What We Observed from Alabama Football at the Open Fan Day Practice
Kalen DeBoer may not have witnessed a “Running of the Gumps,” but he did get to experience his first Alabama football Fan Day on Sunday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The event included an autograph session for Yea Alabama members following the two-hour practice, which offered fans a glimpse into individual drills, some entertaining exercises, and team drills.
Individual Drills
Fans were allowed to sit wherever they liked on the West side of the stadium after gates opened at 10:30 a.m., with many choosing the limited shaded areas. The practice began with stretching and individual position drills. In one defensive drill, players faced a dummy resembling a large red donut, which they hit as it rolled toward them.
A few players didn’t fully participate in the drills but still wore pads. Among them were Tyler Booker, Jaeden Roberts, Richard Young, Jihaad Campbell, and Jam Miller. Daniel Hill didn’t participate either and had his arm in a sling. These players stayed active by walking the stadium, working with exercise bands, and riding exercise bikes.
Cornerback Zabien Brown continues to practice with a cast on his left hand, essentially turning it into a club. However, this hasn’t slowed him down, as he was even seen catching passes during defensive back drills.
Kicker Graham Nicholson attempted three field goals during a drill with a full team of blockers, making all three, though none were from beyond 40 yards. Conor Talty also kicked, making two of his three attempts from a similar distance.
While Nicholson and the other kickers practiced, the quarterbacks had some fun. They participated in a drill where they aimed to throw a football into one of three garbage cans in the far right corner of the end zone. Milroe observed while Simpson, Lonergan, and Mack participated, along with some walk-ons. Both Simpson and Mack, as well as walk-on John Cooper, managed to land a ball in a bucket.
11-on-11 Team Drills
Alabama ran several plays with various groups of players during full 11-on-11 drills. The first group featured:
Offense:
– QB: Jalen Milroe
– RB: Justice Haynes
– WRs: Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams, Cole Adams
– TE: CJ Dippre
– OL: Kadyn Proctor (LT), Geno VanDeMark (LG), Parker Brailsford (C), Roq Montgomery (RG), Wilkin Formby (RT)
Defense:
– DL: Jah-Marien Latham, Tim Keenan III, Jehiem Oatis, Que Robinson
– LBs: Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson
– DBs: Zabien Brown, Keon Sabb, Malachi Moore, DeVonta Smith, Domani Jackson
During subsequent plays, there were slight changes in personnel. Robbie Ouzts got some first-team reps on offense, while Keanu Koht, Tim Smith, Red Morgan, and DaShawn Jones joined the first defense. If Booker and Roberts had participated, they would likely have taken the guard spots, and Miller might have seen some action at running back. On defense, Campbell would have likely replaced Jefferson at linebacker.
Several younger offensive linemen, including William Sanders, Casey Poe, and Joseph Ionata, took reps throughout the practice. Milroe had a notable run with the first group, while Simpson, who primarily ran with the second team, completed a nice pass to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. along the sideline. In a later drill, Dylan Lonergan was essentially sacked but still threw the ball, resulting in freshman Wolf Noah Carter intercepting it and taking it to the end zone.
Austin Mack
7-on-7 Drills
Milroe attempted a deep pass to Bernard during 7-on-7 drills, but it fell incomplete due to solid coverage from Smith. He otherwise completed several short passes, focusing on quick, chain-moving throws. Simpson connected on a deep pass to Kendrick Law, drawing an audible reaction from the crowd. Shortly after, Lonergan hit Henderson on another deep pass along the sideline, despite Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.’s attempt to intercept it. Later, Milroe targeted Williams, but Williams couldn’t secure the catch due to a play by Brown.
Punt Coverage Drill
Towards the end of practice, Alabama ran a punt coverage drill, with James Burnip punting. Players rushed downfield, trying with varying success to keep the ball from reaching the end zone.
Leave a Reply