What we saw from Alabama football at the open Fan Day practice

Kalen DeBoer wasn’t able to see Running of the Gumps, but he was still able to attend his first Alabama Football Fan Day.

The Crimson Tide hosted a fan day at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sunday with an opportunity to get autographs for Yea Alabama members after practice. The practice, which lasted about two hours, offered the opportunity to see individual work, some fun drills and some team drills.

AL.com was at the open practice. Here’s what we saw.

Training Observations for Alabama Football Team: Individual Drills

• The gates opened at 10:30 a.m. and fans were able to find any seat they wanted on the west side of the stadium. Many went to the shaded areas, but there were few of those rows.
• Alabama began practice by doing some stretches and some individual position drills. During an individual defensive drill, the players faced a dummy that looked like a giant red doughnut. As the doughnut rolled toward them, the defenders hit it.
• Some players did not participate in many practices, but many still wore protective pads. Among those who did not fully participate but wore protective pads were Tyler Booker, Jaeden Roberts, Richard Young, Jihaad Campbell and Jam Miller. Daniel Hill also did not participate, but he did not wear protective pads and had his arm in a sling. Several of these players walked around stadiums, worked out with exercise bands, rode exercise bikes and did other things to keep themselves busy.
• Cornerback Zabien Brown continues to practice with a cast on his left hand that essentially functions like a bat. However, it doesn’t seem to limit him at all. Brown even caught passes during individual drills for the defensive backs.
• Kicker Graham Nicholson attempted three field goals in a drill with a full blocking team. He made all three, but none appeared to be from more than 40 yards away. Conor Talty also kicked for the Tide and made two of his three kicks from a similar distance.
• While Nicholson and the kickers were making field goals, the quarterbacks were having fun. Several of the quarterbacks participated in a drill where they tried to throw a football into one of the three trash cans in the right corner of the end zone. Milroe watched the drill while Simpson, Lonergan and Mack, as well as several walk-ons, participated. Simpson and Mack each managed to throw a ball into the basket, as did walk-on John Cooper.

• Shortly thereafter, Alabama conducted full 11-on-11 team drills.

Notes on the 11-on-11 drills with the whole team

• The Crimson Tide played a few games with multiple squads of players. At first, it seemed like it was mostly first-team players.
• The offense: quarterback Jalen Milroe, running back Justice Haynes, receivers Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams and Cole Adams, tight end CJ Dippre, left tackle Kadyn Proctor, left guard Geno VanDeMark, center Parker Brailsford, right guard Roq Montgomery, right tackle Wilkin Formby.
• The defense: defensive linemen Jah-Marien Latham, Tim Keenan III, Jehiem Oatis and Que Robinson; linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson; defensive backs Zabien Brown, Keon Sabb, Malachi Moore, DeVonta Smith and Domani Jackson.
• When the first group next had a chance to make some plays, there were some slight shifts. Robbie Ouzts played first team a few times on offense. Keanu Koht, Tim Smith, Red Morgan and DaShawn Jones also got some time with first team defense.

• If everyone had participated, Booker and Roberts probably would have been at guard instead of VanDeMark and Montgomery. Miller probably would have been at running back as well. On defense, Campbell probably would have been at linebacker instead of Jefferson.
• Some of Alabama’s younger offensive linemen were in action throughout practice, including William Sanders, Casey Poe and Joseph Ionata.
• Milroe had one nice run with the first group. That was his most notable attacking move.
• Simpson was primarily responsible for running the secondary offense and had a good pass to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. on the sideline.
• During a later session of team drills, Dylan Lonergan was essentially sacked but decided to throw the ball anyway. Freshman Noah Carter took advantage, intercepted the pass and carried it into the end zone.

7 against 7

• Milroe attempted a long pass to Bernard, but it was incomplete after good coverage by Smith. Otherwise, Milroe made a few short passes. Many of the throws he made during team drills were quick, short throws with chain movements. Not particularly exciting, but important.
• Simpson hit Kendrick Law on his second pass with a long pass that was covered by Zavier Mincey, eliciting an audible reaction from the crowd.
• Shortly after, Lonergan hit Henderson with another long pass, this time along the sideline. Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. tried to intercept the ball, but Henderson had a hard time catching it.
• Later in the practice, Williams attempted to catch a pass from Milroe, but Williams was unable to secure it because Brown blocked him.

Punt coverage drill

– Alabama ran a punt coverage drill toward the end of practice. James Burnip punted. Players ran down the field to prevent the ball from entering the end zone, with varying degrees of success.