Rick Rush’s The Crimson Wall, completed in November of 2009, depicts the championship-bound Alabama Crimson Tide defense in its dramatic game-saving field goal block against arch-rival Tennessee Vols.
It took an incredible special teams effort in this classic Third Saturday In October matchup to preserve the Crimson Tide’s undefeated record, and with that the dreams of capturing Alabama’s 13th National Championship.
“What makes this play so special - so remarkable, is that Alabama wasn’t spared by a missed kick. They blocked it. It wasn’t luck, it was determination. Alabama denied Tennessee. Alabama’s defense built a wall that Tennessee couldn’t penetrate, and all the Volunteers could see was a wall of Crimson between them and the goal post - that’s why this was historical. That’s why I painted this piece, and why I entitled it the Crimson Wall.” - Rick Rush
In January of 2007, the University of Alabama hired Nick Saban to be the next head coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Coach Saban spoke of returning the Crimson Tide to power to once again compete on the national level as a process of creating an identity. In Nick Saban’s second year as head coach, the Crimson Tide leapt from a Pre-Season #24 to the Nation’s #1 team for five consecutive weeks. The “Process” was ahead of schedule, and the SEC West was won in only ten weeks.
In Saban’s third season, the SEC West was won in only nine weeks.
