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Notice anything different about Reuben Foster this spring? It’s not the amount of reps he has taken with the first-team defense at the Mike linebacker spot. It’s not the look of understanding that has been streaked across his face during individual drills. No, it’s something that has been missing from the top of his shoulder pads.
Foster, at least in the media viewing periods and in the photos released by UA Athletics, has not worn the cowboy collar that has been a fixture of his practice and game-day uniform. That may be a sign of Foster’s progress in keeping his head up when seeking out opponents to tackle.
“Reuben’s doing a really good job. He’s had a really good spring,” Nick Saban said on April 8. “He hasn’t had the problems with injuries, his consistency has been really, really good. He had a good scrimmage on Saturday. He’s practiced pretty well every day.
“I think sometimes the mental toughness thing of when you get a little bit tired or when it gets hot can you stay focused and sustain, he’d be one of the young players that I would put in a category of guys that need to do that better. But he’s made tremendous progress.”
Foster has stepped up his efforts this spring after seeing the field in a reserve role last season. He started the 2014 season as the first-team Mike linebacker against West Virginia in Atlanta but was quickly demoted when senior Trey DePriest returned from a one-game suspension.
Still, Foster recorded 23 total tackles (12 solo), two tackles for loss and one sack as a sophomore, while also delivering big hits on special teams that shortly grew into YouTube sensations.
This spring, the rising junior linebacker has been a different player out on the practice field – so much so that his teammates, including linebacker Dillon Lee, have noticed the change in individual drills and in the meeting room.
“I think he’s just matured a little bit more as he’s been here,” Lee said of Foster. “He just keeps maturing more and more every year. He just has a better feel for what we’re trying to do. He’s been doing good.”
Despite the positive things Saban and Lee have mentioned about Foster’s development, he hasn’t been able to separate himself as the clear leader at Mike linebacker. It was rising sophomore Shaun Hamilton that started the spring with the first-team defense alongside Reggie Ragland.
Saban brought up Foster, Hamilton and rising redshirt freshman Keith Holcombe as three younger players that have stood out at the inside linebacker position this spring. Ragland, the lone returning starter of the position group, said both Foster and Hamilton are making strong cases to play beside him in the middle of the defense.
“Lot of learning. Both of them are very physical guys, both of them are very smart, especially Shaun,” Ragland said earlier this spring. “I’ve seen Shaun – something coach says in the meeting – he applies it to the field right then.
“Reuben, he’s doing the same thing. Coach has both of them switching out. It’s gonna be a toss-up. Both of them are really good, athletic guys. Both of them love the game of football. Both of them are very good, talented guys.”
Ragland elaborated where and when the two linebackers have been “switching out.”
“Coach had me and Reuben in there at nickel,” Ragland said on April 6. “Then him and Shaun Dion switching off in regular and nickel. And Reuben did the dime today, too – dime rabbits and dime. It’s a toss-up. Like I say, it’s whatever Coach Saban and Coach (Kirby) Smart want.”
Foster has one more spring practice – on Thursday afternoon before the Crimson Tide’s annual A-Day Game on Saturday, April 18 – to make an impression before the players scatter across the country for a brief summer break. But it sounds like he is taking the necessary steps to do just that.
Foster, at least in the media viewing periods and in the photos released by UA Athletics, has not worn the cowboy collar that has been a fixture of his practice and game-day uniform. That may be a sign of Foster’s progress in keeping his head up when seeking out opponents to tackle.
“Reuben’s doing a really good job. He’s had a really good spring,” Nick Saban said on April 8. “He hasn’t had the problems with injuries, his consistency has been really, really good. He had a good scrimmage on Saturday. He’s practiced pretty well every day.
“I think sometimes the mental toughness thing of when you get a little bit tired or when it gets hot can you stay focused and sustain, he’d be one of the young players that I would put in a category of guys that need to do that better. But he’s made tremendous progress.”
Foster has stepped up his efforts this spring after seeing the field in a reserve role last season. He started the 2014 season as the first-team Mike linebacker against West Virginia in Atlanta but was quickly demoted when senior Trey DePriest returned from a one-game suspension.
Still, Foster recorded 23 total tackles (12 solo), two tackles for loss and one sack as a sophomore, while also delivering big hits on special teams that shortly grew into YouTube sensations.
This spring, the rising junior linebacker has been a different player out on the practice field – so much so that his teammates, including linebacker Dillon Lee, have noticed the change in individual drills and in the meeting room.
“I think he’s just matured a little bit more as he’s been here,” Lee said of Foster. “He just keeps maturing more and more every year. He just has a better feel for what we’re trying to do. He’s been doing good.”
Despite the positive things Saban and Lee have mentioned about Foster’s development, he hasn’t been able to separate himself as the clear leader at Mike linebacker. It was rising sophomore Shaun Hamilton that started the spring with the first-team defense alongside Reggie Ragland.
Saban brought up Foster, Hamilton and rising redshirt freshman Keith Holcombe as three younger players that have stood out at the inside linebacker position this spring. Ragland, the lone returning starter of the position group, said both Foster and Hamilton are making strong cases to play beside him in the middle of the defense.
“Lot of learning. Both of them are very physical guys, both of them are very smart, especially Shaun,” Ragland said earlier this spring. “I’ve seen Shaun – something coach says in the meeting – he applies it to the field right then.
“Reuben, he’s doing the same thing. Coach has both of them switching out. It’s gonna be a toss-up. Both of them are really good, athletic guys. Both of them love the game of football. Both of them are very good, talented guys.”
Ragland elaborated where and when the two linebackers have been “switching out.”
“Coach had me and Reuben in there at nickel,” Ragland said on April 6. “Then him and Shaun Dion switching off in regular and nickel. And Reuben did the dime today, too – dime rabbits and dime. It’s a toss-up. Like I say, it’s whatever Coach Saban and Coach (Kirby) Smart want.”
Foster has one more spring practice – on Thursday afternoon before the Crimson Tide’s annual A-Day Game on Saturday, April 18 – to make an impression before the players scatter across the country for a brief summer break. But it sounds like he is taking the necessary steps to do just that.
