🏈 Spring Practice Report: Alabama’s 2nd Scrimmage (video highlights)

[TerryP]

The Crimson Tide held its 12th practice and second scrimmage today at Bryant - Denny Stadium. Here are a few individual and team notes about their progess along with some of the highlights from Coach Saban’s Press Conference.

Read More Here on the Crimson Tusks

 

[TerryP]

I'm uploading the videos of the drills before scrimmage now...should have them all completed by 8PM EST.

Coach Saban's Press Conference will follow later tonight as well.

 

[TerryP]

Interesting post I came across yesterday when I was uploading videos. I don't know the guy that posted it, but did find what he had to point out after claiming these were his personal observations from scrimmage.

Not a bunch to talk about, but here goes...

Greg threw a pick six on the first play to King. It must have been a mis-communication because no one was even close to the ball.

We ran a defense with Upshaw on the right end, Dareus next to him (RT) Washington inside and then Hightower with his hand on the ground. It gave the line fits.

We had another different look with Green at free safety and Woodall at strong, Kareem Jackson at cornerback, Sharief playing a dime-type position, Barron at star/linebacker and Javy at corner. Barron has played in the box a bunch in the time I have watched. He's playing like a linebacker but he drops in coverage. Not sure what it means other than we should expect a bunch of different looks from the D.

Star struggled big time. All three of the QBs played against all of the D's today. It was not a conventional 1s v 2s, 2s v 2s or anything like that. I saw a bunch of 1s v 1s and every other combination. I assume they switch it around a bunch to see how everyone does.

Darrah has an absolute cannon. He just makes a bunch of really poor decisions. He really looked better than Star overall today.

Julio smoked everyone in the sprints at the end of practice. Maze hung with him on the last go, but on the first one it looked like Julio was 5 yards ahead of everyone.

Take it for what it's worth...

 

[firestorm]

Nice job as always, but a couple of questions:

Who works on the first string as Jack? Erik Anders, Don'ta Hightower o Courtney Upshaw? And Who played along with Rolando McClain as Will?...

As read on that comments posted before Terry, Barron is playing at the Star position as a hybrid linebacker/defensive back, but he's stucked at the box the most of the time. Is he playing nickel as Star or as a true linebacker in nickel packages?

And the last one. Is Robby Green stablishing himself as the real replacement of Rashad Johnson as a deep free-safety or is still in the air the idea of a free-safety by committee?

Thanks.

RTR,

 

[TerryP]

Nice job as always, but a couple of questions:

Who works on the first string as Jack? Erik Anders, Don'ta Hightower o Courtney Upshaw? And Who played along with Rolando McClain as Will?...

If we were to play a game today, based on the spring so far, I'd put it as:

Anders starting at JACK and Hightower playing inside with Ro along with Reamer on the other end.

As read on that comments posted before Terry, Barron is playing at the Star position as a hybrid linebacker/defensive back, but he's stucked at the box the most of the time. Is he playing nickel as Star or as a true linebacker in nickel packages?

Those weren't my observations so I really can't say one way or another. Perhaps grad93 can share his thoughts from the practices he's seen during the coaching clinic.

Otherwise, it's something we can look at in more detail after A-day.

And the last one. Is Robby Green stablishing himself as the real replacement of Rashad Johnson as a deep free-safety or is still in the air the idea of a free-safety by committee?

Thanks.

RTR,

As I mentioned a few days ago on the blog after the 10th practice, it sure looks like Robby is starting to establish himself there. That's my take on what I've heard.

We'll see how that position ends up. Based on how often we play in a nickel package, we might see a different lineup based on down and distance if I read the comments I posted earlier correctly.

One thing for sure, and it's really not news, going into the third year under Saban we are going to see A LOT of different looks from our defensive personnel this fall.

I'm looking forward to it!

 

[firestorm]

Thanks Terry. Hope I can catch the A-Day somewhere...

RTR,

 

[TerryP]

Thanks Terry. Hope I can catch the A-Day somewhere...

RTR,

If you guys are getting Georgia's spring game today I'd bet you'll get ours next weekend.

 

[freelancewriter]

I've read the entries about the defense which you seem to think has the ability to be really, really special.

That matches with a quote from Cecil Hurt:

"Comparing any Alabama defense in the spring to the great 1992 defense is like comparing a frisky colt to the mighty Secretariat. Let’s just say, at this point, that this defense seems to be grazing in the same pasture."