Alabama Football Wraps Up First Week of Fall Camp
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama football team wrapped up its first week of fall camp on Saturday, with a two-hour on-field workout at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.
It was the fourth of 25 practices in the extended camp, with Alabama's season opener at Missouri having been pushed back to Sept. 26.
Conditions were partly cloudy at 84 degrees, with a heat index of 89. With the delayed start of camp, the Crimson Tide has largely missed the trademark brutal heat that Alabama is known for in early August.
However, next week it might have a different weather issues with two tropical storms strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico.
While there's been plenty of drama on campus this past week, as new protocols for dealing with a coronavirus spike were announced Friday just two days after classes for the fall semester began, things appear to have been relatively calm with the team.
It hasn't even gotten into full camp mode yet, as Alabama is still trying to catch up from the loss of spring practices.
"Well, this minicamp, and this camp we are having right now, we have been getting a lot of reps," wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said on Saturday. "A lot more reps than usual. So, I think the chemistry is just continuing to get better over time.”
The approach has been the same with the defense, as Alabama won't be able to work in full pads until a five-practice acclimation period is completed. It worked for the first time in shells on Thursday.
"The secondary, we've been coming around, you know, well, we've been communicating out there, playing fast," cornerback Patrick Surtain II said. "We're getting more comfortable, as well, on the field."
The only significant injury that Alabama has announced is with reserve junior linebacker Ale Kaho (knee). Nick Saban isn't scheduled to meet with reporters again until Monday.
