Saban Sighting

Nick Saban visits North Forest’s football program

Seth Livingston
Edward McFarland
Jan 26, 2018, 12:55 pm
Nick Saban and Clifton Terrell Vype

Originally appeared on Vype.com

As a high school football player if there’s any college coach you want looking at you it’s Nick Saban.

After winning his sixth national championship a few weeks ago, he’s now considered arguably the greatest college football coach of all-time.

Saban came down to North Forest High School recently with his eyes set on junior offensive tackle Javonne Shepherd and sophomore receiver Demond Demas.

“Saban didn’t get to meet with them,” Clifton Terrell, North Forest’s head coach said. “But he told me that Alabama wanted to offer both of them scholarships.”

Saban’s time on North Forest campus was spent by watching film on Shepherd and Demas plus talking with coaches and the school principal.

The back story of Shepherd and Demas getting recruited by Alabama is that the two were brought to Saban’s attention from a new assistant coach that was once recruiting Shepherd and Demas from a different school.

The assistant coach saw Shepherd and Demas' talent at a football camp and has been trying to recruit them ever since.

Once the assistant coach made the switch over to Alabama, he kept urging Saban to take a look at the two players.

Other programs that have passed through North Forest recently have been Texas A&M and the University of Houston. Ole Miss and Tennessee are scheduled to come to the school in weeks ahead.

Though Saban was only offering Shepherd and Demas a scholarship it was definitely inspiring for the other players to see him on campus.

“I hope this encourages all the players to keep working hard,” Terrell said. “As coaches we’re just trying to keep them focus and make sure we don’t let them fail and do anything to lose the opportunities they’re being blessed with.”

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Houston drops the game to Arizona

D-backs outslug Greinke and Astros to take series opener

Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

With the series win over the Rangers by taking two of three games in the middle of the week, the Astros welcomed the Diamondbacks to Minute Maid Park for a three-game weekend series, Houston's final three regular-season home games. Here is how the opener unfolded:

Final Score: Diamondbacks 6, Astros 3.

Record: 25-26, second in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Zac Gallen (2-2, 3.00 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Luis Garcia (0-1, 2.53 ERA).

Houston scores first, but Arizona grabs a lead against Greinke

Houston would get on the board first on Friday night, with George Springer reaching base in the bottom of the first on an error, moving to second on a walk, then to third on a single, as the Astros loaded the bases with no out to threaten a big inning. Instead, they would come away with just one run, with Springer taking home on a wild pitch, grabbing the 1-0 lead, but leaving runs on the table.

They doubled their lead in the bottom of the third, getting a two-out RBI-double by Kyle Tucker to make it a 2-0 Houston lead. The D-backs responded in the top of the fourth, getting back-to-back singles to lead off the inning before a three-run homer by Kole Calhoun off of Zack Greinke would put Arizona in front, 3-2. Greinke would finish one more inning before Houston would move to their bullpen, striking out the side to bring his total to nine on the night, making the bad fourth inning the one blemish on his night. His final line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 1 HR, 89 P.

Astros tie it, but D-backs take the opener

George Springer would get Greinke off the hook in the bottom of the fifth, leading off the half-inning with a solo bomb to tie the game at 3-3. Luis Garcia was first out of Houston's bullpen and retired Arizona in order for a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth. He returned for the top of the seventh but would allow a leadoff single, RBI-triple, and wild pitch to bring in two runs. He would face two more batters, allowing a double and getting a strikeout, before Dusty Baker would come out to get him, now down 5-3.

Blake Taylor would make his return from the IL after Garcia, getting back-to-back outs to finish the inning. He continued on in the 5-3 game in the top of the eighth, but allowed a one-out solo homer to Calhoun, his second of the night and fourth RBI. That made it a 6-3 D-backs lead, which would go final as Houston would go scoreless after Springer's home run back in the fifth.

Up Next: The middle game of this three-game set will start Saturday at 6:10 PM Central. The pitching matchup will be Luke Weaver (1-7, 6.70 ERA) for Arizona and Cristian Javier (4-2, 3.22 ERA) for Houston.

astros recap astros vs diamondbacks mlb mlb recap zack greinke george springer kyle tucker kole calhoun astros

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