Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer spoke to reporters after the Crimson Tide’s first spring scrimmage. Alabama will continue spring practice until A-Day on April 12.

Here’s everything DeBoer said.

"Got a really good scrimmage in today. 15 with the 3s, going to work backwards right? And 50 with the 1s and 2s. So got 115 plays in all together. Hit the numbers we wanted as far as the goal there. It was really good back-and-forth. Specialists got some time that they got the opportunities to get their kicks in. I thought both of them, especially Talty getting in there to get some field goal opportunities. He made all of his kicks, PATs. So did a nice job there, which is an important part of the game, something you kind of talk about offense and defense a lot, you forget about that part and it’s critical, especially in the big moments.

"A lot of give and take. Some guys up front did a nice job getting in the backfield at times. I thought we were consistent in the run game offensively.

"Held out a few guys beyond the injuries that have been from the beginning. A couple guys that got a few knicks, just giving more opportunities for some young guys to go out there and show us what they got.

"We’ll have a scrimmage next Friday again, and then we’ll scrimmage — we scrimmage multiple times whenever we put full pads on so it’s controlled. So we’ll do that a couple times next week and then the big one on Friday and then we’ll get into the final week leading up to A-Day. We’ll have a scrimmage Thursday, actually before the Saturday A-Day.

"Just like to be controlled. Again, we’ve got some number issues at a couple positions and so we want to make sure we get the right guys reps to where the whole team can get value and also not put a guy in a spot where he doens’t know what he’s doing or can’t execute at the level we need to challenge someone across from him and get a quality rep from even the other side of the ball.

"Liked what I saw. There was a lot of improvement through this week, and that’s what you’ve got to have. Only two practices, but I thought it was two good ones. Beautiful day out there, how can you not enjoy it?"

“I thought today as far as just accuracy, there was maybe two balls… one was a really shot pass that you want to see completed and then one that was an opportunity for an explosive play that we missed.

"Otherwise, I’d just probably guess that we where somewhere where you want to be percentage-wise. I don’t know, 60-65% between the three of them. So all of them getting their opportunities to lead with the different groups, 1s, 2s in particular. I thought they handled the checks and the things as far as managing the game. That’s a lot of it, and you know, going out there and making plays.

"I feel like they were more comfortable out there today and I think a lot of it is you put in a specific set of calls that they feel good with so you can have a successful scrimmage and I think the offensive staff did that for them."

"I think it’s pretty consistent from where it was from the beginning. They all bring something a little bit different to the table even though it’s not maybe, a runner and then it’s a passer. It’s guys doing their thing and what their strengths are. Catchable balls and things like that that they do really well. Making maybe field throws, one guy does that a little bit more, one does a little better job at scrambling.

"I think they’re all learning from each other though and taking something from each other’s game and applying it to theirs, and seeing there’s always a way to make this play happen or make that play happen. I thought they did a good job keeping their eyes downfield and hitting some explosives, and kept the chains moving on some third and forth downs that were critical, and that shows some good composure. So we threw a lot at them in the first couple practices and I think now they’re getting into a groove. Again, we dialed back a little bit for the scrimmage and we’ll keep throwing stuff back on them. The installs were heavy from both sides. So offense is installing, defense is installing and then you’re facing what you’re seeing not just what you’re supposed to execute on your side.

"So today was good. Kept it, not at an elementary level, but not at an expert level either as far as what we were putting on their plate."

"I think the group that is coming along differently than what we had last year is the receiving corps, and I know some of those guys are the same guys, but I think the depth of that group is certainly evident. Today they made more of those plays and were very consistent, I thought.

"I think the defensive backfield is something that is just completely different than what it was a year ago at this time. I know they got better throughout the season, so I don’t want to say that they are drastically improving right now. But they’re definitely playing with a lot of confidence.

"So that matchup, whether it's one-on-ones, 7-on-7, that we do throughout the practices, and then today in the scrimmage, that matchup was really great to see. You see big plays being made on both sides. You see the competitiveness and that iron-sharpens-iron piece is making both sides of the ball better. So those skill areas I think are improving a lot from where we were at a year ago."

"I think the thing I like about where he’s at right now, his head is in a good place. He’s working and getting better. The whole room has improved, right? From top to bottom. So it’s competitive, but he’s getting in there and taking advantage of the reps he had, and that’s what you want to do at this time. So he got some good reps out there today."

"Without a doubt. We’ve really had only one, if I remember right, only one scholarship corner a year ago returning from the season before and played a lot of young guys, new guys. Domani wasn’t necessarily a freshman, but new guys to the program. So, developed confidence. Now that room all of a sudden has got a high ceiling but we’ve created a lot of that depth there.

"The thing I also like is between the corner and safety room, there’s interchangeable pieces and so there’s kind of a dual-training that exists and you see Red Morgan can play multiple spots. I’m just thinking about guys, what the fanbase would have seen a year ago. He was in different spots. Safety, corner. Zay Mincey moved right at the end of the season from corner to safety.

"And so we have multiple guys that can do a lot of those things. Probably still don’t have the numbers you’d like in that room just because it is so competitive. The right guy coming in is important for us. But because they’re all really good football players, the quality of that room and us feeling comfortable with them certainly is in a good spot."

“He’s phenomenal. He’s just a guy in the building first of all that just brings good juice and energy. He’s a pleasure to be around if you’re the head coach, a staff member and then that’s certainly seen by our players and felt by our players and then, you know, in the recruiting process, I just think he’s attractive for a parent, for their son to want to come here and be coached, because they’re cared for, they’re loved, they’re taught at an extremely high level. He does such a great job in all of those ways.

"So it’s personality mixed with ability and then the want-to. He’s a guy with a lot of drive and he’s got a high expectation. So he gets after them, but it's some tough love that he brings and they appreciate that because they want the same thing he does is to be their best."

"That’s a good question. I think a lot of it is, is just been a lot of times over your career whether its a head coach or assistant coach, Year 2 always just feels different, right? You know the guys. You understand now and have gone through experiences together, and they know where you’re coming from when you come to them, good or bad, and you know what they’ve been through and what they’re experiencing.

"So I think a lot of it is just the next step of the relationships leading to just the passion coming out in myself our staff, and the expectations aren’t changing. It’s just that everyone, and especially after a season like last year, got another level of hunger to make sure we get back to where we expect to be, and it’s been a joy out there because they guys know where I come from and I can coach them up. I know where they’ve got to get better. I articulate that. Our staff articulates that to them and we hold them to that expectation."

“He’s going to come in and fit right in with the group because he brings length, and that’s the thing that just jumps right out at you right now across the board. We’ve got some guys that maybe don’t have the extreme height but out length in the secondary has changed a lot, and Chuck will come add to that, and he comes from a great program. A lot of experience playing at a high level. I think that transition for a guy like Chuck, it’s shown through the guys that have come out of great programs in the past, Mater Dei in particular.

"He’s going to come in and do his thing, and he’s got some guys that I know he already knows them well. So I’m extremely confident they will push him along, bring him along and he will fit right in pretty quickly."

“Just focus on him and just take care of his business with the things he’s got to take care of on that end, and he’s into it. He’s a guy that loves ball. So I know he’s refining physically and mentally and trying to stay up to speed with what we’re doing right now and talking to his teammates and he’s going to be ready when the summer hits.”

“We will have more of a practice, a full practice like we would have any day, and again, it allows us, as I referred to earlier, to have a controlled setting, to control just the reps that certain guys get.

"We understand the significance and love. Everyone loves football here. So we want to make that day available, show off our guys and our guys go do their thing. I can’t even say, it’s really to me not about the portal concern that I know everyone makes it out to be. It’s just that we’re really careful out there. We ran a lot of reps and we were very specific, and sometimes, you know, we almost had to stop things to get the right groups of people, matchups, things like that to have a quality rep for all 22 guys that are on the football field. That practice-type environment is something that I think best accomplishes both the things for the fans that we want to do with the A-Day and also for our football team utalize a practice No. 15 and continue to get better.

“It’s really important for our guys to get in front of fans. I remember a year agot when we came out — this year, we have 18 new freshmen and then we also have some transfers that are here, and this is their first time in Bryant-Denny with people. So I think that’s a huge benefit for us. I remember seeing some guys a little bit like, ‘Wow,’ eyes wide open, and so that’s a huge benefit for us because throughout the fall and fall camp, we won’t experience that to the extent like we will here in a couple of weeks, and then also just some time from a fan-apprecation standpoint where people can get up close to our guys see hopefully their role-models up close, get a picture, things like that."

“If we couldn’t do a scrimmage, and I guess it might be a little bit easier if you can just worry about one side of the ball at that time, but to me if we’re concerned about the reps amongst ourselves, at this point, this year I definitely wouldn't be wanting to have that type of scrimmage.

"I think every program can do what they want to do, and to me, it's about us making ourselves better. I think there are some things, like when the NFL has their times during fall camp, they might go specifically to a team that gives them certain fronts and coverages or a certain style of offense that they maybe won’t see see much from their own team during their preparation at fall camp or OTAs, or whatever it might be.

“There are benefits to that. I've thought about that. When we would do that is a little up in the air, and we'll continue to evolve, we'll continue to adjust. So the answer I give you right now might not be the same answer I give you down the road as we develop.

“I think we’re still recovering from a little bit — I mean all these injuries were from last season for the most part. So that’s just where we’re at right now. But there’s also a positive and that’s the way we’re always going to look at it is there’s a lot of young guys that are getting a ton of reps, being put in uncomfortable positions and that’s good. That’s how the growth happens.”

“I thought today was actually probably one of their better days. I don’t know if it was the best day. The film will show that when I look at if more closely. But they were more consistent, just run game, pass game. We created some seams at times. So I think they were the most consistent. They were solid in protection, gave the quarterbacks some time. I think the quarterbacks got a little more comfortable back there, and then the run-game, I thought we were the most physical we’ve been. It shows up more because we were live and taking to the ground, and so the running backs are going to find those seams. When you’re thudding and just in shells and staying up, it’s a little harder to stay engaged.

"But it showed up in a good way, and again, maybe the film will show a little bit something different than the vibe right now that I have, but I thought it was a positive day for them."