Free 30-Days | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube | Instagram
Forums: TOC | Recruiting with Andrew Bone | Contact Us
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — We’ve had a least a peek at seven of Alabama’s practices so far this spring. However, the Crimson Tide’s most telling workout will be held behind closed doors Saturday as it holds its first scrimmage at 1 p.m. CT inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Through our brief look behind the curtain during warmups, we’ve been able to piece together a few trends and observations. While media members will be afforded a quick look at warmups Saturday, any details of the scrimmage itself will be exclusive to the select few in attendance. Nevertheless, here are five questions we will be anxiously waiting to find out during head coach Nick Saban’s post-practice news conference.
How will the secondary shape up?
Last spring, the secondary was a concern as Alabama needed to replace its entire dime unit. Things are not as dire this year, but there is still plenty of uncertainty around the position heading into the first scrimmage.
Alabama lost a starting safety in Deionte Thompson and a starting cornerback in Saivion Smith to the NFL Draft. The Crimson Tide is also currently without Shyheim Carter, last year’s starter at the Star position, as the senior is rehabbing from a sports hernia surgery this offseason.
Xavier McKinney should take over signal-calling duties at safety as he enters his junior season. Meanwhile, at cornerback, Patrick Surtain II returns after earning SEC All-Freshman honors last year and Trevon Diggs is back after suffering a season-ending foot injury. Those three are locks to land a spot on Alabama’s starting defense Saturday. After that, it’ll be interesting to see how the Crimson Tide fills in the cracks.
Last week, Saban said he’s experimented with moving Diggs to the Star position. He’s previously done the same with Surtain and might do it again this spring. If either move to Star, it could open up a spot for Josh Jobe to break into the starting defense. The sophomore corner stepped in for Smith during the national championship game and has drawn plenty of praise this spring.
“We’ve got confidence in Josh Jobe,” Saban said. “He’s made a lot of improvement. We think he’s had a good spring so far. We thought he made a lot of progress last year. I think he’s much more confident even this year. He’s played pretty well so far this spring.”
Alabama’s secondary practiced out of the dime unit Thursday with Surtain and Jobe as cornerbacks, Diggs at Star and McKinney at Money. Jared Mayden and Daniel Wright were the two safeties. During drills out of the base package, Surtain and Diggs played corner while McKinney and Mayden played safety.
