"Alabama's second scrimmage" Updated

[Chechem]

Click here for link

While we await Jamos' report, we can nibble on hors d'oeuvres.  Have a few stats:

Passing:
AJ McCarron 12-23-0, 242 yards, 2 TDs

Rushing:
T.J. Yeldon 16-60, 2TDs
Kenyan Drake 10-37
Jalston Fowler 6-25

Receiving:
Kevin Norwood 3-76, 2 TDs
Marvin Shinn 2-85, 1 TD
DeAndrew White 2-63

Rumor has it that Lacy has a minor injury (besides the nagging turf toe).

[hscoach]

Those stats show AJ was averaging 20.1 yards per completion.  I guess they are trying to stretch the field.

[Chechem]

Those stats show AJ was averaging 20.1 yards per completion.  I guess they are trying to stretch the field.

That's the same thought I had.  Except I thought of it from the D side: "CNS must want to see how his DBs will handle deep passes."  We'll see plenty of that against Arky (if not before).

Jamos should have good insights about both the offense and D.

[Jamos]

As is in most cases, you can take 10 people to a scrimmage and you will get 10 different opinions of how good the scrimmage was.

Todays scrimmage was somewhat different from the past few scrimmages that I have attended due to a rain which halted pactice for awhile and seeing so many young ones competing for a playing spot. The rain was really a blessing in disguise as it gave the team a real time experience playing in inclement weather. In watching the young ones compete, some of them have a ways to go but we have to remember that the seniors on todays team looked just like these young players did today when they were their age.

The starters on both offense and defense did a good job today with both flexing their muscles at times showing the other side of the ball who is boss. AJ had a decent day but I thought he could have done better in the red zone, the area where Bama struggled to cross the goal line last year. Ely and Morris have a ways to go but that is to be expected but not wanted. They both seemed to handle themselves well in running the offense but both made some bad decisions with their passes.

The runningbacks did well with some good hard running at times that produced a few cheers from the crowd. I was really impressed with Jalston Fowlers play, he seems to have adapted well at the Hback position and ran well when he was behind the quarterback. Before Lacy got a little dinged up, he and Yeldon ran well. Hart has good effort when he is playing but he needs plays that will get him one on one with the defender. I thought Kenyan Drake ran well and has a future ahead of him if he keeps improving.

There were some highlight reel catches by some of the recievers as well as runs after the catches. Marvin Shinn had the first, a one handed grab with a defender hanging on his back for a touchdown. He never used his other hand in making the catch. Kevin Norwood had the other, he went over the top of the defender who had perfect position on him to make the catch and then was able to get free and run for the touchdown. There were other good catches made by the other recievers but I thought these two stood out. There were some dropped passes as well but the weather had a little to do with some of that.

The kicking game got off to a bad start. Adam Griffith was the first to get his chance at kicking and it wasn't a prety sight. He settled down though and his kicks were much improved. Cody Mandell was the punter all day and he got off to a bad start as well, but his kicks really improved as the scrimmage went along. He had some 60 yarders with good hang time. Cade Foster made the only long field goal attempt that was for 43 yds. Shelly came in and did his usual on some short field goals, he's almost Mr. Automatic on those.

Now everyone is wanting to know how good is this Bama team. First, everyone needs to remember this is not last years team, it is a team that has a job of getting some of the non-starters brought up to their level. That will take improvement mentally and physically and that doesn't happen overnight. Hopefully the starters can play as they are capable of long enough to get the non-starters up to their level. Having won a national championship two of the past three years is a lot of incentive for these young men but winning another this year is a huge challenge.

There are a couple of players with some nagging injuries but nothing that should keep them out of the opening game.

The team is tired and it showed some today. With the fall camp ending today, players will be able to get their legs back under them and some of those nagging injuries should have a chance to heal some. I'm anxious for the season to start as all of you are but we all must remember this team isn't last years team and we all might have to show a little patience with the team during the season until some of these youngsters grow a little. Roll Tide!!!

[Chechem]

Excellent, Jamos.   

Any specifics on the DBs?  Landon Collins?  Vinnie?

[SUPERCOACH]

Great report Jamos.

[Jamos]

Excellent, Jamos.  

Any specifics on the DBs?  Landon Collins?  Vinnie?

Collins is doing ok but they aren't trying to put too much on him at once. He looked a little tired today but most of the others did as well. He has good instincts in pursuing the ball and good quickness, he just needs to mature a little and I think that is the process of CNS. Remember, the 1's did good on both sides of the ball.

Vinnie is Vinnie, enough said.

[Chechem]

It's been 15 minutes.  Another e-cred.  Excellent job, J. 

[ricky023]

Thank you all so much for the reports. It must be a dream to see them in a real game or practice in a scrimmage. God Bless! RTR!

[Chechem]

"Coach Saban’s post-scrimmage comments":
Click here for link

–On the young guys: “We have a lot of work to do to try to improve some of these guys so that we develop the kind of depth on our team that is going to help us be successful. And I think some of them realize what it takes. I think every opportunity that they get, more and more realize what they have to do to be successful.”

–Who played well: “I though AJ (McCarron) handled himself well today, especially in the circumstances and the situation. Did a good job of taking care of the ball and played very, very well.
T.J. (Yeldon) played really well today. … And Kevin Norwood made some big plays and some great catches.”

–Injuries: “Amari Cooper didn’t play today because he had a foot injury — not a bad thing. It’s probably going to be day to day when we start the week next week. It may be a few days before he can get back out there, but we don’t think that’s a serious thing.....

[Chechem]

Who handled punt returns?  Christian Jones?  Hart?

[Chechem]

"Injury report following the scrimmage"
Click here for link

Eddie Lacy, Amari Cooper, and Ryan Kelly (backup center)...

[Jamos]

Who handled punt returns?  Christian Jones?  Hart?

Christian Jones, this young man can do many things for the team. I know Hart is very quick but he still doesn't impress me that much. Jones and Millinar were the kickoff returners.

[Chechem]

Who handled punt returns?  Christian Jones?  Hart?

Christian Jones, this young man can do many things for the team. I know Hart is very quick but he still doesn't impress me that much. Jones and Millinar were the kickoff returners.

Thanks again, J.
As it turned out during the BCSNCG, the injury to Marquis Maze was a blessing.  It gave Christian Jones a chance to play under pressure.  He handled punts well, and I thought at the time that he could be a 2012 star in punt returns.  Maze gave us some HUGE plays last year in returns.

[Jamos]

He and AJ could be the co-MVPs of the team this year if they can stay healthy.

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