re: Bama Football Tidings

Posted on 8/2/19 at 4:41 pm to RollTide66

Posted by RollTide66

Atlanta

Member since Nov 2015

3005 posts

Posted on 8/2/19 at 4:41 pm to RollTide66

Alabama Crimson Tide fall camp previews: Secondary
Tony Tsoukalas • BamaInsider @Tony_Tsoukalas

quote:
Football is back in the air. Alabama is set to kick off its fall camp today as it holds its first practice. Before the Crimson Tide returns to the field, BamaInsider will take a look at each of the position groups. We continue our series by examining the secondary positions.

Biggest question: Where will Shyheim Carter play?

Last season, Nick Saban referred to Shyheim Carter as a “Jack of all trades,” while noting the defensive back can line up at every position of the secondary. Alabama’s secondary this season will likely hinge on where the head coach decides to insert the senior.

Carter is Alabama’s highest-graded returner after earning an 88.4 mark from Pro Football Focus last season. Serving as the Star out of the nickel package, the 6-foot 191-pound defensive back finished tied for second on the team with 10 pass deflections and two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns.

Carter knows Alabama’s defense perhaps better than any player on the team, making him a natural fit to man the Star position again. However, the early departure of Deionte Thompson created a hole at safety next to Xavier McKinney. Carter was limited this spring due to a sports hernia injury but was seen spending time with the safeties during practice. Now that he’s back to 100 percent, it will be interesting to watch where Alabama lines him up this fall.

If Carter does indeed make the switch to safety, he would likely be replaced by either Trevon Diggs or Patrick Surtain II at Star. That domino effect could lead to Josh Jobe landing a starting role at cornerback. It’s worth noting Saban spoke highly of the sophomore not too long ago at SEC Media Days.

“Josh Jobe has made a tremendous amount of improvement and has matured very nicely,” Saban said. “And we view him as a guy that is a potential starter and a guy that is playing in a way that, throughout the spring, that we have confidence that if he’s a starter, he can be very successful, and we can be very successful with him playing corner for us.”

How we expect Alabama to line up
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Posted by RollTide66

Atlanta

Member since Nov 2015

3005 posts

Posted on 8/2/19 at 4:55 pm to RollTide66

Alabama practice report: Updating injuries, transfers in first workout By Michael Casagrande | mcasagrande@al.com

quote:
On a muggy Friday afternoon, Alabama’s fall football practice schedule began in Tuscaloosa.

As the first workout, NCAA rules dictate a helmets and shorts practice before easing into shells and eventually full pads. A quick rundown of what we noticed in the media viewing window.

-- Florida State graduate transfer Landon Dickerson was on the field for the first time after recently completing his undergrad degree in Tallahassee.

-- A few notable players were not out there. As AL.com reported Thursday, tight end Miller Forristall and defensive lineman LaBryan Ray were recovering from summer injuries. Neither were spotted on the field Friday.

-- Linebacker Terrell Lewis was full go for the first time in quite a while. He missed last season with a torn ACL and was limited throughout spring practice. With the departure of at outside linebacker, the return of a potential star like Lewis would be huge.

-- With the tight ends, it looked like Major Tennison had some kind of wrap on his leg. With depth a concern there, every health issue would be a concern.

-- The quarterbacks looked solid.

-- This was also the first practice for the rest of the signing class who was not enrolled for spring practice. It looked like Ishmael Sopsher, the defensive lineman, missed a few drills during the media viewing window with what appeared to be heat-related issues.

-- It was also the first look at No. 1 running back recruit Trey Sanders. On first glance, he looks more compact as a runner compared to Najee Harris and Brian Robinson. Sanders is listed at 6-0, 214.

-- Nick Saban looked fresh and probably more mobile with a three-month old hip.

-- The first four up on the defensive line drills: Raekwon Davis, D.J. Dale, Tevita Musika and Justin Eboigbe.

-- Next up is fan day on Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The open practice runs from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. CT.

AL.com reporters Matt Zenitz and Rainer Sabin contributed to this report.