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Freshman QB outshines the rest in Alabamaās second scrimmage
Report: Freshman QB outshines the rest in Alabamaās second scrimmage
On Saturday, Alabama held its second scrimmage of the fall period.
Per a report from Touchdown Alabama, Hurts was by far the top performer on the afternoon ā tossing two touchdowns and running for a third.
Barnett had a tough day, throwing two pick-sixes and fumbling twice on quarterback-running back exchanges. Bateman didnāt start the day well ā but did finish with a 39-yard TD strike to ArDarius Stewart.
Hurts is a dynamic, fast athlete with terrific agility. His penchant for evading defenders is special, and his ability to pick up yardage in chunks when the play breaks down is something Alabama hasnāt really had at the quarterback position in recent memory.
Itās been 32 years since a true freshman has started at quarterback in Tuscaloosa. Can Hurts be the one to break the streak?
Report: Freshman QB outshines the rest in Alabamaās second scrimmage
On Saturday, Alabama held its second scrimmage of the fall period.
Per a report from Touchdown Alabama, Hurts was by far the top performer on the afternoon ā tossing two touchdowns and running for a third.
Barnett had a tough day, throwing two pick-sixes and fumbling twice on quarterback-running back exchanges. Bateman didnāt start the day well ā but did finish with a 39-yard TD strike to ArDarius Stewart.
Hurts is a dynamic, fast athlete with terrific agility. His penchant for evading defenders is special, and his ability to pick up yardage in chunks when the play breaks down is something Alabama hasnāt really had at the quarterback position in recent memory.
Itās been 32 years since a true freshman has started at quarterback in Tuscaloosa. Can Hurts be the one to break the streak?
Tidestalker
Member
The QB's can get by being game managers for many of the games. But you can't always count on losing a game early and getting into the playoffs. There's just as many recruiting stars on the offensive side as the defensive side... It would be cool to have a QB that maximizes that group and can still value the football. The run threat/scrambling ability could be such a game changer... And not that I'm looking ahead (of course I am), but when Tua gets here, a Hurts injury wouldn't be such a big deal. These 2 are almost identical players, except which hand they throw with.
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He's had blood sugar/insulin issues in the past as I recall. Someone mentioned it the other day and it went in one ear and out the other.
Ok so I have not read any one else's view of what happened yesterday and I had a friend there.
This is what I got...
He said the offense as a whole was awful and that all the qb's spent the whole time running for their life..
He said that the defensive line was in the back field the whole time. The secondary looked like they were everywhere and nobody was open.
The unknown was if the offensive line was that bad or the defensive line was that dominant.. Maybe a combination of both.
But his take was that none of the QBs looked good Saturday but the defense looked great.
I trust this guys opinion, knows a lot of football.
Just passing it along
This is what I got...
He said the offense as a whole was awful and that all the qb's spent the whole time running for their life..
He said that the defensive line was in the back field the whole time. The secondary looked like they were everywhere and nobody was open.
The unknown was if the offensive line was that bad or the defensive line was that dominant.. Maybe a combination of both.
But his take was that none of the QBs looked good Saturday but the defense looked great.
I trust this guys opinion, knows a lot of football.
Just passing it along
This seems the most believable that I've read.
T&B
Member
@Tidestalker Holcombe is dealing with a sprained ankle.
Alabama17Tide
Member
Tidesports.com: INSIDER REPORT
To call the Alabama offseason eventful might be an understatement. There have been so many distractions, including the Bo Davis situation, the Cam Robinson/Hootie Jones arrests, the Mo Smith transfer and Kendall Sheffield suddenly and unexpectedly leaving the program. The team is glad to be solely focused on football right now. There is a lot of talent on this team. Whatās not known, at least not yet, is how the chemistry and leadership of the team will develop.
Iāve spent the last few weeks talking to as many people as I could to get a handle on where this team stands currently, that is after two scrimmages. Thereās a lot to be optimistic about this team. Of course, there are some things to be concerned about too, but far and away there is much more to be excited about. As such, here is 2,500 words of goodies. Thanks for all your patience as I compiled this information.
Multiple sources have told me that this freshman class will see a lot of action this year. UA head coach Nick Saban confirmed that Saturday following the scrimmage when he said exactly that. āWeāll probably have more freshmen play this year maybe than weāve had for a while around here. We feel good about some of them. They got a long way to go, but we lost a lot of good players. Some of those guys are certainly adding depth at a lot of positions for us, and we need them to be able to have rolesā¦ā
When youāre talking about true freshman who will make a contribution, itās only natural to start with offensive tackle Jonah Williams. The 6-foot-5, 296-pounder is going to start from day one. Heāll play right tackle this year, but he could literally play every position on the offensive line. Multiple sources told me they even considered him at center. Heāll be the first guy to get a crack at left tackle next season should Cam Robinson decide to go pro. There is a feeling that the right side of the offensive line, which I thought struggled at times last season, will be upgraded with Williams at right tackle in place of Dominick Jackson.
The other true freshman who has stood out to a lot of people is Trevon Diggs. The 6-2, 195-pounder was signed as a wide receiver, but it was quickly realized when he got to campus that the kid is just an athlete. With the wide receiving corps as talented and as deep as it is, Diggs was moved to safety and heās picking it up fairly quickly. He took some snaps with the 1s in Dime when Hootie Jones was taken out. He took nearly every snap at safety with the 2s. Diggs was also the main punt and kick returner in front of even Calvin Ridley. Where his future lies, Iām not certain. But this kid can play, and the fact that heās been selfless in switching positions and the fact that the coaching staff trusts him so much as a true freshman says an awful lot about the young man. Multiple sources told me heās been the best stories of fall camp.
Iāve been pretty clear in my opinion of Jalen Hurts (Iāll get to him later). Other true freshmen that I really like and I think will see roles (even if just on special teams) are: Terrell Hall, Shyheimi Carter, Jared Mayden, B.J. Emmons, Joshua Jacobsā¦I could go on and on but Iād end up listing most of the 2016 signing class.
The offensive line was a lot of potential to be really good, but it has to come together. As I previously mentioned, the chance to upgrade the right side of the offensive line is there. Whatās not yet known is how well Ross Pierschbacher will fill in for Ryan Kelly at center. I like Lester Cotton but heās a young lineman so it make take a little bit for him to unleash his potential. There is a lot of talent on the offensive line (even in the reserves). Bradley Bozeman is one of the keys to that depth. Heās a guy who is in competition for the starting right guard spot, but heās also a guy who can play multiple spots on the line. The team works on emergency situations to be ready for any and everything should it come up during the game. One of those situations is what happens if Cam Robinson gets hurt. Should that happen, the team has worked in practice on moving Jonah Williams to left tackle and putting Korren Kirven in at right tackle. During Saturdayās scrimmage, Bradley Bozeman took the majority of snaps at right guard. Alphonse āShankā Taylor also took reps with the 1s. That competition remains ongoing. A couple of young tackles to watch, both of whom worked with the third-team Saturday, is Chris Owens (worked at left tackle) and Scott Lashlee (right tackle). The players (and recruits too) are responding positively to new offensive line coach Brent Key.
The running backs obviously have a lot of talent. However, I did take note that Saban, for the second straight scrimmage, said he wanted to see more consistency out of the running game. He didnāt give further detail on if he meant from the backs or the offensive line. I was told Bo Scarbrough missed 20 percent of Saturdayās scrimmage, but he did come back in the game. His long-term durability is definitely a concern and thatās why theyāre trying to get the freshmen backs, B.J. Emmons and Joshua Jacobs, up to speed as quickly as possible. The coaching staff loves the potential if both of these guys. Emmons is very much in the mold of other great Alabama backs. Jacobs is more of a shifty, elusive guy. I think one or both will be a contributor on this team this season. Hopefully you read my story from last week about Emmons. I think he can really be special, at least from the things Iāve heard.
As for the wide receiversā¦.Alabama is loaded. I believe that they have two game-breakers on the outside with Calvin Ridley and Robert Foster. I think a lot of people have forgotten about Foster, but remember, he was the teamās leading receiver in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns when he went down in the second quarter of the third game of the year in 2015. I also really like ArDarius Stewart. The thing I love about Stewart is his toughness. The kid is fearless. Interested to see what they do with Gehrig Dieter too. Also really like Cam Sims.
Letās face it, quarterback is the one position everyone is most interested in this season, and for good reason. Itās hard to win without quality quarterback play. Iām on the record as thinking that the true freshman, Jalen Hurts, is the most talented that Iāve seen. Nothing Iāve heard from my sources makes me think differently. Does that mean heās going to come in and be Deshaun Watson? No. But his skill set is special. He can make plays with his legs, but I feel like some people are overlooking his arm. He can make all the throws. Iāve been told heās wowed observers at practice. One throw in particular had people going crazy.
But that doesnāt mean heās the perfect quarterback or that heās even Alabamaās starting quarterback this season. Heās a freshman. Heās going to get rattled. He wasnāt perfect during Saturdayās scrimmage. He threw a couple of interceptions. He was also going up against the best defense in the country. But everything about this kid screams to everyone watching that the moment isnāt too big for him. Every source Iāve talked to agrees. One told me heās the best true freshman quarterback Alabamaās ever had, at least in terms of coming in with a realistic chance to play. Thatās a big statement, and how much of that is just hype is hard to cut through, but there is no doubt there is palpable excitement about his potential. Every person I spoke with prior to the scrimmage said the same thing, āI canāt wait to see Jalen Hurts.ā
Everywhere I go in Tuscaloosa itās the same thing: āHow good is Jalen Hurts?ā The possibility of Alabama having a dual-threat quarterback has everyone excited. I think the possibility of a multi-year starter is appealing to people too. Hahaha.
I still tend to think Cooper Bateman will start the Southern California game. If he does, and he plays well, there is a chance that the coaching staff will stick with him. This is still very much a three-quarterback competition. Blake Barnett has gotten stronger and has worked extremely hard to put himself in position to win the job.
All three quarterbacks made plays Saturday that would āget us beat,ā as one source told me. Blake Barnett was intercepted by Eddie Jackson, who returned it about 60 yards for a touchdown. Another source told me that Barnett also had a couple of really well-thrown balls dropped. Saban did mention the team needed to āthrow it and catch it better.ā
One source told me that āIf the feeling is that Cooper Bateman will start because he is a better caretaker of the offense or a game manager, thatās puzzling because my opinion is he took no better care of the ball than Jalen did.ā
There is a long way to go in this competition, but I did find Nick Sabanās comments instructive (Saban was asked if starting a true freshman quarterback was different than another freshman at a different position). āā¦if a guy plays quarterback and heās a young player, I think that it will require us having patience in his development and not asking him to do things that heās not ready to do.ā That tells me that Saban has given more than a passing thought to how the coaching staff would have to handle Hurts should he get significant playing time this season.
Nick Saban isnāt one for hyperbole and heās not prone to handing out a lot of preseason praise, but when he told a group Saturday that āWeāre going to be pretty good defensively,ā that spoke volumes to me. And I think itās an understatement.
I think Alabama is going to be a nasty defensive unit. Iām on record as saying I think this is the fastest group of linebackers in the Saban era. I also think this is one of Sabanās better defensive back units. We all know what the have up front, although the depth might be an issue. Overall, though, this defense is going to be a handle for most offenses to handle.
One thing Iāve picked up on, and Iāve talked to several sources about this, is that first-year defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt isnāt afraid to put his best players on the field even if theyāre freshmen. One interesting story related to me is how Pruitt loved Jalen Ramsey as a freshman at Florida State in 2013. Pruitt was in his first season there as DC so he was going to make his mark. As it was relayed to me, FSU hadnāt started a freshman at corner since Deion Sanders. Until Ramsey. He started and went onto a stellar career, culminating in being a high selection in this yearās NFL Draft. I think thatās a thumbprint Pruitt will try to make here in Tuscaloosa. Itās something to watch.
There is still some uncertainty regarding Raekwon Davis and his eligibility this season. Based on how heās been used through two scrimmages, the coaching staff is preparing as if heāll be available. Iāll continue to monitor this situation. He was the second-team defensive line along with Dakota Ball and Joshua Frazier.
Reuben Foster has a chance to be special this season. Rashaan Evans continues to see a lot of reps to get him as much experience as possible. Saban said heās been getting so many reps, ābecause he needs them.ā Shaun Dion Hamilton is more ready to play inside at the moment. Evans has worked inside in the nickel opposite Reuben Foster while Hamilton works inside in regular.
Anfernee Jennings, who I think is really really talented, took some reps with the 1s, but he was mainly with the 2s. The outside linebackers group is super talented. You know all about Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams, and I think Christian Miller can make his mark on the defense this year. Iāve been telling anyone who would listen, but Terrell Hallcontinues to impressive. He is just so physically gifted. Hard to imagine heāll not be a a standout player at some point in his career.
A couple of coverage notesā¦.In Dime, Ronnie Harrison played the Money position Saturday with Hootie Jones at safety along with Eddie Jackson. Jones was positively mentioned by Saban in his post-scrimmage remarks. āIāve been really encouraged by Hootie Jones and Deionte Thompson. We have played Trevon Diggs on both sides of the ball, and heās done very well, so thatās been very helpful. Anthony Averett has had a good, good camp, so we feel like we have three good corners. We have to have one of these young guys sort of come along and step up and continue to improve. They have made a lot of progress, but thatās where the depthās got to come from at that position.ā
Tidbits from Saturdayās scrimmage
**Senior tight end O.J. Howard dressed but not participate. Saban did not mention him among the injured.
**Adam Griffith missed an extra point, pushed it badly to the right. He had an up-and-down day. He bounced a 51-yarder off the cross bar. Saban made a point to tell the group he spoke to after the scrimmage to not go online and criticize Griffith. Itās not the first time Saban has told fans to be positive about Griffith. Apparently Griffith is sensitive to the criticism and it has the chance to affect him.
**Calvin Ridley made a spin move on Marlon Humphrey that wowed those in attendance. It came during the two-minute offense with Hurts at quarterback.
**There was a hook-and-ladder play that involved Gehrig Dieter and ArDarius Stewartthat nearly worked. Hootie Jones bit on it so bad that he earned a butt chewing from Pruitt and Saban.
** Both freshman tight ends played. Thatās not surprising given that Howard didnāt play. I continue to be impressed with Irv Smith and Miller Forristall. Hale Hentges caught a few passes Saturday, but again itās important to remember that those passes are normally targets to Howard.
**Minkah Fitzpatrick and Eddie Jackson had two of the interceptions. There were a few dropped interceptions too. Ronnie Harrison and Reuben Foster dropped INTs.
**DaāRon Payne was in on a goal line package. Much how Alabama used AāShawn Robinson and Jarran Reed last season, Payne could fill that role this year.
**JK Scott had an inconsistent day.
SUTTLES: INSIDER REPORT post scrimmage | Page 2 | TideSports.com
To call the Alabama offseason eventful might be an understatement. There have been so many distractions, including the Bo Davis situation, the Cam Robinson/Hootie Jones arrests, the Mo Smith transfer and Kendall Sheffield suddenly and unexpectedly leaving the program. The team is glad to be solely focused on football right now. There is a lot of talent on this team. Whatās not known, at least not yet, is how the chemistry and leadership of the team will develop.
Iāve spent the last few weeks talking to as many people as I could to get a handle on where this team stands currently, that is after two scrimmages. Thereās a lot to be optimistic about this team. Of course, there are some things to be concerned about too, but far and away there is much more to be excited about. As such, here is 2,500 words of goodies. Thanks for all your patience as I compiled this information.
Multiple sources have told me that this freshman class will see a lot of action this year. UA head coach Nick Saban confirmed that Saturday following the scrimmage when he said exactly that. āWeāll probably have more freshmen play this year maybe than weāve had for a while around here. We feel good about some of them. They got a long way to go, but we lost a lot of good players. Some of those guys are certainly adding depth at a lot of positions for us, and we need them to be able to have rolesā¦ā
When youāre talking about true freshman who will make a contribution, itās only natural to start with offensive tackle Jonah Williams. The 6-foot-5, 296-pounder is going to start from day one. Heāll play right tackle this year, but he could literally play every position on the offensive line. Multiple sources told me they even considered him at center. Heāll be the first guy to get a crack at left tackle next season should Cam Robinson decide to go pro. There is a feeling that the right side of the offensive line, which I thought struggled at times last season, will be upgraded with Williams at right tackle in place of Dominick Jackson.
The other true freshman who has stood out to a lot of people is Trevon Diggs. The 6-2, 195-pounder was signed as a wide receiver, but it was quickly realized when he got to campus that the kid is just an athlete. With the wide receiving corps as talented and as deep as it is, Diggs was moved to safety and heās picking it up fairly quickly. He took some snaps with the 1s in Dime when Hootie Jones was taken out. He took nearly every snap at safety with the 2s. Diggs was also the main punt and kick returner in front of even Calvin Ridley. Where his future lies, Iām not certain. But this kid can play, and the fact that heās been selfless in switching positions and the fact that the coaching staff trusts him so much as a true freshman says an awful lot about the young man. Multiple sources told me heās been the best stories of fall camp.
Iāve been pretty clear in my opinion of Jalen Hurts (Iāll get to him later). Other true freshmen that I really like and I think will see roles (even if just on special teams) are: Terrell Hall, Shyheimi Carter, Jared Mayden, B.J. Emmons, Joshua Jacobsā¦I could go on and on but Iād end up listing most of the 2016 signing class.
The offensive line was a lot of potential to be really good, but it has to come together. As I previously mentioned, the chance to upgrade the right side of the offensive line is there. Whatās not yet known is how well Ross Pierschbacher will fill in for Ryan Kelly at center. I like Lester Cotton but heās a young lineman so it make take a little bit for him to unleash his potential. There is a lot of talent on the offensive line (even in the reserves). Bradley Bozeman is one of the keys to that depth. Heās a guy who is in competition for the starting right guard spot, but heās also a guy who can play multiple spots on the line. The team works on emergency situations to be ready for any and everything should it come up during the game. One of those situations is what happens if Cam Robinson gets hurt. Should that happen, the team has worked in practice on moving Jonah Williams to left tackle and putting Korren Kirven in at right tackle. During Saturdayās scrimmage, Bradley Bozeman took the majority of snaps at right guard. Alphonse āShankā Taylor also took reps with the 1s. That competition remains ongoing. A couple of young tackles to watch, both of whom worked with the third-team Saturday, is Chris Owens (worked at left tackle) and Scott Lashlee (right tackle). The players (and recruits too) are responding positively to new offensive line coach Brent Key.
The running backs obviously have a lot of talent. However, I did take note that Saban, for the second straight scrimmage, said he wanted to see more consistency out of the running game. He didnāt give further detail on if he meant from the backs or the offensive line. I was told Bo Scarbrough missed 20 percent of Saturdayās scrimmage, but he did come back in the game. His long-term durability is definitely a concern and thatās why theyāre trying to get the freshmen backs, B.J. Emmons and Joshua Jacobs, up to speed as quickly as possible. The coaching staff loves the potential if both of these guys. Emmons is very much in the mold of other great Alabama backs. Jacobs is more of a shifty, elusive guy. I think one or both will be a contributor on this team this season. Hopefully you read my story from last week about Emmons. I think he can really be special, at least from the things Iāve heard.
As for the wide receiversā¦.Alabama is loaded. I believe that they have two game-breakers on the outside with Calvin Ridley and Robert Foster. I think a lot of people have forgotten about Foster, but remember, he was the teamās leading receiver in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns when he went down in the second quarter of the third game of the year in 2015. I also really like ArDarius Stewart. The thing I love about Stewart is his toughness. The kid is fearless. Interested to see what they do with Gehrig Dieter too. Also really like Cam Sims.
Letās face it, quarterback is the one position everyone is most interested in this season, and for good reason. Itās hard to win without quality quarterback play. Iām on the record as thinking that the true freshman, Jalen Hurts, is the most talented that Iāve seen. Nothing Iāve heard from my sources makes me think differently. Does that mean heās going to come in and be Deshaun Watson? No. But his skill set is special. He can make plays with his legs, but I feel like some people are overlooking his arm. He can make all the throws. Iāve been told heās wowed observers at practice. One throw in particular had people going crazy.
But that doesnāt mean heās the perfect quarterback or that heās even Alabamaās starting quarterback this season. Heās a freshman. Heās going to get rattled. He wasnāt perfect during Saturdayās scrimmage. He threw a couple of interceptions. He was also going up against the best defense in the country. But everything about this kid screams to everyone watching that the moment isnāt too big for him. Every source Iāve talked to agrees. One told me heās the best true freshman quarterback Alabamaās ever had, at least in terms of coming in with a realistic chance to play. Thatās a big statement, and how much of that is just hype is hard to cut through, but there is no doubt there is palpable excitement about his potential. Every person I spoke with prior to the scrimmage said the same thing, āI canāt wait to see Jalen Hurts.ā
Everywhere I go in Tuscaloosa itās the same thing: āHow good is Jalen Hurts?ā The possibility of Alabama having a dual-threat quarterback has everyone excited. I think the possibility of a multi-year starter is appealing to people too. Hahaha.
I still tend to think Cooper Bateman will start the Southern California game. If he does, and he plays well, there is a chance that the coaching staff will stick with him. This is still very much a three-quarterback competition. Blake Barnett has gotten stronger and has worked extremely hard to put himself in position to win the job.
All three quarterbacks made plays Saturday that would āget us beat,ā as one source told me. Blake Barnett was intercepted by Eddie Jackson, who returned it about 60 yards for a touchdown. Another source told me that Barnett also had a couple of really well-thrown balls dropped. Saban did mention the team needed to āthrow it and catch it better.ā
One source told me that āIf the feeling is that Cooper Bateman will start because he is a better caretaker of the offense or a game manager, thatās puzzling because my opinion is he took no better care of the ball than Jalen did.ā
There is a long way to go in this competition, but I did find Nick Sabanās comments instructive (Saban was asked if starting a true freshman quarterback was different than another freshman at a different position). āā¦if a guy plays quarterback and heās a young player, I think that it will require us having patience in his development and not asking him to do things that heās not ready to do.ā That tells me that Saban has given more than a passing thought to how the coaching staff would have to handle Hurts should he get significant playing time this season.
Nick Saban isnāt one for hyperbole and heās not prone to handing out a lot of preseason praise, but when he told a group Saturday that āWeāre going to be pretty good defensively,ā that spoke volumes to me. And I think itās an understatement.
I think Alabama is going to be a nasty defensive unit. Iām on record as saying I think this is the fastest group of linebackers in the Saban era. I also think this is one of Sabanās better defensive back units. We all know what the have up front, although the depth might be an issue. Overall, though, this defense is going to be a handle for most offenses to handle.
One thing Iāve picked up on, and Iāve talked to several sources about this, is that first-year defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt isnāt afraid to put his best players on the field even if theyāre freshmen. One interesting story related to me is how Pruitt loved Jalen Ramsey as a freshman at Florida State in 2013. Pruitt was in his first season there as DC so he was going to make his mark. As it was relayed to me, FSU hadnāt started a freshman at corner since Deion Sanders. Until Ramsey. He started and went onto a stellar career, culminating in being a high selection in this yearās NFL Draft. I think thatās a thumbprint Pruitt will try to make here in Tuscaloosa. Itās something to watch.
There is still some uncertainty regarding Raekwon Davis and his eligibility this season. Based on how heās been used through two scrimmages, the coaching staff is preparing as if heāll be available. Iāll continue to monitor this situation. He was the second-team defensive line along with Dakota Ball and Joshua Frazier.
Reuben Foster has a chance to be special this season. Rashaan Evans continues to see a lot of reps to get him as much experience as possible. Saban said heās been getting so many reps, ābecause he needs them.ā Shaun Dion Hamilton is more ready to play inside at the moment. Evans has worked inside in the nickel opposite Reuben Foster while Hamilton works inside in regular.
Anfernee Jennings, who I think is really really talented, took some reps with the 1s, but he was mainly with the 2s. The outside linebackers group is super talented. You know all about Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams, and I think Christian Miller can make his mark on the defense this year. Iāve been telling anyone who would listen, but Terrell Hallcontinues to impressive. He is just so physically gifted. Hard to imagine heāll not be a a standout player at some point in his career.
A couple of coverage notesā¦.In Dime, Ronnie Harrison played the Money position Saturday with Hootie Jones at safety along with Eddie Jackson. Jones was positively mentioned by Saban in his post-scrimmage remarks. āIāve been really encouraged by Hootie Jones and Deionte Thompson. We have played Trevon Diggs on both sides of the ball, and heās done very well, so thatās been very helpful. Anthony Averett has had a good, good camp, so we feel like we have three good corners. We have to have one of these young guys sort of come along and step up and continue to improve. They have made a lot of progress, but thatās where the depthās got to come from at that position.ā
Tidbits from Saturdayās scrimmage
**Senior tight end O.J. Howard dressed but not participate. Saban did not mention him among the injured.
**Adam Griffith missed an extra point, pushed it badly to the right. He had an up-and-down day. He bounced a 51-yarder off the cross bar. Saban made a point to tell the group he spoke to after the scrimmage to not go online and criticize Griffith. Itās not the first time Saban has told fans to be positive about Griffith. Apparently Griffith is sensitive to the criticism and it has the chance to affect him.
**Calvin Ridley made a spin move on Marlon Humphrey that wowed those in attendance. It came during the two-minute offense with Hurts at quarterback.
**There was a hook-and-ladder play that involved Gehrig Dieter and ArDarius Stewartthat nearly worked. Hootie Jones bit on it so bad that he earned a butt chewing from Pruitt and Saban.
** Both freshman tight ends played. Thatās not surprising given that Howard didnāt play. I continue to be impressed with Irv Smith and Miller Forristall. Hale Hentges caught a few passes Saturday, but again itās important to remember that those passes are normally targets to Howard.
**Minkah Fitzpatrick and Eddie Jackson had two of the interceptions. There were a few dropped interceptions too. Ronnie Harrison and Reuben Foster dropped INTs.
**DaāRon Payne was in on a goal line package. Much how Alabama used AāShawn Robinson and Jarran Reed last season, Payne could fill that role this year.
**JK Scott had an inconsistent day.
SUTTLES: INSIDER REPORT post scrimmage | Page 2 | TideSports.com
**Adam Griffith missed an extra point, pushed it badly to the right. He had an up-and-down day. He bounced a 51-yarder off the cross bar. Saban made a point to tell the group he spoke to after the scrimmage to not go online and criticize Griffith. Itās not the first time Saban has told fans to be positive about Griffith. Apparently Griffith is sensitive to the criticism and it has the chance to affect him.
This poor kid is a headcase. Get your Rolaids ready.
This poor kid is a headcase. Get your Rolaids ready.
Tidestalker
Member
Did you have a chance to see the Game Day Featured special here in the last week or so? A good bit of the story with Adam we all knew, but it does serve to put the bits and pieces we've heard over the years all together in one story.
There's something about the connotation of the word "headcase," ya know? I'm tellin' ya though ... kids' hoed a really tough row in life.
Two way players are seen quite often in the PAC; seldom in this part of the country. If he continues to play two ways?
(Can't help but wonder what he'd be like returning kicks ... )
I wish I could have seen it. But, what I saw from the news about him last year was enough.
Didn't get much on specific players from my friend at the 2nd scrimmage but I got a glowing report on Diggs from my buddy at the 1st scrimmage who said he looks like one of the best athletes on the field and that they were trying to find places to get him on the field. From that same scrimmage I also got that emmons was a man child and that Marlon Humphrey looks like an all american... since then I have seen several reports saying similar things about these guys which makes me think Diggs is going to be the steal of the recruiting cycle.
Saban saying the defense is going to be pretty good tells me all I need to know about that unit which explains the offensive struggles during the scrimmages..lol
Cant wait for game day.. we are getting close
BamaFan334
Member
During the cycle I was crossing my fingers he wouldn't choose Maryland over us, which is where his brother went. I didn't know he'd come in like he did, but if he can stay healthy he'll be leaps and bounds better than his brother.
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Thread 'š Bracketology 2026 - A quick from the distance: 1/27 (+ current SEC standings.)'
Alabama currently projected as a 4 seed.- TerryP
- Replies: 21
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2026 Alabama Roster Management Chart and Portal news
The latest on who's in and who's out.- Brandon Van de Graaff
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š„ Hot Seat - 2025: Who tops your list?
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The off-season "blues." What to watch?- Brandon Van de Graaff
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Bama held their 1st practice 9/22- Brandon Van de Graaff
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