Alabama Football Practice Notebook: Aug. 27

Over the last four years, Alabama has separated itself as a different breed; a team that was faster, more physical, smarter and just more talented than any other. On Saturday, Alabama will be just like every team in the Big Ten: trying everything they can to stop Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson.

“Offensively, they have as significant a player as we’ve played against maybe since Cam Newton in terms of the quarterback position and what he can do in the game and how the offense is sort of built around and features him as a player,” Saban said.  “He’s extremely fast and he does a good job of executing their offense.”

Robinson’s reputation of consistent production has put him in the Crimson Tide’s crosshairs.

“He’s super-fast,” linebacker Nico Johnson said. “He doesn’t get credit for how good he really is. He is a good athlete, and he really is a better passer than people think he is. We just need to take advantage of every opportunity we get and try to contain him. He’s so good that we are going to try to have to do everything, and try to click on all cylinders.”

The coaching staff is beginning to take notice of what he does best.

“He is very good at throwing the ball on the run,” Saban said. “They move the pocket a lot, run a lot of boots. He is kind of a dual threat when he does that because when he breaks contain he puts a lot of pressure on the defense as a runner, and he throws the ball extremely well on the run.

“He doesn’t just take off and run like some guys do. He extends the play and keeps his eyes down the field. He has gotten pretty good at doing that and has gotten a lot of big plays doing that. I would say that those are the two areas that he presents real issues and problems for you and puts a lot of pressure on the defense.”

The changes have even permeated into some of the core principles of Saban’s defense.

“This guy will pass fake you like Michael Jordan and take off running, and you will say, ‘how did that happen?'” Saban said relating to the pass rush. “Those kinds of decisions are very important when you play a guy like this. It is not just about pass rushing. It is about pass rushing and making good choices and decisions about how you rush the guy and still be in control of what you are doing so that you can kind of be in control of what he is going to be doing. It will put a lot of pressure on the defense if you push past the quarterback; he is not the kind of player you want to play with 10 players.”

These changes are being installed in place in practice early in the week, forcing one player to change positions.

“Blake has given us a really good picture,” Johnson said of athlete Blake Sims, who is simulating Robinson in practice. “That’s what is going to help us out in the game. We are just going in [to practice] today and all the way until Thursday, and just do our best and see what we have then.”

A new-look safety net

One reason for concern entering the 2012 season, just like the 2010 season, was the secondary. Alabama will now go on to defend its national championship without cornerbacks Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie, both of whom have made their way to the NFL.

What Alabama did not lose is the anchor of the group, safety Robert Lester.

“Robert has been a really good player for us for two years now and continues to be more vocal in terms of his ability to communicate and run the secondary, make the checks, not depend on somebody else to do it for him and show leadership,” Saban said. “I can’t say enough about how this is an example of a guy who has worked hard and had all of the right stuff, in terms of perseverance, resiliency in overcoming adversity, as a player. He continues to improve and not get frustrated.”

Lester’s leadership ability has grown now to the point where even the thought of playing in one of the country’s most extravagant football stadiums cannot deter his focus.

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure the secondary is in position and know the call so they can play their best football,” Lester said. “I don’t want people to think that everybody in the secondary is looking to me to have to the call and if I don’t have the call, we aren’t going to play the right coverage. If you see something, you are more than welcome to call it. I don’t see everything, it’s a team thing.”

Lester is having to acclimate two new starters into his unit to replace Kirkpatrick and Menzie, Dee Milliner and Deion Belue. The duo earned praise from Saban, but they are clearly not the only focus Saban has in the secondary.

“Dee has done really well and Deion has done a very good job for us,” Saban said. “I think that the issue there is creating the depth that we need past that. John Fulton has had a pretty good camp. It’s the entire secondary as a whole that we are going to be playing. I think that their experience or lack of, the impact that that has on their ability to play will certainly determine how well we play.”

A love for the big stage

In the Nick Saban era, the Tide has had a knack for the big stage, both in the postseason and the regular season. To go along with two BCS National Championship games and another BCS Bowl, Alabama has had dates in the regular season with Florida State, Penn State twice, Virginia Tech and Clemson.

The Tide is anxious to add Michigan to the list.

“You learn a lot playing against a good team early,” Johnson said. “You learn a lot, instead of getting down the line and learning those lessons you need to learn. Playing Michigan, we are going to learn a lot and who knows what it is going to be, but I know we are going to learn something.”

Wide receiver Kevin Norwood added, “I can tell you practice will be different. That’s one thing that we do, we practice hard for our opponents and we make sure we are prepared mentally and physically.”

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