Players Of The Week: TJ Yeldon, DeMarcus Milliner

True Freshman RB TJ Yeldon scoring his first of MANY touchdowns for Alabama

TJ Yeldon was named the SEC Freshman Of The Week for his performance against Michigan, in his first career game. His first game EVER in crimson and white, and he was our leading rusher, with 111 yards on 11 carries. Eddie Lacy started the game, but only got 9 carries and significantly less yardage than TJ.

I think everyone knows by now that TJ famously flipped his commitment from Auburn to Alabama at pretty much the very last minute, the night before the dead period started before Christmas. And he enrolled early at Bama in January. This meant that the night he announced his switch, not a single Auburn coach would be allowed to contact him in any way until he would've already enrolled at Bama. LOL. Good job on the part of the young Mr. Yeldon there.

(Who wants to bet that AU coaches tried to contact him anyway? But that doesn't matter)

TJ went on to star in the spring scrimmage and was the MVP of that game, rushing and receiving for a total of almost 200 yards against what is obviously one of the best defenses in the country.

In the Michigan game Saturday night, he was unleashed upon the world. He only carried the ball 11 times. That's half the amount of a usual workhorse RB, and he went over the century mark easily. His very first career carry went for 14 yards. Every single thing this guy has done since December has been awesome and everything he touches is turning to gold. I think he will win the next Heisman for Bama, I think he is already the best RB on our roster, immediately, even over returning veteran stud Eddie Lacy. I think it won't be long before he is considered one of the best players on the entire team and he should enter his sophomore season in 2013 as one of the top RB's in the country. He is such the real deal, it is ridiculous. I know it's one game, and maybe I'm getting carried away, but consider this little fact: In the entire history of Alabama Football, with all the great backs who have carried the ball in Tuscaloosa, only ONE has EVER rushed for over 100 yards in his first game as a freshman. That would be TJ.

This award will be the most minor of many he will receive in the future. Can't say enough about how happy and excited I am to have this kid as one of US, when he could've just as easily been an Auburn Tiger. God, that would've been awful. 

Junior CB Dee Milliner knocking a ball away from a Michigan WR

Dee Milliner was named the National Defensive Player Of The Week for his performance against Michigan, which included 5 tackles, an INT, and a handful of passes broken up. He was a beast Saturday night, and every bit as good as Dre Kirkpatrick ever was. Yeah, I know. It's the truth though. 

Coming into the season, he had received some recognition in some All-SEC lists, but not alot of people around the country really knew him and he wasn't expected by most outside of Alabama to be a big star this year. It was even said in fall camp that incoming JUCO transfer Deion Belue could be better than him.

Dee was on a mission Saturday night. He got constantly picked on, but never gave up a single thing and played as well as anyone could expect anyone to play with that much attention on him.

Dee will be the man in our secondary this year, I think, even on par with Robert Lester.