The Alabama Crimson Tide faithful can rejoice. The football team will be holding a scrimmage after spring ball this season after not doing so a year ago. A-Day will be back in full force in Tuscaloosa, y'all! With spring practice underway as of this week, head coach Kalen DeBoer addressed the situation on Monday. He has made it a point that Alabama should be ready "to put on a good show."
This quote from DeBoer should have Alabama fans excited about what could be in store for this team.
"We always want to scrimmage and have a great spring game. Last year, we just had two position groups in particular ... we wouldn't have been able to put on a good show. We needed to get something out of the practices. Unfortunately, that was where we were at a year ago. I think we're in a different spot this year."
Keep in mind that Alabama was a playoff team a year ago after not holding an annual spring game...
Kalen DeBoer explains why Alabama is going back to scrimmage-like format for this year’s A-Day game.https://t.co/X3b6q0vL4z pic.twitter.com/uqJtdYecJZ
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) March 24, 2026
That right there is the biggest reason for optimism. DeBoer feels more than comfortable about letting things fly at Bryant-Denny in a few weeks. Truth be told, the spring transfer portal window from a season ago may have had more to with Alabama not holding A-Day a year ago, but that is neither here nor there... The point is DeBoer is not going to let a potentially bad practice with a good team ruin him.
Obviously, there is still a ton to unpack on DeBoer's comments and decision to hold A-Day this spring.
What Kalen DeBoer bringing A-Day means for the Alabama Crimson Tide
We do not need to beat around the bush here. One of the two position groups DeBoer was obviously talking about was the quarterback situation. Ty Simpson ended up beating out Austin Mack and Keelon Russell for the starting job. That proved to be the right decision, as Simpson played at a Heisman level for extended stretches last season, en route to likely becoming a first-round draft pick.
The interesting part here is the battle between Mack and Russell will be on full display for everyone to see this spring. Whoever DeBoer decides to go with may decide his fate at Alabama. In a way, having Ryan Grubb back for a second season as offensive coordinator should help with that. Moreover, not having too many cooks in the kitchen on offense should be so beneficial for the Crimson Tide as well.
JaMarcus Shephard is the new head coach over at Oregon State, while Nick Sheridan is off to East Lansing to be Pat Fitzgerald's new offensive coordinator on the Michigan State Spartans. DeBoer and Grubb have a long history together. No, Alabama could not run the ball at all a season ago, but they have a knack for getting on the same page very quickly. In the end, A-Day this spring is all about ball!
No matter how carefully DeBoer and his staff may try to script A-Day, the Crimson Tide need to have the confidence to let come whatever may. People will talk if it does not go well. More importantly, they would really talk if Alabama punted on A-Day for the second consecutive spring... DeBoer has had Alabama playoff-viable the last two years, but he is still trying to win over the fan base in year three.
What is most important is for DeBoer to give the impression to fans that this is a playoff team again.