Jumbo Package: Day 6 of camp featured full pads and an ice cream truck (2024)

Happy Thursday, everyone. Alabama held its first full pads practice of camp yesterday, and the players got a special treat.

With it being the first day in full pads, the timing was intentional. It was the sixth practice of preseason camp, in Alabama’s fine August heat.

Bernard had received a visit from an ice cream truck at practice before. He had a similar experience at Washington when he played for coach Kalen DeBoer in Seattle.

Bernard said DeBoer brought ice cream trucks, food trucks and “all different types of trucks” to practice at Washington.

“He’s bringing some of that over to here,” Bernard said.

As I posted on the platform formerly known as Twitter, a segment of the fanbase is going to lose its mind about that. Case in point:

Poor Gary. Somebody get him an ice cream.

I bet the players loved it.

Before we get to practice reports, Nick Kelly has video footage that you’ve all longed to see.

I reckon Milroe got that cadence issue fixed, eh?

On to the reports:

The next drill, a full team offense ran plays against fellow offensive players standing where defensive players would be. The quarterbacks threw screen passes to running backs. Milroe worked with the first offensive line and Jam Miller. Simpson worked behind the second offensive line and threw to Justice Haynes. Then Lonergan had an opportunity behind the third offensive line and threw to Richard Young. Mack rotated in with Lonergan as the drill progressed.

The drill continued with quarterbacks throwing to receivers on short passes over the middle.

Once again, redshirt freshman Wilkin Formby worked with the first team at right tackle. The first team offensive line from left-to-right was Kadyn Proctor, Tyler Booker, Parker Brailsford, Jaeden Roberts and Formby.

No change in offensive line first team. The second team offensive line had Miles McVay at left tackle after it had been Naquil Bertrand on Tuesday.

Josh Cuevas, a transfer tight end from Washington, looked very smooth running routes. Looked like the most versatile tight end in the room.

Keon Sabb had a large wrap around his ankles, but still participated in practice.

One group that expects to get more use in Sheridan and Kalen DeBoer’s new offense is the tight ends. The room is deep in numbers, and tight ends coach Bryan Ellis said they handled the first day in full pads well.

“I thought the kids brought some physicality,” Ellis said. “You go first day in pads and you’re working on short-yardage, goal-line situations and the different things that you do when you get to go full pads, the different live situations that you do, and I thought the kid s brought good energy, good juice today.”

Nick Sheridan spoke to media after practice about all things offense.

Sheridan on the impact of Washington transfers on installing the offense...

“I certainly think it doesn’t hurt because they have an understanding of just some of the communication, some of the terms. It’s not identical, there’s some tweaks, adjustments, etc. I think every staff does that. You try to evolve and get better but there’s certainly a lot of similarities on the roots and foundational things that we do on offense, and so I don’t think it hurts. I think probably the biggest thing with that is just the character of those kids and their willingness to help. They care about the team and I think their teammates could speak more specifically to that, but at least from my vantage point that’s what I’ve seen.”

Sheridan on Austin Mack…

“Tremendous. I think he’s incredible worker and a very committed football player. He has poured into it and I think he keeps getting better and better. I think his best football is still ahead of him, which is super exciting.”

Last, Zabien Brown is a name that keeps coming up in the secondary.

Brown impressed coaches through spring ball and has continued to do so in the summer, with coaches and teammates alike saying “he doesn’t look like a freshman.”

“Zabien was so impressive to me coming right off the jump,” defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said to reporters this week. “To walk out of high school early as a mid-year enrollee then to be able to play the way he has been playing from the spring time ... What I’ve been most impressed with him is when he makes a mistake. He gets it corrected and I can’t think of a time I saw him make the next mistake again. That same mistake. It’s been impressive the level he’s been able to do with that.”

Don’t be surprised if Zabien starts vs WKU... in only 23 days!

That’s about it for now. Have a great day.

Roll Tide.