Alabama Football Holds Annual Fan Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium
8/7/2016 5:34:00 PM | Football
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama football team held its annual Fan Day inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sunday. The day featured a two-hour open practice with a 45-minute autograph session after for an estimated 2,600 fans.
Sunday's open practice lasted roughly two hours with the team working in shells (helmets, shoulder pads and shorts) in the midday heat. The Tide focused on basic offensive, defensive and special teams drills during the fourth session of fall camp. Following the practice, the players and coaches signed autographs for 45 minutes to conclude the day's festivities.
Today's practice was the fourth practice of fall camp in a series of 28 before heading to Arlington, Texas, to face off with the Southern California Trojans on Sept. 3. The two teams will meet inside AT&T Stadium for the AdvoCare Classic with the game set for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC.
ALABAMA FAN DAY PLAYER QUOTES
#88 O.J. Howard, Tight End
On the leadership in the offseason:
"Leadership is a big thing that we have to develop this year. We have built leadership so far in just these first few days. Even in the summer when the coaches can't be out there with us we were developing some roles. The leaders are just taking over in fall camp right now."
On who are the leaders on the offensive side of the football:
"I'd say myself, Cooper Bateman, Brandon Greene; some of the older guys like us that have been here for a while and know the system pretty well. That's just a few guys I named, and of course we have a lot on defense, as well."
On the energy on the team:
"You know Coach (Saban) tells us every day to come out and be better each day, and play each rep hard. I think that everyone has noticed that, and everybody has picked up the intensity a little bit."
#71 Ross Pierschbacher, Center
On how big a challenge it is with four different quarterbacks:
"We have full faith in all four guys that are back there. We don't pay too much attention to the competition. We have to focus on executing our own jobs each day. We don't put too much into a competition."
On how the transition has been from left guard to center:
"It has been good. It was a huge help just playing next to a guy like Ryan Kelly last year and really picking his brain to see how he played the game at the center position. I went into the summer and took in all the coaching that I could, and I was really building the cohesiveness with the guys playing next to me; so it's been good."
#3 Calvin Ridley, Wide Receiver
On if he has a personal drive to set more records this season:
"Yeah, I want to do that, but I am going to take it game by game and be the team player that I am. I just need to work hard and hopefully it comes around again."
On what he is looking to work on in particular this year:
"I'm looking forward to improving my blocking and also running every route at full speed."
On if ArDarius Stewart's style has rubbed off on him as a player:
"Yeah, I've been talking to him about every type of play and my blocking. He has been telling me how to get in every position and stuff. So yeah, he's helped me a lot."
#4 Eddie Jackson, Defensive Back
On getting his degree:
"It means a lot to be the first one in my family to get a college degree. It really means a lot. It's something that they can never take away from me. It's something I'll have for the rest of my life. It will prepare me for life after football."
On the expectations for the secondary:
"We have high expectations. Last year was a pretty good year. We just want to improve every year. We just want to compete. We listen to our coaches. We have a great receiving corps that challenge us every day, and we challenge them every day, too."
#93 Jonathan Allen, Defensive End
On the defensive line:
"It's changed a little bit. We have new shoes to fill and new roles to play in. We have to be prepared to step up."
#10 Reuben Foster, Linebacker
On who the best tackler on the team is:
"We have some great hitters on this team. I think all of us on the defensive side are sound tacklers. I don't think I'm the biggest hitter out here. I just think I have the opportunity to hit people harder."
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