TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The pun, purposeful or not, is not lost on a grinning Ryan Williams.
"It was basically the elephant in the room," Williams said.
He wasn't referring to Big Al, the Crimson Tide's costumed elephant mascot, but to a team meeting that left an indelible mark on the Alabama players as they returned to campus Jan. 13. A meeting in which head strength coach David Ballou spared absolutely nobody in an earsplitting tirade meant to set the tone for Year 2 under head coach Kalen DeBoer. After DeBoer spoke to the team first, Ballou took center stage.