A new era has officially begun in Tuscaloosa, and it will be officially marked on Saturday afternoon.

The spring game, better known as A-Day, is always a favorite among Tide fans, but this year will look a bit different as the team will have a new head coach for the first time in 17 years.

Karen DeBoer will get her first experience at Bryant-Denny Stadium and fans will get their first look at a new offense and a new-era structure.

A few things to note:

How comfortable does the QB seem to be with the new offense?

Coach DeBoer made it clear that Jalen Milroe is QB1, but with new coaching staff comes a new offense and it will be interesting to see how Milroe and the rest of the coaching staff figure it out.

As Michael Pennis found, the DeBoer system can be a quarterback's best friend. Backup Ty Simpson is also worth watching. Dylan Lonergan will be a sophomore at Alabama, and Austin Mack will transfer from Washington along with DeBoer, and the two will likely compete for the QB3 spot.

The main topic of conversation on the day will be how the four perform.

Does the offensive line look improved?

This will be one of the more intriguing questions for Alabama all season, as Kaydin Proctor has already committed to returning to Alabama, but the portal window hasn't technically opened yet and as of now Proctor isn't there.

Alabama boasts one of the best interior offensive lines in the country with the return of guards Tyler Booker and Jaden Roberts and the option of either Parker Brailsford or James Brockermeyer at center.

Right tackle is a question mark after JC Latham entered the NFL Draft, and Tide fans should take a look at Miles McVay during A-Day to get a preview of the position.

Are the running backs as advertised?

Jam Miller and Justise Haynes could be one of the best running back duos in the nation if they stay in Tuscaloosa through the spring enrollment period, and behind them will be rising sophomore Richard Young, who was in the same class as Haynes.

Daniel Hill and Kevin Reilly will also be enrolling as freshmen.

This entire group is one of the best rooms in the country and should be featured heavily on A-Day.

What does the new format look like?

Nick Saban would always field two teams that looked like an actual match between the Crimson and White teams, made up of first-team offensive and second-team defensive players drafted by the coaches.

Coach DeBoer announced yesterday that the teams will instead split into “offense and defense” halves, a common practice more suited to practice than a game.

He explained the reason for the change:

“There are a few reasons. First, I want to look at this as our 15th practice. There will be a lot of scrimmages, but this is an opportunity for us to get better. It's an opportunity to take the next step. It's an opportunity to evaluate, so try to really understand the essentials of playing football. It's also an opportunity to celebrate what we're doing and where we are and enjoy the moment with our fans. I'm very excited to see the stadium filled and I can't wait for everyone to come out and support our program,” he said.

New wide receiver group

All three of Alabama's top receivers in Nick Saban's final year — Isaiah Bonds, Amari Niblack (portal) and Jermaine Burton (NFL draft) — are gone.

First, DeBoer brings back Kobe Prentiss and Kendrick Law, along with Washington transfer Jeremy Bernard. Jalen Hale won't play on A-Day after suffering an injury during spring training, but unproven veteran Emmanuel Henderson and redshirt freshman Jalen Hamilton should be available.

Alabama has a number of incoming freshmen who are not yet on campus and could look to bolster its receiver ranks during spring commitments, but A-Day will be a good opportunity to get a sneak preview of the current team makeup.

Michael Browner is a senior sports analyst and contributor to Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on Twitter. translation: