Video of Nick Saban after scrimmage

Here are some of the highlights from Nick Saban’s post-scrimmage news conference from Bryant-Denny Stadium. Enjoy.

 

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Saban tells us about scrimmage

The second and final scrimmage of the preseason is over, it seems. Coach Nick Saban just shed some light into the proceedings. Here are some of the highlights:

• No stats again today. That’s not much of a surprise given last week’s post-scrimmage news conference.
• The first 55-60 plays were like an exhibition game with regular substitutions, penalties, etc.
• Just got a few stats read to us. Eddie Lacy had six rushes for 57 yards and a touchdown. Trent Richardson ran seven times for 39 yards.
• Defensively, Mark Barron had six tackles, a sack, an interception and three pass break ups.
• Linebacker Dont’a Hightower had six tackles including one for loss.
• Linebacker Courtney Upshaw had five tackles, one sack and one pass break-up.
• Linebacker C.J. Mosley had five tackles and broke up a pass as well.
• Saban said the second team wasn’t up to par this afternoon.
• There was no scrimmaging for Dre Kirkpatrick. His leg injury kept him out. Saban hopes the cornerback will be back by Tuesday’s practice.
• On special teams, Saban said Marquis Maze did a good job returning kicks. Punter Cody Mandell did better today, too.
• The quarterbacks — AJ McCarron and Phillip Sims — threw the deep pass well, Saban said.
• Saban again said he wasn’t opposed to both playing important roles on the team.

Video to come in a little bit.

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Video of QBs and WRs warming up for scrimmage

A few hundred yards from here, the Alabama football team is scrimmaging. Allegedly. Before the rehearsal, we got quick look at the preparations. See the quarterbacks warming up with the receivers. More video to come.

 

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Assessing the Tide specialists Saturday

Though the statistical embargo from Saturday’s scrimmage included kicking numbers, coach Nick Saban liked what he saw from the special teams.

Punters Cody Mandell and Jay Williams “were more consistent” and place-kickers Jeremy Shelly and Cade Foster only missed difficult attempts, Saban said.

The kick returners still need work.

Senior Marquis Maze is making progress judging and handling kicks, Saban said.

“He’s certainly is explosive and the kind of guy we need there,” he said.

Redshirt freshman DeAndrew White and true freshman Christion Jones were also mentioned among young players with kick-return potential.

Junior Trent Richardson returned 24 of the 40 kickoffs sent Alabama’s direction last year including one for a touchdown, but Saban earlier expressed interest in finding other options. Maze received 21 of the 28 returnable punts in 2010 and averaged 12.7 yards per attempt.

Read the rest of the notebook from today’s newspaper by clicking here.

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Video of Saban discussing stats

Here’s a quick look at Nick Saban’s response to a question regarding the quarterback stats from this afternoon’s scrimmage.

 

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Video of QBs throwning and receivers catching

Here’s a look inside Bryant-Denny Stadium this afternoon’s Alabama football scrimmage. The quarterbacks and receivers warmed up just as they normally do. This how it looked this afternoon.

 

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A few quick prescrimmage notes

The first scrimmage of August is about to begin and we just got a brief peek inside the proceedings at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

• William Vlachos was back in uniform after missing the Thursday afternoon practice and Friday’s two-a-day.
• Dont’a Hightower was again working with the linebackers and the wrapping on his left hand.
• The 1961 national champion team is in the building and they’ll be chatting with us in a little bit.
• Video to come.

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A few stats from Saturday’s football scrimmage

You know the drill. Alabama holds scrimmage. Nobody can watch. Alabama releases stats.

Now, it’s your turn to read these with the following warning. These scrimmages are not structured like a 60-minute, 4-quarter, traditional game. Today’s action included 11-on-11, situational drills, red-zone drills and 2-minute exercises.

Since nobody is allowed to watch, it’s pretty hard to make very many informed observations. They’re just numbers. Here they are, according to a UA news relase. Proceed with caution.

PASSING LEADERS
Phillip Sims – 20 for 30, 225 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
AJ McCarron – 18 for 33, 189 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

RUSHING LEADERS
Eddie Lacy – 10 rush, 92 yards, 3 TD
Trent Richardson – 5 rush, 40 yards
Jalston Fowler – 5 rush, 31 yards
Demetrius Hart – 11 rush, 25 yards

RECEIVING LEADERS
Kenny Bell – 7 rec., 89 yards, 2 TD
Marquis Maze – 4 rec., 76 yard, 2 TD
Darius Hanks – 5 rec., 61 yards
DeAndrew White – 4 rec., 61 yards
Brandon Gibson – 3 rec., 28 yards
Trent Richardson – 2 rec., 25 yards, 1 TD
Brad Smelley – 3 rec., 17 yards
Kevin Norwood – 2 rec., 16 yards

FIELD GOALS
Cade Foster – Made: 32, 47, 52; Missed: 32, 52
Jeremy Shelley – Made: 29

DEFENSIVE LEADERS
C.J. Mosley – 6 tackles, 1 INT
Nico Johnson – 5 tackles, 1 TFL
DeQuan Menzie – 5 tackles, 1 TFL
Trey DePriest – 5 tackles, 1 TFL
Dont’a Hightower – 4 tackles, 2 sacks
Courtney Upshaw – 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT
John Fulton – 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBU, 1 INT

SCORING
Touchdowns – 9 (Lacy 45-yard run; Fowler 2-yard pass from P. Sims; Lacy 6-yard run; Maze 18-yard pass from P. Sims; Richardson 18-yard pass from P. Sims; Lacy 3-yard run; Bell 14-yard pass from McCarron; Bell 7-yard pass from McCarron; Maze 59-yard pass from McCarron)

A few scrimmage nuggets

Nick Saban just ran through some of the highlights from this afternoon’s closed scrimmage. Here are the highlights:

• Today’s action was much more “game like” as opposed to last Saturday’s that was more “situational.” The first 50 or so plays were just as they would have been in a game.
• On the injury front: Josh Chapman bruised a thigh and Trent Richardson bruised a shoulder. Nether were too serious, Saban said.
• DeQuan Menzie was back out there after getting hurt a week ago. Saban said the JUCO cornerback transfer “held up OK today.”
• DeMarcus Milliner and Blake Sims were both still on the sidelines today. Sims was wearing a walking boot on his right foot (see photo here).
• There was more focus placed on the running game this week as opposed to last when it was an air assault.
• Kicking game was much improved. Cade Foster was 3-for-4 with his only miss being at 52-yarder. Saban said he came back and made one from that distance with room to spare. Jeremy Shelley, the more short-range kicker, went 4-for-4, according to stats kept by UA media relations. More stats to come.
• The team gets two days off before returning to practice Tuesday. Since starting practice Aug. 5, the only off-day came last Sunday. That schedule, Saban said, is all part of the master plan.

More to come. Hang in there.

— Michael Casagrande

VIDEO: Tide warms up for Saturday scrimmage

Here is yet another video in my Alabama all limited access series. It is heavy on the quarterbacks and wide receivers, though the linebackers slipped in there somewhere towards the middle. Enjoy and check back later for scrimmage updates.