TerryP
Staff
Bama Sports Report Practice 1 Day 13
Alabama held its first practice of the day this morning at 9:30 in full pads. Tonight’s shells practice at 7:30 will mark the final 2-a-days practice of the year for the Tide. Here’s what you need to know from this morning:
* No injuries. This keeps on rolling, and there could not be better news from camp.
* Brad Smelley returned to full action, meaning that all 104 men that are at practice participated. That’s a big wow this far into camp.
* Terrence Cody appears to have absolutely locked down a spot in the nose guard rotation. In fact, at the moment it looks like he could start there. That’s a position that’s likely to see 3 guys rotate, so starting isn’t a huge deal, but Cody looks like the guy there for now.
* The “for now” is the key phrase from above as the returning players begin to fight back - not fight back in terms of how they do it Auburn (no one suffered a broken leg and 3 or 4 didn’t band together to beat up a freshman).
* I had guessed earlier this week that we might see some freshman in larger roles to see how they would handle it. It also looks like it was done to see how the upperclassmen would handle the adversity.
* Marquis Johnson & Chris Rogers are surging back into things in the secondary. Johnson worked again as one of the 3 corners with the 1st unit in the nickel package, and Rogers was the #1 corner in the 2nd unit nickel package. Having this type of competition at DB isn’t a shock given that Nick Saban will be more hands-on with this group than any other.
* The 2nd unit offensive line has not seen the resurgence by the upperclassmen who were “demoted”. Neither William Vlachos, Evan Cardwell nor Taylor Pharr have pushed their way back into the 2nd unit. All 3 of those shock me, but it also says volumes about the Tide’s newest 3 offensive lineman.
* Don’ta Hightower continues to be the only freshman linebacker that has already worked his way into the 2-deep. Both Jerrell Harris (SAM) & Courtney Upshaw (JACK) are still working with the 3rd units. I would say that it would classify as a shock if Harris didn’t play a lot early, but the improvement of Eryk Anders would be an equal shock, and the reason why.
* A trio of offensive freshman continue to appear as though they’ll get heavy playing time. Julio Jones, B.J. Scott & Mark Ingram are getting reps with both the 1st and 2nd units and I expect all 3 to play against Clemson.
Bama Sports Report Practice 2 Day 13
Two-a-days are over, and the worst injury period has passed with the Tide unscathed. The safety position is one less deep tonight though, as we have other departure news to report:
* There are no injuries - no one in fact even in a black jersey - Sam Burnthall has left the team for “personal reasons”. That leaves the Tide with 82 scholarship players (assuming Wesley Neighbors takes the Bryant Scholarship).
* There’s been talk of working a walk-on into a scholarship with the current unexpected attrition. It seems unlikely with Bama only sporting 9 seniors on scholarship. The only senior walk-on part of the 105 man roster is Brad Pounds - a reserve defensive lineman. It seems unlikely Pounds would be in line for a scholarship given his excpetionally limited contributions on the field.
* There appears to be a seven man rotation among the wide receivers: Mike McCoy, Darius Hanks, Earl Alexander, Marquis Maze, Julio Jones, B.J. Scott and Chris Jackson. That apparently leaves Nikita Stover and Brandon Gibson with very little playing time - at this point.
* Julio Jones continues to impress. John Parker Wilson said today “Julio’s a special player. He’ll have an impact Day One, Game One.”
* After a surprisingly quiet fall camp, Jerrell Harris worked extensively with the first groups today. Though he appears to be making more progress than this time last week, he still seems to be behind Eryk Anders and Chavis Williams at the SAM linebacker.
* Despite the fact that his family’s appeal with the NCAA is still pending, Colin Peek continues to work with the first groups at tight end.
As we conclude two-a-days, the Tide sports three more days of practice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before getting Sunday and Monday off.
Source: BSR
Alabama held its first practice of the day this morning at 9:30 in full pads. Tonight’s shells practice at 7:30 will mark the final 2-a-days practice of the year for the Tide. Here’s what you need to know from this morning:
* No injuries. This keeps on rolling, and there could not be better news from camp.
* Brad Smelley returned to full action, meaning that all 104 men that are at practice participated. That’s a big wow this far into camp.
* Terrence Cody appears to have absolutely locked down a spot in the nose guard rotation. In fact, at the moment it looks like he could start there. That’s a position that’s likely to see 3 guys rotate, so starting isn’t a huge deal, but Cody looks like the guy there for now.
* The “for now” is the key phrase from above as the returning players begin to fight back - not fight back in terms of how they do it Auburn (no one suffered a broken leg and 3 or 4 didn’t band together to beat up a freshman).
* I had guessed earlier this week that we might see some freshman in larger roles to see how they would handle it. It also looks like it was done to see how the upperclassmen would handle the adversity.
* Marquis Johnson & Chris Rogers are surging back into things in the secondary. Johnson worked again as one of the 3 corners with the 1st unit in the nickel package, and Rogers was the #1 corner in the 2nd unit nickel package. Having this type of competition at DB isn’t a shock given that Nick Saban will be more hands-on with this group than any other.
* The 2nd unit offensive line has not seen the resurgence by the upperclassmen who were “demoted”. Neither William Vlachos, Evan Cardwell nor Taylor Pharr have pushed their way back into the 2nd unit. All 3 of those shock me, but it also says volumes about the Tide’s newest 3 offensive lineman.
* Don’ta Hightower continues to be the only freshman linebacker that has already worked his way into the 2-deep. Both Jerrell Harris (SAM) & Courtney Upshaw (JACK) are still working with the 3rd units. I would say that it would classify as a shock if Harris didn’t play a lot early, but the improvement of Eryk Anders would be an equal shock, and the reason why.
* A trio of offensive freshman continue to appear as though they’ll get heavy playing time. Julio Jones, B.J. Scott & Mark Ingram are getting reps with both the 1st and 2nd units and I expect all 3 to play against Clemson.
Bama Sports Report Practice 2 Day 13
Two-a-days are over, and the worst injury period has passed with the Tide unscathed. The safety position is one less deep tonight though, as we have other departure news to report:
* There are no injuries - no one in fact even in a black jersey - Sam Burnthall has left the team for “personal reasons”. That leaves the Tide with 82 scholarship players (assuming Wesley Neighbors takes the Bryant Scholarship).
* There’s been talk of working a walk-on into a scholarship with the current unexpected attrition. It seems unlikely with Bama only sporting 9 seniors on scholarship. The only senior walk-on part of the 105 man roster is Brad Pounds - a reserve defensive lineman. It seems unlikely Pounds would be in line for a scholarship given his excpetionally limited contributions on the field.
* There appears to be a seven man rotation among the wide receivers: Mike McCoy, Darius Hanks, Earl Alexander, Marquis Maze, Julio Jones, B.J. Scott and Chris Jackson. That apparently leaves Nikita Stover and Brandon Gibson with very little playing time - at this point.
* Julio Jones continues to impress. John Parker Wilson said today “Julio’s a special player. He’ll have an impact Day One, Game One.”
* After a surprisingly quiet fall camp, Jerrell Harris worked extensively with the first groups today. Though he appears to be making more progress than this time last week, he still seems to be behind Eryk Anders and Chavis Williams at the SAM linebacker.
* Despite the fact that his family’s appeal with the NCAA is still pending, Colin Peek continues to work with the first groups at tight end.
As we conclude two-a-days, the Tide sports three more days of practice on Thursday, Friday and Saturday before getting Sunday and Monday off.
Source: BSR
