Aug 4, 2013; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron (10) during practice at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports
The Crimson Tide returned to the practice field Friday for its second two-a-day practices. The morning practice was held in full pads again.
AJ McCarron was seen getting on a teammate during passing drills. Holding everyone accountable has been a focal point of Tide camp and McCarron is taking his leadership role seriously.
Both tight ends coach Bobby Williams and head coach Nick Saban looked to be frustrated with the way practice was going in the morning.
Junior wide receiver DeAndrew White is now wearing some extra padding on his elbow. No word on an injury there. Amari Cooper’s hand was still wrapped up today but he seems to be working fine with it.
Linebacker Reggie Ragland has dropped the wrapping on his foot that he was wearing for a few days. Dillon Lee returned to the outside linebackers today as he continues to bounce between working with the inside and outside backers.
Alabama returned to shells (shoulder pads, helmet, and shorts) for the second practice today.
Energy was said to have been really high for the second practice, which is a good sign in the middle of two-a-days and less than 24 hours before the first scrimmage of the camp.
The quarterbacks continue to be separated into two groups during drills. Starter AJ McCarron is with Alec Morris and Cooper Bateman while Blake Sims is with Parker McLeod and Luke Del Rio. Does that mean Morris is the backup or Sims? We won’t know for sure until the depth chart is released later in the camp.
The running backs, on the other hand, are doing the drills based on experience it seems, as T.J. Yeldon is followed by Kenyan Drake, Dee Hart, Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Altee Tenpenny and Tyren Jones.
The wide receivers are typically being split up in three different groups signifying the X (split end), Y (flanker), and slot receivers. At the X Amari Cooper is followed by DeAndrew White, Raheem Falkins, and ArDarius Stewart. At Y Kevin Norwood is followed by Kenny Bell and Robert Foster while Christion Jones leads the slot with Chris Black behind him.
Members of CBS’ 60 Minutes have been at practice several times during fall camp and continued to tape today as they are doing a special on Nick Saban and the Tide that will air during the fall.
Also today former Alabama All American offensive tackle/guard/center Barrett Jones, now with the St. Louis Rams, was named the Capital One Academic All-American of the Year making him the second straight Crimson Tide athlete to win the honor. Last year Alabama women’s golf star Brook Pancake was awarded with the honor.
Saturday is Alabama’s first scrimmage of fall camp but it’s closed to the public and media. The only information coming out of it will likely come from Nick Saban himself as well as the stats released. Sunday is Alabama’s first off day of fall camp.