Alabama football officially got its 2024 season preparation started on Wednesday beginning its fall camp.
It marks the first time in 17 years that there is a face other than Nick Saban’s leading the Crimson Tide through the fall, with Kalen DeBoer being named head coach of Alabama in January. It also marks the first time since prior to the 2021 season that fall camp has been open to reporters.
It was a humid, mid 80-degree morning in Tuscaloosa with music ranging from Morgan Wallen to Red Hot Chili Peppers playing on the speakers.
Media was able to view the early portion of practice for about 30 minutes. Here are some of the things we learned, noted and saw during the viewing period.
Energy high on opening day for Alabama football
Energy was high on the first day of fall practice, as expected. During the media viewing, individual position drills were being ran, with the coaches staying at the specific drill and players rotating in between. Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was primarily with the defensive line unit, while DeBoer was on the offensive side of things during the media viewing period.
Coaches were plenty vocal and getting involved in practice too, whether it was applying corrections, acting as a makeshift player or demonstrating how to do things better. At one point, Wommack could be heard telling his group: “Push your bodies with relentless effort.”
Offensive group: Jalen Milroe, Ryan Williams and more
During the viewing period, quarterbacks could be seen rotating between handing the ball off to running backs or throwing it off to wide receivers or tight ends. For what it’s worth, the order the quarterbacks were getting reps in appeared to be Jalen Milroe, Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, Dylan Lonergan and Cade Carruth.
During the handoff drills with running backs, it was Milroe paired with Justice Haynes, Simpson and Jam Miller, Mack and Richard Young, Lonergan and Daniel Hill, along with Carruth and Kevin Riley.
When not working specifically with the quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends and running backs were seen running their own individual position drills. At one point, running backs were throwing medicine balls back and forth between each other while tight ends and wide receivers were practicing running routes.
Freshman phenom Ryan Williams, who is wearing No. 2 for the Crimson Tide, could be seen lining up with the wide receivers and making some impressive catches. It was the first time Williams has been seen in an Alabama jersey after arriving on campus earlier this summer. At one point during practice, the wide receiver group, under coach JaMarcus Shephard, were seen lining up all at once during a specific drill.
The offensive line group started as one unit but switched into two groups. On one side, Tyler Booker, Kadyn Proctor, Jaeden Roberts, Wilkin Formby and Elijah Pritchett were among some of those getting reps on while the other offensive line group consisted of Davis Peterson, Billy Roby and Joseph Ionata, among others.
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Defensive group: Jah-Marien Latham, Tim Keenan III and more
As with the offense, Alabama’s defensive groups were switching between individual drills.
The defensive lineman, consisting of Wolfs and Bandits as well, pretty much stayed to their own side, switching between drills working on lining up along with rushing a makeshift player. Jah-Marien Latham, Tim Smith, Jehiem Oatis and Tim Keenan III were among those seen lining up. Another player seen with the defensive lineman was Keon Keeley, who was recruited as a linebacker and is listed as such on the current roster.
During one specific drill, players were practicing different coverage techniques with a makeshift receiver. It appeared that linebackers and the secondary players switched between these drills. Coaches, too, could be seen applying individual corrections as needed.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football: Nuggets from July 31 fall practice
The Tuscaloosa News
