[Tuck4Bama]

Crimson Tide Football Starts Third Week of Spring Drills Release: 04/10/2007

Alabama continued spring practice with a two hour session on Tuesday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team entered its third week of spring drills on Tuesday with a two hour workout in a light rain at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility.
Coming off the first scrimmage last Friday, the team went back to work after taking two days off for the Easter holiday. The Crimson Tide had several bright spots that they could carry over into the third week of practice and continue to work on. One of those was the strong play of the running backs who are vying to fill the spot vacated by senior starter Kenneth Darby.
Several players are battling for the top spot, including Glen Coffee who carried the ball 15 times for 81 yards and one touchdown in the team’s first scrimmage.
“It is going pretty good,” said sophomore running back Glen Coffee. “All of the running backs are picking up what we need to so far. We are all staying healthy so everything is fine. We have a great coaching staff and a good group of running backs who are all trying to get on to the field. We are just trying to do what we need to do to get out there.”
One of the standouts on the defensive side of the ball in the scrimmage was freshman Brian Motley, who red-shirted last season. He was an offensive lineman last season who has made a switch to the defensive line in spring practice. In the scrimmage he tallied 11 tackles and three tackles for a loss.
“I don’t remember how many tackles I had,” said Motley. “I don’t really get into that. I probably helped some teammates cause a tackle. I played defense in high school. I just have to get my feet back under me and learn the routines. I just need to settle down and play.”
One of the top returners on defense is senior defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry. He was also impressive in the scrimmage with four tackles, including two for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble. He talked about the play of Motley following practice.
“He is doing great,” said Gilberry. “He is a strong and determined kid. He switched to defense and has been excellent. He has good enough feet to come over to defense and play tackle. He has done a tremendous job.”
Today’s practice was the first of four this week. They will be back in action tomorrow afternoon and Friday afternoon. They will conduct their second scrimmage of the spring on Saturday. The following two weeks will feature five more practices leading up to the Golden Flake A-Day on April 21, at 1 p.m. in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
-UA-

[BamaGal4ever]

Hall To Make The Calls

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 IAN R. RAPOPORT
News staff writer

TUSCALOOSA - Prince Hall's head is spinning.

Between the play calls, the signals, the new terminology in Alabama's new defense, his eyes might become permanently glued to his playbook.
The sophomore linebacker is in the middle of the recently implemented 3-4 defense, and it's a lot to handle. As if that wasn't enough, Hall is being asked to call the defensive signals for the rest of his teammates.

"If I'm not right, the rest of the guys can't be right," said Hall, the 5-foot-11, 245-pound player from Moreno Valley, Calif. "It's so much stuff, so much material. One call leads to four different calls. Everyone has to pay attention to details."

As the focal point of defensive coordinator Kevin Steele's scheme, Hall and his mind figure to bear some burden for its success. Not that he seems worried.

"If we keep doing what we're doing, we'll be all right," said Hall, who is in line to start at middle linebacker next to Darren Mustin.

Last year, players would just glance over at then-defensive coordinator Joe Kines to get their assignment.

"It was called by one coach and everyone knew it and that was it," Hall said.

This year, it will be Hall making the diagnosis based on an offense's formation and on feedback from Steele.

If it sounds like a ton of responsibility for a younger player, it probably is. The thing is, he's been here before.

At Moreno Valley, Hall started as a freshman and was a rare sophomore team captain.

"He called a lot of the defensive stuff even as a sophomore in high school," said Ted Watkins, the head coach at Moreno Valley who still talks to Hall once a month. "As a role, it's one he's been used to. He was such a predominant player at our school when he was there, that the leadership role just got cast on him, and he accepted it really well. I think he'll do the same at Alabama."

In high school, Hall played both ways and led everything from calisthenics to the huddles. It hasn’t gotten that far yet in Tuscaloosa, but considering his performance in 2006, it may not be far off.
After redshirting in 2005 — a time he described as considerably difficult — Hall thrived in 2006, morphing from an out-of-shape linebacker into the starter at middle linebacker.
Hall was third on the team with 77 tackles, including 46 solos, with 10.5 for lost yardage. In nine starts, he had two sacks, broke up two passes, and recovered two fumbles, one of which he rumbled 50 yards for a touchdown against Florida.
Rivals.com named him a freshman All-American, while Sporting News called him the Southeastern Conference freshman of the year.
Alabama coach Nick Saban has been quiet regarding his middle linebackers’ play.
In 2006, though, Kines saw the tools Hall possessed. He was asked about him, and Kines immediately discussed his intellect and his instincts, rather than his tackling ability.
"He’s got great, great, great, great eyes," Kines said last season. "He sees pullers, he knows what’s happening, he’s quick to read the play."
Now Hall has a new role. Ask a teammate how he is handling it, and the first thing they’ll mention is "he’s in his playbook a lot," said linebacker Keith Saunders.
Hall is even learning exactly how to call the plays.
"Sometime he gets nervous and whispers and you really can’t hear him," end Wallace Gilberry said. "I’m like, ‘Prince, you got to speak up, we can’t hear you out here.’ But he’s doing good."
Watkins said Hall handled a similar situation in high school with academics. It was difficult for him, particularly to hit the NCAA’s eligibility standards. But he said his player worked and worked and reached the required SAT score by "one-one-thousandth of a point," Watkins said. "It was important to him, so he overcame it."
The goal on the field is to keep improving, despite the difficulty associated with the new scheme players say is as complicated as any they’ve had to learn. "It takes a lot of thinking," Gilberry said.
"By the time we get into the season," Hall said, "we’ll have it all down."

[Tuck4Bama]

Crimson Tide Wraps Up 10th Practice Release: 04/11/2007
TUSCALOOSA – The University of Alabama football team completed its 10th practice of the spring Wednesday afternoon with a two-hour practice in full pads at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility.

With five practices remaining in the spring, Alabama head football coach Nick Saban talked character building and improving as a team heading into the final week of practice.

“The team’s competitive character is made up of the individuals and what kind of competitive character they have, what kind of discipline they have, what kind of effort they give, what kind of toughness they play with, how responsible they are, and what kind of condition they are in, that’s really what is most important.” Saban said.

“In whatever we do the individuals on the team will make up the teams character and no on can create it but the individuals on the team.

“We want to make sure we know what to do, so we can go out there and do it over and over again, not just go out and endure the practice but improve and get better,” Saban added.

Alabama will practice again Friday, April 13 and hold its second scrimmage of the spring Saturday, April 14 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. All practices and Saturday’s scrimmage are closed to the general public.

The Crimson Tide will practice twice next week (April 17 and 20) and wrap up spring drills with the annual Golden Flake A-Day game Saturday, April 21 at 1:05 p.m. (CDT) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The A-Day game will be televised live by Comcast Sports Southeast (CSS), with Chris Stewart and Tyler Watts.

[Stoney]

Coach Saban must have a good deal of trust in Hall.

[cliffbamafan]

Originally Posted by Stoney

Coach Saban must have a good deal of trust in Hall.

Yeah,you would have to to put that much on his shoulders.

[Stoney]

Originally Posted by cliffbamafan

Yeah,you would have to to put that much on his shoulders.

The leadership role is the most important he will be Kevin's General on the field. "This Ain't No X-Box".

[cliffbamafan]

Originally Posted by Stoney

The leadership role is the most important he will be Kevin's General on the field. "This Ain't No X-Box".

Im sure when its game time he will know his job without even having to think about it!

[Stoney]

Kevin Steele has done a decent job at FSU let's hope under Saban's reign he re-invents the DOOMSDAY DEFENSE.

[Tuck4Bama]

Alabama Football Nears Second Scrimmage Release: 04/13/2007

Alabama will have its second scrimmage on Saturday
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team practiced for just over two hours in helmets and shoulder pads on Friday at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility to prepare for the second scrimmage of spring drills.
The team will look to fight off potential rain on Saturday for its 12th workout in 2007. Head Coach Nick Saban will put the team through its second scrimmage and look to continue to improve on the things the team has been working on through spring drills.
The first scrimmage saw some strong performances on both sides of the ball from some young and veteran players. The coaching staff will look for more improvement from a strong returning group of players.
Offensively the Tide has 20 letterwinners and nine starters returning. On the defensive side of the ball, Alabama will welcome back 25 letterwinners and five starters. In all there are 48 letterwinners coming back for the 2007 season.
The Crimson Tide is approaching the conclusion of spring practice with only four more workouts left over the next week. All practices and scrimmages are closed to the public. The spring season will conclude with Golden Flake A-Day on Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m. in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
-UA-

[Stoney]

The longest week in football is about to commence. I sure wouldn't want to be in the doghouse with Saban.

[Tuck4Bama]

Crimson Tide Holds Second Spring Scrimmage Last Edited: Saturday, 14 Apr 2007, 7:34 PM CDTCreated: Saturday, 14 Apr 2007, 7:34 PM CDTUniversity of Alabama







TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (UA)– The University of Alabama football team battled wet conditions at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday as they conducted their second scrimmage of the 2007 spring season. The weather brought off and on heavy rains during the two-hour scrimmage. Head Coach Nick Saban put his team through several situational plays at the end of the scrimmage to wrap up the 12th workout of 2007.

“We had improvements in a lot of areas,” said Saban. “It was a little difficult for the offense to function in the passing game. We had a lot of drops. The weather was tough. Yesterday we probably threw the ball and did as well offensively from a timing standpoint and execution standpoint. I am excited about the progress we are making, where we are and what we were doing.

Today was a tough circumstance to build on that.” Despite the wet conditions quarterbacks John Parker Wilson and James Denton each threw touchdown passes during the first portion of the scrimmage. Wilson connected with DJ Hall for a 19-yard scoring strike and Denton found Reyn Willis in the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown.

Jimmy Johns added a three-yard touchdown run to complete the offense’s scoring. The competition at running back continued on Saturday as several players saw time in the backfield. Roy Upchurch led the team with 87 yards on nine carries, including a 41-yard scamper. Terry Grant had 14 carries for 72 yards with a long of 23 on the day. Coach Saban thought the defense did well on Saturday. Several players played well and they were able to force some turnovers in the wet conditions.

“I think we made some plays on defense today,” said Saban. “I personally think that we should make it our advantage whatever the circumstance or situation is. If it is raining outside then our mindset should be that this is to our advantage. You have to put players in situations like that so they get that mindset. Hopefully we made some progress in that today. Defensively we took advantage of the situation a little bit with some of the turnovers we got and plays that we made.

I saw a lot of improvement out there.” Simeon Castille scored a touchdown for the second straight scrimmage. During the situational drills he intercepted a pass and ran it back 36 yards for a touchdown. Last Friday he recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. Prince Hall, Brandon Fanney and Wallace Gilberry also had strong showings on the defensive side of the ball. Hall led the team with eight tackles, one sack and one interception.

Fanney finished with seven tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception while Gilberry recorded two sacks, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble to go along with four tackles. Following the scrimmage Coach Saban also commented on the kicking game looking better than it did in the first scrimmage. “There was some improvement in the kicking game,” said Saban. “Our specialists were a little better today. We punted the ball more effectively and had good hang time.

We missed a couple of long field goals but they were from 58 and 49 yards. I think the one from 58 was long enough but just to the left. We are just trying to give guys opportunities to see what they can do.” The Crimson Tide will finish spring drills with two more practices on Tuesday and Thursday. All practices are closed to the public. The spring season will culminate with Golden Flake A-Day on Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m. in Bryant-Denny Stadium

[Tuck4Bama]

MyFox Birmingham | Saban Post-scrimmage Comments

[Stoney]

Only two more scrimages then we get to see the product.

[BamaGal4ever]

I'm still trying to find out if the A-Day game will be broadcast on Directv and if so, what channel. I found three Comcast Sports channels, but none of them are Comcast Southeast. If anyone has this info, please pass it on!

[Stoney]

Originally Posted by BamaGal4ever

I'm still trying to find out if the A-Day game will be broadcast on Directv and if so, what channel. I found three Comcast Sports channels, but none of them are Comcast Southeast. If anyone has this info, please pass it on!

Call your service provider it may be available on Pay-per-View.