Practice Report: Crimson Tide Gets Back to Work on Field, Opens Spring Practice

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — And they're back.

The reigning national champions officially began their on-field preparations for the 2021 season as the Alabama football team held the first of 15 on-field spring practices on Friday afternoon.

"We're excited to be back in football," Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said. "We've been excited to be back working with our players for the last, I guess, three-and-a-half weeks in the offseason program.

"I think we've had a really good offseason. We got some good lifting in. We got some good rest after the season and after the [title] game. We've got 15 mid-year guys here who are making really good progress, that's very helpful. The extra time that we we've had this year, where we've had 10 hours instead of eight, and we could do a little more walkthrough type of stuff was really beneficial to the new players, really beneficial to the new coaching staff."

Conditions were cloudy and cool, with the temperature around 54 degrees, and the wind around 10 mph, but due to the fields being saturated from storms this week the Crimson Tide worked inside.

Players were not in pads, per acclimation protocols.

"I was pleased with the effort in practice today," Saban continued. "I was pleased with where we are first practice. You know, the effort was good. Attitude was good. Execution not what it needs to be, aright, but that's why we have practice. That's why we need to practice.

"I kind of challenged the individuals on the team and say, 'Are you going to be individually accountable to do all the things that you need to do to be able to do your job? Or are you going to need somebody else to kind of show you the way.' And I think that's what's important, that people be responsible for their own self-determination, especially young players who are trying to learn that they can take things from the meeting to the walk-through to the field so that they can progress and improve. I think that's really, really important.

"I think self-assessment for those kind of guys is really important, too. Having respect for the critical eye when they are corrected and the coaches tell them something, that they learn from it and learn from their mistakes and grow."

With the university canceling spring break, Alabama will hold its second on-field workout on Monday.

Earlier Friday, the Crimson Tide updated its online roster, with new jersey numbers, including for the early enrollees.