Mark Ingram Sidelined Following Knee Surgery

Alabama Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday morning to repair damage to his left knee.

The surgery (which obviously caught fans by surprise) will force the Heisman winner to be sidelined for the early portion of the season.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Lyle Cain and Dr. James Andrews and was deemed a success.

Ingram reportedly injured his knee Monday afternoon in practice. However, no mention of Mark “being injured” came across the wire until news of the surgery.

The information concerning Ingram comes at a very critical time. Alabama will face a tough Penn State team on Sept. 11 and the absence of Ingram will certainly be a factor and an important storyline for that contest.

Running back Trent Richardson is more than capable and has shown his worth on numerous occasions, but nevertheless, the loss of Ingram certainly leaves ‘Bama fans with a “sour taste” just days before the start of the 2010 season.

The news is still early and only time will tell, but based on the knowledge of “routine” arthroscopic knee procedures, Ingram should return in time for the Arkansas game on Sept. 25.

The loss of Ingram will obviously place Trent Richardson in the starting role, but it will also “promote” Eddie Lacy to the second back in the rotation.

Cross Country Paycheck: San Jose State/Alabama

The 2010 college football season has finally arrived! Saturday evening the No. 1 team in the country, the Alabama Crimson Tide, will play host to the Spartans of San Jose State.

San Jose State (Western Athletic Conference) will enter the 2010 campaign with one expectation…improve!

The Spartans concluded the 2009 season with a record of 2-10 (1-7 in the WAC) due to a futile defense, but more conspicuously…an inept offense.

On four occasions during the 2009 season, San Jose State failed to score in double figures.

The SJSU offense only averaged 13 points per game in 2009. The atrocious average placed the Spartans third-to-last in all of major college football in points per game average. SJSU was also 117th in the nation in the rushing department and 119th in run defense.

After the dismal 2009 campaign, Mike MacIntyre was named the new head coach replacing Dick Tomey. MacIntyre comes to SJSU following a stint with Duke as an assistant coach.

On the offensive side of the ball the Alabama defense will be facing senior quarterback Jordan La Secla.

La Secla was the principal starter at the quarterback position in 2009 completing roughly 60 percent of his pass attempts.

Even though La Secla threw a total of 10 touchdowns, the Spartans signal caller was intercepted 11 times.

Receivers Jalal Beauchman and Josh Harrison will be the primary targets of Jordan La Secla in the SJSU passing attack.

At the running back position, the Spartans will be led by Lamon Muldrow and Brandon Rutley.

Muldrow led SJSU in rushing in 2009 with 592 yards and three touchdowns.

Brandon Rutley will not only see time at the running back position…but at defensive back. The Spartans, obviously short on talent, will use Rutley in more ways than one in 2010.

On the defensive side of the ball, the San Jose State Spartans only allowed an average of 183 yards through the air in 2009.

However, the majority of opponents ran the ball against SJSU…and ran it well.

The inability of the Spartans to contain the run will obviously work in favor of the Alabama ground attack.

The Tide offense is poised to be an explosive juggernaut in 2010 and the weak SJSU run defense will be put to the test early and often.

Look for Alabama to run the ball at will against the Spartans which will allow the Tide to go to the air with ease.

The contest with San Jose State will grant Alabama the ability to put a young secondary to the test, while allowing other vital (yet unproven) players to see live game action in critical situations.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will answer several personnel questions on Saturday night while the San Jose State Spartans will leave Bryant-Denny with a loss...and a check.

Three 'Bama Players on Lombardi List

Championship teams are built around championship players and three members of the Alabama Crimson Tide have been honored with preseason recognition.

Left tackle James Carpenter, defensive end Marcell Dareus and linebacker Dont’a Hightower have been included on the Lombardi Award watch list for the 2010 season.

The Lombardi trophy is given to the top interior lineman in the nation.

In 2009, former Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody was a Lombardi finalist. The coveted award was eventually presented to former Nebraska standout, Ndamukong Suh.

The Final Countdown: Thursday Practice Report

The wait is almost over…and so is fall camp. Next Monday the Alabama Crimson Tide football team will begin routine “game week” preparation for the Sept. 4 contest against San Jose State.

However, before the Tide can hit the field, Nick Saban needs to know who will take the field.

Thursday afternoon, D.J. Fluker returned to his familiar right tackle position and Barrett Jones returned to his spot at right guard.

During the Tuesday/Wednesday session Fluker didn’t practice with the first group and Jones was moved from right guard to right tackle.

In the secondary, Tide cornerback DeMarcus Milliner appears to be ready to roll after returning from an ankle injury which sidelined him for a week. Milliner appeared unimpeded during the Thursday practice session.

Crimson Tide linebacker Jerrell Harris once again saw time at the inside linebacker position on Thursday. Harris has spent the majority of fall camp working with the outside backers but has been active with the inside grouping this week.

In news which will make every Alabama fan happy…safety Kendall Kelly has been medically cleared to practice. Kelly has been absent since the initial practice of the preseason due to heat related issues which caused dizziness.

Without question, it will take Kelly a few weeks to return to “football shape” but nevertheless Kendall Kelly is back, which is great news for all parties involved.

In respect to who will "start" for the Tide, Alabama still has questions concerning the secondary, special teams and offensive line.

Practice groupings certainly mean something over a long period of time, but it would not be out of the question for selected starting positions to be a game-time decision.

Simply going by conjecture, the early portion of next week should provide answers to many pivotal questions concerning key positions.

Milliner Returns, Position Shuffle Continues

Alabama freshman cornerback DeMarcus Milliner returned to practice on Wednesday and participated in full contact drills.

Milliner, who has missed over a week due to an ankle injury, was certainly the “feel good” story of practice. The Tide freshman is expected to play a vital role in the ‘Bama secondary and his return certainly comes at a very critical time.

Several “experimental” changes continue to take place in respect to the Tide linebackers and offensive line.

Nico Johnson and Jerrell Harris have both practiced at the inside and outside linebacker position this week.

Harris, who has been on the strongside (outside linebacker) for the majority of fall camp has been working with the inside linebackers since Tuesday.

Nico Johnson was back at his customary inside linebacker position on Wednesday after working on the strongside during the Tuesday practice session.

On the offensive line several “trials” are currently taking place and only time will tell if the changes are perpetual.

Right guard Barrett Jones has been working at the right tackle position since Tuesday. Alfred McCullough has been functioning at the right guard position vacated by Jones.

Tide freshman D.J. Fluker, who has shown dramatic improvement since the spring, had been considered “solid” at the right tackle position until Tuesday’s practice session.

Once again, only time will tell if any of the changes mentioned above are permanent or merely provisional.

Crimson Notes 8/25/10

On Tuesday, the University of Alabama received a verbal commitment from Eddie Williams.

Williams, a safety from Arnold High School in Panama City, FL, is the first verbal given to the Crimson Tide for the 2012 signing class.

Rivals.com projects Williams as a five-star prospect and one of the top 10 overall recruits in the nation for 2012.

Eddie Williams (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) will be a huge asset to the Crimson Tide secondary and will only increase the talent level at the safety position.

The new film, “Nick Saban: Gamechanger” debuted in Birmingham on Tuesday evening and will hit theaters on Friday.



The film has drawn plenty of attention thanks to the powerful movie trailer which was released last month.

In addition to a theatrical run at select locations, the film will be released to official DVD this fall.

'Bama Returns to the Gridiron

After taking a short hiatus to recover from Saturday’s productive scrimmage, the Alabama Crimson Tide returned to the practice field on Tuesday.

The practice session was rather humdrum but the Tide injury situation has greatly improved.

Running back Blake Sims, who has been out of action since the initial scrimmage of fall camp, finally returned to the gridiron on Tuesday. Sims had been out due to a dislocated toe.

As mentioned in a previous post, nose tackle Josh Chapman (bruised thigh) and running back Trent Richardson (bruised shoulder) were injured during the second scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday. However, as expected, both Chapman and Richardson were back on the field Tuesday afternoon participating as usual.

Cornerback DeMarcus Milliner remains sidelined with an ankle injury. However, the Tide freshman did jog during practice and was “attentive” during drills concerning his position.

The unfortunate health story continues to be that of Tide safety Kendall Kelly. Alabama coach Nick Saban said Kelly has yet to be cleared by the medical staff and his return is still in question.

Kelly has been absent since the first practice of the preseason due to dizzy spells which were attributed to heat related issues.

Alabama will continue to practice through Saturday and game preparation for the San Jose State Spartans will begin on Monday.

Former Tide Linebacker to Enroll at East Carolina

As reported last week, linebacker Alfy Hill has been deemed an academic nonqualifier due to certain high school courses that did not meet certification.

The original “assumption” was that Hill would attend a prep school or junior college and then return to Alabama once his academic necessities were satisfied.

However, as reported by many credible media outlets on Saturday, Alfy Hill will attend East Carolina University.

Hill has already begun the application process and will enter East Carolina as a nonqualifier.

Once all academic requirements have been met, Hill will be eligible to play college football at ECU.

The loss of Alfy Hill is very unfortunate and certainly hurts from a football perspective.

As a high school prospect, Hill was rated the No. 8 defensive end in the nation and the No. 70 overall recruit, according to Rivals.com

Alfy Hill had been participating in fall camp with the Crimson Tide until he received information concerning his academic standing and was declared ineligible.

Tide Improves in Second Scrimmage

After the initial scrimmage of fall camp, many ‘Bama fans “freaked” due to the bloated offensive numbers and the efficiency of the Alabama quarterbacks against a young and inexperienced secondary.

Saturday afternoon, the Crimson Tide held another scrimmage...and the defense was strong.

As the first scrimmage was “pass happy,” the outing on Saturday was more run oriented and the Tide defense came to play. The leading rusher for Alabama, Eddie Lacy, was held to only 61 yards.

When the Tide offense did put the ball in the air, the secondary was prepared. Greg McElroy led the quarterbacks in passing…but for only 134 yards. Certainly a far cry from the almost 400-yard display he had in the first scrimmage of fall camp.

Greg McElroy (10-for-18, 134 yards), AJ McCarron (11-for-23, 110 yards) and Phillip Sims (11-for-18, 132 yards) were solid on Saturday, but they were held in check by the Crimson Tide defense.

Greg McElroy did throw two interceptions but one was courtesy of a tipped pass and the other came on a “Hail Mary” to end the scrimmage.

The Crimson Tide offense only scored four touchdowns on Saturday compared to a gaudy 13 in the initial scrimmage.

Nick Saban viewed the scrimmage on Saturday as more realistic in respect to actual game situations. The simple idea the scrimmage was more “practical” is a positive sign for the Alabama secondary.

"Whatever situation came up, we played it," said Saban. "We're not disappointed in the improvement that we made as a team, but at the same time, we're not satisfied with where we'd like to be."

In the receiving department tight end Brad Smelley led the way with 5 receptions for 71 yards. The tight end position was vital in the 2009 passing attack and one would assume the same in 2010.

As mentioned earlier, Eddie Lacy led the ground attack with 61 yards on 15 carries. Mark Ingram had 12 rushes for 46 yards, while Trent Richardson had six attempts for 20 yards. Richardson was also on the receiving end of a 20-yard touchdown pass.

Outside of the secondary, the Tide special teams need the most work and repetition.

After a “so-so” performance in the first scrimmage, the Tide field goal unit was outstanding on Saturday. Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster combined to go 7-for-8…including a 52-yard effort by Foster.

Statistics for the punting effort were not released, but Nick Saban
seemed “pleased” with the outing of Jay Williams and Cody Mandell.

On the injury front, cornerback DeMarcus Milliner (ankle) and running back Blake Sims (dislocated toe) were held out of the Saturday scrimmage…as expected.

During the action on Saturday, running back Trent Richardson suffered a bruised shoulder and nose tackle Josh Chapman sustained a bruised thigh but neither injury is serious.

Alabama will return to the practice field on Tuesday afternoon. The Tide will be given time to heal and recover as preparations continue for the 2010 season.

Injury Update, Closed Scrimmage on Saturday

The Alabama Crimson Tide will hold the second closed scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

In preparation for the Saturday scrimmage, the team practiced indoors on Friday in helmets and shoulder pads.

Cornerback DeMarcus Milliner (ankle) and running back Blake Sims (dislocated toe) continue to miss action and will most likely be unavailable for the scrimmage.

Defensive lineman Undra Billingsley returned to practice on Friday after missing time due to an ankle injury.

Alabama will kickoff the 2010 season in two weeks with a home contest against the Spartans of San Jose State.

Alfy Hill a Nonqualifier, Thursday Practice Report

Alabama linebacker Alfy Hill has been declared an academic nonqualifier and will most likely miss the 2010 season.

Thursday afternoon Alabama’s associate athletics director Mike Ward released a statement to the media concerning the eligibility of Alfy Hill.

The statement indicated that certain high school courses taken by Hill will not be accepted as core courses for use in certification. Thus, Alfy Hill has been given the status of an academic nonqualifier.

West Brunswick High School in Shallotte, N.C. (the high school Hill attended) is in the process of reevaluating the courses in question.

Alfy Hill has been removed from the 105-man roster and unless something occurs at the last minute, Hill will not be eligible for the 2010 season. The Tide linebacker will either attend a junior college or prep school in order to satisfy the necessary eligibility requirement(s).

Hill was a top high school recruit (four-star) and had been participating in practice until Wednesday.

In the wake of the circumstances surrounding Alfy Hill, Crimson Tide signee Harrison Jones (tight end) has returned to the football team for the 2010 season.

Harrison, the younger brother of Alabama right guard Barrett Jones, signed with Alabama in February but planned on delaying his enrollment until January.

However, due to an open spot (Alfy Hill) on the Alabama 105-man roster, Jones is now back in the mix. Jones has enrolled for the fall semester and is currently practicing with the team.

The addition of Harrison Jones is big for an already explosive ‘Bama offensive. Jones stands at 6-foot-4 and tops the scale and 235 pounds.

During his senior year of high school, Jones was considered the 19th best tight end in the nation according to Rivals.com.

The Tide returned to the practice field this afternoon and the session was rather uneventful.

Freshman Corey Grant returned to the running back position after spending several days working with the cornerbacks.

Mike Bowman continued to work with the tight ends on Thursday after being moved from the wide receiver position. Once again, the move is not deemed as permanent and appears to be more of an evaluation.

On the injury front, defensive lineman Undra Billingsley (ankle), running back Blake Sims (dislocated toe) and cornerback DeMarcus Milliner (ankle) remained out of action during the Thursday session.

Two Weeks Notice: Wednesday Practice Report

Wednesday marked the first day of the fall semester at the University of Alabama...and the end of preseason football camp.

The team now begins “season practice” which will eventually coincide with game preparation week for San Jose State.

Several walk-ons joined practice on Wednesday, which is routine with the first day of the fall academic semester. Typically the walk-ons will go as “unknowns” due to names not being released until a later date.

Safety Robby Green, who is suspended for the 2010 season, returned to practice on Wednesday after having his tonsils removed.

Initially it was believed that Green was excluded from the 105-man roster due to his suspension, however, it was due to his medical situation.

Green will be allowed to practice this season and should provide Alabama with an experienced presence as the Tide prepares for game action each week.

Injury-wise…not much has changed.

Defensive end Undra Billingsley has been dealing with a right ankle sprain and missed action on Wednesday.

Running back Blake Sims (dislocated toe) and cornerback DeMarcus Milliner (right ankle sprain) once again missed practice but did ride stationary bikes during the session.

Cornerback DeQuan Menzie who has been slowed the majority of fall practice returned to the field on Wednesday. Menzie is still dealing with a hamstring issue but did return to practice in full gear.

Menzie, who was considered a wash for the 2010 season after tearing his Achilles in April, has made amazing strides to return. However, Menzie has nagging injuries (non Achilles) which have prevented him from his full potential during practice.

Safety Kendall Kelly, who has not practiced since the initial day of fall camp, continues to miss action. Kelly’s playing status this season becomes bleak with every passing day.

Originally said to be dealing with “heat issues,” Kelly has missed practice even when Alabama have held indoor sessions.

The issue with Kendall Kelly certainly appears far worse than originally thought or expected.

In respect to position changes and rotations, Corey Grant (former running back) continues to work with the cornerbacks and Mike Bowman (former wide receiver) remains at the tight end position. Both players have spent a few days at the new positions, but the changes have been regarded as experimental.

Fantasy Football Leagues Are Won During The Season, Not At The Draft

Thanks for the article from Glenda Hanson

Everyone is looking forward to this NFL season, but those who play fantasy football are looking forward to it a lot more than those who just enjoy the game. That's because with fantasy football, you have an opportunity to prove how knowledgeable you are about the NFL and the players. Twenty years ago, this was not possible.

I might not be the best fantasy football player in the world, but I'm better than most of my friends. I always find a way to make the playoffs, which like with anything else, is because of the hard work I put into it. I'm constantly on my satellite wireless internet, looking up what players are starting, who just got injured, and what players just got released by other teams in my league. By staying on top of things, I give myself a big advantage over all my opponents. Everyone thinks it's the draft that wins championships, but that's not the case at all. It's the players that can make adjustments throughout the season that always perform best. It's also important to pay attention to the schedule. You want to get off to a good start, but you also want good match-ups for the playoffs.

If you have been an underperforming fantasy football player in previous years, remember to always search for those hidden gems on the free agent list. This is what makes the biggest difference of all, especially in a keeper league.

Football in a Bubble: 'Bama Indoors on Tuesday

Alabama practiced indoors Tuesday afternoon as fall camp continues in preparation for the 2010 season.

The Crimson Tide hit the field in full pads for the final time before the fall semester begins on Wednesday.

On the injury front, right tackle D.J. Fluker was back in action after missing the Monday evening practice session due to illness.

Running back Blake Sims has a dislocated toe and once again remained out of action. Cornerbacks DeMarcus Milliner (ankle) and DeQuan Menzie (hamstring) also missed practice on Tuesday.

None of the injuries are considered serious; however, missed practice time is certainly valuable and can never be recovered in respect to development and acclimation.

As mentioned in a previous article, Corey Grant and Mike Bowman have been shuffled to new positions for the time being. On Tuesday afternoon, Grant once again worked with the cornerbacks and Bowman saw action at the tight end position.

The safety spot remains a "wild card" in respect to who will complement returning starter, Mark Barron.

Robert Lester, Jarrick Williams, Nick Perry and walk-on Will Lowery have all seen action and will continue to be in the running for the starting position at safety.

In off the field news, Tide linebackers Nico Johnson and Dont’a Hightower have been named to the Butkus Award watch list for the 2010 season.

The coveted honor is given to the best linebacker in college football each season. The 2009 winner was former ‘Bama great…Rolando McClain.

'Bama Concludes Two-A-Day Sessions

Nick Saban wants intensity and he was screaming his message across the practice field on Monday.

Alabama concluded two-a-day practice sessions yesterday and Nick Saban was in a fiery mood. Saban’s anger was directed at his Tide defense…most notably the secondary. Do we sense a theme?

Monday was the first practice since the ‘Bama defense looked less that spectacular during Saturday’s close scrimmage.

The morning session saw two key position changes which will impact both sides of the ball.

Freshman tailback Corey Grant, who had been working with the running backs since the first day of camp, was moved to cornerback on Monday.

Wide receiver Mike Bowman was also shuffled and began work with the tight ends. Bowman has the size, so the move certainly makes sense from a physical standpoint.

Only time will tell if the moves are permanent. Several players have been shifted around quite a bit during fall camp so it can be difficult to put stock into the changes.

Several ‘Bama players were injured during the Saturday afternoon scrimmage and roughly half of them returned on Monday.

Safety Robert Lester (concussion) returned to the field for both practice sessions and appeared to be at full speed.

Cornerback DeMarcus Milliner (ankle) and running back Blake Sims (foot) were dressed in black, no-contact jerseys and did not participate.

DeQuan Menzie, another vital cornerback in the secondary, participated in the morning practice session but was held out of the evening session due to a nagging hamstring injury.

First-team right tackle D.J. Fluker was inexplicably absent during the evening practice but it was later revealed he was simply feeling ill.

Alabama will now return to single-day practice sessions as classes for the fall semester begin on Wednesday.

Questions and Injuries Plague Tide Scrimmage

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team held a closed scrimmage on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium and the day was filled with offense, questions and injuries.

As many expected, the Alabama offense is leaps and bounds ahead of the Tide defense...most notably the secondary.

Alabama’s top three quarterbacks put the Tide defense through utter misery combining for a total of 698 yards and nine touchdowns.

Starting quarterback Greg McElroy did most of the damage as he torched the ‘Bama secondary for 360 yards and six touchdowns.

The Alabama secondary is certainly inexperienced. However, injuries unquestionably do not and will not help the cause.

Tide safety Robert Lester was forced to leave the scrimmage after he sustained a concussion. Even though Nick Saban expects Lester to return to action later this week, the injury is a blow to the 'Bama secondary due to the fact Lester was set to be the “presumed” starter at the safety position.

Sophomore walk-on Will Lowery filled in at safety in the wake of Lester’s injury.

Cornerbacks DeMarcus Milliner and DeQuan Menzie were also forced out of action due to injury. Menzie left the scrimmage due to an ailing hamstring and Milliner exited due to an ankle issue.

Given Alabama’s defensive style, the Crimson Tide need depth and able bodies in the secondary. Nick Saban likes to run as many as 10 deep in preparation for various nickel and dime defensive packages.

Another point of concern for the Crimson Tide is the special teams department.

Punter Jay Williams and place-kickers Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelley were hit-or-miss on Saturday.

Williams had a decent outing but lacked consistency in the punting game.

In respect to the place-kickers, Foster has the “bigger leg” as far as distance, but Shelley is more consistent on shorter kicks.

With the season less than three weeks away, the Tide secondary and special teams will certainly remain “hot topics” for the remainder of fall camp.

Crimson Notes 8/13/10

Thursday night Alabama returned to the practice field to complete the second of three scheduled two-a-day practice sessions.

The Thursday morning practice session was rather uneventful with no major developments to acknowledge.

Nick Saban has a list of roughly a dozen candidates who are competing for the kickoff and punt return duties. Julio Jones and Trent Richardson appear to be the likely candidates but as with most things…only time will tell.

Alabama will practice today and hold a closed scrimmage on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The team will be off on Sunday afternoon for the first time since fall camp began.

In other news, Tide wide receiver Darius Hanks has been granted another year of playing eligibility and will be a junior (again) this season.

In 2007 Hanks saw action in the first game of the season…but never played again.

The NCAA has confirmed that Hanks will receive a redshirt for the 2007 season, which means he will once again be a junior in 2010.

The eligibility concerning Hanks has been a question since 2008.

Initial rosters regarding the 2010 team listed Hanks as a senior.

Due to the lack of confirmation from the NCAA (until now) most publications have listed Hanks one class ahead of his true status since 2008.

The football career of Alabama running back Jeramie Griffin...is over. Griffin, who suffered a knee injury prior to the 2009 season, has not been able to fully recover.

When fall camp began, Griffin failed the required physical and has now been granted a medical scholarship.

Nick Saban said he has spoken to Griffin about being a student coach during the 2010 season.

Phillip Ely Commits to Alabama

Wednesday afternoon Alabama received a “surprise” verbal commitment from quarterback Phillip Ely of Tampa, Florida.

The talented standout is considered a “surprise” because he didn’t receive a scholarship offer from Alabama until recently.

‘Bama made a late push for his services…and Ely gave his verbal to the Tide.

The pro-style quarterback is considered a four-star recruit according to rivals.com and is certainly a gifted passer and overall athlete. Ely stands at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds.

The Florida product becomes the 17th verbal commitment for the 2011 signing class and the first quarterback.

Indoor Practice for the Crimson Tide

On Wednesday, the Alabama Crimson Tide football team held a single practice indoors due to the extreme heat that has plagued preseason camp.

As fall practice continues to intensify, minor injuries become routine.

Several Tide players are dealing with pesky and nagging ailments this week.

Running back Demetrius Goode (left hamstring), nose tackle Josh Chapman (right hamstring), wide receiver Julio Jones (right foot) and defensive back DeQuan Menzie (right calf) have been “wrapped” but have continued to practice with no major issues.

Blake Sims remained at the running back position for yet another practice session. Nick Saban likes the threat Sims could provide ‘Bama on the offensive side of the ball so expect Sims to remain on offense for awhile.

Prior to being moved to running back, Sims saw action at safety and quarterback last week.

The unfortunate story concerning ‘Bama safety Kendall Kelly remains unchanged. Even though the Wednesday practice session was held indoors, Kelly remained out of action.

Kelly continues to deal with heat related issues that became paramount last week during the initial practice of fall camp.

Two-A-Day Sessions Commence at 'Bama

After another demanding practice (Monday) in the sweltering heat of August, the Alabama Crimson Tide football team hit the field Tuesday morning for the start of two-a-day practice sessions.

The heat is doing a number on the entire team, but Tide safety Kendall Kelly remains out of action due to the high temperatures. Kelly has been dealing with dizziness since the initial practice of fall camp.

The longer Kelly remains absent the more concern will grow regarding his status for not only the remainder of preseason camp…but the 2010 campaign.

Blake Sims, who has seen action at safety and quarterback, spent time with the running backs Tuesday morning.

Nick Saban continues to play “musical chairs” with Sims during fall camp and one can assume the procedure will continue until the coaching staff places Sims in the ideal position.

Alabama will return to the practice field at 7:30 p.m. to complete the evening session of practice.

Two-a-day practice sessions will continue for the Crimson Tide on Thursday and Monday. ‘Bama will also hold a closed scrimmage on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Football and Fandom Invade Bryant-Denny

Sunday afternoon the Alabama Crimson Tide football team took the field for a public practice session which coincided with fan day at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

‘Bama held a routine practice going through basic drills for two hours and then signed autographs for the estimated 7,000 Tide fans in attendance.

Mark Ingram (as well documented) was not in Tuscaloosa on Sunday due to the death of his grandfather and Kendall Kelly continues to miss practice due to heat related concerns. Although Kelly has not been hospitalized, the Tide safety is out until further notice.

Alabama will return to the practice field this week as preparation for the 2010 season continues.

Roll Sweat Roll: 'Bama Continues Preseason Camp

The University of Alabama football team returned to the practice field on Friday and Saturday as fall camp continues in preparation for the 2010 season.

The preseason No. 1 team put on the pads for the first time Saturday afternoon and practiced in the blazing August heat.

Speaking of heat, safety Kendall Kelly has been held out of practice due to heat related concerns.

Nick Saban said the issue is not serious, but Kelly did miss practice on Friday and Saturday.

Tide running back Mark Ingram is out of practice while he attends his grandfather’s funeral in Michigan. Not only did Ingram miss practice on Saturday, but he will also miss fan day which is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The official 105-man roster has been released and running back Jeramie Griffin was not on the squad. Griffin is still recovering from a knee injury which caused him to miss the entire 2009 season.

Defensive back Robby Green was another player of note who was not included on the 105-man roster. However, Green has been suspended for the 2010 season so his absence should come as no surprise.

When it comes to the linebacker position…Alabama is deep. Even though the Crimson Tide may have questions in the secondary, the linebacker position will be stacked for years to come.

One freshman, who has been showing positive signs so far this fall, is Jalston Fowler.

The Tide linebacker certainly “looks the part” at 6-foot-1, 236 pounds and could be counted on when Alabama presents a nickel package on defense.

Fowler practiced during the spring and by all accounts looks solid and ready to see the field in critical game situations.

Blake Sims, who took reps at the safety position during the Thursday evening practice session, has been taking snaps at the quarterback position since Friday.

Sims was recruited as an “athlete” so expect Nick Saban to work the Tide newcomer at various positions during fall camp.

Finally, Marcell Dareus continues (and will continue) to practice with the starting defensive team until he receives word on his playing status for the 2010 season.

Until the final verdict comes from the NCAA, Dareus will continue to practice with the first defensive line.