Alabama's Cody a Super-(Sized)-Hero

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- He is what he is.

That would be Terrence Cody, of course. All 6-foot-5, 365 pounds of him. Cody, Alabama's nearly immovable object at defensive tackle, has been a popular figure, no pun intended, this week. He has been funny. He has been serious. He has been reflective and thankful. Best yet, he has been himself, a unique combination of perseverance, personality and power.

All-American Texas center Chris Hall will be lined up nose-to-nose against Cody in Thursday's BCS title game in the Rose Bowl. Hall, a senior who has started at least one game at all five positions along the offensive line during his accomplished career, knows what to expect -- or at least thinks he does.

"Obviously, he's a really big guy," said Hall, who gives away an inch or two and 30 pounds.

"He's going to be super-strong and he's All-American. He is what he is. Coach [Bill] Parcells says, 'You are what your record says you are,' and when you look at Terrence Cody, all you can say is that he's going to be a great player."

Cody, nicknamed "Mount Cody," makes a difference just by lining up in his three-point stance.

It takes two, sometimes three offensive lineman to keep him from pushing the pile into the backfield once he starts moving his feet forward. Cody might not be in on many tackles -- his career-high is five and he does not have a sack this season -- but he's still the most dominant player on the field.

A two-time All-American, the senior is a big (big, big, big) reason why Alabama's defense ranks second in the nation in rushing defense (77.9 yards per game) and No. 2 in total defense (241.8).

"You talk to other coaches after you play them," Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. "Talk to other SEC teams, they just can't get movement. If you can move people, you create space. And there is no space created when Cody is in there."

Tennessee, of course, couldn't block Cody when it counted.

Cody was involved in the most memorable play of the season for Alabama when he blocked the Volunteers 44-yard field-goal attempt as time expired in the 12-10 victory on Oct. 24 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Actually, he saved the Crimson Tide's season by blocking two field-goal tries in that game.

Cody pointed to the two spots on his massive left arm where the kicks disappeared.

The first kick left a welt near his armpit, while the second kick smacked midway between his wrist and elbow. "Just stuck my arm up and closed my eyes," Cody explained with a grin. The scene of Cody ripping off his helmet after the block and motoring across the field is an image that won't soon be forgotten by Crimson Tide fans.

And to think Cody wears shorts with cartoon images and collects comic books.

"I love superheroes," Cody said.
That's perfect, since Cody is a super story.

He was raised in a tough neighborhood in Fort Myers, Fla., and couldn't play football his sophomore and junior seasons because he was ineligible.

Cody was good enough his senior season to earn scholarship offers from Miami and South Florida, but he didn't meet academic requirements. So he attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he developed into one of the top -- and largest -- JUCO players in the nation.

Cody arrived at Alabama weighing nearly 400 pounds, but 6 AM morning cardio workouts and a change in diet habits helped him shed weight.

Funny, but Cody doesn't like slipping on his football jersey without pads. Says it doesn't feel right, though you would have never guessed he wasn't wearing pads when he casually walked into Tuesday's media day.

Cody was far more subdued than during his initial meeting with the media on Sunday, when his corner of the ballroom here at the Newport Beach Marriott and Spa boomed with laughter.

That's when Cody joked about Alabama coach Nick Saban's height -- "I really thought he would have been bigger than he was. I was like, 'Man, this guy's a midget.' -- and he recalled how he had to squeeze into an airplane lavatory -- "Once I got in there, I was like, 'This is it.' "

With game day on the horizon, Cody was squarely focused on Texas.

Of course, an important key to the game will be whether the Crimson Tide can duplicate the pressure applied by Nebraska in the Big 12 title game. The Cornhuskers sacked Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy nine times and Texas needed a last-second 46-yard field goal by Hunter Lawrence to win, 13-12.

"They weren't really pressuring, blitzing and all that," Cody explained.

"It was just about getting a lot of pressure from their front four, especially up the middle where they were pushing the pocket up the middle and creating havoc, putting pressure on McCoy so he was running outside the pocket, throwing bad balls and stuff. That's pretty much it."

Cody doesn't shed blockers as much as he absorbs them. His presence has helped linebackers Rolando McClain, the Butkus Award winner, and Cory Reamer to run free and gather tackles.

"I don't make a lot of tackles and all that stuff, which I am not selfish," Cody said.

"I mean, I know I am giving other players opportunities to make plays and that's pretty much what our defense is based on. For the front to take on blockers and give the other players like the linebackers and the DBs a chance to make plays. They pretty much feed off of us taking on blockers and making plays."

Cody, of course, is what he is.

And, best yet, he sounds sincere and appreciative.

"I have to pinch myself every morning," said Cody, who is on track to graduate in May. "A lot of people dream of playing for the national championship, but not a lot of people get here."