"We can't have complacency, can't be satisfied with where we are. No matter what any poll says, this team hasn't done anything to create their own identity," Saban said. "They need to be focused on what they want to be and what they can accomplish and what they're willing to do to accomplish it. Can't have selfishness on the team because that will fracture the team chemistry. We can't lose our accountability and attention to detail.
...For the second consecutive scrimmage, he was disappointed in a rebuilt offensive line that didn't generate much movement. In the partial statistics provided to reporters, sophomore Dee Hart led Alabama with seven carries for 42 yards.
The scrimmage was not open to reporters.
"Too many times we had a soft pocket, we got pressure in the pocket, made some mental errors up front, had a couple false starts things that our offensive line typically has not done," Saban said. "So hopefully this will be something they can learn from and improve on and well get better and continue to progress."
Without injured star receiver Amari Cooper, Alabama had "more drops than normal." Junior Christion Jones led the way with four catches for 37 yards and quarterback AJ McCarron completed 15-of-30 passes for 152 yards and a 4-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end O.J. Howard, but the "lack of concentration" from the group bothered Saban.
Nick Saban provides mixed review of Alabama's scrimmage as Tide enters 2-day break | al.com
I've been hoping entitlement and complacency would seep in to Alabama's locker room. And I've been hoping one year when they "reload," the guys they put in will finally play worse than the guys they've lost.
No idea if either is happening, but I found that article interesting, particularly the discussion of their rebuilt O-Line.
It pains me to say it, but I think Saban will leave Tuscaloosa with at least 6 titles there. He's probably going to win #4 this year, and I just can't see them losing more than one game per season for the forseeable future. And obviously, a one loss Alabama team will still back into the NC game.
We may be lacking at CB right now, but we have two of the best safeties in the league in Randolph and Moore, not to mention that Moore might not even start because of McNeil. We have 3 very talented safeties. Hopefully our secondary isn't THAT awful.
Tennessee football practice: Notes from Sunday's session at Haslam Field | Evan's Eleven* Receiver Alton Pig Howard wore a green non-contact jersey but still went through many of the drills. Offensive lineman Dylan Wiesman joined the Hole after suffering an injury Saturday night. Running back Marlin Lane, receiver Ryan Jenkins, tight end Alex Ellis, defensive back Michael Williams and possibly others were there, too. Antonio Tiny Richardson joined midway through our viewing session. None of the injuries seem serious, and Jones has described most of them as precautionary. Well see if we can get an update on Wiesman later today.
Touchdown Tennessee! A flag on the play after the touchdown for unsportsmanlike on Tennessee. Travis Henry just put this team on his back.....
Vol Practice Report: A change at QB? - FootballTime.comQuarterbacks: Did Nathan Petermans performance last night do enough to supplant Worley as the favorite for the job and earn the redshirt freshman more first team reps? Well hear from Butch Jones in a moment but one note that may or may not mean much: Peterman took snaps with first team center James Stone during individual drills while Worley worked with second team center Mack Crowder. For the majority of fall camp, Worley worked almost exclusively with Stone while Peterman worked with Crowder. Again, it may not mean much but its significant enough to note. Jones may clear things up a little during his post-practice press conference.
Peterman and Worley continue to throw significantly more during drills than their freshmen counterparts. Working with receivers, Worley and Peterman each went 6/8 while Ferguson and Dobbs were 4/4. Their combined total of 20/24 is significantly better than the 6/20 mark they tallied in the same drill earlier this week.
From Butch this afternoon...
Coming out of the scrimmage Jones said they still have a lot to work on with just two weeks until practice begins. He said the passing game has to get better.
He said the first thing they have to work on is containing the quarterback after the QB escaped the pocket several times last night.
He said Corey Miller, Ja'Wuan James, James Stone have stepped up trying to get the rest of the group how to push through the grind of camp.
Butch said LaDarrell McNeil has stepped up the last few days.
More coming here in a bit.
