Sacks and Steaks: What It's Like Being a Media Coach for the Winning A-Day Team
I have spent hundreds of hours in Bryant-Denny Stadium watching dozens of games over the last two decades. On Saturday, I got to watch one from the sideline for the first time.
Not only did I get to watch the 2022 A-Day game from the sideline, but I was technically a "media coach" for the White team. Now what all does being a media coach entail you might ask?
With the rainy weather and ceremony to honor Wilbur Jackson and John Mitchell, it somewhat limited the full experience. However, I still got to partake in enough to receive the unique perspective of what it's like for players and coaches during an actual game.
For example, during halftime the players were loaded up with uncrustable peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and rice krisipies treats. In attempts to get the whole game in before it started pouring in Tuscaloosa, halftime was severely shortened so much so that the teams did not even head to the locker rooms at the half. This only accelerated the process for the hardworking training and nutrition staffs to make sure the athletes had all the fuel they needed to play another half of scrimmage football.
The real experience started before the game inside the Fail Room also known as Alabama's visiting locker room in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Here Pete Golding, Alabama defensive coordinator and head coach for the White team, gave fiery last-second instructions to the first team defense while wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins gave final encouragement to the second team offense.
Katie Windham- BamaCentral
Katie Windham, BamaCentral
I also got to see firsthand the competitive nature of the players. It is obviously a little different when scrimmaging against their teammates compared to playing in an actual game against a real opponent, but it did not slow down the trash talking or competitiveness. With a steak dinner and bragging rights on the line, these players wanted to win.
After recovering a fumble, the White team marched down the field and took its first lead of the day with a 22-yard field goal from Jack Martin. A few plays before the field goal, White quarterback Jalen Milroe juked Crimson defender Monkell Goodwine and scampered into the end zone for a touchdown. However, due to scrimmage rules with quarterbacks in black no-contact jerseys, Milroe was marked down at the five yard line much to the chagrin of the White sideline.
Several players exclaimed, "He ain't making that tackle." The call would stand, and White had to settle for the field goal.
The whole White team was absolutely ecstatic when Milroe connected with Christian Leary for the 52-yard touchdown pass and 13-0 lead in the second quarter.
On Crimson's last possession of the first quarter, Jordan Battle intercepted Bryce Young for the second turnover forced by the White defense. Sophomore defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry ran back to the bench yelling, "We got a pick and a fumble recovery. Let's go."
The two turnovers would not be the only impressive things done by the first team defense on Saturday. As previously mentioned, anytime the quarterback is touched in a scrimmage, they are marked down, so sack numbers can get a little skewed. In total, the White team had 10 sacks, and the pressure from Will Anderson Jr. and the rest of the front seven kept a beleaguered offensive line out of rhythm all game.
Young and the first team offense for Crimson could not get anything going against the White defense until Georgia Tech transfer running back Jahmyr Gibbs broke through for a 75-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
So as far as coaching goes, I contributed very little outside of maybe a little encouragement from the sidelines ,but I'll take any credit I can get for White's 25-7 victory.
As a female in the sports industry, I'm already used to being far outnumbered my men in pretty much every scenario when I'm working. Of course, it was no different on Saturday, but I do want to give a shoutout to the handful of female support staff for the Alabama football team from trainers to managers to nutritionists to academic advisors and everything in between that do a lot of the behind-the-scenes, unnoticed work to keep the athletes ready to perform at their highest potential including several hard-working women I saw in action on the sidelines Saturday.
Even though it did sprinkle some throughout, especially in the second half, thankfully the heavy storms held off until after the game. I did get slightly soaked during the second half, so you can see the before and after results below.
Before
After
Being a media coach also means you get to partake in all the festivities for your selected team as if you were actually part of the roster. Win or lose, you are invited to the team dinner where the winners get steak, baked potatoes, broccoli, salad and cheesecake or chocolate cake for dessert with a red carpet down the middle of the dining and nice dishes. Meanwhile, the losers get a big vat of frank and beans with white bread.
Thankfully, I was on the winning side and got to enjoy a nice steak with all the fixings. However, the beans couldn't have been too bad because a few White players also had styrofoam bowls of beans to go along with their steaks and baked potatoes. I also got to introduce myself to the coaches who were actually doing the coaching on A-Day, Nick Saban and Golding.
In a now viral moment, Alabama sophomore outside linebacker Dallas Turner tried to sneak a piece of chocolate cake across the red carpet barrier to Malachi Moore and Cameron Latu from Crimson. He might have been wiser to wait until Coach Saban moved to another table because it was not going to be allowed under the watchful eye of Saban.
The players understand the consequences, win or lose, of the A-Day game each year, and it's all in good fun. Most of the players, regardless of scrimmage team, will probably go back to the dining hall to enjoy steak at some other point during the week.
My slice of cheesecake for dessert was the cherry on top of the experience as a media coach. And now we take a slight break from major football news until SEC Media Days in July and fall camp in August, and I slide back to just being a regular old media member. The crimson Nike Alabama pullover is tucked away and traded for my laptop and notebook. But this season from my perch in the press box, I'll have a little different perspective of what's going on down on those Crimson Tide sidelines.
Gallery: Views from the White Sideline
Katie Windham-BamaCentral
Katie Windham- BamaCentral
Katie Windham- BamaCentral
Katie Windham- BamaCentral
Katie Windham- BamaCentral
Katie Windham- BamaCentral
2022 Alabama A-Day White team
