A-Day has come and gone, and so has the first spring practice of the Cullen DeBoer era.
Though the game was played more like a scrimmage than an actual football game, there was still a lot to take away from Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Here are some takeaways and observations:
The crowd gathered in large numbers
It was the largest attendance for an Alabama spring game since coach Nick Saban's first A-Day in 2007, when a famous 90,000-strong crowd attended.
Attendance at the stadium was reported to be an astounding 72,358, a significant increase from last year's 58,710 and 31,077 in 2022. Of course, good weather played a big factor, but there was a game-day feel to it in Tuscaloosa on Saturday morning, and finding a seat in the lower tier of stands was difficult for fans who didn't arrive early enough.
It's an encouraging sign that despite the loss of Nick Saban, support for University of Alabama football is stronger than ever.
The Alabama A-Day crowd at kickoff. pic.twitter.com/ZmW8dplimz
—Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) April 13, 2024
Jalen Milroe had the best pitch of the day.
It wasn't a spectacular day on the stat sheet for Alabama's QB1 (3-of-9 completions, 100 yards), but Jalen Milroe threw the best pass of the day to Washington transfer Jermy Bernard.
Milroe dropped a pass to Bernard, who didn't have much distance to the ball, but caught a throw from the other side about 20 yards down the field and ran another 30-plus yards for a 52-yard gain, one of the best moments of the day.
Making it look easy!!Jalen Milroe ▶️ translator #Rolltide pic.twitter.com/Su8a2ezSyw
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) April 13, 2024
The running backs shined.
Leading up to the game, we predicted Alabama would field one of the best running backs in the country, and they did not disappoint. With their rushing game on display, both Jam Miller and Justise Haynes lived up to expectations.
Richard Young had the best run of the day with a 9-yard gain, while Miller had the longest rush of the day with a 48-yard sprint.
The team's overall performance was also a testament to the early cohesion of the newly reassembled offensive line.
Angry running 😤😤Richard Young Six times in a row
White 14 | Crimson 0 pic.twitter.com/w5sbUVbDPf
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) April 13, 2024
🚨 Big Play Alert 🚨Jamarion Miller 1#Rolltide pic.twitter.com/tL8wcffSl3
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) April 13, 2024
After a tough start, the defense finished the day strong.
The scoring system was now offense vs defense rather than Crimson vs White, and while the offense led 31-0, the defense was awarded three points for a stop.
But the defense slowly picked up and made life difficult for the offense in the second half, with both Dylan Lonergan and Austin Mack throwing for less than 100 yards passing.
Despite trailing 31-0, the offense narrowly won the game with a final score of 34-28.
Michael Browner is a senior sports analyst and contributor to Yellow Hammer News. You can follow him on Twitter. translation:
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