Alabama Football: The Daily Insider – March 25

Alabama football fans have a big appetite for information and we’ll be serving up healthy portions of hot food for thought with a side of seasonal inside information every morning this Spring.

There was a time when getting to the Waysider early on a weekday morning was the best way to learn what was really going on with Alabama football.

In the compact dining area, all you had to do was listen. Most conversations included tidbits of information about the University and the football program.

These days there is more to be gleaned by surveying the digital landscape of multitudinous sources. The problem with this wondrous abundance of information is in separating the sense from the nonsense.

That’s where we come in. This column will endeavor to guide that process of discernment.

We’ll peruse message boards, podcasts, tweets, talk radio and numerous digital communication platforms. We’ll ferret out the most worthwhile information and offer our take on what it means.

Alabama football fans, check in with us here each morning and send us your comments and questions through Facebook or Twitter. We would love to hear from you.

The Daily Insider: March 25

Alabama football did not have a practice on Friday. The Tide returns to the field Saturday afternoon. Before we finish today’s report we will review the current scholarship numbers. The Tide is not down to the 85 scholarship limit yet.

Yesterday we discussed the bevy of speed receivers for next season. Early enrollee Jerry Jeudy was included in the group of 4.4 speed, Tide wide-outs. There is more to the Jeudy story and it starts with Calvin Ridley.

Ridley and Jeudy grew up together in south Florida. Ridley has said he sees himself when he looks at Jeudy. It is easy to understand why. They are similar in size, in quickness and speed and both move with a smooth silkiness that belies the intensity of their effort.

Charlie Potter of Bama Online reported on Ridley’s perspective on Jeudy.

"“He’s doing really good for his first day. I think Jerry is like me when I first got here. He’s really good,” Ridley said with a smile. “… I want him to break (my record). That’s my boy.”"

Watch Jeudy move in this practice video courtesy of al.com. If Jeudy was wearing Ridley’s No. 3, everyone would swear it was Ridley rather than Jeudy in the video.

If you missed it earlier, here is the Bama Hammer profile of Jerry Jeudy.

Let’s review the scholarship numbers. The coaching staff always has a plan, but for those of us without access to the plan, it can be a mite confusing.

Not all of the 2017 Alabama football team is in Tuscaloosa for spring practice. Joining the team this summer are Phidarian Mathis; LaBryan Ray; Chris Allen; Markail Benton; VanDarius Cowan; Kendall Randolph; Jedrick Wills;  Kedrick James; Henry Ruggs; Devonta Smith; and blue-shirt kicker, Joseph Bulovas.

Alabama Crimson Tide Football

Bulovas will not enroll until late August but he will be eligible to play in 2017 and his scholarship will not count until 2018.

Taking all the current players and the summer arrivals (and not including Bulovas) and Alabama has 90 scholarship players. Raheem Falkins has asked for approval to transfer. Jamey Mosley and Levi Wallace are two walk-ons who were awarded scholarships during the 2016 season.

If Falkins is given transfer approval and Mosley and Wallace return to walk-on status for 2017, the 90 number is reduced to 87. In a normal off-season, a couple of players will decide before fall camp to leave the team.

Plus there is the grey-shirt option and that is already being used for Jarez Parks and Hunter Brannon. Both players turned down multiple offers to sign with other schools and chose to join Alabama football in January 2018.

Next: Bama's All-Time Best at Each Position

Check back with us again tomorrow when we’ll offer more food for thought. Tweet us your comments or check in with us on Facebook. We would like to hear your thoughts on Alabama football.