Early Enrollees Get a Leg Up on Fall Newcomers

Both groups are freshmen — but those that get started earlier get acclimated quicker to "The Process."

Alabama Football is all about "The Process."

Since Nick Saban's arrival in 2007, it is perhaps the most preached about thing in the Crimson Tide program.

And it all begins as soon as you arrive on campus — but not everyone gets to campus at the same time.

Prior to Wednesday's Early Signing Day, Alabama already had 10 of its new guys practicing prior to the team's bowl game.

Wilkin Formby, Eli Holstein, Hunter Osborne, Myles McVay, RyQueze McElderry and Brayson Hubbard are among those with the Crimson Tide in preparation for the Sugar Bowl against No. 9 Kansas State.

"The thing that we want to focus on in January is [...] How can we help you transition as a person? How can we help you transition academically? And how can we help you transition and develop as a football player? Right now, we're just having bowl practice," Saban said. "These guys are all here — we have 10 guys that are here practicing with us, and I think the one thing that we're trying to get them to understand is what [they can] learn systematically."

Saban wants the new arrivals to learn how things work during the downtime of the academic calendar.

"Just get the feeling of what it's like and how to go through practice and what we do in practice. Because there is no school. There aren't very many people here."

In the past, Saban has used the would-be high schoolers as practice dummies. For example, in January 2016, Saban used a 17-year old Jalen Hurts as a clone of Deshaun Watson in preparation for the Clemson Tigers in the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Whether the newcomers have a specific use or not in practice, Saban believes its beneficial to both parties when the student-athletes opt out of their final semester of high school.

"They'll develop some relationships with people on the team, which I think is a good thing," Saban said. "But I think this whole experience is really good for them in terms of what their expectation really will be in January when school starts. I think that's probably the greatest benefit to it. [That] and the relationships and the comfort zone that they can create by being around our team and our players."

See Also:

Everything Nick Saban Said on Early Signing Day

Live Updates: Alabama Football Early-Signing Class of 2023

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