🏈 Spring Practice, 2018: Looking to A-day... (Update: Tua with 2nd surgery on hand.)

[TerryP]

 

[TerryP]

• I read the paper today and read how the defensive line took advantage of the offensive line in pass rush. I don't know where that came from. I don't know where you got your information from. Somebody is going to cost somebody their job around here, because if I ever find out somebody is telling you something they shouldn't, it's not going to be good. I thought the offensive line did a pretty good job in the scrimmage to be honest with you. Moved the ball effectively. We had a lot of passing situations where the defensive guys got to tee off on them and play pass rush games. We've got a couple of guys that are pretty good rushers, so it's good that they (both lines) challenged each other. But we also made a lot of explosive plays on offense throwing the ball. Might not have been as consistent as we'd like for it to be in pass protection, but it was still pretty good.

 

[TerryP]

From his mouth.

I'm encouraged by the offensive line. We have a lot more experience. We have a lot more knowledge. We have a lot more leadership on offense right now, and I think it starts with the offensive line. I think that's going to have to be one of the strengths of our team next year.

Is he giving permission to have high expectations?

He did preface that with this.

(The offensive line) is a work in progress when you move guys to new positions. We think both of those young guys (Alex Leatherwood and Jedrick Wills) are really good players. We want to come out of spring with as much knowledge and diversity as possible for both of those players. They have done a a really good job all spring. I think we are all getting more confident in both of those guys. We feel comfortable and confident that they can go in next year and have a role on the team.

 

[UA Press Release]

Alabama Football Prepares for Second Spring Scrimmage

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama football team wrapped up its 10th practice of the spring on Wednesday afternoon with a two-hour session in full pads on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.

Wednesday's practice was the 10th of 15 spring practice sessions that will include two closed scrimmages and the annual Golden Flake A-Day Game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on April 21 at 1 p.m. CT. The game will air live on ESPN with Adnan Virk, Joey Galloway, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe on the call.

The Tide returns a total of 10 starters, including seven on offense and three on defense. The UA offense welcomes back junior quarterback Jalen Hurts, senior running back Damien Harris, four offensive linemen, including Jonah Williams, Ross Pierschbacher, Lester Cotton Sr. and Matt Womack along with junior tight end Hale Hentges. Senior Isaiah Buggs and junior Raekwon Davis return to anchor the defensive line, while redshirt junior Anfernee Jennings will lead the linebackers.

The team will return to the practice field Friday to finalize preparations for Saturday's scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama and head coach Nick Saban will host the 2018 Clinic of Champions this week from April 12-14. This year's clinic features Super Bowl-winning head coaches Doug Pederson of the Philadelphia Eagles and Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers along with West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen, Dr. Kevin Elko, Temple head coach Geoff Collins, Troy head coach Neal Brown and former Florida and Illinois head coach and Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Ron Zook.

Alabama Football Prepares for Second Spring Scrimmage - Alabama Athletics

 

[EasyTider]

Shavers to miss remainder of spring with toe injury.

 

[Tidestalker]

Scrimmage today, right?! What y'all hearing?

RTR!

 

[EasyTider]

I’m hearing it’s a gonna rain! Surprised the start time wasn’t pushed up. I realize that some games are played in inclement weather so it’s good to practice for those situations, but it’s suppose to be hairy today. Will we go inside?

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

You need to have a plan

“If you want to coach you have three rules to follow to win. One, surround yourself with people who can’t live without football. I’ve had a lot of them. Two, be able to recognize winners. They come in all forms. And, three, have a plan for everything. A plan for practice, a plan for the game. A plan for being ahead, and a plan for being behind 20-0 at half, with your quarterback hurt and the phones dead, with it raining cats and dogs and no rain gear because the equipment man left it at home.”...........Coach Bryant

I hope for the sake of Nick's equipment that he does a good job with the rain gear

 

[EasyTider]

Jeudy now on the shelf for the remainder of the spring. Perhaps injury was a bit worse or being super cautious? Even though still young, he has proven that he can make plays against top competition.

Still, no Jeudy or Shavers will put a dent in WR depth for A Day. Even if Tua is able to play extensively, who will Tua/Hurts throw to in the much anticipated battle for QB1 next Saturday? Might we throw to a TE!?

 

[BamaFan334]

Jeudy now on the shelf for the remainder of the spring. Perhaps injury was a bit worse or being super cautious? Even though still young, he has proven that he can make plays against top competition.

Still, no Jeudy or Shavers will put a dent in WR depth for A Day. Even if Tua is able to play extensively, who will Tua/Hurts throw to in the much anticipated battle for QB1 next Saturday? Might we throw to a TE!?

Watch some of Jeudy's Instagram posts. He may be better than Ridley with his cuts and speed. Ridley was a strider, where Jeudy is just fast and quick. He turned Diggs and Thompson the complete opposite way a few times.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Saw this..........

quote:
Nick Saban: “Tua (Tagovailoa) had a little setback yesterday with his hand. Doctors are trying to evaluate the best course of action. … I can’t really tell you anything more. He didn’t take any snaps today. He didn’t that many snaps yesterday.”​

 

[planomateo]

That storm visited us yesterday afternoon with a special delivery. Back to back hail Friday's evenings at my house.

 

[Tidestalker]

The Tua news is a bummer... Damn. Seems highly unlikely for A Day

 

[planomateo]

 

[planomateo]

 

[Max]

Instead of holding the scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium like always, the Crimson Tide remained on Bryant Drive and scrimmaged in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- For the first time in Nick Saban’s tenure, Alabama scrimmaged indoors.

Rain soaked the Druid City on Saturday, and tornado sirens echoed in the distance. So, instead of holding the scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium like always, the Crimson Tide remained on Bryant Drive and scrimmaged in the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility.

“I guess it was pretty obvious that we didn’t have any choice -- after 11 years, we had to go inside for a scrimmage,” Saban said in a press conference. “So, we feel like we’ve been very fortunate. I also think it’s an opportunity for our players that sometimes you get rain delays at places. We had one at Missouri a few years ago that was over an hour long.

“Players have to be able to respond and react to things like this. You think it’s going to be a nice day, and all of a sudden it isn’t. So, none of this stuff can affect how guys go out there and compete.”

Alabama scrimmaged close to two hours and participated in roughly 130 plays in the second of three game-like practices this spring. One week after the inaugural scrimmage, the 12th-year head coach noticed improvements from his usual spot behind the offense.

“I do think that there was some improvement in terms of how we played versus last week,” Saban said. “Really hard to know because the two things that we really want to evaluate are: how many mental errors do you make? How many unforced errors do you have? How many missed tackles do you have on defense?

“These kind of things can be kind of terminal in terms of, you can’t have those kind of mistakes because the other team, you’re basically giving them a free pass. They’re not doing anything to earn what they get. I do think we made some improvements in that area.

“I also think that we need to continue to improve, especially with some of our younger players who are not that experienced and still don’t have the sense of urgency, aight, that you need to be able to go out there and play when it comes to just doing my job. I mean, everybody wants to look at the quarterback and make plays but they’re not necessarily doing what they’re supposed to do the way they’re supposed to do it. So, we have to keep working through that.”

The Tide was without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (hand) and several other injured players, including wideouts Jerry Jeudy (knee) and Tyrell Shavers (toe) and running back Josh Jacobs(ankle). Jeudy and Jacobs wore black, no-contact jerseys and watched their teammates during drills from the sideline, while Shavers was not on the field at all.

The setback to Tagovailoa left the quarterback duties to Jalen Hurts and Mac Jones.

Like injuries have all spring long, however, they created opportunities for other young players on the Alabama roster to receive invaluable reps. But as the Crimson Tide enters the final week of the spring, Saban wants to see continued progress from his 2018 team.

“We won a lot of games out here being sort of relentless, competitive, overcoming adversity, keep playing the next play, sort of having a mindset with tremendous intangibles,” Saban said. “That’s something that I think we have to earn and we have to keep growing and build on as a team. I think that’s something that we want to definitely be able to finish the spring with.

“There are going to be some teams that look at it like, ‘OK, we have two days left, aight, and A-Day, let’s just take it easy and try to endure the practice.’ I want every player to go out there with the right attitude about what they need to do to get better to benefit their unit and our team. So, that’s going to be the goal for the rest of the spring.”

Alabama will return to practice Tuesday, April 17, for its 13th practice of the spring season.

 

[Max]

Alabama wrapped up its second scrimmage of the spring earlier today. Due to weather conditions, the scrimmage was held inside the indoor practice facility. As usual, the scrimmage was closed to the media. Coach Saban provided some comments to the media following the scrimmage. Here are some highlights of his comments.

• I guess it was pretty obvious that we did not have any choice. After eleven years we had to go inside for a scrimmage. I also think it's an opportunity for our players. Sometimes you get rain delays. At Missouri a few years ago we had one for over an hour. Players have to be able to respond and react to things like this.
• I do think there was some improvement in terms of how we played versus last week. Really hard to know, because the two things that we really want to evaluate is how many mental errors do you make, how many unforced errors do you have, how many missed tackles do you have on defense. These things can be sort of terminal in terms of you can't have have those kinds of mistakes, because the other team is basically getting a free pass. They're not doing anything to earn what they get. I do think that we made some improvement in that area. But I also think that we need to continue to improve, especially with some of our younger players who still don't have the sense of urgency that you need to be able to go up and play when it comes to just doing their job.
• We've won a lot of games around here being sort of relentless, competitive, overcoming adversity, keep playing the next play. Sort of have the mindset with tremendous intangibles. That is something that we have to earn and we have to keep growing and build on as a team That's something that we definitely want to finish the spring with. There are some teams that look it like we have two days left and then A-Day, so let's just take it easy and try to endure the practice. I want every player to go out there with the attitude that they want to get to benefit them as players and also to benefit their unit and our team.
• Tua had a little setback yesterday with his hand. Doctors are trying to evaluate the the best course of action and what we will do with him the remainder of the spring. I can't tell you any more. He didn't take any snaps today. We are going to try to protect this thing and make sure this thing is not going to be an issue in the fall.
• We hate it very much when any player that we had here did a great job for us here at Alabama, great job in terms of how he represented our university, how he represented our program, the contribution he made to the program. We have a player, Reuben Foster, that has legal issues. I don't think I'm in a position to comment, because I don't know the details or the facts. One of the things we try to teach our players here is that there are consequences for good and bad behavior. But we are going to remain supportive and help our player every way we can. We don't condone this kind of behavior and certainly don't want our players to have these kind of issues or the victims to suffer any at all. I can't say anymore than that.
• I think it's worked out great (having Mike Locksley as offensive coordinator and Dan Enos as quarterbacks coach). I think the quarterbacks are getting a lot more immediate attention, self-gratification. I think the best way to coach is when somebody makes a mistake or a good play is to get immediate feedback. That is the best way to learn. With the advent of up tempo offenses, players don't get coached as much between plays, because they have to go get lined up to get the signal for the next play. I think Mike and Dan get along really, really well. Both have been successful in the past. And I think both have a lot of respect for each other. I think it's worked out fine.
• I think Mac Jones has made a lot of improvement. He's a guy who has to mature. He's very competitive. When you are a quarterback, how is what I am doing affecting my unit? So when things don't go well, you can't always show your emotions, show your disappointment. You have to be positive...we're going to get them on the next play. That's the part of his leadership we have to continue to work on. He's made more and more good plays. We feel really good about his development. We are just trying to get him to focus on being the best player he can be. The position he is in, he's not far from having to play.
• Jalen Hurts has had a really good spring from the standpoint we have really have tried to focus on continuing to help him to develop confidence in the passing game. He has shown signs of being able to do that.. We want to continue to work on that. Sometimes you can't just think about making plays. You have to sort of make plays based on how they are designed and have some faith, trust and confidence in the people that are playing with you, that if you go through your progressions, that is going to give us the best chance to make some explosive plays in the passing game. And when it breaks down, then you use your athletic ability to make up for it. I think he's done much better at that this spring.
• Trevon Diggs (ankle) been able to practice all week. I think he's a lot more confident this year in terms of understanding what he's supposed to do. As long as he stays focused and doesn't like just start staring at the quarterback and not doing what he's not supposed to do, which a lot of these guys made a lot of plays with their eyes in high school. But when you're in man to man, you have to watch your man. You can't cover you're man if you're not looking at him. That's not the time to make plays with your eyes. So we continue to try to train our guys as to when you can make plays with your eyes and when you have to focus on the things you have to focus on to do your job in that particular coverage. He's gotten better at that. I think he can be a very, very good player for us. I'm encouraged by the progress he's made.

 

[BamaFan334]

Isn't the second scrimmage open to former players, big boosters, and a few other folks? Was that the same this time since it was at the indoor facility?

 

[TUSKtimes]

Sounds like Mac Jones gets down on himself a lot when things go south. His emotional approach is what feeds the offense. Diggs was looking a lot in the backfield last spring and losing guys. I hope he gets his man to man technique straightened out.

 

[OldPlayer]

Isn't the second scrimmage open to former players, big boosters, and a few other folks? Was that the same this time since it was at the indoor facility?

That was the first scrimmage. The coaching clinic was being held this week.