Alabama is more than halfway through spring practice. I've spent the past couple of days talking with multiple sources to gather as much information so I could bring you an Insider Report. I'll just dive right in...
The offensive line worked many combinations during Saturday's scrimmage, but the first group out there was from left tackle to right tackle: Jonah Williams, Lester Cotton, Ross Pierschbacher, Brandon Kennedy, Korren Kirven. With Cam Robinson out for the spring and with Pierschbacher moving to center it's opened a few spots on the line. One thing is pretty clear too. Alphonse Taylor has lost his starting spot at right guard. That doesn't mean he can't win it back, but as of right now, he's not the starter. The coaching staff feels that Lester Cotton is one of the five best offensive linemen they have. He will start. Whether that's at right tackle or left guard yet remains to be seen, but he will start. Another thing that is pretty obvious is that the coaching staff loves Jonah Williams. If Cam Robinson weren't on the roster, they feel Williams would start at left tackle. He can play three spots on the offensive line. I also don't rule it out that he might be the right tackle. Cam Robinson raves about Williams. Pierschbacher is the center, it's no longer an experiment. Taylor ran with the second team at right guard, Hassenauer was at center with the second team. Matt Womack worked some at left guard with the 2s. Bradley Bozeman worked with the back-ups at right guard and right tackle. The staff feels they have five tackles who could start. One of those will play guard.
In the base defense, it was Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick. When the team went to nickel, Fitzpatrick moved to Star and Anthony Averett worked at corner. Tony Brown did not work with the first team (we can assume his suspension may have played a role in that). I thought Kendall Sheffield would get a look at corner with the 1s, but it was Averett. That's something to watch going forward.
The quarterbacks had an up and down day. Quarterbacks usually have an up and down day in a scrimmage, which is always called very vanilla. Multiple sources told me David Cornwell has the best arm strength and is the best passer, Cooper Bateman has the best grasp of the offense and is the most athletic (I know that sounds weird, but it's straight from the head coach's mouth) and Jalen Hurts and Blake Barnett are both great athletes and have high ceilings but are wildly inconsistent. Barnett threw three interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns (one by Reuben Foster and the other a 60-yard TD return by Fitzpatrick). Barnett also led a great two-minute drill. One source told me that if the season-opener was this week, Bateman would likely get the start. Cornwell is having a great spring and is mounting a challenge. Every quarterback got two or three series with the 1s.
Adam Griffith missed an extra point, but was 7 of 8, including "one or two" 50-yarders. JK Scott was very much like he was last season: one great punt, one not-so-great punt. It's important for context that the wind was whipping around pretty good Saturday.
Sophomore running back Damien Harris has looked much better this spring than he did during the fall. Bo Scarbrough is the starter. Saban also specifically mentioned B.J. Emmons as a player who will play this season. Scarbrough's 95-yard touchdown run came when he cut back, broke a tackle and outraced Tony Brown for the touchdown. It came against the second-team defense. Bo dropped two passes.
***Shaun Dion Hamilton was the Will linebacker in regular and Rashaan Evans played Will in nickel.
***No surprise here, but the defensive line was great against the run.
***The first offensive drive of the day went 75 yards for a touchdown. It was led by Bateman. He followed it up with a scoring drive on his next series.
***Reserve offensive lineman Richie Petitbon was injured and helped off the field. It didn't look good.
***O.J. Howard did not have a good day with three really bad drops.
***Cam Sims made "the best catch of the day." Robert Foster scrimmaged but in a black jersey so it was no contact.
***Calvin Ridley is the first team kick returner and punt returner. Xavian Marks did KR and PR with the 2s.
***Kendall Sheffield and Anthony Averette worked as the gunners.
***The coaching staff really likes T.J. Simmons athletic ability. He worked with the back-ups on kick returns.
The offensive line worked many combinations during Saturday's scrimmage, but the first group out there was from left tackle to right tackle: Jonah Williams, Lester Cotton, Ross Pierschbacher, Brandon Kennedy, Korren Kirven. With Cam Robinson out for the spring and with Pierschbacher moving to center it's opened a few spots on the line. One thing is pretty clear too. Alphonse Taylor has lost his starting spot at right guard. That doesn't mean he can't win it back, but as of right now, he's not the starter. The coaching staff feels that Lester Cotton is one of the five best offensive linemen they have. He will start. Whether that's at right tackle or left guard yet remains to be seen, but he will start. Another thing that is pretty obvious is that the coaching staff loves Jonah Williams. If Cam Robinson weren't on the roster, they feel Williams would start at left tackle. He can play three spots on the offensive line. I also don't rule it out that he might be the right tackle. Cam Robinson raves about Williams. Pierschbacher is the center, it's no longer an experiment. Taylor ran with the second team at right guard, Hassenauer was at center with the second team. Matt Womack worked some at left guard with the 2s. Bradley Bozeman worked with the back-ups at right guard and right tackle. The staff feels they have five tackles who could start. One of those will play guard.
In the base defense, it was Marlon Humphrey and Minkah Fitzpatrick. When the team went to nickel, Fitzpatrick moved to Star and Anthony Averett worked at corner. Tony Brown did not work with the first team (we can assume his suspension may have played a role in that). I thought Kendall Sheffield would get a look at corner with the 1s, but it was Averett. That's something to watch going forward.
The quarterbacks had an up and down day. Quarterbacks usually have an up and down day in a scrimmage, which is always called very vanilla. Multiple sources told me David Cornwell has the best arm strength and is the best passer, Cooper Bateman has the best grasp of the offense and is the most athletic (I know that sounds weird, but it's straight from the head coach's mouth) and Jalen Hurts and Blake Barnett are both great athletes and have high ceilings but are wildly inconsistent. Barnett threw three interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns (one by Reuben Foster and the other a 60-yard TD return by Fitzpatrick). Barnett also led a great two-minute drill. One source told me that if the season-opener was this week, Bateman would likely get the start. Cornwell is having a great spring and is mounting a challenge. Every quarterback got two or three series with the 1s.
Adam Griffith missed an extra point, but was 7 of 8, including "one or two" 50-yarders. JK Scott was very much like he was last season: one great punt, one not-so-great punt. It's important for context that the wind was whipping around pretty good Saturday.
Sophomore running back Damien Harris has looked much better this spring than he did during the fall. Bo Scarbrough is the starter. Saban also specifically mentioned B.J. Emmons as a player who will play this season. Scarbrough's 95-yard touchdown run came when he cut back, broke a tackle and outraced Tony Brown for the touchdown. It came against the second-team defense. Bo dropped two passes.
***Shaun Dion Hamilton was the Will linebacker in regular and Rashaan Evans played Will in nickel.
***No surprise here, but the defensive line was great against the run.
***The first offensive drive of the day went 75 yards for a touchdown. It was led by Bateman. He followed it up with a scoring drive on his next series.
***Reserve offensive lineman Richie Petitbon was injured and helped off the field. It didn't look good.
***O.J. Howard did not have a good day with three really bad drops.
***Cam Sims made "the best catch of the day." Robert Foster scrimmaged but in a black jersey so it was no contact.
***Calvin Ridley is the first team kick returner and punt returner. Xavian Marks did KR and PR with the 2s.
***Kendall Sheffield and Anthony Averette worked as the gunners.
***The coaching staff really likes T.J. Simmons athletic ability. He worked with the back-ups on kick returns.
