Classes were dismissed, the campus was dead, but none of that mattered to the Alabama football team. Instead of it being a week of relaxation, it’s a week of preparation. The Iron Bowl is Saturday and the Alabama-Auburn rivalry isn’t one to take lightly, Thanksgiving or not.

PRACTICE NOTES:

• The running backs worked on their footwork and ball control by carrying two footballs through the drills. Kenyan Drake, who fractured his arm against Mississippi State, practiced Wednesday.
• Tight ends, such as O.J. Howard, ran through a variety of drills that focused on blocking.
• Before joining the quarterbacks to work on receiving quick, short passes, wide receivers, such as ArDarius Stewart and Richard Mullaney, would catch a short pass on the run, and at the end of their route, they’d work on avoiding defenders by either stiff-arming them or staying strong and running past them.
• Also before the two groups joined, Jake Coker and the rest of the quarterbacks practiced throwing on the run so when under pressure, they’re still able to throw accurately.
• Defensive lineman, including Jarran Reed and A’Shawn Robinson, worked on drills that required staying strong when up against an offensive lineman.
• Coach Nick Saban spent the viewing period portion of practice with the secondary, including Tony Brown. He threw passes that the defensive backs were supposed to intercept during one-on-one coverage. Minkah Fitzpatrick, who did not play against Charleston Southern last week after spraining his knee against Mississippi State, practiced Wednesday.