The 2012 A-Day offered fans one last opportunity to be engulfed in the football atmosphere until the fall.
It gave coaches one last chance to evaluate the team before summer workouts begin in a month or so. It also gave reporters and pundits the opportunity to watch the team and give their expert opinions on what they saw, and a lot of experts agree Alabama will be just fine next season.
T.J. Yeldon is the first name that jumps out. Saban called Yeldon “one of those guys who can do a little bit of everything.” Yeldon proved this by leading the White team with 179 yards of total offense and a touchdown. Yeldon showed speed and elusiveness to hit the outside and make big plays. But he also showed the strength and power to break tackles and push the pile.
Yeldon benefited the most from enrolling early because of Eddie Lacy’s absence from spring practice due to injury. The backfield will be crowded, but expect Yeldon to fight for carries in the fall.
Special-teams standout turned safety Vinnie Sunseri also impressed. Sunseri is known for his headhunting on special teams, but will be competing for the starting safety opposite Robert Lester. Saban called Sunseri “a ball hawk” after Sunseri got an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Adrian Hubbard was the breakout linebacker for the Crimson Tide. He finished with seven tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. Center Barrett Jones said blocking Hubbard is tough because of his long arms.
Hubbard is projected to fill the pass rushing void left by Courtney Upshaw. If A-Day was any indication, there won’t be much of a drop-off next season.
One of the more impressive units was the Crimson team’s wide receivers. Kenny Bell and Kevin Norwood picked up where they left off in the national championship game with catches down the sideline for big gains. Bell said after the game that quarterback AJ McCarron and the receivers have great chemistry. Also in the mix was Christion Jones. Jones and Bell both were able to get behind the secondary for touchdowns. Next year’s receiving corps could provide plenty more explosive plays for the Tide.
