Jumbo Package: Minkah says, “Let’s Get Physical”

Happy Friday, everyone. Only eight more days until Alabama plays football. According to one Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Alabama defense is preparing to face what amounts to a seven-on-seven offense:

A few Alabama players had some early impressions of the style of football played out west.

"I wouldn't say that there's a complete difference, it's football, everyone plays it the same way, attack and get the ball in the end zone," said defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. "I wouldn't say ... maybe we're a little more physical. You know, out there they like to throw the ball a lot and kind of turn it into seven-on-seven. You know, that's their style and that's our style."

Washington has not been hit like they will be hit on New Year’s Eve. How they respond will tell the tale.

Dalvin Tomlinson. You won’t find his name on any postseason awards list, but Dalvin Tomlinson was one of the most important players on Alabama’s defense.

Tomlinson drew double teams which allowed teammates to make plays on the ball. Tomlinson was a dominant force along the defensive line. He collected 54 total tackles and added 3 sacks, 7 quarterback hurries and 4 pass breakups. Tomlinson also added 4.5 tackles for loss and forced a fumble. He was tough stopping the run with 48 of his tackles coming against the rush. Alabama’s coaching staff recognized Tomlinson as a player of the week against Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Chattanooga, Auburn and Florida.

Thanks to Allen, Foster, and Williams, Dalvin has been criminally underrated this year. He is going to have a long, successful career in the NFL.

As for Tagovailoa, he and Harris built a strong bond this summer at The Opening, Nike’s football camp for the best high school football players. Tagovailoa created a small Bible study group during the week and Harris was a part of it.

The two shared very personal info with each other during those Bible study sessions. Tagovailoa can’t see Harris flipping his commitment because of the bond the running back has established with himself and other Alabama commitments.

“I think he’s going to stay committed to Alabama,” Tagovailoa told SEC Country. “He has a great relationship with many of us who are being recruited to Alabama. I talked to him last month and he didn’t say anything about Michigan.”

Leatherwood speaks to him regularly as well, and both players are convinced that Najee will be enrolling in Tuscaloosa next month. Since he apparently doesn’t crave the recruiting limelight, look for him to say nothing until he shows up for class.

With LSU running back Leonard Fournette and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey leading a handful of players opting to forgo their team’s bowl game to protect their future NFL careers, it begged the obvious question.

Could a situation like that ever happen at Alabama?

“I don’t think it would,” Alabama tight end O.J. Howard said. “... I really don’t think a lot of guys on our team would want to do it. We build such a bond offseason training hard with each other, no one would quit on anybody without anything bad happening. Unless it’s an injury that takes you away from the season, but no one would, I don’t think, just quit on us.”

Well, alrighty then.

Finebaum Film Room (SEC Network): Paul Finebaum - along with analysts Booger McFarland, Jordan Rodgers and Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze take - calls from fans during the Washington-Alabama game and provide instant analysis.

Somebody needs to kill this little “tradition” with fire.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly called the idea "absolutely ludicrous."

"It doesn't sound like college football to me," he said when asked about Alabama's souped-up practices.

Funny Brian, because what your team did on the field this year didn’t look like college football to me.

"Alabama's favored; we all know that," Spurrier said. "They could get beat. Washington or whoever has an exceptional game and maybe they don't play their best, and that's the way sports is. It's not a given, but Alabama's certainly the favorite."

Spurrier knows what it feels like to beat Alabama. Some of his biggest victories at Florida came against the Crimson Tide, including wins in three SEC Championship games, and he also scored a win against Alabama at South Carolina when the Tide was ranked No. 1.

“The key to beatin’ Alabama is this: get your QB drunk before the game. Takes his mind off the pass rush.”

That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend and a Merry Christmas.

Roll Tide.