The Jumbo Package | 08.20.14

Your daily dose of Crimson Tide news and notes.

By Slice of Life Aug 20, 2014, 9:29am CDT

Checking QB battles: Bama looking at 2-man system; Ash in at Texas - CBSSports.com

Alabama candidates: Jacob Coker, Blake Sims

Analysis: Florida State transfer Jacob Coker has garnered preseason hype, and though he's got serious talent, the reality is this is going to be -- for lack of a better Sabanism -- a process. Coker hasn't exactly torn up every practice in crimson. The race is still on. But if Alabama turned to Blake Sims, they'd basically have to retool the Tide's pro-style offense. Sims is a runner who would thrive in a different scheme. He's not really a natural drop-back guy. That's why I think Saban will strongly consider a two-quarterback system -- or at least a package for Sims. Navigating this quarterback battle is one of Saban's biggest challenges at Bama, where he's had serious quarterback stability.

What drives Alabama RB Derrick Henry? An 'I've got to stay hungry' attitude, former coach says | AL.com

"He's just getting extra work in," Ramsay said. "I think that's always been something that I would say is why he's gotten as good as he has. He's done more than is required."

Throughout his high school career, Henry would work out for an additional hour or more after practices, Ramsay said. He'd typically finish with end zone-to-end zone sprints, a staple of his workout routine that prevented him from growing out of his position.

So focused on convincing college coaches he could stick at running back despite his outside linebacker-esque size, Henry once celebrated when he was measured a shade under 6-foot-3, Ramsay said. "He was all jacked up," Ramsay said of Henry, whose official weight of 241 pounds hasn't budged much since his senior year of high school.

"That's probably the first kid ever to be excited to be measured shorter than people thought he was."

You know, I think this Henry kid might turn out to be alright.

Alabama practice report: Updating a slew of minor injuries after 2 days off | AL.com

Trey DePriest and Reggie Ragland were working as the linebackers with the first-team nickel. This is one of the first times all camp we've seen DePriest, who is recovering from a knee injury, do anything first-team related.

Jarran Reed and Brandon Ivory continued to line up in the back for defensive line drills. The first group featured Jonathan Allen and D.J. Pettway at the ends and Darren Lake at nose.

Nick Saban updates Alabama QB battle, offers unprompted praise to a potential No. 3 | AL.com

After saying Sims and Coker would continue to split repetitions with the first-team offense, Saban offered some unprompted praise Tuesday to third-year sophomore Alec Morris, who has perhaps emerged as the Crimson Tide's No. 3 option at the position.

"Alec Morris has actually had a really good fall camp. We feel like he's made a lot of progress as well," Saban said. "We're kind of encouraged by what all three of those guys have done, but I would like to see somebody take the bull by the horns from a leadership standpoint, a consistency standpoint and win the job here sometime. "But we're not going to make a decision until somebody does that."

Whaaa? The guy we moved to punter? That guy? He might be the favorite to be the #3 quarterback? I think it is safe to say at this point that pretty much nobody outside of Saban knows whats going on with the QB position anymore.

Ten SEC games that will affect the College Football Playoff - ESPN

4. Alabama at Ole Miss, Oct. 4: A lot of folks already have this game circled as the conference's first big upset of the season. And why not? Alabama might be the SEC favorite, but it's far from perfect and will be breaking in a new starting quarterback against an Ole Miss defense that has a fierce two-deep. A win for Ole Miss, which has its highest expectations in years, would propel the Rebels into the thick of playoff talk.

Stop trying to make Ole Miss happen. It's not going to happen.

Braxton Miller of Ohio State Buckeyes to miss season due to shoulder injury - ESPN

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller will not play this season after sustaining another injury to his right shoulder while throwing a short pass in Monday's practice.

No whammies no wammies no wammies no...

Mississippi State Bulldogs hit where it hurts most: Offensive line - ESPN

On Monday, we learned that projected starting right tackle Damien Robinson tore his ACL and will miss the season.

The Bulldogs were banged up enough as it was with starting guards Justin Malone and Ben Beckwith missing practice time during fall camp. Throw in the noticeable absence of Gabe Jackson, and it's hard to imagine what the Mississippi State offensive line looks like in Starkville today.

wammies no wammies no wammies no wammies