Rashaan Evans, Anfernee Jennings and Dylan Moses return to practice today per Saban

¡Gracias a Dios!

¡Y bendiciones para Foristol tambien!

Excellent. I know Evans and Moses are inside type guys and Saban likes his jack guys bigger but either one of them or both can go outside and kill quarterbacks on third down. Evans played outside for 3 years and Moses practiced outside during spring and fall.

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Part of me hopes none of them play Saturday and get an extra week to heal up.

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I was thinking the same thing. I expect a slow, grinding game but it would be really nice if Bama could end it quickly so they aren't needed.

Praise be to Saban

Good news for our LB corp but I feel for Forristall.

All I want is Evans and Moses back for this game. Let Jennings heal 100%. Moses had concussion protocol so he should be hungry. Let SDH and MAck play ILB and put Moses and Evans on the edge and let the frickers tee off all night.

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Let SDH and MAck play ILB and put Moses and Evans on the edge and let the frickers tee off all night


Been saying this since the FSU game ended. Evans as experience there and Moses practiced outside during spring and fall. Dem boys could be elite as frick on the edge.

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I want to see the arched back tee offs. None of this mush rush bull shite.

Defense may not need 'come-to-Jesus' meeting | al.com

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There may not need to be a come-to-Jesus meeting after all.

That meeting -- which Shaun Dion Hamilton said would take place on Monday -- still hadn't happened as of early Tuesday afternoon. And it seems like Crimson Tide defensive players are working toward correcting some of the issues against Colorado State even without having had what Hamilton said would be a "come-to-Jesus" players-only meeting.

"I think we practiced really well yesterday, so I think we all got the gist of what happened on Saturday," star defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. "I don't think words are going to really do anything right now, but actions are going to do a whole lot more. So, all I did yesterday, I tried to fly around, make all the calls and stuff like that. Shaun Dion was doing the same thing, just leading by example. And pretty much everybody followed. Everybody did what they were supposed to do. Just leading with actions, I feel like, is a whole lot more beneficial than talking to people."

Correcting issues on defense has been a primary focus this week after what happened on Saturday.

While Alabama won by 18 points, Colorado State scored 23 points and gained 391 yards of total offense.

It was the first time the Tide had allowed more than 16 points or more than 278 yards in a game since early last October aside from its loss to Clemson in the national championship game.

"It's just small things, you know," Fitzpatrick said. "Some plays DBs didn't win 50-50 balls. Some plays I, myself, I just didn't play aggressive enough, try to get the ball out. We didn't fit the runs the right way sometimes. Just small details that can be very easily fixed, and it's just stuff we've got to fix in practice, doing it in practice the right way. Just flying to the ball, moving around fast, playing fast, playing physical in practice, and it will definitely turn over to the game."

Fitzpatrick seemed encouraged by Monday's practice. And there's something else that could help the defense, too.

Star linebacker Rashaan Evans and starting outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who have both missed the last two games, have practiced each of the last two days. It's possible that both could return for this weekend's SEC opener at Vanderbilt.

Freshman linebacker Dylan Moses, who missed the Colorado State game with an undisclosed injury, has practiced the last two days as well and appears to be working toward being available on Saturday.

Getting those three players back, especially Evans and Jennings, will surely help the defense be a lot better than it was against Colorado State on Saturday and should help prevent Hamilton and others feeling the need for future come-to-Jesus meetings.

"We need to bite down this week because here comes the front of the season," linebacker Keith Holcombe said. "This is conference play in the SEC so you better set your jaw because it's going to be a fun ride. But we need to clean up what we've messed up and get ready for conference play."

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Nick Saban 'pleased' with progress of injured LBs | al.com

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Alabama's three injured linebackers have all practiced each of the last two days and coach Nick Saban said Wednesday that he's "pleased with the progress that they're making" heading into Saturday's game against Vanderbilt.

Anfernee Jennings (ankle) and Dylan Moses (undisclosed injury) have both done "fairly well," Saban said.

Rashaan Evans (groin) is "making progress every day."

"Hopefully he'll continue to progress," Saban said. "We'll see how he comes along as the week goes on."

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