A lot of things didn’t go right for Alabama last season, but the biggest disappointment was easily the final game of the regular season.

Alabama jumped out to a 24-0 lead on in-state rival Auburn, only to see it slip away, losing 28-27.

Over the offseason, signs appeared in the locker room and team facilities that said two simple words – Never Again – as well as pictures showing the scoreboard reading 24-0 and 28-27.

“We put the signs up for motivation,” junior safety Robert Lester said. “Letting us know that these guys are going to play their all every time they play us, and we’ve got to bring our all every time we play them.”

Besides thinking about last year’s game, there is already the motivation that comes from playing in a rivalry game.

“You’ve got two sides where people are just so passionate on whichever side that they’re on,” senior center William Vlachos said. “It means a lot to everyone in this state.”

“I’m excited about playing, everybody around here’s excited about playing,” Saban said. “If you don’t get excited about playing in the Iron Bowl, in a game like this, you’re probably not going to get excited about anything.”

Tide earns spirit award

            Alabama was awarded the 2011 Disney Spirit Award, given to the most inspirational team or player in college football.

Junior long snapper Carson Tinker will accept the award for the team. Tinker lost his girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, and was badly injured in the April 27 tornado, but played an integral role in helping rebuild the community as well as visit with others affected by the storms.

“This award does not represent me, it represents our team, our University and the Tuscaloosa community,” Tinker said. “I am very proud of how this team and this community rallied together after such a devastating storm.”

“It really speaks well for The University of Alabama,” Saban said. “I’m very proud to be a part of this and a lot of other people should be as well. It’s the way we should do things, and I’m proud of the example that we tried to set in helping our community.”

Players, coaches give thanks

            While talk of the Iron Bowl will dominate the headlines this week, Alabama players will have a day off to be with family and friends for Thanksgiving. Players who live within a two-hour radius will get to go home, while the others will enjoy the day at a coach’s house.

“Thanksgiving is an important time, it’s an important time for family,” Saban said. “It’s an important time for everyone to give thanks and to realize all they have to be thankful for. It’s just one of those things that’s a little bit more important than a football game.”

Besides the obvious challenge of missing a day of practice, some players will have to hold back at the dinner table with a game just two days later.

“I know [Terrence] Cody came to my house a couple years ago, and he just sat and stared at the coconut cream pie,” Saban joked. “I said, ‘You can have a piece, it’s Thanksgiving.’ He said ‘No coach, I’m not going to do it, I’m staying on my diet.’”

Josh Chapman, one of the bigger players on the team, will look to his family to keep him in check.

“It is hard for me,” he joked. “My mom makes me hold back, so she probably won’t let me eat a lot anyway.”