re: Spring Football News & Info

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In the midst of his on-field coaching duties during A-Day, Nick Saban took a moment to point out a player who has seemingly gone unnoticed this spring. Talking to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge (editor's note: I met Laura in Rama Jama's on game day got a pic and autograph) in the middle of the scrimmage, the head coach looked to the sky, his eyes following a booming punt from sophomore Skyler DeLong which traveled 54 yards to the opposing 13-yard line.

“See, nobody wants to talk about the punter,” Saban chirped. “But that guy was a freshman last year, alright, and he was very, very nervous. And he’s gotten a lot better."

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While the roughly 60,000 fans inside Bryant-Denny Stadium burst into applause following freshman kicker Will Reichard’s 43-yard field goal in the first quarter, none of DeLong’s four punts drew much of a reaction. Instead, the former three-star recruit quietly averaged 47.5 yards per attempt, sailing two of his punts 50 or more yards while twice pinning his opponents inside the 20.

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“People should believe in development,” Saban said. “Everybody wants an immediate outcome instead of focusing on what you need to do to get an outcome.”

Last season, Saban chalked up much of DeLong’s struggles to lack of confidence. The head coach stated that the young punter was “a lot better in practice” and vowed to provide the support and development needed to have success on the big stage.

Six months later, that patience seems to be paying off.

“He’s got more confidence,” Saban said. “We work with him. We work on his drop, his speed in getting rid of the ball more quickly. So now he’s just become a little more consistent. So, hopefully, we can carry that into the season.”

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During one of his spring game conversations with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge, Nick Saban looked away and watched a Skyler DeLong punt, his eyes following along and tracking a ball that was eventually fair caught at the 13-yard line after traveling 54 yards in the air.

Saban was pleased, clearly happy with Alabama’s sophomore punter who has taken a step forward and improved after struggling and losing his job as a freshman last season.

“See, nobody wants to talk about the punter,” Saban told Rutledge after the 54-yard punt. “But that guy was a freshman last year, alright, and he was like very, very nervous. And he’s gotten a lot better."

DeLong’s numbers during the spring game were much better than his numbers from last year when he averaged just 34.4 yards per punt and was benched after the sixth game of the season.

Working with the first-team offense’s team, DeLong punted four times during the spring game, averaged 47.5 yards per punt and left Saban and the coaching staff feeling even more optimistic about his ability to handle the Crimson Tide’s punting job.

“He’s got more confidence,” Saban told Rutledge. “We work with him. We worked on his drop, his speed in getting rid of the ball more quickly. So now he’s just become a little more consistent. So hopefully we can carry that into the season.”

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And why not? No one knows them better.

Galu, a self-styled quarterbacks guru, is not officially on staff, but the father of Tua and Taulia has had a growing impact at Alabama over the last few months. He’s acting as a quarterbacks consultant behind the scenes for the offense, and is a consistent presence around the program. For the next few years, few others around Alabama football will have the power to affect the program quite like the Tagovailoas’ father.

More than likely, it will go mostly unnoticed.

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Tua set Alabama’s single-season records for passing touchdowns (43), passing yards (3,966) and passer efficiency rating (199.4). Considering that success, most assumed in early January that quarterbacks coach Dan Enos would get a promotion to offensive coordinator after Mike Locksley left for Maryland. Enos’ starting quarterback, after all, had the best season statistically in the history of the school, but not only that, Alabama’s backup drastically improved, and then led the famous comeback against Georgia in the SEC championship game. Enos didn’t get the job, however, and instead left for the University of Miami.

Enter Sarkisian, who has been gifted one of the most potentially explosive offenses in the history of college football.

Tua is back, and focused like only a loser of the national championship can be.

All the five-star receivers are back, including the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner, Jerry Jeudy.

The running back corps, collectively, is the best in the country. Najee Harris was the No.1-rated running back prospect in the country in 2017. Trey Sanders, the No.1-rated running back prospect of 2019, says he is going to win the Heisman as a freshman.

The offensive linemen are future pros.

Basically, all Sarkisian has to do is not screw this thing up.

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Tua’s Heisman campaign fell apart in 2018 due to injuries, but he’s the favorite for the award going into the season. He wasn’t sharp in the spring game, and struggled in the national championship, but his body of work suggests there is potential there for greatness.

The schedule is more difficult in 2019, but that won’t affect the expectations. Anything less than a national championship will be considered a failed season. With Tua comfortable and familiar with the offensive coordinator, and his father, Galu, close by for support, the environment for another record-breaking season should be taking shape for Alabama.

This is the season Sarkisian and Tagovailoas always envisioned together.

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Eyabi Anoma thought about leaving Alabama. The former 5 star, #4 overall recruit went so far as to enter the transfer portal. Fortunately, a day later, Anoma decided to stay at Alabama and withdrew his name from the portal, arguably the biggest recruiting win on National Signing Day for Nick Saban and the staff.

Anoma had played sparingly as a true freshman, but his talent flashed and was enough to earn him SEC All-Freshman honors. With the loss of Christian Miller and Jamey Mosley, Anoma, who has just three years of football beyond the youth level under his belt, is in line for a larger role in 2019.

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Spring Game Video - 2nd and 10: 2nd and 10: Anoma is in the same position. Before, you saw his speed; here, you see his strength. He just bullrushes Womack and knocks him flat on his butt. Unfortunately for Anoma, he doesn’t maintain his footing (and Womack may have held onto his jersey on his way down, too); and he ends up on the ground and out of the play as well.

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