Head coach Nick Saban will get his first look the 2012 Crimson Tide in a game situation when Alabama holds a scrimmage inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday. The scrimmage, which is closed to reporters and the public, will give Saban and his staff a chance to see how players perform at certain positions to get everyone in the right positions before the season gets underway. “In this first scrimmage, we’re probably going to, especially with the young players, be evaluating who are the football players,” Saban said. “I think it’s probably too early, especially with the young players in our team, to be trying to define a role for some of these guys.
“Some of these guys will have a role on our team. We have some really good size and speed guys in this freshman class. A lot of these guys have shown they’ll probably be contributors on special teams, for sure. Those are the kind of guys that we’re going to continue to develop and try to coach.”
If there was a common theme among players about Saturday, it was the chance to “get better.” The Crimson Tide is replacing numerous starters on both sides of the ball and Saturday represents a chance to see how certain players fit in certain roles.
“As a team thing, just want to get better everyday—scrimmage, practice, film study—it’s no different than any other thing, just want to get better,” guard Chance Warmack said. “That’s what we preach around here. When the scrimmage comes just want to communicate the right way and finish out the right way.”
Linebacker Trey DePriest said that for the defense, and specifically the linebackers, it won’t be much different.
“Defensively, we just, like we do everyday, work on executing your job the way it’s supposed to be executed,” he said.
Black to undergo shoulder surgery
Wide receiver Chris Black, who has missed the week of practice after sustaining a shoulder injury during Sunday’s fan day, will undergo shoulder surgery that will sideline the freshman for three to four months. “He was doing extremely well. He had a really good spring,” Saban said. “He had a great summer and is in great shape. He was doing a really good job and he wants to play so bad he can’t see straight.” Black enrolled early and was a standout among the newcomers in the spring. He finished it, tallying three receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown in the Tide’s annual A-Day game.
Dixon no longer with the team
TideSports.com’s Andrew Bone is reporting that Tide cornerback Travell Dixon is no longer with the team. Bone said Dixon cited “family and personal reasons” and has not decided on where he will transfer to. Dixon, a transfer from junior college, enrolled in the spring, but had seemingly slipped behind Dee Milliner, Deion Belue and John Fulton at cornerback in fall camp.
