Alabama Football: Practice Notebook, Sept. 24

John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

For men that attract attention as a 6-foot-3, 320 pound giant, movement of any kind is a difficult task, much less having to run around two or more fellow giants in traffic and find the right man to block, and all before a potential NFL runningback runs the seven yards to the hole.

Not a problem for Chance Warmack. In fact, it might be his specialty.

“I like running behind him when he pulls,” running back Eddie Lacy said. “He’s like a freight train. No matter how many people are in the way, he’s going to knock them out of the way.

“There’s a sense of security knowing whoever is in the way, he’s going to knock them out of the way. I’m glad he’s on our side.”

Warmack has earned more than the love of his running backs this season, also earning a great deal of notoriety with regards to the NFL. Warmack was once named the second-best draft prospect in the country by Todd McShay.

While most players go to extreme lengths in the offseason to show the improvement Warmack has, he has pulled the feat in a different way.

“I feel like the mistakes you make in the past, you can always adjust from it,” Warmack said. “I’m really focused on the mistakes I make and trying to adjust from it.”

For now, Warmack is simplifying his craft even further.

“We just want to finish every play,” he said. “The coaches do a great job of pushing us and I appreciate that.”

Showing some Hart…

Running back Dee Hart has plenty of reasons to shy away from SEC competition. Playmaking ability aside, coming into the Alabama program at 5-feet-9 and less than 190 pounds gave reason for concern in the durability department.

Not to mention the preseason knee injury that sidelined Hart for the entirety of the 2011 season and surrounded him with doubt for his future.

Now, Hart has 20 carries for 81 yards and also earned a spot on the Players of the Week list for his two punt returns for 28 yards against FAU.

“We all know he’s small guy but he plays like he’s 6-2, 230 pounds,” Lacy said. “If a defensive lineman comes through and he has to block him, he going to go through him. He’s not going to cut him, he’s going to hit him in the face mask. That says a lot about him and his character.”

Hart is not the only one to step in well for the Tide. Freshman Kenyan Drake has carried the ball 13 times for 126 yards and has scored three touchdowns.

“They’re doing a great job,” Lacy said. “You can’t ask any more from them. They get in and do exactly what they have to do and they get big plays, too.”

…and some humor

After practice, every player has their own routine to get themselves calm after the rigors of another day.

Lacy doesn’t like waiting until practice is over.

“I’m kind of a loose guy,” Lacy said. “I try to keep the tension down and keep everybody enjoying practice and having fun.”

Lacy is this way in part because he knows his days are numbered.

“You only get to play football for so long, so it makes no sense to go out and stress about it,” he said. “Just have fun.”

Lacy even has a certain brand of humor he falls back on.

“It’s based on a certain moment,” Lacy said. “If something happens in practice, I’ll make a joke about it to keep everybody loose.”

He knows how to pick his moments, though.

“I haven’t made Coach Saban laugh,” Lacy said. “I tend to not make jokes whenever Coach Saban is around.”

Lacy also said he doesn’t think he’ll make a joke while Coach Saban is nearby.

Mosley mentioned often

Linebacker C.J. Mosley has been named Player of the Week by the coaching staff in all four weeks this season, slowly putting the cap on a long process of steady improvement.

“He’s learned since he’s been here to fit the run a little better,” head coach Nick Saban said. “He’s always been a really good athlete and space player. With all of the spread out formation that we have played against to this point, he’s had a lot of opportunities to make plays and he’s made a lot of plays.”

His defensive counterparts know he is a special player.

“He escapes situations that a lot of guys can’t escape,” defensive lineman Damion Square said. “He’ll just pop up out of nowhere in the flat. It’s incredible.”

Mosley has done more for the defense than the simple defensive stop.

“He just finds a way to get to the endzone every year,” Square said, noting his pick-sixes against Florida and Georgia State in 2010 and against Michigan this season.