Music at Alabama Football Practice Just Another Sign Of a New Era
The Alabama football practice fields are alive with the sound of music.
For the first time in 17 years the Alabama Crimson Tide is lead by a new head football coach and one of the most obvious signs of change can be heard a block away.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer had a set of speakers set up in the middle of the Crimson Tide practice field, blaring modern music throughout the complex to enhance practice and ensure the energy remained high.
"Yeah very new. A lot of people were like, when he mentioned playing music in practice, saying that it's a a good thing so we won't get distracted by crowd noise," said Alabama running back Jam Miller on Friday on the change.
"They just play whatever they want to play. If they hear one player listens to one music, they go get the music and try to distract them to see who gets distracted during practice by playing the same music."
The musical genres ranged from hip-hop to rock 'n roll to EDM during the media's viewing period on Wednesday and serves as a step in a more modern direction to day-to-day football.
"I like it," said Alabama guard Tyler Booker. "At IMG we had music at practice, so coming to Bama I knew it was going to be a lot more serious, but I remember my first practice I was looking around trying to find the speakers and I was like 'Oh that's how this goes here'. Glad to have some music back. It brings a different type of energy but guys are still staying focused."
Players like Miller and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe haven't been given control of the practice playlist quite yet but both advocated for it during Friday afternoon's media availability.
Some might think the beats and grooves create a barrier between the players and the coaching staff that can create complications in communication but most agreed that once the action begins the tunes fade away into the background.
"I don't hear it, I really don't. It's like playing in front of 100,000 fans, you don't hear it. You don't hear the crowd. Once you get on the field you lose it. Our players, I don't think it's a big deal. To other people it is," said Alabama running backs coach Robert Gillespie. "I've worked places where they've played music and places they don't. It's how your kids respond and how they handle it, because it's all noise."
