Happy Friday, everyone. In case you want to start marking your calendars, Emilee Smarr has put together Alabama basketball’s non-conference schedule as of today for you. Of course, football is next on the horizon and fall camp is two days old.
Nick Kelly put together some practice observations.
— No real changes to the quarterback race. Ty Simpson still appeared to be going first in drills, with Austin Mack, then Keelon Russell following him.
— Kam Dewberry appeared to be mixing in more with the first
ADoffensive line group at left guard. The Texas A&M transfer is competing for the position with Geno VanDeMark, who was also taking reps with the first team.
— Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack helped outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson with his group during the seventh period.
— The defensive linemen took turns on the sled, under Freddie Roach’s tutelage. Roach shouted out Florida transfer Kelby Collins after one rep, then paused to help another newcomer, Steve Bolo Mboumoua with his technique.
Colin Gay has a few notes for you as well.
Alabama defensive line focuses on explosion off line of scrimmage
Most of the work for Alabama’s interior defensive line Thursday was on the sleds, working on stance and power and that initial contact at the line of scrimmage. Steve Bolo Mboumoua, a junior college transfer, got tips from Florida transfer Kelby Collins, who called the freshman to “stop playing with that.” Edric Hill, the redshirt sophomore who’s garnered ample praise this offseason, got continued praise from Alabama defensive line coach Freddie Roach from his explosion onto the sled. James Smith also dominated sleds on defensive line reps.
Here is big James destroying that sled.
SEC quarterbacks aren’t going to like Alabama DL James Smith. #CollegeFootball #RollTide #BamaFactor pic.twitter.com/x5H2iniMOf
— The Bama Standard Network©️ (@TheBamaStandard) July 31, 2025
It was Ryan Grubb’s turn to speak to media. Here is some insight from the new OC.
Formby will have the least game experience among starters on a veteran offensive line. But his readiness to step into a larger role has been evident to Grubb. And he’s a different-looking player, as well.
“He had a good spring and played through some injuries. He’s getting healthy now. He’s a smart player and he’s learning how to play with the strength that he’s acquired,” Grubb said. “I think he’s a much more physical player than he was last year. He did a ton of work with (strength coach David) Ballou as far as changing his body type.”
Ty Simpson, the eldest quarterback and the one with the most experience, continues to “show a ton of command,” Grubb said, even highlighting that Simpson “did a better job today than the other two guys with that.”
Keelon Russell, Grubb said, has a keen ability to “see the field.”
“Just his vision, his innate ability to make a play even potentially when there’s not one there, is a really, really high level,” Grubb said.
And Austin Mack, Grubb said, has “elite arm talent,” and is “a big guy that’s strong and can power through things.”
Grubb has not been shy about who he feels is the leader in the race. After A-Day, the Alabama offensive coordinator said if the Crimson Tide were to play a game that next day, Simpson would be the starter. That same refrain has been repeated multiple times by DeBoer throughout the offseason heading into fall.
Grubb said the same thing July 31, saying Simpson needs to show that consistency “every day, between now and Florida State.”
Following Alabama’s second practice of fall camp on Thursday morning, Tide offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was asked what his ideal timeline would be for naming a starting quarterback.
“Yesterday. Yesterday, if I’m being honest,” Grubb joked. “But you’ve got to let it run its course. It’s not there yet, and we’ve been through this before, more than once and you’ve just got to let it run its course. We’ve got a pretty detailed plan on how we’ll figure those things out and information that we share with the guys every day, and when it’s the right time, we’ll be ready to pull the trigger.”
Back in May, head coach Kalen DeBoer described an ideal timeline that would indicate a starter being named before game week,
“There’s been roughly a similar kind of timeframe throughout fall camp,” DeBoer told Greg McElroy on his podcast. “The last week and a half, you want – we usually have a little bit longer of a phase of game (week), we call them ‘bonus practices,’ leading up to Week 1, and there’s a weekend before and then a few days before that.
ON THE RUNNING BACKS:
They all have different skillsets. Jam, again another one of our leaders on the football team. Jam is a super smart player, good hands out of the backfield. Really physical, he’s running strong at 220 right now. Good top-end speed. Daniel is your bigger back downhill, Richard’s that kind of guy. Dre Washington is a guy who’s really showed up the first few days. I was really impressed with his vision.
I think the big thing, they all have their style of running that they are good at. I think the pass protection, the consistency and understanding their rules and things like that, I think everybody’s playing catch-up to Jam. Making sure those guys come along and get there. Coach G does a phenomenal job getting those running backs ready for that.
The palpable difference this season is that the team isn’t young in any position group. This is a stark contrast from this time last season, when Alabama had two freshmen running first in the secondary and at right tackle, redshirt freshman Qua Russaw running a 50/50 split at the “Wolf”, and superstar freshman WR Ryan Williams passed everyone on the depth chart to become 1/1A with transfer Germie Bernard.
Fast forward to this season and those guys are all a year older. Alabama just had its lightest NFL Draft class in years, and a depth chart littered with upperclassmen throughout is evidence of that. Even the critical QB position is likely filled by a fourth-year player, albeit one with very little game experience. Lotzeir Brooks is this year’s freshman camp sensation at WR, but he is going to find the path to playing time very difficult considering the depth of talent in front of him.
It really is going to come down to the offensive line and quarterback for this squad. We’re now 30 days away from seeing what it looks like.
Last, look what day it is: Auburn’s Merry Flipmas!
“I’m here to tell you, we’re gonna do this the right way,” Cohen told reporters on July 2 before an AMBUSH alumni event in Alexander City.
Cohen was alluding to the idea that other schools may not be following the new rules of the settlement. He hinted at schools throwing out unrealistic numbers to recruits in verbal offers, something he said Auburn wasn’t going to do.
In that same breath, Cohen told reporters that Aug. 1 would be a big day for the long-term success of Auburn’s recruiting. That’s the day that those verbal offers can start going into writing, a chance for schools to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak.
They have to be so excited.
That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend.
Roll Tide.
More from rollbamaroll.com:
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- Jumbo Package: Decision Day
- MONDAY UPDATE: Alabama Crimson Tide NFL Draft Junior Tracker
- Devonta Smith announces his return to Alabama in 2020
- Tua Tagovailoa and Nick Saban to hold press conference at 11am CT Monday
- Predictions: Will they stay or will they go?
- Watch: NFL analyst breaks down Rashaan Evans’ role in critical goal line stand vs. Patriots
