Alabama coach Nick Saban said he was encouraged by the progress the team seems to be making this offseason despite practice limitations.

"We've had really good feedback from the players," Saban said during a radio appearance on Saturday. "We've had really good contact with the players because we Zoom with them Monday-Thursday every week."

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Saban said the Zoom sessions have provided coaches with a chance to take things slow and really focus on teaching.

That said, the Crimson Tide coach is still concerned about how the loss of spring practice might impact his younger players.

"I think the more veteran players will be less impacted by this," Saban said. "They have a little more knowledge and experience. I think missing spring practice impacts them a lot less than a younger player who is trying to learn and develop."

Saban said he is still not sure how much ground the team will make up in a few weeks when preseason activities ramp up near the end of July.

Of course, football isn't the only thing Saban and his players are thinking about these days.

On Thursday, Alabama released a video to raise awareness concerning racial inequality in America.

"When it comes to how people are being treated, I don't think this is a time to be silent and I told the players this. And I don't think this is a time to be violent. ... Our platform can really impact and affect change."

Saban also said this is a time to listen and learn. To that end, Alabama's football team has heard from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Charles Barkley over Zoom in recent weeks.

Saban said the team also plans to host ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith and Joey Galloway soon.

Finally, the Crimson Tide like everyone else, is also trying to navigate a return to normalcy in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think we have a really good plan for our players," Saban said. "We're giving them all COVID tests and we're giving them all physicals. We'll continue to Zoom with them and not have physical contact."

Earlier on in the show, Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne said he remains optimistic that we will have a football season this year. Byrne also said he hopes to host a large number of fans inside Bryant-Denny Stadium this year, but added that decisions about fan attendance are probably coming in the next 30 days.

"I think towards the end of July, early parts of August is when decision time will have to take place and see what it looks like," Byrne said. "But we have a lot of scenarios that we’re putting together of what it can look like, both from how many people are there and what that looks like for our department and the impact of that from a financial standpoint, too.”

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