Alabama Announces Format, Details for 2026 A-Day

Alabama football announced last month that next season's A-Day will be on April 11. A-Day serves as the conclusion of spring practice, and unlike last season, Alabama officially announced on Monday that the annual event will return to a scrimmage format.

The Crimson Tide's annual Walk of Fame ceremony at Denny Chimes will begin at 11 a.m. with head coach Kalen DeBoer joined by 2025 captains Parker Brailsford, Tim Keenan III, Deontae Lawson and Ty Simpson.

Following the ceremony, the 2026 roster will take part in the Walk of Champions leading into Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium at 12:45 p.m. CT. Alabama will then participate in a two-hour scrimmage with kickoff set for 1 p.m.

Gates to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium will open at 12 p.m. Attendees should utilize Gates 14-17, 21-24, 34 and 47-53 to enter. The University's clear bag policy, along with the use of metal detectors, will be in effect at the gates. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will also receive a limited edition commemorative poster for the event.

A-Day is a great way for fans to decipher the unknown depth chart for certain position groups. A-Day also features plenty of freshmen in action to get a glimpse of the Crimson Tide's future, plus a plethora of recruits and 2027 commits are on campus.

Another reason to watch head coach Kalen DeBoer's third A-Day is due to Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson's departure for the NFL Draft. The Crimson Tide has a decision to make next season as to who will be the Week 1 starting quarterback. There will be a competition this spring between rising redshirt junior Austin Mack and rising redshirt freshman Keelon Russell.

"You can tell that they’ve had a number of reps from last year under their belt, playing with confidence, calling the play in the huddle with confidence," DeBoer said on March 11. "Both of them are lightyears ahead of where they were a year ago obviously, and they should be. The talent level, as far as that’s concerned, is not a question.

"It’s just a matter of them building the rapport with their skill around them, making the throws when they’re there, feeling the timing and trust and just feeling comfortable in the pocket. That just comes with time, feeling comfortable with your offensive line doing the job up front."

Mack and Russell will be the sole gladiators in this battle, as it's extremely unlikely that incoming freshmen Jett Thomalla and Tayden Kaawa will be considered for the QB1 spot. So, what does he want to see from them over the next couple of months that will help his and head coach Kalen DeBoer's decision?

"Control the offense and take care of the football," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said on March 12. "I think that's the first thing. The locker room piece has to build, both of those guys have to build their leadership. But just being able to control the offense, take care of the ball and just run the system."

Some other A-Day details:

Admission to A-Day and public parking will remain free of charge. All parking will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Premium Areas Closed: There will be no access to suites or club spaces for A-Day.
Seating: Seating for A-Day will be available in the lower bowl.
Limited Concessions: A select number of market pads will be open with a limited menu on the south, east and west sides of levels 1 and 2. Concessions in the north will not be open.
Crimson Tide Access: There will be no upgraded experience offerings such as locker room tours, reserved seating or parking passes.
TIDE PRIDE Breakfast/Luncheon: There will be no TIDE PRIDE Breakfast/Luncheon in Coleman Coliseum prior to A-Day.
Vector Security Champions Lane: The pregame fan fest area will not be in operation on the northwest side of the stadium prior to A-Day.

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