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Last Day of Practice Links and Such

By Todd

Today's practice will be the last one this spring before Saturday's (Golden Flake) A-Day game, and hopefully it's been time well spent for a team unused to the kind of disciplined, demanding training and complex schemes the new staff is running them through.  With that in mind, some links and quotes from the past few days:

Justin Britt is calling the o-line a positive for the offense:

We all know what we want from each other and what we expect from each other," Britt said. "Me, big [An]Dre [Smith] and [Antoine] Caldwell, we know a lot about each other."

"It's big having all that experience together, especially on the offensive line," Britt said. "We know how to talk and communicate to each other. If someone needs to know something, I can say it without giving the play to the defensive line. There's just a comfort level we have with each other now."


Your puny human mind can't hope to comprehend the very possibility that the Alabama o-line will be a positive part of the offense this season.

Simeon Castille has taken to the new schemes like a duck to water, apparently, and is confident enough in both his and the rest of the team's abilities that he's got his sights set on a ring:

Of course Castille was Alabama's best nickel back last season, and in the Saban/Kevin Steele scheme, where the position is called "star," he'll get plenty of action again. Castille has returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns in the two spring scrimmages, and both came when he was at the star.

"It really hasnt been as hard as I thought it was going to be," he said. "It was tough (at the start) but we've been into it for a while. Now I'm able to just go out there and play and hopefully be in the right spot at the right time."

Tide Sports has a good look at how the new defensive schemes affects the down linemen, and mentions the ever increasing size of the playbook:

Every week during spring practice, University of Alabama sophomore defensive end Bobby Greenwood has visited with the media, and nearly every time he's been carrying his playbook.

Not surprisingly, with each interview session the binder has stretched a little bit more past phone book size.

"Every day there's something new," Greenwood said. "It's getting bigger every day. I'm going to need a bookbag."


Katharine McPhee thinks Greenwood should get a Louis Vuitton bag for his playbook, and maybe also a little dog.

The Birmingham News takes a look at JP's progress in the new system:

This spring, Saban has sounded impressed with Wilson, particularly with his preparation and mental work.

"He (does) a nice job managing things," Saban said. "He's still feeling his way in the offense. The big thing is (setting up the) pass protection so far, handling the blitz.

"That's the most important thing to me. I think he feels comfortable in what he's doing. He'll get a better understanding of it, as well."

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