Alabama: Fall Practice Reports

[gtgilbert]

Sincere question, gt....what was the cause of so many bad snaps? I've heard it was McLaughlin. I've heard it was Milroe. Given the fact that McLaughlin won the Rimington the next year at tOSU, I tend to think Milroe.

But then for all his faults, I'm not sure how the QB is responsible for the ball rolling back.

So I clearly don't know the specifics. But there was something bad going on.

Both need to shoulder some responsibility for the bad snaps.

To get into why, I'll start with what we know, then some things I have an informed opinion on.

What we know:

• SM didn't have a noticeable issue with snaps the year before Nilroe was the starter, nor did he have an issue after at OSU.
• Nilroe wasn't able to handle the normal pre-snap responsibilities of a QB to make the initial call on formations, that the Center would then translate to the rest of the OL. SM had to take on that extra responsibility. That means the Center must have slightly more time to make those calls.
• When Simpson came in against USF and rescued the game, SM was the only OL that celebrated with him when he scored.
• Nilroe was somewhat inconsistent with his alignment; meaning that the spot of the target for the snap wasn't always the same.

Informed opinion:

• Nilroe never seemed to have a feeling for the timing of the game. The sync and flow was just 'off' with him. This was across the board, route trees, pass delivery, RPO sync, but it led to the following observation.
• It seemed there were times that SM was still in the process of communicating with the rest of the OL when Nilroe would clap for the snap.

Of all the above, calling the snap when SM was still making OL calls and moving the target (even if just slightly), are directly on the QB and 100% of those issues are on him. The only time I ever played center was in adult flag football. We had 2 QBs. One played QB and was a multi-years starter in college and was rock solid consistent on where he was lined up. I could put the snap literally into his hands right in front of his face like he was in a passing position or right at his waist if we were running a pop play (or fake pop). I didn't even have to think about - other than the play called. The other was inconsistent, both on depth of drop and side to side. It was very hard to snap to him even when he was in the 'right spot', and I'd be good for at least one bad snap a game, just because I was always having to look back, and then think about it and possibly try to adjust instead of just ripping it to the same spot(s).

Of the rest, while those are attributable to the QB, I think are secondary. If those were isolated, I'd hope SM would overcome them and would put that on SM. But those combined with the ones listed just above, I think results in most of the issue being the QB, with just a bit being on SM's shoulders.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Thanks so much, gt! This is a great lesson not only for the Milroe <—> McLaughlin debate but for how modern offenses run…..especially those that don’t put the QB under center much if any at all.

This is why I love TideFans.

 

[JDCrimson]

Both need to shoulder some responsibility for the bad snaps.

To get into why, I'll start with what we know, then some things I have an informed opinion on.

What we know:

• SM didn't have a noticeable issue with snaps the year before Nilroe was the starter, nor did he have an issue after at OSU.
• Nilroe wasn't able to handle the normal pre-snap responsibilities of a QB to make the initial call on formations, that the Center would then translate to the rest of the OL. SM had to take on that extra responsibility. That means the Center must have slightly more time to make those calls.
• When Simpson came in against USF and rescued the game, SM was the only OL that celebrated with him when he scored.
• Nilroe was somewhat inconsistent with his alignment; meaning that the spot of the target for the snap wasn't always the same.

Informed opinion:

• Nilroe never seemed to have a feeling for the timing of the game. The sync and flow was just 'off' with him. This was across the board, route trees, pass delivery, RPO sync, but it led to the following observation.
• It seemed there were times that SM was still in the process of communicating with the rest of the OL when Nilroe would clap for the snap.

Of all the above, calling the snap when SM was still making OL calls and moving the target (even if just slightly), are directly on the QB and 100% of those issues are on him. The only time I ever played center was in adult flag football. We had 2 QBs. One played QB and was a multi-years starter in college and was rock solid consistent on where he was lined up. I could put the snap literally into his hands right in front of his face like he was in a passing position or right at his waist if we were running a pop play (or fake pop). I didn't even have to think about - other than the play called. The other was inconsistent, both on depth of drop and side to side. It was very hard to snap to him even when he was in the 'right spot', and I'd be good for at least one bad snap a game, just because I was always having to look back, and then think about it and possibly try to adjust instead of just ripping it to the same spot(s).

Of the rest, while those are attributable to the QB, I think are secondary. If those were isolated, I'd hope SM would overcome them and would put that on SM. But those combined with the ones listed just above, I think results in most of the issue being the QB, with just a bit being on SM's shoulders.

To add further on this, if you go back and watch game film, you will see that SM was often times in a head up position actually reading the defense and likely barking the calls. This posture contributes to the low shotgun snaps we often saw. It also probably contributed to "tells" for the defense as well.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Jimmy Stein said on Locked on Bama today that the staff tracks everything in practices, and that both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell have been "performing more efficiently" in camp than Ty Simpson was last year. He also said they're both making explosive plays downfield too. That kinda crazy, but makes me even more confident that we are going to be just fine, no matter who the starting QB ends up being.

 

[BamaInBham]

Seth had something like zero bad snaps at OSU during his year there. I think Milroe is clearly the implicated factor.

Milroe had no problems that I remember after Seth left.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

Milroe had no problems that I remember after Seth left.

He had plenty of problems not avoiding putting the FB on the ground after Seth Left.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Fans didn’t help either. We can be pretty rough.

No we don't and that's a part of what I meant by him getting into a new environment. He took the brunt of the blame when in all actuality, Milroe played the lion's share part in the problem.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Had not heard of this. Hope it pays off:

'I Don't Want to Talk About It': The Haunting Workouts on Alabama's Practice Field 3

How the Crimson Tide's ruthless daily summer workouts inside the Ring of Fire tested its players for the 2026 season.

www.si.com

Needed to be done. Got to bring the impurities out. These guys have to know there’s more in their tank.

 

[BamaMoon]

Best thing I've read in this thread is the "Ring of Fire" summer program. Sounds like a "Junction" mindset.

This won't make us better at football, but it will make us better disciplined, which I'd argue has been the biggest issue we've had the last two years.

Talent HAS NOT been the problem under CKD. This development is really good to hear!!!

 

[BamaInBham]

View attachment 58322

He had plenty of problems not avoiding putting the FB on the ground after Seth Left.

I was talking about bad snaps not fumbles in general. How many of those fumbles were caused by bad snaps?

On another note, I remember that Bryce had to use his amazing skills to save snap after snap in ‘22. Seth shared center duties that year with Dalcourt but I don’t know who was snapping when Bryce was performing his acrobatics to save the snap after snap.

 

[CaliforniaTide]

I’ve read that Cleveland has been really impressed with Brailsford.

He’s been in a battle for the Starting C spot but has been sidelined with a minor hand injury.

Their fanbase thinks he will at worse be the backup this year to start but has a strong chance to win the job at some point.

What all that means in relation to us I’m not sure.

It is also Cleveland. Myles Garrett played lights out there, and it didn't make much of a difference.

 

[BamaMoon]

I know we all have opinions about it, but how in the world did the SM/JM snap problem debate seem to take over this thread?

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I know we all have opinions about it, but how in the world did the SM/JM snap problem debate seem to take over this thread?

See posts #21-23 of this thread.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I know we all have opinions about it, but how in the world did the SM/JM snap problem debate seem to take over this thread?

because some people cannot let stuff go. They are both gone, I don't care anymore.

So how is fall practice going?

 

[CoolBreeze]

because some people cannot let stuff go. They are both gone, I don't care anymore.

So how is fall practice going?

Thank you! I see those posts in this thread and I am like, why? Ancient history man so lets move on. What a dark moment to be pining over.

 

[CoolBreeze]

because some people cannot let stuff go. They are both gone, I don't care anymore.

So how is fall practice going?

Here you go -

Practice Report from Alabama's Fifth Fall Camp Practice

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama was back on the Thomas Drew Practice Fields Monday morning for its fifth practice of fall camp. The team is still just practicing in shorts but will soon make the transition to full pads ahead of the first scrimmage.

www.yardbarker.com

 

[Joefus]

because some people cannot let stuff go. They are both gone, I don't care anymore.

So how is fall practice going?

Coulda sworn the admins said It was a rule to let it go and would bounce the posts…

 

[CoolBreeze]

Everyone looks good early on in shells. Let's see them in a couple of weeks -

Alabama football running backs have big day running the football on day 5 of fall camp

Alabama football’s offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, was excited to talk about the Crimson Tide’s running back after the fifth practice of fall camp. Grubb said he was happy to hear a reporter ask him about the running backs. “I thought we had some really, really good runs today,” Grubb said...

tdalabamamag.com

 

[CoolBreeze]

 

[Power Eye]

Jimmy Stein said on Locked on Bama today that the staff tracks everything in practices, and that both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell have been "performing more efficiently" in camp than Ty Simpson was last year. He also said they're both making explosive plays downfield too. That kinda crazy, but makes me even more confident that we are going to be just fine, no matter who the starting QB ends up being.

I heard that as well. I have no idea what that means in terms of how they are progressing, but it doesn't sound bad. He also said he heard from multiple reliable sources that Russell would be the starter and from separate reliable sources that Mack would be the starter. To me, that's pretty interesting. I just hope a starter is decided upon before camp closes. I do wonder if they are neck and neck in terms of play then whether who is getting paid the most factors into the decision. It certainly happens at the pro level.