re: Spring Football News & Info

I love reading it, but this is a guy who was in LOVE with Blake Bortles and Paxton Lynch...

LINK ]Alabama practice report: Tide finalizes preparations before A-Day Al.Com By Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com

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On Thursday, Alabama staged its final practice before its A-Day spring game this weekend. With the temperature 83 degrees outside, the Crimson Tide was in shells and shorts.

Here are some observations from the limited access period provided to the media:

— Before Alabama took the field, right tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. was spotted in a walking boot that covered his left foot. Wills injured his ankle in the team’s scrimmage last Saturday.

— Tight end Major Tennison was back on the field. He wasn’t seen during the previous two practices.

— Outside linebackers Terrell Lewis (knee) and Ben Davis (shins) continued to don black, non-contact jerseys. Anfernee Jennings and Eyabi Anoma, meanwhile, were the pair of edge rushers leading the individual drills.

— Freshman DJ Dale was the third defensive lineman to go in one of the individual drills, following Raekwon Davis and LaBryan Ray. Dale has been working with the first team at nose guard.

— Chadarius Townsend continued to practice with the running backs, meaning the experiment at a new position with the redshirt sophomore receiver has lasted the duration of the spring.

— Dylan Moses and Joshua McMillon continued to be the first two inside linebackers during individual drills.

— Shyheim Carter, who is recovering from offseason sports hernia surgery, sported a black, non-contact jersey as he has done since the start of spring practice.

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Sal out there in cargo shorts with a tee shirt tucked in

LINK ]Instant Analysis: Thursday BamaOnLine - By Travis Reier

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Since 2008, BamaOnLine.com's Instant Analysis has been a staple of Crimson Tide football coverage. That won't change in 2019, as we'll continue to provide Alabama fans with insight and interaction fresh from Tuscaloosa via Facebook Live.

As for items we touched on during the latest edition of IA, they included:

* Why aren't you watching the Masters?

* New defensive line coach Brian Baker is coaching up everybody.

* Chances of early enrollees D.J. Dale and John Metchie impacting their respective positions.

* Tons of interaction in the Q&A segment!

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Other Notes:
Dale with 1's

ILB's (with Reggie Ragland overseeing what they were doing)

Didn't see Jedrick Wills at practice (note one report did say the Wills was in a walking boot at practice)

Tommy Brown working with 2's on Oline
Kicking? - media doesnt see much if any during media time.
A-Day Roster normally issued on Friday. (I will not be able to post until Friday late afternoon, like after 3p)
Metchie looks like he will be in the TOP 6 of the WR's
RPO's - is Sark anti-RPO? seems he was running RPO's even in ATL with Matt Ryan
How will Sark take Tua to another level of pocket Passing
Will be very interesting to see Mac Jones on Saturday... will he protect the ball and will he show out.
(last yr TE's Smith and Hentges caught 48 passes 10 for TD's)
Baker and Sunseri are really coaching the players up...ALL of the players (one of the reasons Dale is moving along is he is very coachable.

LINK ]WATCH: Tide goes through final practice before A-Day BamaOnLine - By Travis Reier
Go inside Thursday's practice at the University of Alabama to watch the defensive line at work!

This is Link to just the video
3:47
Difference vantage point for the filming.
Starts with Coach Baker and the DLine. (although one can really hear Coach Sal "talking" to the OLB's)
This video is just the Dline going thru Agility drills and then 2 on 1's

LINK ]Nick Saban previews A-Day, address injuries Updated 6:01 PM; Today 5:47 PM Al.Com By Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com

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Alabama coach Nick Saban addressed the media Thursday as the Crimson Tide sets its sights on the A-Day spring game Saturday.

Here is a summary of what he said:

— Saban said Alabama had a good spring. He added that the Tide was fortunate to get through the spring practice period with a minimal amount of injuries.

— Saban said outside linebacker Terrell Lewis (knee), right tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (ankle), pass rusher Ben Davis (shins) and tight end Major Tennison (concussion) will not be available for the A-Day spring game.

— Saban said Wills did not require surgery for his left-ankle injury but said it was a pretty significant sprain.

— Saban said inside linebacker Josh McMillon has done a nice job the spring and that he’s built his confidence.

— Saban said Alabama has trained a bunch of defensive backs at Star, mentioning Shyheim Carter, Trevon Diggs, Jared Mayden, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Patrick Surtain II as players who have worked there. No decision has been made about who will be starting there come this fall.

— Saban said each of the tight ends is developing.

— Saban said Chris Owens has done a really good job at center this spring. Saban added that freshman Darrian Dalcourt is someone who has shown he may be able to play there down the line.

— Saban said he wants to see multiple players kick and punt on Saturday.

— Vaguely referencing the tiff with former safety Ronnie Harrison, Saban said the program supports all players and their decisions while also noting that alumni come back each year.

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LINK ]As many as four Alabama players could sit out of 2019 A-Day Game BamaOnLine - By Charlie Potter

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Nick Saban gave his final injury report prior to Saturday’s A-Day Game.

The 13th-year head coach ended the opening statement of his post-practice press conference on Thursday as Alabama held its final practice before its public scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“We have three players, possibly four, that won’t go in the scrimmage,” Saban said. “Terrell Lewis, who is getting really, really better, but there’s no sense making him play right now. Jedrick Wills did not need surgery or anything. Just has a pretty good ankle sprain. We’ll probably hold him out. Ben Davis has been out for the entire spring from surgeries that he had. And Major Tennison is questionable because he has to go through concussion protocol.”

Sustaining a torn ACL prior to the start of the 2018 season, Lewis was shut down earlier in the spring for precautionary reasons so he will be ready for the 2019 campaign. He also missed 10 games in 2017 after suffering an upper arm injury against Florida State in the season opener.

A former 5-star linebacker who redshirted his first season in 2017, Davis saw time in two games during his sophomore campaign in 2018. The Gordo, Ala., native had surgeries to repair shin splints during the offseason. Both Lewis and Davis have spent recent practices in black jerseys.

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Continued...

LINK ]As many as four Alabama players could sit out of 2019 A-Day Game BamaOnLine - By Charlie Potter...Continued...

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“I feel like I definitely have to step up and be a bigger leader than I was last year, as well as a different feel with the O-line coaches and just the whole coaching staff in general,” Wills said earlier this spring. “But everything’s running smoothly, and I feel like, in the end, it’ll all be fine. Just be the same offensive line, same Alabama team.”

Players like Trevon Diggs, Christopher Allen, Daniel Wright and Jalyn Armour-Davis will be playing in their first games since sustaining injuries that cut their seasons short a year ago.

The 2019 A-Day Game will kick off at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN2 on Saturday, April 13.

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LINK ]Five things we learned from Nick Saban's final news conference before A-Day Tony Tsoukalas • BamaInsider.com @Tony_Tsoukalas

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Injury report

As many as four players could sit out A-Day due to injury. Thursday, Saban ruled out offensive lineman Jedrick Wills Jr. (ankle), outside linebacker Terrell Lewis (ACL) and inside linebacker Ben Davis (shin) while listing tight end Major Tennison as questionable as he goes through concussion protocol.

Lewis has been held out for most of the spring as he continues to rehab from an ACL injury that sidelined him all of last season. Saban said the redshirt junior was “getting really, really better, but there’s no sense making him play right now.” Davis has been out all spring after having shin-splint surgeries earlier this year. Both he and Lewis were seen wearing black, no-contact jerseys during practice Thursday.

Wills missed his second straight practice Thursday after spraining his ankle during Alabama’s second scrimmage over the weekend. While the offensive lineman won’t participate in A-Day, his injury did not need surgery.

Saban also commented on defensive back Shyheim Carter, who has worked with the secondary in a no-contact jersey this spring after undergoing a sports hernia surgery.

“Shyheim, coming back from the injury is not 100 percent,” Saban said. “He's still not 100 percent speed-wise. I think he's cleared to play but I don't think he can run quite as fast as he used to. He'll eventually get there.”

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LINK ]Five things we learned from Nick Saban's final news conference before A-Day Tony Tsoukalas • BamaInsider.com @Tony_Tsoukalas

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Center of attention

Alabama’s offensive line will likely continue to shift due to a combination of injuries, suspensions and experiments. Perhaps the most vital position to the unit comes up the middle where the team will look to find a replacement for departing center Ross Pierschbacher.

Earlier this spring, Saban mentioned center as an area he was looking to develop. Thursday, he provided an update on how that progress was coming along.

“Chris Owens has done a really good job there,” Saban said. “He has done a really good job when he’s job when he’s had to play there. (Darrian) Dalcourt looks like he’s a young guy that could be a good center somewhere down the road, at some point in time. We’ve got a lot of guys that can play the position, and I’m pleased with the progress they’ve made.

“Chris Owens has really shown a lot of leadership and really worked hard this spring. I think his teammates have a lot of confidence in him, but we’re going to keep on trying to get those guys to play better and better and better as we go.

Saban stated that he was pleased with the players he has in the offensive line unit and is now focused on figuring out the best combination for next year. Whatever, the head coach decides on for the fall could end up switching again once starting left guard Deonte Brown serves out the remainder of his four-game suspension.

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