Alabama Practice Report 8/29: Tide Holds Final Workout Before Game Week

Alabama’s fall camp/practice schedule is officially over.

The Crimson Tide held its 21st day of practice this month Saturday, with players wearing full pads inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility due to afternoon storms in the area. The team began its Wisconsin preparation Friday. Beginning on Monday, the team will begin its normal game week schedule.

Observations:

- Jake Coker remains the frontrunner at the quarterback position, with Alec Morris and Cooper Bateman next in line behind him.

On Thursday, Alabama coach Nick Saban said the team is now giving the majority of reps to Coker, Morris and Bateman. The plan, he said, is to have two quarterbacks ready for the game, just like any game, with a third player on standby.

- During the second viewing period, per usual, the quarterbacks split up into two separate throwing lines with each throwing to its own receiver line. In one line was Coker and Morris, while Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Blake Barnett were in the other.

- Alphonse Taylor still appears to be the leading candidate to start at right guard in the season opener, as he continues to take reps with the first-team offensive line.

- Derrick Henry, Kenyan Drake and Damien Harris, in order, led the running backs line. Bo Scarbrough, still working his way back from a torn ACL injury in April, worked at the back of the line, wearing a No. 6 jersey to simulate Wisconsin running back Corey Clement. He also wore No. 6 Friday.

- Running backs Xavian Marks and Lawrence Erekosima also wore scout team jerseys. Marks wore Dare Ogunbowale’s No. 23 and Erekosima wore Taiwan Deal’s No. 28. Wisconsin, as many know, is a run-first team.

- Freshman cornerback Kendall Sheffield wore a No. 8 scout team jersey to represent Badgers cornerback Sojourn Shelton. Another young defensive back was wearing a No. 5 scout team jersey for Darius Hillary, Wisconsin’s other starting cornerback.

- Nearing the end of the two media viewing periods, the Alabama defense lined up in its nickel package. As it has been for most of fall practice this month, Cyrus Jones and Marlon Humphrey were the cornerbacks, Geno Matias-Smith and Eddie Jackson were the safeties, Minkah Fitzpatrick was the Star, and Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster were the inside linebackers.

Next:

Alabama has the day off Sunday.

Saban and selected players will next to speak to the media Monday at noon.

Check out videos from Saturday's practice: