Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Here's some info on some of the white defensive players that have been mentioned as of late.
Tide linebackers shine
By Tim Gayle
Montgomery Advertiser
TUSCALOOSA -- With just four returning starters on defense, Alabama has plenty of inexperienced players in key positions this spring.
Crimson Tide coach Mike Shula wants to put them in as many game-type situations as possible.
"We've thrown a lot at them," Shula said. "We take the attitude that we're going to go at the speed of the older guys and the younger guys have to catch up."
He'll take a closer look today when the Crimson Tide uses the final 20-25 minutes of practice to put the players through scrimmage-type drills.
"It's real important for us to find out about these young guys on defense," Shula said. "They're doing a lot of things now, but when we take everybody else off the field and you have to go tackle a guy, we have to find out who can do that. Who can play each play one at a time and forget the last play -- all the things that happen during the course of a game."
On Friday, the younger guys took command of practice as redshirt freshman linebackers Prince Hall and Zach Schreiber shined in a two-hour session at Thomas-Drew Field.
"Practice went well," Hall said. "I messed up a few times but (linebackers) coach (Joe) Kines really believes in me and thinks I can get the job done."
The Moreno Valley, Calif., native normally practices with the second-team unit behind Matt Collins, but Collins missed practice due to a death in the family.
"I'm just filling in," Hall said.
Kines was impressed with his effort.
"I thought Prince Hall did some good things today," he said. "I was glad to work those others."
Shula said it isn't unusual to shuffle the lineup -- allowing Schreiber to work with the first team -- as the coaching staff continues to search for seven new starters on defense and two on offense.
"We try to do things like that to see how they react," Shula said. "Just because a starter gets injured doesn't mean we automatically elevate another guy. We try to see how they react both ways, good and bad."
Shula said second-team defensive end Chris Harris, who strained an oblique muscle near the end of practice, may miss today's scrimmage. Tailbacks Kenneth Darby and Glen Coffee and receivers Nikita Stover and Will Oakley sat out Friday's practice with injuries and likely will sit out the scrimmage as well.
Another receiver, DJ Hall, said the offense has improved steadily over the first week of practice, particularly quarterbacks John Parker Wilson and Marc Guillon in their battle to replace former starter Brodie Croyle.
"I see Marc and J.P. getting better every day," DJ Hall said. "They're starting to get better on the reads, they're making good throws, putting them in the right place.
"I think we had a much better day than (Thursday), throwing and catching. They (the quarterbacks) made a lot of good reads and we made the catches."
Tide linebackers shine
By Tim Gayle
Montgomery Advertiser
TUSCALOOSA -- With just four returning starters on defense, Alabama has plenty of inexperienced players in key positions this spring.
Crimson Tide coach Mike Shula wants to put them in as many game-type situations as possible.
"We've thrown a lot at them," Shula said. "We take the attitude that we're going to go at the speed of the older guys and the younger guys have to catch up."
He'll take a closer look today when the Crimson Tide uses the final 20-25 minutes of practice to put the players through scrimmage-type drills.
"It's real important for us to find out about these young guys on defense," Shula said. "They're doing a lot of things now, but when we take everybody else off the field and you have to go tackle a guy, we have to find out who can do that. Who can play each play one at a time and forget the last play -- all the things that happen during the course of a game."
On Friday, the younger guys took command of practice as redshirt freshman linebackers Prince Hall and Zach Schreiber shined in a two-hour session at Thomas-Drew Field.
"Practice went well," Hall said. "I messed up a few times but (linebackers) coach (Joe) Kines really believes in me and thinks I can get the job done."
The Moreno Valley, Calif., native normally practices with the second-team unit behind Matt Collins, but Collins missed practice due to a death in the family.
"I'm just filling in," Hall said.
Kines was impressed with his effort.
"I thought Prince Hall did some good things today," he said. "I was glad to work those others."
Shula said it isn't unusual to shuffle the lineup -- allowing Schreiber to work with the first team -- as the coaching staff continues to search for seven new starters on defense and two on offense.
"We try to do things like that to see how they react," Shula said. "Just because a starter gets injured doesn't mean we automatically elevate another guy. We try to see how they react both ways, good and bad."
Shula said second-team defensive end Chris Harris, who strained an oblique muscle near the end of practice, may miss today's scrimmage. Tailbacks Kenneth Darby and Glen Coffee and receivers Nikita Stover and Will Oakley sat out Friday's practice with injuries and likely will sit out the scrimmage as well.
Another receiver, DJ Hall, said the offense has improved steadily over the first week of practice, particularly quarterbacks John Parker Wilson and Marc Guillon in their battle to replace former starter Brodie Croyle.
"I see Marc and J.P. getting better every day," DJ Hall said. "They're starting to get better on the reads, they're making good throws, putting them in the right place.
"I think we had a much better day than (Thursday), throwing and catching. They (the quarterbacks) made a lot of good reads and we made the catches."