BamaFan334
Member
That's a very solid line right there. Out of curiosity, what is making you laugh? Wills in at guard when he said he wouldn't play guard?
š Spring Practice, 2018: Looking to A-day... (Update: Tua with 2nd surgery on hand.)
That's a very solid line right there. Out of curiosity, what is making you laugh? Wills in at guard when he said he wouldn't play guard?
Iām sure Wills desire to play tackle is about Sundays. As most everyone is aware, tackles are, for the most part, taken earlier and paid more than guards in the draft. This is especially true with the prototype LT. Nothing preventing JW from cutting his teeth at guard and sliding over to tackle when heās needed/ready. Who knows, Mixing it up inside may make him a better run blocker as a future tackle.
It will be interesting to see if Pierschbacher shows the staff that he is the best option quarterbacking the OL at center. Didnāt he start last spring there only to have Bozeman ultimately take the position?
It will be interesting to see if Pierschbacher shows the staff that he is the best option quarterbacking the OL at center. Didnāt he start last spring there only to have Bozeman ultimately take the position?
@BamaFan334, I'm laughing at the possibilities found there...Bama arrogance kind of chuckle.
G
Google Inc.
Alabama practice report: Injury updates, notes ahead of first spring scrimmage SECcountry.com TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā Alabama football took the field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on a cold Saturday afternoon for its first spring scrimmage. This is the eighth practice of spring. We're only a few more away from Alabama's A-Day spring game on April 21 ... Alabama scrimmage report: Update on Tua TagovailoaAL.com all 3 news articles Ā» |
Alabama practice report: Injury updates, notes ahead of first spring scrimmage
R
Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Alabama scrimmage report: Update on Tua Tagovailoa
Alabama held its first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday.
Under a cloudy sky with the temperature at an unseasonable 50 degrees, Alabama staged its first scrimmage of the spring at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.
Here are some observations from the media access period while the team was warming up:
-- Tua Tagovailoa was seen throwing passes and appeared to be more active than he had been. As has been the case in recent practices, he wasn't wearing a glove over his injured left hand, although it appeared to be taped. Tagovailoa fractured the second metacarpal bone in the first practice of the spring last month.
-- Receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle) were not spotted.
-- Defensive lineman Raekwon Davis was seen. Alabama coach Nick Saban said earlier this week that Davis injured his ankle.
-- DeVonta Smith was working with the receivers. So too was Chadarius Townsend. Both have been involved in drills with the defensive backs at different points this spring.
-- Miller Forristall was wearing a black jersey. The tight end appeared to be moving well in while catching passes on air. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the third game of the 2017 season.
Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Alabama scrimmage report: Update on Tua Tagovailoa
Alabama held its first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday.
Under a cloudy sky with the temperature at an unseasonable 50 degrees, Alabama staged its first scrimmage of the spring at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.
Here are some observations from the media access period while the team was warming up:
-- Tua Tagovailoa was seen throwing passes and appeared to be more active than he had been. As has been the case in recent practices, he wasn't wearing a glove over his injured left hand, although it appeared to be taped. Tagovailoa fractured the second metacarpal bone in the first practice of the spring last month.
-- Receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle) were not spotted.
-- Defensive lineman Raekwon Davis was seen. Alabama coach Nick Saban said earlier this week that Davis injured his ankle.
-- DeVonta Smith was working with the receivers. So too was Chadarius Townsend. Both have been involved in drills with the defensive backs at different points this spring.
-- Miller Forristall was wearing a black jersey. The tight end appeared to be moving well in while catching passes on air. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the third game of the 2017 season.
Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Alabama scrimmage report: Update on Tua Tagovailoa
JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
Member
Tidestalker
Member
4 for 5 according to the man himself, but who is counting attempts, right? (CNS mentioned one chip shot.) Windy conditions in Tuscaloosa today which makes me hesitate to make any judgment. That said, reports today don't match some of what we've seen over the last few weeks ... make of either what you may.
It's falling down to "Saban's happy with the kicker" to "Bulovas is a head case and Saban is trying to build his confidence." I'm sure the wind had a lot to do with DeLong being inconsistent--an area of more concern if I were to rank them in order of importance.
How many different reports/opinions do you want here? Tua was throwing with a deflated ball yesterday. How many ways can that be taken? /s I've learned Tua took around two dozen snaps and Jalen started slow but progressed. Nothing real earth shattering but encouraging on both.
One thing that's been a consistent report but phrased in different ways: there were no long running plays yesterday but the run game was consistent. Pass pro has been criticized, defensive line play has been praised. Context, right? Cotton and RG and LG. Womack out for now. Leatherwood playing both sides at tackle--and the rest of the shuffles we've seen. Honestly, we're still looking at the same picture we were a few weeks ago: best combination on the offensive line and a need for depth on the defensive line.
We know the secondary is coming together. We knew it was something that wouldn't be answered until fall. Personally, I like hearing several singled out like Shy was from a few yesterday. One said it was easy to see him taking a leadership role. Yet, asking "where's Knott" is still out there.
For reference sake:
Alabama Footballās First Scrimmage of the Spring in the Books
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā The University of Alabama football team took part in its first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The scrimmage lasted for a little over two hours with temperatures hanging in the upper 40s for most of the day.
"The players tried to communicate and execute," Saban said. "I think several players made plays, and like you would expect in a first scrimmage, there were probably some other plays that we could have made that we wish we had back, but if we didn't have those plays, we wouldn't need to practice. All in all, I was pleased with the effort. I was pleased with the toughness that the players played with. I think they were able to sustain in the scrimmage, played the next play when things didn't go well, and there are a lot of good things for everyone to learn from."
The scrimmage was Alabama's first of the spring, and the eighth of 15 spring practice sessions that will include one more closed scrimmage 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 calling the action.
The Crimson Tide scrimmaged for roughly 130 plays after heavy rains drenched the Tuscaloosa area overnight.
"I think the conditions were a little bit rough out there in terms of the wind," Saban said. "I thought it was wet. When the rye grass gets wet, it's a little bit slick, so there was some slipping and sliding. To use an old (Bill) Belichick term, you just tell players 'You've got to get some shoes that work.' Other than that, I thought the hitting was good. The effort was good."
Alabama will return to the practice field on Monday afternoon, holding a trio of practices next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday before holding its second scrimmage of the spring next Saturday.
Footballās First Scrimmage of the Spring in the Books - Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā The University of Alabama football team took part in its first scrimmage of the spring on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The scrimmage lasted for a little over two hours with temperatures hanging in the upper 40s for most of the day.
"The players tried to communicate and execute," Saban said. "I think several players made plays, and like you would expect in a first scrimmage, there were probably some other plays that we could have made that we wish we had back, but if we didn't have those plays, we wouldn't need to practice. All in all, I was pleased with the effort. I was pleased with the toughness that the players played with. I think they were able to sustain in the scrimmage, played the next play when things didn't go well, and there are a lot of good things for everyone to learn from."
The scrimmage was Alabama's first of the spring, and the eighth of 15 spring practice sessions that will include one more closed scrimmage 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 calling the action.
The Crimson Tide scrimmaged for roughly 130 plays after heavy rains drenched the Tuscaloosa area overnight.
"I think the conditions were a little bit rough out there in terms of the wind," Saban said. "I thought it was wet. When the rye grass gets wet, it's a little bit slick, so there was some slipping and sliding. To use an old (Bill) Belichick term, you just tell players 'You've got to get some shoes that work.' Other than that, I thought the hitting was good. The effort was good."
Alabama will return to the practice field on Monday afternoon, holding a trio of practices next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday before holding its second scrimmage of the spring next Saturday.
Footballās First Scrimmage of the Spring in the Books - Alabama Athletics
JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
Member
Saw this from a post on the Rant..........
This is from a recap on reddit...
This is from a recap on reddit...
quote:
Jalen and Mac jones both look good. Tua has played on two drives so far.
Williams, cotton, lierschbacer, Willis, leatherwood. Is the line combo right now.
Scott lashley got in a fight with Dylan Moses after Moses rolled his helmet off and grew r st him.
Najee is Derrik Henry and Trent Richardson mixed with Reggie bush.
Punter looks like he has lots of potential.
Carter and Mayden seem to be playing opposite savior smith.
Chris Allen is gonna be a monster.
I don't think our kicker has missed from 40+
Rylan Moses rushing the passer is all they is right in the world.
Tyrelk shavers has been the go to target it seems today
Mac jones has thrown a couple picks.
Christian miler hurt his ankle in like the second play. Still sitting in sideline. Not sure how serious.
Our two deep in the front 7 is gonna be perfect.
McMillan and Benton at MLB have both played with confidence and our OLB should be as stacked as ever.
Scrimmage is over. Tua didn't throw a lot. Looked good when he did. Jalen started slow and looked good overall. Still feel like he is looking to run to early.
Our best o-line combo was
Williams, cotton, pierchbacher, Willis, leatherwood.
That's 3-4 All Sec/all Americans on thst line. I don't think there is a team in the country that can move those boys. Looking a lot like that 2012 line just by appearance
Jalen and Mac jones both look good. Tua has played on two drives so far.
Williams, cotton, lierschbacer, Willis, leatherwood. Is the line combo right now.
Scott lashley got in a fight with Dylan Moses after Moses rolled his helmet off and grew r st him.
Najee is Derrik Henry and Trent Richardson mixed with Reggie bush.
Punter looks like he has lots of potential.
Carter and Mayden seem to be playing opposite savior smith.
Chris Allen is gonna be a monster.
I don't think our kicker has missed from 40+
Rylan Moses rushing the passer is all they is right in the world.
Tyrelk shavers has been the go to target it seems today
Mac jones has thrown a couple picks.
Christian miler hurt his ankle in like the second play. Still sitting in sideline. Not sure how serious.
Our two deep in the front 7 is gonna be perfect.
McMillan and Benton at MLB have both played with confidence and our OLB should be as stacked as ever.
Scrimmage is over. Tua didn't throw a lot. Looked good when he did. Jalen started slow and looked good overall. Still feel like he is looking to run to early.
Our best o-line combo was
Williams, cotton, pierchbacher, Willis, leatherwood.
That's 3-4 All Sec/all Americans on thst line. I don't think there is a team in the country that can move those boys. Looking a lot like that 2012 line just by appearance
B
By Alex Byington Sports Writer
TUSCALOOSA ā Nick Saban doesnāt have a time frame to decide a starting quarterback, and a hand injury to rising sophomore backup Tua Tagovailoa three weeks ago appears to have put the Crimson Tideās quarterback competition on hold.
Saban said the player Tagovailoa is competing with ā junior incumbent Jalen Hurts ā showed off his dual-threat ability.
āJalen, I thought, started out a little bit slow, but he really made some really good plays as the scrimmage went on, so we were encouraged by that as well,ā Saban said.
Saban said Tagovailoa took between 15 and 20 snaps and did well as he continues to rehab his broken left hand.
According to teammates, Tagovailoa hasnāt let the injury to his throwing hand affect how he approaches both the competition and his play in practice.
"He doesn't let none of that distract him,ā junior tight end Irv Smith Jr. said last week. āHe's still out there getting his work in and doing what he has to do, and we expect that a lot."
Saban said redshirt freshman Mac Jones also showed progress Saturday, but there remains plenty of room for improvement from all three scholarship quarterbacks.
āI think Jalen did a nice job and so did Mac Jones,ā Saban said. āI think when we look at the film weāll say that, and theyāll say, there are things we can do better."
WR Smith splits reps at CB
With sophomore Jerry Jeudy, last yearās second-leading receiver, still out after undergoing minor knee surgery last week, Alabamaās receiving corps took a bit of a hit Saturday.
But that didnāt stop coaches from utilizing fellow sophomore pass catcher DeVonta Smith as part of its defensive secondary.
Smith, who caught the game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to in overtime of Januaryās national title game, has occasionally worked with the secondary during spring.
While Smith spent much of Saturday working with the offense, Saban said the plan was to get him about āa dozen plays at cornerā in order to make sure heās comfortable enough at the position should the team need his services on defense.
āWe probably could have done it a little more if Jerry Jeudy hadnāt gotten hurt. It just makes us a little thin, but all weāre trying to do is get Smitty (Smith) enough turns that if we had an emergency situation next year, and we lost some guys or whatever, he could go help up depth-wise,ā Saban said.
Alabama was also without the services of junior cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle), who could return to action next week, along with junior safety Keaton Anderson (shoulder), junior running back Josh Jacobs (ankle), redshirt freshman offensive guard Kendall Randolph (Achilles) and redshirt junior offensive tackle Matt Womack (foot).
āNot having Jerry Jeudy out there makes us a little thin at receiver,ā Sabans said, ānot having Trevon Diggs makes us a little thin at corner, so hopefully weāll get Trevon back this next week, but Jerry will probably not be back.ā
Specialists remain inconsistent
Alabamaās special teams remains a question mark.
Redshirt freshman kicker Jospeh Bulovas was reportedly consistent on field goals Saturday, connecting on 4 of 5 attempts, with three of his makes coming from between 35 and 45 yards, according to Saban.
āI think really only one of (Bulovasā field goals) was inside the 20-yard-line, the rest of them were 35-45 yarders. So that was encouraging,ā Saban said. āOn the kickoffs, he had a couple of good kickoffs, and when he was kicking off into the wind, maybe not as good. So thereās things to improve on.ā
The punting situation is also a concern with early enrollee freshman Skyler DeLong showing a strong leg, though inconsistency with getting kicks off in a timely and efficient manner.
āWe had some good punts and we had some punts that we need to speed up the operation as well as the consistency in how we hit the ball,ā Saban said.
By Alex Byington Sports Writer
Alabama notebook: Saban says no time frame on sorting out QB race
Saban said the player Tagovailoa is competing with ā junior incumbent Jalen Hurts ā showed off his dual-threat ability.
āJalen, I thought, started out a little bit slow, but he really made some really good plays as the scrimmage went on, so we were encouraged by that as well,ā Saban said.
Saban said Tagovailoa took between 15 and 20 snaps and did well as he continues to rehab his broken left hand.
According to teammates, Tagovailoa hasnāt let the injury to his throwing hand affect how he approaches both the competition and his play in practice.
"He doesn't let none of that distract him,ā junior tight end Irv Smith Jr. said last week. āHe's still out there getting his work in and doing what he has to do, and we expect that a lot."
Saban said redshirt freshman Mac Jones also showed progress Saturday, but there remains plenty of room for improvement from all three scholarship quarterbacks.
āI think Jalen did a nice job and so did Mac Jones,ā Saban said. āI think when we look at the film weāll say that, and theyāll say, there are things we can do better."
WR Smith splits reps at CB
With sophomore Jerry Jeudy, last yearās second-leading receiver, still out after undergoing minor knee surgery last week, Alabamaās receiving corps took a bit of a hit Saturday.
But that didnāt stop coaches from utilizing fellow sophomore pass catcher DeVonta Smith as part of its defensive secondary.
Smith, who caught the game-winning 41-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa to in overtime of Januaryās national title game, has occasionally worked with the secondary during spring.
While Smith spent much of Saturday working with the offense, Saban said the plan was to get him about āa dozen plays at cornerā in order to make sure heās comfortable enough at the position should the team need his services on defense.
āWe probably could have done it a little more if Jerry Jeudy hadnāt gotten hurt. It just makes us a little thin, but all weāre trying to do is get Smitty (Smith) enough turns that if we had an emergency situation next year, and we lost some guys or whatever, he could go help up depth-wise,ā Saban said.
Alabama was also without the services of junior cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle), who could return to action next week, along with junior safety Keaton Anderson (shoulder), junior running back Josh Jacobs (ankle), redshirt freshman offensive guard Kendall Randolph (Achilles) and redshirt junior offensive tackle Matt Womack (foot).
āNot having Jerry Jeudy out there makes us a little thin at receiver,ā Sabans said, ānot having Trevon Diggs makes us a little thin at corner, so hopefully weāll get Trevon back this next week, but Jerry will probably not be back.ā
Specialists remain inconsistent
Alabamaās special teams remains a question mark.
Redshirt freshman kicker Jospeh Bulovas was reportedly consistent on field goals Saturday, connecting on 4 of 5 attempts, with three of his makes coming from between 35 and 45 yards, according to Saban.
āI think really only one of (Bulovasā field goals) was inside the 20-yard-line, the rest of them were 35-45 yarders. So that was encouraging,ā Saban said. āOn the kickoffs, he had a couple of good kickoffs, and when he was kicking off into the wind, maybe not as good. So thereās things to improve on.ā
The punting situation is also a concern with early enrollee freshman Skyler DeLong showing a strong leg, though inconsistency with getting kicks off in a timely and efficient manner.
āWe had some good punts and we had some punts that we need to speed up the operation as well as the consistency in how we hit the ball,ā Saban said.
By Alex Byington Sports Writer
Alabama notebook: Saban says no time frame on sorting out QB race
JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
Member
Playing the best for TEAM should be a big item....Neither Leatherwood nor Willis have to worry about the draft in 2018 nor should they
Tidestalker
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Alabama17Tide
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Saban on the scrimmage
Nick Saban: I think like most first scrimmages the ultimate goal is to find out what can I do to get better
Saban said Tua Tagovailoa played very limitedly in the scrimmage.
Saban said Joseph Bulovas was 4 of 5 on field goals and "they weren't chip shots"
Saban said there were some good punts and some bad punts
Saban said he is continuing to move guys around on the OL in order to get the best five guys out there.
Saban said Quinnen played at nose guard and 5 techniqueque
Saban on Tua: I don't think any time a player gets hurt at a position he should be penalized for that.
Saban said Tua got 15-20 snaps today.
DeVonta Smith played on both sides of the ball during Alabama's scrimmage.
Nuggets
Tua looked very good today and connected with DeVonta Smith for a touchdown early on.
Jalen was overall good on the day and threw a touchdown for 37-yards. Hurts also looked good rushing the football, one run for plus 45-yards.
Mac Jones also threw a touchdown on the day.
Raekwon Davis has been one of the MVPs of the day. Really tough to stop and was able to get to the quarterback several times.
Defensive backs seemed to struggle on the day, remember this is a completely new group going against two experienced quarterbacks.
Offensive Line: Williams, cotton, Pierschbacher, Willis, leatherwood
Heard that Lashley and Dylan Moses got into a fight.
Chris Allen had a big day and looked very impressive.
Tyrell Shavers has had a big day and has caught a good amount of balls.
Diggs out with ankle injury. So the DBās were Shyheim Carter and Jared Mayden.
McMillan and MarMarkil Benton each looked good at inside linebacker.
Practice Report from Saturday
By Tony Tsoukalas
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā Alabama prepared for its first scrimmage of the spring Saturday inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Players were dressed in full pads in chilly, 49-degree weather for the workout. This was Alabamaās eighth practice of 15 total spring practices concluding on April 21 with the A-Day scrimmage.
Here are some notes from Saturdayās media viewing period:
ā There were six Alabama players on stationary bikes. Jerry Jeudy (knee), Trevon Diggs (ankle), Matt Womack (foot), Josh Jacobs (ankle), Kendall Randolph, and Keaton Anderson will all be out for the scrimmage.
ā Miller Forristall (knee) is still in a black jersey but was participating in receiver drills with the tight ends.
ā Defensive lineman Raekwon Davis (ankle) was wearing a red jersey and was a full participant during practice. He was sidelined during Thursdayās practice.
ā After spending time with the cornerbacks Thursday, DeVonta Smith was back with the receivers during the viewing period. Donāt be surprised if he plays both cornerback and receiver during the scrimmage.
ā Tua Tagovailoa (hand) participated in throwing drills to both the receivers and the tight ends but did take a couple reps off. Expect Alabama to be cautious with him during the scrimmage, especially with the cold weather.
ā Tagovailoa was not wearing a glove but continued to have his lower left hand wrapped. He worked out of a clap cadence and the injury didnāt seem to affect any of his throws.
ā Alabamaās first unit on offensive line was Jonah Williams, Lester Cotton, Ross Pierschbacher, Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood from left to right. The second unit consisted of Richie Petitbon, Josh Casher, Brandon Kennedy, Dallas Warmack and Scott Lashley.
Scrimmage Nuggets/Insider Report | BamaInsider.com
Nick Saban: I think like most first scrimmages the ultimate goal is to find out what can I do to get better
Saban said Tua Tagovailoa played very limitedly in the scrimmage.
Saban said Joseph Bulovas was 4 of 5 on field goals and "they weren't chip shots"
Saban said there were some good punts and some bad punts
Saban said he is continuing to move guys around on the OL in order to get the best five guys out there.
Saban said Quinnen played at nose guard and 5 techniqueque
Saban on Tua: I don't think any time a player gets hurt at a position he should be penalized for that.
Saban said Tua got 15-20 snaps today.
DeVonta Smith played on both sides of the ball during Alabama's scrimmage.
Nuggets
Tua looked very good today and connected with DeVonta Smith for a touchdown early on.
Jalen was overall good on the day and threw a touchdown for 37-yards. Hurts also looked good rushing the football, one run for plus 45-yards.
Mac Jones also threw a touchdown on the day.
Raekwon Davis has been one of the MVPs of the day. Really tough to stop and was able to get to the quarterback several times.
Defensive backs seemed to struggle on the day, remember this is a completely new group going against two experienced quarterbacks.
Offensive Line: Williams, cotton, Pierschbacher, Willis, leatherwood
Heard that Lashley and Dylan Moses got into a fight.
Chris Allen had a big day and looked very impressive.
Tyrell Shavers has had a big day and has caught a good amount of balls.
Diggs out with ankle injury. So the DBās were Shyheim Carter and Jared Mayden.
McMillan and MarMarkil Benton each looked good at inside linebacker.
Practice Report from Saturday
By Tony Tsoukalas
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā Alabama prepared for its first scrimmage of the spring Saturday inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Players were dressed in full pads in chilly, 49-degree weather for the workout. This was Alabamaās eighth practice of 15 total spring practices concluding on April 21 with the A-Day scrimmage.
Here are some notes from Saturdayās media viewing period:
ā There were six Alabama players on stationary bikes. Jerry Jeudy (knee), Trevon Diggs (ankle), Matt Womack (foot), Josh Jacobs (ankle), Kendall Randolph, and Keaton Anderson will all be out for the scrimmage.
ā Miller Forristall (knee) is still in a black jersey but was participating in receiver drills with the tight ends.
ā Defensive lineman Raekwon Davis (ankle) was wearing a red jersey and was a full participant during practice. He was sidelined during Thursdayās practice.
ā After spending time with the cornerbacks Thursday, DeVonta Smith was back with the receivers during the viewing period. Donāt be surprised if he plays both cornerback and receiver during the scrimmage.
ā Tua Tagovailoa (hand) participated in throwing drills to both the receivers and the tight ends but did take a couple reps off. Expect Alabama to be cautious with him during the scrimmage, especially with the cold weather.
ā Tagovailoa was not wearing a glove but continued to have his lower left hand wrapped. He worked out of a clap cadence and the injury didnāt seem to affect any of his throws.
ā Alabamaās first unit on offensive line was Jonah Williams, Lester Cotton, Ross Pierschbacher, Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood from left to right. The second unit consisted of Richie Petitbon, Josh Casher, Brandon Kennedy, Dallas Warmack and Scott Lashley.
Scrimmage Nuggets/Insider Report | BamaInsider.com
Alabama17Tide
Member
Players enter the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium prior to Alabama's first scrimmage. Photo | Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. ā The first spring scrimmage was about getting better. Head coach Nick Saban called Alabamaās first game-like scenario of the offseason a āgood startā Saturday, stating he hopes it allowed players to evaluate where they are and what they can do to improve.
The scrimmage served as the midway point in Alabama spring camp as it was the eighth of a total of 15 practices concluding with the A-Day game on April 21. Here are five things we learned from Sabanās post-scrimmage news conference:
Kicking game āencouragingā
Kicker Joseph Bulovas kicks a field goal during Alabama's scrimmage Saturday. Photo | Alabama Athletics
Alabama kicker Joseph Bulovas had to battle a strong wind at times as the Crimson Tide worked in a sub 50-degree temperature inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. His performance on the day resulted in a gusting exhale by the select Alabama fans in attendance.
According to Saban, the redshirt freshman kicker connected on four of five field goals, providing promise toward more consistency from the position in the future.
āThey werenāt chip shots,ā Saban said of Bulovasā field goals. āI think probably one of those was really inside of the 20-yard line. The rest of them were 35- to 45-yarders, so that was encouraging.ā
Bulovas also handled kickoff duties on the day. Saban said Bulovas had a ācouple of good kickoffs,ā but stated that he left room for improvement when kicking into the wind.
Bulovas came to Alabama last year as the No. 1 kicker in the 2017 class but struggled to maintain consistency over the spring and was eventually beaten out by walk-on Andy Pappanastos. Saturday, Saban commended the redshirt freshman for his poise and ability to overcome adversity.
"I think probably more than anyone out there on the field today, and I thought Joe handled this pretty well, is when you have bad conditions, how is it going to affect you as a specialist?" Saban said. "I thought Joe handled it really well."
Along with developing a new kicker, Alabama is also looking to replace JK Scott at punter. Early enrollee Skyler DeLong, who is thought to be one of the best punters in the 2018 class, has stepped into that role this spring.
āFrom a punting standpoint, we had some good punts and we had some punts that we need to speed up the operation as well as the consistency in how we hit the ball,ā Saban said.
Scott also served as the holder during field goals last season. Judging by photos released by the university, that duty appears to have been passed down to backup quarterback Mac Jones.
Updating injuries
Alabama had six players in black jerseys riding stationary bikes during the media viewing period before Saturdayās scrimmage. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (knee), cornerback Trevon Diggs (ankle), running back Josh Jacobs (ankle), defensive back Keaton Anderson and offensive linemen Matt Womack (foot) and Kendall Randolph were all unavailable for the scrimmage.
āI think that this is really good for the young players because we do have a significant number of players who are out that have not practiced this spring,ā Saban said. āProbably four or five guys from the season, then you throw in four or five more guys who are a little bit nicked up from practice, not bad but just enough that they canāt practice.
āAll of a sudden, you get pretty thin in what youāre trying to do. But that creates a really good opportunity for some other players to get a lot of repetitions and have a chance to learn and grow.ā
The absences of Jeudy and Diggs were particularly noticeable as they left Alabama short in numbers at both the receiver and defensive back position. Following the scrimmage, Saban gave a brief update of both players moving forward.
āHopefully, weāll get Trevon back this next week, but Jerry probably will not be back,ā Saban said. āWe are a little short on skill guys at a lot of positions.ā
DeVonta Smith working on both sides of the ball
DeVonta Smith, right, makes a catch during Alabama's scrimmage. Photo | Alabama Athletics
Alabamaās lack of depth at cornerback and receiver led to a busy day for DeVonta Smith. The rising sophomore receiver played on both sides of the ball, switching to defense at times to help out the Crimson Tideās thin secondary.
āThe goal was, could we get him a dozen plays at corner?ā Saban said. āMost of the time he played receiver. We probably could have [played Smith at corner] a little more if Jerry Jeudy wouldnāt have got hurt. It just makes us a little thin.
āAll weāre trying to do is get Smitty enough turns that if we had an emergency situation next year ā we lost some guys or whatever ā in a weeks time he could go help us depth-wise.ā
Smith tallied seven receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns last season, including the game-winning 41-yard score from Tua Tagovailoa to clinch Alabamaās 17th national championship. Smith has been working with both the receivers and the cornerbacks for the majority of the spring.
Alabamaās still tinkering with its offensive line
Alabama's offensive line opens a hole during Saturday's scrimmage. Photo | Alabama Athletics
After switching up its first-team offensive line Thursday, Alabama appeared to stick with the same starting five Saturday. The first unit during the media viewing period consisted of Jonah Williams, Lester Cotton, Ross Pierschbacher, Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood from left to right. The second team was made up of Richie Petitbon, Josh Casher, Brandon Kennedy, Dallas Warmack and Scott Lashley.
Saban generally likes to watch the offensive line on tape before making any assessments but did provide a few quick observations Saturday.
āWe probably had too much pressure on the quarterback at times, weāve got to do a better job at pass protection,ā he said. āWe were able to run the ball fairly consistently knocking big plays pretty consistently.
āI think moving some guys around the offensive line probably helps us long term, maybe doesnāt necessarily help us play the best today. We moved Alex from left tackle to right tackle just to get him experience playing both sides. Jedrick is playing right tackle and right guard, so he hasnāt played guard for a while. Weāre moving guys around. We could play Lester at right guard or left guard.ā
Previously this spring, Casher was seen at left guard with Cotton at right guard and Wills at right tackle. Saban said Alabama will continue to experiment with its offensive line this spring in order to get the best five players on the field for the start of the season.
āYou have to find out what the best combinations are and if you lose players what gives us the options to get the best players on the field next year," Saban said. āThat becomes a little bit of a work in progress when you move guys around.ā
Alabama is also experimenting on the defensive line
Speaking of trying players at new positions on the line, Alabama experimented on defense by shifting defensive end Quinnen Williams to nose guard at times Saturday. Saban said the redshirt sophomore spent a little time at both nose guard and out of the five-technique (outside shoulder of a tackle).
Williams tallied 20 stops, 6.5 for a loss, with two sacks and three quarterback hurries last season while playing primarily out of the defensive end position. This spring, Alabama has also tried redshirt freshman Phidarian Mathis and early enrollee Stephon Wynn Jr. at nose guard as it looks to replace starter DaāRon Payne as well as backup Joshua Frazier from last season.
āWeāre looking for who can play on that side and who can help us and where we can find some depth,ā Saban said. ābecause that is a bit of an issue for us now.ā
Five things we learned from Alabama's first spring scrimmage | BamaInsider.com
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