Crimson Tide Works Indoors Yesterday
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| Alabama football's Nick Saban at Wednesday practice session Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
The University of Alabama football team put in approximately two hours of work yesterday afternoon inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. The Crimson Tide worked out in full pads for Wednesday's single session. It's back to the two-a-days today, with the morning session beginning at 9:30 a.m. CT, followed by the evening session at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Workouts began yesterday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., with the team focusing on fundamentals then running through drills and reps. Alabama head coach Nick Saban then held a press conference following the Wednesday workout. Friday goes back to a single session in the afternoon, and then on Saturday the team will hold their first intrasquad scrimmage inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Bama's first break of the Fall Camp comes on Sunday, with a day for the team to relax and do as they please.
Inside linebacker Keith Holcombe was absent during the media viewing period yesterday, and of course, could have arrived at the practice facility later. He also missed the Tuesday morning practice session, but was practicing in the second session that evening.
Quarterback David Cornwell continues to be hampered by that injured foot. He was again limited yesterday in drills.
Freshman Trevon Diggs, spending time as both a wide receiver and safety, was again working at the safety position yesterday afternoon.
Robert Foster is continuing to show improvement in his rehabilitation from the torn rotator cuff he received last September. The redshirt junior says that he is back.
Talking to AL.com, Foster said, "I feel good. I feel like 100 percent. I'm ready to (be) the best that I possibly can to help my team and contribute to the receivers, and just ready to be out there."
Lane Kiffin has before commented on what an outstanding and dynamic player the 6'2", 190-pound wide receiver is. Kiffin commented, "People forget, as great as Calvin Ridley was last year ... Calvin was actually backing Robert up last year until Robert got hurt."
Foster is expected to play a large role in the Alabama offensive scheme this season.
Alabama opens with the USC Trojans on Saturday, September 3rd.
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Maurice Smith Applies To SEC For Waiver To Play At Georgia
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| Awaiting SEC Decision Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
Alabama head football coach Nick Saban has repeatedly said he would not allow Smith to transfer to another SEC school, but would help him go anywhere else he wanted to go. Yesterday Saban commented, "We have done everything that we can do institutionally to allow the conference to make the decision about whatever they decide is in the best interest of the conference and the SEC rules relative to Maurice Smith. So that is past us now. It is beyond us. We don't really need to talk about that anymore and I don't have any other comments to make about it."
AL.com released a statement from the SEC concerning the Smith situation, which reads, "As part of the SEC waiver process, a due diligence procedure ensures that pertinent information from the involved parties is gathered. This information is gathered for the purpose of a thoughtful and appropriate consideration of the particular facts associated with each case. The intent is for the waiver process to be handled in an efficient but deliberate manner, so the timeline for resolution of a waiver request varies with each unique situation.
"The SEC does not provide waivers of SEC rules absent circumstances that demonstrate a clear reason for granting an exception to those rules. Each waiver request is reviewed on a case by case basis."
Maurice's mother, Samyra cautioned that the battle is not over, but a decision from the SEC is expected within 24 hours.
So, for now, we hurry up and wait.
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Saban Addresses Media Wednesday Afternoon
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| UA Head Football Coach Nick Saban Photo Credit: RollTide.com |
The head coach commented during the presser that he was seeing the players making progress as well as improving every day. High praise from Saban.
On a somber note, Saban referred to the passing of John Saunders of the ESPN/ABC family of networks. He spoke of Saunders being a fine man and journalist.
It is evident that Saban is high on defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Concerning the young man playing at both cornerback and nickel back the coach said he really liked to avoid having to play a guy at both spots, but if anyone could handle it then it would be Fitzpatrick. He went on to say that, based on current personnel, they may have no choice and have to play him at both.
Concerning Calvin Ridley, Saban says the young man is a "mature competitor" and that he has gotten both bigger and stronger during the off-season.
Saban referred to one injury during the press conference. He said that Joshua Jacobs had suffered a thigh contusion and would be day-to-day.
The coach referred briefly to the Maurice Smith issue. See accompanying story for more information.
Saban was complimentary of Alabama redshirt junior offensive lineman Bradley Bozeman.
Coach Saban is always trying to instill more than football knowledge into his players, as with his statement concerning being "mature competitors." Yes, it's for the game, but life also. He pointed out that the mature competitor can focus and do whatever it is that they need to do regardless of the conditions at the time, and that is whether it is weather-related, or playing on the road, or the level of competition during what could be a critical point of a game.
Alabama is back on two-a-day practices today. The first practice is at 9:30 a.m. CT with the second session scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.
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Sports Illustrated Releases Top 25 For 2016
Here is a look at the Top 25 college football rankings according to Sports Illustrated.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
2. Clemson
3. Florida State
4. Michigan
5. LSU
6. Oklahoma
7. Washington
8. Houston
9. Ohio State
10. Tennessee
11. Stanford
12. Notre Dame
13. Michigan State
14. Iowa
15. Louisville
16. Georgia
17. Oklahoma State
18. Washington State
19. Ole Miss
20. TCU
21. Oregon
22. UNC
23. UCLA
24. San Diego State
25. Boise State
