Newsflash: Leigh Tiffin is the real deal

Coming into Saturday’s anticipated matchup the Ole Miss Rebels were ranked as high as No. 4, but were no match for the Alabama Crimson Tide as they rolled on to a 22-3 victory in Oxford. Great teams can compensate when one phase of the team isn't operating at maximum efficiency. Last Saturday afternoon Alabama proved they were up for the challenge.

The Tide scored twice after special teams miscues and remained in constant control of the game. A fierce defense came ready to play and special teams executed when they were called upon. One specialist in particular is Alabama’s place-kicker, Leigh Tiffin.

Since arriving at the Capstone, Leigh Tiffin has faced an abundance amount of adversity; adversity so extreme that few individuals have the mental capacity to manage, much less overcome. Through his many trials and tribulations, Tiffin has learned to harness his past experiences to instill a work ethic few in the country can match.

This past Saturday afternoon, the pre-season All-SEC candidate lifted any “mental barrier” his critics insist lay dormant. The senior connected on all five of his field-goal attempts, accounting for 16 of the Tide’s 22 points. He ranks No. 3 in the nation with an average of 2.33 field goals per game, and he is ranked No. 7 in scoring with an average of 10.67 points per game.

Consistency has catapulted the Muscle Shoals native among Alabama’s greatest specialists, who is closing in school career records for points and field goals. He now has 317 career points and passed his father (312) during Saturday’s game in Oxford. For the second time this season, Tiffin received national recognition when he was named the Lou Groza "Star of Stars."

Other special teams standouts included Alabama's Cory Reamer and Paul Justin Fitzgerald. Late in the third quarter, Reamer stripped punt returner Dexter McCluster and recovered the fumble. The senior also blocked a punt, giving the Tide the ball at the Ole Miss 5. P.J. Fitzgerald punted six times Saturday afternoon, recording an impressive 40.8 yard average.

Alabama’s relentless defense held the Rebels to 19 yards and one first down in the first half of play. If Alabama’s defense can continue to leave their opposition in sheer disarray, special teams may prove to be the key component that propels the nations No. 2 team into the SEC Championship game in Atlanta.

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Jamie Christensen is the only player in Crimson Tide history to kick consecutive game winning field goals, as well as three last second, game winning field goals in one season: vs. Ole Miss on October 15, 2005, vs. Tennessee on October 22, 2005, and The Cotton Bowl vs. Texas Tech on January 2, 2006.

Christensen was in Tuscaloosa from 2003-2007 and played under coach Mike Shula (4 years) and coach Nick Saban (1 year).

He is a graduate of the Culverhouse College of Commerce with a B.S. in Business Management, B.S. in Marketing and a minor in Finance.

Christensen is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch in Atlanta [click here].