Practice Report: Alabama Football in Shells For First Time This Spring

Wednesday's practice was the third of the spring for the Crimson Tide and the first in shells

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama football completed its third practice of the spring on Wednesday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields. 

The practice lasted for two hours and it was the first time that the Crimson Tide was in shells. On Friday, when it returns to the practice field, it will be in full pads.

"Today was the first day we could wear shells — not could but that’s just the way we do it — two days acclimation period, shorts and a helmet one day then Friday we’ll go in pads," Alabama coach Nick Saban said to the media via Zoom on Wednesday evening. "I think that the progression has been good with the players. I think the challenge remains what I talked about before at the end of the first practice, which is people taking individual responsibility to be accountable. That was the message after the first day. 

"The challenge is, how do you sustain that? How do that day in and day out? How do you do that when you get tired and sore? How do you do that when things are more difficult and there’s a lot more assignments, things to think about, or adjustments to be made? You really have to stay focused and zeroed in on giving effort and playing with good intangibles, being disciplined, doing your job. Everyone is responsible and accountable, individually, to do what they are supposed to do to make this team what this team is able to be. So that’s the challenge now. Can you do that on a consistent basis? 

"I think this team needs to mature in a lot of ways when it comes to that and it’s a work in progress to develop leadership. It’s a work in progress to develop togetherness. I think this team will learn from the mistakes they make as they go through and leadership will emerge and we’ll be better off for it."

There are 12 practices remaining until the 2021 Golden Flake A-Day Game inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on April 17, which will be televised on ESPN at noon.