Spring Practice Thread (Interviews, Press Conferences, Practice Reports)

gtgilbert

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Aug 12, 2011
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I did miss those guys. Still sticking with my point, though. Bama isn't bulking up the LBs like they did in the past and is trying to get quicker guys. Players' initial weight and playing weight suggests that.
I think that's true to some degree as the game has changed, and it's more evident at some positions than others where the staff is trying to hold certain positions to lower weights so they can maintain speed. Certainly at ILB we have embraced that with at least the WILL. DL as well, even though ARob and Reed were both huge they were very, very quick for their size and the rest of the guys behind them are a a bit smaller. OLB has held pretty steady with guys between 250-260 at Jack and around 240 at SAM, I would suppose because those guy often have to tangle with the OL or TE right on the line. In fact if williams is telling the truth that he weighs 260 now he's another who has added 30+ pounds.

Like someone else said, I think the move for Evans makes a lot of sense so he can use the skills he's got instead of getting tangled up right on the LOS, then he can always drop down as a third down pass rusher in certain packages.

The reality is, as often as many of us and the media default to it, we really are not a 3-4 team any more, even though we still go through a lot of drills like that to start practices. We run way more nickel than anything else. In our nickel it can be either a 3-3 or a 4-2 with the same guys on the field because of the way we play the Jack. Most often it's a 4-2, so the jack is more-or-less a DE and that's why we see them be bigger. The Mike is about the same, perhaps just a bit smaller than it used to be. The will, which practices as and ILB, is more like and OLB in a 4-3, and so we're seeing that get a bit smaller and faster (CJM, Foster, and I predict RE).
 

Intl.Aperture

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OLB has held pretty steady with guys between 250-260 at Jack and around 240 at SAM, I would suppose because those guy often have to tangle with the OL or TE right on the line. In fact if williams is telling the truth that he weighs 260 now he's another who has added 30+ pounds.
This seems most accurate. While things have trended towards quickness I think you mainly see that in having a supremely flexible nickel or dime package. I think the more significant move was Eddie Jackson to safety. All you have to do is look at his interceptions to see that move paying dividends. If running the ball has become less of a priority, then the focus on stopping the run must also wane. ILB's drop in coverage more frequently but OLB's still need the ability to rush the passer and hang back, which means their specs (to be successful) haven't changed much.
 

BamaMoon

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--Blake Barnett and David Cornwell looked the sharpest of the quarterbacks during Wednesday's media viewing period. Both were on the money with their throws which were both intermediate and long in length.- AL.com
 

4Q Basket Case

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You know it's a good and blessedly uneventful offseason so far. Spring break is over with no untoward events, and the biggest point of discussion is real vs. reported weights of LBs.

Hope we're talking about white helmets, shiny red pants, and names on jerseys until September 3.
 
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gtowntide

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For RTR91, I was wondering about Ritchie Pettibone. Is he considered a guard? I just haven't heard his name mentioned very much. I know he was red shirted last year.The first practice report had him a guard running with the 3's.
 
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glasscutter256

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Any chance Ronnie clark can get back to the defensive side of the ball? I think that is the best fit for him, but had to be put at RB because of lack of depth. I'm afraid he is getting stuck in filler roles.
 

gtgilbert

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Been away from my computer since Friday afternoon. Here are the Friday, March 25 practice reports:

Al.com

BOL
I've seen a # 57 with the ILBs a lot in the videos, but don't see him listed on any rosters or articles about number changes. Anyone know who this is?
 

CrimsonForce

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I was listening to a local sports radio show here in Huntsville called Talking Ball hosted by Drew DeArmond. He had Ryan Fowler (another radio show host) on today and Fowler was talking about there being a pretty big drop off at the running back position after Bo. Sounds like we could be one injury away from not being able to lean on the running game as much. The running back position, after Bo, being a question mark isn't exactly breaking news. Just kind of confirming what a lot of folks on this board and elsewhere have been talking about..
 

CraigD

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— Graduate assistant Alex Mortensen, a former college quarterback, looked good throwing to a group of walk-ons with the exception of one throw that was behind the player and led to Mortensen calling out "Bad ball. Bad ball."
This is an interesting observation. Not sure why it was worth noting.
 

B1GTide

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I was listening to a local sports radio show here in Huntsville called Talking Ball hosted by Drew DeArmond. He had Ryan Fowler (another radio show host) on today and Fowler was talking about there being a pretty big drop off at the running back position after Bo. Sounds like we could be one injury away from not being able to lean on the running game as much. The running back position, after Bo, being a question mark isn't exactly breaking news. Just kind of confirming what a lot of folks on this board and elsewhere have been talking about..
Interesting - I read last week that the coaches really liked the progress that they have seen from Harris.
 

JustNeedMe81

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I agree. I thought Harris was improving a lot based on what the coach said. I think maybe the radio show was saying we don't know much about the running back behind Bo and that it would be settled in the future...
 

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