee Lols" in almost a decade. Just another line on the schedule, like Arkansas or New Mexico State.

[@pissysoles6996]

Part 3: Gator Tears

[@tgreeniii]

Greg McElroy wasn't the flashiest but he was efficient and smart... and best of all he sure seems like a genuinely good dude... What a memorable year that was!

[@sneakyquick]

The QB is struggling today, ok let's hand it to a Heisman trophy rb....well he's tired he's ran for 242 yards....ok give it to Trent Richardson....RTR!!!!

[@Tiredsoutherndad]

"We made them play us left handed, and they beat us left handed." Great quote.

[@winfordt.mcguillacutty2553]

That pass to Upchurch in the Iron Bowl still puts a smile on this Bama boy's face😂

[@jasperfeaggins2126]

Winford Riner mine too!!!

[@hughbrame4193]

ROLL MF TIDE!!!!!! That was the BEST Bama team ever. By far!

[@sam21462]

I appreciate you fervor but please, there is no MF in Roll Tide. I'm not a prude, mind you, and feel free to put MF plenty of other places, especially when speaking about Auburn, but there is no MF in Roll Tide. Those words were yelled by my father and my grandfather and his father before him (and all the wives as well). Respect the words as they are and put the second Roll at the end often. :D Roll Tide Roll

[@mas5867]

Finebaum is too funny. TN might have been a little luck. TX was a ton of luck. 2700 yd QB replaced by 150 yd QB 6 plays in. Turned it over 5 times. What a joke of a NC.

[@jaycie3558]

@@mas5867 and Bama still won it. Along with 5 more further down the road💯🤣😂🫵🏻

[@mas5867]

@@jaycie3558 And GA beat TCu 65-7 and nobody will believe that NC is legit. The NCs are riddled with make believe

[@BlueandWright]

When can we expect part 3? I've been looking forward to it!

[@BlueandWright]

Excellent timing! Thanks, guys!

[@DeAngeloStevens]

First starting Quarterback in the SEC since Tee Martin in 1998

[@netsarebetter1067]

Bama still hasn't gotten Clemson back from last season's loss and they won't get a chance at that this year either 🚮🤷🏾‍♂️

[@ericwhite646]

Clemson must not be going to make it to the playoffs

[@chrislane5145]

kyrie, They have not played Clemson since last season's loss. How would they get them back? Alabama is 2 - 2 vs Clemson over the last 4 years with 2 national championships just like Clemson.

[@sam21462]

You do get the fact that most of the Alabama family have a ton of respect for Clemson, right? You do get that Dabo is also family, right? Leave our business to us and go root for whatever lesser program you actually support when not trying to troll your elders.

[@shooter4805]

Go back to Choking on your boyfriend Loser

[@freeannasalter807]

Hater

[@mr.cocksure2579]

Man collage football has changed so much in 10 years. ROLL TIDE FOREVER