Alabama Football will begin spring practice on Mar. 19. What Crimson Tide fans can expect and not expect from the spring schedule.
There is much work for Alabama Football to get done this spring. Coaching turnover alone means much has changed in Tuscaloosa. The framework of how much Bill O’Brien will adapt the Alabama football offensive system will be introduced. Bit spring is not about schemes and certainly not about future game tactics.
Spring football is about players improving themselves technically and physically. Not counting training room workouts and video sessions, spring is limited to 15 practices. The last of which is usually a spring game, that does not come close to an actual scrimmage. Spring games have become largely media events and their actual football value is debatable. The Florida Gators will not have a media-covered spring game this year. The Alabama Crimson Tide will and it is expected to be on Apr. 17.
While learning and developing their skills, players will try to stand out. New starting jobs will not be won in the spring. Fall camp is the time for that. Younger and new players in Tuscaloosa can’t waste spring without drawing the positive attention of Alabama Football position coaches.
Player leaders will emerge. Coaches will closely observe knowing it is players who choose their team leaders. Every position group is always competitive for the Crimson Tide. That competition does not end after the spring or after fall camp. Every week of every football season, there are heated position battles as players push for game snaps.
New starters are needed for the Tide offense. At quarterback, on the offensive line, and at wide receiver are the primary depth-chart holes to fill. Bryce Young is expected to finish the spring as QB1, but the starting job will not be his until at least a couple of fall camp scrimmages. The competition will be fierce for RB2 and RB3. The battles at cornerback, safety, linebacker and wide receiver will be intense.
Early enrollees from the 2021 Signing Class have a big advantage over the summer enrollees. Guys like J. C. Latham, Tommy Brockermeyer, Monkell Goodwine, Jacorey Brooks, Agiye Hall and Christian Leary will try to use the spring advantage to boost them inside a fall two-deep depth chart. Latham, Brockermeyer and Goodwine are thought to be physically capable of fall playing time. The door is open for Brooks, Hall and Leary to get into a four, wide receiver rotation in the fall.
Second-year players like Drew Sanders, Demouy Kennedy, Chris Braswell, Roydell Williams and Quandarrius Robinson need strong springs to exhibit what was believed to be considerable potential as members of the 2020 class. In every case, Tide players already having a year or more of experience will fight to not cede ground to the new players.
The 12 practices and three scrimmages (including A-Day) will be important measuring tools for the coaching staff. If any of the early enrollees can challenge for a fall starting role, they need to show spring signs of being coachable, of absorbing information well, and no lapses in effort.
As past summer enrollees have shown, some players can get to Tuscaloosa in June and be ready to play in September. Damon Payne might be one and JUCO, CB, Khyree Jackson should have a good chance to win a starting role.