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OPEN DAILY
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
3/9/1989
Gene Jelks, the star Alabama football player who first gained fame as a running back before being switched to the secondary, tells reporters he is having a difficult time deciding whether to come back and play this fall. Jelks was injured in the second game of the '88 season and earned a medical hardship and is eligible for a second senior year. |
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Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant (Alabama) Record: 8-4
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Captain(s): Eddie Lowe and Steve Mott
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A year filled with high expectations slowly evolved into the most disappointing year in a dozen seasons. After defeating eventual national champ Penn State 42-21, the Tide rose to No. 2 in the polls but a string of losses to Tennessee, LSU, Southern Miss and Auburn slowly choked the breath of happiness from Bama fans. Two weeks after the 23-22 loss to Auburn, December 15, 1982 to be exact, Paul Bryant announced he was retiring. Only a date of destiny with Illinois in the Liberty Bowl remained for the most revered sporting figure in Southern athletic annals.
An all-star performance by All-American cornerback Jeremiah Castille (three interceptions and a fumble caused inside the three-yard line) and a late interception by Robbie Jones enabled Bama to escape with a 21-15 win over the Illini, successfully ending the Bryant Era. The fabled Bama coach concluded his Tide career with a 232-46-9 record. Castille and fellow defensive back Tommy Wilcox earned Ail-American honors as did defensive end Mike Pitts. |
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Notes: Coach Bryant died four weeks after the win over Illinois. During his career, he never lost a game to an active member of the Big 10. |
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