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.
The Daily Insider: April 7
Alabama football did not practice Thursday. The team will practice Friday and will have the first spring scrimmage Saturday in Bryant-Denny.
The annual Alabama football coaches clinic is in Tuscaloosa this weekend. Coaches are already in Tuscaloosa and will observe the Friday practice and Saturday scrimmage.
The coaches will get a closer look at the team, so we can expect to hear considerable information over the weekend.
Alabama Crimson Tide Football
While we wait for expanded exposure to the 2017 Alabama football team, let’s consider what we have learned so far this spring. Today we will focus on the offense.
The suspense and anticipation about the new direction for Alabama’s offense have been considerable. Fans debate spread versus power, run versus pass, fast-ball pace versus ball control.
Every morsel of information is closely scrutinized. If anyone expects clarity after this weekend or after A-Day, they will be disappointed.
Under Saban, offense in the A-Day game is always vanilla. We may see two or three new offensive sets, but little more. Nick will never show a first game opponent much. This season, the FSU coaches will be hampered by having minimal information to prepare for a game pivotal to both teams’ national championship aspirations.
Nick Saban has talked about offensive changes Saban says offense will change. Saban values candor but he doles it out like a scarce commodity. Allowing himself a moment of enjoyment in a 2012 interview with Michael Weinreb Saban admitted,
"“I’m pretty good at not answering questions”"
The Noles can read every word Nick has uttered on Alabama offensive changes and they will learn nothing.
Looking at last season’s Kiffin designed plays will be of limited value to the Noles. Looking at Brian Daboll coordinated offenses at Cleveland, Miami and Kansas City will be useless.
The Noles brain-trust may get fooled into believing Daboll will follow a New England blueprint. ESPN’s Greg Ostendorf reported Daboll has put Jalen Hurts in communication with Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski.espn.com
"“We’re running some of the same stuff they’ve ran, so he’ll call Tom Brady and ask him what his top five plays are,” Hurts said. “It’s cool because we’re running the same plays he’s ran.”"
Let’s think about this a moment. We understand Jalen is 18-years-old. Sometimes youthful exuberance leads to “spilling the beans” on something not to be disclosed. That is not likely to be the case with Jalen.
Long before Nick Saban pitched his revival tent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama quarterbacks learned to never say anything unrehearsed. Alabama football has one voice and in this era, it is Nick’s voice.
The Noles have no choice but study New England offensive sets and plays. And they must also prepare for all the Kiffin schemes. On top of that, they must look at Ole Miss with offensive coordinator Dan Werner. Jimbo basically has to prepare for four teams – 2016 Alabama; New England; Ole Miss and 2017 Alabama.
It will be a long summer in Tallahassee.
What we don’t know, and what we are unlikely to learn, will not hinder our pursuit to discover the Alabama football 2017 offense. Most of us fans will stare intently into any available tea leaves. Who knows, maybe we will figure it out before Jimbo does.
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