2014 Alabama Spring Football Report: Practice #4

Have you ever heard the phrase "no news is good news"? No more does that idiom hold true than during spring football practice. To this point it has mostly been about position changes, whether the team is in pads or not, and the weather.

• ArDarius Stewart is remaining with the wide receivers after working out with the safeties for the first two practices.
• The team was back in full pads again.
• The weather was nice, partly cloudy and lower 70s temperatures.

However, there was another item of note: defensive lineman Darren Lake was missing for the second straight practice. For now, it is unclear the reason or meaning behind the rising junior's absence. Early speculation indicates that it is not injury related. I will tweet out information as it comes along.

Lake played in seven games as a true freshman in 2012 recording 3 tackles including a tackle for a loss against Auburn. He participated in all 13 games as a sophomore recording 8 solo tackles and 7 assists. He was certainly being counted on for depth across the defensive line in 2014.

Wide receiver DeAndrew White was again on the sidelines in a black, non-contact jersey riding a stationary bike. As previously reported, he is recovering from January surgery. This may be a mixed blessing for it gives some younger receivers like Chris Black, Robert Foster, Stewart, Cam Sims, and Raheem Falkins more reps.

The team and students now take the week off for Spring Break (Please be safe, don't do anything stupid. Amen). The next practice will be Monday, March 31. Coach Nick Saban will hold his next press conference following that practice.

RECRUITING

The Tide did have a few recruits watching practice today but many of the top players are in Atlanta for the regional Nike camps: Elite 11 today, NFTC tomorrow, and SPARQ on Sunday. It takes place 9am-2pm at Lassiter High School and is free to the public.

A-DAY

The A-Day game on Saturday, April 19 at 1:00 pm CT will be the 15th and final spring practice. At 11:15 am AJ McCarron, C.J. Mosley, and Kevin Norwood will get the great honor of pressing their hands and cleats in the concrete along side so many other Crimson Tide greats at Denny Chimes.

There will also be kids activities, bouncey houses, and other zaniness. It has been announced that "two former Crimson Tide football greats will sign" free autographs but it must be a secret because they haven't said who it will be.

The highlight, however, will have to wait until halftime when Tony Hoard and the K-9 Crew perform. No, that isn't gangsta rap group but "Frisbee catching flips choreographed to upbeat music by Hoard and his group of rescued dogs". Well, okay!