Reggie Ragland is entrenched as one of Alabama’s starting inside linebackers, but that doesn’t mean the 6-foot-2, 254-pound senior isn’t lacking for motivation this spring.
Only the Crimson Tide defensive linemen are working under the same assistant coach from last year on that side of the ball. Former inside linebackers coach Kevin Steele is now LSU’s defensive coordinator and former outside linebackers coach Lance Thompson is now Auburn’s linebackers coach, and the hiring of Mel Tucker as secondary coach shifted the responsibilities of defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to the inside linebackers.
Ragland’s primary goal is to get to know Smart better than ever.
“He’s full of energy,” Ragland recently told reporters in Tuscaloosa. “I know when it comes to his calls, he’s going to pick my brain and I am going to pick his. I’m going to know what he wants to run on third down before he knows it.”
Alabama defender Reggie Ragland gets called for pass interference breaking up a long pass to Hunter Henry near the endzone during the Hogs game in Fayetteville.Alabama held its second spring practice Monday and its first since having last week off for spring break. The Crimson Tide worked for two hours in helmets and shorts and will practice again Wednesday.
Practices Friday and Saturday will coincide with the annual “Clinic of Champions,” which is headlined this year by Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher.
Ragland, who was Scout.com’s No. 1 middle linebacker nationally in the 2012 signing class out of Bob Jones High School in Madison, Ala., is assuming the defensive play-calling chores from Trey DePriest. In the Crimson Tide’s 12-2 season that included the program’s 24th Southeastern Conference championship, Ragland racked up 95 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception.
Like DePriest the year before, Ragland decided not to forgo his senior season after a productive junior campaign.
“I wanted to come back and get smarter,” Ragland said. “If you’re not smart on the next level, you’re not going to last long.”
Finding Ragland’s starting teammate inside is among the Tide’s storylines this spring, and there is no shortage of candidates. Senior Dillon Lee is the veteran of the hopefuls, while junior Reuben Foster is the most touted of the bunch and sophomore Shaun Dion Hamilton perhaps is the most intriguing.
Lee and Hamilton played in all 14 games last season, while Foster played in 11.
In the portion of Monday’s practice that was open to the media, Chris Black and Robert Foster worked as first-team receivers, while senior Kenyan Drake was the backup tailback to Derrick Henry but also practiced at receiver. Drake rushed 22 times for 112 yards (5.1) and had five receptions for 159 yards (31.8) last season before suffering a broken leg in the fifth game at Ole Miss.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.