Effort lacking in practice?

This is just a teaser to read more tomorrow, but after talking to three of the veteran players from the team this afternoon, nobody sounds happy with the effort shown in practice recently.

Greg McElroy, Dont’a Hightower and Preston Dial spoke about a passionate plea made by the vets to the rest of the team about stepping it up. It’s a typical situation experienced every year, McElroy said. But Hightower said this wasn’t something the 2009 Crimson Tide struggled with in the preseason.

Remember Nick Saban talked about his displeasure with the attitude he’s seeing. He’s referred to the “poor-me” feeling and the “whoa is me” sentiment after Saturday’s scrimmage.

Again, more about this will appear in Tuesday’s paper. Tune in for practice video later today.

On a side note, Athens (Ala.) product Rob Ezell got a shout out on the USA Today college football blog. Read it here. And watch a few videos of his dynamic personality on display here, here and here.

Injuries hurt continuity at Saturday scrimmage

The first scrimmage of the preseason is now in the books and, apparently, the back luck for the Crimson Tide secondary continues. Nick Saban just ran down a laundry list of injuries from this afternoon’s action.

• Cornerback Dequan Menzie has a “slightly pulled hamstring.”
• Robert Lester suffered a concussion early in the scrimmage.
• DeMarcus Milliner “twisted his ankle” and will be day-to-day.
• Blake Sims strained his foot and also got the day-to-day tag.
• And before the message boards crash, Saban made extra effort to point out Mark Ingram only got the wind knocked out of him late in the proceedings.
• Greg McElroy is just fine. He completed 26-of-33 passes for 360 yards, Saban said.
• Other stats are still to come.
• Check back in a little bit.

Fan Day videos, Part III (fans sprint to Saban)

Nothing stops Alabama fans from getting an autograph from Nick Saban.

Fan Day videos, Part II (offense)

Here’s a few more looks at the receivers and quarterbacks.

Fan Day videos, Part I

Next, the Crimson Tide offense works on some passing and catching. (AJ McCarron (10), Phillip Sims (14), Greg McElroy (12), Julio Jones (7).

More to come.

Come back for all the media days coverage possible

This is just a friendly reminder to bookmark The Bama Blog so you don’t forget to come back for all the SEC Media Days coverage you can handle.

There will be a video tour of the whole compound at the Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, behind the scenes snap shots and all the latest news and interesting soundbites from the SEC’s biggest names.

A chuck of the coverage will land on the blog’s companion Twitter site (http://twitter.com/DailyBamaBlog) so sign up to follow all the updates there. Here is the complete schedule of this week’s event (all times Central):

Wednesday
Alabama (1-3:50 p.m.)
Coach Nick Saban, LB Dont’a Hightower, RB Mark Ingram, QB Greg McElroy
Mississippi State (1-3:50 p.m.)
Coach Dan Mullen, DB Charles Mitchell, QB Chris Relf, OL Quentin Saulsberry
Florida (3:20-6 p.m.)
Coach Urban Meyer, DB Ahmad Black, OL Mike Pouncy, DE Justin Trattou
Kentucky (3:20-6 p.m.)
Coach Joker Phillips, WR Randall Cobb, DE DeQuin Evans, RB Derrick Locke

Thursday
Arkansas (8:30-11:10 a.m.)
Coach Bobby Petrino, DE Jake Bequette, QB Ryan Mallett, TE D.J. Williams
Georgia (8:30-11:10 a.m.)
Coach Mark Richt, P Drew Butler, FB Shaun Chapas, WR A.J. Green
South Carolina (10:50-1:30 p.m.)
Coach Steve Spurrier, FB Patrick DiMarco , DE Cliff Matthews, LB Shaq Wilson
Vanderbilt (10:50-1:30 p.m.)
Coach Robbie Caldwell, LB Chris Marve, RB Warren Norman, LB John Stokes

Friday
Auburn (8:30-11:10 a.m.)
Coach Gene Chizik, LB Josh Bynes, DB Aairon Savage, OL Lee Ziemba
Tennessee (8:30-11:10 a.m.)
Coach Derek Dooley, LB Nick Reveiz, TE Luke Stocker, DE Chris Walker
LSU (10:50-1:30 p.m.)
Coach Les Miles, QB Jordan Jefferson, DB Peterson, LB Kelvin Sheppard
Ole Miss (10:50-1:30 p.m.)
Coach Houston Nutt, DE Kentrell Lockett, DT Jerrell Powe, OL Bradley Sowell

SEC Media Days lineup set

The SEC just released the final schedule for next week’s football media days. Now we know which three Alabama players will get the party started next Wednesday afternoon.

The new three-player invitation list includes quarterback Greg McElroy, running back Mark Ingram and linebacker Dont’a Hightower. (I’m taking bets on how many Heisman questions Ingram fields, leaning towards 95 percent of those asked).

From a reporter’s perspective, those three make up an all-star team of interview subjects. McElroy is easily one of the most insightful athletes I’ve met. He’ll be great, and I’m sure my colleagues agree with my sentiment. Hightower is right up there with the QB as is Ingram who has great patience when answering the aforementioned bevy of Heisman questions.

The circus in Hoover begins next Wednesday and runs through Friday. Stick with The Bama Blog for all the coverage you can stomach.

Here is the rest of the player lineup:

WEDNESDAY

Mississippi State:
DB Charles Mitchell
QB Chris Relf
OL Quentin Saulsberry

Florida:
SAF Ahmad Black
OL Mike Pouncey
DE Justin Trattou

Kentucky:
QB Randall Cobb
DE DeQuin Evans
RB Derrick Locke

THURSDAY

Arkansas:
DE Jake Bequette
QB Ryan Mallett
TE D.J. Williams

Georgia:
P Drew Butler
FB Shaun Chapus
WR A.J. Green

South Carolina:
FB Patrick DiMarco
DE Cliff Matthews
LB Shaq Wilson

Vanderbilt:
LB Chris Marve
RB Warren Norman
LB John Stokes

FRIDAY

Auburn:
LB Josh Bynes
DB Aairon Savage
OL Lee Ziemba

Tennessee:
LB Nick Reveiz
TE Luke Stocker
DE Chris Walker

LSU:
QB Jordan Jefferson
DB Patrick Peterson
LB Kelvin Sheppard

Ole Miss:
DE Kentrell Lockett
DT Jerrell Powe
OL Bradley Sowell

On a side note, the Yankee Universe suffered another big loss this morning when George Steinbrenner passed away from a massive heart attack. It’s a sad day for sports.

Star Jackson transferring, Tiffin cut from Browns

It was a busy news day, and of course I was wrapped up working on other stories and missed some of the bigger headlines of the day.

First, in a hardly surprising move, it appears Star Jackson’s Alabama career is over. Nick Saban confirmed the sophomore quarterback’s plans to transfer at today’s stop on the Crimson Caravan, the Mobile Press-Register reported.

Since the once heralded recruit is third on the quarterback depth chart behind Greg McElroy and AJ McCarron, this hardly came as a surprise.

In NFL news, former Crimson Tide kicker Leigh Tiffin got some bad news a day after getting some good news. The Muscle Shoals product was cut by the Cleveland Browns a day after signing a free agent deal.

McElroy wins Paul W. Bryant Award

Quarterback Greg McElroy joined gymnast Kassi Price as recipients of the Paul W. Bryant Award that goes to Alabama’s top male and female student-athletes.

Being a national championship winning quarterback is only part of the award. McElroy got his degree in three years and is currently working on his masters in sports administration. In December, he told us that he’d only received one B in college, fittingly in a leadership course.

Price has a 4.0 GPA with a double major in marketing and advertisement and a two-time academic All-American.

And now, your daily Kige Ramsey video. Remember it is from two years ago.

VIDEO: Quarterbacks, linebackers at Thursday practice

This will conclude my video work at football practice this spring. There may be a few taken at Saturday’s A-Day, but no more blocking sleds until fall. Here is a look at the quarterbacks.

Followed by the linebackers.

Could the Tide see Tuberville again soon?

 It is more than possible if you believe the news coming out of Texas this afternoon. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal is reporting a deal is in place for a neutral-site game in 2012.

All that’s left is singing the contract, according to the report.

The game would be played at the massive new home of the Dallas Cowboys. Bummer for Tide quarterback Greg McElroy. The big time Cowboy fan whose father is an executive with the team would have loved to play in front of the home crowd. But his eligibility will have expired by the time Alabama travels west in a few years.
It would also mean former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville would see his one-time arch enemy for the first time since 2008 when Alabama effectively sealed his departure with the 36-0 win to close the regular season.

Stay tuned as we try to confirm these reports.

While I do that, let us know what you think. I am hoping to increase interactivity with readers, so look at the top of the post where it lists the number of comments. Click on it and tell us where you stand. You might have to enable pop ups to do so, but that’s no big deal.

VIDEO: QBs, RBs drill the basics

The Crimson Tide quarterbacks and running backs run through the hand off exchange at practice Monday.

VIDEO: QBs, offensive line practice

Here are the last of Monday’s practice videos. We’ll start with Joe Pendry working with the offensive linemen.

Finally, watch quarterbacks Greg McElroy (12), AJ McCarron (10) and Phillip Sims (14) throwing in the background.

VIDEO: Quarterbacks at Monday’s spring practice

Here is footage of the quarterbacks from this afternoon: Greg McElroy (12), Star Jackson (2), AJ McCarron (10) and heralded true freshman Phillip Sims (14).

Now they move on to work with the receivers led by Julio Jones (8).

Alabama QBs sold at (date) auction

Check out the video below of Greg McElroy and AJ McCarron’s experience of being sold at a student government date auction this week. Hosted by the starter, both pulled in triple-figures in the fundraiser.

McElroy’s girlfriend bought a date for $500 while McCarron went for $175.

Watch the video from the Tuscaloosa News below.