🏈 Spring Camp - 2017

[JoshB]

Watch this video at the bottom of this post, SLO. In the five and a half minutes I'm guessing there's highlights of 50-60 plays in his junior season of high school. Out of those there's around seven or eight where he's not under center.

I can see why he's looking up to AJ. There's a lot about their games that are similar and that's not to mention they look like each other playing.

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What does his senior highlights look like? Arm strength looked like an issue in that video. Does remind me of a young AJ tho.

 

[TerryP]

What does his senior highlights look like? Arm strength looked like an issue in that video. Does remind me of a young AJ tho.

The same. Maybe 50 plays highlighted and he was under center in over 40 of them. A lot of 11 and 12 personnel packages.

In both I'm impressed with how he's looking downfield--great vision in my opinion.

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

Watch this video at the bottom of this post, SLO. In the five and a half minutes I'm guessing there's highlights of 50-60 plays in his junior season of high school. Out of those there's around seven or eight where he's not under center.

I can see why he's looking up to AJ. There's a lot about their games that are similar and that's not to mention they look like each other playing.

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Figured so...lol

 

[BamaFan334]

The same. Maybe 50 plays highlighted and he was under center in over 40 of them. A lot of 11 and 12 personnel packages.

In both I'm impressed with how he's looking downfield--great vision in my opinion.

They've talked about how good he is and how much better he can get. Said he has a good bit of confidence in himself which has helped him progress into a great quarterback. A lot of folks blew him off because he wasn't a Top 100 player, but Rivals backed him up as a real player with immense potential.

 

[Tidestalker]

They've talked about how good he is and how much better he can get. Said he has a good bit of confidence in himself which has helped him progress into a great quarterback. A lot of folks blew him off because he wasn't a Top 100 player, but Rivals backed him up as a real player with immense potential.

YES he can ball! Nothing stands out as a glaring weakness in his game which is awesome of a HS QB. Love the AJ comparisons too.

The reason I've been so high on Tua is the intangibles. At the end of the day there are gobs of QB's with the ability that never made it through the adversity that comes with the position. Physically Tua does so many things that have made Jalen successful, but I see the same type of mental potential as well. I will say that his 40 time was much slower than I expected... Which would be significant for a dual threat QB.

I don't know as much about Mac, but if he has that mental toughness he could have that AJ type of career. So much potential physically.

Once again, love the QB situation right now. It doesn't get any better than this for a college program IMO. RTR

 

[Matt Zenitz |]

Why Alabama is experimenting with Trevon Diggs on defense

"That's an experiment we wanted to go through and see"

Continue reading...

 

[Tidestalker]

Why Alabama is experimenting with Trevon Diggs on defense

"That's an experiment we wanted to go through and see"

Continue reading...

Damn, I cringe when i see these experiments.

Cyrus was really the only guy I can remember that had making a big switch. And had he started at CB, he could have gotten good a year earlier.

This kid is obviously extremely talented... Would love to see what he can do focusing on 1 position... Especially if he's on returns again.

 

[RTB X Bot]

• It’s start early, but we got our first look at some of the offensive line rotations on Thursday. The first group had rising sophomore Jonah Williams at left tackle, Ross Pierschbacher at left guard, Bradley Bozeman at center, Lester Cotton at right guard and Matt Womack at right tackle. Williams is making the move from right to left tackle with Cam Robinson gone. Cotton started games at right guard last season, but lost his spot due to injuries and inconsistent performances. Womack doesn’t have much experience, but he’s a big, athletic player.
• The second group had redshirt freshman Chris Owens at left tackle, Dallas Warmack at left guard, J.C. Hassenauer at center, Brandon Kennedy at right guard and Scott Lashley at right tackle. Lashley also took one rep at right tackle with the first group.
• The third offensive line group had January enrollee Alex Leatherwood at left tackle, Richie Petitbon at left guard, Josh Casher at center, Deonte Brown at right guard and junior college transfer Elliot Baker at right tackle.
• Miller Forristall and Hale Hentges were the tight ends/H-backs working with the first group followed by Irv Smith and Ronnie Harrison, who made the position change from running backs.
• Ben Davis worked with the outside linebackers for the second straight day. It’ll be interesting to see how long this experiment last. It makes sense if Davis can learn the position considering the depth Alabama has at inside linebacker.
• Trevon Diggs worked with the cornerbacks again on Thursday. Saban called the move an experiment on Tuesday. Diggs played both sides of the ball last year, and in high school. Cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick said Diggs is working hard and learning the position.

 

[TerryP]

Just got this text...sorry for the way it's formatting...not going to try to fix it on my phone.

• • --Spent most of the viewing opportunity watching new OC Brian Daboll working with QBs Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones. First impression was that Daboll is hands-on and seemed to be very positive teaching and relating to his QBs.
  • 
    
  • --The QBs first worked on making reads on short throws. Daboll sounded pleased with the decision making of all three in that regard.
  • 
    
  • --Next, the QBs worked on play fakes. Daboll was a stickler for getting it just right. He pushed the QBs to sell the fakes hard. He called a few do overs, but for most part seemed very pleased. He especially applauded Jones for having good reps in this drill.
  • 
    
  • --Next, the receivers joined the QBs. In this part of the work, Tua Tagovailoa really got my attention on the flare routes. He gets the ball out very quickly and accurately. Very nice job delivering the ball to the RB or receiver in stride. Did it every time.
  • 
    
  • --Comeradarie between Daboll and the QBS seed very good. The QBs were working well together encouraging one another.
  • 
    
  • --Overall, a very positive feel from first observation of Daboll working with the QBs. Daboll is high energy and keeps his guys moving...but does everything in a positive way.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Pretty sure it was Ronnie Clark making his way to the H-position and not Harrison. Love to see him healthy, on the field and productive this season.

 

[alagator]

Pretty sure it was Ronnie Clark making his way to the H-position and not Harrison. Love to see him healthy, on the field and productive this season.

He's edited it since.

Miller Forristall and Hale Hentges were the tight ends/H-backs working with the first group followed by Irv Smith and Ronnie Clark, who made the position change from running backs.

 

[OldPlayer]

Damn, I cringe when i see these experiments.

Cyrus was really the only guy I can remember that had making a big switch. And had he started at CB, he could have gotten good a year earlier.

This kid is obviously extremely talented... Would love to see what he can do focusing on 1 position... Especially if he's on returns again.

There will be a backlog of players at WR between returning and new players. CNS obviously wants to get Diggs on the field.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[RTB X Bot]

Alabama was back on the practice field for the second of 15 spring practices/scrimmages Thursday afternoon. It was a warm day in Tuscaloosa and the team again worked outside. Here is what I observed during the media viewing period.

The inside linebackers worked in the same order as they did Tuesday, led by Rashaan Evans and followed by Keith Holcombe, Mack Wilson and Dylan Moses.

I spent some time by the defensive backs and came away impressed with the explosive first few steps of Trevon Diggs. He gets up to full speed pretty quickly. It’s apparent why the coaching staff likes this guy so much. He’s a sensational athlete.

First impressions
Most of the time I spent was watching the quarterbacks and here are a few observations that stuck out to me. Tua Tagovailoa has a quick release. The ball gets out of his hand quickly. He also throws a tight spiral that is accurate. His passes have nice spin on them. Jalen Hurts spent some time working under center, which he doesn’t have a ton of experience doing. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll spent all of his time during the media viewing period working with the quarterbacks. The thing that stuck with me my while watching him is how positive he is with the guys. He gives a lot of positive feedback and is very hands on. We didn’t exactly see that last season with Lane Kiffin. During one pass of Mac Jones, Daboll praised a rep with words like “excellent” and “great.”

Bo Scarbrough and B.J. Emmons remained in black jerseys as they will throughout spring practice.


Offensive line

It’s tough to tell at times what offensive linemen are with which organizational grouping, but here is was I could ascertain from my vantage point. With the first organizational grouping it was Jonah Williams, Ross Pierschbacher, Bradley Bozeman, Lester Cotton and Matt Womack. The second: Chris Owens, Dallas Warmack, J.C. Hassenauer, Brandon Kennedy and Scott Lashley. The third: Alex Leatherwood, Richie Petitbon, Josh Casher, Deonte Brown and Elliot Baker. These groupings mean very little at this point of the spring, but it’s something to keep a watch for in the future.

Up next: Alabama holds its third spring practice Saturday.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[EasyTider]

ILB observations.........Rashad's quads!!! :nohomo: Wilson looks big and fast

 

[Tidestalker]

Looks like initially Womack and Lashley will grind it out at RT. I think that's awesome... Two RS freshman have a chance to make a long term impact.

They must be pretty high on Chris Owens to have moved him out to second team LT. He's a large individual. Sure seems like he's going to get on the field at some position this year.

Casher on 3rd team is not a good sign. Especially with the 3 guys he's competing with being on the second team. That being said, that's a hell of a third team OL. haha. Expecting Leatherwood and Pettibone to move up quickly.

Love Ronnie Clark getting a shot at H Back. RB is hopeless for him, but maybe he steals some snaps at H Back. He was an awesome offensive player in high school (I think he played a little of everything). Tough luck kid, rooting for him.

Thanks for the links, looking forward to catching up on them all later tonight. RTR

 

[Rainer Sabin |]

Alabama held its second practice this spring on Thursday.

Alabama was back at practice Thursday. The temperature outside was eighty degrees and there were clear skies. The team worked in shells and shorts. Here are some observations from the limited media viewing period:

-- Alabama's offensive line consisted of Jonah Williams at left tackle, Ross Pierschbacher at left guard, Bradley Bozeman at center, Lester Cotton at right guard and Matt Womack at right tackle.

-- Running backs Bo Scarbrough (leg) and B.J. Emmons (foot) were in black, non-contact jerseys. Nick Saban said both players would be involved in individual drills this spring as they come back from injuries.

-- Linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton (knee) and defensive back Jared Mayden (hip) were working out with elevation training masks. Mayden was on the bike and Hamilton was on the field.

-- Rashaan Evans led the inside linebacker drills followed by Keith Holcombe, Josh McMillon and freshman Dylan Moses.

-- Trevon Diggs, who made his biggest impact last season as a receiver, continued to work with the defensive backs.

-- New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was active in the quarterback drills, giving instruction and energetically moving around the field. Daboll was hard to miss, of course. He was decked out in crimson from head to toe.

Continue reading...

 

[By Alex Byington Sports]

Alabama notebook: Bozeman prides himself as a runner

TUSCALOOSA — It’s no secret: offensive linemen are usually the biggest guys on a team, and thus not necessarily the most athletic.

That makes evaluating Alabama’s workout-intensive “Fourth Quarter” program before spring practice difficult.

“There’s nobody that struggles more in the offseason program than the big guys, (but) it’s good for them,” Tide coach Nick Saban said Tuesday. “The skill guys look great doing it, but the big guys don’t look so good.”


There are always the exceptions, and rising senior center Bradley Bozeman considers himself one, especially when it comes to the running portion.

“I mean, fourth quarter (program) is something else, but it’s one thing you need to push through,” said Bozeman, who described himself as “a pretty good runner.”

“It’s all about mental toughness. It’s definitely physical too, but it’s mostly mental toughness you just have to push through.”

Bozeman — who playfully motioned up and down his 6-foot-5, 314-pound frame when asked why he called his success as a runner “weird” — says his affinity for conditioning started when he first arrived in Tuscaloosa and saw multi-year starter Ryan Kelly leading the offensive linemen in drills.

“When I came in, I was a decent runner, but then Ryan Kelly was here … (and) I kind of made it my goal to keep up with Ryan,” Bozeman said. “Each year, I ran with Ryan and I tried to keep up with him. Eventually I got to the point where I was passing Ryan in running. So that really helped me.”

While the pre-camp conditioning program — which is directed by longtime head strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran and involves running progressions of distances of 80 and 110 meters — can be grueling at times, it can often become a bit of a mini-competition between.

“Me and Ross (Pierschbacher) like run neck and neck, so we usually try to push each other,” Bozeman said. “We feed off each other.”

Still, like with every race, there’s always a winner, and — at least when it comes to running sprints — that winner is usually Bozeman.

“He’s one of those guys that’s always going hard,” defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne said Bozeman. “Like when we’re running sprints and stuff, he’s always at the front. He’s pretty fast.”

Freshman receiver impressing early

Calvin Ridley knows what it takes to make a significant impact as a freshman receiver at Alabama. Mostly because he’s done it.

Ridley, a rising junior, holds the program record for most receiving yards by a freshman with 1,045 in 2015 — eclipsing the 999 yards set by Amari Cooper in 2012.

That's why when he says freshman and fellow five-star South Florida product Jerry Jeudy is making similar strides, you better believe it.

“He's doing really good for his first day,” Ridley said Thursday. “I think Jerry is like me when I first got here. He's really good.”

Longtime friends and former prep teammates, Jeudy has drawn comparisons to Ridley ever since they were little, when the pair were tearing up the Pop Warner fields together around Pompano Beach, Fla.


It’s because of that connection that Ridley hopes the 6-foot-4 Jeudy can eclipse his freshman receiving record this season.

“I want him to break it — that's my boy,” Ridley said.

New special teams coach

To hear Saban talk about it, bringing back former director of football operations Joe Pannunzio as an on-field coach was a no-brainer.

Pannunzio, who spent the last two seasons working in the NFL as the Philadelphia Eagles’ director of player personnel, was hired as Alabama’s special teams/tight ends coach a month ago, filling a necessary role that was in flux last season.

“I think his energy and enthusiasm will be really important on special teams and I think he’s a good teacher,” Saban said of Pannunzio, “and I think it’s going to help some of our young players that probably need to be core special team guys for us.”

Saban’s effort to create a “core” special teams-only unit comes after the Tide’s depth took a serious hit last season following the losses of several key players that were likely to make an impact on special teams.

“I think one of the things that hurt us last year (was when) we lost six guys through the course of the season — we had six guys transfer last year and then we lost six guys to injury for the year,” Saban added, “and I think those things affected us toward the end of the year, and probably more on special teams than anywhere else because it made some players play too many plays and it affected the quality that I think we played on special teams.”


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