▁after ▁they ▁closed ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁on ▁a ▁two - game ▁losing ▁stre ak ▁after ▁a ▁ 1 2 – 0 ▁start ▁to ▁the ▁year . ▁Again , ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁secured ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁ranked ▁rec ruit ing ▁classes ▁for ▁the ▁third ▁consecutive ▁season ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁Just ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁class ▁included ▁many ▁players ▁who ▁played ▁significant ▁roles ▁in ▁their ▁championship ▁run . ▁These ▁players ▁included ▁first ▁round ▁NFL ▁draft ▁pick s ▁James ▁Car p enter , ▁Dre ▁Kirk pat rick , ▁Tr ent ▁Richard son , ▁D . ▁J . ▁Fl uk er , ▁and ▁Ch ance ▁W arm ack ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁Edd ie ▁L acy ▁and ▁A J ▁Mc Car ron . ▁In ▁the ▁annual ▁A - Day ▁game , ▁the ▁C rim son ▁team ▁defeated ▁the ▁White ▁team ▁by ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁ 1 4 – 7 ▁before ▁ 8 4 , 0 5 0 ▁fans ▁at ▁Bry ant – Den ny ▁Stadium . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁second ▁year ▁in ▁a ▁row , ▁Alabama ▁opened ▁the ▁season ▁at ▁Atlanta ▁in ▁the ▁Ch ick - fil - A ▁K ick off ▁Game . ▁Again st ▁Virginia ▁Te ch , ▁the ▁C rim son ▁T ide ▁tra iled ▁at ▁hal ft ime , ▁but ▁an ▁ 1 8 - point ▁r ally ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁quarter ▁gave ▁Alabama ▁the ▁ 3 4 – 2 4 ▁win . ▁After ▁consecutive