At Alabama, even a 50-percent A-Day is Better than No A-Day
It looked like A-Day. It felt like A-Day.
But it wasn’t quite like A-Day, at least not in the sense that we’re accustomed.
Sure, there were many of the sights and sounds that this day is known for at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the added bonus of a halftime national championship celebration and individual award presentations.
There was ESPN announcers Kirk Herbstreit and Joe Galloway on the field, armed with microphones and basking in the picturesque weather.
There was Nick Saban standing alone in the backfield behind the quarterback, wearing his bright salmon jacket that makes him easy to spot at all times.
The Million Dollar Band and majorettes were even on hand, albeit wearing masks and spaced six feet apart.
A-Day is an exhibition to begin with, so it’s already essentially half a game, but this was like a half of a half of a game.
It had little to do with football except the Crimson Tide was severely shorthanded for its final spring scrimmage. Numerous players on the roster were held out for a variety of reasons including a dozen who would normally be on the two-deep depth chart.
The coaches were working through a lot as well. After another busy offseason in terms of turnover this was the staff’s first time working together in a game-like setting.
“The real challenge on offense has been having four new coaches, and only one holdover,” Saban said during the ESPN broadcast. “Even though they’re all in the same system it’s hard for that one guy to give them all the answers to their questions. So that’s been the issue.”
In terms of the eye-test, though, the first impressions weren’t the most favorable. On the day the worldwide death toll from the coronavirus reached 3 million, some fans were acting like it was a normal spring game.
It wasn’t. Stadium attendance was capped at 50 percent, with tickets sold as part of an effort to limit the large throng of fans that usually converge for A-Day. The press box was also limited to 50 percent. Photographers and film crews that would normally roam the sideline were kept at a minimum.
In fairness, the university was between a rock and a hard place when it came to organizing this year’s day of events. Alabama didn’t have spring football last year, and after winning the national title it had to bypass having the usual campus celebration and parade.
Earlier this month, Gov. Kay Ivey issued a health order that allowed the state’s mask mandate to expire. Said noted that everyone was still strongly encouraged to continue to wear masks in public, but a significant part of those on campus decided to ignore that advice Saturday.
The “I’m not going to do it if they don’t make me” crowd was out in force.
But then the game kicked off.
“It feels like football again,” Saban said as a mask dangled down off his neck.
Alabama fans got their first look at some of the players who made up the latest outstanding recruiting class, including early-enrollee Agiye Hall showing some of his playmaking ability at wide receiver.
Quarterback Bryce Young looked a lot more comfortable the offense.
The defense, which is expected to be the strength of the 2021 team, definitely flashed at times.
Saban was, well, Saban.
A few seconds after teasing Galloway for questioning the lack of a pass-interference call on a pass play (what one would expect from a former wide receiver), the coach could be heard yelling “What are we doing?” when the defense made a mistake on the subsequent play.
Herbstreit and Galloway were eating it up, to the point the former Ohio State quarterback politely asked play-by-play man Joe Tessitore to delay his question and commentary so they could hear what mic’d-up Sbaan was saying to the players between snaps.
Then back to talking the announcers, Saban quickly turned it into a teaching moment: “That’s really what this game’s all about.”
In between all that and the four quarters of play, there were plenty of fun moments, including seeing DeVonta Smith holding up his Heisman Trophy. Just seeing some former players on the sideline was fun as well.
“I love A-Day,” quarterback Mac Jones said during a halftime interview. “I remember my first A-Day. I didn’t do very well.”
Did we mention Saban being Saban? His plate was full, like usual.
“That’s the other thing about being a freshman,” Galloway noted about Saban barking at someone for a mistake. “They call you by your number.”
A lot of fans watching at home didn’t get to see the end, though. ESPN inexplicably cut short the broadcast, relegating it to its App, to show Herbstreit’s pre-draft show with Jones.
It sort of summed up the day in a way. The one chance fans got to see Alabama football over a six-month period, and the first Crimson Tide spring game in two years, and it ended with a bonehead decision away from the field.
But, that’s kind of where we are as a community and in terms of the pandemic, half-way back and some of us still not making the best of choices.
Even so, as far as the Crimson Tide is concerned even half of an A-Day is better than having no A-Day.
Christopher Walsh’s column regularly appears on BamaCentral.com
