No fooling around now – Alabama football goes back to work

For Alabama football and its legion of fans, the long wait since Jan. 7, is finally over. The Crimson Tide returns to the practice field on Friday afternoon.

Thursday in Tuscaloosa signaled the start to a new Alabama football season. The annual Nick’s Kid Foundation luncheon is the unofficial kickoff every year in Tuscaloosa.

The Foundation, largely run by Terry Saban, announced financial awards of more than $660,000 dollars to more than 130 non-profit organizations across the state of Alabama. Nick Saban appears to genuinely enjoy the luncheon every year. He seems to never tire in the re-telling of stories about Nick Sr. and his impact on children in West Virginia.

The Crimson Tide will hit the field for the first time since spring, Friday afternoon at 2:30PM CST. Based on the tweet below from Tide running backs, assistant coach, Charles Huff, the Thomas-Drew practice fields have been made wonderfully ready.

A new addition to the Alabama football practice facilities can be seen below. It will come in handy combating August (and September) heat in Tuscaloosa.

What to expect from Day 1 of fall camp

At least a couple of Crimson Tide players will be limited when camp begins. Miller Forristall and LaBryan Ray are still recovering from early summer surgeries. The foot-ankle injuries sustained by the players will limit them for the first couple of weeks of camp. They are expected to be good to go for the season-opener against the Duke Blue Devils.

Over the summer, the Crimson Tide has been described as having no serious health issues. Still, doubts linger. How healthy are Terrell Lewis and Chris Allen, coming off significant injuries last year? A normal timetable for recovery suggests both players are unlikely to be 100 percent until later in the season.

Trevon Diggs and Daniel Wright are also returning from injuries. Diggs stated in April he was fully recovered. Lower leg injuries, particularly foot injuries can be problematic for cornerbacks. Diggs should be fine but Crimson Tide fans will remain concerned.

Daniel Wright should also be fully healthy. He underwent shoulder surgery last fall. Some Tide fans are more interested in learning Wright satisfied Nick Saban’s requirements after being suspended last season. If he has, and assuming he is healthy, Wright could play an important rotational role this fall.

Shyheim Carter spent the spring in a black, no-contact jersey. He is expected to be 100 percent ready for fall camp.

We are using this space below the above link to pat ourselves on the back. We wrote (almost) an entire post on Alabama football health issues and did not mention Tua. Better yet, there is nothing in this post about any orange-clad, team. RTR Forever!