Stallings Departs A Winner Alabama Rallies With Defense

Outback bowl

Alabama’s stingy defense wouldn’t let Gene Stallings’ retirement party end on a sour note.

Dwayne Rudd returned a fourth-quarter interception 88 yards for a touchdown and the 16th-ranked Crimson Tide closed out the Stallings era with a 17-14 victory over No. 15 Michigan in the Outback Bowl on Wednesday.

Alabama’s players hoisted the retiring coach onto their shoulders for a ride to midfield before the top spot in one of college football’s most successful programs officially was turned over to defensive coordinator Mike Dubose.

All week, Stallings insisted he wasn’t attaching any special importance to his final game. Although that didn’t stop him from pacing the sidelines, getting in the faces of officials and players, he didn’t budge on his stance that he wanted to win for the program - not himself.

“The thing about winning your last game is that you don’t have to apologize throughout the off-season. For some reason, spring practice is a little easier, you enjoy the summer a little bit more, and the transition will be a little smoother,” Stallings said.

Michigan, threatening to build on a 6-3 edge in the fourth quarter, appeared in control. But Alabama’s Kelvin Sigler hit Brian Griese as the quarterback released a pass and the ball floated into the air just beyond the line of scrimmage.

Rudd, a 245-pound linebacker, made the interception and took off up the left sideline with a convoy of teammates leading the way to put Alabama ahead 10-6 with 12:13 remaining.

“I was worried about someone catching me from behind, so I kept looking back,” Rudd said. “Kelvin Sigler was waving me to the outside and at about the 10-yard line, I knew I was going to score. I coasted in from there.”

The Crimson Tide (10-3) scored again 10 minutes later on Shaun Alexander’s 46-yard run, then withstood Michigan’s last-ditch effort in the final 2:15.

Griese, who came off the bench to direct Michigan’s 13-9 upset of Ohio State in the regular-season finale, threw a 9-yard TD pass to Russell Shaw with 1:16 to go. Chris Floyd’s 2-point conversion run made it 17-14, but Alabama recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.

Michigan (8-4) finished with four losses for the second straight season under Lloyd Carr, who may have created a quarterback controversy by starting Griese over Scott Dreisbach. Dreisbach held the No. 1 job all season but did not play against Alabama.

Alabama 3 0 0 14 - 17 Michigan 0 6 0 8 - 14

First quarter

Ala-FG Brock 43, 3:42. Second quarter

Mich-FG Hamilton 44, 6:57.

Mich-FG Hamilton 22, 14:40. Fourth quarter

Ala-Rudd 88 interception return (Brock kick), 2:47.

Ala-S. Alexander 46 run (Brock kick), 12:45.

Mich-Shaw 9 pass from Griese (Floyd run), 13:44.

A-53,161.

Ala Mich First downs 13 22 Rushes-yards 35-182 41-124 Passing 65 291 Comp-Att-Int 9-18-1 22-38-1 Return Yards 88 68 Punts-Avg. 6-46.5 7-26.1 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 3-0 Penalties-Yards 8-42 6-47 Time of Possession 25:28 34:32

Individual statistics

RUSHING-Alabama, S. Alexander 9-99, Riddle 13-58, Foust 5-29, West 1-4, Kitchens 7-(minus 8). Michigan, Williams 12-58, Floyd 6-35, Howard 12-27, Griese 10-5, Shaw 1-(minus 1). PASSING-Alabama, Kitchens 9-18-1-65. Michigan, Griese 21-37-1-287, Woodson 1-1-0-4. RECEIVING-Alabama, S. Alexander 3-4, Vaughn 2-27, Rutledge 1-13, Hape 1-12, Riddle 1-6, Hall 1-3. Michigan, Shaw 6-84, Williams 5-113, Knight 3-41, Woodson 3-25, Streets 2-12, Tuman 1-6, Shea 1-6, Griese 1-4.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: END OF AN ERA In a 14-year coaching career at Texas A&M and Alabama, Gene Stallings posted a record of 97-61-2. He won a national championship with the Crimson Tide in 1992.