Alabama first-team tailback Bo Scarbrough had a difficult time against Ryan Anderson and the rest of the Crimson Tide’s first-team defense during Saturday’s A-Day game in Tuscaloosa.Left tackle Cam Robinson will be back after sitting out spring with a shoulder injury. Ross Pierschbacher will be the new starting center, and Lester Cotton will be somewhere.
Outside of that, Alabama’s offensive line for the 2016 season remains rather unsettled.
Alabama’s first-team line of Korren Kirven at left tackle, Cotton at left guard, Pierschbacher at center, Brandon Kennedy at right guard and early enrollee Jonah Williams at right tackle struggled throughout Saturday’s A-Day game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. That quintet helped comprise the Crimson offense, which managed just three points, seven first downs, minus-5 rushing yards and 131 total yards.
“We don’t really have a first-team offensive line,” coach Nick Saban said in a news conference afterward. “Those just happened to be the guys who went with the first team today, and a couple of those guys probably will be first-team offensive linemen. Cam Robinson will certainly be back playing one tackle, and that could affect who plays the other tackle.
“Lester Cotton probably would have played right tackle better than our right tackle played today, but we’re working with him as a guard because we think that’s where he’s going to end up playing this year.”
Cotton received continual praise this spring from Saban, as did Pierschbacher for his move from left guard, where he started all 15 games for last season’s national champions. Williams, a five-star talent from California, also got positive feedback from Saban and could contribute later this year even if he doesn’t crack the first five.
Alphonse “Shank” Taylor, the starting right guard last season, was on the second team at A-Day and was a backup for much of the spring. The 6-foot-5 senior from Mobile was listed this spring at 345 pounds after playing last season at 325.
“He is going to continue to be on the second team if he doesn’t get his weight down and get in shape,” Saban said.
A crowd of 76,212 watched Saturday as the White defeated the Crimson 7-3 in a game sealed with 1:02 remaining when Ronnie Harrison intercepted a Cooper Bateman pass in the end zone. The White team, which had the second-team offense, benefited from 114 rushing yards by Damien Harris, who won MVP honors.
First-team tailback Bo Scarbrough, who had two stellar scrimmages, struggled at A-Day against the first-team defense, rushing nine times for 20 yards and committing two false-start penalties. The Crimson team had a difficult time containing senior outside linebacker Tim Williams, who tallied two sacks.
Inside linebacker Rashaan Evans, who played on the second-team defense, racked up 17 tackles.
Alabama announced its spring award winners Saturday, with tight end O.J. Howard and outside linebacker Ryan Anderson winning the Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award. Winning the Mal Moore Leadership Award were three players who were injured this spring: Robinson, safety Eddie Jackson and defensive end Jonathan Allen.
Saban plans to hold exit meetings with each of his players today and Tuesday to discuss athletic, academic or even personal matters.
“We need to finish strong academically so our guys can continue to make progress towards a degree,” he said. “Most of the guys take two or three weeks off in May. Then, when we come back for summer school, everybody will be focused on individual improvement again.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.