In their first practices leading up to the College Football Playoff, Alabama goes back to basics.
Between their victory over Georgia in the SEC championship game and the beginning of practice for the Rose Bowl game, the semifinal match of the College Football Playoffs, Alabama football took a break. In order to get ready for a last push for Nick Saban’s seventh national championship in Tuscaloosa, starting with Michigan, the Crimson Tide gave priority to rest and recuperation.
Saban wanted the team to return to fundamentals when they resumed practice on Saturday.
We’ve really tried to concentrate on the fundamentals during the first three days of practice, Saban said on Monday. “Practice with a plan and a sense of purpose, in my opinion. It is necessary for everyone to reinvest in their conditioning, basic techniques, execution discipline, blocking, and tackling. Everything will add up to a successful game performance.
On Tuesday, the Crimson Tide resumed their practices. This is a busy time of year because the Rose Bowl game against Michigan on January 1st is quickly approaching, and the early signing period for the class of 2024 recruits begins on Wednesday.
Regarding his team’s performance thus far, Saban had nothing but praise for them. Regarding the significance of focusing on fundamentals early in the bowl practice period, his quarterback concurred with him.
Jalen Milroe stated on Tuesday, “With us, we just try to fall back on our level of training and work on our fundamentals and read things properly and little things like that.” In the interim before Michigan, we’re attempting to advance our game. We’re working really hard to get better at our game and other small details. Our team is going to benefit greatly from this, and I’m grateful for this opportunity.
Malachi Moore, the safety, used the first few practices to fire up his competitive spirit.
Moore remarked, “Just a lot of good-on-good.” “Competing against our top offense, first-team O-line, and good receivers while still going out there and having fun.” ensuring that we are honing our technique and practicing the fundamentals, which we don’t get to focus on as much during game week when we game-plan for a team.
The Tide returned to practice on Tuesday and will be back there on Wednesday. In the CFP, Alabama is slated to face No. 1 Michigan as the fourth seed.
Alabama will devote more of its attention to Wolverine game preparation as the date approaches. But things were a little easier in the initial days.
“It’s been a pleasant few days,” Dallas Turner, an outside linebacker, remarked. “The guys took a long break. We simply had to buckle down these past few days and get used to playing football once more. Even small details like hand placement and technique matter, such as simply making contact.
The Wolverines and Crimson Tide will meet in Pasadena on January 1. The victor of that contest advances to face either Texas or Washington on January 8 in Houston for the national championship game.