So they got 3 days of extra film study / practice that we did not.I decided to try to get to the bottom of this:
![]()
Practice Photos: Alabama hits the field for first workout of bye week
Check out photos, courtesy of Alabama Athletics, from the Crimson Tide's first on-field practice of its first bye week of the 2025 season.www.on3.com
"" Alabama held its first football practice of its first bye week on Thursday morning. "
"Georgia is on bye this week, but the Bulldogs were back at practice on Monday. "
Honestly, I think DeBoer just put his job on the line. It's a huge gamble, if he loses this will become massive news and I don't think he'll have much support left. If he wins, then the legend of being a big game coach will grow. It's a gamble I'm not sure he needed to take though, just give them light practice... avoid the optics.
There could be some inaccuracies, but here's the reporting on that from the 247 article:I dont know , I heard an interview with Kirby and he said he gave his players three days off then a heavy lift day , position meetings and gameplan for Bama starting Monday
Ultimately success is what matters. I can say they needed to do this, or need to do that, but ultimately success is the goal.Well, as they say, no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides to the bread. The fact of the matter is, we don't know what the atmosphere is like in the football complex. And we don't know if there was extra film study or position meetings in lieu of practice.
We did what we did this year in 2024 also and we won the game. And if any of you think they were not doing S&C and watching film during this time you would be wrong.Does anyone know what we did last year the off week before Georgia?
What's interesting is that there really weren't any optics of it until the Film Guy, who is a UGA fan, brought it up a week later. I listen to a fair amount of Alabama podcasts and no one questioned it or even mentioned the fact that the players didn't practice until Thursday. So only once someone, who is a UGA fan, mentions it do we make a big deal of it. I don't think it's a big deal at all, and I'm sure they were doing film study and positional meetings, but I don't know that.There could be some inaccuracies, but here's the reporting on that from the 247 article:
" The Bulldogs' bye week started Monday with Georgia giving some of its higher-snap guys from the Tennessee game a little bit of a breather, while getting some extra work for younger guys down the depth chart. Now, the Georgia will return to practice the rest of the week as if it's a normal practice week."
So, certainly a lighter practice and doesn't sound like everyone was participating, but it was practice according to the report.
Edit: But to be clear the main issue is the optics of it and just general lack of discipline. Players were reportedly there on Monday for Georgia. They were not reportedly there until Thursday for Alabama. Even if just going through the motions, or doing what Kirby did and work the backups harder, it just begs the question of: "Did you have someplace more important to be?". Just not a good look and may be something can bridge this gap, I'd welcome it but I did my homework and that's what I got.
What I wrote wasnt an article , a reporter or hearsay. It was the answer Kirby Smart gave to Randy McMichael when asked on 92.9 The Game in AtlantaThere could be some inaccuracies, but here's the reporting on that from the 247 article:
" The Bulldogs' bye week started Monday with Georgia giving some of its higher-snap guys from the Tennessee game a little bit of a breather, while getting some extra work for younger guys down the depth chart. Now, the Georgia will return to practice the rest of the week as if it's a normal practice week."
So, certainly a lighter practice and doesn't sound like everyone was participating, but it was practice according to the report.
Edit: But to be clear the main issue is the optics of it and just general lack of discipline. Players were reportedly there on Monday for Georgia. They were not reportedly there until Thursday for Alabama. Even if just going through the motions, or doing what Kirby did and work the backups harder, it just begs the question of: "Did you have someplace more important to be?". Just not a good look and may be something can bridge this gap, I'd welcome it but I did my homework and that's what I got.
We did what we did this year in 2024 also and we won the game. And if any of you think they were not doing S&C and watching film during this time you would be wrong.
Alabama's bye week was in late September 2024, leading up to their game against Georgia on September 28. While the practice schedule for that week isn't publicly available due to the closed nature of bye week practices for reporters, their first practice was held on Thursday, September 19, where players were in "shells" (half pads) at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields for about an hour and a half. The team then continued preparations for their SEC opener against the Bulldogs
What I thought.What's interesting is that there really weren't any optics of it until the Film Guy, who is a UGA fan, brought it up a week later. I listen to a fair amount of Alabama podcasts and no one questioned it or even mentioned the fact that the players didn't practice until Thursday. So only once someone, who is a UGA fan, mentions it do we make a big deal of it. I don't think it's a big deal at all, and I'm sure they were doing film study and positional meetings, but I don't know that.
Why the blue font?Kirby can't give them time off due to all the speeding when they have free time.
Alabama Crimson Tide Car Door Light
Get this and many more items at our TideFans.shop!
Purchases may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.