Alabama Football at the 2022 Senior Bowl: Day 1 Practice Report

Crimson Tide running back Brian Robinson Jr. and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis practiced in shells while taking part in position drills and light contact plays.

Joey Blackwell | Feb 1, 2022

MOBILE, Ala. — It was an action-packed day at Hancock Whitney Stadium on Tuesday as both the American and National teams conducted their first practices ahead of the 2022 Senior Bowl.

For Alabama football, redshirt-senior defensive lineman Phidarian 'Phil' Mathis started things off by speaking with the media on Tuesday morning. Along with talking about what he learned most during his time with the Crimson Tide, Mathis also discussed how his past five years in Tuscaloosa prepared him for the Senior Bowl.

“I feel like playing at Alabama, it has gotten me ready and prepared me for this opportunity coming up all week long,” Mathis said. “I just got to go out there and just be myself and just do what I do. Don’t stress about nothing and just take one day at a time.”

Mathis also discussed how being coached at Alabama taught him how to be a versatile defensive lineman.

“At Alabama, we learn to play all, so I’ve been very versatile to play a lot of end, also three-technique and those,” Mathis said. “So that’s something I think that helped me also: that I can play all and I can showcase that on this big stage this week.”

Both Mathis and Robinson are members of the American team, which held its practice from 2-4 p.m. CT. While the skies were cloudy, there was fortunately no rain to be had during the afternoon session.

The players sported helmets and shoulder pads, but wore shorts instead of leg pads. The practice consisted mostly of individual position drills, with some light contact plays being conducted closer to the end of practice.

While Mathis did well in the individual drills, he did not make much of an impact on the defensive line during light-contact plays. However, with none of the players being fully padded, he was likely instructed to not play aggressively in order to avoid injuring himself or others. All players are expected to play in full pads on Wednesday, which will likely provide a better depiction of how Mathis stacks up with the rest of the defensive lineman on the field.

Robinson, on the other hand, had a solid day. Displaying his strength, he was able to break several tackles when the ball was put in his hands. However, his burst of speed didn't turn any heads. Like Mathis, it will be interesting to see how he performs once the drills and plays are conducted in full pads.

There will still be two more practice sessions for both the National and American teams this week, with each team practicing on both Wednesday and Thursday.

At the media breakfast on Wednesday morning, it will be Robinson's turn to step behind the podium and speak to the media. Robinson will also speak on additional time following Thursday's practice.

The 2022 Senior Bowl is slated for a 1:30 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday, Feb. 5. The game will be broadcast on NFL Network.

Alabama Crimson Tide at the 2022 Senior Bowl: Practices Day 1

Phil Mathis, Brian Robinson Jr. — Senior Bowl

Published Feb 1, 2022

JOEY BLACKWELL

Joey Blackwell is an award-winning journalist and assistant editor for BamaCentral and has covered the Crimson Tide since 2018. He primarily covers Alabama football, men's basketball and baseball, but also covers a wide variety of other sports. Joey earned his bachelor's degree in History from Birmingham-Southern College in 2014 before graduating summa cum laude from the University of Alabama in 2020 with a degree in News Media. He has also been featured in a variety of college football magazines, including Lindy's Sports and BamaTime.