Tide has Big Mac attack

Here's something to look forward to during the 2008 college football season.
Two teams in the same state, both of which long adhered to offensive philosophies as conservative as the populace's political beliefs, playing fast and loose.
Auburn spreading the field with five wide receivers and Alabama shedding the tentative and mimstake-prone play that sent its 2007 season spiraling down the drain.
For the first time in a long time, the November Iron Bowl showdown will be compelling for reasons other than the potential for the extension of a streak or the execution of a failing head coach.
The football might actually be worth watching.
Auburn proved in the Chick-fil-A Bowl that Tony Franklin's spread offense has substance to match its style. Alabama should be equally intriguing to watch now that former Fresno State assistant Jim McElwain has been installed as its new offensive coordinator.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed the hire moments ago.
''He did an outstanding job last year at Fresno State,'' Saban said in a press release. ''Their improvement on offense, especially in the play of their quarterback, was tremendous. They had an impressive showing offensively against a very good Georgia Tech defense in their bowl win. In terms of production, they upped their offensive numbers significantly compared to the previous year. He’s worked with some great coaches including Pat Hill, John L. Smith and Scott Linehan. He also brings NFL experience working with quarterbacks, which is another big plus. We talked to a large pool of coaches when we interviewed for this position and Jim was absolutely the best candidate we spoke to.”
Here's why Saban should be giddy about landing McElwain. After spending one season as the Oakland Raiders' quarterback coach, McElwain took over a Fresno State offense that had been less than stellar the year before. With his help, the Bulldogs improved from 4-8 to 9-4 while putting up 32.9 points and 419 total yards per game.