Bye Week Not Just a Break for Alabama Players

According to Dallas Turner and Isaiah Bond, Alabama's practices are more challenging than the games.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama may not have a game this week, but the No. 9 Crimson Tide is still practicing with a looming matchup against No. 15 LSU next Saturday. 

Alabama's number of practices is reduced for the bye. Instead of practicing Monday-Thursday like usual, the team will just practice Tuesday-Thursday this week. 

The Crimson Tide has gone through a challenging schedule with five straight games SEC games and three games overall against ranked opponents, coming out with a 7-1 record (5-0 SEC.) But according to junior outside linebacker Dallas Turner, going against the first-team every day in practice under the watchful eye of Nick Saban is more challenging than what his team faces on Saturdays.

"First of all, practice be harder than the game," Turner said Wednesday. "Practicing those two or three days against the No. 1 offense, it’s a grind every day. And then going on Saturday and having to go against another caliber team that’s just like you, it’s competitive. But you’ve got to love it though. It’s a grind, but you’ve got to fall in love with it.”

Sophomore Isaiah Bond said he 100 percent agrees with Turner. 

"Coach Saban likes to say, ‘Practice hard, so you go out there and the game is way easier,'" Bond said. "So we normally tend to have a lot more reps. We take a lot of reps during the week so that on Saturday when we get there, it’s easy as can be.”

Earlier this week, Saban said Alabama is using this week as an opportunity to get players healthy while also preparing for things over the final four games that his team might not have seen so far this season. So even though Alabama might not be playing four quarters this Saturday, this week is anything but a break for a Crimson Tide team in search of an SEC title and trip back to the College Football Playoff.  

Sight and Sounds from Alabama Football's Tuesday Practice