re: Bama Football Tidings

quote:

---

Terrell Lewis looking 100% today. He’s blazing off the edge.

Diggs with blanket coverage on Jeudy, who was running a come back route. Nice PBU from Diggs.

Jared Mayden with a nice pick of Tua. Made a perfect read to jump the route.

Mac Jones is now playing with the first-team offense. He just threw a nice slant to DeVonta Smith, but if they were in pads, Xavier McKinney was there to make a play.

Jones has looked sharp passing,

Paul Tyson deep to Metchie for six. Got behind the 2s

One-handed grab by Trey Sanders on a swing out of the backfield. Keilan Robinson showing some burst too.

Reichard with a 49-yard and 42-yard punt on his first two boots.

DeLong was up first. Couple of less than good efforts in wet conditions.

Richard sends one 47 yards and directionally to the right sideline.

---

quote:

---

Alabama had its second practice of fall camp Saturday afternoon, a session at Bryant-Denny Stadium that was open to the media.

Here are some notes and observations:

— With LaBryan Ray out, freshman Justin Eboigbe worked with the first-team defense at defensive end. That’s not new. The former four-star recruit has been getting reps at that defensive end spot with the first-team defense since the summer with Ray out. Saban said he expects Ray, who had ankle surgery in June, to be back practicing in some capacity in “a week or so.”

— Josh McMillon was at the inside linebacker spot next to Dylan Moses with the first-team defense. Markail Benton and Ale Kaho were the second-team inside linebackers. The third-team inside linebackers were freshmen Shane Lee and Christian Harris.

— Chris Allen and former five-star recruit Ben Davis were the second-team outside linebackers.

— Florida State graduate transfer Landon Dickerson was at right guard with the third-team offensive line.

— It looked like Jared Mayden got most of the reps at strong safety with the first-team defense. It looked like Shyheim Carter got some reps there too, though. Mayden had an interception Saturday, jumping in front of one of the first-team wide receivers and picking off a short pass from Tua Tagovailoa.

— Reserve cornerback Nigel Knott is working through some medical issues according to Nick Saban and wasn’t at practice. Jalyn Armour-Davis and freshman Brandon Turnage were the cornerbacks with the second-team defense.

— With Miller Forristall out, it looked like redshirt sophomore Major Tennison and walk-on Giles Amos were the two tight ends getting reps with the first-team offense. It looked like redshirt freshman Cameron Latu worked exclusively with the second-team offense. Latu had a long touchdown catch down the middle of the field during a 7-on-7 period on a pass from backup quarterback Mac Jones.

— Jones got a few reps at quarterback with the first-team offense at one point. His last pass during that period was an ill-advised deep ball into double coverage that was nearly picked off by safety Xavier McKinney.

— Freshman Paul Tyson had a touchdown pass of about 35 yards to freshman wide receiver John Metchie later in practice.

Photo Gallery (50 practice photos)

---

quote:

---

Three of the biggest questions for Alabama fans each year all involve injuries, the kicking game and the Crimson Tide’s offensive line.

As it looks to put a positive spin on all three, one player views the latter of these aspects as a strength in the coming season. Matt Womack carried a giant smile on his face inside Bryant-Denny Stadium as yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine approached him for an interview, during the media portion of Fan Day.

The 6-foot-7, 325-pounder from Mississippi returns with the most career games played (31) on this year’s group under his belt.

Womack, a redshirt senior, came to the Tide in 2015 as a three-star recruit.

He redshirted his initial freshman year with Mario Cristobal coaching the offensive line, while playing the last two seasons under Brent Key.

He now follows the guidance of Kyle Flood, formerly of the Atlanta Falcons, and the massive right guard said this year is for the big men.

“We have the potential to be the best group that’s come through here,” Womack said of Alabama’s offensive line. “The number of guys that we have, the depth we have, if anyone goes down, I feel like any person can jump in for us. We have the most amount of depth I’ve seen here.”

Despite the 2015 bunch winning the Joe Moore Award and the 2012-13 duo being the best offensive units Nick Saban has had, Womack is not wrong with his statement.

This year’s group has depth at center, guard and tackle, with Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood anchoring both tackle spots. Chris Owens came to the program as a highly-recruited guard, but played some at left tackle and is ready to take on the center position.

“C.O. has come a long way,” Womack said of Owens. “He has stepped up. He has learned offense. I am really confident in everything he does. I am confident with how he plays in the mental aspect as well as physical. I’m ready to see what he’s going to do this season.”

After sharing a laugh with Leatherwood, who stood next to him, Womack shared what makes Flood special as a coach and how the players have gelled with him. The last time Alabama boasted a nasty, dominant front line was when it had Jeff Stoutland from 2011 to 2012.

Womack thinks Flood is about to restore the nasty.

“Coach Flood is really demanding,” Womack said. “He’s straightforward. It’s black and white and clear lines about what he wants from you. If he tells you there is something that needs to be fixed, you have to fix it. It’s kind of like what he always says ‘you got to fix it or get out.’ In the NFL if you don’t fix it, you will get cut. Obviously, we are not going to get cut, but everyone has taken to that.”

Aside from Wills and Leatherwood, the rest of the line has not played much together.

The guys will have to mesh well in fall camp, if they want to start the campaign strong in run blocking and pass protection versus Duke in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 31.

They have the coaching, but now it’s time to put things together.

---

quote:

---

The Alabama receiving unit is like a brotherhood. They are also competitive, just as any brothers would be.

Over the summer Jaylen Waddle and Henry Ruggs, perhaps the fastest players on the team, had a race inside the Crimson Tide’s indoor practice facility. The video created a social media media buzz.

“It keeps our spirits up,” Ruggs said. We are a competitive group of guys. That doesn’t do anything but give us a little spark and it’s a bonding thing for us. That keeps us from getting complacent.

“We compete in everything, from basketball to trying to write a poem or anything like that.”

So who won the race?

“I did,” Ruggs said

---

quote:

---

It didn’t take Eyabi Anoma long to find a new team.

The former Alabama outside linebacker has committed to Houston, according to sources.

Anoma has been on campus at Houston since Friday, per sources. Word is that Anoma still needs to be cleared by the university but that’s expected to happen.

The news comes one week after the former five-star recruit was dismissed from school at Alabama.

Anoma had been suspended by the university earlier in the summer and was then kicked out of school following another university level issue, according to sources.

“We have a law that protects players and students in what you can and can’t say,” Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Saturday. “The guy was dismissed from school, and that’s really all I can say about it.”

Anoma would be the third recent former Alabama player to land with Dana Holgorson.

T.J. Simmons and Vandarius Cowan both transferred to West Virginia when Holgorsen was the head coach there. Now, Anoma is set to join him at Houston.

---

quote:

---

Crimson Tide holds only open practice of 2019 season at Bryant-Denny Stadium

The Alabama football team moved over to Bryant-Denny Stadium for its second practice of fall camp.

Raekwon Davis, Tua Tagovailoa and Matt Womack led the players through stretching.

1] A downpour started about halfway through practice. Although the fans barely moved when told lightning was in the area, most scattered with the rain. The exceptions were the ones in the front of the autograph line. At 3:24 the team was pulled off the field just before the worst of the storm hit.

2] With defensive LaBryan Ray sidelined, freshman Justin Eboigbe is getting more first-team reps.

3] Sophomore Ale Kaho is worked at interior linebacker. He has shadowing Markail Benton on some drills.

4] Sophomore Patrick Surtain II is working more at the star position when Alabama brings in extra defensive backs.

5] With Alabama shorthanded at tight end, senior Giles Amos is definitely more in the mix.

6] Redshirt freshman Slade Bolden was working on the second-team at wide receiver, behind Henry Ruggs III.

7] The coaching staff is trying Florida State graduate transfer Landon Dickerson at numerous spots, but he was primarily lining up at right guard.

8] Hunter Brannon was lining up with the second-team offensive line at center, between Evan Neal and Deonte Brown (who will miss four games due to a suspension).

9]Junior Ben Davis is more in the mix with the outside linebackers.

10] Linebacker Terrell Lewis isn't running all drills as Alabama is "managing" his reps, but he's going all out when on the field.

---